Chapter 39: Love scenes are more difficult to handle than battle scenes.

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Translator: Soafp

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We arrived at the main gymnasium.

What normally takes about five minutes from the school entrance took us less than one. Along the way, I leapt over three block walls, each about two meters tall. I ran across the roof of the P.E. equipment shed, used a vending machine I landed near as a stepping stone, and cut down the travel time significantly.

“…Who are you…?”

That was the first thing President Suzuka said when I set her down at the entrance. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed, and she touched her lips with a finger where I had kissed her moments before.

“It was like… like you were flying through the air. I always thought you were hiding your strength, but I never imagined this much.”

“If I explained, it would take a while—and it wouldn't be a happy story.”

If I were to explain how I gained these abilities, I'd have to talk about my connection with that pig. And there's not a single pleasant memory in that story. That's exactly why I cut all ties.

The President shook her head, silver hair swaying.

She looked at me with eyes glistening with emotion.

There was a look on her face like she was about to cry—so full of longing.

“I want to know more about you. I'd be happy if you told me someday.”

“…Alright.”

But now's not the time.

Three female students were collapsed in the shrubbery by the entrance. They appeared to be unconscious. No doubt they were attacked by those thugs from Kojin Academy who barged in here. A trumpet lay nearby. Looks like the brass band had been rehearsing outside when they were assaulted.

So they don't even care if their victims are just girls from the cultural clubs, huh…

…

“President, please take care of the injured. And guide the other students to safety.”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Her face shifted from that of a girl in love to that of a responsible student council president, and she went to fulfill her duties.

Now then. My turn.

Inside the gym entrance, two lookouts stood guard. On the right, a guy with a wooden sword. On the left, a guy swinging a heavy chain.

“Hey, Teikai student. This area's off-limits.”

“This gym belongs to Kojin Academy now! Hya-haha!”

Without a word, I drove a toe-kick into the solar plexus of the guy with the wooden sword. As he folded over like a crumpled sheet of paper, I grabbed him and flung him into the chain guy. The chain got tangled, and the two of them collapsed in a heap, hugging each other.

Good grief.

Looks like I'm angrier than I thought.

“!? Hey, who the hell are you!?”

As I entered the gym, vulgar voices and glares greeted me.

Inside were the girls from the dance club—and about ten guys from Kojin Academy who had kidnapped them. Among them, one girl in a white sailor uniform stood out. The girls looked terrified, the guys wore sneers, and the girl in the sailor uniform had a calm, almost bored expression.

Ayaka Ayukawa was being held on the stage by a blond-haired guy.

He was straddling her unconscious body. Her clothes weren't disheveled, thank god. Looks like I made it in time.

“What the hell? You finally show up, and it's just some weak-looking nobody?”

The blond laughed mockingly.

I ignored him and kept walking forward.

Two guys with knives stepped in to block my way.

“Hey, don't get in our way.”

“Or do you want in on the fun too?”

They said something disgusting, so I shut them up.

One jab to each of their faces. Not just any jab—one-inch punches, powered by the Aiki techniques I learned from my master. My fists were more than enough to shut their mouths.

“!? Hey, what the hell did you just do?!”

The blond shouted. Seems like he couldn't even see my punches. That says it all.

“Don't come any closer! I don't care what happens to this girl!”

He pulled out a butterfly knife and brought it close to Ayaka's cheek. Classic hostage situation. I've been trained for this countless times since I was a kid—back when that pig was worried about being kidnapped by terrorists or assassins. I was drilled in dozens of “preparatory” scenarios.

The blond's choice of action? The dumbest one. Like a petty thief who panics after breaking into a house.

Not even worth discussing.

“D-don't move, I said—!”

I threw something at his face. Something I'd picked up at the entrance: a trumpet mouthpiece. A little payback on behalf of the brass band.

Direct hit to the eyes.

With a groan, the blond turned the knife toward me. Losing your vision also messes with your judgment. Even though he had a hostage, he pointed the blade outward. Idiot.

I kicked his knife-wielding hand.

The blade spun through the air and flew toward the girl in the sailor uniform.

Without even flinching, she caught the knife with one hand.

…Doesn't seem like she's just some regular girl, but that doesn't matter now.

“Y-you b*****d!!”

Enraged, the blond came at me with a punch.

I landed a blow to his face.

He collapsed, unconscious. As he slumped to the floor, I gave him an extra knee for good measure.

Normally I wouldn't go this far—but he laid hands on the maid-senpai I admire. He can take this as punishment.

