KILL BLUE (キルアオ)

She is, in short, the incarnation of the sea.

Surfing, sailing, fishing, jet skiing, scuba diving...

Whatever you'd call a "marine sport," she's a natural at it.

Any competition she enters, she wins.

No one else even comes close.

And her knowledge is just as impressive.

From nautical expertise to oceanography...

she can go toe-to-toe with professionals in any field.

As someone once joked...

"The only thing she's missing is gills."

A Unicorn.

The Mermaid Queen...

Mai Otohime!

Hey. Nice to meet ya.

It wasn't exactly a coincidence that I wound up judging the ramen contest.

I came here for a reason,

but my other self was standing around all fidgety in the hall,

and someone called out to her.

Though when you tried to make me eat Noren Mitsuoka's nightmare ramen...

I thought I was gonna die before I even got to make my entrance.

Wh-What is with this girl?

What reason?

A Unicorn here to talk to Ogami? Which means...

C'mon, after everything that's happened so far, you've figured it out, right?

A Mitsuoka duel!

Let's throw down, you and I, Juzo!

What? Wait, no, more like, we knew it!

Huh?

HUH...?

Hold on, how would that even work?

A Mitsuoka duel is basically a fight to decide Noren's boyfriend, right?

If a girl challenges him... Wait. Can she?

She can.

I read through the guidelines, and nowhere does prohibit women from dueling.

It just says the person who dates her has to be male.

If Juzo wins, he keeps his right to be her boyfriend.

If I win, Juzo loses that right, but I don't gain it, either.

Meaning the position becomes vacant.

And if that happens, other people can duel to fill the vacancy.

It's like when there's a title up for grabs in boxing or whatever.

Huh?

Then there's no benefit for you, Otohime! What are you even doing this for?

Bingo! Honestly, the duel thing was just my way into the conversation.

I don't really care either way.

Even I get nervous jumping straight to the point, y'know.

When I saw that futsal match against Tenma Tendo, something hit me like lightning!

Everyone's handwaving it away because of the news about Tenma getting hurt...

but you can't fool me.

Juzo...

You're actually incredible, aren't you?

And then the other day, you saved me from that accident, right?

That's when my other self felt the same way, too!

Like, completely! One hundred percent in love!

I like you, Juzo!

Go out with me!

What?

What?

Huh?

More trouble...

Wait... Huh?

I mean, even if he's not into me,

any guy should be short-circuiting at least a little right now, right?

But he's not excited at all! He's wilting! Is this guy for real?

Okay...

Let me make sure I've got this straight.

You want to beat me in a duel so that Mitsuoka and I will break up,

and then date me once I'm single. Is that right?

Even if I were single, I wouldn't go out with you.

The truth is, there are...

a lot of circumstances around why I'm dating Mitsuoka right now.

But I'm not actually planning to date anyone.

I'm sorry.

Nice! That coolheaded side of you is nice, too!

And I love how you instantly grasped the situation and give me a clean answer!

Like I said, the duel part doesn't really matter!

I'm not giving up!

I'll keep coming at you as many times as it takes until you like me!

Wha...

Wait a second!

What do you mean, "The duel doesn't matter"?

Technically, he and I are dating right now!

Huh? I'm only trying to make you break up through a duel...

because I thought that'd be a little more civilized.

But really, why should I care whether the guy I like has a girlfriend?

Either way, I'm gonna make my move.

And I'm confident I can make him fall for me.

All it comes down to is choosing whoever seems better. Whoever seems superior.

Male or female, that's how animals work.

Oh, so that's the kind of girl she is.

A carnivore woman!

Besides, Juzo just said he doesn't actually plan on dating anyone.

So, it's not like you two are in love, right?

That makes this even more my business and mine alone.

Maybe I was a little too honest.

You've got a lot of nerve, talking like that!

It is not just your business, dumbass!

- Then duel me, Mai Otohime! - Huh?

By your logic, if I duel you and win, that proves I'm superior, right?

If that happens, don't you dare make another move on Ogami!

Noren?

What's this all of a sudden?

But hey, I do prefer things to be simple!

Fine by me! If I win, I get Juzo!

And you never butt in again, Noren Mitsuoka!

It isn't fine by me!

How did this turn into a duel over me?

I just said I was sorry, didn't I?

C'mon, it's a duel! No big deal!

It can just be for show at first,

but I'll have you wrapped around my finger in no time.

Noren! You don't have to duel her, either.

All I have to do is keep turning her down.

I promise I won't fall for it, so it's fine!

I know!

I know you probably won't get any weird ideas.

But even if you don't feel that way...

watching her do that right in front of me over and over doesn't sit right.

Uh, Boss?

Is this gonna be...

okay?

All right, it's settled!

Now, the duel lets us choose the contest and the number of participants,

but I still have to formally challenge Juzo. That part's the bare minimum.

So! It'll be a three-person contest. Juzo and Mitsuoka versus me.

As for the event, hm...

How about surfing?

Bring it on!

Whoever rides the best wave wins.

I'll send you the detailed rules later.

See ya, Juzo! Better get ready for me!

Hey!

So, the next opponent is Mai Otohime.

I can't believe they ended up having a duel after all, and in this form!

Surfing, huh?

Noren, have you ever done it?

Nope. Not once.

Then why did you say, "Bring it on"?

Noren, do you always just charge straight ahead like this?

What about you, Ogami?

This couple's hopeless! They're gonna get wiped out instantly!

Hey, come to think of it...

Hm?

Second-years and third-years, gather round!

PSST... PSST...

Noren... Ogami...

You two are our precious juniors.

And as the home ec club, we obviously want to support you.

But at this rate, you two don't stand a chance.

You need muscle training! I mean, special training!

And luckily for us...

next Monday is our school's founding anniversary.

Add Saturday and Sunday, and that gives us a three-day weekend.

Which means...

We can do an beach training camp!

Yay.

Now I've got more stuff to think about before training camp.

Coffee, Boss?

I would've brought you some if you'd asked.

It's fine.

I just finished my homework,

and I've got stuff on my mind, so I was gonna come here anyway.

B-B-Boss, haven't you been way too nice lately?

Hold on. Are you about to die or something?

Why would I be?

Nothing has been building up to that.

I mean...

before you turned back into a kid, you were a lot harsher.

There was more than one target, you moron! Do your damn research!

And if I got the wrong kind of cigarette, you'd clock me.

How many times do I gotta tell you I don't smoke menthols, you idiot?

You were running me like some live-in yakuza apprentice!

You beat every lesson into me!

This coffee's lukewarm!

No, I never...

I totally did. Sorry.

Well, I dunno. Looking back on it, yeah.

I didn't realize until you said it...

but maybe the older girls in home ec have rubbed off on me in a lot of ways.

Now you've made this awkward to talk about.

The truth is, there's something I need to ask you about before training camp.

Ask me?

LIFE PATHS SATURDAY, JUNE 27th

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE

A parent-teacher conference?

That thing with the teacher, student, and parent?

Man, just when you've got that surfing match coming up.

What am I gonna do about a parent?

DING

I got it, boss! There's a perfect way to handle this!

Huh? Seriously?

Just leave it to me!

Oh, right. No club today.

Wanna stop somewhere?

Tell me the rest of that story.

Buy me a large fries and nuggets!

- Hey, we're best friends, right? - Huh? Where's this coming from?

You here for a parent-teacher conference, too?

No. I'm waiting for Noren.

I feel like, through that ramen showdown...

we understand each other on a much deeper level!