I teach judo in Tokyo.

......

......

[Due to a special stimulus, disciple Yotsuba Saki's skill level has improved.]

The defensive skill "Self-Defense Technique" level has been increased to "20".

You will obtain an SSR-level skill—please select the skill's focus.

[Selectable specializations: 1. Weaponry, 2. Unarmed combat, 3. Mystic arts]

***

My deskmate has reached level 20!

Thanks to the extra training Sousuke gave her tonight, she officially entered the ranks of the fierce-level "superhumans".

This is truly cause for celebration!

When the system notification arrived, Sousuke was gently helping Yotsuba Saki bend over.

My little classmate's supple body was unexpectedly tense and stiff tonight, and he could only cooperate with the exercise with Sosuke's hard help.

However, this little girl did seem to be in a bad state. She was tense, but unexpectedly, with Sosuke's help, she couldn't help biting her little hand and whimpering throughout the whole process.

Little classmate, it seems your flexibility training isn't quite up to par!

However, Sosuke's help was quite effective.

At first, Yotsuba Saki couldn't help biting her hand because of the pain.

But after getting used to it, Sosuke's training made his tense body flexible again.

Soon, the light and soft sensation made her, who was originally biting her hands, unconsciously start gently biting her fingers.

In response, Sosuke said he had to give himself a good shout-out.

The system-provided pulse-nourishing techniques can be effectively applied in this special training, helping the student quickly transform pain into comfort.

I have to give myself a thumbs up!

However, since it was her first time receiving such extra training, and her physique wasn't as resilient as that of the beautiful master and the widow, Sosuke ultimately couldn't bring himself to start the high-intensity training on her.

After she held herself tightly and remained motionless, she successfully leveled up.

Sosuke gently kissed her lips, ending tonight's tutoring session.

Unexpectedly, his little classmate seemed to be lacking oxygen, and boldly turned around and hugged his neck, refusing to let go, and fiercely robbing him of the oxygen in his mouth.

After a long while, Sosuke raised his head with a grin and looked at his classmate who had become shy and lowered his head again.

After extra practice, the shy beauty had fine beads of sweat on her bangs and face, which shimmered alluringly against her pink skin under the light.

He couldn't help but tease, "Saki, you're very bold today... I like it."

After more than half an hour of intense training, Yotsuba Saki's hard-earned courage was completely wiped out by Sousuke's teasing remark.

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, then her eyes widened.

Then, her face flushed, she glanced at Sousuke and stammered, "Sousuke... Sousuke-kun, I... I have something I want to tell you later..."

"What did you say?" Sosuke asked curiously. Could his little classmate be hiding something from him?

"Wait, wait a minute..." Yotsuba Saki looked at him with a flickering gaze, then turned her head away and said weakly, "Sousuke-kun... my, my glasses are fogged up and they're getting in the way, so... I'll take them off..."

Before she could finish speaking, she took off her glasses to Atobe Sousuke's astonishment.

Wait! Saki, won't you turn into Emi if you take off your glasses?

What's going on??

The next second, before Sosuke could even process what was happening, he saw his "little classmate," whose demeanor had completely changed, looking at him with adoration.

Then, she licked her lips, reached out and hooked her arm around Sousuke's neck, and said in a rather awkward, 'shy' voice, imitating Yotsuba Saki's tone, "Sousuke... Sousuke-kun, I want... one more time..."

Um! ?

Atobe Sousuke raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl whose name on the panel had been changed to Yotsuba Emi, and vaguely understood something.

However, in the current situation, who has time to care about so much!

Emi's classmate, now possessing a seductive charm, was practically a little succubus, instantly arousing Atobe Sousuke, who hadn't had enough practice to begin with.

Perfect, the weapon is still locked in the vise anyway.

Let's continue then!

......

......

......

late at night.

"So, Saki means that there's another soul named 'Emi' inside your body, sharing it with you?"

Sousuke controlled his facial muscles and eyes, forcing himself to look utterly shocked as he asked a question he already knew the answer to.

The little classmate, now wearing his glasses again, curled up close in Sosuke's arms, looking at him with longing, and nodded earnestly, saying, "I...I didn't lie to Sosuke. I discovered Emi's existence back in elementary school..."

After mustering the courage to reveal her biggest secret, Yotsuba Saki seemed to have sorted out her long-standing inner conflict. Unable to contain her desire to express herself, she began to stammeringly recount her other experiences over the past ten years to Atobe Sousuke.

After talking non-stop for more than ten minutes, she inadvertently met Sosuke's tender gaze and immediately blushed: "I...did I talk too much...? If Sosuke doesn't believe me...well, it's okay..."

"I believe."

Yotsuba Saki's eyes, which had been filled with grievance, trembled slightly as she hurriedly looked at Sousuke's face.

Then, he felt weak all over from the dojo master's pitying gaze.

