Aoko Aozaki glanced around.
Apart from an old gatekeeper, who was yawning and looking bleary-eyed, there seemed to be no one else around.
Aoko hurried over to Yuan Shikai, grabbed his hand, and immediately pulled him into the school.
Her movements were swift and decisive. Even the old gatekeeper failed to notice them, thinking a gust of wind had swept past.
Aoko led Yuan Shikai behind the staircase on the first floor of the school building.
She pushed Yuan Shikai against the wall, then thrust her right hand past his ear and slammed her palm against it.
Aoko had pinned Yuan Shikai against the wall!
There was no term for that move in this era yet. Otherwise, Aoko probably would have blushed.
Aoko Aozaki: "You jerk! You disappeared again without a word. School started almost two months ago, and you finally decided to show up? What do you take this place for?"
Yuan Shikai: "I didn't want to, either. There was a world waiting for me to save it, and it was the kind that couldn't manage without me."
Aoko Aozaki: "Don't try to fool me with that excuse. If you're so capable, take me along."
Yuan Shikai teased, "You were already involved. Why would I need to take you along?"
Aoko Aozaki: "See? You're always saying things that make no sense. I spent the whole summer having fun at Himeji Castle."
Yuan Shikai: "Himeji Castle, you say!"
Yuan Shikai thought of his final battle with Crimson Moon. He would need to find some new allies.
The monsters at Himeji Castle were an excellent choice.
Although the monsters' strength had been weakened in the Tsukihime World timeline, they were still formidable.
Greater Monsters such as Ibuki-Douji, Shuten-Douji, and Tamamo-no-Mae remained very powerful and could form a considerable fighting force.
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