Chapter 11: Nagi's Troublesome Popularity
The campus was silent.
No one could have predicted that Team Tenbi would lose in such an embarrassing manner as the defeated figures of Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki laid on the ground were broadcast to the entire school. They had been the crowd favorites to win the opening game and seize a victory but the outcome of the battle had completely reared off course and was like a nightmare to the students of Tenbi.
"Takeru..." Takeshi Oyama, Takeru's father whispered in a pitiful tone as he observed his son staggering to stand on his feet. Takeshi was aware that Takeru had slacked off in his training during his time away from the dojo and expected his son to have a few flaws and kinks but what he had just shown him was beyond expectations. Even knowing how powerful the third year students were, Takeru should have not have been defeated that easily if he was on the same level as Haruko, who had always been behind Takeru when they were kids training.
"Wow" Nagi's voice broke Takeshi's thoughts as the red haired man munched on his last pork bun and licked his lips. "Your kid got owned"
A heavy sigh escaped Takeshi's mouth and he grabbed his forehead in exasperation "Yea, he did. It seems his skills have grown rather dull after neglecting his training, such a pity"
Takeshi's dream for Takeru was for him to inherit the dojo when he was old enough and run it together with Haruko, who he knew full well harbored romantic feelings for his son. That plan was starting to look quite grim right now however as he saw the pathetic state his so called heir was in. Even his late wife Atsuma would have been disappointed.
"So what, he stopped training after leaving your dojo? What was he doing?"
Takeshi shrugged as he stood up and stretched "I haven't the foggiest idea. Aside from going to school and reading porn magazines, there isn't anything else I can think of."
"He left your dojo to do crap like that? No wonder the kid's so soft."
"I can't really blame him" Takeshi ruffled his brown hair and sighed "The death of his mother really changed him."
A hidden sadness crept upon Takeshi's face, something which Nagi noted as he had come to sense whenever the man withdrew his emotions from others, and looked downward. He hadn't heard the full story between what happened to his wife and Takeru's mother and honestly, he didn't really care as he wasn't one to pry into other people's lives. It would be a different matter entirely if Takeshi told him but since he didn't seem to be in the mood for talking, Nagi decided it wasn't his duty to find out and wanted to change the topic.
He stood up from his seat and stretched his back "I guess we should go down there and see the kids, I'm sure they'll be pretty disappointed after that performance."
Takeshi recovered from his slump and nodded "Sounds good to me."
With the outcome of the match having already been declared, the festival had resumed its normal activities and students began to disperse from behind the gymnasium to visit the open shops. The only ones who remained at the battle scene where members of the Maken-Ki, along with a member of Venus Academy and the world wide idol, Celia Outsuka.
"Takeru-kun lost..."
Celia had been watching the match in the hopes of getting a chance to see Takeru's "gallant" side that would invigorate her desire to be with him even more, regardless of the fact that she was actually a man. However, her dreams were crushed and her heart was sad as she felt bad for her darling that suffered such a heavy defeat.
"I'll need to comfort him thoroughly to make him get over the loss~❤"
Her motives were drifting off course as she cupped her hands and twirled in a cutesy manner, earning annoyed reactions from Haruko, Uruchi, Inaho, and Himegami.
"Ignoring the pest..." Himegami crossed her arms, pretending not to notice the death glare coming from the ticked off Celia. "Don't you think it's strange how easily they lost?"
"What do you mean, Himegami-san?" Haruko asked with a face fraught with confusion and worry.
"I'll admit, we underestimated the power of those third years and should have picked a better line up for the match... but I can't believe Takeru and Azuki lost that easily"
Chacha tilted her head. "Then what about Kurigasa-kun?"
"Well..." Himegami scratched her cheek "...He went down quicker than I anticipated"
"...Harsh" Several people in the vicinity thought as Himegami's poor assessment of a fellow classmate made them pity the man.
"I... heard that"
All eyes turned around and to their surprise, Kurigasa Kai had gotten on his feet and had made his way over towards the gathering of people, along with Azuki and Takeru who had regained consciousness and were holding parts of their bodies still aching in pain.
"Are you guys alright!?"
Nearly everyone rushed over to tend to their wounds, letting Aki and Minori pass through first as the former was a licensed nurse and would know what to do. Minori observed the painful expressions of her depressed students and frowned, not sure on what to say. She had chosen the line up for the matches, despite Aki's protests, and the outcome wasn't what she had hoped for, nor was expecting. Despite that, Minori didn't regret her decision for a moment; she was a woman who lived life to the fullest and never wanted to leave behind regrets, regardless of the outcome of her poor choices. Still, she felt as if she should have given more thought to Aki's suggestion and possibly switched out Kurigasa or Azuki.
Espada and the other third year girls were a bundle of trouble, even more so now that they were working for Otohime and Kamigari. Their strength was classified at S rank, the highest rank a student could possibly achieve through training and talent alone. Though, there were exceptions to that rule, such as Martha Minerva whose element power surpassed even her own and Ouken's as the girl was born with a once in a generation talent. To say sending two B-rank students and an A-rank student to combat three classified S-ranks was a foolish decision would be rather accurate as Minori scratched her head.
"Shit, I didn't think... Takeru, Azuki, and Kurigasa... I'm sorry. I'll take the blame on this one; you guys clearly weren't ready to handle them"
Everyone was surprised at hearing the tomboy principal apologize as for as long as they had known her, their principal had never apologized for anything, usually making up excuses or throwing a fit and punching something... or unluckily, someone. It was an indication that she truly was sincere in what she was trying to convey.
"Minori..." Aki whispered in a soft tone.
"Hah! Just the words I would have expected from a group of losers"
Rage swelled in Minori's eyes as she glared daggers at the snobbish voice coming from none other than Otohime who approached the Tenbi team with her squad of third years standing behind her. A spark of intensity was created from the two sides facing down one another but Otohime was quick to change the flow in her favor.
