Squad Assemble

Chaos Year 3, Day 109, 4:21 pm

About 1 year and 8 months later.

Ding Dong Ding Dong~

The school bell rang out loud announcing the end of today's classes. But I couldn't move from my seat, as my body felt heavy and the gravity on my eyelids seemed to be ten times stronger than usual.

Ugh, I shouldn't have played the game 'til 5 am last night.

In our second period, the Modern Japanese class was taught by Ishikawa sensei. Today she caught me dozing off in the class, making me the center of the attention. I spent the rest of the day battling against my urge to fall asleep.

Finally, when that bell announced the end of my war, I gave in to my desires and laid down on my arms, resting them over the desk.

"RYOKI! RYOKIII~!"

Just when my mind began drifting off towards nothingness, a strong loud voice rang through my ear, clearing away my sweet drowsiness instantly.

God damnit, Why..why.. What have I done wrong? Just let a guy sleep in his damn classroom.

"Oii!" He yelled out again. "I know you can hear me."

Of course, I can, you fucker. You fucking own the loudest voice in the whole school.

Clomp! Clomp!

Loud footsteps slowly approached me.

Immediately, the low murmurs of the remaining students inside the room died off, making the air around uncomfortably silent.

They should hire him to quiet down the toddlers.

A 6 feet tall guy towered over me, as I raised my head. I didn't need to look around to notice my classmates' confused and agitated states.

Eventually, they started mumbling again, as they confirmed that the guy's aim was not themselves, but me. But this time the current situation was the most hot-topic one.

"Isn't that Arataki Shinji, the delinquent from class 2-B?"

"Just look at his bleached hair and earrings. I totally have no idea how the school allows them. He might even have tattoos under the shirt."

"Do you think he has some connections with the school board?"

"What is he doing with Tsuriyama-kun though? Do they know each other?"

"Well, it's Arataki Shinji we're talking about. I bet they are up to no good."

Even though they spoke under their breath, I could still catch some of their words.

This Shinji guy is an attention magnet, walking trouble. I'll just wrap this convo up fast and head back to my lovely siesta.

"I thought I told you not to communicate with me in school," I grumbled in a low voice, as he sat down on the vacant seat at my front.

"Ehh, stop being so cold, Rio. Aren't we comrades?" He replied with downcast eyes.

"Don't call me that either," I scowled.

"Why? Isn't 'Rio' your name? You lied to me?" A devilish smile hid behind his dejected looks.

Next time when he is in a pinch I ain't gonna save his sorry ass.

"Just tell me what you want and leave me in peace."

"What do I want? Wait, You didn't get my messages yet?"

"What messages? I didn't get any. Oh..." I took out my phone. Ah fuck, the battery's dead. That girl's gonna chew me out for this. "So what was the message about?"

Most probably something stupid anyway...

"Lynx sniffed out a void. We are to be present in the base by five pm today."

Or not…

"Five...what?! There's less than half an hour left!" I shouted out, panicking.

Most of the students left the classroom already. The rest glanced at me all together, pausing their lazy chats. Even a girl gave us weird looks from the hallway.

Damnit, there goes my reputation as an "enigmatic" person down the drain. Just hope they don't spread weird rumors around or something.

"Imma go home." I sighed and walked towards the door.

No sleep for me today either.

Watching Shinji and me suddenly leaving the room, the girl in the hallway hurried away towards the left stairway.

"We aren't going that way?" Shinji asked me, as I turned right.

He pointed at the left because that was the shortest path to the school entrance.

"That girl would think we are going after her." I preferred not to damage my social standing anymore.

Shinji furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but followed me anyway.

"Shinji, lend me your bike for today."

"Nope, I need that bike too. you are on your own, comrade."

"Tch, you're useless even in the real world."

"Heh, I might be useless in the real world but you don't get to call me that inside there. Try going into the void without me today. Y'all be dead within seconds."

"Whatever." My eyes rolled in annoyance. "Anyways, The hallway looks deserted today. See ya.”

The steps of my feet hitting the floor echoed as I ran through the corridor and stairway.

I don't wanna make everyone late.

"Ohhh this is fun. Didn't think you had it in ya."

"DON'T CHASE ME, YOU BASTARD!"

...…..

I ran the longest marathon of my life and reached home. With my whole body drenching in sweat and my leg muscles trembling, I entered through the front door.

As I sat down to rest a bit, my body burned and my ear steamed out hot air. My lungs struggled to suck in all the oxygen around the earth at once. And my heart crashed against my ribs repeatedly making wild sounds as if it could pop out any time now.

"Riko…what'z….za time?"

I could barely speak because of my heavy and rapid breathing.

Riko came running from the living room puzzled by the situation. Surprised by me lying on the floor in the entryway and she gasped out, placing her hands over her mouth.

