C.S.O.

 “Tera-chan…
over here!”

“Ah…
alright, let's go there.”

Anna shouted while waving her hand to Tera and several other members of the Ouroboros guild.

Anna, Chika, Tera, Flamia, and several other Ouroboros guild members were currently watching the duel between Kuro and Shun from a relatively close distance.
They could see the duel clearly.

But they were not the only ones watching.

The capacity of the Colosseum was 10,000 people, and now it was completely full.
They cheered and shouted, supporting Liber, whom they believed would be the winner.

About 20 members of the Ouroboros guild sat near Anna, Chika, and Flamia.

“Heh…
it's been a long time since I've seen the Colosseum this lively,” said one of thfe guild members named Albor.

He had a skinny appearance and wore glasses.
He looked physically weak, but his level was 416.
He was also known for his intelligent.

“Yeah.
The last time the Colosseum was this full was during the duel between Angela and Horizon.
But that's understandable because they are Valkryie Maidens.
Who wouldn't want to see their battle, but…
a duel between Kuro-san and Shun? Who would have expected it to turn out like this?” Tera said, recalling the duel that happened a long time ago.

Horizon and Angela.
They were Valkryie Maidens just like Flamia, and they were twin sisters.

Their duel happened due to a trivial reason, but when Valkryie Maidens faced each other, it turned into a battle between monster.

“If I remember correctly, half of the Colosseum was destroyed back then, right?” Chika said.
“I don't think anyone wants to see Valkryie Maidens wielding their swords against each other again after that.”

“Well…
it was an extraordinary fight, but we better not talk about past battles.
We came here even though we are in the middle of fighting a boss monster, so let's not make our sacrifices in vain by discussing them.
Alright, now place your bets!!”

A commotion ensued among the members of the Ouroboros guild.
They placed bets on who would be the winner.
Since it was in-game currency, they only mentioned the amount of the bet and the winner's name.

It was a tradition in the Ouroboros guild.
And they were not the only ones with this tradition.

“Chika, Anna, state your bets!”

“1 billion Ruk for Kuro-chan.”

Everyone was surprised because that was the largest amount of money being bet.
Not only that, most of the supporters were on Shun's side, but that was understandable since Chika had been Kuro's childhood friend.

“Alright, 16 for Shun and 3 for Kuro.
Next…”

“10 billion Ruk for Onii-chan.”

And the largest bet came from the person everyone had suspected.

“Are you serious?” asked one of the female members of the Ouroboros guild named Green.

“Of course.
As Onii-chan's lawful wife, I will fully support him.”

“But do you have that much money?” Chika asked.

“Ge!”

“I remember you only had 4 billion Ruk.”

“Ah…”

Anna immediately looked panicked, and at that moment-

“I'll lend you 50 billion Ruk.
So don't worry about the money issue.”

“Flamia-chan, thank you.”

Anna even hugged Flamia while crying.

“We are both Kuro's wives, so we have to support him, right?”

“Well…
I'm glad you have the same mindset as me.”

Anna immediately became cheerful and looked at Albor, who was in charge of recording the bets.

“Now multiply it by 5 times to make it 50 billion for Onii-chan!”

“Alright, alright.”

Albor sighed and recorded the bet amount on the screen.

“I didn't expect that when two wives join forces, it would become such a formidable combination.”

All the men nodded simultaneously, with a terrifying aura of jealousy.

“But are you sure Kuro-san will win?” Green asked.
“I know you both love Kuro-san, but I think there must be another reason why you believe Kuro-san will win.”

“Green, don't you understand?” Tera asked.
“They support him because they know Kuro-san's true strength, and I'm the same as them.”

“Heeehh, even the leader supports Kuro?”

Everyone was surprised.

“Of course.
From my experience, I know that Kuro-san still has some surprises he hasn't shown yet.
You all realized it too, when fighting against the Demon King, he only used less than 5 skills.
If we compare that to you all, I think it's too little.”

“That's why I also support Kuro,” Aldor suddenly said.

Once again, the members of the Ouroboros guild were surprised.
That was because Aldor was known for being quite good at analyzing opponents' strengths.

“I don't know why, but I have a feeling that this duel will be an interesting spectacle,” he added.

“What do you mean?”

Meanwhile, in the arena, the duel between Kuro and Shun was about to begin.
The countdown had started.

3.
2.
1. 

[Duel Start]

Kuro prepared to draw his two swords and took a stance.
On the other hand, Shun…
released his sword and extended his arms as if to say 'Attack me with all you've got!'

Everyone was shocked, and the audience suddenly fell silent.
But confused expressions could be seen on the faces of all the spectators.

“Ha ha…
I knew he would do that,” Aldor said.

“What do you mean?” Anna asked.

“Simply put, that bastard underestimated Kuro-chan.”

“Shun is the leader of the Shinsengumi guild.
We all know that it is a guild stronger than ours.
In other words, Shun's power is stronger than that of a normal Liber, even though they have the same level.
Perhaps this is because they specialize in leveling up their sword skills.”

The Shinsengumi guild is also a guild that specializes in using swords.
Few members of their guild even have high-level magic skills.

“Furthermore, I think Shun has also conducted research on what abilities Kuro possesses.
And I believe this is the biggest reason why he challenged Kuro to a duel now.
This is also what makes people think that Shun will definitely win.”

All the men immediately looked pleased upon hearing Aldor's analysis.

“….but those who think like that are fools.”

This time, the men fell silent.

“Aldor-san, what do you mean?” Green asked.

“They are both katana users, but we know that their weapons have a significant difference.
Kuro's katana level is 268, while I think Shun's is over 400.
If their swords clash, Kuro's katana will undoubtedly shatter.”

“………”

The question is, why is Kuro still using a weak-level weapon?”

“Eh?…
but if you think about it again, that's true.”

“Kuro is one of the few people that capable of reaching Avantheim, the fourth world.
He could obtain a better and stronger katana, but he hasn't done so.” Aldor then looked toward Anna, Chika, and Flamia, who were engrossed in watching and not paying attention to their surroundings.
“And I think they know the reason why.”

“Then? I don't think that explains why Kuro will win.”

“Just watch.
This duel will be interesting.”

