♊︎ 𝘔𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢 - 𝘎𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪'𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 [𝘈𝘜] ♊︎

[Season 6] Ep. 7 - Surprise

The final day of the training camp had arrived just as Joichi and I began to push ourselves to the limit and forge a stronger bond. Admittedly, the tension between us had been partly our doing. Joichi couldn't shake off his jealousy toward Masako, his childhood friend, growing closer to me, which inadvertently distanced him from her. On my end, I was initially too absorbed in my own world to ease the tension.

Thankfully, the confrontation with Nega and my newfound determination had started to turn things around. Deep down, Joichi wasn't a bad guy. Despite his cocky grin and occasional prickliness, I realized there was more to him. The way he spoke of Masako reflected a protective big brother rather than a rival. Plus, we discovered shared interests in comics and manga. Yet, we were still teenagers, prone to competition, whether in training or vying for Masako's attention. Our playful squabbles for a seat at her table during meals always drew laughter, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Observing everyone's progress during training, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy mingled with regret. They had all made such strides in mastering their quirks, leaving me somewhat envious of their achievements. Yet, I knew it was my own fault for foolishly blaming Nega instead of pushing myself harder. But now, I was determined to prove that I could excel even without his assistance.

On the final day of training, Joichi and I pushed ourselves to our limits. I had honed my skills in deflecting his cards with precision, using my attraction zones to break free from my restraints. As Joichi retreated, he unleashed projectiles with ever-changing trajectories, testing my agility and reflexes. I countered by utilizing my attraction zones not just to deflect his attacks with my yo-yo but also to traverse the terrain like a skilled shinobi straight out of the Naruto universe. This led to a fierce close-quarters combat, where I employed my yo-yos and attraction zones to disrupt his card shields, aiming for a decisive strike. Joichi, undeterred, fought back fiercely, seamlessly transitioning between defense and offense with his razor-sharp card weaponry.

- "If you think you can beat me so easily, you've got another thing coming, my dear Ken," Joichi taunted as one of my yo-yos paralyzed his card sword.

- "We'll see about that!" I shot back.

As I readied myself to strike with my free hand, the cards composing his sword dispersed and reassembled into a shield before him. Yet, his defense proved futile against my Magnet Hand; I effortlessly adhered to it and shoved it aside, granting my yo-yo an open path. But before I could land my blow, his cards detached, swirling from his shield around me like a deadly vortex of blades.

As our strikes neared their target, Echo's commanding voice abruptly cut through our training:

- "BREAK TIME! Lunchtime, everyone!" she joyfully announced.

- "Already? But we usually go on longer," Daichi, ever the diligent class representative, inquired.

- "Exactly. But tonight, we've got a special treat planned for your final day, so we're shifting lunch earlier to make time," Echo explained with a smile.

- "What kind of surprise are we talking about here? Is it something truly epic, or more of Nocturn and Elec-sensei's 'surprise' night drills?" Suejirou queried, skepticism lacing his tone, eliciting a chuckle from the heroine.

- "Hehe! It's a genuine surprise, trust me," Echo reassured with a wink.

During dinner, the buzz of anticipation filled the air as everyone speculated about the surprise. Some anticipated gifts, others a unique training session, or perhaps a thrilling showdown against the Pop Rock Agency and the teachers. A minority remained vigilant, half-expecting the surprise to unfold during the meal itself. Amidst the chatter, a select few, including Ren, Mari, Yuka, Ichi, Jikiru, Suejirou, and Shiro, stood apart from the excitement. The first group seemed downcast, resigned to missing out on our adventure due to ongoing makeup classes. Shiro, on the other hand, was in high spirits, relishing his exemption from makeup classes and a week of chores back on campus.