Within the private room of a Japayled high-css restaurant located, three men sat upoami mat covered floor.

  Upon the wooden table before them rested several small trays with a small appetizer dish and a small por white sake cup and bottle.

  The first man with a rge build aly trimmed beard, dressed in a casual colred polo shirt, picked up his cup of sake and took a sip. Sitting by his side was ane, muscur man in a casual shirt and jacket with a sharper trimmed beard and a white streak along the side of his head; the man who Yuuji fought in while in disguise.

  On the opposite side of the table, a slender, beautiful man with long bck hair and golden eyes sat, dressed in a plete suit. He sat with a gentle, rexed smile despite being in front of two enormous presenters in the room.

  “Without beating around the bush, Mr. Zhou… It seems that the boy has failed.”

  “I’d like to think that I uand your s, Lord . But since we’ve revealed nothing about our true identity to him, I don’t believe there’s any risk of information leaks.”

  “Ho? I’m impressed that you mao groom him to bee a colborator.”

  “People that age are still pure, passionate, and easily swayed by jealousy, after all. In order to show their worth or satisfy their pettiness, they’d rather speak out than listen well. Thanks to that, I have learned quite a lot.”

  “If you say so, Mr. Zhou, then we should be fine. But, I’m trusting you to take care that there aren’t any ued twists… Such as that matter from a few days ago.”

  At his words, Mr. Zhou gowards Lu Gao Hu for an instant, and saw a deeply buried anger and frustration building up in his expression, aurned his gaze towards Lord .

  “I am well aware of what I must do. In the few days, I shall appraise the situation myself.”

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  After a long day, Yuuji finally returned home with Aika as she hugged his arm tightly and id her head on his shoulder.

  The sun had already set by the time they finished hanging out with Honoka, Shizuku, Mizuki, Miyuki, Tatsuya, and Mikihiko after school. And they’re now walking home slowly, taking their time while versing and enjoying the night breeze that had began to blow over.

  As soon as they arrived at the mansion, they entered and saw two pairs of shoes iryway.

  One was Aika, and the bigger ohey presumed, was most likely Leo’s.

  “Oh~! It seems like they’ve already started training! Let’s check them out~!”

  “Mm. You go ahead. I’ll put s in our room first.”

  “Uhn~! Thanks, Yuuji~”

  Aika gave Yuuji her bag and quickly made her way down towards the underground gym, while he headed towards his room to put down their bags.

  Upoering the master bedroom, he noticed Erika’s bag on the coud her school uniform ly folded right beside it. She must’ve ged into her training outfit, which sisted of a white Keikogi and a red hakama.

  Just like Aika, his bedroom had turned into all of their bedrooms. Although they left some clothes in their room, which were the two previous guest rooms on the opposite wing of the mansion, most of their daily clothing and ies were all pced in his room. After all, they now rarely sleep in their own room and chose to sleep along with Yuuji. Even their makeup stuff, which wasn’t that much sidering Aika’s no use for it and Erika’s tendency to not use much of it, were all pced in his bathroom.

  After pg their bags, Yuuji exited his room and quickly followed Aika to the underground gym.

  Reag the underground level of his mansion, he could see Aika’s figure in the massive gym and training ground half of the floor through the transparent gss, already chatting with Erika.

  A few distance away from them, he could see Leo, dressed in a simir training outfit that Erika brought along with her from her home for him, sprawled on the ground and breathing hard.

  His lips curled into a smile as he approached the metallic door into the gym. Yuuji lowered himself to position his eyes right in front of the iris ser, and o reized the pattern of his iris, he pced his thumb onto the fingerprint ser.

  The door slid open, earning Aika and Erika’s attention as he approached them.

  “Hey, wele back.”

  Yuuji grabbed around Erika’s shoulder, pulled her towards himself, and pressed his lips on her head.

  “Mm, I’m back. How’s it going?”

  “Well, as you see, he’s exhausted. We’re taking a bit of a break right now.”

  “I see…”

  It was actually quite surprising for Yuuji to see Leo this tired. As a magi, and especially in Leo’s case, Leo has immense physical strength and stamina, much more than a normal human like Yuuji before he got his [Divine Physique].

  Even in the ahere wasn’t a time where he was this exhausted.

  “Then, I’ll check up on him for a bit, okay?”

  “Mm. I’ll be here with Aika.”

