Chapter 201 One Punch Man of the Ring
At exactly seven o'clock in the evening, the boxing match officially commenced.
Kushida Kikyo sat quietly in the VIP section, her gaze instinctively drifting toward the ring entrance. Entering first was a Black student standing 195cm tall—Yamada Albert. His solid muscle lines were distinct, sunglasses rested on his face, and he wore striking red boxing gloves. He nimbly vaulted over the low ropes, and the moment his feet hit the canvas, a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience.
Kushida scanned the crowd and quickly identified the source of the noise: the boys from Class 1-C in the general seating area, cheering for their classmate.
Immediately after, Shimizu Akira made his entrance. He stood 185cm tall, also bare-chested. Beneath his skin were well-proportioned muscles; while they lacked Albert's exaggerated mass, they radiated a sense of compact power. He vaulted the ropes with ease and stood steadily on the stage, his expression so calm it was as if he were merely out for a stroll.
Even though Shimizu's physique was impressive, compared to the overwhelming physical presence of Yamada, he appeared slightly outmatched. This visible disparity caused many in the audience to cast doubtful looks.
"Even if it's an exhibition match, their weight classes aren't even on the same level!"
"Do they even need to fight? Isn't the outcome obvious?"
The murmurs died down as the referee stepped onto the ring, but the "Yamada will win" prediction in the air only grew stronger.
Kushida Kikyo couldn't help but frown slightly, a surge of worry rising in her heart.
'Can this guy actually win?'
She was genuinely concerned—after all, Shimizu Akira was essentially the first person whose "dark history" she held firmly, someone she could completely control. If he got beaten to a pulp, who would she find to vent to or play mind games with when she was in a bad mood?
'Fine, fine. If he really loses, at worst I'll offer a few half-hearted words of comfort.
After all, he did give me two good ideas a few days ago. I can't just watch him get bullied.'
But as soon as she thought this, her expression darkened. Speaking of which, at today's Student Council meeting, she had been upstaged by Chabashira-sensei!
The idea had originally been told to her by Shimizu, but before she could speak, Chabashira chirped in and stole the words right out of her mouth. Even Ichinose Honami was more of a scene-stealer than she expected.
All in all, her mood was terrible when she thought of the day's events.
And the thing that stifled her most was another reason—Horikita Suzune was sitting right next to her. Yes, Horikita had also bought a VIP ticket. Whether it was a coincidence of seat allocation or something else, the two of them were paired together again.
'This woman actually bought a VIP seat too?!'
Kushida was inwardly shocked—that cost 20,000 points! If she hadn't borrowed personal points from a senpai, she wouldn't have been able to afford it. But a second later, she felt this might be an opportunity.
There was a question hidden in her heart for a long time that she hadn't found the chance to ask; every time she encountered Horikita before, the other girl gave her no room to speak properly. Now that they were sitting side-by-side watching the match, she could casually ask—the question she had wanted to ask since the first day of school.
She turned her head, looking at the cold-faced Horikita Suzune beside her, her voice kept low. "Horikita-san, did we... meet somewhere before school started?"
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"Ding ding ding—!"
The crisp bell pierced through the clamor of the gymnasium as the referee shouted: "Round One ends!"
On the ring, Shimizu Akira and Yamada Albert retracted their punches and retreated almost simultaneously. The referee gestured for a break, signaling for them to adjust in their corners. The three-minute round was over; there were two more rounds to go.
As Shimizu walked to his corner, President Sato waved to him from below. On the other side, Yamada Albert sat on a stool, talking in low tones with another Vice President from the third year.
President Sato, holding a towel, saw that Shimizu was unscathed and smiled. "It looks like I won't need this towel to wipe any wounds for you."
He handed over a bottle of water and suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, Shimizu, starting from the next round, you can use your full power."
Shimizu took the water and paused.
"Not dragging it out for another round? Before the match, didn't you say to go easy for two rounds?"
"Mmh, no need," Sato waved his hand.
