Chapter 13: A Deal With This Perverted Crusader!
Part 1
This Arch-Duke of Hell named Vanir was interested in the dungeon.
"...Are you planning on sabotaging it to prevent app-users from gaining levels?"
"Nothing like that, boy. I'm interested in owning the dungeon for myself."
That sounded even more nefarious.
Vanir spread his arms wide again and said,
"Imagine this, boy. A group of adventurers have defeated the final boss of the dungeon and have entered the treasure room, but upon opening the treasure chest in the middle of the room… Behold! I, Vanir, will leap out of the chest! Imagine the despair that will exude out of those pitiful adventurers when they realize there's no treasure inside…! Moihaha! How delectable!"
I waited for him to continue his explanation for why he wanted a dungeon.
When he didn't say more, I said,
"Wait, that's it?"
"That's it."
He was willing to go to another world for such a stupid reason?
"It's not a stupid reason, boy! It has been my goal for quite a while now!"
He read my mind and was insulted by my thoughts.
"What could you possibly achieve from such a stupid prank?"
I said, wondering what a hot shot devil like Vanir could gain from this.
"Devils get nourishment from negative emotions… As such, the feelings of despair that humans get when they're about to receive a prize, only to have it taken away, is the most delicious of treats for one such as myself…"
"That sounds more like a childish prank than anything, though…"
"No matter what you call it, a delicious treat is a delicious treat!"
Was this guy really a high-ranking devil?
I shook my head and said,
"...Hey, Vanir is from the 'other world', right? From what I heard, such a world is filled with fantastical things like magic and monsters. Why couldn't Vanir just find his own dungeon in such a world?"
"First of all, most dungeons are made by powerful mages and even Liches. The ability to create dungeons is the ultimate spell in the Creation field of magics. In order for one to wrest control of such a dungeon, one must defeat the master of said dungeon… As powerful as I am, it's still difficult for me to face a Lich in battle, especially since my real body is in Hell…"
"Eh? Are you telling me this body of yours isn't real?"
"Indeed! Even if my many lives run out in this form, I'm still safe in Hell! This body is merely a proxy, after all!"
That explained why I could somewhat put up a fight with a high-ranking devil in the first place…
And it didn't even feel like Vanir was taking our fight seriously at all.
"I got it. Back in Vanir's world, it's much harder to take over a dungeon since you'll have to fight a Lich or some powerful Arch-Wizard. Since the dungeons in this world are made for the sake of training humans like myself, you think that it's easier to take over."
"Precisely! You do catch on pretty quick!"
"Then just go ahead and conquer the dungeon. Surely, Vanir is more than powerful enough to do that."
"I can't. Only chosen ones such as yourself can enter the dungeon."
"...I see. Well, good luck with that."
He held my shoulder just as I began to turn around.
"Hold it, boy. I will need your assistance."
"...And why should I help you?"
"If you don't help me, then I will assist Beldia in defeating the chosen ones."
I turned around and saw a smile on Vanir's face, as he gave me this threat.
"You're saying that you'll abandon your comrade if I help you out?"
"Indeed! Although we are technically comrades, Beldia has played quite a few pranks on a colleague of mine… Consider this as me getting revenge for that colleague!"
It just sounded like Vanir was using any excuse to betray Beldia just to fulfill his dream of owning a dungeon…
I thought about it. With Vanir abandoning Beldia, that would reduce their combat strength by half.
Beldia's power level was still unknown to me, but compared to Vanir who could read minds and seemingly had unlimited lives, I was willing to bet that Vanir was the more powerful of the two.
…In manga, the tallest one of the duo is usually the weakest.
Like Nappa and Vegeta.
"Alright, I accept Vanir's offer."
"Eh? That's good for me, but… Are you sure you should agree that quickly?"
Vanir was surprised that I agreed right away.
"Huh? What do you want me to do? This is clearly the most rational decision. It sounds dangerous to cede control over the dungeon to a devil, but it seems like a better option than facing Beldia and Vanir at the same time."
Besides, from what Vanir was saying, he was more interested in trolling people than actually harming them.
He even said before that harming humans was a waste… After all, our negative emotions were like some kind of food to him. It was better to keep humans alive and flourishing, in order to keep harvesting negative emotions from them.
That reminded me of what the succubus said, about how they fed themselves with the life energy and lust of humans.
"It seems that we've come to an agreement! Make sure not to turn your back on our deal, boy… Breaking a contract with a devil is serious business…"
"Yeah, yeah. As long as Vanir doesn't try to pull off anything shady, I won't try to break out of our agreement."
With that, we shook on it.
"Where will Vanir go? I assume you've been sticking with Beldia since you arrived here…"
"The colleague I was talking about is actually already in this world. She was one of the first three Demon King generals who infiltrated this world."
"...First three?!"
Aqua didn't mention anything about Demon King generals already infiltrating our world.
"Ah… You'll have to figure that out yourself! Moihahaha!"
Seeming to take delight in my confusion, Vanir started walking away while laughing.
Part 2
After dealing with the 'threat' of Vanir, I unequipped my gear and went back to Yunyun's place while using [Lurk].
Silently, I went back to the room, where the others were sleeping.
"..."
Only to get the urge to pee once I reached the door.
Perhaps this was the aftereffect of my intense fight with Vanir.
At least, it was intense on my end.
For Vanir, it was probably more entertaining than anything else.
"Toilet, toilet…"
While holding my pee in, I had to guess where Yunyun's bathroom was.
Thankfully, my luck came through again and I found it on the first try.
When I came in, I saw a pair of floating red eyes in the dark.
"...?!" x 2.
I activated [Night Vision] to see what this unknown creature was.
Only to see that it was Megumin.
"...Do you sleep with those lenses on?"
"I don't! I just put it on by habit when I got out of bed."
Seeing those red contact lenses, I thought that she was some psychopath who slept while wearing lenses.
