Chapter 8: Naze Youka

"Naze...Youka?" Zenkichi repeated her name out in a mutter of confusion, he furrowed brows. "Who?"

"..." The girl's sinister face in front of him paused and she let out a sigh of frustration. "Although I shouldn't be surprised that you wouldn't know me," she then thought, 'My time being low-key for the past several months would've been wasted.' She huffed, "but I am a bit disappointed that you haven't heard my name before. I mean, not even a little rumor about me?"

Zenkichi pondered for a moment, skimming through the memories of the original and the information he gathered concerning the academy and straightforwardly said, "Nope. Your name doesn't really ring a bell."

"...Seriously?" Youka said with a deadpanned expression.

"Seriously." Zenkichi responded with a similar expression.

"Damn. I feel proud and disappointed at the same time..." She clicked her tongue and shook her head.

While Youka look like she was lost in thought, Zenkichi discreetly tried to sense any other person besides the girl in front of him through his sense of hearing.

Although he didn't have a skill like super hearing or echolocation, his senses and perception however are sharper than any average person. So unless Youka is being guarded by an assassin or a ninja, he should be able to detect if there was anyone else near them.

'...None. So this is purely coincidental? Or is she confident of herself to handle me on her own? I'd like to believe that she does remember every single student at school, but she just gives me the feeling that she doesn't give a damn. Well, when in doubt.'

"Hey, Naze-san."

"Call me senpai, you dumbass. I'm a year older than you."

Zenkichi's right eye twitched. "Naze-senpai, I wanna know how you know of me."

Naze tilted her head, continuing to stare at him with her creepy dead eye.

"I mean, since you've read about my information or something, you know I'm a completely normal person. There should've been no way for you to remember someone like me, much less even take notice of me." Zenkichi spreads his hands apart with an innocent expression.

"...True. I shouldn't have taken notice or even remembered someone as average as you." Naze agreed with Zenkichi's statement with a nod of her head. Her left eye however, squinted sharply. "However, you seem to forget the greatest reason for me, or anyone, to remember you."

Zenkichi frowned and dropped his hands to his side. He had a guess for what the reason was but he didn't want to accept it was only because of–

The corners of Naze's lips seemed to curl up for a moment, "Medaka. Kurokami."

'Of fucking course.' Zenkichi snorted and looked away from Naze.

Naze clearly saw his sudden change of behavior and her left eye rose in a mix of curiosity and a slight bit of amusement, she muttered, "Oh? You don't sound so, fond, of your supposedly childhood best friend."

Zenkichi turned to look at her and sharply responded, "I don't have to answer your questions. My business with the president, is mine to deal with."

"Oh? You're calling Kurokama so formally? Looks like there was a falling out between you two." Despite showing no emotions, Naze sounded teasing.

Zenkichi frowned, "Do. Not. Test. Me. Naze-senpai."

Naze snorted and responded, "And why should I listen to you? Don't forget Hitoyoshi Zenkichi," her left eye gazed at him coldly. "I can change your life forever, and it's up to you to wonder whether or not it'll end fine and trust me, it won't be."

"..." Zenkichi's eyes narrowed, his face dark, and "The Iron" began to coat his knuckles with a grey sheen of color.

They stared dead straight at each other's eyes, showing their most prominent emotions they felt towards the other: Naze's were contempt while Zenkichi's was of irritation and anger.

There was only a solemn tension between them.

Zenkichi, in his mind, thinks about how this encounter with Naze would end if he chooses a certain choice.

Get violent with her? No. Not only would he feel bad about punching a girl but the ones backing her in school or anyone that was close to her might seek revenge. He didn't really care if they seek him out and try to beat him to a pulp, he needed the experience really, but he was worried he would get his mother involved.

Comply with her demands? Although that would lead to no violence between him and her group, and he'll probably get a lot of benefits from them as well, but he promised himself that he would become better and being in some suspicious group that'll be some ticking time bomb ain't gonna help him one bit.

Reject her? That'll–

'Actually, now that I think about it, that's the optimal solution for this situation. I'll just have to walk away and just prepare for any underhanded tricks they'll pull on me.'

"...Try it. And we'll see what the consequences will be." Zenkichi finally responded, his face icy cold, he then turned around and began walking away from her.

"You'll regret it." Naze calmly stated with a loud voice.

Zenkichi stopped and he turned his head towards her, face now calm without a trace of anger he was showing a moment ago.

His sudden 180 change slightly surprised Naze, who wouldn't? Zenkichi had looked like he was about to punch her after all.

'To be able to quickly take control of his emotions, that's not something any average person can do. Anyone who can do that is categorized into four types: killers, politicians, business people, and monsters like me.' Naze stared at the boy intently, her interest and intrigue increasing.

Zenkichi calmly gazed at her, cold light flickering across his eyes, and he opened his mouth to say,

"Then by all means, come at me. Whether it be overt or covert, I'll stay standing and I promise you I'll come after you then. So, stay out of my way." He then turned his head back and started walking. "Or you'll regret it."

'I have to find Shiranui, she can easily get all the information I need about Youka Naze and possibly even more. I'd ask the president for help but she'll stick her nose so deep into my business to the point it'll become hers. Youka Naze...' Zenkichi's eyes flashed.

'You better not cross my line.'

Naze watched his back slowly disappearing through the foliage of the forest. Her prominent indifferent lips trembled, the corners curled, and she smiled menacingly.

'Hitoyoshi Zenkichi, how interesting. I wonder how long you'll last under my care after I get a hold of you.'

....

Zenkichi had just come out of the forest and stepped into a pavement road, leading to a tennis court, when a blue transparent screen flashed in front of his face.

His eyes widened, utter shock on his face as he read the words in the screen in front of him, mumbling.

"What the fuck?"

[Questline Unlocked!]

[Ding!]

Quest: The Crew

Objective: Recruit four subordinates(0/4)

Reward: 4 Free Spins

[Ding!]

Quest: Bitches got no hold of me!

Info: This psychotic scientist of a masochist has interest in you and is planning to do untold tortures to remodel your body into achieving a "perfect super physique" but it comes at the cost of having your mind broken and becoming her eternal simping slave(essentially becoming a useless idiot). But you don't want that now, do ya?!

Objective: [Coerce] or [Convince] Youka Naze(?????) into becoming your sla–subordinate.

Reward: 1 Free Spin

.....

AN: This will be it for the current week. An event in my school is happening, a sports event to be specific and trusts me when I say I have zero fucking interest but goddammit they give me grades for it, even though I'm paying a 'contribution' for it as well...bruh💀

So yeah, the sports event is gonna fuck me uuuuppp and so, the chapters I'll be releasing will only be two in both of my stories, well until the event is finished and I'll be back with the regular updates.

Power stones. Comment. Review. And if you want to read ahead, go to my PA–TREON!

links here, just get rid of the dash: pa–treon.com/FroztDouluo

Peace ✌️