Green finally focused on the match that had begun.

Kuro still hadn't moved or attacked, while Shun extended his arms with a cunning smile.

“……..”

(So that's how it is.
His goal is to make me look weak and unworthy of being with Flamia.
He truly acts like a child.)

Kuro analyzed Shun's actions.

Kuro's gaze was now cold and intimidating.
He momentarily looked like a demon preparing to kill his opponent and slaughter them.

No one realized that Kuro had now tapped into his dark side..

(He must have also investigated the skills I possess, including Vital Curse.
In other words, he wants me to use it for the first attack.)

Shun knew the weakness of Vital Curse.
Although it was a Divine Skill, it couldn't be used twice.

(His level is 428.
That's a bit abnormal.
With my current level and status, even if I use Vital Curse, I won't be able to kill him.)

Moreover, Kuro knew nothing about Shun, so if Kuro failed to kill Shun in one attack, he would be in trouble.

From appearances, Kuro realized that Shun was the type who focused on raising sword skills.
In terms of sword technique, Kuro wouldn't lose, but in terms of raw power, Shun had the advantage due to the level difference.

This reminded Kuro of his battle against the Demon King.

Now, what should Kuro do? Should he use one of his strongest monsters to fight Shun? Or should he use all of them at once?

Currently, Kuro had 7 monsters.
He could actually store up to 13 monsters, but he hadn't gone hunting again.

(I don't want to use them.
If I don't sever his body with my own hands, I won't be satisfied.)

Kuro was currently angry.
Extremely angry.
And he knew how to calm his anger.

“Why? Why don't you attack me?”

“…….”

“Are you afraid this is a trap? Don't worry, I'll take your attack.
Even if you use a Divine Skill, I won't dodge.”

Kuro sighed.
He also tried to restrain himself.

(I hate him.)

“Are you serious? You don't know, maybe I have a skill that can kill you in one attack.
So forget about your foolish idea and fight.
Don't you know you're making the audience wait?”

“You're the one making them wait.
Attack me quickly! Are you a coward, perhaps? Prove that you're worthy of being with Lady Flamia.”

“….fine, you seem serious.
But I hope you don't dodge because that's the same as swallowing your own spit.”

“……….”

Shun smiled happily and underestimated Kuro.

Meanwhile, Kuro took a deep breath and closed his eyes to concentrate.
As he closed his eyes, he remembered that day.
The day he and Flamia became husband and wife.

He smiled.
It was also a day full of disasters in his life, but…
he was happy.

“?!”

Kuro opened his eyes, leaped backward with a graceful motion like a dancer, and spun in the air.

At the same time, he activated Acid Blade.
A black aura enveloped the sword in Kuro's hand.

“Kamikiri-Ryu [Blade Spear].”

He threw it directly at Shun's chest.

As Shun said, he didn't dodge and instead smiled.

Slash.
Kuro's sword pierced Shun's chest.
The black aura still enveloped and seemed to burn Shun's body, but his HP bar only decreased by 7 percent.

Kuro landed perfectly.
He then transferred the sword to his right hand and took slow steps toward Shun.

“Just this much? Why don't you use Vital Curse? Isn't that your strongest skill?”

Most of the audience started laughing.
They didn't understand what was going on in Kuro's mind.

“It seems you misunderstand.
I didn't use it because I didn't need to.
I thought you already knew.”

“What do you me-?!”

Shun was shocked because he couldn't move.
But what's worse, when he tried to use a skill, he couldn't do it.

“Don't tell me…”

He glanced at the sword impaled in his chest.
Then he realized that besides the black aura, there was also black ice piercing through him.

Shun knew there was only one skill capable of doing this, and that skill was…

“Ah…
so you know.
Yes, the skill I used is [Frozen Soul].
I suppose you already know the function of this skill and what I can do with it.”

Frozen Soul.
A skill that renders the body immobile and unable to use skills.
This is one of the skills obtained through a quest like [Imagine], but the level of difficulty is completely different.

The quest to obtain this skill is the Chess of Underworld.
A quest that requires Liber to play chess against the ruler of Nilfheim, the goddess Hel.

Out of 1000 Liber, only 1 succeeded, so the success rate is only 0.1 percent.

The weakness of this skill is that it can only be used once every 100 hours.
So this skill is considered Kuro's trump card.

Although it takes a long time to reuse, the skill's effect, which lasts for 10 minutes, is enough to categorize it as a skill that can disrupt game balance.

“?! “

Shun started to look panicked.
Meanwhile, Kuro smiled thinly like a devil.
At the same time, Shun felt dangerous and chilling pressure from Kuro.

“…didn't I say this was a public massacre?”

“………”

Shun's nightmare had just begun, but unfortunately, that was not the worst part.

He wanted to humiliate Kuro, but now it was the opposite.
Because he was too confident, he now accepted the excuse for his carelessness.

This was a duel.
No one could help him.
And what's worse, it was being broadcasted worldwide.

Kuro stopped three meters in front of Shun.
He didn't do anything but instead gazed at the sky.

A clear blue sky with a few clouds.

(This sky is just like the sky on that day.
Is it just a coincidence?)

———————————————————————————————————————

Time: 2 months ago

January 16, 2040.
A few days after the defeat of the Demon King.
It was also Ruko's birthday.

During school break time, Kuro went to the library.
Although many books were digitized now (e-books), it didn't mean the existence of libraries disappeared.

Digital books were more practical and easier to obtain at a cheaper price compared to physical books.
However, many still preferred reading physical books.

In addition to books, the school library was equipped with computers for those who wanted to read in digital format or didn't have time to search for books.

But there were people like Kuro as well.

He brought two thick books to the library staff.
Kuro actually wanted to borrow more books, but the maximum number of books allowed to borrow was two, so he had no other choice

To overcome this, Kuro sometimes borrowed books from the city library.

“Kanata-san, I thought you wouldn't come anymore.”

The library attendant was Kuro's senior named Midori Akama.
She was beautiful with curly shoulder-length hair.
Besides being graceful, her black-framed glasses added to Midori's attractiveness.

Although she was known as a bookworm and uninterested in men, many regarded Midori as their crush.

