Zaki walks back to the others in the training field, as he sees Kui, who's training his swordsmanship skill with a needle blade against a hay dummy. He seems sweaty and is working pretty hard to deal critical damage to the dummy. He then sees Reiwa, who had just won another fight against Rue, having her foot step over Rue's back as he's on the ground in defeat.
"16-2!"
Reiwa yelled, full of confidence and pride in her voice.
"OKAY, OKAY! YOU'RE STRONGER, I GET IT!"
Rue yelled back as he was stuck on the ground, with Reiwa's foot still stepping on his back.
"GET YOUR FOOT OFF ME!"
He yelled.
Reiwa takes off her foot and then lights up a cigarette.
Zaki approached them, and he then pulled the cigarette from Reiwa's hand as she was about to hit it.
"Rule 13B! No smoking on school grounds!"
He yelled with a mischievous voice and a prideful look.
Reiwa was startled by Zaki taking away her cigarette, before pouting with an annoyed face.
"H-Hey! You're no fun, teach."
She protested, clearly annoyed.
"That's what you get for beating my ass 4 times today.."
Rue stood up, teasing Reiwa while he stretched his right arm.
"Damn, that still hurts..!"
He grunted.
"Shush it, you're not one to talk."
Reiwa responded with an annoyed tone.
"Hey, at least I got a win today!"
Rue cheered, clearly proud of his achievement of winning once.
"Eh now? 1 is nothing against 16~"
Reiwa teased him before resting her elbow on Rue's arm.
Zaki looked back at the two.
"Did you two train your vows?"
He asked with a gentle voice.
"Yes, teach…"
Reiwa replied with an annoyed, tired tone. She then looked beside her as a monstrous worm-like thing with a ghost face, scaly, rough skin appeared.
"I practiced my Jack Hits more than my Vows today, teach.."
Rue replied in a low-voice tone.
"That is okay! Jack Hits or Vows, as long as you train your perception and abilities!"
Zaki replied in a confident and proud voice.
"Good job, you two!"
He then raised a fist as he praised both.
Zaki stayed silent for a bit, seemingly thinking of something.
"KUI!"
He yelled as he looked behind him to call over Kui.
Kui jumped as he missed his stab attack on the hay dummy.
"Huh?"
He looked at Zaki from a distance.
"YOU WANT FOOD?"
Zaki yelled.
Kui was enlightened by the idea, as his eyes widened and he immediately ran towards Zaki and the others.
"FOOD? YES PLEASE!"
He excitedly yelled.
"Aha! I knew you were hungry!"
Zaki amusingly spoke.
"Let me treat you, students, today!"
He spoke, raising his fist.
"Let us go, students! You need your nutrition!"
Zaki pointed at the campus exit, clearly ready to treat his students a good meal.
"LET'S GO!"
Kui excitedly yelled.
The four walked off, exiting the Visionary Academy Campus, ready to get lunch with Zaki's treat.
…
…
…
In a tight alleyway in the city of… somewhere. Shiro finds himself surrounded by the claustrophobic walls on his left and right. Behind him, looks endless, and in front of him is another endless darkness of an alleyway. With rusty pipes along the walls, rats and cockroaches wander around the tight alleyway.
He looks around, wondering where he is. His mind is puzzled as he scratches his head. How did he end up here? who knows. But he walks forward anyway, to see if there's an exit to this endless alleyway.
"Where am I?"
He asked himself in his head.
He continues walking forward, deeper within the alleyway.
And then, a faint figure appears from the distance. A familiar figure, a woman with a small frame, with no clothes on.
Shiro's eyes widen at the view, because he knows this body, this figure, this presence.
It's Sheena.
"Sheena…?"
He asked, his face in total disbelief at everything.
"Shiro…"
Sheena murmured, her face tilted downwards, as if she were disappointed.
Shiro reaches out a hand, attempting to come forward and hug her, but he hesitates.
"Are you infatuated, Shiro?"
She suddenly asked.
"Huh…? W-What are you talking about…?"
Shiro steps back, slightly surprised by the question.
"Don't act stupid, Shiro."
Sheena looks at him with a frustrated look. Her voice was cold; she was angry.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
She spoke with a deep and cold voice. She had a frustrated and pissed look at him.
Shiro was speechless, still confused about what Sheena was even talking about.
"That… Yoriha. I know what you feel about her, Shiro."
"I don't want to lose you, you know that!"
Sheena snapped, suddenly yelling at Shiro from her anger and disappointment.
Shiro jumped from the sudden yelling. He's scared and vulnerable. He hates seeing Sheena mad at him for something he did.
"Sheena! Believe me! I don't feel anything towards Yoriha…! I love you, and you only!"
Shiro protested, defending himself even though it was a clear lie.
"Shiro, I want you to choose."
Sheena spoke coldly.
Shiro steps back. Surprised by the sudden question that he knew would cause him trouble to answer.
"Choose."
Sheena spoke bluntly.
Footsteps can be heard behind him. Shiro notices the sounds as he looks toward his shoulders to see Yoriha, completely naked with nothing but glasses on her face.
Yoriha smiled at Shiro as she spread out her arms towards the front, gesturing for a hug.
Shiro's face is in complete shock. This isn't something he'd thought he'd never need to answer. He looks back at Sheena, visibly shaking and sweating.
"D-Don't do this to me, Sheena..
Shiro responded with fear; he's trembling.
"Choose, Shiro."
Sheena replied with a cold tone.
"Me…"
She remained silent before giving the other option.
"Or Yoriha."
Sheena finishes her sentence, looking at Shiro with a cold glance.
Shiro looks back at Yoriha and back at Sheena.He's panicking, visibly shaking, and sweating. He doesn't know whom to choose, because both have gone under his skin already, both have already made him feel special.
He pants before screaming at the top of his lungs.
…
…
…
Shiro wakes up panting and covered in sweat. He remains looking up at the ceiling, his face in complete shock and disbelief.
What just happened?
Why was I in an alleyway?
Why did Sheena make me choose between her and Yoriha?
All these questions shot up in Shiro's head before he sat up and covered half of his face with his hand.
Shiro's in complete shock as his mind is all puzzled, he remains sitting up on the bed, covering his face with his hand for a while.
"What the fuck…"
He spoke to himself.
He looks around as he finds himself still in the 'observation training room' Zaki had trapped him in, seeing that the game is still running in front of him on the TV.
He looks at his watch on his wrist to see that 5 hours had already passed since Zaki trapped him here to play the RPG Game on the TV to train his observation skills.
"Wait a minute.."
"ZAKI FORGOT I WAS HERE!"
—Chapter 24, End : Dilemma