Bab 34: CHAPTER 33 - Secrets Unveiled (2)
"Alright, all of you know that the upcoming mock battle is not something you can just ignore. Reaching the top will bring great privilege to some of you," Senpai Fujimoto continued, explaining the details of the upcoming mock battle.
As Senpai Fujimoto spoke, Ichiro found himself deep in contemplation about his current life. The system had significantly improved his physical abilities, making him stronger, but he still wasn't on par with many of his classmates. He could participate in a group mock battle, but he knew he would likely lose in a one-on-one duel. His martial skills were basic at best, and while he could run fast, it wouldn't be enough. He needed strength and he needed it fast.
What troubled Ichiro even more was the realization that his family seemed to be threatening his life. The weight of this situation bore heavily on him, and it reflected in his troubled expression. His life was now on the line, and he couldn't afford to take this lightly.
"Something happened?" Emi asked, noticing the troubled expression on Ichiro's face.
Ichiro was caught off guard by Emi's direct question. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Emi let out a sigh, finding Ichiro's attempts at deception quite transparent. "Don't think of me as a fool," she said. Despite his efforts to act innocent and pretend nothing had happened, she could clearly see that something was bothering him. She chose not to press further and turned her attention back to the teacher.
Ichiro muttered to himself, still puzzled by Emi's reaction to his troubled demeanor.
After the discussion with Senpai Fujimoto, he left the classroom, leaving all the students in shock. They were left wondering why he had suddenly become their homeroom teacher.
"Seriously, why is Senpai Fujimoto suddenly our teacher?"
"That's right. Doesn't he hate the idea of being a homeroom teacher?"
"Could this have something to do with the mock battle?"
As the students continued to wonder about Senpai Fujimoto's sudden appearance as their homeroom teacher, only two students knew the exact reason. Emi glanced at Ichiro, who appeared annoyed by the situation, and she couldn't help but wonder why he had been keeping such a low profile.
In the next few classes, the atmosphere was tense, and everyone was determined to do well. Although the mock battle offered great privileges, poor academic performance could lead to expulsion, barring them from participating.
Emi noticed Ichiro taking out a bento box from his bag and asked, "Where are you going?"
Ichiro hesitated, unsure of how to explain to Emi, especially with everyone's curious eyes on him.
"Seriously, when did the two of them get along?" some students whispered among themselves.
"Wait, are the rumors of him being friends with Nakamura-sama true as well?" another student questioned.
"What luck," someone else muttered enviously.
While some students envied Ichiro for his newfound connections with elite families, one person harbored intense resentment toward him.
"Hey, Ren, are you alright?" Shinji asked, sensing a strange and cold, eerie feeling around Ren.
"I'm fine," Ren replied, clenching his hand into a fist. Due to what happened during the last mock battle, he had become a laughingstock in his family. What was worse, his father was furious because he had been defeated despite having every advantage.
"The bastard son of the late Lady Takahashi has no power whatsoever, yet you lost," were the words his family and father had repeated to him. Ren knew that just because someone had no power didn't mean they were useless. One thing he was sure of was that Ichiro wasn't powerless; he had been hiding his abilities from the beginning.
Ren realized something as he delved into his deep thoughts. "Shin, do you think the Takahashi family mistreated Ichiro because he was a bastard, or do you think it's because he has no power?"
"Who knows what that family is up to? From what I've heard, it's mainly because he has no power. If he had any, why would he allow them to mistreat him? I mean, Lady Takahashi was so powerful; surely Ichiro is, too," Shinji replied thoughtfully, pondering the situation. He, too, had been curious about Ichiro's sudden change but hadn't paid much attention to it until the last mock battle when he realized that Ichiro's speed surpassed his own.
"Isn't one of them in our year?" Ren inquired.
"Ah, you mean his cousin?" Shinji replied, curious as to why Ren was suddenly asking about him. "Yuta is that guy's name, but I don't think you should be around him. He's not really..."
