Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Why are You Here?
"You must be Kei Kurono, right?"
"I'm indeed Kei Kurono. Can I help you?"
"I'm Shion Izumi, a new transfer student. Can we have a talk?"
"Sure."
"Let's go somewhere else."
The two then headed towards a quiet place to have a chat. Unlike the original story, Shinozaki didn't go to confess to Izumi. She was a bit interested to know more about Kurono. She got to talk to him during the school tour, and she have a good impression about him. That's why she ignored the handsome and tall Izumi.
"So, what's up?"
"Do you know about the black ball's room?" Izumi straight forwardly asked about the Gantz Room.
"Black ball's room? What is that?" Kurono calmly asked back.
"There's this room with a black ball inside. Do you have any impression about it?"
"You mean, black ball like the bowling, or the snooker black ball? I have seen these room."
"No. What I mean is a big black ball that has a screen. Also, that room was filled with dead people."
"Hmm... that's sounds creepy. I don't think I've seen that kind of room. Anyway, why are you asking me this?" Kurono still denied with a calm face.
"It's nothing. It's okay if you don't know about it. By the way, can I visit your place?"
"What for?"
"No reason. So, can't I come?"
"Dude, we just came to know each other today. Why do you want to come to my place? For your information, I don't do gayish stuff. I'm a straight man." Kurono distanced himself from Izumi.
Seeing him behave like that caused Izumi to have an awkward expression. "No. It's not like that."
"Also, I'm not staying alone in my house. So, no!" After saying that, Kurono turned around and started walking away.
"Wait. I want to show you something. Can we go to the cafe after school?"
Kurono thought for a moment. This guy really wanted to show me the things written in the web. Should I go along? After that, he decided to just go with this guy.
"Man, you are acting really weird. Fine. We go to cafe after school then."
...
Right after the school time is over, Izumi and Kurono headed towards a nearby cafe that provide access to internet and computer.
Izumi opened a web, and it was a web about Gantz. "Take a look. This is the website."
"What is that?"
"Some middle schooler guy created this website. It's some kind of journal about some crazy sci-fi story that he wrote. As a middle schooler, he's done a pretty good job."
Well, that middle schooler is Nishi. He already got his freedom, and left the Gantz, thought Kurono.
"The site was being updated until about a month ago. It only goes up the hunt for the Onion Alien."
Once again, that's because Nishi got his freedom about a month ago. After his memory got erased by Gantz, he will no longer have any recollection about the hunt. So, it's only normal for him to not update the site.
Wait...
A month already passed since the time I got the System. So, the items in the System Market should already got refreshed.
Kurono then checked his System Market. As he have expected, the System Market already got refreshed.
System Market (Basic)
- Basic Stats: 1 Stats per 3 SP (limited to 20 Stats)
- Time Bomb: 1 Bomb per 10 SP
- Smokescreen Bomb: 1 Bomb per 1 SP
- Hand Grenade (Bomb): 1 Bomb per 5 SP
- Nuklear Bomb: 1 Bomb per 10,000 SP
Market refresh once per month
Kurono was greatly shocked when he saw those items. "What the hell? Bomb? Does the System think I'm a terrorist?"
<Host, it's a themed items release. Coincidentally, this months theme is explosion. So, that's why the host get those things in the System Market.>
"Why did you not tell me beforehand? Also, Nuklear Bomb? That's overkill isn't it?"
<That's why it is so expensive. So, don't bother thinking about it.>
"Haah. I wish it still remained like the last month. Those strength and agility is quite good items to be included in the market."
Kurono sighed, feeling that this time market is less interesting. Though, he still appreciated it for there are 10 more limit for a basic stats purchases.
"...Kuro..."
"...Ke..Kuro..."
"Kei Kurono!"
Suddenly, Kurono heard his name being called. "Huh!? Did you just call me?"
"Yes. What happened to you?" asked Izumi in confusion. For a moment, he saw Kurono stare blankly at the Website. Did he remembered anything?
"Ah, it's nothing. Just now, what do you want to ask me?"
"Well, look at this.In the part about the Onion Alien, a boy wearing a special black suit defeated an Adult Onion Alien by himself. And his name is Kei Kurono."
"What? How did my name got in there? Is it some kind of coincidence?" Kurono showed a surprised and confused expression.
"Is it really not you? This web said, that strong guy is you." said Izumi, while staring at Kurono. He was trying to see whether this guy will show any suspicious behavior after seeing the information. However, he only saw a look of confusion in his eyes. Did I mistakenly assume him to be the one mentioned in the web?
"This...is really a surprise. Did I somehow become the character in this sci-fi story?" asked Kurono, still with his confused face.
Is he trying to deny the things happening in the journal? Izumi still felt that Kurono was the exact guy being mentioned in the web. He then asked, "Right now, are you wearing the black suit?"
"What black suit?" Kurono unbuttoned his uniform and showed that he didn't wear any black suit.
