Hearing that, the other two immediately sensed trouble.
They only saw the air ripple faintly at Sōjun Minamoto's feet, time seeming to freeze for a split second—then came a sharp blow to their calves, followed by searing pain. By the time they processed what had happened, they were already on the ground. When they looked again, the shockwave at Sōjun's feet had just started to spread outward.
He was still standing in the same spot, as if he hadn't moved at all.
But they both knew the truth—they hadn't even caught a glimpse of his movement.
The gap was enormous.
The three of them picked themselves up, exchanged a glance, and nodded slightly despite the pain radiating from their calves and abdomens.
The sun was angled just right, casting a long shadow from behind Sōjun across the ground in front of him.
Nanami Kento and Haibara Yu moved to his sides, while Riko Amanai stood directly in front.
They had formed a triangle, surrounding Sōjun Minamoto.
Seeing that he still made no move, Nanami began unwrapping the bandages from his blunt blade.
Knowing the other side wouldn't strike first, he wasn't in a rush. He spoke steadily:
"My technique is the Ratio Technique. It forcibly creates weak points by dividing the target's length into ten equal parts. Wherever the 7:3 ratio falls becomes the weak spot. Any attack that lands there becomes a critical hit."
It was a very open explanation—too open. A rookie mistake. He didn't yet understand the art of setting a binding vow in silence. If Sōjun hadn't allowed it, there's no way he'd have been given the space to spell out his technique so clearly.
Still, a vow made this openly could carry more power.
After all, being this exact meant the technique was complete—no steps skipped. And when a binding vow is properly established, it naturally yields greater strength.
Sōjun felt two points on his body tense with warning—his midsection, and just above the knees.
He immediately got it.
When height is split into ten parts, the 7:3 point differs depending on direction—head to foot versus foot to head. It could land at three-tenths or seven-tenths of the body.
Which meant Nanami was the one setting the parameters. The initiative was entirely in his hands.
Sōjun found his technique promising, but still lacking refinement.
If he used the head as the reference point, the weak spot could be the left eye—or the right, depending on perspective. If he used the width of the chest, the weak point would likely be near the heart. A strike there, given the heart's role as the body's core, could be instantly fatal.
Some spots only deliver heavy damage when struck critically. Others mean immediate death.
Nanami lacked a deeper understanding of human vulnerabilities. He also hadn't learned how to position the 7:3 division point in a way that aligns with those critical areas, turning every strike into a potential kill shot.
Sōjun spread his arms and activated his technique.
On the surface, nothing seemed to change. But in reality, his body was subtly shifting—its proportions, the thickness of flesh, its width—all in constant flux.
The 7:3 division points vanished, and so did the sense of threat.
Nanami frowned. The weak points were gone? That had never happened before.
Suddenly, Haibara shouted, "His body's changing?!"
Oh?
So perception is your strong suit.
Sōjun made a mental note. Still—so what if they knew? What could they do about it?
At that moment, Riko Amanai was already closing in again.
He only needed to keep an eye on her. Her technique must have awakened recently—otherwise, she would've already blurted it out to him.
She wasn't the type to stay quiet about that kind of thing, especially with friends.
What could it be?
He glanced at Riko, who looked like she was about to make a move.
And yeah… she did look kind of dumb.
Her eyes and movements were so obvious, it was like she was begging someone to notice her target was his shadow.
Sōjun Minamoto remained still. He'd already gotten a clear read on the three of them—now he was just waiting to see if they'd manage to surprise him.
A soft breeze stirred, tousling his hair.
Ever since he developed the Golden Core, he hadn't grown his hair long again. His appearance had become brighter, his presence sharper—unshakable.
He smiled slightly. Like sunlight, it shone directly into the hearts of the three standing before him, startling them into action.
They could no longer hold back.
Riko Amanai kicked up a wave of air beneath her feet and surged forward. Just a short distance in front of Sōjun, she slightly slowed, stepped directly into his shadow, then accelerated again, closing in fast.
At the same time,Yu Haibara closed the distance.
Nanami Kento hesitated, thrown off for a moment by his technique failing to take effect.
As Riko's foot reached Sōjun's shadow, Haibara was already gathering Cursed Energy. If her technique activated, he would follow up with perfect timing—hitting Sōjun head-on.
Hehe~
Riko clenched her fists, a confident grin forming. She looked up—only to find Sōjun smiling calmly back at her.
Huh?
Something's wrong.
She looked down at the shadow—there was none.
Where's my huge shadow?!
Her grin froze into shock as her momentum carried her forward helplessly, still hurtling toward Sōjun.
No way!
Riko's face twisted in alarm. At this distance, she had no time to adjust, and Sōjun clearly wasn't going to give her the chance.
She glanced toward Haibara, made up her mind, and threw herself forward at full speed. Her jawline, behind her ears, underarms—those tiny shadows...
If she could touch any of them, her technique would still work!
With arms outstretched, she dove toward Sōjun, aiming for a full-frontal version of her "Seven-Day Lock".
Lock it—lock it tight!
The weak me from before is gone!
Now it's the even weaker me...
Her leap lost momentum, and her force collapsed mid-air.
Haibara followed with a punch loaded with surging Cursed Energy.
Sōjun pointed out two crimson streaks—touching both of them. In an instant, their bodies froze.
With a subtle turn, he let them fly past him—one crashing backward, the other tumbling right. Both hit the ground hard.
Right then, Nanami finally arrived, delayed and confused.
What just happened? Why? The weak point—it was there earlier!
Sōjun glanced at him, then pointed another streak of red. He gently tapped Nanami's ankle with his foot, tripping him into a stumble that sent him sliding right into the same fate as the other two.
A team should fall together.
Sparring over.
This was how battles between Cursed Techniques often played out—over in a flash. One step, one strike. Either no damage, or severe damage. And this was still Sōjun holding back, free of killing intent. If he hadn't, they'd have taken the shortcut straight to the afterlife.
Sōjun shook his head inwardly.
They didn't even need to come to the field—they were still far too green.
...
The three quickly recovered.
The Cursed Technique Lapse Sōjun used was extremely weak, infused with only a sliver of Cursed Energy—barely enough to induce temporary paralysis. The effect wore off in three seconds.
They shuffled back, covered in dust and dirt. Riko had taken the worst hit—ever since that opening knee strike, her insides still felt unsettled.
She clutched her stomach, her face contorting from the pain. She hadn't felt it much during the fight, but now that it was over, it was unbearable. Her stomach churned, and nausea rose in her throat. Covering her mouth with one hand, she reached toward Sōjun with the other, mumbling:
"Hurry… heal me…"
"Eh? Looks like I tagged you."
Riko's eyes lit up in surprise. Tiptoeing forward, she grabbed Sōjun's jaw with both hands.
He had warned her—her attack was far too obvious. Sōjun hadn't dodged. He just wanted to feel the effects of her technique firsthand.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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