As the sky became white, sunlight flowed in from the mountain peaks. A warm light rose, driving away the hazed and chilly air.
At last, the attack on the dungeon starts. The whole 12 members of 2A Guild are checking their equipment and items in front of the entrance.
I also opened the menu and did secret preparations for battle preparation. At any rate, I took off the Demon King’s armor, my strength was roughly level 1. I need ways to make up for it.
And those are billing items.
I select one medicine from the item list. Mysteriously, if I use this magic medicine called Stronger, my attack power will increase by one. There are regular items that let you increase attack your power, but it won’t let you stack their effect. However, if you use Stronger, your attack power will increase as you use it. This item is prepared for adults who have money but don’t have much time, and it’s supposed to be used when you want to quickly defeat the enemies of the main quest.
I’m a guy who takes ridiculously long to level up, that’s what I’ve been saying to myself, but I haven’t grown at all, and that’s weird. Although I’ve been procrastinating, it’s been a month since I logged in, so I’d like to achieve level 3 or 4.
Supposing I were level 3, my attack power would be around 30. Since my initial attack power is 20, 10 Stronger had to be used.
Stronger──costs 500 yen each. In other words, the price of magic is 5,000 yen.
Huh? You know I don’t feel like mobilizing with the 2A guild, don’t you?
And the higher the level, the more Stronger I need. I feel like I’m being tricked by a corrupted consumer credit businessman.
According to the Hell’s Domain policy, accidents are accidents, but every billing item used in here will be billed separately. Or it could be used as a bargaining tool in case of compensation problems. This was an information that I didn’t want to hear brought by Aikawa-san.
Well, now that I think about it, there’s no other way. I just feel down.
When I finished increasing my attack power, I chose another item. Then, something similar to a spray can appears in my hands. It looks like an ordinary spray can, but the content is just spray. One could paint the equipment with this so-called item to have fun making it stylish and customizing it. I shook the spray lightly up and down and drew a ☆ shape on my armor. This is my lifeline. I haven’t found any defense up billing items yet. This is the only way to tell all orcs I’m not the target of slaughter.
– Ahaa, Kakeru! What are you doing?
Yushima Leonhardt (Germany) addressed me in his usual high mood.
– No, it’s nothing.
– Yo! Are you drawing an illustration!? That armor hurts! It does hurt! Are you drawing something pervert!?
– I’m not!
If this guy said nothing, he would be a handsome man just like Ichinomiya… but it’s unfortunate.
Because Yushima was noisy, both Arisugawa (Alice) and Yamada (General Heibon) ended up coming.
– Heee, Doumeguri-kun. Is that your own customization?
– Well… it’d be too much to call it customization. More like, I’m simply superstitious.
By the way, Arisugawa used equipment for women even in battle. His Battle Class called 『Divine Artist』was mainly responsible for recovery; he was dressed like Alice in Wonderland with white and blue as the basic theme. He’s short and his thin and slender legs extended from what seemed to be a miniskirt. What worries me is whether the underwear he wears under it is for men or women.
Currently, only Arisugawa himself and Hinazawa know that secret. However, if there’s a brief glimpse of his underwear during the battle, then the truth will be known. I look forward to the X-day coming … no, it’s good. What Arisugawa has is, a wand. It’s not that long, if I had to say, I’d say it’s more like a stick. Thanks to that, it’s undeniable that a magical girl vibe rises around him.
By the way, the basic equipment of Divine Artists is a wand, but sorcerers also use magic as a weapon, and grimoires are more basic equipment than wands.
Yamada put his hand on his chin, showed a somewhat serious look,
– A star?
He muttered those two words. He didn’t seem to have any particular thoughts or think deeply about it.
– Well, it’s like a good luck charm. It has the meaning of a charm against evil spirits… don’t worry too much about it. My fighting strength isn’t as high as the others so──
Arisugawa clapped.
– Is that so? On that subject, some Shinto shrines in Kyoto also used star symbols as talismans. If I remember correctly, that was related with the exorcist Abe no Seimei?
– Whooooooooaaaaah! The exorcist! Abe no Seimei! Amaaaziiing! I’ll do it too degozaru!
What!?
– Wha, y-you can’t! That’s.
I turned my back on him, protecting the spray from the evil hands of Germany in my chest.
– Why!? That’s unfair! I also want something like an onmyou-style!
Leonhardt tries to steal the spray from my hands, clinging to me. So noisy! I mean, even if you do this, the item won’t be transferred!
– I also want a cool paint!
Shit! Why does this guy do nothing but unnecessary things!? If there are many people with ☆, my plan will be ruined!
– Y-you’re wrong! This is just a spell, but to protect Japan! If a foreigner like you uses it, you’ll die!!
Leonhardt’s hands stop suddenly. Then I heard a fluent Japanese from his mouth.
– Eh? Is that so?
– Eh?
– Eh?
– …
– Oh! You stopped as expected! Japanese magic is scary!
– Hey you, be quiet! What we’ll we do if the monsters gather because of you?
No matter how you look at it, Hinazawa Naru (The loli recommended for MEXT) glared at us with arms folded. Yuuki Uiko, who tried to hide behind her small loli figure, nodded in silence.
– It’s not my──
Fault, as I tried to say so, Busujima and Miyakoshi, the gal duo, came along.
– I’d say that’s an excuse, and a super terrible one.
– No, saying so is the same as feeling bad for him. This is difficult for Stealth-kun after all. Hey, don’t overdo it, so why don’t you return to the hotel?
Fuuck, Busujima disses and disregards the whole story and Miyakoshi imposes her own demands with a tone as if thinking of me.
While that happened, Asagiri cut into the conversation.
– D-don’t be too harsh. More importantly, umm, well…
Asagiri clapped.
– Yes, order! Shall we decide the order of the formation that will go deeper into the dungeon?
At that moment, my eyes met Ichinomiya’s eyes. Both nodded at each other with our eyes only. Ichinomiya stood up and went to the entrance of the dungeon.
– Akira-kun?
– I’ll go first. Everyone will come later.
– Ah! Wait, Akira-kun!
Kuh, Ichinomiya jumped into the dungeon without hearing Asagiri’s halt. As his back disappeared into the darkness of the cave, Asagiri looked back and shouted at everyone.
– Let’s go too!
The surprised Ogiya makes his voice squeak.
– Wait a moment, what’s our formation!?
– A basic pattern for capturing dungeons is fine!
Asagiri answered while running and disappeared into the entrance of the dungeon.
– Jeeeeez, it can’t he helpeeed! Ichinomiya is being too selfish!
Ougiya got carried away. He used to call him Akira-kun before.
Ougiya follows her while complaining grumbly, everyone heads to the dungeon looking dissatisfied. Shizukuishi, who looks bored, is the last one… as I think so, the gal Busujima stayed there. Are you going to come or not? She’s in panic as if losing her way.
– What is it? Everyone left already, didn’t they? Busujima-san has to be there because you’re a healer.
– S-so noisy! You gross, don’t talk to me!
Busujima shouted so and followed the appearance of Shizukuishi from behind. I also follow her back.
The dungeon was illuminated by a slightly warm, yellow-green light. Anyway, I curiously survey the ores that glow in a yellow-green color and the dungeon illuminated by them for the first time.
– ……It’s pretty.
A beauty that even the silent Yuuki said spontaneously. She crouched down without thinking and rubbed the glittering stones. Busujima scowls at Yuuki, getting irritated.
– You’re in the way, don’t go crouching in a place like this! We’re in a dungeon, we don’t know when and where the enemies will appear.
– I-I’m sorry.
Busujima, who threw a clicking tongue at the back of Yuuki who returned to the formation in a half run, surveyed the area, seemingly worried. She advanced, feeling that her back curled up, trying to hold the wand.
– Hey, Meg. You okay?
Miyakoshi worried about Busujima, her face was pale, like she was anxious.
– It may be too much for me… this looks like a haunted house──
Our eyes met. Busujima blushed, her face seemed to say “oh crap!”.
– What are you looking at!? How gross!
I silently turned my face away.
It feels like she has been acting suspiciously since a while ago, hasn’t she? When I think about it, I’ve seen her fighting in the field, but I’ve never seen her in a dungeon. In everyday battles, she clung to Ichinomiya to be protected by him…. I see, the effects of Ichinomiya’s fall appeared in such ways.
At that moment, the scream of an orc resounded from the depths of the dungeon.
– *Eeek!
Busujima’s spine straightens.
The sound of metal hitting metal continued echoing. Ichinomiya and Asagiri must be fighting something ahead.
– Hey, isn’t it dangerous? What do you do?
Hinazawa said as if rebuking Ougiya who made his face stiffen.
– We have to hurry, something’s there!
Everyone readies their weapons and goes deep into the cave, looking for Ichinomiya and Asagiri who headed first. Then, the front of the cave came near, the passage branched into two.
Busujima raises a half-panicked voice.
– Hey, wait! Which way should we go? We’ll get lost! What do we do if we can’t leave!?
The vanguard Ougiya groaned, his arms folded.
What are you doing, you two?
I muttered as if speaking to myself.
– We have to call out to them by shouting.
Then, Busujima and Ougiya, who heard the murmur, raised their voices without a moment’s delay.
– Oh, Akira──! Where are you ──!?
