Things Will Be Different

Seidoukan Academy, Girls' Dormitory.

Toudou Kirin entered an unusually spacious room.

"...I'm back."

There was no one in the room, yet Toudou Kirin still said it out of habit, as though doing so could dispel some of the loneliness in her heart.

As a girl of only thirteen who had not even managed to shake off that verbal habit, Toudou Kirin possessed the determination to save her father, but everything she currently bore inevitably placed immense pressure on her.

Her uncle's overbearing attitude...

Her lack of companions...

The challenges she had to face at every moment as the Ranked First...

All of these weighed upon Toudou Kirin's young heart. Whenever she returned to this room with no one else in it, she felt lonely and miserable.

But today might have been a little different.

"Senior Azer..."

Lying sprawled across her bed, Toudou Kirin kept recalling what he had said. Her thoughts were a complete mess.

She could not even remember what she had done or said afterward. She had simply followed behind him in a daze all the way back to Seidoukan Academy. They had only parted after he escorted her into the Girls' Dormitory.

What did Senior mean, exactly?

Toudou Kirin had wanted to ask that question countless times.

At first glance, Azer's final words did not sound kind at all.

After all, he wanted her to fall from her pedestal and see her wish shattered. That was absolutely not something to be happy about.

At the very least, if her uncle had heard those words, he would surely have flown into a rage.

Yet for some reason, Toudou Kirin simply could not feel upset.

On the contrary, she herself did not understand why hearing those words had stirred a faint sense of anticipation within her.

It was as though someone had suddenly offered her a hand after she had already sunk deep into a mire...

What was he planning to do?

What was he thinking?

Why had he said something like that?

One question after another filled Toudou Kirin's heart, leaving her unable to think about anything else.

Until—

"Beep!"

A Spatial Window suddenly appeared before Toudou Kirin.

"..."

Looking at the pitch-black window waiting for her to connect, Toudou Kirin pressed her lips together slightly, reluctant to answer the call.

Not only because she knew very well who was contacting her, but also because she truly did not want to hear that person's voice right now and have her thoughts thrown into further turmoil.

Unfortunately, Toudou Kirin also knew that she was still incapable of defying her uncle's will.

Suppressing her emotions, Toudou Kirin tapped the window and accepted the call.

Meanwhile, Azer had just escorted Toudou Kirin back to her dormitory and had yet to return to his own residence when he opened the nominated challenge page for the Official Ranking Battle.

"Nominated challenge, Ranked First."

Azer found Toudou Kirin's name and tapped it without hesitation.

It was still early, with more than two weeks remaining until the next Official Ranking Battle, but since he had made up his mind, Azer would not hesitate any longer.

After finishing, Azer closed the window before him and headed toward the Underground Vault.

However, before Azer reached his destination, a call came through.

"President?"

Seeing the beautiful face appearing in the window, Azer was somewhat surprised.

"Good afternoon, Azer."

Claudia appeared to be contacting Azer from the Student Council Office. A vast glass wall could be seen behind her, while her face bore the same mature smile as always.

"I heard Yulis invited you all out. Did you have fun?"

Claudia said this with a soft laugh.

"It was fine. We just had a meal," Azer answered honestly, then smiled as well. "It's a shame you didn't come, President."

"It couldn't be helped. This season's Star Martial Festival is about to begin, so my workload has been growing lately." Claudia said, though it was unclear whether she truly felt regretful. "If I could, I would have liked to go too. I just don't know whether Yulis would have been happy about it."

"That sounds rough." Azer offered some perfunctory sympathy before saying, "You didn't contact me specifically to ask about that, did you?"

"Why couldn't I have?" Claudia tilted her head. "Everyone went out happily for a meal together while I was stuck working in the Student Council Office. Can't I ask how much fun you had?"

Claudia said this with the same smile, making it seem as though she were deliberately joking.

Yet for some reason, Azer felt that her smile was a little forced, and he could vaguely glimpse a hint of resentment beneath it...

...No way, right?

"...If you're interested, shall I invite you next time?"

Azer asked tentatively.

To his surprise, Claudia froze slightly, and the smile on her face became a little more genuine.

"Would Azer be inviting me?" Claudia smiled, seemingly with a mischievous streak. "Would it be just the two of us? Or would you invite others as well?"

Azer gave a dry laugh, unexpectedly at a loss for how to answer that question.

He found it rather strange.

It felt as though this Student Council President's attitude toward him had changed somewhat...?

"All right, I'll stop teasing you."

Just as Azer was beginning to feel odd, Claudia withdrew her smile and became more serious.

"Are you really planning to challenge Toudou in the next Official Ranking Battle?"

Claudia had already received the news.

Still, Azer was not surprised.

After all, Claudia was the Student Council President of Seidoukan Academy. It was only natural that she would immediately learn that Azer had issued a nominated challenge to Toudou Kirin.

Before long, the news would spread quickly. By then, the entire Seidoukan Academy would likely know that Azer had challenged Toudou Kirin by name.

That would certainly cause quite a stir.

Thinking this, Azer answered Claudia's question without changing his expression.

"I am indeed planning to do that." Azer smiled at Claudia. "Do you think I'm overestimating myself, President?"

Not long ago, Azer had merely been an unknown nobody outside the rankings.

Although he had defeated the former thirteenth-ranked fighter in the last Official Ranking Battle, proving that he possessed strength on the level of Page One's Twelve, he had only just begun to make a name for himself before immediately challenging the academy's strongest fighter. Without a doubt, many would think Azer had become arrogant and failed to recognize the limits of his own strength.

Under such circumstances, Claudia's immediate inquiry upon hearing the news clearly carried such concerns as well.

"Toudou is very strong," Claudia said bluntly. "Though she is only a first-year student in the Middle School Department, Toudou's strength is no exaggeration. She is absolutely among the academy's very best."

"Even with the Black Furnace Magic Sword, the level of strength you displayed in the last Official Ranking Battle would not be enough to defeat Toudou."

"Even knowing that, do you still intend to challenge Toudou?"

Claudia asked quite seriously, but Azer's expression did not change.

It was not as though he had never seen Toudou Kirin fight. Even if he had not seen it in person, it was enough to understand just how formidable she was.

Therefore, Azer knew that Claudia was not exaggerating.

With the strength he had displayed during the last Official Ranking Battle, he might have been able to deal with an ordinary member of Page One's Twelve. Even against Yulis, who was ranked fifth, he was confident of victory. But against Toudou Kirin, he really would be outmatched.

Even the Original Protagonist had lost to her once after removing his seal. Even with the Black Furnace Magic Sword, whether Azer could win was truly hard to say.

Of course...

"That was before." Azer spoke very calmly. "By the time the next Official Ranking Battle arrives, everything will be different."

"...Is that so?" Claudia stared directly at Azer. After a while, she smiled and said, "Then I'll look forward to seeing your performance when the time comes."

Azer said nothing, merely nodding as he continued toward the Underground Vault.

Time passed swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Official Ranking Battle arrived.

On that day, the Comprehensive Arena became exceptionally lively once more.

As expected, news of Azer's nominated challenge against Toudou Kirin had spread, heating up this Official Ranking Battle.