The Crisis World XX

Chap. 49: Meet New Black Rain Candidates

Krieing…

The alarm that had sounded was trying to force me to wake up early. Right, this is the first day of school after the summer break is over. After daydreaming for a while to gather my consciousness, I woke up and immediately got ready to leave for school.

After a little glazed in front of the mirror to make sure my uniform was neat, I approached a photo of my mother who was on the bedside table. I raised my hand and prayed for his peace there.

I can't keep pondering and keep wallowing in grief, I have to find my mother's killer. That's all I can do for her. I smiled at my mother's picture and talked to her.

"Then, I'm leaving first, ma'am."

I also went to school.

**

In the middle of the trip, because I did not have time to eat breakfast I also bought an onigiri chicken that was quite cheap. Besides being cheap, the right portion for breakfast is also the reason why I bought it.

"Fuwa fuwa time~"

While humming softly, I enjoyed my leisurely and peaceful walk towards school. But suddenly someone greeted me from behind.

"Morning."

I stopped my steps and looked back. The one who greeted me was Herlin. With the appearance of his schoolgirl, the aura he emitted was very different. Like a smart nerd of western descent.

"Why do you see me that?" herlin asked because I looked at her with a long strange look.

"Ah, no. I'm just confused ..," I said as I continued.

"Why?" Herlin then equalized his position quickly and was already beside me.

"Why are you still going to school?"

"Is that a problem for you?" asked Herlin flatly.

"No, it's not that. Isn't your business with my school done? Aren't you hooked on school lessons?"

"No, I'm not addicted at all, it's just that sometimes bothers me. I still go to school because we still have business, did you forget?"

"Rushan?"

I tried to think of what business Herlin meant. I tried to find it in the fragments of memory in my brain, but I didn't find it at all. My mind is full of other thoughts.

"Is there such a business?" my many.

"I didn't expect you to forget such an important thing. You're a fool, aren't you?"

"Oi! I'm not that stupid!"

"How else, I have to adjust my speech so that your little brain can catch it."

"You are …!"

He this …. I don't know where he sharpened his mouth until it was that sharp, but his words really pissed me off.

"The reason I'm still in school here is because we're going to—"

Before Herlin finished his words, there was suddenly someone approaching us from behind. "Yes! Long time no see, Iraya!" It turned out that they were Kudou and Hira.

"Ah, just Kudou and Hira."

"'only', huh? You've assumed we're both no longer special, have you?" said Hira.

"That's right, right! Is there someone special in your heart?" Kudou spoke like that while glancing at Herlin.

"Don't talk weird." I only responded to Kudou's words flatly.

"Sorry, Takushi-san. Do you really think that someone like this guy next to me can be liked by a girl?" ask Herlin.

Oh! His words are getting sharper. That one was no longer speech, it sounded more like a curse. A very terrible curse.

"Hm …. You're right too."

Don't deny the curse, Kudou! This woman ... restored her sweet attitude yesterday. Why did his nature turn into his ordinary self.

"By the way, good morning Ririsaka-san," said Hira who felt it was too late.

"Nn, morning too."

"Let's go to school together."

"Come on!"

After a short conversation, we walked to school together. But I still don't know the real purpose of Herlin.

**

Teng…

This lesson is too boring. I almost fell asleep a few times while the teacher was explaining. After stretching my stiff body, I intended to walk to the cafeteria and buy some onigiri and sandwiches. But Herlin suddenly held me back.

"Where are you going?"

"Where am I going to the cafeteria?"

"You don't have to go to the cafeteria anymore."

"Hn?"

Herlin then took out two bento packs from inside his bag. He then gave one of them to me. I also accepted it straight away.

"Why did you bring two?"

"I don't understand either. Yuuki-san just said that the other one was for you. So I can't do anything."

Ah ... Yuuki-san, huh? I thought it had something to do with that time. When I went to the orphanage at night because of the rain. Well that doesn't matter, anyway.

We both ate the bento in class. Although there were a handful of strange gazes from some of the students in the class, but I tried to ignore them. And while we were eating, suddenly someone came to us.

"Yahoo! Can I join you?"

That person is Hasuki-san.

"Hasuki-san? Yes it could be. Can you, Herlin?"

"Yes, of course" said Herlin with his mouth still full of rice.

It felt like I hadn't seen Hasuki-san for a long time, somehow her current appearance was a little paler and there were eye bags under her eyes. Moreover, there was a scar on the right side of his neck. Did something happen to him?

It seems Hasuki noticed that I noticed her scar and immediately covered it with her hands.

"Assyc! Eat together!"

Hasuki was sitting next to me at the moment while Herlin was sitting in front of me. I don't really care if I eat together like this, but the problem is the view of all the students in the class. They seem intent on antagonizing me again. Even Kudou and Hira were of the same view.

But that seemed to be just the envious gazes of the men in the class alone. I tried to ignore it even harder. Yes, although not easy.

**

The break was just a little longer and I finished my meal. This time Herlin and I were in front of Class 12-A to find the person we needed inside Black Rain.

"Is this the place?" my many.

"Yes, no doubt, I've seen it in the school's absentee book and I found its name in this class."

"All right then."

I then pointed my hand. But somehow it feels heavy. This was my first time in 12th grade. What would their view be if I went straight in and looked for someone inside. It's gonna be weird.

"What are you doing? Quickly open the door," said Herlin.

"I-I'm trying! D-Don't tell me to hurry!"

As I was struggling against my embarrassment to open the door, suddenly there was a familiar voice in my ear. Even with a bad impression.

Braaakk…

"Well! I was just— Hn?"

The man shifted the door and saw several large men and a woman with pop candy in her mouth.

"E-Eth …."

