Hospital Showdown
Visiting hours at the National Magic University's Tachikawa Hospital ran from noon to 7 p.m. At just past 4 p.m., a young man in a suit, carrying a bouquet, wouldn't have raised eyebrows.
Yet, it was odd that this refined, almost aristocratic youth drew no reactions from passing visitors or nurses as he strode through the halls. Whether from familiarity or some other reason, he navigated the hospital's layout without glancing at signs, his steps silent and sure. Bypassing the elevator, he climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, where he paused.
Standing before the room he intended to visit was a familiar, burly figure. Zhou had informed his superior of this visit, and there should've been no objections to him seeing the hospitalized girl. Regardless of the other youth's intentions, Zhou interpreted it as interference. Disrupting someone obstructing his visit wouldn't strain their relationship.
With a calm expression and no hesitation, Zhou pressed the emergency alarm button.
Around the time Zhou reached the staircase between the third and fourth floors, a couple entered the hospital lobby: Shuji Chiba, the prodigious swordsman of the Chiba family, and Mari Watanabe, former disciplinary committee chair at First High.
"Shuu, I'm sorry," Mari said, her usual confident demeanor softened in her lover's presence. "Dragging you into this when you're so busy…"
Her apologetic tone stemmed from asking Shuji to accompany her to interrogate Chiaki under the guise of a hospital visit. In front of him, she exuded a feminine charm, but guilt shadowed her expression.
Shuji looked down at her, his face a mix of indignation and reassurance. "Don't be silly. You don't need to worry about that."
"But you're shipping out early tomorrow," Mari protested. "Don't you have preparations?"
"This isn't like Thailand," Shuji replied. "It's just a ten-day training stint. Packing's light, so don't stress."
He flashed a smile, but seeing lingering unease in Mari's eyes, he pressed, "Something else bothering you?"
"…Erika," Mari admitted.
"Erika?" Shuji echoed, caught off guard, his voice thick with surprise.
"You always train with her the day before a long trip," Mari said. "Is it okay to skip today?"
Shuji's face morphed into a mix of deflation and wry amusement. "Erika's sparring with a classmate. Seems like a promising guy—she's probably having a blast."
"A classmate? A guy?" Mari asked, her tone sharpening.
"Just a friend, I swear," Shuji said quickly. "So don't worry about Erika. Besides, I wanted to spend time with you."
"You don't have to say embarrassing stuff like that!" Mari snapped, flustered.
Their moment was cut short as the emergency alarm blared.
"Shuu!?" Mari exclaimed.
"It's not a fire," Shuji said, swiftly checking a wall-mounted message board. "It's an anti-violence alarm. Fourth floor."
"Fourth floor!?" Mari's eyes widened.
"Isn't that where your junior is hospitalized?" Shuji asked.
Mari's grim expression confirmed the stakes were personal. Shuji grabbed her hand, and they raced up the stairs.
Unfazed by the blaring alarm, Lu Ganghu reached for the door of Chiaki's room, only to find it locked. Lacking knowledge of the hospital's anti-violence protocols, he'd assumed the alarm would disable the lock. When it didn't, he decided to break in, yanking the door off its hinges.
"Who's there!?" a voice demanded.
Shuji, propelled by the Chiba family's signature self-acceleration magic, had stormed up the stairs and caught Lu in the act. As he shouted, recognition dawned.
"Man-Eating Tiger… Lu Ganghu! Why are you here!?" Shuji bellowed.
"Phantom Blade Demon Fadaokuai—Shuji Chiba," Lu murmured, his voice low but unmistakable, naming Shuji's moniker and identity.
Their gazes locked, and in that instant, the clash between two titans began.
Mari reached the fourth floor moments after Shuji, panting from the climb. Before her, a fierce battle unfolded, with Shuji slightly on the defensive. As Lu moved to deliver a finishing blow, Mari unleashed an attack.
Sensing his disadvantage, Lu flicked his gaze toward Mari, then leaped down the stairwell, vanishing from Shuji's sight before he could pursue.
"Mari, thanks—I owe you," Shuji said, catching his breath.
"Shuu, are you hurt?" Mari asked, her voice tight with worry.
"I'm fine," he reassured her. "Lucky we're in a hospital. A healing spell will fix me up."
"But your voyage tomorrow…" Mari pressed.
"That's fine too," Shuji said. "Given who I fought, they'll classify this as a duty-related injury."
His calm tone steadied Mari's nerves, but a new concern surfaced.
"Who was that guy? Matching you in close combat…" Mari muttered.
"His name's Lu Ganghu," Shuji said. "A magician from the Great Asian Union's special operations unit."
"Lu Ganghu… that's him?" Mari said, recognizing the name often mentioned alongside Shuji's.
"Mari," Shuji said suddenly, gripping her shoulders and turning her to face him.
"Shuu, what's wrong?" Mari asked, startled. Embarrassed, she looked away, but his serious tone made her meet his gaze.
"I have to leave tomorrow," Shuji said. "It kills me to leave you at a time like this, but… Lu Ganghu saw your face before he vanished. He's marked you as an enemy. He's the 'Man-Eating Tiger,' a brutal magician, and you saw his skill. Please, don't be alone for a while."
Mari almost called it excessive, but Shuji's earnest eyes silenced her protest.
"Alright," she agreed. "I'll stick with someone for now."
"Thank you," Shuji said, relief softening his expression.
Mari averted her gaze, blushing, and began mentally listing who she could trust to stay safe with. One junior's name stood out.
With a fight that flashy, you'd think more people would show up…
---------------------------------
The next chapter is already available on Patreon! If you'd like to read early and support me, check it out here ❤️ [patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ]