A crossover anime/manga story, set in everyday Tokyo, but within a loop of a game.

Before Iwanaga Kotoko could finish complaining, Yuuki Asuna took out another bento box from her bag, handed it to her, and smiled as she couldn't help but laugh.

"Just teasing you. I've already done your share."

Kotoko Iwanaga frowned slightly and raised her chin.

"Hmph, you think that will make me..."

Just as Kotoko Iwanaga was speaking, Asuna Yuuki opened the bento box. The aroma of the food wafted into her nose, making Kotoko Iwanaga, who had already expended a lot of energy in the dungeon, feel her stomach about to rumble.

"Hmph...Hmph!"

Kotoko Iwanaga took the bento box from Asuna Yuuki, picked up a meatball with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, her cute face beaming with happiness.

"That's it for now, let's eat first."

……

Two days later, on Friday afternoon, outside the private Toyonosaki school.

"Utsunomiya-kun, Yuuki-kun, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

It wasn't until Kato Megumi's voice rang out beside her that Yuuki Asuna belatedly turned around and saw the other person in a school uniform standing next to her without her noticing. She couldn't help but be slightly surprised.

"Huh? Kato-kun, when did you get here? I didn't even notice you. Did you use your talent effect again?"

"No."

Kato Megumi shook her head and replied in a calm and gentle tone.

"I've never been particularly noticeable to begin with."

Asuna Yuuki felt a little awkward, after all, Megumi Kato had once said that she was quite sad about having a low profile. Just as Asuna Yuuki was considering how to skip the topic, Asagiri said thoughtfully.

"Hmm, as expected of Kato-kun. If I had such talent... tsk tsk tsk, I can't even imagine what I would do."

Upon hearing this, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but retort.

"Generally speaking, these kinds of words are just internal monologues, right? Who would openly and brazenly utter such a declaration that sounds like something a criminal would say?"

"Ha, this shows that I am true to myself, outspoken, and have faced my true inner self and desires, which is why I have awakened the power of my unruly personality."

"Isn't it about facing the fear of death? How did it turn into a real desire? And you say you're facing it, but it sounds more like you're showing off."

"that……"

Listening to the conversation between Asagiri and Yuuki Asuna, Kato Megumi calmly interrupted them in a low voice.

"Could you two wait a bit before you start flirting? Don't we have serious business to discuss?"

Upon hearing Kato Megumi say that she and Asagiri were flirting, Yuuki Asuna's pretty face flushed slightly, but the corners of her lips couldn't help but turn up.

"Yes, let's get down to business."

Asagiri looked at Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi, coughed twice, and then slowly spoke.

"Judging from your talents and professions, you should both be considered physical melee DPS classes. One of you uses a sword, and the other is tentatively set to use a dagger. So here's the question."

"Although the rewards offered by that app can improve players' physical abilities, they don't seem to directly improve players' combat skills. Anyone who has played games knows that while stats and equipment are important, players' operational skills are also essential."

"Therefore, the two of you need to receive special training in combat skills."

Kato Megumi's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this; she simply spoke in her usual gentle tone.

"Special training... is indeed very important, but who should we find? We need to find someone trustworthy, and at least someone proficient in both swordsmanship and dagger techniques..."

"Don't tell me, it really exists."

Asagiri smiled slightly.

"Let's go."

……

Half an hour later, at a dojo on the outskirts of Tokyo.

"Ashitoshi... Master Ashikaga?"

Asuna Yuuki followed Asagiri into the dojo and was stunned to see Miwa Ashikaga standing there with the words "Heart" and "Skill" hanging behind her. She wasn't wearing her fitted black business suit, but rather a loose-fitting kendo uniform.

She never imagined that the so-called trustworthy special training instructor, who was proficient in swordsmanship and daggers, would actually be her teacher.

"come in."

"Oh, alright."

Seeing Asuna Yuuki bend down to take off her shoes, Miwa Ashikaga shook her head and said in a flat tone.

