Chapter 353

"Wait."

Fubuki turned her head to look at Luo En.

Luo En ate his ramen slowly and said, "I have no intention of becoming a hero, nor do I want to draw unnecessary attention over something like this. Just say you did it."

Fubuki narrowed her eyes and said, "Are you… asking me to steal your credit? Sorry, I don't have the habit of telling such lies."

"Is that so? That's truly a pity."

Fubuki froze. "Pity? What's there to be pitiful about?"

"I won't join Fubuki Group, but if you help me keep this quiet, maybe we could become friends who help each other… slurp slurp."

Luo En spoke while eating his ramen.

Fubuki's heart stirred.

This guy is incredibly strong. Though mysterious, since he stepped in to save someone under those circumstances, he doesn't seem like a bad person. Becoming friends with him would benefit Fubuki Group with no downside.

Thinking this, Fubuki sat back down across from Luo En, implicitly accepting his suggestion.

"This… is it good?"

She gazed at Luo En's ramen, which looked like he was enjoying it immensely.

It was just a cheap dish costing around three hundred yen…

"It's fine."

Luo En spoke, then took another sip of the red, chili-dusted broth.

"Want to try some?"

"I'll pass. I don't like cheap things."

Fubuki brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her demeanor regal like a queen.

Even though she was slightly hungry, she still restrained herself from being tempted by cheap food.

She crossed her hands on the table and looked at the young man across from her.

"By the way, I haven't asked your name."

"Luo En."

"Luo En… are you also a psychic?"

"Hmm… you could say yes, or you could say no."

8, sounds kind of interesting

Z City downtown.

Inside a villa.

Fubuki returned home.

"I'm back."

"You're late."

Scroll, with green curls and wearing a black slit-length robe, floated before her, arms crossed.

"Sister!"

Fubuki stared at her in surprise. "Why are you home today?"

"Hmph~ This is my home too. Why can't I come back?" Scroll sniffed, glancing at Fubuki. "I saw today's news. You did decently. But next time, leave dangerous missions to higher-ranked heroes. Stick to your 'B-Class Fan Club.'"

Scroll floated past Fubuki and left.

Fubuki lowered her head, clenching her fist slightly.

…

The next day.

A high-end café in Z City.

Fubuki sat alone by the window, dressed in a green gown and a white fur-lined coat, sipping coffee.

"What do you want?"

Fubuki looked up. Luo En sat down across from her.

"Nothing much, just…"

Fubuki handed him a piece of paper.

Luo En glanced down at it.

"So this is the dojo location of the S-Class hero Silver Fang…"

He looked up at Fubuki and smiled. "You moved fast."

"Why did you ask me to find this?"

Fubuki asked, puzzled.

"Nothing much. Just planning to pay a visit."

…………

On the mountain steps leading to Silver Fang Banggu's dojo.

Two figures climbed the steps.

"Huff huff huff, not… not there yet?"

"We've only gone halfway."

"Huff huff huff, why build a dojo this high up?"

"He's a martial artist. This much is nothing. You're a psychic—this little distance already exhausts you?"

"Shut up! Psychic physical conditioning isn't much different from ordinary people's!"

"By the way…"

Luo En looked at Chu Xue, who was breathing heavily beside him, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Why did you come with me? Aren't you busy enough as a Hero and leader of Chu Xue Group?"

Hearing this, Chu Xue flushed with indignation: "What do you think Heroes are? Do they work three hundred and sixty days without rest?! Regular Heroes only need to complete their assigned Hero duties—and they're entitled to proper rest! Today happens to be Chu Xue Group's day off; I just came along because I had nothing better to do!"

"Fine, fine, fine—then as a superpowered individual, shouldn't you be able to fly up?"

"Still…"

"Still?"

"It's just a bit too high."

Chu Xue turned her face away, embarrassed.

"…."

Luo En stared at her, speechless.

"You think I'm weak too, just like my sister, right? There's nothing I can do about it."

As if touched by Luo En's gaze, a switch flipped inside Chu Xue. She stopped walking, sat down on the stone steps, gazed into the distance, and spoke softly.

"I'm different from my sister—that S-Class #2 Hero, the strongest superpowered individual, Trembling Tornado. My talent in superpowers is nowhere near hers; no, I've never once in my life surpassed her."

"Huh? What's going on? Why are you suddenly talking about this?"

Luo En watched her, unable to help thinking.

"Ever since I was a child, because of my sister, I've never once in my life achieved first place."

"B-Class #1 Hero—that's the first 'first place' I've ever earned, so I must hold onto it. I must lead the B-Class Heroes and surpass my sister, who's always been a lone wolf…"

Chu Xue hugged her knees, murmuring to herself.

She treated Luo En, a 'stranger' she'd met only twice, as her confidant.

The mountain wind stirred Chu Xue's short black hair, making her look lonely and fragile.

Though she appeared as a cold, noble queen commanding the Black Legion, her heart was filled with self-doubt, overshadowed and overly protected by her sister.

Luo En watched her and rubbed his chin: "Trembling Tornado is S-Class #2. To surpass her, you'd need to reach S-Class #1. Even if you gathered every B-Class Hero, that wouldn't be enough, would it?"

Chu Xue bit her lip.

"I know, I know perfectly well! I understand better than anyone how strong my sister is. No matter how many B-Class Heroes you gather, they can't stand against a monster like her—that's the one thing I know for sure. But… if I want to surpass her, this is my only way…"

Her voice grew quieter with each word, until it was barely a whisper.

"Then why limit your gaze only to B-Class Heroes below?"

Hearing this, Chu Xue lifted her eyes to Luo En beside her, astonished: "Huh?"

Luo En looked down and smiled at her:

"I mean, don't limit your goal just to B-Class. Why not recruit A-Class and S-Class too?"

Chu Xue stared at him, dumbfounded: "A-Class and S-Class…? How's that possible? I'm only B-Class."