Another War - 23 Day Off Part 2

Seeing the excited crowd around Ranger, Yule halted his steps towards him. Ranger was wearing casual clothes, answering all the queries from his schoolmates. All the students around him were eager to get his attention to recount the mission yesterday. Some were holding their mobile devices before them, recording videos and taking pictures to capture this moment.

Then Ranger saw on his side the waiting figure of Yule. To avoid more ruckus, he eyed Yule tilting his head to the direction of the door, meaning – wait for me outside. Thankfully, Yule understood his gesture and nodded at him.

Yule went ahead outside, lowering his head to avoid recognition from the students. Once he stepped outside, he released a huge sigh, appreciating there were few students outside.

While waiting for his classmate, he tried to walk around the area and explore the greenery around the student’s dorm premises. There were some students lounging on the grass, talking and laughing with their companions, while some were sliding their finger, browsing their mobile devices. He also spotted a few students burying their heads on the book they were holding.

He was about to pull his mobile device also to check some updates when someone tapped his back. When he turned around, there was Ranger standing before him, wearing an apologetic face at him.

“So how’s Mr. Popular?” Yule jokingly asked.

“To point out, you should be thanking me first since they were also asking questions about you, and I just saved your butt from their army.”

“Really? I can’t handle crowds especially if their attention is on me, so thank you! How do you escape them, by the way?”

“I just told them that I need to go to the bathroom, faking that I have an ongoing stomachache which surprisingly made them awkward, then they started leaving me.”

Both of them laughed at that, then Ranger led Yule to the bus station outside the academy where they waited for five minutes before the bus arrived. They hopped on it and flew them straight to the train station. Ranger and Yule flashed their mobile devices at the gate and they went inside. There were few people inside the train station since there were still ongoing classes plus it was early morning. Ranger pointed out that they will be going to the Entertainment District – Gaming Center where Yule first met Professor Fields and Ranger.

They entered the train when it arrived and found there were few people inside also. Most of the people inside were wearing business suits, most likely going to their respective offices. They spotted a number of Engkanto also with their colorful hairs and emerald stone-eyes.

While Yule and Ranger were sitting, they found some people stealing a glance at them and checking their mobile devices to confirm their identity. Most probably, they identified them as the students in the news. Ranger just shrugged at them, while Yule just looked at the window, enjoying the view though he could feel a bit of embarrassment with some people pointing and talking about them during their train ride.

After passing two domes, they arrived at the Upper Dome. The station was buzzing with people where some waiting for their designated train to arrive while some were just walking and talking casually at the station.

When they exited the station, they were greeted with numerous holographic screens floating in the air, flashing the current news around the city. There was an ongoing air traffic with the flying vehicles up in the air, while below, humans and Engkanto were crossing the streets.

Yule was shocked again how colorful and lively the Upper Dome was. Back to the Academy Dome, there were only students and schools surrounding the area, and the dome had this relaxing atmosphere. But in Upper Dome, everything was fast-paced. Everyone was so busy like they were always in a hurry.

While walking along the street, they spotted a number of screens flashing the faces of Yule, Ranger, Sanna, Jin-Yoo, and Haruto. The screens also had the recorded footage of the battle.

When they turned to another street, they passed a group of kids, raising their mobile devices, shouting out loud the names of Yule and company where they also want to be powerful slayers like them.

“That’s one of the good points being recognized by the media,” Ranger started. “We inspired younger generations to be better than us.”

Yule nodded at him, recognizing that was one of the few times Ranger talked in a serious note.

*****

They arrived at the Gaming Center where despite the early hour, the place was already crowded with teenagers and a few adults. The two went to a shooting game stall where Ranger flashed his mobile device, telling Yule that he had ongoing membership in this gaming center, and he had enough load for the both of them to play.

Ranger started pressing a button on the screen in front of them, and the two of them pulled the plastic rifle gun from the sides of the stall. They were shooting zombie monsters before them, and both of them had a good time, when they felt on their back some gazes behind them. Yule paused the game and found a mob of people behind them.

They were all looking expectantly at the two students and started raising their mobile devices.

“How? – ” Ranger asked but was interrupted by one of the mob.

“Some people tipped us that the two of the five students from yesterday’s memorable battle were spotted going to this place.”

Then they fired a bunch of questions at the two pitiful students. Yule was overwhelmed by the crowd and was left speechless before them. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and Ranger was looking at him.

“After three, we run like our lives at stake. Go somewhere you can lay low for a while, then we meet afterward.” Ranger muttered, lowering his voice barely enough to be heard by the crowd surrounding them.

He counted and when he reached number three under his breath, the two of them bolted out from the crowd, using their slayer’s abilities. Some people in the crowd yelled in surprise when the two students vanished from their sight.

Yule was running with no apparent direction whatsoever until he starting to feel creeping exhaustion. He stoped from his run and found himself in front of a bookstore. Looking at the shop, this was a perfect place to hide from people, since there were only few people who go to a bookstore.

He pushed the door inside and was greeted by rows of dusty bookshelves. The shelves were filled by hardbound and softbound books. He also spotted on the corner that there was a staircase going up to the second floor of the store.

Yule tried checking some books, trying to verify if they had the same authors from his world, but unfortunately, all the books around him were unrecognizable. He tried pulling some books to check the synopsis at the back when he heard someone clearing his throat behind him.

“Looking for a book?” The stranger greeted at Yule. The man was wearing an apron over his casual clothes, and he looked to be the same age as Yule or two years ahead of me. He scratched his messy short blond hair and smiled at him.

“Umm, to be honest, no. But -” He was tilting his head since the man was taller than him, but he was interrupted by the stranger’s words.

“Oh, are you here for the bookstore assistant job?” the man assumed. “I’m Rowan,” extending his right hand to him which Yule clasped awkwardly. “I’m also a bookstore assistant, but as you’d noticed, the shop needs a lot of hands in cleaning the shelves. Oh, the owner is just buying some stuff outside, so he will be back anytime soon. In the meantime, you can sit while waiting for him.”

Yule didn’t know how to clear the misunderstanding, but he also realized that he needs extra cash, since the school only provided cash for his basic necessities. Plus, he was a certified bookworm also aside from his otaku craziness. He was pretty sure he will love this place also.

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He just went on with the ride and found himself a part-time job when the owner arrived and interviewed him.

*****

Deep inside the academy’s hangar, a certain pony-tailed girl was hiding behind a metal pillar, checking the other slayer students, entering their assigned aircraft. She was breathing heavily due to nervousness. She wanted to prove herself and to other people that she deserved to be a slayer and to have divinity mythical being as a contracted partner.

Suddenly, her chest started to glow, and a ball of light popped out from her, materializing the feline form of her partner. The black feline as large as a black panther appeared before her and was giving her with an inquisitive stare.

Are you sure?

That was the stare meant by the black feline beast. The pony-tailed girl just ignored her and checked the milling students around the hangar area. She was planning to get a ride from one of the outbound aircraft (more like to stealthily hop a ride), so she could land to the ground and battle a few aswang.

When she found a certain aircraft where all the students and professor went inside, she dashed forward to her target. The black feline growled and shook her head, leaving her with no choice but to follow her partner. The beast returned to her light form and trailed back to her chest.

The pony-tailed girl hid inside the aircraft where the supplies were kept for the mission. She clasped her hands and prayed she won’t be found out.