Chapter 47

She discovered the scene of Kageyama Sora holding Fukuji Mihoko in his arms to comfort her.

She couldn't help but recall the terrible things Kageyama Sora had done to her in that abandoned warehouse, as well as the shyness and embarrassment she felt whenever she dreamed of that day, night after night.

Jealousy?

Was she jealous of the Club President, or was she jealous of Kageyama Sora?

Or perhaps, was she jealous of both?

Ikeda Kana couldn't put a name to her feelings for a moment, but she felt that everything about this was absolutely terrible.

Yet, all those emotions vanished the moment she saw the tears in Fukuji Mihoko's eyes...

So, the Club President had been under such immense pressure all this time...

No, it would be more accurate to say that she had always known the Club President was under great pressure, but since she had no way to change the situation, she could only work harder and harder.

But no matter how hard she tried, she fundamentally couldn't change the pressure that the Club President had to endure.

Everyone's incompetence had brought such heavy pressure upon the Club President...

Ikeda Kana trembled slightly. At this moment, jealousy or love didn't matter anymore; her mind was filled with only one thought: when it was her turn to compete, she absolutely, absolutely had to win.

She couldn't let the Club President be sad; she absolutely had to qualify, and she absolutely had to make it to the National Tournament.

Chapter 105: The Ability of Haramura Nodoka

The fluorescent lights in the hallway flickered above the two of them, and the warmth of the embrace still lingered on Kageyama Sora's fingertips.

After a brief moment of solace, the two hurried off to their respective duties, leaving only Ikeda Kana, who had witnessed the scene, to lock the secret away in her eyes, her clenched fists signaling her determination to prove herself at the mahjong table.

The smoke of battle rose once again on the second half's mahjong table.

Kageyama Sora curled up on the sofa in the Ryumonbuchi High School lounge, his eyes fixed intently on the large screen.

On the screen, Ryumonbuchi Toka was neatly stacking her tiles, her golden hair and ahoge swaying gently with her movements, the corners of her mouth curled into a confident arc.

With a nimble flick of her fingers, she drew a tile, and with a crisp "snap," she slammed her riichi stick onto the table: "Riichi! This round is mine!"

Just then, a chilling aura seemed to pierce through the screen.

Toyoko Momoko's long, straight black hair hung down, obscuring half of her face. Her deep eyes reflected the tiles on the table, and her parted lips whispered like a ghost: "Are you sure you want to declare riichi? This is a dora, after all... Ron..."

She deliberately drew out the final syllable like a viper flicking its tongue: "Riichi, ippatsu, one dora, 5200 points."

Ryumonbuchi Toka whipped her head around, her almond-shaped eyes wide with shock.

The next second, the clatter of another player pushing over their tile wall made one's eardrums ache—she had dealt into a riichi opponent yet again!

"I'm asking you, are you actually playing this game seriously?!" Ryumonbuchi Toka demanded in disbelief.

Toyoko Momoko merely tilted her head, a faint, elusive smile playing on her lips: "I am."

Her calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if dealing into the opponent was exactly what she had expected.

The lounge instantly erupted into chaos.

Inoue Jun bolted up from her chair, her short silver hair disheveled from the movement: "She dealt into someone who already declared riichi without any defense again! How is this possible?!"

Kunihiro Hajime gripped her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning white: "Toka, what on earth is going on..."

Beyond the Ryumonbuchi High School lounge, other schools were also filled with confusion; it was hard to understand how a master like Ryumonbuchi Toka could make the same mistake twice.

No, she shouldn't have made a mistake the first time.

Amidst the chorus of gasps and worries, in the Kiyosumi High School lounge, Takei Hisa rested her chin on one hand, lost in thought: "Could it be that the perspective of those playing on the field is different from what we see through the live broadcast!?"

Kageyama Sora voiced a similar sentiment to Takei Hisa, adding: "Don't forget, Toka kept saying just now that she didn't notice the opponent had declared riichi at all."

Inoue Jun looked bewildered: "That shouldn't be right. We're watching the live stream here, and we clearly saw that girl draw, play, and declare riichi... and she didn't exactly do it quietly."

Kageyama Sora's expression was grave: "Perhaps the reality is that what is seen during the match is different from what is experienced. With someone like Amae Koromo having such abilities, it wouldn't be strange for others to have all sorts of bizarre powers."

His thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Toyoko Momoko, the mysterious aura surrounding her, and that sentence filled with surprise: "You can actually see me?"

"Could it be that this Toyoko Momoko has some kind of invisibility ability??" Kageyama Sora suddenly spoke up, startling everyone into looking at him in unison.

Kunihiro Hajime frowned, her eyes filled with worry: "If that really is her ability, then Toka is in real trouble... There are so many hidden talents this year."

Just then, on the screen, Toyoko Momoko discarded a 2-pin.

Kageyama Sora's pupils contracted—that was the exact tile Haramura Nodoka was waiting for! The pink-haired, blue-eyed girl pushed her tiles forward with elegance and decisiveness: "Ron, 8000 points."

Toyoko Momoko's expression froze instantly, her pale face filled with disbelief, as if all the life had been drained out of her.

