Time passed. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and eventually the year came to an end. The trio moved on to the next year of their education.

Ryuji and his friends, now eighteen, reigned supreme over their school. None dared defy their commands. Yet they did not abuse their power. They lived in peace, using their influence to rein in abusive nobles and curb the reckless actions of those who harassed fellow students, much to the nobles' displeasure.

One day, as the trio made their way to the dining hall after classes, they stumbled upon a few familiar faces: Riki Shibatani, Sophia Dion, and three other nobles.

On the ground lay Michika Midori, a junior student with short, light-green hair and glasses, dressed in what appeared to be a librarian's attire.

Her face and body were covered in bruises from the nobles' attacks as they laughed and mocked the poor girl. One of the nobles, however, did not join in. He merely stood back and watched. His face was familiar—Nori Morita—but he seemed to fade into the background, almost instinctively.

The trio approached, anger burning in their eyes.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Yuki yelled, disgusted at the cruelty.

"Oh, here come the party poopers!" Riki shouted. "Relax, we're merely having fun with our new friend! Aren't we, Miss Midori?" His gaze bore into the poor girl's eyes, filled with malice.

"Y-yes…" she replied, afraid to anger the nobles.

Ryuji watched the girl trembling in fear. Then, for a brief moment, her eyes flicked toward him, filled with sharp malice as she gritted her teeth. Seeing her terror, Ryuji decided to intervene.

"And here I thought you would've learned your lesson by now…" he said, his gaze locking onto Riki. Stepping forward, he commanded, "Leave. Now." His bloodlust surged, thickening the air around them.

The sight made four of the nobles tremble. They knew what kind of monstrosity Ryuji could be and decided not to engage him. One, however, showed no fear. He remained on guard, silently observing the source of danger, Nori Morita, the same stealthy figure who had stood back earlier.

Eventually, the five nobles walked away, leaving the bruised young girl trembling on the floor. They whispered among themselves, casting glances back at the trio as they schemed.

The trio noticed the suspicious behavior but could not hear their plans. They didn't care. They were ready, fully prepared to crush any nefarious schemes these pathetic nobles might attempt.

Ryuji stepped forward and extended his hand to the distressed young girl. She immediately slapped it away, refusing his help. Ryuji and his friends exchanged shocked looks, confused at her reaction despite their clear intentions to protect her.

"A-are you okay?" Ryuji asked gently.

"Why did you interfere?! What do you think will happen now?!" she demanded, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Whose fault do you think it is that I have to suffer this abuse?!" she continued, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Ryuji's shocked expression slowly gave way to sadness as the girl's words continued to pour out.

"Ever since you became 'King,' the abuse against my friends and me has been unbearable! The nobles cower and hide whenever you appear, but behind locked doors, their cruelty continues. Poor Taichi even left the school because he couldn't handle it anymore!" she said, trembling as she spoke.

"Your actions have consequences!" she yelled out loudly, then began to sob and cry.

Ryuji stood silently, listening to the young girl's story, his head bowed and his face heavy with regret. Yuki and Sawano watched him closely, ready to intervene if needed.

To everyone's surprise, Ryuji quickly bowed deeper and began to speak.

"I'm sorry you had to suffer because of me…" he said, his voice quiet, his head still lowered.

Michika stared at him, tears still falling. Shock, anger, and a hint of forgiveness swirled across her face, leaving her unsure how to respond.

Ryuji straightened and looked at the young girl. "To tell you the truth… I never wanted to win. I was planning to lose the final battle on purpose," he said, his friends watching in shock.

"I knew… winning would only bring suffering to those who cannot protect themselves," he continued, his eyes still heavy with sadness.

"But the sight of them," he said, gesturing toward his friends, "their excitement and love for the thrill of battle, their honor on the field, and their unmatched skills… it changed my mind." His eyes shed their sadness and began to shine with pride and hope.

"How could I face someone like that with half-hearted commitment?" he added.

Ryuji glanced at his friends, noting their shocked expressions. His own face held a fleeting apology before he turned back to the young girl.

"I will not apologize for my strength… But should you wish, you may follow us closely. We promise to protect you until the end of the year," he said, his eyes shimmering brightly—free of sadness or regret.

