Arifureta Shokugyou De Sekai Saikyou: Irregularity

'--nsei...'

I hear something...

It's dark... I can't see anything...

'Ai--------sei...'

Again... It feels like someone is calling me...

Yuka [Ai-chan sensei!]

Aiko [...A re...?]

Yuka [I'm glad, I'm so glad!]

Sonobe-san is holding me... What happened?

Hajime [You fell and hit your head Sensei, it didn't seem serious but you bleed a lot and fainted so I gave you one of this]

Nagumo-kun is here too, he shows me something in his hand, it looks like a... Pen? A fat pen? My head hurts... It's blurry...

I have the feeling there was something...

Hajime [How is it going over there Yue?]

Yue [No good, she is knocked out... She may not wake up until tomorrow...]

Hajime [*Sigh* What a pitiful rabbit...]

There was something... Something important... I have to remember...

Yuka [? Ai-chan sensei?]

Aiko [-----zu-kun...]

Yuka [Um?]

Aiko [Shimizu-kun!!]

I remember... He was shoot... The cloudy feeling in my head cleared up and I look around for him...

Aiko [-!?]

but...

Hajime [...Who are you?]

There was someone there... His face was covered with a hood but, probably even without it I wouldn't have recognized him...

??? [...You ask "Who?" but, I don't really think that matters...]

Hajime [...Is that so...]

Nagumo-kun pulls out his gun-

Hajime [Were you the one that used him and planned all this mess?]

Aiko [--it...]

??? [Not at all... I'm only a bystander passing by...]

Hajime [...Are you an enemy?]

Aiko [...-ait...]

??? [...I wonder about that myself...]

Aiko [Wait!!!]

Haime [-!! Sensei!?]

I hold on to Nagumo-kun's arm like my life depended on it...

Aiko [What are you going to do with Shimizu-kun!?]

Shimizu-kun was on his back, it was clear he was taking him somewhere.

He may still be alive, we may be able to save him... No matter what, I can't let Nagumo-kun Shoot...

??? [Well, I'll think about that really hard from now on...]

...What does he mean by that?...

Hajime [-! Sensei let-]

Aiko [-Give him back...]

Hajime [?]

??? [...]

Aiko [Give him back... Give Shimizu-kun back!!]

I scream my lungs out, he just look at me silently... After a few seconds without saying anything, he-

??? [Sorry, I won't do that...]

Aiko [Why!!!?]

??? [A Hero from another world is too valuable... Even if it becomes a corpse, I can't just let it rot away...]

Aiko [-!!!]

Hajime [...]

The sudden use ot the word "corpse" pierced my heart... Without minding that he continues.

??? [And, even if you say "Give him back" technically I can't... Because he is not yours...]

Aiko [...]

Hajime [...You...]

I know that's not the point but somehow... No words came out to answer his argument... Nagumo-kun just glared at him...

??? [You don't have to look so scary... I mean, with all this situation going on, I'm sure he wouldn't want to go with you either... But if you want, you can just ask him yourself...]

He moves his left hand to Shimizu-kun's head that rests on his right shoulder, saying 'Here' he shows it to us, no sign of consciousness, no sign of life, traces of fresh blood on his mouth...

??? [Just ask him...]

'Stop'

My voice won't come out...

My vision becomes blurry with the tears forming on the corner of my eyes...

'Please stop'

It's like my breath leaves my mouth but no sound came out... It feels like I'm drowning...

Atsushi [Can you stop already!? Do you have no soul!?]

Yuka [Do you think this a joke!?]

I hear Sonobe-san and Tanmai-kun angrily rising their voices close to me.

The hooded person look at us withouts change in the lower half of his face that is visible...

??? [I'm sorry if I offended you... But I'm being completely serious...]

Atsushi [-!!!]

Yuka [-!!?]

Hajime [Sensei... Let go of my arm...]

Aiko [Eh?]

The air became heavy... For just an instant, I thought I saw a blue colored glint in his eyes shadowed by the hood.

??? [..."Yama-Inu"...]

A flash of light, and like out of thin air, a long spear appeared in his right hand, the spear spin two or three times in his hand and then he just hold it naturally pointing at the ground...

Hajime [...A Treasure trove...]

??? [That's right, but please don't misunderstand... I have no intention of fighting you...]

Hajime [Then why did you take that thing out?]

He turned the blade of the spear to the sky... then he slightly raised it from the ground-

??? [-To run away]

Hajime [-!! Chi-! Sensei! Let go!]

Aiko [Wait! Don't-!]

