Chapter 4: The Underground Fighting Arena

Lin Yi frowned slightly, looking at Miyamoto Rei’s mysterious demeanor, and couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity.

He followed in Miyamoto Rei’s footsteps, crossing the school’s small paths until they reached a secluded corner.

Before them stood an old, small building. The marks of time were mottled upon its walls, as if whispering countless stories.

As soon as they stepped through the building’s entrance, a wave of noise flooded Lin Yi’s ears.

The sounds of intense dueling, the cheers of the audience, and the occasional bursts of applause and shouting filled the air.

Lin Yi turned to look at Miyamoto Rei, his eyes filled with confusion and curiosity: "What is this place?"

Seeing Lin Yi’s reaction, the corners of Miyamoto Rei’s mouth curled into a smug smile.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she whispered an explanation: "This is our school’s underground fighting arena. Students often come here to hold matches."

As Miyamoto Rei’s words faded, a flash of surprise crossed Lin Yi’s eyes.

He hadn't expected that hidden within this seemingly peaceful campus was such a violent underground fighting arena.

He looked around curiously, seeing a fenced-off fighting area in the center, surrounded by rows of seats packed with hot-blooded spectators.

Before Lin Yi could speak, Miyamoto Rei grabbed his hand and hurried toward the source of the shouting.

A few minutes later, they arrived in front of an iron door.

As Miyamoto Rei pushed the door open, the roar of the arena surged out, making Lin Yi’s ears buzz and forcing him to rub them involuntarily.

The attention of several students near the door was drawn to them. Seeing Miyamoto Rei appear, their eyes revealed a mix of curiosity and surprise.

A few girls immediately gathered around and began chatting enthusiastically with Miyamoto Rei.

"Rei, why did you suddenly show up? Didn't you say you weren't going to participate anymore?" one girl asked in a tone that was half-joking, half-reproachful.

"Exactly! Rei, while you were gone, our club was bullied so badly by the Kendo and Karate clubs. The club president has been worried sick about it," another girl added, her face showing concern.

Amidst the clamor of the girls, Miyamoto Rei’s originally cool and aloof expression began to falter.

She secretly cast a plea for help toward Lin Yi, who was standing to the side, hoping he would step in and help her escape this awkward situation.

Lin Yi understood her intent and gave two light coughs to draw everyone’s attention. "Ahem, could someone explain to me what kind of activity is going on here?"

The girls immediately turned their curious gazes toward him, looking him up and down.

"Rei, who is this?" one of the girls winked mischievously and guessed, "Don't tell me he's your new boyfriend?"

Miyamoto Rei’s face flushed slightly, and she hurriedly waved her hands to clarify: "Don't talk nonsense! He’s just a new student. I’m just showing him around the school."

Seeing her friend being so outspoken, Miyamoto Rei felt annoyed; she truly wished she could sew her mouth shut with needle and thread.

After all, they all knew that her official boyfriend was Igou Hisashi.

If such a joke reached his ears and caused a misunderstanding, it would be troublesome.

Hearing Miyamoto Rei’s explanation, the playful look on the girls' faces only intensified. They kept glancing at Lin Yi, as if evaluating his physical appeal.

"Rei, don't try to hide it. If you don't go after such a handsome guy, I’m going to make a move," one girl teased, sparking a burst of laughter.

Lin Yi tilted his head slightly, his ears seemingly catching the surrounding sounds.

He looked at the gossiping girls with a sense of helplessness, inwardly surprised by their talent for rumors.

Miyamoto Rei noticed Lin Yi’s expression and felt a pang of anxiety.

Realizing that the girls' jokes might have been heard by Lin Yi, she quickly stepped in and dispersed the group.

After this small interlude, Miyamoto Rei turned to Lin Yi with an apologetic smile.

She gently tugged on his sleeve, signaling him to squeeze toward the front of the crowd with her.

Reaching the front, Lin Yi’s gaze was captured by the two fighters in the arena.

The girl on the left had striking purple hair, wore the Fujimi Academy uniform, and stood in an offensive stance with a wooden sword in hand.

Lin Yi recognized her at a glance—this was one of the heroines of the story, Busujima Saeko.

Her combat ability was unmatched among the main cast, and her sword technique made her invincible.

Opposite her was a boy fully equipped with protective gear. He held a long spear, and despite having a reach advantage, he showed clear trepidation when facing Busujima Saeko, forced into a defensive posture.

At the referee’s signal, Busujima Saeko launched the first attack. Seeing this, the boy quickly lowered his spear tip, attempting to strike at Busujima Saeko’s chest with lightning speed.

But Busujima Saeko seemed to have already anticipated his intent; she dodged lightly, easily avoiding the lethal blow.

The boy’s attack missed, and Busujima Saeko seized the opportunity. The wooden sword in her hand flicked upward with force, accurately striking the boy’s shoulder.

The powerful impact sent the boy stumbling back more than three meters. Had it not been for his protective gear, this blow likely would have caused a serious shoulder injury.

The entire fight was short and intense, and the spectating students erupted into thunderous applause and cheers once again.

Lin Yi watched Busujima Saeko’s calm and confident figure, deeply impressed by her strength.

He looked around and couldn't help but chuckle.

The atmosphere here was quite similar to the Roman Colosseum; the students watching the matches were like spectators at a tense, life-or-death duel.

There were even a few students weaving through the crowd selling snacks, adding a touch of bustling, everyday life to the competition.

Suddenly, Busujima Saeko’s gaze cut through the crowd and landed on Miyamoto Rei in the stands.

With a smile, she issued a challenge: "Miyamoto-san, would you like to come up and spar?"

This invitation immediately drew the attention of the surrounding students.

"It seems Miyamoto-san really has a high reputation among the students," Lin Yi thought, observing the expressions of those around him with slight surprise.

In the original anime plot, he hadn't realized Miyamoto Rei had such a commanding presence, which made him wonder if some changes he wasn't aware of had occurred in this world.

The girl beside him seemed to notice Lin Yi’s confusion and took the initiative to explain: "Of course. Rei is our club’s top player. If it weren't for the incident with Komuro Takashi, Rei would have already gone to the national tournament."

Through the girl’s narrative, Lin Yi gradually learned about Miyamoto Rei’s past.

Since entering high school, Miyamoto Rei had quickly become the star of the club thanks to her exceptional spear skills.

In this arena, she had fully demonstrated her strength in just three months.

Aside from the superhuman combatant Busujima Saeko, the main players of other clubs felt inadequate when facing Miyamoto Rei.

However, about a year ago, a conflict occurred between Miyamoto Rei and Komuro Takashi, causing her to gradually fade from the arena.

This left many feeling regretful, as everyone had been looking forward to seeing Miyamoto Rei’s brilliant performance in the ring again.

Miyamoto Rei interrupted the girl’s story. Although she claimed it didn't matter, Lin Yi sensed something from her subtle change in expression.

Clearly, Miyamoto Rei’s withdrawal had a complex connection to Komuro Takashi.

When she explained to Busujima Saeko that she had only brought Lin Yi to familiarize him with the school, a look of clear disappointment appeared on Busujima Saeko’s face.

(End of chapter)