The day of the next Festa had arrived, and the air was filled with excitement and anticipation. As usual, Ayato, Julis, Saya, Kirin, and Claudia were all gathered in the waiting area, ready to face their opponents.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the arena. A group of students from another academy had arrived, led by a tall, imposing figure.

Ayato, Julis, and the others watched with interest as the group made their way towards them. The tall figure stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Ayato.

"I am Akira Takagi, and I challenge you to a battle," he declared.

Ayato raised an eyebrow. "And who are you representing?"

"I am from the Seidoukan Academy," Akira replied.

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Ayato nodded. "Very well. Let's see what you've got."

The two fighters made their way to the arena, and the rest of the group settled in to watch. The battle was intense, with Akira proving to be a formidable opponent. But in the end, Ayato emerged victorious.

As the group made their way back to the waiting area, they were met by Claudia, who had a surprised expression on her face.

"That was quite impressive, Ayato," she said. "I had no idea Seidoukan had sent such a strong challenger."

Ayato shrugged. "He was tough, but I've faced tougher. I'm just glad we won."

The rest of the day passed by quickly, with the group facing off against a variety of opponents from different schools. But as the sun began to set, they were all feeling tired and ready to call it a day.

As they made their way back to their dorms, Ayato couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had a nagging sense that they were being watched.

He glanced over his shoulder, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the feeling persisted.

As they reached their dorms, Ayato turned to the others. "Keep your guard up," he warned. "I have a feeling this isn't over yet."