Part 3
After parting ways with Shizuki, Touma resumed his walk toward the dorms, with Ellie guiding him through the augmented vision in his lenses.
[Route indicator activated – Destination: Dormitory 11, West Wing, third floor]
—Well, at least I won't get lost this time... —he murmured, following the holographic indicators on the ground.
As he moved forward, the atmosphere around the academy grew quieter. Seisen wasn't just a center of cutting-edge technology and combat its residential buildings looked far more luxurious than Touma had expected.
The dormitory buildings were sleek and modern, with panoramic windows, wide hallways, and an automated access system.
Each room was equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
—This feels more like a luxury hotel than a school...
When he reached the main entrance, a biometric terminal scanned his face, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.
—Welcome to Dormitory 11, Touma Kisaragi —SEI's voice rang through the hallway speakers—. Your belongings have been pre-delivered to your room.
Touma walked through the hallways, watching other students settle into their rooms. Some chatted casually, while others were already exploring the advanced features of their dorms.
[West Wing – Floor 3 – Room 307]
In front of his door, his name was projected alongside that of his roommate.
[Touma Kisaragi – Jake Maverick]
—Ah, right… I forgot I had a roommate.
[Access authorized – Door unlocking]
The door slid open with a soft sound, and the moment he stepped inside, the first thing he saw was a tall, muscular figure doing push-ups in the middle of the room.
—FIFTY-ONE, FIFTY-TWO, FIFTY-THREE...!
Touma blinked.
—What the hell?
The guy jumped up instantly and turned around with a beaming smile.
—Ah! Roommate! You finally made it!
Without warning, he walked over and shook his hand with such force Touma thought his arm might pop out of its socket.
—I'm Jake Maverick, from the United States! Future top fighter at Seisen and elite pilot! Looking forward to being your roommate, man!
Touma tried to process what had just happened.
—Uh... yeah. I'm Touma Kisaragi.
—Touma! Good name. Short and strong. I like it!
Jake looked him up and down, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.
—So you're my roommate, huh? Combat Division?
—Nope. Research Division.
Jake's eyes widened.
—Seriously? You don't look like a nerd...
—Thanks... I think?
—No worries! I don't look like a genius either, but believe me, I've got a strategy for everything.
—Yeah... I can tell.
Jake clapped him on the back and gestured energetically toward the room.
—Come on, buddy! We're gonna be the best at Seisen, I guarantee it!
Touma let out a sigh, realizing his dorm life was going to be more chaotic than he'd expected.
He dropped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, while Jake started unpacking and hung a framed photo of an F-22 on his side of the room.
—Alert: Touma-sama, you have 30 unread messages on your phone. If I were you, I'd check them. They seem important.
Ellie's voice echoed in his ear, snapping him out of his thoughts.
—Crap, I forgot about Hina! —he said, quickly sitting up and pulling out his phone in a panic.
[Hina: Touma, where are you?]
[Hina: I've been looking all over campus. I thought we'd head to the dorms together.]
[Hina: I'm here now. My roommate seems quiet, though I requested your room and they didn't let me…]
[Hina: Audio – 3 Minutes]
[Hina: You probably already found a girlfriend and forgot about your childhood friend, typical. fake sobbing]
Before he could react, Jake turned around with a teasing grin.
—Looks like you're having some girl trouble.
Touma frowned and lowered his phone.
—It's just Hina, my childhood friend. We're not like that.
Jake crossed his arms, still grinning.
—If you say so, man. But your face says otherwise.
Touma sighed and decided to ignore it.
—What about you? Any special girl in the life of the all-star American pilot? I'm guessing you've got a line of them.
Jake let out a loud laugh.
—Hah! Nah. I don't have time for that kind of stuff.
With that, he rummaged through his stuff until he pulled out a celebrity magazine and showed it to Touma.
[Misaki Toudou awarded NovaTech's Best Pilot in the World]
On the cover, Misaki Toudou—the treasurer of Seisen's Student Council—posed beside a next-gen mecha, exuding confidence and a commanding aura.
Touma raised an eyebrow.
—You've got a thing for the Student Council treasurer? That's aiming pretty high…
Jake shook his head.
—It's not like that. I came to Seisen to compete with her.
With a determined smile, he carefully unfolded a newspaper clipping and placed it on the table.
[Young prodigy Jake Maverick earns scholarship to Seisen. "I want to thank the U.S. government for giving me the chance to compete with the best in the world."]
Jake pointed at Misaki's photo in the magazine with conviction.
—I want to prove I can stand on her level —and pilot a mecha just like her.
Touma leaned back against the headboard, eyeing him with a faint smile.
—That's aiming high, alright.
Before Jake could respond, Ellie's calm but direct voice echoed in Touma's ear.
—According to my database, Misaki Toudou holds an unbeatable record in speed and reaction time. Jake Maverick's stats are significantly below hers.
—There's that much of a gap? —Touma muttered before he could stop himself.
Jake raised an eyebrow at Touma's reaction, who was trying not to laugh.
—Huh? Who told you that?
—My lenses. They show me relevant info —Touma replied, tapping his temple casually.
—So you're one of those guys who relies on fancy gadgets, huh? How convenient —Jake said, crossing his arms—. But those stats are outdated. I'll prove I can catch up to her.
Touma shrugged, the smirk still on his face.
Suddenly, Jake clapped his hands with energy, switching topics.
—Alright, roommate! Time to go out and explore the city. There's a bowling alley in Tenryu —what do you say?
—Pass.
—Pass? Really?
—I need to go see Hina. I don't want her chasing me all over campus just to give me a lecture.
Jake clicked his tongue with a mocking smile.
—Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. But sooner or later, you'll have to go out. You can't hide in the academy forever.
Touma sighed, picked up his phone, and headed for the door.
—I'm not hiding. I just have other priorities.
Jake laughed and flopped down on his bed.
—If that helps you sleep at night, I'll believe you.
Without bothering to reply, Touma left the room, fully aware that the conversation with Hina wasn't going to be a peaceful one.