Chapter 32: There’s No Escaping Remedial Classes!
At last, the test results were announced. Kazuma was already beaming. One might have thought he’d reached a state of resignation, but that wasn’t the case. Kazuma had splendidly avoided failing grades.
With this, there would be no remedial classes during summer vacation. In other words, Kazuma had won. Against himself, his very own self.
His tests returned, Kazuma, having avoided failing grades, was cheerfully spending homeroom time when an unexpected situation arose.
“Ah, Satsuki. You, come to the Faculty Office after this.”
“Eh, ah, yes.”
Kazuma tilted his head, wondering what it could be about, but at this point, he still knew nothing. He likely couldn’t have predicted that he was about to be cast down from heaven to hell.
Summoned to the Faculty Office, Kazuma went to his homeroom teacher and asked what the matter was.
“Oh, you’re here.”
“Yes. Sensei, why was I called?”
“Ah, well, the thing is…”
As if it were something difficult to discuss, the teacher awkwardly averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head.
“Well, I have some very unfortunate news for you.”
“Hah. What might that be?”
“You’re scheduled for remedial classes during summer vacation.”
“……….Eh?”
“See, you were late enrolling due to an accident, right? So, you’ll make up for that with remedial classes during summer vacation. However, since your grades on this test were good, the remedial period is shorter than usual. It was originally two weeks, but it’s been shortened to one.”
It was certainly better than two weeks, but in the end, it was still remedial classes. Even though Kazuma had studied desperately, remedial classes were decided. God was dead. Kazuma was dead too. He stood there, his soul escaping from his mouth and ascending to heaven.
Afterwards, Kazuma, having been told the detailed dates, times, and the classroom to be used for remedial classes, returned to his classroom. There, his usual three friends were waiting for him.
The three, who must have been tired of waiting, smiled when they saw Kazuma, but his face was filled with despair, and his cheeks were hollow. Seeing him look like a prisoner about to ascend the executioner’s block, the three called out to Kazuma.
“O-oi, Kazuma. What’s wrong? You don’t look too good, did something happen…?”
“…Remedial classes.”
“Eh? What did you say?”
Taichi, unable to hear Kazuma’s overly quiet voice, asked again. Kazuma, who was looking down and trembling, shouted in a sobbing voice.
“It’s remedial classes~~~!”
“Eh…”
“Eeh…”
“Eeeeh~!”
Bewilderment, confusion, and then a great scream, the three’s hearts became one. Before these three, Kazuma was sniffling and crying. Though, he wasn’t actually shedding tears; it was pretend crying.
“Wh-what are we gonna do? We were planning to go out, but that’s impossible with remedial classes.”
“It’s shorter than usual, but I still think going out to play will be impossible.”
“Oi oi… Should we change our plans now?”
“No, it’s fine. I can’t bear to take away your precious summer vacation because of me. So, you guys should go have fun without me.”
“Are you sure about that? You were looking forward to it too, Kazuma…”
“It can’t be helped. Unlike everyone else, I enrolled late, right? Apparently, remedial classes were already decided because of that. But, since my grades on this test were better than expected, they shortened the period. I have to be grateful for that much at least…”
Kazuma said so, but his expression remained dark. Indeed, having remedial classes decided despite avoiding failing grades must be painful.
That said, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t understand the teacher’s reasoning. Kazuma had enrolled later than other students, so his study progress hadn’t caught up.
However, despite that handicap, Kazuma had avoided failing grades on the test, so one might think they could overlook it, but the academy side probably couldn’t allow it.
“Haaah…”
The three were speechless seeing Kazuma sigh with slumped shoulders. It would be difficult to think of any comforting words. Because the three knew of Kazuma’s efforts, they understood his sadness. Though not completely, at least anyone could tell by looking at Kazuma.
“…Hey, Kazuma. Wanna go get some ramen or something?”
“Why ramen, Kosuke?”
“Who knows? Just a feeling. But don’t you want some?”
