The whole training field suddenly went dead silent, the atmosphere turning heavy—like some invisible pressure had just crashed over everything.
"What the hell…?"
Otome Sakura buckled, doubling over like she was about to collapse. She had zero strength to fight back.
Even though Lycoris agents were far stronger than average humans, at the end of the day, they were still human. There was no way they could stand up to the overwhelming pressure Shichen was putting out.
"Whoaaa~ Nice one, Shichen-nii!" came Chisato's upbeat voice.
Shichen turned toward the sound and saw Chisato waving and running toward him. Behind her followed a woman with a mushroom-cut hairstyle and an oddly masculine look.
"Commander Kusunoki!" Takina Inoue shouted, recognizing her.
"You done with your test already?" Shichen pulled back the pressure.
"Phew…"
Otome Sakura collapsed on the ground, completely drenched in sweat.
"Yeah, just finished. As soon as I came out, I saw that girl messing with Takina."
Chisato ran up, hugged Shichen's arm, and looked down at the girl sitting on the ground. "So… who is she, anyway?"
"Think her name's Otome Sakura. No clue beyond that."
"She's Takina's replacement," a short-haired girl said as she walked in.
"Replacement?" Chisato raised an eyebrow.
"Heh~ Didn't you hear? Someone had to fill the spot after a senpai left," Otome Sakura stood up, smirking.
"Seriously, what was that just now? It felt like I was being crushed by something."
"Manager, can you let go of me first?" Takina ignored her and looked at Shichen.
"What are you planning to do?" he asked, letting her go.
Without answering, Takina ran straight to Kusunoki and asked, "I submitted evidence about that gun deal, didn't I? Doesn't that qualify me to return to DA?"
"Return? For what?" Kusunoki replied coldly.
"I-I brought in results…" Takina said, careful with her words.
"Oh yeah? Funny, I don't remember ever promising that would be enough."
"What…?" Takina looked stunned and devastated.
"What's your angle, Commander?" Chisato demanded.
"Hmph. Isn't it obvious? She's no longer needed here," Otome Sakura said smugly.
"Hey!"
"And who even are you?"
"She's Chisato Nishikigi," said the short-haired girl.
"Wait, that's her? The one from the radio tower?" Sakura stared wide-eyed.
"Yup, that's her."
"No way… the hero?! That's her?"
"Don't call me 'that'!" Chisato shot her a glare.
"W-wow, the aura's real. Total hero vibes."
"All right, knock it off. The Commander's still here," Fuki said firmly.
"So… you're Shichen? The one Chisato's been looking for—her lifesaver?"
Kusunoki didn't even look at Takina. She walked past her without a word and stopped in front of Shichen.
"And you're Commander Kusunoki. Chisato's told me you looked out for her." Shichen patted Chisato's head as he spoke.
"That pressure just now—was that you?" Kusunoki asked, poker-faced.
She was clearly talking about the oppressive force earlier.
"You've probably already looked into me, right? So let's not pretend," Shichen said with a casual smile.
"…I see. Got it."
"So, what do you want?"
"I won't interfere in your life, and I won't bother you either. But… can you give Chisato back to us?"
"Not happening."
Shichen smiled and shook his head. "Chisato's mine now. No way I'm handing her over."
"Shichen-nii~" Chisato clung happily to his arm.
"More importantly," Shichen continued, "this was Chisato's decision."
"Was it really? Chisato, you're seriously not coming back?"
"Sorry~ I've grown up. Time to stand on my own two feet. And Shichen-nii gave me a new life."
"…I see."
Kusunoki didn't try to argue. She just turned around, ready to leave.
"Wait." Shichen called out.
"…What now?" she asked without turning back.
"There's still one thing. My girl Takina's been treated like crap—I'm not letting that slide."
"Your girl?" Kusunoki still wouldn't even look at Takina. "Then take her. We don't need her."
"What…?" Takina stared at her in disbelief.
"Yeah, no. We're not done here. Someone's gotta be held accountable," Shichen said coldly.
"Accountable for what?"
"Takina, come here."
