Ch.63April, and the Dungeon (1)

Monday’s first day of school was still lively.

“Ugh. I really didn’t want to come to school.”

“For real, lol.”

Despite such conversations, everyone was surprisingly energetic. Maybe it’s because they’re students. Bundles of energy.

Those students’ gazes soon focused on me.

A single male walking alongside Umi, Eri, and Taiga was bound to attract attention.

“Who’s that guy?”

“Kiryu Umi, she’s the prettiest among the first-years.”

“The girl next to her is pretty too. She’s my type.”

“Ah… Nishikawa Eri? She’s popular too. But… she seems prettier than before.”

“Who’s that one?”

“You know, the famous biker gang member, Natsukawa Taiga.”

“She’s super pretty.”

“Even that delinquent… who is this guy?”

“Don’t know… his name is definitely… Arigiri Shota, right?”

Whispers could be heard from all directions.

Honestly, I had also gathered information from students at school before.

It was to trace the whereabouts of Arigiri Shota before I possessed him. However, not a single person knew me. Due to my experience as a long-term hikikomori, I had zero acquaintances.

Thanks to that, I was treated almost like a new face. Well… it’s good for me since I have zero need to pretend to be the pre-possession Arigiri Shota.

“Ohoho. Did you hear that, Shota? Your girlfriend is this popular.”

Umi immediately boasted.

“Really… not just one but three girls. Shota is truly happy.”

Eri also said with a smile.

“Hehehe. You’re such a blessed bastard.”

Taiga laughed while patting my shoulder.

“Blessed… that’s right.”

Honestly, it was more than I deserved. I get squeezed to my limits every night, but it was worth it. Having just one person who loves me would make for a happy life, but all three of them love me.

At that moment, I heard more whispers.

“But… Arigiri Shota. He’s not bad looking either, right?”

“Eh? He’s ordinary.”

“That’s what’s good about him. He looks dependable. Plus, those muscles built from exercise are quite nice.”

“Oh… you’re right.”

I could hear the girls whispering too. My stock had risen thanks to the girls around me.

Well, a man who has several pretty girls around him is automatically valued higher by other women. They think that if so many girls are attracted to him, he must have some value. That’s just how it works.

“………”

The moment they heard that, all three girls’ expressions hardened.

“There are a lot of girls… targeting Shota.”

Eri made a sour face.

Taiga openly glared at the girls, scaring them away. No, please stop that. Taiga’s glare is seriously murderous. She really lives up to her delinquent reputation.

Anyway, we headed straight to the classroom.

———

And in the classroom.

“Well, well. Everyone looks good! Seems like you all had a great Golden Week.”

The homeroom teacher said.

“Where did you go, teacher?”

One student tactlessly asked.

“Well, nothing special.”

The homeroom teacher shrugged.

“……….”

Teacher, you’re just glossing over it with “nothing special.” The way you’re trying to emphasize that there were “adult circumstances” was painfully desperate.

“Ah!! It’s a girlfriend, right?! You went out with your lover!!”

A student who liked to liven up the atmosphere shouted loudly.

Stop it!! You crazy bastard!! I screamed internally.

“No comment.”

The homeroom teacher found a clever solution. He gave a secretive smile.

No comment. A sophisticated technique to subtly emphasize that something similar happened. It was practically bluffing about having something going on with a woman.

Also, “no comment” isn’t technically a lie. If others misunderstand, he could always deny having said anything specific.

Teacher… your desperate feelings came through clearly.

“Ah!! Definitely a girlfriend!! He has a girlfriend!!”

With that, the classroom atmosphere immediately heated up.

“You guys… I’m telling you it’s not like that.”

The homeroom teacher said with a grin. Teacher… please…

“Anyway, let’s have the morning assembly. Wow, it’s been a week since our last one.”

The homeroom teacher continued.

“Today, I want to teach you not to trust humans completely. Learning to trust people appropriately, just enough not to get hurt, is a technique you must master as an adult.”

The teacher spoke in a strangely melancholic tone.

“Lovers, friends, and people you love—learning to trust them moderately is important. Otherwise… you’ll get hurt.”

The teacher said, gazing into the distance.

“Ughhhh…!”

Tears involuntarily flowed from my eyes.

That’s right. I saw it in the internet news this morning. A leaked recording of the teacher’s favorite VTuber with her secret boyfriend.

‘Honey, is your stream over?’

‘Yeah, just finished collecting money.’

‘Collecting money, seriously? Hehehe. So that’s what those people spend money on?’

‘I make money thanks to those otaku losers. Whatever.’

‘My faithful followers! Your goddess will enjoy this meal!’

