Chapter 58 ~ FLT

Right after finishing today's training session for the Thesis Competition Security team, Yuuji was immediately invited to come to the gym building for a small meal.

The gym building had been converted into a place for all members of the security team to rest after their day of training, and a lot of female students volunteered themselves to help prepare meals and drinks for them.

Normally, he would've declined and returned home immediately with Aika and Erika since he preferred to eat dinner with them instead. But Aika had messaged him to come there after he finished helping with the training, so he joined them.

Once he was there, he was welcomed by members of the Disciplinary Committee and volunteering students who had decided to help with the security measures during the Thesis Competition.

Although most of them were second year students, surprisingly a lot of them were asking him for advice about their combat techniques and magic, especially the ones who fought against him during the earlier training session.

After watching him fight, they've gained a lot of respect for Yuuji, and since most of the members of the Disciplinary Committee were chosen for not only their capabilities but also their open mindedness, they didn't shy away to ask Yuuji, their junior, to share some pointers with them to help them improve.

As they talked, a large group of girls with trays and trays of rice balls, snacks, and drinks appeared before the opened door to the gym, announcing their presence. And immediately, all the guys, who were exhausted and famished from their day long training, perked up and cheered at their entrance, their expression brightening at the sight of both the food and the girls.

Although the girls volunteered to help out with the training of the security members for the large Thesis Competition event on the surface, there were also girls who chose to volunteer so they could socialize with the boys and show off their "domestic" side by making and serving them food and drinks.

Similarly, the boys did their best in their training not only to improve their skills, but to also impress the girls.

Although the First High School was known to teach and cultivate great talents and brilliant minds, the students were, in the end, young adults whose minds were greatly occupied by romance.

So, it wasn't that much of a surprise that they would always have romance in the back of their mind that'd drive their actions.

Upon entering, the boy's cheers became even louder when they saw Kiryuu Aika, the most beautiful and popular first-year girl, enter with a large amount of rice balls in her tray.

Her popularity had skyrocketed even further after her performance in the NSC. She was even given the title of "Goddess" and "Angel" by many after her performance in the Mirage Bat event.

So with immense intensity in their gazes, almost every guy resting in the gym hall immediately trained their eyes on the rice balls in her tray which, they assumed, she made.

Any food hand-made by the Goddess should be delicious beyond comparison… And even if it was disgusting, they'd still gladly eat them with tears of happiness running down their cheeks since it was made by the hands of the Goddess.

Meanwhile, Yuuji, who saw his beloved enter with a huge, brilliant smile on her face, couldn't help but become suspicious of her…

While others might see it as the brilliant smile of the Goddess, he recognized that smile… It was a smile she would make when she's planning something mischievous.

On her side, Mizuki also entered with slightly blushing cheeks. She was looking down to the tray of rice balls she was bringing, seemingly nervous about something.

Before long, Aika noticed his gaze and her smile quickly grew even brighter.

"Ah, there he is~! Mizuki, let's go~!"

"E-Eh?! A-Ah, Aika-chan!!!"

Disregarding Mizuki's yelp, Aika grabbed Mizuki's arm and dragged her towards Yuuji while still holding the tray full of rice balls with one hand in an insane feat of balance.

She disregarded every boy around her, who immediately deflated in disappointment as she walked past them, and beelined towards her one and only beloved, who was looking so hot and sexy in that jet-black training uniform.

"Heya, Yuuji~! Good work kicking butts, out there~"

"G-G-Good work, Y-Yuuji-kun."

"Good work, Aika, Mizuki-san… I see, so this is what you were doing. Is this why you told me to come here?"

A lot of things finally clicked in his mind. Aika seemed excited when he told her he'll be helping with the joint training today, and immediately went somewhere. Then a few minutes later, she sent him a text, telling him to come here after his training.

Now he knew that she wanted to surprise him by cooking for him.

"Uhn~! Mizuki and I had a fun time making these especially for you~! Right, Mizuki~?

"E-Eh?! A-Aika-chan, t-that's not- W-We're making them for e-everyone…!"

"Fufufu~ We did make some extra, but the ones we intended to make were for Yuuji, right~? Didn't you say you wanted to thank him for "saving" you in that incident with Mikihiko?"

"U-Uuuuhhh… A-Aika-chan…!"

Mizuki couldn't believe Aika would just blabber everything to Yuuji just like that.

She hadn't even manage to calm herself from being this close to Yuuji! Although she had spent quite a bit of time hanging out with Yuuji, his presence still made her super nervous and shy!

It took her a while to muster up the confidence to give the rice balls she had made to convey her gratitude for Yuuji, but now, Aika just revealed everything to him! It's too embarrassing for her!!!

Taking her silence as confirmation, Yuuji couldn't help but look at Mizuki with surprise.

He didn't expect her to take that small meddling he did so long ago to prevent her from getting hurt this seriously.

He was, of course, appreciative of her efforts, but it was still… surprising.

"I see… Thank you very much for your efforts, Mizuki-san. Although I'm not sure if that small meddling on my part deserves such gratitude from you, I truly appreciate it."

Mizuki shook her head and gripped the handle of the tray harder.

"N-No! I-I haven't got the chance to thank you properly, s-so I thought of using this as a chance! P-Please receive my gratitude."

She mustered up all her strength, determination, and courage to look up at Yuuji and stood her ground firmly. No matter what, she wanted to convey her gratitude for him.

"Then… I'll receive it humbly. You're welcome, Mizuki-san."

"Y-Yes!"

Finally, with her gratitude accepted, Mizuki's expression brightened into a brilliant smile. A weight seemed to have been lifted from her shoulders, and she felt so light and fluffy as she stared at Yuuji's wonderful smile in a daze.

"Alright~! Now let's treat Yuuji to our creations~! Mizuki-chan, let's put these along with the others and bring back the ones we made for Yuuji!"

"O-Okay!"

"Let's go~!"

Aika and Mizuki then left with their trays and returned just as quickly as they left, but this time, with a smaller tray that had 6 triangular and identical rice balls separated into two groups of three.

"Alright! Now choose which one you want to eat first, Yuuji! The ones on the right are mine and the ones on the left are Mizuki's!"

"Hm… Then, I'll try Mizuki-san's first."

Seeing as this was a way for Mizuki to convey her gratitude, Yuuji decided to pick Mizuki's first.

As soon as he picked her rice balls into his hand, Mizuki immediately felt nervousness and anticipation filling her heart to the brim.

This would be the first time she would have a boy try her cooking that she made specially for him and a myriad of concerns quickly arose in her heart.

What if she messed up and made it not delicious? What if it didn't fit his taste? What if he find it not delicious?

She couldn't help but feel worried, and it became increasingly worse as her rice ball came closer and closer to his mouth.

Then… He bit into it and began to chew. It was the moment of truth.

"Mmmh! It tastes delicious. The rice is perfectly seasoned with the rice vinegar and salt, and the salmon inside tastes amazing as well!"

"R-Really?! I'm glad…!"

A wave of relief immediately washed away all the anxiety and nervousness that had built up in her heart. And in its place, happiness began to fill it as she watched Yuuji ate the rice ball she made deliciously.

"Yuuji~! Try mine too~!"

"Alright. Then, I'll try this one…"

Yuuji picked up a rice ball from the left side of the tray and took a bite without much concern. He had eaten Aika's cooking before and they tasted amazing. Although she had never cooked before, her cooking skills skyrocketed very quickly after she learned how to cook by watching cooking videos thanks to her SSR. At this point, she could even pass as a chef in a high class restaurant if she wanted to. In fact, Yuuji had said that to her and asked if she wanted to become one, but Aika rejected the idea. She wanted to learn how to cook only so she could become a perfect wife for him. And after saying that, she began seducing him and they ended up making love to each other all night long while role playing as newlyweds.

Since he knew her skill level in cooking, Yuuji didn't think much and simply took a bite of the rice ball she made, expecting another delicacy that his future wife made for him with love.

But everything seemed to shatter the moment he bit into it…

Instead of the usual savory saltiness and slight vinegary taste to the rice and savory fish within, a mix of sweet, nutty, and creaminess filled his mouth.

"Mm? Uwaaaah! W-What the hell is in this?!?!?!"

He immediately looked at Aika and saw her grinning widely with a smug expression on her heavenly countenance.

"Fufufu~ How do you like my peanut butter and strawberry jam rice ball, Yuuji~?! I was thinking of innovating with my cooking and made them with a lot of love and thought~!"

"Innovating?! This is the wrong direction for innovations! Why don't you just use the normal ingredients?!"

Yuuji quickly grabbed the thermos of tea Aika brought with her and drank it to wash off the strange mix of taste in his mouth.

"Eeeeeh~? But that's boring, right~? I wanted to spice it up~"

"This is too much!!!"

"Hmm… Then how about you try the other ones?"

Yuuji looked at her suspiciously.

"...What do you fill them with?"

"This one is filled with a ball of wasabi and mayonnaise, and this one is filled with umeboshi and soy sauce~!"

"Aika… Are you trying to kill me…?"

"Eeeeeeh~? But I thought you can overcome anything as long as you have love~?"

"..."

She blinked her eyes at him, leaning forward to accentuate her beautiful, long eyelashes as she pressed her luscious, pink lips with her forefinger.

And with her "challenging" words being the nail in the coffin… He ate all of the rice balls the girls "especially" made for him.

She was right… As long as he had love, Yuuji could overcome everything.

And that night, she received his "love" all night long in the form of his seed in her womb in exchange. He even had Erika help him, making her gasp and moan in pleasure all night long from his relentless love-filled assault.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

The next morning. October 22, 2095.

Yuuji awakened early in the morning on his bed after a long night of "punishing" Aika for her prank. He only slept for two or three hours, but he felt no fatigue whatsoever. In fact, he felt very refreshed since he had just emptied his balls into his beloved, who was currently still sleeping by his side.

He looked down to his sides and saw Aika and Erika both snuggling up to him, using his chest as their pillow, with their arms and legs wrapped around his body. Their faces slightly illuminated by the moonlight that seeped through curtains of the tall window right in front of his bed.

What a sight to wake up to…

Both of his girlfriends looked like fairies, and he was cuddling with these beautiful fairies. Truly a dreamy sight to behold and experience.

But unfortunately, he had to go… He had promised Tatsuya to accompany him to bring the Magatama Relic to the FLT and also meet with his martial art master in his temple.

So, he reluctantly tried to pry off their arms and legs slowly from his body, tuck them back into their covers, and kissed their forehead.

"I have to go. Mayumi will be coming today. Don't forget, okay?"

He whispered to the both of them. There was no response from Erika as she was still deep in sleep, but Aika responded with a groan that sounded sexier than it had to be.

Then, after washing up, getting dressed, and preparing breakfast for his two sleeping beauties, Yuuji headed out to meet up with Tatsuya in his house.

Upon arriving, he found Tatsuya and Miyuki, both of them dressed in a jacket and long pants, already waiting for him in front of their home with a motorbike before them while holding their helmet.

"Good morning, Tatsuya, Miyuki."

"Good morning, Yuuji-san."

Miyuki returned his greetings primly, bowing down her head slightly to him. Although they were the same age, because Yuuji was extremely close with her brother, she instinctively treated him respectfully like an elder as well.

"Good morning, Yuuji. We will be heading to the FLT after we visit Kokonoe-sensei. It'll be a little ways off. Would you like to borrow a bike?"

Yuuji shook his head.

"It's fine. I'll follow you through the air while being invisible. No need to worry about me. I'm just here to protect you guys from… stalkers."

Tatsuya's lips curled into a slight smile as he nodded. From the anime, they knew that they'll be encountering a stalker in the form of a fake bird while they're heading to the FLT. At the same time, the FLT will be under a cyber attack meant to lower Tatsuya' confidence in FLT's system security.

