The Shaman can't become a Hero[1]
Act 1: Shiramine Academy Class 2-7
Chapter 1: Class 2-7
September 20th, weekday. The huge building of Shiramine Private Academy is swallowing up listless students returning to school after a 3-day break.[2]
It is a time when the morning chime is just about another 10 minutes away. More than half of the students of class 2-7, of which I am a member, are already seated, or standing chatting with classmates, enjoying the morning.
"Buhahahaha! My sides! So, what'd you do then, Kotaro?"
The male student raising this boisterously vulgar laughter is the big-bodied, round-faced Saitou Masaru, a buddy of mine all the way form middle school.
"The hell do you expect? I left it to the other two and went home."
I am scrunching my slightly thick-ish eyebrows and recounting the events from yesterday.
"You what? Such a waste. You got that delicious an event right in front of you, and could'a raised a flag with just a bit more!"[3]
"With Souma-kun and Tendou-kun there, do you seriously expect me to take the stage? In the first place, there's literally no way I can think about events and shit when there's a group of real live punks right in front of me."
I express my truly humble opinion while glaring at my slightly excited friend.
"No well, wasn't there just 4 of ‘em? I could've even easily done something with only those numbers? Truly, such a shame. Should've gone with you yesterday."
He really seems to like those damsel-in-distress situations, Masaru's been going on and on about it for a while now. He's in top condition as always.
Looking at my friend engaged in his delusions with warm eyes, with his height and build like a sumo-wrestler, in a real brawl-out, he'd most likely put up a much better fight than me, I thought.
The short wooden sword, which he insists is solely for self-defence, hidden away in his backpack might finally make its debut. Though I don't think those special techniques inherited from battle manga he claims to have mastered will be at all useful.
"As for me, I'm just glad I didn't get beaten to a pulp. And also, those two seems to have smoothly finished the rescue."
I direct my vision towards the teacher's platform where a mishmash of boys and girls have gathered. Their proper appearance and refreshing chatter resembled a cliché scene from high school dramas.
Souma Yuuto, also among those members, his outstanding face and charm made him seem to be literally shining. He could easily be dubbed the protagonist, or at least, there was no doubt, he was the central figure of the group.
"Damn Souma, saving not only one, but two girls. Looks like you're the hero even on holidays."
"You're overexerting. I just happen to pass by, and Ryuichi was there too, so it somehow just happened."
"But Souma-kun, you could've handled them even by yourself right?"
"Hmm, well, I guess I could've won even without the training sword if it was only that much."
Pointing an ear for a bit, and I hear this kind of dialogue.
Souma-kun's "could've won" has tremendous persuasiveness when he's actually got a track record of saving girls.
By the way, that training sword he mentioned, unlike a certain somebody insisting on carrying one for self-defence, he carries it for the actually legitimate reason of Kendo club use. The bamboo sword bag he always shoulders along with his schoolbag seems to contain a wooden sword used for practice swings.
It's obvious that having a weapon ala wooden sword is better than being bare handed, but combined with his Nationals level skill, Souma-kun can certainly kick ass. To boot, with him and his childhood pal, Tendou Ryuichi, often getting involved in fights, he's got the first hand experience too.
"Gununu…W-well, Souma's on the strong side I guess, a measly 4 delinquents are obviously child's play. Even I know I'm not at his level yet."
"Give it up Masaru, you're not even close to rivaling Souma-kun."
To the Masaru, gallantly nodding to himself while arms crossed as if saying something profound, it's a true friend's job to burst his bubble with a good retort.
"Though, I can't say I don't know the feeling."
Going back to eavesdropping onto the Souma group, now a truly envious situation is in the midst of unfolding.
"I take my eyes off him for one second, and nii-san does it again. Please try to restrain yourself a little."
"Ahaha, you worry too much Sakura. I'm completely fine see?"
The female student calling to him as big brother was, along with himself, one of the top celebrities of Shiramine Academy. Not because of her relation to him as his twin sharing the same Souma surname, but because this Souma Sakura possesses just as much as charm as her brother.
Long glossy black hair, complexion white as snow. The sailor uniform accentuating her slender but curvy, sexy body line, and smooth long legs extending from the dark-blue pleated skirt.
