A short, white-haired boy suddenly appeared, sitting atop the neighboring table as he said with interest, "You defeated that Swordsman Killer so easily. That's really something, isn't it~"
"Bronya knows you."
Bronya did not seem surprised. "Miyuki Sawarabi, vice president of Broken Blade Academy's student council. And the treasurer, Senior Kudoh Kanata."
"Bronya used a table knife and merely reinforced it with Magic Power. That shouldn't have violated school rules."
"??? Wait, why do you call me by my name? Aren't I your senior too?"
Did he seriously not know why? Miyuki Sawarabi looked tiny, and with that personality... he had absolutely none of a senior's dignity.
Bronya said nothing, merely gave him a look that told him to figure it out himself. "All right, Ikki. Bronya should be heading back soon."
"As for that person earlier, he should be from Greedy Wolf Academy. If Bronya remembers correctly... his name was Kurashiki Kurato?"
As she spoke, she packed up her belongings. "You can ask Senior Ayatsuji about that. Once you've thought it through, Ikki can decide what exactly to do."
"How was your day?"
Back in the dorm, White Night was still sprawled on the sofa. His body had mostly recovered, but mentally, he was exhausted.
"It was all right. Bronya met that Swordsman Killer. There was nothing about his swordsmanship worth learning from."
Bronya walked off to one side and sat down, continuing to grind records on her Handheld Console. "Bronya does not intend to pursue what happens next. It has no meaning for 'me.'"
"Then don't go~"
White Night shrugged and habitually leaned closer to Bronya. "There's no need to think about this at all. More than anything else, your feelings are what matter."
"I also looked it up online today. That Ayatsuji Kaito apparently has heart disease, and his bodily functions have deteriorated badly."
"White Night's memory has deteriorated badly too."
Bronya rapidly pressed the buttons, still teasing him in an indifferent tone. "Mr. Kaito accepted that man's duel, and he is now unconscious."
"But it's right up our alley~"
As he spoke, White Night edged closer, though he was careful not to touch Bronya or interfere with her game. "Can't we just wake him up?"
"...Bronya understands. Then tomorrow's training will have to trouble you again, White Night. Bronya will handle Mr. Kaito's situation."
After all, she had studied under Yakushi Kiriko. Though Kiriko was not well-known, her medical skills were top-notch.
Meanwhile, Ikki also received notice of the selection match. His opponent would be Ayatsuji.
After that, Ayatsuji stopped attending the Kurogane Training Class, something everyone had expected. But White Night and Bronya...
"Come to think of it, White Night hasn't shown up in a long time." As friends in the field of swordsmanship, Ikki was rather concerned about him.
"It's not just White Night."
Stella swung her greatsword beside him as she added, "Bronya too. They used to train with us, but after that day, nobody knows where they ran off to."
"So, Miss Stella, what happened that day? Why did things suddenly change so much?"
"I don't know."
The golden greatsword swept through the air with force. At the very least, Stella was serious about training. "She told Ikki to ask Senior Ayatsuji, but didn't Senior Ayatsuji run off? We never got the chance to understand what happened."
In the pure-white hospital room, electronic medical equipment worked quietly while a gaunt middle-aged man lay in the bed.
"Ayatsuji Kaito, known as 'The Last Samurai.'"
A fair, slender hand brushed across the bedrail as Bronya arrived without a sound. "The torment of illness has brought you to such a state."
"Then, let's get to work."
Perhaps out of habit, Bronya liked to wear a white coat when doing medical work.
Thunderlight flickered as it sterilized her delicate hands, after which she carefully conducted a full examination of the patient...
—Bronya was not wearing gloves. Direct contact provided more accurate data. What she used was Bioelectricity, which could pass through the human epidermis and scan the inside.
Hmm...
After a long while, Bronya had a rough understanding. "The main issue is cranial damage, which caused a mild concussion."
"But the other areas are also not to be overlooked: twenty-seven minor injuries and eighty-nine hidden injuries."
"..."
After a moment of silence, Bronya sighed softly. "This really is... not caring for your body at all~ But without pushing yourself this far, you probably would not have achieved what you have today, right?"
"Forget it. Bronya is only responsible for treatment."
Electric light flashed from her fingertips, severing tiny nerves one by one to lessen his pain.
Visibly, the man's body relaxed. Even his gaunt face gradually softened in expression. "It seems Bronya's skills have not declined."
"And next..."
After a brief pause, Bronya unilaterally applied to establish a mental link with White Night. "What are you doing?"
"Fuck! What the hell? I'm training over here—training for my life!"
"Boom—!"
The ground shook violently. Even though she was not there, Bronya could sense the intensity on the other side. "Xiao Bai, what's wrong? Your reactions are slow~"
"Ning Yin, I have something to—"
White Night transformed into lightning and instantly pulled away, trying to widen the distance between himself and Ning Yin. But the gravity in the area suddenly intensified... and he failed.
"Looks like White Night still hasn't dealt with it."
"???"
"Then, sorry for the trouble!"
Bronya's emotionless words made White Night realize something. "Wait! I—"
However, it was clearly already too late. An invisible stream of consciousness traveled through the connection and suppressed White Night's thoughts.
