The impact echoed across the training ground.
Yuuto's body was sent flying backward, crashing against the protective barrier before sliding to the ground. His breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to rise, one hand pressed against his ribs where Takeyo's palm strike had connected.
"Overwhelming martial prowess..." Sona adjusted her glasses, eyes analytical behind the lenses. "Is this also one of your awakened abilities, Takeyo-kun?"
The power Takeyo was displaying went far beyond mere physical strength, "it was martial arts elevated to a divine level, the kind of technique that could crush opponents regardless of their demonic enhancements.
[Heavenly Teaching of Martial Arts]
The authority of Parashurama, the warrior-sage!
Parashurama, also known as Bhargava Rama, was the sixth incarnation of Vishnu and belonged to the Treta Yuga. The name itself meant "Rama with the Axe," granted to him after receiving the divine weapon from Lord Shiva. Through his devotion and severe penance, he obtained martial knowledge that surpassed not just humans and heroes, but even gods themselves.
The power Takeyo now wielded allowed him to access those same transcendent martial arts.
Of course, he was still limited by his own body's capabilities and stamina. But against Middle Class devils with no specialized combat training? The advantage was overwhelming.
"Haah!"
While Takeyo had knocked Yuuto away, Tsubasa Yura seized the opportunity to attack from his blind spot.
"Yura-san, you should probably take a rest as well," Takeyo said without even turning around.
His hand shot out, catching the incoming strike before it could land. In one smooth motion, he redirected her momentum, using her own force against her as he swept her legs and sent her tumbling to the ground.
The sound of metal clashing against flesh rang out.
In that same instant, Takeyo's hand collided with Yuuto's newly-summoned Demon Sword. The blade he'd created with his Sword Birth Sacred Gear gleamed wickedly in the training ground's light.
"Impressive! You caught it with just your fingers?"
"Ting~"
Another soft chime echoed through the air.
The Blade of Salvation that Takeyo had been wielding had vanished at some point, returned to Est's spiritual form. His slender fingers now pressed against the flat of Yuuto's Demon Sword, and with a casual flick of his wrist,
"Crack... crack, crack!"
Spiderweb fractures spread from the point of contact. The Demon Sword began to crumble, breaking apart piece by piece until only fragments remained.
"Yuuto-kun, you might want to step back now," Takeyo suggested pleasantly. "Your sword has some fundamental weaknesses in its construction. If you can identify and reinforce those points, your Demon Swords will become much more durable."
He spoke as if offering friendly advice to a junior student, not someone he'd just disarmed in combat.
Yuuto coughed, managing a weak smile despite his defeat. A moment of clarity appeared in his eyes as he processed Takeyo's words. "I understand. Thank you for the lesson, Takeyo-senpai."
"You're welcome."
With Yuuto and Yura both eliminated, Takeyo had successfully completed another sign-in.
[Ding!]
[Ding! Bronze-rank location sign-in succeeded!]
[Sign-in location: Yuuto Kiba's Demon Sword!]
[Congratulations to the host for receiving the reward: Legendary Cat Toy!]
[Legendary Cat Toy: A mystical toy imbued with irresistible charm. Any being with feline attributes will be drawn to it, greatly increasing their affection and docility. Does your cat bite? Does your kitten scratch? Just use the Legendary Cat Toy!]
Takeyo's expression flickered for just a moment.
He'd assumed all sign-in rewards would directly enhance his combat abilities. But this... this was clearly meant for a different purpose entirely.
Still, it wasn't useless. The toy would be invaluable for Koneko and Kuroka, and if he ever visited the world of Dog Days, which was populated entirely by cat girls and other animal-eared races, it would prove extremely practical.
"Takeyo-kun, I didn't expect your strength to reach this level." Yura's chariot-class voice called out from where she'd regained her footing. "Your next opponent will be me!"
Sona's Rook stepped forward, taking a combat stance.
"And me as well, Takeyo-senpai."
Koneko also moved into position, her small fists raised and boxing gloves gleaming.
The combination of two Rooks!
