CHAPTER 9: AFTERWARDS

Doa sprints through the thicket tensely and finally arrives at where the blast took place.

She notices Minaro on the floor, rushes to his side, and analyzes his condition. She promptly eases up.

"Okay, he's fine… What the hell happened though?.."

She lifts and puts Minaro on her back. Thereupon, Rinka and Sumairu show up, waving.

Sumairu: Hey! Doa! What the heck happened? Why was there an explosion?

Doa: Well, I don't really know what happened but I think Minaro was attacked by someone!

Eyebrows raise.

Sumairu: He was attacked?

Rinka: Is he okay?

Doa: Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's fine. But yeah, I think he was attacked! I don't know exactly what happened though, all I saw was the explosion.

Sumairu: Huh, okay. Let's go back to the Skill Center, and we'll ask what went down when he wakes up.

…

Returning to the sinister vermillion establishment, a bloody, fatigued Yoshanai enters a comfy, compact room, most notable is a cluttered black desk, laptop on top of it, and a bunch of full bookshelves. And sitting on an office chair is the man with the white hair, watching curiously.

Yoshanai: … I managed to find the Black Blood dude with the long hair, and I messed him up for a good while until shit happened and he ended up kicking my ass.

"Is that so?.. Interesting."

Yoshanai cracks his fingers.

Yoshanai: … Remind me why we're not supposed to kill new Black Blood bearers again? Cuz that dude was getting on my nerves.

"... It's because killing bearers whenever we found them was inefficient. I've learned we can just find an x-amount of bearers, involve ourselves in their lives, resulting in their blood growing in energy, and eventually kill them to get honed blood. It's much better, I'll be able to save the world way faster!"

Yoshanai slowly nods his head and prepares to exit the room.

Yoshanai: Alright, I'm out. I need to rest.

"Okay. Bye!"

He leaves, and the man turns to and looks down at his laptop. He's on a blank page. He quickly types his name at the top-right.

"Yutsu Soyahashi."

…

Imma-Ite stands in front of a wooden door, unlocks it with a key, and swings it open. He quickly frowns upon noticing Rinka, Sumairu, Maya, and Minaro seated at a table inside.

"What!? Sumairu said he'd give me my own room! Why are there people here!?"

Sumairu's eyes light up.

Sumairu: Hey! Imma-ite! How are you?

Imma-Ite: Hi. Am I in the right room?

Sumairu: Yes! This is your room! And these three will be your roommates!

Imma-Ite sighs, scratches his butt, and yawns.

Imma-Ite: Blue chump, woman dude, and a strawberry girl?... You said I was going to get my own room, no one else!

Sumairu: Did I say that?.. Doesn't matter! You're going to love it here!

Imma-Ite: … Whatever, bro.

Imma-Ite closes the door, heads over to the sofa, leaps onto it, and immediately falls asleep. Everyone looks away from him and back at each other.

Sumairu: Okay, so back to what we were talking about, Minaro, your skill?

Minaro stares at the floor.

Minaro: Yeah. As I said earlier, I didn't really process it at the lake. But during my latest battle, I really felt it.

No one says anything.

Minaro: I could see all of space, and I would think of a concept and would be able to bring it out of my rifts. It even showed me how much energy it would cost. I brought out a lot of powerful space stuff.

Sumairu: … Powerful space stuff? Like what?

Minaro: Solar flares, gamma rays, asteroids and meteors, a piece of a dying star, and even a magnetar.

Sumairu looks bewildered.

Sumairu: Huh? Wouldn't most of those things be really deadly? Like they'd end the world?

Minaro: Yeah. But for some reason, mine are very nerfed. And of course, I was immune to it all.

Sumairu: … Cool! I told you your skill was pretty damn crazy! We'll definitely need to train you more!

Sumairu stands.

Sumairu: … I'm gonna go check on that girl Rinka and I saved.

...

Sumairu walks into a room, exactly like where Rinka woke up. Doa is there, sitting, using her phone. And the rescued girl, Ashi, is on a bed, eating chocolate bear cookies.

He waves at her.

Sumairu: Hi.

She looks at him.

Ashi: … Hi.

Sumairu: Are you okay?

Ashi: … Yes.

Sumairu: I'm assuming Doa already enlightened you?

She nods her head.

Sumairu: Okay, finish eating and then I'll show you the room you'll be staying in.

…

Rinka and Minaro are up, devouring bountiful spaghetti. The door of the room abruptly opens and Sumairu lets Doa and Ashi inside. Doa waves and the other is just nervous, shy.

Sumairu: Hi guys, Doa and Ashi will be staying in this room too.

He leaves, forgetting to close the door.

…

A few hours have gone by, Imma-Ite wakes up, writhing, which causes him to fall off the sofa. He yelps, jumps up, and sees everyone conversing around the kitchen. He's irritated as always.

"Oh my god, there's even more randos now."

Everyone looks at him.

Imma-Ite: Okay! If I'm gonna live with you guys, I have to know your names! So say 'em!

Rinka: I'm Rinka.

Imma-Ite: Rinks. Uh-huh

Doa: Doa.

Imma-Ite: The, yeah?

Minaro: … Minaro.

Imma-Ite: Mineral. Alright.

Maya: My name's Maya!

Imma-Ite: Mayo, okay.

Ashi doesn't respond, she's just staring at the ground.

Doa: That girl's name is Ashi.

Imma-Ite: Asshe? That's an odd name.

Imma-Ite yawns and starts walking toward the restroom.

Rinka: What a strange individual… Ashi. What were you gonna say before we got interrupted?

Ashi gently grabs her forearm.

Ashi: … Where am I going to sleep? I feel really tired.

Rinka looks around.

Rinka: Uh. Well, there's 2 bedrooms, girls can have one and the boys the other?

Ashi: Okay.

Maya: It's gonna be like a sleepover!.. By the way, Ashi, what skills do you have?

She looks at Maya then back at the floor.

Ashi: Um, I have a skill that lets me summon a little bit of wind.

No one says anything, Doa abruptly yawns and rises.

Doa: … I'm gonna go to the bedroom, guys, I'm really sleepy. Peace out.

She starts walking.

Maya: … Well, I guess I'll go too. Good night!

Rinka: Bye!

She follows. Ashi eventually follows as well. Minaro and Rinka go to their own room, and Imma-Ite finally exits the restroom, violently swinging open the door.

He runs, leaps onto the couch, and knocks out again.

TO BE CONTINUED...