The story we started

[Thinking of the scene that she and other teachers saw when they rushed to the scene after learning the news, even after many years, Shizuka Hiratsuka's eyes twitched, and she couldn't help but recall her dumbfounded expression at that time. ]

[“You know, one of them was the vice president of the Sobu High School Taekwondo Club, and he had won awards in competitions outside of school. But he was the one who was hurt the most. Zaimokuza grabbed him and restrained him, then hit him with his head for more than 20 times. When he went to the hospital, the doctor diagnosed him with a mild concussion and a dislocated nasal bone fracture. He stayed in the hospital for more than a week before being allowed to leave.”]

[“The rest of the students weren’t much better off. They all had injuries, including Zaimokuza. He had a fractured right fist bone and a broken finger, and had to wear a cast and bandages for a long time… But I think you should know the outcome of this incident, because I heard that you, Yukinoshita, went to the Taekwondo Club to warn the then president in a stern manner.”]

[“In fact, it was more than a warning. I even had a private “sparring” with that president. However, he was too weak. His punches were weak, his kicks were not good, his steps were loose, his reactions were slow, and none of his moves were decent. He still wanted to compete with me? I used my hand knife to cut his neck and knocked him unconscious in a few moves... Don’t look at me like that, Mr. Hiratsuka. I was careful when I attacked him. Even if he went to the hospital for a checkup, his injuries wouldn’t even be considered minor.”]

[“But I was surprised that he didn’t tell the school about this. It seems that the president is the type who cares a lot about the dignity of a man. He must have considered losing to a woman like me as a huge shame, so he didn’t want others to know.”]

[“…Perhaps I made a wrong judgment at that time. You are just as troublesome as those two guys.”]

[Faced with Yukinoshita Yukino's casual recounting of this past event that she had never known, Hiratsuka Shizuka's mouth twitched slightly again, and she helplessly reached out to hold her forehead.]

[“That incident caused a big stir at the time. The parents came directly to the school to make a scene. Some even wanted Zaimokuza to call home and ask his parents to come to the school to apologize in person… Tsk.”]

[“…Don’t the parents of those students understand why Zaimokuza-san would fight with their sons? Could it be that their brains have degenerated to the level of apes due to long-term disuse?”]

[Thinking of the whole story that she had learned through some channels at that time, Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes became unusually gloomy, and her hands, which were flat on her thighs covered by the white skirt, couldn't help but tightly grasp the fabric of the skirt. ]

[“Yukinoshita, your sharp tongue is still the same as it was back then… But you are right about this matter. Those people’s brains really seem to have not developed yet. They came to the school to cause trouble without understanding the whole story.”]

[Thinking of Zaimokuza saying in front of the students' parents and teachers, "My parents are dead, your son told me," and the dumbfounded expressions of those parents, Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't help but sigh. ]

[“If those bastards hadn’t known about Zaimokuza’s parents’ death and hadn’t come to him and laughed at him, how could such a fight have happened? Those students who were beaten into the hospital were just asking for it, and they don’t deserve any sympathy at all.”]

"…Tsk! This kind of thing really happens everywhere."

Ishigami Yu, who was sitting in front of the computer screen, frowned when he heard this and felt very uncomfortable.

With some bad memories in his mind, he snatched a bottle of AD calcium milk on the table, tore open the package, pierced the cap with a pencil, and drank it all in one gulp, hoping to suppress the disgust and grievance in his heart in this way.

If I could have been like Zaimokuza-san back then... No, I couldn't do it.

The smile of a girl flashed through his mind, that smile as bright as a sunflower blooming in midsummer.

At this moment, Ishigami Yu inexplicably understood why Zaimokuza Yoshiki in the video was so obsessed with protecting other people's smiles. Such a innocent smile is indeed worth protecting.

He placed the finished AD calcium milk on the table and lowered his head to look at the floor. His eyes, hidden by his messy bangs, looked somewhat decadent.

