I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but my vision soon cleared, revealing the ceiling above me.

  "H-Huh?" I mumbled.

  "You're finally awake, Kaitou," a voice said.

  I turned my head to see a woman standing beside me.

  "Who are you? W-where am I?" I asked.

  "I am Nurse Reina. You're in the infirmary. You've been unscious for a week sinatch."

  My eyes widened as I recalled the fight. I had won against Fukui, but my legs had shattered in the process.

  "A-are my legs okay?" I asked nervously.

  "I healed them using my Broken Art: Rehabilitation. Ys are fully restored, but you shouldn’t strain them for the wo days," she warned.

  "What happens if I do?" I hesitated.

  "The teique will revert, and ys will remain broken," she said with a serious expression.

  I sighed in frustration. After being released at su, I returo my dorm, her warning still on my mind.

  The m, I got up, prepared for css, and made my way to the cafeteria for breakfast. Then, I ehe , where Daichi-sensei greeted me.

  "Wele back, Kaitou! We all missed you."

  "H-hello," I replied.

  Akira waved with a smile, while Fukui g me before looking away. Shoota, however, gred at me with irritation.

  "We couldn’t go on any missions because of you," he spat.

  As much as I disliked Shoota, he had a point. My reckless use of Broken Ki had cost us all. I ched my fists in frustration.

  Daichi-sensei cpped his hands. "We may have missed the first mission, but that gave you all ara week to train. Today, however, we finally have a mission."

  "A mission?" Shoota asked.

  "Yes. An Onryo has been sighted killing people. Our job is to elimi and prevent further casualties."

  We all straightened up, knowing this was our first real battle.

  "Fukui and Shoota, you’ll be on offense. Akira and Kaitou, you two will handle evacuations and support. You’ll be under my direct guidance."

  Though I wasn't assigo the front lines, saving lives was just as important. We headed to the mission site. As we moved deeper into the area, an uneasy feeliled in.

  "Where the hell is that Onryo?" Shoota grumbled.

  "Keep your voice down, idiot," Fukui and Akira snapped.

  I exhaled, trying to ease my nerves.

  "Hey, maybe this won’t be so—"

  A crushing pressure smmed into me, cutting off my words. My body locked up as fear stricted my chest like s.

  "W-what the h-hell is this?!" Shoota stammered.

  Everyone colpsed to their knees, pletely paralyzed—except for Daichi-sensei. He stood firm, pletely unfazed, as his sharp gaze locked onto troag figures.

  "Looks like we found a bunch of sitting ducks, huh, brother?" one of them sneered.

  "Yes. Let’s extermihem quickly," the other replied.

  "Hey, why isn’t that red-eyed mortal on the floor?"

  The Onryos increased their overwhelming presence, but Daichi remained ued.

  "Two Abnormal Onryos? This wasn’t in the report," Daichi muttered.

  He g me briefly. "But they seem to be on the weaker side. The one on the left is stronger."

  Before he could strategize further, one of the Onryos lu him with a kick aimed at his jaw.

  "Don’t think you’re strong just because you withstand our presence, you bastard!"

  Daichi’s eyes gleamed, his voice ced with menace.

  "Hey. Stop interrupting my thoughts."

  A wave of pure killing i radiated from him, throwing the Onryo off bance. Daichi dodged effortlessly and tered with a devastating punch. But the Onryo vanished before impact, reappearing beside its partner.

  The suffog pressure suddenly stopped.

  "What business do you have with us?" Daichi asked, his tone cold.

  "We are here to retrieve Kaitou Iijima," one of them stated.

  "What?" I gasped, still catg my breath.

  Daichi’s expression darkened. "Do they know about the Abnormal Onryo inside him? Never mind that—I o finish this quickly."

  He took a step forward, a smirk f on his face.

  "Do you really think weaklings like you beat me? Don’t make me ugh."

  The Onryos sheir rage boiling over.

  "I am Daiki, the Energy Onryo."

  "And I am Akimitsu, the Banishment Onryo."

  Daichi chuckled, eyes filled with amusement.

  "I don’t care who you are. You’ll be dead soon."

  Daiki’s aura fred in fury. "Your arrogance will lead to your death!"

  Daichi’s smirk deepened as his preseurerrifying.

  "Arrogano, it’s not that. I simply know I’ll win. It’s a fact. You two could never kill me."

  Akimitsu scoffed. "You don’t make the rules in this world, mortal."

  Daichi’s eyes shine as his aura erupted, ing the space around him.

  "I don’t make the rules?"

  His voice was absolute, crushing.

  I am the rules