"Keep your eyes locked! Anticipate the target's next move! If everyone predicts his path, you will corner him and shut down every escape route! Knife skills and marksmanship follow this exact principle!"
This was the progress report for the assassination training.
As we entered the fourth month, more students began showing promising potential. Yuma Isogai and Hiroto Maehara, for instance, possessed high physical fitness and exceptional coordination as a duo. Lately, they had managed to land several knife strikes on me through their teamwork.
"Well done! A point for each of you! Who's next?"
A red-haired boy stepped forward.
"I'm up, Mr. Karasuma."
"Very well. Step up."
Karma Akabane.
At first glance, he appeared relaxed and indifferent, yet his eyes betrayed a deep-seated craving for scheme and mischief. He undoubtedly planned to land a decisive blow and humiliate me before the class, but would it truly be that simple?
Karma took a half-step back, adjusted his stance, gave a short "tsk," and then simply rejoined the ranks.
Among the girls, Hinata Okano stood out most. A former gymnast, she mastered sudden, erratic movements thanks to her incredible flexibility. There was also Megu Kataoka, whose long reach and physical prowess rivaled that of the boys. These students represented the class elite in close-quarters combat.
"Then there is Koro-sensei; he embodies my ideal image of a teacher. Killing such a virtuous figure would be terrible!!"
"Stop trying to forge my thoughts and fabricate my feelings. Begone, Target."
In terms of raw potential, the "Delinquent Trio" stood out: Ryoma Terasaka, Taisei Yoshida, and Takuya Muramatsu. They still lacked a sense of seriousness in both training and assassination, though their sturdy builds made them a formidable force if they ever chose to apply themselves.
Looking at the big picture, the students' assassination skills had evolved remarkably since the beginning, especially one in particular.
"Mr. Karasuma, it's my turn, please."
"Nozaki-kun. Very well, step forward."
Keiichi Nozaki.
During the early days, he acted with a cold, lazy air. Now, however, he had become an incredibly active student, completing his drills and assassination attempts with vigor. I do not exaggerate when I say he was the most serious trainee among them. In the field of assassination, he was the first to successfully destroy one of the target's tentacles and had cornered him multiple times using his leadership skills.
Training, practical application, and leadership—he possessed superior abilities in all these areas without question. He also had a profound capacity to win hearts and influence others, such as when he persuaded the Delinquent Trio to join a group assassination. Furthermore, his rational side allowed him to negotiate with "Ritsu," swaying the machine with logic and evidence.
If a joint assassination involving the entire class were ever organized, he would likely be the central figure.
"Good work, Nozaki-kun. Seven bonus points! Next!"
As for the other students who caught my eye—
"—!?"
At that moment, a surge of killing intent coiled around my neck like a serpent. My reflexes took over; I grabbed the source behind me and hurled it away.
"Ow... that hurt..."
The moment I realized I had thrown a student, I rushed to him.
"My apologies! My defense was far too aggressive. Can you stand?"
"Ah, I'm... I'm fine."
Nagisa Shiota.
He was a quiet, gentle student. His small stature granted him some speed, but he lacked any exceptional physical abilities worth noting.
And yet... what was that aura I felt just now? Was it a mere illusion? That unknown, indescribable presence?
●○●○●
"Man! I can't land a hit on him at all."
"You're right. I wonder how you manage to land strikes on someone so flawless, Nozaki."
"It's just that I'm used to brawling. I am classified as a 'delinquent' and a troublemaker, after all."
"Though your recent behavior doesn't suggest that at all."
I walked with Okajima and Kimura, chatting after training ended. It was true; I hadn't done anything "delinquent-like" lately. I attended classes seriously and stopped fighting students from other schools.
Didn't I have the right to graduate from being a delinquent? Didn't I deserve to be seen as a normal, model student? I wasn't particularly attached to the "troublemaker" label anyway. As we walked, Kurahashi-san's voice reached my ears.
"Mr. Karasuma! How about we all go for tea in town after school?"
That sounded like a great idea. I thought about asking Kurahashi-san to include me, hoping I was part of that "everyone." However, Mr. Karasuma declined the invitation curtly.
"—My apologies. I appreciate the offer, but I am expecting an important call from the Ministry of Defense shortly."
Mr. Karasuma said this and departed with his usual coldness.
"—That man has no openings, even in his private life."
"—It's more like he puts up a wall between us, or keeps a fixed distance..."
"He's strict but kind, and we know he cares about us. But I wonder, is all of that just part of his official duties?"
"You're wrong, Kurahashi-san."
"Nozaki-kun?"
I spoke the denial instinctively in response to Kurahashi-san's doubt. As his student and as someone who looked up to him, I felt it was my duty to refute that thought.
"If he were dealing with us merely to fulfill a mission, he wouldn't look at us with such honest, direct eyes, would he?"
"—Do you think so?"
"Yes. Or do you think Mr. Karasuma is anything like those teachers in the Main Building?"
"—You're right. Mr. Karasuma is completely different."
"Nozaki-kun is absolutely correct."
Koro-sensei appeared behind us, patting both my shoulder and Kurahashi-san's.
"It is true that man is an intelligence agent sent here to kill me, but the blood of a great teacher definitely runs through his veins."
Koro-sensei finished the thought brilliantly. Just as we were about to agree to go for tea as students, a large man walked toward us, crossing paths with the departing Mr. Karasuma.
"Large" was the polite term; "pot-bellied" was the blunt one.
"Hello! My name is Akira Takaoka! I'll be working here starting today as Karasuma's assistant! Pleasure to meet you all, Class E students!"
A new intelligence agent, then. Since the number of assassins was increasing, it wasn't strange for the staff to grow as well. Bitch-sensei was a similar case. Since he said he would assist Mr. Karasuma, he was clearly from the Ministry of Defense.
The new agent carried a mountain of luggage. He set it on the ground, swaying from the weight. The moment he opened the bags, the distinct scent of sweets wafted through the air. Kayano, who couldn't resist sugar, rushed over immediately, followed by the others checking the boxes and bags full of treats.
"This is a token of my affection for you. Please, help yourselves."
"Are you sure? These look expensive."
"Yes, eat it all! Don't hesitate—treat it like you're spending my own wallet! And don't think I'm trying to buy you; I just want us to become friends quickly. The best way to do that is to eat together, right?"
What was this strange feeling?
It felt like the sensation I had when Bitch-sensei first arrived. He seemed very friendly and kind, yet I felt no closeness toward him. On the contrary, I lacked the trust and security I felt upon my first meeting with Mr. Karasuma.
"Even though he's Karasuma-sensei's colleague, he's completely different."
"Honestly, he's like that uncle or dad who lives next door."
"Hahaha! That's fine, call me 'Dad'! Since we're in one class, we're one family, right?"
Indeed. To someone accustomed to Mr. Karasuma's refined words, this man's speech sounded flimsy and hollow. I didn't know why, but despite not having exchanged a single word with him, his tone suggested he spoke these words only to curry favor and manipulate emotions.
Because of this feeling, I didn't touch any of the sweets or drinks Takaoka-san brought. I left the area immediately.
●○●○●
"Mr. Karasuma, please oversee my training after school."
"—Nozaki-kun."
I went to Mr. Karasuma after school for our usual session, but he appeared unusually awkward and troubled. As I wondered why, Takaoka-san stood up in the faculty room and turned toward me.
"You're Keiichi Nozaki, right?"
"Yes, Takaoka-san."
"Stop calling me '-san' so formally. Starting today, I am in charge of your training."
"Then, Mr. Takaoka...? Wait, what did you just say?"
"I said I am the one overseeing your training from now on."
"W-Why?"
"Why? Because those are orders from the state. Didn't they tell you? —Ah, right, you walked away while everyone was gathered."
I never imagined things had progressed this far in my absence. Could this be real? I had never heard that Mr. Karasuma was stepping down. Why? Why was Mr. Karasuma being sidelined?
"Anyway, were you talking about after-school training with Karasuma? I'll be taking over that as well, so wait for me."
"Ah, that won't be necessary. If Mr. Karasuma isn't the instructor, I have no need for the training. I want Mr. Karasuma to oversee me."
Unable to process the situation, I thought about going home. At that moment, Mr. Takaoka gripped my right shoulder with immense force. I heard an unsettling crack in my bones. He held me with a pressure that caused genuine, sharp pain.
"Mr. Takaoka, that hurts."
"Wait a moment, Keiichi Nozaki. I want to hear from you why Karasuma is good and I'm not?"
"Stop it, Takaoka! Let him go now!"
It seemed my words had wounded his pride, as his grip on my shoulder tightened. Despite Mr. Karasuma shouting for him to stop, he didn't let go. I didn't understand why someone I met for the first time would attack me like this. I tried to find words to explain my stance, but I only had one simple, honest answer:
"Because Mr. Karasuma is the person I look up to."
"—!"
"I see... I see."
Mr. Takaoka nodded. In that same instant, a sharp, shocking pain exploded in my right cheek. No, not just the cheek; the pain in my neck on the side where I took the hit was far worse. I didn't realize I had been struck until I hit the ground. That my teeth didn't shatter was a miracle in itself; I had to thank my mother for my sturdy constitution.
"Takaoka, what are you doing!?"
"What? It's educational guidance. Karasuma, your way with this class is far too soft. A trainee doesn't get to choose his instructor. And yet, here is a brat mouthing off about preferring you over me. It seems you all don't realize the gravity of the situation. We are facing a crisis that threatens the entire planet, do you understand?"
Mr. Karasuma prevented any further attack on me, and Mr. Takaoka replied shamelessly, without a shred of remorse.
A planetary crisis. Yes, that was exactly right. However, that didn't mean our right to choose should be stripped away—and that was something I could not accept. I stood up, clutching my throbbing neck. I couldn't forgive him for insulting Mr. Karasuma.
"We know very well it's a global crisis. But fundamentally, who caused this crisis you're talking about?"
"What did you say?"
"Nozaki-kun?"
"Just by looking at Itona, one can imagine the truth. Koro-sensei was originally human, wasn't he?"
"What—"
I continued speaking before the two men, who were stunned into silence.
"I don't know the details, but the moon's explosion and the potential explosion of the Earth next year—these things happened because you adults couldn't take responsibility for your actions or correct your mistakes. Just thinking about how you could manufacture weapons to destroy the teacher's cells immediately after the moon shattered makes one realize something happened at a national level."
"—"
"And even our role in the assassination stems from the fact that you at the Ministry of Defense and the world's armies reached a state of total helplessness and found no solution. Isn't that right?"
"—You're correct."
"Then don't misplace the blame. It isn't Mr. Karasuma or this class that are 'soft.' It is you, the ones who failed to prevent the catastrophe from the beginning, who suffer from laxity and negligence."
The moment I finished, I took a kick to the same spot.
This was serious. If I took more hits there, I might actually die. I wasn't joking.
"Stop it, Takaoka!"
Mr. Karasuma clashed with Mr. Takaoka. I tried to stand again after the kick knocked me down.
"Heh, you turned out to be unexpectedly tough."
Takaoka looked at me with surprise as I got to my feet. I no longer had any reason to call this person "Professor." I had already lost a few teeth, but in truth, they were baby teeth that hadn't fallen out yet, so it didn't hurt much. Still, I spat them out as a bluff to show my defiance.
"Come on... I don't like that arrogant look. I've had a great idea."
"What is it?"
"Try to land a single hit on me. If you succeed, I'll hand the after-school training back to Karasuma."
"I told you to stop, Takaoka!"
"Deal. I'll do it."
"Nozaki-kun...!"
Honestly, my neck hurt like hell. This was the first time I felt like crying from being hit and kicked. But one hit—just one hit—might bring Mr. Karasuma back to us. So, it was definitely worth the attempt.
