Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 1 [Yuuto Birth]

Chapter 5: War Time

Our third week at this school. It was getting a little repetitive for me. Outside of school no one ever wanted to play or talk with me, so I spent my time in solitude.

Just as I'd guessed, Yukina and me began drifting apart. She was spending more time with the girls and living the riajuu lifestyle. The guys that I usually hang out with were way more social than me. Mitsuba and Yukimura had became good friends and went outside often to hang out.

Akihiro and Kawaguchi's shared passion of Vanguard meant that they spent almost everyday in class playing together. Nora was my closest male companion, but unlike me, he actually preferred being lonely due to his introverted nature. We both weren't big on talking either, so our conversations turned stale with awkward air.

Matsushita was extremely out of my reach. He's too damn popular for a guy like me to play with.

Overall, I had failed to change myself even a little. My life had become a loop of spending time in class, going home to surf the net, then finally sleeping for the night. I was too timid to ask anyone if they wanted to hang out, and I didn't feel like spicing my life up by doing something I was uncomfortable with.

Even so... I couldn't call my current situation pleasant.

It was homeroom time. Chabashira-sensei entered and her face seemed more serious than usual today.

"Shizuka-chan-sensei, are you on your period?" Mitsuba said.

Slowly each day, I get more images of him overlapping Mitsuba. This isn't good at all.

Chabashira-sensei simply ignored Mitsuba's crude comment, and silenced the class by slamming her tablet against the podium. Setting the device onto it, she began speaking to us.

"I presume you've enjoyed your first two weeks here at GEN Academy."

"I think everyone can agree that we've loved it so far." Matsushita said. Lots of heads nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Chabashira-sensei's tone of voice was still robotic. I wondered if she ever showed emotions. "Now, it's time for us to introduce the special compulsory course offered here at this school."

That's right. The one course we've yet to do but was promised on the information booklets. Akihiro and Kawaguchi were in high spirits hearing those words.

"You, 1st Year E Class, will be going to war with 3rd Year A Class."

The class began to break into a soft murmur. The mood in the air turned uncertain and restless.

"Don't look so afraid. Wars between nations and classes are a regular occurrence here at this school. This is known as War Time, and it is an assessment that evaluates everything about you and measures your overall abilities due to it's complex nature. War Time happens after normal classes are finished. Do you all have your visors and decks with you?"

During the weekend, an email went out instructing us to bring these items today, which was probably the school's way of hinting at us that we'd finally be thrust into War Time. Thankfully, no one forgot.

"Great. Now, follow me, class. We're going to the War Preparation Room so I can explain what will happen today after school."

As a class, we left to the War Preparation Room. Akihiro and Kawaguchi were the most ecstatic about it, while the rest of us seemed quite bored or disinterested. I was walking at the back of the line, taking my time since we weren't in a hurry. In front of me was Yukina.

I argued with myself on whether I should call out to her or not. I still consider her a friend, even if we didn't talk as much.

I gathered up all my courage and choked my words out of my tight throat. "What do you think War Time will be like?"