Chapter 63: Senior

——————— Kiyoshi Clone's Perspective ———————

The next day.

At Sakai First High School, the scorching sun baked the playground until white smoke rose from the ground.

Cicadas shrieked in the street trees along the green belt, their cries as sharp and fierce as knives, pushing the sweltering heat of summer to an even higher intensity.

In Class 2-6, hot air blew the curtains, draping them over Wakaba's head, but she remained completely oblivious as she lay face down on her desk, lost in thought.

Her mind kept replaying that slash from the tainted beast last night.

"That kind of swinging speed—according to the laws of inertia, the landing point should have already been fixed, yet in the end, it curved... Could that be a special ability of that tainted beast?"

"That shouldn't be possible, right? If the opponent can ignore the laws of inertia, that would simply be too preposterous!"

Wakaba pondered inwardly, but found no answers.

Yet she had already gained confidence. In just a few short days, she had already figured out the enemy's attack pattern.

Such tremendous progress was no longer the faint dawn of victory, but rather its blazing morning sun!

She believed that if she kept persisting, she would definitely wear that tainted beast down to death. By then, once she absorbed its core crystal, her strength would undergo a heaven-revamping transformation.

"The final exams are next week, everyone should take them seriously," came the lazy voice of her homeroom teacher, Daisuke Nonaka, from the podium.

Hearing about the final exams, the students in the class let out painful wails, turning the classroom into a noisy commotion.

They were destined not to make it to university, but if they failed the final exams, they would have to attend remedial classes during summer break.

That was practically more painful than killing them.

Thud, thud!

Daisuke Nonaka heavily patted the podium to signal everyone to quiet down.

"There is another matter. The study trip location for this summer vacation has been decided: it's the hot spring inn at Mount Fujiwara."

As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom became cheerful once again.

Hearing this news, Wakaba joined in the cheering as well.

After school in the afternoon, Erina Nishioka walked straight toward Wakaba with a lollipop in her mouth.

Her cherry-red lips looked luscious and tempting, and the hem of her top was deliberately tied into a knot, exposing her navel and wheat-toned skin.

With fiery enthusiasm, she linked her arm through Wakaba's, completely ignoring the gazes of most of the class, and said openly and generously, "Shiratori-kun, there is a really delicious ice cream shop on Matsuzaki Street. Let's go try it together today?"

"Okay." Hearing the word ice cream, Wakaba nodded immediately.

"I'm coming too," said Midori Yuki, the studious class representative dressed in a quiet, neat style, as she walked over.

Naturally, Wakaba had no objections.

She looked toward Asaka Fujii, assuming she would come too.

To her surprise, Asaka Fujii refused: "Sorry, Shiratori-kun, I have to go to work-study today, so I can't join you."

Wakaba frowned slightly. For a split second just then, she seemed to catch a fleeting trace of sorrow in the other girl's smiling eyes.

Yet upon closer inspection, she found nothing out of the ordinary.

'It must be my imagination. It's just a part-time job, what's there to be sad about...' she thought to herself, and promptly stopped dwelling on it.

She left with Erina Nishioka and Midori Yuki.

This scene caught the eyes of quite a few students in the class, who cast envious glances at Wakaba's good fortune with women.

Together with the two girls, she arrived at the street on Matsuzaki Street, found the shop, stood in line, bought ice cream, and chatted while eating.

Wakaba noticed that Erina Nishioka seemed to have some hyperactivity disorder, often leaning against her while they chatted.

For this reason, she had to push the girl away several times.

As for Midori Yuki, although she did not have hyperactivity, she seemed to suffer from some kind of facial spasm.

Her facial muscles frequently moved out of control—sometimes frowning, sometimes looking shy, sometimes appearing gloomy...

After finishing her milk tea, she parted ways with the two girls and headed home alone.

Upon returning to Sakai Town, as she passed the previously mentioned construction site, she ran into Sao Chihaya.

The other girl seemed to have something to say. Taking Wakaba by the hand, she climbed over the three-meter-high corrugated iron fence and entered the construction site where work had already halted.

"How is it? Do I look very prettty today?" Sao Chihaya spun around in front of Wakaba.

The fluffy hem of the white spaghetti-strap dress she was wearing lifted with the motion, blooming like an open flower, the pistil at its center vanishing in a flash.

Only after finishing her spin did she seem to realize something.

Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, her hands tightly covered her skirt, and she stared at Wakaba with a cute, indignant glare: "Shiratori-kun, you definitely just saw it!"

