My youth story cannot be a knight war

[Amid Zain's muffled groans, an all-mighty flying kick completely shattered the entire horn from the tip, sending fragments flying everywhere. The final kick landed squarely on the center of its forehead, a force of at least tens of tons causing Zain's forward-moving figure to suddenly stop. He then flew backwards and crashed into a wooden warehouse in the distance. The entire warehouse collapsed under the residual force of this blow.]

【Snapped. 】

[Zaimokuza supported himself with one hand and raised the other hand to maintain balance while landing. Burning white smoke rose from the sole of his right foot.]

【"call--"】

[He looked at the collapsed warehouse in the distance and slowly stood up, with hot white air coming out of the edge of his metallic mouthparts as it opened and closed.]

【Finish……】

“…Good job! KUUGA!”

[——It seems like it’s still early. ]

66. Welcome to our Ministry (Two in One)

The wreckage of the collapsed warehouse shattered in all directions. Zain stood up, clutching his forehead where the horn had once been. Zaimokuza's almighty flying kick had destroyed the thick, long horn from the tip down in the previous collision. Now, only the root remained standing. Blood flowed from the broken root, quickly coating his expressionless, stiff face, like a mask.

[Zi——]

A crimson "Flame" totem emerged from Zain's forehead, where he had been hit by the almighty flying kick. The surrounding air instantly distorted, proving the totem's intense heat.

"You're the first warrior to shatter the long horns I'm so proud of. It seems you're finally not as cowardly as you used to be. I agree with you, KUUGA!"

Zain lowered his hand covering the broken horn, his mouth opening and closing to utter clear human language, letting the blood continue to flow and the totem on his forehead burn him, as if he was not the one injured.

【“!?”】

Seeing this scene full of déjà vu, Zaimokuza's heart suddenly sank. He was almost suffering from PTSD from this situation.

[During the months of fighting against the Gurongi that revived from the ruins of Kuroyama, only three of them were able to stand up after being hit by his special moves, and each of them left Zaimokuza with a painful memory. ]

[Even though those three Gurongi were defeated by Zaimokuza afterwards, the process can be said to be a near-death experience. Every time Zaimokuza thinks about it, he covers his injured parts, as if he can still feel the phantom pain left over from the battle.]

【No way……】

【"snort!"】

[The next moment, Zain snorted coldly, confirming Zaimokuza's thoughts. The totem on his forehead turned into red light particles and dissipated, leaving only the hideous bleeding wound in its place.]

[“Now it’s my turn!”]

[“This is the power you gave me, so I will return it to you now. In the language of this era, this is called “reciprocity”!”]

Zain spread his arms out to his sides like wings. The copper-colored belt pattern around his waist turned a dark purple near his eyes, almost black. His already bulging muscles expanded again, and his meridians pulsed and floated through his muscles, as if he were covered in a suit of muscle armor.

【Buzz.】

Purple ripples spread from its belt toward its body. Zain's bulging black muscles changed their nature under the ripples, hardening into a suit of brown armor. Under his shoulders, originally covered by shoulder armor, grew another piece of armor with a sharper arc, forming a double layer of shoulder armor.

Zain's eyes also turned dark purple after the ripples spread. His forehead was broken, leaving only the long horn at the root. From the broken part, a new sharp horn quickly condensed upwards. Even two other shorter horns like devil-like long horns extended from both sides of his temples. All three sharp horns were purple, reflecting a seductive purple light like purple jade under the sunlight.

【Zu-Zain-Da·Reinforced Body·Strong Body.】

[“Purple power, big trouble…”]

[The moment Zaimokuza saw Zain transform into this form, he knew things were going to get bad again.]

[Because of the fact that he transformed into Kuuga, he also had the ability to transform into a purple titan form, so Yoshizai Mokuza knew how difficult this power was. After putting on heavy armor and sacrificing speed, his attack and defense power were greatly enhanced.]

[Without weapons, the attack power of his fists and feet is not much inferior to that of the red form. After picking up weapons, his attack power is even better than all the forms. Especially in terms of defense, it is simply superior to all the forms. It can be said to be a turtle shell. Ordinary attacks cannot cause any damage at all.]

[Zaimokuza has always loved his Titan form, but when the enemy also has this form, it is a terrible nightmare. 】

[So far, in Zaimokuza's memory, there has only been one record of the Titan form being defeated in battle. That was the last time he fought against No. 21. After the opponent changed into the red form, he suffered a lot. -]

[Red form? Zaimokuza was stunned, and subconsciously looked down at the red spiritual stone belt around his waist. ]

[Then, maybe...]

