vrcanaries Chapter 749 - 749
Chapter 749 - 749
Early morning, golden-orange sunlight pierced through the sea surface, scattering ultraviolet rays across the city in all directions, gradually driving away shadows and darkness.At six in the morning, just as sunlight was about to cross the curtains and enter the room, Touka Toudou groggily rose from bed. After grooming herself, she stepped out of her hotel room refreshed, exuding a youthful and pure charm with a touch of mature feminine grace.
"Junior, are you ready?"
Arriving at the neighboring room, Touka extended a fingertip crackling with golden lightning, deftly opened the door, and peeked inside.
However, the room lacked any trace of human presence, as if it had been unoccupied since yesterday.
"Did he not return?"
Most likely, he had been training outside all night.
A hint of concern flickered in Touka's eyes.
It wasn't that she worried about her junior's safety—with his abilities, she should be more concerned about those who might accidentally provoke him.
Rather, the fact that her junior had immersed himself in training all night indicated that Kurogane-kun had become a rival he needed to take seriously.
Leaving the hotel, they met up with Kanata Totokubara and the others. Following the city's crowds like rivers flowing to the sea, they headed toward the dome-shaped arena by the bay.
On the fourth day of the Seven Star Sword Art Festival, the finals of this year's tournament had finally arrived!
"I'm so nervous! Who do you think will win the championship?"
Along the way, while basking in the attention from the crowd, Renren Tomaru rubbed her hands nervously and asked the group excitedly.
"Ikkii!"
Stella answered without hesitation.
"Junior!"
Touka responded promptly.
The two women glared at each other, their gazes locking as if sparks were flying between them, making onlookers shudder.
"Overthinking won't help. We'll know the outcome once the match begins."
Kanata Totokubara soothed the two love-struck women while shooting a glare at Renren.
If you're so good at stirring things up, why not go play the piano?
Renren stuck out her tongue playfully.
Arena.
As soon as they crossed the passageway, a wave of fervent cheers surged over them, nearly overwhelming.
"So many people!"
"Is it completely full?"
The group gasped in astonishment.
The entire arena was packed to capacity, with countless spectators waving glow sticks and unleashing thunderous cheers.
It rivaled a superstar concert—everyone's faces flushed with excitement, eagerly awaiting the starting whistle of the match.
However, the audience was almost unanimously cheering for Eiji, which left Stella fuming.
"The audience's eyes are sharp!"
Touka wore a proud, triumphant smile.
"Yeah, because that guy only has a pretty face!"
Stella retorted sourly.
Touka had meant that the Sword God's strength was evident to all, but Stella deliberately twisted it to imply the audience was merely shallow admirers of looks, her tone dripping with envy.
The two women stood together, their eyes locking once more as intense sparks seemed to fly between them.
"By the way, where are the two of them?"
Kanata chose to ignore the overly emotional women, looking around for the two main contenders.
"Ikkii seems to have already entered the preparation room."
Hearing this, Utakata Misogi's doll-like face broke into an adorable smile.
"He said he didn't want to be disturbed before the match. As for Eiji, I don't know."
"Has Eiji not arrived yet?"
Kanata Totokubara immediately furrowed her brows.
Utakata Misogi shrugged.
Who knew? Someone like him didn't need their concern anyway.
After a moment's thought, Kanata Totokubara quietly took out her student handbook.
"Huh? Kanata, when did you add your junior as a friend?"
For some reason, Touka suddenly stopped bickering with Stella and sharp-eyed noticed her close friend sending a message to their junior.
Kanata Totokubara was startled, her hand trembling slightly.
"I just helped him with something before. It's not strange to have added him as a friend."
She tried to suppress her racing heart and replied with a calm expression.
At the same time, she discreetly put away her student handbook.
"Did you send the message?"
Touka blinked, her gaze fixed intently on her friend's face.
"You seemed a bit rushed?"
"It's already sent."
Under her intense stare, Kanata Totokubara felt flustered and unconsciously averted her eyes.
"Speaking of which, Touka, didn't you ask him yourself? The match is about to start."
"I don't want to disturb my junior."
Touka smiled lightly and shifted her gaze away.
"After all, he's not a child anymore. He definitely won't be late."
Kanata Totokubara secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
As she relaxed, she found it a bit strange—hadn't Touka always been rather naive? Why was she so sharp this time?
"By the way, Kanata, what's your contact name for our junior?"
Touka suddenly spoke up, smiling as she looked over, her eyes brimming with innocent amusement.
"I think I saw something like 'darling' or something?"
Kanata Totokubara's heart nearly stopped.
Oh no, she had always set Eiji's contact name as "Darling." Had Touka accidentally seen it just now?!
"Hmm..."
Renren Tomaru and Utakata Misogi exchanged a glance.
"Does the atmosphere feel a bit off?"
"Me too... Let's move farther away."
The two silently shifted a few seats over.
"Touka, has your nearsightedness gotten worse again?"
Kanata Totokubara took a deep breath, then looked at Touka with a concerned expression.
Her eyes were full of the unspoken suggestion: Shouldn't you get a new pair of glasses?
"We're not that close, and you know I've never liked frivolous terms like that."
She was lying.
In reality, Kanata—who secretly enjoyed the thrill of their forbidden, clandestine relationship—had already reached first and second base with Eiji, even if they hadn't gone all the way.
"Is that so?"
Touka immediately panicked.
She hurriedly took off her glasses, and her vision instantly blurred. Anything beyond a meter was hazy, and beyond five meters, she couldn't distinguish people from animals.
"Oh no, has my prescription gotten worse again?"
Touka was utterly flustered.
After the match, she absolutely had to ask Kiriko to help restore her eyeballs!
If her lenses got any thicker, she wouldn't have the face to stand next to her junior anymore!
Kanata Totokubara secretly sighed in relief.
Thank goodness Touka was easy to fool!
That was a close call!
"The match is about to start!"
Stella's slightly raised voice, tense with anxiety, reached the ears of the group, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
In the arena.
The blue gate slowly opened.
Amid the host's introduction, Kurogane Ikki, clad in Hagun Academy's uniform, stepped into the hundred-meter-wide combat circle with an overwhelmingly powerful presence, eliciting a wave of screams from the spectator stands.
By now, there was no need for anyone to introduce the name of this knight who had climbed from the mud to the clouds.