Chapter 270. [How To Stop Bullying]

The Secret Service finally arrived! Yes, squinting in the blurry vision.

《I-I won’t forgive you if you do anything else terrible to Iroha-chan!》

“…Huh!?”

Something’s wrong, I realized.

Or rather, this voice. It’s not from the female Secret Service agent.

《W-Why are you guys here too!?》

《Wait, aren’t you Shitenno? What about Iroha-chan!?》

It was a female classmate who came to help.

No, no, no, why!? That means they’re getting involved!?

《So, you’re gonna go against us too. How dare you. You’re all gonna pay for this!》

《I-If you think you can, then go ahead and try!》

《Don’t get cocky! What can you all do when gathered together!?》

The threatening words of the delinquent stopped midway.

My vision finally returned, and I noticed.

At some point, I had been hearing footsteps around, almost like the ground was trembling.

I turned toward the direction of the girls’ voices.

《Do you even understand? Who do you mean by ‘you guys’》

There were dozens, maybe hundreds of students lined up there.

They each started speaking to me.

《Iroha-chan! We came to help!》

《We’re all Iroha-chan’s ‘allies’!》

《We’ll protect Iroha-chan!》

This is a gathering place for delinquents. Naturally, their numbers are considerable.

But the number of self-proclaimed “allies” was incomparable.

《Hey. Where did all these people come from!?》

《W-What!? Did something happen?》

《No idea. But definitely, something interesting is happening here!》

Amid such chaos, I held my head.

What is this? What on earth is happening!?

《What’s going on? What on earth is happening!?》

The delinquents were saying the same thing.

I can’t really read his mind, right?

As I thought that, the delinquent sharply looked at me.

Then he screamed as if going insane.

《What the hell are you guys!? What the hell are you all doing!?!?》

No, no, I wanna know too!? And please, don’t say it as if I’m commanding this group!

However, the girls responded to my inner voice.

《We’re all fans of Iroha-chan, the VTuber!》

Hey. Didn’t you say “my fan” now?

Did she realize she was being filmed and quickly corrected herself, or was that just my imagination?

In other words, are all these people lined up here really all my fans who’ve been hiding in the school?

No, no, no, it can’t be. Please tell me it’s not true!

《Next time you mock VTubers or attack our allies, try it! We’ll all beat you down together!》

《You!》

The girls declared war.

However, the delinquents seemed unable to respond.

Do you know how to avoid being bullied?

The method is very simple. It’s being “stronger” than your opponent.

《Iroha-chan, you’re safe now!》

The girls said that, reassuring me.

Strength—there are ‘two types’ of it.

One is simple individual violence.

And the other is the power of ‘numbers’.

《Iroha-sama!》

《Iroha-chan!》

《Iroha!》

Everyone was shouting my name.

The power of numbers is overwhelmingly stronger than violence.

In other words, can you imagine delinquents targeting the captain of a club with 100 members?

No, they wouldn’t.

Because there’s no chance of winning against that many members, even for delinquents.

Acquaintances, friends, allies. Their number directly correlates to strength.

《…Damn, it》

All the delinquents could do was curse like that.

Or that’s why they gather in groups.

Because even they understand unconsciously that “numbers mean strength”. They need allies to protect themselves.

Perhaps the reason why delinquent groups tend to grow large in America is because there are so many dangers.

《Don’t think you can hurt Iroha-chan and get away with it!》

《Don’t let the delinquents escape!》

《If we all fight together, we’re not afraid of these guys!》

The delinquents hesitated in the face of the barrage of insults.

Now, the roles of strong and weak had completely reversed.

《…Hey》

This time, the match was settled.

Thinking that, just as I was about to speak to the delinquents.

Thunk.

Something hit the delinquent’s head.

He staggered.

Blood flowed from his forehead, forming red spots on the ground.

A pebble lay at his feet.

《Ow, that hurt》

Someone’s voice pierced through the momentary silence—.