The boy with silvery hair, shortly after finishing his training with Veronica, decided to return home by taking a different route due to maintenance issues on the main road. As he strolled along, his senses heightened, he heard more people walking in the same direction. He could easily gauge their number by their footsteps. Probably at least ten.
(Are they trying to ambush me? Maybe Goto discovered me and sent his men? No, of course not. There would have been many more, silent and hidden. I wouldn't even hear them if they were top-tier mages.)
So, the boy decided to change course and entered the property of an abandoned building, full of broken glass, steel pipes, and other construction materials now left to gather dust.
Soon after, he turned around and saw the ten students from his school—they were the same ones from a few months ago, when Hajime awakened his powers and was targeted for being beaten up on Goto's orders.
"Oh, it's just you guys... I thought I was in danger," (Hajime)
"What the hell did you just say, bug? Last time I couldn't kill you, but this time, without that black-haired bastard helping you... we'll break you little by little. Not even your mother will recognize you when we're done," (Student Leader)
"You talk a lot... but I'm not the same boy I was six months ago," (Hajime)
"Oh, really? Then prove it! Get him, guys!"
All the leeches of the older, very muscular boy who seemed to be the leader of the group had sent them, albeit unconsciously, towards defeat.
Hajime, with bursts of speed that seemed almost like residual images, dodged their attacks with extreme ease—without even activating his magic—landing precise punches to their stomachs, necks, and some martial arts moves Veronica had taught him. He defeated all his opponents in about a dozen seconds, shattering dozens of bones, feeling them crack like twigs. All the boys were on the ground, in pain, begging for help, mercy, and pleading. Hajime paid no heed to their pleas, continuing to beat them and reduce them to ragged messes, breaking their bones with shocking ease for the boy with silvery hair.
Meanwhile, their leader was completely paralyzed, unable to move out of terror.
"So? What were you saying earlier about breaking me little by little?"
"W-WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING??"
The man activated his magic, creating a full rock armor, enhanced with mana, and charged at the boy with silvery hair. But Hajime, now a far cry from the scared kid he used to be, was unfazed.
"Let's end this here," (Hajime)
With a lightning-fast movement, Hajime delivered a punch to the bully's stomach, shattering his armor like a grissino (breadstick), causing internal damage to his stomach and ribs. The bully doubled over, clutching his stomach with both hands, blood spilling from his mouth.
"I'll give you a piece of advice... provoke me again, tell someone what happened, or make even the smallest mistake against me... and next time, I'll make you suffer much more pain than today—and your 'friends' too. Now... sleep well,"
He delivered a well-placed axe kick to the bully's jaw, knocking him out and sending him to the world of dreams.
Hajime felt truly satisfied. Apparently, his training had borne fruit, and now no student at school would bother him. Whistling as he headed back home,
(Ah... I feel better... a little revenge on those bastards... now I feel a little lighter.)
***********
Hajime woke up in his bed, unaware that today he would see his teammates again after months of limited contact.
Cloe, Kuro, and Kohaku attended the same school as him, in a very notorious district of the central area.
However, to avoid suspicion from the school principal, who was tasked with making Hajime's school life a nightmare on Goto's orders, the three avoided associating with their teammate as much as possible.
Hajime would never say it aloud, but the situation was weighing heavily on him.
Exchanging only occasional glances and secret signs to greet his teammates after so many months was a shocking change.
He couldn't understand exactly when and how his bond with these three had become so strong and essential for his mental health.
Perhaps, risking his life and relying on them to return home safe, Hajime had forged an indestructible connection with his friends.
Without them in his daily life, Hajime felt truly alone—like when he was bloodied and beaten by his stepfather. The feeling of loneliness was easy to hide from others, but insufferable to bear alone.
Being with Kaori, his mother, Kaede, and, to a lesser extent, Veronica, was the only thing that managed to chase away that feeling.
The 17-year-old believed he had a strong heart, after everything that had happened, but apparently, he was more sensitive than he thought.
While having breakfast with his little sister, his mother, and unfortunately, Goto, Hajime received a message from Kohaku.
[Don't go to school this morning. Come directly to the bunker. There's something you need to know.]
(Seems like my "exile" is over, huh.)
His face would have been filled with joy if he hadn't used the changes granted by his [Grimorio] to suppress his emotions—probably he would have screamed with happiness, enough to keep a poker face intact.
Fortunately for him, Goto was too busy thinking about something else to notice.
