This coaching is not right.

On the other hand, Katsuragi took Sakayanagi's words to heart. Always cautious, he felt that Sakayanagi was not speaking without reason.

Therefore, he still felt it necessary to remind the three players who were about to take the stage—Mao Tanihara, Satoshi Satoshi, and Taiga Shiki—to be careful.

His voice carried a hint of worry: "Be careful when you go on the field, don't underestimate your opponents."

After listening to Katsuragi's words, the three of them nodded, although their expressions varied, indicating that they had taken his words to heart.

A hint of tension appeared on Tanihara Mao's face, Satoshi Rinaka's eyes gleamed with fighting spirit, while Taiga Shiki seemed much calmer, but they were all preparing for the upcoming match.

Ichinose quietly observed Class A's movements from the ring, a hint of wariness in her eyes.

It seems that despite the internal divisions within Class A, they are still very united when facing their opponents. I really need to be careful.

The bell rang for the tournament, and Mao Tanihara, as the first challenger from Class A, stepped into the center of the arena. Her ability, "Mind Devouring," is known for its ferocity among mental abilities, allowing her to strengthen herself by absorbing the mental energy of others.

Ichinose stood at the other end of the ring, her expression gentle and calm. After Tanihara Mao took her place, Ichinose smiled slightly and began by introducing herself: "Hello, I am Ichinose from Class B. Nice to meet you in the next match."

Mao Tanihara was taken aback; she clearly hadn't expected Ichinose to greet her so politely. Faced with Ichinose's gentle smile, Mao Tanihara unconsciously followed suit, introducing herself: "Hello, I'm Mao Tanihara from Class A. Nice to meet you."

The conversation between the two was brief and polite, but Mao Tanihara soon realized that her mindset seemed to have been affected.

She shook her head, trying to shake off that peaceful thought, inwardly cursing Ichinose for being so cunning, starting to influence her with her abilities so quickly.

Without hesitation, she released her spiritual power, attempting to absorb Ichinose's spiritual power through "mind devouring".

Mao Tanihara stood on the ring, her eyes fixed on Ichinose, a determined gleam in them.

Her special ability, "Mind Devouring," is the source of her confidence—a power that allows her to enhance herself by absorbing the mental energy of others.

She took a deep breath, focused her mind, and released her mental energy, which, like tentacles in the darkness, silently spread towards Ichinose.

Ichinose stood there quietly, her expression gentle and calm, like a still lake without any ripples.

She didn't know Tanihara Mao's intentions or what methods she would use, but she wasn't flustered; she believed in her supernatural abilities.

As Mao Tanihara's spiritual power approached, her spiritual power began to surge, forming an almost invisible halo that emitted a soft light, quietly protecting Ichinose's spiritual sea.

Mao Tanihara's mental tentacles, like predators in the dark, stealthily made contact with Ichinose's aura. In the initial contact, she successfully absorbed a portion of the mental energy on the aura.

This eased her initial tension slightly. She secretly felt smug, thinking that Sakayanagi's words were just alarmist talk. She believed that Ichinose would be like most of the people she had met before, maintaining her protective abilities but having her mental strength gradually being devoured without her realizing it.

By continuously absorbing Ichinose's spiritual power, she gradually strengthens her own, while Ichinose's spiritual power gradually weakens. She anticipates that it won't be long before she can completely destroy Ichinose's protective ability.

However, Ichinose's aura was not as simple as she had imagined. The aura operated calmly, as if patiently and unhurriedly accepting Tanihara Mao's challenge.

As Mao Tanihara's spiritual power was being absorbed, the halo was also subtly assimilating it. Worse still, this process was accelerated because Mao Tanihara actively absorbed the spiritual power on the halo.

Mao Tanihara still wore a smug smile, believing her plan was progressing smoothly, completely unaware that her mental energy was beginning to spiral out of control.

Her psychic tentacles, which were originally her most prized tools, have now become prey for Ichinose Aura.

As time went on, Mao Tanihara's smile gradually froze on her face. She began to realize that something was wrong; her mental strength was not only not growing, but was instead being assimilated by Ichinose's aura.

She tried to retract her mental energy, but it was too late. The power of the halo was like a large net, firmly binding her mental energy.

Ichinose's expression remained calm as she gazed gently at Tanihara Mao. Under her control, the power of the aura not only successfully defended against Tanihara Mao's attack but also transformed it into her own power.

Mao Tanihara's face turned pale; she was shocked like never before. Her spiritual power had not only failed to devour Ichinose, but had instead been absorbed by Ichinose's aura.

She tried to reclaim her spiritual power, but found that she had lost control of it. Ichinose's aura became brighter and expanded in size after absorbing her spiritual power.

Throughout the entire exchange, Ichinose's expression remained calm and gentle, her smile never changing, as if everything was within her expectations.

Her composure contrasted sharply with Tanihara Mao's anxiety. Ichinose's aura not only protected her mental sea but also assimilated Tanihara Mao's mental strength, making it her own.