Chapter 42: The Prodigy's
Akumu asked her, "You can't use your innate technique right now, can you?
She responded, "That doesn't mean that I can't fight."
She grabbed the purple cloak that wrapped around her body and then ripped it off with a terrifying force. This action revealed incredibly toned muscles as well as the powerful body that she possessed.
"What the hell", Akumu shouted.
Maria quickly closes the gap between them and attempts to punch him square in the chest, which akumu is able to block by crossing both his arms. However, the impact still sends him flying a good distance.
Akumu then asked, "You weren't this strong when you fought Taori??"
She responded, "I already told you, I don't like to reveal my entire hand."
As the distance between the two opened once again Akumu shot out three of his black whips towards her. She managed to dodge two of them however one had managed to wrap around her left leg.
Akumu strongly pulled on the rope which forced her onto her back, he then pulled her towards him and prepared to finish her with a
Frosty Whipp then shouted over the mic, "It seems the Barrier battle has transformed into a wrestling match?"
Maria also said, "If you don't surrender I will crush your skull."
Marias' technique was also making it difficult for Akumu to breathe. As he struggled to get free he realized that this woman was physically far stronger than Akumu.
Then utilizing his high intellect he manifested a single black whip from the back of his head. The whip traveled up the girl's leg before it ripped the sandals that she was wearing. It then molded itself into the shape of a feather before whipping against the girl as fast as it could.
Suddenly she began to burst out laughing as her grip loosened which, eventually granted enough leeway for Akumu to free himself. Maria shouted at while still laughing,
"That's playing dirty you bastard."
Akumu simply responded, "I'm not even tickling you anymore."
He conjures up his black palace, which quickly devours the still-recovering Maria. A multitude of black whips wrapped around the woman eventually tying themselves up in a fashion that left her feet connected to her arms.
Thanks to these restrictions she was unable to break free even with her brutish strength, the restrictions on her arms meant she couldn't open her domain either.
Tyreece then spoke over the mic, "It appears that the American team leader has been restrained?"
After more than 60 seconds, bells began to ring through the arena, signaling the fight's end.
Frosty Whipp shouts over the megaphone, "AND WE HAVE OUR WINNER FOR THE FIRST MASTAR BATLLE MATCH, SAIGO AKUMU."
The audience clapped and shouted at the end of this fight. Akumu quickly dispels his cursed energy to free her as he extends his hand out to Maria. He then told her,
"I will look forward to working with you from now on."
She told him while taking his hand, "I'm still a year older than you, don't forget that."
Later that day in the Cellar
As Akumu was being escorted back to that cellar-like place he was surprised to find the once bedridden girl, performing stretches by herself. It was only a couple of days ago that she struggled to do even the most basic activity but now almost seemingly overnight she had made a full recovery.
Akumu shouted at her, "You shouldn't be moving around like that in your condition!"
That was when he noticed something strange. Despite being diagnosed with a cursed energy-draining affliction her levels seemed even higher than Yumenos.
She then suddenly charged up a fist filled with cursed energy then punched the nearby wall instantly creating a crater in it, while its shockwaves could be seemingly felt in the whole room. This punch was almost as strong as a black flash from Ken.
Akumu and the two guards stared at her with a flabbergasted expression. Akumu then spoke out to her,
"You seem to have gotten better.."
However, the emotion on her face still remained empty. She suddenly walked up to him and grabbed his right arm. She kept rubbing her thumb on the silver bracelet until she then grabbed his face.
"Do you mind?", akumu asked her.
She then walked back over to the hospital bed to sit down. Akumu asked her,
"Has any of your memories come back yet?"
She responded with a simple, "No"
"How about you come up with a name until they return? You need something to go by I can't keep calling you 'that girl' can I?"
She thought about it for a while before asking, "Why don't you pick one for me?"
Akumu then recalling that girl from the illusion decided to name her, "How about Eto Mizuki?"
A big smile suddenly spread across her face as stated, "I like it."
The Next day
Once again Frosty Whipp shouted over the megaphone, "TODAY IS THE 2ND MATCH OF THE MASTER BATTLES. ON THIS DAY TWO RISING STARS WILL CLASH FOR VICTORY!"
Tyrece shouted, "In the Left Corner Is Sung gon-ill, one year ago he was only a 1st rank awakened but now he is their country's youngest 5-star. In the Opposing Corner is China's Next Emporer Lord Haoran who is known as heaven's equal, Despite his age he is a known prodigy who has reached just the bottom of star level."
Hagone asked Yumeno, "What are those ranks that he is using?"
She responded, "Ever since cursed energy became more diverse, very little countries actually adopted the system that we use here in Japan, with the excuse of 'Japan is too simplistic' or 'It's outdated'."
"How strong are they then?", he asked.
She replied, "They either rival or surpass Arthur (For reference he is a special grade)."
Frosty Whipp shouted over the Megaphone, "CAN THE COMPETITORS ENTER THE ARENA?"
The excitement of the arena was even greater than usual, this was after all the biggest fight that had taken place thus far. This was a fight between each country's rising stars as well as to see who possessed the greatest military might thus far.
Before the match officially started Haoran attempted to make some small talk,
"You have an interesting innate martial art. That swapping between weapons and armor could be justified with a treasure perhaps, but those techniques that you used were all completely different."
Sung bluntly asked, "What do you want."
"Let's make a binding vow. I will tell you my Martial Art and in exchange you have to tell me yours. We can't tell anybody about what we have learned until after the end of this tournament to avoid cheating, do you accept?"
Sung angrily said, "No."
"You're a mood kill, "Haoran cheekily responded."
As the countdown began Sung took a fighting stance, however, Haoran looked like he was about to fall asleep.
3..2..1.. GO
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Redist_King
Redist_King More detail on Koreas rankings in the auxiliary volume
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone