"Look, that delinquent finally showed up."
No kidding, right?
In this school where the "deviation value" was sky-high and everyone was an honor student, someone like Kenmei Isayama—who was always late, leaving early, skipping class, and rumored to be on the verge of expulsion—was a complete anomaly. He was the only one of his kind in the whole school.
Private Institution: Aoyama Academy.
Unlike other private schools in Tokyo, like Shuchiin Academy, Aoyama only had a high school division. The students who got in were the cream of the crop from junior highs all over Japan.
The fact that they could attract someone like Asagi Aiba to teach here spoke volumes about the school's prestige.
Kenmei and Sakura Isayama got in because they aced the incredibly difficult entrance exam. If you scored high enough, not only was tuition waived, but you also got a hefty scholarship.
Both siblings were top-tier, even in this school of elites.
One had been taking the scholarship for two years, the other for one.
They basically dominated the rankings.
But after Kenmei awakened the [Warhammer Simulator], his grades nosedived.
Class Rank: 121.
Well, Kenmei's score effectively revealed the total number of second-year students at Aoyama Academy.
It was to be expected. He spent all his time trying to find a cure for his sister. Where would he find the time to study?
The first time he touched a textbook in weeks was when he packed his bag this morning.
You can imagine how "unmotivated" Kenmei looked to outsiders.
Compared to a naturally bad delinquent, the "fall" of an honor student was far more tragic. It made people angry to see wasted potential!
That was why Asagi Aiba was so furious. The dead are gone; the living must move forward.
How could he let himself fall so low?!
Now that Kenmei was actually at school, it was naturally the hot topic of Aoyama Academy.
Since Asagi-nee dropped him off right on time, the hallways were packed with students from every class.
Expressionless, Kenmei walked slowly down the hall, bag in hand. Stares and whispers surrounded him constantly.
But even without him saying "excuse me," the crowd of students in the packed hallway parted automatically to let him through.
This was caused by the unconscious fluctuations of Kenmei's active psychic energy, forming an aura similar to "killing intent" often described in novels.
"It's a shame. He's actually really handsome."
"Shh, keep it down. Someone saw him late at night hanging out with scary Yakuza members. Don't let his looks fool you."
Two girls whispered while glancing at Kenmei.
"A cute girl like you, Sachi-chan, would definitely be devoured by him and then sold off."
"No way, Rin-chan!"
"So scary... let's go, class is starting."
"He wouldn't sell me..."
"And I heard..."
Discussing him right to his face.
Are high school girls this rude nowadays?
Kenmei felt helpless. He didn't even know what to say. For the record, he had never engaged in human trafficking and never would.
"Yakuza? ...Oh, umm, they probably mean Uncle Akutagawa and his crew."
Kenmei had been "working" with them, so it wasn't surprising he was seen late at night.
But the other rumors? Being a "scumbag" two-timing girls, a "human trafficker," an "alien," a "Super Beast"? Those were all lies!
The inexplicable slander, the baseless rumors, the looks of fear and suspicion.
Kenmei didn't even know where to start correcting them.
If he told Sakura, she would have laughed her head off and mocked him:
"Kenmei, you're so lame~"
"Just because I haven't been to school lately, I didn't expect so many rumors to spawn."
Kenmei laughed at himself. If he did get expelled, these people would probably assume he went to prison for "further education" to come out and unite the Yakuza of Japan.
He arrived at a classroom with a closed door. The sign read "Year 2, Class A."
This was his class. He walked in without hesitation.
Even though he hadn't been here in a while, seeing his familiar classmates made him feel at ease. It felt natural.
Kenmei's entrance froze the room for maybe a second, then everything returned to normal.
He went to his seat—second from the back, by the window.
The desk was clean. No insults scribbled on it, no white chrysanthemums, no trash inside. The chair had no glue, tacks, or paint on it.
Inspection complete.
It was exactly how he left it. The student on cleaning duty had even dusted it for him.
