Chapter 4 - A skill that makes you popular!
With Suguru Yazaki as the leading figure an escape strategy was being developed at the front end of the bus.
Tomochika, along with the others that had no light, were driven to the back of the bus and completely shut out from the discussion.
Altogether there were four students that hadn't glowed, but Tomochika wasn't very familiar with the other three.
Ayaka Shinozaki. An arrogant girl that wore the fact that she was rich on her nose, making her friendless in the class.
Yuuichirou Kiryuu. A so-called delinquent, his rude behavior causing people to keep a distance.
Yogiri Takatou. Spending most of his school time sleeping there weren't many relations with his classmates to speak of.
"This guy seriously asleep?"
Kiryuu found it hard to believe, but Yogiri had been in the back row this whole time, sleeping through the earlier uproar and continuing to do so.
"Ah, right, Takatou-kun's always asleep, isn't he?"
"Who cares about that right now! Why did I end up in this situation!?"
Tomochika had barely finished her sentence when Ayaka vented her agitation on her.
"I'm not really the one to ask…"
Tomochika looked towards the front of the bus.
The discussion seemed to be advancing steadily, although it was less like a discussion and more like everyone listening to what Yazaki had to say.
A short while later their classmates started getting off the bus. One hour was close to passing and the students were about ready to start their mission.
"Tch. Not even a word to us. Come on, let's go."
Yuuichirou prompted the other powerless individuals to come along.
"Takatou-kun, everyone's going to leave you behind at this rate. Come on, wake up, hey."
The sound of Ayaka's leaving footsteps was a clear 'leave him, who cares.' Tomochika did feel some guilt, but she didn't want to be rude and shake him awake either, so she started making her way to the front as well.
However, Suguru Yazaki and Asuha Gunzan blocked the exit.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Kiryuu's anger could be heard in his words.
"Apologies, but we can't take you guys along. You'll be staying here."
He didn't appear very apologetic at all, but so he spoke.
"The hell? This guy, thinking he can settle things like he wants just because we weren't part of the discussion! Who do you think you are!?"
"The General."
Yazaki grabbed the hand rail mounted to the wall next to the bus' entrance and casually pulled on it, making what should have been metal bend its shape like rubber.
"This is the power of the General. Even at level 1, that's how much the System strengthens one's body after having received its favor. Taking along regular humans like you would only drag us down, do me a favor and understand."
Kiryuu's body turned stiff after witnessing Yazaki's inhuman strength.
"But, but if you're that powerful you should be able to handle protecting us, right?"
Ayaka pleaded as if she was trying to hang on to him.
"And where is the benefit in that? We need to become sages whatever it takes, we can't afford looking after you."
"Fine, so don't look after us or protect us, but can't you at least let us tag along?"
Tomochika chimed in. If they were to be left behind now they would almost certainly die.
"That won't do either. Having you all stay here is part of our plan."
"Okaaay, anyway, time to make all of you a little more attractive. Charm Up!"
Asuha made a move before they could ask what Yazaki meant by plan, raising her arm and making her palm face Tomochika.
Whatever she did, it made Tomochika begin to emit light.
"Huh, what? Asu, what'd you do?"
The light faded without leaving any visible change behind, but surely making her glow for a moment wasn't all there was to it.
"It's her class, Beauty Coordinator. Her class focuses on buffs and while going over everyone's abilities we noticed that she should be able to control monster aggro. Basically, we decided that you guys will be the bait."
"Bait?"
Tomochika needed a moment to grasp what he was saying.
"Tomochi~, you see,「Charm Up」 is a skill that makes you popular!"
"I've had someone with an enemy detection skill scan the area and apparently there's only one dragon in the sky above us right now. Meaning, as long as it's targeting you guys we can safely reach we city."
"And you're trying to tell me everyone agreed to a plan like that!? Ah, Mikochi wouldn't! No way Mikochi would go along with this!"
"Mikochi? Ahh, you mean Jougasaki. Naturally, she agreed."
"But hey, it's not like we're telling you to die, okay? We just need you to attract the dragon for a while."
Asuha got off the bus with a casual laugh, appearing as though she was telling those words to herself rather than them. Yazaki followed her after shutting the door by force.
Kiryuu rushed to the door in a panic.
"Damn it, it's not opening! He's wrecked it with that ridiculous strength!"
"What should we do?"
"Like I'd know! Why is this happening !? Why did I get caught up in something like this!"
VRAAAaAAAaaAAAAAA
As the three classmates were panicking an air shaking scream ran through the bus.
"Was that… the dragon?"
It hadn't shown itself yet, but Tomochika understood immediately. That was the roar of a being of absolute power.
"The window! Let's get out through that!"
Tomochika heard Kiryuu's idea and took a look herself.
However, the windows were fixed to the frame.
She could see her classmates running away from the bus as quickly as they could, their hurry speaking volumes of the imminent danger.
――I need to do something!
Tomochika struck the pane in an attempt to break it open, but it had no effect.
"Aa!"
The bus suddenly shook with enough force to nearly tip over and Tomochika was thrown through the air.
"Is everyone safe!?"
She landed flat on the floor, but quickly got back on her feet.
"AAHHhh!"
Kiryuu, who had been hurled towards the exit, screamed for his life while staring at his blood-covered classmate that laid on the ground between him and Tomochika.
Something sharp had pierced the bus through the ceiling and impaled Ayaka Shinozaki's torso.
＊＊＊＊＊
"Yeah, so Ayaka got attacked first, and when I ran to the back of the bus here to get away from that thing I saw a certain somebody still sleeping like a log."
Tomochika appeared to find Yogiri's sleeping habits disagreeable.
"A parallel universe, huh… Ah! How am I going to recharge my console…"
"That's the first thing you worry about after hearing that story!?"
It was no laughing matter for Yogiri.