NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Welcome to Chaos High
The silence that followed his outburst hung heavy in the room, broken only by the faint hum of the air conditioning. The gazes of his classmates shifted from the octopus instructor to him—an outsider who clearly hadn't adjusted to the bizarre norm of casually accepting a talking cephalopod.
Amid the awkward stares, the tall girl seated to his left—the one he had been trying to avoid—broke the silence. "You just punctured my eardrum. Can you sit down and shut up?"
"Ah... My bad. S-sorry..."
He mumbled an apology, quickly sinking into his seat in an attempt to disappear. It wasn't his fault, though. Any ordinary person would have reacted the same way if they saw a talking octopus walking around like it was normal. But no one else in the room seemed to bat an eye.
To his right, Yumeko Jabami remained calm, her polite smile unfaltering as if she hadn't noticed the commotion. Meanwhile, the Gyaru girl, busy filing her nails, cast him a sideways glance—a mix of irritation and indifference flickering in her expression.
The boy by the window remained stoic, his gaze fixed on whatever held his interest outside.
Meanwhile, the pale-skinned girl with mismatched eyes found the situation amusing, her curious gaze sparkling with mischief.
"Oh, I didn't expect such a normal reaction from someone in this class, though it's quite rude to call someone you don't know a talking octopus, Nakamura-san."
"Ah... Y-Yeah, sorry about that, I guess,"
"Ahem. Now, where was I... Oh, right," Korosensei continued, smoothly picking up where he left off. "As I mentioned, I'm the instructor for this class. You may call me Korosensei..."
He raised one of his tentacles expectantly, as though waiting for a cheerful response from the class. But none came. The room remained as silent as a ghost town.
Korosensei slowly withdrew his tentacle, the gesture deflating as a small, comical tear glistened at the corner of his eye. Still, he forced himself to carry on as if nothing had happened.
"You guys are so mean... Anyway," he continued, trying to regain his cheerful demeanor, "At this school, we do not switch classrooms yearly. For the next three years, I will be your homeroom teacher. I hope we can all get along."
With a flourish, his tentacles moved gracefully, picking up a stack of papers. "The entrance ceremony will be held in the gymnasium in an hour. But before that, I'll distribute some written materials about this school's special rules, along with the admissions guide."
Before anyone could react, a blur of motion rippled through the room—a sonic wave of speed that seemed impossible to track. In an instant, the written materials appeared on each desk.
Nakamura blinked in confusion, his eyes widening. What just happened? His gaze darted around the room, searching for answers. It wasn't just his desk; the materials had been neatly placed on every student's desk without anyone lifting a finger.
Korosensei continued as if nothing extraordinary had happened. "I'm sure most of you already know this, but I am required to reexplain a few key points. This school differs from the majority of other Japanese high schools in several significant ways"
"First, all students are required to live in dormitories located on school premises for the next three years"
"Second, except in special cases—such as studying abroad—students are strictly forbidden from contacting anyone outside the school. Even communication with your immediate family requires prior authorization"
"And lastly, leaving school grounds without permission is strictly prohibited."
Nakamura's eyes widened in disbelief, his pulse quickening.
The urge to leap from his seat and demand an explanation surged within him. But he stopped himself just in time, the memory of his earlier awkward outburst still painfully fresh.
Instead, he forced himself to stay calm, his mind racing to process the unsettling rules Korosensei had just outlined.
It was all his fault, to begin with. He remembered the document he'd received upon his acceptance to the school—a hefty 20-page packet with a total of 15,000 words.
It contained everything anyone would need to know about the school system. But instead of reading through it, he'd only skimmed the first two pages, which conveniently focused on the school's benefits and a few basic rules.
There was also a rule about living on campus, but Nakamura had clearly misunderstood it. He'd assumed he'd have the option to return home every weekend if he wanted.
In hindsight, his laziness in reading the entire document was coming back to haunt him. In the first place, who actually reads the Terms and Conditions?
(I'll just talk to the principal after this. Everything should be fine... though it's going to be really, really embarrassing to explain.)
"Of course," Korosensei continued, capturing Nakamura's attention back, "for the comfort of students living on campus, the school comes equipped with numerous excellent facilities. With its own karaoke spot, theater, café, boutique, and more, you could easily compare this school to a small city. The campus spans over 600,000 square meters."
Korosensei paused, his tentacles twitching slightly as he allowed the students to process the information.
"Now, for the next part. Under each of your desks, you'll find a box," Korosensei announced, his tone shifting slightly to one of playful anticipation.
Curious, Nakamura glanced under his desk and, sure enough, He spotted a small box neatly placed there.
"Inside these boxes, you'll find your student ID cards. These cards are crucial for your daily life here at the school. But to access them, you'll need to solve a little puzzle—a special password you'll have to obtain to open that box. Think of it as the school's way of welcoming its new students! But don't worry; for those who can't figure it out, you can still collect your ID from the Student Affairs Room—"
Click.
