Make You Fall from Grace

Why had he specifically challenged Toudou Kirin?

That question was actually somewhat unnecessary.

"You're Ranked First." Azer smiled as though it were only natural. "Who in the academy wouldn't want to take down Ranked First and sit there themselves?"

This concerned not only fame and status, but tangible benefits as well.

In the short term, those at the top of the rankings enjoyed privileges within the academy. The privileges of Page One's Twelve were especially outrageous, and there was no need to mention those of Ranked First. The special bonus issued every month alone was enough to ensure a life without worries over food or clothing. Who wouldn't be tempted?

In the long term, those at the top of the rankings could enjoy more or less favorable conditions when participating in world-class competitive events like the Star Martial Festival, and their exposure would increase enormously. The potential profits to be uncovered there were beyond what ordinary people could imagine, especially for an academy's Ranked First.

Therefore, everyone wanted to challenge the position of Ranked First, and they could find countless reasons to do so.

How could Toudou Kirin, the person actually sitting in that position, not understand that?

But...

"Senior doesn't care about those things, does he?"

Toudou Kirin spoke with unusual seriousness.

"Oh?" Azer raised a brow and said with interest, "Why do you think that?"

"Because Senior isn't that kind of person."

There was rare certainty in Toudou Kirin's voice.

"You're pretty confident about that, aren't you?"

Azer's teasing remark made Toudou Kirin a little embarrassed.

"Because Senior said something like that before."

Toudou Kirin muttered softly.

"What did I say?"

Azer pressed.

Toudou Kirin hesitated for a while before speaking in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Senior said that if you could beat me, my expression wouldn't be so heavy anymore..."

Clearly, Toudou Kirin had kept those words in her heart all this time.

What Toudou Kirin truly wanted to ask Azer was not why he had specifically challenged her, but why he had said those words.

It had undoubtedly given Toudou Kirin an illusion.

The illusion that he had specifically challenged her for her sake.

Azer did not deny it. He merely smiled faintly and continued walking forward.

Toudou Kirin quickly caught up and walked beside Azer, constantly sneaking glances at his expression.

The little girl was very patient—or perhaps she had already exhausted all her courage and did not dare ask a second time.

Under those circumstances, Azer simply walked onward, his gaze fixed ahead.

"I actually know a fair bit about you."

As if speaking to himself, Azer said something that made Toudou Kirin's body stiffen.

Azer acted as though he had not noticed and continued.

"Your uncle is called Toudou Kouichirou. He works for Galaxy, the Integrated Enterprise Foundation that operates Seidoukan Academy."

"He is the director of the Seventh Guidance Investigation Office under the Integrated Entertainment Business Headquarters, responsible for overseeing human resources-related departments in the Far East District."

"The Guidance Investigation Office is the department that effectively manages Seidoukan Academy's human resources agents, and it is closely connected to Star Martial Festival results. As such, he possesses considerable authority."

"But he isn't satisfied with that. He wants a higher position."

"So he has done everything he could to exploit you."

Ignoring Toudou Kirin's increasingly shaken expression, Azer continued.

"The Integrated Entertainment Business Department is also a department highly valued by Galaxy's top executive division. If Toudou Kouichirou, as a high-ranking member of that department, could personally cultivate a Star Martial Festival contestant capable of going down in history, then he might have a chance to become one of the headquarters' upper ranks."

"To that end, he exploited you. When you enrolled, he arranged your duel opponent for you, had you become one of Page One's Twelve, and made you specifically challenge the previous Ranked First in your first month's Official Ranking Battle. You defeated her and reached the top of Seidoukan Academy."

"After that, nearly all of your duel opponents and schedule were under Toudou Kouichirou's control. To keep you firmly in the position of Ranked First, he constantly devised strategies for you and provided intelligence on your opponents. His goal was to make you an unprecedented number one and continuously raise his own standing."

"In other words, you didn't take the position of Ranked First because you wanted it." Azer did not stop walking, but his gaze returned to Toudou Kirin. "Am I wrong?"

Toudou Kirin fell silent.

"...It seems Senior already knows my situation very well."

Toudou Kirin spoke softly, her expression dim.

"Not really," Azer said. "At least, I don't know why you obey him so completely."

That was a lie.

Azer knew better than anyone why Toudou Kirin was willing to obey an uncle who imposed such harsh demands on her, hated her, and controlled her.

Because Toudou Kirin wanted to save her father.

"...When I was eight, my father went to prison because of a crime."

Toudou Kirin's lips trembled slightly. Before Azer's surprised eyes, she easily revealed her secret.

"At the time, Father took me to a shop, where we encountered robbers."

"I... I was careless and got caught by the robbers, becoming their hostage."

"To save me, Father..."

Toudou Kirin's voice grew quieter and quieter until almost no one could hear the words "killed them," easily swallowed by the surrounding clamor.

"I want to save Father."

Only those words were spoken by Toudou Kirin with exceptional clarity and determination.

"That's why I came here, to this city."

This was the place closest to Toudou Kirin's wish.

"Uncle is amazing. By himself, he managed to suppress Father's case. As long as his position rises and he gains more power, he can help Father break free from prison."

This was not wishful thinking.

Azer knew full well that in his previous life, such things as manipulating the law, wielding power, and turning right into wrong with a wave of one's hand had been commonplace. That was even more true in this world.

With the arrival of the Starfall Rain, this world's existing systems had long since collapsed. In their place had arisen new economic entities like the Integrated Enterprise Foundations.

In other words, the Integrated Enterprise Foundations were the rulers of this world.

It was precisely because the world's rulers had become economic entities known as "foundations" that economic development had been able to recover so quickly.

Yet correspondingly, in order to stimulate economic growth, these Integrated Enterprise Foundations would stop at nothing.

The birth of the Star Martial Festival was meant to stimulate economic development; it was a method for the Integrated Enterprise Foundations to rake in enormous wealth.

For the Star Martial Festival, and for their own development, they had built this city and gathered Star Vein Generation from all over the world, making them fight desperately on this stage.

To attract the Star Vein Generation, they had also promised all kinds of benefits, the most enticing of which was the Star Martial Festival.

They promised that any contestant who won the Star Martial Festival could make one wish of them.

For that wish, all Six Integrated Enterprise Foundations would lend their strength to help make it come true.

Because of this, the competition among the six academies was so intense that even dark acts such as ambushes, schemes, and murder occurred.

If Toudou Kouichirou could become an executive of Galaxy, getting someone out of prison would be as easy as turning his hand over.

That was why Toudou Kirin obeyed Toudou Kouichirou.

But...

"His attitude toward the niece who can help him climb the ranks is rather awful." Azer spoke calmly. "I heard that he seems to beat and scold you at the slightest provocation. The incident with Princess was the same. Since you helped her, he must have scolded you quite badly, right?"

Otherwise, Toudou Kirin would not have been in such poor condition those past few days.

"...It can't be helped."

Toudou Kirin lowered her head and said those words.

After all, she had disobeyed him.

After all, she had helped a competitor.

"Yes, it can't be helped."

Azer's expression remained calm.

Then he said this.

"Then specifically challenging you was the right thing to do."

Azer's words made Toudou Kirin raise her head again.

"Senior...?"

Toudou Kirin stared blankly at Azer.

Looking at her like that, Azer smiled.

"Just wait."

Azer's voice rang out, calm and clear.

"I'll make you fall from grace and shatter his unrealistic fantasy."