I tried to talk but couldn't get out of my mouth. I also don't know what words I have to put out. My eyes and the boss met each other and exchanged glances for quite a while. But, the woman with the pop candy in her mouth broke this awkward atmosphere.

"ah! You're the 10th grader who beat Tanaka to the brink!" said the woman.

"Shut up, Nabe!" the man named Tanaka quickly shouted at the woman. But not cared for by him.

This woman is very noisy. He was trying to provoke this Tanaka guy into fighting with me again. But Herlin calmly then spoke.

"We're looking for Kurobane-senpai, is she there?"

"Hn? May? Wait a minute ..," he said.

"Oi, May! Someone is looking for you! Looks like he wants to declare love to you or something!"

The woman called out the name of the person we were looking for but for no reasonable reason.

"Ap—! Hush-wait …! That's not the reason we're here!"

"Oh, isn't that it?"

"Geez you are so noisy, Nabe-san."

Suddenly someone came to us. A woman of almost the same height as me, has long black hair straight waist and a body that can make anyone tempted in one look.

"Kurobane-senpai?" my many.

"What's wrong? And who are you two?"

Although her words were sharp, but her soft voice could tolerate it and still remain comfortable going inside the ears.

"We need to talk, but not here" Herlin said.

"Hmm?"

Although Kurobane-senpai initially still did not understand the purpose of our calling her, but she still complied with our request to speak in a quiet place. It's in the school rooftop.

"So, who are you? And what business to bother to ask me to talk here. It's hot enough you know."

Kurobane-senpai spoke while blocking the excessive sunlight that entered her eyes with her hands.

"Before that, did Senpai know about the explosion here?" my many.

"Of course I know."

"Is there anything strange you think, Senpai?"

"Not really, after all, the school has also announced that the cause is gas exploding," he replied with certainty.

"Then the next question …." Herlin then continued his conversation.

"… Does Senpai know the creatures that attacked the school at that time? This guy saw you throw that thing unnaturally." Herlin pointed at me.

"Oh, maybe it's a new kind of creature. And it seems your friend saw it wrong. I did study some kind of martial arts, so naturally I could protect myself back then."

"Is it really like that?" continued Herlin.

"Yes." Yeah."

"Hm …."

So far nothing suspicious has been shown that he is the same person we met in The One Tournament at that time. All the answers to our questions he answered made sense. Herlin then asked another question to Kurobane-senpai.

"One more thing Senpai ... What did you do during the summer break?"

He was silent for a moment after hearing the question from Herlin. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as if there was something strange about the question Herlin had just given.

"What do you mean?" ask Kurobane-senpai.

"Yes, I'm just asking. Did Senpai go to a tournament or something?"

Herlin turned his attention to a nearby pebble and picked it up.

"Tournament? What exactly are you saying?"

"No more pretending, Senpai. Of course I mean The One Tournament. Do I need to explain everything?"

Kurobane-senpai was shocked by Herlin's statement. It seems he didn't expect that someone would know he was going to the tournament during the summer break. There is nothing to be suspected of from a woman like her.

Zii…

Herlin then flew the pebble from earlier he held slightly above his palm which made Kurobane-senpai even more surprised.

"You-you …. Who exactly are you?"

"It's not just this ...," Herlin said.

Realizing the meaning of Herlin's words, Kurobane-senpai looked back and saw a bunch of gravel flying over his head.

"Did Senpai understand now? We're just like you, so Senpai doesn't have to cover it up anymore" I said.

"…. What do you two want from me? Are you going to take my power?"

"I never said it like that, I just want Senpai to join—"

"I refuse!" Kurobane-senpai immediately rejected firmly the offer that was even before Herlin could finish his words.

"You want me to join you, don't you?! Right?!"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then I refuse! I've promised not to use this ability if it's not in an emergency!"

Herlin and I fell silent to see him reject us like that. And suddenly Herlin muttered.

"Well, he reminds me of someone."

"If what you mean is me, then please stop," I said flatly.

"Then, what were you doing at the tournament? Do you want to break your own promise?"

"If it were …."

"Do you have a reason behind it? The emergency excuse that made you have to use your abilities? Is that important?!"

"SILENCE …!!"

Swuush…

Along with his shout, a strong gust of wind was created from around Kurobane-senpai crashing in all directions that made the flying pebbles was blown away.

"Please .. silence. You won't understand, never will …."

Kurobane-senpai covered her ears and begged Herlin to stop talking. It was like recalling a bad memory that he did not want to recall.

It seems Herlin has gone too far. His words had pierced into Kurobane-senpai's heart. Herlin who saw Kurobane-senpai like that then walked away leaving her alone, at least for now. I then followed Herlin from behind, as I couldn't do anything else to her either.

"We'll come again later" Herlin muttered as he continued walking.

While Kurobane-senpai still covered her ears while with tears coming out of her eyes. He crouched down and had not moved a single bit from his place the last time I saw him before leaving.

**

After that we both went back to class because the break was over. Before we entered, we talked a little. Herlin gets a call from Murasaki-san. Looks like he wants to talk about it here.

"Sunday, we will go to Tokyo" Herlin said.

"Huh? Tokyo's? What's wrong?"

"It looks like the head of the Red Flame organization wants to meet you."

"Red Flame?"

I could hear that name. It was the name of a large organization under the auspices of Kuni no Hashira operating in Tokyo. What he's got to do with me.

"And we'll take her too."

"Eh? Take who?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? Of course Kurobane-senpai."

Did I not hear wrong. Just now she was crying because of your words and now you want to take her with us? Looks like he's joking. Oh! Anyone please tell me that this stupid woman is joking.

"He's not kidding, you know," Cecilia said.

I sighed and then muttered right in front of his face.

"Bas on a stupid woman."

"Eh?"

Seriate