"What... The... Fuck!?" Waking up from his rest, Ryu instantly got bewildered. The reason was simple, it's because when he saw through a window, he can see the sun on the horizon entering his field of vision. For the data, his window was faced toward the east. "Did I just sleep for the rest of the day!?"

Never once it crossed its mind that he could oversleep like this. He estimated that he would wake up from his nap at sunset, not at its rise. "But, looking into the bright side, my body is fucking energized right now!"

Doesn't want the excessive energy to go into a drain, Ryu decided to take a brisk workout, and practice before proceeding out into the school.

Just like the past week, Ryu arrived at the school earlier than the others, had a brief talk with Ayano, training on his own until the school's end, and had a quick hunt in the Dungeon. And finally, the moment that he's been waiting for has come, the team training. Although an unforeseen event has occurred, making the situation a bit difficult.

"Dude, this is so awkward..." standing beside Ryu, Narukami poked him at the stomach with its elbow. However, Ryu also felt the same as he presently froze stiff in his place, looking into the girl that stands before him. "A-Ayano, what are you doing here?"

"I simply want to join our team secret's training. But, there's seems to be an outsider too." Ayano answered with the usual smile that she wears every day. But, knowing inside out about her temper, Ryu appears to be taken aback by the replies, 'Ah, I'm fucked... That look... She's mad for sure...'

"Hear me Ayano, we're not planning to leave you out or anything."

"There's no need for explanation, it's okay."

To the indifferent response, Ryu instead becomes more nervous as he gulped down the saliva that's already stayed in his mouth for some time. "Because you already have your personal trainer, we believed that it would only trouble you if we invited you here."

"It's okay, really, I understand." Dissolving the matter with the wave from her hands, Ayano then pulled out her staff from the storage magic. "So, could you let me participate in this training too?"

"Of course you can you're our friend after all."

"Yeah, it's great if you can join us."

Both Mizuha and Verdi replied with a happy tone. Meanwhile, Ryu seems to lose in his thoughts as he stares into Ayano that's now chit-chatting with the party's members. 'Her honesty with me and the team didn't reach that degree yet, huh.'

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"Hey dude, can you introduce me already!?"

"Oh yeah, sorry, the situation was really unexpected."

Being woken up by the second pokes of the stomach, Ryu begins to clear up his throat, gathering all of the attention towards him. "Umm, guys, let me introduce him, he's my pal, Narukami."

"Oh, Narukami, isn't it been a while," greeted Mizuha as she waved her hand.

"Did you guys know each other already?"

"Of course, I was a friend with everyone in the 3rd Division."

"That's a Mizuha class for you." Clasping his hands, Ryu already foresaw this kind of result. If it's about social, Mizuha was really on another dimension.

"So, you're my brother's best friend?"

"Yeah, wait, Ryu has a little brother!?" Narukami replied while confusingly looking back and forth between Ryu and Verdi, comparing their looks which are clearly different.

"He's Verdi, he usually called me that, think of it as a personal preference."

"Ah, I see, nice to make your acquaintance, Verdi."

"Y-yeah." Hearing the cheerful vibe, the turquoise-eyed boy only gave a timid response while nodding his head slightly. 

"Now, next is-"

"I'm Ayano, although we're already acquainted before it would be nice if we could be friends from now on." Giving a light chuckle, Ayano stretches out her hand toward Narukami.

Accepting it almost instantly, Narukami gives a faint smile with his mouth. "Likewise."

Meanwhile, Ryu stood between them with his brow furrowed slightly.

'She even interjected to my word, how angry was her actually?'

Decided to ponder about it later, Ryu purposely coughed up a little.

"Since the introduction was over, should we start right away?"

"Mr. Pervert, are you planning to take on all four of us?"

"No, the best results can't be reaped if we do that." Ryu shook his head toward the inquiry. Although the idea actually has crossed his mind. After he thinks about it thoroughly, if he fights against 4 people, his stamina surely will not last for that long. At best, it's only for an hour. That's why he comes up with another plan;

"It's still 2 vs. 1, but I'm going to turn this into 4-round sparring with each last for one and a half hour."

"The first pair would be Verdi and Mizuha;"

"Then it's followed by Narukami with Ayano;"

"After that, it's gonna be Verdi backed up by Ayano;"

"Lastly, it's Narukami-Mizuha pair."

"Additionally, I already thought the adequate training for you guys when you're waiting for the rotation to come."

"Well, is there anything that isn't understandable?"

Toward this question, Ryu teammate simply shakes their heads as they already know the meaning behind the method. "I see, should we start with the schedule right away?"

"Okay, so what should I and Narukami practice in the meantime?"

Doesn't want to give an explanation twice, Ryu also lists out the things that needed to be done for Verdi and Mizuha when they're done with the match.

"Now, what're we waiting for?" Drawing out his dagger, Ryu points it to the pair that's respectively holding the short sword and wooden bow. "After a week, I expect great things to come from you guys."

Seeing the smirk that's Ryu puts on his face instinctively makes the duo shivers in their position.

"Hey, Verdi, why did I get a feeling that he would go full throttle this time?"

"That reminds me, I witnessed him bought a lot of potion while humming down in the Market district before arriving here."

"... Can we leave unscratched today?"