Chapter 8 Part 1 Many Things Before The Midterms.

(So yeah, I am like late. Really really late. Also most likely won't update for next two months unless I write something. Why? Because it's my finals... Anyway hope you enjoy the read.)

"Oh, you're here? That was quick. It means you were nearby, right?" Ayanokouji responded, acknowledging his collaborator's swift arrival, which unveiled the secret of the two siblings and Ayanokouji's prowess in return.

As he thought, 'Even though I could just ask my A.I. to record and save it, in a way Manabu might just not be able to delete it... I just wanted to somehow help him I guess. Sigh!'

"Yeah, I was nearby. So, what are your plans, Horikita-san?" he responded to Ayanokouji, questioning the elder Horikita about his intentions moving forward.

"I see. If memory serves me right, you're the boy from the soccer club, Hirata Yosuke. While I must admit my actions weren't commendable, they were a necessary step on my part," Elder Horikita paused momentarily before continuing, "All you need to know is, it was necessary." With those words, Manabu walked away, leaving the three first-years to ponder his departure.

"As always, you've mistaken isolation for independence, Suzune. If you seek advancement, fight with every ounce of your strength," were his parting words. Hearing this, Horikita silently murmured, "I-I will certainly strive. I will reach Class-A," drawing the attention of the two boys towards her as Manabu Horikita vanished.

As Horikita realized this, she remarked, "You both witnessed a rather peculiar side of me, huh?"

"Well, don't dwell on it, Horikita-san. Everyone harbors secrets, regardless of who they are," Hirata said to her, his last words spoken slowly, tinged with sadness, almost directed at himself, and both of them noticed.

"You say it as if even someone like you likely harbors such concealed aspects," Horikita remarked, surprised that someone of Hirata's caliber could reveal such vulnerability, though she too had exposed such facets about herself.

"Yeah, if you ever want to talk about it... I'm here to listen, Hirata. After all, each of us from Class-D likely carries such secrets," Ayanokouji offered, probing to see if Hirata was willing to share his past.

"Well, I suppose there's no avoiding it then. But before that, I have a question for you both," Hirata said, indicating his readiness to divulge his past to his classmates.

"Go ahead," Horikita-san said, returning to her composed self, cool and collected.

"All I want to ask is, let's imagine you knew something detrimental was looming. For now, let's imagine it as an illness, and its symptoms had already surfaced. Yet, you chose to do nothing... to avert it. And that illness, that negative outcome, did come to pass. Do you think it was the right choice?" he queried, seeking both of their opinions.

"I understand the essence of your question. How is your friend now? Has there been any progress?" she inquired, eliciting a shocked expression from Hirata, who quickly regained his composure and replied, "It's astonishing how you accurately deduced it, Horikita-san. It's unsettling. And no, he is currently in a coma with no hope of recovery."

"I see. Judging by your tone and expression, I inferred it wasn't about your parents or any other individual. I hope your friend recuperates swiftly. Regarding your question, I believe you made an error. I maintain that if one possesses the knowledge and ability to avert a negative outcome, it is their duty to take action to prevent it. Ignoring the warning signs of an impending issue only allows it to escalate and inflict further harm. Inaction in such circumstances cannot be justified..." She paused, noticing Hirata clenching his fists, her eyes momentarily flinching as if remembering something.

Continuing, she added, "But that's my past self's perspective. At present, I concur that it was a mistake to disregard the signs and fail to take preventive measures. However, dwelling on the past won't alter the outcome. What matters now is learning from this and focusing on averting similar mistakes in the future. Isn't that right, Hirata-kun?"

Hearing that, Hirata nearly teared up, but managed to compose himself in the nick of time. "Yeah, you're right, Horikita-san. I won't make such a mistake in the future, should such a moment arise. I'll definitely offer my assistance to anyone in need," he affirmed.

"Isn't it okay?" Ayanokouji muttered midway through, his expression revealing deep contemplation about a certain matter from his past life. His subsequent words presented his opinion, catching the attention of both Hirata and Horikita.

"Oh, I meant to say, isn't it okay to hold onto a small thread of trust in the word 'hope,' no matter how thin or unreliable it may seem? Even though it's like searching for a small coin in a vast ocean, that ocean isn't infinite. With diligent search, you can certainly find the coin. Your 'friend,' I don't know the severity of the situation... But if there's a possibility, perhaps you can seek help for him using the school's connections," Ayanokouji conveyed, his words hinting at something significant from his past.

"What do you mean, Ayanokouji-kun!? How could I possibly overturn the impossible?" Hirata asked with a mix of surprise and curiosity, hoping to bring his friend back safely.

"I see. That's certainly possible," Horikita added, causing Hirata to become confused, showcasing the higher intellectual capabilities of both Suzune and Kiyotaka.

"What I meant was, what is the actual financial condition of your friend?" Ayanokouji responded to Hirata's query with a question, revealing that even someone like Hirata could anticipate his suggestion.