"M-Manager…" she turned around and slowly walked toward him.
When she got close, Shichen gently patted her head, then looked at Kusunoki.
"Don't you think Takina deserves an apology?"
"Huh?" Takina looked up at him, surprised.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kusunoki's expression didn't change.
"It was your mess, and you pinned it on her. Then you kicked her out of DA. You think that's okay?" Shichen asked.
"Pinned it on me…?" Takina blinked, confused.
Shichen gave her a soft smile. "Yeah. While you were out on that mission, DA got hacked. Communications went down. That's why the timing got screwed."
"No way…"
"You know DA would never admit that kind of failure. So they made you take the fall."
"Is that true?" Takina turned to Kusunoki.
Kusunoki said nothing. She just stared. Of course, she couldn't admit it.
"This is insane! Just because of that?!" Takina couldn't hold it in. Her dream had always been DA—the dream of every Lycoris. She broke down and ran out of the training area, tears trailing behind her.
"Oops, she ran off," Otome Sakura said, amused.
"Could you shut up?" Fuki snapped.
"Yes ma'am…"
"I'll go after her. Chisato, watch these people."
"Got it!"
Shichen glanced at Kusunoki one last time before chasing after Takina.
"Hmph! You heard him—none of you are leaving!" Chisato huffed and pointed at Kusunoki and the others.
"What, you think you can stop us alone?" Sakura scoffed.
"Maybe not by myself, but didn't you hear Shichen-nii? Commander Kusunoki isn't going anywhere."
"Commander?"
"What exactly are you planning, Chisato?" Kusunoki asked.
"Threats are boring. So how about this—we've got a drill later, right? I'll team up with Takina, and you send in Fuki and this 'replacement.' If we win, you owe Takina an apology."
"…You two good with that?" Kusunoki turned to Fuki and Sakura.
"Wait, we're seriously doing this?" Sakura asked, a little stunned.
"No problem," Fuki replied confidently.
"Alright then," Kusunoki nodded.
"Hehe~ That's more like it. Looks like you do know how scary Shichen-nii can be," Chisato smirked.
Kusunoki didn't agree because of Chisato. She agreed because she knew exactly how dangerous Shichen could be. DA surveillance had caught glimpses of his abnormal abilities before.
Shichen tracked Takina's presence and found her in a quiet hall with a fountain. She was standing there, staring into the water, lost in thought.
"So this is where you ran off to?" he said gently, approaching her.
"…Manager…"
She didn't turn to look. "This is the Lycoris dorms."
"I see… You always wanted to live here, huh?" Shichen looked up and saw several girls smiling brightly from the balconies above.
"Yeah… We're all orphans DA took in. For us, this place was everything. But now I…" her voice was choked with tears.
"Don't be so down." Shichen gently stroked her head.
"But I lost everything… My dream, my place… What am I supposed to do now?" she turned toward him, eyes welling up.
Tears ran down her cheeks—soft, sincere, and heartbreaking.
"Who told you that you don't have a place anymore?" Shichen ruffled her hair again.
"…Huh?"
"You forgot already? You're part of my family now. My home is your home, right?"
"Manager, you…"
"What? You don't want that? Everyone's already accepted you. We've seen you as family for a long time. Are you gonna abandon us now?"
"I-I'm not…"
"Then why the tears? Don't you like the life you have now?" He took a step forward and gently pulled her into his arms.
"I…" Takina didn't resist at all.
Shichen gently patted her back. "After everything they did to you, why stay loyal to them? You're better off coming home with me."
"But… DA took me in…"
"So what? You're grown up now. Time to stand on your own. Help out when you can—but you don't owe them everything."
"It's not that easy…"
"Isn't Chisato doing exactly that? After all this time with her, hasn't she rubbed off on you at all?"
"Chisato is Chisato. I'm me…"
"Then what do you want to do?"
"I…"
"Chisato is out there fighting for you. Aren't you gonna help her?"
"…Huh?"
~~~
For Every 100 Powerstone = 1 Bonus Chapter! Please Vote for more Chapters!
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 180+ Chapters Ahead of Others!