Dragon Fang Arena, shrouded in the clouds of war.
As the first horn of the "Five Societies Joint Battle" sounded, the battle formations of each faction took to the stage. Amidst the ranks of the Magic Division, Yoruimi Sou stood in his black and gold Academy uniform, his fingers idly turning the card that symbolised his identity. Opposite him, at the centre of the Archery Division's formation, Hōdō Saya stood in silence - longbow like the crescent moon, silver hair swaying gently in the wind.
Their eyes met across the battlefield.
Though they now stood on opposite sides, their eyes continued to seek each other out in the chaos of thousands.
Saya's pupils reflected the familiar, yet distant profile of Yoruimi Sou.
-"Why do you always look away?"
She didn't say it out loud, but the slight trembling of her fingers as they tightened around the bowstring betrayed the thought.
Yoruimi Sou had long since noticed her gaze.
From the moment they stepped onto the battlefield, Saya's presence had never left his mind.
And yet, he did not react.
He feared that the moment he did, the fragile thread inside him would break completely.
"She... is already on the other side."
"If I acknowledge her gaze, it will mean exposing my weakness on the battlefield."
"I am the leader of the Magic Division - I cannot afford to hesitate."
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus elsewhere.
"It's just an illusion."
"Just a coincidence."
"From the beginning... we were never meant to align."
Hōdō Saya released an arrow before she had even intended to.
She forced herself to look away, burying her emotions in the shot. But at that moment, she felt as if something had been ripped from her chest.
"You're still not looking at me."
"Yoruimi Sou, what exactly are you running away from?"
Memories flooded back.
The first time they passed each other in the old library - his silence and distance.
During the club meetings, as he faced waves of questions, he had never once looked in their direction.
Even after his victory over Kazearashi Ryou, in their brief exchange, he had remained veiled behind his magic, never truly revealing himself.
She had wanted to get closer to him.
But the closer she came, the further he retreated.
"After this battle... we really can't go back, can we?"
The arrow flew from her bowstring, as if cutting through something unspoken.
Yoruimi Sou flicked a card, deflecting the shot. But in that fleeting moment, their eyes met again.
"I see her wavering."
"Her attacks are faster than before... but also more unpredictable."
"I shouldn't try to understand her now."
"And yet I still..."
The inner turmoil swirled like crashing waves.
Around them, the battle raged more fiercely, steel and fire colliding in a storm of blood. Yet in the midst of the war, an invisible resonance remained between them - one that should not exist on the battlefield.
One clung to lingering emotions, the other chose to flee.
But the currents of destiny would not stop for mere feelings.
"Yoruimi Sou."
"Hōdō Saya."
Both called to each other in their hearts - yet neither spoke.
"...Target shift. Proceed."
Yoruimi Sou finally broke the silence, his tone cold yet laced with self-deception.
He raised his hand and ordered his troops forward. Without looking back, he walked towards a new battlefront.
Hōdō Saya remained standing, watching his retreating figure. It was as if an invisible change of fate had been carved in stone at this very moment.
"So... you really won't turn back?"
-Beyond the battlefield, the real war was already being fought in the space between their hearts.
战场交错,心念难言
龙牙场,战云密布.
随着"五社联合会战"的第一轮号角吹响,各社团的战斗编组逐一登场.魔术部的阵列之中,夜见苍身披黑金校服,指尖拈起那张代表身份的卡牌.对面,弓箭部的凰堂纱夜静静立于战位中央,长弓如月,银发随风轻扬.
两人隔场相望.
明明已是敌对阵营,视线却不可避免地,在千军万马间一次又一次交汇.
纱夜的眸中映出夜见苍的侧脸,那熟悉却始终保持距离的轮廓.
——"为什么,你总是看向别处呢?"
她没有说出口,但指尖紧握的弓弦,已轻轻颤动.
**
夜见苍并非没有察觉那道凝视.
自进入战场以来,纱夜的气息就从未真正离开过他的感知范围.
可他没有回应.
他怕一回应,就会把心底那根脆弱的弦,彻底崩断.
"她...已经站到我的对立面了."
"如果回应了那道目光,就等于在战场上暴露自己的软肋."
"我是魔术部部长,我没有资格动摇."
夜见苍深吸一口气,收回注视,转向另一侧敌阵.
"只是幻觉."
"只是偶然."
"我们之间——从一开始就是错位的吧."
**
凰堂纱夜的箭未发先动.
她强迫自己移开视线,将情绪封入箭矢之中.但那一刻,心口却像被抽走了什么东西.
"...你还是不看我."
"夜见苍,你到底是在逃避什么?"
回忆倒灌.
第一次在旧图书馆擦肩而过时,他的沉默与疏离;
在社团会议上,他面对全场质疑却未曾多看她一眼;
哪怕是那场击败风切凌之后短暂的交谈,他也始终藏在魔术之下,从未真正袒露自己.
纱夜想靠近.
可她越是靠近,夜见苍却退得越远.
"这场会战结束后,我们就真的...回不去了吧."
箭矢出弦,宛如情绪的断裂.
夜见苍一记卡牌飞掷将其击落,但那一瞬,两人目光再度交错.
"我看到她动摇了."
"她的攻击比往常更快...却也更乱."
"我不该在这个时候去理解她."
"但我还是...在看她."
内心低语如潮水翻涌.
战局再起,周围战斗愈演愈烈,血与火的碰撞中,他们依旧保持着不应有的"心念共振".
这,是属于战场上最危险的情感.
一方执念不舍,一方选择逃避.
而命运的洪流,并不会因为情感而停歇.
"夜见苍."
"凰堂纱夜."
两人同时在心底呼唤彼此的名字,却终究没说出口.
**
"...目标切换,继续前进."
夜见苍终究先开口,语气冷峻,却满是自欺.
他挥手指令部队推进,背对那道目光,一步步走向新的战线.
凰堂纱夜站在原地,望着他离去的背影,仿佛某种命运的转折也在这一刻被钉下.
"你...果然还是不肯回头."
[战场之外的情感交锋,才是决定胜负的真正前哨.]