This is bad, I'm screwed!
Terrifying gravity crushed down upon him! And after that... things became quiet on Bronya's end as well. They were both herself anyway, and he would not die. She could mess with him without the slightest burden.
"This will do."
Bronya nodded and continued the operation—the brain was the most intricate structure in the human body. Since she would be working on it next, she naturally had to eliminate every possible disturbance!
Bronya was not a Water Mage like Kiriko. Lightning attributes focused more on destructive power, so she had to be even more careful during the procedure.
"..."
In the silence, only the sound of machinery remained. Bronya carefully stimulated the cerebral cortex with electric currents, waking him as gently as possible.
Perhaps it had been a minute, perhaps an hour. Bronya had no idea how much time had passed due to her intense concentration. But...
"Phew~ Finally done."
She raised a hand to wipe the fine sweat from her brow, then let out a long breath and relaxed. "Interfering with others is far more difficult than working on oneself."
"Once Mr. Ayatsuji wakes up, he should consider transferring hospitals." Bronya left behind a business card and departed through Elementalization.
Yakushi General Hospital
"So that's what it was..."
So that was what Bronya had meant back then.
In a small park, Ikki sat wearily on a bench while Stella and the others gathered around, analyzing the situation.
Ikki had been tricked into using his ultimate move. The destruction it caused had drawn Chairwoman Kurogane's attention, allowing them to learn about Ayatsuji's situation.
"Indeed, it's a cruel story."
Arisugawa remained calm. Though he was usually unreliable, he was secretly an assassin. "Everything she loved was taken from her. She has been driven into a corner."
"But that is precisely why she is so strong, like a beast forced into a desperate last stand. In the match, she will surely come at you with everything she has."
"So, what are you going to do, Ikki?" As his lover, Stella cared more about Ikki's thoughts.
Faced with his lover's question, Ikki nodded slightly, his resolve firm. "Of course I'll fight with everything I have! Otherwise, it would be far too disrespectful to Ayatsuji."
"Really? But she even used such despicable methods..." Shizuku protested on his behalf as his younger sister.
"Shizuku."
Ikki said only her name, and Shizuku quieted down, though she still harbored some dissatisfaction in her heart.
"Stella, can you come with me?"
Ikki rose to his feet somewhat unsteadily. Even so, he still wore a smile. "Before the match begins, there's something I must do."
When the selection match officially began:
"According to the rules, setting traps in advance is a violation. She should have been disqualified."
A bolt of lightning slowly condensed into Bronya's form. With her arms crossed beneath her ample chest, she leaned against the competitor entrance passage. "Looks like he still did it."
—Before the match, Ikki had gone to Ari-chan and asked that Ayatsuji not be penalized for the violation, so that he could face her head-on himself.
"Still, even so, what will you use to win, Ayatsuji? Those crude traps?"
Even with her eyes closed, Bronya could sense it... the dense sword marks covering the arena. Naturally, this would be no trouble for Ikki either.
"There's nothing left to watch." Bronya withdrew her gaze, closed her silver-pink eyes, and waited for the match to end.
The winner: Kurogane Ikki!
Just as expected, even without One Blade Arrogance, Ikki still claimed victory. Of course, unlike the original story, he was not spraying blood all over and was able to walk out of the arena safely.
"Bronya has been waiting for you for a long time." A childish voice with a milky sweetness rang out in the entrance passage.
She offered no further comment, merely leaving them with a sentence before turning to go. "Bronya knows what you intend to do. But before that, Bronya suggests going to the hospital first."
Ikki and Ayatsuji looked at each other.
"Um, has Bronya always been like that?" Ayatsuji asked weakly.
"Ah, probably..."
Ikki scratched his head, not entirely sure himself. "But since she said so, we should probably go take a look."
On the hospital bed, the gaunt man was now sitting upright. Sunlight streamed gently through the window, illuminating his face.
He picked up a plain hospital business card and held it between two withered fingers, revealing the black words printed upon it. "Yakushi General Hospital?"
"Click~"
As the door opened, Ayatsuji froze at what she saw. One hand silently flew up to cover her mouth, while tears welled in her eyes.
"...Dad!"
After a moment of emotional buildup, Ayatsuji could no longer suppress the feelings surging in her heart. She threw herself at him, crying loudly. "Waaahhh—! Dad, Dad..."
Seeing this, Ikki tactfully left the hospital room. Then he saw Bronya leaning against the wall. "So it really was you, Bronya."
"Did Ikki forget White Night's full name? Yakushi Byakuya. That is his full name."
"Yakushi... the White Knight?"
After that, Ayatsuji Kaito was transferred to Yakushi Hospital, where he received more meticulous treatment from Yakushi Kiriko. Though there was still no cure for his heart disease, at least it no longer affected his daily life.
"Bro↗nya↘"
A day later, White Night had recovered as well. Pure white Yang Lightning formed his body, and he looked at Bronya with a kindly smile.
"But isn't White Night fine?"
They were both herself anyway. Bronya did not feel the slightest guilt as she replied mercilessly.
Before you continue