Steadying herself, she then asked, "Why are you just lying there? What the hell happened to you?"

"Run…the game…no time… 5 pm.." I somehow squeaked out the necessary words for the explanation.

"What? Anyway, there are still 5 minutes left until 5 pm. Go get yourself washed up first." Riko mommed me, "You look terrible and smell sniff sniff awuggh.."

What the heck? don't sniff if you don't wanna smell it.

Eventually calming myself, I took a quick shower and then hurried towards my room to enter the Chaos world.

Just before I stepped into my room, Riko shouted out from the living room. "Onii-chan they are broadcasting the new One-Piece episode. Wanna watch it together?"

"No, Don't have the time. I have to go inside the game." I explained the situation properly. "By the way, I might be really late tonight. Don't wait for me at dinner tonight."

"Okaay." She responded as if she anticipated it.

Being late playing the game isn't surprising anymore I guess.

Plugging the charger into my phone, I quickly dived into the game and discovered myself inside our squad base.

"Arataki-kun, it's already 10 past 5 pm. Are you sure he is coming?"

Hikari's impatient voice reached my ears, but the world around me still remained blurry. Even though I could hear all the sounds, I had yet to get my vision back.

"Y-ya, Hikari. I even went to his class…" Shinji's voice quivered. After a moment, he shouted out, "Oh, there he is!"

Right away, I heard some quick steps closing in on me.

When my eyes cleared up, a pair of angry aqua eyes came into my view first. She glared at me, leaning forward. A tuft of her snow-white hair slid forward, hanging loose over her right eye. She didn't even bother to tug it back behind her ear.

"H-hello!" I managed.

"Why didn't you answer any of my calls or messages?" Hikari thundered.

"Shinji didn't tell you?" I frowned, glancing at Shinji. In response, he just shrugged. Useless… With a sigh, I added, "Well, I couldn't answer because my phone's battery died. I mean I didn't even know we had a void run today."

"Ryoki-kun, this isn't a manga." Her eyes grew cold with a little hint of sadness.

I guess it's hard to believe that cliché scene happening in real life. I mean, It's an overused and cheap plot armor.

"Wait, don't get sad. It's the truth." I tried to fix the misunderstanding right away. "Ask Shinji, if you don't believe me. He saw my phone."

"Why do you think I'm sad?"

Instead of asking Shinji about my phone, her focus shifted toward the 'sad' part for some reason.

"Because…"

"I'm not!" She yelled out before I could even speak, with a slight red glow on her cheeks. "A-anyway, are you ready? Do you have enough potions with you?"

Well, at least she ain't angry for missing her calls anymore.

"Ya, I should have some healing potions left. Those should be enough."

"Knew it. Here, accept my trade request." Hikari said while opening her game interface menu window.

"But I don't need more potions, Hikari."

Hearing my refusal, she looked daggers at me, knitting her brows together.

"Regardless, you must keep more than enough potions."

"She is right, Rio," said a blonde beauty, entering the room holding a tray. She brewed oolong tree for us apparently.

"But Annette-san, you can always just heal us, right?" I asked, turning at her.

"You said your new playstyle is reckless, right? So you can't always rely on my healing." Annette-san replied, extending the tray toward me. "Moreover, my subclass isn't best suited for healing, you should know that already."

"Alright, alright." I sighed, and took a cup from the tray, with a little nod of gratitude. "Just don't give me too many bottles."

While I sipped on my tea, Annette-san's dress caught my attention. I had never seen this one before. "Oh? Is that one of the new outfits?"

It was a peach-colored fancy robe, with a red cape attached around the shoulder. The outfit enhanced her already gorgeous outlook characterized by her golden hair, half braided, locked behind her head with a red ribbon and the rest waving down to her waist.

"Yes," she replied. "I bought three of the new ones."

Damn, she is rich. Well, that's where she pours all her money. Collecting these outfits was a hobby of hers, an expensive one indeed.

Soon a bulky large built player entered the room. It was our squad leader Kwon Seok-chin, aka Boss.

"Hey Boss, sorry I'm late." I apologized right away.

"It's fine, Rio." Boss grinned while smacking my shoulder. "So, everyone's ready? Recheck all the items and equipment."

"Where's the other two? Just the five of us are going?" I asked.

"Nah, I sent them ahead of time for the teleportation gate."

Apparently, Lynx and Pinkpika, my other two squadmates, were appointed beforehand to close the gap between us and the void gate. They would help create a teleportation gateway. Two teleportation devices, one on each side, would connect and create a teleportation gateway.

Beep..beep..beep~

"Can you hear me, Lynx?" Boss asked over the group voice call.

"Yes, loud and clear,"

"Let's begin teleportation."

"Alright."

Soon a two-meter oval-sized portal appeared before us. One by one, we all entered the teleportation portal.