I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 500 The Truman Show

"Huff... huff huff..."

"This student, have some water and calm down."

Outside the street, where yellow warning tape was put up, a policewoman handed a bottle of mineral water to a boy sitting by the roadside, who was panting.

Although the 'New Bunkyo Ward' encourages competition among students and private fights are commonplace, they are limited to 'sparring' and deaths are definitely major cases: after all, many children of the powerful live here, and it is also one of the areas under the key control of the Metropolitan Police Department.

"I'm fine,"

Touma Kamijou rubbed his face, gradually recovering from the shock.

He still can't understand why that girl would so readily commit suicide with a gun.
However, a vague guess gradually surfaced in his mind: perhaps, probably, possibly... it was because of his appearance that the other party died!
Analysis: The opponent's strength is unknown.

Judgment: The probability of winning is 0.09%.

Conclusion: Self-destruct program initiated.

Goodbye, and

Thank you.

Thank you for what?
Did I thank myself for buying her a cup of milk tea?
Bang!
He punched the green belt under his buttocks, half of his fist sinking into the marble tile, startling the policewoman next to him.

"I'm so useless!"

"Hey trainee, don't get excited, ah—my colleague is coming out."

Two other muscular male police officers, whose uniforms bulged out of their belts, stepped out from behind the police line and walked straight towards Kamijou.

"Xiangqiu High School, 9527 students."

"Let's confirm again, you were the one who called the police, saying that a female junior high school student had committed suicide by shooting herself here, right?"

"Yes,"

Touma Kamijou, looking up, forced himself to stay alert and answered the policeman's questions.

But the next second,
The other person's question stunned him.

"Have you recently taken any prohibited substances such as 'energizers'?"

"what?"

No, never.

As a high school student who trains naturally and obstructs the sale of unlicensed medicines every day, it's no wonder that Kamijou Touma is confused when he hears this question.

Two burly policemen exchanged a glance and walked towards Touma Uejo, one on the left and one on the right.

? !
"This is what you are."

He subconsciously stood up and assumed a defensive posture.

Kamijou Touma is quite the 'fighting expert,' judging from the stances and positions of these two policemen:

They were clearly preparing to capture him!

"Wait, wait a minute—"

The policewoman next to her also stepped forward with a puzzled look and stood in front of her colleague.

"Is there some misunderstanding? This student is an eyewitness."

"No, he is a potential suspect."

The two policemen stopped. One pulled the policewoman away, while the other frowned, seeing that the bewilderment on Touma's face seemed genuine.

"Trainee 9527, I'd like to confirm with you again: In the past six hours, you have not consumed any prohibited substances, alcohol, or certain types of fungi?"

"no!"

Kamijou Touma shook his head again.

His eating habits were so regular they brought tears to people's eyes: apart from the school cafeteria food, he ate late-night snacks made from discounted supermarket ingredients.

The problem is, he hasn't even gone back to his dorm yet, so where is he going to eat this stuff?

“Come with us.”

On the other side, the policewoman had already stepped back in surprise, her probing gaze making Touma Kamijou uncomfortable.

As he was led back to the 'crime scene' by two burly police officers, Touma Kamijou finally understood why the policewoman had been looking at him that way.

"Where is everyone?!"

A shocked Touma Kamijou took a few steps forward and even squatted down.

No, there is no body of that middle school girl!

There was no blood, nothing at all!

"This is impossible, it was right here just now."

As Touma Kamijou began groping on the ground, two police officers stepped forward and pressed down on his shoulders, one on each side.

“Trainee 9527, come with us.”

"We have notified your teacher, and she has already gone to the police station."

It's gone. Why?
The girl's impressive three-part mechanical expression, her sudden and decisive draw of the gun, and her final "thank you" were all so clear. Touma Kamijou was convinced he hadn't misremembered, and that his daughter couldn't possibly be hallucinating due to any drug-related issues.
"correct!"

Kamijou Touma had a flash of inspiration,
"Before that, the female junior high school student and I encountered a few hooligans and classmates."

Regarding this point,

With a sudden tightening of his wrists, Touma Kamijou's hands were twisted behind his back.

"We did receive a report that several trainees were injured in a fight on the next street. Now it seems—"

You are the culprit!
???

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"After testing, no prohibited drugs were found in the blood."

Inside the police station, a man in a white coat holding a report pushed open the door.

"At the same time, we did not find any abnormal spiritual power in the student's brain, ruling out the possibility that he was under an illusion."

Therefore, there is only one answer:
"terribly sorry,"

The female teacher stood up and bowed to the police officers in apology.

"My students have caused you trouble."

"It's alright,"

The police inspector, who was over fifty years old, slightly raised his hand.

"To be able to injure six students single-handedly, two of whom possess spiritual power, your students are quite formidable. However—"

The inspector made an injection motion with his hand.

"This approach should be used in moderation."

"Yes,"

"I apologize for the trouble you all have to fill out the forms."