"Whatever. Move out of the way, Megumin, unless you're into things like golden showers…"
"Could you not say something so disgusting in a casual manner? I'm still doing my business, as you can see."
"Is it a number 2? Why the hell is it taking so long?!"
"I-It's not a number 2! If it's a number 2, you can smell it, right?"
"Sniff, sniff… Ah, you're right."
"Don't actually smell it."
There was a brief moment of silence as I waited for Megumin to finish her business.
"...Hold on, isn't it too quiet in here? If Megumin is indeed doing a number 1, then why don't I hear any splashing?"
"How am I expected to do my business when a guy is here staring at me?! Why are you still here in the first place?! Leave!"
Megumin finally lost her patience and raised her voice, ordering me to leave.
"...I can't. I really need to go now. Any slight movement on my part will cause it all to leak."
"What is causing Kazuma to act like this?! I don't remember you drinking much liquids earlier!"
It was because I believed that I was fighting for my life, as well as everyone else's.
After going through such a high-adrenaline state, I really needed to pee once it was all over.
"Hurry up and finish peeing already, Megumin!"
"I'm trying! I can tell that Kazuma isn't joking around and I'm really trying! But you watching me like this is making it impossible! I understand you can't move around too much, but at least close your eyes!"
"...I can't."
"And why not?!"
"I'm still a guy, Megumin. Faced with this rare moment of watching a girl doing her business… Of course, I can't just take my eyes away."
"Kazuma, that's just straight up sexual harassment."
Didn't I deserve a reward for potentially risking my life for these girls?
They didn't know about my secret heroism, but that didn't mean that they shouldn't pay me back for my efforts.
"One of us will have to go eventually, Megumin."
"...Doesn't Kazuma realize that if you leak right now, you'll have to pee your pants?!"
"Of course not. Right at the moment I have to pee, I'll of course take off my pants…"
"Kazuma, I really hate where you're going with this!"
"Don't worry. I'll aim for the toilet, of course."
"I'm sitting on the toilet, you know?!"
"Just spread your legs and I'll aim for the toilet. I'll aim for the spot between your thighs. Don't worry, I'm very accurate. I have the [Snipe] skill, after all."
"I doubt that's how that skill works!"
I looked around and saw a flower vase by a window sill. I reached over and took it.
Taking out the decorative flowers inside, I held it out to Megumin.
"Here, Megumin. Just use this instead and I'll use the toilet."
"You've got to be kidding me! Why don't you use it?! It's easier for a guy to use something like that than a girl!"
"...Megumin, I'm a firm believer in gender equality. There's nothing that says a girl can't also use a flower vase to pee in, just because it might be easier for guys to do so. Believe in yourself."
"Don't try to make this into some positive thing! Kazuma, just whip it out and use that vase already!"
While I was holding the vase for her, Megumin's hands suddenly reached for my pants.
"...?! What are you doing?! Megumin… I didn't think you were this kind of aggressive girl?!"
"Huh? Why are you acting meek now, Kazuma? Don't tell me that you're the type who is all offense and no defense…"
"Alright, I get it! Just stop trying to yank my pants down!"
When I pulled away from Megumin, that caused her to lurch forward a bit.
"Ah…"
The sudden movement caused the tension in her body to go away.
"..." x 2.
We both stared blankly at each other as Megumin couldn't hold it in anymore.
The sounds of splashing water…
"Ah… That's making me want to pee really bad."
I stared at the vase.
"I'm almost done, Kazuma! Just hold on!"
I held on, trembling as I forced myself to endure.
"Alright, it's done, switch, switch!"
Megumin snatched the toilet paper, before getting up to switch with me.
"Ahhhhhh!"
I let out a satisfied sound as I let it all out.
"S-So that's how guys do it, huh?"
Megumin said, as she stood behind me.
"Oi… How come Megumin gets to fully observe me doing this, while you made such a big deal about me watching you earlier?"
"You got to hear it in the end, didn't you?! Now we're even!"
"It's hardly even! I'm here standing and grabbing my junk, while Megumin was just sitting down! I didn't even get to see anything!"
"I'm not seeing anything, either! Kazuma is turned around from me! Besides, you probably got to see a peek of things you shouldn't see when I got up from the toilet earlier!"
"My vision was blurry from almost combusting! I couldn't see anything! I was this close to just pulling my pants down and spraying everywhere! You're lucky you didn't get a golden shower just now, Megumin!"
After finishing my business and flushing, I washed my hands in the sink after Megumin did so.
I noticed after drying my hands that there was a new notification on my phone…
Your 'Willpower' increased by +1!
Part 3
After that event, it was hard for us to go back to sleep.
We ended up going to the balcony outside of Yunyun's room.
It was already 2 am and it was pretty chilly out. We wrapped our blankets around ourselves while staring out at Yunyun's neighborhood at night.
We stared at the full moon, one of the main conditions that opened our world to the other world.
The stars were also plenty visible, even with all the light pollution. We could also hear some night birds chirping in the background.
"Kazuma… Your personality is kind of horrible."
Megumin said, after a few minutes of silence.
"If Megumin had just taken up my offer of peeing in the vase…"
"That's what I mean about your personality being horrible!"
She sighed and leaned an elbow against the railings on the balcony. She said,
"That said… You were also reliable during the dungeon core incident… It's weird. I can't really make a proper opinion of Kazuma."
I remembered the glance that Aqua and Megumin exchanged, when they were talking about guys who were 'reliable when it counts'.
"Just admit that I'm someone that is like the hero Megumin described earlier…"
"Hah? Kazuma thinks that he's some hero that girls like me would fall for? When's the last time you did anything heroic?"
"...Just to let you know, I actually fought that Vanir guy on my own earlier while you girls were sleeping. I did it to protect all of you."
Megumin stared at me for a while.
"Kazuma… Can you please not make such obvious lies?"
She thought I was lying.
"That said… I can actually see Kazuma doing that, despite how you usually are…"
"Despite how I usually am?"
"...Like how you'd make a girl pee in a flower vase."
