"If you really want to be strong… Stop g about what your surrounding thinks of you!"

  — Saitama, One Punch Man

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  Stepping down from the podium, Saya couldn't resist indulgisuure as she passed Roy.

  "Hmph!"

  Perhaps because she couldn't sit o him, or perhaps simply out of habit, she let out a soft huff.

  "Eh? Buchou, do you know Takagi-san?" Aika, taken aback by Saya's attitude, asked.

  "Of course," Roy replied.

  "Eh? Are you living together?"

  "Yep."

  "S-Shameless!" Aika excimed, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she realized she had stumbled upon a secret.

  "So... have you done anything..?" she whispered, her face crimson.

  Despite her embarrassment, curiosity won out. Such was the nature of her inquisitive mind.

  "Of course. Let me tell you" Roy readily shared some details with Aika, unfazed by the topic.

  To his surprise, instead of recoiling in shyness, Aika listened with enthusiastiterest, even tributing some suggestions of her own. Some of the things she mentioned were new even to Roy.

  He couldn't help but marvel at her boldness. He only engaged in such versations with her because he uood her personality.

  Behind them, Saya, thanks to her enhanced demonic hearing, overheard every word. Her face flushed crimson, as red as an apple.

  However, she couldn't do anything about it. Roy was, after all, her master. But she made a mental note of Aika, who wants to teach Roy such embarrassing things. She wouldn't let her get away with it.

  After school, it was free activity time.

  Having promised to teach Aika, Murayama, and Katase kendo, Roy, after finding Saeko, led them to the kendo club.

  Many girls were already practig inside.

  "Good afternoon, Buchou!"

  "Buchou, you look so handsome today!"

  "Buchou, could you please teach us kendo?"

  ...

  The female students were excited to see Roy.

  Most of the girls in the kendo club had joined because of him. Of course, some genuinely enjoyed kendo, like Aika, Murayama, and Katase, who dispyed siderable talent i.

  "Everyone, please tinue practig. I'll guide you all in a bit," Roy said, accepting their requests.

  Since he had already agreed to teach Aika, Murayama, and Katase, he figured he might as well instruct everyone.

  Saeko and Saya, Roy's popurity at school, felt a swell of pride.

  Inside his private training room, Roy turo Saeko with a smile.

  "Saeko, I know you've been wanting to spar with me," he said.

  As a kendy, Saeko had achieved remarkable skill. However, Roy was a true monster i. She had been deeply impressed the first time she witnessed his swordsmanship, and naturally, as a fellow kehusiast, she yearo test her skills against him.

  "It wouldn't be a spar, but rather a learning experience. After all, your kendo surpasses mine by far," Saeko admitted, shaking her head.

  Roy didn't dwell on the point.

  They each picked up a wooden katana and moved to the ter of the training room, ready to begin.

  "That must be Busujima Saeko-senpai, the raudent. She seems quite close to Buchou."

  "From what Buchou said, Busujima-senpai's kendo skills are incredible."

  "It must be amazing to be able to spar with Buchou. I'm so envious!"

  "They're even calling each other by their first names. Something tells me they're more than just friends."

  Aika, Murayama, and Katase whispered among themselves.

  Murayama, in particur, sensed an unusual e between Roy and Saeko.

  However, only Aika khe true nature of the retionship between Roy and both Saeko and Saya, the raudents.

  She had gleahis information from her versation with Roy that m. She couldn't help but feel a pang of envy towards the two girls.

  "Let's begin, Saeko," Roy said, smiling auring for her to attack.

  Saeko readily accepted the invitation.

  She charged forward, her wooden katana held firmly in both hands.

  Strikes, thrusts, sshes, cuts...

  All kendo teiques revolved around these fual movements, including Saeko's specialty, iaido.

  Saeko attacked swiftly, but her strikes were iive against Roy. He effortlessly parried each of her blows.

  Seeitacks failing to ect, Saeko retreated a step, positioning her katana at her left hip, assuming the stance for a iaido draw.

  The essence of iaido y i of drawing and striking in a single, fluid motion. Roy, in his kendo training, had studied and practiced various sword styles, both from martial arts manuals and fial sources.

  He had experimented with teiques from manga and anime, ultimately developing his own uyle, characterized by speed, precision, and overwhelming power.

  His movements were devoid of unnecessary flourish, each strike imbued with devastating force.

  "Iai!" Saeko decred, her gaze fixed ily on Roy, before unleashirike.

  Like a fsh of light, her katana reached Roy in the blink of an eye.

  But Roy's wooden katana was already there to meet it.

  *Cck!*

  The two wooden swords collided.

  Aika, Murayama, and Katase, watg from the sidelines, finally uood what was happening.

  "Amazing!"

  "I didn't expect Busujima-senpai's kendo to be so powerful, even on her first day!"

  "But Buchou is still stronger. Look, he's effortlessly blog all of her attacks."

  "Yeah, you're right!"

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