Afternoon dismissal. The sun began its gradual descent past the horizon line.
Golden rays dyed the layer upon layer of ocean waves. Carrying a drawn-out, deep rushing sound, they surged from afar, endlessly battering the shores of Advanced Nurturing High School, crashing heavily against the breakwater and transforming into flying shards of snow-white silver. Entangled with salty, briny foam, they scattered outward.
Two or three seagulls, with their clear, sharp cries, occasionally pierced through the roar of the waves, intertwining with the sound of the surf.
In the southeastern corner of the school, there lay a patch of not-yet-fully-developed open land. Students rarely ca here, and over ti, it had beco a place of activity for so animals.
Fuyuji Mikage sat on a bench. Taking out the leftover bread he hadn't finished today, he rubbed it forcefully between his fingers. Breadcrumbs drifted down like snowflakes, scattering onto the ground.
Nearby pigeons tucked in their wings, their heads lowered as they bobbed back and forth rhythmically. With tiny, rapid steps, they swiftly approached his feet, cautiously pecking at the breadcrumbs on the ground.
He sat motionless on the chair, his burning gaze fixed intently on one particularly plump pigeon.
Yes! He had not lied to Ichinose. This pigeon truly did exist!
These past few days, he'd often co here to feed the pigeons. The reason was that so ti ago, when he activated Probe, he could faintly sense the simple emotions of these animals.
For example, the one at his feet eating the fastest—its mood was probably a mix of delight and cunning.
The one ambling slowly around his feet—likely a sense of ease and leisure.
The one flapping its wings in the sky, circling at low altitude—vigilance and curiosity.
But this plump pigeon was different. It had a pair of wise eyes. It often tilted its head and stared at him with one eye, its gaze sowhat vacant and hollow.
Moreover, the emotions it displayed were far from simple.
He could even vaguely discern the aning within its cooing.
For instance, right now, it was probably saying, "This human might just be a little bit slow..."
The smile on his face gradually vanished.
The plump pigeon continued cooing, standing in place with a Buddha-like detachnt. "Why'd he stop smiling? Could it be he doesn't think it was funny..."
"..."
Hold it in. He had to think of a way to capture this one-in-a-million King of Pigeons, and then take it to show off to Morishita and Yamamura.
He'd even thought of a na for it already. He'd call it Nobato—Wild Pigeon.
Expressionless, he poured the breadcrumbs into his palm and extended it toward the pigeon. Kissy sounds ca from his mouth as he tried to lure it over.
In return, he got the sight of a plump, white feathered backside.
"..."
His cheek twitched. He took a deep breath.
Hold it in. Hold it in. Pokemon lore states that the rarer the creature, the harder it is to capture, and the higher its value. Think back—how did the protagonists in those Pokemon novels capture their Pokemon?
He forced a smile onto the corners of his lips and asked amiably, "What kind of food do you like?"
The plump pigeon spread one wing, twisted its head around, and pecked at its own body twice. "What kind of bird gibberish is he speaking? Why do humans always talk to pigeons? Do they actually think pigeons can understand their language? Sigh... they must've gone dumb..."
"..."
He was seriously considering whether to grab a Master Ball—a dip net—scoop it up in one go, take it ho, and then slowly train it.
In the end.
ntally and physically exhausted, he tried every thod possible but still failed to draw its attention over. The plump pigeon flapped its wings and flew off with a pfft pfft sound.
Before it left, it even made a point of thanking this silly human for providing a buffet and indicated it would rember him.
He gritted his teeth and pinched the flesh of his thigh, only then managing to resist the urge to lock his hands around its throat and drag it ho on the spot.
He dusted off his palms, shook off the remaining breadcrumbs, stood up in a huff, and strode off with large steps toward the school building.
It must be that his bond with it wasn't deep enough yet. He'd feed it a while longer. Once it acknowledged him as its master, he'd slowly settle the old scores then.
Otherwise, if he forced it now, what if it couldn't undergo GA evolution later?
Wouldn't that be a massive loss for him?
That was a one-in-a-million—no, probably not one-in-ten-million animal. These past days, he'd been scanning the school with his skill active for so long, and he'd only ever laid eyes on this one.
He grumbled internally, hands stuffed in his pockets, as he stord furiously onto the school road.
Ahead, a figure blocked the way.
He paid it no mind and sidestepped. Unexpectedly, that figure also moved the sa step, blocking his forward path.
"?"
It was a composed male student wearing glasses, not particularly tall—about 170 cm. His school uniform fit him neatly, giving off an air of ticulousness and seriousness.
