Days without Banyutenra

"Sigh..."

Inside the room, a single boy let out a sigh.

Faced with a mountain of documents in front of him, he felt the urge to escape from reality, but that was not possible.

He reached out his hand and took a document, examining its contents.

"...The increasing number of incidents within the school and the accompanying repair costs for the facilities. As expected, they're increasing... Sigh..."

The contents of the document gave him a headache. He knew it was to be expected, but actually confirming it made him sigh.

In the prestigious Kairyu Seventh Academy, a significant problem was currently unfolding. It could be considered a crisis, in a sense, the most critical issue since the establishment of the academy.

The issue was that the top figure of Kairyu, Banyuuran Fang Xinglu, had disappeared.

To be precise, it was more accurate to say that he hadn't returned. Since the last time he informed his disciples that he would be absent, no one had seen him.

Banyuuran had vanished. When it was discovered the following day, his absence left everyone dumbfounded. Although a gag order was in place, it was a common occurrence for rumors to spread like wildfire within the school.

At least the information hadn't leaked to other schools yet. The thought of the consequences if it were to be revealed was something he didn't want to entertain.

Even from Kairyu, the organization overseeing the academy, there were frequent inquiries about Banyuuran's whereabouts. They were managing to cover it up for now, but it was unclear how long that would last.

Lost in thought, he shifted his gaze back to the documents in front of him. The piles of paperwork wouldn't diminish even if he pondered over it. With a sigh, he started organizing the stacks of paper to clear the mess.

After some time, a knock on the door suddenly echoed through the room.

"...Come in."

He replied, and a woman entered the room.

"I'm coming~"

"Cecily, do you need something?"

The person who entered was familiar to him.

Cecily Wong, the Taoist overseeing the Water faction and Banyuuran's third disciple. She had long hair with a slight brown wave, which was her distinguishing feature.

"I brought lunch. Do you know what time it is?"

"What time? Oh, is it already this late?"

He checked the time at Cecily's question and realized it was already past 3 PM.

Engrossed in his paperwork since morning, he had lost track of time.

"I understand that you're busy, but don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"I know. However, with Banyuuran and Haruno not here, someone has to take on the burden. Or Cecily, could you take care of the paperwork for me?"

"No way!"

"...I thought as much. I have no choice but to do it myself. It can't be helped."

Cecily had a carefree personality. There was no way she could handle the paperwork properly. It would be better for him to do it himself from the beginning rather than leaving it to her and causing more problems.

"For now, let's eat. I also brought some snacks."

Saying that, she handed him the bento for lunch and sat in the seat next to him.

As he looked at the bento in front of him, his hunger suddenly grew. He pushed the papers aside and opened the lid of the bento.

The cafeteria's daily special bento was known for its generous portion and affordable price, and the taste was quite good. It had become a popular dish among the students.

"Let's dig in."

"Bon appétit."

They began their meal.

The boy's name, which hadn't been introduced yet, was Zhao Hufeng.

He was the hardworking student of Kairyu, traumatized by an incident where he was mistaken for a girl and approached by a guy.

The two enjoyed their meal.

With each bite, Hufeng found himself wanting to eat more and more, and he let his impulses take over, increasing the speed of his chopsticks.

In no time, he finished the bento, and as if waiting for that moment, Cecily sitting next to him opened her mouth.

"It's been two weeks since Banyuuran disappeared. I wonder where he's gone and what he's doing."

"That person is unpredictable. It's hard to imagine."

If you had to describe Banyuuran in one word, it would be "free-spirited." Hufeng, who had a serious personality, often found himself being influenced by Banyuuran's carefree nature.

"But the amount of paperwork is incredible. What kind of content is it?"

"It includes reports on school incidents, budget approval proposals, lists of recommended candidates for the next term, and a list of current applicants, among other things."

"Wow, that's amazing."

Cecily expressed her admiration.

