Tokyo, Adachi Ward.
At the far end of the third-floor hallway of Homimi High School — the boys' restroom.
Splash!
Scooping a handful of water to wash his face, Souta Kiryuu turned off the faucet and looked up at his reflection in the mirror.
The boy in the mirror was about 175 cm tall, sixteen years old, with strikingly handsome features, fair skin, and a perpetually disinterested expression. His frame was a bit thin.
"Tch. Seriously? How did I end up transmigrating?"
Rolling up his school uniform sleeves and examining his slender arms, Souta sighed.
This body is too frail. Time to start working out again.
After all, a guy should at least have some muscle definition, right?
But before that—
Wiping the water off his face, Souta turned to the three classmates who had just entered the restroom.
"So this is where you were hiding."
"Thought hiding in the restroom would keep you safe?"
Two flanked him left and right while the third blocked the exit, forming a triangle formation to trap him.
"Hey, you got such a big sum of money, but you won't share with your 'friends'? That's just cold, Souta~ Kiryuu~~"
The boy beside the sink sneered, cracking his knuckles. In a public school located in one of Tokyo's most crime-ridden districts, two-thirds of the students were slackers.
The remaining third belonged to a special class.
Like this recent transfer student whose parents died in a traffic accident: Souta Kiryuu.
He had become their regular target for bullying and extortion.
"Could this get any more cliché?"
The scene made Souta sigh again.
Wherever people gather, there's always a pecking order.
"Leave now, and no one gets hurt."
?!
His words left the three stunned.
"Huh? Is this some new way of begging for mercy?"
"You seriously planning to fight all three of us? Are you brain-dead or something?"
The boy at the door snickered and spread his arms mockingly. If a baseball club member had said that, maybe there'd be concern. But this pretty-boy? Please.
"Cut the chatter. Let's teach him a lesson."
The guy beside the sink stepped forward. He didn't care about squeezing money out of him — he just loved the thrill of punching someone. Only then did he feel like he wasn't the 'loser' his parents said he was.
Just then, Souta stepped forward, twisted his hips, and his right fist arced through the air—
Ding, Divine Tree—
WHAM!
A clean hit to the jaw sent the world spinning for the boy. Before he could react, darkness swallowed his consciousness.
"Yamamoto?!"
A beautiful hook landed square on the chin. As his classmates gasped in disbelief, Yamamoto crashed into the sink and slumped to the ground.
Souta didn't hesitate. Having taken one down, he charged at the one guarding the restroom door.
"D-Don't come near me!!!"
The boy shrieked, shrinking his arms up in a defensive pose that resembled a scared little girl more than any boxer.
.System activating...
Ignoring the voice, Souta grabbed both of the boy's shoulders, locked his fingers, pulled down, and drove his knee up.
"Aghhh~~~"
A painful groan echoed as a knee smashed into his gut, sending him to his knees like a shrimp curled in agony.
???
The third boy, still blocking the door, turned pale.
In mere seconds, two of his companions had been wrecked. He instinctively turned to flee.
Assisting host...
Souta sprinted forward, grabbed the boy's collar mid-turn, and yanked backward just as the guy lost balance—
THUD!
The third punk landed hard on his back. Pain surged up his spine, fueling a desperate kind of defiance.
"If you think you can—"
WHAM!
A downward punch smashed into his face, cutting off his sentence.
WHAM! WHAM!
Left and right, fists rained down.
The numbness and pain erased all his courage.
"I surrender! I surrender!"
Rising to the top...
"What did you just say?"
The boy sobbed and shielded his face. "I-I didn't say anything! I swear!"
"Not you? Whatever."
Souta frowned, puzzled. Did he hear something?
Ding. Divine Tree System Online. This system will help the host ascend to the pinnacle of life. Please confirm receipt of the core item: Divine Tree Seed.
A system?
So it was the system speaking. No rush.
Glancing at the three bodies on the ground, Souta dusted his hands off.
"Let me borrow your catchphrase for a moment—"
"Don't let me see you again. If I do, I'll beat you again. Got it?"
"G-Got it!" x2
Even though no one understood why the previously weak Souta had exploded with power, the logic of "a wise man submits to the moment" was universal.
Bruised and battered, and shaken by Souta's calm threat, the two managed to get up but only dared to squat and nod repeatedly.
As for Yamamoto, who had charged first?
One solid punch had gifted him baby-like sleep.
Under their wary gaze, Souta adjusted his uniform in the mirror and calmly walked out of the restroom.
He had no interest in those guys.
School bullying is a societal issue — it'll never completely disappear, just like poverty and wealth always coexist.
The original Souta Kiryuu had become a prime target after the trauma of losing both parents and his frail health.
But now that a transmigrator had taken over, things were about to change.
His father from his previous life had taught him: Never start trouble. But if someone messes with you—strike back immediately!
Thump!
"Oof—"
Just outside the restroom, Souta collided with a rushing figure.
He instinctively reached out to grab — but mid-motion, his fingers shifted from grabbing to steadying.
"Class rep?"
"I'm not the class rep, I'm Nao."
The girl adjusted her glasses and pouted. She had short, neat hair and a warm, big-sister-like aura. Her round glasses gave her a model student vibe.
"I heard Yamamoto and the others were looking for you."
"Nonsense."
Souta placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around.
"We're all classmates. Why would we cause trouble for each other?"
"C'mon, we're gonna be late."
"W-Wait... but..."
Nao stumbled along, flustered by his warm hand pressing through her summer uniform. Her thoughts were scrambled.
When did Souta become so assertive?
Because he had transmigrated!
Just a few days ago, he opened his eyes and found himself in a second-floor bedroom in Tokyo's Adachi Ward.
What they called a "single detached house."
Not that the real estate mattered.
The point was — this wasn't his body.
After confirming the memories in his head and attempting to search online for any traces of his former self — he had to accept it:
He had transmigrated. To a parallel-world Tokyo.
"Hey!"