Perhaps that's why the library was predominantly occupied by men who just came to see Midori.

Kuro placed two books with covers depicting trees and a female knight on the table.

While typing, Midori noticed the unusual titles of the books Kuro borrowed.

“A book about Norse mythology.
Hmm…
I didn't know Kanata-san was interested in something like this.”

“I just want to know a few things.
Besides, I've been curious about Norse mythology for a long time because it's quite fascinating.”

“……..”

Midori smiled.
She could guess why Kuro suddenly became interested.

“Could it be because of CSO? Kanata-san got interested because of it?”

“Well, something like that.
Akama-san knows that the CSO game is based on Norse mythology, although I thought it might be too much.”

“Aha ha…
You're right, Kanata-san.
…Okay, here's your book.”

Midori handed the book to Kuro after writing down the data.
It was at this moment that their hands accidentally touched, just like in a shoujo manga scene.

Both of them didn't think too much about it because it had happened before, but after handing over the book, Midori suddenly held Kuro's hand with a curious look in her eyes.

“Akama-san?”

“Kanata-san, I've been curious since the beginning why your hands are as cold as a corpse.
Could it be that you have some kind of illness?”

After that, Midori let go of Kuro's hand.

“I'm healthy, I don't have any illnesses either.
As for my cold hands, it's probably because I once was…-“

“…….”

“Ah, sorry.
I actually don't know why my hands are cold.
Maybe it's a congenital condition.
Aha ha.”

Kuro chuckled softly, smiling.
It was a fake smile that Kuro showed.

Midori knew there was something Kuro didn't want to reveal, and it made her slightly curious.

“That's how it is, I guess.
What can we do? Oh, by the way, did Kanata-san know that after the break, Frenda-sensei will hold an exam?”

“Yes, I- ” Kuro stopped because he realized something was wrong.
“Could it be that Akama-san hacked into the school netw-“

Midori immediately pulled Kuro and covered his mouth to silence him.
Since there was a table, Kuro was slightly pulled with force, causing a bit of a commotion.

This made them the center of attention because of the minor disturbance in the quiet library.

“Sshh…
why did you say it out loud? Do you know I'll get in trouble if the school finds out?”

“Mmmph…
mhhhhh…”

Kuro couldn't answer as he was gagged by Midori's F-cup-sized melons.

“….?!”

Midori realized it and released Kuro, her face turning red.
Kuro finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“I thought I was going to die.
Please don't do that again.”

“I-it's your fault, Kanata-san.
You're the only person who knows my secret, so don't speak recklessly.”

“Alright, alright.
I apologize.”

Kuro happened to discover that Midori was a hacker by pure coincidence.
It happened while they were in the library.

Kuro asked about the location of a book he was looking for, but at that moment, the school network was malfunctioning, making it impossible to search on the school computers.

However, after tinkering with the computer for a few minutes, Midori could tell Kuro where to find the book.

If one didn't have enough knowledge, Midori's actions would seem normal and ordinary.
But at that moment, Kuro realized that Midori was a genius hacker.

And this became their secret.

“I forgive you, but don't do it again.”

“Alright, but what was the reason for informing me about the exam?”

“You're foolish.
Did you think I didn't know that your highest exam score was only 70?”

“…….”

Kuro immediately looked pale.

“If you knew there would be an exam, couldn't you prepare and get a better score?”

“Hmm….”

Kuro understood the meaning behind Midori's actions.
He then placed his hand on his chin, as if thinking seriously.

He glanced at the clock on the wall, which showed that there was still plenty of time until the break was over.
If he used the remaining time to study, he could get a good grade.

“Now you know what you should do, right, Kanata-san?”

“Yes, but why did you inform me? Somehow, it makes me feel like a cheater.”

“If you told all your classmates, I don't think so, right?”

“If you want to go to hell, then bring your friends along.
I guess your idea isn't bad.”

“Why are you saying it as if I'm planning something evil?” Midori chuckled dryly.
“But if you want a reason for telling you, consider it a bonus reward for defeating the Demon King.”

Kuro then remembered that Midori was also a CSO player like him.

The news about the raid they did with the Ouroboros guild had caused quite a stir.
It also revealed the existence of a level 67 player in Alfheim.

“Thank you, but I think I need something more to get a good grade.
Although I've been studying hard all this time, all I've managed to get is a 70.
If it were a game, I suppose I would need to acquire an item to increase my intelligence.”

Kuro looked troubled.
Suddenly, Midori smiled softly and took off her round glasses.

“What about this item?”

“Huh?”

Kuro was surprised when Midori handed him her glasses.
Ironically, Midori looked even more beautiful and refreshed without glasses.
Some guys in the library even had nosebleeds.

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind, come closer! I'll put them on you.”

Kuro complied, and Midori placed the glasses on his head.

“But what about Akama-san? Uh, regular glasses?”

As Kuro worried about how Midori would see without glasses, he was surprised to find out that the glasses Midori wore were just decorative.

This was normal.
For two years, Midori had never taken off her glasses, giving rise to speculation that she had some sort of abnormality.

“Yup.
Hmm…
I didn't expect Kanata-san to look good in glasses.
You also look more handsome.
Maybe I could fall in love with you, ahaha…”

“That's a good joke, but what does it have to do with the exam? I did mention an item, but this is not what I meant.”

Kuro sighed and took off the glasses, intending to return them.
But Midori immediately stopped him.

“Listen! Those glasses are not ordinary.”

“……”

Kuro gave a foolish look.

“I'm serious.
You know I always get good grades, and it's all thanks to those glasses.”

“Could that be why Akama-san never takes them off?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, now I'm convinced that Akama-san is a cheater.”

“Don't call me a cheater! Why are we even discussing this?”

“…….I don't know.”

“Ahem..
the bottom line is, if Kanata-san wears those glasses, I guarantee you'll get good grades.”

“And if it doesn't work?”

“Huh? Um…
I'll grant you one wish? How about that?”

Midori looked serious and not joking, but Kuro smiled faintly.

“One wish? Anything?”

“……anything.”

Midori looked nervous and embarrassed.
Her face turned bright red.

“Alright.
I'll trust you.
And I think I should leave now.”

