Sparring

Morning came too quickly. 

Yuto groaned as he dragged himself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

He had barely gotten any rest, his mind kept circling back to the fight, to the way his body had reacted without thinking. 

But there was no time to dwell on it. 

He got dressed, grabbed his books, and bag, and headed for class. 

As soon as he walked through the door, however— 

Silence.

Every single pair of eyes in the room snapped at him. 

Yuto paused mid-step, blinking. 

"What…?"

Then, just as suddenly, the room exploded into noise. 

"That's him! He took down an ogre in one strike!" 

"I heard he used some kind of forbidden technique!" 

"Do you think he's secretly a half-demon or something?" 

"Wait, is he single?" 

Yuto stared as his classmates whispered, pointed, and gawked. 

Some were excited, others wary, and some were just plain annoying. 

He sighed, trudging toward his seat like none of it was happening. 

Alice, who had been casually leaning back in her chair, smirked as he sat down beside her. 

"Wow. Just one flashy move, and suddenly you're a legend. How does it feel?" 

Yuto shot her a glare. 

"Like a headache" 

Alice snickered. 

"Oh, come on, Mr. Ogre Slayer. Enjoy the fame" 

He slumped onto his desk. 

"Pass" 

Before Alice could tease him more, the classroom door opened and Professor Hideo walked in. 

"Alright, settle down," they said, setting his books on the desk. 

"I know many of you have heard things about yesterday's incident, but we still have a lesson to get through" 

The students groaned but quieted down. 

Yuto exhaled in relief. 

'Finally, some normalcy' 

Or so he thought.

Just as the professor started writing on the board, a familiar voice echoed through the room— 

"Excuse me," Reika said from the doorway, her soft tone carrying enough weight to make everyone turn. 

Yuto's eyes widened. 

She stood there, calm and composed, her gaze locking onto him. 

"I would like to borrow Yuto Akimitsu for a moment" 

The classroom once again exploded with noise. 

"Borrow him? What does that even mean?!" 

"Wait, wait, wait—Reika knows Yuto?" 

"Hold on, is this about the ogre thing?! Or is this something… more?" 

Yuto groaned, feeling every single pair of eyes on him. 

He could already hear the ridiculous rumors forming. 

Alice, leaning casually on her desk, smirked. 

"Wow. You're moving up in the world" 

"Not. A. Word," Yuto muttered. 

Hideo sighed, rubbing his temples. 

"Fine, go. But if this is about something stupid, you're getting extra homework" 

Yuto reluctantly stood, shoving his hands into his pockets as he followed Reika out the door. 

The moment it shut behind them, he sighed. 

"Alright, what's this about? If this is about the movie—" 

"It's not," Reika cut in, walking ahead. 

"Follow me" 

Yuto frowned but kept pace. 

It wasn't long before they reached a quieter part of the academy, where Reika finally turned to face him. 

"You've gotten a lot more famous, you know" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Don't remind me" 

Reika smirked. 

"Did you expect anything else? Taking down an ogre in a single blow isn't exactly low-profile" 

Yuto crossed his arms. 

"Yeah, well, it's more annoying than anything" 

Reika's smirk faded. 

"Well, it's about to get more annoying." 

Yuto narrowed his eyes. 

"That's never a good sign" 

Reika exhaled before dropping the news. 

"The academy is hosting a tournament. A big one. Open to all students" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"So?" 

Reika gave him a look. 

"So… after what happened, everyone expects you to enter" 

Yuto stared at her, waiting for her to say she was joking. 

She didn't. 

"…Great," he muttered. 

"Just what I needed" 

Reika tilted her head. 

"What? You don't want to show off?" 

"I just wanted a normal week," Yuto grumbled. 

Reika chuckled. 

"Well, normal's boring. Besides, people want to see what you're really capable of" 

Yuto sighed, running a hand through his hair. 

A tournament, huh?

As if his life wasn't already a hassle.

Yuto leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. 

"Let me guess—opting out isn't an option?" 

Reika shook her head. 

