The First Tokushu Exam, Part 3

  "Sakatoro Zenatori," a mysterious voice called out.

  Zenatori's eyes finally opened from his slumber, and he looked around, patting his body, realizing his consciousness. The entire area was encompassed in complete darkness, and nothing could be felt.

  A strange man emerged from the shadows and walked toward him.

  "Wow, it seems your time has already come, Zenatori."

  Zenatori was instantly taken aback and stared at the man.

  "Father..? What, do you mean?"

  His calm chuckle ran through the room as it left his hoarse but soothing lips.

  "Well, is that what you'd hope I say?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "You gotta stop giving in so soon, Sakatoro. You have a long life and many things to experience. If you give up now, all that does is slow the progress for the inevitable."

  "But, I'm dead-"

  "Cut that out. Get up."

  Zenatori felt the blood rush back through his head, and his eyes flickered open. As the initial wave of blurriness phased out, he saw a familiar figure in front of him. The figure was Naoko Akari.

  She looked at Zenatori, and as his eyes fluttered, she said.

  "So you're awake?"

  Zenatori looked at his body, and his wounds were mostly healed.

  "What is going on?" He said.

  "It seems that Iguchi did a number on you. So I used my relative manifestation to heal you. Your body seems to be much tougher than expected, so your wounds weren't that deep and were able to be healed pretty easily."

  Zenatori briefly remembered the scene he had with Jojo Koshaka in that nurse's office and her explanation of the methods of healing someone else.

  "I thought you couldn't heal others with the isotonic vitality method, or the reactionary vitality method."

  "That would be true, but if you channel it into a relative manifestation, you are able to heal others."

  "Is that not extremely draining?"

  "I'll be fine," She said in reassurance.

  "How did you find me?"

  "In truth, when the exam started, I chased you and Yachi for a bit in curiosity, and it led me here."

  Zenatori rubbed his forehead in throbbing pain. He looked over and saw Iguchi's battered body, but it was usually damaged.

  "Well, how exactly am I alive?"

  "The way Iguchi's Sadoko syneji works is by manipulating the pressure in the air. His trump card, 'Strain Coercion,' Compresses the pressure of someone's soul, the only condition for it is that, depending on the strength of someone's soul, he will face blowback damage. That's the reason he uses it only as a trump card."

  Zenatori raised his eyebrows in slight disbelief.

  "Wow, you know a lot more than I expected. How about we work together?"

  Akari looked down in slight doubt as Zenatori finished his sentence.

  "Everyone is going to be out for me. You'd die."

  Zenatori briefly paused.

  "Why is everyone out for you anyway..?"

  "Remember when I told you about the bloodlines earlier in the school year? I told you I was in the Akari bloodline."

  "But why would that make you so important..?"

  "I'm one of the strongest members in the bloodline's history despite only being a first-year. They see me as the crown jewel of the Akari bloodline, and I could pass my genes on and create an even more powerful syneji artist. That's why they call me the 'Ice Queen.'"

  "Really? I thought they called you that because of your cold and unfriendly nature, like in manga."

  In the moment of laughter, Akari could only deeply stare at Zenatori. Zenatori then stammered his speech.

  "Anyway, why did you even heal me?"

  "Don't mistake it as some act of kindness. I only did it because it felt morally right. Someone else will get Iguchi and withdraw him from the exam. I don't have the energy to waste on him."

  Zenatori stood complacently.

  "That sounded oddly cold, I guess..?"

  Akari stood up.

  "Well, now that you're awake, I'll take my leave. Just know, the next time we meet, I won't be going easy on you."

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  Zenatori smirked.

  "Don't die, we still need to settle our score."

  "Hmph! Please," She said as she ran off.

  Zenatori thought quietly about the entire ordeal and thought to himself.

  "I wonder what Yachi is doing? Now that I think about it, how does Akari know all of this? Maybe it's to be expected from someone who's been at the school as long as she has."

  In the side of the forest, Akikyo Yachi was seen running through the bushes.

  "I've collected 3 automorphs already. I really made things awkward for Zenatori. I hope he doesn't hate me after this."

  Suddenly, Yachi paused in the bushes and heard the trampling of footsteps on the grass. As a branch snapped, a girl walked into Yachi's view. Yachi briefly analyzed her before coming to a conclusion in her mind.

  "Yasuko Masahiro. She's among the first division of first-year students, hence being in our class. I remember her because of her stunning red hair and her somewhat petite build. If I remember correctly, she was always a bottom-five student, and she hasn't even unlocked her syneji yet. She always says that syneji's that are more complicated or better, take longer to unlock, and things like that. Not sure if that's some type of coping mechanism, or something."

  Yachi crept a bit closer, causing Masahiro to hear a branch snap and shoot back.

  "Reveal yourself!" She yelled out.

  Yachi slowly rose from the bushes, raising her arms in the air. Masahiro paused briefly.

  "Akikyo? I didn't expect you to take this so seriously."

  "Oh, I'm a bit competitive with my future on the line."

  Masahiro calmly chuckled.

  "Well, anyway, hand over your automorphs."

  "No," Yachi sternly said.

  Masahiro awkwardly forced a laugh.

  "No..?" She repeated.

  Yachi stared at her, not responding.

  Masahiro continued.

  "Listen, Akikyo. I'm not looking for a fight. Even though we know I'm stronger than you. Like you're one of the weakest in the class! I'll admit, your knowledge of syneji techniques and stuff is much higher than mine."

  Yachi thought.

  "I forgot I put on this weak persona to everyone in the class. But that makes this better, she'll not know what's coming."

  Masahiro pursued her further.

  "Not willing to respond, huh, Akikyo? You know, how would your boyfriend feel if you died?"

  Yachi instantly froze.

  "Boyfriend?!" She muttered questioningly.

  Masahiro seized the moment, charging at Yachi and throwing her to the ground. Yachi rolled back and thought.

  "She caught me off guard with that random insert. Does she think that Zenatori is my boyfriend? Who is the boyfriend she's referring to?!"

  Yachi is charged yet again and tumbles back from the sheer force. Before she can recover, a strong cross pummels the side of her face.

  Yachi finally recovered and pushed back Masahiro. Masahiro chuckled at her.

  "Look at you! Just make this easier for both of us and give me the automorphs!"

  Yachi finally intercepts Masahiro's strike and grabs her, slamming her into the ground. Masahiro slid back and attempted to stand up, but Yachi clocked her in her jaw. Yachi continues beating on her while she's down, drawing blood with every strike.

  Masahiro finally yells.

  "Okay, OKAY..! I LOST!"

  Yachi ceased her barrage and stared at her, letting her get up. Masahiro looked at Yachi and sighed.

  "I can't believe I lost to you. Well, I don't take this stuff seriously anyway, so I'm not gonna be a sore loser about it."

  "You probably want my automorph's, don't you?"

  Yachi nodded in silence. Masahiro slowly started walking back, causing Yachi to react.

  "Don't run."

  Hearing Yachi's voice caused Masahiro to mutter under her breath.

  "Jeez..."

  But in a turn of events, Masahiro turnt back, screaming out.

  "Syneji, I bow: Jimen Kemono!"

  In the moment, a powerful beast physically incarnated from the ground and shifted the dirt, cracking the ground beneath it.

  As the dust cloud fell, a tall red-skinned beast stood tall, in its full might. Yachi jumped back and thought.

  "A tamed automorph?!"