Kairen's brows knit together, a flash of sudden realization washing over her face.
"Hah…! Now I remember who that girl is."
Rion offered a thin smile, one tinged with a weary sort of nostalgia.
"Yeah… she was just a lost girl at the Assessment School. I helped her out once when some bullies cornered her. It seems she's back to challenge me now… maybe she wants to prove that the weakness I once saw has turned into strength."
Misaki chimed in, leaning her arm on the table while eyeing Rion with a skeptical glint.
"I don't think it's a challenge, Rion. I get the feeling she's trying to get your attention in a roundabout way."
Rion raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled.
"My attention?"
Misaki's smile turned sly, though it carried a hint of bitterness.
"Naturally. A girl saved by a handsome, mysterious boy—isn't that the classic recipe for a crush?"
Rion let out a soft, dry laugh.
"Strange indeed… but regardless, tomorrow fists will do the talking instead of guesses. We'll see what she's hiding."
Misaki stared into the distance, a different kind of conflict gnawing at her mind. A toxic thought whispered in the back of her head:
(He must have been watching us all night…)
She imagined Rion's eyes as cold lenses, capturing every detail of her body in the darkness. She asked herself in a muted panic:
(Was he staring at my curves? My chest… or my backside… like some detached spectator? Or did it go beyond just looking? Maybe he crept over like a shadow to touch me or Kairen while we slept.)
A wave of disgust surged through her—a mix of deep-seated trauma from her past and a buried resentment toward men. Forcing herself to break the mental paralysis, she stood up slowly and stiffly, stretching her arms with a joyless yawn.
"I need to get back to my room," she said curtly. "I can't believe I actually slept in a boy's bed!"
Kairen giggled, placing her hands on her hips playfully.
"Aren't you going to taste breakfast first? Trust me… his cooking is second to none."
Misaki hesitated, but the aroma of frying eggs proved stronger than her pride. She sat back down bashfully. The moment she took the first bite, her blue eyes widened in shock.
"This is… delicious. I want more!"
Kairen laughed.
"See? I told you he has hidden talents."
As Misaki focused on finishing her meal before slipping away, Kairen turned to her brother. Her tone softened, and she clasped her hands in front of her chest.
"Rion… I'm late for class. Can I borrow some of your clothes? And… use your shower? Please?"
Rion shrugged, gathering the dishes with indifference.
"Do whatever you want. You don't need permission every single time."
She smiled faintly.
"Rion… honey, we aren't kids running around the yard anymore. We're grown up; I have to respect your privacy."
Rion gave her a long look. The only sign of his inner tension was the quiet gravity in his voice.
"Stop pretending, Kairen. Misaki is already gone. No need for the 'perfect girl' act now—or do you want me to remind you what happened last night?"
Kairen blinked, looking genuinely confused.
"What happened?"
Rion leaned in slightly, his expression a mix of mockery and embarrassment.
"You slept right next to me… and you were completely naked."
Kairen's face turned as red as a burning coal, her breath hitching.
"I wasn't… I didn't…"
Rion sighed, chuckling.
"Just hurry up. I don't want us to be late for Manata's class."
"Fine, brother…" she replied with an embarrassed smile as she rushed toward the bathroom, muttering to herself in frustration:
(Dammit… how could I forget that?)
Kairen emerged wearing an oversized olive-green hoodie she'd borrowed from Rion and tight black pants. They headed to class together. Teacher Manata entered with a confident stride, adjusting her thin spectacles with poise.
"Today's lesson, students, is the core of your existence here: How the Shield is formed."
As she explained, Rion drifted off into his own world, his mind processing the data faster than she could speak:
(The shield isn't just a solid shell; it's a sacred union between Mana and a Unique Ability. Mana is the fuel; the Ability is the mold. Humans have a short 'mana cord' centered around the heart or abdomen, and that is our limit…)
The sound of Manata's hand slamming onto the desk snapped him back.
"Rion! Where exactly has your mind traveled to?"
Rion jumped, looking sheepish.
"Sorry, Teacher…"
Manata gave him an understanding smile.
"It's alright. I suppose tomorrow's match is taking up a lot of your headspace." She continued, "As I was saying… humans possess a regular mana cord, whereas monsters don't have shields because the mana in their bodies is chaotic."
Rion shook his head inwardly.
(Wrong. Monster mana isn't chaotic; it's distributed across multiple centers throughout the body. That makes their energy purely physical—they don't need an external shield.)
Misaki raised her hand.
"Teacher, is a weapon a mandatory part of the shield?"
Manata demonstrated by charging her body with a stunning gray glow, interlaced with shimmering milky lines.
"Not necessarily. Look at me; my shield is my weapon. I fight and heal using raw mana. It all depends on the nature of your soul."
After class, the three sat in the bustling cafeteria. Misaki was wearing a rather provocative outfit: a light purple crop-top hoodie that clearly revealed a tight black bra, paired with white joggers.
