Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A week ago, via a broadcast on a worldwide news station in collaboration with NASA:

Countless reports were made, all funneling together into a cohesive predicament. Worrisome news blended throughout the various broadcasts, all announcing the same thing:

"Uh- We interrupt our current news with this breaking news bulletin board." … "National Aeronautics and Space Administration reporting about seventy percent of the moon vaporized!" … "This just in, the moon has been reported as vaporized, some sources say as much as seventy percent." … "What does it mean? Astronomers the world over are struggling to figure out just that!"

Over the next week, this caused widespread distress among the news, scientists, and, of course, society. No matter how you put it, anything in the world’s galaxy suddenly being vaporized is not something you see every day, let alone in a lifetime. Many people were paranoid following this catastrophe, bunkering down in shelters or taking caution by attempting to contact NASA themselves for answers. It was futile, however, because aliens weren't real, right?

Well, there was that, and then there was him.

One week following the vaporization of the moon, the unfamiliar yellow fiend entered the doors of a schoolhouse that was built on the mountain behind Kunugigaoka Junior High. The wood was half rotted along the walls. Moss was slowly overtaking the foundation, so much so that it was a wonder the building was still standing. The door creaked shut as two other men followed the cephalopod into the airless hallways.

He then greeted the students of Kunugigaoka Junior High, Class 3-E. He had a suspiciously chipper attitude, all things considered.

"Hello! How are you?" The yellow octopus-like fiend spoke, sounding so friendly and calm. "So, I'm the one who blew up the moon~!" He stated with a sense of finality and pride.

Sure, it might appear funny when you think about it in a fictional setting, but when the moon was just devastated a week prior, and you see a non-human, alien-like, yellow octopus or whatever-the-hell-he-was tell you he's guilty, it comes as a shock to most fourteen-year-olds.

"Next year, I intend to do the same to planet Earth! But never mind that, now, I'm going to be your new teacher!"

Even more confusion ensued. How did this thing replace their old homeroom teacher, Aguri Yukimura? Someone so gentle, yet so awkward. It felt a little wrong to have a substitute for a whole week, but not entirely uncommon for the old campus of Kunugigaoka. Lots of teachers quit in due time, but Aguri always seemed to be the exception. Despite the obvious loose ends and slight fear rising in the classroom, it was a strong first impression, to say the least.

"Uhm.." A man, presumably in his late twenties, chimed in, "I'm Kurasama. I'm from the ministry of defense. What uh– … What I'm about to tell you is what we in the business call 'classified information'. Ah, hell, I'll just come right out and say it. I'm going to need you to kill this thing for the sake of mankind.'' He was overly blunt, seemingly forgetting he was saying this to a group of third-year junior high students.

One student with round glasses appeared just as confused as the rest. He quickly spoke up, "So … Excuse me? No offense, but is this a joke? Because if this is seriously an alien that blew up the moon, then--"

“Ah-bah-bah-bah! I am an earthly born-and-bred, thank you very much!" The yellow fiend chewed back, taking a strange offense to being called an alien. Weird, but they simply chose to let it slide for the raw moment.

Kurasama continued, "I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of this disjuncture, so I'll just tell you he's being honest. His threat is all too real. As of this coming March, he will obliterate the Earth. Apart from you, the only people who know this are world leaders, so it's safe to say that if word of this got to the public, we'd have a worldwide panic far greater than the moon. He must be terminated soon, and extremely prodigious." He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a flimsy green knife. He attempted to slice the fiend, who deftly moved away from the knife before the second was over. "This means you will have to train to be assassins."

Kurasama kept on striking with the knife, the yellow octopus dodging every time with a nonchalant smile forever plastered onto his cheery face. "You'll notice that he's very fast! You're looking at a being so powerful that he was able to obliterate the moon in seconds–so fast that he's been clocked at Mach twenty. A world where he's allowed to live is a world waiting to be destroyed--" Before he could get ahead of himself, the fiend interrupted once more.

"He makes it all sound so grim, doesn't he? Cheer up! I've graciously made your government an offer: stop making fools of yourself trying to kill me and let me teach class 3-E at this illustrious institution!" The yellow octopus exclaimed, happily bouncing his tentacled fingers together.

Kurasama groaned in compliance, "We... Didn't have much of a choice. We have no idea what his motivations are, but we agreed on the condition that none of your students would be harmed in any way. The advantage was twofold. On the one hand, we'll know his whereabouts a good majority of every weekday. On the other hand, he will be within close range of thirty people with the means and incentive to kill him."

Despite the easy-sounding objective, the class was unconvinced. If the government was unable to kill him, then how could a group of young teenagers with no knowledge of assassination pull it off? Just as they were about to collectively resign from the offer, Kurasama chimed in with even more incentive.

"Do the deed and you’ll get ten billion," He said, still blunt as a wall.

Everyone's jaw dropped in shock. That was a lot of money to drop on one person, well, thing. This being's bounty was worth more than all their lives combined. Killing him wasn't exactly an easy thing to do, not that saving the world is any easier. None of it particularly deserves a life on an easy street. This is when they learned that green stripes across the yellow fiend's face meant he felt superior to those around him. There was no mistaking that face, and the smile blended into the attitude perfectly. He thought that they couldn't pull it off, but just about anyone else would agree.

"I mean, the military couldn't kill me, so why does anyone suppose students could? After all, you guys don't even have fighter jets!" Two other defense ministry co-applicants wheeled in the staple rack of firearms and anti-octopus ammunition. The knives were a warbly rubber that was painted a dark green with the letters S.A.A.U.S.O, which presumably stood for 'Special Arms Against an Unidentified Slimy Octopus'. These weapons were harmless to humans; some would even consider them toys.

“Well, that should just about do it, hm?" The yellow octopus began, his tentacles akin to his tone of voice. "What do you say we hit the books and make the final year of your lives a productive one?" He snickered.

-

Twenty-five students sat in wooden desks, polished and clear of split wooden ends. Windows alongside the Westward entrance of the old campus building showed beautiful sunlight inside the cramped classroom. Twenty-six papers were arranged on a corkboard nailed to the back wall; each paper, written by the hands of another student, bore the title ‘Assassination'--signed in fine print: their names. The heat trapped in the classroom stuck to their adolescent bodies, yet the ground trembled with the landing of a certain yellow fiend, and not long after, the door slid open on the tracks, which presented the class with their strange teacher.

"Alright, everybody. Let's get started! Class monitor, if you would do the honor?" The fiend's tentacles wriggled by its side, its face holding a large, toothy smile.

"Right," began a short bluenette in the second row close by the window.

"Ready?” … “Aim,” … “Fire!"

Once the magic word fell off his lips, a barrage of pink B.B. bullets flooded the front of the room from the class' ammunition. They had a wide collection of artillery units. Some automatic, some semi. They had AK-15s to AK-47s, and any assault rifle you could think of was stored for their use. Different mags for each gun were stacked in the back of the classroom, and some extra shotguns and revolvers hung on the rack in the hallway. Most preferred handheld rather than rifles. They were easier to carry in their palms rather than resting on their shoulder and mounting themselves with the little space they had. Though they didn't have any SWAT-level weapons–such as Remingtons or an M4 Carbine–they made it in good time.

Their teacher darted around every bullet lackadaisically, even calling roll to start their homeroom. Any ordinary classroom's roll call was sure to be in the dust with his speed and agility. The students kept firing, only pausing momentarily for those to reload when needed. This lasted for several minutes while the yellow, octopus-like fiend stated each name of the student's shooting in front of him. This left the group rather out of breath and in a swift, yet calculated defeat.

"All are present and accounted for! Congratulations!" The yellow fiend exclaimed as his face shifted to a deep crimson indicator.

This earned a groan from his student, Rio Nakamura, and several other exaggerated sighs from across the room.

"The whole class opened fire, and he doesn't even have a scratch!" Fellow student, Yuuma Isogai, said in defeat.

They're assassins. And their target… Is their teacher.

"No luck today either, hm? That's just too bad!" The fiend said, curling a few of his tentacles into a shrug. "What's the lesson here? Numbers are no substitute for inventiveness, perhaps? That any guy can point a gun and pull the trigger? Some of column A; some of column B?" The fiend chuckled as if he chided softly, his tentacle upright with one of his two tentacled fingers bent down, leaving one up. He continued, "I get you're trying to cast the net as widely as possible, so to speak, but the approach lacked originality."

This, again, got a few people to scoff and sit back down in their seats.

"When your target is clocked at Mach twenty, an assassin has to think outside of the box,” he finished up his ordeal before another student had the urge to bite back.

"Hah, right! Mach twenty? No freakin' way you dodged all those bullets!" Student Hiroto Maehara challengingly spoke up.

"I mean, he's got a point…" Tomohito Sugino agreed, holding the little pink B.B. bullet closer to his face with his dark AK-15 resting by his side. "These are just B.B.s, right? For all we know, you just stood up there and took them like a champ."

This earned a few sounds of consideration from his peers, who simultaneously agreed with the statements presented. In return, their octopus-like teacher briefly sighed.

"Collect the ammunition and bring it here," He stated, grabbing a gun from student Yuzuki Fuwa.

He held the shotgun to his left tentacle, "As I explained, these are 'anti-me' B.B.s. Harmless to you, but--" The shot of the pink bullet interrupted him as his tentacle was blasted off, and started to squirm sluggishly on the hardwood floors of the campus classroom. The students watched in awe and disgust as his extremity flopped about on the floor as he continued without a cinch. "But they’re fully able to split my cells like a knife through warm tofu," He concluded, his students staring with wide eyes.

"These were developed by your government for that exact purpose. Of course, after a few seconds, I can regenerate well as new, which is a luxury you guys won't have if you shoot one of your eyes out." He continued, the classic teacher spirit in him warning his students of safety matters. He saw the confused look the students were giving him, so he chose to have one final say on the matter.

"That being said, no more discharging guns in the classroom," His face started to spread green stripes along his yellow skin, "and good luck killing me before graduation, cause you're gonna need it!" Green stripes were proven to indicate he's feeling superior, which they noted during their first debrief.

The class then set their ammunition and firearms on the rack just in the hallway outside of the classroom, as per the new protocol; all but one sneaky student, Nakamura. The bell rang, and another day began.

Class began like any other, with English first period. The octopus asked his usual questions, writing on the blackboard with colorful chalk. He had a rather strange teaching manner. This proved no less true today as he wiggled out colored tentacles from under his long robes. He then asked Isogai which one was to be the 'odd man out'. Surprisingly, he got it right, using the correct relative pronoun. It's doubtful that any other class would teach relative pronouns with their teacher's tentacles. Nonetheless, the class continued after the typical praise of correct answers, his lecture about pronouns and proper nouns seemingly endless with his vast knowledge.

"Psstt!" A young and rather short green-haired girl, Kaede Kayano, whispered to the bluenette next to her. The boy, Nagisa Shiota, turned his head to look at her with his light blue eyes. "Look! Crescent moon's up during the day. Neat, huh?" She whisper-shouted, pointing out the window into the clear sky. Sure enough, when Nagisa looked up, he saw the rest of the moon resting high in the early morning sky.

Nakamura then stood up, the abrupt sound of her chair scratching the panels of the floor drawing the attention of those sitting beside her. She then fired the handgun with little time spent aiming. The yellow octopus was quick to notice and caught the bullet between two pieces of white chalk to protect the coating from making contact with his fingers. The bullet would sever his fingers in an instant, so the calculations needed to stop the fast motion of the bullet between two small pieces of chalk instead were infinitely unmatched.

"Nakamura!" The fiend spoke with a loud voice, "I distinctly remember saying 'No guns discharging in the classroom!' Back row, young lady.” He crossed his tentacles over his chest.

“Think about what you've done!" There was a hint of tease in his voice as he sent her on her way to an empty desk a few rows behind her assigned seat. She kept the gun up front inside her original desk as she took her papers back in a slight embarrassment, charmed with rosy cheeks. No one snickered or even glanced back at her once she sat down.

Why would this thing want to be their teacher? Why are they even agreeing to this for the promise of sweet cash? Those are the questions they should've asked at the start, but I guess they got distracted. No one should be obligated to take their youth away in favor of world peace. But there it was. They only had a year to live. If they couldn’t find a way to kill their teacher, Earth was going to be history. The bell rang quietly via the outdoor speakers on the support beams by the front entrance of the small campus.

"Well, that's lunchtime, everyone. Excuse me while I pop over to China for a quick bite. You have my cell number, so anyone feeling especially trigger-happy today should feel free to give me a call!" And like that, their teacher had vanished into the bright blue sky. The wind from his dramatic exit knocked over several papers on his desk, yet no one bothered to pick them up.

Nakamura sighed before starting to mumble to herself, "Okay, math… If he's traveling at Mach twenty..."

Nagisa chimed in, overhearing their mumbling. "I think it'd take him roughly ten minutes for him to reach his favorite take-out in Sichuan." Maehara then joined in with an inquisitive look on his face. Both Nagisa and Nakamura looked over to him.

"Okay, just to be clear. Have we ruled out missiles?" He asked.

"Are you kidding?" Isogai responded, exasperatedly, "Even if we had access to that kind of stuff, he can break the damn sound barrier!"

"While grading!” Nakamura added. “My homework even came back with a doodle," they added. Kurahashi had managed to sneak up on the group as they were discussing, inviting herself into the conversation.

"All things considered, guys, you have to admit he's not doing a bad job! He tutored me on algebra, and I killed it on our pop quiz the next day!" She exclaimed, excitedly clapping her hands together. Nagisa chuckled softly to himself as he straightened his back and clapped awkwardly alongside her.

Takahashi laughed to himself, though not at the action of his classmate. "Yeah, but it's kind of a shame, y'know? We get our grades up just in time for the world to end. While college wasn't happening either way…” His voice somewhat trailed off as he finished, leaving the whole conversation melancholic after his input.

A flying super-cephalopod bent on world destruction, who’s an impossible target? Check. But he may be the best damn teacher any of them had ever had. Forget that they're all would-be assassins and that most people probably see them as average third-years on the surface, underneath it all, though, Class 3-E has always been different.

Ryoma Terasaka motioned for Nagisa to join him at his desk once their conversation finally died down. Apprehensive, the bluenette complied.

Terasaka began the conversation, much to Nagisa's dismay, "Look alive, little man. It's time to put our money where our mouths are and get this shit done!" Nagisa nervously nodded his head, his arms resting gently by his sides as he looked down at Terasaka and his two good friends, Muramatsu and Yoshida. Terasaka had been the leader of his little group since they were booted down to 3-E. The three led Nagisa outside by the entrance to the schoolhouse. The sun shone brightly, the sky lacking clouds. Terasaka began again.

"So we know the octopus' face changes color depending on what mood he's in. Have you been keeping track?” He incessantly asked.

"Y-Yeah, I sure have," Nagisa stammered as he opened the little notebook he kept all his findings about their strange yellow teacher in. "I guess, for starters, green stripes mean he's feeling cocky. When we give a wrong answer, his face goes dark purple, and for a right answer, light red. What's interesting is every day after lunch, without fail, he--"

Terasaka cut him off with his input, "Blah, blah, whatever! We have more than enough. When his guard's down, that's when we make our move. Well, at least you do," He grinned mischievously.

Nagisa sighed and tried to counter before being instantly cut off again by the bigger man.

"Don't even start with me!” Terasaka shouted when he noticed the shorter boy’s lips part to speak. “Worried about your transcript? Wake up, dude, we're 3-E! Everyone expects us to be thugs and murderers anyway. You know what the E stands for? End-of-the-line. Think they shuttle us up here every day for the view? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, man, but society doesn't want us! When do nobodies like us have a shot at this kinda cash? Go man up and make a name for yourself!" He finished, surprisingly motivationally.

Nagisa was inevitably swayed by his persistence and pride; his peers tended to mistake his apprehension for grade-related fear, but he ignored the mischaracterization nonetheless. That's when Terasaka handed him a small draw-string bag that was full of finely ground gunpowder. Nagisa instantly knew what he was supposed to do with it, despite everything in him disagreeing twofold. Nagisa got lost in his thoughts while the three walked back inside the small campus. His concentration was then broken by a wind current that blew his nicely-kept blue hair out of his eyes. He rearranged the pigtails he kept his hair in and looked to the courtyard where their teacher was now standing. He was holding something peculiar in his tentacles.

"Hello, there. I'm back," The yellow octopus announced.

"Okay– Hi, sir. What's with the missile?" Nagisa inquired, pointing delicately at the elongated bomb in his teacher's grasp.

"Just a souvenir I brought back from a strike force that tried to take me down over the sea of Japan!" The fiend spoke, now showcasing the 'souvenir'. It almost sounded as if he were proud of himself, somehow smiling bigger than what was his usual toothy grin.

Nagisa hummed in vague understanding, "Y'know, it must get lonely spending your life in the crosshairs." He tried to sympathize. One of the fiend's yellow tentacles rose with a single finger of the two upright as he came to contradict.

"Actually, it's quite the opposite! It reminds me of how amazing I am!" He exclaimed, confident as ever as the bell rang behind them. "Now, inside for the fifth period, please," He continued walking on by as if nothing happened, looking dead ahead of him into the hallway.

Nagisa began to think to himself. There wasn’t any denying it; he was amazing. He seemed confident and capable–definitely powerful enough to make others stand up and take notice, even if they were trying to kill him.

‘Everything I'm not, nor ever will be… No matter how hard I try or how many chances I'm given.’ He then recalled his past teacher of D-Class, Mr. Ono, calling him unteachable. Nagisa couldn’t shake the feeling that he couldn't have gotten rid of him fast enough. It still stung a little for him to think about, acting as a weight in his chest that he couldn’t resist dwelling on.

‘I'm just as invisible to him as I am to everyone else.’

The bluenette deftly walked along inside afterward, sitting next to Kayano in his assigned seat just as the bell rang for the fifth period. The fiend was quick to start the lesson.

"Okie-dokie, class. Your assignment this afternoon is to compose a short poem. The final line should read, 'was tentacles all along'”

This gave him a lot of groans and confused faces in front of him. He continued regardless.

"When you finish the assignment, kindly bring it forward. You will be graded on creativity, grammar, and overall beauty of expression," He then gave his example to attempt to ease the confusion: "Not the storm of garden snow, or flowers moving on, but what was growing there instead was tentacles all along!" Seeing the signs that followed, he decided to sweeten the pot a small bit more. "You may go home when you are done! This should get those synapses sparking and imaginations slithering~" He wiggles his tentacles while making strange sounds with his tongue, getting a lighthearted thumbs-down from several classmates. He gave up with a sigh.

Kaede then brought something else of use to the table, "Uhm, sir? Question! Do we always have to call you sir? It feels weird just calling you that all the time. You haven’t exactly given us your name, and I think it's about time for one," She commented.

The kind yellow teacher responded with his confusion, "Well, you see... I don't particularly have the name you just hand over to someone. Why not pick one for me?" He asked. Perhaps that would be a bad offer to give to a room full of teenagers. Maehara chuckled as he came up with his idea, though it stayed locked tight behind his lips.

Kaede nodded and started brainstorming herself as the fiend's face turned a soft pink. Nagisa's head perked up as he noticed that subtle shift, slipping the rubber green knife under the long clipboard that should've clipped his poem in place. A grenade necklace was tied around his neck, which he covered with the clipboard after a failed attempt to tuck it into his soft, blue vest.

He then stood up, attracting a little attention from his peers.

"Seems the muse favors Nagisa?"

He repeated the information to himself in his head: ‘Every day after lunch, without fail, he gets sleepy. I can tell he checks out when his face turns soft pink. Kayano's question threw him off; he seemed distracted. All signs point to this being the right moment.’ It seems that prep-school flunkies know how to slip between the cracks; it's what they do. Parents and teachers are always cracking down on them to apply themselves more.

Apply themselves…

Nagisa calmly took strides forward, keeping the knife pinched closely to the board and his chest. His composure held up well until the final second, the moment of truth. As quickly as he could, he drew the knife and struck at his teacher. This, of course, was to no avail, as the fiend easily blocked his attack.

He countered by asking, "What did I say about thinking outside of the box?" His attention was completely withdrawn from the tiny toy grenade around the boy’s neck.

All things point to this being right. Nagisa gave a soft smile, then jumped outstretched to hug him. Even with a grenade necklace about to detonate around his chest, the smile seemed almost genuine. Without hesitation, the student in the back row pressed the button with his hand inside his wooden desk. Pink B.B. bullets scatter off all four walls of the classroom, a loud bang ringing through the hall. Nagisa had fallen victim to his assassination attempt as the force from the pink bullets would be enough to hurt just about anyone, including their unkillable teacher.

Kaede stared in shock as Maehara exclaimed at the sight that just unfolded. Kaede then snapped as Terasaka, Muramatsu, and Yoshida dashed up to the scene from the back, cheering and clapping.

"Didn't see a suicide bomber comin', did you?" Terasaka laughed.

"What the hell did you make Nagisa do?" She yelled at them, a fist crashing against her desk.

"What's it look like?" Terasaka poked, "I gave him a toy grenade and a spoonful of gunpowder.” That didn’t seem to ease her anger. “Relax! It ain't enough to kill anyone. I'll even pitch in on his medical bills!" He was somewhat caught off guard by the strange sheet across his classmate, making Kaede curious as well.

"What is that? Is that his body--?' She asked, slightly apprehensive to know the answer.

A voice from above spoke down to the class, "It's not just his body. It's my skin.” The class looked up to see their teacher; however, he wasn't in his signature yellow hue. “I shed my skin once a month, and I wrapped it around your classmate to keep him unharmed." They all could clearly hear his voice was heavy with anger.

He continued, "I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume you didn't see this coming. Terasaka, Yoshida, Murumatsu.. This was your doing, wasn't it?"

He displayed a face they hadn't yet seen before. Pitch-black must mean… Pissed!

Terasaka and his friends instantly denied the allegations out of pure shock, never seeing such an angered sensei before, though, within the blink of an eye, he was gone. The whole class looked around to no avail; their teacher had simply vanished. Just when they were about to look out the windows, he returned, shocking everyone with a large gust of wind as he re-entered through the Westward windows. Metal house plates started falling to the classroom floor, each with a different name on it. Once a few got a closer look, they nearly choked on their fear; they were the nameplates off of each student's house.

The yellow octopus seethed as he continued, "Here's the deal, kids: the government made a deal that forbids me from hurting any of you. But, there's a catch. If you pull another irresponsible stunt like this one, there is nothing that says I can't harm someone else. Friends? Family? Anyone in the world except for you if I feel like it!"

Suddenly, it was clear to them just how hard this this going to be. They can't run or hide, so slipping between the cracks wouldn’t be an option here. The only way out was to kill him.

Terasaka rolled his eyes and pointed a trembling finger up to their teacher, "C'mon, threaten us! I ain't afraid of no squid! Where do you get off blowing up the moon? We got rights, y'know? Call us irresponsible, we're just defending ourselves!" He fired back in a booming, yet petrified voice.

The classroom's mood then lifted within a second as the fiend's face turned bright red.

His tentacles rested by his side as he responded, "Why of course, I know that! I'm not calling you irresponsible for trying to kill me!" His face returns to a normal yellow complexion as his tentacle outstretches to Nagisa, "No, no, no. As a matter of fact, Nagisa here gets full marks for technique. His composure was simply outstanding!" His tentacles gently pat the top of the young boy's head. After a second, he snapped his head back to the other three. "However! None of you cared if he was injured; not even himself, it appears. Students with that attitude are not fit to be assassins!" His tentacle retracts from Nagisa’s head, allowing him to stand up straight again.

"You must believe yourself worthy of your target. That means taking pride in what you do, yourselves, and in each other. All of you are more than the sum of your parts."

They were chewed out at Mach twenty, then reassured by a tentacle pat. It was a bizarre education, but one that's starting to grow on the class. When you spend your whole life being invisible, it means the world to feel like you're finally being seen. Their yellow teacher smiled at Nagisa, getting a good start on fulfilling his promise to teach E-Class.

"Here's a puzzler for you, Nagisa: given that I have no intention of being killed, though I do have every intention of enjoying our time here together, what exactly are you going to do about it?" he asked, giving his student a moment to think before he responded.

That was the big question, wasn't it? It's not like they have a lot of experience in saving the world. But class 3-E seemed to be full of quick learners.

"I think you'll find out I can do plenty, sir," He gave a firm answer.

In return, his teacher laughed, "That's the spirit! No one leaves until I am vanquished!" He cheered as he continued laughing at his students’ dismay. Nagisa then made his way back to his desk with a smile on his face.

Kayano tapped her chin inquisitively, "How do you say unkillable in Japanese?" The green-haired girl who wore the same pigtails as her bluenette classmate looked to the front of the classroom in deep thought.

Nagisa responded, "Korosenai?" He attempted. Kayano then gasped with a newfound answer.

"Koro-Sensei!" She beamed with a bright smile as she looked at their yellow octopus-like teacher. That certainly felt right enough.

Just them and Koro-Sensei in their assassination classroom.

Chapter Text

The new day began as Nagisa and Sugino scuffled up the mountain. The trees brushed their leaves against the branches as the wind blew through the thick of the forest behind the schoolhouse. Sugino motioned for Nagisa to follow him deeper behind the campus building, ducking low and creeping through the sticks and bushes. Eventually, they came across a familiar face: Koro-Sensei. Koro-Sensei sat in a clearing, his yellow body planted on a white lawn chair. Nagisa studied him for a quick moment before Sugino pointed out the details.

"There he is," He began, "chillin' out back before the first period without a care in the world. Reading a Hawaiian newspaper--casually picked up from Hawaii on the way here!" He smiled, the grip on his baseball tightening. The dark-haired boy tossed the baseball and caught it with his hand while the shorter male stood a considerable distance behind him, tucking himself behind the trunk of a tree.

Sugino could feel the pink B.B.s he stuck into it, making the ball bumpy and polka-dot pink. The B.B.s were glued tight so they would stay in place and withstand a tough throw, and Sugino had been practicing for a whole day just to get the perfect shot; the winning headshot.

"Nice! Good work, Nagisa. I owe you one," Sugino thanked, exchanging a glance at the shorter bluenette behind him.

Nagisa nodded in affirmation, " Best of luck, Sugino!" He gave a soft smile as he peered around the tree at their teacher, who casually flipped the paper and hummed in disappointment; the moon's vaporization was all they were talking about worldwide. Sugino chuckled lightly to himself, positioning his feet in the dirt beneath them. The ground was Earthy, the topsoil rich with dew from the luscious bushes.

"Ten billion big, here I come!' He exclaimed.

Sugino raised his arm, bending his leg forward in an attempt to imitate a true baseball player. His arm bent back as he extended his shoulder, the grip on the B.B. embedded baseball tightening as he prepared to throw it. He glanced to his teacher, carefully aiming his throw before finally letting it catch the wind as he pummeled it towards Koro-Sensei's head.

"Top of the morning to you!" A voice from behind the two boys boomed without notice.

Sugino felt a gust of wind against his short hair. Nagisa whipped his head around after noticing Koro-Sensei had moved from the lawn chair resting the sunny clearing.

"It's usually polite to reply," Koro-Sensei added sarcastically, grinning mischievously.

The two looked into his yellow palm, seeing his tentacles adorn a baseball glove and, surprisingly, the polka-dot baseball Sugino had thrown.

"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir... Good morning, sir?" Nagisa stammered, not masking his shock in the slightest.

Sugino continued to look back at the chair and then to his octopus-like teacher, not saying a word.

Koro-Sensei began his usual analysis of the assassination attempt: "a ball embedded with anti-me-government-issued B.B.s? Creative!" He beamed, "Points for using a method of fire quieter than the pop of a standard air rifle. Unfortunately, once airborne, the weapon gave me nothing but time... Ample time to construct a defensive maneuver," He rolled the ball around in the dip of the brown, leather glove. "A quick visit to the storage shed, and there you have it. I had, pardon the pun, a handy solution," Sugino stared at the ball as his teeth grinded against his cheeks.

Koro-Sensei's face faded into his usual green, cocky stripes. "Tick tock, children. Graduation will be here before you know it!" He tossed the ball up and caught it before he turned his back to the two. "Homeroom if you would," He began to meander back to the old campus, his tentacles carrying him away as the wind blew just past the fading trees.

Sugino sucked air through his teeth, his eyes fixated on the ground.

"Damnit… Well, so much for my fastball," He sighed, clearly upset with himself. Nagisa could tell it was bothering him, but he didn't know the details of the extent.

He still chose to counter that line of thought, "Hey, it was a good throw." He gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before he took the first step to the schoolhouse.

-

Koro-Sensei began the lesson by reading over a modern literature textbook while vigorously writing notes on the chalkboard as he spoke. Sugino, however, didn't take notes like the majority did. He spent his morning zoned out and messing with his fingers while staying quiet and to himself. Kaede had noticed and inquired about Nagisa and his morning attempt.

"I heard you and Sugino's plan didn't go so well this morning," She pointed out.

"Mh, you could say that. Seems like it's getting to him," Nagisa agreed, secretly glancing behind him and noticing Sugino's notebook pages blank with nothing but blue lines and a date on the top left corner.

"What's there to get all bent out of shape about? I mean, it's not like any of us could've done any better," She sighed to herself before looking back to the bluenette beside her. He had already situated himself to face forward again and continue taking notes, and she followed suit shortly after fixing her mint bangs.

The conversation died as they both looked back up at the blackboard. The rest continued with their pens and paper, or in some cases, doodling. That was until one of Koro-Sensei's tentacles snapped forward and grabbed a notebook from a student's desk at considerable speed.

"Sugaya!" He exclaimed, holding the notebook right in front of his face with a darkened expression, "Not a bad likeness, I'll give you that, but I'm a little hurt by the jawline!" He said kindly, his mood changing instantly as he flipped the page over after a brief gust of familiar wind.

The page was edited in red pen to show a jawline Koro-Sensei's didn’t have. Several other notes along the sides were given to improve his art skills, despite Sugaya not particularly putting effort into the doodle. Maehara laughed to himself and retorted, "You don't even have a jaw!"

Funnily enough, there were other doodles of Koro-Sensei pinned to the corner of the blackboard just under the written chalk agenda. It was like he prized them like a parent sticking their child’s artwork on the fridge with a magnet. The class seemed to have a subtle competition at first, but once the space was filled up there were hardly any new additions. Sugaya still tore the page out and planned to pin it up with the rest of the drawings after class.

Class ended shortly after, the bell ringing with a crackle from the post outside.

"Well, that's lunch,” Koro-Sensei said it as if it were a catchphrase. “Excuse me while I attend to some important off-campus business," Koro-Sensei stated as he slid the Westward windows open, letting cool air fill the classroom.

"Tofu from China?" Isogai asked from the front row.

"Not quite. I'm attending a ball game in the Big Apple!" Koro-Sensei replied before inevitably taking off into the sky with his usual windy and dramatic exit.

"He sure knows how to make an exit…" Muramatsu grumbled from the back row as he fixed his locks and shirt collar.

"I know! That thing is seriously starting to get on my nerves," Terasaka agreed.

Kurahashi, as per usual, invited herself into the conversation whilst putting away her textbooks on her wooden desk, "Talk about unfair!" She whined, "He flies all over the world, he could at least bring back some souvenirs!"

"Think about what he'd probably bring back, Hinano," Kataoka Megu chimed in, "Are you that set out for the strange things he's probably into?" She joked.

"I'm just saying an exotic snack would be nice!" Kurahashi beamed, gently tapping her fingers together. "It's not like he has to sneak them through airports," She giggled to herself, pushing her chair in and following Megu to the classroom door.

"You must've put a lot of thought into it, then," Megu comments.

"Wait,” Isogai turned to Megu, "What's New York's specialty?" He asked, curious as to what Megu indicated Koro-Sensei might be into.

"Hmm, booze?" Maehara jumped in as he leaned against Isogai's desk.

"Sucks we're not drinking age, then!" Kurahashi frowns lightheartedly, "What about something greasy from those food trucks?" She said as she swiveled around to face the two older boys.

This seemed to be more opportunity for New York discussion from Okajima Taiga, "Man! New York girls are hot! Especially the blondes!" He exclaimed, covering his mouth as he snickered from the doorway as he walked in.

Kurahashi raised an eyebrow in confusion as Megu groaned in disgust and turned to exit the door before she heard any more of Okajima’s grating voice. Just before she made it out of the classroom, however, Kurasama stepped in from the hallway.

"Oh! Excuse me, Mr. Kurasama!" She exclaimed as she held a hand to her chest and looked into his eyes. His eyes were dull and tired. He lived a life of strict work in the Ministry of Defense, meaning countless late-night calls and investigations with the Japanese Police Department and government. He started in his usual monotone voice as he addressed the students of 3-E.

"Children, any progress on killing the tentacled menace?" He asked bluntly.

"Define progress…” Isogai sighed as the rest of the class fell silent from all conversation.

"Yeah, this is E-Class, man. You have to lower your expectations,” Hazama Kirara said to fill the awful silence that the classroom was filled with after the brutal reminder of their objective. E-Class had always fallen short of expectations, so it was no surprise to anyone in the room that they were failing. But who could blame them for the fun they were having in the meantime?

"All due respect, sir, but he's too quick! Like-- So quick you can't even see him sometimes. You even said it yourself.” Isogai tried to defend them. “Doesn't he get up to Mach twenty? How do we kill something like that?" Isogai continued in defeat.

"I don't know, but you kids better figure it out," Kurasama deadpanned, as if they weren't a classroom of junior high kids. He failed to consider the fact that no ordinary teenager would be tasked with assassination, let alone saving the world before their graduation. Kurasama's speech earned several groans of dissatisfaction.

"He teaches willingly, putting himself in the line of fire by choice. If we allow that creature to live, come March, Earth will be destroyed. In case you need a reminder of his capabilities, take a look at what's left of our moon. That will be our planet in a year. In short, it's too dangerous to take lightly, which is why this classroom is the last place between mankind and extinction.

If you give a group of outcasts and misfits like them a chance to play hero, things are going to get interesting. The gravity of their situation started to weigh heavily on them as they stood in the classroom with the disgruntling burden of life and death. After Kurasama had left with his several suited subordinates, the kids resumed their lunchtime chatter that filled the warm walls of their homeroom. All but one special student, Sugino, who sat outside on the steps of the entrance with an untouched lunchbox.

He sighed as he closed the lid on his bento, leaving the rice and vegetables on the step beside him. The warm sun radiated along his cheeks as he sighed to himself. He began to think; how pathetic do you need to be to miss a point-blank throw on someone? He shut his eyes tightly until he saw blobs of red and orange in the darkness of his eyelids.

‘It's no wonder I got booted off my baseball team; they wouldn't want someone who couldn't throw a simple baseball like that. So much for imitating him…’ he shook his head free of his neverending thoughts and got back to fixating on the dirt of the courtyard.

"There you are!" Koro-Sensei approached him from behind. Sugino had been so lost in thought that the wind of his return didn't so much as phase him. The blue-eyed boy turned to look at what the yellow octopus was holding in his hand. It came as a surprise when it was his failed baseball weapon next to his face.

"This might come in handy," Koro-Sensei said, his tone soft as he set the ball in his student's lap.

"Thank you, Koro-Sensei," He replied before noticing he was chewing rather noisily on something in his other tentacle.

It was a coconut he had, and he just finished the last bite.

"You aren't supposed to eat the skin?" He questioned, seeming rather disturbed that he just witnessed his teacher finish off an entire raw coconut. Koro-Sensei shoved the question off with a tilt of the head.

"Solid throw earlier," He changed the subject, which quickly brought Sugino back to his original dilemma.

"Ha, sure. Says the guy who could probably throw the ball harder and faster on accident than I'll ever be able to on purpose. I'm so weak I can't even toss it normally," Sugino deprecated like it was second nature.

"Well, are you on a team?" Koro-Sensei asked.

"I used to be," He replied, his head turning away in what could be described as shame. He looked at the ball in his lap before sighing again.

"And... You're not any longer?" Koro-Sensei continued questioning.

"They, uh, kicked me off. Teams are only for D-Class and above because we're here to get our grades back on track. Sports and stuff aren't allowed," He stated.

"Sounds to me like discrimination," Sugino chuckled nervously.

"I'd have gotten booted anyway. C'mon, you saw my pitch. I'm too slow! I never struck anyone out, and I ended up bench-warming the whole season. I was so depressed that I guess I ended up getting just as slow at hitting the books. That's why I got packed up here back to the mountain--"

"Sugino," Koro-Sensei interrupted, a cheeky expression on his round and yellow face, "may I give you a friendly piece of advice?"

The student nodded in confusion, standing up as his teacher outstretched his tentacles.

-

Nagisa bid goodbye to his friend, Kaede, before making his way to the entrance of the schoolhouse to find his teacher. He carried his teal English notebook and needed a few things checked before he tore the page and turned it in for a grade. He walked slowly to the door, noticing it was left cracked from when his teacher had previously left the building. He then saw something out of the crack that caught his attention even more than his impending grade. His other good friend was being wrestled by Koro-Sensei, his tentacles bending his wrists and legs considerably. He nearly tripped out of the door in disbelief, darting over to the courtyard stairs.

"Wait, sir! Don't do this! He was just doing what he had to. The deal was you couldn't hurt any of us!" He shouted as he ran, completely in the dark about the logistics of what he had just walked in on.

Koro-Sensei just chuckled as he let Sugino go from his grasp, "I thought I recognized that pitching style! You were imitating major league pitcher Arita!" Sugino gasped in astonishment as that was exactly what he was going for earlier that morning. "That's right! These tentacles don't lie!" Nagisa dropped his arms in pure confusion as he looked at both of them standing in the center of the courtyard.

"Your shoulders are significantly less flexible, however," he said as Nagisa strutted up to Sugino, the notebook still in hand.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Sugino asked, still as confused as the bluenette beside him.

Koro-Sensei folded his tentacles in front of his chest. "That the famous Arita-fastball that you were trying so hard to copy is simply never going to be your thing," He deadpanned, trying to word his sentence carefully rather than to upset his student.

Sugino held his breath as he heard what the yellow octopus had told him. ‘Not my thing? Of course, it wouldn't be, how stupid can I be?’ His head spun at the realization, ‘I can't do anything right, damnit!’ He bowed his head in disappointment at this news. Nagisa also took a strange offense to his words.

"You don't know that," He shakily prefaced, gripping his teal notebook tighter between his fingers. "That's not fair. How could you? That's just ridiculous-- You can't just–" He was quick to hold his tongue after letting that much slip as he clenched his empty fist. The words wouldn’t have come out even if he wanted them to. Sugino looked up to him with a saddened expression.

"There's no need to fight for this, Nagi. Don't worry about it." Sugino tried to pacify the situation, choosing to take the lesson and mull it over rather than fight back the obvious truth; that he was weak in his own eyes.

"Hey, I get it, though. We're just E-Class, so why bother?" Nagisa found himself continuing regardless, "Aren't we just a bunch of losers and lost causes?" He slightly raised his voice, trying his best to back his friend up, who just looked away and hid his glossy eyes.

"You misunderstand me, I base this entirely on firsthand experience!" Koro-Sensei stated, trying to clear up any miscommunications.

He held up a picture of his tentacles engulfing Arita in New York's biggest baseball field. The rest of the players looked up in shock as his tentacles bent his joints around mid-game. Nagisa's mouth dropped as he attempted to stifle a laugh. Sugino also found it particularly harder to hold himself to his upset emotions.

"I even got his autograph!" He blubbered as he held up a piece of paper with Arita's signature.

"You asked him for an autograph after you assaulted him?" Nagisa exclaimed in a fit of both laughter and disbelief.

"Unbelievable, right? He was so nice about it, too; I almost died!" Koro-Sensei exaggerated.

"He's right, though, Nagisa. Some people are just born with talents," Sugino looked at him again, trying to draw attention back to his defense.

"Talent is relative, though. Arita's wrists and elbows aren't as flexible as yours are, so that's something! Like I said, given enough time and practice you can become just as good a player as him, if not better," Koro-Sensei patted his head with his tentacled fingers. "Besides, why settle for being an imitation?" He turned away to head back in the campus building, tentacles retracting and wiggling.

"Next time, try assassinating me in an original manner," He challenged.

Sugino's eyes widened. His own style? He surely didn't expect to be lectured so kindly and uplifted in any way after his failed attempt, but part of him was excited to try something new. He would no longer settle for being a simple imitation. He waved Nagisa off as he sat in the courtyard with his arms around his knees. Nagisa figured to leave him be as he chased after his teacher.

"Excuse me, sir? Did you really fly all the way to New York just to give Sugino a piece of advice?" He inquired.

Koro-Sensej turned round to face the short bluenette. "Well, of course! What kinda teacher would I be if I didn't?" He asked that as if anyone would do what he did given the situation.

"It's just that… I don't know of any teacher who would go to such lengths for a student. And here you are planning to destroy the earth and all," Nagisa pointed out. Koro-Sensei grabbed his notebook and flipped to a certain page as he mysteriously held a red pen in his other tentacled fingers.

"Nagisa, the logistics aren't important. Let's just say I'm here to take on a promise; one I don't take lightly," His tentacles traced across the paper, the ballpoint pen gliding across the pages at intense speed as he continued. "The earth will be destroyed, yes, but my priority is to you and your classmates. Nothing beats giving you guys the credit you're due–not even me blowing up the earth," He handed the notebook back to his student, an earnest expression on his face. Nagisa took the notebook back and stole a quick glance at it.

"Koro-Sensei…” He prefaced, prepared to respond in light of the serious affirmation. That was before noticing his teacher’s writing on a separate page next to his English work. "Could you please stop writing problems like this on the back of our work?" He spat out at the distraction.

Koro-Sensei wiggles his tentacles and pouts, exclaiming that he can't do that.

"We get it, you're fast, so there's no point in being all weird about it," Nagisa chuckled as he closed his notebook. Koro-Sensei put his tentacles on his hips as if to apply a sassy tone.

"Aw, it's only a bonus question!" He retorted.

Nagisa looked up to him. "Honestly, it feels more like a penalty," He nervously smiled.

"Ah, well..." Koro-Sensei admitted defeat as he changed the subject, "Anyways, I hope my students take assassinating me as seriously as I take their education," His face turned into yellow and green stripes, "not as if you'd pull it off!" He chuckled nefariously.

Over the next week, Sugino had taken up Koro-Sensei's offer of using him as a test dummy to practice his throws on. Nagisa also helped him out as Kaede played their cheerleader. It seemed to uplift the three about their plans more so than before. Sugino’s throws gained both speed and power. It seemed that he was no exception to his teacher's powerful pep talks.

-

Roughly a week later, a group of students found Koro-Sensei sitting in the grassy clearing where he was usually found before the first period. This time, he was making shaved ice with a bright orange contraption. It was a sight to behold, seeing a big yellow octopus whirl a plastic toy to shave flavored ice.

“Do you think that ice comes all the way from the frickin' North Pole?” Maehara asked as Koro-Sensei placed the contraption down in the warm grass.

“He hits up every other place on the map, why not?” Isogai responded, crouching lower to conceal himself behind the bush in front of him.

The group of five–Megu, Isogai, Maehara, Toka Yada, and Fuwa Yuzuki–each stood behind the trees, plotting to jump their teacher and steal the kill. They even came up with the perfect foolproof plan. Isogai led the group as they all jumped into the clearing as bubbly as they could be. Megu and Yada giggled as they ran up to him, inquiring about his shaved ice machine. Before their target knew it, they pounced on him with the green rubber knives the Ministry of Defense provided them with. Not to their surprise, however, a gust of wind stopped them in their tracks as they looked around to find him after he dodged their group attack.

“Not the worst tactic you've tried, but your smiles were a bit too forced. I wasn't born yesterday, you guys! Now, why don't you put these anti-me knives away and stop to smell, if not the roses, then these lovely specimens!” He chuckled as he foiled their plan, standing just outside of the clearing as he dropped the knives and white cloth he used to grab them.

“Wait, are these from the flowerbed?" Yada exclaimed, looking at the lovely specimens now in their hands. "We grew these tulips from seeds!" She raised the pink and yellow tulip above her head to show the rest of the group, who gasped in astonishment.

Megu and Fuwa groaned in disappointment as they carefully held the flowers to their chest. Koro-Sensei stood in slight embarrassment, guilty as charged for uprooting the girls’ hand-grown tulips from the old campus' garden bed beside the front entrance.

"Don't worry, you guys! Uh… Ha!" Koro-Sensei attempted to amend his mistake by quickly retrieving more seeds, which were now wrapped in his tentacles.

"You're planting them, then!" Fuwa points to him with a scowl.

And just like that, their yellow teacher raced to the flower bed in the beating sun to replace the bulbous seeds of the tulips he took from the storage shed adjacent to the schoolhouse. He knelt down and quickly started bedding the seeds and covering them with nutrient-filled soil and damp mulch.

"Don't plant them at Mach 20!" Megu demanded, hands on her hips

"Yeah, flowers need a delicate touch!" Yada adds on, which effectively slowed their teacher's role significantly, so he can properly pay his debts to Mother Nature. He sure was going through a lot of trouble for a super speedy cephalopod. Nagisa stood beside the front entrance, studying Koro-Sensei with his little notebook. He carefully sketched a picture of his teacher on the front page, labeled 'Koro-Sensei'.

"Hey, Nagi! What's in that little book?" Kaede asked as she strolled outside from the hallway.

"It's a running list of all the information we have on Koro-Sensei," He began, turning the page so she could see what he had so far. The two simply tuned out the chaos by the garden beds.

Kaede seemed skeptical about the lack of information, looking at the several question marks listed just on the front page. Sugino snuck up on the two and grabbed the little notebook, eavesdropping from the hallway after following Kaede. Nagisa jumped a little as the notebook was taken from his hands.

"It must have something good in it!" He flipped through it and saw the sketch, speaking out loud to the two, "Height: about 3 meters. Weight: lighter than he looks. Birth date: unknown. Weak points: unknown…" He trailed off as he furrowed his eyebrow, now becoming just as skeptical as the green-haired girl with emerald eyes beside him. "What the hell is this?" He then asked after a brief moment of silence before chuckling and apologizing for the bluntness.

"I know, I know! It doesn't seem like a lot right now," Nagisa waved his hands dismissively as he nervously chuckled. The learning curve was still steep. Most classrooms don't have assassination on the syllabus, but they're the exception. Then, they are class 3-E, so they're the exception regardless.

-

Meanwhile, at Kunugigaoka Junior High's only principal office, the walls are composed almost completely of window panes; the office desk is large and takes up a good chunk of the back wall. A large office chair stood in the center of the desk, and a nameplate on the far left read Principal Asano. Kurasama stood at the other end, talking to the chair without asking the principal to turn around and face him.

"The Ministry of Defense appreciates your cooperation with this. My being brought into the campus as a physical education teacher is unorthodox, we realize, but necessary. I'll simply be there to observe and offer tactical advice to the students. My teaching certificate is still valid for the next two years," He monotonously stated.

The principal, Asano, swiveled around once Karasuma finished speaking. His eyes were a deep purple, and his hair a light red–almost orange. His physical demeanor was different from that of Kurasama, whose spiky black hair stuck up from the roots.

"You have my blessing," Principal Asano’s voice boomed. His hands remained still, crossed in front of him, "just see to it that their education and safety come first and foremost."

Kurasama nodded, "Thank you for your time, principal." He turned around with his subordinate, walking to exit the head office. Once they were out of earshot, the other fixed his glasses and spoke up.

"I figured we'd be met with more resistance," He admitted.

Kurasama hummed in agreement, "It's because he's being compensated for his trouble. All of this seems rather convenient to me. A creature with godlike powers that's untouchable by the military, who wants to teach? Thankfully, it's been a state secret up until now," He dims his voice to a silence as two boys of D-Class turn the corner ahead of them. The two men couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"C'mon, get your grades up! Once you're booted to E-Class colleges won't touch your transcript with a ten-foot pole," One said, "The kids are crazy and the teachers there fight for their lives! Once you get down there, you're done for," He continued. The other boy, who wore square glasses and shaggier hair, sighed as he crumpled his test.

They turned down the other hallway and into another classroom behind Kurasama and his coworker.

Kurasma pinched the bridge of his nose. The two continued their slow pace down the second floor hallway. "A time-tested strategy. Single out a group as undesirable, and the rest will fall in line to avoid being one of them. Social ingenuity at its finest.” Though it does make their objective all the more manageable, seeing as E-Class is ideally remote in the mountains–full of ticking teenage time bombs.

-

"Oh, hey, Kurasama!" Kaede greeted him as she walked outside with an armfull of long sticks. Kurasama looked confused at her greeting.

"Hey," he replied, "I'm going to be your new P.E. teacher here," He stated nonchalantly.

"Oh! Then I get to call you Mr. Karasuma, then!" She beamed. Kurasama nodded, his expression never changing from his natural stoicism.

"What are those for?" He inquired, fixing the sleeves of his black suit jacket. It was a wonder how he wasn’t burning alive climbing up the trail with the thick fabric over his whole top half.

"These are for Koro-Sensei!" She was given another raised eyebrow from her higher-up, "he's apologizing for destroying our flower bed," She explained, pointing to where the rest of the class had tied him to a tree branch like a piñata.

Kaede then bid a quick goodbye and dashed up to Nagisa.

"Any luck?" To which the boy shook his head in a defeated manner, dropping a handgun on the floor in favor of taking some of the sticks off her load.

"A few more moments of this and all is forgiven right?" Koro-Sensei shouted from the tree, dodging left and right as the tree swayed from his speedy movements, "You're a very lucky class, you know! Not many teachers would do this!" He shouted out

"Wait! There might be a corresponding weakness," Nagisa dropped his handgun in the dirt of the courtyard, pulling the little notebook from his gray pockets.

"Shoot and stab all you want, children!" Koro-Sensei continued with a nefarious giggle. "Even with these restraints, I am too fast for you!" His face held green stripes until he heard a faint snap from the tree bark.

The yellow octopus fell to the dirt, staying still for all but a minute. Kaede can't help but giggle to herself as she watched the scene unfold. The rest of the class then charged, stabbing at him and trying to hold him down, to which he frantically rolled and tried to use his bound tentacles to pry at the rope around his waist. He exclaim and pleaded with his students as his struggles proved pointless against the rough fibers.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #1: When he shows off, things get shaky.

"I'm sure these will come in handy at some point," She said, exchanging a glance with the boy's neat handwriting. It seemed almost as pristine as a printer.

"That's why I'm writing it all down now!" He softly gave her a smile, closing the small pieces of paper flat. Kurasama stood behind the two, watching in what could be described as confusion and slight pride looming within him as the group he'd soon call his students attack their yellow teacher. Koro-Sensei continued to blubber on the floor as he finally broke free from the ropes and took off into the sky. He landed firmly on the roof of the schoolhouse and turned to look down at his students with a darkened expression.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #2: Has an unusually short fuse.

"What's the matter, kids? Can't jump this high? Of course not!" He exclaimed as he cackled manaically before heaving to catch his breath.

"Guess who's earned themselves extra homework!" He demanded, earning groans of detest and disappointment from his class.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #3: No tolerance.

The class then chose to ignore it, instead claiming their half a victory. "We're getting closer to a solution!" Megu exclaimed, tossing the knife over to her friend, Kurahashi.

"If we keep this up, it's only a matter of time until we get him!" Isogai chimed in, which made the rest of the class cheer and laugh with determination,. Kurahashi wriggled the flimsy knife in her hand, enjoying the enthusiasm.

"Do you think we have a chance?" Kaede asked, just as excited as the rest of them.

Nagisa nodded affirmatively, "No doubt! At least, I hope so, or it's gonna be one awkward graduation ceremony." He teased.

A bunch of junior high kids hyped up about killing? Strangest class ever. It's a funny thing; the system's given up on these kids, yet look at them. They've still got so much positive energy and so much purpose.

Chapter Text

The sounds of a choreographed exercise regimen echo across the fields on a golden afternoon. The sun was hidden behind the gray clouds in the sky, students counting as they struck the air with their green rubber knives. Koro-Sensei sat in the sandbox, per Kurasama’s order, blubbering as he patted the sand down in the corner. The kids were obviously out of breath as a certain orange-haired boy’s knees buckled and his hand dropped his knife.

“Can I ask an obvious question?” Maehara huffed.

Kurasama nodded, “shoot.”

“If there's an actual point to this training, should we be doing it in front of our target?” He looked over to Koro-Sensei, who was now sprawled out and making a sand angel.

“Whether studying or fighting, it's the same principle. Drill the basics and the rest comes easy,” He thought for a moment. “Isogai, Maehara. Stand up,” he ordered. They did just that, Maehara picking his knife back up off the dirt.

“I want you to try to tag me with those knives,” He stated, loosening his tie.

Isogai turned to look at Maehara, then back at Mr. Kurasama, “Like, as a team?” He asked.

Their black-haired teacher nodded, “Tell you what, manage to hit me and you can go home for the day,” He sweetened the deal.

Without another complaint, Isogai took the first chance to lunge forward at Mr. Kurasama. His teacher dodged with ease, grabbing Maehara’s wrist and getting out of the way of his point-blank attack with practiced ease. This continued for several more seconds as the two struggled against his stronger figure.

“See that, kids? Even with the bare minimum know-how, I can practically dodge their attacks in my sleep.” Isogai scoffed as he tried again. “They've got no technique,” He pointed out, bringing both of them to the ground with one move. The class stared in awe as he did so, especially the girls in the class.

“If you can't land a hit against a guy like me, then you've got no chance against a target like him. See?” He pointed to their other teacher. “We've been sparring for half a minute and he's already had time to change clothes, make tea, and build a damn model of Osaka Castle,” Maehara and Isogai were then helped up by Mr. Kurasama. “That's why we drill. Once the whole class can hit me, you've got a chance." Surprisingly, he was good at the whole teaching thing despite his obvious stoic personality. “This isn't recess anymore. From now on, P.E. will be about the basics: aiming, stabbing, correct use of firearms, and everything in between,” He finished his speech to the class just as the bell rang on its post. The class was quick to gather in their usual groups in the courtyard.

“How’s that, you?” Kurasama vaguely stated as he turned to Koro-Sensei.

"You? I prefer the name my students gave me, so that's Koro-Sensei to you,” He corrected, and in return, Kurasama just shrugged him off and went back inside the warm building to his make-shift office. Sugino, Kaede, and Nagisa all walk up the stairs that lead back to the old campus as well.

“They should just let us go home after P.E.!” The dark-haired boy groaned, stretching his arms out.

Nagisa agreed timidly, “Yeah, I know, right? We still have a test in the sixth period!” He groveled.

“Nagisa?” A familiar voice called out from the stairs, catching the three’s attention. “What’s up? It's been a while,” A boy with bright red hair greeted the bluenette. He didn’t wear a school uniform, instead opting for a black cardigan and a white undershirt.

“Karma?” Nagisa inquired, his jaw slack. “You're back?” The taller boy just smiled, holding a small pink carton of milk from the main campus cafeteria in his left hand.

“Oh, hey! That must be the notorious Koro-Sensei,” he walked past him and Sugino, ignoring the group as he marveled at their teacher. “Wow, he really does look like an octopus!” He pointed out, approaching him calmly with his other hand tucked away in his pocket.

Koro-Sensei stared at him with his trademark smile. "Ah, Mr. Akabane. I understand your suspension ends today; welcome back. That said, tardiness is a no-no!" His face turned into a deep purple indicator.

Karma chuckles, “It’s just tough getting back into the swing’a things. Oh, and feel free to call me by my first name. Anyways, I've heard some good things, teach,” He pulled his hand out of his pocket and extended it for his teacher to shake.

“This should be a fun and educational year–” He grabbed Karma’s hand, and it instantly popped his tentacled fingers off. Karma then slashed with a knife he had hidden up his sleeve, though Koro-Sensei was quick enough to jump back a good distance.

“Damn, you are fast, huh? And who would’a thought these knives really work? I mean, I just taped some on and called it good. That's all it took for you to jump? Pretty elementary stuff, chief,” He chuckled, “What, are you scared of me?” He teased, but not in a friendly way.

Well, he hurt him, and that makes him the first. Koro-Sensei remained quiet.

“Y’know, I heard they call you Koro-Sensei because you're supposed to be unkillable. There's no way you can be that much of a pushover!” He continued, his voice bitter and cruel. The rest of the class was silent, merely observing now as the situation escalated. Kaede sifted between Sugino and Nagisa.

“Hey, Nagisa, who is that guy?” Kaede asked, just as shocked as the rest of the class.

“Uhm, he and I were in the same class our first and second year. He was violent–So violent that they finally suspended him and shipped him here, I guess.” E-Class is exactly where they send you when they don't know what else to do with you. “The thing is, under these circumstances, he may end up a star student...” He replied.

Kaede cocked her head in confusion, “Seems like it, but how come?”

“Weapons and blood are his passion. Trust me, if anyone can kill our teacher, it's him,” Nagisa stated with finality.

Karma then turned his back to Koro-Sensei, meandering back to the stairs of the schoolhouse. ‘Stick around next time, Koro-Sensei. I'll show you what it's like to be assassinated. I'll break you down to your very core and stab right through it.’ He thought, now peeling the cut-up knife he taped to his hand.

-

Sixth period quickly rolled around, and Koro-Sensei spent it pouting and softly punching the wall as the kids took their tests. His tentacles made a squishing sound with each impact, which was only amplified by the silence of the classroom.

“What is he doing? Maehara whispered to the others.

“I dunno… I think he's punching the wall?” Megu replied, just as quietly.

“You’re right. Karma’s smack-talk must’ve touched a nerve,” Isogai commented, adding to Megu’s claim.

Maehara leaned forward from his desk. “But what's the point of punching the wall if his tentacles are too soft to do any damage?” He asked.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #4: His punches are soft.

“Okay, that's enough!” Hinata in the front row raised her voice, “Could you maybe stop that? We’re trying to take a quiz here!” Koro-Sensei then nervously apologized, causing Maehara to laugh to himself as he looked back down at his half-filled quiz paper. Terasaka, who sat in the back row next to Karma, began talking to him.

“You sure y’know what you're getting yourself into here? The jellyfish is sincerely pissed off at you.”

Another of his friends, Muramatsu, chimed in, “You can't pay me enough to be in your shoes! If I were you, I’d stay home with my head under a pillow,” He joked.

Karma had heard of the first failed assassination attempt he deployed, quietly amused when he was told how scared Terasaka was when their teacher had told him off. “Of course he’s pissed, who wouldn’t be if someone made an attempt on their life? ‘Les the would-be assassin screwed up and pissed his pants in the process of failure,” He bit back, giving a grin to Terasaka.

The larger man’s fist landed on the table, “I didn't piss myself! That attitude's gonna get your ass kicked!” He retorted, louder than the conversation began. Koro-Sensei had turned around when he heard the boys speaking, finally jumping in.

“Quiet, please! No noise during a quiz!” He raised his tentacle, extending one of his two yellow fingers out acquisitively. “Continue to talk and I will assume that you're cheating!” He challenged.

Karma smiled at him innocently, “Sorry, Koro-Sensei, my bad! No worries, though; I've already finished. I'm just gonna eat this gelato if that's okay…” Where he had gotten the gelato was a mystery to everyone else, but the entertainment on their faces was obvious enough.

“Not so fast!” His teacher interrupted. “No eating in class!” He then noticed the soft pink ice cream on the cone in Karma’s hand. “Hey! That’s the gelato I brought back from Italy yesterday!” To which Karma laughed at him.

“Oh? My bad. I just saw it chilling in the faculty lounge,” He said, holding the cone closer to his face.

‘This won't do, young man! I flew through the coldest layer of the Stratosphere to keep that from melting!” Koro-Sensei complained with his tentacles akin to his exaggerated expressions.

“Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?” Karma then licked the pink ice cream out of spite. “Hit me?” Koro-Sensei’s face then flushed bright red across his cheeks, clearly displaying his dissatisfaction.

“Of course not! I’ll simply have it back and then finish what's left of it, thank you very much!” He stormed closer to Karma’s desk, only to be preoccupied with the red-haired boy. One of his tentacles popped, and he glanced down in a tizzy.

“Anti-me B.B.s?” He exclaimed as Karma aimed an unloaded revolver at him. He pulled the trigger several times, and each time invisible bullets shot out towards his teacher. With every click, the yellow octopus dodged them, providing ample entertainment to the back row of students, especially Karma.

“Damn, that's twice in one day, teach!” He pointed out as he looked at his teacher’s yellow tentacles. He stood up and walked up to him, gun still aimed and gelato in the other hand. “I'm gonna keep pulling the same shit on you. The class will get interrupted, and our grades will slip. Let's be straight-up, though, if you want this to stop, you can just kill me. Or anyone else in this class for that matter,” He pushed the gelato into Koro-Sensei’s shirt like he had a death wish, the pink cream smearing across the fabric. “You just gotta let go of wanting us to see you as our teacher. Show us your ugly side, or you can make peace with all this and accept that I'll be the one to kill you.” He then handed him his test and nonchalantly walked out of the classroom without another word.

Karma wasn’t afraid to go there in the slightest. He knew exactly what buttons to push. He drew a line in the sand that Koro-Sensei couldn't cross without changing the way his students saw him. It took nerve, but it also took pinpointing his target’s weakness. He was clever and manipulative, easily able to see what makes someone tick and how to exploit it. If anyone could do this, it would certainly be him.

After school was finished for the day, Koro-Sensei made his usual embark out of the classroom window with little to say to his students. He held each of their test papers and proceeded to grade them as he soared through the cloudy sky, multitasking on a whole other level than that of any ordinary person.

“That boy!” He grumbled to himself. “He’s left me with no choice but to go buy another gelato!” He circled the top score on his test: 100%. “He's sharp! Deviously clever, so I mustn't let him bait me; mustn't give him the satisfaction of losing my temper. Indeed, I'll have to be exceptionally careful with that one!”

-

Kunugigaoka Station was typically packed with students directly after school, but considering E-Class got out thirty minutes earlier than the other campus, the only other students there were by the station were those who didn’t have a seventh period. Usually, the students of E-Class rejoiced in this silence. There was no unwanted attention to be drawn, and it was unusually pleasant.

Sugino eventually bid goodbye to Nagisa, walking off as the blue-haired boy stood by the stands. "See you later, Nagisa!" He waved.

"Take care!" He waved back before turning his back on him to scan his ID card. He stood by the ticket station, fumbling in his bag for the card.

“Damn, is that Nagisa?" A voice sneered from behind him. He recognized the voice; it was a member of D-Class. "Look at the guy, all cozy with the E-Class dumbasses," He continued snidely, leaning against the brick wall.

"Ew, gross!" His friend pushed his square glasses up, "Gotta hand it to him, he’s adapted to the crowd he’s gonna spend the rest of his life in." He laughed. Nagisa couldn't help the gloss that swept his pretty blue eyes as he ducked his head with a sting in his chest, “Did you hear they shoved that Akabane guy down to E-Class, too? I’d rather be dead than stuck in a classroom with that freak!"

Speaking of the devil, Karma had easily managed to sneak up next to them and smash an empty bottle above their heads against the wall behind them. To say they freaked out would be an understatement. “Seriously? ‘Cause I can help you out with that! It’d be messy, but real quick!” He grinned. They immediately took off running as he laughed at them. “Like I’d do anything. I'm not gonna risk another suspension with the deal I've got in E-Class,” He teased before walking up to Nagisa to check on him.

Nagisa awkwardly waved at him with a sheepish smile.

“Word is, you’ve been keeping notes on the octopus," Karma began, scanning his ID card at the terminal and walking through the detectors, Nagisa following him after swiping his card as well.

“Uhm, well, yeah, I kinda have,” Karma nodded in return as he heard Nagisa’s answer.

“Does he hate us calling him an octopus?” He hummed in consideration.

“Now that you mention it, whenever he draws himself, it's always as an octopus…” The bluenette mentioned. “That’s also what he picks for his video game characters, and when he digs himself in the sand by the courtyard. So, no, I don't think he minds at all; in fact, I think it's like his personal avatar!”

Karma chuckled to himself, “Well, that’s good...”

“Oh no. You’re planning something, aren't you?” The shorter boy prefaced with a nervous laugh.

“I might be. But it’s fun, right? I was into this when I thought he was just a monster, but now that I know what his personality is like,” The train was quickly approaching them as the bells tolled loudly next to the barriers that started to lower across the tracks. The yellow and white striped barriers closed behind him as Karma turned around to face Nagisa for the second time in months, "I finally get to kill an honest-to-god teacher!” He laughed maniacally to himself, "I’ve been dreaming of this ever since my last teacher fuckin’ died!”

Nagisa looked up at him as the wind from the train pushed both of their hair, but admiration would be a lesser adjective to describe the look he was giving Karma at that moment. Nothing less than subtle astonishment.

-

The following morning was similar to every other. Koro-Sensei blubbered on his way to the classroom, no coins in his pouch for gelato funds. His tentacles held a folder with the student’s graded tests. He slid open the door nonetheless, putting the empty purse in his robe pocket.

