Off-Campus Exchange

Shinnosuke reached into Onizuka's pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He deftly took one out and put it between his lips, then felt in his own pockets and found no light. He patted Onizuka down, found a lighter, and lit the cigarette.

"Come on... I'm your homeroom teacher, at least. Could you not be so blatant about it...?"

Shinnosuke glanced at him, took a drag, and said,

"How many teachers are like you, always with a cigarette in their mouth and smoking a couple even during class? Besides, why is this off-campus exchange you mentioned a fight between delinquents? Normally, shouldn't it be a contest in something like the tea ceremony or kendo?"

Eikichi Onizuka got up and dusted off his backside.

"That's what elite high schools do."

"Eighty percent of high school students in Japan are delinquents. The other twenty percent are honor students at elite schools. Obviously, we're not in that twenty percent."

Eikichi Onizuka exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Nobody knows whether these kids will settle down and work for a living or join the underworld."

"The country's future rests on these kids. I want to do everything I can to change them. That's one of the reasons I became a teacher."

Shinnosuke looked at him and opened his mouth. He hadn't expected this seemingly unreliable teacher to be so unexpectedly noble.

"Sorry, I got a little off topic... Anyway, if we win, the school gets a grant."

Shinnosuke looked at him strangely and scratched his backside.

"So what's that got to do with me? It's not like I get the money..."

"Don't be so cold. Isn't fame what you delinquents care about most? If you beat the other schools, you'll be infamous... I mean, your names will be known far and wide."

"No, I'm just an ordinary high school student..."

Eikichi Onizuka snorted and pointed at him.

"Look at yourself. What part of you looks like an ordinary high school student? And I've never heard of an ordinary high school student taking down more than twenty upperclassmen in his first week."

"Huh? They came looking for trouble with me! That was self-defense!"

Eikichi Onizuka waved a hand at him and said dismissively,

"All right, all right. Anyway, I'm leaving this to you. Just meet at the principal's office at noon... The principal will explain it to you."

"But..."

Before he could finish, Eikichi Onizuka walked out with a cigarette in his mouth.

Shinnosuke scowled. He'd been given his orders, and that was that.

He then wandered up to the rooftop, planning to catch up on sleep, only to find Ryu and his group already there, playing cards at their leisure.

When they saw Shinnosuke, they raised their hands in greeting.

"Morning, big brother Shinnosuke~"

Shinnosuke was sick of it. How many times had he told them not to call him boss or big brother? They agreed, then turned around and forgot.

"Boss, Ryu just told us what happened this morning. Is there really a human that strong in the world...? Pair of tens..."

"Three aces... Speaking of which, you keep up that brutal training every day. That's our big brother Shinnosuke for you!"

Shinnosuke ignored them and turned to Inoue Ryushi.

"You've been to an off-campus exchange before, right? How exactly does it work?"

Inoue Ryushi scratched his head, a cigarette between his lips.

"Pair of threes... Uh... Last year we faced Kaikyu from Chiba Prefecture. Sugihara and I fought, along with Seki Kiriko, who's the basketball club captain now."

"The second-year upperclassmen weren't interested, so only the three of us fought... Pass..."

Shinnosuke thought it sounded like a hassle with nothing in it for him. He'd find a way to turn it down. Just then, a voice he hated to the bone suddenly appeared.

[Ding~ System side quest: Win the off-campus exchange]

[Quest reward: Skill +5]

[Refuse quest / quest failure: Comminuted fracture of the lower leg (incurable)]

Shinnosuke's face darkened. So you're not going to let me have a damn break, huh? I don't even know when I'll finish the main quest, and now you've given me a side quest.

Shinnosuke raged helplessly, furiously cursing the goddess's family in his head...

Meanwhile, Mithelis was eating potato chips and drinking soda while watching a show with a contented look on her face.

"These carbon-based life-forms called humans really know how to enjoy themselves... Burp~~~~"

At noon, Shinnosuke arrived at the principal's office, knocked, and went in.

A short, stout, middle-aged man with glasses and thinning hair sat on the sofa at the far end and beckoned him over warmly.

"There you are, Nohara. Come, come, sit down and let's talk."

Shinnosuke sat on the sofa opposite him. The principal rubbed his hands together and said,

"My, my, Nohara, you're looking better every time I see you!"

Shinnosuke looked at the somewhat ingratiating middle-aged man before him. His manner made Shinnosuke uncomfortable, reminding him of a fence-sitting colleague from his previous life...

"Oh, Nohara! I'm sure Teacher Onizuka has already told you. An off-campus exchange has suddenly come up today, and I haven't been able to find anyone suitable. Then Teacher Onizuka recommended you!"

"Our opponent this time is Kaikyu from Chiba Prefecture again. Although we won last year, their strength is still not to be underestimated!"

"Please be sure to give this exchange everything you've got! Bring glory to Aofuji High!"

You're just after the government grant, aren't you...

"Got it..."

Shinnosuke got up, said goodbye, and headed for Eikichi Onizuka's office. The principal watched him leave, his ingratiating expression instantly turning to one of contempt. He spat.

"Pah, just a bunch of society's trash..."