Collapse, Cross-Dressing Strategy Kiana, Then

The pressure intensified, and my heart sank.

Gritting my teeth, I fought back fiercely, my katana slashing wildly.

A miss.

Raiden Mei narrowed her eyes, observing for a moment. Seeing Bai Yan retreat, she gradually formed a judgment.

"Hmph, flashy but impractical."

My fighting spirit surged instantly, and the Beichen Ichiryu technique was activated.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As Raiden Mei's momentum grew, Bai Yan was pushed back step by step on the stage.

Bronya blinked, "Sister Bai Yan is going to lose."

Kiana chimed in, "What's the big deal? I saw that coming ages ago—but Xiao Yan looked so cool just now!"

Bronya looked at Fu Hua, "Class Monitor?"

Fu Hua didn't respond, only frowning as she watched the match.

"It's strange... but I don't think it was entirely impractical."

Kiana retorted, "Of course! Can't cool-looking moves also have power?"

Fu Hua murmured, "Graceful as a startled swan, fluid as a swimming dragon... Classmate Bai Yan still seems to have some energy left."

"Although I'm not taking sides, Xiao Yan was indeed just a tiny bit short," Kiana said, pinching a sliver of space between her index finger and thumb.

"Bronya also thinks so."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't just copy me, have your own judgment."

Bronya ignored her, but Kiana felt like she'd won a small round and generously offered the chip bag for the other to take more.

On the stage, Raiden Mei pressed her advantage, her attacks growing stronger with each round, as if she were about to completely suppress Bai Yan.

"You lose!"

At this moment, Bai Yan struck a pose that, to Mei, was full of openings. She seized the opportunity and charged forward with a technique resembling teleportation.

However, the next moment.

Raiden Mei felt her vision explode. An endless, dazzling white light stung her eyes, forcing her to shut them tightly.

Tears welled up, followed by a stinging sensation.

But she endured the pain and opened her eyes as quickly as possible.

Where was the white light? Everything that had just happened seemed not to have occurred.

Instead, Bai Yan's long sword was pointed directly at her throat, accompanied by a smile that Raiden Mei found utterly detestable.

The match was decided.

"Hmph! You win."

Raiden Mei stormed off the stage.

Walking back to the resting area, she reached for a drink, only to find the others staring at her, dumbfounded.

"What's wrong?"

"Mei-sis, did you... go easy on him just now?"

Raiden Mei's eyes widened. "I didn't! It's just that he somehow unleashed a white light that flashed into my eyes, and that's how I lost."

"Mei, are you hallucinating? There was no white light at all."

They all looked at her with confusion, and she vaguely began to understand.

Just then, Bai Yan walked over.

Raiden Mei immediately stopped him and asked, "What was that?"

"Hmm..." Bai Yan stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "One Sword Startling Swan. I just came up with the name."

Everyone was stunned.

Fu Hua asked, "A mental attack?"

"No, it just utilized a bit of light physics," Bai Yan replied ambiguously.

"I see."

Fu Hua had clearly misunderstood, but that was precisely Bai Yan's intention.

Kiana didn't understand, so she asked Bai Yan again.

Then, Bai Yan smiled without answering, waiting for Fu Hua to explain.

"It's a usage similar to a laser, directly targeting the opponent's eyes. It consumes very little energy to hinder the opponent's reaction at a critical moment—a very practical idea."

Everyone suddenly understood.

Raiden Mei looked down at her palm, her long hair obscuring half her face, lost in thought.

However, that wasn't the case.

After Jingliu finished teaching the entire sword technique, she spoke to Bai Yan.

"Today, you've completely mastered this sword technique. You understand its sixty-four variations just like everyone else practicing it.

"But this is only the beginning. From here, you must forge your own path step by step.

"This is a process of understanding the sword technique and, at the same time, understanding yourself. Meditate on it well..."

Bai Yan remembered that the power and aesthetic appeal of this sword technique were directly proportional.

On the battlefield, the more pleasing to the eye it was, the more piles of white bones it created.

So, Bai Yan decided to combine this aesthetic appeal and power, delivering it all to his opponent to achieve a dual impact, both physical and mental.

