The All-Powerful Chūnibyō Champion

Extra: 1 Elementary School

Eriri's first meeting with her Childhood Friend was actually on her first day of elementary school.

"Nice to meet you all, my name is Eriri..."

With blonde hair, mixed race, and adorable looks, the girl quickly won everyone's hearts when she introduced herself on stage.

The next person to take the stage and introduce himself was a young man with an extraordinary presence, who attracted more attention than she did.

The other person possessed a strange quality that made it impossible to look away.

Then, the boy's first words were completely unexpected.

"My name is Hasegawa Izumi, Hasegawa as in Hasegawa, and Izumi as in spring water. I'm currently facing difficulties and stranded on Blue Star. In order to return to my peak, I need resources. If any of you can offer some spare change, I will definitely help you rise to the top in the future..."

The ambiguous self-introduction left everyone confused.

However, it wasn't a big deal. Compared to some classmates who stuttered when they spoke, Hasegawa's behavior was just a little 'strange', and no one paid any attention to it.

He stepped down from the podium and sat down in his seat.

"Huh, what do you look like... Have we met somewhere before?"

"Yes, is there?"

Eriri was sitting next to the boy, and was a little shy when he suddenly struck up a conversation with her.

She was still a child and had never been approached so directly before, so she didn't find the words 'rustic'.

Hmm... maybe it's what they call 'Déjà vu'?

After saying that, Hasegawa Izumi turned her head away.

"What the heck...?"

The blonde little girl suddenly felt awkward, secretly glancing at the other person twice, her cheeks puffing out.

That's when their destiny began.

Within a semester, the interpersonal relationships within the class had been largely established.

Eriri has a few female classmates she can talk to, but the only boy she's close to is the boy next door.

The other person's words were often whimsical and baffling, yet they frequently piqued her interest.

When a girl becomes interested in a boy, it's usually the beginning of her falling for him.

Then, one day during summer vacation.

As the girl was drawing at home, she suddenly heard her mother's voice from outside the door.

"Eriri, your father's friend is visiting, along with a boy about your age. Why don't you come out and meet him?"

"No, I want to draw."

Eriri's first reaction was resistance; she refused outright.

"Are you sure you don't want it?"

"Don't want."

"Huh? Eriri doesn't even want to see her own friends? How heartless of her~"

"Friend!?"

The girl froze, put down her paintbrush, and turned to look.

The bedroom door opened with a click.

"Yo, Sawamura, good afternoon."

The familiar boy stood at the door, smiling and waving.

"Then I won't disturb your reminiscing."

The mother's teasing voice rang out, and she turned and closed the door.

"Hasegawa-kun... what brings you here?"

Eriri stood up, momentarily flustered and at a loss for what to do.

"I just found out that my mom and Aunt Sayuri were best friends in high school, and my dad happened to be visiting today because of work."

Hasegawa Izumi gave a brief explanation.

"I see..."

Eriri gripped the hem of her skirt with both hands, her voice crisp and clear.

"Oh, you're practicing drawing? It's quite nice."

The boy leaned closer, looked at the drawing on the paper, and offered a compliment.

"Of course! I've been practicing for a long time! I want to become a painter in the future! I made a promise with my mom this weekend to go to Grandpa Shiina's studio in England for a lesson!"

When the girl starts talking about topics that interest her, or even her dreams, her eyes are filled with longing, and she can't stop talking.

"Oh my, you have to go abroad to learn to paint? You must be rich."

"Grandpa Shiina is a very talented painter; even if it's far away, we have to go."

The girl didn't understand the boy's slightly teasing tone, but responded in a sweet voice.

The boy's expression froze.

"They really are just kids."

"Aren't you one too!"

"He's actually learned to talk back!"

"Hateful..."

After the elders finished their conversation.

Goodbye~

The boy and girl said goodbye.

"Eriri, say goodbye to your friends, what are you standing there for?"

Beside me, my mother gave me a little push.

Bye... bye-bye!

Eriri paused for a moment after raising her hand, then raised it high and shouted loudly.

A few days later.

The plane pierced through the clouds and arrived in another country.

"Hi, we meet again!"

Why is Hasegawa here!?

The girl stared at the boy, her two ponytails almost standing on end in shock.

"Aunt Sayuri asked me to come and take care of you because she was worried about you being alone here. I thought it was a rare opportunity to travel abroad, so I agreed."

"What's there to worry about? It's just drawing... I don't need your help."

After hearing his explanation, the girl muttered something under her breath.

"Alright, I'll use another word: 'supervision'."

The boy raised an eyebrow.

"Whispering sound."

The girl walked by, letting out a soft hum, but a faint smile played on her lips.

But soon, her smile faded.

After entering the art studio, she encountered a being who was like a 'demon king'— Shiina Mashiro.

The other party severely damaged her confidence and shattered her dreams.

In the end, it was only through the boy's intervention that the girl was able to pull herself together and not give up on painting.

And because of this, their relationship reached a new level.

Back in Tokyo.

"Eriri, what do you think of 'manga'?"

"Comics... what's that?"

"It's a different form of painting from oil painting; you'll understand once you see it."

"Interesting!"

One day, the boy brought her a manga magazine called JUMP and asked for her opinion.

From that moment on, Eriri began to emerge from the shadows in her heart, shifting her focus from being a great painter to becoming a 'great manga artist'.

Of course, in the end, the girl didn't achieve her dream; she simply became a famous Doujin manga.

As a result, the two became increasingly uninhibited at school, frequently discussing topics related to Otaku culture.

However, this incident caused controversy among her classmates, leaving the shy girl feeling awkward and wanting to move the matter underground.

The boy completely ignored this matter, or rather, he didn't pay attention to the Girlish Heart.

As the boy grew older, more serious problems emerged.

At one point, the Hasegawa family asked the Sawamura family to find a very famous psychiatrist for treatment.

Extra Chapter 2: Is it true that one cannot cultivate immortality without Spirit Root?

"Izumi has been sent to a mental hospital!? Why?"

Eriri was shocked when she first heard the news.

Because at that time she did not understand the concept of mental illness.

It wasn't until I asked my mother that I understood.

The news quickly spread throughout the school, and many people started to joke about it or even mock her. Some classmates who knew her even suggested that she stop associating with Hasegawa.

She was unable to stand up against the group and argue her case rationally.

Because Hasegawa's behavior has indeed become increasingly outrageous, doing things that are incomprehensible to others, there are even rumors that Hasegawa plans to try some methods of time travel.

Her heart gradually leaned towards this possibility.

Even so, she was mostly worried.

So, during the weekend break, the girl went to the mental hospital where the boy was temporarily staying.

Then, that journey allowed the girl to witness the diversity of the human species and truly understand the meaning of 'mental illness'.

For example, suddenly yelling or shouting, or staring intently with a strange expression...

"Are you scared, Eriri? It's not too late to go back now."

The mother took her little hand and said softly.

"No... I'm not afraid!"

The girl responded, her voice trembling.

"Alright, let's go in then."

Pushing open the door, the mother and daughter saw the boy sitting cross-legged facing the sun.

"Is... Izumi-chan meditating?"

Even though Mrs. Sawamura had experienced many ups and downs, she couldn't help but give an awkward smile.

"Call..."

The boy let out a long breath, then stopped and turned around.

"Sayuri, Eriri, you've come to see me?"