Chapter 34: Furinji Miu
As long as the Yomi disciples kept their mouths shut, no one here would know that many rather intense things had just happened in the mountains.
So, when the patrol came back and reported everything was normal, everyone went back to doing whatever they were supposed to do.
That included the volunteer activity Hachiman Hikigaya was supposedly participating in.
But in reality, because of that idiotic couple from Ryōzanpaku, even if Hachiman and the Yomi disciples wanted to volunteer, there was no way.
There weren't even any people—how were they supposed to do anything?
But Hachiman was actually just fine with that.
Besides, even if he had the intention, it wouldn't be realistic.
This was a world where appearance matters...
Not that Hachiman looked ugly—just like the Yomi disciples, they were all considered attractive by their respective regional standards. But from beginning to end, not a single kid would come close to them.
Even kids could sense auras.
Hachiman and the Yomi disciples, in terms of appearance and image, looked totally normal in every individual aspect, but together, they gave off an unsettling vibe. Anyway, the kids just felt something was off with these older brothers and sisters.
So, despite being surrounded by lively, bouncing children, their group felt as chilly as Mount Everest.
In contrast, that group from Hachiman's class called the "Hayama Group" was very lively.
Especially Hayama himself and that girl Miura, whom Hachiman dubbed the "background girl"—those two had the most kids around them.
"I once again feel the malice of the world…"
Hachiman touched his face and sighed.
He wasn't hoping to be instantly beloved or anything, but being treated like some kind of creepy uncle was just unpleasant.
"Damn it! Now I can't even stand out!"
The blonde girl among the Yomi disciples was also quite upset.
Though her reason seemed completely different from Hachiman's…
The other Yomi disciples simply glared coldly at Shirahama Kenichi in the crowd... and the beautiful figure beside him.
"Why are you all staring at that guy? Got a grudge?"
Hachiman asked knowingly.
"Lord Hachiman," Tirawit Kokin said coldly as he stared at Furinji Miu, explaining to Hachiman, "That's the granddaughter of the Furinji who has been resisting us, Yomi. Higher-ups have said that if there's a chance, she should be eliminated."
As expected, these murder-fist guys had no concept of cherishing talent.
That girl—Hachiman could give her a perfect score. Especially that body—just thinking about it made the mind wander. For an Asian to have such a figure, it was practically fantasy-level.
Honestly, she outclassed even the female disciples of the One Shadow Nine Fists on Hachiman's side.
Although that one flamboyant female disciple among them was also a rare top-tier beauty and her figure fully showcased the advantages of the Western physique, she didn't have an Asian face. So when it came to that visceral contrast-induced impact, she fell a bit short.
"Alright, on a day like this, don't go around talking about killing. It's totally disharmonious," Hachiman waved his hand. "Since we're here, just relax."
Saying that, Hachiman looked around, hoping to find someone who was a bit of a misfit.
Honestly, it was kind of sad—he figured only other out-of-place people would be willing to hang out with them.
And sure enough, he found one…
It was a little girl.
She had slightly purplish-black long hair, a delicate appearance like a doll, and a camera hanging around her neck. She fiddled with it now and then, but never once actually took a picture, just silently following the group.
Even so, the kids in her group avoided her, even deliberately keeping their distance.
Oho—look at that, a classic case of bullying.
This was when Big Bro Hachiman needed to step up and help!
Hmm… why does this feel so familiar? Oh well, as long as it passes the time.
Feeling like he had found his target, Hachiman eagerly started heading over, ready to show his "trustworthy big brother" side.
And then...
He got preempted.
"What the hell..." Hachiman's eye twitched. He felt like he finally understood a bit why the Yomi folks were so annoyed with Ryōzanpaku.
These guys really had no sense of timing!
Watching Shirahama Kenichi rush in with a "I'm gonna save the world!" attitude, a bunch of kids following behind him, Hachiman seriously wanted to punch him...
What did he take them for?
Did this guy think Yomi members couldn't go a day without killing someone or they'd starve and have insomnia? Did they have no ability for independent thought!?
"I'm really sorry. Kenichi-kun caused you some trouble."
A bell-like voice rang in his ears. Hachiman turned to see that girl.
Furinji Miu, granddaughter of the Ryōzanpaku elder.
Up close, her energy and beauty were even more apparent.
But Hachiman didn't plan to treat her nicely. Though her words were polite, her eyes clearly showed wariness.
"What bothers me isn't your actions, but your mindset," Hachiman snorted. "If you insist on judging others without knowing anything, then don't blame them when the same happens to you."
He said it, and then left without waiting for Furinji Miu to respond. The Yomi disciples followed behind him.
"That guy… feels familiar…"
Watching Hachiman's back, Furinji Miu had a thoughtful expression.
That boy looked really familiar.
At the same time, she became more alert. Kenichi might not understand, but she knew. The people following that boy were clearly the disciples of the One Shadow Nine Fists—people on the same level as herself.
And to have those disciples act in such a manner, this Hikigaya Hachiman must have an extremely high status within Yomi.
"Just who is he… I have to tell Grandpa and the others when I get home."
With that thought, Furinji Miu also turned to go back and take care of the kids.
In the end, she didn't know much about Yomi. She only knew they were a dangerous martial arts organization driven by Satsujinken (murder-fist) ideology.
Just like Hachiman said, she and Kenichi were indeed judging Yomi with the worst assumptions. But what could she do? In Miu's eyes, the Yomi people were simply too dangerous. She didn't know why the disciples of the Nine Fists were here, even attending a normal school, but better safe than sorry.
Letting kids come into contact with people from Yomi was, in her view, absolutely unacceptable. Who knew what might happen...
"Lord Hachiman." The speaker was one of the Nine Fists' female disciples—Hachiman now knew her name: Rachel Stanley.
She already hated not being able to stand out, and now, seeing Furinji Miu, her competitive spirit ignited even more. "That woman was too rude. Let's teach her a lesson."
Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
She was a dangerous woman. Then again, among the Yomi's female martial artists, few would seem harmless to regular people.
But her kind was especially dangerous.
The One Shadow Nine Fists, at their core, were all people who worshiped martial arts and disregarded life. Those selected as their disciples were their kindred spirits.
"No need. We're not in elementary school," Hachiman waved impatiently. His good mood from recently gaining divine authority had been mostly ruined by Kenichi's antics.
Still, he wasn't about to throw a tantrum here.
After all, his little sister was also here. He definitely didn't want Komachi to think he had "gone bad."
Now that would be real trouble.