A small head, thin contours, a face as if crafted passionately by the hands of God. Especially the big yet sharp eyes are perfect beyond words. Those jet-black eyes possess an almost deadly charm.
Her superior appearance was not all. With a sharp mind, and excellent athletic ability, she truly possessed the best of both worlds. A member of the Archery club, like her brother, she was a regular at the National level.
Leaving aside appearance and ability, her courteous behaviour with colleagues, and respectful mannerisms with superiors – she displayed picturesque upstanding morals.
She would more appropriately be called the school Idol. No man would not desire such an idealised Yamato-Nadeshiko-esque girl.[4]
However, there existed no frivolous rumours of her since enrollment, as she's always stuck to her brother like glue.
"And there you go again nii-san, you always –"
My eyes now reflected her drawing closer to her brother which would certainly not be an appropriate, far too close, distance of interaction between boys and girls of our age. Even I could see the objectionability of their closeness in both the physical and mental sense. Personal Space, I wonder if that's a thing.
"Haa…"
I look away from the charming brother-sister duo who don't look anything other than a lovey-dovey couple, but the conversation nonetheless flows right back into my ears.
"– At least think of how I feel constantly having to worry."
"Yeah my bad, I'll take better care from next time."
And on this side, Masaru's usual foul expression seems to have worsened, his teeth-grinding, auditory display of jealousy in full view.
Nope, He's hopeless. Falling for that Souma Sakura is simply bad math. To my friend whose loss has been decided even before the game, I have no words.
For Masaru, it was love at first sight from the day of enrollment. But personally, I just couldn't laugh at this development. For the people in the same predicament as him are too numerous. In consequent, the male students chasing after her, caused the phenomenon of a great influx of membership into the Archery club this year and last, him also becoming one such member. I simply couldn't laugh at him, this Saito Masaru.
Well, he's just a ghost member now though.
Just quitting would be simple, but that not having happened perhaps demonstrates the complexity of the human heart.
While thinking these philosophical and useless things, I follow Masaru's line of sight to find the appearance of the little sister, Sakura, looking down with a flushed face while having her brother caress her head and saying "Sorry, my bad".
Nah, I should just tell him its better to give up.
While the handsome brother-sister couple are off in their own cherry-colored world, I get myself ready to dish out a harsh reality.
The woman known as Souma Sakura is dangerous. She would certainly drive to madness, many hordes of men. I don't care what the fellows of the Souma Sakura underground fan club does, but I won't regret saving this friend of mine from falling to the Dark Side.
"Ah!! Sakura-chan no fair, Yuu-kun, pat my head too –"
And there appears the ternary force, barging right into the middle of the isolated world of brother and sister.
A small, even compared to my own 150cm height, and who would be seen as nothing but a middle schooler, or maybe even a grade schooler if you're not careful, girl raised a high pitched voice and forcibly tackled into Souma Yuuto.
Well, though I expected some violent intervention as this point in time, even I can't help up cast a cold look at the scene before me.
"Eh, well I guess I'll have to, for you Reina."
"Ehehe – do it s'more,"
"Nii-san, please don't spoil her so much."
Completely ignoring Sakura's nagging, the girl who was enjoying a helping of Souma Yuuto head-patting as if she was a pet dog was Reina Adelhide Ayase, the 2nd childhood friend.
She's maybe half or perhaps a quarter, well anyway, as can be guessed from the surname, she's an inheritor of western blood, and, dissimilar to Souma Sakura, gives off yet a different kind of beauty resembling a French doll.
Her hair, a natural blonde hue fashioned into twintails, and her eyes the color of a beautiful clear sky, certainly not to be mistaken for color contacts.
"kuWA – Souma you're so dead, I wanna stroke Reina-tan too –"
"Masaru, just give up."
This guy even has a thing for lolis. So you don't care as long as they're hot huh.
But still, I can't call Masaru a pervert for being fond of Reina A. Ayase. Same as before, this is because many hordes of men have also fallen victim to this girl's charm.
Certainly, seeing this kind of energetic yet naïve character, I, who am not a lolicon, too can understand that the protective instincts of a man are roused by this small, thin girl.
Though I say that, I'm still not rooting for Masaru even a bit. At the very least, I want him to show some sincerity and pick one of the two he really wants to go for.
