Chapter 1: I Died...?!
Chapter 1 - I Died...?!
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The white rays of sunlight shone past the curtainless window.
The students who seemingly have their own groups chatted about various things. Their loud laughter and babbling were neither loud nor quiet. The time passed slowly just like this.
Only one youth seems to have no interest whatsoever. Currently, this youth was still sitting on his desk with his face against his arms, clearly sleeping.
At this moment, a man who was probably in his late twenties entered the classroom. He was dressed in a classic grey suit with a red tie over a pressed white shirt. He put his bag under the teacher's table in front and faced the class.
Everyone in the class almost instantly returned to their own seats as soon as they heard the door opening.
He cleared his throat and said, "Before I start, I just have a few important things to say," The teacher paused, then continued, "You should already be aware of the news that the authorities released the other day.
"A few terrorists have somehow gotten into our city.
"Although the police are in hot pursuit on their tails, I still advise you to be extra careful when going out, especially on narrow places and..."
This was already the second period of the class, the first teacher also said the exact same thing before starting. So very few listened to him, it seems that they weren't very concerned about the terrorists.
Even though the teacher himself slightly felt that it was unnecessary, the authorities should have put those people behind bars by now already. However, their school head said that saying a few reminders won't harm anyone, so they might as well do it.
"...That's all. Let's start."
Holding a book with his left hand, the teacher wrote some complex equations on the board. His lesson finally started.
The youth beside the window did not even bother looking at the man in front of him, it was also the same for the previous teacher, he was still in his sleeping position since the start of class. This youth is Arthur Vermillion.
If it wasn't for his mother's forceful retorting. He wouldn't even bother going to school every day, he would just stay at home, play computer games and surf the internet.
It was also his mother who told him to take the entrance exam at this school.
Well, it was understandable, since this school is the most prestigious and distinguished in the entire country!
Almost everyone who graduated at this school became rather successful in life, with few of them becoming millionaires.
Of course, to enroll at this grand school, one should either have wealth... or brains.
Arthur was in the latter category.
Arthur has been very smart since his infancy. He learned to talk fluently by the time he was 2, and he memorized the multiplication table when he was only 5. He was incredibly gifted.
However, he started getting lazier over time. His immense intelligence made him extremely bored with everything around him. The things he thought would be fun, would soon become uninteresting...
「Hm?! Why is that boy sleeping? Someone wake him up!」 A distant angered voice weakly resounded in Arthur's ears. However, it seems that he was still lost in his train of thought.
His father abandoned Arthur before he was born. However, it was unknown whether he was greatly affected by it or not.
He didn't really feel like something was amiss despite being raised without a father.
At that moment, Arthur suddenly felt that his body was being pushed back and forth.
「Arthur...」
「Oi, Arthur!」
「Arthur!!!」
The distant voices still weakly reverberated in Arthur's ears.
「Out of the way, I will handle this.」
The distant voices stopped after that sentence. Arthur could finally enjoy his sleeping once again which delighted him. But suddenly, footsteps that sounded like they were coming closer and closer replaced the momentary silence.
*Smack!*
A thick book was slammed on Arthur's head, jolting him awake as he exaggeratedly caressed his now swelling skull.
"Aghhhh... Damn it, why didn't you just wake me up nicely!" Arthur cried out with a wronged face.
"We did!" Almost the whole class shouted consistently.
Then, they broke out into a fit of laughter.
"I already told you to stop sleeping in my subject!"
Like this, the teacher continued his lecture.
The following subjects also continued in the same manner just as before; advising the students about the terrorists, then proceeding their lecture.
Arthur would occasionally wake up to look at the sceneries outside, then return to sleep. His seatmate couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing this, but he stopped once he noticed that the teacher looked at him fiercely. He vigorously shook his head and pointed at Arthur.
Another beating was received by Arthur, evoking the laughter of the class once more...
The bell rang, signifying the end of the class.
Arthur was as fast as lightning as he immediately strode out of the class, leaving his classmates staring dumbfoundedly.
"I have seen him do that numerous times, but I still can't help but be amazed every time..."
At this moment, Arthur was already quite far away from school. But this time, he was not alone but was instead accompanying two figures.
On his right, was his best friend, Alex. A golden haired boy with a tall and normal build. On the outside, he seems approachable and nice but his inner self is extremely lecherous who has an abnormal obsession for tsunderes.
And on his left was Megan, a beautiful woman with a pigtailed purple hair. This woman was also Arthur's lover.
"Hey, Arthur. Later, our raid with that goddamn arrogant guild will begin, you must not fool around with someone here while doing so!"
Alex suddenly said, eyeing the two people acting lovey-dovey in front of him fiercely. His words were obviously directed at Megan.
Arthur laughed and replied, "Fine. If it's just for tonight," he looked at the girl beside him and said, "I'll work extra hard tomorrow."
She blushed red and only sweetly smiled at him.
Looking at them, Alex was incensed and shouted, "You two! Go die!"
Then, he left and walked towards a street away from Arthur and Megan.
Seeing Alex walk off, Arthur waved at him and said, "Take care! Bye bye!"
"Shut up!"
After a quarter of an hour of chatting. Both of them slowed down their pace by a step upon seeing a Shingle-style architecture house off in the distance.
This house was large enough for anyone to easily guess that the family living there are affluent.
This house is where Megan currently lives.
The two of them held each other's hands tightly as they walk towards Megan's house.
A handsome boy and a beautiful girl, the numerous trees that were illuminated by the golden sun, with the sky now tinted with magenta, if this scene was painted by a famous artist, then it would no doubt be an absolute masterpiece.
On the other hand, as soon these two's figures fell into the eyes of a duo, they both unconsciously revealed their dirty and crooked teeth.
Two figures suddenly walked out behind a large tree, one was a fat middle-aged man wearing a stained white sleeveless. While the other was a hooded man, both his hands were in its pockets. Both of them staring at the girl beside Arthur.
After a couple of seconds, the fat middle-aged man spoke, his eyes still fervently locked onto Megan, "Onee-san, wanna come with us? It's okay, it's okay, we just want to be friends, hehe. Right?". The fat middle-aged man turned to look at the hooded man.
"U-uh, yeah."
The fat middle-aged man suddenly tapped the hooded man's shoulder and said angrily, "Hmmm!? Damn it, I can't hear you! Little onee-chan here won't come with us if you're like that..."
'Are these guys retarded?'
Arthur immediately thought.
"Megan, stay behind me.", Arthur said. Megan immediately obliged and hid behind Arthur while pinching his uniform.
Arthur fiercely glared at the duo before him and said, "Who are you two idiots? Do you know whose daughter and lover you are messing with right now?"
The fat middle-aged man stepped forward, seemingly irritated, he replied, "Listen here kid, who cares who her father is or her lover, if this daddy here wanted a girl, then no one would dare interfere! Right?!". The fat middle-aged man turned to the hooded man once again, obviously waiting for a reply.
"Y-yeah."
This time the fat middle-aged man tapped the hooded man's shoulder much harder, "God damn it, what's with your half-ass answer?! You have to put more effort into your acting or else onee-chan here will run away from us!"
The fat middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, "Forget it. We might get caught, let's be serious now... Right?"
When the fat middle-aged man spoke his last word, the atmosphere surrounding them suddenly changed. As well as the faces of the two men in front of Arthur and Megan.
Previously, they were masked with the air stupidity and idiocy, however, now they emitted a vicious aura that scared Megan. Even the seemingly calm Arthur felt his scalp tingle.
"Alright, kid. Stop acting tough, run your ass off here now. We have a business to take care of."
The one who spoke was the hooded man, his timid appearance from earlier gone, now replaced with a violent look.
"If you don't..."
The fat-middle aged man reached for something on his back with his hand. And not long after that, a metallic mechanical noise was heard.
It was a gun.
Arthur's face fell horribly.
'Shit! They're the remnants of the terrorists! I thought the police are on their tails!!'
Evidently, Arthur could not contain his composure, well, any normal high-schoolers would not remain calm after having a gun pointed at their head.
"Before things get really ugly," the fat middle-aged man extended his arm and grimly added, "hand her over, kid."
Behind Arthur, Megan had long lost her cool and started to panic. However, Arthur held her hand and told her to listen to him.
"I'll distract them, then you run for it, got it?"
Arthur nervously smiled. With such words thrown before her, Megan, with her thoughts on a jumble, could only listen to him.
He suspected that the other one should also have a gun on him. Arthur knew that this was the only chance while the these terrorists were still playing a game on them.
He immediately shouted, "RUN!"
Both of them rushed off, the opposite sides, one towards the terrorists, one away from them.
Not just the directions they ran off to, but their expressions are in total contrast as well.
One had her face completely soaked with tears. While the other had a firm resolution, unafraid of death, like a moth blindly charging in the raging tornado of flames.
'H-he'll be alright...', said Megan over and over. Her heart pounded rapidly as she approached the familiar looking gate.
Beside the majestic gate, stood four heavily built guards. After seeing their Young Mistress' appearance, they immediately leaped into action.
"What's wrong, Young Mistress?"
"Y-you all... Immediately, g-go and help Art—!"
BANG!
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