After saying that, Ning Yin waved at Hei Nai, then ducked her little head back inside.
Emmm...
A stretch of silence.
But she had to admit that Ning Yin's gloating tone had indeed eased Hei Nai's worries. Still... her gaze fell upon the ruins outside.
One hand pressed to her forehead, Hei Nai felt a headache coming on. With the damage this severe, wouldn't it be no different from rebuilding the whole place?
"Oh my~"
She had thought Broken Blade Academy was miserable enough, but this place was somehow even worse. Ning Yin shaded her eyes with one hand as she looked out. "Well, this is certainly... quite spectacular..."
Smoke filled the air, and the entire grounds had been completely flattened, crisscrossed by savage trenches.
Worse still, a huge chunk of the area in the distance had practically been gouged out, leaving behind a crater like a meteor impact site.
"Xiao Niya, I'm here~" Ning Yin swept her gaze around, but upon failing to spot Bronya, she stepped into the ruins as well.
!!!
Ning Yin suddenly flashed aside. Her kimono fluttered, and a small piece of fabric fell away, its cut impossibly smooth. "...A lingering sword scar?"
"So Xiao Bai was this strong? Hmm, does that mean he was holding back during our spar before?"
Recalling their previous "sparring match," Ning Yin fiddled with Crimson Phoenix and smiled dangerously. "Looks like I'll need to be a little more serious next time."
—Earthbinding Array!
The terrifying crushing force of gravity utterly shattered the sword scar. Ning Yin stepped inside with ease. "It might have been troublesome if I had faced it directly, but it's only a sword scar..."
"Is that Teacher Ning Yin?"
Before long, Bronya's distinctively milky voice rang out from a relatively hidden corner. Yet... upon closer examination, it sounded somewhat different.
But Ning Yin did not think too deeply about it. Following the voice, she headed over. "Xiao Niya, honestly, hiding this well..."
A dark-blue mech unit dequantized, its complete form appearing before Ning Yin.
"Sorry, Teacher Ning Yin."
A faint light flickered over the unit's head, then it continued in a synthesized electronic voice, "It is inconvenient for Bronya to come over. Please follow Heavy Rabbit."
"Heavy Rabbit, huh..."
With a leap, Ning Yin jumped onto Heavy Rabbit's body and curiously patted it. Her tiny figure against the enormous machine looked surprisingly harmonious.
"I'd heard Xiao Niya's Spirit Armor could take countless forms, but I never expected it could even transform into a mech."
"Oh, right, right. Wasn't it called 'Silverwing' before? Why was it changed to 'Heavy Rabbit' again?"
"Teacher Ning Yin..."
A synthesized electronic voice sounded, yet even through the mech's body, Bronya's helplessness could be felt.
After that, Ning Yin stubbornly stayed perched on the mechanical arm. This spot really was quite suitable for carrying passengers.
Emmm...
"I think I know why you were hiding."
Upon reaching their destination, Nenene Saikyō fell silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her tone was deeply complicated. "So..."
"How did you two manage this?"
—Bronya was kneeling on the ground with her legs tucked beneath her, allowing Edelweiss to rest comfortably on her soft, pale thighs.
Bronya lowered her gaze, her eyes extraordinarily gentle as her little hand lightly played with Edelweiss's snow-white hair.
Aftermath
The attack planned single-handedly by Dawn Academy had finally come to an end during this period.
This matter could not be concealed.
After all... Broken Blade Academy's ruins were right there for everyone to see. No one knew which channel it had started from, but the devastated post-battle scene suddenly spread everywhere.
The relevant authorities simply could not contain it. Emmm... or rather, had they truly been trying to contain it at all?
◆Tsukikage Bakuga
He had once served as Broken Blade Academy's Chairman and had profoundly affected Hei Nai and Ning Yin back then.
But now, he was the current Prime Minister, the highest authority in the country.
And not only that...
—He was also the Chairman of Dawn Academy!
With his endorsement, the relevant authorities had completely let things run their course. They had intentionally allowed this news to spread.
Daring to attack Broken Blade Academy was a provocation against the League! Naturally, the League would not tolerate such an egregious incident.
Very soon, the Seven Star Sword Martial Festival Operations Committee began pursuing responsibility, but these sorts of statements were only worth hearing at face value.
"Surprised, aren't you?"
"The academies under the League are utterly helpless!"
Before long, Tsukikage Bakuga stepped into the public eye in his capacity as Dawn Academy's Chairman.
Before countless media outlets, the man showed not the slightest intention of apologizing. Instead, he wore a bright smile as he announced to the public:
"The campus was destroyed, teachers and students were powerless to resist, and even the representative contestants participating in the Seven Star Sword Martial Festival were seriously injured one after another."
Immediately afterward, the projection behind Tsukikage Bakuga shifted, flashing through the horrific devastation inflicted upon Broken Blade Academy.
At last, the image froze on the scene of Ning Yin suppressing everyone from Dawn Academy.
"Look. If Yaksha Princess, currently ranked third in the KOK world rankings, had not stepped in, Broken Blade Academy would not even have had the ability to deal with this crisis."
