He had been preparing for this moment for several weeks; going through days of physical training and polishing martial skills he gained(stole), waited to get a few abnormal skills, started a crew, and now...
Fifth floor, head Hamaya Hyakuchou, defeated with a single, high kick to his temple.
The guy wasn't anything exceptional to Zenkichi, although Naze said his abnormal skill was noteworthy and is something separate from a "abnormal" but he wasn't much of a fighter and was easily defeated.
And with that, both Zenkichi and Naze went down to the next floor.
As for Hamaya? He was just unconscious, though tied up, and was left in one of the twenty Lamborghinis in the fifth floor.
...He was going back there and getting himself one. Probably even a Bugatti, a Camero, a Ferrari, etc.
He was going back there for the cars alright.
The sixth floor was as Naze had told him; built entirely as a library, a floor that was as large as the school auditorium, filled almost completely with books collected from all across the world. It was something comparable to
Zenkichi wasn't going to lie, he was interested in reading through some of them but that would have to wait as his next vic– opponent appeared.
It was honestly underwhelming.
'Is it because I became too strong?' Zenkichi thought as he, without any hesitation, landed a straight palm strike at Shoko Kamimine's abdomen.
"I-Impossible. How wasn't I able to...react to your attack..." That was the last thing she said as she slumped forward, unconscious in his arms.
Zenkichi raised an eyebrow at her last words and turned towards Naze, expecting an answer.
Naze then explained, "Her abnormality is superhuman reflex, she's basically like Takachiho Shigusa but inferior in terms of dodging skills but superior of being more durable in a sense."
"For example?" He asked, out of curiosity.
"She can catch bullets with her mouth."
Zenkichi whistled, impressed. "Damn. I wanna see her do that."
"Why didn't you?"
"Hm?"
Naze tilted her head, acting innocent, "I mean don't you have a gun?"
"...I'm saving it for an emergency."
"And what kind of emergency would that be?"
"..."
"Hitoyoshi Zenkichi?"
"..."
Naze let out a sigh at Zenkichi going quiet and decidedly changed the subject,
"Can't you do it as well? Catching bullets with your mouth?"
"...I'm not entirely confident."
In his The Iron form, sure. But in just his base form? Zenkichi wasn't going to risk a bullet going through the back of his mouth just yet.
Probably when he finally gets to learning magic or get a wuxia body cultivation technique, then he try catching a bullet with his mouth.
'Can either Medaka or Shiranui do it?' With all the absurd things he saw the former do, it would've been more surprising if she couldn't. And Shiranui could with her Real Eater skill.
He cracked his neck and let out a deep sigh, not surprised that Naze found out that he had a hidden gun in him.
Actually, he expected that and had purposely taken his gun out of his inventory and had it hidden on himself so that anyone who would see through him hiding a gun somehow, wouldn't expect any other weapon he had hidden in his inventory.
'Kukuku. All according to plan, hehe.' Zenkichi inwardly chuckled like a villain.
But anyways, after tying the unconscious Shoko Kamimine, Zenkichi and Naze briskly made their way towards the next floor.
On the way to the stairway, Zenkichi couldn't help but think about the two people he had fought,
'Did I overestimate these people?' He didn't know whether to be happy or be disappointed about that.
Those two were part of the Thirteen Party, known as the elite of the elite in the entire school body, and was said to be better than Medaka Kurokami in some aspects, and they couldn't even take a few punches from him.
'No. I shouldn't let down my guard,' Zenkichi shook his head. 'Those two are probably the weakest of the bunch. This is still the middle floors after all, the strongest of them would probably be at the 10th floor or something.'
'Un. That's right. I shouldn't be so down–happy that the Thirteen Party would all be weak–'
"Y'know, I think White Ghost and... his people would be the only ones capable of putting a fight against you."
Zenkichi halted in his tracks, turning to Naze with a surprised expression. "Huh?"
Naze shrugged her shoulders and explained, "You've pretty much ko-d the fourth and fifth strongest members of the Thirteen Party and the second and third would probably end up the same as well. And the first would last for about a couple of minutes before you go serious."
"..."
Naze tilted her head, her dead left eye flashed in curiosity. "Why? Were you expecting more of a challenge?"
Zenkichi frowned slightly, his mind racing with thoughts. He had been preparing for this moment for so long, pushing himself to the limits, copying skills, and building a crew.
He did all that so that he'd fight against his enemies and win.
He had but...why does he feel so empty?
"I guess I was expecting a bit more of a challenge," Zenkichi admitted finally. "But now that I think about it, it's not just about the challenge. It's about the fight itself. The thrill of the battle, the adrenaline rush, the feeling of accomplishment...and I don't feel any of that."
He looked down at his hands, feeling a sense of disappointment creeping up on him. "I thought that by becoming stronger and achieving my goals, I would feel fulfilled. But now that I'm here, I don't feel any different."
Naze listened quietly, her expression unreadable as always. "Maybe it's because you've been focusing too much on the end goal, rather than enjoying the journey."
"The journey?" Zenkichi repeated, confused.
Naze nodded. "Yeah. The process of getting stronger, of pushing yourself to your limits, of discovering new abilities and improving old ones...that's what makes the journey worth it. The destination is just the cherry on top."
Zenkichi thought about that, realizing that Naze had a point. He had been so focused on getting to the top that he forgot to enjoy the ride. And now that he's here, he feels unfulfilled because he didn't appreciate the journey.
"Thanks, Naze," Zenkichi said, a small smile on his face. "Heh. Out of all the people I'd hear that from, I never thought it would be you."
Naze shrugged with her usual nonchalant expression, "Eh. I'm the smartest person in the whole school, possibly the entire country. I'd lose my non-existent license as a scientist if I couldn't give a life advice or two."
Although she acted all cool about it, Zenkichi could spot the redness on her exposed mouth. It seems like Naze was a bit embarrassed about being the one to give life advice.
Zenkichi chuckled at that, feeling a bit relieved that he had someone like Naze by his side.
'Haah. If only you aren't still planning on betraying me, this would've been a bit more enjoyable.'
He didn't let down his guard around her, never.
Soon, they entered the seventh floor and what greeted them was...
'Boobs.'
"Boobs..." Zenkichi said out loud what he had thought, staring in disbelief at a pair of big, firm, naked boobs that was out on display right in front of him.
'God–dayum!'
"...Let's try and get along?" A bland embarrassed voice sounded out in the large, foggy onsen.
....
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