The opening day of Sesil's tournament finally arrived. According to the official schedule, she was set to compete in four separate matches this Saturday. Under the group stage rules, securing a two-to-zero victory earned a full two points, a defeat resulted in a one-point deduction, and a draw awarded zero points. Competitors finishing fifth or lower in their respective groups would fail to advance to the playoff phase.
"I can definitely do this. Yogiri is right by my side and believes in me, so I will put my full trust in him as well," Sesil declared encouragingly, checking her reflection in the mirror.
Stepping up behind her, I pressed a gentle kiss against her cheek. "Let us go."
"Yes!"
The moment we exited the hotel toward the tournament arena, a swarm of journalists converged on us. I immediately requested hotel security to clear a path through the crowd. I wrapped my jacket around Sesil's shoulders to shield her from intrusive questions, as she still preferred to avoid media interactions.
Official interviews arranged by the tournament committee were the only exception, which I handled personally on her behalf. We successfully made our way into the stadium complex, proceeding directly toward the designated arena. I gestured for Sesil to enter the dressing room first while I stepped aside to address the tournament's official media team.
"We are currently standing with the new trainer of Sesil Ernburg, Instructor Yogiri Klausmann. How do you assess your student's current condition?" the journalist inquired.
"I am entirely confident that Sesil will secure her victory and advance today. Regardless of the outcome, whether victory or defeat, I will remain immensely proud of her progress, as every match serves as a crucial stepping stone in her development."
"Furthermore, to those who previously ridiculed Sesil, I strongly suggest reflecting carefully on your words before speaking or posting comments online. Everyone requires time and experience to grow strong."
Concluding the interview, I quickly entered the locker room without taking additional questions. I locked the door behind me, finding Sesil already fully suited up in her combat attire. She was wearing her armour suit, though her combat helmet remained unfastened.
"I would like you to put this on for me, Instructor," Sesil requested with vibrant enthusiasm.
I secured her helmet properly and began our tactical briefing regarding her upcoming opponent. I considered our first match manageable, outlining the detailed analytical breakdown I had prepared days prior. Sesil listened attentively to every instruction. As the briefing concluded, the call for her match sounded.
Though I considered myself an atheist, I found myself quietly offering a silent wish for Sesil's victory. One could hardly blame me, having been raised on battlefield grounds where divine presence remained absent save for the threshold of death.
An eerie silence fell over the spectators as Sesil entered the combat arena. The live broadcast chat feed was filled with derogatory remarks targeting Sesil, yet she displayed neither fear nor hesitation today. The match unfolded with astonishing speed. Her opponent appeared to belong to an entirely different competitive class. The duel resembled a high-intensity typhoon overwhelming a gentle breeze.
Sesil's eyes burned with fierce determination. Occasionally, she glanced back toward the locker room where I observed her match. Watching her press her clenched fist firmly against her chest, I knew with complete certainty that she was fully locked into the fight.
She claimed her first match within twelve minutes. The second match concluded in a mere eleven minutes, setting a new tournament speed record. While our group opponents happened to be relatively manageable compared to the brutal competition in groups A or E, breaking a tournament record remained a remarkable achievement.
"Yes!" Sesil celebrated, clenching her fist against her chest. "This feeling... it feels absolutely incredible..."
I offered her a gentle smile, nodding approvingly. "There are still more matches ahead, Sesil."
"Yes. I am going to win them all and share every bit of this victory with you, Instructor," Sesil replied, overflowing with spirit.
She dominated every match on her first day, securing clean two-to-zero victories across the board. It truly felt as though Sesil was sweeping through the competition on a continuous winning streak toward the grand finals. Her momentum carried straight through the following day, earning maximum points to claim the top spot in her group while other competitors suffered mixed results.
The point gap between Sesil and the second-place contender grew substantial. Seeing Sesil's name highlighted in green on the group stage leaderboard allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing her playoff spot was officially locked in. Checking my smartphone, I found enthusiastic messages from Princess Thelma, Dela, Shia, and Chia, who had gathered in my office to watch her matches via live stream.
In my absence, I had entrusted Dela and Princess Thelma to oversee team training sessions whenever Dela required assistance.
Meanwhile, I noticed a peculiar habit developing in Sesil. Every morning, she spent a moment leaning close to inhale my scent, claiming I possessed a pleasantly sweet fragrance. She insisted that smelling my scent revitalised her energy. Whether this was a clever excuse she devised to surprise me each morning remained unclear, though I thoroughly enjoyed the gesture.
I recalled reading research regarding individuals possessing rare elemental magic, noting how their bodies could emit subtle scent responses when experiencing genuine romantic feelings.
"Thank you so much, everyone!" Sesil replied to her teammates' celebratory messages in our group chat.
The negative commentary across the tournament streams rapidly shifted toward overwhelming support for Sesil. Discussions erupted between new fans supporting her rise and lingering sceptics, though Sesil herself had grown entirely indifferent to public opinion.
I viewed this shift as magnificent mental growth. I was equally gratified by her ability to adapt her combat tactics dynamically whenever opponents deviated from expected patterns. Her fighting style became increasingly refined, entirely devoid of sloppy errors.
The final day of the group stage arrived, and Sesil's tournament ranking surged from fifth favourite to the top contender spot. As night fell, Sesil and I returned to our hotel suite. Due to securing the top seed in the Upper Bracket, her playoff matches were scheduled to begin in three days. She maintained her stance on declining press interviews, leaving me to field the media questions on her behalf.
