Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 Anger

"...Eh? Girl's dormitory?"

Ayato, with a stunning look, slowly compared the girl and building.

Sweat quickly appeared and flowed from Ayato's temple.

"Don't tell me... you didn't know?"

"Not knowing or whatever, I'm a stranger who planned to transfer into this Academy today, and besides, I just recently arrived here. I swear it's not a lie."

As Ayato said so, he showed his brand-new uniform.

Since he had not yet gotten used to wearing the brand-new uniform, both the jacket and the pants were still firm and crispy.

The girl stared at Ayato with doubtful eyes for a while, but she soon emitted a deep sigh.

"OK. I'll believe you."

However, at those words, the moment Ayato was about to heave a sigh of relief...

The girl again said with a smile. "But, after all, this and that are different issues."

Around the smiling girl, fireballs yet again appeared. Though smaller in size compared to that of earlier, this time there were nine in total.

Around the smiling girl, fireballs yet again appeared.

"Come into bloom –– Dancing Nine-Tower-Flower!"[1]

"Uwah!"

Nine fireballs in the form of a lovely primrose, each with a different orbit, attacked Ayato.

As Ayato twisted his body and dodged them, the fireballs that had already hit the ground burst and disappeared along with the dull sound of an explosion.

The concrete pavement, set in the style of cobblestones, now had holes completely gouged out of it. Though it might be preferable to the earlier explosion, this power was also enough to let a chill run down one's spine.

Regarding the body tissues of the Genestella, the muscles were made stronger than those of ordinary humans; Furthermore, if the PranaStar-Power was concentrated the physical body could raise a defensive force, enough to at least protect against a bullet. Still, if it hit directly, one could not get away unscathed.

Besides, and in addition to all that... The remaining fireballs were still incessantly attacking Ayato from all directions.

"Wa-wa-wah...!"

However, Ayato outdid each of the attacks by a hairsbreadth.

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Sometimes by leaping vertically, and sometimes by bending his body, he dodged them at the limit.

At those movements, the girl was surprised once again and opened her eyes wide.

"I see, you don't seem to be just a pervert."

Ayato, who took in colour at the clear praise for that voice, wiped the sweat from his forehead relieved.

She seemed once again to revise her opinion of him. Perhaps, this might be somehow manageable after all.

"You're an extraordinary pervert."

Or not.

"It seems that a mutual understanding will be difficult..." Ayato, unintentionally, raised the complaint.

"Hmph, it's a joke."

Then the girl, while glaring at Ayato with half-opened eyes, flicked back her hair.

"It seems to be a fact that you were returning the handkerchief to me with good intentions, my, um... S- Seeing me changing, too, w-well, I can believe it wasn't on purpose, in a sense. B-But, only in a sense!"

"...Really?"

He tried asking prudently because he so far has repeatedly rejoiced prematurely.

The girl, while nodding, reluctantly continued speaking.

"However, not confirming what building it was, was your mistake, the attitude of suddenly coming in from the window, you understand that not everything can be forgiven just because you didn't do it on purpose, right?"

"That's... quite right."

There were no words of rebuttal.

"You have made your point, but it doesn't settle my anger. And so, we will follow the rules of this city. Fortunately, since you seem to be talented in your way, you won't complain... Right?"

The girl said this and stared straight at Ayato's face.

"What is your name?"

"Amagiri Ayato."

"I see. I'm Julis. Ranked fifth in Seidoukan Academy, Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld."

The girl, who named herself Julis, raised her right hand to the Seidoukan Academy's school badge, a stylized "red lotus", adorning her chest.

"In the name of the red lotus serving as proof of the inflexible, I, Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld hereby challenged you, Ayato Amagiri, to a duel!"

"Duel!?"

To Ayato's surprise, the school badge on his chest started emitting red light in response.

When petitioning for a duel, the decision of whether to accept or reject it must be requested.

"If you win, I'll quietly withdraw my complaint. But if I win, you'll do whatever I want you to do."

Saying so as if it was natural, Julis grinned and laughed.

"W-Wait a minute. I can't just ––"

"Since you have transferred here, no matter what, you do know at least of the duel, right?"

He was peremptorily asked. "...Well, I did hear something about it but..."