While Zaimokuza was still pondering, Zain, transformed into a rigid form, bent down and picked up a piece of warehouse debris in front of him, tearing it into two pieces like a piece of paper and holding it in his hands.

【Buzz.】

[The two fragments of the gatehouse became illusory and transparent in its hands, and then twisted and changed their shape, turning into two dark and heavy axes. There was a rhinoceros-like totem on each of the two axe blades.]

[“Tsk, super transformation!”]

[When he saw the enemy take out his own form of weapon, Zaimokuza realized that he had no time to think and smacked his lips unwillingly, then clasped his hands on his waist. The red spirit stone instantly turned purple, and a silver armor with purple stripes also covered his body. ]

[Zaimokuza picked up a steel bar that was left behind by a worker when he fled. The muddy steel bar turned into a large Titan sword in his hand, and the hollow blade popped out from the tail of the sword.]

[“Great! This is the battle I want! That’s it!”]

Zain laughed heartily upon seeing Zaimokuza transform into a Titan. He crossed his axes before him and charged forward, where Zaimokuza stood ready with his sword in hand...

【Chiba Prefecture, Chiba City Sobu High School. 】

[“Teacher Hiratsuka, remember to come back more often when you have nothing to do. Sobu High School always welcomes you, and the teachers will be very happy to see you back.”]

【“Thank you, Mr. Kudo.”】

[Waving to thank the old school gate security guard behind her, Shizuka Hiratsuka looked back at the familiar campus in front of her, exhaled gently from her mouth, her eyes full of emotion. ]

[“Sobu High School… I’m back.”]

[After many years, the high school in front of me has not undergone any major changes. Only the yellowed exterior walls of the buildings have been repainted, and the rest of the building structure has not changed. Looking down from above, the overall structure is still the "mouth"-shaped structure that students have been complaining about.]

[The sea breeze blew in from the sea not far away, blowing Hiratsuka Shizuka's long hair that she had tied into a ponytail because she was too bothered to do so. The tip of the ponytail swayed gently at her slender waist and back, wavering like her mood.]

[Hiratsuka Shizuka slowly took off the sunglasses on her face and looked at the familiar square school building in front of her with a dazed look. The special building and the teaching building were connected by a corridor on the second floor, forming a square building. In the middle was the sacred place for students to talk about love - the atrium.]

[Those students who had boyfriends and girlfriends at that time always used that place as their base. They ate lunch together as a mixed group during lunch break, played badminton together to help digestion, talked about love with the sunset school building as the background after school, and looked up at the stars while bathing in the sea breeze.]

[In order to ensure that the deviation value and admission rate are among the best in the county, one of the school rules of Sobu High School is that dating is not allowed. Students who dare to show their affection openly are the principal and teachers' biggest worry, because it affects their salary and benefits. ]

[As long as any signs of love are found, they will all be killed without mercy! ]

[The principal's momentum when he slammed the table and said this at the teachers' meeting that year was like Jiang Wei in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms preparing for a last-ditch battle. His usually mellow face actually looked like a general in the Warring States Period when he became serious, except that the shining Mediterranean on his head somewhat ruined his image and temperament.]

[However, how could students in adolescence, who were in the age of inner excitement, honestly abide by this school rule? The courtyard was occupied by students who were developing secret relationships for a long time. Couples used the excuse of eating together here to avoid being chased by school teachers. They often sat on the guardrails under the trees and smiled as they watched the teachers walk by with glaring eyes, looking for direct evidence of their intimacy. When they couldn't find any evidence, they left in despair with a look of helplessness on their faces, and they enjoyed it.]

[This includes Shizuka Hiratsuka, but she is not one of the students, but one of the teachers who played the role of the hunter. As a girl who was approaching 30 and wanted to get married, her hatred for couples can be imagined. She has always been the most active teacher in responding to the school's rule. Couples who were caught in the act of intimacy and fell into her hands would not leave without a layer of skin peeled off. She was feared by the student couples back then.]

[I would rather fall into the hands of the principal than enter the Hiratsuka Gate! ]

[This proverb had extraordinary power among the lovers of Sobu High School back then, and it has remained popular for a long time. Even after many years, it is still regarded as a campus legend by the students of Sobu High School now. They talk about it with relish, and speculate about what kind of god the Hiratsuka teacher of Sobu High School was, who could make those seniors so afraid.]

