Chapter 2: The Event Unfolds

The bell rung signaling the end of class and school. At least, for those not in a club. The students stood up and thanked the teacher. The teacher packed up and was about leave, before remembering something and stopping.

"Be sure to turn your club applications by the end of next week, got it?". The class replied with an unenthusiastic "Yes...". Particularly those that were already talking with their friends. Some students were already leaving the classroom and among them, were a curious pair.

This was of course our protagonist, Harumi and Shoudo. The thing that was most eye catching was the fact that Shoudo seemed to have a mean look on his face. In comparison, Harumi had a calm smile and greeted everyone he passed with a polite "Hello" or "Good afternoon".

He didn't many replies as most excused themselves after seeing Shoudo behind him with an seemingly angry expression. Harumi acted as if he didn't notice and kept greeting anybody and everybody. Eventually, they left school grounds.

As soon as they left, Shoudo asked Harumi. "So when is that ring going to... go off or something?". Shoudo gestured with a head motion. Harumi's expression became neutral and he answered without facing Shoudo. "I don't know but if I can see how fast it's losing light-".

"It's not losing light. It's actually being filled. Look". Shoudo interrupted. Harumi paused and looked up, seeing that the ring that had a small hole in the middle had actually an even smaller hole now. "Oh, well then. If my eyes work, then it'll be filled..."

"Tonight or tomorrow. Looks like we really don't have much time". Harumi narrowed his eyes. 'It seems I'll have to settle with my level for now. I don't have time to improve more'. "So basically, we have no time".

Harumi looked at Shoudo and gauged his reaction. "Yeah". He met Harumi's expectations exactly. Shoudo punched a utility pole. "You know, we may be overreacting. It may not be something as serious as a apocalypse event or invasion. It may be something that doesn't do anything".

Shoudo processed what I said. "Oh, right. Right...". Harumi then said, "That chance is low though. Oh, look. The train station. Well then, see you tomorrow". Before he could reply, Harumi took off with a bright smile and a wave.

The look of shock on Shoudo's face made Harumi snicker a bit. He boarded the train with a very neutral expression. 'I need to prepare for tonight'. He spent the rest of the train ride silently. When he left, a impression of a hand could be seen.

(Later)

It was nighttime. Nobody was home for today, which gave Harumi ample oppurtunity to meditate. He focused the aura around him and this time, he focused more onto his right hand. He punched the air in front of him causing a small displacement in the air.

The curtain moved a few centimeters in front of him. This was an improvement. He could control his aura more fluidly. Well, for some reason, he had an easier time distributing more aura into a limb than focusing all of it in on limb.

As an example, let's say he evenly distributed aura onto his whole body. If he were to try to shut off aura from all his limb except his right arm, it wouldn't work as good. If he distributed 10% to his whole body and tried to move all of it to his right arm, some aura would be lost causing it to be only slightly better than normal.

To be honest, it reminded him of a famous anime power from back on his world. 'Hm, I wonder if-'. The clock struck midnight. 'Nevermind. It's time'. Harumi had prepared. Really prepared. He stood up and straightened his leather jacket and grabbed his duffel bag which had supplies, just in case.

"Better safe than sorry... Right?". He was paranoid, he didn't like fighting, but if he were forced to, he made sure it was a battle he could win. If not, then he would fulfill the conditions for victory. Even if it meant using dirty tricks.

One of the fights he ever participated in was against a particularly big guy. He wasn't tall nor muscular, below average really. Yet, he made sure to fight in an empty lot with materials to use.

He went down in one punch, on all fours on the ground. When the guy stomped on his head, he took the oppurtunity to palm some dirt and threw it in the guys eyes. Then, he held the guys foot and twisted it. Nearly breaking it.

After that he ran to a fence, kicked a plank of wood free, then used it as a bludgeoning weapon. He left the guy there, knocked out after a nasty hit to the head.

Oops, I went on a tangent there. It didn't really matter. The only thing that you should know, is that Harumi, or at least the guy possessing him, didn't have honor. He was the type to ledge people using Raider in For Honor.

Harumi looked outside his window and looked up at the ring. The first thing he noticed was that the ring was now filled with light. The seconds was that it was really bright. Lastly, that it was really close and getting closer. His reaction was of course...

"Ah, fuck-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as his world was filled with light.