Kunihiro Hajime murmured: "Could I have guessed wrong? It's not an invisibility ability... that's why Haramura Nodoka was able to win."

"No, it must be an invisibility ability," Kageyama Sora said, clenching his fists with certainty. "That's why she was so reckless in dealing into others; she must have assumed Haramura Nodoka wouldn't win, but Haramura Nodoka did. That's why she's so shocked and incredulous. Look, even Toyoko Momoko's aura is in disarray."

Amae Koromo, who had been as quiet as a statue, suddenly spoke, her ethereal voice sending a shiver through the room: "Are you saying that Haramura Nodoka's ability surpasses that of the invisible girl?"

The lounge fell into an eerie silence, with only the hum of the air conditioner becoming increasingly clear in the quiet.

Meanwhile, in the Kiyosumi High School lounge, a similar analysis was taking place.

Kataoka Yuki looked incredulous, jumping to her feet: "The opponent played a dangerous tile herself, but she had such a shocked expression."

"Perhaps, from her perspective, this was an impossible outcome," Takei Hisa, who had discovered the clue first, chuckled. Her uneasy heart gradually settled; it seemed Haramura Nodoka had not been affected.

On the match floor, Toyoko Momoko looked at Haramura Nodoka with an incredulous expression: "You actually saw my discards? You shouldn't have been able to see them, right!?"

Haramura Nodoka, her cheeks flushed, looked completely bewildered: "There's no such thing as a supernatural phenomenon where I can or cannot see... I can see them clearly..."

This simple exchange effectively confirmed the suspicions held by Kageyama Sora and Hisa Takei.

This also made Kageyama Sora realize something rather belatedly.

Back during the training camp, the training content Hisa Takei had given Haramura Nodoka was to focus on not being disturbed by the outside world, and as time went on, Haramura Nodoka, who always held her penguin, had indeed improved.

When playing mahjong, her field of vision was so concentrated that it was just like playing online mahjong—in short, nothing around her could affect her judgment, making her incredibly steady.

Even Amae Koromo's ability could be guarded against and resisted.

And this ability was naturally effective against Toyoko Momoko.

That was why, when Toyoko Momoko thought she had activated her ability, it was completely ignored, and she was hit with a winning hand.

She was simply the absolute nemesis for these guys with their strange abilities and flashy playstyles.

Kageyama Sora couldn't help but reveal a faint smile: "I don't know who to call the supernatural phenomenon at this point, or perhaps, is Nodoka's supernatural ability even stronger?"

To this, Kunihiro Hajime couldn't help but retort: "That look of pride you have is way too obvious; if Ryumonbuchi Toka sees it, she's definitely going to explode again."

Meanwhile, Amae Koromo's face wore an expression of near-excitement: "It's just like what Toka said before, once you go to a bigger place to play mahjong, you'll meet more and more interesting people. It's really... getting more and more exciting... Will I also meet... the same kind of opponents!??"

Chapter 106: The Restricted Toyoko Momoko

The match continued.

Everything started to get strange from the moment Haramura Nodoka won off Toyoko Momoko's discard.

Because of Toyoko Momoko's incredible reaction after dealing into Haramura Nodoka, it proved that Toyoko Momoko's own ability was invisibility, and Haramura Nodoka happened to be a player capable of breaking that ability.

Toyoko Momoko's miraculous methods not only failed to make Haramura Nodoka lose, but instead made Haramura Nodoka's ability even more prominent—or as Ryumonbuchi Toka put it, even more eye-catching.

However... it is worth mentioning that after her ability was broken by Haramura Nodoka, Toyoko Momoko didn't give up in despair or anything of the sort.

Her face, which had always worn a gloomy expression, actually showed a hint of pleasure.

Through the live broadcast, one could clearly hear her whisper: "In that case, I can only rely on my true strength to fight..."

Haramura Nodoka, likewise, did not waver, determined to keep winning.

On the contrary, Ryumonbuchi Toka's expression was quite serious; she was unwilling to lose like this—or rather, she was unwilling to have it end before she had become the center of attention.

But unfortunately, the one who won the final hand was the player from Kazekoshi Girls' High School.

And so, the vice-captain match came to an end.

Immediately following was the male announcer's commentary on the match:

[The second half of the vice-captain match has concluded, and it completely turned into a one-on-one duel between Toyoko Momoko of Tsuruga Academy and Haramura Nodoka of Kiyosumi High School. Of course, Ryumonbuchi High School and Kazekoshi Girls' High School also exerted themselves in the latter half, and in the end, there was no overwhelming point gap.]

[The one topping the leaderboard for the vice-captain match remains Haramura Nodoka of Kiyosumi High School; her steady, data-driven playstyle is the only highlight of this tournament.]

Sure enough, accompanied by the praise for Haramura Nodoka, Ryumonbuchi Toka went from soul-draining despair to a complete breakdown. She stood up and looked at Haramura Nodoka's back: "Haramura Nodoka! Wait for me to settle this next time we meet!"