Kairen teased, "Oho… Misaki is actually sitting in the presence of a boy!"
Misaki stammered, "No! I only came to sit with you!"
Kairen turned serious.
"Rion, I heard tomorrow's matches will cancel all classes. There are two other fights alongside yours."
Rion nodded.
"I know… but I'm keeping an eye on that guy, Ken. His silence is suspicious."
As Kairen tilted her head to ask why, she realized Rion's seat was suddenly empty.
"When did he leave?!"
Misaki pointed coolly toward a far corner.
"The moment we started talking about him, he got up quietly. Look, he's sitting next to Ken."
Kairen sighed.
"Rion… always trying to understand people in his own way."
"I don't believe in 'good guys,'" Misaki snapped. "Mystery always hides a disaster."
Kairen looked at her, then said softly, "No one knows what the heart hides, Misaki. Even words can be a veil." Then, her tone shifted to one of disapproval. "By the way… about your clothes. Don't you think they're a bit much? Your bra is completely visible."
Misaki replied with cold, blind confidence. "I'm free. It's a bra, not a state secret. I always say: you are free as long as you don't cause harm."
Kairen closed her eyes in mild defeat.
"As you wish, Misaki… do whatever you want."
Rion approached Ken, the boy with short, spiked blonde hair. He was sitting in a quiet corner, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and dark trousers. The boy looked up, his calm gaze meeting Rion's eyes.
"Hello, Rion."
Rion blinked in surprise; he had expected a cold shoulder.
"I didn't expect a welcome. I thought you'd ask why I'm here."
Ken shrugged with a tiny, barely visible smile.
"Why wouldn't I? We're classmates, after all."
"Why do you always sit alone?" Rion asked curiously.
Ken replied without any edge to his voice, "Has anyone actually tried to sit with me and been rejected?" Rion laughed softly, realizing Ken was simply someone who wasn't good at starting conversations.
When Rion asked about his story, a bitter, mocking smile touched Ken's lips.
"To prove myself to my brother… he's in Class A. Always the strongest, the fastest, the smartest. We're twins, but I don't see him as a brother anymore. I am no one's shadow, not even my twin's."
Rion lowered his head, feeling the weight of the words.
"I understand the feeling… but his success doesn't mean you have to hate him." Before he could finish, Kairen appeared to scold him for leaving the table, followed by Misaki, who asked about the rules of fighting upper-class tiers.
Ken explained with the air of an expert, "The rules forbid it. Ranks don't mix. Each level only fights within its own tier."
Misaki left to go lift weights, prompting a quiet jab from Ken about her "delicate muscles." Rion then headed out with Kairen, who wanted to talk to him privately, leaving Ken with a friendly wave.
The next morning, the stands were packed. Misaki sat in her seat with excitement. Kairen joined her, yawning and apologizing, insisting she wouldn't miss Rion's fight for anything. The Headmistress announced in a commanding voice:
"And now… the final match of the day: Rion Grein versus Trangen Sorl!"
The crowd roared. Rion entered the arena with an unsettling calmness, wearing a dark brown shirt and black pants. To everyone's shock, he was carrying a tub of popcorn! He walked right up to Kairen and Misaki before stepping into the ring.
"What are you doing here?!" Misaki shrieked. "Aren't you supposed to be in the prep room?"
Kairen laughed, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "Misaki, leave him alone… he only came out to bring me popcorn."
Rion stepped down into the arena to face Trangen, who appeared in a dark navy jacket with a steady, fixed expression. At the Headmistress's signal, a gelatinous stream erupted from Trangen's body, forming a massive slime hand. Rion dodged with incredible grace, landing punches that dissolved the gelatinous masses.
Suddenly, Trangen melted, merging with the ground. Rion smiled faintly.
"Seems you've improved since last time."
Her voice echoed from beneath the earth.
"You finally remembered me? How delightful…"
Rion narrowed his eyes. He leaped high and slammed down with a force that shook the arena, shattering and dispersing the slime masses on the ground. Trangen emerged from the earth, raising her hand.
"I… I surrender!"
Silence fell, followed by thunderous applause. The Headmistress declared Rion the winner. At the exit, Trangen patted his shoulder gently, a calm smile on her face.
"Thanks for the beautiful fight… Rion, dear."
The following morning, while the class waited in anticipation, Teacher Manata walked in with exciting news.
"My dear students, today we have a new student joining us… please come in, Touka."
A girl with long, wavy black hair and confident light-brown eyes walked in. She wore a dark green jacket over a blue denim shirt. She spoke in a gentle voice:
"Hello everyone… my name is Touka."
But the real shock came when the teacher added pointedly, "It is important for you to know that Touka is no ordinary student. She belongs to the Plant-type Monster species."
The room exploded in a unified cry of disbelief: "WHAAAAAAAT?!"