AM. 6:24. Setagaya Ward.
The morning sky over Yongen-Jaya was half-bright, a hue that was neither as bright as when the sun shone nor as oppressive as when dark clouds loomed.
It had a taste of being too white if a bit more, and too dark if a bit less.
The neighbor's Siamese cat, Nina, was stretching on the windowsill.
Severely sleep-deprived Kurusu Akira yawned as he climbed out of bed, grabbing the school uniform from his chair and haphazardly putting it on.
He tied his sneakers and clattered down the wooden stairs.
Sakura Sojiro had already opened the shop and was processing today's coffee beans. Hearing footsteps from the attic, he looked up and saw
"Amamiya, didn't you sleep well last night?"
"I had insomnia."
Sakura Sojiro found an apron and threw it to him, "Studying and working are important, but you also need to rest."
Kurusu Akira took the apron, put it on skillfully, then went into the kitchen to help wash the freshly purchased ingredients.
It was an hour later when Iseri Nina arrived at LeBlanc with her school bag.
The coffee shop was bustling. Female students transferring from Yongen-Jaya Station would often visit LeBlanc if they woke up early.
The already not-so-spacious shop had almost no empty seats.
As the door opened and closed, Kurusu Akira, who was attending to customers, saw Iseri Nina sneaking and crouching to squeeze behind the counter.
He had more than once suspected that this girl was actually a cat-girl in disguise.
And he had reasonable grounds:
Siamese cat Nina has brown fur, and Iseri Nina also has brown hair.
Nina's eyes are lake blue, and Iseri Nina's eyes are also lake blue.
Nina likes to cling to Kurusu Akira anywhere, anytime at night, and Iseri Nina likes to cling to Kurusu Akira anywhere, anytime during the day...
They had never appeared at the same time.
"Demon, quickly reveal your true form!" The barista, who had returned to the kitchen, raised a spatula and pointed it at Iseri Nina, who was rummaging through the refrigerator.
Iseri Nina flinched in fright, then looked at Kurusu Akira with some annoyance, "What do you mean?!"
Kurusu Akira sneered, "I could tell at a glance that you are not human!"
Saying that, he reached out and grabbed Iseri Nina's head.
The girl actually didn't dodge, letting his hand press down and mess up her hair, which she had just combed that morning.
Then Kurusu Akira released her with some regret, "There really are no cat ears."
"How could there be such a thing!" Iseri Nina puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him angrily.
Kurusu Akira patted her head indifferently. The height difference was so perfect that it made him want to tease her a few times...
Having known her for over a month, he had figured out the critical points for her various emotional outbursts, so he quickly threw out his next sentence to control the temperature before she lost her temper.
"Breakfast is latte coffee and cheese chicken breast sandwich, how about it?" Kurusu Akira opened the refrigerator, took out the pre-prepared tray with the sandwich, poured half a cup of coffee, added milk to mix, and then used a tool to froth the milk into a flower pattern.
Iseri Nina's face almost immediately lit up with joy, "Thank you for the meal!"
Based on Kurusu Akira's long-term feeding experience, he could conclude that her favorite foods were immersions, milk coffee, and yogurt.
Among them, "milk coffee" held the highest priority.
Perhaps she yearned for this beverage labeled "adult," and because she couldn't accept its harsh bitterness and sourness, she chose to add a large amount of milk to soften it, a compromise.
Perhaps this allowed her to feel her "growth"...
Kurusu Akira brought the coffee to her and placed a spoon beside it, "Please enjoy."
Iseri Nina immediately quieted down, sitting obediently in the corner of the kitchen and starting to eat her breakfast.
This girl was easy to coax; a little praise, some gifts that catered to her preferences, and she would forget all her troubles and misfortunes, then happily comply with others' commands and arrangements.
Kurusu Akira glanced at the time on the wall clock outside; it was already 7:40. The female students in the shop were almost all leaving to take the train to school, and the average age of the visiting customers was rising sharply.
He took off his apron and took out his phone to clear the accumulated messages in Line.
[My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute: Senpai! I am so sorry!]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: What happened?]
[My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute: I have to accompany my sister to a competition today, so I won't be able to prepare lunch!]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: Good luck with the competition.]
[My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute: Senpai, what I mean is… would you like to leave school with me to watch the competition? I can treat you to lunch at a restaurant near the venue then!]
[My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute: I'll ask the coach to help communicate about taking time off!]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: I've been very busy recently. Today, I promised Ito-sensei that I would attend the first group training for the math competition.]
[My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute: I understand… I'm sorry! I was presumptuous to bother you!]
After she finished speaking, Yoshizawa Kasumi's avatar quickly dimmed.
Kurusu Akira switched pages and replied to the messages from the beautiful girls who had actively contacted him, one by one, until Iseri Nina finished all her sandwiches, he was still busy tapping away on his phone screen.
"You're so popular."
Iseri Nina put the porcelain cup into the kitchen sink. Seeing Kurusu Akira like this, she suddenly became a little sullen, and then forcefully nudged his back with her elbow, "Let's go to school!"
