73 Thank you, Qiangwei, for everything you did for me...

The entire group that was at the Akatsuki Academy was now at Kurono's office, she bowed at them and said.

Kurono: I'm sorry.

Ikki: No, there's no reason for you to apologize, Chairman.

Shizuku: Yes. But it's astonishing, isn't it? That that was such a thing hidden out of sight in this country.

Kurono: It's been smoldering ever since the end of the second world war.

Xiao Qiangwei: ...What?

Kurono: However, it was an act that relinquished the privileges of a powerful nation. Even though the Prime Minister at the time forced the country to move toward international harmony, the discord from that era still remains even now.

There were people who believed Japan had the power to remain a major country without joining the likes of Russia and America.

There were those who thought about reforming. And as far as it goes, there were many who thought it a problem that training and disciplining Blazers without the League of Mage-Knight Nations approval would be disallowed. These people had a great deal of influence pushing against creating a branch of the League.

Xiao Qiangwei: In short?

Kurono: In short, Prime Minister Tsukikage's scheme was to demonstrate his own accomplishments at where the League hold the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. He shows his accomplishments directly, and takes away the League's authority to educate Blazers.

Xiao Qiangwei: So... From what I know there were originally 7 members of the Akatsuki, what happened to the 7th?

everyone started laughing at his question, while he looked cluelessly around and raised an eyebrow.

Kurono: Someone said that he was burned from sky blue flames to nothingless.

Xiao Qiangwei: Wait what? So I just killed one of them without even knowing? Then they really sucks...

Ikki: Sorry if we have an human limit.

Xiao Qiangwei: you should say sorry for that training shedule you are doing, that thing will never help you, if you double the difficulty of that maybe you can be even stronger.

Ikki just sighed helplessly and then listened to Kurono, but before she could talk, Stella interrupted.

Stella: can we still partecipate in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival?

Everyone smiled while Kurono took a cigarette and answered her.

Kurono: yes, you guys can... But Nagi Arisuin, Kanata Toutokubara and Kikyo Hagure decided to withdraw, so you three, Stella Vermillion, Ikki Kurogane, and Xiao Qiangwei, are the ones who want to partecipate, and think that with an A-rank Blazer, someone who could be on par with an A-rank Blazer, and the Evil God, who won against the Twin-Wings Edelweiss, we can win.

Stella: I would say we 'will' win.

Ikki: eh? Are you really so sure?

Stella: if you knew about Qiangwei you would know...

Everyone looked at Xiao Qiangwei curiously and then he said with a normal tone.

Xiao Qiangwei: my arm strength almost triplicated today, right now it is 80 tons.

At this news, everyone froze and Kurono's cigarette fell from her mouth, then everyone looked at Xiao Qiangwei with wide eyes.

Almost everyone: Eh?!

Kurono: *sigh* you know what? Fuck this shit, Shizuku, do you want to partecipate instead of the ones who retired?

Shizuku just nodded dumbly, still in shock from Xiao Qiangwei's news and Kurono started writing in some documents.

Kurono: you can go.

Then they left while being dumbfounded, leaving Kurono alone.

When they were outside, Ikki and Shizune left without saying a word, while Xiao Qiangwei looked at Stella.

Xiao Qiangwei: well, Stella, let's start our training.

Stella: eh? Right now?

Xiao Qiangwei: yep.

then he took her in a princess carry and flew in the forest he would usually go.

Xiao Qiangwei: ok, now come at me with everything you have.

Stella nodded and then summoned her device and rushed at him, who just used his limbs to block and touch her bodyparts, telling her that she would been hit, he limited himself to a normal A-rank, and slowly got stronger, making it hard for Stella to hit him.

Xiao Qiangwei: Go faster and hit stronger! Use your Noble Art for your advantage!

Stella: Yes!

Stella then covered the area around them with big flames, obviously they couldn't harm him, but it blocked a bit his vision, and then je felt Stella attacking him from behind, since he didn't use any profound energy, he didn't sensed her, Stella was satisfied for her accomplishment, but a moment later she found Xiao Qiangwei's palm in front of her.

Xiao Qiangwei: that's good, even if I am immune to fire, you could use it against me.

Then he snapped his fingers and the flames were swapped with a field of ice, and snow started falling.

Stella was tired and sat on the ground, then admired the scenery in front of her with Xiao Qiangwei, who sat beside her.

Xiao Qiangwei: do you like it?

Stella leaned her body to his, with her head on his shoulder, and hummed in approval with a smile, then she started thinking about her first day at school until now.

The first scene was when Xiao Qiangwei opened the door of their room and seen her in underwear, then it was their first fight and his cold expression, that face then had a smile and they were at their room, shacking their hands.

Then the scene changed to that of a shopping center and Xiao Qiangwei hugged her while being worried for her wellbeing, after that, the scenery changed to that of the dorm, where Xiao Qiangwei released an incredibly dark aura, surpassing that of death itself, scaring her a bit, but the scene suddenly changed to the one that was in front of a gargantuan crater and Xiao Qiangwei kissed her, it was the most beautiful memory she had.

Then the scenery changed to that of the day they were in front of a dojo, and Xiao Qiangwei froze all of the men that were annoying her, after that, they were inside a small house, and Stella was almost naked, Xiao Qiangwei was giving her a sweet smile, the last scene she remembered was the one where Xiao Qiangwei was almost dying, but was in a lotus pose with closed eyes, and his body was recovering.

Then she looked at Xiao Qiangwei, who was looking at the snow.

Stella: thank you, for everything you done for me...

Xiao Qiangwei turned at her with a smile, but she just hugged him and kissed him in the , surprising him a bit, but he didn't resist, and took out his tongue, twisting together with her tongue.

Then Xiao Qiangwei slowly lowered his hands on her body, but she didn't do anything to stop him, giving him the signal, and started 'it'.