A couple of months later, the New Year's battle of the kings was swiftly approaching. The school organized another event for the students, this one celebrating parents and children. Parents were allowed to enter the school, explore its halls, spend time with their children, discover the new skills they had learned, and speak with professors about future careers.

Students were given a day off from classes to enjoy the visit. The school buzzed with activity, filled with visitors from across the continents. Nobles of every rank and prestige arrived, filling the schoolyards with chatter and laughter.

Ryuji had no visitors. He decided to wander around the school alone for the first time in a while. For once, peace reigned within the walls, and the students around him wore bright smiles as they reunited with their families. The warmth of the joyful scene gradually reached him, and he found himself smiling in response.

He heard a familiar voice calling over his shoulder.

"Hey! Ryuji!" it shouted.

Ryuji turned to see the lively young tigress sprinting toward him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Hey, Sawano," he said, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

"Come on! I've got someone to introduce you to!" she exclaimed, looping her arm through his and tugging him forward, her radiant grin lighting up her face.

"Mom! Meet Ryuji Sato! He's the man I chose!" Sawano exclaimed, smiling brightly.

Ryuji blushed at her words, but there was no time to dwell on it. His attention was already drawn elsewhere; he was about to meet one of the heroes of the demon war, a figure whose presence alone demanded respect.

Ryuji looked up to see Kimiko Torafuku, a towering woman taller than him and nearly as tall as his father. She wore red battlemage robes of the finest silk, a fluttering orange cape trailing behind her, and her hair mirrored her daughter's almost perfectly.

Her facial features were striking, framed by the orange, fur-like hair that seemed impossibly vivid for someone unrelated to Sawano by blood. Her arms were crossed, and a stern frown tugged at her lips, radiating strength and dominance. Yet behind the stern expression, Ryuji noticed subtle hints of sadness, a quiet reminiscence of better days gone by.

Ryuji quickly bowed his head.

"It is my utmost honor to meet you, Lady Torafuku… I am Ryuji Sato," he said, keeping his gaze lowered.

"Lift your head," Kimiko commanded, stepping closer.

Ryuji straightened, only to find the duchess's face mere inches from his own. He flushed, embarrassed by the closeness—this entire family seemed utterly oblivious to the concept of personal space.

"Your face…" Kimiko said softly.

Ryuji's eyes brightened, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks.

"Is something wrong with my face?" he asked shyly, hoping for a compliment from the woman he admired.

"It's annoying," she replied bluntly.

Ryuji froze, stunned. One of the heroes he had always looked up to had reduced his pride to rubble in mere seconds.

"M-Mom! No, it's not! Why would you say that?!" Sawano yelled, her face bright red with embarrassment.

"O-oh… my apologies… I didn't mean to say that out loud," Kimiko replied, utterly unbothered by her own words.

Sawano glanced at Ryuji and noticed a small tear forming at the corner of his eye.

"R-Ryuji! Y-You're not annoying! Y-You're very handsome!" Sawano stammered, panicking as she tried desperately to cheer him up.

"T-thanks…" he whispered, his chest tightening with a pang of heartbreak.

"What's this? Making kids cry, Kimiko?" A soft, unfamiliar voice came from behind them, cutting through the tension.

Kimiko and her daughter turned to see Reiko Hayami walking alongside his son, Yuki.

"Oh, it's just you, Rei," Kimiko said.

"Just me? How hurtful," Reiko replied with a gentle smile. "We haven't seen each other in a while."

Ryuji looked up to see the king's royal knight approaching, Yuki at his side. Reiko wore dark blue and white battlemage robes, matching the style Yuki had worn during the tournament. He walked with confidence, a rapier hanging at his side, his blonde hair catching the sunlight.

"Uncle Rei! It's been a while!" Sawano said, smiling brightly.

"Sawano! It's always so nice to see you, always with that bright, beautiful smile! Unlike your mother," Reiko laughed, teasing his old friend. Kimiko barely reacted, still frowning as her gaze lingered on Ryuji.

"Hey, Ryuji, let me introduce you to my father!" Yuki said, practically bouncing with excitement.

"It's… an honor to meet you, Mister Hayami," Ryuji said, his voice tight, still stung by Lady Torafuku's earlier words.

"So… this is Ryuji," Reiko said, his gentle smile fading as he stepped closer to the young man.

