At the same time, on Asuna's side.
"The restroom should be this way…"
After passing the back of the school building, walking along a quiet, shaded path, Asuna compared it to the map in her hand, her face showing a hint of uncertainty.
"Why not just head to the building? Wouldn't that be faster? This is a school, not some rural suburb." Kyouko sighed, criticizing, "This is why you'll never become someone great, always playing online games…"
"Mom, you're the one who needs the restroom, not me!" Asuna emphasized, then smiled at her mother. "Besides, this has nothing to do with games… It's exactly because I played that game that I met Yuu-kun, and you got such an amazing son-in-law, right?"
Seeing her daughter's smile, brighter than the sun, Kyouko scoffed, as if too lazy to entertain her. "…Look at how proud you are. High school romances rarely last. Even if he becomes someone great someday, there's no guarantee you can hold onto him. It's too early to be smug, isn't it?"
"Ugh, Mom, can't you stop being so stubborn?"
This time, it was Asuna's turn to sigh. She hugged her mother's arm, ensuring she couldn't get mad and bop her head, before starting her critique:
"First, you looked down on Yuu-kun, saying he had no achievements, not comparable to an elite like Sugou. Then, when Yuu-kun showed his skills, you started looking down on me, saying I can't keep him and our relationship won't last… Do you know, Mom? Among young people, that's called 'hindsight bias,' and on the internet, it's called being a 'keyboard warrior'!"
"No need to emphasize 'young people.' I get it!"
Kyouko glared at her coldly, wanting to pull her arm free but held tightly. Seeing her daughter's cheeky grin, she could only furrow her brow and hiss softly.
Reflecting on it, Asuna's mischief like this had only appeared years ago at their old house, in front of her grandparents. Now, she showed it to her mother without hesitation, actively warming their initially distant mother-daughter bond.
Realizing this clearly, Kyouko was slightly surprised, a strange feeling sprouting in her heart.
"Oh, Mom…" Sensing the good mood, Asuna swung her white parasol and finally gathered the courage to ask, "About that game helmet…"
But at that moment, Kyouko's attention was drawn to a man approaching from the opposite direction.
Though it was lively outside, this shaded path, seemingly meant for students to rest or date, had only the two of them and this man walking calmly.
His stride wasn't small, yet he walked straight down the middle of the path. Soon, he was close enough to pass by, maybe even bump shoulders, showing no intention of stepping aside.
For some reason, as if spotting a filthy rat in a sewer, Kyouko couldn't help but frown, a flash of disgust in her eyes.
Perhaps it was his careless gait, or the way he walked with his head down, indifferent to his surroundings. Or maybe it was his overly dark clothing and aura, or the ominous melody he hummed—
Like a walking puddle of mud, Kyouko instinctively didn't want to get close to him, let alone brush shoulders.
So, she nudged Asuna's arm with her elbow, signaling her to step back toward the school building, trying to avoid him without drawing attention.
"What's wrong?" Asuna asked, confused, as she stepped back.
Kyouko had just shaken her head when the shadow under the man's hood suddenly revealed a pair of red eyes, staring straight at her.
The mouth behind his mask seemed to curl into a wide grin.
"Compared to men's faces, I prefer seeing women's faces twist in fear."
"…"
The hoarse, manic voice sent chills down her spine.
Kyouko froze unconsciously, pulling her daughter behind her, her eyes cold, her face full of caution as she asked:
"What's wrong with you?"
He didn't look like a student… Could he be a suspicious intruder? He seemed mentally unstable.
Either way, better to get away from him first and ensure safety!
The thought had just crossed her mind when, in the next moment—
Without any warning, the man lunged at her.
As his hood flipped back, his greasy, disheveled hair and the hand slowly pulling a syringe from his pocket were clearly visible in her suddenly narrowed pupils.
"Over there, I have to be quiet, but now let me enjoy the 'appetizer'~"
A gleeful, incomprehensible shout and distorted low laughter sounded in front of her.
Kyouko's eyes widened, unable to utter a single word.
Her heart froze as if it stopped beating, her muscles seized by fear, spasming and unable to move.
In the moment of crisis, she realized that, aside from standing in front of her daughter and reflexively dismissing the thought of fleeing, she could do nothing to resist. The women's self-defense she'd learned seemed unpracticed, leaving her standing like a wooden statue.
Then, she saw the man raise the syringe filled with green liquid, aiming it at her thigh.
"—Mom, get out of the way!"
Like a meteor shining on the ground.
Accompanied by a clear shout, a bright white arc sliced through the air silently from her side.
In the blink of an eye, the white light struck first, piercing the wrist holding the syringe with rapier-like precision and pushing it back forcefully.
"Huh?"
The attacker let out a startled cry, his arm forced high behind him, the syringe nearly slipping from his hand.
Before Kyouko could react, Asuna pulled her back with one hand, her parasol relentlessly blocking the syringe as it stabbed forward again.
"Hey, hey, what's this? No one said this high school girl would be this strong?!"
Seeing Asuna steadily parry his attack, the hooded man couldn't help but widen his eyes, his face full of astonishment.
"So strong…!"
Ignoring what he said, Asuna gritted her teeth slightly, her wrist suddenly twisting, releasing the force in her parasol, and using the recoil to spin her waist.
Like a fairy dancing in place, her long, flax-colored hair spun gracefully in a half-circle. Then, her foot stepped forward abruptly, her slender shoulder slamming into the man's chest.
"Suspicious person, stay away from my mom!"
"Ugh!"
Caught off guard by the impact, the hooded man grunted, clutching his chest and stumbling back a few steps, panting heavily.
Seizing the moment, Asuna stood tall.
Brushing the hair from her shoulder with one hand, she held her white parasol like a rapier in front of her, slowly exhaling.
In an instant, she glared at the hooded man who nearly hurt her mother, her entire body radiating a sharp, cold aura.
"Who are you? Why did you attack us?"
"…"
Behind her daughter, Kyouko stared at Asuna's straight, unfamiliar back, momentarily speechless.
Meanwhile, the attacker, finally catching his breath, glared at them with anger and reluctance. Pulling his hood back down, he turned and fled quickly.
Asuna froze for a moment, then immediately gave chase.
"No way you're escaping!"
"Wait, Asuna! It's too dangerous!" Kyouko tried to grab her arm, but Asuna dodged nimbly, leaving a sentence without looking back.
"How could I let someone who attacked Mom get away like that?! Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Asuna…"