"Lately, there has been an increase in conflicts between the Wood faction and the Water faction."

"I know. I've witnessed it a few times myself."

"At this rate, it will be a regression to a year ago. It's troublesome."

"Without Banyuuran and Haruno around, we can't help it."

Haruno referred to Yukinoshita Haruno. Cecily called her "Younee" because she admired her.

"At least if Haruno-neechan were here..."

Haruno, the older sister, had returned to her hometown a little before Banyuuran went missing. She had returned several times before, so it wasn't particularly unusual.

"Haruno-neechan is taking quite a while to come back. It's been about three weeks, right?"

"Yes, around that time. I hope she returns soon."

Regarding Haruno, there was communication last week stating that she would take some time to return due to issues related to her family. If she were still in Kairyu, things wouldn't have become so complicated.

"The only consolation is that those twins are being well-behaved."

"They must have quite a trauma. The events from a year ago..."

"A year ago, huh?"

He remembered the spring from a year ago. On the first day of school, Haruno Yukinoshita challenged Banyuuran. Although she lost, her skills were so remarkable that even Banyuuran himself wanted to become her disciple.

And a few days later.

An incident occurred in Kairyu. Haruno Yukinoshita became Banyuuran's second disciple. With her high-level abilities, it was impossible for both the Wood and Water factions to overlook her, and a conflict between the two factions erupted over her.

Facing the members of the Wood and Water factions who were glaring at each other, Haruno Yukinoshita made a bold declaration.

"Well, if you want me, show me your strength. Come at me. I'll take you on."

Thus, the battle between Haruno Yukinoshita and the Wood and Water factions began.

But whether it could be called a battle was debatable.

"All of us were defeated, including ourselves."

"...Bitter memories."

They exchanged wry smiles. That fight was a shocking event.

Initially, it was a one-on-one battle, but after a while, more opponents joined, turning it into a three-on-one match.

In the end, it escalated to a five-on-one battle against members of both the Wood and Water factions. Yet, Haruno Yukinoshita emerged victorious.

In the final battle, it was Hufeng, Cecily, and the twin siblings, Lei Lin and Lei Hua. And during this battle, the twins were traumatized.

"That was incredible, wasn't it?"

"They were returning our own actions back to us."

In the end, the twins were the last ones remaining among the five. Well, it was more accurate to say that they were the ones left behind.

Lei Chenyun and Lei Chenhua, the twin siblings, were both highly skilled, but they possessed an arrogant and disdainful personality. They always looked down on others, showing no respect. They consistently sought to create advantageous situations for themselves, exploiting their opponents' weaknesses and mercilessly tormenting them.

That was the extent of their wickedness.

"...For the first time, I felt sorry for those twins."

"...Me too."

It seemed that Yukinoshita Haruno had researched the twins' personalities and fighting style in advance. She deliberately confronted their combination attacks head-on and defeated them completely. Her method of slowly crushing their hand one by one was so effective that the twins ended up crying and apologizing without reservation.

"Now what? Come at me. Just because you're crying doesn't mean you'll be forgiven. Surrender? I won't allow it. Reflect on your own actions even a little and regret your deeds."

Haruno declared firmly in front of the tearful twins. Whether it became a trauma for them or not, their personalities became slightly more subdued afterward, and they no longer got into unnecessary conflicts with others.

And Yukinoshita Haruno became known as the "Demon Queen" among some of the students, becoming the basis for her nickname.

"This would disappoint Haruno-neechan."

"We can barely keep them in check one by one."

The Wood and Water factions were originally at odds with each other. The Wood faction focused on martial arts, while the Water faction focused on star magic. Since having the potential was essential for mastering star magic, many who lacked it ended up joining the Wood faction. Even Hufeng had some complexes toward the Water faction.

However, things changed slightly after Yukinoshita Haruno enrolled. She appeared in both the Wood and Water factions, attempting to bridge the gap between them. No one had ever done that before.