The soft sound interrupted Koro-sensei mid-sentence. His sharp gaze immediately locked onto the source: Nakamura.
Nakamura blinked, his confusion evident as he glanced down at the now-open and then toward his classmates.
Before he shifted his awkward glances toward Koro-sensei, who returned it with surprised eyes as palpable as the murmurs spreading through the room.
The box had clearly been labeled "Enter Your Password," and, well... Nakamura had done exactly that. The problem? It worked.
For the past 10 years, he'd used the same password for everything—no matter how critical it was. Bank accounts, gaming profiles, even the Wi-Fi at home. He didn't care. If it needed a password, it got the same one. Simple, consistent, and—clearly—predictable.
Not long after, the soft 'click' sound began to echo throughout the room, one by one. Nakamura's attention shifted back to his surrounding classmates. It seemed like most of them had no trouble solving the puzzle.
"Well... that was quick. Everyone seems to be getting it right on the first try—or not?"
Koro-sensei paused, his gaze landing on a hand hesitantly raised in the middle of the front row.
The hand belonged to a boy noticeably shorter than most of his classmates, his spiky, desaturated brown hair crowned with a prominent ahoge. His washed-out hazel eyes reflected a mix of anxiety and confusion.
"What's the matter, Naegi-san?"
Naegi cleared his throat nervously before speaking. "Um, sensei, I think there might be some mistake. I got my box open, but... I didn't enter any password."
The room fell into a brief silence, and all eyes turned to Naegi—including Nakamura's. Koro-sensei raised an eyebrow.
"No password, you say? That's peculiar." His tentacles wavered thoughtfully before he nodded. "After class, come to the Student Affairs Room. We'll sort this out there."
Naegi nodded, looking a bit relieved to have a solution in sight.
Without missing a beat, Koro-sensei continued the orientation, seamlessly shifting back to the topic at hand. "Now, with everyone having their ID cards in hand, let me explain their importance."
He held up an identical card to those the students now possessed. "These ID cards serve multiple purposes. You'll use them to access facilities, make purchases at the store, and even manage transactions like a credit card. However..."
Koro-sensei's tone took on a cautionary edge, and his gleaming eyes scanned the class. "It is absolutely imperative to keep track of your points. Here at this school, points are your currency. Anything located on campus is available for purchase—anything."
"The points, preloaded onto your student ID cards, act as a digital currency. There's no paper money on campus, which helps avoid the typical financial troubles students might face elsewhere. However, that doesn't mean you can spend recklessly. You must manage your points wisely."
A few murmurs rippled through the classroom as the students absorbed the concept. Koro-sensei, seemingly pleased with their attentiveness, twirled the ID card in his tentacle before elaborating further.
"Your ID cards can be used by simply swiping them through the scanners provided at stores, cafeterias, and facilities. The process is straightforward, so you shouldn't encounter any confusion. Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first of every month. By now, each of you should already have 100,000 points loaded onto your account."
He paused, letting the students digest the information before adding one final remark. "To clarify, one point is equivalent to one yen. No further explanation should be necessary."
Nakamura raised an eyebrow. In other words, the school had provided each student with a 100,000-yen monthly allowance upon admission.
It wasn't a small sum by any means. He'd expect nothing less from an institution this prestigious, one that was run by the Japanese government.
However, For a high schooler, 100,000 yen was a significant amount of money.
"This school evaluates its students' talents. Everyone here has passed the entrance examination, which itself speaks to your value and potential... Well, except for those who received the golden ticket. They are expected to deliver even higher returns, so don't betray those expectations."
Nakamura let out a quiet, inward chuckle as an idea flickered through his mind the moment "expectations" were mentioned.
They really have no idea who I am, do they?
With a few taps of the stacked papers against the wooden table, Korosensei's wide grin seemed to grow even brighter as he began to wrap things up.
"Well, my dear students, that concludes the essentials for now. You've been equipped with your ID cards, and you're all set to explore the campus and settle into your dormitories,"
With the stacked papers on one of his tentacles, he slowly walked toward the door his eyes still lingered on the class, taking in each face as though memorizing them.
"Since official lessons won't begin until tomorrow, today is your chance to familiarize yourselves with the place. Explore, mingle, and make the most of this time to prepare for the journey ahead."
He tilted his head slightly, his grin taking on an almost mischievous edge. "Now... see ya around!"
And with that, he vanished in a blur, leaving a slight breeze in his wake.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, a collective exhale rippled through the students.
Nakamura leaned back in his chair, his eyes darting toward the now-empty doorway. He muttered under his breath, "Damn... Is this even worth it? I should've asked for a PS5 too if I was gonna take this risk..."
"Ah, finally! I can start looking for someone to gamble with~"
"Huh?"
