Urgent call for Monthly Tickets! Those ahead are sprinting, and those behind are closing in fiercely, all like hungry wolves—we cannot fall behind! Let the Monthly Tickets rain down even more ferociously!

……

"Stop," Lin Luo placed a hand on Setsuna's shoulder. He felt it necessary to properly instruct this young woman who had shifted from an aggressive attacker to a submissive counterpart. He took a deep breath and said gravely, "I don't object to you wanting to discuss intimate matters with me. In fact, personally, I quite like it when you want to talk to me about such things, and I also appreciate your resolve to overcome your superior. However, the timing isn't quite right. Let's talk about intimate matters a little later."

"No! Teacher, I... I can no longer hold back. No matter what, I must do it now..." Setsuna’s face flushed red, her expression showing extreme agitation. Though she seemed hesitant, she finally mustered the courage to speak.

"Uh, this..." Lin Luo was completely stunned. He never imagined Setsuna would say something like this. Previously, she was the most serious and proper person in the trio. Even after recently bonding with Momoka Yuri, such a dramatic transformation was unexpected. Didn't she usually become shy at the mention of anything 'harmonious'?

"Are you serious?" Lin Luo asked again.

"Yes, I am very serious," Setsuna nodded decisively.

"Well, it's not like I can’t understand..." Lin Luo didn't know what to say. This was the first situation he had ever encountered like this. However, it was natural for a girl in puberty to have physical needs, and Yuri couldn't satisfy those needs. The fact that she came to him to explain showed she understood boundaries, but...

"Even if you say that, there are too many people around here. It wouldn't be good if we were seen."

"We can go find a secluded place."

Alright, since the words were out, and the girl had gathered the courage to bring up such a matter, if he, as a man, still hesitated, he would be acting dishonorably and appear overly hypocritical.

"Then where do you suggest we go?" Lin Luo asked.

"Hmm... Let's go to the back hill of the academy. Very few people go there, and it's large enough for us to move freely," Setsuna thought for a moment, then proposed.

The academy's back hill... that place was indeed quite secluded. But Little Setsuna... to what extent have you progressed that you require such a large area to 'move freely'? And in the wilderness, that's legendary open-air intimacy! Truly bold!

"Since you've already said so, let's do it that way. To save time, I'll take you," saying this, Lin Luo had already grasped the young woman's arm, and the figures of the two instantly vanished from where they stood.

He knew the location of the academy's back hill. If they ran there normally, it would take at least half an hour, but with instant teleportation, it was only a matter of seconds.

With just a few Void Jumps, Lin Luo brought Setsuna above the academy's back hill. He found a scenic spot and descended. After they steadied themselves, Lin Luo said, "We can begin. Since it was your request, you take the lead."

"Yes, please excuse my boldness then." Setsuna nodded, then suddenly drew Yūgaze from its sheath and unleashed an ultimate move—Zankūsen!

"Whoa, why are you playing with swords at a time like this?" Lin Luo instinctively extended his fingers to catch her blade, asking in confusion. It seemed Setsuna still didn't quite grasp certain terminology; even if she was taking the lead, it wasn't that kind of attack.

Setsuna looked equally confused. "But the only thing I know is the Shinmei-ryū Sword Style. Without a sword, I have no means of attack."

"Ah! Wait... means of attack?" Lin Luo was suddenly bewildered. He felt something had gone terribly wrong. "The 'intimate matter' you mentioned earlier... was it..."

"Yes. I hope Teacher can properly train me one time." Setsuna nodded and said sternly, "Two days ago, so many of us fought against Teacher Izayoi alone, but we couldn't even manage to touch her once. At that moment, I felt how small I was. I want to become stronger, much stronger than I am now. If I remain this weak forever, not only will I be unable to protect Big Sister, but I won't even qualify to stand beside her. So, Teacher Lin Luo, I want to ask you to... Ugh, Teacher, what's wrong?"

Setsuna spoke with unwavering determination and passion, but when she looked up at Lin Luo, she froze. She saw that he seemed utterly struck by something, conveying a deep sense of hurt.

"That, I'm fine," Lin Luo waved his hand awkwardly. Fine, he admitted his thoughts had been too vulgar, his mind too impure. Because he had enjoyed too much 'benefit' recently, he had assumed this time would bring another such reward, but there really couldn't be that many benefits in this world. He had been overthinking things.

But then again, Setsuna, could you please try to be less suggestive and less likely to inspire such flights of fancy when you speak in the future?

"Teacher, did you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, very clearly," Lin Luo nodded, calming his disappointment. "Because you lost to Sakuya, you feel unwilling and want to become stronger—is that it?"

