Chapter 3
Chapter 3 The man called Isurugi Gen
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On his way back after seeing Nelly go away.
When he was walking on the back street of the shopping district in front of the station, he found an unexpected person.
Isurugi Jin.
Even at a time like this, he held his head high, roaming the streets imposingly, turning his head to the left and right slowly, looking like he was searching for something.
– Good evening, Senpai.
Moroha ran up to him. He was a person to whom Moroha was grateful on a daily basis, so he wondered if he could be of any help.
However,
– Oh, it’s you, Haimurkun. What a coincidence…
Isurugi’s reply was inarticulate, he seemed to be embarrassed to be found.
*Oops*, he scratched his head on his mind.
– Ah, I just happened to see you and greet you. Well then.
He tried to move quickly, but,
– No, my bad. Haimurkun. It’s not like it’s annoying to be seen.
He was immediately stopped.
– I still have no experience showing it on my face.
Isurugi frowned.
– I was looking for Gen──my younger brother.
– Oh.
Moroha came to understand. Isurugi was talking about him with Tanaka the other day.
– Could it be that you’ve been doing that every day since then?
– I have to find the time for it, even if a little.
– Senpai does devote to his family, doesn’t he?
Taking his hat off to him, Moroha praised him.
However──Isurugi frowned more and more.
– You are misunderstanding.
He said in a voice devoid of warmth, then sighed and turned on his heel.
He invited him to talk while walking.
Moroha accepted and walked beside him.
Isurugi said in a terrible cold voice as he searched for his younger brother, looking everywhere with a sharp gaze.
– I’m not doing this out of consideration for my younger brother. I will find Gen and this time for sure I will make him give up on becoming a 《Savior》.
Moroha was startled at the unexpected words he said.
– Make him give up…?
– There is a school that receives Akane Academy students who gave up on becoming 《Saviors》 for various reasons.
– Is it because he hit Tanaksensei?
Isurugi assented gravely.
– The other day, Gen punched my father. He was told a reasonable thing, to go to school, and with just that…
– …
Moroha refrained from commenting.
It was cowardly for 《Saviors》 to harm ordinary people.
And it was more cowardly than an adult hitting a child.
In front of his blood relatives, he was afraid of what they would express straightforwardly.
– When I tried scolding him for that, Gen swore he would never do it again. Despite that, he hit his teacher. Does he think that it shouldn’t be counted because Tanaksensei is a 《Savior》?
– … I think that’s a far-fetched argument.
The substance of the problem was the determination of Gen who used force right away. And he showed no improvements.
– We are too powerful…
Moroha stared at his palm and said.
Anyone who didn’t feel responsible for it would be like an unsafety weapon.
In fact, if Gen hadn’t hit Tanaka or his father, but a truly unrelated ordinary person, the Internal Audit Office of the Japanese Division should have punished Gen who set out to do something.
A 《Savior》 like him must control himself. By nature.
– Thanks to the kindness of the school principal, I was told to teach the basic Light Techniques to Gen. In only two years, he became docile. If a problem occurred, then the teachings would stop right there, so he must have put up with it all the time. I vaguely noticed that, but I couldn’t say 『What’s with you now?』 to the guy who was actually being serious. All I could do was teach him the basics as well as the righteousness and knowledge of the 《Saviors》. Nonetheless, not everything reached him. As soon as he entered the academy, he lost all restraint and caused trouble for you and Ranjou-kun.
– That’s all in the past.
Moroha replied immediately.
Isurugi talked about the time when Gen had an exhibition match with Satsuki and bullied her.
If Satsuki were still bringing up that matter, Moroha would have never forgive him.
But Satsuki completely forgot it.
So Moroha didn’t care anymore.
– Can you complain a little, Haimurkun?
– That is unusual, you know?
– From my perspective, only one person can complain and that is you.
Isurugi showed a dry smile on his face.
He could only reply by all means.
After Isurugi thanked him, he began to speak in a rusty voice.
– Gen has had the habit of immediately using force from way before, especially bullying the weak, that’s what he likes the most. Every time he does something wrong, he doesn’t listen, not even to our parents giving him advice. He is afraid of me, so when I say something, he pretends to listen to me quietly. It has been like this all the time. I really don’t know what to do with him.
A story he pictured only by learning of it.
And just imagining it made him sick.
– I consulted with the school teachers and counselors many times. But everyone said the same to me. 『You have to confront the issue with patience and be careful each time』, they said. The result of following that is what you see. They also said 『Someday your feelings will reach him』. Oddly enough, there’s no sign of that yet. They warned me, saying 『Don’t give up. Doing that is like forsaking him』. My parents are also giving their all. But I’m too exhausted. I’m cruel, aren’t I?
Isurugi mocked himself.
– Has Haimurkun ever bullied the weak or used irrational force against someone?
Moroha, who was asked that, shook his head, it was unnecessary to think about it.
– Me neither. I don’t want to do such embarrassing acts. That’s why I can’t understand Gen. I can’t understand why he keeps doing such embarrassing acts, even if I warn him; I can’t understand why he doesn’t try to stop.
