There were many, many, downsides to living in the D-Class Valkyrie Dorms. But one of the few upsides, being on the outskirts of Valhalla, was that there was nobody around when two valkyries wanted to train outside of VEA’s campus walls.

“When you thrust your spear you must be decisive!” Magnolia’s voice rang in Ash’s ear as the Vintrkind endured a flurry of jabs. “There can be no hesitation! Not for a single moment, lest your enemies exploit your weakness!”

The two valkyries parted from each-other, gathering their breaths for a moment before Ash summoned her own spear into her hands. In a burst of ice, she lunged forward mimicking her teacher’s movements. Wind whipped her white hair back as the tip of her spear began to be covered with a faint frost. Unfortunately, not even in training was Magnolia willing to relent, wings sprouting from her feet as she entered Podarke Mode before completely vanishing from Ash’s view as she soared through the woods surrounding the dorm. “But overconfidence can also be exploited! Determination and Caution, this is a balance that must always be kept!”

“I’m well aware of that,” Ash mentally replied as she chased after the Asgardian. “Do I really look like the kind of person who would blow their whole load in a single go?”

It was a testament to how often the two of them had been training that instead of sputtering like in their first match, the blonde’s face merely scrunched up in disgust as she clicked her tongue. “With you, it’s best to assume the worst.”

“Rude,” Ash shot back, before letting out a tired yawn.

Truthfully speaking, the Midgardian trainee wasn’t exactly feeling at the top of her game at the moment. This was due in part to the fact that it was currently six AM and the artificial sun was only just starting to color the sky. Ash knew that Magnolia was going to work her hard but she hadn’t expected her to… Well, the events themselves had gone something like this:

“How dare you dirt-stained filth even look at us True Asgardians!” A blonde girl (That definitely did not look similar to a certain Asgardian Ash knew) stared down at the girl in front of her. Said girl’s dress was in tatters and she was currently struggling to hold back tears as she clutched the reddening handprint on her cheek. Judging by the sneer on the blonde’s face, it was obvious who the culprit was as she brushed her drill shaped hair back and let out a laugh. “Your family might have ascended from Midgard, but you will never be worthy of the realm of the gods! Don’t even think about showing your face here again, let alone lock eyes with the heir to the Capulet family!”

“Yeah…” Ash muttered to himself, staring at his datapad unblinking as he swiped to the next page of the comic. “That’s how a societal debut should go.”

Asgardian comics sure were something else. In Midgard the female lead would be secretly planning her revenge for such a humiliation but Asgard tended to prefer the more fairytale style of storytelling. A combination of that and the sheer quantity of entertainment Asgard produced had many people in the comment section writing it off as cliche and trite, but Ash was really getting into how the romance was develo-

The young boy’s thought process was cut off as he heard the sound of footsteps outside of his door, hastily hiding the device underneath his pillow. A good thing as well, as with a jingle of keys the door to his room was thrown wide open, Magnolia staring him down. “Oh, good. You’re already awake.”

“...I woke up early today.” The Vintrkind cautiously said as the room began to grow colder. That wasn’t untrue either, as even though he crashed as soon as he could, the excitement from what had occurred eventually forced him to wake up in the early hours of the morning. Not exactly good for his meticulously defined sleep schedule, but he was sure that nap in the medical ward already threw his body’s clock off anyway. “How’d you even get in here?”

“The dorm manager gave me the spare key to your room.” Crystal blue eyes surveyed his room, from his make-shift repaired bed to the general state of chaos everything was in, before snorting. “I had heard rumors about the living conditions for D-Class students, but this goes far beyond my expectations. How can you tolerate living like dirt-stained swine?”

Oh hey maybe Magnolia did share similarities with the girl from the comic. “It’s easier to tolerate than my apparent lack of any privacy.”

“I’m your handler, it’s only natural that I have access to your room in case I suspect you’re up to something,” Magnolia replied, before pulling out what could only be a Valkyrie Gear from her pocket. “Speaking of, put this on and meet me outside. I’ve been too lax in your training so far, we’ll have to correct that.”

Ash wouldn’t call his previous schedule lax by any means, but obliged as he threw off shirt and began to pull out his Valkyrie outfit. “How’d you even get your hands on a Valkryie Gear this early in the morning anyways? It’s barely even been a few hours since we split last night and it’s a weekend.”

