NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Chapter 6
In response to Hozuki Nozomi's words, the girl with pigtails and glasses bowed deeply to him. Her voice was soft yet clear, carrying a hint of gratitude that seemed to linger in the air.
"Thank you for saving me," she said earnestly.
"I'm Sumireko Sanshokuin. May I ask your name?"
Nozomi gave a casual wave of his hand, smiling lightly. "Hozuki Nozomi. I live in Sakurasou near the affiliated high school of Suimei University of Arts."
Though he spoke calmly, his thoughts were anything but composed.
Sumireko Sanshokuin?
Nozomi's eyes subtly widened as he studied the girl in front of him. Now it made sense why she seemed so familiar.
She was none other than the first heroine from the anime "You're the Only One Who Likes Me". Not only was she the main love interest, but she was also wildly popular among fans for her combination of beauty, intelligence, and charm.
At first glance, Sumireko's pigtails, thick glasses, and modest outfit gave her a plain and unremarkable appearance. Even her figure seemed average.
But Nozomi knew better. Beneath that unassuming exterior was a stunning beauty. Once her glasses were removed, her braids undone, and the bandages around her chest taken off, she would transform into a breathtaking girl with a figure that could rival models and stars on TV.
No wonder the system had triggered a mission.
Sumireko softly repeated his name, smiling gently. "Thank you, Hozuki-san. Actually, I also live near Sakurasou. Would you mind walking me home?"
"Of course," Nozomi replied without hesitation. "It's on the way, so I'll take you. A girl walking alone at night isn't safe."
Dusting off his hands, Nozomi picked up the box of soy-braised pork and his school uniform jacket, shrugging playfully.
"Let's go, Mishikiin-san. With a handsome guy like me escorting you, you'll be perfectly safe. As for those thugs, don't worry. The police will make sure they learn their lesson."
Sumireko chuckled softly at his lighthearted tone, nodding. "Then I'll be in your care, Hozuki-san."
As they began walking together, Sumireko glanced curiously at the box in Nozomi's hand.
"What a coincidence, Hozuki-san. We both bought soy-braised pork."
Nozomi laughed. "You're right! I guess great minds think alike."
Sumireko smiled faintly but didn't reply, focusing instead on the path ahead.
Meanwhile, Nozomi's attention shifted to the familiar notification from his Game Life System.
[Ding! Task complete: The Distress of the Girl with Pigtails.][Congratulations to the player for earning 1 million yen.][Reward unlocked: Skill – Precision Hit of Justice.]
[Precision Hit of Justice: When fighting for justice as the righteous party, your strikes become unavoidable, guaranteeing a 100% hit rate on your target.]
Nozomi's eyes gleamed as he read the description.
"A guaranteed hit? That's… amazing." His mind raced with possibilities. Not only could he land every punch perfectly, but this would also make him nearly unstoppable in combat.
Reflecting on the earlier fight, he now understood why he had been so effective. The system must have activated a hidden effect to amplify the power of his strikes.
When he had fought the five thugs earlier, every punch he landed caused them immense pain, and yet his own fists had barely felt the impact. Even when one thug had struck him with a hammer, the fool had ended up breaking his own arm instead of injuring Nozomi. It was a perfect display of karma.
The result? Five thugs knocked out in minutes, their egos and bodies thoroughly crushed.
…
Not long after Nozomi and Sumireko had left, a police car pulled into the alley. A rugged-looking detective, Kosaka Daisuke, stepped out with a scowl, accompanied by a few uniformed officers.
The scene that greeted them left the officers speechless.
The five delinquents, bruised and battered, were tied to a lamppost in nothing but their underwear. Their clothes had been repurposed into makeshift bindings, and their faces were a blend of pain and humiliation.
"Oi, what's this circus?" Kosaka muttered, scratching the back of his head in confusion. He gestured to his colleagues. "Round them up. We'll figure it out back at the station."
The officers complied, untying the groaning thugs while Daisuke surveyed the scene. It didn't take much imagination to piece together what had happened.
"These guys must've tried to pull something on the wrong person," Daisuke deduced, his lips curling into a smirk. "Karma hit them like a freight train."
When the thugs finally regained enough consciousness to speak, Daisuke interrogated them. However, their responses were... peculiar.
"It... it was a monster!" one of the thugs stammered, clutching his stomach as if reliving the trauma.
"Yeah!" another croaked, his legs trembling. "Every time we hit him, it hurt us instead! Like some kind of... curse!"
"And then..." The third thug broke into sobs. "He went for our... our..." He trailed off, instinctively crossing his legs.
Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Your what?"
"Our family jewels!" the thug wailed. "He didn't just beat us up—he destroyed us!"
A collective shudder passed through the group as they relived their humiliation.
"Seriously?" Daisuke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You expect me to believe this nonsense? A cursed monster? Get a grip."
