Chapter 76 - GOD DAMNIT, APHASIA!

Riko Hatake's POV

It's currently after school in the afternoon.

I had a short trip with Kakashi.

We're just hunting some monsters outside the village.

A giant serpent or a giant bat and other kinds of those.

Of course, only the ones with little to no intelligence.

Those who are humanoids are far away at the land of voids after all.

「Good job.」

This praise comes from Kakashi after I severed a giant serpent in pieces with steel threads.

≪Experience points have reached the fixed amount. Oni Lv1 became Oni Lv2 ≫

-every basic ability increased.

-skill proficiency level up bonus received.

≪Proficiency reached, skill 『Illusionist Lv1』 became 『Illusionist Lv2』≫

≪Experience points have reached the fixed amount. Oni Lv2 became Oni Lv3≫

-every basic ability increased.

-skill proficiency level up bonus received.

≪Proficiency reached, skill 『Universal Thread Lv2』 became 『Universal Thread Lv3』≫

≪Experience points have reached the fixed amount. Oni Lv3 became Oni Lv4≫

-every basic ability increased.

-skill proficiency level up bonus received.

≪Proficiency reached, skill 『Universal Detect Lv2』 became 『Universal Detect Lv3』≫

After that, I look at him whilst pointing at the dead monsters.

「Cook…Food.」

This damn Aphasia…

「…There should be a small town not far away from here, we'll get something to eat there later, okay?」

But to his response, I shook my head.

「Hnng… Not enough Magicules, Riko…is not human. 」

To this broken speech, He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, but soon it changes to a frown.

「You can't eat normal food? Do you need to eat Monsters? Are you really hungry right now? 」

His eyes are glinting with worries.

Oh, this goddamned aphasia…

Telepathy!

'The more Magicules a monster has, the more chance it has to evolve. I don't necessarily need to eat Monsters meat to live, but that is also the reason why the humans have not adapted to gain internal Magicules and are susceptible towards Magicule poisoning'

Kakashi flinched at this sudden thought transmission.

After he pondered my words for a while, he then speaks up.

「…Then…This eye you gave me this eyes-」

'Yes, a form of Magicules reserve. Your body has also changed to which might be the reason why you have not experienced Magicule poisoning yet.'

「…Sigh* you worry me for nothing…」

Ah? You were "worried"?

Thinking that, I once again pointed to the dead monster.

「Eat.」

Looking at my actions, he sighed once again.

「…do you even know how to cook these…things?」

Well, yes.

≪Proficiency reached, skill 『Telepathy Lv1』 became 『Telepathy Lv2』.≫

.

.

.

Umu. Learning Dōton moves are fine and all, but using hand signs and circulating chakra takes too much time.

Therefore, I just simply applied them to manipulate some rocks.

And finally creating a giant pot as cookware.

I stir the soup inside the giant pot of the giant headless taratects and serpent Nabe with a long stick.

While beside me, is the dumbfounded Kakashi with an eye-bulging eye on his bewildered expression.

2 hours later, that Nabe is gone.

I land my gaze onto the mountains of monster's bones behind us.

Even though Kakashi has his mask on, His face is telling us that he's still deciding whether to eat that spider leg and serpent meat or not.

Well, I won't judge him. Personally, I too, will get bewildered after a sudden change of common sense.

But it looks like we're eating a mid-boss summon which gave him quite the confusion after experiencing this.

Finally, he opened his mask.

Ah yes. I've seen his bare face more than a time now.

「Is it good?」

I asked this to the Kakashi who still have a steaming bowl of monster Nabe in his hand.

「Well, it's not bad.」

Ego +1

Umu. Of course, it's not bad! I'm a great cook after all!

Now that our stomachs are satisfied and I've leveled up properly, I guess it's time to go back…

After selling some of the monsters' body parts to a "Guild" that's APPARENTLY quite expensive, we went home and call it a day.

Yes, there are "Guilds" now.

They even use the term "adventures" instead of mercenaries all over the places.

I believe it is the work of Anima.

Maa~ I have nothing against it so, I'll let slide for now.

.

.

.

The next day…

「My name is Kamiya Yggdrasil, please take care of me, everyone!」

This line was delivered by a blondie with western casual clothes in front of our non-existent class.

To which…

「Woaah another ikemen!」

Such along those lines came from the girls. Of course, except me.

Shino sensei then explains how Kamiya's situation is.

