kscans

Chapter 131 - The End of the Vacation

"Woooah! Water Style Jutsu! Water Style Jutsu!"

"Hey, Erina-san! Using two at once is cheating!"

"Fuhahahaha! For a ninja, 'unfair' is a compliment!"

"Aika, circle around from the right! That makes it two-on-two with the water guns!"

"You dare challenge my ninja way with a two-pronged attack? Very well, I shall face you—abubububub!?"

Wading knee-deep in the ocean, Erina-san and the others were having a blast with their water guns. Just as the self-proclaimed ninja was monologuing with a smug look, merciless streams of seawater slammed into her from both sides.

Using her two water guns as a shield, Erina-san scrambled away, her chest bouncing with a jiggle-jiggle.

"That's not fair, you two! Attacking in the middle of a line is against the rules!"

"I thought 'unfair' was a compliment?"

"That only applies to ninjas! Hah, could it be you two have become ninjas as well!?"

"Yeah, no."

"I'd rather not use that embarrassing name..."

"No way! It can't be as embarrassing as Ā-chan's `Arcane Gear`!"

"..."

"Nyaaaaaah!?"

Her smile never faltering, Busujima-san silently unleashed a volley from her water gun, sending Erina-san splashing and fleeing.

Things that seemed like they could be seen but couldn't, things that shouldn't be seen. As I followed the scene with my eyes from my seated crouch, Mia-san, having changed out of her gold bikini, arrived.

"Sorry for the wait! I'm in a normal swimsuit this time!"

Is it, though?

I wasn't an expert on swimsuit types, but what Mia-san had changed into was a white 'high-neck' style swimsuit.

It was a type that covered the upper part of her chest, but the one she was wearing had a see-through panel at the top. In other words, her cleavage was on full display.

Furthermore, due to the size of her magnificent bust, her side-boob and under-boob were also peeking out.

At first glance, it looked modest, but in reality, it was incredibly lewd. As expected from the clan of lewdness...!

"Nice timing, Senpai! Hey, pass!"

"Whoops."

"Heh heh! Now it's a two-on-two team battle!"

"I see, so that's how it is. In that case, I shall play along, immature as it may be!"

"Let's go, Senpai! We'll show them the power of the `Invisible Ninjas`!"

"Sorry for betraying you!"

"Whyyy!?"

Deserved.

With water guns aimed at her from three directions, Erina-san dodged and weaved while managing to fire back.

Was my soul being cleansed by the dazzling sight of these beautiful girls, or was it becoming more sullied? I honestly couldn't tell anymore.

If I had to say, I was starting to think it might be better for me to just lock myself in my room at the lodge.

"So, what do you think, Kyouta-kun? Of Mia's swimsuit."

"Aira-san."

Under the beach umbrella, on the mat spread out on the sand, Aira-san, wearing a white t-shirt over her swimsuit, sat down next to me.

As usual, a non-alcoholic beer was clutched in her hand, and her cheeks were faintly flushed.

Incidentally, the Professor had brought over a beach chair, put on sunglasses, and was now reclining like an overseas celebrity from a movie.

"By making an unreasonable demand first, you make your next demand more likely to be accepted. It's a fundamental of negotiation. Remember it well. By going through the gold bikini ordeal, she has now become a being who will wear almost any swimsuit...!'"

"Aira-san... you can talk to Mia-san normally, so that's why you can pull off these kinds of tactics, huh? The content is ridiculous, though."

"Oh? Your words lack conviction when you say them while drooling, Kyouta-kun."

"...Yeah, fair."

I gently averted my face from Aira-san's smug grin.

Since I was benefiting from her efforts, I couldn't really argue. The view was a blessing.

"Anyway, Aira-san, aren't you going to go play?"

"Hah... Kyouta-kun. I have the decency not to point out that you yourself are staying right here, but beyond that, I would hope you could surmise that I have no desire to leave the shade in this heat. I am a dyed-in-the-wool indoor enthusiast."

"The real reason?"

"There are some challenges that cannot be faced, even with the power of alcohol. For example, blending in with a group of high school girls."

"That I can understand."

"I find it somewhat concerning that you find that so convincing."

The Professor pushed her sunglasses down her nose and sat up in her beach chair.

"What is it, Baba-sama? Eavesdropping is hardly good manners."

"I could hear you. If you dislike the sun, you can simply apply sunscreen. An Awakened Person of a certain level doesn't need to worry about sunburns, but in your case, the aftermath might be troublesome."

"No. Think about the second half of that sentence, Baba-sama. The courage it would take for me to jump in there is..."

"Kyouta-kun. Take this."

"Uh, yes."

Professor Arisugawa solidified some golden particles, then plunged her arm into them and pulled something out.

Is this... sunscreen?

My heart skipped a beat as the Professor's bare legs came to a stop in front of me, and I accepted the bottle.

"If I leave it to Aira, she'll likely do a slapdash job, so I'd like you to apply it for her."

"Wha... Huh!?"

