Yagami hadn't initially underestimated the enemy before him, but he was entirely unprepared for what happened next.
The moment he moved to strike, a flash of light seared across his vision. It was Asuna. With terrifying speed, she was already standing inches from him, her long chestnut hair fluttering in the wake of her movement.
The sharp ching of metal echoed through the room as Asuna unsheathed her silver rapier.
A cold glint flickered, and the tip of the blade grazed Yagami's cheek, leaving a thin crimson line that began to bead with blood. Without pausing, the point of her sword shifted, centering perfectly on Amasawa, who was still busy fussing over her hair in the back.
Both of them froze. With a single motion, Asuna had defined the hierarchy of power.
Had she wished it, she could have finished them both in the blink of an eye while their guards were down. After all, the rapier in her hand was a real weapon; even if the edges weren't honed to a razor's sharpness, the force of her thrusts would be agonizing.
The gaze shared between Yagami and Amasawa turned deadly serious. Asuna retracted her weapon, her voice calm as she attempted to de-escalate.
"I have no desire to fight you. If you leave now..." Asuna glanced at the fallen Katsuragi and Hashimoto, then toward her classmates outside. "...I can act as if this never happened."
"Heh." Yagami let out a dry chuckle, his interest piqued. This school was proving to be far more entertaining than he'd anticipated; experts were crawling out of the woodwork. First, that loser Ryunosuke, and now Asuna—whose strength seemingly eclipsed his own.
Yagami felt the thrill of the challenge. He pulled out a pair of brass knuckles fitted with small, integrated blades and slipped them over his fingers. Facing a weaponized opponent without a metal parry would be suicide. Seeing this, Amasawa followed suit, drawing military karambit knives in both hands. Naturally, the "blades" were blunt, as the school strictly prohibited functional lethal weaponry.
Both were now armed with metal to deflect Asuna's rapier. Seeing their reaction, Asuna knew combat was inevitable. She let out a soft, weary sigh.
"A blade has no eyes. I will try to hold back."
"Don't bother!" Yagami snapped, rejecting her pity. He didn't want mercy; he demanded her absolute best.
Asuna lunged forward. Amasawa moved to assist, but Yagami blocked her path with his arm.
"This one is mine. Just watch from the sidelines."
Faced with Yagami's stubborn pride, Amasawa merely shrugged and stepped back. However, she was never one for playing fair; she kept her karambits hidden behind her back, poised for a surprise strike at a moment's notice.
The clash between Asuna and Yagami erupted.
The room filled with the rhythmic clang of metal on metal. Asuna wielded her blade with a single hand, moving with the fluid grace of a high-born knight. Meanwhile, Yagami dug into a Bajiquan stance, his iron-clad fists blurring in a flurry of strikes.
Growing bored with the spectating, Amasawa wandered over to the small table where Sakayanagi and the others were watching the show. She sat down beside them, her voice turning sickeningly sweet.
"Mind if I join you, Senpais~?"
Amasawa spoke with a gentle lilt, as if she wasn't the one who had just broken into their home. In her mind, Yagami was the one looking for a fight, not her.
Sakayanagi spared the underclassman a brief glance before returning to her tea in silence. Kamuro, clearly annoyed by her presence, snorted and crossed her arms.
"What are you doing here? We don't take guests who come looking for trouble."
"Don't be like that, Kamuro-senpai. I was forced to come. Personally, I have no intention of causing a scene..." Amasawa lied with a perfectly innocent face.
Despite her act, Kamuro and Sakayanagi remained cold. Only the timid Miki responded with a hesitant tone.
"U-um... did you really not mean to cause trouble?" Miki asked cautiously.
Amasawa clasped her hands together, looking pathetic. "It's true, Senpai. That Yagami guy made me come. I'm just a victim of circumstance."
"Oh, I see..." The naive Miki believed her instantly and even went so far as to kindly pour a cup of tea for Amasawa.
Kamuro and Sakayanagi could only sigh at Miki's pure-hearted gullibility. The girl was clearly spinning a web of lies—how could Miki not see through it?
Meanwhile, the battle between Asuna and Yagami intensified.
Asuna sidestepped a heavy blow and countered with a rapid series of thrusts, which Yagami barely managed to parry with his brass knuckles.
Watching from the sidelines, Amasawa's eyes widened in genuine surprise.
"Yuuki-senpai is incredible! What kind of training did she go through?"
No one answered her. Amasawa gave up on digging for intel for now; she could investigate later. Judging by her movements, Asuna was a master; otherwise, there was no way she could keep pace with Yagami for this long.
On the other side of the room, Yagami was starting to feel the pressure. Asuna's speed was otherworldly; he couldn't even graze the hem of her uniform. His own clothes were beginning to show nicks and scuff marks from her blade. Conversely, Asuna remained pristine, meeting his attacks with cold, efficient precision.
Asuna was indeed holding back. She only wanted to drive them away, so she avoided vital points. But to Yagami, that mercy was a slap in the face.
"Didn't I tell you not to hold back?! You're looking down on me?!!" Yagami screamed in a rage.
Seeing his outburst, Asuna realized she had made a tactical error in judgment. Her demeanor shifted, turning razor-sharp. She positioned her blade across her chest, one hand behind her back, her body leaning forward—the classic fencing stance for a lunge.
"Fine. If that's what you want, I'll get a bit more serious. Watch yourself, Yagami-kun."
Before Yagami could even process her words, Asuna seemed to teleport. She was suddenly right in front of him. A straight thrust slammed into Yagami's throat (with the blunt guard of the sword), sending him flying backward until he crashed into the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust.