Who Isn't a Herrscher

The match began with Kirimura Seiya summoning his emerald green longbow Spirit Armor first.

"Oh! Kirimura-san has summoned his Spirit Armor first. That... wait! The match has started, and Toudo-san still hasn't summoned his Device! Is he nervous because it's his first public tournament?"

Kirimura Seiya watched Luo Mio warily. Seeing that he made no move, Kirimura immediately unleashed his Blade Dance Technique, "Hunter's Forest."

A vast forest instantly covered the entire arena.

"Kirimura-san, seeing his opponent make no move, immediately used his technique, Hunter's Forest!"

Then, Kirimura Seiya's figure vanished from the arena.

"Kirimura-san has disappeared from the stage! With such a troublesome ability, without a wide-range attack technique, there's no way to deal with him!"

In the shadows of the forest, the hunter silently raised his bow towards his prey!

"And Toudo Touka-san, ever since the hunter's figure disappeared from the stage, he's been standing still, still showing no reaction! He hasn't even summoned his Device! Why is that!"

Luo Mio looked at the dense leaves and branches surrounding him.

If it were anyone else, it would indeed be a troublesome ability.

However...

Then, Luo Mio's lips curled into a smile, and he tilted his head!

Swish!

A swift green light shot past the right side of Luo Mio's head!

"What!" Kirimura Seiya, hiding in the shadows, exclaimed in shock.

Why?! Why could he sense it!?

"What! Kirimura-san's hidden attack was dodged by Toudo-san with a slight head tilt!"

Then, countless green arrows shot towards Luo Mio from all directions!

But Luo Mio had no intention of dodging, standing still.

Yet, as the green arrows reached Luo Mio's face, they seemed to be blocked.

"Kirimura-san's countless arrows shot at Toudo-san, but they didn't even scratch him! Kirimura-san is still shooting! He's still shooting!"

And so, Kirimura Seiya changed positions, places, and angles, shooting at Luo Mio from every tricky spot, but he couldn't leave the slightest mark on him!

"What invincible defense! Kirimura-san used all his might but couldn't even break the skin of Toudo-san!"

How could this be! How could this be!...

Kirimura Seiya cursed inwardly in frustration, his handsome face gradually contorting.

Just as Kirimura Seiya was preparing his next move.

Luo Mio stood still and loudly addressed the arena, "Kirimura-senpai, do you have any more moves? It's been five minutes, hasn't it? It's my turn now, right?"

"So, don't say I'm cheating..."

Then Luo Mio raised his left hand.

"It's time for you guys to make an appearance! Skoll, Hati!"

Magic began to churn around Luo Mio, and a flash of white light appeared!

"Awooooooo!!!!!"

Two giant silver-white wolves raised their heads and let out roars towards the azure sky, announcing their first appearance in the public tournament!

"After five minutes! Toudo Touka-san has finally summoned his Device! I didn't expect it to be two giant white wolves! But in the simulation battle against Raikiri, wasn't Toudo-san's Device supposed to be a gauntlet type?"

Kirimura Seiya ignored the live commentary from the announcer's booth and attacked Luo Mio first!

"Million Rain"

Fierce magic gathered on the arrows and was shot out!

An uncountable number of arrows rained down violently on Luo Mio like a storm, with flashing green lights covering the entire arena where Luo Mio stood! The indiscriminate rain of destruction fell!

With a smirk, Luo Mio said, "Hati!"

The white wolf on his left stepped forward slowly to face the sky full of arrows, and then...

"Roar!!!!!!!!!!!"

A terrifying wave of sound emanated from the wolf's mouth, spreading like a tsunami throughout the area of the arrow attack.

Countless arrows in mid-air were turned into fragments by the wolf's sonic roar...

"Wh-what!!"

Kirimura Seiya's face contorted in disbelief as he watched the scene before him!

Then Luo Mio continued, "Skoll, finish this!"

The giant wolf on the right lowered its body slightly, then galloped through the entire forest, darting through the Hunter's Forest like a white phantom!

And at the announcer's booth.

"This is truly surprising! Facing the hunter's Blade Dance Technique, with tens of thousands of arrows, Toudo-san actually resolved them with ease!"

Muroto's eyes flickered as he spoke, "Truly astonishing! This contestant Toudo Touka, this match, I fear the Hunter has lost."

In the audience, Kirimura Seiya's female fans were not pleased to hear this.

"You damn commentator, what nonsense are you spouting!"

"Exactly! How could Lord Seiya possibly lose!"

"Watch it, I'll sue you for slander!"

"And you call yourself an Alliance contestant?! What kind of commentary is that!"

Ignoring the murmurs from the audience.

Kirimura Seiya's expression turned grim. Hearing Muroto's words, he repeatedly told himself, "No, no, how could I possibly lose! How could it be! It must be fake!"

Then, the surrounding branches transformed into a giant longbow, and a massive magic orb was shot towards Luo Mio.

Luo Mio smiled faintly and said, "Hati!"

A flash of moonlight-like silver-white light appeared, and three sharp claws struck the arrow-orb!

"Boom!" The giant orb exploded!

"Come back, Skoll, Hati!"

Calling the twin wolves back behind him, Luo Mio addressed Kirimura Seiya, whose tracks had disappeared, "Senpai, you've already lost!"

"Snap!" A finger snap echoed from Luo Mio's hand.

