Oliver arrived late to school and was surprised to see Sakuragi's gang hanging around the front gate. However, what caught his attention even more was the group of seven or eight tough-looking guys surrounding them with clear hostile intent.
"Hey, Sakuragi! We're graduating today, so how about we settle our old scores?" the leader of the group snarled, cracking his knuckles.
"And you, Mito Yohei! You gave my boys a real beating before. No one's walking away today!"
"Tch. Seriously? That guy tried to blackmail us. He had it coming," Mito scoffed. Just then, Nozomi Takamiya noticed Oliver approaching.
"Hey! Oliver! You're here!"
"You idiot!" Mito hissed, covering Nozomi's mouth. This wasn't the time for greetings. Basketball skills wouldn't mean much in a real fight.
"Yo! Bean Sprout, you're here too!" Sakuragi shouted, waving.
"Well, it is graduation. Of course I'm here," Oliver replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Wait... this guy's with them too?" The gang of thugs noticed Oliver and burst into laughter.
"Sakuragi's gang really knows how to pick them. Look at this shrimp!"
"Surround him too!" their leader, nicknamed "Airplane Head," commanded.
Sakuragi stepped forward angrily, grabbing Airplane Head by the collar.
"You've got a problem with me, fine! But don't drag him into it!"
"Hah! You weren't so cocky when you were beating my crew! Now it's payback time!" Airplane Head retorted. He gestured, and his men closed in on Oliver.
Oliver narrowed his eyes. So this was guilt by association. In his past life, he could've handled these punks easily. But in his current body, he was weaker, not quite built for fights. Still, he wasn't the type to back down.
"Oliver!"
"Bean Sprout!"
Sakuragi and the others struggled to break free, but they were blocked by several gang members.
"Damn it!" Sakuragi roared, trying to wrestle free. Two lackeys held him back.
Meanwhile, one of the punks facing Oliver smirked and swung a punch.
"Don't blame us, kid. Blame Sakuragi!"
"Sonic Dash, activate!"
Oliver triggered his system skill, dashing like a blur. The punch missed entirely.
In a flash, Oliver scooped up several small stones from the roadside.
"You can run, huh? Big deal!"
"Think I'm easy to mess with?" Oliver muttered.
He took a throwing stance.
"Magic Pass, activate!"
[Skill: Magic Pass - The host's next throw will land exactly where intended. Energy consumption varies with target resistance.]
Though weak in physical strength, Oliver targeted their most vulnerable spot.
Thwack!
A stone nailed one thug square in the groin. He crumpled, gasping in agony.
Oliver fired two more stones. Two more gang members yelped, clutching their backsides and falling.
Another stone flew—bullseye. Yet another thug was down.
"Anyone else want some?" Oliver asked coldly, tossing a rock from hand to hand.
The gang froze. No one dared step forward. Getting hit there was no joke.
"This is Kung Fu!" Sakuragi's eyes widened. "He's using hidden weapons, like in those martial arts movies!"
"I always heard people from Daxia had mystical skills! Even their grandmas!" Mito added, awestruck.
"You cowards! He's just a runt!" Airplane Head screamed.
"Shut up!" Sakuragi grabbed him by the face. "You dare mess with us again? Come back after another ten years!"
CRACK!
Sakuragi headbutted him. Airplane Head dropped like a rock, a steaming bump forming on his forehead.
"Boss!" the others screamed and scrambled to carry him away.
"Whew..." Oliver sighed, letting the stones fall from his hand. The skill had drained very little energy.
He shared a quick nod with Sakuragi and the gang, then they hurried into the school building.
...
The graduation ceremony was held in the main hall of Wako Junior High. After a long, yawn-inducing speech from the principal, the students were finally handed their diplomas.
Oliver stared at his certificate, a mix of pride and excitement in his chest.
The main storyline was finally about to begin.
He spotted Sakuragi at the back, zoning out. With a smile, Oliver walked over.
"Well, I've got my diploma. Now vacation starts."
He clenched his fist, eyes gleaming.
"Let's begin training!"
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