There was a moment of silence as he felt two burning eyes stare at him. The Vintrkind turned to give Magnolia a weird look as he cautiously snatched the Valkyrie Gear from her hands. “Hello?”

“You!” The words seem to jump start her into motion as her face was dyed a bright fiery red. She hastily stepped out of his room and slammed the door shut. “Do you have no sense of modesty whatsoever!?”

“Huh- Oh.” Ash let out as he glanced at his current state of dress before shoving enough winter through his veins his skin began to turn blue. Crap. He was so used to rooming with Kyouko that he threw his shirt off without thinking. “Sorry about that.”

“Apologizing for that is! Well…” Magnolia’s face was completely hidden, so Ash had no idea what sort of struggle she was going through as she tried to compose herself. “To answer your question! I’ve been working hard to make sure you are combat ready for our duel next week! If that means showing up the moment office hours open and immediately submitting your Valkyrie Gear application, then so be it!”

The office opened this early in the morning? No, wait a minute. There was something else there as well. Ash quickly slipped into the skin tight combat outfit before opening the door again to stare at his handler. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“...Enough.” Magnolia replied, and though she quickly spun on her heels Ash still caught a glimpse of the unhealthy droop her eyes held. “This sort of schedule is nothing to a Wing Candidate, let alone a Hale. Now then, we shall begin our training at once!”

Ash’s reminiscence was rudely interrupted by the girl in question, as they continued their morning battle. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to confirm. You usually hold yourself with composure, but you’ve mentioned that you can’t control your tongue when you transform.”

“I can’t help myself,” The white haired girl smoothly replied. “Usually I can keep my cool, but the moment I transform, the winter fades and the light of spring shines down on me. When I see your lovely visage, my heart is the one that does the talking.”

“Is that so…” Magnolia muttered out loud, and though her voice was faint enough that the Vintrkind struggled to hear it under their clash she could still see the cold fire in her eyes. “So that means everything you’re saying right now is what you’re really thinking. Is that right?”

Ash, pointedly, did not answer the question as she smoothly flew back a few meters. Raging foot in the mouth syndrome be damned, she still had her survival instinct and right now it was telling her she should not have admitted that. “Think of it like a compliment…?”

“Even the worst of Asgard’s men aren’t so blatant with their flirtatious remarks. Compliments are something that require tact.” Magnolia paused before sighing, slowly drifting back towards the ground before hovering in the air. She shook her. “No, I take that back. Those disgusting pigs can be… Urgh. At least in your case I can pass the behavior as excusable given your situation. Regardless, I just want it to be clear that there will be no flirting with Anemone during our match, got it?”

“Oh is that what you’ve been worrying about?” Ash laughed as she dropped to the ground as well. “Don’t worry. Even if I were dropped into Helheim, I still wouldn’t compliment that pig in a dress.”

Magnolia blinked, her mouth opening in shock as she stared at her charge. There was a wordless moment of silence between the two before someone broke it with a cough. “I’m glad that you're angry on my behalf, but you’re pretty blunt when you're transformed, aren’t you?”

White hair whipped through the air before Ash let out a bright smile. “Breaker! They let you out of the medical ward early?!”

Kyouko exaggeratedly covered her eyes. “Bright! Too bright! Who are you and what have you done with Vargr?!”

The Vintrkind in question’s face immediately dropped into her usual blank expression as Liesa popped up from behind her. Her usually neat green-black hair was in a bit of disarray as she gave the group a tired wave. “Miss Kyouko wanted to leave as soon as she was cleared to. Which of course meant she needed my permission and so she had to wake me up at this time of day…”

Ah, despite her schedule she wasn’t a morning person, huh?

“Yeah I’m going to keep the amount of time I stay in one of those death wards as low as possible. More importantly!” The black haired girl gave her friend a bright smile as she did very little to hide her laughter. “I saw a glimpse of it in the simulator but your transformed state really is something huh?!”

The valkyrie trainee’s face morphed into one of resignation. “Didn’t you already get your fill of mockery the first time you saw me like this?”

“Oh yeah, it was hilarious. But back then you weren’t exactly wearing combat lingerie.” The midgard girl snickered. “Seriously, even Miss Rich over there is wearing more than you and she isn’t wearing pants.”

Ash gave herself a once over before pausing. Of course Kyouko just had to draw attention to the one thing that she knew would get even the Vintrkind to blush bright red. There were some things that Ash didn’t like thinking about during her Valkyrie state. Her form of dress being one of them. There was a lot she could comment on her transformed body, but the swirl of emotions she felt was so confusing that Ash simply opted to take the easiest answer out of the situation.

