Chapter 4: Weapon Time
"So, he just showed up? Just like that?"
"Yes. Though, we are not sure why the mastermind behind everything would do this".
"But, its confirmed to be genuine?"
"Indeed. And we confirmed that it is him".
"Very well...if its him, then maybe this will somehow work out after all. Make sure he is properly briefed. And prepare the school transfer papers".
The Next Day...
"Its fine. Its not like a broke a bone or anything" Toko voiced as he was getting himself dressed. "Besides, I heard a rumor I gotta see for myself".
"A rumor? About what?"
"A transfer student, of course".
"Hold on, hold on...how is it you know about this? I have not heard anything".
"Listen, you know what Susumu did had no actual threat of killing me right?"
"Yeah, not believing that at all. What I dont get is why you are not more angry. Normally, you would be at someone's throat if they messed with either of us".
As the two of them finished getting dressed in their uniforms, they turned to face each other.
"Just feels off".
"Sigh...well, so we have a transfer student. Why is that such a big deal?"
"Well, I asked Nagisa-sensei about if his class ever had transfer students...and then he made this really strange face and started to sweat. A lot".
"...that bad?"
"He told me the first day, and the second day, and maybe the third or fourth day, would likely be hell. Unless it was like Karma. Then it would just be disruptive and somewhat hellish".
"Wait, wait...could he mean that Karma?! The super successful politician who is going to be Japan's Prime Minister soon, if the polls keep going the way they do?"
"Maybe? Never found out for sure".
"So, if you know everything, somehow, do you know the kids name?"
"Leo Smith. Age 11, but some sort of child prodigy. American Transfer student. Speaks seven languages fluently, and can get by on a dozen more. Not sure why he has been transfered into our class yet though".
That array of information caught Shota by surprise.
"...how the hell did you gather all that information?"
"Well, I have been sort of acting like the information officer for our class, writing down all his weaknesses".
"Information Officer...thats certainly a good title" Shota said, as he put away some paint cans and figurines. "Now, lets get to class and meet the new kid".
As Toko, Shota, and a few others had started to make their trek to class, they encountered some unfortunate individuals. THey were students who went to the same school as them, but they couldn't really be called Classmates. None of them said anything to them directly, but there were looks and stares and...
"Woah!" Toko shouted, as he started to fall face first into pavement. That was when someone caught him though.
"You should be more careful" the boy said as he helped Toko back up. What he saw was a boy of average height, with red hair, in their school uniform. But Toko noticed something else as well, and that was the band around his wrist. "By the way, can you help me find our classroom?"
He seemed like...a normal happy kid?
"Umm...wait, are you Leo-kun?"
"Ah, so you know of me! Awesome!"
Leo fit in a lot easier then Toko expected. There were clearly parts of him that looked American, but his Japanese was flawless and he lacked any real defining features.
"Anyways, dont want to be late right? So can you show me?"
He seemed completely unphased by the bomb that was attached to him, and everything else going on.
"Alright" Shota said, as he and other classmates crowded around Toko. "Give us the details on what you know".
"He apparently appeared on the governments doorstep, tied up, with a bomb attached, and a piece of paper taped to him that said 'Transfer Student'. However, it wasn't the Prime Minister who found him, but his dog walker and the dog, which caused quite a stir. Additionally, he had blonde hair and a red baseball cap just like the ones he is wearing now, and everything came back as legit".
"Parents?"
"Total unknowns. Suspected orphan".
"Okay...so, in other words, more then we should know, less then we wanted...but, where the hell did you learn all this?!"
"What can I say? You are the one who calls me a Balanced Type".
"Well, tahts because you are...whatever, lets just get to class!"
As the group entered the classroom, Leo had a look around.
"Oh wow...this looks super cool...where do you keep those weapons though?"
This was the first time he mentioned the assassination, which actually let everyone relax. They were not sure if he knew about it yet or not.
"Right this way, in here" Toko said, showing him to some of the weapons. This included knives, guns, and some of the liquids and gasses they had created. Leo immediately took two of the guns in a dual wield style, and started to pose.
"Oh wow, these things are kinda awesome!"
"Are you a good shot?"
Leo took it as a bit of a challange, and aimed at an apple placed on the front. He shot two shots, but both milled their mark by a lot.
"Ooops. Maybe I am not used to them yet?" Leo questioned with a sort of carefree smile.
"Well, I suppose its probably a good thing he is in a good mood?"
"Will probably piss off Susumu-kun even more though".
At this was mentioned, the doors opened, and the rest of the students arrived. Following them from behind was Koro-sensei, whose gaze quickly went to the new student who was in a sort of silly pose with the two guns.