Wakaba nodded and admitted it without hesitation.

"Shiratori-kun, you pervert!" Sao Chihaya stuck out her tongue and chided.

Today, she had dressed up with meticulous care: a pure white spaghetti-strap mini dress that outlined her slender and graceful figure, especially her two long, fair legs clad only in a pair of crystal high heels, making every inch visible from her ankles all the way up to her thighs.

She was already pretty to begin with, her delicate and dainty oval face adorned with light makeup, her lips dewy, and her tear-bag eye makeup fresh and natural.

As she made this cute expression now, carrying a mix of alluring charm and innocent cuteness, it was enough to stir anyone's heart and haunt their dreams... except for Wakaba's.

"You're the pervert," she retorted unceremoniously.

Hearing this, Sao Chihaya assumed Wakaba was just feeling shy.

She thought of her mission: to test Kiyoshi Shiratori's loyalty to the organization!

"Shiratori-kun, the organization has transferred me to Group D. From now on, we'll be going on missions together~~" she said while secretly observing Wakaba's eyes.

Sure enough, she saw Wakaba's expression change abruptly, instantly turning... solemn?

She blinked her bright, watery eyes, wondering if she had seen wrong.

Yet looking again, she still saw Wakaba wearing a completely serious expression, devoid of the anticipated wariness and suspicion.

"Oh, then why are you still addressing me by my given name?" Wakaba put one hand behind her back and raised her chin slightly.

"Huh?" Sao Chihaya felt as though some misunderstanding had occurred here.

"Hey—" Seeing that she still wasn't getting it, Wakaba couldn't help offering a reminder, "Shouldn't you be calling me 'senpai'? The company assigned you to me simply because they saw my exceptional working ability and wanted me to mentor you."

Sao Chihaya: "..."

A thousand words surged in her heart, but when they reached her lips, they turned into: "S-Senpai!"

'All for the mission!' she comforted herself inwardly.

"Mm." Wakaba nodded in satisfaction.

Then, staring fixedly into her eyes with utmost solemnity, she said, "Remember, as an outstanding employee of the company, my performance is unmatched by anyone. You must learn properly by my side; if there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me, but..."

Wakaba paused, lowering her voice a fraction: "But, if you dare to hinder my work or drag down my performance, even as your senpai, I will not show you any leniency or indulgence. Do you understand?"

She swallowed hard, feeling that the vibe here was all wrong.

Under normal circumstances, shouldn't it go like this: the other party starts suspecting that the organization has sent someone to monitor them, and thus becomes cautious, putting up a facade of false amiability while engaging in a battle of wits...

What on earth was this scene right now?

"I... understand," she said, biting her lower lip tightly.

Once again, she comforted herself internally: All to complete the organization's mission!

"Alright, follow me. I've already contacted management, and today I've secured ten assignments. Let's work hard! We'll strive to finish them before midnight!" Wakaba declared.

"Huh? Ten assignments?!!"

Sao Chihaya felt as though she must have misheard.

Wasn't the norm one assignment a week, or at most, one every two days for someone working desperately?

What the heck were ten assignments?

"What, you're complaining about hardship and fatigue before we've even started?" Wakaba narrowed her eyes and suddenly barked coldly, "Let me tell you, don't think you can be arrogant just because you have a tiny bit of ability.

Remember, everything you have was given to you by the company. Without the company, you are nothing!"

After finishing her rapid-fire lecture, Wakaba looked at Sao Chihaya, who stood there with her mouth agape, plunged into self-reproach.

She then continued in an earnest, heartfelt tone: "I'm saying this all for your own good.

Young people need to endure hardships; don't always think about what you can take from the company—think about what you can do for the company instead.

The company cultivates us, and we must harbor a heart of gratitude.

The company's future is our future, and the company is our second home. We must work as hard to build the company as we would to build a home..."

Sao Chihaya was left dumbfounded. She desperately wanted to retort, but suddenly realized: if she argued back, wouldn't that mean she wasn't loyal to the organization at all—at least not nearly as loyal as Kiyoshi Shiratori?

Yet her mission was to test Kiyoshi Shiratori's loyalty to the organization!

And yet the result was turning out to be that she herself lacked loyalty to the organization?

Her brain short-circuited somewhat.

Wakaba walked over, patted her shoulder, and concluded, "Ordinary people wouldn't bother telling you these things. I'm doing this entirely for your own good and for the good of the company. I hope you won't let down my expectations and the company's expectations of you!"

Sao Chihaya: "..."

She felt her head ache, throbbing with pain...