She promptly turned off her valkyrie gear, landing back on his feet in a glow of light. The boy took a wintry breath before sighing. “It’s not like I can choose the clothing I get. I’m still not even sure why I swap genders to begin with.”

“It is one of the many mysteries that Ash’s existence poses.” Liesa adjusted her glasses, lacking her usual boundless energy. “Though in regards to the state of dress, there appears to be an inverse correlation between the sync rate between a Valkyrie and their Einherjar and the amount of armor provided. This is evidenced by the fact Phase 0 Valkyries are completely armored, while the gear of the most elite Valkyries is somewhat… risque. However, as the technology behind Einherjar in general is still a mystery, it is—”

The Alfheim girl cut off with a yawn and Magnolia took that moment to turn off her Valkyrie Gear as well. “I don’t particularly care what people think of my Einherjar. Even if I am ‘not wearing pants’, to buckle under that level of shame would be a disgrace to the Hale name.”

“So people really talk like that in Asgard, huh?” Kyouko brushed her hair out of the way before scarlet eyes met crystal blue ones. “You’re Vargr’s handler right? Though we’ve never talked before, I suppose you have a bit of my thanks as well for helping him. Call me Breaker.”

“I refuse,” Magnolia stated instantly as she stared down the girl. “I’ve read your file, Kyouko Hagemu. While Ash has proven his worth of character, I’ve yet to see you do the same. Until that time comes you’re the Midgardian who recklessly endangers everyone around her. I won’t humor you by referring to you by such a dirty street name.”

“Oh sorry, I wasn’t making myself clear.” Kyouko’s lips twitched up but she wasn’t smiling. “I wasn’t asking. Unlike Vargr, I’m not okay with strangers acting like they know me. Only people I trust are allowed to call me by my real name.”

For a moment Ash felt that a bomb was about to go off in front of him as the two firecrackers began to stare each other down. Of course he knew full well where his partner was coming from, but that still didn’t prevent him from sighing. The ice in his veins kept him calm and collected as he stepped in between both of the girls in his life. “Can we not? There’s more important things that we have to worry about.”

“Oh right!” Kyouko’s attitude immediately did a one-eighty, or so Ash thought, only for her to immediately make a mad dash towards him. Before the Vintrkind could even react, she quickly kicked him in the back of the knee. Pain shot through his leg and he toppled as the smaller girl quickly entangled her limbs with his own, before his white hair was smeared with dirt as she slammed his face into the ground below. His partner’s grip was made of iron as she dug her nails into his arms, pulling them behind his back. Ash glanced up, at the demonic red eyes which cast judgment down upon him. “What’s this I hear about your upcoming duel in a week?”

“Ow. Dammit, stop-” Ash winced, winter numbing the pain as he sighed. “Can we please talk about this after breakfast?”

He already dreaded the following conversation…

---

“I’m not mad. I’m just disappointed.”

“Stop acting like you're my parent.,” Ash replied as he chowed through his breakfast like a starving wolf. Well, his stomach most certainly agreed with that statement. “Also if you were just disappointed, you wouldn’t have kicked me in the knees.”

“Oh that was for referring to me by that nickname.” Kyouko replied as she cleared off the rest of her plate. Ash winced at the reminder of his blunder during the simulations. “When we say ‘never speak about it again’ we mean never speak about it again. Or should I start calling you ‘Romaniac’?”

“Romani-” Liesa’s question was rudely interrupted as Ash chugged his glass of water before slamming it down on the table.

“So, how did you hear about our match with Anemone?” He said with absolutely no force whatsoever. “It hasn’t even been a week yet, word couldn’t have gotten out that quickly.”

“You underestimate Valhalla’s rumor mill. Or rather, Anemone’s own machinations.” Magnolia took a bite of her food, carefully tasting it before swallowing. “Decent. Not as good as my personal chefs, but palatable.”

“It’s actually quite delectable to my taste buds!” Liesa savored the dish before turning over to the old granny in the kitchen. “Thanks for the meal even though it was an unexpected visit, Miss Ingen!”

“It was the least I could do when we have guests over,” she harrumphed, walking out without even glancing their way. “Take today as a lesson! You might be A-Ranked Valkyries now, but I don’t ever want to see you as a resident here!”

