No Intention to Stop Here

Kanata had been watching.

She had observed the entire process from Hoshiharu entering the open field, talking to Nene, and doing self-training.

It was indeed beyond her expectations.

Initially, she thought that the reason Hoshiharu was so exhausted was that he had overindulged as a teenager. He became lazy, hated hard work and pain, and became greedy for pleasure.

But in reality, she had fundamentally misunderstood her impression of Hoshiharu.

What she called laziness was merely a fantasy. The reason Hoshiharu didn't go to class was because he received special training from Nene.

The folding fan she saw at Hoshiharu's waist earlier, in retrospect, seemed to be Nene's Device. Nene's Noble Art was to control gravity using it.

This wasn't just hard work; it was an effort rarely seen among Students Knight.

Hoshiharu's way of continuously pushing himself was far more extreme than that of ordinary people, and he looked so skilled that just watching him shocked Kanata.

His physical strength was rated D, slightly stronger than an ordinary person but not as good as a professional athlete. Since she rarely trained her physical strength, watching this kind of training would definitely surprise her.

And most importantly—

"It's very sharp."

Seeing that slim body moving up and down in front of her, and the crystal beads of sweat flowing down his skin, Kanata swallowed her saliva in frustration.

She somewhat understood why Nene had just left.

She couldn't bear it at all!

"Gululu~"

Unconsciously, Kanata had been watching here for more than twenty minutes.

Only when a hungry sound came from her stomach did she return to her senses and covered her stomach in embarrassment.

She thought she would be noticed by Hoshiharu and had already prepared her words, but she didn't expect that Hoshiharu didn't seem to notice her at all.

"Is his awareness confused..."

Kanata slightly understood.

The most important thing in physical training is whether you can continue to persist when you reach your limit. Only those who have perseverance are qualified to develop afterward.

As for Hoshiharu, there was no doubt that he was a man of firm perseverance.

"Hoshiharu-san, I brought lunch here!"

Shortly afterward, Kagami's voice was heard from the path outside the forest.

Kanata took one last look at Hoshiharu, then turned and left the open field.

"Don't underestimate my Junior Brother, otherwise you'll suffer."

Kanata began to understand the meaning of Touka's words yesterday.

At this point, it would be too superficial if she still thought that the result of tomorrow's match was already determined.

Tomorrow, everything will be clear.

"Damn it!"

Kanata suddenly cursed silently.

When leaving, she forgot to lift her skirt, causing the edge of her skirt to be torn by the bushes. Half of her dress was left behind, revealing a large part of her white skin on her legs.

❀❀❀

Evening.

Hoshiharu dragged his very tired body back to the dormitory.

"Junior Brother, why didn't you come back until now?"

When Hoshiharu returned, Touka had already changed into pajamas and was waiting.

The dormitory building's access control time was 9 p.m., and no one was allowed in after that time. Hoshiharu returned to the dormitory as soon as possible.

"...A little obsessed."

A smile tugged at the corner of Hoshiharu's mouth, a smile that was tired but very happy.

Yes, very happy.

He enjoyed this process from the bottom of his heart.

Under the constant attack of fatigue and pain, he was very pleased with the feeling of breaking through limits and enjoying the process of becoming stronger.

In the fitness industry, some people call this symptom "fitness addiction." Because after feeling the changes and pleasure brought by fitness, they can't stop exercising and eventually become muscular men compared to taking drugs.

Hoshiharu was similar to such people, but his situation was different.

The reason he enjoyed the feeling of becoming stronger was not that he couldn't stop training, but because it made him clearly feel that weakness was continuously leaving him.

"Come in quickly, I'll help you bathe, and go to bed early tonight!"

Touka pushed Hoshiharu into the bathroom, naturally took off his clothes, put on a bath towel herself, and helped him clean his body.

This situation was not unfamiliar to the two of them. In recent years, they had taken countless baths together. There was no sentimental element in the behavior, only simple weakness and motherliness.

Hoshiharu was so exhausted that he no longer thought lewdly and fell asleep in the bathroom.

"Junior Brother? Junior Brother?"

Touka gently shook Hoshiharu's body, but when she saw that he still didn't respond, her eyes became very soft.

She wiped his body clean, dressed him, and carried Hoshiharu out of the bathroom.

A moment later, the lights in the dormitory dimmed.

❀❀❀

The next morning.

Hoshiharu opened his eyes on time, and everything he saw was white.

It looked familiar.

He mobilized the memory bank stored in his brain and suddenly realized something.

This was Toudou Touka's Noble Art!

Thanks to her swordsmanship talent, her brain simulation ability was very strong, and she could remember all the enemies and swordsmanship she saw through her insight eyes, and Noble Art was no problem.

"Junior Brother, are you awake?"

As Hoshiharu was about to get up, he pulled his blanket and woke up Touka.

Last night, they seemed to have slept in the same bed.

"Junior Brother, I won't stop you from training. It does have extraordinary meaning for you, but I will never sit idly by if you reach the level like yesterday!"

Touka had just woken up, and before she could lift the clothes that had slipped from her shoulder, she started lecturing Hoshiharu incessantly, with a serious expression on her face.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister, I understand!"

Hoshiharu kept nodding, his eyes shifting up and down.

He indeed felt that yesterday's training was a bit excessive, because it was the first time he tried exercising in a multi-gravity environment, he held his breath and couldn't control himself.

Until now, he felt a dull pain in the muscles of his body, making him feel a little weak.

After that, he had to go to the hospital and ask the Hydromancer teacher to help treat him, wipe away the excess lactic acid excreted from the muscles, and rest for a while in the morning. A combination of work and rest is the most suitable rhythm for training.

"Good if you understand."

Touka sighed in relief when she saw Hoshiharu seemed to be listening to her words, and then pulled up the clothes that had fallen from her shoulder as if nothing had happened.

That's enough relaxation for her Junior Brother's well-being today.

"By the way, Junior Brother."

"What's the matter, Senior Sister?"

Hoshiharu raised his head and looked directly at Touka.

"Good luck!"

Touka raised her fist as a sign of encouragement and showed an encouraging smile to Hoshiharu.

"I look forward to competing with you on the stage of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival!"

"Of course!"

Hoshiharu couldn't help but laugh when he heard this.

"I have no intention of stopping in a place like this!"