The Golden-Eyed Black Cat and the Colorful Girl

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

When Mo Bai finally regained consciousness, he felt air rushing past him and...

His lower back hurt like hell.

"Hiss..."

Mo Bai drew a sharp breath on instinct, but the movement seemed to alarm the person behind him.

"Hang on. We're almost somewhere safe!" the black-haired, golden-eyed woman reassured him, though she sounded anxious.

Mo Bai opened his eyes and found himself wedged between two women on a Motorcycle, probably to keep him from falling off.

Yeah, there was no mistaking that engine. This was the motorcycle that had just hit him.

But that hardly seemed important right now.

Mo Bai could sense that something was hunting them.

"Once we get through this tunnel, we'll be safe!"

As she spoke, the blonde woman driving deftly steered around the cave's many stone pillars and obstacles.

Roar!

A massive creature roared behind them. Mo Bai had no idea what was going on, but shaking it off was clearly the priority.

He raised both hands and formed the gesture to summon Nue.

His whole body ached, but he knew that if he did nothing, the enormous thing behind them might catch up.

Besides, despite the pain, he still had plenty of cursed energy.

"Wait, your hands are injured. Don't just—"

"Nue."

By the time the black-haired, golden-eyed woman behind him spoke, Mo Bai had already completed the summoning gesture.

Screech!

Whoosh!

Nue emerged from the cave's shadows and charged at the giant blue worm behind them, lightning crackling around its body.

Bang!

Roar!

After Nue held the monstrous creature back for a moment, Mo Bai quickly recalled it.

Once a shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique was destroyed, it could never be restored. He wasn't about to lose the ride he'd worked so hard to get.

Vroom!

At last, the three of them rode out of the cave on the Motorcycle and left the giant worm behind.

"Phew! That was close!"

Back in daylight, the blonde woman let out a long breath on the Motorcycle.

Only then did Mo Bai realize how awkwardly the three of them were positioned.

And it was way too cramped!

He tried to get off the bike, but the black-haired, golden-eyed woman behind him pressed a hand against his shoulder.

"You're injured. You shouldn't move around."

Her words seemed to remind the blonde woman in front of him. She quickly turned to Mo Bai and gave him an awkward smile.

“Um... Sorry! I was going so fast that I didn't see you and hit you by accident. I'll compensate you once we get to the Academy!”

She pressed her palms together, looking thoroughly sincere.

“The Academy...”

Mo Bai murmured as he gazed into the distance. There stood the bustling city he had seen earlier.

A place that big was just an Academy?

Whatever it was, it should have medical facilities.

"Yeah, I don't mind. By the way, can I ask your names?"

Mo Bai couldn't exactly call them Black Cat and Golden Retriever, could he?

One had the air of an aloof black cat, while the other was as enthusiastic as a golden retriever.

“Oh, right! I'm Lynae, a student at Star Torch Academy.”

The golden retriever seemed straightforward enough, just an ordinary student with a flighty streak.

“Rover. I'm a prospective student on my way to enroll at Star Torch Academy.”

The name Rover gave Mo Bai pause.

That counted as a name? Wasn't it some kind of codename or title?

Whatever. It was none of his business.

"Mo Bai... I've lost my memory."

After thinking for a while, that was the explanation Mo Bai came up with.

And it wasn't exactly wrong. He truly knew nothing about this world.

“Amnesia? Don't worry, Doctor Lu at the Academy can definitely treat you. Then let's all head to Star Torch Academy together!”

Lynae twisted the Motorcycle's throttle and shot forward, so quickly that Mo Bai didn't even have time to react.

How scatterbrained is she?! There's an injured person on the bike, and she's still going this fast?!

Thankfully, Rover held him steady from behind, so they made it there without any more scares.

Tap.

Feeling solid ground beneath his feet again almost brought Mo Bai to tears.

"I swear I'm never riding with you again..."

"Ahaha, sorry. I love going fast, and I got a little carried away." Lynae scratched her head awkwardly.

Her words and behavior made Mo Bai wonder whether most of the people at this Academy were a similarly... special sort.

“All right, Mo Bai is injured. Let's take him to the Infirmary first.”

Rover brought them back to the matter at hand.

Only then did Mo Bai notice that both women were dressed rather... distinctively.

Lynae had the look of a classic school delinquent. She wore her jacket draped over her shoulders instead of putting it on properly, and her clothes were covered in colorful graffiti and little accessories.

As for Rover...

Good grief, that little fabric counts as clothes?!

Mo Bai felt completely out of place in his everyday clothes.

He kept that to himself, though. Maybe people in this world simply dressed more openly?

Ring, ring!

As Lynae led Mo Bai and Rover toward the Infirmary, her phone suddenly rang. Then...

"Lynae! Where have you been?! I sent you message after message, and you didn't answer! Do you know what day it is?!"

An angry voice came through the phone, and Lynae's face fell.

"Um... Rover, Mo Bai, I've got something to take care of. I really do want to stay with you! But if I mess up this group assignment too, I'm finished!"

By the end, Lynae was looking at Mo Bai and Rover with big, sparkling eyes, trying to win them over.

"I don't mind. Just point me in the right direction and I can get to the Infirmary myself."

Mo Bai found Lynae rather entertaining. Watching another student fret over a group assignment really was a pleasure.

"I'll look after Mo Bai. Go on." Rover smiled and waved to Lynae.

"Thank you so much! I'll come straight to the Infirmary to join you as soon as I'm done!"

Lynae pushed off, and wheels emerged from beneath her shoes, letting her glide away at speed.

Yeah, skating around the Academy like that suits a delinquent girl too...

"Let's go together. I need to visit the Infirmary to have my frequency loss checked as well." Rover smiled and walked beside Mo Bai toward the Infirmary.

Huh. Maybe she isn't as cold as I thought.