Editing Kämpfer:Volume 2 Chapter 1 (section)

=== The Transformation ===

"Ah..."

Akane raised her head.

"By the way, I want to ask you something."

"Huh? What?"

I don't have many secrets. Of course, everyone has things they don't want others to know, like test scores or where they keep their A-level books.<ref name="abooks">'''A-level books''': Likely referring to adult or pornographic material that high school students would hide.</ref> My A-level books are tucked away in the back of the cabinet. I guess every high school student is like that. Other secrets aren't that big of a deal.

No, there's probably one more.

"Is anything strange happening?"

"What?"

"About the transformation..."

I was about to ask why when my right hand began to glow.

More accurately, the bracelet on my right wrist began to glow. The blue-white light flickered, slowly enveloping my entire body.

"Huh, huh, huh, huh?"

Before I could say anything, I was enveloped in light from head to toe.

When the light faded, my transformation was complete.

"Why..."

I quickly glanced at my body. My slender waist and legs were slim, and two large breasts dangled from my chest. I had completely transformed into a woman.

"Why?"

"Why... Because you're a Kämpfer,"<ref name="kampfer">'''Kämpfer''': German for "fighter" or "warrior," the term used for the magical fighters in this series.</ref>

the Seppuku Tiger said impatiently.

"Of course I know that, but there's no need to transform now, right?"

This might require some clarification.

<br><br>

Kämpfer means "warrior," literally meaning someone who exists for battle. One day, this talking doll suddenly declared me a Kämpfer warrior. The shock I felt was beyond imagination, but I'll skip that story for now.

Kämpfer's enemy is still Kämpfer. I've fought in countless battles, so that wasn't a big deal. But when fighting, I always transform into a woman, as if I couldn't be a Kämpfer without a woman. Just explaining how troublesome this Kämpfer thing is.

In reality, Akane is also a Kämpfer, a senior who came to the game six months before me. Like me, she wears a bracelet that glows blue and white, proving she's an ally. Enemies wear red bracelets.

Transformed into a woman, I panicked, but thankfully, my clothes stayed the same, so there were other reasons.

"Where are the enemies?"

"I don't think there are any..."

Akane said calmly.

"Then why did I transform?"

Kämpfer means that if there are other Kämpfer nearby, they will transform as well, meaning there must be an enemy nearby.

"If there are no enemies, it's impossible to transform."

Even if there are allies, it's possible to transform.

"That's why I asked if anything strange happened,"

Akane explained slowly.

<br><br>

"Well... when you first become a Kämpfer, you can't transform on your own accord, right?"

"Yeah."

I'll skip the details for now, because it's caused me so much misery.

"But as you gain experience, you can transform on your own accord. That's how I got there."

"Yeah."

"So, before you can transform on your own accord, there's a period of uncertainty."

"Huh? What's going on?"

"I transformed automatically, regardless of whether there are enemies around. That was the same thing with me before."

"What...? It has nothing to do with my conscious will?"

"Yes."

"Automatically?"

"Exactly."

I nearly fell backward in shock. So that's it! I finally understood why I could transform even without enemies or companions. There was nothing I could do.

But now's no time to relax. This means the risk of transforming into a girl in the classroom or on the street has greatly increased. If you were to transform into a girl in the middle of class, if you were lucky enough to just get startled, people would probably call the police, an ambulance, or even take you to the zoo.

<br><br>

"But don't you have to accumulate a certain amount of experience before you can transform on your own? Isn't that too early for me?"

"I was surprised too. Maybe Natsuru-kun is a little bit special..."

It was like being declared a "weirdo." If it were just "You're so special and interesting," I'd be happy, but being treated as a weirdo in this regard just adds to my troubles.

"Then what should I do..."

I couldn't help but complain.

"Maybe after a while, I'll be able to transform freely on my own..."

"Maybe?"

"Hmm..."

You're not sure either? Oh, there's nothing I can do.

After becoming Kämpfer, although I haven't had many battles, my worries have increased a lot. This kind of thing is like interest, and it's a very high interest rate in an underground money lender.

There's nothing I can do. I can only pray that I don't suddenly transform at school and hide under the covers at home. Time will probably solve everything.

"You didn't transform, Akane?"

"I can control it now."

Akane's transformation was even more exaggerated than mine. Her words were as vicious as a navy sergeant's, and she was ready to shoot at anyone, regardless of the situation. I secretly nicknamed her "Bulldog Girl."

"But..."

Akane murmured. "Natsuru-san, you're really beautiful..."

"Yeah, I guess so..."

It felt strange to say it myself, but after transforming, I was truly an incredibly beautiful girl. Even when I first saw her, I couldn't help but doubt my own eyes.

"I just feel so bad..."

Her cheeks puffed up. Alas, I really don't understand women.

Even so, Akane's little gestures were truly adorable. Although she was usually so plain that she was even omitted from the "Iron Star Academy High School Beautiful Girls Guide" published by our school's underground Beauty Research Club<ref name="bishoujo">'''Beauty Research Club''': "Bishoujo" means "beautiful girl" in Japanese, indicating this club focuses on studying attractive female students.</ref>, she was still incredibly attractive. Although it's unimportant, I'll still mention that the president of the Beauty Research Club was a boy from my class named Higashida.

After a while, Akane's cheeks returned to their normal state.

"…I should probably leave,"

she said, neatly putting away the opened box of eclairs.

"Oh, I remember."

Just as she was about to go downstairs, Akane turned around.

"I heard at school that there's a transfer student coming tomorrow."

"Transfer? To the women's department?"

"Yeah,"

I replied casually. Although I could transform into a woman, I was still enrolled in the men's department. There was a strict division between the men's and women's departments at Iron Star Academy High School, with the central dividing line under tighter surveillance than East and West Germany during the Cold War. What happened in the women's department was like something on the other side of the Iron Curtain to us.

"It looks like she's a first-year, and she doesn't seem to be a transfer student..."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Yeah—say hello to that new student for me,"

I replied casually. I wasn't Higashida, who was busy gathering intelligence on girls all day. This kind of thing had nothing to do with me. I'd just treat it as a casual after-dinner conversation, I thought, as I watched Akane leave.

I was so naive, and I'll soon realize this truth.

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