The infinite water gourd of Lord Azhar came in clutch. I returned to the seventh circle, took it out, and wedged it into a crack I'd created in the wall at an angle.

  When was the last time I showered?

  I raised my head, letting the water pour over me. Opened my mouth and drank straight from my makeshift shower head.

  The water tasted incredible.

  'Ahh... Right...' I closed my eyes under the cool stream, rubbing at my skin—which was relatively clean even before I started.

  'I haven't drunk water in over ten months. Just potions... and relying on my Dark Soul.'

  I scrubbed everywhere. I wasn't dirty at all. Not sweaty, not grimy. With my high DEX, I'd avoided every zombie particle, and I'd only just revived not long ago. And since I'd barely exerted myself in the sixth circle, there was no sweat.

  But there was one thing that was different...

  My hair. It reached my shoulders now. I could feel the weight of it more clearly when it was wet.

  Shortly after, I walked over to the clothes and armor I'd discarded before killing myself. It just occurred to me that I'd cleared the sixth level completely naked.

  I washed everything and laid it out to dry near a torch I'd brought from the 8th circle.

  In time, my clothes dried.

  My high-school socks. My shoes. My pants, t-shirt, and buttoned uniform.

  I put them on again. They smelled... neutral. Bland. And they fit my body perfectly; all in pristine condition. Overgear sure is useful.

  'If this skill is what I think it means, then I'll probably appear in my classroom. How long has it been? Ten months here? More due to isekai time dilation or something? Less?'

  All I knew was that I had to return.

  To at least see that she's okay.

  I took a deep breath as I took out the stone from my inventory.

  Item: Recess

  Rank: Unobtainable (EX+)

  Description: Break to return to your original world for 3 hours. When the time is up, you will be transported back to {Crucibulum} to the spot where you broke the stone.

  [Note: Location will NOT be saved in your Dungeon Gateway skill!]

  And just like that...

  ...I broke it.

  Everything went dark.

  Light.

  Blinding, natural light.

  Not torch light. Not the dull glow of dungeon corridors.

  Sunlight.

  I blinked, raising my hand instinctively to shield my eyes.

  My desk. My classroom. Row three, seat by the window.

  I was sitting.

  {[Recess (EX+)] is currently in effect!}

  [Locations will not be saved for the remainder of this effect's DURATION.]

  ‘Fuck, I get it already. It’s not like I can do anything with ‘saved locations’ or whatever that is.’

  ‘Anyway…’

  [EFFECT: Recess is Active!]

  {[DURATION: 2:59:54] Until [Recess] is over!}

  The chair creaked under my weight. I was heavier, after all.

  I looked around slowly, letting my eyes adjust.

  The classroom was... empty. Deserted. Dust motes drifted through the afternoon sun streaming through the windows. The chalkboard was clean. Chairs were pushed in. Bags were gone.

  But the desks weren't empty.

  Flowers. Photos. Handwritten notes.

  Memorials.

  A manga stack on Sato's chair.

  Several bouquets of flowers on Rinas.

  Same for Takeshi's seat...

  ... And even Kazuya. That was a given, though.

  Every desk had one. Small shrines for students who'd disappeared.

  '... Safe to say that the same time passed for both worlds... I think. I hope.'

  I stood slowly, my chair scraping against the floor. It was only then that I looked down to my desk.

  It had flowers too. Freshly wilted ones. And an envelope titled:

  "Please come back. - Mom"

  I stared at it for a long moment. There must be a note inside.

  ‘... No time to read it right now. I’m not sure how lengthy it’ll be.’

  I took it and simply placed it in my pocket. As if I forgot about my inventory skill.

  I walked to the window.

  The school grounds spread out below. Students in gym uniforms running laps. I recognized some of them. A soccer game on the field. Trees rustling in the wind. Clear blue sky stretching endlessly overhead.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  I opened the window.

  Fresh air hit my face. Cool. Clean. No rot. No blood. No damp stone.

  I could hear laughter. Shouting. The hum of car engines passing by. The distant thud of a ball being kicked.

  ‘Normal.’

  Everything was so... normal.

  I stood there, hands on the windowsill, breathing it in.

  The sun on my skin. The wind in my now-long hair. The sounds of life.

  '...Huh.' I nodded, closed the window and turned away.

  'Three hours. I need to find her.'

  I walked to the door, opened it, and stepped into the hallway.

  The hallways were busier. Students passing between classes. Chatter. Movement.

