After a while, Aya returned to the classroom, having put the futon somewhere.
Uesugi Kazuki was still hunched over, rushing to finish his homework. After all, completing a day's worth of homework in a few minutes was indeed a bit challenging.
As he was writing, however, a few homework assignments with "Akichi Aya" written on their covers appeared in front of Uesugi Kazuki.
Uesugi Kazuki turned his head and looked at Akichi Aya, who was sitting in the seat next to him as if nothing had happened, as if she wasn't the one who had just given him the homework.
Then he turned back and began frantically copying from Akichi Aya's homework.
Homework... a student's life isn't complete without copying homework early in the morning!
With this spirit, Uesugi Kazuki completed his homework at lightning speed and with messy handwriting.
After returning the homework to Akichi Aya, the two had no further interaction at school that day.
Before class, however, Tokushima Masako appeared at the classroom door once.
But it seemed that because there were quite a few people in the classroom besides Uesugi Kazuki at the time,
Tokushima Masako just glanced in and then disappeared again.
This made Uesugi Kazuki spend an entire class trying to recall how the original owner of this body had offended Tokushima Masako.
It felt like the martial spirit in Japan wasn't as abundant as in America.
Otherwise, Tokushima Masako would have surely turned her iaido into American iaido, making Uesugi Kazuki understand what a land of freedom and a beautiful skyline truly meant.
Other than that, nothing particularly special happened that day, except that the yellow-haired Takeda Masaaki was surprised that Uesugi Kazuki had brought a bento to school today.
So, for the entire lunch break, Takeda Masaaki kept asking if Uesugi Kazuki had reconciled with his stepmother.
To Takeda Masaaki's constant inquiries, fueled by his gossip-loving soul, Uesugi Kazuki's only reply was one word: "Scram."
However, while dismissing Takeda Masaaki, Uesugi Kazuki felt as if someone was secretly observing him.
When school ended, Uesugi Kazuki, who had already made a breakthrough in his relationship with Uesugi Riko and found a bankbook with millions of yen in it, ideally wouldn't need to work part-time anymore.
But on one hand, he had left his bicycle near the convenience store last night, and on the other, Uesugi Kazuki felt he couldn't pass up any opportunity to rack up achievements.
So, Uesugi Kazuki still prepared to go back to the commercial district for work.
He wanted to see if the restaurant and fast-food place he had rejected yesterday would re-accept him now that he had "seen the light,"
And allow him to earn some achievements.
However, shortly after Uesugi Kazuki left school, he realized that today was destined to be an extraordinary day.
Because as he passed an alley, he was suddenly surrounded by several boys with colorful hair, carrying pipes and wooden swords, and wearing other schools' uniforms.
Facing these obviously delinquent youths, Uesugi Kazuki, not wanting any trouble, pulled out his wallet and took out two ten-thousand yen bills, offering them.
"I was just passing by and didn't mean to disturb you all, brothers. Please accept this small compensation as a token of respect. Shall we be friends?"
Faced with Uesugi Kazuki's gesture, the energetic delinquents first burst into laughter.
Then, the leader, a red-haired boy whose hair stood up like a hedgehog and who carried a wooden sword painted black and red, stepped forward and slapped the two ten-thousand yen bills from Uesugi Kazuki's hand.
At the same time, he cursed at Uesugi Kazuki, saying, "You offended our big boss (female leader), and you think two ten thousand yen will settle it? Kneel before me first!"
Upon hearing the phrase "big boss," Uesugi Kazuki instantly understood why he had been ambushed by this group of delinquents.
Without a doubt, it was another one of Tokushima Masako's schemes.
Things could happen once, but not twice; twice, but not thrice. This was how many times now? If he backed down again, wouldn't he be looked down upon?
So, as the red-haired boy approached Uesugi Kazuki, completely unprepared, and said with a mocking expression as if to say, "I just want to see your jealous face," "Kneel if you know you're wrong, and we'll go easy on you."
Uesugi Kazuki, no longer intending to show any "martial virtue" to these delinquents, unhesitatingly delivered a rising uppercut, smashing it into the delinquent's jaw.
The delinquent had not expected Uesugi Kazuki, who seemed like a pushover a second ago, to act so ruthlessly and decisively. This uppercut was powerful and heavy.
The delinquent who took the uppercut immediately collapsed.
However, before the delinquent fell, Uesugi Kazuki first caught the rather good-looking black and red wooden sword from the red-haired boy's hand.
The moment the wooden sword entered his hand, three prompts instantly flashed before Uesugi Kazuki's eyes.
[Life Achievement Triggered: First Brawl.]
[Weak, weak, weak! Useless, useless, useless!]
[Reward: Brawling +1]
[Agility +1]
[Life Achievement Triggered: First Knockdown.]
[Today, I stand upon the earth!]
[Reward: Brawling +1]
[Strength +1]
[Life Achievement Triggered: First Contact with a Wooden Sword.]
[As long as I feel like it, I can stand above the heavens!]
[Reward: Swordsmanship +1]
[Agility +1]
As Uesugi Kazuki gripped the wooden sword, he had an immediate intuition: his swordsmanship was truly formidable.
He turned to face the delinquents, who were astonished that their leader had been instantly knocked down, and licked his lips.
Looking at the delinquents with their messy hairstyles, as if they were walking experience packs, he quietly said,
"Now then~ who's next?"
Seeing Uesugi Kazuki's arrogance, the delinquents first flinched, then began to clamor and shout.
"Bastard! What are you acting so tough for!"
"Pale face! Don't look down on us!"
"Everyone, together! Beat this brat!"
"Avenge big brother!"
They swarmed and charged at Uesugi Kazuki.
Facing these delinquents whose hair colors could almost form a rainbow, Uesugi Kazuki began to swing the wooden sword in his hand.
"Your grip is clumsy!"
"Your swing is weak!"
[Life Achievement Triggered: Fifth Opponent Knocked Down.]
[Today, I stand upon the earth!]
[Reward: Brawling +1]
[Strength +1]
"Your footwork is loose!"
"Your reactions are slow!"
[Life Achievement Triggered: Tenth Opponent Knocked Down.]
[Today, I stand upon the earth!]
[Reward: Brawling +1]
[Agility +1]
Looking at the groaning delinquents sprawled on the ground, Uesugi Kazuki casually tossed aside the wooden sword, which had already cracked under his powerful swings and blocks, and summarized the encounter.
"Not a single one of your moves was decent. And you guys thought you could ambush me? Dream on!"
---
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