That is why, Tatsuya had urged Ushiyama Kinji, the "Taurus" of Taurus Silver Chief of CAD Development in FLT, to ramp up the security in their systems beforehand and enlist the help of Yuuji to help him escort the relic safely to the building.

"Alright, let's go."

Tatsuya and Miyuki both donned their helmets and got on their bike with Miyuki riding behind her brother.

Meanwhile, Yuuji began to float up, his feet slowly leaving the asphalt ground. Then, his figure began to disappear.

And then, the three began making their way to Kokonoe Temple.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Sitting on the patio of a beautiful, traditional-styled wooden house which was connected to the Kokonoe temple, Tatsuya and Miyuki conversed with their master and owner of the temple, Kokonoe Yakumo.

They have taken off their jacket and long pants, and they were now dressed in a casual all black shirt and long pants for Tatsuya, while Miyuki wore a cute, pink training shirt and a short black skirt.

Sitting beside them with a tray of tea and snack separating them, Kokonoe Yakumo, dressed in his casual dark blue yukata, had his usual ever smiling expression on his face.

But upon getting into the main topic Tatsuya had expected, his tone shifted from his usual relaxed tone, to a grim, serious one.

"I hear you've obtained a rare item."

"Yes. I'm just holding onto it."

"In that case, you should return it as soon as possible."

Noticing the gravity of the situation after witnessing the grimness of their master's countenance, Tatsuya and Miyuki both quickly lowered their heads.

"I didn't realize that it was being targeted."

"Well, they're quite good with what they do. Right… Let me give you one more piece of advice.

When you're facing the enemy, be careful not to lose your bearing."

"Bearing… is it?"

"Any more questions will cost you dearly."

Miyuki looked at the bald martial arts master confusedly, but Tatsuya and Yuuji, who managed to hear it despite standing far away at the entrance, knew what he was referring to.

Ghost Walker.

It was a mental interference type magic and ancient magic which allows the user to redirect people's attention to desired location by manipulating their vectors. People with their vectors scrambled never be able to reach their target, making them walk in a circle while intending to walk in a straight line, or never being able to reach somewhere despite being within walking distance.

It was an ancient magic Lu Gang Hu, the massive tiger-like fighter of the Great Asian Union Yuuji fought against in the alley way to save Joe Marshall, Chen Xiang Shan, captain of the Great Asian Union Special ops that are behind the disturbance in Yokohama, and Zhou Gong Jin, the mastermind behind it all.

It was a powerful ability, but not for Tatsuya, Yuuij, and Aika who had elemental sight.

After giving his warning, Yakumo reverted back into his usual tone and continued in a more relaxed manner.

"Anyway, you should get going now. And next time you come and visit…"

He glanced towards Yuuji, who he noticed has been listening to their conversation all this time without the help of magic.

"Let's share a drink together. I'd love to talk more with you and your friend there."

Knowing he would hear him, Yakumo directed his smile and invitation towards Yuuji, who bowed his head slightly.

"Of course. Thank you very much, sensei. Then, please excuse us."

Tatsuya

(Tatsuya and Miyuki went to Kokonoe Temple and met with their master, while Yuuji waited for them at the entrance.

After telling them they should return the relic, Kokonoe glanced and smiled a bit.

"Let's share a drink together. I'd love to talk more with your friend there."

"Of course. Thank you very much, sensei."

The two raised to their feet and excused themselves, before they headed towards the exit.

Upon arriving at the gate, Yuuji, Tatsuya, and Miyuki bowed one last time to Yakumo, who simply waved his hand towards them, and began descending down the stairs.

After descending tens of steps of the stairs, Tatsuya and Miyuki immediately hopped back onto their jet-black motorbike after wearing their jacket, long pants, and helmet.

"Then, we'll be heading to the FLT now."

"Mm. I'll follow you from behind. We can communicate via this earpiece."

Yuuji tapped the little earpiece that he had put in his ears.

"Alright."

With a nod, Tatsuya started his motorbike and immediately made his way to the FLT with Miyuki.

"Now then, time to kill some fake birds along the way."