Shizuka Hiratsuka walked towards the courtyard. At her side, another Shizuka Hiratsuka ran over, grabbed the collars of two affectionate couples near the flower bed, and, ignoring their pleas for mercy with a sly grin, dragged them towards the Dean of Discipline's office. The other couples nearby watched in fear as the dashing figure dragged the two unfortunate couples away, lamenting that yet another lesbian couple had fallen prey to the clutches of the great Hiratsuka demon. The remaining singles who passed by gloated, secretly praising Hiratsuka-sensei for her work! The FFF members looked up at her with admiration, their hearts firmly fixed on their resolve to emulate Shizuka Hiratsuka...

[As Hiratsuka Shizuka's black boots stepped into the shadow cast by the tree canopy in the courtyard, the other Hiratsuka Shizuka and the couple she held in her hands, as well as the classmates watching the excitement and the other couples in silence, all turned into invisible and colorless phantoms and disappeared, only the laughter and joy seemed to still linger in the ears.]

[Those are just illusions of the past. As time goes by, the students she taught have graduated many years ago and have embarked on their own paths in life, becoming people in society like Hiratsuka Shizuka. Some have even started families and careers like Tobe Sho and Sagami Minami.]

[“This place…hasn’t changed at all.”]

【Ha ha ha ha--】

[Hiratsuka Shizuka closed her eyes, the laughter of her students continued to ring in her ears, echoing deep in her heart, like a ray of light shining in her tired soul.]

[Sobu High School is still Sobu High School, Nakatani is still Nakatani, and Hiratsuka Shizuka is still Hiratsuka Shizuka. 】

[But everyone who was here back then has long since left and never returned. She is the only one who returned here after leaving, just to keep the promise she made with a student, who she doesn't know if she still remembers.]

[Shizuka Hiratsuka feels like she is a ghost from the past, wandering alone in a place that only she remembers and unwilling to leave. Her back must look a bit pitiful.]

[She looked up at the teaching buildings around her. Students were still attending classes, wearing the familiar black school uniforms, but there was not a single student she was familiar with.]

[A few students who were sitting by the window and daydreaming noticed Shizuka Hiratsuka standing under the tree in the courtyard, and looked at this beauty they had never seen before with curiosity. Shizuka Hiratsuka also smiled and waved to them, then turned and walked towards the stairs of one of the teaching buildings.]

【Snapped. 】

[She stepped on the stairs, and the sound of her footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell because students were in class.]

[It has been many years since she left, but when Shizuka Hiratsuka stepped onto this staircase and walked up, she didn't feel strange at all, as if she had never left. ]

[And many years ago, the Hiratsuka Shizuka, who had a piece of bread in her mouth, milk and textbooks in her hands, and a tired look in her eyes, passed by me and walked in the direction she was going. ]

[Hiratsuka Shizuka followed the steps of herself in her memory, quietly bypassing the classroom where students were taking classes, looking far away at the teacher's office where she used to stay, passing by the door of the health room, walking through the corridor full of student clubs, and slowly walking towards the other side of the teaching building where there were few people.]

[Hiratsuka Shizuka is so familiar with this place that she can walk to any place she wants to go in the school with her eyes closed.]

[She thought she had forgotten the way here, but when she came here, all the memories surged out from the depths of her brain like a flood, washing away the dust of time. The water of memory flowed down along the track, washing through every pipe, washing away the dried traces and revealing the original color underneath.]

[But when you spend at least a quarter of your life in one place, how can you not feel familiar with it? ]

【Finally, Shizuka Hiratsuka stopped and slowly opened her eyes.】

[What appeared before her was a sliding door of a classroom. ]

【“…”】

[Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the sliding door, as if she could see the scene inside through it.]

[A girl with long black hair is sitting by the window, reading a book. The breeze blows up her hair tied with a red string and the pages of the book. The girl with slightly frowned brows puts the long hair by her ears behind her head, puts a bookmark into the book to find the content she wants to read and turns to the next page; a girl with pink hair tied in two buns is lying on the table, clicking on the shopping app on her mobile phone with both hands to find the cosmetics she wants to buy, but sighs because of the expensive prices; a boy with dead fish eyes and short black hair sits stiffly on a chair far away from the two of them, holding a stack of manuscripts and looking hopeless; a fat boy with short white hair and a windbreaker outside his school uniform stands in front of him with great interest, his eyes sparkling as he waits for his best friend to appreciate his new "masterpiece" about a love quadrangle. The girl with long black hair and short pink hair casts pitying glances at the dead fish eyes here...]