Setsuna tightened her grip on her sword and stated solemnly, "I know the principle that there is always someone better out there. There are people I cannot defeat—Teacher Izayoi, Evangeline-san, or even Teacher Lin Luo—none of whom the current me can surpass. But seeing your strength made me deeply realize my own weakness. I don't aspire to become as strong as you, but at least I want to be stronger than I am now. Only then will I have the right to continue standing by Big Sister's side."

"I see..." Lin Luo somewhat understood her thinking. Momoka's career as a mage began the moment her power awakened. Given her immense magical power, even if she was weak now, if she followed the standard path, she would certainly surpass Setsuna by a wide margin within five or six years.

Setsuna must have known this. She viewed protecting Momoka as her duty, but the person she was protecting would soon surpass her, which would surely cause her to feel inferior and ignite the determination to become stronger.

"I understand. But first, I must tell you that I am not a qualified mentor. Negi became so strong under my training only because I followed the methods that would make him stronger. I don't know the specific path for you to become stronger; that you must explore yourself. All I can do is apply pressure to make you stronger."

"Pressure to become stronger?" Setsuna didn't quite follow.

Lin Luo didn't explain. Instead, he grabbed her hand. "This place is also a bit too cramped for what we need. Let's change locations; we're going to the Time Chamber." Without waiting for Setsuna's reaction, he initiated instant movement and they were gone.

Moments later, the two arrived in the Time Chamber. In the central courtyard, Evangeline, Al, and Suigintou were sitting together, drinking tea and chatting. The school festival had ended. Since Suigintou wasn't a student at Mahora and it was inappropriate to leave her alone outside, Lin Luo had her stay in the Time Chamber; she and Evangeline had become quite familiar anyway.

As Lin Luo and Setsuna arrived, the three immediately sensed them. The moment Suigintou saw him, she dropped her teacup and rushed over, crying out joyfully, "Father!"

"Mmm," Lin Luo smiled and patted her head, then walked toward the center of the courtyard. Setsuna, though slightly confused, could only follow.

"I recall it should still be class time. Why have you come here?" Evangeline stated calmly, sitting regally.

"My classes are finished. It doesn't matter where I go. As for you, you're really not going to school anymore?" Lin Luo couldn't help but give Evangeline an exasperated look.

"It's meaningless anyway. I don't want to be bothered by those brats," Evangeline replied. Based on her understanding of the trio, as one of the top four contestants in the Martial Arts Tournament, if she went to school, she would certainly be harassed by those thoughtless girls.

"I took a walk outside earlier. It seems this recent incident has had a significant impact. I truly worry about what the future will hold," Al remarked.

"You actually have the nerve to say that. If you were truly worried, would you have remained completely uninvolved?" Evangeline sneered.

"Heh, that sounds quite sharp," Al didn't mind, smiling faintly.

"Teacher, that..." Setsuna grew anxious as Lin Luo, upon arriving, ignored her and started chatting with the others across from him. "My training..."

Lin Luo accepted a cup of coffee from the maidservant and said without turning around, "Setsuna, are you planning to withstand my attacks in that form? In your mere human state, you couldn't last even a second."

"Er! Teacher, you mean... But that form..." Setsuna's expression shifted slightly. She certainly understood what Lin Luo was referring to, but she was still resistant to transforming into her avian race form.

"If we're being honest, none of the people here are purely human," Lin Luo turned around, pointing directly at the others. "Let's leave me out of it; I am definitely no longer a pure human. That blonde loli over there—you know her identity as a True Ancestor vampire. And that pale young man sipping coffee with a smile, he's an old immortal who has lived for over a thousand years. Have you ever seen a human live for a millennium?"

"Hey, do you want to die once!"

"What a sharp tongue you have."

While Lin Luo’s words didn't faze Setsuna much, Evangeline immediately shouted in anger, and Al offered a wry smile.

Lin Luo ignored them and continued speaking to Setsuna, "And my daughter here—I hardly need to say more. She is certainly not human. So... in front of us non-humans, what do you think your mere pair of white wings amount to?"

Setsuna froze instantly.

"...I, I understand." A moment later, she finally grasped it. If she couldn't become stronger in her human body, then she would become stronger in her non-human form!

"As long as your heart remains human, you will absolutely not be a monster." Lin Luo put down his cup and kicked out a foot. The resulting gust of wind instantly sent Setsuna flying dozens of meters before she barely stabilized herself in mid-air. Lin Luo immediately pursued, summoning Hikari no Gensō in his hand.

"I will not hold back. Fight me in your strongest form, with the resolve that you might die, Setsuna!"