Filthy casual Tanjun Sumaru wasn't really dedicated to anything. He went to school, did his classwork, and went home to watch naruto and play games.
This is his life.
Hey guys, I'm not dead! Isn't that great?
Hm?
Why aren't I posting for one of my ongoing stories?
Don't sweat the details.
Please. X~^_^ ~x
-After school-
Sumaru slid the classroom door closed and heaved a sigh, "Now I can finally go home." Today was the day he was scheduled to clean the classroom. There had been others assigned as well, but they'd left already, "They left me behind," Sumaru cracked half a smirk, "I guess that's what I get for trying to do a good job."
He shrugged and swung his bag over his shoulder. I'm so slow with stuff like that, it's annoying. Sumaru frowned and dug his phone out of his pocket.
"Whatever, slow and steady and I'll get there eventually." Sumaru's eyes scanned the bright screen as he let his legs take him down the familiar path out of the building. Through the hall, past that door, down the stairs(Two at a time), stop to change into the right shoes, and finally out the door.
"Hm, no updates on for my manga. Nothing interesting on the Tube either. That sucks." Sumaru passed through the front gate of the school and smacked his lips, "Man, I'm thirsty."
He reached for the water bottle that he kept in his bag, but it wasn't there, "Huh? What the heck? Where is it? Where's my water bottle?" Sumaru's heart beat sped up as he looked through his bag again, "Nonononono, it has to be here. I know I put it back after I had that drink, right?"
Sumaru wasn't really sure, But maybe I can retrace my steps and find it that way! He nodded to himself, "I'll do that right now!" He turned and ran back to the school, but his foot slipped and suddenly the whole world went dark.
-The crossroads-
Sumaru was sitting in a chair.
"I'm sitting in a chair." Huh.
The clacking of heels interrupted his deep inner monologue as a figure passed him by and sat in a throne across from him.
She was some kind of angel, in a pristine white dress, with pure white feathered wings trailing behind her. Her soft lips parted, "Tanjun Sumaru."
"Uh, yeah?" He'd been staring.
"Do you know where you are?"
Sumaru cast his gaze around the great expanse of nothingness, "The afterlife?"
The angel nodded, "Yes. It is sad, but true. Your life has ended before you even had a chance."
Sumaru looked at his hands, "I'm... Dead." He flexed his fingers, before looking to the angel, "How?"
The angel leaned back in her throne, "When you tripped, your head hit the corner of your school's front gate. It wasn't pretty."
"Oh." Unbidden, Sumaru imagined how someone might find his body sprawled in front of the school's gate. The image of his arms and legs splayed out, his neck bent at a weird angle, all in a pool of his own blood made Sumaru's stomach churn. He tried to focus on the angel, "So, um, what happens now? Will I be a ghost? Do I have to haunt the front gate of that school forever?" Sumaru squirmed in his seat, "I'm not really religious, so..."
The angel smiled serenely, That's a trustworthy smile, and said, "Well, you have two options. You could," She held up a finger, "One, pass on to heaven and eternal peace. Or," A second finger joined the first, "You could go be a hero in a different world, with magic and leveling and a demon king for you to defeat."
Sumaru's eyebrows were up, "So I could just, do that? Really?"
The angel nodded, "There's more. If you choose to be reincarnated into this world, then the gods will bestow you with a powerful item or ability of your choosing to take with you on your quest to defeat the demon king."
Sumaru nodded, "That does sound pretty cool." And they say Hell is where all the fun people go anyway. He shrugged, "I'm supposed to be dead anyway, I might as well have fun with it." He faced the angel, "I'll do it, the reincarnation thing."
The angel clapped her hands and her smile widened, "Excellent decision. Do you have anything in mind for what you want to take with you?"
"Oh, uh." I didn't think of anything yet! He smiled at the angel, "Of course." Mouth! What are you doing?!
"Oh, how unusual. Most of the recently departed need more time to pick something." She tucked the cards that she had begun to pull from her sleeve back away, and Sumaru cried internally, It would've been nice to see some example. I don't want to pick anything weak that I'll regret. The angel fluttered her long eyelashes, "Do tell me what it is you desire."