“Uh..
yeah.
Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Kuro then walked away from the library wearing Midori's glasses.

After Kuro left, Midori sighed and leaned back.
Her face still blushed as she thought about what request Kuro might make.

Midori had wanted to motivate Kuro, but it seemed she had gone too far.

She sighed again.

“I guess it's okay…”

Suddenly, three girls approached Midori.
They were classmates and clubmates who had also helped Midori in the library.

“Midori-chan, we heard everything.
Fufu…”

The girl in the middle and the shortest one was Miyoko.
She could be considered the most cheerful.

“Ah…
and then?”

Midori realized they had been speaking loudly in the library, so it was natural that someone would overhear.

“Don't be foolish!” said the girl with a ponytail named Kana.
“Do you know what a big mistake you made?”

“Huh?”

Midori didn't understand.

“We know you're close with Kuro-kun, but I can't believe you made a bet like that,” Miyoko said.

“What have you been talking about all this time? Can you get to the point?”

Midori looked irritated.

“You said if you didn't get a good grade, you would grant Kuro-kun one wish, butwhat if he intentionally not get a good grade?”

“……..”

“In other words…”

“….”

Silence fell.
Midori turned pale.
Her three friends could only stare at her with pity in their eyes.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

For the first time, the library was filled with screams.

After the break, Kuro's class had an exam.

Meanwhile, Midori could only prepare herself mentally if Kuro didn't get a good grade.
Or perhaps Kuro intentionally didn't get a good grade.

She had to be ready for whatever request Kuro would make.
And because she said she would grant anything, she had to fulfill it.

She was forced to do so because many people already knew that Midori made such a promise to Kuro.

The exam was over.
Midori, impatiently, hacked into the school's data to find out Kuro's grade.

She could only widen her eyes because Kuro's grade was a perfect 100.

Since then, rumors spread in the school that wearing Midori's glasses would make you smart, but that's another story.

After school, Kuro went home as usual, wearing Midori's glasses.

Kuro glanced at the door and found Chiaki waiting for him.
Not only Chiaki, but Yuya and Fumiko were also waiting.

“Why are you all here?”

That was Kuro's first comment.

He did have a promise with Chiaki, but there was no promise with Yuya or Fumiko.

They then walked out of the school together.

“Well…
we also want to give a gift to An- I mean Ruko-chan.
Isn't it her birthday today?” Yuya said enthusiastically.

“Where did you-“

He stopped, as he could already guess who had informed them.

“Don't blame Chiaki-san, Kuro-san,” Fumiko said.
“She didn't directly tell us, but anyway, Ruko-chan is our friend too.
So we also want to give her a gift.”

“And that's why we're joining you to hunt for a gift.
Hehe.”

Kuro made a promise with Chiaki to buy a birthday gift for Ruko.
Although Ruko only asked to go on a quest together, Kuro didn't feel at ease until he gave her a gift.

As for why Fumiko and Yuya got to know Chiaki and Ruko well, it was because Kuro told them both that he had friends in the CSO and at the same time in the same school. 

Initially, they weren't interested, but after finding out that Fumiko was a girl, the two of them forced Kuro to introduce them.

But after being introduced, they were not interested.
Kuro didn't know what they were thinking, but it was at that moment that Yuya and Fumiko took the initiative to ask many things to them.

That was the beginning of their closeness.

In the real world, the four of them even gathered and went on quests together at times.

“Alright, I think Ruko would also be happy if you guys give her a gift.”

They walked together towards the school gate.

Near the gate, they saw someone waiting for Kuro, and that person was Midori.

Kuro approached Midori alone.

“I didn't know he was close with Senpai Midori,” Yuya said, surprised.

“Yeah, I thought Kuro-san was the type of person who wasn't easy to get along with.”

Meanwhile, Kuro and Midori were talking familiarly.
Kuro took off his glasses and handed them to Midori.

They laughed together, attracting the attention of students heading home, but they ignored it.
Kuro took something out of his bag.
It was a pair of glasses.

Kuro put them on, and finally, the glasses duo engaged in a lively conversation.

“Tch…”

Chiaki looked annoyed.
Then she walked ahead.
Not quite understanding what was happening, Fumiko and Yuya could only follow Chiaki.

“Kuro-chan, we'll go ahead.”

Chiaki said without looking back at Kuro.

“Alright, I'll catch up soon.”

Kuro continued chatting with Midori.

Chiaki, Yuya, and Fumiko walked together toward a shopping center not far from their school.
Since it was close by, they didn't need to take any transportation.

“…sigh…”

Chiaki sighed.

“…I know you guys think Kuro-chan is not easy to get along with, but it's actually the opposite.
He just doesn't want to get too close to others.”

“If you remember, we became close right away even though it was our first meeting in CSO.
Even though he can be annoying.
Ahaha.”

“So when Kuro becomes close with someone else, it surprises and annoys you, huh…”

Yuya received a kick from Chiaki.

Chiaki also learned martial arts, so she was quite strong.

After Yuya fell down, Chiaki continued walking.
Meanwhile, Fumiko smiled wryly.

Incidents like this happened quite often after they became close, so there was no need to worry.

“There's a reason why Kuro-chan does it.”

For some reason, Chiaki looked gloomy as if remembering something unpleasant.

“But I'm still surprised he can be close with Senpai Midori.
You must know that Midori-senpai is famous for hating guys.
Could it be that he used some trick to get close to her? If so, I want to know the trick he used.”

“Trick? What do you mean?” Kuro asked.

“Of course, the trick of how you approached Mi- huh? SINCE WHEN WERE YOU HERE?”

Yuya couldn't hide his surprise when he suddenly noticed Kuro was right next to him.

But it wasn't just that that surprised him.

“WHAT'S WITH THE GLASSES AND THE CREPE IN YOUR HAND?”

Kuro came with a delicious crepe and still wearing glasses but in a box shape.

“Why are you overreacting? I was hungry, that's why I bought the crepe.
As for the glasses, am I wrong to wear my own glasses?”

“Guh…
you're annoying.”

Yuya could only contain his anger.

“Chiaki, do you want one too?”

“Sure.”

