The aftershocks of the Dragon Tooth Arena had not yet subsided when a formal invitation arrived, shattering the calm once again.
From: Head of the Archery Club - Houjou Sayaka.
Nightview Cang stood by the window and opened the envelope in his hand. His fingers pressed down gently, feeling the subtle indentation.
"This doesn't look like a simple challenge letter," he murmured with a faint smile.
Houjou Sayaka, her archery and intelligence were equally deadly. And compared to those who only wielded swords or threw punches, her invitation was even more disturbing - for she never acted without a purpose.
What exactly did she want?
That night, the moonlight poured down on the silent and deep bamboo forest behind the Dragon Tooth Arena. Houjou Sayaka stood among the bamboo, her white archer's uniform making her appear as cold as the moonlight. Her long hair fluttered gently in the night breeze.
When Nightview Cang stepped into the bamboo forest, she slowly turned around, her gaze as cold as a crescent moon, and silently locked onto him.
"You have come," she said softly, her voice carrying the lightness of the night breeze, but laced with a trace of complex emotion.
Nightview Cang's lips curled into a slight smirk as he casually twirled a playing card in his hand. "This is the first time someone from Higashiun Academy has formally invited me, instead of just showing up to cut me down."
Houjou Sayaka gave a small laugh, but it quickly faded. She put away the momentary tenderness and returned to her calm, rational demeanour. "Nightview Cang, have you ever thought that your recent victories are slowly leading the Magic Club towards a real storm?"
Nightview Cang raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you're not here to challenge me, but... to warn me?"
Houjou Sayaka's gaze flickered for a moment, then she shook her head gently. "No, I just don't want you... to die too soon."
Nightview Cang was slightly stunned.
Houjou Sayaka looked up at the night sky, the moonlight reflecting off her profile and making her expression seem a little hazy. "The Swordsmanship Club has already left."
"Feng Qiling lost. Bai Chuan lost... Next, Tiandao Jingyi will make his move."
Nightview Cang's expression finally turned serious. "...Tiandao Jingyi."
"He is no ordinary swordsman," Houjou Sayaka's voice held a hint of awe, even... some fear. "He is the only one in this academy who has mastered spirit-based swordsmanship."
"His sword can influence the 'souls' of people. Under his sword, whether it's a berserker or a calm strategist, they will be completely controlled in an instant."
Nightview Cang's fingers lightly rubbed his playing cards. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly smiled meaningfully. "Sounds really interesting."
Houjou Sayaka furrowed her brow. "Nightview Cang... you have no idea how dangerous he is."
"You think I'm afraid?" Nightview Cang tossed a playing card lightly into the air. It spun in an arc before landing steadily in his fingers.
Houjou Sayaka stared at him, silent for a moment. Finally, she sighed and spoke in a complicated tone. "You're really... still the same, confident."
She lowered her eyes as if to hide a certain emotion.
"And still the same... irritating."
She added the last sentence mentally, her lips curling slightly, but she didn't say it out loud.
Nightview Cang noticed the change in her expression and looked at her with interest. "What is it? Don't you think I'll win?"
Houjou Sayaka didn't answer, but instead stepped lightly over to a bamboo tree and reached out to touch the cold bamboo branches.
She murmured, "Nightview Cang... what will happen if you lose?"
Nightview Cang smiled. "If I lose, I lose."
Houjou Sayaka's fingers tightened slightly, her joints turning white, but her voice remained calm. "You know, Tiandao Jingyi never leaves any survivors."
Nightview Cang's smile faltered slightly.
Houjou Sayaka looked up at him, her eyes finally showing an emotion she couldn't hide. "If you lose, your Magic Club will be completely wiped out... and you might not even have a chance to survive."
Nightview Cang stared at her for a long moment before suddenly letting out a soft laugh. "So you're worried about me?"
Houjou Sayaka's body trembled slightly, then she immediately turned away and coldly replied, "...don't get the wrong idea."
Nightview Cang was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha, Houjou Sayaka, the 'Ice Bow Queen' of Higashiun Academy, is actually getting shy?"
Houjou Sayaka glared at him fiercely and turned to leave, but the lobes of her ears were tinged with a faint blush.
Nightview Cang watched her back and suddenly called out, "Houjou.
Houjou Sayaka stopped but did not turn around.
Nightview Cang's voice was soft and gentle. "Thanks for the warning."
Houjou Sayaka was silent for a few seconds before speaking quietly. "Nightview Cang..."
Her voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. "...Don't die."
Nightview Cang was momentarily stunned.
Before he could speak, Houjou Sayaka had already taken a step forward, her white archer's uniform fluttering in the night wind like a white wing about to fly far away.
Nightview Cang looked at her back, a smile slowly forming at the corner of his lips.
"This is really getting interesting."
After Houjou Sayaka left, a shadowy figure slowly emerged from the bamboo forest.
The man, dressed in black, stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes indifferent, his entire being seeming to blend into the night.
His gaze fell on Nightview Cang with a sharpness beyond normal perception.
"Nightview Cang..." His voice was deep and calm, as if it came from the void.
"Soon, you'll meet me."
Nightview Cang's eyes narrowed slightly, but a dangerous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Oh? I'm looking forward to it."
The shadowy figure smiled faintly, then turned and disappeared.
The shadowy figure smiled faintly, then turned and disappeared into the darkness as if it had never existed.
Under the moonlight, Nightview Cang turned the card lightly in his fingers, his eyes sharp as a blade.
魔术部的真正危机!弓箭部的布局!
龙牙场的余波尚未平息,但一封正式的邀请函,再次打破了平静.
寄信人:弓箭部部长——凰堂纱夜.
夜见苍站在窗前,翻转着手中的信封,指尖微微用力,感受着那微妙的压痕.
"这不像是一封单纯的挑战书."他低声笑道.
凰堂纱夜,她的箭法与智慧同样致命.而比起那些只会挥剑,出拳的对手,她的邀请更让人不安——因为她做事从不无的放矢.
她,到底想做什么?
夜晚,龙牙场后方的竹林静谧而幽深,月光洒落,凰堂纱夜站在竹林之中,一袭白色弓道服衬得她如月光般清冷,长发在夜风中微微飘荡.
当夜见苍踏入竹林,她缓缓转过身,眼神如一弯冷月,静静凝视着他.
"你来了."她轻声道,嗓音带着一丝夜风般的轻柔,却又藏着某种莫名的复杂情绪.
夜见苍嘴角微扬,随意地翻转着手中的扑克牌:"这可是东云学园里,第一次有人正式邀请我,而不是直接找上门来砍我."
凰堂纱夜轻笑了一声,但笑容转瞬即逝.她收起那一瞬间的温柔,回归那副冷静而理智的姿态:"夜见苍,你有没有想过,你最近的胜利,正在让魔术部一步步走向真正的风暴?"
夜见苍挑了挑眉:"听起来,你不是来挑战我的,而是...来警告我?"
凰堂纱夜的目光微微闪烁了一下,随后,她轻轻摇头:"不,我只是不希望你——死得太快."
夜见苍微微一怔.
凰堂纱夜抬头望向夜空,月光映照在她的侧颜上,让她的神情显得有些朦胧:"剑术部已经动了."
"风切凌败了,白川败了...接下来,天道京一会出手."
夜见苍的神色终于变得认真了一些:"...天道京一."
"他,不是普通的剑士."凰堂纱夜的声音带着几分敬畏,甚至...有些忌惮,"他是这个学园唯一一个掌握精神系剑术的怪物."
"他的剑,能够影响人的'心灵'.在他的剑下,不管是狂暴的武者,还是冷静的谋士,都会在瞬间被完全支配."
夜见苍的指尖轻轻摩挲着扑克牌,沉思片刻后,忽然露出了一抹意味深长的笑意:"听起来,确实很有趣."
凰堂纱夜微微皱眉:"夜见苍...你根本不知道,他有多危险."
"你觉得我会怕吗?"夜见苍轻轻一抛,手中的扑克牌在空中旋转,划出一道弧线,稳稳落回他指尖.
凰堂纱夜怔怔地看着他,沉默了一瞬,最终轻叹了一口气,语气复杂:"你果然...还是一样的自信."
她垂下眼眸,似乎想掩盖某种情绪.
"也还是一样的...让人讨厌."
她在心底补上了最后一句,嘴角微微抿起,却没有再说出口.
夜见苍注意到了凰堂纱夜的神色变化,饶有兴致地看着她:"怎么,你对我的胜算不抱希望?"
凰堂纱夜没有回答,而是轻轻迈步,走到一棵竹树旁,伸手触摸那冰冷的竹节.
她低声道:"夜见苍...如果你败了,会怎么样?"
夜见苍笑了笑:"败了就败了呗."
凰堂纱夜的手指微微收紧,指节泛白,但她的声音依旧冷静:"你知道,天道京一从来不留活口."
夜见苍的笑意微微一滞.
凰堂纱夜抬头看着他,眼神终于流露出一丝掩饰不住的情绪:"如果你败了,你的魔术部,会被彻底抹杀...而你,可能连活下去的机会都没有."
夜见苍盯着她,半晌后,忽然轻轻一笑:"所以,你是在担心我?"
凰堂纱夜的身体微微一震,随即立刻别开视线,冷冷道:"...别自作多情."
夜见苍微微一愣,随即大笑起来:"哈哈哈,凰堂纱夜,东云学园的'冰弓女王',居然会害羞?"
凰堂纱夜狠狠瞪了他一眼,转身就要离开,但她的耳垂却染上了一抹淡淡的红晕.
夜见苍看着她的背影,忽然出声道:"凰堂."
凰堂纱夜停下脚步,没有回头.
夜见苍的声音低沉而轻柔:"谢谢你的提醒."
凰堂纱夜沉默了几秒,轻声道:"夜见苍..."
她的声音带着一丝近乎微不可闻的颤抖:"...不要死."
夜见苍微微一怔.
等他想开口时,凰堂纱夜已经迈步离开,白色的弓道服在夜风中轻轻飘动,宛如一只即将飞远的白色羽翼.
夜见苍看着她的背影,嘴角缓缓勾起一丝笑意.
"...这可真是有趣了."
当凰堂纱夜离开后,一道黑色的身影缓缓走出了竹林.
黑衣之下,男子负手而立,眼神漠然,整个人仿佛融入了夜色之中.
他的目光落在夜见苍身上,带着某种超脱常人的锋芒.
"夜见苍..."他的声音低沉而平静,仿佛自虚无中传来.
"你很快,就会见到我了."
夜见苍的眼神微微一凝,嘴角却扬起了一抹危险的笑意:"哦?那我可是很期待呢."
黑影微微一笑,转身消失在黑暗之中,仿佛从未存在过.
月光下,夜见苍轻轻转动着指尖的扑克牌,眼神锐利如刃.