"I'm not the type to gossip."
Tenya pretended not to care on the surface, but secretly tried to remember Kawasaki Saki.
In his impression, she was a silver-haired girl from his class, cold in personality, never interacting with anyone in the class, giving off the image of a delinquent girl.
Heh ~ Another treasure chest candidate!
"Let's not talk about that for now."
"I heard you're quite close with Takanashi Rikka?"
Shizuka suddenly changed the subject. This was her real purpose in finding Tenya.
"Yes, we are friends." Tenya told the truth.
"That child is a simple-hearted girl."
"Because of her eccentric behavior, she's been isolated in class."
"I've tried various methods, but none have helped her break free from her chuunibyou behaviour."
"As someone her age, you should be able to connect with Takanashi's inner world more easily, right?" Shizuka said earnestly.
"Please rest assured about this. With me around, Takanashi-san won't be bullied."
"As for helping her get rid of her chuunibyou nature, please forgive me, but I cannot comply."
Tenya shook his head. He was against Shizuka's correction method.
"Why?" Shizuka frowned.
"What's so bad about being chuunibyou?" Tenya retorted.
"This... it doesn't align with mainstream values."
Tenya said, "The veins of every leaf in the world are different, so why must people conform?"
Shizuka argued, "But, if she continues like this, what will she do when she enters society later? Will she tell everyone she meets that she's an Evil King's True Eye User?"
Tenya said, "I also say I'm a Sharingan User!"
Shizuka angrily said, "I'm being serious with you!"
"I'm also being serious with you!"
Tenya had a sincere expression.
To be honest, he really did have the Sharingan.
"Tsk! Are you determined to argue with me today?!"
Seeing she couldn't win the argument, Shizuka's fists hardened again.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, look, you're getting agitated again."
Not only did Tenya not back down, he even adopted a provocative stance, like "If you have the guts, come hit me."
"Bastard! Today, I'll risk being disciplined by the school just to give you a punch, you brat!!"
Shizuka was indeed agitated. With anger surging, she threw a punch at Tenya without regard for the consequences.
And then...
It was easily caught by Tenya with his bare hands.
"What?!"
Shizuka was instantly shocked. Her angry punch was enough to knock down an adult man.
Yet, it was easily held by Tenya with a single hand. This was too incredible, wasn't it?
[Ding!]
[Treasure chest holder detected: Hiratsuka Shizuka]
[Extract?]
'Extract!'
[Opening S-rank Treasure Chest... Congratulations to the Host on getting Armament Haki]
Armament Haki can enhance personal defense, acting like an invisible armor, and can also evolve into offensive power, a skill combining offense and defense.
See? Didn't he get the treasure chest this way?
Tenya had deliberately provoked Shizuka with words, his purpose was to force her to make a move, so he could have a legitimate opportunity to make contact and thus extract the treasure chest from her.
"You, what are you touching?!"
Shizuka looked stunned. She quickly pulled back her fist, her face showing a mix of anger and strange embarrassment.
Despite being almost thirty, Shizuka's personal romantic life was practically empty. She hadn't even held a hand of the opposite sex.
"The feel (treasure) is (chest) good..."
"Uh, I was just kidding."
Seeing signs of Shizuka entering a berserk state, Tenya immediately knew when to stop.
"Tch! You annoying brat!!"
"I finally understand what you mean."
Shizuka sighed deeply, a complex look flashing across her brow.
One is an Evil King's True Eye User.
One is a Sharingan User.
The same chuunibyou lines.
Rikka is isolated.
Tenya is not affected at all.
What does this indicate?
The reason people bully Rikka is essentially because they bully the weak and fear the strong. Her being chuunibyou is just an excuse.
If it were Tenya, they wouldn't dare say a word.
"In that case, I'll leave Takanashi to you." Shizuka instructed him seriously.
J Class classroom.
"Did you hear? About Yoshida-san and Yotsuya-san from B Class this morning..."
"I know about that! My friend was on the bus at the time and saw them hugging with her own eyes!"
"I heard Yukinoshita-san from A Class was also there, but it's unclear what their relationship is."
"Really? Could it be a love triangle?"
"Wow ~ This is big news!"
What happened on the bus was quickly spread widely by busybodies, and the rumors became increasingly exaggerated.
Minami deliberately walked up to Rikka and said sarcastically, "Hey ~ Did you hear, Takanashi?"
"Yoshida-san is quite popular with women!"
"He's not just friends with you."
Hearing this, Rikka didn't get angry.
She just shook her head and said with a resolute tone, "My contract with Tenya is special!"
"Those who break their word shall receive the punishment of eating rocks!"
Contract?
Those who break their word shall receive what punishment again?
Her chuunibyou is acting up again, isn't it?
A hint of disdain flashed in Minami's eyes.
"Hey! Who allowed you to call Yoshida-san Tenya?"
"Exactly! Calling him so intimately. You are trying to hook Yoshida-san, right?"
"Oh, you Takanashi, you usually pretend to be innocent and pure, but it turns out you're a slut!"
Several of Minami's lackeys joined the chorus of condemnation.
"I, I didn't..." Rikka replied weakly.
But under the concentrated attack from the small group led by Minami, it appeared pale and powerless.
"How can this be? Takanashi-san is too pitiful, isn't she?" Yui couldn't bear it.
But she was quite timid personally and didn't dare to oppose Minami's small group, so she could only look to Yumiko for help.
"Yui, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Takanashi isn't one of my people, why should I help her?"
Yumiko's protective nature only extended to her own people.
"This isn't good..."
Hayato wanted to help, but when he thought about what he had done in elementary school, he hesitated, unsure how to handle it.
(Note: Hayato tried to help Yukino but it only made the situation worse.)
Most of the other students in the class chose to stand by and watch.
After all, Minami's small group's status in the class was second only to Hayama and Yumiko, and ordinary people really didn't dare to provoke them.
Tch ~ I can't stand it anymore....
Hachiman had just stood up, ready to self-destruct on the spot when someone said.
"Joking has gone too far, Sagami-san."
"Bullying classmates is wrong."
Everyone was startled at first, then looked around, and for a moment, no one noticed who had spoken.
Hachiman was also shocked, ' Who was this? They were even more courageous than him?'
"Um ~ Was there something wrong with what I just said?"
Megumi's light words attracted everyone's attention.
"You, you're that... Kano?!"
Minami looked closely and frowned instantly.
She vaguely remembered the other person being an unremarkable girl in the class.
"Hey! Who are you? How dare you meddle here?"
Minami's small group immediately started shouting.
"Hidden Saint?"
Rikka, however, knew Megumi and had secretly given her a nickname.
"Eh? Whether it's Kano or Hidden Saint... neither seems right."
Megumi was slightly speechless.