No matter how much the onlookers processed the event, the reality was undeniable: Haruki Aizawa had achieved an impossible 100% synchronization rate. Even Ayato, usually so composed, was left speechless by the display of raw dominance.
While the air in the vault was thick with shock and envy, Haruki himself remained indifferent. Though he had "tamed" the weapon, he hadn't truly sought its approval. He had simply used the crushing weight of his Darkin-tainted killing intent to force the blade into submission.
Against a power that had faced the end of worlds, a single sentient sword—no matter how legendary—had no choice but to bow.
With the Ser-Veresta officially under his command, Haruki became the de facto owner of one of Seidokan's greatest treasures. Yet, his interest in the weapon remained purely functional. To him, a sword was a tool; its "soul" was secondary to its edge.
Claudia Enfield, however, was already moving through the paperwork. She finalized the registration, ensuring Haruki was legally recognized as the user of the Black Furnace Demon Sword.
Once the bureaucracy was settled, Claudia adjusted her posture, her violet eyes locking onto Haruki's with a sudden, serious intensity.
"Haruki-kun, do you remember what I said yesterday? About wanting to repay you for saving my life?"
"I remember," Haruki replied, a bit surprised that she was still dwelling on it.
"For me, a debt of life is not something to be taken lightly," Claudia said, her voice softening into a more intimate tone. "I'd like to settle it properly. Would you be willing to give me some of your time tonight?"
"Tonight?"
"Yes. I'll send you the details of the time and location later," she said, a faint, enticing blush touching her cheeks.
Most high school boys would have been spiraling into fantasies at that moment, but Haruki simply gave a curt nod. He preferred to focus on his training, but he figured a short meeting wouldn't hurt.
That evening.
Haruki sat in his room, the Ser-Veresta resting across his knees. He was analyzing the "vibration" of the weapon. It was indeed a marvel. The blade possessed a near-human consciousness, one that was currently sulking in the corner of Haruki's mind after its earlier defeat.
Haruki ignored its attitude. He tested the energy flow. The sword had two primary traits: extreme thermal output and absolute physical penetration. It was a weapon designed for total destruction. However, fully mastering it would require more than just force; it would eventually require a true resonance of wills.
Bzzzt—
His student terminal chimed. It was a message from Claudia.
"Sorry for the late notice, Haruki-kun. The Student Council meeting ran longer than expected. Are you free now? If so... would you mind coming to my room?"
Haruki paused. Her room? Even for a man who ignored social norms, that was a bold invitation.
"Are you serious?" he typed back.
"Of course. My room is on the top floor of the Southeast Wing of the girls' dorm. I'll leave the window unlocked for you. Please... don't be late. I'll be washed and waiting."
Haruki stared at the screen. The phrase "washed and waiting" felt like a trap, or at the very least, a massive headache in the making. He considered declining, but he hated leaving business unfinished. He decided to go, if only to get the "repayment" over with so he could return to his meditation.
Haruki reached the girls' dormitory in minutes. He didn't bother with the front gate; he used Highland Soul to become a blur, scaling the vertical face of the building with the ease of a shadow. He found the top-floor window Claudia had mentioned and slipped inside.
The suite was breathtaking—more like a five-star hotel penthouse than a student dorm. High-end furniture, elegant decor, and a faint, sophisticated scent of lavender filled the air.
"Claudia-san? I'm here," Haruki announced, maintaining a professional distance.
The door to the en-suite bathroom opened.
"Oh! You're early," Claudia said, stepping into the room.
A cloud of warm steam followed her. She wasn't wearing her uniform. She was wrapped in a single, plush white towel that left her shoulders and legs exposed. Droplets of water shimmered on her skin like pearls.
"I'm not quite finished with my shower," she said with a playful, unbothered smile. "Why don't you wait for me in the bedroom? It's much more comfortable in there."
"The bedroom?" Haruki asked, his gaze narrowing.
"Naturally."
Her tone was devoid of the usual student innocence; it was filled with an alluring, mature confidence. Haruki, realizing he was already past the point of no return, followed her into the inner chamber. Claudia dropped onto the large bed, now wearing a loose, silken robe that did little to hide the graceful curves of her frame.
"So," Haruki said, standing by the window. "What exactly is this 'repayment'?"
"What would you like it to be?" Claudia countered, pouring two glasses of a ruby-red liquid from a crystal decanter.
"Alcohol clouds the mind," Haruki said, declining the glass. "I prefer to stay sharp."
"I see. Then I suppose I'll have to drink for both of us."
Claudia took a slow sip. A soft, rosy glow spread across her cheeks, and her gaze grew heavy and enticing. Even in this high-tension, intimate atmosphere, Haruki remained like a statue of ice.
"Is this it? Drinking together?" he asked flatly. "Because if it is, I have better things to do."
Claudia froze, her glass halfway to her lips. She looked at Haruki, her expression a mix of shock and genuine disbelief. She had used every ounce of her charm, yet the "Sword Ghost" was looking at her as if she were a piece of malfunctioning equipment.
Haruki's total indifference was a blow to Claudia's pride, but she didn't let it show for long. She set the glass down and leaned back, the silk of her robe rustling.
"You really are a difficult man to please, Haruki-kun," she sighed. "Fine. If you aren't interested in the 'scenery,' perhaps we should move on to more serious matters."
"I thought we were here for 'repayment,'" Haruki noted.
"We are. But a debt can also be paid in information," Claudia said, her tone shifting to a cold, professional edge. "I've been investigating the Allekant connection. My contacts at their academy confirmed that the Al-D unit you captured was indeed a custom prototype. Someone is bypassing Foundation oversight to conduct illegal field tests on our students."
"Any names?"
"The puppet-master is still hidden, but I have a lead. Lester MacPhail's group is under surveillance by the disciplinary committee. He and Randy Hook have no alibis for the time of Julis's attack. However, the third member of their group—Silas Norman—has a perfect one. His roommates swore he was in the dorm studying the entire time."
"If he's a programmer or a summoner, an alibi is meaningless," Haruki pointed out.
"Exactly. Which makes him the prime suspect," Claudia nodded. She then looked at Haruki with a calculating glint in her eyes. "Since we know the target is the Festa candidates, the best way to catch them is to provide a target they can't resist. If you and Julis continue to 'publicly' spend time together, the attacker will be forced to move before the tournament starts."
"You want us to be bait," Haruki summarized.
"It's the most efficient route."
"Perhaps." Haruki didn't seem bothered by the idea. He already had his own plan, but he saw no reason to share it yet.
"Now," Claudia said, her voice dropping back into that dangerous, sultry register. "Business is over. Can we return to the matter of my gratitude?"
"Are we still on that?"
"I am a woman who pays her debts in full," Claudia whispered. She stood up from the bed and walked toward him, her movements fluid and predatory. She stopped inches from him, the warmth of her body and the scent of her perfume filling his senses.
"Haruki-kun," she said, placing a hand on his chest. "You saved my life. I want to give you something... unforgettable."
She leaned in, her lips close to his ear, her entire weight pressing against him.
Haruki felt the intensity of the moment—the heat of the girl, the silence of the room, and the sudden, heavy pulse of his own blood. For a man who lived for the blade, this was a different kind of battlefield.
He looked down at her, his eyes unreadable behind his cold mask. "Are you sure about this, Claudia?"
"I've never been more sure of anything," she breathed.
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