"Bro Ayumu, you're finally out of the hospital! No wonder you're Bro Ayumu—you actually took down Takatani Harushi from Suzunam High! Now Saitama Sakae High basically rules Saitama City. Next up: Saitama Prefecture… and finally… dominating the whole nation!"

The moment Genya Ayumu stepped into Class 3-A at Saitama Sakae High in Saitama City, a chubby guy rushed to his seat, boasting loudly. This was Sakuragi Nozomu—Ayumu’s loyal follower since forever. The "Takatani Harushi" he mentioned? The delinquent who’d beaten Ayumu into the hospital with a single bat just days ago.

"We didn’t win. No domination. Just give up."

The Ayumu standing here was no longer the same after three days. "Dominating the nation"? Yeah, that can take a hike.

As he spoke, Takagi Yohei and Inoue Tatsuya approached. Their hair blazed in flashy colors and wild styles—Ayumu couldn’t even bear to look. Luckily, seated in the back row, the trio around him didn’t fully block the aisle. Sakuragi Nozomu, Takagi Yohei, Inoue Tatsuya, and Ayumu formed the "Genya Corps"—a delinquent crew—with Ayumu as its undisputed leader. True, the *former* Ayumu was a full-blown delinquent: skipping class, picking fights, bullying classmates, disrespecting teachers. Feared by nearly the whole school.

"Takatani went down first and’s still hospitalized. So technically… you won."

Hearing Yohei’s words, Ayumu felt a flicker of shock. His past self really was a brutal fighter—always hitting hard, never losing. But Ayumu had made his choice: living as "Genya Ayumu" meant leaving that life behind.

He gathered his thoughts, ready to speak plainly. No "cheat skills" had appeared. Escaping this life? Impossible. Money alone would trap him.

Ayumu scanned the three, waiting until all eyes were on him. "After this hospital stay… I finally calmed down and reflected. I’ve thought a lot about… the *future*. I—"

"Wait, Genya," Tatsuya cut in, "since when did you get so wordy? 'Calm down and think about the future'? Do you even *have* that brain?"

"Tatsuya, don’t interrupt. Let Bro Ayumu finish."

Nozomu, ever the devoted follower, was already swayed by Ayumu’s solemn tone. Tatsuya shot him a glare but fell silent.

Ayumu took a breath. "We’re third-years now. Time to face our futures. Living day-to-day like this—sure, people fear us, it *looks* glamorous. But we’re just wasting time, running from life. After graduation… can we keep this up?"

He paused. Nozomu looked deep in thought. Yohei and Tatsuya wore clear disdain.

"Parents won’t support us forever. We’ll work. With no skills? Odd jobs. Part-time gigs. Maybe your boss is someone *you* bullied. But for survival, you swallow pride, grind yourself to dust, grow old… Can you accept that? *No!* I can’t! …Wait, Nozomu—don’t cry!"

Ayumu hadn’t expected tears. His old-life flattery skills—kowtowing to bosses as Zhang Chufan—were *that* sharp. Honestly? That past life *was* his cheat skill.

All this led to one line: "I’m going to university. I’ll study hard this final year. So… please stop bothering me."

He knew it stung. But he wasn’t the *real* Genya Ayumu. No friendship existed—never really had. Memories confirmed their cruelty. With his Chinese soul, Ayumu had zero tolerance for that. He’d turned over a new leaf. Them? Not his problem. Parting ways was necessary.

"Bro Ayumu… plans… to go to university? I… I’ll try not to bother you."

Nozomu’s voice cracked. He left alone. Ayumu felt no guilt—this grief belonged to the *original* Ayumu. He deliberately recalled bullying memories. *This is right.*

Yohei and Tatsuya weren’t sentimental. They flared up, threatening *him* not to bother *them*.

*"Different paths, no shared journey!"*

As Ayumu muttered this chuunibyou Chinese line… a cold, mocking voice cut in. Awkward.

"Wow, Genya speaks Chinese? Too bad you probably don’t know what it means."

Asou Yui—class rep, neat ponytail, sharp eyes. One of few unafraid of him. Childhood friends since elementary school; she’d watched his descent into delinquency. He’d never yelled at her. Never let the Corps disrespect her. Obvious crush. Hopeless. She hated delinquents. After he turned bad, she barely spoke to him. That closeness? Long gone.

"..."

Ayumu ignored her. Sorry for the original him, but mending things with Yui? A distraction. Studying came first. Never dated in either life—ignoring her felt clumsy, but it was all he had.

*"Why’s Genya ignoring me today?!"*

Yui walked off coolly—but inside, a faint, unfamiliar ripple stirred.

Ayumu felt light. The Genya Corps—gone. His study path now clear. One step closer to studying abroad in China.

That first day here, he’d checked: this world mirrored Zhang Chufan’s… yet "Zhang Chufan" didn’t exist. No ID, records, job history. Differences? He’d uncover them slowly.

His patriotic heart longed for home. But with his current skills and cash? He’d starve in days back in China. Second chance. Advantage already in hand. Time to strive: erase the regret of an average degree last life. Aim for top honors. Return to China with pride.

This final high school year? Pure focus. Fighting? Romance? Not even on the table.