"It's about how much you can strengthen Master Hikitani and Totsuka-kun in this one week," Ishikawa Hikaru said, spreading his hands. "Because I've decided to team up with Hayato Hayama and Yumiko Miura to challenge the Tennis Club in a week."
Hachiman Hikigaya frowned slightly. "One week? In just one week, how much stronger can we even get? What can we possibly do?"
"Are you saying this Tennis Club issue will take a whole month to resolve?" Ishikawa Hikaru knocked on the table with his knuckle in dissatisfaction. "I still have to return to Chaldea to save humanity. I don't have that much time to waste on something as trivial as tennis."
He paused briefly before adding,
"Anyway, if things go wrong, I'll take responsibility."
Yukino Yukinoshita thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Then we will set the deadline for one week from now."
"Straightforward."
"However," Yukino Yukinoshita continued coldly, "regardless of success or failure, you will be the primary person responsible for this incident. Our Service Club's role is merely to help Totsuka-kun improve his tennis skills, not to disrupt the Tennis Club he belongs to. Therefore, if Hiratsuka-sensei holds you accountable and beats you half to death, you will have brought it upon yourself."
"No problem."
Ishikawa Hikaru immediately showed an extremely confident smile.
"I am the last Master of Chaldea, destined to save humanity in the future. I have already resolved numerous Singularities that threatened the safety of the world and defeated many powerful enemies. A mere Tennis Club problem? Watch me handle it with ease."
Hachiman Hikigaya immediately retorted,
"I think the moment humanity needs you to save it is already enough reason for it to be destroyed."
"How dare you!"
Ishikawa Hikaru glared at Hachiman.
"You dare speak so recklessly to your savior?"
"Eh—um—"
Yui Yuigahama raised her hand, looking a little confused.
"I understand that Teacher Ishikawa plans to challenge the Tennis Club in a week, but… what exactly is a savior who saves humanity? And what does Singularity mean?"
"Ishikawa is just too obsessed with mobile games and is talking nonsense," Hachiman Hikigaya said with a twitch of his mouth. "It's basically the same kind of chuunibyou nonsense Zaimokuza says. And yet back then you clearly wanted to keep your distance from Zaimokuza's ramblings. Why are you suddenly taking Ishikawa's nonsense seriously?"
"W-was I? Was I really that obvious back then…?" Yui Yuigahama awkwardly scratched her head.
"Maybe… ah, it's because the 'setting' is different, right? I mean… the whole 'saving humanity' thing sounds kind of interesting… haha…"
"Hmm…"
Ishikawa Hikaru rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully while observing Yui Yuigahama's strange reaction.
"Your behavior is indeed a bit unusual, Student Yuigahama."
"W-what's strange about it?" Yui Yuigahama's gaze became increasingly evasive. "Isn't this just a normal conversation…?"
"I get it!"
Ishikawa Hikaru suddenly clapped his hands in realization.
"Student Yuigahama must want to join the encrypted conversation between Master Hikitani and me by understanding the shared 'setting' we both know, right? That way you won't feel excluded from the conversation."
"Pff—cough—!"
Yui Yuigahama choked on her breath.
"I see… so that's how it is."
Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly let out a sinister laugh.
"I've already seen your future demise, hehe."
Ishikawa Hikaru tilted his head in confusion.
"Where did that come from, Master Hikitani?"
"How would I know?"
Hachiman Hikigaya replied casually, still wearing that sinister smile.
"But when you're about to drown, I'll definitely give you a push."
---
46. So, Will the Problem Child Become the Next Osamu Dazai?
Ishikawa Hikaru's evaluation of Hachiman Hikigaya's sudden and incomprehensible remarks was simple:
He had absolutely no idea what that guy was talking about.