Chapter 117
With the investment of Source Power, another skill was upgraded to the limit that normal living beings could reach, below the extraordinary level.
Something seemed to be changing in the unseen realm, but upon closer inspection, nothing could be found.
Aragaki Shun instinctively calmed his breathing, his aura subsided, and even the sound of his footsteps gradually blended into the rustling of the wind and grass around him.
His presence diminished, and even his clothes became inconspicuous in the island environment. The boy slowly walked towards the forest area, letting the trees perfectly conceal his figure.
In nature, there is a peculiar organism called a leaf.
It can replicate the veins, mold spots, and even insect damage marks of leaves onto its body, clinging tightly to branches when at rest, and even mimicking the movement of falling leaves when flapping its wings to escape.
This creature can also change its body color according to the light, so even if someone walks by, they won't notice anything amiss, making it a textbook example of dynamic camouflage.
At this moment, under the magical effect of the Source Power and with the support of skills, Aragaki Shun easily acquired the survival talent that his opponent had spent countless years evolving.
Countless pieces of knowledge flowed through his mind, and his powerful mental attributes naturally came into play. Combined with memories of his past martial arts training, the boy quickly mastered this unique ability to conceal himself.
Even more unexpectedly, this enhancement brought another pleasant surprise --
[Combat Lv.4 (2/5) → Combat Lv.4 (3/5)]
[Erudition lv.4 (1/5) → Erudition lv.4 (2/5)]
Even though no Source Power was invested, the two skills on the panel suddenly and automatically increased by a small stage.
Of course, Aragaki Shun didn't have much doubt about this.
Unlike talent, skills can be developed through self-learning.
It's just that compared to using Source Power to cheat, the learning efficiency of normal people is too slow.
The [Miscellaneous] section on the panel contains many skills that Aragaki Shun doesn't value much.
However, their level is actually not low; they are close to or even reach level 3, making them professional-level in their respective fields.
Aragaki Shun never invested Source Power into these skills; he learned them all through his talent or by drawing inferences from other skills. Over time, they naturally reached this level.
It's quite normal that the other two skills have increased due to the enhancement of [Abnormal Neglect].
The key is that, through daily accumulation, they were just one step away from achieving the desired effect.
In short, any progress is a good thing, and he's now eager to find someone to test his skills on.
Hopefully, Ryuen will remain as resilient as he appears!
"Guh~ Boss Ryuen, are we really going to do this?"
Deep in the forest, on a relatively secluded hillside, Ishizaki Daichi nervously watched Ryuen Kakeru leading his men to set up a trap. He looked around in surprise and uncertainty, instinctively feeling somewhat bewildered.
This is a rather secluded outpost on Uninhabited Island, with hillsides on both sides, the sea behind, and only a man-made path in front.
In other words, if a leader wants to seize this stronghold, this man-made path is the only way to do so.
By setting traps along the way, it's possible to ambush those eager to swipe their cards, catching them off guard and causing them to stumble and fall.
At that time, the people from Class C hiding all around will swarm in... In this situation, no matter how good the opponent is, it will be useless, and they will inevitably be no match for these well-prepared people.
This was the plan that Ryuen had suddenly brought them here to tell them. It sounded pretty good; at least Ishizaki Daichi couldn't think of any other flaws.
But he was subconsciously very uneasy!
They were going to deal with Aragaki Shun, the Leader of Class A, a demon king who could sweep through all the competitive clubs in the school by himself, suppressing the entire first-year students and winning every battle.
Ryuen has proposed many seemingly winning plans before, but has never succeeded. Will they be able to succeed this time?
It wasn't just Ishizaki Daichi who lacked confidence; in fact, everyone who had been pulled in by the leader of Class C was filled with trepidation. If they weren't intimidated by the other party's power, they would have really wanted to give up and quit.
Wouldn't it be better to go back to sleep?
The exam will officially end by tomorrow noon, so why bother with this unnecessary thing?
