A Girl Burdened with Worries

"Next month's Official Ranking Battle, I'll name you as my challenger."

When those words left Azer's mouth and reached Toudou Kirin's ears, she froze.

"I came to see you not only because I wanted to talk, but also because I wanted to tell you this."

Azer said it without changing expression.

"If I can beat you, your expression probably won't be as heavy as it was just now, right?"

Those words snapped Toudou Kirin out of her rigid state, and she abruptly turned around.

"Senior, you..."

Unfortunately, by the time Toudou Kirin turned around, Azer had already started walking away.

"Prepare yourself properly. Don't say I'm bullying the weak when the time comes."

Leaving those words behind, Azer departed without another glance.

Toudou Kirin was left alone, staring at Azer's receding back as though she wanted to call out to him, yet had no idea what to say.

Only after a while did Toudou Kirin leave, her heart heavy with worries.

The back entrance of the Comprehensive Arena.

This was where Toudou Kirin had exited.

After leaving the arena, she immediately headed to a forest path meant for strolling, where she met someone.

The other person seemed to have come from the Comprehensive Arena as well and was standing not far from the back entrance.

However, he looked as though he had been waiting there for quite some time, his impatience nearly showing.

"Uncle..."

Toudou Kirin called out to him somewhat fearfully.

Considering the difference in their builds, Toudou Kirin truly had reason to fear him.

He appeared to be a man in the prime of his life, with an extremely burly build. Though he wore a suit, his face was fierce enough to make him seem less like a business elite and more like a gangster.

However, the man did not seem to be a Star Vein Generation. There was no trace of Star Power about him at all. Even with his burly build, if it came down to strength, the petite Toudou Kirin could probably take him down in an instant.

Yet despite that, Toudou Kirin approached him in a timid, shrinking manner, as though she were terrified of him.

The man did not soften his fierce demeanor in the slightest just because the girl standing before him was excessively adorable. Looking down at Toudou Kirin, he spoke coldly.

"Why did you take so long? Didn't I tell you to come straight to me as soon as your duel ended?"

That attitude could no longer be called overbearing. It was downright bullying.

"S-sorry." Toudou Kirin lowered her head deeply, her voice equally low as she stammered, "I-I only spoke with Senior for a moment..."

"Senior?" The burly man immediately frowned and asked bluntly, "Which senior? From the Senior High Department?"

"Yes." Toudou Kirin answered honestly. "The one who just defeated the person ranked thirteenth."

"Oh?" The burly man narrowed his eyes. "The one who uses the Black Furnace Magic Sword?"

Toudou Kirin cautiously studied his expression, then nodded almost imperceptibly.

"What did he say to you?"

The burly man pressed her relentlessly.

"He..."

Toudou Kirin hesitated again, looking as though she did not know whether she should say it.

"Speak!" The burly man immediately became irritated. "Are you trying to defy me again? Think about your father!"

Toudou Kirin's delicate body trembled slightly, as though an invisible blade had struck a vital point, and she curled into herself.

"...He said that in next month's Official Ranking Battle, he'll name me as his challenger."

Toudou Kirin forced herself to reveal it.

"What?"

The burly man's expression immediately changed slightly.

This was not good news.

He had been present at the Official Ranking Battle just now, seated in the VIP section on the other side.

Therefore, he had witnessed Azer's duel with his own eyes.

Remembering the power Azer had unleashed at the end, the burly man clicked his tongue.

"He just rose to thirteenth and immediately set his sights on Ranked First? That's why I hate these Star Vein Generation brats!"

As he said this, the burly man seemed to have completely forgotten that the niece standing before him was also one of the Star Vein Generation.

Toudou Kirin appeared long accustomed to it, merely lowering her head even further.

The burly man did not notice, or perhaps he simply did not care even if he had. Once he had composed himself, he spoke to Toudou Kirin.

"This is fine too. At least we already know who your opponent will be in the next Official Ranking Battle."

"Though that kid has some ability, and the Black Furnace Magic Sword cannot be underestimated, one month is enough for us to come up with a countermeasure."

"It's nothing. He's only ranked thirteenth. Even with the Black Furnace Magic Sword, he won't be your match."

The burly man seemed highly confident in Toudou Kirin's strength, while his tone grew increasingly rude.

"When the time comes, get rid of that small fry quickly. Understood?"

Hearing that, Toudou Kirin could not help speaking up.

"Senior isn't some small fry." Toudou Kirin defended him. "His swordsmanship is very strange. He clearly has no fixed techniques, yet he can adapt to the battle and make the most appropriate response. It's so perfect that it almost seems flawless. He's very difficult to..."

Toudou Kirin could not bring herself to say the words "deal with."

"No matter how capable he is, you must win!" The burly man interrupted Toudou Kirin, speaking in a tone that allowed no doubt. "No matter how capable he is, he's only ranked thirteenth. If you lose to someone ranked thirteenth, the evaluation of you will definitely plummet!"

"That is absolutely unacceptable!"

The burly man spoke as though issuing an order.

"I'll gather every piece of information on him. For this month, focus entirely on studying it."

"In the Official Ranking Battle a month from now, deal with him swiftly and decisively. Don't take too long."

"Do you understand?"

Faced with the burly man's nearly unreasonable words, Toudou Kirin lowered her eyes.

"...Yes."

After a long while, Toudou Kirin finally gave her answer in a quiet voice.

Only then did the burly man relax his brow, though his sharp words did not cease.

"Listen carefully, Kirin. You must always remain first."

"Not merely Ranked First at Seidoukan Academy, but an unprecedented first who will go down in history and never be dethroned."

"Only then can I fulfill my ambition, and only then can you fulfill your wish."

The burly man wore an expression mixed with disgust and mockery as he spoke each word distinctly.

"If you want to save your father, you can only listen to me. Understand?"

At those words, Toudou Kirin's body trembled again.

"...Yes, Uncle."

Her answer was still just as difficult, just as quiet.

"Let's go."

The burly man paid Toudou Kirin no further attention and turned to leave.

With steps even heavier than before, Toudou Kirin followed behind him, never once lifting her head.

However, as they passed a fountain, Toudou Kirin inadvertently caught sight of her own reflection in the water.

That face was clearly delicate and adorable, yet it was filled with the look of someone on the verge of tears.

For no apparent reason, Toudou Kirin recalled Azer's words.

"If I can beat you, your expression probably won't be as heavy as it was just now, right?"

For some reason, those words kept echoing in Toudou Kirin's heart.

They refused to fade for a long time...

Night soon fell.

The students of Seidoukan Academy did not seem particularly enthusiastic about nightlife. Perhaps because they still had classes the next day, there was basically no one wandering outside after dark.

This was also related to the curfew.

Once night fell, many places within Seidoukan Academy automatically closed and locked up. Even if students wanted to wander around, they could not.

Of course, if they truly insisted on ignoring the rules, those places might not be able to stop students of the Star Vein Generation.

For example, tonight...

"So this is the place..."

A young man abruptly appeared before a classical building.

That young man was Azer.

Having come here under cover of night, he stood before the building and observed it for quite some time before finally sighing.

"Let's hope everything goes smoothly."

Azer softened his footsteps and slipped toward the classical building—the Girls' Dormitory.