[Even their voices can be heard clearly.]

[“Hey, hey, Hachiman! Come and have a look! This is my most proud new masterpiece!”]

[“Uh… you can look for Yukinoshita first—”]

[“It was the director who asked me to come to you! She said she would wait for your evaluation before reading it, and said “If you are more conscious than Penguin, you might as well read it.” I wonder why the director said that?”]

[…Then, Yuigahama—”]

[“Yuigahama-san said that her literary literacy is not as profound as yours, Hachiman and Yukinoshita-san, and that your evaluation is definitely better than hers, and she also asked me to come to you. But after I went to the club, she asked me to come to you.”]

【“…”】

【"?"】

[“…Then maybe you could talk to Mr. Hiratsuka? He teaches Chinese after all, so he’s definitely better at evaluating works than I am (his voice gets lower and lower)…”]

[“Hmm~ That’s true. Then Hiratsuka-sensei should be right now—”]

[“Eh? Hiratsuka-sensei!”]

【Click.】

[After the last exclamation, Hiratsuka Shizuka opened the sliding door in front of her. ]

[What she saw was an old, empty classroom with windows tightly shut. Many unused desks and chairs were stacked in the corners, covered with a thin layer of dust. The chair legs were covered with spider webs. It looked like they had not been used for a long time.]

[Besides that, there is no one here. There is no Yuigahama Yui lying on the table playing with her phone; there is no Yukinoshita Yukino sitting by the window reading a book; there is no Hikigaya Hachiman and Zaimokuza Yoshiteru sitting next to the sliding door - there is no student who has not seen each other for many years, who is familiar yet strange, waiting here. ]

[Except for Shizuka Hiratsuka, there was no one here. After she walked in, she glanced around the old, empty classroom, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a somewhat stiff arc.]

[She smiled, a smile that was somewhat bitter, but also somewhat relieved.]

[As if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders, Shizuka Hiratsuka's hunched and stiff shoulders relaxed.]

[“As expected, I knew it would be like this. How could there be a student who takes the promise with the teacher as seriously as I do? Even I almost forgot about it, not to mention Zaimokuza, who has a short memory. I actually expected him to come. Ah, ah, ah, I am so silly and cute.”]

[“Hmm~ The weather is great, but the sun is a little glaring. Well, let’s just treat it as a hike to exercise our body!”]

[Hiratsuka Shizuka stretched her waist, making a crackling sound like frying beans, and looked at the empty classroom. The smile on her face gradually faded until it disappeared completely.]

[“…Well, the hike is over, and it’s time to go home.”]

[She lowered her eyelids and looked at the shoes on her feet, pursed her lips, turned around and tried to walk towards the exit of the classroom.]

[But just after taking a step, Hiratsuka Shizuka stopped. ]

[Because the exit was currently blocked by a person, the person standing at the door looked at the stunned Hiratsuka Shizuka with his dark blue eyes, and a faint smile formed at the corner of his mouth.]

[Although the smile was light, it was like the thawing of an iceberg, and all the dormant creatures woke up from their hibernation.]

[“It’s a little too early to define Zaimokuza-san now, isn’t it? After all, he is your student and a member of the Service Club.”]

[“Article 2 of the Servant Club Rules: ‘You must never break a promise you made to another person. Anyone who breaks the promise, regardless of gender, must confess to Hiratsuka-sensei.’ So don’t worry, Zaimokuza-san will never forget the promise he made with you.”]

[“By the way, long time no see, Hiratsuka-sensei.”]

【"you……"】

[Looking at the woman in front of her who looked somewhat familiar but whose temperament was much more mature than she remembered, Shizuka Hiratsuka's eyes gradually widened, with surprise and astonishment in her eyes that could not be concealed.]

[When the girl smiled, her bright smile almost made Shizuka Hiratsuka mistakenly believe that the person in front of her was her twin sister, with whom she had always maintained contact.]

[But Hiratsuka Shizuka immediately rejected this idea, because the secondary sexual characteristics on the chest of the girl's twin sister were definitely not as flat as hers, and that smile would never be as sincere as hers, and would not be as joyful as hers, with the joy and tenderness of a long-lost reunion.]

[“——Yukinoshita!?”]