Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 4

by Ryo Shirakome

  We could eat lunch together every day. I could even make him lunch... and then after school we’d walk around town and just spend time together. It’d be nice to go to cafes and stuff every day, but I don’t have the money for that. Plus, what if people mistook us for a couple!? Kaori’s heart began to race as she thought of the years that were to come.

  Just thinking about it made her happy. These are definitely going to be the best three years of my life.

  Oh wait, there’s still one big problem...

  “Wait a second, Shizuku-chan! What am I supposed to say to his parents!?”

  “How’d you jump to that already!? I get that you’re excited, but you’re taking this fantasy way too far! Are you planning on marrying him or something? Are you going to spend the rest of your life with him? But hmm, as for how to introduce yourself to his parents... Ah, wait, I can’t start assuming this is a done deal! You can’t, Kaori! You need to plan your future carefully if you want a happy family!”

  Shizuku-chan’s lost it! How can she say such embarrassing things in public!?

  “Shizuku-chan, I just want his parents not to hate me, since I’m going to be his friend...”

  “Huh!?”

  “Sh-Shizuku-chan, your imagination is a little too overactive.”

  “Wha—!?” Shizuku curled herself into a ball and started rocking back and forth. Her ears were bright red, and she was hiding her face with her ponytail. I just want to crawl into a hole and die right now.

  “What the heck have you two been whispering about this whole time?” Ryutarou stared at the two of them with an exasperated expression. Kaori looked up at him, then followed his gaze and saw one of the teachers grinning demonically at her.

  Her first day at school began with her getting a long lecture in the staff room.

  Around a year had passed since that fateful day.

  And Kaori’s wish had been granted. She’d gotten to spend time with Hajime Nagumo.

  Though it wasn’t in the same form as she’d imagined back at the entrance ceremony. Hajime was an otaku, which meant he spent all his free time playing video games, watching anime, or reading manga, so Kaori hadn’t had any opportunities to see him outside of school.

  And even in school, he’d always come in right before the bell. Then he’d sleep throughout the day, waking up only after the final bell rang, leaving Kaori no time to speak with him even in school.

  Well, at least now I get why I couldn’t find him even though I spent so much time waiting around his middle school. He’d left for home right away each time, so Kaori was too late to catch him.

  On the few occasions Kaori did manage to pull Hajime into a conversation, it would always be about the most trivial things. Though it pained her to admit it, she wasn’t really friends with Hajime at all. In fact, they were hardly anything more than just fellow classmates.

  Plus, whenever he talks to me, Hajime-kun has this nervous expression on his face... and his eyes keep darting about... It feels like he’s always trying to end the conversation as fast as possible... and he’s always looking at the people around us and not me...

  “Nagumo-kun won’t talk to me...”

  “If the other guys heard you say that, they’d be crying tears of blood.”

  As always, Kaori went to Shizuku for advice. Honestly, I’m amazed there’s a guy out there who can resist Kaori’s charms. This calls for a different approach.

  “How about you become an otaku too, then?” Such was the advice Shizuku had for Kaori. And so, Kaori decided to visit the store Hajime had mentioned the next day.

  However, things didn’t go according to plan. There were too many things in the store, and Kaori couldn’t make heads or tails of any of them. All she learned from her visit was that there were a lot of anime girls with their panties visible. Though she’d been too embarrassed to get a proper look at any of them.

  “Shizuku-chan, based on what I learned... I think I need to show my panties to Nagu—”

  “Do not.” Shizuku sternly pulled on Kaori’s cheeks.

  Yeah, I guess that is a bit much. He’d probably think I’m just a pervert. I might even get arrested.

  “Just tell him you’re interested in anime and video games, and ask him for recommendations or something. After that, you can talk to him about his favorites.”

  That makes sense. The following day, Kaori put Shizuku’s advice into practice and tried to talk to him about his hobbies.

  At first Hajime seemed surprised, or rather suspicious, but Kaori’s persistence finally won him over. He began talking to her about his favorite shows and games.

  As time passed, Kaori developed a natural interest in them herself, so she became well versed in the culture. Unfortunately, Shizuku got dragged into that world with her. Including the times where Kaori accidentally tried to buy visual novels, or hentai anime, or h-manga.

  Well, “accidentally.” A growing girl like Kaori did have a passing interest in such things after all.

  And so, the first half of Kaori’s second year of high school passed. She’d gotten a lot closer to Hajime in that time, and she continued concocting absurd plans to close the distance between them in one go while their idyllic days passed by. Until that fateful day where the entire class was transported to another world. Their daily lives were turned upside-down, and the students began their new life in this cruel and unforgiving world.

  Kaori still didn’t like to think back on the day they’d been summoned.

  She was full of regrets about the things she should have done back then. At the time, they still hadn’t been aware of the dangers that they faced. Everything felt like a fairy tale. They got to meet a real king, and a princess, and they all had ridiculously strong magic. Honestly, they’d been kind of excited.