"As expected... I am still that timid coward. I can't be as decisive as Mr. Zaimokuza."

[“Later, I spent a lot of effort to settle those parents, but after this incident, Zaimokuza was almost isolated by the entire school. Their image of Zaimokuza changed from “a weird fat otaku” to “a delinquent who is good at using violence to send people he doesn’t like to the hospital”.”]

[“That period was really tough for him. Strange things were put into his shoe cabinet several times, and things were lost several times. Even the manuscript of his novel was searched out of his school bag and pasted on the blackboard with glue for others to read. They wanted to make fun of him in front of the whole class.”]

[“Fortunately, the students in the class seemed to have a large-scale water pollution incident that day because everyone lived in the area where they lived. Everyone who drank the water was not in good condition. They quickly glanced at the manuscripts and ran to the health room to ask for leave from the health teacher. This gave Zaimokuza, who arrived later, time to take the manuscripts back. Otherwise, the manuscripts would probably be sung by the whole school.”]

[Hearing Hiratsuka Shizuka mention the two terms "manuscript" and "water pollution", Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes twitched unconsciously, but she remained silent and continued to be a quiet listener. ]

[“Because of the previous fight, many people knew that Zaimokuza was not easy to mess with. No one dared to laugh at or insult him in person. But other than that, there was everything, from cockroaches to dead frogs, and even curse letters. Basically, everything that school bullies should have was available.”]

[“And about two weeks after the fight, Zaimokuza suddenly disappeared one day... What happened next was exactly what I told you at the beginning.”]

【"……Yeah."】

[Hearing this, Yukinoshita Yukino fell silent, not knowing what to say. ]

[Although she had a general understanding of what happened during that period, because Zaimokuza was basically completely out of touch with the Service Club at that time, she was not very clear about many things.]

[It was not until today when she heard Hiratsuka Shizuka retell the story of those events from another person's perspective that Yukinoshita Yukino realized that Zaimokuza had actually gone through such a painful period after his parents passed away, but he never talked about it with her and Yuigahama Yui afterwards.]

[She had a similar experience in elementary school. Although those people did not dare to go too far because of their family background, Yukinoshita Yukino also understood what that feeling was like. ]

[It can be said that for people who encounter such things, their future lives will either become bleak due to bullying, or they will go off the beaten path and become terrorists with antisocial personalities. It is not surprising.]

[Even Yukinoshita Yukino herself had to spend a lot of effort to get rid of the many negative effects of the past, but it still left many hidden dangers, and it took more than ten years to completely heal herself. ]

[Zaimokuza's smiling face, which had always been without any gloom, appeared in her mind at this moment. Yukinoshita Yukino felt that something deep in her heart was twitching gently, and a sour feeling involuntarily flowed out from the crack in her heart. ]

[After going through such a thing, how do you still manage to show such an innocent smile in front of others? ]

【Sao.】

[The cigarette that was smoked to the end fell from between the two fingers to the floor. Although the sound was slight, it also woke up the two people who were immersed in their own thoughts. ]

[“…That’s roughly what I remember, but I really can’t remember what agreement I made with Zaimokuza at that time.”]

[Hiratsuka Shizuka threw the cigarette butt onto the floor and stomped it out with her foot, then pulled out a pack of tissues from her pocket and took out a few, while she cleaned up the ashes on the floor and spoke.]

[“Next, it’s your turn, Yukinoshita, to tell me about what you know about Zaimokuza.”]

[“How is that guy now? Is he still writing novels? Has his appearance changed over the years? Is he still maintaining that body that can squeeze out three layers of wheels?”]

[“Zaimokuza-san is still writing novels, but as for other things…”]

[After coming back to her senses from her own thoughts, Yukinoshita Yukino followed Hiratsuka Shizuka's words and recalled the current Zaimokuza, thinking of his appearance that now attracts the stares of many women and the pursuit of scouts whenever he crosses the street, as well as the various strange skills he possesses...]