  I didn't even register how taller I was than everyone else. I just wanted to be out of there. School life was not something I wanted to remember.

  I walked forward, keeping my head down as I always have.

  "—who's that?"

  I kept walking. I wanted to dash but that'd create a commotion.

  'For the love of fuck, why didn't I just jump out the window? I could survive a fall from that height...!!'

  "Wait, is that a senpai? I've never seen him before..."

  "He's so big. Look at his shoulders—"

  "Oh my god, his arms—"

  I glanced down at my uniform sleeves. They were... tight. Straining against my biceps.

  'Why the fuck am I noticing this just now!? Why am I… So…’

  I felt out of breath. I couldn't understand what was wrong with me.

  ‘I’m VAN, damn it!’

  "Is he a transfer student?"

  "Maybe he's visiting from another school? But he has our uniform..."

  ‘I need to get out now. They’re staring too much. I’m too muscular now! I’ll stand out like a sore thumb at this pace… If they find out that it’s—’

  "Doesn't matter, he's hot…"

  I felt my face heat up.

  'What the fuck!? What did she just say!!?'

  "His hair is so long... He looks like a model."

  'Who's a model—!?'

  "I could grind meat on those abs…"

  “I’d grind myself honestly—”

  '??????????????????????????????????????????????????????'

  I walked faster.

  "—did you see his jawline? I think I'm in love—"

  My breaths started to grow uneven.

  'What the fuck is this?! This has to be an illusion... Should I kill myself right now just to be safe!?'

  "He's so tall, now, like, what the hell—"

  'Now? Do they know me?!'

  I stopped.

  Turned slightly.

  A group of girls a few meters behind me froze mid-conversation.

  "F-fuck... He's looking at me..."

  "It's ME he's looking at, you wish!"

  "Hah! I just died in your arms tonight... Ugh, only in those arms tonight please..."

  ‘DAMN IT, I MISHEARD! FUCK. Now I’ll have to act normal—Wait, why do I have to act normal!? I’m VAN!’

  They whispered. One of them remained silent, her mouth slightly open as she looked at me.

  They definitely didn't want me to hear that. My DEX stat disagreed.

  I gulped.

  The one with her mouth agape smiled and waved. The same one who didn't make any thirst comments and just stared.

  "Um, excuse me, senpai?"

  I gulped, looking down.

  They approached. All four of them.

  ‘Fuck, they’re actually coming over here..! Why don’t they just stay away!?’

  One with blonde dyed hair, one with short hair, one with a ponytail, and the one with glasses who'd just spoken.

  They stopped in front of me, all smiles.

  "Hi! Are you, like, new here?" The blonde one spoke, shoving the one with glasses aside abruptly. "I didn't, like, see you around before... And it's crazy 'cuz I'da noticed."

  I opened my mouth.

  Closed it again, forcing myself not to flinch or twitch.

  My body felt wrong—too alert, too ready—like I was bracing for an attack that wasn't coming.

  'What do I say...!? FUCK! I didn’t think it through enough..!'

  "I, uh..." I muttered weakly. This was the point where they'd tell me to hurry it up impatiently.

  But they just...

  "Oh my god, his voice is deep too—" the ponytail girl whispered to the short-haired one.

  The blonde girl elbowed her. "Shut up, he’s trying to say something!"

  "A-are you, like, visiting? Or did you transfer in?" the short-haired girl asked, tilting her head.

  "I... I go... Uhm... here," I managed weakly, unable to meet their eyes.

  They blinked.

  "Wait, really? What year?"

  "...Third year. I... Uh, I am in… m-my third year."

  "No way! We're second-years, but I swear I've never seen you before. What's your name? And if you're new, you can give me your number, and I'll s-show you around..." The short-haired girl said, a slight blush on her cheeks as she looked away shyly.

  "N-no fair, Haruka!" The blonde elbowed her.

  "Ow, what's that for!?" Haruka protested. "He's new and needs someone to show him around!"

  "He didn't say he's new—you're just saying that 'cuz you wanna assault him!"

  Haruka blushed even more, her face becoming as red as a cherry,

  "S-Shut up! If anything, you're the one more likely to do it!"

  I hesitated.

  Ten months ago, I was the kid everyone ignored.

  Or the one they shoved into lockers. Laughed at. Since Kazuya made a joke out of me, even the girls would giggle and do the same.

  "I'm uhm... I.. Mako, I erh, mean, V-va… urhm…”

  I gulped.