Nagumo-kun try to shake me off but I don't let go of him while I shout at the hooded person.

Suddenly a blue light runs through the long spear, somehow, it looks like the scanner in the printing machine at the teachers office... He then firmly hit the ground with the base of the spear-

Yuuki ["Transmutation"]

After he declares out loud as if for us to listen, the ground trembles... Then as it were waves in the ocean, it rised at both of our sides... No... I could see sharp rocks like fangs at the edge of the rising ground... It was like the jaws of a giant beast...

Nagumo-kun puts his metallic arm on the gun of his left tight, He looks at the hooded person, at everyone else, and then at me...

Hajime [Chi-! Yue and pervert!, cover quickly!]

Yue [Un... On it...]

Tio [Umu, as my lord commands!]

Yuka [Ai-chan get down!]

Sonobe-san and Tanmai-kun covered me, Nagumo-kun pulls out His black shield... Even so I just extend my hand to that hooded person.

Aiko [Wait!!]

I look straight at him as the ground closes around us... He slowly turned to the other side as if to make clear the he was done dealing with us, but while his half hidden face was still turned to me he-

??? [...Thank you, Aiko-sensei...]

...Eh?

My whole body lost its strength...

For a moment the hood slightly moved in the wind... Just for a moment, I could see part of his face... Unlike the expressionless felling that his half hidden face gave him before, he had a soft, kind smile as he said that to me...

What is the meaning of that smile... Is he mocking me, or there was some other meaning behind it...

But even more that that smile-

Aiko [(...That voice...)]

I've heard it before... I'm sure I have but...

Was it in this world, or maybe on Earth... I can't remember... I can't... A voice that suited that kind hearted expression... But I can't remember...

I just saw through the gap in the ground closing around us until finally it trapped us inside. At that time a low voice escaped from my throat without I being able to hold it in...

Aiko [...Who are you?...]

No one answered that question...

Shimizu-kun and the hooded person were not there anymore...

#####

Yuuki [Ten seconds...]

In front of me is a dome made of earth big enough to fit Tio Klarus in her dragon form...

Yuuki [(Enough as a distraction, but no way it can stop them...)]

On my right hand, a long reddish rust colored spear longer than my own height, with a blade as long as a short self-defense sword at the end...

"Yama-Inu", like Teiko and unlike Kirin, needs to be "used" to fight, with her speciality being the use of "Creation magic"... She is able to take control of the terrain and change it at will... An indirect, magic oriented fighting style of sorts, different from Teiko and Kirin that are direct enough when it comes to fighting...

Yuuki [Yama-Inu, return]

The long spear becomes light and disappear.

I need to get us as far from here as possible in less than ten seconds.

five seconds is how much it will take Nagumo Hajime in securing Aiko-sensei party's safety, after at least five seconds more he will notice that there is no danger in just blowing away the dome out of his way...

If I don't get out of here in at least five seconds, he will find me and probably kill me.

Yuuki ["Kirin"]

Kirin appears as son as I call her, now in her bike form, I mount her and transfer magic power through the Handel.

Without the need to voice my thoughts she moves, not even minding the ground she just moves trough the wind just like she did in her fight against Tio.

We need to scape, but more than that, I need to treat Shimizu's wounds, so we need a place to hide.

Yuuki [Go pass that wall]

There's only one place I can think of right now.

#####

Waitress [So, came crawling back eh?]

Yuuki [So it seems, I need a room to stay]

Waitress [Is he all right?]

Yuuki [He got hurt in the monster invasion, it's quite bad so I want to treat him fast]

Waitress [I see, well it doesn't matter... Do you remember which room you were using?]

She gives me a key.

Yuuki [Yes, thank you]

Waitress [Just get going, he looks like dead already]

Yuuki [I'll do that...]

#####

Yuuki [How is it going, Amaterasu-chan?]

Amaterasu [...]

She turns my way with an almost sad expression, as I thought, it's bad. I tried to do the same as when I fought Tio but he won't make it just with that after all.

I rub Amaterasu-chan's check with my finger.

Yuuki [Don't worry, I expected this much]

I take out from my treasure trove two vials of "Ochimizu", I use one directly on the wound of the c.h.e.s.t and somehow made him drink the second one.

I'm not that good at magic, but I fell the growth in my skill if I train... Though when it comes to recovery magic, I'm bad, I'll go as far as to say I suck at recovery magic, precisely because of that I have to be prepared for the time when I really need to use it.