"Not unless you want the entire school calling you a coward" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Of course not" 

She smirked. 

"Besides, aren't you the least bit curious? You don't exactly lose fights, but this tournament will have some real competition" 

"Pass" 

Reika raised an eyebrow. 

"You really hate attention, huh?" 

"No, I hate bothersome things" 

Reika chuckled. 

"Well, too bad. The announcement goes out later today, and I guarantee your name will be at the top of the list of 'must-watch participants'" 

Yuto sighed, rubbing his temples. 

First, the ogre attack, then all the rumors, and now this? 

Couldn't he ever catch a break? 

He pushed off the wall. 

"Alright, fine. I'll think about it. But if I join, I'm not doing it for them" 

Reika nodded, satisfied. 

"That's fair" 

Just as Yuto turned to leave, she added, "Oh, and you might want to start training" 

Yuto paused. 

"Why?" 

Reika smiled. 

"Because you won't just be fighting students" 

Yuto blinked. 

"…Excuse me?" 

Reika's eyes gleamed with amusement. 

"This isn't just an ordinary tournament. There will be guest fighters—experienced ones" 

Yuto stared at her for a long moment before sighing deeply. 

"You enjoy messing with me, don't you?" 

Reika chuckled. 

"A little" 

Yuto shook his head and walked off. 

"This is going to be such a pain…" 

And somehow, he had the feeling things were only going to get worse.

—

Yuto stabbed his fork into his plate of grilled meat, sighing as he lazily chewed. 

Across from him, Alice sipped her strawberry smoothie, watching him with a knowing smirk. 

To his left, Ryo, a classmate who owed him lunch, grumbled as he set down a tray piled with food. 

"You better appreciate this, Akimitsu" 

Yuto took a dramatic bite of his burger. 

"Tastes even better when it's free" 

Ryo rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah" 

Alice giggled. 

"So, did Reika have juicy information for you this morning?" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Not you too" 

"Hey, I'm curious" 

She leaned forward. 

"Come on, what did she want?" 

Yuto sighed, resting his chin on his hand.

"Apparently, the academy is hosting a tournament" 

Ryo's chewing slowed. 

Alice raised an eyebrow. 

"And?" she prompted. 

"And, because of the whole ogre thing, everyone expects me to join" 

Ryo snorted. 

"Well, duh" 

Alice smiled. 

"That doesn't sound so bad" 

Yuto gave her a flat look. 

"Of course, you would say that" 

Before Alice could respond, the cafeteria speakers crackled to life. 

"Attention, students" 

Yuto already had a bad feeling. 

"The academy is proud to announce its upcoming Grand Combat Tournament!" 

The cafeteria erupted into excited chatter. 

"As a test of skill and discipline, students from all years will have the opportunity to prove themselves against worthy opponents"

"In addition, guest fighters from outside the academy will be participating" 

Yuto sighed. 

"Yep. There it is" 

"And now, we'd like to formally recognize some of the highlighted participants—students with outstanding skill and talent!" 

Ryo perked up. 

"Ooh, this should be interesting." 

Yuto just kept eating. 

He already knew what was coming. 

"First, the student who recently displayed extraordinary combat prowess—Yuto Akimitsu!" 

The cafeteria erupted.

Yuto's head hit the table with a loud thud. 

Alice giggled. 

"Congratulations, 'Ogre Slayer.'" 

Ryo clapped his shoulder. 

"Guess you don't have a choice now" 

Yuto kept his forehead firmly planted against the table as the announcements continued. 

"And next, another standout student and top-tier combatant—Reika Tsukihara!" 

More cheers erupted, though this time, there was a mix of admiration and fear. 

Reika wasn't just skilled, she was ruthless in combat, even for a first year she was feared. 

Alice sipped her smoothie. 

"Ooooh looks like your 'study buddy' is in, too" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Fantastic" 

"Following her, we have the Academy's reigning second-year champion—Jin Takasuke!" 

A group of students cheered in a corner of the cafeteria. 

Jin was a well-known fighter, famous for his lightning-fast swordplay. 