Moroha couldn’t sympathize with him at all, but the truth was that people like him were in every school.
Gen wasn’t special.
– I don’t understand my younger brother. Maybe I’m missing something as a person. Even if I’m told I’m a failure as an older brother, I can’t talk back.
Moroha didn’t think he was a failure. But, when he saw the frowning face of Isurugi tormented by feelings of guilt, he couldn’t say that imprudently.
– Both the school principal and Tanaksensei were kind to Gen. However, since he just keeps making problems, even the two gentle people will feel responsible, don’t you agree? And for me, that’s painful.
Isurugi raised his dropped face.
His gaze looked scary, as if it were piercing Gen who wasn’t there.
He stiffened his sunken cheeks even more.
– I, his older brother, who did a bad job, have to give Gen the final word──that is the least I must do.
He resolutely asserted as if declaring again.
His face seen from the side made a lasting impression on Moroha.
Speechless, and without asking anything else, they parted ways.
He felt like wanting to help him and search for him together.
But──
He got that even if he did so, Isurugi would only be driven by more feelings of guilt.
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Satsuki and Shizuno were walking down the streets at night illuminated by the street lights.
They went to the shopping district in the northern part of the city to buy Christmas gifts for Moroha.
“Neither this nor that will do”, they clamored, and although they took a break and had dinner at a shop specializing in galettes recommended on the internet, it got this late by the time both of them could finally find gifts they were satisfied with.
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– Urushibara is so indecisive, it’s unforgivable. It’s way too dark. Ah～～ I’m tired～～～.
– Your second choice is still a miss. And is Satsuki, who hesitated for many hours, in any position to say that?
And so, they had a noisy conversation until they went back home.
– “Is still a miss”? What!? You don’t know how wonderful the gift I chose is!
– I’m sure it’s non-burnable garbage that even Moroha won’t understand.
– Don’t call it non-burnable garbage! I hope that you, as soon as you have given him the gift, make a complicated face to Moroha and are sentenced to『I was told “to be glad” with a fake smile』.
– Right… Then you better be prepared too… you will be sentenced to 『I was told that “you want Shizuno” with a fake smile』…
– Sentences like that don’t exist! Also, Nii-sama isn’t an empty playboy.
– It. Is. A. Joke. I’m sure Moroha will say it earnestly.
– There’s no way he’ll say i──────t!
– I wonder about that? As soon as he sees my wonderful present, he will become a beast.
– Is that an aphrodisiac!? Anyhow, I’m confident that my present will make Moroha happy! Foo～～～ fofofofofo.
– Ara? Is this a match? About who will make Moroha happier?
– Yes～, let’s do it! It’s either victory or defeat!
– And the pitiful Satsuki-chan will be rejected by Moroha, buried alone in the snow while the light of the match──
– Am I “The Ltitle Match Girl”!?
– But Satsuki is someone who doesn’t learn her lesson. You’ve been defeated by me many times, when will you be satisfied?
– When did I lose to yooooouuuuuu!?
Satsuki kept yelling without noticing that Shizuno was showing a small dimple on her cheek.
The night park used as a shortcut.
There were no lights or people in the spacious and completely silent garden.
A heavy darkness and silence swallowed the noisy voices of the girls.
– Are you really a woman…?
How could Shizuno always have a comeback with words?──
The moment Satsuki was reflecting on it with her mouth in a へ shape.
– Hey. I was waiting for you.
Suddenly, and from the front, they heard the rough voice of a man.
Surprised, Satsuki stopped walking.
Shizuno glared at him sternly.
Satsuki also strained her eyes and saw something crouching in the depths of the darkness.
And he stood up slowly.
A vaguely human-shaped silhouette emerged.
A big body with a height of over 180 centimeters.
– You’re still a noisy woman, Ranjou.
They heard the voice of the man again.
They felt like they had heard it somewhere, but they couldn’t remember.
The sign of him approaching with loud footsteps.
Satsuki was cautious of it and took several steps forward to protect Shizuno.
Closing the distance to each other, they came to see each other’s face in the moonlight. He was Isurugi Gen.
He was showing a dangerous smile on his face, like a carnivorous animal that had cornered its prey.
Seeing him, Satsuki stopped being on guard.
– Huh? Don’t frighten me. It’s been a long time, has it not? I heard that you’re refusing to go to school, but if you’re roaming and looking energetic like this, then why don’t you go to school?
She started talking as though she had nothing at all do to with what was going on.
Gen opened his mouth, he was dumbfounded.
Since he thought about doing so for a while, that was more than enough to distort his look,
– Are you making fun of me…?
He threatened her in a threatening voice.
– I’m not making fun of you, that’s cheap.
“Stop joking”, Satsuki said, laughing foolishly.
Countless veins appeared on the forehead of Gen.
– It doesn’t look like you understand the situation…
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He made his squared shoulders tremble, subdued his voice and threatened her even more.
Shizuno said in an extremely cold tone of voice,
– Then can you tell us? It’s not like ambushing girls in the streets at night is something to be praised about, is it?