“Ayukawa. You okay?”

I lightly slapped her cheek, and she quickly came to.

“…Ah, Kazu…”

“You're not hurt anywhere? It's okay now.”

“Yeah… Somehow, I just knew you'd come. That you'd definitely save me.”

She smiled, and I gently stroked her tea-colored hair.

The training room fell completely silent.

Even the girls from the dance club, who had been shaking with fear moments ago, now stared at me in stunned silence.

Alright, time to deal with the rest.

I left Ayukawa and walked over to the group of men.

One of the guys from Koushin Academy raised his voice.

“Y-you're the ‘Sword Genius' Kenmochi, aren't you!?”

“No.”

I replied.

Then punched him. A single blow to the gut, twisting my fist in. He passed out just like that.

“Th-then the ‘Muscle Genius,' maybe!?”

Another one said. Wrong again. Do I really look that buff? I kicked him—one sharp blow to the knee. He collapsed, unable to move.

“D-don't tell me—you're the ‘Gun Genius'!?”

Nope. If I had a gun, I wouldn't be wasting time with hand-to-hand combat. I delivered a high kick to the left side of his head. He rolled his eyes back and hit the ground.

“I got it! You're Kaidou Tensai, right!? The leader of the Genius Conference—ugh!?”

Man, I'm sick of answering. I landed a palm-strike uppercut to his chin and sent him straight to dreamland.

And like that, they were all napping—

The only one left from Koushin Academy was a girl in a sailor uniform.

She spoke in a cool voice.

“You're Kazu Suzuki, aren't you?”

Bingo. A winner.

“One of the Ten Wolves of Tenrou—‘Lone Wolf' Kazu Suzuki. You're also childhood friend and bodyguard to Rua Takayashiki, right? So why are you here? I heard Rua was on vacation, so I picked today on purpose.”

She had long black hair. Its sleek, glossy straightness mirrored her prickly attitude. A girl like a beautiful thorn—touch her carelessly and you might get hurt, but there'd be plenty of guys eager to risk it just to reach out.

“You know a lot. But your info's outdated.”

“Huh?”

“I've already cut ties with that pig. Sorry to disappoint, but your plan fell through.”

She looked confused.

“So, what now? Are you gonna beat me up too?”

“I don't like hitting girls. Take these nuisances and go home.”

“What if I say no?”

“I don't like it, but if I have to, I won't discriminate between enemies.”

She sighed.

“I'll let it go—for today.”

“Try making that forever.”

“I'm Tsukino Kojin. Remember the name—Lone Wolf.”

Kojin, huh? Probably related to the Kojin Group… Must have some bad blood with that pig, too—but whatever.

I heard footsteps and voices from the entrance. The brawler squad from the Genius Conference had finally arrived.

Kenmochi looked around at the KO'd Kojin students and scowled.

“Wh-what the hell happened here, Suzuki!?”

…This is bad.

What excuse can I make?

While I hesitated, Tsukino spoke up.

“They all suddenly got sleepy. Must've been tired from lack of sleep yesterday.”

“What are you talking about!? You're from Kojin, right? Explain what happened!”

“—Ugh, so annoying.”

Her black hair fluttered with a whoosh.

Tsukino moved.

In a flash, she closed in on Kenmochi. She grabbed the hand that was going for his sword and flipped him with a perfect shoulder throw. As he hit the ground, she dropped her knee onto his throat, knocking him out cold.

“You b***h!”

The “The Genius of Guns” Juuzou Tanegashima went for his pistol.

But he couldn't draw it.

Tsukino had already drawn a small revolver and pointed it right at his nose. She'd had it hidden under her skirt, strapped to her thigh like a spy in a garter holster. Sexy and dangerous.

“Too slow. A real gun's too heavy for you, huh?”

“…………!!”

She smacked the temple of the so-called “Gun Genius” with the butt of her revolver and knocked him out.

And the “Muscle Genius” Oomori—he ran. Shouting “Muscle Dash!” he sprinted off without looking back. Muscles had nothing to do with it. He should change his title to “Genius of Running Away.”

Still, his instincts were correct.

Tsukino's strength is easily Ten Wolves level. Maybe even more. She's definitely stronger than Rei Hikami, who I fought before.

That left two: Rika Kirigamine, the “Invention Genius,” and Anki Kurata, the “Strategy Genius.”

Rika blinked behind her glasses, clearly not processing what just happened.

But Kurata—

“This is a problem, Tsukino-san. Causing such a scene. Sure, it's nice that you took out the Genius Conference, but dragging allies into it too?”

