I knew Inego made a mistake as soon as he said it.
I saw that flash—that predatory instinct—in Shion's eyes. And I remembered all too clearly her warning: Don't invite me in!
Inego, however, had received no such warning.
Before I could say a word, I felt a tug on my sleeve.
"Ryu-sama, you needn't fear. You have more allies than you realize."
I turned—and saw Azuki standing by my side.
When I looked up, Inego was gone.
"Excuse me," said a voice to my side. "Were you just talking to Inego? Did you see where he went?"
I turned and found myself face to face with a beautiful, but short, Japanese girl.
She had intense violet eyes—almost alluring…
"Azuki, did you see where Inego went?" I asked.
"Huh?" She blinked at me. "Was that who you were talking to a moment ago?"
Azuki looked up and smiled. Her thick lenses made her golden eyes look larger, the frames giving the impression that she was wearing a mask.
"Yeah. Did you see where he went?" I repeated.
She shook her head.
"He's a sorcerer. They go wherever the rhythm of magic takes them, so he could be anywhere."
"Damn him…" the girl muttered, crossing her arms. "He can't dodge me forever!"
And with that, she stormed off.
"I have a feeling I'll be seeing him soon," Shion teased.
I turned to her.
"Shion, please," I started.
She scoffed and drew a slow breath.
"I've already told you. Rules. And that British boy just broke one…"
She touched her cheek, pretending to be in deep thought.
I hated when she did these little dramatic gestures. It made her look cute, and that was dangerous.
"Shion, please don't hurt him," said Yuki.
Shion turned to Azuki. "Did you just hear something?"
Azuki nodded. "Yeah, it was Yu—"
"But," Shion cut her off, "he did have some good advice." She turned back to me. "Ryu, I agree with him. You should challenge this Ken person."
I nodded.
A human like me challenging an orc in one-on-one combat?
What's the worst that could happen?
"Ryu, please, be careful," said Yuki.
It didn't take me long.
As soon as second period finished I stepped out of science and was headed towards my music appreciation class.
Of all things… music appreciation?
"You'll see why there's music appreciation, Ryu," said Yuki. "It'd be tough to explain it to you now. Plus, you're about to have bigger problems. Ken's here."
Ken—because of course, his name was Ken—stood in front of me, hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked bored. Like this was just another Tuesday.
Not a challenge.
His heavy-lidded, porcine eyes studied me — amused, like I was a dumb animal that had wandered into a predator's den.
"Look who it is. The blond baka, 'Dragon,'" Ken said, rolling his neck.
His knuckles popped — the sound was like tree trunks snapping under pressure.
I was about to tell him where he could shove his challenge, but I saw the other students watching.
I remembered Shion's warning.
Being a dragon could be useful.
Yeah. Unless it kills me first.
Then I saw the crowd gathering.
Some whispered. Others smirked.
And then it hit me.
I wasn't just some weird foreigner at Crescent Moon Academy.
I wasn't just the new kid.
I was a rumor.
The blond-haired, blue-eyed "Dragon of the Windy Mountain."
If I backed down, I wouldn't just lose face.
I'd become the entire school's punching bag.
Ken grinned as I squared my shoulders.
"I challenge you," I said, forcing my voice to stay even.
What choice did I have?
It was either take a beating now and get it over with.
Or earn a reputation as a coward and take a beating every day.
Before Ken could gloat, our first-period teacher, Fushineko-sensei—the nekomata—flicked her ears in irritation.
She muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "stupid boys" and lazily stretched her arms.
"First day of school and we're already fighting? Nyaaaa… What a bother."
"No," said Ken. "Forget it. You haven't earned that right yet."
"Let me!" said his short friend, stepping forward. "I want to fight a dragon!"
He walked around Ken's side and stood looking up at me.
He came up to my chest.
"It'd be an honor to fight you, sir," he said with genuine sincerity.
Fushineko-sensei yawned. Stretched again. Then flicked her gaze between me and Ken.
"Well, at least you're following the rules. Come on, let's get this over with. Everyone, to the gym!"
And just like that—it was official.
The entire school had gathered in the gymnasium.
A kaleidoscope of oni, tengu, humans, and a dozen other creatures filled the bleachers. Some whispered in hushed voices. Others just stared—unreadable.
My gut twisted. This wasn't just a fight.
I was proving—to an entire school of monsters—whether or not I belonged here.
At the center of the gym, the referee stood.
A man with short, dark hair, sharp features, and a lean, athletic build. Long nose.
The gym teacher.
A human?
No.
I could feel it—something sharp, something old.
A weight in the air around him that screamed predator.
"You're looking at Yuuichiro-sensei. He's a tengu," said Yuki.
Tengu.
He wasn't even bothering to fully disguise it.
His illusion was perfect, but if you knew what to look for, you could see the signs:
The way his stance was a little too light.
The way his movements were a little too measured.
I glanced at Shion, who had taken a seat near the front row, her arms crossed.
She wasn't smirking.
That was bad.
If Shion wasn't laughing at me, that meant she was actually concerned.
Azuki sat beside her.
She smiled at me—that could mean anything or nothing.
Then I saw Hina Suiren calmly, mechanically, walking towards the center of the gym.
Calm. Mechanical.
Her black veil remained intact. And she had companions.
Two faceless attendants rolled mats onto the floor—slow, deliberate, ceremonial.
"Yuki, what the hell are those faceless men?" I asked.
I strained to keep my voice from shaking.
Yuki floated closer.
I could see her faint, chalk outline.
"Noppera-bō," she said. "Though some call them the 'faceless ones.'"
A chill ran up my spine.
"They freak me out too, Ryu."
I saw one of them stop, turning toward Yuki.
He lifted his right hand—pointing directly at her.
Hina turned toward him.
And simply shook her head no.
He lowered his hand. And fell back in line.
"What's he doing?" I asked.
Before Yuki could say anything, Hina stepped forward and turned her microphone on.
"Ryu Kazeyama… You come to Crescent Moon Academy as an outsider. A foreigner. And now, here you stand. On the morning of the first day, and already you face your first challenge."
She let the words sink in.
"This fight," she continued, "will settle the dispute between you and Namazu Kawatarō. No matter the outcome, you will both accept it. This school does not encourage meaningless violence. But when conflict arises, we respect the outcome."
Namazu Kawatarō?
Ken's short friend.
That bastard, Ken, had wormed his way out of this one.
The students murmured in approval, though.
Clearly, they were ready for a fight.
Crescent Moon Academy didn't care about right or wrong. It cared about power.
Hina turned her gaze to Namazu, who stood on the gym, opposite of me.
"And you, Namazu, believe Ryu to be nothing more than a human pretending to be something greater."
Namazu shook his head. "I take Ryu-san at his word. I have no reason to believe otherwise."
A confused murmur came from the crowd.
"Ken may say whatever he wants about Ryu. That's none of my concern. Ryu claims to be a dragon, and as a martial artist, it's my honor to fight such a powerful opponent."
I clenched my jaw.
Hina didn't react. She simply turned back to me.
"But know this, all of you," she said, her voice carrying through the gym. "You are all outsiders. Every single one of you. Not just Ryu."
The murmurs stopped.
Hina's gaze swept across the assembled students.
"In the human world, it does not matter if you are a tengu, a vampire, an oni, or a spirit. You are all the same. You will be feared. You will be hated. And you will be seen as a threat."
A pause.
"Crescent Moon Academy teaches you how to walk in their world. But never forget—you will never truly be one of them."
Her words sank like a stone in my stomach.
Because I was human.
And if even monsters weren't accepted in the human world…
What chance did I have?