Thinking it through completely, one might say that all the students who lived in this Asterisk were gathered here to fight.

The world's largest battle entertainment Festa. Here was the stage, since the students of each Academy were all player candidates.

"Then, hurry up and accept it. There is even a crowd forming."

Ayato looked around after being told this and realized that the two of them had certainly become the centre of attention.

They probably heard the commotion and came. Though most were likely female students from the girl's dormitory, there were also the figures of male students here and there watching from the distant circle formed by the crowd.

"Hey, hey, what, what?"

"The Gruene Rose seems to want a duel!"

"Seriously!? Isn't she a Page OneTop Twelve? They can't overlook that!"

"So, who is the opponent and where does he come from?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen his face before... How about the net?"

"I'm looking now... But, he doesn't appear in the Named ChartssBattle Omnicon."

"Is he not on the list? Well, it's a courageous challenger again."

"How long will he last? That 'Princess' doesn't have it in her nature to go easy on her opponents."

"Three minutes."

"One minute."

"Wait wait, the odds of the net will come out very soon... Well, within three minutes, it's double."

"There is a bookmaker who is already opened. You guys are being quick-eared as always."

"The journalism club is already providing live commentary. Hey, here or there?"

While listening to the voices of such outfield, Ayato frowned and was troubled.

He disliked being the centre of attention.

"Why is this getting such attention...?"

"There are two reasons. The first one is the collection of data on key students–– in this case, my data. I may look like this, but I am one of the Page OneTop Twelve of this Academy, if there is even a chance, there are a lot of people who aim to defeat others."

"Page OneTop Twelve?"

"…Must I explain it from the beginning?"

Julis stared at Ayato with dubious eyes.

"Fine then, you know that each academy of Asterisk has a ranking system, right? Although the rules differ from one academy to another, each academy has a ranking list that clarifies who sits at the top of each academy; they become the Named CardsBattle Omnicon. There is a limit of 72 names in each academy's book. The top twelve among them who have their names appear on the first page of the list are commonly known as Page OneTop Twelve."

I see.

"And the second reason is simple and clear, all the guys here are just fools who are dying to watch a match here."

...I see.

"Well, if you don't want to fight no matter what, then it can't be helped. You also have the right to refuse the duel. But, in that case, I'm going to hand it over to the vigilance committee of the girl's dormitory."

Before he knew it, the escape route had completely disappeared.

"Ah, but you know, I don't carry a weapon."

Even so, he tried to struggle until the bitter end.

It seemed that some students enrolled with their weapon armaments, but most people were using customized supplies from the Academy. Since Ayato intended to do so if necessary, he naturally did not bring any weapons.

"You're not a Dante, right? What weapon do you use?"

"...A sword."

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"Could someone lend him a weapon? A sword is fine."

After Julis asked the spectators, a reaction came back immediately.

"All right, he can use this."

With those words, something was thrown toward Ayato from the crowd.

What he received was a short rod-shaped apparatus. Fitting perfectly in one hand, there was an emerald green crystal at the tip –– a 'Mana Dite' was inserted.

It was an activation tool for the LuxShining Type Armament.

"If you don't know how to use it, I'm not going to tell you."

Julis saying so fearlessly smiled.

"Haa..."

As Ayato deeply sighed, he activated the LuxShining Type Armament in his hand.

The element pattern stored by the Mana Dite was reconstructed, and a mechanical "guard" instantly appeared at an acute angle from nowhere. Furthermore, when shifting from standby mode to the activation state, a dazzling light blade of concentrated Mana grew in the space.

The length of the blade was about one meter. Since appropriate adjustments had hardly been carried out, it was a normal LuxShining Type Armament.

Seeing that, Julis also took out her activation tool from the holder at the waist of her uniform and activated her LuxShining Type Armament.

In fact, unlike Ayato's, it was a rapier of a thin flexible light.

"Well, are you ready?"

While elegantly posing her fine sword, Julis' eyes fixed upon Ayato.

In reality, the LuxShining Type Armament was too light for Ayato's preference, but as they had come this far... he had no choice.

"...I, Amagiri Ayato accept the duel request of Julis."

Ayato held up his hand to the chest school badge and muttered so with a sigh.

As proof of acceptance, Ayato's school badge once again shone red.