【“～”】

[As she thought about it, Yukinoshita Yukino's mouth slowly formed a touching smile. 】

[Besides that, perhaps the only thing that hasn't changed is his smile that remains the same as it was in high school and his inner perseverance.]

【"?"】

[Hiratsuka Shizuka cleaned up the ashes and cigarette butts on the ground and looked at Yukinoshita Yukino with some confusion, wondering why she laughed at this time. ]

[“Hiratsuka-sensei, regarding how Zaimokuza-san is doing now… I decided not to tell you.”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino's words attracted Hiratsuka Shizuka's attention, but then suddenly stopped at the key point, just like a novel that fascinated the reader, but the last chapter said "wait for the follow-up", which made her so angry that she almost wanted to blow her beard and glare - if Hiratsuka Shizuka had a beard. ]

[“Hey! Yukinoshita, you’re so cunning. Are you deliberately teasing me? At least show me a current photo of him.”]

[“That won’t do. If you do that, there won’t be any surprises for you.”]

[“Hmm? Could it be that the boy has changed a lot now?”]

[“The current Zaimokuza-san is not something that can be described as a big change… but you will know this when you meet him, but there is one thing I can assure you.”]

[Speaking of this, the smile on Yukinoshita Yukino's face faded, and her eyes and expression became serious for the first time. Her tone was so serious that even Hiratsuka Shizuka, who was a little confused, was stunned. ]

[“——I believe that Zaimokuza-san will definitely make you proud.”]

……

[Chiba Prefecture, Togane City, in front of a river. ]

【Zaimokuza stood in front of the river, looking back and forth at the surrounding scene, resting his chin with his fingers and thinking for a while.】

[“I have already notified the police station here to conduct a dragnet search of all the rivers here. They should be able to find No. 22 and the newly emerged unconfirmed life form soon… Zaimokuza?”]

[Kousaka Kyosuke came up from behind him. He was talking, but when he saw Zaimokuza's eyes wandering and he looked like he was thinking, he asked in confusion.]

[“Ah? Mr. Kosaka.”]

[Zaimokuza's thoughts were interrupted by Kousaka Kyousuke's voice, and he turned around and smiled apologetically.]

[“What are you thinking about? You look like you are lost in thought. Has the wound on your chest healed?”]

[Kousaka Kyosuke walked up to him, glanced at the bloodstained shirt he was still wearing, and asked with concern.]

[“Yes! It’s okay now. This kind of injury is just a piece of cake for me.”]

【Zaimokuza smiled cheerfully, gave Kousaka Kyousuke a thumbs-up, and then put it down.】

[“Also… I think I’ve figured out how to defeat No. 22.”]

[“Really? What’s the solution?”]

[Kousaka Kyosuke raised his eyebrows when he heard this and asked with some curiosity.]

[“That is, the awakening mode of the red form.”]

[“Red form awakening mode… Do you know how to use that power? You know, we failed so many times before and couldn’t find the reason.”]

【Thinking of the awakening experiment that had failed countless times before, Kousaka Kyousuke frowned and asked Zaimokuza with some suspicion.】

【And Zaimokuza once again gave him a thumbs up in response to his question, this time using both hands.】

【"Big husband!"】

[His white teeth sparkled in the sunlight, almost blinding Kousaka Kyousuke's eyes.]

[“Just now, Umi-Hina has sent me a piece of information speculating on the reasons for the failure of the previous experiment.”]

[“So, now I probably know what to do.”]

【Zaimokuza smiled and rubbed his nose with his finger, his eyes becoming serious.】

[“We need to defeat No. 22 as soon as possible. After all…”]

[“There are people waiting for me to go on a date.”]

