Epic Of Caterpillar

Chapter 2558 - 2559: Good Friends

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Frank looked at the animations with a slight sense of disgust and strangeness. Did the Gacha Game had any reason to be this graphical about a unit being sacrificed into currency? Usually this was done without any character saying or doing anything. And most of the time they werenʼt sacrificed but sent back ”where they came from”. However, this game specifically made them turn into dust through a magical room.

”Are games nowadays really this weird?” Frank wondered. ”Kamei the guy was screaming for his life…”

”Itʼs just scripted dialogue, they always say stuff like that…” Kamei shrugged. ”I mean, itʼs just some funny stuff, right? It doesnʼt really matter, itʼs a game, niichan.”

”E-Eh… Yeah, I guess so,” Frank nodded, as he checked his phone, noticing some messages from Harumi and Erika.

[Harumi]: [Where are you? I couldnʼt find you in the train station as always.]

[Harumi]: [I ended waiting for another train, but you didnʼt come, so I took the second train.]

[Harumi]: [Are you sick?]

[Harumi]: [If youʼre sick I can give you a potion for colds and other things.]

[Harumi]: [Frank? Are you okay?]

[Harumi]: [Hi?]

”S-She didnʼt have to message me so much…”

Frank felt a bit surprised Harumi was so talkative only through message apps, but he felt slightly happy she worried about him to this extent.

[Frank]: [Iʼm fine, I just woke up late, sorry. Iʼm on my way with my sister.]

[Harumi]: [Oh ok]

[Harumi]: [Thatʼs nice.]

[Harumi]: [Attached Sticker]

Harumi sent a sticker showing a white cat giving him a thumbs up.

Frank giggled a bit; he didnʼt know Harumi had this side.

Then he checked Erikaʼs messages.

[Erika]: [Hey Frank where the hell are you? Harumiʼs all sad now that youʼre gone dude.]

[Erika]: [Are you sick or something?]

[Erika]: [Heeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

”Sheʼs so annoying…”

Frank sighed internally, as he answered her too.

[Frank]: [Iʼm fine, Iʼm fine. Iʼm going to school.]

[Erika]: [Oh yeah Harumi-chan just told me!]

[Erika]: [Wanna go to the karaoke today? I wanna go with you and Harumi!]

[Frank]: [Ok, but only if Matsuo comes along too.]

[Erika]: [Eeeeh… fine.]

”What does she have against him?”

[Erika]: [Letʼs sing to our heartʼs content! I bet you donʼt even know how to sing seeing how youʼre so stuck up ahahaha!]

[Frank]: [Hey, I know a few songs here and there, but mostly in English…]

[Erika]: [Of course, of course, youʼre American after all, hahaha… I want to see you sing in Japanese!]

[Frank]: [Iʼll suck…]

[Erika]: [Yeah thatʼs why!]

[Frank]: [._.]

[Erika]: [XD]

”Sheʼs somewhat even more annoying online…”

Once the train reached the station, Frank and Kamei hurried to school, arriving barely in time before the teacher arrived.

His sister quickly ran upstairs to where her classroom was, while Frank moved around the corridors, reaching his classroom.

Harumi, Erika, and Matsuo were there, sitting while chatting.

However, the moment they saw him, they got happier.

”Hey! There you are!” Erika yelled at him annoyingly.

”Good morning Frank,” Harumi greeted him with a cute smile.

”Yo,” Matsuo waved his hand.

”Hey, sorry for being late… I really shouldnʼt had stayed awake watching youtube videos…” Frank made out a little white lie about it.

”Haha, happens all the time man,” Matsuo laughed, patting his shoulders.

”Heʼs lying though…” Harumi said, as she quickly saw through his lie.

”E-Eh? What?” Matsuo wondered.

”Ah…” Frank sat down looking at his friends and sighing. ”Okay I lied, I was actually setting up a barrier for my house, a formation to protect my house and my parents. Happy?”

”So that was it?” Erika wondered. ”Well I guess thatʼs fine right? Anyway its not like we care either way if you come to school or not~!”

”You seemed to care a bit before though,” Matsuo said.

”I-I didnʼt!” Erika said angrily, waving her tail around, which other people couldnʼt see due to the ”invisible animal trait” ability she had within her ring.

”So you were doing that, itʼs very noble of you,” Harumi nodded. ”I suppose we shouldʼve suggested that ourselves, right? Your family is only a normal family, so technically, your very existence put them in danger.”

”I know…” Frank nodded, sighing. ”Remember the weird dreams I told you about? Well, one of those dreams…”

Frank explained to his friends what he had seen there, and his friends quickly became more serious. If his visions or dreams of the future were true, based in the knowledge he gained which even helped Matsuo grow stronger, then all of this could be true as well.

”Y-You family got killed?!” Erika gasped. ”Shit… I guess youʼre being targeted by the Chaos Gate bastards?”

”Chaos Gate? I remember that name from somewhere…” Frank said.

”Theyʼre an organization of crime in the underworld thar runs all over Japan,” Matsuo said. ”And enemies of all our families. They are criminals, all of them… If you ever see a member, you either run, or if youʼre strong enough, take them down.”

”What do they exactly do?” Wondered Frank. ”I know that dude called Wasp was there, he did this to my family in those visions and…”

”Wasp… I donʼt really recognize that name,” Matsuo said. ”Heʼs either someone new, or someone that has been working secretly for a long time. Iʼll report this to the clan, Iʼll try to appeal to the Ancestor for a stronger protection towards your family. She might even use divine intervention.”

Matsuo quickly tipped on his phone, telling his parents about it, which would then tell the Ancestor.

”M-Matsuo, youdidnt really had to… I have barely done anything for the clan…” Muttered Frank, feeling a bit embarrassed.

”Anything? youʼve helped plenty I believe!” Matsuo nodded. ”Right?”

”Yeah, I already told my mother through telepathy,” Said Harumi. ”She said sheʼll sent some of her agents to protect your house too.”

”H-Huh? Harumi! You didnʼt really need to…” Frank felt even more embarrassed.

”Frank, youʼre my friend… And someone I care for, if that were to happen to your family… I wouldnʼt really know what… what to do, so its better to prevent it. Mom appreciates you as well,” Harumi smiled. ”She knows you saved my life in that battle, so she has some level of appreciation… I think.”

”I really donʼt know what to say… But thanks, thanks a lot,” Frank said, smiling lightly.

Harumi blushed a bit, as she nodded timidly.

”I-Itʼs nothing…” She muttered. ”In the underworld, we always have to protect each otherʼs backs.”

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