Chapter 300: Positive Karma
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 300: Positive Karma
“Why are you harassing our assistant manager! Ah! Your face… I see! You’re a classmate from another class, about to be a third-year, aren’t you? And you’re wearing a Judo Club uniform! I will lodge a formal protest with the Judo Club and the Student Council for your actions just now!”
Listening to Chinami’s stern lecture, I barely managed to hold back a burst of laughter.
It was because of the way she was addressing the Judo Club member.
Chinami, who would respectfully call someone ‘my dear friend’ if she knew them even a little, or ‘fellow student’ if she didn’t, was calling this guy ‘you’ in a tone dripping with condemnation.
It was a dead giveaway as to how furious she was.
Still, it was funny. She was using a form of address you’d only hear in a historical drama.
Chinami right now felt a bit like an immature but warm-hearted young princess, rolling up her sleeves to protect her loyal vassal from court intrigue…
That was the kind of vibe she was giving off.
“You’re… Nanase, right?”
So he recognized Chinami right away. She must be pretty famous.
Then again, with her unique way of speaking and acting, it would be stranger if she wasn’t the subject of rumors.
The Judo Club member, momentarily flustered by Chinami’s sharp criticism, glanced around.
The students from Class 1-D, where the Kendo Club orientation was being held, had even opened the windows and were plastered against the wall, watching the spectacle. The hallway, too, was a focal point of attention.
Noticing this, he looked like he was about to back off.
Just then, Renka came out of Class D with a bewildered expression and asked what was going on. Recognizing her, the guy raised his voice at Chinami.
“Don’t you think you were in the wrong for throwing away our poster in the first place?”
It seemed he was trying to gaslight her into thinking we were the ones at fault.
And Chinami, naturally, didn’t fall for the muscle-bound oaf’s trick.
“A poster? What are you talking about!?”
“I’m telling you to apologize for your Kendo Club throwing away our Judo Club’s poster.”
“What? Who on earth would do such a ridiculous thing!?”
That would be me… but I’d better keep my mouth shut about the poster incident.
I had a feeling Chinami would be mad if she found out what I did.
“I cannot possibly imagine any of our members doing such a thing, but let us assume, for the sake of argument, that what you say is true! In that case, have you brought any evidence!?”
Chinami’s follow-up question left the Judo Club member speechless, his mouth clamped shut.
Chinami then scolded him in an even angrier voice.
“You resorted to violence against our assistant manager’s precious cheek without a shred of proof! You are a very wicked person!”
“…..”
Did he figure this wasn’t going to end well for him?
The guy seemed to decide on a retreat for now, shaking his head and turning to leave.
Then, he muttered just loud enough for us to hear.
“I knew she was crazy, but she’s even more of a psycho than I imagined…”
The moment I heard that, all thoughts of the event or anything else vanished. I strode toward him, intending to grab his uniform.
As if he’d expected it, the Judo Club member spun to face me with an agility that belied his size, grabbed the lapels of my uniform blazer, and put his weight into it.
My center of gravity was instantly pulled to the side.
He was attempting a reaping throw.
My dress shirt, tucked into my pants, was yanked out, and for a moment my body felt like it was about to go airborne. But I calmly used his own strength against him, shifting my center of gravity in the opposite direction, and thankfully managed to stay on my feet.
“Huh?”
The Judo Club member’s eyes widened, apparently shocked that I hadn’t gone down.
His surprised exclamation quickly turned to one of dismay.
“Whoa, whoa…?”
I had twisted his arm by grabbing the sleeve and chest lapel of his uniform. Then, letting go of the lapel, I hooked my hand under his armpit, lifted, and shattered his balance.
It was Tripping, the foundational move before a throw.
The Judo Club member, realizing my posture was leading into a One-arm shoulder Throw, tried to use a Counter Attack, but that wasn’t my goal.
Pretending to go for the shoulder throw, I moved into his chest, then, just as I was about to turn…
“Hup!”
I used his own counter-stance to break his balance, then immediately dropped my posture completely and slid one leg between his spread-apart legs.
Thunk.
“Ack?”
Next, while keeping him off-balance, I bent my leg and hooked his calf. The Judo Club member let out the kind of pathetic scream you’d expect from an extra.
His large frame slammed onto the floor in an instant.
CRASH—!
The Judo Club member’s body hit the ground, back first.
It wasn’t as spectacular as other throws, but it was a perfectly executed Inner Heel Trip.
So perfect that a guy bigger than me had toppled over like a wooden statue.
If this had been a real match, it would have been an Ippon. Of course, it wouldn’t have worked if he hadn’t been so careless, never dreaming that I might have learned Judo before.
I seriously considered following up with a Hard body Hold, but with no referee, there was a high chance he’d recover, get behind me, and put me in a Shime Waza. So I just got up.
Then, while roughly straightening my messy uniform shirt, I looked at the Judo Club member as he got to his feet.
“You crazy bastard…”
His scowling face was turning red and purple.
