Now, around the time Toji Fushiguro headed to Urawa Racecourse, eating stewed innards and getting heated while clutching a betting ticket for the 1-7-6 trifecta in the 'Sakitama Cup'.
Evacuating to avoid the aftershocks of Naoya vs. Nanami and Gojo vs. Shoko, Suguru Geto and Yu Haibara were engaging in a hand-to-hand, one-on-one battle with the restriction of using no techniques.
In this match, Geto, who imposed the Binding of 'not using a cursed technique in this fight', was completely at an advantage due to the original gap in skill and physique, placing Haibara in the position of a challenger against an overwhelming powerhouse.
And, as expected, it was Haibara who was getting beaten to a pulp.
However.
"I can still go! Geto-san, one more round please!"
"...Alright. But I'm tired, so let's take a break. We've gone nearly 10 rounds without rest, haven't we? I'll treat you, so could you go buy some juice? Aquarius for me. ...Here, a thousand yen."
"Understood! I'll be right back! Can I buy some for Naoya-kun and Nanami-kun too?"
"Sure—, and for Satoru and Shoko too. Buy Satoru a Max Coffee."
As shown by this exchange, this sparring session was quite 'tough' for Geto mentally as well. The fact that there was no joy in beating up his cute junior was, of course, one of the reasons, but...
"Phew... Fushiguro-sensei, good grief, what kind of techniques is he teaching Haibara? Even if I say I'm confident in my skills, it's only hobby-level martial arts..."
As he wiped cold sweat with his sleeve, the real reason was that he was genuinely on edge.
Yu Haibara had no foundation in martial arts.
However, as a result of earnestly listening to the PE teacher Fushiguro, building his body, and acclimating his body to cursed energy reinforcement, his physique had been firmly crafted into that of a 'Sorcerer'.
And what was added on top of that was...
"Groin strikes, headbutts, biting, release piledrivers, choking, elbows, stomping on the toes, body scissors aimed at destroying internal organs, continuous double sledgehammers after taking a down... What Fushiguro-sensei is teaching isn't martial arts, it's killing arts, honestly. He comes at me with a Thai clinch without hesitation..."
"Ouch," Geto muttered, rubbing his neck with one hand; the assessment of 'killing arts' was accurate. He had been chilled to the bone when Haibara tried to gouge his eyes right at the opening, and the result of involuntarily resisting with serious effort against the barrage of foul moves that followed was the battered Haibara from earlier.
The note Toji left on the menu saying 'Haibara: Combat with an opponent of high basic capability. Geto: Fixing over-seriousness' had resulted in a match that hit exactly where it hurt, but...
"Satoru and Naoya told me too, but am I really that ridiculously serious...?"
"That's right! Geto-senpai is a good person! I bought the Aquarius!"
"Thanks, Haibara. Is that so? Hmm, maybe I need to be a bit more accepting of the muddy waters..."
"Ah! Fushiguro-sensei told me that too! We're matching! He said, 'You are a serious idiot, and Geto is an idiotically serious person. Both types are weak as hell to dirty tricks. So I'll teach you dirty tricks'!"
"I see. ...Alright, for the next set, let's not think about rounds and go with no rules. You had Shoko treat you while getting the juice, right?"
"Yes! Please treat me well!"
After that exchange and a break for drinks and the restroom. Of the two facing each other again, the first to make a move was Geto.
Utilizing his tall stature and the damn long legs derived from it, he turned the momentum of crouching into a rotation. That technique was the so-called 'Front Sweep' of Chinese martial arts. Against that blow aimed at reaping his legs, the choice Haibara made was a stomp taught by Toji. A heretical move aiming for the shin, stomping down to intercept Geto's sweeping leg.
However, Geto was one step ahead. Pulling back the leg he had extended to increase his rotation speed, he skillfully switched his pivot leg and kicking leg, successfully and forcefully sweeping Haibara's leg that had missed its stomp.
"Uwah!?"
Against Haibara, who naturally fell over, Geto mercilessly took the mount position from behind and executed a ruthless Boston Crab.
Forced into a back arch so extreme that a nasty creaking sound could be heard, Haibara, hearing snapping and cracking sounds from his body and feeling intense pain in his lower back, became convinced that 'at this rate, my lumbar vertebrae will be crushed' and frantically tapped Geto's arm.
"Kuh...! A-As expected of Geto-senpai... Cough, wheeze..."
"Pro-wrestling moves are quite dangerous if performed with genuine killing intent. Is your lower back okay? If it's bad, shall I call Shoko?"
"P-Please do...!"
Leaving the remainder of the Aquarius next to Haibara, who was completely down, Geto headed toward Shoko, who was energetically shooting Satoru.
Having been infused with the 'Gutter Scum Energy of the Three Families' from Naoya, Satoru, and Toji with adolescent flexibility, his thought circuits were gradually altering, and he was slowly beginning to be dyed by the company he kept.
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