Still, their trembling and wild-eyed expressions made him reconsider. He sent them to the hospital for psychiatric evaluations, but the results only complicated things further.
Fearing they'd be labeled insane, the thugs recanted their earlier statements. Instead, they claimed they had made up the whole story, hoping to avoid further humiliation.
"Lying to a police officer, huh?" Daisuke barked, his fierce glare silencing any protests. "Fine. Enjoy some quality time in lockup."
With that, the case was closed—for now.
==========
Meanwhile, Nozomi and Sumireko continued their walk, chatting casually.
"Miss Mishikiin, are you a student at Suimei University of the Arts High School?" Nozomi asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
Sumireko tilted her head, a hint of amusement in her smile. "Why do you ask? Are you a student there?"
"No, I go to Sobu High," Nozomi replied. "But since you live near Sakurasou, I figured Suimei High might be more convenient for you."
Sumireko's eyes sparkled with a playful glint. "Actually, I go to Sobu High too. Isn't that quite the coincidence?"
"Hontou ni?" Nozomi asked, blinking in surprise. "Sobu High is pretty far from here. What are the odds we both go to the same school?"
Sumireko adjusted her glasses, her expression earnest. "It's true. Fate must have brought us together."
Nozomi chuckled, though he was momentarily blinded by the glare from her glasses. "Well, small world, huh?"
Soon, they arrived at Sumireko's home. She turned to him with a graceful bow.
"Thank you for walking me back, Nozomi-kun. You've been a real help."
"Don't mention it," Nozomi replied, waving her off with a grin. "See you at school!"
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After dropping Sumireko Sanshokuin off at her house, Hozuki Nozomi made his way back to Sakurasou. The moment he stepped through the door, he was greeted by the sight of Kanda Sorata hunched over, holding a cardboard box in a suspiciously furtive manner.
"Kanda, what are you up to this time?" Nozomi called out.
"Gah!" Kanda yelped, nearly dropping the box.Realizing it was just Nozomi, he shot him an annoyed glare. "Nozomi-kun! You scared the living daylights out of me!"
"Eh? You're the one acting suspicious. What's in the box? Stolen goods?" Nozomi teased with a smirk.
"It's nothing like that!" Kanda huffed, cheeks puffing out in indignation. "I… just found another abandoned kitten."
Nozomi froze for a moment, processing the words, before letting out a long, exaggerated sigh. He leaned over to peek inside the box, where a tiny, scruffy kitten mewed pitifully.
"Kanda… didn't you promise to find proper homes for the cats you pick up? At this rate, the number of cats you rescue will outnumber the ones you actually manage to rehome. If you're not careful, Sakurasou is going to be renamed 'Neko no Sakurasou'—Cat-Cat-Cat-Cat!"
Kanda's face flushed red at the jab. "It's not like I want this to happen! But I can't just walk away when I see innocent little lives abandoned like this! Seriously, who even does that? Leaving kittens out on the street?"
Nozomi chuckled and shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he leaned closer. "Hey, hear me out. What if… the cats you gave away in the past came back, all grown up and pregnant? Maybe they think you're a top-tier 'poop-scooper' and have decided you're the perfect caretaker. So, the mama cat deliberately placed her kittens in a box where she knew you'd pass by."
Kanda's face turned pale, his expression somewhere between disbelief and sheer panic. "Oi, oi! There's no way cats are that smart, right?"
"Well, cats are pretty clever. You might've become famous in the feline world, Kanda-kun," Nozomi teased, crossing his arms with a triumphant nod. "Before you know it, cats will be lining up to move into Sakurasou, all thanks to your reputation."
"No way!" Kanda exclaimed, shaking his head vigorously. "If this keeps up, I'll never get out of here! I can't let Sakurasou become a full-blown cat shelter!"
Nozomi leaned against the wall, grinning as he watched Kanda spiral into despair. "Relax, Kanda. It's not that bad. Look, either you find a proper pet store to take them in, or… why not start your own? You can be the proud owner of 'Kanda's Cat Café.'"
Kanda groaned, his head falling into his hands. "You're not helping, Nozomi…"
"Hey, I don't mind the cats. Just make sure they don't shed all over the place or get into Sayu's way. Cleaning up after them is definitely not part of her job description."
Sayu Ogiwara, the part-time assistant who helped maintain the chaos that was Sakurasou, was invaluable. Though her title was "management assistant," her actual responsibilities included keeping the place livable.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure they stay contained," Kanda muttered, nodding in reluctant agreement.
Satisfied, Nozomi stretched and headed toward his room. He didn't mind a few cats around Sakurasou. In fact, their presence might even come in handy one day. After all, if the second Yukinoshita daughter from Sobu High School, a self-proclaimed cat lover, ever visited, the cats might just serve as the perfect conversation starter.