To make it simple, it's like that thing about the arrows, one is weak but three are strong. So I just use three methods of recovery at the same time. First, Amaterasu-chan to boost my "Restoration Magic", next is "Ochimizu" to boost the targets recovery rate, and finally-

Yuuku ["Kitsune(狐/Fox)"]

Now from the treasure trove comes out a white and golden metallic fan with a dignified as well as mystical feeling on it. One of the few artifacts aimed at support more than combat, and just like Amaterasu-chan, it's specially oriented on "Restoration Magic".

Yuuki ["Amaterasu", "Kitsune"]

Amaterasu [...]

Kitsune [...]

The "Ochimizu" is taking effect, now I'll use the correction on status of Amaterasu-chan and Kitsune boosting my "Restoration magic". I won't let Simizu Yukitoshi die, if I do, all this would be for nothing.

Yuuki [Come on...]

I focus on the c.h.e.s.t wound. With "Detect magic" I can see how magic power little by little flow in a more stable pace through his heart, but the pace the wound is healing at is too slow.

Yuuki [...Use more of my magic power...]

Amaterasu [...]

Kitsune [...]

For a moment the feeling of unrest is transferred to me but after that I can feel how magic power leaves my body with more intensity than before.

Yuuki [...It's working...]

The wound is now closing faster than before, my head feels light and I think I see some lights blinking around the room but this much is fine... Probably...

Yuuki [...Just a little more...]

The hole is slowly being filled with coagulated blood and other not so sightly substances that after drying crumble and fall leaving reddish flesh where there was before a mortal wound.

After a few seconds a soft *zuuu* *zuuu* sound can be heard from Shimizu sleeping in the silent room.

Yuuki [...I did it...]

The wound closed... All at once, the tension in my body disappear, I'm on my knees before I noticed.

Yuuki [...I did it...]

I changed the future... This is not like the time with Gale-san and the others, this time it involved Hajime directly...

Shimizu Yukitoshi, someone that Nagumo Hajime was supposed to kill, is alive...

Right now, my heart is full of unrest.

Yuuki [(what I did just mow, what I will do from now on, just what will become out of it...)]

But on the other hand, relief...

Yuuki [(There is something I can do... For me to be here, there was a meaning... For me to be right here in this moment, it was not for nothing...)]

That time when I tried to change Hajime's future, the feeling of impotence, to just be unable to do anything, it was worse than the regret of failing... but right now, is the complete opposite...

Aaah... No good, I'm no good anymore... If I'm given this much hope... I won't be able to give up anymore...

*Poke* *poke*

Yuuki [Izana-chan?]

Izana-chan gives me a vial of Ochimizu and then points at my stomach. There was a blood stain.

Yuuki [Oh, right, I was bitten by the back wolf]

I totally forgot, the fangs only pierced my skin so it was nothing big, but with the number of the wounds bleeding it looks bad.

Amaterasu [...]

Kitsune [...]

Yuuki [I'll be fine with just this, please keep treating him, he Lost too much blood]

I take a wet towel and clean the blood on Shimizu's face... As I do so I remember...

Yuuki [Aiko-sensei was really angry...]

I felt like my neck was about to be bitten off...

Hajime was definitely scary but, Aiko-sensei was scarier...

Yuuki [She really cared... Good for you...]

Right now, you probably won't find any worth in that but... Until you become able to, I'll be glad in your place...

After drinking the Ochimizu I sit on a corner of the room and cover myself with a blanket.

Yuuki [For now... Good night...]

#####

I feel heavy... Like when you sleep more than ten hours straight and somehow end more tired than before.

Yukitoshi [...Where is this-?...]

I recognize it, this is the 'Water Fairy Inn"...

Yukitoshi [Was that a dream?]

That's disappointing, but I guess it's convenient too...

??? [...Good morning...]

Yukitoshi [-!!!... You...]

A black haired guy was laying on the corner when I noticed... Wait, this guy...

??? [Just to make sure you understand I'll say it but... That was not a dream...]

He points at me... More like, at my c.h.e.s.t... There's a mark, a scar of reddish colored skin where I was shoot...

Yukitoshi [...Is that so...]

So all of that really happened...

Yukitoshi [...Pu- fufufufufufufu- hahahaha- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!]

I can't help it but to laugh.

Yukitoshi [How's that you chuni bastard!! I'm still alive-buh!?]

While I was in my own world, tha black haired guy covered my mouth.

??? [Sorry, I know how you feel, but you should not rise your voice like that right now...]

He said with a troubled face... That's right, right now-

Yukitoshi [Oi dumbass, why are we here? those idiots are staying here too, don't you know that much?]

Is he stupid?...

??? [...Fufufu~ Not only that, actually, the white haired guy that fought you is staying in this Inn too...]

Yukitoshi [...]

Oh god, he's a retard...

Yukitoshi [Then why-bhuhf!!!]

??? [I told you not to rise your voice... Don't worry, the white haired guy already left the town... And your party is a little shocked by what happened... Now that I think about it, my choice of words may have made them think you are dead so they probably won't search for you in the same Inn they are staying at...]

Yukitoshi [...Hah! Shocked by my death, that's a good one...]

??? [Well, for your classmates it was certainly more the shock of someone they knew dying in fron of them... But Your teacher was really sad, she cried a lot... She probably still is...]

Yukitoshi [Don't you say]

??? [...]

Whatever... I don't need that...

??? [For now, should we introduce ourselves?]

Said the black haired guy after a few seconds of silence.

Yuuki [My name is Yuuki, as you know, most people in this world have no surname so only Yuuki, I'm a "Black" ranked adventurer... It's a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e]

Yukitoshi [...Yuuki? What a dumb name...]

Yuuki [Eh?]

Wow, he looks shocked... Whatever.

Yukitoshi [Shimizu Yukitoshi, a Hero from another world]

When I say my name, his depressed face lit up again... So stupid...

Yuuki [Un, nice to meet you, Shimizu-kun]

Yukitoshi [Now... what comes next? What are we doing from now on?]

He looks at me, then wonders for a few seconds, then-

Yuuki [For now should we talk for a little? There's a few things I want you to understand]

Yukitoshi [Well... Let's see what you have...]

#####

Yukitoshi [...That dead bullied kid Nagumo... The chuni bastard?...]

Well that's shocking...

So Nagumo is still alive and went full "Isekai protagonist mode" with his own harem and all...

Haah... I want to kill him, I want to kill him so much, I want to **** those women in front of him until they cry like pigs and then kill him as he begs me to spare him...

Yuuki [I'll make this clear too, right now there's no way you can beat him...]

...

Yuuki [You saw him, right? He's way too strong, he defeated your monster army with just a few people... And right now, you lost every ally you had...]

What he said is right, I'm for obvious reasons not part of the Hero party anymore... And the Demon race discarded me.

Yukitoshi [...All of them... Soo God damn useless...]

Yuuki [Well, you were dangerous to the Demon race in your own way, loosing you to someone else was too much of a risk because of your magic that control monsters... Eliminating you was probably their "In the more or less worst case" plan from the start...]

Yukitoshi [Well, isn't this the f.u.c.k.i.n.g worst for them then, I'm still alive after all...]

Yuuki [Fufufu~ Yes, you are right about that...]

What's so damn funny?...

Yukitoshi [So? what now? My aim is Nagumo, how will I become able to kill him?]

Yuuki [Right, for that, there's a place we have to go to, we'll depart tomorrow so for today lets just eat something and rest]

Well, I'm definitely tired, so no complain there.

After that, one of the waitress of the Inn brought some food.

She looked my way and said 'Looks like you made it..." and then left the room.

We ate with nothing out of the ordinary happening and after that I don't remember exactly when but I just fell asleep...

#####

Right now, we can see the lake town of Ull in the distance.

We are heading to our next destination, and for the first time in pretty much my whole life, I'm with what could be described as a companion...

Yukitoshi [I'm already tried of asking but... What now?]

Shimizu Yukitoshi ask as he walks at the same pace as me.

Right now he is using a different set of gear from what he had before, because well, the damage was... I guess "Unrepairable" is a good word.

A long sleeved inner shirt and short sleeved cloth armor in set with pants highly resistant to damage, all of them mainly black. C.h.e.s.t armor, boots and a belt with a holster for a weapon, all of them of black leather. And finally a long cape that covers most of his body with a hood added... Also, it's black...

...

If I had to say something... He totally looks the part of a "Dark Mage"... I mean, I'm the one who made it but... It's really black...

Yukitoshi [Oi dumbass, are you listening?]

Yuuki [Right... We are a good distance from the town so it's about time...]

I stop and turn to him.

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun, you don't have a weapon do you?]

Yukitoshi [I had one, a staff that strengthened dark magic, but that chuni bastard of Nagumo broke it... So what? You gonna give me a new one or something?]

I make some distance and tell Shimizu-kun to not get too close. I extend my left hand with the treasure trove to the empty space between Shimizu-kun and me and then-

Yuuki [Everyone, please come out]

Light comes from my left hand and when it disappears... Weapons... Enough weapons to arm a full fledged party stand proudly on the ground...

