More than two weeks have passed since my vacation in Greece and the encounter with [Apocalypse Warlord].

  I almost died fighting her, but in the end, I managed to stay alive and ultimately stop her pn. To make things even better, Athena, the goddess that she tried to summon and take control of, rebelled against her and eventually, she chose me instead.

  Since then, it has been a somewhat peaceful time for me and my friends. Of course, now that I’m a member of [Knights of Tomorrow], I’ve heard [Rising Phoenix] still being mentioned here and there, but so far, they aren’t up to something for the time being.

  With that being said, I still can’t completely let myself go, not even when it’s summer. I have this feeling that they aren’t stopping but rather…they’re preparing for something.

  “Yeah Yasutaira-kun, it’s definitely weird that we haven’t heard much from them, even from the factory we’ve been infiltrating. They had been quite active in the past few months, why stop now? We might have to dig even deeper.”

  That’s what Kiriwatari-sensei told me when we met the day earlier. I headed to her office to receive the ID card. The card consists of my face; the organization’s symbol and basic information such as age, gender, Power Ranking and most importantly, Knight Rank.

  Sensei told me that the card can update all my rankings in real time. It also serves as my license as well, so whenever I go on a mission, I can use it to grant permission to certain pces as well as asserting my authority.

  Right now, I’m at [Medium] rank, the same as Kariuda-san. Normally, newcomers should start at [Novice], but due to my recent achievement, I was bumped up one rank. Still, it is way far below sensei’s [Elite] rank.

  “Well, since you joined us the unorthodox way, it took quite a while to assemble your ID card. Do not disappoint us after spending that much time, got it?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry sensei, I won’t.”

  With that, I left her office and continue my day.

  There’s still quite some time until next semester, so my schedule only consists of training, hanging out with my friends, summer homework and handling situations inside the academy. I also occasionally checked on Kuroto-senpai alongside Ayami-senpai per sensei’s request, and so far, he’s recovering quite well.

  “You know Master, that girl took it better than I thought. She’s definitely stronger than how she looks I must say.”

  Heading down the stairs, Athena starts talking to me through [Telepathic Line]. She just recently became my servant, so for a lot of events, she wasn’t there at all. Luckily, she has caught up to everything thanks to Tiamat.

  “Ah Ayami-senpai you said…Yeah, they say time heals, and I guess in this case, it sped up quite a bit. Although, it’s not a complete recovery just yet…”

  I’ve also noticed during a few conversations, the two were still quite awkward and their eyes sometimes saddened as well. They might have not fully got over it, but the progress is still promising to say the least.

  “Alright, let’s see…huh today’s schedule…it’s empty. No club requests or paperwork at all, I’m free for the day!”

  “Eh, really? That’s great!” Tiamat said. “Is she avaible too? I think now it’s a great time for training!”

  “OK let me check…”

  Stop and sit at the nearby bench, I text Takenada-san, asking if she wants to train. After a few short minutes, she replies, saying she’ll meet me at our usual training ground.

  “Well, that’s settled. You’re still having my sword right Tiamat?”

  “Yup Master, it’s right by my side, just like you and us.” she replied.

  Waiting for my best friend to arrive, I reminisce some of what I’ve done in the past two weeks, while all the matters regarding [Rising Phoenix] was temporarily off the map.

  “Hargh!”

  A fearsome scream echoes throughout the dojo.

  It’s then followed by a hard-hitting swing aimed at the opponent’s sword, disabling its user in the process. Eventually, it reaches the opponent’s chin, which is a sign of victory.

  “Ishihara Toyohiko can no longer fight. The winner is Nishikawa Hiyori!”

  Following my announcement, the crowd nearby stands up and cheers. At the fighting ground, both competitors get up and bow at each other, the crowd and the judges. Despite losing the fight, Toyohiko-senpai takes the lost quite well, as I can hear him cheering his opponent, wishing her to go as far as she can.

  “Oh don’t say that Toyohiko-senpai! You did well too, I was just a tad bit lucky!”

  “But you only got lucky because I made mistake right? I want you to keep it that way. Trust me, you’ll go pretty far.”

  The two then return to their seats where they continue to cheer on with their friends while also taking a rest as well. What makes the scene even stands out more is that height difference between the two.

  Thus, their fighting styles are also different from each other. While Tokohiko-senpai relies on strength and prowess, Nishikawa-senpai utilizes her agility and explosive nature to gain advantages.

  “In the end, speed is still the key of success here huh…”

  Mumbling to myself, I look to the referee, who immediately announces the next matchup as the nearby scoreboard is updating. It’s happen in just a few minutes, enough time for the next two contestants to prepare.

  The referee is also happened to be Takenada-san, and she’s one of the two outsiders who’s a part of the club’s recruitment council.

  Just two days after returning from my short vacation, I received a call from Ichika-senpai, who is also the secretary of the [Swordsmanship Club]. They’ve denied me once, so it’s weird to have them contacting me again, but regardless, I still picked up the phone.

  “Eh, you want me to be the judge for your club’s upcoming recruitment campaign?”

  Apparently, the club wanted me to their third judge, as their initial one wouldn’t make it due to illness. Ichika-senpai told me they could have chosen anyone for repcement, but due to Miwako-senpai’s request, the club decided to give me a shot.

  “I know it sounds harsh, but at first, you’re automatically off our radar, but unfortunately, we don’t have any other choice really. Trust me, we tried to retaliate, but she wouldn’t listen at all.” she said disappointingly.

  “Haha, don’t worry senpai, I know how that feels. But hey, at least I can guarantee you I’ll judge fairly. Besides, I already had experience in something simir to this, I’m sure I can fill in the spot just fine.”

  “Really? That’s great. I’ll send you everything you need to know right after this call. The recruiting in on Friday, so make sure to be there on time, got it?”

  After the call, I spent the day like usual, plus the email Ichika-senpai sent me as promised. I had around two days before the recruiting day, and since the information isn’t that complicated, I managed to remember it all.

  However, that day, there’s still one more surprise that I did not count on at all.

  “You two seem pretty close huh? No wonder Miwako-chan asked us to recruit you two.”

  I did mention I’m the third judge, and unsurprisingly, the other two are members of [Swordsmanship Club]. The special thing about this club is that, members of it all have different sword fighting styles, and they’re here to learn from one another to further improve themselves.

  Among all of them comes the president of the club, Shinohara Ruki, who happens to be one of the three judges. As the name implies, she’s a senior student with deep-blue long hair and a body forged through hard work and dedication.

  Despite that, her voice is soft and quite charming, which makes a lot of people becoming a fan of her. It’s like she’s a beauty behind the camera and a beast on the battlefield.