The top-ranked Kairyu, Fan Xingluo, and the second-ranked Wu Xiaohui generally refrained from intervening in the Wood and Water factions. Xingluo imparted strength to his disciples but did not lecture them, while Xiaohui was only interested in her own strength.

Therefore, Haruno's actions surprised both factions. She wholeheartedly pursued strength, trained more than anyone else, took care of her disciples, and willingly listened to anyone's concerns. She actively participated in mediating the conflicts between the two factions.

Gradually, she came to be called "Great Sister" by disciples from both factions and took on the responsibility of overseeing both the Wood and Water factions.

"In the past year, the conflicts between the two factions have gradually decreased, which I thought was a positive trend."

"But with Master absent and Haruno-neechan not returning, everyone is worried."

"Even so, it doesn't justify fighting."

"...You're right."

They both sighed. It seemed there was no point in continuing this conversation. Cecily changed the subject to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"By the way, today is the Rokkayuen Conference, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Since Master isn't here, Alema is attending."

"Is it okay for Hufeng to stay here? Usually, you accompany Master to the hotel."

"Master declined my offer to accompany him. He said he could manage on his own."

"I see... Oh, by the way, we're out of tea. Shall I make some?"

"Are you sure? Then please do."

"Sure thing!"

Cecily stood up from her chair. In the corner of the room where the two were, all the utensils for making tea were neatly arranged. Cecily headed there and skillfully began preparing tea. While watching her back, Hufeng muttered to himself.

"...It's about time the conference ends. I hope there are no issues."

Usually, when Xingluo was absent from official events, Alema Sayan often acted as his representative. However, as Xingluo had never missed the Rokkayuen Conference, his absence might raise suspicion.

"I'm back!"

Cecily returned with tea for both of them. She placed the tea set she held in her right hand in front of Hufeng and sat down in the neighboring seat.

"Thank you, Cecily."

"No problem! Now, go ahead."

Following Cecily's words, Hufeng took a sip from the tea cup. The warm tea quenched his throat and satisfied his taste buds.

"...It's delicious."

"Really? I'm glad."

To be honest, the tea Hufeng made tasted better. However, the tea Cecily made conveyed something beyond just taste.

The two of them spent a pleasant time together after the meal. Hufeng thought it was time to resume his paperwork, which he had left unfinished after the break... That's when it happened.

A window appeared in front of Hufeng.

"What's wrong?"

"It's from Alema. It seems the conference has ended."

He had informed her in advance to contact him after the conference. Hufeng opened the window in front of him.

"Alema, is the conference over?"

"Yeah, it's finished for now."

The window displayed the image of a woman and her accompanying text. With large cat-like eyes, distinctive short hair, and numerous scars on her face, her name was Alema Sayan. Before Xingluo appeared at Kairyu Seventh Academy, she held the top position in the academy. A long, narrow talisman was attached to her throat like a choker, sealing her voice with its power.

"So, how was the conference? Please tell me about the agenda this time."

"Aah, Hufeng, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Alema seemed unusually hesitant. Hufeng had a bad feeling about it.

"...What is it? Master hasn't returned yet, you know."

"Yeah! I apologize in advance. I'm sorry!"

"...It's troublesome to be apologized to without knowing the content. What is it?"

Hufeng couldn't ignore it, although he had an uneasy feeling. He urged her to continue.

"Yeah! It seems that the absence of Xingluo-chan has been discovered."

"..."

Hufeng collapsed without saying a word.

"Hey, Hufeng! Pull yourself together!"

Cecily's voice could be faintly heard. Hufeng's mind started to fade as he considered the situation ahead. But at this point, he didn't care anymore, and he lost consciousness.

"Oh yeah, by the way, it seems that brat from Kairyu is missing. The objective? Who knows. For that brat, there's no real commitment to Kairyu."

In the student council room of Levolf, a man was giving instructions through a window.