“The day that happens is the day I give up my pride as a Hale,” the blonde asgardian scoffed before turning towards Ash. “And would it kill you to learn some table manners?!”

“Food should be enjoyed to the fullest,” Ash declared in a near beastial growl, though one had to wonder if he could really taste anything like that.

“Can we get back to the topic at hand?” Kyouko sighed, standing up to take her plates to the sink. “I don’t mind you acting on your own but could you have at least consulted me?! By the time I woke up the first thing I heard was about how you’re getting into a duel with that Anemone girl!”

“You still haven’t explained where you heard about that.”

“It’s a trending topic on almost every social media platform in Valhalla,” Liesa replied. “While Kyouko and I are not active in such areas, even we couldn’t help hearing about it once it made the news. It’s only natural that two Asgardian Wing Candidates engaging in a showdown such as this would grab the public’s attention.”

“Like I said earlier, this is probably due to Anemone’s interference.” Magnolia sighed. “I had expected her to deliberately fan the flames, but I also thought we’d have until later today before she started making her move. By the time I woke up this morning, my personal data pad was already being bombarded with messages regarding our clash.”

By the time that she woke up? That must’ve been before the sun had even risen. There was no way that sort of gossip speed was natural unless it was deliberate, but Ash didn’t think that Anemone could make word spread that fast even on the fly. Which only led him to one conclusion: “...This was her plan all along.”

“In some form or another, yes.” The blonde nodded grimly. “Anemone was probably preparing for this before you even saw her. It couldn’t have been that long, but by the time we stepped foot in Thousand Nights it wouldn’t surprise me if she knew how our confrontation would shake out.”

“So in other words: You two charged in like headstrong idiots and ended up playing directly into her hands!” Kyouko growled as she threw herself back into her chair.

“Given your behavior, I’m sure things would have turned out much more barbarically were you present,” Magnolia shot back with a fiery glare. “At least this way we can handle things civilly.”

“This is a treatment for the symptom, not the root cause.” The Midgardian’s red eyes stared daggers into her opponent. “If you wanted to end things once and for all, I could’ve broken her way more thoroughly.”

Knowing Kyouko’s methods… “That would probably be something Miss Rivers would put a stop to. I want to tear into Anemone as much as you do, Breaker, but I’d rather not get shot. I still need to become a Wing after all.” The Vintrkind sighed before continuing. “Can we put how we ended up in this situation behind us? In-fighting isn’t going to help our situation.”

“Aggravating as it is, I suppose I can tolerate her,” Magnolia reluctantly agreed. “Perhaps we can consider this a blessing in disguise. With everyone’s eyes now on us, this is the perfect time to prove our ability as Valkyries.”

“If we win. Though I will admit, the free points to C-Rank is tempting…” The black haired girl turned to her own handler. “Hey, Liesa. You’ve been doing your research on our opponents haven’t you?”

“That is correct! Considering much of it lies in the domain of public records, it was not a difficult endeavor to compile all the information I could find on Mis- Anemone.” The bespectacled girl’s glasses quickly lit up as she continued. “But first I must ask: according to what I’ve heard the terms of engagement you agreed upon follow domination battle rules. Forgive me if this is rude, but Mister Ash, I take it you aren’t familiar with what that means?”

The boy in question blinked. “Does that not mean we just beat them down into submission?”

“That’s the standard ruleset,” Magnolia explained. “In this instance, what Domination is referring to is one of territory, not simple fighting skill. There are two sides, each fighting for control over seven ‘nodes’. The full ruleset can be explained later, but to make a long story short, the winner is decided when either one side has no more nodes or time runs out.”

“In that sense, Anemone seems to be decidedly suited for the game.” Liesa pulled out her own data pad (which was way more tricked out then the one sitting in Ash’s room) before tapping it to the frame of her glasses and flicking the holographic display on. Pictures of Anemone in and out of combat manifested in the air. “Anemone Montague, as a Valkyrie, is most famous for her speciality of squad combat. This has most to do with her Einherjar, Pythagoras, which allows her to… Ah, it’s a bit hard to explain. Ash, do you remember the name of the formula for calculating the sides of a triangle?”

“The one you taught me a few days ago? a^2 + b^2 = c^2?” If he remembered the name of it correctly it was- “Pythagoras Theorem.”

His handler gave him a weird look. “You seriously only learned that a few days ago?”

