章節 20: CHAPTER 19 - Unveiling Strength in Shadows (4)
The entire stadium fell into an eerie silence as a collective disbelief washed over the onlookers. They couldn't fathom what had just transpired before their eyes, and all eyes were fixed on Ren, who had gone hurtling across the arena and crashed into the opposite wall.
Whispers rippled through the crowd as spectators struggled to come to terms with the seemingly impossible event.
"What on earth just happened?"
"Is that... Ren? Did he really go flying like that?"
"I must be hallucinating. Someone, pinch me!"
Even Senpai Fujimoto, usually composed and confident, found himself at a loss for words. The force required to send Ren hurtling through the air like a ragdoll was beyond extraordinary. The fact that Ichiro had accomplished this feat without any visible aura or magic suggested his physical strength was formidable.
Amid the stunned silence, no one noticed Ichiro's subsequent actions until Shinji's urgent warning cut through the confusion.
"Watch out!"
Startled, Nao, who had been in a daze following the spectacle, suddenly saw Ichiro charging toward her. Thanks to Shinji's timely call, she swiftly harnessed her own abilities, using her veins to defend herself from Ichiro's approach.
Ichiro was well aware of the dire situation he was in. He understood that he couldn't easily close the distance between himself and the remaining members of the opposing team, but he needed to keep them occupied long enough for Emi to recover.
"Get him!" Shinji barked out orders, rallying the rest of his team to focus on Ichiro. He wasn't used to being a commander, but he knew that holding their ground was crucial for their team's chances of success.
Nao, showing remarkable composure, continued to defend herself against Ichiro's advances while launching counterattacks. With the mechanical lion still incapacitated and Emi down due to the pain she was experiencing, they saw an opportunity to gain the upper hand.
"I'll handle Ichiro. Go finish off the lion," Nao declared, her voice steady as she took charge.
Shinji nodded in agreement and rushed to deal with the mechanical lion. Despite Emi's limited control due to her pain, the lion was gradually recovering and fighting back, making the situation even more challenging.
Meanwhile, Akira and Ryo knelt beside the heavily injured Ren, their expressions filled with concern.
"Ren, are you alright?"
"Ren, hey, wake up!"
Ren was covered in blood, his wounds severe from Ichiro's powerful attack. The tide of the mock battle had taken a dramatic turn, leaving both teams in a state of chaos and uncertainty.
"How strong is that bastard!" Ryo couldn't contain his shock and frustration as he cursed aloud, expressing his disbelief at how Ichiro had managed to defeat Ren in such a spectacular fashion.
"Calm down," Akira urged, focusing on monitoring Ren's vital signs and injuries.
Ren stirred, his consciousness slowly returning, and the concern on his teammates' faces gave him some reassurance.
"Ah-"
"Ren."
"You're alright, right?" they asked with a sense of relief. Ren's well-being was crucial to their chances of victory.
"Good thing you're fine," Ryo added, still amazed at the events that had unfolded.
"What happened?" Ren, disoriented and with only fragmented memories of the recent events, was filled with confusion. He struggled to recall what had transpired.
"You—" Akira began, but he stopped short when Ren suddenly seized him by the collar, his anger and frustration palpable.
"Where's the bastard!" Ren demanded angrily, his memory of the intense encounter with Ichiro returning in a flash. The brief but impactful altercation had left a strong impression, and Ren was determined to confront Ichiro once more.
As the students watching the mock battle continued to react, the atmosphere in the arena grew more charged with excitement.
"No way, Ren's up."
"Seriously, then what Ichiro did wasn't that strong, then."
"That's right, that must have been beginner's luck."
There was a mix of disbelief, laughter, and chatter from the spectators, with some attributing Ichiro's feat to luck. However, Senpai Fujimoto, who had a better understanding of the situation, knew that it wasn't just luck. Ichiro had indeed sent Ren flying with remarkable force, which raised concerns about the toll it would take on his body.
Meanwhile, Ichiro was engaged in a tense struggle with Nao, who was using her vines to attack him. Her precise control over her magic allowed her to create and manipulate the vines rapidly, making it challenging for Ichiro to avoid them.
