I Became a Time-stopping Narrow-eyed Character

Chapter 14

"Achoo!"

A sudden sneeze came out.

The tickling sensation at the tip of my nose was irresistible.

"Hmm, is someone talking about me?"

If that's the case, I should find the culprit.

If someone is interested enough in me to gossip about me this late at night, it must be either the landlord or Sento, who were with me just a while ago.

It's outrageous to think that the two of them are gossiping behind my back.

Well, though saying "just a while ago" might be a stretch since I got delayed handling some matters.

─Screeech!

"Even though I'm working so hard, no one seems to notice. Is this the fate of a dark hero?"

Muttering with a gloomy heart, I easily sliced through the monster charging at me.

Swish! Perhaps because it was a dried-up, jerky-like creature, there was no satisfying sensation of cutting through it.

As the monster died, I confirmed that the blood on my sword and the bisected corpse turned into ashes and scattered, then sheathed my sword.

For some reason, it feels like I've done a lot of work today.

"Is this the tenth one?"

Indeed, the frequency of monsters appearing has noticeably increased recently.

It's expected to increase even more from last night when Kenichi awakened.

One day, they will start appearing simultaneously to the point where I won't be able to handle them all by myself.

The seal of the previous era is breaking, causing the city monsters to run rampant—this is the setting.

As the monsters continue to increase and multiply, there will come a day when even Tokyo's sorcerers won't be able to kill them all.

Day by day, some monsters will survive.

The surviving monsters will gather and gather until, perhaps, a horde forms.

That massive horde is Episode 2 of "Apocalypse Love Comedy," Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

The scale of the nighttime monster wave will be on a completely different level compared to the first day, which was just a tutorial.

Remembering that insane monster wave, I chuckled to myself and muttered.

"Well then, shall we start preparing?"

For the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

Just imagining thousands of monsters rampaging through the school and cornering the protagonists gave me a thrill.

Of course, I would be the one to stop them.

***

After that, whether the class ended successfully or not, I escorted Sento home, who seemed much lighter in mood.

I wondered if they had spent the class gossiping about me instead of actually attending it, but asking her directly would make me seem petty.

As someone with a magnanimous personality, I decided to say nothing and let their relationship be.

Though I did consider subtly asking Dokomo, my dedicated troublemaker from last night.

Anyway, after spending a bit of the night like that, I greeted the morning as a typical high school student.

As a model student recognized by the entire school, I arrived at the classroom earlier than the designated time, and so did Sento, who came with me.

Gone was her clean expression from yesterday; instead, with a blank face and tone, she said to me.

"We're not even dating, so how long do you plan to wait in front of my house?"

"Hey, if someone hears that, they might misunderstand! It was purely a coincidence that we ran into each other!"

"You're shamelessly brazen to an absurd degree."

"Haha, thank you for the compliment."

Sitting beside me, Sawamura Sento let out a deep sigh, and I finally turned my gaze forward.

Despite the early hour, sitting in the front seat was Ichinose Hotaru, another exemplary model student like us.

As usual, she seemed to be in a bad mood, furrowing her brows as she solved math problems.

The reason for her bad mood was most likely her childhood friend and seatmate, the protagonist of "Apocalypse Love Comedy," Kitagawa Kenichi.

I had left them alone yesterday to resolve things, but it seemed that hadn't happened.

'The original plan centered around Hotaru......'

The combination of Kenichi, who nullifies all abilities and has strong basic physical specs, and Ichinose Hotaru, the "Priestess of Fire" who can seal and purify monsters, is powerful.

Although I can't definitively say it's the correct answer since I haven't cleared the final episode, it feels like a classic combination.

However, somehow, I ended up nurturing the "Ancient Weapon," Sawamura Sento, and the originally central Hotaru was left neglected, unaware of anything.

'She probably doesn't even know Kenichi has awakened yet.'

Before their misunderstandings deepen and their relationship turns sour, I need to reconcile them.

Even though her firepower might be weaker compared to Sento, who will eventually master sorcery, she is still an important asset.

The same goes for Eris, the "Star Mage," with whom I currently don't have a close relationship.