(Unknown Location)

"-me!". The next thing he knew was that he was in a new environment. He was in a dark blue room, almost like the room from One Punch Man. Other than the color that is. Looking around, he saw other people. An absurd amount of people.

Suddenly, above the crowd of people, a sign was erected. "Newcomers here? Huh, that's interesting. Looking around, he could see a lot of those signs. After a moment, the signs started distancing themselves from one another.

Trying to find a smaller group, Harumi was about to walk off in the direction that had probably only a few people. By few, he meant few hundred people. Something made him stop in his tracks though. And that was, the fact that one of the people holding the signs was familiar. He put on a smile and walked towards the person..

"My, my. I never thought that when I said later, it would be literally a few hours. Isn't that right? Yamamoto Kaede-senpai". Harumi didn't look surprised. Neither did Yamamoto-senpai. She just smiled and said, "I knew. So you were a Player".

The term did confuse Harumi a bit but he fired back in moments. "Now, I would never play with women's hearts, senpai. Oh, did you already fall for me?". Kaede, a bit surprised had a bit of a blush creep onto her face.

"Well, maybe...". Harumi paused, "...eh?". He expected her to fire back. But not in this way. "... Of course, I'm kidding. But onto the important thing, you are new aren't you?". Harumi recovered from his momentary daze and was back with his usual smile.

"Ah, right. I'm new". Harumi nodded. "You wouldn't mind explaining, right?". Kaede reached into one of her bag and grabbed a... pamphlet? "You guys have pamphlets?". Kaede just shrugged and answered, "It takes too much time to explain every little detail every year. This is more efficient".

Harumi looked at the pamphlet and looked at the crowds who were sitting on the floor. The elderly or people with disabilities were provided with chairs to sit. In front of the crowd, were a group of 6 people. One thing he noticed about them was that on their chest, there was an emblem stitched on.

An emblem of a shield with two wings on either side, with a name on the bottom. Guardian Alliance. A generic name. Harumi looked at Kaede once more and didn't see the same emblem. 'Is she not one of them? Is she maybe just helping?'.

"Now, now. You shouldn't stare at a ladies chest so boldly". Harumi once again looked over her. She was definitely pretty, not beautiful like models were. But definitely an eye catcher. She had a figure that was definitely above average. But, not willing to admit defeat so easily, Harumi quipped, "What lady? And what chest?".

That definitely pushed her buttons. She responded like a mature upperclassmen would and poked Harumi's side. "Ah-! Hey stop that! I was joking...". She still pouted. If viewed from the outside, it would seem as if an senpai was teasing his kouhai.

Though the rolls were reversed. 'Well, enough of that for now. I have to find out some information about my situation'. Harumi quickly yet carefully read each word in the pamphlet. '... Hahahaha! This is... interesting. Truly interesting!'.

Right as he finished reading his pamphlet, he heard shouting from behind. "Oi! Oi! Yoshiharu-san!". He looked away from the pamphlet and saw a head of blond hair running through a crowd of people that were still standing.

'Huh, didn't think I would see you in this situation. Considering the amount of people here, it was a miracle I even found Yamamoto. But that was because she was under the sign... Ah, wait I'm under the sign too'.

"Thankfully, it wasn't the destruction of the world. Right? Koryuuin-san?". Behind him, he could hear Kaede whispering to herself. "... Eh? Destruction of the world? What are they talking about...". Shoudo hunched over trying to catch his breath. Before finally asking, "Yoshiharu...san, you know what we're doing here?"

Harumi held up his pamphlet. "Didn't you get one of these? They're really informative you know?". Shoudo looked at the pamphlet and tilted his head to the side. "Those things they were passing out? I didn't get a chance to get one since I rushed towards you as soon as I saw you".

Harumi shook his head a bit. "Very well then. I'll tell you our purpose in being brought here". Shoudo nodded his head. "The reason we're here is to participate in a game. A Grand Game of sorts. With the ultimate prize". Shoudo turned pale, "A game? Like Saw?".

"Maybe, maybe not. But the prize is very enticing to most people. Especially religious people". Shoudo gulped. "Yes... Winning this game, gives you the prize-!". Kaede interrupted, "Just get on with it, stop being so dramatic".

Harumi felt a little embarrassed and coughed into his hand. "I like theatrics okay? Anyway, the prize is...".