"Hey, it was an empty flower base."
"Like that makes any difference!"
She planted her chin on her palm while leaning against the railing, glancing at me from the side. She said,
"I really can't figure you out, Kazuma… Well, I guess that means you're interesting. Nothing makes life more unbearable than a dull personality."
"Ah… Megumin is one of those 'I'm so quirky' girls, huh?"
"D-Don't group me with those attention seekers! Unlike them, I'm actually special, since I can use explosion magic and stuff!"
"...So Megumin is saying that if you didn't get this app, you'd just be like any other attention seeking wh…"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence! A-Anyway, it doesn't matter since I ended up chosen by Wolbach-sama! That means that I'm actually special, one of the chosen ones!"
"You're happy about this even though the world is in danger?"
"...All I know is that I'm having way more fun than before. And I also get money from the dungeon. By the way, those kobolds better be working hard right now to get us our cash."
She sounded like a yakuza boss extorting money from a business.
After talking a bit more, we returned to the others to get some sleep before the sun came out.
Since a lot of things happened to me, I felt immediate exhaustion when my head hit the pillow.
Before I fell asleep, I checked my phone and saw an update from the app.
Your bond with Megumin has deepened!
Megumin (Explosion Mage), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, definitely sees you as a pervert now. Not only that, you might also be a scumbag. Are you really the reliable guy she thought you were? With that said, she believes that you'll come through when it counts, like a hero. She might be developing a bit of a crush on you now… But you'll have to prove yourself! Can you become Megumin's hero? Do your best!
Bond Reward: Magic Power +10
…Why did it seem like the app was rooting for me to end up with Megumin?
Also, a crush, huh? Oh, my.
I was about to put my app away, but I saw Megumin's red, glowing eyes trained on me again.
"Oi… Take off your contacts and go to sleep already."
"Kazuma, I'm curious. Let me see your bonds list. I'm in there, right?"
"..."
What brought this on all of a sudden?!
Aside from Mitsurugi, I didn't really have an in-depth conversation about the bond rank-ups with any other app user.
After all, it was awkward talking about one's bond with another person, especially since it was clearly spelled out in the app in the form of bond descriptions.
I assumed that there was some kind of unwritten rule among app users not to look at each other's bond rank-up descriptions.
"...Go to sleep, Megumin."
"There's definitely something bad if that's your reaction! Let me see!"
I kept my phone away from her as she lunged forward and tried to get it from me.
With her leaning over me like that, she ended up getting really close to me.
"Stop it! There's things that should be kept private! In the first place, isn't it unnatural to see how our bonds are progressing in real time?! That can't be good in terms of building normal, healthy relationships…!"
"Lemme see! Lemme see!"
With how much she was leaning towards me, she ended up falling on top of me, making me fall back on my blanket.
The others woke up from the noise. Yunyun saw Megumin on top of me, squirming around, and said,
"W-Wah… Megumin is assaulting Kazuma-san…"
"I'm not! …Hey, you're all app-users as well. Aren't you curious about how your bond descriptions look like in other people's apps?!"
They all looked at each other, gauging each other's reactions.
"I… I suppose I'm a bit curious…"
Darkness said, fidgeting a little.
I definitely couldn't let her see what my bond description with her was like.
"Ohh… I'm curious to see how much Kazuma and I progressed after all that…"
Meanwhile, Aqua flashed me a smug look, before joining Megumin in snatching my phone away from me.
"Stop! Get away from me!"
I spent the rest of the night playing keep away from them.
Part 4
When morning came, I didn't get much sleep at all.
That was because of my fight with Vanir, and the result of the girls trying to snatch my phone away from me.
I probably only got about 2 hours of sleep in total.
"Guess I'll skip…"
I was about to take my phone out and tell my parents to call the school for me, then I remembered that there was a soccer game after school.
Aqua healed Mitsurugi, but it was too suspicious for him to return to school after only a few days.
It was likely that he'd stay home, at least for the rest of the week.
With Mitsurugi out, the team would lose two of its key players.
…Not that I considered myself a key player, but the coach certainly seemed to think so.
I felt kind of bad about skipping when Mitsurugi was still away.
"Hah…"
I sighed and prepared to go to school.
"Everyone… My dad prepared breakfast…"
Yunyun gave me a worried glance. I shook off her concern.
"It's fine. I'll just sneak away."
I had to go home to get my uniform, anyway.
"...Actually, I should get back home, too. It's nighttime in my country now, and my father will expect me for dinner."
It slipped my mind that Darkness was from a different timezone than us.
"I guess I'll walk Darkness to the dungeon first, then."
"Eh? Won't you be late for school if you do that?"
Darkness said, surprised that I offered to escort her.
Even with Vanir taken care of, Beldia was still around.
And the biggest risk here was Darkness, since she'd want to have a powerful opponent beat her up and do who knows what else to her.
"I'm worried about Darkness. It's fine if I'm a bit late."
"O-Oh, I see…"
Instead of giving some kind of perverted reply, Darkness blushed and looked down at her toes.
…Hey, my 'Charisma' was supposed to be low, right?!
Why were these girls dazzled by my off-hand statements?!
Was my popular period actually arriving?! Or better yet, it had already arrived?!
…Or maybe these girls normally scared off the guys around them, and that was why they weren't used to having a guy take care of them and pay attention to them.
That actually made way more sense.
The guys back in Darkness's home country probably avoided her like a plague.
Yunyun raised her hand and said,
"Um… I can Teleport Darkness-san and Kazuma-san to the dungeon if you want…"
"No, it's fine. You should eat breakfast and go about your day as normal, Yunyun. We already asked a lot from you."
Since I already asked her to let us stay the night and even got her to teleport us out of danger, I didn't want to rely on Yunyun. I turned to Aqua and said,
"Aqua, are you coming along? You need to go home, too…"
"I'm not passing up a free breakfast."
Somehow, I expected her to say that.
"Same here."