After all, Kenmei had spent over a year with these classmates. These smart honor students knew what kind of person he really was.
Kenmei wasn't socially awkward. When he first joined, his good looks and smooth talking helped him integrate and carve out a place for himself in the class.
It was only the students from other classes, who didn't know him, who made up wild stories based on hearsay.
"Kenmei, where have you been lately?"
Kenmei was actually quite popular in his class. After all, the [Warhammer Simulator] rated his base Charisma at 6 (above average).
Several classmates who were close to him came over to check on him.
"If you're in trouble, you have to tell us."
"Don't carry it all alone."
"Yeah, we're friends."
"Kenmei, I was so lonely without you."
"Hm??? Did something weird just mix in there?"
Kenmei felt a sudden chill and looked around to see who was trying to gross him out.
But just then, the student by the hallway window saw a shadow flash by. His face changed instantly. Taking on the role of the watchtower sentry, he silently signaled the rest of the class.
The classmates understood immediately. Everyone scrambled back to their seats and sat up straight. even the group surrounding Kenmei dispersed instantly.
They had been classmates for a year; Kenmei knew exactly what that signal meant.
Simple: The Homeroom Teacher is coming!
Meaning: Kenmei's Asagi-nee would arrive on the battlefield in thirty seconds.
Taking advantage of the dispersing crowd, the chubby kid sitting behind Kenmei finally got a chance to talk to him.
"Boo hoo hoo, my brother, you're finally here."
The crying sounded so fake it was impressive. If you didn't know better, you'd think he and Kenmei were life-and-death comrades.
"I missed you to death, man."
"Cut the crap, Fatty."
Kenmei didn't even turn his head. Knowing this guy's character, he laughingly exposed the fake sentiment.
"You were just scared that if I got expelled, there'd be no one left to rank below you on the next exam."
"Heh, bro, you really get me."
The chubby kid wasn't embarrassed at all. In fact, he looked a little proud.
"Thanks to your dedicated sacrifice, my dad hasn't beaten me in almost a month."
Moving from 121st to 120th place was progress, right? Progress deserved a reward.
But the chubby kid hadn't actually studied. Kenmei just stole last place, making him look better by comparison.
"Well, sorry to break it to you, but next exam, your dad is definitely gonna beat your ass."
"I guarantee it."
Hearing Kenmei's words, three question marks appeared over the chubby kid's head.
A bad feeling rose in his gut.
"Wait, bro, what do you mean?!"
He wanted to ask more, but the classroom door slid open. He immediately lowered his head in fear, daring not to speak another word to Kenmei.
Asagi Aiba, holding her textbooks, walked in briskly.
"Stand up!"
A girl with shoulder-length black hair and a very cute face stood up first. Hearing her command, everyone, including Kenmei and the chubby kid, stood up. Led by her, the class chanted in unison:
"Good morning, Sensei—"
Having not experienced student life in so long, Kenmei almost forgot about this ritual.
"Second year now, and Chitanda is still the class rep, huh?"
Eru Chitanda. The eldest daughter of the Chitanda family. Kenmei wasn't a stranger to her; they had been classmates for over a year.
As one of the famous beauties of Aoyama Academy, her looks were undeniable.
She had sparkling violet eyes that seemed to speak, looking moist and bright. Her silky black hair draped softly down her back. She was the kind of girl who easily inspired a strong desire to protect her.
Add to that her gentle personality. She was a social butterfly far superior to Kenmei, popular with both upper and lowerclassmen. No one disliked her.
To quote a certain dead-fish-eyed boy:
She is the normie of normies.
But what really caught Kenmei's attention wasn't her beauty, which rivaled even Asagi-nee's. It was what he saw through his perspective as a Psyker.
He sensed a dark aura clinging to the "Curiosity Incarnate." Instinctively, Kenmei covered his eyes with psychic energy.
One look, and he knew something was wrong.