Squad Assemble

Chaos Year 3, Day 109, 4:21 pm

Ding Dong Ding Dong~

The school bell rang out loud announcing the end of today's classes. But I couldn't move from my seat, as my body felt heavy and the gravity on my eyelids seemed to be ten times stronger than usual.

'Ugh, I shouldn't have played the game 'til 5 am last night.'

In our second period, the Modern Japanese class was taught by Ishikawa sensei, who could just be the female incarnation of Onizuka Sensei for all I know. Today she caught me dozing off in the class, making me the center of the attention. I spent the rest of the day battling against my urge to fall asleep.

Finally, when that bell announced the end of my war, I gave in to my desires and laid down on my arms, resting them over the desk.

"RYOKI! RYOKIII~!"

Just when my mind began drifting off towards nothingness, a strong loud voice rang through my ear, clearing away my sweet drowsiness instantly.

'God damnit, Why..why.. What have I done wrong? Just let a guy sleep in his damn classroom.'

"Oii!" He yelled out again. "I know you can hear me."

'Of course, I can, you fucker. You fucking own the loudest voice in the whole school.'

Clomp! Clomp!

Loud footsteps slowly approached me.

Immediately, the low murmurs of the remaining students inside the room died off, making the air around uncomfortably silent.

'They should hire him to quiet down the toddlers.'

A 6 feet tall guy towered over me, as I raised my head. I didn't need to look around to notice my classmates' confused and agitated states.

Eventually, they started mumbling again, as they confirmed that the guy's aim was not themselves, but me. But this time the current situation was the most hot-topic one.

"Isn't that Arataki Shinji, the delinquent from class 2-B?"

"Just look at his bleached hair and earrings. I totally have no idea how the school allows them. He might even have tattoos under the shirt."

"Do you think he has some connections with the school board?"

"What is he doing with Tsuriyama-kun though? Do they know each other?"

"Well, it's Arataki Shinji we're talking about. I bet they are up to no good."

Even though they spoke under their breath, I could still catch some of their words.

'This Shinji guy is an attention magnet, walking trouble. I'll just wrap this convo up fast and head back to my lovely siesta.'

"I thought I told you not to communicate with me in school," I grumbled in a low voice, as he sat down on the vacant seat at my front.

"Ehh, stop being so cold, Rio. Aren't we comrades?" He replied with downcast eyes.

"Don't call me that either," I scowled.

"Why? Isn't 'Rio' your name? You lied to me?" A devilish smile hid behind his dejected looks.

'Next time when he is in a pinch I ain't gonna save his sorry ass.'

"Just tell me what you want and leave me in peace."

"What do I want? Wait, You didn't get my messages yet?"

"What messages? I didn't get any. Oh..." I took out my phone. Ah fuck, the battery's dead. That girl's gonna chew me out for this. "So what was the message about?"

'Most probably something stupid anyway...'

"Lynx sniffed out a void. We are to be present in the base by five pm today."

'Or not…'

"Five...what?! There's less than half an hour left!" I shouted out, panicking.

Most of the students left the classroom already. The rest glanced at me all together, pausing their lazy chats. Even a girl gave us weird looks from the hallway.

'Damnit, there goes my reputation as an "enigmatic" person down the drain. Just hope they don't spread weird rumors around or something.'

"Imma go home." I sighed and walked towards the door.

'No sleep for me today either.'

Watching Shinji and me suddenly leaving the room, the girl in the hallway hurried away towards the left stairway.

"We aren't going that way?" Shinji asked me, as I turned right.

He pointed at the left stairway because that was the shortest path to the school entrance.

"That girl would think we are going after her." I preferred not to damage my social standing anymore.

Shinji furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but followed me anyway.

"Shinji, lend me your bike for today."

"Nope, I need that bike too. you are on your own, comrade."

"Tch, you're useless even in the real world."

"Heh, I might be useless in the real world but you don't get to call me that inside there. Try going into the void without me today. Y'all be dead within seconds."

"Whatever." My eyes rolled in annoyance. "Anyways, The hallway looks deserted today. See ya."

The steps of my feet hitting the floor echoed as I ran through the corridor and stairway.

'I don't wanna make everyone late.'

"Ohhh this is fun. Didn't think you had it in ya."

"DON'T CHASE ME, YOU BASTARD!"

...…..

I ran the longest marathon of my life and reached home. With my whole body drenching in sweat and my leg muscles trembling, I entered through the front door.

As I sat down to rest a bit, my body burned and my ear steamed out hot air. My lungs struggled to suck in all the oxygen around the earth at once. And my heart crashed against my ribs repeatedly making wild sounds as if it could pop out any time now.

"Riko…what'z….za time?"

I could barely speak because of my heavy and rapid breathing.

Riko came running from the living room puzzled by the situation. Surprised by me lying on the floor in the entryway and she gasped out, placing her hands over her mouth.

Steadying herself, she then asked, "Why are you just lying there? What the hell happened to you?"

"Run…the game…no time… 5 pm.." I somehow squeaked out the necessary words for the explanation.

"What? Anyway, there are still 5 minutes left until 5 pm. Go get yourself washed up first." Riko mommed me, "You look terrible and smell sniff sniff awuggh.."

'What the heck? don't sniff if you don't wanna smell it.'

Eventually calming myself, I took a quick shower and then hurried towards my room to enter the Chaos world.

Just before I stepped into my room, Riko shouted out from the living room. "Onii-chan they are broadcasting the new One-Piece episode. Wanna watch it together?"

"No, Don't have the time. I have to go inside the game." I explained the situation properly. "By the way, I might be really late tonight. Don't wait for me at dinner tonight."

"Okaay." She responded as if she anticipated it.

'Being late playing the game isn't surprising anymore I guess.'

Plugging the charger into my phone, I quickly dived into the game and discovered myself inside our squad base.

"Arataki-kun, it's already 10 past 5 pm. Are you sure he is coming?"

I could hear all the sounds around me, even before I got my vision back.

"Y-ya, Hikari. I even went to his class… Oh, there he is." Shinji sighed in relief.

Right away, I heard some quick steps closing in on me.

When my eyes cleared up, a pair of angry blue eyes came into my view first. But I was prepared for this. So instead of jerking back, I also stared back at those deep alluring abysses, moving a bit closer.

"W-why didn't you answer any of my calls or messages?" Hikari stuttered, breaking eye contact, flustered by my unexpected response.

"Shinji didn't tell you?" I frowned and glanced at Shinji. But he just shrugged. Useless… "Well, I couldn't answer because my phone's battery died. I mean I didn't even know we had a void run today."

"Ryoki-kun, this isn't a manga." Her eyes grew cold with a little hint of sadness.

'I guess it's hard to believe that cliché scene happening in real life. I mean, It's overused and cheap plot armor.'

"Wait, don't get sad. It's the truth." I needed to fix the misunderstanding right away. "Ask Shinji, if you don't believe me. He saw my phone."

"Why do you think I'm sad?"

Instead of asking Shinji about my phone, her focus shifted towards the 'sad' part for some reason.

"Because…"

"I'M NOT!" Before I could even speak, she yelled at me and a slight red glow materialized on her cheeks. "A-anyway, are you ready? Do you have enough potions with you?"

'Well, at least she ain't angry for missing her calls anymore. And I ain't gonna waste money on potions when we have healers for that already.'

"Ya, I should have some healing potions left. Those should be enough."

"Knew it. Here, accept my trade request." Hikari said while opening her game interface menu window.

"But I don't need more potions, Hikari."

Hearing my refusal, she looked daggers at me, knitting her brows together.

"You know, Rio, Hikari isn't really wrong." Annette Aubert, a veteran squadmate, joined the conversation sensing the awkward tension between us. "Even though I can always heal you, it's best to keep more than enough potions. Also, your new playstyle is too reckless, so I can't always keep up the healing. My subclass isn't best suited for healing, you should know that already."

"Okay, fine." I sighed. "Just don't give me too much."

While I checked the potions in my inventory, a bulky large built player entered the room. It was our squad leader Kwon Seok-chin, aka Boss.

"Hey Boss, sorry I'm late." I apologized right away.

"It's fine, Rio." Boss grinned while smacking my shoulder. "So, everyone's ready? Recheck all the items and equipment."

"Where's the other two? Just the five of us are going?" I asked.

"Nah, I sent them ahead of time for the teleportation gate."

Apparently, Lynx and Pinkpika were appointed beforehand to close the gap between us and the void gate. They would help create a teleportation gateway. Two teleportation devices, one on each side, would connect and create a teleportation gateway.

Beep..beep..beep~

"Can you hear me, Lynx?" Boss asked over the group voice call.

"Yes, loud and clear,"

"Let's begin teleportation."

"Alright."

Soon a two-meter oval-sized portal appeared before us. One by one, we all entered the transportation portal.