"What's wrong with you two?" Haruki asked, looking at Claudia and Julis.
"What's wrong with us? That's our line!" Claudia and Julis spoke in perfect, exasperated unison.
Julis sighed, rubbing her temples. "Haruki, do you really know nothing about this academy? How can you not recognize someone that famous?"
"Famous? Who? That silver-haired girl?"
"Yes," Claudia took over, her expression turning serious. "If you had looked at the school rankings—specifically the Page One Twelve—you would know that the girl you encountered is Kirin Toudou. She is currently the Rank 1 student of Seidokan Academy. An unparalleled genius of the blade."
Kirin Toudou. Rank 1 of Seidokan.
Upon hearing this, Haruki felt a flicker of surprise, followed quickly by a sense of inevitability. Even during their brief, chaotic encounter, he had sensed the formidable strength radiating from her.
Despite her youthful, almost fragile appearance, her movement patterns and the "vibration" of her spirit marked her as a true master. In a city where most relied on the flashy powers of a Strega or the high-tech crutches of a Lux, she was a rare soul who walked the path of the sword.
Of course, in this world, pure swordsmanship usually had a ceiling. The existence of Star Pulse and Mana meant that a traditional blade often fell short against conceptual magic—unless that swordsmanship reached a level of perfection that could "cut" through the laws of the world themselves. The fact that Kirin held the top spot in an elite academy like Seidokan proved her skill was nothing short of miraculous.
Haruki's interest was no longer just professional curiosity. It was a hunger.
"You're really fixated on Kirin-chan, aren't you?" Claudia noted, a subtle, unreadable smile playing on her lips.
"I want to interact with her deeply," Haruki said bluntly.
To a man obsessed with the peak, a Rank 1 swordsman was better than any treasure. He intended to find her and test her edge against his own.
Julis and Claudia exchanged a look. They knew that when Haruki used words like "interact deeply," he meant a life-and-death exchange of blows, but they couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of unease at his phrasing.
Haruki, however, had already shifted his focus. He began asking about the girls from Allekant. He didn't trust Ernesta or Camilla; their "vibrations" were too chaotic, like a storm hidden behind a pane of glass.
Claudia provided a data dump via the campus network. Allekant Academy was a hive of competing interests, divided into three main factions:
The Lion Faction: Led by Camilla Pareto. They focused on Lux development and hardware optimization. Their weapons had dominated the previous Phoenix Festa.
The Overman Faction: Focused on genetic engineering and human enhancement. They were currently in decline due to a lack of viable results.
The Sculptor Faction: Led by the genius Ernesta Kuhne. They specialized in autonomous Al-D units. Silas Norman's puppets had been her prototypes.
"Allekant is dangerous, but limited," Julis said dismissively. "They lack Star Pulse. Relying on inventions instead of their own souls means they can never be true rivals."
"Perhaps," Haruki said, though he remained skeptical. Ernesta's parting smile hadn't looked like the face of someone whose plans had failed. It looked like the face of someone who had just finished a successful field test.
The next day, Haruki skipped his usual training session with Julis. The moment the final bell rang, he headed for the Seidokan Middle School wing. He was on a mission to find the silver-haired Rank 1.
As luck would have it, he spotted her near the entrance of the junior high building.
"You again?!"
Kirin Toudou's face went pale the moment she saw him. She was clearly still laboring under the delusion that Haruki was a high-level predator. She didn't wait for a greeting; she turned and bolted.
Haruki didn't let her go. He gave chase, and the two of them became blurs of motion through the sprawling Seidokan campus. Passing students were nearly knocked over by the wind of their passage.
She's fast, Haruki thought.
Even without using her Star Pulse, Kirin weaved through the corridors with an economy of motion that Haruki admired. In his base state, he was actually struggling to close the gap.
"Fine. Let's step it up."
Haruki flared Highland Soul. A flash of green energy enveloped his legs, and he broke the sound barrier with a sharp crack. He became a verdant streak, appearing in front of Kirin in a heartbeat, effectively cutting off her escape route into the forest.
"Eeeek! A-A pervert!"
Kirin shrieked, looking for an exit, but they were in a secluded corner of the grounds. No one was coming to save her.
