"The air conditioner remote is on the podium. Kendo class is about to start; I'll see you there, Raiden-san."
Kiana didn't seem interested in arguing over this topic any further. After speaking, she walked briskly toward the stairs and disappeared from their sight within seconds. Her entire exit was smooth and fluid, not giving Raiden Mei any chance to retort.
The smell of gunpowder is so thick...
Li Wu walked up to the podium, picked up the remote, and turned off the AC. Perhaps it was because of the cold air, but he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine—even though it was the middle of summer...
But fortunately, one thing was confirmed: unlike the other students, Kiana, just like him, was perfectly aware of Raiden Mei's "other side."
No wonder she had warned him earlier and even cited the story of the Farmer and the Viper.
So, how am I supposed to form the Valkyrie squad later on?
A vile, twisted heiress Raiden Mei, and a cold, aloof goddess Kiana. If Bronya turned out to be just as unhinged, he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would look like when the original trio went out on missions together.
Li Wu felt a massive headache coming on. I just hope the other heroines are a bit more normal.
"Let's go, Master. Mei won't hold back this time. I'm going to tear off her disguise in kendo class!"
Like a child throwing a tantrum, Raiden Mei was holding in a bellyful of anger. Pulling Li Wu by the hand, she stomped off in the direction Kiana had left, waddling somewhat like a penguin.
She marched valiantly and aggressively, completely forgetting that her current persona was supposed to be a cowardly victim of bullying.
Whatever. The plot hasn't derailed yet, and these two sparring plays right into my hands.
However...
There was one thing Li Wu was very concerned about: the phrase "déjà vu" had appeared twice in the system's narrations.
Another coincidence?
Whether in the comic's plot or in this Honkai world, he had never had any interactions with Kiana.
The few times Kiana had helped him were all out of a sense of duty.
The first time, as a classmate, she warned him to be careful who he helped.
The second time, as the Class Representative, she was maintaining the order and atmosphere of the classroom.
Neither had anything to do with him personally.
Li Wu shook his head, pulling his thoughts back to the present.
His top priority was dealing with the sniper. Other doubts could be investigated later. Déjà vu... It's probably not that important anyway.
Before the two of them arrived at the kendo dojo, Li Wu took a moment to review some of the setting's details.
Kendo class was a tradition at Chiba Academy, making up a significant portion of their final grade. The original intention of the class wasn't to strengthen the students' bodies, but to widen the gap between commoners and the children of nobles.
In the Far East, commoners were already overwhelmed just dealing with regular exams; almost no one had the time to practice kendo, which was practically useless in daily life.
But for the nobles of the Far East, kendo, along with golf, was a universally recognized pastime and form of entertainment.
There were even families renowned for their kendo, such as the Hokushin.
"Today we'll be having a small test: two-person sparring matches. Will the next two students please put on their protective gear and step onto the mat. The core objective is to land effective strikes on your opponent's vital areas. There is no limit on consecutive points. The first to reach thirteen points wins, or the one leading when the time limit ends wins."
The kendo teacher, wearing a black hakama, stood by the mat and called out loudly.
Shortly after, two female students wearing bulky protective gear and holding their chosen wooden swords stepped onto the mat.
With a shout of "Begin!" from the teacher, the two girls started fighting like a pair of prairie dogs—you poke me, I poke you. Their movements were slow and their postures clumsy.
Oftentimes, they would poke their opponent once and immediately retreat.
Li Wu remembered that "no limit on consecutive points" meant that as long as you were fast enough, you could rapidly strike your opponent multiple times within a second to score points.
This was a major difference from traditional matches, where competitors had to stop and reset after every point scored.
As for the other difference...
It meant the fights could be far more intense. If things had gone according to their original character settings, Raiden Mei and Kiana would have had a friendly, sporting spar in the comic's plot.
But reality was...
Li Wu sneaked a glance at Raiden Mei beside him. Her face was incredibly dark. Her gaze darted between the wooden swords and Kiana; she looked as though she couldn't wait to jump onto the mat and chop Kiana into minced meat right then and there.