Yukitoshi [...Wow...]

Kirin, Yama-Inu, Kitsune and not just them...

Yukitoshi [This are... "Artifacts", aren't they?]

Yuuki [That's right]

A red colored great sword with a length and width that makes it as useful as a to crush hordes of enemies as to defend against any attacks that come your way.

A short blue colored wand not too flashy at first sight, but at the moment that a mage puts his hands on it they will probably find few other artifacts that can give them as much comfort when it comes to using magic.

A silver colored staff with a azure colored magic crystal, as useful as a catalyst for powerful magic as it is as a weapon for close quarter combat.

Together with Teiko, Kirin and Yama-Inu this are all combat oriented artifacts. On the other side being held in my hands.

Colored pure white like snow and shaded with a light blue, a beautiful hair pin adorned with a snow flake in the shape of a flower.

Colored pink and white, a pendant that can be held easily with both hands with a pattern that looks like wings engraved.

Together with Kitsune this are the support oriented artifacts.

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun, I want you to try to take any of these artifacts, the only rules is that you should not think in the other ones around, you can try more than once but you should try to take them one by one and only focus in the one you try to take at the time...]

Shimizu-kun looks around until his eyes stop in one place.

Yukitoshi [What about the horse?]

Yuuki [Her name is Kirin, if we take in count that you are a mage she could be a good match for you as a combat support]

"I see..." Says Shimizu-kun as he moves his hand to Kirin's face as if he were c.a.r.e.s.sing an actual horse.

Kirin [...]

For a while, Kirin look at Shimizu's face as if analysing him and after a few seconds she closes her eyes and deny with her head.

Yukitoshi [I guess that's a no]

Yuuki [The match was good but maybe the affinity is bad...]

Yukitoshi [All right, next one]

Shimizu-kun moves around as he look the artifacts, he stops in front of the staff.

Yuuki [I guess as a mage a staff would be the safest choice after all]

Yukitoshi [I already used a staff before so the staff and the wand are out]

He looks at Yama-Inu next.

Yuuki [That is essentially a spear but also work as a staff, something like a magic warrior]

Yukitoshi [I'm not into spears, they bring bad luck... Like being Irish...]

...Eh, what was that? Was that a joke? I didn't get it! And what is an Irish!? Are Irish famous for being unlucky?

Yukitoshi [A sword that big is not my type so no good either]

Yuuki [That's not actually a-]

Yukitoshi [Are those you are holding artifacts too?]

Yuuki [Yea, though they are more for support than for combat]

Yukitoshi [No need to check I guess, I'm the opposite of support after all, if the horse didn't work, those won't either...]

This could be bad, I wanted Shimizu-kun to have one of them because they can take care of him in case it's needed but-

Yukitoshi [Hum? What about this one]

I look at Shimizu-kun as he ask me for one of the artifacts but my voice stopped mid way in my throat.

I was sure I kept her inside the treasure trove, but maybe I took her out by mistake.

A sword, a flashily ornamented curved sword still sheathed, if a high ranked noble of any kingdom were to describe it they would call it "Worthy to be wielded by me"... Or at least that would be the case if not for a flaw...

Black...

Pitch black sheath.

Pitch black hilt.

Pitch black ornaments.

Finally, a pitch black Blade.

The presence it gives was almost disturbing.

Even without taking in count that... That child is-

Yukitoshi [Woops... It's a little heavy...]

Yuuki [...]

...

...Eh?

Yukitoshi [Maybe I'll take this-...? Oi retard, did something happen?]

Yuuki [No-! I mean, do you feel weird, like your body, or feeling tired, or something weird happening to your soul, is your soul all right!?]

Yukitoshi [Don't get so close, and how the hell would I know if something happened to my soul, are you stupid?... Oi, don't tell me... Is this thing cursed-?]

Yuuki [-She is not!!!... She is not cursed... She is a very good child, it's just... It's a little complicated... I don't get it myself...]

Is this some kind of sign... If so then...

I held on to the hand that held the pitch black sword and looked at Shimizu-kun's eyes.

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun, can you please take her?]

He looked back at me with wonder for a while and then grinned.

Yukitoshi [...Well, if it's not cursed and is strong I don't mind]

Yuuki [She is strong... Very strong...]

Yukitoshi [I see, then I'll take it]

Said Shimizu-kun as he put the pitch black sword in his holster.

With this we are ready to go to our next destination...

Yuuki [All right, let's go Shimizu-kun, to the "Reisen Great labyrinth"...]