Ichiro was passing by when he noticed the young master of the Nakamura family, Akihiko Nakamura. Akihiko was known to be Ms. Nakamura's half-brother, born from a different mother. Rumor had it that Akihiko had chosen to live separately from his family after his mother's tragic death following the birth of his younger sister. He harbored a deep resentment toward his father for remarrying after the loss of his mother.
"So, it's true, you really came back from the dead," Akihiko remarked with a hint of disbelief in his voice.
"Excuse me?" Ichiro replied, his voice tinged with caution.
Ichiro didn't need to consult the system's stat reports to sense that Akihiko was stronger—much stronger. In fact, he seemed even more formidable than his sister.
"Tell me, what's the secret to coming back to life?" Akihiko continued, his gaze piercing.
Fear gripped Ichiro. Akihiko possessed the power to end his life without repercussions. His family wouldn't bat an eye, and no one would dare to challenge Akihiko for his actions. Despite his complicated relationship with his family, his father's love for his children ran deep, and he would go to great lengths to protect them.
"I-" Ichiro began, his voice faltering.
"I'm just joking," Akihiko interrupted, a flicker of empathy crossing his eyes.
Ichiro knew that deep down, Akihiko hadn't moved on from his mother's death, even after four long years. Despite all efforts, the wounds were far from healed.
"Honestly, I don't know," Ichiro confessed. "I guess, since I died in the room where my mother gave birth to me, and it's also where my mother passed away, I was reborn there."
Akihiko's expression contorted with emotions, and he hadn't known the tragic story behind Ichiro's life. He, too, had lost his mother, so he could understand the profound pain.
"I'm-" Akihiko began to apologize.
"Don't be," Ichiro interrupted. "You're the first one to even apologize."
Everyone regarded Ichiro as a curse, a harbinger of misfortune who had taken the life of one of the country's strongest warriors.
Akihiko locked eyes with Ichiro, without the need for further words, and walked away, leaving Ichiro to his thoughts.
Ichiro remained silent as he made his way to his class, fully aware that he was already late, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Before he resumed his journey, he glanced back down the corridor, but Akihiko was nowhere to be seen.
He let out a heavy sigh and thought to himself, "I thought I was about to die there." The encounter with Akihiko had left him with a lingering fear that his return from death had somehow drawn Akihiko's attention.
The system's voice chimed in with unsettling information, -If he had decided to attack you, the chance of recovery would have taken 121 hours.-
"Why that long still?" Ichiro questioned in frustration.
-You have no magic ability yet.-
"Ah!" Ichiro sighed heavily in disappointment. It was a stark reminder of his vulnerability in a world where magical prowess often determined one's fate.
Upon opening the door to his classroom, Ichiro was met with the frightened gazes of his classmates.
"Ichiro, hurry to your seat," the teacher urged, her annoyance at his tardiness overshadowed by the chaos that had ensued earlier with Mr. Yamaguchi.
Ichiro moved through the classroom like a zombie, and as he passed by his classmates, he noticed some of them frantically using their powers to create shields and various protective spells out of fear.
-80% of the students have poor magic control.-
Ichiro didn't need the system to tell him that, as the panic in the classroom was evidence enough. His mere presence had disrupted the composure of his classmates, further isolating him in a world where his return from the dead had made him an object of fear and curiosity.
As Ichiro was about to take a seat, the student next to him suddenly stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
"Sir, I request a transfer of seat," the student declared firmly.
The classroom erupted in a cacophony of protests.
"What?"
"Are you crazy?"
"I'm not leaving my seat, no exchange!"
The uproar was deafening as no one wanted to be seated next to Ichiro.
"Everyone, calm down!" the teacher shouted, trying to regain control of the situation.
But then, to everyone's astonishment, a voice piped up, "I'll sit there."
All eyes turned to the source of the unexpected statement. Emi Sato, a respected student known for her high status and achievements, had spoken up.
"Ms. Sato, are you sure about this?" the teacher asked, taken aback by her willingness to sit next to Ichiro.
Emi Sato remained silent, picking up her belongings and calmly making her way to the seat that everyone had desperately avoided.
"Didn't you want to switch seats?" she asked, her tone indifferent as she settled into the chair.
The boy who had initially requested the seat change hesitated. He was torn between his desire to move away from Ichiro and the realization that sitting next to Emi Sato might come with its own set of challenges, given her status.
"Is he crazy, trying to force Sato to switch seats?"
"He must be asking for a death sentence."
"Well..." The young man glanced nervously at Emi Sato, unsure of what to do.
"It's fine, just move," Emi stated calmly as she placed her belongings on the desk.
Ichiro, in the midst of all this, was left utterly speechless. It felt as if time had momentarily stood still. To think that he would end up sitting next to one of the elite students was beyond his wildest expectations.
Emi sat in her seat, seemingly impervious to the attention of her classmates. She had always been the quiet type, and she didn't pay much heed to anyone else's opinions.
On the other hand, Ichiro couldn't shake his unease about sitting next to her. He felt that being next to Emi might bring a host of complications, and the knowledge that she had the power to end him with ease if he annoyed her was a constant source of worry.
'I better clean up tomorrow,' Ichiro realized, resolving to fix himself up for the following school day. He understood that coming to school looking like a disheveled zombie wasn't a good idea.
Despite his initial concerns about his appearance, he noticed that Emi didn't seem bothered by his appearance at all. It was only his classmates and the teachers who had reacted strongly to his presence.
"Alright, settle down, everyone. Get your books out," the teacher commanded, redirecting the students' attention back to the lesson.
As the classroom settled into a more focused atmosphere, Ichiro found himself not paying much attention to the teacher's words. Instead, his mind was engrossed in absorbing the information the system was teaching him. With each page turn, the system presented the lessons in a clear and informative manner, allowing Ichiro to grasp knowledge effortlessly, like drinking water. It was an impressive advantage that he intended to make full use of in the challenging world of magic and mysticism.
However, unbeknownst to Ichiro, someone was quietly observing him from the neighboring seat. Emi watched in surprise as he rapidly flipped through the pages of his textbook. His speed was astonishing, and it didn't take long before he had seemingly absorbed the entire book.
'I wonder what he's doing?' Emi pondered silently, her curiosity piqued. She couldn't help but wonder why Ichiro was racing through the pages with such intensity. His actions were unlike anything she had ever witnessed in a classroom.
As the class continued, Emi discreetly observed Ichiro from time to time. She had no worries about the teacher calling her out for her behavior; her elite status ensured that she was exempt from such concerns.
Ichiro had noticed Emi's watchful gaze for quite some time, but he paid it little mind, remaining focused on his own activities throughout the class.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the lesson, students began to hastily gather their belongings and head out for lunch. Just as Ichiro was about to rise from his seat, he heard someone calling his actual name.
"Hey, Takahashi."
Since most of his classmates were already on their way out, no one seemed to take notice of the person calling Ichiro or who that person might be.
"Can I help you?" Ichiro inquired, his concern evident as he turned to the girl still seated in her chair.
"Are you alright?" Emi asked, her worry clear in her voice, especially after witnessing Ichiro rapidly flipping through his books during class.
"Yes, why?" Ichiro responded, puzzled by her sudden inquiry.
Emi didn't provide further explanation; instead, she simply got up and left, leaving Ichiro to ponder the unexpected encounter. Two elite students had shown an interest in him within a single day, and he couldn't help but wonder if his return from the dead had somehow triggered these unusual interactions.
"Did coming back from the dead cause all of this trouble?" he sighed, feeling a mix of annoyance and curiosity as he eventually made his way to the cafeteria for lunch.