SWNOVELXO Chapter 31
Chapter 31. A Bird Leaving Behind a Mess
Two days have passed. Since I didn’t sustain any serious injuries, I was discharged from the hospital right away, and now I’m on my way to school.
“Hmm.”
Something’s off—
Really off. Am I being avoided or something?
According to Ao, people would supposedly do a triple axel-level about-face toward me after everything.
Wait… A triple axel? That means they’ve spun around three times and ended up right back where they started!
What a clever trick—I didn’t see that coming.
(*Note: A triple axel is actually a three-and-a-half rotation move.)
Well, I guess things haven’t entirely stayed the same.
The way they look at me has definitely changed.
Confusion. Suspicion. Fear.
“Why?”
Why are they afraid of me?
All I did was take down a monster. If something that simple made people afraid, no one would dream of joining the Special Task Force, right?
I don’t get it.
(Well, it’s better than being looked down on.)
I can’t let people walk all over me anymore.
After all the trouble I caused Ao, I’m done holding back.
…
Walking into the classroom, I exude an air of confidence I’ve never shown before.
When my classmates see me, they flinch slightly and start whispering to each other in hushed tones.
I can’t hear what they’re saying, but it’s obvious they’re talking about me.
They keep sneaking glances my way, too.
Whatever. I head to my seat and sit down.
(Guess I’ll catch some sleep until the bell rings.)
Just as I’m about to rest my head on the desk—
“Hey, you cheating bastard! What the hell are you doing, strutting into school like that?!”
“Huh?”
Startled by the loud, angry voice, I sit back up and turn to face it.
Standing there, glaring down at me with a mix of arrogance and nervousness, are Party Boy No. 2 and Party Boy No. 3.
What’s this about cheating?
I’ve never cheated on a test before. If I had, I wouldn’t have needed to take remedial classes.
“What do you mean, ‘cheating’?”
“Don’t play dumb! There’s no way a piece of trash like you could have that kind of power!”
“Yeah, yeah! Just drop out already!”
There’s fear in their voices, though.
Their breathing’s shallow, and they’re visibly tense.
(Ah, I see now.)
Finally, I understand why everyone’s been looking at me with fear.
They’re scared.
Scared that the person they’ve always looked down on might now turn against them.
They’ve ridiculed me so much that they’re terrified I might retaliate.
So they deny it.
There’s no way, they tell themselves. He’s powerless. He’s beneath us.
It’s their way of justifying their actions.
How ridiculous.
Why would I waste my time on payback? It’s not worth the effort.
—That’s what the old me would’ve thought.
A smile creeps across my face.
Seeing it, the two Party Boys yelp and step back.
They’re still underestimating me.
Underestimating Ao’s brother. That’s a mistake I need to correct.
Besides, I probably won’t be coming to school much after today.
Might as well leave behind one hell of a mess.
—[Mars].
In the confined space of the classroom, the overwhelming aura of an absolute powerhouse suddenly descends.
The room falls silent, faces pale, and some students collapse to the floor in fear.
“Well then, shall we?”
“Wh-What?! Why is my body shaking? No, I’m not scared! You’re just a powerless nobody—you have to be!”
“If that’s what you believe, then come at me. But once you make your move, I’ll make you regret ever being alive.”
“Eek! A-Aaaaahhhh!!”
Screaming, the two Party Boys scramble out of the classroom, tripping and crawling in their haste to flee.
That should do it.
They won’t be looking down on me anymore. Maybe I should’ve hit one of them just to—
“You fool.”
Whack!
Something smacks me lightly on the head.
I turn to see none other than Nikaido-sensei standing beside me, holding a roll book.
Sensei must’ve hit me with that.
Caught off guard, I’m left momentarily speechless as the blood rushes from my head.
“The bell’s already rung. Sit down, now.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Good grief. At this rate, I can’t even hold a proper class.”
Nikaido-sensei surveys the room, where several students are still trembling or unable to stand.
“You lot, get to your seats. It’s time for class.”
“B-But…”
“I said now!”
Sensei sharp glare silences any protest.
“If you have time to sneer at others, then use it to focus on your studies.”
So scary…
The student sensei glared at is frozen in fear.
As expected of the Medusa, her nickname seems apt—her gaze practically turns people to stone.
“And you, Yanagi. Report to the staff room after school.”
“Y-Yes, ma’am.”
Oh boy. Looks like I’m in for a scolding.
Guess I should start practicing my groveling…
…
“Phew.”
Alright, time to open the door.
Wait, no—knock first.
I stand nervously in front of the staff room door.
“Oh? You’re already here.”
“Gah?!”
A strange noise escapes me as I whirl around to find Nikaido-sensei standing behind me.
“Let’s talk inside.”
Nikaido-sensei ushers me into the staff room.
The desk is near the door, and once Nikaido-sensei sits down, sensei gestures for me to take a seat.
“First, let me say congratulations on joining the Special Ability Unit.”
“Huh? Oh, uh, thanks. But how did you know?”
“They’ve been in touch with us. Honestly, as a teacher, I can’t approve of sending students into life-threatening situations. But after seeing your abilities during the inter-school competition, I realized you’re a beacon of hope. The world needs people like you right now. All I’ll say is this: don’t die.”
Sensei’s such a caring teacher.
For some reason, my chest feels warm.
“And there’s one more reason I called you here.”
She pulls out a paper bag from behind her.
Inside is a hefty stack of papers.
“What’s this?”
“Practice questions for every subject.”
“Sorry, I think I misheard. Did you say practice questions?”
“You heard me correctly. The other teachers stayed up all night putting this together. Even if you’re in the Special Ability Unit, you’re still enrolled here. Study hard.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
This stack looks twice as thick as a dictionary.
By the way, I arranged to keep my enrollment in case I became incapacitated. As long as I graduate, Dad’s friend has promised to employ me.
“Thank you.”
I accept the bag with dead eyes.
It’s so heavy.
◇
“Masuzu, are you feeling better?”
“We were so worried.”
“Yes, I’m fine now. But you should visit Azusa, too.”
“Of course we will, but after seeing what happened, we were really concerned about you.”
Three days have passed since the inter-school competition.
I’ve been in the hospital the entire time for treatment.
I had multiple fractures in both legs, two broken ribs, and a crack in another.
It’s a miracle the injuries didn’t puncture my organs.
Naturally, my parents were in tears over my condition.
Given how serious the injuries were, it’s understandable.
I wonder what he’s doing right now.
As I’m lost in thought, the door to my hospital room opens.
“Hello~ You must be Nanase-san’s family, correct?”
“Yes, that’s us.”
A man in a black suit and sunglasses steps in.
Despite his casual demeanor, it’s clear he’s highly skilled.
I stay alert, ready to activate my abilities at any moment.
“Oh, no need to be so cautious. I’m not suspicious—well, I guess I might look that way at first glance.”
“And what brings you here?”
My father asks hesitantly.
“Oh, right. At the request of my superiors, I’ve brought one of the world’s top doctors to treat Azusa Nanase’s illness. I just need your consent to proceed.”
“W-What?!”
Azusa’s illness… cured?
Who could have arranged this?
And can we trust this man?
“By the way, the person in question asked me to tell you, ‘You owe me one, Senpai.’.”
That phrase tells me everything I need to know.
Only one person I know has the power to make this happen.
“Dad, Mom. I think we can trust him.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t understand what’s going on.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain later.”
For now, Azusa’s recovery takes priority.
She’s been enduring so much, but she’s reaching her limit.
“So, may I take that as your consent?”
“We’re not entirely convinced, but if Masuzu says so…”
“Got it. I’ll be off now—busy schedule and all.”
The man in black leaves as abruptly as he came.
“How am I supposed to repay such a huge debt…”
What does Yanagi want from me?
I have no idea.
But for some reason, I feel like getting stronger will be important to him someday.
With this new goal, my body feels invigorated.
Though I don’t know why my cheeks are flushed…