Chapter 142: The Beginning of Summer Camp (Long Chapter)
The color of the sky was bathed in sunlight, and the air was fresh.
Chishima Akishin sat on his bed and let out a yawn. After waking up, he pulled back the curtains and scratched his messy hair as he made his way to the bathroom.
There was a slight hint of dark circles under his eyelids. He had entered the Patch Space again last night to train.
Currently, he felt as if he were stuck at a plateau. He had fought countless matches against Yagyu Jubei, and every single one had ended in a stalemate. Sometimes he would take Jubei's life, other times Jubei would take his; he just couldn't seem to land that one, perfect lethal strike.
Akishin decided to take a short break from the Patch Space to clear his head. A string wound too tight is bound to snap, after all. Usually, he would supplement his training by using Breathing Techniques to strengthen his physical constitution.
He washed his face, brushed his teeth, took another quick shower, and did his hair. Swapping his pajamas for simple casual clothes, he headed downstairs to cook.
He prepared a few sticks of You Tiao, two bowls of vegetable congee, and four eggs, then sliced the leftover braised beef from yesterday as a side dish. In just over ten minutes, a beautiful breakfast was ready, its aroma filling the Izakaya.
Looking at the meal he'd prepared, Chishima Akishin nodded in satisfaction before heading back upstairs to knock on Shizuka's door.
"Shizuka-chan, wake up. Let's eat. Didn't you say we're going to Chiba Village today?"
"Chishima-kun, come in!"
Whoosh!
Akishin opened the door and stepped into Shizuka's room.
It wasn't his first time in her room, but he rarely visited. In total, he hadn't been in here more than four times. The morning light streamed through the window, illuminating the space.
In the left corner sat a solitary bed. The blankets, pillows, and sheets—all patterned with cartoon characters—were a tangled mess. It was clear the owner hadn't bothered to tidy up after waking, and her sleeping posture probably wasn't great either. A giant teddy bear took up about a third of the bed, looking a bit worn out.
Next to the bed, a five-tier bookshelf was packed with manga and games, alongside various certificates and trophies, like "Chiba City Martial Arts Tournament Champion" and "Winner of XX Game Award."
On the floor, a gray carpet was strewn with scattered comics. Two slippers lay abandoned—one by the door and the other in the corner. A beanbag chair sat in the center of the room, positioned perfectly to avoid direct glare while still receiving plenty of light.
At that moment, Shizuka was buried in the beanbag, clutching her phone and messaging someone.
Akishin walked up behind her, caught a glimpse of the screen, and asked with a smile, "Shizuka-chan, are you getting in touch with someone?"
"I'm trying to reach that Hikigaya brat. Everyone else responded fine and promised to gather at Chiba Station in a bit, but that Hikigaya won't reply to my messages..."
Her voice carried a hint of annoyance. If Hachiman were here right now, he'd likely be in for a lecture. To Shizuka, no matter what Hachiman achieved, he was still that problem child who dared to make jokes about her age.
Besides, Hachiman was Akishin's student. Given his relationship with Chishima, other than "Sensei," what else was Hachiman supposed to call her?
"He probably turned his phone off. A lot of people have been calling to harass him these past two days. Someone leaked his number and posted it on a forum," Akishin said, defending Hachiman before adding with a smile, "If you can't reach Hachiman, you can always call Komachi."
"Oh, right. There's still Komachi."
Shizuka tapped her head, wondering how she could have forgotten. she looked up Komachi's email address and sent a message. A reply came back almost instantly. Shizuka quickly coordinated the details with her.
Akishin said gently, "Alright, Shizuka-chan, let's head down to eat, or the food will get cold."
Seeing her so distracted she forgot breakfast made him wonder how she'd managed her life before moving in. Or maybe she only became this relaxed because she was living with him?
Shizuka hopped out of the beanbag and jogged lightly toward the kitchen.
Akishin went down first to wait. Shizuka followed shortly after, having only brushed her teeth and hair without even bothering to change out of her pajamas. This was Shizuka's "normal mode" at home.
Taking her seat, Shizuka first picked up the warm congee and took a comforting sip. She then popped a piece of braised beef into her mouth, squinting her eyes in pure bliss.
Two hours later.
A group gathered at Chiba Station.
Hachiman, Komachi, Yuigahama Yui, Yukinoshita Yukino, Totsuka Saika, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, Kawasaki Saki, Kondo Yuika, Kondo Soichi, and Sakurai Kaiko.
The group was a lively mix of voices, everyone carrying a bit of luggage.
Hiratsuka Shizuka took off her sunglasses, shooting Hachiman a mock-angry glare. "Hikigaya, why didn't you reply to my messages?" she asked coldly.