  Yuuji nodded, and headed to the fridge that was iweeraining grounds and the gym. It was filled to the brim with liters upon liters of water in bottles and various sports drinks with a variety of fvor. Yuuji just took a rge bottle of water and a regur sports drink, and approached Leo.

  “Yo. Seems like Erika dragged you through the ringer, huh?”

  “Yuuji…”

  Leo opened his eyes to see Yuuji, the guy who had been in his mind ever since Erika revealed her retionship with him and his… true self, handing him a bottle of water and sports drink.

  “Thanks…”

  He grabbed both bottles, pced the mineral water bottle on the ground, and gulped down the sports drinks.

  And after he finished, he turned and looked towards Yuuji once again as he sat on the ground.

  He had mixed feelings about this… He thought he knew who Yuuji was. Although he wasn’t as close with him as he was with Tatsuya, Leo still sidered him his close friend after all the time they spent together.

  But today, a lot of things that had been revealed to him made him wonder… Is the Yuuji he khe real him?

  Everyone has secrets. That much he uood. And Yuuji was free to hide his secrets.

  His wealth was ohing. He had expected him to be rich given how much Aika had been bragging about his wealth. He didn’t know if he ied it or he somehow made a name for himself. For anyone else, the tter might be a little bit too far fetched given they’re still first year students. But sidering how immensely intelligent and talented Yuuji was, it didn’t seem far-fetched for him to be this rich, at least in Leo’s mind.

  But… he didn’t expect that secret to be about him dating both Aika and Erika at the same time. It was… the st thing he’d expect from Yuuji.

  In his eyes, Yuuji had always been an upstanding and ho guy who cared deeply for his friends. He expected him to be aremely devoted and loyal person if he ever decided to get into a retionship with someone. After all, even though he had always been surrounded by beauties and popur with girls, he had never acted frivolously towards any of them and treated them with resped manners.

  But now… Erika told him that she and Aika were both dating him at the same time. He couldn’t believe Erika and Aika accepted such a retionship, but even more than that, he couldn’t believe Yuuji would be dating two girls at once.

  In this day and age… having more than one wife is something only the rid iial do i. It was unthinkable for a first year student to do such a thing unless he was a scum.

  But… Erika knew about Yuuji dating Aika before she entered into a retionship with him.

  And after listening to Aika’s story… he felt truly flicted.

  On one hand, it was the fact that he was two-timing, even if they both accepted it. But oher hand, he treated them extremely well and the two didn’t have any pints about their curreionship. In fact, Erika seemed happy about the arra since she could be with Yuuji as well as Aika, who she had bee extremely close with.

  Seeing his plicated expression, Yuuji smiled apologetically and lowered his head slightly.

  “Sorry for not mentioning any of this, Leo. I promise I don’t io hide our retionships from you or the others. It’s just… we didn’t have the opportunity to do so.”

  “Ah, no… It’s fine. I was just… shocked.”

  “Mm…”

  Yuuji nodded and sat down beside him.

  “It’s a lot to take, huh…?”

  “Of course it is… But… Well, as long as you’re all happy, then I’m not in the position to say anything. I’ll be supp all of you as a friend. Just… Treat them well.”

  Leo turned his head and looked at Yuuji.

  “I’ve seen guys who tried to make it work with two girls, and he ended up not only hurting the girls, but also himself. From what Aika told me, you seemed to have things under trol, but don’t fet the reason why you entered a retionship with them in the first pce.”

  A look of surprise emerged on Yuuji’s face. He didn’t expect to receive such a deep retionship advice from Leo…”

  “I won’t. I will treasure them forever. Thank you for uanding, Leo.”

  He raised his fist towards him, and Leo bumped it with his own.

  “So? How’s it going?”

  “It’s… going slowly. I’m not very used tthening an object without having it crease. Normally, it doesn’t matter if it creases or not as long as it’s hard.”

  “Mm, it’s a bit different from how you usually use it. But I’m sure you figure it out. And once you do, you’ll be a force to re with. You have amazing potential as a batant, Leo. Having a skill that could give you an edge in a life or death battle could be the differeween life ah. If you’re determio go down this path, then you should be ready.”

  “I know. Thanks. I’ve made my own resolve. I’ve also heard from Aika… Things are going to get messy soon, huh?”

  Yuuji let out a sigh and nodded.