"And those who acted were merely several student knights!" Tsukikage Bakuga's voice rose as he guided the public's emotions.
"Yes, what you are seeing is the power of 'National Dawn Academy.'"
"And they!"
Another shift appeared, projecting the members of Dawn Academy. "They will replace the Seven Star Academies, replace these League lackeys, and take responsibility for the future of the Far East!"
Inside a private residence, the television broadcast this speech. Ning Yin closed Crimson Phoenix and lightly tapped her chin with the folded fan. "Xiao Niya, do you have anything to say?"
"Boring. It is nothing more than another trick of public opinion."
Bronya sat sideways on the edge of the bed, holding a damp towel in her pale, slender hand as she carefully wiped Edelweiss's forehead.
"Well, you do see things clearly." Ning Yin changed positions, her eyes remaining fixed on her.
Emmm...
"Do not look at Bronya like that."
Sensing that gaze, Bronya did not turn around as she cleanly shoved all responsibility away. "White Night did it all. And White Night did not even win. He merely had the advantage of his Spirit Armor."
"White Night did not expect Myriad Phenomena to be so durable either. It was practically indestructible."
Mm-hmm, go on. I'm listening. Ning Yin sat casually on the sofa, watching how Bronya intended to spin this.
"The final exchange was probably mainly Xiao Ai's doing..."
???
In an instant, Ning Yin appeared behind Bronya, almost pressing her entire body against Bronya's. "Your relationship has progressed pretty quickly, Xiao Niya. You're already calling her 'Xiao Ai.'"
"Is there a problem?"
Still speaking in an even tone, Bronya reached out and gently stroked that face. "In Bronya's eyes, once those so-called halos are stripped away..."
"Xiao Ai is just a cute girl."
Emmm...
Her? Cute?!!
Ning Yin glanced at the sleeping Edelweiss... indeed, her exquisite features were like a work of art, her figure nearly perfect, her long snow-white hair spread around her, sacred and flawless.
But in the next instant, a sharp flash of sword light surfaced in her mind—this was the image that had left the deepest impression on Ning Yin. "Perhaps you are right."
It was obvious she was just humoring her. But Bronya did not mind. What others did was irrelevant, as long as she liked her.
"Teacher Ning Yin, are there any ingredients stored here? Bronya wants to make some simple desserts for Xiao Ai."
Even with people like Blade Dancers around, Broken Blade Academy still had not finished rebuilding. Only a small portion had been repaired. The destruction was simply too severe.
Among them, Shinguji Kuroko, as a Time Element ability user, had voluntarily taken on most of the work.
She had finally gotten a little free time...
"There is news from the League headquarters."
Sitting in her office, Kuroko looked somewhat exhausted. The ashtray was full of cigarette butts.
—Tsukikage Bakuga intended to enter the Seven Star Sword Martial Festival under the banner of "National Dawn Academy," achieve victory, end the Blade Dancer education system controlled by the League, and reclaim the Far East's sovereignty over Blade Dancers.
Naturally, the League could not accept this.
But after this incident, in order to preserve its gradually weakening "prestige" in the Far East, the League had no choice but to accept this challenge:
Dawn Academy would participate in this year's Seven Star Sword Martial Festival as the "eighth academy."
"Because of this, this year's Seven Star Sword Martial Festival will be different from previous years. One careless move, and it may turn into a real slaughter."
Kuroko's gaze swept across Ikki and the others. "As a teacher, I need to reconfirm your intentions."
"Also, Arisugawa has chosen to withdraw. She has yielded her spot as a representative contestant to you, Kurogane Shizuku. What do you say? Are you willing to accept it?"
"If you are willing to accept, I will make the corresponding adjustments on my end."
Kuroko looked at Shizuku, waiting for the girl's answer.
Huh?
A hint of surprise flashed across Shizuku's face. However, considering Arisugawa's relationship with her, such a decision was understandable. "Of course. I would be very happy to participate."
How could Shizuku possibly refuse the chance to participate in the Seven Star Sword Martial Festival alongside Ikki?
During the loser's bracket before, if she had not taken their relationship into account, Shizuku would have challenged her no matter what.
"Then it is settled."
As she spoke, Kuroko took out a document and handed it to Shizuku. "Sign this, and you will be one of the representative contestants. And what about the rest of you? What do you think?"
"Chairman, I have waited a long time for this opportunity."
Having gone through everything that happened before, Ikki had long since seen himself clearly. He accepted the document without hesitation.
Stella and Toudo Touka followed right after. They were not mere ornaments.
Besides... they had just been attacked. Letting this score go unsettled was not their style.
"By the way, Chairman, why is White Night not here?"
"...Him..."
Kuroko slowly took a drag of her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke... that brat was already on a different level. "Nene took him away for now. I will ask him separately afterward."
"What, is there anything else?"
"No, nothing."
After bidding the Chairman farewell, Ikki and the others left one after another. Kuroko said nothing as her gaze passed through the window to the construction site... tch, her head was starting to hurt again.
Before you continue