“Oh, I know that face. Li’l Nozomu had the same look the first time he picked a fight with me,” Hana said, glancing at Nozomu and shooting him a mean-spirited smile. Her voice probably hadn’t reached his ears, but given the way he scowled like he’d tasted something bitter, he must have had an idea of what she was thinking. “Azuhaaa, no need to spend time on the theatrics. Just get ’em already.”
Azuha responded in her childlike tone and revealed the power she’d been suppressing. As her wings grew dazzlingly colorful, the massive power she unleashed was apparent to everyone around the arena. The spectators’ eyes went wide in shock as they felt it for themselves, one by one. And of course, that included Botan. Azuha’s power was massive, more than enough to shut up anyone who’d call her a “bottom-of-the-barrel bug.”
While continuing to dodge the attacks from Botan’s shikigami, Azuha spread shimmers of light from her wings. Botan’s shikigami charged headfirst into these specks and then shook their heads to brush them off. But the next moment, the two started fighting each other.
“Wh-what are you doing, Hakuro and Kagura?! Stop this at once!”
Botan was baffled to see her shikigami pay no heed to their master’s orders and continue to fight; Azuha’s graceful fluttering now seemed to make a mockery of her.
“Whew, Big Sis’s brainwashing never stops being spooky. Even I wouldn’t know right from left after a whiff of that. That’s just what happens when you don’t know what you’re getting into.”
“Absolutely. I suggest you learn from your mistake of insulting our elder sister.”
“I think this should drastically change everyone’s appraisal of her.”
While Aoi, Miyabi, and Arashi were giving their impressions of the battle, Botan’s shikigami delivered decisive strikes to each other, bringing the match to an abrupt end. Botan’s jaw hung open at this anticlimactic conclusion, and the audience was no less stunned.
“Maaaster! I wooon!”
Azuha fluttered down and returned to Hana.
“You did amazing, Azuha. I’m so proud of you for taking down two shikigami at once.”
“Tee-hee.”
Hana dropped her defenses to commend her shikigami. But their good mood was soon interrupted by a shout from Botan.
“You cheated!”
Botan pointed directly at Azuha; her brow was furrowed in rage, and her body was shaking ever so slightly.
“An insect shikigami could never defeat my Hakuro or Kagura! You must have pulled some sort of trick!”
“I understand not wanting to accept it, but I’m afraid the facts are the facts. Aren’t you ashamed to criticize your opponent just because you managed to lose without even putting up a fight? Then again, I suppose there’s no limit to how much you can humiliate yourself after losing to the insect shikigami you so confidently insulted time and time again. Poor thing.”
Hana intentionally used the “poor thing” phrase that Botan said so often. There was no doubt in the mind of anyone watching such malicious mockery that Hana had a rotten personality.
“If you really want to complain, why not ask any of the Obsidian-rank practitioners in attendance? As long as you don’t mind them removing any shadow of a doubt from your loss.”
“Guh…”
Hana turned her back on the arena, as though to say she had no more business with this crushed princess, who could only grind her teeth in anguish.
“Oh-ho-ho!”
And of course, Hana didn’t forget the intentionally high-pitched cackle as she left the stage.
The murmurs among the audience continued as Hana returned to her team, where she was greeted not by celebrations of her victory but by a sullen mood. Nozomu, for instance, had a hand leaning against a wall as he groaned.
“Nozomu, what’re you doing?”
“Shut up. Just got an old scar acting up.”
“From when you insulted Azuha for being just a bug before getting your butt handed to you? Ah, good times, Nozo-kins.”
“It’s not ‘Nozo-kins’! It’s just ‘Nozomu’!”
Whenever Hana called him Nozo-kins instead of Nozomu, it was usually to make fun of him. This knowledge was exactly why Nozomu snapped back so angrily. Not that it served any purpose, as Hana would never do something as silly as “being considerate” over that.
“Actually, what’s the deal? I won, so aren’t you all happy?”
