The Desire for Love

Shocked by Mei's sudden confession, I felt a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. Her words hung in the air, heavy with expectation, while her earnest gaze bore into mine, searching for a response.

"Mei-senpai..." I began, my voice trembling slightly. "I... I never expected this..."

"Shin, please understand... I couldn't keep these feelings hidden any longer. I had to tell you..." Her voice was desperate, filled with longing as she pressed closer, her breath grazing my neck.

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, silence enveloped us as I struggled to find the right words.

"I... I value our friendship, Mei-senpai. You mean a lot to me, but..." I hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

"But...?" she prompted, her voice barely a whisper.

"But... I need time to sort through my own feelings. I'm not sure if I can reciprocate your feelings in the same way..." And it's all sudden too...

Her hopeful expression faltered, replaced by a mixture of disappointment and hurt. "So... you're rejecting me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

"No, Mei-senpai, it's not like that..."

But before I could finish, a sudden surge of energy crackled in the air, and Mei's eyes widened with shock as her aura shifted, radiating a powerful Honkai energy.

Warning: Strong Honkai Energy Reaction Detected.

"Mei-senpai!?"

Her eyes blazed with a pink hue, and sparks of lightning danced around her a manifestation of her intense emotions.

"You're... rejecting me... again..." she muttered, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

"Mei-senpai, please, this isn't what I meant!" 

But it was too late. The Honkai energy surged, enveloping her in a dazzling display of power, and I could only watch in horror as the situation spiraled out of control.

"Mei-senpai!"

"Darn it... I have to stop this..." I scanned the surroundings, urgency coursing through me. "But first... I need to ensure the safety of everyone here." With a swift motion, I summoned my purple katana from thin air and firmly gripped it before thrusting it into the ground. "Bloom... Sakura!"

In an instant, the world around us underwent a dramatic transformation. The once dim and dreary forest was replaced by a breathtaking landscape of vibrant sakura trees, their delicate blossoms dancing in the gentle breeze. The surroundings were bathed in a radiant white light, casting an ethereal glow over everything.

"It seems you can use your domain very effectively."

"Tsurugi?!"

"I woke up because I sensed a disgusting honkai energy," Tsurugi's voice echoed in my mind with a hint of disdain. "I can't believe the Herrscher of Lightning is succumbing to mere lust."

"Herrscher of Lightning?!"

"That's right... and Raiden Mei is the vessel for that power, She's currently battling against the lusts inside her."

"Lust? What do you mean?"

"Herrscher of the Sexual Desire

"It preys on desires and weaknesses, manifesting in individuals who are experiencing intense emotions or inner turmoil, In Mei's case, it seems to have latched onto her due to the emotional turbulence."

"But why wasn't I affected?"

"Herrscher of Lusts primarily targets girls."

"Understood... So, how do we stop it?"

"For starters... You'll need to incapacitate her."

Easier said than done... but I'll try.

"Shin! Please... accept my love!" Mei lunged toward me as she drew her katana.

I braced myself for the impending clash. With a swift movement, I met her head-on. 

Our blades clashed with a resounding clang, sending sparks flying in all directions.

"Mei-senpai, please, stop this!"

But Mei's expression remained twisted with determination, her eyes glazed over with the influence of the Herrscher of Lusts. With each strike, she pushed forward relentlessly, driven by overwhelming emotions.

In a swift motion, I disarmed her, knocking the katana out of her hand and causing it to clatter to the ground. Mei stumbled backward, momentarily stunned.

As I caught my breath, Tsurugi's voice echoed in my mind, urging action over words. "That's done," she remarked, her tone matter-of-fact.

"What now?!"

"Talking won't do, so actions should be better."

"Meaning...?"

"Kiss her or something."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Huh?! Are you serious?!"

"Do I look like I'm not?"

"Tch..." I muttered under my breath, frustration evident in my tone as I sheathed my blade and approached Mei.

"Mei-senpai."

"Shin..."

Sorry but... I'll have to do this.

... (A/N: In this way, you guys won't know what Shin did to Mei)

...

An hour later...

I gently laid Mei down on the ground, ensuring she was comfortable before reaching for my phone to make a call.

"Principal Theresa," I said as soon as the call connected.

"Oh, Shin! How's the mission going?"

"It's... not going well."

There was a brief silence before Theresa responded, her tone now serious. "How bad is it?"

"Mei-senpai... she's acting strange. I think she's been affected by something."

She sighed deeply, "Haahhh... I see. I'll send another Valkyrie to your location and assist you."

"What about Mei-senpai?" 

"The medics will take care of her once the new Valkyrie arrives."

"Thank you, Principal Theresa."

"No worries."

...

"By the way... About this mission briefing... I think I know why you wanted us to investigate this suspicious cafe."

"Hm? Well yeah... It was Fu Hua who detected honkai energy in that cafe. Although it seemed normal, it was obvious that we found it suspicious."

"I'm sure there's more to it."

"Of course~ We dug deeper... until we made a huge discovery."

"What is it?"

"Girls suddenly falling in love with each other, engaging in indecent behavior in public after visiting the cafe. They would only target girls."

"That's ridiculous," I muttered.

"There's more... There have been reports of female students being sexually abused and suddenly going missing. This led to a police investigation into a missing person's case. We only found one female prime suspect, and that is Asakura Miyuki."

"This Asakura Miyuki... is she guilty?"

"No... The cameras could not confirm her wrongdoings."

Haahhh... What a pain...

"Well then, I'll be off now, It seems your partner has arrived."

Huh? Partner?

Just then, a figure approached me. She wore an oversized jacket slung over her shoulder and sported a St. Freya uniform, with bandages wrapped around her arm.

"Yo, Are you... Watanabe Shin?" she inquired.

I turned to the figure. "Yeah, Who... are you?"

"Hmph, Houraiji Kyuusyou," she introduced herself with a smile. "Looks like we're partners for today's mission. Looking forward to working with you, First Male Student."

Houraiji Kyuusyou?