Umi's Awakening: The Party Takes Shape
The spot we'd agreed to meet at for Umi's awakening was the park. As we walked there, Umi stayed strangely quiet. Umi... she seems kinda uncomfortable around Taiga. Was that why meeting up felt awkward for her? I mean, she could've just stayed home. It wasn't like I hadn't thought about telling her not to come, but she insisted on tagging along—what could I do?
On the way to the park, slimes were slithering around the streets. They weren't aggressive types, and monsters had this instinct not to mess with humans who looked strong at a glance. So, free pass for us.
Does Umi... see them yet? I glanced at her. She still seemed oblivious to the monsters.
Anyway, Umi and I headed to the park. Emoshita City's park. It was supposed to be this ambitious mega-project by the local government once, but the plans got scrapped midway, funding dried up, and only the central urban section got finished. A sad reminder of how strapped-for-cash mid-sized cities always were. This game nails the realism in the dumbest places.
Anyway. Taiga and Sashitsu were already there. Neither was saying a word to the other. Well, Sashitsu wasn't the chatty type. And Taiga only spoke up if the topic interested her. Yare yare. Guess it was time for the mood-maker—me—to step in.
"Sashitsu!! Taiga!! Let's playyy!!!!!" I bellowed at the top of my lungs as I charged toward them.
"Shut your trap!!" Taiga instantly grabbed my collar and silenced me.
"Shota... We're a Special Investigation Club. We need to keep things low-key." Sashitsu said coolly.
Special Investigation Club...? He came up with that name ahead of time? This cute guy's got a secret soft spot for that stuff. I grinned at him.
"What? Got a problem with it?" Sashitsu's cheeks flushed a bit as he asked.
"Special Investigation Club!!!! You named it already?! You're so pumped about this!!" I slapped his shoulders enthusiastically.
"N-Not really... I just figured it'd be a hassle if we didn't have a name." Sashitsu tried to play it cool.
This guy's committed to the cool-guy act. I couldn't help but respect him for it.
"But... who's she? We said no outsiders." That's when Taiga eyed Umi.
"Ah... Umi found out. She insisted on coming along." I explained.
"You're such a careless dumbass..." Taiga shot me a cold glare.
Hey, I swear I kept the secret tight. Umi figured it out through some route of her own.
"Sigh... That's a problem. We can't drag civilians into this." Sashitsu didn't look thrilled either.
"C'mon, let's say it's a club visit. She's already here—can't just send her packing, right?" I said to Sashitsu.
"This isn't about club vibes..."
"But the name's Special Investigation Club, yeah?"
"Urk...!" Sashitsu shut his mouth.
I got it. Terminal chuunibyou symptoms. Early-stage kids are simple—they just slap on flashy names like "Humanity Enhancement Alliance" and get all hyped. But evolve a step further, and it changes. They start romanticizing everyday spots like clubs or ordinary churches: normal by day, secret society by night—peak urban fantasy bait. That's why they shoehorn in mundane elements they'd normally hate. Sashitsu added "club" on purpose for that reason.
I get you, Sashitsu. I looked at him with benevolent eyes.
"That look... it's annoying." Sashitsu grumbled.
Admitting it out loud already wrecked the cool act, but I let it slide.
"Plus... odds are Umi's an Awakener like us. She could be a real asset." I said seriously.
"Evidence?" Taiga demanded.
"Gut feeling." No way I had actual proof. Can't exactly explain my transmigrator perks.
"You spout bullshit every time you open your mouth!!" Taiga grabbed my head from behind and locked me in a headlock.
Mol-cang-!! Her chest smothered my face in the classic headlock position. Warm... soft... my will to resist is fading...Taiga... you're terrifying...
"G-Get off!! What kinda sleazy skinship is that!!" Umi snapped, weirdly pissed as she tried to pry us apart. Umi, you've got some real loyalty there.
"What's it to you? In this org, Shota's my errand boy. I can do what I want." Taiga glared at Umi.
"Errand boy...?"
"A level 5 talking back to a level 7?"
"Nope."
I clammed up instantly.
"'Nope' my ass. Heh heh heh heh." Taiga, pleased with my answer, ruffled my hair roughly while keeping the headlock.
"E-Errand boy... do whatever...?" Umi fumed at Taiga's antics.
Ooh... Umi.
"I-I'm jealous..." Umi's follow-up shattered my rosy interpretation.