“Good morning, everyone,” He calmly announced as he stepped foot into the classroom. The class looked at him awkwardly in silence, to which he replied, “What's with the long faces?” He turned to look at his desk, which had a raw orange octopus with a knife through its head right on his desk. The juices from the meat trickled from its pores onto the desk, and it smelled almost like sashimi.

Karma laughed, “Oops, that's on me! Yeah, totally thought it was you, so I stabbed it. Suppose I should get rid of it?” His voice was laced with entertained sarcasm.

Koro-Sensei sighed as he picked up the octopus, “Yes... You should,” He said, rather disgruntled but choosing to move past it. Karma fiddled with the knife he was holding behind his wooden desk as his yellow teacher walked up to him.

‘Don’t worry, Koro-Sensei, I won’t kill you just yet. It’s more fun to watch your spirit die first.’

He looked around as Koro-Sensei disappeared with a gust of wind, setting the knife down on his desk. The class murmured as they also searched for him, though, several seconds later, he reappeared in front of Karma’s desk with a large gray machine. It was nearly undecipherable what he was doing at the speed at which he was doing it. He had managed to sneak a missile from the Ministry of Defense and held up various bagged ingredients: tempura, flour, sauce, bonito flakes, and the very orange octopus from his desk.

“Observe, Karma. If you think I'm going to let the new kid get away with murder, think again,” His tentacles whipped around a flame that ignited on the end of the missile, though he was painfully careful enough not to let anything else happen. Before he knew it, Karma had something hot stuck in his mouth. He quickly spat it out and looked up to him in pure confusion as to what he had just witnessed. How was he to throw the knife with that missile in the way, and with whatever the octopus had been trying to shove in his mouth?

“Don't you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Koro-Sensei asked, though Karma didn’t reply. “Your complexion tells me you haven't eaten, so please help yourself to this delicious takoyaki!” He handed him a bit of what he had made, which was placed on a thick cardboard.

Karma was flabbergasted, to say the least. His mind was running a million miles a minute. ‘What the hell? Did he seriously see that coming? There’s no way I'm that much of a pushover.’ He retorted through his breath. “I'm not touching this shit…” He was still holding his warm tongue to the roof of his mouth. He pushed the cardboard dish away in retaliation, though his yellow teacher hadn’t taken it back.

“You see, I'm a giver. I take care of things; hungry students, would-be assassins,” He continued, “troubled teens,” He teased. “Every attempt on my life is a chance for me to play the part, so, by all means, keep at it.” Another piece of takoyaki found itself in his teacher’s tentacle, which halted Karma’s angry train of thought.

“By the end of the day, if your minds aren't flowing with health and knowledge, I haven't done my job!” His tentacles spiraled out as he gave Karma a cheeky smile.

Karma scoffed as he folded his arms across his chest, dismissing his teacher’s advice. ‘Who do you think you are, Koro-Sensei? You can't tell me how to live my life.’

As Koro-Sensei’s speech ended, he walked up to his desk and offered takoyaki to the other students, not wanting to leave them out. The first bell rang shortly after, however, and Koro-Sensei immediately got into the lesson–much to the class's discontent as they were just as fascinated by their teacher’s abilities, if not more than Karma himself. Class ensued as Koro-Sensei began writing warm-up algebra problems on the blackboard, telling the class to get started on them on a sheet of notebook paper. The concept written on the left-hand side of the board thereafter was “indivisibility” with the date underneath it. The doodles of Koro-Sensei remained pinned beneath.

Koro-Sensei began to make laps around the classroom, helping those who had questions along the way. Karma, relentlessly as ever, reached into his desk and pulled out his standard revolver, loaded with pink B.Bs. He aimed it at Koro-Sensei as he was busy helping Nakamura a few rows in front of him. However, he took a little bit too long, and the gun was deftly pulled from his hand and into his teacher’s tentacles before he knew it. Nakamura set down their pencil and turned around.

“What?” He exclaimed, looking around at each of his tentacles as Nakamura giggled at him.

His teacher turned to him, “Karma. It takes an anti-me B.B. far too long to reach its mark.” Karma dropped his hand on his desk with a groan, “I had some time on my hands, so I hope you don't mind if I pretty-fied yours!” He chuckled as Nakamura then broke out into a laugh. Karma looked down at his hands and noticed his fingernails were painted with a sparkly purple and pink. He clenched his fist and immediately started picking it off in embarrassment.

Not long after the first period ended, Koro-Sensei began to set up the classroom for Home Economics, rearranging the wooden tables into two separate rows. Eventually, the pots were boiling various soups, water, and appliances softly hummed with the promise of home-made food.

Fuwa stood, complaining to herself about her tomato soup. “It’s just too... Ugh!” She struggled to find the right words, so she instead sat down in front of it and silently brainstormed.

“Let's see," Koro-Sensei looked into the pot as Sugino and Hinata also took interest, “how did you do, Fuwa?”

She sighed, “I’m not sure. It has a bizarre, tangy flavor to it for some reason,” She said as she tapped the handle of the ladle.

“Let's give it a taste!” Koro-Sensei picked up a small metal spoon just as Karma stepped up in preparation for something else in mind.

“It's probably best if you just start over,” He teased. “Why not toss it out?” He then grabbed the pot, which was then taken away from him within a second as Koro-Sensei retorted.

“We wear an apron in Home Ec, Karma,” He said, noticing his student hadn’t put one on at the start of the period. The pot was then set back down on the portable burner.

Karma looked down and dropped the green knife. He was now dressed in a frilly apron with a pink heart in the center. He scowled and completely ripped it off as he stormed away in defeat. He couldn't even be bothered to self-loathe after the class saw him in something like that. Koro-Sensei simply walked off, attending to Fuwa’s soup.

“And don't worry, Fuwa, the soup is fine. I added just a dash of sugar to it,” Fuwa tasted it and excitedly widened her eyes.

“That’s just what it needed!” She exclaimed. Terasaka’s group in the far corner took notice of Karma's attire, although he had already long rid himself of it.

“Cute outfit," Terasaka teased as his classmate fixed to leave the classroom. This got him nothing, as he flipped him off and tossed the apron at him. He stood in the doorway for a moment more.

“Meet me on the cliff after school, teach.” He demanded sharply. His tone was almost bitter, drier than usual. It seemed that this was the final straw between them. Koro-Sensei simply nodded affirmingly and saw it fit that Karma take a breather out of the classroom environment. It was no use. Koro-Sensei has weaknesses–they all did. He screws up now and then, and his speed drops to human levels anytime he's flustered. But Karma’s been so relentless with his surprise attacks. He had Koro-Sensei on high alert, which meant he stood no chance.

-

Gray clouds cascaded over the dying blue of the sky. Almost everyone else had left, but Nagisa grew even more curious as the seconds ticked by until the bell rang for release. He snuck up the rest of the mountain, slowly meandering to the cliff Karma mentioned he would be at. When he saw him idly sitting by, he halted. There was a gentle wisp of wind that blew red strands past his face, and when the wind met Nagisa, he felt his courage dwindle with it. Karma looked down from the dead tree he sat on, the cliff on the eastern side of the mountain high above the trees below him. He continued chipping away at the rest of the nail polish his teacher had painted his nails with, now using his teeth.

‘I need a way to finish this. I can't lose again…’ His thoughts were cut off by Nagisa walking up behind him.

“Come on, Karma, don't sweat it. We’ll do it together as a class,” He began, which earned a death glare from his red-haired counterpart.

“Just admit I’m pathetic and get on with your day, Nagisa,” He quipped. “You can see how shit I am at everything, y’know?” He continued, his breath shaky. He wasn’t fishing for compliments; in fact, that was the last thing he wanted. Whenever his peers praised him, it only made him sicker.

“Karma, you could have the sneakiest, most foolproof plan ever, and he would still catch onto it because he has his eye on you. You’re not weak, just relentless,” Karma scoffed. “He's not like other teachers,”

“Other teachers? Not like Mr. Ono?” He asked, voice coarse as both of them reminisced on their former teacher. Nagisa choked back a subtle surprise. He knew all too well what the two went through with Mr. Ono, and it made him fall back into silence.

In his mind, Karma flashed back to him…

“I’m with you a hundred percent, Akabane. Yes, you’ve had issues and still do have issues respecting authority, but you’re absolutely in the right, and I stand by you," Mr. Ono had admitted.

Karma took the thoughts out of his head, as being reminded of those times didn’t serve him anything but anger and resentment.

“You don't understand. I need to do this on my own. Let me ask you, would it tick you off to die in some–” He was cut off by Koro-Sensei, who was now approaching the two.

“Oh, Karma~!” He called out in a sing-song voice. “I feel I’ve taken exceptionally good care of you today. Keep trying to kill me if that’s what you’d like.” His face was already adorned with green stripes. “I certainly don't get tired of spiffing you up!” Karma grew a sinister smile on his face in return.

“Just so we’re on the same page here, you consider yourself a teacher above all else?” He began.

“Of course,” Koro-Sensei replied, tentacles in place at his side.

“So you wouldn't think twice about putting your life on the line to save a student?” Karma began to stand up, facing his teacher with his back to the cliff.

“What sort of teacher would I be if I didn't?”

Nagisa couldn’t help but have a bad feeling in his gut, seeing Karma slowly back away from the two, his footing ever-so careful as he did so. He had half a mind to bring him back so he wasn’t so close to the edge, but ultimately decided otherwise. Although the two hadn’t seen each other in months, he still had a heart for his old friend–someone whom he looked up to regardless of his apathy.

“Good to know,” Karma’s voice broke suddenly as he turned his head away, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his revolver. His thoughts continued to race tenfold.

‘This is it, isn’t it? Everything I've ever worked for ends here, and I’m just going to be happy with it? I’m going to let this monster get away if I fail this last time? This is what I was waiting for…” His thoughts spoke loudly in his head as he held back what seemed to be tears. ‘Even if I don't shoot him, this will surely wreck his spirit!’ His eyes lit up as he started to laugh maniacally, his lungs grasping what little air he was able to let in.

“So I can kill you!” He shouted. Koro-Sensei and Nagisa were completely taken aback as Karma raised the gun and pointed it at him.

“Wait, Karma!” Nagisa bolted forward in a visceral attempt to keep him from falling back.

But then he jumped. Nagisa had been too late.

Everything after that felt like it went in slow motion as his body was being dragged into the trees below him. Though he didn’t see it, Nagisa was draped over the edge, sobbing at the prospect of losing an old friend like this. Koro-Sensei stood behind the bluenette in shock, all but for a moment.

“What will it be, teach?” Karma tried to speak up, but the wind stole his voice. He felt his heart race and stomach drop. Is he going to swoop down and save him, getting shot in the process? Or is he the type of teacher to let one of his students die? He felt his tears fall off his cheeks.

Damn, that shit they say about your life flashing before your eyes is true!”

Once again, his memories flooded through, only adding to his terror. Memories of his fists crashing into some thugs' faces, breaking bones, and spilling blood. All to protect someone else. Someone of lesser status who was being mugged and sliced up by a third-year in A-Class. All that to be told off. Saving a life to be told off. Was he the bad guy for putting a bully in his place?

-

”Damnit, Akabane! Anyway you slice it, you’re clearly in the wrong! What made you think attacking your class’ star pupil like a mad dog was something I'd let slide?” Mr. Ono’s fists crashed against the table. He made no effort to hide his anger.

Mr. Ono continued to scream at him as the A-Class victim walked into his office. He wrapped up, in pain, with many broken bones, and possibly even a concussion.

“What? They were talking badly about the dregs? Good for you, injuring someone on principle! This young man happens to have a future! If this interferes with his scores, it's on my head!” Mr. Ono mindlessly continued to berate him.

Karma couldn’t even get a word in with the discipline he was receiving from his teacher.

“I’ve been willing to turn a blind eye to the accountability of your grades, being second place and all. But you’ve tried my patience too far! Throwing this wrench in my plans and career, and all bets are off. I'm not saving you anymore!”

-

‘He said he’d stand by me. He's a liar, just like me. That son of a bitch screwed me over, so that’s it.

Karma flashed back into the present. ‘So much for that, I guess…’ He found it impossible to breathe by that point, his fingers gripping the trigger of the revolver harder as gravity threatened to take it from his grasp. The reality of the situation then quickly dawned on him as his heart felt like it stopped completely. He couldn’t even manage a single thought more than the cumbersome realization that everything was coming to an end before him. Everything he could’ve wanted for the past year was happening, so why was he so damn afraid? It was a revolting feeling. The feeling of finally succumbing to the failure that was his existence.

‘Damn it… I’m gonna die!’ But here, the teacher dies with him.

He smiled with that, contentment enveloping his soul as he reached his final seconds. He realized that his life hadn't been worth it up until this point; that his life hadn’t led him to happiness in the end, but rather it led to blatant unfulfillment as he noticed the absence of his teacher pummeling down in front of him. There was nothing he could do, though; he was free-falling until his body slammed against the tree branches. Perhaps the bite of an attempt on two lives at once was too much to chew. He was gratified until his final seconds stretched farther than he anticipated, yellow tentacles forming a spider web beneath him. He felt the force of the impact swiftly knock the air out of him as he sat completely stuck on them. His limbs were spread widely from the connection, and the sky suddenly warped in his vision as the whiplash secured his being.

Then, the grating voice next to him: “Well done!'' Koro-Sensei said from behind him, “a splendidly premeditated assassination attempt. Full marks!” He then stood next to Karma. “I knew your body couldn’t handle being plucked out of freefall at the speed of sound, and had I moved any slower, you would have shot me. What a tangled and sticky web we weave!” Karma tried to break free, but he couldn't; the tentacles stuck to his cardigan and dark pants. He could’ve choked from nausea.

“What the hell? Is there anything these tentacles can't do?” He exclaimed, voice hoarse from the strain of the fall, until he eventually gave up.

“Can't shoot me now, can you?” Koro-Sensei teased, blissfully unaware. “And for future reference, Karma, Students do not die on my watch. Ever. Take that to heart for the next time you jump.”

Karma stared up into the turbid sky, his mind completely drawn out of any thoughts. The sun peeked through the clouds as he looked at his teacher. Then, much to his dislike, he started crying. Koro-Sensei retracted his tentacles, embracing him in a sudden hug. He had never expected someone as composed as Karma to break down, especially in front of his target. Koro-Sensei remained silent for a moment, simply feeling the motion of Karma’s shoulders shivering with the efforts to contain the shaky inhales and silent tears.

Koro-Sensei was only familiar with the way two students cried so far, namely Kurahashi and Sugino. Though Sugino was happy to receive his favorite baseball star’s autograph while he cried, and Kurahashi was simply overwhelmed during their study session. To see a student cry so quietly almost drew more worry out than. Something dawned on him then.

“You wanted to die, didn't you?” He asked, now far more aware of the situation at hand.

Karma huffed, still distraught. Still, he nodded.

After a few heartfelt moments of comfort, Koro-Sensei had walked Karma back up to where Nagisa stood. He seemed calmer now, definitely relieved by what he saw from the top of the cliff. He couldn’t stop the tears from falling despite knowing Karma was safe, running up to hug him when he saw the two again.

“You... Why? How did– How did you–” He stuttered, embracing him tightly when he couldn’t find the words.

“I suggest you take him into consideration as well, Karma.” Koro-Sensei pointed out quietly. which stuck out more to Karma than his previous sentiment.

“I don't get it. How were you so calm?” Nagisa inquired.

Karma, as per usual, repressed all of what he felt and replied, “Eh, it’s nothin’,” though he still hid his red eyes under his red hair as he gently hugged Nagisa back, who was still scared out of his mind to lose his friend. It was odd to see someone care so much about him. As much as he would’ve liked to shove the comfort rising in his chest, he finally decided to bask in it.

“I’m sure. I can tell you were crying,” He said, a hand snaking to his friend’s hair.

Karma then broke the hug and turned away, walking away without a single word. He hid a smile from his friend. Nagisa regained his posture and ran back up to him with a nervous laugh.

‘I’ll stick around a little longer, I guess.’

Chapter Text

Koro-Sensei popped a silicone nose onto his spherical face, altering his yellow complexion to that of a light-skinned man. He usually does this when he needs to be out and about, or in this case, buying junk food. He innocently meandered into his favorite convenience store beside the Kunugigaoka Station, the door ringing a small bell to alert the cashier of a new customer.

"Hey there, big teach! Long time, no see.” The cashier greeted him, instantly recognizing him. Granted, he wasn’t very hard to miss.

"I know, right? Thank goodness for pay day!" The now humanesque Koro-Sensei replied with a light chuckle. He then finished his business inside at a moderate pace. The cashier gave him a small discount on his goods, and he was sent on his way shortly after. Walking away from the register, the doors slid open to aid his departure from his one-stop trip for delicious and cheap junk food.

"Hey, cut it out!" A young woman's voice was heard from the parking lot.

"Lighten up, doll-face," A guy with facial tattoos and a muscular figure hushed her. The tattoos weren’t particularly well done, and it was a wonder he was even able to make a living with such obscenity plastered where every eye can see.

"Please, I don't have time for this; my students are expecting me!" She retorted again, shoving his hands off her shoulders.

"Oh, so you're a teacher, huh? What do you say about a little private tutoring to help us get our grades up?" Another guy of a similar physique tried to coerce.

"Allow me to teach you gentlemen how to flirt with a lady!" Koro-Sensei interrupted, wasting no time shoving them into the car they were trying to stuff the lady into.

"Lesson one is first impressions!" He began. "Know what your wheels say about your date," He whipped inside the convenience store and came back with bright pink wrapping paper, whirling around the car until the cardboard tube was stripped of its color. "There is no lesson two!" Koro-Sensei then turned to the woman, who stared at him with awe.

"Why did you use pink?" They complained. One man tried the handle of the car, ripping the wrapping paper as the door cracked open. They were easily discouraged from their advances.

"Who says chivalry is dead? You're a prince among men!" She brought him into a soft embrace when the tentacled man noticed the huge rack she had pressed against him. Her blonde hair was long and curled neatly to shape her face. She thanked him once more, her bright blue eyes shimmering in the morning sunlight.

"By the way, I'm trying to find Kunugigaoka Junior High. Do you know where it is?" She inquired.

-

Kurasama stepped foot into the classroom, noticing the class’ stares of confusion as they watched a young woman with blonde hair wrap herself around Koro-Sensei. He sighed, stepping up and ignoring her behavior. Perhaps Koro-Sensei should have realized no one who wore something so low-cut would work on the main campus of Kunugigaoka. Ever since he played the hero, she was connected by the hip; if she had let go, she might’ve cried.

“Okay, look alive, people,” He prefaced, “meet our newest addition to the E-Class faculty.”

“My name is Ms. Irina Jelavić!” She said with a bubbly smile and rosy cheeks. “It’s so nice to meet you all!” Something was remarkably suspicious about her attitude. There was something almost sinister bubbling behind her cherry-red lips and long eyelashes. The whole class took notice of her features: brightly toned blonde hair and big blue eyes. Everything seemed to point to her being a regular woman until they looked down. Her shirt was cut so low her breasts could’ve fallen right out, and the thinnest string holding up a lace underbra was barely seen under the dark fabric over her peachy skin.

“We decided to take her offer to strengthen your English curriculum. No hard feelings, I hope?” He turned to Koro-Sensei, though he didn’t wait for a response before he continued. “She's, uh, very qualified…” He averted his gaze back to the class, awkwardly attempting to ignore Irina’s mindless babbling.

Kaede snickered, catching the attention of Nagisa, “She totally has a thing for Koro-Sensei! I mean, she seems nice, so I guess it’s kind of cute, right?” She said, resting her chin on her palm. Her gaze didn’t appear to leave the two.

Nagisa nodded, “It might be something we can use to kill him with.” He pulled out his small notebook and flipped a few pages to find a blank one.

Koro-Sensei seemed thrown off by the attention she was giving him. Was it because she was a human or because she was a woman? His face changes color to reflect his mood, so what’s the color for hot and bothered? Just like that, his face changed to a bright pink that seemed to shine in the classroom sunlight. There was no mistaking that face.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #5: Boobs.

“Aw! The more I look at you, the more I feel myself drawn in! Those tiny suppository eyes and those gelatinous joints; I'm simply captivated by the whole thing!” Irina complimented, despite the audience of teenagers in front of them. Her arms gripped his tightly, soft skin sliding smoothly across his appendages.

“Oh, my… I– Uhm…” Koro-sensei stammered, unsure of how to handle the situation. Nakamura seemed to see right through the act; no woman in her right mind would be head-over-heels in love with someone like their teacher, right? Nakamura internally bristled with a huff, watching their new English teacher nuzzle up against their yellow teacher. He might’ve been a sucker for those looks, but they knew something else was going on than what met the eye. If she was there, odds are it wasn't just to give them better English lessons. However, once Kurasama escorted her to the shared faculty office, the class continued as per usual.

Their first physical education course took place in the middle of the day, just after third period. The sun was shining brightly with a gentle blanket of warmth wrapping around the courtyard. They passed a yellow ball, then attempted to strike Koro-Sensei right after, examining the physical perceptiveness of their surroundings. Irina and Mr. Kurasama, however, stood inside the schoolhouse watching from the rickety office window. They were engaging in a discussion.

“Of course, I had all the usual close-range tactics at the ready.” She began, “Apparently, the art of seduction works just as well on whatever the hell he is.” Irina popped out a cigarette from her purse, lighting it as Kurasama glared at her. Her lips pressed against the paper as she inhaled.

Irina Jelavić was a first-rate assassin. Beautiful, intelligent, athletic, and fluent in a dozen languages. No target was immune to her charms, whatever their nationality. She used to be a writer during the years she spent studying abroad. She even wrote a book on infiltration and approach several years ago, though it was banned in the majority of Japan several months after its release.

“As good as you are, we can't just drop you in and expect the usual tricks to work. I know that deep cover is your specialty, but this time you’ll have to teach,” Kurasama pointed out.

“As if I'll be here long enough!” She retorted with a scoff. “The octopus will be pushing up daisies before lunch. I’m a professional, remember?" She seemed offended at the suggestion he gave, defensively biting him back with a cold glare. She then left the room without another look at her new coworker. She intended on proving her point one way or another–she wasn’t hired for nothing!

“Pass and kill!” It was heard being chanted by each student as they kicked the yellow ball to one of their classmates and launched an attack. Karma’s bullet missed, without surprise. Hinata’s knife missed as well; Koro-Sensei dodged the strike with lackadaisical ease. Their class was then promptly interrupted by Irina’s waving and running up to Koro-Sensei, acting mindlessly unaware of the students circled up around him. The only reason Koro-Sensei put up with the short notice was because of the little time remaining in the period.

“Yoohoo~!” She announced. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, darling. Mr. Kurasama tells me you can go Mach twenty and I just had to see it with my own eyes!” Her bubbly personality was in full swing again as she approached her target inquisitively.

“Well, he might’ve exaggerated a tad,” Koro-Sensei humbled himself in the presence of Irina, dropping the few yellow balls he had engulfed in his tentacles.

“I hate to ask this, but I would be ever so grateful if you could fetch some Vietnamese coffee! I thought that maybe you could grab it while I run the students through their English lesson?” She gave him puppy-dog eyes as she cupped her hands in front of her, pathetically pleading with Koro-Sensei.

“But, of course!” Koro-Sensei flushed a bright pink again. “It just so happens I know a fabulous cafe in Vietnam!” He announced. The bell rang for their fourth period, and he wasted no time in taking off. Irina fixed her hair that was ruffled from the whipping wind created from his take-off. The smitten teacher had left them standing in the courtyard, and the students then unloaded their firearms.

“It’s about that time, Ms. Irina,” Isogai nervously announced, “I mean, that's the bell, so shouldn't we head back?” He noticed how much longer it was taking her to lead them back inside. Several groups had already started walking back up the stairs to the side entrance.

“Sure, whatever," Irina’s tone dropped to a cold beat, her eyes now resting. “Knock yourselves out. I need some peace, though, so just make it a study hall," She deadpanned through a swirl of smoke. “And another thing… Let's all agree not to call me Miss when the octopus isn't around.” The class was somewhat shocked at her true nature; some mouths dropped slack in shock. Nakamura just hummed in acknowledgement, figuring this would’ve happened sooner. They followed Sugino and Karma up the stairs.

“And we’re not on a first-name basis, so drop it. When he’s around, just call me Ms. Jelavić.”

Karma chuckled from the sidewalk. “So, what's your plan, Ms. Jelabitch?”

Bitch: a woman with an unpleasant personality; a sexually lewd woman; a female dog.

“No nicknames!” She shouted back accusatively.

“I didn’t know we had ourselves a real pro here. Wanna simple word of warning from us who know how this’ll go down? You’re not gonna kill the octopus without help,” Karma bit back.

“Oh, sweetie, please, you’re a bunch of saplings! We adults have our way of doing things–take notice." She quickly turned to Nagisa, noticing his gentle blue hair. “Speaking of which, you’re Nagisa Shiota, right?” Her smile turned devious.

She then walked up to him with both speed and elegance. Nagisa felt his heart stop when he found himself right in front of her, just inches away. She delicately cupped his face and kissed him. The force of passion nearly knocked Nagisa off his feet, hitting his tongue as her’s intruded through his teeth. He could hear the exclamations and gasps of his classmates, Kaede nearly screaming when she saw Irina’s lips meet her friend's. Irina then gently placed his cheeks against her breasts, much to Nagisa's disdain. He struggled to catch his breath, feeling flushed and disgusted at the same time. Most young boys would’ve killed to be in his position, but it was nothing short of uncomfortable to him. He averted his gaze and simply zoned out to ignore the humiliation.

“Do me a favor,” She began, “show me what you’ve got on him. Grab your little notebook and meet me in the faculty lounge in ten minutes.” She then let go of Nagisa without a second of warning, watching him fall to the floor, his brain fried of any thoughts.

‘Why me..? No normal school would allow such a– Such a bitch!’ He couldn’t help but feel a little irritated that she tried to seduce him. It sickened him to feel her touch him so casually, as if he weren’t a young boy. His eyes met Kaede, who seemed to notice his discomfort. The two walked close to each other in an awkward silence. He kept his mouth covered and wiped off her cherry chapstick with his ivory fingers.

“That goes for any of you snot-nosed punks who feel like you’ve got intel worth sharing. Give Jelavić something useful, and I'll let you go home while these gentlemen substitute for you. Now, piss off!” From the North side of the school campus, three older men with tattoos and large muscles came around, each carrying big, heavy bags–presumably with the proper weapons to kill Koro-Sensei. Karma simply glared a hole in her, feeling Nakamura’s hand guide him inside the building alongside the others in their group. All of them were more than a little displeased by her now.

That seductive femme-fatale kiss, her shady-looking companions, and the weight of her offhanded threats. They weren’t dealing with a teacher, but a genuine pro. All things considered, it wouldn’t normally be such a bad thing if she weren't, well, such a bitch. As the students made their way into their homeroom classroom, there were already big chalk letters that spelled out their short purgatory sentence: a silent study hall. Those who piled in were then forced to sit in that silence, reading or working on math sheets. Irina sat at the teacher’s desk, though she hardly deserved that much.

“Don’t worry, Nagi. If she touches you again, I’ll make her choke on her teeth!” Karma grinned widely, trying to lighten the situation. Nagisa, ever the pacifist, tried to shake it off despite how much dread was slowly filling him as he waited outside the faculty office. They bid a short farewell, and Irina was quick to follow up with Nagisa.

Nagisa had been leaning against the wall, trying to avoid eye contact as his new teacher invited him into the room. She seemed not to notice his discontent. Ms. Irina's cigarette smoke tantalizingly brushed against his skin and lungs. He secretly wafted it away. He shakily inhaled and began to give her a rundown of all of their gathered information.

“A couple of us have gotten as far as destroying one of his tentacles, but he just dodges your next attack while he lets it regrow. I don’t know, maybe he can only be killed if all his tentacles are destroyed?” He nervously looked up at her, his notebook close to his chest as his teacher’s bright blue eyes looked down at him. Ms. Irina silently urged him to continue.

“Good luck hitting more than one, though," He nervously chuckled. It erupted from within him, and he tried to let it die out as he sucked in through his teeth.

“Also, if you plan to sneak up on him, you probably don't want to smoke,” He suggested, again wafting the smoke away from his face. He made it more obvious this time. “For a guy without a nose, he’s a bloodhound," He recalled several times before he’d been able to sniff out different snacks the kids had with them in the forest. Irina decided that was enough, probably offended at his method of ridding her from his space. Nagisa sighed in gentle relief as he secured his freedom.

This assignment is the first in which she’s been tasked to kill an unidentified creature. Irina hurriedly thought to herself, switching her crossed legs from left to right as she flipped through screens on a tablet in her lap. Her long pink fingernails tapped loudly within the silence of the classroom.

‘This will be a piece of cake.’

She was far too deep in thought to notice her student’s glares and grumbles from the back row.

“Uh, Ms. Jelabitch? Are you gonna teach us, or what?” Maehara started to break the silence, catching her off guard. He couldn’t help but grin as he teased her.

“Yeah, come on, Ms. Jelabitch!” Nakamura joined in, equally as engaged.

“No disrespect, but you are a teacher, right, Ms. Jelabitch?” Karma chimed in from the back row.

Irina then shot up from her seat. “Stop it with the bitching!” She yelled. “My name is Jelavić!” She began, enunciating the V in her name. “Jelabitch is what I'll be if you don’t get the difference between your thick pre-pubescent skulls!” This earned several eye rolls from around the class.

“Y’know what? Let’s review! My name is Jelavić; Jela-vee! Vić! Bite your lower lip and hum!” The class subconsciously did what she said, humming quietly. “Vee! Excellent!” She sarcastically applauded. “Now, practice that sound quietly for the next hour while I ignore you!” She retorted with a sharp tongue. Lamest lesson ever…

After the hour passed, Irina went outside per Kurasama's orders, standing by the supply shed on the south end of the small campus building. She clicked her tongue when he walked up to her.

“I understand you brought in a rather questionable trio,” Kurasama began. “Why was I not made aware of this change of plans?”

Irina scoffed. “Don't judge the books by their covers. They're all professionals too and so head-over-heels in love with me that they’ll do whatever I ask them to.” They were then interrupted by Koro-Sensei planting himself back into the dirt of the courtyard. She took a composed breath in, smiling brightly.

“I have returned, madam!” He announced, walking up to her.

Irina instantly reeled in her innocent act for Koro-Sensei. “Ah, you're amazing! My afternoon tea will be wonderful!” She ran up to him, a dangerous look in her eyes that only spoke to him as desire. “One more favor, though: can we speak in private? After fifth period? Like… Maybe out in the shed?” She winked at him.

Korosensei’s face shifted to a glistening salmon pink, “Well, how could I possibly say no? I’ll be there with certain tea!” He joked, handing Irina the Vietnamese coffee.

The school’s fifth period eventually rolled around. During lunch, the students followed Kurasama out to the back of the schoolhouse, where there were targets planted in the soil. They each took turns firing handguns with pink B.B.s at the targets, their blue gym uniforms matching the clear sky. It was warmer outside than it was during their last session; the sun mercilessly cast harsher rays as it sat above them. Mimura looked behind them as he saw Koro-Sensei being led by Irina into the storage shed just up the hill.

“You've gotta be kidding me… Seriously?” He exclaimed, pointing to the duo. This captivated the rest of his classmates, and the gunshots subsided. The cicadas were loudly humming in the life of the forest just beyond the dirt and dead grass.

“Well, he really must’ve fallen for it...” Nagisa mumbled to himself. Nakamura rested their chin on Karma’s shoulder, now staring a hole into Irina. Karma couldn’t help but snicker, noticing how she seemed so adamantly discontent with her existence.

“I can't even look! You think he’d have more sense, right?” Isogai turned back to the targets, taking a few more rounds out of his handgun to blow the steam.

Megu, who tied her hair back with a thick, purple band, joined in, “Mr. Kurasama, sir. I get that she's a pro, but she's not exactly easy to get along with.” It was like a weight was lifted from everyone’s chest the moment the words left her mouth. She had clearly said what everyone else was thinking.

Kurasama sighed lowly. “Yes, I know. I'm sorry you kids have to put up with her,” He apologized, his arms crossed over his vested chest. “The higher-ups seem to think she's all that and, well, seeing what she’s been able to put together on such short notice makes me start to agree with them,” He admitted. And with that, Irina closed the doors of the shed behind her, leaving the two in near complete darkness; the only light coming from a dusty window in the far back of the shed.

“So what is it you wanted to speak to me in private about, Irina, darling?” Koro-Sensei inquired, turning to face Irina with that signature, cheeky grin.

Infiltration is an art, one that requires flexibility and fitness. He was entirely hers, and she knew it. All she needed to do was act quickly before he got suspicious. Irina calculated her next moves carefully as she took off her gray cardigan, discarding it on one of the splinted shelves.

“Oh, Koro-Sensei, I just can't stand it! You’ll think I'm a harlot, but I simply can't control myself around you!” She whined, stepping closer in her black tank top. Koro-Sensei was completely taken aback as she bent forward, perking her breasts up as she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

“Your body and strength, everything about you drives me mad with longing!” She watched as Koro-Sensei stammered, “Does that make me a bad woman? Am I bad~?” She teased, pressing her arms on her chest to draw more attention to herself.

‘That's right, keep your beady little eyes on me. Don’t pay any attention to your surroundings. I spent all night fixing this place up. All for you, dirty boy…’

“This is what you want! You can't fool me!” She spoke softly and lustfully as Koro-Sensei started to nervously laugh, his tentacles flowing by his sides.

“I– Uhm, really don't think we ought to do this here--” He attempted to sneak his way out of the situation he fell into.

‘Goodbye, stupid.’

“Don't be such a prude~! Let me get these clothes off…”

Koro-Sensei exclaimed in a fit of flustered shock. Irina snuck behind a rack, waving goodbye. “I’ll be all-natural.” Just as she slipped away, she covered her ears and awaited the shaking of the walls. There had to be enough combined speed and firepower to take out a small army. Who needed B.B.s when you had the real deal? She chuckled, her voice drowned out by the gunfire.

‘Assignment completed in three, two, and one.’ The firing ceased. She stepped out from behind the rack and gasped in horror as her target stood, looming in the dust. His silhouette remained still through the light that managed to cast against his body. There was a sizzling sound, like a welcoming breakfast cooking on a hot stove.

“A noble effort, madam,” Koro-Sensei spoke up. “However, lead bullets don’t affect me whatsoever. Once inside my body, they melt," He pointed out, leaking metallic silver from his clothes and tentacled arms. “Look closely at my face and tell me what you see,” He ordered.

Irina gasped and pointed at his face. “You have four eyes?” She exclaimed.

“No! Two of these holes are nostrils,” He corrected, feigning offense.

“How the hell was I supposed to know that?” She rolled her eyes, back pressed against the walls of the storage shed. She was still coming to terms with her failure, trying to make sense of it all.

“I noticed a distinct metallic odor in here since yesterday, along with the scent of adult male body odor. The moment it hit me, I knew something wasn't right.” Irina’s eyes widened as she remembered Nagisa’s information. For a guy without a nose, Koro-Sensei was a bloodhound.

“So you see, I was simply pretending to be ensnared by your ruse. Fun, but all for nothing! I’ve exposed you for the uncreative woman you are!” He said, spreading his tentacles out, “You could learn a thing or two from my students. Their assassination attempts are much more imaginative!” He then chuckled, wriggling manically. “Oh, and just out of curiosity..." He prefaced.

“Did the government mention my preferred method of retaliation is conditioning?” As the words escaped his tongue, the class outside heard Irina scream. It sounded like a crime scene alongside the crashing of sports equipment and storage bins.

“Uhm, what was that?” Hinata cried out.

“I don't know! I just heard gunfire, a scream, and now a slithering noise!” Okajima described. The picture he painted alone made a chill go down Hinata’s spine as she scrunched her nose up.

The class then heard Irina groaning, remarkably loudly. That combined with the soft, wet slithering… They couldn't help but snicker as they heard the sounds coming from the shed, their minds leaping bounds toward inappropriate settings.

“I really want to know what he’s doing to her in there--” Okajima stated, eyes fixated on the door. The rest of the class followed suit as he dashed up the hill to the entrance. The sounds only grew louder as they darted to the door.

“Koro-Sensei!" Okajima shouted when the door finally opened. “Did you touch her boobs?” Okajima inquired, rather bluntly.

“Ah, if only I had the time to be really thorough. But class isn't going to teach itself, now, is it?”

“Uhm, what exactly went on in there, sir?” Nagisa inquired, giving him a grim look of suspicion.

Irina then walked out, arms dragging and eyes glossy. She was stuffed into a retro gym outfit, black shorts, and a red headband.

“It would take longer to describe the things he did to this body than it did for him to do it.” She prefaced, sounding exhausted. Her posture was hunched, and her hair a little disheveled. “My back and shoulders have never felt looser. He somehow managed a lymphatic oil massage! A change of clothes just because,” She sighed, kneeling to the floor. “And he still had time to do this thing with his tentacles!” She dropped to the floor with another groan.

Nagisa turned back to Koro-Sensei. “Uhm, sir, what is she talking about?” He lightheartedly teased, already aware of the answer.

“Uhm. Sometimes, grown-ups need special care,” Was all Nagisa received for his question.

“I don't trust that face,” He chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe you could learn a thing or two, Nagi.” Karma chimed in from right behind him. Nagisa didn’t register his presence at first, and a chill crept down his spine at the insinuation. “I’m sure some lucky green-haired girl would love to have a–” He was deftly cut off by Nagisa hushing him with his fingers against his lip.

“Come now, back to the classroom!” Koro-Sensei attracted attention again as he led the class away from the scene and around to the main entrance of the old campus. Irina was left on the floor, trying to regain her strength in her extremities. She tore the headband off and pressed it into the flaky grass.

-

Irina sat at the teacher's desk again the following day, swiping away on her phone. The blackboard had nothing on it, just bolted behind her for decoration, it seemed. It was just the same as before. The class stayed quiet, some opting to nap instead of work on math sheets; though a few students–namely Karma–enjoyed solving for X.

Irina was bent on her revenge, trying to scavenge for new deals and men to employ. She hoped, then, that the yellow, wriggly monstrosity would have another thing coming. She aggressively continued to tap her screen with her pink nails, her eyes following the buffering circle that rolled endlessly in the middle of her screen. She then slammed her fist onto the wooden desk in front of her.

“Oh, come on! What's with the wifi in this place? Are we on Mars?” She cried out, setting her phone down and promptly standing up.

“Wow, looks like Ms. Jelabitch is pissed off. I know I'd be pissed if my plan went south, too,” Karma shot a glance at Terasaka, who then flipped him off.

“Excuse me, Ms? If you’re not going to teach us, do you mind if we swap you out for Koro-Sensei?” Isogai asked softly. “It's just that we have entrance exams coming up and we--” He was cut off by a snarky giggle.

“You want to swap me out for that disgusting creature?” She asked. “You're worried about entrance exams when the planet is on notice? Must be paradise not knowing your ass from a hole in the ground. Give it a rest! Even if the earth wasn't on the brink of destruction, entrance exams are for students with a future.” a few students’ gazes darkened as her words sliced through their hearts. “Newsflash! That’s not any of you guys.” She said, setting her hands on her hips in satisfaction.

“How about this, kids: forget studying and help me brainstorm on how to kill the octopus, and I’ll give you a nice percentage of the reward money! That’s the most you E-Class jerk-offs are going to get outta life!” She leaned forward, her hands on the teacher’s desk now as she stared at the class with her blue eyes.

Someone from the back row then threw a white eraser at the blackboard, just missing her shoulder.

“Get out.” Karma deadpanned.

Irina looked into her student’s eyes, each one of them glaring at her with an incentive to kill her, or her reputation, more like. She felt their stares pierce her soul as she awkwardly stood there for a few moments of silence. More students then threw their pencils and erasers at her, protesting loudly at her removal from the classroom. Kaede held up a sign of notebook paper that read 'no big boobs' in red pen. Kurasama, who overheard the commotion from the faculty lounge, broke apart the protest and escorted Irina out of the classroom. She sat in the office with him for all of ten minutes before exploding again.

“Someone ought to slap the piss outta them! I am way too fine a woman to be one-upped by a bunch of punks! They'd be lucky to lick the mud off of my stilettos!” She slammed her palms on the gray table in frustration. Kurasama tried his best to simply ignore her and continue typing on his computer, but it seemed that Irina wouldn’t let a moment of silence slide.

“In case you haven't noticed, sweetheart, the children don't exactly agree with that assessment,” Kurasama spoke, voice laced with irritation as he put up with her tantrum. “If you're gonna stick around for another attempt, I suggest you suck it up, march in there, and apologize.” He suggested.

“I’m an accomplished assassin, not a glorified rug-rat-wrangler! Let me focus on what I'm qualified for!” She countered, once again offended at the suggestion, lunging closer to him from across the desk.

Kurasama sighed in defeat. “Just come with me, please.” He ordered, to which Irina followed him out of the office and behind the school to the courtyard. He led her to a familiar clearing in the forest, to which Koro-Sensei sat in his white lounge chair, writing something out on blank notebook paper. There was a stack next to him, secured from the gentle breeze with a smaller yellow tentacle. He was mumbling incoherently to himself as his tentacles swiped across page after page and letter after letter.

“Okay, so what the hell is he doing?” She asked Kurasama.

“Pouring over test questions and then writing them out. He’s done this every Wednesday after the fifth period since I've been here," The dark-haired man replied.

“Quick as the bastard is, you wouldn't think it'd take him this long,” She pointed out.

“The tests are tailored to each student, though.” Kurasama deadpanned, to which Irina’s eyes widened in surprise. “He takes into account which subjects they are good at and which ones they need improvement on. He then hands out a test specifically designed for them. His IQ is off the charts, and his speed puts every weapon we have to shame. He’s dangerous, contradictory, but a damn near perfect teacher.” Kurasama complimented.

The next area of focus was on the kids themselves. Kurasama had led Irina back through the edge of the trail, then to the side stairs to look over the students. During lunch, they devised games and activities to do after eating. Since Koro-Sensei had been busy this time around, they took it upon themselves to hit a yellow ball with a racket over a tennis net from the storage shed.

“Take a look at the kids and tell me what you see.” He asked Irina, pointing to the kids as Kurahashi fetched the ball after missing a hit.

“They're just screwing around?” Irina responded, voice filled with a tinge of confusion at his question.

“No, they're fine-tuning the necessary hand-eye coordination necessary to hit a moving target. They called it Assassination Badminton.” He corrected her. “Everyone has two roles here, assassin and student; teacher and target. It’s a bizarre classroom this teacher has built for them, and it's not a place for easy answers, small resolutions, or one where we can fit ourselves into simple categories. I understand wanting to take pride in yourself as a professional, but if you can't cut it as both assassin and teacher, you’re done for.” Irina looked out at the students, watching them hit the ball and strike it over the mesh net, Karma and Okuda counting as referees for either side.

“Just treat those kids with respect." He ordered at last, walking back into the campus building.

During the next passing period, the class congregated into their regular groups. Karma sat on the windowsill as Kaede invited Nagisa over to her desk next to the window. Maehara, Sugino, and Okajima grouped up together in the middle as Kurahashi and Megu were on the floor by the door. After a few minutes, Irina slid open the creaky wooden door to the classroom, walked up to the front of the room. The class stayed where they were, quieting down in confusion. Irina grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote a sentence on the board. “You are incredible in bed,” it wrote. Her handwriting was fancy, legible, and surprisingly loopy. She then set the chalk back down on the metal rim and turned to face the class.

“What word does incredible modify?” She then asked. “You know this one! Read it out loud,” She said. The class reluctantly repeated the obscure sentence.

“I once took out an American VIP–literally. I had my feminine grace to thank for getting me close to the target. The dude fell for me hook, line, and sinker. Incredible, in this case, modifies the word ‘you,” She explained after giving a brief anecdote.

Is that an appropriate example to give junior high students, though?

“To learn how grammar works, you have to see how it works in the real world. It’s like an immersive course in a foreign language. Take a lover that speaks it and you can't go wrong,” She said, half joking. “I know grammar seems boring and technical, but it's what undermines the way we communicate. Communication is key in my line of work, and in life, whether speaking English, French, or Japanese, all people have an underlying need to express themselves. That's why this is important,” She finished, pressing the tips of her fingers together nervously.

“Don't expect me to be like the octopus,” She prefaced. “He can help you with your entrance exams, which is not without reason, I suppose. All I can help you do is learn the art of conversation.” She sighed. “Here's the deal. If, after a while, you think this is boring and that I’m not a real teacher, then I’ll pack up and leave my assignment. So, this ought to put us on a level, right? Oh! And I’m sorry about being… Such a bitch.” She finished, averting her gaze from her students. The class stared blankly for a moment, with mixed feelings arising from their new teacher’s speech.

“Talk about a turnaround! First, you wanna kill us now you’re actin’ like a pussy!” Karma announced with a laugh, leaning back on the windowsill. The rest of the class started laughing too. She seemed to make a more convincing teacher with this attitude. Despite the teasing, it’s clear that they were going to give her a chance nonetheless.

“Now we need a new name for her!” Kurahashi said from the floor by the teacher’s desk.

“Yeah! How about Ms. Hella-bitch?” Okajima suggested. A few other classmates laughed.

“Or, can we move on from the whole bitch thing? I’m not opposed to being called Irina if you don't mind calling a teacher by her--'' Irina nervously chuckled before being interrupted by Maehara.

“Yeah, I don't expect that to leave so easily,” Kurahashi chuckled. “It's not that Ms. Irina isn’t a pretty name, it's just not as fun to say as hella-bitch” she snickered, her fingertips tapping on the floor as she expressed her excitement. She then thought for a moment longer before smiling widely. “Professor Bitch sounds classy!”

“Absolutely not!” Irina explodes again, calling her out.

“You’re so cute when you're mad!” She teased from below her, clapping her hands together.

“No, I am not!” She shot back, which led to even more laughter throughout the class.

The rest, however, unanimously agreed with affirmative nods that Irina was to be dubbed Professor. Bitch from here on out. Koro-Sensei peeked into the classroom alongside Kurasama, checking in as sneakily as possible.

“She seems to be fitting in nicely," The yellow teacher commented. Kurasama sighed before reaching into his suit jacket, Koro-Sensei's back completely turned away from him. He slowly slid a black revolver across his white dress shirt.

“Thank you for bringing a new teacher, Mr. Kurasama. She's a bit rough around the edges, sure, but a welcome addition to our little family!” He then turned to look at Kurasama, as if to catch him in the act. His small eyes stared right into him–right past any intention. It was impossible. There’s no way he could've seen that coming.

Whenever he’s pressed to say why he started teaching E-Class, he dodges the question. But whatever his reasons are, he’s turned it into the perfect training ground for assassins, which, subsequently, is a perfect training ground for life itself. Koro-Sensei has them all wrapped around his very tentacles. There’s no doubt he knows exactly what he’s doing.

Chapter Text

“Thank you for the help children, I really appreciate it," Koro-Sensei said, his tentacles wrapping around a bin of supplies.

The group of three had been tasked to set up a lab after the room was rearranged for a chemistry lab. The birds were quietly chirping from the trees as a crisp breeze blew through the cracked window of the teachers’ office.

“You may have more hands than the rest of us but it'd still be a lot for you to carry all this lab equipment by yourself,” Megu replied.

Isogai then walked through the wooden door, picking up another plastic bin with chemistry equipment.

“No wonder you two were both elected class officers; so reliable!" Their yellow teacher complimented earnestly.

“Thanks, but you really could've done this on your own. A couple of quick trips back and forth?’ Isogai pointed out.

“I suppose I could've, but the more the merrier!”

“I have a question, sir,” Isogai then prefaced, “Are you starting to feel at home with all of us?”

Megu chuckled nervously beside him.

“Put in those terms, I would say I feel very at home. As your teacher,”

“That's strange..” Megu said.

“Really?” Koro-Sensei asked, not quite comprehending what was strange about what he had responded with.

“Well yeah, a creature like you taking any interest in a group of junior high kids like us isn't exactly something you see every day," Isogai replied, repositioning his fingers under the bin.

“I mean you actually teach us, so it's borderline cool; it just takes some getting used to is all," Megu added on.

They open the classroom door after walking through the warm hallway, Maehara and Okajima attempting to slice Koro-Sensei via a jump attack.

“Then there's the whole assassination thing,” Isogai muttered.

Koro-Sensei then swooped the bins from their hands and spiraled around the classroom, leaving the two boys in the dust as they attempted to keep up and jab him with their knives. After he had all the desks set up, the two sat by the teachers' desk in defeat.

“Did he seriously just dodge two knives while setting up the lab?” Maehara sighed exasperatedly.

The bell then rang, causing a shy girl with deep purple braids in the middle table to clench up a tiny bit. Koro-Sensei took to preparing the lab instructions on the blackboard. The girl watched vigorously, pushing up her circle lenses that made her light purple eyes look bigger.

Koro-Sensei demonstrated the lab, extracting a bit of the pocky he had dipped in the solution. The pretzel cleared of color and the solution bled a deep red pigment. This was to demonstrate how to extract processed foods and coloring from factory-made foods. The class stared attentively with curiosity. Koro-Sensei then swung around each of the stations with his super-sonic speed, collecting the foods the students had brought in with them to extract, causing a minor protest between the kids and their yellow target.

“Is it just me, or did he just use this lab to support his junk food addiction between paychecks,” Maehara sighed, resting his head on the table as Kaede chuckled.

“My question is why a super-organism like himself needs to live off of a teacher’s salary in the first place,” she teased.

Then, the same shy girl then walked up; Manami Okuda. She outstretched her hands, each containing a different colored solution in several different flasks, a yellow one in a volumetric, a pink one in an Erlenmeyer, and a green one in another volumetric.

“I, uh...” She began, “Poison sir! Would you drink this please?” She demanded, her shoulders tight against herself.

The class stared in confusion, Koro-Sensei giving a blank stare as well.

“I’m sorry, is this weird?” She asked with a worried expression.

“It's certainly a very straightforward assassination attempt,” Koro-Sensei struggled to put his thoughts into a sweeter sentence.

“See, the thing is, sir, I’m not very good at being sneaky–I mean everyone else is so good at this kind of thing. But me? What I'm good at is chemistry and I put my heart and soul into this mixture!” She said.

“Uhm, Okuda, points for throwing in but no ones that--” Sugino was then interrupted.

“Your heart and soul, huh?” Koro-Sensei then grabbed the flasks around his tentacled fingers, “Don't mind if I do, then!” He downed the entire yellow substance, swallowing hard as he awaited the results of the first concoction.

The class waited in an awkward silence. Koro-Sensei's face started to fade blue, the back of his head growing spikes. After a few moments of anticipation, the spikes stopped growing and his now cobalt blue face stopped deepening in hues.

“Sodium Hydroxide, I believe," the class didn't even question how he knew what that tasted like, “if I were human, I definitely would have kicked the bucket,” he said.

“Oh," Okuda said, slightly disheartened.

“Shall I try the next one?” Koro-Sensei asked.

“Yes, please!” The braided-haired girl was quick to respond, nervously rubbing her hands together as her teacher repositioned the flasks in his yellow tentacles.

He then downed the next one, in which his face faded from a vibrant blue to a pale green. The keylime wings were pudgy, and thickset on the sides of his head. He stayed quiet, his mind turning as he hummed in thought.

“Thallium Acetate,” he eventually commented, which earned a nervous chuckle from the student in front of him.

“How do you know?” She was interrupted by him as he started gulping the next mixture.

After he had sipped the next one, the wait seemed to take longer than the other two. His face turned into a gray, stone-like texture with a blank expression. He chuckled as a few students exclaimed in confusion and dissatisfaction at the underwhelming sight. After a few seconds, however, Koro-Sensei’s face faded back to a familiar yellow hue.

“Also, young lady, as your teacher, I can't overlook the fact you handled toxic substances without supervision,” he prefaced once his face faded back into his regular yellow complexion.

“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir…” She looked to the desk in embarrassment, her cheeks gleamed with a soft pink.

“Don't worry, I have an idea: Why don't we work together to make a poison that really has a kick to it?” He suggested, patting her head, to which she lit up in excitement.

"That doesn't seem like it’d turn out well," Kaede mumbled..

Nagisa hummed in consideration, "You might get some good notes out of it, though."

*During Physical Education:*

The children left outside to play assassination badminton while Koro-Sensei and Okuda stayed back in the classroom. You could hear the distinct cheers and ping of the yellow ball being hit by the racket from inside the schoolhouse. Ms. Bitch, who had been in the teachers' office since the morning, kept clinging to Kurasuma–much to his disliking--he's quite the "killjoy".

“Alrighty, I think we can add in the Ethanol now. Be careful not to breathe in the fumes,” Koro-Sensei prefaced, observing as Okuda followed his instructions. “It's a shame your enthusiasm for chemistry does not extend to other subjects."

“Eheh... Everything else seems to go over my head. Especially when it comes to language arts and stuff," she replied, "that's why I'm here, I guess. I never knew the right thing to say. The words don't come out or I get them all turned around. If you told me to express myself I'd cease up!” She sighed, setting down the test tube into the wooden block. “It's okay, though, I don't mind so much. At least with math and science there's always a right answer and everything's always spelled out for you–they're concise! No double meanings or worrying someone will take your word the wrong way..." She sighed, nervously averting her eyes.

*Should I tell him?* She questioned herself mentally, her hand stopping the pour of the colorless fluid.

“Is something on your mind, Okuda?” Her teacher then inquired, causing her to tense up again.

“Well, my doctor says it could be dyslexia; me not having the proper functionality of speech, writing, and comprehension,” she said, voice quieter. “That’s why I struggle to write and speak properly…” She sighed.

*And why I got kicked out of the higher classes and became the family failure,* she thought, a lump starting to form in her throat.

“Then I can see the appeal,” Koro-Sensei replied, not drawing attention to what the purple-haired girl had told him, much to her liking. “Tell you what, Okuda: I have a special homework assignment just for you," he then pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, handing it to her. “Remember though, safety first,” he smiled.

*The next morning:*

Kaede noticed that Okuda had carried a sealed Erlenmeyer flask with a cork seal. The substance was a deep pink.

“Did he ask you to bring the bottle to class?” She asked inquisitively.

“Yeah! He said the stuff in the flask should work like a charm,” she said as Nagisa poured over the instructions for handling and making the substance.

“He was thorough with this,” he pointed out, “he even drew out a manga on proper safety when handling it,” he chuckled.

“I know he’s unconventional and all, but giving us the goods on a poison that could kill him?” Sugino prefaced with a tinge of confusion.

“Nice, right? I think it’s his way of encouraging me," Okuda said solemnly. “He says to focus on my strengths!” She smiled softly.

Just then, Koro-Sensei opened the creaky wooden door of the classroom, greeting the class as he stood up at the teacher’s desk. Okuda then ran up to him and happily gave him the flask.

“Here it is, sir!” She handed it over,

“Nicely done. Here’s to your health, everyone!” He laughed as he sipped the concoction the indigo-haired student had made.

The concoction didn't seem to work at first, and the class waited in anticipation until Koro-Sensei started cackling. They all looked at him in bewilderment as he wiggled his tentacles.

“Thank you, Okuda! This concoction is precisely what I needed to level up!” He chortled, outstretching his tentacles as he started to drip from his yellow pores.

“Wait you… I don't--” He then melted into a metallic ooze.

*He melted?! What have I done, now... Everyone’s going to hate me!* Okuda backed away from the teacher’s desk.

“You didn't think that was a poison, did you? On the contrary, I had you whip up a special tonic to increase my fluidity!” Koro-Sensei then shot up and slid into Nakamura's desk.

“In liquid form, I fit into the tightest nooks and crannies!” He giggled nefariously.

“What are you doing in there?” Nakamura tried poking at him, but he jumped out and across the walls, the silver puddle bouncing off the ceiling with a clunk. He kept bouncing with a maniacal laugh as the students looked around trying to keep up.

“What in the world did you give him?” Kaede exclaimed.

“You tricked me! That’s not fair!” Okuda cried out, catching Koro-Sensei in a corner of the room, pointing a delicate finger at him.

“Fair? Verbal deception is a vital part of the assassin’s toolkit,” he then precluded.

“What do you mean?” Okuda asked.

“Approaching the target so naively is a surefire way to fail at your mission. Even the deadliest of poisons is futile if you can't convince your target to drink it,” he was referencing the other morning, “Nagisa, say you wanted to poison me. How might you go about it?” he called on him.

“Uh, I'd probably put it in something you like and give it to you as a gift,” he replied.

“Excellent! See, to deceive someone you have to get inside their heads and know what they respond to. Use language creatively. In poisoning, and life, the key is communication.” he said. “Imagine that one day you make an earth-shattering scientific discovery; how can it benefit mankind if it stays locked in your head?” He gave an example, “Knowing what to say can make all the difference,”

Okuda then understood his motivation, nodding her head and smiling.

*I guess this isn't so bad after all,* She thought with a newfound motivation.

Leave it to Koro-Sensei. Even to him, a student trying to poison him is still, first and foremost, a student. They're a long way off from being able to kill him; he’s just that good.

—

The sun shone brightly in the midday sky, birds chirping in the trees around the old campus. Once a month, there’s an in-school assembly, and even there they get treated like the lowest of the low. It’s never something they look forward to but there’s not a whole lot they can do to combat it. Every time they have the misfortune of walking down the mountain and standing to serve as a school embarrassment and laughing stock.

“Quit dragging your feet! If we show up late again there's no telling what kind of messed up stuff they’ll make us do,” Isogai called out behind him.

“Yeah, last time we had to clean out the flower beds around the school,” Hinata said, peeved just by thinking of the situation.

“Man that blew! Those things are as big as a damn house!” Maehara exaggerated, sluggishly following the three.

“I don't know what you’re bitching about, we did all the work,” Maehara then nervously chuckled at Isogai’s report.

By that point, the rest of the group had caught up, grouping together as they trudged down the mountain to the main campus. Okajima, who had nearly fallen into the nearby river (as well as disturbing a bee’s nest) ran significantly faster than the rest of the students. He wasn't exactly having the best of days. Once they got down a little further to the preliminary gates around the campus, they earned a small break to catch their breath.

“Hey, is anyone hurt?” Kurasuma asks as he approached them from within the trees.

“I think we're okay–for the most part,” Nagisa replies between deep breaths.

“Right. No need to rush; in fact, at this rate, we’re making relatively good time,” he said, checking his wristwatch.

“Wait for me!” Professor Bitch’s voice echoed through the many green leaves of the branches.

She then comes running up to the rest of them, tripping over the foliage.

“Way to ditch me!” She exclaims.

“Hey, professor bitch!” Kaede nervously greets her with a smile, ignoring the fact they totally did ditch her.

“No one said anything about a class trip during lunch,” she said, exasperated as she knelt low to the ground, her breath heavy.

“No offense, but you look wrecked,” Sugino comments.

“You try running through nature in heels!” She retorted quickly.

“Wait, Mr. Kurasuma, where’s Koro-Sensei?” Nagisa asks, taking note that only two of their three teachers were with the group.

“We told him to wait back at the old campus for security reasons. It wouldn’t do for the other students to see him,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Well, the main campus isn’t too far away so let's get going,” he said, taking off to lead the students down the rest of the path.

Eventually, they made it and, to their surprise and fortune, weren’t late. Despite being very tired, they quickly shuffled inside and took a stance in the gymnasium for headcount and announcements. As they stood, the rest of the school took their places shortly after, conversing in pods of other classmates and past friends.

“Hey, Nagisa!” a familiar D-Class voice shouted, “Wow, look at you guys; I’m surprised you made it! Must’ve been a helluva time rollin’ down the mountain,” he mocked, earning several laughs from his surrounding friends. Nagisa ignored it, and stood calmly in his place in the E-Class assembly line with his peers.

Their vice principal started to speak on the stage, a small microphone firmly on the podium in front of him. “I am proud to be your dean! But, don’t get too comfortable,” he began, “Let E-Class serve to remind us of the perils of math,” and what followed suit was the rest of the school laughing at their expense. None of the subordinates did much to ease the commission, let alone consider the student’s feelings. Most of the kids simply tuned out the rest of the announcements as a lot of it didn’t apply to them.

“Hey, Nagisa, why isn’t Karma here?” Sugaya asked from behind the shorter boy in the line as the V.P. continued rambling about school pride.

“Because he’s ditching,” he replied with a softer smile.

“What? Is he out of his mind?” Sugaya exclaimed under the loud voice of their vice principal.

“It’s not like he doesn't know he’ll catch hell for skipping assemblies, he just doesn't care. I wish I had the grades to get away with something like that,” he sighed, “they’d probably just throw me out," Nagisa had always looked up to Karma in a strange way, always taking note of their academic differences.

“Yeah, ain’t that the truth,” the silver-haired boy agreed.

*Meanwhile in the Principal's Office:*

“I must say, sir, this method is remarkably effective. It shows in the percentages of students in our academy that go onto top universities–E-Class aside, of course,” a man spoke to Principal Asano.

“We are pragmatists here; realists. Young people must be prepared for the world as it is. Sadly, the best way to ignite that potential is to let them see it extinguished in others,” Asano replied.

“Very sound reasoning!” The man complimented, rubbing his hands together.

“Yes, of course it is. Whether in school administration or assassination, I pride myself on adherence to logic,” he gave a smile, which strangely didn’t suit his cold, and otherwise inexpressive, face.

*Back at the assembly:*

“We will now have an address by our student council. Student council members come up to the podium, please,” a young woman addressed on stage before promptly walking off.

Some of the other students caught a glimpse of Mr. Kurasuma introducing himself to a fellow staff member, and the young girls of the staring crowd were instantly jealous. Kurasuma then looked over to his students for a brief moment.

“Wow! You too?” Kurahashi exclaimed, her peachy hair tucked behind her ears. The two were careful to match the volume of the chatter around them as the room waited for the council.

“Yeah!” Nakamura agreed. “Hey, check it, Mr. K!” She then pointed to the sheath in her hand that was decorated with some colors and gems.

“We decorated the thing we keep our knives in!” Kurahashi jittered as she also showcased her sheath.

“So cute!” Nakamura beamed, pushing her light blonde hair away from her neck.

Kurasama then widened his eyes as he dashed up to the two, waving his hands dismissively.

“Yes, they’re ‘totes adorable’, now please put those away!” Hebwhispered sternly to them as they sadly put the sheaths back into their pockets.

“Aw, sorry,” Kurahashi sighed as she averted her green eyes.

*Looks like he’s big on the hands-on approach. No fair! Why can’t the regular teachers be that hot?* Several of the girls in the upper classes were jealousy thinking to themselves as they scoffed and turned away, disregarding E-Classes' new teacher. Just then, Professor Bitch strutted up to Mr. Kurasuma, completely recovered from when she was whining on the dirt down the mountain. Instantly, the boys of the class were drawn in as her rack pressed against her white dress shirt.

“Damn, five minutes ago she was down on all fours, but now look at her work it! Talk about a quick recovery," Sugino expressed.

“What are you doing here?” Kurasuma blatantly asked.

“Don’t pull that. I’m an educator just like you,” she replied, tucking her hands behind her back.

“So you’re finally embracing the role?”

“Or, I’m just scoping out the student body,” Professor Bitch replied, eyes darting around the gymnasium. “Oh, that reminds me,” she muttered, strolling up to Nagisa.

“Nagisa, the octopus finally isn't around. Give me some more intel! You’re still keeping that notebook up, right? Let teacher peek at your notes and I’ll make it worthwhile~” She said, voice softer.

“Uhm, actually I haven't added anything since the last time we talked,” the bluenette replied apprehensively.

“Oh, please. We both know you're keeping the good stuff to yourself,”

“Actually, I’ve shared everything--" He was interrupted by her grabbing the back of his head gently, pressing his face closer to her chest.

Kaede looked at the two with a horrified expression, not exactly wishing to see her best friend's face in their English teacher’s rack.

“Ah!” Nagisa exclaimed, “Stop it, Professor Bitch, I can’t breathe through your huge tits!” He tried to push himself away, getting first-hand embarrassment as he realized what his panicked mind said out loud.

*Are you kidding? The End-Class dumbasses aren’t supposed to get any special treatment!* The boys grumbled from where they stood, passing a paper pamphlet to the others around them as it came to them.

Kurasuma then pulled Professor Bitch away as they stood alongside the wall with a few other Kunugigaoka faculty members.

“Okay, all the upcoming student council events are listed in the handouts you’ve just been given,” a student spoke abruptly from the podium, feedback echoing across the linoleum.

“Uhm, excuse me!” Isogai, who stood in the front row, called out as he noticed they hadn’t been handed any papers. “E-Class didn’t get the handouts,” he said, raising his hand slightly.

“Oh? Wow, really? That’s strange. I could’ve sworn I had printed enough for everybody. I guess you guys will just have to memorize it off of your neighbor!” He laughed, pushing his glasses further up his bulky nose. The rest of the room laughed and whispered as the E-Class students sighed in bitterness. “Hey, it works out for the best. I’m sure you guys could use the extra mental strain,” he added on.