Chiaki accepted the crepe from Kuro and ate it without hesitation.
Even though there were Kuro's bite marks on it, Chiaki didn't seem to care that it was an indirect kiss.

Meanwhile, Yuya and Fumiko were shocked and blushing.

“Are you surprised? Don't think too much about it, it's been our habit since we were little,” Chiaki said, returning the crepe to Kuro.
“Besides, we've kissed before, so it's not a big deal.”

“A-a kiss?”

Fumiko blushed nervously.
The same thing happened to Yuya.

“By the way, that was also my first kiss.
No, more precisely, it was our first kiss, right, Kuro-chan?”

“Yup,” Kuro replied, taking a bite of the remaining crepe.
“I was 7 years old at the time.
I was tricked and ended up kissing her.
You know, I slightly regretted it after realizing how precious a first kiss is.”

After hearing Kuro's explanation, Fumiko and Yuya immediately felt relieved.

“But we kissed again a week ago, right?”

“Yeah.”

Once again, Yuya and Fumiko were taken aback.
This time, they blushed like ripe tomatoes.

Kuro and Chiaki glanced at each other and moved closer.
This made the other two blush even more.

Kuro and Chiaki gazed into each other's eyes.
Their gaze resembled that of a couple deeply in love.

Then suddenly, they stopped.
Yuya and Fumiko could immediately guess what was happening.

“What…
wha…”

“Don't tell me they're going to do it right here.”

They were on a busy street, but Chiaki and Kuro seemed oblivious to their surroundings.

“Chiaki…
I…”

“…Kuro-chan…”

Their lips slowly approached.
Chiaki closed her eyes.
They were only a few centimeters apart, and they could feel each other's breath.

Fumiko covered her eyes with both hands but still peeked through her fingers, blushing.

Meanwhile, Yuya was frozen in place.

Just as their lips were about to touch, they both smiled and burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha…
look at your reactions, you two.”

“…fufu.fu…
this is the first time I've seen such reactions, Kuro-chan.
Are they really in high school?”

“”HUH?””

Both of them realized that Kuro and Chiaki were just acting.
But Kuro and Chiaki's acting was so convincing that it was hard to tell.

They continued their journey, with Yuya and Fumiko following behind.

“Fufu…
you know, we're childhood friends, so we can't have that kind of relationship,” Chiaki said.
“No, I don't think we can have a relationship like that.”

“Chiaki, don't talk about that topic again.
You know it's our problem.
Don't involve others in this.”

“I don't want to hear that after you tried to seduce Senpai Midori.”

“Guh…”

“Hmmmph…”

They argued like a married couple.
Yuya and Fumiko knew they were childhood friends, but Kuro and Chiaki could be considered a bit abnormal.

Yuya and Fumiko were also childhood friends, but they weren't that close.
They often argued.

“Sorry, this might be a little rude, but…
could Kuro-san and Chiaki-san be dating?”

“”No.””

Both of them denied it simultaneously.
This raised a new question: were they lying?

“I love Kuro-chan, I even confessed my love to him, but he immediately rejected me.”

Chiaki looked visibly annoyed.

But those words were an admission that they indeed had a romantic relationship.

“Kuro, I didn't know you could be so cruel and playboys.
Don't you know how lucky you are?”

Yuya ended up shedding tears of blood.

“Don't make me sound like a villain.
I just can't accept Chiaki's love no matter what.”

“…….”

“Even though I want to accept her love, it's complicated to explain…”

“It's complicated,” Chiaki said.

“Yup.
In short, it's like that.”

“You're just rejecting me because you're a siscon, right?”

“Don't call me that.”

And they continued arguing throughout the journey.

Kuro and Chiaki fought like a couple.
They even seemed to forget the presence of Fumiko and Yuya.

But their closeness and intimacy were apparent.

“Yuya-kun…”

“…..?”

“To love each other but not be able to be together.
Isn't that sad?”

“…………….”

Yuya knew that the people being talked about were Kuro and Chiaki.

Chiaki liked Kuro, and Kuro liked Chiaki.
But for some reason, Kuro couldn't accept Chiaki's love.

What was the reason that could even stop Kuro's pursuit of love?

Even though it had only been a few months, they both knew that Kuro wasn't someone who would easily give up, but that didn't mean he couldn't give up.

“…..I don't know.
But I feel like Kuro lives in a different world than us.
Do you feel the same?”

“Well…”

The two of them could only watch the two arguing in front of them.

Although similar, Yuya and Fumiko realized that they were very different from Kuro and Chiaki.

“Don't forget, I still remember when we did it for the first time.
Do you know how pathetic you were back then?”

“Why are you bringing that up in front of everyone?”

“”…..””

And they accidentally learned another fact about Kuro and Chiaki's relationship.

Not long after, the four of them arrived at a shopping center.

The tall buildings around them were mostly malls and restaurants.
There was also a game center.

They chose one of the malls they were familiar with.
But to get to that mall, they had to cross the street first.

The traffic light turned red.
Slowly, the crowd started to gather, eager to cross the street.

To avoid getting separated, Chiaki held Kuro's hand.
Although it wasn't necessary since they were already adults, Kuro didn't mind.

Suddenly, they were pushed from behind.
Due to the force, Chiaki let go of Kuro's hand.

And a dangerous situation occurred.
Chiaki, being on the edge of the road, was pushed onto the street.

Everyone screamed and panicked.
A car was speeding towards Chiaki without attempting to brake.
Although it managed to brake briefly, the high speed still hit Chiaki.

“?!”

Realizing that her body was about to be hit and aware of her impending death, Chiaki could only resign herself.

(Kuro-chan…)

For some reason, Chiaki's thoughts immediately turned to Kuro rather than her own parents.

She closed her eyes.
Everyone at the scene could only watch.

Just a little more, the car's metal body would have struck Chiaki's body.
But at that moment-

“You idiot!”

“Eh?”

When Chiaki opened her eyes, she saw Kuro's figure.
She immediately thought she was dead and this was heaven.

But then she realized, if this was heaven, Kuro wouldn't be wearing his glasses.

She finally realized it.
Right now, she was being carried by Kuro like a princess.
She was surprised and embarrassed, but she was even more surprised when she saw the upside-down building.

“Don't worry.
We'll land safely.”

