Chapter 6: Class Monitor
"Izanagi Itsuki. What on Earth were you thinking!?"
"I'm sorry…"
"You broke into the simulation hall late at night, began simulated combat without supervision, without a battlesuit, and at your rank!? These are not toys!"
A short time had passed since the Class Monitor, Fu Hua, had rescued Izanagi from the rampant simulated Mecha. Now, he was sitting on his knees seiza-style before the furious Class Monitor, trembling at her wrath. His cheeks were red with shame, barely able to get a word out as Fu Hua lectured him. That is to say, rather than a rescue, it was more a case of, 'out of the frying pan, into the fire.'
He had thought the Mecha would be the most terrifying thing he encountered that day. He had been wrong. Fu Hua's wrath made that mindless machine seem miniscule by comparison. Her fury brought more than just physical harm, after all. Nagi could barely hear himself think over the sound of his pounding heart, not to mention how his ears burned with humiliation.
"Correct me if I am wrong, Itsuki, but you have been here for no more than a day, correct?" Fu Hua asked, tapping her foot rapidly against the ground. "Two, at the most?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am…" Nagi muttered, his already low head somehow lowering even further. He played quietly with his thumbs, unable to find anything to do with his body as the Class Monitor continued.
"Good grief…" Fu Hua sighed. "And here I was, thinking Kaslana was the only delinquent I had to worry about. Was the timid attitude just an act, Itsuki?"
"N-No, ma'am…"
"Do you even understand how much danger you just put yourself in? They may be called simulations, but they are more than capable of injuring you, if not outright killing you, Itsuki." The Class Monitor crossed her arms. "I will be bringing you back to your dorm, and promptly reporting your actions. I hope it was worth it."
"W-Wait!" Nagi scrambled to his feet just as Fu Hua turned to leave. The look she gave him was nearly enough to make him faint on the spot. Ice-cold, a glare so frosty, so devoid of kindness, a lesser soul might have truly been frozen solid right then and there. Yet, although his nerves cried out that he was about to make a terrible mistake, he took a deep breath and considered his next words carefully.
"I… understand that… I did something stupid. I won't make an excuse for that… I-I came here because of…" He trailed off, struggling to find the courage to speak through the shame. "W-Wounded pride. I didn't know that I was… C-Rank, not until today. I wanted to prove to myself that… I was better than that. That… it was some kind of mistake."
"Pride? Pride is not worth putting yourself in mortal danger, Itsuki," Fu Hua replied. "Nor is it an excuse for breaking and entering."
"I-I know, I know! I'm… not finished yet, so… b-bare with me? J-Just a bit longer?" Fu Hua was silent. Nagi gulped nervously, watching her like prey, watching its predator. Finally, she sighed, motioning for him to continue.
"For that, I, uh… yeah. I screwed up and broke a rule. I'm sorry. Words don't mean much, I get that, so whatever you decide, I accept, I won't throw a fuss. M-More of a fuss. Um. But, well, uh…" Nagi pinched himself, wincing at the pain. "I… wanted to get stronger. I… well. You might remember we're in the same class."
"Of course. It is hard to forget the one male student in attendance." She paused and cleared her throat. "...Especially one of your stature." Nagi flinched. He wanted to complain, but instead bit his tongue and continued.
"I… saw you in the test-fight-thing. I saw that gap between us. I understand why I was placed in C-Rank, but… I didn't join Schicksal just to be dropped in the back and forgotten about. I wanted to get stronger, so… I came here, after, uh… an evening walk. And…"
"You wanted to train," She finished for him. He nodded. Fu Hua glared at him in silence. Nagi's heart began to beat harder and harder as the silence dragged on, his eyes nervously darting from side to side. He found himself twiddling his fingers even more than before, his gut filled with nervous butterflies.
