"AAAAAAAAHHH!"

"Holy shit, he's running at us- BLARFGH!"

The soldier doesn't manage to warn other units about me as I slash at his throat, decapitating him in the process.

No hesitation; I have to still go by this, no matter how dire all seems. I need to get this nightmare over, despite the amount of guilt I'll have to leave in my trace.

But if I want to get this over with as soon as possible, I better god damn plow through this as if I am fucking Touko silly!

...Well, maybe not the best comparison, but you get me, damn it!

I keep on avoiding the gunshots from the soldiers guarding my next target, and yeah, for some reason there is actual soldiers this time. Guess goons come in all shapes and forms nowadays, but they are dead set on having me killed, so then I better return that to them!

"Coming through!" I yell as I slice through a few soldiers in front of me, making sure my slashes are delivered at places so they have quick and painless deaths.

No one shall have to suffer this, even if they are simple pawns to hinder my progression in these ranks.

But now I realize I need to rush this for once, as I am still just on rank 96, which doesn't mean shit. My story maybe is meant to go on further...

...But for some reason, I have feeling things will go much more dire later on...

Ah, damn it, no use thinking like that right now! Rankings first, save my parents and live for the rest of my days with my beloved Touko, happily ever after.

As I come to an halt, I realize I've come to the end of this bootleg boot camp, and I turn around, seeing a ton of dead bodies, the blood and gore staining the beach sands in red.

"Hope those UAA employees can clean this up no problem." I say to myself as I continue on. Going inside a toilet, I relieve myself so I won't shit myself or anything while fighting my upcoming opponent.

As I am ready, I walk outside and past the stones, and over there, I see a woman.

I slowly continue down the stairs as the woman turns around, and I can see more clearly that she has an prosthetic leg. Soon after she slowly begins walking forward.

"Do you like fighting?" she suddenly asks me, making me flinch that she would begin talking this soon.

"Uh... no, not really honestly."

"Do you like killing?"

"N-no..."

The hell are these questions..?! Just, stop..!

"...Do you like fear?"

"...Well, that at least I can say that I don't feel in most scenarios. But liking it? Nah."

"Do you accept death?" the woman asks me, still keeping the same calm expression while looking at me.

"...I... I do..." I answer, as I clench my fist. I might accept death, before, but after I met Touko..?

I... I don't want to die...

"...I do not understand why they thought putting someone as young as you in the rankings was a good idea." she continues, slowly walking in circles. "But even so, you seem to be accepting of death."

"I might be, but that doesn't mean I will hold back!" I reply to her as I activate my beam katana while doing a mighty swing in front of me, making some sand in front of me fly away... and suddenly collapse into a hole..?

"Oops, one of my traps has already been revealed it seems." the woman says as she stands prepared with a shovel. "But you have a good fighting spirit for someone that dislikes fighting."

"I might dislike fights, but it doesn't mean I can resort to violence." I reply to her as I lay my left hand against the safe side of Tsubaki. "Dead or alive, I'm taking your rank!"

"Well, we'll see about that."

https://youtu.be/jahSpftYKqg

I frantically swing around the Tsubaki, revealing the traps my adversary had set up.

"It won't help you too much swinging your weapon like that."

"I fight however I want, doesn't matter what you say!" I reply to her as I finally rush up to her and start clashing with her.

Getting a few hits on her, she soon slams her shovel into my head, making me fall down from the blunt hit, but I am quick to get up.

She had instantly rushed away from me, before she... launches missiles out of her prostethic leg?!

God damn, assassins really have everything up their sleeves, don't they..?

I avoid the incoming missiles, and she even throws a grenade in my direction, but I hit it with the blunt side of the Tsubaki, making fly back in her direction, catching her in the blast and making her fly back a little.

"Such unexpected combat methods." she says as she gets up again and runs up to me to clash again, finding ourselves in a blade lock. "Perhaps a kiss for the young man will help him calm down?"

"Your words do not sway me because I already have someone I love dearly that kisses me!" I reply to hear as I push even harder during the blade lock, causing her to lose balance and I get a few hits on her again. "Don't try anything on me."

We continue clashing with our respective weapons, her hard shovel hitting my meek beam katana, yet I am at advantage.

I've been at advantage from the very start, and it's almost unfair at this point...

I can see that she is getting tired, so I know what I need to do now.

