Hirata achieved his goal of pacifying the "overlord" world.
But the "good times" did not last long. Because Hirata's actions had been too high-profile, the entire grade's order collapsed, and many students even dared not come to school.
The incident caused a huge stir throughout the local area.
The school could not simply sweep it under the rug. It had no choice but to strengthen school management and crack down on bullying.
Hirata was disciplined as well, but considering his circumstances, the school did not put the incident on his record, so it would not affect his future education.
And so, Hirata ended his brief career of "conquering XX Junior High."
But it had not been meaningless. Because of Hirata's actions, the school tightened its management of bullying. At least until Hirata graduated, he could no longer find any opportunities to intervene.
Afterward, Hirata realized that what he had done was wrong.
What he wanted was a world "without bullies," not to become a destroyer of other bullies by bullying them himself!
He felt that when bullying appeared, the fault did not lie with any particular person. Rather, it was the atmosphere created by the group's emotions—the atmosphere that treated bullying as commonplace, as if it were only natural—that allowed bullying to take root.
If everyone maintained a good atmosphere, then perhaps bullying would not appear at all?
Therefore, Hirata planned to change his approach. Once he entered high school and joined a new class, he would start from scratch and build a class with a harmonious atmosphere, where everyone helped one another and did not hurt each other. He felt that this way, perhaps bullying would never take root in the class.
At that point, he received an invitation to take the entrance exam for Advanced Nurturing High School.
Considering that he had already become famous in that area and would have trouble "starting from scratch," Hirata took the entrance exam for the school and worked hard to get in...
"You really didn't have to work hard." After listening to Hirata's recollection, Bai Lan instinctively complained, "I didn't even want to get in back then. I completely messed around and mocked them to the fullest, yet I still got in. I suspect the school's admission standard isn't academic performance at all, but species diversity. People who are too normal can't get in. The stranger someone is, the easier it is for them to pass."
"Is that so? And I actually prepared seriously?" Hirata mocked himself.
"Oh my~ I never would have guessed. You, Hirata Yosuke, with your thick eyebrows and honest face, were actually a school bully?"
"A school bully? Well, thinking about it carefully, that was indeed how I appeared in other people's eyes back then."
"You suppressed an entire grade by yourself. Had you trained in boxing before?"
"No. I mainly exercised by playing soccer, so I found it strange too. I had never trained, yet I managed to suppress the entire grade simply by making use of the emotions passed on by others. That proves those bullies were all paper tigers. Why didn't the people they bullied dare to do what I did?"
"You're underestimating yourself. That punch of yours was a surprise attack, but it still triggered my fight-or-flight response. That means your punches are quite powerful when you're angry. I think you have real talent. Stop playing soccer and consider taking up boxing."
"Forget it. I don't like violence."
"Your way of disliking violence is to use violence against me?"
"I already said that wasn't it. I acted on impulse..."
"I really wish you could strike a balance between how you usually are and how you act in front of those people. You're way too extreme—either completely rigid or completely soft. It's not normal at all."
"If you encountered something like that, what would you do?" Hirata's voice was filled with expectation.
"Huh? Do you even need to ask? How could I just stand by and watch a friend get bullied?"
"Considering it's you, I suppose that's what you'd do..."
"Of course I'd laugh at him! Hahahaha~~~ How could he be so stupid as to get bullied?"
"???"
Splash~
Swish~ Swish~
Bai Lan's words threw Hirata's breathing and movements out of rhythm. The buoyancy supporting his body fluctuated violently, and he failed to remain stable on the water's surface. His whole body began thrashing, and he swallowed several mouthfuls of water.
Fortunately, Hirata was a good swimmer. Before long, he managed to regain his composure.
"Wait a moment. I'll get out first."
Once he had adjusted his movements, Hirata stopped floating and swam to shore.
Hirata took off his shirt and wrung it out as he asked Bai Lan, "I feel like you weren't saying all that just to be shocking. Can you explain, Bai?"
Bai Lan said, "I'd mock him while teaching him how to solve the problem in front of him, as well as similar problems. Protecting someone for a moment won't protect them forever. It's better to teach someone how to fish than to simply give them fish..."
49, Hirata's Deal with Bai Lan
"How do you teach someone? What do you mean by teaching them how to fish?" Hirata asked.
Bai Lan revealed a severely crooked, extremely exaggerated grin. "Fight back by any means necessary. Unless you have an extraordinary talent, it would be too late to learn boxing.
"But the reason humans are advanced animals is because we 'are good at making use of external tools.' We know how to strengthen ourselves with outside objects.
