Nobody expected that this seemingly ordinary volleyball serve would change directions in midair like that.
Everyone fell silent after Natsuya missed the ball and it landed on the ground.
What just happened?
The student council president had a confused expression. Her teammates were also confused. Everyone on the opposing team, including the girl who served the ball, all had confused expressions as well. It was as if question marks hovered over everyone’s heads.
The spectators were the same way. That volleyball had changed directions in midair in a clearly unnatural fashion as if an invisible hand had suddenly slapped it. Everyone saw this quite clearly.
The volleyball game was taking place inside the gymnasium, so it was impossible for that to be caused by the wind.
Something invisible acted upon the ball just now… Everyone couldn’t help but start thinking that.
The referee, who was similarly confused, regained her senses and decided to call it as a point for the opposing team and have the volleyball game continue as normal.
One of the spectators couldn’t help but ask his friend, “I felt like that point just now was really strange. What do you think?”
“I think it’s really strange as well… could that have been a ghost?”
“It’s still so light outside though.”
“Maybe the girl who served just now has a supernatural ability!”
“It doesn’t seem like she caused it.”
“Perhaps it wasn’t the girl who served it. Maybe it was caused by one of her teammates, or the ability of someone in the audience.”
“Don’t joke like that.”
Seiji silently activated his [Astral Vision] as everyone discussed this topic.
He carefully observed the blonde girl who just served the ball, but couldn’t detect anything mystical about her at all.
He then observed all the members of the opposing volleyball team and still couldn’t find anything.
He then secretly observed the other spectators… but until the end of the volleyball game, when everyone left, Seiji was unable to find any signs of a single person being Awakened. Nor did the volleyball abnormally change directions in midair again.
Was this caused by a very well-hidden Awakened who impulsively showed off their ability one time in front of everyone…?
If that was the case, then Seiji decided to forget about it. There was no need to forcefully locate this person.
But what if this wasn’t the case… could this have been someone trying to test the waters for something? A light flashed in Seiji’s eyes.
Year 1 Class 5’s second football game was against Year 3, Class 1.
It would have been quite unfortunate for any Year 1 class filled with freshmen to face off against third year high school seniors twice in a row. However, Year 1 Class 5 was a unique exception.
“I’m delighted to have this chance to play against you!” Oogi Takasugi, the football club captain who was tall, stout, and resembled a bear, had a fiery passionate look in his eyes as he spoke to Seiji. “Let us do our best to show everyone an excellent game! If our team wins, then you need to join our football club!”
“Please allow me to refuse.” Seiji could only respond with a wry smile.
“Even up to now, you still haven’t joined a single club. That’s too much of a waste! Young men like yourself should be spending your time hot-bloodedly with passion, otherwise you’ll definitely regret it!!”
“I’m already being hot-blooded outside of school. No need to worry about me, Senpai.”
“Is that so… that’s good, then. Someone as extraordinary as you shouldn’t waste their time. Do whatever that you’re passionate about so that you can leave behind wonderful memories of youth!”
Seiji could only smile at his senpai who was still so hot-blooded and passionate even when almost having graduated. Seiji felt as if he could feel an intense heat radiating from Oogi Takasugi.
The game started.
Seiji’s team received the ball and passed it to him. Soon, Oogi rushed over to Seiji like a vicious bear looking to pounce on some prey.
Seiji was far lacking in football techniques compared to the football team captain. However, Seiji was far superior in speed and agility. He easily shook off Oogi.
Seiji successfully moved the ball past everyone by himself and rushed deep into the opposing team’s territory. He then aimed and took a shot at the goal!
The football flew swiftly towards the left upper corner of the goal. The goalie tried his best to stop it, but was too slow to block it. The ball seemed like it was about to fly into the next… but suddenly abnormally changed direction in midair and ricocheted against the goalpost!
Everyone was mystified by this sight.
‘It happened again.’ Seiji furrowed his eyebrows.
He cast [Astral Vision] again, but was still unable to detect anything.
‘After Natsuya, now it’s happened to me… is someone indeed testing us?’
Was this hidden Awakened trying to test their own abilities to see if other Spiritual Ability users would discover them?
Just like with the volleyball incident, everyone who saw the football suddenly turn in midair thought that this was quite strange. Everyone started discussing about this.
Was the Magic-Devouring Dragon far too powerful? Had he attracted something invisible because of it?
Many students thought that this could be the case!
Would any person in all of Genhana High School believe that Seigo Harano was only an ordinary person?
He was far too strong! If someone like him could still be called an ordinary person, what would everyone else be? People of low ability?
Why was Seigo Harano so strong? Just who was he?
Mercenary, special forces soldier, underground assassin, or Spiritual Ability user… the students already had had various guesses about him before.
And now, everyone witnessed this critical moment!
His shot that was clearly on an arc to enter the goal suddenly turned around in an obviously unnatural fashion. An invisible force had obstructed him from obtaining a goal!
This was an unnatural phenomenon that many people witnessed.
Seigo Harano had “attracted” such an unnatural phenomenon to him.
Seigo Harano himself was an unnatural phenomenon.
Seigo Harano was actually a Spiritual Ability user!
Seigo Harano was actually a magic dragon for real… he was just the human form of some powerful demon!
Seigo Harano didn’t participate in any club activities because he wanted to keep a low profile. He couldn’t afford to attract too much attention!
Seigo Harano was actually a Spiritual Ability user with a powerful demon sealed inside him! He was unable to fully control his own demonic powers, which was why he had superhuman physical abilities! He would even attract evil demons to himself, which was why he had to request days off from school so often to exorcise them!!
Just like a fire spreading on a plain, the flames of rumors spread extremely quickly—that Seigo Harano was a truly abnormal existence, along with all the guesses by so many witnesses…
More and more students started coming to watch this ordinary football game. They wanted to personally see an unnatural phenomenon and see this Magic-Devouring Dragon that everyone now believed to be a Spiritual Ability user!
The incident at the student council president’s volleyball game didn’t cause this much of a commotion. That was because Natsuya had always carefully performed only at ordinary humans’ physical abilities during school sports events.
However, Seiji had showed off far too much. So now that something obviously unnatural was happening, these types of rumors instantly started spreading.
If the football abnormally curved in midair one more time, everyone would completely confirm him as an abnormal existence of some sort for certain.
As the football game went on, Seiji maintained his [Astral Vision] and quietly observed the crowds.
He noticed that the number of spectators was rapidly increasing, and that they were all directly watching him. He realized what had to be going on after thinking about why this could be.
He was indeed a Spiritual Ability user. If the students really believed him to be an abnormal existence, that would be the same as having his secret identity be exposed.
What should he do to deal with this situation?
He didn’t know… What would the worst result be? Would he have to quit school here?
Was this the real goal of the hidden Awakened who showed off their ability in front of everyone? Did that person want to “reveal” Seiji as a Spiritual Ability user?
But if that was the case, wasn’t it unnecessary for that person to show off their power during Natsuya’s volleyball game?
Seiji couldn’t figure it out… he could only continue to kick the ball.
No matter what things turned out like in the future, he still wanted to help his class win this football game.
Oogi Takasugi and Year 3 Class 1 were stronger at football than the previous Year 3 Class 5.
However, the final result still ended in Seiji’s class’s victory. It was just that the final score differential was much smaller.
“That was an excellent game. Harano-san, please continue living hot-bloodedly and enjoying your youth!” Oogi told Seiji this after the game’s end.
“I will. Thank you, Senpai.”
Seiji then turned to look at the countless spectators.
“…If I’m still able to remain at this school…” Seiji mumbled to himself.