Scorching Black Vulture

1337 Hours, 16 June 0145…

There was an awkward silence between the 3 of us in this office; whether 1 of us should introduce ourselves while others cringe at our introduction. Until the tall male Authonoid with a blonde side cut hairstyle, light blue eyes, and white uniform with black lining approached me and asked with a cool gentleman voice.

”Your name is Tsuyuki, right? ”

And then I answered by pointing at both of them.

”Yes. You
e must be Axel, and you
e must be Christine, right? ”

”Yes, ” a short female Authonoid with short black hair, green eyes, and an eye patch on her left eyes replied shyly.

”Ok… so, how do we introduce ourselves first? Im not sure if I recognize all of you yet, ” I asked.

Until Axel smiled and asked me back.

”Well, if I may ask you. Remember Shadow Combat Zone? ”

And then, I asked him curiously.

”Shadow Combat Zone? What is it? ”

”Our… middle school club, ” Christine replied smiling shyly.

Suddenly, I remembered what is Shadow Combat Zone and said.

”OOOHHHHHHH, I KNOW! Its a… ”

An embarrassing set of memories of my middle school syndrome flashed right before my eyes, and I remembered the Shadow Combat Zone. It was a club that 3 of us formed to express our middle school syndrome, and 3 of us roleplaying as something based on our imagination.

”HAHAHAHA, I Am the Demon Lord of the 5th Hell, and all of you shall DIE IN HERE! HAHAHAHAHA!!! ”

I cringed so hard remembering my middle school year, that it made me want to bang my head into the wall or even punch my old selves to realize everything that Ive done in the past was super mortifying.

”Please kill me… ” I said to myself, horrified and covering my face in embarrassment, remembering my middle school year roleplaying as a Demon Lord.

And then Axel comforted me.

”No, no, no, its fine. Even though our middle school year was cringy as hell, it was a good kind of cringe that weve experienced, ” Axel said while laughing a little.

Christine giggled a bit, remembering my past, and added.

”Yeah… Hehe… I guess… ”

”Wow… its been a year, guys. How long was it? 5 years? ” Im asked while looking at Axel and Christine.

”Or to put it simply, its been 6 years ago when we all converted into Authonoid for the first time, ” Christine replied softly.

”Wow… didn realize time has passed like a river, ” I said to them while looking at the other way.

”By the way, Tsuyuki. Youve grown bigger than before, ” Axel said to me while smiled looking at myself.

And then, I replied.

”Well, don you realize Authonoids like us need to build a muscle to beat up those Infectoid assess, right? ”

”Well… yes… ” Christine replied while scratching her right cheek nervously.

”Alright, so how do we introduce ourselves again? ” I asked.

And then Axel suggested.

”Can I go first? ”

I responded by nodding. After that, Axel introduced himself.

”My names Axel, frame name is Frostburn, my element is freeze, and my role is a tanker. Nice to meet you again, Tsuyuki, ”

After that, Christine introduced herself.

”My name is Christine, my frame name is Huntress because I love hunting, my element is light, and my role is supporter, which means Im a healer. Good to meet you again, Tsuyuki, ”

Then, Christine smiled sweetly yet shyly.

After that, I introduced myself.

”My names Tsuyuki. Youve already known that. My frame name is Dreadnaught, my element is physical, and my role is an attacker. Good to see you again, guys. ”

After that, I continued by asking Christine.

”By the way, Christine. You
e used to being confident and showing your middle school syndrome. You appear shyer than before. But wait, why are you still using your old eye patch on your left eye? ”

”Its not because Im still having a middle school syndrome. Its because… my left eye has a sight problem… ” Christine replied nervously as if she was hiding something.

”Oh, Im sorry to hear that… ” I replied in a pitied tone.

”No, its alright… ” Christine replied nervously while shaking her hands.

And then she looked down, blushing, and added.

”Ok… that was a lie. My left eye wasn even hurt or something. Yes, I still have middle school syndrome until nowadays. Im still showing my middle school syndrome every time Im on the battlefield. ”

I got confused about her recent middle school syndrome. So, I ask her back.

”Like how? ”

And then, she did a dramatic pose and said a poetic tone after removing her eyepatch and revealing her left eye that has a different color, which was light blue.

”O the evil one, thou shalt face the power of thy Divinocchi (Divine Eye), where the Angel wings and the Gods eyes enlightening the darkness. Now, I shalt eradicate you! And thou shalt taste the VANISHMENT IN THIS WOOOOORLD! ”

Her poetic war speech amazed me as she did a middle school syndrome-like pose.

”Wow, ” I said while clapping in amazement.

”Oh, not gonna lie. That looks cool! ” Axel added with his shoulders shaking.

Christine blushed and said.

”Yeah… Umm… ”

Her shyness reached the maximum level as she cringed listening to her middle-school syndrome speech.

”Lord… Please forgive me… ” she said while covering her face in embarrassment.

And then Axel comforted her by patting her shoulders and saying to her.

