He awoke the next day, finding himself in a hospital bed, along with the rest of his squad.
He was told that his captain managed to heroically drag them out before they were too badly harmed, and that healing magic had sorted out most of their wounds.
Still, even if he was fine, what he had saw unsettled him. Seeing someone so much stronger than him, Akuma had to do something about it.
But he couldn't.
Seeing someone with such immense strength made him agree with everyone else, "I'll never be the saikyo."
This thought managed to stick in his head for quite a while.
He would never be able to reach that strength, no matter how much he tried. As long as people that strong existed, then he would never be the strongest.
Power was everything, and Akuma didn't have it.
At least, not enough of it.
"If only everyone stronger than me was dead", Akuma laughed as such a humorous solution popped into his head. If everyone stronger than him was dead, he'd be the strongest.
But, obviously, he would never take this route, right?
He hoped that, given enough training, and the right equipment, he too could become as strong as the saikyo.
But that was only in his heart.
Logically, he'd always known it was hopeless. There was only one way, and it was far too dangerous.
The only hope would've been to absorb an S* tier core, and pray that he could subdue it. However, if he failed, it would be worse than death.
The second core would've taken over his body, and made him a mere slave, using his energy, his skills and his body to live again.
He just couldn't let that happen.
Trapped in his thoughts, he didn't notice Takara walking over to him.
"Is everything okay, you seem upset", Akuma was happy that she was concerned, but even happier that she was well enough to walk.
"Sorry, it's nothing. Just doubting my own goals", he tried to remain vague to avoid worrying her, but she wasn't going to let that happen.
"You wanted to be the saikyo, right?"
"Yeah, but I'm not too sure it's possible."
"It might be for now, but you could still do it eventually", her words made perfect sense to Akuma. "There's always a way, no matter how hard or strange the method may seem, if you truly want it, you can do it."
Akuma instantly knew what he needed to do.
"Akuma Kuro, follow your dreams, no matter what."