His face drew near, much like the duchess had done earlier. He stared into Ryuji's eyes for a brief moment before abruptly turning away.

 "I… I think I'm going to vomit," he muttered.

Reiko staggered back and leaned on Yuki, trying his best to steady his stomach.

"F-Father! This is extremely inappropriate!" Yuki yelled, his face flushed bright red.

"I-I'm sorry, son," Reiko stammered, gagging as he fought to keep his lunch down.

Yuki glanced at Ryuji and saw a boy utterly defeated. The words of the heroes had crushed his pride so completely that even the faintest breeze seemed capable of scattering him to dust.

"R-Ryuji! P-Please don't misunderstand! M-My father has a condition…!" he stammered, flustered as he tried to help Ryuji regain his composure.

"It's… fine," Ryuji murmured, forcing a smile as a single tear slipped from the corner of his eye and traced down his cheek.

"I'm… just going to head to the classroom…" he muttered, turning away.

Sawano and Yuki scrambled to apologize, flustered and ashamed of their parents' antics. One moment, they were bowing to Ryuji; the next, they were spinning around to scold their parents, who remained completely unfazed, as if nothing had happened.

"H-Hey, Ryuji… You're alone today, right?" Sawano asked, her cheeks still tinged with pink. "Why don't you come with us? We can explore the school together!"

"No, it's fine. You guys enjoy the day with your parents; I don't want to get in the way," he said.

"Besides, I could use a little alone time away from you two for a change!" he added with a teasing giggle.

His two friends observed him as he walked away. They realized that behind his smiles and jokes, he hid sadness from them. A truth he did not wish to reveal.

Kimiko and Reiko watched him walk away; their eyes were filled with reminiscence.

"Well, what are you kids waiting for?" Reiko said out loud, trying to change the subject. "Let's have fun!"

As they turned to chat, whispers began rippling through the students. Rumors were spreading about a special guest arriving at the school.

"Did you hear?!" a young noble girl whispered to her friend. "I heard the Lord of the Tower is coming here!"

"No way~ Why would the esteemed Lord of the Tower come to our school?" her friend replied, wide-eyed.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked.

"It's just what people are saying around the school. Might be another baseless rumor, like the one about the Fourth Hero, haha!" the girl replied, giggling with her friend.

Kimiko and Reiko exchanged a glance, their eyes narrowing. If the Lord of the Tower truly came, trouble would surely follow, and they knew exactly why he might come to this school. The children noticed their serious expressions, confused, before rushing to drag their parents away, breaking them out of their shocked daze.

Reiko leaned closer to the duchess as they moved.

"Be ready… just in case," he whispered softly.

"Roger…" Kimiko replied quietly.

High above the schoolyard, inside his office, Headmaster Elian Stewart stood by the window, a somber look on his face as he watched over the school and its gates. On the horizon, he caught sight of a tall, enigmatic man. The stranger's eyes locked onto the headmaster, a cocky grin playing across his face.

Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, the man vanished, fading as if he had never existed.

The headmaster let out a heavy sigh.

"I know you're here… Would it really hurt to use the door?" he said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.

"Haha! It's been a while, old man," the mysterious man said, suddenly appearing in the office without warning.

"I'll ask this only once," he added, his tone snapping sharply, leaving no trace of amusement.

"Where is Ryuji?" The man's form melted into the shadows of the headmaster's office, his face obscured, yet his eyes glowed a piercing red.

The headmaster let out a heavy sigh.

 "You're asking me that? As if you don't already know," he said quietly, a hint of resignation in his voice.

"Hmph… Very well. I'll take my leave," the mysterious man said, turning sharply before stepping toward the door.

"Is that all? Don't care for a cup of tea?" the headmaster asked calmly, almost teasing.

The man exhaled slowly, a shadow of sadness crossing his features as he faced the door.

"Maybe another time… It was good to see you again, old friend. I'll take you up on that tea once all this madness is over," he said, pushing open the office door and stepping into the hall.

The headmaster let out a long sigh as the man's presence faded from the room.

"I wish you luck… both of you," he murmured quietly, his words almost lost in the silence.

After an hour of wandering the school halls, chatting and laughing with their children as they recounted their daily lives, most of the conversation inevitably turned to Ryuji. It was as if the boy had breathed new life into the two young warriors.

"They really seem to admire him… I suppose we were like them back in the day," Kimiko and Reiko thought, sharing a quiet, nostalgic glance.