Ichinomiya’s voice echoed immediately.
– Over here!
– H-hey, did we hear him from the right just now?
– Um… maybe.
Miyakoshi responds with not so much confidence to Busujima’s question. When we tried to carefully listen to them again, another sound was heard. Metallic sounds happened over and over again from behind. A lot of them.
– Hey hey hey! Looks like something is approaching!?
Ougiya shouted in a voice like he was about to burst out crying.
– Noooooooooo! Because Busujima shouted so loud, other monsters are coming!
– Eh!? It’s my fault?
– Well, when you normally make noise, it’s normal to get the attention of monsters! Normal!
Yamada, who was normally impatient, fired the clue word normal in rapid succession. It could be said this guy has powers of persuasion, huh. However, for Busujima, who self-proclaimed as ultra-rare, being thrust into the normal-rank Yamada was intolerable. Just as I thought, Busujima blushed in anger. And stared at me with a movement that seemed to make raging sounds.
– Because you say unnecessary things…
Was she trying to show off she wasn’t afraid of the dungeon? She burned me to try showing she was okay. That’s how Busujima feels now? My condolences.
I’d like to tell her that “it’s not like they were already well aware that we would come, so making sounds or anything like that have no relation whatsoever”, but it doesn’t seem that will work.
Hinazawa raised a very loud voice that didn’t suit her small body.
– Leave that for later! Let’s hurry!
We ran in the dungeon at full speed as if rushed by Hinazawa and escaped from the orcs chasing us from behind.
– Ririko! Ichinomiya!
Hinazawa called out to them. They were in a very long and narrow room deep into the cave. The two of them wield their swords against more than twenty orcs. However, and thanks to the narrowness of the room, the orcs can’t attack them all at once. Thanks to that, they seemed to be able to resist.
– Akira-kun!
– Asagiri-san!
– Are you okay!?
Asagiri could only answer with her voice, since she couldn’t afford to turn around to the call sent by everyone.
– Please recover!
– ! Leave it to us!
Hinazawa and Arisugawa hold their wands and cast a spell. Then white healing lights wrap around Asagiri and Ichinomiya. Colorful lights surround the bodies of the two.
– Get some defense up and attack up!
Arisugawa closes one eye a little and makes a V sign. Somehow, he looked just like your everyday, no, more than your everyday cute Idol.
– Now, you’re next! Uiko, the frivolous lad and the background character!
Hinazawa casts magic to increase the attack power and accuracy of Yuuki, Ougiya, and Yamada. They are melee-specialized Battle Class called Fighters, and for that reason she assisted them. By the way, calling Yamada a background character, you’re being considerably rude, you know?
That’s right.
In addition, Arisugawa casts defense magic on everyone, the vanguard physical attack team defeats the orcs one after another. There, the offensive magic of sorcerers who chanted a long spell ran through the long and narrow room.
「「『Flame Storm!』」」
The Flame Storm of Leonhardt and Miyakoshi slashed the orcs’ HP. The amount of flames is greater than the sum of their flames, the vigorous and unbelievably fast magic wipes the orcs.
「『Flame Tempest! 』」
Shizukuishi’s offensive magic is in a different rank than the other two’s. The current level should be 19 for Miyakoshi and Leonhardt and 20 for Shizukuishi. But in reality the difference is more than that. This is the difference between character and talent. Ichinomiya shows a power beyond his level due to his force of will and nature.
Moreover, since he’s in a party, the cooperation makes him even stronger.
Mercenaries as well as the Adamite Golem are gathered in the last room, but if they are attacked by all these guys, it would be impossible to hold onto the item. It’s necessary to divide them at all costs and make Ichinomiya be alone if possible.
The 2A Guild, which defeated the orcs standing in the way and joined Ichinomiya and Asagiri, passed through a narrow hallway and entered the next room. That’s the room with the trap. Most of the black tiles have been removed to make it easier for me to operate them. Only one remains in the corner of the room.
Ougiya’s hysteric voice resounds in the room.
– Hey hey hey! They’re chasing us from behind! This is way terrible!
Orcs’ main force followed the path we have taken.
– Ichinomiya-kun…
Asagiri looked up at Ichinomiya.
– Ku…
Ichinomiya decided that it’s dangerous to move ahead, and hesitated to plunge into the next room. Come on, plunge into it faster! I stood near the black tile along the wall and waited for the right moment.
– Here they coooooooome!
The orc’s main force, which chased us from behind, finally rushed into the room.
– Fuck!
Ichinomiya raised his sword and tried to plunge into the swarm of orcs.
This moron!
I moved away from the black tile where I was taking the position and jumped out in front of Ichinomiya. I stopped the rush of Ichinomiya as if hurling myself at him.
– What the, Doumeguri!?
The blow of an orc was swung downward at my back.
– Guaah.
The number 30 floated. But fortunately, there’s no second attack. The ☆ sign drawn on my back seems to be working. The orc is puzzled, without knowing what to do.
– Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
The sharp blow of Asagiri mowed down the orc. In that interval, I approach my ear to Ichinomiya’s ear.
– Just go! Judging from appearances, the next room is where the last boss is. If you defeat the boss, I promise you won’t be a no one anymore!
– But we’ll be sandwiched by the enemies!
– I have an idea. Go!
Ichinomiya bit his lips and turned back. Asagiri looks surprised at his action and looks back.
– Eh? Akira-kun!? Where are you going!?
– Wait, Ichinomiya! Are you abandoning us agaaaaain!?
I push the back of Ichinomiya and send him to the next room as if sending him flying. Alright! Now the black tile──!?
I tripped up with something and fell forward. There’s still a distance of about 50 cm to the black tile.
W-what the hell!?
I saw something grabbing my feet, and fear ran in me.
– Even if you’re just trying to escape, I won’t let you!
Busujima clung to my feet.
– Everything has gone to hell since you came! Even Akira is seething with anger! You pest!
– This is bad! We’ll try going first!
– Yo! This is a strategic retreat, isn’t it!?!?
This is terrible! At this rate, my plan will be ruined!
I dragged Busujima, heading for the black tile as I crawled.
– Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!
My hand touched the black tile just before the 2A Guild and the orcs struggled with one another, trying to enter the room. At that moment, the iron bars fell with a tremendous momentum. The path to the last boss’s room was blocked, raising a strong subterranean sound.
– Whoa!? What the hell is this?
– I-iron bars!?
Yamada gives an answer to Arisuwaga’s shout like he understood. Arisugawa let out a crying-sounding voice, grasping the iron bars that obstructed his path.
– W-what should we do!? Are we locked up!?
– Eeeeeh!?
Asagiri, who was holding back the orcs at the entrance, raised a flustered voice.
– Guys!?
Ichinomiya, also surprised, looked back.
But behind Ichinomiya, a five-meter tall Adamite Golem approached him, making sounds as if rocks rubbing against each other. His huge arms stretched out to catch Ichinomiya.
– Kuh!
Ichinomiya immediately rolls sideways, escaping from the hands of the Adamite Golem.
– Damn it! Guys, are you okay!?
Ichinomiya looks around the room calmly while giving a shout to us.
In addition to the Adamite Golem, there’s a mantis monster『Clay Mantis』. A plant monster 『Sand Rose』approaches slowly. Each one of them is a level 20 monster.
And one more thing. There’s an exit hole in the back of the room.
– … Shit!
Ichinomiya sweats cold, compares the exit, the monsters and us across the iron bars with his eyes.
He’s not going to win if he fights by himself. It’ll be the same if the quest fails, it’s better to survive alone than being annihilated. Ichinomiya should be able to make such a logical decision. But those who are being let to die without getting help won’t think that way.
If he escapes here, he won’t be the leader ever again. But he can’t win if he fights the monsters showing recklessness. He would continue doing as he pleases to the end, the quest would fail and we would be completely annihilated.
And like this, there would be no Ichinomiya’s reinstatement.
– Fucking hell! Why are we trapped in a place like thiiiiis!?
– Doumeguri! It’s your doing, isn’t it!?
──What!?
Busujima let go of my feet and stood up. Then scowled at me as if looking for revenge.
– I saw it! The moment you touched that black stone, the jail cell closed!
I made a vexing face and shook my head.
– W… what are you talking about, Busujima-san? I haven’t──
– Move out of the way!
Forcibly pushing me away, Busujima touched the black tile on the floor. When she presses it, putting effort into it, she hears a click, denting about two centimeters.
– … I knew it!
Busujima has a hateful expression and hits that tile many times. However, the cage doesn’t move.
– Aaaaaaaah! Come on! Why isn’t it opening!? Doumeguri! Open it right now!
But I was just flustered.
– E-even if you tell me that! I didn’t realize there was such a trap!
Ougiya places his hand on his forehead and screams in lamentation.
– Kaaaaaaaaaa! Isn’t Doumeguri being a burden agaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!?
But Ichinomiya responded to that voice.
– Doumeguri…?
Then, looks back at us while pointing his sword at the monsters. Just for an instant, our eyes met. At that time, Ichinomiya’s eyes,
──I got it.
He seemed to have said so.
Asagiri shouted while slashing at an orc.
– Everyone! Since the iron bars won’t open, give me a hand fast! I can’t hold them back!