  “Unfortunately. They’ve begun using students from our own school as spies. And the thing Mizuki said before about the feeling of being watched… that must be some sort of spell pced oire school grounds to observe us.”

  “Hah… What a bunch of creeps.”

  “Heh, seriously. I’m guessing they’ll make a move during the Thesis petition.”

  Yuuji turned and looked at Leo once again.

  “I’d like to say no hurries, but it’d be great to have you ready and join us by then. Having you and Erika there would be a life saver.”

  “I’ll do my best. No promise though.”

  “Heh, don’t worry. I’ll tell Aika to k up the iy of your training.”

  “Wha-?!”

  Yuuji stood up from his seat and began walking away, waving his hand at him.

  “Don’t worry! There’s plenty of water and sports drinks in the gym fridge! I won’t charge you for any so go and have your fill! Aika and I will be cooking a lot more food for our dionight, so don’t wo get destroyed!”

  “T-That’s not the problem! Oi wait, Yuuji!”

  Yuuji simply chuckled and tinued heading towards Aika and Erika.

  When he reached them, Erika turowards him and saw Leo looking at him with scared eyes.

  “Hm? What’s going on?”

  “It’s nothing. Oh, and don’t hold ba training him. I’ll be cookira for dionight either way.”

  “Heh, leave it to me.”

  Erika narrowed her eyes and looked at Leo with a smirk, causing sweat to drip down his forehead.

  “Aika, will you help me cook dinner?”

  “Uhn~! Leave it to me~”

  “Thank you. Then, I’ll leave you guys to it. You’re free to use any of the facilities here. You know where the drinks are. And if you need anything else, just call us from the inter.”

  “Mm. I know. Thanks.”

  Yuuji pulled Erika into a hug once again and kissed her head.

  “Then, we’ll be off. Good luck, Leo!”

  “Don’t die, Leo~!”

  “...”

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  October 22, 2095.

  First High School Outdoors Practice Field.

  Yuuji walked through a clearing iween treelihat stretched far into the distance. A calm expression adorned his heavenly tenance, but his eyes were sharp, belying his still exterior.

  At least… That’s how it looked for Mayumi, Mari, and Juumonji Katsuto, who were watg from a s in the monit room for this Thesis petition Security volunteering members’ training session, as well as the traihat were currently lying in wait for an ambush.

  Inside, Yuuji wondered just how he ended up in this position…

  Just this m, he was getting ready to have a slow day apanying Hirakawa Koharu and the other members of the Thesis petition team, just like usual. But suddenly, the chairman of the Extracurricur Activities Federation, Juumonji Katsuto, took him and made him go against the members of the security detail for the thesis petition to train them.

  There was no way for him to dee… He even tried giving Mayumi the puppy eyes, which almost worked. But in the end… he failed. Mayumi was excited to watch him fight against the others too, knowing he will sweep the floor along with everyone, so he had no other choice but to do it.

  But really… At least they’re the ones who’ll be proteg and not the one ambushing, because they’re really bad at this…

  Even without using elemental sight, Yuuji could see some of their body parts and heads poking out of the treelines and bushes, and seheir presehey didn’t even try to disguise their presence or even just erase it.

  But Yuuji kept walking silently, pretending to not notice it. It’d be much easier to catch them off guard if they thiill doesn't know where and when they’ll ambush him.

  Then, in the moment, six sed-year students dressed in a bck training shirt and long pants jumped out of the tree lihey all raised their left hand, where they equipped their bracelet-type CAD, towards him and used their right hand toa activate their spells.

  “GOT YOU!!!”

  The ground around Yuuji suddenly shattered and the debris began f into six rge boulders that immediately shot towards Yuuji. But in the same instance, Yuuji tapped his slick, ptinum, cuff bangle-shaped CAD, and six powerful lightning struck the boulders with a thunderous roar, shattering it into pieces.

  “What…?!”

  “That’s impossible…”

  “Such a powerful spell… with that speed…”

  The spell he had used was a derivative from Aika’s Raikou. Instead of one, enormous, lightning strike that seemed to have been cast down by heaven itself, he created a spell that would divide up the power into several less powerful, but still destructive, strikes of lightning to deal with multiple targets.

  Yuuji swept his gaze across the sed year students, and silently sighed and shook his head at their behavior.

  Even if what he did was surprising, they shouldn’t be gawking at him in the middle of battle.

  Is this what Chairman Juumonji wao teach them…?