Sumaru smirked, "But of course." Shut up! I need to think! "What I have in mind is something both powerful and useful." Just say you don't know! "It is something unlike any other, and is sure to come in handy against the demon king!" I'm monologuing! Mouth, do you have any idea what you're even saying?
The feathers on the angel's wings rustled as she shifted on her throne, "You've peaked my interest, and you have my full attention. Now tell me what it is."
"I want," Please stop! Sumaru leaped up from his chair with purpose, Et tu, My Legs?! "The power of-!" What is coming out of my mouth?!
The angle was leaning forward now, with her wings lightly fluttering to keep her on the throne.
Sumaru sucked in a big gulp of air.
Don't say it, please I'm begging you!
"The Sharingan."
"..." The angel stared, and a slight smirk spread across her luscious lips.
Sumaru blushed, "..." ...This is so dumb.
The angel spread her arms and said, "Then it shall be done." Blue light swirled to life around Sumaru and lifted him into the air. "Goodbye, Tanjun Sumaru." There was a hint of amusement in her voice and Sumaru didn't like it at all.
"Don't make fun of me!" He huffed as the void was overtaken by the blinding light.
-Axel: The town for beginners-
Sumaru blinked, and shielded his eyes with a hand, The sun sure is bright. It seemed, he'd been deposited on the side of a busy road. Sumaru's eyes roamed over the brick buildings, was he in a town?
Sumaru tucked his hands into his pockets and tried to look like he was going somewhere, It would be creepy for some guy to just be sitting around. I have to at least try to make a good impression So he wandered down the streets, glancing between the shops and the people. They were both totally fantasy. A glance at himself had Subaru feeling very self conscious.
He was still wearing his school uniform. Actively digging through his pockets turned up a little sack and nothing else. No wallet, no phone, no tissues for when his nose randomly starts to run, no house keys, or anything. Just that sack of coins if Sumaru's ears weren't lying. How did that even get in my pocket? Sumaru stared at the thing in his hand, hard.
"Now I'm curious."
Sumaru sat on the ledge at a fountain and loosened the drawstring on his pouch. On top of the assortment of coins, there was a folded piece of paper. Sumaru unfolded it, "Huh, it's a note." He rubbed his eye and read:
Dear Tanjun Sumaru,
Your worldly possessions at the time of your death have been converted into the currency of this world, eris.
Use it wisely.
At the bottom of the note was a little doodle of the angel from before, "That's pretty cute, did she draw it herself?" Sumaru stuck his finger into the pouch and jingled the coins around, "Doesn't seem like much, but at least it's something." He noticed a group of slimy people trudge by, Huh, where are they headed?
"It's that party again."
"Huh?" Sumaru looked over, there were a couple of ladies chatting. When did they get there?
They saw him, "You don't know, Sir?"
Think fast! "Uh, know what?" Sumaru inwardly kicked himself, Thanks brain.
Any time.
"That's the new group of adventurers with the horrible leader."
"Yeah, apparently he loves to get the girls in his party covered in slime."
"And he'll shamelessly steal a girls unmentionables and wave them in the air like a flag."
"I heard he uses blackmail to keep his party members from leaving, too."
"He's the worst."
"The absolute worst."
"An enemy to all womankind and a disgrace to adventurers everywhere."
Sumaru's head swiveled between the two ladies talking at him, How long did they rehearse for? "Um, I'm new in town. So I'm just gonna..."
"Oh," Eyes appraised him, "Are you here to become an adventurer?"
"Uh..." Good one.
"The guild is that way, just follow the slime that party left behind." One of the ladies pulled up her sleeve and smiled sweetly, "And don't even think of becoming an adventurer like Kazutrash."
"Um, right! I'll go there, right now." Sumaru briskly walked away. What scary people.
It wasn't hard to follow the trail of slime, and in no time Sumaru found himself in front of what must have been the guild building. He took a deep breath, "Okay, we're all on the same side. Just take it one step at a time." He brought his hands up to the double doors. Slow and steady.
The doors swung open easily enough, but Sumaru had to scramble to duck out of the way as a table soared through the doorway and out onto the street. Someone's fighting? There was a lot of yelling inside, and he poked his head around to see what was going on. Oh, everyone's fighting. Then he caught sight of some kind of service desk at the far end of the main room, where a woman was waiting with a worried look on her face. Almost everyone.
