Looking around, I try to search for familiar faces. Of course, there weren’t any.

  Hm, I do have to wonder… normally, this shouldn’t be visible to the public eye, well, assuming that the bck suits are affiliated with Yoshio Kase.

  I stay in my pce and think if I should stick my head to where it shouldn’t belong.

  “Now that I think about it… they wouldn’t even answer if I asked them, would they? Shounen protagonists are almost always fighting forces underneath the scenes. They don’t have any reason to share such info to me too.”

  Unfortunately, there’s nothing for me to do, it seems.

  Disappointed by this revetion, I slowly walk past the convenience store and get a better look at the men in bck. There, I see police tape peeking out of one of their pockets.

  Oh, so they were just about to.

  The distance I was at, was enough for me to hear what they were talking about in clear detail.

  “Man, they sent an assassin straight for Yoshio. I think they’re seeing the potential in him too,” one utters.

  “Damn it. They can really see our moves from afar, even the slightest actions,” the other one replies.

  Oh? I need to get in on this.

  Out of curiosity for their topic, I reduce the speed of my pace approximately 10x slower. To the naked eye, it would seem like I’m just standing suspiciously behind their backs though.

  “This is the result of sending him through various missions.”

  “It couldn’t be helped; he needed to get combat experience. I just wish headquarters was a bit more careful on possible leaks.”

  “Grand Mystic Order (大魔術師団). Truly, a frightening organization to go against. A gathering of Mystics aiming to take control of the world.”

  Ooh, nice exposition dump. Also nice to see that Yoshio was indeed part of an organization. Judging from what they’re saying, they’ve discovered him as a potential rising star. Based on how shounen usually progresses, I believe a big war is about to take pce not too far from now.

  “Us, the Mystic Weapon Organization (神秘的な武器組織) will fight with all our might!”

  “This’ll be a long an arduous battle.”

  They just name dropped some pretty critical info. Is this intentional? Also that name… Mystic Weapon Organization? Thinking back on it…

  I recall the event where Yoshio fought a mysterious guy by the park.

  Four-headed Spear, was his move I believe. Does that mean Mystic Weapons are what revolve around Yoshio’s power system? Odd choice.

  Perhaps since at some point, I stopped moving, the man in bck whom I was a few inches away from turns around so suddenly. But it was too casual for me to even react.

  Shit!

  “Hey you!” he shouts at me.

  I look around just to make sure. Yep, no one’s behind me.

  “H-Hey…” I sheepishly greet.

  Dammit, they noticed me! I must have gained a bit of presence from becoming a Slice-of-Life Protagonist!

  The other man in bck yells, “He must be a spy from the Grand Mystic Order! Get him!”

  Upon initiation, I run for my life and the two begin chasing me.

  “AAAHHH!!! THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR PRYING!”

  While running, I occasionally turn around to check.

  The one close to me chants.

  “Skyfall Sword!”

  A blue translucent sword materializes before me and shoots down at an arming speed. It was supposed to hit me just in time if I were to continue on a straight path. Anticipating it, I go around to the left avoiding it completely.

  Thud. Crack.

  I feel the ground shudder and vibrate.

  I would’ve died had I been hit with that!

  The other one behind him performs his move.

  “Bullet Knife!”

  A bunch of red translucent skinning knives materialize and shoot at me.

  “Woah!” I yelp.

  Miraculously, all of them missed.

  To try and divert them, I go around corners, that way shooting things forward could very well miss. Also, obviously, it’s to throw them off.

  Huff. Puff.

  They repeatedly throw their weapons at me, but each time I manage to evade.

  “You’ll never catch me!”

  I’m gaining distance. I’ll be free of their grasp soon!

  “Oh no, you don’t!” a girl appears out of nowhere.

  Spoke too soon.

  I had no way to stop on my tracks, so in a st ditch effort, I try to go around her. She bends down and chants her own move.

  “Outstretched Pole.”

  True to its name, a violet translucent pole materializes horizontally, blocking any way of escape. Because of it, I happen to trip and fall on my face.

  “OOF!” I yelp.

  I pick myself up and rub my face.

  “What a me-ass name for a move,” I mutter.

  I must’ve struck a nerve because I feel a strong thud on my head afterwards.

  “OW!”

  “Stop right there!” one of the men in bck yells.

  “He’s a spy from the Grand Mystic Order!” the other accuses.

  Yeah, I don’t know how I’m getting out of this one. I can at least try to reason.

  “Hey! What gives?! You can’t just accuse someone to be a part of a shady organization out of nowhere!” I retort.

  “Don’t listen to any of his excuses, Kurata-san!” one of them says.

  “That’s right! He sneaked up on us and listened to our conversation!” the other replies.

  “I just happened to pass by! Why is it my fault that you knuckleheads, didn’t feel my presence?!”

  The girl, apparently called Kurata-san, stands up and positions her pole vertically.

  “Hmm… as much as I’d like to kill this guy right now, I don’t think he’s a spy. For one, he didn’t even use a Mystic Weapon. Two, he didn’t fight back. Three, he fell for a simple trick like mine,” she reasons, “A spy from the Grand Mystic Order would be much more meticulous, sly, agile, and at the very least, capable of defending themselves.”

  Phew, I’m gd someone has logic here…

  “Can we start from introductions?” I ask.

  “Fine, we owe you at least, that much,” she tells me, “My name is Kurata Emi, and you as you may have heard, I am one of the members of the Mystic Weapon Organization.”

  “H-Hey Kurata-san! Is it really okay to tell him all of this info?” one of them asks.

  “You two were careless, we might as well eborate in detail. He’s gonna end up more curious about us, if we don’t.”

  She’s right about that actually.

  “This guy here is Muto Yori, a novice in the Public Security of Mystic Weapon Incidences Bureau, responsible for taking care of events that happen out in the public with any retion to Mystic Weapons.”

  The guy I was behind.

  “The other is, Miura Kenji. Now that we told us about what we are, tell us a bit about you, and don’t you dare refuse, because I’ll make sure you forget everything with my pole otherwise.”

  “Urgh… I’m Takayuki Kibe, just a normal high schooler.”

  “Tell me, Takayuki-san. Were you actually listening in on their conversation?”

  “No.”

  “You smell of lies.”

  “On what basis, should that evaluation be valid?”

  “I’ll nudge my pole to your gut. Sound nice?”

  “You mean that pole you summoned with a me power move?”

  Thud.

  She thrusts the pole to my stomach. I wasn’t expecting much, but for someone of her stature, she sure hits hard.

  “It’s a work in progress! You don’t have to keep saying it!”

  My stomach...

  “Kurata-san? What’s going on there?” a masculine voice speaks from behind with considerable distance.

  Step. Step. Step.

  While firmly grasping my stomach, I see Yoshio, himself.

  “We got ourselves a little someone listening in to something he shouldn’t have,” she reports.

  “Hm?”

  He takes a good look at me.

  “Takayuki-san, is that you?”

  Man, I hoped I didn’t have to meet with him… Actually, this might be a chance.

  I turn around to greet him.

  “H-Hey there, Kase-kun…”

  “What are you doing here, Takayuki-san? I heard you were sick. Shouldn’t you be resting in bed?”

  “Seems perfectly healthy to me. He was even running from the two behind my back earlier,” she expins.

  Damn you.

  “I just got better recently, it might come back. I was actually going to go to the convenience store to buy some food, but I saw that it was demolished, so of course, I’d wonder why. Then I see two people who seemed to know what was going on, however, they were still chatting. So instead of interrupting them, I waited for them to finish, but in the process, I may have heard some confidential information,” I expin, “but next thing I know, these two, out of nowhere, accuse me of being a spy for some organization I don’t even know about. Naturally, as a complete bystander, I’d be scared shitless, then they start attacking me. I’d say I’m an innocent victim here.”

  “Mhm, I see the whole picture now,” Yoshio utters.

  He comes closer to his subordinate, Emi Kurata.

  “Don’t tell me you actually believe his story?” she inquires.

  “I do. He’s my cssmate, after all. You do checks around our backgrounds, right? No one is suspicious. For that reason, I believe his testimony,” he says.

  “Sure, but still…”

  “I’m sorry about the commotion my subordinates caused Takayuki-san…”

  He turns around.

  “…we’ll m-”

  But no one was there.

  “He’s gone,” she excims.

  “Urgh…”

  “You better make sure he shuts up his mouth. I swear, the next time I see him, I’ll rip his face out.”

  …

  ..

  .

  Perfect Timing. Can’t say I expected to use it like this.

  “The ability to strike an opportunity at the perfect time. Being a Slice-of-Life Protagonist, does have its perks.”

  I went slightly off-track there… Time to actually buy some snacks and some boba tea for my fellow housemate.

  “Hm, do I even know of any nearby pces? Actually, I’ll let my legs take me wherever. Walking alone is also a vibe that’s pretty rexing, though much preferred at night. One could say it’s a call of the night.”

  Step. Step. Step.

  “Wait, now Yoshio’s going to interact with me often. Can’t say that’s ideal at all.”

  Perhaps this is another opportunity?

  “An upcoming battle will cook. Possibly, a turning point. Thinking about it, getting involved there might not have been a waste of time.”

  I do have to wonder what kind of Mystic Weapon, Yoshio holds.

  As I walk, I feel the scorching heat of the sun. It’s only somewhat past 12, so that’s to be expected.

  “I should have bought a towel to wipe myself off. Or even a water bottle… Maybe I’m buying myself a boba tea after all.”

  All of a sudden, I hear something nearby. It was best to describe it as effects made by magical girls.

  “No way…”

  My eyes frantically search for my target, going left and right, tracking the sound.

  Closer. Closer. Closer!

  Like a dog, sniffing out its prey, I see my target! A girl around my age fighting a monster. Not just any girl too, it’s a-

  “Mahou shoujo…”

  The girl was dressed in a pink frilly dress and had purple hair. I couldn’t see the color of her eyes from my view. She holds a magic stick, from which I can infer was her wand. It was a striped pink stick with a heart attached at the top. The monster, on the other hand, was rather simple in structure. They were round and had little chubby limbs. A completely bck creature.

  I hide myself, so that I don’t interrupt their action sequence.

  “Wondrous Heart!”

  Forming a heart with her hands, she shoots a love beam towards the monster. I mean that in the literal sense. Waves of hearts slowly go to the monster and she uses her magic wand to amplify it.

  Interesting. A bit different from what I’m used to.

  “RAWR!” the monster shrieks.

  It grows weak.

  Finish it off.

  It looks around everywhere and for a desperate attempt to live, it runs at full speed.

  “Woah!” the magical girl yelps.

  Hang on… it’s going here?

  The monster goes out in no time and quickly identifies me as its next target.

  “Shit!”

  I try to make a run for it, but it jumps on my back and begins ripping my uniform apart. Then it tears through my flesh and skin.

  “AHHH!!! IT HURTS!”

  END OF EPISODE 38