Fuyuji once again probingly extended his long leg and sidestepped a large stride.
"..."
The figure pushed up his glasses. Because his legs were slightly shorter, he needed two steps to cover that distance.
"Who might you be?"
Confirming that this person was here for him, Fuyuji, half-dead from frustration thanks to the pigeon, was in no good mood.
"Nagumo wasn't wrong. You truly are distinctive." The man raised his head, his sharp gaze looking directly at him, his voice betraying composure and a hint of authority. "I am Student Council President Horikita Manabu."
Fuyuji's gaze softened.
So you're the victim of that blond senpai...
"What business does Horikita-senpai have with ?" Out of a sliver of pity, his attitude ward up.
"Nagumo said that after I graduate, you will beco his opponent. So I wanted to confirm: if one day he tries to enforce his rule upon this school, would you be able to stop him from running wild?" Horikita got straight to the point.
"And how will you confirm that?" Fuyuji narrowed his eyes.
"Like this." A reverse punch shot out instantly, aid directly at his face.
"Yare yare. Is such a reckless test really a good idea? You are the Student Council President, after all."
His psychic power silently released. He watched the fist coming at his face and sidestepped to dodge it with a hint of exasperation. However, judging by the state of his muscle exertion, Horikita had pulled his punch. It looked like a direct strike to the face, but in truth, he could have shifted his fist aside at the very mont of impact.
Failing with one strike, Horikita instantly exploded power from his thighs, his speed further increasing. He aid a beautiful roundhouse kick at Fuyuji's waist.
"If you hit , I'll be bedridden, you know. Want to call my Senpai to teach you a lesson?"
Fuyuji retreated a step back, once again evading the attack.
"To think you'd even try to follow up with another kick. So this is the Student Council President, huh. By the way, is that Karate you practice? Or Aikido? Or perhaps both?"
He continued to chat idly. Horikita had no intention of paying him any mind and continued his assault.
After several moves, having achieved nothing, Horikita stopped his actions and pushed his glasses, knocked askew from his attacks, back into place.
"Truly impressive. It's like you saw completely through my every move. Why didn't you counterattack?"
"Because I don't know how." As a civilized transmigrator, Fuyuji answered honestly.
"I see." Horikita did not seem to believe his claim. He took out his phone from his pocket. "What is your account number?"
"Hah?"
"My apology and compensation. You were right. The Student Council President truly should not be assaulting students."
One minute later, Fuyuji's eyes sparkled brilliantly as he looked at the notification of 500,000 points deposited into his account. He cleared his throat, his expression turning solemn as he gazed at Horikita.
"Actually, I could keep this up with you all day."
"That won't be necessary. I've already gauged your ability. Other aspects were also tested through the initial probation exam. Nagumo wasn't wrong. You are indeed soone who could contend with him. Although Nagumo has already extended an invitation, just in case, I'll ask once more: are you interested in joining the Student Council?"
"I refuse."
"Is that so. What a pity." Seeing that Fuyuji truly had no interest, Horikita did not press the matter further.
"In truth, you could stop Nagumo-senpai yourself, couldn't you?"
These past days, he'd gradually heard various rumors about this Student Council President. He'd assud the position since his first year and was hailed as the most outstanding Student Council President in the school's history. Judging by that title, the general assessnt of Horikita Manabu was above that of Nagumo.
"There's no aning in that. The Student Council will ultimately have to be handed over to him," Horikita replied flatly.
Fuyuji raised an eyebrow. Nagumo being that obsessed stalker was one thing, but Horikita being like this too? Their ideologies clash to this degree, yet they still mutually acknowledge each other's abilities?
"Speaking of which, it seems you don't intend to accept a single one of the first-year new students?"
"Indeed. Including your class's Katsuragi Kohei. They are all very outstanding. But I'm convinced they cannot contend against Nagumo. Just to be safe, it's best not to drag them into the Student Council's disputes." Horikita nodded, then glanced at Fuyuji once more. "However, if you are behind Katsuragi, Nagumo should have no interest in seeking him out for trouble."
Hoping to indirectly drag into this dispute through Katsuragi, are you? Fuyuji perceived the implication behind those words.
"Do as you like." In any case, that blond idiot was already constantly pestering him with texts. Trading that for a Student Council position wasn't a loss either.
"But, Horikita-senpai, you're not quite as proper as you appear on the surface, are you?"
"Anyone who has survived in this school for three years will possess so cunning."
Horikita did not refute his words. He took out his phone and glanced at the ti.