And leaving aside my friend who is currently burning in jealousy, there is Souma Yuuto who has Sakura and Reina, a flower in both arms – or rather to him, they must be the annoying sister and the spoiled childhood friend putting him in a difficult situation yet again. But reality is that he's super close to two first rate hotties, and is even surrounded by kind friends he can rely on, having just a swell time. Is that really the correct way to spend youth?
I have not fallen for Souma Sakura, nor have I feelings for Reina A. Ayase, but seeing Souma Yuuto's, this kind of lifestyle makes me feel an absolute inferiority even if I don't want to.
No let's stop, it's a stupid way to think. He's him, and I'm me.
He's but a special exception. Because I see this rosy life in front of me everyday in class, I tend to forget just how much of an exception he is. Grade school, and middle school never had an existence to cause this kind of overwhelming inferiority.
I have a friend in class too. And we too spend everyday having fun with stupid conversations. I also enjoy writing my edgy light novels while desperately trying to make the literature club magazine deadline. After confirming that my own school life is more than satisfactory, the petty and meaningless inferiority complex quickly disappears.
I do think I want to get along better with girls, but thinking of how that's a problem faced by the mass majority of Japanese male students makes it much less painful.
"Mm, the chime should ring any moment now."
Casually looking at the wall clock in the classroom, the needle is only a minute away from the first chime.
The homeroom teacher may appear just before the chime rings, so as I stand up to return to my own seat, it happens. The classroom door opens with a sharp rattle and two people come rolling in.
"Do – n't pull so hard, Ryoko! C'mon it's fine being a li'l late right?"
"Shut up, Ryuichi, just get to your seat."
With such an exchange, our class 2-7 class rep. Kisaragi Ryoko, grabbing Tendou Ryuichi by the hand, bursts in and crosses the front of the classroom with her shoulder length hair in a flutter.
Kisaragi-san, a tall and slender, with cool eyes in depthless spectacles, a sharp-looking beauty, standing beside the large and handsome Tendou-kun, doesn't look out of place at all. No, it can be said that she's the only one who has a rightful place beside him.
"Sup Ryuichi, got caught by the rep. again?"
"Yea, just my luck. My morning joint was ruined all thanks to that."
To Souma-kun's refreshing greeting, Tendou-kun returns a truly dissatisfied reply.
"Joint? What, you have cigarettes on you? Take them out now, Ryuichi."
"H-hey wait, the price got higher just the other day, so don't take the one I haven't even open –"
"Yup, no more of that."
The hundred yen yet unopened box of cigarettes were nimbly pulled out from the front pocket of his uniform by Kisaragi-san.
Having his relief goods seized without mercy, Tendou-kun complains without giving in, but Kisaragi-san's stoic face and cold eyes pay no consideration to his desperate claims.
Fuck, not my lucky day, as the boy complains, his long time best friend Souma-kun gives him words of consolation. Yup, with that refreshing smile,
"Not like you want to, but good job keeping this up every morning, you too class rep."
He said in a somewhat given up tone, a statement even I can wholeheartedly agree with.
Barely making the first chime, this super serious class rep. dragging in our greatest delinquent to class is a daily scene for the class of 2-7. Kisaragi-san somehow finds this Tendou-kun from anywhere he may intend to go ditching class, and forcefully makes sure he's there during role call.
She herself insists it's her job as class rep. to do this, but no matter how you look at it, this is clearly outside her job description. As a result, the fact that she's doing this because she ‘wants to' is only unknown to herself, and has been made an undeniable truth in the class of 2-7.
That aside, with the meddlesome class rep. bringing in the blonde haired delinquent with her before the first chime, all of Shiramine Academy, class 2-7, have gathered in the classroom.
I look at the clock a 2nd time and, the minute hand is just about to make its tiny mechanical sound and denote the instant of when the chime would sound. Holidays aside, it is a sound I hear everyday, the ding-dong-dang-dong melody that any student would be very familiar with but–
GI, GIGIGI, GI – IIIIIII!!
That unpleasant metallic sound rang throughout the classroom.
"Ua!!?"
Plugging the ears is something not only me, but everyone in the classroom did almost reflexively. There's also the cute ‘Kya – 's coming from girls scattered about.
