Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

Well now, a normal person like Brother Hachi, with parents, a sister, and even a cat—all present and accounted for—was far better off.

That was a genuine existence that our Crown Princess of Academy City could only envy for a lifetime.

But these family members were also causing Hachiman Hikigaya a great deal of trouble.

'Why! Why! I'm your flesh and blood! Even if I'm just a big head now, I'm still your beloved child!'

"Here, Shirogane, have some more."

"That's right, I can't believe you got into a research institute on your own merits. You're so much more capable than Hachiman."

"Shirogane-niisan, let's hang out again next time!"

'Next time?! When was the last time?'

A chill ran down Hachiman's spine. He felt his position in the family was in jeopardy.

Shirogane first politely declined, then explained, "I really have something to discuss with Hikigaya. As for hanging out, let's wait until your brother has some free time."

"Huh?" Komachi glanced at Hachiman and sighed. "My brother's a lost cause. He just holes up at home after work. He's got a handsome new face but still has those dead-fish eyes, and he can't find a girlfriend... Why is that?"

Komachi didn't understand. Was her brother really fated to be alone?

But even if he had no luck with women, it didn't matter. Her brother could live a very long time, long enough to see her get married and grow old without any problems.

"No... sigh..."

Shirogane Miyuki hadn't come here to discuss family matters.

He looked at Hachiman with a troubled expression.

Shirogane really did have important business to discuss, but he never expected that a friend visiting Hachiman's house would receive such a grand welcome.

It was just too absurd. Hachiman, how many lifetimes has it been since you last made a friend?

After a slightly awkward dinner, Hachiman finally had a chance to talk business with Shirogane.

"When did you and Komachi hook up?"

"Something big is about to happen in Academy City!"

They both blurted out their questions at the same time, then looked at each other with complicated expressions.

'I think I misunderstood.' Hachiman was so embarrassed he could have dug himself a hole to live in.

'Maybe I shouldn't have come to him about this?' Shirogane's heart was in turmoil.

After a moment of awkward silence, Shirogane spoke up. "I sent you a text message. Didn't you see it?"

"What? I thought it was a routine care-and-concern message from the phone company."

Hachiman quickly pulled out his phone and scrolled through it, finally finding Shirogane's message, which had been buried under a pile of notifications from his carrier.

"You idiot..."

Shirogane suspected that his promotion had gone to his head, and he was no longer willing to share his good fortune with his brothers. Shouldn't he have brought his family cat to the City Guard to be the new Sergeant Black Cat?

Your parents became civil servants, your sister got into a good school. Surely the family cat deserved some benefits too.

Hachiman had no idea his image in his good friend's mind had sunk so low.

"What's happening in Academy City? How could it be something I, the Chief of the City Guard, don't know about?"

Brother Hachi was a little nervous. The two most well-informed places in this region were the major research institutes and the Valkyrie training headquarters.

He naturally couldn't ignore a message from Shirogane Miyuki.

"Dr. Tesla isn't in Academy City at all. I'm not sure about the others, but most of the Board of Directors' members are probably not in the city either."

Shirogane Miyuki truly was Hachiman's little informant. He started off with a bombshell.

"Wait, how can you tell?"

Hachiman wondered how, after being the City Guard Chief for so long, he had failed to notice that most of the city's directors were gone.

"I won't even mention Dr. Tesla. I haven't seen Professor Yang from Anti-Entropy patrolling around those dangerous living organisms in a long time. I'm not sure about the Valkyries, but I'm sure we'll hear something soon."

Shirogane calculated step by step. "And Director Cocolia, who used to appear frequently, has reduced her public appearances. Raiden Ryoma has vanished as if he evaporated into thin air. Don't you think these are all signs that something big is about to happen?"

Hachiman hesitated for a moment. "Could they have gone on a team-building trip?"

"Team-building my foot! The public opinion in the countries outside is getting worse and worse towards Academy City, can't you see? Dr. Tesla is a Herrscher, you know? A Herrscher! A walking nuclear bomb. She has to inform every country in advance whenever she leaves, telling them that a nuke will be setting foot on their soil."

Shirogane was getting agitated. The last time he had seen such a dangerous lineup was a year ago. He didn't want Academy City to fall into chaos again.

Hachiman sucked in a breath of cold air. Even without a real scalp, he could feel the tingling sensation of his nerves going haywire.

He was right. Shirogane was absolutely right.

"You have a point. The head of our City Guard also suddenly had something come up and handed the personnel authority over to a useless chief like me."

Hachiman couldn't help but get up and pace around the room. He realized just how serious the problem Shirogane was talking about was.

The outside world was hostile towards Academy City, and the city's powerful figures had suddenly disappeared en masse.

These people were like walking nuclear bombs, and there was no news of any official visits or diplomatic exchanges.

What was this?

This was the prelude to a disaster!

At this moment, the heart that had been hanging in Hachiman's chest was finally about to drop.

"Could it be... that my meteoric rise is finally coming to an end?" Hachiman was both scared and excited. He would no longer have to endure this life of pretending to be competent when he clearly wasn't.

"I'm about to return to my normal high school life!"

Shirogane looked at his slightly crazed friend, wondering how just being an official for a year could change a person so much.

"I say, shouldn't you first consider surviving the crisis that's about to erupt? Look at the last Herrscher. Do you think you can handle that? Is your mechanical body really that trustworthy?"

Hachiman snapped back to reality. "You're right," he said gravely. "It seems I must keep a close watch on Academy City and deal with any disturbances at the first sign of trouble."

Only then did Shirogane feel a sense of relief. This was why he had come to find Hachiman.

If Academy City fell, everyone's lives would be ruined. The good pay at the research institute, his family's comfortable life—it would all be over.

What they didn't know yet was that Academy City wasn't in conflict with any country. Rather, His Majesty the Emperor was preparing to visit a parallel world to see if he could create a new Herrscher.

And under the joint leadership of Overseer Otto and Sovereign Yang, the future of Academy City would surely be prosperous and as solid as a fortress!!