Just then, a gust of wind blew through the gymnasium, not catching the attention of many students, however.

“There you go, Isogai,” a familiar voice spoke from beside the faculty line.

Koro-Sensei, in his human disguise, was standing next to Kurasama and Professor Bitch now, spinning a pen in his gloved tentacles.

“That should take care of it, yes? All of you have a copy of the handout?” He asked his class.

Isogai gave an affirmative nod, followed by a slight smile. “Nevermind! We have a copy; my mistake, sorry!” Isogai announced to the student body on the stage.

“Wh- Okay, who's the wise guy who killed all our fun?” He exclaimed. “Uhm... I mean," he cleared his throat as he stammered to get back on track and ignore the End-Class. “As I was saying if you would please take a closer look at the events listed there…” he continued.

“I thought we agreed that the other students couldn’t see you!” Kurasuma whisper-shouted at Koro-Sensei, “What part of ‘state-secret’ do you not understand?” He pinched his nose bridge as he sighed sharply.

“Relax! My disguise is flawless,” Koro-Sensei replied, his tentacles flowing by his side.

“Looks like somebody got lonely!” Nagisa teased.

“Can’t say I blame the guy,” Sugino chuckled as he flipped through the pamphlet.

*Wait, was that teacher standing there a second ago? What’s his deal and why is he so... Wriggly?* Some of the upper-class students questioned as they glanced around the room, though disregarding his strange wiggling after a few moments of consideration. *Wait, then what’s with that hottie trying to stab him? The other guy has her in some kind of hold…* They continued to whisper to each other.

Professor Bitch had taken the opportunity to try and slice at Koro-Sensei with the rubber green knife she had concealed, to which he dodged each strike. Kurasama then had to escort her away and stand between the two to keep them from causing a scene. They both didn’t fully comprehend ‘state-secret’, it seems. E-Class, nonetheless, chuckled and found entertainment in their normal environment, despite the eyes of the upper classes.

*After the assembly:*

“We’re gonna go run up ahead,” Sugino prefaced, walking out alongside Nagisa and Kaede to the gate that led to the mountain trail.

“Cool, I’ll just grab a drink and head up,” Nagisa replied, bidding goodbye as the two took off to the trail.

He knelt, pushing open the heavy, metallic lid to reach for the lemonade bottle that a crisp dollar bill got him from the vending machine.

“Yo, Nagisa,” his former classmates called to him, “you proud of yourselves or what? Acting like you're having the time of your lives, I mean. Laughing during an assembly isn’t cool! Have you guys ever heard of respect?” Nagisa’s former classmate spoke to him crudely.

“If I were in E-Class I’d keep my head down and my mouth shut,” the D-Class student with deep purple hair and square glasses sneered as the two stepped closer.

“Yeah, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have a reason to laugh!” His freckled friend added on, hands deep in his pockets. Nagisa just stood there quietly, staring at the two of them as he cracked open the lemonade bottle with a pop.

“Hey! Watch it with that look; I’m warning you!”

Kurasuma happened to be walking out alongside Koro-Sensei, taking notice of Nagisa’s situation. He prepared to step in when a tentacle was placed on his shoulder with a firm grasp.

“Easy does it. The boy can handle himself,” he said, the green stripes peeking through the abnormal human complexion he had on his face. “My students know how to deal with bullies.”

“Something you wanna say, huh?" The thicker of the two boys raised his voice, his hands gripping Nagisa by his dark vest. “You want me to kill your ass!?” He threatened, catching the attention of the students conjugating around them.

*Kill? You’re kidding, right?* Nagisa mentally scoffed as he looked at the boys, remaining in his eerie silence.

“I’m sure you could. Why don’t you try while you have me here?” He deadpanned without much thought to his words.

And like that, his offender had taken his hands off in a slight rage.

*He knows he’ll be in trouble if he tries. Honestly, why do I even bother?* Nagisa thought as he walked past the two, finally taking a sip from his lemonade as if the whole ordeal never happened.

“Dude, what? Damn. He’s a psychopath...” The boy who wore black glasses muttered as he looked at him walking by them in aversion.

“See? What did I tell you? They have more self-respect than to suck up to a bully,” Koro-Sensei summarized to Mr. Kurasuma as if he hadn’t seen it play out with his own eyes.

*Interesting. An E-Class representative presuming to shove his betters. What nonsense. That kind of behavior is unacceptable. It appears a few changes are in order. Assassination can wait, for now, the priority is status.*

Chapter Text

The bell rang from outside, crackly through the morning breeze. Koro-Sensei then spun around the classroom with his speed and agility, though something seemed a little different. The students could see what appeared to be a double of korosensei at each of their desks, his voice echoing as the copies parroted the original korosensei that stood at the teachers' desk. It shouldn’t have surprised them, but it did nonetheless.

“Let's begin, shall we?” His voice echoed across the classroom walls.

“Begin what?” A few classmates inquired.

“Studying for midterms, of course!” Koro-Sensei responded, “I’ll be making this period a speed-enhanced midterm study hall. My doubles will provide special one-on-one attention to each and every one of you, tutoring you guys on areas you need improvement the most.”

“Are you kiddin’ me? You seriously gotta wear a different headband for each subject?” Terasaka scoffed as he averted his eyes from his textbook. He then looked back up to see his Koro-Sensei double wearing a Naruto headband. “Give me a break, man! Naruto ain't even on the test!” He rolled his eyes.

“Look at him go! Is it just me or is he getting faster?” Kurahashi exclaimed as she looked around the classroom with her bright green eyes. Surprisingly, it was rather quiet; not as loud as a lunch period, but not as quiet as a normal classroom.

There were six doubles for Japanese, eight doubles for math, three doubles for social studies, four for science and English, and if you count the one for Naruto: that makes twenty-seven. A Koro-Sensei for each of them; and not that long ago he wasn’t doing well just splitting himself off into three or four. Just then, the many faces he had reproduced had deformed itself.

“Knife down, Karma! No sneak attacks during study halls!” He reprimanded the red-haired boy who had attempted to strike his face, “This is very difficult to maintain, so please don’t break my focus!”

“But doesn’t all this spread you a little bit thin, sir?” Nagisa asked, looking up at his teacher, “just thinking about it makes me feel tired.”

“No worries there! I have a double just outside that’s on rest and recreation duty,” Koro-Sensei replied.

“How does that even work?” Nagisa chuckled nervously as he eyed the yellow double hovering over a white lawn chair.

*He’s been advancing like crazy these past few weeks. Is he just preparing to destroy the Earth?* Nagisa thought to himself, flashing back to the news about their moon a month or so prior. *I guess, when you get down to it, he’s a tricky target.*

“Are you starting to wrap your head around the material, Nagisa?” Koro-Sensei asked him.

“Yes, sir,” he responded softly.

If you’re facing midterms, he’s the best damn teacher you could ask for.

The lunch period rolled around quicker than the students thought it would. Studying had taken up the first three hours of their school day, so they were relatively relieved when the bell had saved their brains from any more tutoring. They grouped up in their usual pairs, taking to the outdoors or the courtyard to relax and eat. Nagisa and Kaede stood back to tidy up the classroom, bidding their teacher a friendly goodbye as he walked out of the classroom door. Just in the staff room, however, Principal Asano had made himself relatively comfortable in Kurasama’s chair, fiddling with a Rubix cube.

“Consider this deceptively simple cube,” he began, making sure Mr. Kursama and Professor Bitch were watching as he flipped the sides methodically, “if I wish to align the colors quickly and intuitively, what might be the best way to go about it?” He asked. Kurasma kept quiet.

“The answer? Pry them apart and reassemble,” he replied, a sinister smile on his face as he broke apart the cube and watched the painted blocks crumble under his palm and crash onto the wooden floors of the teachers’ office.

Koro-Sensei slid open the door, nearly perfect timing as Principal Asano went to gather the pieces left on the floor.

“Why, Koro-Sensei,” he began to greet, the sinister smile was then made to appear more genuine. “It’s an honor.”

Koro-Sensei looked at him in confusion before looking to Mr. Kurasama for more information.

“Apparently, this gentleman is supposed to be the principal,” Professor Bitch spoke up instead.

“Believe me, he is, which also makes him our boss,” Kurasuma added.

Koro-Sensei then gasped and dashed to shake his hand and tidy up the room.

“Why, so kind of you to come all this way, sir!” Koro-Sensei kept whipping around as he greeted him, making sure to be in tip-top condition for his boss.

Nagisa and Kaede had then left the classroom and noticed the commotion from behind the door. The bluenette stayed back after Kaede had turned the corner, waving her a quiet goodbye so he could see what was going on. He had always been more curious than Kaede, who preferred to keep to herself most of the time. He peered through the door, observing how his teacher had frantically swung around the room.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #6: Subservient to higher-ups.

“Forgive me for not visiting sooner,” Asano prefaced, his deep purple eyes making contact with Koro-Sensei’s, which subsequently quieted down his yellow employee. “I meant to pay my respects before now, but one gets side-tracked. Mr. Kurasama and the Ministry of Defense have painted quite a vivid picture of you,” he chuckled, “yes, vivid indeed, though I won’t pretend to understand the situation, nor do I feel especially qualified to comment. However, if I may say this one thing, you seem to be torn between embracing the role of savior and villain,” he commented coldly.

*Savior?* Nagisa thought as he pondered his principal’s words.

“But, no matter,” Principal Asano continued, “such things aren’t for men like myself to meddle with. I’m hardly in the position to save the world; that job I must leave to hands more capable. So lest there be harm to my school, your assassins may deal with you as they see fit," Asano crept over to where the other two instructors were standing. “I’ve been given plenty of incentive to turn a blind eye,” he said, voice lower.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” Mr. Kurasuma awkwardly stated.

“That’s a very reasonable attitude. I find that quite attractive in a man,” Professor Bitch complimented earnestly.

“You flatter me, madam. That said, though I’m happy to give you carte blanche to do what’s necessary, I must think of the future should the Earth survive. In other words, what will happen to my school if Koro-Sensei is assassinated? Not to put too fine a point on it but the E-Class must continue to serve its purpose in the grand scheme of things,” Asano then took a seat back in his chair after meandering around the room.

“Interesting,’ Koro-Sensei began, “Rock-bottom grades and students with zero prospects serve a function, do they?” He asked.

“Oh, yes. Are you familiar with the so-called worker ant theory?” Principal Asano asked, to which the yellow teacher shook his head. “It tells us that in any group, twenty percent will work hard, twenty percent will be idle, and the remaining sixty percent will fall somewhere in between. Now, imagine a group without a middle ground where hard workers comprise ninety-five percent of the population and layabouts only five. If the lazy worker ants are stigmatized, the ratio is perfectly feasible. Those, who under normal circumstances, fall into the average category better themselves to avoid being associated with the ostracized class,” Asano explained in detail.

“Very logical. And, of course, unless the five percent is kept down, the incentive for the other ninety-five percent disappears,” Koro-Sensei responded in understanding.

“Just today, I received an alarming complaint from a D-Class teacher. It seems one of your students glared threateningly at two upperclassmen; such that the upperclassmen feared for their lives,” Principal Asano pointed out.

Nagisa rolled his eyes. He was talking about how he spoke to his old classmates after their monthly assembly.

“I have no doubt the confidence to do so stems from their attempts to assassinate you, and perhaps that’s to be expected,” Asano sighed as he kept on speaking.

“The issue with that is that an E-Class student dared to defy his better. Obviously, I can not let such insolence stand. As his teacher you are expected to remind the student in question of his place,” Asano stood, taking a few steps to the door.

*My place?* Nagisa repeated in a mockery tone via the voice in his head as he continued to listen into the room, just barely peeking around the corner.

“Oh, and Koro-Sensei,” Principal Asano turned around to face him slowly.

“You have one second to solve this puzzle,” he then tossed a metal ring puzzle to his tentacles as he watched him blubber in confusion.

“What?! You brought this on me out of the blue?” He exclaimed as he pried at the puzzle in defeat.

*Woah! What the hell is going on?* Nagisa snickered from behind the door, taking a mental note of his next weakness to be uncovered.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #7: Metal ring puzzles freak him out.

“Your speed certainly lives up to the hype,” Asano chuckled as he watched Koro-Sensei struggle, “I can understand why most attempts on your life would be an exercise in futility. But bear in mind, my friend, there are many problems of which speed is of no use at all,” Asano then placed a hand on the door, sliding it open.

Nagisa pressed his back onto the wood in a panic, attempting to make it appear he was simply walking by the office. Asano turned to him, nearly bumping into him as Nagisa hurried to get away.

“Hi there,” he wore a false smile to his End-Class student, “I look forward to your midterm results. Best of luck to you,” he teased, walking off as he dropped his smile contemptuously.

Nagisa then watched as he turned the corner, his small notebook still in his hand from writing down Koro-Sensei’s weaknesses he had just witnessed. He dropped his arms as he let in a shaky breath. ‘Best of luck’, he had told him; and just as quickly, he reverted from assassin back to a purposeless E-Class cipher. As a target, Koro-Sensei is practically invincible. Amateur and professional assassins alike have their work cut out trying to off him. But as a teacher, he’s vulnerable to the whims and desires of administration. People like Kunugigaoka Academy’s principal, Gakuho Asano–a shrewd man, who in the first decade of his tenure single-handedly hoisted the school to top-tier status. Essentially, if you taught at Kunugigaoka Academy, there’s no avoiding his methods of order. Despite the hope and future End-Class kids desired to hold within themselves, there wasn’t a single way to employ the many tactics of life; not of love and not of light.

*The next day:*

“Good morning, everyone!”

Just like before, Koro-Sensei was whipping around desks for their new morning study routine.

“As you might have guessed, today I thought I’d make even more of myself!” He announced, his doubles parroting his cheery voice.

*This is getting ridiculous,* Nakamura thought to herself as she struggled to focus on her mathematics worksheet. At this point, the afterimages of their teacher’s double were getting sloppy and hard to focus on.

‘Hey, Koro-Sensei?” Kaede spoke up, “No offense, but isn’t this going to wear you out?” She asked, restlessly looking up to him.

“Wear me out? Nonsense!” He responded.

The kids continued to work their best given the circumstances of their new class periods. Up until the bell rang, most of them weren’t even paying attention to their work anymore. It was getting hard to focus with the commotion of all the doubles Koro-Sensei was making of himself, though none of the students could pinpoint exactly why he wanted to push himself further than his other attempts.

The lunch bell chimed, and as time followed, their yellow teacher had placed himself behind his desk and sprawled his tentacles out in exhaustion.

“Look at the poor guy, he’s totally down for the count!” Okajima exclaimed as a group of them walked up to him.

“I say we try our luck!” Nakamura pulled out one of her green rubber knives.

“Well, no. I appreciate it but why is he teaching us so hard?” Okajima asked.

Koro-Sensei chuckled.

“To get those test scores up. Why else?” He sighed exasperatedly, ‘If I do that, I’ll never have to worry about you trying to kill me again! It’ll be sheer bliss!” His face turned a soft shade of pink as he tiredly imagined his student’s happiness if they passed their midterms.

“I mean, the whole helping us study thing is alright…” Megu started.

“Y’know, that reward money is nothing to sneeze at!” Kurahashi finished her friend’s sentence.

“Let’s face it, who needs to pass a midterm when you’ve got that kinda cash stored away,” Nakamura said, pushing her blonde hair to one side.

“Money isn’t everything, children!” Koro-Sensei retorted.

“You gotta cut us some slack, though, we’re E-Class. Assassination we can strive for, academics not so much,” Okajima continued to bicker.

“I see,” Koro-Sensei lowered his gaze, “so that’s how it is then. Do you know what I think? I think you appreciate what it means to be an assassin! Everyone. Schoolyard. Now!” He demanded, his face a deep purple indicator.

The class then hurried outside to the courtyard behind the old campus building. They stood on top of the stairs that led down into the dirt while their angry teacher stood in the middle of the courtyard. Karma and Nagisa stood off to the side, backs against the wooden campus in confusion.

“What’s he doing?” Okajima asked.

“I dunno. Maybe something we said put him in a mood,” Nakamura replied, just as confused.

“Alright, everyone, love or hate the E-Class system, as a remedial process it can work. Imagine placing in the top fifty of one hundred eighty-six students in your midterms. Make that a reality, and securing a former D-Class teacher’s approval is all you need to get back to the main campus. But given the conditions are being forced to work under, the personal setbacks that landed each of you here are difficult to fix. This is why most E-Class students are convinced that returning to the main campus is no more than a pipe dream,”

“Don’t tell me to hurry up, I’m not a child,” Professor Bitch teased as Megu walked out with her to the courtyard.

“Ah, Ms. Jelavić, I’d like your opinion as a professional assassin,” Koro-Sensei prefaced, “let’s say you’ve been given an assignment. Do you have only one plan going into it?”

“Hm? Of course not. If my profession has taught me anything it’s that plan A always comes off like you’d least expect it. There are just too many variables. A good assassin has backup plans on hand for any contingencies,” she replied.

“Mr. Kurasuma, what about you? When teaching knife combat strategies, do you believe the first strike is the only move of importance?”

“The first move is important but so is the follow-up. Never assume the first strike will hit because when your opponent is trained, you have to be ready to deliver the next strike with at least as much precision as the last,” Kurasuma replied, “either that or carry a second blade.”

The students looked at Koro-Sensei in confusion.

“If you have a point, sir, I think we’re missing it,” Maehara stated.

Koro-Sensei then started to spin in place, the sound of his tentacles hitting the wind particles erupting the calm silence of the cloudy outdoors.

“Listen to your teachers. Backup plans are the cornerstone of confidence!” He started speeding up until you could hear him spinning as if he were a helicopter blade. “A confident assassin is a successful the same thing goes for life in general! Do you strive for assassination but not academics? You’ve heard the old saying, right? Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!” He was now yelling over the sound of wind, dust being picked up around him as it rose like a barrier around his yellow skin. “That is exactly what you are doing here!”

The students turned away, some exclaiming at the sudden gust of wind pushing them back to the wall where Karma and Nagisa stood together.

“Suppose I left the classroom for good. Suppose some other assassin managed to do me in. What would you be left with? What would you strive for then? Or are you satisfied with being outcasts? A word of advice from your Koro-Sensei: you walk a fine line," The dust was high in the sky at this point, rising up and up as he continued to spin from within.

“Those who can’t wield a second blade aren’t qualified to be assassins!” He stated with finality, the wind roaring around the students.

Finally, the dust cleared and the sun started to part between the gray and fluffy clouds. The dust settled in the air, flowing through the air as it gradually fell and collected on the courtyard ground. The trees stopped rustling and the air became stagnant and quiet as it had remained only moments before.

“There! Our schoolyard needed a good leveling, not to mention weeds cleared,” Koro-Sensei remarked, standing in the middle of the courtyard. The sand and dirt had been completely flattened to where the white track lines were visible again.

“I am a superior lifeform capable of destroying the Earth. As you can see, flattening out this little corner of it was a cinch,” he stated, “cast your nets wide and show me your backup plan–your crucial second blade. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to conclude that no would-be assassin here is worthy of me. I won’t have just half the mind to leave, I’ll flatten this entire campus as I go.”

“A second blade? So how long have we got?” Nagisa inquired worriedly. Karma stood silently beside him.

“Not very. Until the end of tomorrow,” Koro-Sensei bent one of his two tentacled fingers down to a point as he spoke his next words carefully, “midterms are upon us, everyone. I want all of you to place in the top fifty,” he encouraged.

The students stared at him with wide eyes, contemplating if such a task was worth the effort of humiliation they’d receive if they failed; or worse yet, the humiliation of the world being destroyed if they didn’t place their marks.

“Whether you realize it or not, we’ve been sharpening those second blades all along. The main campus relies on old and dull methods. I, to put it mildly, do not.” He points his yellow finger at his class, watching their expressions change from confused to a strange sense of encouragement. “You have what it takes to wield those second blades with confidence. Take those midterms with a smile, your head held high, and with bold confidence! Never forget that you guys are assassins. You are E-Class.”

*E-Class.*

—

As the students sat in the campus building, working away, the D-Class teacher, Mr. Ono, sat at the desk tapping his finger impatiently. They weren’t even thirty minutes into the first portion of the exam and already their heads were losing grip on the material. The classroom was eerily silent, the only sound coming from most of their former teacher’s tapping. Their midterms were administered on the main campus despite the fact they were in E-Class. To E-Class, typically they’re nothing but an away game and not much else. The students attempted to combat the futility of their efforts by imagining the questions as monsters they could easily slay with their excessive weaponry knowledge–Karma and Nagisa especially. They each sat at their desks, yet simultaneously struggled to answer their test questions. Though, even in their imaginations, their hope was slowly dying.

The group screamed in terror as they dashed for some amount of safety as a large, scaly, alligator-esque reptilian terrorized them. It broke through the dry, earthy crust beneath them and pulled itself out. It could’ve been larger than a skyscraper as it opened its mouth to reveal hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. On its forehead, the words ‘Question Four’ were embedded in its rough skin. This maths question wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Our knives aren’t enough to take this thing out! How do we answer question four?” Sugino exclaimed as he tossed his green knife away.

Just then, Monster Four dipped its head down and nearly crashed into the group.

*I expected this,” Nagisa frantically thought to himself. *The midterms they give in this school have always been a beast. Damnit! You’re kidding me, I don’t even know where to start!* he gripped his blue hair tightly as he struggled to re-read the question in front of him.

*Meanwhile at the Old Campus:*

Koro-Sensei sat calmly outside in his usual clearing in the forest. The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky, the calm breeze gently brushing against his yellow tentacles. Suddenly, he was forced to dodge a flying rubber knife aimed at his head. He turned around to see Professor Bitch standing under the trees.

“Did you seriously mean all that? You’re gonna take off if they don’t all place in the top fifty on a stupid midterm?”

“That’s right!” Koro-Sensei responded in a sing-song voice.

“Well, way to be unrealistic! You’re going to crush their souls like that. These kids have the worst grade point average in the whole school. Are you crazy?” She told him off, her bright blue eyes shimmering as the sunlight hit them gracefully.

“I wonder sometimes,” Koro-Sensei chuckled to himself, “either way they’ve ranked before, they’re my students now. When backed into a corner, the first order is assessing your options. If I’ve taught them nothing else, I’ve certainly taught them that.

*Back at the main campus midterm exams:*

Nagisa thought to himself about the problem, thinking as hard as his mind let him.

“Come now, we’ve covered this. The poor beast isn’t as terrifying as all that,” his teacher’s voice echoed through the walls of his blank brain. He kept on imagining the monster of the problem in his head, picturing himself looking at it from all angles. Starting by looking at the fins. On closer inspection, that’s all they were; fins. With the same attention to detail, the beast starts to resemble something a lot more manageable.

Suddenly it clicked in his brain. It clicked in all of their brains that they evaluated this particular question the wrong way. Each student then wrote down their answers on their answer sheet, moving on to the next. They applied that former knowledge to each aspect of their obstacles and eventually, the rest came naturally. By taking the problem just a little bit at a time, most were able to handle themselves properly, as well as their newfound acute intellect. Just like Koro-Sensei had been teaching them all along. As the clock ran down, minute by minute, they gained confidence in themselves that they had the power to place in the top fifty. Some were all smiles, while others remained focused and calm. Their teacher’s tapping came to an abrupt end as he realized they weren’t struggling like before.

In their imaginations, they were slaying beasts left and right; all around them carcasses lay of defeated foes and problems. They cheered each other on, threw their knives, and fired their guns in an absolute war. Nagisa turned to watch them all succeed, though a new transition was soon put into place by Monster Eleven, a large and smokey monster. The mist obstructed their views as shadowy teeth and yellow eyes gleaned at them from within the darkness engulfing the class. All of a sudden, poised to strike, a question they weren’t ready for ambushed them from behind.

Nagisa then remembered overhearing a particular conversation Mr. Kurasuma had on the phone several days before the exam date.

“You’ve gotta help me out, here. However I look at it this test seems rigged,” he spoke into the phone.

“I don’t know, sir. You ought to have received proper notification. Perhaps there was some sort of communication flap on your end. But there’s no point in coming to the main campus, I can tell you that,” the man laughed on the other end.

“The communications flap wasn’t on our end, I can tell you that. Besides, what constitutes proper notification? Two days before midterms you decided to broaden the scope and that’s supposed to be enough time for us to cover everything?” Kurasuma shot back with a voice laced with irritation.

“With all due respect Mr, uh, Kurasuma? You don’t understand. We’re a prep school. This sort of thing happens all the time. Our students are expected to cram; that’s been our policy for years. In fact, when it was decided to include new material this midterm, the principal himself lectured our students on those subjects personally. It was wonderful! You should’ve seen it.”

“Unbelievable,” Kurasuma then hung up the phone without any further follow-ups. “Is there nothing this man won’t resort to in the name of his own ideals?” He muttered to himself once he put his phone in his pocket.

*If Koro-Sensei leaves, we’re screwed and lose everything,* he followed up in his thoughts.

Subsequently, E-Class had unduly failed at their mission.

—

Each student the following day sat nervously at their desks as they awaited the news. It was quieter than the testing room, the only sounds coming from heavy and unset breathing. Koro-Sensei slid open the rickety homeroom door, only exchanging a glance at his students before standing by the blackboard. He picked up a piece of chalk, deliberately writing ‘study hall’ on the board in fine print.

“Uhm... Sir, we don’t have anything to study,” Isogai pointed out quietly from his front-row seat.

“Ah. Very well then,” Koro-Sensei responded dryly as he used his tentacle to smear the chalk. He then stood still where he was, only adding to the tension rising in the classroom.

“I take full responsibility,” he finally spoke after a brief period of silence. “Clearly, I underestimated this school's dedication to the status quo. Forgive me if I can’t bear to face you,” Koro-Sensei then sighed solemnly.

Nearly right as the words fell off of his tongue, a green rubber knife was flung at his head. He turned around swiftly as he scanned the room for the culprit.

“Have it your way. Keep your back turned if you want; it just makes it easier to sneak up on you,” Karma stood from where he sat in the back row, several test papers in his other hand as he walked down the aisle of desks.

Koro-Sensei’s face turned a crimson red. “I am in no mood, Karma, this whole situation has me very-” Karma then placed his tests on Koro-Sensei’s desk, cutting him off as his teacher’s eyes met his scores in red ink.

Ninety-nine, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-eight, and one hundred.

Koro-Sensei looked at them in shock.

“So they added a few questions to the stupid test, big deal,” he stated.

The class stood around him as they grew more curious about what their teacher had been handed. When they realized Karma had scored top marks in the class, they gasped in synchronicity.

“Hold the phone-- You got a hundred in math?” Sugino exclaimed as he looked closer at the paper.

“I like math,” Karma deadpanned. *And I studied my fuckin’ ass off,* he sighed.

“Your method actually worked perfectly, teach. You gave us everything you had and at the moment of truth, it ended up mattering. So what if the midterms decided to cover new territory? Don’t worry, though, I’m not going anywhere. It’s not like I have a choice anyways; normal class ain't got shit on assassination,” the red-haired boy could feel himself growing to regret his words already, ultimately choosing to cut the act of sappiness and return to the original as he typically portrayed.

“So, where do you belong? Where do you plan on going? Are you really that much of a pussy? You plan on using the excuse that we all didn’t place top fifty to run away? Sounds to me like you’re just scared we might actually kill you,” he teased.

Nagisa then chuckled at Karma’s remark, earning a few other smiles as the class unanimously decided that was the case.

“You could’ve just told us. Not like we’d blame you for being a pussy!” Maehara remarked.

“Next time don’t be shy to express your feelings,” Nakamura said with a sly smile, “even if how you feel is ‘oh no, I wanna run away!’” She teased, only adding to Koro-Sensei’s maddened depiction.

“No one is running away!” He wiggled his tentacles as his face returned to a dark maroon.

“Okay? So what’s the deal?” Karma asked in retaliation.

“The deal is: we get our revenge on this school twofold during finals!” Koro-Sensei stated with finality as he pointed a finger matter-of-factly. The rest of the class laughed in return. “Hey! This is no laughing matter!” He continued to whine and blubber.

There isn’t any denying they hit a hard wall on their midterms. The same wall that’s always closed them off from everyone else. However, for once E-Class rejoiced to be behind that wall–not just taking happiness from it, but pride as well.

The pride of being an E-Class student.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Nagisa,” Megu greeted her bluenette classmate with a smile, holding a roster sheet. “Have you figured out who all is in your group?” She asked.

“My group?” He replied, sliding his English notebook on his desk.

“It’s mine and Isogai’s job to keep track of who goes with who, so let one of us know before the end of the day,” Megu replied, tightening her hair that was tied behind her head with a purple hair tie. Nagisa looked back at her with a confused expression.

“You look confused,” Kaede then set a pamphlet on his desk, “She’s talking about next week’s trip to Kyoto!” She beamed, pointing to the directory and images of Kyoto city.

“Who in their right mind schedules a class trip this early in the year?” Koro-Sensei sarcastically shunned and walked through the homeroom door.

He was dressed in traditional Japanese makeup and a pink kimono, though the red pigmented makeup was slightly smudged around his big toothy grin.

“I can’t say I approved!” He teased as he stepped up to the teacher’s desk.

“Then why are you dressed like that?” Maehara retorted, pointing to the girlish kimono.

“Guilty as charged,” he chuckled as his body distorted and he reappeared the next second in his usual attire; his speed aiding his quick costume changes. “Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m just as excited about this excursion as you!” He admitted, Nagisa and Kaede nervously giggling as they continued flipping through pages of the Kyoto pamphlet. They quickly accepted their schedule would be tightly packed this year.

Around the fifth period, the class grouped up in the courtyard for their physical education class. Kurasuma then walked down the steps as the bell rang through the afternoon air.

“Everyone’s aware that tomorrow is our big overnight field trip to Kyoto, right? Well, if I may put a damper on that,” he addressed the class with a loud voice, “you’re still on the clock.”

“So we’re supposed to try to kill him there?” Kaede asked.

“That’s the idea. Kyoto is a very large city; it’s a lot more cosmopolitan than this area. For your safety, you will be traveling in designated groups and Koro-Sensei will divide his time between you all. There are a lot of good sniper nests in the big city so we plan to have sharpshooters posted just about everywhere. Lead your target into the crosshairs and the reward money will be split between you and the lucky marksman. That being said, stick to the sniper-friendly routes and keep those eyes peeled,” Kurasuma finished his speech as he motioned for the class to stand up.

*After P.E class:*

“So, we’re splitting up into groups, huh?” Nagisa looked at the roster sheet that Megu had handed him at the beginning of the day. “Hey, Karma, you wanna be with us?” The short boy asked as he looked over to his taller classmate.

“Count me in,” he said as he joined the group. Kaede, Okuda, and Sugino were also a part of the group Nagisa had put together during physical education.

“Uh, you’re gonna behave yourself, right?” Sugino asked with a suspicious side-eye.

“Yeah, sure. Don’t worry, dude, when I ‘stir trouble’ outta town, let’s just say I know how to keep witnesses from reporting it,” Karma flipped through his phone as he tilted it so Sugino could see. He showed the dark-haired boy a selfie he had taken with a taller man who had been pummeled (to say the least).

“Oh, great!” Sugino sarcastically exclaimed, “And now he’s part of our group; way to go, Nagisa.”

“He’s, uh, alright. We’ve been friends for a while, so what can I say?” Nagisa nervously chuckled as Sugino playfully threw a punch to his shoulder.

“So, who else? There’s me, you, Sugino, Kaede, Okuda,” Karma listed their group members. “We just need one more.”

“No worries. I foresaw this and took the liberty of enlisting someone very special,” Sugino replied, waving to Yukiko Kanzaki.

Kanzaki was a quiet young girl with long, dark hair. Her hazel eyes averted away as she gently waved back and made her way through the rows of desks to greet her group mates. Her cheeks were brushed with a glaze of salmon pink and her clothes were neatly ironed flat. She was a true beauty among women, alongside being a capable young woman. However, Kanzaki didn’t usually stand out in a crowd despite her looks and friendly charm, though some E-Class boys had their eyes on her.

“I’m totally for it!” Kaede beamed as she welcomed Kanzaki full force.

“Thank you for letting me join. I’m flattered,” she politely thanked them with a slight head nod.

“Of course! So where in Kyoto do we wanna go?” Kaede asked the group as she dug her hands through Nagisa’s desk to find the pamphlet they were previously looking at.

“Aw, you’re all so cute!” Professor Bitch complimented as she looked through a pamphlet of her own. “Excited to walk the city streets, you guys? Ah, so young and naive,” she teased as she tossed her light hair across her shoulder.

“Yeah, well you could always stay here, Professor Bitch,” Maehara pointed out.

“Yeah! You can water the plants while we’re gone!” Hinata agreed, promptly humbling their English teacher. She stood behind the group in a shunned silence while they continued their planning.

“Okay, well then what about this route for day two?” Kurahashi pointed to their pamphlet, “there’s a lot of cool stuff here,” she clapped her hands together.

“Well, we need to think about assassination too,” Maehara pointed out as he knelt down by his desk, fixing his orange-toned hair from out of his eyes. “I vote Higashiyama,” he stated.

“Woah! Wait,” Professor Bitch then exclaimed, interrupting the group. “If you bastards think you’re gonna deal me outta this trip, you better think again!” She playfully took one of the rubber knives out and pointed them at her students.

“What? You know, you’re kinda giving us mixed signals here!” Maehara retorted as he also pulled a S.A.A.U.S.O knife from the corner of his wooden desk. Kurahashi giggled at the two as she circled Higashiyama on their pamphlet in black ink.

“Oh, yeah? I’ll show you mixed signals, copper top!” She shot back.

“Nuh-uh!”

Koro-Sensei then slid the homeroom door open with its usual creaky resonation. His tentacles were full of thick, red-lined books that resembled large dictionaries. The class hushed themselves as they turned to look at their yellow teacher.

“One for each of you!” Koro-Sensei promptly stated as he looked at his students.

“What are those?” Isogai asked with a puzzled expression.

“Field trip guidebooks,” he responded, zipping to each desk in the classroom and setting the red books on each of them.

“What the hell?” Maehara exclaimed, picking up the book and noticing how heavy it was. “These are more like dictionaries!” He slammed the book back down with a loud crash, biting his tongue and checking to see if he had broken the table.

“Just a little something I threw together last night,” Koro-Sensei continued.

“You made all of this in one night? Damn,” Isogai remarked, taking the liberty of flipping through his orange-haired classmate’s guidebook.

Their yellow teacher may have gone a little bit overboard, but it was all in fairness that he’d want his students to be prepared–even if it seemed excessive. If the way things have been going since their journeys haven’t been any indication, this trip was more than likely going to be educational.

*One week later, at the Tokyo Train Station:*

“I get this is going to be a longer trip, but five hours on this train is going to kill me,” Sugino sighed as he caught up with the rest of his group mates.

“I’m sure it will be worth it, though!” Kaede replied, tucking her thumbs under the straps of her backpack.

“Woah, man, look at those lucky jerks getting to ride first class,” Sugino pointed out. A-Class was boarding near the front.

“As always, we’re stuck in coach. Yay for us, right?” Nakamura exhaled sharply as she scanned the station for her group.

“Pardon me, boys,” Professor Bitch gently walked past the group boarding to meet up with E-Class on the other side of the queue. She carried a red, leather handbag in her left hand, her nails pink and pristine. She wore mesh leggings with a flowery design, high-top heels, and a cream knitted beanie; clearly dressed to impress with her heavy cleavage exposed from her pale shirt.

“Uhm, Professor Bitch? Why are you dressed like the paparazzi should care who you are?” Karma inquired, eyeing her formal attire.

“When it comes to womanly iles, a femme fatale pulls out all the stops. Besides, travel is no excuse not to look devastatingly passionate,” she flipped her hair across her shoulder with a light chuckle.

“You stick out way too much; go change. You’re a chaperone, not a runway model,” Kurasuma deadpanned as he walked up behind her in his regular black suit jacket and tie.

“Oh come on, lighten up! What’s wrong with a little style? These kids are going to the city,” Professor Bitch tried to reason. Kurasuma just stared coldly at her in return.

“Shut up and get changed now,” he stated with finality. Professor Bitch pouted and defeatedly walked away from the group.

As the class boarded alongside the other classes, they grouped up and sat in designated sections with their group mates. The train was a blur of conversation, the lighting warm and dim from the rising sun in the sky through the windows. Their English teacher followed shortly after as she blubbered in the seat next to Mr. Kurasama, who held a clipboard–seemingly to take roll once everyone was boarded.

“She’s more of a child than we are,” Megu teased as she noticed how distraught Professor Bitch was about needing to change.

“Maybe killing rich dudes for a living disconnects you from reality,” Isogai laughed.

The train started moving along the tracks shortly after attendance was inputted to the clipboard Mr. Kurasuma carried with him. The students set up their tables and situated their things in their designated areas on the train. The white and blue striped seats were a lot more comfortable than they looked at first glance, and the hours shortly passed.

Maehara cheered as he picked up a yellow card from the board, Nakamura looking at him with her full attention. Hinata then pulled the card away from him and set it back down, shaking her finger and pointing out it wasn’t even his turn to pull. Maehara huffed as he leaned back, Nakamura grabbing the card that was placed down by Hinata. She then laughed to herself which only proved to upset Maehara more. Kurahashi was watching, attempting to peek at her cards, but ultimately failing. Isogai and Megu were mapping out different assassination points in Higashiyama, circling and writing down ideas in a notebook Kimura had brought for that purpose. Rinka and Chiba sat silently to themselves, pouring over ammunition they snuck onto the train. Chiba looked at her as she packed up .44 Magnum cartridges, admiring her through his long, dark bangs. Rinka had noticed his staring, and couldn’t help but try to hide a smile as she handed him the packaging. Chiba averted his eyes and smiled back as he grabbed it.

“Wait, has anyone seen Koro-Sensei?” Sugino asked as he looked around the train, “was he even at the train station?” Kanzaki also looked around, her delicate hands wrapping around the striped seat to crane her head around.

“Holy shit!" Nagisa exclaimed as he caught a glimpse of something on the window behind him. Koro-Sensei had stuck himself to the outside of the train, peeking into the window at his students. Karma couldn’t help but start to laugh at the sight of his teacher stuck to a train.

“Not to pry, but is there any reason you’re stuck to the window?” Nagisa inquired, being precise in enunciating his words in case Koro-Sensei couldn’t hear him from inside the vehicle.

“Uh-- I was stocking up on munchies in the terminal and lost track of time!” His voice was muffled, but you could still make him out. “It’s alright, I’ll just stay here ‘till we reach the next stop!” His tentacles then promptly faded into the air as his body started to camouflage and hide itself. This, however, was unproductive because his clothes still stuck out, looking like a strange magic trick on the side of a moving train–not to mention his humongous bag. “Nothing to see here! Just some random clothes and luggage stuck to the side of a train!” Worst camouflage ever.

Koro-Sensei made quick work to get on the train at the next stop, setting his bag in the back where Nagisa’s group had been sitting.

“Who knew traveling incognito would be so exhausting?" He sighed exasperatedly.

“Might’ve been a little easier if you didn’t bring such a big bag,” Kurahashi pointed out from the seat in front, leaning over the seat as she turned around. “No offense! But you weird people out enough as it is,” she lightheartedly spoke.

“While we’re on the subject, broadcasting that you’re in disguise defeats the purpose,” Nakamura pointed out. Just then, the fake nose Koro-Sensei had on his face popped off with a click as it dropped to the floor.

“It’s a lame disguise anyway. You should make something a little different and mess around with it,” she suggested.

“Hey, Koro-Sensei!” Sugaya walked up to him, tossing him a small, flesh-colored object. “Can’t have your nose running all the time, right?” He teased. Koro-Sensei stuck the plastic nose onto his round face.

“Wow! A perfect fit! Nicely done, Sugaya,” he complimented.

“Custom carved to compliment the contours of your face; you’re welcome,” he then unzipped his backpack to put away the files he used to carve the plastic for the past couple of hours.

“Isn’t it awesome how when you travel together you see a whole other side to people?” Kaede pointed out to Nagisa, sifting through her playing cards. Nagisa then sat back down from where he was standing to pick his own setup, nodding.

“I can’t tell what we’ll actually learn about each other on this trip, but I’m ready to be surprised,” the bluenette admitted. Kanzaki and Sugino nodded in agreement.

“Hey, guys, I’m going to make a run to the main car and get us some drinks. Anyone else feeling parched?” Kanzaki asked, her voice sweet like honey. Okuda raised her hand and volunteered to go with her, Kaede then following suit.

The three girls then made their way through the sliding doors, walking to the main car. Kanzaki, conversing with Kaede, accidentally bumped into an older-looking student who wore a gold chain and a dark purple coat, his face rough. She politely excused herself as the rest awkwardly made their way through the corridor connection between the two cars.

“What school d’you suppose they're from?” One of his friends asked once they were through the doors.

“Kunugigaoka, probably,” the other replied.

“Well, a train full of smart-asses from one of the best schools in the country,” another of his friends, with dark red hair, said.

“C’mon! Her?” The one in the dark jacket pointed to Kanzaki through the window of the sliding door. “She don’t look smart to me,” he scoffed.

“Hey, once we’re in Kyoto, why don't we have some fun with these guys?” The man with slicked back red hair said as he picked up a blue flip pad that had Yukiko Kanzaki’s name on it alongside ‘school trip itinerary’.

*Their arrival in Kyoto, in a traditional Inn:*

Koro-Sensei seemingly deflated on the couch in the lobby, his big green bag next to him. Nagisa pulled out his blue notebook and quickly sketched something in it with a mechanical pencil.

“It’s ironic how a guy who can go Mach twenty gets sick on a bullet train,” Sugino laughed to himself as he glanced at what Nagisa had written.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #8: Prone to motion sickness.

Hinata tried her luck at stabbing his collapsed, yellow head, though her teacher dodged with as much ease as any other time.

“You might feel better if you rest a bit?” She suggested with uncertainty.

“Perhaps later. I need to pop back over to Tokyo for a moment first. I forgot my favorite pillow.”

“How is everything you own not in that damn suitcase?” Karma exclaimed, shaking his head in skepticism. Nagisa wrote that down as well.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #9: Can’t sleep without his pillow.

Kaede kneeled with Kanzaki, searching alongside her.

“Any luck? It’s gotta be in there; you worked so hard on that too,” Kanzaki shook her head haplessly, earning a frown from the green-haired girl next to her.

“I admire you going through the trouble of putting together an itinerary, Kanzaki, but if you can’t locate it, don’t fret,” Koro-Sensei chimed in, still helplessly dodging attacks from the various students using his motion sickness against him as he slid across the couch. “I have just the solution: these handy-dandy guidebooks,” he pointed with his tentacled finger towards a large red book, to which Kanzaki audibly groaned at the sight.

“She made the itinerary so we wouldn’t have to lug those things around,” Karma stated, kicking the thick book and watching it slide across the polished floor.

“I distinctly remember putting it in my handbag. I wonder if I dropped it somewhere,” Kanzaki quietly pondered.

*Around noon, when the groups were permitted to leave the Inn and explore Kyoto:*

“Nice spot!” Sugino pointed to the buildings surrounding them in Kawaramachi, “for assassination that is,” he corrected himself. There was a plentiful amount of people around them, some in outdoor dining halls and some calling taxis for travel.

“What a bizarre field trip, right?” Kaede pointed out.

“Maybe, but you gotta admit it’s still fun,” Nagisa responded.

“Ah, whatever we do we have to get green tea with mochi dumplings!” She exclaimed.

“That’s a great idea! We could put poison in them!” Okuda proclaimed excitedly.

“That’s twisted!” Kaede shouted, cupping her face with her hands.

“Not for us, silly,” Okuda giggled, “for Koro-Sensei.”

“Yeah, I mean we could take advantage of his sweet tooth,” Karma agreed.

“But that’d be a waste of a perfectly good local treat!” Kaede turned to Karma, shaking his arm as she continued to protest.

“If only we could find him a poison that didn’t give him strange abilities,” Kanzaki sighed.

“Not to be that guy, but I gotta tell you I was sorta hoping we could put the whole assassination thing on hold while we were here. We’re in Kyoto! What do any of these sights have to do with assassination anyways,” Sugino expressed with his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

“You’d be surprised,” Nagisa then pulled up a picture from his camera roll of a shrine in Kyoto. The stone read, “Here marks where Ryoma Sakamoto and Shintaro Nakaoka met with disaster.”

“Hold on, the Ryoma Sakamoto?” Okuda reiterated in shock as she looked at the photo.

“This is where Omiya used to be. The Inn where Sakamoto was cut down by assassins in 1867,” Karma acknowledged, the one bits of history that usually stuck to him were of assassination and wars.

“Yeah! And just a little further down is Honnō-ji Temple, though it’s moved a few times since they built it,” Nagisa added.

“Oh, yeah! Ota’s death counts as an assassination!” Kaede realized.

“Just think, in these few city blocks a slew of high-profile assassinations took place. Sure, Kyoto has always been the heart of Japan but it’s also a mecca for professional killers,” Nagisa concluded, putting his phone back into his back pocket and turning back to Sugino, who stood a few steps to his side.

“I guess I never thought of it like that,” he stated, “Maybe we truly are on an assassination vacation,” he smiled.

Throughout history, tons of targets have been neutralized here–targets whose lives the world still feels the repercussions of. As far as that goes, Koro-Sensei is definitely in good company.

“Cool! Next up is Yasuko Shrine,” Kanzaki brings up, leading the group while simultaneously looking at Google Maps through her phone so they don't get lost.

The six walked down the street, crossing quickly at a crosswalk. Slowly, as they continued, less and less people were walking the streets like them. Stop Lights turned red for imaginary cars and sidewalks were soon barren. Yukiko then pointed down a long alleyway, leading the group through.

“Jeez, this place is like a ghost town the deeper you get into it,” Kaede said, her voice echoing across the walls.

“Yeah, places like this put a cap on how many visitors they let in so they don’t catch many people just wandering around. It’s secluded with lots of good hiding places. That’s why I made sure to put it on the itinerary!” Kanzaki responded.

“Sounds ideal for assassination!” Kaede agreed.

“Ideal is right,” an unfamiliar voice boomed from within the shadows of the alley, “it’s also a great spot for kidnappers to plan their trade,” the older students that the girls of the group ran into on the train then made their appearance known, seemingly towering over the group of junior high kids. Just then, two more of their friends closed off their exit behind them from the alleyway, a large smile stuck to his face.

“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but somethin' tells me you guys aren’t here to sight-see,” Karma said.

“Don’t try to be a hero and just hand over your lady friends-” The man in the dark purple coat was then tossed to the floor by a swift kick to his knee from the red-haired boy.

“See, Sugino? To hell with them! Without any witnesses it’s basically a free-for-all,” Karma pointed out, exchanging a glance at his friend

‘I’m gonna gut you like a pig!” His friend shouted as he flipped open a pocket knife.

“Really?” Karma took a broken bike that was lying against the wall–abandoned and left to rust in the rain. He then picked it up and flung it at the bigger man, who attempted to catch it but tripped over his friend who was attempting to stand after the blow to his knee. He toppled over, the bike pinned down to him as his lousy pocket knife fell from his hands.

“Strong words for a guy kissin’ the sidewalk,” Karma teased, eyeing the rest of the high-schoolers surrounding them.

“Let go of me!” Kaede screamed as she attempted to kick the brunette that had grabbed her wrists, to no avail as she was lifted like it was nothing. Kanzaki set out to grab her back, ultimately being pulled away by the slimmer man with slicked-back hair, attempting to pull away as another guy grabbed her waist. Yukiko yelped as her skirt was gripped and tugged to force her body closer to the man who was attempting to pick her up. Nagisa grabbed the man who had Kaede from behind, yanking him down but then being side-swiped by the purple-coated man Karma initially hit. Sugino looked around in utter confusion, not knowing where to place his hands to help his friends. Karma looked around for Okuda in a frenzy, not spotting her anywhere, and then took to helping Nagisa grab the man who was carrying Kayano.

“What did we tell you?!” The man Karma had thrown the bike at then crashed it down on top of him, smashing it on his upper back which brought him down to the coarse sidewalk.

“Fuck off, man!” Karma yelled as he tipped the bike off and commenced a single high kick to the man’s crotch despite the shooting pain in his back. The man finally backed down, though it was still hard for Karma to move despite the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Sugino was single-handedly struggling to stop the two bigger men from pulling Kanzaki away, Nagisa then being smashed into the wall and collapsing as the purple-coated man started to walk away with Kaede tightly in his grasp, her feet just hovering above the ground in vain of her distraught kicking The other two me who blocked their escape dashed forward, kicking Karma’s ribs as he struggled to get up, though he didn’t mind as much as his friend’s being taken from his reach.

“Leave him alone, damnit!” Sugino jumped the man, wrapping his arms around his neck, though he was then picked off and elbowed hard in the sternum, taking the breath from his lungs in one swift motion. Nagisa kneeled over, attempting to raise his posture to a stance as Sugino was left on the floor, clutching his chest in an attempt to breathe. The man then sent a swift kick to Karma’s temple, finally knocking him out as his body collapsed onto the sidewalk, Nagisa quickly followed suit as his body gave out on him from the pain of being smashed against the wall.

“Bring the car around!” One shouted as they dragged Yukiko to where the others stood with Kaede.

They crawled out of the shadows like monsters and just as quickly had taken what they wanted and left without a trace. Several moments later, Sugino cupped Karma’s head in his hands, pressing two fingers against his neck, just in case. Nagisa sat with his back against the wall as he took deep breaths in an attempt to compose himself. Less than a minute had passed since the men had shoved Kayano and Kanzaki into a tinted car, none of them seeing any trace of Okuda since they appeared in front of them.

“Guys?” A quiet and familiar voice then spoke up from the silence just as Karma cracked open his eyes. “Oh thank goodness you guys are okay!” Okuda rushed up to the group that was left on the ground, Sugino having Karma‘s head in his hand, presumably to check for a pulse. Nagisa nodded, his blue eyes still wide.

“Are you alright Okuda? Those guys didn’t do anything to you, right?” Okuda fixed her indigo braids, pushing up her round glasses on her nose.

“I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t know what to do so I just hid,” she bowed her head nervously, kneeling to where Nagisa and Sugino were sitting.

‘Don’t sweat it, man. You did the right thing,” Karma reassured, slowly sitting up.

“Are you alright? Okuda asked softly, standing upright now.

“Just mad,” Karma deadpanned.

“Just mad? Wanna talk--”

“No,” Karma interrupted Okuda, though she didn’t take it to heart. His friends had been taken away despite his efforts to help them, so who wouldn’t be upset? Karma averted his gaze as he sighed and stood up, ignoring the bubbling tension and rage in his chest–his specialty.

“I think it’s safe to say those guys are pretty hardcore. We could go to the cops, except they’re the type who know their way around the system. If we can’t do it ourselves, we can also call Koro-Sensei for reinforcement. Probably best to do that now, actually,” Karma rambled as he thought out loud, Nagisa taking the initiative and sending a ping to Koro-Sensei about their situation and location as his best friend continued to mindlessly speak.

*With Kaede and Kanzaki:*

“I gave our buddies a call,” the purple-coated high-schooler prefaced, “we’re gonna have ourselves a little commemorative photoshoot with you gals. Feel free to scream, no one will hear you except us,” he continued with a twisted smile.

The room they were in was dark and rather warm. The buzzing lights above them were flickering with sinister incentives. The walls were encased with concrete, almost like a parking garage. The floor was rough with dark asphalt, rocks, and pebbles dotted across the cement. The men most definitely looked like true thugs; like they’d beat you if you spoke to them wrong.

“You,” he pointed to Kanzaki, “I’ve seen you before, right?” He pulled out his phone and surfed through his camera roll for a brief moment as he scanned each square picture he scrolled past. “Yeah, sure I have! Last summer in Tokyo, I got a pic of you in that arcade! Don’t even try to deny it,” he teased, turning his phone around matter-of-factly. Kanzaki gasped quietly.

Kanzaki was in the photo front and center, holding a glass bottle of root beer in one hand, leaning against a bar table. Her hair was highlighted on the ends, definitely lighter than they were now as her natural dark hair overtook her ends with time. She wore a deep purple and rather loose A-shirt with a sports bra. She looked very mature despite the fact her age showed otherwise at just shy of fourteen. Her short red shorts most likely contributed to the mistakenly implemented maturity she stood with; standing as a typical teen rebel.

“My boys spotted you first and told me to be on the lookout for a party girl. We was gonna kidnap you then, but you managed to get the slip on us. Who would've thought you’d be goin'’ to that school for geniuses? No judgment, though, I get it. It’s the pressure; the higher you are on the ladder the more you wanna take a swan dive!” He leaned in closer to Kanzaki, seemingly ignoring Kaede in the process. “Don't you worry 'bout a thing, sweetie, I’ll take all night teachin’ you how to dive like a pro!” His face was inches from hers.

Once Kaede heard the words drip from his twisted tongue, she couldn't help the burning pain in the back of her neck. There was nothing she could do, however; bound on the floor just like the weakened girl next to her. Kanzaki forced herself to keep her tears hidden as she started to tremble. Her golden eyes grew a glazy layer of salty tears as she discreetly bit her lip.

*This is what I get for trying to sell off my body, huh? This is where this takes me,* She thought to herself. *I should’ve listened to my dad no matter how strict he was…* She started to reminisce on her life before she started to dress provocatively and spend late nights out in arcades with older men. Sure, the money’d been worth it, but it wasn’t nearly as worth it as being taken away by men who grovel at her figure instead of her tender personality.

After all, she's only fourteen.

*Meanwhile with Nagisa, Sugino, Karma, and Okuda in the alleyway:*

They were on a page that read about kidnapping, giving adequate reasoning and tips for how to combat such terrors on a school trip.

“When a group member has been abducted?” Sugino scoffed. “Jeez, this thing’s really prepared for anything, huh?” He skimmed through the various bullet points and diagrams Koro-Sensei had sketched.

“There’s even a section on how to deal with seeing overpriced Kyoto souvenirs for cheap and boutique shops back home,” Nagisa pointed out, having read something along the lines as he flipped through the hundreds of pages the guidebook stored.

“God, it’s like he’s walking us through every possible scenario!”

“Cheering up your lonely self after seeing a lovey-dovey couple, specifically on the banks of the Kamo River,” Karma teased, making up fake scenarios the guidebook probably consisted of.

“C’mon! That’s not even a real thing!” Sugino exclaimed, causing Karma to chuckle.

“Well, at least reading this helped calm us down. I, for one, feel pretty confident; especially with Koro-Sensei in the know of his all,” Nagisa said solemnly.

*Back with Kayano and Kanzaki:*

“So that picture,” Kaede prefaced, “not gonna lie it’s kinda comforting to know even you went through a phase,” she admitted.

“Yeah. My dad was crazy strict and always on me about doing well in school or building up my resume. It was so suffocating! I just couldn't deal so I ditched the uniform, glammed myself up, and..” She shuttered, “hung where no one knew who I was. That, y’know, mainly consisted of older men and high-school thugs who were ditching out on their own studies,” she averted her eyes from Kaede’s and scanned the rocky floor in embarrassment.

“It felt like therapy to know I was so loved by someone who only cared for my tits,” she said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. The tender and caring Kanzaki that her new friend thought of her to be completely collapsed under her eyes as she understood what she had been through to become the person she is today.

If Kaede could reach out to comfort her, she would’ve.

“So stupid... Where did I expect to end up? E-Class for me. But now I don’t even know where I belong anymore,” She sighed deeply, though it shook regardless of her attention to detail.

“Sounds to me like you’d be right at home with us, babe. Grades and all that shit don’t mean jack to this group. We eat elitist scum for breakfast; nothing beats knocking a few stuffed shirts down a peg or two. The only thing that matters is havin’ a little fun, right?” The purple-coated man said, cracking his knuckles as he wrapped up his speech.

“Vermin,” Kaede snarled.

Just as she said that one single word, the coated man grabbed her shirt collar and lifted her to his level as she yelped.

“I see how it is: Little Miss Perfect thinks she’s better than me!” He shouted in her face.

The burning in the back of her neck was nearly unbearable.

“This is exactly what I’m talkin’ about you uppity bitch!” He sneered, dropping the green-haired girl to the asphalt as she gasped in fear.

“Tell you what, once we’re done here you two go back to whatever fancy hotel you’re stayin’ at and tell whoever the hell’s in charge you were out singing karaoke and lost track of time. Stick to that story and no one gets hurt. Maybe when we get back in Tokyo we’ll hang out and scrapbook with the vacation photos we’re all about to take,” he laughed maniacally as he turned to face his friends who stood behind him.

The door then creaked open, though no sunlight poured into the room and the rest of the high-schoolers turned to face the sound. Just then, a man with deep orange hair was kicked into the room, seemingly unconscious and bleeding from his nose with various bruises across his face.

“School Trip Guidebook page 1043,” a familiar bluenette’s voice echoed in the dimly lit room, “what to do when a group member has been abducted: If there are no leads on the perpetrators, think back to any colloquialisms or accents that might indicate whether said perpetrators are local. If not and the perpetrators were wearing school uniforms, refer to page 1334,” Nagisa then flipped the dozens of pages to the stated page, reading off the top again, “If the perpetrators are in school uniforms, you might be dealing with a rival school out causing trouble,” he stated with finality, finally looking up to face the high-schoolers that had taken their friends.

“You found us!” Kaede cheered with an overwhelming sense of safety seeing her best bluenette friend alongside his two friends.

“What the hell? How’d you even know where to look?” The thug with red and slicked-back hair exclaimed as he cracked his knuckles in preparation.

Nagisa looked back to the guidebook, “Being unfamiliar with the area, the culprits will opt to stay within a narrow perimeter after the initial kidnapping; somewhere secluded but not far from the original scene of the crime. If this is the case, console page 134,” he responded, reading off the next page of the thick book.

“You’re getting all this from a damn guidebook?” Another high-schooler called their bluff, attempting to get closer to the four that stood in the doorway.

“Alright, so what’s it gonna be gentlemen?” Karma asked, shooting a piercing glare at the man who was approaching them, causing him to stop in his tracks to hear him out, “Fight or flight? We’ll go easy if you back down now but after all you’ve put us through you’re not getting out of this unscathed–that’s a promise,” he said firmly, his gaze enough to pierce their souls.

“Actin’ all badass? You junior high kids crack me up! Let’s see how far that attitude gets you,” the purple-cloaked man prefaced coldly.

Just then, Koro-Sensei’s tentacles breached the entrance of the door, pushing it further open as he stepped foot into the darkness of the room. The thugs then screeched as they saw the monstrosity that had been following closely behind the four.

“Sorry, I’m a little late to the festivities. I figured it’d be best if I let you handle this on your own while I looked elsewhere–just in case!” He apologized, scanning the room to get an idea of the situation he had walked in on.

“Uhm, sir, why exactly are you wearing a veil?” Nagisa took the liberty to ask, noticing the thin mesh over Koro-Sensei’s yellow face.

“Violence is always regrettable. I’d rather you not associate my face with what I’m about to do,” Koro-Sensei sheepishly replied. Nagisa made a mental note of that to write down later.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #10: Worries about keeping up appearances.

“Good work following the guidebook, Nagisa, I’m glad I had the foresight to provide them,” Koro-Sensei then speedily handed Sugino, Karma, and Okuda a guidebook of their own, each carrying it with two hands.

“Hold on! This fucker is your teacher?” The purple-coated man exclaimed in disbelief. “That’s the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard!” He clenched his fists, dashing forward in an attempt to throw a punch at the yellow monstrosity that was the kids’ teacher.

“Such language!” Koro-Sensei dodged their attacks the same way he would any other, his tentacles whipping their faces with one swift and timeless motion. “I’d thank you not to use it in front of my students,” he demanded, voice darkening.

*What?! I didn’t even see what he just did!*

“Unless you can move faster than me, I’d think it wise to keep your filthy hands off of them while you’re at it!” Koro-Sensei added another request, though he knew that they wouldn’t mess with his beloved students after this.

“So even the teachers they hire at that school are special. Probably get off by looking down on us like the other kids do. Well, look down on this!” He pulled a purple pocket knife from his back pocket and charged Koro-Sensei without a second thought.

“I think you have the wrong impression,” Koro-Sensei declared, “the school these students attend is special, however, they happen to be the outcasts. Their class is the target of the merciless storm,” his tentacles whipped around the room, combating the thugs and their foreboding attacks and blades with ease. “Even so, bleak as their situation may be, they stay commendably positive!” Koro-Sensei continued, punching his tentacles against the muscles of his attackers. The purple-coated man attempted to push his purple pocket knife against the yellow tentacles wiggling around him, though failing as they caught his arm and wrapped around his sleeve with a tight grasp.

“Never would these children dream of pulling others down to their level out of spite,” the two then made eye contact as a coarse scream echoed through the room as Koro-Sensei’s tentacles twisted his arm with a firm and loud crunch. The leader’s arm had been shattered, the pain enough to pull him to the asphalt beneath him.

“They’re not privileged, they simply work hard and there’s the moral for you. As the old saying goes, the clear waters get murky, and fortune favors the fish who swim upstream,” Koro-Sensei finished every perpetrator laid on the ground.

Kanzaki, despite help being there, was still shaken up. Her arms were still weak with an overwhelming heaviness and her eyes still fought back tears tenfold. However, her heartfelt empowered by what her teacher had been saying. It was definitely something to be seen for who you are rather than what you are.

*Outside:*

“Man, for a while there, I didn’t know what would happen,” Sugino admitted.

The group sat outside, the golden sun resting above the hills and fluffy clouds. It was relatively peaceful as the light breeze carried their hair along the warm air.

“Could’ve left me alone in there and I would’ve-”

“We get it, you’re a scary dude!” Sugino sarcastically interrupted Karma with a chuckle, earning a few other laughs, and one from Karma himself.

“I’m just glad we’re okay,” Kaede smiled, seemingly unaffected, though her duller eyes held tears that might escape later in the night. “What about you, Kanzaki?” She asked, turning to her fellow groupmate.

“Sure, all things considered,” she gave a sincere smile.

“I must say, you’re handling this quite well. Most people would have been traumatized by what you just went through. Yet, you’ve shaken it off without batting an eye! In fact, I dare say this entire situation has empowered you,” Koro-Sensei stated, firmly guessing with certainty as his tentacles rested at his side.

“What do you know, I guess it has. Thanks for the help,” Kanzaki thanked her teacher wholeheartedly as she turned her face away from the bright orange sun.

“Don’t mention it,” Koro-Sensei tittered with a big smile.

*This marks the start of my new life.*

Chapter Text

“Here’s the hitch: your target is a junior high school teacher chaperoning students on a field trip to Kyoto. As you’re probably aware, he isn’t human,” Mr. Kurasuma slid a printed photo of Koro-Sensei to the man. He had light blond hair that was covered by a black beanie, his eyes also covered by sunglasses with a red trim; hence his name. “I don’t mean to call your skills into question but on this assignment, be ready for anything,” Kurasuma folded his hands on the table, thus finishing his statement.

They called him Red Eye. He’s a professional killer who specializes in sniping, earning a record of more than thirty five kills. He is one of the best in the world and is said to be capable of killing a target from two kilometers away during a sandstorm.

—

*The events previous to the last chapter’s events; those before and after the events taken:*

“Jeez, the open-air design really lets you feel this train move! This is surely a way to travel by train; zipped along at a bracing twenty-five kilometers per hour!” Koro-Sensei peered out of the red railing of the train, the clacks of the tracks banging against the wheels echoing around the forest. The track then led across a teal bridge up high off the ground, beneath the railway was a stream of cool water and a plethora of interesting critters.

“Is that really coming from the guy who can break the sound barrier?” Isogai snarkily replied.

*Just a little more and we’ll be directly in the sniper’s line of sight. Incidentally, the Sagano Tram Line is popular with tourists.* Isogai thought to himself, calculating their positions on the line.

“It’s the Hozu River Bridge!” Kurahashi exclaimed as she pointed down into the river as the train screeched to a slow halt. “Look at the boat, Koro-Sensei,” she coaxed him past the red railing of the tram, looking down herself as the wind blew her peachy hair.

*Nice! He’s waiting on the banks.* Isogai continued to think, *Our high sign is then Koro-Sensei leans forward to get a better look at the boat Kurahashi pointed out.*

Just then a faint gunshot could be heard from the tram, though it didn’t ring or echo; nor did it draw any attention from anyone–not even the students.

“Oh, dear! There seems to be a sliver of bone in my om nom!” Koro-Sensei teased as he turned to his students, the Yatsuhashi he was holding now folded over the 308 copper Win Mag. Just then, the tram hissed to a start as the wheels methodically slid across the tracks.

“Impossible! A high spin round stopped dead by a tiny piece of local goodness?” Red Eye scoffed as he cupped the mag in preparation to unlock it. *Damn. How fast do they expect me to be? Now I understand the price on this guy’s head. Mr. K was serious when he said my target wasn’t human,” he muttered. “This might be fun!” He smiled, pushing his palm on the mag release of his rifle.

At around 11:20 in the morning, Koro-Sensei was able to catch up with the second group of the day at Toei Uzumasa Film Park, leaving the previous group as he flew over Kyoto. He just so happened to be in time for the next play being put on by various professional street performers.

“Be gone with thy foul Waystrol! Your presence though desecrates mine eye!” A man dressed in black instigated, holding a woman in a yellow kimono close to him as he gripped the tsuka tucked in his belt.

“How dare you address me thus? Let us teach this man humility!” Just then, several men dressed in traditional Japanese attire unsheathed their katanas, slicing air around the man dressed in black. However, more experience proved the other men apprehensive to continue as the darker-cloaked samurai easily blocked with his own long sword.

“Aw, man! Their swords move so fast you can barely see them!” Okajima exclaimed, watching the match go down intensively.

“These men are highly trained in the subtle art of stage combat. Did I mention that I’m an aficionado of Edo-era swordplay?” Koro-Sensei replied, his tentacles resting by his side as the crowd continued to watch with just as much incentive.\

“Watch out, sir, don’t stand so close,” Nakamura coaxed him further back, though keeping in check their point-ban range of snipers located in and around the city.

*The students are guiding the target nicely,* Red Eye thought to himself from a higher building not too far away. He was sure to keep himself hidden from the public as he aimed his rifle out of the cracked window, looking through the sight. *Everything’s going according to plan so far,* he blinked.

He noticed that his target had completely been lost from the sight vision, so he backed his head out to sift through the crowd of people. He wasn’t an easy target to miss, but he still found himself struggling to find his target in the crowd of ordinary people. That was until he noticed the students were nearly over the railings and shouting at someone. Koro-Sensei had taken the liberty of changing his attire to a brown yoroi and black wig, holding a sword against another show member’s blade.

“How is everyone okay with this?”

“I come to thine aid! Blood-soaked Sakura blossoms are an evil flower. I will not abide by them!” Koro-Sensei played along as he sided with the dark-cloaked samurai.

“He even knows the lines? I can’t hit him like this,” Red Eye attempted to aim his rifle to no avail. Koro-Sensei kept zipping across the makeshift stage.

Shortly after the show was finished, the group wandered around the town for the remainder of the short time they had with their yellow teacher. At around 2:20 in the afternoon, Koro-Sensei bid a strong farewell as he zipped up to the Five-Story Pagoda for the third group’s designated sensei-time.

“You’re late, sir! What took you so long?” Hara inquired as she waved Koro-Sensei to join the group.

“I’m so sorry! I got swept up in a samurai drama and lost track of time! I was the star, too,” he responded.

“Y’know we finished Kyomuzu Temple, like, forever ago,” Terasaka pointed out, his arms crossed tight over his chest.

“Then what do we say we scope out some souvenirs in the nearby shops?” Koro-Sensei suggested.

“Yeah right. Like you’ll buy anything except junk food,” the boy rolled his eyes.

*This might just be the perfect place to draw a steady bead on him. From Yasuka’s Five-Story pagoda, it’s a straight shot.* Red Eye conceptualized his line of fire, looking intently into the scope.

“Here, Koro-Sensei! Try this blotting paper; it’s super cool,” Hara handed him a square sheet of even flaxseed cotton paper.

“I’m not so sure I care for you to see what it’ll pick up,” Koro-Sensei dismisses the idea to which Hara sticks the sheets on his face with a smile regardless. “Oh- Okay, I guess we’re doing this!” Koro-Sensei allowed her to stick the sheets on, intrigued as to what it’d bring out of his pores.

“He’s paying utmost attention to his students at the foot of Sannenzaka, perfectly distracted.* Red Eye pulled the trigger, the shot increasingly muffled under the thick wooden planks. The bullet flew through the air, consequently hitting his target. However, Koro-Sensei was simply able to peel the bullet off of him.

“See, this is exactly what I meant; look at all of these secretions!” Koro-Sensei chuckled, pulling out the paper that the bullet had gotten stuck in. There was a thick layer of mucus on each strip, which ended up being enough to stop the bullet despite the impossibilities.

“Damn. What in God’s name is this thing?!” Red Eye tossed his rifle to the floor, allowing it to clash against the dark wooden panels in frustration. “His speed is insane, his defenses impregnable. It’s like he’s been factory-made for the express purpose of being un-fucking-killable!” Just then, his phone started to vibrate from his back pocket. He pulled it out and answered with his name.

“It’s me,” Kurasuma spoke on the other line, “I’m afraid you’ll have to pack it in for today–no more attempts. The next group you were supposed to work with has run into some unforeseen issues, something about a gang of high school thugs. The target is disregarding the itinerary to go to their aid,” he deadpanned.

“Yes sir, understood,” Red Eye obliged despite his initial disappointment. ‘To be honest, though, this bastard makes me want to throw in the towel anyways,” he admitted defeatedly.

—

Once the sun had set and Red Eye had packed his bags to head back to his Inn. The city lights were bright, and cars flung across the darkened streets. Rather than the busy streets of the daytime, what was left with the rising moon was an empty sidewalk despite the plethora of cars and taxis driving about. The issues he had run into–as well as the students–seemed to dissipate as he trudged to his place of stay.

*I’ve been a sniper for eight years,* Red Eye thought to himself as he walked along the sidewalk. *Not once have I failed to see a mark’s blood in my scope. Not once!* He shoved his hand into his pocket, using the other to carry the case of his rifle despite the suspicious nature. *That’s even how I got the damn name Red Eye. Funny to think about it; there’s nothin’ even red about my eyes.* He turned a corner, digging in his pocket as he rested his back against the brick of a store building in an alleyway.

“Here you go!” A voice echoed through the back street. A red drawstring bag then fell into his hands. “It’s a special blend of spices,” Red Eye had recognized the voice, though he couldn’t place a face on it.

“Thank you? Appreciate it,” he confusedly replied. Koro-Sensei then made his appearance known as he appeared from the shadows.

“Wait- What in the hell?!” Red Eye shouted as he nearly dashed out of the alleyway. Instead, he stayed planted in a nervousness that soon overtook the aura around the two.

“Sorry to disrupt your plans, some of my students were running into some trouble. Not to worry, though, all is taken care of! I just thought I’d take this opportunity to drop by and say hello,” Koro-Sensei beamed, although his voice darkened as he spoke, his tentacles askew. He placed a tentacled hand on Red Eye’s shoulder as if to comfort him, then led him to an establishment down the block, closer to the Inn.

“Where the hell are you taking me?” Red Eye examined his surroundings, seeking out an escape plan to soothe his never-ending worries that his target was leading him somewhere with possible misguiding kindness. The tentacled fiend stayed quiet as he walked into a softly lit room that had miso soup and tofu already set up in a pair of bowls.

“I know you’ve been struggling,” Koro-Sensei prefaced, sitting down and motioning with one of his yellow fingers for his new guest to follow suit.

“You knew the plan and you were just playing along for kicks?” Red Eye scoffed in disbelief. “You’re one scary customer, you know that?” He watched as Koro-Sensei blew on his bowl in tiny huffs as he spoke. “No wonder the government’s payin’ a fortune to keep you a secret.”

Red Eye sighed, looking down at his dark sleeves, the green jacket he was wearing cut just above his elbows. “So, let’s cut to the chase, yeah? If you’re gonna kill me go right ahead. Death’s an occupational hazard and I know what I signed up for,” Red Eye explained, Koro-Sensei still huffing air onto his bowl.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #11: Heat-sensitive tongue.

“You don’t really think I’m gonna kill you when you’ve gone to so much trouble making this an enjoyable trip? On the contrary, I’m here to thank you,” Koro-Sensei corrected the man sitting across from him, taking little notice of the soft gasp of relief he let out. “My students did some very impressive research on this region–yes, as a means of pinpointing an ideal spot for assassination–but they still steeped themselves in geography, local customs, tourist highlights, history, all of it! As a matter of fact, their efforts brought them closer to this city’s charms than a teacher might otherwise dare to hope,” The yellow teacher explained himself further, pouring a bowl of miso soup for Red Eye and eventually handing it to him, “They’ve come to understand another place and its people and to expand their minds with travel. What ultimately brought them to that milestone? Assassination,” Red Eye took the soup once it was handed to him, listening intently to what this teacher had to say about the matter. “Given these circumstances, I am proud as punch to be their target.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re as crazy as you look. Still, I can tell you care about those kids. I wish I had a teacher like you back in the day,” he admitted solemnly.

Sometimes all you need in life is someone to realize your potential. Someone to be proud of you and take you in as you are. Sometimes life doesn’t always offer the luxury of connection as these students get to experience in their assassination classroom. After the two bid each other goodbye and the sniper took to walking across the bridge to his Inn, Red Eye dialed Kurasuma’s number for another rather important discussion.

“Wait, what do you mean you're quitting?” Mr. Kurasuma reiterated on the other line.

“Yeah, sorry. I suddenly feel like just being a tourist for a while. Life tends to pass you by in the sniper’s nest, you know? It’s time I expanded the old color palette; eyes are gettin’ tired of seeing red,” and without another explanation, he pushed the red phone button to end the call.

*What hue should I set my sights on tomorrow?*

—

“God damn! How the hell are you dodging all of those?” Sugino exclaimed, his eyes darting around the arcade machine that Yukiko was vigorously tapping away on.

“This is actually starting to get embarrassing,” Kanzaki muttered nervously as the group closed in on her, each watching her play.

“Oh, wow, I had no idea! I mean, who knew you’d turn out to be such a video game pro?” Okuda asked, hands delicately gripping her braids.

“I’ve kept it a secret. My family’s super strict so they don’t really approve of me wasting time on stuff like this,” Kanzaki admitted. “Lately though, I feel like I’m over-caring so much about what they think–well, what anyone thinks really,” Kaede watched her, understanding deeper than the other friends surrounding the dark-haired girl. Of course, she had been there through one of the toughest times both had been caught up in in a long time. “I used to get so stressed about how other people saw me. I always second-guessed myself. Koro-Sensei actually made me realize it’s all about doing the best with what you have and being true to the person you are on the inside instead of changing yourself to be liked more,” she opened up, Kaede appreciating it all the more.

*I never would have expected to see that side of Kanzaki. I wonder what went on while those creeps held them up,* Nagisa thought to himself, though he kept it in his mind to preserve the peace the group was experiencing at the moment. *It’s almost like they’ve bonded though.*

*Almost every sniper who saw the specs on this mission turned it down. The one guy who we thought was a shoe quit halfway through the assignment. Damn, so much for our Kyoto gambit,* Kurasuma thought to himself as he tuned out the unmethodical sound of the ping pong ball batted on the paddles in front of him.

Takebayashi missed his swing on the ping pong ball, hearing it fall to the ground. He pushed up his glasses and went to retrieve the small white ball. Kurasuma sat on the cushioned chairs near the group that was swinging the ping pong balls, sifting through papers he had printed before the trip commenced earlier in the morning.

“Hah! Who else wants some? Hey, Mr. Kurasuma! Quick game?* Isogai called him over and outstretched a red paddle to his teacher.

*Ah, why the hell not? No more honing in on their field trip; this is supposed to be their time, after all.* Kurasuma stood up and took on the offer with a smile.

“You got it. But I’ll warn you, I’m pretty good,” he took the paddle and proceeded to step on the other side of the ping pong table.

Nagisa and Sugino met up by the stairs, waving down Okajima who was sitting at the top of them.

“What’s up?” Nagisa inquired, noting it was odd for Okajima to be sitting alone rather than with his friends or his group mates. The shaved-head boy then stood up.

“Okay, I’m just gonna say it: this place sucks. Why do we gotta sit in two big dorm rooms separated by gender? The kids in the other classes get put up in their fancy suites!” He subconsciously led them down the hallway, turning the corner as the conversation continued.

“Personally, I think it's more fun this…” Nagisa trailed off as he saw a flash of light blonde hair sneak past a corner, instantly catching the rest of their attention. Nagisa led Sugino and Okajima to the corner where he saw Fuwa and Nakamura crouching by a sliding door. Nakamura couldn’t help but nervously giggle as she turned to face the boys, Fuwa looking into the room.

“What are you guys doing?” Nagisa asked.

“Shh! What does it look like we’re doing? We’re trying to sneak a peek,” Nakamura said as if the three should’ve guessed that first and foremost.

“Wait, that’s supposed to be our job!” Okajima exclaimed, pointing at himself as if it were his own duty to peek at people–though no one put it past him.

“It’s nobody's job!” Nagisa corrected him with an eye roll.

“Either way, who can resist? Look at the way that outfit is hung out!” Nakamura pointed into the room, noting Koro-Sensei’s familiar uniform hung on a rack. “That can only mean one thing. You’re a clever guy! You get what I’m saying,” Nakamura winked at Nagisa, sending a nervous chill down his spine as he crept closer to the door in curiosity.

“We wanna see what he looks like naked; this may be our only opportunity! Does he have a proper body or is it tentacles all the way down? And it’s not creepy because we need all the information we can get,” Nakamura questioned to herself, turning back to the door and then taking a step into it. The rest followed in, tip-toeing quietly to the shower room.

“Can we all agree this isn’t the least bit sexy?” Okajima questioned.

“Shut the hell up,” Sugino shut him down instantly, shushing him so they could continue their journey to the shower room.

Nakamura snickered as she slid open the door as softly as she could, her fingers gripping the handle as the door slowly cracked ajar. Some steam from the water blew through the opening door, which she wafted away as she squinted her eyes into the room.

“Wait, is he a chick?!” Nakamura then exclaimed once they saw him.

Koro-Sensei wore a blue hair cap despite his bald physique, his tentacles perfectly salmon pink as he scrubbed his leg in the bubbly water; he did so rather femininely, the water running off his smooth legs.

“Oh! Uhm, hello children?” Koro-Sensei apprehensively greeted them as he dipped his pink tentacled leg back into the water.

“Are you taking a bubble bath in a public restroom?” Sugino asked, sounding increasingly disappointed.

“We’re not supposed to add anything to the water, sir,” Nagisa pointed out, an unreadable expression on his face. Nakamura dropped her formerly excited hands to her sides.

“Worry not! This is just my mucus,” Their teacher mentioned to the bluenette. “On contact with water, it works up a nice lather and acts as an exfoliant,” Koro-Sensei dipped his head further into the bubbles created by his yellow orifices.

“So, is that good?” Sugino asked rhetorically. Nakamura then regained her sinister smirk.

“Yeah, fascinating. But you let your guard down, sir! We’re blocking your exit. You’ll come slopping out of that tub eventually and when you do, you’ll have to walk by us. We may not kill you but we will see you naked!” She summarized his predicament twofold as she crossed her arms with confidence.

“This simply will not do!” Koro-Sensei then stood up with a slippery pop sound as a large, jello-like rubber case was pulled out of the tub around his waist.

“What the hell is that?!” Nakamura shouted, unable to comprehend what she had just witnessed.

“Jelly broth, my dear! Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Koro-Sensei then shoved himself out of the open window behind him, leaving the jelly residue along the rim of the tub and edges of the window screen.

“Alrighty, then…” Nagisa muttered.

“Well, that was lame,” Okajima admitted.

“Travel sure brings out another side in people, I guess,” Nagisa added.

“But it still sucks that we don’t know what Koro-Sensei looks like under his clothes, though!” Okajima groaned.

“I’m gonna go back to the room now,” Sugino announced, though the two boys followed him anyway as Nakamura and Fuwa parted ways to head to their own.

A little while after the boys had spent time together, a list was made. Isogai was the one who wrote up at the top, ‘favorite girls ranking’ and prepared to start passing it about as the topic was just brought up. Sugino opened the door and greeted the group with a subtle wave as Nagisa followed shortly after, confused as to what they were all gathered around.

“Kanzaki’s in the top spot, no surprises there,” Maehara pointed out, reading through a list of key points other people had added on.

“Speaking of Kanzaki, I was hoping she and I would have a little longer of a chance to talk on this trip. With all the shit that went down earlier though, that’s a slim chance now,” Sugino sighed lucklessly.

“Sucks to be you, man. Better luck next time,” Isogai said softly.
“Come on, guys! Can we just focus on who has the hots for who?” Maehara picked up the list and waved it as it crinkled in his hands.

“No! Don’t ask me to choose! I can’t do it!” Okajima complained with his hands on his head.

“Fine then, you’re exempted!” Mimura gave him a pass.

“What about you, Nagisa? Who’d you pick?” Maehara asked him as he turned to face the short bluenette.

“Huh? Uh, I don’t really know-” Nagisa stuttered as Sugino interrupted him.

“Oh, come on, Maehara, you’re gonna ask, you gotta tell!” He teased.

“Sorry! My lips are sealed. A gentleman keeps his secrets!” Maehara gave a sheepish peace sign.

“Bitch move, man! When I think how popular guys like you are, it drives me crazy!” Mimura poked some fun at his fellow orange-haired friend.

“Crazy? I was crazy once!” Maehara stated.

“Did they lock you in a rubber room?” Nagisa added on.

“With rats!” Maehara laughed, which earned a slap on the knee from Mimura as he was always the victim of the never-ending word cycle his friend tormented him with in class.

“Damn, sounds like a party in here,” Karma then closed the door as he sipped a can of lemonade.

“Karma! Great timing,” Isogai greeted, “Which of the girls in our class do you like?” He handed the red-haired boy the compiled list.

“Okuda? Not that I’m interested,” Karma stated with little to no thought.

“Really? Why her? Wait- You’re not interested?” Maehara inquired.

“Well, no, not interested at all. But she’s a demon with chemistry! Think of all the concoctions she could brew up to enhance my shenanigans. It’d be a match made in heaven!” Karma smiled, though it came off differently than a regular kind of happiness.

“Right… Heaven-” Maehara teased.

“Hey, guys, we’re agreeing to keep these ratings just between us, right?” Isogai double-checked as Karma handed him back the list.

“Of course, we’re not stupid,”

“So absolutely none of what we’re saying leaves this room,” Isogai stated with finality as he folded up the list. “If this information got out, we’d have a real problem,” he then looked out the door and noticed it was open.

“Hey, Karma, you shut the door right?” The dark-haired boy asked.

“Yeah?” Karma then noticed the door was wide open, then he saw a pink Koro-Sensei peeping from around the corner. “Oh fuck that,” he grabbed a green, rubber knife and chucked it out the door, watching his teacher jump back.

“Don’t mind me! Just passing by,” he then snickered as he slid the door closed again.

“No way, he just did that!” Maehara exclaimed, reaching for his own knife and charging to the door. Most of the rest of the boys followed him as they chased him down the hallway. He brought his speed down to make it a little funner for the bunch, laughing maniacally as he did so.

“If I can’t get the load on juicy gossip like this then what’s Mach twenty good for?”

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #12: Loves Gossip.

*Meanwhile in the girls’ dorm:*

“Ew, who wants to talk about boys?” Megu groaned as she sat down in the group.

“Come on! That’s what girls talk about on trips like this. Don’t be a killjoy,” Nakamura teased, her arms crossed.

Kurahashi clapped her hands together excitedly, “Okay! Well, I have a huge crush on Mr. Kurauama!” She chimed in.

“Honey, there’s no one here who doesn’t have a thing for that man,” Nakamura pointed out, “I’m talking about boys in our class that we like,” she reiterated.

“Oh,” Kurahashi put her hands down, though she wasn’t too disappointed to know she wasn’t alone.

“Isogai and Maehara are half decent, I guess,” Nakamura admitted, despite her unwillingness to talk about crushes.

“Gross, you don’t actually like them, do you?” Megu teased.

“Why not? Maehara plays the field though, so I’d never actually go out with him. Isogai is the class monitor so he’s like upwardly mobile,” Nakamura explained herself as she finally sat down.

“I don’t know, Karma’s the cutest of the bunch if you ask me,” Yada professed.

“Too bad he’s such a psycho,” Hinata groaned.

“Come on, I don’t think he’s that bad when you get to know him,” Okuda brought up as she tightened her indigo braids.

“Hey, at least he’s quiet most of the time,” Kaede teased her.

“Yeah, so are wild animals,” Rinka joked.

“Well, who’d you pick Kanzaki?” Kaede asked the girl next to her.

“I don’t really think about it; no idea, sorry,” she stated rather quickly as she averted her eyes.

“Oh, please! Liar!” Kaede whined as she lay flat on her back with a sense of defeat.

“Okay, you guys,” Professor Bitch’s voice broke the conversations of the room as she slid open the door carrying a box of canned beer, “I’m supposed to tell you ‘lights out’, so at least pretend to be asleep,” she said, about to exit the room.

“What a chaperone,” Nakamura sighed.

“Well, we all know you’re gonna stay up jibber-jabbering, just keep it quieter, okay?”

“Hang on! How come you get to drink beer?” Kurahashi slid up to her as she motioned for her to sit down with them.

“I’m an adult, sweetie, so I get to drink beer,” Professor Bitch said, swinging the box as she stepped out of the room.

“Why don’t you stay up with us and tell us your adult stories?” Megu suggested, making room for her to join them on the floor.

“We might get more out of them than your usual class stories,” Kurahashi sweetened the deal as Yadalightheartedly pushed her further into the room so she could slide the door closed.

*Several minutes later after Professor Bitch gave up and sat down with them on the floor:*

“How old are you?” Kurahashi asked, rather bluntly.

“It’s rude to ask a lady her age. I’m twenty,” her teacher replied, cracking open the light can of Coors beer.

“You’re only twenty? You look great, you’re just so mature,” Megu stated in shock.

“Yeah, and the whole black widow vibe!” Hinata agreed with a nod.

“I wouldn’t have gotten far in this line of work–” She furrowed her eyebrows, “Who the hell just called me a black widow?” She chuckled. “Oh well, the point is: if I teach you nothing else you should know sex appeal is skin deep and by the time you get it it fades. In a place like I was born into you learn that all too quickly,” she said earnestly.

“Professor Bitch said something profound for a change. Sounds like bullshit to me,” Nakamura said, though she did appreciate the incentive their teacher was giving them.

“I heard that you hussy!” Professor Bitch shot back.

“Just ignore them, tell us all about the rich men you seduced and killed!” Yada ushered her to continue.

Professor Bitch leaned back against the wall as she continued, “Well, if you insist. Be warned, my life story might be a little spicy,” she joked, resting her hand on her chin. “It all began at the tender age of seventeen– Hey!” She pointed her finger at the flushed pink octopus sitting near the back of the room. “You’ve got a lot of balls helping yourself to our girl talk!” Professor Bitch kneeled up in preparation to charge him, being careful to set her beer down on the floor before moving too quickly.

“Aw! But I wanna hear your stories too! Why can’t an impartial observer get in on the action?”

“You never tell us about your love life!” Nakamura interrupted, kneeling forward alongside her teacher. “You wanna sit there and listen, then you better give us the goods too!” Kurahashi seconded her, turning to face her yellow teacher too.

“Yeah! You like big boobs for a reason don’t you?” Megu said, pointing her finger accusatively.

All at once Koro-Sensei leapt from his spot in the back and dashed out of the room with several swift motions. He then found himself caught between the hallways, the boys on one end and the girls on the other. Both sides charged him with their rubber knives, stampeding across the planked hallway floor as their yellow target stood conflicted between the two sides. This caused a hectic commotion in the middle as the two groups attempted to swipe at him as he used his Mach twenty speed to dodge all his students’ attacks. Kaede met up with Nagisa and Karma on the other end of the hallway, escaping the chaos behind her.

“Damn, ya'll still tryna kill him?” Karma sighed as he dropped his knife to the floor, his other arm wrapped around Nagisa.

“I guess assassination doesn’t have a curfew,” Kaede nervously smiled as she greeted the two boys.

Just then, Koro-Sensei disappeared from everyone’s sight, causing an uproar of knife clatter and upset groans from the students,

“That was a little too close for comfort,” Koro-Sensei said as he slammed the door of the makeshift office Kurasuma had designated for himself.

“Mind telling me what that was all about?” Mr. Kurasuma inquired, noting all the ruckus in the halls around him.

“Nothing! The students just wanted me to open up about my love life,” Koro-Sensei replied.

“Your what?” Kurasuma chuckled to himself as he turned away from the papers he was sifting through.

“Oh, I assure you, my past is positively riddled with romantic encounters. I haven’t enough fingers and toes to keep count of them all!” Koro-Sensei’s tentacles wiggled about in the air as he looked at his fellow educator.

“Fingers and toes? I assume you’re referring back to a time when you had hands and feet?” Kurasuma asked him. Subsequently, the yellow teacher’s tentacles halted and rested by his side as his peer struck right on the target. Both waited in an awkward, yet deafening silence. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to go there. I wouldn’t want to talk about the past in your shoes either,” Kurasuma apologized, folding his hands on the table.

“A wise observation, Mr. Kurasuma. It’s bad manners to ask about the number of one’s appendages–even while traveling together,” Koro-Sensei teased, lifting his head back up.

*Meanwhile upstairs on a balcony with Kaede and Nagisa:*

“This has been such a great trip,” Kaede pointed out, looking up to their permanent crescent moon in the dark sky. “It’s like we’ve all really gotten to know each other,” she said, unrolling her green hair and letting it flow on her back. Nagisa hadn’t seen his friend with her hair down before; he couldn’t help but notice how different she looked.

“That’s true,” Nagisa said, his voice soft as he looked up to the sky like his counterpart was.

“Hm? Is something the matter?” Kaede asked.

“I was just thinking... You know how our trip is mostly over even though it feels like we just got here? I’m starting to feel the same way about life. We’re just learning about the world and yet it might be over soon,” Nagisa averted his eyes, looking at his hands on the railing as Kaede glanced at him. “Even if the world isn’t over by March, this class will be. I just want to live big and experience everything; to be a top-notch assassin. I want my life to have purpose and it seems everyone else has already found that purpose, even you,” Nagisa admitted.

“But we haven’t. I’m sure a lot more people feel similarly to you than you think,” Kaede admitted, noting her previous experiences in Kyoto. “When me and Kanzaki were in that room together, I felt the same way you do right now. I can almost guarantee Kanzaki does as well,” Kaede tried to reassure him. “Why not settle for another school trip like this one instead of really big goals? We have all the time in the world,” she gave him a big smile.

Nagisa returned the genuine gesture.

That night, the curtain falls over their adventures in Kyoto. What a trip. Tomorrow, it’s back to their life at Kunugigaoka Junior High; back to their assassination classroom.

Chapter Text

The birds awake in the early morning chirped in the trees surrounding the old campus. The sun peeked over the tips of the surrounding hills and mountains as Nagisa and Sugino walked up the long pathway together. The dirt that was kicked up from their footsteps fell to the ground again; a lack of wind was present in the cool air.

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept so well in my life,” Sugino sighed as he tossed a baseball and caught it with his other hand.

“Yeah. It sucks, we're back to normal today,” Nagisa replied, taking a deep breath as he slowed his pace. The school building was in sight now, so there wasn’t an incentive to rush up the path anymore.

“Wait up guys!” Isogai’s voice echoed through the treelines as crunchy footsteps approached the two. His dark brown hair was swept out of his eyes as he waved the two down, slowing his run to a trot as he caught up to the two.

“Morning! How’s it going?” Nagisa called out.

“Did you get that email? The one Mr. Kurasuma sent out to us last night?” Isogai inquired, retrieving his phone from his gray pants pocket.

“Something about a transfer student,” Sugino said, looking over to what Isogai was pulling up. The email he showed the two stated, “A transfer student will be joining you tomorrow. Their looks may surprise you, but try not to make a big deal out of it.” Signed by his name.

“Seems suspicious to me,” Sugino prefaced, “they’re probably just trying out another assassin.”

“Weird. They have professional killers our age?” Nagisa chuckled at the thought.

“Maybe the teacher thing got too obvious. We all saw how that cover worked out for Professor Bitch,” Isogai pointed out.

“Do you have a pic?” Okajima shouted from behind the group, causing Nagisa and Sugino to jump back at the sudden surprise.

“Dude! What are you, a damn ninja?” Sugino exclaimed.

“Naturally I was curious,” Isogai tilted his head in confusion as he watched Okajima dig through his pockets for his phone, “so I figured I’d hit Mr. Kurasama up for some photos,” Okajima then turned his phone around to show the three boys. There was a girl with magenta hair that was cut short on the back and wispy bangs that rested just above her eyes–her eyes being a dashing red. She happened to wear a white and green headband that resembled a headphone headband; of course, she wore the Kunugigaoka school uniform.

“She’s a girl?” Isogai looked at her, studying her looks.

“And you’ve already made her your home screen...” Nagisa shook his head as he laughed.

“Gah! This is the one I’ve been waiting for!” Okajima then hugged his phone tight across his chest. He continued to babble about the new girl as a few other groups of classmates walked by in curiosity.

“I wonder what all she’s about. Assassin or not, let's hope she’s ready to be the center of attention,” Nagisa mentioned as they continued to walk to the campus building. There wasn’t that much farther to walk, and the group made their way through the main entrance soon enough before the bell would toll for the homeroom. Sugino slid open the creaky classroom door and caught a glimpse of Kurahashi and Megu standing awkwardly by the teachers’ desk; they were both looking at a dark gray box behind the row of desks closest to the West-facing windows. Nagisa took the initiative and walked up to the box, tapping the black screen with a delicate finger. Isogai then joined him alongside Maehara and the two girls.

“What is this?” Sugino barely got the words out before the screen crackled and mechanically hummed with a green code screen flashing before fading into an image.

“Good morning, fellow students,” a monotone voice spoke as the image of a girl’s lips moved. She was alive–or so they thought. The girl was the same one Okajima had shown Nagisa and Sugino only a few minutes prior, her voice dull of emotion and her background a mirage of teal pixels. “I am AIFA, which is an acronym for Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery. I am happy to be a part of this class,” she lethargically spoke as the screen dimmed out with the same null pixels.

Has assassination really come to this?

Several minutes later, as more students poured into the classroom with the same initial confusion as the rest, the bell rang for homeroom to begin. Mr. Kurasama walked into the classroom with a piece of chalk already in hand. After a few moments of silence, as the students situated themselves in their desks, he started to explain the situation in more detail.

“As you’ve probably already figured out for yourselves, this is our new transfer student,” he set the chalk down, stepping away from the blackboard in doing so. “The Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery, which is on loan from Norway,” the screen behind the desks buzzed on as the AIFA girl on the screen spoke again.

“It’s nice to meet you all. Thank you for having me here,” she deadpanned before shutting off again.

*Mr. Kurasuma must be so over this. Not making smart-ass comments about this will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done,* a few students thought to themselves as they turned away from the machine.

Koro-Sensei then walked by the classroom door with a nefarious chuckle as he stepped foot into the classroom.

“I’ll thank you not to laugh!” Mr. Kurasama demanded despite a smile of his tugging at his lips. “This is a serious deal. The AIFA is registered here as part of the foreign exchange program. She’ll be trying to kill you just like everyone else will be,” Kurasuma reiterated for his fellow educator. He turned to him, “As for our agreement, you will have zero recourse; no fighting back or harming her in any way. The agreement we have concerning the students’ safety still applies,” he noted, taking a few steps away from the teachers’ desk to let Koro-Sensei take his place.

“You and your government might be extending that arrangement a bit too liberally. But, very well! Welcome to E-Class, Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery,” Koro-Sensei greeted his new, and rather strange, student.

The screen flashed on as the AIFA girl replied, “Thank you, Koro-Sensei, I certainly appreciate it.”

And with that, the class began as per usual. Koro-Sensei wrote day starters on the blackboard and as time passed, the lecture soon followed. Koro-Sensei debriefed the book chapter the students’ had previously read before their school trip, holding his own copy in front of him for reference.

“Psst..” Kaede attempted to get the bluenette that sat beside her attention, “So, like, how’s it supposed to attack?” She rhetorically inquired.

“What do you mean?” Nagisa whispered back, exchanging a glance at the machine.

“Well, it’s called a fixed artillery but I don’t see any guns on it,” she pointed out.

“Good point,” he said as he turned his attention back to what Koro-Sensei was rattling on about in the book.

Just before nine in the morning, however, the AIFA machine started to hum electronically, a slew of calculations sliding up the screen as if to code for something. After a few moments, the sides of the box busted off and fell to the floor with a loud clang; this ultimately disrupted the entire classroom as the calculations continued to beep as they were inputted. Shortly after, the artillery was dispensed and aimed at the front of the room with a whirring sound as they stretched out of the box.

“Holy shit!” Sugino exclaimed as he ducked his head in between his arms in a frantic devising.

A barrage of pink B.B. bullets then spread across the classroom which forced Koro-Sensei to dodge as he normally would when faced with this opposition. There were four shotguns, two machine guns, and a fair-level cascade of anti-sensei B.B.s

“Why, I applaud your preparedness, young lady, however out of concern of someone shooting their eye out, I’m afraid that the use of firearms during class is strictly prohibited,” he lectured as he continued to dodge with his Mach speed. He then blocked a particular B.B. off course with a piece of chalk, noticing how it broke apart and fell to the pink-covered wooden floor.

“Understood. The next round of fire will be aimed more carefully,” the AIFA girl replied, her screen fading into the green coding again as the whirring started up again. This was only the beginning of what the machine was capable of. Its assassination tactics evolved as if it could learn just like a human.

“Recalculating trajectory. Correcting angle. Entering auto evolution phase 528.02.” The machine girl’s voice impassively spoke as the screen discarded the green lettering. Koro-Sensei waved a single tentacled finger in the air, his face striped with green.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Stubborn, aren't we?” He teased. The AIFA machine’s guns then started to fire again in a seemingly identical attack pattern; B.B. bullets flung and bounced across the wall as the students’ heads ducked and covered around their arms and hands.

“What else can I expect from a computer? You do realize defending myself under the circumstances of this is child’s play–” Koro-Sensei blocked the same pink B.B. with a different piece of chalk he collected from the rim of the blackboard, only to feel a sting in his tentacles as he looked down to his yellow hand. His fingertips had been blasted off by a different bullet. The chalk fell to the floor and nearly made a few students flinch after the quiet stillness that followed the bombardment of bullets.

*Oh dear, a blind spot? A second B.B. was following the same trajectory as the one deflected by the chalk!* Koro-Sensei analyzed to himself. *How fiendishly clever.*

“Left fingertip destroyed; newly added secondary gun: effective,” AIFA spoke. Its core programming was engineered around processing and integrating new information exponentially; each attempt built on the last one. “Probability of neutralizing target with third attack: less than 0.001 percent. Probability of neutralizing target with fourth attack: less than 0.003 percent. Probability of neutralizing target before graduation: minimum ninety percent,” the AIFA girl preconceived.

“Be advised; the third attack is commencing now, Koro-Sensei.” And exactly like that, another barrage of pink B.B. bullets rained throughout the classroom in another calculated and composed attempt to assassinate E-Class’ yellow teacher.

“Near misses: two. Confirmed hits: one. Recalculating prior estimates,” the robotic voice was uncanny behind the shots of the guns, adding an additional understanding of capability within the classroom. “Employing additional four main guns,” the machine whirred again as four additional guns were drawn out from the box and steadily aimed at the target by the blackboard. “Resume attack with supplemental firepower.”

*I guess we underestimated her!* Nagisa thought to himself as he pulled himself closer to his desk to avoid the exponential blows of the guns firing. *A transfer student? More like a damn bonafide killing machine!*

*Just imagine this with real bullets,* Karma smiled as he leaned back in his chair. He and the other grouped classmates in the back were relatively safe from the flinging bullets, though they were careful to block out the sound of the guns.

*Meanwhile with Mr. Kurasuma and Professor Bitch just outside the classroom:*

“Her inventors are using this as a proving ground of her capability. Personally, I think she stands a good chance,” he told her.

“You can’t think it will be that simple,” Professor Bitch scoffed as she placed her hands on her hips, “What about this classroom being no place for easy resolution?” She reminded him of the lesson he taught her when she first came to the campus as their English teacher. “If things were that easy, none of us would even be here,” she stated as she turned her back on Kurasama and walked down the hallway.

Not too long after the guns were put back into the box for their break between class periods. The students apprehensively stood from their desks to collect the ammunition; per Koro-Sensei’s request. Maehara crouched down on the floor, scooping a handful of the pink bullets into his hands. Okuda stood behind him with a broom as Isogai took the handful from Maehara.

“Awesome! Now we get to clean up the mess,” he sighed as he bent down to scoop up another handful.

“Hey, hot stuff, how about you help us out? You got a vacuum cleaner in there or what?” Muramatsu tapped on the box as he examined the bolts screwing the side plates in place. He got no response. “Fine! Be all stuck up!” He turned away from the machine with his arms crossed as he glanced at his classmates sweeping the piles of bullets up.

“Uh, dude, please. She’s a computer, just give it up,” his friend suggested.

Second period: guns and cleanup. Third period: guns and cleanup. All day the killing machine kept at it, only breaking to calculate the next move. Then, the next morning, something was different.

*AM 08:29:*

“800 hours, twenty-nine minutes, and thirty-five seconds,” the AIFA girl stated as her machine mechanically buzzed awake. “All systems ready. Power supply voltage: stable. Operating system: normal. Recording disk: normal. Various devices: normal. No viruses detected. Program start,” she listed. “Verifying tasks. Today’s agenda: accrue attack incidents of 215 units before the commencement of sixth period, continue ongoing analysis of target’s evasive patterns.”

Her screen turned on, and the machine attempted to draw the firearms out of the box to commence the agenda’s operations; this was proven to be difficult, however. She had been taped up, the tape closing shut all of her bolts and even across the screen.

“Koro-Sensei, I cannot take out my guns in these restraints. I must ask you to remove them,” she requested. Koro-Sensei scratched his spherical head with his tentacled finger.

“Hmm, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” he lightheartedly replied.

“Are you the agency responsible, sir? These restraints are tantamount to harm. Clearly, you’re in direct violation of your agreement-”

“Shut up!” Terasaka interrupted her as he tossed a rubber eraser at the side of the dark machine panels. Karma moved his head back to let the eraser fly past him, looking at the machine with a smile. “It was me! Nothin’ says I can’t give you a hard time! Especially if you’re gonna be a pain in the ass and shoot up the place every damn minute!” He retorted as he rested his elbow on his knee in satisfaction.

“Nothin’ you can do about a little bullying, right?” Karma added on as he folded his leg over.

“Why bother trying to explain it to a computer, she can’t understand!” Yoshida laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s nothing personal,” Hara prefaced, “We’ll free you after class is over,” she smiled at the machine seated just behind her wooden placement.

“You did bring this on yourself. We’re trying to learn here, too. Give your core programming a rest,” Sugino jumped in, though he didn’t face the AIFA girl’s screen.

—

The moonlight poured into the classroom as AIFA sat in the darkness of the night. The night was quiet with a light breeze passing through the trees and grass outside.

“Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery to headquarters. Execution of second day tasks delayed indefinitely due to unforeseen problems. Probability of rectifying problems independently: zero percent. Probability of achieving assassination goal by fixed deadline significantly decreased. Requesting immediate assistance.”

“Don’t go crying to mommy and daddy,” Koro-Sensei prefaced as he placed a tentacle on top of the AIFA machine, “they’re the ones that got you into this whole mess,” the AIFA girl then appeared on the screen after a brief fade out of teal pixels. “Besides, you’re a student; a transfer student, at that, which makes you my responsibility. I realize it’s no picnic being the new kid, but if we could just find a way to make the other students warm up to you…” His voice trailed off as he knelt down beside the dark gray machine.

“What do you mean, sir?”

“Can you appreciate why the other students are foiling your assassination attempts? For starters, they’re here to learn and your methods are enormously disruptive. For another, if you happen to succeed, the reward money will go to your parents and not to them. So to them, letting you kill me has no upshot whatsoever,” Koro-Sensei explained softly.

“ I believe I am beginning to understand, Koro-Sensei,” AIFA prefaced, “it seems I have not been adequately factoring in my classmates' interests,” her teacher chuckled as he placed a screwdriver into a bolt that held the back panel of the machine together.

“You are a fast learner! Not to worry, though, I have just the thing for you,” he pulled the back panel up and gripped a RAM array in his yellow tentacled fingers. “Additional RAM and a cache of helpful apps; all virus-free, rest assured.”

“Explain,” the vision board of the AIFA girl showed the students in their seats and Koro-Sensei standing upright by the teacher’s desk.

“Teamwork simulation software. It’s designed to help you bond with your fellow classmates. Cooperation is key, you understand? We want that probability rate up. In general, working well with others is an important ingredient to personal success! Wouldn’t you enjoy having friends?” Koro-Sensei asked after a brief explanation of the software he installed into AIFA.

“I do not know how to make them,” she deadpanned.

“Worry not!” Koro-Sensei then slid a box that he had put in the corner of the classroom closer to the machine for easier access.

“But, what is all of that?” AIFA inquired.

“Everything you need to be a team player, and then some. I would never subject one of my students to harm, but what sort of teacher would I be if I didn’t enhance your innate capabilities?” He smiled big as he reached into the box.

“I do not understand why you are doing this, sir.” Any enhancement you give me will only shorten your lifespan,” AIFA admitted.

“So be it. I’m a teacher first, a target second. From the moment you opened fire on me yesterday, I knew that unquenchable thirst for knowledge was something I simply had to nurture. Your parents installed–instilled, rather– many marvelous gifts and as your teacher, it is my job to develop those gifts even further. Once the other children have taken a liking to you, your whole worldview will change!”

“Question, sir,” AIFA prefaced as she absorbed what her teacher was telling her, “what function is served by this directory of sweets from around the world?” She inquired, noting that Koro-Sensei had snuck that into his ‘programming’.

Koro-Sensei nervously chuckled and backed away with a salmon pink spreading across his cheeks in embarrassment.

“Oh, uh, well- uh, nothing!” He stammered as he pressed his tentacled fingers together. “Nothing specific, really, I just thought that you could help me out with something, too!” He smiled, though understood if the AIFA didn’t wish to oblige.

AIFA smiled nonetheless, happy to help someone who had helped her as much as Koro-Sensei did.

*The next morning:*

“Do you think she’ll be here again, today?” Sugino groaned as he walked down the hallway with Nagisa.

“Probably,” he replied.

“What do you say we go complain to Mr. K? It’s damn near impossible to focus with that thing around,” he then slid open the door and crushed the anticipation he had as he stepped foot into the classroom with his bluenette friend.

The two glanced at the AIFA machine, though Nagisa had to do a double take to make sure he was seeing correctly; the machine’s screen was elongated across the entire black casing. Again, Nagisa timidly approached the machine and tapped the screen, Sugino, Kurahashi, and a few other students crowding around in curiosity. The screen flashed on with a plethora of colorful pixels as the AIFA girl faced them with a bright smile. This time, the background was of a lovely courthouse with trees, flowers, and a bright blue sky. The girl herself seemed chipper as well, greeting them with a wave and happy expressions. Her eyes, rather than being their previous red, were a bright blue that faded into a deep purple near her pupils. This was certainly a turnaround from the previous AIFA girl trapped in the box, as this one was full body and had a wider range of emotions, tone, and motion. This left the group with their mouths wide open in shock and near impression.

“Good morning, everyone! Hi there!” She turned to greet the students around her, waving cheerfully as she smiled. “Absolutely beautiful day today, isn’t it?” She asked them, despite their shocked faces.

“I felt it might improve relations between you kids if I gave our friend here a full LCD display. I also threw in some uniform modeling software too. I also gave her a broader range of expressions; all of this for cheaper than you might think,” Koro-Sensei spoke from behind the students as if to elaborate on what they were looking at.

“I have to say, the only thing better than this glorious morning is sharing it with you!” The AIFA girl stated as her hair blew in the breeze of the screen. It was a lot harder to comprehend she was an artificial intelligence rather than a person trapped in a screen with this new look and dialogue.

“Things are gonna be a little tight until payday, yikes!” Koro-Sensei teased as his tentacles carried him to the teacher’s desk to situate the lesson plans for the day’s class periods.

“The flowers are in bloom, the grass is turning that special shade of green. Spring has done its work and now passes the torch onto a marvelous summer,” AIFA spoke as she looked around her display.

“It’s like she got cuter overnight, how is this even possible?” Okajima muttered to himself as he eyed the robot girl in the machine.

“You’re telling me that’s the same fixed artillery that tore up the place yesterday?” Mimura questioned in disbelief as he sat down next to Okajima.

“Don’t be fooled, guys, she’s still just a computer! The octopus might’ve given her an upgrade, but that’s all. Her actin’ all nice doesn’t mean shit. Nah! Once a box of bolts is always a box of bolts,” Terasaka shot back, insulting the young girl. AIFA turned to face her fellow classmate with a saddened expression. Karma took note of her sad face and turned to Terasaka.

“Damn, might’ve touched a nerve there, Big T,” he joked.

“I see. Well, good point. I understand we didn’t get off on the right foot yesterday,” a light rumble was heard from the speaker of the AIFA box as the once sunny sky started to become overcrowded with dark storm clouds. “My fault... You’re absolutely right! I am just a box of bolts,” AIFA then broke down in tears as the clouds dripped their raindrops on the freshly bloomed flowers.

“Wow, good going, Terasaka. Feel good making a 2D girl bawl her eyes out?” Karma poked fun at him as he furrowed his eyes.

“Well, when you put it like that, I sound like a total dick!” He admitted as he kicked his feet from off his desk.

“Maybe I’m only speaking for myself, but if you ask me, a 3D girl has nothing on a double D,” Takebayashi admitted.

“You chauvinist!” Isogai retorted as he held back a chuckle himself.

“Don’t worry, I’ll try harder!” AIFA stated as she wiped her glossy eyes. The sun started to peek through the lighter clouds as she smiled at her classmates again. “Koro-Sensei showed me how to take your feelings into consideration! I won't try to assassinate him without you. In fact, I won’t do anything like that unless I have your full consent. I hope that you come to think of me as a teammate and a friend,” she promised as a rainbow faded into the brightening sky.

“You hear that?” Koro-Sensei chimed in, “She’s trying very hard so be nice. And don’t be deceived; under that sunny disposition and that adorable willingness to please, her bloodlust remains perfectly intact. If you still want to kill me–and who doesn't–I have no doubt that this young lady will make a formidable ally.”

Is there anything Koro-Sensei can’t do? He just gave a machine the ability to make friends.

*During the second period:*

“The retina is composed of long, thin rods and short, fat, what?” Koro-Sensei asked as he turned from his diagram of an eye (which was very detailed, as per usual). “Sugaya? You know this one,” he pointed to the silver-haired boy, “answer without peeking into your textbook, please.”

Sugaya stammered as he tried to think of the answer, his glances around the room serving no purpose until his gaze landed next to him as AIFA pointed to her leg.

“Uh, I think the answer is cones?” He replied as he read what AIFA was pointing to on her leg, her other index finger pressed against her lips in a secretive fashion.

“Excuse me, Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery, no slipping him the answer!” Koro-Sensei reprimanded.

“I’m sorry, I was only trying to endear myself to my classmates sir,” she tried to reason.

“By helping them cheat?” Koro-Sensei asked, to which the class filled with a brief laughter.

*After the second period:*

AIFA called Kurahashi over from her desk, Megu following her up to the machine.

“Woah! Cool, you were able to do that!” Kurahashi exclaimed as she clapped her hands together and bounced on her tippy-toes. “You sculpted that sculpture like it was no big deal,” she beamed, leaning in to take a closer look.

“Yeah! See, I come installed with a special 3D printer I use to manufacture guns. The cool thing is, I can pretty much make whatever with it,” AIFA explained. The other side of the dark panels was on the floor beside the box, an extended claw being used to play chess against Chiba while Fuwa watched intently from the other side of the board.

“That’s awesome! You should totally try to make flowers!” Yada suggested.

“Oh, no problem! Let me download the relevant data and I’ll get started,” she then glanced over to Chiba, Fuwa, and Maehara, moving the claw to pick a piece up. “Hey, Chiba, that’s check,” she chuckled, placing her king.

“Damn, four moves in and I’m already out,” he groaned.

“What are you gonna do? She’s a fast learner,” Maehara stated, though he himself didn’t understand anything of what just happened on the checkerboard.

“Wait! This reminds me of a manga where this super artificial intelligence program controls the world through–I don't know–electronic drugs?” Fuwa announced, looking to AIFA.

“Yes! I know exactly the one you’re talking about,” AIFA said, pointing her finger up, “that super-popular detective story published in that magazine they made into an anime.”

“You know that but you have to download flowers?” Yada laughed at the vast differences in knowledge the AIFA was able to produce in such a short time. Nagisa and Sugino stood by the teacher’s desk watching their classmates conjugate with the new girl. Kaede walked into the classroom and strolled up to them as well, fixing her green hair in the process.

“She’s popular, huh?” She said with no alternate substance, “she can make things and do a million things at once,” she acknowledged.

“Oh no!” Koro-Sensei shouted.

“What’s wrong, sir?” Nagisa asked as he turned around to face his teacher.

“We’re the same personality type,” he stated in a frenzy.

“That’s a bit of a stretch-”

“I upgrade her and this is the thanks I get?” Koro-Sensei blubbered, devising a fool-proof plan. “Look, everyone! I have an LCD display of my own, too!” He then shouted, spreading his tentacles wide as he attempted to get the class’ attention. “Behold, my more accessible human face!” His face then changed to a stock image of a man with dark hair and pink lips.

“Jeez, that’s terrifying!” Karma blurted out, taking a few steps up to chill with his friends in the front of the classroom.

“Well, you could’ve put that a better way, Karma,” Koro-Sensei turned away and started to pout, though no one paid close attention to his obvious means of distraction. The class was used to his fake weeps in response to his students’ backtalk.

“Hey, guys, let’s come up with a better name for her. Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery just sounds weird,” Megu suggested folding her arms across her chest in thought.

“You got that right! Let me think…” Yada agreed, tapping her chin. AIFA looked around in confusion as the students then thought in collectiveness, her blue and purple eyes full of wonder. “What’s autonomous in Japanese?”

“Jiritsu?”

“Yeah! Ritsu!” Fuwa shot up from her desk as the lightbulb lit up in her head.

“Worst name ever,” Chiba teased.

“Hey! No, it’s adorable,” Fuwa corrected him as AIFA considered it.

“Ritsu…” She mumbled softly.

“You cool with us calling you that?” Maehara asked.

“Yeah, I love it! Thank you. You can call me Ritsu from now on,” she beamed in response.

“Y’know, I doubted it, but she might fit in here,” Nagisa admitted.

“I still think Terasaka has a point, though. This new personality is just a programming quirk, nothing more. She’s still not really real,” Karma reiterated, though quieter. “I guess, where she goes from here isn’t really up to us. Machines don’t have free will,” he leaned back on the teacher’s desk, studying the rest of the class which was crowded around Ritsu.

This machine uses the same artificial intelligence programming as the AEGIS Combat System. The AEGIS Weapon System is a centralized, automated, command-and-control system and uses weapon control systems that are designed as a total weapon system; from detection to kill. She can analyze her surroundings and calculate the most efficient way to proceed in a fraction of the time it would take a normal person. In effect, she could change the face of war. The mission to assassinate E-Class’ teacher would be the linchpin of her creators’ market strategy. In essence, the reward money for the assassination is close to nothing compared to the revenues in store for them once the Autonomous Intelligence Fixed Artillery’s talents are in evidence; that being said, this classroom is her ultimate testing grounds and killing the improbable monstrosity is only the beginning of what’s in store for AIFA.

*The next morning:*

Ritsu’s screen brightened as the pixels formulated her appearance once more. Her eyes had grown red again, her voice as monotone as the day she first arrived in E-Class. She greeted her classmates with a deadpan expression; there was no emotion in her voice anymore. The class stared at her and nearly ignored her in anticipation of the coming class periods.

“Word came down from her inventors just last night. Upgrades will be considered a breach of contract–not to harm a student,” Mr. Kurasuma announced to the class, though his words were more directed at Koro-Sensei, who stood just beside him with the roll book clenched between his yellow tentacles. “As for you,” Kurasuma eyed Terasaka, “tie her up again and you pay for the damages. Basically if you break if you buy it,” he told him, to which the two-toned boy scoffed. “So, that’s the way things are now. I have no choice.”

“This is the word from her inventors, is it?” Koro-Sensei scratched his bulbous head with a single tentacled finger. “Since when have I been in the business of appeasing parents? My students’ needs come first,” he admitted. He got no response in return, to which he proceeded to call roll from the book in his hands.

*If she’s been, like, downgraded... She’s gonna spray the place with B.B.s again..* Sugino rested his head on his desk, hearing the sounds of Ritsu’s machine whirring to a start. The screen connected as the pixels connected through wires and information, beeping methodically as the familiar green text of code flashed across the screen being transcribed. Just then, the sides of the machine panels shot open as they did before, but what came out wasn’t artillery or guns.

Flowers.

“You wanted me to make flowers, didn’t you?” Ritsu asked, her voice crackly with an electronic undertone. The sides of the machine’s box were filled with pedals from different arrangements of bouquets. “When Koro-Sensei upgraded me, he made a total of nine hundred eighty-five improvements to my functionality. My master determined approximately ninety-five percent of these improvements were irrelevant to my purpose and deleted them. However, after analyzing the effectiveness of cooperation, I calculated the highest probability of success would be achieved by maintaining these improvements. Ergo, I hid what I could in an area of my memory left untouched by the purge,” Ritsu explained.

“Outstanding! Ritsu, does this mean-?”

“Yup! I have free will and boy, does it feel fantastic!” Ritsu interrupted Koro-Sensei, her screen fading to the real Ritsu the class grew to love the previous day. Her eyes were bright with their faded purple-to-blue hue and bright sky. Her magenta hair blew across her neck in the breeze of the screen.

“Koro-Sensei, if my information’s right, I think I’m being what they call rebellious,” Ritsu admitted nervously, “that doesn’t make me a terrible person or anything, does it?” She asked her teacher.

“No, no, no,” Koro-Sensei waved his yellow finger, “You’re just a junior high student! And an exemplary one at that!” He made a circle with his tentacles, his head in the center. His face’s yellow shade turned a soft red, earning the incentive that he and Ritsu were correct in their statements.

And with that, E-Class was able to make another friend; another ally in the fight to assassinate their teacher. This made twenty-seven assassins and students alike.

Chapter Text

Professor Bitch carefully dragged the chalk across the blackboard as she demonstrated the lesson. She wrote out a brief dialogue of three characters and then turned to the class. She repeated the dialogue in an acting manner as she set the chalk down.

“Oh, sexy guy! It must be a miracle!” She said, “See? Icebreakers like this guarantee a good first impression. I’m sure we all know someone who's absolute shit with small talk; maybe we are that person. The trick is to put yourself in the shoes of your target,” she explained before pointing to Kimura in the far right of the classroom’s front row. “Kimura, throw me an icebreaker,” she challenged.

“Uhm.. Hey there?” The dark sacramento-haired boy tried. Professor Bitch made a small X with her fingers, her salmon pink nail polish shimmering in the sunlight from the Westward windows.

“No, no. You’re shifting the burden of conversation. If you want a meaningful response the other person has to feel you’re pulling your own weight. Try comin’ at them guns blazing with an interesting observation!” She told him, to which he nodded in affirmation, “Conversation is a challenge for the best of us–and that’s okay! Don’t think in terms of finding the right words, let them find you. Just let the conversation flow and finesse it like a full-tongue kiss,” she smiled as she turned back to the blackboard, the class writing in their various notebooks as she spoke.

*After school in the faculty lounge:*

Professor Bitch exasperatedly sat down in the office chair across from Kurasuma, who sat typing on his computer without any mind to his counterpart. Koro-Sensei took to following her into the office room as well, planting himself in a corner as he observed the two.

“Teaching is such a pain in the ass!” She asserted.

“At least the students are finally taking a shine to you,” Mr. Kurasuma tried to lighten the mood.

“Oh, yeah, sure! Cause that’s a load off. Come on, I’m an assassin; I’m supposed to be killing people not hunting an octopus with some brats. And while we’re on the subject of tentacled pervs…” Professor Bitch shot a glare at Koro-Sensei who was hovering over her mindlessly. “The son of a bitch is staring at my tits! Sipping tea doesn’t make it classy!” She pointed her finger accusatively at him, to which his face flushed a bright, glowing pink.

“Have I mentioned how much I admire your perky teaching methods?” Koro-Sensei teased.

“Shut your face!” The shorter blonde swiped his face with a green S.A.A.U.S.O knife that was lying on the desk in front of her. Koro-Sensei dodged the plethora of swipes and jabs Professor Bitch was throwing his way, to which Kurasuma stood up to tone it down.

“Stand down, you know he’s just pushing your buttons,” Kurasuma pointed out.

“Yeah, well, I’ll push his damn buttons,” she hissed as she threw the knife at the wall and strutted out of the room.

“Well, she’s feisty today,” Koro-Sensei admitted after she slid closed the wooden doors to the teachers’ office.

“Huh? I can’t imagine why that might be,” Kurasuma said, his voice laced with sarcasm as he looked at the yellow teacher.

Professor Bitch stood in the hallway just outside of the faculty lounge, the orange glow of the sunset just outside the windows of the hallway.

*I have better things to be doing than twiddling my stupid thumbs in this place. If only I could just bag the squirrely bastard, maybe I’d be seen for what I actually am…* She thought to herself. Shortly after, she felt something around her hair. She raised her hands to the side of her neck to see what was touching her when all of a sudden she was lifted off of the planked floors and nearly a foot off the ground. She immediately pried her fingers around the thin, wire rope around her throat with both hands, choking back saliva. *A snare trap?! Who the hell-* She frantically kicked her feet in an attempt to latch her heels onto a nook in the finicky wall only for the light blue straps to slip off of her feet with a clattering sound as they fell.

“You catch me off guard, Irina,” a voice boomed from her side with a thick Russian accent, “Watching you babysit a bunch of kids… It’s like T.V. comedy show!” The voice laughed as Professor Bitch struggled to look down at who was speaking to her, though she recognized the voice in near seconds.

“Lovro- Why are you here?” She hissed out as her grip struggled to remain on the rope.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Kurasuma’s voice then echoed from the hallway as he slid open the faculty door in lieu of ignoring the clatter. “This is your only warning, let her go,” he demanded coldly.

“Don’t worry about it. She knows how to handle herself,” Lovro then raised a small pocket knife to the rope, slicing it with ease as Professor Bitch dropped to her knees on the floor.

“Right. So, uh… Have we met before or is it just me?” Mr. Kurasuma inquired.

Lovro the assassin; one of the most dangerous men who’s ever lived–now retired. He trains assassins and books gigs for them all over the world and makes a killing–no pun intended. At the crucial moment he came through to us, Professor Bitch was his protege. The man in front of him had a bigger build and wide, broad shoulders. His hair was flat on the top and his face was heavily defined in every aspect. He wore a dark coat similar to Kurasuma, though with a thin turtleneck underneath a white, unbuttoned dress shirt. Just by his looks alone, he seemed hardcore.

Why is he here now, though?

“We haven’t met in person, you know my reputation. I do freelance work for government. As matter of fact, I’m the guy who arranged to bring Irina Jelavić into the mix. I’m human resources manager,” Lovro said, “This Koro-Sensei fellow happen to be near?”

“I think he’s in Shanghai picking up some almond jelly. He left about a half hour ago so he should be back any moment now,” Kurasuma responded.

“So rumors of his speed have not been exaggerated. Well, good. Glad I came when I did,” Lovro glanced at Professor Bitch who was still sitting on the floor with her legs crossed over each other. “You run along home, Irina, I’ll take it from here,” Lovro cracked his knuckles methodically.

“It's clear you’re out of your depth.”

Professor Bitch silently gasped as she looked up to him, her blue eyes glistening with disappointment as she kneeled up and sprang to her feet.

“I’m good enough; just let me prove it!” The words caught in her throat as she tried to speak, though she ultimately knew there was no getting through to her superior.

“Don’t get me wrong, on undercover jobs you’re the best. Once your cover has been blown, however, you’re no Charlotte Corday,” Lovro began to explain as Professor Bitch held back glossy tears from her sapphire eyes.

“You have to give me a chance, sir! I can do this- I know I can!” She tried to plead with him, her hands cupped in front of her.

“What have I always taught you?” Lovro asked her, stepping closer to her with tenacious speed, “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. A good assassin knows when to go home,” he stated.

“Congratulations!” Koro-Sensei’s voice surprised the group as he called from behind them. His face was split down the middle; one side was purple with a darker X, the other a light red with a darker circle. “You’re exactly half wrong and half right,” Koro-Sensei then separated the two with his elongated yellow tentacles, exchanging a glance between both of them.

“Hey, cool it, game show,” Kurasuma said.

“Another ridiculous nickname?” Koro-Sensei sighed as he let go of the two assassins, “Are you determined never to call me Koro-Sensei?” He inquired.

‘It’s you…” Lovro looked up to the yellow fiend with wider eyes, though his brow was still sunken and cold.

“I agree as an assassin, our beloved Irina is nothing special,”

“No one asked you!” Professor Bitch shot back.

“Having said that, she belongs here. She is, in fact, a perfect fit for this class,” Koro-Sensei elucidated, crossing his tentacles in a large X in front of his chest. “To prove my point, I propose a kill-off! Let us see which one of you passes! Who is the better assassin?” Koro-Sensei challenged.

“What do you propose?” Lovro asked.

“Whoever kills our friend, Mr. Kurasuma first is the winner!”

“Excuse me? Why the hell am I the target here all of a sudden,” Kurasuma retorted, shaking his head as if the idea was ludicrous enough.

“Why, it has to be you, silly! I’m unkillable,” the yellow teacher pointed out. He then handed Professor Bitch and Lovro each an anti-sensei knife, his tentacles pressed against a white cloth as to keep them intact. “Here. You have all day tomorrow.”

“Ah. So is to be a pretend assassination,” Lovro pointed out, bending the green rubber knife. “Why not? There are worse ways to pass time,” Lovro then walked down the hallway, passing Mr. Kurasuma as he meandered to the main entrance.

Mr. Kurasuma sighed exasperatedly, turning around and walking back to the faculty lounge. “Suit yourselves,” he impassively muttered.

“Is this your idea of sticking up for me?” Professor Bitch asked though it meant to be an insult rather than an inkling. Koro-Sensei just tilted his head in confusion, earning a scoff from Professor Bitch.

“Shut up! I know what this is! You’re hedging your bets on me because you think I’m easier to manage than some new schmuck, right?” She hissed, her eyes still maintaining a glossy finish as she blinked. “Well, if you don’t think I’ve got what it takes to kill Kurasuma *and* you, somebody’s in for a rude ass awakening!” She then stormed off, leaving Koro-Sensei alone in the hallway just as the clock struck five in the afternoon.

*The next day during gym class:*

The students sat on the courtyard dirt, each adorned in their blue gym uniforms. Kurasuma stood, his black blazer on the grassy hill behind him as he spoke to the class. He methodically explained the situation and apologized for any shortcomings of their class periods because of it. The students of Class 3-E couldn’t help but chuckle at the peculiarity of the situation.

“So, there it is. Expect a few disruptions and hopefully, it won’t interfere with your studies too much,” he sighed, “Just carry on as normal, all right?”

*Poor guy. He just can’t catch a break,* Nagisa chuckled to himself as the class stood up to begin the period.

“Yoohoo~” Professor Bitch’s voice sang from across the courtyard as she waved Mr. Kurasuma down. She was prancing up to him with a cup in hand, as well as a water bottle of a strange liquid substance. The ‘water’ was a light pink, and somewhat murky as drops splashed out of the cup as she ran up to the class. “Excellent work today! I’ll bet you worked up quite a thirst! Have a nice cold beverage!” Professor Bitch exclaimed despite the fact class hadn’t even commenced with any activity.

The students giggled at the obvious nature of their English teacher’s attempt. Kurasuma pinched the bridge of his nose as he sharply exhaled.

“Here! Go ahead and knock yourself out; it tastes like a rainbow!”

“She drugged it,” Maehara whispered to Isogai.

“Oh, yeah, no doubt,” the black-haired boy snickered.

“Probably some kind of muscle relaxant. Immobilize and stab? That’s the oldest trick in the book,” Kurasuma pointed out with yet another bitter sigh. “What do you take me for? No man in his right mind would let you close enough to give him a drink,” Professor Bitch grumbled as she maintained a chipper smile.

“Well, why don’t I just leave it here so you can take it at your leisure?” She bent down and placed the cup in the loose dirt, though she tipped too far and fell forward on the ground. “Ah! Oh… Ow~” She exclaimed, cradling her wrist against her rack, “Pick me up, Kurasuma, carry me piggyback please!” She whined. Kurasuma rolled his eyes and took back to his stance at instructing the class on their warm-ups.

Lovro, who was peaking within the trees at his target, saw this take place and couldn’t help but feel disappointed in his protege’s approach. “Please, have some self-respect, this is sad,” he muttered to himself.

Isogai and Maehara took to helping Professor Bitch up from the dirt, to which she allowed.

“You okay, Professor Bitch?” Isogai asked, hiding his shaky voice from laughter.

“No, offense… But that little ploy wouldn’t have fooled anyone,” Maehara stated as lightheartedly as he could.

“My options are limited, okay?” Professor Bitch snapped, shaking their hands off of her arms. “I can’t seduce someone who knows my M.O.! It’s like a paid escort trying to put the moves on her old man! He knows her too well for her charms to land their mark,” she gave an example.

“That’s sick,” Maehara exclaimed.

*Damnit. I’m racing against the clock, here. When Lovro has a target in his sights it’s only a matter of time. He strikes like a thief in the night and look at me! I’ll never be anywhere near that talent…* She sighed as she picked up the water bottle she dropped, leaving the pink-filled cup on the dirt.

*After physical education class:*

“What do you think?” Koro-Sensei inquired from Kurasuma, catching up to him as the man walked through the front entrance of the old campus. “Exhilarating being the killee, isn’t it?”

“Oh, it’s a barrel of laughs,” Kurasuma sarcastically replied, “Wait a minute, exactly what happens if I manage to dodge them both?”

Koro-Sensei placed a yellow finger to his chin in seemingly deeper thought, “Hmm.. I hadn’t thought of that,” he admitted. “I suppose, in all fairness, you’d be the winner!” He concluded.

“What do I win?” Kurasuma looked up to him,

“How about I agree to stand stock-still in front of you for an entire second? You may shoot and/or stab me as you please” Koro-Sensei suggested, “Don’t tell the others, though. We don’t want to kick off a feeding frenzy. The pot might be a little too rich to keep everyone honest,” He then walked away with his familiar slithering sounds as he slid open the faculty lounge door.

Kurasuma then walked in with him, seeing Professor Bitch sitting quietly in the office chair across from where he had left his laptop. He lackadaisically sat down and began to type something into it, not minding the woman in front of him in the slightest. Koro-Sensei made use of organizing quizzes for the next class period on the other end, being sure to keep quiet. A few minutes later, the door frantically swung open on the track, bouncing back closed after Lovro had dashed through the door. Kurasuma jumped up, taking the initiative and rolling his chair back as the larger assassin charged him head-on. The knife was in front of his face, to which Mr. Kurasuma grabbed Lovro’s wrist and slammed it hard against the gray table. This caused the knife to break contact with Lovro’s fingers as he pulled his arm away to no avail. Kurasuma then lifted his knee and pivoted his hips to aim directly at his offender’s cheek; instead, he brought it down and with a swift motion Lovro’s arm had been victim to a crack. He backed off and groaned when Kurasuma let go of his twisted wrist.

“With all due respect, my friend, how straightforward did you expect this to be?” Kurasuma asked, “You’ve got skill but frankly, the years haven’t been kind. Until recently, I was in the Elite Special Force,” he continued.

*Fuck! If Lovro can’t get his hands on him, what the hell chance do I have?* Professor Bitch had backed away from her chair, standing with her back to the wall.

The spiky-haired teacher grabbed the green knife Lovro attempted to cut into him, pointing it directly at Koro-Sensei and Professor Bitch. “If you wanna win you seriously need to step up your game. You’ve only got today,” he deadpanned. Koro-Sensei then nervously backed behind Professor Bitch as Kurasuma closed his lips.

“Why are you so scared?” Professor Bitch exclaimed as she glanced behind her at the yellow fiend.

“Don’t worry about it! Just do your best and try not to lose!” Koro-Sensei spat out.

“For your information, with a good knife, I can strike five times in a second. So, this should be fun,” Kurasuma smiled at Koro-Sensei which sent a massive chill down his gelatinous spine.

Professor Bitch looked over to her superior, noticing how his wrist was stained a deep purple and black. He was clutching just above the mark, the injured hand tight and quivering. He did an excellent job masking the pain that was shooting through his arm, scoffing as Mr. Kurasuma left the room.

“Lovro, sir, your arm,” she prefaced.

“I suppose I can’t expect to kill today in this condition,” he muttered. Koro-Sensei gasped as he stepped up to him within the second.

“What kind of talk is that? Nonsense; that’s what it is! You can do this!” He cheered him on, suddenly holding orange Kunugigaoka Cheer Team pompoms in each of his yellow hands.

“Even if I wasn’t a relic… Even if I could kill that man, you’d still be out of my reach. Same goes for Irina when you get down to it. If I can’t do it, neither can she,” Lovro admitted, his accent thicker as he choked back the pain and disappointment welling up in his chest.

“Very well. If giving up is your choice then don’t let me stop you. However, why not stick around to support your protege? After all, whatever else one might say about her skills, she’s definitely proven herself capable wielder of death before,” Koro-Sensei proposed. Lovro turned to him after making a few steps to the exit.

“Once upon a time, yes,” and like that, he was gone out the door.

Professor Bitch sighed as she averted her gaze to the wooden floors.

“Level with me, okay?” She prefaced, “Do you honestly think I can take down someone like Kurasuma?”

“Of course. I can’t speak to what you may or may not have learned at the feet of your guru, but based on what I’ve seen you accomplish since you’ve been here I’d be wrong to think otherwise,” Koro-Sensei’s voice was lowered as he spoke sincere words from his heart, “Case in point…”

Koro-Sensei rummaged through the drawer where Professor Bitch kept some of her things.

“The lingerie you ordered yesterday! If that’s not an initiative, I don’t know what is!” Koro-Sensei teased her, pointing to the black and pink laced bra in a women’s magazine. Professor Bitch scoffed in disbelief.

“You perv!” She exclaimed as she crossed her arms.

Koro-Sensei’s voice returned to a hushed and genuine tone, “If you want others to believe in you, you’ve got to believe in yourself first. You need to show them what you’ve got. Kurasuma? Lovro? The children? Yourself?” Koro-Sensei then turned around, fixing to leave with the quizzes in his hand. Professor Bitch then smiled, dashing out of the faculty lounge after the yellow teacher slid it open.

*Ten minutes later:*

‘Yo, have a look at this,” Karma motioned for Nagisa and Kaede to look out the window as he was. “It’s Mr. K,” he stated.

“Oh, yeah. He’s been eating his lunch out there a lot lately for some reason,” Kaede pointed out.

“While he’s smackin’ on his sandwich the spider’s headin’ in for the kill,” Karma pointed to Professor Bitch. She was sauntering up to Mr. Kurasuma, a green rubber knife in hand.

“Mind if we talk for a second?” She said, a cold expression on her face, “You and me?”

“What now? I’m aware this is a pretend assassination but I’m done screwing around,” Kurasuma deadpanned. Koro-Sensei and Lovro watched from the campus entrance, the yellow teacher having tended to wrap the injured wrist.

*Surely she knows he can smell the ruse from a mile away. The woman’s a fool!*

“Aw, come on, don’t be such a museum piece,” she teased, taking off her white blazer to expose the frilly tank top she had on under it. Her rack pressed up against her chest from how tightly fit the darker top was. “I’m a girl willing to do whatever it takes to stay here; you know that about me,” she gave a subtle wink as she flipped her light blonde hair behind her shoulder. “No more screwing around… Unless that’s what you’d prefer in exchange. One good turn deserves another, right? You just call the game, love,” Professor Bitch spoke, her voice changing from dull to seductive as each word dripped from her glossy lips.

*It’s as simple as that, huh? If I take her knife, this nonsense will be over,* Kurasuma thought as he finally looked up at her. “Fine, jab me. Just be quick about it,” he told her.

“You’re such a good sport,” she complimented.

“Mr. Lovro, you’ve been Miss Irina’s teacher for some time, have you not?” Koro-Sensei asked, “You’ve noted her communication skills, her versatility with words. To watch her pass that on to her students is to watch a master at work. She’s fluent in ten languages because she’s fluent in the way of people. When she finds the right words, there’s no one she can’t reach. And nowhere, I suspect, is she in more command of her particular gifts than here. What do you suppose she’s been up to?”

Professor Bitch lurked behind the tree, grabbing something behind it without Kurasuma’s total attention to her. She pulled hard as she dashed forward away from the tree, ultimately tugging Kurasuma away and planting him flat on the grass beneath him. She jumped over him and threw herself on top of him, taking a few deep breaths as she composed herself. The students from the class watched in awe, cheering Professor Bitch on as she worked her way into Kurasuma’s bubble to stab him.

“She’s building the skills to kill me in much the same way she’d acquire a new language: methodically and feeling out the terrain. Taking one good look at her, you can tell this is a woman with a plan,” Koro-Sensei continued as the two watched from the steps.

Professor Bitch then pushed the knife down as fast as she could onto Kurasuma’s chest, though Kurasuma blocked out of instinct, cupping her hands with his tense grip strength. The blonde above him struggled against this strength, her arms shaking as she attempted to make the knife meet his chest.

“Take it easy, huh?” Kurasuma huffed as he held her tight above him.

*Oh, great. If this comes down to strength I’m done! What am I supposed to…* She then changed her tone to a softly spoken woman as she pouted at him. “Kurasuma?” She prefaced, “Let me kill you. Please?” She begged, her eyes blue and big.

“Pretty sure it’s bad form for a killer to beg for permission!” Kurasuma retorted, his fingers contemplating as they pressed onto Professor Bitch’s hands. He then sighed, letting his hands go and feeling the green rubber knife plant onto his chest as he did so. “Fine. Better to get it over with than listening to you whine.”

“You go, girl!” Maehara exclaimed as several other students started clapping, “Called it! Professor Bitch was the first one to hit him!” He cheered.

*It’s not like I lost anything. Koro-Sensei was full of it. He’d never just stand there and let me take shots at him,* Kurasuma concluded.

Professor Bitch sighed heavily as she backed off of her target.

“You have to respect a pupil willing to challenge the master, especially when the deck is stacked against her. Imagine what the children get out of seeing her rise to the occasion. Yes! That feisty can-do spirit is an example for us all. When push comes to shove, if there’s any chance of assassinating me, her being here is essential to it,” Koro-Sensei told Lovro with finality.

His protege then walked up the path back to the old campus, seeing him stand at the doorway with his arms crossed. She held her white dress shirt in one hand, letting it brush against her bare legs in the afternoon wind. The green S.A.A.U.S.O knife was still wrapped in her delicate fingers.

“Sir... I,” she began before cutting herself off.

“You’re the worst student I’ve ever had,” he prefaced, “But as a teacher, I don’t hold a candle to you. If you can kill him then do it,” he told her, trying his best to sound the least bit proud.

Professor Bitch’s eyes lit up as she took on the challenge, “Absolutely! Yes, sir!” She beamed.

Harsh, arrogant, and foul-mouthed. But when you see her in her element, she’s a pretty damn good teacher.

*Back inside the classroom with Kurasuma and Koro-Sensei:*

“Hey! What’s with the suit of armor?” Kurasuma exclaimed, pointing accusatively at the shining silver armor resting against the wall.

“Nothing in our little bet prohibited basic self-defense!” Koro-Sensei countered.

“There is nothing basic about that!” Kurasuma shot back.

—

Koro-Sensei sat in the teachers’ chair in the front of the classroom, the rickety bell ringing atop the support beams of the wooden entrance hangover. Isogai flicked a pink anti-sensei B.B. to the front, which Koro-Sensei dodged as he normally does.

“You’re in a good mood today, sir. Afternoon plans?” The boy who sat in the front row asked as he packed away his things for the day.

“As a matter of fact, yes!” Koro-Sensei beamed, “I’m flying to Hawaii for a blockbuster premiere. This particular movie I’ve been chomping at the bit to see for ages!” He admitted, holding the cover of a comic book up.

“Seriously? Man, no fair,” Nakamura groaned as she swung her bag over her left shoulder.

Koro-Sensei giggled, “What’s Mach twenty good for if I can’t be first in line for an international hit?”

“Sonic Ninja?” Megu asked as she caught a glimpse of the comic book in her teacher’s tentacles.

“Yeah! It’s a big comic book movie,” Nakamura pointed out.

At the few words that escaped their mouth, Karma and Nagisa’s attention from the Westward windowsills was grabbed. Nagisa closed the very same comic book he and Karma were holding, observing the few students inquiring Koro-Sensei about the film. Just as the rest of the students walked out and filtered through the old campus doors to go home, Koro-Sensei prepared to take off in the front field by the flower beds. The tulips he had planted various months ago had taken to the sandy and well-drained soil. Nagisa then dashed out of the door up to him, Karma following a short distance behind him.

“Koro-Sensei, wait up!” He called out, “We wanna come with you, please?” He asked though he figured it’d be complicated, to say the least.

“Oh? Fans of the franchise too? Their teacher asked.

“Yeah! We’ve been waiting for the sequel for, like, ever!” Nagisa gleamed.

“I’m a little surprised you’re into comic books, Karma,” Koro-Sensei confessed.

“It’s actually not my thing. I’m more of a fan of the director and it’s his first genre film,” Karma brushed his red-hued bangs out of his golden eyes, the late-afternoon sun shining down on the group like a soft blanket.

“I’d like to come too!” A familiar voice shouted out from Nagisa’s blue vest pocket. “If you don’t mind; I hope I’m not bothering you,” Nagisa pulled his phone out to see Ritsu on his screen front and center.

“Um, no offense, Ritsu… What are you doing in my phone?” The short bluenette asked.

“I took the liberty of uploading myself into everyone’s mobile devices. This way communication between students is streamlined and I’m fun-sized. This version of me is called Mobile Ritsu!” She smiled with a light laugh as she waved into the screen at the two other students. Nagisa then faced the phone to Koro-Sensei.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d love to know what it’s like soaring through the sky at Mach twenty. I can even take aerial photos for Koro-Sensei’s dossier!” She said.

“Well, then, children, let’s go to the movies!” Koro-Sensei exclaimed, wrapping his tentacles around the two boys. “Brace yourself for a flight through the stratosphere!” Within moments, the two boys were swept and tucked into Koro-Sensei’s long jacket.

“Okay… I know we asked him on a whim but I’m kinda having second thoughts. What did we just sign on for?” Nagisa whispered over to Karma, who nervously chuckled as he found himself wrapped tightly.

“Yeah, well, if we survive maybe next time we’ll think safer,” he responded.

“Oh, now, don’t be afraid. I’ll accelerate gently so as to not shock your systems,” Koro-Sensei reassured, hearing the two murmuring beneath his yellow head.

Just as he said that the group was bunched up into the sky as Koro-Sensei’s tentacles launched them high. In a matter of seconds, both Karma and Nagisa’s stomachs had dropped low with their eyes shut tight. Both felt entirely weightless as they cracked open their eyes to look down, though Nagisa got dizzy the instant he did; seeing things fly by at such a height wasn’t an everyday experience. Ritsu even exclaimed as she went up with them despite the fact she couldn’t feel the levity.

“Wow! Look, the Pacific Ocean!” Karma exclaimed as their world was overtaken by a deep, crystal blue.

“All right- I’m surprised there isn’t more wind, though,” Nagisa pointed out as he got used to the empty feeling in his limbs, “Is it because you’re using your head to deflect most of it?” He asked.

“Excellent observation, Nagisa. The secret you see is my aerodynamic skin. Normally my head is soft and squishy; when exposed to high pressure, however, it hardens like a shell. That’s how I can withstand the effects of Mach twenty speed,” Koro-Sensei explained. “Did you know that something very much like my skin plays a role in your day-to-day life?” He then started rambling on about dilatancy, which is the property in which some substances become harder and more solid under high pressures. Dilatancy is technically the change in overall volume produced by a strain in an assembly of particles; also known as volumetric strain. Ritsu attempted to coerce Karma into assassinating him while he was busy, though physics didn’t entirely support that chain reaction as they all would have plummeted into the water at speeds great enough to kill them like concrete. Koro-Sensei had them right where he wanted them; they had no choice but to listen and learn as they flew over the Pacific Ocean.

The lesson ended up taking a little longer than Koro-Sensei had intended, though he made sure to land slowly to allow both his student’s bodies to adjust to the quick change, circling around the ground as he stood upright on a hill in Hawaii. He finished up his mid-air lecture teaching them how bulletproof vests were manufactured utilizing the fascinating science behind dilatancy. The crisp air was settling into their lungs as they looked around at the scenery surrounding them. There was a massive harbor just South of them, alongside a brightly lit city just beyond the abundant hills in front of them.

*Roughly ten minutes later at the movie theatre:*

“Man, it’s freezin’ in here,” Karma admitted.

“I think it’s an island thing. They’re all about cranking up the air conditioning. How about I bundle you two up so no one catches a cold,” Koro-Sensei then snuck a blanket he found some time between landing and sitting in the seat and gently tossed it over the two.

“This is so cool! I’ve never been to a movie theatre!” Ritsu clapped her hands in excitement, bundling herself up in the screen too despite her lack of temperature awareness.

“Don’t they cut out a bunch of stuff for distribution overseas? Is this going to be like the real deal?” Nagisa asked.

“Where’s your sense of adventure? It shouldn’t be all that different from what we see back home once it comes out over there. And if it is? So much the better! It’ll be like seeing the same artwork from different angles,” Koro-Sensei responded. He then outstretched a thin tentacle in the shape of earplugs to both of his students, who looked at him confusedly in return. “Here, my tentacles can be used as earphones. I’ll offer a running commentary as we watch just in case any of the nuances of this version go over your heads,” he explained softly. The lights then started to dim around them as the theatre went quiet and dark.

*Back at the Old Campus after the showing:*

By the time they landed back at the Old Campus, the sun had set beyond the mountains and allowed for many stars to shine alongside the permanent crescent moon in the midnight sky. The air was cooler, though it was still significantly warmer in Hawaii. Koro-Sensei untucked the two boys from his outer shirt and allowed them to catch their breath when they landed on the familiar dirt of their schoolyard.

“What a cliffhanger!” Nagisa said, “They really know what they’re doing; I’ll go crazy waiting for the next installment!”

“I dunno. I feel like the filmmaker copped out makin’ the bad guy the brother,” Karma admitted, though he still sincerely enjoyed his time.

“If you’d like to know how the series ends I can calculate it. I’ll just make an algorithm of every movie ever made,” Ritsu suggested from Nagisa’s vest pocket once again.

“No, I’m good, thanks. Between the two of you, wow…” Nagisa smiled.

“Wow! Long lost siblings! Can you imagine? Merciful heavens… How cruel fate can be!” Koro-Sensei wailed, his face mushy as he sobbed.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #13: Cries at cliched scenes.

“Well, what d'ya know? I guess it really got to him. Damn, my bad…” Karma noted.

“He’s been blubbering like that all the way from Hawaii,” Ritsu pointed out sympathetically.

“Koro-Sensei, thank you for taking us with you,” Nagisa wholeheartedly thanked.

“Yes, yes, good night, children. Be careful on the way home. Oh! And I’d like you to give a detailed synopsis of the film in your own words for class tomorrow,” he instructed as he stopped himself from huffing tears.

“What? You’re giving us homework?” Nagisa whined though he understood his teacher’s reasoning.

“Small price to pay for a free trip to Hawaii,” Karma chuckled as he thanked Koro-Sensei as well, bidding goodbye alongside Nagisa.

As the two walked down the dirt path to the main campus, crickets and other nightly insects rummaged through the grass patches alongside the edges of trees. Nagisa sighed.

“What’s up? Somethin’ on your mind?” Karma asked awkwardly.

“It’s been an interesting day, is all. I never expected a trip to Hawaii with my old friend,” Nagisa admitted softly. Karma nodded as he rearranged his tongue in his mouth. “We even got a lecture on natural science over the Pacific Ocean,” Nagisa chuckled.

“I guess we lead a weird life,” Karma replied.

“My favorite part of the whole experience was watching Koro-Sensei protect you. I’ve never seen anything like it. Did you notice he was using his tentacles to fend off dust particles and debris?” Ritsu asked, to which they both widened their eyes in realization.

“When you think about it, we saw the world through Koro-Sensei’s eyes today. The more I get to know the guy, the more I feel like his everyday life is something we can’t even comprehend,” Nagisa said solemnly.

“And here I couldn’t even comprehend our own relationship. I wonder what his are like outside of this school shit,” Karma admitted.

“Our relationship?” Nagisa inquired, to which Karma nervously chuckled and brushed it off.

“No, stop that. You always ignore things like that,” Nagisa said, his tone exasperated.

“Ignore what?” Karma cross-questioned.

“What do you mean by our relationship? You can be honest with me, can you not?” Nagisa pleaded with his old friend. The two had been working hard on rekindling their relationship after their last falter and Karma’s two-week suspension from Kunugigaoka. Things hadn’t been the greatest between them and there was still always a sense of awkwardness around the two when they spoke to each other; it was almost like the two were uncomfortable around each other despite their strange friendship.

“It’s... I dunno,” Karma vaguely responded. Nagisa stayed quiet, not wanting to interrogate a meaningful answer out of Karma. The taller boy had a habit of ignoring his emotions, something that Nagisa grew painfully aware of during their first year at Kunugigaoka.

“I’m sure you don’t,” Nagisa prefaced after another brief period of silence, “Can you just admit that I’m here for you?” He asked. It was Karma’s turn to stay quiet.

“You can’t repress everything forever, y’know–”

“I know,” Karma interrupted, his hands deep in his pockets. This time, Nagisa fully dropped it.

Koro-Sensei was then seen flying through the sky again, tending to business outside of E-Class.

“Did you follow his path?” A man spoke to another younger boy who rested on a tree branch to look at the sky. He nodded. “Good, then you can kill him,” The man said.

“You mean him?” The younger boy in the tree reiterated.

“Your brother. And as of tomorrow, he’ll be your new teacher as well,” The man looked up to the starry sky, crescent moon high in the void by now.

“It’s time to reap vengeance for what’s been done to our moon.”

Chapter Text

Kurasuma spent the morning pouring over emails from his inbox, scanning over another one just the morning of June 15th. The rain from the gray clouds in the sky crashed against the glass of the window in the teachers’ office, landing in the grass and flower beds against the finicky wood of the walls. Thunder roared miles away, echoing their bolts of lightning across the old campus.

“The second ‘transfer student’ is scheduled to be introduced on June 15th. It is a ‘favorite’ to invest in it as soon as possible. There is no need for detailed discussions in advance. All must follow the witches of the attendant.”

“Affirmative – Tadaomi Kurasuma,” He had typed back.

—

“Okay, everyone, time for homeroom,” Koro-Sensei said, though his voice was ragged and he appeared out of breath. “Everyone take your seats,” his head was swollen. He had soaked up the rain water like a huge yellow sponge, now dripping from his face.

“Koro-Sensei?” Ritsu’s machine beeped, “could you explain why your head is suddenly thirty three percent larger than before?” She asked.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #14: Prone to dampness.

“What you see is... Well, it soaks up moisture like a sponge with all the humidity,” he explained as he began wringing out his face like a rag towel.

“That’s seriously kinda gross,” Okajima admitted.

“Now then, according to Mr. Kurasuma, we have another transfer student joining us,” Koro-Sensei changed the topic as he finished getting the last drops out of his yellow skin.

“Great,” Sugino sarcastically prefaced, “ten-to-one it’s gonna be another assassin.”

“I made a bit more trouble for myself than I bargained for underestimating Ritsu so, rest assured, I won’t be making the same mistake twice!” He pointed a tentacled finger at Ritsu who gave him a nervous smile in return. “But I encourage all of you to see the new addition to our class is one more potential ally,” Koro-Sensei told the class.

“Hey, have you heard anything?” Hara turned around to ask Ritsu, “I mean, since you’re both new, figure you transfers gotta stick together, right?”

“I do know a little bit! The original plan was for him and I to start at the same time but it didn’t work out that way,” Ritsu began to explain, her purple-to-blue eyes looking down at Hara, “I would’ve handled long-range attacks and he would focus on close-range. Our combined efforts were to back Koro-Sensei into a corner, except our masters recalled the order for, well, reasons…” Ritsu lowered her voice as she came to a stopping point in her statements.

“Why was that?” Hara asked gently.

“For one, my counterpart needed a few tweaks before being put into the field. Second, it was deemed I lacked the capacity to support someone of his skill…” She said though she sounded a little down about it. “I suppose, compared to what he’s capable of, well, let’s just say that I don’t quite measure up,” she slowly remarked.

For her to say that when she blew off Koro-Sensei’s fingers in an instant, what kind of person would this new student be? As the class started to look back to the front of the room, the classroom door slid open with the familiar creaky sound. The class then turned their attention to the front of the room with curiosity. There was a man dressed fully in white standing in the center of the doorway. You could barely see his eyes through a mesh black covering over the white hood around his head.

“Damn, someone likes to wear white…” Megu commented.

“He sure is tall for a kid,” Yada added.

The man in white then outstretched his hand, pulling his cloak over his arm and then showing it again after flowingly pulling the cloak away as it fell off of his arm. A white dove was perching on his exposed arm; its talons gripping his gabby, white sleeves. He then chuckled at their surprised faces as he began to step into the classroom.

“Sorry, everyone, didn’t mean to startle you,” he prefaced, “I can see that you’re confused. I’m not your new classmate, just his guardian,” he explained as he petted the dove gently. “Let’s not stand on ceremony; call me Shiro, please.”

“I don’t know what’s creepier, a guy in all white or a guy in all white doing magic,” Kaede quietly joked.

“Yeah. That entrance even freaked Koro-Sensei…” Nagisa trailed off as he saw Koro-Sensei pressed against the corner of the room.

“Oh come on, give us a break!” Okajima exclaimed, pointing up to their teacher, “That really scared you enough to use the liquified trick?” He teased.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #15: Falls for rumors.

“My imagination just ran a little wild, after Ritsu’s story, that's all!” Koro-Sensei corrected. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Shiro. When might we get to greet your ward?” He inquired.

“It’s an honor, Koro-Sensei. Apologies for my ‘ward’--as you call him–being late for class. I beg your patience; he’ll be here in due course when the time is right,” Shiro told the yellow fiend in the corner, walking up to him in silence after he finished talking, glancing at the students in their seats as he did so. He made a cursory eye-lock with Nagisa, then to Kaede before turning back to Koro-Sensei.

“Something wrong?” Koro-Sensei asked after the awkward silence brewed questionably.

“Not in the slightest. This seems like an interesting group. I’m confident he’ll fit in perfectly. In fact, allow me to introduce him,” Shiro stated, his arms folded across his chest as the white sleeves draped low across his chest.

“Now, Itona,” he raised his voice. “Come,” he commanded.

The class anticipated the student’s entrance through the open classroom door, though, after a few minutes, they grew skeptical of his arrival. After a few more beats of silence, there was a loud crash from the back of the classroom. They all looked behind them in an ever-growing shock to see the back of the classroom’s wall broken down as a scraggly boy with light hair stepped into the classroom from the hole created in the wall. The boy wore a wrinkled Kunugigaoka school uniform with a red undershirt, as well as a fluffy scarf around his neck.

“Victory is mine…” He quietly muttered to himself with an expression proving his insanity, “I have proven myself stronger than this classroom’s wall..” He continued, his bright, yellow eyes wide.

“Come on! Use the damn door next time!” Terasaka scolded him from the seat next to him to which the class unanimously agreed that the entrance was a little much.

“No!” Itona retorted, his voice climbing louder, “Only strength matters. Everything else is shit,” he said with finality.

Karma and Terasaka couldn’t help but start laughing at him as he took a seat between the two, Kanzaki nervously shifting herself closer to the desk in front of her to avoid his bubble. Itona glared at the two boys snickering at his remarks, though it only made the two even more amused. The rest of the class stared in unusual amusement and shock, glancing at Koro-Sensei in the process. There wasn’t exactly a name that could describe the confused look on their teacher’s face, all he did was stand and watch as it took place in blatant discomposure.

“Well, I give you Itona Horibe, or if you prefer, just Itona,” Shiro introduced the small boy.

A strange guardian in all white and a transfer student impossible to read. Something told the class they were in for a bigger storm than the one brewing above their campus.

“Hey, man, mind if I ask you something?” Karma grabbed Itona’s attention after he composed himself. “You came in from the rain without any kinda coverin’ right? It’s comin’ down in buckets out there and somehow there ain’t a drop on you,” he pointed out, enticed yet still in a shambled entertainment. Terasaka snickered as he looked back to the boy, his blank expression at Karma offputting the two. “What’s up with that?”

With that, Itona stood from his seat and took the few steps necessary to make his way next to Karma. The taller boy looked up to his new classmate from where he sat, hands by his side.

“Would you say you’re the strongest one in this class?” Itona deadpanned. “Even so,” he prefaced, placing his small hand on Karma’s head, “you don’t have to worry. You’re still weaker than me; that means you get to live-” Karma threw Itona’s hand off of him, thus pushing him back a step as the boy continued to babble. “You’re beneath my skill,” Itona reiterated, turning back and walking down the aisle of wooden desks so he could stand at the front of the room with Koro-Sensei.

“I only kill things that are stronger than me and in this case, Koro-Sensei, that means you.”

“Ah, I believe I’m starting to get a clearer picture of your M.O. Well, look no further; I’m stronger than you by a whole order of magnitude,” Koro-Sensei nefariously chuckled as his tentacles placed themselves on Itona’s shoulder.

“Yeah, sure,” Itona mumbled, “not so much,” he took a step closer, his small and supple frame worlds apart from Koro-Sensei’s height and well-upholstered figure. His teacher looked down at him softly, his beady eyes making contact with Itona’s.

“Truth is: me and you are actually brothers.”

At this, the class marveled in shock at the anticipated imagery of the two’s childhoods together, though it seemed unlikely as it is; the two were polar opposites. Itona looked at the aghast expression Koro-Sensei wore on his face, the class in silent shock as they processed what amount of news they heard in such a short time.

“We siblings have to keep it real, right? No tricks? Just the two of us. The winner can take all and the loser dies,” Itona’s poker face remained as he pierced the soul of his ‘brother’ tenfold. Itona then walked to the door, taking small yet speedy steps to the creaky classroom exit. Shiro waited for him, patiently standing in the hallway with his arms still crossed over his chest like a pure angel statue. “After school, we face off in this classroom.” He demanded, then promptly closed the classroom door.

The room stayed quiet as the students listened to the two’s footsteps disappear through the musky hallway. Nakamura was the first to speak up after the awkward silence became unruly. The rest followed, heavily inclined for information and clearance of the news that was shattered amongst them all.

“How can an octopus and a person come from the same mom?!” Okajima shouted out, exacting his own questions.

“I have no earthly idea!” Koro-Sensei waved his tentacled hands in front of him dismissively, nervously debunking the students’ accusations as he himself dabbled in the curiosities of this enlightenment. “That boy is clearly confused! I was raised an only child!” Koro-Sensei continued to shout above the classroom clammer. “When I asked my parents for siblings they gave me a talk about the birds and the bees!” He blubbered.

“Wait, you actually had parents?” Okajima chuckled at the thought.

“Why, of course, I did!” Koro-Sensei feigned indignation, earning a few laughs from his students.

—

Shiro sat on the far end of the table in the faculty lounge, a blank book in hand as he stayed intently focused on scanning each page’s contents. Professor Bitch and Kurasuma couldn’t oppose the fact Shiro was staying in the building, though they did exchange a few glasses at each other at every noticeable page turn.

“Was that Itona kid really telling the truth or was it a strange tactic to shake up his target?” Kurasuma asked after a few more minutes of agonizing idiosyncrasy of the white-clothed man beside the two.

“Hm?” I apologize for throwing you off, Mr. Kurasuma,” Shiro turned to him after placing the book page down on the gray table. “It was necessary to keep my ward’s existence classified and, unfortunately, I’m afraid that meant you had to be kept in the dark” he explained, the dull roar of the rain against the dusty windows continuing softly, “Improbable as it may seem, though, I can guarantee you they are in fact brothers. Their little contest after school this afternoon will leave no room for doubt.”

*Back inside the classroom:*

“Damn, he’s woofing the junk food down like it’s goin’ outta style,” Maehara whispered to Isogai as the two sat down together for lunch.

“He’s definitely got Koro-Sensei’s sweet tooth,” Isogai pointed out, equally hushed, “not to mention their faces are equally hard to read,” he sighed.

*Wonderful. Itona’s comment has the whole class comparing us in every detail. I need a distraction.. Ah! Yes, I’ll take my mind off things by pouring over this magazine,* Koro-Sensei thought quickly to himself, gripping his yellow fingers over the drawer knob and opening it to reveal an adult magazine.

Okajima then gasped loudly from the other table next to Isogai and Maehara, looking back from Koro-Sensei to Itona in astonishment. Itona had in hand the very same copy of the magazine Koro-Sensei had in his own, right down to the very same page.

“Look, y'all! They’re both boob guys. Okay, the new kid’s credibility just shot through the whole ass roof!” Okajima exclaimed.

“So, that’s really all it took?” Nagisa nervously chuckled as he responded to his classmate’s excitement.

“Hell yeah! We boob men have to stick together, right?” He then slid out a copy of his own magazine, to which the few groups started laughing as they noticed the same cover in the latter’s hands as well.

After the groups died down of their amusement, Kaede brought up another point to their tables, “Here’s the thing… If they really are related–I mean, don’t you think Koro-Sensei would’ve known about it?” Fuwa then hummed in agreement as she averted her eyes in thought.

“Not necessarily… What if they were once in a royal family together, but one day it was under attack by another army? The king then sent his two sons away to keep them out of the war, or something, but Itona got swept away and tossed into the river and left to die! Once each was driven by cruel fate to battle the other without knowing their true identity,” Fuwa explained the story she created in her head.

“Great story! But it still doesn't explain why Itona is human,” Kaede constructively spoke.

“Easy! He’s a mutation!” Fuwa beamed.

“You totally glossed over the core issue here,” Kaede laughed.

“No offense but your characterizations are kinda cliche and the plot’s ridiculous,” Nakamura stated bluntly.

“Hey, no one asked for your input!”

“If you hadn’t noticed, we’re sorta dealing with real life here though,” Nakamura continued to tease.

“Let a woman dream!” Fuwa shot back with a fake pout on her face, all while Itona quietly watched from his desk in the back of the classroom.

*In the afternoon, just after the last period:*

The bell rang from outside the post, water droplets falling to the floor in anguish as the sound vibrations flung them off. The grass outside was filled with cool water, the sidewalks were stained a darker shade from the passing storm. The sky was still murky with heavy clouds hanging below the sun. Inside the classroom, students worked their way to slide their desks across the polished wood floor to the sides of the classroom. Along the Westward windows stood Okuda, Megu, Iogai, Sugino, and Yada. Next to them, Ritsu’s heavy artillery-filled machine was slid to the wall just against the windows. Sugino, Nagisa, Kaede, and Karma stood next in line, positioning themselves behind the desks they pushed back. On the other side of the room stood Shiro, Professor Bitch, Mr. Kurasama, and the remaining students of the class. Front and center in the ring was Koro-Sensei face to face with Itona Horibe; both prepared at just shy of four in the afternoon.

Itona was the first to move from his position, unraveling his fluffy scarf and discarding it behind him; it lay on a desk behind him.

“This place looks like an arena,” Professor Bitch quietly pointed out.

“Yeah, fit for an honest death match. This is the first time I’ve seen an assassin take this approach,” Kurasuma responded to her.

“Surely by now you’re tired of clunky overly complicated attempts on your life so let’s confine ourselves to one rule: set foot outside the desk boundary and your life is forfeit. Agreed?” Shiro set the ground rules.

“Yeah, sure. As if the loser’s gonna stick to that without any issues,” Sugino blurted out, seeming unconvinced.

“No, they will,” Karma prefaced, “Koro-Sensei is all about how his students see him, remember? He’ll abide by the rules out of a sense of honor ‘n cheatin’ would risk throwing shade on his reputation with us,” he pointed out, accounting his many failed attempts because of that lacking detail. He sighed as he leaned back into the corner, discontent with how things had been playing out so far.

“Very well, then! I agree with your rule. But let’s include another: injuring any spectators also counts as a forfeit,” Koro-Sensei demanded, raising his arm and outstretching a single yellow finger as he pointed.

“Agreed,” Shiro obliged, “commence on my signal…” He then raised his arm high in the air, the baggy sleeve exposing his veiny arms and slim forearm as he did so.

“Assassination begins!” He announced as he sliced his arm down through the air with one swift motion; yet in just another swift motion, Koro-Sensei found himself without his yellow, tentacled arms by his side. By what seemed like a slim eternity, the entire room’s eyes riveted to the same thing and oddly enough it wasn’t their teacher’s amputated limbs.

“Impossible…” Koro-Sensei said with a shaky breath.

Itona’s hair was now long and flinging across the classroom. It looked remarkably similar to when their teacher’s tentacles would fly about in the air, though a different color; different style; a different person–or was he even a person? Itona wore a death stare as he stood with his arms resting by his side, a never-receding poker face evident as he stood stock still in front of the stares he was receiving. It wasn’t his hair that did the damage, however, that would go to the tentacles growing from his scalp that seemed to morph into his pale white hair.

“Itona’s hair is made of… Tentacles!” Nagisa exclaimed, backing up next to Karma who placed a hand on his shoulder.

*That’s how he stayed dry. The sneaky bastard didn’t need an umbrella after all. Bro just batted the damn raindrops off,* Karma realized to himself, his other hand deep in his gray pockets.

“How is this possible?” Koro-Sensei seethed.

“Tell me where those tentacles came from!” He demanded, his face fading into a deep, dark black as his teeth flared from his toothy grin. “Why does someone like you have them?!” He shouted to Itona, though without the angry overtones, it would be evident to say he was concerned for the boy rather than mad he wielded them to his advantage.

“We are neither at liberty nor obligated to say but I hope this serves to convince you. You may have come from different parents and enjoyed different upbringings, but nevertheless, you are indeed brothers,” Shiro began, his voice now seeming oddly familiar to Koro-Sensei despite the lack of a visual he had of the mysterious man behind Itona. He then chuckled, only making Koro-Sensei’s indignation burn brighter. “What a face you’re making! Does this encounter stir up unpleasant memories, perhaps?” Shiro taunted coldly.

For a brief moment, Koro-Sensei flashed back to the last moments before he flew from his cell, encountering a young girl–the light of his life. Of course, he wouldn’t want to be reminded of the very thing that took an important life manifested within such a young soul; such a young body and mind. She meant the world to him.

“Clearly you and I need to have a little talk,” Koro-Sensei threatened, his tentacle sprouting with a slithering sound throughout the classroom as his limb regrew back to a normal size, the limp shell of his old tentacle still lying on the ground beneath them.

“Not possible,” Shiro lifted his other hand, the sleeve draping low to reveal a flashing red light from a contraption around his wrist, “you’ll be dead.”

Just then, a bright purple light emitted from his sleeve, glowing far and wide across the air of the classroom as Koro-Sensei’s yellow body struggled to move against the pressure waves created around him.

“This pressure ray has a very useful effect at close range. It triggers the delayed properties of your skin cells, meaning you become stiff as a board instantaneously,” Shiro explained as he projected his voice. Itona’s tentacles kept forcing themselves onto his teacher; left and right as Koro-Sensei struggled to dodge in his usual fashion. “That’s right! Itona and I are on intimate terms with your every weakness,” Shiro laughed as he watched the scene play out, growing evermore proud of his ward’s performance. The rest of the class could only watch in disparity, Nagisa taking initiative in his notebook and a pencil from the desk pushed up beside Karma.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #16: Hardens upon exposure to a special beam.

“Woah, did he get him!?” Muramatsu exclaimed after a cloud of dust emerged from the center of the room, obstructing their views.

“No! Look up,” Terasaka pointed as he noticed Koro-Sensei flung up to grasp the lights hanging from the ceiling, surprised his weight wasn't enough to cause them to collapse in on themselves.

“Shedding your skin?” Shiro commented as he noticed the dry husk crumbling on the floor beneath Itona’s tentacles. “Ah, yes, we know about that little trick too. You see, Koro-Sensei, there’s an aspect even to that which constitutes an Achilles heel,” Shiro prefaced just as Itona picked himself back up and flung right at Koro-Sensei again. “Molting costs you dearly in terms of energy and that prodigious speed plummets while you recover!”

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #17: Right after molting.

“Oh, and look! You’ve grown back that arm Itona lobbed off in his initial attack-; that’s even more energy you’ve lost!” Itona’s tentacles swiped across Koro-Sensei with such speed a normal eye couldn’t tell its direction, let alone how to block it. The speed and tenacity that both tentacled fiends were fighting at was beyond any human comprehension.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #18: Right after regeneration.

“Considering how much you’ve lost already, I think it’s safe to say you two are a fairly even match. Using one’s tentacles effectively calls for a great deal of mental stamina too and it appears Itona’s dirty little secret pulled the rug out from under your state of mind–which, of course, was the idea,” Koro-Sensei continued to struggle against Itona’s blasts, dodging and pulling himself away to the best of his ability despite his major setbacks. The young boy’s bloodlust, on the other hand, was never-ending with an overflow of bountiful desire.

Koro-Sensei then wrapped his tentacle around Itona’s, though the latter was easily able to slip away and strike again with another blow, this time Koro-Sensei was stuck to take the damage as Shiro’s purple pressure ray began to glow again, the cloudy light from the Westward windows enunciating the definition of particle rays indefinitely. The light firmly pressed itself against the cells of Koro-Sensei’s body, the class’ gaze never leaving the center of the classroom despite the distracting light. Itona then hoisted his body up high as he used a single tentacle to reach up taller than his teacher, thrashing the other two white tentacles into the floor as they sliced through Koro-Sensei’s tentacles like paper. Each of Koro-Sensei’s stubby legs then wriggled onto the wooden floor, granting him even more partial immobility.

The class stood behind the desks, their mouths and eyes wide in anticipation and adrenaline. Koro-Sensei appeared to let their hopes down as he collapsed onto the floor in a desperate attempt to catch his breath.

“Uh, oh! You’ll have to grow those pesky legs back now, too,” Shiro ridiculed, “that’s an even bigger energy deficit,” he pointed out.

“This was easier than I thought. Look at you; not so tough now, are you?” Itona deadpanned as he stepped up to Koro-Sensei, his tentacles now resting from his head down his back. Itona had Koro-Sensei on the ropes and if they actually were to kill him, they’d save the world. Though, that was insatiably hard for the students to get excited about. They not only know his weak points but they know how to zero in on them one after the other; that’s something they never had the power to do. It was invigorating to watch, though they were hoping to pull it off themselves.

Who better to assassinate their beloved teacher than the E-Class students themselves?

“I see your legs have regenerated. Feeling ready for the next onslaught, are we?” Shiro asked, his arms now folded across his chest in his familiar, off-putting demeanor.

“No one’s ever rung me this ragged before. And here I thought I was signing up for a garden-variety face-off. It appears there’s quite a bit more strategy afoot than I expected,” Koro-Sensei then rose up again, his new tentacles upholding his body. Itona slowly circled around him, though it didn’t seem to bother his opponent anymore. “I have so many questions for the pair of you but of course, if I lose there won’t be much opportunity to pick your brain,” Koro-Sensei’s voice was raspy as he spoke between heavy, yet calculated, breaths.

“Still think you can win? Your confidence doesn’t strike you as misguided?” Shiro inquired.

“Mr. Shiro,” Koro-Sensei then placed a tentacled hand on his chest, showing he was speaking as earnestly as he could at the moment, “for all your planning, there’s one thing you don’t seem to have taken account for.”

“Not likely. No detail is overlooked and no angle is unconsidered,” Shiro countered with confidence. “Finish him, Itona!”

Itona then followed suit on his master’s order, jumping up and wrapping his tentacles in a thick rope that he planned to use to strike the center of Koro-Sensei’s body. Just as the small boy’s tentacles marked their target with their slippery skin, they melted into a soft puddle as they dripped onto the floor.

“What do we have here? I seem to be standing in something you dropped,” Koro-Sensei teased as he held up a white cloth. The floor had been covered in Anti-Sensei S.A.A.U.S.O knives, Itona’s pure white tentacles slumped abiotically. Koro-Sensei had taken the green, rubber knives from inside the desks and off of the students’ bodies and used them in his own combat. Since his body never left the desk ring, it wasn’t out of line to use materials within his reach to combat his opponent. The white-haired boy raised his hands in order to feel for the tentacles atop his head, though to no avail as he lacked the capacity to regrow them on such short notice. Koro-Sensei then reached for his old skin, tossing it gently on top of Itona.

“I suppose an Anti-Me blade works just as well on your tentacles as they do mine! And regeneration takes just as much a toll on your body as mine, too,” Koro-Sensei then used his speedy tentacles to lift Itona and carry him in his skin like a sack, making use to close all the gaps in case he were to slip and fall out of one. “You may be exceptionally strong, but I’m exceptionally clever!” He exclaimed, throwing the balled-up Itona across the room.

Itona’s body smashed into the window behind the desk barrier, shattering the glass into little shards that flung nearly everywhere in the vicinity. Koro-Sensei had noted before that his old skin shells could be used as a protective layer around a human, so with that: Itona was unharmed. The students gawked at the sight of the scrawny boy being tossed out of the classroom, the sound of the glass shattering forcing the students along the Westward windows to bolt from their initial positions, turning away in alarm as they heard their classmate’s body plummet into the dewy, green grass.

“Don’t worry, everyone, my old skin kept him perfectly safe. Technically though, Itona, you are outside the boundaries!” Koro-Sensei teased as he himself walked up to the broken window. His face was adorned with green, cocky stripes as he smiled down at the boy. “In your face! I win!” Koro-Sensei mocked as he pointed to Itona with a yellow finger. “No more trying to kill me with your guardian's help, now.”

The tentacles screamed. Screamed through the neurons in Itona’s head; frantically chanting and shouting as his face grew more and more upset. Failure. Mockery. Failure. Mockery. The voices caroled and repeated timelessly as everything else seemed to fade out from his mind. Seeing his only chance of victory and pride be torn away from him and broken apart into little pieces sent his heart into a frantic beat. His deranged thoughts attempted to pry themselves through his skull as his hands reached up to grip his hair in agony. His eyes pounded from behind his skull, the tentacles gripping his body so tight it made even listening to the hollowed voices hard. For a boy who only knew failure, it sure knew how to smite him despite his vainful attempts of triumph. Was it more than enough to ask to be content with yourself? The tentacles shouted their answer.

“No…” Itona’s voice was hoarse as he attempted to speak through the pain rotting his bony skull.

“Would you, perhaps, like to stay and learn a thing or two along with the class? We will be sure to welcome you with open arms. Bear in mind that what you learn here can’t necessarily be quantified,” Koro-Sensei admitted, “you are a gifted young man, but I am richer in experience. I became a teacher so as to translate that experience into something which can enrich others. The way to assassinate me isn’t by honing in on my weaknesses,” Koro-Sensei tapped his round head with his rubbery finger, “but by absorbing my lessons.”

“Are you saying that I’m never gonna be strong enough to beat you?!” Itona screamed at him, his hands gripping his hair tight as he bit back his losses. “You think that I’m weak!” He vehemently cried out.

“Oh no,” Shiro sighed to himself, Koro-Sensei unsure of what path to take in comforting his new student, “Itona is not a fan of being lectured to,” he admitted.

If Koro-Sensei continued to lower his knowledge onto the boy, genocide would overcome him. At that, Itona rose from his position on the wet grass, his tentacles akin to his emotions as they cast out around him in an angry effort at retaliation; though deep down they knew they wouldn’t get it.

“I am strong!” Itona affirmed. “These tentacles assure my victory over everyone! Everyone!” He screamed, taking a stance as his tentacles planted themselves into the dirt and quickly hoisted him forward. Just as he breached the window, however, a small dart was shot from the other side of the room and landed in his thigh. In near seconds, Itona’s supple body collapsed on the ground, though you could hear a disheveled wince as he attempted to get himself back up.

“Pardon us, Koro-Sensei,” Shiro prefaced, a thin stream of smoke slithering out of his white sleeve, “my hot-headed ward isn’t exactly prime classroom material at the best of times. It’s not lost on me that this is his first day, but a mandatory vacation is clearly in order,” Shiro explained, walking up to the boy and picking him up with his careful two hands.

“Excuse me! I can’t let you walk out of here with him; he’s my student,” Koro-Sensei fired back, his concern bubbling up in his voice. “Until graduation, his well-being falls on me and frankly I also have quite a lot of questions to ask you, Mr. Shiro,” the yellow teacher demanded.

“Sorry, but we’re leaving. Unless you care to use force,” with that being said, Koro-Sensei stretched a tentacle to grab at Shiro’s shoulder. His fingers, however, were subsequently popped off the moment his skin made contact with his white cloak. Shiro only chuckled to himself at the matter, nonchalantly brushing the remains off his clothing.

“Anti-Sensei fibers. I have no intention of being restrained by you. Not to worry, my conscientious friend, he’ll be back before you know it. March is almost upon us, after all. In the meantime, I’ll take responsibility for his well-being, thank you,” Shiro then lifted Itona and draped him over his other shoulder, turning to leave the classroom.

*Such a personality It will house him by his own petard before doomsday and those children… Very promising,* Shiro thought to himself as he stepped foot outside of the End Class.

—

Koro-Sensei buried his face in his hands, outwardly embarrassed with himself as he blubbered behind the teachers' desk. The students took their time to rearrange the classroom and sweep up the broken glass to the best of their abilities. The rain started to pick up again, little droplets making their way through the broken window and into the classroom.

“I’m so dreadfully embarrassed!” Their teacher exclaimed defeatedly.

“What’s with him?” Megu inquired under her breath.

“He’s been this way for a moment, now,” Yada replied with a lighthearted laugh.

“A grim turn of events has brought out my serious side and I’m ashamed! You children are supposed to think of me as comic relief!” Koro-Sensei explained, his face still in between his fingers.

“We are? You got so serious!” Kirara Hazama teased, her curly black hair just barely touching her shoulders. “Tell me where those tentacles came from! Tell me why someone like you has them–” Her taunting was interrupted by a wail from Koro-Sensei as he was immediately reminded of his actions.

“Ah! Don’t repeat that! Just hearing those words again makes me want to bury my head in the sand!” He cried out. He then bent over the desk and put his hands back over his face. “I’m a free-spirited type who cleverly dodges direct questions! That’s my shtick! I was forced to break character…” He whined.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #19: Embarrassed when recovering after a serious scene.

“You dissecting your character type is what’s humiliating,” Sugino poked fun at his teacher.

“What a day, huh?” Professor Bitch sighed, her arms crossed just under her chest. “Anyone else caught up by the tentacles growing outta that boy's head?” She inquired.

“Yeah, level with us, sir! What’s up?” Sugino pushed the subject as the class began to crowd around the teachers' desk. “How are you connected to those guys?”

“No sidestepping the issue like you normally do!” Megu added on. “We all have a right to know,” she softly admitted.

“I don’t think you want our imaginations runnin’ wild,” Maehara chuckled.

“Exactly; we’re your students. If you can’t open up to us then what are we here for?” Yada said.

“No, you’re right. I think it’s high time I told you children the truth,” to this, the students perked up in anticipation. “In reality, your teacher is a biologically engineered life form!” He dramatically revealed.

“Uhm.. Yeah? Obviously,” Megu shrugged her shoulders, expecting more.

“What? That’s all I get?! Pardon me if I expected a little more of a reaction!” Koro-Sensei wailed again.

“Sir, we kinda already noticed you’re an octopus that flies through the air at Mach twenty,” Maehara deadpanned awkwardly.

“But you still said you’re not from another planet so that rules out aliens,” Hara said.

“Yeah, and how else can you and Itona be brothers when you had different parents unless you were biologically engineered!” Kurahashi joined in, her hands on her hips accusatively.

Koro-Sensei placed his tentacled hand over his mouth in finished shock. “Oh, my! You guys are incredibly sharp!” He teased.

“Sir, focus on what happened today,” Nagisa brought his attention back to the question, “Why were you so mad? His tentacles upset you and we’ve never seen you like that,” Nagisa continued with a warm voice, his soft blue hair swept messily from the rainy wind outside. “Does it have something to do with why you were created in the first place? I mean, why are you even here?” He inquired.

“All very good questions. Too bad, they won’t matter.” Koro-Sensei placed a reassuring tentacle on top of the bluenette’s head. “Soon, everything you want to know will be reduced to space dust–swirling in the place where Earth used to be,” he said slowly, earning a few scoffs from Terasaka’s group, as well as a disappointed look from Nagisa himself. “On the other hand, if you’re serious about saving this planet, you’ll have ample opportunity to learn the truth between now and then. They say curiosity killed the cat but if those inquiring minds are to be satisfied, you’ll have to continue trying to kill me!” Koro-Sensei continued in a rather uplifting tone.

“Assassin; target. Those are the ties that bind us to one another in this classroom. Nothing comes from nothing, everyone, if you want answers you must show me what you’ve learned. If we’re done giving yours truly the third degree, class dismissed.”

*I’m so embarrassed…* He wriggled his way out of the classroom, leaving the class with open curiosity. After a few moments, the students brought up the issue with Mr. Kurasuma and requested harder gym lessons to gain extra advantages and learn new physical skills to aid their assassination techniques.

As it always was in E-Class, they were assassins. They found their answers on the edge of a blade. Their target is our teacher and their question is life. It was then that they decided to take this opportunity with new eyes. They had been slacking off because they figured someone else would’ve taken care of killing Koro-Sensei, except when they saw what Itona did it dawned on them; they didn’t really want it to be someone else. It should be E-Class. If they could bring anyone they wanted to assassinate their teacher, what was the point of them being there learning in the first place?

Kunugigaoka Junior High, class 3-E; their assassination classroom. The rain lets up; the bell rings; and another day begins.

Chapter Text

Sugino waved Nagisa over to his desk, the bluenette walking over to accompany him and Karma after the last bell rang from outside. The three started down the mountain just shy of four, the leaves bright and green on the forest canopies of the trail to the main campus. The sun was high in the clear, blue sky with birds singing a blending tune in the breeze.

“Jeez, I’m so happy it’s finally getting warm again,” Sugino sighed, pushing open the silver fence around the back entrance of the campus.

“Yeah, it’s gonna start getting warm soon,” Nagisa responded exasperatedly.

“Not a fan?” Sugino inquired.

“Not my thing, really,” Nagisa admitted, following closely behind his friend as Karma shut the gate behind the three.

“We should start spending more time outside, anyway! I wanna be more active,” Sugino suggested as he tucked his bag under his arms.

“Sounds good; you know I’m game,” Karma backed him up with a foreboding chuckle, “What do the two of you say we go fishing?” He asked.

“Fishing? What’s the season?” Nagisa asked.

“During summer, delinquents are out in droves!” The boy prefaced, “If we were to use Nagisa as bait there’s no telling how many of the fuckers we can bag!” He said, rubbing his hands together jokingly.

“Damn, I didn’t realize delinquents had a season,” Nagisa laughed nervously at the proposal.

“Seriously, though! Let’s do something,” Sugino dragged out his words.

“I mean, there’s always the beach?” Nagisa attempted, though the dark-haired boy’s attention was pulled to a group behind the tall, dark-blue fence they were walking past. Sugino stopped in his tracks after slowing his pace, the other two students stopping a short distance in front of him as well. Behind the fence was a large baseball field, the Kunugigaoka baseball team practicing pitches and running laps on the other end. Sugino watched as the lead pitcher threw the ball to the batter in front of him–who missed and struck out.

“Good one, Shindō! Nice throw!” Their coach echoed from under the bleachers, his hands clapping together loudly to show his support. The batter tossed the bat to the side in frustration, though he wasn’t enveloped in his anger. The lead pitcher then glanced over to where the other school girls were watching intently, noticing his former league member’s piercing eyes.

“Hey, hey, look who it is!” He boomed, “Long time no see, Sugino!” He greeted with a smile. Sugino nervously walked up to the fence.

“How’s it going?” He inquired to the few team members crowding around him as they followed suit of their captain.

“‘Sup, dude. Way to never come by to say hello to your old teammates,” one of the left-fielders teased.

“Yeah, I know, I suck,” Sugino brushed them off with a light chuckle.

“Aren’t you pitching in the big tournament next week?” Shindō said.

“Well, they haven’t decided on it yet, but I’d sure like to!” Sugino responded, seeming more chipper as the conversation continued. It was evident that the team missed their old player.

“Man, it’d be epic if you did!” The same left fielder put his fist to the twisted fence as Sugino bumped it with his own.

“You have no idea how jealous we are of you, man,” one of their first baseman started, “You get to be in E-Class goofin’ off all day! We’ve gotta hit the books and practice like our lives depend on it,” he said; although his words were of no ill intention, it still struck a chord in Sugino as he hauntingly averted his eyes to the speckled dirt of the field.

“Hey, come on, be nice,” Shindō said, tapping his glove to the first base’s chest after quickly taking notice of Sugino’s darkened and almost awkward expression. “Don’t make such a big deal outta it, he won’t understand!” He continued to tease, though his tone was a little harsher, “Burning the candle at both ends is a privilege of the gifted,” he teased.

“Damn, humility much?” Karma shot back as he stepped up next to Sugino, noticing how Shindō wouldn’t press it any further. “Damn, sounds to me like somebody thinks they're one of the chosen ones or some shit,” he countered, to which he simply laughed in exchange.

“I am,” he deadpanned. “Don’t believe me? See how you feel after watching me in the tournament. There’s great then there’s everybody else. You know which one I am. I don’t make the rules, man,” Shindō responded.

*The next day:*

“Aha! A friendly class versus class baseball tournament,” Koro-Sensei said as he picked up a pamphlet from Sugino’s desk. Isogai wrote the day starter on the chalkboard behind him as he conversed with his classmate. “A healthy body promotes a healthy mind,” he pointed out. “Although… I noticed that E-Class isn’t included in the tournament bracket!” He used a yellow finger to point to the picture on the pamphlet.

“Yeah, they leave us out to keep things nice and even. It’s hard to have a tournament with an odd number of teams,” Mimura responded, “We get to play the exhibition game at the end, though, so there’s that,” he sighed.

“Exhibition game?” Koro-Sensei asks the orange-haired student.

“Yeah. It’s a spectacle basically. E-Class gets split up by gender and pitted against the baseball and girls' basketball team while everyone watches,” Mimura stated.

“Ah, so it’s not exactly a consolation prize.”

“Nope,” Megu says.

The classroom door then gets slid open, the class’ attention turning to the homeroom exit. Terasaka and his two friends, Muramatsu and Yoshida, stood at the exit with a sour attitude.

“If you dumbasses wanna be a laughin’ stock, fine. Me ‘n the boys got too much self-respect; we’re out,” Terasaka deadpanned to which Isogai attempted to get them back into the classroom in vain.

“Oh.. Fine,” he grumbled.

“We should just ask Sugino for some pointers. He’s the baseball guy! What do you say, man?” Maehara turned behind him in his seat as he looked at Sugino’s deep eyes.

“Not to be negative, but we’re screwed,” he definitively said with a soft expression, “The Kunugigaoka team has Shindō as their captain. Dude can throw a fastball like nobody's business and high schools are already scouting him,” he admitted as he gripped his hands together tightly. “It’s not even fair! Not gonna lie though, I’d give anything to beat him and not just put up a good fight. I want to beat the arrogant SOB at his own damn game. Baseball is like my first love and life. It took getting kicked off the team to understand that. The odds aren’t in our favor but–” When he looked up, Koro-Sensei’s face was adorned with white and black stitches to look like a baseball; he had been getting better at his facial configurations and palette.

“Right- I forgot you don’t need much persuading when it comes to anything with baseball,” Sugino awkwardly chuckled.

Koro-Sensei nefariously chuckled as he began to talk, “I’ve wanted to be the feisty, no-nonsense coach in a sports flick for forever! Don’t worry, I won’t push you kids around but I do have a table to flip!” Koro-Sensei slid the front part of the teachers’ desk off to hold it up.

“Damn, you put some thought into that.”

“I’ve watched all of you grow more focused on which way you’d like to head in lately and it’s been marvelous. Whatever the odds, the name of the game is always to kill and win!” Koro-Sensei cheered, “And to reward that fighting spirit, Coach Koro will teach you a strategy guaranteed to secure our victory!”

—

The game had been going relatively smoothly for the other classes, the A-Class team leaving the rest in the dust as they secured the top hits and forced fumbles of the others. The Kunugigaoka announcer spoke clearly into the microphone about the current stats and thus declared A-Class the winner to no one’s surprise. It wasn’t until the exhibition game was set to start that the E-Class boys stood by the benches. The sun shone down into the baseball field, dirt collecting over the bases from previous slides and running. Those who weren’t participating in any matches crowded up in the bleachers, now growing increasingly more excited at the coming match.

“This blows, why do we even play?” A D-Class student grumbled to his friend as they exited behind the wired gate to go to the bleachers.

“I dunno! The exhibition game ought to get our minds off it, though,” his taller friend sneered as he saw the collective E-Class group slowly preparing. “Nothing like watching real losers getting beat,” he laughed.

“Oh, this is gonna be a riot,” the other stated with anticipation.

“Alright!” The announcer drew out, “It’s time for the exhibition game! E-Class versus the Kunugigaoka baseball team!”

Shindō looked over to Sugino with a grin, “Y’know only these chosen ones get bragging rights, my friend. Victory goes to the one with the most skill. On the field and in the classroom. So, not a lot of hope for you,” he said calmly as he turned to walk back to his team. Sugino kept quiet and just watched him as he grew farther away from him.

“Let’s play some ball!” The crowd started to cheer as the seconds drew down for the match to begin.

“Jeez, why are they so fired up all of a sudden?” Sugaya asked exasperatedly.

“The even better question is where our coach is. Isn’t he supposed to be teaching us his method, or something?” Maehara asked.

“He’s over there,” Nagisa pointed to the left field at a seemingly large baseball, the baseball being Koro-Sensei in disguise. “Mr. Kurasuma told him he can’t draw attention to himself so he’s using forced perspective to look like a baseball,” he giggled as he saw the little baseball cap on Koro-Sensei’s round head. “Oh yeah, and he’ll signal us with the color of his face,” Nagisa wrapped up.

“Oh, yeah, real smooth,” Maehara sarcastically replied.

Koro-Sensei’s face then switched to different colors to communicate the countdowns. A light teal for one, a dark purple for two, and a pale orange for three.

“Wait, so what did that mean?” Sugino asked as he pointed to him.

“Hiya, teach! Nice disguise!” Karma shouted to him with a laugh.

“Kill the opposition,” Nagisa responded to Sugino.

“How the hell-”

“Good advice!” Isogai interrupted before any further questions could be asked. “Treat the other team like our target and we can’t go wrong!” He clapped his hands together a single time to motivate the others, which seemed to work. “This might be excellent practice for when we finally assassinate Koro-Sensei,” he beamed.

“Right!” Sugino then placed his fist in the center of the crowd, to which everyone else did as well and agreed to give it their all regardless of their odds.

Let the assassination baseball tournament commence.

The announcer began to speak as each team’s player got into positioning, E-Class being the first to bat. “Okay, everybody, top of the first inning! Let’s see what the first pitch has in store!”

Shindō, in near seconds, threw a curveball to Kimura to which he struck one out in a desperate attempt to start the game off strong.

“Damn, that pitcher’s throw comes at you like a freakin’ bullet!” A student from the bleachers exclaimed.

“Isn’t his top speed something like one-forty?” Another inquired.

“Woah! Like, kilometers per hour?! That’s right up there with the pros!”

*This just feels like a shitty away game…* Kimura thought to himself as he repositioned his grip on the bat. Koro-Sensei then signaled and shouted the countdown to which Shindō threw a similar curveball that struck Kimura out again; he was now on his last chance. Koro-Sensei signaled one more time, though silently as his student watched him. His eyes then lit up.

“C’mon! Hit me!” Kimura challenged.

“Well, we’ll just strike out three batters at the top of the first inning. At the bottom, we’ll get three runs and it’s called,” the Kunugigaoka baseball coach, Coach Terai, muttered to himself as he sat on the wooden bench on the opposing side of the field. The announcer continued to narrate every action the field was playing, Shindō’s arm winding for another curveball. Much to everyone’s surprise, Kimura bunted the ball and took off running for first base with seemingly no problem. He was the fastest runner in E-Class and now that their opponents were caught off guard, first base was entirely his.

“Who saw that coming?! E-Class has the first batter on base!” The announcer shouted. “Batter number two and catcher: Shiota.” Koro-Sensei signaled another round as Nagisa stepped up to home base. The bluenette carefully wrapped his fingers around the handle of the baseball bat, preparing to take Shindō’s speedy fastball. He followed the same suit as Kimura, bunting the ball and taking off for first base. Kunugigaoka’s baseball captain hadn’t calculated for a bunt before so the whole team continued to be caught off guard as they scrambled for the ball in an attempt to strike one out as they ran. Kimura settled onto second base on Nagisa just barely made it to first.

“I, uh, don’t think I care for how this game is going,” a member of the crowd admitted with their arms crossed.

“No way!” The A-Class coach exclaimed, his voice coarse, “You don’t bunt Shindō’s fastball like that and get it to where you want it to; that’s not how it works!”

“So far so good, coach. Practicing against you really paid off,” Maehara admitted. Koro-Sensei’s methods of throwing fastballs at nearly 200 kilometers per second were sure to help them. As they batted, Koro-Sensei would throw distractions at them to make it harder for them to swing properly, let alone at the speed the baseballs would travel. Takebayashi had taken the initiative and studied the opposing team and how they played. He calculated that Shindō’s fastballs clocked out at roughly 140.5 kilometers per hour and he throws curveballs and fastballs exclusively (though more often than not it’d be a fastball). He usually stuck with what he did best. Koro-Sensei then took to mimicking his pitching style to accustom the class to his training. Once they were against Shindō, his fastballs alone seemed to move in slow motion compared to their teacher’s super speed.

Yet another E-Class student bunted Shindō’s fastball, running up to first base.

“We have another bunt!” The announcer proclaimed, “Fair ball! Astounding! It’s come to a dead stop on the line and batter three is safe! Am I seeing this right? Zero outs and all bases full! I wonder what’s going on with this game! Is Shindō feeling alright?” He teased as he excitedly narrated the game unfolding before him. “Batter number four and pitcher: Sugino!”

Shindō looked at his former teammate in disparity, gripping the baseball in his hand as tightly as he could. Sugino started dead center to him, readjusting his helmet and swinging the bat around his shoulder as he prepared his stance. Sugino positioned his bunt front and center to the captain, his expression fierce.

*All I need to do is accept him as my target. I know I’ve got nothing on the strength of your throwing arm but real strength is a different story. It’s not about striking harder often; real strength is about striking true!* He thought to himself contentedly.

*Damn, something’s not right about these guys,* Shindō thought as he winded his arm back, though something in him desperately didn’t want to throw the ball. *Are they even playing baseball at this point?* He questioned them to himself as he noticed the strange aura around their gameplay and tactics. To the normal eye, their plays seemed just as desolate of an attempt as anything else.

Shindō threw another fastball.

“Heads up!” Sugino shouted as he pulled the baseball bat back and cracked the ball with all his strength. The ball flew high into the blue sky, the Kunugigaoka team trying in vain to catch it and strike him out. The ball landed in the grass near the right field to which a few of the fielders ran for it. Kimura made it back to home base in the following moments, cheering Nagisa on as he followed just after him and Sugaya after him. All that was left was for Sugino to make it from first to second; which he did with flying colors.

“We’ve just had a base-clearing triple, everyone!” And with that, the score at the bottom of the first inning for E-Class was 3-0.

“What the hell is going on out there?!” Coach Terai frustratedly banged his fist on the wooden bench under him, sniffling and holding back his hoarse voice.

“You’re looking alarmingly pale this afternoon,” a voice crept up behind him, “It appears you might be coming down with something,” Principal Asano indicated, to which the coach dismissed it with an inferior shake of the head. “I recommend you get some rest. Your team will worry and when they worry it will undermine their play,” Asano deadpanned with a straightforward poker face.

“What? No, no, I’m fine! Honestly,” Coach Terai tried to reason with his superior. “Matter of fact, sir, I’ve never felt better!” He said, though his gurgly voice and bloodshot eyes were begging to differ.

“Don’t be foolish. You must not be well. That has to be the only possible explanation for this catastrophe,” Principal Asano stepped closer to his employee, his eyes piercing with their untamed, purple hue. “Faculty members at this academy don’t fail otherwise,” his hand then reached for his counterpart’s forehead. “As I suspected, the poor man has a fever. Take him to the infirmary immediately,” he ordered a student next to him who watched it go down. She complied with no further questions.

“I’ll act as coach while you recuperate.”

*Meanwhile with the girl's team and Professor Bitch:*

The group walked from the field they were playing at in a close group, wishing to attend the baseball tournament with the other half of their class.

“Well, that was a beating and a half,” Nakamura sighed as she rubbed her arms.

“No worries! There’s always next time, yeah?” Megu tried to cheer her up.

Kaede groaned as she wallowed behind the two, “It’s all my fault! I dragged the whole team down,” she sadly whined.

“Aw, that’s not true. We all sucked,” Megu tried to reason.

“It’s just the other team had these huge boobs! Ugh! It made me so mad I couldn’t even focus,” she complained.

“What on earth is it with you and your hatred of big boobs!?” Nakamura retorted with a hearty laugh.

“It’s complicated!” Kaede responded, now laughing with them.

“Anyways, let’s hope the boys are doing better than us,” Rinka stated with a smile as they slowly came up to the tall, blue fence of the baseball field.

Principal Asano also stepped foot onto the field, attending to the team during their five-minute break until the second inning.

“Well, we’re at the top of the first inning and the final boss already throws in,” Maehara jokes as he holds the baseball bat across the back of his shoulders with two hands.

“Ah, this explains it,” the announcer began through the speakers. “According to a note I’ve just been handed, Coach Terai has been severely ill since before the game had started. Apparently, the team is so concerned about his well-being that their hearts haven’t been fully in the game,” he explained. “Not one to languish in the bleachers, our illustrious principal has stepped up to take the reins!” The crowd then cheered and clapped for Principal Asano. “We’ve got to wonder how this is going to go- Wait! The players are converging on the infield! This is highly unusual.”

“I think it’s safe to say they’re under our bunt strategy…” Sugaya sighed.

“What the hell, dude? They can’t actually do this, right?” Okajima shouted.

“Technically, if it’s within fair territory, they can defend however they see fit,” Takebayashi responded. “The umpire could call him on it if he felt like it, but he happens to be on their side so there is a fat chance of that.”

A-Class’ team must redirect the game’s flow. Sugino is of formidable talent; he kept up his skills by joining a municipal team. No denying the boy’s making an effort but the fact is neither here nor there that everyone makes an effort in their one way. What separates them from the common people is a sense of destiny. They must forge ahead to meet their future and the rest will fall in the thousands before the force that propels them. A-Class couldn’t merely think of this as baseball, such as E-Class had recognized; they must think of it as reconnaissance and clearing their path towards victory.

They must do as destiny demands.

Shindō threw his famous fastball to Maehara, who successfully bunted though his ball was caught just as he started running by the infield.

“Maehara must be intimidated by the infielder pressure! That’s one out!” The announcer claimed. Shindō was then tossed the ball and wound up for another throw.

*This is messed up! How am I supposed to bunt my way outta this BS setup?* Okajima frantically tried to devise a plan as he stepped up to home base to bat. He looked over to Koro-Sensei, who was just as lost as him; essentially, they had nothing for them anymore. Regardless, they continued their pitiful bunting attempts to no avail for most of the second inning.

“Strike three! The batter is out! Three outs, one after the other! The Shindō we all know and love is back!”

During their next inning break, A-Class conjugated around their principal.

“Good work, my boy. Now, keep up. Foreseen fastballs are what will turn the tide. I want to see high drama; throw as if to crush them!” He ordered, to which Shindō nodded affirmatively. “Allow me to reiterate: this is far more than just a game. This is a benchmark on your climb to the top.”

“Sir! Let’s turn this around!” A-Class’ team exclaimed.

Principal Asano knew how to light a fire under his students. Not unlike someone else we know; someone who was a gifted motivator with his own strengths and weaknesses. Their teaching methods are one in the same, both being on a first-name basis with success. Yet, as molders of young minds, the two are diametrically opposed. Ironically, they’re on a collision course with each other.

“Oh! I got it! You hit a ball with a stick!” Professor Bitch exclaimed to Kurasuma as she poured over a manual of baseball that Megu had given her. Sugino stepped up to the off-center of the baseball field to pitch. He took account of the rest of his team's whereabouts, circling his wrist in construction of a fastball of his own.

“Batter number one and left fielder: Hashimoto. Sugino of E-Class throws the first in!”

Sugino had thrown the ball, to which his opponent luckily struck out. The other half of E-Class who were standing just outside cheered in anticipation as they saw the strike play out.

“Yeah! You get them, Sugino! Don’t let them get a hit in 'cause it’s not like any of us can catch worth a damn!” Sugaya shouted to his classmate.

“No worries! I’m on it!” Sugino replied with a soft smile.

Meanwhile, on the benches, Principal Asano sat down with Shindō.

“Repeat after me,” he ordered with his hand on his student’s shoulder, “my strength is infinite. My throw will be a force to reckon with.”

“My strength is infinite and my throw will be a force to reckon with.”

“I will overpower my enemies,” Asano spoke.

“I will overpower my enemies,” Shindō repeated as if he were under a hypnotion.

“Psst! Karma!” Koro-Sensei grabbed the red-haired boy’s attention from the two sitting on the benches.

“Not the best idea to be right under my feet, coach. ‘Les the object is to be stepped on,” Kama taunted him as he attempted to roll Koro-Sensei’s head in the grass.

“Hey! You’re the first up to bat in the next inning, correct? How about we shake things up a bit?”

“We’re at the top of the second inning and the invincible bunt defense is still the order of the day!” The announcer claimed, “Batter number eight and left fielder: Akabane,”

“Move it, kid! Get your ass in the batter’s box!”

“Hang on! Never thought of you guys as the type to play dirty, sir,” Karma addressed Principal Asano. “If the rules haven’t changed this little gambit ain’t legal! They’re bogarting the infield and the umpire should’ve called it on ‘em by now. Oh, come on, ain’t no way y'all haven't noticed! Well, I guess you guys are all fuckin’ morons so this might be a foreign language!” He then looked to the audience as he took his helmet and reluctantly put it on as he walked up to the box.

The bleachers behind the fence started booing and shouting profanities at him. They seemed to be upset that they were taking an exhibition game so seriously despite the fact their reputation was also on the line. Karma just laughed at the uproar he caused, swinging the bat as he walked.

*Damn, sure that’s what you wanted, coach?*

The important thing, in this case, was not to buckle when you see an injustice.

“E-Class has given three outs!” The announcer shouted through the microphone. Principal Asano watched the rest of the game unfold, the sides switching as A-Class turned to bat next. *Thank you, Koro-Sensei. E-Class sets an example impossible to ignore. All the more so for resorting to cheap tricks. Between that and genuine skill or strength on balance, what do you think is more inspiring?*

Bottom of the second inning, A-Class had E-Class 2-3.

“Hashimoto?” Principal Asano spoke for one of his students’ attention. “Give E-Class a taste of its own medicine,” he ordered. To that, the Kunugigaoka team started to bunt against Sugino’s pitching.

“Oh! Look at this! The bunters have become the buntees! What a twist! Looks like our boy Sugino might have his work cut out for him!”

Kimura tossed Sugino the ball after failing to get the runner of A-Class out, to which both were increasingly disappointed at this turn of events. It was hard to imagine Principal Asano’s team bunting against amateurs. Normally, this would be distasteful but given that the upstarts were having their questionable tactics turned against them, those chosen ones were perfectly justified.

“Zero outs and a loaded base and next up to bat is the baseball team’s pride and joy!” The announcer clearly spoke.

A-Class had been building to this moment since the first inning; the ending should be precise and dramatic. This game will not be decided by a bunt but by the swing of a powerful young man.

Koro-Sensei then popped back up from the grass over to Karma who stood closer to the fence. “Karma! I think it’s time to put your earlier shit-talking to good use!” Koro-Sensei frantically spoke to him, ignoring his profanity as he ushered Karma to go forward with the rest of the outfielders.

“Oh, I get it now…” Karma muttered under his breath as he caught up to the rest of the group who were conversing in the middle of the baseball field.

“Yo! New orders from coach!” Karma then explained the strategy, the rest of the team’s eyes widening with hope.

“And with that, the game resumes except- Again with the tight defense?!”

Karma and Isogai stood just outside the batter’s box, the rest outlying in the infield next to most, if not all of, the bases.

“Choking up the infield isn’t helping the batter’s concentration but what are you gonna do? Now if the umpire had called you out earlier, there would be a precedent for telling us to back off.” Karma then laughed as he took a smaller step forward. “You’re cool with this, right chief?” He looked over to Asano.

“Well played, but still just another desperate and undisciplined ploy,” he muttered. “Proceed as you will. A true athlete does not falter before such trickery!” He then said with a loud and booming voice across the dirt.

“Damn, noted! We’ll be holding you to that,” Karma and Isogai then stepped even closer to the box, their feet just touching the outline as they leaned in.

“What the hell!?” The announcer exclaimed. “It’s just- They’re standing so close! Talk about point-blank range!”

“Hey, Mr. Chosen One, don’t worry about us,” Karma taunted, “You might hit us with your swing but we’ll be fine.”

“An obvious attempt at a bluff. Crack a skull if need be and put everything you’ve got into that swing, Shindō,” Principal Asano ordered coldly. The penalty would go to E-Class for obstructing the battlefield. Regardless, Shindō stood there nervously with his bat against his shoulder in a stance to swing at Sugino;s fastball.

*Think you’re intimidating me? Well, let’s just see which one of us pisses ourselves when I crack your psychotic little skulls!* Sugino threw the ball in between Isogai and Karma.

Shindō swung the bat slowly, his arm forcing the bat back in an instinct to not hit the two in front of them. As the bat came in front of him, Isogai and Karma backed off and effectively dodged the swing with ease. Nagisa then caught the ball from behind the batter as the announcer called a strike.

*They dodged at the last millisecond?*

When it came to guts and visual acuity, these boys were top of their class; dodging Shindō’s swing was as simple to them as it was to bunt his fastball.

“Give us a break! Holdin’ back ain’t gonna cut it, man. On the next throw, why don’t you swing like you’re trying to kill us?” Karma ordered with a blank expression on his face as he and Isogaoi stepped back up against the batter’s box. This seemed to get the captain pretty shaken up. He wanted to do what the principal had said but couldn’t ultimately bring himself to. Things changed quickly in their world of baseball; one second they were playing just that and the next something where the stakes were a lot higher.

Sugino threw the ball again.

Shindō sloppily swung forward, the ball bouncing off of his shoulder and into the air as Karma reached up to catch it which resulted in yet another strike as he tossed it down to Nagisa.

“Throw it to third base!” Isogai shouted as the bluenette in front of them threw the ball over to where Kimura stood at third base. The boy caught the baseball and held it up high to show that the runner had been struck out as well.

“Kimura! Throw it to first base!” Isogai ordered loudly. Sugaya then caught the ball at first base, resulting in another strike out of an A-Class runner.

With that, the game came to a close as the rest of the Kunugigaoka team had been struck out.

“Strike! The game is over!” The announcer called out. “I can’t even- This is insane! The winner is.. God, I never thought I’d say this but the winner is E-Class with 3-2 against Kunugigaoka’s baseball team!”

Sugino stood in the center, beaming with delight as he saw his opposing team cry out in frustration and disappointment. The rest of his team ran up to him and collectively praised each other with newfound jouissance. The other half of the class–alongside Professor Bitch–shouted and clapped with all they had as their happiness bubbled out.

“Oh, damn, that was totally pointless!” A D-Class member grumbled. “How could they even lose to those E-Class idiots?”

“All that superior firepower was wasted! What a joke,” his friend shook his head in irritation as they both stood up and followed the crowd out of the bleachers.

If only everyone could’ve seen what was going on behind the scenes. It was too bad, really. This wasn’t just a game, this was just a battle of wills. Not that anyone was keeping score, but between this and midterms E-Class and A-Class were one-to-one. Shindō sat by first base, his helmet beside him as he stared at the winning group.

“Shindō!” Sugino called to him as he ran up to him. “Sorry, man. I didn’t mean for things to get so crazy. For what it’s worth, though, this doesn’t change anything; you’re still a better player than me. It’s one little game!” He tried to cheer his former captain up.

“One game?” Shindō shot back, “Why did you go to so much trouble to win then? Don’t feed me that line. I know you wanted to prove you were stronger than me and you did,” he admitted, though he couldn’t help but miss the cheerful face beside him brightening the Kunugigaoka team.

“Take a look at us, man. We’re not much of a team but we do get along really well. Collectively, though, we suck at baseball. The thing is though, when we practiced bunting, it was awesome. See, for me, it wasn’t so much about getting stronger or better, it was about being proud of my new friends. I just wanted to show them off, especially to you guys, y’know?” Sugino corrected, showing he respected both parties indefinitely. Shindō stayed quieter as he realized his old friend’s motives; part of him even regretted being so mean to someone so kind.

“Well, even so… This ain’t over between us, Sugino!” He teased.

“Damn right! Next time we play we’ll be in high school,” Sugino then remembered their objective with Koro-Sensei.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Shindō inquired after noticing his darkened expression.

“Nah, it’s nothing,” Sugino brushed it off with ease as he pushed the thought away.

He outstretched his hand to help the captain up. Shindō then grabbed his hand with his familiar, firm grasp, now standing up alongside him with a rekindled bond. How he now realized he had missed their old team.

Chapter Text

The mid-daylight air was warm as the students continued with their S.A.A.U.S.O knives. They swung, prodded, struck, and threw at each other as Mr. Kurasama watched over them by the steps up to the old campus. It was strangely evident that the class’ skills had advanced after the extra daily practice they had taken up a week or so prior; however, the class had been fully training for nearly four months by now. They each worked on predictability and recognizing their partner’s evasive strategies. Isogai and Maehara paired up, though neither could land the winning mark on each other; Maehara specifically struggled to dodge the latter’s quick, green knife. Kaede watched carefully as Nagisa and Karma sparred each other, her eyes never leaving the two as she struggled to find a way in. Karma kept kicking the bluenette back every time he got close, seemingly paying no attention to the girl beside him. She inevitably gave up on sparring with those two and instead paired up with Kanzaki after she lost a match with Sugino.

Every day these kids showed more promise. Taking Isogai and Maehara, they had improved on their technique since the first time they had sparred with Mr. Kurasuma. Then Karma; at a first glance it’s all sarcasm and laziness but behind that facade lurked the instincts of a killer. The girls had their fair share of improvement too, taking Okano’s gymnastic background makes it harder to predict her moves and Megu easily has the reach and momentum of her male counterparts. These make up the standout would-be assassins of the group. Though most of the group had a long way to go, they’ve come farther than most had dared to hope.

As Kurasuma walked forward to take part in the violent festivities, he felt a strange presence swirl around him as if a snake were slithering around his body. Out of sheer instinct, he threw his elbow into whatever was behind him and grabbed their arm. Only after the few seconds spent throwing the suspect over his shoulder to the dirt under them did he recognize the familiar blue hair of the boy on his side. The class looked over to see Nagisa pick himself up rather slowly

“Holy shit…” Kurasuma exclaimed under his breath, “Sorry! That block was a little over the top,”

“I’m good; no worries!” Nagisa reassured his teacher as Kaede went to help him up. Koro-Sensei sat in the grass beside the steps; he had watched everything go down in minute detail.

“Eyes on the target! You gotta see stuff like that comin’,” Sugino teased him.

“Yeah…” Nagisa rolled his eyes at his friend.

*Nagisa… Did I just have a momentary lapse of sanity?* Kurasuma questioned himself.

Just a few moments after the situation came to a close, the bell tolled for lunch from the front entrance of the old campus. Since everyone was already grouped up around Mr. Kurasuma and Nagisa, they figured to just sit collectively as they groaned to each other about their failure at marking their teacher with their knives.

“Man, I guess I’m not the only one having trouble hitting that guy!” Okajima sighed as he caught up.

Kurahashi had rushed up next to Mr. Kurasuma, grabbing his attention. “Excuse me, sir? We were wondering if you’d like to grab a bite to eat with us?” She excitedly clapped her hands together as she waited for his response.

“Sorry, no. I’d love to but there’s still a lot of work that needs to get done,” He bid a softer goodbye as Kurahashi dropped her arms and walked back over to Megu.

“Damn, it’s like he has no personal life,” Megu commented, “He’s definitely a man who prefers to keep his distance. It’s like there’s a wall of ice between him and us!” Her eyes softened as she grabbed Kurahashi’s hand.

“Yeah! Don’t get me wrong, he’s super cool and everything– I mean.. Do you think it’s only because he has to be?” She asked with a saddened expression as the group watched Kurasuma make his way up the concrete steps.

Kurasuma looked up to someone calling his name.

“Hey, hey, Kurasuma!” It called out.

“Takaoka?”

The man in front of him had a stout build with short dark hair that was shaved on either side. His black pants were tied around his waist by a belt, though his stomach hung over it with a white, button-up shirt. He carried a few bags around his arm as he waved to Mr. Kurasuma. The class also watched this strange interaction go down, though Takaoka walked past their teacher and down to greet the class.

“Is that another new teacher?” Kurahashi inquired.

“Yup! Name’s Akira Takaoka and I’m here to give your gym teacher a hand! Nice to meet you, gang. So, what do you say; are ya ready to have some fun?” He asked, his personality blissfully cheerful as he smiled at the students. He then motioned for the class to sit around him as he himself did as well. Takaoka then slid a red bag off of his arms and opened it.

“Woah!” Kaede exclaimed as Takaoka pulled a few things out of it. “Cake? And hand-made eclairs from the bakery?” Her extensive knowledge of sweets seemed to entertain the newly introduced teacher.

“Go on!” He gave permission for the kids around him to take some.

“Jeez! These look sort of pricey, sir, are you sure?” Isogai double-checked.

“Yeah! Take any you’d like, kiddos; I didn’t ‘break the bank’ so we could stare at these babies all day,” he brushed off Isogai’s concern as he handed the boy a fruit-filled cupcake, to which he smiled and thanked him generously.

“You really know your way around brand-name sweets!” Kaede complimented, astonished by the array of different delicacies spread from the different bags. Ever since their field trip in Kyoto, her interest in baking had expanded twofold; now anything to do with sweets–especially puddings–interested her to no end.

“Trust me, when it comes to the good stuff it’s love at first sight!” He chuckled.

“Wait, so you’re here to take over P.E. for Mr. Kurasuma to help him get caught up?” Nagisa asked. He sat next to Kaede, though more off to the side. Koro-Sensei was found sneaking up on the group by a few others who giggled at his feigned sneakiness.

“Yup! Those are my marching orders from the man at H.Q! Poor guy needs some time to himself,” Takaoka reiterated, turning slightly behind him to Nakamura; she held her strawberry eclair away from Koro-Sensei as he looked at each of the sweets displayed. “Ah, this fellow must be Koro-Sensei! Please, help yourself! You wouldn’t wanna die on an empty stomach!” Takaoka poked his face with his finger, pretending it was a knife as he laughed loudly at his own joke.

“Y’know, sir, for being colleagues, you and Mr. Kurasuma are night and day!” Kimura began to point out.

“Yeah! Don’t get us wrong, he’s nice and everything but you’re like the neighborhood dad!” Hara chimed in next to Kimura.

“Dad?” Takaoka beamed at the incentive, “I like the sound of that! Life’s too short not to spend it with people you think of as family, right gang?” The class appeared to agree with that as they quickly warmed up to him. A few students, mainly Terasaka’s group and Karma, distanced themselves from them; Takaoka’s sunny exposure appeared to be a forced facade to them. Either that or the open lovey-dovey nature sickened them. Karma snuck away from the group, leading Terasaka and his own around the school building to the front entrance where they sat by the entrance of the building to ignore whatever went down across the distance.

*The next day:*

“Alright, everybody here?” Takaoka wasn’t familiar with everyone’s faces yet, as it was only his first day actually teaching the students in the flesh. There were a few noticeable absences, though one that stuck out was Karma’s as he was there in every other class but this one. No one said anything.

“Now, things are going to be a little different and tougher than usual. However, if you stick them out like the champs you are then I’m talkin’ more sweets,” he set the precedent for success via bribery, though a few simply laughed.

“For us? Or are you really saving them for yourself?” Nakamura teased.

“Nope! Wouldn’t wanna ruin this girlish figure!” He joked, his hands on his hips. The class laughed at that, having a fun time as they continued similar icebreakers despite the training they needed to take part in.

Meanwhile in the faculty lounge, however, Mr. Kurasuma had Takaoka’s profile pulled up on the main website of the Ministry of Defense. Professor Bitch stood idly by, glancing at his screen every now and then as she stared off through the window to where the physical education class was gathered.

“How are you chill with this idiot?” She finally broke the silence. “If he was a toupee, a chinstrap couldn’t make him look phonier! I’m sure that's why Karma isn’t here!”

“Look, he and I go back to the airborne brigade. We’re not best friends or anything but based on the information I have he’s a great teacher. Young people seem to respond to him; he speaks their language. I guess that’s what you want in an educator. I think, maybe I’ve been going about this the wrong way; my approach was to draw a line and stay professional but taking on the role of father figure might prove to be more effective.” Kurasuma explained bluntly, though periodically clicking through his profile and eventually on the images tab where he was a group of older teens standing with him in a field, smiling for the picture being taken. He then noticed another behind that tab, and when he clicked on it his eyes widened. The mouse click seemed to echo through the room as he stared in shock at what was being displayed on the next image tab.

Takaoka had two in a seemingly friendly headlock, facing the camera as their backs were shown. It would’ve seemed playful, however, if there wasn't blood dripping from lacerations along the teen’s backs and rope binding their wrists together as if they were sacrifices to the camera. The wounds were fresh, bright red, and trickling. Takaoka couldn't have seemed more innocent from the previous picture, let alone his personality. Clearly, this drove a rather concerned expression from Kurasuma’s otherwise stoic manner. He then rose from his seat.

“Okay, now,” Takaoka’s voice boomed across the rows of students sitting in front of him; this was heard from inside the faculty lounge as well.

“Along with your new training regimen comes a new schedule,” he then presented them with a paper that was split up between the school days and hours. Supposedly, every day they were to train in between classes and after school.

“What! No way; ten periods?” Sugino exclaimed as he eyed the paper.

“We train until nine pm?” Nagisa confusedly asked Takaoka.

“That’s the idea, little grasshoppers! Don’t be gloomy– Just think, the payoff of this curriculum will turn you into lean, mean, killing machines! You’re gonna love it,” he tried to reason, though his stature never changed and he seemed to think it was no issue to convince the class.

“Wait, I’m sorry. Hold up- This is ridiculous. First off, this is school and we gotta think about grades too,” Maehara stood up, and with an accusative finger, he pointed it at Takaoka as he tried to refute his new teacher’s claims. “We can’t go by this, right? When are we going to study--” He was hushed by Takaoka’s thick hand on his orange hair. He looked at him with a confused expression before being bent over forward and hit in the stomach by a quick upward motion of the bigger man’s knee. He hadn’t a second to react as he felt the discomfort shoot through his veins like adrenaline as he collapsed to the floor in front of Takaoka. “What the hell…” He groaned, hardly being able to pick himself up from the ground. Isogai immediately rushed over to him to put a lending hand on his shoulder, though he was terrified to death of the matters at hand; he didn’t know if his teacher would approve of him doing so as of yet.

“Rule number one: We don’t do can’t. Rule number two: we’re a family and I’m the dad. Show me a family where dad ain’t in charge and I’ll show you a family in crisis,” he scolded. It took everyone by surprise the true nature he had hidden until this very moment, the class could only look in revelation. “If this is too much for you then just sit it out! I’ll have my people back at H.Q. send in replacements for the whole class. That said, I’d much rather see you stick it out. A father loves each of his children unconditionally," He continued, pacing around the group of students on the dirt until he stopped in front of Kanzaki and Mimura, “The thought of even losing one breaks his heart. We’re gonna save the world, kids, and we’re gonna do it as a family,” he ordered. He then wrapped the two in a hug, his arms gently resting over their necks to show this action wasn’t wholeheartedly friendly.

*There are two main ingredients necessary to earn loyalty from your students. That is affection and fear.*

“Well, you’re going to do everything your father tells you to, right?” Takaoka asked the two.

Kanzaki’s mind flooded with many things, though one thing that was for certain she wasn’t a fan of her teacher’s fatherly facade. Her father acted too similarly for her liking, so when she broke out of the hug to tell him off, she stopped herself sharply as she tried to form her next words carefully.

“Uh… I-. Actually, sir, to tell you the truth-” She stammered, “I’m not much for P.E. so if I had to do it I would prefer Mr. Kurasuma’s class,” she reasoned, a smile on her face to fawn herself.

Before she got a response, she felt a gust of wind from in front of her. She noticed too late that Takaoka’s palm was hurtling towards her face. She didn’t block in time, his hand making a connection to her face. She was forced to the dirt with a harsh, numbing pain throughout her jaw as she tried to move it. It crackled when she did, and even though she was on the floor her eyes struggled to focus on anything but the dizzy spell she had been put under. Her actual father never took it that far, though she still found herself unsurprised at the matter as she tried to pull herself together despite the horrible pain her face was in. She didn’t hear Sugino call her name as he rushed to her, Nagisa following suit.

“Looks like we’re having a little communication gap. The only answer here is yes. If anyone else needs a dose of good, old-fashioned, nonverbal reinforcements, Daddy Dearest will be happy to oblige!” He announced as he began to wind his arm up again.

“Stop it!” Mr. Kurasuma’s voice was heard from the steps as he ran up to the group. He ran up to Kanzaki, who was leaning on Sugino’s shoulder as her eyes gained focus again. “Hey, are you alright? Did he twist your neck?” He asked.

“I’ll be okay,” she softly responded.

“And you?” Kurasuma looked over to Maehara, who had made a quicker recovery despite his hand clutching the shirt around his stomach.

“I’ll manage,” he responded with a nervous chuckle.

“See? We’re fine! Don’t go getting your boxers in a bunch; I’m not gonna push full throttle on my beloved fam--” He was interrupted by a firm tentacle grabbing at his shoulder.

“You’re right. Except they’re not your family,” Koro-Sensei corrected, his complexion a dark crimson to distribute his anger. “Whatever you’ve been filling their heads with while I had my back turned stops now,” he demanded.

“Aw, sorry, big guy but this isn’t your call! You teach your own subjects and I teach mine. Last I checked, Phys. Ed. is my department so I get to call the shots. Nothing I’ve done falls outside acceptable corporal punishment because I’ve got to train these kids to kill you!” Takaoka pointed at the tentacled fiend in front of him. “That doesn’t leave me a lot of time, y’know. I can’t afford to go easy on them!” He noticed how Koro-Sensei’s angered expression never left even with his explanations.

“What? Are you gonna attack me over a dispute about educational philosophy? Well, if that’s what this is then you just don’t seem to care for the way I teach!” To that, Koro-Sensei had no choice but to back down; it was that or be taken away from his class for violating the government policy assigned to him so he could teach E-Class to begin with.

—

Koro-Sensei sat beside Mr. Kurasuma on the warm steps next to the grassy hill behind the schoolhouse. Professor Bitch stood behind the two as she scoped out the situation. Koro-Sensei was the first to speak his mind.

“That man will crush those children’s body and spirit and he’s right that I don’t care for it. But, civility dictates I let him teach as he sees fit. That’s why I’m counting on you,” Kurasuma lifted his head from his hands and folded his fingers together over his lap as he rested his elbows on his knees. “You’re on par with this man, are you not? I need you to shut him down,” Koro-Sensei pleaded.

“Me? That’s rich,” he sighed. Takaoka was betting on this situation grinding his gears. Mr. Kurasuma had always been exemplary when the two trained to join the Ministry of Defense, his phlegmatic character appeasing many as well as his excessive strength and skill. He seemed dismissive of what others did, or how they were treated, so to see the one thing he cherished be stolen from him by someone he looked down on took him by surprise. Takaoka figured that if he turned at least half of Mr. Kurasuma’s students into those capable enough to wield the knife responsible for Koro-Sensei’s assassination, then it’d be him taking the money and gratitude; something he longed for for years in the brigades.

“This is seriously not funny,” Muramatsu groaned as he struggled to keep up. “Three hundred squats. I may as well die,” his legs were sore even before the halfway point.

“Mr. Kurasuma, please...” Kurhashi quietly called out, her body threatening to give out on itself. Takaoka cracked his knuckles as he stepped up next to her.

“Watch it. Kurasuma ain’t part of our family, doll face. Do you need another lesson?” Kurahashi looked up to him, confused as to what he meant. Her big green eyes flashed with curiosity and fear as she inquired what he meant.

“What do you mean?” Takaoka then raised his fist, to which Megu fixed to pull Kurahashi away. She had been taken aback by his wretched nickname for her friend, though to get to her, she’d have to sift through the other rows.

“What I mean is disrespecting daddy makes him very angry!” Before he threw his fist onto her, he was stopped by Mr. Kurasuma. He had quickly taken control of the situation as before he even went as far as to prep his knuckles for the blow he had been looming closely behind.

“That’s enough. If you hurt these kids, then you’ll have no choice but to answer to me,” he deadpanned with a low voice.

“Ah, there it is!” Takaoka struggled against the grasp he was in, though he didn’t let it show. “I was wondering when you were gonna throw your chips in, old buddy!” Kurahashi then stepped behind Megu, who took to reassuring her. “Way to make this interesting,” he muttered.

He then turned to Mr. Kurasuma.

“Who are you to criticize how I choose to teach? If this is something you and I need to settle like men then I’m up for the challenge. Just remember we’re teachers first,” Takaoka then placed a hand on Mr. Kurasuma’s shoulder. “Here’s what I’m thinking: cherry-pick your star pupil out of the students you’ve trained by your own methods. Set them on me and if their knife so much as grazes my aura, I’ll concede that the way you train is superior to mine,” Takaoka meandered to a camo-print duffle bag beside, lackadaisically unzipping it as he continued. “No fussing or backpedaling; I‘ll pack it in and leave.” The class listened in awe, yet a mild concern after hearing they’d be involved in this quarrel. “Oh, and we won’t be using these,” he tossed a green, rubber knife behind him.

As it landed, he pulled something out of the bag. A knife. He quickly turned around and struck the blade through the rubber of the anti-sensei knife with a cold yet crazed expression.

“When the object is to kill a human being you can’t rely on toys! We’ll be using the real thing, mind you.”

“This is ridiculous! These kids aren’t prepared to take on a real human being like that and you know it!” Kurasuma retorted.

“Don’t get so concerned about them! They don’t gotta kill anyone– Just come close to it… Tell you what, I’ll do you a solid and defend myself bare-handed!” Takaoka challenged.

*This little trick works wonders in the big leagues too. Take out a fresh-faced recruit wielding a blade for the first time, pummeling the poor bastard within an inch of his life unharmed… Instant respect and status,* Takaoka thought. “What are you waiting for? Pick yourself a champion or save us the headache and agree to let me run this show from now on!”

*I wish I could say I was sure about this. Are his methods really as bad as all that? Maybe his take-no-prisoners policy is what saving the world calls for. I’m not sure of anything anymore,* Mr. Kurasuma looked at his students defeatedly as he scanned the class. *How could I even put one of these kids on the spot like that, though? Do I even have a star pupil?* He then concluded.

“Nagisa, you’re up.”

Nagisa just looked at him with his light blue eyes.

“In my eyes, we’re all fellow soldiers on a mission to save Earth from destruction. Whatever our differences are, we share that goal. The least you guys deserve for being put in this situation is my respect. I may not be much of a father figure but I appreciate your dilemma. So, if you don’t feel comfortable you don’t have to take the knife. Our duty as teachers is to prepare you for life, not force you into it kicking and screaming,” Kurasuma held out the knife to Nagisa, the small sheath still clipped onto it. “It’s important that you understand this isn’t a game to him. He intends to make an example out of you. All you need to do is treat this like any other assassination. You don’t have to be stronger than your target; just get one good strike in and the job is done,” he spoke, though his voice was a lot quieter.

*This man always looks me in the eyes. My own family can’t even do that so why does it not seem to bother him? There must be so much he’s not allowed to tell us. I can’t even imagine why he’s choosing me but if he sees fit to hand me the knife, I’ll trust his decision and take it. Either way, Takaoka is out of control and someone has to do something,” Nagisa took a shaky breath out as he took the knife from his teacher’s hand. It was a strange life they led, solving problems by fighting their way through for answers and justice, turning weapons into ideas and challenges, and fighting just enough to take on the challenge of life itself. Nagisa then faced Takaoka with the knife in hand as Mr. Kurasuma backed away in silence.

“Oh, come on! This twig? Your eyes must be going in your old age!” Takaoka laughed.

“What would possess that dumb bastard to pick him? This is going to be a train wreck,” Professor Bitch scoffed as she took a seat next to Koro-Sensei, who hushed her calmly.

“You think Nagisa will get anywhere near him?” Sugino quietly asked.

“Doubt it.. That guy’s a pro,” Kaede responded, her hazel eyes sparked with worry. “Hell, how would you do with a real knife?” She couldn’t help but force her eyes to the ground, unable to watch the events that were to soon follow.

Takaoka threw his blue jacket behind him, motioning Nagisa to come at him.

*This is gonna be fun! Time to show these kids the art of real humiliation. Dodge, taunt, beat. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s dawning on him! The stakes are pretty high when the knife in your hand is real. I’m sure he’s thinking, ‘Wait! This is for keeps! I can’t take the life of another human!’ God, there’s nothing sweeter than the sight of a rookie turning pale at the thought of his first kill!* Takaoka smiled to himself.

*Okay, this is bound to be a little different than what I’m used to,* Nagisa attempted to talk himself through his actions to compose himself, *I need to stay focused. Just remember Mr. Kurasuma’s advice,* The bluenette stood a little taller as he continued to think about the one important strike.

*I just need to kill him.*

Nagisa then smiled softly at Takaoka. He dropped his arms by his side as he relaxed his shoulders, giving off the idea that he had given up. He walked up to Takaoka with that same innocent smile, inching nearer and nearer to his target despite the knife still clutched in his hand. As he snaked his way closer, Takaoka’s guard grew shorter as he loosened his arms up. He didn’t attempt to get away as the confusion of his opponent’s beguilement. Takaoka was still staring blankly at Nagisa by the time he had walked right up in front of him; either one could touch the other with a slight movement–that’s how close they were. The silence that followed after the two stood next to each other for what seemed like minutes, Nagisa’s knife nearly split Takaoka’s face. He had used the fact his target’s faltering guard had left him confused and in a near-frozen state. Takaoka, much to the predictability of his former stature, managed to dodge and lean back far to avoid being sliced. Nagisa noticed the way his foot position changed, taking a quick initiative to throw himself on top of Takaoka with all his strength.

No one keeps it together when they realize they’re about to die; even Koro-Sensei gets thrown off by it and Takaoka is nothing when compared to him.

As Takaoka’s balance collapsed, Nagisa found himself wrapped around him as he slithered around his thick build. Most people could block from the front, so attacking from behind was enough to secure an easy victory. Takaoka’s body felt like it was wrapped up by a snake, the blade of Nagisa’s knife and the two fangs seeping into his neck as his world went dark.

“Looks like I win,” he whispered to Takaoka. The back of his blade was firmly pressed against his target’s neck and his legs were tightly wrapped around his waist. The class started in silent shock.

“What the hell?” Kurasuma exclaimed under a sharp exhale. *That's definitely not something you see every day. Son of a bitch, the talent this kid’s got is unreal! The way he strolls up to the target, hiding his intent until the last second then springing on them like a damn python! That explains the chill I got from him yesterday… This goes beyond the instincts of a killer. Nagisa isn’t a normal boy, he’s a natural-born assassin. Should I nurture a gift like his or shut it down?*

“Wait… Was I supposed to use the back of my knife?” Nagisa asked as he noticed the dull part of the blade was resting on Takaoka’s skin.

“I’ll take that!” Koro-Sensei’s tentacle then grabbed the knife and slid it out of his student’s hand. “Game, set, and match! Mr. Kurasuma?” Koro-Sensei grabbed the attention of his coworker. “Outrageous! Giving one of my students a real knife? Have you lost your mind? He could’ve been hurt or worse!” Koro-Sensei struggled to keep the attitude up as he snickered to himself, tossing the knife behind him and watching it land in Takaoka’s duffle bag.

“Pretty sure you’re quick enough on your feet to have kept that from happening,” Kurasuma rolled his eyes.

The class then started to gather around Nagisa and Koro-Sensei, not paying any attention to the man on the floor behind them. They each marveled at the fact Nagisa took him down, though, cheering for him and all.

“Easy, guys, let’s not make a big deal out of it, okay? I just did what I was told to do,” Nagisa nervously humbled himself. Maehara walked up to him, giving a soft slap to his cheek. “Ouch? What was that for?” Nagisa furrowed his eyebrows.

“Oh good. I just had to make sure it was really you,” Maehara chuckled as he brought his classmate into a quick hug. “Sincerely, though, you’re awesome! That was a total rush!” Nagisa calmly thanked him with a smile as the rest of the class continued babbling about his victory.

Koro-Sensei then walked up next to Kurasuma.

“If ever a man was unsure of himself up until the very moment of truth it’s you!”

“Think so, huh?” Kurasuma asked.

“Mhm!”

Takaoka then picked himself up from the dirt and loathingly glared at Nagisa.

“You ungrateful– You– You think it’s fun shaming your father?! Have you had the time of your lives pretending you’ve won? I hope it has been ‘cause daddy’s about to rip you apart!” He shouted.

Kurasuma was then tugged back by Koro-Sensei, who was interested to see how the boy would react when given this new opposition.

“Not gonna lie, if we went at it for a second round I’d lose. I’ll tell you something though: whatever you do, you’re not the boss of us because Mr. Kurasuma is our teacher and that’s final. When you try to be our dad, it just makes us feel like children. He may come off as apathetic but he treats us like equals, and that means a lot to us–at least to me.” Nagisa lowered his head as he paid respect to his teacher. “Thank you for trying but he’s the class dad.”

“Am I the class mom?” Professor Bitch asked from behind Okajima and Takebayashi, though she got no response from anyone.

“To teach is also to confront such answers head-on,” Koro-Sensei continued talking to Kurasuma, “Moreover, to do so by drawing from the well of their confidence in us. A student confidently answers a question you yourself were troubled by and that’s only the beginning.”

Kurasuma then walked over to Takaoka, who looked as if he’d explode if given just a few more moments of lecturing by one of his former students. Just as he raised his fist to connect with Nagisa’s head, he commanded an uppercut to his jaw, ultimately bringing him to the floor.

“Don’t worry, he’s not in a position to threaten you anymore. Don’t give him another thought. I’ll negotiate with my superiors to put things back the way they were,” he turned to his class and gave them the reassurance they needed.

“It’s gonna take a lot more than that to be done with me! You’ll get this job back over my dead body!” Takaoka challenged, though he was still sitting on the dirt.

“That won’t be necessary,” A familiar voice spoke from the concrete stairs from the track.

“Principal Asano?” Kurasuma exclaimed.

“I trust you’ll forgive the intrusion everyone, I came to see our new hire in action. And it must be said: your methods are nothing short of a travesty. Granted that fear is the engine of education but a teacher able to instill fear only through violence is not fit to teach at my school,” Principal Asano explained. He had received the images from Takaoka’s image tabs that Kurasuma had been looking at prior to this series of events. “Your walking papers,” he stated, letting a printed paper fall into his lap. “You do realize the Ministry of Defence does not call the shorts here and I intend to keep it that way. This is my school and my school alone; remember that.”

Takaoka then rushed up to his bag in a frantic rage as he threw himself up the stairs in a fit. He left the paper to fall on the dirt.

“Did he just get handed a pink slip?” Maehara laughed.

“Damn. Does that mean that Mr. Kurasuma is our teacher again?” Nakamura inquired.

The class then cheered at the new victory, overcome by joy at the new occasion. Just a few minutes before the bell rang for their next period, they gathered around each other in exuberance.

“I see the principal is confident as ever in his methods,” Koro-Sensei noted.

“That makes one of us, at least,” Kurasuma muttered, “What if Nagisa said he wanted to be an assassin when he grew up? Could you lead him there with a clear conscience?” The two then looked to the bluenette who was conversing with his friends like the matters before never even happened. “I don’t think he realizes it yet but he’s got what it takes.”

Koro-Sensei thought for a moment before responding, “That’s certainly a tricky one, I’ll give you that. Alas, such dilemmas come with a territory: every teacher secretly frets over whether the path he sets for his students is the right one but he points the way to the best future he can see for them. Questions of right or wrong are typically open-ended. We ask them but the students must live their own answer. The pleasure of seeing them do so is what makes this job exhilarating!”

“Mr. Kurasuma?” Nakamura grabbed her teacher’s attention, “We were wondering, since we kind of got your job back for you and all, maybe we’ve got something in the way of a little thank-you, yeah?” She joked.

“Yeah! Mr. Takaoka would’ve given us sweets for being so good!” Kurahashi agreed, her hands clapping together excitedly.

“Well, now, I’m no connoisseur–” He was interrupted by Professor Bitch reaching into his pocket and stealing his wallet.

The class then laughed as Professor Bitch struggled to keep it in her hand, the two tugging it back and forth, eventually with Kurasuma winning that battle and putting his wallet back into his pocket where it belonged.

*Sure, I may have my fair share of doubts about being a teacher, but this place might be growing on me.*

Chapter Text

The class slowly meandered through the thickets of the forest surrounding their old campus. The sun shone brightly on the treetops as rays poured through gaps between branches, threatening to burn the skin it touched. Koro-Sensei led them through woven trails, cutting through bushes and maintaining a relative pace for his students to follow. Sugino and Nagisa walked close behind him, being the few students keeping up. Branches snapped from behind them as the rest of the class walked over the organic matter beneath their shoes. They wore their Kunugigaoka swimwear which was a deep, navy blue, and loose uniform shirt over said swimwear.

“So, why are we hiking down the mountain again?” Sugino exasperatedly asked his teacher, wiping sweat off his neck with his hand.

“To swim, maybe?” Ritsu chimed from Nagisa’s phone, to which he turned the screen on to see the pink-haired girl. “The main campus has a pool! In the other direction…” She sadly suggested.

“Yeah, that’s pretty unlikely,” Nagisa sighed.

“Wait up, Nagisa,” a voice spoke up from behind him, followed by running footsteps up next to him.

“Hey,” Nagisa greeted Karma.

“Hey! Heard you were a real badass the other day. Sorry, I didn’t stick around to see it, man. Would’a loved to see that guy's face,” Karma chuckled, his hand on Nagisa’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing, really!” Nagisa nervously humbled himself. *Of course he’s talking about my assassination of Coach Takaoka–it was cool, I suppose, but it’s relatively easy to take a normal person by surprise. Besides, we’re down to the wire and it’s still anybody’s guess how we’re gonna assassinate him,* Nagisa glanced up to Koro-Sensei ahead of himself before looking back to Karma to finish their small talk.

Before long, their yellow teacher stopped abruptly between a clearing.

“Alright, class, feast your eyes on this!” He announced with a nefarious giggle. He then vanished into the sky and planted himself in the dirt of the clearing to make way for the group to make their way through the bushes.

Their mouths dropped in surprise as they gazed upon a natural water hole that was nicely kept; the water was clear and ran through various streams surrounding the hole. The large and various rocky stones were covered in moss and vines as twigs were pushed away to make a proper walkway around the hole, the surrounding trees providing ample shade throughout bits of the clearing. Buoys were dividing the water into three segments and were tied tightly to poles implanted on either side of the hole. The class took to piling their uniform shirts in one section of the rocks in the shade, then diving into the water as they simultaneously thanked Koro-Sensei.

Maehara and Isogai started swimming laps in one segment, racing each other from one end to the other. Megu and Kurahashi stood by them, cheering them on as they did so with bright smiles and encouragement. Kirara sat by a fallen log on the opposite side; her nose deep in a book.

Kaede sighed, her inner tube floating over to a corner by the shade. “This sucks, in a way,” she admitted, “Not to be ungrateful, it’s just kind of sad! First of all, I can’t even swim and secondly, this bathing suit just makes me self-conscious,” she openly stated, looking down to the water to avoid eye contact with her surrounding classmates.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, trust me,” Okajima, to her surprise, said, “Lots of guys would go for your type–maybe even girls too if you know what I’m sayin’,” he chuckled, a long-ranged camera in his hands as he waded over to the corner alongside Kaede.

“Gee thanks… And plenty of people wouldn’t find it creepy that you’re using a long-ranged lens,” She sarcastically replied, though she appreciated the fact he tried. Suddenly the camera was gripped by yellow tentacles and swept away through the air as Koro-Sensei began to reprimand him. Okajima then frantically ran after the tentacles in an attempt to explain himself, leaving Kaede laughing to herself. Nagisa then drifted his way over to him, Karma following him on the outer edge.

“Wait, Nagisa, you’re really a dude?!” Nakamura exclaimed from the nearby buoy. Nagisa turned to look at them.

“You didn’t know that?” He shot back, seeming a little defensive.

“We just had our doubts, I’m sorry,” Nakamura apologized when she heard the change in his voice, making a small heart with her hands as she swam away. Nagisa just sighed and shook it off. Karma and Kaede figured to drop it as well.

Koro-Sensei’s whistle then interrupted the start of their conversation.

“Kimura! No, running around the edge of the pool; that’s how accidents happen!” He shouted, though it was clear he was just concerned and trying to prevent injuries from minor slip-ups.

After a few moments, they began to talk again.

“Damn.. Anyways, isn’t it weird when he does stuff like this?” Karma prefaced, now sitting down with his legs crossed as he looked down at the two who were in the water. “Makes him kinda cool and, honestly, kind of hard to want to kill,” he admitted. Nagisa agreed wholeheartedly.

“I agree, this was really nice of him to do,” he beamed.

“Karma, aren’t you getting in?” Kaede inquired as her curiosity peaked; the boy only sat on the dry edge.

“Hell no! I need to function, thank you,” he said as if she should’ve known that.

“Function?” Nagisa inquired.

“Yeah, y’know, when you’re wet and can’t do anything else but focus on the neverending dripping and sogginess of your body and hair and clothes and–”

“I think we get it,” Kaede chuckled to herself after interrupting Karma’s rambling, noting not to drag him into any bodies of water.

“I bet you think water is wet, huh?” Nagisa teased despite his understanding of what his friend was getting at.

Another whistle then interrupted them again.

“What are you two doing?!” Koro-Sensei asked with a loud voice as Nakamura and Hara came up for air.

“Just holding our breath!” The blonde girl replied.

“How do I know the difference between lighthearted play and drowning!” He reprimanded, to which they slowly swam away from the makeshift lifeguard post their teacher was sitting on.

“This seems to be going to his head,” Nagisa chuckled.

“I’ve gone through a great deal of trouble making sure this pool was in harmony with its natural surroundings! Proper enjoyment of it must be disciplined and orderly,” he explained.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #22: Strict about pool rules.

“Aw come on! Don’t be such a stick in the mud; you just need to lighten up!” Kurahashi then splashed water up on the post he was on with a bubbly laugh. Koro-Sensei curled up in an effort to avoid the water hitting his tentacles with a high-pitched screech.

“Uh, did he just scream like a chick?” Nakamura inquired as several other students began to laugh.

Karma, who had snuck his way behind the lifeguard post, grabbed the bars that held the ladder and vigorously shook it.

“What- Karma! Stop it!” Koro-Sensei’s frill reprimands only field the entertainment across the pool. “I’ll fall in!” Karma only continued to laugh as he tipped the post back and forth. “Are you even listening to me?! I said stop! Please…” And finally, the redhead let up and took his hands off the bars.

Koro-Sensei slid off the post and onto the mossy ground, kneeling down. The class then fell silent and all that was heard was their teacher’s heavy breathing.

“Are you okay?” Isogai awkwardly inquired.

“Oh, don’t read too much into it! I just didn’t feel like taking a dip at the moment! It’s certainly not as though water causes my fingers to swell up or anything,” his teacher explained with his tentacled arms crossed over his chest matter-of-factly.

“Is that so?” Karma then attempted to get closer to him to push him into the water anyway, though he was met by a forceful tentacle slapping him away. He retreated and dashed back to the safety of Kaede and Nagisa’s corner of the pool.

“Wait a second…” Nagisa muttered to himself which caught the attention of the two. “He can’t swim! Interesting. This may be his most promising weakness yet!”

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #23: Can’t swim.

“Wait a minute, if you weren’t going to be swimming then why did you bother bringing that kickboard along?” Mimura asked.

“This?” Koro-Sensei lifted up the brown kickboard he was holding tight between his fingers. “This isn’t a kickboard, it’s an afternoon snack.”

“Naturally… I probably shouldn’t question that,” Mimura sighed.

Terasaka only watched this go down. He had snuck away from the crowd long before anyone had gotten into the water, and when he got bored he made his way back to the old campus through the winding trails.

—

“Excuse me?!” Terasaka shouted.

He and his friends were sitting outside during lunch, occupying grassy space on the Northern side of the campus by the trees. The birds and insects hummed and chirped in nests and bushes that enclosed the school grounds.

“You’re seriously happy your grades are up?” He then grabbed Muramatsu’s shirt collar roughly and tugged him closer to his face. “Say that again! Don’t think I heard you right,” he threatened

“Come on! These are the highest grades I’ve ever got! Basically, it’s because of the octopus and his right before the practice exam after school slithery study session thing,” he explained nervously as he showed his report card to the larger boy.

“Woah, you sayin’ you actually showed up to that shit?”

“Yeah,” Muramatsu replied, not seeing anything wrong with what he did.

“The three of us agreed no slithery anything, remember?!” Terasaka continued to shout, Muramatsu wincing under the loudness of his booming voice and grip on his shirt.

“But that’s the thing! It wasn’t all bad, in fact, it really helped me out!” Muramatsu attempted to reason.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Terassaka then forced his friend’s back into the tree behind him, hearing the thud of his body against it and the groan that followed. “Fine, care about your grades if that gets you off, traitor,” he hissed.

*Fucking fantastic. Now Muramatsu has fallen for that ‘you can do it’ bullshit. Am I the only one with half a brain?* He thought. He then left Muramatsu sitting by the tree surrounded by an uncomfortable aura. Terasaka silently walked through the hallway back to the classroom to hear a bunch of clamor going on behind the homeroom door.

He slid it open to see Koro-Sensei on a wooden motorcycle. He had it propped up with a thicker wooden stand, and it was smoothly carved with intricate designs. It was clear he was impressing the class with it, showing it off with immense pride.

“That is so awesome! Damn! You even have the flair sides right!” Yoshida exclaimed.

“The hell you so stoked about?” Terasaka glared at Yoshida which sent a faint chill down his spine.

“Oh, hey, Terasaka,” he nervously greeted him, “So, you know how we always thought I was the only one into bikes and stuff? Well, turns out Koro-Sensei knows as much as I do about them!”

“I may be an adult but I’ve never grown out of the need for speed. I’ve dabbled in many hobbies like this for years,” Koro-Sensei smiled. “Did you know this particular model can reach up to three hundred kilometers?” He asked. “What I wouldn’t give to burn some rubber on the tracks someday.” His teacher then stepped off the bike and backed up to the wall.

“Dude, are you kidding? You could get this puppy to Mach twenty without even pumping the gas!” Yoshida chuckled, pushing his dark locks out of his eyes.

Terasaka then kicked the bike off its stand and watched as it toppled over. Koro-Sensei began to blubber and quickly went to check if there were any scratches on the wood.

“Oh, come on, what the hell is wrong with you?” Yoshida exclaimed.

“Koro-Sensei worked very hard on that to showcase it and you just reduced him to tears!” Nakamura announced with an accusative finger.

“Everything you guys are saying just sounds like a swarm of fucking locusts. It’s time for some pest control!” Terasaka reached into his desk and slammed down a can of pest repellant; a huge cloud of smoke escaping the metal cylinder as it flooded the air surrounding the group.

“Okay, that does it! I enjoy a good prank as much as the next but–” Koro-Sensei’s reddened tentacles were swatted away by his feisty student.

“Get those disgusting things the hell away from me. You’re a monster, so it shouldn’t matter. Anyone who falls for your nice guy act is stupid!”

The class remained silent, only looking at him intently with confused looks. Koro-Sensei was even stunned into silence, unsure of what to do.

“Jeez, I don’t know what’s got you so worked up today but if he’s such a monster why not man up and kill him already?” Karma taunted. He of all people in the class knew exactly where Terasaka was standing, his own lesson being taught his first week in E-Class. The fact dawned on him that despite the fact he was a monster, he couldn’t kill him; all that was left to do was accept that he was as nice as they come.

“You aiming to start something with me, tough guy? I’ve been wanting to bash your stupid head in since the moment–” As Terasaka stepped up closer to Karma, the shorter boy gripped his jaw with tight fingers.

“A little advice, you’ve got this backward. You gotta bash my head in before you can run your mouth,” Karma’s voice was low as he spoke to his classmate.

Terasaka groaned as he ripped Karma’s hand off his face, a slight discomfort wrapping around his teeth.

“You guys are a bunch of freaks!” He then stormed out of the classroom, the door bouncing back open as he slammed it across its tracks.

“God, what messed him up this morning?” Maehara muttered.

“I don’t know… Maybe he just does it for the attention?” Isogai suggested though he felt bad verbalizing that thought.

*Later that night:*

Terasaka stood at the river bank East of the main campus. Crescent moon shone the best it could on the bin he was pouring into the water; disrupting the calm flow it originally had. Birds were silent, the only thing making any sound was the leaves rustling in the night breeze. The cool air flew through bushes and twigs on the forest ground, crunching and snapping under footsteps surrounding Terasaka. He chose to ignore it as he forced the bucket’s liquid to slide out.

*Earth on the brink? So what. We’re all training to be assassins like we’re in some kind of self-improvement camp. Give me one good reason why I should care about any of this. I’m not just gonna smile and fall in line with the herd,* he thought to himself.

“Nicely done,” A man in all white comments from behind Terasaka; the footsteps and crunching of leaves stopped as he did so. “Here, you’ve earned this,” Shiro outstretched a gloved hand that held a thick pile of cash. Terasaka took it without any thanks. “Phase one of my plan is complete. The octopus has an excellent sense of smell, hence why we dare not lay the groundwork for Itona’s return ourselves. Had he picked up even a trace of our scent, we would’ve lost the game. I sympathize with your feelings on the matter, Ryoma Terasaka, believe me. I advise you to relax! You have but to follow my plan to the letter,” Terasaka only looked into his eyes as he continued to talk.

“The freak of nature will be dead and E-Class reformed to its former insignificance.”

From a nearby tree, Itona swung down and seemingly appeared in front of Terasaka. His yellow eyes glistened in the half-moon’s light; his white hair was still scrappy and unkempt. He stared dead on with his typical uncanny demeanor.

“I know you,” he prefaced, his voice curious. “You’re weaker than that red-headed one by far. Your physique says otherwise but I see. Those eyes are a dead giveaway–you aren’t like him at all,” Itona commented, placing an eerie hand on Terasaka’s face as he stood in shocked silence. “You have sight but no vision. The only thing you see is the path of least resistance,” Itona deadpanned, his voice hoarse as he gently backed away from the boy.

“As it’s said, the wolf has eyes for prey and the cow has eyes for hay. One of them’s a killer, the other his buffet.”

“What the hell–”

“Now, now,” Shiro shushed him in near seconds as he sensed the boy’s eager anger. “Calm yourself; we’re counting on you tomorrow,” to which Terasaka huffed and obeyed without further hesitation.

*The next day during lunch:*

Koro-Sensei had already gone through a box of tissues before the bell tolled for lunch, though he still sniffled and struggled to breathe. It was unbeknownst to the class that he had allergies, or so they figured. They decided to sit through lunch and not question it, groups talking as per usual and eventually tuning out Koro-Sensei’s sniffling and struggling with the tissues. Despite how concerning it was that yellow goop had been exposed from his usually invisible nostrils, it didn’t strike them as all that weird.

“Okay, if no one else is going to say it, I will. Could you please stop? This crying business is ridiculous!” Professor Bitch stated as she sat at an empty desk by Megu, Kurahashi, and Yada.

“Excuse you! For your information, these are my nostrils. I’m not crying, my nose is running,” Koro-Sensei corrected her.

“How am I supposed to know that?” She retorted.

“For some reason, my sinuses have been running since yesterday!”

The classroom door then slid open as a few students and the two teachers glanced over. Koro-Sensei then dashed up to it to greet the student who was walking in.

“Terasaka! Thank heaven! I had this horrible feeling you had just completely abandoned our class for good!” He cried out, trying to hug him tightly.

What he had told everyone to be a bug bomb yesterday was, in fact, a canister of pollen-esque allergens specifically designed to blunt Koro-Sensei’s senses; particularly of smell. The second phase was all that was left to commence.

“So, octopus, I think it’s time we stopped messing around and killed you for real. Come by the pool after class! We all know your big weakness is water, right? Hey, why doesn’t everyone join? You all can watch while I shove him in and maybe even help me out!” Terasaka bargained to the class.

“Where is this coming from? You make fun of our attempts and now you expect us to be on board with yours? Dude, you pride yourself on having the worst attitude in this class so give me one good reason why any of us should help you,” Maehara spoke up from across the room, irritated to no end by the way his classmate had been acting as of late.

“Whatever, suit yourself, man. I didn’t wanna share the prize money with you deadasses anyway!” He shot back as he walked out of the classroom.

Yoshida and Muramatsu could only watch, both sharing the pain of seeing their friend lose themselves in their thoughtless behavior. Nagisa silently followed him through the back exit of the old campus, making sure to keep himself hidden until they were out of earshot.

“Man, what is his deal?”

“The guy’s mood swings are just too much for me,” Muramatsu sighed, reminiscing on the previous day.

“Exactly! Count me out,” Kurahashi shook her head as she bit down on her noodles. Okano and Megu silently agreed with her.

“Wait! Let’s all go; it’ll be fun! Terasaka is finally showing some initiative! We have to be supportive. I know he’s been rather difficult in the past but this is everyone’s chance to kill and make up,” Koro-Sensei spoke to the class, wishing for them to partake in the assassination attempt as well; his nose continued to run as it dripped to the floor in huge clumps.

“God, why are you so gross?” Okajima exclaimed as he saw the drips. “If it clears your nose up, count me in.”

Once Nagisa saw that Terasaka had walked through the exit, he dashed up to him and waved for his attention. The sun cast a dark shadow from the shed in front of the door, but the green of the grass was still bright in the sun.

“Hold up! Are you serious about this or what?” He softly inquired.

“What? Well, you tell me. Does it look like I’m messin’ around?” Terasaka responded, slightly caught off guard by the sudden presence of the shorter bluenette.

“I’m just saying.. If you’ve got a plan, let the rest of us in on it and we might be able to–”

“Oh, shut up!” Terasaka quickly shoved Nagisa back. “Damn, you people make me sick, you know that? Always huddling together, terrified to make a move on your own!” Nagisa tried to back away but still got caught by Terasaka’s rough hands shoving him and his voice piercing his ears. “I ain’t gonna be like the rest of you; I have a vision! A wolf’s got eyes for prey and the cow’s got eyes for hay!” He reiterated before promptly walking off.

Startled, Nagisa walked back to the classroom with even more doubt about Terasaka’s plan. *Alright then, I guess he knows what he’s doing. Still, it seems like he’s more confident in his plan than in himself. I mean what he just said? Seriously? No way he came up with that on his own,* Nagisa chuckled as he thought about it, easily taking his mind off of the situation. *Wait ‘til Karma hears about this one,* he smiled.

—

The class stood in the pool, their feet grazing the stone at the bottom as their hands gripped their green, S.A.A.U.S.O knives. The gentle breeze rippled the water around them; bright and blue as it soaked their swimwear. Terasaka stood, fully clothed, eyeing each of them. Karma had seen himself out when it was mentioned that the class had to stand in the pool in order for the attempt to work; he didn’t fancy being wet.

“There we go! Everybody stay spread out like that!” He ordered, his voice echoing through the forest.

“Yeah, we get it. Thanks,” Megu sarcastically replied under her breath.

“I’m not so sure about this plan of yours,” Takebayashi, who leaned against the rocky wall by Terasaka, stated. He didn’t stand in the pool and instead stood by to watch. “It’s highly unlikely we’ll get Koro-Sensei in the water against his will,” he admitted, pushing his glasses up.

“How likely is it that I get you in the water against your will?” He teased, throwing him into the water by his arm. Takebayashi quickly recovered, wiping his spherical glasses from the water that got on them as he fell headfirst into the pool.

Kimura and Mimura winced. “We obey the guy and suddenly he goes power-mad…”

“Yeah. It kind of reminds me of the way he used to push people around back in second year,” Mimura stated.

Just then, Koro-Sensei stood front and center as he landed himself right next to Terasaka from the blue sky. He gazed out across the pool, looking at his students who wielded their knives.

“Aha! So I assume the idea is to push me into the water and then have everyone converge on me with their knives. Have you worked out how to actually get me into the water?” Koro-Sensei chuckled. “It’s only good sportsmanship to tell you that that fancy pistol of yours won't do the trick.”

Terasaka flashed back to the moment Shiro handed him the pistol in his hands. He had been told it wasn’t a typical gun but rather a special transmitter that would alert him and Itona to when all the pieces were in place for their attempt. All he had to do was get his classmates into their proper positions and pull the trigger; they’d handle the rest.

“Best say your prayers, monster! This is it,” Terasaka then pointed the pistol to his teacher, who gave him his signature toothy grin.

“I’m ready when you are! My sinuses have even cleared.”