“Eh?”

Still shocked, Kuro finally set his feet on the concrete ground.

At the same time, a commotion could be heard in the distance.
Chiaki turned towards the sound and finally saw a crowd across the street where she almost got hit.

“…………..”

Chiaki could only look at Kuro, who was relieved for having saved her, but suddenly, Kuro turned pale.

“I think I might get in trouble for going overboard.”

The excess Kuro referred to was jumping across the street, a distance of more than 7 meters, while carrying Chiaki.

Nevertheless, this was not something out of the ordinary.

“But I'm glad I could save you.”

Kuro smiled happily.

“…and I guess it's time to make a run for it, right?”

“Eh?”

At that moment, the traffic light turned green.
Although the event happened quite quickly, it was difficult to deceive the eyes that saw Kuro jump such a long distance.

Kuro hid inside the mall.
From the window, he could see the commotion that ensued because of his actions.

Kuro sighed.

“Haa…
I hope I don't do that again.”

“Do you mean you don't want to save me again if I'm in danger?”

Not far from Kuro, Chiaki leaned against the wall while sending a message to Fumiko and Yuya, informing them that they were already inside the mall.

“Of course, I will save you, but you already know the consequences if I do that again, right?”

Chiaki chuckled softly, slipping her phone into her pocket.

“Heh heh…
I was just kidding.
But thank you for saving me, Kuro-chan.”

“You're welcome.”

Not long after, Fumiko and Yuya arrived.
They immediately started asking many questions and expressing their concern, but Chiaki and Kuro pretended to be clueless.

But they couldn't completely avoid it because the two of them had witnessed Kuro's jumping and acrobatics in the air.

With that answer being one of the techniques of Kamikiri-Ryu, everything was immediately explained.

“But if you can jump like that, you could be an international athlete,” Yuya said.

The four of them were on the 4th floor.
This floor was dominated by everyday items and others.

“Don't joke around.
I only did that jump because it was an emergency, so don't suggest anything strange.”

“Instead of discussing that, let's think about a gift for Ruko-chan.”

Chiaki changed the subject to avoid suspicion about Kuro's abilities.

Kuro glanced at Chiaki to give a 'thank you' sign.

Chiaki simply smiled back.

“You're right.
We should think of a gift for Ruko-chan, but what? As her older brother, do you have any suggestions?” Yuya asked.

“Sorry, I actually don't know what to suggest.”

“What? Aren't you her older brother? Don't you know her likes?”

“It might sound a bit strange, but if I ask 'What does she like?' she will answer 'Onii-chan.' Now, what would you do if you were in my position?”

“”……””

They remembered that Ruko was a brocon.
A super brocon, so if Kuro asked, that would definitely be Ruko's answer.

“What if we wrap up Kuro-chan?”

Chiaki's idea left the three of them speechless.

“If the three of us work together, I think we can tie him up and wrap him,” Chiaki added.

Fumiko and Yuya seemed to consider Chiaki's idea.

“Hmm…
if that's the case, doesn't it mean our visit here would be in vain?”

“………”

“Then what about you, Chiaki? You must know Ruko-chan's likes aside from Kuro, right?”

“Hmmm…..”

Chiaki immediately put her hand on her chin, trying to remember something, but she seemed to be having difficulty.

((HOW STRONG IS RUKO'S BROCON TRAIT?))

Yuya and Fumiko could only scream internally.

“Let's just split up and look for gifts, how about that?”

Kuro started giving suggestions.

“Maybe this is a bit random, but whatever the gift is, as long as your gift is sincere, I'm sure Ruko will be happy.
So I don't think you need to worry.”

“Alright,” Yuya replied enthusiastically.
“Let's split up and meet back here in about an hour.
Is anyone opposed to that?”

“I didn't expect your brain to work,” Fumiko responded.

“That's not a problem,” Fumiko replied.

The four of them scattered to various places in the mall.

Chiaki went to the household goods section on the second floor.
Yuya went to the doll store on the fourth floor.

As Yuya imagined Ruko receiving the doll with a cheerful face, he immediately smiled like a pervert.

Meanwhile, Kuro went to the electronics store that sold computers and computer accessories.
They also had VR gear, and even the latest VR games were available.
It was quite comprehensive, to say the least.

The latest mobile phone models were also being sold, but Kuro didn't feel like Ruko needed a new phone, so he didn't glance at the phone store.

“!”

But when Kuro remembered that his own phone was already considered outdated, he turned pale.

He took out his phone and compared it with the others.
The features, applications, and even the internet network were all significantly different.

(…
I don't know why, but I actually want to buy a gift for myself.)

Kuro smiled bitterly as he walked towards the phone store.
Finally, he bought a phone with the highest level of security.

“…
Ahhh…”

Then he realized that the money he should have used to buy Ruko's birthday gift was instead used to buy a phone.

He now only had 5000 yen left.
He looked around to compare prices and the money he had.

“……”

Kuro turned pale and blue upon realizing that the money he had was insufficient compared to the prices.

Kuro sighed.

He walked out of the electronics store and decided to buy a cheap gift for Ruko instead.

Any gift would surely make Ruko happy.
Kuro wasn't lying.
The most important thing was sincerity.

Since childhood, Kuro had always given various gifts: dolls, toys, computers, and so on, but until now, he still didn't quite understand Ruko's preferences.

But three years ago, Kuro started asking what gift Ruko wanted, and the only answer he always received was wanting to spend time together.

And since then, Kuro decided to give useful gifts that could be used for a long time.
And because Ruko liked VR games, he searched for a suitable gift.

“Hmmm…”

Should he buy a clothes? Accessories? A bag?

As a teenage girl, Ruko would surely like something like that, but for some reason, Kuro felt unsatisfied.

While He were still confused, Kuro saw Fumiko browsing in one of the VR game stores.

Slightly curious, Kuro approached Fumiko.

“Yo?!”

Fumiko noticed the voice calling her and turned to Kuro.

“…Kuro-san? Why are you here? Ah, could it be that you're also buying a game for Ruko-san?”

“Also? No.
Rather than a game, I actually wanted to buy a new computer, but…”

Once again, Kuro turned pale.

