Part of my morning routine involves trekking up the mountain path toward the old school building, pausing to pet the stray cats that cross my path.
Today, however, an anomaly broke that routine. Upon reaching the school, I encountered that destructive, octopus-like supernatural being—Koro-sensei—arriving for work. He held a tropical juice in one tentacle and an English-language newspaper in the other.
Honestly, I didn't know where to begin criticizing him. Should I ask why he treats a trip to Hawaii like a quick run to the corner store on his way to work? Even the thought of chiding him felt exhausting, so I refrained.
Wasting my energy so early in the morning would only drain my physical stamina. I had no desire to burn useless calories and suffer hunger pangs before the lunch break.
「Good morning, Nozaki-kun.」
「Good morning, Koro-sensei.」
「......」
「......」
Technically, a student should initiate the greeting, but since he beat me to it, I returned the gesture sincerely.
The conversation, however, stalled right there. It was somewhat expected; Koro-sensei hadn't quite figured out how to handle his students or what their interests were, so he couldn't find a topic. As for me, I had nothing to say to him and even less desire to open my mouth. It was only natural for the dialogue to die.
「......」
「...... Well, if you'll excuse me.」
A few seconds of awkward silence passed. Since the atmosphere had grown heavy and annoying, I decided to leave.
I kept my words brief and turned to walk away, only for a yellow tentacle to coil around my right arm.
「Nozaki-kun, Nozaki-kun! How about a sip of this tropical juice? Why don't we act refined and enjoy a morning tea session with your teacher?」
「Don't bother. I've decided to drink only Ayataka green tea during my tea breaks.」
「What?! Do young people these days even have tea breaks?!」
「No, they don't. I do it because I'm a loner and a shut-in.」
「Don't admit something so sad so casually! Ah, I've got it! Why don't we have a tea session together from now on?!」
「I don't find joy in a tea session held out of pity—like when a teacher feels forced to partner with the one student who can't find a teammate for warm-ups in PE class. Besides, I'm not actually interested in tea sessions.」
「That comparison is oddly specific and accurate...?! Is it based on personal experience?!」
His critiques are sharp—verging on a nuisance, Koro-sensei. Personally, I admire his dedication to connecting with his students, but shouldn't I tell him that some people hate excessive interference? Terasaka would certainly be at the top of that list.
「Why not try reading the English newspaper for once? You might find some unexpectedly interesting discoveries.」
「I'll only find news about the moon you destroyed, anyway.」
「(Gasp of confusion)! Could it be that you're an avid reader of English newspapers, Nozaki-kun?」
「No, but the moon's explosion was a massive event that shook the entire world. It's impossible for anyone to look at a shattered moon and say, 'Oh, the moon broke... whatever, I'm not interested.'」
「That is quite true.」
Damn it. Every time I try to end the conversation, he finds a way to reply, and the talk drags on. It's a unique talent of his.
Even if I tried to cut him off and run, his persistence suggests he would chase me. And it is impossible to outrun a creature moving at Mach 20.
「...Nurufufufu.」
「... Fine. I get it. I'll walk with you, so stop making that face that says, 'You've finally given in to me.'」
「Understood. My word, I have finally achieved my small goal of connecting with a student since the early morning.」
「That's a very humble dream for a monster with a top speed of Mach 20.」
「Mach 20 has nothing to do with the importance of communicating with my dear students.」
What a hypocrite! Didn't you say you'd blow up the Earth next year? How can someone planning to erase us along with the planet dare to call his students "dear"?
「If we're truly dear to you, why not abandon the idea of blowing up the Earth? We'll die too.」
「Oh? Does Nozaki-kun lack confidence in his ability to kill his teacher?」
「If we could kill you, we wouldn't need to worry. But regardless of whether we succeed, don't you see the contradiction? You call us 'dear,' yet you've issued us a death sentence. Declaring you'll destroy the Earth next year is essentially a death threat with a fixed execution date. Your words and actions are completely at odds.」
I asked him the question no one else in the class had dared to voice yet. His words and deeds were contradictory, but everyone seemed so preoccupied with the sheer scale of the planet's impending doom that they hadn't noticed the inconsistency.
Or perhaps they had accepted the fact that "the world's end means their death too." No, even if they understood it theoretically, they hadn't grasped it emotionally; the proof was in how my classmates' assassination attempts seemed almost fun.
I couldn't understand it. Why did everyone assume this creature would keep his promise to the government?
Suppose one of us made him angry enough to beat them to death. This supernatural being wouldn't suffer any consequences even if he broke his word to the state. He is a Mach 20 monster that even cruise missiles can't hit. He could escape easily, no matter what happened.
How could anyone believe that a monster capable of wiping out humanity and outrunning world governments would actually honor a piece of paper promising not to harm the students of Class 3-E at Kunugigaoka Junior High?
「... That is a piercing question. You are the first to ask me that.」
「Maybe the others haven't noticed because of the magnitude of everything else: the ten billion yen, the end of the world, global governments, and state secrets. These massive things have obscured the truth. Or perhaps someone realized it but stayed silent. Or maybe they've simply accepted that the Earth's end means death?」
「The first possibility is likely closest to reality. Or perhaps they noticed, but the reality feels so faded to them that they only think of it superficially. The most fitting answer is that no one else has thought about it as deeply as you.」
「And then what? What is the truth in the end? I cannot believe you won't harm us throughout the year, and since you've declared you'll annihilate us with the Earth when the year ends, I simply don't trust you.」
「... I never imagined I'd face such an interrogation only a few days after taking this post. You have exceeded your teacher's expectations.」
「Thank you. Now, what is the answer?」
I hadn't intended to corner him, but since the opportunity arose, I interrogated him. I hadn't expected a casual conversation to take this turn.