  While they’re talented in magic, they still have much to learn in terms of bat, which is much more important in real life situations. Critical thinking, fast deaking, and crity of mind; they’re all far more important than being able to cast powerful spells quickly.

  For sed year students to gawk at him after he showed a moderately powerful spell made him really worried for the reliability of the thesis petition security team.

  I o teach them a lesson so they won’t repeat it during real life ah situation…

  “Senpai, you shouldn’t gawk at a person during battle. Or else, you won’t be able to rea time with their retaliation.”

  His words shem out of their daze, but it was too te. The moment, they felt a tremendous pressure ing down from above, f them to their knees. No matter how hard they try to resist, it was as if they had a massive block of crete weighing them from above. And before long, all six of the sed year students could only groan as they y down ft on their stoma the ground.

  “And when you’re ambushing someone, please don’t yell and raise your voice. It would only serve to alert your enemies and give them time to react.”

  Their groans tinued for a bit before silence fell upon the forest once more, and Yuuji released them from his spell.

  If they weren’t so distracted, they could’ve cast some spells towards him to maybe break his tration on his spell.

  What an amateur mistake… Being distracted in a battlefield was equivalent to giving yourself on a silver ptter for the enemies.

  He shook his head and tinued walking through the clearing, “searg” for the others while actually letting him be a prime target to ambush.

  Meanwhile, watg the se unfold through a monitor in the base camp, Mayumi, Mari, and Juumonji Kazuto watched with an impressed expression on their faces.

  Mayumi seemed to be proud and watched her new lover walk with fiden his heavenly tenance. Kazuto also seemed proud, while Mari couldn’t help but voice her impression of his performand words.

  “I see now why you insist on having him take over the training, Juumonji-kun.”

  “Mm. I didn’t solely choose him based on his skill, but his bat prowess. I want him to impart some of his bat experieo the others.”

  Mayumi nodded.

  “That is a good idea. And it seems like Yuuji-kun uands your iion well, Juumonji-kun.”

  “Yes.”

  “I ’t believe he’s a first year…”

  Mari let out a sigh as she crossed her arms under her ample bosom. She often fot that Yuuji was just a first year high school student. His magic skills, his bat experience, his intelligence; everything about him made her feel as if she was looking at ae ander of an army. But since he was only a first year student, that could only meahing. A genius.

  While many had called her talented and skilled, only now did she truly see the differeweealented and a genius…

  Ba the training grounds, Yuuji could sehe presence of a few people waiting to ambush him. This time, they’re more scattered, but anized.

  With his elemental sight, he could “see” three people with kendo swords waiting along the treelines near him, two to the right and oo the left, and two people with their hands on their CAD a few distance away from the first three, ready to cast their spells.

  Yuuji tio walk, feigning ignorance again. And when he reached the middle of their formation, the three people with kendo swords sprung up immediately and attacked him all at onbsp;

  At the same time, the two casters also cast a binding spell that caused the grass under him to around his feet.

  Nice ambush.

  Yuuji gave them all an approving nod inwardly.

  All five of them were silent in their ambush. They timed their attack perfectly with each other and stru cert with each other. The vanguards, who o get close to him, had also enhaheir speed with magibsp;

  But Yuuji didn’t have the hobby of beien up, so with pure strength alone, he ripped apart the bdes of grass rooting him to the ground, and dodged all three strikes from the sword.

  “Tch! Don’t let him rest! tio attack him!”

  The three vanguards worked together and tiriking him with their swords as Yuuji dodged and deflected their strikes with his arms.

  With coorditacks from three magically enhanced swordsman and ranged support from two casters, Yuuji had quite a bit of trouble dealing with them solely using his Krav Maga Profid Divine Physique. Defeating them would be quid easy if he went all out, but this was training. He wao let them put their strategies and skills into practice. Moreover, he didn’t want to destroy their bodies or hurt them too badly.

  So, he took his time. Slowly tering their attacks with his own punches while using Gram Demolition on a while to destroy some spells from the casters.

  One by ohe three vanguards have begun to reach their limits. No matter how fast or how hard they strike, they’ll only ever meet air or have their strike deflected as if they were nothing. And then, they’ll receive a hit to their torso, arms, ahat slowly heir entire body.

  The two casters were also beginning to feel drained. Not only were they casting spells all this time, they’ve also been trying their hardest not to implicate their allies with their spells. The mental tration it took for them to do that for the entire five mihey’ve been doing it had draihem immensely.