Ryo leaned back in his chair. 

"Man, this is stacked" 

Alice nodded. 

"It's almost like they want Yuto to suffer" 

"I already do suffer," Yuto muttered. 

The announcer continued. 

"And let's not forget—Alice Elizabeth Marie!" 

Yuto's head shot up. 

Alice blinked. 

"Huh?" 

The cafeteria roared with surprise. 

Ryo nearly choked on his drink. 

"You're in?!" 

Yuto turned to her, confused. 

"Wait, why are you in? You don't even like fighting!" 

Alice tilted her head, just as baffled as him. 

"I mean… I can fight, but I didn't sign up for this" 

The announcer added, "As a recommended participant, we hope to see her skills on full display!" 

Alice forced a smile. 

"Oh, joy" 

Yuto sighed. 

"Well, now we're both stuck" 

The announcements continued with a few more names, but Yuto had already tuned them out. 

This wasn't just some casual competition anymore. 

Now, even Alice was involved. 

And for some reason… that made his gut twist.

Dorm

Yuto sat at his desk, lazily tapping his pen against his notebook as he worked on the extra homework the professor gave him. 

His brain was already fried from the day's chaos, but homework wouldn't do itself. 

Meanwhile, Alice was sprawled out on his bed, casually munching on a bag of chips like she owned the place. 

"Hey, Yuto," she said, crunching on another chip. 

He didn't look up. 

"What?" 

She propped herself up on one elbow. 

"So… about the tournament" 

Yuto groaned, dropping his pen. 

"Can we not talk about that?" 

Alice smirked. 

"But it's so interesting. You, me, and even Reika are in it" 

"That's one way to describe it," Yuto muttered, rubbing his temples

She threw a chip in the air and caught it in her mouth. 

"Come on, aren't you even a little excited?" 

Yuto shot her a deadpan look. 

"I can think of about twenty things I'd rather do than get dragged into this mess" 

Alice giggled. 

"Like what?" 

"Sleeping. Eating. Not getting stabbed!" 

Alice snorted. 

"You do realize it's a combat tournament, right? There's going to be fighting" 

Yuto sighed, leaning back in his chair. 

"Yeah, yeah. I just don't get why you're in it. You hate fighting" 

Alice popped another chip into her mouth. 

"I don't hate it" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"You literally refuse to spar in class" 

Alice shrugged. 

"That's because it's boring" 

Yuto gave her a look. 

"And a tournament isn't?" 

She smirked. 

"Well, you're in it, so maybe It'll be fun" 

Yuto felt his eyes twitch. 

"Don't put that kind of pressure on me" 

Alice just giggled, then stretched out on his bed like a lazy cat. 

"So, are you actually going to train for this, or are you just going to wing it?" 

Yuto sighed, staring at the ceiling. 

"Haven't decided" 

Alice hummed. 

"Well, if you don't want to die in the first round, you might want to think about it" 

Yuto groaned. 

"You're so supportive" 

She tossed a pillow at him. 

"That's what friends are for!" 

Yuto caught it, shaking his head. 

He leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. 

The idea of training for this tournament was starting to feel real, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. 

Alice, meanwhile, had moved on to a chocolate bar, happily munching away on his bed like she had all the time in the world. 

"Alright," Yuto finally said, running a hand through his hair. 

"Let's say I do take this seriously. Who am I even supposed to train with?" 

Alice hummed, tapping her chin. 

"Reika?" 

Yuto snorted. 

"Yeah, because that's a great idea. I'd rather not get broken in half before the tournament even starts" 

Alice giggled. 

"You're not that fragile" 

"I'd like to keep it that way" 

She tossed the empty wrapper onto his desk, ignoring his glare. 

"Okay, okay. What about Ryo? He's decent" 

Yuto sighed. 

"I guess that's an option" 

Alice smirked. 

"Or you could train with me" 

Yuto blinked. Then blinked again. 

"I'm sorry, what?" 

Alice stretched her arms over her head. 

"I am in the tournament too, you know. Might as well get some practice" 

Yuto stared at her, unsure whether to take her seriously. 