Asagiri, Shizukuishi, Hinazawa, Yuki and Miyakoshi forced the orcs back to the entrance. However, reinforcements appeared one after another, they were reaching their limits.
– This is pretty bad! I’ll help you with a blitzkrieg! Yahoooo!
– L-let’s go at once!
Along with Leonhardt who went first, Arisugawa and Yamada, who were holding onto the iron bars, ran to support them.
I stood up and tried to follow them.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
But then, at that moment, the defense line collapsed. The orcs rush into the room again. Asagiri, who ran after the orcs who tried to go around the back of 2A, slashed at them.
The orcs that entered the room move around all scattered so they can’t be defeated all at once by Shizukuishi’s magic.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaaah.
The fighter Yuuki ran away from the attacking orcs with teary eyes. The few combatants, however, have no choice but to oppose them. For Yuuki, who’s an extremely timid person and is afraid of strangers, the orcs are nothing but the representation of fear.
The battle between the two jumbled sides is no longer a party battle. It’s in chaos, there’s no coordination, and each one of them struggles desperately. Forcing them back is no longer possible.
──Now 2A Guild will be annihilated again with this.
I pretended to hold the sword and slowly stepped back to the wall. Some orcs are trying to attack me, but they glance at the ☆ symbol and pretended to not see me as if ignoring me.
It’s obviously unnatural, but they won’t take notice of this in the middle of this chaos. Do I pretend to be attacked and take refuge in the hidden room──,
Right there, a shock ran on my knee.
– Guah!
And the number 20 comes to the front.
For a moment, I wondered if an orc didn’t follow the order and attacked me, but there were no orcs near me. Instead, Busujima held her magic wand towards me.
– Wha… Busujima-san?
The tip of the short wand of about 50 cm long glowed blue.
– Gaah!?
A wind arose and penetrated my body. An offensive magic that manipulated magic used by Divine Artists.
– It’s your fault… nothing good has happened ever since you came. Your plan is to separate me from Akira, isn’t it!?
Busujima complains while weeping. An orc crept behind Busujima.
– H-hey! Busujima! Behind you!
But she doesn’t hear what I say. The hatchet of the orc was swung down on the back of Busujima. But Busujima comes to me as if possessed by something. Even though her HP steadily decreases, the concept of recovery doesn’t seem to be in her.
– Everything is your fault! I haven’t been bad! And yet, Akira doesn’t look at me! I’m not like I was in the past! I became pretty and no one made fun of me! It was going well until now, but everything went strange since you came!
She shoved and pushed me as she shouted things that made no sense.
– Guooh.
Our stances change place and the attack of the orc hits my back. The number 30 came up.
T-this is bad! If the next one hits me, I may die!
I pressed Busujima’s body against the wall with all my might. The wall then moves like a door, and we fall, trying to get entangled with each other on the other side of the wall.
This is the hidden room. The hidden door immediately goes back to how it was with the strength of springs. The orcs naturally know about this room, but they don’t go after us, they follow the Demon King’s order.
But a more immediate crisis was before my eyes.
When he got tangled and fell, I was being straddled by Busujima. Busujima, who is riding me, looked down at me with a face as if seeking revenge and turned the point of the wand in front of me.
– Doumeguri! Why do you──!!
The tip of Busujima’s wand glows blue.
A message was displayed when my finger quickly opened the menu.
『Age authentication──This feature is not suitable for those under 18 years old. Are you sure you want to use it?』
I hit the agree button without a moment’s delay, and slightly faster than the light is emitted from the tip of the wand──,
A heart-shaped crest emerged on the chest of Busujima.
──Ecstas.
The adult mode exclusive magic that makes the enemy be in a licentious state and raises their desires, making them lose their normal judgment. One of the only two magic that Demon King Hellshaft can use. Busujima immediately had an intoxicated look in her eyes, her cheeks reddened and her mouth was loosely open. She didn’t move as if she had fainted with her eyes still open.
– Hey, Busujima… can you hear me?
– … Meg.
– Huh?
Busujima muttered in a weak voice, stretched her fingertips and moved to operate the menu.
– Uh!?
Busujima’s equipment disappeared in an instant. When she took off her gal-like Divine Artist clothes, what came from below that were surprisingly cute pink bra and panties.
– I hate my family name Busujima… so… I’d like you to call me Meg.
My chest was startled and jumped at Busujima who muttered so while feeling shy.
– Uh, is that so…? Then, Meg? Can you calm down a bit? We’re in the middle of a quest now.
– ?
Busujima tilted her head. Oh crap, even her normal thinking ability was taken away? I can’t help wondering what’s going on outside. Actually, I was going to shut myself in here alone and once they were annihilated, I would go outside as Hellshaft… but my plan went completely wrong.
– Hey Doumeguri-kun, am I beautiful?
She asked me, while making her waist bend loosely back and forth. The soft sensation of Busujima’s lower body is pressed against my abdomen. I feel a fresh excitement.
– Well, you see… you’re very beautiful.
Especially the shoulder strap of the bra that is not connected and her chest that is more or less visible.
– I’m glad…
Busujima smiled like she did so from the bottom of her heart.
– I want to be beautiful. Because my family name is Busujima… elementary school students made fun of me…
You were bullied in the past? Wow, I can’t imagine it at all.
– At that time, the amateur models who appeared in fashion magazines were very beautiful, dignified, and fun. I wondered “if I were like them, they wouldn’t make fun of they, would they?“
Busujima put her hands on her breasts to hide them and stared at me as if reproaching me.
– You’ve been staring at them all this time…
– Eh! No, sorry. That’s not my intention…
– It’s… very embarrassing.
Hmm? Embarrassing?
The… Ecstas, worked, isn’t it?
I looked up at Busujima again. Her eyes were dyed pink and per pupils were wet. Sweat was slightly suspended on her skin, her breathing was heavy. Her lower body barely rubbed against mine, trying to shake it. There’s no doubt. This is Ecstas’ effect.
Still, the fact that the aphrodisiac effect is weak means that this girl unexpectedly has a tough conduct?
– It’s my first time doing this kind of thing with a boy…
You’re lying! Even though you obviously have an easy character!?
The light of desire burns in the eyes of Busujima. Still, she steals various glances of my face as she averts her eyes seemingly embarrassed.
– D-don’t think that… what I’m doing is a game. Can you think about it seriously?
──Eh!?
I can’t believe it, I didn’t expect that a person who received Ecstas would ask me something like this! No, what she said is right. But Busujima, did you really say so?
She looked at me with a serious look, maybe she was worried that I wouldn’t answer her.
– You see…, I want to give my first time to the person I really love… and hopefully… think about marriage…
Ma-ma-marriage!? That’s too much! Why is that you, who has decided to press me for such a heavy choice, is such a bitch and yet has a pure heart like this? Be honest for once!
– If you think about me seriously… then that’s, good.
She removed her hands. The slipped off bra was further loosened and the round and dark brown curves and pale pink rings that had never been touched turned up.
My throat sounds involuntarily.
The boobs of my arrogant and irritated classmate Busujima shook in front of me. I gaze steadily at them without thinking, but somehow I take my eyes off them. Then, the 100% pure smile of Busujima who smiled happily at me was there.
This is bad! Definitely bad! At any rate, I’m not Hellshaft now. I’m the genuine Doumeguri Kakeru. I’ll be attacked if the effect of Ecstas is broken. I have to recover my HP while I can!
I open the menu and select a medicine from the item list. Alright, I select this… and the fingertip I pressed sunk into a soft object.
– ♡ An… you naughty.
Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Busujima holds her breasts and makes her body bend loosely back and forth.
No no no! Meg-san pushed her breasts out. This is an accident, an accident! That’s not my intention at all! Dammit. Although I felt better with the medicine, a lot of places will end up feeling better, isn’t it!?
Busujima held her breasts and twisted her body as if making me wait.
– No〜 you can’t. I won’t let you touch them until I hear your reply ♡.
Shit. Though I didn’t intend to, I seem to be infatuated with her. I feel like I was defeated somehow-
– Hey, what do you think? Do you… dislike me? Do you dislike──this?
Busujima had a somewhat uncomfortable feeling and pressed her waist, or more precisely her crotch against my abdomen.
– Something is hard… what is this──?
She noticed, saying all that and then the pink color that dyed her cheeks finished dyeing her whole face red.
– T-this… is a boy’s… e, eeeeeh!?
Then she flustered and restlessly looked around.
– No, no. What should I do? Why is this so hard? It became like this… because of me?
She slowly began to rotate her waist with intoxicated eyes.
– Nnn… ah.
Perhaps she’s unconsciously moving. Busujima herself doesn’t realize that she’s pressing her own waist.
– Hey… if possible… I want to hear properly… what you think about me…
One side of the brassiere slipped completely off Busujima, and one of the drooping breasts spilled over. The apparently glowing pink color that gave me a peek of the cleavage clearly made its appearance. Isn’t the point sharper than I expected because it seems to have a caved-in sensation (inverted nipples)?
Oh, at any rate, and unlike the Hellanders, how graphic is the nudity of my classmates? Moreover, the boobs of a person who’s usually not conscious are a bit more surprising, and while it’s natural to take off one’s clothes, I still feel a strange surprise. And I feel guilty. Is this what they call gloomy eroticism?
