Chapter 53: Black Rose Under the Moon, There is No Such Coincidence.
The day after the committee and others left, Shinguuji Kurono issued a new announcement within Hagun Academy.
The main representative challenge matches will conclude at the end of this month, and after the deadline, no teachers or students may raise objections to the selection results.
This announcement did not cause much stir among the students.
Elite students who were confident in their strength had already attempted to challenge the main representatives, all ending in failure.
The remaining ordinary students also knew their limits and would not seek trouble.
However, just as everyone thought the main representative battles had been settled, on the last day of the month's challenge matches, Nagi Arisuin was defeated.
His opponent was the Student Council Accountant, a Rank B Knight known as the Scarlet Lady, Toutokubara Kanata.
As a combat-oriented individual who had been specially recruited to the battlefield as a student, her strength was beyond doubt.
Therefore, the students were not surprised by her victory over the Rank D Nagi Arisuin.
That night.
Nagi Arisuin sat by the window of his dormitory, gazing at the bright, flawless moon in the sky, lost in thought.
Kurogane Shizuku, his roommate, pushed the door open and asked softly,
"Are you alright, Alice?"
Nagi Arisuin turned around, a gentle smile still on his face, and explained,
"I'm sorry to make you worry, I'm fine."
Kurogane Shizuku saw that her friend's expression was normal, and her tone carried a hint of regret.
"It's good that you're fine. But it's really a shame, we were so close to being able to participate in the competition together."
Nagi Arisuin quickly waved his hand, a wry smile on his face, showing lingering fear.
"There's nothing to be done about it, after all, the opponent is a Rank B combatant, I was already using all my strength just to dodge her attacks."
Noticing Nagi Arisuin's low spirits, Kurogane Shizuku said no more, instead pulling him to talk about intimate topics between girls.
For example, how to win over her own brother.
...
The moon hung high in the sky, and all was silent.
Nagi Arisuin's figure, like a dark shadow, silently slipped out of the dormitory building.
Upon reaching the academy's outskirts, he turned his head, his eyes complex as he looked back in the direction of Kurogane Shizuku's dormitory.
"Farewell, Shizuku."
"If you're so reluctant, why not just stay put?"
In the quiet of the night on the academy's outskirts, a figure with arms crossed leaned against a tree, Arthur, who had appeared at some unknown time, blocked his path.
Nagi Arisuin instinctively drew his Dark Hermit, but when he saw who the newcomer was, a bitter smile spread across his lips.
Arthur stepped out from the shadow of the tree, looking at Nagi Arisuin, who was tense and constantly on guard against him, and shook his head, teasing,
"Good evening, Arisouin. Not sleeping so late, where are you planning to go for a walk?"
Nagi Arisuin's eyes were dim, he shook his head, and asked directly,
"Don't beat around the bush, Arthur , how did you know I would be leaving tonight?"
Snap!
Arthur raised his hand and snapped his fingers, a cluster of fluorescent light brightened on the back of Nagi Arisuin's right hand, continuously emitting faint magical fluctuations.
"A little trick for tracking, nothing worth mentioning."
Nagi Arisuin stared at his glowing right hand, recalling the scene of their handshake when they first met, and the bitterness on his lips grew stronger.
"You suspected me from our first meeting? Why?"
Arthur shrugged subtly, pulled out his mobile device from his pocket, and explained,
"At first, I didn't think much of it, I just thought Arisouin liked to hide his true abilities. But—"
"I once asked the Chairwoman to collect information on all participants, and I must say, the quality of this year's freshmen is surprisingly high."
"Besides our Hagun Academy, other academies also have talented newcomers emerging. Don't you find that strange?"
Nagi Arisuin replied with a fake smile, "Perhaps it's just a coincidence?"
Arthur scoffed, "Too many coincidences are no longer coincidences. Are you going to confess yourself, or…?"
Blazingsword Art: Shadow Stitch!
Under the moonlight, the mottled tree shadows suddenly twisted and danced, pouncing at Arthur with bared fangs and claws!
Nagi Arisuin himself slashed his sword at his feet, a crack appearing, attempting to escape into a secret passage of light and shadow.
Sun Form: Red Dragon!
The fire dragon roared, and a scorching light descended like the sun, instantly dispelling the shadows and interrupting the spread of the crack!
Nagi Arisuin, whose escape had failed, only heard a whooshing sound approaching. Relying solely on instinct, he horizontally parried with his sword, barely blocking Arthur's powerful, heavy flame slash.
"I'm just a hired assassin, completely unaware of the subsequent plans. Keeping me won't do you any good."
Arthur continued to exert force, pressing Nagi Arisuin to his knees, and quipped,
"If every random assassin had the strength of a Rank A Knight, then the International Alliance should have disbanded long ago."
Nagi Arisuin realized that Arthur had no intention of letting him go, so he immediately freed one hand and slammed it heavily onto the overlapping shadows of the two of them!
Blazingsword Art: Twin Shadows!
A strong gust of wind whistled up from beneath Arthur. He didn't hesitate for a moment, flashing back quickly!
He focused his gaze on the two dark shadows standing beside Nagi Arisuin, one of which held a broadsword, its wind pressure fierce.
"That's interesting, not only his own shadow, but he can also replicate the opponent's shadow?"
Nagi Arisuin had no time to respond; he was currently half-kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath.
Replicating Arthur's shadow consumed far more than expected, instantly draining his magic power.
However, the effect of Twin Shadows was trustworthy; as long as the two shadows could stall the opponent for a moment, he would be able to escape safely.
Clang—!
A section of a dark broken blade spun and plunged into the ground beside Nagi Arisuin. The sound of breaking wind followed, and the two shadows flew back like broken kites, falling heavily to the ground and dissipating.
Arthur held his Holy Sword upside down, clicked his tongue, his tone carrying a hint of something inexplicable.
"What a pity, Arisouin. It seems neither I nor this Holy Sword are so easily replicated."
Nagi Arisuin wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at Arthur, who was still unharmed, dropped his Dark Hermit, and raised his hands.
"I surrender, my magic power is exhausted, you don't have to worry about me playing any more tricks."
Arthur raised his hand and snapped his fingers again. A black hole spell unfolded, firmly pinning Nagi Arisuin to the ground, his tone relaxed.
"I'm afraid I can't comply. After all, I don't have a habit of trusting enemies."
Saying that, he pulled out his mobile device, which had remained connected, and asked,
"I'm done here, Chairwoman, how much longer until you arrive?"
Whoosh!
Shinguuji Kurono, dressed in high-grade silk pajamas, her clothes fluttering, arrived through the air!
She coldly scanned Nagi Arisuin, who was sprawled on the ground, her voice low.
"Are you sure? Arisouin, is he really a Rank A Knight?"
"Do I have any reason to lie to you? You'll know all these things once you take him back and interrogate him."
Arthur put away his mobile device, turned, and leisurely walked towards the dormitory building.
"I'll leave the rest to you, Chairwoman. Good night."
"...You damn brat!"
Shinguuji Kurono cursed softly, looking at Nagi Arisuin on the ground, her gaze growing more serious.
A Rank A Knight disguised and infiltrated Hagun Academy; the conspiracy behind it was likely far beyond imagination.
This murky situation might be even deeper than she had anticipated.