The Unscrupulous Pursuit and an Unexpected Intervention

Iordera racked her brain for a solution, yet none presented itself.

Her adversaries, however, were not inclined to grant her the luxury of time; a truly unscrupulous fellow stealthily closed in from behind.

The whistling wind grew dangerously close, leaving Iordera no time to strategize.

She spun around, her arm rising instinctively to deliver a sharp elbow strike.

“Ah!”

The boy who had attempted the ambush clutched his forehead, collapsing to the ground and writhing, his screams a harrowing testament to his pain.

Seeing this, the remaining three grew furious.

“Damn it, the little wretch actually dares to injure him! Let’s get her, brothers!”

Iordera cast a glance at the boy still thrashing on the ground, wailing and weeping as he cradled his head, as though he had suffered truly grievous wounds.

‘If a single Joint Hammer (TL Note: A specific combat technique or skill) strike can do this much damage, a full confrontation might very well leave a few of them dead.’

‘It’s better to flee.’

“She’s trying to escape, quickly, pursue her!”

“Don’t let her get away!”

A loli darted forward, three boys hot on her heels.

The school grounds were far from an open plain; even with her inherent speed, she couldn’t easily create distance.

Adding to her woes, the tight, restrictive skirt of her “City Beauty” attire (TL Note: A term for a stylish, modern woman, often implying form-fitting or slightly revealing clothing) severely hampered her movements.

‘Had I foreseen this, I would have chosen that “Bare-Legged Ensemble” (TL Note: A combination of a loose shirt and hot pants, designed to show off one’s legs), and I’d be long gone in a matter of moments.’

Unable to unleash her full speed, and with her three pursuers not simply charging blindly, each employed their own distinct tactics.

Leading the chase was a formidable melee combatant, who, at every burst, unleashed explosive power, lunging forward for a considerable distance.

Each time, Iordera was forced to swerve, narrowly avoiding his formidable impact.

“What an absolute brute,” Iordera mumbled under her breath as she ran.

Following close behind was a mage, clutching his staff, aiming as he ran and periodically conjuring a wind blade.

It was a well-known truth that unless one employed a lock-on cheat (TL Note: A gaming term referring to an external program that automatically aims at targets), attempting to strike while running was futile.

Despite the wind mage student’s earnest attempts to aim, his efforts yielded less than ideal results.

Nevertheless, his dashing appearance, “unleashing wind” as he ran, prompted Iordera to nickname him the “Chasing Wind Teenager.”

The last assailant, however, proved rather irritating; he didn’t actively chase but would instead, upon reaching any vantage point, produce a crossbow from his satchel and loose a rapid volley of bolts.

‘Truly a treacherous scoundrel.’

“Stop running, just rest for a bit, and we’ll let you go soon, hehehe.”

“Oh, Spirits of Wind, heed my summons, grant me the power of gales!”

“Take this arrow!”

****

As dusk settled, Sophia, having just concluded her sword practice and preparing to return home, stumbled upon an extraordinary scene.

A loli darted ahead, wind blades and arrows whizzing around her, while an ox-like boy periodically lunged forward, nearly colliding with her.

Sophia’s hand instinctively closed around her sword hilt, yet a flicker of hesitation held her back.

Her indecision shattered when the brute roared, “If you keep running, once I catch you, I’ll show you just how cruel adults can truly be, hehehe!”

‘Unacceptable.’

Sophia wasted no time for further contemplation, raising her arm to unleash a swift sword strike.

A brilliant flash of sword light blazed forth, scorching a dark furrow into the earth, akin to the sun’s fiery brilliance tearing through storm clouds and leaving a fleeting sting upon the land.

[Blazing Sword: Starlight]

The two who had just brushed past the starlight—the brute and the Chasing Wind Teenager—froze.

Mere seconds later, they toppled stiffly to the ground.

The sole remaining crossbowman, however, ripped open his throat with a desperate shriek:

“Murder!”

****

Half an hour later, Iordera found herself seated in an empty room within the academy, the beautiful girl who had intervened also positioned beside her.

Recognizing her by her golden hair, her well-developed figure, and her undeniable prowess, Iordera easily identified her as “C Language,” the top-ranked new student.

