The room was covered in darkness, saved for a dimmed light at the corner of the room, where Rious was sitting, legs crossed, sharpening his blade.
I was lying on the old mattress, staring at the ceiling painted in black, while my thought wandered to that moment.
It was fortunate that I was at school that time, or else, I couldn't imagine what would happen to that girl.
"Man, Fujisawa. You were so lucky I was there."
It was until Rious called me that I snapped back to reality.
"Iru..." His voice just told the concern he had not dare to tell.
"I know. Gargan wasn't supposed to be here."
"Who do you think is responsible for that?"
"I don't know... "
Rious stopped sharpening his blade.
"What if somebody is planning for an invasion?"
"Well, considering the gate of multiverse is sealed, there is little to zero possibilty for the extraterrestrial forces to invade this Earth."
To be honest, I genuinely thought the same as Rious. We believed at the possibilty for an invasion again.
However, a part of myself just being denial over that fact.
"Still, Gargan couldn't suddenly appear like that." Rious sheated his blade into the scabbard.
"Hmmmmm, I don't know. I could only think about what to eat tomorrow. Currently I am too busy to even find a job."
Rious let out a deep sigh. Slowly, he retreated from the corner away to the secret door.
I knew I had let him down.
"I will just continue surveilling the kaiju activities."
Thus, he left.
"I'm sorry, brother. I can't do it anymore. I am not who I used to be."
Yet he didn't hear my words. I didn't even intended him to.
I closed my eyes, hoping my thought will be washed away by the feeling of drowsiness.
However, it didn't go well.
"Iru... Iru..." a faint and soft voice was calling upon me.
So, I rose from the mattress, only to find the surroundings had changed.
Stained walls was replaced with glowing dark energy forming into walls. The air turned colder like winter, except that it was way more cruel. Everything inside my room seemed gone.
That old, filthy room was no more.
"Where am I?"
At that moment, I could feel the fear inside me grew stronger and more overwhelming. Nevertheless, I tried to get a hold of myself, telling myself that was merely an illusion.
"Iru... Iru..."
That voice called upon me again.
Thus, I followed the voice, as it was the only guide I had inside the realm that was slowly blinding my sight.
Eventually, that voice led me to the end of the realm, where there was white light illuminated the other side of the different realm.
However, before I could reach the other realm, my step was halted, much to my surprise.
Before I realised it, several dark tendrils had my legs grabbed before pulling me back to the abyss.
"Woahhhhh!!!"
That caught me off guard, not going to lie.
But I wasn't going to let that slide.
Still trapped by the tendrils, I channeled my inner energy and my flesh evolved.
Thus, I transformed into HEADHUNTER.
As I was pulled even faster into the abyss, my sword emerged on my right hand.
With the glowing energy on the blade, I slashed through the tendrils, expelling the darkness and freeing me from its grasp.
*SWIFT!!!
That was close.
So, I stood on the ground, staring at the abyss that almost swallowed me, and at the light at the end of the realm.
Before I could continue walking to the light, another voice, deep and colder, spoke to me.
"YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE!!!!!"
The moment I turned to my back, a large stream of flames came from the abyss right at where I stood.
Thus, I instinctively used my sword to slash through the stream, only for the flames to get even larger and larger, and at last...
The flames touched my armored skin. Somehow, the flames was too much that even my armored skin could not bear the heat of it.
"Urghhhhh... Urghhhhh..."
The last thing I saw, I was surrounded with flames from all directions, and my arms started to burn into ashes.
Then...
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!"
*GASP...
It was that dream again.
Slowly, I rose and leaned against the wall beside the old mattress, trying to regain my senses.
"What is really going on?" I thought to myself.
That darkness, it always wanted me to submit myself to it.
It just couldn't leave me alone.
"What is happening to me?"
***
The next day.
It was a normal morning at school. As usual, I was already inside the classroom, leaning against my seat, watching my classmates entered the classroom one by one.
Until he came.
A boy with brown, spiky hair stood at the doorframe, correcting his uniform before making his way to the seat at the last row on the right side of mine.
That was Ahmad Ken, a student known for his gorgeous look, yet energetic presence.
If I recalled, the moment he first entered the class, he had to face several love confession from those classmates of ours.
Well, couldn't really blame the priviledge he had.
But it wasn't about his look that intrigued me the most.
There was something else.
Then, came another one, a beautiful Japanese girl who happened to sit right next to me. It wasn't that I had a thing for her that I called her 'beautiful'.
"Good morning... " her voice were soft.
How polite of her.
Since it was getting boring, I decided to pull a book from my bag. At least I got something to do to kill the time.
***
8.50 am, the end of history class. 10 minutes before recess.
"Alright, class. Don't forget to submit the worksheet I give you today. I would like to see it on my desk tomorrow." said Madam Ein.
"Alright, ma'am!"
Madam Ein pulled her bag and made her way out of the classroom. Therefore, the class dismissed.
"There is 10 minutes left, maybe finishing that book should do." I thought to myself.
The moment I opened the last page I left before, my sense was telling me that someone was staring at me.
So, I closed the book and turned to my left, only to find Fujisawa stole a glance at me before looking away in seconds.
"What's wrong, Fujisawa?"
She turned to me slowly.
"Nothing... But would you mind if I ask you why did you suddenly appear yesterday?"
"Ohhh.... Well, I was helping the teacher with cleaning the lab. Thus, I left the school quite late, only to find you on the bus stop."
She was bothered by my sudden appearance.
"I see... By the way, thanks again. I don't know what would happen to me if you weren't there."
That wasn't really a big deal but I didn't know how to reply anymore, so I just let out a heavy sigh.
I thought she was going to stop there.
But she wasn't.
"By the way, your skill was impressive yesterday." a faint smile cracked on her face.
She was complimenting me.
So, I tried to dismiss it.
"Don't mention it."
Then, it was only silence between us.
Though it only lasted for three minutes.
"Would you mind if I go to the cafeteria with Wan and Zera?"
"Don't ask me, Fujisawa. I'm not your father. Just go."
Why would I bother that she wanted to hang out with Wan and Zera?
To be honest, it was good that she already made herself some friends here, especially with those two, who were really friendly towards others.
"Alright, then." she turned to her book, scribbling words in Japanese, though there were other words that looked like a complex math formula.
As expected, Japanese was always one step ahead.
Then....
*Bell ringing.
It was recess.
"Should I fill my stomach? I don't really feel hungry. Maybe I should buy only beverages."
Before I could rise from my seat, Fujisawa already made her way to Wan and Zera.
Well, that was good, at least she won't feel lonely.
Thus, everyone headed out to the cafeteria.
However, once I stepped outside, somehow the hallway was filled with female students surrounding one boy.
The moment I caught a glimpse of that boy, I immediately knew who he was.
"That brown hair, heh, definitely that Ken boy." I muttered under my breath.
The closer I got to the crowds, the louder the girls shouted at Ken, expressing their admiration to him.
"Ken!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!"
"Please accept my gift, will you?"
"Alright, one by one, okay?" that guy was overwhelmed by the crowd of girls.
Well, that was the price of being the famous handsome guy.
***
There were still several minutes before recess finished.
I was making my way back to the classroom with filled stomach.
Once I stepped inside, I immediately retreated to my seat and leaned against it, closing my eyes at the moment and pretended to fall asleep.
Despite my eyes closed, I could hear somebody's footsteps entering the class. Not only that, I knew who was the person just by the voice.
Well, anyone could do that.
"Oh my... I get a lot of presents today... Where should I put this at home?"
Yeah, that was Ken.
However, all of a sudden... The ground below us trembled
*Shuddering
At that moment, I immediately rose from the seat before staring at the window.
"Kaiju?"
Meanwhile, Ken immediately ran outside, ignoring the presents he received on the table.