Yuuji stretched his body and then cast <<Invisible>> onto himself once again, bending the space around him and causing light to bend past his figure, and began floating up.

Then, without even a sound, he launched through the air like a bullet, reaching speeds that would've been lethal for a regular human due to the wind resistance and G-Force alone.

Since he was invisible, there was no need for him to pretend and use Tatsuya's fly spell or the trick he used to propel himself during his battle board event in the NCS to fly and reach tremendous speed. He could simply use his "Gravity" to fly much more freely, quickly, and quietly by completely ignoring air resistance and the earth's gravity.

He caught up with Tatsuya and Miyuki in an instant and quickly slowed down tremendously until he was at the same speed as them.

Then, he continued to follow them while keeping an eye around him to see if he spotted the fake bird that would be following them.

And as if on cue, a jet-black crow appeared and followed after Tatsuya and Miyuki while they're in the highway and almost reaching FLT.

Yuuji, who was flying above the crow, clearly saw his target and contacted Tatsuya through his earpiece.

"The crow's here. I'll be ripping it apart."

"Ok. We're reaching FLT, that means they must be currently under cyber attack right about now."

"Mm. We better pick up our pace."

Yuuji took out his golden gun-shaped CAD from his holster, aimed it at the crow, and pulled the trigger.

In an instant, the fake crow suddenly burst into nothingness after its each and every molecule was ripped apart violently from each other in a blink of an eye.

"Wow… Didn't expect <<Singularity>> to be as destructive as Tatsuya's Decomposition…"

Yuuji couldn't help but become impressed by the spell he developed himself. He used Tatsuya's Decomposition as inspiration, but since their power was fundamentally different, he didn't expect to achieve a similar result.

Tatsuya's Decomposition worked by breaking the intermolecular bonds that held molecules together, thus decomposing or disintegrating his target. On the other hand, Singularity simply ripped apart those intermolecular bonds by causing each molecule to be stretched out by countless, micro sized, yet extreme gravitational fields from multiple directions, as if they're being ripped apart by numerous atomic-sized black holes from multiple directions.

Since he was forcefully ripping apart intermolecular bonds instead of simply erasing it like Tatsuya, he expected his spell to be… louder and more explosive. But thankfully, that wasn't the case.

Instead of causing it to disintegrate into a mist like Decomposition, his Singularity caused it to "poof" into mist.

But, such a difference was only a small matter to him. In the end, the result was still the same. So he was really happy with his spell.

"Good work."

"Thanks. It was inspired by your spell."

"It's an honor to be your inspiration."

The three soon arrived at the FLT.

Yuuji secretly undid his <<Invisibility>> and the three quickly made their way into the building.

Once they arrived in front of the main room, the three entered, stealing the attention of Ushiyama Kinji and the rest of the staff, who were in the middle of defending against the cyber attack.

"Ah, young masters! Young mistress as well!"

"Don't stop what you're doing! Continue monitoring!"

Tatsuya commanded.

""Y-Yes!""

The entire room was in chaos as everyone tried their best to defend against the attack while trying to ascertain where the attack came from at the same time.

"So you've been hacked as I expected."

"Yes… Honestly, if you and young master Yuuji hadn't warned us about this, we would've been caught off guard. Though, something's really bugging me about this…"

"What is it, Ushiyama-san?"

Yuuji asked.

"For such a large-scale attack, I have no clue what they're after."

"You mean their objective isn't clear?"

"Hm… Perhaps they're just trying to tell us that they could attack us anytime they wanted."

"Maybe…"

Just then, a female staff member suddenly raised her voice.

"The unauthorized access has stopped!"

"Don't let your guard down! We're staying on full alert for the rest of the day!"

Ushiyama ordered before turning his attention back towards Yuuji, Tatsuya, and Miyuki.

"Hah… Excuse me for that. So, what brings you here today?"

"There's something I'd like to keep at the lab. It's extremely important, so please keep it hidden and secure."

Tatsuya said as he handed the jet-black bag containing the magatama relic to Ushiyama.

"Consider it done, young master. We'll put it in our most secure safe."

"Thank you."