"Carry on with your training, all of you. No one leaves until the next two hours."
"Nine hundred and twenty... Is he for real?"
"He must be joking, right?"
"I wouldn't want to get on his bad side."
"Wasn't he in a fight with a boy today?"
Tadao listens to it all, way too shocked to comprehend.
/Who the hell was I picking a fight with?/
...
"Alright, time's up."
"Ugh, I'm tired. I can't anymore. Aoi, catch me! I'm fainting!"
"Funny. I was going to say the same thing."
/I thought it was going to be hard, but it's much easier than I thought. Also.../
Akira glances toward the far end of the room.
/But why the hell has Minato been staring at me? Even though he's far away, I can feel his gaze. Well, it doesn't feel like he wants to kill me or anything. It's just annoying. I should just leave. Class is over anyway./
"Hey, Tanaka!"
"Oh boy, here we go."
"He must be crazy. It's the same guy who picked a fight with Tanaka today."
"Some people never learn until they die."
...
"What do you want now? If you're trying to pick a fight—"
" I'm sorry!!"
....
"Huh? Where did that come from?"
"It was my fault. Don't get me wrong, I already knew Sakura was crap. But he promised to pay for my sister's hospital bills if I worked for him, and the day you killed him was the day I was meant to collect the money. So I got carried away in anger. That's all."
"Hey."
"Yes, sir!"
"Your phone."
"Yes."
.....
" Password."
"Five zeros, sir."
Ding....
Akira hands the phone back.
"Here. Next time, try saying that before starting a fight with just anyone, dumbass."
"Huh? Hey, wait a second! This is way too much!"
Akira simply waves goodbye and keeps walking without turning around.
"Thank you!!"
Minato and some of the other students watch him leave.
"Wait... is he actually a good guy?"
...
"The car's ready."
Not much is said as Akira gets in.
/Sigh... What a day. I'm far too exhausted. The whole mana training was the only highlight of the day. That kid only pissed me off, talking about Sakura like that. The nerve. That was one thing.../
...
AT YAMATO'S MANSION.....
Clank.
The sound of the car door closing follows Akira as he steps out.
"Welcome home, young master!"
Men in suits line up as Akira walks past them.
/It's cruel... far too cruel. How could the master let this happen? Living in the same house as his son's murderer... What is he thinking this time around?/
/Ah, yes. Then there's this occurrence. When I killed Sakura, I didn't expect to become his brother later. But we're brothers now, haha. Either way, it worked out fine./
"Dinner is ready. Would you like to eat now, young master?"
"Sure, that would be fine. Where is that man?"
"He had some pressing matters to attend to. He left not so long ago."
"I see. Where did all your energy go? I liked you better when you were a brute. Raya was it"
"Have a nice meal, young master."
"Hmm. Have my bath ready."
" Yes."
....
/I'll kill him!/
....
Shhhh...
The sound of running water fills the bathroom.
"I'm really exhausted. But again, this is a dilemma."
/I never thought what Sir Yamato wanted to say that day was to make me his son./
"Open."
A translucent window appears before him.
SYSTEM STATUS....
Agility — 26
Intelligence — 40
Strength — 20
Mana — 30
SKILLS
¤ Born Assassin
> Allows you to use stealth, kill a target with 2× the initial strike, and master all weapons, regardless of their type.<
¤ Jack of All Traits
> Allows you to master any skill.<
¤ Perception
>Allows you to have a calm and wise mind.<
ONE-TIME SKILL
¤ Soul Collector
> Allows you to bring back one person.<
/Not bad, I guess. But it's too slow. The next game is in two weeks from now. I'm not sure what that man is planning, but I'm guessing it's going to be a lot of hell./
/Well, for now, all I can do is train. It's the weekend, so I'm going to use it to train./
He lowers himself into the bathtub, his head resting against the edge.
He stares into the water.
.....
/A little longer, Sakura. I'll get you back. I'll get all of you back./
....
THE NEXT DAY...
"Good morning!"
"Oh, good morning, dear."
"Good morning, Lady Kioko."
"Oh, you're awfully cheery today, Tadao."
"Yh. Have you seen the doc?"
"He's with Sayaka. She's being a handful today. *Sigh."
"Alright, thank you. Excuse me, then."
"Of course."
.....
"No! I don't want to!"
"And why not?"
"Because it's way too bitter!"
"Huh?! But you didn't have a problem with it last time."
"Because I was sick then! Now I'm better. Really! Cross my heart and hope to die!"
"Well, at the rate you're going, you might kick it. Stop being so stubborn and take it, damn it!"
"Never!! Where is Big Brother? I'll tell him what you're doing!"
Slide...
???
"Big Brother!"
"Tadao, this girl here is being quite the nuisance."
"Nuh-uh! Doctor Nao is being a meany!"
"Look at her, turning a whole three-sixty."
"Kioko, you're full of energy."
As the little exchange happens on the side, Tadao watches with amusement.
"Well, of course! I'm perfectly fine, and like I said, you—"
"Really? Here, have some water."
"Thank you. Anyways, I was trying to tell him, but he just didn't listen and—"
"He can be like that sometimes. Here you go. Swallow this."
"Exactly what I was—hmm? Hey!"
"Yes~?"
"Big Brother, you tricked me! No! I didn't want to take it!"
"Ow, why? It's for your own good."
"No!!"
.....
Tadao's smile slowly fades.
"You're always working, or you're in school. You never have time for me. And I know I'm being selfish because you're working to pay my medical bills, but... with the rate things are going..."
Tears begin filling her eyes.
She tries hard to hold them back.
"I don't want to lose you..."
" Kioko..."
The people nearby who hear the commotion are visibly moved.
"I won't be sick anymore, so you don't—"
Her words are cut short as Tadao pulls her into a hug.
She finally breaks down crying.
"It's going to be alright. I have the money for your treatment now, and enough that I won't need to work for a long while. And don't worry. I won't die so easily. Your big bro is really strong."
"You're not lying, right?"
"Yes."
"Really~?"
She hugs him tighter, tears continuing to fall.
"Big brother~~~"
"It's okay."
"Ahhhhh~!"
Doctor Nao watches them sadly.
/These two sure are a pair of pitiful fools. With this damn game, they have a harder path ahead... Rina, what did you leave this for me? I'm too old to do this./
To be continued.....