At this moment, it was the peak time for students heading to school.
Everywhere, one could see high school girls in skirts swaying with each step, walking in pairs or small groups, chatting and laughing as they made their way to school.
From their uniforms, it was easy to determine which school they belonged to.
Among the various school uniforms, there was one that stood out—a black sleeveless dress over a white short-sleeved blouse, featuring a white sailor collar with a red ribbon tied in the front, free of any excessive decorations.
Many people cast envious glances at those wearing this uniform.
It was strange, why would such a seemingly old-fashioned, conservative uniform attract so much admiration?
The reason was simple: it was the uniform of Shuchiin Academy, a prestigious private school.
Wearing this uniform signified that the student belonged to Shuchiin Academy, an institution with a long and esteemed history in the country, one that not just anyone could enter.
Originally established as an educational institution for nobility and samurai families, Shuchiin Academy had retained its elite status even after the abolition of the noble class.
Many of its students hailed from prestigious families or were individuals destined to shoulder the future of the nation.
In other words, those who studied at this school were either the children of high-ranking officials, the heirs of powerful business magnates, or even foreign dignitaries—such as princes and princesses from other nations.
Of course, students from ordinary families could also enroll, but only if they passed Shuchiin Academy's rigorous entrance examination.
Those who made it through were all exceptional talents, and anyone who successfully graduated from Shuchiin Academy was practically guaranteed a bright future.
Thus, when regular high school students saw Shuchiin Academy students, they couldn't help but look at them with admiration and respect.
However, jealousy and resentment were also present—usually from those who lacked the talent to succeed and could only complain about everything, blaming the world for their own shortcomings.
"Kyaa—!"
"Pervert—!"
Suddenly, sharp screams rang out.
What was happening?
A cyclist was recklessly speeding through the crowded streets, weaving between pedestrians. As he zoomed past groups of high school girls, the gusts of wind from his passing lifted their skirts, briefly revealing the "hidden gardens" beneath.
There were plain white panties, semi-transparent lace ones, and even some with delicate ribbon ties that barely covered anything. The male students who caught a glimpse of these sights were momentarily blessed with an unexpected spectacle.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
Just as those male students were about to give a thumbs-up in admiration for the daring cyclist, an impatient and aggressive voice rang out.
Before they could even turn around to look—
"Ahhh—!"
"Uwaaah—!"
Pained cries echoed as another small yet incredibly violent blonde girl came barreling through on a bicycle, showing no hesitation as she ruthlessly crashed into people, sending them sprawling onto the ground.
Her sheer brutality was overwhelming, prompting those ahead who had noticed the carnage to quickly clear a path for her.
And right behind her—
Swoosh!
A young woman in office attire followed closely on a bicycle, taking advantage of the path the blonde girl had forcefully cleared.
"Aaaaaah—!"
Yet another scream?
What was happening now?
Another bicycle was charging forward at high speed.
The rider—a girl—made no effort to avoid the fallen pedestrians. Instead, she ran right over them, crushing anything in her way in an attempt to shorten the distance between herself and her target.
At the very front of this bizarre chase, the one being pursued—Yazuki Kiryu—felt a headache coming on as he looked back at the three relentless pursuers.
How did it come to this?
The third pursuer was the same girl who had been involved in a previous incident that led them all to the police station—a young lady with long, purple-red hair and the demeanor of a refined noble.
However, beneath her elegant exterior, she was a rather manipulative and cunning individual—a bit of a lunatic, to be honest.
Why had she joined the chase as well?
It all started when Yazuki, in a desperate attempt to escape a double attack from the other two pursuers, threw a cream-filled bun he had taken from Eriri's house.
His intention was to create a diversion, but instead of hitting his target, the bun ended up flying into a black luxury car and splattering its contents all over an innocent girl inside.
That unfortunate girl happened to be the very same noblewoman with a questionable mental state.
Her head was completely covered in white cream, making her look as though she had just been… well, defiled in a very indecent manner.
And so, she had joined the chase, determined to exact her revenge.
Initially, she had planned to use her car for the pursuit.
But did Yazuki choose roads that were convenient for cars to travel on?
Of course not.
In the end, she abandoned her car altogether, forcefully seized a bicycle from a fellow classmate, and continued the pursuit on two wheels.
Shuchiin Academy "Hmph!"
A young girl riding a bicycle hummed a tune as she pedaled along the road.
She had pink hair, blue eyes, and a black ribbon tied at the front of her forehead. Her expression was carefree and innocent.
"Good morning, Shizuko~"
She cheerfully greeted a fellow student, eager to approach her.
"Good morning, Fuji—"
The other girl started to respond just as enthusiastically, but then her expression suddenly froze. Her face went pale as she quickly turned and hurried away.
"???"
What was that about?
The pink-haired girl quickly understood when she turned around and saw a black limousine from the Shinomiya family pull up behind her.
A moment later, a girl who radiated an overwhelming sense of gloom stepped out of the car—Shinomiya Kaguya.
Her naturally cold and oppressive aura caused most students to instinctively keep their distance.
Rumors circulated that those who offended the Shinomiya heiress mysteriously vanished from the academy, never to be seen again.
"Ah! Good morning, Kaguya~!"
Completely unfazed, the pink-haired girl beamed with excitement and threw herself at Kaguya, wrapping her in a big hug.
Kaguya's expression darkened even further.
Seeing this scene, the surrounding students broke into a cold sweat.
Was this girl insane? Did she have a death wish?
"Hey, how's it going, Hayasaka?"
Oh no…
It was over.
The Shinomiya heiress was already making a call.
"Apologies, Lady Kaguya. I had to abort the intrusion just now—almost got detected while investigating."
"Send me that guy's picture first."
"Understood. One moment."
A moment later, the old-model phone in Kaguya's hand chimed with a notification.
A new message had arrived. She tapped on it, but the image remained stuck on loading…
"Hayasaka, the picture—"
"Not good! The target is tracing back our investigation. I need to wipe all data and traces immediately. I'll contact you later, Lady Kaguya!"
Beep— Beep—
The call disconnected.
"Hehe, looks like your phone is just too outdated, Kaguya. The image file is probably too big to load properly. You should really get a new one! I recommend—"
Recommend what?
The pink-haired girl's attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere.
She turned to look at the steep downhill road near where Kaguya's car had arrived—where a high-speed bicycle chase and gunfight was currently unfolding.
Three women appeared to be trying to corner and capture a man at the front of the pursuit, all while unleashing a storm of gunfire.
Among them, a particularly ferocious blonde stood out.
She dual-wielded paintball guns, squeezing the triggers non-stop in a relentless da-da-da-da-da spray of paintballs, completely disregarding the chaos she was causing.
Unfortunately, the shooting accuracy of both sides was absolutely atrocious—not a single shot hit their actual target.
However, their aim when it came to innocent bystanders was alarmingly precise.
In mere moments, the chaos reached the entrance of Shuchiin Academy, throwing the students into panic as they screamed, ducked, and ran for cover.
"Lady Kaguya, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
The concerned voice of the driver reached Kaguya's ears. She responded calmly, though her expression darkened as she surveyed her surroundings.
Splattered paintball marks were everywhere.
Had she not taken cover behind the car, she would have undoubtedly been caught in the crossfire.
Her already icy expression turned even colder and more terrifying.
That guy again…
The one who had startled her earlier.
She would have Hayasaka investigate him thoroughly.
And once she had all the information, she would properly 'entertain' him and make sure he learned just how cruel the world could be.
"Fujiwara, let me borrow your phone for a moment. I'll transfer the image—"
…
Where was she?
Why had she suddenly disappeared?