"There's no need for so many formalities. I'm dressed like this simply because of personal habits. Utsunomiya-kun told me that what you need is not the flashy, performance-oriented kind of kendo, but real life-or-death battles, unrestricted combat training. So, just dress as you normally would."

"it is good."

After Asuna Yuuki and Megumi Kato walked in, Miwa Ashikaga looked at Asagiri, who was sitting against the wall without any politeness, and said indifferently.

"You really know how to give me things to do."

Asagiri shrugged and laughed in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Providing extracurricular tutoring to outstanding students is precisely what makes a good teacher.”

"Usually, tutoring is for academics, right? And..."

Ashikaga Miwa glanced at the cover of the booklet that Asagiri had taken out, her brows furrowing.

"What kind of stuff do you usually look at? Sniper rifle component diagrams and instructions? What, are you going to rob a bank?"

83

Chapter 83: A Required Course for Martial Artists.

Faced with Ashikaga Miwa's teasing words, Asagiri simply shook her head and replied casually.

"Just watching for fun."

"As you wish."

Ashikaga Miwa nodded noncommittally, speaking in a flat tone.

"As long as you get first place in the grade in the spring exams, I don't care about anything else."

Immediately afterwards, Ashikaga Miwa looked at Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi, pointed to the various wooden practice weapons displayed on the shelf next to them, and raised her chin.

"Pick whichever you prefer, which of you two wants to go first?"

"This……"

Noticing that Asuna Yuuki and Megumi Kato both seemed somewhat hesitant as they looked at the AWP sniper rifle parts manual and user guide, Asagiri spoke softly.

"Don't hold back. Don't be fooled by Ashikaga-sensei's thin-rimmed gold glasses and her austere, menopausal appearance. She is a direct descendant of the Ashikaga shogunate, a noble samurai who has been practicing martial arts since childhood and is a member of the Shuchiin Board of Directors. You don't need to go easy on her."

"it is good."

Hearing what Asagiri had said, Asuna Yuuki made up her mind, walked to the weapon rack, took down a wooden sword similar in style to her exorcist's longsword, and then slowly walked in front of Miwa Ashikaga, speaking softly.

"Master Ashikaga, please choose your own weapon as well."

"Need not."

Ashikaga Miwa bent her legs slightly, clenched her left fist and placed it on her waist, while extending her right hand forward. Her breathing was very steady as she assumed a fighting stance.

"Let's talk about letting me take the weapon when you actually run into me."

Upon hearing this, Asuna Yuuki frowned slightly. Although her physical abilities weren't as freakish as Asagiri's, after the last dungeon where she killed so many special infected and gained enhancements through her unique talent, she was still far beyond what ordinary people could compare to.

Her weaknesses are strength and defense, but these weaknesses are only relative to her specialty of speed and agility. Even compared to adult men, she is much stronger than her, let alone at the high school level.

Even if Ashikaga-sensei was born into a noble samurai family and trained in martial arts from a young age, it would be impossible for him to beat me in a bare-handed situation, right?

Asuna Yuuki was very competitive. Seeing that Miwa Ashikaga was looking down on her like this, she frowned slightly, gripped the wooden hilt of her sword tightly, and said softly.

"Master Ashikaga, let's begin."

"please."

The moment Ashikaga Miwa uttered that word "please," Yuuki Asuna had already flashed forward and rushed in front of her. Although she only had a wooden sword in her hand, it carried an unstoppable momentum as she thrust it towards Ashikaga Miwa's left shoulder.

The next second, as if Ashikaga Miwa had anticipated Yuuki Asuna's attack, before the wooden sword in her hand could even pierce through, she slightly turned to the side and dodged. Then, with a chop to the head, she lightly tapped Yuuki Asuna, who hadn't yet withdrawn her strength and was slightly off balance.

"You're fast."

Seeing that Yuuki Asuna was about to fall, Ashikaga Miwa reached out and grabbed her left wrist. After Yuuki Asuna stood up again, she raised her hand to push up her gold-rimmed glasses and said in a calm tone.