  It’s a good thing Tiamat and Athena is busy settling their score, again. Shinohara-senpai here brings enough trouble to me, and I don’t want two goddesses as bonus gifts.

  “Ah well senpai…you can say that we’re a dynamic duo, although technically we only fought side by side once, but you get the point right?”

  “Oh absolutely, but I’ve been noticing this whole day…You two act more like a couple rather than best friends you know? I’m curious.”

  I take that back, she’s also pretty savage behind the scenes too.

  Just when I thought she’s the exception, like a prey that’s been patiently waiting, she surprises me with a sudden attack. The way she leans her head forward while asking; the way her eyes look at me seductively; that sweet but mysterious tone of voice…

  Even Takenada-san is slightly shivering. She does a great job covering it up, but my eyes were a bit faster and caught it all. I can’t really read senpai or her intentions at all, so I have to be careful.

  “Well, let’s just say it all started from a promise of two kids, and that is the catalyst of everything you see here. Take it however you like, senpai.”

  “I see…then that’s even better than I expected.”

  “It is?” I asked.

  “Oh definitely. Unlike you two, not all of us have something to keep us on both feet and drive for something beyond. The world we’re living in…it only offers tragedies to grow and allows fa?ade to spread. You two, on the other hand, are the exceptions, and I couldn’t ask for more.” she softly expined.

  “Eh, really? Thanks I guess…”

  “Oh no, I should be the one thanking you. After all, you’re the one showing us that it’s possible to achieve something without obeying some stupid system that only brings suffer to us. That’s somewhat the spirit of this club, and trust me, we’d totally want you to be a part of it had we known better.”

  “I’d consider it. Until then, I think we should be focusing on the upcoming match. I heard it might the best one we have today.”

  “Yeah, you’re right Yasutaira-kun.” she replied. “But you know what else is even better? The story of how you two got to make that promise. Perhaps after we’re done with our jobs?”

  Hearing how eerily charming she sounds, I can only accept while ughing it off. After all, the pain of committing a crime, no matter the scale, will take a heavy toll on those who’ve done it. I may have been lucky enough to go on a different, better path, but the rest? Not so much.

  “Well, I guess she was really genuine after all…” I thought to myself

  Both of us then shift our focus back to the battles, where it’ll in just a moment. There’s quite a few matches left, and they’ve been quite entertaining to say the least.

  The club’s recruitment campaign sts for two days, with thirty two contestants each. At the end of the day, the st four of each day will become members of the club, and so far, we’re down to the st sixteen of the first day.

  “And now, for the sixth match of the final sixteen. Ladies and gentlemen, he’s fast, but is his strikes furious enough to get him a spot on this club? On the right, please welcome Okawa Kenshirou!”

  The crowds start cheering as a guy with red hair steps into the fighting ground. Before that, he actually had a small round of appuse with his friends, and as he’s heading to the ground, he actually starts cheering with the audience as well.

  Nicknamed [Crimson Thunder], Okawa-senpai is one of the fastest second-year students in this academy. Whenever he strikes, he leaves his signature crimson red trails behind.

  However, since the rules stated that magic isn’t allowed during the recruiting fights, he can only rely on his own swordsmanship. Therefore, none of his famous [Thunder] element abilities will be dispyed here.

  “To the left, do not be fooled by her look. Behind those eyegsses is a fearless girl who knows no mercy. Give it up for Arima Miharu!”

  The crowds continue to cheer as another contestant steps on the ground. Just as Takenada-san described, she’s quite a shut-in girl with long bck hair and round eyegsses. The way she slowly walking towards Okawa-senpai doesn’t help also.

  Down at the crowds, the cheering gets a bit quieter, mostly comes from her friends. Despite that, we look at her eyes and surprisingly, we see no fear coming out of them.

  “Those eyes…Man Okawa is in big trouble now.”

  Fujita Rintarou, our third and final judges, shows his concern. He’s the vice president of the club, and just like our beloved president, he’s also a capable swordsman. Legends said that his eyes are as sharp as razor, thus the comment.

  “Another battle of the por opposites, interesting…” Shinohara-senpai said through the microphone. “What do you guys think the outcome will be? I’m undecided.”

  It seems like the two other judges have noticed something, and I can proudly say, make that three.

  “Well senpai, they’re equal in terms of power and stats, so that won’t be an issue for both. However, concentration and determination, that’ll be the major problem here. Just one mistake…”

  “And their chance of becoming a member will vanish and reduce to atom.” Fujita-senpai continued.

  We would love to comment more, but we want to save it for when the actual fight starts, so we just stop at simple analyst. Regardless, it did put on some pressure to both contestants.

  As the two is facing each other, they have a short conversation. There’s no heat between the two, just two students encouraging each other to give their best. In the meantime, Takenada-san also steps into the ground to do her job.

  “Contestants, get ready!”

  The two then bow to each other, the crowds and finally, the judges. After that, they take a few steps back and draw out their swords. There’s no restriction on weapons, so contestants can choose whatever fit them the most, as long as the “No Injuring” rule is followed.

  Thus, while Arima-senpai opts for a katana simir to mine, Okama-senpai goes for the miaodao, a Chinese two-handed sabre. As expected, Arima-senpai is the more defensive one, but that doesn’t say much.

  It all comes down to what will actually happen.

  “Let the battle begin!”

  “Hargh!”

  Immediately after the whistle, Okawa-senpai is the first to attack. Building the momentum, he jumps up and delivers a downward ssh. Fortunately, Arima-senpai is fast enough and blocks the attack with her sword.

  After just a few seconds of struggling, she manages to neutralize the strike, forcing her opponent to fall forward, thus he’s now right behind her.

  “How about this?”

  Quickly enough, Okawa-senpai comes right back in. With a speed the crowds’ eyes can’t catch up, he turns around and sshes horizontally to the left. Arima-senpai times the attack perfectly and jumps up, dodging the attack.

  “Hargh!”

  Using that spare time, he then switches his grip and aims for a full-on thrust. The moment he’s right in the sshing zone, Arima-senpai turns around and once again, blocking the attack with her sword.

  However, the momentum from the strike is still enough to push Arima-senpai back, but luckily; she eventually stops it and herself from eliminating due to a ring out.

  “Heh, not bad girl. Behind those gsses really lies a great fighter.”

  “And behind that sword is just another dead meat I’ll have to get through.” she replied.

  “Ooh, scary…”

  After struggling for another short while, the two splits up. This time, Arima-senpai is the faster one and immediately charges at her opponent with full speed.

  “Cng! Cng!”

  She repays Okawa-senpai with her own sword combo: a horizon ssh to the right followed by a downward strike. However, her opponent manages to dodge the first one and deflect the second one, killing any momentum left to finish the combo.

