The next few days at school turned into a relentless onslaught for Ichiro. The news of his supposed battle with Shiina had spread like wildfire, and the students couldn't stop gossiping about it.
"Hey, have you heard about the battle between Shiina and Ichiro?" one student whispered to another in the crowded hallways.
"Who would have thought that after coming back from the battlefield, she'd challenge someone from the low-rank?" another chimed in, their curiosity piqued.
"Well, Ichiro did show such great skills during the mock battle. If the mock battle wasn't disrupted, he might have ended up in the top 10," a third student added, fueling the speculation.
As Ichiro walked through the hallways, annoyance etched all over his face, he could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on him. The whispers and sidelong glances made him uncomfortable, and he despised the attention he was receiving.
