It wasn't that Hikari was going easy on him.
But this passive skill, Explosive Bull Slayer, had its pros and cons.
While it allowed him to crush even the toughest bullies with ease, it also meant he had to be extra careful when dealing with weaker opponents like Oga, who was basically a pushover compared to a real bully.
He had to be cautious not to accidentally kill someone with a single kick.
Especially since there were so many onlookers around.
So, Hikari had used less than ten percent of his full strength just now.
To put it in perspective, stats aren't just simple math.
For an average person, a score of 5 is standard across the board. But someone with a score of 10 isn't just twice as strong—they're at least five or six times more powerful.
At this point, Hikari's average stats exceeded 15, and his physique alone was a monstrous 25. He was already bordering on superhuman.
With the Explosive Bull Slayer skill, if he applied even slightly more force, the multiplier could easily get out of control. One wrong move, and he could kill someone with a single kick, right in front of a crowd. That wouldn't be easy to clean up.
"Grass should be cut at the roots… I need to find a chance to get rid of him."
Shinomiya Natsuha, who was still holding tightly onto Hikari's arm, pretending to be his girlfriend, overheard his quiet murmur.
Her legs almost gave out.
Hikari's tone carried no hint of a joke.
Considering his previous display of power, she had no doubt he had the ability to make good on his words.
'He's seriously thinking of killing someone? Ho-how hot!'
Even though the thought was a bit terrifying, Natsuha didn't feel the fear she expected. Instead, there was an odd sense of admiration.
If it had been her middle school self, she would have been disgusted by the idea of violence. But for some reason, seeing Hikari beat Oga Masaru senseless today gave her a strange satisfaction.
Being protected by Hikari filled her with an unfamiliar sense of security.
Especially that moment when he kicked Oga into the air.
That image was now seared into her mind.
'How could someone possess such terrifying strength in their legs? Is this even human?'
Compared to the men she had seen online, Hikari was so much stronger—too strong.
'He can probably replicate the moves from those manga and novels where like those overpowered protagonists, can't he?'
If she were starring in a movie as the female lead, with Hikari as the male lead, how incredible would that be...
Just the thought of it made Natsuha blush deeply, her heart racing.
'Wait!'
'No! What am I thinking?'
'I'm not really Hikari's girlfriend.'
'The one I truly like is my childhood friend, Yuuta Yamano! It's Yuuta!'
'We promised each other that once Yuuta got into high school, we'd be together.'
'How could I be thinking these kinds of thoughts now?'
'Am I lonely because I haven't seen Yuuta for so long?
'No, no! That's not right! I can't betray Yuta like this.'
'That disgusting Oga—everything he said was nonsense.'
'I'm still pure! I've never even held a guy's hand like this before. Never kissed anyone either, let alone anything more intimate.'
'Yes, I've watched a few... "educational" videos, but that's just for learning.'
'I'm definitely not some promiscuous woman.'
'Damn that Oga. He said such terrible things, and now they've clouded my pure heart with all these strange thoughts.'
'It's all his fault!'
'I have to stay faithful to Yuta.'
'Even though Yuta could never kick Oga into the air like that...'
'And he probably couldn't make me feel this secure, either...'
'Or... satisfy those thoughts I've been having after watching those videos...'
'No! Why is my mind drifting back to Hikari again?'
'Yuuta... Yuuta... We promised each other!'
'I'll protect that promise. I will!'
'But...'
'Hikari... his scent... it's so strange...'
'Just being close to him... just catching a whiff of him... makes my heart race uncontrollably...'
'Yuuta, please forgive me... I'm just... just thinking... that's all... just thinking...'
Hikari glanced down at Natsuha, who had initially only been pretending to cling to his arm like a couple. But now, she was practically wrapped around him, her body pressing close to his.
"Hey, Natsuha. That guy has already been taken away. There's no need to keep pretending to be my girlfriend. You can let go now," Hikari said, a bit helpless.
Startled by his words, Natsuha quickly snapped out of her daze, her cheeks flushing bright red. She hurriedly let go of his arm.
But as soon as she released her grip, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
"You don't have to be so scared. Oha has been taken away. It's over," Hikari reassured her, assuming she was still shaken.
But Natsuha, still blushing, mumbled under her breath, "I-I wasn't scared..."
"You weren't scared? Then why are you so weak that you can't even stand?"
Hikari thought she was just being stubborn.
Only Natsuha knew the truth.
She wasn't scared at all. After all, she had some Aikido training and wasn't exactly defenseless.
For some reason, she had just blanked out when facing Oga earlier. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have been afraid.
The real reason she collapsed was that she had never been this close to a man before, nor had she ever been so acutely aware of the intoxicating, masculine scent emanating from him.
Because of Yuuta Yamano's shy nature and her own sense of propriety as the school's disciplinary officer, she had always maintained a proper distance, even though they were childhood friends. They had never been this physically close.
And then, she had let her mind wander—fantasizing about herself and Hikari in scenarios straight out of those "educational" videos. That's why her body suddenly went weak, and she couldn't stand.
Seeing the doubt in Hikari's eyes, Natsuha didn't dare to explain the real reason. She stammered a few incoherent words, unable to come up with an excuse.
There was no way she could tell him her true thoughts. 'That would be too embarrassing! He will think I am some kind of pervert!'
Natsuha had always considered herself a pure and innocent high school girl. She had carefully cultivated that image for as long as she could remember.
She was sure Hikari saw her the same way—pure, beautiful, kind, and virtuous...
Or at least, she hoped he did.
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