The Test of Courage is the highlight of the camping activity! At least that's what Uchiha Ryo thought.
So Hiratsuka Shizuka took this event very seriously. She was even serious enough to let everyone use special makeup skills or visual effects to make the monster costumes used for decoration look more realistic.
Because elementary school students nowadays are actually very smart. Since they know that the Test of Courage is just high school senpais pretending to be ghosts, there is nothing to be afraid of.
But now, those naughty children need to show reverence for the terrifying nature, so just in terms of environment, Uchiha Ryo has done enough.
On the forest path late at night, the speakers connected to Bluetooth will play low-pitched music, the rustling of trees is like the groans of the deceased, and the whistling breeze is also like the dead stroking one's cheeks.
Everyone had already surveyed the site of the Test of Courage in advance and formulated the evening activity plan. After confirming the entire route, Shirogane Miyuki took the talismans drawn in advance and placed them in the temporary small shrine at the finish line.
The elementary school students arrive here to get the talismans, which counts as completing the task.
However, to prevent them from getting lost in panic, Uchiha Ryo still had to check if there were any dangerous places.
Yukinoshita: "About Rumi, what do you plan to do? Use the fake ghosts to scare them, making the other party feel like [we are grasshoppers on the same rope] to increase affinity through shared adversity?"
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "No, I plan to let Rumi become the villain pretending to be a ghost."
Yukinoshita frowned. "Doesn't doing this make other students hate Rumi even more?"
"As long as she is not recognized, it's fine. Leave this matter to me. Isn't it good to let Rumi act as a villain to scare them? Maybe it can make this child more cheerful."
Yukinoshita: "....Bad taste."
Call it bad taste, call it purely for fun.
Ask yourself honestly, if you are often rejected, isolated, or even spoken to harshly by classmates, and now you are given a chance to be a villain and retaliate, would you do it?
Of course, this prank poses no life-threatening danger, and they don't know you did it.
Uchiha Ryo didn't know how many saints or good people there were in this world, but he would definitely choose: YES!
Honestly, perhaps if he were allowed to return to the ninja world now, he estimated he would immediately declare war on the Konoha of the Third Hokage's faction. You don't tolerate me, Uchiha? Then don't blame me for not tolerating you in return.
Just like in Rumi's current class, apart from Hana, Hinata, Noa and the others, almost no one would take the initiative to greet Rumi.
Although from the other party's standpoint, Rumi is indeed too aloof and withdrawn, and would even refuse Shirosaki Hana's active invitations.
But.... Uchiha Ryo doesn't care about that. Why should I look at myself from the opposite perspective? He is not a filial son who can be brainwashed by some Will of Fire.
Uchiha Itachi looked at the clan from the perspective of the village and felt that the clan was the cancer of Konoha. But has he ever looked at it from the perspective of the Uchiha clan leader? Why did the Uchiha risk their lives for the village but not get the rights they deserved?
Getting off topic, but focusing on the present! Mutual respect among students will make things better. Since you can't respect me, why should I respect you?
.....
The Test of Courage and the bonfire party were held as usual. Uchiha Ryo found Tsurumi Rumi and hoped to help her be the one scaring people in the Test of Courage.
Unsurprisingly, Tsurumi Rumi refused at first, but Uchiha Ryo promised not to expose her, and she could scare those who once hated her to her heart's content.
Tsurumi Rumi was silent.... In the end, she was just a sixth-grade child.
Along the way as the Test of Courage began, little Rumi wore a white robe covering her whole body, occasionally hearing those classmates talking loudly.
They were talking and laughing loudly, complaining that the Test of Courage was too shabby, not as good as the haunted house in the amusement park, and saying it was boring and not scary at all.
[Rumi, ready.]
In the microphone, Uchiha Ryo's voice came.
Rumi nodded, then turned on the speaker prepared in advance.
Rustling sounds came from the dark and deep woods. The group of elementary school students instantly quieted down, muttering in low voices.
"What sound?"
"There seems to be something there, obviously there wasn't...."
The most terrifying things are always the unknown and darkness. Since primitive times, humans have had a fear of darkness. From walking a few night roads when returning home, to astronauts exploring the dark universe outward.
This unknown quietness and powerless looking around constantly breed fear in the heart. This fear of darkness has been engraved in instinct since the appearance of humans.
Of course, it doesn't rule out that a small number of people like darkness. For example, Bocchi quite likes staying in dark places....
For some reason, the moonlight was blocked. The reason was that Uchiha Ryo used the ability to overwrite reality to bring a dark cloud that lingered for a long time.
It was obviously summer now, but the forest night was full of chill.
The elementary school students could only see the road clearly by the faint starlight. After passing a bend, a white figure appeared in front, which was Tsurumi Rumi in a white robe.
"Ugh.... Ah!! There really is a ghost! Run!"
Looking at the classmates scared away by her, Tsurumi Rumi smiled for no reason.
[Next wave is coming, it's Hana and the others.]
Rumi heard Uchiha Ryo's communication, nodded, and hid. Shirosaki Hana and the others were the only ones in the school who did not reject her but invited her instead.
So.... no need to scare them.
But even if she didn't go out to scare people, Hana still held tightly onto Noa and Hinata. After all, she was timid by nature~
Until the last batch of elementary school students safely returned to the backyard, the Test of Courage finally ended.....
Next, with the extinguishing of the bonfire, all tonight's activities came to an end. Yukino saw Tsurumi Rumi's heartfelt smile. It seemed that after the pressure was released, it could indeed make the mood lighter.
Night fell. Uchiha Ryo sat in the room. Shirogane Miyuki didn't play games today and went to sleep early again.
"Enyun, playing games again. Take a break and sleep."
Enyun-chan: "Don't talk! I can turn the tables!"
After a while, a look of anger appeared on the white cat's face. "Hmph! Died. It's all your fault."
The Sharingan in Uchiha Ryo's pupils turned—
Enyun-chan: "Master, don't..... I'll sleep! I'm going to sleep right now!"
Uchiha Ryo smiled, stood up and looked out the window. At this time, a beautiful figure appeared among the woods. The moonlight shone slightly on the girl's face. Yukinoshita stood in the woods, wondering what she was thinking.
Seeing Yukinoshita outside, Uchiha Ryo changed his clothes and went downstairs. The night in the woods was quiet and cool. Under the gentle moonlight, the girl's snow-white skin glowed faintly.
The light breeze blew up her long hair. The fairy-like girl bathed in the moonlight, singing softly. Uchiha Ryo couldn't tell where the song came from, but the subtle singing sounded exceptionally pleasant.
Yukino glimpsed Uchiha Ryo walking over at some point from the corner of her eye, and stopped humming.
Yukinoshita: "Why did you come down?"
Uchiha Ryo stepped forward. "Since Yukino has not yet slept, why not walk with me in the forest?"