Tadashi, Yukari’s class president, stormed away from the crowded quadrangle, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His two lackeys trailed behind him, exchanging wary glances.
Once they reached a quiet, deserted area, safely out of sight, Tadashi let loose. “Damn it!” he shouted, slamming his foot into a trash can with enough force to dent the metal. “That little brat! Who does she think she is, acting like she’s better than us?!”
His outburst made his lackeys uneasy. Although they belonged to the same race of monsters, Tadashi’s strength far surpassed theirs. He’d never hurt them, but his temper always flared dangerously when Yukari was involved.
Eventually, the larger of the two spoke up, “Tadashi, maybe you should calm dow—”
Before he could finish, Tadashi lunged forward, seizing him by the collar and lifting him effortlessly. “Calm down?!” he growled, eyes blazing.
Seeing the fear in his friend’s eyes, Tadashi’s anger softened, and he let go, backing away. “I… Sorry. That was stupid of me.”
His friend replied in an understanding tone, “No, I get it. It’s that witch, Yukari—that’s why you’re so on edge.”
Tadashi nodded, glancing at him. “You’re right, Tokage. We shouldn’t be taking this out on each other.”
Despite his larger frame, Tokage nodded meekly. Their other friend, Mitsuya, then chimed in with a suggestion. “What if we find Yukari when she’s alone? And when she’s isolated, we handle things the way we should’ve from the start.”
Tadashi’s expression twisted into a dangerous grin. “I like the way you think.”
But Tokage hesitated, shifting nervously. “B-But what about Moka and Tsukune? I heard they’re both vampires.”
The mention of Moka and Tsukune made all three of them pause, each flinching. At the moment, they had no idea of how to fight one vampire, let alone two.
The three looked at each other, waiting, hoping one of them would come up with an idea.
Then, after a tense silence, an idea sparked in Tadashi’s mind. His grin returned, sharper than ever.
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Despite being pulled along by Tsukune, Yukari felt no anxiety about the unfamiliar guy taking her by the hand. Her mind was entirely absorbed by the sight of Moka running beside him, her graceful presence captivating Yukari’s thoughts.
Finally, Tsukune led them to a quieter sitting area away from the crowd, where he paused to catch his breath. Yukari, however, only had eyes for Moka, continuing to gaze at her with admiration.
Moka noticed Yukari’s devoted stare and smiled warmly, reflecting the affection back at her. This simple gesture only made Yukari’s heart race faster, filling her with even more admiration for her idol.
Eventually, Yukari gathered her courage and spoke up, “Y-You saved me, Moka! You saved me!" Her voice was brimming with admiration and gratitude. She quickly added, more formally, "My gratitude is... profound beyond measure!"
Tsukune muttered in confusion, “Beyond measure?” while Moka just smiled and replied warmly, “Don’t mention it! I hate it when people get picked on just because they’re different!”
The sincerity in Moka's tone resonated deeply. After all, she herself knew the pain of isolation, being set apart because of who she was.
As Tsukune tried to join in, he quickly realized the conversation had already picked up momentum, with Yukari and Moka bonding over their shared experiences.
“You’re so incredible, Yukari! Top of the midterms! And at such a young age, too!” Moka gushed.
Yukari turned pink at the compliment, flustered. “I-I’m not that young! I’m already 11!”
Moka grinned. “Of course, you’re not! And your outfit is beautiful too!”
This threw Tsukune off for a second, 11 years old?? he thought, still wrapping his mind around the idea.
Meanwhile, Yukari was completely taken aback by the compliments. She sprang to her feet, waving her hands in a mix of nerves and excitement. “Y-You really think so?! N-No way! You’re the beautiful one, Moka!”
Moka smiled at her with understanding, while Tsukune watched in bemusement. Seeing Moka’s encouraging expression only made Yukari more flustered.
I can’t let Moka think of me as just a kid! Yukari thought, her heart racing.
“Y-Y-You're the one who’s beautiful, M-Moka!” she blurted out, feeling triumphant. Okay, now tell her how much you admire her!
“In fact... I… I…” she stammered.
“Yes?” Moka asked, gently encouraging her.
Tsukune waited, intrigued. Gathering every ounce of courage, Yukari dashed forward, hugging Moka tightly and declaring, “I love you!!”