Nakamura froze. He could've sworn he misheard something. Slowly, he turned his head to the left, only to be locking eyes with Yumeko. Her gaze sparkled—no, shimmered—with unholy glee.
"Ah, could it be Nakamura-san wants to gamble with me—"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Nakamura didn't let her even finish before snapping his head to the other side so fast it was a miracle he didn't break his nick. Cold sweat dampened his face as he tried desperately to avoid her gaze.
"Aw~ Such a shame..." Yumeko sighed dramatically, clasping her hands like a disappointed actress in a soap opera. "Next time, then!"
Unfortunately, his hasty turn to the opposite side landed him in even hotter water. His eyes locked with someone he had already sworn—on all that was good and holy—to avoid at all costs.
She was applying lipstick, slowly, deliberately, her narrowed eyes fixed on him like a predator sizing up its prey. Not a word was spoken, but her gaze said everything.
Nakamura's lips tightened into a thin, nervous line as the sweat on his face doubled. Was it his imagination, or was the air around him getting hotter?
She didn't break eye contact, the lipstick tracing smoothly around her lips, its bold color adding a certain... menace to the moment. Meanwhile, Nakamura felt himself shrinking into his seat.
As the lipstick's cap clicked shut with an air of finality, she tilted her head ever so slightly.
Nakamura gulped. "This is it," he thought. "I'm done for. Yumeko was just the warm-up boss. I've triggered the final boss without even realizing it."
Before he could stop himself, the words tumbled out. "I need a bathroom!!"
He bolted upright, ignoring the murmurs and snickers of his classmates. Future embarrassment? Reputation? Those were problems for later. Survival came first.
Nakamura made a mad dash for the classroom door, his mind singularly focused on one goal: escape. However, the moment his hand reached for the handle, he collided with something—or rather, someone.
"Ah?"
Both of them froze. Standing directly in the doorway, trying to enter at the exact same moment.
Nakamura turned his head slowly, and his eyes landed on the figure blocking his escape.
It was him.
The short boy with spiky, desaturated brown hair, the one who had unintentionally drawn everyone's attention earlier for opening his box without a password.
Makoto Naegi.
The two locked eyes, the awkwardness hitting like a freight train.
"Uh, excuse me," Naegi said politely, stepping slightly to his right.
"Oh, yeah, sure—excuse me," Nakamura replied, moving to his left.
And yet, as if drawn by some cosmic prank, they moved in perfect unison, blocking each other again.
Nakamura's eye twitched. "No, no, you go first."
Naegi shook his head quickly. "No, really, you were already heading out."
"Just—" Nakamura started, trying to sidestep once more.
But once again, Naegi moved at the same time, their synchronized miscoordination turning into an impromptu slapstick routine.
Both of them started to hear some muffled laughter from behind and their faces started to get heated up.
"Could you not block the whole door?!"
"I'm not trying to!" Naegi shot back, his voice rising slightly in self-defense.
"Then stop moving when I move!"
"You stop first!"
The ridiculous standoff continued for a few more unbearable seconds before Naegi finally took a step back, hands raised in surrender.
"There, happy?"
Nakamura didn't waste any time, muttering a quick, "Thanks," as he darted past Naegi, his mind screaming, Forget this ever happened. Forget this ever happened.
But as he rushed down the hallway, he heard Naegi call out, "You're welcome... I guess?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A/N): Yay, we're so back!! 🎉
First, so I don't waste your time, I really hope you take a moment to read this note—it's important for the future of my writing and how I'll share my stories with you.
Drumroll, please... 🥁 The big surprise is that I've been working on something exciting: a brand-new website! This will be the future home for all my stories, and it's where I'll be hosting my work moving forward.
Here's the cool part: chapters for all current stories will be launched at least 48 hours early on the website before they appear here. Plus, there will be some exclusive stories that I'll publish only on the website—stories you won't find anywhere else!
Now, let me put your minds at ease: the website is 100% free. There are no paid-to-read chapters, no sneaky fees, and absolutely no ads cluttering up the experience. I want the reading to feel as smooth and enjoyable as possible without any interruptions.
One thing I want to emphasize: the website is secure. It uses HTTPS, which means all the data exchanged between you and the website is encrypted. This ensures your browsing and reading experience is private and protected. You'll notice a little padlock icon in the browser's address bar when you visit—it's your assurance that the website is trustworthy and secure.
The website is still under development, and I'm handling everything myself (yes, coding and all that fun stuff). Over time, I'll be adding new features—some from my pre-planned list and others based on your suggestions—to make the experience even better for all of us.
Oh, and here's how you can find the website: it's called mznovels.com If for some reason the link isn't working or gets blocked, just remember this: "mz" (like the initials) plus "novels" dot com. Simple, right? 😉
Thank you so much for your support, patience, and encouragement. I can't wait for you to check it out and see what's in store! 💖
Happy reading.