Finally, she let out a sigh. Nagi gulped as she began her response. "I suppose this is your first day. Nothing was broken or stolen, though I have no clue how you got in without a pass. Consider yourself lucky, Itsuki. I will not report this, but I will be escorting you back to your dorms. And if this occurs again…"
"Y-Yeah, I get it, it won't happen again! I didn't plan on it more than once anyways…"
Fu Hua nodded. "Good. While we're here, I will take the chance to educate you on the rules of the Simulation Hall. Valkyries—or, in your case, Knights—of A-Rank and lower are required to have a battlesuit equipped whenever utilizing the simulations. Valkyries of C-Rank and lower must have an instructor's permission and supervision—or, alternatively, an A-Rank Valkyrie with special authority—at all times while using the simulations. Understood?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
"...S-Stop calling me ma'am," Fu Hua scolded, her cheeks turning a faint shade of red. Nagi blinked, only for his eyes to shoot wide as he started flailing his arms through the air.
"A-Ah! S-Sorry, I didn't mean— urgh…" Nagi's cheeks somehow turned an even brighter shade of red as his words trailed off. Fu Hua found herself sighing yet again as Nagi facepalmed.
"Anyways…" Fu Hua said, quickly changing the topic. "Let's go, Itsuki. It's well past curfew, and… my apologies, but you don't seem the early-riser type."
"R-Right…" Nagi stood to his feet as Fu Hua started making her way towards the exit. He was like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs. Each step was hesitant, and awkward, as if he were afraid even a single misstep would set her off once more. Even so, the young man found himself staring curiously at her back.
She… was a lot more lenient than I expected… He thought to himself. He continued walking, one step forward at a time, and found himself thinking back to her performance in class earlier that day. He glanced over his shoulder, remembering how easily she had beaten the mecha he had struggled with.
An idea popped into his mind. A stupid idea, one bound to fail… but well, it wouldn't be his first stupid idea that day. Why not one more for the road?
"Um… Class Monitor?" Fu Hua stopped, let out an audible sigh, and turned to look at him. Her eyebrow twitched as she adjusted her glasses, a menacing reflection shining off of her lens. The look she gave him alone was nearly enough to make him fall quiet and never say a word again. But he knew that if he called for her and nevermind at this point, it would only make the situation worse. He continued.
"D-Do… you have that authority?"
"What?"
"For… supervision. For A-Ranks!" He quickly explained, giving her an awkward smile. He scratched the back of his head as Fu Hua gave him a strange look.
"...I do," She replied. "Why?" Nagi gulped. He took a deep breath, clenched his butt, and, with a swift and hard movement, bowed his head almost as far as he could.
"C-Could you please be my tutor!?" He shouted with all his heart.
He hadn't meant to shout, but his nerves got the better of him. He was just lucky that his voice didn't crack in the process. Would she accept? Probably not. Would he be scolded again? Most likely. And yet… he felt that he had to try. His fight with the Mecha told him one thing, loud and clear.
He was weak.
He didn't need to be told that again; he probably knew it better than anyone, in fact. Just as she said, he almost got destroyed by an enemy most valkyries consider average training. He needed to get stronger. He felt that desire, burning in his heart. Find your flame… Echoed the words in his heart.
But he couldn't do that alone. That much was obvious to him now. And yet, here was Fu Hua, standing before him, even annoyed as she was. Patient. Strong. An A-Rank Valkyrie given special permission to advise weaker Valkyries, and a Class Monitor to boot?
He absolutely could not let this opportunity pass him by. Regardless of how long a shot it was, he decided, at that moment, he would give everything he had to make sure he landed it.
"...I refuse."
And just like that, his shot missed, whiffed, and fell from the target by a mile.
But he didn't plan to give up that easily. So, he took another shot. "W-Why not?" he asked.
"Regardless of how you feel about your ranking, Itsuki, you are a C-Rank," Fu Hua replied matter-of-factly. "I mean no offense by it, but I cannot waste my precious time training someone with little to no potential. Class monitor I may be, but I am still a student myself; if I were to tutor you, I need to know it is worth the effort." She adjusted her glasses, an ominous glint shining off her spectacles as she fully turned to face Nagi. "And I apologize, but I have yet to see anything proving you as worth my time, Izanagi Itsuki." Nagi flinched, but grit his teeth. Diffidence was replaced with determination as Izanagi locked eyes with the stern class monitor.
"Then let me prove it!" He exclaimed.
"Why should I?" Fu Hua replied coldly, undaunted by his newfound energy. He winced. She was getting annoyed again; another misstep, and she'd shut him down altogether. However… The young man had an ace up his sleeve.
"Because I… I'm training to join the Immortal Blades!" He explained, placing his confidence in that name. "I've even done a mission with Rita. The S-Rank! She personally scouted me!" he smiled faintly, trusting in his ace.
"Which would mean she suggested you for C-Rank, Itsuki," Fu Hua replied. She sighed. "The Immortal Blades still employ C-Rank Valkyries for backline work and support. That doesn't change my opinion in the slightest."
The card quickly backfired. Horrendously, at that. Damn it, what else can I even say at that point!? His mind was entering overdrive to think of anything he could say, but he didn't have much of a talking point. He scanned his memory banks over and over, desperately looking for anything that could tip the balance in his favor, that might win her over. And at last, one last memory came to mind. Perhaps, it would be the last piece needed to win her over.
"...I met the Overseer himself. Even he took an interest in me!"
Fu Hua's eyes widened. A spark of hope ignited in his chest, as Nagi waited to press the sudden advantage… or at least, what he hoped was an advantage. She narrowed her eyes.
"Otto Apocalypse?" she repeated.
"Uh… Y-Yeah?" Nagi replied, blinking. "Is there someone else called Overseer…?" He didn't know how to read that reaction. So instead, he fell quiet, watching as she raised a thoughtful hand to her chin. She didn't speak for a while, as Nagi's heart continued to pound like a drum in his chest. "...Miss Monitor?" he asked, testing the waters. Fu Hua looked at him, scrutinizing him, looking him up from head to toe.
"...Fine," She said at last. "I'll give you your chance." Nagi's eyes widened in excitement.
"Yes!" He exclaimed, pumping his fist with joy. Fu Hua cleared her throat, catching his attention before he could get lost in celebration.
"I'm not finished," She said, and Nagi fell silent. "One chance. You'll do as I say, and if you fail, and that's it. Understood, Izanagi Itsuki?" He gulped, staring at her as she stared back, awaiting his answer.
"...Y-Yes. Understood. I'll do my best."
She nodded before taking a step forward, walking past Izanagi into the center of the simulation hall. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Inhale, exhale. She lifted her right arm, and placed her left arm behind her back, taking up a martial stance. Nagi's eyes widened as Fu Hua continued. "Your task is simple. Land one, single hit on me. A proper hit. Deflected or blocked attacks do not count. You don't need to worry about defending yourself. I won't be attacking you. Understood?"
"Yes, ma—er… M-Monitor!" Nagi exclaimed. He clenched his fists, only for his eyes to widen as he realized he was missing something. "Oh, um, first! Right! W-Where do I get a battlesuit?"
"No battlesuit," Fu Hua replied coldly. "You want to prove it's worth my time, you have to work for it." Nagi's jaw dropped.
"E-Eh—!?" He cried. All that scolding about no battlesuit! For what!? However, he knew better than to waste his time complaining.
"O-Ok. Alright. I-I'll do it." Izanagi took up a stance of his own, taking steady breaths to calm his nerves. His mana flowed through his body with each breath, the familiar warmth infiltrating every nerve in his system. He felt stronger, and his mind felt clearer. His eyes burned with determination. Win or lose, it doesn't matter now. It's time to make something of yourself, Nagi!
"Whenever you are ready, Itsuki." Fu Hua said, her eyes watching him like a noble hawk. They were fast, studying him, scrutinizing him, taking into account every little movement Nagi made down to the smallest twitch. He stared back at her. A deep inhale, a long exhale. Try as he might, he could not dispel his nerves. Was it fear? Was it anxiety? He couldn't tell. He only knew…
That he couldn't hold back his excitement. He conjured up an orb of pure energy in his right hand, watching as Fu Hua's eyes darted to the orb with a subtle curiosity. He was as ready as he could be. Only one word was left to be said.
"Release!"
And as the pink orb of energy hurled forth through the air, aiming directly for the noble class monitor…
The test began.
A pink orb flew by her face, one of many the young man had thrown since the start of the test. She could feel its energy radiating, releasing a wave of heat brushing across her cheek as the missile flew past only to disperse on the wall behind her. A second followed close behind the first, only to be dispersed into particles by her fist. Fu Hua narrowed her eyes.
If she could give the boy anything, it was that he was certainly tenacious.