In contrast, Kiana's expression remained as calm as ever, though she did occasionally cast appraising glances their way.
"Alright, first group is done! Next group: Kiana Kaslana and Raiden Mei. Please step onto the mat for your test. The rules remain the same."
Before the teacher even finished speaking, Raiden Mei had already hopped onto the mat. Her expression was terrifyingly cold, entirely devoid of the pitiful facade she had put on during class earlier.
Kiana casually picked a standard wooden sword from the rack. She swung it a few times to test its weight, and finding it suitable, she slowly turned to face Raiden Mei, her face still devoid of any expression.
The two of them stared at each other, neither saying a word.
The air suddenly froze.
The previously somewhat noisy dojo instantly fell dead silent. It was as if the ultimate, freezing winter had truly descended upon the Far East.
The teacher, who had been leaning lazily against the wall, slowly straightened his back. He choked on his own spit and coughed twice before finally shouting, "Nonsense! Are you two not going to wear your protective gear? Even though they are wooden swords, getting hit is still dangerous. Step down and put on your protective gear first!"
"It's fine. I absolutely won't let our Class Representative get hurt. Right?" Raiden Mei provoked with a contemptuous sneer.
"It's rare for Raiden-san to take a class seriously, so naturally, I will treat this seriously as well. If you are afraid of getting hurt, I don't mind waiting for you to put on your protective gear before we start," Kiana shot back.
On the mat, the two didn't even bow. They just stood there glaring at each other, like children throwing a tantrum.
"A-Alright then... Just pay attention to safety. Test begin!" the teacher shouted loudly.
The moment the words left his mouth.
Kiana didn't hold her sword with both hands as taught in class. Instead, she gripped the end of the hilt with one hand, letting her arm hang naturally. The tip of the blade pointed diagonally at the ground as her calm gaze rested on Raiden Mei.
Her opponent was the exact opposite.
Raiden Mei gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, lowering her body and dropping her center of gravity. With her knees slightly bent, she raised the wooden sword over her right shoulder, keeping the blade level with her line of sight.
"You asked for this!"
Without holding anything back, Raiden Mei launched her attack—the ultimate technique of the Hokushin Itto-ryu. A slash, a chop, a thrust: three consecutive feints so fast Kiana barely had time to react, followed by the most vicious, piercing thrust aimed straight at her chest.
Despite being caught off guard, Kiana's powerful combat instincts allowed her to bring her sword up to block at the absolute last second. She then slid the back of her blade along Mei's sword, lightly grazing Raiden Mei's arm to score a point.
Just as Kiana was about to press her advantage and reposition her wooden sword, Raiden Mei had already reversed her grip on the hilt, driving the pommel into Kiana's stomach like an elbow strike to score a point of her own.
Using the momentum, the two separated, putting distance between them.
The very next second, they charged at each other again.
But this time, having felt out each other's habits, the two wooden swords practically blurred into one continuous sheet of motion. Afterimages crossed paths, and the sounds of blades slicing through the air and clashing against one another became ceaseless—like a sudden torrential downpour violently battering a tiled roof.
Every single strike was aimed directly at the other's vital points...
"What's wrong, Class Representative? Is this the level of an 'A' grade? Or do you need me to hold back a little more?"
The two briefly locked swords, competing with pure physical strength.
Raiden Mei didn't miss the opportunity, mocking Kiana in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Perhaps maintaining your breathing rhythm from earlier would make your words more convincing, Raiden-san."
"You sure have a lot to say, don't you? I thought you only knew how to talk about school stuff. Helping anyone who's in trouble... That boy you rejected earlier is a prime example, isn't he? Giving someone hope only to reject them... don't you find that laughable?"
"I am simply fulfilling my duties."
"As expected, you're exactly the same as always. Putting on an act. Playing the 'good student' must be so exhausting. Let me help you relax a bit!"