"You're right. If I recall correctly, my friend's family simply wouldn't be able to cover the medical bills if they amounted to more than millions. I doubt they can even gather a few million," Hirata revealed, indicating that Ayanokouji's suggestion might indeed work, given his friend's financial situation.

"But the problem is, while we can easily gather a few private points in this school as a start, we definitely can't convert them back to real money," Horikita pointed out, highlighting another issue.

"In such a situation, I can simply help you, Hirata, using my father's and the headmaster's connections. Actually, we can do something like this..." Ayanokouji proposed, surprising both of them with his suggestion.

"Ayanokouji-kun, are you perhaps a genius among geniuses!? How could you identify such a simple thing from Sensei's introduction about this school and use it to our advantage in this situation!? Not to mention, with this, we can earn some Class Points due to higher test scores," Horikita exclaimed, to which Ayanokouji simply replied, "I'm a bit cunning. That's all."

"But, to me, you seem like an idiot genius, Ayanokouji-kun. If you had claimed to be a genius in your introductions, I would have believed it easily. Also, sorry for calling you that, but you seem like the type who would intentionally get low marks to conceal his genius traits in exams," Hirata said, surprising Horikita with his words.

Ayanokouji looked away and headed towards the vending machine, laughing lightly. "Hahaha! You jest, Hirata," he replied, attempting to hide his intentions, while a glaring Horikita emerged alongside a confused Hirata. Ayanokouji decided to broach another important topic, ignoring the fact that "he" hadn't spoken fully, but that was a matter for another day.

"The part where Horikita was annoyed by Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi occurred here," the author noted.

"Also, Hori-san, I'd like to talk about something..." Ayanokouji said, adopting a more serious demeanor as he prepared to broach his next topic. Horikita soon realized her mistake.

Tomorrow's Lunch Break:

Despite yesterday's significant event marking the deeper friendship between two exceptional individuals, Hirata Yosuke and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, today they weren't having lunch together due to an important task Ayanokouji had to attend to. He made his way towards the school cafeteria.

Ayanokouji's Perspective:

It was expected that Horikita-san would arrive at the conclusion her canonical self failed to reach. I wasn't particularly surprised, as I had been subtly guiding her towards this since my entrance into the school. The events unfolded off-screen, but they did happen.

Hirata's accurate guess regarding my entrance exam results was surprising. With his understanding, the berserk nature of Hirata has been subdued. He now comprehends the importance of private points in this school. In the event of insufficient PP during the voting exams, he can consult Manabu Horikita for additional assistance.

Moreover, calling Hirata yesterday, even though it wasn't necessary, aided my plans. Now, I can proceed without obstacles.

Upon reaching the cafeteria, I encountered familiar staff members, with whom I had become acquainted during previous visits. They were as friendly as ever, though it wasn't of utmost importance.

Lately, I had been intensifying my workout routine, pushing myself to do 900 to 1000 repetitions. As I pondered, I spotted her-a close senpai with whom I had maintained contact.

While I could have requested the task from Horikita Manabu directly, I felt it necessary to engage in occasional conversations with her, perhaps entertain her with interesting topics.

Approaching her, she quickly recognized me and greeted me with her trademark smirk.

Acknowledging her, I took a seat behind her, not directly beside her, mimicking the approach canon Ayanokouji employed with Karuizawa in later volumes, a precaution against recognition by others.

"Hello! Have you found anything interesting in your life lately?" I initiated the conversation with a smile and a relevant question about her daily life.

Instead of a smile, I received a glare. I sensed something.

"So people perceive me like that nowadays, huh? And you already know the answer to your question, Genius," she replied, her expression suggesting her days were as ordinary as ever.

"I see. Then you must also know what I want, don't you?" I replied, mirroring her style, confident in her ability to understand my intentions.

"You figured it out, huh. It seems luck isn't on your class's side. Also, I must compliment you," she answered, likely referring to the incompetence of my classmates. I appreciated the acknowledgment.

*Ding!*

A notification appeared on my phone.

Glancing at my phone, I found exactly what I needed. With this, I would surely succeed in my midterm endeavors. This time, I decided to seek help from Horikita-san and Yosuke, not her.

"I'm grateful for what you did. Thanks for the extra help. It seems you added the ones right before May 1, too. What can I do to show my gratitude?" I expressed genuine appreciation, having prevented six expulsions from my class.

"Still not going to tell me that?" She probed, referring to my past. After witnessing my extraordinary capabilities, it might be underestimated. It's more than what meets the eye.

"No! Not happening," I asserted without delay, wasting no time. However, I felt compelled to add, "But..." pausing momentarily to contemplate the ramifications of what I was about to propose. While it held considerable advantages for me, it also bore the potential to place her in jeopardy.

"But, what? Let me guess, you're doing it to prevent me from getting hurt. You really underestimate me, huh? Also, what's with you? Suddenly acting like a Shonen protagonist with 'the power of friendship' personality?" Fuka Kiryuin remarked, her intuition striking harder than expected. Her ability to discern was both impressive and somewhat unsettling.