Megumin said, as if it wasn't obvious already.
"Try not to drink too much fluids in the morning, Megumin."
"...!"
I sent her a taunting smirk before casting [Lurk] on myself and sneaking out of the house.
After getting out of the door, I waited for Darkness to excuse herself and leave as well.
"Thanks for waiting…"
"Ah, yeah, no problem."
She was awfully meek all of a sudden.
As we were walking, Darkness said,
"Listen, Kazuma… I said some rather inappropriate things last night during the sleepover…"
That explained why she was quiet. I said,
"I heard that late night talks in sleepovers can sometimes get out of hand. Darkness doesn't need to worry about that."
"I see… I suppose Kazuma has been in lots of sleepovers…"
"No, this was my first one."
"Then how can I trust what you say?!"
She covered her face in shame.
"...Those girls probably think I'm a freak now!"
Too late to worry about that.
I placed a hand on her shoulder and said,
"Don't worry, those girls are into some pretty hardcore stuff, too."
"R-Really…?"
"Yeah… While everyone was asleep, Megumin made me watch her pee in the toilet…"
"S-She what…?!"
I nodded my head sagely.
"I was surprised, too… To think that Megumin would have such a fetish…"
"T-That's not fair…"
Darkness made a face as if she just missed out on a fun event.
"As you can see, Darkness has nothing to worry about…"
"I'm relieved…"
Actually, she has lots to worry about.
As I walked Darkness to the station, I just had an idea.
I still had Chris's panty.
Although I didn't want to get rid of them, as well as the stat bonus they gave me, I still had to finish that quest.
Giving them to Chris directly was impossible for me, though.
I turned to Darkness and said,
"Actually, Darkness… Did you know that your friend Chris is into some pretty hardcore play, too?"
"Ehh?! B-But Chris is the most pure and innocent girl I know!"
I hesitated a bit after hearing that, but I kept going.
"...There's a lot of things that even the best of friends hide from each other, Darkness. For example..."
I took out Chris's panty from my inventory and presented them to her.
"Eh? A panty… Kazuma, is this an admission of a crime?"
It actually was.
"This is Chris's panty."
"Chris…?! Why do you have this?!"
"I'm sure you can deduce it yourself…"
"A-Ah… Chris gave Kazuma her panty to hold onto… She's into that kind of play!"
She made a lewd conclusion by herself.
"The reason why I have them doesn't matter. I can't really hold onto them any longer, so I'd appreciate it if Darkness helped me return them. Ah, just don't tell her that I asked you to give them back to her, since that will embarrass her."
"Wait… I think I remember hearing that Kazuma has some kind of [Steal] skill… Is it possible that Kazuma just stole this panty from Chris and is using me to return it?"
"...?!"
I just learned that while Darkness was perverted, that didn't mean that she was stupid.
"Whatever! Just return them already!"
"N-No way! What if Chris thinks that I'm the one who stole these?! It's Kazuma's fault, so you return them! I can't believe you even tried to trick me! Is that thing about Megumin a lie, too?!"
"...It's not a complete lie… She didn't make me watch her, I just watched."
"Kazuma… Your perverseness is commendable, but you really shouldn't do that to your friends! If you're going to do nasty things like that, do that to me instead!"
"Eh? The pee thing? I'm not really into that…"
"Not that specifically! But it's clear to me that Kazuma has a high libido and has all sorts of perverted ideas… Rather than have our friends suffer for it, I'll gladly take them on! For their sake, of course!"
I doubted that it was really for such a selfless reason.
"W-Why is Kazuma giving me that kind of judgemental stare? Kazuma… You might think that I'm some kind of degenerate, but what does that make you?! Here you are, trying to trick me into returning my friend's panty that you stole!"
"Fine! Whatever! I'm just as much of a freak as you! I even wore this panty to boost my dex stats!"
"..."
She hurriedly placed the panty back in my palms.
"Hold on, I didn't wear them directly. I just tied them around my arm underneath my clothing, just to get the effect of the stat boost. It's kind of like action heroes tying a kerchief around their arm to stop the bleeding…"
"Don't even compare it to what Rambo does! Kazuma, you might be even more of a pervert than me, and that's saying something!"
So she was aware of her own perverseness.
"In any case… I'm still returning the panty that I stole, right? I promise to return the favor, so just return them for me, Darkness!"
I held the panty out for her to take again.
"...Returning the favor, huh…? W-Well… I often get all kinds of outrageous quests…"
Her saying that reminded me of how she asked me to slap her last time to complete a quest.
"Think of it this way. We're just victims of this stupid app that gives impossible quests. It's not our fault. You help me with my quest to return Chris's panty and I'll help you with any difficult quest you have in the future, no matter how extreme it is."
"N-No matter how extreme…?!"
Darkness's eyes widened as she imagined the kind of things that might entail.
I may have just said something that I'd heavily regret in the future.
But I couldn't just give up now.
"...Also, Kazuma is forced to return the panty as a quest, huh? This app really is merciless… Whoever made it must be some kind of sadist…"
Considering Aqua designed this thing, that was probably true.
"A-Alright, then… I'll return these to Chris and leave Kazuma's name out of it."
"Thank you."
She accepted the panty and placed it in her inventory.
At that moment, my phone buzzed.
Darkness (Masochist Crusader), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Darkness views you as an equal when it comes to perverseness. She has vowed to protect Chris from you, as she doesn't want you to do any more perverted things to Chris. She took your offer to help her complete extreme requests in the future, and is eagerly looking forward to an erotic event. More than ever, she is looking forward to you becoming the S to her M.
Bond Reward: You learn the skill [Medium Armor]!
[Medium Armor], Skill Rank: 1
You are proficient in wearing Medium Armor. You no longer suffer the stealth penalty when wearing Medium Armor.
Since Darkness was a durable frontliner, it seemed that the skills I got from her bond rank-ups reflected that.
…I wasn't really looking forward to getting closer with this girl, but I could also use the armor and durability.
