My youth story cannot be a knight war

"But fortunately, Zaimokuza was the more skilled one in the end. Well done! You're worthy of being my student!"

"Uh!?"

Shizuka Hiratsuka smiled and reached out to slap Zaimokuza's shoulder, who was sitting in front of her. The force was inconsistent with his gender and made him stagger and almost fall off the chair.

"...Hiratsuka-sensei, it's 'Kikiru,' not 'Kiboru.' And I doubt your observation skills are even inferior to Miura-san's... Could it be that people like you are nourished primarily by your chest, not your brain?"

"Hey! Yukinoshita! What do you mean!?"

Yukinoshita Yukino covered her face with her hands, sighed, and complained. Her words immediately drew an unhappy glare from the female teacher, and an unhappy cry from Miura Yumiko next to her.

"Hey, hey, hey! Yukinoshita, I'm your teacher, and what do you mean by saying my observation skills are bad? Isn't it obvious that Zaimokuza is about to win?"

"...There's a term for this kind of behavior: 'popping champagne at halftime.' If you do that among the fans, you'll get beaten up."

The corner of her eye twitched, and Yukinoshita looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka with even more disgust. Before the other party exploded, she pointed her finger forward.

"Would you like to take a closer look at how the person you mentioned reacts to this situation?"

"Huh? What other reaction could there be? It must be all over..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka turned her head unhappily, but the words she spoke became lower and lower because of the scene she saw, and finally disappeared.

Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, the man she considered the most responsible for defeating the enemy, sat silently in his seat. Not only him, but also Hikigaya Hachiman and Ebina Hime, who sat on either side, and even Hayama Hayato, who sat nearby, remained silent. Not a single one of them expressed any joy or excitement.

Yes, there is only a solemnity that is almost condensed into substance.

“…I can’t win.”

Hikigaya suddenly spoke, and his quiet voice caught Yuigahama Yui's attention. The girl hesitated for a few seconds, but finally plucked up the courage to ask.

"Xiao Qi, why do you say that? After all, it seems now..."

"Sometimes, what we see with our eyes is a world away from the truth... If what we see with our eyes is the truth, there wouldn't be so many wrongful convictions in the world."

He shook his head. Facing Yuigahama's clear eyes, Hikigaya turned and glanced at Zaimokuza beside him. The gloom on the other's face had completely covered the upper half of his face.

"Zaimokuza has no chance of defeating this opponent—the difference in strength between the two is simply worlds apart. I never imagined that even though we're both members of the GO Group, this Rhinoceros Beetle's power would be so horribly different from its former companions. It's like they're in another dimension."

"This time, Zaimokuza is doomed to lose."

【“…”】

Blood spread across the ground, quickly staining the remains of the destroyed abacus. Dorudo, dressed in tattered clothes, leaned against the wall, his body trembling slightly.

But this trembling wasn't due to physical pain, but rather to a burning rage within its soul. It stared intently at the blood-soaked fragments on the ground. Its leather gloves, torn by its tightly clenched hands, made a harsh, tearing sound. Its brown eyes, usually expressionless, now took on a ferocious, fierce intensity.

As a referee responsible for maintaining the progress of the "Kikiru" clan, Dorudo may not be qualified to participate in the game, but this does not mean that his strength is weak. On the contrary, to be able to make those unruly fellows obey orders, he always needs to be strong enough to suppress all rebellion. And Dorudo's inner pride is no less than that of any other Gurongi.

This pride was not only in his own strength, but also in his own duty—but now, the object that represented his duty and pride was destroyed before his eyes. The beads that represented the numbers that all Gurongi dreamed of were scattered all over the floor, never to be restored.

The most terrifying thing is the anger of a silent person, especially one who wields immense power. Rage surges from the depths of his heart, and a sharp, whistling wind rises beneath Dorudo's feet. The wind is as sharp as a blade, shredding everything around him.

Black wings burst forth from behind his body, and Dorudo suddenly turned his gaze toward the rooftop of a nearby building, his eyes fixed on the red figure.

"You're breaking the rules—Daguber."

【“Come on then.”】

The earphones easily amplified the faint voices, and Kousaka Kyosuke sneered in disdain. "Rules? Those are the rules for you monsters, none of my business as a human!"

[He even stretched out his palm, pointed his thumb, and then rotated it downward.]

【“——!”】

[When Dorudo saw this gesture of extreme contempt, his anger was completely ignited, and a blue-green light flashed in his eyes.]

[At this moment, a huge tornado swept through the sky above Bunkyo Ward, accompanied by violent explosions.]

……

[“Oh my god!!!”]

The mountain-like blade was suddenly raised, and the fierce wind blew away all obstacles in front of it, leaving only the target of the attack - Gadoru, who was trapped in the spot and unable to move.

Amidst Shenxiong's furious roar, Zaimokuza swung his sword fiercely, slashing down at the opponent. The massive blade slashed down with such brutal force that it was as if a mountain were crumbling before his eyes. White sword light extended from the blade's edge, covering the entire area before him.

The entire Itabashi area felt as if a localized super-earthquake had struck. All the rebuilt structures trembled violently, and the wind pressure blew all the dust and sand outward. From the perspective of Tokyo, it looked like an ochre flower blooming toward the surrounding area, its "petals" the accumulated sand and gravel.

A giant mushroom cloud rises in the center of Sakabashi District, and its tip blossoms, becoming the pistil of this "flower."

[“Hoo…Hoo…Hoo…”]

In the pitch-black haze, Zaimokuza panted heavily. The golden glow of the Yamadam Spiritual Stone at his waist gradually faded, finally returning to its normal purple color. His heavy armor once again covered his body. He exited the second stage mode and returned to his original Titan form.

Half of the blade, formed from the condensed stone, was already deeply embedded in the ground. Zaimokuza sighed wearily, feeling the blade's feel transmitted back through the hilt. The feel was spot on; the blade had indeed severed the enemy in two.

「──Is that all?」

A quiet whisper echoed through the smoke and dust, as if asking about the weather today.

A huge chill shot through his spine, and Zaimokuza suddenly raised his head, staring intently in the direction of the sound. How could this be possible!?

No words could describe the turmoil in his heart at this moment. Zaimokuza was well aware of the immense power his current form possessed. If he had been able to utilize this power in Gaiba Village, the outcome of the battle with Number Three would have been uncertain.

But now, Gadoru shattered Zaimokuza's belief in this fact with just one sentence. His hands gripping the hilt of his sword couldn't help but tremble slightly, a fear that was difficult to suppress in his heart.

The dust and smoke were suddenly torn apart by a transparent wave, revealing the scene inside—Gadoru was half-kneeling in a pit at least thirty meters in diameter, half of his right chest was engulfed by the stone blade, and blood gathered in a small pool at his feet.

[Any living creature that suffered such a horrific injury with half its body torn apart would be essentially dead, unless it was a tardigrade.]

Gadoru is certainly not a tardigrade, but its vitality is far more terrifying than that of a tardigrade. In some ways, it even transcends the concept of "living being." Furthermore, its voice remains unchanged by its injuries. Looking up at Zaimokuza, who wields the same blade that pierced its body, Gadoru's purple eyes flicker with a faint golden glow.

"Is this how you use this power, Kuuga?"

Gadoru stretched out his hands, opening his palms to touch the giant sword that had nearly severed his body. The jewels inlaid on his wrist armor shone with an eerie purple light.

【Om—】

The next moment, black lines spread from its palm to the entire area of ​​the divine weapon. Within a few seconds, the ancient rock-formed blade was stained with pitch black, gleaming like the purest obsidian.

“Wha—Waaaa!?”

Zaimokuza was completely stunned by the scene before him, but before he could react, a sharp burning pain shot through his palm, where he gripped the hilt of the Titan Sword. The pain made him subconsciously loosen his grip and step back, and thick, hot white smoke rose from his palm.