Today, she was dressed like a hiker. She wore black trekking boots, oversized army green trousers, and a dark red short-sleeved t-shirt. Her long black hair was tied in a low ponytail, and an army green cap sat on her head. She looked incredibly sharp. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was a female instructor straight out of a military academy.
Hachiman's eyes had reverted to his signature "dead fish" stare—the kind that would make anyone who didn't know him refuse to believe he practiced Kendo. If hiding one's presence were a skill, Hachiman had truly mastered it. Akishin was actually quite envious.
Feeling Shizuka's gaze, Hachiman dropped his bag to the floor and immediately bowed his head in apology. "I'm very sorry, Sensei. My phone ran out of battery and died yesterday."
In truth, the harassment calls were real. Some jerk had spread his number all over the internet, and people were calling just to mess with him. Out of sheer annoyance, he'd shut it off. While he could have set up a whitelist for callers, it wasn't a long-term fix. Before coming here today, he'd already gotten a new SIM card.
Akishin laughed from the driver's seat of the van. "Since everyone is here, let's get moving."
The group piled into the van, and the engine hummed to life as they headed toward Chiba Village on the outskirts of the city.
During the drive, Soichi asked expectantly from the back seat, "Chishima-sensei, what exactly is this 'Nature Exploration Class'? Is it like on TV, where you can just have a picnic whenever you want?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka had mentioned earlier that the sixth graders at their school participated in a "Nature Exploration Class," commonly known as a wilderness camp or Summer Camp. Having grown up in Itomori—which was basically tucked away in the mountains—he wondered why anyone would need a "trip" to go to the mountains.
The question actually stumped Akishin. He knew it was a wilderness trip, but he'd never been on one himself, so he didn't know the specific protocol.
After thinking for a couple of seconds, Akishin was about to answer honestly when Hachiman spoke up.
"Soichi, 'Nature Exploration Class' is no different from studying at school. The only difference is that one is in a classroom and the other is in a tourist forest. In fact, it can be worse than school. You have to do a lot of things yourself. And then there are the people who are naturally outcasts; in this environment, they just get even more marginalized..."
Hachiman deeply understood Akishin's words: Reminiscing about childhood is a sedative for those who had happy childhoods but find adult life painful; they can heal their lives using their childhood. But those with unhappy childhoods must spend their whole lives trying to heal from them. The inferiority felt as a child might follow you forever.
That was why bullying was so horrific—it was far more than just getting hit a few times.
Hachiman's own "Nature Exploration Class" as a kid hadn't been fun. For instance, during the campfire at night, everyone was supposed to pair up with a girl for a dance. He was rejected, forced to dance with the empty air all by himself.
Even though he had forcibly "healed" his past, remembering those moments still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Eh, really?" Soichi's excitement dampened. He had thought it would be amazing, but Hachiman's words made him reconsider.
Hachiman nodded with certainty. "Exactly. So when we get there, let's just observe. There's really no need to participate."
The others in the van looked at Hachiman with strange expressions. You just completely killed the mood! But when they thought back to their own experiences with such trips... actually, he wasn't wrong!
"Hikigaya, stop with the gloom and doom." Shizuka turned from the passenger seat, glaring at Hachiman. "Do you know why I asked you all to join this volunteer activity? I even invited Hayama and the others."
Hachiman's eyes twitched slightly. Maintaining his flat expression, he asked, "Why?"
He would have much rather stayed home to play games, headed to Chishimaya at noon for an hour of Kendo, and eaten a free meal made by his teacher. Life would have been beautiful. And besides... why invite Hayama and that lot? Thinking of them still made him feel a bit uneasy.
Shizuka looked at everyone in the van and said, "You all need to learn how to get along with different social circles."
Hachiman scoffed. "It's impossible for me to be 'best friends' with them." Blending in with Hayama's crew? Not a chance.
"How should I put this?" Shizuka rubbed her forehead in frustration. "I'm not telling you to be best friends. I'm saying you should get along. Learn the technique of interacting with people peacefully—neither hostile nor ignoring them. That's what society is. Besides, Hikigaya, with your current status, who would dare look down on you? I don't know how many people at school admire you. You should have a more reasonable awareness of yourself."
Hachiman half-lidded his dead-fish eyes, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Just because his status had changed didn't mean he wanted to stand on a pedestal or be the center of attention. His success was simply proof of his hard work.
Compared to Hayama's exhausting way of maintaining relationships, he preferred staying on the fringes, as long as he had one or two close friends.
"Enough talk. Your teacher knows about this. Just get along when we get there. They certainly won't dare look down on you anymore," Shizuka declared, settling the matter.
"Um..." Kondo Soichi raised his hand weakly and smiled. "Don't worry, Senpai. I won't be left out, let alone bullied. By the way, some of those kids are my subordinates."