Everyone ignored her as Liesa continued. “That’s right. Even if she is drawing on a non-mythical Einherjar, and one whose life was ridden with delusion at that, Anemone is able to exert frightening power with this theorem alone. ‘The square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides’. By designating herself as the ‘hypotenuse’ and any two teammates at the other sides, she can utilize combined versions of their equipment and abilities.”

The Alfheim girl flicked away Anemone to bring up pictures of the other two girls who were with her that night. One of them was clearly Mimosa in a variety of outfits while the other was stuck in Phase Zero. Her face covered as she was absolutely loaded with equipment to the point where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a living arsenal. “Further research indicates the depth to which she has strategized her abilities. Mimosa August, being a B-Ranked Valkryie, doesn’t have a personal Einherjar of her own but instead swaps between a variety of Fairytale-Class ones picked to counter her opponents. As for the one known as Shizuka, I think a simple glance will give you enlightenment on the matter.”

The pack horse of the group, just someone Anemone could load as much equipment on as necessary so that she can use the ones that she actually needs. Despite the Asgardian’s claim of sponsorship, it was plainly obvious what use the gambler had for the meek girl. It wouldn’t surprise Ash if she had several other candidates in mind when it came to the role she had Shizuka fill in the team.

“Hold on a moment.” Kyouko perked up as she examined the footage closely before pausing at a specific moment. “Can you zoom in a bit more closely on her arsenal?”

Liesa quietly nodded and with a pinch of her fingers the image of Shizuka’s weapon grew more and more crisp. Every inch and groove of the weapon was showcased, especially the emblem of a clenched fist before a wall that was proudly emblazoned on it’s side. Both Midgardians let out an angry growl as the symbol appeared visible on more and more of the girl’s equipment. “Dammit. So she’s bankrolled by the King of Wrath huh? I knew they made Valkyrie equipment but I didn’t expect to see them here.”

“Pardon?” The Alfheim girl blinked. “I don’t believe I’ve heard that term before. According to the manufacturing specs I’ve found, most of her weapons were created by-”

“Fron corp?” Ash cut her off, causing Liesa to nod blankly. “That’s their official name, although most refer to them by their nickname. It’s one of the Three Kings of Midgard, the corporations at the very top that control everything. Officially, they’re just a ‘real estate’ company, but they’re more known for their security services, supplying everything from the equipment the Enforcers use to Valkyrie Weapons, although I haven’t actually seen it until now.”

“That’s because even if they’re only for domestic security, they’ll still make their ‘services’ obscenely expensive.” Kyouko let out an angry huff before leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms. “The fact that this Shizuka is carrying so much suggests she’s either got some deal going on or Anemone is willing to invest a lot of cash in her pack mule.”

She snapped her fingers before turning to glare back at Ash and Magnolia. “And you two just let her decide to go with the rules that she has an absurd advantage in?!”

“They say knowledge is power and, unfortunately, both Anemone and I have been quite public with our strengths and weaknesses,” the blonde said. “It is only natural once you’ve reached our level of notoriety. Her abilities as a leader are as well known as the fact that my speciality is one on one combat.”

“Tell me about it.” Ash grumbled, still remembering how badly things went during his first showdown with Magnolia. “Are we sure your invincible Einherjar can’t just crush the other team entirely?”

“No. I told you I ‘might as well’ be invincible, didn’t I? Don’t tell me the nuance was lost on you.” The Invincible Warrior denied. “Mighty Achilles may be a great Einherjar, but it has a fatal flaw that is quite common knowledge. The fact that you failed to deduce and determine my weakness only showcases how ignorant you are. “

“Are you going to explain what that is or just insult me?”

Magnolia rolled her eyes. “The heel. When he was dipped in the River Styx, Achilles was held by the heel, which became the only place he was vulnerable. For me, this means that while Podrake mode gives me great speed, if anyone were to strike my heels then my shield would take all the damage the rest had reduced.”

“So basically, you might as well be a walking target.” Kyouko groaned. “Well isn’t that just great. Not even mentioning the fact that I’ll be fighting without any fancy Einherjar whatsoever, this situation keeps getting worse.”

“Actually, has it been decided who the third member of the group shall be?” Liesa perked up. “I am an A-Rank Valkryie as well, so perhaps I can-”

“No.” All three members of her table instantly denied. The green haired girl shrunk in on herself at the fiery hot and ice cold looks that were sent her way. It was Kyouko who spoke to her Handler first in the silence that followed. “If you joined then I’d basically be freeloading my way to C-Rank. Sorry, but that’s not something I’m interested in doing.”

