Chapter 21: A Kaijin’s Critique

Si-yool’s first day in the other world was memorable. The sudden change in his attire, the vanishing phone, the fantastical village – it all pointed to one thing: he was in another world. Initially, excitement overshadowed fear. This was the stuff of novels and manga!

He remembered approaching an old woman selling vegetables, asking her to confirm his suspicions and eager to learn about his role in this new world.

Her response was a blade aimed at his throat.

Startled, Si-yool cursed, kicked the old woman, and ran.

“I kicked an old woman selling vegetables,” he said, summarizing the event. The memory was bittersweet, but he felt a strange sense of relief now, as if time had dulled the sharp edges of the experience.

Silence followed. Si-yool was puzzled. ‘Why did they ask for the story if they weren’t going to react?’ he wondered.

Mint Turtle broke the silence.

“You…what…?”

“Exactly what I said. I kicked an old lady selling vegetables. It’s really not a big deal.” Compared to everything else that happened, this was a minor incident.

“Was she rich?” Mint Turtle asked.

“No. She wore ragged clothes.”

“So…was she someone important in disguise?”

“I doubt it. She looked unwell and frail. Which was lucky for me. Made it easier to kick her.”

“Did…did you say anything to her?”

“Yeah. I told her to die already since she was so old.”

Silence again. Si-yool felt the weight of their stares.

“It’s really not a big deal, right?” he said with a forced smile.

“You crazy son of a b*tch!!!” Mint Turtle screamed.

‘What’s her problem?’ Si-yool thought, irritated.

“What were you thinking?!” she yelled.

“I wasn’t, really…”

“You weren’t?! How is that even possible?!”

Si-yool was bewildered. He was the victim here.

“Even though I asked you to tell us, this is too much,” Sora said, backing away slightly.

“You’re the one who wanted to know,” Si-yool pointed out.

“But I didn’t expect this!”

Then Ray chimed in.

“Darky…not human.”

“You think Black people aren’t human? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“No, Darky not human! Darky too much!”

Si-yool felt a surge of frustration.

“How could you do something so cruel?!” Mint Turtle shrieked again.

“Who’s cruel? I’m not the one who attacked first,” Si-yool thought.

“You’re not even human! How could you do that to a poor old woman?!”

“She wasn’t poor,” Si-yool muttered.

“You don’t get to say that! Think about what you just said!” Mint Turtle’s eyes were welling up.

Si-yool reconsidered his actions: he’d kicked a poor, sick, elderly woman and told her to die. It did sound bad, but he’d acted in self-defense.

“Wait! It’s not what you think! It was self-defense!” he insisted, not wanting to be seen as a monster.

“No way!”

“That old woman was evil!”

“You’re evil, you a**hole!”

“No, I had a reason! I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“You said you weren’t even thinking!”

Si-yool couldn’t get a word in.

“That old woman tried to stab me for no reason on my first day there! I had no choice!”

“A poor, sick old woman wouldn’t do that! You must have provoked her!”

Si-yool despaired. “What the…”

Suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos.

“F*ck…”

It was a simple, almost insignificant curse. But it stopped everyone in their tracks.

“I can’t believe this sh*t. Are you even human?”

The voice belonged to the Kaijin.

The potted-plant-headed Kaijin was lying on the ground, speaking in perfect, clear human language.

“What the f*ck is wrong with this a**hole?” it continued.

Everyone was stunned. Only Sora managed to speak.

“Wait! How can a Kaijin talk?!”

The Kaijin ignored her.

“Seriously, man, that’s messed up,” it said to Si-yool. “I’ve never met anyone worse than me. This is insane.”

“Just…be a decent human being, please.”

Si-yool was speechless. Now even the Kaijin was criticizing him.

“You little–” Si-yool started to yell back.

“I can’t stand to look at you anymore,” the Kaijin interrupted, shaking its…pot.

“Let’s not meet again, a**hole.”

Then, it killed itself. Using Ray’s magic staff. It pushed her finger against the trigger, firing a shot into its own…pot.

Silence descended again, broken only by two voices.

“Oh! My kill!” Ray cheered.

And Si-yool, who sighed, “F*ck…”

His first mission as a magical girl had ended with a Kaijin’s suicide. It had been a Hectic
day.