Night fell, and Ryoji finally dragged himself back to the dorms, looking like a man who had been put through a professional-grade meat grinder.
"Ryoji?! What on earth happened to you? How did you end up in this state?"
The moment the door swung open, Toudou Touka gasped. She dropped what she was doing and rushed to his side, easing him into the room.
"Don't even ask... I got caught by that legal loli again. She dragged me off for 'corrective training.' After five hours of that, I think my spine has officially resigned," Ryoji groaned, collapsing onto the sofa. He clutched his lower back, letting out a long, pathetic sigh.
Deep down, he knew it was a self-inflicted wound. He'd possessed the suicidal audacity to mock Nene's figure to her face. Her temper was a minefield at the best of times, and the most dangerous landmine of all was her perpetual, grade-schooler physique.
As a result, he'd spent the afternoon in "repentance training," which mostly involved resisting enough gravity to flatten a tank while being lectured on respect.
"Senior Sister... help me with the bath," He mumbled into the sofa cushion. "I'm covered in sweat and I honestly don't think my legs work anymore."
"Alright, alright. Just get to the bathroom first," Touka said with a soft, indulgent smile.
She helped him up and guided him into the steaming room. Wrapping herself in a towel, she carefully washed him from head to toe, her touch gentle enough to soothe even the deepest aches from Nene's gravity wells.
"You're completely drained, Ryoji," she noted softly, rinsing the soap from his shoulders. "How about we just get some sleep tonight? You need the rest."
Ryoji's eyes cracked open, a sudden, mischievous glint replacing the exhaustion. "Actually... if you'd be willing to grant one small request, I think I could find a sudden burst of energy."
"Eh? Wait... why would you buy something like this?"
"Because I have excellent taste!"
"U-umm... well, since you like it so much... I'll try it on."
Touka's cheeks flared a brilliant crimson. She was shy to the point of being unable to look at the "garment" directly, but seeing the puppy-dog sparkle in Ryoji's eyes, her heart melted. She gave a slow, hesitant nod.
Suffice it to say, Ryoji found his second wind. It was a long night, proving that human potential is truly limitless when properly motivated.
The next morning, Ryoji drifted toward consciousness, feeling a distinct lack of warmth in his arms.
"Senior Sister? Why are you up so early?"
He blinked his eyes open to see Touka already standing before the mirror, smoothing out her school uniform.
"Did I wake you? I'm sorry," she said, tidying her long brown hair. "I have a busy morning, and there's a match this afternoon I need to prepare for."
Ryoji sat up, his blanket falling away to reveal a lean, newly toned torso. He looked at her in surprise. "A match? You usually don't start prepping this early. Is it someone special?"
Touka's expression turned serious. While she treated every opponent with respect, as the academy's top-ranked student, there was usually a massive gulf between her and her challengers. Today felt different.
"Today is an exception. My opponent is exceptionally strong. I can't afford even a moment of carelessness."
"Who is it?"
"Kurogane Shizuku."
Ryoji paused. Shizuku. Ikki's younger sister. A B-Rank Knight specializing in high-level water manipulation. Despite being a freshman, her magic control was rated at A-Rank, and she'd already carved out a reputation as one of Hagun's most dangerous elites. This year's selection tournament was turning into a literal shark tank.
"I'll be there to watch," Ryoji promised. "Good luck, Touka."
"Hehe, with you in the stands cheering for me? I have no choice but to win."
Afternoon.
Arena No. 9 was packed. Even students who didn't follow the tournament had flocked to the stands, eager to witness the collision between two high-level B-Rank knights.
Ryoji arrived early, snagging a prime seat. To avoid being swamped by fans or autograph hunters, he let his face settle into a cold, aloof mask, an expression that screamed 'leave me alone or regret it.'
The aura worked wonders. After syncing memories with his TYPE-MOON counterpart, he'd mastered the art of "Magus-like" indifference. People instinctively recoiled from the chill he projected. The students who had been sitting nearby quietly shuffled a few seats away, and the fans who were hovering with pens and notebooks thought better of it and retreated.
"Oh, look at you, playing the brooding protagonist!"
Stella's voice sliced through his artificial silence.
She marched down the aisle, her usual entourage in tow, and sat right next to him as if his "terrifying" aura was nothing more than a light breeze.
"Why are you making that face? It doesn't suit you at all, it looks so fake!" She laughed, leaning forward and putting her curves on full display as she teased him. She knew the "real" Ryoji, the loud, occasionally rotten-tempered guy behind the mask.
However, the two boys with her were equally unfazed. One of them was actually staring at Ryoji with a look of pure, unadulterated fascination.
"I knew it. You've changed, Ryoji. You've gotten significantly stronger in just one month," said the black-haired boy to Ryoji's right. Kurogane Ikki's eyes were burning with intensity.
Ryoji dropped the act and smirked. "You can tell?"
"The aura is entirely different," Ikki said, his voice hummed with excitement. "Your physical presence is much denser. I honestly didn't think it was possible for a person to evolve this much in such a short window."
Ikki's perception was legendary. He could see the "philosophy" behind a man's stance; to him, Ryoji's growth was as visible as a bright light in a dark room.
"Don't get too excited yet," Ryoji said, feeling his own blood start to pump. "We'll get our chance to settle things soon enough."
"I'm counting on it," Ikki replied, taking a deep breath to rein in his fighting intent.
"Ara, ara! The burning friendship between men... it's simply wonderful to witness!"
The comment came from the man sitting to Ryoji's left. Arisuin Nagi, fondly known as Alice, held his chin in a feminine gesture, watching them with the indulgent smile of a supportive aunt.
"Hmph. I don't see what's so 'wonderful' about two idiots staring at each other," Stella muttered.
Ryoji felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck as Nagi's "enthusiastic" gaze lingered on him. He subtly shifted his seat a few inches to the right, toward Ikki. Whenever Alice looked at him like that, he felt an instinctive need to protect his flank.
"Ahaha..."
Ikki, sensing the tension, gave an awkward laugh and scooted a bit closer to Stella, giving Ryoji as much room as possible. He looked at his friend with a gaze that clearly said, 'My condolences'.
(End of Chapter)
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