”Its alright. I almost got Goosebumps hearing your battle speech, not gonna lie. ”

”Speaking of the healer. Do you take a medical academy in here? ” I asked.

And then she answered.

”Its been a long time that Ive learned medical subject since I was in elementary school, considering my father was a professional pharmacist in the Veloce Pharma. Unfortunately, Veloce Pharma bankrupted because of data hijacking by the 3rd party organization who wants to take down this Pharmaceutical Company, ” she answered.

I nodded and asked back.

”Maybe because Veloce Pharma method is way cleaner than the rest of Big Pharma weve known? ”

”Might be… despite that, business is a cruel practice if you misuse it, ” Christine replied.

”If I may ask, hows your parents condition nowadays? ” Axel asked.

”My mother died when I was 10 years old because she had hereditary cancer. While my father was still alive, unfortunately, hes retiring from pharmaceutical and focused on becoming a priest. Even though my father was already a priest a long time ago. ” Christine explained in a slightly saddened tone.

”Oh, my condolence for your mothers death. I hope your mother rests in peace. Amen to that, ” Axel replied in a downed tone.

”Not gonna lie. Its more interesting to tell our untold past that weve never talked before, ” I said.

”Its funny because back in the day, we never told these kinds of things. But, during our adolescence, weve revealed our untold secrets, and shared each others secrets, ” Axel added.

”Yeah… I think so, ” Christine added while giggling a little.

And then, I asked something.

”If I may ask a question. Have you guys ever heard of Onigashi? ”

Both Axel and Christine were confused about Onigashi.

”Onigashi? ” Axel asked while lifting his eyebrows.

”Whos that? ” Christine added with concern.

And then, I explained who Onigashi was.

”A notorious female Authonoid with a long silver-white hair, threatening red eyes, red scarf, red coat, and a red Katana. Got any idea about her? ”

”Umm… One of my friends once told me about this rumor. But what Ive ever heard about her is that she used to be a former Minervas Authonoid, ” Axel replied.

I nodded in understanding. And then, Christine added.

”Yes… my friends also told me the same as Axel does, ” I nodded again in understanding.

”Former… Minervas Authonoid? Hmm… ” I mumbled while thinking about Onigashi.

Suddenly, I remembered Onigashi used to be a person Ive ever recognized, way before Ive converted into Authonoid. And then I continued.

”Interesting… What I remember about her is, Ive fought against her, ”

It surprised both Axel and Christine hearing about my fight against Onigashi.

Then, Axel asked in a surprised tone, ”What? Really? How did it go? ”

”I lost. My weapons were broken into pieces because of her Katana, and I got stabbed. Even my friends got killed by her, ” I answered in a downed tone.

”Oh… Im sorry to hear that, ” Christine replied while trying to comfort me.

”Its alright, they didn die in vain. Although, it still hurt to see that my friends died before me. But thats what youd expect? Being a soldier is the equivalent of digging your own grave, ” I said to them while looking down on my feet, trying to avoid the flashing memories of my comrades death.

Axel patted my left shoulder and comforted me.

”I feel you, Tsuyuki. You know you cannot escape the truth, that war is all about life or death. ”

And then, Christine added while caressing my right arm.

”Exactly. The point is, just let it go, keep moving on, and don make their deaths go in vain. ”

”Of course. But Im still afraid that both of you might- ” However, Axel patting my left shoulder to reduce my worries.

”Its alright, we
e always on your back whenever you need us, leader, ”

”Leader? ” Im asked in concern about the ”Leader ” word that Axel spouted at me.

”Yes, you
e the leader of the Black Vulture team. The secret recipe for being a good leader isn just all about winning or victory. Solidarity and teamwork are more than enough to make a good team. Like Commander Katoki mentioned before, ” Axel explained.

I nodded in understanding and said.

”Yes. And I hope Ill never mess up like before. ”

Christine approached me, patted my right arm, and replied.

”Its alright, just take it easy and keep it cool. Don put too much pressure on yourself. Sometimes, leaving the quarters of your task to us won be a bad idea. And also, taking a break won be a bad idea. Whenever you
e overstressed, pause it, and relieve your stress. ”

I smiled as gratitude to them, and I replied to them.

”Yes, thanks for your kind advice, guys. And Im hoping that Ill lead you guys to the right path better than before. ”

”Trust us, Tsuyuki. You will, ” Axel said while patting my left arm.

”Believe in yourself, Tsuyuki. You can do it, ” Christine added while stroking my right arm.

”Yes. I will., ”

After that, 3 of us had a continued chatting in Commander Katokis office talking about this and that, until Commander Katoki came back into his office and dismissed us.

It was refreshing to be reunited with my middle school friends after years of separation to focus on our study and training in the Minerva Academy. And now the real thing would happen, after the three of us converted into Authonoids.

However, there was one question that was still unanswered.

”Who is Onigashi? What kind of person is she? And, is she a former Minervas Authonoid and a person who Ive ever recognized before? ”

Only time would tell when Ive finally met her again, and Ive finally had a chance to fight against her again.