Are we there yet? I really don’t want to be here… What is up with the heavy atmosphere in this car? Why is no one saying anything? Was the harbor always so far away? I may have gone there once when I was younger, but I don’t remember much. The harbor is on the other end of the city compared to the House of Imaginary Boundaries, I know that much. But since we entered the highway, it shouldn’t take that long to get there, right? I really hope so… I want out of this awkward ride.

Katja was the one sitting behind the driver’s wheel. Her calm yet serious look reflected on the rear-view mirror. She was focused on the road, and that’s pretty much it. When I saw her drive that pickup truck before, I wasn’t sure why she was allowed to drive. Was it because we were on private property? Well, we’re on a public road right now, so that clears up things. She must have some kind of special permission due to our line of work. Good for her.

Sitting next to Katja was Hecate. If I shifted around in my seat, I was able to catch a peek at her through the mirror. But whenever I did, Hecate would spot me, and our eyes would cross. She wasn’t too happy with my presence, so she was keeping her eye on me. It got kinda scary after she noticed me three times in a row, so I learned my lesson. I don’t need to look at her face right now. I’ll just stay put back here. Hopefully she forgets I exist for now. We can clear things up later, after Carol’s safe, and she has calmed down.

Narumi next to me could be the one to break some of the tension. But she’s resting against the door, tapping away at her phone while looking bored. She’s always kinda goofy and so talkative… Why did she have to go quiet now? That reminds me. I’ve seen Katja’s weapon before. I saw Hecate’s weapon up close just now. Too close, might I add. Narumi’s the only one left out of everyone here. I wonder what her weapon looks like. Katja’s looked like a normal sword, but Hecate turned a briefcase into a sniper. Which camp does Narumi’s weapon fall into? Is it also something crazy? Ughh… I could just ask, but I don’t want to be the one breaking the silence… It’s too awkward…

Then, there’s me. Sitting in the back next to Narumi. Feeling nervous. That’s it. That’s all I do. The car’s atmosphere is one thing, but there is a good reason for me to be nervous. I’m heading somewhere I’ve barely seen before to fight some monster I don’t know anything about. No matter how much I joke around, this is the real deal.

Ever since I’ve joined the House of Imaginary Boundaries, they told me that one day, if my training went well, I’d be joining the rest of the girls on the frontlines. That day is now. I’ve always had other reasons to fight, but officially speaking, all my training was to fight alongside them like this. Carol is the main thing on my mind, but this really is my first mission, huh? I might have been shaking right now if it wasn’t for my experience with Ririna in the valley. I’m sure it won’t be as bad as that, so I just need to prove myself and show them what I’ve learned. I’m pretty confident I can do that.

How different would this ride be if I went to the House earlier? Could I have stopped Carol? Would she be here with us? Maybe the mood wouldn’t be so heavy. I really shouldn’t have holed myself up in my room for so long… But now’s not the time for this… We’re gonna be arriving at the harbor soon, so it’s time to focus. At least we should be arriving soon… I can’t wait to get out of this car…

Again, I ask, are we there yet?

…

The answer is yes, actually! Maybe it wasn’t a yes right when I last asked, but it is now. We’ve arrived. Everyone quickly gets out the car and rushes to take out all their stuff. My sword and these clothes are all I have, so I take a look around. Is Carol nearby?

The sun’s setting down in the distance behind a very large ship ahead of us. Half the many warehouses and buildings of the harbor are covered in shadow despite the sky holding onto its warm orange color. To our right, the water in the ocean crashes against the cement rather violently. The waves are few, but they’re big enough to splash the land above. I’ll have to be careful not to slip.

I looked back to the car, and everyone was more or less ready. “Are we gonna look for Carol?” The girls were exchanging some words, nodding to each other, and narrowing down the strategy.

Katja turned to me and answered with a tense look. “No, we can’t. First and foremost, our job is to fight and clear any monsters that may appear near the portal. That’s our duty. We can’t all look for Carol.”

