Amid their rigorous training, Akira found himself facing a new challenge. "Okay, it's time for you to practice your skills against actual opponents, and in this case, training dolls. But remember, there are rules you must follow at all costs," Hano instructed.
Curious, a voice spoke up, manifesting as one of Akira's clones that took on a human form. "So, what are these rules?" the clone inquired.
Hano began to explain, "The first rule is no usage of clones, the second is that you can't use a B-rank or above skill, and the third is that you must restrict your strength to B-rank levels."
Akira approached the machine that generated the training dolls. A screen materialized with a question: "Should the dolls have auras?" Without hesitation, Akira answered with a resounding "Yes." Another question followed, "Should they take human forms?" Again, Akira's response was affirmative.
Dedicating half an hour to the task, Akira meticulously designed the dolls' appearances. The ten dolls that materialized took on the likenesses of his friends. Hano had advised him to create the dolls this way to prepare him for the possibility of confronting his friends if they were to ever turn to the dark side. Armed with an A-rank dagger to compensate for his restricted strength, Akira was ready to face his unique challenge.
The doll resembling Seth lunged forward, prompting Hano to comment, "As expected of the muscle brain of the group." Akira shut his eyes, unwilling to witness himself attacking a friend. He methodically disarmed the doll and drove the dagger into its chest. Swiftly, he employed {Swap}, alternating positions with different dolls. His swift movements and calculated strikes dispatched all ten dolls.
Approaching the doll-generating machine, Akira muttered, "This is too easy." Activating a specific feature, he triggered the creation of 50 more dolls, each capable of using spells. He continued to battle relentlessly, only stopping after two hours of intense combat.
A screen materialized before him, bearing a message: "You have destroyed the largest number of training dolls. A video of your feat will be shown to the school." Concern gripped Akira as he realized the implications. "Does this mean the machine recorded everything? Even when Shirley came in? What am I going to do?" he pondered anxiously.
Meanwhile, Renjiro and Graven watched the broadcast in their room. Renjiro expressed her discomfort at seeing himself repeatedly defeated. Observing Akira's hair, she wondered about the changes in color and length. Graven speculated, "I don't know. But the way he closed his eyes while attacking us suggests that it's not easy for him to harm his friends. And about Shirley, well, people might misunderstand him for throwing her out."
As they read through the live comments, some expressed anger towards Akira, calling him disrespectful for ejecting Shirley. Cha interjected, correcting their perspective, "Didn't you notice the suggestive movements she made? That's a sign she was using {Charm}. If you can't deduce that from a simple video, you probably shouldn't have eyes, let alone a glyph core."
Akira entered the room, seeking solace on his bed. Cha's concerned voice cut through the tension, "Hey, are you okay? The video and your hair..." Akira, puzzled, reached up to find his hair had grown and changed color. His scream filled the room as panic took hold.
As Cha handed him a pair of scissors, he offered, "You looked cool when you were taking us down." Akira wasted no time and cut most of the new hair, desperate to regain his familiar appearance. In his mind, he questioned Hano, who offered a straightforward explanation, "Rapid growth due to learning skills you should have learned when you're older. Your hair should return to normal soon." True to Hano's word, Akira's hair promptly reverted to its previous state.
Approaching him, Cha leaned in and whispered, "Psst. How did you resist {Charm}? Even though it's just a B-rank skill, they say it's irresistible. How did you..."
Akira's casual response left Cha in awe. "By creating a powerful skill to counter it," he replied, revealing his ingenuity and determination. Cha was left with a newfound appreciation for his friend, thinking, "I think I made the right choice."