"You do realize I won't go easy on you, right?" 

Alice smirked. 

"And you do realize I won't go easy on you either, right?" 

Something about her tone made Yuto pause. 

For a moment, he saw a flicker of confidence in her eyes, one he didn't see often. 

"…Fine," he said, crossing his arms. 

"But don't cry when you lose" 

Alice grinned. 

"Same to you, Ogre Slayer" 

Yuto groaned. 

"I hate that nickname" 

She just laughed, rolling onto her side. 

"You better get used to it" 

Yuto sighed. 

'I sadly am used to it' 

Alice sat up, brushing crumbs off her skirt. 

"Well, no time like the present" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"Huh?" 

"Let's spar. Right now" 

Yuto blinked. 

"…You're joking" 

Alice smirked. 

"Am I?" 

Yuto groaned, rubbing his temples. 

"Alice, I just wanted a quiet evening. Maybe finish my homework. Not get punched by my best friend" 

Alice hopped off the bed, stretching. 

"You say that like I'd even need to punch you. I could probably take you down without even trying" 

Yuto scoffed. 

"Oh, please" 

Alice tilted her head, grinning. 

"What, scared you'll lose?" 

Yuto rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, now you're just baiting me" 

She clasped her hands behind her back, rocking on her heels. 

"Is it working?" 

Yuto stared at her for a long moment. 

Then, with a sigh, he stood up and cracked his knuckles. 

"Fine," he muttered. 

"Let's do this" 

Alice beamed. 

"Great! The training hall should still be open" 

Yuto grabbed his coat, shaking his head. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this" 

Alice giggled, skipping ahead of him toward the door. 

"Better warm up, Yuto. You're so going to lose" 

Yuto followed, rolling his shoulders. 

If Alice wanted a fight, he'd give her one.

And if it came with a free meal after, then that was simply a bonus.

— 

The training hall was mostly empty when Yuto and Alice arrived, except for a few students practicing in the far corner. 

The sparring ring, a large circular platform reinforced with magic, stood in the center, waiting for them. 

Alice bounced on her heels, rolling her shoulders. 

"Alright, standard sparring rules—no weapons, no magic, and we stop when one of us gives up (or is on the losing side)" 

Yuto smirked, he was pretty sure Alice thought he hadn't heard the last part, which made him chuckle slightly.

"You sure you don't want to add 'no crying' to the list?" 

Alice grinned, her left eye twitching just a bit.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll save your tears in a bottle" 

Yuto sighed, stepping onto the platform. 

"Alright, let's get this over with" 

Alice took her stance, light on her feet. 

Yuto mirrored her, raising his fists. 

"Ready?" she asked. 

"Always" 

The moment the words left his mouth, Alice moved. 

Yuto barely had time to react as she dashed in, going low with a sweeping kick. 

He hopped back just in time, but Alice was already closing the gap, aiming a jab at his ribs. 

'She's fast'

Yuto blocked, stepping to the side to counter, but Alice twisted, using his own momentum against him. 

Before he could react, she hooked her leg behind his and swept him off balance. 

Yuto hit the mat with a grunt. 

Alice took a step back, hands on her hips. 

"That was easy" 

Yuto stared at the ceiling, blinking. 

"...Huh?" 

Alice giggled. 

"You look surprised" 

He sat up, rubbing the back of his head. 

"I just forgot how annoying you are" 

Alice smirked. 

"You want to go again, or have you accepted your defeat?" 

Yuto stood, cracking his neck. 

"Oh, we're just getting started" 

Alice grinned. 

"That's what I like to hear" 

And just like that, they went at it again. 

Yuto wasn't going to let Alice humiliate him twice. 

The moment they reset, he took the initiative, dashing forward with a quick feint before aiming a real strike at her side. 

Alice sidestepped smoothly, but Yuto was already pivoting, sweeping a kick at her legs. 

This time, she was the one caught off guard. 

With a soft yelp, Alice lost her balance. 

Yuto smirked. 

