Chapter 2: Emmy's Challenge: The Second Strongest Mage

The deafening cheers and enthusiastic whispers still filled Tendou's ears. The challenge duel from Emmy Kurushima, the second strongest mage in Japan, had shaken the entire campus. Tendou could only surrender to the situation, realizing that the calm he had maintained on the surface was now beginning to crack. However, deep within his mind, there was a far more profound memory, a moment when he decided to lay all his cards on the table, revealing a truth he had long hidden from the people he loved most.

[FLASHBACK - Several Years Ago, Before Tendou Entered University]

That evening, the delicious aroma of Grandma Anko's cooking filled the Amamiya family dining room. All the family members were gathered: Grandpa Hotaro, Grandma Anko, Papa Kei, Mama Asuna, and of course, the cheerful Ayano. The atmosphere was warm and full of laughter, just like any other Amamiya family night.

Tendou looked at the happy faces. They were his new family, the people who had given him a second life, peace, and love he never thought he would feel again. After years of keeping this great secret to himself, he knew this was the time. They deserved to know the truth.

"There's something Tendou wants to tell you all," Tendou said softly, his voice trembling slightly. All eyes turned to him. Ayano smiled, "What is it, big brother? Do you want more ice cream?"

Tendou offered a faint smile. "No, Ayano. This is... something very serious."

His family's expressions changed, confusion clearly etched on their faces. Grandpa Hotaro put down his chopsticks. "What is it, my grandson? Speak, we are listening."

Tendou took a deep breath. "Actually... I'm not the Amamiya Tendou you know."

Immediately, silence fell over the dining table. A few seconds passed, then Grandma Anko chuckled softly. "Goodness, Tendou! You're full of jokes. Don't joke at the dinner table, you might choke."

Papa Kei also smiled. "That's right, Tendou. What's wrong with you tonight? You seem to be in a playful mood."

Tendou shook his head gently. He knew this would be hard to believe. They would never believe it with just words.

"Alright," he said, his voice now calm and authoritative, like Oscar's on the battlefield, yet still tinged with Tendou's gentleness. "I'll show you."

With his fingertip, Tendou projected a bright green light. The light expanded, forming a holographic projection in the center of the room, as if a giant magical projector. The Amamiya family, who had been chuckling moments before, now froze. Their eyes widened in horror at what was displayed before them.

The projection showed gruesome scenes: a destroyed battlefield, a sea of demons attacking, Oscar covered in blood fighting alone, comrades falling, and the terrifying moment he was sucked into a shirr wormhole that tore through the sky. The faces of the Amamiya family paled, shocked to see the unimaginable cruelty and destruction.

Then, the projection continued, showing the moment Oscar's soul flew across the void of dimensions, until it finally landed in a hospital room. They saw Tendou's small, dying body, covered in wounds, lying helpless. Then, with a pulse of green light, Oscar's soul entered that body, bringing it back to life. The projection even showed the moment the original Tendou appeared in a dream, and how the two souls finally merged into one, blending their essences.

The projection's light slowly dimmed and vanished. Absolute silence enveloped the dining room. The Amamiya family sat still, shocked, and somewhat pale. Their eyes were fixed on Tendou, who now looked at them with a mixture of hope and anxiety. They saw that expression, the expression of someone who had just revealed the biggest secret of their life.

Seconds passed in suffocating silence. Tendou braced himself for rejection, for fear, or even anger. However, what happened next utterly surprised him.

Mama Asuna was the first to move. Tears streamed down her cheeks, not tears of fear, but of relief and affection. She stood up, walked over to Tendou, and hugged him tightly.

"My son... my child," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "It doesn't matter who you were before, or how you came to us. What matters is... you're safe. You're alive. You're here with us."

Papa Kei followed, embracing Tendou and Asuna together. "We never cared where you came from. You are our son, Tendou. That will not change."

Grandma Anko and Grandpa Hotaro approached, joining the family embrace. Their faces showed genuine relief and acceptance. There was no rejection, no protest, no fear. Only pure love.

"The most important thing," Grandma Anko said softly, stroking Tendou's back, "is that you are alive. And you will grow up. That is our dream for you."

Hearing that, Ayano, who had been silently in shock, suddenly hugged Tendou even tighter. Her eyes were teary. "Big brother! No matter who you are, you're still my big brother! Oscar is my brother now too!"

Tendou felt warm tears stream down his cheeks. The heavy burden he had carried alone for so long vanished instantly. His heart was filled with overflowing gratitude. He hugged them back, very tightly.

"Thank you... thank you so much," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. This was perfect acceptance, far beyond anything he had ever hoped for.

[End of FLASHBACK]

That warm memory always served as an anchor for Tendou. The memory of his family's sincere acceptance, which gave him the strength to face anything. Now, facing Emmy Kurushima's challenge, Tendou knew he wasn't alone.

That morning, in their private dojo, Tendou discussed with James Morgan and Ayano. He had to choose a weapon for tomorrow's duel.

"Morgan-sensei, Ayano," Tendou began, his voice calm. "Tomorrow I'll be dueling Kurushima Emmy. I'd like to ask for advice on a weapon that's... ordinary." He emphasized the word "ordinary" with a meaningful look at his teacher. Tendou's goal was clear: he wanted to appear unremarkable, even if it meant losing.

Ayano, excited, immediately chimed in. "Just a regular sword, big brother! Or my bow! That would be cool!"

Tendou shook his head gently. "No, Ayano. A sword is too conspicuous. Besides, I want to make this look... easy for her."

James Morgan smiled faintly, understanding Tendou's intention. "If you want to appear ordinary and minimize your power, I think gauntlets would suit you, Tendou." He pointed to a pair of combat gloves on the weapon rack. "With those, you can fight close-quarters without having to show off too much magic. And... yes, that would make her look superior to the audience."

Tendou nodded in agreement. "Gauntlets, then. Thank you, Sensei."

Time passed quickly, until ten in the morning arrived. The campus arena was already filled with thousands of students. Cheers and enthusiastic whispers filled every corner, as if they were about to witness a grand festival, not just a duel between two students. Tickets had even sold out within hours of the announcement.

Tendou had arrived at the arena lobby, accompanied by Ayano, who looked both excited and a little worried. Oscar's keen eyes, now perfectly merged with Tendou, caught a suspicious silhouette in the distant crowd. Someone with a familiar aura, yet faint and full of caution. He was about to sharpen his gaze, but both their attention was diverted.

"Quick! Quick! You two must get ready at the entrance!" shouted a referee, rushing towards them.

In a luxurious and technologically advanced headquarters, Kurushima Hikari, Japan's strongest mage and Emmy's older sister, stared at a large monitor screen. Displayed there was an image of the crowded arena, and in its center, two pillars where the combatants would emerge.

"Let's see how much my sister has grown," Hikari murmured, a faint smile playing on her lips. She knew that Emmy, also appearing on screen, was well aware of her scrutiny. It was both pressure and motivation for her sister.

Soon after, an announcement boomed throughout the arena, introducing the combatants. Emmy Kurushima stepped forward from the pillar on the right side, fully clad in her elegant white armored suit that reflected the arena lights and wielding her iconic crystal-bladed sword. An aura of confidence radiated clearly from her, met by hysterical cheers from the audience.

It was Tendou's turn. He stepped out from the pillar on the left. The contrast was striking. Tendou was simply wearing the ordinary clothes he wore daily on campus, paired with the simple gauntlets recommended by Morgan. There was no flashy aura, no magnificent armor.

As they both stood in the vast arena, Emmy looked at Tendou with a mocking smile. "Are you serious with that outfit, Amamiya Tendou? Are you giving up before the fight? This is pathetic."

Tendou remained silent. He chose to ignore the taunt, his gaze calm, as if all the cheers and provocations meant nothing to him. He had come not to win, but to ensure that his power would no longer be a problem for his family.

"The match... begins!"

The referee's shout echoed, signaling the start of the highly anticipated duel. Emmy wasted no time. Swiftly, she darted forward, her sword swinging in a circular motion, creating a flash of silver light. This was her characteristic fighting style, fast and precise. The first swing narrowly missed Tendou's hand, the rush of wind felt on his skin. Tendou moved back, dodging with minimal movement. Emmy didn't give up; she launched a combination attack towards Tendou's body, but once again, Tendou managed to evade, as if dancing between the deadly sword swings.

"Stop playing around!" Emmy exclaimed, annoyed at Tendou's evasiveness. Her purple magical aura suddenly blazed around her body. "Strengthening Magic: Active! Speed Magic: Active!"

In an instant, Emmy's body glowed intensely, her movements drastically increased. She dashed forward with a speed that startled Tendou for a moment. This magic... it's exactly like my ability! Tendou thought, his eyes widening slightly. He realized he could easily match, even surpass, Emmy's speed. However, his goal this time was to lose. To lose in an inconspicuous way, without endangering himself or revealing too much.

It was then that an idea flashed through his mind. Tendou didn't cast any spells, no incantations or hand movements. He merely spoke softly, almost whispering, but with a firm tone: "Clock Up."

WHUUUM!

For Emmy and the entire audience, the world seemed to stop. Emmy's rapid movement suddenly froze in mid-air, her sword suspended inches from Tendou's face. Dust in the arena floated incredibly slowly, the sound of the audience's cheers turned into a long, almost inaudible hum. Everyone, including Emmy, appeared petrified, trapped within a drastically slowed frame of time.

In the midst of the frozen world, Tendou moved normally. He sighed, looking at the frozen Emmy. "How can I lose without being too obvious?" He thought hard. Just falling? Too easy. Getting hit and fainting? That was also risky.

A brilliant idea struck him. "Yes! This is perfect!"

With a firm decision, Tendou deactivated his "Clock Up" magic. The world resumed its normal speed. Emmy, unaware, continued her delayed attack. Her sword struck where Tendou had been standing with full force.

BLAAARRR!

A massive explosion accompanied by thick smoke erupted in the arena, engulfing Tendou. Dust and debris flew everywhere. Emmy smiled in satisfaction, her breath slightly ragged. He thinks he can play innocent and be arrogant with me? Take that! she thought, confident she had defeated the man who had annoyed her.

However, as the thick smoke slowly dissipated, the smile on Emmy's face vanished, replaced by an expression of extreme shock. To Emmy's astonishment, in the small crater formed by her attack, Tendou still stood upright. The gauntlet on his left hand was destroyed, but he had managed to withstand that deadly attack with only the ordinary gauntlet, now cracked, on his right hand.

It was then that something Tendou had never experienced happened. An overwhelming wave of dizziness suddenly hit his brain, stronger than usual dizziness. He felt his consciousness waver slightly, as if something was forcing its way in or awakening within him.

Unconsciously, his body moved on its own. Tendou took a perfect combat stance, one hand clenched and the other in front, ready to launch an attack. His eyes, which were once soft brown, now emitted an intense golden glow. His face, previously placid and slightly resigned, was now filled with cold seriousness and steely determination. A dense, piercing murderous aura suddenly radiated powerfully from Tendou's body, filling the entire arena.

Seeing Tendou still standing firm and now adopting a combat-ready pose, Emmy felt annoyed and confused. "What is this?! You can still stand?!"

However, her annoyance turned into even greater shock. She had never seen Tendou so serious. Tendou's two golden eyes emitted a different aura, very cold and sharp. His movements as he lunged forward were something Emmy had never seen in her life. Tendou moved with a speed and precision that suddenly overwhelmed Emmy, even with her own strengthening and speed magic.

The gauntlet on Tendou's right hand, which was previously just an ordinary glove, suddenly radiated bright light and transformed. Its material changed into sparkling platinum, its design becoming more futuristic and powerful. Not only that, on his left hand where the gauntlet had been destroyed, a similar platinum gauntlet reappeared, as if manifesting from thin air.

Emmy stared at all this with wide eyes, increasingly bewildered and astonished. Who exactly is this Amamiya Tendou?!

In a desperate state, Emmy immediately reactivated her strengthening magic, and added healing magic to herself and eagle eye magic to speed up her perception. However, all of that seemed useless now. Tendou's new speed, his unpredictable movements, and the aura emanating from him made her realize. She felt she was no longer a match. The entire audience in the arena was also mesmerized and bewildered by the power they had just witnessed from Tendou. Whispers of admiration and confusion spread like wildfire.

It was then that Tendou, filled with a terrifying murderous aura, launched a devastating punch towards Emmy. The punch narrowly missed, only creating a cold gust of wind beside Emmy's face, but the power behind it was so immense that...

BRAAAKKK!

The punch slammed into the arena wall with incredible force, demolishing it into rubble and creating a large gaping hole. Dust and concrete fragments flew towards the audience, nearly injuring them. Shouts of surprise erupted from the crowd, some instinctively taking cover.

In the audience seats, Ayano felt a wave of incredibly cruel and familiar murderous aura. It was exactly the same aura she had felt when she hugged Oscar years ago, when her big brother first revealed his true identity. Tendou was now fully in "Oscar" mode, trapped in his old combat instincts.

"Big brother! Stop! Wake up, big brother!" Ayano cried out, her voice hoarse with worry. However, Tendou paid no heed. His golden eyes were fixed on Emmy, ready for the next attack.

Without thinking twice, Ayano immediately jumped from her seat, running as fast as she could down the stairs, breaking through the security line. With tears streaming down her face, she rushed into the center of the arena, towards Tendou, and immediately hugged him tightly.

"You're not alone anymore, big brother!" Ayano whispered, burying her face in Tendou's tense chest. "I'm here! We're together!"

Ayano's touch, her soft voice, and her warm embrace pierced the fog of war that enveloped Tendou's consciousness. The golden glow in his eyes slowly faded, returning to a soft brown. The murderous aura emanating from him instantly vanished. Tendou regained consciousness, but another wave of dizziness hit him, this time much stronger. His body lost strength, and he collapsed, fainting in Ayano's embrace.

The commotion in the arena grew louder. Just then, Grandpa Hotaro arrived at the scene, pushing through the security staff with brisk steps. He saw his grandson unconscious in Ayano's arms and the extensive damage around them. With an undeniable authority, Grandpa Hotaro raised his hand.

"I take full responsibility for all this chaos!" Grandpa Hotaro exclaimed, his voice booming and calming.

Emmy, still startled by Tendou's power and Ayano's arrival, was now even more surprised to see Grandpa Hotaro. "Grandpa Hotaro?! What... what are you doing here?" She knew the old man well. Grandpa Hotaro was a close friend of her father, Kurushima Hayato, the head of the Kurushima family. Grandpa Hotaro's claim of responsibility immediately made her understand the situation. The duel, which had been emotional, now turned into a much larger issue, involving both the Amamiya and Kurushima families.

With her armor now slightly worn and damaged in places, Emmy nodded slowly at Grandpa Hotaro, signaling her acceptance of the intervention, then turned and left, disappearing from the chaotic arena.

A few hours later, in a special treatment room at the campus clinic. Tendou lay weak, his face pale and his body burning with a high fever. Medical staff stated he was suffering from extreme exhaustion and magical overload. Ayano faithfully waited beside him, wiping her brother's forehead with a damp cloth.

The door opened softly. Emmy Kurushima entered, still with a small part of her armor, now cleaned, but her expression was different. There was a mixture of curiosity, annoyance, and a hint of concern in her eyes. She glanced at Ayano for a moment, then her gaze shifted to Tendou.

"So... this is his room?" Emmy asked Ayano, trying to sound nonchalant.

Ayano nodded without looking away from Tendou. "Yes. He has a high fever."

Emmy approached, standing on the other side of the bed. "I... I want to ask him something. What was that magic? How did he do it?"

Soon after, Tendou slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he recognized Ayano beside him and Emmy standing nearby.

"Ayano... Emmy..." he whispered weakly.

"Big brother!" Ayano immediately hugged him again.

After a moment, Tendou managed to gather his strength. In a voice still somewhat hoarse, he began to explain what had happened to him during the duel. He recounted how he felt severe dizziness, lost control, and then woke up again in Ayano's embrace.

However, for his family's safety, Tendou cleverly concealed Oscar's true identity and how the two souls had merged. He attributed the incident to an "Overclock," a phenomenon in the magical world where a mage who has suppressed or contained immense power for too long can experience an uncontrolled surge of energy when it's suddenly released. He argued that he had long tried to live a normal life and suppress his power, when in reality, Tendou hadn't done that (as his power was intrinsic to his soul fusion, not suppression).

Emmy listened carefully, occasionally furrowing her brow. Overclock was common in the magical world, but the damage Tendou inflicted far exceeded the effects of an ordinary overclock. Nevertheless, she accepted the explanation, though a hint of doubt remained in her heart.

Meanwhile, at her headquarters, Kurushima Hikari had already taken strategic steps. She contacted her right-hand person. "Keep monitoring Amamiya Tendou at the campus. I want detailed reports on his every move," she commanded, a satisfied smile not leaving her lips. Tendou's emergence was an interesting anomaly she couldn't ignore.

A week later, when Tendou returned to college, he found himself the main topic of conversation. Whispers followed his steps in the hallway, "That's Tendou Amamiya!" "His power is insane!" He became the center of attention, admiration radiating from the faces of students, both women and men.

As he walked across the main field, a loud voice broke through the crowd. "HEY, AMAMIYA TENDOU!"

Tendou turned. A striking blonde young man with an athletic build ran towards him, his tone sounding as if he wanted to pick a fight or issue a challenge. Tendou and those around him instinctively braced themselves. However, the opposite happened.

The young man suddenly bowed deeply before Tendou, his head nearly touching the ground. "Please, teach me! Teach me the martial arts you used! Your movements... that wasn't just ordinary magic! That was true combat!"

Tendou blinked, surprised. "Who are you?"

The young man straightened up, his face filled with unwavering enthusiasm. "My name is Asakura Otoya! I've watched recordings of your duel countless times! Please, Tendou-sensei! Teach me!" He bowed again, then looked at Tendou with pleading eyes. "Or... just call me your junior! I'll be your student and your brother! I'll do anything!"

Tendou could only stare awkwardly, speechless at Otoya's unexpected persistence.

Suddenly, a familiar silhouette appeared in the distance. Emmy Kurushima. She walked through the crowd of students still captivated by Tendou and Otoya's presence. Her eyes fixed on Tendou. When their gazes met, Emmy's usually proud face slowly turned bright red. She looked shy, flustered, and immediately turned away, quickening her pace as if wanting to quickly disappear from Tendou's sight.

The scene at the campus ended, but far from the student hustle and bustle, in a hidden, dark headquarters, a group of masked terrorists were finalizing their preparations. A digital map projected on the wall showed clear targets: two main buildings identified as the Kurushima family residence and the travel routes of Emmy and her youngest sister, Yukari.

"Targets confirmed: Kurushima Emmy and Kurushima Yukari," one of them said, his voice hoarse and devoid of emotion. "Ensure the magic-nullifying green stone is fully active. We don't want a repeat of the last incident."

On the table, a green stone emitted a strange glow, as if absorbing all light around it. This stone was the key to their plan, a tool that would negate the magical energy of even the strongest mages. Their kidnapping plan had entered its final stage.