Rumiko lived in the apartment for two days, and after confirming that Masashi was fine, she returned to Nagoya for work. Life seemed to return to normal, but Kazumi, who was very observant, noticed that shortly after Masashi came back, there were several long-distance charges on this month's phone bill, all to foreign countries. However, no phone numbers could be traced—only the country names were visible.
At this time, Masashi was sitting cross-legged on the bed in a strange position. After a long time, he finally opened his eyes, stretched, and felt a sharp pain throughout his body. There was nothing he could do; this was an ordinary person's body. His meridians would gradually shrink as he aged, but fortunately, Masashi was still young, and they hadn't deteriorated too much yet. However, every time he practiced, he still felt a stabbing pain. This condition would improve only after the meridians fully adapted to the flow of Qi.
But this body really was weak—its muscles had no elasticity, and its reflexes were poor. Apart from the age factor, it had no redeeming qualities. It seemed he would need to make an exercise plan to bring this body back to its proper state before it stopped developing.
With this thought in mind, Masashi began to work on his fitness plan.
At that moment, Kazumi knocked on the door and entered.
"What's the matter, Kazumi?"
"I want to ask about this phone bill," Kazumi said, spreading out the bill in her hands.
"Oh, it's like this: I met a few people on the ICQ platform, and we had some things to discuss, so I made those calls. Don't worry, I won't make international calls anymore. I know it's hard for Mom to make money."
Hearing this, Kazumi didn't say anything more and turned to leave the room.
"The guys should be arriving soon, right?" Masashi muttered as he looked out the window.
Dressed in a brand-new school uniform, Masashi appeared at the school gate, and for the first time, Kazumi joined him.
Looking at the bustling school entrance, Masashi felt like shouting in Chinese, "I, Hu Hanzan, am back." He immediately felt it was a bit silly and couldn't help but laugh.
The classroom was as noisy as usual. Masashi followed his memory to find his seat. Just as he sat down, someone suddenly shouted, "Ah, it's Hirota Masashi! He's back. By the way, when did he come back?"
Before Masashi could react, a crowd gathered around him.
"Masashi, I heard you were seriously injured while chasing the robber. You're amazing!"
"Were you scared at the time? If it were me, I wouldn't dare chase them."
"I heard you died at the time, and then you were revived. How did that happen?"
"Masashi, please sign my name!"
Seeing these people acting like fools, Masashi couldn't take it anymore and stood up.
"Masashi, where are you going?" asked the girl who wanted his autograph.
"To take a dump," Masashi said calmly.
Immediately, the crowd went silent, and a chilling atmosphere filled the air. The girl who spoke first was trembling, clearly scared.
During class, the principal specifically came to Masashi's classroom and gave a long-winded speech, exaggerating Masashi's heroic deeds. Masashi could barely stay awake, wondering when he had become so brave, even fighting the robber for nearly two hours. The details were so vivid, it felt like the principal himself had been the robber.
After the principal added more details, he invited Masashi to the stage to say a few words. Of course, the principal wanted to make the most of the opportunity to publicize this "hero" at the school.
Masashi hated these kinds of situations, but in front of everyone, he had no choice but to go up.
"I don't have much to say. Everything that should and shouldn't be said has already been covered by the principal. I'll just add one thing: Next time you encounter something like this, remember to buy insurance first. That's all I have to say," Masashi said before turning and walking off the stage.
The students, who had been half-asleep, stared in daze for a moment, then started clapping like crazy, with some even whistling like hooligans.
The principal and the head teacher wiped their sweat with handkerchiefs, trying to figure out how to salvage Masashi's words. Their brains almost crashed as they processed the situation.
Meanwhile, Masashi stared out the window in a daze.
***
"Hey, isn't that our school's hero, Hirota Masashi? Long time no see! Masashi, we really missed you," a sarcastic voice called out, dripping with insincerity.
In the corridor, the notorious Yamamoto trio blocked Masashi's path.
"Who would've thought that trash like you would become a hero? Looks like I'm a superhero then," Watanabe, wearing earrings, laughed loudly.
"What do you guys want?" Masashi asked.
"Actually, it's nothing. We just haven't seen you in a while and thought we'd have a little chat," Yamamoto replied.
"Oh, I see. Are we having it here? I think it'd be better at the old spot," Masashi said.
Yamamoto and Watanabe exchanged a glance, sensing something strange about his response. If this had been before, Masashi would've gone pale with fear and barely been able to speak. But now, he seemed unnaturally calm.
The "old spot" was the corner where Masashi had once suffered great humiliation. Returning to that place, Masashi could feel the memories of his past self flood back. Unknowingly, his killing intent began to intensify.
The trio of bullies felt more and more uneasy. It was as if Masashi had completely changed. Not only was he showing no signs of fear, but as they got closer, there was an inexplicable sense of pressure, making them uncomfortable.
"Spit it out. Are you here for money, or do you want to hit me again?" Masashi said, his voice calm but cutting.
"Damn it, don't get too cocky! I'll beat you to your knees, and you'll be begging us!" Watanabe, unable to endure the suffocating feeling, charged at Masashi.
Masashi's lips curled into a faint smile, as he prepared to test the results of his intense training these past few days. But suddenly, he sensed something, and he abandoned the thought of attacking.
"What are you doing?" a voice called out just as Watanabe was about to strike.
Watanabe froze, realizing it was the beautiful and charming teacher, Naoko.
Naoko quickly walked over and sternly asked, "What were you about to do to Masashi?"
"I… we…"
"Oh, it's nothing, Ms. Naoko," Yamamoto quickly said with a smile. "We were just playing around, we haven't seen Masashi in so long. We're just happy to see him, so we might have been a bit rough. Please don't misunderstand."
"Is that so? I didn't see it that way," Naoko said, turning to Masashi. "Masashi, tell me what happened. Were they bullying you? Don't be afraid, just tell me the truth. I'll help you."
"Actually, I'm not sure if they were 'playing.' But the way they play is something that most people can't endure. But, since I'm not injured, and I don't have any evidence to prove anything, I guess it's fine," Masashi said, his tone calm and detached.
Naoko frowned and then said, "In that case, I'll take care of this. You all go back to class now. Masashi, stay behind. I have something to say to you."
Yamamoto shot a fierce look at Masashi, then glanced at Ms. Naoko before leading the other two away.
Masashi could tell from the look in Yamamoto's eyes that the bully was planning to act soon. From the intense, lust-filled gaze Yamamoto shot at Ms. Naoko, Masashi knew the situation was about to escalate.
"Masashi, tell me honestly, do they often bully you?" Naoko asked with concern.
"Do you want the truth or a lie?"
"Of course, I want the truth."
"Well, in the past, yes, it was like that. But now… it's hard to say," Masashi replied.
"Why didn't you tell the teachers?"
"Miss, you're too naive. You're not a police officer, and school violence is inevitable in any school. The old me was weak, so I became the target. It's just the survival of the fittest, the law of nature."
"Don't worry, Ms. Naoko, I'm not the same Masashi as before."
"You really have changed a lot," Naoko said as she looked into Masashi's eyes. They were deep, yet clear as water. Unconsciously, she became captivated by his gaze.
"Rather than worrying about me, shouldn't you be more concerned about yourself, Ms. Naoko?"
Naoko was startled. "What… What did you say?" Her heart raced, and a flush appeared on her face. She scolded herself for behaving so impolitely, staring at a student without even blinking.
"Do you know? A teenage wolf is more aggressive than an adult one. Here's some advice: Don't trust others too easily, especially boys. Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
"Wait, what did you mean by that?" Naoko called after him.
"Think about it, and you'll understand. By the way, I almost forgot to ask: How did you know I was here?"
"I saw you being taken by Yamamoto and the others, and I was worried you might be in trouble, so I followed."
Naoko was a kind woman, much like his mother. At that moment, Masashi decided that he would protect her.
"You're a good teacher. Thank you."
"You flatter me. It's my duty as a teacher."
"Alright, I really need to get back to class. I've taken too many leave days recently."
"Wait for me. I'll walk back with you."
"Up to you."
***
"Go home first. Like yesterday, don't wait for me for dinner. Just leave me a little bit."
"Got it," Kazumi replied coldly, though there was a trace of curiosity in her voice. Masashi had been coming home late for the past few days. Although she was curious, her personality wouldn't allow her to ask about it.
After Kazumi left, Masashi sat down, focusing his mind. Soon, his spirit drifted like smoke toward Naoko's office, locking onto her presence. It was a mysterious feeling—he couldn't see or hear her clearly, but these mental threads were more subtle and comprehensive than sight or sound. They allowed him to sense every move she made, even her breathing and emotional fluctuations. This was a supreme tracking technique, impossible to detect.
However, this method wasn't something humans could normally use. It was a skill developed through years of refinement and evolution of Masashi's soul.
While this ability was useful, it had its limitations. With his current physical condition, he could only maintain it for about half a day, and the range was limited to no more than half a kilometer.
After observing for a few minutes, Masashi noticed something strange about Naoko, who had fallen asleep. Her breathing became heavier, her body temperature rapidly rose, and her hands instinctively tried to remove her outer clothes.
Just as he was puzzled by Naoko's reaction, he suddenly sensed someone approaching her office. He observed carefully and couldn't help but smile. "I see, not too bad of a move."
At that moment, outside Naoko's office, Yamamoto quietly opened the door. Seeing her flushed face and increasingly erratic movements, he grinned and said to the others behind him, "Looks like it's time for dinner."