"R-Ryuu? W-when did you return from the mountain?"

Seichii stammered, eyes wide as he noticed Ryuu and Ryoko watching him. He froze, clearly taken off guard, his face going pale.

Ryoko's eyes narrowed, a cold aura starting to swirl around her.

"Seichii-kun! What were you doing in my room?"

Her voice was laced with suspicion, and the temperature around them seemed to drop with her tone.

Seichii gulped, glancing nervously between Ryuu and Ryoko as if trying to escape their intense stares.

"I-I… M-Masumi-san needed my help with something, so I came to give her a hand."

Ryuu raised an eyebrow, clearly stunned by the situation, while Ryoko's expression turned downright icy. Small gusts of cold wind began to whip around her.

"Are you trying to hide something, Seichii-kun? Tell me the truth now!"

Her tone was low and dangerous.

"Ryoko-san, calm down! You've got the wrong idea!"

Seichii protested, stepping back cautiously—only to bump into someone behind him.

"Ouch!"

He turned, finding himself face-to-face with Masumi, who had somehow ended up directly behind him.

The collision sent them both stumbling, and Masumi accidentally landed on top of Seichii as they hit the ground.

Their faces flushed a deep red, and they quickly scrambled apart, standing up and avoiding each other's gaze in awkward silence.

Ryoko and Ryuu looked on with blank, unimpressed expressions, each silently processing the bizarre scene before them.

After a moment, Masumi noticed Ryuu and Ryoko standing there, their faces unreadable. She seemed genuinely surprised to see Ryuu.

"A-Aramiya-kun! Y-you're back! I didn't expect to see you here!"

She gave him a flustered smile, her excitement tempered by the tension hanging in the air.

But Ryuu and Ryoko kept looking at her and Seichii with the same flat expression, clearly unconvinced.

"Masumi-san,"

Ryoko started, her voice sharp,

"did Seichii-kun force you to do this? If he did, just tell me. I'll bring his head to your feet!"

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She grabbed Masumi's arms with a fierce look in her eyes, seeming ready to take drastic action.

Masumi blinked in confusion, completely taken aback.

"R-Ryoko-san, what are you talking about?"

Ryoko's face turned red as she realized what she was implying. She glanced around, mumbling as she struggled to say it out loud.

"T-the… thing… y-you two were doing in there."

"Oh! Y-you mean the packing and stuff!"

Masumi replied innocently, her expression clearing up. But she quickly noticed Ryuu and Ryoko's blank stares.

Ryoko frowned, clearly still confused. "W-what packing?"

Masumi's face lit up in realization.

"The training session is almost over, so I was trying to get all my belongings packed up.

I had some heavy things, so I asked Seichii-kun to help carry them. That's all!"

"Oh! S-so it was just packing… ha-ha-ha… just packing."

Ryuu let out a nervous laugh, the earlier frostiness melting away into embarrassment.

Both Ryuu and Ryoko finally understood, though their cheeks were now red with the misunderstanding.

Just then, Masumi's face turned bright red as she seemed to realize what Ryoko had assumed.

"RYOKO-SAN! Y-you've got it all wrong! Sengoku-kun was only helping me with my things! Please don't misunderstand!"

Seichii sighed in exasperation, casting a sidelong look at Ryoko.

(I told you it wasn't what you thought…)

He thought to himself, holding back a smile.

Ryoko and Ryuu both bowed apologetically, their faces filled with regret.

"Seichii-kun, Masumi-san, please forgive us. We got the wrong idea…"

"A-Aramiya-kun! R-Ryoko-san! It's okay, really!"

Masumi said, flustered and waving her hands, clearly baffled by the pair bowing before them.

"You don't need to apologize; it was just a little misunderstanding! We're all friends."

Seichii chuckled softly.

"Come on, Ryuu. It's getting late, and you must be exhausted from the journey."

Ryuu nodded, smiling gratefully.

"You're right, Seichii-kun."

He gave Ryoko and Masumi a polite bow.

"Goodnight, Ryoko-san, Masumi-san. See you tomorrow!"

Both Ryoko and Masumi returned the smile.

"Goodnight, Ryuu-kun, Seichii-kun. Rest well,"

Ryoko said softly, while Masumi nodded beside her, trying to shake off her lingering embarrassment.

.

.

.

The next few days flew by, with Ryuu catching up on rest and spending time with his friends.

Seichii dedicated himself to perfecting his wind magic, focusing intensely in the days leading up to the big event.

The day of the Inter-Division Battles finally arrived.

The training arena was filled with students and spectators, the air buzzing with excitement.

Students from all over the city gathered in the stands, each cheering on their schools and divisions.

In the center of the spectator stands sat Shinju Hayato, the esteemed President of the Board of Education.

His presence caused a wave of shock and disbelief among the crowd—it was rare to see someone of his standing attending a mere student competition.

Everyone whispered among themselves, wondering what had brought him here. The rumors flew that something important was at play.

As the students lined up in the arena, a hush fell over the crowd, anticipation and nervous energy building.

They all knew this wasn't just a regular competition; it was an opportunity to prove themselves and unlock new paths.

As the students assembled in the arena, a hush settled over the crowd, thick with anticipation.

The usual hum of conversation faded, leaving only the electric tension in the air.

Each competitor felt the weight of this moment—not just as a test of skill, but as a gateway to uncovering secrets that lay beyond their reach.

For Ryuu, this was more than a battle; it was a chance to uncover the secrets that had haunted him, to push past his limits, and to face whatever awaited him on the other side...