He extended his hand once more, this time slower, gentler. "Let me help you to the infirmary," he added.

Michika's eyes lit up with hope. She reached out, and Ryuji took her hand, helping her to her feet.

As she stood, Sawano quickly moved around to face them. With a single, crushing blow, she slammed the wall Michika had been leaning on, creating a large hole in the school hallway. Ryuji, Yuki, and Michika all flinched, startled and confused by Sawano's sudden display of power.

"A-are you okay…?" Ryuji asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Promise me!" Sawano yelled, her smile gone, replaced by fierce anger.

"P-promise you what…?" Ryuji asked, a hint of fear in his voice, wary of another one of her powerful blows.

"Promise me you will never lose on purpose! Promise me that no matter the outcome, no matter how strong your opponent is, you will always fight with all your strength!" she shouted, her anger unrelenting.

Ryuji stared at her furious face, a pang striking his chest. He missed her radiant smile, the one that lit up her entire being.

Shame and disappointment crept across his features as his gaze fell to the ground, weighed down by his own failings. But he pushed it aside, lifting his head with resolve to meet the young tigress' fierce eyes. He spoke with steady pride.

"I promise… Miss Sawano," he replied confidently.

Sawano immediately grabbed a large stone from the demolished wall and crushed it in her hand.

"It's Sawano. Drop the formalities," she exclaimed angrily.

"Y-yes, I understand… I promise… S-Sawano," he muttered, embarrassed.

Yuki sighed at their childish behavior.

"Come on, you two! The girl is injured. Let's get her to the infirmary first. Then you two can bicker and argue all you like," he said.

The trio helped the young girl to the infirmary. The nurse shooed them out, instructing them to wait outside while she used her magic to heal Michika's injuries.

After some time, Michika emerged and found the trio waiting for her.

"Come on then, let's grab a bite to eat," Ryuji said, a kind smile on his face. Michika nodded. She didn't fully trust them yet, but she followed closely behind nonetheless.

The days passed in relative peace. The trio, now joined by their unexpected new companion, continued to grow closer, bonding over shared moments and quiet laughter. With the spiteful nobles absent, even those who had once tormented Michika felt a sense of calm settle over them.

During one of their training sessions, the group was stunned to discover Michika's hidden talent: teleportation. She possessed the rare ability to conjure short-range portals, linking one space to another with remarkable precision. Their awe deepened as her eyes shifted to a glowing green hue and her focus narrowed. With a deep breath, two swirling green portals erupted, one just ahead of her and the other behind her companions.

Such magic demanded intense concentration and an advanced understanding of arcana, a level of knowledge usually attained by seasoned professors. For someone her age to wield such a complex and unforgiving power was nothing short of extraordinary.

The peaceful school days continued. After their classes, Michika would leave her classroom to meet up with the trio on their way to the dining hall, as they had been doing for the past couple of weeks. Once classes ended, the younglings made their way to the training grounds.

As they walked through the vast schoolyards, they were suddenly ambushed by nobles. The trio found themselves surrounded on all sides by fifteen of them, some familiar faces, nobles they had stopped before from tormenting their fellow students.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't our honored King and his pawns!" Riki Shibatani called out, stepping to the center with Sophia at his side. Both of them led the group of nobles, eager to assert their authority and play a grand role.

Ryuji saw Riki and Sophia standing side by side, their faces twisted with cruel smiles.

"What is this about, Riki?" he asked, his expression calm and calculated.

"It's about your demise, oh, gracious King!" Riki replied mockingly.

"Now, let it be known that I am neither unfair nor merciless… I shall give you this one opportunity!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"Abdicate! Relinquish your position as King to me! You and your friends can walk away safely!" he finished, puffing out his chest as arrogance filled his face.

"Abdicate… This is what you were planning…? How pathetic…" Ryuji replied after sighing. "And here I thought you'd learn your lesson…" he continued, his expression remaining calm.

The moment Ryuji finished speaking, a lightning-fast bullet whizzed past his face, scratching his cheek and drawing blood before striking the ground and dissipating into steam. Shocked, Ryuji looked up to see where the shot had come from, and there he found him.

