The sharp, stinging scent of antiseptic hit Menma's senses as he slowly opened his eyes.
The white ceiling of the infirmary greeted him.
His body felt like it had been crushed, but the system inside his mind continued its work, performing post-battle recovery after the brutal clash that had drained his stamina.
[TING! RECOVERY PROCESS ACTIVE: 60%. STATUS: LIGHT INJURIES]
On the adjacent bed, a massive figure sat quietly, staring at Menma.
It was Chisato Chuta, the Steel Tank.
His face was covered in bruises, yet his eyes radiated a profound, sincere respect.
"You're awake, Menma-san," Chuta said in his deep, rumbling voice.
"Why are you here?" Menma asked, surprised to see Chuta beside him.
Chuta offered a small smile. "I acknowledge your strength, Menma-san. Therefore, I admit my defeat. No matter how hard I tried to beat you, you simply wouldn't go down"
Seconds ticked by, and the infirmary fell into a heavy silence.
"Huh? What exactly do you mean? I don't really get what you're saying," Menma replied, still slightly dazed.
QHe hadn't yet realized that Chuta was declaring his desire to follow him as his boss.
Menma was puzzled. 'Why would someone this strong… submit?'
he wondered.
With a resigned look, Chuta spoke in a weak but clear tone. "It means that from this day forward… we follow you. Me, and those boys of mine."
"That's not what I meant. Why would you choose to follow me instead of remaining a king? You have incredible strength," Menma asked, curious.
'A guy like him isn't the type to bow without a reason… this is more than just a loss.'
"Because I saw a glimpse of the future. This school is going to change because of you, Menma-san," Chuta said seriously.
Despite the lingering pain, a wide grin spread across Menma's face. "Oh... so that's how it is. I get it. From now on, I won't let you down!"
[TING! FIRST MISSION UPDATED: 15/100 MEMBERS COLLECTED]
Once he felt strong enough to walk, Menma stepped out of the infirmary with Chuta looming behind him like a loyal guardian.
Their presence in the corridor caused other first-year students to scramble out of the way in fear.
News of the Steel Tank's fall at the hands of Menma the Loser had spread throughout the school in just a matter of hours.
However, at the end of the Class 1-A hallway, Fushiguro Furuya was waiting.
He leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
Furuya didn't speak immediately, he just stared at Menma for a few seconds longer than necessary, as if weighing something.
"…So, you're the one who took down Chuta."
His tone was flat, neither impressed nor dismissive. He was simply confirming a fact, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Menma stopped directly in front of Furuya, meeting him with that terrifying, hollow gaze.
[SCANNING TARGET…]
[DATA ACQUIRED]
The system chimed, displaying Fushiguro Furuya's status.
___________________
Status Info: Fushiguro Furuya
Strength: 18
Speed: 18
Endurance: 13
Spirit: 11
Intelligence: 16
______________________
Furuya straightened himself up from the wall.
"I thought you'd die in the first round. But instead… you've gone and shattered the balance."
Chuta frowned slightly, but Furuya didn't even spare him a glance, his eyes remained locked on Menma.
"Now you probably think… the first year is already in your hands."
The corner of his mouth curled into a thin smirk.
"You're wrong. Do you have any idea what comes next? Danzo will try to take you down from behind. Ryo…"
Furuya paused, his smile widening slightly.
"…will crush you from the front. I want to see which one manages to kill you first."
He took a step closer.
"Danzo? Ryo?" Menma chuckled. "They're just stepping stones I'm going to crush. And that goes for you too, Furuya. Get your crew ready, because I'm coming to take over everything soon."
Menma brushed past him. Furuya watched Menma's retreating back, his smirk lingering.
----------------------
Meanwhile, on the second floor.
Shin Torao, who had just absorbed Takeshi's faction, observed the tension below from the corridor balcony, with Takeshi standing right beside him.
On another side, Kiyomasa Hikari and Lemura Hideo were also beginning to grow wary of Menma's unexpected rise.
"Interesting. A loser rising up to defeat his enemies is the plot of a cheap novel, but I never expected to see it actually happen here. Menma, huh? This school is about to get much more interesting," Kiyomasa Hikari remarked with a grin.
As one of the smartest people in Okato, he understood more than most.
Truth be told, Hikari shouldn't have even been at this school.
He had high grades in every subject, yet he chose to attend Okato the gathering place for thugs.
Hideo, meanwhile, sat casually while puffing on a cigarette.
He didn't care who Menma was; if the boy dared to block his path, he wouldn't hesitate to beat him senseless.
The emergence of Menma as a new power was beginning to disrupt the delicate balance between the factions.
----------------------------------
On the school rooftop, Sakamoto Daizen closed his notebook after crossing something out.
"Juugo, it seems an interesting brat has appeared," Daizen said to Juugo, who was still deep in thought over his chess loss.
Juugo turned with an air of indifference. "Menma? I don't care what happens with those punks, as long as they don't cause trouble with the troublesome people outside."
------------------------------
Back in the first-year corridor, Chuta matched Menma's pace.
"Menma-san, you've just beaten the war drums. They won't stay quiet. Danzo is cunning; he loves traps and sneak attacks. As for Ryo, he's a cruel demon. You should be more careful from now on."
Menma stopped for a moment, turning toward Chuta with his nostrils still plugged with bloody tissues. "Hah? Danzo? Ryo? Ahh... whatever. I don't care. Hey Chuta, I'm hungry. Do you have any money? Lend me some, I want to buy a meat bun."
Chuta froze, then burst into a roar of laughter. "Hahaha! You really are an interesting guy, Menma-san!"
In the distance, from behind the window of the quiet library, a man in a neat uniform recorded something on his phone.
He was an informant for Mugen Rider from the West District.
News of Okato's Mad Dog was beginning to leak beyond the school gates, piquing the curiosity of Okayami City's street rulers.
The system in Menma's head chimed softly, as if responding to the approaching threats
.
[TING! REPUTATION INCREASED: "SHOCKING ROOKIE"]
[EFFECT: ATTENTION FROM OUTSIDE FACTIONS INCREASED BY 5%]
Menma didn't care. Munching on the meat bun he had just bought, his eyes inadvertently landed on Class 1-C.
That was the classroom where the original Menma had spent his days before Masashi took over this body.
According to rumors, Class 1-C was the only class that had never been conquered.
Not because no one was interested, but because of a monster named Hayashida Makoto.
"Hayashida Makoto, huh?" Menma frowned.
The original Menma's memories were a mess, the boy didn't even know his own classmates.
Menma devoured the meat bun greedily, sauce staining the corner of his bruised lip.
"Chuta, why did your face go pale when I mentioned Hayashida?"
Chuta swallowed hard, his pace slowing.
"Menma-san... Hayashida isn't an ordinary delinquent. He has no faction, no followers, and he doesn't care about power. But if you disturb his peace in Class 1-C, it's the same as jumping into a blazing fire."
"His legend has spread across the city. He is the invincible lone wolf. Many have tried to challenge him, but they always end in total defeat. One punch from him is enough to drop anyone."
"Juugo once fought him and ended up in the hospital for a week. They said it was a draw, but everyone knows it was a crushing defeat for Juugo."
Menma stopped chewing.
He stared at the Class 1-C room, which appeared much quieter than the others.
Instead of fear, the Spirit of 21 within him vibrated violently.
His eyes widened with a bright glint, his adrenaline was surging with excitement.
"Lone wolf, huh?" Menma whispered.
His smile widened, revealing teeth still stained with blood. "Hehehe... Incredible! That's exactly the kind of person I want to fight!"
The system chimed once more, issuing a warning that had never appeared before.
[WARNING: ENTITY WITH 'UNKNOWN' STATUS DETECTED IN THE VICINITY]
[ADVICE: INCREASE LEVEL BEFORE INITIATING PHYSICAL CONTACT]
Menma ignored the warning.
He tossed the bread wrapper into a trash can and strode toward Class 1-C with an arrogant swagger.
"Come on, Chuta. Let's see what this monster feared by the whole school looks like."