"Ahhh, you must be Leo-kun. Pleasure to meet you, my name is Koro-sen..."
"Bang!" Leo shouted as he shot two shots at Koro-sensei...sort of. They both missed, and Koro-sensei immediately appeared at Mach 20 speed in front of Leo.
"Now now, you shouldn't play with those while..." Koro-sensei started, when two BBs came from behind and took off both his arms. Leo then fired forward, each gun at an angle, as Koro-sensei dodged and pulled back. But as he stopped, they came back from the sides and took off two of his leg tentacles. And it was at this point, everyone noticed that Leo's expressions had changed. From his silly demeanor they saw before, he now had the face of someone who was locked on to a specific goal, and was determined to meet it.
"So...this is the rumored Crimson Kid?"
The Director of Special Projects for Japan's Defense Forces looked at the file of the assassin nicknamed "Crimson Kid". He started to be active at just nine years old. He had this uncanny ability to call his shots, and understand the path his projectiles would take after a single test fire of any gun. He could even understand and calculate trajectories, bounces, and other details like that.
In other words, give this kid a gun...no, two guns, and he could lay waste to entire squads without ever actually becoming visible. He had this hearing that let him estimate and calculate their locations simply from sounds such as footsteps that they make.
"Indeed. One of the most feared assassin's in the world...a perfect age for this, delivered to us like this".
"It makes you wonder...what is this man's actual goals for what he has done?"
"No matter...he has chosen the name Leo Smith for himself. Set him up as a Transfer Student. We have to go along with it to find out more regarding the threat to our world".
Leo fired a few more rounds, but Koro-sensei was not quite sure what to do. Leo seemed to be anticipating what he would do, and his delay cost him more tentacles. At this rate, Leo would destroy him in no time. He could try to rush up and steal the guns, but occasionally a BB would fly into the areas where he considered. And his arms had not regenerated yet.
This kid was dangerous in his own merits. The ability to predict paths and movements, understand technique, and execute flawlessly. And yet, Koro-sensei could only thing one thing...
Someone manipulated this boy into killing at such a young age? How...sad...that he was never given the chance to be his own person. I must help him!
And so, taking advantage of some of his remaining tentacles, he grabbed a piece of chalk...and crushed it, blowing the dust into his eyes. It obstructed Leo's sight, but he continued to fire based on his hearing alone. His stance changed into a defensive one, which made approaching difficult. However, Koro-sensei did have an advantage...he charged forward while hiding in his podium! It made the perfect shield against the BBs, and allowed him to get close enough to finally grab them out of his hands at Mach 20 speeds.
And so, as quickly as it started, the attack had ended. And as for the one in question, with guns no longer in his hands, he...pouted?!
"So mean Koro-sensei! Stealing my toys from me!"
"Eeeek! Don't cry, don't cry!"
Toko, who saw this exchange...couldn't believe it for a moment. THis was a personality of a pro like him?
"YOu can have them back after class. First...why not actually introduce yourself to the class, and make some friends? Besides, it was way too dangerous to fire those in here!"
"But...none of them hit anyone aside from you".
Koro-sensei looked back, and realized the truth. As terrifying and dangerous the attack was for Koro-sensei, none of them had hit a student in any part of the face, let alone the body.
Was he...holding back because of the other students? Then again, so was I...
"Well, lets just focus on meeting your classmates and making friends then, okay?"
"Kaaay".
"By the way, your Japanese is fantastic".
"Thanks. Its one of many languages I know".
Leo decided to head to the empty desk and sit down, claiming his spot and getting his books ready.
"Uhh, Leo...an introduction?"
"Oh, right!" Leo said, quickly running up to the front of the class and then turning to face them. "My name is Leo Smith! Please take care of me!"
Leo said that, and then ran back to his desk.
"...well, thats certainly something".
"Toko, that kid...he took out several tentacles in a single day..."
"Yeah...looks like we gotta step up our game. Though, Koro-sensei wont let himself get into that position again...but I think Leo knows that also".
Aria also looked back at him.
"That kid...is strong".
"Hmmmm" Fumiko thought to herself for a moment, as everyone was eating lunch. After she was done, she ended up going by Toko's desk.
"What is it, Fumiko-chan?" Toko asked.
"Oh, nothing...I was just wondering if this was what it was like back in O...in Nagisa-sensei's time? Although, I gotta say, you seem a lot alike you two".
"Really?" Toko said. "And...I suppose, it is a good question. Unfortunately, whoever is doing this to us wont let me ask for his weaknesses".
Fumiko also wished she knew them, but sadly she never learned all of that.
