Just when Erend and Ferguson officially formed a partnership and devoted themselves to targeted training, as expected, the news of their preparation for the Phoenix Star Warrior Festival spread rapidly across the internet.
The first ones to catch wind of this were naturally the other academies in direct competition with Livermorny Academy.
Furthermore, it quickly reached the ears of the student council presidents, who held considerable influence in their respective institutions.
Dark Intentions
"Hmph, this sword again?"
In a dimly lit room, a man wearing a black student uniform with a school badge displaying a double sword emblem snorted in displeasure.
The man was slightly overweight and short, with an unremarkable appearance. However, his eyes carried an intimidating sharpness. His plump face seemed permanently locked in an expression of restrained anger, his tightly clenched jawline adding to his imposing demeanor.
Before him, a floating digital window displayed a video.
The content of the video? The entire duel between Erend and Ferguson.
The slightly overweight man focused intensely on the Black Furnace Demonic Sword wielded by Erend in the video.
When he saw Erend radiating starlight, releasing the heat of the Black Furnace Demonic Sword, generating hot winds and waves of intense heat that wrapped around his figure, his expression shifted ever so slightly.
His gaze turned solemn. Cold.
Opening another window beside him, he studied Erend's personal information.
Surprisingly, the level of detail in this intelligence report was comparable to what Lee had gathered on Ferguson.
"...You've only had this sword for a little over a month, yet you've already mastered it to this extent?"
The man muttered coldly to himself.
After a moment of contemplation, he picked up a special communication device—one that only he, as a student council president, had access to.
"Although my worries may be unfounded, I will not allow history to repeat itself. We must act now."
His fingers dialed swiftly, his eyes flashing with a calculating gleam.
"Release that woman. Let her register for the Phoenix Star Warrior Festival."
A chilling silence filled the dimly lit room.
"Tell her that her mission is simple: Destroy him."
"The current number one in Livermorny Academy is Erend."
"Destroy him for me."
Intriguing Observations
In an opulent space filled with ancient oriental architecture—bridges over flowing water, grand pavilions, a palace-like aura—sat a young girl.
On her chest gleamed the Heavy Colour school badge.
She watched the video with amusement.
The video was none other than the duel between Erend and Ferguson.
With an excited clap, she beamed.
"Not bad at all!"
Though still a bit rough, his combat style was refining itself, and his potential was immeasurable.
"A promising talent. Truly extraordinary."
"If I were to train him myself, he could surpass Alesha in no time."
Despite appearing no older than ten, she spoke with the wisdom and authority of an elderly master, creating a striking contrast between her youthful form and aged tone.
"It's such a shame, though. Why are all the great talents never from George Academy?"
"If only he were one of George Academy's students, I could take him as my apprentice immediately."
"Especially this..."
Her gaze locked onto Erend in the video, observing his star-cloaked figure amid the heat waves. His youthful face bore an air of growing mystery.
"A combat technique I've never seen before... A fighting style I never could have imagined."
"There are no traces of rigid training patterns, yet it flows as though it were an innate instinct."
"Rather than a finely polished gem, he is a raw stone that strengthens with every battle."
"What lies beneath this ever-thickening shell? Even I cannot see through it."
Her expression darkened in delight.
"Fascinating. That's why this city is so entertaining."
"Although I regret not discovering him myself, I'm eager to see just how far this boy can go."
"Grow stronger, child."
"Bring me the greatest joy!"
As she spoke, her grin twisted into something predatory.
Like a beast poised to devour its prey.
The Shadows of the Slums
In the Asterisk Redevelopment Area, a desolate section not yet fully integrated into the city, shadows lurked.
Slums.
A place where those who failed to make it in the academies gathered. Where Baby Boomers Generation criminals from outside fled for refuge. A haven for outcasts, lawless and dangerous.
Gangs thrived in these streets, where black-market deals and illegal activities ran rampant. Thugs and gangsters prowled in broad daylight.
To wander here without caution was to invite disaster.
Yet, amidst this perilous territory, a lone girl sat atop a crumbling wall fragment.
She wore simple clothes, a beret perched upon her head, and long chestnut hair cascading down her back.
One delicate hand rested lightly on the cracked stone beside her, while the other moved gracefully through a digital interface, as though playing a piano.
"Erend...?"
Her lips curled into an amused smile as she studied the video of his duel.
"He's strong. Without a doubt."
Recalling a certain incident from a shop frequented by students from her own academy, she chuckled softly.
"A fellow Four-Color Magic Sword wielder, just like the one from Beauxbaton Academy. To think he obtained the Black Furnace Demonic Sword in such a short time and is already wielding it at this level... Good thing I kept my eye on him."
Initially, she hadn't paid much attention to him.
After all, she'd encountered wielders of Starry Huang-Style Weapons before. Even those with the potential to rise to the top rarely piqued her interest.
But then came that incident in the store.
She had been there. Watching. Listening.
And she saw something.
She saw the dark power in his hands, unwilling to be touched by anyone else—only responding to him.
With her unique abilities, she had sensed something.
A faint but undeniable will within the sword.
A will that bore both dissatisfaction and unwavering loyalty.
In that instant, she realized something startling.
He wasn't just a wielder of the magic sword.
He was its master.
The sword had recognized him as its true king.
Using her connections, she had gathered more information on him.
And to her astonishment, she discovered that his compatibility with the magic sword had surpassed its limit value.
From that moment onward, she had been watching him closely.
"I wonder if he'll participate in the King Dragon Star Martial Festival?"
She mused.
"It would certainly make things more interesting if we crossed paths there."
Closing the floating window, she hopped off the ruins.
"Looking forward to seeing you again, Britain Company."
Humming a tune as if singing to herself, she turned and walked away.
Behind her, a group of gang members lay sprawled across the ground, unmoving.
Their Heavy Colour Weapons scattered around them.
And none of them stirred.
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