Shuo woke before sunrise, the world outside still wrapped in cool shadows. He stepped into the courtyard, Zangetsu in hand, and let the blade slice the morning air. Every movement felt smoother than the last—muscle memory fusing with the swordsmanship the system had burned into his mind. Still, what he truly needed now was real combat, the kind that would hammer these techniques into instinct.
By the time the first rays of sunlight crept over the rooftops, Shuo was already heading for school. He slipped into his classroom just minutes before the bell, heart steady, mind focused.
As he dropped into his seat, a flash of red hair caught his eye. Rias turned around, her greeting as poised as ever.
"Good morning, Nangong-kun."
"Good morning, Rias-san. Good morning, Akeno-san."
Akeno pouted theatrically, pressing the back of her hand to her cheek. "Ara ara! Yesterday you confessed to me, and I was your girlfriend. But today, when you greet us, I'm after Rias? You're breaking my heart, Shuo-chan…"
She peeked at him through her fingers, clearly watching for his reaction.
Shuo just smirked. He'd seen this act too many times to be fazed. "That's enough, Akeno-san. Your damsel routine might melt someone else, but not me. I know all your tricks."
Akeno dropped her hands, feigning surprise. "Ara? Are you saying you've been secretly investigating me, Nangong-kun? Or do you just have a lot of secrets of your own?"
Rias, eyes wide, looked from Akeno to Shuo, curiosity written all over her face.
But Shuo just sat back, pulling out his textbook for first period. He shot Akeno a warm, teasing look. "If you really want to know the truth, Akeno, it's like I said yesterday—only family gets to know everything about me. So, want to be my girlfriend? Join the Nangong family?"
Akeno went quiet for once, caught off guard by his boldness. Rias, meanwhile, watched the two with growing amusement.
Akeno finally broke the silence, her tone playful but with a hint of sincerity. "Honestly, we barely know each other and you're already asking me out. So domineering, Shuo-chan! But… I wouldn't mind giving it a try."
She put on a show of regret, but Shuo wasn't discouraged. No outright rejection—he'd take that as a win. There was hope.
Noticing Shuo's calm, Akeno seemed to shift gears, dropping her act for a moment. "Oh, right, Shuo-chan—you promised you'd come to the Occult Research Club after school today. You're not getting out of it this time!"
Shuo paused, glancing from Akeno's mischievous smile to Rias's serious gaze. He nodded. "Alright. I'll have Koneko-chan show me the way after class."
The rest of the school day drifted by in a haze of daydreams and naps. For a top student like Shuo, the teachers barely batted an eye. Before long, the final bell rang.
"Guess I should check in with Koneko-chan," Shuo muttered.
Rias, packing up her books, caught his words. "Need Koneko's help with something? If you'd like, we could help too."
Akeno chimed in, her voice tinged with mock jealousy. "Exactly! I'm your almost-girlfriend, you know. If you have questions, ask me! Or… do you prefer petite girls like Koneko-chan? That's a little heartbreaking, Shuo-chan…"
Shuo caught the glint of laughter in Akeno's eyes and just sighed, refusing to rise to her bait.
Ever since the system awakened, he'd gotten used to checking for new missions. That morning, while practicing swordplay, a new notification had popped up:
Ding! Mission issued: Proceed to the Kendo Club and defeat Sona Sitri's peerage member, Tomoe Meguri.
Shuo's lips twitched. "This damn system… It's basically sending me to crash the Kendo Club and pick a fight. Way to make friends, huh? Still, I need the power-up. Can't afford to fall behind."
He started to explain, "Actually, could you wait a sec, I—"
But Akeno cut him off with a sharp look. "Shuo-chan! You promised. Don't even think about backing out now. No take-backs!"
Shuo raised his hands in surrender. "No, no, of course I'm not breaking my word."
He knew better than to push his luck here. If Rias and Akeno thought he was being flaky, he'd lose their trust—and their favor. He wasn't about to sabotage himself.
Rias and Akeno exchanged a look, clearly puzzled by whatever scheme they thought he was cooking up.
"So what is it, then?" Rias asked, a touch hesitant.
Shuo shrugged. "It's nothing major, just some personal business. I need Koneko-chan to show me to the Kendo Club. Once that's done, I'll join you both at the Occult Research Club. You really think I'd pass up spending time with two beautiful girls?"
Akeno giggled. "As long as you know what's good for you, Shuo-chan!"
Rias smiled, her eyes bright. "In that case, Akeno and I will head back to the club first. We'll be waiting."
With that, the two girls slipped out of the classroom, leaving Shuo alone with a sigh of relief.
He found Koneko soon after and explained his request. Though she seemed puzzled by his sudden interest in the Kendo Club, she agreed to lead the way.
And so, with Koneko by his side, Shuo set off for his next challenge—the Kendo Club showdown just beginning.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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