About two minutes had gone by since the test began, and she was keeping careful track of his every move. Every wasted movement, every failed attack, every lost opportunity, every mistake he made. His fighting style was sloppy. Truthfully, she was generous in calling it a style at all.
This test was proving to be nothing more than a waste of time. She decided it was time to intervene.
Her fist was fast and aggressive as it punched through the next orb, dispersing the orb with pure animosity. Her attack flowed like water, an effortless deflection for the Class Monitor. The boy in front of her blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her violent movement.
"M-Miss—" Nagi began.
"Izanagi Itsuki," Fu Hua interrupted, not giving him a chance to speak. The young man shot up straight. His eyes nervously darted between her and her fist as Fu Hua took a moment to collect herself.
"Y-Yes!"
"Are you taking this seriously?"
"H-Huh…?" Fu Hua glowered at the boy, adjusting her glasses as she did.
"Your movements are sloppy, your attacks are predictable, and so far, I am not impressed." Her voice was as cold as ice, her glare freezing cold. She tilted her head, her lips curled into a frustrated frown. "I intended to give you five minutes, but at this rate, it would be better to stop now both for your sake and for mine."
"I…" Nagi opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His eyes fell towards the ground, his expression downtrodden. Fu Hua continued without missing a beat.
"You have two choices. Take this seriously, or return to your dorm now. What will it be?" Internally, she grimaced. She hadn't meant to come off so harsh. After all, it wasn't that she wanted to see him fail. If anything, it was exactly the opposite; if this boy really was something special, she wanted to help him reach that potential. The passion in his eyes, the determination, had certainly helped persuade her to give him a chance at all.
Either way, the damage was done. So instead, she waited. If a mere scolding were enough to dissuade him now, then it truly did mean she was wasting her time here. "So?" she goaded, another test to see if she would let him continue.
The boy was silent. Fu Hua said nothing more, instead delving into her own thoughts. Even more than his passion, it was her curiosity that had pushed her to accept his challenge. For this random boy to earn Otto Apocalypse's interest, of all people… that was something worth investigating. That man's interest… she shook her head. This boy… I wonder if he knows what that burden means, She thought to herself.
Despite that, she just couldn't see it. Why could he possibly care about this random… brat? It certainly wasn't passion, to say the least, she knew very well that Otto hardly gave a damn about his people. His power wasn't anything special, either, and his skill was even worse. Try as she might to wrack her brain, no answers came to her mind. She returned her mind to the present, to find that Izanagi was now looking up at her.
"You're right," was his reply.
"..." Fu Hua began to nod, but Nagi continued.
"I'll take this seriously," he said, taking up a more determined stance, that fire from before burning in his eyes once more.
Fu Hua nodded and raised her fist in acknowledgment. "Very well, Itsuki. You have two minutes left. Make them count."
Nagi gave a nod of his own as he conjured a new orb in his palm. "Release!" he cried, throwing it forward just as he did every time before. Fu Hua sidestepped, just as she did before.
Her instincts sensed it before she did. She stopped herself just as the orb split into two smaller orbs, each flying to her left and right, right through where she had planned to dodge. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as the orbs passed her by, returning her attention to Izanagi only to find him gone from sight. She quickly scanned the arena, calmly reassessing the situation.
She spied him in the corner of her eye, leaping into the air in a display of physical ability she thought well beyond the white-haired boy's capabilities. In his hand he held another orb, which swelled in size, dwarfing any of its predecessors as it reached the size of a small boulder. Nagi's eyes locked onto hers, as his lips curled into a fierce grin.
"Release!" He shouted as the boulder-sized orb launched towards her with deceptive speed.
Better, Fu Hua thought to herself. In a burst of speed, she dashed away from the orb and lifted her arms, bracing herself for an explosion. The explosion never came.
The orb landed on the ground with nary a noise, before it began to glow bright, bright, brighter. Its light shined with a blinding radiance, as Fu Hua narrowed her eyes to try and block some of the obnoxious pink light. A distraction? Nagi had escaped her line of sight once more. She nodded, closing her eyes away to the light. She cleared her mind and listened.
