The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#148 - The training hall at 4 am

From that day on, Ayatsuji Ayase avoided him.

Until the night before the match, she still hadn't appeared before Takeru.

"So, she still hasn't shown up... Takeru, has she even replied to your messages?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

Arisouin Nagi had a calm smile on his face, but a hint of probing appeared in his eyes.

"Are you doubting me?"

He didn't say it explicitly, but his expression suggested it.

"Hey, I'm not her opponent. If there's anyone to be concerned about, it should be that guy, right?"

"Indeed."

Takeru and Arisouin Nagi both looked towards Kurogane Ikki, who was playing with his student handbook across from them.

"You guys are really perceptive."

After being stared at by the two, Kurogane Ikki tossed his student handbook over. The screen displayed a text message from Ayatsuji Ayase.

The content was—

【I have something very important to discuss with Kurogane-kun, and only you can help me with this. I hope you can help me. Tomorrow at 3 AM, I'll be waiting for you on the roof of the main school building.】

"Without a doubt..."

"It's a trap."

Takeru and Arisouin Nagi said in unison.

There were too many suspicious points.

First of all, sending such a message at this crucial time was already suspicious enough, not to mention only telling Kurogane Ikki and requesting to meet at the school building at 3 AM.

Only a fool would believe it.

Even if Kurogane Ikki chose to believe it, Takeru knew he was choosing to believe in a friend, not in the message.

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'll go see her."

"Ah, is that so."

Kurogane Ikki answered without hesitation. Takeru nodded, and despite Arisouin Nagi's hesitation, he turned around, waved his hand, and left the training ground.

He knew that no matter what he said, Kurogane Ikki would go see Ayatsuji Ayase, so what he had to do next was—

Late at night.

Takeru didn't fall asleep but instead came to the sixth training hall.

There was no sign of anyone here, and the silence made it feel as if he was isolated from the world. Even the bright moonlight shining on him couldn't bring a trace of warmth.

He lowered his head and fell into silence.

—Damn it, why doesn't this academy have a piano? Even if it's a knight academy, cultural classes are important, okay! Such a great opportunity, is it just going to slip through my fingers?

Takeru was complaining.

If there was a piano, he could act cool like Shadow-sama.

Unfortunately, there wasn't.

Just then, his student handbook made a dinging sound. He opened it and saw a text message from Stella.

The content was—

【Ikki used Ittou Shura and is now in a deep sleep. We've taken him to the infirmary.】

A nonsensical message.

But Takeru immediately understood.

This must be Ayatsuji Ayase's plan.

Kurogane Ikki's Ittou Shura was strong, but its weakness was its short duration and long cooldown time.

So, the best way to defeat him was to force him to use this move before the fight, preventing him from using his full strength in battle.

No wonder the meeting time was 3 AM.

The timing was perfect.

He glanced at the time.

It showed 4 AM.

Although Takeru hadn't seen Los Angeles at 4 AM, the training hall at 4 AM was surprisingly deserted.

He quickly put away his student handbook and turned off the power. It would be embarrassing if he was interrupted while trying to act cool.

Then, he sat down below the battle circle. The moonlight shone on his black hair, and he lowered his head slightly, hiding his face in the darkness. Only his eyes, glowing with a red light, revealed his mystery.

Before long, the door of the hall opened.

A figure slowly walked in.

She was wearing a wet white yukata, open at the chest and incredibly transparent, clinging to her slender, perfect curves. Her expression also carried a hint of sorrow.

When she saw Takeru sitting on the steps of the battle circle, a clear look of surprise appeared in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

Ayatsuji Ayase didn't dare to look at those red eyes. She lowered her head, as if she didn't see Takeru, and stepped onto the steps of the battle circle, her heavy steps like walking on the road to destruction.

After the two passed each other.

"Is this okay?"

"..."

"Abandoning your pride as a Blader, abandoning your pride as a swordsman, even abandoning your pride as a human, can you really be proud of this? Can you hold your head high and face the results of your battle?"

"This has nothing to do with Takeru-kun."

Ayatsuji Ayase turned a deaf ear and stepped forward.

She began to slash in the battle circle, her beautiful red long sword constantly tearing through space, leaving slashes in this space.

This was the ability of her Inherited Device—Tearing Wounds, the effect being that she could make slashes linger and release them when needed.

"...I have a question."

"What is it?"

Hearing the question, her movements paused slightly.

"Did you really deceive us?"

"I deceived you. Are you angry?"

"How should I say it?"

Takeru raised his head and looked up at the sky, slowly saying, "I clearly distinguish between things that are important to me and things that are not."

This answer seemed to surprise Ayatsuji Ayase. She turned around and silently looked at Takeru, who was raising his head and looking up at the moonlight.

"As we get older, everyone gains more important things. Friends, lovers, and work... But for me, they are decreasing, and in the end, only things that I can't give up remain. So, other than that, it doesn't matter what happens."

"Are you saying that it doesn't matter what happens to Kurogane-kun and me?"

"Who knows? But—"

Takeru's answer was ambiguous.

He stood up, looked at Ayatsuji Ayase with a gloomy expression, and slowly said, "Even knowing it's a trap, knowing it's exploitation, letting you make small moves at the venue, the only reason I didn't stop you is because—even so, you still can't win against Ikki, that's all."

"Ugh!"

Ayatsuji Ayase's eyes widened.

Having only legitimacy but no results is just a child's play. Just like 'If you lose, everything is wrong; if you win, scholars will justify me'.

She had been deceiving and numbing herself, dirtying her own hands, tarnishing the noble soul of a swordsman, and using Kurogane Ikki's kindness to finally get to this point.

Even though the preconditions were the same as she had imagined, and victory was only one step away, Takeru still didn't think highly of her.

"I will win."

Ayatsuji Ayase closed her heart again, and a sneer hung on her lips as she once again wielded her Inherited Device.

"No matter what means I use, I will definitely crush my opponent completely!"

"Is that so. Then... I wish you good luck."

Takeru nodded slightly to her.

After speaking, he slowly walked out of the hall.

Ayatsuji Ayase looked at his departing back, tears streaming down her face.

"You trampled our dignity on the ground, even abandoning your own pride. Even if you take back that thing in the end, can you really be proud of it!?"

Kurogane Ikki's sorrowful question still echoed in her ears.

"I'm really... an incurable woman."

In the darkness, a faint sigh could be heard.