"It must be a terrible shame for you all to have competed against us, knowing you didn't stand a chance no matter who you picked. Though I still have to say" She then turned to the angered Minori and sneered. "I didn't expect such an incompetent decision to come from the principal herself. I guess it shows that your enormous rack compensated for you lack of a functioning brain"
"What'd you say, brat!?"
Minori was close to marching over there herself and beating some manners into the slightly startled Otohime but was held back by Aki and Furan.
For all of her tough talk, Otohime was visibly surprised to see Minori get that upset and backed away slowly, though she didn't make it obvious as she didn't want to lose face in front of her enemies.
She then brushed a strand of her silver locks out of her hair and smiled. "I-In any case, we have one victory on our side and will no doubt win the others so make sure you prepare to uphold the bet once we've thrashed you in the other competitions"
The girls of the Maken-Ki didn't react positively to such a provocation and growled at the condescending girl.
"This bitch... I'll get even with your team right now if you want!" Azuki stood up after having been bandaged and took a position to start brawling. The others followed her lead as they all prepared to unseal their Makens at any given minute, not just because they had been disrespected, but also because their team mates who lost were insulted in such a manner caused their bloods to boil.
"W-Wait, everyone!" Furan tried to take control of the situation that was quickly spiraling into a disaster.
Normal students around the campus noticed the face-off between the two sides and quickly gathered into a large semi-circle, awaiting anxiously of what was to come.
"Hmph, will they really start a fight here? As I expected from a group of tasteless brutes..."
Otohime wasn't worried. The Tenbi girls may have outnumbered her and the third years girls but they had prepared an escape barrier just in case before coming over here and could instantly avoid danger if things looked bad. Planning ahead was a philosophy Otohime learned from her grandfather and she hadn't gained her nickname, Otohime the Manipulator, for nothing.
"Hahaha, things are getting quite out of control, aren't they?"
"Looks like they're about to brawl it out right here, this should be fun to watch"
All eyes presently turned towards the approaching duo who had gathered the attention of everyone present in an instant. Takeshi Oyama and Nagi Springfield, they were a pair of men that would cause an uproar on Tenbi wherever they went as Takeru's reputation as an instructor was legendary and Nagi's undeniable charm was intoxicating.
"Oi... isn't that Takeshi-sensei?"
"Who's that hottie over there...? Kyaa! Could he be the one all the girls have been talking about!?"
It didn't take long for whispers and murmurs to break out among the crowd, but Takeshi and Nagi were used to it by now and ignored them as they continued forward. The girls had all been surprised by their late arrival, especially Minori and Himegami who had a few choice words to say to Nagi. For those who had yet met him before, their hearts momentarily skipped a beat at seeing Nagi's face for the first time, having never met such a man whose looks were rated at the highest degree.
"So that's Nagi-san? The one everyone's been talking about?" Haruko said as she was still staring at him, eyes flashing with interest and respect.
Azuki whistled. "Well I'll be, the rumors were true; he's really good looking"
Chacha was of the same opinion. "Wow! Takeru-kun and Usui-kun can't even compare to him!"
Though she was adamant in her feelings against accepting any sort of man, Furan seemed to agree with her classmates as she coughed and adjusted her glasses. "Well, he certainly does seem to look dependable enough"
Uruchi was the only not saying anything as she was unable to admit the faint attraction she felt towards him and huffed away in annoyed manner. Her heart still belonged to Haruko and not even the appearance of a stud would change that! .
"It's sensei and Nagi-san!" Isabella was elated that she got a chance to meet the two of them again as she had arrived to watch the battle with Kimmy not that long ago. The rumors she had heard about Nagi's fanclub appeared in her head and she became a little anxious to speak with him.
Kimmy giggled as she noticed Isabella's reactions, wanting to see how things would play out now that Nagi was the center of attention.
Feeling jealous and annoyed at the girls attention being drawn to Nagi, Usui grunted and quickly tried to win over Himegami before she could meet Nagi as his worries about her falling for him were becoming apparent. "Himegami-senpai, you shouldn't look over-huh?"
Himegami was nowhere to be found as Usui darted his head all around, until Yuuka tapped him on his shoulder. "If you're looking for Himegami-chan, she's over there with the principal and Inaho" She then pointed forward where Usui followed and he gasped in horror as he saw his idol running towards Nagi.
"So, what's going on here?" Takeshi asked no one in particular as the intensity of the battle that was supposed to have occurred died out the moment they arrived.
"Dad... I.." Takeru, who was still holding his shoulder walked towards his father, who saw the state his son was in and patted him on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile.
"You don't have to say it, Takeru. I'm sure you're aware yourself of what you need to do to make up for your defeat"
"...I know"
A touching moment between father and son occurred... well until Himegami, Minori, and Inaho bulldozed their way through Takeru, leaving the poor boy forgotten like a pile of trash and bombarded Nagi and Takeshi on their tardiness.
"Sensei! Where the hell were you at!" Minori's fierce eyes buried themselves into her sensei's.
"Huh? Oh... Sorry, we kind of overslept and got lost on the way... Hahaha"
An annoyed vein popped into Minori's head at Takeshi's lackluster excuse, her attention then drifting to Nagi who she still had trouble looking directly at for... special reasons. In response, Nagi merely shrugged at Minori's questioning gaze.
"Don't look at me, I only slept in. He got lost on his own"
"Oi, where's the support!" Takeshi grumbled towards Nagi who he had been hoping to bail him out of dealing with someone of Minori's temper.
As Himegami finally made it to where Nagi was, she stopped right in front of him and crossed her arms, frowning heavily as she waited for him to acknowledge her presence.
"I hope you have a good explanation for this"
Nagi scrunched his face as he noticed the short blonde practically glaring at him. "Huh? The hell are you talking about, shrimp?"
Himegami threw her hands down as she huffed and grabbed his black shirt. "The match! Where were you! You promised me that you would help fight against Kamigari!"