"Boom~!"

Instantly, a row of giant trees around them fell as if cut, transforming into magic particles. The entire forest-covered arena was restored to its original state in an instant!

"How is this possible!!!" Kirimura Seiya, who had hidden his presence, looked around with a distorted and ferocious expression.

"It's broken! The Hunter's Hunter's Forest has been broken! In the Hunter's first battle of the year, his signature technique has been deciphered!"

Luo Mio seemed to see through everything, his eyes looking towards where Kirimura Seiya was hidden!

"Senpai, you lost!"

The words came from Luo Mio's mouth in a calm tone.

Kirimura Seiya gritted his teeth and then, unwillingly, raised his Crescent Moon blade towards Luo Mio.

"Sigh, really, you just won't listen."

With that, Skoll behind him instantly dashed towards Kirimura Seiya's location.

How is this possible!? He can see me?!

In a panic, before he could even fire an arrow, the white wolf's claws struck!

Eeeeeeek!!!

The white wolf's claws were right in front of his eyes. Then, as if he had resigned himself, Kirimura Seiya revealed himself, kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with fear and dejection as he said, "I... surrender..."

"Kirimura Seiya declares surrender! The victor, Toudo Touka!"

"The match has ended!! Victor! Toudo Touka! As Raikiri's younger brother, he has crushed last year's representative Hunter with absolute power in his first public match of the year!"

At the commentary booth, announcer Iida excitedly declared Luo Mio's victory. Suddenly, a message was placed on his and Muroto's table.

"Announcing a special bulletin! An important announcement! Just now, a message from the Alliance has declared the identity of contestant Toudo Touka!!!"

Announcer Iida's voice boomed with excitement!

In the audience, Touka, Ikki, and Stella, who knew Luo Mio's identity, couldn't help but be taken aback.

Luo Mio on the field also raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

"Hagun Academy first-year student! Toudo Touka! Title: 'Thousand Stars White Night'!!!"

"The former number one in the world's magic power ranking, and also the other of the Far East's two A-Rank Knights!!!!"

Instantly, the entire audience erupted in a buzz of shock and surprise!

"Did you hear that, Raikiri's younger brother is actually an A-Rank Knight!"

"An A-Rank Knight, then the Hunter's loss wasn't unfair!"

The students from various academies watching from the stands looked at Luo Mio on the field with burning eyes.

Morohoshi Yudai's hands didn't know where to rest in his excitement. His eyes were filled with fighting spirit as he looked at Luo Mio and said, "A-Rank Knight! Hahahahaha, I can't wait to fight him!"

Jonoshiraki Byakuya calmed his shocked heart and said, "No wonder I couldn't find any information about him before. It turns out he was being kept hidden."

From this day on, the name 'Thousand Stars White Night' Toudo Touka was declared to the entire world!

Chapter Twenty-Six: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

"Honestly, one by one, so annoying!" As noon approached, Luo Mio, lying on his bed, casually tossed the Student Handbook in his hand aside.

"Haha... well, it can't be helped. Who told Touka to be an A-Rank Knight now," Ikki said with a wry smile, sitting on the sofa.

Ever since yesterday, when Luo Mio was revealed as one of the Far East's two A-Rank Knights and won his first match, he had become famous overnight! All sorts of media, advertisers, and reporters had somehow obtained Luo Mio's Student Handbook contact information. From last night until this entire morning, his phone had been ringing and his inbox flooded with emails, to the point of annoyance. Luo Mio had no choice but to turn off his Student Handbook.

Luo Mio looked at the television screen, which was replaying his match against the "Hunter," Kirimura Seiya, from yesterday.

"Haa... Lunch! I'm so hungry!" Luo Mio mumbled as he lay on the bed.

The lives, romances, and all the gossip about A-Rank Knights meant Luo Mio couldn't even leave his room right now.

"Then I'll go out and buy it for you," Ikki said to Luo Mio after getting up from the sofa.

Luo Mio rolled his eyes upon hearing this.

"Isn't your situation the same as mine right now?"

It turned out that the reporters had somehow learned from someone that Luo Mio and Ikki, the second son of the Kurogane family, were close friends. They dug up Ikki's past information, and even released videos of Ikki and Stella, as well as the time Luo Mio, itching for a spar, challenged Ikki after school started. As a result, both of them were now basically surrounded by cameras whenever they went out.

"Fortunately, the hotel can't be entered without the committee's permission," Ikki sighed, recalling the scene this morning when he went out and was surrounded by a swarm of reporters.

The two couldn't help but sigh at the same time.

"Ding dong!"

The doorbell rang.

When Luo Mio opened the door.

"Yoohoo~" Arisugawa greeted him, holding a bag.

Arisugawa lifted the bag in his hand and said to Luo Mio, "Touka-senpai saw the situation at the hotel entrance this morning and specifically came to tell me the flavors Mio likes."

"Oh, oh, oh! Saved! Alice!" Luo Mio exclaimed excitedly as he took the bag.

Arisugawa smiled gently and then said to Ikki, "By the way, there's some for you too, Ikki."

"Thanks a lot, Alice," Ikki said gratefully to Arisugawa.

"Don't mention it, don't mention it," Arisugawa shook his head.

After picking up the bag, Luo Mio eagerly sat on the sofa and opened the plastic bag!