Miyuki Shiba stood beside Mayumi Saegusa, also watching Yunyi on the platform. She had watched the previous match, and now she was working out whether she could beat him if she faced him herself. As one of the candidates to become the next head of the Yotsuba Family, Miyuki Shiba had magical talent that was unquestionably among the very best. What was more, she specialized in deceleration magic. Right now, she really wanted to test herself against Yunyi.
Mayumi Saegusa noticed that something was different about her.
"Miyuki? What's wrong?"
"Ah, I'm fine. Please don't worry." Miyuki Shiba came back to her senses and hurriedly explained.
"Miyuki, don't tell me you want to have a match with Yunyi-kun too?" Mayumi Saegusa asked, touching a finger to her lips.
"Ah, um, yes." Miyuki Shiba had meant to keep denying it, but in the end she abandoned the idea. She did want to have a match with Yunyi, especially in Icicle Destruction, an event she would also be competing in.
"Jumonji-kun, what do you think?" Mayumi Saegusa turned to Katsuto Jumonji.
"I think it's fine." Katsuto Jumonji also wanted to see more of Yunyi's abilities.
Got it! Mayumi Saegusa thought. On the surface, however, she put on a hesitant look.
At that moment, Gyoubu Hattori finally came to his senses on the platform. He looked at his side's icicles, shattered beyond recognition, then at the nine nearly intact icicles on the other side. His cheeks burned so hot that he wanted to jump down and cool himself off with the ice!
"How can you be so... so..." Gyoubu Hattori wanted to ask why Yunyi was so strong, but his poor pride kept him from getting the words out.
Yunyi scratched his head. He had long since guessed it would end this way.
This is all Mayumi's fault. Poor Vice President, you're just a sacrifice. Please don't blame me! After quietly excusing himself in his thoughts, Yunyi gave an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, Vice President Hattori. I had my reasons for doing all this."
"I... I see? I... I understand." Gyoubu Hattori could barely get his words out.
He walked unsteadily out of the arena, came before Mayumi Saegusa, and bowed. "I'm sorry, President. I lost."
"Hanzou, you really don't need to apologize! And you don't need to take losing to Yunyi-kun to heart, either. That bad guy is really strong!" Mayumi Saegusa consoled him.
But to everyone else, her words of comfort sounded like she was showing off!
Gyoubu Hattori straightened up in alarm. Seeing Mayumi Saegusa look at Yunyi with a delighted, proud gaze he had never seen on her before, he felt his heart shatter with a crash.
By then, Yunyi had also come down from the platform. He returned to Mayumi Saegusa, raised his hand, and pinched her cheek in front of everyone.
"Satisfied?"
"Mm-hmm!" Mayumi Saegusa brushed Yunyi's wicked hand away and shot him an annoyed look.
The sight nearly had everyone present steaming with rage. Those who secretly had feelings for Mayumi Saegusa were close to rushing up, pinning him to the ground, and rubbing his face in it.
Yunyi didn't much care about the hostility those guys were giving off. But when his gaze swept over the crowd and he saw that many of the girls were glaring at him too, he couldn't help freezing.
What's this? Don't tell me you're all Mayumi's toxic solo stans!?
Of course, he didn't dare say that thought aloud. After all, at worst, he could beat the guys up and deal with them that way. But what could he do about the girls?
Just then, Miyuki Shiba spoke up beside him. "Yunyi, could you have a match with me? Icicle Destruction!"
Yunyi paused and studied Miyuki Shiba for a moment before saying with a chuckle, "I can have a match with you, but we'll need your brother's permission. Otherwise, I'm afraid he'll come looking for trouble afterward!"
After hearing Yunyi's explanation, Miyuki Shiba couldn't very well insist. Yunyi and her brother were indeed classmates, and it looked like they might become friends. If the two of them fought now, even if it was only a match, it would be a little awkward for Yunyi to explain himself when he saw her brother afterward.
Having thought it through, Miyuki Shiba bowed slightly. "I'm sorry. I was being rude. I'll talk to my brother about this, and once he agrees, I hope I can have a serious match with you, Yunyi!"
"Okay~"
Watching Yunyi and Miyuki Shiba openly arrange a private match, Katsuto Jumonji and Mayumi Saegusa didn't know what to say. Still, it was permitted under First High School's rules, so neither of them intended to refuse. They would only need to use the Icicle Destruction practice area when the time came, and that was hardly a problem.
After dispersing the students watching nearby, Mayumi Saegusa took Yunyi and Miyuki Shiba to the Crowd Ball practice area. This was the event she would be competing in. Although her abilities were more than enough to guarantee her a spot, she wanted to show Yunyi what she could do, so she brought him here.
Mayumi Saegusa's opponent was another third-year girl who was also competing in Crowd Ball. Although her abilities were far inferior to Mayumi Saegusa's, she was the only person at First High School who could give Mayumi Saegusa a match in this event.
Their match soon began, and Mayumi Saegusa naturally used Double-Speed Rebound, a spell she was especially skilled at! As soon as the two began, Yunyi secretly deployed his Domain Magic. But he didn't take control of the Psions within the domain, so no one else noticed it at all.
When Mayumi Saegusa cast Double-Speed Rebound, a flicker of surprise passed through Yunyi's eyes. The spell had much in common with Mirror Reflection, the defensive magic he often used. It was just that Mirror Reflection could withstand a higher vector limit, whereas Double-Speed Rebound fell short in that respect.
The contest in the arena soon drew to a close! As expected, Mayumi Saegusa won by an overwhelming margin.
Watching her smile and flash him a V sign, Yunyi couldn't help laughing.
He really wanted to go up and play a match with Mayumi Saegusa, but there were far too many people here. If he really crushed her, the hostility he faced might just pierce the heavens!
The three of them toured the practice areas for the other events, finally stopping in front of the Monolith Code practice field. Mayumi Saegusa looked at Yunyi and asked, "Yunyi-kun, do you want to sign up for this event?"
Yunyi looked helplessly at Mayumi Saegusa. He really wanted to give the girl in front of him a good thrashing! With Katsuto Jumonji holding the fort in the main Monolith Code competition, there was no way First High School could lose! The young master of the Ichijo Family would be competing in the newcomers' competition this year. If Yunyi really entered the event and won, that would be more than simply making a name for himself-he would be dancing right in front of the Ten Master Clans!