"Ah, our bond just ranked-up… This description… T-To think Kazuma thinks that about me…"
"...Why are you commenting on it when I'm right here?"
"M-Maybe we should show each other what it says?"
Why did these girls keep insisting on seeing each other's bond descriptions?
Couldn't they see how embarrassing that is?
"We're pretty close to the station, so let's just split ways from here. Later."
"Kazuma isn't going to walk me all the way there, huh…?"
I had enough of Darkness and went home.
Part 5
When I got home, Kazuto and my parents were already gone.
Since I was running late, I didn't have time to eat breakfast. I changed into my uniform and ran out
There was still some time until the train arrived when I reached the station. I went over to one of the stores there and quickly got myself an onigiri to eat, and some green tea to wash it down.
I managed to make it in time, although I was cutting it close.
As it was almost the end of the month, the stat rewards should come in as long as I finished the week strong.
With that in mind, I made sure to pay close attention to the lesson.
Aside from my hectic morning of running back and forth, the rest of the day went on like normal.
Then, the moment arrived.
My first game without Mitsurugi.
We all gathered by the field and the mood was solemn.
"...For the sake of Mitsurugi-kun who is watching down on us, we have to win this game."
The coach said, with a somber voice.
He's still alive, I wanted to say.
They had a backup striker take Mitsurugi's spot. Unlike Mitsurugi, he wasn't as talented. The only thing he had going for him was his height and a bit of finishing ability.
In my head, I was already thinking that we lost.
The only reason why I was successful as an attacking midfielder was due to my tandem plays with Mitsurugi.
Without an ace striker who could dominate the field, if I stood out too much, the opposing team could just focus on pressuring me.
Sure enough, as the game started, I couldn't make any aggressive plays.
My usual strategy of striking first didn't bear fruit, as the backup striker couldn't hold the ball when I lobbed it ahead to him.
With the ball easily stolen, the opposing team built up a fast counterattack.
The morale of the team was down without Mitsurugi, and the team's movements were sluggish as a result.
Eventually, the opposing team scored with the winger making an excellent dribble play and cutting just outside the penalty area for a mid-ranged shot.
It didn't help that the team we were facing had more history and prestige than our school, as their school was more focused on athletics while ours was a university prep school.
They maintained the 1-0 lead by halftime.
"This isn't how we normally move! Where's the pressing?! Even if they have the ball, we should be pressing to get the ball back!"
The coach was more animated and loud than usual.
"Satou-kun, I want more aggressive plays from you in the second half!"
That was easier said than done.
In the second half, we tried to build up momentum through the midfield, but the other team was pressing well.
I was forced to make passive passes to the holding midfielders, as I couldn't see any good passing options to advance the ball.
"I'm open!"
Meanwhile, the opposing team was moving and communicating well, even though they had a lead.
…I got an idea after watching them.
I spent the next 15 minutes carefully observing their plays and their communication.
During that time, we lost possession of the ball and the other team was building up an attack.
"I'm open!"
Just like before, they passed the ball to the open man.
"...?!"
With their trust in their teammates, they passed the ball without hesitation to the familiar voice.
Except that was just me imitating their voice with [Versatile Entertainer].
Since I needed to spend 15 minutes observing their voices, I had to spend that time carefully observing them.
I stole the ball and quickly pushed it up for a counterattack.
This dirty tactic only worked because they were an elite, organized team who didn't even need to look to who they were passing to.
They had trust in each other and could execute no-look passess with perfect accuracy, as long as they heard their teammate's voice.
"E-Eh?! I thought you called for it…?!"
"I wasn't even in that area! Where were you looking?!"
Ah, look at them fight.
As they rushed to collapse on me, I lobbed it over to the right winger who started sprinting as soon as I got the ball.
With everyone's attention turning to the fast winger, I used [Lurk] on myself.
The winger advanced the ball quickly and waited to cross it to whoever made it to the penalty area.
Our backup striker eventually made it over with his long strides.
"Mark the striker!"
The other team exclaimed this instruction.
The defenders quickly collapsed on the backup striker.
…Except the one who gave that instruction was me again.
Being careful not to go offside, remembering my finishing training with Mitsurugi…
I dropped [Lurk] and raised my hand to the winger.
"...!"
As soon as I dropped [Lurk], he saw me and crossed the ball over.
"...?! How is he that open?!"
Even though my finishing wasn't perfect yet, it was more than enough to do the job with the amount of space I had.
I easily controlled the ball and shot it at the open space in the net.
The goalie was focused on the striker and couldn't dive in time to save it.
"Whoa! You can score goals, too, Satou?!"
My teammates rushed up to celebrate my goal.
I got my first career goal…
Well, I had to cheat a lot for it.
Part 6
After my goal, the opposing team sharpened up to my cheap trick and didn't rely on just their voices anymore.
They were a lot more cautious when passing, but that meant that I couldn't fool them like I did before.
Still, with their cautious play, their gameplan of quick, no-look passes was disrupted and they couldn't score for the rest of the game.
The game ended 1-1.
Since it was only a regulation game, there wasn't any penalty shootout. The game ended in a draw.
"Ah… That sucks. It was only a draw even though Satou scored a goal…"
For some reason, my teammates were unhappy with the result.
Even though realistically, that game should have been a lot more lopsided, since we were against a very good team without our star player.
"Senpai! I saw your goal! That was so cool!"
I didn't know that Rin was watching. She surprised me by running down the stands and greeting me while I headed to the changing room.
Having a cute girl cheer on my goal…
This is the true normie experience!
"Ah… Thanks, Rin…"
"Hehe… You really do look cool in that jersey, senpai. Maybe you'll let me wear it one day?"
I was such a freaking normie at that moment that I almost hated myself.
"O-Oh… Sure…"
"Ehe… Why are you blushing, senpai! You'll make me embarrassed, too…"
"Tch…"
I saw some envious guys watching our interaction and showing their distaste for our flirting.
