It's My Job!

Tumbling through open sky, screams tore through the shattered carriage. Wind roared in Haruto’s ears as the world flipped end over end. Haruto scanned the area, shoving his heart from his throat back to his chest. Aki was just out of reach, while the System held on to Haruto's leg.

Changing to Blue Tie Assassin, he grabbed her with his tie, pulling her close. The necktie lashed out like a whip, snapping around Aki’s wrist and yanking her into a clumsy midair hug. His screaming was replaced by false bravado and smolder, tears flying up his face. Panicked, she crawled over him, rolling him around like a log.

"Stop! I'm getting sick!" Haruto grabbed her and straightened the both of them out. Aki clung to his chest as they spiraled downward. “I’ve got you! This is totally under control!”

New Job Unlocked: Liar

“No, it’s not!!” Aki yelled back, squeezing him tighter. “You’re crying!”

“Those are tactical tears!” He screamed.

Kael stood amidst the flurry of goblins, barely registering their attacks. His eyes tracked the falling pair like a hawk watching prey. He threw them all away as he stomped the ground. A shockwave carved away stone and dirt around him.

"You think you can get away?!" Kael screamed as the shockwave then rebounded, shooting him into the sky like a missile. "There ain't no runnin' from this!"

Just as he managed to maneuver their fall into something vaguely controlled, a sudden chill ran down Haruto’s spine. He didn’t know how he knew—it wasn’t a skill, nothing from the System. He twisted midair and looked back.

Kael rocketed toward them, his limbs tucked in tight, grin wild and feral. The black skull icon reappeared, and the boss fight started again. Haruto threw his arms around Aki, twisted, and launched her toward Lyra with all the force he could muster. The two smacked into each other and flew towards the treetops.

Kael smashed through the black, digital skull, spinning into a smooth roundhouse kick. Haruto raised Yggdrasil and switched to Stick Hero. He blocked the kick, but it didn't matter. The blow connected, and Haruto became a human comet. He flew across the sky in an arc, crashing through trees, narrowly missing a flock of birds.

The System, still clinging to Haruto’s leg for dear life, flailed as they spiraled downward. “I got you, Haruto! Don't worry!”

“The difficulty scaling of this world sucks!” Haruto screamed.

They slammed into the earth with a ground-shaking boom, carving a trench through the grass and dirt. Haruto groaned, half-buried in the earth once again. Yggdrasil had grown vines and wrapped itself around his wrist so that he wouldn't lose it. The System moaned as its eye spun around in it's socket.

Above, Kael seemed to change his trajectory midair. He jumped from the air to the ground. Crouched low, leaning back, he skidded to a stop as well. A gust of air emanated from his landing, kicking up random debris and blowing away small animals. He stood up slowly, brushing dirt off his coat.

"Whoo! What a rush, right?" Kael said, cracking his knuckles. "Ready to give up yet?"

“For some reason, I've never known how.” Haruto staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his forehead, only for it to rush back into place.

"Oh, I like ya. I really do." Kael said enthusiastically. "I'm tryin' to make this easy on ya."

"It sure doesn't feel like it." Haruto laughed.

"Look. You don't belong here. You got thrown into something bigger than you. I get it." Kael shrugged his shoulders. "You ain't gonna do no right with that skill. Just give me the System. I'll even let you go. I mean it this time."

Haruto swayed a little on his feet, the earth still spinning beneath him. He had been in this world for almost a day. He had no reason not to take the offer. He looked at the little floating eyeball, looking up at him with a sad glint.

“No deal,” he said, coughing. “This little guy gave me what I never thought I’d get. If I'm a bodyguard, that means it needs one. And that means... It’s my job!”

"Haruto..." The System wobbled upright behind him. “When we get out of this, I'll let you in on everything.”

Kael sighed. “Welp. Can't say I don't respect that. It was good knowing ya, man.”

He took a step forward. The earth crunched beneath his boot. The ground split beneath his feet as he launched forward. Haruto raised Yggdrasil again. The vines tightened around his arm as if bracing with him.

A glint of metal sliced through the air. Kael skidded to a stop, transitioning into a backhand spring. A thin line appeared across his throat, blood trickling down to his chest.

Standing behind Kael was a man in a long navy coat, his black hair tied in a loose ponytail, his posture as calm as lake water. His expression was neutral, almost bored, as though Kael were an afterthought. He rested his sword on his shoulder and, by extension, Kael's shoulder.

In front of Kael crouched a second figure, older and ragged, his presence less polished. He held a thick quarterstaff that looked like an oversized toothpick. An older man, badly shaven with a head of messy blond hair and a news cap on. He wore baggy clothes and had at least four toothpicks sticking out of his mouth—one in each corner and one just balancing on his lip.

Kael hadn't moved but kept his grin. His eyes narrowed, flicking between the two newcomers. For the first time, he seemed nervous.

"You alright, kid?" The toothpick man asked.

"Pretty far from it," Haruto said.

Haruto had expected the fight. He hadn't expected rescue. He looked back to see that Kael had kicked him closer to the town.

"W-who are you guys?" Haruto asked.

"Us?" The toothpick man pushed up his cap with his thumb. He shot a gapped-tooth smile. "We're just a couple of town guards.