Slashing down at her legs, she loses her guard, and I slash once again, this time slicing up her rocket leg.

"Aaah!" she screams out as she falls onto the ground, begin to crawl away, still facing me.

-music end-

"...Fast... Quite fast of you." she says as she giggles.

I prepare my beam katana, pointing it at her as she still smiles at me.

"...Damn it, why..." I say as I lower down the beam katana. "Why can't you just give up your rank?! I am tired of fighting people over and over and over again, god damn it..!"

"I am sorry, but it's kill or be killed in these ranks. But..." my adversary says as she chuckles. "...I can feel goodness coming out of you."

"...Same goes to you." I tell her as I deactivate my beam katana and sit down. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Holly Summers. Yours?" she says while still smiling a calm smile at me.

"Stephan Klausch." I reply to her. "Or well, perhaps I would rather go by Kirigaya, but marriages usually doesn't have the man in the relationship get the woman's last name, do they..?"

"How so?"

"Oh, I am... engaged with my girlfriend, so she is my fiancée now." I reply to Holly as I smile, with her smiling as well, clasping her hands together.

"That's so sweet." she says, still in her calm tone, but even so... she fully meant it.

"Hey Holly, mind if... I remember you?"

"Of course, Stephan. You are free to remember me, even if our meeting and battle was short lived."

"Thank you." I tell her as she takes off a grenade from her belt and hands it to me.

We both nod at each other as I soon stand up and hold onto the grenade.

"You can turn around once you have thrown it. You've seen enough for today." she reassures me as I nod before heading towards were I came from, turning around to her once again.

Pulling the safety pin, I soon throw the grenade, making it fly towards Holly, who catches it.

I turn around soon after, before...

*BOOM*

An explosions fills and leaves my ear drums as I clench my fist before holstering Tsubaki.

"...Rank 95, huh?"

https://youtu.be/wWbG5-oEXY8

No, no, no wait, cut out that music! What the hell, this chapter isn't even done yet!

I have been prepared and saved a lot of money, so I could immediately pay the entry fee for the next ranked battle.

I ain't got no time to lose, I am off!

...Oh and play that at the actual end of the chapter, okay?!

https://youtu.be/J1pVsGf0qAE

As I begin walking away from the battle scene, I pass by the one's doing the cleaning after with my hands in my pocket.

They stand at attention for some reason, but why do I care? I am just here to bring an end to this personal nightmare of mine.

Some of the other cleaners help me get off the blood from my clothes that had been drenched down by it, before also standing at attention.

"Thanks, I like keeping these assassin clothes clean after all." I tell them as I am soon away from the beach, continuing walking and walking.

I don't know how I looked, but people around me must think it's strange with such a grumpy looking young man.

But honestly, if they were in my situation, they probably would understand why I am this pissed off looking.

"Stephan!"

Wait, did someone just say my name..?

-music end, probably with a record scratch-

As I turn around, I can see Kurumi and the others in Lyrical Lily walk up to me.

"Stephan, what are you doing here?" Kurumi asks me, curiousity filling her eyes.

"Oh, I am just out for a walk." I reply to her, as I can't really say that, well, I just came back from murdering a woman. People would call the police on me then, wouldn't matter if it's an assassin or not, you don't kill. That's the laws, after all.

"But you have such a strange and stupid outfit on you!"

"Hush with you, Touko actually gave this one to me, fully designed by herself!" I reply Kurumi, kinda offended that she has the audacity to call something from my beloved "stupid"..!

"Aahaa, your beloved Touko Kirigaya~!" Kurumi says as she laughs. "She is very clingy with you, and the amount of times she kisses you, haha!"

"Yeah, what about it? I like it at least,  doesn't bother me and we both are happy." I reply to her as I hear Haruna snicker.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just... you stand up for yourself quite good." Haruna says as she nods. "I still regret that I saw you as a pervert that first day we all met you. You clearly aren't!"

"Yeah no, you will never catch me flirting with girls when I already have my beloved. Sure, between her and me, things might get perverted, but why does that matter, we love each other!" I say as the four girls nods in agreement.

"We won't involve in your love life, you and Touko are perfect for each other, so nothing to say there~" Miyu says with her as usual kind smile.

"Thanks you guys! Well, I'm..."

Though when I am about to go, I suddenly get a craving for chocolate chip cookies and ice cream...

"Uh, hey girls, you know if any ice cream bars around here sell Ben & Jerry ice cream..?" I ask them as they raise their eyebrows, before giggling.

"Yes, a few ice cream bars around town do indeed sell Ben & Jerry's!" Haruna says with great confidence. Hmm, something tells me she is trying to leave a good impression on me, but... she already has done that honestly, heh.

Not too long after some ordering, all five of us are sitting inside the ice cream bar, enjoying our respective ice creams.

"Oh man, cookie dough ice cream is just simply the best..!" I say while still eating on my bite I currently have in my mouth. "So sweet, too sweet, but man is it good!"

"Very glad to see you enjoy your ice cream!" Miyu says as she eats away on her own order, enjoying it as well.

"Hey senpai, want to try mine?" Haruna suddenly asks me, making my raise my eyebrows. Not because of her offering ice cream to me, but because she already acknowledges me as being their senpai-

...Wait a darn second...

"Oh, yeah, sure." I reply to her, to test my assumption.

And yes, she is using her own spoon to pick out a part of her ice cream, when I literally can use my own spoon. Haruna... wants to give me an indirect kiss...

Bruh, no.

"U-uh, I am sorry but I am kinda scared of germs you see and-"

"Oh, you are?" Haruna asks me as she immediately lowers her spoon after she had begun raising it.

"Yes, I am, but I can try out your ice cream with my own spoon, no problem!" I tell her, just to not make her too down.

Phew, avoiding getting into a harem for some reason, number 69...

But as I turn to my ice cream again after trying Haruna's pretty good one, Kurumi suddenly bends over the table and my ice cream... and does a huge lick on it?!

"Kurumi, what the hell?!" I yell out, with her just snickering. "D-damn it, now my ice cream is ruined..."

I almost feel myself tear up, because it was just too good and at least calmed me down some until I meet Touko again tomorrow.

"Kurumi Shiratori! That was incredibly rude of you to do, you heard that Stephan doesn't like germs!" Haruna scolds Kurumi as she shaves off with her spoon the part that the prankster licked at.

She soon eats what she had shaved and shoveled up, grimacing over the fact that she is eating some ice cream where some saliva might be present on it from the lick, but nonetheless eats it.

"Y-you didn't need to eat that-"

"No, senpai! You got to have it as good as possible, so no buts here!" she objects as she soon swallows, while glaring at Kurumi, who is just awkwardly giggling.

"Haruna, there is no need to think about that please. No one needs to have in mind that I... well, have some drawbacks, but... I do appreciate that my beloved cares about me to that extent..." I say as I blush thinking about how much Touko always wants me to feel comfortable...

I know Haruna wants to show that too, but at the same time, she is just a friend of mine that I hang out with at fewer times compared to when it comes to Touko, who I spend time with almost every day, mostly thanks to her doing a lot of practice beforehand and not planning as much to hang out with her several friends.

"I see... But you are still my senpai, I need to do something for you!" Haruna insists as I sit there with my eyebrows raised.

But I just shake my head, as I rather not want many others to get too friendly with me. I like having friends, but I really can't bring myself to have a best friend, or well, I guess many of the girls I've met are already my very great friends.

Haruna sighs, seemingly giving up with asking me to do something to hang out with them more.

"Alright, let's do something then if you girls want to." I say, making all of the Lyrical Lily members look at me with great anticipation.

"What about a school visit? Would be fun, no?" Miyu suggests, with me just nodding in response.

"Yeah sure. We can do it later today if you guys want to, I will just be doing something that takes an hour or so." I tell them as I finish up the last of my ice cream. "Kurumi has my number, so she can message me about where to meet you guys after I tell her I am done with my business."

Not too long after, I say my goodbye to the four girls, though I notice something: Miiko did not say anything during the whole time, she just kept a neutral smile through most of it all...

Eh, well, she'll probably talk some once I hang out with them later at their school, might have more to share then.

I instantly begin speedwalking home to fetch my bike, before pedaling away, continuing on until I get somewhat outside Tokyo.

I park my bike and begin walking to the specific location marked, but as I arrive at the spot, I see... a very strange machine thing, and it has a giant brain?! On a platform surronding the machine, a man with one heck of a cut and outfit stands, looking at me as the machine continues hovering forward.

"Uh... are you the 94th ranked assassin I am supposed to absolutely gore?" I ask the man as he just laughs.

"You sure are confident that you will bring me and Doctor down, boy!"

"Always with you assholes striking cool poses while I can't do worth shit. Doesn't matter though." I say as I activate my beam katana. "I don't even know your name, but I couldn't care less!"

As I begin rushing towards the man and his machine, I fail to notice that someone is dropping down from the sky, and before it hits me, the one who fell slices the machine with ease, catching the man in the slicing as well, somehow.

"...That was my kill, you fucking snatcher!"

"Mind your language, kid. It won't get you far, or well, not too far at least." the new man that has appears in front me says as I look at him. He really has some striking features, and those sunglasses enhances it.

"Maybe you are right. Well, I have no idea how this is meant to work now-"

"If UAA works here as it should, you should have no need to think about it: If your battle ends up with the assassin dying from something else, it still counts as your victory."

"Wait, so you just... gave me a free rank up?" I ask the man as he nods. "That's... honestly pretty sweet! Thanks mister!"

Well, no rank up song for me this time either then-

"Well, well, you certainly responded differently than from what I would've said." he replies as he snickers. "You are no killer, so maybe beating your ass won't be a pain in my own ass."

"...HUH?!" I yell out, suddenly confused. Was this man supposed to help me or not?!

"Oh no, if you think what I think you are thinking: No, I did not come here to save you." he says as he prepares his... own Blood Berry?!

"I'm Travis Touchdown, by the way. Now, time for me to do my mission!"

"Hey, no! I did not come here to fight anyone else, fuck off!"

"You can fuck off yourself, kid!" Travis replies back as I only get more pissed at this guy. Who the hell does he think he is?!

Readying Tsubaki, I grit my teeth as I look at Travis, with him taking a stance as well. If this is what I have to do, then so be-

https://youtu.be/j9dLpEWuI2k

Both me and Travis interrupt our stances as we look at each other, confused, before I take out my phone to check who suddenly sent a message to me:

Kurumi: Hey, are you going to come soon or are you still busy? Maybe too busy getting a gawk gawk 3000 from Touko LOLOLOL

Stephan: Kurumi, I am not having sex! I will be arriving at your school in an half hour or so

Kurumi: Oookayyy, hope you can promise that and aren't actually busy going chukuchuku with your beloved Touko~

Stephan: I'll just TTYL 🙄

Kurumi certainly has a lot of imagination for what I do during my days. However... why would she even be so knowledgeable about sex stuff..?

Eh, doesn't matter honestly, I can let that bother me later-

"Hey what the?! Where did Sir Travis Motherfucker go?!" I exclaim as I look up and see that Travis is completely gone, nowhere to be seen.

Weird... Well, at least he gave me a free rank up, so that I appreciate. Anyways, time to head home and change to a more casual outfit.

Going to meet some kouhais of mine after all that are very eager to do all sort of things together with me that you can do in a school like theirs.

UAA personnel arrives once again, but I just need to wave them off, just so I can actually rush with the rankings for once and get this bullshit over with!

After an half hour or so, I am finally on my way to Lyrical Lily's school, which will be interesting to look into. Just hope I am actually allowed in there so I don't need to sneak around.

As I arrive, the four girls wave at me as I stop with my bike in front of me.

"Well, we meet again you four!"

"Yes, we do indeed. Come on now, we have a lot to show!" Haruna says as I nod and park the bike more properly, before I head beyond the school gates with the four girls.

I immediately get amazed just how pretty the school grounds looks here, like... holy shit!

While Yoba Academy is decent enough, Arisugawa is absolutely stellar. God, I wish this school could've become co-ed...

Though at the same time, would've been more fun if Touko's school became co-ed, because then we could've see each other every day and walk morning and afternoon together to and from school-

"Hellooo, this is no time for your Touko brainrot to set in!" Kurumi suddenly tells me as I almost jump, before pouting at her.

"You have no right to assume what I think about!" I tell her as Haruna interjects by scolding Kurumi, who soon apologizes before saying she needs to walk away to the toilets.

"...I am so sorry about Kurumi, Stephan. I hope she was not too much of a bother."

"Eh, not like it was too much of it, but thanks anyway, Haruna." I thank her as she blushes crazy from that. Come on now, that makes you flustered..?

