Chapter 50: They’re Coming, Of Course, The Strongest from Each Academy
December had finally arrived. For the Academy Battle Tournament, Kazuma woke up earlier than usual and was checking his luggage.
“Alright, preparations complete!”
Having confirmed he hadn’t forgotten anything, Kazuma left the dormitory with his suitcase. There was quite a bit of time before he needed to be at the station from the dorm, but Kazuma departed with time to spare.
As expected, it had become a chilly season, so Kazuma put on a scarf. It was a handmade scarf from Honoka. And its price? Priceless. His return gift was already decided: a souvenir from the First Area.
On the way, Kazuma was checking the weather forecast on his mobile terminal. This year’s winter was predicted to be colder than usual. Watching such news, Kazuma walked to the station.
When he arrived at the station, Hayato was there, wearing a scarf just like Kazuma. Around Hayato, the representative members for the Academy Battle Tournament were gathered.
However, some members hadn’t arrived yet. He could currently see ten people. Five more were still missing.
“Mornin’~”
Kazuma approached, offering a greeting. Hayato and the others, seeing Kazuma wearing a scarf, returned the greeting.
“Good morning, Kazuma-kun. Did you sleep well last night?”
“Perfectly. Besides, today is just travel, so I’m not nervous or anything.”
“Really? Doesn’t it feel exciting, like a school trip?”
“Now that you mention it, it does feel exciting. My bad… I should have enjoyed it more.”
“Ahahahaha. Well, what you said is also true, Kazuma-kun, so don’t feel too down about it.”
“Yessir!”
Having exchanged greetings and a few light words, Kazuma headed towards his seniors from the same Support Course. Renuto had his hands clasped and eyes closed, while Tsukasa was wearing headphones, completely immersed in her own world.
Seeing his eccentric seniors, Kazuma mistakenly thought he was the most normal one. Outwardly, Kazuma certainly appeared normal, but inwardly, he was a first-rate idiot, so his misunderstanding was quite profound.
A little over ten minutes later, the remaining members arrived. Once everyone had gathered, a roll call was taken, and after reconfirming there were no latecomers or absentees, they boarded the bullet train.
With the appearance of Ibinom, bullet trains had also changed. Firstly, they became sturdier. Then, their speed increased. They were far improved compared to previous models, with enhanced safety and increased comfort.
Of course, they were equipped with an Electromagnetic Barrier as a countermeasure against Ibinom, and Gifted were also on board for emergencies. Or rather, since the driver was completely AI, Gifted were stationed at the front and rear in what used to be the driver’s cabin.
It was a relatively popular profession. Skill was required, but since Ibinom capable of breaking through the Electromagnetic Barrier were rare, it was a very easy job. Therefore, there were quite a few applicants every year.
However, the requirements for the personnel needed were strict, so it wasn’t easy to get the job. After all, they had to possess the ability to respond to emergencies.
“Man~, this is my first time riding a bullet train.”
“What? Is that true? Didn’t you ride one for your school trip in middle school?”
“Where I’m from, our trip was a four-day, three-night bus tour to a nearby place~”
“Is that so? By the way, what are your impressions of riding a bullet train for the first time?”
“Well, it’s pretty normal. I don’t feel any shaking, and the view outside the window is just as I expected…”
“I suppose so. There’s probably nothing particularly exciting about it.”
“Ah, come to think of it, are there like, shops or something on board?”
“There are, technically, but they don’t sell anything amazing.”
“Is that so… I wonder if an Ibinom or something will attack us!”
“Don’t say such scary things. Let me tell you, even if an Ibinom were to attack, there’s the Electromagnetic Barrier and interception systems, so the train wouldn’t stop. Besides, there are Gifted stationed at the very front and very back. Unless something extraordinary happens, it’s safe.”
“How boring~”
Kazuma, who had been talking with Renuto, decided to recline his seat and sleep. Having nothing particular to do or talk about, Kazuma slept until they arrived at the First Area.
◇◇◇◇
Without any particular incidents, Kazuma arrived in the First Area.
The group of representatives from Seventh Esper Academy headed from the station to the bus terminal, boarded a bus, and made their way to the hotel. During the journey, Kazuma gazed out the bus window, reacting like a complete country bumpkin.
“Woah~! It’s huge~! Unlike the Seventh Area, everything’s so luxurious and developed~!”
Sitting next to Kazuma was Renuto, who had also been next to him on the bullet train. There was no particular reason for it. It was just that Kazuma was talkative, and Tsukasa, who shut herself in her own world with headphones, couldn’t deal with him, so Renuto reluctantly kept him company.
“Calm down, Satsuki. You’re not a child.”
“I am a child, you know?”
“Age-wise, that might be true, but… isn’t it about time you settled down a bit?”
“But this moment will never come again!”
“You’re an annoying guy, you are…”
“Yessir. My apologies. I’ll be quiet.”
“Ah, no, I went a little too far.”
“No, no, if I get any more carried away, Senpai looks like he’ll seriously snap, so I’ll keep quiet.”
“Are you being obedient or cheeky…? Well, just be quiet and enjoy the scenery until we get to the hotel.”
Renuto, unsure how to react to Kazuma, put on an eye mask and decided to sleep the rest of the way to the hotel.
Kazuma no longer had anyone to talk to, but he didn’t feel particularly lonely. If anything, he had the kind of personality that could enjoy things even on his own. He was greatly excited all by himself by the cityscape of the First Area visible from the bus window.
“(Oooh~. I heard the Skytree was destroyed by Ibinom, but Tokyo Tower is still standing, huh~. I wonder if it survived because it’s smaller? Well, either way is fine!)”
The Skytree once boasted the greatest height in Japan, but sadly, it was broken when the Ibinom invaded. That was over a hundred years ago. Incidentally, there’s now something called Murakumo Tower, which is taller than the Skytree. It’s currently the second tallest in the world.
“(Still, there are so many people~. The traffic volume is also greater than in the Seventh Area. As expected of the First, I guess.)”
The First Area is the land that Japan first reclaimed from the Ibinom. It used to be called the Kanto region, and it was where Tokyo, the capital of Japan, was located. Now, it’s called the First Area and is Japan’s number one city.
And the Seventh Area, where Kazuma is, is, as its name suggests, the seventh land Japan reclaimed from the Ibinom, and it’s a safe zone for humanity. There are other divided areas as well, from the First to the Eighth.
The First is the former Kanto region, the Second is the Kinki region, the Third is the Chubu region, the Fourth is Hokkaido, the Fifth is the Tohoku region, the Sixth is the Kyushu region, the Seventh is the Chugoku region, and the Eighth is the Shikoku region. However, not all prefectures can be called human survival zones.
Even now, Ibinom teem in many areas, and there are many dangerous zones. Therefore, the National Defense Force continues to fight day and night, aiming for the complete recapture of Japan.
Incidentally, if Kazuma were to join the National Defense Force, the complete recapture of Japan would likely be achieved in less than two days.
“(Man~, just looking around is fun~! When we get to the hotel, I think there’s participant registration, right? Once that’s done, I’ll go for a stroll nearby!)”
Until they arrived at the hotel, Kazuma continuously enjoyed the scenery of the First Area visible from the window.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Kazuma and the others took their luggage and headed to their individually assigned rooms. Since everyone had a single room, they didn’t have to worry about others, which was a relief. Kazuma placed his luggage in his room and immediately headed to the lobby.
In the lobby, Hayato and the student council officers were already gathered. Some were still missing, but they would likely gather soon. Kazuma joined Hayato and the others and waited for the rest.
Just then, a group in school uniforms entered through the hotel’s main entrance. Kazuma turned his gaze towards them and checked the group’s members. The most conspicuous one was a blonde young lady with her hair curled like drills. Kazuma was greatly surprised to see her.
“(Whoa! So they exist in this world too!)”
Women with hair curled like drills, whom he had often seen in the other world. Commonly known as ‘Drill Ojou-sama.’ They were usually rich and haughty, so Kazuma arbitrarily called them ‘Ojou-sama.’ Though, in the other world, they were all genuine young ladies.
“Oh my, if it isn’t the folks from the Seventh Area.”
“It’s been a while, Tennouji-san.”
“Indeed, it has been a while. Kiryuuin-san, have you been well?”
Hayato and the drill-haired young lady called Tennouji exchanged greetings. At some point, she had produced a fan and was elegantly covering her mouth with it. Seeing this, Kazuma frowned.
“(Could she be a real Ojou-sama?)”
As Kazuma stared intently, Vice President Shiori approached and nudged his side with her elbow.
“Don’t stare so much. That person is the student council president of Second Esper Academy, Tennouji Yayoi-san.”
“Heeh~! That’s the one from Second Esper Academy?”
“You don’t know? She participated in last year’s Academy Battle Tournament too, you know? Could it be that you haven’t looked at the data I gave you?”
“No, I looked at it, but there’s no way I can remember the names and faces of all the participating athletes.”
“That’s true, I suppose.”
Every year, fifteen representatives from the First to the Eighth Esper Academies gather for the Academy Battle Tournament. It would probably be difficult to remember everyone’s names. Indeed, most people would forget unless they reviewed them multiple times.
“So, what’s the deal between that person and the President?” Kazuma asked.
“We’ve had our wins and losses,” Satori replied.
“So it’s not like there’s some fateful rivalry, then.”
“Well, on Hayato’s side…” Satori trailed off.
“Ahh, I see. Yep, yep, got it.”
Kazuma, who had a vague inkling of the situation, smiled inwardly, thinking that this year’s Academy Battle Tournament was shaping up to be fun.