  Notig their dition, Yuuji decided to end this and give them their evaluation.

  “You’ve all done amazingly, senpais. Your ambush was incredible, your coordination was amazing, and your perseverance deserves praise. If I may give you advice, it would be to hone your individual skills with the swords. Although you are all skilled, your swords now are still meant for sports, not bat. Try to get some advice from Kirihara-senpai. From my observations, he seemed to have some bat experiehat might be useful for you.”

  He said iween dodging their strikes. Then, with a fsh of movement, he punched all three of them is, ripping their sciousness away, ahem fall to the ground.

  Yuuji then took one of the kendo swords and turowards the location of the casters.

  Filled with panic after seeing their vanguards demolished in an instant, the two casters immediately tried to unch a massive spell towards Yuuji.

  If they were to think clearly, they would know that their decision oor one, given Yuuji could simply use Gram Demolition to cel their spells. The better decision would be to retreat, solidate, and create a new pn to ambush him.

  But this time, he didn’t use Gram demolition. He didn’t even try to evade their spells and simply stood there. But then, a yer of sparkle began c the kendo sword he had just picked him.

  And when they uheir spells towards him, Yuuji swung his sword at the lightning and fire, causing them to suddenly disappear and scatter into thin air.

  “Good spells, but you should’ve retreated for now and ambush me after solidating, Senpais.”

  He raised his left hand in front, and two sed year students popped out of the tree opy as if lifted up by an invisible forbsp;

  “I will let you down after the training ends, so please enjoy the sun and air for the moment.”

  He said as he looked up at them.

  In the base camp, all three looked at the s in pure shobsp;

  All of them had the same question in their mind… How did Yuuji erase the spells u him with a swing of a sword?

  “...Seems like he still has even more tricks up his sleeves than we expected.”

  Mayumi and Kazuto hey’ve never heard of anyone erasing magic by just swinging a sword. If someone was capable of that, then they would’ve heard about it through their family’s informatiowork.

  Mayumi pouted as she watched her cheeky new lover from the s, w what other secrets he might be hiding…

  Ba the training grounds, Yuuji looked down to the kendo sword a out a relieved sigh as the sparkles began to fade.

  It was a success… Not only did he mao recreate the tact-type Gram Demolition that he had heard about in the light novel, he also mao modify it to his will. Now, not only could he use it as an “armor”, he could use it to cover anythiouches with formless Psions that would demolish any magic it came in tact with.

  Perhaps, iure, he could create a sword-shaped CAD for Erika that could use this type of Gram Demolition, allowio erase spells with a swing of her sword.

  As he wo the potential of his new spell, the grouh him suddenly shook. In the moment, the ground suddenly shattered and colpsed right below him, sending a massive cloud of dust and dirt into the air.

  In the base camp, the three observers also looked at the s in shock. And when the dust settled, they saw Yuuji staring into the dire of the forest with a smile.

  “Nie, Mikihiko. I’d love to py more, but unfortunately, we’ve almost run out of time. So let’s end it here.”

  He said as he stood, no, floated above the colpsed ground. Then, in a blink of an eye, he burst into speed and flew towards Mikihiko’s dire.

  “Kuh! This is bad! He’s faster than I expected!

  Mikihiko, who had just unleashed his attack through the ley lines of the earth and colpse the grouh Yuuji, immediately felt danger ing towards him.

  He knew Yuuji would find his position the momeacked, but he didn’t expect him to be ing this fast! He expected him to take more time traversing on foot through the dense jungle, but he didn’t expect him to use his flying spell to chase after him in this training session!

  “I o hide myself quickly!”

  He pressed his bate tree, pulled out a talisman, and closed his eyes, casting a camoufge spell to hide his presehen, he pulled out aalisman to create a fog that would fuse Yuuji’s senses.

  But as he was trating, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulders.

  “ry, MIkihiko. But too bad. You should've cealed yourself physically better, or someone who has experieh this kind of magic will still be able to find you easily.”

  Mikihiko’s eyes widened in shock when he looked at Yuuji casually standing there with his hand on his shoulder.

  “Now, up you go along with the rest.”

  “W-Wai- UWAAAAH!!!”

  And with Mikihiko up in the sky, all members of the security team for the Thesis petition had been decimated by Yuuji alone, marking the end of the training session.

  VergsX