Kurusu Akira had no choice but to put his phone back into his pocket and pick up her schoolbag, "Although I'll be attending pre-competition training all day today, I'll still come back to tutor you at noon."
Iseri Nina bared her teeth at him, "How impressive, busy man."
"Then, I hope Iseri can learn more knowledge from the 'impressive Amamiya Ren'," Kurusu Akira flicked her forehead, making the girl yelp and cover her slightly reddened forehead as she retreated towards the shop door.
He bowed halfway to Sakura Sojiro, "Thank you for your care today, Sakura-san."
After the two left LeBlanc, a half-grown Siamese cat crept into the shop, purring and rubbing against Sakura Sojiro affectionately.
"Alright, alright, you're also 'Nina'. I'll prepare breakfast for you now."
Sakura Sojiro helplessly patted the back of his head, then walked into the kitchen.
----------------
When Kurusu Akira and Iseri Nina arrived at the Shujin school gate, they saw two men, vastly different in build, suddenly emerge from the shadows and grab him, one on each side.
They were the first-year and third-year math teachers, dispatched by the head of academic affairs, Ito Misui, yesterday. They had specifically ambushed him here this morning, just to capture the elusive Kurusu Akira at the first opportunity.
Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the biggest, fiercest, and most evil transfer student in Shujin's history was unceremoniously escorted to the library on the third floor of the teaching building.
Meanwhile, the girl, once regarded by everyone as the "Black Dragon's forbidden treasure," stood in place with a bewildered expression. The incompatible factors ingrained in her body subconsciously made her believe this was a punishment targeting her, the "inferior student"...
She never expected their target to be the "excellent student" beside her.
Could it be... they were going to interrogate the Phantom Thief for secret techniques to improve grades?!
After yesterday's tutoring, Iseri Nina was now utterly convinced by Kurusu Akira's academic prowess. Whenever she communicated with him, she seemed to feel her own realm subtly improving... Such a profound method of divine communication, it seemed reasonable for it to draw the attention of these long-retired forbidden zone supremes.
Thinking of this, Iseri Nina was instantly terrified. Their actions were surely meant to imprison that Phantom Thief in a dark, cramped study room, to torture out all his secret techniques and cultivation methods!
The so-called "pre-competition training" must be a ruse to deceive young prodigies like Kurusu Akira into entering the forbidden zone. Once they arrived near the forbidden zone, they would be captured in one fell swoop!
But Iseri Nina recalled her translucent school life, and sorrow welled up in her heart. Not only could she not think of a way to rescue the Phantom Thief, but she herself was also facing an extremely terrifying danger.
With the departure of Kurusu Akira, her reliance, the demons and monsters who had once coveted him, gathered from all directions during class breaks, inquiring about the whereabouts of the favored child who had been captured into the forbidden zone.
Evidently, they had all been captivated by the charm and academic ability of the "Dragon of Shujin," becoming his fanatical devotees.
Iseri Nina now had to answer every question carefully. Any slight deviation, and she would likely face the reckoning of these fanatical devotees lurking outside the forbidden zone.
...
Kurusu Akira was escorted by Ito Misui's left and right protectors.
The moment he stepped into the library, he saw that all the bookshelves originally displayed there had been moved to the walls. Four long tables were arranged in parallel, piled high with books and exercise books as thick and tall as mountains. The newly installed blackboard was covered with complex and profound problem-solving formulas, and a man who had become exceptionally intelligent in early middle age stood by the window, his back to everyone.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the man's shoulders and head, like a statue, radiating a compassionate and sacred aura like a Buddha.
But when he turned around, the Buddha's dignified appearance instantly collapsed, and all the compassion for humanity transformed into a chilling killing intent that rushed forward. Even the Phantom Thief involuntarily recoiled, the frantic alarm urging him to cautiously distance himself from this man who resembled a wrathful god wielding a Vajra to subdue demons.
Then, Ito Misui, holding an invisible Vajra, swung it down forcefully!
"Otsuka, Kito! Stop him, close the door!"
"Yes!" The two great generals of the Number Crunchers perfectly executed Ito Misui's command, displaying a synergy that even the Phantom Thief would marvel at, and then nervously confined him in the library.
At this moment, Ito Misui approached with a majestic stride, his gaze fixed intently on Kurusu Akira, "You've come at just the right time."
Kurusu Akira looked back at the two great protectors behind him. There was no retreat, so he had no choice but to walk towards Ito Misui.
"Hoho, so you're approaching voluntarily? Not choosing to run but actively approaching me..." Ito Misui let out a strange, high-pitched laugh.
Kurusu Akira's expression was stern, "If I don't get closer, how can I make you repent?"
"In that case, why don't you come even closer..."
Ito Misui was getting impatient and actively sped up his pace.
Until the distance between them narrowed to just enough for an adult to extend their arms and throw a punch.
