The Heart of the Underdog

Right now, three people sat in the room—Remond, Yuki, and her grandfather, Ho Dieng. The warm aroma of curry filled the air as they shared a meal. Remond, however, wasn't fully focused on his plate. His sharp gaze was fixed on Ho Dieng, the former martial arts world champion. Something about the old man's calm yet commanding presence kept him on edge.

Ho Dieng broke the silence. "So, what's your thought about the curry, kid?" His voice carried a hint of pride, but his tone was casual, almost testing.

Remond blinked, momentarily snapping out of his thoughts. "Uh... yeah, it tastes good." He hesitated, then leaned forward slightly, his brow furrowed. "But can I ask what exactly you want from me?"

Ho Dieng chuckled softly, the sound carrying both amusement and intrigue. "Hmm... surely. But first, let me ask you something. What do you intend to do if you find the person responsible for the fire at Dr. Edwards' residence?"

Remond's fork froze mid-air. The question caught him off guard. He looked down, his fingers tightening around the fork. "Well... I haven't thought that far," he admitted, his voice low but firm. "Right now, my focus is on keeping my loved ones safe from those assassins."

Ho Dieng nodded, his expression unreadable. "You don't have to worry too much," he said matter-of-factly. "They'll only chase you as long as they find you interesting. From what I know, the Axiom Syndicate's top officials believe the serum bottle was destroyed by you. They're not foolish enough to attack you outright and draw attention to themselves."

Remond's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you bring me here?"

"To make a few things clear," Ho Dieng said, his gaze sharp as he leaned back slightly, pausing for effect.

"What is it?" Remond asked cautiously.

The old man sighed, his tone turning serious. "You need to be careful about using your powers. Don't use them everywhere."

Remond stiffened. "How did you—"

"When you attacked me without thinking, I noticed an orange glow around you," Ho Dieng interrupted calmly. "And with my Observation Hatsu, I can sense any surge of energy in someone's body."

"Hatsu?" Remond echoed, his confusion apparent.

Ho Dieng smirked. "Hmm... I'll explain, but first, let me propose something. How about you become my disciple and learn martial arts? It'll benefit you in two ways. First, you'll be able to defend your loved ones without relying solely on your powers. Second, in situations where self-defense is needed, martial arts will give you the edge."

Remond frowned, his mind racing. The offer made sense—too much sense. But there was a lingering doubt in his heart. Could he truly trust Ho Dieng? The man's calm demeanor was both reassuring and unnerving.

"Thank you, sir," Remond said cautiously. "I appreciate your concern, but I need some time to think it over. Please understand my situation."

Ho Dieng's intense gaze softened slightly, and he nodded. "I understand. Sorry for being so hasty. But please, think about it carefully. This is for your own good."

The two exchanged polite farewells before Remond left the house, his thoughts heavy.

---

Back at home, Remond slumped onto his bed and pulled out his phone. His eyes widened in surprise. "Oh man! We have an excursion tomorrow?" he exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. "This is awesome! I'm so excited!"

For Remond, school excursions were one of the few things that truly brought him joy. They gave him a chance to experience new things, far from the monotony of his solitary school life. Sid's companionship helped, but it wasn't enough to fill the void.

---

The next morning...

The school ground buzzed with energy as students gathered, the sun casting a warm glow on the crowd. It was around nine o'clock when the principal stepped forward, commanding their attention.

"Students!" he began with a wide smile. "Today, we'll be heading to a nearby mountain range called Mt. Raya—a range that provides us with our prosperous harvests and beautiful climate. I hope you all enjoy the trip while participating in a fun exercise."

The students stared at him blankly, confusion spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

"What kind of exercise?" someone whispered.

"Is he serious?" another muttered.

"Ugh, what a mood killer," groaned a voice from the back.

Noticing the drop in enthusiasm, the principal cleared his throat. "Ahem! Now, now, listen up!" he said, raising his hands to calm the crowd. "The exercise will be a sort of competition. You'll be collecting data on the biodiversity of the area. Whoever collects the most data will win a hefty prize!"

The students perked up instantly, their expressions shifting to excitement and curiosity.

"A prize? Now that's more like it!"

"This could actually be fun!"

"I wonder what the prize is..."

"And one more thing," the principal added, his grin widening. "It'll be a team game. Each team will have four people. You can choose your teammates during the ride. That's all for now."

With that, the students surged toward the levitating buses, their excitement palpable. Amid the chaos, Remond and Sid had already made up their minds.

"You're on my team, obviously," Sid said with a smirk, giving Remond a light nudge.

"Like there was any doubt," Remond replied with a grin as they boarded the bus together.