We can’t look for Carol? “Wait. What does that mean?”

“We have to split up. Our priority is to ensure the safety of the harbor, and we’ll be in a lot of trouble later if we can’t do that. That being said, Carol’s really important, so Narumi’s gonna go off on her own while we stand guard. Don’t worry, Iroha. If Carol’s nearby, Narumi will find her for sure.”

So that’s how it is… Is Narumi really going to be able to find Carol? I really wanted to join the search, but maybe it’s fine to leave it to Narumi. They all care a lot about each other, so I know she’ll do her best to find her. The House works for some government thing, so I can’t jeopardize their future with my selfishness. “We’re splitting up then. I understand.” Katja nodded with a pleased smile.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Narumi turned her back to us and got into a position to run. “Leave it to me! I’ll find Carol and bring her back safely. This time is my turn, Iroha.” Narumi shot me a wink over her shoulder. “I’ll join you when I’m done.” Narumi waved her hand and sprinted into the jungle of warehouses. We’re counting on you.

“Shinji got us permission to enter the building behind me, so I’ll be setting things up there.” Hecate pointed at the tallest warehouse in the area. I see… She has a sniper, so she needs a place up high to support us. “I’ll be praying for your success, and Iroha, I have my eye on you. Don’t disappoint me.”

“I’ll do my best…” After sending a chill down my spine, Hecate turned back and climbed the building’s service stairs up to the rooftop with her briefcase in hand. Is there any monster scarier than having her cover my back? I kinda hope so.

“Before we head off, remember how we’ve told you we work with the government, Iroha?” It was just me and Katja left near the car now.

“Yeah…? What about it?”

“Let me explain our connection with them better. We work directly with a government branch called the Paranormal Security Forces. PSF, for short. They’re tasked with everything related to the portals. From fighting the monsters, to the cleanup afterwards.”

“Okay…” So they’re the ones who would dissect me alive if they caught me… Not sure why she’s bringing this up now, but… “Good to know.”

“I’m telling you this because they’ve already evacuated everyone near the harbor. There shouldn’t be any civilians around here anymore, so it’s unlikely that we’re gonna be rescuing anyone. All we need to do is buy time and prevent any monster from leaving the restricted area.”

“Buy time? For what? Are we not even supposed to fight monsters?” If so, I feel bad for Katja and the others. All that training and strength, and they’re not even allowed to fight?

“That’s not what I meant. The PSF fighters take longer than us to be deployed. Our task is considered a success if we can prevent an escalation of the problem before their arrival. We’re just a team of five even after you’ve joined us. It’s unreasonable for them to expect us to kill hundreds of monsters on our own.” Is it? I think I could handle one thousand. Just depends on the type of monster. “On the flip side, if the problem is small enough that we can handle it on our own, no one’s gonna complain if we solve things before the PSF shows up.”

“In order words, we can have as much fun as we want before they arrive.” I kinda like it… If the enemy’s weak, we get to have fun. If it’s strong, we buy time and dump the problem on someone else. Maybe the House doesn’t always get the short end of the stick.

Katja chuckled at my words. “You may be right, but saying that is too cocky for a rookie like you. Try that again when you’re able to run a full marathon.”

“I don’t know about running, but when it comes to fighting, I think I might make the cut.”

Katja shook her head with a smile. She was expecting to see me cowering, trembling at the prospect of messing up during my first mission. “Someone’s confident today. That’s good to see.” I can say whatever I want, but I’m still a bit nervous. There’s a good chance that the monsters, if there are any, will be weaklings. But the opposite could also be true. It just depends on their levels and their numbers. We’re going in blind, and that’s what scares me the most. “Are you ready, then, Iroha? Let’s head to the location where the portal is.”

Katja started running, and I followed her lead. After a few minutes and passing by many warehouses, we were just about to arrive at the spot. “Hide.” Katja stopped as she said and pulled me with her to behind the corner of a warehouse.