  “Hargh!”

  Not giving up that easy, she once again attacks Okawa-senpai with multiple strikes, some of them actually almost stick the nding. Unfortunately, he dodges, blocks and deflects them all. Not only that, he even strikes back quite a lot as well.

  “Hmmp! Cng!”

  Of course, his opponent won’t just going to stand there and do nothing. She does the same thing her opponent’s been doing, thus avoiding all of the sshes and creates an even match in front of everyone’s eyes.

  “Amazing, our contestants are giving us a spectacur visual party! They’re toe to toe with each other, and none of them are pnning to give up at all!”

  In front of us, Takenada-san is commentating with pure excitement. The crowds are also cheering with joy, but since we’re in a dojo, they’re not going over the top. Regardless, the enthusiasm is there.

  “Woah, it seems like these two are going off right off the bat. The power, the agility, the foot movement…You can tell just how hungry they are. What do you guys think?”

  “You did mention “foot movement” right?” Shinohara-senpai replied. “Let’s focus on it shall we? Notice how swift both are? Now tell me, can you two spot the beauty behind the mask?”

  Hearing that question, me and Fujita-senpai starts focusing a bit more on what she asked. It takes us little to no time to see what she saw, and in that moment, she cracks a faint smile.

  “That’s right. While Kenshirou-chan here is the man of focus and bance…”

  “Miharu-chan is all about moments and explosive.” Fujita-senpai continued.

  As we’re pointing out, Okawa-senpai is trying to set a rhythm of his own, where he gets to attack and defense whenever he wants, not the other way around. It’s an orchestral concert, and he’s the conductor.

  “Whoosh!”

  On the other hand, Arima-senpai is the rebellious wildcard. One moment she’s letting her opponent set the tone, only to break it right in the very next second, which is what she just did as she dodged a thrust to the chest.

  “Hargh!”

  Immediately, she hits Okawa-senpai with two horizon sshes to the left and right, but he manages to evade both. If this is a football match, then you can say this is the battle between the counterattack and the possession-oriented.

  The only thing missing from both are red and blue jerseys, but that’s just going sidetrack a bit too much, so let’s gets back shall we?”

  “Cng! Cng! Cng!”

  Back at the fighting ground, our two competitors continue to go back and forth. Once again, Arima-senpai is the one with the upper hand, as she’s swinging tirelessly from left to right, from high and low just to get one hit.

  However, her efforts haven’t paid off just yet. Okawa-senpai is still doing a fwless job dodging and deflecting them all, although there’s still a few close calls. He also strikes back quite a few in return as well.

  “Whoosh!”

  Owaka-senpai dodges a downward strike. As she’s trying to come in with a counter strike, she’s met with a horizon ssh. Luckily, she times the attack and slides on the floor, dodging it just in time.

  “Hargh!!!”

  As the sound of roaring screams from both echoes through the dojo, both of them turn around and run towards at each other with everything they have.

  “Cng!”

  Their screams are then followed by the sound of two swords cshing. At first, Okawa-senpai is the one with the advantage, thus he’s pushing his opponent a few steps back. Eventually, Arima-senpai gets to push her opponent back, and the struggling continues as the result.

  “You can do this Ken! Shows her what you got!”

  “Yes, Miharu-chan, just like we’ve practiced! Now go and defeat him!

  Their friends keep on cheering as the fight goes on. Despite the pure excitement, they actually keep it on a reasonable level. On the other hand, the rest are either being amazed by the fight or taking their time to analyze it.

  “Hey Yasutaira-kun, can I ask you something?”

  “Oh yeah sure Fujita-senpai, what is it?”

  “What do you think is the recipe of winning a fight? Speed? Strength? Trump cards? Willpower?”

  “Huh, that’s an interesting question…” I replied. “Honestly, it might sound controversial, but my answer to that is “Stamina”.”

  Hearing my answer, the president and vice president both smile at me. There’s satisfaction on their faces, meaning I must have hit the jackpot with that answer.

  “Heh, you really are what sensei told us…” Shinohara-senpai proudly said to me. “You’re absolutely right, Yasutaira-kun. What’s good of a fancy technique or keeping up with the pace when you’re so out of breathe your body just give up, am I right?”

  As we’re discussing, the fight goes on and reaches its final conclusion during this entire time.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh!”

  Okawa-senpai swings his sword left and right tirelessly. Unfortunately, his opponent manages to dodge them all. Not only that, she even deflects his st strike with her sword, thus making him lose his momentum.

  “Hargh!”

  After sliding to the side, Arima-senpai immediately heads back in. The moment she swings her sword, her opponent starts to notice it and quickly rolls forward to dodge. Immediately, he turns back and delivers a counterattack.

  “Cng!”

  This time, he is slightly faster than his opponent, which results in him sshing her sword away. Normally, Arima-senpai would be disqualified in that very moment, but here in this club, the rules are a bit different.

  “Whoosh! Whoosh!”

  “Oh no, Miharu-senpai’s sword is up in the air now! What will she do to turn this impossible table?”

  As long as the sword hasn’t touched the ground, she is still in the game. However, the time needed for it to fall down is quite short, and she’s spending most of it dodging strikes after strikes.

  “Just give up Miharu-chan, I have the higher ground now! There’s no way you’re going to win this!” Okawa-senpai provoked.

  “Oh yeah, then watch this! Now!”

  Suddenly, Arima-senpai does two backflips. Immediately, she then runs towards Okawa-senpai. Confused by her decision, he still holds his sword tightly and swings it with all his might.

  And that’s when he makes the biggest mistake.

  “Huh, what the…”

  To everyone’s surprise, Arima-senpai jumps up, dodging the ssh just in time. However, that’s not the only purpose for that action.

  “Woah, she’s really done it…” I excimed.

  Once again, with her sense of perfect timing, she grabs the sword back and after a few front flips, she nds on the ground safely.

  “I…I don’t believe it! Miharu-senpai is making a comeback! Will this mark the end of Kenshirou-senpai?”

  Hearing the commentator, the entire crowds lit up their excitement. Their eyes are wide open, waiting for the climax to happen. Meanwhile, friends from both contestants continue to cheer even harder.

  “Hargh!”

  Immediately, Arima-senpai turns around and charges at her opponent with full speed. Her battle cry echoes through the entire dojo, overwhelming those surrounding her.

  “Whoosh!”

  Okawa-senpai delivers her final blow. The crowds, upon witnessing it, all thought that this is the end of Okawa-senpai, as he seems to react a bit too te. In addition, Okawa-senpai herself even cracks a smile as well.

  However, that smile is not meant to celebrate but rather…it’s for accepting her defeat.