Even though everyone is being tormented to death by monsters outside, doing this in a moment like this feels immoral… hmm?
I heard lively voices from outside.
They aren’t agonizing screams. Rather those are──shouts of joy?
– Sorry, Meg… can you get off me a bit?
– Hmm…? Okay?
She didn’t get it and showed a lewd smile with an absent-minded face, then got off me and lay down on the floor. I got up, opened the door disguised as a wall a bit and peep through the gap.
──There’s nobody?
I opened the door and went outside. I don’t see the orcs, everyone was killed.
You serious?
The iron bars at the entrance were opened before I knew. Cold sweat ran down my cheeks. I passed below the iron bars and stepped into the room where the Adamite Golem was.
There are no monsters there. Instead, there’s a mountain of ore that emits a yellow-green light. And the figure of Ichinomiya stood before that.
──What, the hell?
No way… you, Ichinomiya.
– Aren’t you amazing, Ichinomiya? You brought down the monsters all by yourself, now I see you in a more positive light. Don’t you think the same, Uiko?
– Uh, yeah … he’s amazing.
– Incredible! Just like a samurai!
Ichinomiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! You bastard, my plan is!
Unable to believe it, I stared at Ichinomiya, who was surrounded and praised by everyone.
– Well, we were really surprised! Ichi… when Akira-kun defeated the boss character, the orcs ran away in an instant. You’re truly amazing, could it be that Akira-kun is a god?
Ichinomiya replied with a bitter smile to Ougiya who came back to call him「Akira-kun」like always.
– There’s no way that’s true, is there? I essentially just defeated this guy. Besides, it’s thanks to everyone for holding back the orcs.
I see, damn Ichinomiya did you find out that the Adamite Golem was the boss!?
A short decisive battle in which he focused on the Adamite Golem without taking on the other monsters. The quest is a success if the Adamite Golem is defeated. The other small fries escaped, and if the employer disappears, the mercenaries also run away.
Still, I didn’t think a fast victory like this would be possible. Probably the cause of victory is Ichinomiya leveling up when he was alone. I of all people… was overly optimistic.
– Hey… where did you go ♡?
I heard the sentimental voice of Busujima from behind.
Oh no! I opened the menu in a hurry and canceled the effect of Ecstas. Then, there were “kyaa”, “hyaaa” and raging sounds behind me. Because of that, everyone noticed me.
– Uooh!? If it isn’t the entrance of the Class A war criminal!?
Ougiya pointed at me and grimaced.
– Huh? Were you safe, Doumeguri-kun? I’m sure I couldn’t see you…
– Oh! It’s that! Ninjutsu, isn’t it!? Ongyou no Jitsu!
Ougiya waved his hand to the left and right at Arisugawa and Leonhardt.
– Oh no no, he was hiding to save himself. Even though we were trapped by his own blunder. Why are you so egoist!?
Ougiya, who said so looking disgusted, and the rest of the lot looked at me with eyes as if looking at trash. Even Yuuki turns reproachful eyes to me. Miyakoshi frowned and came to ask me.
– Heeey, were you perhaps with Meg? I haven’t seen her——
Busujima turned up from behind me, looking uncomfortable.
– Meg! I knew it!
Pushing me aside, Miyakoshi embraced Busujima.
– Hey, where did you hide? I was very worried, you know?
– Yeah… sorry.
Busujima had an openly suspicious behavior. Her eyes swam, her face was red, and her hands moved around restlessly. Because she was strangely being suspected, she calmed down.
– Well, when I leaned on the wall… I fell on the other side of it. It was like a hidden room. It took me some time to get out… I’m sorry.
– Really? So that’s what happened. So, were you with Doumeguri?
Miyakoshi gave a sidelong glance to me.
– Well … it was a fierce battle. I mean, the very moment we suffered the attack of the orcs.
– Hmmm. So you two were alone… Meg, did he do something weird?
Busujima suddenly burst into laughter. Then, she waved the palms in front of her bright red face to the left and right at high speed.
– No no no no no no no no no no no! Absolutely not! This solitary, uncool and scum-like man has no value whatsoever──
Miyakoshi was startled for a moment, but she rapidly calmed Busujima.
– I know, I know. Sorry for teasing you.
I headed towards the back of the room, towards the box containing the Holy Grave. Asagiri stands there, staring into the box. Just as I passed by Ichinomiya’s side, Ougiya said somewhat cheerful.
– Good grief, thanks to Doumeguri, we were on the brink of annihilation again. You have to thanks Akira-kun and apologize to us, okay?
I stop walking and think a little. Certainly, that’s how it is. That’s natural now that my plan failed. I turned to everyone and bowed my head.
– I’m sorry every──
Before I could finish saying it, Ichinomiya covered my words with his.
– Wait, this is a misunderstanding. The one who helped me the most this time is──
Fuck! Won’t you stop sabotaging me!?
I immediately turned to Ichinomiya and grabbed his arm.
– ──? Doumeguri.
– I ask of you.
I muttered those words.
Ichinomiya made his face cloud a bit. Was it out of pity or guilty? But keep those things, your self-satisfaction, romanticism and all that in your heart.
I bowed again.
– Sorry, everyone. But … this is awesome, isn’t it? How good will this sell, I wonder?
I pointed to the remains of the Adamite Golem.
– T-that!? That was Akira-kun. What about it? He’ll be amazingly rich, won’t he?
– That’s right, Adamite sells well, isn’t it? With this amount, I’m sure it will be an insane number. Ichinomiya will be the richest person in the world.
Ougiya and Hinazawa raise excited voices, they hold onto the story to see if the rest of the lot was worried. Gold is the best way to change the subject quickly.
– No, my strength alone didn’t do this.
Ichinomiya looked at me and said.
– I gained victory with everyone, that’s the result. Let’s split it equally among us.
– Yahoooooooo! Akira-kun is amaazing!
– You’re incredibly geeeenerous!
– So cool!! I like generous men!
Voices of joy rapidly echoed in the dungeon. Everyone is very excited around Ichinomiya. Well, Shizukuishi has cold eyes and is away from us.
And another person too.
Standing in front of the treasure chest, turning her back on everyone.
I approached her like I was attracted to her appearance from behind.
– … Asagiri?
But Asagiri was entranced by the white porcelain sword she held in her hands, as if she couldn’t hear me.
– If I have this, I can defeat the Demon King… fu, fufufufu.
Somehow, her eyes were swirling in circles, they had no highlights, speaking frankly, she had dangerous eyes.
Ah, come back to sanity, Asagiri! Come baaaaaaaaaaaack!
– Hah! W-what was I!?
Did my sincere shout reach her? Asagiri came to her senses and blushed, looking embarrassed.
– Oh, so this is Holy Grave…
Before we knew, Shizukuishi came along and looked into Asagiri’s hands with a scornful laugh.
– But if you don’t know the identity of the Demon King, it’s just a blunt sword.
– Yeah … from now on, we’ll have to think about its meaning.
Ichinomiya came accompanied by everyone.
– The real identity of the Demon King, what’s that supposed to mean? If this is a game world, then the Demon King is also a program, isn’t he?
Yamada raised his face as if he was struck with a good idea.
– So, if we write a program.
At least, you can say the language of the program… but that’s not it.
Hinazawa groaned, her arms folded.
– More conceptual, maybe fear? Chaos?
– Yo! Maybe there’s a person inside! The name of the one voicing him!
Leonhardt’s remark was naturally ignored. Various opinions continued flying past each other. As that happened, the voice of Asagiri with a different sense of temperature forced its way through as if inserting a knife.
– Hey, everyone. Can I keep… Holy Grave?
However, I felt something like a pressure that I couldn’t say whether it existed or not in the air Asagiri was cladded in.
Asagiri!? No, no, at least someone else──,
– Why not? It’ll be a relief if it’s Ririko.
Ichinomiya answered with a refreshing smile, nobody objected.
Damn… it’s not what I desired, but I can’t think of any reason to disagree. And it’s not a good idea to make a great fuss now.
The moment I said to myself it’s better than putting it in Shizukuishi’s care, the voice of Arisugawa echoed.
– Hey! Guys, come here!
Arisugawa’s voice came from the rear entrance of the dungeon. Tension runs through everyone’s bodies.
Are enemies still lurking?
Ichinomiya calls out to everyone.
– Let’s go, everyone!
With Ichinomiya as the vanguard, we began to run to see if anything happened to Arisugawa. Asagiri kicks the ground and puts Holy Grave into her item list.
We ran fast through the cave. Then the end of the cave gradually becomes brighter. As we turned around the corner, we were suddenly wrapped in a dazzling light. The flood of light is painful for us who got used to the dark dungeon.
What is──?
As my eyes gradually get used to it, I faintly see something in my field vision filled with a white mist.
It’s no wonder that it’s dazzling.
I was on a cliff outside the dungeon where the sun was rained brilliantly and incessantly on it. And what I can see below is the blue sea where the sun does really go well with it.
White sailing boats floating in the sea. A harbor full of sandy beaches and ships. From there, the terrain becomes a slope, with white-walled houses that reflected the sunlight lined up on steep slopes. Their roofs are orange, giving a southern French or Italian resort vibe.
What extended before my eyes was the sea I saw for the first time since I came to Exodia Exodus.
