Morning at Reikosha Academy, Kairo was in the training yard exercising. He yawned.
"Dammit… I kinda miss my bro. Tyouro is going to beat me as hell."
Yura entered the training yard, already holding a yogurt in her hand. She sat down on a chair and watched him for a moment before throwing the box of yogurt at him.
Kairo's eyes widened. He turned around and saw Yura, his face looking annoyed.
"What do you want from me again, Yura?"
"Focus on your exercise, idiot."
"I'm not an idiot!"
"Oh, you are. I can see it."
Kairo turned his face away and pouted. "Stupid girl… lucky she's a baddi-"
Yura kicked him so fast before he could even react.
"OW!"
"HEY, THAT HURTS!"
Yura smirked. "Anyway, I'm going to talk to Hero. He's been having a problem with his stamina." She left.
Kairo watched her and scratched his head. "She's so calm and powerful… but damn, her kick is so strong."
Meanwhile, Kimimaru met Ishika. Ishika grabbed his arm.
"Kimimaru, I'm going to tell you something about the Sacred Crown royal guards."
Kimimaru looked at her with a calm expression. "What is it?"
"I heard everything. They're planning to plant a bomb in Reikosha Academy. They're betraying the world, Kimimaru."
Kimimaru's eyes widened as he looked at her. "Are you sure this isn't fake news?"
"No, it's not, Kimimaru. Trust me if you want to save your friends, the other students, and the teachers."
Kimimaru looked at her coldly. "I hate trusting women." He walked away.
Ishika's eyes widened as she watched him leave.
In Cindervale, King Leonard called his guards and told them his plan.
"Alright! Royal guards, I hope you all destroy their place and kill all the students before they even realize it. Plant the bombs around them."
"And if we get found out, we're dead. They'll come here and wipe us out, so be careful. You know we're about to destroy a powerful place."
The guards nodded and started moving. King Leonard smiled, thinking he could destroy them.
Meanwhile, at Reikosha Academy, Kimimaru was still thinking about whether he could trust Ishika. Since he hated trusting women, he hesitated, but then he ran toward the academy and went to the faculty. He saw Shougo, Judas, and Tine. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Sensei, I have news for all of you… the Sacred Crown royal guards King Leonard is planning to bomb this school."
Shougo's eyes widened. He stood up and walked toward him.
"Are you telling the truth, Maru?"
Kimimaru looked at him and nodded. "Yes, Sensei…"
Shougo nodded, then turned around and grabbed the announcer. He told her to announce King Leonard's plan to bomb Reikosha Academy.
Within seconds, the entire academy echoed with the announcement. Students froze, whispers spreading like wildfire as confusion quickly turned into tension. Some didn't believe it, others started panicking, and a few immediately ran toward safer areas without even thinking.
In the yard, Hero was still manipulating his cards one by one, sweat running down his face as his breathing grew heavier. Yura appeared behind him, watching quietly for a moment before speaking.
"Well, well… look at this. The powerful arrogant one is now tired."
Hero glared at her. "Hey, watch your mouth. I could slice you in half."
"Is that so?" Yura replied calmly, crossing her arms as she stepped closer. "Then why are your hands shaking?"
Hero looked down for a second, then clenched his fists tighter, trying to hide it. "I'm just warming up."
Yura didn't answer immediately. Instead, she suddenly stepped forward and flicked one of his cards away before it could activate, her movement so fast it barely registered.
"You rely too much on your cards," she said coldly. "In a real fight, hesitation like that gets you killed."
Hero's expression hardened. "You think I don't know that?"
Before Yura could respond, the announcement echoed across the entire yard.
"Attention all students and faculty. This is an emergency. The Sacred Crown royal guards are planning an attack on Reikosha Academy. Possible bombing threat. All students prepare for defensive protocol immediately."
Silence fell.
Then-
Noise.
Students began shouting, running, grabbing weapons, others freezing in place as fear crept into their expressions. The peaceful morning shattered instantly.
Hero slowly lowered his cards, his tired eyes now focused. "…So it's real."
Yura turned her head slightly toward the main building, her expression no longer playful or cold.
Serious.
"Looks like training is over," she said quietly.
Kairo came running into the yard, slightly out of breath. "YURA! HERO! Did you hear that?!"
"No," Yura replied dryly. "We thought it was a joke."
Kairo frowned. "Now's not the time-"
"I know," she cut him off. "Where's Kimimaru?"
"He's the one who reported it!" Kairo answered quickly. "Sensei is already preparing something."
Hero exhaled slowly, then smirked faintly despite the situation. "A bombing, huh… this is getting interesting."
Yura glanced at him sharply. "This isn't a game."
"I know," Hero replied, his tone shifting slightly. "That's why it's interesting."
Far from the yard, hidden beyond the outer walls of the academy, shadows moved silently between the trees.
The royal guards had already arrived.
One of them knelt down, placing a small device into the ground, carefully activating it before covering it with dirt. Another stood watch, scanning the area while gripping his weapon tightly.
"…First bomb planted," one of them whispered.
"Good. Don't get caught. We finish this before they even realize what's happening."
They moved again.
Fast.
Precise.
More bombs.
More positions.
Closer.
Back inside the academy, Shougo stood at the center of the faculty room, his expression darker than usual. Judas stood beside him, arms crossed, while Tine quietly observed everything.
"They're already here," Shougo muttered.
Judas nodded slightly. "Of course they are. People like them don't make announcements… they act first."
Shougo clenched his fist.
"…Then we don't wait."
The atmosphere shifted.
From panic
To war.
And somewhere beyond the walls, the countdown had already begun.