Chapter 115: Don’t Betray Kouhei
Kouhei's eyes widened as the arrows screamed through the air, their deadly tips glinting with malice under the dim light. His body froze in place—he had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The barrier he had relied on was gone, and no other options remained. The cruel truth settled in his gut like a boulder.
Was this it? Was this how he'd die?
"No," he thought. His hands trembled at his sides, fists clenched tightly enough to make his knuckles go white. He didn't want to die—not here, not now. His chest ached with longing, and his mind raced with the faces of the ones he loved.
Yuuna's gentle, loving arms wrapping around him after a long day. The way her warmth seeped into his soul, leaving him breathless and yearning for more. Nagisa's teasing smile as she leaned in too close, her playful tone always laced with something just a little naughty. Aria's unwavering strength as she trained beside him, her every move igniting his drive to be better. And Hina—her cold, emotionless stare that belied the fire burning within her, a fire she reserved only for him. The thought of exploring more of her lewd, hidden desires made his blood rush even in the face of death.
"I'm not going to die here!" Kouhei's voice tore through the air. He glared up at the arrows, their razor-sharp edges promising pain and destruction as they rained down like a storm of death.
Hundreds of them. No, maybe thousands. Each one whistling through the air, deadly precise. He could practically feel their edges slicing through his flesh, ripping into him, leaving him riddled with holes like some pathetic, blood-soaked pincushion.
But he didn't move. His legs refused to take even a single step back.
And then, just as the arrows were about to reach him, the world shuddered. The air twisted and churned unnaturally before a jagged black rift split the space in front of him. The arrows vanished into the void, consumed entirely, their deadly descent halted.
The black hole expanded outward like it hungered for more, devouring everything in its reach before suddenly collapsing in on itself.
Silence fell.
Kouhei's heart pounded in his chest as recognition struck him like a lightning bolt.
"Don't worry, Kouhei," a familiar voice called out, smooth and calm amidst the chaos. "Your love reached me, so I came as fast as I could."
Hina stepped forward, her expression as stoic as ever, though her words carried an unspoken tenderness. Behind her stood Kozue, her hand glowing with the faint shimmer of mana. A transparent barrier flickered into view, deflecting the last remnants of the arrow storm.
Relief crashed over Kouhei, so intense it nearly knocked him over. His body, once frozen, felt limp now, drained of every ounce of strength.
He dropped to his back, the ground hard and cold beneath him. The adrenaline that had kept him going dissipated in an instant, leaving him utterly spent.
The battle was over.
For now.
This was only the first of many wars the Sarushima Group would face.
***
The Sarushima Group gathered in the grand Saonji Mansion. Even the first years, who hadn't been around much recently, were here.
Everyone was present: the third years—Misuzu, Yumi, Nagisa, and Yuuna herself. The second years, Hina and Kozue. And the first years, Sakurako, Ruriko, and Shizue.
Yuuna stood at the head of the room, her presence commanding everyone's attention. Even in the face of conflict, her beauty was undeniable, her presence commanding yet comforting.
"I'm sure you all understand why we're here," she began, her voice steady yet sharp, cutting through the heavy atmosphere like a blade. "Souichiro's group attacked our territory. They've declared a Faction War against us."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
A Faction War. A brutal, unforgiving conflict where the only way out was through the utter annihilation of one side—or their unconditional surrender.
Yuuna and her members had never been in a Faction War before—not just them, but the entire group as it stood now. This was their first time stepping into something this dangerous, this intense.
"I'm sorry for dragging all of you into this," Yuuna said, her voice heavy with regret. "I promised you a better life when you joined my group, that things would be good for you here. But now… I couldn't even keep that promise. Instead, I'm the one who's put you all in danger."
"It's not your fault, President," Kozue said firmly. Her tone was calm, but there was a sharp edge of protectiveness in her voice. "Your brother's the real piece of work here. He's doing this just to make you suffer. If anything, I feel sorry for you. You're carrying all of our burdens on your shoulders, and on top of that, you're dealing with your own burden too. It's unfair."
"Exactly, Pres. You don't need to beat yourself up about this," Nagisa added, her voice light but supportive.
"Thank you," Yuuna said softly, managing a faint smile. But her face quickly hardened as she continued.
"Souichiro's group is way bigger than ours, and we all know how powerful they are," Yuuna said, her expression turning deadly serious. "Honestly, I never wanted to get into a Faction War with anyone. I've always thought it was best to avoid that kind of thing altogether. But this time? It's unavoidable. Souichiro is out for blood. He's hell-bent on destroying our faction."
Yuuna's thoughts drifted to her brother. Souichiro wasn't just cruel—he was sadistic and ruthless. He didn't hesitate to crush anyone who pissed him off, and he always made sure they suffered for it. There was no way to reason with someone like him, no way they could ever find common ground.
Well, there was one option. One compromise that could stop all of this.
She could agree to marry him.
But the very thought made her stomach churn. The idea of tying herself to him, of becoming his, made her feel sick. She loved Kouhei—every part of him. She couldn't imagine giving up the man she loved just to save her group.
And yet, deep down, she couldn't help but consider it. Maybe it would be better to sacrifice herself rather than let everyone else suffer. Maybe...
"President," Hina said sharply, snapping her out of her thoughts. Her piercing gaze seemed to see right through her. "Don't betray Kouhei."
Yuuna looked at her and smiled softly. "Don't worry, Hina. I'd never do that."
It had been a passing thought, that was all. Something fleeting, born out of desperation. There was no way she could actually go through with it. She couldn't tie herself to Souichiro, couldn't stand the thought of living her life with Kouhei hating her for it.
She just couldn't.
"Well, now that you all know the situation clearly, I want to ask you something," Yuuna said, her voice steady but laced with tension. "Souichiro's only goal is to bring our faction down. So, I need to know—do you want to stand and fight with me? If not, you don't have to stay in the group anymore. You can leave, live quietly in your own houses, and stay out of this mess. It's better than getting dragged into something this dangerous."
"President," Misuzu said, her voice trembling with emotion. "It honestly hurts to hear you say that. You're trying to shoulder this entire war alone just to protect us, and you don't want us to get involved? That's not fair."
"But you don't have to carry this burden by yourself," Yumi chimed in, her voice firm and unwavering. "We're with you all the way. That's what we promised when you asked us to join your faction, isn't it?"
The others murmured their agreement, their voices filled with determination.
"You've done more for us than we've ever done for you, Pres," Nagisa added. "There's no way we're going to abandon you when you need us the most. We'll fight by your side."
"Your brother has no idea who he's messing with," Hina said. "Sure, they might have the numbers, but we've got something they don't. And we've got Kouhei too—he's not going to let you face this alone."
Yuuna's chest tightened as an unfamiliar warmth spread through her. She wasn't used to feeling like this. For so long, her heart had been empty, showing nothing but a blank facade. But now? Now, something had started to stir inside her—something she hadn't realized she was capable of.
"Thank you, everyone," Yuuna said softly, her voice thick with emotion.
She closed her eyes, letting their words sink in. Souichiro was a formidable enemy, and his faction was undeniably powerful. But looking at the people in front of her now, Yuuna felt a surge of hope. She believed they could do it. They could take him down.
"We'll crush Souichiro in this Faction War," she said, opening her eyes, her gaze burning with newfound determination.
"Yes, President!"
The members of the Sarushima group shouted their agreement, their voices echoing with unshakable resolve.