He seemed embarrassed that the Kendo Club’s assistant manager had just taken him down with a Judo technique.
I’d wondered why I’d used a Judo move instead of just punching him in the jaw, but seeing the utterly humiliated look on his stupid face, I now understood.
From my perspective, it looked great. Though I’d have to deal with the consequences later.
There was just one small regret.
The Inner Heel Trip, compared to other throws, has a relatively short drop, so it doesn’t hurt that much.
I should have used a more dynamic Counter Attack to break a bone or two on this bastard for bad-mouthing Chinami… but that was the first technique that came to mind, so I didn’t have the luxury of choice.
I should have just slammed his head into the ground… too bad he’s good at his Breakfalls.
Anyway, while I was busy weighing the pros and cons, Chinami was the one who got insulted.
From now on, when guys like this pop up, I won’t think about gains and losses. I’ll just rip them in half and kill them.
This is the right way. I shouldn’t overthink things.
Let’s just make a mess first and figure out how to clean it up later.
I’m going to take your entire family.
I do hope you have a beautiful mother and a younger sister, or perhaps an older one.
Two would be even better.
“Both of you, stop! What do you think you’re doing!”
Renka, who had been watching the standoff and counterattack unfold in the blink of an eye, stepped between me and the Judo Club member, stunned.
How should I handle this?
After a moment of rapid thinking, I simply remained silent.
Chinami, Renka, and the prospective freshmen nearby had all heard the Judo Club member’s insult.
The freshmen would provide the justification for my actions. Besides, I had no intention of making excuses in front of the guy who insulted Chinami.
But I was most worried about Hiyori. From her perspective, it would look like I just resorted to violence without provocation, right?
I’ll have to make up for this some other day.
With that thought, I glanced over at the transparent window of Class D and realized my worries were unfounded.
Hiyori was watching with a look of fascination.
Does she enjoy watching fights?
Or did she take an interest in me because I, like her, exude a rebellious spirit?
Probably neither… It’s possible Hiyori heard the insult the Judo Club member muttered.
Screech—!
From the classroom where the Judo Club orientation was being held, more members in uniforms came rushing out.
They were all big, which was a bit tense, but I knew the worst wouldn’t happen.
People who came for an orientation wouldn’t be as hot-headed as that guy.
The one I fought was just an exceptional extra.
They would surely listen to the whole story and make a fair judgment.
He might have been restrained, but he was the one who attacked first, and he was the one who started with the insults.
I had no reason to back down.
I took the hand of the wide-eyed Chinami and guided her behind me, then stood tall and faced the Judo Club members.
“What’s going on, Inoo?”
The beefy guy at the very front, who was clearly the captain, recognized Renka.
It seemed they knew each other, holding the same position in their respective clubs.
Renka sighed at his question and answered.
“A squabble broke out into a fight. We’ll have to hear the details.”
She was trying her best to remain neutral, but Renka’s tone was quite harsh.
She knew it, too. She knew who was responsible for this fight.
“Is that so? We should probably separate them.”
The Judo Club captain had a fierce look, but his voice was impassive.
From what I’ve seen, people like him are usually fair.
Meaning, they don’t unconditionally protect their own.
If you have a character that makes you frown, you need a moral character to balance things out.
That’s just how clichés work.
Renka agreed and apologized to the prospective freshmen nearby.
Then she said to me.
“Go wait outside.”
Honestly, I wanted to stay here, check on Chinami, and watch Hiyori.
But now wasn’t the time to be selfish.
I’ll just do as Renka says. But first, I need to see that dangerous guy leave.
“I’ll go after I see him leave. I’m worried about my master.”
“I am fine. The Judo Club captain is not an insolent person like that man over there. Nothing more will happen while he is here. Do not worry, and please go have some peach milk from the school store. Here…”
Chinami, who had been blinking her large eyes this whole time, offered me some comfort along with a few coins she pressed into my hand.
Her voice was so gentle; just hearing it was healing.
By the way, ‘that man’… She’d rather die than call him ‘my dear friend’ or ‘fellow student,’ it seems.
“He’s leaving now anyway. You go down the opposite end of the hall.”
At Renka’s words, I looked at the guy I fought. Seeing him walk away with another Judo Club member through the parted crowd of freshmen, I nodded.
“Understood.”
“Good. Don’t worry too much.”
Mm-hmm. The old Renka would have shot me a look of disgust and berated me…
But now, she’s comforting me, just like Chinami.
I’m so happy. My heart feels like it’s swelling up.
Before leaving, I turned to the freshmen in front of me, behind me, and in Class D, and offered a sincere apology in a level tone.
“I apologize for this unpleasant incident. I’m sorry.”
It’s important to show that while you believe you were in the right, you’re also aware that you caused a disturbance.
Adopting that exact attitude, I silently straightened my clothes and left the hallway.
I wonder if the student council will take this seriously, since I started a fight in front of the underclassmen?
There are plenty of witnesses, so the situation will likely turn in my favor, but… maybe because of my track record, I can’t help but feel a little scared.