31 [31] Aren't you afraid of getting your head chopped off?

Hachiman found himself in a corner of the kendo club, clad in a kendo suit, quietly practicing with a wooden sword. His third-level physique allowed him to catch faint sounds of air being sliced as he swung the wooden sword.

Following Fujita's vice president's collective demonstration, he retreated to the corner to practice in solitude. While he might not be the original Hikigaya Hachiman, he still declined when a group of larger individuals attempted to practice together.

Hachiman earnestly waved the wooden sword in his hand, embodying the techniques he had learned. Thanks to the professional guidance, he could now fully demonstrate the proficiency of a third-level kendo practitioner.

From straightforward cuts to diagonal chops, upward strikes to thrusts...

With precision, he demonstrated each kendo move one by one, his third-level kendo proficiency surpassing that of most official club members. Only a handful of fellow students, who were also at the third level, could match his skill.

Of course, there was an exception – the alluring president of the kendo club, Saeko Busujima, who could genuinely defeat him in a kendo match.

However, unless they sought out Hachiman, he wouldn't take the initiative to approach them.

An hour later, practice concluded. Hachiman packed up and left the Kendo club on his own.

Not far from the club's vicinity, he spotted a familiar figure.

With fair skin, prominent eyes, and confident curves, it was none other than Kotonoha Katsura.

However, at this moment, it seemed like she had encountered some trouble. Two trendy Shibuya-style hotties had her surrounded, their angelic faces displaying a touch of confusion.

Could this be an instance of encountering campus bullying?

It's important to note that campus bullying is a global issue, transcending borders and cultures. Mild cases might involve tasks like solitary cleanup or verbal taunts, while severe instances could escalate to physical harm.

Many times, this kind of bullying phenomenon might not receive much attention from adults. In the end, it might just be brushed off with a simple "kids will be kids." However, those who are bullied often end up with significant psychological scars. In milder cases, they might drop out of school, while in severe cases, they might even contemplate suicide.

As Hachiman observed the two trendy Shibuya-style hotties and the troubled expression on Kotonoha Katsura's face, he furrowed his brow.

Aren't you afraid of getting your head chopped off?

Are you aware that you're bullying a girl who has the potential to snap and become ruthless? If she really unleashes that side, I doubt either of you could handle it, especially if it comes to wielding a knife.

However, in her usual state, Kotonoha Katsura can't resort to such actions and can only endure their bullying in silence.

With a sigh, Hachiman strode directly toward them.

"Sorry for the wait, Katsura-san. Let's go!" He passed by the two girls, reached out for Katsura's hand, and got ready to leave.

As Hachiman suddenly appeared in front of her, Kotonoha gazed at him in surprise and slight timidity, her eyes reflecting both emotions.

"Hey, you guys, wait..." The two girls naturally weren't inclined to let Kotonoha leave so easily. However, just as they were about to speak, Hachiman's interruption cut them off.

"Classmates, please let us pass. We're leaving now." Hachiman's gaze, deadpan as ever, met the two girls' eyes.

It must be acknowledged that Hachiman, with his indifferent deadpan expression, doesn't come across as a friendly person at first glance. Moreover, his height of over 180 cm does create an imposing presence, leaving the two girls momentarily taken aback.

Observing their hesitation, Hachiman nodded contentedly, then held Kotonoha's hand and departed from the scene.

Once they were out of the view of the two girls and near the school gate, Kotonoha couldn't help but speak in a timid voice.

"Um, excuse me, we're not acquainted, could you..."

After they passed through the school gate, Hachiman released her hand and spoke with a touch of embarrassment: "I apologize, Katsura-san. I felt compelled to intervene. I hope you're not bothered by it."

"This fellow classmate, do you know me?" Upon hearing Hachiman address her by name once more, Kotonoha appeared somewhat perplexed, suggesting she likely didn't recognize him from her own recollection.

"Hehe, my name is Hikigaya Hachiman, and like you, Katsura-san, I'm a new member who recently joined the Kendo Club," Hachiman said with a smile.

"Eh?"

Kotonoha was a bit surprised; she hadn't expected Hachiman to be in the same club, and she hadn't noticed before.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Hikigaya-san..."

Kotonoha felt a tinge of guilt for not recognizing a fellow club member who had just helped her.

"It's okay, Katsura-san. I'm accustomed to practicing alone, so it's understandable if you don't know me," Hachiman said with a smile.

"Alright, it's getting late. I should head home. Take care on your way as well, Katsura-san!"

"Um, Hikigaya-san, please take care on your way too, and thank you so much for your help today." Hearing that Hachiman was leaving, Kotonoha hurriedly bid farewell and simultaneously bowed slightly to express her gratitude.

"You're welcome, and goodbye Katsura-san." Hachiman shrugged off her gratitude, waved, and turned to leave.

"Thank you, my knight in shining armor..."

As she watched Hachiman's retreating figure, Kotonoha mumbled to herself. A faint smile curved on her lips. After enduring prolonged bullying due to her appearance and personality, she finally felt a glimmer of warmth today.

At eight o'clock in the evening, Hachiman resumed his writing work on the third volume, with just one final point left to complete.

A quick glance at the time in the lower left corner of the screen prompted Hachiman to halt his typing. He recalled Machida Sonoko's advice about the importance of preparing for illustrations.

Retrieving his mobile phone, he dialed the illustrator contact information.

"Hello, may I know who's calling?" The call connected swiftly, and a gentle female voice greeted him from the other end of the line.

In contrast to the upbeat tones of Shizuka and Machida Sonoko, the gentleness in the voice of his illustrator was immediately discernible.

"Hello, I'm Wakamono, the author of 'Sword Art Online.' I wanted to discuss the light novel's illustrations with you," Hachiman's tone remained relatively composed.

"Illustrations? If you're referring to the illustrations for the second volume of 'Sword Art Online,' I've already completed them and submitted them to the publisher. Is there an issue?" The voice on the phone sounded slightly puzzled, assuming that Hachiman was referring to the illustrations.

"No, here's the situation. I'm planning to release the second and third volumes of the light novel together. The publisher has given their approval, so there might be a need for a few additional illustrations," Hachiman explained.

"Understood. I'm fine with that, but I'm not familiar with the content of the third volume of the light novel, so..." The voice on the other end of the line sounded a bit hesitant.

"Don't worry about that. I'll be able to complete the writing of the third volume soon, and I can send it to you in advance, so you can get a sense of it."

"That works for me. I'll make sure to meet the manuscript delivery deadline."

----------------------------------------

"Would you like another chapter today?"