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As Fang Li and Sylvia began strolling down the street, Misaka Mikoto appeared at the opposite end, seemingly on a phone call.
"Yes, the opening ceremony has finished, and the first match is about to start. You have the guidebook, right? Just follow it to the Tokiwadai arena and wait for me there. Then everything will be fine. That's all."
After ending the call, Misaka Mikoto closed her mobile phone and, surprisingly, pulled out her own guidebook, flipping through it.
"A Certain High School... A Certain High School... The first match is at..."
As she flipped through the guidebook, a petite figure appeared behind her unknowingly.
"Looking for A Certain High School's tournament schedule, Onee-sama?"
A voice, neither male nor female, suddenly addressed her, startling her.
"Kuro... Kuroko?!"
When she turned around, Misaka Mikoto immediately recognized the newcomer and wore a guilty expression. In stark contrast, Shirai Kuroko wore an almost uncharacteristic, sunshine-bright smile as she repeated her question.
"Looking for A Certain High School's tournament schedule, Onee-sama?"
Hearing this, Misaka Mikoto took a few steps back, shaking her head frantically.
"Th-that's not it at all! I was just checking our school's competition schedule! Yes! That's all it was!"
"Why does this explanation sound so unconvincing?"
Seeing that Misaka Mikoto's expression hadn't changed, Shirai Kuroko gritted her teeth.
"Onee-sama, it's not that Kuroko wants to pry, but as Onee-sama's attendant, I must remind you." Her imposing demeanor turned fierce as she addressed Misaka Mikoto. "Stop thinking about that damned delinquent! He's probably already scampered off to flirt with that world-famous idol. You should understand, Onee-sama, no man would pass up such a golden opportunity to get close to the Lotus of the High Mountains. He's a man too, so he's bound to have improper thoughts. Do you understand?"
"What does that have to do with me?!" Misaka Mikoto exclaimed, her voice rising without hesitation. "I... I wasn't even thinking about him! It's none of my business who that gangster ends up with! That's right! It's none of my business!"
"Does Onee-sama truly believe that?" Shirai Kuroko asked solemnly, her voice filled with anguish. "Kuroko hopes this is Onee-sama's honest truth."
"Otherwise..."
Shirai Kuroko lowered her head and clutched several metal spikes in her hand. She let out a gloomy chuckle.
"Otherwise, Kuroko will have to take matters into her own hands..."
Her treacherous laughter, reminiscent of a scheming criminal, sent a shiver of fear down Misaka Mikoto's spine. At that moment, her expression shifted dramatically, transforming back into her usual radiant smile.
"All right, Onee-sama! Let's rush to the competition venue together! That's where we truly belong! Weren't you checking our school's schedule? I've memorized every detail perfectly. Come with me now!"
With these words, Shirai Kuroko grabbed Misaka Mikoto's hand and pulled her forward.
"Wait... wait! Kuroko! I have things to do too...!"
"Nothing is more important than this moment! As Tokiwadai's ace! If Onee-sama isn't there, it's as if we've lost a thousand elite warriors! Please fulfill your duty! Come with Kuroko to the hotel room... Wait! To the competition!"
"I... I get it now! Let me go! Stop pulling me! You just said something scandalous, didn't you?!"
"No, that's just Onee-sama's imagination!"
The two continued their tug-of-war as they walked forward.
Until, at one moment...
"Eh?"
Shirai Kuroko froze, her eyes widening as if she had just seen something astonishing.
"What happened?"
Misaka Mikoto stiffened and raised her head uncertainly. Shortly afterwards, she saw the undeniable scene too, her eyes widening in surprise.
Immediately, Misaka Mikoto's face flushed crimson.
It was the rising tide of fury.
...
Sigh...
Shokuhou Misaki was walking on the other side of the street, surrounded by a group of radiant girls in sportswear. Yet she was sighing heavily.
Seeing her so listless, the girls around her exchanged blank, dismayed glances.
Then, one of them, a girl with extravagantly curled hair, stepped forward to address her.
"Queen, what's wrong?"
The speaker was Hokaze Junko, a third-year student at Tokiwadai Middle School. Although she was a year older than Shokuhou Misaki, she always deferred to her judgment and was a key member of the Shokuhou Misaki faction, serving as second-in-command and helping to manage its operations.
All of the girls who supported Shokuhou Misaki were naturally members of the Shokuhou Misaki faction.
Therefore, Shokuhou Misaki had no reason to hide anything from them.
"Hey, let me ask you something," Shokuhou Misaki said after a moment's thought, turning to Hokaze Junko. "If you encountered an opponent you couldn't defeat, what would you usually do?"
At this question, the expressions of all the faction members around Shokuhou Misaki stiffened.
"A... an opponent I couldn't defeat?" Hokaze Junko seemed puzzled as well, asking cautiously, "Queen, are you perhaps referring to Misaka-san?"
"If it's just that guy who's only good with electricity, then he'll be much easier to deal with," Shokuhou Misaki said dismissively. "But this time, our opponent won't be so simple. You should know; I once suffered a crushing defeat at their hands."
"The... the Queen lost to someone else?" Hokaze Junko exclaimed in shock.
She wasn't the only one stunned; the other members of Shokuhou Misaki's faction were equally astonished.
"N-no way..."
"Queen-sama actually lost to someone else?"
"That's impossible!"
"Even against Misaka-sama, Queen-sama has never lost!"
The group of girls began chirping and twittering in bewilderment and uncertainty, creating a noisy atmosphere.
Hokaze Junko was finally the first to regain her composure, her expression turning serious.
"No matter what, we will follow Queen," Hokaze Junko declared. "If Queen encounters an opponent she cannot defeat, we will face them together..."
However, before she could finish her sentence, Shokuhou Misaki interrupted her.
"Under normal circumstances, that would be acceptable," Shokuhou Misaki said with equal seriousness. "Only, this time is different. If I don't defeat her personally, it will be meaningless."
"I... is that how it is?" Hokaze Junko nodded, her expression conveying partial understanding.
Just then, Shokuhou Misaki suddenly stopped walking.
"Queen?"
Led by Hokaze Junko, the other Queen Faction girls froze in surprise.
However, Shokuhou Misaki remained completely unaware, her starry eyes narrowing as she gazed intently ahead.
(End Of This Chapter)