As the heroes and their children wandered the school, a familiar face came sprinting toward them, panting, his face as pale as paper.

"S-Sawano! Yuki!" he shouted.

The two and their parents turned to see Nori Morita, visibly shaken. The young warriors had never seen him like this; even when facing all three of them in battle, he had always remained calm and calculated.

"What's wrong?! Are you okay?!" Yuki shouted, his eyes wide with alarm.

"It's… It's Ryuji!" Nori stammered, trembling violently, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Sawano's eyes widened, panic spreading across her face. She darted forward, grabbing Nori by the collar to steady him.

"What happened to Ryuji?! Tell me!" she demanded, her voice sharp and urgent.

"H-He needs your help! There's no time to explain!" Nori cried, his voice echoing down the hallway, sending a shiver through everyone who heard him. "Quickly! To the Arena!"

Sawano released the trembling young man and turned to Yuki.

"Let's go! Hurry!" she shouted, sprinting toward the arena, leaving their parents behind in stunned silence.

"So… he really did come," Reiko murmured, his expression darkening with concern.

He looked towards Kimiko and asked, "Will you be ok, Kimiko?" in a soft, gentle manner.

"I'll be fine… Let's catch up to the kids," she replied. Worried, her heart racing, and her eyes shimmering as if trying to hide the tears.

Reiko looked at his old friend with sadness visible on his face before they started to follow their running children.

The children sprinted through the halls as fast as they could, their movement drawing curious glances from students and guests alike. Michika spotted the trio, uncertain of what was happening, and quickly decided to follow.

They burst into the open schoolyard, weaving between clusters of visitors, dodging startled parents, and swerving past noble spectators. The commotion rippled through the crowd, some guests hastening to see what had caused the chaos. At last, the children reached the arena stands.

"Ryuji!" Sawano cried, spotting him in the center of the arena, his expression grave and focused. Her eyes darted to his opponent, and a gasp escaped her lips. Standing before him was the Lord of the Tower, a terrifying mirror image of Ryuji himself.

A tall, elegant man stood in the arena, appearing to be in his mid-thirties. His long black hair flowed down his back, tipped with crimson, and he wore a suit identical to Ryuji's. The only difference between them was his height and the length of his hair, both greater than the young man's. A cocky grin stretched across his face, exuding confidence and menace.

"What the hell happened?!" Yuki shouted at Nori, but before Nori could respond, Yuki froze. Over Nori's shoulder, he spotted the headmaster, calmly seated and watching the scene unfold in the arena.

"Headmaster?! What's going on here?!" Yuki demanded, panic rising in his voice. The headmaster remained silent, leaning on his staff, a deep sadness etched across his face.

"I-I was there…" Nori stammered, his voice trembling.

"It was just me and Ryuji in the classroom… and then… he appeared!" he gasped, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

The sight of the tall, handsome man sent a jolt through Nori, dragging him back to that terrifying encounter, a meeting with a monster he had never thought he would face.

Earlier that day, before the chaos of the arena, Ryuji had entered the classroom, shoulders slumped and expression heavy after enduring the heroes' insults.

"They did say… never meet your heroes," he murmured under his breath, a single tear forming at the corner of his eye.

Ryuji's gaze fell on Nori, sitting alone at his desk, quiet and withdrawn.

"Hey, Nori… Are you alone too?" he asked softly.

"O-Oh… hello, Ryuji," Nori stammered. "Yes… my parents are busy with work. They left with emissaries to the Kingdom of Hikari…"

"I see… well, I guess it's just the two of us left out of today's event," Ryuji said with a light, joking tone.

"Yes…" Nori replied quietly, and an awkward silence settled between them.

"Y-You aren't the talkative type, are you…" Ryuji added, his voice tinged with sarcastic amusement.

"Yes…" Nori answered again, his words barely above a whisper.

"W-Well, I'm just going to take my seat and read a book… let me know if you need anything," Ryuji said to the stealthy young man, who nodded silently in response.

Ryuji made his way to the back of the classroom, settled into his seat, and opened his book, trying to lose himself in its pages.

Half an hour later, the classroom door slid open. A tall, handsome middle-aged man entered, a grin tugging at his lips as he hummed a light tune, casually walking past Nori's seat. Nori's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know who this man was, yet there was something disturbingly familiar about his features.

He watched as the man continued down the classroom, eventually stopping in front of Ryuji's desk.