Chapter 265: Toudou Touka!
"Well, it's not that I'm deliberately trying to hide it from you."
"It's just that this matter isn't very convenient to discuss outside. It would be troublesome if someone overheard it, so I'll still have to trouble you to come to the student council office."
Misogi Utakata scratched his head and said to Luke, "And besides, it's not only because we have something we need your help with."
"Touka is very interested in you."
"But because of the representative selection battles, she's extremely busy right now and barely has any time to rest."
"Having you make a special trip over was Touka's idea."
"No matter what, she wants to meet you."
Listening to Misogi Utakata's words, Luke was not too surprised.
Back when he first entered the school, during their one and only meeting, Luke had deeply felt the strong fighting spirit coming from the student council president.
Just as he was looking forward to a battle between the two of them, Touka was also very interested in him.
This invitation from the student council could be said to be within Luke's expectations.
The only thing that surprised him a little was that there was actually something even the student council could not handle and needed someone else's help with.
"Since Misogi-senpai has put it that way, I won't refuse anymore."
"When the student council president has time, just contact me through the student handbook."
Hearing Luke's straightforward answer, Misogi Utakata smiled happily.
"Now that I've heard you say that, I can relax."
"At least with Touka shielding me, Kanata won't be able to bully me too badly."
"Then I won't disturb you two anymore. Bye-bye~"
After saying that, Misogi Utakata waved at Luke and Stella, then turned and left.
…
In the days that followed, Luke's life returned to its usual calm.
Without his interference, the Ayatsuji dojo incident basically unfolded the same way as in the original work.
The difference was that, because Luke had enlightened Ayatsuji Ayase in advance, she did not use any extreme methods during her representative selection battle with Ikki.
The two of them agreed that after the match, Ikki would help her take back the dojo.
After a fair duel, Ikki naturally defeated Ayase without question.
Ikki, who was even stronger than he had been in the original work, later won easily in the dojo battle against Kurashiki Kuroudo.
During this period, Luke continued his gravity training with Nene the whole time.
Occasionally, he would also make time to spar with Ikki and Stella, or give Stella some guidance on her magic control training together with Shizuku.
This ordinary yet fulfilling daily life continued until the start of a certain selection battle.
…
"Next, allow me to introduce the contestants of today's match!"
The host's passionate voice spread throughout the entire venue through the microphone.
"The contestant walking out from the blue side is one of this year's freshmen, and she is also ranked third among the freshmen in strength, second only to the 'Falling Star Sword Emperor' and the 'Crimson Princess'!"
"Paying no mind at all to advantages or disadvantages in attributes, her record so far is fifteen matches, fifteen victories, and zero losses!"
"Today, will she once again use her proud, top-class magic control as her weapon and drag her opponent into the deep sea?"
"Let us welcome her! The 'Lorelei/Deep Sea Witch,' Kurogane Shizuku!!!"
At this moment, Luke was sitting in the audience seats together with Ikki, Arisuin, and Stella, watching this match.
However, unlike Stella and the other two, Luke did not focus his attention on Shizuku.
From the very beginning, Luke's gaze had been locked on the other person—Shizuku's opponent.
"Here she comes! Here she comes! The student council president of our school, as well as the number one ranked student in the school, has appeared at the red side's gate!"
This was completely different from when Shizuku had been introduced.
If the host's voice earlier could be called passionate, then now it was fanatical.
"Last year, she advanced through the Seven Star Sword Art Festival with unstoppable momentum and reached the semifinals, but unfortunately lost to last year's Seven Star Sword King!"
"She once fell just short of reaching the summit of the Seven Star Sword Art Festival, and now she has returned once again to the Seven Star battlefield!"
"Has that unmatched strike been sharpened even further compared to one year ago?"
"The strongest lightning swordswoman that Hagun Academy is proud of! 'Raikiri,' Toudou Touka!!!"
Luke watched Toudou Touka as she gradually entered the match arena.
Her battle-ready appearance was completely different from the way Luke had seen her before.
The large glasses that had been wide enough to cover half her face had been taken off, and the two braids woven from her chestnut-colored hair swayed in the wind.
Although Luke and Stella's popularity was currently very high, before they truly fought, more people still leaned toward Toudou Touka being slightly stronger.
Whether it was because of support for a contestant from their own country, or because of the so-called celebrity effect, the one now slowly stepping onto the battlefield was the publicly recognized strongest person in Hagun Academy.
To be honest, Luke rarely came to watch other people's matches. In fact, it could be said that he almost never did.
He had not even watched a single one of Ikki or Stella's matches.
Because there was no need. If he had that time, he might as well spend it training.
In the representative selection battles held so far, Luke had only watched two matches.
The first was Toudou Touka's match.
After confirming that she would not use "Raikiri" against ordinary contestants, he had not watched any more of her matches.
And the second was the match before his eyes now.
Compared to Toudou Touka, whom he did not understand very well, Luke knew Shizuku better.
He had a clear idea of just how strong this girl, who had been training alongside him and Ikki all this time, really was.
With Shigure-Soen-Ryu, a sword style related to water, Luke might even understand Shizuku's limits better than Ikki, her own older brother.
She was definitely not someone an ordinary student knight could compare to.
Even if she were placed among professional Mage-Knights, Shizuku would be more than worthy of being called "excellent."
Whether it was the information from the original work, or Luke's own judgment after spending this period of time with her, there was no doubt.
Shizuku had the ability to force out Toudou Touka's "Raikiri."
Naturally, Luke would not miss the scene he had been waiting for so long to see.
And at this very moment, the one who felt it most deeply was Shizuku, who stood face to face against Toudou Touka.
The instant she caught sight of that figure across from her, she understood.
One could sense it the moment their eyes met. One could feel it just by standing there.
She was on a completely different level.
Shizuku had seen this kind of presence before, a pressure that simply existing would bring upon ordinary people, in another person.
Although it was not as terrifying, the aura exuded from Toudou Touka's entire body after she entered battle mode was indeed similar to Luke's.
The faint, barely visible sword aura, and that sharp presence that made one's hair stand on end.
It was an aura possessed only by a true swordsman.
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