"Nozaki-kun. I have a Rubik's Cube here. I want to align the colors on all six faces. I want to do this for a large number of cubes simultaneously, in a way anyone could manage. What would you do?"
The final boss of our school had appeared at the Class E building, casting a cryptic spell like an impossible riddle.
Now, how should I react?
How did things even reach this point?
I'll rewind to the beginning of the sixth period. ──
"So, shall we begin?"
The sixth period started right after the school assembly ended.
Once we settled into our seats—having barely made it back just before the bell—Koro-sensei appeared wearing a headband. He had split into multiple after-images, matching the exact number of students in the class.
He was bursting with enthusiasm. The headbands wrapped around his foreheads bore the names of various subjects: Japanese, Math, English, Science, and Social Studies. Two of his clones even wore "Naruto" headbands. I would have understood if he were preparing us for the five core subjects, but the Naruto reference made the whole thing hard to picture.
"Begin what?"
Isogai asked on behalf of everyone.
Each clone replied with a distinct voice. Koro-sensei's multitasking was truly masterful.
Technically, these weren't "clones" but silhouettes created by his superhuman speed. He was simply moving between positions so fast that he appeared to be in multiple places at once.
"Midterms are approaching."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Therefore, we will spend this period on..."
"A high-speed, intensive study session to prepare for the exams!"
To make each illusion speak clearly enough for us to hear, he must have been coordinating his vocalizations letter by letter at every position. Koro-sensei performed these incredible feats with such casual ease.
"Each of my forms will supervise one student in a one-on-one system. We will conduct a thorough and precise review of the subjects you find difficult."
Koro-sensei's shadows distributed themselves: six for Japanese, eight for Math, three for Social Studies, four for Science, and four for English. As for the two Naruto-themed clones that had puzzled me earlier, they headed toward Terasaka and me for some reason.
"Why do Nozaki and I only get the Naruto clones?!"
"Because you both have weaknesses in multiple subjects, so this is a special education track. No need to be shy."
"Mind your own business!"
Terasaka was as energetic as ever.
As I watched him shout in rebellion, I opened my book and looked at him with a quiet smile.
Koro-sensei looked at me as "Keiichi Nozaki." He treated me as an ordinary student, without any regard for who my father was.
That was why I felt the urge to work. He ignored that cursed label that followed me everywhere—"Shinichi Nozaki's son"—and treated me based on my own identity. Since he expected much from me, I wanted to respond with everything my own strength could offer.
I thought about this while solving the required problems.
The task involved a mathematical proof. I felt like I had studied it before Koro-sensei arrived, but frankly, I couldn't remember the method.
"Koro-sensei, this proof..."
"Yes, yes. In proofs, let's first practice breaking down and deconstructing the steps. I'll add color-coded marks now, so try to think about each part individually."
I focused on the required sections as instructed. Koro-sensei jotted down notes on thought processes in the corner of my notebook, and I began to scrutinize them alongside the textbook.
Eventually, I reached the answer. I copied the equation and the proof into my notebook, but it felt like I had taken an incredibly long time.
At least, that's how it seemed to me...
"Oh, you're already finished. Well, the answer is correct. Now, let's move on to a more complex application problem."
Koro-sensei said.
I looked at the clock in shock; the second hand hadn't even completed a single rotation. This had been happening a lot lately.
Perhaps I had unconsciously entered that state I experienced when Karma fell from the cliff, or when I felt danger during training with Mr. Karasuma—that sensation where time seems to slow down around me.
I solved the next problem while pondering this.
From my perspective, a long time must have passed—at least, that's how it felt—but when I finished writing, the second hand had only ticked once.
"What is it, Nozaki-kun? Is something bothering you?"
As I tilted my head, puzzled by this strange feeling, Koro-sensei noticed and asked with concern.
The timing was perfect, so I explained what was happening. I told him about the sensation that had haunted me since Karma's fall—how the world seemed to stop in critical moments, and how I often felt long periods of time passing during thought, when in reality, it was only a few seconds.
Koro-sensei nodded as if he understood everything. He gave me a brief, one-word summary.