"In a way, you're right... But how about some fun? The night right after our results," I suggested, attempting to be precise with timing. But why did I feel like I just dropped a bomb?

Then it dawned on me-I inadvertently implied something entirely different.

"It's not what I meant. I mean, it is but, not what you're thinking... I meant we're meeting a certain person," I clarified, panic setting in over the silly mistake I made. It sounded like I wanted her to engage in something else entirely, which was... I didn't even want to think about it.

"Haha! I knew it. You certainly surprised me a little, genius. But I wanted it to last longer. Too bad I realized what you meant not even a second later. So who is this certain person that we are meeting?" she asked, indicating her preference to feign ignorance about my true intentions, or perhaps she wanted to understand later.

"So, we are meeting my father," I confessed, realizing my blunder once again. It seems I inherited Ayanokouji's knack for being an idiot when it came to common things.

"I s-see," she said, while blushing? Why did I keep making these mistakes one after the another? What was wrong with me? And why was she acting like that?

"Once again, I am sorry. I didn't mean it with any special meaning. Also, cut out that third-hand acting," I hurriedly clarified that we were simply meeting my father, not introducing her to him, but seeking her help with a minor matter that would earn me plenty of private points and assist Hirata with his friend. Fortunately, our goals currently aligned.

"Haha! You're quite amusing, you know that? Anyway, sure, I'll help you with this small matter involving your father," she agreed, and I wished I could kick myself for allowing such a mistake to happen.

After some random chitchat, the lunch break was coming to an end, and we returned to our respective classes. During that time, I messaged Hirata and Horikita, giving them instructions on how to handle the test question papers I obtained-mainly, to avoid mentioning my name while distributing them.

The day before the test:

And so, another day in this mysterious new world came to an end, with the impending distribution of the test papers by Hirata and Horikita. I wondered why those two hadn't initiated their false relationship yet. Perhaps I needed to investigate Karuizawa Kei further.

"Hey! Before everyone heads home, could you spare a few moments to listen to us?" Hirata's voice rang out from the podium, instantly capturing the attention of the entire class. With all eyes on him, Hirata passed the baton to Horikita.

Taking the cue, Horikita addressed the class in a cheerful tone, "Everyone, I realize I haven't properly introduced myself or taken the time to get to know you all. I'm Horikita Suzune. Before we delve into that, however, I want to remind you all that our midterms are tomorrow. There are some rules that seem particularly harsh for some of you, so I've prepared something." With that, Horikita unveiled the exact question papers with answers that had been distributed.

"I appreciate the gesture, Horikita-san. But how exactly will these questions help us tomorrow? I'm not doubting your intentions, it's just not a priority for me," Kushida interjected. Really?

"I apologize for declining your invitations to join your friend group. It's simply not my scene. However, there's a high likelihood that these questions will appear on tomorrow's exams, and I have evidence to support that theory," Horikita replied, tactfully thwarting Kushida's attempt to tarnish her reputation.

"Haha! I see. Quite the revelation, Horikita-girl. And I'm guessing your 'theory' is based on the small quiz we took just before May 1st?" Koenji chimed in, providing the answer upfront. Yet, his true abilities remained elusive. He missed a crucial detail, leaving me unsure if he was truly aware or not.

"That's not the only observation I made, Koenji-kun. As you all know, had we paid closer attention to Chabashira-sensei's instructions from the beginning, we might be in a better position now," Horikita added, likely referring to the importance of Chabashira-sensei's guidance.

"I, um, don't quite follow what you guys are talking about," Ike admitted, clearly lost in the midst of the conversation. His confusion was understandable given the complexity of the discussion.

As the class discussion concluded, I retrieved my test paper to avoid any confusion. On my way back to the dorms, I decided to browse the shops. Since arriving in this world, I hadn't put much effort into decorating my room. So, I opted to purchase some anime merchandise to spruce it up, albeit nothing too extravagant that would drain my private points.

Among the items that caught my eye was a merchandise featuring a character from my childhood, Son Goku, striking his iconic battle stance. Curious about the price, I checked the tag.

5995 PP.

Without hesitation, I made the purchase, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over me. During this time, memories of watching Dragon Ball flooded my mind, reminding me of the joy and inspiration it brought during my childhood. It was perhaps the very anime that ignited my desire to push beyond my limits.

(So I will be doing this chap, in two parts. And in the next chapter. The interesting stuffs begin. Also how was the conversation with Fuka? Also soon I will conduct a voting poll for yk whom shall I choose.)

(This just doesn't feel real... At all... I mean one day you finish your breakfast and like, see what? Anyway he surely left behind a huge legacy. Dragon ball. One of the most popular series out there. And there's no doubt that this man will not be forgotten at all. He will inspire many people from generations to generations to come for like infinite millennium, I am damn sure about it.

And there's no doubt I, we are in that list... May your soul rest in peace.

Dear sir, Akira Toriyama.)