As Zaimokuza watched intently, the Titan Sword, freed from his control, turned pitch black and twisted before his eyes. Its purple-gold blade twisted into a hideous form, its hilt curved like the fangs of a vicious dog, its arc fierce and brutal.

The massive stone sword crumbled at this moment. The pitch-black greatsword, transformed from the Titan Sword, fell amidst the rubble, but the blade stopped just before it touched the ground. A black hand grasped its hilt and lifted it up.

[Gadoru, who had arrived before Zaimokuza at some point, was holding this sword. The wound on its body had already healed to its original state, not even a trace of blood remained.]

【Not only that, an even more terrifying change occurred afterwards. 】

The pearls and jade inlaid on his limbs suddenly burst into a dazzling light, their color changing from pure, lustrous purple to a lava-like gilded hue. Gadoru's body grew even more muscular, his chest muscles coated in a golden hue. Fine hair sprouted from every crack in his armor, and even the golden horn atop his head shimmered with golden light.

[“How is this possible?!?”]

Ignoring the shock of having his weapon taken away, Zaimokuza watched the series of changes in Gadoru's body, which felt like déjà vu. Terrifying speculations surfaced in his mind, and he retreated uncontrollably, muttering in disbelief.

“Let me teach you…”

The black blade was bathed in golden light, its tip transforming from its usual sharp point into a forked blade resembling a halberd. Gadoru's eyes, shimmering with purple-gold light, reflected Zaimokuza's retreating figure.

【Go-Gadoru-Ba·Rigid Body·Second Order】

[“——This power is used in this way.”]

25. Despair (10K)

Koukou Ikusei High School, girls' dormitory.

"This is truly an incredible surprise... But for you, this is probably a reality far greater than even your worst nightmare, right?"

"Mr. Zaimokuza~"

Arisu Sakayanagi looked at Gadoru who had changed into a new form on the screen. The smile on the corner of his mouth gradually disappeared. Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed helplessly.

She knew that "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru" was bound to lose this time.

The chess moves that he had rehearsed in his mind about this battle seemed to be played by a "master move" that far crushed the "ordinary move" at this moment. The situation that seemed to be indecisive but was actually precarious directly deteriorated to a completely irreparable situation. The white chess piece was completely killed by the black player, and there was no way to save it.

Even with her innate genius, she couldn't find any way to break the deadlock at this moment. Facing Gadoru's absolutely overwhelming strength that far exceeded everyone's imagination, the outcome was already revealed in advance.

"What a shame! I hope you survive. Although I don't admire your beliefs... to be honest, I don't dislike idealists like you who want to protect everything."

"After all, I've seen plenty of people who want to be heroes without knowing their own limitations, but a natural-born hero like you, Mr. Zaimokuza, is a rare sight."

Chiba Prefecture, Chiba Benbun High School, health room.

“——How is this possible!?”

Kyosuke Kousaka stood up directly from the bed. The legs of the bed made a dangerous creaking sound at this moment, but he no longer cared about it.

He stared at the image on the screen, his pupils shrinking violently with shock.

"This is the exact same power as Zaimokuza... This guy can actually use the fifth element to strengthen the other elemental forms just like him!"

"Oops!"

Kousaka clenched his teeth tightly. Even now, he could see which side the balance of the battle had tilted towards.

Before using the fifth element, the enemy's strength was already overwhelmingly superior to that of "Yoshiki Zaimokuza". Just using the ordinary form even forced him to use the ultimate means to gain the advantage. From this point, we can see how huge the gap in the basic values ​​​​between the two is.

In this situation, Gadoru even activated the same enhanced form as Zaimokuza. It is hard to imagine how much stronger it would be after being enhanced by the fifth element, since it was already far superior to its former enemies in its normal form.

But no matter what, the outcome of this battle can already be seen, unless -

"No, there is still a chance!"

His palms clenched tightly under nervousness. At this moment, Kousaka began to unconsciously learn the thinking mode of "Kousaka Kyosuke", trying to keep himself calm under any circumstances, not being affected by external factors and his own emotions, and using the most rational thinking to find all possible ways to break through the difficulties.