"One round is enough. The remaining two rounds are for both of you to fight freely."
Shimizu unscrewed the bottle and took two sips, his Adam's apple bobbing as his gaze drifted across the audience. In the VIP area, several conspicuous figures caught his eye—many familiar faces. And of course, Ryuen Kakeru, who he had argued with earlier, was looking over with interest.
He retracted his gaze, handed the water back to Sato, and lightly curled his knuckles inside his gloves. "Understood."
The one-minute break passed in an instant. The referee signaled both sides to return to the center of the ring.
"Ready?" The referee glanced at them both and, without waiting for a response, swept his arm down. "Round Two, begin!"
Almost the moment the whistle blew, Yamada Albert moved. Like a stalking leopard, his massive frame exploded with surprising speed, a right hook whistling through the air straight toward Shimizu's face.
The punch was fast and heavy, causing many in the audience to gasp.
In the VIP seats, Ryuen Kakeru watched with interest. He had fought Yamada many times and knew that in a head-on clash, he was no match for him.
He had only managed to subdue Yamada back then because the latter had inexplicably given up resistance.
'Shimizu spent the whole first round just dodging. Can he actually take this punch?'
He stared at the ring. Shimizu had barely counterattacked in the first round, spending the whole time maneuvering and evading.
Just then, Shimizu's body leaned back slightly. At the exact moment he brushed past the fist, his right foot planted into the ground like a nail to stabilize his center of gravity. Ryuen instinctively tried to predict his next move—would it be a swift jab? A heavy rear straight? A tricky hook, or a sudden uppercut?
The thought had barely formed when, almost simultaneously, Shimizu threw his punch. The line of the punch was completely different from all of Ryuen's predictions; it was just the most unadorned, simple straight punch.
But that punch was as fast as a phantom, carrying terrifying power. Yamada Albert didn't even have time to blink or dodge before he was struck solidly in the stomach. Yamada's body shook violently, and then, like a wooden puppet with its strings cut, he collapsed heavily onto the ring.
The referee immediately rushed forward to start the count:
"10!"
Katsuragi Kohei's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
'Can he really KO an opponent with one punch? If he can truly do that, then the candidate Class A needs to recruit for the future is definitively him!'
"9!"
Kamuro Masumi's eyes held a bit of disdain, yet hidden within was a trace of unacknowledged recognition.
'That guy... he goes running every single morning without fail. That night, he even did over five hundred push-ups right in front of me! Hard work never betrays anyone!'
"8!"
Sakayanagi Arisu remained calm, her fingertips resting lightly on her cane, her eyes full of confidence.
'Hehe, it should be over now. After all, this is Shimizu Akira—someone with physical capabilities far beyond ordinary people.'
"7!"
Ichinose Honami quietly gripped her skirt with both hands, her expression a mix of worry and excitement she couldn't hide.
'His weight was so much more than yours... Shimizu-kun, can you really do it?'
"6!"
Shiina Hiyori tightened her palms, her usually calm eyes now wide, staring intently at the figure in the ring.
'Shimizu-kun's physical prowess has actually reached such a level? He's even more impressive than Ryuen Kakeru! And the opponent was... our class's Yamada Albert? He's the tallest among the first years!'
"5!"
Ryuen Kakeru stared deathly at the scene, his breathing slowing down.
'Shimizu Akira not only dodged my scheme by fluke, but he hides such terrifying explosive power in his body? How is this possible! Even I wouldn't be sure of winning against Yamada Albert head-on! Can he... really take down Yamada with one punch?!'
"4!"
Horikita Manabu pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the cold light. He had already reached a conclusion.
'It's over.'
"3!"
Karuizawa Kei instinctively clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, her breathing more rapid than usual.
'The President... must have been right!'
"2!"
Horikita Suzune's gaze remained indifferent, but her focus on the ring was intense.
'The challenger in this match is undoubtedly Yamada Albert. The outcome is decided! Because your opponent is Shimizu Akira!'
"1!"