As the sky became white, sunlight flowed in from the mountain peaks. A warm light rose, driving away the hazed and chilly air.
At last, the attack on the dungeon starts. The whole 12 members of 2A Guild are checking their equipment and items in front of the entrance.
I also opened the menu and did secret preparations for battle preparation. At any rate, I took off the Demon King’s armor, my strength was roughly level 1. I need ways to make up for it.
And those are billing items.
I select one medicine from the item list. Mysteriously, if I use this magic medicine called Stronger, my attack power will increase by one. There are regular items that let you increase attack your power, but it won’t let you stack their effect. However, if you use Stronger, your attack power will increase as you use it. This item is prepared for adults who have money but don’t have much time, and it’s supposed to be used when you want to quickly defeat the enemies of the main quest.
I’m a guy who takes ridiculously long to level up, that’s what I’ve been saying to myself, but I haven’t grown at all, and that’s weird. Although I’ve been procrastinating, it’s been a month since I logged in, so I’d like to achieve level 3 or 4.
Supposing I were level 3, my attack power would be around 30. Since my initial attack power is 20, 10 Stronger had to be used.
Stronger──costs 500 yen each. In other words, the price of magic is 5,000 yen.
Huh? You know I don’t feel like mobilizing with the 2A guild, don’t you?
And the higher the level, the more Stronger I need. I feel like I’m being tricked by a corrupted consumer credit businessman.
According to the Hell’s Domain policy, accidents are accidents, but every billing item used in here will be billed separately. Or it could be used as a bargaining tool in case of compensation problems. This was an information that I didn’t want to hear brought by Aikawa-san.
Well, now that I think about it, there’s no other way. I just feel down.
When I finished increasing my attack power, I chose another item. Then, something similar to a spray can appears in my hands. It looks like an ordinary spray can, but the content is just spray. One could paint the equipment with this so-called item to have fun making it stylish and customizing it. I shook the spray lightly up and down and drew a ☆ shape on my armor. This is my lifeline. I haven’t found any defense up billing items yet. This is the only way to tell all orcs I’m not the target of slaughter.
– Ahaa, Kakeru! What are you doing?
Yushima Leonhardt (Germany) addressed me in his usual high mood.
– No, it’s nothing.
– Yo! Are you drawing an illustration!? That armor hurts! It does hurt! Are you drawing something pervert!?
– I’m not!
If this guy said nothing, he would be a handsome man just like Ichinomiya… but it’s unfortunate.
Because Yushima was noisy, both Arisugawa (Alice) and Yamada (General Heibon) ended up coming.
– Heee, Doumeguri-kun. Is that your own customization?
– Well… it’d be too much to call it customization. More like, I’m simply superstitious.
By the way, Arisugawa used equipment for women even in battle. His Battle Class called 『Divine Artist』was mainly responsible for recovery; he was dressed like Alice in Wonderland with white and blue as the basic theme. He’s short and his thin and slender legs extended from what seemed to be a miniskirt. What worries me is whether the underwear he wears under it is for men or women.
Currently, only Arisugawa himself and Hinazawa know that secret. However, if there’s a brief glimpse of his underwear during the battle, then the truth will be known. I look forward to the X-day coming … no, it’s good. What Arisugawa has is, a wand. It’s not that long, if I had to say, I’d say it’s more like a stick. Thanks to that, it’s undeniable that a magical girl vibe rises around him.
By the way, the basic equipment of Divine Artists is a wand, but sorcerers also use magic as a weapon, and grimoires are more basic equipment than wands.
Yamada put his hand on his chin, showed a somewhat serious look,
– A star?
He muttered those two words. He didn’t seem to have any particular thoughts or think deeply about it.
– Well, it’s like a good luck charm. It has the meaning of a charm against evil spirits… don’t worry too much about it. My fighting strength isn’t as high as the others so──
Arisugawa clapped.
– Is that so? On that subject, some Shinto shrines in Kyoto also used star symbols as talismans. If I remember correctly, that was related with the exorcist Abe no Seimei?
– Whooooooooaaaaah! The exorcist! Abe no Seimei! Amaaaziiing! I’ll do it too degozaru!
What!?
– Wha, y-you can’t! That’s.
I turned my back on him, protecting the spray from the evil hands of Germany in my chest.
– Why!? That’s unfair! I also want something like an onmyou-style!
Leonhardt tries to steal the spray from my hands, clinging to me. So noisy! I mean, even if you do this, the item won’t be transferred!
– I also want a cool paint!
Shit! Why does this guy do nothing but unnecessary things!? If there are many people with ☆, my plan will be ruined!
– Y-you’re wrong! This is just a spell, but to protect Japan! If a foreigner like you uses it, you’ll die!!
Leonhardt’s hands stop suddenly. Then I heard a fluent Japanese from his mouth.
– Eh? Is that so?
– Eh?
– Eh?
– …
– Oh! You stopped as expected! Japanese magic is scary!
– Hey you, be quiet! What we’ll we do if the monsters gather because of you?
No matter how you look at it, Hinazawa Naru (The loli recommended for MEXT) glared at us with arms folded. Yuuki Uiko, who tried to hide behind her small loli figure, nodded in silence.
– It’s not my──
Fault, as I tried to say so, Busujima and Miyakoshi, the gal duo, came along.
– I’d say that’s an excuse, and a super terrible one.
– No, saying so is the same as feeling bad for him. This is difficult for Stealth-kun after all. Hey, don’t overdo it, so why don’t you return to the hotel?
Fuuck, Busujima disses and disregards the whole story and Miyakoshi imposes her own demands with a tone as if thinking of me.
While that happened, Asagiri cut into the conversation.
– D-don’t be too harsh. More importantly, umm, well…
Asagiri clapped.
– Yes, order! Shall we decide the order of the formation that will go deeper into the dungeon?
At that moment, my eyes met Ichinomiya’s eyes. Both nodded at each other with our eyes only. Ichinomiya stood up and went to the entrance of the dungeon.
– Akira-kun?
– I’ll go first. Everyone will come later.
– Ah! Wait, Akira-kun!
Kuh, Ichinomiya jumped into the dungeon without hearing Asagiri’s halt. As his back disappeared into the darkness of the cave, Asagiri looked back and shouted at everyone.
– Let’s go too!
The surprised Ogiya makes his voice squeak.
– Wait a moment, what’s our formation!?
– A basic pattern for capturing dungeons is fine!
Asagiri answered while running and disappeared into the entrance of the dungeon.
– Jeeeeez, it can’t he helpeeed! Ichinomiya is being too selfish!
Ougiya got carried away. He used to call him Akira-kun before.
Ougiya follows her while complaining grumbly, everyone heads to the dungeon looking dissatisfied. Shizukuishi, who looks bored, is the last one… as I think so, the gal Busujima stayed there. Are you going to come or not? She’s in panic as if losing her way.
– What is it? Everyone left already, didn’t they? Busujima-san has to be there because you’re a healer.
– S-so noisy! You gross, don’t talk to me!
Busujima shouted so and followed the appearance of Shizukuishi from behind. I also follow her back.
The dungeon was illuminated by a slightly warm, yellow-green light. Anyway, I curiously survey the ores that glow in a yellow-green color and the dungeon illuminated by them for the first time.
– ……It’s pretty.
A beauty that even the silent Yuuki said spontaneously. She crouched down without thinking and rubbed the glittering stones. Busujima scowls at Yuuki, getting irritated.
– You’re in the way, don’t go crouching in a place like this! We’re in a dungeon, we don’t know when and where the enemies will appear.
– I-I’m sorry.
Busujima, who threw a clicking tongue at the back of Yuuki who returned to the formation in a half run, surveyed the area, seemingly worried. She advanced, feeling that her back curled up, trying to hold the wand.
– Hey, Meg. You okay?
Miyakoshi worried about Busujima, her face was pale, like she was anxious.
– It may be too much for me… this looks like a haunted house──
Our eyes met. Busujima blushed, her face seemed to say “oh crap!”.
– What are you looking at!? How gross!
I silently turned my face away.
It feels like she has been acting suspiciously since a while ago, hasn’t she? When I think about it, I’ve seen her fighting in the field, but I’ve never seen her in a dungeon. In everyday battles, she clung to Ichinomiya to be protected by him…. I see, the effects of Ichinomiya’s fall appeared in such ways.
At that moment, the scream of an orc resounded from the depths of the dungeon.
– *Eeek!
Busujima’s spine straightens.
The sound of metal hitting metal continued echoing. Ichinomiya and Asagiri must be fighting something ahead.
– Hey, isn’t it dangerous? What do you do?
Hinazawa said as if rebuking Ougiya who made his face stiffen.
– We have to hurry, something’s there!
Everyone readies their weapons and goes deep into the cave, looking for Ichinomiya and Asagiri who headed first. Then, the front of the cave came near, the passage branched into two.
Busujima raises a half-panicked voice.
– Hey, wait! Which way should we go? We’ll get lost! What do we do if we can’t leave!?
The vanguard Ougiya groaned, his arms folded.
What are you doing, you two?
I muttered as if speaking to myself.
– We have to call out to them by shouting.
Then, Busujima and Ougiya, who heard the murmur, raised their voices without a moment’s delay.
– Oh, Akira──! Where are you ──!?