Kurusu Akira tilted his head, looking behind Ito Misui, "Ito-sensei, where is your 'The World'?"
Ito Misui also tilted his head, looking behind Kurusu Akira, "I haven't seen your 'Star Platinum' either."
After saying that, the older chuunibyou couldn't help but laugh out loud, "I always feel like this kind of conversation has a subtle sense of déjà vu, as if I've heard it many times elsewhere."
"Is it 'JOJO's Bizarre Adventure'?"
"Not JOJO. I watched that anime with my child on TV. I vaguely remember it was a live broadcast on TV..." Ito Misui pondered for a moment, but he truly couldn't recall when he had watched that so-called "live broadcast." He just felt a familiar sense of déjà vu when he saw Kurusu Akira walking towards him.
It seemed like he had watched the live broadcast many times, but each time, the opening conversation was similar.
He quickly stopped dwelling on this question.
"Amamiya," Ito Misui quickly made a decision that would cause the excellent students representing Shujin in the math league to suffer sleepless nights.
He spread his arms, gesturing towards the mountains of books and exercise books piled high on the long tables in the library, his face filled with fanaticism, "The scope of questions, reference books, and past exam papers for the advanced group of the math league are all here—Amamiya, for the sake of the scholarship, please conquer them together with your future comrades!"
"High school students form a team, diligently honing their skills, to challenge that crown at the pinnacle of Japan in a few days. Everyone's wisdom collides in discussion and research, erupting into sparks called 'growth'... How youthful? How passionate?! Amamiya, I believe you chose to participate in the league precisely for this moment!" Ito Misui clenched his fists, shouting hoarsely.
'No, I'm here to earn money legally, reasonably, and compliantly...'
Kurusu Akira leaned his neck back slightly, but still didn't speak his mind, "So, the preparation for the competition... is it about discussing problem-solving ideas together?"
Ito Misui nodded, "Those who walk fast help those who walk slow. If someone first comes up with a solution, they share it on stage, and then absorb problem-solving ideas proposed by others, thereby achieving mutual progress and growth."
"I understand. It certainly sounds very team-oriented."
Ito Misui showed an approving smile, "Then, Amamiya, use this opportunity to step onto a higher stage!"
...
An hour later, the top students in the library looked at Kurusu Akira, who was on the podium, tackling a difficult problem from last year's preliminary competition paper. He attempted to approach it using various knowledge points from high school and even university, proposing more than ten different problem-solving ideas. Without exception, their faces were pale and their hearts were dead.
Kurusu Akira took out the test paper, drew vectors on the blackboard, and tried to list differential geometry equations. Chalk dust fell rustlingly, like the rapidly collapsing confidence and pride of the group of top students below the podium.
By the time he finished explaining the three major problems fluently, the content on the blackboard had been written and erased, erased and written, and the white chalk marks covered the background of the blackboard like a thick fog.
Kurusu Akira put the broken chalk in his hand back into the blackboard tray and looked at the crowd below, "These are the problem-solving methods I could think of when I saw the questions... Does anyone have anything to add?"
Saying that, he picked up the question in his hand and glanced at it, then looked up at the dense formulas on the blackboard, "Oh, there is indeed an oversight here; the second variable of the curve was not calculated..."
Then he didn't even make a draft, directly writing down the calculated result.
At this point, he turned back to the library, which was already silent, "Can everyone help me check if there are any other omissions?"
The top students looked at each other, then remained silent in unison, not even focusing their eyes on the blackboard. Their pupils were dilated, as if they had just experienced a magnificent spectacle like a cosmic big bang.
Ito Misui, standing at the back of the library, took off his glasses, wiped them with his sleeve, and put them back on, too conflicted to speak.
This script seemed far from what he had expected...
"Those who walk fast help those who walk slow"... That's certainly true, but why the hell did you suddenly get on a rocket?
Your classmates are still making fire by rubbing sticks in the Stone Age!
Where's the team? Where's the youth? Where's the passionate struggle and common effort?
Where did the epic story I wanted, of a hero gathering companions to jointly defeat the evil dragon, go?
He looked at Kurusu Akira on the podium, and a sudden realization dawned on him.
So that's how it is...
The evil dragon was released by me.
A strange sense of guilt and culpability suddenly arose in the math teacher's heart.
A warm summer breeze blew in through the open window, countless chalk dust particles drifted and danced, and suddenly a girl in the library covered her face and burst into tears.
She was the second in the grade who was left behind by Kurusu Akira by two hundred points in the entrance exam. Coincidentally, although she was two hundred points behind, her math score was actually a perfect score.
She had thought that she lost to Kurusu Akira simply because he was "comprehensively excellent."
And she prided herself on having thoroughly understood high school mathematics. Faced with his lazy appearance, already addicted to skipping school and classes, she thought of the "Tortoise and the Hare" in Aesop's Fables. She believed she could definitely catch up through hard work and surpass this transfer student who didn't know how to cherish his talent in the future—
It turned out that some people scored full marks in math because the test paper was only worth a hundred points.
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