Sumaru slouched into the building and edged his way along the wall, doing his best to avoid the flying drinks, furniture, and bodies. He crawled under a table to avoid a food platter spinning like a saw blade and barely managed to make it out before the table was crushed under the weight of a large man flying through the air. Eventually he did make it around to the desk in the wall and he tried to get her attention, "Pst."
Everyone was yelling and laughing in the brawl that was underway, No wonder she didn't hear me. "Hey, excuse me." She still didn't hear him. Sumaru tried yelling, "Hey! Boob Lady!"
She startled and looked down at the young man crouched at her desk, "What did you just call me?"
Ignore it, get to the point, "I just want to register as an adventurer."
Boob Lady blinked down at him before switching modes, "Adventurer registration? The fee is 1000 eris."
"Oh, um, is this enough?" Sumaru pulled out some coins and put it on the desk.
Boob Lady counted out the coins and handed some of them back.
Make small talk, "So, um," Sumaru gestured at the brawl, "Does this happen often?"
She nodded, "Every day." She set a card on the desk, "Now let me explain. Adventurers fight monsters outside of town-" The yelling intensified and Sumaru couldn't hear what she said next. Then it died down and he heard her say, "Please touch this adventurer card. It will show your level and stats."
"Uh, okay." It really is like a game, huh? Sumaru touched the card with a finger and nearly had a heart attack when a mug of ale slammed into the wall right next to his head.
"Now let's see here," Boob lady swiped the adventurer card and looked it over, "Tanjun Sumaru. Above average intelligence, decent strength and vitality, and average luck. It looks like Spellsword would be the best fit for you."
"Spellsword? It sounds cool, but what is it?" Maybe it's close to a ninja?
"Spellsword is a class that wields magic to augment their close combat. Like a flaming sword, or wind spells to make them faster." She pantomimed swinging a sword, and Sumaru struggled to look up from her chest, "Like that, see?"
Sumaru nodded, "Well, I guess I'll do that one, then."
"Okay, then you're a Spellsword." She handed him a pamphlet, "This has more specifics about your class. When you feel ready for a quest, pick one from the board over there and bring it to me." Sumaru nodded, "I would recommend finding a party to join before going out, but what you do now is up to you."
Sumaru tucked his card into a pocket and turned to leave, then a thought struck him, "Hey, if I'm gonna fight and stuff, I guess I'll need a weapon. Know any good places?"
-Weapons for Cheap; Great for beginning Adventurers-
"It's closing time, have you picked yet?"
Sumaru rubbed his chin as he considered , "Well, my first thought was to get a sword because it's in my class name, but-"
The shopkeeper growled, "I don't want to hear your thought process, I want you to make a decision."
"Oh, right." Sumaru glanced around the shop, "Um, I'll take," Sumaru closed his eyes and pointed, "This one, I guess?"
"A basic spear? Just pay up and get out of here, kid."
"Okay."
Now with his shiny new spear in hand, Sumaru stepped out into the night. Slow and steady.
-Outside of Town(Night)-
Well, I'm almost broke. Sumaru was curled up at the base of a tree on the outskirts of town, I don't want to come across as some kind of creep by sleeping in the park, but this isn't really any better, is it? Well, at least it's not too cold tonight. He looked up at the sky, it was filled with bright stars and a full moon. Heh, couldn't get a sight like that back home even if I tried. The full moon was beautiful. Home. It was bright enough to read by, actually. How have my parent's taken my death? Sumaru pulled out the pamphlet that Boob Lady had given him and opened it.
There's no way they haven't found my body by now. My body, huh? I really did die and now I'm alone in this crazy new world. Sumaru's grip tightened on the pamphlet. I wonder if anyone was traumatized. He shook his head, Am I traumatized?
Sumaru's eyes scanned over the page, "I mean I died after all, so I should feel something, right?" A silent breeze in the night was the only answer he received. The wind rustled his hair and when he rubbed some dirt out of his eye, his fingers were moist. He stared at the glittering droplets on his fingers, "Huh?"
He stayed like that until he fell asleep.
-Axel Guild Hall-
Boob Lady's professional smile wavered, "You look terrible."
Sumaru nodded, "It was a rough night." There were bags under his eyes, leaves in his hair, and bits of grass and dirt were clinging to him all over as well.
"And you're sure you want to take this one? You still don't have a party, right?"
Sumaru nodded again, "It is what it is."
"If you're sure, then who am I to stop you?" Boob Lady tucked the quest flier into a new file and said, "Just be careful around those Giant Frogs, their tongues can reach farther than you would think."
Sumaru nodded again, "Don't worry, I'll be alright." He lifted his spear and made his way for the guild-house door.
"Hey boy!"
"Huh?"
There was a muscular man sitting alone at the bar. He raised his mug without turning around, "Give 'em hell."
Sumaru cracked a smile, "Yeah." Then he turned and left.
Slow and steady.
-Outside of Town(Day)-
Sumaru stood at the top of a hill, watching how the wind made patterns in the grass similar to the ocean. He slung his spear off of his shoulder. This is it, life as an Adventurer starts now. This is my next step. He took a breath and looked to his spear, "I don't know any magic yet, so it's all on you my expensive friend."
Sumaru spotted a frog in the distance, then he rubbed his eyes and looked again. That thing is the size of a house! And it had already spotted him.
"I'm gonna go down there and kill that frog, and then four others. I'll get paid, I'll level up, and it will be easier next time. I just have to take it one step at a time." Sumaru ignored his trembling legs and took a heavy step toward the frog. Should I aim for the head? He glanced at his spear, Maybe I can reach it with this? He glanced back at the frog, it was a lot closer than before.
I still have time. Sumaru gripped his spear tighter, Maybe I should aim for it's guts? That would be fatal, right? He glanced back up at the frog, and his voice caught in this throat as something wet wrapped around him and slammed into his chest.
I'm gonna die! Sumaru rocked back as he was bungeed toward the monster's waiting mouth. It's going to eat me and I'm going to die again!
Tears spilled from his eyes and time slowed down. Sumaru could see how the frog was going to close it's mouth around his body and swallow him whole. That was the path he was on. But I have to change it!
He still held his spear. It was like moving through molasses, but he managed to point it forward and grip it under his arm.
Slow and steady.
The frog sucked him into it's gaping maw, and the spear pierced through the roof of it's mouth, all the way up to Sumaru's hand. The frog teetered back and rolled down the hill.
At the bottom of the hill, Sumaru's quivering hands emerged from the dead frog's mouth and scrambled to pull out the rest of him. He patted himself down, "I'm alive." Then he worked to pull the slick spear from where it poked out of the Frog's head.
"I'm alive." Those words felt good to say.
Sumaru opened the dead frog's mouth to look inside, then he looked at himself, "Covered in brain matter and frog guts, but still alive."
RIBBIT
Sumaru looked over his shoulder. Look there's another one. He smiled dangerously, "I just need to use my spear and these dumb frogs will do the work for me." He tried to lift the weapon into a ready position. Owowowowowowow! Pain lanced through Sumaru's right shoulder, and his arm fell limp at his side.
RIBBIT
With a powerful leap, the giant frog landed in front of Sumaru. It was going to bend over to snap him up if he didn't move.
Sumaru managed to duck out of the way, but it was difficult to hold onto his spear with only his non-dominant hand so he tucked it under his armpit. I used to hold brooms like this when no one was looking. The frog bent down to swallow him again and he jabbed it in the eye as he danced around it's head. The frog reared back in pain, and Sumaru pierced it through the belly, up into it's chest. Blood welled up in the back of the frog's throat, then it coughed, and collapsed.
"Heh, two for two." Sumaru's legs gave out and he collapsed. Pain. That's a lot of pain. It even hurt to breath.
"Wow, that's a decent bit of carnage you've got going on here."
Sumaru was in too much pain to try to see who'd shown up. Instead he groaned.
"And you're still alive?" A single clap, "I'd say full marks for the solo adventurer's first attempt." I think I'll go to sleep. "Well, I guess it's time to do what I was asked. Food doesn't pay for itself after all."
Brown boots passed Sumaru's face just before he lost consciousness.
Slow and steady.
First Impressions In This Wonderful World
Sumaru: Hey there. You, uh, come here often?
?: I work here.
Sumaru: Right, right. So, when do you get off?
?: Do you even know my name?
Sumaru: ...
?: Well?
Sumaru: ...Boob Lady?
Boob Lady: -_-
Sumaru: T-T