"Bear spray, stun guns, bags of lime powder, telescopic batons, hardened rulers, dung bombs... Use every convenient, practical, and legal tool you can carry."
"Bear spray?"
"When you're out and about, everyone, regardless of gender, has to protect themselves~
"If your skills are truly terrible and even a fully equipped build can't defeat the enemy, then just pull the internet cable!"
"Pull the internet cable?"
"It means flipping the table and making a huge fuss! Beforehand, record everything about what happened using every method you can think of.
"Your homeroom teacher, the head of teaching affairs, the principal, the education bureau, every major social platform, television stations, the police station, newspapers... Post it everywhere you can think of!
"Hahaha~
"They! All! Die!"
"But the way you do things feels pretty similar to what I did."
"Of course. I never said what you did was wrong."
"What I did... wasn't wrong? I used violence. I plunged the entire grade into fear..."
"There was nothing wrong with it. One of the great men of our country once said: 'If peace is sought through struggle, peace will survive; if peace is sought through compromise, peace will perish!'
"Changing the world isn't a dinner party. It can't be done peacefully and amicably, and it's impossible to avoid bloodshed.
"Either it will be your blood or someone else's.
"There are gains and losses. The guilt lies in the present, while the merit lasts for generations!
"Look, after what you did, didn't the bullying atmosphere at your school stop?"
"That was the result of the school strengthening its management, wasn't it?"
"Although the school's strengthened management played a part, they were even more afraid that someone would imitate you. They feared their bullying would once again 'activate' another Hirata Yosuke. It was because you appeared that they became apprehensive!"
"Is that so?" Hirata sounded uncertain, but a sense of fulfillment had already arisen in his heart.
"Imagine if what you did had been done by a senior from the grade above yours. Would your friend have gone through what happened?"
"Perhaps."
"So, although you couldn't save your friend in time, you saved other people's friends, other people's sons and daughters.
"Because what you did back then had meaning.
"As for your friend, it's certainly regrettable.
"But how can the world be full of perfect, flawless outcomes?
"You can't help everyone.
"Everyone has their own desires, and those desires often exceed what they should be responsible for. People also like coveting what's in other people's bowls.
"That's why humans are always in conflict.
"If you forcibly help one person, you'll harm several others. The more you help, the more chaotic things become."
"Then what should I do?"
"Do whatever you want. As long as you don't insist on achieving perfection, just make sure you don't regret it afterward.
"To be honest, if what happened to you had happened where we're from, you could brag about it for the rest of your life!"
"How much have we talked about so far?"
"We've already talked for fifty thousand. Your own storytelling took thirty-six thousand of that."
"You actually kept track of the time?!"
"Of course. After all, we're only discussing business now, not feelings. But there's a reason expensive services cost more. The appearance fee is one thing, and you get what you pay for. I put thought into answering your questions too."
"No wonder paying makes such a difference. You don't sound nearly as unpleasant as usual. I feel much better after hearing all that, and I gained quite a lot."
"Want to talk for another forty thousand?"
"I think I'd better save some money for food."
"Isn't there a free wild-vegetable meal plan?"
"I occasionally need to socialize too."
"Then, are we done?"
"Let's talk for another ten thousand. I still have a few things to say."
"Go ahead."
"My wish remains unchanged."
"Huh?" Bai Lan frowned, feeling that his time was being wasted.
But then he thought about it. Hirata had paid to reserve all this time, so the one whose time was truly being wasted was Hirata. Thinking of it that way, Bai Lan felt it did not matter.
Still, after sensing Bai Lan's emotions, Hirata quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand. I understand now that my goal was impossible from the very beginning. It can't be forced; forcing it will only make things worse. So I won't force it anymore. I only hope to get a little closer to that wish and glimpse a little of the scenery there, as much as possible. I hope you can help me..."
"Tsk~" Bai Lan showed his impatience.
"It's fine if you don't help. It's fine..." Hirata waved his hands repeatedly. "Just don't get in my way, please!
"Actually, even if you plan to drop out, you don't necessarily have to destroy the unity of the class, do you?
"If you destroy the class's unity, you'll conflict with my goal.
"I already know that your goal is to drop out, but if your actions hinder my goal,
"then, in order to stop you from hindering my goal, I'll have no choice but to hinder your dropping out and force you to back down.
"By then, you won't be able to drop out, and I won't be able to achieve the harmonious class atmosphere I want.
"That would be bad for everyone."
"Are you threatening me?"
Before you continue