After Kasumi comforted me, I recovered.
Slightly.
The trauma, however, would remain forever.
Burned into my brain.
Carved into my soul.
Etched into my afterlife.
If reincarnation existed, I was absolutely going to remember it.
The boy I lectured earlier never came back to class.
Apparently, his head and the desk had a disagreement.
The hospital was currently mediating.
His two friends, however, were still here.
Shaking.
One slowly raised his hand.
'Sir… I feel sick.'
'Then go to the sick bay.' The teacher sighed.
He ran out of the classroom like a man escaping a burning building.
A few minutes later the second friend raised his hand.
'Sir… my stomach hurts.'
The teacher rubbed his temples.
'Go to the sick bay.'
If they were actually sick, I wished them luck.
Because the sick bay's greatest medical breakthrough was an ice pack.
'Kasumi, you have club today?' I asked.
'Yeah.' She nodded.
Her fingers quietly twisted the bracelet on her wrist.
'That's unfortunate.'
Kasumi smiled apologetically.
Like she felt bad about leaving.
In my first week here, I had already established a perfect routine.
Sleep.
Sleep.
Lunch with Kasumi.
Sleep.
Go home.
Three sleeps.
Take the 'S'
You get SSS.
In every game I've played…
SSS is the highest rank.
I leaned toward Kasumi.
'Kasumi… would you consider me rare?'
'Huh?' She tilted her head.
'Would you consider me rare?'
'Y-yeah…'
Perfect.
Certified SSS-Rank character.
Quite impressive.
I stood up proudly.
'See you tomorrow, Kasumi.'
'Shii yuu tomaroo, Di-ran.'
She quietly tucked my chair in as she left for club.
As I left school, a strange tingling crawled across my back.
My danger sense.
The same instinct that warned me when demons tried to ambush me.
I turned and looked toward the second floor.
The principal's office.
The curtains moved slightly.
I honed my senses.
Behind the curtain…
The principal stood frozen.
Sweating.
'Gotta go.'
I booked it.
————————————
On the way back, with the sun still high, I stopped by the street.
Several of the boys were waiting.
'Boss!' One of them said proudly.
He handed me a sword.
A balloon sword.
I inspected it like a legendary weapon.
'Good balance.' I said, swinging it. 'Lightweight.'
'Thank you, boss!' I've been practising!'
The man nearly cried.
The guy had serious talent with balloon twisting.
Unfortunately, talent means nothing without opportunity.
Luckily, I now owned the amusement park nearby.
Thanks to the system.
So I had slowly begun employing the gang based on their abilities.
Balloon guy = Balloon stand.
Pickpocket = ticket booth.
Intimidating thugs = security.
This was the beginning of a new empire.
Every great corporation starts somewhere.
Mine started with balloon animals.
—————————————
I walked further down the street to a push-cart vendor.
'What can I get for you today, boss?'
'Chef's special.'
'Coming right up!'
He moved like a ninja chef.
Within minutes the takoyaki was ready.
'Hope you enjoy, boss.'
I handed him cash.
'Keep the change.'
'It's free for you!'
'I need to support small businesses somehow.'
'…Boss…'
He reluctantly accepted the money.
I bit into the takoyaki.
Delicious.
The empire was thriving.
Mostly thanks to balloon animals and takoyaki.
————————————————-
'There you are.'
Saki stood in front of my house, ponytail swaying dramatically in the afternoon breeze.
'You're back to normal.' I commented.
'Today will be your last.'
She stepped forward.
'Two days ago you humiliated me.'
'Two days ago you destroyed my pride.'
'Two days ago you destroyed my dignity.'
You did that yourself.
'But today…'
'I came to reclaim it.'
She drew her bokken.
Wait!
This moment deserves drama.
The world turned to grayscale.
Wind blew across the street.
Somewhere, a shamisen played.
She raised her sword.
'You embarrassed me before Hime-sama, ronin.'
I spat out imaginary wheat and lifted my straw hat.
'And what will you do about it… samurai?'
She took her stance.
'I will present your head to Hime-sama.'
'And then I shall commit seppuku.'
I rose from the rock.
'Then come.'
She charged.
'GAAAAH!'
Her blade swung down.
*CLANG*
My sword blocked it.
'You'll have to do better than that, samurai.'
'SHUT UP!'
*CLANG CLANG CLANG*
Steel sparks flew everywhere.
Her attacks rained down.
All blocked.
'Coward! Fight properly!'
'Do you even deserve to fight me… s-a-m-u-r-a-i?' I teased.
'I'LL KILL YOU!'
She swung harder.
Faster.
Stronger.
I stepped aside.
And lightly stuck my foot out.
Trip.
…
She face-planted.
The world regained colour.
My 'steel sword' returned to being a balloon sword.
'Not today, samurai.'
I turned and walked toward my house.
'I'm going to go poo.'
'REMATCH!' Saki shouted.
She stood up, rubbing her nose.
'I need to hit you once!'
'And I need to go poo.'
I stepped through my gate.
'I don't care!'
————————————-
[Meanwhile…]
Across the street, a couple watched the entire thing.
'What are those kids doing?' The wife asked.
'I think they're fighting.' The husband said.
'Should we call the police?'
He shook his head.
'No. They're friends.'
'How can you tell?'
He pointed.
'Can I go poo now?'
'WHY IS YOUR BALLOON SO STURDY?!'
The wife watched in silence.
'… Fair point.'
Then they noticed two grown men further down the street.
They were also fighting with balloon swords.
'CLANG CLANG!'
'DING!'
'CLASH!'
Both men shouted their own sound effects.
'I prefer these two.' The wife said. 'They put more effort into the choreography.'
The husband approached them.
'Excuse me.'
'Yes?'
'Where did you buy those swords?'
'Down that street.' He pointed.
'Thank you.'
He returned to his wife.
'Want to duel when we get home?'
'Sure.' She nodded.
And so they went to buy balloon swords.
——————————————
After sending Saki away, I rushed inside.
Glorious toilet victory was achieved.
'Ahh…heaven.'
After washing my hands with soap, I returned to the living room.
I pulled out the fat man's phone.
'Oh?'
The magic detection spell reacted.
A trace.
Same magical signature.
I checked the location.
'…School?'
So that's where the signal appeared.
I must've missed it earlier.
Then again…
I was slightly distracted.
Let's never remember what happened.
I put the phone back in my pocket.
'I'll investigate tomorrow.'
Because heroes never break promises.