Even Kikyou, the one who pleaded with Hana more desperately than anyone to defeat Botan, looked conflicted instead of happy.
“While I am pleased to see that phony princess beaten into the dirt…I can’t help but think about the difference between how I struggled against her two shikigami and what a single insect shikigami could accomplish. It makes me wonder what I’ve been doing all this time… I suppose it should be no surprise by now, but I’m reminded of just how strong you are, Hana.”
“Yeah.”
Kiriya agreed, and even Hazuki appeared to be a bit sullen.
“It’s just like that Yotsukado lady said. Human-form shikigami aren’t gonna guarantee you a win. Azuha won because her abilities are that much stronger. Nothin’ to be surprised by.”
“I know, but…”
“First off, the problem is that too many practitioners look down on bug shikigami. If Botan had been on her guard, things might’ve been different.”
Hana had no shortage of grievances about this. But on the bright side, this match should have proved just how powerful insect shikigami—and Azuha in particular—could be.
“I’m never letting anyone call Azuha a ‘mere bug’ again.”
Countless times, Hana had been mocked as a washout, but it was Azuha being mocked that she’d held a chip on her shoulder for. And now she felt relieved that she could make not just Botan but the entire audience eat their words.
With all events of the Campus Cup now finished, Hana hurried to the rear of the arena building.
Thanks to Hana’s victory in the final round, Campus One was sure to take first place by total points. However, she was gone before they were even tallied. It was only natural; the locations of those talismans were incomparably more important. She had planned to wrap that match up quickly, but she forgot about the talismans at some point and got a bit too invested.
Right now, Kazura and Yanagi were likely searching the campus. Saku had his duties as the Ichinomiya clan lord, so he probably couldn’t take as much action as he’d like.
Frankly, Hana shouldn’t have been taking action, either. These talismans were imbued with curses, which already meant it was no situation for a student like Hana to get involved with. But Arashi had been the first one to find a talisman, so his power would surely be helpful to the others.
Hanna was hurrying to meet up with them, her shikigami trailing after her, but a voice called out from behind them.
“Hana Ichise! Wait right there!”
Hana turned back for one instant and found that the voice belonged to Botan. She must have had more to complain about. Nothing that Hana had the time to worry about, so she ignored her entirely.
Seeing that Hana wasn’t slowing down, Botan called out to her yet again.
“Wha—? Why are you not stopping?!”
“Master, is this a good idea?”
Miyabi looked conflicted about Hana’s choice, but to Hana, ignoring Botan was the only choice.
“We can’t waste time on her.”
Hana continued and turned the corner to the rear of the arena, where she saw Yanagi sitting on the ground with his back resting against the wall.
“Wha—? Yanagi?!”
Hana stopped in her tracks. She then slowly approached her brother and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Shortly after, Botan finally caught up.
“Listen here, you… Hmm? Is something the matter?”
Botan was still angry and fully intended to continue complaining, but she changed her tune after seeing Yanagi.
“This person is Yanagi Ichise… Your brother, correct?”
“Yeah.”
“Why is he sleeping in a place like this?”
“Because…he’s not sleeping.”
Botan looked at Hana’s palm that had touched Yanagi. It was drenched with bright red blood.
“Eek!”
The deep, shocked gasp came from Botan.
Hana joined her in being surprised, but she remained more level-headed than she expected. After touching his shoulder, she’d already suspected he was injured; when Aoi and Miyabi helped her gently lay Yanagi down, blood rushed out from his head.
“Please use this.”
Botan quickly whipped out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Hana. Hana’s eyes widened at the gesture, but she gratefully accepted it and pressed it to Yanagi’s wounds.
“Yanagi! Yanagi!”
There was no response to Hana’s calls and no sign that he’d regain consciousness.
“What in the world happened…?”
“Master, we must treat his wounds at once.”
“I’ll contact Saku. He’ll send someone out.”
Yanagi should have been searching for the talismans with Kazura, but some trouble must have cropped up along the way. Another concern Hana had was that she couldn’t see Kazura anywhere.