[35] The Thrill of Battle [Bonus Chapter]

(Rumi POV – Forest Clearing)

'Has he gotten stronger since the Sports Festival?'

I know he hasn't even used his quirk yet. No shields, no fancy tricks—just his body, and that alone is enough to match me.

A wild grin splits my face as I lower my stance, muscles coiling tight. My thighs tense, then I explode forward, tearing through the earth with every step. The ground fractures beneath me, sending dirt and debris flying in my wake.

'I don't have to hold back, right?'

My blood sings as my heartbeat thunders in my ears. 'I LIVE for this.'

"Let's see how long you stay so damn calm!" I roar, twisting into a forward spin, my heel cutting through the air like a guillotine aimed straight for his shoulder.

He doesn't flinch. His fist rises to meet my heel in perfect sync. The impact is deafening and a shockwave detonates outward, rattling my bones.

"Yes!" I laugh, twisting in midair, my other foot lashing toward his ribs.

His arm moves like a steel wall, absorbing the strike. His sleeve rips apart from the sheer force—but his stance? Unshaken. Not even a single goddamn step back.

'He's tough.'

That should piss me off. But instead, adrenaline surges through me like an electric current.

'Good. This means he'll last longer.'

I push off his arm, flipping backward, giving myself some distance—but he doesn't let me breathe.

"You can't just come and go as you please," he says, voice calm. Then he moves.

I'm barely in the air before he's on me.

Fists and feet collide midair, each impact splitting the wind, creating turbulence that howls through the clearing. Every punch, every block, every counter is flawless and neither of us relents.

My lungs burn, my muscles scream, but my grin only widens. 'This—this is what a fight is supposed to be.'

I hit the ground and I push off the ground instantly—

BOOM.

His fist smashes into the earth, splitting the ground apart. Jagged cracks race outward, chunks of rock launching into the sky like shrapnel. I flip back just in time to dodge a hail of stones traveling at the speed of bullets.

"This isn't everything, right?!" I snarl, landing on solid ground. "Show me more!"

I don't wait and I dash in again, low and fast, my kick already flying toward his skull.

His hand is still on the ground. That's when I hear it.

Rumbling.

I twist on instinct, just as the earth beneath me erupts. A pillar of stone spears into the air, missing me by inches. I push off before it can catch me—

And he's just standing there. Calm and composed.

"I'll get a bit serious too," he says. "I'm not a melee fighter anyway."

Excitement flares in my chest. 'Finally.'

The ground trembles throughout the clearing. Then it explodes.

Boulders launch into the sky as they're ripped from the earth, pillars of stone twisting and growing like living things. The entire clearing becomes a battlefield of shifting terrain, an arena of relentless motion.

I dart forward, weaving between the airborne debris and flowing earth. 'One hit and I'm done for.'

Isn't that thrilling? A fight where a single mistake will be your only mistake?

"Bring it on!" I shout, laughing as I tear through the chaos.

I kick off a flying boulder, twisting midair to smash through another. The ones I can't dodge, I break.

"You seem to be doing fine," he muses. "I'll up the difficulty."

The moment he says it, the air ahead solidifies.

I slam into it hard. 'Shit.'

I barely twist away before two boulders crush together where I was. He's controlling the battlefield. The air. The ground. He's making sure there's no safe path.

"You think a little dust and wind will stop me?!" I snarl, slamming my foot against the barrier and launching myself even faster, breaking the sound barrier.

"Let's see if you can keep up!"

'I hope you can.'

After all, the harder the fight—

"I'll increase the speed," he says.

—the greater the thrill.

The boulders speed up, moving at dizzying speeds now, and turning into a relentless barrage. Every move I make is a high stakes decision, a fight against the world he's bending to his will. He's not just fighting me—he's playing with me.

'Tsk. Can't have that.'

I laugh, feral and wild. "If there's no path—"

I push off a speeding boulder, shattering it on impact as I rocket forward.

"—I'll just make one!"

More barriers. More boulders. More obstacles. They all block my path, trying to steer me away.

I don't dodge. I break through.

I carve my way through his storm of earth and wind, kicks demolishing everything in my path. He's in my sight now.

"You ain't getting away!" I snarl, using his own moving earth as my launchpad. I kick off another boulder, spinning into a brutal axe kick straight for his head.

