Walking to the convenience store entrance, Ryuji noticed a sign hanging on the door handle with the words "Welcome" written on it.
After flipping the sign to display "Showroom Open", Ryuji entered the convenience store.
"Welcome…"
A listless male voice came from the counter. Ryuji immediately saw a clerk in a convenience store uniform standing there.
The clerk merely glanced at Ryuji before returning his attention to the magazine in his hands.
Perhaps because this was a convenience store catering to students, there wouldn't be any customers before school let out, which made Ryuji's upcoming actions even more convenient.
Walking toward the power source, Ryuji formed his right hand into a blade and, before the clerk could react, swiftly struck the back of his neck.
Ryuji dragged the unconscious clerk toward the back door of the convenience store. When he used the keys he'd searched from the clerk's body to open the back door, he discovered a warehouse behind it.
The warehouse wasn't large, but it had many shelves, all neatly categorized.
After tossing the clerk into the deepest corner, Ryuji paid him no more mind.
Ryuji's strike had been extremely precise—the clerk would likely remain unconscious for a full day and night.
By then, the apocalypse would have already broken out, so Ryuji wasn't worried about the police coming after him before doomsday arrived.
Subsequently, Ryuji's zero-dollar shopping spree began.
He reached out and collected all the food and water from the shelves into his personal storage space, then gathered various daily necessities as well, such as toothbrushes, towels, and other toiletries, and of course sanitary pads—essential items for women.
Looking at the supplies that only took up about thirty-some cubic meters, with daily necessities occupying just one or two cubic meters and the rest being food and water—with water taking up more than half—
Ryuji estimated these supplies would be enough for over ten people to use for several months.
After thoroughly enjoying his zero-dollar shopping spree, Ryuji casually deleted the surveillance footage before leaving the convenience store.
Checking the time, with five minutes until school let out, Ryuji headed toward Fujimi Academy.
Ring ring ring!!!
When the dismissal bell rang, Ryuji had just returned to the kendo club.
At this moment, Saeko had already absorbed most of the experience from their previous match, and her aura had risen a level, reaching the standard of sixth-dan kendo. If she could digest the remaining experience, she might even touch the threshold of seventh-dan.
When she saw Ryuji again, Saeko's blue eyes were full of joy.
"Ryuji-kun, thanks to you, I've broken through in my kendo!"
Saeko quickly approached Ryuji, her words revealing excitement and admiration for him.
So close that Ryuji could smell the maiden's fragrance emanating from Saeko, and when he looked down, he could even see through her collar a glimpse of fair, deep cleavage.
Looking at Saeko right before him, Ryuji couldn't help himself and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. Lowering his head slightly, he suddenly felt his mouth press against fragrant lips.
"Mm…"
Saeko went from surprise to compliance, even cooperation, all within just a few seconds.
Employing all the kissing techniques he'd learned from study materials, Ryuji kissed Saeko until her cheeks flushed red and her blue eyes filled with mist.
"Hah…"
After a full two minutes of passionate kissing, the two finally separated. If it weren't for the sound of footsteps in the distance, Ryuji would probably have continued.
Saeko now had her lips slightly parted as she breathed fragrant air, her eyes full of allure—an extremely tempting sight. Ryuji had to exert tremendous willpower to suppress his desire to continue.
His hands holding Saeko slid down to her pert bottom, meeting soft, supple flesh that was hard to let go of.
But Ryuji didn't want other men to see such an alluring Saeko-senpai, so he gave a slight squeeze.
"Mmm…"
Awakened from her romantic daze by the slight pain, Saeko also heard the footsteps and conversation outside the kendo club.
Saeko collected herself, only to discover that Ryuji had already left the kendo club through the high window of the clubroom.
"So this is what kissing is like? It feels wonderful."
Saeko touched the lips Ryuji had just kissed, savoring the sensation, her cheeks flushed.
The kendo club captain noticed today that their main member was exceptionally radiant. Though she sat quietly on her knees as usual, her face carried a slight blush and she seemed to zone out from time to time, attracting the attention of the club members.
Casually wandering around campus, Ryuji also savored Saeko's taste.
"Oh right, I think I got a treasure chest earlier."
[Open 'Saeko Busujima' Bronze Chest now?]
"Yes!"
[Ding! Obtained one pair of Saeko's original panties.]
"Wait?"
Looking at the purple lace-trimmed panties that suddenly appeared in his hand, Ryuji was completely dumbfounded.
Unfolding them for a closer look, Ryuji could be certain these were what Saeko had been wearing just moments ago.
The residual warmth on the panties and the dark traces in the middle could prove this point. Ryuji couldn't help but sniff them—though slightly damp, they weren't unpleasant at all, but rather had a subtle fragrance.
At this moment, Saeko, who had been kneeling in the kendo club occasionally reminiscing about her tongue exchange with Ryuji, suddenly paled, then stood up full of killing intent, her sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings, her sixth-dan kendo aura on full display.
The club members who had just been practicing kendo were so frightened they froze in place, not daring to move. The entire clubroom instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
…
"Good thing this is the club building with low foot traffic, otherwise if someone saw this, I'd definitely be taken for a pervert."
Ryuji looked around and, finding no one, guiltily stuffed Saeko's purple lace panties into his pocket before breathing a sigh of relief.
As for immediately returning the panties to Saeko, Ryuji hadn't even considered it. After all, Fujimi Academy's skirts were long skirts that reached most of the calf, so there was no worry about indecent exposure.