She heard it. The sound of energy, coalescing, forming within his hands. Sizzling, hot, tearing through the air. Two, moving fast. Her eyes still closed, she side-stepped the incoming orbs, which tore through the center of the boulder-sized orb from the side opposite of her. She could hear him moving, scrambling around on the other side, depending on the orb to keep her blinded.
She took a gamble. Her leg flew forward in a high, sweeping kick, cleaving the dazzling orb in twain. It almost felt like kicking through warm cotton as the orb was dispersed into particles, a strangely pleasant feeling… She shook her head and opened her eyes. There across from her stood Izanagi standing on the other side, his mouth held slightly agape as Fu Hua resumed her stance.
She raised an eyebrow, only to notice his eyes subtly shift behind her. Whether it was intentional or not, it didn't matter. She heard them all the same. She spun on the spot, slamming her fist through the two orbs from before as they flew toward her back. Somehow or another, they had bounced off the wall, aiming to take her by surprise. She didn't stop to think about it. Behind her, Nagi had leaped forward. Another orb, burning in his hand, mere inches away from her.
Without turning to look, her arm shot behind her, taking Nagi by the wrist. He let out a cry of surprise as Fu Hua threw him forward. In the same movement, she twisted his wrist in such a way that the orb was launched forward harmlessly in another direction. She released him, letting him tumble across the ground. He scrambled to his feet as yet another orb formed, the young man launching himself with a powerful kick off the ground. He hurled the orb forward at the same time, shouting command, 'Release!' as he did.
The orb was poorly aimed, easily avoided by the Class Monitor with one movement, and his lunge was avoided with a second. Desperate, she thought to herself. Her eyes widened. In that split second when he passed her by, she spied a closed fist pressed against his chest. His fingers uncurled, revealing a second, smaller orb, which he flicked towards her with his thumb.
A desperate gamble which nearly paid off. But Fu Hua was simply too fast. The back of her hand shot forth, deflecting the orb to the side as Izanagi hit the ground a second time, landing about fifteen feet away.
"Thirty seconds left, Itsuki," Fu Hua said, keeping a closer eye on Izanagi now. The young man gritted his teeth, his eyes growing desperate, but he did not relent in his assault. One orb, two, four, a barrage of energy-based attacks unleashed from the young man as he shouted 'release!' over and over again, trying to land even a single attack on her. Fu Hua weaved through the orbs, avoiding, blocking, and deflecting each and everyone with unmatched grace. Thirty seconds turned to twenty, twenty turned to fifteen, fifteen turned to ten…
And the boy cracked. It was subtle, happening throughout an instant. It was a face Fu Hua had seen many times over her life. She knew it better than anyone. The eyes of desperation. The eyes of fear.
The eyes of someone who lost hope.
Fail, was all she thought. The young man made one last, desperate lunge towards her, no plan in sight. She mentally sighed, unsurprised yet still disappointed. Whatever attack he had planned, she knew she could avoid it. It was over.
But at that moment, she noticed something strange. Izanagi's body had begun to glow with a faint light, growing stronger and stronger with each millisecond. She felt an aura of heat emanating from the boy, a heat which intensified at a rapid rate. Her eyes widened in shock… as her fist clenched tight. Idiot…!
She realized his plan. A self-destructive attack. Putting everything he had on the line, to win, for this… for this? Fu Hua's fist trembled, her knuckles turning white as she stared at the fool before her. In those precious few seconds, everything had slowed down to a crawl. Her eyes were burning as she stared deep into the eyes of the desperate, idiotic child before her. He couldn't even accept his failure with grace? Must he make an even greater fool of himself?
This boy intended to make a mockery of everything she had stood for.
It happened in an instant. It was like a moment of her memory had been scratched out, as Fu Hua found time had returned to its normal flow. She found herself standing on one leg, her other raised in the air as if she had just done a high kick.
Across from her was Nagi, curled up on the floor as he clutched his stomach in pain. Fu Hua blinked in surprise, uncertain as to what had just happened. But as she stared at Nagi… it clicked. She had intended to avoid the attack, initially. But in her anger, she had struck out at Nagi in a moment of blind fury. She resisted the urge to smack herself for her oversight. Instead, she substituted with a mental scolding of herself as she rushed over to Nagi's side.