"Even if we use the fifth element to strengthen another form, we probably won't be able to defeat Number 36 right now. But Zaimokuza does still have a chance!"

"That black form surpasses any of the four current forms. It's a further advancement of the red form! Given the power of that form, he still has a chance of winning!"

Kousaka felt a sense of peace as he recalled the black form Zaimokuza Yoshiki had displayed at the end of his battle with Number 30. He had never forgotten that form. Even though it had only appeared once, the destructive power it displayed was a perfect description of a "natural disaster."

If he used the power of that form regardless of the cost, the outcome that was about to be determined would indeed be shrouded in uncertainty, he kept comforting himself.

But for some reason, the ominous premonition in Kousaka's heart did not diminish at all.

【"drink!"】

Gadoru raised the black-gold longsword transformed from the Titan Sword, held it with both hands, and slashed it down with a loud shout. Before the attack even landed, the overwhelming pressure almost suffocated Zaimokuza.

He didn't care about anything else and quickly leaned over to pick up a wooden stick at his feet. Another Titan Sword instantly took shape, and Zaimokuza swung it towards the sword with all his might.

[The two swords collided, and then—they broke with a loud bang.]

The thing that broke was the Titan Sword in Zaimokuza's hand. The blade, sharp and hard enough to cut through anything in the world, was like a plastic toy in front of the sword held by Gadoru. He couldn't even gain a second of time. The black blade, with a flash of fire, tore through the Titan Sword's blade and slashed down.

Blood splatters, followed by a muffled groan. Zaimokuza stumbles back, his left hand tightly gripping his right wrist. Hot blood flows down the cut wrist armor.

The wrist armor bought him about a tenth of a second to react, otherwise Zaimokuza's right hand would have been severed along with the Titan Sword. Even so, the brutal blow severed most of the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves in his arm, effectively crippling it.

Before Zaimoku could recover from the pain, Gadoru's foot struck Zaimokuza's chest, sending him flying.

【"hateful--!???"】

[As Zaimokuza struggled to get up after falling to the ground, a premonition of danger resonated within him. He looked up suddenly, and what caught his eye was the slashing sword!]

[“Woooooo!”]

Zaimokuza rolled over to avoid the blow, but the intense pain still made him scream—his right shoulder armor was cut in half, and blood spurted out from the broken part like a fountain.

The armor in his Titan form was never truly external armor, but rather a hardened layer of muscle that extended from Zaimokuza's muscles when he transformed. Essentially, it was part of his body.

What does it feel like to have a large piece of muscle cut off with a sword? Zaimokuza understood, but the pain was so severe that he could hardly breathe. He endured the pain and struggled to stand in the pool of blood. But the black and gold sword blade, like a ghost, came from his field of vision again.

The armor on his chest was directly cut open, and a large amount of blood spurted out from his chest. At the same time, the force of the slash also chopped Zaimokuza away, and he rolled over, leaving a trail of blood.

Gadoru raised the blade stained with Zaimokuza's blood, looked at the flesh and fat hanging from the fork at the edge, and swung the sword vigorously, causing the blood to vibrate.

"Hey, hey, hey...this difference in strength is too outrageous!"

The corners of Sudo Kenta's eyes twitched violently, and his left hand subconsciously hugged his right shoulder. As a basketball specialty student, his arms were often injured, but just a simple muscle tear made him feel so painful that he felt like his life was about to be taken away. He really couldn't imagine what "Zaimokuza Yoshiki" felt like after a large piece of flesh was cut off.

"Ugh—no matter how you look at it, he's already dead! Amitābha!"

Haruki Yamauchi, who was sitting in front of him, had turned extremely pale because of the overly bloody scene. When he saw the bloody muscles hanging on the tip of Gadoru's sword, he covered his mouth with his hands, closed his eyes in fear and prayed.

"It's 'Amitabha', not 'Amitābha', Yamauchi-san. If you can't speak, please shut up."