“Two A-Rank Wing Candidates against one would call my own character into question,” Magnolia explained.

“Thanks for the offer, but please just leave this to us,” Ash grunted. “It’s a pride thing, if nothing else.”

“Ah, yes, that is perfectly understandable.” Liesa muttered to herself as she looked away. “But I can still serve as your mission operator, right?”

“Oh yeah, that’s fine.” Kyouko waved. “We’ll still need all the help that we can get considering that the odds are stacked against us so hard it’s not even funny.”

“...No, there is one advantage that we do have,” Magnolia denied. “Think for a moment, as hard for you as that may be, why would Anemone purposefully spread the word about our upcoming duel so hard?”

Ash paused as his mind began to churn. Had it been for pride? No, perhaps Anemone simply wanted to boast but the girl didn’t strike him as so simple. But then, all it did was simply make everyone pay… attention… to them…

“‘Knowledge is Power’.” The white haired boy repeated his handler’s phrase. “She doesn’t even need to hire any spies. Everyone has their eyes on us, so even when we train on campus it’ll be reported back to her.”

“Yes, which is why I opted to host our morning session here on the outskirts.” Really? Ash just thought that it was because the campus was closed so early in the morning. Not that he voiced that thought as Magnolia raised a finger towards him. “You, Ash Whitelund, are the wild card in this duel. Not an A-Rank Valkryie, but one with their own personal Einherjar granted by the One Eyed Queen herself. In this case, your inexperience comes to our benefit. With no information about your capabilities, Anemone has no idea about what you can do.”

Ash reached towards his side before pulling the card in question onto the table. Loptr, the enigmatic card that had started this whole adventure. If it was based on a legend, then it was one that not even the wielder itself knew. Not that it was a particularly high bar. “So, it all comes down to me in the end, huh?”

“I think our game plan here is simple,” Kyouko suddenly declared. “Liesa, hand me a copy of the domination battle ruleset and all the information on the opposing team you’ve got. I’ll spend the time until the match coming up with a strategy. As for Ash, you keep training with your handler.”

“Hmph.” Blue eyes flared. “And just who made you the leader? As the most experienced among us, as well as the one trained in the role since birth, that position should naturally fall on my shoulders.”

“Well I’m certainly not going to accept taking orders from you.”

The two girls continued to silently wage war with just their eyes. Sparks seemed to fly, the temperature of the dining room seemingly getting hotter despite how much Ash was currently trying to keep himself cool. Dammit, at this rate they weren’t going to get anywhere. They couldn’t spend the rest of the week leading up to the duel fighting between themselves, Anemone would utterly demolish them if that were the case. There was only one solution that he could think of but could he really…?

Well, it wasn’t like he had any other choice.

“Then I’ll be the leader.” Ash interrupted in a no nonsense tone of voice, although he felt more like a mediator between two sides of a war. The thought alone made his nerves jittery but he quickly let the cooling balm of winter soothe them as he continued to speak. “Kyouko will come up with the strategy we’re using, but Magnolia can give her opinion on it as well and I’ll have the final say. We’ll practice, train, and prepare for the upcoming match as best that we can. Understood?”

The two girls gave him a look before turning to each other. Kyouko sighed. “Since when the hell were you the assertive one? Fine, fine. I don’t want to waste my time on this either way.”

“This is a temporary arrangement, nothing more,” Magnolia stressed at him. “Once the battle begins, I expect you to hand the reins back to me. A Hale can’t be seen taking orders from anyone.”

“It’s decided then!” Liesa cheered, throwing her hand into the air. “Go team!”

The rest of the table turned to stare at her before Kyouko barked out a laugh and joined in. “Yeah! Let’s kick some party girl ass and get ourselves a promotion as well!”

Magnolia coughed, pointedly hiding her hands under the table. Her voice came out quiet, as if she were unsure of what to say. “...To our victory, I suppose.”

“In one week, we’ll fight. And in one week, we’ll win.” Ash declared, clenching his fists until his knuckles were as white as snow. “We’ll prove ourselves worthy, both to Anemone and the rest of Valhalla.”

In one week he would hit his real crossroads of his time in Valhalla. A trial that he must overcome.

But for some reason, Ash couldn’t shake the feeling that he had a long week ahead of him.