'Come on, brat! Show me something great!'

(Kata POV – Forest Clearing)

'She looks like she's having fun.'

I watch as Mirko maneuvers through every obstacle I throw in her path. She's weaving through speeding boulders, flipping over barriers that erupt from the ground, and darting between airborne debris—all while laughing like she's having the best time of her life.

I already tested my physique against her earlier, and she must have been holding back then. Because now? Her speed is ridiculous.

But more than that...

'I admire her will.'

She refuses to slow down, refuses to let up. Even as the terrain itself turns against her, she keeps pushing forward, grinning like she's savoring every second.

'And what's more… she's managing.'

It takes a lot of skill and perseverance to endure these kinds of attacks.

'I could end this now.'

Take her down in a single move. Hinder her movement so she gets hit. And many other abilities could end this.

But if I did…

'She'd challenge me again. Over and over. Because she wouldn't accept a loss like that.'

She'd probably keep challenging me regardless, but more out of fun I don't win overwhelmingly.

I sigh, already picturing the hassle.

'Besides, it wasn't a waste of time.'

I learned something new. My raw power alone isn't enough to move this much earth in one go. It's way too heavy.

But I realized something from my physical force manipulation.

I don't have to move everything as one. I can manipulate multiple segments, control individual molecules, shift the structure itself—layer by layer—applying force at multiple levels simultaneously.

I've realised just how much more important control is than raw power.

And that's how this battlefield became a disaster zone.

Yet somehow, she's making it through.

And now, she's rushing straight at me—her wild grin widening as she smashes through obstacles like they aren't even there.

'She definitely wants more.'

But it's time I ended things. I've got things to do.

Her axe kick is coming down—fast.

'I wonder if that's possible?'

An ability I couldn't use before because it made little scientific sense and required finer control.

I focus, channeling my Telekinetic Energy. At my current level, this should be possible.

The energy thrums inside me. I will it into an excited state, pushing it further—until sparks crackle to life around my body.

A second later, it bursts into lightning.

Electricity flickers across my skin, crackling through the air and scorching the ground beneath me. I direct the charge into my arm, feeling the raw power surge through my muscles.

The moment her kick meets my fist—I release it.

The explosion of lightning tears through the clearing.

A deafening crack splits the air, followed by a wave of searing heat. The ground shatters, trees groan as their trunks splinter, and the world is briefly illuminated in a blinding flash.

Mirko is blasted back instantly—her body flung through the air.

I catch her midair with Telekinesis, steadying her gently before she can hit the ground.

'She's unconscious.'

I'd be surprised if she wasn't.

I exhale, checking her condition. 'She's just stunned. A few burns and muscle spasms, nothing major.' She's also got a few minor injuries from the hits she took earlier, but nothing serious. She'll be sore for a while from the electrocution, though.

The same can't be said for the environment, since I directed most of the energy outward and let it loose..

Scorched earth, shattered trees and smoke rising in thick plumes.

I sigh, shifting Mirko into my arms into a princess carry before heading toward her cabin. Carrying her with Telekinesis would be easier, but… something about it feels wrong. It's like reducing a person to luggage.

It doesn't take long to reach the cabin. I step inside, laying her gently onto the couch.

'I should heal her before I leave.'

I'll be working with her for the next week regardless.

I consider my options. I could rearrange her molecules directly to fix her injuries, or—better yet—I could try out my new energy conversion and turn Telekinetic Energy into life energy.

I decide on the latter.

It's surprisingly easy. There's no need for complex processes, as it's more intuitive, just needed sufficient control. The energy shifts, morphing into a soothing green glow as I press a hand to her forehead.

I observe the effects closely. The energy moves on its own, spreading evenly throughout her body, naturally healing any damage it encounters and improving her overall health. But with a bit of focus, I can direct it, guiding the healing to where it's needed most.

'This is efficient. Unlike Recovery Girl's method, it doesn't drain the patient's stamina. But… it still requires the body's resources to function.'

I frown slightly. 'What if I tweak the process?'

Instead of creating life energy, I concentrate on creating one that purely heals. The glow darkens to a richer green, and instantly, I see the difference.

The energy repairs cells directly—without using any of the body's resources.

'Fascinating. I'd say it's similar to Psionic Healing.'