  Everyone except Hajime, at least. He alone hadn’t been blessed with any amazing skills or a powerful job. Kaori had been conceited back then. She’d felt like she was the only one who understood him, the only one who could help him when no one else would.

  If she could go back to the past, she would’ve slapped herself for being so dumb. It was all my fault. If I hadn’t been so full of myself, I could have helped Hajime before it was too late!

  Of all the students, only Hajime had realized how dangerous this world was from the start. The reason he’d studied so hard even though he had no special talents wasn’t because he wanted to get back at his bullies. It was because he’d known.

  He’d known that death was a real danger in this world.

  While everyone else had enjoyed playing the part of the hero, Hajime alone had been learning how to survive. He was the only one who’d resolved himself.

  Resolved himself to do what needed to be done, if the time came. To keep going, even when his legs were trembling in fear. To putting his life on the line if necessary, all for the sake of making it back to Japan.

  He, more than anyone, had understood. After all, he was that kind of man. And I should have understood too. It was that side of him that attracted me in the first place.

  When that poor lady and her grandson were being tormented by those college students, he’d been the only one to step in. While Kaori had been shaking in her boots, he’d had the strength to defend them. It was his greatest strength, but also what made Kaori worried about him.

  She’d known. She’d known.

  When everything was looking hopeless, who had been the first to step forward? Hajime. He’d been just as terrified as everyone else, but he’d had the resolve to take on the most dangerous task. Because there’d been people counting on him to protect them.

  But because I hadn’t realized that, I’d thought everything would turn out fine. Even though I had no basis for thinking that, I thought I’d be able to protect him. And because of my arrogance, I lost him.

  Kaori remembered everything about that moment. How Hajime’s hand stretched out one last time, grasping at nothing, before he tumbled into the abyss. It was then that she had learned the true mean
ing of despair.

  But miraculously, Hajime had survived. And she’d been able to see him again. He hadn’t come back alone, though. By his side had been a golden-haired, crimson-eyed beauty.

  Kaori had been able to recover from the shock of losing Hajime once because Shizuku had been there for her. And because she’d been driven by the desire to see Hajime’s fate with her own two eyes. She’d taken her regrets, her anger, and her sorrow, and turned them into an ironclad will. She swore not to stop until she saw the truth for herself.

  However, after his return, everything changed. It was as if Kaori had lost him a second time. Hajime had transformed into a merciless monster that killed without hesitation.

  And he had a woman who loved him with all her heart by his side. She was someone who had the confidence to stand by him no matter what kind of person he was.

  Kaori’s heart was shattered this time. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t even understand herself, much less Hajime. All she could do was watch as events moved along, and he made preparations to leave again.

  Ironically, it was her rival that woke Kaori from her stupor. Yue’s harsh words were the catalyst that helped Kaori realize what it was she really wanted.

  Her implication that Kaori wasn’t even worth her consideration stoked the dimming fire within Kaori’s heart. Yue’s disdain angered Kaori more than even she realized. She wasn’t going to lose to this rude little girl, especially not when it came to Hajime. Insults she could take, but she refused to let Yue hold on to the title of the person that loved Hajime most. Plus, it wasn’t just that. Once Kaori looked at Hajime again with a clear mind, she realized he hadn’t really changed that much at all. There was a little girl who adored him like a father, a bunny girl who clearly loved him with all her heart, and even a perverted older lady who seemed happy to stay by his side.

  It was then she realized what she needed to do.

  Her feelings hadn’t been a lie after all.

  She could hold her head up high and charge forward with all her might.

  She could tell him the words she’d wanted to say for so long.

  “I love you.”

  You better prepare yourself, Hajime-kun. I won’t let you escape this time!

  Shirasaki Kaori, seventeen years old. Her specialty? Shock and awe.

  Afterword

  Thank you to everyone who purchased this book. Resident chuuni, Ryo Shirakome here.

  This volume was just packed with stuff. Myu made her first appearance, Kaori, our resident kind but scary stand user, got a lot more screen time, and a lot of the other students had their time in the spotlight.

  Hajime’s going to meet a lot more people, and grow quite a bit from here on out. I hope you look forward to seeing his next adventure.

  For those of you who’ve already read the web novel, all of the bits with... End... that one guy who no one remembers, are new, so check them out.

  And now for something completely different. I’d like to thank Takayaki, my wonderful illustrator, first and foremost. You always bring my stories to life. I’d also like to thank my editor, my proofreader, and all the wonderful people at the publishing division. Without you guys, this book wouldn’t exist.

  And lastly, a huge thank you to all of my readers. You’re amazing, all of you.

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  Copyright

  Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Vol. 4

  by Ryo Shirakome

  Translated by Ningen

  Edited by DxS

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2016 Ryo Shirakome

  Illustrations by Takaya-ki

  Cover illustration by Takaya-ki

  All rights reserved.

  Original Japanese edition published in 2016 by OVERLAP, Inc.

  This English edition is published by arrangement with OVERLAP, Inc., Tokyo

  English translation © 2017 J-Novel Club LLC

  J-Novel Club LLC

  j-novel.club

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Ebook edition 1.0: December 2017