Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

No one knew what was truly happening behind the scenes in Academy City.

Even Hachiman Hikigaya, now a RoboCop, wasn't privy to many details. He had to use his meager savings to support his family, and then...

The news was on TV, broadcasting a segment about Hachiman's award.

As the first security student to get shot in Academy City, he faced the interviews from various media outlets with a spirit of brimming enthusiasm.

[...I, Hachiman Hikigaya, am just a student. That I could make it here today is all thanks to my burning passion and personal struggle. This achievement is the fruit of my individual efforts alone...]

[...Of course I was terrified at the time, but I thought of my dear classmates! I thought of the kind citizens! I thought of my colleagues on the front lines! I thought of my family's earnest hopes! I thought of the patient teachings of my leaders and teachers...]

[...And so, I resolutely charged forward and grappled fiercely with the criminals...]

Komachi turned off the TV with a blank expression.

Honestly, as a middle school girl, she was thoroughly disgusted by her brother's "impassioned" speech.

"Onii-chan, how did you manage to act so convincingly? If it weren't for your now-decently-handsome face, you probably would have made those reporters sick."

"It's not like I wanted to..." Hachiman explained to his sister, his face ashen.

You think your brother wanted to say all that? The higher-ups specifically instructed me to stick to the script. The goal was to have me say those exact words. I heard the biggest leader in Academy City deliberately arranged it, but I have no proof. It was just a hint from one of the lower-level leaders.

Hachiman really didn't want to say any of that.

But it was a press conference, and he was the designated puppet being pushed forward by the top brass. Could he refuse? Of course not!

Someone had to be the one to spew all that nauseating drivel.

Damn it, how did Academy City become so corrupt right after it was built! It's so decadent! This has to be dealt with a heavy fist!

The kid was getting a little ahead of himself, even thinking he could take on Bronya Zaychik.

But Hachiman quickly came back to his senses, plopping down on his bed. As his rear end hit the metal bedframe, it made the distinct clang of metal on metal.

Clearly, the guy was wearing iron shorts.

He had already sacrificed his pants more than once. To protect his future while on a meager salary, Hachiman had resorted to wearing iron shorts, which required a bit of sheet metal work to restore their shape when needed.

If it weren't for the fact that his new... appendage... had sufficient elasticity, Hachiman worried it would pop out and break right through the metal.

How could he face people after that? He had reported the issue, and his superiors had already informed Dr. Tesla, saying they would help find someone to make him a more durable pair of fiber shorts. It was a guarantee that he wouldn't embarrass the security team when he went out.

I wonder when this kind of life will end.

Hachiman still felt that the automatic erections were unreasonable. Only after doing some research did he learn that a normal male experiences several subconscious erections a day, averaging around a dozen or so.

On this one matter, that person had been exceptionally faithful to scientific accuracy.

The thing he created was just too realistic.

He'd nearly lost his dignity as an older brother in front of Komachi. Thankfully, after discovering the problem, he'd sent Komachi to stay with their parents.

"Onii-chan, what about Mom and Dad's jobs?"

"I've already spoken to my superiors. They can get temporary office jobs for now. Whether they want to continue in the future is up to them."

Hachiman felt no guilt about using his official connections. In fact, he took it for granted as compensation for being a tool and a pawn. Like any mature adult, he quickly accepted this "shady" deal.

If you want to send someone to the battlefield, you'd better make sure their family is taken care of.

In this regard, Academy City was far more humane than the Far East Self-Defense Forces.

He had also learned about some troubles from his parents and was trying to figure out how to deal with them.

A severe divide had formed among the civil servants in Academy City. There was significant friction between the original local staff from Nagazora City and the new batch of recruits.

This new batch had the backing of Academy City's research institutes, and they were all, without exception, beneficiaries of biological modification.

Whether it was their proficiency with Stigma and battlesuits or their personal stamina, they completely outclassed the original civil servants of Nagazora City.

The largest expenditures in Academy City went to teachers, followed by public medical and security personnel. The rest went to what people would typically consider the civil service.

And this divide had spread through every corner of these three sectors.

It started in the schools, then spread to the security teams, followed by the medical field, and has now finally infected the civil service system.

Hachiman had learned something strange from his parents. They heard their seniors bragging about how people who used to complain and disobey had, for some reason, suddenly gone quiet and subservient, as if they had completely submitted.

But seeing their own son get shot on the street, Hachiman's parents felt things might not be so simple. They thought they'd ask their son if he knew of any other possibilities.

To say the waters here were deep was an understatement.

According to his textbooks, both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were vast and complex, like oceans. Hachiman wasn't sure if there was a problem, but with his family's safety on the line, he had to pull himself together and get to work.

He didn't consider himself a man of action, so for something like this, he needed to find a professional.

Hachiman opened his phone's contact list and found the name [Horikita Manabu].

Indeed, professional problems required professional solutions. What was the most important thing to have in this world? You think it was the "personal struggle" he'd talked about on TV?

Of course not. It was his network of contacts.

"Komachi, I'm heading out for a bit. If you head home, remember to lock the door. And find something to do, go play somewhere, but don't go anywhere dangerous. Maybe check out the new school."

Komachi, head down and playing on her phone, just grunted in agreement.

He didn't pay much attention to what his sister was doing and walked straight out the door.

[Shirogane-nii-san, my brother said he'd help me switch schools. Can you show me around the schools nearby?]

Komachi... was indeed seriously looking for a school.