My Favorite Thing is the Secret Art: Swallow Reversal. My Special Skill is the Secret Art: Swallow Reversal. My Hobby is the Secret Art: Swallow Reversal – Part 02
“Aight, I don’t see the problem,” I said. “I’m interested in her too.”
“I knew it. You’re into little girls.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not interested in her sexually. You’re the one I should be worried about. Are you making moves on her or something?”
“I’m not like you, man. I’m into mature women.”
“And I’m just someone who happens to prefer smaller tits. That’s not the same as being into little girls.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Chill out, freak.”
“All right, then tell me what you like the most right now. I’ll mock it with everything I’ve got.”
“Anyway, she’s been dying to meet you. Like, today if possible.”
“Fine, I’ll go see her. Does tomorrow evening work?”
“Speaking of which, I haven’t been to your place in a while. I used to drop by all the time.”
Not once did I ever ask him to. Oh, crap. Why think about this now?
“Mind if I swing by for old time’s sake?”
There it was. I knew it. This was exactly what I didn’t want. Especially right now. If possible, I didn’t want him anywhere near my place forever.
“Nope. Things are kinda hectic right now. Living alone might sound relaxing, but it’s actually pretty busy.”
If he asked what was so hectic, I’d have nothing. No rebuttal at all.
“Ah… fair enough.”
Orito turned toward the window with a hint of sadness in his eyes. From outside, I could hear the cheerful shouts of club members giving it their all after school.
“Sorry about that. Hey, how about we go bowling sometime? Not that you’d stand a chance against me now.”
Because, y’know… I’m a zombie. Not that I said that out loud.
“Now we’re talking! Let’s bet one volume of manga like old times. Two days from now!”
He rolled his shoulders in exaggerated circles, flashing a wide grin. Orito really loved bowling.
After a bit more pointless chatting, he finally left the room. I listened to the fading sound of his footsteps and turned my gaze out the window.
The sky was bathed in twilight… I got nothing. So much for trying to sound poetic. You know how that goes.
Anyway, the weather was nice. Like, fuck off levels of nice. Hurry up and set already, you stupid sun.
“Huh? What the hell is that?”
There was a sudden glint, followed by an earsplitting crash as something burst through the window. I didn’t need a second look. It was a crawfish. Dressed in a school uniform. Slightly bigger than a person—okay, way bigger.
“I sensed a Magiclad Girl’s mana and came to check.”
The crawfish knocked the shards of glass off its uniform with a snap of its pincers and scanned the room. Then it turned its beady, round eyes toward me.
“Magiclad… Girl?”
It tilted its head, visibly confused. A strangely human gesture.
“Who are you? A male Magiclad Girl? That’s rare. And your mana’s pretty weak. Are you really one of them?”
“I’d like to say no, but… technically, yeah.”
“Hmm… well, fine. I sense several signatures in the area. I’ll turn my hopes to those.”
What were these things called again?
“Hm? One of them’s heading this way. Excellent. I’ll get to kill two Magiclad Girls at once.”
Right. Megalo. That was their collective name. Impressive that I remembered it.
Just then, something appeared beside the fluttering curtain.
Wearing only a T-shirt and striped panties, Haruna stepped in through the open window, holding a chainsaw.
With the sunset field behind her and her shirt swaying in the breeze, her cowlick bouncing, she looked fantastical. And absolutely ridiculous.
“Ayumu! What are you doing?! Hurry up and tear that Megalo to shreds!”
I had no clue what tear to shreds even meant in this context, but more importantly, why the hell was she dressed like that?
“Ohoh! My, my. Another dud, I see! I’ll go after the others… after killing you both!”
The crawfish laughed gleefully, clicking its pincers. What was this guy, a Baltan?[1] Wait, different pincers.
“Ayumu, hurry up and finish him already! And hey! Stop looking this way!” Haruna snapped.
I rose from my seat and faced the crawfish. Haruna’s face had turned bright red. I bet she was embarrassed that her panties were showing. Then why come dressed like that?
“Anyway, what’s gonna happen to this classroom?” I asked.
“Huh? You can fix it. You’re a Magiclad Girl, remember?”
“Well, that’s a relief. So, the crawfish’s the problem, huh?”
“Yup. A Double-A Class Megalo, Craw the Mage!”
A mage? That thing? It didn’t look the part.