Ichinomiya’s voice echoed immediately.
– Over here!
– H-hey, did we hear him from the right just now?
– Um… maybe.
Miyakoshi responds with not so much confidence to Busujima’s question. When we tried to carefully listen to them again, another sound was heard. Metallic sounds happened over and over again from behind. A lot of them.
– Hey hey hey! Looks like something is approaching!?
Ougiya shouted in a voice like he was about to burst out crying.
– Noooooooooo! Because Busujima shouted so loud, other monsters are coming!
– Eh!? It’s my fault?
– Well, when you normally make noise, it’s normal to get the attention of monsters! Normal!
Yamada, who was normally impatient, fired the clue word normal in rapid succession. It could be said this guy has powers of persuasion, huh. However, for Busujima, who self-proclaimed as ultra-rare, being thrust into the normal-rank Yamada was intolerable. Just as I thought, Busujima blushed in anger. And stared at me with a movement that seemed to make raging sounds.
– Because you say unnecessary things…
Was she trying to show off she wasn’t afraid of the dungeon? She burned me to try showing she was okay. That’s how Busujima feels now? My condolences.
I’d like to tell her that “it’s not like they were already well aware that we would come, so making sounds or anything like that have no relation whatsoever”, but it doesn’t seem that will work.
Hinazawa raised a very loud voice that didn’t suit her small body.
– Leave that for later! Let’s hurry!
We ran in the dungeon at full speed as if rushed by Hinazawa and escaped from the orcs chasing us from behind.
– Ririko! Ichinomiya!
Hinazawa called out to them. They were in a very long and narrow room deep into the cave. The two of them wield their swords against more than twenty orcs. However, and thanks to the narrowness of the room, the orcs can’t attack them all at once. Thanks to that, they seemed to be able to resist.
– Akira-kun!
– Asagiri-san!
– Are you okay!?
Asagiri could only answer with her voice, since she couldn’t afford to turn around to the call sent by everyone.
– Please recover!
– ! Leave it to us!
Hinazawa and Arisugawa hold their wands and cast a spell. Then white healing lights wrap around Asagiri and Ichinomiya. Colorful lights surround the bodies of the two.
– Get some defense up and attack up!
Arisugawa closes one eye a little and makes a V sign. Somehow, he looked just like your everyday, no, more than your everyday cute Idol.
– Now, you’re next! Uiko, the frivolous lad and the background character!
Hinazawa casts magic to increase the attack power and accuracy of Yuuki, Ougiya, and Yamada. They are melee-specialized Battle Class called Fighters, and for that reason she assisted them. By the way, calling Yamada a background character, you’re being considerably rude, you know?
That’s right.
In addition, Arisugawa casts defense magic on everyone, the vanguard physical attack team defeats the orcs one after another. There, the offensive magic of sorcerers who chanted a long spell ran through the long and narrow room.
「「『Flame Storm!』」」
The Flame Storm of Leonhardt and Miyakoshi slashed the orcs’ HP. The amount of flames is greater than the sum of their flames, the vigorous and unbelievably fast magic wipes the orcs.
「『Flame Tempest! 』」
Shizukuishi’s offensive magic is in a different rank than the other two’s. The current level should be 19 for Miyakoshi and Leonhardt and 20 for Shizukuishi. But in reality the difference is more than that. This is the difference between character and talent. Ichinomiya shows a power beyond his level due to his force of will and nature.
Moreover, since he’s in a party, the cooperation makes him even stronger.
Mercenaries as well as the Adamite Golem are gathered in the last room, but if they are attacked by all these guys, it would be impossible to hold onto the item. It’s necessary to divide them at all costs and make Ichinomiya be alone if possible.
The 2A Guild, which defeated the orcs standing in the way and joined Ichinomiya and Asagiri, passed through a narrow hallway and entered the next room. That’s the room with the trap. Most of the black tiles have been removed to make it easier for me to operate them. Only one remains in the corner of the room.
Ougiya’s hysteric voice resounds in the room.
– Hey hey hey! They’re chasing us from behind! This is way terrible!
Orcs’ main force followed the path we have taken.
– Ichinomiya-kun…
Asagiri looked up at Ichinomiya.
– Ku…
Ichinomiya decided that it’s dangerous to move ahead, and hesitated to plunge into the next room. Come on, plunge into it faster! I stood near the black tile along the wall and waited for the right moment.
– Here they coooooooome!
The orc’s main force, which chased us from behind, finally rushed into the room.
– Fuck!
Ichinomiya raised his sword and tried to plunge into the swarm of orcs.
This moron!
I moved away from the black tile where I was taking the position and jumped out in front of Ichinomiya. I stopped the rush of Ichinomiya as if hurling myself at him.
– What the, Doumeguri!?
The blow of an orc was swung downward at my back.
– Guaah.
The number 30 floated. But fortunately, there’s no second attack. The ☆ sign drawn on my back seems to be working. The orc is puzzled, without knowing what to do.
– Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
The sharp blow of Asagiri mowed down the orc. In that interval, I approach my ear to Ichinomiya’s ear.
– Just go! Judging from appearances, the next room is where the last boss is. If you defeat the boss, I promise you won’t be a no one anymore!
– But we’ll be sandwiched by the enemies!
– I have an idea. Go!
Ichinomiya bit his lips and turned back. Asagiri looks surprised at his action and looks back.
– Eh? Akira-kun!? Where are you going!?
– Wait, Ichinomiya! Are you abandoning us agaaaaain!?
I push the back of Ichinomiya and send him to the next room as if sending him flying. Alright! Now the black tile──!?
I tripped up with something and fell forward. There’s still a distance of about 50 cm to the black tile.
W-what the hell!?
I saw something grabbing my feet, and fear ran in me.
– Even if you’re just trying to escape, I won’t let you!
Busujima clung to my feet.
– Everything has gone to hell since you came! Even Akira is seething with anger! You pest!
– This is bad! We’ll try going first!
– Yo! This is a strategic retreat, isn’t it!?!?
This is terrible! At this rate, my plan will be ruined!
I dragged Busujima, heading for the black tile as I crawled.
– Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!
My hand touched the black tile just before the 2A Guild and the orcs struggled with one another, trying to enter the room. At that moment, the iron bars fell with a tremendous momentum. The path to the last boss’s room was blocked, raising a strong subterranean sound.
– Whoa!? What the hell is this?
– I-iron bars!?
Yamada gives an answer to Arisuwaga’s shout like he understood. Arisugawa let out a crying-sounding voice, grasping the iron bars that obstructed his path.
– W-what should we do!? Are we locked up!?
– Eeeeeh!?
Asagiri, who was holding back the orcs at the entrance, raised a flustered voice.
– Guys!?
Ichinomiya, also surprised, looked back.
But behind Ichinomiya, a five-meter tall Adamite Golem approached him, making sounds as if rocks rubbing against each other. His huge arms stretched out to catch Ichinomiya.
– Kuh!
Ichinomiya immediately rolls sideways, escaping from the hands of the Adamite Golem.
– Damn it! Guys, are you okay!?
Ichinomiya looks around the room calmly while giving a shout to us.
In addition to the Adamite Golem, there’s a mantis monster『Clay Mantis』. A plant monster 『Sand Rose』approaches slowly. Each one of them is a level 20 monster.
And one more thing. There’s an exit hole in the back of the room.
– … Shit!
Ichinomiya sweats cold, compares the exit, the monsters and us across the iron bars with his eyes.
He’s not going to win if he fights by himself. It’ll be the same if the quest fails, it’s better to survive alone than being annihilated. Ichinomiya should be able to make such a logical decision. But those who are being let to die without getting help won’t think that way.
If he escapes here, he won’t be the leader ever again. But he can’t win if he fights the monsters showing recklessness. He would continue doing as he pleases to the end, the quest would fail and we would be completely annihilated.
And like this, there would be no Ichinomiya’s reinstatement.
– Fucking hell! Why are we trapped in a place like thiiiiis!?
– Doumeguri! It’s your doing, isn’t it!?
──What!?
Busujima let go of my feet and stood up. Then scowled at me as if looking for revenge.
– I saw it! The moment you touched that black stone, the jail cell closed!
I made a vexing face and shook my head.
– W… what are you talking about, Busujima-san? I haven’t──
– Move out of the way!
Forcibly pushing me away, Busujima touched the black tile on the floor. When she presses it, putting effort into it, she hears a click, denting about two centimeters.
– … I knew it!
Busujima has a hateful expression and hits that tile many times. However, the cage doesn’t move.
– Aaaaaaaah! Come on! Why isn’t it opening!? Doumeguri! Open it right now!
But I was just flustered.
– E-even if you tell me that! I didn’t realize there was such a trap!
Ougiya places his hand on his forehead and screams in lamentation.
– Kaaaaaaaaaa! Isn’t Doumeguri being a burden agaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!?
But Ichinomiya responded to that voice.
– Doumeguri…?
Then, looks back at us while pointing his sword at the monsters. Just for an instant, our eyes met. At that time, Ichinomiya’s eyes,
──I got it.
He seemed to have said so.
Asagiri shouted while slashing at an orc.
– Everyone! Since the iron bars won’t open, give me a hand fast! I can’t hold them back!