"H-Hey, Baba-sama. Are you serious?"

"I considered applying it myself, but I've been busy with research lately. I'd like to take this opportunity to relax."

"B-Baba-sama!? Baba-samaaa!?"

Completely ignoring Aira-san's pleas, Professor Arisugawa returned to her beach chair. She leaned back again, crossed her long legs, and became still.

...Seriously?

"C-Calm down, Kyouta-kun! If Baba-sama is asleep, it doesn't matter. We'll just pretend you put it on and...

"I forgot to mention."

"Gah, she's awake!?"

The Professor continued speaking without looking at us.

"You should be aware of my unique skill. I will be using 'Past Vision' to confirm whether or not you were able to properly blend in with the others."

"You'd go that far!?"

"And with that, I am truly going to sleep now."

With those words, Professor Arisugawa's body finally relaxed.

...Didn't she just casually say something insane?

"Um, 'Past Vision'?"

"It's the power of Baba-sama's unique skill... `Witch of Time and Space`,"

Aira-san explained with a bitter expression.

Normally, revealing someone else's skill without permission is a breach of etiquette, but given her personality, she wouldn't be talking like this if the Professor truly minded. In other words, she hadn't been told to keep it a secret.

"As the name implies, it manipulates time and space. Think of it as a superior version of 'Spatial Magic.' She can accelerate herself or the arrows she fires, or conversely, slow them down for a surprise attack. You saw her stop time for the Cuelebre before, right? Well, according to her, time-stopping isn't actually that user-friendly."

"That's an insanely powerful skill..."

"I told you before that her potential rivaled yours. She can apparently also see the past and future, but Past Vision only goes back about an hour. As for Future Vision, it's so inconsistent that even she doesn't know what point in time she's seeing, and it's full of static."

"Just with Past Vision alone, I'd think the police would be desperate to recruit her..."

"If civilians were granted access to a crime scene within an hour of the offense, I'm sure the requests would pile up. She can do pretty much anything 'Spatial Magic' can, and thanks to 'Mana Control,' precise movements are a piece of cake for her. To be frank, it's a cheat skill."

"I see..."

I felt like I'd just learned some incredible information in a ridiculously trivial situation.

I mean, whether or not I apply sunscreen to Aira-san is a very important matter, but isn't this the kind of information you're supposed to share in a life-or-death situation...!

"Well... I'd like to try and bluff my way through this hour with some witty banter, but that seems impossible. It can't be helped. Pass me the bottle."

"Ah, yes."

When I handed it to Aira-san, her mouth formed a pout.

"Honestly, Baba-sama and her meddling. It's not like anyone benefits from me joining in."

"Huh... Hmm?"

Something felt off.

Compared to Aira-san's usual words and actions, something she said just now snagged my attention.

'No one benefits.'

...And yet she's always saying things like, 'For a beautiful woman such as myself~'.

But thinking back on it, could it be that this person is actually—

"What is it, Kyouta-kun? Spacing out?"

"Uh, no."

"Were you that desperate to touch my body... hmm? Eager to feel my soft skin... hmm?"

"Wh-What are you talking about!?"

It would be a lie to say that thought hadn't crossed my mind!

Applying sunscreen for a beautiful, busty woman on a beach... I think every healthy high school boy has fantasized about that at least once.

Therefore, I am not at fault!

"HA-HA-HA-HA! Well? If you were to prostrate yourself and beg, I suppose I could allow you to apply it to my back? Go on, get on your knees and plead, 'Please, Aira-sama! I beseech you, allow me to slather my white stuff all over your magnificent back!'"

"Ugh...! Th-That's just because you can't reach your own back, isn't it? Because you're so frail."

"Hoh. It seems you are under some sort of misapprehension, my boy."

"Huh?"

With a fearless smile, Aira-san turned to face me.

Then, she spread her legs wide. To my surprise, she did a nearly 180-degree split. My eyes widened.

"Hmph. As a result of constantly joining Erina-kun for her stretching routines, I have become incredibly flexible. Incredibly so."

With that, she leaned her upper body forward, pressing her chest to the mat. Such flexibility.

—Squish...

Her breasts, pressed against the mat, spread out to the sides. Such softness!

Also, since she was wearing a t-shirt over her swimsuit, at a glance it looked like she was only wearing a shirt... which, you know, was erotic in its own way.

When she spread her legs, the hem of the shirt hid her crotch, but the glimpse I caught of her butt and inner thighs was... impactful.

Ignoring my petrified state, Aira-san returned to her original posture with a smug look.

"How about that? You shouldn't assume I'll forever be a frail and delicate maiden. But do treat me with care. More delicately than fine glass."

"Ah!"

"Hmm?"

I instinctively tilted my body to the right while still in my seated crouch. An instant later, a massive amount of water crashed down on us.

"Gahk!?"

Aira-san, poor soul, took a direct hit. Still lying on my side, I looked up at the culprits.

"Fuh-ha-ha! You let your guard down, Paisen! Come play with us!"