“Wait, no. I think it was… Craw the Dastardly Villain?”
That sounded more accurate. How the hell do you mess that up?
“Ohohoh! Now then, shall we begin?”
Suddenly, a lukewarm gust burst outward from the crawfish.
It didn’t seem like he farted, but it definitely released something. Some kind of purple wind that clung to my skin. Haruna let out a low grunt and hugged herself. That wind clearly unsettled her too, same as me.
“Wh-What is happening?” Haruna said.
“You okay? What’s wrong?”
“Ayumu… what is this creepy, crawling feeling?”
The crawfish took a step toward us. Haruna shut her eyes and flinched.
“Wait… are you scared?”
“D-Don’t be stupid! Me, scared of a Megalo? That’s… That’s ridiculous.”
Her knees gave out and she plopped down to the floor. She clenched her jaw, brows furrowed, clearly trying to stop herself from trembling.
I closed the gap and aimed for Craw’s neck the same way I did with that bear before.
But before I could land the strike, my hand dropped to the ground, cut clean off at the wrist. Blood dripped onto the floor.
“Ohoh? You’re better than you look… for a male Magiclad Girl!”
Holding his eye with one massive pincer, Craw let out a delighted cackle.
“Ayumu!” Haruna cried.
I couldn’t blame her. My hand was on the floor, and blood was leaking from what was left of my wrist. Damn, Craw was fast. My hand got snipped off before I could react. Still, I managed to take out one of his eyes.
“Not the right hand,” I groaned. “That’s going to be a problem. I’d have preferred it be the left.”
Losing my dominant hand really sucked. Drip, drip. Blood marked the passing seconds as I circled with Craw. We were probably thinking the same thing.
There was no opening. One wrong move and it was over. What now?
“Ayumu! Just hurry up and transform already, ‘kay?!” Haruna chucked the chainsaw at me.
Really? If I reached for that now, I’d get split in two before I could blink. Read the room, would you?
I leapt back and caught the chainsaw with my left hand. Naturally, Craw closed the distance and drove a pincer into my gut. I coughed up blood.
As I doubled over, he slammed his head into mine, and I flew back into the chalkboard with blood gushing from my nose. My knee strike missed, and his elbow tore into my ribs.
Damn it, this crawfish was too fast.
“Recite the incantation!” Haruna commanded.
No way. I didn’t have time. And that incantation was obnoxiously long. She’d forced me to memorize it in one night.
Craw swung again and sent me tumbling across the room, smashing desks and chairs along the way.
“I really didn’t want to become a Magiclad Girl.”
But I had no choice. This crawfish was strong. Disgustingly strong. I wasn’t winning unless I transformed.
Hang tight, Craw. Just a second.
I took a deep breath and shouted, “Htaed fo regnibrah a tub gnimrahc dna ylevol!”
My uniform exploded, and light started gathering around me. My embarrassment hit its peak.
The light swirled and formed an outfit, some cosplay-looking costume made of who-knows-what. Same getup Haruna wore when we first met. And of course, it came with a skirt. If Haruna wore it, she’d definitely be flashing her cute panties. And that’s exactly why I didn’t want this.
Power surged through my body. I got goosebumps. Though, maybe that was from the outfit and not the strength.
Still… I could do this. I actually felt like I stood a chance now. I guess that was the Magiclad Girl power for you.
Craw looked noticeably cautious now. He raised his pincers like a boxer and watched my every move.
“Ayumu! Hurry up and go already, ‘kay?!” Haruna pointed at him, her cowlick bouncing wildly.
All right, all right. I got it.
I raised the chainsaw high with my left hand. The moment Craw twitched, I slammed a right straight with my stump of a hand, then followed up with a kick that sent him flying into the hallway. He crashed against the wall and flopped onto the floor.
I brought the chainsaw down. It glowed red with magic and started spinning on its own.
Of course, Craw blocked it. He caught the blade between his pincers and knocked me away again, forcing both of us to reset at a distance.
“Hoho! You’re one tough bastard. I’ve killed six Magiclad Girls so far, but you’re the most annoying to deal with. And… the most bizarre.” Craw let out a snort.
“Appreciate the compliment. Pretty sure we’re both freaks here.”
The air in the hallway was tense, crackling. Life or death on the line. Well, I was already dead, technically.
In a narrow corridor like this, it was head-on or nothing. Strategy meant jack.
Comment (0)