…I understood their pain and their jealousy.
As I was in their place not that long ago, I understood full well that I was a normie who deserved to die a horrible, explosive death.
They gave me confused looks when I gave them a look of understanding.
…
…
After chatting with Rin for a bit, I headed over to my part-time job.
I was tired from everything that was going on, but I also couldn't pass up the chance to make more money.
"Good work today."
Your 'Willpower' and 'Bravery' increased by +1!
After receiving the money, I took out my phone and saw that I had a new notification.
Quest Completed! You gave Chris her panty back! Well, sort of! I guess it counts?! Quest Rewards: +2 Speed, +2 Bravery
It seems the system was confused about whether to give me a reward for that or not.
As I was about to head home, I noticed a familiar face enter the store.
With messy blond hair and a dirty appearance, it was Dust, the guy who introduced me to the Succubus Shop.
I tried to avoid eye contact with him, but he noticed me.
"Ohh…! Kazuma! It's me, it's me!"
Saying something that a scam artist would say, he approached me.
"Ahaha… What's up, Dust?"
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder in an overly friendly way.
He stinks! When was the last time he had a bath?!
"Ah… Nothing much! Oh, do you work here, Kazuma?"
He noticed the apron and nametag I had on.
I should have taken it off as soon as my shift ended.
"Only part-time… Haha…"
"I see, I see… Do you think you can treat your friend to a meal? I'm really hungry…"
Here it is.
While I didn't mind giving a discount to someone who introduced me to the wonderful services of the Succubus Shop, I suspected that Dust was the kind of guy who would keep leeching from people who did him favors.
With that said, I didn't want to cause a scene, especially since my employer was watching.
"Ohh! Kazuma, you're the best!"
That was how I ended up treating him to a bowl of instant ramen.
Since I was hungry myself, I also ordered a bowl. Using the hot water dispenser, we cooked the ramen and dug in.
A bowl of instant ramen after a long day improved my mood.
"Ah… That was good! I wouldn't mind seconds…"
This guy was really testing my generosity.
"I-I was just joking! Thanks for the treat!"
He immediately backed off once he sensed my impatience.
"Oh, since Kazuma treated me, I'll give you some information."
"Hm? What kind of information? Is there another kind of lewd shop around?"
"...Is that all you think I'm good for? Information about lewd establishments?"
Did I even need to respond to that?
"It's about something else. I saw an invader from the other world, a really scary one! From the way he looks, I think he's Beldia, the Dullahan…"
"You know about Beldia?"
"Yeah. I came from the other world, after all."
"...Say what again?"
He just gave me this revelation out of nowhere.
He nodded and took out the adventurer card that he showed me last time.
"Yeah, that's why I don't have that app you people use. This is the adventurer card from my world. The way I learn skills is different from you."
I tried to look at his card some more, but he placed it back in his pocket before I could take a good look.
"I see… How did Dust end up in this world?"
"Well… A few months ago, the Demon King army opened a portal from their world to this world. I just happened to be there and I happened to slip through."
He shrugged, as if to say it wasn't a big deal.
"That's… Well, I'm sorry that happened to you."
"Oh, no. It was actually the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I owed a lot of debt in the other world, so I was happy to escape! Ah… But I'm starting to owe a lot of debt in this world, too…"
This guy is definitely trouble.
While I was interested to hear what the other world was like, I also wanted to know more about Beldia, I asked,
"Where did you last see Beldia?"
"I saw him picking a fight with people like you, app-users, I mean. I didn't want anything to do with that, so I just ran away."
"Eh? Why didn't you help?"
"Huh? What's that gotta do with me?"
This guy is worthless.
I sighed and said,
"How about this? If you help someone that Beldia is picking a fight with next time, I'll give you some money…"
"For real?!"
He got excited at the mention of money.
"I'll also pay you if you have more information about him."
"You got a deal, Kazuma! You're a really good guy, you know?!"
He started shaking my hand profusely.
Your bond with Dust has deepened!
Dust (The Blond Delinquent), Bond Rank: 2
At Rank 2, Dust will gather information on Beldia for you and help other app-users if they are in trouble… As long as you pay enough money! Dust views you as someone with deep pockets who he can follow around and receive money from. Be careful about being seen with him in public, as he owes the yakuza a fair bit of debt.
Bond Rewards: +5 Dexterity
Y-Yakuza…?
Yeah, I should really stay away from this troublesome guy.
Adventurer Card
Name: Satou Kazuma
Age: 16
Class: Level 5 Adventurer
Armor (Iron Breastplate): +5 physical reduction
Health Points: 57/57
Mana Points: 45/45
Stamina Points: 52/52
Exp: 0/200
Money: 9,000 yen
Stats:
Physical:
Strength 56, Stamina 52, Speed 52, Dexterity 57, Health 57, Attractiveness 52
Mental:
Intelligence 63, Intuition 65, Creativity 67, Faith 45, Magic Power 47, Mana Capacity 45
Intangibles:
Charisma 35, Willpower 28, Potential 10, Cunning 79, Bravery 31, Luck 90
Skills:
[Improvised Weapon] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using improvised weapons. Ordinary items that haven't been previously equipped deal +1 more damage than they usually would.
[One-handed Sword] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using swords that require one hand to wield. You gain +10% weapon accuracy with attacks using one-handed swords.
[Enemy Detection] Skill Rank: 5 (MAX), Passive Skill
You can focus your senses to detect enemies within a 25 foot radius around you. Your 'Intuition' score (65) will go up against the enemy creature's 'Cunning' score when determining if the enemy creature is detected by you. If there is more than one enemy detected by this skill, you can determine the exact number. You can determine the threat level of enemy creatures.
[Lurk] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
You can hide your presence from enemies. Your 'Cunning' score (79) will compete against the enemy's 'Intuition' score to determine if the enemy creature detects you.
[Bow] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using bows! You gain 10% weapon accuracy when using bows.
