Chapter 70: The Truth of That Year
In the Noah Hall, now reduced to ruins.
The azure barrier still enveloped this place, resembling a execution ground for criminals, where no one could leave until the execution was over.
The Azure Dragon, realizing that he had no advantage whether at a distance or close range, decided to abandon his conventional combat preparations. Instead, he planned to rely on his supreme authority to completely incapacitate Kanade.
Possessing the powers of “Judgment” and “Conviction,” the latter allowed him to lock onto a target and ignore time and space to carry out “sanction.” It could be said to embody the benefit of “certain hit.”
However, at this moment, the Azure Dragon faced an extraordinary phenomenon.
No matter how many times he unleashed the azure lightning towards Kanade, she could evade it with a “precognition” stance.
Even the “laws” brought by “Conviction” had no effect in front of Kanade.
“Why is this happening…” the Azure Dragon muttered through gritted teeth at the sight before him.
Although he was the No. 3 of Ark Academy, the president of the student council standing above thousands, possessing an extremely rare authority in the extraordinary world, he was, after all, just a student. The Azure Thunder authority in his hand only allowed him to exert the power of “Conviction.”
If he could combine it with the all-seeing “Judgment,” perhaps the outcome would be completely different.
But at this moment—
“The divine law cannot condemn the free beast.”
“Is that all you’ve got! Student Council President!” Kanade’s eyes emitted a golden light, and her movements approached the Azure Dragon like an unpredictable beast.
The instinct of the beast led Kanade to seize the opening before the Azure Dragon could react from his shock.
The double-edged blade that existed only in cognition sliced through the air, striking with incredible force towards the fantasy spirit armor held by the Azure Dragon.
Accompanied by a crisp collision sound.
The silver blade struck the sturdy hilt, sending it flying into the air.
Even if the blade was not tangible azure lightning, the hilt was still something that could be touched.
As long as the attack was angled correctly, it could disarm the opponent.
For a power user, the fantasy spirit armor was the key to fully driving their powers.
Having learned this in class, Kanade aimed at the Azure Dragon’s weapon, and then—
The blade, not existing in reality, was placed against the Azure Dragon’s neck.
“The outcome has been decided.”
“…I must say, I’m impressed, Kanade Tsukimi.”
Finally aware of his situation, the Azure Dragon couldn’t help but exclaim.
From beginning to end, he had not sensed any fluctuation of magical power from Kanade.
Although he didn’t know what means she used to gain these incredible abilities, it was clear that he, in possession of authority, was losing to someone who hadn’t even awakened any powers.
“Indeed, no matter the work, those ranked high always seem to end up losing to the underdogs, don’t they?” The Azure Dragon said as he slowly turned to look at Kanade.
In her eyes, he saw the light of humanity.
“Those eyes… are completely different from the you back then…”
“…I’ve always had a familiar feeling about the name ‘Toujou,’ and now I finally remember,” Kanade said. “Back then, after Nagi faced that incident in the entertainment industry, various media reporters surrounded the Naginoya family day and night.”
“…..”
“Media outlets, newspapers, and the internet were all extensively reporting on news about Nagi, with countless speculations and rumors emerging—”
“But then, one day, it was as if those events vanished like a dream. Not only could no news related to Nagi be seen on television or the internet, but even the reporters who had surrounded her disappeared.”
“Conversely, during that time, I remember children near my home were warned by their parents that there were bad people everywhere, and they were told to wait at school for their parents to pick them up…”
“Since I had no parents to pick me up, I saw—many men from a gang called ‘Toujou-kai,’ bursting into newspapers and bookstores, tearing magazines and newspapers while threatening the store owners.”
At this point, Kanade paused for a long time.
“This matter is related to you, Student Council President, right?” Kanade deduced based on the anger the Azure Dragon displayed after the attack incident: “You protected Nagi in this way back then.”
“…..” The Azure Dragon didn’t respond.
But his attitude seemed to affirm Kanade’s assumption.
“Child star connected to the underworld”
“The underworld’s claws have extended to the entertainment industry’s children”
…..
Back then, Kanade had not yet fully moved past her grief of not having parents.
When Nagi didn’t come looking for her, she would stay alone in her room, perusing any reading material she could find.
Because her uncle liked to read newspapers, there were often many papers in Kanade’s home.
In her spare time, she would pass the time by looking at those newspapers.
The aforementioned were the headlines she often saw during that period.
At that time, she could not distinguish who those reports were about.
But now, Kanade understood.
The “child star connected to the underworld” mentioned in those newspapers and media was Nagi.
