Chapter 319: Akatsuki's Goal and the Reunited Valkyrie
Facing his own biological younger brother and sister, Ouma was not even willing to spare them another glance.
After his conversation with Luke, the doubts in Ouma's heart had not been resolved. Instead, he had only become even more lost.
With his mood suddenly dropping, he lost all interest in small fry like Ikki and the others.
Naturally, Ouma had heard what Luke said to Stella before leaving, so from that moment on, his gaze had been fixed on her.
Although Luke had shaken his head, sighed, and even judged Ouma as "disappointing" and "broken," that was only from Luke's perspective.
It was definitely not because Ouma was weak.
Ouma was strong. At least from the current situation, he possessed terrifying power capable of crushing everyone present.
He stared at Stella, and merely feeling that gaze made the girl feel as though a blade had scraped across her skin.
That immense pressure was something Stella had only personally felt from one person before.
Luke.
Or more accurately, the old Luke.
The pressure coming from Ouma was closer to Luke back when he had first enrolled at Hagun.
Even so, that was already extremely impressive.
Among Akatsuki Academy's six Blazers, Ouma stood out like a crane among chickens.
Just standing there, the presence and pressure he gave off were already extraordinarily powerful.
After Ouma refused to answer Ikki's question, the tense atmosphere between both sides instantly rose to its peak.
Just as it seemed they were about to fight, Pierrot, Hiraga Reisen, spoke.
"Hehehe, Ouma, isn't your dear little brother's question perfectly timed?"
"What exactly are we trying to do? What is Akatsuki Academy? Wonderful. That question strikes right at the heart of the matter."
"So allow~ me to tell you~"
Pierrot was a textbook pleasure criminal, almost to the point where he could be used as a perfect example.
He acted based on what he found "interesting," and no one even knew what his definition of "interesting" truly was.
Even while carrying out an important mission, he would inexplicably mix in actions completely unrelated to the plan.
Just like now.
Explaining their goal to the enemy?
Forget Stella and Ikki's side. Even Ouma, Amane, and the others found it somewhat baffling.
Yet Pierrot chose to do exactly that.
If he were not the main person in charge of this plan, more than one person would probably have stepped forward to stop him from continuing.
With the classic posture of a villain who would die from talking too much, Pierrot began his explanation.
"The answer is actually very simple. We, Akatsuki, are a new academy established without the League's approval."
"So even though our students possess the right to participate in the Seven Star Sword Art Festival, the operating committee will not acknowledge Akatsuki's participation."
"In order to participate in this grand festival that decides the strongest student knight in this country, we need them to recognize us. We need to prove ourselves in a very obvious way."
"Without us, the Seven Star Sword Art Festival has no meaning at all!"
…
While Hagun and Akatsuki were locked in confrontation and conversation, Luke, who had left the school, walked alone along the road.
Although it was summer vacation, this area was usually not so empty that not a single person could be seen.
Whether it was Pierrot's idea or Edelweiss's request, this entire area had clearly been cleared out.
That was convenient for Luke.
He was indeed looking forward to meeting Edelweiss, but his steps were not especially fast.
On the contrary, compared to usual, Luke was moving extremely slowly.
He truly advanced toward the battlefield where Edelweiss waited, one step at a time.
With every step, Luke's aura grew stronger.
With every step, his heart grew calmer.
With every step, his suppressed fighting spirit roared within him.
With every step, the raging sword energy around him gradually solidified.
Step by step, Luke finally arrived at an open space outside the city.
And then, he saw that pure-white Valkyrie once again.
Before he realized it, twilight had already passed, and the moon had silently climbed into the night sky.
The flawless white Valkyrie stood quietly ahead of Luke's line of sight. Under the moonlight, she looked so pure and sacred.
Looking at this beautiful scene that felt strangely familiar, and feeling the terrifying pressure that had swept toward him from all directions ever since he stepped into the battle zone…
Luke smiled.
(PS: Second battle >.< If you like this fanfiction, make sure to vote and comment.)
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"I see. In other words, destroying Hagun is what you people call your 'proof.'"
Touka looked at Pierrot, who was spouting outrageous claims, and immediately understood what he meant.
"You guys want to replace Hagun as a participating school in the Seven Star Sword Art Festival… Do you really think such an unreasonable method will work?"
"The operating committee isn't made up of fools. There's only one result from doing something like this, and that's disqualification."
Touka's thoughts were not exactly wrong, because what Pierrot and the others were doing was no different from opposing Japan as a nation.
Unfortunately, she did not know that the one backing Pierrot and the others was none other than the highest authority of the very nation she believed in.
Of course, Pierrot was not foolish enough to expose the information of the client who had hired them on the spot.
He giggled and answered Touka from another angle.
"Disqualification? No, no, no. We will absolutely participate in the Seven Star Sword Art Festival."
"Rather, the operating committee, and the League behind it, will have no choice but to acknowledge us."
"Think about it. Hagun is a prestigious academy with a long history, and this year's lineup is more luxurious than ever before."
"If we destroy this school and defeat all of its representatives, what would that mean?"
Although he asked the question, Pierrot did not wait for Touka and the others to answer before continuing on his own.
"After the last World War, the League spent a full half-century finally monopolizing Blazer education in this country."
"The League will absolutely not allow an educational institution superior to itself to appear. This concerns its credibility in Japan."
"You should know that with the activities of world-class powerhouses like the God of War, World Clock, and Yaksha Princess over the past few years, the League's control over the country has already been constantly weakening."
"In order to recover its credibility and prove that the Blazers cultivated by the League are the most outstanding, it must accept our challenge."
The Seven Star Sword Art Festival was not only a celebration for students.
It was also a stage for the League to display its results to the people of Japan.
After all, having the nation's core armed force, the Blazers, trained by an organization from outside the country was something that could easily draw criticism in itself.
Only by showing results could the League make the country tolerate this exception.
If Hagun, one of the seven schools used to display those results, were defeated, especially under the great attention this year was receiving, then the "trust" the League had painstakingly built up would be destroyed.
And if the League wanted to regain that lost trust, it would have no choice but to face the challenge head-on and win.
That was also the final goal the highest authority of this country had told Pierrot and the others.
After all, no matter how one looked at it, handing the armed forces of one's own country over to someone else was not exactly reassuring.
The amount of information revealed in Pierrot's words was simply too great.
For a moment, Touka and the others all froze in place.
Although Touka was the Student Council President, once the matter involved the League, their country, and even the world's political structure, it had already exceeded her ability to handle.
Just digesting, absorbing, and analyzing the credibility of his words was already taking everything she had. Naturally, she had no room left to speak up and suppress Pierrot's arrogance.
And that was exactly what Pierrot loved to see.
He admired the uncertain looks in the eyes of Hagun's students, intoxicated by the pleasure he had created.
However, in the next instant, Stella's mocking voice shattered the joy in Pierrot's heart.
"Hmph. So that's why you lured Luke away."
"You clearly couldn't beat Luke and had to ask someone else for help, yet you're talking as if Akatsuki is stronger than Hagun."
"That's hilarious. Don't tell me the person you prepared to defeat Luke is also one of Akatsuki Academy's 'students'?"
…
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