I'm not gonna lie, the combat leagues storyline has dragged a bit at times, but thankfully it wraps up with a bang in volume 10.
First up, we get some backstory on Katie while the Sword Roses try to figure out what to do with her after what she did at the end of volume 9. Then, our friendly neighborhood mad scientist Vera Miligan pulls out all the stops leading a finalist team with Lynette Cornwallis and a new character, Zoe Colonna. Their very conventional opponent Gwenaël Deschamps comes off like the straight man in a physical comedy routine: Miligan's up to her old tricks and a few new ones, and it's the funniest goddamn thing I've ever read in this series.
Next up, the long-awaited final rematch between the Kimberly Campus Watch and the old council. I'm not gonna lie, this one was a little underwhelming after the mind-bender of a match Miligan put on: the actual action unfortunately isn't much to write home about. On the other hand there's an absolutely staggering amount of homoeroticism between all three Watch leaders and their counterparts—Top Gun would blush, I swear to God—which is novel enough I'll give Bokuto Uno a pass on the actual fight.
After that, more comedy, this time the conclusion of the election for student council president with a surprise winner, then Teresa Carste gets jelly over Nanao forcing herself on Oliver last volume. She goes after her in the labyrinth—and then our hypercompetent little spy has to run away with her tail between her legs because of course she does, it's frickin' Nanao, yo! And then she catches up with Oliver and—Oh, be still my heart, they're finally together.
Finally, the payoff for the Demitrio Aristides storyline. Oliver and his comrades go for their fourth target. What follows sheds clarity on any number of scenes from Oliver's past we only flashed back to before. All the students we've met who are hurting inside? They've got nothing on Oliver: this poor guy is so comprehensively screwed-up it's a wonder he's even halfway sane. In terms of writing, without going into too many spoilers, I've had mostly negative reactions to the use of sexual violence in light novels in the past: all too often it comes off like somebody on the production team either has a noncon fetish they're barely keeping under control or is just using it as a bludgeon to make their hero look more heroic. Bokuto Uno nailed it: the scene in question is
horrifying
to read, and deservedly so.
11/10 would recommend to any dark fantasy fan. Keep up the good work, Bokuto-sensei, I can't wait for Volume 11 next month.