“Fight me, Kenya Mikazuki.”

“What’s in it for me?”

Kenya grinned at her.

A simple urge to tease her a little, just some casual banter.

“You scum. Do you want me to grovel at your feet or something? Your tastes are twisted.”

(Oh crap. Got too cocky.)

Her gaze, already like she was looking at trash, shifted to outright filthy garbage.

It sent a shiver down his spine, but right now he needed to boost her affinity.

“I didn’t mean it like that! Ah, right! How about calling me Kenya-kun instead?”

In the game, she always used the “-kun” honorific with him.

So he wanted the same here in this world.

Reina blinked in slight surprise at his words.

“…? Very well. Is that what you want? I don’t understand.”

She tilted her head, the Ice Princess gazing at him curiously.

Man, she’s gorgeous. I want to hold her.

But they had no relationship in this world yet, so he held back.

She’d probably cleave him in two with that sword at her hip.

Then Instructor Alfred stepped forward.

“All right, Reina. I leave it to you. You good with that, kid?”

“Yes.” “Sure.”

“We can’t have a 2nd Class citizen topping the class. Not in imperial history. Give it your all.”

“No need for handicaps, Instructor. The match ends the moment you try.”

“!? …Understood.”

(Right, Reina’s the daughter of the top military brass stationed here, the one they call the Military God.

Annoying guy, but this one’s got it rough too. Not just the boss’s son, but his daughter in the same class?)

Kenya felt a twinge of sympathy for Alfred as he watched, but her earlier attitude made forgiveness impossible, so he dismissed the thought.

The two faced off.

“Well then, let’s have a good one, Reina.”

“Don’t get chummy.”

Reina remained as icy as ever.

They entered the simulator.

The countdown began.

3… 2… 1… Fight!

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got—?!”

Right away, Reina’s KOG vanished from Kenya’s view while he was off guard.

The exact same move he’d pulled.

A top player’s basic technique.

“A disappointment…?”

A flash from his blind spot.

Kiiing!

But her blade halted amid fierce sparks and a metallic clang.

“What?!”

For the first time, Reina’s composure cracked.

(That was close—got careless—)

Kenya was breaking a cold sweat, though she couldn’t tell.

Reina pulled back once, then spoke to him over the open channel.

“How…? You were completely out of sight.”

“You were out of sight, yeah—a total blind spot. That’s how I knew.”

KOGs had poor visibility.

Robots naturally had blind spots, just like humans couldn’t see everywhere.

“I know every blind spot on a KOG. If it’s gone, it’s in a blind spot. I can backtrack from its last position.”

Top player basics.

Moving to blind spots alone let you dominate low ranks.

But top player advanced technique:

Blind spot mastery. Knowing exactly where and at what angle it’s invisible, then calculating position.

Emotion crept into Reina’s voice as she heard this.

“I see… Such a method exists… Thank you.”

Reina thanked him sincerely.

Her attitude of learning even from enemies deserved genuine praise.

“Haha, that’s so like you, Reina. Then I’ll go all out, no holding back.”

“…? What do you know about me?”

(Plenty. We’ve fought countless times. I know your personality too.)

And so the battle between Kenya and Reina began.

High-level offense and defense left the watching students dumbfounded.

Beyond their comprehension—only that these two were far above them.

“Guh!”

But the fight was one-sided, as expected.

(Reina’s strong. A hundred times stronger than that Good guy earlier…)

Still, not overwhelmingly so—not enough for a one-shot kill.

But his HP was already below half.

“So strong… This gap… It’s been since Dad that I’ve felt this much difference…! ? …Opening!”

Reina left the open channel on.

She actually called her father “Papa.”

The cool character’s sudden “Papa” hit Kenya’s fanboy heart unexpectedly.

(Papa out of nowhere? That’s too cute!! Wait, crap!!)

His otaku side for his fave created an opening, but he recovered fast.

“Still, you’re strong… Diamond level? No, touching Master territory?”

The previous world’s KOG had ranks:

Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond.

Above that, the server-top 100 Masters.

Kenya was rank 1 Master, top amateur beating pros.

Even reaching Diamond had taken ages.

But he crushed Diamonds easily.

He was hesitating because he was conflicted.

(What to do…)

Kenya pondered.

Should he win?

He’d charged in boldly, but winning would make him class rank 1.

In this world, 2nd Class citizens were already persecuted.

Top spot? Who knows what harassment—or assassination—awaited.

(Sorry about the Kenya-kun thing, but… forgive me.)

So Kenya decided to lose.

Hate harassment or assassination, sure—but that wasn’t the real reason.

(Sorry, Reina. I’ll throw this one on purpose.)

He had things he needed to do.

For that, he needed freedom now.

With Kaguya, his body had moved on instinct—no regrets.

But not this time.

More important than winning here.

That being:

“Our future together.”

Mid-clash, Kenya showed an opening only she’d recognize.

Unable to judge if it was bait, Reina flowed into the strike.

Kenya’s HP hit zero. Winner decided.

“Yes!”

“Take that, 2nd Class scum!”

Alfred pumped his fist, the other Earthguard citizens cheering.

“Aw, he lost, but he held his own against the Silver Ice Princess!”

“Yeah, he’s still amazing!”

But Kaguya sensed it intuitively.

(That last instant… his movements felt off…)

Still just a hunch, but the ace pilot destined for great heights understood on instinct.

That he’d held back. Thrown the match.

Reina hadn’t noticed amid the intense exchange.

But post-match, calm, she realized.

So.

“Don’t toy with me!”

They stepped out of the simulator and faced each other.

Reina glared at Kenya, her cool facade shattered by fury.

Her eyes, devoid of emotion before, now blazed visibly with anger.

“I lost! Thank you for the guidance, 2nd Class.”

Kenya bowed calmly.

Reina gripped her fists tighter at the sight.

The Earthguard citizens jeered around them.

“Kuh! Why?! Why did you?!”

“Reina… You get it. A smart girl like you knows why. My position here.”

“What…! …No… I see.”

There, Reina understood.

Furious at being held back on, she quickly calmed and comprehended.

His situation as a 2nd Class.

And her own status. Their dynamic.

Suddenly, her childish outburst shamed her.

“…My apologies. I was thoughtless.”

She loosened her clenched fists, turning to leave.

“But anytime we’re alone, I’ll go all out.”

Kenya whispered so only Reina could hear, head still bowed.

Reina murmured the words softly, her lips curving slightly.

“When we’re alone…”

Silver hair swaying to her waist, she whirled back dramatically.

Her icy eyes reflected Kenya, her snow-white skin flushing faintly as she pointed at him bashfully.

“It’s a promise! Absolutely!”

And with a smile-like expression.

“Kenya-kun!”