Although most of the Private Points earned by Class C will be transferred to Class A, can't they still retain some?
If they simply wait patiently until next month, their living expenses will increase significantly. Why create more trouble?
Most of the students in Class C couldn't understand Ryuen's actions. They had long lost the ambition to advance to Class A and now just wanted to live a normal life in Advanced Nurturing. They didn't want to face Shun Aragaki Shun, who was even more terrifying than Ryuen in their eyes.
The Tyrant of Class C realized this from the resentment of the crowd, and his face turned extremely ugly.
The class's morale has been so low that if I don't take action and achieve something, I can forget about competing with that man in the future.
"Stop talking nonsense! Do as I say, and we'll definitely win this time!"
He glanced around at the eight boys around him. Apart from Ibuki Mio, he had brought all the best fighters in the class.
With nine people ganging up on him and a trap set beforehand, he didn't believe that Aragaki Shun could escape with ease.
"Scatter, all of you! Hide in the forest on either side. If the plan fails because any of you are exposed, I'll kill you!"
With a ferocious expression, Ryuen intimidated the group of thugs in the class and divided the group into two parts. He and his men hid on one side, while Ishizaki Daichi and three others stayed on the other side.
They each held one end of a vine, preparing to trip Aragaki Shun as he approached.
They had also dug several inconspicuous holes in the middle of the path; anyone who stepped into one would surely slip and fall.
Due to time constraints, the traps could only be set up in such a rudimentary way.
Ultimately, to maintain secrecy, Ryuen waited several hours before bringing these people here and telling them he was going to play a big game.
Before this, he had been tolerating Aragaki Shun's antics in order to feign weakness and, incidentally, find the most suitable ambush location among all the strongholds on the island.
"Hmph~ Judging from what's happened the past few days, Aragaki Shun must think I'm still sleeping at the camp right now, right?"
"You've been farming outposts for six days, running across the entire island three times a day. I refuse to believe your stamina has no limits!"
With everything in place, Ryuen felt an increasing sense of tension, his excitement almost impossible to conceal.
Finally, finally I can teach that bastard a lesson!
Special Exam and such have become irrelevant to him. What he wants to do most now is to use his fists to tell that person that the most powerful force in this world is violence!
Three minutes, five minutes, ten minutes...
Ryuen remained hidden in the jungle, concealing its presence and awaiting the arrival of that person.
This kind of hunting, done in the shadows and through patience, reminded him of an animal with which he had a special connection.
That's a snake.
I remember it was shortly after I started elementary school. Led by our teacher, we all went on a field trip.
During a rest break, a large snake suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The class was in an uproar.
Those who watched from afar with great delight, those who were afraid, and those who were uninterested... despite the various reactions, there was one thing they all had in common.
That means no one intended to drive the snake away.
Even adults lack composure; they only contact each other to ask for help.
In this strange atmosphere, he, a primary school student, stepped forward and smashed the stone next to him on the snake's head.
The fear of being bitten if you don't have one.
Screams erupted, teachers panicked... but none of that mattered.
He didn't want to drive away the snakes that everyone feared and become a hero; he simply believed that such things weren't worth being afraid of.
It was at that moment that Ryuen understood something—
When a person defeats a powerful enemy and forces it to submit, a large amount of adrenaline is released in their body.
For him, nothing could be more pleasurable!
Yes! He felt no fear!
Since then, no matter how powerful the enemy, even when surrounded by a crowd and subjected to constant violence, he has never felt fear.
It's not the first or second time I've collapsed in the face of an irresistible force.
No matter how vast the disparity in strength, he would not give up easily, but instead focused on how to take revenge and turn the tide.
In the end, all those who were once in the limelight will bow down and submit to him.
Therefore, he believed that no matter how many advantages Aragaki Shun currently held, he would still be the one to win in the end.
Because true supremacy of strength refers to possessing unparalleled violence and the ability to overcome fear.
"Heh~ How strange, I'm actually recalling that time?"
