Horiguchi Lingyin watched Fujiwara Tetsu and Horiguchi Gaku leave. Her heart was filled with infinite grievance, and tears welled up in her eyes.
But why did that person just now look familiar?
After pondering for a while, Horiguchi Lingyin seemed to have thought of something. She quickly opened her phone and found a video she had once forwarded on her X (Twitter) account.
Upon careful comparison, the person who had just slapped himself in the face seemed to really be... really that Fujiwara Tetsu?
Horiguchi Lingyin's thoughts were complicated. The slightest bit of vengeful desire she had quickly dissipated, and she even unconsciously felt a surge of excitement after being slapped.
That was Fujiwara Tetsu! The outrageously strong one! The one who could fight ten death row inmates alone and win, and who was also a brilliant Todai student with extremely strong learning abilities.
Brother was right, even if he was at Todai, he was just an ordinary person. Compared to Fujiwara Tetsu, even her brother was inferior.
She left her position dejectedly, pulling out her phone and looking at her flushed face with the front camera. Horiguchi Lingyin sighed. Was it impossible to go to school today? Otherwise, that slap truly had no explanation.
...
Fujiwara Tetsu and Horiguchi Gaku walked into the main gate of Todai.
Horiguchi Gaku subtly glanced at Fujiwara Tetsu beside him. After a moment of silence, he said, "Lingyin, she actually doesn't have any ill intentions. Fujiwara-kun, please don't take it to heart."
"If her words made you unhappy, then as her brother, I apologize to you on her behalf."
Fujiwara Tetsu smiled, "Horiguchi, you don't need to be so overly cautious. I wouldn't get so angry at a high school girl."
"Besides, I already slapped her. Any anger would have dissipated long ago."
Only then did Horiguchi Gaku relax. Apart from Fujiwara Tetsu's abnormal martial prowess, Horiguchi Gaku also feared his family background. It was already widely known that Fujiwara Tetsu was the heir of the Fujiwara clan.
As a thousand-year-old political family, the Fujiwara clan's influence in the capital was considerable. If it were a child from an ordinary family, they might not even understand this inherent disparity. But for a family like the Horiguchi's, who weren't top-tier, they understood even better the massive potential power those prominent families possessed.
Horiguchi Gaku felt he was stronger than the other Todai students because most Todai students arrogantly believed they were the center of the world. Only he understood more clearly that attending Todai was merely a stepping stone, not the direct end of one's life.
"Your sister has a rather twisted personality. It must be tough on you as a brother."
Seeing Fujiwara Tetsu's willingness to chat with him, Horiguchi Gaku quickly said, "Lingyin has a rather self-centered personality. She doesn't have any friends, and she always tries to imitate me."
"If she truly wanted to imitate me, she should at least be able to easily make friends with anyone."
"This is also a family story of mine. Ever since I was young, my mother would always praise me and tell her to learn from me."
"If it were a child from an ordinary family, they might resent me, the older brother who made them feel neglected."
"But Lingyin is different. She is too strong-willed, so she wants to catch up to me and gain our parents' praise."
Horiguchi Gaku prattled on about Horiguchi Lingyin.
Fujiwara Tetsu listened quietly. He thought, "Your situation is quite similar to someone else's."
"Who?"
"Senior Yō."
"Senior Yō?"
"Mhm, she also has a younger sister, and her sister's personality is very similar to yours. No, almost identical."
"Then Senior Yō must also have had a tough time."
Fujiwara Tetsu thought of Yukino Yukinoshita. Her personality setting overlapped with Horiguchi Lingyin's.
The same high-mindedness, the same long black hair, the same beautiful appearance, and the same lack of friends, not being able to go anywhere with him. They were simply carved from the same mold.
However, upon closer thought, Fujiwara Tetsu felt there were still some differences between the two. He didn't know much about Horiguchi Lingyin, but from Horiguchi Gaku's words and their brief contact, this girl, though self-centered, also had a strong masochistic tendency. She was a typical capitalist's way of thinking. As long as you were stronger than her, much stronger, she would actually be willing to listen to you and even worship you.
Simply put, she liked being tough on herself, not gentle.
But Yukinoshita Yukino was different. In this aspect, she was completely opposite to Horiguchi Lingyin. Yukino's personality was such that the stronger you were towards her, the more she would rebel and detest you.
But Yukino's fundamental nature was soft. If you treated her gently, she would easily be moved, then self-criticize, and then try to solve problems.
Huh? No, why am I starting to think about strategies for dealing with her?
Fujiwara Tetsu quickly shook his head. I'm really treating them like old men who exploit gold coins!
Horiguchi Gaku arrived at the crossroads and said, "Fujiwara-kun, I'll go to class first then."
"Go ahead. When there are some activities in the karate club, we'll meet again."
Fujiwara Tetsu smiled and parted ways with Horiguchi Gaku. The two were not from the same faculty and did not have classes together.
After parting, Fujiwara Tetsu also walked towards the classroom.