“I want some…”
“Alright! Then, let’s go eat!”
Kosuke cheerfully put his arm around the dejected Kazuma, whose remedial classes had been decided, and started walking.
“Let’s eat something delicious and cheer up!”
“Kosuke…”
“That’s right. Instead of staying down, let’s eat something tasty and forget about it!”
“Akatsuki…”
“Well, that sounds good. We just need to overwrite it with a different memory.”
“Taichi…”
Kazuma felt tears welling up at his three friends’ consideration. However, as it was truly embarrassing, he didn’t cry, and Kazuma smiled happily and thanked his three friends.
“Thanks, everyone!”
Before summer vacation, the four of them went to eat ramen.
◇◇◇◇
In a certain place, deep within a forest, far underground, insect-type Ibinom were swarming. Unbeknownst to anyone, hiding so as not to be detected by humanity, the insect-type Ibinom lay low.
Do they possess intelligence, or not? Is it instinct, or function? It’s completely unknown. The Ibinom’s principles of action are almost entirely unelucidated; all that is known is that they are hostile to humanity. Even the details of that are not understood.
Why do they attack people, why do they even devour people?
Is it for survival, or to annihilate humanity?
Not a single thing is understood.
Such Ibinom are quietly, secretly evolving.
The swarming Ibinom began to cannibalize each other. One by one, they were eaten and their numbers dwindled. One might think they would simply self-destruct like this, but that’s not the case. In a process akin to kodoku, only a single one was left.
The remaining Ibinom stopped moving and began to sleep. As if to let the accumulated power settle into its body.
Eventually, the Ibinom’s body transformed into a round sphere. It was like a butterfly’s chrysalis, waiting to emerge.
Meanwhile, the National Defense Force discovered a place said to be an Ibinom nest. Of course, they didn’t know it was the nest of an Ibinom attempting to evolve. They merely intended to carry out their mission of annihilating the Ibinom as usual.
“Ibinom nest discovered. Deploying reconnaissance drone now.”
They sent a reconnaissance drone towards the Ibinom nest. First, they would use the drone to ascertain the number of Ibinom and confirm what type of Ibinom were present. The drone’s camera showed only insect-type Ibinom.
Having confirmed this, the National Defense Force decided to use anti-insect-type Ibinom guided weaponry. They recalled the reconnaissance drone and deployed an unmanned aircraft equipped with weaponry into the Ibinom nest.
A few minutes later, a booming explosion echoed from the Ibinom nest, and a large number of Ibinom flew out.
The National Defense Force soldiers calmly and accurately annihilated the Ibinom. Although numerous, there were no particularly threatening individuals, making it rather anticlimactic. Though, if there had been threatening individuals, it would have been troublesome.
To confirm whether all Ibinom inside the nest had been annihilated, they once again sent a reconnaissance drone into the nest.
As it was found that confirmation couldn’t be made with the drone’s camera, a unit was formed with a Detection Gifted and Body Enhancement Gifted, and they charged into the nest.
“No enemy signatures. It appears the Ibinom were wiped out by the previous attack.”
“Hmm. For such a large nest, it wasn’t much…”
“Captain! C-squad seems to have found something!”
“Understood. Heading there immediately.”
Arriving at the reported location, they found a sphere they had never seen before. The National Defense Force soldiers tilted their heads, staring at the sphere.
“What do you suppose that is?”
“Looks like nothing but a round ball…”
For the time being, to investigate the ball’s identity, they performed a detection to confirm if it was an Ibinom.
Upon doing so, an Ibinom reaction was detected from the ball, so the National Defense Force decided to destroy it. Body Enhancement Gifted individuals attacked it with their respective weapons, but it seemed to possess incredible hardness, and not a single scratch was made.
“Hmm… Indestructible, huh. We’ll take this information back for now. All units, withdraw!”
No matter how much they tried, it remained unscratched, so the National Defense Force concluded it was indestructible, returned to the surface, and began to organize the information.