Is This My Chikara (Power)?

Evil Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, I, Baiye Ying, will personally expel you!

Why had Ying suddenly made up his mind? To explain that, we had to go back to when he arrived at Kouiku...

"Damn Tsukishiro! Why wouldn't you let me take the bus? You dropped me off at an intersection and made me walk the rest of the way. I thought it was close, but I checked the road sign and it said ten kilometers! You made a high schooler with no money and nothing but a personal file walk for a whole hour." A black-haired young man grumbled as he entered the gates of Tokyo's Advanced Nurturing High School. He was none other than our Ying.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "It's fine. I'm at school now. That old bastard can't control me anymore. At least not for the first year... Walking here helped me get more familiar with my grown-up body, and I got to enjoy the neon scenery. I should be happy. Just be happy, ha ha ha..."

After forcing himself to change his mood, Ying began taking in Kouiku's campus. His first thought was: It's huge! It was less like a school and more like a miniature town. Greenery lined the wide roads, and a huge shopping mall stood at the end of one. Farther on, he spotted an artificial lake, where jets of water occasionally shot into the air. Cherry trees grew beside the classroom and dormitory buildings, their branches already covered in pale pink blossoms in the April weather.

After wandering around and admiring Kouiku's scenery for a while, Ying's anger had completely dissipated. He began looking forward to campus life.

The moment he stepped into the Class D classroom, Ying noticed the attention-seeker in the corner.

I should pretend I didn't see him. Who would be stupid enough to pick a fight with the protagonist? I've already lost ten years of my life. Every second from now on is precious!

After silently making up his mind, Ying began looking for his seat, but couldn't find it. Could it be near my bro Ayanokoji!?

Ying couldn't help getting nervous. I'm not an assassin, I'm not an assassin... I've got no skills. How am I supposed to win? I'm just an ordinary student!

Suddenly, Ying's head started throbbing. Just like when he'd suddenly remembered five years' worth of memories, he now abruptly became proficient in martial arts including, but not limited to, karate, judo, and taekwondo.

???

Ying seemed to realize something. Could he actually have the power to make anything he said come true!?

Having only physical strength wouldn't be enough to beat my bro Ayanokoji. I'd need absurd academic ability, too, or he'd sell me off and I'd still help him count the money.

Then Ying became proficient in higher mathematics, quantum mechanics, organic chemistry, and other subjects. At least he wouldn't have to study them during his three years at Kouiku.

I've lost ten years of my life, so I should treasure my time and enjoy these three years of school...

Ten years' worth of time suddenly appeared in Ying's memories. His brain was... trembling! It seemed Ying had followed his own principles throughout those ten years and held back, only ever getting barely passing grades, until Tsukishiro came to see him.

Heh heh heh, ha ha ha ha! Ying covered his right eye with his right hand and let out a sinister laugh. Adarashi no chikara da. Warukunai ne. (A new power. Not bad.)

With powers like these, why be an assassin for the White Room? Wouldn't it be better to enjoy life?

[The host's intentions conflict with this system. Stripping karate, judo...]

Chotto matte, what's this thing?

[White Room Assassin System. Successfully bound to the host since his transmigration. It officially activated when the host received an assassin mission and came into contact with the target. All beginner rewards have now been granted, as follows: ten years of time removed, martial prowess not inferior to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's, academic ability not inferior to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's, and the memories of the removed ten years. Since the host has gone against the mission's intent, the beginner rewards are now being reclaimed...]

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, I, Baiye Ying, won't let you enjoy a single day of campus life at Kouiku!

[Not convinced.]

!!!

Come on, man. I don't even hold it against you for lurking this whole time, and you didn't say a word about these beginner rewards. So you're saying you granted me four wishes?

[Correct.]

Damn it!

Ying was on the verge of tears. Weren't the first and fourth wishes basically the same as getting nothing?

[Reclaiming...]

!

But he still had to try to hang on to the two useful wishes.

Hadn't I already decided to get my bro Ayanokoji expelled? Why are you still reclaiming them?

[The host has no such intention in his heart. Please prove otherwise through concrete action.]

Ying: ...You really saw right through me...

[Reclaiming...]

Is it really that urgent!?

This meant Ying would have to go back ten years and suffer all over again. Now that he had the memories, even Ying, who cherished life, didn't want to go through it a second time.

There was no time to hesitate. Ying hurried over to Ayanokoji and met his gaze.

Ayanokoji: ...

Ying: ...

"Um... can I help you with something?" Ayanokoji finally lost the staring contest and couldn't help asking. He'd noticed Ying earlier. He'd watched him wander around, then suddenly stop, make animated faces, twist his body, cover his eye with his hand, and giggle. He'd even started wondering how a nutcase like that had gotten into Kouiku. Then Ying had suddenly walked over and stared straight at him, making his skin crawl.

"Wait, let me think." Ying rested one hand against his forehead, pretending to ponder. How could he tactfully explain that he'd been forced to get his bro Ayanokoji expelled, even though he didn't actually want to?

Anyone who heard that thought would surely say, How are you supposed to put that tactfully in just a few sentences?!

"Hey, do you want to drop out?"

"No."

"Then could you drop out?"

"Why do you want me to drop out?"

"Sorry to bother you, then. See ya, Kano."

After hearing [Reclamation canceled], Ying walked away, chuckling now and then as if celebrating his victory.

Only Ayanokoji remained, seemingly unruffled but utterly baffled inside. What was that guy talking about? First of all, he could rule out the possibility that he was an assassin from the White Room. With its standards of education, the White Room could never produce a student like that. So he was just an ordinary, extremely weird student. Wait, why had he wandered right out of the classroom? Wasn't class about to start?

Ying could only lament his failure. How had he forgotten to check the class information on his acceptance letter? He was in Class B, but had gone to Class D without thinking and wandered around for ages. If anyone found out that he'd gotten his class wrong at a school with only four classes, he'd probably be mocked on the school wall until graduation. All he could do now was hope that no one in Class D had noticed an utterly unremarkable person like him.

Ike: "Yamauchi, listen. I think there's an idiot in our class."

Yamauchi: "Huh? Where?"

Ike: "I saw a black-haired guy wandering around the classroom, making weird laughs and bizarre faces, and staring at people nonstop. He just went out. Why does this school have someone like that?"

Yamauchi: "Guess we'll have to avoid him in class from now on."

Ike and Yamauchi nodded at the same time.