Part 3 — A Step Toward Resolve
The classroom was already bustling when they entered. Students whispered in small groups, some noticing the trio as they stepped in. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the polished floors and neatly arranged desks.
Haruto slid into his seat, keeping his gaze forward. His posture was straight, controlled. Ayame and Kaito took the seats beside him, but neither spoke. The quiet from the morning still clung to them.
Before the room could settle, the classroom door swung open with a sharp thud.
Daigo strode in, brows furrowed, eyes scanning the students until they landed on Haruto. His voice rang clear, cutting through the low murmurs.
"Haruto! Where were you yesterday?!"
The sudden attention made a few heads turn. Whispers broke out, and a few students glanced nervously at Haruto.
Haruto looked up calmly. His hair fell slightly over his forehead, hiding the faint mark from yesterday's events. He met Daigo's gaze steadily, voice even.
"I… had to take care of something," he said simply.
Daigo's eyes narrowed. "Take care of something? You just skipped training! Do you even know what you missed?"
Ayame shifted in her seat, fists tightening slightly, but she stayed quiet. Kaito's jaw clenched, his fingers tapping the desk—his irritation silent but visible.
Haruto leaned back slightly, resting his hands on the desk, still calm. "I know what I missed. I'll make up for it."
Daigo's scowl deepened, but Haruto's tone left him no room to argue. He opened his mouth, then closed it, muttering under his breath as he moved to the front of the class.
The classroom returned to a low hum of activity, though the air still felt charged around Haruto. Some students glanced at him curiously, others whispered quietly among themselves.
Haruto didn't respond to their stares. His focus was already shifting inward, the determination from his morning run still fueling him.
Ayame watched him carefully, noting the calm in his expression. Kaito's attention lingered on him too, a mix of frustration and concern in his eyes.
For Haruto, there was no room for distraction. Yesterday's pain, this morning's run, and the quiet resolve in his heart—all of it had led to this moment.
He was ready.
The classroom buzzed with quiet chatter as Daigo stepped forward, his presence instantly silencing most of it.
"Attendance," he barked.
One by one, he called the names.
"Amaya Homura."
"Here," she replied quickly, eyes bright.
"Arashi Homura."
"Here," came his deep voice, confident.
"Ayame Inazuma."
"Here," she said softly.
"Haruto Inazuma."
A pause. Haruto's head lifted slightly, hair falling over his forehead, hiding the faint mark from yesterday. His voice was calm.
"Here."
Daigo's eyes narrowed for a second, lingering on him, sharp and assessing.
"Izumi Homura."
"Here."
"Kaito Inazuma."
"Here."
"Misaki Hoshino."
Her voice trembled slightly. "Here…"
"Souta Nishikawa."
"Here."
"Yuna Sekiguchi."
"Here."
"Daichi Mori."
"Here."
"Haruki Aoba."
"Here."
"Hina Kobayashi."
"Here."
"Naoko Minami."
"Here."
"Raizo Okabe."
"Here."
"Riku Tanaka."
"Here."
"Sanae Fujikawa."
"Here."
"Shin Sugiyame."
"Here."
"Tetsu Yonamine."
"Here."
Daigo's gaze swept across the room, stopping briefly on Misaki and Haruto. His voice dropped, firm, carrying both authority and warning.
"No one should be absent. Especially you two—Misaki Hoshino and Haruto Inazuma. This lesson… is critical. If you think you can skip it or ignore the details, you will pay for it later."
Some students shifted nervously. Misaki's hands twitched on her desk. Haruto remained calm, posture straight, fists resting lightly on the desk. He met Daigo's gaze evenly, unflinching, but internally he felt the weight of the warning.
Daigo's eyes then scanned the rest of the students. "These are not ordinary lessons. Every word, every demonstration, every observation matters. Understood?"
A chorus of "Yes, sir!" echoed from the room. Some voices hesitant, some eager, but all attentive.
Daigo nodded once, satisfied. "Good. Now… let's move to the Power System chapter."
He turned sharply to the board and wrote in bold, deliberate strokes:
「Power System – 新章」