“Y-You what?!” Tsukune blurted out, completely caught off guard.
Ignoring Tsukune’s reaction, Yukari spoke with newfound courage, still hugging Moka. “From the first moment I saw you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind!” She let the words hang, her voice dropping into a softer tone. “And now…” Despite her courage, Yukari’s confidence wavered as she continued, “May I… spend time with you? No, I misspoke—am I even worthy to be in your presence?”
Sensing Yukari’s nervousness starting to spiral, Moka smiled warmly, answering with a gentle laugh, “Um… how about we become friends?”
Immediately, Yukari’s eyes lit up, and she hugged Moka even tighter. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she squealed, bouncing up and down in excitement.
Each enthusiastic jump made Yukari’s head bump lightly against Moka’s chest, making Moka wince a bit, though she kept smiling through the minor discomfort. “S-Sure! You’re welcome!” she replied, trying to keep her balance.
Tsukune watched, his expression was a mix of amusement and a slight sense of foreboding. This is all good, right? he thought, reassuring himself. Nothing had gone wrong since Gin’s last attempt at causing trouble, and their troublesome senior had been avoiding them altogether.
With one final mental pep talk, he nodded to himself.
Yeah… everything will be just fine.
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Hermann stared at his name on the bulletin board, bracing for the worst, only to find he hadn’t done so badly after all.
240th… not bad, he thought. Could be worse—I could be smack in the middle. That’d probably feel worse.
But he didn’t bother to check who actually was in the middle. Just as he was about to leave, a commotion erupted nearby. Hermann turned toward the noise, but his slouched posture kept him from seeing what was happening.
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Eh, whatever.
Shrugging it off, he weaved through the growing crowd gathering around the source of the noise. Once he was free of the mass, he headed over toward the gym buildings, figuring a few laps around the track would clear his mind.
Once there, he headed straight to the locker room, quickly changing into something more comfortable for running. Dressed for the track, he stepped outside and started stretching, getting his muscles warmed up before his run.
As Hermann continued his warm-ups, he spotted a familiar face entering the gym. Sakari, tall and built like an athlete, was heading over toward the boxing area alongside someone Hermann recognized from the campus paper a week ago.
What was his name again? Started with a G… Gin-senpai, right? Hermann mused, recalling the guy’s infamous reputation.
As Hermann peered closer, he noticed Gin’s wrist turning an angry shade of purple in Sakari’s iron grip. Intrigued, Hermann’s curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped off the track to follow them.
Doing his best to stay unnoticed, he slipped into the boxing gym, only to realize it was bustling with students working out.
Guess there’s no point in sneaking around here.
He walked in casually, scanning the room for Sakari and Gin. But just as he rounded a corner, he accidentally collided with someone.
“Ouch!” a high-pitched, irritated voice exclaimed.
Hermann looked down to see a very small well-proportioned, tanned girl with a surprisingly hefty chest, groaning as she rubbed her slightly bruised nose.
“Watch where you’re going, you idiot!” Rainee scolded, glaring up at him.
Cute, Hermann thought absently. He stepped forward, offering a hand. “Sorry,” he said quietly. Hermann was never one to raise his voice—he was too laid-back for that.
Rainee groaned, still looking annoyed, but took Hermann’s hand and stood up. Hermann noted that she wasn’t exactly dressed for the gym—though neither was he, at least he’d come in running clothes, which made his presence a bit more convincing.
Once she was up, Rainee muttered a quick “thank you” and left without another glance. Hermann watched her go, taking in her features.
She’s… well-developed too.
After a moment, he remembered why he’d come to the gym in the first place.
Right. Those two.
Curiosity reignited, Hermann continued his exploration of the boxing gym. He couldn’t help but wonder at the academy’s budget to build such an extensive facility just for boxing.
Before he could answer his own question, a loud voice caught his attention from one of the boxing rings.
“Do we really have to do this?!”
Hermann turned toward the source and spotted Gin and Sakari, both in proper gym attire with their arms wrapped for sparring. Instinctively, Hermann ducked to the side, hiding just enough to watch them without being noticed.
Sakari, dressed in a sports bra that revealed her chiseled physique, chuckled. "You heard the girls. If you want their forgiveness, they get to watch me pummel you."
