After shopping for dinner with Sakura, Kuzeha Yuu finally returned home together with her.
"Yu, welcome home!"
As soon as Kuzeha Yuu stepped into the house, Kasugano Sora was the first to latch onto him like always.
He gently patted her head, but his gaze drifted to a small backpack resting on the living room sofa.
"…That's—Kanao's back?"
He sounded pleasantly surprised.
Sora pouted and nodded slightly, clearly not thrilled.
The girl's return meant she wouldn't get Kuzeha Yuu's embrace all to herself tonight.
"Wasn't Kanao's school not on break yet? Why's she back already?"
Sakura asked in surprise.
She looked down at the groceries in her hand and frowned slightly.
"If Kanao's eating with us, there might not be enough food…"
Kuzeha Yuu glanced around and didn't see Kanao anywhere in the house.
Then, as if reading her mind, he turned his head toward the neighboring Kirigaya household.
A second later—
A petite girl dressed in a martial arts uniform came running out from next door and threw herself into Kuzeha Yuu's arms without hesitation.
After clinging to him for a long while, her tiny voice finally reached his ears like a whisper.
"Big brother, I'm home…"
Tsuyuri Kanao — a girl Kuzeha Yuu had rescued from under a pile of rubble long ago.
She was currently in her second year of middle school.
Behind her followed another short-haired girl in the same white martial arts uniform.
She looked at Kanao nestled in Kuzeha Yuu's arms, a trace of envy flickering in her eyes.
"Kuzeha-kun, long time no see."
Kuzeha Yuu looked up and was slightly stunned by her appearance.
Kirigaya Suguha — their next-door neighbor and Kanao's upperclassman at the girls' academy.
A few years ago, she had just been a lively, energetic neighbor girl. But since starting middle school, she'd changed drastically—practically one transformation every year.
Even though she wore a loose-fitting kendō uniform, she still looked like she was carrying two snow-covered peaks on her chest.
Not even in high school yet, but already had the figure to rival grown JKs.
"Suguha, you're becoming quite the graceful young lady."
Kuzeha Yuu praised casually.
Suguha smiled softly.
She'd heard compliments like that countless times before, but hearing it from him hit different—it warmed her heart.
"Kanao saw the spatial quake news earlier. Nothing I said could stop her from rushing back to see you, so I requested leave and came back with her."
Suguha explained, her tone subtly tinged with envy.
As an only child, she had always admired the bond Kuzeha Yuu and Kanao shared.
Kuzeha Yuu ruffled Kanao's hair gently and then looked at their martial arts uniforms.
"Were you two training earlier?"
"Mhm! There's a kendō tournament in a few days. Kanao and I both signed up."
"In that case, how about I help you train for a bit?"
"Would you?! That'd be amazing!"
Suguha's eyes lit up with joy.
It was thanks to Kuzeha Yuu's encouragement—more than her grandfather's urging—that she got into kendō in the first place.
Those days of him helping her practice were still some of her fondest memories.
Kuzeha Yuu led the two girls back to the orphanage.
Despite being old and worn, the place had a large property.
At the back was an old training hall—Kuzeha Yuu's personal sword practice space.
He'd often used it during holidays to train his younger sisters for self-defense.
Changing into a kendō uniform, Kuzeha Yuu began acting as a sparring partner for the girls.
Suguha took a deep breath, gripped her sword with both hands, and faced off against him.
But the moment she raised her eyes—
"…Huh?"
Even though Kuzeha Yuu stood there casually with a sword in one hand, she felt an overwhelming pressure crash down on her like a tidal wave.
"Kuzeha-kun's swordsmanship… is on another level…"
One hour later.
Suguha lay on the dojo floor, her flushed face dripping with sweat, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Ku… Kuzeha-kun… you used to be in the kendō club, right? Why not enter the tournament too?"
"With your skill, you'd win easily!"
Kuzeha Yuu chuckled.
If the prize money was good, he might just consider it.
"We'll see."
He waved Kanao over.
"Kanao, your hair came loose."
Obediently, she knelt before him.
Kuzeha Yuu gathered her long hair and tied it into a ponytail. As he was about to help wipe her sweat, a familiar chime echoed in his head.
[Swordsmanship Entry Triggered!]
[Congratulations! You've obtained Purple Entry: Breath of Flowers!]
Kuzeha Yuu's eyes lit up.
Breath-style techniques weren't all that impressive in this world.
With his Sword Mastery and Divine Evasion entries, something like Breath of Flowers seemed average at best.
Still, it made sense—Kanao had originally used this style in the source material.
"For a first step into the extraordinary, it's not bad at all."
Kuzeha Yuu decided he could extract and refine the breathing technique, building a personalized sword style just for Kanao.
With his current skill level, it'd be easy.
"Suguha, Kanao, can you two take a few days off school and stay here?"
"I'll give you a proper special training course."
Kanao turned halfway and nodded seriously.
Suguha sat up with a start, eyes gleaming.
"If you're willing to train us, that'd be amazing!"
Her sudden movement pulled her loose collar wide open—
Revealing tightly wound bindings beneath.
Kuzeha Yuu's eyes widened slightly.
Even with the bindings, she was nearing Hiratsuka-sensei's level.
This girl's… potential was terrifying.