Ch.10The Night of the Final Battle (1)

After enjoying ourselves fully at the karaoke, we stepped outside to find that evening had already fallen.

“Ah. That was fun.”

I had to admit it. Honestly, I’d thought Umi was just an arrogant pretty face, but hanging out with her was more enjoyable than I expected.

“Y-you had fun?”

Umi suddenly asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Yeah. Totally. Was I the only one who enjoyed it?”

I said. Umi seemed to have had a good time too. Or was I mistaken? Feeling slightly apologetic, I looked at her. I did sing too many nerdy songs. Something to reflect on.

“I… had fun too. Surprising. I didn’t know Shota could be this entertaining.”

Umi said with a blush.

“…Let’s hang out again sometime.”

Umi said.

She looked straight at me. My heart fluttered at the sight of her looking like a delicate animal afraid of being hurt.

The evening sunset’s unique effect made Umi look even more beautiful. It had almost the destructive power of a light novel cover illustration.

‘Her looks are seriously unfair…’

It’s like a cheat key. No man’s heart could resist melting.

“Sure. Let’s hang out again. Call the Shopping Man when you go shopping.”

I tried to hide my embarrassment with a joke.

“Shopping Man… you really talk nonsense every chance you get.”

Umi chuckled.

Well… if I were to die at dawn today, I felt I’d have no regrets. Because I’d seen such a beauty’s gorgeous face before dying.

No. That’s nonsense. I absolutely don’t want to die. I immediately contradicted myself.

I want to survive by any means and enjoy more pleasant days. That was my true feeling.

——–

Anyway, it was about time to part ways, but Umi was hesitating.

That’s when I remembered the model answer I should give.

“You have bags, and it’s dangerous at night. I’ll walk you to your home.”

I said.

“Ah… okay.”

Umi nodded vigorously.

And so, Umi and I walked down the alley as the sunset faded. This is what youth is about.

Umi’s destination was a place I could find with my eyes closed. It was the kendo dojo. The place where I had received help for my spec-building. Plus, I’d been exempted from the first month’s membership fee and other expenses. Gonzaemon was essentially a benefactor to my wallet.

In front of the dojo, Gonzaemon, who was tidying up the garden, spotted me immediately and shouted.

“Skipping right after school starts!!! Shota!!! You’ve got some nerve!!”

Gonzaemon immediately tried to put me in a headlock.

Slap-!

At that moment, Asuna, Gonzaemon’s wife, slapped him on the back.

“Honey… read the room.”

As Asuna whispered, Gonzaemon looked at Umi who was with me.

“Aha! So that’s what this is about.”

Gonzaemon immediately winked at me.

It seems he misunderstood something…?

“D-Dad! It’s not like that!!”

Umi immediately shouted, her face turning red.

“That’s right! It’s not like that!!”

I hastily denied it. Gonzaemon is a doting father. If he saw me as a wolf after his daughter, he might start disliking me.

At that moment, Umi glared at me. She seemed angry. Huh? Did I do something wrong?

“Hohoho. I guess it can’t be helped today. You’ll come tomorrow, right?”

It was Asuna, exuding lethal levels of mom energy, who smoothed over the awkward atmosphere. Ma’am… no, God-ma’am.

“Yes. I’ll come to the dojo regularly starting tomorrow.”

I nodded and said.

“Good. My husband was really sulky when you didn’t come. He praises you every chance he gets. Says you’re his favorite student.”

Asuna said with a smile.

“Honey!! What are you saying…!”

Gonzaemon shouted, his face reddening.

“Anyway, keep being good friends with our Umi, okay?”

Asuna winked.

“Ah. Yes…”

Well, we were in the same class and teammates in the game. We had to get along.

And so, I saw Umi off.

———-

After returning home, the Kiryu family had dinner.

After the meal, as Umi was about to go to her room, Asuna pulled her aside. She seemed to want some girl talk.

“Umi. Looks like you hung out with Shota.”

Asuna said with a smile.

“Hmph. He’s just a playmate.”

Umi tried to act tough.

“Umi. The corners of your mouth are reaching your ears. You must have had a lot of fun.”

Asuna said.

“N-not particularly?!”

Umi denied it.

“Tell me what you did.”

Asuna smiled and took Umi’s hand.

Caught up in the mood, Umi chattered about what had happened.

After hearing the story, Asuna chuckled.

“Our daughter… you really like Shota, don’t you?”

“I do not!!”

Umi immediately denied it, her face reddening.

