Chapter 4: Man Have to be Manly
///Sasha POV\\\
Ohhhhhhhh, is he stupid?!
I glared furiously at the brown-haired boy with an irritatingly flat face. He had actually refused the offer of Renji, that strong-looking guy.
What was in his mind when he said that?! Was he thinking of being cool and all that?! If you do, at least try to put some effort into it! It won't have any effect if you wear that lifeless face of yours and monotone voice! None, okay?!
I hastily calmed my unstable emotions.
Instead of minding that man's senseless choice, I should worry more about my own importance. This was not the time for that.
'I need to be on the team with the highest chance of survival.'
That's definitely my top priority.
I didn't want to be involved in the battle with whatever race it was if I could. Even if I had to in the end, I want to be the one at the back line of the fight, without risking my life at the front line. To that end, I would first have to take a look at the rest of the other boys that Renji---
"---eh, where is he?"
I searched the bar-like establishment in confusion. I couldn't find the man in question anywhere.
"Uh, you mean Renji?" A sleepy-eyed boy asked. "He left a while ago. What's wrong?"
No kidding, I felt as if a bucket of cold water was dropped on my head.
'I'm doomed.'
Renji was undoubtedly the strongest among this group. That was a big mistake. I just lost the chance to get myself into his party.
'Actually, even if Renji is still here, I don't think he'll accept me in the end.'
The fact that he didn't invite me like the others said it all.
'No,' I shook my head firmly. 'There's still an alternative.'
I turned to the brown-haired boy, Kiyotaka, who was currently deep in conversation with a large man in the remaining group. He might not be as bad as I thought.
'I know I'm shameless,' I am well aware of that. 'But somehow, I don't really feel anything even if I know that fact.'
While I could objectively see that it was something unrighteous, my subconscious told me otherwise. It was as if I am a shameless person by nature. A woman with a rotten personality.
"Hey, can we make a party together?"
I walked to his way, hugging his arm as I got close enough. That causes him to pause, giving me a look. That was it. His flat reaction didn't change at all.
'To be honest, it's kind of scary.'
Between Renji and him, it was obvious who had the most unpredictable behavior.
Although Renji's actions were surprising, his intentions could be surmised if you were aware of his behavior so far. Kiyotaka, on the other hand, is inherently inscrutable.
To begin with, I don't know why he started a dispute with Hiyomu. Although the reaction of the person he got into trouble with was over-the-top to a dreadful degree, Kiyotaka shouldn't have any reason whatsoever for asking such a pointless-sounding question in the first place.
He didn't look like a problematic guy, which is exactly the problem. That is because he doesn't look like a contrary fellow either. He seemed like a man who could be anything and anywhere.
'On second thought, even his strength is equal to--- no--- more than Renji's.'
When Hiyomu threw her hair ornament at Kiyotaka, he was able to dodge it effortlessly. Hiyomu's throwing power isn't as cute as her appearance, after all. The process of her picking up her hair ornament was as smooth as the process of Britney's knife thrusting to Renji's neck. The speed of her throw was unquestionable.
'Yeah, I really should join him. Whatever it takes.'
"If you don't mind, sure."
It was easier than I thought.
Just when I had that thought, the door to the office of this volunteer soldier opened.
'Who?'
A leather-clad man with a fur hat in the style of a commonly imagined hunter entered. As the embodiment of a hunter, he naturally had a bow hanging on his back. His face resembled that of an animal, more precisely, a fox.
'He looks like a bad guy.'
"Yo, Chief." He greeted Britney with that evil face.
"Oh, Kuzuoka. Why are you here?" Britney didn't seem to expect him.
"I heard a bunch of new people came by, so I stopped by to see," he examined us as he said that.
"News sure travels fast, huh?" Britney shrugged. "But unfortunately, about half of them have already left."
"Leaving the outcasts behind, huh?"
"So what if we're outcasts?" The curly-haired boy complained.
"Huhh...?" The Kuzuoka guy looked at him intimidatingly. "Well, whatever. I need a warrior, anyway. You, the big one, you'll do. Come with me."
"Me?" The big man whom Kiyotaka exchanged words with just then pointed at himself doubtfully.
"Yes, you. Who else here has a big body besides you?"
"No," Kiyotaka interjected. "You'll be with me, Moguzo."
"U-Uh, okay."
"Don't listen to him," Kuzuoka grabbed Moguzo's arm. "I'm more experienced here. You should be grateful and just accept it with silence."
"Ah, alright."
"No, take a second look, Moguzo. He looks like nothing but a foul fellow. Nothing good will come of following him."
"R-Right."
"I'm not a foul fellow. The fact that I invited you says it all, doesn't it?"
"A fellow who says he's not a foul fellow is the real foul fellow. Come on, Moguzo. You're a man, aren't you? A man should act like a man would, too. You'll regret it if you're not decisive enough about things."
For some reason, I felt that Kiyotaka wasn't cut out to say that, with his monotone voice and all. But despite the incongruity, it seemed to win Moguzo over.
"You're right," he finally said, a look of realization on his face.
"Just come with me, you dolt."
When Kuzuoka tugged on his arm, he didn't move.
'Why would he let himself be pulled in the first place if he could just do that?' I could only think of him as stupid.
Kuzuoka clicked his tongue, letting go of Moguzo's arm. He appeared to have given up in the end.
"Take note of this, you'll regret your choice soon enough. The world is not so kind as to let immature people like you live long."
He walked out of the office with that remark of scorn.
'Honestly, he's probably right.'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone