Tanuki Rise of the Yokai Clan

'Oh, right! He's like Gonta!'

However, unlike Gonta, who became fat and a rapper, Luo was a student of Jie Long, which meant he was disciplined with his life, so he wouldn't let his body become as unhealthy as Gonta's.

Yet, he wondered whether he should take out a gun and shoot him down.

However, he knew that he couldn't do that since the rules of this stage were different from the previous stage.

"Now, this is the fight we have been waiting for!"

"We are going to watch a fight between contestant Luo against Inugamigyoubu!"

"Now, who will win?"

"Can Luo defeat this scoundrel who was provoking the entire Asterisk? Or will Inugamigyoubu win and show that he is better than all the students in the Asterisk? We will see it soon, but wait a moment! It seems that they talk to each other."

"I wonder what they are talking about."

As the MCs made the battle became even more exciting, Luo and Tamazuki talked to each other.

"It's good that you want to defend your school's prestige and help the students of your school. It shows that you have such a good character. It seems that Jie Long is a good school to be able to educate such a student like you."

While Luo didn't say anything, his back seemed to straighten subconsciously, showing how proud he was of his school.

"However, Li, is it?"

"It's Luo!"

"The world isn't a kind place. Even if you work hard, your hard work won't pay off, and you have talked so big. Are you not afraid that you will lose?"

"You might be strong, but if you want to win against me, that isn't enough."

His honest face clearly showed that he was confident in his victory.

"...."

Such an honest face... it had been a while for him since he saw such a face... that it made him want to crush this guy to a pulp.

'Oh, no, no!'

It might be because the protagonist had a good-boy attitude that he had this urge or bad habit where he wanted to crush every honest and good boy, showing them the reality of this world and telling them that their righteousness was useless.

Facing the protagonist, he might need to be careful, but facing an extra like him?

He could destroy him anytime!

"From what I see, are you good with using staff?"

"That's right." Luo nodded. "I believe that I have the best mastery over this weapon in this school."

"I see... I see... then you don't mind if I borrow one of your staff? Let's have a duel with the staff as a weapon."

"...are you happen to train in this weapon?"

"No, but I learn fast." He smiled and said, "As I have said before, I am going to use this tournament as a stepping stone, but I feel that it isn't enough, so I will crush you with your specialty. What do you think? Do you dare to do it?"

His voice was rather low, so no one knew what he was talking about, but Luo, who stood in front of him, was in a daze for a moment since the words which came from his mouth were so unbelievable.

"....."

"SOMEONE GIVE HIM MY SPARE METAL STAFF!"

Luo was decisive.

His face might be like an honest man, but he was going to pay for the humiliation he received twice fold!

When this happened, everyone was confused and saw Tamazuki wielding a similar weapon to Luo.

The two were going to fight with a metal staff.

Huh?

Was Tamazuki's weapon specialty a staff?

---

"Can he fight with the staff?" Hufeng couldn't stop his curiosity and asked Priscilla and Irene.

As Xinglou wanted to know more about Tamazuki, she brought the two sisters to the special booth designed for her.

Irene and Priscilla accepted Xinglou's invitation since they felt it was better to sit in this place instead of in a normal audience area since, in that place, they were afraid they would cause a fight or not.

Still being asked this question, the two sisters had this awkward expression before they shook their heads.

"....I don't know."

"....truth be told, I don't know much about him. I know that he is powerful, but like you, I have thought that he is good at martial arts."

His martial arts were evident to all since he defeated 49 Jie Long students with just a single martial art, so they thought this time he would show his martial art, yet, who would expect he would suddenly wield a staff?

"Just watch. This is going to be interesting."

Unlike the rest, who didn't hear the conversation between Luo and Tamazuki, Xinglou listened to their conversation well, and she wanted to laugh somehow.

With those words, they looked at each other and nodded since the battle was about to start.

---

Unlike in the first stage of the tournament, where the two last ones standing would be able to compete in the next stage, in this stage, the rules of this battle were quite similar to the Festa.

In other words, matches are decided either by breaking the opponent's school emblem or by making them unconscious.

As he didn't have a school emblem, he was lent one from Jie Long.

Other than that, as it is a tournament, blatant brutality and attacks with the intent to kill are forbidden and are punishable.

The rules were simple enough, and there was no need for an explanation since everyone was already impatient to watch this match!

"Match One—Begin!"

The moment the match started, Luo rapidly closed on, thrusting his staff like a bee stinger.

Meanwhile, Tamazuki could only dodge, and everyone could see how amateurish he was from his movement, showing it was his first time wielding a staff.

"Hahaha, defeat him, Luo!"

"What a joke! You want to make this tournament a stepping stone, yet you are beaten now!"

"Get his face! Get his face, Luo!"

The students of Jie Long were all excited, watching Tamazuki about to be beaten by Luo.

Luo also earnestly answered their cheers by using all the techniques he had harnessed for his entire life!

"If you want to blame, you should blame your arrogance! I will bring you down, Inugami!"

His staff moved like snakes, slithering in a manner that was impossible to predict before it struck like a poisonous viper!

Luo believed as long as Tamazuki was struck down by his staff, it would take him a few months in the hospital, but this was a good thing since this could be a lesson for him not to be arrogant.

Yet...

"I have learned everything."

"Eh?"

A booming sound echoed, and everyone widened their eyes when Tamazuki used his staff to smash Luo's attack to the side.

"To be honest, after watching how weak a staff as a weapon is, I don't really intend to learn one, but I want to tell you that sometimes hard work won't pay off."

Similar to Luo, the staff on Tamazuki's hand moved like a snake!

"What—?!"

Luo was flustered, trying to distance himself, but it was too late!

He was thrown away as his body was smashed tens of meters away. He was moaning in pain as he clutched his belly, but a shadow appeared before him, and he quickly tried to adjust himself.

Yet, this brought a shock to the audience.

They thought that Tamazuki would be defeated in the most humiliating manner, yet why was it the other way around?

Also, more importantly...

"Why do I feel like I see two Luos on the stage?"

"Are your eyes blind? Inugami is more handsome!" The female audience scolded the Jie Long student.

"...." Jie Long students.

However, as the match continued, they felt something weird as they felt like Tamazuki had become Luo. The way he wielded his staff, steps, breathing, except for his more handsome appearance, everything was similar.

It was as if... it was as if... he had stolen Luo's technique?

When this thought appeared in everyone's hearts, they felt dreaded, but they quickly shook their heads since it was impossible, right?

Meanwhile, Luo could only pathetically defend himself for his survival, but everything was meaningless. He was like a worm writhing in pain as it was burnt under the hot sun.

Then, his time to die came.

The metal staff on Tamazuki's hands danced like a snake before it struck his school emblem.

Luo fell on his buttocks as his eyes widened in disbelief.

His hard work... sweat... tears... everything was crushed so easily by him.

His world was spinning as his world turned gray, making him wonder why did he work so hard when someone could master his technique so easily?

"Thanks for the metal staff."

Returning to the metal staff to Luo, Tamazuki left without looking back, feeling that he had talked too much with the extra character.

'Now, let's focus on the heroine.'

Meanwhile, Luo sat on the ground lifelessly as he was crushed by reality.