The area where Toyogasaki Private Academy is located is in Chiyoda District, Tokyo.
Chiyoda District takes forty minutes by subway from Edogawa District, where Hikaru is currently. Therefore, he always leaves home early.
With Hikaru's power, let alone just from Edogawa District to Chiyoda District, even from Japan across the Atlantic Ocean, it's only a matter of moments. However, just like going to school, he himself greatly enjoys the ordinary life where he does what he should do at a certain age.
Like a true ordinary person, fully blending into clothing, food, housing, and transportation, enjoying the pleasures that only ordinary people can experience.
Currently, he is no longer the Emperor Shin revered by the gods, but merely an ordinary third-year student at Toyogasaki Private Academy, a senior to the new female students.
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"Good thing I got dressed early, otherwise I would definitely be mobbed like a monkey."
In the crowded subway car, Hikaru, covering his face with a mask, listened to the bustling conversations around him.
The topic of conversation was, of course, the currently hottest Eternal Beauty List.
Currently, there is nothing on the internet or in the real world as popular as this. If a celebrity released an album or movie now, it would likely not only be deserted but also heavily criticized with various comparisons.
It must be admitted that with the appearance of the Eternal Beauty List, everyone's aesthetic standards have risen to a higher level. Celebrities and divas who were previously adored are now considered bland ordinary women, not even worthy of being supporting characters, let alone called goddesses.
Only those on the Eternal Beauty List are symbols of true goddesses. This also caused countless girls to dream of getting onto the Eternal Beauty List; even if it was only in the last rank, they would be satisfied and enjoy the sensation of being adored by thousands.
As for the problem that makes Hikaru feel helpless now, it's that these people are talking about the Eternal Beauty List, which is fine, but don't let half of every fifty sentences spoken be about him, especially the overflowing hatred and slander, which makes him shake his head helplessly inwardly.
For heaven's sake, it's clear that every time he was the party unilaterally broken up with, why is it now, in everyone's perception, that he is like a scumbag who starts a relationship and then abandons it.
"Indeed, men in front of women, especially beautiful women, are always the weaker group."
Moreover, the reasons for his breakups with Kasumigaoka Utaha, Kochou Kanae, Isayama Yomi... and others cannot be explained in just a few words.
As Hikaru's thoughts drifted, suddenly, a warm soft body directly bumped into his arm. And, his first instinctive reaction was:
(Students nowadays grow up so well.)
"Sorry!"
Then, a very small, shy, mosquito-like apologetic voice sounded in his ear. This was Hikaru. If it were someone with poorer hearing, it's estimated that more than eighty percent wouldn't be able to hear what the little girl in his arms said.
It was then that Hikaru focused on observing the little girl who bumped into his arm.
Wearing the same school uniform as him, she seemed to be a student of Toyogasaki Private Academy. However, judging from her school badge, she was a new first-year female student, with black hair and black eyes, her eyes full of shyness. Her beautiful features were covered by a mask, but from her figure, which was in no way inferior to Utaha's, it could be seen that she was definitely a very beautiful new female student.
"Oh, it's her!"
Hikaru couldn't help but be curious and activated a bit of his perceptive power to peek at the face behind the new student's mask, and she was as gentle and beautiful as he imagined.
Moreover, he knew this new student, of course, only unilaterally. She was Katsura Kotonoha, ranked eighty-five on the Eternal Beauty List.
Her ranking was much higher than Utaha's and Eriri's, placing her below Kanae, Shirayuki Hime, and Kaguya.
Hikaru didn't expect to meet her here. What a surprising coincidence.
"Hey, brat, get out of the way, don't mess with us."
Three masked thugs with malicious intent surrounded Hikaru, continuously threatening him.
Kotonoha hadn't fallen into his arms due to the subway's shaking, but rather because she was being harassed by these thugs. She continuously retreated until she finally bumped into him.