"Is that why your in such a bad mood? What are you, stupid? I already told you yesterday that I agreed to help you guys fight but this match was to be decided by your team who accepted the challenge. Why should I get involved in a fight between kids?"
"W-Why you...!"
In the face of Nagi's disregard for the terms of the agreement, Himegami could only grind her teeth in frustration at the man standing before her. Every single time she spoke with him, they had somehow ended up with Himegami looking like a fool and she could never win against him. It infuriated her to no end as she watched the arrogant but charming bastard smugly shut her down. Why was he so hard to read and control unlike the others!?
"It's been awhile Nagi-san!" Inaho brimmed happily as she caught up with him and smiled.
Nagi turned his sights towards Inaho and squinted his eyes for a moment, as if trying to confirm her identity, before coming to a realization and smirked. "Ah, it's you again Kitten. What's up?"
"...Kitten?"
Inaho still didn't understand why Nagi had chosen that nickname for her as she cocked her head to the side but she soon forgot about all that when her eyes befell Nagi's hands that were beside his waist. The memory of him patting her on the head not too long ago popped up and she blushed a little as she wanted to be petted by him again, though she couldn't say that out loud as it would be far too embarrassing.
Nagi seemed to pick up on her vibes as he watched her eyes sparkle at his hands. "What, you want me to pet your head again? You like it that much?"
"...!"
Inaho didn't say anything as she silently nodded, with a face completely red out of embarrassment.
Nagi laughed in good humor and did as she wanted, ruffling her colourful brown hair as Inaho enjoyed the sensation.
"Hmph, your technique still isn't better than mine but I'll let you pet her this time" Takeshi lamented as he had finished calming Minori down and was standing beside Nagi.
"Hah, give it up old man. Kitten clearly likes my petting better than yours, right?" He smiled at Inaho who couldn't deny Nagi asking her like that and silently nodded again.
As their antics were beginning to draw even more of a crowd, Espada and the others girls were still staring at the figures of Nagi and Takeshi, but more specifically at the former whose name they had picked up on around the festival.
Espada herself was stunned beyond words when she first gazed upon the mysterious Nagi that had become a widespread topic among the girls of the academy. She was expecting a man whose looks would be noteworthy based on the fact that he already gained a fan club in such a short amount of time but to think the man would be this attractive wasn't something she could have fathomed. He was tall in stature, in great shape, had a charismatic aura, and gave off the feeling of a proud and confident man.
With all of these factors piled up, Espada's body wanted to anxiously find out if Nagi had the strength to match his favourable looks as she trembled slightly.
"Espada, calm down. We don't want you going on a rampage again like last time" Hoshii Kawase scolded as she was as calm as ever, sucking on a lollipop and checking her stocks on her cell phone. She hadn't even noticed Nagi or Takeshi's arrival as she went to look on her cell the moment the coast was clear.
"Yes, you're right. As a well disciplined knight, I must reserve myself"
Espada's promise of becoming a fully fledged "knight" was probably one of her only means of putting a lock on her raging hormones as she wanted to learn to control her urges. The matter of whether or not she could do so however, was an entirely different manner.
Espada then turned to her current leader and master, Otohime who hadn't spoken a word since the duo's arrival. "Otohime-dono, I believe perhaps we should be leaving to check on... Otohime-dono?"
Espada's voice stopped abruptly when she noticed the flushed cheeks of her superior whose mouth was gaping wide open. Espada waved her hands in front of Otohime's face several times but she got no response, only a dumbfounded stare where Nagi was standing and looked back at her teammates.
"Oh dear, it seems Otohime-dono has come under some sort of trance"
Hoshii laughed as she bit into her lollipop. "Trance my ass, that's the face of a maiden who's in love"
Kajiru blushed as she saw the state Otohime was in. "Cute..."
Yumemiya didn't say anything but it was apparent she shared Kajiru thoughts as she nodded vigorously.
Immediately, Otohime snapped back into reality and coughed several times, unable to hide the tint of red in her cheeks as she immediately turned around and tried to escape the perimeter.
"Espada! Hoshii! Kajiru! Yumemiya! L-Let's go! We're done here!"
The four third years traded odd looks between each other before they followed their master back to Kamigari's headquarters. Espada took one last look behind towards Nagi and narrowed her eyes, a menacing smile enveloping her soft features.
"I hope you can make my body burn up later, Nagi"
Nagi seemed to have picked up on a strange vibe coming from Espada's direction as his eyes side glanced over to the figures of Otohime and her girls walking away. It might have been his imagination but he could have sworn he felt someone staring at him.
"Oi! Nagi! Are you listening to me!?"
Nagi turned around and focused his attention to the huffing Minori in front of him who was tapping her foot on the ground and crossed her arms. "What's the matter now?"
"I'll tell you what the matter is! You should have been here to participate and everything would have been settled! Or are you just going to forget our agreement last night?"
"Agreement?" Several of the girls whispered as they watched the confrontation between Takeshi and Minori.
Himegami was completely on Minori's side in this matter as she nodded her head. "That's right! You should have taken responsibility!"
A misunderstanding was bound to occur as even more whispers were spreading around the campus about Nagi's relationship between Minori and Himegami.
Nagi himself didn't care much for their annoying barking towards him and yawned, walking right past them and stopping short of Takeru who was lying on the ground with Kurigasa and Azuki.
"Are you ignoring us!?" Minori and Himegami said in unison. To have been disrespected to such an extent in front of such a large group of people; Nagi's actions were unforgivable to them!
"Nagi... san?" Takeru said flinchingly as he looked upwards at the idle man observing the trio. Kurigasa and Azuki were also nervous as they could easily feel the immense presence this man had, though for Azuki, she was feeling a bit flustered when such an attractive man staring right at her.
"That was pitiful"
"Eh?"
Nagi's claim had caused those around them to go silent as they couldn't believe what he had just said.
