The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#154 - Focus on one point and reach the pinnacle

After Zunzun defeated Toudou Touka, he gained a new title.

—The Heart Thief.

It has two meanings.

Besides his strength and handsomeness, which made many girls admire him, there was also the physical heart-stealing when he defeated Toudou Touka, inserting his hand into her chest.

It must be stated.

Zunzun didn't really want to kill Toudou Touka, nor was he deliberately trying to take advantage of her. It was just that he saw the weakness in her swordsmanship at that moment and accurately struck it.

That being said.

He still had to visit her.

After Toudou Touka's inherent spiritual armament, Narukami, was shattered, her consciousness also dissipated, and it wasn't until evening that she finally recovered.

"Touka, are you awake?"

"How do you feel? Does anything still hurt?"

Seeing her wake up, Vice President Misogi Awawa and Treasurer Kito Harukata asked her with concern. Toudou Touka gently shook her head.

She knew she had lost, and lost thoroughly. She remembered everything.

From the uneasy expressions of her companions, she could tell that they seemed to feel sorry for her defeat.

Toudou Touka looked out the window.

"…I thought that was the best Raikiri I've ever used."

"Seikyou-sensei and the Chairman think so too."

"Is that so."

If both the third strongest in the original world and the third strongest in this world said so, then it certainly wasn't her delusion. She had indeed exerted her full strength, it was just that Zunzun was better than her.

"Zunzun…"

"Yes, I'm here."

"Eh?"

The words by her ear startled Toudou Touka. She suddenly turned her head and saw Zunzun sitting by her bed.

"Why are you here!? And when did you get here!?"

"When…"

Zunzun didn't know how to answer.

Misogi Awawa smiled and said, "Zunzun has been here since you were still unconscious. Oh dear, you looked out the window as soon as you woke up. I thought you didn't welcome Zunzun."

"T-That's not it! I-I just didn't see him! Z-Zunzun-kun, it's n-not like what she said…!"

Toudou Touka explained, her face flushed red.

Zunzun knew.

The student council president was a sharp and decisive swordsman in the battle circle, but in private, she was a complete airhead.

"Alright, now that Touka is awake, we'll leave you two alone."

"The student council has work to do."

Misogi Awawa and Kito Harukata left the space to the two of them.

Should he say they were considerate, or were they just enjoying the show? Especially seeing Misogi Awawa secretly cheering him on, and Kito Harukata's lighthearted encouragement, made Zunzun feel a little helpless.

He had a fiancée!

After the two of them were left alone in the infirmary, an awkward silence fell.

He didn't know what to say at all.

The two of them didn't have any special relationship, just the winner and loser who had competed in the battle circle.

Should he comfort her?

"Zunzun-kun."

"Yes?"

"That move… was very powerful."

Toudou Touka touched her chest.

Even though the "psychological trauma" had healed, she still had a numb hallucination. Even though she was also a lightning术士, that numbness still couldn't be dispelled, indicating that the other party's lightning was above her own.

"But I won't admit defeat."

She stared at Zunzun, and said with some determination, "The Raikiri I fired today, I still have the feeling I comprehended at that time in my hand, and that touch tells me that Raikiri can continue to become stronger! One day… one day I will fill this gap! …No, I will definitely show you! This time, I will become the challenger!"

This student council president was still setting flags for herself even now. Zunzun really wanted to give her the Red Magic Clan's "100 Rules for Not Setting Flags."

But this was her determination, and he couldn't refute it no matter what.

"I'll be waiting for you."

"…Is that so."

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you would tell me to give up Raikiri."

This move was Toudou Touka's most powerful move, said to be a domain that even the current Seven Star Sword King wouldn't dare to set foot in, but Zunzun had easily pierced through it.

Even if he said some boastful, arrogant words, it would be understandable.

"Why would I say that?"

"What?"

"Hasn't the president heard a saying? Concentrate on one point, reach the pinnacle."

"Concentrate on one point, reach the pinnacle. Concentrate… on one point…"

Toudou Touka carefully savored these words.

After a long time, she sighed.

"Zunzun-kun's words are truly thought-provoking."

Thinking about it carefully, the Raikiri that Zunzun used at that time seemed to concentrate all the magic power in his hand and condense it into a point, breaking through her Raikiri head-on with that point.

Does that mean that if she could also concentrate her magic power into one point, Raikiri would become even stronger than before?

Toudou Touka found a new direction to move forward.

"Thank you, Zunzun-kun."

"Huh? Oh, oh!"

Although he didn't know why she was thanking him, Zunzun subconsciously responded.

"Also, the way the president wields her sword is very beautiful, it fascinates me."

"…Eh?"

"I'm serious. It's really handsome and moving, I was so engrossed in watching it."

"I-Is that so. Hehe, hehehe…"

Toudou Touka covered her cheeks.

The corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.

Although others often said that, and she had almost heard it until her ears were calloused, only Zunzun's words made her heart cheer uncontrollably, and the numbness surrounded by lightning seemed to appear again.

"Speaking of which, President."

"What?"

"The scar on your chest seems to have healed, I can't see it anymore."

"See?"

Toudou Touka lowered her head.

She found that three buttons on her hospital gown were not buttoned, and the lower part of her pectoralis major was open, plus it was already well-developed, one-third was completely exposed, very eye-catching.

"Waaaaah————! D-Don't look!"

She quickly hugged the quilt to cover her body.

She made a fuss for a while.

"I-I'm sorry, I let you see something unsightly."

"No, it's great."

"G-Great——!?"

"Yes!"

Zunzun smiled and gave her a thumbs up, looking very encouraging. After all, compared to her, Zunzun had no development at all. The promised macho man was completely nonexistent.

Toudou Touka blushed, wiggled her mouth, but said nothing.

Zunzun then got up.

"In that case, I won't disturb the president's rest, I'll leave first."

"…Wait."

Toudou Touka didn't know why she subconsciously wanted to keep Zunzun, and under the other party's puzzled gaze, she took a long time to say a sentence.

"Don't lose. Zunzun-kun, you are the one who defeated me—the strongest in the academy, and after this, you must win the academy's championship."

"Of course! I am the strongest, and I hold all victories in my hands. Whether human or demon—facing all enemies, I will crush their hostility. I will crush any enemy standing in my way!"

Zunzun declared as he walked out of the infirmary.

After a long time—

"The numbness in my heart is getting stronger and stronger. Hasn't it healed? I should let Awawa take a look later."

Toudou Touka's cheeks were now incomparably rosy.

Leaving the infirmary.

Misogi Awawa and Kito Harukata seemed to be waiting for someone outside the school building. When they saw Zunzun coming out, they immediately waved hello.

"Yo, Heart Thief."

"Although you are the vice president, I will get angry if you say that again. I have explained it many times, that was purely a coincidence, I wasn't aiming at…"

"I don't mean that. I mean… never mind, it's nothing, let's leave it at that."

Vice President Misogi Awawa waved his hand. He wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, he didn't say anything. He seemed to be expecting some special development.

Treasurer Kito Harukata walked over slowly, holding a parasol so you couldn't see her face, but the bloody smell couldn't be concealed no matter what.

"Touka is too straightforward. If she had been more roundabout at that time, she might not have lost."

"It wouldn't be Touka if she wasn't like that."

"That's right."

She looked agreeing.

Toudou Touka was known as the strongest in the Intercross domain. If she didn't decide the outcome head-on at that time, it would cause cracks in her path forward, so she couldn't retreat no matter what.

Losing was better than retreating.

After all, losing allows you to become stronger and challenge again, while retreating means giving up your long-held beliefs. The two represent different meanings.

"It's a pity that I can't meet Zunzun-kun in the selection tournament."

Kito Harukata said with a slight regret.

She had already lost to Kurogane Ikki, before Toudou Touka lost.

So far, all the members of the student council, except for Misogi Awawa, who didn't participate in the selection battle… including the third-ranked Rabbitmaru Renren and the fourth-ranked Shirogane Seirai, had lost the competition.

"Hahaha, don't say that. If you want to duel, you two can just go to the training hall and fight."

Misogi Awawa suggested.

Zunzun was also looking forward to fighting her, after all, the other party was a pure martial artist, with a clear difference from the academy students. Plus, the power of the Scarlet Woman was also quite tricky for him.

"…No, never mind."

Kito Harukata gently shook her head and said, "The selection battle is very important. It wouldn't be good if I accidentally got injured and affected the upcoming battles."

"Oh, you mean you're stronger than me?"

"…Eh?"

"Let's go, let's have a fight."

Zunzun was more like a martial artist than her.

Kito Harukata was clearly considering Zunzun's situation, after all, the selection battle was very important, and losing one would have a huge impact. Not to mention, Zunzun had just fought Toudou Touka today.

In the end, the duel didn't happen.

And the reason why the two of them were waiting for Zunzun was similar to Toudou Touka, believing that he had defeated the strongest in the academy, so the throne of the strongest in the academy must not be given to others.

Zunzun also agreed to them and won all the next few games.

And in the last game.

It was as if fate was deliberately teasing… no, maybe it was Zunzun's desire. He finally met that person at the very end.

[Zunzun-kun's twentieth selection battle opponent has been officially decided. The opponent is first-year Kurogane Ikki.]