IAWGMG 02

Chapter 2…

 The Otherworld Gate

“Well then, it’s just past 9 PM. To all examinees across the country! Take a break from studying and relax a little with some radio music. Tonight’s special is 1980s Western hits.”

Since I was a college entrance exam student, I tried to study as much as possible even at night.

And during that time, this DJ was my absolute favorite, so this hour always became my break time.

Tomori’s house was right next door, but it wasn’t one of those rom-com settings where opening the window would reveal her room, so there was no way for me to check on her from mine. Instead, I sent her a RINE message.

What are you doing right now?
About to take a bath! Want to join me?
Idiot.

And it was right as I tapped send.

Suddenly, a shock ran through the entire house as if it had vertically jumped about one meter into the air.

An earthquake!? I thought—but the very next instant, the room was violently shaken in every direction—front, back, left, right, up, and down. I couldn’t even stay seated in my chair and was thrown to the floor while my bookshelf toppled over. From the living room downstairs came the crashing sound of the china cabinet falling over.

The shaking itself stopped after about a minute, but the power had gone out. I grabbed my smartphone, used its light, and headed downstairs to the living room on the first floor.

“Dad, Mom, are you okay?”

“Oh, Yuta. We’re fine. All the furniture fell over, though. Still, that was one hell of an earthquake. I wonder where the epicenter was?”

“Oh, I had the radio on. I’ll go get it.”

As I said that, I headed back upstairs to retrieve it. Since the radio was rechargeable, it was still playing—but there was no mention of the earthquake at all. A Queen song was playing.

“Huh? Maybe I need MHK or something?”

I changed the station, but nowhere did anyone mention the earthquake.

“Dad, something’s weird. The radio isn’t talking about the earthquake at all.”

“What? Was it that localized? Maybe we’ll know more if the TV comes back on. I’ll go check the breaker.”

And then, in the next moment—

“KYAAAAAAAAAA!”

A terrifying scream came from next door.

“That’s from the Sakuras’ house. I wonder if someone got hurt.”

My mother looked worried, so I immediately said, “I’ll go check,” grabbed the wooden practice sword we kept by the entrance for home security, and rushed to Tomori’s house.

Tomori’s house was also pitch black with the lights out.

The front door was locked, and naturally the doorbell didn’t work. Even when I pounded on the door with all my strength, there was no response. Had they fainted? Were they injured and unable to move?

I was panicking, but forced myself to take a deep breath.

“Right… she said she was taking a bath.”

Remembering that, I headed around back toward the bathroom window. I’d known the layout of Tomori’s house since childhood.

I gently knocked on the bath window.

“Tomori, are you okay!? It’s me—Yuta!”

No answer—but I could sense movement inside.

Damn it, there’s no time to hesitate.

“I’m breaking the window! Watch out for glass!”

I swung the wooden sword with all my might and smashed the bathroom window.

It was too dark to see clearly, but there was definitely a human-sized shadow moving.

After knocking away the remaining shards, I climbed through the window and turned on my smartphone light.

…What the hell is this?

In the changing room, Tomori was there—held from behind in a full nelson by one figure while another restrained her legs as she struggled.

But the things restraining her were…

Pigs?

No—they were wearing armor. They looked human, but was this some kind of cosplay?

No… wait… was this basically moments before assault!?

At that moment, something inside me snapped.

In the next instant, I mercilessly beat those pig-men with my wooden sword until they collapsed unconscious.

“Tomori, are you okay!? What the hell is going on…?”

“Yuu-chan! Th-thank you… But I have no idea either… I was in the bath, then suddenly that huge earthquake happened, the power went out, and these pig-men came out of the darkness and attacked me!”

“Even for looters taking advantage of a disaster, they’re way too ugly—and way too prepared.”

I tried pulling off what looked like a mask, but it wouldn’t come off.

“Are these… those ‘orcs’ you see in light novels and anime?”

Tomori looked suspicious too, but no—this wasn’t the real issue right now.

Was Tomori’s mother, Hoshi Akari, safe?

“Tomori. Where’s your mom?”

As I looked at her, I finally realized again—

Tomori was completely naked.

“No, Tomori—first, get dressed. Then call the police. I’ll check on your mom.”

“Okay… I think Mom was in the kitchen…”

For the moment, I didn’t sense anything suspicious nearby, so I left Tomori there and headed for the kitchen to confirm Akari-san’s safety.

But something felt off here too.

I’d practiced kendo continuously since elementary school—not enough to call myself a master, but I was confident in my skills. I’d always believed I was more sensitive than most people to hostile presences.

Beyond the refrigerator in the kitchen was the back door leading to the backyard.

And from that direction… I definitely sensed something.

I had my wooden sword, but if there were multiple intruders and hostages, the odds were terrible. Maybe I should wait for the police.

But when I looked at my smartphone—

No signal.

Maybe the earthquake had damaged communications too.

If that was the case, I couldn’t count on the police arriving anytime soon.

Reconsidering, I slowly approached the presence and peered outside through the back entrance.

…As I thought.

Several pig-men.

And…

Akari-san was there too.

She had a gag in her mouth and couldn’t speak, but she seemed conscious.

And then… what was that?

The area was pitch black from the blackout, yet there was a glowing ring about two meters wide, floating thirty centimeters above the ground.

There was no way I could take on that many alone.

I was just thinking maybe I should at least call Dad when—

A person stepped out from the ring of light.

He was a tall man dressed in incredibly beautiful clothes, and judging by how the pig-men reacted, he was clearly their superior.

And though I couldn’t make out every detail—

His ears were sharply elongated sideways.

Was that… an elf?

I had absolutely no idea what was happening anymore.

Did that earthquake somehow connect our world to another world…?

…No, wait!

He noticed me!

That elf had sharp instincts!

The next moment, I was surrounded by several pig-men with spears pointed at me.

Damn it… I couldn’t resist.

“Hm. You are a human male. If you do not resist, we will not handle you roughly.”

It wasn’t spoken aloud.

It was more like telepathy—directly into my mind.

I answered out loud.

“Who are you people? Why are you attacking the Sakura household?”

Again, the thought entered my head.

“There is no need to explain such details to you. Before long, all beings in this world shall kneel before us.”

What the hell?

Were these guys invading from another world!?

In the end, Akari-san and I were tied up with ropes and gagged.

A few minutes later, Tomori too was brought into the backyard—gagged and tightly bound.

“It seems only these three are in this house. This is sufficient for today. Place a barrier so the gate cannot be discovered, then withdraw. Take these ones with us.”

Damn it…

So they were scouts before an invasion, and we were prisoners.

Then, some kind of metal chain was placed around Tomori’s neck, and she was dragged toward the gate.

Wasn’t there anything I could do!?

I desperately searched for a solution, but nothing came to mind.

And just as Tomori was about to be forced into the gate—

Suddenly, Akari-san exploded into action.

With incredible force, she dragged me along and body-slammed the pig-man holding Tomori.

No—that was truly the strength of a mother in a crisis.

Tomori and the pig-man were knocked flying—

But instead, Akari-san and I lost momentum and tumbled directly into the ring of light.

Uwaaaaa—what… is this feeling!?

It was horribly nauseating.

Like my sense of balance had completely shattered—unable to tell sky from earth.

And amid it all, that being’s thought entered my head once more.

“Fool! To jump into the gate without a tag… Well, you likely won’t survive. Quickly recalibrate the gate—”

After that, I either couldn’t hear anymore…

Or I lost consciousness.

As my awareness slowly faded—

I saw Hoshi Akari-san, somehow moving her right hand, desperately gripping my left wrist.