"Sosuke-kun...you...why would you..." Yotsuba Saki stammered, unable to believe that her beloved would trust her so firmly.

Atobe Sousuke smiled slightly and patted his deskmate's head: "I've felt something was off for a while now."

He stretched out his left hand, opened his palm, and then pulled it back one finger at a time.

"In the hotel where the national competition preliminaries are being held..."

"In the hot springs of Hinata-san Village..."

"During the Golden Eagle Flag women's competition..."

“I’ve noticed for a long time that Saki’s personality changes drastically every time she takes off her glasses.”

Sousuke withdrew his hand, looked at Yotsuba Saki, and his smile suddenly turned somewhat mischievous: "I heard everything, including at the very last moment..."

"H-hear what?" Yotsuba Saki asked blankly.

Beside her, Emi Yotsuba, sitting with a flushed face like a spirit, also looked at Sousuke curiously.

Of course, Sousuke couldn't see this guy.

Apart from Yotsuba Saki and Yotsuba Emi being able to see each other, no one else can see them in their external state.

Atobe Sousuke looked at his deskmate and said with a mischievous grin, "You two seem to have forgotten, huh? Just now, at the very last moment, one of you kept yelling, 'No, no, Emi's going to fly away!'"

"Ah!!!?" Yotsuba Saki blushed instantly.

Beside her, Yotsuba Emi's face was even redder than hers, and she was practically steaming.

"He's talking nonsense! Nobody calls people that!"

Yotsuba Emi was furious. "I'm going to sue him for defamation!!!"

"Don't...don't say it," Yotsuba Saki glanced at her awkwardly.

"Now that you mention it, I... I remember, Emi seemed to have... called me that at the end."

"You're talking nonsense!" Yotsuba Emi glared at her fiercely. "If you heard that too, then you and this bastard both misheard!"

"I absolutely will not admit it! I could never say such a thing!"

Emi Yotsuba screamed and huddled behind Saki Yotsuba, covering her head.

This is a classic case of ostrich burying its head in the sand.

Sosuke gently hugged his little classmate's soft body, watching with a grin as the two classmates engaged in their internal "dialogue," finding it quite amusing.

This Yotsuba Emi has a personality that is completely opposite to Saki's.

It's as if Yotsuba Saki, who was originally cheerful and lively, stripped away all her cheerfulness and courage at some point in her childhood and became "Emi," leaving herself only with introversion and timidity.

However, now that he's with me, my little classmate has become noticeably more cheerful and smiles more often.

Now, he has even mustered the courage to confess his own special characteristics.

Will my classmate, who has changed to this extent, undergo any other unusual changes in the future?

Sosuke couldn't help but think of Yotsuba Saki, whom he had fought in the virtual trial, and who was on "dynamic difficulty".

The little classmate whose identity was modified by the system now has her "doppelganger" attribute appearing during battles.

In that state, the souls of Yotsuba Saki and Yotsuba Emi manifested simultaneously in a fusion-like manner, and then jointly manipulated the body.

Its reflexes and combat thinking have been greatly enhanced, and it can even perform two different SSR-level skills at the same time.

Because it left such a deep impression.

So Sousuke still remembers the modified system title for his deskmate very clearly.

"Twins on the Other Shore"

So, after resolving her inner conflict, is it possible for Yotsuba Saki to grow to that level?

Sosuke couldn't help but have some expectations.

However, regardless of whether my deskmate becomes stronger in the future.

None of this affected Atobe Sousuke's affection for her.

After all, it was only with his care and companionship that this introverted and timid girl gradually became more cheerful.

Aside from herself, she had practically no one to rely on...

Having done something to provoke him, and even managed to get such a girl to reveal everything about herself to him without reservation.

He must also shoulder the responsibilities that a man should have.

This responsibility—is to ensure that she can continue to live happily with herself.

Hmm—with Yotsuba Emi...

Hmm—plus the beautiful master, the widow, the kendo girl, the class representative, the Sakura sisters, Ryougi, the researcher...

Hmm—maybe we should also include those two female demons from the Yamata clan...

Lost in thought, to Yotsuba Saki's astonishment, Sousuke suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself.

Damn it, you're a real bastard!

Never mind, I'll choose the system reward first...

[You have acquired an SSR-level unarmed skill - Ultimate Flowing Dance Kick]

***

Chapter 325 Great Misfortune

The tournament concluded on December 30th.

The official King of Fighters tournament has also officially announced the conclusion of the preliminary rounds and revealed the time and location for the third stage of the main tournament.

The start time is Saturday, January 11, 2025.

The location is—Tokyo Dome.

The top 32 contestants with the highest scores, plus the 32 final champions, make a total of 64 people.

The event will take place in this world-renowned stadium for approximately one month, featuring a total of over sixty matches.

The first "World's Strongest" was finally determined!

......

Atobe Sousuke stretched, put away his phone after reading the announcement, and sat up from his bed.