Because Koneko hadn't yet come to terms with her heritage, she refused to use her Nekomata abilities, relying solely on her Rook-class physical enhancements.
"Please be careful," Takeyo said with a gentle smile. "A Rook's defensive capabilities are ineffective against me."
He was currently channeling the authority of [Narasimha, the Man-Lion]!
The story went that Vishnu had once incarnated as a boar (his third incarnation) to defeat Hiranyaksha, the younger brother of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. After retrieving the Earth from the cosmic ocean where it had been hidden, Vishnu restored balance to the world.
Enraged by his brother's death, Hiranyakashipu performed severe penance to Lord Brahma and secured a seemingly invincible boon: no man, beast, god, or demon could kill him; neither indoors nor outdoors; neither during day nor night; neither on earth nor in sky; and not by any weapon.
Believing himself immortal, Hiranyakashipu terrorized the three worlds and demanded worship as a god.
But his own son, Prahlada, remained a devoted worshipper of Vishnu. When Hiranyakashipu demanded to know where this god was, Prahlada answered that Vishnu was everywhere, even in the pillar beside them.
Furious, Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar with his mace.
Vishnu emerged as Narasimha, half-man, half-lion, and slew the demon king at twilight (neither day nor night), on the threshold of his palace (neither indoors nor outdoors), placing him on his lap (neither earth nor sky), and killing him with his claws (no weapon).
The authority Takeyo wielded from this incarnation granted him the power to pierce through any defense! Additionally, it gave him the ability to instantly answer the prayers of his believers and appear wherever they called for him.
With his current mastery, the defensive barriers that Sona's peerage had carefully placed on Yuuto were completely meaningless. That's why he'd been able to eliminate the Knight in a single strike.
"Haah!"
As Takeyo slowly advanced toward their position, the two Rooks weren't the only ones who acted. Artillery support rained down from behind them as well.
Tsubaki's ice magic circles materialized in the air!
As a member of the Sitri family, which specialized in water-based techniques, Tsubaki had refined her skills even further, focusing specifically on ice magic.
However, Takeyo paid the attack no mind, "
Before Tsubaki's magic could fully form, he simply waved his hand dismissively in that direction.
"Crack... crack... crack!"
The magic circle that had just taken shape instantly shattered into countless fragments of light before dissipating into nothingness!
This was completely different from how he'd dealt with Kuroka's magic before. When facing his sister, Takeyo had needed to identify the structural weakness in her spell construction and exploit it. But Tsubaki's magic circle had simply... ceased to exist the moment he willed it!
"It dissipated?! Is this the same ability Koneko mentioned, the power to dispel her sister's magic?" Rias leaned forward, hope flickering in her crimson eyes.
If Takeyo possessed this ability, perhaps he really could defeat Riser. That arrogant Phoenix had relied too heavily on his immortality and regeneration. But if Takeyo could nullify magical defenses...
"I recognize the weakness in our Sitri family's magic construction," Sona said quietly, her analytical mind already working through the implications. "But Takeyo-kun has never studied our techniques. Which means..."
"He either identified the flaw instantly upon seeing it," Tsubaki finished, adjusting her glasses, "or he calculated the weakness of your entire family's magic system just from observing a single spell."
Rias swallowed hard.
Either option was terrifying in its implications. Making a fortune off this kind of talent alone would be trivial compared to what he could accomplish with proper support and resources.
"I think I'm beginning to understand what Ajuka-sama meant," Sona murmured, a hint of warmth entering her normally composed expression.
The better Takeyo performed, the stronger her desire to keep him close became. She'd never encountered someone of the opposite sex who interested her this much, someone whose intellect and power matched her own ambitions so perfectly.
But that only made things more complicated. If Rias could offer him more...
Sona's fingers tightened slightly on her armrest.
She wouldn't let that happen. Takeyo was hers, or rather, he would be, once she properly secured his loyalty to her peerage and her future plans.
The match continued below, but Sona's thoughts had already moved to long-term strategy. Whatever it took, she would ensure that Takeyo Kagutsuchi remained at her side.