Chapter 5: What Is Your Name
In his previous life, Hachiman Hikigaya had very few days outside his hometown, let alone going abroad.
So his understanding of Japanese schools was limited to his experience as student, but that wasn't really a problem—after all, this world was basically a series of 2D realities.
Because he was worried that Komachi might get led astray, Hikigaya had already visited this classroom once before.
This time, he didn't plan to get familiar with faces at all; he didn't even enter the classroom. He just looked through the window while Komachi and her friends were in class.
Last time, he had been focused only on Komachi and her friends, but this time he took a look at everyone.
This class had more girls than boys—a typical female-dominated group.
After observing, Hikigaya toured the entire school building and then checked the school playground and sports fields, getting a general understanding of the layout.
Cherry Blossom Academy's campus was quite large.
It offered education from elementary through high school and was a private school. Its owner—or rather the controlling shareholder—was an ordinary businessman who had benefited from the Yomi Net operations.
The Yomi forces' business was indeed wide-ranging, but not every operation was done for high income or ideology. The net-casting operation was a more routine part of it.
Simply put, when people go out for a stroll, if things go well, they might casually save or help someone without significantly harming Yomi interests and without charge.
This was a way to build reputation.
This is because the Yomi warriors believed that the human body was the greatest treasure trove—everyone's future had huge potential.
Such casual reputation-building could accumulate considerable latent assets for Yomi.
To be honest, in this regard, the Yomi forces were much more down-to-earth than the magic guilds of various countries.
Although these people were not exactly good, they didn't have the magic users' arrogant habit of looking down on others.
Although the Yomi forces also believed people had ranks, those who hadn't trained in martial arts were seen as exactly the same.
This was not about "good deeds lead to good outcomes," but the power of Yomi often left a deep impression on people regardless of who they became later.
This impression could be turned into the power of Yomi when needed.
Right now, this power was already being used.
When Hikigaya, born from Yomi, became a god-slayer, the businessman who had once benefited from the Yomi forces gained renewed value in connecting with Yomi.
Likewise, through him, the power of Yomi silently descended here.
Because Hikigaya Komachi was a student here.
Some selected young Yomi warriors became students here.
Their masters might not be among the Nine Fists of the Shadow, but for Yomi, they were precious assets.
Naturally, they wouldn't miss the chance to bring them close to Hikigaya.
When Kushinada Mikumo accompanied Hikigaya on campus, the Yomi warriors knew their BOSS had arrived.
Whether the year-end performance bonus would increase depended on this.
From this moment, Cherry Blossom Academy entered the highest state of alert.
Hikigaya could feel this—dark presence was far too familiar to him. He didn't even need to use his eyes; he could smell it.
But he was not displeased; in this world, the only warriors he could truly rely on were those of Yomi.
Stepping onto the turf of the soccer field, he looked over the green pitch. He had experienced sweating it out on fields like this before.
"How many people are here?" he asked.
"Not many, only a few hundred. We keep them separated," Kushinada Mikumo answered.
Meaning they even segregated the elementary section?
Hikigaya crooked his mouth, suddenly thinking the elementary students at Cherry Blossom Academy had great potential.
"They're so young, their temperaments aren't set yet. Are you sure you're willing to release them?"
"It's fine," Kushitani smiled lightly. "We don't need long-lived martial artists."
"That's true. But coming back and immediately talking about such dark topics is totally off my original intention."
Hikigaya sighed.
No kidding, damn it, the first thing out of his mouth was something so bloody.
But it couldn't be helped—Yomi was always like this.
Once tainted by Yomi, that flavor stayed for life.
"What was your original intention then?" Kushitani asked.
Now she looked quite normal. Aside from her above-average figure and looks, she could pass as a disciplinary head.
"Original intention…" Hikigaya slowed his steps. "It's a matter of tone, I guess."
"Tone?"
"Yeah, I just came back from a blood-soaked place. Before I left, they were preparing for a killing spree."
"Sounds interesting."
"Sort of. They were making their last desperate struggle, but you guys are after bigger power."
"We're fighting for survival. Didn't I tell you?" Kushitani raised her delicate eyebrows. "Don't you care about your identity as a warrior?"
"I notice you're getting more casual lately. Used to be all 'Your Majesty' and 'Sir'. Have you forgotten I'm the Great Demon King?" Hikigaya laughed. "Now I just want to see something pretty. That place was too harsh on the eyes."
Suddenly, his gaze landed on something.
Damn! Can't avoid these things, huh…
"Who is that?"
He pointed toward a path surrounded by plants not far away and asked Kushinada Mikumo.
There was a boy wearing the school's high school uniform, looking flustered, seemingly trying to avoid something.
"He should be a student here," Kushitani said.
Isn't that obvious!?
Like I can't see they're wearing this school's uniform?
Hikigaya was speechless, but he had the best way to answer questions.
"Let's go take a look."
Without waiting for her reply, he led the way.
Cherry Blossom Academy's landscaping was really something—so many trees, some places almost looked like little woods.
As he approached, the boy seemed to have collided with something and fell to the ground.
Hikigaya's eyes passed over him to look behind.
That wasn't a person.
Seeing the boy fall, the thing looked puzzled.
"Hello." Hikigaya walked over and greeted the boy.
When Hikigaya approached, the creature that caused the boy to fall instantly looked fierce. After hesitating for a moment, it left.
"Y-you're…" The boy sitting on the ground seemed still dazed, stammering a greeting.
His eyes kept shifting between Hikigaya and the frightened creature now running away, as if trying to judge if Hikigaya could see it.
But when his gaze landed on Hikigaya's shoulder, his pupils shrank sharply.
"Oh? You can see it?" Hikigaya was somewhat surprised.
The illusions of Tamamo-no-Mae were usually imperceptible to ordinary sorcerers, but this boy seemed to see through them naturally due to his talent.
"Eh? You can see me?" Tamamo-no-Mae on Hikigaya's shoulder was genuinely surprised.
"You're pretty impressive," Hikigaya squatted down. "What's your name?"