"You expect me to fight for you guys after what I just saw? Am I supposed to fight your battles now because you're all weak?"
Minori couldn't believe what she was hearing coming from Nagi's mouth and growled at him. "Oi, just what the hell are you-
Before she could move however, Takeshi's hand stopped her and she glared at him. "What are you doing sensei!?"
Takeshi didn't say a word, he only shook his head and motioned for Minori to keep watching as those gathered around Nagi had gone quiet out of curiosity of what he was trying to accomplish.
"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki all lowered their heads, unable to answer as they had nothing to say. What could they say? It was a pathetic performance, everyone knew that. Though they weren't sure what Nagi had to do with this and were out of the loop regarding his involvement, that didn't change the fact that he was right and that he had a right to be disappointed with them.
"I'm supposed to fight against Yamato Takeru... and I couldn't even beat those third years..."
Takeru gripped his fists tightly and grinded his teeth in frustration. Azuki and Kurigasa weren't much better as they both coped with the guilt in their own ways, with Azuki pounding the ground with her fist and Kurigasa slamming both his elbows on the floor.
For Kurigasa, winning Azuki's affections was his top priority and he had shown her an unmanly display just now. As for Azuki, her desire to help Himegami and protect her from Otohime and Kamigari motivated her to train in the summer but all that was for nothing after fighting against Espada and the others. Just what good was all that training if she got her ass kicked so easily?
After seeing all of them come to terms with their own weakness, Nagi sighed and crouched down so that he was eye level with all of them. "Look, I don't know all of you very well and so I can't really speak as if I know your strengths and weaknesses. However, I can say this much as a fellow warrior myself; if you want to become stronger, think of the most important person in your life. There's only so much strength you can obtain on your own, it's only once you begin to fight for that special person that you can gain powers that transcend your current limits"
He then placed a hand on Takeru's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. "Your old man was pretty disappointed in your performance kid, you're not just going to let him keep thinking that are you?"
Takeru immediately shook his head and gave a hardened expression. "No way! I'll get strong enough to leave him breathless! For my father and Haru-nee, I won't let it end like this!"
Nagi smirked. "That's the spirit" He then turned to Kurigasa. "What about you big guy? Who are you and what do you want to accomplish?"
Kurigasa gulped before making a fist and throwing it forward. "I'm Kai Kurigasa, and I'll become stronger to make the woman I love notice me!"
Some of the girls in the back squealed at such a romantic declaration while Nagi chuckled lightheartedly, not expecting that. "Direct and straight to the point, I like it." He then finally turned to Azuki who flinched at Nagi's unexpected gaze and straightened up on reflex. "And you, bandage girl? What are you fighting for?"
"B-Bandage girl...? Are you... talking about me?" Azuki pointed to herself in disbelief at the unforeseen nickname, while Takeshi, Himegami, Aki, and Inaho began snickering.
Nagi frowned. "Do you see anyone else with a bandage on their nose? Quit dodging the question and answer me"
Azuki was unable to protest against her nickname as the annoyed look coming from Nagi shut her up and she scratched her cheek awkwardly. "I guess it'd have to be... fighting to protect Himegami and making money for my family"
A noble goal, if Nagi had to say so himself.
He smiled and stood up. "Good, you all seem to have something that drives you to keep going. Never forget it as an old friend of mine once told me that you can't succeed unless you fail. You've all already failed once, all that's left is to pick up the pieces and try again"
Nagi's attempts at getting them to cheer up seemed to have worked as Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki all nodded vigilantly and looked beyond motivated to make up for their losses. Minori, who had been watching was at a loss of words as a sigh of amazement escaped her mouth. Nagi had done what she couldn't; cheer up her dejected students and made them feel better with words filled with simplicity but also wisdom.
"He never ceases to surprise you, doesn't he?"
Minori turned to Takeshi who was stroking his beard with a smirk as he had faith in Nagi the entire time.
"...Yea"
This man known as Nagi was truly a one of a kind type of man as Minori began to realize why she thought of him differently from all of the men she had encountered in her life. As for her feelings towards him...
She shook her head violently to rid herself of any girly thoughts she was having. She didn't think of him like that! She couldn't!
Aki giggled at watching her friend act normal for once, like a girl who had found her crush but couldn't admit it. It was times like these that Aki wondered what could have happened if Minori had fallen for a guy like Nagi in high school, perhaps she would have become like this much earlier? It was a thought to consider.
Clearing her throat, Minori stepped forward to announce what the next course of action would be. "Listen up you guys! I want all of you cleared out of here so we can set up the shops that were closed down for this event!"
"Yes ma'am!"
All of the gossiping students complied with the principal's demands as they dispersed, with hordes of men and women beginning to leave the area.
Minori then turned to Aki who had begun tending to Takeru, Kurigasa, and Azuki's injuries. "Aki, you'll take Takeru and the others to the infirmary while the rest of you will continue your duties to maintain order around the school. Is that clear?"
"You got it"
"Okay!"
"Leave it to us!"
Everyone regained their vigour and headed in different directions to complete their own work while Nagi had walked back to Takeshi, the latter of whom had punched Nagi's arm playfully.
"Well look at you, that was one hell of a speech you gave there"
"Don't be stupid, I just said what was on my mind. What they do with it is up to them"
A sneering laugh came from Takeshi as he threw his arm around Nagi's shoulders. "Whatever you say, playboy" A tender expression formed on the older man's face "I hope you know I appreciate what you did for my boy"
A bit taken back by Takeshi's word of thanks, Nagi rubbed in nose in a skittish kind of manner and smiled contently.
"It was no big deal"
Immediately afterwards, Nagi's body sensed something strange and he turned around spontaneously, earning a confused expression from Takeshi who scratched his head in confusion. "What's the matter?"
"... I swear I just felt someone watching me..."
Takeshi looked in the same direction. "I don't see anyone, its probably one of your fangirls. Haha, you lucky dog"
"... If you say so"
The conclusion of the Himekagura Festival's opening day had come an end as the sun had gone down, indicating to shops and booths that it was time to close down until tomorrow. With Team Tenbi's first official lost in the series against Team Yamato Takeru, along with the overwhelming strength displayed by the third years, the atmosphere around campus was grim. There were students who were beginning to doubt the strength of the student council while others still supported them on the surface but they too also held their doubts.
Of course, that only applied to those allied with Tenbi Academy as Otohime and her squad couldn't have been more satisfied with the results. Victory had been secured and their objective of striking fear and panic among the students of Tenbi had been completed successfully... and yet for some reason, Otohime's heart was in turmoil.
The reason?
"Just who was that man!?"
Back at the Kamigari hidden base which was located a comfortable distance away from Tenbi; Otohime was pacing left and right in a hurried motion, ignoring the odd looks coming from her squad of third years. She had been doing this for the past half an hour and they were starting to worry about her mental health at this rate.
Leaning against one of the walls inside Otohime's private room, Espada was the first to speak. "Otohime-dono, what is troubling you?"
Espada already knew the answer but she wanted to hear it straight from her master's mouth as it was more fun that way.
Otohime ceased pacing and began trembling, as if struggling to come up with an answer to Espada's question.
"I... I think I've found him" she finally admitted as for the first time since Espada and the others girls had known her, Otohime was blushing.
"Found whom? Are you referring to that man known as Nagi?" Kajiru responded as she was sitting down on the floor with her legs out.
Otohime slowly nodded. "Mhm. I... I can't believe I found the man I've been searching for so quickly"
No one seemed to follow what Otohime was trying to say as they cocked their heads to the side.
"Otohime-dono, is there something special about that man?"
Turning to face Espada, Otohime nodded with an awkward smile as she cupped her soft pale cheeks. "But of course! With that gallant figure, gorgeous face, and confident aura, I knew immediately that he was the one I was destined to meet!"
That confirmed it for them; she was head over heels in love with Nagi. The girls had already figured it out so they were already accepting of it but it was still a treat to see their usually haughty and arrogant superior acting in such a girlish manner.
"So? Are you going to confess to him? Wouldn't that be something" Hoshii teased as she chewed on a snack she had in her mouth and typed on her laptop.
"Don't be ridiculous" Otohime softly stroked her silver locks and placed the umbrella she was carrying down by her slender hips "A woman of my stature wouldn't involve my personal affairs in the middle of a war against those disgusting vermin"
"Then what is your plan? That man seems to be allied with our enemy so how will you convince him to become your sla- I mean, join our side" Espada was quick to correct herself.
Otohime grinned in a charming manner that would make most men find her adorable. "It is simple; you will capture him and bring him to me so we can brainwash him into becoming my lover"
"..."
"Oooh!" A sound of approval came from Espada at Otohime's idea and she looked thrilled to carry it out "What a marvellous plan, just as I would expect from Otohime-dono"
"But of course" Otohime glorified all of her actions as the workings of a genius and accepted the praise that came with it.
"Are you sure it's okay to do that? I mean, kidnapping an innocent person..."
Kajiru was a strong warrior, but she was also a very loving and gentle girl that respected freedom and independence. She never wanted someone else to experience what she had gone through and hoped Otohime would reconsider her proposal.
"Are you saying you'll decline my request?" Otohime's voice held no signs of her friendly and familiar tone from before as she glared coldly at the shaken Kajiru. "I take it then you have no interest in what will happen to you then?"
A look of terror spread across Kajiru's face as she instinctively touched the necklace around her chubby neck and began sweating profusely. Otohime saw her fear and reached inside of her small bosom, pulling out a small remote in her hand with a red button in the middle and playfully dangled it in her arms.
"I'm sure you haven't forgotten who holds the key to your life now, have you?"
Espada, Hoshii, and Yumemiya all simultaneously narrowed their eyes when Otohime had mentioned the necklace but didn't express their contempt in front of her.
What Otohime had said was true. Ever since they had been brainwashed by Kamigari and put under the direct command of Otohime, a necklace had been attached to all of the third year girls that contained a large amount of deadly poison within them. It was Kamigari's insurance regarding their loyalty just in case the brainwashing to their minds ever faded. If at any given moment Otohime felt as if Espada and the others were not loyal towards Yamato Takeru and at the first sign of betrayal, she had permission to use the remote to spread the poison.
Kajiru didn't even hesitate to answer Otohime after hearing the threat. "...No ma'am, I'll fulfill your order no matter what"
Otohime smiled sweetly and tucked the remote back into her bosom. "That's what I thought. Now, I expect all of you to complete this assignment as flawlessly as the first one. Of course, you will be well rewarded if you can secure that man for me"
Immediately, the money grabber Hoshii's eyes sparkled as she closed her laptop and practically hugged Otohime.
"Yes! A raise for our next mission! You're the best, Hime-boss!"
As she was used to Hoshii's eccentric personality regarding money, Otohime brushed her off politely and smiled. "Do not thank me; hard work should always be rewarded. Oh and by the way" Her eyes then turned to the woman sitting in the back who had yet to utter a word during the entire time. "You will be sitting this mission out Yumemiya, your Maken's trump card needs to be reserved no matter what. Understood?"
Yumemiya nodded without saying a word.
"Excellent, I expect to hear good news when you all return. If you come across any pests trying to get in your way, you are given permission to use your full strength to crush them. Eliminating some of their members before the next match could prove useful. Espada, you'll be in command for this mission. Do not fail me"
Espada bowed deeply. "You shall not be disappointed"
"I certainly hope not" Otohime then reached into her buxom once again and pulled out a small capsule with a dim light inside of it. She tossed it towards Espada who caught it and asked the obvious question.
"May I ask what this is my lady?"
"That is an immediate transport device that will allow you to return to the front of our base. You may only use this device in the case of an emergency but there shouldn't be a need to with your capabilities. Keep it safe"
Espada bowed once again. "I will guard it with my life"
As Otohime turned from Espada with a satisfied smirk and the other third year girls were talking with each other, no one seemed to notice the look of pure ecstasy plastered on Espada's face. Her usual graceful and elegant smile was replaced with a twisted and sadistic grin that reeked of a woman who's lustful nature had no limit. Her chance at finding out Nagi's true strength had just been handed to her on a silver platter and she couldn't contain her excitement at having a chance to fight him tonight.
"What a shame, it seems we were too late and missed the battle"
Akaya Kodai was bummed as he sighed and took a look around the destroyed battleground where the clash between the two teams had taken place earlier.
"If someone didn't try to pose in front of his mirror almost every step of the way, we might have made it"
That scolding voice came from Yan Min who was barely containing her anger and frustration at having missed the battle and was glaring daggers at her captain. Akaya tried to defuse Yan's anger by posing once again and stroking his soft brown hair.
"Keep calm and relax, we'll just ask Celia and Minerva how the match went"
"Tch.." Yan clicked her tongue in annoyance and huffed, seemingly accepting of her captain's excuse. Akaya sighed in relief at having calmed her down as he worried he might have been on the receiving end of an ass whooping.
"Yohoo~!❤"
Akaya and Yan both flinched instinctively when they heard the voice of Celia calling them as they turned their heads to see their companion accompanied by Martha Minerva heading towards them from the school.
"Ah, Minerva, Celia, good to see you both in high spirits" Akaya was quick to pose in front of his subordinates who had long gotten used to the habit.
"I hope you two haven't been slacking off" Yan scolded as she crossed her arms.
Celia pouted as she puffed her cheeks. "Your so rude, Yan-chan! We've been fulfilling our duties properly under the captain's orders! Isn't that right, Minerva-chan?"
Minerva smiled. "That's right. We've been watching our targets very carefully and enjoying the festival while we were at it. That's more than I can say for you two who were no shows at today's match"
"Grr...!" Yan couldn't say anything back at Minerva's sly way of redirecting the conversation at her and she pointed to Akaya out of desperation. "That's only because this idiot kept posing the entire time!"
"But the captain always does that" Celia and Minerva deadpanned.
"Ah, how cruel. My lovely ladies are stabbing me with their words, I might not be able to go on" Akaya's theatrics were becoming even more ridiculous as he flailed all over the place and somehow ended up on the ground, still trying to look as elegant as ever.
"..."
The girls didn't say anything and wondered for the umpteenth time how such a buffoon had managed to become their acting commander.
"Anyway" Akaya stopped posing and put on a more serious expression, one befitting a man of his rank and position. "Ladies, you have a report for me?"
"Sir!" Celia and Minerva both saluted their captain, followed by Celia marching forward. "I analyzed the strength of Espada and the others girls, they're all incredibly strong" she then smiled and winked at him. "Of course, they're still not as strong as us~❤ "
Akaya nodded. "Good work. It seems the rumours were true then, the former third years that are now working for Kamigari were all exceptionally strong. Even worse that they each now possess one of the original eight Maken"
"I'm afraid I wasn't able to confirm which Maken's they have during today's bout sir. Though, we know about the four currently in Tenbi's possession, so that only leaves the remaining four" Celia mentioned.
"That's right, I'll have to ask Minori in detail about the abilities of those four. You did excellent Celia, your captain is most proud of you"
Celia grinned as she produced a V sign. "Hehe~❤ I'm an idol, these types of things are no sweat!"
Yan Min rolled her eyes at Celia's bubbly attitude, wondering how she had the willpower to keep up her cutesy act all day long.
Akaya's focus then turned to Minerva who noticed his gaze and remained impassive.
"What do you have to report, Minerva?"
"Sir! As you instructed, I kept an eye on Aomi Koshii during the festival today and he didn't act strangely" A look of sadness then appeared on her face as she gripped her fingers together. "It's hard to believe that he was killed and is still acting as if it never happened"
"I agree, it's a hard pill to swallow but for now there's nothing else we can do. As long as he shows no signs of betraying us, then it's fine to let him live the way he is now"
"Yes captain..."
The mood around the Venus members seemed to get darker but that was quickly drowned out by Celia's brimming voice.
"Oh! Captain that reminds me, you should have been here to see that guy named Nagi! He was a total dreamboat~!❤" Celia cupped her hands together and squealed with delight; the remarkable looks of Nagi edging themselves into her mind. Of course, she would never cheat on her beloved Takeru and loved him more than anything but it was impossible to ask her not to fawn over an attractive man when she saw one.
Akaya and Yan Min traded disbelieving glances towards the squealing Celia, with Akaya coughing awkwardly and turning to Minvera. "Is that right? Did you also get a chance to look at him, Minerva?"
Minerva nodded as she placed one of her delicate hands on her cheek and sighed in admiration. "Yes, and he was magnificent. I've never seen such a dashing young man before; truly breathtaking"
"...Even Minerva?"
Akaya's pride at being the most handsome man at Tenbi Academy was beginning to crack as he watched his subordinates fawn over this mysterious newcomer. His pride would never allow him to surrender the title he had worked on obtaining during his highschool years as he struck a dramatic pose and flipped his air, trying to look as extravagant as possible.
"I'm still far better looking, right ladies?"
"Not at all, you're not even in his league" Celia and Minerva both deadpanned immediately, causing Akaya to slump down on the ground in depression.
Yan Min was the only one not impressed. "Who cares what he looks like?" She then stepped in front of Celia, her eyes showing a glint of ferociousness "Tell me, is he worth fighting?"
Celia cocked her head to the side as she placed her delicate finger on her mouth, as if mimicking the act of being deep in thought. "I don't know~ I never got a chance to see him fight"
"...You're useless"
"You're so mean, Yan-chan!"