"Could it be that you enter 'The Zone' easily?"
"The Zone?"
"Doesn't this happen often in sports or combat manga? In the final battle, or the moment a single strike decides the outcome, the protagonist's vision shifts. They see everything in slow motion, as if time has stopped. That is the evolution I'm talking about."
"Ah..."
Indeed, that was a familiar trope. In baseball stories, for instance, when the bases are loaded with two strikes left, the ball thrown by the opponent seems to move in slow motion at the decisive moment.
"They sometimes call it 'the power of critical moments.' I've sensed how strong your focus has been since I started here, but I never imagined it reached the level of entering 'The Zone'."
"Is entering 'The Zone' common for everyone?"
"It depends on the person, but not just anyone can do it. Even professional athletes might experience it only a few times in their entire lives."
I was astonished by Koro-sensei's words.
So, this feeling was called "The Zone." ──
"Nuru-fufufu. As I expected, the students of this class possess many hidden talents. That's why teaching is so enjoyable."
Koro-sensei said, clicking his slimy tentacles like someone cracking their knuckles.
"As for this distortion in time perception between you and your surroundings, we'll manage it by having you wear a wristwatch. When you feel yourself sinking too deep into thought, look at the watch. If you get used to that, you'll gradually adapt."
"A wristwatch... I see. Understood."
I'd buy a cheap one on my way home today.
"But Nozaki-kun? It is undoubtedly a talent that sets you apart, but overusing it isn't good for your body. Being able to think more than others means you tire faster. It's important to notice if you're overthinking and to set a limit for yourself."
"I understand. I'll be careful."
Despite saying that, I didn't know if I'd have enough awareness to remember it while immersed in thought.
But had my concentration really reached such a level? Perhaps I had been entering this state unknowingly in the past.
Regardless, it was a massive advantage. Since I could think for longer than others, if I directed that toward studying, I could grasp the material better than anyone else.
Since my current level had me stumbling even over first-year problems, maybe it was better to turn my after-school training with Mr. Karasuma into study time with Koro-sensei until the exams.
I'd also need to practice entering "The Zone" consciously in the future. Now that I knew the trigger, all that remained was focus.
I looked at the clock while thinking all this.
Again, very little time had passed.
In a way, I realized how mindlessly I had been studying before. Once I started thinking deeply, time seemed to crawl.
"Now, back to work."
"Yes, sir."
After that, I entered "The Zone" deliberately several times, and other times it happened spontaneously while I studied.
However, just as Koro-sensei warned, turning one hour for others into dozens of hours for myself was physically draining. I began to feel a headache, like a fever brought on by mental exhaustion.
Still, I never expected to possess such a special skill. The world is full of wonders.
And so, the sixth period ended.
I had discovered my mysterious talent, but at the time, I never imagined it would lead to that incident... just a passing thought.
Once the period ended, I caught Koro-sensei and decided to dedicate my after-school time to studying, just as I had planned. I opened the faculty room door to inform Mr. Karasuma, but...
"It has been a long time, Nozaki-kun. And you must be Koro-sensei, right?"
"I-It has been quite a while, Chairman Asano."
The final boss was there. ──
"Nozaki-kun. I have a Rubik's Cube here. I want to align the colors on all six faces. I want to do this for a large number of cubes simultaneously, in a way anyone could manage. What would you do?"
And here we are, back at the beginning.
Why was the final boss in a place like this?
This man was Gakuho Asano—the Chairman of Kunugigaoka Academy and Gakushuu Asano's father.
If his son was the ruler of the students, this man was the absolute ruler of the entire academy.
Such a man had handed me a Rubik's Cube. Now, how should I act?
His request was to align the colors efficiently, right? Under Chairman Asano's feet as he sat in his chair were the remains of a smashed Rubik's Cube, and in his hand was a screwdriver. He had likely dismantled and reassembled it to show that this was the "logical" solution.
So, there was only one thing I could do.
"Koro-sensei, please lend me a marker. Any color will do."
"Here, take this one."
"Thank you."
I took the broad tip of the marker I borrowed from Koro-sensei and carelessly painted one face of the cube until it was completely black. Then, I presented it to Chairman Asano.
