Klaus and the others turned toward the sound of clapping. Upon turning, their eyes settled on three women with otherworldly beauty walking toward them. Leading them was Aoi, and the two women beside her looked nearly identical to her, except they had more mature features.
The moment Klaus’s eyes fell on the two women flanking Aoi, his heart seemed to stop. It wasn’t because he was charmed or had any intentions of wooing them. It was something deeper—something in the aura that surrounded them.
When he first awakened his Spirit Eye, the senior in his soul sea had told him that he would be able to see energies, though only to a certain extent. At the time, Klaus didn’t know what to look for. But now, as he stared at the suffocating energy surrounding the women beside Aoi, one thing was clear: he was no match for them. Not even close.
‘How vast is the difference between monsters and humans?’ Klaus thought to himself, feeling a chill run through his body.
Klaus had fought monsters far above his level, many Tiers beyond his own. Yet, standing before the Hiroshi sisters, especially the two beside Aoi, a shiver ran down his spine. They were only three realms above him, but it was enough to remind him that humans, too, could be terrifyingly powerful.
“Brother Klaus, don’t you think it’s rude to come into someone’s home and beat them up?” one of the women beside Aoi asked, her voice dripping with a seductive undertone. It was the kind of tone that made Anna and Lily instantly bristle. They exchanged glances, clearly irritated. Being women themselves, they knew what was implied beneath those silky words.
Klaus raised an eyebrow, unfazed by the comment, though he could feel the tension rising behind him. His eyes drifted to Taro whose face was swollen and bruised from the repeated falls.
“I couldn’t help it,” Klaus said finally, unable to suppress a grin. The memory of Taro’s faceplant was too funny to ignore.
The Hiroshi sisters exchanged knowing glances before looking at their younger brother, Taro, who was gripping his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes shot daggers at Klaus, his frustration boiling over. The sisters sighed quietly. They had witnessed the whole ordeal from the start, and, in truth, they had wanted to stop Taro from confronting Klaus.
But their father had told them not to interfere.
Now, seeing the anger etched on Taro’s face, they understood why. Their father, Ryo Hiroshi, was not a man respected for his wealth but for his immense strength and warrior spirit. He had risen to prominence through discipline, and seeing his son drifting toward the spoiled, arrogant path, he needed something—someone—to pull Taro back to reality.
In fact, this entire gathering had been carefully planned so that Klaus would attend. It wasn’t that the Hiroshi family didn’t want to entertain the other young geniuses—they did—but Klaus was the main focus.
Like many youths, Klaus had his share of arrogance, but he had the skill to back it up. Taro, on the other hand, had been seething for weeks, ever since the news broke that Klaus and Lucy, the famed Queen of Vine, Princess of Vine, The wood Princess, were dating. His pride couldn’t handle it, and now his frustration was boiling over into something dangerous.
The sisters knew that their father had orchestrated this encounter, hoping Klaus would be the lesson Taro needed.
Looking at Taro’s fuming expression, the Hiroshi sisters silently gave their father a mental thumbs-up. He had clearly planned this all along. Outwardly, they remained neutral, though it was obvious they had their own motives for attending the gathering.
“Brother Klaus, still, you should have shown a little more restraint,” the other Hiroshi sister said, her smile just as teasing as before.
Klaus glanced at Taro, whose face was burning with anger, then responded with a casual shrug. “You’re right, I should have held back a little. Tell you what, Brother Taro—how about a rematch? This time I won’t trip you,” he said with an innocent look, clearly taunting Taro into another round of humiliation.
The first Hiroshi sister, sensing where this was headed, quickly interjected. “Brother Klaus has already won, so let’s call this duel over.” Her tone made it clear she wasn’t amused by Klaus’s baiting. Many might be caught in his bait, but not her.
Had Taro accepted, the next round would be a new form of humiliation that if care is not taken, can damage his foundation for good. So she she had to stop him.
“Too bad,” Klaus said, inspecting the spoon in his hand as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. “I was really looking forward to a proper fight with him.”
Around them, a few people chuckled at Klaus’s antics. Though some in the crowd disliked him—whether out of jealousy or rivalry—they couldn’t deny his charm. His casual way of mocking without malice, combined with his undeniable skills and prowess, made it hard for anyone not to be amused by his behavior.
“Since Brother Klaus seems so keen on another match, why not have a duel with Aoi here?” the first Hiroshi sister suddenly suggested, turning all attention toward Aoi.
“First Sister!” Aoi exclaimed, clearly flustered.
“Oh, come on,” her sister continued with a teasing smile. “You think I don’t know you’ve been putting off your return to the academy just to see him?”
Aoi shot her a look of pure betrayal, the kind that said, “You traitor!” But there was no escaping it now. The entire crowd had heard, and all eyes were on her.
Klaus blinked, surprised by the revelation. Aoi, the elegant and fierce number twelve on the Celestial Mountain Academy’s Inner Disciple rankings, had been eager to meet him. It all clicked into place—the reason she had met him earlier in the garden. She hadn’t been able to wait any longer.
He chuckled to himself, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Well, well, this just might be the best gathering hosted by a great family yet.” He glanced at Aoi, who looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up.
Aoi’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as she avoided Klaus’s gaze, clearly wishing she could disappear into thin air. Klaus, however, couldn’t help but grin wider. “Well then, I’ll gladly have a duel with Miss Aoi,” he said, clearly amused by how things had turned out.
“Wonderful! Let’s all move to the arena,” the first Hiroshi sister chimed in, leading the way with a satisfied smile.
Klaus cast one last longing look at the food spread, almost wanting to shout, ‘Where’s the dessert?’ But he bit his tongue and followed the group.
If he was honest with himself, he had been itching for a duel with the Hiroshi family, knowing their deep mastery of the sword. Taro would’ve been the perfect match, but it was a shame the guy was a spoiled brat. Now, though, he had an upgrade—a duel with Aoi, a Peak Saint, and an Inner Disciple of Celestial Mountain Academy, and on top of that, she was stunningly beautiful.
The thought excited him. A perfect combination—strength, beauty, and the sword. It was too good to pass up.
A while later, they arrived at the arena. It was much bigger than Klaus’s training room—vast and open. He walked in casually, followed closely by Aoi. Klaus stood opposite her and smiled.
“Looks like I will be needing your guidance, Fairy Aoi,” he said, feeling a spark of excitement.
Everyone else stood by, watching intently as the duel was about to begin.
“I will also need Brother Klaus’s guidance,” Aoi replied, determination in her voice. With that, she lunged at Klaus.
In an instant, Klaus’s sword appeared in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he moved ready to clash and see if the Hiroshi family were indeed up to their name as Masters of the sword in the Northern Union.