Asagiri, Shizukuishi, Hinazawa, Yuki and Miyakoshi forced the orcs back to the entrance. However, reinforcements appeared one after another, they were reaching their limits.
– This is pretty bad! I’ll help you with a blitzkrieg! Yahoooo!
– L-let’s go at once!
Along with Leonhardt who went first, Arisugawa and Yamada, who were holding onto the iron bars, ran to support them.
I stood up and tried to follow them.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
But then, at that moment, the defense line collapsed. The orcs rush into the room again. Asagiri, who ran after the orcs who tried to go around the back of 2A, slashed at them.
The orcs that entered the room move around all scattered so they can’t be defeated all at once by Shizukuishi’s magic.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaaah.
The fighter Yuuki ran away from the attacking orcs with teary eyes. The few combatants, however, have no choice but to oppose them. For Yuuki, who’s an extremely timid person and is afraid of strangers, the orcs are nothing but the representation of fear.
The battle between the two jumbled sides is no longer a party battle. It’s in chaos, there’s no coordination, and each one of them struggles desperately. Forcing them back is no longer possible.
──Now 2A Guild will be annihilated again with this.
I pretended to hold the sword and slowly stepped back to the wall. Some orcs are trying to attack me, but they glance at the ☆ symbol and pretended to not see me as if ignoring me.
It’s obviously unnatural, but they won’t take notice of this in the middle of this chaos. Do I pretend to be attacked and take refuge in the hidden room──,
Right there, a shock ran on my knee.
– Guah!
And the number 20 comes to the front.
For a moment, I wondered if an orc didn’t follow the order and attacked me, but there were no orcs near me. Instead, Busujima held her magic wand towards me.
– Wha… Busujima-san?
The tip of the short wand of about 50 cm long glowed blue.
– Gaah!?
A wind arose and penetrated my body. An offensive magic that manipulated magic used by Divine Artists.
– It’s your fault… nothing good has happened ever since you came. Your plan is to separate me from Akira, isn’t it!?
Busujima complains while weeping. An orc crept behind Busujima.
– H-hey! Busujima! Behind you!
But she doesn’t hear what I say. The hatchet of the orc was swung down on the back of Busujima. But Busujima comes to me as if possessed by something. Even though her HP steadily decreases, the concept of recovery doesn’t seem to be in her.
– Everything is your fault! I haven’t been bad! And yet, Akira doesn’t look at me! I’m not like I was in the past! I became pretty and no one made fun of me! It was going well until now, but everything went strange since you came!
She shoved and pushed me as she shouted things that made no sense.
– Guooh.
Our stances change place and the attack of the orc hits my back. The number 30 came up.
T-this is bad! If the next one hits me, I may die!
I pressed Busujima’s body against the wall with all my might. The wall then moves like a door, and we fall, trying to get entangled with each other on the other side of the wall.
This is the hidden room. The hidden door immediately goes back to how it was with the strength of springs. The orcs naturally know about this room, but they don’t go after us, they follow the Demon King’s order.
But a more immediate crisis was before my eyes.
When he got tangled and fell, I was being straddled by Busujima. Busujima, who is riding me, looked down at me with a face as if seeking revenge and turned the point of the wand in front of me.
– Doumeguri! Why do you──!!
The tip of Busujima’s wand glows blue.
A message was displayed when my finger quickly opened the menu.
『Age authentication──This feature is not suitable for those under 18 years old. Are you sure you want to use it?』
I hit the agree button without a moment’s delay, and slightly faster than the light is emitted from the tip of the wand──,
A heart-shaped crest emerged on the chest of Busujima.
──Ecstas.
The adult mode exclusive magic that makes the enemy be in a licentious state and raises their desires, making them lose their normal judgment. One of the only two magic that Demon King Hellshaft can use. Busujima immediately had an intoxicated look in her eyes, her cheeks reddened and her mouth was loosely open. She didn’t move as if she had fainted with her eyes still open.
– Hey, Busujima… can you hear me?
– … Meg.
– Huh?
Busujima muttered in a weak voice, stretched her fingertips and moved to operate the menu.
– Uh!?
Busujima’s equipment disappeared in an instant. When she took off her gal-like Divine Artist clothes, what came from below that were surprisingly cute pink bra and panties.
– I hate my family name Busujima… so… I’d like you to call me Meg.
My chest was startled and jumped at Busujima who muttered so while feeling shy.
– Uh, is that so…? Then, Meg? Can you calm down a bit? We’re in the middle of a quest now.
– ?
Busujima tilted her head. Oh crap, even her normal thinking ability was taken away? I can’t help wondering what’s going on outside. Actually, I was going to shut myself in here alone and once they were annihilated, I would go outside as Hellshaft… but my plan went completely wrong.
– Hey Doumeguri-kun, am I beautiful?
She asked me, while making her waist bend loosely back and forth. The soft sensation of Busujima’s lower body is pressed against my abdomen. I feel a fresh excitement.
– Well, you see… you’re very beautiful.
Especially the shoulder strap of the bra that is not connected and her chest that is more or less visible.
– I’m glad…
Busujima smiled like she did so from the bottom of her heart.
– I want to be beautiful. Because my family name is Busujima… elementary school students made fun of me…
You were bullied in the past? Wow, I can’t imagine it at all.
– At that time, the amateur models who appeared in fashion magazines were very beautiful, dignified, and fun. I wondered “if I were like them, they wouldn’t make fun of they, would they?“
Busujima put her hands on her breasts to hide them and stared at me as if reproaching me.
– You’ve been staring at them all this time…
– Eh! No, sorry. That’s not my intention…
– It’s… very embarrassing.
Hmm? Embarrassing?
The… Ecstas, worked, isn’t it?
I looked up at Busujima again. Her eyes were dyed pink and per pupils were wet. Sweat was slightly suspended on her skin, her breathing was heavy. Her lower body barely rubbed against mine, trying to shake it. There’s no doubt. This is Ecstas’ effect.
Still, the fact that the aphrodisiac effect is weak means that this girl unexpectedly has a tough conduct?
– It’s my first time doing this kind of thing with a boy…
You’re lying! Even though you obviously have an easy character!?
The light of desire burns in the eyes of Busujima. Still, she steals various glances of my face as she averts her eyes seemingly embarrassed.
– D-don’t think that… what I’m doing is a game. Can you think about it seriously?
──Eh!?
I can’t believe it, I didn’t expect that a person who received Ecstas would ask me something like this! No, what she said is right. But Busujima, did you really say so?
She looked at me with a serious look, maybe she was worried that I wouldn’t answer her.
– You see…, I want to give my first time to the person I really love… and hopefully… think about marriage…
Ma-ma-marriage!? That’s too much! Why is that you, who has decided to press me for such a heavy choice, is such a bitch and yet has a pure heart like this? Be honest for once!
– If you think about me seriously… then that’s, good.
She removed her hands. The slipped off bra was further loosened and the round and dark brown curves and pale pink rings that had never been touched turned up.
My throat sounds involuntarily.
The boobs of my arrogant and irritated classmate Busujima shook in front of me. I gaze steadily at them without thinking, but somehow I take my eyes off them. Then, the 100% pure smile of Busujima who smiled happily at me was there.
This is bad! Definitely bad! At any rate, I’m not Hellshaft now. I’m the genuine Doumeguri Kakeru. I’ll be attacked if the effect of Ecstas is broken. I have to recover my HP while I can!
I open the menu and select a medicine from the item list. Alright, I select this… and the fingertip I pressed sunk into a soft object.
– ♡ An… you naughty.
Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Busujima holds her breasts and makes her body bend loosely back and forth.
No no no! Meg-san pushed her breasts out. This is an accident, an accident! That’s not my intention at all! Dammit. Although I felt better with the medicine, a lot of places will end up feeling better, isn’t it!?
Busujima held her breasts and twisted her body as if making me wait.
– No〜 you can’t. I won’t let you touch them until I hear your reply ♡.
Shit. Though I didn’t intend to, I seem to be infatuated with her. I feel like I was defeated somehow-
– Hey, what do you think? Do you… dislike me? Do you dislike──this?
Busujima had a somewhat uncomfortable feeling and pressed her waist, or more precisely her crotch against my abdomen.
– Something is hard… what is this──?
She noticed, saying all that and then the pink color that dyed her cheeks finished dyeing her whole face red.
– T-this… is a boy’s… e, eeeeeh!?
Then she flustered and restlessly looked around.
– No, no. What should I do? Why is this so hard? It became like this… because of me?
She slowly began to rotate her waist with intoxicated eyes.
– Nnn… ah.
Perhaps she’s unconsciously moving. Busujima herself doesn’t realize that she’s pressing her own waist.
– Hey… if possible… I want to hear properly… what you think about me…
One side of the brassiere slipped completely off Busujima, and one of the drooping breasts spilled over. The apparently glowing pink color that gave me a peek of the cleavage clearly made its appearance. Isn’t the point sharper than I expected because it seems to have a caved-in sensation (inverted nipples)?
Oh, at any rate, and unlike the Hellanders, how graphic is the nudity of my classmates? Moreover, the boobs of a person who’s usually not conscious are a bit more surprising, and while it’s natural to take off one’s clothes, I still feel a strange surprise. And I feel guilty. Is this what they call gloomy eroticism?