"What do you think of Leo-kun though?"
"I think he will either make a powerful ally, or a dangerous adversary".
"You think that the original E-Class had anyone like him?"
"You know...I remember finding an old newspaper once, that mentioned they had some sort of robotic artillery somehow".
"I think you mean Ritsu-chan right?"
"Yeah, but I hear Nagisa-sensei already asked her to look into who is responsible. So far, no leads" Toko mentioned.
As the two conversed, she noticed something strange in Toko's hair.
"Hey, what is this bit of red..."
"It's...nothing special..."
"HOld on, is this...traces of a rotten tomato..." Fumiko wondered, and then she remember Toko's tripping situation earlier. "Toko...did you really trip this morning?"
"...not really..."
"I knew it. Its those A-Class jerks right? Its because while you might be shorter then them, you are smarter then them right?"
"Saying it out loud like that..."
"Oh, sorry. BUt yeah. First those guys, then Susumu, plus whoever put a bomb on you. YOu seem to be trouble prone".
"...wonder if that makes me a protagonist..."
Fumiko was rather worried about Toko now, since it seemed like lately he had been targeted. They all get targeted at one point, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant.
"Anyways, we should probably be careful walking home. If they heard we have a new transfer student, that might incite them to act against us again. To make sure transfering into E class isn't a good thing".
"Un. Good idea".
And so, the rest of the school day passed just like that. After Leo's attempt, no one else really felt like making their own. It was just that overwhelming.
As Toko, Shota, Fumiko, Aria, and another classmate named Ryouske was one of the first groups to get down. The others seemed to be dragging their heels, but they soon understood why. They saw it, a group of A-Class students. There to pick on them.
"I heard your loser group had another member join it. I guess there must be a lot of losers this year".
"All the losers grouped up in one class. How perfect, keeping the filth away from us".
"Hey, look. Its Toko-chan. Why are you dressed as a guy?"
At their jibes, some of them seemed to really target Toko as expected.
"Toko, you going to lay down and let your mother take care of you?"
Those repeated remarks nearly drove not just Ryouske and Aria, but even Fumiko had the desire to punch one of them. And yet...
"Shazam!"
Leo appeared, giving each of them a wet willie as he jumped up from behind, and as they collapsed on the ground from sheer shock, he came over to the others.
"Those guys were really mean!"
Several people were tempted to just give him a thumbs up and say 'nice job', but they still were not quite sure how to interact with him.
"By the way...can you guys help me out? I don't know where the dorms are. Or where anything is really...do we have a Kareoke bar near us?'
"We do actually..."
"We should totally hit it up some day!"
"S..sure" Toko managed ot say, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Leo's eagerness and energeticness.
"Okay, we really gotta learn more about him. If only because it seems really interesting" Shota mentioned, with everyone nodding in agreement.
"So, you are a professional assassin?"
"Yeppers!"
"You seem...really chipper for one".
"Well, yeah. What do you think professional assassins are? Soulless, heartless monsters with no emotions or feelings? To us, its just another job that pays the bills. Granted, a bloody, somewhat illegal job, but still. We have personal lives, desires, interests. I hear the dating scene for us has been getting better though thanks to an increase in female assassins".
"Oh, I get it. Like families?"
"Actually, not for me. I never knew my parents. For most of my life, I was a starving orphan who had been trafficked and then lost. Finally, I learned I had natural skills when I picked up a gun when I was nice years old to mug an old businessman, and was good at it. Also, I could handle it. And so, I became an international assassin".
"So, just like that?"
"Just like that. You know, it really helps pay the bills. And save up money. I think I have at least 30 million yen saved up".
"...what..."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Then one day, I was knocked unconscious while on the street, and later woke up with this weird explosive band thing, a set of directions, and a dog licking my face".
"Wow..."
"Yeah. I even got a nickname in the Assassin World. The Crimson Kid. Everyone gets one at some point or another. Code names are the trade of our business".
Hearing all that, the others were extremely impressed. Shocked, but also impressed at what he was able to do. And that let Koro-sensei giggle a bit secretly from his hiding hole.
Now that they have seen what he can do, as a normal human, this will inspire them further, will let them know just how much potential they have. This will really help them grow and develop now.
Koro-sensei thought this to himself, happy with the development at hand. And he couldn't wait to see what assassination attempts they would come up with after this inspiration as well.
AN: Well then! That was one gun toting assassin right there! And taking advantage of Koro-sensei's tendency to dodge projectiles aimed at him, by making them use bounce trajectories? I guess things are really starting to heat up! And so are things between E Class and the rest of the school!
Hope you are as excited as I am!