He said it with an oddly friendly tone.

So I was right—

“You're a Kojin spy after all”

“You noticed? How come?”

“Your behavior was suspicious in a lot of ways. But the biggest clue was that you called yourself an ‘introvert.'”

“…? I don't get it. What do you mean?”

“To a real introvert like me, you're nothing of the sort. You call yourself an introvert, but your eyes are full of sleaze. You can't hide your ‘desire.'”

This guy doesn't know what true “darkness” is.

As someone raised under strict brainwashing as the “shadow” of a powerful family's heiress and a super-popular voice actress—never allowed to stand out—I know true “darkness.” His claims are laughable.

“Don't go calling yourself an ‘introvert' when you're like that. It sounds like a popular guy yelling ‘down with the popular kids!'”

Kurata gave a mocking laugh.

“What are you even saying? If it were a member of the Ten Geniuses, sure—but a nobody like you talking back to me? Hey, Tsukino-san, can I take care of this guy? I want to kill at least one person.”

Tsukino sighed.

“Yeah, fine. Go ahead.”

“Heh heh, permission granted.”

With a creepy grin, Kurata pulled a katana from behind his back. So he's a master of ankyō—concealed weapons.

Hiding a blade back there takes some skill, but… he's fundamentally mistaken.

That is—

“Ngah!”

As he lunged forward and raised his sword, I drove a front kick into his knee. Using it as a springboard, I vaulted upward and smashed a knee into his chin.

Komiyaryū Jūjutsu Secret Technique: Form of Valor.
Bear Drop.

Kurata collapsed on his back, dazed. Tsukino looked down on him with contempt.

“What a dumbass. When I said ‘go ahead,' I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to the Lone Wolf.”

Then Tsukino turned her gaze to Kirigamine.

“Kirigamine-san. You were hiding some kind of invention, weren't you? Whatever kind of weapon it is, want to try it out on me?”

Faced with the rapidly unfolding situation, Kirigamine made a “whoa” face. She looked surprised but not scared. She had more guts than those so-called martial types like Kenmochi.

“Nope, I'll pass~”

Kirigamine shook her head, sounding spacey. Definitely a natural airhead.

“This isn't even a weapon. Besides, I think it'd be more fun to use it on him than on you.”

She glanced at me with her glasses gleaming, full of curiosity. …Please no human experiments.

Tsukino just said “hmm” and lost interest.

She looked at me with her cool eyes.

“Well, I'm heading out for real this time. See you again, Lone Wolf.”

“…Great.”

It's an honor to have a beautiful girl say “see you again,” but…

I've got a bad feeling I've been dragged into even more trouble.

After everything was over, I got a call from Kaidou.

“Hey, Suzuki! What's going on over there?! I can't reach anyone! Don't tell me they've all been wiped out?!”

The panicked voice of the all-around genius was met with a calm reply.

“Yeah. They're all wiped out.”

“W-what?! Our Empire Academy's finest geniuses—”

“But the Kojin people have gone home. They said they were sleepy and wanted a nap.”

“W-what are you talking about?! Explain in detail!”

Just then, a message came through on my phone.

It was from Amane-chan.

“Oh. Something came up, so I'll leave it at that.”

“What do you mean, Suzuki!? Oi—”

I hung up and checked the message.

[Just finished my second recording~ So tired~ Still have two more to go today. Hafu~]

[Lately it's been all work work work. I miss seeing you, Kazu~]

[So, here's a proposal!]

[The day after tomorrow is the Empire River fireworks festival! Want to go together? I'll be wearing a yukata!]

I immediately replied: “OK.”

Can't wait to see Amane-chan in a yukata…

Then another message came in.

It was from the Pig. I'd already blocked her, but she used the class group chat to sneak it through.

[Greetings, Kazu~♪ We're going to the fireworks festival the day after tomorrow, of course! I'll be wearing a yukata, so try not to fall in love with me all over again! lol]

Alright, delete.

Kirigamine, who had been peeking at my phone, said:

“You're going to the fireworks festival? Lucky. I haven't seen one in years—I'm always holed up in the lab.”

Nope. Not taking you. That would be a mess.

But her comment caught someone else's attention.

Ayaka Ayukawa, now completely back to normal, came walking over.

“Kazu, you're going to the fireworks festival? I wanna go too!”

“……”

Nope. No way I'm dealing with that kind of battlefield…

Compared to this, the Imperial War is a walk in the park.