CLANG!
The basketball was slammed hard into the hoop by Haizaki Shogo, and he landed lightly on the floor before casually turning back toward his own half of the court.
Below the backboard, the players from Hanaki Middle School stood devastated, each of them staring in fear and disbelief at the blood-red silhouette walking away.
It was only the third quarter, yet the opponent had already collapsed completely. Their fighting spirit was gone, and Haizaki Shogo easily took control of the entire game.
When the whistle finally blew, the teammates on the bench all jumped to their feet, hugging one another in excitement.
Returning to the bench, Haizaki took the bottle of water and towel that Shimizu Rena lovingly handed him and wiped his sweat.
Seeing the excitement and expectation in her face, Haizaki paused for a second, took a sip of water, then lifted Shimizu into a light spin before putting the shy girl back down.
Afterward, surrounded by lively discussion, everyone packed up and headed back.
When they got off the school bus and were about to part ways, Haizaki and Rena made another plan.
"Shogo-kun, are you going to practice fencing this afternoon?"
"What time?"
"I made an appointment with Coach Miyazaki. At 3 p.m."
"Three, huh? All right, I'll be there on time."
"Okay, see you this afternoon!"
"See you this afternoon!"
When he got home, it was nearly noon. His mother was already setting the table. After taking a shower, Haizaki sat down for lunch.
Looking at the nutritious dishes on the table, he felt moved. His mother knew he had a game today, so she had prepared a full spread of his favorite foods, all well-balanced.
"Thanks, Mom. I'm digging in!"
"Eat up, Shogo-kun!"
After stuffing himself silly, Haizaki slung a basketball behind his back and went for a walk in the park.
He had fencing practice with Rena at three. Three hours was just enough for digestion—perfect timing.
Thinking of this, Haizaki headed toward the park. Around noon there were barely any people—just a whole bunch of stray cats and stray dogs wandering around.
Humming a tune, he walked through one shaded path after another.
Forty minutes later, he half-layed on a cool bench, using his basketball as a pillow.
The noon wind, the hot air, the dazzling sunlight—it all brought sleepiness, and Haizaki drifted into a light slumber.
No one knew how long he'd been asleep when something wet and slippery began licking the fingers dangling from his bench, startling him awake.
He sat up, raised his damp left hand, frowned, and then looked down by his feet.
A small white-and-gray puppy lay there, covered in filth and mud, still licking his shoe.
It wasn't big—maybe only a month or two old, probably just newly able to open its eyes. No collar, no tag, no marks of any kind.
Its fur was white, but not clean white—instead streaked with a sickly gray tone that gave an unpleasant first impression.
Judging by its shriveled belly, it was obvious—the poor thing was starving and out begging for food.
Haizaki grabbed the little gray-white pup with one hand, glanced at its unpleasant fur and grayish eyes that gave the illusion of a zombie dog, then set it down and picked up his basketball to leave.
After walking some distance, for reasons he couldn't explain, he turned back, picked up the puppy, and headed toward his house.
Sitting on the steps outside the villa, Haizaki watched the puppy devour the food with a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
After a while, as if making a decision, he walked into the villa and spoke to his mother, who was knitting.
"Mom, would you and big brother mind if we kept a dog at home?"
"A dog?"
"Yeah."
"Shogo-kun, do you mean that little stray puppy from earlier?"
"That's right. Mom, would you and big brother mind?"
"We don't mind. Having another small life in the house is nice."
"Thank you, Mom!"
Then Haizaki carried the well-fed stray puppy into the bathroom and washed it again and again.
After several thorough washes, the filthy pup was finally transformed. Its silver-gray fur was now clean, free of dirt and grime. It didn't look nearly as unpleasant anymore.
Checking the time, Haizaki picked up the puppy and went to his mother.
"Mom, I'm going to the fencing hall to practice this afternoon. Could you please help get the rabies shot for the puppy and register its dog tag and adoption papers?"
His gentle mother put down her knitting and picked up the puppy, stroking its head.
The little gray dog curled up meekly, clearly enjoying the attention.
Seeing how obedient and calm it was, his mother smiled.
"Go on, Shogo-kun. I'll help you take care of everything."
"Thank you, Mom!"
Carrying his basketball and bag, Haizaki headed out, feeling inexplicably cheerful.
At the fencing hall, two graceful figures crossed blades back and forth atop the platform.
Already wearing his full protective gear, Haizaki casually leaned on the side of the stage, shamelessly letting his gaze fall on the beautiful legs—slender, well-shaped, perfectly curved—of the two beauties fencing.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
That figure, that face, those thighs, those curves, that silhouette, that bounce… perfection.
Just as his thoughts wandered indecently, the duel on the stage came to a halt.
"Shogo-kun, you're here."
"Pervert, get up here."
Right—two voices, one gentle and shy, the other sharp and commanding.
Snapping back to reality, Haizaki flipped himself onto the platform in one clean motion.
Raising his foil and standing righteously, he declared to the beautiful Coach Miyazaki before him:
"In the face of a mighty foe, I shall know no fear. I shall be brave and loyal. I shall be unashamed before God. I shall speak upright and honest. I would rather die than deceive!"
"I swear to fight for the unarmed. I swear eternal devotion to the one I love. And I swear to defeat the dragoness before me!"
Before he could finish his dramatic speech, Coach Miyazaki—mature, intelligent, and beautiful—frowned at being compared to a dragoness, clenched her teeth, and a flash of steel burst forth.
The chuunibyou knight immediately fell into disadvantage, escaping death by a hair as he was relentlessly pushed back by her fierce strikes.
At the side, Shimizu Rena was already laughing nonstop at Haizaki's ridiculous lines, bending over from laughter.
The end of this story:
The over-dramatic knight, shining with "justice," bravely charged forward—only to be ruthlessly defeated blow by blow by the dragoness.
The moral is simple: never provoke a woman.
When a woman is right, she's right.
When a woman is wrong… she's still right.
Especially if she's a stunning beauty.
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32+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon.com/Veltoria
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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