There's the usual ting sound of the of the intercom speakers – no this sound is much more painful! Kuu, I got a bad feeling…
This shrill noise echoing in from all 360 degrees around this classroom felt absolutely nauseating. In my brief 17 years of life, I've never experienced such a terrible stomach churning sound.
Well, with not yet getting sick enough to actually throw up, the sound stopped.
What in the world was that sound, these kinds of mutterings from practically everyone's mouths filled the classroom.
At that time, something happened yet again – suddenly, as if a candle being blown out, all light from the classroom disappeared.
"Eh, blackout!?"
The situation worsens, as we lost all sources of light, enough to submerge my chubby friend in front of me into complete darkness.
Though it was I myself who claimed it was a blackout, looking at the current situation, that theory is instantly denied.
For right now, it is morning. The time is 8:45 am. Today's forecast, continuing from yesterday, another clear autumn sky. Though the windows weren't open like in the summer, the uncurtained windows let the gentle sunlight splash into the big classroom. At least, until 2 seconds ago.
Wait, why, why is it dark even outside?
The inside of the classroom became rowdier. Not only screaming from girls but some boys' ones were mixed in there too. Or rather, their angry voices were.
I'd said nothing more after my previous statement. But I recognised the bizarreness of the situation as well, and had broken out in a cold sweat.
"O-oi Kotaro, what's up with this, why's'it gone dark all a sudden? This some kinda prank show?"
Masaru's voice had a clearly anxious tremble, but I wasn't in a state to make fun of him for that. I'm shaken up just as well.
"D-donno man… but it doesn't seem like one at least?"
A blackout is more than probable, realistically speaking. However, I can't really imagine a method of instantly blocking all the windows and blanketing the whole classroom in complete darkness. It is a strangeness I can't even hypothesize about.
Of course, uncertain about what this abnormality is, there's no finding the cause or the resolution for it. And from the uproar all around, I don't think anyone in class has any idea either.
As the class was falling deeper into panic, this time, the lights turned back on.
The fluorescent lights on the ceiling lit up, filling the place with their artificial white light, like it was a matter of course.
"Ah, its back."
I ended up speaking out.
Well, that was probably the general feeling of everyone here, and for now, the brighter classroom dispelled the fear of darkness, and ameliorated the situation.
But, it was not like everything went back to normal.
"Oi, look out the window!"
I don't know who said this, but even without the alert, the abnormality was easy to discover.
"It's pitch black."
Yeah, Masaru replies. Just like everyone else, the two of us sitting on the hallway side of the room stared dumbfounded at the other side of the window shrouded in absolute darkness.
"The hell, I can't see shit."
"Should I open it?"
"Stop dumbass, that's just screams bad idea"
A group of guys on the window side of the room were having this dialogue. Not opening the windows was probably the consensus among the whole class.
As if painted with a coat of black, the windows reflected nothing at all.
Though it was difficult to understand, the class that began to recognize this obvious bizarreness, once again plunged into a state of anxiety filled mutterings.
As the room began filling up with miscellaneous voices – within all the bustle, what's this sound… This is, from the intercom speakers where the chime usually goes off, comes a sound like that of a sandstorm!
Once I noticed it, I could clearly hear this grizzly sound. No, it was definitely getting louder.
"Guys, quiet down a bit. Something's coming from the intercom."
The one who silenced the class with that one statement was not me, but Souma Yuuto. He seems to have heard the noise form the speaker same as me.
Well, unlike me with my chubster friend here, he's in the blessed position of having beautiful sister snuggled to his right shoulder, and a cute childhood friend nestled on his left arm.
Anyway, with his help, my classmates all noticed the noise, and hoping for some rescue info, began to listen attentively at the speaker.
In the silenced classroom, the sandstorm like noise somehow started to resemble human speech.
"Ca… he...r me"
I have no idea what they're saying, but that was unmistakeably a voice. Like a radio being tuned, the voice slowly but surely became clear.
"Can you hear me?"
Is that a male teacher? Slowly, a gentle voice sounded clearly from the speaker.
Even if you ask if we can hear you, obviously no one's gonna answer. Everyone kept their silence and paid attention to the man's voice.
"Good, seems like my voice is connecting fine."
It's almost like he knows everything that's going on here. Though I'm not unable to read the mood and won't voice out that opinion.
"First, please calm down and listen. You are all, right now, about to fall into grave danger. That too, not something realistic like an earthquake or typhoon."
