What is your sword heart?

Kisara Tendo's question instantly left Kotomi Izumi dumbfounded. She had never even thought about it before—so how could she possibly say what her sword heart was?

She had never seriously trained in kendo, so how could she have attained a sword heart?

Even if she could use Fame Points to raise her kendo level and gain corresponding sword skills, that didn't mean she would acquire a sword heart.

This wasn't about sentimentality at all. The truth was simple—Kazumi's system ability was just too weak.

Other sword-related systems would grant a deeper understanding of the sword heart with every level.

Raise kendo to MAX, and in one breath you could go from rookie to sword saint, complete with the sword saint's heart. You might even step into a divine state and become a legend—the Sword God.

Such a convenient ability—how could Kazumi possibly have it? And even if she did, she wouldn't let Kotomi off without paying tens of millions of Fame Points for it.

Kazumi was just a little swindler!

Kotomi had asked her several times before if system races needed to buy things with Fame Points. Maybe that was why Kazumi was so obsessed with collecting—or rather, extorting—Fame Points from her.

But Kazumi explained that system races actually used another form of currency. The so-called Fame Points were useless to her—just numbers stockpiled on a counter, which she usually only saved up to buy a rename card.

When Kotomi learned this, she immediately grabbed Kazumi's little ears and 'fiercely' rubbed them, calling it 'punishment.'

Though in truth, it felt much more like playful flirting than punishment.

In short, ever since Kotomi realized Fame Points were basically useless to Kazumi, whenever it came time to upgrade or unlock new levels, she would always haggle for a discount. At the same time, she often complained bitterly about the whole Fame Point system.

After all, once Kazumi earned Fame Points, she couldn't use them for anything but saving up to buy rename cards. So why not give Kotomi a discount?

And if not a discount, then at least increase the earning rate of Fame Points, or simplify the ways of gaining them!

At first, Kotomi had thought her novel and manga popularity would be enough. Just lying in bed each day, she could easily rack up enough Fame Points for upgrades and unlocks. But as more skills and levels piled up, it became harder and harder.

More than once, she faced a situation where a whole week's Fame Points weren't even enough for a single level.

But Kazumi never lowered the cost of upgrades, nor increased earnings, nor simplified the process. Everything stayed the same as it had been.

Kazumi was usually easy to talk to, but on this matter she was unyielding. Kotomi could only drop it, thinking her companion was simply a little miser.

As for why Kazumi wanted those Fame Points so badly to buy rename cards, Kotomi doubted it was just because she disliked her own name. After all, Kazumi had said before that she actually thought her name was beautiful. There had to be another reason.

Kotomi had asked once, curious, but Kazumi gave no real answer.

Since she didn't explain, Kotomi left it alone.

But if Kazumi were awake right now, Kotomi would definitely summon her out and ask again why she wanted a rename card so badly.

And she'd probably threaten her in that cheeky way: if you don't tell me honestly, I'll stop spending Fame Points altogether. After all, with her current skill levels, if she just spent her three years of high school steadily growing her light novels and manga, by graduation she would already have financial freedom.

As for the money to start a game company—Kotomi only thought it was difficult because she imagined she'd need to earn it all from scratch.

But if she broadened her outlook a little, once she finished university, all she had to do was tell her grandparents. In the next second, several large sums would be deposited directly into her bank account.

To her grandparents, even if Kotomi took money to start a company and burned through it all without earning a single cent, as long as she was happy, they would be happy too.

After all, while economic news and industry insiders hyped up the massive costs of running a game company, for the Izumi and Hishinaga families, such an investment was barely worth noticing.

She still remembered when she was eight years old and wanted a Kamen Rider Kuuga Ultimate Rising form suit. Once her grandmother found out, she immediately had the driver take her to Bandai's headquarters. They invested a small sum in Bandai, and upon seeing the investment and request, the Izumi family formally became Bandai's "parent." Bandai wasted no time contacting a partnered studio.

The studio initially thought a new Kamen Rider series was about to start production and muttered in confusion—why decide the new series so early this year? Normally, designs for belts, props, weapons, and suits weren't finalized until later in the year before the studio began work.

But Bandai's sudden order wasn't for a new series. It was for Kamen Rider Kuuga, a series that had already aired years ago.

When the studio head flipped open the order's first page, he thought Bandai planned to cash in on nostalgia. But then he noticed the suit's measurements. The height? The size? It was clearly for an eight- or nine-year-old child!

A quick call to Bandai confirmed it. This Kuuga Ultimate Rising form suit was being custom-made for an eight-year-old girl.

The studio head was stunned. He wanted to refuse at first—they had never made a Rider suit for children. But then he saw the deposit and final payment listed below.

The amount was… simply too much to turn down.

Back to the point—Kotomi had always thought her family was ordinary. Not until she graduated middle school did the silly girl suddenly realize her family might actually be wealthy?!

No wonder she'd never gone hungry.

It was something she should have known as a child, but Kotomi only figured it out after graduating middle school, just a few months ago. So her temperament and mindset hadn't fully adjusted yet.

Anyway, even if she wanted to threaten Kazumi now—coerce or cajole her into finally revealing why she really wanted Fame Points and a rename card—there was no way to ask.

How long was Kazumi planning to stay asleep?

That remained unknown.

All Kotomi could do was wait for her awakening, while searching for clues and fulfilling the task Kazumi had entrusted her with before falling asleep.

—To find the real Kazumi.