In Japan, especially on crowded subways, thugs who harass women often appear. Although they don't dare to do anything overtly, harassment and taking advantage are certainly unavoidable, which is utterly disgusting.
"You clearly have enough power to defeat them, why didn't you act?"
Hikaru didn't pay attention to the thugs' shouts in his ear. Instead, he lowered his head and whispered into Kotonoha's ear.
Perhaps because this was her first intimate contact with the opposite sex since childhood, especially the strong masculine scent, Kotonoha's face turned very red, and her head became muddled.
"Your weakness will only make them more audacious."
Hikaru gently grasped Kotonoha's delicate hand, and amidst Kotonoha's shy yet confused gaze as she slightly regained her senses, he pointed towards the malicious thugs who were getting closer.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Kotonoha could clearly feel several arrow-like attacks blossoming from her fingertips. They were cyan.
"Aaaahhhh..."
Accompanied by several painful screams like slaughtered pigs, the attacks directly penetrated the lower bodies of the thugs. A large amount of blood flowed out. They knelt on the ground, wailing in pain, scaring other passengers nearby to repeatedly retreat.
"This..."
Kotonoha felt a little uncomfortable seeing this scene. However, before she could say anything, the subway stopped at a station. Hikaru immediately pulled her out of the subway.
"Mistakes made must be courageously borne. If you encounter people like that again, teach them a lifelong lesson directly. That can also prevent others from becoming their victims."
After exiting the subway station, Hikaru released Kotonoha's hand. They both walked side by side towards the street leading to Toyogasaki Private Academy.
"Thank you, Kanzaki-senpai."
Kotonoha was silent for a few seconds, then said in a soft voice, "Next time, I will."
"You know me?!"
Hikaru was surprised that Kotonoha immediately recognized him.
"Kanzaki-senpai is quite famous at school."
Kotonoha took off her mask, showing a shy smile.
"Famous, huh? I guess now not just at school, but all over the world too." Hikaru said with a wry smile.
Kotonoha just smiled faintly. She certainly knew what her senior's words meant. However, in her heart, she didn't think her senior was an irresponsible scumbag who just abandoned people.
There must be a special reason, there must be...
"We're here!"
As Hikaru and Kotonoha talked, they had already arrived at the gate of Toyogasaki Private Academy.
Students radiating youthful aura flocked into the school, radiating youthful spirit and vitality to each other.
Kotonoha, who had just removed her mask, attracted a lot of attention. And, Hikaru beside her certainly couldn't be avoided. In an instant, he was recognized by many people, with expressions of anger, envy, hatred, and resentment.
Seeing the bastard who kept snatching their goddesses, now already having Mio, who is ranked third on the Eternal Beauty List, still not enough, he even came to spoil the remaining goddesses of the Eternal Beauty List at Toyogasaki Private Academy.
Isn't it said that a rabbit doesn't eat grass near its burrow? Why does this bastard continuously pull grass near his burrow instead?
However, even though they were very angry, no one dared to pick a fight with Hikaru. They could only watch him enter the school with Kotonoha.
After all, the name Kanzaki Hikaru was a 'taboo not to be disturbed' at Toyogasaki Private Academy. The arrogant seniors whose arms were broken and legs were broken were still lying in the hospital, even missing college entrance exams, delaying their future for life.
Hikaru could ignore those gazes, but Kotonoha was not that thick-skinned. Her head was almost buried in her rapidly developing chest.
"Let's part ways here. See you, new student."
Third-year and second-year students at Toyogasaki Private Academy are not in the same school building. Second-years are outside, at their current location, while third-years are inside, near the stadium.
"...See you, Kanzaki-senpai!"
Kotonoha felt a little sad for no clear reason, staring blankly at Hikaru's tall and slender back as he left.
"Route E5685."
This was the subway route she took today. Previously, she was always driven by the family chauffeur. This time, because the chauffeur was on leave, she had to take the subway herself to go to school. Although some unpleasant things happened, she met Kanzaki-senpai...