"...maybe I'm mistaken." Izumi was surprised when he didn't see any suit beneath Kurono's uniform. "Sorry for taking your time. Let's end our conversation here."
The two of them then parted ways, and heat to their respective homes.
On the way home, Kurono was thinking about his encounter with Shion Izumi. That guy, he will not stop there. He will be the cause of massacres at Shinjuku street. In the end, he and the original Kurono shoot each other, and got teleported into Gantz Room.
"Whatever. Let's just take things step by step. For now, let me improve my stats."
Kurono then purchased the limited 20 basic stats, and used it on his stats.
Kurono's Stats
Strength: 50
Dexterity: 50
Intelligence: 37
Charm: 9
Using the purchased stats, Kurono balanced his strength and dexterity at 50. The rest of the stats, he put it all into intelligence. The addition in intelligence make him feel like he turned a lot better at perceiving things, and memorization.
At the same time, his perception speed become a lot faster than before. He dared to say that in his current state, if he was facing a gun, even after the bullet was shot at him, he still could evade it.
"Did I somehow gained superhuman speed and perception?" murmured Kurono. He was happy to get such a boost in abilities.
While he was busy checking his System, he didn't realize that he already reached his house. He stopped browsing his System when he saw a girl is waiting in front of his house.
"Kei Kurono!" The girl called his name as soon as he stopped.
"Huh!? Kishimoto, why are you here?"
"You know me. You really know me." Kishimoto's eyes turned bright in surprise, but somehow she feels happy.
'Oh shit! I was so used to call the other ber casually, that I spoke to her like normal!' Kurono's face changed when he realized what he just did. He hurriedly gave out some random reason, "Actually, after I met you that day, I thought that you are pretty. So, I decided to investigate about you. But, don't worry. I didn't mean any harm on you. I swear."
However, Kishimoto didn't buy it. "Really? I thought that you and me already know each other so much."
Hearing her, Kurono's expression changed once more, and his heart started beating a bit faster. What's going on? Why was she so sure that we have known each other before? For some reason, he got a bad feeling about this. This caused his emotion to be in disarray.
"I'm sorry. I don't think we know each other that much. Although I investigated your background, it just some basic information."
Saying so, Kurono opened the door and entered. Before closing the door, Kurono bowed to her, saying, "I have something to do. So, I'm really sorry for being unable to chat with you."
"I remembered us being together in the room with the black ball."
Kurono froze on his place. He looked at her with a great shock. He wanted to ask her how he knows that, but refrained as it will somehow exposed the Gantz.
"I remembered we have been together, twice in the alien hunt. Also, I've been staying here for some times." Kishimoto continued talking about the dream memories, while looking at Kurono's expression. As expected, she found his expression become gloomier, the more she talk.
"We even sleep in the same bed." said Kishimoto, blushing at her own words. She didn't know why, but she was so sure that her dream was her real memories. As a proof, she managed to find Kurono's house according to the information in her dreams.
"Stop!"
Kurono stopped her from talking further. He pushed her away. "Please go home."
"Wait... why are you pushing me?"
"Just go home. I don't have time to listen to your story."
Bang!
Kurono closed the door after pushing Kishimoto away from the door.
"Are you going to ignore me after what you have done to me?"
Kurono's tears slowly fell down as he heard her.
"Did you no longer love me?"
Kurono held himself from answering her. 'Sorry Kishimoto, I don't want you to get involved with the Gantz. It's better for an outsider to not be affected by the danger brought by the Gantz.
After sometimes, Kurono no longer heard Kishimoto. He slowly opened the door and peeked outside, but no longer see the girl outside.
He once again apologized silently to Kishimoto, then closed the door.
...
Night time.
Kurono came home from his part time job. As he opened the door, he saw that Sakuraoka is already back.
He then took a bath and changed into a new clothes. After that, he helped Sakuraoka prepare their meals for the dinner.
Suddenly, they heard a ringing sounds in their heads.
"Oh no! The Gantz is calling. We need to put on our suits." said Sakuraoka.
"Let's hurry up, and get changed."
The two left those raw material for their meals. They hurriedly took their suits and wore them.
Not long later, the two got transferred into the Gantz Room. Not long after the got into the room, a light radiated, and Kato appeared.
"Hey. Welcome back." greeted Kurono.
Kato nodded, and said, "Look like we are the only three left to complete the hunt this time."
"It's seems to be the case."
At this time however, the ball radiated some light.
"Eh, there is more?"
Slowly, the next person appeared. As soon aa the face appeared, all three people in the room become greatly shocked. Kurono especially was feeling terrified.
"Why? Why are you here?"
The person completely appeared. She looked around and saw Kurono looking at her with a pale face.
"So, it's true. This room really existed." A bright smile appeared on Kishimoto's face. She then rushed at Kurono, and hugged him tightly. "Finally, we can be together again, Kurono."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone