"Hmph hmph hmph~"
Police officers carefully searched the old school building for traces of stray dogs. Teachers worked solemnly to calm the restless students, while members of the school board discussed crisis management strategies with grim expressions.
Kazuma hummed an unfamiliar tune as he strode briskly across the playground. As he passed by the baseball club, he noticed the club members looking as if they had lost their parents, and he couldn't help but laugh.
He was in an excellent mood—not only because killing that coach had been deeply satisfying, but also because the system's generous rewards filled him with motivation. Without hesitation, he opened the 22nd Century Future Department Store System.
It was time to collect his rewards.
Even though he had gone hungry all day, nothing could suppress his anticipation for the next secret item—the very foundation of his survival in this world.
Wait, there was also the 5,000 yen from Kanna Hiiragi. He could finally treat himself to something decent.
Things were getting better. Everything was getting better.
"Thinking about it now, trading more than ten Momotaro rice balls for five lottery coins wasn't a bad deal," Kazuma muttered.
Instead of heading back to the classroom, he sat down on a bench beside the stone path, resting his chin in his hands as he focused on the system interface.
Inside his backpack lay only one remaining bag of Momotaro rice balls, with four pieces left.
When he opened the shop interface, he found that secret items couldn't be purchased directly and instead had to be obtained through gacha. Staring at the gacha machine, Kazuma felt confident.
"After all, these are magical items from the future. No matter what I get, I won't lose."
He inserted the first silver coin.
Gurgle, gurgle—clang!
The capsule popped open, revealing a camera. Kazuma stared at it.
[Picky Camera]: A highly selective camera that can only photograph handsome men and beautiful women. It is incapable of capturing ugly things.
"Uh…"
The smile on his face froze. "This thing… seems pretty useless."
He immediately took back what he'd said earlier. The first draw was a complete failure.
Feeling humiliated, Kazuma's expression darkened. Could he really be this unlucky?
Gurgle, gurgle—clang!
A second attempt. Surely it couldn't go wrong again.
[Air Cannon]: Fires a powerful blast of compressed air capable of easily shattering rocks.
"Nice."
A classic item—and a combat-oriented one. Although Kazuma was used to operating behind the scenes, he still appreciated tools that enhanced direct combat ability. More importantly, the air cannon didn't consume energy, unlike Momotaro rice balls, which vanished once used.
Excellent. Truly excellent.
The third gacha capsule opened.
[Wallpaper Room]: A four-dimensional space hidden within wallpaper, capable of serving as a personal living area.
"Huh? This one isn't bad either."
For Kazuma, who currently had no place to live, the wallpaper room was a timely blessing. Recalling the miserable night he'd spent in the old school building made his scalp tingle—he never wanted to repeat that experience.
"Meow?"
The kitten nestled inside Kazuma's clothes poked its head out from his collar, meowing softly.
"Little guy, we have a home now," Kazuma said, lifting the cat by the scruff of its neck and gently placing it on the grass.
Still, as useful as it was, it couldn't compare to items like Momotaro rice balls.
Just yesterday, when he had first arrived in this world, he hadn't thought much of the Momotaro rice balls. Now, it was obvious—they were the true MVPs.
With mixed emotions, Kazuma leaned back against the bench, clasped his hands together, and silently prayed:
"My request isn't much—just another bag of Momotaro rice balls. One more bag. And another."
After all, he had truly come to understand how useful they were.
Amid the boy's rambling prayers, the Momotaro rice ball didn't arrive as promised. Instead, a delicate purple flower bloomed. Kazuma sighed, then shook himself slightly."It's… not bad, actually."
[Forget-Me-Not]: Anyone who smells this flower's fragrance will forget their memories at that moment, though they will recall them later.
It wasn't as dramatic as hypnotic control, but its effect was surprisingly reliable. Simple, direct, and useful in the right situation—just be careful not to accidentally affect yourself.
Kazuma didn't rush to use his last lottery coin. Glancing at the four extra items in his backpack, he felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. He picked up the picky camera and, whether it would be useful or not, added it to his collection.
"Come on, little one, let's take a picture—"
"Meow?"
Snap.
Looking at the photo of the kitten tilting its head, Kazuma blinked in surprise."Wait… I thought this camera only photographed handsome men and beautiful women. Does it consider my kitten beautiful too?"
…Well, it was pretty cute.
Nervously, Kazuma tossed his final coin into the gashapon machine. One capsule dropped, and he watched intently as it opened.
"A cape…?"
[Invisibility Cloak]: Grants the wearer invisibility when draped over the body.
The simpler the description, the more dangerous the power. Kazuma leapt from his chair instantly, startling the cat squatting at his feet."This is perfect!"
Invisibility Cloak. Forget-Me-Not.
"Am I about to become the male lead of some underground drama?" Kazuma grinned so widely it nearly split his face."These items are ridiculous. System… are you trying to corrupt me?"
His excitement, however, didn't last. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a girl on the stone path ahead, staring straight at him as if she could carve his image into her eyes.
Akane Nanao?
Kazuma quickly suppressed his grin and composed a serious expression.
A gentle breeze stirred her hair. She wasn't in uniform, just a simple tracksuit and shorts. The oversized jacket did nothing to hide her figure, and her chest was strikingly prominent.
In the sunlight, Akane Nanao walked up to Kazuma and stopped right in front of him. She smiled dazzlingly but said nothing, simply staring. Kazuma felt a little flustered. What was she doing?
"Akane-kun… is something wrong?"
Her eyes shimmered with a mixture of gratitude, joy, and curiosity, yet all softened into a gentle look. She didn't speak further but stepped closer, as if trying to see right through him.
Instinctively, Kazuma turned sideways, gripping the back of the chair and leaning slightly back.
"H-Hey, what are you doing?"
Seeing his flustered reaction, Akane Nanao tilted her cherry-red lips into a playful smile.
"Nothing. Can't I sit here for a bit? Move over~. Kazuma-kun, give me some space, or I'll just sit on your lap."
"???"
Kazuma shrank to the side, leaving only half of himself on the chair, looking alarmed."Didn't you go to class?"
"I asked for leave," she replied softly. "But you skipped class, so your attendance is going to drop."
She tilted her head, eyes fixed on his face.
"Kazuma… did you do this?"