"I know," Ren replied, understanding what Shinji meant without the need for further explanation. Yuta was a bully, the kind of person who abused his authority and targeted the weak, but would always bow his head when confronted by someone strong.
"Anyways, why are you suddenly interested in them?" Shinji asked.
"Shin, what if Ichiro isn't a bastard and isn't weak?" Ren stated.
"What makes you say that?" Shinji became intrigued.
"Tell me, what kind of ordinary person can run like that and withstand a blow to the stomach?"
With that, Shinji was taken aback. He realized that what Ren was saying could be true. But something was bothering him. "Then, why now?"
"I guess that guy is planning to get away from his family," Ren speculated.
"Wait, you mean he's looking for sponsorship?"
"Hmm, I should talk to my father about this," Ren decided. If Ichiro was indeed planning to find a sponsor, it would be best if their family could make use of him. Ren knew one thing for certain: Ichiro was stronger than him.
Meanwhile, Ichiro was peacefully eating lunch with Akihiko after Emi dropped him off.
"What's wrong with you?" Akihiko asked since Ichiro had been sneezing nonstop, adding, "Did you go to the clinic already?"
"After this, I'll go get checked," Ichiro replied, planning to follow up and have a specialist examine him. Despite having received some treatment from Akihiko's brother, he knew it was better to consult with a doctor.
"I'll go with you," Akihiko replied, finishing his soup in one go and getting up from the ground. "Let's go."
"Now?" Ichiro responded, still not done with his meal.
"Better now than never," Akihiko replied, pulling Ichiro up by the nape of his collar, urging him to accompany him to the clinic.
When they were walking down the hallway, everyone's attention was on them. Ichiro found the situation awkward. He hadn't expected that everyone would be so interested in his close relationship with Akihiko. As they passed by, he unexpectedly made eye contact with someone.
"Damn it, why did I run into Yuta here?" Ichiro mumbled to himself, realizing that Yuta would likely report everything to their family.
"Is something wrong?" Akihiko asked, noticing the worried look on Ichiro's face.
"Nothing, let's just hurry to the clinic."
Before they could even open the clinic door, someone called out to them.
"What are you two doing here again?"
When they turned around, they saw the doctor carrying a hefty load of snacks.
"I—well, I came here to get checked," Ichiro stated, embarrassed to explain the whole situation, but things didn't really work out his way.
"He got beaten up," Akihiko said aloud, without even caring about Ichiro's perplexed expression.
"Oh, come in then."
The doctor ushered them inside the clinic. As they entered, Ichiro couldn't help but notice the clinic's somewhat cozy and comforting atmosphere. The doctor motioned for them to sit on the examination bed.
"Now, what happened?" the doctor asked, looking at Ichiro.
Ichiro hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit awkward about discussing the details of his injuries, especially in front of Akihiko. However, he knew it was essential to get proper treatment, so he began explaining the situation.
"I was involved in a... physical altercation," Ichiro said carefully, avoiding the specifics.
Akihiko, who was seated nearby, added, "He got roughed up pretty bad, Doc."
The doctor nodded understandingly, taking note of the situation. "Alright, let's have a look then." The doctor examined Ichiro's injuries, asking about any pain or discomfort as he gently touched different areas.
"Hmm, you seem to be fine now," the doctor said, still somewhat confused despite Ichiro's explanation of what had happened during the encounter.
Akihiko, on the other hand, suspected that Ichiro would be fine. He realized that something was odd with their meal once again. He had a hunch that Ichiro might possess the ability to infuse healing effects into food. However, such a method was not well-known and rather unusual. If people found out about it, Ichiro could be put in danger.
"Thanks," Ichiro thanked the doctor for using her healing ability, even though there wasn't anything wrong with him anymore. He recognized that the effects of the herbs he had used had indeed been very helpful, especially since his cooking abilities had improved. With the system's assistance, he was able to combine the herbs without worrying about diminishing their effects.
With that done, both of them got up and headed back to their respective classes.
Hadiah
-- Hadiah diterima Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone