The Pervert Trio wasn't bothered. Getting yelled at was nothing new—they got cursed at by girls every day.
"Get lost," "disgusting," and similar insults had long since lost their sting.
So they patted Tetsuya's shoulders and continued their well-meaning but unwelcome consolation.
"Although we're not in the same class, we're still schoolmates. We'll go with you to the grove and teach that pretty boy a lesson."
"Yeah, exactly! He's already got Hamazaki and the others, yet he still went after Shinra-senpai and Himejima-senpai."
"Damn it, the worst part is he actually succeeded."
"It's so enviable... I mean, despicable!"
...
As the conversation continued, it inevitably veered toward women. Truly, a wrongly given name might exist, but never a wrongly earned nickname.
The Pervert Trio lived up to their reputation.
Tetsuya initially wanted to lash out but ultimately restrained himself.
He'd already told them to get lost. Since they wouldn't listen, he couldn't be blamed for what came next.
A cold smirk formed in his heart—volunteer pawns were too good to pass up.
"Fine, after school, we'll go to the grove together."
Tetsuya forced a smile uglier than a grimace.
"After all, no one said I had to go alone. Let's give that pretty boy a proper beating."
He couldn't understand why Haruto had suddenly exposed him, even fabricating slander...
Given Tsubaki and Akeno's ambiguous attitudes, he'd thought enduring quietly would calm the storm.
But being sought out by the Pervert Trio for "comfort" as fellow sufferers made his blood boil—the more he thought about it, the angrier he grew.
Bringing three ordinary guys along should make even Haruto and the others think twice before acting, if they really intended to teach him a lesson.
And if not...
If he didn't cripple that pretty boy, he didn't deserve to be called Tetsuya Hakuta!
The Pervert Trio had been all talk initially—lecherous in mind but cowardly at heart.
Beyond crude jokes, they were spineless, let alone capable of gang fights.
Glasses-wearing Motohama: "Ah, almost forgot—I have club activities today. Let Issei and Matsuda go with you."
Bald Matsuda immediately caught on: "Sorry, family matters. I have to rush home after school. Issei's got your back."
Tetsuya: "..."
Watching his two friends bolt faster than rabbits, Issei was utterly baffled. Just as he contemplated his own escape excuse, a heavy hand clamped his shoulder.
Tetsuya glared ominously at him. "It's settled then. I'll find you after school, and we'll deal with that pretty boy together."
Feeling the grip tighten painfully, Issei realized refusing now would earn him a beating before school even ended.
His mouth twitched as he nodded gravely.
"Good. I'll come to your classroom after school." Tetsuya released his grip with a dark tone. "If you run, expect daily 'chats' with me afterward."
Issei stiffened, his expression turning grimmer.
"Don't... worry... I won't run. We're comrades—gotta help each other..."
"Heh. Better not."
Tetsuya saw right through Issei's hesitation. If the boy fled, he'd make him the punching bag.
Thanks to the threat, Issei didn't dare skip out after school.
Going to the grove didn't guarantee a fight, and even if one happened, he might escape unscathed.
But running away? Tetsuya would definitely come for him.
The tone and attitude from earlier were no joke.
————
A small grove...
No, perhaps it should be called a miniature forest.
Kuoh Academy was built against a mountain. Beyond the main campus and past the club activity buildings, the scenery immediately transformed into dense, untamed wilderness.
A magical barrier was set up here, making it appear as nothing more than a small grove to ordinary people. After walking a few dozen meters, one would reach the school's perimeter wall.
Some of the practical training and special instructional activities of the Inner Academy were held here.
Similarly, since ordinary students couldn't enter, conflicts among Inner Academy students were often resolved in this place.
Haruto had been quite the sensation lately, and Tetsuya had naturally heard about him.
Suddenly awakening to his incubus bloodline, becoming a member of the Inner Academy, and rumored to possess extraordinary magical talent—just the fact that he could enhance his power through sex was enough to make many witches and mages flock to him.
Add to that Haruto's pretty-boy looks, and they were even more eager.
Even prodigies like Akeno and Tsubaki, who possessed both strength and beauty, had effortlessly fallen for him.
After school, Tetsuya immediately sought out Issei. Ignoring Issei's expression, which looked like he had just lost both parents, he dragged him past the barrier.
Watching Tetsuya charge straight at the wall, Issei was startled. Before he could even stop himself, he was yanked through.
Staring at the unfamiliar scene before him, Issei's face was filled with pure, unadulterated confusion.
The existence of the supernatural world was a secret to ordinary people.
However, there was no strict rule forbidding its disclosure.
If things got too out of hand, there were specialists who would handle it.
So, Tetsuya had no intention of explaining anything.
Issei was purely a tool—what happened afterward had nothing to do with him.
"T-Tetsuya…" Issei stammered, looking around helplessly. "Where is this?"
Tetsuya didn't even glance at him. With a roar, he activated his youkai transformation.
Perhaps his youkai bloodline wasn't particularly strong, as his so-called transformation merely involved his nails growing longer and sharper, his muscles bulging, and his face becoming even uglier.
Honestly, Haruto, who wasn't far away, didn't think Tetsuya had gotten much stronger.
But that hideous face did have a certain monstrous quality to it—after all, even an ugly freak could be a youkai.
After finishing his pre-battle transformation, Tetsuya began searching for his target.
"Pretty boy, I'm here. How long are you gonna hide?"
"Compared to you, anyone would be a pretty boy," Haruto scoffed as he leaped down from the treetops. "I thought you wouldn't show up. Guess you've got at least a little backbone."
Holding onto the slim hope that his opponent might actually come, Haruto had waited here after school—the sacred ground for hookups… or rather, fights.
Of course, Haruto hadn't come alone.
Tsubaki and Akeno had concealed their presence with magic, keeping a close eye on the situation.
"Hmph, if it weren't for those two women…"
Tetsuya carefully scanned the area but didn't detect anyone else. Still, he played it safe. "If it weren't for Tsubaki-senpai and Akeno-senpai protecting you, what the hell are you?"
"Yeah, I rely on women to protect me."
Haruto sneered, his gaze flickering toward Issei standing beside Tetsuya.
"Still better than relying on a man."
"What's the matter? Can't trick girls anymore, so now you're targeting cute boys?"
Tetsuya: "..."
He realized that when it came to verbal sparring, he was no match for Haruto either.
"Enough nonsense. What did I do to offend you? Why slander me?"
First comes the insults, and when that doesn't work, suddenly it's time for reason. Shameless people are all like this.
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