Although it turned out he couldn't quite achieve that, he had managed to do one thing: attack the opponent's senses in a specific way.

For example, sight.

Raiden Mei became the first person to test this move.

Volume 1: Chapter 28: Bathroom Talk

"One Sword... Startling Swan..."

Raiden Mei, a master of the Beichen Ichiryu, lost to Bai Yan, an unknown girl from Shenzhou.

She could have a stronger foundation than Bai Yan, but she hadn't expected her opponent to have such a move.

[Sigh... Didn't I tell you earlier that accepting this power would mean fewer troubles?]

"Shut up!"

[Tch...]

The voice in her mind disappeared. Raiden Mei took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

In the past, she hadn't missed opportunities to spend time alone with Kiana.

They went shopping together, visited amusement parks, and even watched movies all night.

Later, she noticed that Bai Yan liked to make a lot of food for Kiana to enjoy, while Bai Yan would chat with Kiana while drinking.

She also started secretly making late-night snacks for Kiana, giving her occasional surprises.

Over time, Bai Yan seemed to lose interest in competing with her, merely praising her cooking while mooching off her food and drinks...

She thought she had regained the advantage until one night, when she saw them playing a game together, duo queuing to rank up. It was then she realized that the talent she lacked was somewhat fatal.

Furthermore, according to a leak from Bronya, the two often climbed over the wall to sneak out. Bronya had personally seen Kiana toss Bai Yan over the already heightened wall with one hand, and then they successfully escaped together.

That girl looked so demure, even resisting combat training, but how could she be so wild behind her back?!

Encountering a naturally talented player at the academy, she fought with all her might but couldn't win.

From then on, Raiden Mei's mindset began to shift slightly.

Although that girl from Shenzhou liked to pretend, she didn't have any ill intentions. At least, she hadn't seen her deliberately hinder her.

"Perhaps... I'm being too petty?"

But every time she saw Kiana playing with Bai Yan like close siblings, Raiden Mei's heart felt overcast.

The internal team match had passed as a minor interlude, and the official competition was drawing closer.

Another day of training ended, and she dragged her exhausted body back to the dormitory.

After exercising, she would rest for an hour before showering; this was Bai Yan's habit from his past life.

It was no wonder St. Freya had good facilities; the dorms had bathtubs.

Splash, splash, splash...

She opened a large bottle of "Happy Water" and grabbed a cup.

She filled it, inserted a straw, and drank half of it.

Sinking into the water, she began to contemplate life.

"Dumb Goose initiated Schicksal's grand exercise, and it was all for him—

"Hmm, that headline is explosive enough. If anyone dared to write such news, their news agency would disappear from the face of the earth.

"After getting used to this identity, life at St. Freya is truly relaxed.

"This pleasure, I don't miss Ta."

Don't ask if it's Rita or Atargatis's Ta.

Rumble...

The door opened.

Bai Yan's senses immediately sharpened. He quickly lowered his body, leaving only his head above the water.

Kiana poked her head out sneakily.

"Xiao Yan?"

"I'm here, but you're not allowed in."

"Got it, got it."

Kiana sat on the floor by the bathroom door, holding a bottle of soda.

This was also a form of drinking together.

"Xiao Yan, I haven't asked about your family situation yet... can we talk about it?"

"There's only my brother."

"I see... I'm sorry..."

"It's fine."

Kiana felt uneasy and took a sip of her cola, trying to wash away the discomfort with sugar.

"You know, when I was little, my dad suddenly left without a word for some reason. I've been looking for him ever since, but I still have no news."

"Recently, my aunt—the Headmaster—promised me that if I could become an A-rank Valkyrie, she'd tell me my dad's whereabouts."

"But after spending time together recently, I feel like she..."

Bai Yan slurped up some water and smacked his lips.

Glancing back at the hot water behind him, Bai Yan silently picked up the body wash and started to make bubbles.

"The Headmaster doesn't seem very reliable?"

Kaslana, in her childhood form.

These two elements combined were devastating to "reliability."

"Mhm... Xiao Yan, do you think she actually knows where my dad is?"

Bai Yan swirled the water, filling the entire bathtub surface with bubbles.