Having sent here by the Daimyo himself, and shares the same sure name as him…

No… rather than a Daimyo, I heard that tree became an emperor instead of a daimyo.

The system is kinda simpler rather than the other countries.

The Spirit emperor rules over the land of void and he has the final say over every single thing.

And Kokuugakure is the Military of their country.

So anyway, I could already guess Kamiya's name doesn't have anything to do with his status right now but…

「Kyaa~ He's a dazzling prince~!」

Right.

His surname causes the girl's to misunderstood him…

.

.

.

On the way home from school, I along with Kuro and Kamiya rushed out of the school before anything could happen.

「Those two are always being caught up in unusual events aren't they?」

Kuro stated this as we walk leisurely on our way home.

However, as if the god of "protagonist" smiling mischievously at us…

「U-UAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!」

… what the he-

「What's that?! 」

Kamiya exclaimed.

「Wanna go check it out?」

Kuro stated while still grinning.

Then, before I could say anything, these two basically dragged me by my hands.

OI! IF YOU WANT TO CHECK THAT OUT, CHECK IT BY YOURSELF!!

.

.

.

『Partial Expansion Jutsu!』(Cho-cho)

「What's she doing to that timid-looking guy?! Hey! Don't be so violent!」

.

.

.

「So this is the guy you've been talking about?」

「That's right. 」

「Hm? Come to think of it, you're…」

「You know him?」

「I'm pretty sure he's Magire from the class next door. With so few handsome guys in the Academy, I'd say he'd rank towards the top.」

As we landed near the source of that scream, we looks at the trouble maker trio and the girls who are now surrounding a guy as if he is a thief that just got caught.

Otto- they noticed us.

「If I remember correctly you guys are…」

Right, we always evaded socializing, no wonder THE Boruto himself failed to recognize us…

「Ehhh!? Why are both ikemen of our class with Riko-chan~!?」

Such words were screamed by Chocho.

Just by these reactions, I already know that I would be dragged into situations I won't like.

Therefore…

Turning back my heels quickly, I was ready to dash out before Kuro teleported behind me and hold me back.

「Now now Riko, they might think you're avoiding them like this you know?」

「That's right, Riko-chan, that'll ruin your image!」

To these words, I exclaimed back.

「Riko IS avoiding them!」

I try to find an opening to escape their blocks.

「Don't say that, aren't they also our friends?」

Kuro asked again.

「Riko doesn't care! Riko will go home, take a bath, and sleep!」

I exclaimed the longest sentence I've said today, completely ignoring the bewildered classmates and stalker behind us.

.

.

.

「Let's do this again, Riko-chan~」

Responding to the black-haired devil, I voiced out my thoughts.

「Riko Hatake.」

I answered flatly.

They were expecting more of it, but I just stayed silent.

「IE IE IE(NO NO NO) ONLY THAT!? YOU ONLY TOLD US THAT AND YOUR AGE THE FIRST TIME WE MET! WHY IS IT GETTING SHORTER NOW!?」

This is Boruto's exclamation.

「Riko…don't know what to say…」

Thus, I stated.

「W-well, Riko…-san, for instance, why not state your likes and dislikes?」

Surprisingly, those words were stated by the stalker who was just somehow dragged into this conversation.

「「「Why are you joining this!?」」」

Was the other's reaction, but before they can get back at exposing the stalker, I speak up.

「(Iya da) Don't wanna.」

「「「「「Eh!?」」」」」

And successfully turned their attention back at me.

「They're going to poison Riko's favorite food.」

Sternly, I stated.

「「「「「「…」」」」」」

Which made them successfully speechless…

Though, I see ChoCho the Akimichi girl is nodding her head in agreement after pondering my words for a while.

「Riko-chan… If you don't want to tell us what you like maybe tell us your dream? What do you want to be when you grow up? 」

These words are voiced out by the blonde phantom, Kamiya.

「…Riko… don't have one yet.」

At this point, they look at me helplessly.

I can't help it can't I!? What am I supposed to say I want to grow strong and come back to my wife (Rimuru) in another world!?

「This… can actually be hard huh…? 」

Shikadai Nara grumbled under his breath.

「W-w-Well, what about hobbies? Rather, we're your friends. We won't poison your food in the first place…」

This sentence along with the stuttering was voiced by none other than the Class Representative Sumire-san.

Hobbies huh?