As it turned out... because her breakdown lasted too long, Haramura Nodoka had already walked out of the competition area and successfully met up with the ones who came to pick her up... Miyanaga Saki and Kageyama Sora.

It is worth mentioning that Kageyama Sora had originally wanted to pick up Ryumonbuchi Toka as well, but he found his path blocked by Toyoko Momoko.

In the hallway, Kageyama Sora saw Toyoko Momoko standing not far away at a glance.

Recalling the accident from their last meeting, Kageyama Sora already understood Toyoko Momoko's thoughts.

Perhaps due to nature or some other reason, Toyoko Momoko's presence was very low, making her hard to notice.

She had applied this ability to mahjong, which led to her becoming a player with a special ability—and from the moment she started using it, one could also analyze that this ability was something she could control herself.

Yet he, Kageyama Sora, could easily see her after she activated her ability, which made Toyoko Momoko very concerned—that was why she stopped him after the match.

However... regardless, she was a cute girl after all.

Thus, Kageyama Sora said quite naturally: "The match just now was wonderful, that's a very impressive ability."

The overhead light in the hallway buzzed above their heads, casting mottled light and shadows.

Toyoko Momoko's hanging hair looked like dried tear stains, and her deep green eyes rippled in the shadows.

Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the hem of her school uniform, and the corner of her clothing, stained with half a withered leaf, trembled with her subtle movements, "Do you... really think it's impressive?"

The end of her sentence hung in mid-air like a startled butterfly.

This reaction was somewhat unexpected. Kageyama Sora had previously felt that Toyoko Momoko was the type of little girl who was good at using her ability to achieve her goals, with a bit of dark, ghostly mischief, but now she seemed somewhat fragile.

However... he, Kageyama Sora, would never let a girl be sad!(!???)

Kageyama Sora took half a step forward, the light sound of his shoes grinding against the floor tiles exceptionally clear in the silence.

The faint mist around the girl twisted slightly as he approached, like the surface of disturbed water.

"An opponent who can make Haramura Nodoka get serious is, of course, not simple... and Toka too... they are all true experts." Kageyama Sora's intentionally softened voice hid a smile, but he inexplicably held his breath when he caught sight of Momoko's eyelashes trembling violently.

Momoko suddenly chuckled, the sound leaking through her fingers like a shattered silver bell, carrying a hint of neurotic excitement: "But I was seen through, wasn't I..."

She suddenly leaned in close, her warm breath brushing against Kageyama Sora's ear, and the scent of her hair sweeping across the tip of his nose made him feel dazed: "It's clear that no one has ever been able to see me, being ignored and overlooked... it's clear that only the Club President was willing to see me... but today I met so many interesting people, and interesting things..."

The end of her sentence gradually blurred into a murmur, yet it sent fine shivers across Kageyama Sora's neck.

Too close, Kageyama Sora thought to himself.

However, he did not back away.

"Isn't that what makes it more interesting?" Kageyama Sora braced his hand against the wall, trapping her in the narrow space between them.

He noticed the blush rapidly climbing up the tips of Toyoko Momoko's ears, and the eyes hidden behind her cascading hair were now flickering with a dangerous yet alluring light: "Competing with true strength—your eyes are practically glowing when you say that."

The air suddenly grew thick and viscous. Toyoko's fingertips hovered near Kageyama Sora's cuff, but in the end, they only lightly hooked onto a button.

"You are very special," she suddenly spoke, her voice so low it was almost a whisper: "I'm starting to care about you..."

As her words faded, the transparent ripples faintly shimmering around them suddenly intensified, and the sound of footsteps at the end of the hallway became blurred and indistinct amidst the fluctuations.

Kageyama Sora felt his throat tighten, yet he still forced a smile: "Should I feel honored, then?" His thumb unconsciously rubbed over Toyoko's wrist bone, feeling the warmth radiating from the skin beneath his touch: "Or are you planning to use this method... to make me care about you even more?"

Toyoko Momoko's face turned crimson, but she pulled her wrist away from Kageyama Sora.

It was only because a familiar call echoed from the end of the hallway, forcing Toyoko Momoko to leave—it was the Club President calling for her.

The Club President who had the next match, the Club President who had once shouted that she needed her...

"There is someone very important who needs me..." Toyoko Momoko looked up, her cheeks still flushed with heat. Her ear tips were bright red, yet she forced herself to remain calm and curled her lips into a smile: "We will meet again... Kageyama Sora, I am looking forward to our next meeting."

Without waiting for Kageyama Sora to react, she turned and ran off, leaving behind a series of hurried footsteps and a faint, lingering scent in the air.

Kageyama Sora watched the direction in which the girl had disappeared, the warmth still burning on his fingertips.

However, he also had someone important to see, and he didn't have time to waste.

With that, he ran toward where Haramura Nodoka was...

Watching me win with Nodoka

The results after the Vice-General Battle placed Kiyosumi High School in first, followed closely by Tsuruga Academy in second, Ryumonbuchi High School in third, and Kazekoshi Girls' High School in fourth.

At the same time, the male announcer's commentary came through:

[The two top schools from last year have been completely suppressed by two unknown new schools; the final outcome will be decided in the General Battle.]