A slight anxiety runs throughout the classroom.
Even though I denied this being some part of a prank show, having the irregularity of the situation properly declared, fills me in great anxiety and tension. Never mind the goosebumps and endless trembling.
"You are all currently en route to a completely different place, another world in fact, from the place called Japan on Earth."
"Wha-?"
I reflexively let out that sound. Though it was still much better than the slowly bubbling panic in the classroom.
"To you who have been living in a world without magic, my words may seem sudden and doubtful. But right now, we don't have the time. Before you're stranded on this dangerous place, I hope you can follow my instructions."
Um, hey, the story's getting a bit weird here…
My pulse is rising like and alarm bell, and my body, trembling from a full power sense of danger.
Another world? Magic? Dangerous place? All of these were jargon completely alien to normal life. If I had to guess, it could be some mysterious recreation forced upon us by the school. But even emergency drills would have a more believable story.
Though, looking out the window into the piercing darkness, we must admit, even reluctantly, that we are, right now, in fact not in a daily life situation, but one so irregular that literally anything could happen.
No one could just laugh off this bizarre explanation.
"You probably possess paper and pens. First, please look at the markings, Magic Formations and Incantations, drawn here and copy them down."
At those words, everyone here had a question mark above their heads. This man has been speaking from the other side of the intercom, apparently from another world with magic, and who knows if he's using a mic, but still he has no means to get any visual information.
But that one doubt was certainly answered. As right then, the 41 students of this class 2-7, including me, paid witness to the existence of magic.
"U-ua, it's drawing on its own…"
Everyone's eyes were now focused on, perhaps the thing that occupies the vast majority of a student's visual focus, the blackboard.
There, on that characteristic dark-green surface of the blackboard, a white line was dancing by itself.
Not like anyone's using a chalk. First of all, along with the line being drawn, the faint light being given off, not from a cathode-ray tube or liquid crystal screen, but an everyday blackboard was truly very magical.
As everyone was speechlessly staring at the blackboard, within a minute the magic inscription is completed.
"Now then, do copy down this Magic Formation and Incantation. With this, you can get our support wherever you are. I will explain the usage in three minutes' time, but for now, concentrate on this task."
With that, the voice from the speaker came to a pause.
"Guys, for now, let's sit down and get these down in our notebooks."
As we were debating on what to do, the calm voice of Souma Yuuto is heard.
Right now, having to face such a mysterious phenomenon, that voice seemed highly trustworthy. It's probably better to quietly follow his instructions and not have any weird suspicions.
Without any particular reluctance, the students quickly reaching their seats, taking out their notebook from their bags, and writing down what's on the board, was a fine show of honed Japanese student behaviour. Of course, I'm also included in that description.
And then, just like in a time-constrained test, the classroom is dominated by silence.
From my seat at the very back of the hallway side, I carefully regarded the magic-drawn characters on the blackboard, while swiftly running a pen on my slim notebook.
The shapes weren't all that complicated so there's no chance to get them wrong, and the incantation was also conveniently written in Japanese.
At the center of the board was drawn a simple magic circle similar to a coin. The middle of it had a cross-like shape, and around it and running along the inner and outer circumferences of the circle were alphabet-like letters. Of course, I've never seen any magic circle like this.
Meanwhile, the incantation written in Japanese reads:
"Oh Gods above, grant us salvation with the force of thy miracles. For we shall adhere to thine decree."
So it was this obviously pandering to the gods for help kind of statement. Very neat handwriting though.
By the way, there were no meanings attached to any of the words, but students who couldn't understand words at this level would probably not be found at a famous university prep school like Shiramine Academy.
And as I finished copying down the formation and incantation, I stuffed my campus notebook back into my bag.
The unknown man's voice wasn't here yet. There's likely around another minute of time left, so as I attempt to make sure from the wall clock, the hands are stuck at 8:45. Well, I don't really feel like getting my phone out to check. I'll just be patient.
And, with this free time at hand, naturally I look around the classroom to see what's going on. Looks like almost everyone's pretty much done.
Many have finished up with their note-taking and are whispering with their surroundings or taking a pic of the blackboard with their phones.