“Umi, you always said hanging out with boys was boring. But here you are, chattering away happily. I’m touched.”

Asuna immediately acted silly.

“I said I don’t!!!”

“Umi. Take this. It’s a secret from your father, okay?”

At that moment, Asuna handed something to Umi.

“T-this…!”

Umi’s face turned even redder.

It was male contraception. Yes, a condom. And the thinnest kind at that. Asuna was sensible in many ways.

“If anything happens, make sure to practice safe sex, okay?”

Asuna showed her motherly concern.

“I don’t need it!!!”

Umi screamed before rushing into her room.

“Youth. Such youth.”

Asuna chuckled as she watched Umi.

———-

At the same time, back to Shota’s perspective.

I had dinner with my mother.

“Shota. You’re late.”

My mother said with a smile.

“Ah… I was hanging out with a friend.”

I told the truth.

“Shota… after school… with a friend… *sniff*!!”

That was enough to make my mother burst into tears. My mom… she’s really emotional.

“School life… seems enjoyable for you.”

My mother soon wiped her tears and said.

“Even though I’ve only been there for a day, it’s enjoyable so far.”

I said.

“I’m glad… really.”

My mother started crying again. She was an incorrigible mom.

———-

And as time passed, it became midnight.

Click-!

As usual, I went out the window with a metal pipe in hand.

The first week of March event would definitely happen. That’s the beginning of the whole story. I was certain it would happen. As a current web novel writer, I was confident. Essential events always happen. That’s the rule of possession stories.

The only difference was one thing: I didn’t stalk Umi. Rather, I had fun hanging out with her today. My heart swells with pride. Is this really the same gloomy Arigiri Shota? The real Shota is legendary…

If I go to the place where he died while stalking Umi, the monster would attack anyway.

I stood at the spot where Arigiri Shota had died. It was a secluded alley.

Should I just hide at home? I had considered it. But I was convinced it would be meaningless. If Arigiri Shota was destined to be killed in the first week of March, he would be killed no matter what he did or where he was.

‘Maybe… the monster could invade my home too.’

Then my mother would be in danger.

So, to avoid the worst-case scenario, I decided to follow the original story’s flow.

I neither run nor hide. I headed to the scene of the incident with my metal pipe in hand.

The secluded alley was originally a gathering place for delinquents and biker gangs.

Naturally, there were those who seemed to want to pick a fight.

However, they backed off on their own.

They didn’t dare approach someone with an eerie gaze holding a metal pipe under the streetlight. Even if I were a thug, I wouldn’t mess with that.

“Hey… you there!”

“Forget it!!! That guy… his eyes are crazy.”

“Looks like he’s ready to kill someone…”

The delinquents went elsewhere on their own.

They owe me their lives. Monsters will appear here soon.

It was exactly midnight. The time when Arigiri Shota, after being harshly rejected while stalking, was killed on his way home.

“Grrrrrr…!”

Soon, I sensed a monster.

There was only one.

It was a slime. However, it was different from ordinary slimes. It had a more humanoid shape.

A level 5 monster, a Slime Warrior.

It was a mob enemy, but it was threatening to me now.

‘No wonder Arigiri Shota died.’

Even a level 5 mob is strong enough to tear apart an unwary ordinary person.

“Gurururuk!”

The Slime Warrior seemed to want to say something.

I looked around. It hadn’t called other slimes.

“I see. Your passionate intent has been conveyed.”

So it’s not calling for allies? It seems to want a one-on-one duel. This was the battlefield where only true warriors survive.

“Guruk!”

The Slime Warrior immediately showed off its jelly-like muscles.

Then I can’t lose either.

Fwaaaah-!!

I took off my top too. I’ve been building muscles recently. Showing off muscles should be fine.

“Gerururuk!! Geruk!!”

The Slime Warrior let out a cry as if pleased.

We both acknowledged each other’s muscles.

“Ah… if we had met at a different place and time, we could have been friends. What a shame.”

“Grrrrrrruk!!!!”

“But we are enemies. Let’s end this.”

I immediately took a stance with my metal pipe.

“Gurururuk…..”

The Slime Warrior’s arm transformed into the shape of a sword.

We both pointed our weapons at each other.

Fwaaaah-!!

And almost simultaneously, we closed the distance toward each other.

“KIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!”

I let out a battle cry as I swung my metal pipe like a sword.

CLAAAAAANG-!!!!!

The two weapons clashed.

It was the beginning of a fight for survival.