If it was me in the past, I would say I loved collecting souls and feeding them off my demon lord seed.

But now…

I could properly sleep, I properly get hungry, I exercise with Kakashi once in a while too, I also love to experiment with this world's somehow different magic or pathway-less Ninjutsu…

That means…

「Hobbies… Riko, has many!」

I exclaimed that whilst showing them a rare smile on my face.

Which made them somehow smile back after getting a bit surprised.

CLAP*

「Yosh! That means you'll know what to do, right, Riko-chan?」

The demon with black hair asks me after clapping both of his hands.

「Un!」

「Then let's do this one last time!」

I breathe in.

And out…

Then finally let out a voice.

「Riko is Riko Hatake」

Yosh, the first line completed…

「Riko's likes and dislikes… Riko doesn't want to share!」

Is that good? It's supposed to be fine right?

Eh!? Why are you looking at me like that!?

No matter… let's just continue!

「Riko's dream… Riko never really thought about it.」

E-ehhh!? Why are you guys making a helpless face!? Don't stare at me like that!

「And Riko's hobbies is…」

At last, I reached this point…

They stared patiently for what am I gonna say next.

Wait… which one should I say?

I don't want these guys to think I'm girly… if I said I loved to train, wouldn't they just lump me with metal?

No no no… should I say I like to do experiments with Kakashi's eyeballs? NO THAT'S EVEN WORSE!

What should I say?! What should I say?!

「Riko has a lot of hobbies!」

There ya go! Perfect introduction! Good job, me! Way to go, me!

BRAKK*

EHH??? Why did you guys fall down!?

My worries were responded with a rage of a Boruto.

「TTE-! ISN'T THAT JUST THE SAME AS TELLING US YOUR NAME!?」 (Boruto)

「ARE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING, GIRL!?」 (ChoCho)

「Riko… too many hobbies. Riko doesn't know what to say. 」

「OI OI! EVEN I COULD AT LEAST DO AN INTRODUCTION PROPERLY! WE CAN BARELY EVEN UNDERSTAND YOU! 」

This, surprisingly, was exclaimed by Magire the stalker from before.

OI! IT'S NOT MY FAULT I HAVE APHASIA ALRIGHT! Well maybe it is since I picked 『Playful』skill with the skill points I have, but I can't help it!

「You… can't understand Riko…」

I finally stated.

「「IT'S NOT US, YOU'RE JUST SUCK AT IT!」」

Eh…?

Ah… now that I think about it, wasn't my intro just now sound like Kakashi's in the past?

Uh-oh…

Well, I've tried…

I'm done.

Shouldn't have done this in the first place...

「Riko tried her best…」

Whilst looking down, I murmured this in a low voice.

I Should've resisted more when the two monsters tried to drag me here.

「E-eh!?」

That was their reaction after looking at my state.

.

Shouldn't have let Kuro take me to Shino-sensei's outrage plot…

.

「Riko really tried her best…」 to avoid all of you canon troubles.

.

Should've just denied it more when Kakashi tried to enroll me into this These Trouble Breeder Reactor of academy…

.

「Riko…Really REALLY tried her best…」 to finish this as soon as possible, so I could go home and relax...

Yet... 「Why…? 」

「Ahhh~ you both made her cry.」 Sarada who has been silent said.

「You boys really are the worst!」 (ChoCho complained

「R-ri-riko-chan, don't cry!!」Ms. class representative said this.

「Oi oi… apologize to her immediately, Boruto. 」 The Nara speak up.

「I know that, I going to do it now-ttebasa!」

「I wonder what is making her sad…」 Mitsuki murmured this under his breath.

Ignoring the panicking classmates, before anyone can call out to me…

『Illusionist!』

I executed the unique skill and cast an illusion on my body as it is now shown to be transparent.

And with that, I fled from the canons.

LIFE HAS GIVEN RIKO A WAY TO AVOID CANONS! RIKO IS FREEE!!

「Wait, Riko! 」

In the distance, Kuro shouted at me.

Looks like he still can see me, no. It's Magic sense, he also has it.

.

.

.

「Looks like we teased her a little too far, huh? 」

「Maa~ looks like we won't be able to cure her communication disorder for now. For now, at least. 」

「Oi oi, you're still at it?」

「 It's what friends do. And besides, I know just how to bait her out.」

「…Don't treat her like a pet or some sort… you really never changed huh, Kuro.」

.

.

.

To be continued.