Chapter 11: What's It Like to Become an Idol for No Reason?
"Is it the one with the glasses? He looks a bit ordinary, but maybe he'd be handsome without them."
"Oh, Miho, you're looking at the wrong one. It's the one behind him. His smile is so bright, he's totally my type."
The chirping voices quickly caught the Teacher's attention.
"Everyone, please wait a moment. I'll go ask what's happening."
After the Teacher pushed the door open and left, Yuko Tachikawa, who was nearby, chuckled softly, "Mr. Xia, you've become the number one celebrity on our School Forum. I heard the Kendo Club gave you the nickname 'Fastest Legend and Sprinting Reaper Swordmaster'. In their description, your sword arts are even more amazing than the masters on TV. It's just a shame I didn't get to see it with my own eyes."
Shinichi Izumi, who was sitting in front of Xia Shang, hadn't logged onto the School Forum last night, so he didn't know what had happened.
"That nickname is really embarrassing." Although Xia Shang wasn't thin-skinned, his face couldn't help but feel hot when he heard that title. Regarding this, he could only think, "Damn, that's so chuunibyou. Only the Japanese..."
At this moment, Migi secretly started playing with a mobile phone under the table. It successfully logged into the School Forum, where most of the topics were about Xia Shang. Among them, quite a few people were also discussing the frequent murder cases recently.
Soon, Migi found a video from yesterday afternoon showing Xia Shang taking on five people.
The hand of the person filming the video was shaking badly, making the picture not very clear.
"Shinichi Izumi, his strength is very high. If he were parasitized by a parasite, he would become quite terrifying," Migi whispered, drilling into Shinichi Izumi's clothes and coming up to his ear from the collar.
"No way, is it that exaggerated?"
"Yes, his reaction speed is much faster than ordinary people. If possible, I hope you can learn sword arts from him."
"Forget it, I'm not interested in that at all," Shinichi Izumi shook his head.
Yuko Tachikawa felt Shinichi Izumi was a little strange and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Are you talking to yourself?"
"No, I'm... I'm reciting the text."
Seeing Shinichi Izumi stammering, Yuko Tachikawa's delicate brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't press further.
By this time, the Teacher had already asked the students outside the Classroom to leave.
Time passed quickly, seemingly in the blink of an eye.
It was already the last period in the afternoon: physical education.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not currently looking for a relationship. Please understand." During PE class, Xia Shang rejected another girl. Ever since his video spread, more and more girls were sending him love letters. In addition, many people were asking for photos and autographs.
"It seems having too many admirers isn't necessarily a good thing, is it, Mr. Xia?"
Yuko Tachikawa linked arms with Satomi Murano beside her, looking at Shinichi Izumi playing basketball while teasing Xia Shang.
"It is a bit troublesome," Xia Shang shrugged.
Then his gaze turned to Shinichi Izumi, who was playing basketball. With Migi's help, Shinichi Izumi was definitely stealing the spotlight. The balls he threw were exceptionally accurate, almost hitting every shot.
"But someone is stealing my spotlight now," Xia Shang said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Yuko Tachikawa immediately shouted towards Shinichi Izumi on the court, "Satomi says if you score one more basket, she'll forgive you for what happened last time!"
"Hahaha, if you say that, won't that kid Shinichi Izumi have to go all out?"
Seeing the shy Satomi Murano beside her, Xia Shang said with a laugh.
"Right, I won't stay to watch the game with you guys. I need to go to the Kendo Club now."
With that, Xia Shang left the Gymnasium.
On the way, a familiar figure blocked his path. It was Asou Yoshihiro, holding a baseball bat, and a group of his followers behind him. "We were planning to teach you a lesson at the School gate, but I didn't expect you to hide. I want to know, where's that arrogant attitude you had yesterday?"
Asou Yoshihiro tapped the steel baseball bat on the ground a few times, producing a crisp clanging sound.
"Behave yourself now and come with us."
Xia Shang looked at the group of people in front of him, said nothing more, and followed behind them, walking out of the School.
In a secluded Alleyway, a dozen Hooligan-dressed youths were smoking. Seeing Asou Yoshihiro bring someone, they instantly surrounded Xia Shang.
"Heard you've been pretty famous at Nishi High School lately, kid?" The leading Hooligan had dyed yellow hair, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and looked at Xia Shang with disdain.
"Sigh."
Xia Shang shook his head and said flatly, "Your methods of revenge are really old-fashioned, and you like to talk a lot of nonsense."
"Bastard! You're about to die and you're still so arrogant!" Asou Yoshihiro couldn't suppress the rage in his heart any longer. He raised the baseball bat and swung it towards the back of Xia Shang's head.
The Hooligans beside him had never seen anyone act so cocky either. They immediately spat out their cigarettes, picked up iron bars, and started to surround and attack Xia Shang.
*Bang!* Xia Shang instantly turned his head, his five fingers transforming into steel blades, seizing the baseball bat coming towards the back of his head. The surface of the hollow baseball bat instantly caved in, Xia Shang's five fingers embedding themselves within, leaving clearly visible finger marks.
Asou Yoshihiro didn't even have time to see what was happening before the baseball bat in his hand was snatched by Xia Shang.
"A bunch of trash, only good for wasting my precious time." After kicking one person to the ground, Xia Shang raised the steel baseball bat and brought it down. As the sound of bone shattering echoed, that person's arm immediately bent at an unnatural angle.
The Hooligans and Asou Yoshihiro's group were scared stiff.
But Xia Shang wasn't. A baseball bat in his hand whistled through the air continuously, followed by the sounds of Hooligans wailing on the ground. If these people had been well-trained, Xia Shang wouldn't have handled them so easily. Unfortunately, Hooligans were just Hooligans; they were better at group attacks and bullying the weak. Running into a hard nut to crack like Xia Shang was just bad luck for them.
It took a full five or six minutes.
Xia Shang successfully dislocated one arm on each person. He had to admit, it was quite the stamina workout.
"Alright, stop playing dead on the ground. I didn't even touch you."
Xia Shang lifted his leg and nudged Asou Yoshihiro's stomach.
"Really fainted?" Seeing Asou Yoshihiro on the ground unresponsive, Xia Shang squatted down and lifted his eyelid to check. He didn't expect the guy to actually be scared unconscious; he thought he was just pretending.
"You all know the rules. Go to the Hospital now, maybe you can still save your arms. But if I find out you dare to call the police, the consequences won't be as simple as a broken arm." Xia Shang wiped away a bloodstain that had splattered on his face, narrowing his eyes as he spoke to the leading Hooligan, "I don't think you want to experience what it's like to be wrapped in cement and sunk into Yokohama Bay, do you?"
The Hooligans on the ground shook their heads frantically, too terrified to speak.
As for the third-year students, Xia Shang didn't lay a hand on them. From their terrified eyes, it was clear that the deterrence Xia Shang had given them this time was absolutely deeply ingrained.
"As for this kid..." Xia Shang rubbed his chin, looking at the unconscious Asou Yoshihiro.
"I'll leave him to you to handle. I don't want to see him at School a second time." A smile played on Xia Shang's lips as he stuffed the blood-stained, deformed baseball bat into the Hooligan leader's hand.
"If he calls the police, you know what to say, right?"
The yellow-haired Hooligan swallowed hard, enduring the pain as he nodded, "It was a private feud between me and him, it has nothing to do with you."
"You're a smart person."
Then, amidst Asou Yoshihiro's screams, Xia Shang leisurely walked away from the Alleyway.
(End of Chapter)