[Snipe] Skill Rank: 1, Active skill (5 mp cost)
Add your Luck modifier (90%) to Weapon Accuracy calculations involving bow-type weapons (Max total: 100%).
[Elementary Magic] Skill Rank: 3, Active skill (3 mp cost)
Unlock the ability to use the beginner magic spells [Tinder], [Create Earth], [Wind Breath], [Create Water] and [Freeze]!
[Tinder]
Shoot out a small flame from your fingertips
Spell Attack Accuracy: Intelligence modifier = 63% chance of hitting
Spell Damage: 1 Fire Damage + Magic Power (+4) = 5
Spell Effect: Summon a small flame from your finger tip. Range 4 feet (Magic Power 47).
[Create Earth]
Summon dirt in your hand.
Spell Effect: Summons 1 pound of dirt per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (4 pounds total)
[Wind Breath]
Summon a gust of wind when you exhale.
Spell effect: Objects lighter than 5 pounds can be blown away up to 1 feet per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (4 feet total)
[Create Water]
Summon water from your hand
Spell Effect: Summons 1 pound of water per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (4 pounds total). Does 2 water damage per second when in contact with Undead creatures.
[Freeze]
Freezes objects, especially water
Spell Effect: Freeze 1 pound worth of water per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (4 pounds total), halve the amount on other objects/creatures.
[Cooking] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
Cooking food ingredients dropped by monsters will give a slight increase to the bonus benefits gained when eating them.
[Nature's Beauty] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (10 mp cost)
Impress an audience with a wonderful party trick! Your 'Charisma' stat (35) will determine the effectiveness of your party trick!
[Smithing] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in creating and repairing items! The success rate of this skill is determined by your 'Creativity' (67). At Rank 1, you can create, combine and repair items of the 'Common' variety. Combining compatible items of the 'Common' variety might yield an item of 'Uncommon' variety.
[Spear] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using spears. You gain +10% weapon accuracy with attacks using spears.
[Night Vision] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You have a 15-feet radius of night vision.
[Heat Resistance] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You can endure heat more than the average person can. When up against magical heat, the success rate of this skill is determined by your 'Willpower' (28).
[Quick-Draw] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
When you have a sheathed sword, draw it quickly to catch your opponent off guard. Use your 'Cunning' (79) against the opponent's 'Intuition' score. If the opponent is caught off guard, your attack damage will increase by +1.
[Enemy Reading] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
When facing an enemy you have encountered before, you will see their basic combat stats (Armor Score, Health Points). This information will hover above the enemy.
[Escape] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Chance to escape hostile enemies increases by +10%. Ability to escape is determined by 'Speed' stat (52).
[Farsight] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
You can see objects and creatures 60 miles away. If your vision isn't 20/20 already, you will have perfect vision whenever this skill is activated.
[Fishing] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are now proficient in using fishing tools. Your fishing skill depends on your 'Intuition' (65) score. You can fish aquatic creatures that are ranked as 'Common'.
[Steal] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Allows you to steal an item. If the target is a creature, you will have to be within 15 feet of the target to use this skill. Success depends on your 'Cunning' (79), contested against the target's 'Intuition'. Items that are not held or equipped by a creature can be stolen as long as you can see it and are aware of its presence. The value of the item you steal is determined by your 'Luck' (90).
[Trap Detection] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You can now sense traps within a 15 foot radius around you. Your 'Intuition' (65) score determines the success rate of discovering traps. You can only detect traps of 'Basic' make.
[Versatile Entertainer ] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are adept in mimicking the voice of someone you know. If you are mimicking the voice of someone you don't know, you must spend at least 15 minutes observing their speech patterns and mannerisms. Useful for making celebrity impressions.
[Signature Weapon] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
Assign one of the weapons in your inventory as your 'Signature Weapon'. This weapon gains +5 durability. This weapon won't be destroyed even if it falls below 0 'Durability', but you can't use it again until you fix it.
[Lore Reading] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Use your 'Intelligence' stat (63) to determine if you can learn information about a creature, object or location that you can see.
[Medium Armor], Skill Rank: 1
You are proficient in wearing Medium Armor. You no longer suffer the stealth penalty when wearing Medium Armor.
Inventory:
Hunting Shortbow (Uncommon)
Generic wooden bow used for hunting.
Ammo: 15/15 (Iron-tipped arrows)
Bow Accuracy: Dexterity modifier = 57% chance of hitting
Weapon Damage: 2 piercing damage + Dexterity modifier (+5) = 7
Sells for: 1,500 yen
Chunchunmaru (Unique) - Signature Weapon
Forged by Intermediate Blacksmith. Named by Megumin.
Durability: 16/25
Weapon Accuracy: Dexterity modifier + [One-handed Sword] = 72% chance of hitting
Weapon Damage: 3 slashing damage + Strength modifier (+5) = 8 damage
Sells for: 6,000 yen
Ghoul Claw Caltrops (Common)
Made by Satou Kazuma. Caltrops that have a Paralyzing effect that will go against the target's 'Willpower' stat (30% effective). Does 1 piercing damage to those who come in contact with it.
Durability: 4/5
Sells for: 1,500 yen
Iron Breastplate - Medium Armor (Uncommon)
Reduces incoming physical damage by 5. Applies -5 penalty to stealth related stats when sneaking.
Sells for: 7,000 yen
Service Locator - App Upgrade (Rare)
An Upgrade For This Adventuring App! Use this to find useful services and stores in your city! Sign-up for news about promotions and discounts to relevant stores!
Quests:
Go on a thirty minute jog! Quest rewards: +30 exp, +1 speed, +1 stamina (Completed!)
Go to school! Quest rewards: +30 exp, +1 knowledge, +1 Bravery (Completed!)
Kill 3 monsters in the dungeon! Quest rewards: Random loot box (Completed!)
Get the librarian on duty to recommend a book to you! Quest rewards: +30 exp, +1 Bravery, +1 Charisma (Completed!)
