Chapter 322

Near-guard Hitomi's tone was matter-of-fact.

"Since you are being made to fight on the opponent's home turf, if you don't prepare at all, it is no different from sending yourself to your death."

"I don't think you would accept such a one-sided 'price' either."

She extended a slender, fair finger.

"The special training period is one month. One month later, the match will take place."

"Can you accept these terms?"

Natsume Chikage pondered for a moment.

It had been only a little over a week since the start of the semester, and he had already obtained two attribute points.

One month of time... was enough for him to do many things, obtain more attribute points, or explore the other changes that the "decayed wooden sword" might bring.

So even if his baseball talent was mediocre, he had the confidence to use other methods to build his strength to a level sufficient for a fight.

One month of time was already enough.

Meanwhile, the three girls beside him, watching his contemplative appearance, felt their hearts rise to their throats; they were anxious beyond measure, yet they were distressed by their inability to interrupt the terms formally proposed by Near-guard Hitomi.

"I can."

Natsume Chikage's clear voice rang out.

"I accept."

Near-guard Hitomi nodded.

"Then, I will inform you of the specific arrangements tomorrow."

After speaking, she did not linger, stood up straight, pulled open the clubroom door, and her figure quietly merged into the corridor, without giving a more specific time.

She left behind three girls in the Collection Club who looked at each other, both angry and anxious.

Snow Village Lingyin's pretty face was filled with indignation; she bit her lower lip lightly, her tone both annoyed and uncomprehending:

"That Senior Near-guard is clearly just looking to watch a farce!"

"Such an obvious trap, and you actually jumped into it without even thinking?"

"Natsume Chikage, weren't you quite smart when you were deducing things just now? What is going on now?"

Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui stomped her foot and said angrily:

"Natsume-kun, you big, stupid idiot—why won't you just listen to advice?"

West Garden Temple Nanase also puffed out her cheeks in a rare display, her hands clenched into small fists, and she asked with a mix of worry and anger:

"What exactly did Senior Near-guard promise you? What on earth is worth you agreeing to such a nearly unwinnable match?"

At this point, it was even more impossible for Natsume Chikage to say that all he wanted was Near-guard Hitomi's "National Language Strategy Book," which looked common and unremarkable.

If he said this reason, he feared they would think he had lost his mind.

He could only smile vaguely, with a hint of apology.

"It is... a secret."

"Everyone, please don't ask anymore."

He picked up his school bag, grasped the ancient, decayed wooden sword on the table, and prepared to head to his part-time job.

"It is really getting late; I have to go to work."

As he said this.

He turned his head to look at Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui.

"Fujiwara-san, let's go."

His avoidance of the topic made the three girls even more depressed, and at the same time, it sparked an increasingly intense curiosity about the "price" Near-guard Hitomi had proposed.

What kind of temptation or constraint could make the calm Natsume-kun make such a seemingly irrational decision?

Natsume Chikage put on his school bag, feeling the heavy weight of the wooden sword in his hand.

His gaze fell upon the prompt that only he could see—

【You have obtained ownership of the 'Decayed Wooden Sword'; would you like to register it now?】

【Yes/No】

Natsume Chikage did not hesitate and used his mind to press the flashing—"Yes!"

【Registration successful!】

【Two more special items are needed for the next attribute point reward!】

【Would you like to equip the 'Decayed Wooden Sword'?】

【Yes/No】

Without the slightest hesitation.

"Yes!"

And at the very moment of equipping it, an anomaly occurred!