So… The ESSE was already active even at this time. It all makes sense as to how they gathered users so quickly. They grabbed them before the “Awakening.”

 

“I’m gonna eat these only cause I don’t want them to go to waste!”

 

“Sure, sure, you’re probably hungry anyway from exerting so much energy.”

 

I looked at the girl before me, Megurin Hiiragi. This girl looked really cute, however her personality really stinks.

 

“The hell are you looking at, dummy?!”

 

“Oh just looking at you eat the apples I cut.”

 

“Creep, just shut up and die.”

 

“After I carried you, tended to your wounds, and left you to rest for almost two hours now?”

 

“Thank you…”

 

“What was that? Can you say it again? I think my hearing is bad.”

 

“I SAID THANK YOU CREEP!!”

 

“Oh really? You’re welcome then.”

 

An unruly girl she ended up being, but I needed information. 

 

“How did you track me?”

 

“It was easy, you used your energy the last couple days so we caught you.”

 

“The Dark Bear? ESSE tamed it?”

 

“No, that bear was summoned for you as a test. If you hadn’t come by I would’ve gotten a promotion!”

 

“So you would’ve let me die after you ran?”

 

“I never ran. I used a cloaking skill and ran back to see if you were in trouble. You killed it yourself.”

 

“It was a damn D+ Rank. I can take care of that monster with one hand.”

 

“Most recruits can barely kill D Rank monsters in groups!”

 

“So they were interested after I murdered that damn bear?”

 

“Yes! Obviously. Your abilities are top ranked, even for me, you are someone they want.”

 

“So you don’t deny that I’m stronger?”

 

“I never said that! You just got lucky.”

 

“My, my. After you got beaten so hard, the one who beat you had to attend to you?”

 

“I didn’t ask!”

 

The apples were all gone. It seemed like it was as good of time as ever for me to start my actual plans. The requiem of the “awakening” began playing slowly, but surely as we approached it.

 

“Thanks for asking my questions, Hiiragi.”

 

“Whatever, you annoying scumbag.”

 

This girl… Really now? After all my kindness.

 

“Do you have any questions before we go home?”

 

“How did you get strong with no backing?”

 

“I know a thing or two about fighting.”

 

“Tch. You’re annoying, you know that?”

 

“I’m perfectly aware Hiiragi.”

 

I heard a phone ringing. It was coming from Hiiragi’s pocket. She took it out and answered.

 

“What?!”

 

“Hm?”

 

“You can’t be serious! This bastard of all people..”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Come with me, we’re heading to head quarters, Creep.”

 

“I see, just let me text my sister.”

 

I opened my phone and texted her. She wasn’t too happy, but I made up an excuse of staying late to help at the library.

 

“This better be quick Hiiragi.”

 

“Just as long as you can keep up.”

 

Hiiragi got up quickly with her bag and put her shoes on. She then opened the window next to her with a slam and jumped out.

 

‘Ally Hiiragi activating boost’

 

“Hey where are you going!”

 

“Just follow me!”

 

That girl had jumped up on the roof and I stood there in shock. These girls always make me do unnecessary actions.

 

‘Lightning Transformation|First Form’ 

 

I jumped up just like she did and tracked her energy. It looks like their base was quite a ways away. I was probably coming home late tonight. It was a bit shocking to me that an organization would test me twice. I had no idea of the power-scaling at this moment before the “awakening.” I thought I was in the weaker bunch because I was a C+ class, the average Schwalbe were around E-C class. I was catching up to her pretty quickly and soon enough I tapped her shoulder.

 

“How did you get here so fast?!”

 

“I have my ways, speed is always one of my better traits.”

 

“Just keep going with me, It’s not too far from where we are.

 

I never knew that organizations like ESSE were already preparing for the “awakening,”  Rather, I was too focused on getting stronger to ask for information on such topics.  Every organization existed for a reason. The world was going to change in a huge way, they were there to support the people and get back up. Although some organizations existed for evil purposes, they existed for all. My choice from here on out would dictate my future. I felt Hiiragi’s energy stop a few feet away from me.

 

“Here we are. Let’s go in.”

“What do you mean? This is an abandoned school.”

 

“Sure looks like one, but watch this.”

 

Hiiragi closed her eyes and placed her hand on a barrier. So, they were even able to set up barriers with concealment. This early on? This is how they were able to gather up such a large following. They had set up a center for people to be integrated into. Her hand began to glow and she whispered two words.

 

“Offenes tor.”

 

“Welcome. Shinjeo Curato. Welcome. Megurin Hiiragi.”

 

An automated voice sounded into my ears as the gate revealed itself before us. It was an old-type gate I remembered being used in the early days. This gate would lead us into a separate dimension away from time and space. It seemed that I was definitely going to be here for awhile.

 

“I’m back. It took awhile for me to bring him in.”

 

“You mean you rested while he watched over you?”

 

“How the hell do you know that?”

 

A boy who looked our age was standing in front of Hiiragi. He was wearing  a white button-up shirt under a dark blue vest, a black ribbon bolo tie held together with a small gold buckle, an open black cropped jacket with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks, a black belt hanging off his right hip and black low-arch shoes. Quite a style he had, he had a scar running through his left eye and he had a serious look on his face.

 

“I know that because we were monitoring the situation Private Hiiragi.”

 

“You mean you were watching and you didn’t think to help me?!”

 

“The situation was under control, Mr. Curato here did not do anything that seemed to endanger your life.”

“He fought me and I was paralyzed! You never came to heal me!”

 

“Mr. Curato never intended to kill you, so we assumed nothing would happen and observed. Not once did he ever do anything to you. He only sat and waited for you to awaken.”

 

“Tch. We wasted time at the school. You should have come earlier.”

 

“We were watching to see what Mr. Curato would do.”

 

“Anyway let’s just go and see the others.”

 

Both of them turned and started walking in the hallway. We were in some type of hallway, similar to a normal school hallway. I had never been to the original ESSE base in the original timeline. This would be an experience to learn from.