My youth story cannot be a knight war

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 put the finished AD calcium milk on the table, lowered his head and looked at the floor, his eyes hidden by his messy bangs seemed a little 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. Blazing Fire's Determination (Two-in-One)

"Since you're so confident, I'll still bet on your success this time."

【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 PM

【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. He threw the arm that had transformed back into human form back into the river, letting it float down with the current.]

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

Zain, in excruciating pain, couldn't help but loosen his grip on Biran's hands. Biran, like a fish in water, escaped in the water with the speed 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'll be my next target!"

[“Tsk! These two guys are not dead…”]

In the darkness, unseen by Zain as he climbed up the riverbank, Gooma, still dressed in black as always, watched from the woods. His pale face was filled with depression because he hadn't seen the two Gurongi perish together as he had hoped.

"KUUGA, Biran, Baruba, and the rest of those bastards from ME..."

Thinking back to the bullying he'd endured at the hands of his companions, Gooma's eyes gradually became bloodshot. Overwhelmed with humiliation and rage, he clenched his black-gloved hands tightly, so hard that they tore through the leather. His fingers pierced through the gloves and pierced his palms, causing drops of blood to drip onto the yellowed leaves at his feet.

[“You all deserve to die!”]

[Gooma, enraged, 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…”]

Thinking of something still buried beneath the soil around the Jiulangyue ruins, Gooma's gloomy face turned almost greedy, and his eyes were filled with desire.

【A bold idea emerged in its brain driven by desire. 】

……

[“Yihui-kun, I have a guess as to why you couldn’t use the red form of elemental awakening before, but I don’t know if it’s accurate.”]

[“The reason why previous experiments have failed repeatedly may not be due to you, but to external factors.”]

[“For example, if the red form you are using is an old-fashioned lighter filled with flammable gas, then the elemental awakening is to make the lighter light up, but there is a flint missing between the trigger of the lighter and the tank of flammable gas. Each of your previous experiments is like pulling a lighter without a flint, which is why you fail every time.”]

[“In other words, you need to find a way to put a flint under the trigger, and use the sparks generated when the trigger rubs against the flint to ignite the combustible gas in the lighter. Perhaps this will enable the red form of the element awakening mode.”]

[“These are just speculations. I will continue to investigate the specific reasons. Before that, I hope these speculations can provide you with some useful help in this regard.”]

[“Thank you, Hime.”]

【“…”】

[Thinking of what Ebina Hime said to him on the phone, Zaimokuza closed his eyes and recalled the scene when he first activated his elemental awakening form. ]

[At that time, I was thrown into the swimming pool after being seriously injured by No. 6 in the battle, and then I realized the true meaning of the blue form in it and activated the elemental mode. ]

[At that time, I was in a swimming pool, surrounded by water, and my whole body was completely wrapped in water...]

[If my speculation is correct, then the "external conditions" required to activate the red form of elemental awakening may be——]

【Thinking of this, Zaimokuza took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and looked firmly at the gas station across the street.】

[“Waiter, I need to buy gasoline!”]

[He strode across the street and walked up to the waiter behind the counter, who was concentrating on his computer, and shouted.]

[“We finally got to this wonderful place! Which king is it——”]