The man's name was Dirk Ebelvine. Despite not being from the Star Pulse generation, he became the student council president of Levolf.

His nickname was the "Scheming King." With his devilish intellect and knack for scheming, he earned that name.

"...First, we need to confirm if that's true. Once Neko is ready, we'll investigate Kairyu. Understood?"

After saying that, the window disappeared. Dirk let out a light sigh and grumbled.

"That brat. If he's there, he causes trouble, but if he's not, he still manages to stir up trouble..."

Muttering to himself, the Scheming King immersed himself in his complex thoughts.

"Yukinoshita may be missing!?"

"Yeah, if what Alema Sayan said is true."

In the student council room of St. Gallardworth Academy, a young man and woman were having a conversation.

The man's name was Ernest Faircroft. He was the student council president of Gallardworth and wielded the nickname "Holy Knight."

The woman was Leticia Blanchard, the vice president of the student council and known as the "Witch of Radiant Wings."

"Do you believe that without hesitation, Ernest?"

"At the very least, the possibility of her not being in Kairyu is high."

Ernest asserted.

"She shouldn't be able to go out recklessly due to her agreement with Kairyu, right?"

"That agreement is meaningless to the Princess. She's the Pandemonium. If she wants to, she can go out anytime."

Upon hearing Ernest's words, Leticia had a realization.

"...So, are you saying there's something outside that captures her interest?"

"Seems like it. Otherwise, there would be no reason for the Princess to disappear."

It had been about a year and a half since Xingluo came to Asterisk, and she had never left Asterisk. There shouldn't be a place greater than Asterisk in terms of battles against strong opponents.

"There was an order to move the Supreme Council."

"The Supreme Council?"

"They seem determined to find the Princess's whereabouts no matter what. There might even be a clash with the Dragon Clan's Nine Sons."

"Are they planning to infiltrate Kairyu...? It could end up with casualties."

"In terms of combat power, the Dragon Clan's Nine Sons are superior. I hope they won't go that far."

The Supreme Council of Gallardworth was top-notch in intelligence warfare, but when it came to combat power, the Dragon Clan's Nine Sons, the intelligence agency of Kairyu, was far superior.

The objective this time was to determine Xingluo's location. However, the Dragon Clan's Nine Sons, under the direct command of the Pandemonium, would never allow that easily. They would do whatever it takes to stop them, even if it meant risking their lives.

"In any case, it seems Six Flowers will be in chaos for a while. Let me know if any information about the Princess comes in, Leticia."

"Understood, Ernest."

Leticia responded with a nod to confirm the Student Council President's instructions.

And so, in the student council room, the conversation between the two continued.

"Therefore, Yobuki-kun will infiltrate Kairyu and find out the Princess's whereabouts."

"What? What are you talking about, President, calling me out like this out of the blue?"

Yobuki Hishiro, who had been called to the student council room of Hoshito-kan, exclaimed in response to the unreasonable demand from the Student Council President before him.

Student Council President Claudia Enfield answered Hishiro's question.

"The Princess was absent from today's meeting... And it seems there's a possibility that the Princess is not just absent from Kairyu, but also from Six Flowers."

"...Are you serious?"

Hishiro also knew about the agreement between Xingluo and Kairyu. If what Claudia said was true, it would be a major problem.

"In any case, we need to confirm whether the Princess's absence is true. She may be sick and bedridden, or it could be a prank to deceive us."

"...What does the President think?"

Hishiro asked Claudia, expressing his doubts.

"...Most likely, there's a high chance that she's not in Asterisk. If what Alema Sayan said is true, but..."

"Ugh, is that so?"

"There has been an order from above for Shadow Stars to move and find out the Princess's whereabouts. Yobuki-kun, I hope you'll do your best as well."

Hishiro couldn't help but smile wryly. He didn't want to do this kind of job at all.

"...What should I do if I encounter the Evil Eye members?"

"Please make sure not to be found."

"...And if you encounter Alema Sayan?"

"Please find a way to escape."

There were no positive signs in the situation.

"Please, don't push yourself too hard. The Princess will eventually come back, I'm sure."

"Using Pandora's power?"

"No, it's my intuition. She seems to be fond of this Battle City. I don't know why she disappeared, but I'm certain she'll come back."

"...I understand. Then, I'll just investigate lightly."

"That will be sufficient."

With a smile from Claudia, Hishiro gave up and prepared to leave the student council room. But before he could leave, Claudia called out to him.

"...Please don't push yourself too hard. The Princess will return eventually."

"Is it Pandora's power?"

"No, it's my intuition. She seems to be fond of this Battle City. I don't know why she disappeared, but I'm certain she'll come back."

"...Understood. Then, I'll investigate lightly."

"That will do."

With Claudia's reply, Hishiro left the student council room.

Left alone, Claudia opened a window and played a video.

She had been watching this video repeatedly, delivered by someone a few days ago.

It was a video that captured the battle between two Starpulse Generation individuals. The location was inside a bank in a certain region. The video was taken by a surveillance camera, but due to a malfunction, there was no audio recording, and the video only showed a portion of the battle. However, there were still some things that could be confirmed.

"No matter how many times I watch it, it's hard to believe. There's someone who can fight against the Demon King like that."

The Demon King with Black Flames, Haruno Yukinoshita. It wasn't a problem that she appeared in the video. The location where she was filmed was her hometown, and her abilities were widely known.

The problem was the opponent. Claudia opened another window beside the video, displaying the profile of a young man. She had also reviewed it many times.

"Hikigaya Hachiman... He's definitely someone we want."

Someone who can fight against the Demon King like that. From what could be seen in the video, Haruno Yukinoshita was giving her all. That fact alone was enough to determine his worth as a combatant. At the very least, he was undoubtedly one of the Twelve Heads of Hoshito-kan at the moment. For Hoshito-kan, which lacked combat power, he was a talent they desperately wanted.

"But the problem is Kairyu. Haruno Yukinoshita seems to have some acquaintance with him, but from the way they fought, it doesn't seem like they have a good relationship... We are also making our move to scout him, so I hope we can catch up."

She decided to leave the scouting of Hikigaya Hachiman to the provider of the video. He was an entirely unknown talent, but showing this video to the higher-ups should be convincing enough.

"By the way... The Tatsumi-ryu, huh... If it's from the branch family, it doesn't seem to be related to that girl."

She focused on a part of Hachiman's profile. The words "Tatsumi-ryu" reminded her of a certain girl. The future top-ranked student who was confirmed to enter Hoshito-kan in the near future.

"Come to think of it... We haven't been able to confirm his whereabouts either."

Suddenly, another thought crossed her mind. Just like Xingluo, they hadn't been able to confirm Hikigaya Hachiman's whereabouts either.

Xingluo and Hikigaya Hachiman. Both were individuals whose whereabouts were unknown at the moment.

"...I never would have imagined."

A thought crossed her mind.

"To think that he and the Princess are together... It's impossible."

Claudia denied the absurd idea with a wry smile.

"So, why did they find out about Master's absence, Arema?"

"Well, listen, Cecily. Those guys kept pestering about where Xingluo-chan went or if she got into any trouble. They were just too persistent, so I slipped up and mentioned it."

"You slipped up? What happened?"

"Oh, I blurted out something like, 'I want to know too!'"

"That's not them finding out, you're the one who revealed it."

After Toruhou fainted, Cecily had been listening to Arema, trying to learn the details. They had a good relationship, so they spoke casually to each other.

Note: Toruhou had been taken to the infirmary by Cecily and was not present in the scene.

"Well, now that it's been revealed, we need to think about how to handle it in the future. Other schools' intelligence agencies will come rushing in, for sure."