Sending a creature to spy on me—how audacious.

"I guess I'll have to make a move on that side soon as well."

"......."

As I muttered with a sly grin, Sawamura Sento, sitting beside me, narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

Could she be imitating me?

Her increasingly similar behavior reflects her open mind toward me.

Yes, this is a very good thing.

While nodding in satisfaction, Bang! The classroom door swung open with a loud noise.

Turning my gaze in curiosity, I saw Kitagawa Kenichi, panting heavily, just like yesterday.

Upon arriving in the classroom, he immediately glared at me with wide eyes.

"Oh dear, it seems he's finally caught on."

His necklace must have turned into a sword overnight.

Since it was inevitable for him to discover his abilities, I wasn't particularly surprised.

Although directly revealing myself to Kenichi was a minor deviation from the original plan.

Well, in a way, nurturing Hotaru and Kenichi has shifted to nurturing Kenichi and Sento for the progression of the early episodes.

Since there's only one chance, I honestly wanted to proceed steadily.

However, now that I've fully intervened in the story, I must nurture them thoroughly.

Even though I didn't clear the game, I've researched it by experiencing bad endings hundreds of times.

"Oh my, Kenichi. What brings you here so early?"

Before the frozen Kenichi at the front of the classroom could approach, I stood up first and approached him with a smirk.

Kenichi, who always treated me kindly, faced me today with a tense expression.

"......Shiki, you—"

"But Kenichi, isn't your timing a bit off? That already happened the day before yesterday."

"......! You really?!"

At those words, the protagonist of "Apocalypse Love Comedy," Kitagawa Kenichi, was startled and, as if ready to draw his Demon Sword, gripped his necklace and glared at me.

However, with his trembling pupils, he glanced at Hotaru, who was frowning behind me, and the other classmates, unable to draw his sword.

He must be worried about revealing his identity or that everyone in the classroom might get hurt if we fought.

'Well, in reality, the gap is so wide that no one would get hurt.'

Confirming once again the bold yet kind-hearted protagonist Kenichi, I felt pleased.

But I couldn't help but wonder what kind of person this oblivious protagonist thought I was.

Watching Kenichi, who neither attacked in anger nor conversed with me as usual, I felt a bit frustrated.

"It can't be helped. As the senior here, I have no choice but to spoon-feed him."

Right now, I'm standing in front of Kenichi with my back to everyone else in the classroom.

No one will see what I'm pulling out of my sleeve.

Swish─In an instant, I pulled out a dagger from my chest and slowed down time.

In this slowed world, not only the movements of my classmates but even their perception seemed sluggish like snails.

In this world where everyone is slow, only the protagonist Kenichi, with wide eyes, witnessed what I was doing.

"......You!"

Was it because the tension had reached its peak?

Or was it the judgment that he couldn't afford to wait any longer?

From the cross necklace Kenichi held, a brilliant light burst forth.

─Demon Sword of Ineptitude, Transformation

His necklace was about to turn into a sword—a ridiculous, movie-like event.

What would he do if others saw this?

"No, you can't do that."

Thankfully, I was faster.

Summoning a longsword from thin air, I grinned and drew it out.

Then,

─Everyone's time stopped.

Sawamura Sento, who had been watching with a frown, Hotaru, whose eyes were wide open, and all the other students in the classroom froze.

"......."

In this world where everything had stopped, only Kenichi and I, the owners of our respective swords, were alive and moving.

He gripped the Demon Sword tightly, trembling all over as if nervous.

......No, was it that he instinctively felt the disparity?

If so, perhaps I should admire his courage to face me instead.

At least this time, Kenichi won't run away while fighting.

Nodding in satisfaction, I smiled brightly and praised him.

"At least your stance is to my liking."

Now, it's time to move on to the next step.

Closing the distance in an instant, I grabbed Kenichi by the collar.

With his eyes wide open, he flailed as I hurled him with all my strength out the window and into the corridor.

"Haha, let's change the battlefield."

Catching up to the airborne Kenichi, I slammed him down onto the schoolyard.

Kwaaang─!

The protagonist training plan begins now.