By the time she finished training with Little Rabbit, the sky above the training hall had already turned a hazy orange.
Su Youzi waited until Little Rabbit was so exhausted she could barely crawl before, with particular malice... on the "Operator Cultivation" screen, she tapped "Cultivate" on the Chibi Figure of Saotome Yukina, who had collapsed into a heap with an adorably dazed expression (×﹏×).
"Eee..."
It was an incredibly cute sound.
Even though she had been too exhausted to do anything but collapse onto the ground, the girl suddenly clenched her toes. Her adorable little feet curled up almost convulsively, and she sat up in one motion like she was doing a sit-up.
The Little Rabbit hugged her thighs, her head buried between her knees, while her snow-colored hair trembled softly.
Saotome Yukina's hair was a beautiful snow color.
The ends of her snow-colored hair were dyed a very, very faint sky blue, like dreamy bubbles.
When it trembled lightly, a small lock of that sky blue could be seen peeking out.
However, according to the setting...
This was an expression of the girl's potential as the "Dragon King."
It was not the result of careful dyeing.
Su Youzi crouched down in front of Saotome Yukina, gently pried open her clenched little hand, and softly held the girl's excessively delicate hand. Her fingertips slipped between Yukina's fingers, and the two tightly clasped hands with their fingers interlaced.
"Yukina."
Saotome Yukina, who had bitten her lower lip tightly, looked up.
The girl's watery blue eyes were misty.
The Goddess of Destiny's "Grace" had come so abruptly that the girl, who had just finished training and was utterly exhausted, had not been prepared at all.
In terms of dishevelment... she was no less miserable than Kujo Ryuko that morning.
Hearing Senpai call her by name, the Little Rabbit's shame and embarrassment were almost instantly tossed aside.
Her glistening blue eyes stared straight at Su Youzi.
"Yukina has already done wonderfully."
"Compared to most girls of the Healing Type... Yukina is already very strong."
"On the battlefield, if Yukina were there as a shield, we'd definitely be very lucky."
And that was indeed the case.
Saotome Yukina's talent, "Dragon King," could do more than spray water. In the game, it also granted the "superpowers" to alter the environment and bring good luck.
Good luck--
Just those two words alone were enough for Saotome Yukina to replace many six-star medics.
To become the foundation of a team.
"Re... really?" Her wet eyes fixed intently on Su Youzi's.
"Mm." Su Youzi nodded very seriously.
"I... I'll keep working hard!"
[Ding--] [Encouragement: Saotome Yukina's Affection +1] [Received Affection Boost Reward: Rose Scented Candy.] [Rose Scented Candy: Candy with the scent of roses. Charm +2 when kissing.] [Ding--] [Saotome Yukina's Affection: 59 "Favor" → 60 "Dependence (Severe)."] [Received Affection Promotion Reward: Talent—Dragon King (Fake).] [...] [Congratulations, you have unlocked a new achievement: Juggling Two Boats (?).] [...]
Su Youzi almost spat out an actual mouthful of water.
The only talent she had obtained from Saotome Yukina was "Dragon King (Fake)." She had gained none of the abilities to alter the environment or bring good luck.
At the moment, she could probably only extend her hand and spray a little water to entertain everyone.
Hiding the twitching corner of her eye, Su Youzi tightened her grip on Saotome Yukina's little hand and gently stroked the girl's soft short hair.
"Alright~"
"Go take a shower in the changing room first and put on your uniform."
"I'll take you to eat."
Hearing Su Youzi's words, Saotome Yukina seemed to remember something. The tips of the girl's ears turned a scorching crimson.
"Yes!!!"
The Little Rabbit staggered to her feet, then fled in a panic.
Su Youzi slowly rose.
Kujo Ryuko slowly walked over to her. "She really likes you."
Her scarlet eyes watched Saotome Yukina's unsteady, weakening steps. "Just seeing you is enough for her to suppress the soreness in her muscles with her ability and keep swinging that bamboo staff."
"I know..." Su Youzi slowly lowered her head and looked at the hand that had just been holding Saotome Yukina's.
Then she raised her head and smiled.
"Little Rabbit... is a really wonderful girl."
Su Youzi took Little Rabbit and Kujo Ryuko to the Chinese restaurant inside the school.
Even if feeding Little Rabbit a Strawberry Cream Crepe could directly raise her Affection, they... couldn't really eat dessert as a meal.
Besides~ it would make her gain weight.
The Chinese restaurant happened to offer food that both Saotome Yukina and Kujo Ryuko could accept.
Kujo Ryuko loved spicy food.
Little Rabbit liked sweet-and-sour flavors.
Su Youzi remembered all the girls' preferences.
Watching Little Rabbit try the Mapo Tofu in front of Kujo Ryuko and become so spicy that tears nearly streamed down her face, Su Youzi silently pushed the milk in front of her over.
Mm--
She had expected this.
It was just that... what Little Rabbit cared about clearly wasn't the milk itself.
Rather--
Hadn't Senpai... drunk this milk before?
Her throat unconsciously bobbed as she swallowed, and Saotome Yukina's gaze involuntarily fell on the girl's glistening lip pearl beneath the restaurant lights.
Holding the glass of milk in both hands, her snow-colored long hair trembled faintly.
"Thanks for the meal--"
In every sense of the phrase.
After dinner, at the fork between the Healing Type dormitory and the Assault Department dormitory, Saotome Yukina waved hard as she said goodbye to Su Youzi.
Kujo Ryuko stood in the shadows beside Su Youzi.
Quiet and silent.
Her task was merely to use Su Youzi as bait, then--
To slaughter every member of the "Eye of Insight" sect who came attacking.
Not... to bite the bait herself.
Kujo Ryuko shook her head and recalled the nature of the "Eye of Insight" sect.
Although she did not know why the sect had set its sights on Su Youzi,
the sect's existence was like a parasite burrowed into bone. Once it had targeted Su Youzi, it would absolutely never let go.
Based on Kujo Ryuko's experience,
their appearances were like a swarm of insects.
Once they began attacking, the attacks would continue like a violent storm, one wave after another.
They would never stop before the sect members in a district were completely wiped out or... they achieved their goal.
But--
Something was strange.
Guangzheng District had been far too quiet these past few days.
It was so quiet that the attack that day seemed like nothing more than an accident.
"By the way~ Senior Kujo."
With her hands behind her back, Su Youzi looked at Kujo Ryuko standing in the shadows.
The scarlet eyes lifted.
"If you have time..."
"Could you go see a movie with me?"
"A... movie?" Kujo Ryuko looked somewhat bewildered.
Why didn't the girl ask that Little Rabbit to see a movie with her?
Besides, wasn't it too dangerous to watch a movie at this hour?
"Can you~?" Su Youzi flashed the movie tickets on her phone.
She clasped her hands together and made a pleading gesture toward Kujo Ryuko.
Kujo Ryuko frowned. There were countless reasons in her heart to refuse. And then--
"Alright."
There were ten thousand reasons to refuse.
But the reason to agree... only needed to be one.
Before you continue