No Lies, Just Extra

School Life is Freakin’ Spectacular #2

What the hell kind of crazy, nonsensical son of a bitch!

“Hey, you motherfucker! Even then, pulling a sword in a kids’ fight?! Is that how the shitty mother who raised you in the backstreets taught you? Huh!”

“I’m gonna kill you!”

It makes no sense?! No matter how you slice it, I never expected someone to actually draw a sword! This completely blindsided me!

A teenage student committing attempted murder, what kind of world is this?!

“Somebody save meeeee! Please, help meeeeeee!”

-Swoosh!

Dashing through chairs, knocking down desks, storming across the spacious classroom. Students, esteemed as hero candidates, simply stood in shock, offering no assistance whatsoever.

“The audacity of this noisy brat…!”

Ryu Cheon-hwi visibly seethed with fury as he pursued me. The blade he wielded was now coated in a cold aura, damn it!

The deed was done! All I had to do was respond calmly! I couldn’t blubber like an idiot like I did yesterday!

“Shut the hell up and put the sword down, you would-be murderer! I won’t press charges if you stop now!”

“Shut it!”

I steady my nerves.

You think I called out recklessly without thinking?

This was not a thoughtless outburst. At least if I screamed, someone would notice. An instructor or someone. It was about time for the morning assembly, so they’d respond to the ruckus. If it’s the instructors, then I’ve essentially managed a retreat.

And there’s one more contingency plan just in case.

If this world follows the clichés of a game…

-Click!

“What the hell is going on here!”

It’s common knowledge that the protagonist can’t stand injustice, right?

Isn’t that so?

*

*

*

Reasonably handsome.

And a student with the same black hair as me came in shouting through the door, and at that moment, I made my escape through the hallway. Peeking back into the classroom through the same door I exited, I saw.

“First off, stop it. Fighting in school. What the hell happened?”

“Buzz off.”

“That I cannot do. There’s a cadet pulling out a sword to fight, I can’t just stand by.”

Look at that righteousness!

I know him! That guy is ‘Lee Sihu,’ the main character-like figure from the game ‘Academy’s War Hero’! As far as I remember from his profile, he’s supposed to be kind and just. Also a bit of a pushover.

Pretty much your typical protagonist.

He was one of my potential ways out. Whether it was an instructor, Lee Sihu, or Leona, who I chatted with yesterday.

If any of the three showed up, the fight would end right there.

A successful retreat.

And if more troubles arise because of this, I can always go see the Director. After all, that asshole started it, so I stand my ground. If I ask the Director who already had to smack me down pretty hard, she’d probably help me out.

“Put the sword away first. What’s the fight about? Friends shouldn’t be fighting in school.”

Reliable as ever.

From what I saw on Wiki, the protagonist has tremendous growth potential. Not sure, but from the game’s title, ‘Academy’s War Hero,’ the protagonist likely ends up solving the crisis at the end.

Means he’s strong.

“That’s not how you, oops?! What are you doing?!”

-Swish!

“I’ll kill you too if you side with that bastard.”

In a flash, Ryu Cheon-hwi hurled his sword at Lee Sihu!

“This freaking psycho!”

With his sword energy swirling about!

This guy’s a murderer in the making!

Who reacts with a sword strike just because an unrelated classmate tried to break up a fight? This is way out of the realm of normal!

He should be expelled from school immediately…!

I’ll press double charges!

But then!

-Clang!

All of a sudden, Lee Sihu drew a shining golden blade and impressively blocked the attack!

“What on earth?!”

“…You blocked my strike?”

“Hm? Didn’t I just block the strike you told me to? Ah. So you weren’t serious about attacking? That’s good.”

“This son of a!!!”

The guy’s got impressive provocation skills…!

And so.

-Boom!

-Clang!

The duel between the top student Ryu Cheon-hwi and protagonist Lee Sihu began. Their fierce swordplay collided wildly, sparking flames. It was so spectacular that I couldn’t help but gawk at the display for a moment.

Literal explosive action.

“Oh, ohh…”

“That’s the valedictorian’s skill…”

“But who’s that guy? How is he blocking all of the valedictorian’s attacks…”

The other students were just as captivated, watching the fight in a daze.

“I’m going to kill you!!!”

“Wait! Let’s talk this out! Damn it! If you’re gonna push it this far, then I’ll have to show my true strength too!”

“Shut it!!!”

Right as the combat intensified.

“Well, aren’t you all getting along nicely.”

A voice came from behind.

Is that meant for me?

“Seriously. How the fuck do these shitty kids fight so well… They’re human weapons.”

“Well, Ryu Cheon-hwi is the son of the Ryu Corporation, so he must have been trained from a young age. But Kim Geun-chul, is it right to call your friend who helped you ‘shitty’?”

“Huh? Oh, right, sorry. No. I didn’t mean that. I have a bad habit of swearing involuntarily… Ah, I need to fix that habit, but it slipped out again because I was startled. Sorry, I’ll apologize to them. But who are you?”

As I looked back, gently.

“Instructor Lee Sora.”

“Ah.”

My heart feels like it’s about to break.

“Stop it right now, you idiots!!!!!!”

The instructor unleashed a roar, and at the same instant.

“Aaaah!”

I couldn’t withstand the pressure and went flying, crashing against the wall.

“Urg!”

Can I skip the morning assembly, please?

*

*

*

After the morning assembly.

With the brief time left before the first period, I pulled Lee Sihu aside by the vending machine on the stairs to express my gratitude. Since Ryu Cheon-hwi was dragged away, I felt relieved.

“Man! Seriously, thanks! Your name was Sihu, right? Let’s get along!”

“Ah, sure thing. Likewise, please take care of me. Was it Geun-chul?”

He replied with a broad, refreshing smile.

“Yeah. Call me anything you’re comfortable with.”

-Flick.

Anyway, I handed Lee Sihu a can of cola that I got from the vending machine.

“Drink up. This isn’t to settle my debt, but rescuing me deserves immediate repayment. You’re my savior, my hero.”

“Hahaha, no worries. Putting a stop to a fight between friends is the right thing to do, right? I don’t need thanks for doing what’s right.”

“Oh, is that so? Well, buying a friend a cola is also the right thing to do. Take it, dude.”

“…Ah.”

After a brief pause, Lee Sihu accepted the can.

“Thanks.”

Grateful, he received the cola.

-Pssht.

The little rascal enjoys it after being so reluctant. Anyway, I got myself a zero-calorie cola. It’s the best I could offer, given that the sugar-free is supposedly more delicious.

-Gulp, gulp.

Oh, but this soda going down my throat… truly epic! Even in a different world, cola tastes the same!

“Ah! Yeah, but really, thanks! I’m not joking, I almost died just now. I was okay with taking the fight, but then out of nowhere he pulls a sword. I got serious chills, nearly collapsed. I was really thinking I was done for until you showed up just in time to save my ass. Hahaha.”

-Pat, pat.

Expressing my gratitude, I patted Lee Sihu on the shoulder. He seemed embarrassed but chuckled and scraped his cheek as he replied.

“Cheon-hwi probably didn’t truly intend to kill. If he wanted to, he would’ve seriously swung his sword.”

“In my eyes, that all looked the same.”

This Lee Sihu guy, he’s got the good nature of a protagonist.

Assuming the game title’s implication, he’ll become even stronger later and save the world or something like that.

Becoming friends with such a character is an excellent development. Especially since the game is likely to revolve around the protagonist. Getting closer to him will surely create more opportunities for survival.

Plus, he saved my life.

No reason not to become friends.

I’m truly grateful.

“But what was the fight about?”

“Nah, it was nothing major. I was about to sit down and this guy had his foot on my chair. So I asked him to move it, and he says get lost? But then I sat down? And then that fucker suddenly kicks my back… Ah! So I thought about beating the crap out of him, but then he pulls out a sword. Guy must have lost his mind.”

Chills crawl up my spine.

I will definitely sue. How dare that bastard do something like that? I can’t stand to see someone like him become a hero. I’ll formally complain to the school. This place isn’t a jungle for someone to suddenly pull out a sword.

“Ah, but he probably whipped out the sword because I lost it and cursed him out like crazy. Anyway, when he suddenly released that energy… Wow. It was no joke. That’s when I had the gut feeling: Ah. This guy, I can’t beat him. So I ran like hell. Hehehe.”

After explaining the situation like that.

-Cough… Hahahahaha!

He laughed heartily, seemingly finding it all very amusing.

“What? You laughing at me?”

“Oh, no! It wasn’t mockery! The way you explained it was just too funny! Hahaha, do you always talk this entertainingly?”

“What the fuck, how entertaining was it? Ah. Done. Let’s go back in. Thanks for saving me.”

“Sure.”

Is it finally time for the first period?

Not sure what class we’ll have, but I’m honestly scared witless. But what can I do? I have my friend Lee Sihu. If I don’t know something, I’ll ask him. Then I can keep up with the class, right?

On my way back to the classroom.

-Ding.

―――――――――――――――――
「Quest Complete」

「Subdue a Hostile Cadet」

「Reward: 2,000 Coin」
―――――――――――――――――

The reward came in.

“Hehehe.”

Man, is subduing really that special? At school, if you cause a disturbance, the teachers will find out. Even if you try to hush it up, if you barge into the faculty office to report a fight, they’ll probably try to stop it.

Let alone this being an academy, not a regular school. A place where students brandish weapons. The response here will be quick and decisive, I had that confidence, so I made a scene.

Well, earning 2,000 coins just to butt heads with one punk isn’t the most profitable trade, but he started it, making it all happen. It would’ve come to this eventually. I got ahead of it, so it’s like preemptive damage control.

I’m not into compromising at school anyway. When someone acts out, it’s only fair they get struck down.

Even if it’s some giant monster, I’m not too scared of humans in a civilized society.

No matter what, it was fortunate that Lee Sihu showed up. But even if he hadn’t, I had plans to get a hit in with Instructor Lee Sora, or to make a run for it while shouting down the corridors.

“Two thousand coins, so sweet, so sweet.”

I’m too pleased.

But where do I spend this?

Give me a hint, will ya?

“Sigh.”

Anyway.

Before the first lesson, might as well calm my mind.

I was about to take out my phone to relax when.

-Slam!

The door burst open, and a pretty woman entered.

“Hellohello! Nice to meet you all, cadets! Your Magic Combat Instructor, Kawar, reporting for duty! Everyone, take your seats!”

There’s a cheerful aura about her.