Paradise of Infinity: 324

Title: The Face of a Monster?

Saki Yoshida is many things, but being famous is not one of them. Donning her grey blazer over her white shirt and combing her dark hair into twin tails with strands of hair sticking out of errant places makes her groan. “Mom!” she calls out. “Why can’t you do my hair like before? It looks so bad!”

Her mother’s voice emerges from the lower floor, muffled but clear enough, “Because you need to learn how to do it on your own, sweetheart.”

She sighs, adjusting her glass and glancing at the mirror.

Well, it doesn’t matter what her hair looks like, right?

‘It’s not like I want to be popular or anything. Imagine that, losing my focus and getting expelled from Kunugigaoka High.’

Calling her High School strict would be an understatement of the decade! Being part of Class 3-D instead of the higher sections like C, B, and A forces Saki to channel all her focus to her studies. The High School doesn’t have a class 3-E like the Junior High.

‘Not that juniors from 3-E have it any better,’ Saki chews her bottom lip. She sighs, slumping down the stairs before dining on her breakfast and leaving her home with a bento.

During her commute, Saki’s gaze follows a few other students, a group, actually. Boys and girls chatting with each other. Their uniforms aren’t the same as Saki’s, but their ages seem similar.

‘It must be fun being so unbothered by school,’ She scoffs at them, but her heart betrays her true feelings as bitterness wells in her chest. It’s frustrating to see others get along. Things would be different if she was in a different school. She would have friends by now, maybe even a handsome boyfriend.

‘Who needs all that?’ She scoffs again, pursing her lips and forcing down the surging emotions.

Stepping out onto her stop, Saki finds other students from Kunugigaoka walking in groups.

What excuse does she have?

Don’t they all have the same academic curriculum? Why are others chatting with carefree smiles while she walks alone?

Saki ignores the morning draft against her skin, momentarily glancing at a wanted and elegant figure.

The figure wears thin-rimmed glasses, keeping her long, silken black hair cascading down the middle of her back. She is what Saki wants to be deep inside. Letting her long hair flow without strands sticking out, wearing fashionable glasses that appear trendy but elegant. Doesn’t almost everyone from their year want to know class 3-A’s genius—Yukio Washimine?

A gloomy sigh escapes Saki’s lips as she almost moves past a small crowd of students by the gates.

Another attraction?

Who cares?

Only this time, Saki’s framed gaze catches sight of violet.

He’s unlike anyone she’s seen before, even when it comes to foreigners. His olive skin seems smooth even from such a distance, letting others feel it sticking to his lean and somehow bulging muscles. Even his hair looks better with how he wears it in the 6/4th partition, coming across as tidy. And he’s tall. Here, Saki believed tall individuals had it tough putting on muscles. However, the man who ran into her yesterday didn’t have similar issues.

Like the other girls, Saki ignores the two women beside him, who attract her male classmates instead. She gulps drily when he suddenly glances at her through the crowd. His features brighten as if he remembers her.

‘As if,’ she scoffs in her heart. Isn’t the school’s Bella taking her time behind her? Saki believes it’s Yukio, whom the man finds pleasing. Why would anyone take a liking to the dregs of Kunugigaoka High?

She isn’t athletic, academic enough for this elite institution, or beautiful enough—

The familiar draft blows again as Saki watches Yukio passing her, with her tresses flowing back. The timid girl from 3-D watches Yukio pause, glancing at the attractive hunk by the school gates before walking away.

‘She doesn’t even have to try hard, right?’ Saki thins her lips. It’s ugly to feel all that. However, her eyes widen when she glances at the man, only to find him looking straight at her.

Not Yukio, but her—Saki Yoshida.

—Sorry about yesterday.—

He mouths with a smile, an act that makes a few girls squeal and giggle. However, Saki stays rooted.

Her heart seems to want to leap out of her throat and kiss the man’s shoe before working its way up, not due to some illicit attitude. No. Saki feels happy.

She—

The girl ducks her head, picking her pace to enter the school as she can feel her heartbeats drumming against her ears! She feels weak in the knees, her palms clammy, and her face - she can’t stop smiling. Saki knows it’s a weird smile.

‘He noticed me.’ She almost coos aloud, tearing up on the spot. She never wanted to try it before, with her studies and all that—

‘Maybe I can ask Mom to teach me about makeup,’ she blushes, unable to think straight for the day.

In her blushing stupor, Saki ignores another favored figure in the school—a teacher—walking past her with a gloomy scowl.

---

His scowl deepens the second he sees the crowd around the trio. They cannot afford such commotions, damn it! He recalls his earlier meeting with his superiors about this situation.

