The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

After a long jog, Asuka Ma Heishin arrived at the school and followed the path he remembered. It was only around 7:30, and classes didn't officially start until 8:5, so there weren't many students. He didn't have to hide from others, and the path was smooth. After climbing the stairs for a long time, Heishin finally reached the fifth floor of the high school building. Besides the archives and the storage room where trophies and certificates of honor were stored, there was only one room on this floor: the principal's office, and today's target.

Before entering the principal's office, Ping Xin washed his face. Under the running water, his body temperature slowly returned to normal. The long-awaited exercise made him feel a little tired and excited.

He hadn't had a proper workout like this in a long time. Ever since contracting a strange illness three years ago, his health had deteriorated steadily. Even consuming dozens of servings of nutrients daily could barely keep his condition from deteriorating further. So, without the benefits of exercise, someone was happy to be a homebody. After all, a daily diet of carbohydrates and delicious food wouldn't change his figure. Some people might appreciate this "physique," but to him, it was just an "enemy" hindering his progress.

He pushed open the door to the principal's office. The layout was exactly the same as it had been two and a half years prior, when he'd officially enrolled in junior high school and gone through the paperwork. The only difference was that he'd arrived late that day, too. When he entered, Principal Jin Kirikiri was sitting at his desk, grinning sullenly at his computer screen.

Today, on the contrary, he arrived early, and it seemed that Jin Kirikiri had only just arrived. Breakfast, probably bread he'd bought on the way, was laid out on the table, and Jin Kirikiri was brewing fresh coffee at the coffee machine. Hearing the door open, Jin Kirikiri assumed it was his daughter, Hibikiko, after all, she was the only one in the school who had entered the principal's office without knocking. But after today, that list might have to include Maheishin Asuka.

"I'm most familiar with your personality. You're the type who won't do anything unless it's beneficial... Tell me, what do you want from me?"

There was no need to go through all those complicated etiquette and hierarchical relationships with his own children and nephews. Wu Qiren just asked casually, as simple and casual as asking the kid next door what he did in school today.

"?"

Can you translate for me what "no gain, no early rise" means? Can this be a good word?

"......Please call me Uncle Kirigiri, an outstanding young man with clear goals, good at time planning, and amazing execution ability, a pillar of the future." He showed his "flat-headed" nature to Ping Xin, who was like a bad friend. This man's character is not so much a hedgehog that is on guard against everyone as it is a flat-headed brother that dares to touch anyone he meets. It's just that his "playful" character and weak body made him become the timid appearance he is now. In essence, he is a guy who likes to show off in front of others, just like most of his fellow time travelers.

"?"

You're already gasping for breath after hearing a few words from me? Not to mention the previous incidents, even in junior high, you barely came to school. You even overslept and had to wait until halfway through an exam. On your first day of high school, you were even half a day late. How dare someone like you call yourself a pillar of society and a national backbone? While your abilities are indeed exceptional—if your essay hadn't gone off topic, you'd have topped the national exam in your third year of junior high. And while you've achieved astonishing success in both your career and hobbies, achieving life goals others pursue long before their time—combined with your past experiences, your reputation is likely to be one of talent without moral integrity.

Both of them stopped at the point and didn't waste time on boring bickering. After all, sooner or later, the person who would show up would appear at any time, the kind who walked without making any sound -

"...Huh? Isn't this the new product from that famous bakery chain? Give me some."

Ping Xin, who had been sitting on the sofa, suddenly shot out his right hand like a snake emerging from its hole, barking as he aimed at the breakfast bread he had just moved to the coffee table along with his owner. Although Ping Xin's movements were nimble and agile, his attack was as confident as if it were a piece of cake. However, Wu Qili Ren had the advantage in distance, and in the end, they both grabbed the bread at the same time.

"My dear nephew, what do you mean by that? It's a good thing that you came to my office to seek my advice, but it's already rude to visit without a gift. Why did you bother to touch the bread?"

"As the saying goes, 'When you meet, you share half.' You are the principal, the respected elder of the school. Why don't you split this bread in half and give it to the younger generation to show your courtesy and kindness as an elder?"

"...Well, just for your father's sake, let me bestow this fatherly love on you on his behalf."

"?"

