Chapter 73: Unleashing Hell.
"Wait, so you're saying that only 4 of us have girlfriends in this group of 10?!" Okabe's voice erupted, slicing through the noise of the crowded room. His eyes were wide with disbelief, eyebrows nearly disappearing into his shaggy bangs.
The reaction was immediate. Laughter and groans echoed around the table, and a wave of surprise passed through the group like a ripple on a calm pond.
"Jeez, calm down, okay?" Akeshi's voice, smooth and composed, cut through the growing commotion. He leaned back in his chair with the casual confidence of someone who had the entire situation under control. His long red hair, normally tied back, was slightly tousled, giving him a relaxed appearance as he ran a hand through it.
There were many similarities between our groups—five boys each, a shared love for soul games that demanded an unyielding spirit, and an unspoken camaraderie that came from facing challenges together. But the differences were stark. Their group radiated a natural intelligence, the kind that made their definition of "average" seem like genius to us. They had girlfriends, good looks, charisma—things that only Mikage in our group could rival. The rest of us? We fell short, at least on the surface.
"Well, let's focus on what we should—" Mikage began, trying to steer the conversation back on track, his calm demeanor betraying his usual strategic mind.
"But before that, can I say something?" Namak interrupted, raising his hand lazily. His head was still resting on the table, making it look like he might doze off at any moment. The way he lounged there, you'd think the hard surface was the most comfortable spot in the world.
"Yes…?" Mikage glanced at Namak, clearly curious but with a touch of exasperation in his voice.
"I've heard quite a few rumors about you guys," Namak started, his voice casual but with a sharp edge of curiosity. "So I want to ask, why are there rumors? Did something happen in the past? Did a 'group of students' cause some commotion? Or was it the teachers from Shiori High, spreading lies to make Chidori High look bad? Were they insecure because of your talents? Did they want to break your spirit so you wouldn't rise to the top? And when you tried to stand against the lies, did they use their influence to shut you up?"
His words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Silence fell over us. We had never considered this perspective before, always assuming we were at fault, always carrying the guilt. But what if Namak was right? What if we weren't the villains in this story?
"Hm… so we're thinking the same thing, huh?" Akeshi's voice broke the silence, a smile playing on his lips as he rested his cheek on his hand.
"Yeah," Namak yawned, continuing, "When I saw their physique, it was clear to me that they had physical advantages. So I connected the dots with the rumors I'd heard. What do you think? Is my deduction on point?"
"It's on point, don't worry," Akeshi affirmed, his tone smooth and reassuring. "But I think I'll add something once I have more evidence."
Their group was intimidatingly smart, each of them sharp in a way that set them apart. The difference between us felt like the difference between the sky and the underworld.
"No, it's not," Akeshi suddenly said, his eyes locking onto mine.
'Did he just read my thoughts?'
"If you want, you can become a genius," Akeshi continued, as if he were addressing my silent doubts. "If you work hard enough, you can become number one. It's all about effort and acceptance. If you want, I can help you guys with your academics while you help us with sports. How does that sound?" He looked around at his friends, a confident smile on his face. "What do you guys say? I feel like we should participate in this year's sports festival."
"Yes, agreed," Yuuki chimed in with a lazy grin, his arms stretched out in a mock yawn.
"Let's do it," Namak echoed, still slouched over the table, but with a glint of interest in his half-lidded eyes.
"Sounds fun," Chen added, his voice steady and calm as always.
"Yup, sounds great," Ren nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Mikage turned to us, seeking our silent approval. We exchanged glances, the weight of the challenge starting to sink in. It was a proposal we hadn't seen coming, but it was also one we couldn't resist.
"Yeah, let's do that," Myushi said, his usual shyness momentarily set aside. "I really need that academic comeback."
"I'm gonna make the best academic comeback in the history of mankind," Rentaro declared, his fist clenched in determination.
The only one left was me. I hesitated, feeling the weight of expectation settle on my shoulders. But more than that, I thought of my brother. We had no parents. They were dead, and they should stay dead. But I didn't want my brother to face the world's challenges alone.
"So, what do you say? Our introduction wasn't great, but we can work on the development, right?" This time, it was Tokusake—no, Ren—who extended his hand to me, a gesture of truce and challenge.
I thought of the many times I had failed, the mistakes that had piled up over the years. All of us had our own problems. We were misfits, a group of boys with no real use. I had anger issues, Rentaro had social insecurities, Myushi was smart but socially awkward, Mikage was good at charisma but lacked confidence in other areas, Okabe and I were bad at math, and Rentaro struggled with it too. The list seemed endless. But there was something in Ren's eyes that made me believe, just for a moment, that we could rise above it all.
"All of us have our own problems," I admitted, my voice steady but heavy with the weight of truth. "We're misfits with no real use. I have anger issues, Rentaro has social insecurities, Myushi is smart but socially awkward, Mikage is good at charisma but lacks confidence in other areas, Okabe and I are bad at math, and Rentaro struggles with it too. So, are you sure you want to teach us? You guys have reputations, and we don't want to ruin them. Are you ready to put it all on the line just to help us?"
The silence that followed was thick, but it didn't last long. Laughter erupted from the other group, a genuine, unexpected sound. We stared at them in shock—this was the first time we'd seen them laugh so openly, even Namak showing emotion.
"Hah, you really think we'd back down?" Ren asked, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye.
"Do you think we're cowards?" Yuuki added, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Reputation be damned," Chen stated firmly, leaning forward with a serious expression. "We can rebuild that anytime."
"No one cares about what we do unless it's something huge," Akeshi said, his voice carrying a note of finality.
"And who cares about what other people think?" Namak shrugged, sitting up a little straighter. "We want to see you guys in the student newspaper called ｢Student Life｣. We're going to recreate you, so be ready, because—"
"Hell is going to be unleashed on you guys," Ren finished, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of the challenge.
At that moment, I knew for a fact that we were in for a rough ride.
"Well, that goes for you guys too," Mikage shot back, his smile widening into something more feral. "We're in the physical sector, after all." His eyes gleamed with the same excitement we all felt deep down. We were all soul game players, so of course—
"The more difficult the game, the more satisfying it is to beat the boss."
"Same to you guys. Hell is going to be unleashed on you as well."
Brute force versus brain force.
This was no longer a simple deal—it was a challenge.
Akeshi leaned back on his chair , his long red hair fell down his face and he spoke , his voice soft.
"In the face of impossible odds, there's only one thing worth betting on—yourself."