Nori Morita was perched high in a tree in the schoolyard, his index and middle fingers extended toward them while he used his thumb to aim. A swirling orb of blue water formed in front of his fingers. Seeing the stealthy young man brought back memories of Ryuji's fight with Riki, where Nori had used a similar technique.

"I see… so that's how Riki knows how to cast it… This bastard is the one who taught him," Ryuji thought, his eyes locking on the stealthy young man perched high in the trees.

"That was your warning shot and your last chance!" Riki said, his eyes alight with excitement, while Sophia giggled menacingly at his side.

"Now! What will you choose?!" he continued, an evil grin spreading across his face.

"Will you surrender? Or will you die here by our hand?" Riki yelled.

Yuki stepped closer to Ryuji and whispered, "So… what's the plan?"

"What else? We fight back. Our main target is Nori, he's up in the trees. He's the biggest threat here," Ryuji whispered. Their private exchange was cut short by Sawano's sudden shout.

"Hah! You guys are pathetic! I can defeat you all by myself!" Sawano exclaimed, her eyes sweeping the group of nobles, who flinched whenever her gaze met theirs.

Ryuji and Yuki exchanged a glance, seeing Sawano flex her strength, and let out small laughs before refocusing on the ambushers.

With a shout, Ryuji called, "Now!"

Yuki quickly lifted both arms, conjuring four massive walls of ice that encased the group. Nori was caught off guard, his bullet coming too late and striking the ice before dissipating into steam. The remaining nobles began launching magical attacks of various elements, attempting to breach the icy barrier.

Within the safety of their ice cage, Ryuji turned to Michika.

"I need you to create a portal from here to behind the tree where Nori is perched!" he commanded.

Michika hesitated. She didn't want further confrontation with the nobles and feared they might retaliate even more harshly than before.

Ryuji noticed her fear and hesitation. He stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "How long do you plan on being their plaything?" he asked, his expression serious.

"In a year, we won't be here! Who will protect you then? It's time to stand up and defend yourself! Fight those who would make you suffer! No matter how strong they are, resistance is never futile!" he exclaimed.

The girl's eyes lit up as her morale soared. His words rang true, and her hesitation began to fade.

Sawano heard his words echo through their icy chamber and laughed, her face shining with pride.

"Well said! We'll follow you, King!" she exclaimed, her smile brightening beautifully once more.

Yuki smiled proudly.

"You guys are such a handful! Very well, let's show these cowards how true knights fight!" he exclaimed, drawing his rapier.

The ice walls of their cage began to show cracks under the onslaught of the nobles' attacks. Michika closed her eyes briefly, calming her nerves and focusing. When she opened them, they glowed a brilliant green, matching her hair, as she pushed her hands forward.

A swirling green portal began to form, its opaque interior rotating slowly. Through it, they could see Nori Morita gathering particles, preparing a powerful strike aimed at penetrating the walls and shattering their defenses.

"Now, Sawano!" Ryuji commanded.

Sawano launched a fireball toward the sniper perched in the tree.

Nori heard a voice from behind and turned to see the four of them staring at him through the large green swirl. A fireball shot through the portal, flying straight toward his position. He tried to jump and evade it, but he was too slow. The fireball set the tree ablaze and scorched him slightly as he landed behind the remaining nobles, prone on the ground.

Ryuji and his friends quickly pursued, leaving Michika safely behind in the ice cage. The nobles turned to face them, only to find the trio closing in. Ryuji summoned his puppets as he landed behind Riki. With a barrage of rapid strikes from both him and his shadow puppets, Riki was swiftly knocked unconscious.

Sawano followed her king's lead, unleashing a similar barrage on Sophia, the self-proclaimed queen of the school, simultaneously taking out both would-be usurpers. Ryuji swiftly spread his puppets around the remaining nobles, trapping them within.

The nobles who had once encircled the trio now found themselves surrounded, caught in their king's strategy. With their leaders and strongest magicians lying unconscious on the ground, morale began to falter, and hesitation spread among them as their coup crumbled.

"Yuki, Sawano, take care of the remaining fools. My puppets will assist… I'll handle Nori," Ryuji commanded, addressing his loyal queen and jack.