At some point, Kirikiri Hitoshi's only daughter, and Ohira Nobu's senior by two years, Kirikiri Kyoko, was already standing outside the door, observing the two men with a strange look. The two men straightened their backs instantly and looked at each other. They didn't want to embarrass themselves in front of their "old rival" (friend regardless of age difference) in front of this sister/daughter with a strong personality and outstanding abilities.

You don't close the door?

I hadn't planned to stay long.

What to do.

I have nothing to do with rain.

Asukama Heishin felt a sudden dryness in his mouth as he ate his bread, but the sight of the 100% black coffee in Kirikiri Jin's cup made him stop paying attention and concentrate on being a hamster. People with both social anxiety and gluttony are the most formidable predators at the dinner table. Looking at Heishin, who had mastered the art of feigning death, Kirikiri Jin sighed inwardly—whatever, it was a mistake after all. He then turned to the door and spoke to his beloved daughter, Kirikiri Kyouko.

"Xiangzi, when did you come? Yes, I love you, too."

Then he handed over the only half of his bread he had left, showing his equal treatment.

Ahem, Uncle Wuqili, what on earth did you learn from my unreliable father, Pingheng? Pingxin turned his head away guiltily. After all, the "language of the strong" in this world was one of the "specialties of the other world" he brought with him.

"...Anyway, I need to take some time off for the next while. I'm not sure when, where, or even what the conditions are for completing it. I'll have to trouble you with the application from the school, Uncle Ren."

"I see... You must have your own considerations, so I won't say much. If you encounter difficulties, you can try to rely on us. After all, we are all friends who have watched you grow up. Your parents... if they were still alive, they would definitely say the same thing -"

"...I get it. You're only in your 30s, so don't keep talking like an old man. I'll take care of myself. Bye, Uncle Ren and Sister Xiangzi."

What a heartwarming scene of uncles and nephews, perhaps we should really come and see them more often——

"Xiao Xin, take care~~"

This guy!!! This is definitely intentional!

Ping Xin didn't like this nickname because it sounded like a kindergarten kid who could do the "elephant dance". Although he was quite happy when watching the animation, it didn't mean that he wanted to be like that! Even though he protested many times, he couldn't resist his mother. So this nickname spread in a small circle, which was really a nightmare for him.

After flashing the smirking Jin Kirikiri with the international sign of friendship, Hirayuki waved goodbye to Kirikiri Kyouko. Now Hirayuki must race against time to train and unleash the Ripple Power that might reside within him. DIO, possessing the Stand "World," is the boss of the third installment, and his body is that of Jonathan Joestar, the original JoJo. Hirayuki's task now is to unleash the power of the "Ripple Warrior" within Jonathan Joestar's flesh.

Some might find this puzzling, but remember, before awakening his Stand "World" yesterday, Heishin didn't have the three moles on his left ear that symbolized good fortune. He didn't know what this meant, but relying on the potential for ripple power was more reliable than doing nothing or relying on some strange sorcery, magic, or religion. After all, he had seen with his own eyes during his previous world tour that this was a world without supernatural powers.

“…Let’s go—”

Now, he had to race against time, and avoiding the main road filled with schoolchildren was a basic need for social anxiety. However, he had never expected that even the naturally lucky DIO could be defeated, let alone him who only inherited a few special traits. What is certain is that there is something in this world that can surpass his "luck". If he had to name it, it would probably be "fate". If he had to find a specific symbol for it -

"Yaho~Hira Nobu-kun, are you here so early today?"

On a path surrounded by flowers, Ping Xin met his destiny.

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

Chapter 4000 What does a train sound like? ()

“…?…!”

Mizukari, upon hearing the noise at the entrance, found only a tattered corpse lying on the ground. It was facedown, its left index finger extended forward. The music playing from its headphones had also changed to a new song, the lyrics lip-synced from "Khaki Detachment" to "Kimo's Flower~."

The girl poked the corpse's cheek and found her hand covered in sweat. She took a pack of tissues from the coffee table with disdain and began to wipe him carefully. When she was almost done, the "male corpse" on the ground also began to move again.

"...Hmm—was it you who woke me up, my unknown beautiful girl? In return, I can grant you three wishes."

"Where did you come from?" The black-haired girl with red highlights showed a look of disgust. She wrote and drew on the whiteboard for a while, then showed him the contents.