  “Woa…It’s…it’s…The winner is Okawa Kenshirou! He has advanced to the final eight!”

  In a surprising twist, the moment Arima-senpai’s sword nds where it was supposed to be her opponent’s neck, he disappears in front of her very own eyes, leaving behind his infamous crimson red trails.

  “Now this is explosive done right, girl. Live and learn that!”

  Wasting no time, Okawa-senpai quickly sneaks right behind his opponent and before she even knew it, the sword is to her neck with his presence shivering her spines.

  “Damn it…well senpai, you got me. I give up.”

  Following her smile, she lets go of the sword, seemingly accepting her defeat. As she’s putting both her hands in the air, the crowds begin to cheer even louder. They didn’t catch how he did it, but that doesn’t matter.

  Both parties have delivered a fight with pure skills and physical prowess, and that’s all they come here for.

  Meanwhile, after confirming his victory, Okawa-senpai retrieves his sword. He then alongside Arima-senpai bows to everyone in the dojo, including each other.

  “I have to say senpai, you really are a level above me. I thought I had you in that moment, but I was wrong.”

  “You called that just “a level above”? You made me pull out my near top speed just to get out of there! Also, what was the level of confident? It’s like the shut-in girl from before was gone for like thirty minutes!”

  “Haha, uhm well…that girl is about to return soon, so just don’t make her shy will you?”

  After a quick conversation, the two first returns to their seats to continue the cheering with their friends. They then quickly head to the nearby locket to put away their weapons.

  “Hey senpai…”

  “Hmm, what is it Yasutaira-kun?” Shinohara-senpai asked.

  “That speed…that’s quite amazing isn’t it?”

  She then nods her head. Right next to her, Fujita-senpai also joins the conversation as well. I ask him the same question, and his reaction is a bit more…alive.

  “That’s not just quite amazing you two, that’s incredible!” he said. “My eyes never lie to me, and do you want to know what it said?”

  Both Shinohara-senpai and I look at each other in confusion. Luckily, it takes us no time at all to find the answer.

  “He’s going to be a perfect addition for the [Winter Swordsmanship Cup]. Our other competitors will stand no chance if he’s in the team, trust me!”

  Without a doubt, Fujita-senpai really can’t contain his excitement when he said that to us. Unfortunately, we both tell him to keep it down and save it for ter. After all, that tournament he mentioned is still a few months apart, and a lot can change in that period of time.

  “Well then, the show must go on. Let’s continue shall we?”

  After that the recruiting proceeds as normal, and by two in the afternoon, we wrap up our first day.

  Finishing our job, Shinohara-senpai and I decided to have a walk around the academy, with Takenada-san also joining us as well. Despite being summer, half of the academy is presented due to club activities.

  Speaking of club activities, since it’s recruiting day, hers is temporarily put on hold. However, she’s still in charge of the club, and luckily, Fujita-senpai was willing to take her part for the day.

  “Here, want some coffee?”

  We stop at a nearby vending machine. At first, I was going to buy some for myself, but Shinohara-senpai insisted of putting all on her tabs, so we let her.

  “Thanks senpai.” Takenada-san gdly responded. “Hey Yasutaira-kun, cheers!”

  Opening the cans, we do just that. Of course, our lovely senpai also joins in as well. The brand she bought isn’t exactly my type, but regardless, it’s still a good can of instant coffee, and I can’t compint more.

  “Mmhm! Now’s that what I call coffee!”

  On the other hand, Shinohara-senpai seems to enjoy it quite a lot. The way she pleasantly sips it, the satisfying sound she makes after that…Needless to say, that has to be her favorite.

  “Man, that was delicious…Hmm, what’s wrong you two? Your faces seem a bit, you know, off?”

  “Ah nothing, it’s just that…You do love that brand huh, I’m quite curious…” Takenada-san responded.

  Hearing that, Shinohara-senpai smiles with joy and excitement. As we’re wandering around the academy, kindly tells us the story of how she fell in love with the coffee.

  To put it simply, it’s a generational love passed down from her parents. When they first fell in love with each other, the brand was a crucial part of their retionship. It then continued to be a crucial part of her childhood too.

  “You know, I know it might sound weird…but I consider it to be my soulmate. Even in my darkest time, it was also there with me too.” she said. “I’m not saying I’m nothing without it, but it really helps me getting this far. I’m gd to have it in my life.”

  Shinohara-senpai then throws the empty can into the nearby trash can. There’s also a tree not too far from it, thus the sound of cicadas has joined this conversation as well.

  “I see senpai…I think I get it.” Takenada-san said. “That coffee is not just a drink, it’s a reminder that no matter where you are or what you are, you can always stand back up and do better. That’s what you’re trying to tell us right?”

  “Oh dear, you read me right to the very st page.” she replied. “I guess I should expect that from you two.”

  “Well, I don’t think you’ll expect what’s happening next.”

  “Oh it’s that so? I’m quite curious.”

  Seeing how Shinohara-senpai and I are strangely closed, Takenada-san can only stare at us confusingly. I quickly expin to her, and although she’s not too enthusiastic about it, she still reluctantly accepts.

  “Fine, but if we’re doing this, at least find a pce where our skins won’t get burned. My face is starting to get wet too!”

  It’s quite sunny despite we’re not in Phidelphia, so the three of us head over to the said tree. Luckily, there’s a bench right there too, so we all happily sit down and enjoy the shade.

  Unsurprisingly, I’m the one sitting at the center. I’m pretty sure people will get jealous if they saw this, but for now, that’s not the concern.

  “Ah, much better…Alright Yasutaira-kun, enlighten me! Show me what you got!” she said with a smirk.

  I then tell her everything about our past from my perspective, including all the struggles I went through. Of course it’s impossible to do into details about years of my own life, so it’s just a brief summary of important milestones.

  In addition, Takenada-san also jumps in and tells the story from her side as well. At first, there’s still a bit of hesitation, but as things go on, she seems to enjoy it quite a bit.

  “Woah, all of that for a false prejudice…It must be hard for you two.”

  “Well it was, but now looking back, I feel like those times are nothing compared to the future we’re heading together. After all, fighting is what we do our entire life.” I said.

  Finally, I reveal to her all the recent events happening to us. Once again, I have to leave out some information for obvious reason, but I also want the story to make sense to some degree.

  “Eh, so you’re the one defeating [Fire Fist]? That’s incredible!”

  As expected, she’s also impressed by it.

  “Well not really senpai. She didn’t take me too seriously, yet she still gave me a hard time. I could only beat her by an inch.”

  “But still…that’s quite impressive nonetheless! Even I don’t think I can confidently pull that off!”