The female teacher from Xiangqiu High School bowed again. She was just an ordinary teacher, and she would do whatever the police said.

Moreover, there are videos and witnesses, leaving almost no room for rebuttal.

"Kamijou-kun, I know you guys are under a lot of pressure."

As she walked out of the police station, the female teacher couldn't help but scold the students behind her.

"However, using prohibited drugs is a short-sighted act, especially drugs from non-legitimate sources: the dosage may be excessive, the origin may be secret, and many are even counterfeit drugs."

The female teacher glanced at the slumped-headed boy with the sea urchin haircut and sighed inwardly.

This isn't his fault; it's the fault of the times.

Is it wrong to want to become an extraordinary being?

No!

What about those who use drugs to push their limits?
That's absolutely right!
Students from privileged families import 'artificial Devil Fruits' from the non-governmental Cervantes family, eat 'spiritual rice' cultivated by the descendants of 'Hakuzosu', and drink 'Hero' brand sake—the so-called 20-year-old prohibition on alcohol has no effect on these people.

In a sense, they are also using 'medicine'.

It's just more advanced.

Becoming a superhuman is almost a certainty.

Students from ordinary families can only buy those risky 'private medicines'.

Just like Touma Kamijou behind her.

"Promise me you won't use those medications anymore, okay?"

"Teacher, I"

Touma Kamijou didn't know what to say.
He's so poor, where would he get the money to buy medicine!
However, recalling everything that happened at the police station, Touma Kamijou couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with his memory.

In the video released by the police, there is only footage of him walking down the street talking to himself!

Those delinquent students also testified in unison that he was the one who beat everyone to their knees.

Fortunately, it was the other party who provoked him first, otherwise he would have spent a few days in jail.

"We've been up all night, and it's almost dawn."

The female teacher raised her wrist to check her watch, then turned to Touma Kamijou with concern and suggested:

"Go back to your dorm and get some rest. I'll ask for leave for you—"

"No, no need."

Touma Kamijou instinctively refused.

How could he sleep after everything that had happened?

"I'm fine, thank you, teacher."

But then he thought about it again and agreed. If he didn't understand what had happened before, he wouldn't be able to sleep or concentrate on going to school.

"No,"

There's still nothing there.

As dawn broke, Touma Kamijou, returning to the 'crime scene,' repeatedly walked down that back street, but no matter how he checked, he still couldn't find a trace of the girl's suicide the night before.

Even the surrounding residents said they had never heard any gunshots.

Was it really just my imagination?!
Sitting on the marble floor in the green belt, Touma Kamijou was consumed by self-doubt.

At this moment—a figure with a high ponytail flashed through his mind. Now that things had come to this, she was the only person Touma could consult with.

As for his two friends at school, they are just ordinary people after all. It would be pointless to consult them about such an event that is clearly related to the 'extraordinary'.

Thinking of this, Touma Kamijou took out his phone.

"We're sorry, the number you dialed may be incorrect, or the line may not be connected, making it impossible to get through."

? ?
What's going on? I can't get through to Tokugawa Shizuka's phone.
Then,

Go straight to Jinghua High School!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Someone is looking for me?"

The gate to the guardhouse of Jinghua High School was pushed open from the inside.

The girl with the high ponytail glanced at the guardhouse, which also served as a reception room, but her gaze didn't linger on Touma Kamijou for even a moment. Instead, it landed directly on the muscular security guard.

"what happened?"

"Yes, Miss Tokugawa."

Facing this heiress, the security guard dared not put on airs. He bowed slightly and raised his hand to signal to Touma Kamijou.

"This student from Xiangqiu claims to be your friend."

"friend?"

The girl with the high ponytail coldly interrupted the security guard, pointing at Touma Kamijou, who had just stood up to greet her.

"Look at his shabby appearance, does my Tokugawa family have such a friend?"

what? !

"Wait, Tokugawa-kun, we—"

Clang,

The long sword, suddenly drawn, pointed at Touma Kamijou, causing him to pause in his steps.

"Stop!"

"Don't touch me with your filthy right hand!"

Faced with the murderous-looking girl, Touma Kamijou awkwardly raised his hands, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

"I don't know you, and I have no interest in knowing why you're looking for me."

The girl's cold gaze swept over Touma Kamijou and landed on the security guard next to her.

"Yes Yes Yes!"

The security guard, his face dripping with cold sweat, stood at attention on the spot, inwardly cursing the urchin-haired boy to the core.

That bastard, he's ruined himself!
He insisted he was a friend of the Tokugawa family's daughter, but this is the result?

This daughter of the Tokugawa family is a member of the student council. If the school board were to tell her, he would immediately lose his job.

"I'll get rid of this guy right now!"

Thump,

"Ouch~~"

The boy with the urchin-shaped haircut was still in a daze after being kicked out of Jinghua High School.

Tokugawa Shizuka doesn't recognize herself?!
Could it be——

Is it really a problem with my memory?
Scratching his hair, Touma Kamijou suddenly felt that the world was not real at all.