"...'Are you okay?' Humph, what could possibly be wrong with me? I'm in the best condition I've ever been, haha. But it would be even better if Lord Lan could hand me a bottle of water."

No, what I want to ask is if there is something wrong with your head.

The rebellious girl wore a look of disdain for the man before her, but she obediently took a bottle of sports drink from the refrigerator and handed it to him. While she had always been known as a "straight girl," that didn't mean she lacked emotional intelligence. Heishin's uncharacteristic chatter was likely just a performance to reassure her and cheer her up.

This must be what tsundere means, so adorable, Ran-chan. Knowing the consequences of saying this, the man wisely shut up and began to enjoy the sports drink in front of him. After all, even joking should be done within limits. He never told those around him dirty jokes, jokes that might cause trouble, or jokes that were not funny at all. Those who have been hurt always know how to avoid hurting others.

"...Okay, now I can still grant you two wishes—"

After drinking the ice drink, the man felt alive again, so he stretched out two fingers and made a V sign.

Two wishes? Wasn't it three just now?

Seeing the doubt in the eyes of the girl in front of him, the man smiled wickedly. I am here to break your fantasy and tell you the darkness of the adult world.

"This is like a pie in the sky, a promise made by your boss. They tell you your monthly salary is 20 yen before you start, but then, when you meet them, they tell you that's base salary plus performance bonuses. After a month of diligent work, you find your pay is less than 8 yen. Then, they tell you the agreed-upon salary is pre-tax, and that it also includes social security, housing fund, meal allowance, and other extras."

If your performance doesn't meet the standards, you might even have to rely on the minimum wage subsidy. This is the adult world."

Ping Xin couldn't help but laugh when he saw the confused and doubtful expression on the face of the middle school girl in front of him. He touched her head and then suffered a severe blow to his shin. The man cosplaying as Neymar on the ground had learned a truth: don't try to reason with women, because when they are confused, you can take action yourself and deal with the mean man who asked annoying questions. As a virgin for two lifetimes, he had never considered the fact that touching someone's head, especially a teenage girl's hair, was not something everyone would indulge him unconditionally like his younger sister did when she was young and the maids at home.

"How was your rest at home today? I hope you didn't eat anything wrong. How effective is the loquat paste I gave you? Do you feel better?"

Seeing the young man who had just gotten up from the ground and started asking questions like an old woman, Mei Zhulan felt a little panicked for no reason, so she kicked him again. However, she couldn't help but reduce the strength when it was about to hit her body, and reduced it a little more when she really kicked him. In the end, it was just a light touch like a dragonfly touching the water.

"...?"

Asuka Maheishin, who was familiar with "Reading Comprehension" and "Emotional Intelligence", was still thinking about the deep meaning of this behavior and did not notice Mizukuri's expression at this time. When he raised his head, he could only see the white writing board after writing and drawing.

"...What did I do today? It must be—"

Ping Xin thought for a long time, wanting to say something but stopping himself, and finally he sighed and said meaningfully.

"I'm like 'The Scream of a Train' today."

The East Country junior high student, whose brain had been tripped by the Yan Country riddler, was left standing there in bewilderment. After all, how could an East Country person possibly understand the "shopping, eating, shopping, eating, shopping, eating" meme? This was the confidence that multilingualism gave Ping Xin. It felt good to have found his place in a place like this. No one knew how to entertain himself better than him.

"But... I'm still really tired—"

Only in the bathroom could Pingxin truly relax. Just like a man, the breadwinner and head of the household, would never tell his wife or children how hard his work was, how difficult his boss was, or how troublesome a client was. Discouraging words could only be spoken in the dead of night, when he was alone.

Today he jogged all day. He felt hungry while running, ate when he was hungry, and rested for a while after eating before continuing to run. In a sense, it was like a food marathon. Although it sounds very wonderful, when eating and exercising, these two biological behaviors that can stimulate the brain to secrete a large amount of dopamine representing excitement and joy under certain conditions, become endless tasks, it completely changes the nature - the dopamine that makes people feel happy and the negative signals sent by the body that are overwhelmed are superimposed, and all of this becomes painful torture, an endless suffering. Even fans of the alphabet circle dare not easily try this kind of play.