"I'll change the colors from the outside. If I had paint or India ink, I'd submerge the cube; it wouldn't take a second to align the faces. Even if I can't paint it, even elementary students have India ink. Anyone old enough to follow basic instructions can do it. This way, many cubes can be aligned at once in the same color, can't they?"
"I see. An interesting answer."
"I'm glad I could meet your expectations."
It seemed I had managed to satisfy him.
The final boss smiled with approval—or perhaps it was more of a sinister smirk. But he seemed genuinely pleased, and for the first time, I saw his eyes smile, a rarity for a man whose eyes usually remained cold.
"Excuse me... who is this person?"
Koro-sensei asked hesitantly, having been excluded from the conversation until now. I answered briefly.
"This is Mr. Gakuho Asano. The Chairman of this school."
"The Ch-Chairman?!"
Upon hearing my words, Koro-sensei frantically placed the attendance book on the desk. He began massaging the shoulders of Chairman Asano, who sat with his legs crossed, and even started polishing his shoes.
If Nagisa were here, he would surely add "Grovels to superiors" to the list of weaknesses.
"Thank you for coming to this remote mountain! Rub, rub... Aside from that, could you perhaps raise my salary a little? Rub, rub...!"
Koro-sensei, do you really live on your salary? And besides, Chairman Asano is the one who pays it.
Someone mentioned this before, but really, why does a supernatural being threatening to destroy the Earth live on a government salary?
As I pondered this, Chairman Asano stood up and faced Koro-sensei directly. He spoke calmly.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Koro-sensei. I've heard much about you from Mr. Karasuma there. What a pitiful creature; you intended to be the savior who saves the Earth, only to end up as the great villain who will destroy it."
"S-Savior?"
"Oh, haven't you heard anything?"
Since the word "savior" was the exact opposite of "destruction," I instinctively looked at Chairman Asano. He simply shrugged and turned his gaze toward Mr. Karasuma, as if shifting the responsibility.
Mr. Karasuma began to speak in a calm, steady voice, as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
"We have only disclosed information to the students that gives them an advantage in the assassination. I don't believe it's in your interest to involve children in the government's complex conflicts any further, is it?"
"Indeed. Make the students' safety your top priority. As long as you guarantee that, I have nothing to say. I don't possess the scientific knowledge to understand everything, and I've received a sufficient amount from you to ensure my silence."
"... That is helpful."
Between Mr. Karasuma's firmness and Chairman Asano's evasiveness, I deduced that Mr. Karasuma was deliberately hiding parts of Koro-sensei's truth.
Reaching that truth meant, in Mr. Karasuma's words, getting involved in "complex government conflicts." Doing so would undoubtedly bring us harm.
Ignoring all that, Chairman Asano's words were a crucial piece for my deductions.
I had previously thought Koro-sensei became what he is as a result of human experimentation, but perhaps the goal of those experiments was to save the Earth? There were many possibilities.
If we think about what currently threatens the Earth's fate, we find global warming—or in other words, the energy crisis.
I had previously thought the moon's explosion happened because a creature of the same species as Koro-sensei went berserk and died. What if that massive energy that reshaped the moon, and Koro-sensei's energy that will destroy the Earth next March, were originally solutions to that energy problem?
Suppose the human experiment succeeded, and Koro-sensei managed to contain that energy, but someone else who underwent the same experiment on the moon lost control and died, leading to the energy blast that changed the moon's shape?
Naturally, the decision would be made to eliminate Koro-sensei, the successful version of the experiment. This scenario wasn't strange; it was very plausible.
Essentially, many companies try to solve the energy problem causing global warming, but the ability to conduct experiments on the moon suggested state involvement. Furthermore, given that world leaders are the ones requesting his assassination, it's only natural to view this as an international project.
Because Koro-sensei's birth was man-made, they were theoretically able to create a substance that kills his cells... like the "Anti-Me" knives.
Well, I had no concrete proof, but I felt the dots in my mind were starting to connect. The problem was the lack of physical evidence, and if I asked them, they would surely evade the question.