“For the record, I’ve always hated you with a passion. I couldn’t wait for you to just die already,” Terasaka stated, which earned cocky green stripes adorning his teacher’s face.

“Oh, I’m well aware. I think we should have a little talk after this and sort out our differences!” Koro-Sensei suggested.

*This will wipe that stupid smile off his face. Itona, you’re up!* He then pulled the trigger.

The little wooden dam that held the water flow from the pool then burst open after a small yet deafening creak. Terasaka and Koro-Sensei quickly looked over to see the class struggling against the current. Water was being sucked out of the hole at high speed, taking the students with it. Koro-Sensei was in the air within seconds to retrieve those who had already fallen victim to the harsh stream; he couldn’t just leave those poor young souls to drown. Karma, who had been lurking nearby, heard the commission and came running despite the fact there wasn’t much he could do. He just watched as Koro-Sensei’s tentacles whipped through the air, grabbing students left and right and setting them gently on the ground outside of the crystal waters.

There was a waterfall ahead, past the stream now flowing; if they went over it they’d most certainly fall victim to death as well. He can’t rescue them without getting wet and by the time he’d save them all his fingers would be swollen. Typically, he’d have used his mucus as a barrier to protect his tentacles for optimal use, gelatinizing under some conditions and therefore modifying the permeation pressure. But alas, his mucus stores had run dry from the canister exposed in the classroom a day before.

“Woah, what the hell… They never told me about this!” Terasaka exclaimed, though his voice was drowned out by the sound of the rushing water and screams of his classmates. He was frozen in the clearing; all he could do was watch with a shaky hand gripping the pistol that started this mess.

Karma then noticed Terasaka, who was sitting alone now as the hole ran dry and the rest of the class farther down the mountain, speedily heading to the waterfall.

“This wasn’t part of the deal!” Terasaka exclaimed when he saw Karma was watching him. His attempts at covering up his mistake were futile nonetheless. “Itona was just supposed to help me push him in!”

“You never had a plan, did you? Just let yourself be strung along by someone else. A pawn in a game you didn’t know the rules to?” Karma asked though he was already sure of the answer.

Terasaka stayed quiet, his breath quickening as he struggled to focus. Karma placed a hand on his shoulder.

“That nice guy act you accused Koro-Sensei of having,” Karma prefaced. “I felt the same way when I first joined, y’know,”

Terasaka just scoffed.

“Come on. I’m trying to sympathize with you here. Maybe even distract you for a bit. Koro-Sensei’s got this, right?”

“Well, I never asked you to. If you’re so sure then just shut up,” Terasaka retorted.

“In that case,” Karma’s eyes darkened. “I saw what you did to Muramatsu earlier. I also heard what you did to Nagisa,” the shorter boy stated, taking Terasaka’s attention away from the issue at hand for as long as he could.

“And?”

“Do you really think that shit’s gonna slide? Shoving people around like that, damn, you’re lucky I wasn’t there!” Karma laughed as he gritted his teeth in remembrance of what he missed.

Terasaka stayed quiet, feigning a confused expression to his red-haired classmate.

“If you have time to point fingers around then take it and point it towards yourself too,” Karma reprimanded harshly, taking a new approach. “You don’t know how badly I wanted to wring your neck when I saw that but I can’t risk another suspension for saving someone from a typical bully,” Karma explained, his hand clenched tight in his pocket.

“So you’re just sitting by and watchin’?” Terasaka shot back. “Think you’re all that just because you can break a few bones?”

“If that’s what it takes to help people–”

“You ain't helping no one!” Terasaka shouted back.

“Woah, woah, I just so happen to see that shit with you and Muramatsu go down. And Nagisa was the one who told me what you said to him. Don’t get all pissed at me, man. Are you just scared people will see you for who you actually are? Someone who let this whole thing happen so you didn’t ruin your precious ego?!” Karma shot back with no thought.

“Don’t feed me that shit! Listen to me, damnit! It’s not my fault! Come on, you know I’d never sign up for something like this!” Terasaka widely motioned to the empty pool in front of them. “I was playing for an idiot, fine! But I’m still not the one who swept them all away–”

Terasaka was then interrupted by Karma’s fist clashing on his jaw. He was forced to the ground, the stronger of the two having the upper hand in bashing him to the floor.

“Hey, idiot, the only one who got swept away here is you. You’ve got two choices: keep making excuses to cover your ass or find a way to fix this,” Karma deadpanned. He then took off to where the stream was heading, following the commotion of the class as he picked up his pace.

*I always thought of myself as strong,* Terasaka reminisced to himself as he soon followed Karma, though at a much slower pace. *I singled out the wimps and made sure to put them under my thumb. Great way to feel like a boss. But at this school, none of the usual tricks landed worth a damn!* Every time Terasaka had tried to coerce his classmates into ditching class with him or doing things that they knew were forbidden, he was met with resistance. In fact, he was met with his own berate of ridicule. His usual stature was mocked and disgraced at Kunugigaoka, students left and right gawked at his laziness and bad attitude.

*No one ever caved. No one ever respected me.* He had been reminded that his usual way of life might have worked in earlier years, but once he was pushed to E-Class he really was nothing. Nobody was as scared of Terasaka as they were of the End-Class. His grades had been in a downward spiral all year, so it was no surprise he ended up there himself. *That's when the reality of it hit me. When I realized that my tough guy act was a joke to these people. I was through! No one would ever take me seriously again. All the dumbasses and jerk-offs I picked on would grow up to be big shots and shiftless idiots like me would be stuck under their thumb!* He continued to be reminded of his past as his feet twisted on each out-of-place stone or stick.

When Terasaka first got into E-Class, he figured it was no big deal and that everyone would be just like him. He was sorely mistaken once a friendly yellow teacher would step foot in the homeroom. The first day was a drastic shift; suddenly they had a goal and a purpose. Yet despite it all, he was still stuck thinking the same thing. *Here I am, a lazy, good-for-nothing, dumbass with no future–caught up in someone else's master plan*

*Is it still too late?*

—

Yoshida was picked up by his waist and hoisted onto the forest floor. It took him a moment to catch his breath. The majority of the class ran up to the edge, watching as Koro-Sensei was swept from mid-air onto the shallow water below the waterfall. There were stairs leading up the mountain as it was a main attraction for those on the main campus. Koro-Sensei crashed against the pebbles beneath the clear water, unable to shake the grasp on his lower tentacles.

“Lovely to see you again, Koro-Sensei!” Shiro announced. Itona stared at him as he recoiled his white tentacles. “Ordinary water is bad enough, isn’t it? Worse still is water treated with a chemical agent designed to slow you down,” Koro-Sensei noticed how he did, in fact, feel slower. The bucket Terasaka had poured into the stream had clearly taken effect. “Your own students saw to it that things went swimmingly,” Shiro chuckled and motioned for Itona to begin.

The scrawny boy’s pure tentacles slithered out of his hair, whipping the air around them as he started to walk closer to Koro-Sensei.

“How’s it going, brother? I believe you and me are slated for a friendly little rematch,” he taunted. He then whipped the air around Koro-Sensei with his tentacle but his teacher had still managed to dodge the attack.

“Wow! You’re fast. And stronger than I recall!” Koro-Sensei remarked, though he had a fair share of difficulty composing himself.

“We reduced the number of tentacles, focusing the speed and power on those remaining. Now even a simple child can master them,” Shiro explained.

“This is unreal!” Karma exclaimed as he came up to the group at the ledge. He watched the fight below them vigorously.

“It’s only a foot of water. Can it seriously throw him off that much?” Megu asked with wide eyes.

“The water ain't his only problem,” Terasaka’s voice was heard from behind them as he was seen running up to them.

“You’ve got some nerve!” Isogai furrowed his eyebrows at his classmate; his voice was mildly threatening.

“Look, he just saved you from drowning. He can’t go all out because he’s spent and his attention is still divided,” the boy then pointed off to where Hara was sitting, clutching a branch from where she was placed. “See? That fatass is gonna fall,” Koro-Sensei had been pulled down in the middle of trying to set her farther away from the ledge, and it was clear he was busy defending himself alongside her.

“Don’t call her that!” Kaede glared at him. “The branch just can’t support her weight!” Kaede exclaimed, though she was stopped from trying to rush over to her. “He can’t focus on the fight because he’s too worried about them!”

“How else are we going to help them?” Kurahashi cried out, her hands flapping quickly in front of her.

“Wait, wait… This wasn’t even your plan, was it? You got roped into this!” Isogai then realized, noticing how Terasaka had been trying to take initiative with the situation again.

“Hey, that’s what happens when you have sight and no vision, right? Thing is, though, if I’m gonna be played… I’ve had it up to here with these jerks and the idea of them getting the prize money? Don’t get me started,” he explained. He then turned to Karma.

“You’re a smart dude, Karma! You be the puppet master and I’ll be the puppet!”

“What?” Karma looked at him with a confused expression.

“Come up with something! If you’re the brains then I’m the brawn. Give me a damn plan and I’ll save every one of them, the monster included!”

Karma smiled. “I dunno, sure you wanna be my lackey? I’m pretty devious. You might get killed,” he joked, grabbing at his shirt. Terasaka took it off and handed it to him.

“Oh, big deal! Devious I can handle, just make sure it’s good,” Terasaka responded confidently. Karma then explained his idea in vague detail, tossing his shirt back to his classmate as he waited for his response. Terasaka then took down the concrete stairs as fast as his body let him, his shirt gripped tight in his hands.

“Now, Itona! Strike the killing blow!” Shiro’s voice echoed above the roar of the waterfall.

“Wait!” Terasaka shouted.

“Can I help you?” Shiro looked at the boy, disregarding his annoyance at the fact he had been interrupted.

“I bet you guys think you played me pretty good!”

“Does that wound your ego? “There’s something to be said for being the perfect foil, my friend. Or are you suddenly upset that we endangered the classmates you care nothing for?” Shiro taunted.

“Laugh it up, man! Payback’s about to be a real bitch!” Terasaka then pulled his arms through the sleeves of his shirt, putting it on so that the unbuttoned side exposed his back. “Itona! You and me one-on-one!” He challenged.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Koro-Sensei tried to stop the two, though Itona already had his target locked.

“I wasn’t talking to you, tentacles!” He shouted back.

“Aw, he’s tapped into his inner hero! Shut him down, Itona,” Shiro gave his permission to the smaller boy.

“What have you done?!” Nagisa shrieked.

“No worries. They aren’t gonna kill a student; we’re too valuable alive. As long as we’re in danger, Koro-Sensei can’t concentrate on the fight. Even Hara isn’t that bad off because if she falls either he or Itona is bound to catch her. It may look like he’s in over his head but Terasaka knows exactly what to expect! Tentacle boy will try to knock him unconscious but if he grabs on and rides it out then we’re good!” Karm gave a cheeky smile to his friend.

As if he commanded Itona to do so, the boy’s white tentacles came hurling toward Terasaka. The larger boy took the hit as he wrapped his arms around the tentacle, his shirt getting damp in the process. He bit back the pain in his stomach, glaring at Itona as the tentacle in his grasp struggled to slither its way back.

“That’s an impressive grip you’ve got there! Let’s see if it holds up under another lash,” Shiro stated.

Itona then sneezed, his tentacle softening under Terasaka’s grip.

“That’s yesterday’s shirt. The one he had on when he bug-bombed the class. Unless he did laundry last night, there’s still some residue on it from whatever weird chemical was in that can. I figured if it affected Koro-Sensei it’ll affect Itona and there you go!” Karma laughed at Itona, who kept sneezing as he recoiled his mucus-covered tentacle.

Koro-Sensei then used that opportunity to grab Hara from the branch she was clinging to. Logically, the two had the same weaknesses so it was easy for the class to take Itona by surprise as they piled down the stairs and into the shallow water. The class then splashed Itona with as much water as they could, cheering and laughing as they did so as if it were playful banter. Karma, who had followed them down, took to perching on a rock to avoid being splashed.

“Damn, that escalated quickly,” he said to himself. “I guess you have a problem with water retention too…” He then looked to Shiro and raised his voice above the water and laughter. “Alright here’s the deal: we’re not okay with you hoggin' all the prize money or with the fact your plan involved putting our lives on the line. Slapping one of our own around doesn’t sit well with us either so if you want to keep at this, you’re going to have to face all of us!” He reprimanded the two.

“Well played, children. We withdrawal. The slaughter of innocents was never our intention. Come along, Itona!” He called for Itona as he folded his hands over and let his white sleeves droop over his chest.

“Well, wasn’t that a fun way to spend the afternoon? There’s always room for one more!” Koro-Sensei suggested after Itona seemed hesitant to follow.

“Itona?” Shiro looked back at the boy. He then followed suit and walked alongside the man in white.

“Finally. I thought we’d never get rid of those two,” Sugino admitted as he sighed with relief. “It’s a good thing we’re quick on our feet or you’d be a goner!” He chuckled as he looked up at Koro-Sensei’s swollen face.

“Oh, that’s adorable! I still had a few tricks up my sleeves!” His voice was muffled, his round and yellow head compressing with moisture.

“Hey, Terasaka, in case you’re wondering,” Hara seethed from behind her classmate. “I heard your comment about my weight. We ‘fatties’ prefer the term full figure!”

“Ah! I didn’t mean to be a dick I was just sizing up the conversation!” Terasaka waved his hands frantically in front of him, trying to dismiss the idea.

“Sizing it up!?” Hara pointed her finger at him, though she couldn’t help but try to hide a smile. “I may be on the hefty size but I can still kick your ass!” She backed up against the taller rock that Karma was perched on, to which he also joined in.

“Wow, a little courtesy goes a long way, man, you should try it next time,” he teased. “It’s kinda hard for you to ‘run from the wolves’ with your foot in your mouth, just saying,” Karma said under his breath, giggling to himself.

“Why don’t you get down off your perch and say that to my face you little fuck!” Terasaka then grabbed his dark pants and pulled him down to his level. Karma struggled against the tug, falling into the shallow water.

“You fuck! How– What!?” He exclaimed, his body hunched over and stiff, “I’m supposed to be your puppet master, am I not?” He threatened.

“Don’t even go there! That was a temporary arrangement and you’re not the one who took a tentacle to the gut!” Terasaka pointed his finger at Karma, who tried to stand up straight while being wet. His mind was clogged as he tried to rid himself of the feeling of his clothes sticking to his damp body. “That’s right; I was down here taking all the hits 'cause you don’t have the balls to do your own dirty work!”

“True! You did sort of keep your distance the whole time,” Nakamura chimed in. “You don’t like getting your hands dirty? We can help you fix that!” She then jumped Karma and tackled him to the pebbly floor. Karma shrieked as he tried to shove her off of him, but the water only got in the way. Terasaka cheered her on as she practically drowned him in inch-deep water. Maehara joined in on the cheering, much to Karma’s detest.

“I guess we can all agree that Terasaka isn’t exactly cut out to be a mastermind but when tasked to put someone else’s plan into action he’s invaluable. On the field, his confidence shines through and things get done!” Koro-Sensei noted. “No self-respecting assassination squad should be left without him,” he then chuckled as he heard Karma calling for him.

“Koro-Sensei! Send her to the principal's office immediately and have her expelled!” He cried out, in near tears from being soaked.

“You did not just quote that-” Nakamura was then cut off by Karma finally slipping away and running to hide behind Terasaka, who-much to his surprise-actually aided in his escape.

Terasaka may be hot-headed but he belonged there nonetheless. The trouble is, E-Class was so caught up in the moment that they’ve overlooked something; something major, in fact. Koro-Sensei’s biggest weakness yet.

Chapter Text

The most important time for Kunugigaoka Junior High students fell upon them; finals. Times of turmoil where the End-Class would be ridiculed for their low grades and test scores. At Kunugigaoka Academy, grades were everything and everyone knew what happened to those who failed–that alone was enough to keep them striving for excellence. As a cram school, students were expected to do just that. Koro-Sensei had taken the class outside into a larger clearing of the forest for one-on-one tutoring, similar to their midterms. He made it his goal to help their minds flow with good knowledge as his duplicates flung around to each individual who sat on the warm grass or fallen logs.

“The basics you seem to have down, Nagisa, and if your performance in the first semester is anything to go on, I think we can reasonably expect your scores to skyrocket!” Koro-Sensei complimented the bluenette who had his back against a thick tree.

“But what’s the deal? Will it be like last time: either we place in the top fifty or you pack it up and go?” He asked, his eyes darting as his teacher's double zipped from side to side.

“Nope! With midterms, I’ve come to realize my focus on rank was too short-sighted. Far more than that, each of you has individual goals tailored to affect personal academic growth. Therefore, I’ve devised the perfect target: an objective customized to your needs as assassins,” Koro-Sensei explained. He held up vocabulary cards and shuffled them with his tentacles as he spoke. Suddenly, the breeze that was implemented into the clearing with Koro-Sensei’s speed halted as a singular teacher stood in the center of the clearing, effectively gaining his class’ attention. “Now then, you’ll recall that Shiro revealed to us that the loss of a tentacle results in diminished speed,” Koro-Sensei then split himself up again in the same way he had done before. He then demonstrated his claim by shooting his finger with a pink B.B. bullet, his speed without reduction.

“See?” He prefaced. One of his doubles had shrunk in size significantly, and more beginning to follow suit. “One less appendage and already the integrity of my doppelgangers is compromised. Note that now several of them have become childhood versions of yours truly! Lose another…” Koro-Sensei shot at his leg, which slid off of him. His doubles shrunk again. “Even more child clones thrown into the mix–along with fretful parent clones struggling to make ends meet!” As the story got sadder, he chuckled. “Lose another…” He shot his other yellow finger which writhed onto the grassy floor under his feet. His clones shrunk again, some diminishing slowly and vanishing entirely.

“The father clone has walked out, leaving the poor beleaguered mother clone to fend for her latchkey brood, however she can,” the wind then stopped again, though the absence of the small clones went unnoticed as Koro-Sensei stood upright in the clearing, his students still watching him closely.

“The main takeaway here, class, is that each tentacle lost represents a ten percent reduction in my agility, which brings me to my proposition. Those of you who get the highest scores on your final, and/or the best ranking in each individual subject are vouchsafe for the right to obliterate exactly one tentacle a piece!” He announced, which perked up his audience. “This is how we’ll do finals here, everyone. This is the assassination classroom! Ask yourself: are you prepared to inch ever closer to the grand prize?”

*I’ve got to hand it to him, the one thing Koro-Sensei does better than anything is motivating,* Nagisa thought, taking the challenge head-on with his peers.

—

“Frankly, your suggestion appalls me. I’m an educator; I have no vested interest in seeing E-Class fail,” Principal Asano spoke slowly. He sat in his chair, facing out through the back windows despite the visitors across his maplewood desk.

“Well, obviously I can see that. It’s this stuffed shirt that needs convincing,” Professor Bitch pointed to Kurasama, who stood right next to her with his arms by his side. Principal Asano hummed in consideration.

“Let me be perfectly clear, the chief aim of this institution is to foster student autonomy. Our students determine their own level of achievement. My role is simply ancillary–I do nothing but monitor,” Principal Asano stated, setting a clear precedent for his own liability within his school.

He then saw the two E-Class teachers out, who had no choice but to comply and leave the office to head back to the old campus. As they were in the main campus hallway, they passed by many students meandering the halls and talking loudly in cliches.

“It’s hard to trust a man who throws ten-dollar words in your face. That shit about autonomy? Ugh,” Professor Bitch complained, her hips swinging as she walked alongside Kurasama.

“Yeah, well, all we can do is hope that none of the tricks he pulls this time are new,” Kurasam mumbled.

“Hey! Since Koro-Sensei’s rewarding their test scores, we need to get in there! What do you think about me teaching phys ed for a little while?” Professor Bitch suggested, her arm linking around Kurasama’s dress shirt. “Please? I could give them an edge!” She bargained when she got no response.

“Stick with language arts and stop that,” Kursama unlinked his arm and continued walking with stoic nonchalance.

*Back at the old campus:*

“A tentacle for each personal best on our final?” Nagisa crossed his arms over his chest.

Okuda and Kaede stood next to him while Sugino sat at Nagisa’s desk.

“I know! It’s so exciting, huh?” Okuda beamed, her eyes seemingly lighting up with enthusiasm.

“Wow, Okuda. You seem pretty fired up about this,” Karma noted, walking up to the group as well.

“Of course!” She replied, her hands folded in her lap as she stood and faced her classmate. “I know science backwards and forwards so this is my chance to finally contribute to the cause!”

“What’s cool is everybody’s good at something on the test. Koro-Sensei’ll lose so many arms he won’t have a prayer!” Kaede chimed in.

Just then, Sugino’s phone began to vibrate on the desk in front of him, grabbing the group’s attention as they fell quiet.

“It’s Shindō,” Sugino said, picking up the phone and sliding the green phone key to answer the call. “Hey, what’s up? How’s it goin’, man? Still licking your wounds from that game?” He asked when he put the phone to his ear.

“Yeah. Hell of a tournament, huh? Remember how I said that payback was a bitch? Best make it to high school so we can actually go head-to-head,” he replied over the phone. Sugino chuckled.

“Doesn’t sound like you hold out a lot of hope for me,”

“Listen. Something you should know. Right now, as I’m talkin’ to you, A-Class is holed up in one of the main campus’ conference rooms doing an independent study hall. It’s being led by a bunch of geniuses–I mean, the school’s finest. They’re called the big five,” Shindō explained.

“The big five?” Sugino restated, putting the phone on speaker.

“Coming in at second place on the midterms, upwardly mobile, ruthless multinational social networking conglomerate CEO in training as well as media club president and social engineer: Teppei Araki. In third place, the envy of the humanities department, inimitable wordsmith, student council secretary, and perspicacious poet: Ren Sakikabara. In fifth place, is a true sorcerer of science, consumed by fantasies of retribution against physics, and even biology club president: Natsuhiko Koyama. In sixth place, an infamous man who sharpened his tongue on a West Coast vernacular while kicking in L.A., and the student council meeting leader: Tomoya Sayo.”

“Uhm…” Sugino interrupted when the snickering of his friends grew louder. “Quick question, dude, what are you doing with your voice?” Karma then laughed again when he heard the stuttering that ensued over the phone.

“Oh, uhm… I’ve always wanted to be an announcer! Just practicing,” Shindō chuckled nervously.

“You’re doing great,” Kaede encouraged awkwardly.

“Anyways, lording over all of these guys is the grand overachiever. In first place, hoisting his place on the top spot of the national mock exams with perfect scores in every subject, the man with a genetic disposition to lead, and student council president: Gakushu Asano!” Shindō explained, though this time in his usual voice.

“The principal's only son…” Sugino muttered under his breath.

*Inside the main campus’ conference room with A-Class:*

“We are the best and brightest; the sun around which the entire student body orbits. Alas, the storm clouds are moving in everybody, casting their palm over our brilliance from below. E-Class attempted to scratch and bite their way into the top fiftieth percentile during midterms. Now that finals are upon us, measures must be taken to drive the untouchables out. We must see to it that the storm clouds evaporate and that our incandescence slices through,” Asano spoke diligently. The room clapped and agreed wholeheartedly. He brushed his light orange hair out of his eyes as he took his seat alongside the big five, gazing at those who began their work thereafter.

Several minutes went by as those working continued solving math problems and writing sentences to practice vocabulary. Some typed while others scratched with pencils on mock exams.

“Excuse me, Mr. President?” A young student with big green eyes asked, waving Asano over. “About question three..” Asano looked over it, and with a sweet smile began to answer her question.

“Ah, that is a puzzler. Try again and be sure to complete the square first. Do you know the axis equation? X equals A,” Asano explained, his soft hands resting on the table around her paper.

“Oh, of course!” She replied, completing the square and plugging in the numbers with ease as Asano overlooked her work once she finished.

Ren sat close by another young girl who was struggling to find evidence inside a book of poetry. He spoke softly to her, reading an excerpt, “Oh Geraldine, one hour was thine. Thoust had my will by tairn and rill. The night birds all that hour were still but now they are jubilant anew,” he began. “In this poem, we know Christabel is meant to portray good through her virginity, prayers, and kindheartedness when she offers to save Geraldine from her kidnappers, right? What does this excerpt do to prove that case?”

“Come on, this isn’t rocket science! I’ve seen babies more eloquent than you!” Another person raised their voice, pointing to a paper with furrowed eyebrows. “This single innovation affected fundamental change across the field of information theory! Are you even listening? Don’t assume this won’t be on the exam!”

*Back on the phone with Shindō and Sugino:*

“You gotta figure high scores are a given with this bunch. The head honchos have ambition, charisma, reputations to uphold, and above all the desire to keep you down. Asano has perfect scores in every subject and the other four are experts. You can’t be messing around; it’s serious business. They’re hardcore about not wanting you guys back on the main campus. It’s like their point of pride," he explained.

“Thanks for the tip, Shindō. They don’t have to worry for now. We’re not really looking to go back. It’s kinda personal… I’d explain if I could but let’s just say that beating A-Class isn’t in our best interest. We’re still fighters, though, you know that,” Sugino said, the phone resting on the polished wooden desk around the group.

“More power to you. Just remember this is your fight so leave me out of it,” Shindō chuckled. The two then bid goodbye just shy of three. The sun was high in the sky when the final bell rang from the post by the entrance of the old campus. Those who were still in the classroom picked up their bags and began to pile out of the homeroom.

After a few minutes of waiting about and waving goodbye to their friends and classmates, Karma, Nagisa, and Kaede began to walk out of the schoolhouse. They were relatively quiet as they saw the rest of the groups lackadaisically walking down the dirt path to the main campus.

“Wait, guys, wait up!” Isogai was heard calling the three back. Nagisa and Kaede turned to look at him.

“What’s up?” Nagisa asked, having already waved him goodbye as they passed him in the hallway.

“Would you guys want to study at the main campus library tomorrow after class?” He asked, Nakamura stopping in her tracks right behind him. “I reserved us a spot,” Isogai pulled out a handful of green and white tickets from an unzipped pocket in his backpack. “Actually, I’ve been holding onto this for a while. Normally we’re dead last on the waiting list so this little miracle is like a platinum ticket,” Nagisa and Kaede immediately wished to join, Nakamura also tagging along with a smile as they made plans to meet up by the campus gate after school the following day. Karma, however, ignored the invitation and continued to walk down to the main campus in the middle of Isogai’s offer. It was certainly worth putting their teacher’s tentacles on the line to fire them up for finals.

—

The blinds were shut tight in the main office of Kunugigaoka Academy. The office was dark minus what little light could escape through the cracks of the blinds on the glass windows. Asano stood in front of his father’s desk, a volleyball under his left foot as he stared at him intently. After a few moments of eerie silence between the two, he spoke.

“As instructed, I’ve raised the bar considerably with regards to A-Class’ test scores. I trust that you’re satisfied,” he asked, his orange bangs swept to the side to reveal his deep purple eyes.

“Sadly, no. I require results, young man. A status report in and of itself is meaningless,” Principal Asano calculatedly swiveled his chair so he could eye his son. “You know as well as I, excellence is not rewarded as much as expected, son. If you and your classmates rank in the top fifty and secure the top spot in all subjects then you pass,” he stated coldly, as if there was no regard to his son’s report to begin with.

“All to keep the E-Class upstarts firmly in line,” Asano taunted. “I understand the principle all too well, forgive the pun. Why you cling to it is somewhat lost on me, though,” Asano flipped the ball from under his feet so it launched in the air. He caught it with his shoulder, bouncing it on his knee repeatedly as he continued to talk. “Yes, granted their grades may be on the upswing but they can only get so far. They won’t trump their betters; it’s unthinkable,” he smirked.

“Don’t let that confidence be your undoing, my boy. Things change. The scales can tip in favor of the rabble in an instant, though the elite do well to take heed,” Principal Asano watched as his son caught the ball between the groove of his neck, staring at his father with an ever-growing smile of confidence. “Those at the top must mind their balance,” his father stated.

“An excellent point very well made. I’ll see to it that we get results, sir. You may rest easy,” Asano dropped the ball and began bouncing it on his knee again, then letting it fall and catching it with his foot as he balanced on the other. “One more thing: a simple question. I’m not asking this as a student but as your son,” he prefaced slowly in anticipation.

“Oh dear. I do hope you don’t expect special treatment,” Principal Asano deadpanned.

“Oh, no, no. I wouldn’t dream of it. It’s just simple curiosity… What is it about E-Class? It’s almost as if you have something to hide,” Asano grinned widely as he lifted his leg and kicked the ball as hard as he could to his father’s chair. The crack of his shoe against the synthetic leather of the volleyball broke the eerie silence besides their voices; the air being broken by the ball’s velocity.

Principal Asano caught the ball with a single hand, a stoic expression on his face. He wasn’t giving up his E-Class secret so easily.

“You haven’t raised an idiot, father. Any fool can see the idlers have more claim to your attention these days than in years previous. Hard as it is to give credit to, I just can’t shake the idea that you’re involved in something shady. Rumors of strange happenings, eyewitnesses of a flying yellow octopus, a ridiculously disguised man buying large amounts of sweets, well-endowed coeds hearing suggestive disembodied whispers,” Asano scoffed at the information he laid out.

“What gives? Mass hallucinations or something else?” Principal Asano’s eyes narrowed at this.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were digging for something to use against me,” he suggested.

Asano’s eyes widened as he stifled a laugh. “Why on Earth would I do that? But you could hardly blame me if I were,” the volleyball was then tossed back to Asano, to which he caught it with ease. “I am your protege,” he said with a slight tinge of jealousy in his voice.

“Nice touch, indeed; spoken like a well-trained dog,” Asano’s smile dropped.

“Careful. One day the master might find himself on the leash,” he threatened, to which his father just laughed.

“Or the dog might find himself enthralled to his master as a corporate slave until the day he dies.”

Asano let up his argument. There was no beating his father, or living up to his expectations. No matter how jealous or feeble-minded his son may be, he simply can’t win against his master.

—

As Isgogai led the group to their table, the silence of the library dawned on them. There were dull conversations through the other tables, but despite that, the spacious room seemed lifeless. Pages turned sharply, people giggled at jokes being made on nearby tables, scanners beeped from books being checked out, and the E-Class students that followed Isogai’s chairs scraped along the linoleum floors. They began a few moments after settling their things about the table, Kaede sneaking a book about pastries behind her textbook and Isogai unfolding unfinished math work. It wasn’t long before a group of noticeably popular boys walked up to the diligently working group. Kanzaki sat across from Okuda, both exchanging science mock labs. Nakamura buried her nose in a language arts magazine, Nagisa finishing up the last few pages of a book Koro-Sensei recommended.

“Well, look at that, it’s the E-Class crew,” Araki sneered, an English textbook tucked under his arm. The other four virtuosos stood a pace behind him. “Why even bother? This place is wasted on you! Pearls before swine as the saying goes,” he chuckled.

The group just glared at him as he spoke.

“How cute! They’re studying,” Seo pointed at them mockingly. “Hey scrubs, playtime’s over; the big kids need their spot,” he flicked his hand as if he were shoving them off.

“Hey! Do you mind? We’re trying to fill our heads with knowledge!” Kaede shot back, raising her book. The textbook dropped and she had to embarrassingly hide the bright yellow cover of a book of universal puddings around her pale arms.

“We’re not going anywhere. We reserved these seats in advance,” Isogai explained, showing the laminated tickets he had punched as they entered the library.

“Yeah!” Nakamura sighed heavily, her head resting on the table as she placed her thumb to mark the page she left off on. “You don’t know how nice it is to study in air conditioning until you don’t have it,” she admitted, brushing her blonde hair behind her shoulder.

“Well, what do we have here? Are the hard-luck cases defying their upperclassmen? I mean, I knew they were stupid but this is a new low,” Koyama insulted, pushing his thick, black-rimmed glasses higher on his nose.

“Hey! He said these were ours!” Okuda retorted with her hands tightly clasped in her lap. “You’re not the only ones allowed to have good grades. Everyone has a right to them if they work hard. Try bossing us around when we kick your asses on the final!” She challenged them. It was unlike her to bite back at people who messed with her or her friends, though seeing her stand up for them all warmed everyone at the table’s hearts–of course, the big five didn’t agree.

“You sure have some audacity talking to me like that! And nice glasses, by the way, they make you look ridiculous as hell!” He said. He flipped his long, black hair as he laughed to himself, though the table had to try their best not to laugh as he also wore glasses.

“Don’t be so quick to judge,” Ren said softly. He had snuck his way behind Kanzaki and helped himself to petting her head. She tried her best not to shove his hand away and let it happen, though it continued to creep her out. Ren’s own brown hair grazed her darker head. “Look at her; ob, my, pearls before swine indeed. Hey, there,” he greeted her, his face inches from her ear. “Something tells me you’re the sort of woman who gets her thrills from a sonnet. You make me wonder if my standards aren’t too high,” Kanzaki turned her head, covering her ear as his hot breath trickled down her neck.

“Could you get out of my ear please,” Kanzaki politely asked, though she wanted to be a little ruder to get the guy off her back.

*She really attracts the wrong kind of men…* Kaede glared at Ren, her neck burning with hatred.

“Wait a minute. I know who these kids are,” Koyama mumbled, his eyes widening. *Yukiko Kanzaki ranked twenty-third in Japanese. Rio Nakamura ranked eleventh in English. Yuma Isogai ranked fourteenth in social studies. Manami Okuda ranked seventeenth in science,* he thought.

“Oops! Sorry, turns out these aren't your average everyday dumbasses!” He chuckled, patting the top of Okuda’s head harshly. She swatted his hands away in discomfort. “These guys actually have some academic chops!” Koyama expressed.

Araki walked over to stand next to his classmate, resting his shoulder on Nakamura as if she were the chair herself. “Is that a fact? Interesting. Well as long as we’re here why not make it even more interesting? Let's waver those jobs against stakes higher than bragging rights. Whoever scores lower has to do what the other class says. Does that sound fun?” His classmates chuckled at the incentive.

Seo then walked behind Nagisa, kneeling his elbow on the back of the chair to level himself with the smaller bluenette. “Well? Where the hell’s that attitude all of a sudden?” There was a member of the big five behind everyone but Kaede, who was still focused on hiding the yellow cover of her pudding book. She still watched them all level themselves with her friends with fierce, emerald eyes.

“If you wanted to, we’d even put our lives on the line.”

With that, Isogai’s eyes darted to the others, who then picked up a mechanical pencil from their workplace. Nagisa was the last to do so, and after a brief period of silence and pure anticipation of E-Class’ response, they gave it. Each student drove the mechanical pencil right up to the skin of the big five, who in response jumped back in fear. There were dots on each of their faces from where the pencils had prodded their complexions; those complexions were now born of pale fear.

“I’d be more careful about putting my life on the line if I were you,” Nagisa lowly responded. The big five slowly began to regroup and retreat out of the library. The eyes that were focused on the commotion slowly made their way back to focusing on their schoolwork, chatter beginning soon after as well.

“You don’t scare us. We have ourselves a deal,” Seo stated.

“You don’t even know what we’re gonna make you do if you lose!” Koyama’s shrill voice exclaimed.

“Don’t try backing out now, okay?” Ren finished before turning and joining the group who was swiftly making their way through the exit doors.

“Oh, great…” Isogai sighed. “Wait until everyone else hears about this,” he grumbled.

*In the A-Class homeroom:*

“I- I know it was stupid but, look, I was only trying to make a point, okay?” Araki stammered in the presence of Asano, who was seated in the front row with his fingers linked under his chin. “I never thought they’d actually take us up on it.”

“It’s alright, you’re not in trouble,” Asano teased, “In fact, this might be a good way to inspire A-Class.”

The rest of the group sighed in relief.

“But for now, let us focus on clarifying the terms. We don’t want confusion later down the road. I propose the winners be allowed only one demand to be specified after finals are done,” Asano explained with a soft voice.

“Not to rock the boat but seriously? Only one?” Koyama reiterated.

“Yeah, not a lot we can do with that,” Ren agreed.

“Oh, I believe there’s plenty we can do with that if the demand is this…” He then opened his laptop and started typing. It was only a few more moments of anticipation until he lifted his delicate fingers and turned the laptop around. “Signing a contract that pledges their total subjugation to us in fifty separate clauses. Upon observance of full compliance, the constituents of A-Class agree to act as role models for the constituents of E-Class. Classic status of forces agreement, is it not?” Asano smiled at their shocked faces.

*Nested among reams of jargon hides an item of special interest. A subclause forbidding E-Class from keeping the tiniest of secrets,* Asano smiled to himself, turning the laptop around so it faced him. One line of terms read: “When the A-Class asks the E-Class a question, they will answer truthfully, concealing nothing.” Asano hadn’t let up his initial curiosity that was previously shut down by his forebodingly dismissive father. *Whatever you’re trying to smoke screen, father, don’t think I won’t find it. Once they’ve signed this, the E-Class adults will be a cinch to shake down. Soon I’ll have uncovered your biggest weakness. You’ll be at my mercy and we all know your thoughts on that.* He thought.

Koyama began to laugh, readjusting his eyewear. “One demand encompassing fifty-line terms of servitude? Sounds like a win-win to me, boss!” He happily obliged.

“Not bad,” Ren complimented. “Did you come up with all of these off the top of your head? You’re terrifying, man,” he admitted.

Asano lifted his head from his palm, his purple eyes gazing up at them from where he sat in front of them. His mind was back in the classroom at that point; Ren’s words seeming to lure him back to reality. “What do you mean by that? I’m a little hurt,” he innocently smiled before his demeanor changed from innocent to unnerving within a single blink. “I'm just a student humbly exercising his autonomy in a nurturing environment. Nothing scary about that in the least. If my grasp of civil law is such that I know how to crush a man, what of it?” He then stood up and turned to face the rest of A-Class. “Right! The point I’m laboring toward is this: when we play, we play for keeps. In school as in life, there is one rule: only the weak show mercy. Our job is to light the way. Let’s all show them what the game is about!” As he finished his speech, the class began to happily cheer for themselves.

*You have to give the guy credit; he knows how to rally the troops. Is he a hypocrite? Yes. Can we see through him? Of course! Do we go along with the bastard anyway? Absolutely. He’s the undisputed heavyweight champion of coercion. There can’t be anyone in this damn school who can beat him,* Akari thought to himself. He couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous at the life Asano led, though he didn’t know the trouble he had gone through for the life that was supposedly on Easy Street.

*At the E-Class homeroom:*

Karma leaned back in his chair, jokingly laying a book on his face and pretending to sleep despite the double of Koro-Sensei vigorously attempting to get him to actually look at the words on the pages of the history book.

“Blast it all, Karma! Wake up and get with the program! Apply yourself for heaven’s sake; you could get the best overall score!” He scolded.

“Calm down, teach. You and I both know I’m gonna do just fine. My laziness is a credit to your study method. We can both afford to relax–you especially right now, I mean just look at yourself. You’re starting to come off like a regular teacher; uptight and boring,” he admitted, dropping the book on the table. “Plus, I hate history,” Koro-Sensei remained quiet. “Also, we’ve already got a plan of attack, right? You should have a little more faith in it. Are you that worried about A-Class winning this?” Karma teased.

“Why should we worry? Come on, man, we’re us! We’ve got absolutely nothing to lose. What can they do?” Okajima agreed.

“If we win, they’ll do whatever we tell them to!” Kurahashi chimed in, “I say we force them to let us use the cafeteria!” She bounced her feet below her desk as she beamed.

“Not a bad idea, but what about this,” Koro-Sensei prefaced, zipping to the front of the classroom in one swift motion. “I say we force them to relinquish their pride and joy!” He then held up a Kunigigaoka packet with his yellow fingers.

“The school pamphlet?” Nakamura asked.

Koro-Sensei then flipped over the pamphlet to reveal a sunny image of an Island off the coast of Japan; Okinawa.

“You’re already well acquainted with being the low man on the totem pole, but I want you to experience what it’s like to fight one’s way, tooth and nail, to the top! An assassin aims high to bring his target low,” he established.

—

“My son has stirred up quite a blood frenzy among his peers,” Principal Asano paced down a narrow passageway between long, gray desks. In front of each chair was a bright computer screen and a school administrator typing voraciously on a keyboard. “We must utilize his ferment to improve our fine institutions Stanford deviation,” he openly demanded.

“Worry not, principal, the questions here will bedevil even A-Class. It’s my best work! Concentrated nuggets of specialized knowledge, these. Oh, I hesitate to even call them exam questions at this stage,” the head member said. He leaned back on his desk, pausing from typing to admire his own hard work. Asano stood at the other side of his desk, looming over him with an impenetrable gaze. “No! They’ve become conundrums; riddles; outright beasts!”

“Satisfactory. No doubt they will inspire,” Principal Asano condemned.

*FINAL’S DAY:*

Nakamura led Nagisa down the hallway. The two paired up when Nakamura caught up to him from halfway down the mountain to the main campus. She tapped her red pencil case on her shoulder as she fiddled with a mechanical pencil in her other hand. Nagisa had put his own in his dark blue vest pocket.

“Alright, Nagisa, you ready to kick ass or what?” She smiled.

“I guess. If the test is fair-” Nagisa was cut off by his friend pointing the red case to him as they walked.

“Hey, hey! A tad more confidence, please! We’re shooting for the top spots on this baby so don’t mess this up,” she taunted before being caught off guard by a few D-Class members snickering at the pair.

“This is going to be hysterical,” one laughed.

“Is the rumor true? You make a bet with A-Class? I wonder if you morons appreciate what you got yourselves into.”

Nakamura rolled her eyes and walked past the two. They extended their arm out and stuck the front end of her eraser into his nose. She pushed down on the eraser and her pencil lead extended out just as she ripped the pencil up. The classmate groaned in discomfort, then noticed she had torn the top part of his nose with the lead and he now had a bleeding nose. Nagisa just watched and nervously chuckled as he passed them to catch up to Nakamura. The two continued talking as if nothing happened, walking for a few more seconds until Nagisa grabbed the handle of the E-Class testing room.

“Looks like we’re first!” Nakamura said before noticing a strange-looking girl sitting in the back of the class. She had bright magenta hair and a white headband with a green tip. Kurasama then walked from behind them; the two hadn’t noticed he was also walking behind them from the hallway.

“Wait who’s that?” Nagisa pointed to her, lowering his voice.

“Ritsu’s proxy,” he earned a funny look from Nakamura. “Yeah, I know. The principal said an A.I. taking the finals was against protocol. Hey, at least the man was okay with us using a stand-in. Have you ever had to deal with him giving you that look? You know the one, right?” He inquired, clearly verging on complaining. “It’s just so, I don’t know, it’s like he can’t even be bothered to pity you. It makes you feel like a damn child,” he said, leaning on the door with tightly crossed arms.

“Thank you for dealing with him,” Nagisa was quick to thank Mr. Kurasama.

“You’re welcome. Anyways, me and Rtsu have a little message for you guys: do your best,” he smiled.

“You got it!” Nagisa beamed, leading Nakamura to his seat after the two bid him farewell.

After more students joined them in the classroom, the administrator handing the tests out made his way into the classroom just as the bell rang to begin testing. He handed the papers and instructed the front-row students to pass them down and so forth. As the class fell silent of all communication, the only thing heard from that point on was the scratching of pencils and the turning of pages; that and the clicking of the hands on the clock. Despite the fact they were taking the test separately, they were all in this together. There were the people they fought alongside, the people they fought against, those rooting for them, and those praying for their downfall. It was as if the testing room was an arena of timed knowledge.

They might be assassins, but at that moment they had to fight like gladiators. Another day; another bell.

Chapter Text

Koro-Sensei, standing in the freshly cut grass of the old campus grounds, listened to the gentle breeze pushing yellow dandelions. Tests are splendid; the knowledge soaked up by those eager minds in preparation may be forgotten once the dust has settled. But c’est la vie, a character-building thrill of competition and the privilege of sharpening one’s mind to a fine point. There was a challenging ecstasy of giving it their all, that being the most important treasure of all. He held a packet of the test questions in his tentacles as Professor Bitch walked up to him in curiosity. He poured over the questions, examining their substance.

“My, these are excellent questions. Good on them! I’m actually impressed,” he complimented. “This isn’t just some rote classic lit query, the students are asked to take an infamously thorny twentieth-century text and correct a misquoted passage. And Salinger no less! He wrote in a style reflective of his angsty teenage protagonist’s natural voice,” he commented, much to Professor Bitch’s surprise.

*Meanwhile at the main campus:*

Nagisa passed the stack of exams to the table behind him. Sugino grabbed them and repeated the process. The gates of their imaginations opened as they stepped foot into the exam arena; the metal bars creaking to a stop as they each stood front and center in the settled dirt of their minds. Round one was set to begin. The student’s inner world shook as the monstrous representation of their second test problem slammed its fists deep into the ground, sending a shockwave through the arena with a loud roar. The midterms had nothing on the perils of their finals. Despite the fact they were attending a top school, throwing advanced level curriculum left and right starting the third year, the entirety of their subjects compacted into a short amount of time in which they were to think and solve with a sense of perfection. The moment of truth right then and there should let their hard-earned luck shine through.

The problems seethed with their sharp teeth and towering bodies, terrorizing all the students despite those in the highest class.

“I know this card catalog backward and forwards, you don’t scare me! The E-Class guys, on the other hand, well, they might have some trouble!” Seo of class A shouted above the chaos, thrusting his golden spear through the thick skin of the last problem of the English section. His answer then faded into light, glowing brightly in front of him: ‘If you want to know the truth, I felt like slapping the cook’s face a hundred times,’ it read. The monster bellowed as the light sputtered and dissipated.

“What? How are you not out of commission?” Seo’s eyes widened as he reevaluated the problem. “That’s a quote from Huck Finn, right?” Just as he backed away, Nakamura jumped forward and launched herself to the top of the monster.

She used the end of her elongated weapon to hoist herself high into the sky, rotating the handle around and slamming the sharp end onto the head of the monster; she heard a large crack in the exposed, bony head of the problem.

“You gotta learn to relax!” She said to the boy with a smile, her body now caught on the monster as she held onto it. “Seriously, come up with a good book once in a while!” They laughed. Light poured from the top of the problem as it showcased the correct answer: ‘Honestly, I wanted to give that cook a hundred slaps in the face,’ it shined.

The monster howled as its body collapsed and began to crumble and fall apart before sinking into the dirt of the arena. Nakamura safely landed on her feet as they rode a broken arm down to the ground. She flipped her hair behind her back as Seo gawked at her in disbelief.

*She actually got it right?! Are you kidding me?* He furrowed his eyebrows.

“What? You don’t know Catcher in the Rye? Oh, wait, it’s not a textbook so why would you?” They laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

Nagisa also walked up to the two, having defeated the same problem on the opposing side of the arena. He gave Nakamura a swift high-five as the two walked away from Seo and worked their way to the next problem; they both had read the book together at Nagisa’s house, roughly a week before their final exams.

“God damnit! The lit teacher only mentioned that book in passing! We never actually read the stupid thing!” Seo chased after them with an angered expression and tone.

“Huh? So nobody recommended it to you? That is a crime! Someone needs a literate octopus to push them outside their comfort zone,” Nakamura teased, recalling Koro-Sensei’s detailed and rather persuasive review of the book. He had told them Holden Cauffield’s rebellious spirit was simply captivating and enthralling. The two had also followed up that book with Orange, which their teacher happily lent them.

Meanwhile on another section of the battlefield, Koyama wielded his twisted magic stick that helped with his own battles against the problems.

“Bring it on, science!” He shouted as a mystic purple cloud surrounded the metallic monster of the twelfth question of the science portion. The monstrous rendering of the problem seized up upon impact with the mist, though after the cloud had dissolved into the air it picked itself back up and continued charging Koyama with great momentum and prowess. “What? But I memorized everything!” He exclaimed as he was forced into running from it to regroup. “Why can’t I get the armor to come off of it?!”

He frantically looked around, then caught a glimpse of a familiar face riding on the shoulder of the same problem, though rendered on a different monster. Manami Okuda called out to him, gripping her staff tightly in both her hands as the tamed, metallic monster slowly walked up to Koyama.

“It’s not that easy,” she began, “How do I put this… Science isn’t just memorization! Sure, you stand on the shoulders of giants but the whole point is to see further than they did. You must think for yourself and make your own discoveries!” She beamed at Koyama, tapping the head of the monster with her staff which then disappeared into a soft glow that wrote out the correct answer. “More importantly, communicate so that the next person can stand on your shoulders!” She told him, just as Koro-Sensei had told her before.

On another corner of the arena, Araki picked himself up from a hole dented into the dirt from a history monster. His sword had been dropped as he tepidly threw it whilst running. He adjusted his glasses as he stared up at the multi-limbed monster towering over him. “How am I supposed to know how many times the Tokyo International Conference on African Development has met?!” He exasperatedly shouted. The head of the monster was depicted with an elongated neck and bright yellow eyes as a counter on the top portion connected to its shoulders displayed question number forty-seven.

Next to him, Isogai was seen jumping out of the way of a fallen problem with a fading counter of forty-seven. “Wow, that was a close call! But lucky for me I do know how many times they’ve met,” he swung his sword and rested it flat against his shoulder as he scoped the arena for the next history problem.

“Come on! What are the chances?” Araki scowled, gripping the handle of his dirty sword.

“I know, right?” Isogai humbly smiled at him as he watched Araki walk up to him. “Coincidence, I guess. I happen to sympathize with poverty issues. The thing is, my family’s dirt poor so I kind of get it! I actually got a chance to go there recently. It’s a really fascinating place; you should visit too,” Isogai explained, flashing back to the time Koro-Sensei had flown him through the sky on an educational night trip one weekend. Akari ignored him and huffed behind his back. He picked up his pace as he charged the forty-eighth monster.

Nearby them, tall monsters with red armor wielding swinging samurai swords of their own were heard grunting and falling to their demise.

“Spring has gone away and summer come, it would seem from those white hemp robes laid to dry in the sunlight on Kagu's Heavenly Hill,” Kanzaki spoke aloud with a soft voice that was hardly heard above the discord.

Sakura petals fluttered around the wounded monster which fell on the dirt; its body was soaked up by the dirt as the petals soon followed its arid path.

Ren chuckled from beside her, even in her mind he continued to plague. “A translation worthy of your beauty, my dear. However, a sloppy modern syntax is not a satisfactory answer on the finals,” he teased, rolling his shoulders back as he lunged forward on the same problem with his samurai sword intact. Kanzaki only ignored him as she frolicked off to the next monstrous problem.

In reality, Asano sat with a numb expression plastered on his face. He was on the last page of the math portion, easily flowing through problem after problem with only the chip of his mechanical pencil to stop him. Karma, in a different room albeit, followed closely behind him with the same amount of earnest prowess. Asano began to think about the next problem. *Akabane is a member of E-Class, isn’t he? He placed second on the midterms; right below me. Quite an accomplishment for a slacker, though it’s still commendable rather than intimidating. I am anything but a slacker.* He filled in the next question without much more thought.

In the other room, Karma pushed the rest of his finished tests aside and paused his writing on the last page of the math portion. He examined the rest of his class, a smile growing on his face as he noticed how far ahead he was. *Look at them all, so panicked. So hellbent on not screwing up,* He flipped his pencil between his fingers. *The key to true victory is learning how not to take the game so seriously. It doesn’t matter how hard your opponent works if you’re better than them; in fact, it’s fun,* he looked back to his paper, his pencil gliding across the words as he read them.

Two days of testing and putting it all on the line. Everything they attempt to do lives or dies by the number of red circles each of them attains.

*The day after testing in E-Class’ homeroom:*

Koro-Sensei held a stack of brown envelopes between his yellow, tentacled fingers. He straightened the stack with a soft tap on the teachers’ desk. The class in front of him awaited patiently, though anticipation continued to creep up and bubble over as their teacher began to speak.

“Alright, class, this is it. The test scores are in,” after the words fell out of his mouth, the class was filled with an awkward silence. “Without further ado, the English portion,” Koro-Sensei unraveled the first envelope, taking out the score sheet from within. Fuwa stood by the window with a large sheet of paper to calculate scores in terms of A-Class versus E-Class.

“First in E-Class and– Oh? First in the entire grade: Rio Nakamura!” The class clapped in excitement as Nakamura beamed. She then stood to retrieve her test from the front of the room. “Well done, my dear. I’m glad to see my misgivings about your enthusiasm were unfounded,” Koro-Sensei handed them her paper.

“Hey, nothing comes between me and the promise of cash. There is a little amount of your tentacle, right? You haven’t forgotten?” They asked with a wink.

“Perish the thought,” he replied, reaching from the envelope. His super-sonic tentacles then handed out the rest of the tests within a matter of seconds, the rest of the students overlooking their scores.

“Nagisa,” Koro-Sensei caught the attention of the bluenette, who had placed in sixth place overall and second in E-Class. “Good show overall, but it seems we still have a tiny issue with your spelling. Nicely done securing second place in our class!” Nagisa returned the smile.

“In the meantime, as agreed, top marks in a given subject equal one tentacle down. Let’s continue pouring over the grades to see if I’ll lose more.”

His tentacled fingers unraveled the next envelope with a higher amount of anticipation from his peers. He took out the first sheet and began again, “First in E-Class for Japanese: Yukiko Kanzaki!” Kanzaki looked up from her English grade and began to smile as the class clapped for her as well. “I’m afraid the honor of first in the entire grade goes to A-Class’ Gakushuu Asano,” Koro-Sensei handed her her test as she walked up to the front to retrieve it, awkwardly walking between the aisle of desks. “Still, you gave the principal’s son a run for his money!” Koro-Sensei then handed everyone else their tests as well, his tentacles zipping across the classroom.

“That guy’s a total know-it-all. What an asshole… Nakamura only beat him by the skin of their teeth,” Maehara groaned, noticing he was placing average scores himself.

“It’s a classic type A personality. I guess that’s the reason he’s ranked nationally, huh?” Isogai chimed in.

“All of the big five jerks are ranked nationally, though! Asano’s just king of the kill. It's like no one gets to the top without going through him first,” Maehara responded with a duller expression.

“Moving on from that,” Koro-Sensei dug into the next envelope without much thought. “In social studies, first in E-Class goes to Yuma Isogai!”

Isogai, whose desk was right in front of Koro-Sensei, was handed his test by his teacher’s long reach. “As for first in the grade,” Koro-Sensei continued, “You beat out Asano for the top spot!”

“Wow, nice job, man!” Maehara clapped for his friend alongside the class. Isogai nearly stood up from his chair in excitement as he held his test with a smile.

“Excellent job, indeed. Especially considering the fiendish questions they cast at you.”

“Right now we’re two for one!” Fuwa announced to the class as she tallied the new score. The paper was bright as the sun shone through the thin white sheet.

“Who got it for science? Okuda?” Sugaya inquired, turning his attention to the indigo-haired girl.

“First in E-Class for science is Manami Okuda!” Koro-Sensei agreed, pulling out the paper and letting his tentacle fly over to where she sat to give it to her. “Outstanding! You’re also first for the grade!” Okuda’s eyes lit up as the class cheered. She placed the science test down on her desk and happily clapped for herself as well; her score was one hundred while Koyama’s was only ninety-five.

“Three to one, guys!” Fuwa shouted, nearly leaping from the window to stand upright on the wooden floor.

“Do we even need to hear who won for math? E-Class killed it, no question about it! Nice going, Okuda!” Nakamura encouraged.

“Yeah! Girl, that tentacle is yours; you earned it!” Maehara also joined in. “Now A-Class has to do whatever we tell them to!”

*In the A-Class homeroom:*

“We’re three and two across all five subjects! The untouchables handed us our asses! This is it… We’re dead!” Koyama cried out, fixing his square glasses.

“We still beat them on overall scores, though,” Seo tried to reassure. “Don’t be a pussy; it could’ve been a lot worse,” he stated.

“Yeah at least the jackass who stole fourth place for me is choking on humble pie. Hah! Cocky bastard. Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight,” Koyama sneered.

Asano hadn’t been with them, as he had a meeting with his father and the principal of the school. He was permitted to enter shortly after coming up on the large doors of the office on the third floor.

“Come in,” his father’s voice was heard softly from behind the door.

Asano stood in the center of the room after closing the door behind himself, the chairman’s back to him as he sat at his desk.

“My congratulations to you on retaining the top rank, or so I’d like to say; would, in fact, be saying if it were not for your idiotic wager. Instead, let me offer my condolences. Indeed, it must be quite devastating to realize your loss made you the laughingstock of the entire school. What a pickle you're in. Should I step in on my son’s behalf?” His father swiveled around to give a glare at his son, seemingly condescendingly as his deep and purple eyes gazed upon his son.

Asano’s eyes darkened as he made eye contact with the principal. “Thanks, but no.”

“Have it your way,” Principal Asano stood up from his chair and made his way over to his son, his eyes never leaving his son who stood up tall in the room. “What was it you said about finding myself at the end of the leash? You’d hoped to finagle E-Class into divulging my secrets, didn’t you?” The principal was now inches from his young boy, his eyes penetrating his soul regardless of whether Asano looked back at him.

“Those aren’t your secrets to find, boy. I won’t be ensnared by a failure who can’t win a bet against his peers,” His father’s voice was low, and threatening as he continued. Despite its quietness, the tinge of power still escaped his lips and confined Asano to his father's shadow once again. Despite the rage boiling over, Asano kept his mouth shut and allowed for his father’s berating words to fall off his back; he had always been victim to his neverending tangents about perfection and striving for greatness.

If only he had been truly perfect so he could attain his father’s forgiveness.

*After class during E-Class’ lunch break:*

Karma leaned against a tree near the front entrance. He had seen himself out when he found out that he only got ninety for math, which scored him tenth place. Regardless of the fact he had one first in E-Class. This meant he didn’t have a chance in hell of blasting his teacher’s tentacles alongside his peers. It angered him twofold as the thought presented itself in endless repetition. Asano had beaten him for first in math and there wasn’t any way he could get around it. He crumpled his score sheet when it was handed to him, the ball of paper then thrown into the trash bin on his way outside. No one seemed to notice but his teacher. He clenched his jaw as he heard some of his classmates wander outside to eat their lunch.

*This is what I get for not studying worth a damn. Of course, I wouldn’t actually deserve first after that shitshow,* he thought to himself. *I couldn’t even care less I bombed that stupid history final, this is by far the worst thing to happen to me– Or..* He thought a moment longer. *Is it really? I did this to myself. I guess I should just suck it up–* He was interrupted by the rustling of leaves behind the tree his back was against. He turned to the side to see Koro-Sensei peeking around the dry bark. Mr. Kurasama was a good distance away, though he ignored the man who was walking up to stand next to Koro-Sensei.

“Never underestimate your target. Particularly when it has a monopoly on grade point averages. The second and third best scores went to Yakebayashi and Kataoka, despite the fact you seemed to deem them dumber than you, right?” He asked for clarification.

“So what? I didn’t deserve that. You’re right, but what difference does it make if I underestimated them and fucked it up?” Karma rolled his eyes, looking away from his teacher in an ever-growing anger.

“I guess it can’t be helped. They studied hard as, of course, your opponents in A-Class so it’s no surprise they were right behind you tied for Second and First overall. That’s to be expected as these finals were nothing to sneeze at. One’s only chance was to study,” Koro-Sensei explained.

“What are you tryin’ to say, teach? That I’m stupid for giving it my all? Studying isn’t... It–,” Karma cut himself off sharply when he realized how stupid he had been sounding. “Forget it, you know what I mean.”

“Someone thought they could coast by on luck and a devil-may-care attitude and proceeded to royally screw it up,” Koro-Sensei teased, which earned a missed punch to his yellow face.

Karma turned his head, though he knew indefinitely that his teacher had hit the target with his accusations. It was hard to ignore the feeling of failure that was rising up from his chest.

“Three of your classmates each have a claim to one of my tentacles; Nakamura, Isogai, and Okuda. You, on the other hand, have nothing. I think that is only fair as that’s exactly what your carefree, non-committal attitude has contributed to the cause. See where I’m going with this?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Karma continued to push it aside. “Just shut up, teach. I know I’m a failure right now but I’ll fix it later, okay? He hissed, his golden eyes glaring up at his teacher.

“Will you?” Koro-Sensei recognized the fluke Karma was attempting to put forward; he knew his student had a habit of repression. Karma still remained silent.

Koro-Sensei’s face, which was now in full view of Karma, had green stripes that showed off how much he knew he was right. “Those who fail to apply themselves–who at the moment of truth decide to sit back and let the chips fall where they may are destined for disappointment. Dull is the blade of the lazy assassin; in fact, I wouldn’t even stoop to call him an assassin at all. A blowhard and a braggart perhaps, but an assassin? I think not,” Koro-Sensei was then shoved out of the way as Karma walked away from him.

He didn’t get another word in as his teacher fell silent, watching him walk past the Westward windows and around the side of the old campus.

*He’s so fucking right…* Karma scowled at the thought, though he knew wholeheartedly he couldn’t avoid the truth as it presented itself anymore.

“Hey,” Mr. Kurasama stepped up from behind Koro-Sensei. “Don’t you think that was a bit harsh?” He inquired.

“Of course. It had to be. I cut him down so he’ll spring back up. The boy’s enormously talented, there’s no denying that. But he’s a novice. He’s not yet learned how to be worthy of that talent. He refuses to meet any challenge except on his own terms. He doesn’t see the true value of competition. To a young person for whom everything comes easily, the pang of defeat can be a much-needed wake-up call. He’s used to bashing his fists through his problems, even those of defeat. Is that how you’d live your life?” Koro-Sensei looked Kurasama in the eyes as he continued to explain the situation. “On the surface, the whole concept of exams may seem arbitrary but deep down, it’s not about grades, it’s about rising to the occasion. It’s about tasting the rapture, triumph, and disgrace of failure. They go hand-in-hand, you see? One is meaningless without the other.” Koro-Sensei then placed a tentacled hand on Kurasama’s shoulder.

“To win, one has to lose. The difference between the novice and the master is the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.”

*After lunch:*

The bell tolled for the first period to begin. The class took their seats and awaited class to begin as the morning chatter ceased into the chirping of birds from the Westward windows. Koro-Sensei then opened the homeroom door, closed it, and then stepped up to the teachers’ desk to address the class.

“Okay, class,” he prefaced. “A fine showing in the finals. You managed to snag the top spot in three out of five subjects. Let’s get this assassination attempt underway, shall we? The top three students can pick whichever tentacle they’d like,” Koro-Sensei’s face was then adorned with green stripes as he figured that was enough to handle for himself; only three were far better than six in his eyes.

“Hold up, octopus!” Terasaka then stood from his desk alongside Kirara, Muramatsu, and Yoshida. The other three then also stood up. “What’s this bullshit about us only having the top three spots?” Terasaka asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Uhm, I believe all subjects have been accounted for. English, Science, Math, Social Studies–”

“Nice try!” Terasaka retorted, holding up his test paper. “Let’s not forget Home Ec; we aced them all. Read ‘em and weep!” Terasaka then smiled as Koro-Sensei realized all four of them had gotten top marks on their home ec written tests.

“Hey, if it was covered in the finals then it counts! Us idiots pulled our weight,” Kirara flipped her dark hair as she sat back down at her desk.

The rest of the class began to smile and chatter about this as Koro-Sensei blubbered in front of them in fear of the coming assassination attempt.

“Not so fast! Home Ec is a blow-off course,” Koro-Sensei began to reason.

“Wow, that was just plain rude. You ask me, Home Ec is straight up one of the most important classes,” Karma laughed; he was in a better mood.

The rest of the class agreed and began to chant ‘Home Ec’ in retaliation.

“Home Ec is the toughest one and all four of them aced it!”

“That makes for seven tentacles in all!” Kurahashi clapped her hands together as she rejoiced with the class.

“Seven?!” Koro-Sensei exclaimed.

“Oh! Koro-Sensei?” Isogai then raised his hand, cutting off their teacher’s fretful voice. “We put our heads together and got this idea. See, we were all thinking we could use our wager with A-Class to kind of sweeten the pot,” he told him.

Koro-Sensei had only one choice; to listen to their proposal.

—

The last day of school before big breaks at Kunugigaoka Junior High is always marked by a big assembly on the main campus. This year, the End-Class had some unfinished business. The Big Five were found walking up to the back entrance of the gymnasium where the assembly was taking place. They were significantly earlier to show their respect to those setting up inside. E-Class, however, was also early just to catch them before they had to go to their respective lines. Terasaka and his friends blocked their entrance to the gym as it was now their chance to sneer at those who had lost to them.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Big-Man-on-Campus himself,” Terasaka began.

“Pardon me, some of us have a ceremony to get to. I don’t have time to indulge the likes of you,” Asano pushed his way through and let his group a few steps inside. Terasaka grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

“Woah, wait. Not so fast there, man, what’s the big rush?” Asano then looked up to see the rest of E-Class waiting for them inside the assembly room, alongside other bystanders from different classes.

“We had a deal,” Isogai began, his voice echoing across the linoleum floors. “Last I checked you lost, though we don’t want to rub it in your face. Our demand was sent to you via email; I assume you can make that happen.”