As the two continued to bicker, Akaya had regained his composure. "I-In any case, as long as he's not an enemy we shouldn't need to-
"About that captain" Minerva had cut Akaya off and looked rather worried "There's something about Nagi-san that I feel I should mention"
Minerva's change in demeanour caught Akaya's interest and he motioned for her to continue. "I'm listening"
Even Yan Min and Celia had stopped arguing and gathered around the girl to hear what she had to say.
"When I saw him earlier today and opened my eyes to inspect his element... I saw something extremely worrying that has been bugging me. As you know, my sensitivity to element has been abnormally high since the moment I was born. Because of that, whenever I open my eyes, I can see a person's element level and what attribute they have just with a simple glance"
Akaya and the girls already knew all of this and didn't understand what she was trying to get at.
Minerva continued. "But that man... when I took a look at him, not only was there no trace of element on him, there was something dark clouding his body... something not of this world"
"Something dark you say?" This was troubling news for Akaya who put his hand on his chin, wondering what it could have meant. Minerva had never mentioned anything like this happening before so there was a cause for concern. A thought passed in Akaya's mind and just when he was about to voice it, Minerva shook her head to cut him off.
"I know what you're thinking and no, it wasn't the black element. It was something that shouldn't exist in this world, something that's power I couldn't even begin to fathom"
"...What does that even mean?" Yan Min was understandably confused as she had never heard Minerva speak of someone in such a vague and ominous way before. Celia was of the same opinion as she had question marks popping all over the place.
"I... don't know... but I don't think we should leave him be. That thing I sensed could potentially put everyone here in danger if left unchecked so we need to confirm what he truly is"
"Hmm..."
Akaya considered it for a moment and went over what little information he had on the identity known as Nagi. He knew from his chat with his former sensei that the man was exceptionally powerful, evidenced by the destruction he caused in the forest. He also knew that he was an old friend of Takeshi's, which raised all sorts of questions in Akaya's mind on where this man had come from and why hadn't heard of him before. The most troubling thing for Akaya however was what Minerva said about some dark power dwelling inside him that didn't feel of this world. Just what the hell was that supposed to mean?
Coming to a decision, he nodded his head and struck a dramatic pose once again. "Very well! We of the Venus Academy will confront this Nagi and confirm his intentions for ourselves! Everyone, be prepared to move out!"
Yan Min was delighted to hear the news as a confident grin appeared on her face. "You got it captain, this should be fun"
Celia was also ecstatic as she bounced up and down. "Yay~!❤ We get to go visit the hottie! Sorry Takeru-kun, it's just orders! Your still my favourite!"
Minerva smiled but in her heart, she was still worried about what she saw and prayed that the menacing feeling she had gotten from Nagi was nothing but an illusion.
Lying down on his bed with a deep sigh, Nagi stretched his limbs and tried to get comfortable by resting on the soft bed behind him. He ignored the distracting snoring sounds coming from Takeshi as he heaved a troubled sigh, clearly exhausted by today's fiasco.
Initially, the day had been relatively tame as he observed the battle between the kids alongside Takeshi and had a sizeable lunch. He still recalled the taste of those rice balls and savoured every bite; slightly regretting giving some to Takeshi, who had no complaints and dug right in. However, things started becoming hectic the moment the battle was over as he was approached by the tomato head drunkie and the flat-chested shrimp.
He could still hear their nagging during the course of the festival as they kept blabbing on about fighting for the sake of the students. It all went in one ear and came out the other for Nagi who ignored their distressed pleas and went about his business. That wasn't even the worst of it as immediately after, several gatherings of groups calling themselves his "fanclub" were pestering him and asking for trivial things, such as a handshake or autographs.
Nagi knew he was popular but this was ridiculous! Though to be fair, his popularity here was pretty miniscule when compared to his overwhelming reputation among the people of the Mundus Magicus, otherwise known as the Magic World.
With all that said, he couldn't complain too much as he toured the festival and got to enjoy plenty of new delicacies and treats he had never tasted before in his old world. The excitement of holding a new dish and wondering what it would taste like always brought a smile on Nagi's face and he couldn't wait to sample more dishes for tomorrow. It also didn't hurt that all of his food was free as the female shop owners handed out their best menus in a heartbeat to the surprised Nagi with flushed and embarrassed cheeks.
"Heh, this place ain't so bad. I could do without the nagging but overall, it's been pretty fun"
Nagi stood up from his bed and did one final stretch on his back before looking at the large window next to his bed where he could watch the beautiful moon in the sky radiate above him with a dazzling glow. During his travels around the Mundus Magicus, Nagi had camped outside more times than he could remember and had watched the stars in the skies almost every night. They were soothing, in their own special sort of way and let him get a good night's rest, despite the fact that he was in the middle of a war and surrounded by enemies.
"I need a better view"
He opened the window, donning his shredded brown cloak from the coat rack and leaped outside where he immediately activated his [Flight Magic] to float in the air. He propelled himself upwards and basked in the fresh breeze of the cold night as he hovered over the faculty dormitory and landed on the building's surface.
"That's much better"
The view of the moon had drastically improved as Nagi stood on top of the school building and smiled contently. All his troubles just seemed to wash away whenever he saw the beautiful moon in the sky and he reached his hand out, looking as if he was trying to grasp it in his palms.
"It's still hard to believe that I'm in another world"
The black hole that had appeared during his bout with Zeto was plaguing Nagi's mind as he wondered where it had come from and why it had appeared during that particular moment. Was there a specific reason why he was called to this world? More than that, would there be a way to return back? What if there was no Maken to send him home? The thought of never being able to see his son, Arika, Jack, and all of his friends again made Nagi, for one of very few times in his life, scared as he balled his hand into a fist.