Because the Toujou-kai had intervened to stop those unscrupulous media reporters, the attention that had been focused on Nagi gradually shifted to the underworld and the dark side of the entertainment industry.
Nagi and her experiences slowly faded from the public’s view.
Thus, this was why Nagi, who had been a world-shocking genius child star, had little recognition in the eyes of ordinary people.
Even in the local schools of Kawano City, only a few people remembered that Nagi was a child star, and even fewer connected her past experiences to view her as a victim of psychological trauma.
“…..That’s just a coincidence.”
After Kanade recounted that memory.
The Azure Dragon finally spoke.
“Everything was just the childish idea of a fool born into the underworld who could only solve problems with violence.”
“At that time, I merely wanted to protect her in a ‘self-righteous’ manner through violent means, without realizing how much trouble such naïve thoughts would cause Nagi… would cause that child…”
“Student Council President…”
“Though back then, thanks to Ayako’s suggestion, I diverted attention to this matter in other ways and suppressed it, just this ‘child star with connections to the underworld’… If it were to be exposed, Nagi’s life would be ruined…”
And this was not just a scare tactic.
It almost happened through the words of a particularly persistent current actress.
“Three years ago… when Nagi made her comeback during the school festival’s stage play, were you all going to be there, Student Council President?”
“Ah, at that moment, I truly realized how foolish what I had done was—”
…..
…..
That year, upon hearing of Nagi’s comeback, the Azure Dragon immediately rushed to Kawano City to attend the school festival at Hoshikage High School.
But it was also at that time that Ayako learned some information about Nagi.
A rising actress named Ryouko Yano secretly hired a private detective to obtain Nagi’s “dark materials”—her connections to the underworld.
Upon learning this, the Azure Dragon had Ayako find the same private detective under the name of “Hoshimiya family” to investigate Ryouko Yano in return.
Though the Azure Dragon’s original plan was merely to control this detective, Ayako subsequently used the financial strength and influence of the Toujou-kai to successfully uncover the dark secrets of Ryouko Yano, including her dealings with certain wealthy individuals with perverse preferences, etc.
Ultimately, the Azure Dragon sent these materials, difficult for ordinary people to find, to the detective, who then dealt with Ryouko Yano on his behalf.
This was also why Ryouko did not expose this information immediately upon learning of it.
Though this information would ruin Nagi, it was clear she herself would also incur the wrath of Toujou-kai.
Unless it was absolutely necessary, she wanted to keep it as a trump card and would never reveal it.
At the same time, this incident dramatically changed the course of the Azure Dragon’s life.
To silence the now-arrested Ryouko Yano, the Azure Dragon decided to stay a night in Kawano City.
It was that night.
Kawano City experienced an event that the Azure Dragon, even as the young master of the Toujou-kai, could not have imagined.
After the earthquake, it was as if an endless rain poured down, along with the sudden rise of a thick white mist amidst the rain—
The Azure Dragon and Ayako came into contact with the real world and extraordinary powers that night.
And received the authority of Azure Thunder.
Their life trajectories changed drastically from then on.
As heavily infected individuals, the Azure Dragon and Ayako encountered Alice, who was the acting in charge at the time in Kawano City, and entered Ark Academy through her connections.
……
……
“So back then, Ayako was so concerned about me and Mana on Nanse Island, it was all orchestrated by you, Student Council President?” After listening to the Azure Dragon’s words, Kanade finally understood why Ayako was the one guiding her and Mana to join Ark Academy.
“Ah, yes, that event had a huge impact. While I was still not a member of the student council then, Ayako, because of her excellence, had infiltrated the upper echelons of Ark Academy, and there she saw Nagi’s name… So I had her help manage this matter, but I didn’t expect only you and Mana to join Ark Academy.”
The Azure Dragon’s words, instead, mentioned something Kanade was quite concerned about now.
“What about Ayako… who is she following now?”
“What do you mean? Are you implying that Ayako would betray me?” The Azure Dragon immediately caught on to the implication in Kanade’s words.
“Ah, though I really don’t want to say this, she probably isn’t on your side now…” Kanade then redirected the topic.
“Nagi is currently being kidnapped; that black sphere is the key to rescuing her, yet Ayako is urging you to stand in our way…”
“Kanade Tsukimi, do you know? If I were to say what I learned from the past you—”
At that moment, the Azure Dragon transformed into a blue silhouette.
“—it would be unconditionally trusting your childhood friend.”
The azure barrier suddenly shrank.
“Do you think the battle has truly ended? I am waiting for the power of the authority to coalesce, and what are you waiting for—”
