Chapter Eleven: Fulfill a Few of My Conditions

The next morning, Aoki Tsukasa stretched his slightly sore shoulders and yawned as he walked along the road to school.

Last night, he had worked hard to upgrade both his studying and kendo skills to Level 2.

[Kendo LV2: At this point, you are already very proficient in the basic movements, but that's as far as it goes. Please refrain from challenging others to duels. Bonus: Strength +1, Agility +1, Charisma +1. (Experience 0/200)]

At first, every ten swings of the sword would grant him a bit of experience, but now he needed to go through an entire set of basic moves—blocks, slashes, and more—for even a slight increase. Tsukasa estimated it would take another two or three days to reach Level 2 in kendo.

Of course, that was assuming he practiced every day until his arms ached. At seventeen, he already possessed the physique of a healthy adult male at his peak, a standard far above most his age.

(The so-called adult standard refers to the average physical quality of a healthy man at his physical peak—often, this is around age twenty-five. That level of fitness is represented as 10 points in the system. Similarly, if mental acuity peaks at seventeen or eighteen, that value is taken as standard.)

Learning skills had become equally frustrating.

[Studying LV2: You have now mastered the basic knowledge up through junior high, but only within the scope of standard courses. Bonus: Intelligence +1. (Experience 30/200)]

Gone were the days when merely flipping through a high school textbook would yield a windfall of experience. Now, to gain experience, Tsukasa had to actually absorb the content of a book; in other words, it was little different from real study.

If he skimmed through a book, the experience gained would be minimal. Only by studying thoroughly could he earn significant progress. And if the book was completely incomprehensible, there would be no experience at all. As for comic books—those were utterly useless.

Ah, the road ahead was long and arduous.

"Sir, could you spare me a bite to eat..." A voice suddenly called out, making Tsukasa pause. He turned to see an elderly man, hair white and clothes in tatters, sitting against the corner of a wall. In the shadowy alleyway, there was also an overturned trash bin.

Seeing the man’s sallow, emaciated face and his threadbare clothes, Tsukasa sighed, fished out his wallet, and pulled out his only thousand-yen bill, offering it to the old man. "Go buy some rice balls to eat. There’s a 24-hour supermarket back the way I came; they’re selling them at a discount for 250 yen each."

"Thank you... thank you..." The old man trembled as he reached out to take the money. "Really, thank you... sir."

Tsukasa waved it off with a smile. "It’s nothing; I don’t have much to spare myself. This autumn is so cold—it must be tough."

"It’s all right... cough, cough..." The old man barely managed two sentences before a fit of coughing overtook him. Tsukasa watched his aged face and shook his head, saying no more. He simply opened his backpack, pulled out a can of coffee still warm to the touch, and handed it over. "Have this with your meal. I’ll be on my way."

"Thank you, sir, you really are a good person." The old man was on the verge of tears, unable to even raise his head to meet Tsukasa’s gaze, just bowing low and repeating his thanks.

Tsukasa nodded and turned away, hands in his pockets, appearing quite nonchalant. Even though the money and coffee he’d just given were all he had left.

Oh, if that damn barber hadn’t refunded him for a botched haircut, Tsukasa wouldn’t even have a single yen to his name. But he didn’t feel any regret. He looked so fierce these days that most people avoided him; for a homeless old man to still dare ask for help, he must truly have reached his limit. Helping someone in such dire straits—Tsukasa didn’t feel it was a sacrifice at all.

"Ah... what will I do for lunch?" Tsukasa fretted as he shuffled on toward school, never seeing the old man behind him begin to sob silently.

Who knew how many times this old man had been turned away?

How much longer could he endure, dressed in rags, as the autumn chill deepened?

Tsukasa stopped and looked back, but all he could see was the hunched figure of the old man slowly making his way toward the convenience store. He sighed quietly and started worrying again about finding a part-time job. "Where am I supposed to find a job that pays five thousand yen an hour... This is killing me."

"Boss!" A sudden, booming voice behind him startled Tsukasa so much he nearly leapt out of his skin. He turned to see a figure in a hat bowing deeply in his direction.

"You are..." Tsukasa stared, and the person straightened up, removed his hat to reveal a shock of messy red hair, and pointed at himself. "It’s me, Maeda Tora!"

From the still-swollen, bruised face, Tsukasa recalled that this was the same Maeda Tora he’d thrashed soundly the day before.

"Uh... what is it?" Tsukasa awkwardly scratched his cheek. He was honestly a bit nervous—what if this guy suddenly attacked? His physique had improved, but he still had almost no fighting technique. His kendo skills had certainly progressed, but even the skill description warned him not to get cocky. Best to keep a low profile until he really grew stronger.

Maeda Tora’s face was full of emotion. "After the lesson you gave me yesterday, I went home and thought seriously about what I should do."

"Ah..." Tsukasa’s wary expression seemed to Maeda Tora like disdain. Maeda immediately bowed again and declared loudly, "I want to become a strong man like you, boss! Please accept me as your follower!"

Tsukasa scratched his cheek once more. He was about to refuse when the system interface popped up.

[Quest Triggered: Comrade]

[Comrade: To be a true strongman, one must have a broad heart. An enemy today may be a comrade tomorrow. Taking this man under your wing marks a new chapter in your delinquent career. Of course, you may give him suitable trials—if he fails to meet your standards, he is unfit to be your comrade. Quest Reward: +1 skill slot.

If he gives up on his own, the quest will trigger again with the next candidate. Friendly reminder: If you set conditions that are impossible or effectively refuse the quest, it will be considered a failure. Extra rewards will be given based on how well you complete the task.]

Tsukasa was silent for a moment. That last line, with its implicit threat, left a bitter taste in his mouth. But this was the bargain he’d made for a new life—there was no one to blame. He raised his head decisively. "If you want to be my follower, it’s not impossible."

Maeda Tora looked up, overjoyed. "Really, boss?"

"But... you’ll need to meet a few conditions." Tsukasa tilted his head, an unfriendly smile tugging at his lips.

Maeda Tora instinctively clutched his backside.