Yet, that was not the central point; the crucial detail was that they had undeniably found themselves embroiled in trouble.

The boy wielding the crossbow had shrieked, successfully capturing the attention of a nearby teacher who, accompanied by school guards, swiftly arrived to bring the chaotic scene under control.

Now, the teacher, the guards, and the crossbowman stood on one side, while Iordera and Sophia sat on the other, appearing much like prisoners awaiting interrogation.

As for the brute and the Chasing Wind Teenager, along with the one who had suffered the initial elbow strike, they had all been promptly transported to the infirmary.

“Who initiated the violence?” the teacher demanded in a chilling tone, his voice laced with stern reprimand.

“To strike fellow students with such severity, what outrageous audacity!”

Sophia kept her head bowed, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes brimming with profound regret.

Iordera glanced at Sophia, then cast a quick look at the individuals opposite them, and a sudden, unsettling realization struck her.

“Teacher, this security lady and we had a minor disagreement earlier today,” the crossbowman began, sighing dramatically.

“We happened to encounter each other just now, and a small argument escalated due to lingering resentment.

Who could have imagined she would actually…”

Iordera let out a derisive, cold scoff.

‘So that was their game.

The assault was merely a pretense; their true objective was to provoke me into acting, then swiftly transform themselves into victims and launch a righteous accusation against me.’

‘Although I had only delivered an elbow strike, encountering the benevolent Sophia—who was known as C Language—during my escape meant she had inadvertently escalated the situation significantly with a single sword strike.’

“What are you smirking at?” the teacher thundered, pounding the table with emphasis.

“I will ask one more time: who was responsible?!”

Sophia struggled to raise her head, and the crossbowman opened his mouth to speak, only to be sharply interrupted by a clear, loli-like voice.

“Does who acted truly matter?” Iordera asserted, her words deliberate and precise.

“What truly matters is the underlying reason, and who holds the moral high ground.

Esteemed, unnamed teacher, these individuals relentlessly pursued me earlier, repeatedly launching vicious attacks with considerable noise.

Why did you remain oblivious until his final cry, at which point you swiftly arrived with your men?”

A fleeting trace of disquiet crossed the teacher’s gaze, but he quickly composed himself.

“I had just emerged from the administration building and hastened here as soon as I heard the disturbance; I was not present before, thus I heard nothing.

As for what transpired, isn’t it plainly evident from the injured students?”

He then commanded the nearby guards, “What are you standing around for? Apprehend them both!”

The fully armed guards exchanged hesitant glances, then, steeling themselves, one replied, “This falls outside standard procedure.

For transgressions involving internal academy personnel, the Headmaster’s personal judgment is required.”

The teacher paused, taken aback, then declared, “Then keep them under strict watch and await the Headmaster’s decision tomorrow.

Should they escape, you will face the consequences!”

He then casually slung an arm around the crossbowman, walking out while engaging him in conversation.

“Student, are you well? Were you harmed?”

“Physically unharmed, but my spirit has been thoroughly shaken.”

“Tomorrow, we shall accuse them both of psychological intimidation.”

****

Iordera looked up at the guards, who responded with a helpless shrug.

“Young ladies, you both heard the directive.

You will have to remain here for the night.

There are a few vacant rooms in the inner chambers, complete with sofas and beds.”

The golden-haired beauty beside her kept her gaze downcast, uttering no words.

After a moment’s consideration, Iordera murmured a quiet thank you to her.

Then, she addressed the guards, “Staying for a night is acceptable, but I must notify my family, or they will undoubtedly worry.”

“Rest assured.”

Before the individual herself appeared, her voice preceded her entrance.

A lithe girl with an exceedingly striking, almost dangerous hairstyle drifted gracefully into the room.

“I’ve already handled the notification for you.”

‘It’s C++… no, Hecate.’ (TL Note: C++ is likely a playful nickname, similar to ‘C Language’, implying a more advanced or complex personality.)

Concurrently, Nina and Yuna stared, trembling, at a note that had abruptly materialized on their table.

[Iordera won’t be returning tonight. There’s no need to wait up. – Hecate]