"If they come, it'll be Xingluo's Kageboshi from Hoshito-kan, the Holy Council of Gallardworth, and Levolf's Black Cat Agency. Quinnveil should be safe since the Songstress didn't attend the meeting, and Arlucant is busy with internal conflicts."

"...Quinnveil is just a matter of time, I think. I agree about Arlucant, though."

There were rumors that Arlucant was in the midst of a power struggle among its five factions. Currently, they wouldn't interfere with other schools.

"Well, we'll take responsibility for our own actions. I, Kageboshi, will deal with those guys."

Arema Seiyan, a member of Ryuuseikyuu, the seventh department of Kageboshi, the special agency of the Dragon Consortium's intelligence network. That was Arema Seiyan's current position.

"I'm counting on you, but we're dealing with our own internal troubles as well, so we don't need any more complications."

"Wood and Water factions, right? Should I take care of them for you? Instead of Haruno."

"...No, let's stop there. We'll handle it ourselves."

For a moment, Cecily considered leaving it to her, but she refused. If Arema got involved, the damage would be too great.

"...May I have a moment, Shijie Wong?"

Cecily was called out at that moment. When she turned her gaze in the direction of the voice, she saw two men and a woman looking at her while spreading out documents on a desk. They were the twin siblings Lai Chenyun and Lai Chenhua.

"Why do we have to sort these documents?"

"Could you give us a satisfactory explanation?"

Chenhua, the younger sister, took over the words from her older brother Chenyun. It seemed as if one person was speaking, without any unnaturalness. That was the distinctive way the twins spoke.

"It's because Toruhou collapsed. I'm substituting for her."

Cecily replied casually. She was aware that she wasn't good at paperwork. So, the solution was simple. If she couldn't do it, she would ask someone who was good at it for help. Since Cecily and the twins belonged to the same Water faction, this was not the first time she had asked them to handle documents.

"Well, I'm used to it, so it doesn't matter."

"...Why is Daishixiong here?"

The twins directed their gaze to the same place Cecily did. There, Wuxiao Hui, fully engrossed in reading documents, was seated.

"Oh, I called him. He seemed free at the time."

"...Daishixiong can be called for such a trivial reason?"

"It's fine, right? It's not like when Haruno does it."

"What do you mean, Arema?"

Cecily asked, not understanding the meaning of Arema's words.

"Don't you get it? It's rare for Xingluo to be delighted, like when a powerful person appears. I'm sure she went to meet that person."

"But, even if she went to meet someone, Master isn't in Asterisk, and I can't imagine there's someone like that outside this city."

"But it's true. There's no other reason for Xingluo to be on the move like that."

Arema asserted, but there were others who couldn't accept it.

"If that story is true, it means that there's someone outside Asterisk who is strong enough to catch Master's interest... Breaking the agreement with Kairyuu and going to meet someone, what kind of strength is that person?"

Xingluo had made an agreement not to leave Asterisk. It was a verbal agreement for the All-Territory Assembly, but she had followed and respected it.

But this time, Xingluo had broken that agreement. There was undoubtedly something that had piqued her curiosity more than the risk of breaking the agreement with the Integrated Enterprise Conglomerate.

"Don't worry about it."

"Daishixiong?"

"Believe in Master and wait for her return. That's all we can do."

Wuxiao Hui said firmly and returned to reading the documents.

"Well, even if we speculate here, we won't know the truth. Now, let's continue. Arema, help me!"

"It's my fault Toruhou fainted, so I guess I have no choice. Cecily, can I have those documents?"

Cecily handed the documents to Arema.

"Well, we'll know once Master returns."

"There's no point in speculating here."

The twins also began reading the documents.

"I wonder what Master is doing right now."

Cecily muttered.

She wasn't worried about Xingluo. As far as Cecily knew, Xingluo was the strongest person in the world.

"Please come back soon... while Toruhou's stomach is still okay."

However, her wish was not fulfilled. Xingluo did not return to Asterisk until more than two months later.