The pressure didn't ease.
If anything—it got heavier.
Eso stepped forward slowly.
Kechizu twitching beside him.
"…So the strong one is empty…"
Yuji clenched his fists.
"…Shut up."
Megumi shifted his stance.
"…We hold formation."
Nobara spun her hammer once.
"…Don't get in my way."
Takeru stood still for a moment.
Feeling it.
The absence.
No cursed energy.
No techniques.
No fallback.
Just his body.
Then—
he smiled.
A real one.
"…Good thing I trained raw fighting before vaca."
Yuji blinked.
"…You're smiling?!"
Hakari would've loved this.
Takeru stepped forward.
Cracked his neck slightly.
"…We proceed."
Eso lunged first—
fast.
Takeru didn't counter with power—
he moved.
A clean sidestep.
A sharp body shot—
pure strength—
no cursed energy behind it.
Impact—
Eso staggered back half a step.
Surprised.
"…Oh?"
Kechizu rushed in wildly—
Takeru ducked low—
swept the leg—
Kechizu dropped hard.
Yuji's eyes lit up.
"…OH—HE'S COOKING—"
Nobara smirked.
"…About time."
Megumi nodded slightly.
"…He's adapting."
Eso came again—
more serious now.
Takeru blocked—
took the hit—
slid back—
Then stepped in again.
No hesitation.
A clean combo—
strike—
strike—
elbow—
Everything precise.
Everything trained.
No wasted motion.
Eso's smile faded slightly.
"…You fight well… for something empty."
Takeru didn't answer.
He just moved again.
Kechizu lunged from the side—
Yuji intercepted—
"Got you!"
Megumi's shadows moved underneath—
limiting movement—
Nobara threw a nail—
Hit.
The fight shifted.
Not overwhelming power.
Not technique domination.
Just coordination.
And Takeru—
right in the middle—
Fighting like he didn't need anything else.
No cursed energy.
No domain.
Just him.