Moreover, the kendo club had Saeko's private changing room, which surely had spares, so Ryuji had no concerns whatsoever.
Walking along, Ryuji heard familiar sounds.
"Hah!!!"
"Ha!!!"
Walking over to look at the nameplate, Ryuji discovered it was the spear arts club.
Remembering Rei's heroic bearing when wielding a spear in the anime, Ryuji immediately entered the spear arts club.
Entering the clubroom, he saw over a dozen boys and girls practicing with wooden spears, with Rei among them.
Ryuji also noticed Hisashi sitting on the sidelines, his gaze never leaving Rei.
"How persistent. No wonder he won Rei's heart in the anime. But now…"
Ryuji merely glanced at Hisashi before withdrawing his gaze.
Watching Rei wielding her spear in the practice area, Ryuji couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Not bad talent in spear arts. Though far inferior to Saeko-senpai's kendo talent, she's still among the best among ordinary people."
Ryuji didn't understand spear arts, but from the force, stability, and precision of Rei's wielding, he could tell that aside from one male student in the practice area, Rei's spear technique had already surpassed all other club members.
As for that male student, he was probably the spear arts club captain. Ryuji merely glanced at him before paying him no mind.
Rei seemed to notice Ryuji, her spear-wielding movements pausing momentarily as her cheeks flushed slightly pink.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Rei, who had been training at roughly the same intensity as the other members, suddenly displayed thrusting techniques far superior to the other members, even surprising the spear arts club captain.
Hisashi seemed to sense something. Turning his head, he saw Ryuji standing by the spear arts clubroom entrance.
Hisashi immediately became vigilant.
Sensing Hisashi's hostile gaze, Ryuji simply ignored it.
As long as the other party didn't bother him, who would waste energy on someone about to die?
After completing a spectacular combo, Rei lowered her spear and wiped her forehead with her hand while secretly glancing at Ryuji.
In response, Ryuji smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
Then he saw Rei, amid the applause of other club members, display a genuinely happy smile for the first time in a while.
After seeing Rei's smile, Ryuji nodded to her before leaving the spear arts club.
All of this was witnessed by Hisashi on the side.
Anxious inside, Hisashi planned to confess to Rei after she finished club activities.
However, what awaited him was Rei's emotionless rejection.
After killing time somewhere and wandering around campus for a while, Ryuji felt there should be no loose ends, so he decided to check out the residence arranged by the Reincarnation Space.
As for seeking Saeko's help, Ryuji quietly touched the silky fabric in his pocket and felt it would be better to wait until tomorrow.
Just as he reached Fujimi Academy's dedicated train station, Ryuji encountered two familiar faces.
The current time was five-thirty. Since this wasn't the city center, there weren't many people at the train station—just scattered groups of students here and there.
Rei and Hisashi stood not far from Ryuji. The two seemed to have been there for quite some time, conversing about something.
With Ryuji's current abilities, he could easily hear their conversation.
"Miyamoto-san, I like you. Please go out with me!"
Hisashi displayed a sunny boy's smile and extended his right hand, awaiting Rei's response.
If this were the anime version of Rei with no one to comfort her, she probably would have already given an affirmative response under Hisashi's fierce offensive.
But this wasn't anime—it was reality. Things couldn't possibly go exactly as they did in the anime.
So…
"I'm sorry, Igou-san. I already have someone I like."
Saying this, Rei seemed to see something, her lovely cheeks flushing crimson.
Because of Hisashi's bowing posture, Ryuji, standing not far behind him, came into Rei's view.
'Mmm… Why is Ryuji-kun here? Could he have heard everything? Will he misunderstand me?'
After seeing Ryuji, Rei's cheeks flushed red, her thoughts drifting, completely oblivious to Hisashi still standing there awkwardly with his hand extended.
Though there weren't many people at the train station, there were still a few students present.
"Eh?! That was a confession just now, right?"
"Seems like it."
"That girl is really pretty, and that figure—if I had a girlfriend like that, I'd laugh in my sleep."
"You're not kidding."
"Wait, did she just reject him?"
"Seems like it…"
The surrounding voices reached Hisashi's ears, making his outstretched hand freeze in place.
Meanwhile, on the opposite platform, Takashi stood frozen in place as well.
In his eyes, he saw Hisashi bowing and extending his hand, along with Rei's flushed cheeks.
Woo! Woo woo!
Just then, the train whistle sounded. Soon the train arrived at the station, simultaneously blocking Takashi's view.
Just as Takashi's view was blocked by the train, Rei also snapped out of her wandering thoughts.
She then walked around Hisashi and jogged toward Ryuji.
Leaving Hisashi frozen in place alone.
Hisashi came to his senses and turned to look, only to see Rei conversing nervously with Ryuji, the two standing very close together.
"Look, look—that girl who was just confessed to seems to like a different guy."
"Yeah, if I were the guy who confessed, I'd probably die of embarrassment."
"How pitiful…"
The murmurs of the students watching the spectacle also reached his ears, making him feel agitated.
Seeing Rei holding Ryuji's arm, the two pressed close together, he felt somewhat angry and wanted to go pull Rei away.
Just as he walked to not far behind Rei, he was frightened into freezing in place by a single look from Ryuji, who suddenly raised his head toward him.
Dark and profound, cold and indifferent—what kind of gaze was that? Like a human viewing an ant, or like looking at someone about to die.
Hisashi's mind instantly cleared. Frightened, he walked around the two and hurriedly left the train station.