As we all are together again after Kurumi returns, we continue on.

They first want to show me the chapel that this school has, so it's apparently a pretty religious school. Makes me wonder even more why Kurumi just go all out with that sorta knowledge...

Eh, guess we all just act different, even if we go in religious schools and such.

The chapel itself is very pretty and spacey of it, I can only imagine they hold more church activities here than literally any other school I know off.

I do know Masuki's school is religious off it as well, however, I do not think it has a chapel or anything. Granted, she is the one I talk the least with, so there's that, and when we do talk, it's just the most about Tamagotchi.

"Hey, Stephan, look here!" Miiko says as she stands at the altar. "Let Miiko tell you a prayer..."

"Ah sure thing." I reply to Miiko as I go down on my knees in front of her, clasp my hands together before closing my eyes.

"Jesus went down from heaven and said 'Pee pee poo poo'!"

I immediately shoot my eyes open again to see Kurumi standing in front of me, same pose like Miiko, but not being able to contain her laughter.

"Shoo with you, Kurumi!" Haruna says as she makes a sign to Kurumi to get off the altar. "Ugh, sorry again, senpai..."

"Hey, absolutely no worries. Was kinda unexpected though." I reply to her as I get up again, Miyu soon coming afterwards.

"Hehe, it's still pretty fun being with you, senpai!" she tells me as she giggles. Aww, she is adorable of her honestly, I can only imagine she is a big favorite among fans of Lyrical Lily.

"Ah, isn't just Miyu just an angel? Both in how she acts and looks?" Haruna asks me as she giggles. "She is the one who really brings our unit together honestly."

"Huh, well, guess I ain't wrong in my assumption about her being a favorite." I reply to Haruna, which Miyu also hears, causing both to giggle again. "I also have someone I would call my very own angel as well, heh~"

Both looks at me, seemingly knowing who I mean, before they smile at me and nods.

"We would love to take you inside the school, but our teachers said no, so-"

"Then why not ask Kokoro to give him permission to be to other schools? You know, that girl from the Tsurumaki family, she gets whatever she wants!" Kurumi suddenly suggests, with Haruna sighing while Miyu surprisingly brims up with a smile.

"That's actually a great idea!" Miyu says as Haruna looks in surprise at the leader. "Then senpai can be with us much, much more..."

As she says that, she looks at me with a smile I haven't seen before, as she almost looks like she has... wings?

Man, I think I am hallucinating, it's been a stressful day after all...

"...Uhuh... Well, anyways, I don't know how possible that can be, but considering how the Tsurumaki family owns a lot of shit, I wouldn't be surprised." I reply as I scratch my head. "Well, not much else to do know is there?"

"Hmm, true... Again, if Kokoro would convince her parents maybe..." Haruna suddenly says, with me looking at her with a shocked expression.

She suddenly agrees with that as well, what the hell?!

In either case, it was a short visit and I got to sing a few psalms, of course in Japanese as well, before I decided it was enough for today.

As I walk with the four girls away from the school, as they are in general finished for the day, and past the school gates, I suddenly see five girls, one of them obviously being very special to me.

"Touko!" I say a little loud, with her immediately seeing me as well and starting to run up to me, catching her in my arms and soon embracing her.

"Stephy, what a surprise! I didn't call you as I figured you would be busy today and all~" she tells me as we ease on our hug before kissing each other on the lips.

Touko soon spots the Lyrical Lily girls as well a few centimeters behind me, with her cheerfully waving at them.

"Hey you four! Hope you took good care of my sweetie Stephy~!"

"Oh don't worry, we did." Haruna says as she nods and smiles. "He had a great time seeing how our chapel here looked and all."

"Aww, so great!" Touko says as she hugs tightly onto me. Aah, I love being hugged by my beloved..! "Well, Stephy, want to go with us? Or wait, can I come by your home again, because of... you know who."

"Of course, my love, don't worry." I tell her as I caress her hair, before we look to the others. "Oh, uh, sorry about that! Well, let us be on our way then!"

I wave goodbye to Lyrical Lily before going with my beloved and her bandmates to each respective home, and of course, Touko follows with me home.

While at my home, we decide to just chill a little together on the sofa, with her huddling close to me and me continuosly caressing her hair.

What a great way to end my day with, cuddling with my beloved Touko. She truly is paradise..!

To be continued :P