“Did you see something?” She lifted her index finger in front of her lips and poked her head out. What the hell did she see? I followed her lead and poked around the corner as well. “That’s…”

“Yeah… Seems like this portal wasn’t a dud.”

Illuminated by the faint glow in the sky, a group of monsters was gathering near a ledge. They climbed out of the water one by one. Those are… quite disgusting, actually. What are they? Fish monsters? Fish people? Somewhere between those two things. They were shaped like humans, but their bodies were covered in scales. Their hands and feet were webbed, and they all had a tail with fins. Same fins found on their limbs and back. Their face was the worst part. Like the head of a fish molded and twisted into a human shape. Yeah… No thanks… The water still on their blue and white, translucent scales glistened with an orange tint, reflecting the light from the sky.

That’s what we’re gonna be fighting, huh? They don’t look that strong. They look kinda clumsy when they come out of the water. Like a child still learning how to walk. They all carry weathered weapons with them. Rudimentary swords, spears… hooks? Long stick with a hook at the end? That’s what passes as a weapon for them?

Well, if that’s it, fighting them is gonna be a breeze. By looks alone, I fought stronger monsters back in the other world. Wait… I need to hold back… I almost forgot. Katja’s with me, and Hecate is supposedly keeping an eye on me… If I do anything too flashy, I’m gonna get a bullet to my back. How much do I need to hold back then? No running on walls, no Slash Flurry… What else? I guess the best thing to do is to avoid using any active skills. I’ll just fight normally and minimize my skill usage. That should work.

“Are we attacking them, Katja?”

“We are. They’re still organizing, so let’s take them by surprise. Mind your surroundings and focus on survival. If I end up needing to cover for you, that’s the end of our fight. I won’t be able to continue while keeping you safe.”

Focus on survival, huh? Flanne and Sarasa had to cover for me in the Forest of Illusion. I can’t make the same mistake. “Got it. I’ll be careful.” Things are much different compared to back then. Katja’s directions make the situation much less stressful than with the pumpkin monster. It’s much more efficient… if it ends up working.

“Wait a few seconds before moving. Good luck, Iroha.” With that, Katja jumped out from cover and dashed to the dozens of fish creatures standing near the water.

Before they even react to what’s going on, Katja cuts down the first enemy with a diagonal slash. They’re confused. Beyond the first monster’s body, another creature slowly turns around, searching for the source of the slicing sound. Katja skewers its head with thrust. The group is now aware of the threat. They lost two members in less than a second. A moment of panic allows Katja to pull her sword out and decapitate a third monster. Now they’re in position. Now they’re ready to fight. Three monsters down before the fight even begins? Not a bad start for Katja.

The monsters turned to Katja, weapons clutched and pointing at her. Unaware that she was not alone. It’s my turn now! With their attention focused on her, I rushed with my sword drawn. I put my strength into a slash and take the first one down from behind. It’s a weird sensation. Their scales are hard, offering some resistance in the moment of impact, but then the sword glides like they’re made out of butter. Well, at least it doesn’t take much to kill them. I was scared Katja was making it look easy because she was just that strong, but they’re the ones who are weak.

The group panicked once more, their attention split between Katja and me. Which one was the real threat? Both! I stepped up to my next target, who held its spear sideways for protection. I slashed through its body and spear with a single slash. Too shallow… A follow-up, and I finish it off! With that, no more element of surprise. I got one less than her, huh? That’s too bad.

The monsters hurriedly organized into a formation with their backs towards the water. Behind them, other monsters jumped out of the water with a splash. They clung onto the ledge before mantling up to the ground. They have reinforcements? How many of them are there? This might not be so easy…

Two more got up to the surface and joined the formation. A third one was slowly lifting itself up, when…

*Bang!*

Hecate! A bullet hit its head and sent it back into the water from whence it came. Hecate has opened fire. She’s in position. The fish monsters are in position. Me and Katja are in position. This is it then. The fight starts now!