Kushida Kikyo had long lost her usual gentleness. The excitement in her heart turned into a silent scream echoing in her mind: 'Yamada Albert! Stay down for me! Stay down! Quickly, stay down! Do you think all those meters he runs every day are for nothing? I saw it clearly in the morning! Sometimes just watching the back of him running makes me feel more energetic myself! Victory must belong to Shimizu Akira! It can only be his!'
Yamada struggled to prop himself up but could only curl up in pain, clutching his stomach. Ultimately, he lay motionless on the ring.
"KO!"
"The winner—Shimizu Akira!" The referee's voice was clear and powerful, each word declaring the official result.
The entire arena fell into two seconds of dead silence before exploding into deafening cheers and applause.
"Finished the opponent in one punch?"
"Is this guy a monster?!"
"The other guy was so much heavier than him!"
"He really did it!"
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After the match ended, Shimizu Akira stepped down from the ring. Following the special benefit the boxing club gave to VIP spectators, he circled the edge of the seating area to give high-fives to the audience one by one.
There were many familiar first-year faces: Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei from Class A; Ichinose Honami from Class B; Shiina Hiyori from Class C, as well as Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo. He high-fived them all.
Katsuragi Kohei's eyes were full of admiration, and he even stepped forward to ask for contact information.
A second-year senpai with white hair and purple eyes was particularly eye-catching—she scrutinized his upper body with great interest and an investigative gaze, but Shimizu didn't know who she was.
As he walked out, his phone suddenly vibrated repeatedly. He pulled it out to see notifications popping up one after another. Senders included Sudo Ken and Ichinose Honami. But Sakayanagi Arisu's message was especially prominent:
Sakayanagi Arisu: I am the Miao Miao Cat, you know.
Sakayanagi Arisu: Shimizu-kun, I look forward to your performance on the deserted island!
'Huh?!'
She admitted it directly? Shimizu was stunned. He thought she would hide it longer. What confused him even more was—Deserted island? Did she mean the upcoming outdoor exam?
Before he could process this, a message from Shiina Hiyori popped up:
Shiina Hiyori: Shimizu-kun, you're the one who rented the surveillance cameras, right!
His heart jolted—she found out too? He suddenly remembered that in the VIP seats, Hiyori and Sakayanagi were sitting right next to each other.
Could it be... that the two of them said something to each other?
Shimizu gripped his phone, suddenly feeling that while this boxing match was going on, the other spectators had taken the opportunity to exchange a lot of intelligence.
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By the time Shimizu walked out of the gymnasium, the sky had turned completely dark. Many students were gathered at the entrance, smiling and greeting him. Only then did he realize he had actually become somewhat famous. Dealing with the continuous greetings took a lot of time, and his stomach was growling with hunger.
At this hour, the cafeteria no longer served hot food, so he planned to go to the convenience store to grab something to eat. Just as he turned into a secluded walkway, he suddenly heard muffled "thud thud thud" sounds ahead, like something was being repeatedly kicked.
Shimizu paused and instinctively followed the sound.
Rounding a waist-high shrub, he saw his classmate Kushida Kikyo standing by a railing with her back to him. Her fair ankles were lifted as she unscrupulously kicked the railing with the tips of her shoes, the force so great that the metal bars were visibly vibrating.
"Ah!! This is so frustrating!" Her voice was filled with uncontrollable irritation, a complete departure from her usual gentle and cheerful persona.
"What on earth is that Chabashira woman playing at in the Student Council today!
I was the one who found Ichinose Honami first! I was the one who brought up the topic first! And the result?
And that Ichinose Honami! As soon as she opened her mouth, she stole all the spotlight. What am I?!
Horikita is the same! Just now during the match, I specifically went over to ask if she knew me, and she actually said she didn't remember?!"
Standing behind the shrubs, Shimizu's heart chilled. It turned out this hidden walkway was where Kushida Kikyo came to vent her temper.
'Wait, didn't she used to go to the rooftop?
Oh right, the rooftop door was broken last time and hasn't been fixed yet.'