"Got yo—" 

Before he could finish, Alice twisted mid-fall and used his outstretched arm as leverage, flipping herself back onto her feet. 

She landed with a bounce, dusting off her skirt like nothing happened. 

Yuto blinked. 

"...What." 

Alice winked. 

"Gotta be quicker than that" 

Yuto groaned. 

"That should have worked" 

Alice giggled. 

"I have been training, you know. What, did you think I just sat around eating snacks all day?" 

"Yes" 

Alice rolled her eyes. 

"Well, surprise! I actually know how to fight" 

Yuto exhaled, shaking out his arms. 

"Alright, no more playing around" 

Alice smirked. 

"Oh? So you were holding back?" 

Instead of answering, Yuto dashed forward. 

He kept his movements unpredictable, throwing quick jabs to test her reflexes. 

Alice dodged smoothly, but Yuto adjusted his footwork, cutting off her escape routes. 

For the first time, Alice hesitated. 

'Now!'

Yuto lunged, aiming a strike toward her shoulder, only for Alice to suddenly drop low and slide between his legs. 

Before he could even turn around, she kicked out his knee from behind. 

Yuto stumbled, and in a blink, Alice was right behind him. 

A hand gently tapped his back. 

"Tag," Alice whispered in his ear. 

Yuto stiffened as he realized she could've knocked him flat just now. 

Slowly, he turned, staring at her. 

"...You planned that?" 

Alice grinned. 

"Maybe" 

Yuto let out a long sigh. 

"I hate you" 

Alice laughed. 

"No, you don't" 

He shook his head, finally cracking a small smile. 

"Okay, maybe not. But I am demanding a rematch" 

Alice stretched her arms. 

"Fine by me. I could do this all night" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Of course you could" 

And just like that, round three began. 

Yuto wasn't about to let Alice dance around him again. 

As soon as they reset, he focused, not just on her movements, but on her rhythm.

She liked to bait, dodge, and counter. 

This time, he wouldn't fall for it. 

Alice smirked. 

"You sure you wanna go again? You're looking kinda tired, Yuto" 

He rolled his shoulders. 

"Just warming up" 

Alice giggled. 

"Alright, let's see it then" 

She darted in, feinting left before stepping right, aiming a quick palm strike at his ribs, except Yuto didn't move to block it. 

He stepped into the attack. 

Alice's eyes widened as he closed the gap, reaching out and grabbing her wrist before she could react. 

In one swift motion, he twisted, using her own momentum against her. 

Alice barely had time to yelp before Yuto hooked his leg behind hers and swept her off balance. 

This time, she didn't land gracefully. 

With a soft thud, she hit the mat, blinking up at him in shock. 

Yuto smirked, still holding her wrist. 

"Gotcha" 

Alice blinked, her hair sprawled across the floor. 

Then, to his confusion, she laughed. 

"Well, well," she mused, still grinning. 

"You can learn" 

Yuto rolled his eyes, releasing her hand as he stood. 

"Oh, shut up" 

Alice sat up, stretching her arms. 

"Fine, fine, you win this round" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"No tricks? No sudden last-minute reversal?" 

Alice winked. 

"I could, but I think I'll let you have this one" 

He crossed his arms. 

"That sounds way too suspicious" 

Alice giggled, hopping to her feet. 

"Alright, I'm officially hungry. Let's go get food" 

Yuto sighed, wiping some sweat from his forehead. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'm starving too" 

As they stepped off the platform, Alice nudged his shoulder. 

"You're not half bad when you actually try, you know" 

Yuto gave her a sideways glance. 

"Was that a compliment?" 

She grinned. 

"Maybe" 

He groaned. 

"I really hate you sometimes" 

Alice just laughed, linking her hands behind her back. 

"No, you don't" 

And just like that, the sparring session ended, replaced by the more important task of finding food.

— 

Yuto yawned as he entered his dorm room, kicking off his shoes. 

His body ached from sparring, and all he wanted was to collapse onto his bed and sleep until the next century. 