[——Please wait for me, teacher. ]

71. Fiery Determination -in-

[“Since you are so confident, this time, I will still choose to bet that you can succeed. 133txt.com”]

【Kousaka Kyosuke smiled at Zaimokuza's cheerful smile, shook off his windbreaker, and turned to walk towards the police car parked not far behind him.】

[“According to the previous research of the police and scientific research on the crime scene of No. 22, the targets of that guy were all drivers of large trucks, and all of them were similar to those with large emissions and loud noises. Judging from its strange human form and the characteristics of a rhino, No. 22 should also have some characteristics of a rhino.”]

[“I speculate that it will react to the noise of this kind of industrial vehicle like a rhino, so I will borrow a truck with the highest emissions from a nearby driver as bait and drive it along its route, luring No. 22 to the deserted wilderness... At that time, the rest of the cleanup will be up to you.”]

[“Don’t worry, Mr. Kosaka! I will definitely arrive in time by then——By the way!”]

【Zaimokuza, who was originally waving goodbye, suddenly thought of something, and his expression changed as he took a quick step and ran towards Kousaka Kyosuke who was walking away.】

["Mr. Kosaka, wait a minute!"]

[“Hmm? What’s wrong?”]

[Kousaka Kyosuke, who was about to get in the car after opening the door, stopped and turned to look at Zaimokuza in surprise.]

[“Um… Mr. Kosaka, I want to borrow something from you.”]

【Zaimokuza rubbed his hands together and laughed, his eyes looking at Kousaka Kyousuke were inexplicably evasive.】

【“???”】

[For some reason, seeing Zaimokuza, who looked like a street vendor, negotiating the price of goods with customers, Kousaka Kyousuke suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart. ]

……

[Chiba Prefecture, Togane City, on a river. ]

【01:23 p.m】

【puff! 】

[“Wuhuh!? It’s a Kappa!”]

[“Run!”]

[A large hand suddenly stretched out from the water, shocking the group of fishermen on the riverside. They were even more frightened when they saw a sturdy figure with hideous wounds and blood, water plants on his head and a broken arm in his hand standing up from the water. They all quickly picked up their fish baskets and fishing rods and ran desperately towards their cars and motorcycles parked on the shore.]

【“Biran…that bastard!”】

[Zain, with a sinister look on his face, stood in the river, covering his left eye with one hand, breathing heavily with his right eye red, and threw the arm that had turned back into a human form back into the river, letting it float down with the current.]

[Just now in the struggle in the river, it used its brute force far exceeding that of the opponent to tear off one of Biran's arms, but it was also hit hard by the opponent, and its entire face was almost cut in half by the blade on its other arm.]

【Zain couldn't help but loosen his grip on Biran's hands due to the severe pain, and Biran, who was like a fish in water, escaped in the water at a speed comparable to that of a shark, leaving no trace behind.】

[The anger and frustration in its heart made it howl to the sky, and the cuts on its body quickly recovered to their original state, leaving only bloodstains on its body. ]

[“Just wait! After I kill Kuuga, you will be the next target in the game!”]

[“Tsk! These two guys are not dead…”]

[In the dark, where Zain could not see as he climbed up the river bank, Gooma, still wearing black clothes, was hiding in the woods and watching it. His pale face was filled with depression because he did not see the two Gurongis die together as he wished.]

[“Kuuga, biran, baruba, and the rest of those ‘me’ bastards…”]

【Thinking of the bullying he had suffered from his companions these days, Gooma's eyes gradually became bloodshot. The incomparable humiliation and anger made him tightly clench his black-gloved hands, so strong that he even broke the leather gloves. His fingers pierced through the gloves and inserted into his palms, and blood dripped down under the yellow leaves at his feet.】

[“You all deserve to die!”]

[Gooma, furious, slowly shifted his gaze from Zain's back and looked in a certain direction.]

[It was looking in the direction of the ruins of Kuroyama in Nagano Prefecture, where the Gurongi clan was resurrected, and the pupils of its eyes flickered. ]

[“If I could get that thing…”]