Summary:
One-shot, one kill. These words are associated with trained snipers all over the world.
In reality, I am one of them and the training I had since childhood made me who I am as a sniper when I first tried to shoot a safe gun designed for target shooting for people all ages at the age of 6.
The interesting game, Infinite Dendrogram? I am one too there, they don't even know my face because of that mask I wore.
Unlike the 'inferior' quality snipers in that game who failed to take down a moving target when I observed them with my scope at that time, I showed them, including the Infinite Dendrogram community, what a real one with real-life training, in the words of gamers, a pro, can do.
Seriously though, at one time in my Infinite Dendrogram life around the time I started playing, there's this group who asked me such a question of why I am able to grasp it and what's the secret.
I teasingly gave them a reply: "Family tradition dating back to the American Revolutionary War, all thanks to my ancestor who recreated and kept the written accounts that'll later become known as sniping today. Now, now, everything's classified if you ask what kind of training I've been through including real life."
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy,?, Romance, Slice of life
Tags: Alternate World / Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, Childhood Love, Original Character MC, Original Character Heroine(s), ?, ?, Protagonist Strong from the Start, R-15, ?
Current Year As Of The Story Progression (Please keep an eye on this): 2032
Word Count Before 'Insertion': 2180 words
N/A
Note to remember: Besides this site, this anime fanfic is also available in Web Novel, Wattpad, Scribblehub, Ao3, and Foxteller.
Volume 1 - Childhood
Unanticipated Changes Revolving Me Pt.1
Five months passed.
The drills, training from my clan and others, it's paying off to my first debut in a match of practical shooting.
Most of my opponents...they were older and experienced than me which to me gave me a challenge I yearned for and a thrill.
They were good shooters, it's what I would give respect to their skills. I wouldn't deny that when I observed them and their movements.
Me, being the youngest competitor in the competition, captured attention from some observers and competitors especially because of my lower facemask I wore for my first tourney.
Before I entered, there were inspections first on my facemask, gear, and gun to make sure it's fair like fair with no substance and any restrictions.
With each win and advance, I learned that each competitor had their own reason why they wanted shooting.
Some wanted to continue the tradition from their family which was some sort of same case for myself because I came from a military dynasty and being part of a clan being in a 'dark'.
Some said it's because it's their passion and that they wanted to represent the country as a member of the National Shooting Team in the future which I wished well when I heard it straight from them.
Some did it because they wanted to help their family which sounded a cliche but it's a sad part of reality to others in this era because it reminded me of the story of the retired boxing legend who had that humble background.
As for me, I used the competition and experience as a stepping stone for my goal to become a skilled sharpshooter and to understand pressure, especially from competitions. Sure, there's also a target shooting competition using the harmless target shooting gun for schools everywhere in the world but I needed to be part of the AISC Target Shooting Club to participate in those matches.
'Technique, ability, and facts, eh? It's always like that in real life.' Done scribbling the phrases "fight on!" and "regardless of talent, be humble!" in Nihon on my notebook, I looked down at the medal box carrying the gold medal I won from the finals as I remembered my 'runnings' in the tourney and training I received after I arrived from the Philippines five months ago.
To win the gold medal, fairly, I had to give my all in fair fights under the pressure I felt from the semi-finals. It's not that easy to feel the pressure including the finals but due to the training I had for the marksmanship, it was way different to the ones I had for practical shooting because it contained a moving target, a moving platform like swinging and firing while on it, and much more scenarios including "hitting the target who is the hostage-taker, not the hostage" in the hostage-taking scenario.
Still, honestly, I enjoyed the final match and shook hands with my opponent and thank him for giving me a match I would remember today and for my debut.
'I like this gold medal...but yeah I can't be like that fake prof who forged his credentials at Recto before this current era.' Closing my eyes as I remembered some arrested con-artist analyst who 'graduated' from prestigious educational institutions, I decided to take a small nap in the guise of taking a break from winning a tourney with us inside the moving vehicle piloted by Dad, on the way to our destination - the MacMillan Residence where Alice and the rest, wait for our return.
