'Alpha, you received some upgrades after your slumber, didn't you?'
[Affirmative.]
'Do you think you can jam the camera feed for a while or better yet, edit the footage?'
[I can... but I thought you were done playing the role of an extra?]
'I'm not going back on my word, but I can't expose myself until I gather enough intel on Deerheart.'
'If I do, he'll surely start digging into my background and covering his tracks.' Kai ran a hand through his hair, four strands falling neatly over his forehead.
'And it wouldn't be very dramatic if I made my grand entrance now, would it?"
[...You really are insane.]
'I'll take that as a compliment.'
The footage of the match glitched before transitioning to a brutal one-sided battle.
Kai was being pushed back repeatedly, seemingly overwhelmed by his emotions. But those who truly knew him could tell, it was all a performance.
"Stay back, you bastard!" Rodri shouted at the top of his lungs, but Kai paid him no mind.
With a swift gesture, a large white briefcase materialized in the air. It wasn't massive, yet not small enough to be carried with one hand, the shape and structure was perfectly sized for a sniper's kit.
The case landed beside him, opening slowly as cold vapor spilled out.
Inside were three distinctive swords: a white tachi, a dark blue tachi; identical in design aside from their materials and color and between them, a larger golden blade with a mystical key-like indentation at its center.
"I told her to bring one, but she went searching for the other Shinto siblings." Kai smiled softly.
His hand moved to the hilt of the dark blue blade. He gripped it tightly and dismissed the box.
"Let's begin with Sasauno," he whispered, his gaze darkening as it locked onto Rodri.
Rodri's face turned pale as Kai advanced, he could feel it, the overwhelming dread of a hunter closing in on his prey.
Desperate, Rodri summoned five pillars to crash into Kai. A flicker of satisfaction danced on his lips only to vanish instantly.
The first pillar crumbled into dust.
From the debris emerged Kai, his blade fully drawn.
The sword was forged from an otherworldly metal, adorned with intricate Japanese carvings.
Kai didn't know how the blacksmith had learned Japanese but that wasn't his concern.
Bathed in crimson moonlight, the dark blue blade radiated an ethereal glow. And the swordsman wielding it was even more dazzling.
Blood dripped subtly down his arm, the contrast of crimson against his ragged clothing and exposed skin made him appear almost otherworldly beautiful, not broken in the least.
Kai swung the blade leftward, activating his only combat-type skill and vanished.
He reappeared above the next pillar, channeling all the mana he could muster into Sasauno, and struck with surgical precision.
The impact was catastrophic, sending shockwaves in every direction.
Rodri's group shielded their eyes from the billowing dust. Rodri himself collapsed, blood spewing from his mouth.
Through a hollow voice, he cried, "Please no more. I beg of you."
'No Rodri! I can't let anything happen to Rodri, damn bastard, why did we have to encounter a demon, I told him over and over again that we shouldn't pick fights.' Derek thought as he moved his unresponsive body.
Derek jumped in, desperate to save his best friend from the demon-like-human before them.
"Stop!" He yelled. "He would get a mana recoil if you continue!" He shouted, glancing around, he noticed no examiner had appeared to stop the match.
He stretched out his hand widely as he wishpered.
"In the name of Medrick's blood I summon you, Philip."
As the incantation ended, a massive bear tore through the fabric of space and appeared behind him.
"You're a beast tamer?" Kai asked, grinning.
Abandoning the remaining pillars, Kai clashed with the beast head-on. A deafening thunderclap followed, forcing everyone to cover their ears.
Seeing their bloodied comrades, both Ed and Rodri's other lackey bolted but Kai was already upon them. With a simple slash, a wave of thunder struck them down, electrocuting them on the spot.
Kai's bloodstained eyes turned to Cassie who was trembling in the corner. She raised her hand, seemingly about to activate her ability.
But a gentle poke to the head knocked her off balance.
As she lifted her gaze, she saw him perched atop Derek's summoned bear.
She couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence in the face of such overwhelming power… wielded by someone her own age.
The striking figure finally spoke, his tone calm and steady. "You're Cassie, right?"
She nodded in response.
"Did you see anything?"
She quickly shook her head.
"Good." Kai paused, summoning a slip of paper. "But, you still have to sign this."
"What?" she asked, visibly confused.
"Don't give me that. I'm letting you walk away better yet, you'll get the credit for everything that happened here, including defeating me." He extended the paper. "I could even say that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Even during Matthew's heroic days, Cassie was infamous for her tendency to betray allies.
Her only true allegiance was to profit, anything that didn't serve that end was worthless in her eyes.
Because of this, Kai couldn't afford to trust her the way he did to Ivy, but that didn't mean he was going to waste a useful opportunity and a free ticket to the soft life.
"So, are you in or not?" he asked impatiently.
Cassie hesitantly reached for the paper and lowered her gaze to examine it.
"What are you doing?" he questioned.
"Um..." She trembled slightly. "I just need to read through the contract."
"Huh? Who said you could?" Kai tilted his head, a soft smile appearing on his face.
Flinching, Cassie brought her injured finger closer to the paper, then hesitated. "At least tell me how long it lasts... and maybe what the penalty is."
"Obviously, it's forever," he replied with an even brighter smile. "And the penalty? That's classified. Actually, it's better you don't know, it might 'greatly' interfere with your performance."
A chill ran down her spine as she imagined the consequences of crossing this man.
She quickly dropped her blood on the paper, making it glow brightly.
"Thank you very much," Kai said, turning away.
Noticing something in his hand, Cassie asked, "If I may... what is that you're holding?"
Kai glanced at his palm. "Oh, just a little something for the uncooperative. A rampaging worm."
Cassie forced a crooked smile. "Right..."
[How do you even know how to create rampaging worms?]
'I learned it back on Earth.'
[Earth? How is that even possible?]
'Don't you know? Young Master Zhou and all those demonic cultivators always carry them. You can't be demonic without some form of control tactic.'
[...Ha. I honestly don't know what to say anymore.]
Kai chuckled softly as he made his way toward the remaining four.
"I'm exhausted." He stretched before hopping down from the summoned beast.
----
Everything played out just as Kai had intended.
Cassie was hailed as a hero, her story being that she had reawakened, though not fully.
Kai's fan ranking dropped to hundred and ninety-six, and so did his overall rank.
The admiration in the students' eyes had shifted to disdain.
Despite having to fake an injury and spend over six hours in the infirmary where he completed his daily mission next to Elia, Ikenna, and Neko-sensei who visited, he wasn't bothered.
Everything had gone according to plan. The rampaging worms helped solidify the fabricated narrative.
Now, life returned to normal until the next league match, which would feature both Matthew's and Elia's teams, though not facing each other.
"That's a bit anticlimactic," he muttered as he swung the door open.
[I think it is better that way.]
Kai, dressed in a fitted suit, a long tailored coat and crisp white shirt, he was ready for the first class he had purchased with his accumulated points.
But waiting just outside the door was a familiar, unexpected figure with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Kaiser," the striking figure greeted, his crimson hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Kai's eyes flickered with light. "Matthew."
"The one and only," he said, stepping closer.
'What is this bastard doing here?'