The Strongest Loner Redo His Youth With Unmatched Prowess!! ~In the Second Round of School Life, He Made Beautiful Girl Friends!~ - Chapter 40

Sweat trickled down Arai’s forehead. 

It wasn’t because it was hot. It was a cold sweat. 

Arai was attending a training facility for explorers. 

It was similar to a boxing gym in concept. 

It wasn’t a large training center, but rather a small, privately run establishment. 

However, the graduates’ skills were well-known. 

It was a place where one could expect significant growth as an explorer due to the rigorous training.

Arai was called out by a senpai who was an alumnus of that place. 

Due to the hierarchical nature typical of sports clubs, Arai couldn’t refuse and reluctantly showed up. 

And what he was brought to was――. 

“You know about that kid, Yuito, right?” 

It was a place resembling an office with rows of desks. 

The walls were adorned with characters from the yakuza. 

At the innermost desk sat a man in a pure white suit.

It’s Takizawa. 

“Y-yes. I know. We’re classmates.” 

“Then, that’s just perfect.” 

Arai’s voice cracked slightly. 

He never expected to be brought to such an obviously yakuza organization’s office. 

Arai was stiff with tension. 

Upon seeing this, Takizawa smirked with satisfaction. 

“I hear Yuito has two close female friends, right? Hakari and Kirika.”

Those two are often with Yuito. 

Arai can’t understand why they would hang out with such an introvert. 

“Umm… did something happen with those two?” 

“Those two girls. Kidnap them.” 

Takizawa casually said, as if asking for the soy sauce over there. 

“Uh, um, no… that’s…” 

Kidnapping someone. That’s clearly a crime.

Arai had hinted at committing crimes against women many times.

However, he really didn’t want to get involved in any crime. 

The risks were just too high. 

“You don’t want to?” 

“I-I’m sorry. Please spare me――” 

Bam!! 

He was punched from the side. 

The senpai who had brought Arai here had swung his fist. 

“Don’t tarnish my reputation.” 

“I-I’m sorry. B-but…”

Thud!! 

Takizawa placed something on the desk. 

It was something like a wooden cutting board and a small knife. 

“I heard you’re using our family’s name to keep women around?” 

A cold sweat trickled down Arai’s back. 

He couldn’t breathe properly. He forcefully swallowed his saliva. 

“I-I didn’t use the name…” 

Thud!! 

Takizawa pulled out the small knife and stabbed it into the cutting board. 

“I’ll let you choose. How to settle this.”

There was an overwhelming intensity that left no room for argument. 

Arai was left with two choices; kidnap Hakari and Kirika, or cut off his own pinky finger――. 

He didn’t want to cut off his finger. 

He hated the thought. 

It’s not that he had no feelings for his classmates Hakari and Kirika.

He knows that handing them over to Takizawa won’t lead to anything good. 

However, he doesn’t think it’s worth sacrificing himself to protect them. 

(Besides, it’s their fault for hanging out with that gloomy guy…!) 

Arai squeezed the words out from his dry throat. 

“I-I’ll bring the two of them.”

◇◆◇◆◇

The next day after school. 

As Hakari was getting ready to leave at her desk, a voice echoed from the hallway. 

“Hakari-chan, let’s go home.” 

“Got it.” 

It was Kirika peeking out from the hallway. 

Hakari stepped out into the hallway with her bag. 

“B-both of you, can I have a word?” 

“Huh, Arai-kun, what is it?” 

It was Arai who called out. 

Hakari didn’t like Arai.

He’s rough and pushy. Because he feels a lack of consideration for others. 

Her gaze naturally turned cold. 

“I-I’m sorry. Can you give me some time from now on?” 

Arai, noticing her gaze, asked hesitantly. 

It’s surprising. Who would have thought Arai had the ability to gauge others’ emotions? 

Kirika also tilted her head in confusion. 

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?” 

Well, I have a favor to ask…”

“What do you mean by a favor?” 

“Um, I was thinking of apologizing to Akizuki. You know, I felt like my attitude was a bit off during the social gathering…” 

Hearing Arai’s words, Hakari felt a sense of incongruity. 

From what she usually sees of Arai, he wouldn’t feel even a millimeter of remorse towards Yuito. 

Why the sudden change of heart? 

“Sounds good! If that’s the case, I can help you out too, right?”

Kirika said lightly. 

Kirika is basically the type who aims for “everyone to get along!” 

If Arai has reformed and is getting along with Yuito, she probably thinks it’s good regardless of the reason. 

“Thank you. Then, since I want to talk somewhere more relaxed, let’s go to the bench outside.” 

“Got it!” 

With that, Hakari and the others headed towards the edge of the school building.

That place is used for breaks by the sports clubs and is out of sight from the schoolyard. 

Right next to the bench is a vending machine. 

Arai put in some coins and bought two bottles of milk tea. 

He offered the milk tea to Hakari. 

“Drink it.”

Hakari tilted her head. 

She thought Arai wasn’t the kind of person to be so considerate.

Milk tea is Kirika’s favorite drink. 

“Thanks a lot!” 

“…Thank you.” 

The well-chilled milk tea was slightly damp. 

The temperature was gradually rising. Condensation was forming on the chilled milk tea. 

Click. 

Kirika opened the lid and lifted the bottle. 

Large droplets of water flowed down the bottle as if it were sweating――.

“Wait!!” 

Gulp. 

Kirika drank her milk tea and looked at Hakari in confusion. 

“What, what’s wro――” 

Thud. 

The milk tea Kirika was holding fell to the ground. 

From there, the contents spilled out messily. 

Kirika gently closed her eyes as she had lost consciousness.

“Kirika-sa――!?” 

Thud!! 

Before Hakari could shout, Arai closed in. 

He grabbed Hakari’s throat tightly. 

“Ah, that’s dangerous… How did you notice?” 

“…Only Kirika-san’s milk tea had large condensation. You prepared it in advance, didn’t you?” 

“Correct.” 

Hakari glared at Arai. 

“What did you put in it?”

“It seems to be a strong sleeping pill. I’ve heard it’s not life-threatening.” 

“From the way you’re talking, it sounds like someone ordered you to do it――!?” 

Just as they were talking, a handkerchief was pressed against Hakari’s mouth. 

Her consciousness began to fade with each breath. 

“Sorry, but there’s no time. Ask your questions over there.” 

With Arai’s words, Hakari’s consciousness sank into darkness.