"Heh, look at me. I was called a hero because I saved the world and yet I can't even figure out how to return to the place I saved"
For all of Nagi's ridiculous strength, there were just some things he couldn't do. As a magic school dropout, his knowledge of magic was nothing short of mediocre compared to the magical geniuses he had encountered over his long journey, such as Alberio and Zect. It had never been a hindrance during the war as Nagi's only job was to blow everything in his way to smithereens, but whenever he was faced with a problem that couldn't be solved by punching it's lights out, Nagi unfortunately fell short. To be labelled as the Thousand Master and to be so incompetent in magic knowledge, Nagi found it truly ironic as a laugh escaped his mouth.
Just as he stopped laughing and was prepared to head back in, the presence of several individuals closing in on his location alerted his attention. He didn't recognize any of them as his eyes slowly slid from one side to the other, awaiting their arrival as they moved through the stillness of the night.
"Looks like I have some company, how should I deal with them?"
Should he eradicate them from the get go? Nah, that would be too dull and boring. Instead, he'd get them to reveal themselves and take it from there. Improvising on the spot was always the path that was most appealing to him anyway.
"You can come out now, you shouldn't hide like rats in the middle of the night" He shouted to no one in particular and within moments, the sound of a familiar but unfamiliar voice came out.
"He caught us~❤"
Appearing from the shadows of the forest nearby were four individuals who all landed right behind Nagi, causing the man himself to turn around slowly and widen his eyes in mild surprise. It was a man and three women, all wearing a similar crimson uniform as they directed welcoming gazes towards him.
"To have discovered us so quickly, I'm quite impressed"
Akaya Kodai spoke as he flipped a strand of his hair in front of Nagi and placed a hand on his hips. He opened his eyes and momentarily flinched as he took in Nagi's tall stature and neutral expression.
"...Unbelievable! H-He really is better looking than I am..."
He couldn't deny the truth staring him right in the face and accepted that while Nagi may be more handsome, he was definitely more elegant. He needed something to satisfy his pride!
"Yoohoo~! Handsome boy~!❤ How's it going?" Celia was as cheerful as ever as she waved at the neutral Nagi, earning a face palm from Yan Min.
"How are we supposed to intimidate him after you pull crap like that!" The Chinese warrior Yan screamed at Celia who stuck her tongue out and winked, as if saying "Sorry" but didn't actually mean it.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Nagi-san" Minerva was the most respectful of the group as she bowed towards Nagi.
"..."
Nagi was unresponsive to their random and unexpected form of greeting as he studied each one of them from top to bottom. He didn't know who they were or what they wanted with him but he figured he'd play along with them as his previously depressed mood earlier had evaporated thanks to this timely intervention.
"Who the hell are you people?"
"Ah! Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself" Akaya began as he stood in front of his squad and dramatically posed, a few sparkles showing on his face. "I am Akaya Kodai, acting commander of the ladies of Venus Academy! I'm sure you must know of my famous reputation"
"I've never heard of a sparkling clown like you before"
"..."
An embarrassing silence followed that exchange as Celia, Minerva, and even Yan Min had to hold back a laugh from Nagi's comment as he single handedly crushed Akaya's pride in mere seconds.
"Sparkling... clown...?" Akaya was beyond insulted but tried to regain his bearings. He wouldn't let this man shake his unbreakable composure and couldn't show such a weak side in front of his subordinates.
"B-Be that as it may, I have heard of you and I've come here today with my unit standing behind me to astertain your intentions. I'm sure you won't mind that at all, right?"
"Questions? Nagi furrowed his brows. "What business do you students have with me?"
Akaya's expression turned serious as he inclined his head towards Minerva, who nodded at the signal. "Nagi-san, we've come here to confirm your intentions and what you plan to do at this school"
"Huh?" Nagi scrunched in face, clearly annoyed at being pestered once again for the twentieth time today. Jeez, why couldn't people just leave him alone?
"We heard from Takeshi-sensei that you are an old friend of his. I find that quite hard to believe considering the fact that I've never heard of you before and I'm acquainted with most of sensei's old associates. Someone of your rumoured strength couldn't be connected to sensei without at least someone knowing of you, yet there are no records of you anywhere..."
"Get to the point"
Yan Min's eyes flinched, annoyed at Nagi's rude attitude towards her captain but she did not voice her dissatisfaction out loud. If her captain didn't mind it, she had no reason to either.
"Well, that in itself isn't a problem to be honest, as long as you are an ally of Tenbi. However..." Akaya's eyes began to emit a surge of hostility and killing intent as he glared at Nagi. "My subordinate over here claims she saw something in you that would be a problem to be left unchecked"
"..."
Nagi's eyes trailed from Akaya to the girls surrounding him and he noted each of their stances; they were all prepared to attack at any given moment. Especially the Chinese dressed one, she looked ready to jump right at him regardless if ordered to or not.
"They're probably suspicious of the fact that I came from another world... aw well, its not that big of a deal if I tell them right?"
Weighing the pros and cons against one another, Nagi decided to come clean as he opened his mouth.
"There's a reason for that. The truth is that I actually come from another wor-
"Would you mind telling us more about that, Venus Commander?"
Nagi, along with Akaya and his girls immediately darted their vision towards the left side of the building where a group of unexpected girls had arrived; three of them in fact. A large obese woman with black hair, a short girl with pink hair, and a voluptuous beauty with blonde hair all stood across from Nagi and the Venus group.
"You...! Espada and the third years!" Akaya unintentionally leaked out as he put his hands on the trigger of his weapon, prepared to combat them at any given minute. His girls were following his train of thought and readied themselves to pounce on Espada and the third years.
Nagi recognized them immediately from today's match and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "What do you girls want now?"
Espada was the first to speak as she placed her hand on the rapier strapped to her waist and smiled deviously towards Nagi. "We've come under order from Otohime-dono to secure you as her lover. However, that's different from my intentions" He breathing became a bit rigged as her flushed cheeks were more visible among the moonlight. "I've come to personally have a taste of you, Nagi"
"...Huh?"
A/N: A showdown between Kamigari, Venus and Nagi! Espada's dirty mind is even sometimes too much for me, I need to take a shower.