Episode 13: First Combat Training
After shaking hands with Kaori, Kazuma went with her to find allies. In this practical exercise’s virtual training, there were students from both the Combat Course and the Support Course. The Combat Course aimed to train in interpersonal combat and escorting. In contrast, the Support Course students played the role of citizens being escorted. Because of this, they were targeted by the Combat Course students.
First, the Combat Course was divided into a Terrorist team and a National Defense Force team. Literally, the Terrorist team’s objective was to attack citizens, while the National Defense Force’s objective was to protect citizens from terrorists. And there was no time limit. The training would end when either the Terrorist side was wiped out, the National Defense Force side was wiped out, or all the citizens were eliminated.
The National Defense Force side was at a considerable disadvantage in this training, but actual terrorist incidents were much the same. It would be a different story if they knew a terrorist attack was coming beforehand.
“By the way, Satsuki-kun, are you confident in your running speed?”
“Well, I’m about average, I guess.”
“What’s your 100-meter dash time?”
“Around 13 seconds.”
“About average, then. In that case, if someone with an enhancement-type Gift comes, try to hide behind me as much as possible. It’s hard to protect you if you run off.”
“Got it. I’ll try to stay hidden nearby.”
“Thanks. Now then, I’d like to know about Satsuki-kun’s Transposition, if that’s okay?”
“Ah, sure.”
Saying that, Kazuma touched a nearby pebble, then touched another pebble a few steps away. Then, he focused his consciousness and activated Transposition.
“Hmm, the range isn’t that great, is it?”
“In the last Ability Test, five meters was my limit. So, please don’t expect too much.”
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind. Well then, let’s rendezvous with our allies first. If we’re attacked by two people, we don’t stand a chance.”
“Roger.”
In this virtual training, upon diving into the Virtual Space, pairs of National Defense Force members and citizens were randomly scattered across the Virtual Space field. Of course, the Terrorist side was the same, but they were individuals, not pairs. This was to ensure fairness. If the advantageous Terrorist side had pairs, the National Defense Force side would be at an even greater disadvantage, so the Terrorist side consisted of individuals.
Following Kaori’s lead, Kazuma walked, trying not to stray too far from her. This training session was in an Urban Area Field, so there were many obstacles. However, there were no people. This made it easier to move around, but walking down main streets made them easy targets, so the two proceeded through back alleys.
“Is the rear clear?”
“No enemy sightings at present!”
“Pfft, what’s that? A military impression?”
“Well, something like that…”
“Hehe, it’s funny, but don’t let your guard down. We don’t know where the enemy might be.”
“Yessir.”
Being alone with a girl, Kazuma had gotten a little carried away, but Kaori’s warning made him settle down. After that, Kazuma continued to scout seriously for a while.
Then, the sound of footsteps reached Kazuma’s ears. Hearing the footsteps, Kazuma immediately turned towards Kaori. However, Kaori didn’t seem to have noticed the footsteps. She was still walking ahead, just as before.
Just in case, Kazuma tapped Kaori’s shoulder to let her know someone was nearby.
“Natsume-san, Natsume-san. Someone’s nearby.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Yeah. I heard footsteps just now.”
“Huh, I didn’t hear anything… Just a moment.”
Not that she doubted Kazuma, but Kaori checked just in case. She crouched down and pressed her ear to the ground. Then, she clearly heard the footsteps as well. Confirming the sound, Kaori quickly straightened up and pulled Kazuma’s hand.
“This way. There was only one set of footsteps, so it’s an enemy. Still, you noticed them well. Even I didn’t.”
“I have good ears.”
Kazuma’s senses were heightened due to his experiences in the other world. Kaori was a Gifted with a Body Enhancement type Gift, so naturally, her physical abilities were high. That didn’t necessarily mean her hearing was also exceptional. Body Enhancement only improved physical abilities. Senses weren’t enhanced, but vision and hearing could be improved with training.
Kaori knew she could enhance her five senses with Body Enhancement. That’s why, when she pressed her ear to the ground earlier, she had focused and increased the sensitivity of her hearing. Only then had she heard the footsteps, so hearing that Kazuma had good ears, she was genuinely surprised.
“This is bad. They’re getting closer. They’ve probably figured out our location.”
“Eeh!? I-Is it going to be okay?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
“Y-Yes.”
Kaori’s manly declaration made Kazuma’s heart skip a beat, and he gave a noncommittal reply.
(S-So cool…!)
While Kazuma was thinking such things, they had somehow ended up on a main street. Just as Kazuma was about to ask why they had come out onto a main street where they were easily spotted by enemies, he felt a presence behind him.
“Oi, oi, is tag over?”
It was a man’s voice. Kazuma saw a man emerge from between the buildings. Like Kaori, he wore protectors over his uniform, and he was equipped with a one-handed sword. Apparently, the enemy was also a Gifted with a Body Enhancement type Gift.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll take you down here.”
“Haha, is that so? Too bad, I’m aiming for that one!”
Kaori readied her naginata, but the man ignored her and charged straight at Kazuma.
“Uoooooooooh!?”
“I know what you’re thinking!”
As the man charged straight towards him, Kazuma let out a surprised cry, but Kaori intervened between them. Kaori blocked the man’s one-handed sword with her naginata, and a sharp metallic clang echoed.
“Hide somewhere while you can!”
“Y-Yes!”
“Tch! Get out of the way, Natsume!”
“As if I would!”
After letting Kazuma escape, Kaori swung her naginata with all her might, sending the man flying.
“Damn it! Guess I can’t beat her in power!”
“Haaaaaaaah!”
Trying to press her advantage, Kaori swung her naginata wide and brought it down on the man.
“Woah! That was close!”
The man dodged the descending naginata by leaping backward. Kaori’s naginata slammed into the ground, shattering it. That showed just how powerful Kaori’s strike was. From behind a car randomly placed in the Urban Area Field, Kazuma watched the two fight intently.
“Hmm, I wonder if I could win if I fought?”
This was the first time Kazuma had seen interpersonal combat since returning to this world. Well, as expected, the level was low compared to the other world, but it still had some impact. Though, from Kazuma’s perspective, not so much.
Where Kazuma was looking, Kaori and the man were clashing fiercely.
“I’m not losing in speed!”
“Kuh!”
(I see. The opponent is a speed type, and Natsume-san is a power type. The guy has been using hit-and-run tactics from the start. In contrast, Natsume-san specializes in single, powerful strikes. If she lands a hit, she wins, but is it a bit of a bad matchup? No, but, is Natsume-san experienced in martial arts? Her movements are clean. Still, it’s just a little bit of a bad matchup, huh~)
Kazuma calmly analyzed the situation, but he was hesitating whether to intervene. Probably, if Kazuma intervened, Kaori could win. However, if he did that, Kazuma’s dream of living peacefully would be shattered.
That would be natural. After all, a Support Course student interfering in a Combat Course battle was something that shouldn’t normally be considered.
(Yeah, I should just stay quiet.)
After some internal conflict, Kazuma decided to watch quietly. However, if this weren’t a Virtual Space but reality, Kazuma would have jumped out to help Kaori. He had helped people so much in the other world. He couldn’t just overlook it.
While Kazuma was mulling things over, the situation had changed. Kaori was pushing him back. Until a moment ago, she had been on the defensive, but somehow the tables had turned.
“Haa… Haa…!”
“What’s wrong? You’re out of breath!”
“Tch!”
Yes, the man’s breathing was ragged. He was probably running out of stamina. That couldn’t be helped. Kaori had indeed been on the defensive, but she hadn’t moved that much, so her stamina hadn’t decreased. In comparison, the man had been dodging Kaori’s attacks with excessive movements, so his stamina had depleted even more.
“Damn it…!”
“This is it!”
“Ku…! At least, I’ll take that guy down with me!”
Kaori had cornered the man against a wall, but as if in a last desperate struggle, the man kicked off the wall, leaped over Kaori’s head, and made a beeline for Kazuma, who was hiding behind the car.
“Wha-!? No way!”
Kaori turned around, but it was too late. The man had used his last bit of strength to leave Kaori behind. All that was left was to finish off Kazuma. Leaping over the car, the man swung his sword down at the hiding Kazuma.
“Dieeeeeeeeeee!!!”
Even if it was training, telling a classmate to die was going too far, but if you thought of it as him being dedicated to his role, it was excellent acting. His desperate demeanor was no less than that of a real terrorist.
However, they had chosen the wrong opponent. Although it had only been a short three years in another world, Kazuma had continuously fought with his life on the line. Even as the man closed in, Kazuma calmly responded.
“Sorry about this.”
Kazuma took a pebble he had stashed in his pocket and activated his Transposition Gift. He transposed a car door with the pebble, magnificently deflecting the man’s sword. Clang! The sword was repelled by the car door, and the man wore an expression of utter shock.
“Wha—!?”
“Got him!”
Kaori, who had caught up, unleashed a flash of her naginata, and the man, judged as deceased, vanished from the Virtual Space. With the matter settled, just as Kazuma was letting out a sigh of relief, Kaori approached him. Her expression clearly indicated she had something she desperately wanted to ask.