"There's still work to be dealt with at the Student Council. Let's call it a day here."
"Won't see you off."
Fuyuji harbored no ill feelings towards this great benefactor who had co specially to deliver him money. He could only say that after witnessing Nagumo, that stalker, and the various and sundry humanoid creatures of Class D, his threshold for the bizarre students of this school had been raised infinitely.
Since the path back to the school building and the path to the Student Council were the sa road, the two had to walk together for a stretch.
Then, yet another figure blocked their path.
Waist-length black hair swayed in the wind. Beneath a white pleated skirt extended a pair of long, straight legs wrapped in black knee-high socks.
This ice-cold beauty, whom he had encountered a few days prior in the faculty office, faced the two n who had suddenly appeared before her with a flustered expression entirely unbefitting her aura.
Fuyuji looked at the ice-cold beauty staring intently at Horikita, then at the expressionless Horikita eting her gaze.
He seed to recall this young girl was called Horikita... sothing? Tomiko?
Horikita... Horikita Manabu?
"Here for you?" Fuyuji turned his head toward Horikita.
"She is... my younger sister." His tone was completely different from the one he'd used when speaking with Fuyuji, his voice laced with indifference.
Both siblings looked as though they had things to say. A third wheel like him being here probably wasn't appropriate. With self-awareness, he carefully skirted around the two and took his leave first.
"Suzune. To think you would actually chase all the way here."
Suzune? Not Tomiko?
"Brother... I'm no longer—"
"You're exactly the sa as you were three years ago. I can tell just by looking at you."
"No, that's not it. I ca to this school to catch up to you, Brother."
"And then you ended up in Class D? What a useless little sister you are."
"Th-That—there must be so mistake. I will definitely rise to Class A imdiately. If I do, then—"
"A naive thought. I assert you will never, ever rise to Class A!"
...
The sound of their argunt gradually faded as his footsteps carried him further away.
Fuyuji found a bench and sat down. He took a fierce gulp of cola to vent his dejected mood over his failed Pokemon capture.
What strange siblings, those two. He could sense that Horikita clearly cared deeply for his younger sister, yet faced her with a cold express—
"Coo coo..."
He whirled around instantly. The plump pigeon, which had flown off long ago, had now tucked its wings in and perched on the back of the bench, gazing off in the direction of the Horikita siblings.
This pigeon actually likes watching gossip too?!
The corner of his mouth twitched as he looked at the plump pigeon, whose eyes had, for so reason, beco inexplicably full of lively expression.
At this mont, it had completely failed to notice that an ill-intentioned individual was right beside it, staring at it with a burning, intense gaze.
"Coo coo..." (Whoa, a fight broke out!)
The plump pigeon flapped its wings once in delight, its cooing filled with excitent.
What? A fight broke out?
His attention instantly shifted back to the Horikita siblings.
Looking from afar, Horikita's hand was now shaped like a hook, striking at Horikita Tomi—no! Horikita Suzune.
Only...
His eyes gradually narrowed.
What are they doing? Breakdancing?
Horikita's moves looked vicious, but in truth, he wasn't trying to hit hard at all. Most of his strikes didn't even touch Horikita Suzune. Compared to the crisp efficiency he'd shown when sparring with Fuyuji just earlier, now he could only be said to be playing house...
The other one was even more ridiculous. She didn't even seem to think of fighting back, just standing rooted in place, silently taking the hits.
Yaro! You'll never kill anyone like that!
The fight—or rather, the one-sided dostic abuse of a younger sister—lasted only a very short ti. It ended with Horikita Suzune collapsing to the ground and Horikita stopping his hands.
The short piece of drama was quickly devoured.
"Sigh..."
"Coo..."
Two regretful voices rang out. The lowered head of the human and the lowered head of the pigeon both halted. They simultaneously looked at each other.
A resonance of emotion spread through both their hearts.
So things need no language. They can be understood through the eyes alone.
Kindred spirits!
Ding! The intimacy between Nobato and Fuyuji Mikage has increased!
After staring at each other for a few seconds, the plump pigeon, having confird that it had t a like-minded individual, lightly pecked Fuyuji's palm twice and flew off with a flutter.
It was heading to the docks to grab so fries!
Not long after, Horikita passed in front of him. Without speaking, he took out his phone as per usual.
[Ding! 300,000 Points Deposited!]
Fuyuji nodded at him wordlessly and raised a finger to his lips, zipping them shut in a sliding motion.
Everything was understood without needing to be said...
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