—“Listen, Tadaomi. The agreement between the Ministry of Defense and Kunugigaoka High persists because of that creature alone. He refuses to do anything else but teach this year’s batch of class 3-E, granting the school special privileges. The Chairman has the right to assign and remove teachers from that class as he sees fit, EXCEPT the one who destroyed the moon. It includes you, too, Tadaomi. Luckily, Gakuho Asano is pragmatic and wouldn’t cause issues without reason. That said, I want you to observe the newcomers and find out who they work for.”—

Tadaomi prepares himself as his appearance makes many flinch and sidestep, opening a path for him to the trio. His sharp gaze observes a few things instantly. For one, the slightly tan-skinned brunette is a professional marksman. Oh, it’s nothing about her posture or anything. It’s the fact he can see the subtle bulge of a gun inside her clothes.

If Gakuho is correct, the white-haired woman standing as tall as the man’s abdomen should be the group’s leader. He must reprimand the girl for wearing something more modest if she’s to mingle with a class of angst teenagers shunned from school and experiencing puberty because those shorts don’t fit the climate at all!

And finally, Tadaomi glances at the possible heavy-hitter of the group. He instinctively thinks of the fundamental methods to deal with a larger opponent while standing near them, clearing his throat even when it isn’t needed to attract their attention.

“I’m Tadaomi Karasuma. The Chairman asked me to show you around and lead you to the classroom. Follow me.”

Tadaomi would like to wait for their introductions, but achieving that alongside the students is more efficient as he turns around and leads the trio out from the crowd, hearing a few discontented whispers around him.

“Eh? For class 3-E? Again?” a girl whines. “That’s two total hotties!”

Tadaomi strongly discourages girls from the Junior year of all people to think about someone his age as such.

“Wow! I would totally climb the mountain to meet her if it wasn’t occupied by class 3-E,” another boy mutters, almost drooling for Ray.

“That lady looks so weird. What’s that under her belt?” Another girl notices the gun sticking out of Revy’s hips.

---

“See?” Revy mutters. “I should have worn my holster.”

“You look pretty,” Nik shrugs, looking over the woman wearing a modest green sweater and brown trousers. The woman almost reminds Nik of Mitsuko and Yuuko.

“There are a few things I would like to clarify before we reach the classroom,” Tadaomi begins as they walk around the building, trekking the incline of a small mountain behind the school campus.

They walk through the uneven path cleared through the dense foliage, following their spiky, dark-haired lead.

“First, I would like to officially introduce myself and our collective mission,” Tadaomi stops, turning and glancing at the trio. “I’m Tadaomi Karasuma from the Ministry of Defense.”

“What did he say? It sounded serious,” Revy mutters to Nik, earning her a glance from Tadaomi, who repeats himself in English. Revy’s eyelids jump at his introduction as he crosses his arms, “Allow me to brief you on the situation before you jump into things without proper information.”

“There’s a monster up there,” Nik interjects.

“Who’s also the highest bounty,” Revy licks her lips.

“And he’ll blow the planet in a year,” Ray smiles.

“Wait, what?!” Revy and Nik look at Ray. Nik always knew about the mission’s time limit, but he didn’t think it was a limit on the planet’s time itself!

Tadaomi exhales deeply. The supposed leader of the group knows more than expected. Still, he needs to go through basic protocol lest they accidentally harm the children. So, that’s what he does. He goes into the monster’s ‘known’ abilities, including his ability to go as fast as Mach 20. Ray doesn’t show any impression, while Revy doesn’t believe it.

However…

Karasuma glances at the almost confused Nik.

“Mach 20 is a measurement of what exactly? You said he’s that fast, so it’s probably speed measurement. But I don’t know how fast that is.”

Tadaomi refuses to elaborate. Instead, he mutters, “You’ll experience it soon enough.”

He concludes the short explanation as they reach the wooden shed beside a small track field with—“Lastly, you will be able to commission anti-sensei bullets after demonstrating your skills.”

He tosses a pellet in their direction, making it harder for them to see it coming.

Tadaomi’s eyes twitch as he watches Nik catch the pink pellet, explaining, “It’s made from the only material that can harm the target’s body. The children can use it as they see fit, but we cannot hand it to non-affiliated parties for free. And it doesn’t look like you’re willing to believe me right away.”

“Oh, I do,” Ray giggles, looking at the wooden shed with amazement.

“I can keep it, right?” Nik questions as he glances at the pellet in his hand.

“So? This is useless?” Revy pulls her gun out, scowling. If Ray believes this bullshit, then Revy doesn’t have much chance to doubt things, given the situation.

“Against the Government’s target? Yes.”

“Why don’t you blast him?” Revy questions. “You guys must have loads of firepower, right? Did you try everything?”

Tadaomi’s expression darkens as he turns around, unwilling to answer her. “Follow me,” he replies, leading the trio into the shed. As they walk, Tadaomi prompts, “What about the two transfer students?”

“Oh, they will join us tomorrow,” Ray replies flatly.

“Why not today?” Nik questions, curious about the twins.

Ray exhales loudly, grumbling, “They said they hate Mondays. Can you imagine that?”

“I can,” Revy snickers.

*Drrrr*

Tadaomi slides open the classroom door as Nik and Revy stop in their track.

