Simulated Ending: Hope That Never Left

[Simulation Ended]

[Simulation Ending: Hope That Never Left]

[Simulation Commentary: Although you didn't play much of a role, everyone was able to accept it, weren't they?]

[Simulation Rating: C]

[Reward Talent Points: 10]

Ichinose Honami checked her balance; it was now twenty-five points. She let out a soft sigh, leaning against the headboard, her gaze drifting vacantly toward the translucent interface suspended in the void.

A C-grade rating felt somewhat heartless for a simulation that had been so tumultuous and had altered the fates of countless people.

The comment, "although you didn't play much of a role," stung like a thorn, piercing her heart, which was both proud and frustrated.

Indeed, looking back at the entire simulation, she truly hadn't played a decisive role.

She hadn't been able to prevent Wu Qiao's expulsion, nor had she changed the oppressive trajectory of the school. Even that seemingly perfect salvation at the end had been a plan Wu Qiao executed alone after he had already left.

She was like a passive spectator, watching the gears of fate grind on, able to offer nothing more than a faint cry.

But... Ichinose Honami recalled the end of the simulation: the calm, powerful look in Wu Qiao's eyes as he stood on the podium, and the light rekindling in the eyes of the once-listless students below.

"Everyone was able to accept it, weren't they?" She repeated the second half of the commentary softly, a look of relief slowly spreading across her lips.

Although the process was filled with pain and sacrifice, and although she hadn't been the savior who turned the tide, the final outcome was that everyone had found their own way forward.

Wu Qiao had fulfilled his promise of "protection" in his own way; and she had finally realized that true protection wasn't just standing in front of someone, but firmly believing in each other no matter what happened, and walking toward the future together.

Twenty-five talent points—there was still a long way to go before reaching that unreachable 120. But Ichinose Honami was no longer in a hurry.

She had found something more important than talent: the determination to never give up hope, no matter the darkness, and the courage to share the burden of the storm with her companions.

The morning sun spilled through the gaps in the leaves across the campus. Ichinose Honami woke up early, washed up, and stepped out of the dormitory. The building was quiet; everyone else was still fast asleep.

Having just detached from the simulation, the heavy and long-lasting memories left Ichinose Honami feeling slightly dizzy. She steadied herself against a tree by the path, silently telling herself that she needed to distinguish reality from the simulation.

The cafeteria wasn't open yet, so Ichinose Honami wandered along the campus paths, enjoying the rare tranquility of the early morning.

However, as she rounded a corner, two figures stood out sharply among the morning exercise crowd.

Ayanokoji Kiyoha was sparring with Wu Qiao—or, more accurately, Ayanokoji Kiyoha was one-sidedly instructing Wu Qiao in combat techniques.

The scene looked quite subtle. In Ichinose Honami's memory, Wu Qiao's strength was enough to crush everything; the terrifying image of him shattering a giant boulder with a single punch was still vivid in her mind.

Of course, she also knew that Ayanokoji Kiyoha's combat prowess was not low, and the methods she displayed in the later stages of the simulation were equally chilling.

Although Ayanokoji Kiyoha's combat ability in the simulation was second only to Wu Qiao's, it still paled in comparison to the monster-level strength of a Wu Qiao who could literally tear down a building.

Yet, here in reality, Wu Qiao was clumsily dodging attacks under Ayanokoji's guidance. Sweat trickled down his cheeks, his eyes focused and earnest, showing no trace of the "monster" she remembered.

Ichinose Honami stopped, hiding behind a tree to watch quietly, when a realization suddenly flashed through her mind: Something is definitely wrong. Wu Qiao's current strength certainly isn't that high; otherwise, he wouldn't have been injured by Kito Hayato of Class A and ended up in the infirmary.

That world-destroying power in the simulation was perhaps the "price" forced out of him by this cruel school after countless failures, pain, and despair. Watching the boy before her, who was still working hard to learn how to become stronger, an indescribable sense of bitterness and pity welled up in Ichinose Honami's heart.

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and stepped out toward them.

"Morning, Wu-kun, Ayanokoji-san!" Ichinose Honami flashed her signature bright smile, her crisp voice breaking the morning silence. "Starting training so early? You're so energetic!"

Hearing her voice, the two sparring partners stopped simultaneously and turned to look at her. Wu Qiao wiped his sweat in surprise, while Ayanokoji Kiyoha maintained her usual expressionless face, though a hint of imperceptible scrutiny flashed in her eyes.

Wu Qiao stopped, grabbed a towel from the side to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and asked in confusion, "Ichinose? Why are you up so early?"

Ichinose Honami gave a playful shrug, her face wearing her trademark radiant smile. "Couldn't sleep, so I came out for a stroll. What about you two? Starting this early? How's the training going?"

Ayanokoji Kiyoha lowered her guard and nodded calmly. Her tone remained flat, but she gave an honest assessment: "He's quite fast. His physique is even better than I expected."

It was the truth. During their brief exchange and instruction, Ayanokoji Kiyoha had keenly noticed that Wu Qiao's physical fitness had improved significantly; both his explosive muscle power and reaction speed were slightly better than when they had bumped into each other on the track field last time.

Ayanokoji Kiyoha's calm eyes narrowed slightly as she pondered: Such a significant increase in such a short time cannot be achieved by morning exercise alone. I wonder if he's naturally gifted, or if he was deliberately hiding his strength before? It's likely the latter.

Hearing Ayanokoji Kiyoha's praise, Wu Qiao scratched his head in embarrassment. Just as he was about to say something modest, he keenly noticed the gaze Ichinose Honami had fixed on him.

That gaze seemed to hide too many complex emotions—concern, inquiry, and even a hint of... pity he couldn't quite understand?

"Um... Ichinose, why are you staring at me like that?" Wu Qiao felt a bit unnerved and instinctively took half a step back.

Ichinose Honami snapped out of it, quickly reining in the emotions in her eyes. She put her energetic smile back on and walked quickly toward them. "It's nothing! I just think Wu-kun is working really hard. Since you're both so motivated, I can't fall behind! How about I join your morning training from now on?"

Wu Qiao was stunned for a moment, then gave a helpless but gentle smile. "Of course you can, but morning training is very tough. Don't go complaining about being tired."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of perseverance!" Ichinose Honami clenched her small fist, her eyes filled with determination.