  “I’m sure you can senpai, it’s just that…I don’t think you’re leaving the battlefield unscathed…” Takenada-san said.

  “Haha, yeah, you’re right…But wait a minute, why didn’t I hear anything about it? That was quite a big incident you know?”

  “Well, I guess sensei didn’t like to bring unwanted attention to the hero. Yeah sure, being recognized is good and all, but at the cost of losing your privacy? No thank you.” I answered.

  Both of them nod in agreement. After that, we stay at the bench for another good thirty minutes, before saying goodbye to each other and continue our day like usual.

  It’s around 11 am at the moment.

  As a member of the Student Council, there’s a lot of tasks to do daily, especially when it comes to maintaining, supervising and financing clubs. You never know what will happen, so prepare for the best and worst at the same time is the best court of action I can think of.

  Just a week after being a judge for [Swordsmanship Club], I’m now tasked with the job of helping the [Track & Field Club]’s supervisor, Shimura Masaru-sensei. He asked Takabeya-senpai for some help for the upcoming national tournament, and I was the chosen one.

  Right now, he’s using the bathroom, so I’m left here at the stadium with all the club members. During that time, I get to watch as they’re training relentlessly for the competition.

  Their brightest star is no exception.

  “862 m/s! Yes Nahoka-chan, now that’s what I call speed!”

  According to other members, she’s one of the candidates for this year’s 10.000.000 meters run. With a nickname like [Speed Demon], that’s not too surprising, and I’m sure she’ll win it all.

  What’s surprising however, is her limit.

  “*pant pant* Eh, really? Then let’s do it again! I can go faster!”

  Watching her run, I can only awe impressively. I know she can hit the pedal, but I don’t expect myself to eat dust that fast and that much.

  “Alright girl, suit yourself. Hey Yasutaira-kun, come over here for a sec will you?”

  “Yeah Mitsui-senpai, I’m coming!”

  I quickly run towards the tent where the members are standing. They’re all gathered there to help each other with their training. Stretching, encouraging one another, analyzing their own footage, you name it.

  Meanwhile, a few other members are calcuting the speed Nahoka-senpai has reached with every run, and that’s where I’m heading to.

  “Ah you’re here just in time. Here, take this.”

  As I arrive at the scene, Mitsui-senpai hands over the speed gun to me. It’s a special kind that can detect someone’s speed by tracking their mana. It’s also attached to a custom tripod made for easier hold of the gun.

  “I want you to track Nahoka-chan’s speed for her next couple of runs. In the meantime, Kazuya-kun here will run the time and I’ll do the rest. How’s that sound to you guys?” Mitsui-senpai asked.

  “I don’t see any problem in this.” I replied.

  “Yeah, that’s fine to me too. I’ll do it.” Kazuya said.

  “Great! Although, I must warn you: Things can get a bit intense. You think you can handle it?”

  I confirm my confident while nodding my head. Mitsui-senpai then calls Nahoka-senpai back to tell her about the little change. We’ve known each other beforehand, so she’s quite comfortable with it.

  “I’m counting on you, Yasutaira-kun. This is important to me and the club, so you’d better not mess this up, got it? That goes to you too, Kazuya-kun.”

  Both of us nod. After that, the four of us get into our position. While senpai is stretching her body for the next runs, I check the speed gun a few times, making sure it function properly.

  “So Yasutaira-san, you must be quite close to Nahoka-senpai right?” Kazuya asked me.

  “Oh yeah, we are. She was the one helping us during the whole [Summer Tournament] fiasco, and well since then, you can say we’re friends.”

  “Ah I see…” he replied. “With that sanguine and open-minded attitude, I’ll be shocked if you aren’t. I may have not known her for longer than you, but there’s one thing I do know: Nahoka-senpai can be everybody’s and anybody’s friend.”

  “Even with someone with a reputation like mine?” I asked jokingly.

  “Yeah, even with someone with a reputation like yours. Then again, we instantly regretted it once we learnt the truth. Life, isn’t it?”

  As we’re having a little conversation, Nahoka-senpai signals us that she’s ready. Mistui-senpai then stands right next to us with a whistle ready in her hand. Some of the members inside the tent also get out and find a pce to watch as well.

  “Ready, set, go!”

  Followed by the whistle, the sound of Nahoka-senpai hitting the pedal whirling in the air, igniting the excitement of everybody’s watching. During that time, Shimura-sensei came back and watched alongside us.

  “Whoosh!”

  “Woah!”

  Despite standing a few hundred meters away, it took her just seconds to run across and let the wind whirling at us. By the time the number registers on the gun, she has completed two thirds of the p.

  “Yasutaira-kun, what did the gun say about her speed?”

  “It’s…It’s…It’s over 900 m/s! Let’s see…938 to be exact!” I shouted.

  Hearing that, everyone awes in excitement. I’m sure they’re all familiar with it by now, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting boring anytime soon. In fact, it’s just as beautiful as when they first witnessed it.

  “938 huh…well that can only mean one thing.” Mitsui-senpai whispered.

  During that time, Nahoka-senpai completed a couple few more ps. Each time she passed us, her speed was consistently set between 1000 and 1200 m/s. If this was me from a few months ago, I won’t be able to catch it with my eyes.

  But things have changed now.

  “Woo, let’s go Nahoka-chan! Show us what you got like usual!”

  “Yeah, destroy that speed gun! Make our academy pay for a new one!”

  Behind us, other members are cheering for their shining star, even go so far as to encourage her to destroy the academy’s property. Of course, we’re willing to pay for it if it actually happened, but as Kazuya said to me during the run: “Let’s just hope the gun still works probably after this.”

  “*beep*!”

  “Huh, the gun…woah it’s over 1300 now!”

  As Nahoka-senpai is running right past us, Mitsui-senpai checks on the gun and notices the increase in speed. However, that’s not the only thing her eyes detect.

  “Hey Yasutaira-kun, Kazuya-kun…you two saw that too right?”

  It didn’t take us too much time to realize the pure enjoyment coming from Nahoka-senpai. Thus, once we heard Mitsui-senpai asked, we both nodded our heads. Seeing that, she simply smiles at us.

  “Then braces yourself, because the fun is still ahead of us.”

  During that time, Nahoka-senpai runs past us a few more times, and when I check the gun, I immediately know what she meant.

  “No way…it’s 1550 now? Amazing…”

  Right in front of me, the track star is reaching the territory that my eyes bel as “can barely keep up”. I can still turn on [Super Strengthen Magic], but until I can use it as if it’s my natural form, I’m not just going to waste it.

  “Alright you two, it’s the final p now, so you’d better be ready for it. Blink your eyes and you’ll miss it forever, got it?”

  Both Kazuya and I nod our heads and do as she said. Despite not being able to catch up entirely, we still try our best, and it pays off hugely.

  “Hold it, hold it…”

  “Whoosh!”

  Nahoka-senpai bsts through the finish line. The wind she generates from the run is more than enough to almost break our bance. Not only that, it also makes us hit the dust and cover our eyes, thus I wasn’t able to check the gun.

  “Woohoo! Way to go Nahoka-chan!”

  “Yeah, our competitors better watch out! We’re so coming for that title this summer!”

  Behind us, the crowds start cheering for their star. In exchange, she raises her fist up, then immediately she heads to us for the statistics while continue to celebrate with them as well.

  “*cough cough* Oh man, that was quite a show…” I excimed.

  “Yeah, I know right? That has to crack the 2000 milestone. There’s no way it’s lower than that!”

  As the dust is slowly disappearing, I focus on the speed gun, and at the same time, Nahoka-senpai is standing right next to Mitsui-senpai. They’re having a short conversation with Shimura-sensei about the upcoming tournament.

  “So Yasutaira-kun, how was my performance?” Nahoka-senpai asked.

  “Uhm well…let’s just say Kazuya here was right about one thing…”

  I then show her the speed gun, which reads 2340 m/s. Meanwhile, Kazuya also submits the timer to Mitsui-senpai. Seeing it, both of them smile happily. Right behind them, Shimura-sensei is also very satisfied as well.

  “Heh, I knew I was going that fast.” Mahoka-senpai said. “Although, I’m pretty sure I can go a bit higher than that. Guess I’m a bit out of my element today.”

  “Yeah, but you do know there’s a speed cap in that tournament right? Besides, if you’re going all out, I don’t think the stadium can take it.”

  “Haha, yeah you’re right…”

  The two starts joking around for a little bit while writing down and analyzing the numbers. Kazuya and I also give them a hand as well. Meanwhile, Shimura-sensei goes to the nearby cooler, which was brought to him by a club member.

  “Here Nahoka-chan, you’re going to need this.”

  “Ah thanks a lot sensei.” she replied.

  “You three too, hydration is quite important you know? I’m not going to sing about you three when you’re dying of thirst.”

  He then gives everyone one of us a water bottle. We stop for a brief moment and enjoy the cool, refreshing drink. Nahoka-senpai even goes as far as to ask for a second one to squeeze all the water out, washing her face with it.

  “Ahh, now that’s more I like it! It was just only a few minutes…but man I really need that!” she excimed.

  Meanwhile, we quickly finish up the numbers and hand it to Shimura-sensei. After that, Kazuya and I spend the next few minutes packing things up.

  “Here Yasutaira-kun, let me carry it.” Mitsui-senpai said.

  “Ah thanks senpai, but I can do it on my own. Don’t worry, I have steady hands.”

  Mitsui-senpai offers me her help, but I kindly decline. Despite that, she still follows me to the camp and guilds me where to put the stuff away.

  During that time, a few club members approach me to have a conversation. They all have various topics to talk, but there’s also one thing in common as well.

  “Well, the st few months…if we ever did something hurtful to you, we want to apologize. We hope you don’t mind it.”

  “Oh it’s alright, I don’t actually. It’s not entire you guys’ fault anyways, so what’s bming going to do right?”

  The crowds are all relieved to hear it. After all, it must be a burden for them to overlook and disrespect me just because of some dumb misunderstanding. I’m sure there’s still some unchanged opinions out there, but I’ll deal with that ter.

  “Besides, it’s summer right? It’s the perfect time to enjoy our youth, not reminiscing on our regret, am I right?”

  Like being hit with a major energy boost, everyone is more eager than ever. With little time left before lunch, the club puts all that extra energy on training and helping each other.

  “Man, this is unreal…” I thought to myself.

  Sensei once told me that Kiriwatari Academy is known not for having the best talents from the get go, but those who’re willing put on the work, and she was right. If it was the tter, I wouldn’t be here in the first pce.

  With that mindset, it’s no surprise that those cabinets I saw at the second floor hall are so full of trophies and medals. They’re all the result of hard work and dedication. Talents also py a major role in it too I’m sure, but without the first two, it’ll be wasted forever.

  “Yes, that’s the spirit Kenta!”

  “Let’s go Yuuki, a bit more explosive! I know you can pull it off!”

  Among everyone, Shimura-sensei is the happiest of them all. He told me just how much he loves coaching this club, and my accidental moral boost is just what he needs at the moment.

  Meanwhile, Nahoka-senpai has now resided to helping her fellow members with their training and resting. She still has a lot of gas left in her, but to quote her, “I have an entire evening to spend it, so what’s the rush?”

  “Yeah you’re right. Well, guess since that’s why I’m here, I probably should do more than just checking the speed gun.”

  I join Nahoka-senpai and start helping the club members with her. Thanks to the great first impression, everyone seems to welcome me even more than when I first showed up, which makes my job a lot easier.

  “Huh, he’s about 0.4 seconds faster than yesterday…”

  “Really Nahoka-chan, let me see…” Shimura-sensei said. “Oh hey, it really is! Good job Yamamoto, I know you can do better!”

  “Thanks sensei, I’m aiming for my personal record right now, you think I can pull it off?” he asked.

  “Of course you can, “Breaking The Limit” is our motto, remember? Now go out there and beat it!”

  The hurdling star of the club nods with excitement and immediately, he heads back to the starting line.

  “Man, he’s quite motivated isn’t he?” I whispered.

  I had a little talk with Yamamoto-senpai earlier, and he got really excited when I mentioned his personal record. Immediately, he showed me the video of st year’s tournament where he got that record.

  “Ah this video…” Kazuya joined in. “Well, I don’t mean to brag but…I was the one capturing this moment. You two can thank me for that.” he said.

  “Of course I will, Kazuya-kun. It’s one of my greatest memories, how could I forget?”

  After that little exchange, I quickly learned that Kazuya is the club’s cinematographer. He was always a big fan of cameras and films, and although it’s a weird reason on paper to join the club, I think I can see the vision.

  “Hey Kazuya, is this good enough?”

  “Let me see…I think it should be just a little bit higher…higher…ah there we go, perfect!”

  After helping the key club members, I then switch to Kazuya, who is now standing on the grandstand. He asked me to help him find a good spot for his camera, and with a few adjustments, I got his seal of approve.

  “Haha, yeah, this is great! Everyone is going to love this! You have any idea what I can do with all of these footage?” Kazuya excimed.

  “I...I don’t think so...” I jokingly replied.

  “Precisely! You can’t fathom the power me and this camera are possessing. Web series? A documentary? A full-length feature film? So many choices, so many routes...Ehehehehe...”

