(10 minutes prior — 1 PM — In the first hotel building — Cafeteria)
"Why do you hang out with that freshman, Goto?"
The boy named Takaomi asked Isamu, who was sitting next to him.
It was a break for everyone today since different events would be put on for the next two days.
Another girl named Mami sat with the two boys.
"I don't exactly like him either. The way he looks at others is so condescending. I pushed him as a joke and he looked like he didn't care at all."
She said.
Isamu furrowed his brow, looking at Mami.
'You're just annoyed that he didn't get angry...'
He thought with a mental sigh.
Isamu wasn't hearing the last of it. He's been hearing this ever since he invited Ayato back on the first day. It tired him out.
Ayato wasn't a bad person. He was a fun person to be with. His arrogance was his external attitude. It wasn't how he truly felt. Isamu figured this out the more that he spoke to Ayato.
"By the way, what event are you going to be in tomorrow, Takaomi?"
Isamu asked.
"Me? I'm in Capture the Flag."
There were three events left. Capture the Flag, King of the Mountain and Orb Defence.
Capture the Flag was a team match, like the others, where two teams would face one another. An equal distance from each team, a flag will be summoned. The goal is to get the flag back to their respective base. Everything is allowed. There isn't a single restriction.
This is one of the few events that allowed students to go all out if they so pleased.
"Why aren't you asking me?"
Mami asked slightly disappointed. Isamu laughed it off.
"I already know that you're in Orb Defence."
"Isn't that good then?"
The girl pouted for an unknown reason.
Orb Defence was, again, a team match. It was similar to Capture the Flag in rules. There were no restrictions, excluding the fact that powerful AOE spells couldn't be used.
Orb Defence was each team protecting their respective orbs from being destroyed. To win, each team would have to destroy the other's orb.
Takaomi smiled when he saw Mami pout. He had finished his food.
"Well, we're going to win it for us. These team matches give us the most points. We'll need to make it to the finals of two of them if we want to catch up to Hortensia. Of course, that's assuming they don't drop points either. It'll depend on who we're matched up against."
"Oh, so the Buds think they can win?! You're just the worst of the worst."
A boy kicked the table that they were sitting at. He had stuck his foot in Isamu's food.
"What the fuck are you doing, you jerk?!"
Mami stood up, pushing the boy away. Isamu was frozen, with his sullied food in his face.
"Isamu, are you okay?!"
"I-I'm fine, it was nothing but an accident, right?"
He didn't want to start a fight. If a fight started, Takaomi and Mami would be sure to fight. They would get disqualified if they did.
"What the fuck was that for?! Have you ever heard of minding your own fucking business?! Let me guess, you're from that trash school, Lotus?"
Mami growled at the boy. He glared at her.
"Ah, ah, I knew Auralia students were brainless. Even a monkey could figure that out. Besides,"
A thin smile appeared on his lips as he looked over at Isamu. The boy averted his eyes.
"We have a spineless bitch here. Accident, my ass. Didn't you see that I intentionally put my foot in your food?"
Without hesitation, Mami punched the boy in the face, as she slid over the table.
The others behind him caught him.
"Jun!"
"You bitch!"
"It's fine..."
The boy, Jun, regained his posture and smiled, wiping his bleeding nose. He clenched his fist.
"I hope you won't complain. You are the one who started the fight first."
They started clashing without hesitation, however...
"Gah!"
Mami was knocked back with a single punch. Her vision became blurry and blood seeped from her mouth.
'What? A single hit shouldn't hurt that much.'
Jun sneered as he gestured for Mami to come at him. She did so. The girl swooped in, dodging his punch. Mami had a clear shot at his face.
As her fist drove toward his face—
"Nhk!"
—Jun smacked her face with a punch. He shouldn't have had enough time to punch her, yet he did.
"Nighty night, Miss Cherry Blossom."
It knocked her out. It should've knocked her out. Mami caught herself using her back leg. She was shaking ever so slightly, but she still held her combat stance.
Jun whistled in amazement.
"I never expected a no one like you to withstand that."
Takaomi jumped over the table and flipped toward Jun. He unleashed an axe kick with fierce power behind it.
One of the other boys jumped in front of Jun; he smashed into the ground, getting hit by Takaomi's kick.
"Tch."
He clicked his tongue, jumping backwards.
"Are you okay?"
He asked Mami.
"Never felt better."
She replied in a muffled manner. Her face was a bloody mess. She had only received two punches but they reduced her to a sorry state. Mami could only see out of her left eye and her legs were shaking. It was obvious that she wasn't alright.
"Do you Lotus folk always like starting fights?"
"Don't look at me. She punched first."
"Anyone watching could tell that you were itching for a fight."
He referred to the curious eyes watching their bout. No one did anything to interfere since they were from different schools.
"Is that so? I'll fuck you guys up either way."
The other boy joined Jun in the fight.
Isamu wanted to stop them but knew he couldn't. If he tried to jump in, he knew that the Lotus boy, Jun, wouldn't stop and he'd attack Mami and Takaomi regardless.
The smartest choice would be...
He got his Seeker out and dialled Kiara.
"Kiara-senpai... Yes, are you free?"
He waited for a response.
"Then please, there's a fight between Lotus and Auralia! Come down to the cafeteria!"