Even though everyone is being tormented to death by monsters outside, doing this in a moment like this feels immoral… hmm?
I heard lively voices from outside.
They aren’t agonizing screams. Rather those are──shouts of joy?
– Sorry, Meg… can you get off me a bit?
– Hmm…? Okay?
She didn’t get it and showed a lewd smile with an absent-minded face, then got off me and lay down on the floor. I got up, opened the door disguised as a wall a bit and peep through the gap.
──There’s nobody?
I opened the door and went outside. I don’t see the orcs, everyone was killed.
You serious?
The iron bars at the entrance were opened before I knew. Cold sweat ran down my cheeks. I passed below the iron bars and stepped into the room where the Adamite Golem was.
There are no monsters there. Instead, there’s a mountain of ore that emits a yellow-green light. And the figure of Ichinomiya stood before that.
──What, the hell?
No way… you, Ichinomiya.
– Aren’t you amazing, Ichinomiya? You brought down the monsters all by yourself, now I see you in a more positive light. Don’t you think the same, Uiko?
– Uh, yeah … he’s amazing.
– Incredible! Just like a samurai!
Ichinomiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! You bastard, my plan is!
Unable to believe it, I stared at Ichinomiya, who was surrounded and praised by everyone.
– Well, we were really surprised! Ichi… when Akira-kun defeated the boss character, the orcs ran away in an instant. You’re truly amazing, could it be that Akira-kun is a god?
Ichinomiya replied with a bitter smile to Ougiya who came back to call him「Akira-kun」like always.
– There’s no way that’s true, is there? I essentially just defeated this guy. Besides, it’s thanks to everyone for holding back the orcs.
I see, damn Ichinomiya did you find out that the Adamite Golem was the boss!?
A short decisive battle in which he focused on the Adamite Golem without taking on the other monsters. The quest is a success if the Adamite Golem is defeated. The other small fries escaped, and if the employer disappears, the mercenaries also run away.
Still, I didn’t think a fast victory like this would be possible. Probably the cause of victory is Ichinomiya leveling up when he was alone. I of all people… was overly optimistic.
– Hey… where did you go ♡?
I heard the sentimental voice of Busujima from behind.
Oh no! I opened the menu in a hurry and canceled the effect of Ecstas. Then, there were “kyaa”, “hyaaa” and raging sounds behind me. Because of that, everyone noticed me.
– Uooh!? If it isn’t the entrance of the Class A war criminal!?
Ougiya pointed at me and grimaced.
– Huh? Were you safe, Doumeguri-kun? I’m sure I couldn’t see you…
– Oh! It’s that! Ninjutsu, isn’t it!? Ongyou no Jitsu!
Ougiya waved his hand to the left and right at Arisugawa and Leonhardt.
– Oh no no, he was hiding to save himself. Even though we were trapped by his own blunder. Why are you so egoist!?
Ougiya, who said so looking disgusted, and the rest of the lot looked at me with eyes as if looking at trash. Even Yuuki turns reproachful eyes to me. Miyakoshi frowned and came to ask me.
– Heeey, were you perhaps with Meg? I haven’t seen her——
Busujima turned up from behind me, looking uncomfortable.
– Meg! I knew it!
Pushing me aside, Miyakoshi embraced Busujima.
– Hey, where did you hide? I was very worried, you know?
– Yeah… sorry.
Busujima had an openly suspicious behavior. Her eyes swam, her face was red, and her hands moved around restlessly. Because she was strangely being suspected, she calmed down.
– Well, when I leaned on the wall… I fell on the other side of it. It was like a hidden room. It took me some time to get out… I’m sorry.
– Really? So that’s what happened. So, were you with Doumeguri?
Miyakoshi gave a sidelong glance to me.
– Well … it was a fierce battle. I mean, the very moment we suffered the attack of the orcs.
– Hmmm. So you two were alone… Meg, did he do something weird?
Busujima suddenly burst into laughter. Then, she waved the palms in front of her bright red face to the left and right at high speed.
– No no no no no no no no no no no! Absolutely not! This solitary, uncool and scum-like man has no value whatsoever──
Miyakoshi was startled for a moment, but she rapidly calmed Busujima.
– I know, I know. Sorry for teasing you.
I headed towards the back of the room, towards the box containing the Holy Grave. Asagiri stands there, staring into the box. Just as I passed by Ichinomiya’s side, Ougiya said somewhat cheerful.
– Good grief, thanks to Doumeguri, we were on the brink of annihilation again. You have to thanks Akira-kun and apologize to us, okay?
I stop walking and think a little. Certainly, that’s how it is. That’s natural now that my plan failed. I turned to everyone and bowed my head.
– I’m sorry every──
Before I could finish saying it, Ichinomiya covered my words with his.
– Wait, this is a misunderstanding. The one who helped me the most this time is──
Fuck! Won’t you stop sabotaging me!?
I immediately turned to Ichinomiya and grabbed his arm.
– ──? Doumeguri.
– I ask of you.
I muttered those words.
Ichinomiya made his face cloud a bit. Was it out of pity or guilty? But keep those things, your self-satisfaction, romanticism and all that in your heart.
I bowed again.
– Sorry, everyone. But … this is awesome, isn’t it? How good will this sell, I wonder?
I pointed to the remains of the Adamite Golem.
– T-that!? That was Akira-kun. What about it? He’ll be amazingly rich, won’t he?
– That’s right, Adamite sells well, isn’t it? With this amount, I’m sure it will be an insane number. Ichinomiya will be the richest person in the world.
Ougiya and Hinazawa raise excited voices, they hold onto the story to see if the rest of the lot was worried. Gold is the best way to change the subject quickly.
– No, my strength alone didn’t do this.
Ichinomiya looked at me and said.
– I gained victory with everyone, that’s the result. Let’s split it equally among us.
– Yahoooooooo! Akira-kun is amaazing!
– You’re incredibly geeeenerous!
– So cool!! I like generous men!
Voices of joy rapidly echoed in the dungeon. Everyone is very excited around Ichinomiya. Well, Shizukuishi has cold eyes and is away from us.
And another person too.
Standing in front of the treasure chest, turning her back on everyone.
I approached her like I was attracted to her appearance from behind.
– … Asagiri?
But Asagiri was entranced by the white porcelain sword she held in her hands, as if she couldn’t hear me.
– If I have this, I can defeat the Demon King… fu, fufufufu.
Somehow, her eyes were swirling in circles, they had no highlights, speaking frankly, she had dangerous eyes.
Ah, come back to sanity, Asagiri! Come baaaaaaaaaaaack!
– Hah! W-what was I!?
Did my sincere shout reach her? Asagiri came to her senses and blushed, looking embarrassed.
– Oh, so this is Holy Grave…
Before we knew, Shizukuishi came along and looked into Asagiri’s hands with a scornful laugh.
– But if you don’t know the identity of the Demon King, it’s just a blunt sword.
– Yeah … from now on, we’ll have to think about its meaning.
Ichinomiya came accompanied by everyone.
– The real identity of the Demon King, what’s that supposed to mean? If this is a game world, then the Demon King is also a program, isn’t he?
Yamada raised his face as if he was struck with a good idea.
– So, if we write a program.
At least, you can say the language of the program… but that’s not it.
Hinazawa groaned, her arms folded.
– More conceptual, maybe fear? Chaos?
– Yo! Maybe there’s a person inside! The name of the one voicing him!
Leonhardt’s remark was naturally ignored. Various opinions continued flying past each other. As that happened, the voice of Asagiri with a different sense of temperature forced its way through as if inserting a knife.
– Hey, everyone. Can I keep… Holy Grave?
However, I felt something like a pressure that I couldn’t say whether it existed or not in the air Asagiri was cladded in.
Asagiri!? No, no, at least someone else──,
– Why not? It’ll be a relief if it’s Ririko.
Ichinomiya answered with a refreshing smile, nobody objected.
Damn… it’s not what I desired, but I can’t think of any reason to disagree. And it’s not a good idea to make a great fuss now.
The moment I said to myself it’s better than putting it in Shizukuishi’s care, the voice of Arisugawa echoed.
– Hey! Guys, come here!
Arisugawa’s voice came from the rear entrance of the dungeon. Tension runs through everyone’s bodies.
Are enemies still lurking?
Ichinomiya calls out to everyone.
– Let’s go, everyone!
With Ichinomiya as the vanguard, we began to run to see if anything happened to Arisugawa. Asagiri kicks the ground and puts Holy Grave into her item list.
We ran fast through the cave. Then the end of the cave gradually becomes brighter. As we turned around the corner, we were suddenly wrapped in a dazzling light. The flood of light is painful for us who got used to the dark dungeon.
What is──?
As my eyes gradually get used to it, I faintly see something in my field vision filled with a white mist.
It’s no wonder that it’s dazzling.
I was on a cliff outside the dungeon where the sun was rained brilliantly and incessantly on it. And what I can see below is the blue sea where the sun does really go well with it.
White sailing boats floating in the sea. A harbor full of sandy beaches and ships. From there, the terrain becomes a slope, with white-walled houses that reflected the sunlight lined up on steep slopes. Their roofs are orange, giving a southern French or Italian resort vibe.
What extended before my eyes was the sea I saw for the first time since I came to Exodia Exodus.
