Hearing Hikari's words, Kiriryuin Kaede's pretty face grew even redder, but her mouth said instead, "Ptu! I was just stuck researching this ring with no clue, so I wanted to use this chance to find some inspiration, that's all! You lowly human, don't get too full of yourself, don't overthink it!"
Hikari nodded, "Alright, I won't overthink it."
Actually, Hikari quite liked this tsundere, sharp-tongued look of Kiriryuin Kaede. Because only then, when he later heard her soft, m*aning voice begging for mercy after being defeated, it felt even more satisfying.
Seeing Kiriryuin Kaede standing in place with her eyes closed, Hikari also walked toward her, placing his hand on the sash at the waist of her shrine maiden outfit.
Truth be told, there was something Kaede said that wasn't wrong. Hikari really couldn't say he had no thoughts about her at all.
After all, Kiriryuin Kaede was also a stunning beauty, not only with high looks, but her figure wasn't much worse than Yukino's.
You could say, in human society, she would easily rival those top stars, even surpass them, outshining both celebrities and popular idols.
Of course, what was most special was still her identity as a demon clan noblewoman.
Not only did her race itself come with a certain allure, but as long as you avoided pushing too deep into her st*mach, then those double horns on her head could rival, or even surpass, twin ponytails.
And every time he fought with her, relying on his Pure Love Halo, he could absorb her demon power to strengthen his own abilities.
So as a normal man, how could he possibly have no thoughts? Hikari admitted that, to some degree, he did indeed have certain thoughts about her.
While Hikari was pondering, in truth, Kiriryuin Kaede's head was also flashing with all kinds of stray thoughts.
Although facing Hikari's various movements, she hadn't made any reaction, just blushing and keeping her starry eyes tightly closed.
Her plan was roughly the same as last time, except for when she lost control and went on a crazy offensive, at other times she just wanted to passively wait for Hikari's guidance.
After all, she didn't have much battle experience. Better to let Hikari attack while she defended, slowly learning as if being fed moves.
But Kiriryuin Kaede waited for quite a while, and soon her whole body started to feel a bit chilly. That familiar scorching heat, like an attack carrying fire element, still hadn't come.
She couldn't help but crack her eyes open just a little.
At the same time, a voice suddenly entered her ears.
"Come sit up here," Already having taken a battle stance and activated partial strengthening buffs, Hikari patted the Holy Sword of Light beside him, speaking to this demon noble lady.
"Ah?", Kaede's eyes went wide, staring at Hikari who was half-lying relaxed on the sofa, calmly watching her.
"I said, you can sit up here," Hikari again patted the holy sword beside him, signaling Kaede that she could take the initiative to attack first.
"M–me? I'm the one to go first?", Kaede hadn't expected it. Hikari was actually letting her take the first move.
"What, you don't dare?", Hikari chuckled lightly, looking at her with the eyes one uses for a coward.
"Sit, then sit!", Although Hikari's commanding tone really annoyed her, Kaede, already shy and anxious, couldn't hold back after being goaded. She didn't want to argue anymore, and directly, proactively launched her attack toward Hikari.
"Ahhh!"
Falling right into Hikari's scheme, Kiriryuin Kaede suffered a huge loss right at the start of battle, letting out an involuntary cry of pain.
———
The evening sun gradually set, dusky golden light shining on the white walls of Harmony Apartments. Downstairs, many returning residents passed in and out of the building entrance.
On the third floor of Harmony Apartments, inside Yukino's room—
A fierce battle had just ended, leaving traces of destruction everywhere.
Sofa cushions soaked in bl*od, a marble dining table split with a clear crack, tatami mats left in complete disarray.
All of it bore witness to the cruelty and intensity of the fight that had just taken place between a human and a demon.
Slumped on the tatami, her shrine maiden outfit t*rn to shreds, Kiriryuin Kaede gasped heavily for breath, looking utterly battered.
This demon noble lady now not only had her cl*thes in tatters, her whole being was steeped in dejection. The refined beauty of her face was gone, the usual arrogant aura completely absent, and those usually cold and brilliant crimson eyes looked vacant.
She gazed at Hikari standing proud and tall before her, sword in hand and pointing right at her, her eyes filled with complicated emotions.
This wasn't her first time fighting him. The two had clashed once before.
That time, she could at least make excuses, claiming her mind wasn't clear, so she lost so utterly.
But this second time, fully conscious, Kaede still lost without suspense.
As a demon, to be beaten by a human into complete disarray, collapsing into total defeat.
Losing was losing, Kaede wasn't someone who couldn't accept defeat.
What really unsettled her was that even though she was beaten so miserably, she still felt somewhat intoxicated by it, nearly drowning in it, almost submitting completely to the human man before her.
Just a step away from calling the thief father, from serving him as slave or maid.
She had no choice. Though defeated, Hikari's treatment of prisoners wasn't bad. In fact, it was quite good.
That gentleness and consideration after fierce assault, far too comfortable.
Kaede had to admit, for Hikari to subdue even Yukino the snow woman, he truly did have the real skill to back it up.
Even if she didn't want to admit it, deep inside she couldn't help but feel a trace of attachment and reluctance.
"Open your mouth," Looking at the completely defeated Kaede, Hikari gave the command.
"Mm…", Kaede instinctively obeyed, opening her mouth. Immediately, Hikari shoved the Holy Sword of Physics into it, sealing away the surging demon power inside her body, keeping it suppressed.
Looking at Kaede kneeling on the tatami, Hikari nodded in satisfaction.