Plus, the giant portions of food he ate were putting him to sleep, all on Alice's dime of course.

But as he stepped inside, he noticed something unusual. 

A book lay on the floor near his desk. 

He frowned. 

"Huh?" 

He bent down, picking it up. 

The cover was old, with strange golden engravings swirling across the leather surface. 

He turned it over in his hands, confused. 

"…Did Alice drop this?" he muttered. 

She was lounging on his bed earlier, eating snacks like she owned the place. 

Maybe she left it behind. 

Sighing, he moved to put it on his desk but as he adjusted his grip, he felt a sharp sting.

"Ah—dammit" 

He looked at his finger. 

A small cut. 

A single drop of blood rolled off— 

—landing on the book's cover. 

The reaction was instant. 

The engravings glowed, a deep purple light pulsing from the book's surface. 

The air in his room grew thick, charged with a strange, otherworldly energy. 

Yuto's eyes widened. 

"Oh, no" 

A massive, glowing summoning circle appeared beneath his feet, buzzing with raw magic. 

Before he could react, violet energy burst forth, forcing him to shield his face. 

When the light faded, someone stood before him. 

A woman. 

No—something far more dangerous. 

She had long, flowing hair, eyes filled with amusement, and curved black horns atop her head. 

Dark, leathery wings stretched behind her, and her figure was… well, a lot. 

Everything about her oozed confidence, beauty, and temptation. 

She smiled, fangs glinting in the dim light. 

"My, my," she purred, her voice smooth as silk. 

"What an adorable little human we have here" 

Yuto blinked. 

Then he sighed, rubbing his temple. 

"…Alice definitely didn't drop this book" 

The woman chuckled, placing a finger to her lips. 

"Mmm, no, darling. I am far more exciting than some pink-haired schoolgirl" 

Her eyes gleamed. 

"Allow me to introduce myself" 

She stepped forward, her heels clicking against the floor. 

Power radiated from her as she spoke. 

"I am Lilith Vi Leila, the Sixth Demon General, Queen of Succubi" 

She smirked, licking her lips. 

"And from the looks of it… You are my new summoner" 

Yuto stared at her. 

Then at the glowing book in his hands. 

Then back at her. 

"…I really should've just gone to bed"

Lilith crossed her arms, her violet and red eyes studying Yuto with an odd glint. 

Then, with an amused chuckle, she muttered, "Strange" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"What's strange?" 

She smirked, tapping a manicured nail against her lips. 

"That I'm not tearing you apart where you stand" 

His entire body tensed. 

"Well, that's comforting" 

Lilith chuckled. 

"Isn't it? A high-ranking demon, standing before a human—one who, by all logic, should be my enemy. And yet…" 

She let her words trail off, tilting her head as if contemplating something. 

Yuto's gaze sharpened. 

"Yet?" 

Lilith was silent for a moment before her expression shifted, still playful, but with something deeper lurking beneath. 

"An old lover," she said simply. 

Yuto blinked. 

"…What?" 

She sighed dramatically, turning away from him. 

"Oh, don't give me that look. It's not like I chose to be sentimental. But here I am, standing before you, and something in me just… pauses" 

Yuto frowned, a strange unease creeping into his chest. 

"You're saying I remind you of someone?" 

Lilith turned back to him with a teasing smile. 

"Oh, darling. You don't remind me of him" 

She stepped forward, her eyes glinting in the dim light. 

"You are him" 

A chill ran down Yuto's spine, but he shoved it aside. 

"You're messing with me" 

Lilith shrugged. 

"Believe what you want" 

Yuto let out a long sigh, rubbing his temple. 

"Okay. Fine. Let's say I am this 'old lover' or whatever. That still doesn't answer my biggest question" 

Lilith raised an eyebrow. 

"And that is?" 

He gestured at her. 

"What the hell am I supposed to do with you?" 

Lilith laughed, a rich, sultry sound. 

"Oh, darling. That's the real question, isn't it?" 

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper. 

"I wonder… what will you do with me?" 

Yuto exhaled slowly, already regretting every life choice that led him here.