chapter 18

My training started with something that was meant to test my resistance to air pressure, which was a free fall .

I could never possibly have imagined that I would be forced to drop down from 1000 meters in the sky, so right now I am screaming with all my might .

“AAAAARRGHHHHH!!!”

This height doesn’t even compare to that of a sky scraper . The ground is too far away .

The one who tricked me into this was obviously that person . Tameiki-san .

Tameiki-san is falling-down next to me, a composed expression on her face .

I coooompletely let my guard down .

These past two days, I could barely sleep .

And on the way here, because of the piled up fatigue, the sleep assaulted me .

Even though the destination was right above the corner .

Before I became aware of it, I started to fall in a doze and I was immediately in the land of dreams .

Then, I felt a strange feeling of falling down and opened my eyes, only to find myself bathing in the sky…… . I was sky diving .

Naturally, I was quite shocked . So much so that I almost wet myself .

Rather, it was impossible not to be shocked by this .

When I opened my eyes, I was sky diving; I’m afraid I am the only one who ever experienced something like this .

I got treated this way even after being left with a trauma for “falling” due to my last mission .

I’ve long since realized it, but Tameiki-san is an outrageous person .

But now isn’t the time for this . The ground is already getting close .

…… . . Well, as one would expect, Tameiki-san will most likely do something about the landing .

I have no means to properly land and if she doesn’t help me I’ll definitely die .

I embraced this hope and looked at Tameiki-san . That’s when she opened her mouth .

The words that came out next frightened me even more .

She said, in a very quiet voice that no one could’ve picked up but me .

That I was responsible for my own landing .

“You gotta be kidding, Tameiki-san!?”

“Don’t be passive . Take action . ”

What action can I possibly take in mid-air!? It has no shit to do with being passive .

Damn it……! What should I do?

There’s nothing I can do!

I have no way of softening the landing impact .

If I slam into the ground from this height, I’ll certainly die .

Think .

I can’t believe the fact that Tameiki-san would demand something that was impossible to achieve, no matter how unbelievable she was .

There must be something to help me break out of this deadlock .

It’s useless . The ground is getting closer and closer .

I can’t think of anything .

“I can’t do it! Please save me!!”

I shouted, amplifying the sound of my voice .

In such circumstances, if I didn’t do that Tameiki-san wouldn’t have heard me .

I could still understand her even if she talked in a quiet voice, but Tameiki-san couldn’t possibly do the same .

“Sigh……Don’t behave like a spoiled child . ”

What’s wrong with this person!

Well, if this is how it is…… .

Then, there’s nothing else to do but this!

“Excuse me!!”

I stretched my arms and got a hold of Tameiki-san’s wrist, then I pulled her towards me . After that, I embraced Tameiki-san with all my strength .

Unlike me, Tameiki-san surely has the means for a safe landing .

If I hug her like this, she will be forced to land together with me .

In short, I won’t have to land by myself .

If she forcibly separates herself from me I’ll be done for, but in order to not let this happen, I held her very tightly .

“…… . . !”

I know that I shouldn’t really be thinking about this right now, but Tameiki-san smelled extremely good .

Besides, her body felt quite thin . Nevertheless, a pair of well-rounded mounds were firmly putting an emphasis on their existence .

Since I was hugging Tameiki-san from up front, I naturally ended up burying my face in that pair of mounds .

I was in a position that if Tameiki-san were to move up her knee, I would be instantly knocked down .

“I’m so sorry! I’m not doing it on purpose! It’s the air pressure! The force is irresistible!”

I raised my voice, my face still buried in Tameiki-san’s chest .

“Stop it . Don’t talk . It tickles . ”

I desperately prayed that she wouldn’t shake me off .

I closed my eyes .

We’ll very soon be landing .

The dark feeling of falling down .

However, it suddenly ended .

A strange floating sensation enveloped me .

Once I opened my eyes, I realized that the ground wasn’t approaching as quickly as before .

We were now surrounded by huge trees, while the smell and the air seemed different .

“We’re here . ”

Tameiki-san said and the strange floating sensation vanished, as we landed .

I believe that this was Tameiki-san’s ability .

If I remember correctly, Tameiki-san is an ability user who can control gravity . If she controls gravity, then what she just did had something to do with it .

Anyway, it seems that my avoidance method was the passing mark . Whether there was some other way in those circumstances, apart from clinging to Tameiki-san or not, I decided to set it aside .

“How much longer will you stick to me? Get off . ”

I was told and I hurriedly let go of Tameiki-san .

“Sorry……!”

Tameiki-san didn’t seem to have an interest in my apology and, for some reason, she looked up to the sky and started to wander aimlessly .

I looked up as well, wondering what she was looking at, and I saw a small spot in the sky from an opening through the tree leaves .

It was getting bigger and bigger .

A wind-cutting sound .

Something was falling towards us .

That falling object was dropping at an incredible speed and, before long, it started to be sucked up towards Tameiki-san’s hand .

Even though it fell at such an incredible speed, it didn’t even have any impact .

The falling object came out to be a large backpack . Tameiki-san’s luggage that she kept in the helicopter .

Come to think of it, I didn’t bring any luggage with me . Since I was basically kidnapped, it couldn’t have been helped .

She even confiscated my work phone, saying something about severing communication with the outside world .

Thanks to this, I can’t even send one message to Roll . It was quite a troubling situation .

I really wanted her to at least let me send one message to apologize to Roll .

“First of all, we’ll walk towards the camp house close to the lake . ”

She said and held the backpack she just caught out for me to hold it .

It was too troublesome for her to carry it .

Anyway, is there really a camp house here?

I thought that she would force me to camp outside, but I’m glad it won’t happen .

“Understood . ”

I took the backpack .

The backpack seemed light when Tameiki-san held it, but it actually had an unusual weight; I somehow managed to put it on my back though . Then, I followed Tameiki-san who started to walk right away .

We advanced in this sea of trees, both of us dressed in our tuxedos .

It was amazing how out-of-place we seemed .

Other than that, there were these astonishing ‘sounds’ .

From all over the place, from every possible direction, the howls, roars and shrieks of magical beasts could be heard .

Only by listening to these sounds, you could picture the vast numbers of magical beasts inhabiting this sea of trees .

…… . . What if we encounter a dangerous magical beast all of a sudden!?

I decided to stay alert to the surrounding sounds .

“We’re here . ”

After we walked for a while, we arrived at the camp house Tameiki-san talked about .

It was more or less covered in ivy and moss, but the camp house looked prettier than I expected .

The area surrounding the camp house was mostly deforested, so the place looked rather opened .

I see .

Even though the weeds are overgrown, this space here is good for movement .

I watched as Tameiki-san opened the door to the camp house and entered it, then I followed her .

However, the moment I entered the house, she kicked me out .

I fell on my buttocks just outside the door .

The spot where my hand landed on the ground was filled with crawling insects .

Honestly, this didn’t really surprise me .

I thought about the reason why Tameiki-san just kicked me out .

Was it because I entered with my shoes on?

No, Tameiki-san did the same .

I thought about various things for a while, but in the end I didn’t understand why she kicked me out, so I looked up at Tameiki-san, who was now looking down at me, in order to find my answer .

Our eyes met and immediately after she began to speak .

“You’re camping . For the whole month . ”

So, this is how it’ll be?

Well, I was actually fine with it, since I came here prepared for camping outside .

But I wanted her to wait .

Did Tameiki-san plan to sleep on the bed I just saw through the brief opening of the door?

“Only me?”

I asked, discontent showing on my entire face .

“It’s your training . ”

“Please wait . As one would expect, being here alone through the night is scary and disheartening . ”

“It’s training . ”

“Please .

At least the first two nights, camp outside together with me . ”

It was an earnest request .

“You want to make a woman sleep outside?”

“A woman? I don’t think that you’re the type of person who would bring that up as an excuse . ”

I only realized it after I said it .

…… . Damn it!

I said something I shouldn’t have .

“……… . ”

Tameiki-san was silent .

Did I just……hurt her feelings?

No, it’s unimaginable that something like this could possibly hurt her .

Anyway, I need a followup .

“What I wanted to say is not that I don’t consider you a woman . What I was referring to was your character, you know?

I do think that you are a very beautiful woman, so please don’t misunderstand me!”

“……Just what are you talking about?

Sigh .

Heid did press upon me a weird guy . ”

Tameiki-san said, then she closed the door of the camp house with a thud .

…… . Just now, did Tameiki-san feel awkward? I have the impression she talked a little faster than usual .

After a short while, the door of the camp house opened again, and a sleeping bag came out tumbling from that crack .

Perhaps, Tameiki-san is a much more interesting person than I previously thought .

Thus, my training began .

____________

Tameiki-san is probably a more interesting person than I thought .

It was a moment when I really meant this .

Now, I take it back .

Tameiki-san is, as I thought, a very dangerous person .

“Just please, please don’t do this . I’ll do anything, even sleep outside by myself . ”

I desperately begged Tameiki-san .

Right now, she is stuffing my both ears with two small rubber-like earplugs .

At first sight, they appeared like normal earplugs .

However, these earplugs were made of a material that would firmly stick to the ear’s mucous membrane, and they can only come off by using a special lotion .

Because of these unbelievable gum-like earplugs, my sense of hearing went down about 90% .

Tameiki-san said that I had to wear these weird earplugs for the entire month .

To put things bluntly, I’ll die .

At this point, my sense of hearing was barely functional for making conversation .

This way it’ll be difficult for me to sense any sort of threat .

Moreover, I was inside the Basara Woodlands, which is basically a nest of magical beasts .

I’ll die .

“But it’ll be troublesome if earwax accumulates…… . . ”

“Once your training’s over, I’ll clean them up for you . ”

For real!?

I was about to ask this but I stopped .

What’s with this person? She’s using temptation?

But I won’t be lured by this .

First of all, if Tameiki-san ends up cleaning my ears, she’ll most likely thrust in so deep that she’ll reach the ossicles and it’ll be all over .

I definitely can’t entrust my ears to her .

“I’ll refrain . ”

“I see .

Then, let’s have a serious talk now . ”

Because Tameiki-san’s air suddenly changed, I instinctively corrected my posture .

“……What is it?”

Tameiki-san’s eyelids, which usually were only half opened, lifted up a bit and she started to speak .

“I intend to train you as seriously as I can .

Normally, this would’ve never happened .

It is very rare for me to feel motivated and I’m quite shocked myself because of it .

And I don’t even feel like sighing . ”

“……… . ”

“First, we have to do something about your annoying attack .

An ability user who can only attack in all directions indiscriminately . That’s meaningless . It’s not worth going on missions with you .

You’ll end up doing extermination missions your whole life all by yourself . ”

That’s my trashy reputation .

But I can’t say anything to defend myself, since precisely because of this Roll ended up in such a sorry state .

More than that, it was actually the truth .

“If your power is sound, then, first, you’ll have to be able to control the strength and directionality of your sound .

You need the power to only attack the enemy you aim at .

……But, there’s something you need to do before that .

You must learn to sense the sound with every piece of your body .

If you’re a sound ability user, you must become able to feel the sound with all your other four senses, apart from hearing . ”

I see .

So these earplugs are precisely for this .

Reduce my hearing sense in order to sharpen all my other senses .

“Like watching the sound with my eyes, feeling the sound with my skin, smelling the sound with my nose and tasting the sound with my tongue?”

“Right .

I as well, when I manifested my ‘gravity control’ ability, which is quite a difficult one to handle, I walked the same path as you .

During my manifestation, I killed about double the amount of people than you did . ”

For real?

How should I put it? I kind of…… . feel an affinity to her now .

“That’s why I can give you accurate advice .

Well, in short, this is it .

Listen to what I say . ”

At the end, Tameiki-san muttered .

“It’s been a while since I talked this much . ”

It appears that Tameiki-san truly intends to make me stronger .

This determination of hers reached me .

I felt a little happy .

After she told me this much I have no choice but to properly listen to her .

“Understood, master .

I’ll do everything you say . ”

I can’t possibly lose in a battle of motivation against Tameiki-san, since it was me who decided that I needed to get stronger .

“Don’t call me that . ”

“Please let me call you master . ”

“No . Listen to what I say . ”

“Then, what about senpai?”

“Sigh……”