Like Kaede, he too had different feelings after this second bout.
This second fight, the various experiences Kaede gave him felt far better than the first time.
Because his own strength was overly powerful, Hikari always struggled to find a satisfactory sparring partner.
With his daily training and stat-adding, his stamina had become ridiculously strong.
Most people weren't even his match for a single round.
Even prodigies like Natsuha and Yukino couldn't match him physically, often requiring multiple people just to barely satisfy him.
But Kaede was different. As a demon, her stamina was exceptional.
Demon bodies were naturally strong, and Kaede came from a top aristocratic bloodline, exceptionally gifted.
A family prodigy, she was truly formidable in combat.
With her tough body alone, she could withstand fierce clashes with Hikari.
In intense fights, she could last even longer than Yukino the snow woman with her natural gifts.
Purely in terms of stamina, Kaede was stronger than Yukino.
Add in her demon power, and she could last even longer. Hikari had never seen a better partner for endurance training.
Of course, Kaede wasn't perfect. She had a big problem.
That was facing not just Hikari's strength, but his all-around overwhelming ability.
She often grew too nervous, causing her own great power to drop drastically. Being able to use seventy or eighty percent was already decent.
Plus sweating from nerves meant water loss was rapid.
So often, in battle, before her demon power or stamina ran out, she'd already collapsed from thirst and dehydration, unable to continue.
In this respect, Yukino was truly heaven-gifted. Always m*ist, never running dry.
Hikari suddenly thought: if Kaede the demon and Yukino the snow woman, these two close friends, worked together, that would be perfect.
One with immense demon power and stamina but lacking water control.
The other with terrifying water-element magic, able to conjure snow and ice disasters with a wave, but weak physically.
Mm… truly complementary. No wonder they were best friends.
The defeated Kaede, eating dust, didn't know what Hikari was thinking.
She just bowed her head in humiliation, biting hard on the Holy Sword of Physics sealing her demon power, as if venting her unwillingness at being so utterly crushed.
While the two harbored their own thoughts, a sudden ringtone came from a phone on the floor nearby.
Hikari turned his head. It was his phone ringing.
He immediately said to Kaede, "I'm not really comfortable right now. Bring me the phone."
Kaede's eyes widened, "Mmmph! Mmph! Mmph!"
'You're not comfortable? I'm even less comfortable! Aren't your hands and feet free? Get it yourself!'
Though sealed by the sword and unable to speak, Hikari could read the meaning in her expression.
Shaking his head helplessly, he balanced on one leg, used the other to flick the phone up into the air, then caught it smoothly in his hand.
"Hello, Yukino-chan?", Hikari pressed the answer key.
From the speaker came Yukino's slightly tired yet still sweetly seductive voice, ["Hikari-kun~, why did it take you so long to just bring me some clothes? Couldn't you find the set I wanted? It's right at the top of my wardrobe in my room."]
Hearing Yukino's familiar voice, Hikari stayed calm and composed, but Kaede, kneeling in humiliation, suddenly grew nervous, almost suffocated.
As if her thr*at was blocked entirely.
———
Perhaps not wanting her close friend to find out about her humiliating defeat, Kaede grew clearly nervous upon hearing Yukino's voice on the phone, almost unable to breathe.
"Hiss… relax!", Hikari tapped Kaede's head, worried she'd get so tense she forgot to breathe, accidentally exposing that they had just fought again behind Yukino's back.
Then he explained to Yukino, "Oh, so that sweater was there? Got it. Wait a bit, I want to take a longer bath today. Afterward I'll bring it over."
["Okay~"], Yukino answered sweetly, unsuspecting, then hung up.
Only after the call ended did Kaede visibly relax.
Hikari immediately resumed his offensive, jabbing her a few more times with the Holy Sword of Physics, pouring in some holy water to strengthen the seal, then finally sheathing it away.
Standing, he said, "I better hurry and shower, then bring the clothes over, or Yukino might get suspicious."
Hearing this, Kaede's body stiffened. She expressionlessly nodded, "Mm."
Though trying to suppress her feelings, watching Hikari's back as he walked into the bathroom, her face still revealed unwillingness, clearly displeased.
Of course, she didn't show it outwardly. There was nothing she could do.
Although during their intense battle she'd realized her teamwork with Hikari was actually quite natural. Maybe even more than Yukino's. And she really cherished that feeling.
Still, she knew she would always be the later one, that secretly sparring with him like this was basically a kind of cheating.
Yet she couldn't help but feel unwilling.
Hikari didn't see the complicated look on her face. After enjoying a refreshing shower, he came out clean.
———
In the living room, Kaede was nowhere to be seen, the guest room door tightly shut.
Shaking his head, Hikari went straight to the master bedroom, fetched Yukino's clothes, then returned to Natsuha's place next door.
Maybe it was Natsuha's passi*n rubbing off on Yukino, or maybe Yukino playing his mom earlier had stung his pride.
Not long after he got back, both girls pestered him to play Royal Knights.
As their warhorse, Hikari ran thousands of miles day and night, lab*ring endlessly, until at last he completely crushed the two knight princesses, Natsuha and Yukino.
———
[The Next Morning]
After enjoying Yukino's warm homemade breakfast, Hikari walked to academy together with Natsuha.
Just arriving at Osaka High's gate, their eyes were drawn, like many other students', to the big red banner newly hung above the entrance.
Natsuha even read it aloud softly.
"Congratulations to our school's karate club elite member Yotsumoto Ryouka for winning the National High School Karate Championship!"
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