At Seidoukan Academy, there is a multi-purpose arena.
This arena is very large in scale—especially the central main stage, which is extremely spacious. Even the spectator seats are lavishly arranged, clearly showing that no expense was spared in its construction.
Around this stage, there is also a defensive barrier. Once activated, it completely encloses the entire stage. The barrier can not only defend against attacks from the Kō-style weapons but also reliably block long-range bombardments, ensuring the safety of the spectators so they don't have to worry about being affected by the intense duels.
This defensive barrier is no ordinary system. Activating it consumes a massive amount of energy, and it requires an extremely large-scale apparatus to generate. Therefore, there are only three stages equipped with such a barrier within the arena.
Normally, this largest stage is not casually opened to the public.
But on this day, it was.
Students in uniform gradually entered, all visibly excited, filling the spectator seats of the grand stage to full capacity.
And the reason they came here today was quite obvious.
To watch the battles.
Today, on this stage, Seidoukan Academy would be holding its monthly Official Ranking Battle.
During the Official Ranking Battle, they could not only see the rarely-seen active performances of the Page One Twelve, who seldom engage in private duels, but also watch many top-ranked fighters display their skills. It was truly a rare opportunity.
Because of this, the monthly Official Ranking Battle always attracts a large number of students as spectators. Sometimes, even high-ranking officials of the academy and special guests from other schools come to watch. Especially those involved in reporting on Asterisk—journalists who dominate this field attend like sharks drawn to blood, never missing a single event.
After all, Asterisk is a city of duels, and students from all six academies participate in the Seibu Festival. Any new information about famous and powerful contestants inevitably draws a lot of attention.
Because of this, it's not just at Seidoukan; whenever any academy holds a similar ranking battle event, the venue is always packed with people.
At this moment, the spectators in the stands were waiting eagerly for the ranking battle to begin, chatting excitedly among themselves.
"The second ranking battle of the year is finally about to start. I wonder which duel will be the most exciting?"
"Isn't that obvious? It has to be the last duel today, right?"
"The duel for the number one ranking?"
"That's right. This year's number one is quite special. When she first rose to the top, it even caused a stir in the other academies."
"I heard the challenger this time is the tenth-ranked 'Kasumi Deep Witch,' right?"
"One of only two middle school division members among the Page One Twelve, and both are female students. They're actually going to duel here?"
"...Why do I suddenly feel even more excited?"
"You're the one acting weird!"
Conversations like these could be heard from all around the spectator seats, filling the entire stage area with a noisy and lively atmosphere.
Amidst this atmosphere, in a seat resembling a VIP box, a young girl was sitting alone.
She appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, seemingly a senior division student. She had a pair of eyes with a faint bluish-green hue like fresh leaves, a well-defined nose bridge, and fair skin—her features were exceptionally delicate.
Undoubtedly, the most eye-catching feature of the girl was her long, waist-length, luxurious hair.
Her hair color was vivid—not red, nor pink, but a special rose shade.
Such a bright hair color was almost impossible to see naturally before the rise of the Star Vein Generation and was usually only seen through special dyeing. However, since the advent of the Star Vein Generation, people born with strikingly unusual hair colors have become increasingly common, especially within that generation, where flashy hair colors appear quite frequently.
The girl with the rose-colored hair sat quietly there, her gaze sharp and serious, radiating an aura that kept others far away, making people hesitant to sit beside her.
Until...
"Oh? So you're here too, Yulis."
With a light laugh tinged with surprise, the cold atmosphere around the girl with rose hair was instantly broken.
"...Claudia
The girl called Yulis looked somewhat displeased, as if she had seen someone she didn't want to meet, and cast a slightly unhappy glance to the side.
There, Claudia slowly approached, her dazzling blonde hair swaying. She possessed a beauty that was in no way inferior to Yulis's, but she appeared more mature and alluring.
"I didn't expect you to come watch the battles too, Yulis," Claudia greeted her familiarly, as if seeing an old friend. "If I remember correctly, you don't have a designated challenger today, do you?"
"Aren't you the same?" Yulis frowned and stared at Claudia. "I don't think the academy's most feared 'Chimi Leader' would be directly challenged by anyone. Or have you finally decided to aim for the number one ranking?"
"Number one ranking…?" Claudia didn't answer Yulis's question but instead seemed to suddenly realize something. "So you came here to watch because of 'Swift Gale Thunderblade,' huh?"
"…You're still as sharp as ever, aren't you?" Yulis's displeasure deepened, but she spoke softly, "I guess it can't be helped. After just one month since enrolling, she defeated the former number one in her very first Official Ranking Battle and claimed the strongest position at Seidoukan. And she's only a first-year middle schooler. Anyone would be curious whether she can hold onto her spot in the second Official Ranking Battle."
"Besides that, I'm sure many people want to know if that kid is really as strong as they say," Claudia said as she sat down beside Yulis. "Especially outsiders—there must be a lot of people unwilling to believe that a first-year middle schooler, who just enrolled this year, could take the number one spot."
"Well, what can you do? The kid's only thirteen," Yulis crossed her arms and snorted lightly. "Even with videos of her duels circulating, many still refuse to believe that those are the true skills of a thirteen-year-old."
"Is that so?" Claudia tilted her head and chuckled softly. "Including you?"
"...Then what about you?" Yulis glanced at Claudia and responded with a question instead of an answer. "Don't tell me—the usually very busy student council president made a special trip here today—is it to watch the number one duel?"
"Well..." Claudia neither confirmed nor denied, instead giving an ambiguous response.
"What's the matter?" Yulis, who knew Claudia quite well, was immediately surprised by her reaction. "Are you really not here for the number one duel?"
"To say I'm not interested would definitely be a lie," Claudia smiled faintly. "But compared to that kid, I'm more interested in another duel today."
At Claudia's words, Yulis immediately grew curious.
"There's another duel worth your attention? And it takes priority over the number one duel?" Yulis asked bluntly. "Who's the opponent?"
Claudia did not answer the question, only chuckling softly.
"Hmph."
Yulis snorted coldly and turned her head away, muttering to herself inside.
"I want to see who exactly could capture your special attention."
While Yulis was murmuring, the mechanical loudspeakers inside the arena came to life.
"The Official Ranking Battle is about to begin. Please do not leave your seats."
"Will the participants of the first duel please enter the arena."
Guided by the announcement, two figures appeared from the entrances on either side of the competitive stage.
The audience immediately erupted into loud cheers, officially marking the start of the Official Ranking Battle.
...
At the same time, Aze was waiting in the competitors' area of the arena.
He was not alone—everyone scheduled for the upcoming duels was there, quietly waiting for their turn.
Aze leaned against a corner, not talking to anyone, eyes closed as he rested his mind.
Not long after—
"Will the participants of the next duel please enter the arena."
The school emblem pinned to the right side of Aze's chest suddenly lit up, prompting him to open his eyes.
"Is it my turn?"
A mysterious gleam filled Aze's eyes.
He did not feel nervous.
On the contrary, he was… very excited.
End of Chapter ...