'Unlike those generic harem MC, I will...take...responsibility...'
Zzz...
Zzzzzz...
Zzzzzzzzz...
zzzzzzzzzzzz...
.
.
.
.
.
"...hehe even after a selfie, Caesar's sleeping face looks peaceful."
"I'm with you there, Arin-nee."
"Irina-chan, do you think it's for us to wake him up?"
"Hai, we're almost home."
"Let me do it then."
"Okay, Arin-nee-eh, what are you doing?"
"Waking up Caesar. Theresa-oba told me the other day that this is the other way to wake him up."
"R-r-really? A-a-are you sure?"
"I don't know. But Kaa-chan agreed with Theresa-oba."
'!? Mom, what on earth have you told them while I'm gone for training with my teachers and attending online classes!?' Unknown to them, I was half-asleep, listening to their conversation. I was surprised to hear that kind of thing.
My mother, my mom, Theresa MacMillan, how could I forget she's a shipper of childhood friends ending up together?
This.. was so embarrassing. I don't really mind that. But I believe there must be some protocol and requirement for the next step?
Before one would say anything about my awareness, I almost failed in pulling a state of being half-asleep. My grandfather, Grandfather Noah, an ex-SF, one of my teachers, taught me that trick for 'staying alert' in mind. I had no idea what for but when he told me that day during his turn, the reason and purpose, his face as the SAS operative who did things to get the job done, got replaced by a doting grandfather like it was fast enough for the current tech level of trains to be a joke.
It must not go on. I. MUST. WAKE. UP.
"Arin-nee...Uncle Neil and Noah-jiji is in front...I think we should wake him up properly. " 'Yes my dear AK fan friend stop Arisa from doing something she might regret.'
"No..it'll be short, I only hope Alice won't mind it once she hears this." Arisa whispered. "I also have her consent."
"...what's consent again, Arin-nee?" asked Irina.
"Approval." answered Arisa.
'Alice...' Remaining playing 'dead' because of a change of plans, I continued eavesdropping on their conversation.
"I-I think I'll join." said the hybrid Russian.
'Irina...'
"Okay...after me." answered the British-Japanse. "We have 60 seconds. I go first."
"хорошо." said Irina.
"Caesar...I do not know what this feeling is..around you-"
'I understand, Arisa...but not today, but next time once you have an opportunity. I hope you forgive me for this.' Understanding what she meant that almost made me blush, I opened my eyes to see the blushing face of Arisa Minase while at the same time noticing a blushing Russian, who was on my left, watching her first cousin about to do her unique way of waking me up.
Arisa's eyes were closed and her face was red. She was almost closing the gap.
THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP!
The Russian probably noticed me now which became true as her brown eyes widened at my current state.
"Arisa...I heard that." Gathering my courage to speak up, with much effort, I gently poked the British-Japanese's forehead to wake her up and put a stop to it.
"Eh!?" Just like that, when Arisa opened her eyes probably because of my voice if not me poking her to snap her out of it, her face probably was the reddest one I ever seen before with hot air steam coming out from her ears.
"C-C-Caesar," said Arisa, embarrassed as her face was different compared to the ones I've seen before. "H-h-how long are you awake?"
'Somehow I regret it but it - wait a minute, Caesar, not now.' Shaking those thoughts because I got a good look of my childhood friend being shy instead of the helpful and supportive friend during those previous months, I answered the inquiry. "It's when you and Irina-chan said something about my face after taking a selfie. I awoke from it. As for you, Irina-chan, I'm surprised... I mean I am surprised by both of you. I-I-I think we should take it easy first because I.. we are new to this...it does not mean I will take no action and ignore it. I'll take responsibility."
When I'm done answering, both my childhood friends hugged me.
Looking up at the rear mirror, I saw a reflection of my father grinning and my grandfather, Grandfather Noah giving me a double thumbs up as the vehicle parked in our house right on time as the garage doors folded back to its original form.
'Welp, they have a new teasing material for us to remember in the future.' Knowing the vehicle we're in, I knew it was captured.
Dad's sus.
Grandfather Noah's sus.
Even adults besides the two here.
The rear mirror, unlike the old generation vehicles, had that Bluetooth Camera. Can one imagine that piece of tech added to the equation with a family member such as my mother being the childhood friend shipper? It's that.
The Bluetooth camera...it definitely made these two adults in front of us, a 100% sus from their reactions.
It's pointless.
How troublesome.
"Arin, Irina-chan." I gently called out my two childhood friends. "We're here now. We have to alight - I mean to get out of Dad's vehicle to put my things including the 1911 pistol I used for competition back where it was...for proper storage. As for the video footage copy, both Dad and Grandfather Noah have it."
After we're done settling things down including that real steel 1911, I headed where Alice and the rest was.
They're at the family room of the MacMillan, our residence, chatting together with our friends there while the rest of the adults who were at the garden except for Aunt Natasha, retold some old stories then to my performance on the first tourney I attended.
It's like those previous minutes again; I got bombarded with congratulations from everyone here including Alice and Bernie.
Not counting the revelation of my sort of stepped up relations with Arisa and Irina which caused a look from Bernie which I noticed including Alice's lookin' at Bernie, Bernadette/Bernie and Alice, both of them, including Caroline/Caro, were all stars when I retold them my matches and my experience with it and that I had a copy of my matches too that made them ask me to watch it which I told them I'll be uploading it in VidWorld after edits once I get a small rest.
"Hey, Mama." said Alice to her mother Aunt Natasha.
"What is it, Alice?" said Aunt Natasha.
"Do you think I'll be a good sister to Aya?" asked Alice, referring to her unborn sister.
Me and all of our friends' attention then went to Alice and to Aya who was inside Aunt Natasha's womb.
"Perhaps. " replied Aunt Natasha as she suddenly smiled. "Alice being an older sibling is about being a role model, being there for them, looking after them, and loving and understanding them."
'That's basically same thing said by Uncle Chad.' I thought, thinking about Uncle Chad said to me when we were in the family reunion five months ago.
'But still if I am doing my best for the sake of everyone...' Pausing those thoughts for a moment when I watched Alice nodding her head in determination, I smiled.
'...there would be that path where everyone is in harmony and happy. Right, I must go and ask Alice about AISC's Foundation Week that'll come on November.' Smiling, I sneakily made my move on Alice who was enjoying listening to Aya's heartbeats, for two objectives - to ask what's in her mind about the Foundation Week as a new student and talk to her, both of which required to be a secluded place where we can be alone.
"[Russian: Hello, Alice.]" Hugging Alice from behind slightly enough not to startle her, I felt my hands being held by Alice in return as a sort of reaction as I got to notice how her face red was because I hugged her from behind.
"Hi, Caesar." greeted back Alice. "[Russian: I-is there something you want us to talk about?]"
"да." I replied to her.
Glancing at the busy chatters of our sitting friends gathered in circle revolving around the table (not the breakfast/lunch/dinner table), the one near the TV, I saw an opportunity right there as I transitioned my tone to asking Alice a question in the same language I used. "[Russian: But Alice, if it's okay with you, how about we go to my room for us alone to talk?]"
Having said it, Alice blushed at what I said and nodded her head in agreement.
Gently taking her hand while trying not to blush from her blushing face + shy gaze of her purple eyes directed at me, we left the family room then went upstairs for second floor where my room was.
"[Russian: Alright, Alice, let's take a seat there. I'll go close the door while you wait.]"
With my Brit-Russian childhood friend taking a seat on spot where I introduced my L96 harmless target shooting gun to her on the table when I first showed her my room back then, I closed the door and turned on the lights and electric fan.
Taking a seat right next to Alice, I looked at her.
Alice shyly smiled.
I smiled back.
Taking a calming breath, I said. "Alice...I know I could have used English language to chat. But let's say I want to talk about things related to our school, [AISC]."
"Related to our school, Caesar?" asked Alice.
"The Foundation Week, Alice." I replied.