Hermann looked around, noticing the boxing ring was surrounded by a crowd of girls, from first-years to fourth-years, all watching eagerly.
Gin sighed, raising his fists. "You know you can’t beat me."
Sakari raised her own, smiling. "Maybe, but if I want to get better, I’ve got to learn from those stronger than me."
Without hesitation, Sakari lunged forward, delivering a swift, precise jab. Gin ducked, using the momentum to power up an upward swing, aiming a sharp left uppercut.
Instead of dodging, Sakari dropped her head, catching his fist directly on her forehead. Gin's knuckles cracked under the impact, and he winced in pain. Sakari took advantage, aiming a powerful right hook at his face.
At the last moment, Gin channeled youki into his legs, giving himself a burst of speed to dodge just in time.
Sakari didn’t let up, charging at Gin with another powerful straight punch aimed at his face. He barely dodged, stepping back just in time.
He countered with a high kick, raising his right leg for a powerful strike to Sakari’s side. The kick landed, but Gin quickly realized that even his youki-infused strike didn’t break through her impressive defense.
Damn, she’s as tough as Moka.
Before he could fully withdraw his leg, Sakari grabbed hold of it, swinging him around effortlessly and launching him across the ring. As Gin flew, Sakari lunged forward, preparing to deliver a bone-shattering blow as he rebounded from the ring’s ropes back toward her.
As Sakari closed the gap with frightening speed, Gin felt a rush of panic. While he’d always been a formidable creature, he’d rarely faced truly strong opponents. Aside from a handful like his former senior San, the current Public Safety Committee head Kuyo, and Moka herself, he was used to having the upper hand.
Pouring an excessive amount of youki into his body, Gin barely managed to dodge Sakari’s strike, feeling the strain from the sudden exertion. He retreated a few steps, taking a moment to catch his breath. For once, he wasn’t focused on admiring her body that was starting to become drenched with sweat. He was too busy sizing up the threat.
And here’s someone who lives for this, he thought.
Unlike Gin, Sakari thrived on the thrill of combat. Where he’d never sought out powerful opponents, she actively pursued them, pushing herself each time. Noticing Gin’s shift in focus, Sakari grinned, pleased to see that he was finally beginning to take her seriously.
"So, are you going to transform, or do I have to beat you down as you are?" Sakari taunted, her grin daring him to make a move.
Gin scowled. Without his true form, he couldn’t access his full strength. In this human guise, he could maybe manage 40% of his true power. Glancing around, he saw the crowd of girls watching, all of them rooting for Sakari to knock him down a peg. Transforming here was out of the question—his reputation was already shaky enough. So far, Moka was the only one who’d seen him in his true form, and he wanted to keep it that way.
Clicking his tongue, Gin shifted into a ready stance. If he was going to keep his image as the charming upperclassman, he’d have to win this without transforming.
Sakari grinned, and they both resumed their bout, with her firmly keeping the upper hand.
Hermann, who had been watching the fight from the start, was quietly in awe.
Wow, these two are incredible.
He tried staying hidden for a better view, but as the crowd around them grew, he edged closer and soon found himself surrounded by cheering girls, all rooting for Sakari. Just then, he felt someone bump into him. Turning, he spotted a familiar short figure—Rainee, her camera in hand, trying her best to sneak a peek at the fight.
Feeling his gaze, Rainee whipped her head up and hissed, "You!"
Fortunately, the noise drowned her out, and Hermann, pointing to himself, asked, "Me?"
Not really interested in him, she shrugged and attempted to stand on her toes, but her height made it impossible to see over the crowd. She muttered under her breath, searching for a stool when she noticed Hermann again, sneaking glances at her while still watching the fight.
Smiling mischievously, she patted his arm, catching his attention. His bangs hid his eyes, making it hard to read him, but she noticed he flinched slightly at her touch.
Afraid? Or just surprised?
Rainee gave him her sweetest smile. I’m betting on surprised.
“Hey, umm…” She fidgeted, feigning shyness. “I really want to see the fight. Could you help me?”
Hermann, unaccustomed to attention from girls, stammered, “U-Uh, yes… how can I help? M-Maybe a stool? I can look for one if yo—”
Before he could finish, Rainee waved her hand in a dismissive but adorable way, and he instinctively followed her movements as if spellbound.