– Kukukukuku… alright, I’ll tell ya…
Gen laughed sadistically.
– I want to take revenge on that bastard Moroha… and soon…
He answered eerily.
His way of talking and laughing was theatrical, his ulterior motive, which was “by doing this, I’ll scare you”, was obvious.
Satsuki and Shizuno looked at each other’s face and both shrugged their shoulders,
– Aha, what you say is too serious to be a joke. And how are you going to “take revenge on Moroha”?
– Or are you going to hurt us and try to cause mental pain to Moroha? The thinking of a low-life.
Satsuki laughed mockingly and Shizuno criticized him heartlessly.
Sharply criticized by the two women,
– ……
Gen’s look changed.
He kept silent, losing his temper.
Making his blood go up to his head to the point it was obvious even in the dark, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
– … I’ve had enough… I’m done talking…
The savage dog barked gloomily as if howling.
– … Look in silence… and tremble violently… in front of my true strength…
Prana rose up from his whole body.
An ominous brilliance similar to the dark and red blood.
– If I bear a grudge against you, then blame Haimura, you shitty amateeeeeur!
And Gen’s anger erupted.
Using 《Godlike Movement》, he attacked at random.
A crude charge with all his strength that left everything up to the speed on the ground and that gave a damn about ingenuity or skill.
His arrogance looked down on the opponent, on the powerless girls.
When Satsuki also wore golden prana on her body,
– No, it’s your fault.
She gave him a finger flick to the forehead.
It was too easy to hit him first because Gen had both arms stretched like an idiot.
If compared to people who studied nasty techniques day and night and who tried to catch up with her by any means and the incarnations of speed like Haruka, who she usually sparred with, then something like this was more akin to dealing with infants.
When Gen was blown back like a comedy star, he bounced like a ball on the ground, tumbling down and somersaulting each time, crashing from the head, shoulder and bottom, and finally, he dragged the climbing frame into his tumbling and stopped at last.
– I don’t get what you mean. What kind of reason do you have to resent Moroha?
Satsuki pressed a question, but Isurugi was foaming at his mouth and convulsing.
She really went easy on him. Even his toughness was depressing.
– Let’s ignore him, Satsuki.
– Y-yeah…
Prompted by Shizuno, Satsuki tried to pass by.
What was all this? She wondered, without being satisfied.
– Wa… wait!
Then Gen recovered.
As he finally stood up, relying on the squashed climbing frame,
– Ranjou… what’s your damn rank now?
– I’m just B, why?
Satsuki replied without hesitation.
It wasn’t something to brag about, but enough to be irritated because she hadn’t been able to catch up with Moroha at all.
– You liar!
Gen immediately opened his eyes wide in anger and yelled hysterically.
– I had a hard time getting to C-Rank, so I can’t believe a small fry like you is a B-Rank! If you’re lying, get better at it!
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– But it’s the truth.
Satsuki smoothly pointed to her name tag.
Gen didn’t understand the meaning of 「1 – 1 White B」 written there.
This was enough for him to open his eyes and gaze at it in wonderment.
Despite finally getting up, he leaned on the climbing frame and slipped, falling on his backside.
– You’re lying… you’re lying… you’re lying…
Looking like he was spacing out, he repeated the same words as if talking in delirium.
– Shall we go, Satsuki?
– O, okay…
Prompted by Shizuno again, Satsuki left the place this time.
She went out of the park and when looking over her shoulder, the figure of Gen couldn’t be seen, it was dark.
Only darkness hovered in the background.
And yet, she left the place in haste and shuddering, hearing the voice of Gen repeating 「You’re lying」 many times.
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Gen was at a loss.
Unless he defeated Haimura Moroha, he wouldn’t return ashamed to Akane Academy.
And winning wasn’t enough.
It had to be a thorough revenge that made him taste all the pent-up resentment he felt but doubled.
For that reason, he thought of attacking his 「younger sister」.
The result: a miserable spectacle in which he was beaten up by someone Moroha considered as a younger sister, he challenged her to a fight and got defeated.
When they entered to school, she was a small fry who couldn’t even open two gates.
Why and when did that gap develop that much…?
Now going to school was even less possible.
But he didn’t want to change schools. He didn’t want to miss the wealth and fame of 《Saviors》 before his own eyes.
What he used to support himself was only the rusty climbing frame.
– What… should I do…?
Gen held his head and crouched.
– Do you want power… boy?
Suddenly, someone whispered in his ear.
A calm voice that felt like it passed through his eardrum and completely pierced the bottom of his soul.
Gen raised his face as if jumping.
Before he knew, a man was standing beside him.
A calm young man with thin-framed glasses.
However, he didn’t feel fragile.
Rather, he felt composed and dignified.
A king-like personality accompanied by all the darkness behind him.
He was allowed to fixedly stare at a monster in person*.
*TN: Monster is the furigana reading for “out of common sense”.
– Now, will you let me hear… your reply?
The man smiled faintly.
Just like the Devil.
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