"I think you've misunderstood me, Toudou-san," Haruki said, trying to modulate his voice into something non-threatening.
Kirin stood like a cornered rabbit, her hands clutching her chest. "Y-You know my name? You've been... stalking me this whole time?!"
"Stalking? I suppose I've been keeping an eye on you," Haruki admitted. He meant he had been tracking her martial potential, but to a terrified middle schooler, it sounded like a confession from a serial harasser.
"How... how could you...?!" Kirin's face turned a violent shade of red. She looked at Haruki, her eyes watery, her resolve wavering. "If... if you're willing to accept someone like me... I... I suppose I could... consent..."
Chapter 151: Is That So? I Don't Believe You!
"You're willing to duel me?"
Haruki's eyes lit up with genuine excitement.
Kirin blinked, her blushing face turning into a mask of pure confusion. "A... a duel? What do you mean?"
"I want to interact with your swordsmanship. I want to see the foundation of the Rank 1," Haruki explained.
"..."
The silence in the clearing was heavy. Kirin processed his words, her face transitioning from red to white and then back to a steaming, volcanic crimson. A literal wisp of steam seemed to rise from the top of her head.
"Are you alright?" Haruki asked, stepping closer. He wondered if she was having a heat stroke.
His movement made her stumble back in a panic. "I-I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine! Nothing is wrong!"
She kept her distance, her head bowed as she fidgeted with her hands. Occasionally, she would sneak a peek at him through her bangs, only to look away the moment their eyes met.
Haruki frowned. He sensed a profound lack of confidence in her. It was a jarring contradiction. This girl was Rank 1—the strongest student in the school—yet she carried herself like a servant afraid of being punished. Confidence usually followed achievement, yet Kirin seemed to be drowning in self-loathing.
"My name is Haruki Aizawa," he said, trying to ground the conversation.
"H-Hello, Aizawa-san," Kirin replied, her voice regaining a bit of structure. "I'm sorry, but... I cannot duel you. My uncle has forbidden me from engaging in 'meaningless' battles."
"Your uncle?"
"Yes. He manages my career and my standing within the family..."
Before she could explain further, a harsh, booming voice echoed from the direction of the school building.
"Kirin! Where are you?! Why aren't you at the transport yet?!"
Kirin flinched violently, her entire body shrinking. She bowed frantically to Haruki. "I'm sorry, Aizawa-san! My uncle is calling! I have to go!"
She bolted toward the entrance. Haruki, curious about the source of her terror, followed at a distance. He reached the gate just in time to see a middle-aged man waiting by a black sedan.
The man was bulky, dressed in an expensive suit, and radiated an aura of petty authority. Haruki's Sense of Fluctuation confirmed the man had zero Star Pulse. He was a "Normal"—a non-combatant—yet he held the Rank 1 fighter of Seidokan in a state of absolute submission.
As Kirin approached him, her head was bowed low. The man didn't greet her with kindness or a family's warmth. He wore a look of pure, clinical coldness.
Haruki watched from the shadows, his eyes narrowing as he observed the dynamic. Then, the unexpected happened.
The man raised his hand and delivered a sharp, stinging slap across Kirin's face.
CRACK!
The sound echoed through the courtyard. Several passing students stopped, their faces filled with shock and discomfort, but no one moved to interfere.
"I warned you about associating with nobodies, Kirin," the man hissed. "You are a tool. A blade for the Toudou family. You have no purpose other than victory. Do not waste your time thinking for yourself!"
"B-But Uncle... I..."
"Did I give you permission to speak?"
He raised his hand again. Kirin squeezed her eyes shut, her shoulders shaking.
The hand began its descent. But it never landed.
Haruki Aizawa had appeared between them. He gripped the man's wrist with a strength that made the older man's bones groan.
"You like hitting children?" Haruki asked, his voice a low, terrifying whisper that made the air around them turn cold. "Is that the extent of your 'authority'?"
***********************************************
For advanced chapters up to 20 chapter ahead is on my Patreon
My Patreon name : M7md_sol
Current amount of chapters on Patreon : 102
If your having trouble reaching my Patreon
Just write M7md_sol Patreon on Google search and I'll probably be the first page that shows up and thanks for any support you guys give
Discord in the comments