"Oh..."
I realized I had been thinking too long and looked at my watch. I seemed to have entered that state again. I'll stop these uncertain deductions here.
"I do not interfere in the assassination. However, I am the Chairman of this school. What I must consider is not the fate of the Earth, but the future of this academy should someone manage to kill you."
"Nyu?"
"Frankly, I'd be in a bind if Class E didn't remain exactly as it is."
"As it is? Do you mean its current status as the lowest level in terms of grades and treatment?"
"Yes, exactly."
... Excuse me, Koro-sensei and Chairman Asano. Am I supposed to be hearing this? I feel like I missed the right moment to leave.
"Nozaki-kun."
"Yes, sir."
"I must have taught you before about the goal this school pursues, haven't I?"
Since he addressed me, it meant I could stay. I began to formulate my words as I recalled a conversation I had with him a long time ago.
"Are you referring to the example where you applied your desired figures to the 'Worker Ant Law'? As I recall, 5% slackers and 95% workers. By treating the 5% slackers with extreme severity, you make the other 95% work hard out of fear of becoming like them... Was that the system?"
"Correct. You remembered well."
"Anyone would remember if their friend's father summoned them to hear such a grim lecture."
Indeed, that was back in our first year.
At the time when Asano and I were competing for the same grades, this man summoned me. Perhaps curiosity drove him to see who dared to rival his prized son. He called me into the Chairman's office and spoke with this very logic.
"... I see. So the 5% are the Class E students."
"Exactly. By making 95% of the students feel a strong desire not to become like Class E, and never to end up there, my ideal is realized."
"That makes sense. So, you'd be in trouble if Class E students didn't stay as weak and miserable as they are now."
"That's how it is. I just received a complaint from the Class D teacher saying: 'A Class E student threatened to kill me, and he had a terrifying look in his eyes'."
That was undoubtedly a misunderstanding or an exaggeration.
He likely meant Nagisa. But all Nagisa did was ask if the teacher had ever actually tried to kill, so it wasn't certain he was the target. Maybe it was Karma... Ah, Karma might actually do that if provoked.
"Since you are practicing assassination, it's natural to acquire those looks. That is fine in itself. The problem lies in a bottom-tier student rebelling against regular students. That is something my methodology does not allow. So, tell them to stop that strictly in the future."
After saying what he wanted, he passed by me and said, "Study hard," then moved to leave the faculty room... or so I thought. Suddenly, he turned toward Koro-sensei and threw something at him.
"Right, Koro-sensei. Solve this in less than a second!"
I looked closely to see what was happening.
In the frozen world, a puzzle of interlocking metal rings was floating in the air.
"S-Suddenly?!"
Koro-sensei scrambled for a full second trying to solve the puzzle, but instead of solving it, his tentacles got tangled inside the metal rings.
As Chairman Asano looked down at Koro-sensei, he threw his words like a slap of bitter truth.
"As the rumors say, your speed is incredible. At this level, you can dodge any assassination attempt."
After looking down at him, he now leaned in to face the slumped Koro-sensei eye-to-eye and said:
"But Koro-sensei. In this world, there are problems that cannot be solved by speed alone."
Koro-sensei's color didn't change to green stripes or angry red; he remained yellow, motionless, accepting the Chairman's words.
As for the Chairman, he said, "I'll take my leave now," and walked out of the room with absolute confidence.
"Oh! I'm looking forward to the midterms. Do your best!"
The voice of encouragement echoed from the hallway.
But the tone was entirely cold. He had no real interest; it was just empty talk. I realized that even without seeing his face; it was merely a hollow courtesy.
"... As a target for assassination, you are close to being invincible."
Mr. Karasuma muttered in a low voice.
"With a speed of Mach 20, you dodge every attempt. It's no exaggeration to say you completely control the operations targeting you. But as a teacher, you are not invincible."
His gaze turned toward the door the Chairman had exited.
"In this school, there is that powerful ruler. And as long as you work as a teacher here, you cannot escape his rules—not even you."
As if responding to Mr. Karasuma's words, a snapping sound was heard; the metal ring puzzle had broken in two.
•
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