Nevertheless, I felt a slight sense of superiority; I was now closer than anyone in Class E to this monster that intended to destroy the moon and wipe out the Earth.
「Hmm... I don't mind answering your question. However, I want you to promise me one thing. If you can keep that promise, I will answer your question... with full respect.」
「Oh, don't worry. Whether you're an invading Martian, a former human turned monster by experiments, or even a creature from a planet of chess pieces, I have no intention of telling anyone. I don't easily give up the leverage I stumble upon.」
「Is that so? Then I shall tell you.」
The supernatural being spoke, revealing the catastrophe that would strike the Earth in a year and his true intent behind causing it.
「The teacher will die a natural death next year. When that happens, there is a chance the Earth will be dragged down with me. That is all.」
It was an unexpectedly direct and simple answer.
「The way you phrased that suggests there's a chance the Earth won't be dragged down with you?」
「Yes, that possibility exists. However, the probability of it being dragged down is much higher. That is why the world's governments are working so hard to kill me. The plastic pellets designed for me melt the cells that form these tentacles and kill them. If my head or heart is shattered by these pellets, it will stop the growth of these cells and paralyze them.」
It was a simple answer, but hadn't I just learned something I wasn't supposed to know?
If I had any desire to be alive in a year, I now understood the absolute necessity of killing this person.
I also realized that the knives and pellets we received were tools of importance beyond imagination.
Furthermore, Koro-sensei mentioned the word "cells" several times. Hearing that killing him would paralyze his cells gave me the impression that the cells composing him were the cause of the Earth's destruction, rather than Koro-sensei himself as a person.
But as soon as I understood this, new questions were born.
Who was this supernatural being Kayano named "Koro-sensei"?
How did the world governments know the Earth would end next year? Because Koro-sensei told them?
No, more importantly, how did they manage to develop effective weapons against Koro-sensei's cells? Did they get samples? And even if they did, how long did development take?
According to the explanation from Mr. Karasuma of the Ministry of Defense, Koro-sensei announced the Earth's destruction after blowing up the moon.
... No, wait. Did Koro-sensei really blow up the moon?
Maybe they discovered a creature of his species on the moon and researched it, and then that creature died. Upon its death, its cells or heart went out of control, causing the moon to take this shape?
It might sound like wild science fiction, but if this hypothesis were true, it would explain why the world governments fear the Earth's end and the speed at which specialized weapons and pellets were developed.
「......」
「... It seems you truly exceed your teacher's imagination. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in telling you.」
My eyes met Koro-sensei's.
His color remained yellow, but it seemed to me his mouth was curved in a bitter smile.
I felt that he had realized how far my thoughts had traveled through that smile. So, to confirm the promise to myself first, I said:
「No. As I promised, I have no intention of telling anyone. Even if I spoke of this theory, people would treat it as nothing more than a work of fiction.」
「I hope you do. If everyone knew the teacher would die on his own, they wouldn't try to kill me seriously, and then I would die of boredom.」
He seemed to understand my intent and played along, joking with me.
Since the topic was far too heavy for early morning thoughts, I decided to accompany Koro-sensei on the rest of his daily routine for a change of pace.
●○●○●
When I first saw him, I couldn't believe my eyes.
He looked exactly like him—a spitting image.
Both in his silver hair and his facial features.
He looked just like that child I tried so hard not to see.
「So this is the English newspaper... well, I don't understand a word of it.」
While sipping my juice, I glanced out of the corner of my eye at my student, who was reading the English newspaper beside me with a strained brow.
The phrasing wasn't overly complex, and there weren't many words he hadn't studied yet, but he tilted his head seriously, trying to read some words aloud, then suddenly clamped his mouth shut as if he'd bitten his tongue after failing the pronunciation.
I haven't fully grasped all my students yet, but I have reviewed their grades up to this year and identified their weaknesses.
However, among those I reviewed, one student had strange and distinct results: Nozaki Keiichi, who was currently wrestling with the English newspaper.
Until the first half of his first year, he had achieved the top grades in his level. But starting from the second half, his grades began to decline gradually until he finally hit the bottom of the list.
Suddenly, I recalled our conversation from moments ago.
Concerns anyone could have noticed; questions anyone could have asked. Yet no one wondered, and no one threw those questions at me as simply as my new student did.
Through that dialogue, I began to understand his personality to some extent. Based on his speech and the questions he raised, it was clear he wasn't stupid. On the contrary, based on his reactions in that brief discussion, I can say his powers of observation are remarkably high.
It isn't just him, either; the talents of the children in this class are unfathomable. Some might think them fools because they don't perform well in academics, but it is difficult to judge human potential through a single lens.
「Nurufufufu.」
「... What's the matter? Why are you laughing to yourself?」
「Nothing. I just found myself smiling when I thought about how to face each of you and how to raise you.」
「Huh...? Well, whatever makes you happy.」
Nozaki-kun replied with a hint of suspicion at the laugh I let slip, then turned his gaze back to the English newspaper with indifference.
He no longer tilted his head or tried to pronounce words; instead, he stared at the text with such intensity it was as if he wanted to burn holes through the page. I realized then that he was completely immersed in deciphering the code with total focus.
「If you find words you don't know how to pronounce or what they mean, tell me anytime.」
「......」
No reply came.
「Nozaki-kun?」
I tried calling him again to check, but he remained silent. It's natural for a human to respond subconsciously upon hearing their name, but his total lack of response indicated he wasn't ignoring me—he simply hadn't noticed I was calling.
I was truly stunned by his power of concentration. He possesses a focus far beyond the ordinary.
「I truly look forward to his future.」
I nodded to myself while noticing Sugino-kun and Nagisa-kun in the shade of the trees.
Now, let's start our day with vigor.
The starting bell has rung today as well.