Lost in thought, I don't notice Mirko stirring until her eyes snap open—fiery red irises locking onto me.

"Oi," she says with narrowed eyes and a dangerous smirk, "Whatcha lookin' at?"

I barely register the change, my 'sight' still focused internally. To her, though…

I'm staring directly at her chest.

And my hand is still on her forehead.

'…This looks really bad.'

I slowly turn my head to meet her gaze, my face stiff.

"...I can explain."

(Rumi POV – Rumi's House)

Waking up after a knockout fight usually means sore muscles, stiff limbs, and that deep, satisfying burn from going all out.

'So why the hell do I feel fine?'

My eyes crack open, and the first thing I see is the brat—no, Kata. He's crouched beside me, face unreadable as ever, but his eyes… his eyes are locked on my chest.

'…Seriously?'

'Oh, that's some real dedication right there.' I smirk internally.

"Oi. Whatcha lookin' at?" My voice comes out lazy, but my eyes narrow and I smirk in amusement.

His head turns toward me—slowly. I see the moment realization sets in, and while his face barely changes, I can tell he's scrambling for an answer.

"...I can explain."

'Pfft—Okay, now I'm struggling not to laugh.'

I prop myself up on my elbows, stretching a little as I raise an eyebrow. "Explain? So you are guilty~!" I drawl with a grin.

Kata exhales through his nose, clearly unamused. "You were injured. I was making sure you were okay."

I blink. "...By staring at my tits?"

His jaw tightens. "To be fair, I was looking through your chest, not at it."

I scoff. "Oh yeah? That supposed to make it better?"

He sighs. "It was a poor choice of words."

No shit.

He keeps his tone calm as he continues, "Like I said, you were injured. I was healing you. I was monitoring the process... my eyes just happened to be looking there while I observed your internal condition."

It sounds like a load of crap, but… I'm not hurt. 'Actually, I feel better than before.'

I sit up fully, glancing down at my legs, expecting burns or bruises. Nothing. Even old scars are gone.

I frown, flexing my hands. "So you can heal people, huh? How?"

He shrugs. "My quirk's versatile."

'Understatement of the damn century.'

My fingers trace over spots where past injuries should be, but there's not a single mark left. I glance back at him, my expression unreadable.

"So let me get this straight," I say, locking eyes with him. "You can heal people perfectly? No scars, no lasting damage—just good as new?"

He hesitates. "...Yes."

My grin stretches wide. "Hell yeah! I definitely didn't choose wrong picking you as an intern!"

"So I'm now qualified to be your intern?" He asks plainly. Despite that, I can almost hear the sarcasm in his voice.

I laugh. "More than qualified!" I say with a grin.

Before I can throw more questions at him, he cuts me off. "It's a secret. Healing quirks are rare, and I don't want to be pestered to fix minor injuries. I hope we can keep it that way." His eyes sharpen slightly. "I'm not interested in being a recovery hero. I'd rather fight."

I nod. 'Makes sense. I'd hate to be stuck patching people up instead of fighting too.'

But understanding his reasoning doesn't mean I'm letting this slide.

I grin, tilting my head. "Sure, I'll keep it secret. But—" My smile turns sharp. "You're not getting off easy after ogling me like that."

His stare flattens. "I thought we agreed there was a valid reason."

"Huh? Who agreed with you? Certainly wasn't me." I crack my knuckles.

He exhales. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

I lean forward, eyes gleaming. "Nope~!"

His shoulders drop slightly. "Let me guess. You want another fight."

"Bingo!" I grin. "I caught you red-handed, so I'll let this go if you fight me again!"

He goes quiet, and for a second, I think he might actually refuse.

Then he sighs. "I doubt I have a choice, given that I'm interning here. But not now. I'm exhausted."

I squint at him. 'Bullshit. I didn't even see him sweat earlier.'

"I don't buy it," I say flatly.

He shrugs. "I don't have to look tired to be tired. Healing is tiring. We can fight tomorrow."

'Tch. Annoying, but… I can wait.'

"Fine," I huff, crossing my arms.

He gives a small nod, says his goodbyes, and heads for the door. I watch him until he disappears from view.

My grin returns, sharp and full of excitement.

'He's way too good to let go.'

I lick my lips. 'And I won't.'