  Both of these names sounded like ass saying them out loud. Saying I’m Makoto woulda fucked me over considering everyone thinks my class are all dead.

  Saying I’m Van would just draw attention in a Japanese school.

  So I had to come up with a creative solution.

  “Kurosaki Ichigo. That's my name..."

  [~..BABY NOW YOU FEEL LIKE NUMBER ONE..]

  ‘What the fuck did I just say???!! Even Van would've been fine by comparison!!’

  They were busy arguing, so I thought they'd gloss over it when I said that name, or laugh. But immediately—the very second I spoke in that quiet tone again—they all turned, snapping their heads toward me.

  They reminded me of those seagulls in that fish movie.

  "Kurosaki Ichigo, you say? That's so cool!" the blonde said.

  ‘COOL!?’

  "Like that comic my brother reads! We would've totally remembered a name like that. And you're, like, taller than all the boys here! You must work out, like, all the time, huh?"

  'I'm... Being hit on? ME?'

  I felt my face getting hotter.

  "I had NO idea they make clothes in your... urhm... size..." The blonde said as she looked at me, top to bottom... with a smile. Twirling her hair.

  'I am being hit on. Like... Kazuya.' I blinked.

  A flash.

  Kazuya and Rina talking to each other, surrounded by students laughing. The blush on her cheeks as she smiled at him.

  'This is... I don't know how to do this. This isn’t right.’

  "Um... I need to go," I said quickly, moving past them.

  "Wait, Kurosaki-senpai—!"

  But I was already walking away, faster now, ignoring the stares burning into my back from guys and girls alike.

  'Three hours. Find Mom. That's all that matters.'

  The whispers followed me down the hallway.

  "Who was that? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Kurosaki among the other seniors…"

  "He was definitely lying about his name.”

  “I know, right?” Haruko nodded with a sigh and a soft smile.

  “Such an obvious lie…. But it’s sooo cute. Almost like it’s his first time lying.”

  I turned the corner and kept walking.

  My heart was pounding in my chest.

  'Fucking stop...!'

  Van has left the area.

  "...Y'know," The girl with glasses spoke again, "he reminds me of my brother when he came back from the army," she said quietly.

  "Oh, is your brother hot too?"

  "N-no," she shook her head, still looking down the hallway where Van had disappeared. “I mean, I think so? But, like…”

  "His eyes," she said softly.

  "He looked really sad..."

  The girls paused, looking at each other.

  "You think?" the ponytail girl asked.

  "Nah, he looked like he was about to curl up in a corner out of shyness... It was sooo cute~" Haruka chuckled.

  "Hm... I guess he did look more embarrassed when we approached..." Sachi adjusted her glasses.

  "So he must be a cherry~... Lucky..." The blonde grinned. "I'mma find out who he is before any of you. Sachi, you have no clue about men, hehe. He wants it BAD."

  "Operation: Find My Cherry KUROSAKI underway~” The blonde cheered lazily as she walked away.

  Sachi didn't respond.

  '...He also looked familiar somehow.'

  She pursed her lips, deep in thought.

  'Nah, there's no way I've seen him before. I'd remember someone like that.'

  A few stressful minutes later, I was already out of the school grounds.

  'I have a biological weapon,' I realized, thinking of the Abyssal Abominations in my inventory.

  Though, even they felt more like a distraction from the situation I’ve just escaped from.

  'I don't think anyone in this world could kill even one of them. If I release them here... this world's doomed.'

  Nonetheless… It was tempting. The things I could do right now.

  'With a simple grab and release, I could destroy this world and trigger an inevitable zombie apocalypse.'

  'The world that brought me and my mom nothing but pain. A world that forced her to work like a slave just to keep the lights on.'

  '...'

  '...What's wrong with me.' I took a deep breath. I was a fair distance from the school now.

  'My thoughts are scattered. My chest won't calm down. I'm panting like I've been running for weeks without rest...'

  '...And I can't think of any plan other than "go home"... Haah. Maybe I should find some bench to sit down and think this through—'

  [A NEW QUEST HAS ARRIVED!]

  I froze mid-step.

  '...This is a first.'

  [Quest: Go to your mom!]

  [Time limit: 11 seconds]

  [Reward: Meet your mom.]

  [Failure: Don't meet your mom.]

  '...'

  I didn't like this.

  'I really don't like this—'

  I ran to the only place I could think of.

  Home.