Chapter Text
Much like Lied, most of Bablys school was under the impression that Iruma was a spoiled (If not kind) rich kid.
So when the Harvest Festival came up, and it was revealed that all participating classes would have to survive a certain amount of time in a mock up jungle, most were eyeing Iruma as an easy target.
Unfortunately for them, Iruma had spent most of his childhood years wandering the mountainous Japanese wilderness, scavenging anything he could to survive- It had taken a toll on him physically;
His growth was stunted and his bones weak from untreated fractures amongst other issues, but the main point is that
This.
Was.
I ruma’s.
Arena.
Over the years, Iruma had gotten comfortable surviving in the wilderness- So much so that he could typically survive in places that professionally trained wilderness survival enthusiasts wouldn't.
To be honest, most of this was due to his insane luck.
Part of it was due to a certain defensive mechanism his brain created to protect him from the trauma of dealing with the towering trees, cold nights, hungry days, and psychological torture that came with being isolated in the woods.
And the first thing Iruma did when he ran into that jungle?
Iruma slipped away.
Let another take control.
First on the agenda of survival? Food.
Second was water and shelter.
Third was protection, and so on and so forth.
At the very end of that list was community; That is , socialization.
When Lied followed Iruma into that jungle, he was very confused as to why his normally clumsy classmate was suddenly excelling- Gracefully maneuvering through the tangled maze of roots and debris that made up the arena floor.
He was more so confused when Iruma promptly found a place to settle down and cook.
To say he was amused to see that they had collectively eaten both of their given allotment of food was a false statement, though.
However, Iruma seemed to have a plan so he let it go.
Over the course of the tournament, Lied was shocked that the amount of times Iruma had spoken could be counted on one hand.
Even when confronted with an aggressor, Iruma would rather run than talk, it seemed.
There was one thing of note, though.
The amount of consumable sustenance Iruma collected everyday.
The amount was staggering - Daily, a huge pile of food lay in the center of their camp by midday at the very latest.
Nevermind that over half of it was used for eating, the surmised amount was staggering considering this tiny, fragile, seemingly ‘rich and sheltered’ kid gathered it daily.
It wasn't until one fight that Iruma disappeared from Lied's view for Iruma’s attitude to change yet again.
He disappeared the cold, survival-focused power house he had been for weeks now, and came back his usual goofy self.
The flip in personality was jarring for Lied- He had been living with this… Robotic, almost... Lifeless… Iruma for at least a week now, maybe more-
“ Seriously! It was like Iruma wasn't living- He was only going through the motions of surviving!” Lied later revealed to his curious classmates.
Irum a, however, took it in stride.
He had resurfaced during… The incident ... And, quite honestly?
He wasn't keen on remembering his time during the festival.
All he knew is that he became aware again over halfway through the event, and ended up pulling through and winning. (Somehow.)
When asked by his friends how he adapted so well to the wilderness, all Iruma had to say for it was to scratch the back of his neck and stammer:
“W-well, I-I spent a lot of time outside as a kid…”
The event would forever stay immortalized in those witnessing the event's memories, chaperoning teachers unsettled, students haunted by Iruma’s hollow eyes.
A certain student named ‘ Coco ’ was one of the most affected, though.
Whatever he had heard echoing up from deep in the chasm in that cave had deeply affected him on a psychological level.
He could no longer look at Iruma in the same light anymore.
However,
that
story is for another time.