~ a blissing on this wonderful, classroom of the elite!~

-The Quest in the Forest-

[Exterior, Guild Hall, Morning]

The sun shone brightly over the guild hall as Hirata, Ike, Ayanokoji, and Darkness prepared for their quest. The air was crisp, and anticipation buzzed among the group.

"All right, everyone," Hirata said, checking his gear. "Our task today is to stop the stealing criminals in the forest nearby. Let's be careful."

"Are we really ready for this?" Ike asked, adjusting his armor nervously.

"We've handled tougher situations," Ayanokoji replied calmly. "Stay focused."

"Don't worry!" Darkness exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. "I'm ready to protect you all-even if it means facing terrible punishments from the criminals."

Hirata gave her a puzzled look. "Darkness, you're here to protect us, not to enjoy being attacked."

Darkness smiled. "Of course. But if it happens, I'll endure it for the sake of the mission."

"Let's get moving," Ayanokoji said, leading the way. The group set off, determined to find and stop the bandits.

[Exterior, Forest Edge, Noon]

The forest was dense, with sunlight filtering through the canopy. Birds chirped overhead, and the occasional rustle of leaves hinted at unseen creatures.

"We need to stay alert," Hirata said, scanning the surroundings. "The bandits could be anywhere."

"I don't like this," Ike muttered, gripping his weapon tightly. "Feels like we're walking into a trap."

"Trust your instincts but don't panic," Ayanokoji advised. "We'll handle whatever comes."

Darkness, walking ahead, seemed unusually enthusiastic. "I can't wait to confront these bandits. I'll protect you all, even if it means facing unbearable pain!"

"Uh, sure," Ike replied, not entirely reassured by her enthusiasm.

The group moved deeper into the forest, their senses heightened for any signs of the bandits.

[Exterior, Forest Clearing, Afternoon]

After an hour of cautious exploration, the group came upon a hidden clearing where several rough-looking men and women were gathered, counting stolen goods.

"That must be them," Hirata whispered, pointing to the bandits. "Let's approach carefully and try to negotiate first."

"Negotiate?" Darkness asked, slightly disappointed. "What if they refuse? Shouldn't we be prepared to fight?"

"We'll be ready," Ayanokoji said, his expression calm but determined. "But let's see if we can resolve this peacefully."

As they moved closer, Ayanokoji and Hirata recognized two familiar faces among the bandits: Isizaki and Albert from Class C.

"What are they doing here?" Ike muttered, confused.

"Looks like they're part of this group," Ayanokoji replied quietly. "We need to find out what's going on."

"Hey! You there!" Hirata called out, stepping into the clearing with his hands raised. "We want to talk!"

The bandits turned, surprised by the sudden appearance of the group. Weapons were drawn, and tension crackled in the air.

"What do you want?" one of the bandits growled, a scar running down his cheek.

"We're here to stop the thefts and bring you to justice," Hirata said firmly. "Let's settle this without violence if possible."

"Ha! You think you can just walk in here and tell us what to do?" the scarred bandit sneered.

Darkness stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "If you won't listen, then prepare to face my shield! I'll protect my friends with my body, no matter how much pain it brings me!~"

The bandits exchanged confused glances as Darkness stood in front of the group, her shield raised and a slightly maniacal grin on her face.

"What's with her?" another bandit muttered.

"She's... different," Ayanokoji said, choosing his words carefully.

"Enough talk!" the scarred bandit shouted, charging forward. His comrades followed, weapons ready.

Darkness intercepted the attack, her shield taking the brunt of the blows. "Yes! More! Give me everything you've got!" she yelled, clearly enjoying the struggle.

Hirata, Ayanokoji, and Ike watched in stunned silence as Darkness defended them with a mix of skill and... enthusiasm for punishment.

"Aaaaaahhhhh~!"

"Now's our chance!" Hirata said, stepping forward. "Isizaki! Albert! What's going on?"

Isizaki, looking guilty, lowered his weapon. "We didn't expect to see you here- so you probably were summoned to this world as well?"

" Yeah- I assume the same thing happened to you guys as well?" Hirata said.

Albert nodded silently, his usual stoic expression softened by regret.

As Darkness continued to engage the bandits, the rest of the group managed to disarm them and bring the confrontation to a standstill. The bandits, realizing they were outmatched, surrendered reluctantly.

"What happened?" Hirata asked Isizaki as the bandits were secured.

"It's been chaos since Class D disappeared," Isizaki explained. " One day, we were swallowed by a giant frog and we just kind of ended up here"

"That's no excuse for theft," Ayanokoji said sternly.

"I know," Isizaki said, looking down. "We just didn't know what else to do."

Albert nodded again, his silence speaking volumes about his agreement.

"Let's get them back to town," Hirata suggested. "Maybe kazuma could help them with a place to live in for now "

"Right," Ike agreed, still processing the encounter. "But what about Darkness?"

"Ahh, that was invigorating!" Darkness exclaimed, rejoining the group with a satisfied grin. "Are there more bandits?"

"No, Darkness, we're done here," Hirata said, shaking his head. "We need to get these people back to town."

"Very well," Darkness said, slightly disappointed. "I'll be ready if they try anything on the way back."

"Ehh!?"

" Don't hold back!!!"