The Strongest Sorcerer, Chapter 58: Sobu High's Popular Boy, Hayama Hayato

"Taiyo Oga, aren’t you going to apologize to Matsutake already?"

Mafuyu Kirisu coldly reprimanded him, her expression as icy as ever.

After being called to the classroom by other students, she had arrived to find that Taiyo Oga and Matsutake had already been separated by their classmates.

However, Matsutake had suffered greatly in the fight—he had been pinned down and beaten relentlessly. His face was bruised and swollen, his nose was broken, and a gash on his forehead was bleeding from being struck with a book.

In contrast, Taiyo Oga only had a bit of dust on his clothes and hadn’t suffered a single scratch.

"Kirisu-sensei, he hit me first," Taiyo said in a hoarse voice, suppressing his barely-contained fury.

"But you went way too far!"

Mafuyu’s tone became sharper, but a moment later, she softened it slightly.

"Apologize to each other, cover the medical expenses, and let’s put this matter to rest. I’ll make sure it doesn’t escalate further."

If this incident reached the school administration, her student could face immediate expulsion. After all, Sobu High strictly prohibited fighting.

But if both parties reconciled, Mafuyu could bury the issue and prevent it from blowing up.

Clench.

Taiyo Oga balled his fists tightly and took a deep breath. Standing up, he adjusted his demeanor to resemble his usual self. He walked over to Matsutake with a stiff smile and bowed.

"I’m sorry, Matsutake. I went too far. Let me help you to the infirmary later, and I’ll cover the medical expenses," he said, stretching out a hand as if to reconcile.

But…

Slap!

Matsutake smacked Taiyo’s outstretched hand away, his face filled with scorn.

"I—don’t—need—it. What, the big baseball star Taiyo Oga wants to help me? Spare me. Where was this attitude earlier?"

"Matsutake!"

Mafuyu called out sharply.

"Ha."

Matsutake scoffed, completely ignoring her, and stood up to leave for the infirmary on his own.

Meanwhile, Taiyo stood frozen, his hand still hovering in mid-air. He felt like a complete clown. Rage surged within him again as he clenched his fists, his expression turning feral.

Kill him, kill him, kill him!

The words repeated over and over in his mind.

"Ahhh!"

Seeing Taiyo suddenly charge at Matsutake again, several of the girls in the class screamed in fear.

But just as Taiyo was about to reach Matsutake, a large hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him by the back of his collar.

In one fluid motion, Gojo Satoru yanked Taiyo backward and flung him into a pile of desks and chairs.

Crash, bang!

The sound of Taiyo’s body colliding with the furniture echoed loudly.

Sitting amidst the chaos, Taiyo stared at his trembling hands in horror.

What… what am I doing?

"Kirisu-sensei, your student isn’t very well-behaved, is he?"

Gojo remarked casually as he wiped his left hand with a handkerchief, his tone tinged with mockery.

"Hah… thank you, Gojo-sensei," Mafuyu said, a drop of cold sweat rolling down her temple. She looked visibly relieved.

If they had started fighting again, given Taiyo’s state and Matsutake’s condition, someone could have ended up in the ICU.

Click-clack, click-clack.

The sharp sound of high heels rapidly approaching echoed through the hallway.

"Mafuyu, what’s going on in your classroom? All this noise is disrupting my class," Hiratsuka Shizuka said as she entered, her expression clearly annoyed.

But when she stepped inside and saw the scene before her, she froze.

Her gaze landed on Gojo Satoru, who stood smiling brightly as he waved at her.

Walking over to stand between Gojo and Mafuyu, Hiratsuka frowned deeply and lowered her voice.

"What happened here?"

"Looks like a fight broke out," Gojo replied nonchalantly.

"A fight?"

Hiratsuka turned to Mafuyu, seeking confirmation.

The latter nodded reluctantly, her expression tinged with bitterness.

"Shizuka-sensei," a voice called from the hallway.

A blonde, handsome boy entered cautiously, addressing his homeroom teacher.

It was Hayama Hayato, Sobu High’s quintessential popular boy and a well-liked figure among both students and teachers.

Trailing behind him were a group of familiar faces: Tobe Sho, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, and Yuigahama Yui.

"I told you all not to come, didn’t I?" Hiratsuka’s tone carried a hint of irritation.

"Shizuka-sensei, it’s just that Hayato was worried, so we all decided to come and check," Miura Yumiko explained before Hayato could speak.

After finishing her explanation, Yumiko’s light green eyes lingered on Gojo Satoru, her curiosity evident.

It wasn’t hard to see why—Gojo’s unparalleled looks and presence drew attention wherever he went. He often jokingly claimed to be the second-most handsome man in the world, with no one daring to claim first.

"Ugh, you guys," Hiratsuka muttered in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose.

She knew her student, Hayato, all too well. His warm and accommodating personality made him a central figure in the school—a metaphorical "air conditioner" spreading his kindness to everyone.

"Shizuka-sensei, is that… Taiyo Oga?" Hayato asked uncertainly, pointing at Taiyo, who was sprawled amidst the overturned desks and chairs.

Hayato was aware of Taiyo’s reputation. As the ace of the baseball team, Taiyo was a fellow standout athlete, much like himself as the star of the soccer team.

Though they weren’t close, Hayato had met Taiyo several times. In his memory, Taiyo was like a protagonist from a sports anime—handsome, upbeat, and radiating positivity. Seeing him in such a state now was deeply puzzling.

Hiratsuka didn’t answer Hayato’s question. Instead, she turned back to Mafuyu and asked, "This seems to have escalated quite a bit. How do you plan to handle it?"

"I don’t know. For now, I’ll take him to the disciplinary office," Mafuyu said with a tired sigh, gesturing toward Taiyo.

Hiratsuka nodded and was about to approach Taiyo to escort him out when…

"Hold on a second, Shizuka," Gojo said suddenly, pressing his hand lightly on Hiratsuka’s shoulder. His voice was casual, but his eyes gleamed with intrigue.

"Don’t go just yet," he added, his tone playful.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as his expression turned slightly more serious.

The demon possessing this boy… it seemed to be waking up.

And its stench… was absolutely foul.

…