Join a sports club! Quest rewards: +1 in all physical stats (Completed!)
Drink an Energizing Smoothie from the train station! Quest rewards: +30 exp, +1 Stamina, +1 Charisma (Completed!)
Kill 6 monsters in the dungeon! Quest rewards: Random loot box (Completed!)
Attend soccer practice! Quest Rewards: +1 to all 'Physical' stats (Completed!)
Ask Hinamori Rin for her number! Quest Rewards: +30 exp, +1 'Charisma', +1 'Bravery' (Completed!)
Get a part-time job! Quest Rewards: Starting pay of 3,000 yen per shift! +1 Willpower, +1 Bravery per shift! Bonus rewards available according to performance during the job! (Completed!)
Play in an official soccer game! Quest Rewards: +2 to all 'Physical stats (Completed!)
Go on a date with Himamori Rin! Quest Rewards: +2 Charisma, +2 Attractiveness (Completed!)
Max out [Enemy Detection] to Rank 5! Quest Rewards: Skill-Up Potion (Completed!)
Complete the spicy curry challenge! Quest Rewards: Learn the skill [Heat Resistance] (Completed!)
Kill the second floor boss! Quest Rewards: Random Loot Box
Give Chris her panties back! Quest Rewards: +2 Speed, +2 Bravery (Completed!)
Reconcile with Aqua! Quest Rewards: +2 Faith, +2 Willpower (Completed!)
Bonds:
Satou (Family), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, your family will give you some leeway as you recover from being a NEET. Your parents will give you an advance on your allowance if you continue to go to school, as promised. Your brother thinks better of you and might say a few nice things to his friends about you. If you mention wanting a non-blood related step sister again, your parents will beat you and leave you with grave injuries.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 500 yen bonus allowance per week (total 1,000 yen). Parents will call the school and request for days off if you ask (limited once per week).
Rank 3: Kazuto won't insult you as much when you talk to him, and he will also give you lessons that raise 'Charisma' once a week.
Rank 4: Parents will give you an advance on your allowance as long as you pay it back.
Aqua (Water Goddess), Bond Rank: 6
At Rank 6, the dynamic of your relationship with Aqua has changed considerably. Are you housemates? Teammates? Perhaps something more? Tread carefully, as you are at an important crossroads in your relationship. Regardless of what happens, she sees you as an irreplaceable friend who will save her when she needs it. Since you two have been through a lot of things, she will never leave you alone.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Nature's Beauty]!
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Night Vision]!
Rank 4: +10 Faith
Rank 5: You learn the skill [Versatile Actor]!
Rank 6: +20 Faith
Hinamori Rin (Librarian on Duty), Bond Rank: 5
At Rank 5, Hinamori Rin has developed a crush on you! The way you cheered her up has tugged her heart strings! At this stage in your relationship, she won't mind even if you constantly text and call her. She'll also go on dates with you if you ask, and there might be a chance she'll even invite you inside her apartment if the date goes well. If you flirt with her, she will readily flirt back. Have fun trying to become more than friends with her!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: +5 Mana Capacity
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Enemy Reading]!
Rank 4: +10 Mana Capacity
Rank 5: You learn the skill [Lore Reading]!
Darkness (Masochist Crusader), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Darkness views you as an equal when it comes to perverseness. She has always vowed to protect Chris from you, as she doesn't want you to do any more perverted things to Chris. She took your offer to help her complete extreme requests in the future, and is eagerly looking forward to an erotic event. More than ever, she is looking forward to you becoming the S to her M.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: +5 Health
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Medium Armor]!
Megumin (Explosion Mage), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, definitely sees you as a pervert now. Not only that, you might also be a scumbag. Are you really the reliable guy she thought you were? With that said, she believes that you'll come through when it counts, like a hero. She might be developing a bit of a crush on you now… But you'll have to prove yourself! Can you become Megumin's hero? Do your best!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: +5 Magic Power
Rank 3: Magic Skill Rank-Up
Rank 4: +10 Magic Power
Chris (Silver-haired Thief), Bond Rank: 2
At Rank 2, Chris views you as someone she can potentially confide with! Her trust in you is slowly increasing! It seems that the key to deepening a bond with her is to show her that you can get along with Darkness and the other girls!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the [Steal] skill!
Mitsurugi Kyouya (Soccer Club Ace), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, Mitsurugi Kyouya will view you as a teammate who he can rely on and talk about personal problems with. He will gladly do favors for you if you help him get closer with Aqua. He will give you tips when it comes to the dungeon if you ask, even if he's busy. Even though he thinks that you're kind of scummy, he is starting to see you as a friend that he can confide in. Staying on the soccer team and working hard in practice will deepen your bond with him.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Quick-Draw]!
Rank 3: +10 Strength
Rank 4: You learn the skill [Signature Weapon]!
Dust (The Blond Delinquent), Bond Rank: 2
At Rank 2, Dust will gather information on Beldia for you and help other app-users if they are in trouble… As long as you pay enough money! Dust views you as someone with deep pockets who he can follow around and receive money from. Be careful about being seen with him in public, as he owes the yakuza a fair bit of debt.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: +5 Dexterity
Rorisa (Rookie Succubus), Bond Rank: 1
At Rank 1, Rorisa will see you as a kind customer who forgave her even when she screwed things up. She thinks that it's cute how you're dishonest about your growing feelings towards your housemate. Continually using the dream service will deepen your bond with her.
Wiz (Lich Shopkeeper), Bond Rank: 1
At Rank 1, Wiz sees you as a cheap customer who doesn't buy any of her items. While she is grateful for the tip, and you helping her feed herself, she wishes that you will actually buy the items from her shop. Shopping in the store will deepen your bond with her.
Yunyun (Lonely Stalker), Bond Rank: 2
At Rank 2, Yunyun already sees you as her first male best friend. She thinks that you're the kindest guy she's interacted with. That said, aside from her dad, you're the only boy close to her age she's talked to.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Monster Talk]!