Speaking of phones, of course many tried to contacting the outside, but all forms of signals happen to be out of range, is something I deduced form the chattering. I also attempted to use my phone, and as expected, it was to no avail. By the way, mine happens to be a flip phone. I'm pretty much broke.
Well, even though its another world, it'll probably prove useful at some point.
Suppressing the ever-increasing uneasiness in my heart, I stuff the phone into the depths of my bag. Since no one's gonna be calling anyway, I turn the power off too.
At that moment, something small and white rolled in towards my feet. Its momentum coming to a rest from hitting my indoor shoes, wearing a black, white and blue stripped sleeve, a product from the same brand I happen to use as well, it was an eraser.
Probably belongs to the next seat over. Without thinking too hard, I almost reflexively picked up the eraser.
"Futaba-san, yours?"
"Y-y-yeah, thankyou Momokawa-kun."
The one receiving back her misplaced item in the most nervous way was the female student seated on the desk next to mine, Futaba Meiko.
She was one who could stand proud as one of those, like Souma Yuuto, Souma Sakura, or Reina A. Ayase, who happen ‘stand out' in this class of 2-7. This is not attributed to her beauty however. It's more of a, like, mass related thing.
Futaba Meiko was a big girl. Both horizontally and vertically.
Right now, she was taking the eraser from me, yet she was already a head taller than me. If we take my height of 150cm then she looks almost breaking past 180cm.
On top of that, she boasted a girth comparable to that of Saitou Masaru. If standing side-by-side with the tiny old me, one could think there was something wrong with the scaling factor of reality.
Fluffy, semi-long hair, a round face matching the body, and gentle down-turned eyes which somehow made you think of a cow. The face, I thought was fairly pretty.
But more importantly, those rich breasts gave her an strong image of a milking cow. Right now, her chest which seemed want to burst out from the sailor uniform in front of me, really accentuated their enormity. They're like the size of my head – I'm honestly made a bit excited. Men are weak to boobs. Especially if its me, the type who likes em big and loves em even bigger.
Shaking off those impure thoughts, I go ahead and turn away from my glance. Yes, I do have at least that much modesty. This girl by the name of Futaba Meiko and myself have no relation other than that of having our seats next to each other. Now that I think of it, this returning of her eraser was likely our first words to each other.
While I don't think much of anything of her other than her chest, at some point in time, I hear some girls from class started calling her with a horrible nickname like ‘Butaba', which not only reminds me how frightening women can be, but also instigates a slight pity for her.[5]
Anyway, perhaps because of that tiny bit of pity, as I see Futaba-san's notebook on top of her desk, with a crooked magic circle having already been drawn and erased several times, without much thought, I spoke up.
"Um, the formation, not done drawing?"
"Eh, Ah… Yeah."
Her round but somehow lovable face is distorted in a frown, actually, her eyes are also moist with tears.
Even without asking, that her mental state was confused and afraid due to our current happenstances was obvious. She may be double my size, but that doesn't change the fact that her mind was that of a simple teenage girl.
She may just be a klutz, but I could easily see she was shaken enough to not be able to draw the magic circle on the board.
"Here."
I take the notebook back out from my bag and, tearing off the page with the formation and the incantation, I hand it to Futaba-san.
"Eh, umm, this is"
"We don't know what could happen, it's better to have this."
Her round eyes opened wide with a start, and looked dumbfounded. But, there's no time for chit-chat. Right after leaving the torn off page on Futaba-san's desk, I recreated my own copy of the contents of the board.
"T-thankyou, Momokawa-kun!"
Still seated, I receive Futaba-san's thanks to which I reply with a curt ‘Mhm' while running my pen. Getting a sincere thankyou from, a girl doesn't feel bad at all, or rather, it makes me a bit shy.
Her voice, surprisingly sweet in contrast to her figure, and that thick physique, with those extraordinarily large breasts that give an alluring jiggle as she lowers her head, also happens to contribute to my shyness.
"Now then, That's 3 minutes. If you haven't finished writing, please continue until you're done. However, please try and not miss the following explanation."
And with the continuation of the broadcast, I barely managed to finish up. Damn, that was close.
"It is simple to use this magic formation. You just have to put your hand over the drawing and speak the incantation. If you try it out now, the magic won't activate. When you've completely arrived to this world, it will become possible."
Some early birds were already trying out the described method of usage, but after hearing that condition, slightly embarrassed, they closed their notebooks.