"Stop, Nozaki-kun. You are talented, no doubt, but challenging a military elite is reckless and will not end well."
Mr. Karasuma tried to stop me. But I wouldn't back down. Mr. Karasuma's teaching and this class were not soft. I would prove it to this brute.
"Don't worry, Mr. Karasuma. Please, trust me."
"But...!"
"What? Do you not trust the student you raised? If that's the case, then resign as an instructor, Karasuma!"
Mr. Karasuma kept trying to prevent the confrontation until the last moment, but he realized neither of us would budge and stepped back. Even so, his gaze remained incredibly worried, and he took a low stance, ready to intervene at any second.
"You attack first. Consider it compensation for the earlier punch."
"—Understood."
Because of those provocative words, I slipped into "The Zone" unintentionally. My thoughts accelerated, and my sense of time expanded to the point where a simple breath felt like it would take hours to hear in full.
What if this person oversaw our training tomorrow? Maybe Kurahashi-san would try to train with Mr. Karasuma and act like me, and Takaoka would do the same to her. Just thinking about it, I realized losing wasn't an option.
In truth, I love Kurahashi-san's innocent smile. I didn't even want to imagine that smile being distorted by this giant's fist. And not just Kurahashi-san; what if Isogai, Maehara, Sugino, or even Nagisa faced the same fate? The thought made my blood boil and my grip tighten.
At that moment, my body suddenly felt light. It was as if my body began to respond to my sharpened focus and expanded sense of time. I started moving through that scene where everything seemed frozen, just a bit faster than everything around me.
I couldn't run, but I could step forward firmly. I remembered now—when Itona attacked us before, something similar happened. That feeling of covering several meters in a flash was exactly what I felt now.
Even the bead of sweat falling from Mr. Karasuma's cheek seemed suspended in the air. Within that time, I finally arrived directly in front of Takaoka's face. I wanted to smash my fist into his face, but the spot that would cause the most damage wasn't the face.
I stomped with all my might on one of Takaoka's feet, then pulled back my fist and drove it with everything I had into the pit of his stomach.
In that same instant, time resumed its flow, as if it suddenly remembered how to move.
"Gbuuuh...!?"
Takaoka, unable to absorb the force of the blow because I was pinning his foot, doubled over while clutching his stomach. He began to vomit the sweets he had eaten earlier.
"Heh... look at your pathetic state."
The moment I saw that humiliating sight, I felt my balance falter. I stumbled back several steps and dropped to one knee. There was a loud ringing in my ears, a sharp headache, and a severe shortness of breath.
"Nozaki-kun! Are you alright, Nozaki-kun!?"
Mr. Karasuma rushed to me in a panic.
"What happened... no, the important thing now is getting you to the nurse's office!"
Mr. Karasuma helped me up, supporting me on his shoulder. It was bad; I didn't seem able to stand on my own. I lost consciousness while leaning on Mr. Karasuma's shoulder.
●○●○●
"You attack first. Consider it compensation for the earlier punch."
"—Understood."
After Nozaki-kun's short reply, the duel ended in the blink of an eye.
It didn't take a second. It was truly a flash. It was so instantaneous that one could only think of one possibility: the boy had teleported and delivered the punch to Takaoka.
While I was stunned by what happened, I performed first aid on Nozaki-kun and then called "that person."
"Hello, Mr. Karasuma. This is me."
"—This is Karasuma. Nozaki-kun has lost consciousness. My apologies, but I need you to come to the school. Help me take him to the hospital."
"What did you say...!? Understood! I'm coming back immediately!"
It was a scene completely removed from reality. Who was this boy? When he first came to me asking for after-school training, he was just a delinquent student with no experience in martial arts. Now, he had crushed one of the Ministry of Defense's elite in less than a second.
And those words and claims he uttered—how far did his deductions and predictions go?
At that moment, I realized a bitter truth: I knew nothing about my student.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
[Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Raven737]