“Huh…Ah—”

Hei Xin couldn't help but groan as he soaked in the warm bathtub. He didn't want to appear before the child right now, so he decided to relax for a while. But at that moment, he felt like a tired office worker after a long day of work. He could easily fall asleep leaning against the handrail on the train, let alone in a luxurious, heated massage bathtub. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, he was already in bed.

"?"

While every sleeper longs for a big, soft bed, isn't the common trope in romantic comedies, where someone falls asleep in the bathtub and then is brought to bed, usually reserved for women? And lately, he's been experiencing sudden sleep too often, reminiscent of classic plots like "Hypnosis" and "Rewriting Common Sense." He spent a while taking photos of ordinary letters with his phone's camera, only to realize... it wasn't much different. This reminded him of his past self—

His once scrawny frame gradually became firmer and more sturdy, even showing patches of subtle yet firm muscle in many places. His hair, which barely reached his ears on the first day of school, had now grown to shoulder length, and he'd even grown a subtle 2-3cm taller. A stronger body and increased height are both rare blessings for a young person, but if all of these things happened within 24 hours, it would be truly terrifying. Ping Xin remained calm as he looked at the three moles on his left ear, for all of this was within his expectations. It would be wonderful if everything remained as planned until the very end...

"Isn't it an illusion? That feeling—"

The feeling of treating passersby like bread, a food readily available everywhere, the feeling of believing one should be at the top and dominate the lower classes, the feeling of being independent of the world. Today's binge eating was partly a nutritional need of the body, and the rest was to suppress a certain "appetite" that he absolutely could not let go.

"Are these all your doings, 'World'?"

Naturally, there was no response. The burly golden figure in his sight, like a loyal guard protecting a king, silently awaited his next command. As his body continued to strengthen, Ping Xin's mental strength grew at an unnatural rate. The benefit was that his control over the "world" grew ever stronger, to the point where it was practically at his fingertips. Simultaneously, his mastery of the ability to stop time had been refined to the point where he could activate it at any moment. This completely avoided the possibility of a tragic one-for-one rescue from the dump truck. After all, he had no guarantee of being able to reincarnate with his memories.

But what about the downsides... Ping Xin thought of his previous "appetite" and the three black moles on his left ear that suddenly appeared, representing good luck. He already had a vague guess in his mind. After all, he had read many interesting novels before crossing over, but he never thought that he would become one of them -

The condition is to [imitate] - or rather "play" the role of the original owner of the Stand's "world" - Dio Brando. Incidentally, the word DIO means "God" in Italian.

Despite his cruel and ruthless nature, DIO possesses a unique charisma that captivates even the most wicked of men, earning him the nickname "The Savior of Villains." His appearance is described in the setting book as "bewitchingly beautiful, with a graceful figure." The original manga often uses words like "beautiful" and "sexy" to describe his appearance. He is described as possessing an unmanly allure, and his words are described as dangerously sweet.

They are arrogant, sinister, and possess a strong sense of self-esteem, yet are also despicable, amoral, and deeply scheming. While competitive, they are also reflective and thoughtful. They are ambitious and strive to correct their shortcomings when they recognize them, but they also suffer from excessive caution. They are adept at exploiting people's weaknesses and forcing them into submission. They devote their free time to diligent study. Most of the time, they appear arrogant, calm, and at ease, but they can resort to foul language when they are extremely angry.

In fact, the words up to this point unexpectedly resonated with Ping Xin, and even made him feel that this was exactly what I felt. However, the "characteristics" that followed were something he could not accept -

Likes to compare people to bread, and considers himself a higher being than humans (playing with food crumbs)

I always want to know where my limit is, but I end up dying from pretending to be awesome (stopping for 9 seconds and spending 7 seconds to move the scraps from the steamroller)

At this point, everyone should have a general understanding of DIO, the popular character in the "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" series, but this is not the point that Pingxin wants to talk about (nor is it an excuse for the author to increase the word count)

What Hirayuko really wants from DIO is the body he took from his sworn brother and nemesis Jonathan Joestar (the original JoJo), or more precisely, the ripple talent in Jonathan's body.

After discovering that he had awakened his Stand, and that his appetite had decreased and his height had changed, he became alert. After conducting a series of studies, he discovered the aforementioned "imitation" law. However, after careful consideration, Ping Xin came to the conclusion that this was not imitation, but more like a "fusion" -

Yes, fusion.