‘Hey! Stop it! Hehehehe.’

Seeing that, I was deeply despaired. I empathized with how the teacher must have felt.

“Ughhhh…!”

Chicken-sized tears flowed from my eyes.

“Geez… this guy’s acting up again.”

Umi said while wiping my tears with her handkerchief.

By now, my outbursts had become quite familiar to the other students. They generally dismissed it as eccentricity.

“Arigiri. Why are you crying?”

The teacher looked at me with melancholic eyes. He looked sadder than someone who had lost 5 billion yen in cryptocurrency.

“Your sincerity… came through clearly, sir.”

I tried hard to stop my tears.

“Hmph. You’re a funny one. Anyway, that concludes our morning assembly.”

The teacher clapped his hands with forced composure before leaving the classroom.

——–

Anyway, the first week of April’s classes passed uneventfully.

“You all know there are midterm exams next month, right? It’s your first midterm exam since entering high school. Everyone should take it seriously.”

The teacher said.

“Ugh… midterms.”

Umi immediately made a disgusted face.

“Sigh… I don’t want to study.”

Eri also puffed her cheeks.

“Just don’t do it.”

Taiga said nonchalantly. As expected of a delinquent. She was already living by a different order than ordinary students.

“But of course, if you fail the midterms, you’ll have supplementary classes during summer vacation. Your youthful summer break will fly away.”

At that moment, the homeroom teacher made an evil expression.

“Personally, I’m looking forward to it. I become happy when someone else becomes unhappy. The pleasure of trampling on someone’s youth… that’s it.”

The homeroom teacher grinned.

Ah, ahhh… Teacher…!! Tears welled up again.

Anyway, at those words, the harem trio’s expressions immediately hardened. They realized that if they couldn’t pass the average score, they would lose time to fool around with me during summer vacation.

“Shota!! Teach me how to study!!”

“Huh? Please!! You and I are in this together!”

“I, I need to review from middle school material.”

All three immediately clung to me. This… seems like it’s going to get busy. I sighed at the thought.

———-

First week of April.

An event that was scheduled to happen in the game was about to occur.

It was a major accident where a train conductor suddenly became hollowfied and crashed the train off the tracks. There were no deaths, but quite a few people were injured in this major incident.

It was a device to let players know that the encroachment of the other world was getting worse. Later on, more hollowfication events would occur.

Like the incident where people become hollowfied and commit mass suicide by jumping off a building together. The game’s atmosphere becomes increasingly dark and deep as it progresses.

‘I probably can’t stop it.’

It would be difficult to find the train conductor, and even if I suddenly told him not to operate the train, I’d just be dismissed as a crazy person. Even as a possessor, there were limits to what I could do.

I decided to at least make sure the people around me didn’t take the train today.

Well, of course, there was no chance the others would be taking the train anywhere. The harem trio were completely in roommate mode, each killing time in their own way.

And at 5 PM, breaking news came on, at exactly the same time as in the game.

‘Train runs wild at Kitaemoshi Station, 54 injured, no deaths…’

‘Conductor suddenly had a seizure’

‘Who is responsible?’

Breaking news was flowing from everywhere.

“Oh my. How terrible.”

Eri muttered while watching the television. Well… she seemed sympathetic but not feeling the seriousness. It’s not that Eri is particularly bad. In the end, it’s someone else’s problem.

Eri’s parents had gone on a business trip to a distant region, and Eri’s older brother was also at a publishing company in Tokyo. Eri’s younger siblings also had no reason to take the train. Eri’s family was safe.

“This is… that thing, right?”

Taiga glanced toward me and Umi.

Taiga seemed to have intuited that the conductor had become hollowfied and gone berserk. She’s surprisingly perceptive.

Just at the right time, a message came from Sasitsu.

‘Everyone come at midnight tonight.’

‘Looks like a dungeon has appeared.’

So, we all decided to start dungeon exploration that evening.

———-

After finishing today’s training at the kendo dojo, we all had dinner together, and night fell.

“Shota. Take care.”

Eri understood that I had club activities. She waved from the entrance.

“I’ll be back.”

I hugged Eri and kissed her cute lips.

“Do that thing.”

Eri smiled mischievously.

Squish-!

I lovingly squeezed Eri’s bottom. Only then did she seem satisfied.

——–

We arrived at Emoshita Central Park, which had essentially become our meeting place.

Sasitsu was already there.

“There. The dungeon is there.”

Sasitsu pointed to a spot.

Whoooosh-!!

In the distance, there was a massive rectangular structure. It was a colorful structure that looked like it was made of Lego blocks.

It was the second dungeon, “Another World.” It was famous for being quite difficult for an early dungeon.