— Let go of my hand; a familiar female voice could be heard.

  — What, you're not having fun with us? mocked one of the shady individuals surrounding the girl, prompting Theos to approach.

  — You clearly don't understand; he retorted. It was indeed one of his classmates, Zi Yun Esiah, being harassed.

  Why was she here?

  He remembered she usually came by car. Even if she walked, she would never pass through this area.

  — Leave her alone and go away; Theos said calmly, accustomed to this kind of situation.

  — Yo, get lost, man. You looking for trouble? One of them challenged Him.

  Theos found it unsettling to see five people circling around a girl, using such disorganized language, and noticed a spectator in the background.

  We won't resolve this with words, Theos thought. He would be relieved if they did.

  These kinds of people always ignored warnings; aggression had become second nature to them.

  Being in a group amplified their arrogance and boldness, making them beyond reason.

  The most muscular guy seemed overly confident, but Theos remained calm.

  He then noticed a different figure: a boy sitting on an air-conditioning unit, silently watching them.

  That one was probably trained in martial arts. Unlike the others who were getting excited, he was calm and cautious. Theos locked eyes with him.

  The boy reacted, unsure if he was really being watched due to his hair falling in front of his eyes, but Theos knew they had exchanged glances.

  — I'm not going to repeat myself: let her go; Theos demanded as they began to circle him.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  — Or what? the muscular leader challenged. This guy thinks muscles equal strength, thought Theos. It's better to neutralize the strongest; the others will scatter naturally.

  But it was a rough estimate; he was confident he could handle them all at once if necessary.

  Eventually, the one Theos had identified as the gang leader ordered the others to stop, either out of instinct or because he lost interest in what they were doing.

  — Stop, we're leaving.

  — Seriously? You're chickening out? one of the guys grumbled.

  One thing's for sure, he's smarter than you, thought Theos, growing impatient but knowing it was better to remain calm since they were about to leave.

  — Are you deaf? I said we're going; the leader repeated.

  Finally, they withdrew, the muscular guy giving Theos a disdainful look.

  Who does he think he is? thought Theos, knowing there was nothing to gain from starting a fight. Besides, they were already late.

  — You coming? he asked Esiah, who nodded, and they set off again with determined strides.

  Situations like this occurred frequently, which exasperated him. I often envy isekai heroes; he muttered aloud.

  Their arrival always brings about a change in people's mentality, and they're free to use their extraordinary abilities.

  This world is beautiful but flawed. It needs fixing, he continued, reflecting on the imperfections of human nature.

  Whether in a fantasy world or in our own, humans would never achieve perfect agreement.

  Why? Because they evolve in their choices, preferences, and bodies. It's human nature. But no high school student or even adult man could lead such a reform.

  The world can't be saved, or rather, people can't be completely saved; he concluded, likening it to the theory of a rotten tomato in a box of fresh ones. In this case, there were several rotten ones, impossible to identify or remove, maintaining a kind of balance.

  — The problem is, the container can't hold them indefinitely; he mused aloud.

  — Are you okay? Esiah asked Theos, interrupting his thoughts. He had been lost in them.

  — Just thinking; he replied. It didn't mean everyone was bad; people were inherently contradictory. For Theos, good and evil were integral parts of human nature, or rather, the very nature of existence itself.

  — It's incomplete; he concluded.

  Esiah is quite perceptive, thought Theos, smiling at her. She had noticed his changed expression, a rare occurrence for someone to read him so easily. Or perhaps she had simply asked out of courtesy.

  — Don't worry, everything's fine. Let's hurry, we're late! he reassured her, and they continued on their way. She smiled, and Theos couldn't help but notice how beautiful Zi Yun Esiah was with her long, sleek black hair, her jet-black eyes, and her tall frame.

  She has it all, he thought. No wonder she attracts trouble, he mused, suspecting that she might even like him.

  I won't delay this any longer. Today, I'll tell her, he resolved.