As the final challenge for the rank one position concluded, this month's official Ranking Battle came to an end.
One by one, the audience filed out of the grand arena, their conversations still buzzing about the results.
Despite several changes in the rankings—some students successfully advancing, others defending their positions—two events stood out above all else.
The first was Kirin Toudou's successful defense of her title as the rank one duelist.
Her performance proved to many that, despite being a 13-year-old middle schooler who had only enrolled two months ago, she truly deserved her position as Seidoukan Academy's strongest student. Far from a fleeting anomaly, her dominance solidified her place at the top. This topic would undoubtedly become the center of heated discussions across all six academies, showcasing the emergence of an extraordinary genius from Seidoukan.
The second event was Aizen's victory over Arkadi Vanken, the 13th-ranked duelist.
An unknown, unranked student had not only displayed exceptional skill but also demonstrated complete mastery over a legendary Orga Lux—the Four-Colored Magic Sword, Ser-Veresta. With it, Aizen had effortlessly defeated the strongest duelist outside the Page Ones. This victory sent a clear message: Aizen's ascent up the rankings was far from over.
Speculation quickly began.
Would Aizen challenge one of the Page Ones in next month's Ranking Battle?
As the new 13th-ranked student, he had the authority to do so. The question was, who would he challenge, and how far could he climb?
Aizen's name now echoed across Seidoukan, second only to Kirin Toudou's as the academy's most talked-about individual.
Kirin, however, was oblivious to the growing chatter surrounding her.
The silver-haired girl who had recently claimed the rank one position was walking briskly through one of the arena's corridors.
Although she had successfully defended her rank and proven her strength, there was no joy on her face. Not even a hint of a smile. Instead, her head was lowered, her steps heavy, as though weighed down by an invisible burden.
Suddenly—
"Careful there."
A voice rang out in front of her.
"Walking with your head down like that, you're bound to bump into someone eventually."
The unexpected words startled Kirin. She abruptly stopped, freezing in place.
Thanks to this, she narrowly avoided colliding with the person who had appeared before her. She halted just a few inches away.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Startled, Kirin instinctively bowed her head, apologizing profusely to the stranger in front of her.
She heard a soft chuckle in response.
"No need to apologize. You didn't actually bump into me," the voice said warmly. "If anything, I'm the one who appeared out of nowhere. But you really should be more careful—next time, you might end up bumping into some newly transferred special student and trigger the start of an over-the-top romance story."
...What kind of bizarre light novel scenario was that?
And why did he seem oddly specific about it?
Kirin raised her head, her expression puzzled, finally seeing the person before her clearly.
"Ah…"
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Y-you're Aizen-senpai, the one who just defeated the 13th rank?"
Aizen, caught slightly off-guard, raised an eyebrow.
"You know me?"
"Yes, I do!" Kirin nodded rapidly, her tone shy yet earnest. "I wasn't in the audience, but I watched the livestream while I was in the competitor's waiting area."
"I see," Aizen said, his expression softening. Then, he grinned. "It's an honor to have someone like you remember my name, rank one."
"N-not at all!" Kirin waved her hands nervously, her voice flustered. "Senpai is incredibly strong! Your swordsmanship was… was amazing!"
For the first time, a glimmer of excitement flickered in Kirin's timid gaze.
It was clear she had been deeply impressed.
"My swordsmanship, huh?"
Aizen scratched his head, not entirely sure how to process the compliment.
"Yes!" Kirin nodded enthusiastically, her shy demeanor briefly giving way to genuine admiration. "I've never seen anything like it before! It didn't resemble any sword style I know. It was… fresh, dazzling—it left me in awe!"
Then, her voice faltered slightly.
"But…"
"But?" Aizen leaned in slightly, curious about what she wanted to say.
Kirin hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her uniform before she finally spoke.
"It didn't seem like a technique designed to fully utilize your own strength. It felt more like you were trying to maximize the potential of the weapon itself."
Hearing this, Aizen's eyes flickered with intrigue.
She had seen through him.
Her insight was sharp, unnervingly so.
Indeed, Aizen had never studied any traditional sword style. His combat prowess stemmed entirely from his unique authority.
He didn't need to learn techniques or refine his instincts. The moment he held a weapon, his authority would grant him the knowledge of how to wield it perfectly, drawing out every ounce of its potential.
Kirin's observation had hit the mark.
"Sharp as a blade, aren't you?" Aizen chuckled, genuinely impressed. "But if we're talking about swordsmanship, you're clearly the strongest here."
As he spoke, memories of Kirin's earlier match surfaced in his mind.
In that fight, Kirin had displayed neither overwhelming physical strength nor immense prana. She hadn't even drawn deeply on her abilities as a Genestella.
Instead, she had simply wielded her katana with breathtaking precision.
Her opponent—a fellow middle schooler and a Page One—had been utterly outclassed. Kirin's relentless barrage of strikes had left them with no room to retaliate, forcing them into a corner before a single, decisive slash shattered their insignia.
Each strike had been sharp, fluid, and seamless—a perfect storm of swordsmanship.
"No, I'm nothing like that…"
Kirin's cheeks flushed crimson at Aizen's compliment, her embarrassment palpable.
Seeing her flustered expression, Aizen couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest.
He quickly shook off the thought, scolding himself internally.
Get a grip!
She's thirteen.
Thirteen!
But as his gaze briefly drifted to her… disproportionate assets, Aizen nearly lost his composure.
Who grows like that at thirteen?!
Before his thoughts could spiral further, a sharp ding interrupted them.
A holo-display suddenly appeared in front of Kirin, unprompted.
"What's taking you so long, Kirin?" a stern voice barked from the screen.
"I-I'm sorry!" Kirin's face turned pale, her earlier flustered demeanor replaced by nervousness.
"Get back here. Now," the voice commanded before abruptly cutting off, leaving Kirin standing there, visibly shaken.
"..."
An awkward silence hung in the air.
"…Excuse me, Senpai." Kirin bowed deeply to Aizen, her tone polite but hurried. "I have to go."
Without waiting for a response, she turned to leave.
Aizen didn't watch her go.
Instead, he called out to her calmly, his voice steady yet resolute.
"Next month's Ranking Battle," he said, "I'll challenge you."
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Author's Note: Give me the Powerstones or the Interdimensional FBI will come after you for reading this...