I would rather crush them into bits after transforming, but that was difficult.
Anyway, they’re just punks, and if I did that, today’s plan would be disrupted.
I need to extract An Gyeol Won’s essence, but it’s a bit awkward to do it in front of the others. And with eyes watching, I can’t even transform.
I can’t directly fight lest someone sees me.
‘There’s no need to transform just to deal with guys like these.’
‘Really?’
‘Instead, I can’t hit them directly. They’re still kids, after all.’
‘Hmm, that’s disappointing.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s not right to hit kids… but bastards only listen when you beat them.’
It was regrettable that I couldn’t hit them directly.
Instead, I decided to show them just a little of the Kraken’s power.
“…Wire.”
A long tentacle slipped out from my sleeve and wrapped around my fingers.
With a flick of my wrist, I slowly connected it to their bodies.
Thin threads connecting like marionette strings.
“Why are you picking a fight?”
“…”
“It’s bad enough as it is.”
Two of them approached, cracking their knuckles. Let’s call them Baldy and Glasses for now.
They came forward with quite an imposing stance but hadn’t noticed yet that they were already in my grasp.
“Hmph!”
Baldy swung his fist.
Maybe because they survived seeing Iris’s fists, it looked like slow motion to me.
Normally, I should dodge and immediately counterattack.
Unfortunately, I can’t hit them directly.
Then…
“As long as I don’t hit them directly, it’s fine.”
Flick.
As I moved my finger, the other guy moved his body.
“Huh?”
A look of confusion.
The one who lunged forward kicked Baldy’s open spot.
Baldy cried out as he rolled on the ground.
“What the hell are you doing!?”
“No, it just… my body moved on its own…”
“What the hell-”
Before Baldy could finish speaking, I moved my finger again.
“Chk-”
“Gah!”
“Hey! I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“You bastard…!”
Baldy punched Glasses in the nose, breaking his glasses. They started grappling, grabbing each other by the collar.
“Wow, this is just chaos.”
“…What have you done?”
“I don’t know… Maybe you two were just pretending to be friends? You talk about eternal friendship but start fighting as soon as there’s a spark.”
Pow! Whack!
The two fought until one became a bloody mess.
Of course.
“Damn…! Why won’t you stop!”
“Cough! Hacking…! Ck…”
I keep manipulating so they can’t stop.
“Hey? Aren’t any other kids coming? Oh, you must think you’re too cool since you’re old.”
“…Are you a person with powers?”
“I don’t know… It could be, or maybe not.”
As if responding to his words, I clenched my fist tightly.
At the same time, a battlefield unfolded.
A scene where they attack each other and blood spurts out.
All of them are attacking each other without knowing why, following my control.
When the situation reached this point, An Gyeol Won glared at me.
“…Then I guess I don’t need to watch anymore.”
While saying that, his grin was more pitiful than scary.
He’s just a kid who steals and fights with kids of a similar age.
“I’m going!”
With a determined voice, he disappeared. To be precise, he hid inside my shadow.
His predictable scheme made me sigh.
An Gyeol Won suddenly jumped out from the shadows and swung his fist.
However.
Wham-!
“…Guh!?”
He staggered, hitting his own face.
His body had been attached to a tentacle for quite some time.
This idiot hasn’t even figured out how his opponent fights.
He made a bewildered expression and attacked again by hiding in the shadow, exactly the same way as before.
‘Sure enough.’
Even though he has powers, he’s just a kid who steals at school. He probably never thought about training his abilities.
Well, thanks to that, I can work so easily.
“There’s no way the same trick will work twice. Are you stupid?”
“Cough!”
His fist’s trajectory changes, hitting his own face.
He really looks like an idiot.
I should take this opportunity to correct his behavior. At least make sure he never bothers Noah again.
“You…! Cough! Over there! Stop…!”
“You should shut up for a while.”
Some people gathered around An Gyeol Won and started stomping on him. The sound of beating echoed cheerfully.
I broke one of the heads. So now there’s one left.
“…”
“Huff!”
The trembling gaze of the queen bee suddenly turned toward me.
“Pl…Please spare me-”
“That depends on your answer.”
“…What do you want…”
That’s simple.
“Never bother Noah again.”
“Yes…!”
“Don’t harass other kids either.”
Nod! Nod!
The queen bee nodded vigorously.
This should keep things quiet for a while.
If it happens again… well, I’ll just punish her.
I stared intensely at her face and smiled.
“This happened because kids were fighting. Got it?”
+++++
Noah was biting their nails.
“…I’m worried…”
Why aren’t they here yet? What are they doing?
Since they spoke confidently and gave a look urging me to come quickly, I did come…
“Alright, let’s begin the class.”
The teacher’s slightly trembling voice rang out, and the class began. For nearly 20 minutes, what are they talking about?
A thought crossed my mind.
“Aren’t they fighting…?”
It was a very plausible story.
Once I started thinking that way, nothing else came to mind. A vision of him surrounded by several delinquent students engaging in a bloody battle.
Uncle, did you fight well?
“It’s not good.”
“Teacher, may I go to the restroom-”
Creak-
“Sorry, I’m late.”
Seeing the man enter, the teacher also looked at Noah simultaneously.
“…Uh… Noah? What did you say?”
“…Nothing, sorry.”
Noah stared at the man who entered at just the right moment.
He looked clean, contrary to my worry that he might have been fighting.
‘They didn’t fight, thank goodness.’
If he had been seriously injured, I would have been upset. Or worse, Iris might have become Villain Iris instead of Hero Iris.
A villain who attacks high school students.
‘Ah… making me worry unnecessarily…’
Noah tried to calm down and sat down but felt something strange. Only after calming down did they notice.
‘Why is the clothing like that…?’
The outfit doesn’t seem normal. A leather jacket over a tidy suit with ripped jeans?
‘And the sunglasses!?’
To top it off, he was wearing sunglasses, the kind you see in noir movies.
‘Embarrassing…!’
Though he’s definitely someone I appreciate and like, I wished he’d pretend not to know me right now. However, such expectations were futile.
“So… which student’s guardian are you here for…”
“Ah, I’m here for Noah. Sorry for being late.”
I can feel the gazes. Everyone is looking.
I wanted to hide in a mouse hole but couldn’t run away.
“Uh…”
Noah bowed deeply.
“Noah, it’s your turn?”
Hearing the teacher’s voice calling him, he remembered. It was the time to thank the guardians who came to meet him.
As Noah opened his mouth, he felt his cheeks redden again.
This time for a slightly different reason.
‘How am I supposed to read this…?’
[Like, like, like, love, love so much, love love.]
There’s no way I can read that.
“…”
“Noah?”
“Excuse me…just a moment…”
Noah quickly turned his head to look at him. He needed some hint.
With his arms crossed, he stood out conspicuously. Still, he looked cool. It suited him.
“…The person who came to see me today is…”
Noah trailed off slightly before continuing.
“A bit strange, but still a cool person.”
That was the best Noah could do.
As those words came out, the gazes now turned toward Shin Hyun.
When they turned their heads, they saw his face revealed as he removed his sunglasses.
A rather kind smile from a seemingly delinquent man. Noah could tell their gazes became more positive.
The effect was impeccable.
Commonly called a “gap jo.” The difference in impression was so distinct that even Noah was surprised.
‘Could he have planned this from the beginning?’
If that’s true, I can’t even fathom how many moves ahead he planned.
Why does he go this far?
“…Hmm.”
Noah rested his chin and sighed deeply.
It was to hide the strangely racing heart.
“Cool…”
Seems like the infatuation is properly set in.
Even the way he’s acting now is cool.
“Hey, Noah.”
A voice came from the seat beside him.
The usual classmate with whom he occasionally chats had an excited look on their face.
“Yeah?”
“Is the person over there related to you in any way?”
“Just… an acquaintance uncle.”
“Mm… doesn’t seem like it…”
“Why?”
With a curious tone,
the classmate pointed at Noah’s cheek.
“Your face is super red.”
Only then did Noah realize his cheeks were as red as a beet, impossible to hide.
‘Why is the class so long…!’
I wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