The moment our suite door locked behind us, Sesil threw her arms around me in a tight embrace. "I did it, Instructor! Thanks to you, I finally showed everyone what I am truly capable of!"
"You achieved this through your own hard work as well," I replied, holding her close. My pink-haired partner wept tears of joy against my chest.
"If only I had met you sooner..." she sobbed gently. "Perhaps I would not have had to suffer through repeated failures during my previous debuts."
"Let the past remain in the past. You are with me now, and we will forge a new path together," I whispered, gently stroking her back.
I turned on the television screen, tuning into the live broadcast of the playoff bracket draw. To celebrate her milestone, I ordered a special takeout meal featuring all of Sesil's favourite dishes.
"Let us have dinner first before taking a bath," Sesil requested, having already changed into her casual wear consisting of a comfortable white camisole and matching undergarments.
While waiting for our dinner delivery, we watched the bracket draw stream together. Sesil giggled softly as she browsed media headlines highlighting her performance.
"Sesil Ernburg, the sleeping monster of the Ernburg Family," Sesil read aloud, amused. "That sounds ridiculously exaggerated."
"It is certainly unfair to label you a monster," I remarked, reading the text alongside her. "Where could one possibly find a monster as stunning as you? Calling my favourite student a monster is far too harsh."
Sesil flushed red, wrapping her arms around me intimately just as our dinner arrived. Her face lit up with absolute joy upon seeing the steaming hot pot I had ordered. We enjoyed our meal together out on the hotel balcony under the evening sky.
Following dinner, I checked my smartphone to reply to messages from my other students. Miss Selia sent a particularly proud message, commending my ability to restore Sesil to her peak performance.
"I am truly speechless..." Miss Selia wrote. "I am finally watching Sesil genuinely enjoy her battles again."
"By the way, Sesil's parents requested your contact details, but I flatly refused them," Miss Selia added.
"Why is that?" I asked Miss Selia, adding, "Thank you for introducing me to Sesil in the first place."
"It is the usual story of people showing interest only after success is achieved. Seeing Sesil's resurgence, they wanted to transfer her back to her former instructor. However, I utilised my authority as principal to ensure she remains assigned under your team until graduation," Miss Selia explained.
"I greatly appreciate your support, Miss Selia."
Sesil's expression darkened slightly as she glanced at her own phone. "My parents tried reaching out to me again. Even my former fiancé sent a message asking to reconcile, even though he abandoned me the moment I suffered consecutive losses."
"Feel free to delete them, or simply block their numbers entirely," I advised her gently.
We remained lying side by side on the bed. Sesil hesitated briefly before making the decision to block her parents and her former fiancé.
"You were previously engaged?" I inquired softly.
"Yes, but he was a terrible person," Sesil answered. "I would have preferred having you as my fiancé by far. The moment my career hit rock bottom, he severed our engagement without hesitation."
"Are you feeling jealous, Yogiri?" Sesil teased, reaching out to stroke my cheek gently.
"Perhaps a little," I replied, leaning into her soft touch.
"Don't worry, we only met a single time after I graduated high school," Sesil clarified with a warm smile. "I am infinitely happier being with you, Instructor. Besides, did I not tell you that I gave all of my first experiences to you?"
Sesil's expression looked extraordinarily endearing. She then handed her smartphone over to me. "Let us press the block button together. I want to build a completely new journey and fresh memories alongside Yogiri and everyone else."
Placing my finger alongside hers, we confirmed the block on those contacts together. Wrapping our arms around each other, we returned our focus to the playoff draw. Sesil's name officially appeared at the top of the Upper Bracket, securing the advantage granted to the group stage champion, where she would await the winner of the lower matchups.
Winning the group provided the distinct advantage of starting in the Upper Bracket, placing her just one step away from the final sixteen. It also granted me, as her instructor, valuable time to conduct comprehensive strategic research on her potential opponents.
Suddenly, Sesil produced another bottle of contraceptive pills, gazing at me with deep affection. "May I request a reward for advancing to the playoffs?"
I helped her sit up in front of me, gently caressing her chest over her white camisole. I leaned in to nuzzle her ear, softly tracing her skin to prepare her body.
"The competition has been quite stressful, and this happens to be my most effective stress relief," Sesil admitted cheekily, relishing my touch. "Being touched by Yogiri's manly hands feels incredible... I love this so much..."
Soft moans of pleasure escaped her lips as a deep blush spread across her face. I slid my left hand beneath her undergarments, discovering her core already completely slick and wet.
"Feed me the pill," I requested, letting her administer my contraceptive tablet directly mouth-to-mouth.
Sesil happily complied, making the exchange feel sensually rewarding. She then swallowed her own pill before undoing my undergarments. "Yogiri has already made me feel so good, now it is my turn to take care of you."
Taking the initiative, she leaned down, her tongue tracing my length with practised care. Her hands gently massaged my lower body. Heavenly pleasure washed over me as she focused entirely on satisfying me.
"Mmmph, I want to try deepthroating you," Sesil murmured softly, momentarily pausing her oral care.
"Do not force yourself if you are uncomfortable. I would never demand that of you," I reminded her gently.
However, Sesil paid no heed to my caution, continuing to inhale my scent deeply. She carefully took half of my length into her mouth, applying a firm, suctioning rhythm. Overwhelmed by the intense sensation, I reached my limit, releasing my seed deep within her mouth. I produced a substantial amount, yet Sesil swallowed every bit without hesitation.
"Thank you for the delicious treat, Yogiri. I feel as though this gives me immense strength," Sesil smiled brightly after swallowing my seed completely.
I gently slid up her camisole and slipped it off her shoulders.