Thanks to Satoru Gojo's timely explanation, the floorboards were spared from being turned into a sieve by Tama.
"...So, that's the gist of it. I'll be using this body to attend the Police Academy for a while."
The black-haired, red-eyed youth spread his hands. His voice was clean and transparent, yet carried an edge of sharpness that couldn't be ignored.
"But, Clan Head," the braided maid questioned, "if you are away for half a year, can you truly trust your main body to an unreliable AI?"
Hey now, aren't you a robot yourself?
Just as Gojo was about to call out Tama's double standards, he noticed his "main body"—which had been lying motionless on the bed—had already stood up. It was unclear how long it had been listening.
"The 'unreliable AI' is here. Pleased to meet you."
The white-haired, blue-eyed man looked perfectly relaxed, holding a bag of sweets that was already half-depleted—specifically, the Kikufuku Gojo had brought back from Sendai.
Gojo's pupils shook. He clutched his chest and cried out, "You've settled into the role way too fast! Give me back my Kikufuku!"
The AI robot, wearing his own face, mimicked his usual cute habits with terrifying accuracy: "Eh—I'm just training your alertness~ These are merely edible teaching tools." He even threw in a charming wink.
The bad news: Gojo really wanted to punch his own face.
The good news: This AI was a hell of an actor.
"Rest assured, my built-in chip is top-tier at the Space-Time Administration. With my vast knowledge stores, I can perfectly handle 99% of data and emergencies. I'm not some 'maid-only' AI..."
"What. Did. You. Say?"
Tama smiled, a rare occurrence, but the atmospheric pressure around her dropped to a terrifying low. She turned to Gojo: "Clan Head, may I kill him?"
What is this, AI workplace rivalry?
Though it felt like these two robots were destined to clash, Gojo played the peacemaker. He spoke earnestly, "We're all on the same team here. You two need to cooperate at home so I can be out there without worrying, okay?"
The AI-Gojo and Tama locked eyes, both let out a "Hmph," and turned away simultaneously.
Setting aside their domestic squabbles, Gojo called out to the system in his mind: [Are you sure this hosted AI is really okay?]
[Well... based on feedback from other hosts, his information processing is incredibly strong—essentially a supercomputer. He rarely makes mistakes.] The System replied: [Though he can be a bit sharp-tongued and holds very high standards for the humans and AIs around him. It's mostly harmless.]
Gojo prayed for Tama's blood pressure for a second before asking: [And if I want to switch back to my body, I can do that anytime, right?]
[Yes. If you want to return while using the alias, just think 'Return.' Two seconds later, the AI will go offline and feed all its immediate memories back to you. Additionally, the AI updates a daily log of everything it experiences.]
That's actually quite humane. Worth the fortune I spent on the card.
Seeing his satisfaction, the System added: [The identity for the new alias has been generated. Would you like to view it?]
Gojo clicked view, and a translucent electronic file appeared. Skimming through, he noted the key points:
Name: Hisashi Kuno
Age: 18
Background: Raised in an orphanage in Nagano Prefecture. Lost parents at a young age and lived independently. Extremely gifted in academics and combat; entered and graduated from the University of Tokyo by age 14.
Personality: A blend of adult Gojo and High School Gojo. Appears steady at first glance but is actually quite fond of causing trouble.
A classic 'orphan' start. Hisashi Kuno? The name the system randomized actually sounds pretty good.
Gojo wasn't surprised by the tropes, but he paused at the location.
[Nagano? Isn't that Hiromitsu Morofushi's hometown? If he tries to look me up, won't I get caught?]
[Host, while you customized the look, the identity has the 'tacit approval' of the world's consciousness. The identity is not fake.]
[You mean... his past actually exists?]
[Yes. Within the past eighteen years, people and events related to the alias have been automatically generated. The trade-off is that others' memories of him are vague and hard to recall, but no one will doubt his authenticity.]
Heh~ No need to worry about the mask slipping then.
Who is Satoru Gojo? Who is Caesar?
I, Hisashi Kuno, don't know either of them.
The System spoke in a "please praise me" tone: [Host, Host! I also handled your ID documents and registered you for the entrance exam! Legal and guaranteed!]