Kaori and his mother Aina, on the other hand, seemed deeply engaged in their conversation.
So no one else at the table noticed the ringtone of his phone.
"I have to go; I'm late." (Hajime)
"Have a good day, dear," (Aina)
"Bye, Oni-chan!" (Kaori)
"Behave at school," (Goto)
His mother tried to smile a little at her son, while his little sister gestured energetically. The teenager returned the first two greetings, completely ignoring Goto, who mockingly ridiculed him.
("Behave at school," says the bastard Goto. I'd do it perfectly if I didn't have to pay people to harass me every day... after what happened last night, I don't think that will happen anymore.)
Hajime hated his new school. Not only because it was a rougher place, more like a criminal hangout than a proper school, but especially because of the teachers working there.
While the students couldn't be entirely blamed for their behavior, most of them were as unfortunate as the teachers.
Every one of them was contemptible in the eyes of the [Grimorio] wielder.
His classmates had stopped their punitive raids against him, trying to "soften" the new arrival months ago, once they realized he was not an easy prey.
And especially after the events of the previous night, when several students arrived at school in casts, looking at Hajime with pure terror—they chose to ignore him.
The teachers, instead, only bullied him whenever they could—unjust punishments, sabotaging his studies, and falsifying his grades.
His future career was already compromised, being enrolled in such a low-quality school—did they really think giving him low grades would upset him more? Were they fools or just sycophants, doing only what the principal ordered?
Soon, the student of Veronica reached the bunker door, which was already open as if waiting for him—indeed, it was.
Kuro, Cloe, and Kohaku were just inside, ready to greet him.
"Hey, guys, it's been a while," (Hajime)
"Hajime, it's good to see you haven't gone completely nuts and forgotten how to find your way here," (Kuro)
"'Gone nuts'? Are you serious? Could you find another phrase? I go away for a bit, and your creative vein commits suicide because I'm missing?" (Hajime)
"Shut up!" (Kuro)
Despite their words, they shook hands firmly after so long. Being always in the front line together had made them good friends, even if neither would ever admit it—not even under torture.
The stepbrother of Goto then went to greet Cloe. The girl hesitated for a second, avoiding eye contact, before approaching and hugging him tightly. Hajime took a second to reciprocate, under the complex gaze of Kuro, who wasn't sure whether to be happy or angry at what was happening.
"I'm sorry,"
The little girl whispered those words into his ear, avoiding anyone hearing her apology. Hajime's stepbrother Kaori didn't need to ask what she meant.
"Don't say that. It was my choice,"
At his decision to put the life of the girl with the scythe above the secrecy of the [New Dawn], he knew it was the wrong choice. Would he do it again? Absolutely. Not only because of the promise he made.
At those words, Cloe started to tear up slightly before letting go of the hug to dry her tears.
Finally, the most delicate moment of this reunion arrived. Kohaku looked directly into his eyes as an uncomfortable silence fell over them.
They hadn't parted on good terms, and neither knew what to say to the other.
"I—I... should ask for your forgiveness... I already told Cloe-chan and Kuro that what I said was...," (Kohaku)
"Kohaku, don't do it... I think it's better if we leave that moment behind us and forget about it. I don't think we need to give weight to what you said," (Hajime)
He was sincere. He couldn't really blame his friend if she felt upset. He knew what it meant to hate so much that you wanted revenge—if someone tried to stop him, he probably would have gone crazy too.
A few seconds after those words, two more people joined the group.
"Kamijo-san, it's good to see you again,"
"Fumio-sensei, it's a pleasure for me too,"
Fumio assessed his pupil with a glance. His posture, breathing, and even his physical shape had improved after months on the sidelines.
"(He's become stronger! Probably just reached Beta rank... maybe on par with me... He's trained alone, or...)"
"Yo! Do you remember me? I'm the one who told Yukihime-sama what you did!?"
The 30-year-old's thoughts were silenced by Kimiko's energetic introduction, the newest addition to the team.
The girl herself quickly realized that perhaps it wasn't the right moment to say those things to Hajime.
"I—I don't hold a grudge for what you did. You weren't obligated to lie for me,"
"Oh, you're understanding, like Cloe-chan says! You know, she keeps talking about you all the time!" (Kimiko)
"Kimiko-chan!!!!" (Cloe)
Hajime, Goto's stepbrother, couldn't help but laugh at the interaction between the two girls, avoiding even the awkwardness he felt.
(Yes, I definitely missed this!)