Chapter 687: Whispers
The school bell’s ring seemed to break an invisible shackle, completely unleashing the pent-up joy.
Students poured out of the school building like a tide, their faces radiating irrepressible joy and relief. They chattered excitedly, discussing plans for the sudden two-week holiday.
The air was filled with a festive, restless energy.
Kazumi and Satō Shin’ichi walked side-by-side in the bustling crowd. Amidst the cacophony of discussions, an invisible barrier seemed to separate her from the atmosphere. She lowered her head slightly, her black hair falling to obscure part of her face, her brow furrowed, completely lost in her thoughts.
Her footsteps also seemed somewhat absent-minded.
“The Association evacuating students in advance… this practically confirms that the [Dark] Organization’s attack intel has been intercepted. This means the coming battle will be no child’s play, but more likely a head-on collision the Association will face fully prepared.
“The Leader Kuromon’s plan… can it really succeed? As a ‘probationary executive,’ why am I being asked to participate in a battle of this caliber? Am I truly valued for my capabilities, or just treated as a pawn that can be sacrificed at any moment to test the Association’s defenses?
“More importantly, that sealed target… who is it exactly? Why is he being held at Shikoku Gakuin? Are there any unknown secret facilities beneath the academy? I’ve been studying and living here for so long, yet I’ve never noticed the slightest anomaly.”
As her thoughts delved deeper, almost sketching out the internal map of the academy she’d gathered during her usual strolls, a rough hand, bearing clear signs of training and a slight warmth, suddenly appeared in her lowered line of sight. It waved clumsily, forcefully interrupting her contemplation.
Kazumi looked up, and her gaze met Satō Shin’ichi’s face, beaming with a somewhat foolish but incredibly bright smile. His golden short hair sparkled in the setting sun, and his azure eyes were filled with pure concern.
“What’s wrong?” The girl emerged from her deep thoughts, habitually forming a faint smile on her face as she asked softly.
“It’s okay.” Satō Shin’ichi withdrew his hand, scratching his golden short hair, his expression slightly confused. “I just wanted to ask what you were thinking about, Kazumi? Isn’t vacation supposed to be a happy thing? Look how happy everyone is,” he gestured to the joyous classmates around them. “If you’re worried about your studies or your holiday homework, it’s okay! We can set aside some time to study together; I know a few quiet coffee shops!”
With Satō Shin’ichi’s simple brain capacity, the conclusion he reached could only be that his academically brilliant girlfriend might be troubled by her studies.
As for the holiday itself, Satō Shin’ichi’s own feelings were a bit complicated. School to him was more like “rest” between training sessions, and being able to spend time with Kazumi was the source of his daily motivation.
Upon returning home after a day off, he would likely be met with continuous training from morning till night, arranged by his master Hamano. In a sense, this was much more arduous than attending school.
“It’s not what you think,” Kazumi gently shook her head, her tone gentle but firm as she denied his guess.
What she was thinking about couldn’t possibly be something as simple as academics. Although the body of a studious girl enjoyed learning, it was clear that a girl with a secret identity had deeper concerns.
Kazumi had personally attended the [Dark] Organization’s oppressive and conspiracy-filled underground meeting, and based on the provided information, she had a basic understanding of some of the mission directives. The sudden holiday, in her eyes, was filled with ominous premonitions.
Moreover, it directly concerned her “executive” promotion assessment, which was why she couldn’t help but ponder if there were deeper schemes hidden behind it. It was a coincidence. The meeting had just designated Shikoku Gakuin as the top priority target, and the academy immediately announced a two-week holiday. It wasn’t a special festival recently, and the timing was alarmingly precise.
This directly proved that the Hero Association had also received intelligence regarding the [Dark] Organization’s attack. To prevent casualties like the previous academy attack, they had immediately decided to evacuate the students.
“My guess is probably correct,” Kazumi mused internally. “Perhaps I only need to observe the residential areas around the academy for any signs of similar evacuation to confirm it.”
However, Satō Shin’ichi’s somewhat clumsy concern was like a faint light, suddenly illuminating another potential path. The girl’s gaze fell on the boy’s face, etched with “worry,” and a thought quietly arose.
Kazumi had long experienced the “energy” possessed by Satō Shin’ichi’s grandfather: that retired frontline hero had an interpersonal network beyond her imagination. Not only was he close to active top heroes like Minamoto Shun’ichi and Ryukawa, but more importantly, the Principal of Shikoku Gakuin, Nana Nana Hetuan — was one of the “elders” who closely interacted with the Sato Family! Wasn’t this an excellent channel for information?
In the future battles, Kazumi was destined to be deeply involved. But she would never foolishly obey the organization’s orders and rush in like cannon fodder. She had a clear understanding of her own strength: although her capabilities had improved recently due to various events, it was still no different from trying to smash a rock with an egg to directly contend with frontline heroes. Especially after witnessing the destructive power of those frontline practitioners, being caught in such large-scale chaos, one could easily be annihilated by an unexpected aftershock and die an inexplicable death. Her goal was never to serve the organization faithfully, but to preserve herself to the greatest extent possible amidst this storm and seize benefits. Successfully completing the “executive” assessment was a basic requirement; if she could secretly collect some corpse material left behind by powerful individuals after their deaths during the chaos, or utilize the disengagement of both sides who were too busy to care about her, or perhaps seize some powerful but non-fatal biological materials, these materials would be of substantial help to her growth.
As for whether the organization’s mission would succeed? What did that have to do with Shimizu Kazumi?
Furthermore, another question deeply piqued her curiosity: why was the “General” so highly valued by Leader Kuromon, to the point where he would commit all his forces to rescue him, being held in a place with such dense crowds like Shikoku Gakuin? What secrets were hidden within the academy? And who exactly was that imprisoned person?
A shroud of mystery descended, generating in her a strong desire to investigate.
With that thought, Kazumi had a plan. The smile on her face became a bit more genuine, even carrying a hint of imperceptible slyness. She beckoned to Satō Shin’ichi with her finger, her movements nimble and carrying a hint of mystery.
The blonde boy was helpless against his girlfriend’s gesture, immediately lowering his head obediently and leaning in, a hint of confusion and anticipation on his face. Kazumi tiptoed slightly and brought her warm breath close to his ear, whispering a few words in a soft, slightly coquettish voice that only the two of them could hear.