"Subordinates???"
Shizuka, Hachiman, and the others stared at the "mature-acting" Soichi in shock. Aren't you only in fifth grade? Those kids are sixth graders.
Kondo Soichi chuckled. "That's right!"
After a twenty-minute drive on the highway, the van entered a forested mountain area.
This place was a far cry from the silent majesty of Mount Ryujin back in Itomori. The trees here were "young and small," likely planted only a few decades ago. Most of the area showed signs of human development—essentially a tourist village the government used to fill time.
Since it was right outside the city and lacked a spectacular view, who would come here besides students doing their "Nature Practice Class"?
They hopped out of the van in an empty lot. Another van followed closely behind, and Hayama's group of four stepped out: Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, and Tobe Kakeru, whose distinct voice could be heard even before he touched the ground.
When Hayama saw Hachiman, he froze for a moment. His expression was a bit unnatural, but he still greeted him warmly. "Hello, Hikigaya-kun. Congratulations on winning the Gyokuryu-ki championship."
Hachiman replied simply, "Thanks."
Miura Yumiko and the other two also stared at Hachiman with surprise, as if trying to re-evaluate their "old acquaintance." However, they couldn't see any difference; Hachiman was still the same Hachiman. They had watched the Gyokuryu-ki matches and been stunned, but seeing him in person, he didn't seem to give off that same "wow" factor... though they all exchanged somewhat awkward greetings.
"...And so, finally, let's give a warm greeting to the big brothers and sisters who will be helping us today!"
The plump elementary school teacher, Sakura-sensei, lowered her megaphone. A large group of elementary students obediently turned to Hachiman's group and said in unison, "Please take care of us!"
Hachiman took the megaphone handed to him. Facing the group of kids, he felt incredibly awkward but forced himself to shout with a hint of enthusiasm, "If you have any problems, just let us know. We'll help you. Ahem, well, let's make some countless wonderful memories in this forest Summer Camp. Please take care of us... that's all..."
Hachiman's hesitant speech made the kids laugh.
Suddenly, an elementary student stood up and said excitedly, "Wait, you're Hikigaya-nii, right? The 'Chiba Kendo Monster'? Is that you? I saw you on TV! I can't believe you're actually here to help us..."
Wait, what?
Chiba Kendo Monster?
Hachiman tilted his head. Was that supposed to be him? When did he get a nickname like that?
"It has to be him! Hikigaya-nii, you're so cool! You're my idol! Can you teach me Kendo?"
As soon as those words were out, a dozen boys stood up with shining eyes, looking exactly like kids holding flashlights toward an Ultraman Tiga statue. Hachiman's image—fighting until he collapsed—was the ultimate object of worship for hot-blooded young boys.
With those few standing up, the rest of the students started buzzing. They began asking him questions, and as word spread, the way they looked at him shifted. There was a bit of awe, but mostly pure adoration.
And then...
Hachiman was swarmed. He was surrounded so tightly his pants were nearly pulled down in the scramble. He threw a desperate, "help me" look toward Akishin, but Akishin had already quietly ducked behind Shizuka.
Hachiman: "..."
Eventually, with the help of the teachers and Hayama's group, the crowd was dispersed.
The plump teacher said with a bit of embarrassment, "Well then, first up is the Orienteering. We'll head toward the barbecue area on the other side of the mountain." She wondered if having such a famous person here was a blessing or a curse.
Hiratsuka Shizuka gathered everyone. "Alright, your first task is to be the support team for the Orienteering. Move with them and keep an eye out to make sure there are no accidents."
The elementary students were split into groups of five and began heading into the woods. Hachiman and the others followed at the very back, while Akishin and Shizuka took the van via the main road at the foot of the mountain.
The quiet forest, the occasional small animal scurrying by, and the newly carved paths were all a novelty for the city kids. They carried cameras, snapping photos with their friends.
Tobe Kakeru: "Man, elementary kids are so young. I feel like we high schoolers are already basically old uncles."
Miura Yumiko: "Can you shut up? You're making me feel like a grandma..."
Totsuka Saika: "But when I was in elementary school, I thought high schoolers looked so mature!"
Hikigaya Komachi: "Me too. To me, high schoolers seemed like real adults."
Totsuka Saika: "True. Hachiman, what did you think of high schoolers back then?"
Hikigaya Hachiman: "No difference, just a bit bigger. If you want to talk about maturity... being able to complain, telling malicious lies, doing incredibly sneaky things... once you have those down, you're an adult."
Hikigaya Komachi: "..."
Yuigahama Yui: "..."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."
Kondo Soichi: "I think what Senpai said is spot on. I once saw high schoolers try to steal lunch money from us elementary kids, and we beat them until they ran away. If that's what being an 'adult' is, I think I'll pass."
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