“Holy shit,” Revy whispers while Nik quietly stares at the eldritch, yellow, octopus-like creature in a black academic outfit, including a black mortarboard cap and long yellow tentacles sticking out of the clothes, keeping his body upright.

“Everyone,” Tadaomi enters, nodding at the creature, “I have a quick announcement. Three more teachers are assigned to the classroom. Settle down.”

Almost making Nik and Revy squeak in surprise, the class equipped with rifle guns slowly set their firearms aside. The classroom is littered with similar pellets as Nik crouches to pick a few more from the floor with his left hand before dusting his hands.

“You may introduce yourself,” Tadaomi glances at the trio as Ray steps forward, beaming at the classroom. “Hello, everyone~! I’m Ray Petit, and I look forward to spending the next year with all of you!”

‘What about our jobs in Yellow Flag?’ Nik rolls his eyes.

Ray’s cheery introduction earns her huge credits from the classroom as one of the boys raises his hand, questioning, “What will you teach us, Ray-Sensei?”

“Hmm,” the creature named Korosensei clears his throat. It extends its strange, paw-ended tentacle to a file on the table. “It says here that Ms. Ray will be the classroom’s appointed nurse since the main building and nurse’s office is far from 3-E’s building.”

“It can talk,” Revy gapes.

“Shh, not so loud,” Nik whispers back.

“Ehm,” Tadaomi clears his throat, glancing at the duo.

“Revy,” she glances at the class one before focusing all her attention on Korosensei, unbothered by the students staring at her weirdly.

“Um, Korosensei? What will Ms. Revy teach us?” A girl questions.

“Hmm, it says she will train your Marksmanship. It’s an optional course without an added score to your curriculum. Nyuhuhuhu, but you better perfect your aim before you try to kill me.”

“And it has a weird laugh. What did it say, Nik?” Revy whistles.

“Ehm,” Nik ignores Revy, glancing at the classroom, “I’m Nik Faran. Feel free to ask for my assistance in matters I can help.”

“Nuhuhuhuhu!”

“His face!” Revy gasps again as if watching a toy. After all, Korosensei’s round, yellow face transitions to deep pink with dark blushes around his ‘cheeks’ as he claims, “Nik-Sensei is class’ Sex Counselor.”

“Ehm,” Nik clears his throat as the classroom’s mood turns awkward. He smiles, “It’s only on the paper. Although I didn’t know why before, I’m here to teach you the basics of seduction. It’s a delicate subject, and I’ll treat it with care. That said—” Nik turns to glance at the oddly shapen natural disaster. He extends his left hand to Korosensei, beaming, “—I’m sorry about accidentally peeking on you yesterday. But you don’t seem half as bad, Korosensei. I’d like to learn more from you.”

The yellow creature giggles, extending his tentacle-hand, which Nik grasps—

*Splat*

His hand blows apart, turning into a greasy yellow substance as four anti-sensei pellets drop on the floor.

The entire classroom falls silent while Korosensei’s face returns to yellow, with sweat literally running down its face in bullets.

“Sorry about that,” Nik smiles awkwardly. “I didn’t believe it would really hurt you.” He places the bullets on the table.

“I-It’s alright,” Korosensei chuckles as a few pellets behind it suddenly move without any indication as if beckoned by something invisible.

*Splat*

*Splat*

Two more tentacles limb explode as Koro’s body disappears in a blink of an eye.

Nik slowly looks up, matching Korosensei’s beady eyes as the creature sticks himself to the ceiling.

“How did that happen?” Nik smiles while adding to the constant messages between him and Ray.

[Nut-Cracking-Messiah: You were right. He wouldn’t attack.]

[Smexy-succu-succu: Oh, he does. It’s just not in the way you would expect.]

“DID YOU SEE THAT?!”

“Woah!”

“Sensei actually got hurt!”

“That was amazing!”

“He’s the chosen one.”

“Wait, I want to earn the bounty, damn it!”

Class 3-E erupts with commotion, something Tadaomi doesn’t like one bit. However, he cannot fault them either. It’s the first time anyone, or anything, got a drop on Korosensein.

“It can crawl a damn wall, too,” Revy muses.

What a day!

***

Alternate Title: Saki Yoshida Do Be EMERGING From Her Shell, Get It?; The Shy Girl; The Socially Shunned?; Saki Wants That, Too; Thank God Saki Focused On Her Studies Instead; Ignoring The School’s Best For Her; Saki: Is It Love? *While Nik Did Absolutely Nothing*; The Crowd Attraction; Class 3-E’s Luck; The New Teachers; The Ministry of Defense; No Explanation Could Prepare Them For The Truth; Nik Gets Ahead of Himself; Nik: I’m Sacred *Also Nik: Let’s Try It Again, It’s Fun*; Splat; The First To Hurt The 10 Billion Bounty; Revy’s Reactions Are Everything!

***

Saki Yoshida (With Blue Eyes Instead)