  That’s...concerning.

  The way he’s mischieviously giggling, the devilish aura oozing from him, all I see now is a big, fat juicy red fg. A normal person would be terrified and worried for him, but I’ve been through enough to know when to leave someone alone in their own fantasy, and this is exactly that.

  “So like...is that all? Is there anything else you wanted me to help?” I asked.

  “Ah yes, that’s all for now Yasutaira. I’ll ask you again if things go south.”

  “Well then, good luck with your job. I’m looking foward to those footage you’re proud of.”

  I pat his shoulder, and he actually replies to me normally for a brief moment before returning to the “good old” mold. I then head down to the tent, just in time for lunch pnning.

  “Well everyone, since we didn’t prepare anything for today, any suggestion?” Shimura-sensei asked.

  “Oh, I know a ramen shop. It’s right around the corner, and they do takeout too!” One responded.

  “That’s a great idea, anything else?”

  “Well, while we’re on the topic of noodles, how about some soba for the summer? I know a pce that can also get us some kick ass watermelon!” Nahoka-senpai chimed in.

  “Alright, I’ll put that on the list. Anyone else?”

  Other members then submit their ideas to Shimura-sensei. There’s quite a lot throwing around, one even suggested eating in the canteen, but overall, we’re all undecided.

  “OK this is tough. These are all great ideas, but which one is the best…Huh, I don’t see you submitting anything, Yasutaira. That’s strange.”

  “Oh ah yeah that’s right…I was going to, but I was waiting until everyone was finished, and by the time I tried to propose my idea…it was too te.” I responded.

  “Well then, what do you got? I’m listening.”

  I then tell him about a shop I know that focuses majorly on hiyashi chuka. It’s the best in town and not only that, they’re also very closed with a nearby mochi shop as well.

  “Just one call from mine and trust me, they’ll give you the best deal you can imagine with whatever budget you got.” I said.

  Shimura-sensei immediately makes his decision and goes with my option. I then leave the tent to contact the shop owners while he tells everyone what we’ll be eating today.

  “Really? That’s great! I can wait!” everyone excimed with joy.

  After about thirty minutes of waiting, the food has finally arrived. Needless to say, the club loves it a lot. We all have a great time just eating and chatting about essentially everything and anything.

  “Say Yasutaira-kun, how come you know about those pces anyways?”

  As I’m about to enjoy the fvor bomb of the mizu shingen mochi, a club member asks me something. Her name is Shirai Ryuuko, and I’m pretty sure she’s from the same css as me.

  “Ah well…if you want to know, then I guess I can tell it to you. It’s not some kind of top secret anyways.” I responded.

  Immediately, some of the members start asking me to spill the bean. They, including Nahoka-senpai, have overheard the conversation, thus curiosity is inevitable.

  “Yeah, all of these dishes are amazing, especially the mochi one. How come I haven’t heard of it before?” Nahoka-senpai asked.

  “Alright, let’s see, where do I even begin…I think my adopted father should be a great start.”

  “Adopted?” everyone asked.

  “Yeah. My real parents passed away years ago, and I was lucky enough to be adopted by a man named Sukeno Masajirou. Of course, I’m sure the nickname [Fearless Chef] is what you guys are more associated with.”

  As expected, the whole tent was surprised to hear that, some even stop mid-chewing. After all, he’s a well-known and respected figure not just in the culinary world.

  “I became his apprentice not just in the kitchen, but during his food journeys as well. Thanks to that, I’ve managed to find some obscure but incredible pces, and now, I can finally recommend that to you guys.”

  As I’m continuing my story, everyone stops eating entirely and focuses on hearing it. They have two of the best things to experience at this very moment, and they do not want to miss out on both.

  “So now, about the shops…They’ve opened for generations now, and while they might not have the most customers, but their loyalty are unmatched. Sukeno-san even once told me those were his mom’s favorites back when she first got to Tokyo. Her loves for them was the sole reason for his rediscover, and trust me, to him, that was one of the best moments of his life.”

  Immediately, I see some awe reactions from the tent.

  Following it, discussions start sparkling among everyone. Even Shimura-sensei joins in as well, although he wasn’t too fond of it in the first pce. It seems like my story is more captivating than I anticipated, and I don’t mind that at all.

  “Oh yeah I forgot to mention…since they’re more of an old school shop, it took them st month to finally have takeout. From what I’ve known, business has gone up a bit more than before. I’ll probably take Takenada-san there someday…”

  The entire tent then looks at me sideways with a smirk on their faces. Once again, this is something I’ve seen a lot whenever I bring on this topic, and as you can tell, they all got the wrong idea.

  “She just loves hanging out after all.” I continued. “I wonder if Kira is free this weekend, I might make it three…”

  “Still Yasutaira-kun, you’re advancing this far already?” Nahoka-senpai asked jokingly. “Are you sure you don’t want to, you know, take it to the next level?” she continued, poking my shoulder.

  “Yeah, that’s not what we are senpai…As much as you guys saw how closed we are, we’re nothing but best friends with a promise that makes us strive to do better each day.” I humbly replied.

  “Aw man, I you almost fell for that. I really thought I got you there you know?”

  “Then you need to try harder senpai. Trust me, I’ve been through worse. I won’t tell you how and why, at least not here. That’ll ruin our “little” secret.” I teased her.

  With those words, I shift everyone’s attention away from Takenada-san. In exchange, they switch to nahoka-senpai, who is still in shock of what I just said. Of course, she knew exactly what I was talking about, but the others? Not so much.

  “Hey hey Nahoka-chan, what’s that supposed to mean huh? Are you keeping something from us?”

  “Yeah, I know you two knew each other from that incident…but is he your type or anything?”

  Quickly enough, they start cracking jokes at her. It’s all harmless, but everyone keeps coming at her like a storm approaching, and she just can’t stop them all. Luckily, Shimura-sensei doesn’t participate, but that still isn’t enough.

  As a result, she’s now crawling at me in a comedic way, with tears falling down from her eyes. Meanwhile, everyone is still poking her with more and more jokes, making the scene in front of me looks just like a disaster went even more wrong.

  “Please Yasutaira-kun, sensei, anyone! Do something! It’s all too much, how am I going to get through this?”

  “No can’t do senpai. You’re fast, I’m sure you’ll figure it out something quick.” I replied jokingly.

  “No! Don’t leave me here with them! NO!!!!”

  Her scream echoes through the entire tent while her arms are trying their best to reach me. Seeing that, I can only let out a big sigh. I’m so used to being teased like that by Tiamat without realizing all retaliations I’ve been pnning are a bit too cruel, even for senpai.

  Sensei and I then have no choice but to help her. It took a quite some times for things to get normal again, and it was fortunate that everyone was pretty much cooperated the entire time.

  “Hehe, we really thought you two were really hiding something from us, so we just wanted to do a bit of trolling…Guess we went a bit too far.” a member apologized.

  “Oh no it’s OK, I don’t mind. Although someone actually do…”

  Both of us look to the side where Nahoka-senpai is raging out like crazy. There’re a few members tasked with the job of keeping her cool down, but I don’t think they can hold her any longer.

  “But *hah* seriously Homura-senpai, please never kick-start something like that again. What we’re seeing right there is a warning, but next time, there’s going to be a consequence. Trust me, you don’t want that.”

  “Aye-aye captain! Although sometimes I just can’t help myself…”

  “Then just…try your best. Better yet, whenever you think of going that far, think of that face.”

  I once again look at Nahoka-senpai, who’s about to bite her way to Homura-senpai. Fortunately, they’re able to make peace shortly after, and from now on, she won’t ever think of taking things to the extreme at the wrong moment anymore.

  After that, we continue to enjoy our lunch. During that time, we all reflect on what just happened, and just like what I did with Homura-senpai, I ask the club not to do that kind of joke ever again, and they all accept it.

  Then, with some time left on the clock, we quickly finish our meal and clean everything up inside the tent so then it can be used as resting pce for club members who wished to stay at the stadium.

  “Goodbye Nahoka-chan, Yasutaira-kun. We’ll see you guys around!”

  As some of the members leave the tent for their own “adventure”, we send them off and head inside to recharge for the upcoming afternoon training session.

  Little did I know, in just a few days, I’ll have to deal with something never before have I done.

  New York City.

  A city known for its rich culture, multiple novels, movies and comic books have use it as their base setting. If you even wanted to visit New York City, they have more than just enough attractions to keep you in company for weeks.

  Unfortunately, that is not why we’re here.

  In a small bar located in Queens, everyone is lying around with broken tables, chairs and gsses everywhere on the floor. To make matter worse, half the light bulbs inside the bar have also broken as well, with the other halves flickering uncontrolbly.

  “Hrgh!”

  As we’re zooming to the counter, we see a man being punched in the face, and as a result, he flies back to the wine celr before falling down behind the counter with gsses and wine bottles shattered on his body.

  “Hrgh…why…what’s with that woman…”

  The poor victim whimpers in pain. He tries his best to get up, but the wounds are holding him back, so he can only crawl on the floor hopelessly. Not only that, the entire time, questions after questions keep flooding his head, and he manages to answer none of them.

  “I…I have to…war…warn them…”

  “Hey, where do you think you’re going you piece of shit?”

  Just when the man finally crawls out of the counter, he’s stopped by a short woman. She’s definitely not from around here, better yet, she’s from the other side of the globe. That woman also happens to be the one beating everyone inside this bar.

  Before the man could let out his rage and agony, the woman already grabs his hair and lifts him up. His body is severely injured from the beating, so now he can only grit his teeth in fury.

  “What do y..you want from us? Wh…Why are you doing all this?” he asked weakly.

  “Seriously? Are you deaf or something? Didn’t you see or hear me asking the same damn question countless times?”

  The woman then sps the man in the face. After that, she drags him out of the counter and forces him to sit on the only remaining unbroken chair left. In addition, the bar also has one untouched table, thus she puts it right in front of him with her bare hands.

  “Fine, if you insist, then I guess I’ll ask it one st time.” she sighed. “Where is he?”

  She aggressive asks while smming the table. Seeing that, the man takes a big gulp with his face also sweating non-stop. He knows what she’s looking for, but he can’t risk telling her, not inside this pce, not in this situation.

  “I told you, I don’t know! I wasn’t there, and neither were those men you just took down! Please, you have to trust me!”

  “Oh right, “trust you” you said huh.” All of sudden, the woman furiously throws away the table. Immediately, she turns back and stares at the man’s soul with nothing but murderous intent. Before he can even react to it, she grabs his neck colr and head-butt him.

  “DO NOT BULLSHIT ME! A member of [The Soup Kitchen] not knowing their own [Customer]? Give me a break! Now you’d better talk, before I lose my patience and you lose your life.”

  Being threaten, the man has no choice but to give her the truth. But first, he once again reconfirms that he knows nothing about the person she’s looking for. However, he knows someone who might know.

  “Here, this is their business card. I’m sure you can find them easily.”

  Enduring the pain, he then slowly reaches to his wallet inside his left pants pocket. He opens it and takes out a small pstic card. The woman aggressively receives and takes a good look at it.

  “Huh, I see…So they still keep in touch with the old man, somehow…” she whispered.

  The woman then let go of her victim and goes to the counter.

  There’s no functional chair left, so she just standing there staring at the now broken wine celr for a few solid minutes. Meanwhile, the man slowly crawls back to the chair and puts away his wallet.

  “Well, better get going. I have to stop him before it’s too te.”

  With a frustrated voice, the woman sms the table. She then turns around and let out a long sigh before putting the card into her left jacket pocket. She looks up the celling for a few seconds then slowly goes to the door. However, she doesn’t open it just yet.

  “This is my final warning: Do not interfere. You can send whoever you want if you wish for them to die in ways you do not want to imagine. You’re a smart man, so please, do not disappoint me.”

  Turning around, she threatened the man. The hatred aura, the way she stares directly at him and her angry yet gentle voice scares him. He takes a big gulp and nods vigurously. After that, she finally opens the door and leaves the bar.

  A few minutes then passes, and complete silence just simply prevails inside the pce.

  There’s no whimpering, weakly squeaking or the sound of getting up whatsoever. In the middle of the bar, there’s only a man just sitting there, empty-headed. He still hasn’t been able to digest everything, and it might take some time to.

  “Who the hell is she…? What’s her retionship with that man anyways…” he thought to himself.

  From the beginning to the end, from when everyone underestimated her to the st warning given, he has seen it all. More than anyone here, he truly knows all the emotions the woman had gone through during the entire time.

  “Rage, despair, regret, anger, hesitation, sadness…just what has she gone through…no, the real question here is, what will happen next…”

  The man then spends the next fifteen minutes thinking and reflecting. Despite not knowing the answer to those questions he keeps asking, at least his mind is now clearer, and eventually, he forms a vague map for his future.

  “Ouch…that woman…if that’s what she called mercy, god knows what she can do…”

  Still enduring the pain, the man takes out his phone and calls for reinforcement. He expins to them what happened and in response, they tell him to wait for around ten minutes. It’s not too much, but it’s more than enough for the man to make his next moves.

  “Hello? It’s me. There’s something I want to talk about…”