"Using this magic would allow you to, with the help of the God whose name is inscribed on the formation, receive packets of information from our side. I believe you can understand better if I say texting?"
Not a phone call but text messaging, which would mean that they wouldn't send instructions through sound. Though it's magic, it probably comes with its own set of inconveniences.
"Basically, if you proceed according to the instructions, you should make it out fine. But, before you reach a place under our protection, there will likely be many dangers lying in wait. The principal of which would be entities known as ‘Monsters'. But please rest assured, you would already have become residents of this other world. Implying, you would be able to wield powers impossible in your previous life. You would even be able to harness magic. Using those powers, you will surely beat the monsters, and escape from danger."
The man's hot-blooded words tempted many of the boys into saying "Oh, sounds fun, it's like an RPG" in a carefree way.
Yeah no, that's pretty much impossible mode, like, if you can't muster enough power, isn't it a permadeath?
According to the man, these monsters which are a known danger to humans will surely be encountered by us. In the first place, we have to play survival on some strange unknown land. To top it off, if there're these monsters that actively prey on humans…this is too much.
This isn't some damn game. We're heading into another world, not some yet to be invented Virtual Reality adventure.
Attacking isn't a simple task of pushing a button and having the command sent and action automatically performed. We have to move using out own wills, our own bodies.
You can tell me about all the powers you want, but there's no guarantee I can bring out 100% of their potential. And there's even the high possibility that, faced with these fearsome monsters, we'd be completely unable to move out of fear. Especially for a weakling like me, it's a death sentence.
Even in the real world, a fight where I actually hit someone, my experience of those from the lower years of grade school were the last. Just yesterday I almost pissed myself in front of that group of 4. Actually, forget monsters, I have the confidence to lose even against a stray cat, if it went all out.
But unfortunately, this thing called a fight may just be impossible to avoid from here on out.
Yeah, I'm pretty much dead…
My face right now is definitely so pale, there probably isn't a more pathetic one possible. No really, I'd cry if I wasn't in public.
But, it seems I have some kindred spirits. Girls who are weak-willed are already producing sniffling sounds. Among them, was the large bodied Futaba Meiko sitting next to myself.
"Now then, we're almost out of time. It is dangerous to stay inside this room. Get your things and get ready to head out."
The man's words forcibly move the plot along.
At this point, I can't just keep being pessimistic. With a small burst of courage, I stop my trembling body and, for now, start working. Picking up my commuting bag after shoving the magic circle notebook inside, I realize.
We're gonna be in this survival situation so textbooks are pretty much useless.
Paper could be useful for starting a fire, but that's no reason to walk around with something this heavy. It's obviously better to have a light load when escaping from monsters.
In contrast, as we know that magic formations and incantations exist, there is value in having notebooks to gather information in. Let's see, not too heavy, so I'll… OK, I'll leave only 2 in the bag.
As I look around the classroom, everyone's also getting ready for ‘heading out' as the man said.
I'm of the literature club, so whether it's Souma Yuuto's wooden sword, his sisters bow, or a bat belonging to a baseball club member, I don't possess any such club related equipment.
Shit, the guys from the activity oriented clubs sure are in luck. I curse at them internally.
It's much more reassuring to be armed rather than not, and a bow can even give the possibility of ranged combat from a safe distance. On top of that, having been practicing with them every day, those people are actually competent in their usage. Compared to some newbie, this is a serious advantage.
That being said, it doesn't mean its ok to swipe that sword bag from Souma-kun. There's probably some others who've also realized the same thing.
Unlike the plain old delinquent Tendou Ryuichi, the other more heinous class punk, Higuchi Kyouya, has been leering at the Souma siblings with an openly bitter expression. Well, not like he'd actually try to attack someone like Souma-kun.
Higuchi Kyouya is tall and has a pretty good build, but just physical strength won't be enough to topple Souma-kun.
Well leaving aside the punk, right now the safe bet would be to get protected by Souma-kun or Tendou-kun. To that end, it's unfavorable to cause any chaos with those two.[6]
With that thought, I went to the back of the room where the shelves are, to retrieve the bag with my jersey. Since this is a survival, having another set of clothes is a priority.
My commuting bag, now free form the greatest deadweights known as textbooks and printouts, has more than enough space. I shove in the jersey with its bag whole.