"But your attack was too obvious. Although you were very fast, you used all your strength, which is why you couldn't change your move the moment I dodged. As a result, you exposed a fatal flaw."

As she spoke, Ashikaga Miwa walked to the weapon rack, took down a wooden sword, and then looked at Yuuki Asuna, slowly saying.

“Weapons are an extension of the user, but the martial artist himself is also a weapon. Judging from your movements, you seem to be good at wielding a sword with one hand, but in battle, this does not mean that the left hand can be completely free.”

At this point, Ashikaga Miwa switched to holding the sword in her left hand, and then performed a beautiful sword flourish with her left hand.

"Even if you are using a one-handed sword, you still need to practice hard to be able to wield the sword proficiently with both hands."

Yuuki Asuna did not reply, but nodded very seriously, keeping Ashikaga Miwa's words firmly in mind.

She had realized that it made sense for Asagiri to have the homeroom teacher of Class A come to give her and Kato Megumi special training.

Ashikaga Miwa's physical abilities weren't particularly outstanding; at least compared to Yuuki Asuna, who had undergone bonus enhancements, she was at a disadvantage in terms of physical attributes. However, Ashikaga Miwa's combat skills, her ability to predict the enemy's movements, and her methods of luring the enemy into revealing weaknesses were several levels above Yuuki Asuna's.

"call……"

Asuna Yuuki adjusted her breathing, her eyes revealing a competitive determination. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly once more and looked directly into Miwa Ashikaga's eyes.

"Master Ashikaga, please continue."

"Oh?"

Noticing Asuna Yuuki's expression, Miwa Ashikaga's usually calm demeanor finally showed a slight change.

"Interesting. It seems you do have potential."

……

A few hours later.

It was completely dark outside, and in the dojo with the lights on, Asuna Yuuki and Megumi Kato were too weak to even stand up. They were kneeling on the wooden floor, their hair soaked with sweat, and even their clothes felt incredibly heavy.

"Huh...huh..."

Asuna Yuuki turned the wooden sword in her hand around, trying to use it to support herself and force herself to stand up again, but was stopped by Miwa Ashikaga.

"Let's end today's special training here. If we continue, it will cause damage to your bodies due to excessive physical exertion."

Ashikaga Miwa looked at the two girls, Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi, and couldn't help but show admiration and praise in her eyes.

What a talented person.

Both Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi have excellent physical abilities. Yuuki Asuna's strength lies in her extremely strong competitive spirit. Even when she couldn't touch Ashikaga Miwa at all when she first started practicing, she didn't give up. Instead, she became more determined after each setback.

Kato Megumi's strength lies in her extremely stable emotions and mindset, which are so difficult to read that Ashikaga Miwa could not deduce what the girl was thinking from her facial expressions.

Ashikaga Miwa initially took time out of her busy schedule to train the two high school girls because of Asagiri's request. She didn't think it was anything special at first, but now her opinion has changed.

Training Asuna Yuuki and Megumi Kato, two exceptionally talented girls, is definitely not a pointless waste of time.

"Their special training for today will end here."

Ashikaga Miwa looked at Asagiri, who was sitting against the wall, and slowly began to speak.

"Next, it's your turn."

Asagiri stood up, stretched her shoulders, and replied with a smile.

"Is it finally my turn to go on stage? I'm getting a little bored waiting."

"Okay, let me get the things I need for the special training first."

Ashikaga Miwa turned around and walked to a private room at the back of the dojo. When she came out again, Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi were both shocked to see what she was holding.

"This...gun?"

This gun isn't one of those long spears used in cold weaponry, but rather the gun that carbon-based organisms use during their cooling-off period.

Ashikaga Miwa held a black pistol in her left hand and a camouflage rifle in her right, transforming from a martial arts master into a middle-aged female soldier queen reborn with gold-rimmed glasses.

Such modern weapons appearing in such an ancient and solemn dojo—it just doesn't fit the style at all!

Seemingly noticing the confusion of Asuna Yuuki and Megumi Kato, Asagiri slowly walked into the center of the field and chuckled.