Asa held Cael's hand tightly.
"Are you reciting a haiku? What does it mean?"
Cael smiled and shook his head. He reached up and gently brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"A haiku follows a five seven five syllable pattern. What I recited was a classical poem.
As for the meaning, to put it simply, I missed you a lot, Asa."
The words hit her harder than any confession.
Her face flushed instantly.
To say something like that in a moment like this?
Cael was way too smooth.
I like him so much...
She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
"I want to learn Chinese too. Cael has to teach me mouth to mouth."
Asa was usually shy, but that depended on the situation.
After those thugs ran their mouths earlier, she no longer considered them human.
As for Kobeni standing behind her, it did not matter. Kobeni already knew everything anyway.
"Your university offers Chinese as an elective, right?"
Asa lightly bit Cael's earlobe and whispered a threat.
"The teacher is Japanese. That is not authentic enough. I want Cael, a native of X, to teach me. Otherwise I will bite this bad guy's ear off."
"Alright, alright. I will only teach you at night. I still have to work during the day," Cael replied, half amused, half helpless.
She was getting clingier by the day.
Kobeni stayed quiet.
This strange sense of ease...
Was this what it felt like to stand beside someone strong?
Cael and Asa acted as if the others did not exist.
The crowd was furious.
They glared at Cael.
Even the usually composed Okawa Jinfu looked resentful. He pointed at Ise Kaiharu, who lay on the ground bruised and bloodied.
"If you refuse my proposal, you become everyone's enemy, just like Ise Kaiharu."
Enemy?
"Oh?"
Cael let out a contemptuous laugh.
"Where is the enemy? All I see are a bunch of corpses waiting to drop."
These bastards had stepped right over his line.
Lusting after Asa?
Fine.
Even ants get crushed.
"Fuck! Boss Jinfu, stop talking and just rip him apart! I never liked this guy's face! He has to be a college student too! I hate college students the most!"
"Yeah, Boss! Kill him and we will have more food!"
"Heh, the women look young too..."
"Give the order, Boss! The brothers are starving!"
Their wolfish eyes roamed over Asa and Kobeni, as if trying to strip them bare with their gaze alone.
Okawa Jinfu swallowed.
Cael was about to step forward.
Asa stopped him and moved in front of him instead.
"Cael, let me protect you this time."
He blinked, then gave a small laugh. "Alright. If it makes you happy, Asa."
She turned back toward the men and inhaled slowly.
Her expression twisted with disgust.
She planted her hands on her hips.
"Pah. Filthy, shameless animals. Are your brains nothing but rotten leaves? Is screwing the only thing left in your heads?
Now kneel before my boyfriend. Bow ten times.
Maybe I will let you die a little easier."
Silence hung in the air.
Then laughter exploded.
The men doubled over, howling.
Okawa Jinfu felt heat rush through him. This woman had spirit. He liked that. Compared to Kobeni's slight frame, Asa's figure was fuller, more captivating.
He preferred prey that resisted. Conquest felt sweeter that way.
He licked his lips and pointed at Asa.
"I will use this one first. You guys can take the short one. Do not damage the women. Beat the man to death."
At his command, they rushed forward.
Asa's mind became still.
Too slow.
She ducked under Okawa Jinfu's lunge with fluid ease.
In one motion, she kicked off her left shoe.
"Sneaker Sword."
Clang.
A clear metallic chime rang out.
A gleaming white blade formed in her hand.
She rose and slashed upward.
Okawa Jinfu split in half.
Blood sprayed across the corridor.
Before the others could react, Asa kicked off the ground and surged into the crowd.
Her movements blurred, weaving between them like a phantom.
White arcs flashed.
Bodies fell apart before screams could fully form.
Limbs scattered. Flesh tore.
Within seconds, the corridor was soaked red.
The white sock on her left foot darkened with blood.
Only Ise Kaiharu remained alive.
His mind was blank.
How could someone like this be a university student?
Asa exhaled slowly.
It had taken only a single breath.
If it were Yoru, it might have been faster.
Her strength was nowhere near Cael's, and still below Yoru's.
Even so, she was the host of the War Devil.
And she had fought before.
She had memorized fragments of Yoru's style.
Kobeni hid behind Cael, trembling.
Ms. Asa is terrifying...
"Tch. Slimy and gross."
Asa tossed aside the bloodied sneaker sword and looked up at Cael, clearly fishing for praise.
"Well? Feels good being protected by me, right?"
"Yeah. Asa is amazing."
Cael smiled at her, eyes warm.
Then he crouched and slapped the ground.
A pulse of gravitational force rippled outward. Dark Hole compressed the remains while Hurricane scattered the residue.
In moments, the blood and bodies were gone.
The corridor looked almost untouched.
After cleaning up, Cael walked over to Ise Kaiharu.
He scratched his head.
"You must be hungry. We do not have spare food.
Those idiots wanted to eat you.
Why not return the favor? I already ground them down for you."
A small black sphere condensed at his fingertip as he looked at him calmly.
There was always an extreme option.
He could tear off his own limbs and use them as rations.
With enough blood stored, he could revive again and again through the Weapon Human mechanism.
He had gathered plenty of blood just now.
Reviving dozens of times would not be a problem.
But he would only do that if Asa was hungry, or if Kobeni was truly on the verge of starving.
Ise Kaiharu's lips trembled.
He finally lost control.
He bent over and vomited, retching violently.
Nothing but bitter stomach acid and traces of blood came out.
"N No, that is not necessary. Thank you..."
Asa walked over to Kobeni, smiling proudly.
"Kobeni, I was impressive, right? Surprised?"
"Y Yes... Ms. Asa is amazing. I... I could never kill someone..." Kobeni stammered, shaking.
Asa frowned.
"They were going to kill us."
Kobeni swallowed hard.
"There is no solid evidence proving self defense. If this ever gets exposed, my credit score will be destroyed. It absolutely cannot have issues.
My older brother is still preparing for the civil service exam..."