Thus, I followed until he was missing from my sight, while I leaped onto the rooftop of laboratorium department.
Seconds after that...
*ROARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
A bulky, two-horn kaiju emerged. One stomp was enough to send shock and turmoil on the ground.
The moment I stared at its black hide, my memory of that species rejogged.
It was Kuromazu, a kaiju originated from space.
And it was clear that it wasn't supposed to be on this Earth.
Rious was right to concern after all.
"There is no time to waste." I thought to myself.
So, I summoned my sword from my inner realm. However, the moment I channeled my inner power onto it,
My mind was suddenly flooded with memories, or should I say nightmare.
The vision emerged on my mind. The day Earth turned into a hellish warfare.
"IRU!!!"
"NO!!!!"
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!"
*GASP....
I was stunned by the vision, which hit me harder than reality.
The sword rejected me.
And I knew I couldn't transform anymore.
Meanwhile, Kuromazu was on its rampaging spree, destroying nearby construction site with one swing of its tail.
"Where are you?" I muttered.
Just as hope seemed lost, the one who shall prevail appeared.
ARMORER SWORD.
Thus, the titan engaged the kaiju.
He sprinted towards the kaiju.
One punch slammed into Kuromazu's jaw.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"
The kaiju swung its tail.
"WOOOSHHH!!!"
The tail almost hit Sword.
Sword lunged forward.
One jab and left hook.
Kuromazu growled in pain.
He was dominating the fight.
Until he wasn't.
The kaiju spitted large stream of acid.
Sword evaded, yet the acid hit his knee.
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!!"
Kuromazu didn't stop there.
The acidic stream hit the nearby village.
"ARGHHHHHHH!!!!" the villagers screamed.
"NOOOOO!!!!" Sword yelled.
Overwhelmed by intense fury, he lunged towards the kaiju, striking relentlessly.
But now he left an opening.
"RRRRRRAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Acid flew to his face.
"URGHHHHH!!!!!"
Kuromazu slammed him into the ground.
"Crap!"
There was only one option available.
So, I circulated my inner energy.
Thus, my alternate form emerged.
The Headhunter.
The kaiju charged towards the helpless Sword.
And I flickered towards it while charging the sword.
Once the sword was charged with full energy, 20 meters glowing white blade emerged.
And
*SWIFT!!!
"ROARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"
Pain translated into the kaiju's leg.
"Now! Finish it!" I yelled.
Meanwhile, Sword started to regain his sense.
And...
"HIYAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Blue beam of energy release from his right hand, hitting the kaiju in the process.
Then,
*DOKKKANNNN!!!!
The kaiju was reduced to pieces.
And Sword flew to the sky.
***
Ken walked out of the restroom, as if it was nothing happened before.
"Luckily, my face didn't get burned by the acid, or else it will take longer to heal before classes." he muttered to himself.
"That was because you were reckless."
I stared him dead in the eyes.
"What do you mean?" he tilted.
"You should not let your emotion control your action. That kaiju almost got you beaten to death just now."
"Ohhhh yeaahh? That kaiju almost killed the villagers nearby, and you expected me to do nothing?!"
He was short-tempered.
"By lunging towards it and punched it relentlessly, that was your action? You were wide open."
"Better than somebody who didn't even transform to fight, just because he was afraid."
He taunted me.
"That doesn't make you any better than me."
He stared at disbelief.
Thus, I walked away.
There was no point in explaining.
He was immature, despite we were in the same age.
He didn't know the price he had to pay for his recklessness.
He shouldn't.
***
Thus, I returned to the classroom.
Once I stepped inside, all eyes were staring at me.
My classmates.
So, I stared back.
They all looked away.
The moment I retreated to my seat, Ken entered the classroom.
And he did a terrible job on hiding his injured knee.
One couldn't be an Armorer if one couldn't hide his own pain.
Only if I could transform, I might finished the kaiju myself.
"At this rate, I don't even know anymore."