“Don’t even try to play it off like none of this was for real. We can always throw in Home Ec! We mopped the floor with you in that too, not that anybody’s keeping score,” Kirara jumped in, seemingly appearing right next to Asano. She had a creepy tendency to sneak up on people.

*Back at the main campus:*

Koro-Sensei met up with the other E-Class teachers in the faculty lounge. It was quiet during the interlude between classes, especially in the teachers’ office–especially when no one else was in the building. Kurasama had escorted and been with the class during the assembly, leaving Professor Bitch behind as she puffed cigarette smoke out the window.

“The other kids got the better of you. That’s gotta sting,” Professor Bitch admitted, leaning by the window and looking out to the forest around the campus.

“Let’s be honest, the Home Ec argument was splitting hairs but so be it. I’m honestly glad. Sure, no accredited university devotes space to Home Ec on their entrance exams but that just means Home Ec teachers have more freedom to create an exam based on personal taste. Preparing for something that arbitrary is a near-impossible feat. The limits those extraordinary students stretched themselves to for a leg up on the finals gave me pause. They found and successfully exploited the tiniest of loopholes just to make ends meet. Even seasoned assassins could take a page from their book,” Koro-Sensei explained with a solemn expression.

“Hm… You’re so sweet,” Professor Bitch smiled as she soaked it in. “Wait, why couldn’t we go to the assembly again?” She asked after the thought crossed her mind again, noticing how quiet it was.

“Mr. Kurasama said our presence would be a distraction. Remember the last time we went?”

“Ugh, yours maybe, calamari,” Professor Bitch rolled her eyes.

“Yours more likely, uh, bitch?” Koro-Sensei tried to refute, only making his coworker laugh.

*Back at the assembly:*

E-Class had lined up at the far end of the gymnasium after conversing with the Big Five. The five had then walked up and slipped behind the curtains of the large stage that was in front of the forming lines.

“Karma!” Isogai tapped Karma’s shoulder as he situated himself in front of his classmate. “Surprised to see you here. Since when do you make time for things like this?” He asked with a smile.

“Not a big deal, man. If I didn’t put in an appearance, people'd just think I was running away,” he muttered, to which Isogai dropped the conversation when he noticed he wasn’t inclined to talk about it.

Nakamura and Kurahashi were interrupted from their conversation as Ritsu’s awkward stand-in placed herself between the two. Kurahashi continued to talk, though stepping a little bit out of the line to face Nakamura.

“Not to be that guy, but Ritsu’s stand-in is–,”

Sugaya was interrupted by Mr. Kurasama, who put a single finger up to his lips to signal his student to be quieter.

“Suck it up, soldier. We can’t afford to have the real thing exposed. Her stand-in is my immediate supervisor’s daughter so ease up. The kid knows how to keep a secret and her father even agreed to this because Ritsu’s tutoring got her grades up,” Kurasama explained.

“No offense but she’s been hovering around me since finals. She’s nice but she’s definitely the reason I came in dead last,” Sugaya admitted with slumped shoulders.

*Dead last in E-Class, he means. That’s still around average for the whole grade. Who would’ve thought he’d come so far from the bottom with that distraction,* Kurasama mentally commended him. After Sugaya went back to the E-Class line, the executive vice president of Kunugigaoka walked up behind the podium on the stage.

Everyone hushed to allow him room to speak, the class lines straightening up in attentiveness. After a while of basic announcements of school fundraisers and important dates the school was hosting over break, the man upfront then turned his attention to the student’s grades.

“Now, everybody, vacation is never an excuse to become lazy,” he began, glancing at E-Class. “A few months of fun in the sun isn’t worth landing yourself in E-Class.” He then cut himself off, realizing that E-Class’ performance had been upped since their last assembly, and using them was now a harder feat than it was initially. It was awkward for them all to stand proud without their mentor there with them; Koro-Sensei was the entire reason they were so strong to begin with.

The term came to a close with the End-Class and the whole school alike more aware of their potential. The harsh winds of change are stirring and fanning the flames of rebellion and there they stood with the Earth’s very survival in question. Regardless, their principal’s teaching methods functioned as they always had throughout the years, and yet those failing underdogs threatened to become an inspiration.

*The next day:*

Koro-Sensei had presented his students with bright blue guidebooks that were of similar length to their Kyoto trip guidebooks. The substance varied, having numerous tabs that seemed to fill them with endless knowledge and tips.

“Doesn’t really seem like he knows how to sum things up,” Maehara groaned as he set down the heavy book on his desk, debating on keeping it stored in the classroom over break rather than taking it home with him.

“These barely even scratch the surface! The irresistible siren songs of the summer are beyond count! Now then, as we plunge headlong into the break, remember this: a certain main event is just around the corner. Every year this little event is a privilege reserved for the class with the highest scores on the finals–that is to say, A-Class. This time, however, you guys get to join them on this expedition! You guys were neck and neck at the top fiftieth percentile so I’m proud to say you guys are more than qualified for the Kunugigaoka Junior High summer special in Okinawa!” Koro-Sensei announced, holding up an island resort pamphlet.

The class’ eyes lit up in enthusiasm for the three-day trip they could take on the Okinawa Island of Japan. A-Class’ reaction, however, was less enthusiastic. They appeared to blow it off despite the anger brewing within the homeroom classroom on the main campus.

“Everyone shut up!” Asano had spoken to them after a loud disgruntled chaos broke out in the classroom at the announcement of the trip. The class hushed themselves as Asano stepped up from his desk and faced his peers. “We lost. That’s the end of it. At least have the self-respect to be graceful in defeat,” he ordered coldly, his piercing purple eyes glaring at them despite the collected smile just below them.

*Heads will roll for this and E-Class’ will be the first on the chopping block, followed by my father.* He silently seethed.

Koro-Sensei continued speaking to the class until Isogai raised his hand and held up a sheet of paper.

“What is it, Isogai?” Koro-Sensei pointed a yellow finger at his student.

“Well, we’ve decided we’d like to cash in our tentacle freebie options during summer camp,” Isogai proposed.

“A very good idea. Seven tentacles will present a major handicap but that’s not all! Does anything about Okinawa strike you as advantageous? Perhaps the fact it’s an island? Surrounded by water?” Koro-Sensei hinted to the class. “I’ll be honest with you, children, I am more than a little bit nervous. As you know, I’ve already passed out the report cards for you to show to your parents, but these are the report cards specifically for assassins.” Koro-Sensei paused dramatically before his tone softly changed.

“You’ve become a very formidable bunch. You should be proud of yourselves! The first term has been all about the basics–which you’ve mastered twofold! But now, we’re gonna step things up. Let the assassination classroom summer begin!”

Koro-Sensei then rummaged through a drawer in the teachers’ desk and pulled out a pile of printed paper. He tossed them into the air and as the student’s gaze followed, they noticed what was on the paper being flung about. Each paper was stamped with the doodle Koro-Sensei provided their quizzes or tests that got ninety percent or above.

The highest score possible was given to each of the assassins of E-Class by their very own target.

Chapter Text

The forest around the old campus buzzed with life in the hot afternoon sun. Insects roamed throughout bushes and foliage around the trees and birds chirped in their nests. Summer vacation was three months of freedom from the confines of school for most students; though E-Class was still on the clock for assassination. The campus was still their grounds, even when school wasn’t in session.

Nagisa, Maehara, and Sugino had ventured off one of the various dirt paths that led down to the main campus, twisting and turning through the trees in search of insects of their own. They grouped around a larger tree that was crawling with strange bugs on the thick bark. At heart, Sugino was more of a city person but that didn’t mean nature didn’t fascinate him. Karma had shown him this particular tree a few weeks ago after school, so he had no trouble leading them to it as they walked. Nagisa, however, wasn’t too big on the bugs Sugino was pointing out, opting to stay a ways away from the tree and watch the other two.

“I’ll admit, it’s a little strange that you wanted to come with us, Maehara,” he pointed out when he noticed the orange-haired boy was picking the bugs up with equal interest. Maehara wore a bright orange and yellow shirt, nearly the same color as his hair.

“I just figured, ‘what the hell, Okinawa’s coming up and we don’t wanna be unprepared’ I mean, what’s the one thing we’ll need the most of?” Maehara responded.

“Bugs?” Sugino raised an eyebrow.

“Cash!” Maehara corrected. “We’re gonna be up to our eyeballs in bikini babes and that talent ain’t cheap. Now these little runts aren’t worth much but if we track down a stag beetle, dude, we are talking about a helluva good amount of cash.”

“I mean I have seen what they go for online, but aren’t they endangered or something?” Nagisa inquired, only to be met with a shrug of Maehara’s shoulders. His classmate then dashed off to another tree to investigate its wood for more insects.

“I get the feeling he isn’t too focused on what this trip is really about,” Sugino admitted.

“Yeah, his idea of a good time seems a little mature for his age,” Nagisa chuckled, now following Maehara.

“It’s not gonna work! Stag beetles are pretty old news,” A familiar and bubbly voice spoke from higher up. The three looked around and finally laid their eyes on Kurahashi. She had been sitting up high in a branch watching the three for a few minutes before deciding to chime in when she heard their talk of beetles.

“Hi! What’s up?” Sugino waved to her.

“Hi, guys!” Kurahashi beamed. “Trying to scrape up some spending money for our getaway?” She then gripped a higher branch and hoisted herself up to make her way down to the ground. She wore a strawberry print polka dot shirt–long-sleeved despite the weather–and a pleated pink skirt.

“What do you know about stag beetles?” Maehara inquired.

“Well, they were worth a ton a few years ago but not so much recently. Artificial breeding costs supply to outweigh demand. Now a dozen aren’t worth a third of what one used to be,” she explained, her bright green eyes darting around to the bugs Maehara had in his hands.

“What?” He exclaimed. “The great stag beetle crash was a real thing? But my buddy said the insect-to-hot babe ratio was one-to-one!”

“You’re buddy’s out of it, then,” Kurahashi giggled. “Girls have always been more expensive than that.”

“I have to admit, though, you sure do know a lot about bugs. I never thought that’d be your thing,” Sugino stated, tucking his hands in his blue pockets.

“Every living creature’s my thing! I used to have a hyper fixation on bugs at one point last year, so that knowledge sort of stuck with me,” she nervously chuckled, cupping her hands in front of her. “I know! Since we’re all together let’s go bug hunting together!” She clapped her hands as she suggested this, getting more excited. “With all four of us looking, I bet we’ll find a whole bunch!”

Her happiness seemed to wear off on the others, as they found themselves smiling alongside her as they followed her through even more leafy bushes. She had always been the poster child for being upbeat and innocent and having a strong interest in natural science. She led the three to another dirt path, marching forward and cutting across behind a row of trees. She stopped in front of a mesh bag hanging from a branch.

“Wow!” She clapped her hands again, nearly jumping up as she went to untie the contraption. The other three looked intently at the mesh. “Not a bad haul, if I do say so myself!”

“Woah! Did you set this up?” Sugino asked, taking note of all the different bugs that were stuck in whatever the thin mesh held inside it.

“Sure did! Put it up last night using my homemade recipe. This isn’t the only one either; I set up about twenty!” Kurahashi replied. “This might work out to be a thousand yen each. I just hope we caught the one I was looking for specifically,” she investigated the bag herself, lifting it carefully. The group then heard chuckling from in front of them, looking up to see Okajima kneeling in the dirt.

“Nice trap for an amateur. You really call yourselves assassins,” he teased.

“What do you mean by that?” Sugino waved to him as he asked.

“Hey, if you’re happy with a thousand yen, that’s your deal. Just don’t get too jealous when my homemade trap makes yours truly a billionaire,” he stood up. “I don’t mess with this stuff, especially since we’re gonna be on vacation for hell’s sake. Do you want spending money? Pretty soon I’ll have enough to buy Okinawa,” he continued to chuckle, causing more confusion between the group walking up to him.

He motioned for them to follow him, which they did. They went through even more trees until he pointed just past a nearby wall of trees covering a familiar clearing. The group slowed down and peered through the green leaves of the trees and were met with a strange sight. Koro-Sensei was sitting in the middle of the clearing, the sun breaking through gaps in the leaves higher up. He was pouring over an adult magazine that was gripped intently within his tentacles, though this wasn’t what struck them as weird. No, in fact, it was the fact he wore a stag beetle hat that covered his head–which was now bright pink as he looked through the pages. Their attention was then brought lower, and took the honor of better entertainment than the beetle hat; Koro-Sensei was sitting on a huge pile of adult magazines that covered a bit of the forest floor of the clearing.

Maehara couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he listened to Okajima continue to whisper to them. “It’s what you think! The best way to fake Koro-Sensei is with porn.”

“Wow, for a guy who moves at Mach speeds, he really stops to… Sniff the roses,” Sugino awkwardly tried to find words to fit what he was seeing without making himself laugh.

“He’s using his rose toy–” Maehara was cut off by Nagisa covering his mouth with a harsh slap.

“Don’t finish that sentence,” he demanded, though he was struggling to keep the smile off his face as well. The two were then hushed by Okajima.

“No, just look at him; he’s riveted,” Sugino pointed to him. “Anyone else think it’s weird he’s dressed like a giant stag beetle with tentacles?”

“Every wooded area has its secret stash. It's a special repository for smut. You stumble across it when you’re a kid and it’s like a veil has been lifted. Then later, when you’re grown up, you donate your own to the stash. The circle of life; what it is to become a man. This guy’s got a feeling today is the day we’re all ushered into adulthood,”

“That doesn’t sound like the circle of life to me,” Nagisa admitted.

“You’d be so proud of me. I did a ton of research into what he likes. I’m too young to buy this stuff but when there’s a will there’s a way, right?” Okajima then turned back to Koro-Sensei with a smile.

“What? Wouldn’t just about anything with big boobs do the trick?” Nagisa asked.

“Oh man, that just shows how little you know! Porn’s what dreams are made of but every dream is different. There are so many different genres and everyone’s got different tastes when it comes to stuff like this,” Okajima admitted nervously.

“As much as it weirds me out, I can’t deny it’s somewhat impressive. You’ve been swapping out the magazines in Koro-Sensei’s stash for over a month just to determine what stuff he likes for this trap,” Nagisa complimented.

“Okay, but why would an adult need to look through a secret stash of magazines, that’s just sad,” Kurahashi pointed out.

“Hey, you and I have got a lot in common though, right?” Okajima prefaced. “We both get so absorbed in our pretty that we end up knowing exactly what makes them tick?” Kurahashi just turned her head in confusion. “I may have a filthy mind but it has served me well in the pursuit of my goal. It’s because I’m a self-aware perv that I know the uncomfortable truth. In the end, pornography will save the world!”

“Are you sure?” Nagisa skeptically spoke.

“Check it out. Under that glorious stack of filth is a net strung with anti-sensei B.B.s and he’s so distracted he has no idea!” Okajima then pointed to a specific branch just behind Koro-Sensei that was connected to a rope that led under the magazines. “When I give the word, one of you will cut the rope and I’ll jump in and finish him off,” he ordered.

*I suppose anything can be a sword if you polish it enough. Okajima’s porn trap could actually do the trick,* Nagisa thought to himself as he followed the other three to the bent branch, being careful not to make too much noise. It seemed Koro-Sensei was too enthralled to give notice to them as they slowly scurried to the roped branch.

Koro-Sensei’s attention was then ripped away from the magazine in his yellow fingers. He looked up to the tree in front of him. The group froze as they watched him intently.

“Uhm… What is he doing?” Maehara whispered.

“Uh, I don’t know! What kind of porn does that signify?” Okajima whispered back.

Koro-Sensei then chuckled nefariously as he outstretched his arm to the tree. He grabbed something from the thick bark and studied what he had grabbed. “A Miyama stag beetle with white eyes,” he noted.

Kurahashi’s eyes lit up as she sprang up from her position beneath the bent branch.

“Oh my god! Are you serious?” She exclaimed, dashing up to Koro-Sensei. Her pink skirt had several leaves stuck to it as she ran up to him excitedly.

“Ah, hello, Kurahashi! Impressive specimen, yeah?” Koro-Sensei then showed her the beetle that was gripped between his fingers. His student’s green eyes dazzled with awe as she examined it thoroughly.

“Wow! I’ve been looking for one like this for ages!” She announced, her hands finding their way together. Koro-Sensei beamed as he stood up with Kurahashi, handing her the beetle which made her jitter ecstatically as she felt its tarsus on the palm of her hand.

“Come on! Another second and we would’ve had him,” Okajima complained, stepping out of his position and watching the two, which signaled the other three boys to do so as well.

“I don’t know what they’re so excited about but a giant stag-beetle octopus and a junior high girl dancing on top of a pile of porn isn’t entirely a normal sight to behold,” Sugino admitted disgruntledly.

Koro-Sensei’s face then darkened when his attention was brought back to the fact the two were standing on adult magazines. He was quick to bury his face in his hands.

“How unbelievably embarrassing! I’m mortified beyond belief! Shame on me; a molder of young minds ought to be above this sort of behavior,” Koro-Sensei began. He noticed the others who were now gathered around him and continued. “I knew there was a trap under all this porn and yet each magazine was so much more tempting than the last!” He admitted.

“Damn, so you saw right through it!” Okajima groaned.

Kurahashi stepped away and stood next to Nagisa, who immediately took a few steps away when he saw the beetle in her hand.

“It’s… Okay,” Sugino tried to reassure, but his attention was more set on the bug. “What’s so special about this beetle? It’s just a Miyama stag beetle, right? Didn’t you say that artificial breeding made them all pretty worthless?” He asked.

“Actually, these go for a lot on account of being very hard to breed! A midsize one is worth its weight in gold. One as big as this one and we’re talking a small fortune!” Kurahashi explained.

“Shut up! No way,” Maehara exclaimed.

“Also, observe this one’s eyes. Usually, they’re black; these happen to be white. We’ve discussed albinism before, correct? So I assume you’re familiar with the concept,” Koro-Sensei chimed in.

“Yeah, it’s when an animal’s born without pigment or something,” he responded.

“With stag beetles, albinism is only possible with the eyes. A natural-born MIyamo white eye, as they’re called in literature, is exceptionally rare and a valuable academic find to be sure. This guy goes for hundreds of thousands of yen!”

“I told Koro-Sensei a while back I wanted to see one up close. He promised to use his zoom eyes to find one for me!” Kurahashi’s explanation cured the confusion about the face their teacher made when he looked at the tree. “Okie dokie, guys! Which one of you rejects wants this one?” She raised the beetle. The group all raised their hands.

“You’ll have to catch me first!” She called out, turning on her heels and sprinting away from the group. Koro-Sensei tried to call after her, but Maehara and Okajima were long gone after her by the time he finished.

Whether in natural science, assassination, or porn, their summer vacation was one of discovery. Their assassination vacation was very soon. There wasn’t a lot of time to make a foolproof plan. They had taken up Mr. Kurasuma’s offer of summer training lessons the moment they could, each afternoon consisting of dragging the artillery carts to the dirt track field and setting up targets, learning new combat and spiffing up their old ones, and half-running laps while the other half took shots at them. When the group finally ran back up to the old campus, they saw the rest of their class setting up for the afternoon. They walked up to the class, heaving and sitting on the steps to catch their breath. Kurahashi then took to making an enclosure for the stag beetle while the others helped the rest set up the target stations.

Professor Bitch stood by, sitting on the stairs leading to the track as she monitored the class setting up. The class made rows and began to take shots at the targets.

“You guys are so adorable,” she prefaced, a fruity cocktail in her hand. “Go ahead and waste your summer working up a sweat. I’ll be relaxing, thank you,” she snickered, adjusting her sunglasses.

“You need this too, Professor Bitch. In fact, I’d say of everyone here you need to level up the most,” Muramatsu pointed out to her.

“I’m an adult, sweetie, we’re sneaky. You guys can go at him with your customary verve and I’ll piggyback on all that hard work to steal the show,” she teased, taking a sip from her drink.

“Will you, now?” A man with a thick Russian accent spoke from behind her, causing her to jump up and take notice of him. Mr. Kurasuma stood next to him. “Some things can be counted on to never change,” he spoke.

“Lovro, sir!” Professor Bitch stood up quickly to greet him.

“Relax for even one day and you’re killing muscle atrophy. Unless you want to fail, wear something respectable!” He scolded Professor Bitch. She then took off to the side door of the campus building without another word.

“Well, what do you know? Someone even Miss bitch doesn’t dare mouth off to,” Sugaya chuckled.

“I can’t say I blame her, man. He’s as scary as they come,” Maehara replied.

“He’s been hired on as a special instructor for the break. We need all the pro tips we can get and he seemed like the obvious choice,” Kurasuma spoke to the class, turning to Lovro. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Do not thank me yet, my upright friend. I am afraid I could not manage to establish the contacts you requested.”

“Perhaps your former students were put off by word of the target’s difficulty,” Kurasuma suggested.

“It is likely. In any event, we must rely on what we have. Now then, just to be clear, the target is not here?” Lovro inquired.

“That’s right. He’s taken a sabbatical to Everest and is not a big fan of the heat,” Kurasuma responded.

“If we are to have any chance at all, secrecy is of utmost importance,” Lovro then pulled out a sheet of paper that Kurasuma had handed to him when he met him in the faculty lounge. “This is your plan? You neutralize the seven promised tentacles and taking advantage of his reduced speed, the entire class joins in and finishes him off. Not bad! But I wonder if you would explain to me this business of psych attack,” he pointed to the first point written on the white sheet of paper.

“Well, the idea is to throw him off guard and slow him down,” Nagisa spoke up.

“Oh! He likes porn and doesn’t give a damn about where he gets it. Figure we’d use that against him,” Maehara chimed in. “He bought our silence with a round of popsicles but it’s gonna take a lot more than that to keep us from spilling the tea!” He laughed.

“It would really get in his head if we threatened to blackmail him. He’ll be so freaked out by what we got!” Nagisa told Lovro. The class then went back to their respective lines and continued to shoot at the targets.

*These children are brutal,* Lovro bit back a smile. *That said, the key to assassination is killing blow. The difference between success and failure is timing and aim,* he thought.

“Be straight with me; are you worried the class doesn’t have what it takes?” Kurasama bluntly asked.

“No worry at all; in fact, I am quite confident in them.”

Kurasuma pointed to Chiba, who was taking sniping shots at the targets with his eyes intently looking through the scope. His dark bangs covered his eyes, though he still saw perfectly fine.

“That one’s Chiba Ryuunosuke. He excels in spatial calculations. As a long-ranged sniper, I dare say he’s second to none,” he pointed to Rinka, who was working her way to aiming her revolver at the hanging targets a ways away from her. She tied her peachy pink hair in two behind her back and trained her teal eyes to look thoroughly at her target. “Then there's Rinka Hayami. She has good balance, admirable dexterity, and unparalleled kinetic visual acuity. There’s no one better for taking down a moving target,” he explained.

“You never hear these two brag about their skills. They let their results do the talking. Yes, I would love to have them as students of my own, but if I speak the truth, I would take any in this class. I am amazed at how much their talents have grown in such a short time. There is potential here; much of it,” Lovro pointed to Fuwa, who was sitting low to the ground with a rifle resting on her shoulder. She pulled the trigger and heard the pink B.B. shoot through the air after the rifle had kicked her shoulder back a bit. “She has learned to stabilize her aim. Some discover they shoot best from cross-legged position; well done,” he complimented, to which the short-haired girl thanked him kindly.

“You there,” Lovro pointed to Takebayashi, who turned to him. “Mind how you breathe. Do not force it. Find shooting style that best suits you,” he advised.

Nagisa took note of his words, letting it sink in as he realized the growth everyone around him had made. *He really knows a lot about assassination. I’m dying to ask him…* He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of his gun firing a B.B. He then walked up to Lovro calmly.

“Mr. Lovro, sir,” he prefaced. “I assume you know the best assassin in the world, right? But what are they like?” The boy asked.

*At first glance this boy is not much but on closer inspection,* Lovro hummed in consideration. “What a bizarre question. Why are you wanting to know, son?”

“It, uh, doesn’t– I was just curious,” Nagisa stammered as he averted his gaze to the ground.

“Ah, well, in my considered opinion, there can be no question as to who holds the rank of world’s greatest. Of course, professional killers are a secretive lot. They are rarely known by their given name and this one is no exception. Say, he prefers to be known by a very particular nickname: The Reaper. Mysterious, elusive, cold as ice–trails of dead in his wake and death incarnate. He’s an assassin from whom no target escapes. It is said that if a killer can not finish a job, sooner or later The Reaper will for them,” Lovro responded.

*Sounds pretty intimidating… We’d better kill Koro-Sensei before someone like him appears,* Nagisa thought to himself.

“Pay attention, young man. I will teach you a technique that works without fail. Indeed, a useful move for all occasions. A gift from an old pro.”

—

The boat rocked as the waves crashed against the white plating. There was distinct chatter among the people on the boat as E-Class wasn’t the only passenger. Koro-Sensei leaned over the railing, his yellow body pressed against the bars as he struggled to keep his head up. He continued to blubber to himself with a sickening feeling in his stomach.

KORO-SENSEI WEAK POINT #8: Prone to motion sickness.

“Oh, I can see the island from here!” Kurahashi exclaimed to Megu, who stood by her lathering sunscreen on her friend. Kurahashi fixed her pink and white sun hat as she pointed out in the direction of Okinawa.

“Six whole hours from Tokyo. The perfect setting for an all-out assassination!” Megu replied with a soft smile.

*Once they arrived at the resort:*

“On behalf of the Renaissance Okinawa Resort, welcome! We hope your stay is a pleasant one,” a man greeted them, carrying a flat tray of orange-filled glasses. The class situated themselves in the resort’s outdoor dining area to regroup after settling into their dorm rooms. “Tropical juice? Compliments of the house,” the man set down the glasses on a table and watched as a few students happily helped themselves.

“Man, aren’t we living life? Everything is so islandy!” Kimura smiled.

“A hotel right on the beach! Outstanding! As well as a smorgasbord of structured leisure activities,” Koro-Sensei joined in the conversation.

“We’re saving the you-know-what until after we eat. Right now I vote we have some fun!” Muramatsu suggested.

“Hey, I know! Why don’t we split up into groups like we did on the school trip to Kyoto,” Yoshida said.

“A grand idea!” Koro-Sensei agreed with a chipper smile.

*An hour later:*

“This is how top-notch assassins get the most out of their summer vacation!” Koro-Sensei exclaimed as he sped up his hang glider to outfly the students on his airborne tail. He flipped and turned ninety degrees out of a barrel roll, continuing to circle his students.

“Aw, come on! This isn’t fair!” Okajima shouted at him. “How are we supposed to keep up with you going all daredevil!”

“Calculating current speed; target moving at roughly 150 kilometers per hour,” Ritsu spoke from Okajima’s phone as he gripped the handlebars on the hang glider. Yada clung onto him as they turned, trying to keep up with Koro-Sensei was a near-impossible endeavor.

Maehara held onto Isogai’s shoulders as the darker-haired boy passed Okajima and Yada in pursuit of Koro-Sensei. He held out his pistol and took shots at their teacher as they flew.

“Wait, who the hell are you dressed as?” He shouted to Koro-Sensei when he noticed that his teacher had on a different attire.

“Jiro Horikoshi!”

“Ha, ha, very funny!” Isogai sarcastically replied, though his voice was drowned out by the wind in his face.

“What?” Maehara pulled his gun closer to him as he struggled to reload his gun.

“Horikoshi was an aerospace engineer,” Isogai told him.

“Am I supposed to know that?” Maehara then grabbed onto his waist as Isogai turned the hang glider, making Isogai chuckle as his friend got nervous.

Sugino, Nakamura, Karma, and Nagisa were on the deck by the water looking up at the group hang-gliding with Koro-Sensei. Sugino was in the water and somehow managed to convince Karma to join them in the water as Nagisa and Nakamura situated the snorkels. Kaede walked up to the group, dressed in a frilly yellow shirt.

“Looks like group three’s doing alright with keeping him distracted,” Sugino pointed out, kicking his feet under the water.

“Gotta respect anyone ballsy enough to take shots at a guy mid-flight,” Karma admitted. He and Sugino were then handed a pair of snorkels and watched as Nagisa and Nakamura put theirs on right after.

“Okay, guys! We’re up next. Everybody do what you need to do so we can go change!” Kaede announced, motioning them to dive into the water.

Their overarching idea was to make it look like they were all having fun even though they were working. What looked like snorkeling to the unbeknownst eye was actually recon as they were attempting to locate the perfect spot to take the assassination attempt. Each group would take turns keeping their teacher occupied, such as Okuda, Hara, Fuwa, and Kanzaki taking him dolphin watching before he took to the skies to hang glide. As of the moment, things were going swimmingly for each of the groups. Rinka and Chiba had made their way away from the group after sitting their belongings in the hotel rooms. They took to the mountains together in search of the perfect perch to set up a private sniper's nest.

“Where is he now?” Chiba had quietly asked. Rinka pulled her phone out.

“Currently on the East side of the island touring deep-sea caves with group four. We should be good,” she replied, her voice confident yet quiet.

“That should give us enough time to scout out a decent sniper spot,” Chiba said.

“I suggest we be quick about it all the same,” Rinka replied, readjusting the black duffle bag she was carrying on her shoulder.

They worked very well together; a strong and silent duo. They were smooth operators of business and despite being junior high kids, it would appear as if they’d done this before.

*On the beach with Professor Bitch and Mr. Kurasuma:*

“Really? Ugh, damn it. For the love of all things holy it’s a beach; where’d all the hot guys go?” Professor Bitch complained to herself, draping a towel onto the sand with an umbrella. She wore a black bikini that had strings holding the bra and bottoms from falling apart. It was mostly revealing, with a red flower design on the right side of her black top.

“The last of the guests skipped out about fifteen minutes ago. I’m afraid this whole site’s been reserved for E-Class shenanigans only,” Kurasuma deadpanned.

“They get a whole beach to themselves? I didn’t squeeze into this bikini to get ogled by those brats!” She retorted.

“This is their most ambitious assassination plot yet. It’s hard to believe it’s going so well,” Kurasuma admitted.

“Would it kill you to ditch work mode? Come on! There’s a gorgeous babe right in front of you,” Professor Bitch wrapped her arms around his shoulder and poked at his cheek with her red nails, desperately trying to attain his attention.

Kurasuma then turned and swept her off her feet with a stoic expression, carrying her close to him as he took a few steps forward closer to the water. Professor Bitch was caught off guard, to say the least, looking up at him with her dazzling blue eyes in admiration. That admiration soon faded as she felt herself drop to the sandy floor, followed by a salty wet texture alluding to the sea creeping through the fabric of her bathing suit.

“You asshole!” She cried out, seething at Kurasuma from the shallow beach water.

“Hey, I have a question for you,” Kurasuma prefaced, “You’ve had more than your fair share of field experience, right? How often does an assassination plan work perfectly?” He asked.

Professor Bitch’s eyes darkened as she thought for a moment.

“It’s pretty rare,” she sighed, falling back into the water with outstretched hands. The water soaked her hair as she lay. “If you’re asking for my professional opinion, let me just tell you that what these kids have in mind is far too complicated not to go tits up somewhere down the line. All in all, it's not a bad plan, I’ll give them that. Hell, I’m not just here to work on my tan, now, am I? I’m gunning for my share of the spoils just as much as them. When things go South, and they will, I’ll be there to take the kill shot.”

Kurasuma placed a hand on his hip as he looked out to the sea, taking what she had said into consideration. *However this goes down, I just want it to work.*

*After the groups had regrouped; just shy of dusk:*

Koro-Sensei sat in a lounge chair with his class all surrounding him. Those who had been in the water had already showered all the ocean salt off and changed their clothes. The beach was empty and quiet aside from them and the crashing waves. Their teacher’s skin was burnt to a crispy, dark complexion despite his joyful attitude.

“What fun, eh? Sun, surf, sand, and more sun!” He had said.

“How is it even your teeth have a tan?” Kimura exasperatedly asked.

“So much for being able to gauge your expression,” Yada said.

“Have fun while you can, sir, because after dinner it’s on!” Isogai told Koro-Sensei.

“Ah, yes! The shipboard restaurant! I’m famished!” Koro-Sensei then sprung up from his seat and meandered over to the Inn just off the coast.

“Jeez, you’d think he’d be worn out by now. Hell, even I’m worn out. How much longer do we have to do this? Can’t we just kill him already?” Terasaka complained.

“Nah, be patient,” his friend, Yoshida, told him. “We’ll knock him out tonight then throw in some real RnR.”

“It’s all set up, too! There’s no way we don’t have this in the bag!” Mimura rejoiced.

*At the restaurant:*

The class reserved a floating restaurant that picked them up on the docks of Okinawa. As they climbed aboard, the boat rocked as the waves hit the white paneling. The tables had been bolted down to not slide around with food on them if there were heavy waves on the route. The lighting was dull and mimicked that of a fancy restaurant on the main coast of Japan. Isogai walked up to Koro-Sensei, who sat alone at a table near the exit and handed him a wine glass.

“We rented out this entire restaurant just for us so we can enjoy the ocean air and eat our dinner in private,” Isogai told him.

“Can we, indeed? Somehow I get the sneaking suspicion you’re trying to get me seasick,” Koro-Sensei admitted.

Isogai lightly chuckled, his hazel eyes blinking softly. “That’s a fair assumption. Weakening the target is assassination 101!”

“Well played, my boy,” Koro-Sensei wrapped his tentacled fingers around the handle of the wine glass as he continued. “But is your gambit as infallible as all that? Seasick or not, a target expecting an attempt on his life isn’t likely to take it sitting down,” Koro-Sensei brought up a crucial point, one which Isogai chose to leave unanswered out of expectation of keeping their plans hidden from their target.

“God! You look like a bowling ball,” Megu groaned, turning away from Koro-Sensei with an awkward laugh.

“It’s the sunburn, isn’t it?” Koro-Sensei shrugged his shoulders.

“Forget your expression; we can’t even tell the front from the back,” Nakamura squinted her eyes at her teacher from the other table.

“Can you do something about it? It’s freaking me out,” Megu asked bluntly.

Koro-Sensei smiled, though it was hard to tell because they were also burnt black. He vanished with the familiar gust of wind E-Class was already well acquainted with, the tablecloth whipping in the breeze. He came back within the following few seconds, now sitting in the chair with his typical yellow complexion. The husk of his old, burnt skin collapsed and practically disintegrated into fine dust as it fell to the floor. Koro-Sensei then put back on his sunhat, smiling innocently at his class.

“Uhm, can’t you only do that once a month?” Megu raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

“Or, strictly speaking, whenever the occasion warrants, but I rely on it sparingly as the energy that’s consumed–” He cut himself off sharply as he stared at his old skin on the ground. There was a brief moment of awkward silence as the realization settled in. Koro-Sensei then shrieked, breaking the silence twofold with his fretful expression.

“Seriously? Of all the times to put himself at a disadvantage he picks now?” Isogai sighed. He watched as Koro-Sensei buried his hands into his face, and slumped over in his chair.

“This sort of makes you wonder why we haven’t been able to kill him already,” Megu replied with her arms now limp at her side as she stared blankly at her teacher.

The moment was nearly upon them. They had been training all summer long for this moment and one single mistake was too grave as their formidable task fell in their hands. Everything was in place, all that was needed was for them to hit their mark. The spot they had picked out was a floating chapel that sat just off the beachy coast; to get there, you had to cross a long bridge that was hoisted up by support beams that traveled deep into the blue water. Once they had got him inside, they surrounded him and stood behind the chairs. They put him in the front and center seat, just behind a television.

“Dare I say things are going to get interesting. Let me see that inventive spirit shine through. Show your teacher a classroom of true assassins.”

A silence fell upon them as Okajima grabbed the remote from off the stand where the television was propped up. Nakamura, Sugaya, and Okuda stood on the left side while Isogai, Nagisa, Sugino, and Hara stood on the right. The rest piled in to close off the exit to ensure his inescapability,

They just had to hope he enjoyed his dinner; it may have just turned out to be his last.

Chapter Text

A remote locale completely surrounded by seawater. The walls and windows were paneled with thin wood that curved into a large dome that encased them. Mimura fiddled with the television stand and placed the tape recorder into the digital video recording slot just below the screen; the finishing touches on the movie had been planned thoroughly moments before they sat for dinner. Nagisa cautiously walked up to Koro-Sensei, explaining he needed to check him for any weapons–he trusted him enough but it was still something they looked for. If he had a swimsuit that could protect him in the water, that would put a damper on their plan twofold. To their surprise, he was relatively cooperative with their demands, taking a seat in the center as they finished the last touches of the environment.

The lights dimmed after a few brief moments of quiet. Okajima stepped away from the switch and soon they were engulfed in darkness. Mimura turned the television on which illuminated their ways with the bright light from the screen.

“Somewhere in Tokyo,” Mimura’s voice spoke from the television, “Kunugigaoka Junior High; class 3-E. An average classroom except for the teacher who is, in fact, a target,”

A few of them were heard shifting around behind Koro-Sensei, their footsteps evident as they moved around. This, however, was simply a ruse to cover that a few of them had left the vicinity. Koro-Sensei kept his eyes on the screen although he didn’t need to pay all that attention to those who were leaving. He could still establish who was outside based on the relative distance of their scent. From the direction of the shore wafts the unmistakable smell of Hayami and Chiba’s artillery stations that pointed right through the open entrance.

“This video is exceptionally slick. You were the editor and narrator, Mimura? Well done!” Koro-Sensei spoke up. The video quality was outstanding for it being recorded on a cheap camera he had been gifted by his father, and the narration–albeit basic in practice–captivated Koro-Sensei.

“Thanks for tuning in. Joining us are two recon specialists with very intriguing intel,” Mimura was shown standing next to Okajima and Maehara in front of the blackboard of their homeroom class. Koro-Sensei was sketched within a wanted sign in chalk on the blackboard. Okajima crossed his arms, yet Maehara gazed awkwardly into the lens. “We’ll hear what they have to say after this brief public service announcement,” Mimura stated on tape. The screen then flashed to a scene where Koro-Sensei was seen bent over a pile of adult magazines in the forest clearing. The camera panned up to his bright pink face; his tentacles were gripping the pages of a particular magazine he was enthralled in with a big, toothy grin. “When you’re a confirmed porn addict, bribery is no guarantee against a scandal.”

Koro-Sensei frantically looked around, his face now flushed with an embarrassed crimson. There wasn’t an easy way out of indefinite information being broadcasted brightly in front of the class’ target. He didn’t have much of a choice but to try to refute any obvious observations Mimura had brought up on the tape, though the evidence clearly showing clips of him in action were hard to debunk.

“Our subject’s preferred guilty pleasure is extensive. The size of his cute farm cutie’s quarterly collection is mind-blowing,” The tape then flashed to a cafe in Shinjuku where Koro-Sensei was seen front and center in front of it in a pretty, pink dress and long, black wig. “At a recent women-only cake buffet, a questionable attendee loomed. Eyewitness reports suggest, you guessed it,” the screen zoomed in on Koro-Sensei’s face which was covered in cakey makeup to cover the yellow complexion of his gelatinous skin. “Hardly a master of disguise. We’re still not sure how they exposed him without realizing he isn’t human.”

Koro-Sensei buried his face in his hands and tried to ignore the chuckles of his students behind him.

“I got to hand it to you, ironically it takes balls to pull an outfit like that off,” Hazama muttered, to which she got no response from her teacher.

The tape continued, flashing to a video clip of clones of Koro-Sensei in various disguises in line at an empty street venue. “In between paychecks, our porn addict defrauds the public to secure complementary tissues,” the clones each received a folded tissue, left, then the next clone would step up to receive another one. “What does he do with them?” Mimura inquired.

“He fries them,” the scene then changed to that of Koro-Sensei in the main campus of Kunugigaoka’s back cafeteria using a stovetop to cook the tissues in buttery oil. “As if this poor, wretched educator’s dignity weren’t already suspect. And that’s not all! To truly plumb the depths of this creature’s depravity, we’ve prepared a full hour of shocking footage.”

*One hour later:*

Koro-Sensei laid back in the chair, his body deflated in on itself.

“No point in killing me now… I’m already dead. Emotionally, intellectually, socially dead,” he complained.

“Brutal, right? But you have to admit that it held your attention. Notice anything strange while you were watching? Like about the venue?” Mimura’s voice continued on the television.

Koro-Sensei’s attention was then drawn to the floor as he looked around in a brief intervention of confusion. He then noticed how the floor of the venue had been covered with a shallow stream of water and his tentacles were now victim to the liquid that now seeped in and soaked his yellow tentacles. He lifted one, to which it dripped and sogged with a swollen, sponge-like feeling. High tide had long since passed, though the venue was still shallowly flooded as the drainage was struggling to pull the water back down. Somehow, he had completely glossed over the fact the students hadn’t flooded the place and looked around at his class with wider eyes.

“Weird,” began Terasaka. “It’s almost like somebody trimmed down the support pylons,” his shoes were soaked, but he didn’t mind as he waded through the water with Hazama by his side.

“Seasick, shamed, and waterlogged. This just isn’t shaping up to be your day,” Nakamura chimed in. She handed the two their guns and wielded her own with two hands.

Them, Okuda, Isogai, Terasaka, Yoshida, Hazama, and Muramatsu circled him and pointed their guns at his yellow legs.

“Right, you made a promise, remember? Don’t go backing out,” Terasaka taunted with a smile.

*This is going to be tricky but I know precisely where the snipers are–I just have to keep an eye out in that direction,* Koro-Sensei thought.

“Commence operation now!” Ritsu’s voice was heard from each of the student’s phones, even those who weren’t currently in the venue. Each of the students fired their guns, blowing off all but one of Koro-Sensei’s tentacles. “Time elapsed: five seconds,” Ritsu continued.

This signaled four other students, Kaede, Karma, Takebayashi, and Hara to take their jet boat and speed away from the venue. Each small boat was equipped with a rope that was tied to a hook on the back. Those hooked ropes were also tied to the walls of the venue which were then pulled apart and torn away to reveal those surrounding Koro-Sensei in the center. They cheered when they turned back around to see the rest of the class emerging from the water around the debris.

“Time elapsed: thirty-five seconds,” Ritsu said.

The rest of the class, minus Chiba and Rinka, were pulled away from the water and encased in the walls with their feet firmly strapped to flyboards. They had practiced this move throughout the day when Koro-Sensei had been distracted with the sectioned groups. As they went higher, they spread their arms and connected each other in a large circle that then fully enclosed the venue with a hydraulic cage to keep their target from flying out. Koro-Sensei’s tentacles weren’t regenerating at their proper speed as he frantically looked for an opening. There hadn’t been one, his students had accounted for most of his weaknesses already which made it all the more difficult for him to come up with an escape plan.

“Fifty-three seconds. Commencing tactical volume,” Ritsu began to count down as her box emerged from the water; she had been reconstructed to be waterproof for this very project. Her side panels were thrown off as she exposed her artillery and pointed it at her target. The rest of those who were also in the hydraulic cage backed to the edge and pointed their guns as well, aiming to fire.

“Careful, guys! Shoot around him to keep him planted!” Isogai shouted to his peers over the sound of the pink B.B.s firing from their S.A.A.U.S.O handguns.

“Everybody aim to the left or the right by about a meter! Block his escape with the bullets,” Terasaka called out.

The kill shot goes to the two snipers of the class. The ones on the shore were simply decoys to distract Koro-Sensei. They had been properly infused with their scent as they set it up before dinner, their clothes being left around there and spare sniper rifles set up pointing to the venue to make it more authentic. The real Rinka and Chiba were behind bushes closer to the venue, just behind the steep drop that led into the water.

“And, that’s game over!” Ritsu shouted just as the timer on her screen left fifty-nine.

Chiba pulled the trigger. Rinka fired right after him.

Their B.B.s flew through the air at gracious speeds as both looked up from their attentive scopes. There was a moment of anticipation, then a blast of air similar to an explosion that knocked those on the flyboards off and into the water. Rinka and Chiba ran up after similarly being pushed back by the force. Karma, Hara, Kaede, and Takebayashi rode up to see what the huge wave and loss of their water wall were for. They braked a few seconds away from the dock, jumping onto the soggy wood and looking out to the class that was now stranded in the dying waves of the tropical water. This was completely different from their other attempts. It felt as if it finally worked.

“Don’t let your guard down! It’s still possible for him to regenerate! Right, Isogai, you and Kataoka keep an eye out for the target!” Kurasama’s voice was heard after the silence that filled the air. He and Professor Bitch ran up to those on the dock as he ordered his students to act.

“Yes, sir!” Then both were off swimming to locate their teacher.

There was nowhere he could’ve gone, but there wasn’t anything they could do to look other than swim and hope. Kaede helped Nagisa up onto her jet boat that was loosely parked by the dock. She let him catch his breath before backing out to search farther from the venue. It only took several seconds for her to press the brakes and point out into a certain area in a clearing of wooden debris.

“Hey, look! Over there!” She called out, which brought her class’ attention.

The water bubbled vigorously as if something was drowning in it, though no one swept in to save whatever it was.

“What is that?” Sugino finally broke the silence as he stopped swimming up to the group.

A plastic ball then poked up the surface and showed itself to be Koro-Sensei’s round head. Then there most certainly was nothing but silence and the crashing of waves against the shore. No one said anything as they looked at what was seemingly just Koro-Sensei’s head in a plastic hamster ball.

Koro-Sensei’s head chuckled. “Allow me to introduce my trump card: my absolute defense form! This exterior coating is composed of nano matrices made of surplus energy. In essence, my body shrinks down to the size you see now and the compressed molecules create a high-density protective shell around me. Why absolute? Because it’s absolutely invincible,” Koro-Sensei explained.

“So, basically, you’re saying as long as you’re like that there’s pretty much nothing we can do to you?” Yada sighed, readjusting her high ponytail.

“Don’t fret! It doesn’t last long. The crystals comprising this shell tend to lose integrity in about a day or so. Once the bonds break down, the shell will expand back into its normal energy form and yours truly will return to full size. This form is extraordinarily useful but the trade-off is complete immobility for the duration. This itself carries its own risk. For example, said immobility would provide anyone so inclined the perfect opportunity for launching me into space–something I’d rather dread. I’ve done ample research into that, however, and nowhere on this planet is there a rocket capable of that flight in twenty-four hours!” Koro-Sensei continued to babble, though no one said anything after that.

Terasaka then grabbed the ball enclosing Koro-Sensei. “Bullshit!” He threatened. “Nothing is invincible if you just whack it hard enough!” He then took a sharp piece of debris from beside him and bashed it against the shell.

“You’re wasting your time! A nuclear blast wouldn’t leave so much as a scratch,” Koro-Sensei reminded.

“So that’s it? We’re out of options?” Karma chimed in, motioning for Terasaka to toss Koro-Sensei to him. He then pulled up a picture of him sitting on the pile of adult magazines in the clearing that was represented during the movie they endured. Koro-Sensei shrieked at the sight, but Karma just held the photo up to him with a grin.

“You monster! I can’t bury my face in my hands in this form! I’m going to be stuck looking at this forever!” He cried out.

“Oh, sorry about that. Let’s see if there’s a way to help you out there,” Karma then looked around and after a moment of thought, he picked something up from the dock and placed it on Koro-Sensei’s shell. It was a large worm that had a yellow pattern that made his teacher’s terror rise. Karma, however, wasn’t satisfied with that.

“Anyone know where I can find a creepy old beach man? I’m gonna shove Koro-Sensei down his pants!” He called out as he lifted Koro-Sensei.

“I’d never take this form with a bunch of kids,” Kaede chuckled as she watched Kurasama walk up to him and wrestle Karma for Koro-Sensei.

“Yeah, not exactly his smartest move… Probably worse around Karma,” Nagisa agreed.

“Alright that’s enough; class dismissed,” Kurasama addressed them when he finally pried Koro-Sensei out of Karma’s hands. “For this one, I think we’ll let H.Q decide the best course of action,” he then placed Koro-Sensei in a clear plastic bag.

“Your superiors will opt to toss me in a pool of anti-me liquid, I’m sure! Good luck with that, though; the energy displacement would explode as it did just now. Everything in that vicinity would be blown sky-high,” Koro-Sensei responded as he strained to look up at his coworker.

“Still, you should be proud,” he turned to the class. A lot more of them were now positioned on the floor of the venue. “Entire armies the world over couldn’t get as close to killing me as you did tonight. This was, by far, the most clever assassination attempt I’ve ever counted–and that’s saying quite a lot,” the class then fell silent. The rest of those in the water hoisted themselves up and took to following Professor Bitch and Mr. Kurasama back to the hotel.

He praised their ingenuity like always but deep down they knew they had blown it. No matter how well the attempt worked it was still a failed attempt anyway they looked at it. He got them. All of that and he got them again. They exploited every single one of his weaknesses and still got nothing out of it. How would they top an attempt like this? No one had the energy to think about that answer. Nagisa followed Karma through the door, breathing softly as he tried to compose himself. Karma had already brushed it off, however.

“Are you okay?” Nagisa asked, most likely as a distraction.

“Me?” Karma asked, pointing to himself. He stopped just in front of the stairs that led up to the dorm hallways. Kaede and Sugino had already been halfway up and continued to turn down without them. They were then left alone.

Nagisa gazed into his friend’s golden eyes, noticing how dull they seemed. His own had been fighting tears ever since Koro-Sensei arose from the water but the latter boy’s eyes seemed full of apathy.

“I’m alright,” Karma responded. “Are you?”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” he tried to seem strong like his friend, though he didn’t know a lot of what Karma’s strength kept from him.

“Can I be honest, actually?” Karma asked.

“Have you not been?” Nagisa cross-questioned.

“No. This whole thing makes me want to die exponentially more now. But since Koro-Sensei’s alive I guess I can’t do that now,” Karma deadpanned. His hands were now in his pockets as he took up the stairs. Nagisa was stunned into silence as he watched his friend step up.

“You– You were going to die after we assassinated him?” He finally asked. His hands were firmly by his side as he frowned at Karma.

He didn’t get a response.

“Karma,” he demanded, to which the redhead started to laugh.

“I’m sorry,” he began. “I might have wanted to,” he admitted.

Nagisa just stepped up a few steps and with a few short motions, he had Karma wrapped around his arms.

“I’ve already witnessed you nearly die once; don’t go doing that again, okay?” He then held out his pinky finger.

“Oh, fuck you,” Karma muttered. He linked his own finger with Nagisa’s, tying an eternal promise.

Kaede had noticed the two weren’t with them, but she didn’t mind so much. Sugino had been talkative to her since they grouped up outside. The two stopped in front of Kaede’s dorm room.

“Is something bothering you? You don’t seem as chipper as you usually do,” Sugino gazed at her.

Kaede nervously chuckled. “Well, I guess I’m just disappointed. I had worked so hard on this with you guys and I feel that everyone is really upset about this. Far more than I am, I mean,” she admitted. Sugino nodded.

“I can say the same. But look at it this way: we’ve all gotten so much closer! From diving together to trying tropical foods and sushi, even right now we’re bonding. Sure we’re bonding over failure, but doesn’t that make it all the more important? We’ll get there eventually,” Sugino said.

“You’re always so optimistic. I’m jealous,” Kaede’s neck was numb now. What was once burning with anger now subsided into a soft pickle that she was easily able to ignore.

“Am I? I thought you were the ray of sunshine in our group,” Sugino teased, to which Kaede smiled.

*That’s not always true,* she sighed to herself, shaking her head gently.

Sugino waved her goodbye and walked further down the hallway to his own room to change his clothes. Kaede watched as he did so, turning the knob on her door slowly and opening the door with a creak.

After the class had showered, they simultaneously agreed to sit out by the outdoor seating. The sun had been set for well over an hour, and most of the class had on a jacket to protect from the wind surfacing over the shore. They sat in silence, just listening to the wind rustling leaves and the waves crashing against the sand. Rinka and Chiba sat together by the door.

“Ritsu,” he prefaced, pulling out his phone. Chiba had on a beanie that pushed his dark bangs even further over his eyes.

“Hi, Ryuu,” she greeted through his screen with a smile.

“You recorded it, right?”

“As faithfully as possible utilizing high-speed camera filters whenever they seemed appropriate. Would you like to see it?” She responded inquisitively.

“The second I fired, part of me knew the bullet wouldn’t hit. It was like I knew he couldn’t be killed,” he admitted.

“I can only be approximate,” Ritsu began, green code boxes popping up and disappearing as she calculated. “The time it took for Koro-Sensei to adopt his absolute defense form is unclear. However, by my calculations, if your shot had been .5 seconds faster or Hayami’s thirty centimeters to the left, the odds of target neutralization would have increased by fifty percent at a minimum.”

Chiba set his phone down with a harsh crash, the case at the bottom corner scratching from the impact. Those who weren’t fully paying attention to the conversation now looked over, though looked back when they realized the mood shifted between their two sniper classmates. Some mindless chatter began after that, making the two stand out less in the quiet night.

“The whole thing was so easy in rehearsal. I was so sure of myself. I even fired from a less stable spot and totally nailed it. But then when it was real, I froze. My fingers got stiff and my vision went all blurry,” Chiba lifted his hand and watched as his fingers shook still. He had been shaking since getting to his room. Rinka had noticed and took to holding one of his hands as they walked outside together; her hands weren’t any less stable, though.

“Yeah, same here,” Rinka admitted. Her voice shook as she spoke up.

“I guess I just… Caved under the pressure, you know? Too much was riding on me making the shot,” his mind flashed back to the moments he spent looking through the scope of his rifle, pinpointing the exact location to where he needed to aim. His hands had been stiff and forced him to struggle against the tremble that overtook them when he did so; Rinka was no different. Her mind was blank with no thoughts to even begin to ridicule her for her shortcomings.

“The moment of truth was nothing like what we practiced,” she duly stated. Her bright green eyes were covered with a salty gloss as she fought back tears. Her face was devoid of any emotion, her voice still quavering under the pressure.

“I’m so stupid. Why couldn’t I have just pulled the trigger? Everyone was counting on me and I failed. I let everyone down and now they’re going to hate me,” he stopped his rushing mouth and hateful thoughts when Rinka placed a hand on his. She looked at him with a forced smile. She found it difficult to tend to his feelings when she felt internally identically.

“I understand all too well,” she whispered to him.

The two then sat together in another bout of silence, just enjoying each other’s company.

“I feel like I could sleep for a month,” Maehara admitted. He lifted his warm head from the table. Mimura, who sat across from him, agreed.

“I vote we head back up to our rooms and crash. I’m too tired to do anything,” he said.

“You’re just gonna call it a night? We did what we were supposed to. What do you want? Granted, the octopus is still kickin’ but we’re on a primo vacation either way,” Terasaka voiced sharply from the table next to them. He had initially been disappointed but now seemed nonchalant nonetheless. Okajima hummed in agreement.

“Yeah! Tomorrow I’m gonna be getting bitches left and right. Just need some sleep, is all,” Okajima said as he leaned further back in his chair.

Nagisa, who sat next to Karma, took notice of how exhausted everyone seemed. It was different this time, however. Not only had they been severely disappointed, but it was almost as if a sickness loomed over them that forced their heads to the tables. Nakamura had walked up to him, attempting to get to the door to head up to her room. Her face was flushed a light pink as she nearly toppled over.

“Hey, do me a favor,” she said quietly, alerting the bluenette she was resting on. “Can I lean on you for a second? I feel kind of…” She trailed off, her voice shaky until she finally collapsed on the floor despite Nagisa’s helping hand. Karma shot up and dashed around the table to help her back up. She cursed under her breath as she felt bile rise in her throat.

“Nakamura! Are you okay?” He placed a hand on her shoulder. Nagisa then looked around to the others, who didn’t look over immediately as they did.

Nakamura struggled to sit back up, though she ended up throwing up on the floor despite her attempts at getting to the bathroom beforehand. Karma took to retrieving a few napkins from the table next to him.

“Oh, wow, awkward… Sorry, I just wanted to go to the room. Looks like my body has other ideas, huh?” She mumbled with tears pricking her eyes. “I’m so sorry…”

“You’re okay, man. It could’ve happened to any of us. Seems like it is,” Karma reassured. He noticed how a few other students had not been feeling well around them either. Nagisa put a hand to her forehead and instantly felt the heat transfer to the back of his fingers.

“You’re burning up!” Nagisa exclaimed. He promptly stood to get Mr. Kurasama who was sitting in the lobby with Professor Bitch.

“Wow, thinking of all those gorgeous ladies is making my nose bleed,” Okajima said from a few meters away. His nose was, in fact, bleeding. He put his hand to his face to stop it, kneeling to the ground as a dizzy spell was put over his body. Karma looked over to him, not entirely sure what to do but hand him napkins as well. Okajima took them and placed them on his crimson nose.

After a few more moments, Nagisa came back out through the sliding glass door; Mr. Kurasama followed him a few steps behind. More students were now bent over the floor in a desperate attempt to walk to their rooms. Terasaka had Mimura’s arm over his shoulder as he tried to talk to a dreary Hazama. Okuda pulled her jacket off to lend it to Kanzaki, who was having cold flashes beside her. Kaede had rushed up to Karma to tend to Nakamura.

“Oh, no! Ritsu’s also down,” she exclaimed. Her small phone had Ritsu on the screen who was glitching uncontrollably.

Kurasama waved down a waiter who was inside the lobby of the hotel. She came over quickly. “Call an ambulance; this is an emergency,” he stated swiftly.

“It will take them a while to get here. The nearest ER is on the mainland,” she said. She rushed back inside to gather first aid kits, her high heels clacking against the tile floor of the lobby.

Kurasama picked up his phone to dial a number but stopped abruptly when it started to ring. A private number was calling him; he answered with little hesitation. He placed it to his ear and awaited an introduction.

“Hey, teach. I’d say your students are in a bad way right about now,” a deep voice spoke over the phone.

“And who is this?” Kurasama inquired.

“Take it easy, friend, there’s no need for you to know who I am. Just know your squad isn’t the only one trying to hit their marks.”

“You’re telling me that you’re responsible for making them sick?” Kurasama demanded to know. The man on the other line simply laughed.

“You’re good but they’re a hell of a lot more than sick. Their bodies are hosting a lab-manufactured virus. Incubation period and symptoms vary but the result is always the same. After about a week, cells rupture, and vital organs become jelly. The only known antidote is also lab-made. Lucky for you, I’m in sole possession. The trouble is; I’m lazy. If you want it, you’ll have to come get it yourselves. There’s a hotel on top of this island’s highest peak. Bring me your precious cargo and we’ll chat,” Nagisa and Kaede then stood up, Ritsu’s screen now showcasing a map on both of their phones. Nagisa lifted the screen to show Kurasama.

“Top floor within the hour,” the man continued. “No tricks and because you seem like the sort of man I wouldn’t want to tangle with, send proxies. Two students; the shortest in the class–out of whoever’s still standing, of course,” Kurasama hesitantly looked Nagisa in the eye, then Kaede. He knew exactly what the man on the line was asking for. He furrowed his eyebrows in worry.

“There’s a concierge desk across from the elevators. Have them go there. If all goes well, you’ll have the antidote and I’ll have the bounty. Now, this should go without saying but contact outside help or show up late, and boom! The antidote goes bye-bye and the infected die,” The three felt a shiver go down their spine.

“Hey, you guys were fantastic! With the target immobilized, the hard parts are done and I can’t thank you enough for that. Lady luck is smiling down on our cause.”

There was beeping now coming from Kurasama’s phone. He put it away from his ear and noticed the man had hung up on him; the number still wasn’t displayed.

*God damnit! Of all the times for some psychotic bastard to sabotage our plans,” Kurasama gripped his phone tightly in frustration.

“You,” Kurasama turned to the waiter who was handing out first aid kits to the students well enough to care for their peers. “Can you call the hotel up by the peak and see if they have a list of guest members?” Kurasama asked. She nodded and hurried off to call them with the reception desk’s phone.

Karma stood up and took an ice pack from one of the first aid kits on the table by Maehara and Mimura. Once he got permission to use it, he rushed back to Nakamura and placed it on the back of her neck. Okuda had helped Kanzaki over to where Terasaka and Hazama were helping set up makeshift cots for their sick classmates. Kanzaki settled nicely, wrapping her bare arms in her friend’s light jacket. A few moments later, the waiter came back with an update for Mr. Kurasama.

“Mr. Kurasama!” She called out to him as she stepped outside. “I’m afraid they’re not cooperating. Even when we play the government card, the hotel owners maintain they have the right to protect their guests’ identities,” she explained.

“Naturally,” Kurasama groaned.

“Intolerable–” Koro-Sensei was interrupted.

“But not surprising. The resort our mystery man shows is a known site for all manner of illegal operations,” Kurasama explained.

“Remote with shady history bears all the trappings of an ideal rendezvous point,” Professor Bitch crossed her arms below her chest.

“The owners have connections with higher-ups in the government so I’m sure that law enforcement knows to leave it alone.”

Karma sighed as he stood to approach the group. He had heard it all. “So basically, there’s no way of knowing who this guy is before we meet him?”

“Ugh!” Yoshida frustratedly sighed. “Are we really just going to take this psycho’s word for it? If he’s bullshitting us about the antidote then they’re all gonna die!” He shouted.

“Calm down, dude,” Hara hushed him gently from where she lay on the ground. “It’s fine. We came here to be killers not victims, remember? Look how far we’ve come; we’ll figure this out!” She reassured him.

“Right, yeah. I’ll try to stay positive,” Yoshida gave her a slight smile before turning back to Mr. Kurasama.

“No way we just do what the asshole tells us to do. I mean, seriously, using the runts as a proxy? If we sent those two in to close the deal we might as well lay down and die right now,” Terasaka pointed out with a huff. “Okay, that was rude. I’m just pissed off that someone has us by the balls, sorry. My friend’s lives are also endangered so to hell with it!” He apologized.

“We’re so gonna die,” Hazama chuckled darkly next to Mimura.

“Well, I vote that we ignore what the jackass wants! Let’s just get everyone to the hospital and forget this even happened,” he slammed his fist on the table Koro-Sensei was sitting on.

“Bad idea,” Takebayashi chimed in. “If we are dealing with a man-made virus, a hospital would be a waste of time. Not even the most state-of-the-art ER is equipped to handle this. There’s no way for them to treat everyone. They’d be dead before they even figured out what they had,” he adjusted his glasses. “I vote we focus on easing the symptoms for now,” he took a bucket that he had filled up with ice from the back kitchen room of the hotel lobby. “Go ahead to the rendezvous point,” he pushed them away with a stoic expression.

Their hands had been tied. If Koro-Sensei could move they might have had a safer chance to deal with this infestation.

*I’m starting to wish our assassination attempt didn’t go this well,* Nagisa sighed.

“At the end of the day, this is all happening because of you,” Kurasama glanced at Koro-Sensei with a voice laced with bitter insults.

“Gotta wonder if these kids will be willing to surrender their quarry so easily,” Professor Bitch said under her breath. She had been taken aback by this whole situation, though it was easy for her to remain neutral throughout.

*One hour. What the hell can we do?* Kurasama exhaled sharply.

“I think I might have a solution,” Koro-Sensei intruded on his introspection. Nagisa’s phone then chimed; he picked it up to see Ritsu again on his screen with a smile. Her bug had seemingly vanished now that the map had been cleared from his and Kaede’s phone.

“Koro-Sensei, everything is ready!” She announced.

“Excellent. Ritsu finished the preparation work I asked her to do. If the healthy students would step forward, please,” he called to his class.

Ten students walked up to him, circling the table he had been placed on. He ordered Kurasama and Professor Bitch–the only two technically legally allowed to drive that knew of the issue–to drive the rental cars they had pre-ordered to the side road adjacent to the patio. They did just that, rushing through the lobby and out the side doors with their keys in hand. Kurasama and Professor Bitch then took to driving the healthier students across the island. They didn’t take a few students so they could care for those who had fallen victim to the illness that permeated the tropical air they left behind. They had been near the middle of the island, and the highest peak–Mount Yonaha–was a ways away. The night roads had been devoid of people, which made for a swift, few-minute drive across the island to the base of the peak. The hotel was seen higher up, though they pulled over and parked next to the jagged rocks of the cliff that steeply led up to the side of the hotel. The moon illuminated the rocky edges as the stars shone brightly above them.

“I’ve successfully infiltrated their network. These are the proprietary architectural schematics of the premises complete with guard post locations,” Kurasama’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out to see Ritsu showing them a digital map of the location in front of them. The students gathered around him.

“The highest concentration of security staff is stationed in and around the main entrance where it’s functionally impossible to enter without passing by the front desk. However, there is an alternate point of entry along the building side just on top of this ledge. The terrain doesn’t permit easy access so security, while still there, isn’t as strong,” The class looked up to the hotel above the cliff.

“You don’t want this madman to have his way, do you?” Koro-Sensei spoke from inside his plastic bag. “Have courage, children. Ten of your classmates are ill and two are caring for them. That leaves you to operate on their behalf. You must sneak in, surprise our mysterious adversary, and steal the antidote,” Koro-Sensei motivated.