Was Umi a slave to power fantasies too...? Ah, this cursed chain of exploitation!!
Anyway, after wriggling free from Taiga's punishment, I summed things up.
"Umi looks like a total airhead, but she can keep a secret. Let's just roll with her today. Plus, she's a cutie—boosts morale too." I said casually.
"Who looks like an airhead!!" Umi shot back.
Whatever... hopefully this sparked her awakening. Right on the original story's track.
"Cutie? So I'm not enough for you?!?" Taiga headlocked me again.
Kwaaaak-!!
"Taiga's super cute too!! But more beauties are always better!!" I yelled desperately through the lock.
"Right? I am pretty cute. Heh heh heh heh." Taiga was easy to butter up. She released the hold and petted my head.
"Isn't the skinship a bit much?" Umi didn't approve.
"He's my underling. This is normal." Taiga said nonchalantly.
"Shota, say something!!" Umi demanded of me.
"As long as I get buried in Taiga's huge tits, I'm happy." My mouth ran without brain filter.
"Pervert!! Go die in a ditch!!!" Umi jumped up and down yelling.
That's when Sashitsu finally chimed in. Guy's so quiet he can't get a word in edgewise.
"Quiet. Enemy incoming. Aggressive ones." Sashitsu drew his wooden sword.
It was true.
"Grrrraaah...!"
"Geggek...!"
Tin-soldier-shaped monsters lumbered toward us.
Umi's face went pale. "W-What is that...?"
First time seeing these freaks, she was freaked. Aaah... she can finally see them.
"Monsters. Details later. Let's fight." Sashitsu summoned his Gladiator.
"Hell yeah!! Let's smash 'em quick!" Taiga drew Fenrir, gearing up for flames.
"Fire won't work!! They're resistant!" I called out.
Transmigrator habit—can't resist backseat gaming.
"Huh? More bullshit?" Taiga fired off flames from Fenrir anyway.
She really doesn't trust me...
Fwoooosh-!!! The blaze hit the tin soldiers dead-on.
They shrugged it off, naturally.
"It was real?!" Taiga panicked.
"Hmph." I turned away, sulking.
"Uh... sorry." Taiga, softie at heart, apologized.
"Hmph." I kept my head stiffly turned.
"........." Taiga pouted openly.
This... is fun.
Anyway, save teasing Taiga for later... I turned to Umi.
"Umi. Your turn. If you see the monsters, you can awaken your power." I said earnestly.
Tin soldiers' weakness: lightning. Sashitsu had lightning skills but hadn't unlocked them yet. Umi's spotlight.
"Power? Awakening?" Umi looked confused.
"You got this." I gripped her shoulders firmly.
"......" Umi stared at my face, then blushed.
"Fine!! I'll do it!!" She seemed to instinctively know what to do.
Umi closed her eyes and focused.
"Psycho... robo." She murmured, then snapped her eyes open.
"Got it... this is my power!!! Come forth!! Cupid!!!"
Her eyes flashed, and something burst from behind her—a mechanical girl with a bow.
"Thunder!!!" Umi chanted instantly.
Shwaaaap-!!! Cupid loosed a lightning-charged arrow.
It struck the tin soldiers, unleashing a storm of electricity.
Bzztztztztzzzt-!!!! Lightning was their weakness—their formations crumbled.
"Now!! All-out assault!!" At Sashitsu's command, we charged with weapons drawn.
"Kiyoooooot!!!!!" I swung my steel pipe, smashing a tin soldier's head clean off.
--------
Thanks to Umi, we beat those tough bastards.
After the fight, Umi grilled us on what the hell that was. Sashitsu gave a rundown on the Other Side. Suited his style—blunt personality kept it from rambling.
"So... we're trying to stop innocent people from getting monster'd. No pressure, but you've got power. Wanna help us out?" Sashitsu asked.
In the original, Umi falls for Sashitsu and joins right away... but here? Who knows.
Then Umi looked straight at me. "Shota. What do you want?"
Here it comes—the arrow's pointing my way.
"If you join, awesome!! You'd be a huge help!! And with that killer looks!! Total war goddess Athena!!!" I gushed half-sincere, half-flirty.
"Wha... guess I'll join then?" Umi twirled her hair, cheeks pink.
And just like that, Umi awakened and became our comrade. The four-person party was complete.
Perfect timing. Dungeons are about to pop...
I glanced down the street. A foul-looking castle had appeared.
That was our first dungeon to conquer.