"I-I'm sorry, Itsuki, I didn't mean to… are you alright? Can you speak?" Her rage was quickly replaced with guilt, grimacing as Nagi's pain-filled eyes slowly turned to her. He continued to clutch at his stomach, his teeth clenched tight as he struggled to maintain eye contact. "Izanagi, if you need…" Fu Hua started to say, only to slowly stop speaking as she continued to look at him.
His lips were curved into a smile. Her expression turned to one of bewilderment as the young man started to laugh. It was not some boisterous laugh straight from his belly, nor some deranged laugh of maddened defeat, but instead, a quiet, determined chuckle. Fu Hua found herself baffled.
"Itsuki…?"
"H-How… about that?" Nagi asked, struggling to speak through the pain. Fu Hua shook her head in disbelief. "D-Does that… count…?"
"Count? That? Do you really think that—" Fu Hua paused. Nagi was pointing at her. Her eyes followed his outstretched finger, tracing its path. When her eyes reached their destination, her expression turned from one of pure confusion to one of pure shock.
A hole. Her pants—specifically, near her calf—were singed, leaving a sizable gap in the material. Though the hole was quite sizable, the burn was light. So light she hadn't even felt it when it happened, nor even now as she stared at it. When? She searched her memory, trying to remember at what moment he had ever gotten a good hit on her. She came up blank. There wasn't a single memory in her mind. Every attack had been dodged or deflected, and the boy had never even gotten close to touching—
"You…" A gap in her memory. Her eyes widened in realization.
"E-Ehe… I had to… get a hold of you somehow…" Nagi replied with that same pained grin. He took a deep breath and pulled away from Fu Hua, pushing himself into a sitting position. He cleared his throat and continued. "So… I had to try and switch it up…"
"You…" Fu Hua muttered, her expression one of disbelief. "You expect me to believe that was some grand plan of yours? Not just some lucky fluke? Not some… ridiculous suicide attack?"
"S-Suicide…?" Nagi replied, taken aback by her question. "Where did you get that from…?"
"...Huh?" Fu Hua stared at him, blinking in surprise. "T-That leap… your body glowing, the heat…"
"...You thought that was a suicide attack!?"
"I… you…" Fu Hua started but trailed off. Nagi stared at her blankly, as the Class Monitor's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. She facepalmed. "You… seemed desperate, so I thought…"
"N-No! I mean, I did have a plan, but it wasn't that!" He blinked. "I-Is that why you kicked me!?"
"Um…" Nagi looked dumbfounded as Fu Hua turned away. "W-Well…" Fu Hua sighed and stood to her feet. "Regardless, are you okay…? That kick wasn't… intended, I don't know why I…"
"Oh, I'm fine now," he replied as he pushed himself up to his feet. "I'm tough! Sort of. Um… kind of. I heal quickly, I guess?"
"I… see…" Fu Hua sighed again. Not a suicide attack… she felt like an idiot. And to think, because of that slip-up… she glanced at her leg. A foolish mistake in response to a foolish tactic. She could hardly believe herself. It was a fluke. It had to be. She was angry. Was she angry at him, or herself? All she had said, all she had thought, all of it, for what? She wanted to smack him on the back of the head. His tactics were idiotic at best. His fighting style was barely functional! If she had been fighting back he'd have died a hundred times over. And yet… Here she was.
Her conflicted emotions must have shown on her face, as Nagi looked away with a dejected expression. "S-So… I take that as a failure…?" He muttered. Fu Hua stared at him in silence, as the young man awaited whatever she had to say.
"...You'll have the weekends off," Fu Hua finally replied.
"...Huh?"
"Monday through Friday, I'll be expecting you here. We can figure out the when and where tomorrow. Miss even one session, and you're done. No more tutoring."
"...Eh?" Nagi blinked. "W-Wait, do you mean—"
"I'll give you a chance," Fu Hua replied. She clenched her fist, and let out another sigh. "Infuriating… as a loss as this is, you met my criteria. It would be cruel of me to put you through all of that, and go back on my word." She adjusted her glasses.
"Whether it was a fluke or not depends on the results you show me, Itsuki," Fu Hua continued. "And, I will… admit, perhaps I'm being too hard on you. First impressions aside, you've made it here to Saint Freya, one way or another. I should remember that. So… we'll start as soon as tomorrow, ideally a few hours before now. Get some rest tonight. I want you at your best, and will settle for nothing less."