If even the memories related to Tokugawa Shizuka are fake, then what happened last night—was I actually a drug addict? Did I hallucinate because of too many drugs, and hypnotize myself to create a 'meddlesome' righteous image, when in reality there was no suicidal middle school girl?
wrong!

As Touma walked along, filled with doubt, he habitually raised his right hand to scratch his head, when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

'Don't touch me with your filthy right hand!'

then,

He clearly raised his left hand!
Did Tokugawa Shizuka know that there was something wrong with his right hand?

This is a secret between them, meaning that Tokugawa Shizuka actually knows him, but for some reason they cannot acknowledge each other.

So what should we do now?

"What a misfortune~~~"

Frustrated, Touma rubbed his hair and sighed in self-abandon.

"I'm only 16 years old, I don't want to develop a mental illness so early."

"Decided!"

Fist and palm clashed, and the boy muttered to himself.

"Going to the school gym and sweating it out is what youth is all about."

After saying that, the boy with the urchin-shaped haircut headed towards Hill High School; for the students in this school district, weightlifting was their daily routine.

As I said before, the spiritual realm is too abstract and elusive to know how to improve; but physical improvement is visible to the naked eye, and that is to go to the gym and lift weights.

When in doubt, people often resort to weightlifting, which is a characteristic of the "New Bunkyo Ward".

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Phew, I feel so much better!"

I ran back to school and worked up a sweat, then fainted and was taken to the infirmary to sleep.

By the afternoon, Touma Kamijou was already fully recovered, throwing himself back into his studies with boundless energy. Then, as usual, he went to the supermarket to buy discounted groceries, returned to his dorm to make a late-night snack, ate it, watched TV, and went to sleep.

brush,

A figure dressed in black appeared in his room.

First, the figure silently checked the room, covering several areas with black boxes, before walking up to the boy sleeping on the bed and brandishing a sheathed longsword.

Snapped!
His right hand, which suddenly emerged from under the covers, gripped the scabbard.

"Tokugawa-kun?"

"Tsk,"

A figure dressed in black, with a black blouse and a black mask covering his face, wearing a high ponytail, snorted coldly in displeasure.

"Touma Kamijou!"

What did you take my words for?

The girl, who had just pulled her sword away, was furious and wished she could chop the boy who had just sat up in bed into pieces.

But she's still her good friend, so I can't break her up.

"Just how big of a mess have you gotten yourself into?"

Tokugawa Shizuka, dressed as a ninja, asked curiously,

"Even I was told by my superiors to maintain a stranger-like relationship with you."

?

"So that's how it is,"

Tokugawa Shizuka's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through the fog in Kamijou Touma's mind!

Everything is fake! Whether it's the video shown by the police station or the testimonies of those delinquent trainees, the only thing that's true is what happened last night.

"Listen to me, be quiet."

"Here's what happened—"

Finally finding someone to talk to, Touma Kamijou quickly recounted his experiences from the previous day, not even noticing that he had used the wrong title.

The girl, whose face was covered by a black veil, was initially stunned, but her attention was quickly drawn to his words.

"Then I was expelled from Jinghua High School, and I've been there ever since."

After explaining everything in detail, in the dimly lit student dormitory, Touma Kamijou could only discuss it with his friend in front of him.

"What the hell is this-"

Snapped,
A hand was on his shoulder.
"Give up, Kamijou."

Tokugawa Shizuka's voice was heavy.

“This is not something you can interfere with. Even my grandfather agreed to the higher-ups’ request that I cooperate with them.”

"No matter what the situation is with that 'junior high school student' you encountered, it must be related to some secret experiment, and it's the kind of experiment that involves top-secret information."

Her grandfather was, after all, the head of the Tokugawa family, and he usually didn't interfere in her life.

This time, the voice must come from a higher level of power.
"You mean, the government?"

In the dim light, Touma Kamijou uttered a single word.

"What do you think?"

Tokugawa Shizuka countered with a question: Who would believe that a force capable of conducting human experiments in the 'New Bunkyo Ward' and instantly erasing all traces has no connection to the government?
"Forget about that. After some time, we'll find an opportunity to 'bump into' each other again and rebuild our relationship."

"No!"

?

"Sigh, if our relationship were exposed now, what would happen to Grandpa?"

"No, I meant forget about it."

In the dim light,
There seemed to be light in the boy's eyes.

"If all of this is secretly controlled by the government, does that make it just?"

of course not!

At least in his opinion, that's definitely not the case.

"Are you crazy?"

Tokugawa Shizuka's voice, which she had been keeping low, couldn't help but rise a few beats.
"You're just a student. Even if I join you, what can you do?"

"If the peace in the school district is just a government-created illusion, then I will shatter it with my right hand!"

Facing the passionate young man with clenched fists before him, Tokugawa Shizuka's heart suddenly raced.

"it is good!"

"I'll help you—"

(End of this chapter)