Maybe they're following my lead, but some others are also getting their jerseys. Well, the jersey aside, do they really need that half-sleeves shirt and shorts soccer uniform?
"Soon, we will open the door leading outside. On my signal, leap out of this room."
As the class was still getting ready, along with the man's broadcasted voice, both doors of the classroom flew open with a rattle. Naturally, it was like an automatic movement which didn't require anyone's input.
Beyond the sliding doors, wasn't the familiar school hallways, but similar to the windows, a piercing darkness with no end in sight. Me being at the very back of the hallway side desks meant that I was the closest to the rear door and consequently, at the best position to peer into that darkness.
Uwa… Is it ok to jump from here? At least give us some kind of light producing magic.
Aside from wanting some convenient magic, everyone seems to have the common feeling of deep anxiety from this ominous darkness.
Looking dumbly at the door, no one had the courage or guts to take the initiative, and make a leap of faith.
"Hey, uh, this really the only way to do this?"
Perhaps worried about me at the very back and so close to the door, Masaru spoke up.
Right now, Masaru in the going-home club has, just like me, only his bag with the jersey, but he also has his self protection short-sword in there. Wait, will his dual-sword arts style techniques finally show their might… forgetting such jokes, right now I look again at the ominous exit before me.
"Yeah, really can't see anything. Don't really feel like jumping in either."
And just as I state my humble opinion.
"Now, quickly line up neatly in front of the door. The collapse should begin any moment now, but do not panic, wait for the signal."
Came the man's anxiety inducing explanation.
C-collapse, say what now… in the middle of that thought, screams from girls as well as boys rise from the window side.
"Kyaaa! It's breaking, something's breaking!?"
"Jeesus! This is seriously bad!"
Collapse, just as the word says. I see the windows, walls, and even the floor covered in black cracks, being swallowed up by the darkness outside. Seeing a wall with a window crumbling, the white curtains then fluttering, disappearing into the abyss gave me a truly strange impression.
The danger finally having made its appearance, the anxious and high tension classroom derailed into a raging panic all at once.
Especially, the window side students who begin fleeing towards us at the hallway side.
"Fuck, move it fatass!!"
I hear this remarkably loud roar.
Seated close to the window side, Higuchi Kyouya made a rush towards here with the likeness of a demon, and to the one standing in his way, no rather, the one just stiffened up in this moment of crisis – anywho, there was Futaba Meiko and her large self standing there.
As if looking at trash, Higuchi shoved Futaba-san away with full force like some inanimate obstacle.
"Kyaa!!"
With a high-pitched cry, her body is driven back in long strides.
Her seat was right next to mine. As in, she's right in front of me. As in, if she were to go backwards…
"Eh."
With Futaba-san's back closing in, I remember the time in grade school when we saw the horrific scene of a 10 tonne truck slamming into a plastic dummy in a traffic safety class.
My head occupied by that image, I simply could not react to this sudden development.
I just saw this huge butt projecting out towards me in something like slow-motion.
"Fugyaa!!"
Raising a cry like a cat that had its tail stepped on, I am blown away all too quickly by Futaba-san's large behind.
"Ah, Kotaro!?"
The surprised voice of my friend seemed awfully far. And that, was the last thing I'd heard from that classroom.
I see the light escaping from the classroom door moving away at fearsome speeds. Soon enough, that box of light became a dot, and then dissolved into complete darkness.
I see nothing, I hear nothing. I feel nothing. In the deafening silence, finally, I even lost my consciousness.
[1]Some preferences. I will use honorifics rather than localize them. Also, for some terms like nii-san, aniki, etc. I will leave them as is and provide a ruby text meaning the first time. Names are written surname first in the raw and I'll go with that as well. As you may have noticed, whenever I do localize something, I try to put the romaji on top. Onomatopoeia/sound words, are mostly left as is, sometimes I provide a meaning on top. Finally, these preferences are not final. Let me know if you know a better way.
[2]The schools name is either Shiramine or Hakurei. Not quite sure which reading.
[3]Event, flag: galge/eroge terms.
[5]Buta = pig, so buta + Futaba = Butaba.
[6]DQN, pronounced dokyun, it means someone really foolish. Though, I've seen it used for delinquents and gangsters.