If she had to answer Kisara Tendo's question—what was in her heart? Kotomi already knew the answer. These past few days, she had been constantly thinking of Kazumi.

Whether consciously or unconsciously—while brushing her teeth, washing her face, or eating—she would always end up thinking about Kazumi.

Even just now, during her fight with Kisara, she had spent a few seconds thinking of Kazumi. She didn't know why she thought of her so often. Maybe thinking about Kazumi had already become an unconscious habit.

It wasn't only missing her. Kazumi had left behind far too many mysteries. Even just her origins—Kotomi felt that what Kazumi had told her before was only the tip of the iceberg.

Kazumi might not simply be a system. She could very well be a girl living in this world too.

Otherwise, why would she leave behind those words before falling asleep: "Kotomi, I hope you can find the real me."

This was only Kotomi's speculation, but with Kazumi asleep, there were no new clues. All she could do was slowly explore on her own, peeling away the fog step by step until the truth revealed itself.

Of course, Kotomi wished even more that Kazumi would wake up before she found the real her.

Even if Kazumi didn't remember much about her true self, just a few more hints would be enough. Then this seemingly unsolvable riddle—finding the real Kazumi—Kotomi was confident she could crack it.

I'm not some detective novel protagonist. How am I supposed to find the real you with just one sentence? Kazumi, you think way too highly of me. Weren't you the one who always called me an airhead the most… Kotomi thought to herself.

She suddenly realized a problem—while she had been lost in thought just now, Kisara's dagger was still pressed against her neck…

Although the blade was sheathed, being pinned down under Kisara like this made Kotomi, who always saw herself as the dominant one, a little unhappy.

"My sword heart… Even if you ask me like that, I can't answer. Maybe I don't have a sword heart at all."

Kotomi didn't suddenly awaken her sword heart like in some shounen story, shattering her confusion and becoming stronger alongside her senior.

If it were written that way, it would be a hot-blooded novel.

True, Kotomi had always loved shounen manga and novels since she was a child.

But she hadn't trained in kendo since childhood, so where would her confusion about kendo come from? As for a sword heart, though she wanted to act cool—say some line like a wandering swordsman, holding a battle-worn katana while chewing on a grass stalk…

Instead, she was pinned under Kisara, saying: "I don't have a sword heart at all."

Not cool in the slightest.

Why couldn't she come up with a cool line? Probably because she hadn't watched or read anything about samurai lately.

Kotomi thought Kisara would be disappointed in her answer. She wasn't stupid—she knew Kisara always believed she had great talent for kendo. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made her the nominal captain, nor taken her to the Six Schools Tournament.

Kotomi's current kendo skills were already enough to meet Kisara's expectations.

If Kisara asked, Kotomi could probably even win the tournament championship.

After all, she not only had her kendo level panel, she had leveled it up!

"Hahaha!"

Kisara didn't lecture her about how kendo couldn't be practiced without a sword heart, nor did she talk about lofty principles. Instead, she suddenly laughed. Putting away the dagger, she released Kotomi's shoulders, then rolled over to lie beside her.

The two of them lay side by side on the wooden floor of the dojo.

After laughing for a while, Kisara finally continued:

"Ah… that's a relief. If you had really answered what your sword heart was just now, I would've thought you were some kind of monster. A sword heart is something very few people ever attain. Even I, called the Sword Demon, am still searching for what mine truly is."

So you were bluffing earlier?! Kotomi puffed her cheeks slightly in annoyance and said aloud:

"Kisara-senpai's acting is really something~"

"Sorry, sorry! I just felt that since I'd barely managed to win against you, if I didn't use the chance to make a scene, wouldn't it be a waste of such a perfect opportunity?"

"Barely won?"

Kotomi thought Kisara was teasing her again. That fight just now counted as a narrow win? The number of times their blades even clashed could be counted on one hand.

Her confident Gatotsu strike in midair had been easily countered, leaving her pinned to the ground with a dagger at her throat. If they'd been using real swords, Kotomi would already be dead.

To put it bluntly, Kotomi felt she had just been utterly dominated by her senpai.

As expected of the Sword Demon—someone who had trained since childhood was truly different. Kotomi figured that even if she raised her kendo level by another five stages, she might still not be able to defeat Kisara.

And yet, Kisara said it was a narrow win?

Surely she was being modest.

As if seeing right through her thoughts, Kisara smiled faintly. Still staring up at the dojo ceiling, she continued:

"When I swung my first strike, your reaction speed—and how you caught on to my preparatory micro-movements, predicting the attacks that would follow, the ones meant to seal all your retreat—you didn't try to back off. Instead, you pressed forward, leaping into the air to launch an attack on your own.

"Sharpness, judgment, the courage to seek an opening in the midst of desperation—your performance really surprised me. I didn't expect my junior to be this strong. It seems the title of captain, even if only nominal, suits you perfectly.

"If my family had seen your display, they would have praised you without end.

"Especially that Gatotsu you used in midair—if I had been a second slower in movement, you would've won.

"So after defeating you, I wanted to test whether you had a sword heart. When you said you didn't, I felt relieved. It seems my junior isn't such a monstrous prodigy after all."

Hearing this, Kotomi's expression instantly shifted to smug delight. She hadn't expected Kisara to think so highly of her performance!

I'm so strong!

With strength like this, how many wives could I marry?

Kotomi's thoughts were already floating off into the clouds.

If someone asked her again what her sword heart was, she could probably spin out a long, chuunibyou speech right on the spot.

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