Once Hermann had stooped to Rainee's level, he heard her soft whisper. Unbeknownst to him, it was lightly infused with magic. Although Rainee’s body had suffered from Moka's earlier attack, her mentor Cottus had managed to repair her magical pathways, enabling her to perform minor spells again.
Lacing her voice with a hint of charm, she whispered, “Could you help me up? I want to ride you.”
Hermann’s mind raced, panicked thoughts darting through his head.
W-What does she mean by that?!
Luckily for him, Rainee clarified with a smirk, “Get down; I need to ride your shoulders.”
Hermann nearly stumbled but managed to steady his knees. Her request held a gentle but undeniable sway over him. Bending down, he murmured, “Alright, hop on.”
Grinning, Rainee climbed onto his shoulders. Normally, a minor charm wouldn’t sway someone this much, but her appearance and Hermann’s admiration made him especially susceptible. Once Rainee was perched, Hermann stood up, lifting the short, curvy girl high enough for her to get a full view of the ring.
Inside, the fight had escalated. Gin’s face was bruised, one eye swollen shut with blood trickling down, while Sakari looked worn, her arm and side bruised.
It was clear who had the upper hand.
Gin grinned, his wounds gradually healing as his body worked overtime to recover.
In human form, I might not be stronger, but I can outlast her.
Sakari smirked, sensing her limits yet determined.
I can’t win today… but if I learn that youki technique he keeps using, I’ll beat him next time.
They clashed once more, until they finally collapsed in exhaustion—Gin leaning on the ropes, Sakari on the ground, catching her breath.
Finally, Gin straightened and declared, “Alright, we’re done. Sins forgiven.”
But as he turned to leave, he heard Sakari laugh. He looked back, wary of her sudden laughter.
“Why are you laughing?” he asked cautiously. Nearby girls started to giggle as well, especially those closest to Sakari.
With a bright smile, Sakari explained, “The condition for forgiveness was that they’d watch me pummel you. And so far, I haven’t pummeled you. A few hits? Sure. But that’s not the same as a full pummeling.”
Gin scowled, glancing at the girls surrounding the ring. They might have found Gin handsome, but his attitude soured their opinion; they clearly wanted to see him taken down a peg.
Sakari stood up, now surrounded by her cheering “fan club,” and flashed Gin a confident grin. “Same time tomorrow,” she announced. “If you don’t transform, I’ll eventually beat you, even if it takes three or four rounds.”
Stunned by Sakari’s declaration, Gin stood speechless as the crowd of girls gradually dispersed, many following Sakari out of the gym. Hermann and Rainee slipped away as well, both quietly savoring the spectacle they had witnessed.
Once they were out of Gin’s earshot, Rainee burst into laughter. “Oh, this is going to be so good. Now Tsukune and Moka can finally get some peace from that pervert.”
Hermann turned to her, eyebrows raised at the mention of his neighbor’s name.
She knows Tsukune, too? he wondered.
“You know Tsukune?” he asked, surprised.
Rainee glanced over, equally surprised. “You know Tsukune?” she echoed, asking the same question back.
Before they could answer each other, loud voices echoed from the gym entrance. Three students stepped inside, calling out, “Nihebi! Are you here?”
Reacting instinctively, Rainee darted away to find a new hiding spot with a better view of the newcomers. Hermann followed, prompting her to hiss, “Why are you following me?”
Confused, Hermann whispered back, “I thought I was supposed to follow you.”
“No, go away! I need to—”
Before she could finish, a large student stepped forward to greet the new arrivals. She quickly shuts up, intent on listening to this conversation.
This student, Nihebi, grinned and shouted, “Tadashi! Cousin! You finally showed up! What brings you here?”
Tadashi smirked, clearly pleased by Nihebi’s respectful welcome. “Nihebi, I have a favor to ask.”
Rainee frowned, recognizing Tadashi immediately.
The one harassing Yukari Sendo.
Though she didn’t know Yukari personally, Rainee, a connoisseur of campus rumors, was well aware of the more notable and notorious students.
Rainee leaned in, listening intently as Tadashi and Nihebi started their conversation, with Hermann crouching beside her, equally curious.