"Wow, Fujiwara, you're finally back!"
"Fujiwara, well done!"
"Fujiwara, congratulations!"
"You haven't been to school in so long, how's the injury recovery?"
"You're a big name in the capital now. When are you receiving your commendation?"
"Fujiwara, let's take a group photo. We can use your photo to trick girls."
"..."
Fujiwara Tetsu walked into the classroom on the stairs, and instantly, he gained applause and cheers from the crowd. The students from the giant Todai all looked at him with admiration.
Although Todai students were the most abnormally intelligent group in the capital, especially the first-year new students who were all chuunibyou. Each of them thought they were the key figure who would save the capital.
But when there was truly someone who surpassed everything and did what they wanted to do but could never do, they would feel sincere admiration. Like Fujiwara Tetsu. These students had never seen real life-and-death combat. They thought to themselves, if they were in Fujiwara Tetsu's shoes, they wouldn't dare to go against those ruffians. It would be good enough if they didn't wet their pants.
If Fujiwara Tetsu's academic test scores were first, they would only feel that this person was a bit impressive. But what Fujiwara Tetsu did was unimaginable to students. Even Todai students would think they were smart, but they wouldn't think their fighting and killing were that impressive.
Fujiwara Tetsu achieved everything they couldn't. He was truly exceptional in both literary and martial arts. The people of the capital admired and worshipped the strong, so they naturally paid him homage.
"Alright, everyone, go back to your seats. Fujiwara, how's your body? You're a big hero in the capital now. If you're injured, you should take leave first. It's fine if you take a full year off."
A professor teaching at Todai entered the classroom and teased Fujiwara Tetsu.
...
[Request for fresh flowers]
...
"Professor, my body is fine."
"Then sit properly and get ready for class. Let me tell you, I won't go easy on you in the exam just because you're brave and righteous. Study hard for me."
"Absolutely, I'll study hard, Professor."
The entire morning class passed like this.
University was much easier than high school, but to graduate, you still needed to study hard.
As the top academy in the capital, Todai's learning atmosphere was still very high. Most students listened attentively, but a small portion felt that simply getting into Todai was enough, so they just played on their phones.
At noon, Fujiwara Tetsu and a group of classmates went to the cafeteria to eat.
Subtly, even though Fujiwara Tetsu rarely came to school, he became the center of attention for people in his year and major. Fujiwara Tetsu's abilities, in some aspects, had already reached the limit of what Todai students admired.
"Fujiwara, our class president is looking for you." A classmate nudged Fujiwara Tetsu and whispered.
Yukinoshita Yukino came to Fujiwara Tetsu with her meal tray and smiled, "Tetsu-kun, can I sit here?"
As soon as Yukinoshita Yukino's affectionate address was heard, several classmates' eyes lit up, and they immediately moved their seats aside, laughing.
...
Yukinoshita Yukino thanked him, then sat beside Fujiwara Tetsu.
"You finally came to school."
"You say that as if I can't take a leave of absence."
"I saw the news from Kyoto. I didn't expect to encounter so many things right after we left. Tetsu-kun, you weren't hurt in Kyoto, were you?"
"Much better than in the Kyoto Library back then. I wasn't hurt at all."
Fujiwara Tetsu's words made Yukinoshita Yukino think of how he blocked a sword with his bare hands to save her and her sister, making her feel even more admiration and gratitude.
"Tetsu-kun, you really cause trouble wherever you go."
"Senior Yō, you're really misunderstanding me."
Causing trouble wherever he went, that was the responsibility of a Shinigami elementary school student!
Yukinoshita Yukino chuckled: "I didn't mean to blame you. Oh, right, don't forget about my alma mater's event in Gunma Prefecture."
"Senior, how could I forget?"
"Tetsu-kun, you're sounding more and more like a slacker. Are you free this weekend? This event needs planning, and it also needs some manpower."
Fujiwara Tetsu spread his hands: "Sorry, I have plans to go out with someone this weekend."
Yō was a little disappointed. She pretended not to care and said, "Oh, is it with a beautiful girl?"
"Yes, and two beautiful women."
Just as Yō felt a little stifled, Fujiwara Tetsu said again, "...Two ladies in their thirties, one of whom is my mentor."
Hearing "in their thirties," Yō relaxed. "These are almost my mother's age, Tetsu-kun shouldn't have any relationship with them!"
"That's good. Tetsu-kun, have fun! I'll let you know when the event starts then."
"Okay."
Yō was very self-contained, and also very good at chatting. The two finished lunch together.
In the afternoon, they continued with two classes. Fujiwara Tetsu then headed home.
On his way home, he received a text message from Nijihime. "Tetsu-kun, do you have class on Friday afternoon? Hisoka and I are planning to go to Gunma Prefecture in the late afternoon."
"Friday afternoon class ends early, so we can make it on time."
"Alright, then let's meet at the train station."
Nijihime and Tetsu-kun confirmed the time. Fujiwara Tetsu was filled with anticipation for this trip to Gunma Prefecture.
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