“What's wrong, Kuro-san? Is something happening?”

“Well…
that's how it is.
I ended up buying a phone for myself instead.
And now I don't have any money.
Ahaha…”

(I guess it's not the time to laugh…)

Fumiko could only sigh.
Suddenly, she remembered something important.

“Oh, right, Kuro-san, do you have any suggestions for Ruko-san Favorite game?”

“Is Fumiko planning to buy a game for Ruko?”

Fumiko nodded.

“Ruko-san likes VR games, so I want to get something a little special.
Do you have any suggestions, Kuro-san?”

“Hmmm…”

Kuro placed his hand on his chin and pondered.
The glasses that he wearing, gave the impression of an intelligent person deep in thought.

Kuro tried to recall all the games Ruko had played so far, including the stack of games in the drawer.

“I think it's best to forget the idea of buying a VR game.”

“Eh?”

Fumiko was surprised, but Kuro smiled.

“During our time knowing Ruko, you know that she likes playing VR games, but have you ever seen her play any games other than CSO?”

“…..ummm…”

“I don't want to disappoint you, and I thought Ruko would also be happy, but-“

“Maybe Ruko wouldn't play it?”

“Yeah.
How about we discuss this somewhere else?”

Fumiko realized that discussing it in a game store wasn't appropriate.
They left the store and started walking around.

“So, what should I get?”

Fumiko looked confused.
It seemed like a VR game was the best idea.

“Don't ask me because I'm also confused.”

Fumiko chuckled, realizing they had a similar problem.

“But I don't understand why Kuro-san chose a computer.
I think that's not a suitable gift for a girl.”

“Actually, there's a reason why I bought her a computer.”

Kuro turned pale again as if imagining something bad.

“Do you mind if I tell you?”

“Ah…
I don't mind.
But it might sound a bit strange.”

“Actually, I once asked a hacker acquaintance of mine, Midori, to test the security level of Ruko's computer.
And that's when I found out that Ruko's computer was easily hacked.
The hacker managed to breach it just by using the email address I provided.”

“Your acquaintance hacker must be really skilled, Kuro-san.”

As almost all systems nowadays are controlled by computers, the government is vigilant about the presence of hackers.
If a hacker breaches an important system of a country, it could trigger World War III.
There has been a case where a hacker did such a thing, and it served as a valuable lesson.
Now, after that incident, hackers are always monitored, although not directly.

“I was advised to either replace Ruko's computer system or buy a new computer with better specifications.
And I immediately chose to buy a new computer.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Another reason is that you can probably guess what's on the computer of a brocon like Ruko.
What if a hacker spreads it?”

Fumiko immediately understood Kuro's concerns.
It made her turn pale as well, as she didn't want to imagine what would happen if Kuro's concerns became a reality.

“I understand your worries, Kuro-san.”

“And unfortunately, my worries came true.”

“Huh? Isn't that dangerous, Kuro-san?”

Fumiko panicked immediately.

“Don't worry, the hacker who breached it is an acquaintance of mine, so there's no problem.
The issue is that they were too curious.
That's why I bought a new phone because I saw the latest security features.”

“But what if your acquaintance hacker can still bypass it?”

“Then I will find another way to prevent them from doing so.
That's it.”

Kuro smiled slightly.

Afterward, they looked around at the items being sold once again.

They still hadn't found something suitable as a gift.
What's worse, the time to gather was approaching.

An hour passed, and the four of them returned to the agreed meeting place.
Two of them were carrying bags containing a box.
They were Yuya and Chiaki.

Meanwhile, the other two still hadn't bought anything.

“Alright, we agreed to gather, but why haven't you two bought a gift? Also, can you explain why you both arrived together?”

Chiaki stared at Fumiko with a terrifying gaze.
The aura of jealousy was emanating so strongly.

“Eekkk…!!”

Fumiko hid behind Yuya's back, terrified as if seeing a ghost.

“Don't scare people like that.
Besides, we just happened to meet in the same store.”

“Then why haven't you bought a gift yet?”

“I don't have enough money, so I had no choice but not to buy it.”

“Is that so?”

“I'm not lying, so stop looking at me like that.”

Finally, Chiaki sighed before returning to her normal state.
For Yuya and Fumiko, it was a reason not to make Chiaki angry.

“So, what should we do now?” Yuya asked.
“Should we help Kuro and Fumiko by searching together?”

But after looking at the time, Chiaki understood one thing.
They didn't have much time left.

“Alright, let's do this.
You and I will accompany Fumi-chan shopping.
As for Kuro, he just needs to withdraw money from the ATM, right?”

“…..That's true.”

“So, are we all in agreement?” Chiaki asked, glancing at Kuro.

(She's still angry.
Damn.
She knows I don't have any more money because my pocket money is limited.)

Kuro's monthly allowance was only 10,000 yen.
That's a small amount for a teenager like Kuro.

In contrast, Ruko had a monthly allowance of 50,000 yen from Kuro's and Ruko's parents.
This is what sometimes forced Kuro to work part-time jobs.

After the decision was made, Yuya, Chiaki, and Fumiko left Kuro alone, looking pale.

Kuro sighed.
He didn't have money, but it didn't mean he couldn't get any.

(I guess I don't have any other choice.)

Kuro then walked towards the mall's exit while searching for contact on his new phone.
Once he found it, he made the call.

After a short while, the person on the other end answered Kuro's call.

“Hayama-san, do you have any jobs for me? I need money, but I don't have much time…”

After getting a response, Kuro smiled satisfied.

An hour passed, and the sun began to set, casting a darkening sky.

Yuya, Chiaki, and Fumiko came out of the mall with bags in their hands.
However, Chiaki's gloomy face made the atmosphere tense.

“Relax, Chiaki-san.
Maybe Kuro-san didn't answer for a reason.”

“Grrrrrr…”

Unfortunately, Chiaki still looked furious.

After Fumiko purchased her gift, Chiaki tried contacting Kuro, but he didn't answer.
This angered Chiaki even more.

“Why don't you try finding him using GPS?” Yuya suggested.

“……………”

“Why are you both staring at me like that?”

“Oh…
I'm surprised to see that your brain is still functioning.”

Yuya became a cracked stone.

Following Yuya's suggestion, Chiaki immediately used GPS to locate Kuro.
Within a few seconds, Kuro's whereabouts appeared as a red dot on the map.

“He's not far, just a few blocks away from here, but-“

“Chiaki-san?”

“Ah, it's nothing.
We should just wait for Kuro.
He'll probably come back to this place.”

Fumiko and Yuya didn't quite understand, but seeing Chiaki's change, they could only go along with it.

“How about we eat at that restaurant?” Yuya suggested once again, glancing at a family restaurant.

The three of them then headed toward the restaurant.

About 20 minutes later, a luxurious red sports car caught the attention of many people, including Yuya, Chiaki, and Fumiko.

A beautiful young woman, resembling a model, was driving the car, but there was something else that surprised them even more, or rather, just two of them.

A young man got out of the car, and that man was Kuro.

Kuro exchanged a few words before the car drove away.
From a distance, it could be seen that Kuro and the woman were already familiar and close to each other.

Kuro then entered the mall alone.

Yuya and Fumiko immediately had a bad feeling.
They glanced at Chiaki and prepared to run away if she suddenly went berserk.

But their worries didn't come to pass.
Chiaki seemed perfectly normal now and even sent a message to someone.

“Chi-Chiaki-san,-“

“What is it?”

“I just wanted to know if you're okay.”

Chiaki immediately understood why Fumiko asked.

“Ah…
you don't need to worry.
I'm fine.”

They found it hard to believe.

“I already knew that Kuro was with Miyoko-san, so I'm not surprised.
We know each other well, so there's no need for me to be jealous.”

Yuya and Fumiko smiled nervously.

“Miyoko?”

“What's up, Fumiko?”

“Ah, it's nothing.
I just feel like I've heard that name and seen her face before.”

“Hmm…
I feel the same way.
I even thought she was a celebrity, haha…”

“Yeah, you're right.
Miyoko-san is a famous artist.
You didn't recognize her because she wasn't wearing makeup.”

Chiaki then calmly drank her juice.

Meanwhile, Yuya and Fumiko widened their eyes but sighed in relief after a few moments.

“If you don't believe me, you can check it on the internet.
Miyoko-san is her real name, and her stage name is Miyako Himura.”

After hearing the name Miyako Himura, they remembered the young artist who was currently gaining popularity.

Miyako Himura is a 19-year-old artist known for her many talents.
She started her career as a model at the age of 15 and was currently on the rise.

“And you know such a famous artist?” Yuya asked.

He still couldn't believe what Chiaki was saying.
But when he recalled the beautiful woman's face, there was no choice but to believe.

It's Kuro who knows Miyoko-san.
I've only met her once in person, so I don't know her that well.”

“……Why don't you ask Kuro-chan directly? I'm sure he won't hesitate to tell you,” Chiaki suggested calmly.

Once again, Chiaki finished her juice and they continued their conversation for another thirty minutes before Kuro arrived at the family restaurant carrying only two small bags.

Since it was getting late, they decided to head home.
The party was scheduled for 8 PM at Kuro's house.

Fumiko and Yuya decided to go straight to Kuro's house because if they went home first, they wouldn't make it in time.
Besides, their biggest reason was that they wanted to see what Kuro's house was like.

After an hour-long train ride, the four of them arrived in Kuro's hometown.

Yuya and Fumiko seemed intrigued by Kuro's relatively quiet and less crowded town.

During the journey, Fumiko asked the question that had been bothering her.

“Kuro-san, how did you come to know Miyako Himura?”

“Hmm…
Could it be that you're her fan?”

“Well, yes.
If you know her, I was hoping to get her autograph.
Ahaha…
I'm just kidding…”

“If it's an autograph…”

Suddenly, Kuro reached into his bag and pulled out something.

“…I have this.”

Kuro handed Miyako's autograph to Fumiko.

Fumiko was simply shocked and stood there like a statue.

“Why did you prepare everything in advance?” Yuya asked, half shouting.

“It's just a coincidence.
Just a coincidence.
Miyako knew it was Ruko's birthday, so she gave her a gift and some autographs.
That's all.”

“Wow…
you're truly amazing.
Ugh…
what was it that you wanted to hear? …?! But if you say you have more autographs, does that mean you still have some left? Can I have one?”

“Unfortunately, I only have one more for Ruko.
She's also a fan of Miyako-san.”

“…………..”

Yuya immediately collapsed on the street.
No one paid him any attention, and the three of them continued walking.

“But how did you come to know Miyako? Ah…
could it be that you're actually related?”

“No, I know her through my part-time job, but if you call it part-time, it's more like an emergency job when I need money.”

Kuro glanced at Chiaki with an annoyed look.

Chiaki just chuckled dryly while tinkering with her phone.

“Kuro-chan's emergency job is as a magazine model, so it's not surprising that he knows Miyako-san.”

Chiaki then smiled slyly while glancing at Kuro.

The argument between Kuro and Chiaki started again.

“Don't go revealing other people's secrets as you please.
You're an author of light novels yourself.”

“Hoho…
I didn't expect you to bring up my only secret.”

Sparks started to fly between the two of them.
Fumiko, caught in the middle, could only smile bitterly as she couldn't do anything.

Then she realized something strange.
She had never seen Kuro in any magazines.

“Kuro-san is a model?”

“Ah…
I understand that you don't believe it, but look at this.”

Chiaki immediately showed her phone screen, displaying a picture of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed model.

“Isn't that a picture of Akame-kun?”

“And now, take a look at this!”

Chiaki then edited the photo of Akame right in front of Fumiko's eyes.
After a few moments, Fumiko's eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw.

“Can you guess who Akame-kun really is now?”

Fumiko glanced at Kuro, then compared the edited photo with the real Kuro standing right beside her.

There was no difference.
They were truly the same person.

After editing Akame's blonde hair and blue eyes to black, what Fumiko saw was Kuro.
In other words, they were the same person.

“………….eeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

 

Note:

– Kamikiri-ryu is not a fighting style that can be performed by ordinary people.

– Kuro has many part-time jobs.

– Ruko is a super Brocon.

– Chiaki and Kuro love each other, but they can never be together.