It's as if the awakened Stand's "world" is transmitting certain elements of DIO's body through the connection between the Stand and Asuka Hirayobu. This transference acts like "nutrition," allowing Hirayobu to grow while also causing irreversible changes in his body. Wouldn't the average person be terrified? Faced with the thought of being unknowingly changed, even replaced, by someone they've never met?

This price would be too heavy for anyone, but for Asuka Maheishin, who awakened the "world" of the moon, it was more like a "trial", more like a precious opportunity for him to break free from his useless status -

By capitalizing on this opportunity, he could fully control DIO's immense power—his Stand World—and gain a far superior physique and the potential for ripples. For Ping Xin, a patient who previously couldn't breathe even after climbing three flights of stairs, he had to consider whether this was his only chance. As someone who struggled might say, "Great power often comes with risk." During this fusion, he had to ensure his personality didn't shift too much, and he also had to avoid passing on his unfortunate vampire-like physique. After all, he didn't have the confidence to survive watching everyone else die after achieving immortality.

Moreover, once he possessed the ripple talent, Ping Xin, who mastered the ripple breathing technique, would be able to harness the power of the ripples to improve Mizukari's congenital weakness. Once this problem was resolved, the rest of his studies and flower arrangement training would be a breeze. Compared to the question of innate talent and the theory of longevity, these two issues were simply not worth mentioning. After all, things that can be accomplished solely through hard work are the cheapest, purest, and simplest things in the world.

But don't think of Asuka Maheishin as some saintly figure willing to sacrifice for others; he simply happened to stumble upon something that would "handle" him. A gamble that could resolve two lifelong problems at once, with his own life at stake, was an inevitable and lucrative opportunity, so why wouldn't he take it? After all, in both past and present lives, he's a man who dares to think and act, a stubborn man who won't turn back even if he hits a wall, only to find ways to break down his stubborn mind.

Even if he took a step back, he had already written his will. Even if he failed in the end, he could still take a demon with him after his death, which was not a loss at all.

"Then let us have a showdown, Dio... or some other being. Let's see whether Dio can take over the body and be reborn, or I will digest you, the 'evil god' who regards human life as worthless, first—"

The bet is our life!

The man lying in bed muttered to himself before falling back into a deep sleep from the exertion. A while later, Xiao-shi, the younger sister who had been hiding in the closet after someone suddenly woke up after changing Hirashin's clothes, emerged.

...As expected, her brother was about to take the risk and do something dangerous again. This time, no matter what, he couldn't let anything get him into trouble again. Now that she no longer had her adoptive father, who was like a mentor and a father, and her adoptive mother, who taught her how to be gentle and strong, she was the only one who could stop Ping Xin from doing something stupid!

Although Asuka Batoki wants to stop him, he will always be the little sister who needs protection in front of Hirayobu. No matter who he is or what he says, he can't shake his determination. So more "outside help" is needed here, so who should he find?

That's right! A rational gambler will only worry about the "cost" on the other side of the scale...

At this moment, Mizukami, who was surrounded by her childhood friends in the living room on the first floor, sneezed.

“Ah~choo——!”

"Are you okay?"

No problem, she wrote on her clipboard.

Yeah, no problem, everything will be fine.

As long as we keep working hard, the road will keep expanding (?)

By the way, do you know what "the sound of a train" means?

Mizukami wrote on the clipboard, and then they all fell into deep thought.

Tonight, there are a few more people who can't sleep.

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

Chapter 20 That Sunset

When he came to his senses, it was already noon... This was Ping Xin's true feeling. If you want to know why he had just made a "fitness plan" but slept until noon the next day, the only answer is -

It must be the alarm clock!

But even if the alarm didn't go off, Shi should have woken him up. Could it be that... while half asleep, his body had said something critical like, "I need to slack off. School is really a hassle." But that kind of thing, like saying "five minutes" or "sleep a little longer" while lying in bed, shouldn't be credible at all... First, we can rule out the possibility that Shi deliberately didn't wake Ping Xin up. After all, she's the one who most wants to go to school with Ping Xin. So, there's only one truth:

It must have been DIO's doing!