[Not bad, good boy~]
Finally, his System was showing some initiative.
Then, Gojo noticed a potential shortcut: [Wait, if you can do that, can't you just make me pass the exam directly? Wouldn't that be easier?]
[Host, that is forbidden.] The System retorted firmly: [The motto of the Space-Time Administration is: 'Truth is Precious, No Cheating Allowed!']
[Tell me the real reason.]
[...Fine. Because of the energy drain from generating the alias, I'm temporarily out of juice.]
As expected. His System had initiative, but only a little.
No matter. Passing the exam was child's play for Gojo. However, his pride wouldn't allow a mediocre score. If he was going to take it, he had to be Number One.
Imagine the scene: The new Top Student of the Police Academy is actually an ace executive of a criminal organization... How dramatic.
"I can't wait." His lips curved slightly as he whispered in the tone of a mastermind: "Those children... full of justice like the morning sun, yet so naive... I want to see if they truly have the resolve to change this world."
The System ruined the mood: [Host, the exam is in two weeks. If you want to be the Top Student, I suggest you start preparing now.]
[...You could have mentioned that earlier.]
Don't jump out when I'm trying to act cool, dammit!
Time slipped through the hourglass unnoticed. Months passed. Maples burned red across the mountains, and snow eventually weighed down the pine branches.
Then, people looked up to find cherry blossoms staining the branches pink. Dense clusters of pale petals drifted down like the downcast lashes of a shy girl confessing to her crush.
In the season of full bloom, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Academy welcomed its annual Opening Day.
At 7:30 AM, dew still clung to the crest on the cast-iron gates.
Rei Furuya touched the cold metal petals. His gray-purple eyes reflected a handsome, mixed-race face.
The March spring breeze carried a touch of warmth, rustling the manicured trees and catching the hem of his deep-blue academy uniform, revealing a meticulously buckled belt. The contrast between his light hair and tan skin made him stand out in the crowd. Many freshmen noticed him, though few dared to approach.
This... will be my new starting point.
The image of a woman in a white lab coat flashed through his mind. Rei lowered his hand and finished his registration. Lugging his suitcase, he headed toward the dormitory.
Suddenly, a beast-like instinct made him snap his head up—
Someone was watching him from above.
Unlike the curious glances from the crowd, this gaze was so overt it was practically undisguised.
Rei narrowed his eyes and spotted a blurry figure on the roof of the gymnasium, dozens of meters away.
The person was perched on the edge of the roof. From a distance, their posture bore an uncanny resemblance to a black cat, seeming to merge with the surroundings. Their face was unclear, but a few unruly tufts of black hair stood out—as did the object in their hand... a lollipop?
For the first time, Rei doubted his prideful eyesight.
Who would go to a rooftop just to eat a lollipop? Especially at the Police Academy?
Given it was Opening Day... there was a high chance they were a classmate.
The figure seemed to realize they were being watched. They popped the lollipop into their mouth and stood up at the very edge of the roof, looking as if they might fall at any second.
"Hey, careful—!"
Just as he was about to shout a warning, a sudden gust of wind swept across the yard. Cherry blossoms poured down like rain, forcing Rei to instinctively close his eyes and shield them with his hand. A few petals slipped through his fingers, clinging to his hair and shoulders; one even brushed against the corner of his lips, feeling cool and soft.
When he opened his eyes again, the figure was gone.
Disappeared...
He stood there for a few seconds, making sure it hadn't been a hallucination.
Did they climb down a ladder?
As Rei was pondering this, someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around immediately.
"Hiro?"
Standing there was his childhood friend, Hiromitsu Morofushi.
"You're early, Zero." The dark-haired youth, who radiated a friendly aura, smiled. "Couldn't sleep last night because you were too excited?"
Rei's lips, which had been set in a firm line, softened into a natural smile at the sight of his friend. "I just didn't want to be late on the first day."
"By the way, were you just zoning out? Did something happen?" Hiromitsu asked.
"Nothing..." Rei shook his head, his gaze flickering toward the now-empty gymnasium roof.
"I just ran into a strange fellow."
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