Hearing Hōjō Yoru's words, Yuuki Asuna looked a little less confident. Because even she could tell—when she was in front of him, she really had become a bit…
How should she put it?
She didn't feel like herself anymore.
Asuna had grown up under elite education, and she'd always had the ability to match—so she'd naturally developed a confident, competitive personality. But because Yoru's experience and strength as a devil hunter were so far above hers, every time they talked about anything related to fighting, she would unconsciously start hesitating and second-guessing herself.
"This won't do, Asuna."
The moment he called her by her given name—switching from her surname to something far more intimate—heat rushed to Asuna's cheeks.
But before her lovestruck brain could start acting up, she heard Yoru speak in a rare tone: serious, composed, almost professional.
"Your performance during sparring hasn't been great. Your sword isn't fast enough, and it isn't sharp enough. I don't think it's just a strength issue—more like your mindset when you're with me is interfering with how your ability performs."
"That's impossible…"
Asuna started to argue, then stopped.
Because she realized Yoru… wasn't wrong.
It sounded way too "mind-over-matter," almost absurdly spiritual—but then again…
They'd both awakened supernatural powers already. Wasn't that "mind-over-matter" enough?
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense: mental state affecting ability output was perfectly reasonable. And deep down, Asuna could faintly feel it too—because her heart still carried too much hesitation, too much uncertainty, not enough firmness…
Her Throne of Swords was responding to that emotion, losing the kind of unstoppable, forward-driving edge it should have had.
"But…"
Asuna looked troubled. Her bright hazel eyes—like a small animal asking for help—turned to Yoru as she lightly bit her lower lip.
"How do I adjust my mindset?"
The instant the words left her mouth, she regretted it—because she could already feel an incomprehensibly weird answer coming.
But arrows don't return to the bow, and words don't crawl back into your throat. Yoru gave her no time to take it back, and immediately deployed the "astonishing wisdom" of Tokyo's strongest devil hunter.
"I've heard there's a very effective way to treat postpartum depression—intimate behavior. It not only improves hormonal imbalance, but also makes the patient feel valued and acknowledged, which helps regulate psychological—"
"Stop, stop! STOP!"
Asuna's face turned scarlet, steam practically about to burst from her head. She glared at him through clenched teeth.
"I—I haven't even had a baby! What postpartum depression are you talking about?!"
"Close enough. Same idea."
"That is not close at all—"
She cut herself off mid-sentence.
Footsteps sounded behind them.
Asuna turned—and saw Touma Kazusa approaching with an icy, expressionless face, moving this way with an aggressive, no-nonsense stride.
"What are you trying to do?"
Asuna stepped directly in front of Kazusa, fearless. The hazel eyes that always softened when she looked at Yoru now carried undisguised hostility.
She was a gentle, kind person—but gentle and kind didn't mean timid.
She didn't know why, but Asuna was already prepared: if Touma Kazusa dared to cause trouble for Yoru, she would not hesitate to beat her down on the spot.
Touma Kazusa? Me, Yuuki Asuna, avoid her?
What a joke.
Faced with this obstacle, the "Number One Runaway Iceberg of Sōbu High"—the long-haired, black-haired Touma Kazusa—didn't retreat either. She flicked a glance at Asuna, and spoke in a cold, indifferent tone like Asuna wasn't even worth acknowledging.
"Move."
The gunpowder tension between the two girls was thick enough to spark.
Yoru intervened in time.
"Okay, stop, both of you. Touma—what do you want with me?"
Truthfully, this was the kind of moment where Yoru really wanted to say something like "Fight, fight! I love watching girls pull hair and brawl!"—the kind of abstract instigation he excelled at.
But the problem was…
With Asuna's personality and Kazusa's personality, if he actually said it, these two really would fight—on the spot. And it wouldn't be some petty slap-and-scratch mess.
It would be a real, lethal grudge match.
Sōbu High Octagon Cage Fight, proudly on display.
Yoru liked being weird, sure—but he wasn't Tzeentch or Khorne. Some kinds of "fun" weren't worth inviting.
"Hōjō Yoru."
Under Asuna's wary, hostile gaze, Kazusa walked up to Yoru. She called his full name softly, then spoke in her slow, even voice.
"I heard… that this morning you were called away by that… Hiratsuka-sensei."
"So I came to ask… did you run into trouble?"
Asuna froze—then immediately felt an intense wave of speechless disbelief.
Wait. Hold on.
Girl, you came all the way over here to check on him?
Then why did you walk in like you were about to start a gang war?
…But, honestly, Asuna couldn't even blame herself for misreading it.
Kazusa usually didn't speak to anyone. Other than her routine "good morning" and "see you" to Yoru, she spent the rest of the day face-down asleep at her desk—like a decorative plant installed in Class 1-A.
That wasn't "aggressive." That was just Kazusa's default aura.
Or rather…
This was her idea of the gentlest expression she could manage.
Yoru simply smiled.
"I'm fine. Pretty good, actually."
Kazusa nodded without committing to anything.
"Oh."
Asuna stared, dumbfounded.
Is this how the plot is supposed to go?
Talk—please talk!
Kazusa, especially you—your rare "awake" time was spent marching over to ask about him… and you follow up with a single "oh"?
From a rational standpoint, it was good that these two didn't seem overly close—Asuna's heart relaxed a little.
But watching this scene was making her itch with impatience, and she couldn't help stepping in.
"Um… Touma-san. Do you want to eat lunch with me and Hōjō— with Yoru today?"
Asuna had a tiny ulterior motive.
In front of Kazusa, she deliberately changed how she addressed Yoru—switching into first-name terms to subtly assert that she and Yoru were close enough to call each other by name.
But Kazusa's reply made every trace of jealousy vanish instantly—replaced by a sharp, aching sympathy.
"Lunch?"
Kazusa shook her head. Warm sunlight spilled through the hallway windows, illuminating her face—beautiful as a work of art, yet with a faint, unhealthy paleness.
"I never eat lunch."
"After school, I just buy some bread at the school shop. That's enough."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 95)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 85)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter85)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter81)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter60)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter66)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 40
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 50
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