Yakushi Kiriko, who had spent every day with White Night and grown up alongside him, naturally knew some things about him.
"Bronya mentioned it before."
As she spoke, Bronya shifted positions and lay on her stomach on the bed. Her ample breasts were squeezed tightly, nearly bursting free from her chest. "The gears of fate have already begun to turn."
There was no need to dwell on the girls' conversation. Soon, the next day arrived.
As usual, Kurogane Ikki was doing his morning training around the academy, with Stella joining him this time. As he ran past a certain stretch of the docks...
"I've been waiting for you, Kurogane Ikki."
A Tang Saber tore through the air and embedded itself in the ground not far ahead of Kurogane Ikki's feet. Its sharp blade gleamed coldly. "I wonder if the Chairman mentioned us to you."
"Come and serve me, Dragon Sinner Sword!"
"Clang~"
However, a dark-blue katana blocked the golden greatsword. Bronya's silver hair drifted in the wind, giving her a valiant air. "That took too long to deploy."
Her slender wrist exerted force, and an immense strength utterly mismatched with her build drove Stella back. Bronya also retreated afterward.
"Stella!"
Kurogane Ikki called out to stop Stella before turning his gaze toward the two blocking his path. "If I'm not mistaken, you're the Twin Fangs of Lightning that Chairwoman Kurogane mentioned?"
"So the Chairman did tell you."
White Night strolled forward leisurely, completely unguarded. Unhurriedly, he pulled Myriad Phenomena from the ground, his left hand gently and slowly brushing over the blade.
Bronya also put away her Silver Wing and walked to White Night's side. "But the Chairman never said private meetings were forbidden."
"How about being friends, Kurogane Ikki..." White Night held his sword in one hand while extending the other toward Kurogane Ikki.
Swordsmen's Clash
"Come forth, Yin Iron!"
Kurogane Ikki and White Night stared at each other for a long while. Then, the radiance of Inherent Gear shone from his hand—he could clearly sense that aura belonging to a "swordsman"!
Since they were swordsmen, they naturally had to communicate through the swords in their hands. Gripping the hilt with both hands, Kurogane Ikki assumed his stance.
"???"
Only Stella was completely unable to make sense of this. Though she possessed talent as well, hers was more apparent in Magic Power rather than pure swordsmanship.
"Alright, alright, come over here." Bronya stepped forward and led Stella out of the combat area.
"Clang! Clang clang!"
A flurry of blade collisions rang out, accompanied by showers of sparks. Almost the instant the battle began, the two had already launched into a fierce exchange of swordsmanship.
Of course, White Night had restrained his strength here. After all, people's physiques could not be judged by the same standard.
"Very good, Kurogane Ikki. You truly haven't disappointed me!"
Although the Qin Shi World favored swords more, sabers and swords had much in common to a certain extent. In the Far East, they were not even distinctly separated. Thus, White Night's swordsmanship...
Myriad Phenomena tilted slightly, drawing a streak of sword light that swept in an arc toward Kurogane Ikki. "Clang—!"
It was a powerful, heavy strike, but it was still easily blocked. Kurogane Ikki adjusted his center of gravity slightly, then suddenly exerted force and launched a counterattack at White Night.
—Seventh Secret Sword: Lightning!
"Clang~"
His timing was good, but the attack still missed—what White Night had gained from the Qin Shi World was not merely skill, but combat instincts practically branded into his body!
White Night predicted the trajectory of the strike and leaned back, narrowly dodging it by a hair's breadth before responding with a thrust.
"Ding—!"
The tip of Myriad Phenomena struck Yin Iron's blade. The tremendous force drove Kurogane Ikki back, but he had ultimately blocked it.
"Your Mimicry Swordplay still can't see through me?"
"Don't joke around. How many schools are mixed into that? Just keeping up with your sword has already taken everything I have."
Since it was only a sparring match, the two still had the leisure to exchange a few words after opening up some distance.
"Look, aren't they having fun~"
Meanwhile, Bronya leaned against the wall nearby, talking with Stella.
"Clang clang—!"
Then the battle resumed. Countless sword shadows flew about, their substance and illusion nearly impossible to distinguish. Only the sparks flickered in and out.
Ikki absorbed a great deal of experience during the battle, and his skill quietly improved. Unfortunately... that was not enough to suppress White Night. He was not the only one progressing.
Perhaps White Night did not possess Ikki's talent, but his long-accumulated mastery of swordsmanship was enough to sustain his continued growth.
"Ikki, there are still parts of some schools..."
"Clang~ Clang~"
Beneath crimson sparks, White Night's eyes shone exceptionally brightly. He was clearly in high spirits. "I figured them out on my own, so I don't know whether you can complete them."
Another heavy strike forced Kurogane Ikki back. White Night wrapped his left hand in Magic Power to form a scabbard, then sheathed Myriad Phenomena's blade...
Many things were recorded online. Since the Sea of Quanta contained infinite worlds, then... there was no reason those sword techniques could not be learned, right?
—Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu: Tenken Ryusho!
It might differ from the original, but its core remained unchanged: unparalleled speed!
"Clang!"
The ultra-high-speed slash tore through the air, forming a sharp Sword Qi in midair that even ripped apart the ground. This was the "Weasel Slash Phenomenon."
"Truly a stunning strike."
"But it's not enough. This move has a second stage. Unfortunately, I've never seen it. No matter how I imitate it based on books, it always feels somewhat lacking."
White Night put away Myriad Phenomena. The spar ended there. He walked over and extended a hand to help Kurogane Ikki up. "Still, I didn't expect you to be able to block it."
That had been an ultimate technique he had never displayed before! Even so, it had failed to achieve a first-sight kill. Yet in a sense, that was entirely expected.
"I barely managed to block it myself." Ikki took White Night's outstretched hand and used the pull to rise from the ground.
Once the spar ended, that surge of excitement subsided. Ikki looked somewhat embarrassed. "Um... thank you very much, Yakushi, for sparring with me!"
"I... how should I put it? Anyway, thank you so much!"
It had been far, far too long. As an F-Rank Knight, no one had ever been willing to spar with him. Even in daily life, all he ever felt was hostility and mockery...
"No need. Your sword is worth it. Didn't you already prove that just now?"
"Bronya thinks it's about time to leave. Private fighting, damage to public property... how many school rules did we break again?"
Um...
Although they had not enhanced themselves with Magic Power, both had A-rank physical abilities. The Sword Qi produced by their blade swings alone had been enough to cause damage. The entire dock was practically in ruins.
Bronya ignored the two of them and turned to leave, leaving behind only a calm remark. "Being caught on the spot and turning yourselves in voluntarily while offering compensation are fundamentally different things."
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and follow her." As his other half, White Night reacted first and motioned for Ikki to make a run for it.
Ikki scratched his head and glanced at the destruction they had left behind, looking embarrassed. "Isn't this a bad idea?"
"Why overthink it? Worst case, we write a self-criticism. It's not like I haven't done it before."
"???"
What did you just say? I didn't catch that... Then Ikki saw Bronya's Spirit Armor transform into a motorcycle. White Night hopped on with practiced ease, and just like that, they made their getaway.
"...Was that really an Inherent Gear?"
"Don't look at me. I have no idea."
It had to be said that Bronya's control over her Inherent Gear had truly refreshed both their understanding.
After that battle, morning training naturally could not continue. And after that... it was the familiar office once more.
"White Night, Bronya, why are you two involved again?" Chairwoman Kurogane calmly smoked a cigarette. Amid the curling smoke, her intellectual face appeared and disappeared from view.
"White Night started it. It has nothing to do with Bronya." Bronya looked utterly composed as she sold out her teammate without hesitation, even though he was her other half.
"...And what do you think, White Night?" Hei Nai's gaze swept across the four before finally settling on White Night.
But would White Night be afraid? He straightened his back. "I once heard a saying."
A person goes through three stages of growth in life.
The first is understanding right and wrong.
The second is understanding that some things are not merely right or wrong.
The third is, after understanding that some things are not merely right or wrong, still firmly doing what one believes in and taking responsibility for it.
The saying, filled with philosophy about life, made everyone present fall into thought. But... once Chairwoman Kurogane came to her senses.
"That saying is indeed thought-provoking. But are you sure it applies here?"
Before long, Ikki, Stella, and Bronya left the office one after another. Only White Night was left inside. "See? Bronya told you there wouldn't be a problem."
Um... so these were the Twin Fangs of Lightning? They really were quite "loving," weren't they~
Opening Ceremony
"Yo~ Ikki, out for morning training?"
On the academy walkway, White Night, dressed in a pure white tracksuit, caught up with the two who were doing their morning exercise. He easily matched their training pace.
Ikki nodded at White Night. "Yeah. Also, sorry for causing you trouble last time."
"What are you talking about~"
White Night slapped Ikki on the back, looking completely unconcerned about having been sold out last time. "What trouble? I started that in the first place, so naturally I should take responsibility for it."
"Besides... how do you know Bronya and I hadn't discussed it beforehand?"
!!!
Seeing Ikki look over, White Night gave a carefree smile and heavily patted his shoulder. "Sacrificing me is better than making everyone suffer, don't you think?"
"Hey! You two... haaah~ what... are you talking about?"
Stella was struggling more. Before she had even finished the full run, she was already gasping heavily and nearly exhausted.
Ikki and White Night slowed down slightly, allowing Stella to catch up. "Haaah~ haaah~ Speaking of which... didn't Bronya come along?"
"That girl's still sleeping under the covers. She isn't very good at physical training. She mainly trains her control, so her schedule isn't that strict."
???
She wasn't good at physical training? Who was he trying to fool?! Though they had only clashed once at the docks, Stella vividly remembered that immense strength completely at odds with Bronya's appearance.
"I remember Bronya's physical ability is A-rank, right?" Ikki had previously looked over the information Hei Nai had provided and spoke with some uncertainty.
"Heh~ There are differences even within A-rank."
White Night maintained an even pace, barely even breathing hard as he spoke. "Take Stella, for example. Her Magic Power is nearly thirty times the average, yet it's still A-rank, isn't it? There's no A+ in the rating system."
Ikki and White Night finished the course one after the other, then waited at the finish line for Stella.
After waiting for quite some time, she finally staggered over, with nearly all her strength spent.
"Thanks for the effort, Miss Stella."
"Call me Stella!"
Ikki replenished his water and still looked rather relaxed. As for White Night? He had not even broken a sweat and did not look like he had exercised at all. "Finishing the whole course really isn't easy~"
"Um, Stella, I only run twenty kilometers every day because I'm used to it. Stella doesn't need to force herself to keep me company."
Before you continue