Chapter 5: The God of Time Stop
Sitting in the back corner, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji watched with mild interest.
He saw the "Creep" from the bus—Kirito—trembling in the aisle for a full minute. Then, suddenly, Kirito's body went rigid. His eyes burned with a desperate, tragic resolve.
What is he planning to do? Ayanokouji wondered.
Kirito turned around and marched straight toward the podium. His movements were stiff, like a robot marching to war.
The students who were chatting quieted down, noticing the strange boy approaching the front.
"It's... it's him!"
Kikyo Kushida's eyes widened in shock. She recognized him immediately as the boy who had princess-carried the grandma.
Is he going to do another good deed? she wondered.
Kirito reached the podium. He took a deep, shuddering breath.
Then, under the confused gazes of thirty students, he slammed his hands onto the teacher's desk and kicked his legs up.
Thump!
He was doing a handstand on the teacher's podium.
The classroom went dead silent. Even Hirata froze with a smile stuck on his face.
Blood rushed to Kirito's head. His veins bulged. His face turned tomato red—not just from gravity, but from the crushing weight of shame.
He opened his mouth and roared:
"I... CAME FROM THE GALAXY OF DARKNESS!"
The class stared at him, wide-eyed.
"I AM ONE OF THE STRONGEST ANCIENT GODS! THE GOD OF TIME STOP, HIROSHI KIRITO!"
His arms began to shake violently. Maintaining a handstand was hard enough; maintaining it while shouting anime lines was impossible for someone with Physical Ability: D.
He held it.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
"MY DIVINE POWER IS UNSEALED! TIME... STOP!!!"
CRASH!
His arms gave out. Kirito collapsed from the podium and landed in a heap on the floor.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
He lay there, panting heavily, his limbs trembling from the exertion.
The silence in the room was absolute. It was heavy. It was suffocating.
Kirito slowly lifted his head.
Thirty pairs of eyes were staring at him. Some looked terrified. Some looked confused. Some looked like they were looking at a rare, sickly animal.
They think I'm crazy, Kirito realized. They definitely think I'm insane.
[Ding! Mission Complete.]
[Reward: Horikita Suzune's sarcasm towards you +1 (Passive Skill).]
[Status Update: Social Reputation in Class D has dropped to 'Weirdo'.]
Kirito couldn't take it anymore. He scrambled to his feet, buried his face in his hands, and sprinted out of the classroom without looking back.
I want to transfer schools!
Back in the classroom, the silence lingered for another ten seconds after Kirito fled.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji stared at the empty doorway.
He slowly stood up from his seat.
He felt a strange sense of pressure. After that performance, any normal introduction would seem boring. But he had to introduce himself.
He looked at his classmates, who were still recovering from the "Time Stop" incident.
"Um," Ayanokouji said in his monotonous, flat voice.
"My name is Kiyotaka Ayanokouji. I don't have any particular hobbies. I am good at... nothing in particular. Please take care of me."
He sat down.
The class clapped politely, but awkwardly.
Ayanokouji sighed internally.
Great. Because of that guy, I look even more boring by comparison.
After standing outside on the walkway and enjoying the cool breeze for a while, the burning heat of shame on Hiroshi Kirito's face finally began to cool.
"Well... after that self-introduction, I guess everyone in the class will recognize me now."
Kirito leaned against the railing and sighed softly, his soul feeling heavy.
I just wanted to be a nobody!
This damn system loves to cause trouble, and the worst part is there is nothing I can do about it.
"Sigh..."
Just as Kirito let out another long, depressive sigh, a beautiful figure approached him from behind.
"Your self-introduction was... unique."
Hearing the cold, sharp voice, Kirito froze. He turned around slowly.
Horikita Suzune was standing quietly behind him, her arms crossed.
"Huh? Didn't you run away first?" Kirito asked, confused. He remembered her leaving before his 'performance.'
Horikita shook her head. She took a step closer, tilting her head to look at him with genuine, morbid curiosity.
"Do you have any unusual fetishes? Or perhaps... a mental illness that compels you to act like a clown in public?"
She stepped closer, her sharp eyes dissecting him. "Otherwise, I really cannot understand why a human being would say such stupid things. Are you just desperate for attention?"
Kirito was so startled by her intensity that he took a step back, waving his hands frantically.
"No! I'm not sick! I..."
[Ding! Warning: Do not disclose any information about the System to anyone. Penalty: Obliteration.]
Hearing the electronic voice ring in his mind, Kirito slapped his hands over his mouth.
Based on his experience reading countless web novels in his previous life, he knew the rules. If you talk about the System, you die.
He quickly changed his tune, forcing an awkward laugh.
"I... I just have a slight case of Chuunibyou (Middle School Syndrome). Just think of my strange behavior as a... teenage relapse. Sometimes the dark spirits just take over, you know?"
Hearing Kirito's explanation, Horikita frowned slightly.
Chuunibyou?
He does seem the type.
Seeing Horikita lower her head in deep thought, Kirito breathed a sigh of relief.
"Um, Horikita-san, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
Kirito didn't bother waiting for her response. He spun around on his heel, preparing to bolt.
"Wait!"
Hearing the command behind him, Kirito's body stiffened. He turned back slowly, sweating.
"Um... is there anything else?"
Horikita narrowed her eyes. "How do you know my name? I never introduced myself to you."
Crap.
Kirito broke out in a cold sweat. "The... uh... Nameplate! Your name is written on the nameplate on your desk. I saw it when I sat down!"
Horikita looked at him with suspicion for a moment, then relaxed slightly.
"I see. That is plausible."
"Great! I have something to do, so goodbye!"
After saying that, Kirito sprinted away as if Horikita were a prehistoric beast trying to eat him.
Watching Kirito's figure disappear down the hallway, Horikita shook her head, speechless.
"He really is a strange person."
After running until he was out of breath, Kirito stopped and looked back. Seeing no one following him, he finally relaxed.
I don't want to have too much contact with the main characters.
I just want to finish my three years of high school peacefully. As for Class A? I have no ambition for that.
Kirito took out his phone, opened the school map app, and headed towards the dormitory building.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the massive student housing complex.
He stepped into the lobby. A woman, likely around 40 years old, was sitting behind the reception counter.
Kirito stepped forward and spoke politely.
"Excuse me, Auntie? Which dormitory room is mine?"
The woman didn't even look up from her computer screen. She tapped a key loudly.
"Student ID?" she barked.
Kirito checked his phone. "9527."
The woman started typing on her keyboard.
Click
clack
click
clack.
Five minutes passed.
Kirito stood there, shifting his weight.
Is the system that slow?
"Um, Auntie? Did you find my room number?"
"Stop making noise. I'm busy," the woman snapped, her eyes glued to the screen.
Kirito leaned over slightly to peek. On her screen, a Korean drama was playing. She was typing in a chat room discussing the plot.
She's not checking at all!
But seeing the matron's fierce expression, Kirito shrank back.
Never mind. Don't offend the person who holds the keys.
He stood obediently to the side, waiting silently like a good little student.
(To be Continued)