"Pā Tà…"
The sound of shattered school badges hitting the ground echoed through the training room.
Miluse, Paivi, Monica, Tū Lia, and Mahulena finally snapped out of their daze, their gazes dropping to the floor before their eyes widened in disbelief.
"How… how could this happen…?"
"No… impossible…"
"We…"
Their voices trembled, struggling to accept reality. A heavy silence settled over them as shock and confusion clouded their expressions.
"It can't be…"
In the next moment, the girls' bodies lost all strength, and they collapsed onto the ground.
The blue glow that had once enveloped them faded like mist under the morning sun.
While they sat there, lost and uncertain, Fang Li stepped forward, his presence looming over them.
The icy glow of his Mystic Eyes had already disappeared.
"You fought well enough to make me use my eyes," he admitted.
Looking down at the defeated girls, he shrugged.
"But in the end, I still won."
His words sent a shiver through them. Even if they tried to ignore it, they couldn't forget the promise made before the battle.
If Fang Li won, Rusalka would have to disband.
"So, what will you do now?"
His casual question felt like a blade pressing against their throats.
"This was an official duel. The school badge system recorded everything. If you break your word, not even the Integrated Enterprise Foundation can shield you."
After all, the dueling system was the backbone of the academy city. Even the Foundation wouldn't dare overturn its integrity.
No, they wouldn't even try.
Without this system, the entire battle city would lose its purpose.
Fang Li wasn't exaggerating.
Even though Rusalka was a world-famous band, second only to Sylvia's, the rules were absolute.
Defeat meant disbandment. This truth struck deep into the hearts of the girls.
"Ugh…"
Miluse clenched her fists, her head hanging low.
Then—
"Waaaaah!"
She broke into sobs.
"I don't want to disband! I don't want to disband!"
Her cries echoed in the training room, filled with raw helplessness.
"Wuuu…!"
Tears welled in the others' eyes as well. Paivi, Monica, Tū Lia, and Mahulena clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably.
The sight of Rusalka's members crying in despair would have sent their fans into an uproar.
If every fan spat at him, Fang Li might drown in an instant.
Yet, despite their tearful pleas, his face remained unchanged.
Then, he spoke again.
"Well, I suppose there's no need to disband."
At those words, the girls' crying stopped all at once. Tear-streaked faces turned toward him, eyes filled with desperate hope.
Fang Li chuckled at their expressions. "I can pretend today's battle never happened."
As he spoke, he crouched down and lifted Miluse's chin with a teasing smirk. "But if you ever act up again, I might just remember today after all. Do you understand?"
Faced with such a warning, how could they refuse?
The Rusalka girls nodded rapidly, resembling little chicks pecking at grain.
Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching from the shadows.
...
The training room had a spectator area, a small hidden room.
At this moment, a lone figure stood inside, gazing through the glass.
They had watched everything—Fang Li's overwhelming power, his casual subjugation of Rusalka.
The figure remained silent.
Had they removed the full-face glasses they wore, perhaps their ever-shifting eyes would have been revealed.
Then, a voice interrupted their thoughts.
"How is it? My little man didn't disappoint, did he?"
The world's number one Diva had arrived at some point, leaning casually against the doorframe.
"I figured you'd be lurking somewhere, keeping an eye on things," Sylvia said with a knowing smile. "That's just your style, Petra."
"…So, you let your little boyfriend fight Rusalka?" Petra finally spoke after a pause. "Do you think the Integrated Enterprise Foundation won't see him as a threat?"
"True, the Foundation doesn't care how strong one person is," Sylvia admitted, her smile unwavering. "But even so, he's someone worth considering."
Petra fell silent.
Her lack of argument was answered enough.
Sylvia sighed. "To be honest, I have no idea how he got this strong," she admitted. "But I can tell you one thing for sure—going against him is not a wise decision."
"…Are you threatening me?" Petra's tone remained neutral.
"Just offering you some advice."
Sylvia turned her gaze back to the training room, where Fang Li stood before Rusalka, saying something only they could hear.
Her lips curled into a small smile. "You've always been smart, Petra. I trust you can see who the real threat is."
"So, take this as nothing more than a friendly warning."
"If you choose to stand against him… then I will stand against you."
With that, Sylvia turned and left the room.
Petra remained motionless, gazing through the glass at Fang Li.
After a long moment, she sighed.
"…Looks like there's no way to hold onto the Diva anymore."
What did this mean?
It meant that from today onward, Sylvia held all the power.
Whether it was Petra, Queenvail Academy, or even the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, all they could do…
Was watch.
Watch as Sylvia decides her own path.
(End Of The Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 70 chapters on my patreon, and I've also activated a (date to date) subscription model on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395