He suddenly remembered intelligence he had accidentally seen before and understood the reason—because the rooftop was unavailable, Kushida had moved here.
Kushida kicked the metal bar hard again. Amidst the crisp sound of shoe hitting metal, she was still muttering "I'm so annoyed," when her peripheral vision suddenly caught a sleeve fluttering in the shadows of the bushes—a sleeve unique to the school uniform.
Her movements froze. The foot kicking the railing stayed suspended in mid-air. The irritation on her face was instantly washed away by shock. Almost reflexively, she spun around, her voice still carrying residual malice: "Who's there?!"
Shimizu's mind had been full of the information she just blurted out, and he didn't notice his body leaning forward slightly. The dark gray sleeve of his uniform had accidentally peeked out from the shadow of the bushes, exposing him.
He chose not to hide any longer, stepped out from behind the shrubs, and looked at her calmly.
His tone was natural: "Kushida-san, good evening."
"It's you!" Kushida's pupils constricted, and her face darkened instantly. Her previous out-of-control state vanished without a trace, replaced only by defensiveness.
"You saw everything?"
"Mmh, I saw it." Shimizu didn't hedge and nodded honestly.
"Hehe... Shimizu-kun." Kushida suddenly smiled, but that smile was devoid of her usual sweetness, carrying instead a hint of cold malice.
"You're as straightforward as ever. What, were you stalking me? You just won a match; instead of celebrating while you're popular, you come to a place like this to find me."
"Not really." Shimizu's tone didn't change. His gaze swept over her tensed shoulders as he naturally shifted the topic.
"I was just going to the store to buy something to eat and happened to pass by. Are you hungry? Want to come along?"
Kushida froze for a moment, clearly not expecting him to suddenly propose eating together.
'This guy isn't asking at all about my change in attitude?
He's acting like nothing happened, there isn't even a hint of surprise on his face!'
She frowned and took several steps forward, walking straight up to Shimizu. She pointedly stood on her tiptoes to meet his gaze, staring into his pupils—but those eyes were calm and waveless, with no curiosity, no investigation, only a sense of indifference.
"I really should thank you for yesterday's lunch break," Shimizu spoke suddenly.
"I leaned on your lap for over twenty minutes; I slept quite comfortably."
The moment he said it, Kushida instinctively remembered the scene from yesterday noon. Her cheeks flushed a light red uncontrollably. she quickly straightened her face, her tone hardening: "Shimizu Akira! Don't misunderstand, I didn't do it to thank you! It's just that I called you several times and you didn't wake up!"
"Is that so?"
"What else did you think?!"
"Oh."
"You just say 'oh'?!"
Kushida suddenly felt something was wrong—this conversation was too ordinary. It was so ordinary it was as if they were just chatting about the weather, completely lacking the tension and probing that should follow "stumbling upon someone's secret."
It was as if... he already knew she was like this!
She forced herself to calm down and retraced her memories.
Actually, back in the first month after school started, when they came out of the off-campus coffee shop, she had already exposed part of her true nature to him. But even so, she had just lost control: throwing a tantrum like an unruly child, kicking the railing, and cursing
Chabashira-sensei, Ichinose Honami, and Horikita Suzune... all that malice hidden under her "perfect persona" had been seen by him without reservation.
She suppressed the panic in her heart, trying to regain control of the conversation.
She spoke with feigned coldness: "If you dare tell anyone what you heard just now, I won't let you off! Especially the part about me and Horikita being in the same middle school!"
She remembered her slip of the tongue. She had to hold this secret tight and could not let him leak it. As the thought flashed by, she grabbed Shimizu's hands without a word, her fingertips pressing hard as if confirming something.
"I know..." Shimizu raised an eyebrow, his tone knowing. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. With this reaction, could she be planning to "manually manufacture evidence" again?
He clearly remembered last time, Kushida had grabbed his hand and pressed it directly against her chest. Could she be trying the same trick again?
Kushida's gaze rested on Shimizu. She originally wanted to create more physical contact, like making him leave more fingerprints, then using that "evidence" to continue threatening him: "This way, you can never think of betraying me in your life!"
But the words reached her lips, and two images flashed in her mind: yesterday when she asked a question in a pampered tone, Shimizu didn't dismiss her at all and answered everything honestly; and the last time they were on a date, he didn't hesitate to eat the parfait she handed him, finishing it in under ten minutes.
A sudden hesitation surged in her heart.
Shimizu was actually quite good to her. Given her usual shrewdness, she should have immediately used harsher means to secure the secret, but looking at him now, for the first time, she didn't want to do that.
'Whatever! It doesn't matter if this guy knows my true nature!
Anyway, I still have that uniform with his 'fingerprints' on it. There's no need for extra steps.'
She suppressed the strange wavering in her heart and her tone turned forcefully demanding again: "Squat down!"
Shimizu obeyed and lowered his center of gravity. He suddenly felt Kushida step forward—her soft lips unexpectedly pressed against his, carrying a fleeting warmth.
The moment she let go, she immediately took half a step back to maintain a safe distance, a smirk of triumph on her face.
"Shimizu Akira, I don't need to tell you the consequences of betraying me, do I? You haven't forgotten the uniform with your 'fingerprints.' So, everything you saw and heard today—forget it all. Let it rot in your stomach; not a single word is allowed to leak out."
She paused, her tone adding a hint of seduction.
"However—seeing as you've been quite obedient and I don't dislike you that much, occasionally when I'm in a good mood, I can give you some 'benefits.' Like that kiss just now. The better you perform, the things you're secretly thinking about in your head... I can help you realize them. After all, I'm not as conservative as that Horikita girl!"
The moment she said this, Kushida had already calculated it clearly—this was a classic "carrot and stick" strategy.
There was no need to use purely aggressive threats on Shimizu; after all, he had just one-shotted Yamada Albert.
His combat power was not to be underestimated. Plus, after the knee-pillow incident last week, it was obvious he was quick-witted and not a fool to be easily manipulated.
Such a person was worth her "investment" rather than just suppression.
Furthermore, deep down, she didn't really want to keep him around solely through threats. Kushida Kikyo wasn't a woman who was evil to the core. Back in middle school, if her anonymous account hadn't been accidentally exposed, she wouldn't have been forced to self-destruct in front of the whole class.
Shimizu was actually a really good guy—she could see that he probably liked her. In that case, dangling "benefits" in front of him was enough; there was no need for redundant actions that might make him resent her.
As much as possible, she didn't want to be hated by him!
More importantly, the better her relationship with Shimizu, the more she could disgust that woman Horikita Suzune! At the thought of the ugly look Horikita might have on her face, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pleasure.
But speaking of which... that kiss just now was actually her first kiss! Her heart was actually beating incredibly fast; the moment the kiss landed, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Surprisingly, the feeling wasn't bad. Perhaps it was the dopamine secreting in her body, but even the stress she had accumulated for a long time seemed to vanish into thin air.
She immediately found an excuse for herself—this was just another way to relieve stress! Thinking of it this way, whether it was from the perspective of winning over Shimizu, disgusting Horikita, or relieving her own stress, she hadn't lost anything! And Shimizu was probably having his first kiss too, right?
'Horikita Suzune, bet you didn't expect this! Shimizu's first kiss wasn't you, it was me, Kushida Kikyo!'
As for what she just said about "things you're secretly thinking about"—Heh, at most it would only go as far as kissing! She sneered in her heart.
How could she truly commit her whole heart and soul? She was just saying what he wanted to hear to tie him firmly to her side.
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When Shimizu returned to his dorm, before he could process the kiss with Kushida or her "benefits," there was a sudden knock at the door. He opened it and was surprised to see Karuizawa Kei standing there.
"Shimizu-kun... you!" Karuizawa's expression didn't look good. After hesitating for a few seconds, she entered the room and sat on the edge of his bed, her fingers instinctively clutching her skirt.