"But hasn't Aragaki arrived yet? Half an hour has passed already."
Just as doubts began to rise in Ryuen's mind, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
Why is there absolutely no sound from around him?
Even with his stern warning, after so much time, Albert and his group should have started making some small moves and causing some noise from time to time.
The Tyrant of Class C opened his eyes wide and was about to turn around to look behind him when suddenly a powerful force surged over him, grabbing his neck and lifting him up.
"Asshole!"
Ryuen, his voice hoarse, struggled with his hands and feet, trying to break free from his predicament. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the figure of the person who indifferently extended his right hand, while Albert and the others had already been lying on their side, unconscious at some point.
Without a word, Aragaki Shun grabbed the Tyrant of Class C by the neck and flung him right into the middle of the path, causing him to fall into the pit he had dug.
"Pfft!"
Intense pain surged through his body, and Ryuen felt as if he were paralyzed, completely powerless to move.
His consciousness was fading, but he forced his eyes open, trying to get up and continue fighting. His face was contorted with pain, but he still groaned and uttered threats.
"It hurts, it hurts... but that's all."
He spat out a mouthful of phlegm fiercely, but couldn't even touch Aragaki Shun's shoes.
The Leader of Class A coldly stared at the disheveled thug. If he hadn't deliberately controlled his strength, that one swing of his leg could have caused the other irreversible injury.
"Heh, heh heh, what's wrong, Aragaki? I haven't given up yet, try finishing me off."
With such a commotion, the rest of Class C didn't come out to gang up on them. The people on the other side were probably dealt with easily, just like Albert and his group.
Despite struggling to grasp this point, Ryuen still refused to admit defeat.
As someone who has overcome fear, he is convinced of his victory, and the pain and defeat are utterly insignificant.
"Even if you beat me here today, I will keep chasing you no matter how many times... No matter where in the school, I will definitely strike as soon as I find an opening."
"Tomorrow... the day after tomorrow... when you're using the toilet... when you're using the poop? I'll be watching you from all sides, and in the end, I'll be the one who wins!"
He seemed to think his harsh words would intimidate people?
But Aragaki Shun didn't bother to listen and kicked out with Relay, plunging the world into darkness in the eyes of the Tyrant of Class C.
The noisy chatter ceased, and the forest returned to tranquility, save for a single whisper carried away on the wind.
"Boring."
187. A stray dog by the roadside; the complete collapse of a tyrannical rule.
Being young is great; you can fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.
After dealing with the entire Class C, Aragaki Shun calmly surveyed his surroundings before finally turning his gaze back to the direction he had come from.
"The play is over, shouldn't we come out now?"
As soon as the words were spoken, a tall, blond figure emerged from behind the tree with a smile a few seconds later.
Koenji Rokusuke stepped forward, first glancing at Ryuen Kakeru, who had fainted in the pit, then observing the other students in Class C on both sides, his interest growing stronger.
"Wow, that's impressive, Aragaki- boy. I didn't even notice when you arrived or when you took them down. That's quite an embarrassing mistake."
Faced with Koenji's curious gaze, Aragaki Shun remained noncommittal.
Nature harbors many "masters of invisibility," who can perfectly blend into their environment through mimicry, camouflage, or special behaviors.
For example, the Leaf-tailed Gecko splits its tail into five lobes to simulate the serrations of a withered leaf, and the surface texture is seamlessly connected to the leaf veins, and it can even simulate the mottled rust color of a rotting leaf.
When it curls up, it resembles a dead leaf trembling in the wind, and even infrared detection may fail.
The Transparent Salp is 95% water and is almost transparent. Its pigment cells can be diluted or concentrated instantly, and it can synchronize with the turbidity of the seawater in real time.
These creatures swim like a flowing, ghostly swarm of jellyfish, making them difficult to detect even with sonar.
Even after Aragaki Shun upgraded [Abnormal Neglect] to level 5, it only reduced his presence, making him less noticeable. Compared to these true "masters of invisibility," he was still far behind.