"Get lost!" Nao shouted in frustration as she continued her relentless assault. Fear began to creep into her eyes as she realized that Ichiro was not only dodging her attacks but also causing her to expend a significant amount of energy to maintain the onslaught.
"Damn it." As Nao realized that her strength was waning, she cursed under her breath, biting her lips in frustration. She knew that she couldn't keep up this level of magic usage for much longer.
However, just as she was on the verge of losing consciousness from magical exhaustion, a sudden, deafening bang reverberated through the entire stadium.
**BANG!**
The gunshot took everyone by surprise, including Nao and Ichiro. Ichiro was sent flying by the impact, drawing the attention of the entire arena.
Ryo had pulled out a sniper rifle and precisely shot Ichiro in the center of his body. The gunshot was infused with Akira's wind magic, enhancing its impact. Ichiro was left with numerous cuts and injuries from the magical wind blades, causing him significant pain.
"You bastard!" Ren shouted as he angrily got to his feet, his eyes locked on Ichiro with pure fury. "I'll kill you!"
The warning from the system further intensified the urgency of the situation.
-Warning: Increasingly dire situation detected. You're losing 1.5% blood per minute. Immediate action required to prevent life-threatening consequences.-
Shut up! I know that already!' Ichiro furiously replied to the system through his mind.
-Urgent warning: Without immediate intervention, vital shutdown imminent.-
"Shut down?" Ichiro questioned, concerned about the system's warning.
But before he could get a more detailed explanation, he was startled to see Ren relentlessly pursuing him. Despite his injuries, Ren managed to get to his feet and gave chase, but Ichiro was determined to stay out of his reach.
"Come back here!" Ren shouted angrily.
"As if," Ichiro mocked as he continued to elude Ren's grasp. Ren felt increasingly frustrated as he struggled to catch up to Ichiro. He couldn't tell if it was due to his own weakened state from the earlier attack or if Ichiro was simply too fast for him to catch.
-Caution: Elevating exertion levels intensifies blood loss rate.-
"Yeah, I know that already," Ichiro grumbled, growing annoyed with the repeated warnings from the system. It wasn't as if he could simply ask Ren to stop chasing him, as that would likely result in an even more severe beating and increased blood loss.
As Ichiro was being relentlessly attacked by the four students, he found it increasingly difficult to evade them. Despite their attempts to enhance their speed with acceleration spells, none of them could match Ichiro's natural swiftness.
"I guess Emi was right," Ichiro realized, acknowledging that Emi's advice to keep running had been sound. None of his pursuers could catch up to him in terms of speed.
However, despite his best efforts, Ichiro had his limitations. He knew he couldn't keep running indefinitely. Frustration welled up in him as he thought about this predicament.
"Ah, seriously..." Ichiro muttered under his breath as Ren finally closed the gap between them and delivered a punishing punch that sent him sprawling to the ground.
"You bastard, you think you can run from me forever?" Ren seethed, his anger evident.
Ichiro pondered Ren's question for a moment. Technically, he could continue to evade Ren, but he had set a limit with the system earlier to avoid discovery. He had limited himself to running for only 30 minutes, and now that his time had run out, he needed to play the role of a weakened individual again. His physical injuries also made this act more convincing.
Ren continued to pummel Ichiro, caring little about the special treatment he received from the teachers due to his condition. In this moment, he was determined to put Ichiro in his place for daring to insult him in front of everyone.
"I'll beat you up until you beg me," Ren growled, his fists flying.
"I beg you," Ichiro pleaded, genuinely not wanting more of a beating. However, his plea only seemed to stoke Ren's fury, and the relentless assault continued.
"You think you can win against me?" Ren's vision was blurred by rage as he looked at Ichiro. The humiliation of being bested by someone he considered a loser had left a deep scar. He couldn't bear the thought of what his family might say if they learned of his defeat. "Dream on, you loser."
Ichiro's face bore a mocking grin as he spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. He smiled defiantly at Ren and uttered words that surprised everyone present. "I never thought I could defeat you, but I know who can."
Ren was taken aback by Ichiro's words. "What?" he demanded, confusion lacing his voice.
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