"Do you... do you remember when I confessed to you last time and you rejected me?" She looked up at him, a hint of nervousness in her eyes.
"I remember." Shimizu was stunned, recalling—in the first month of school, Karuizawa had indeed taken the initiative to confess to him.
"I... what I said back then wasn't sincere!" Karuizawa explained hastily, her tone a bit stuttering.
"It wasn't that I hated having physical contact with you or anything... You... you didn't really end up with some 'psychological trauma about touching girls' because of what I said, did you?"
"Huh?!" Shimizu was completely baffled. When Karuizawa confessed back then, she had indeed said "no casual physical contact after dating," but what did she mean now?
"Did you... talk to Ichinose-san about something?" Shimizu realized and asked.
Karuizawa nodded, her eyes showing even more guilt.
"The moment Ichinose-san said it, I knew it was me!..."
"You don't need to overthink it. I have no problem touching girls." Shimizu explained helplessly—was she joking? He had just kissed Kushida; how could he have such a problem?
"Really?" Karuizawa followed up immediately.
"Naturally." Shimizu nodded.
"I don't believe you!" Karuizawa blurted out.
"You... prove it to me. Give me a hug!"
"Huh?! Karuizawa-san, you..." Shimizu really hadn't expected her to make such a request.
"Don't misunderstand!" Karuizawa waved her hands hurriedly, her cheeks flushing.
"I just want to confirm you really don't have any psychological burden! And... I don't want you to think of me as a girl who 'rejects contact and just wants to take advantage' after dating. I... I can accept normal physical contact too!"
"Just for a second!" She moved forward slightly. "Just a simple hug to confirm you're okay. If you don't want to, then pretend I didn't say it..." Her voice grew smaller and smaller at the end, carrying a bit of a hurt tone as if afraid of being rejected by him again.
Shimizu looked at her. He could understand her concerns—her line about "no casual contact" had indeed been blunt. Now, probably after being persuaded by Ichinose, she was afraid he really misunderstood her as "repelling physical contact" and had become resistant to being with girls.
'How is it another benefit being delivered to my door!'
"Okay," he nodded. "I have no objection."
Hearing him agree, Karuizawa's eyes lit up instantly, and her previous hurt vanished. She stood up, hesitated for a moment, and then gently opened her arms, carefully hugging him. Her movements were light, as if afraid of breaking something fragile. Her arms just rested lightly on Shimizu's back without being too close.
Shimizu could smell the faint scent of shampoo on her and felt her slightly stiff shoulders—clearly, she was nervous too.
After a few seconds, Karuizawa let go and took half a step back. Her cheeks were red, but she looked earnestly into his eyes.
"You really are fine! That's great! When I hugged you just now, you weren't stiff at all!" Her tone carried the joy of "finally being at ease," like she had completed an important mission.
Shimizu looked at her relieved expression.
"Believe me now?"
"I believe you!" Karuizawa nodded vigorously, the guilt in her eyes fading.
"I'm sorry, Shimizu-kun. I shouldn't have said those things back then and made Ichinose-san worry about you, and made you explain so much..."
"It's fine," Shimizu waved his hand. "As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up."
Karuizawa thought about it. Just now her mind had been full of panic over whether Shimizu had "psychological trauma," thinking he actually had an aversion to touching girls. Now, hearing his firm response, she realized in hindsight—her haste to clarify, to the point of proactively suggesting a hug, was far too bold! It was practically... like she was throwing herself at him!
At that thought, she hurriedly pulled open the dorm door and practically fled, leaving behind only a rushed "I'm going now!"
Shimizu watched Karuizawa's retreating back, the fleeting warmth of the hug still on his fingertips. A subtle feeling of wonder arose in his heart—this period after the boxing match was practically a "dream start."
First, Kushida Kikyo with a kiss full of schemes and probing, calling it a "benefit"; now Karuizawa Kei, in order to clear a misunderstanding, proactively offering a hug.
One after another, why were they all so proactive in handing him "benefits"?
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