"Y-Yes, ma'am—!"
"I'm not finished."
"Sorry ma'am!"
"No more breaking and entering," She gently chopped his head as she said this, earning an exaggerated cry of pain from the young man. "Try it again and I will not hesitate to report you. Finally… no more of that self-destructive nonsense you just pulled."
"Eh? Didn't we just establish—"
"Not that!" Fu Hua exclaimed as her earlier blush returned. "Your fighting style. It's reckless and full of holes. If I were trying to fight you properly, you'd never have had even a chance to pull what you did. A Honkai beast or a mech would have no mercy. Try a stunt like that again…" Fu Hua lifted a finger, adjusting her glasses so that the light caught the lens and shone menacingly. Nagi gulped as she continued.
"And whatever pain I put you through now will pale to whatever you will face then. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"...And stop calling me ma'am already!" Fu Hua all but shouted as Nagi flinched at her raised voice. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red, much to Nagi's surprise. "We're nearly the same age, for goodness' sake…"
"Oh, um… s-sorry, Teach."
"...Teach?"
"Oh, uh… maybe boss? Class Monitor, if you'd prefer? I didn't want to be too formal, um…"
"..." Fu Hua considered it for a moment. "...Call me what you will," she said, before helping Nagi to his feet.
"...T-Thank you. Thank you a lot!" Nagi exclaimed, stepping forward, his eyes beaming with excitement. Fu Hua faltered, taking a step back in surprise at the sudden enthusiasm. "I'll make this matter, teach! No matter what it takes, I'll make you proud!"
"I…" For a moment, Fu Hua's eyes softened. How… nostalgic. "...Focus on making it to class first, Itsuki."
"I won't be late! Even if it kills me!"
"...Please make it to class alive, thank you very much."
"Yes, teach!" Nagi smiled wide, all but jumping for joy. Fu Hua's lips curled into a faint smile of amusement. "Oh! You can call me Nagi. I'd prefer that, actually. Itsuki's too formal for my liking. Izanagi, too… so, just Nagi works."
"...Nagi," Fu Hua replied, testing it on her lips. After a moment… "I'll stick with Itsuki."
"Doh… um. A-Alright…" He looked disappointed, but Fu Hua paid it no mind. "Well, with that said… I'll see you tomorrow, teach! No more breaking and entering, I promise!" Nagi turned to leave, but Fu Hua acted first.
"Wait just one moment." Fu Hua grabbed the back of his collar just as he was about to sprint off. Nagi looked up at her, surprised.
"Y-Yeah, teach?"
"...Although you did land a hit on me, Itsuki," she began. She closed her eyes and smiled menacingly, a smile that sent a chill down Nagi's spine. "That doesn't mean you're off the hook."
"E-Eh?"
"I'll be accompanying you back to your dorm. You've already broken into one facility. I won't risk letting you break into another. I will, of course, also be explaining to your dorm mates why you're out so late."
"E-Eh!? Wait, hang on—" Nagi froze mid-sentence as Fu Hua's ice-cold glare returned. "...Y-Yes, ma'am." Her glare intensified. "Teach! Boss! Monitor! Fu Hua!" At that, her eyes widened. She stopped for a moment, before clearing her throat.
"D-Don't call me so informally, either!" She exclaimed, before following up with a facepalm. "Good grief, you are a handful…"
"S-Sorry…"
"Don't apologize. Do better." Fu Hua cleared her throat. "Now then… Do you have anything here with you? If not, then let us return to your dorm."
"J-Just the clothes on my back…"
"Good. Then let's get going. I'd like to be in bed before 10:00, thank you very much."
Fu Hua dragged Izanagi off by the collar back to his dorm. As it so turned out, they were sharing the same dorm complex, only on different floors. After introducing herself to Ana and Wendy—alongside quickly explaining the situation—Fu Hua delivered a long lecture to Izanagi about responsibility, before bidding the three goodnight.
Shortly after, Ana, too, would lecture Izanagi, only letting him off to his room once the clock was well past ten. Wendy offered him her condolences as Izanagi trudged off to his bedroom.
And as the clock hit 11:00 pm, Nagi finally drifted off to sleep.