"Sister, it's a waste to stay under the parasol forever. You too, Kyouta-kun."

"Tch, he dodged it..."

"As always, I can't tell if Yagawa is strong or just a klutz."

What a low angle...

With the exception of Busujima-san, their faces were almost completely obscured by their chests. And they all had such beautiful legs.

My heart is definitely sullied, isn't it? My current thought process feels like that of one of those creepy old guys you see getting arrested for groping on the news... I think.

"Pfft, pfft! What was that for, Erina-kun and Mia! I'm soaked!"

"I think it's stranger to come to the ocean and not get wet."

"Ugh... That is... a valid point!"

My brain was in danger if I stayed on my side like this, so I used the wind to return to my seated crouch.

And then, the sight of Aira-san next to me caught my eye.

Her plain white t-shirt was soaked, the fabric clinging to her skin and turning faintly transparent. Her blue swimsuit underneath looked a bit like underwear.

I felt like I had just seen something I wasn't supposed to. As she said, "It's sticking to me, it feels gross," and tugged at her collar, I got a peek of her pale cleavage.

...As expected, the clan of lewdness!!

"Come on, Kyouta-chan! You come play in the ocean too!"

"...Understood."

"Huh, so formal?"

"I will play in the ocean. You all please continue playing with your water guns. I won't go far."

"Senpai! Something's weird with Kyouta-chan!"

"Well, yes. Let's just leave him be."

"Excuse me."

I couldn't break my seated posture right now.

Therefore, using only my back and abdominal muscles, I did a forward roll. Gaining more speed with the wind, I rolled across the sand, kicking up a cloud of dust, and tumbled straight into the ocean without stopping.

"Kyouta-chan!?"

After rolling and splashing into a certain depth, I transitioned to a prone position and started kicking my legs to accelerate.

In about five seconds, I had moved roughly fifty meters from the shore.

After that, I just swam. A few waves were nothing to this body of mine.

"Kyouta-chaaan! Don't go too far out—!"

"Kyouta-kun! You mustn't neglect your warm-up exercises!!"

"Wait, is that what you're worried about right now?"

Since Busujima-san was apparently taking over the straight-man role for me, I just continued swimming at a fixed distance from the beach.

This was the safe zone I had finally found. Normally, this would be a dangerous act, but I was still one of the more combat-oriented Awakened Persons. If things got dicey, I could just run on the air.

Perfect...! This is my escape route!

For the record, shortly after this, Erina-san caught up to me, swimming alongside a banana boat, and made me tow her like crazy.

Well, my `Spirit Eye` can't see behind me, so it was fine, I guess.

"He... re... ma... ka..."

The Professor on the beach removed her sunglasses and watched us with a slightly exasperated expression.

Since Aira-san had started playing with us as ordered, she must have been satisfied. Though it seems our over-the-top antics had left her a little dumbfounded.

*

And just like that, the fun times flew by.

For dinner, we had a barbecue with ingredients we'd brought to the lodge beforehand, and after that, we played with fireworks.

The lodge had a large bathing area, and I found myself getting worked up knowing that just a single wall away, a group of beautiful women were completely naked. After their bath, seeing them in yukatas made my heart pound all over again.

Before bed, we played video games and other things, getting so into it that the Professor had to tell us all to go to sleep.

And so the night passed. After savoring the breakfast the Professor had made for us, the time to leave finally came.

Our fun, two-day, one-night trip was now over. Everyone except the Professor had gathered in a large room on the ferry, each relaxing in their own way.

"Man, the ocean was fun! Ah, Paisen, you're wide open!"

"Ngh!? A cow pie from behind!"

"Sister, after having your heart cleansed by the beautiful sea, using such foul language is a bit..."

"What are you talking about? It's part of the game, so it's perfectly acceptable."

"This is my first time playing, but it's quite fun!"

"Aika, your ox cart... isn't it going the wrong way?"

Since we had already enjoyed the view from the boat on the way here, we were now in the middle of a heated battle in 'Matsuo Race,' a game Aira-san had brought.

For the record, the game of Twister never happened. Neither did the jump rope or the cosplay.

If only... if only we had a little more time...!

"Kyouta-chan is gripping his controller with a demonic look on his face..."

"It's fine to play seriously, but don't break it, okay?"

"Right..."

Just as the race ended, I glanced at the clock and infused mana into Sana, who was in her cage in the corner of the room.

Incidentally, even while we were playing in the ocean, Sana's birdcage had been sitting on a table set up next to the Professor's beach chair.

According to her, she wanted to keep it in a place where someone could always see it. That's probably how valuable it was.

As I fed her mana from my fingertips, Aira-san peered over my shoulder.

"Hmm. It still just looks empty to me..."

"It'd be nice if we could somehow replicate `Spirit Eye` with a magic tool or something."

"Don't be unreasonable."

Ooyama-san looked over at me from her seat.

"Eyes... things that fall into the 'magic eye' category are linked to the brain. Spiritually, too. This is more in the realm of alchemy, I'd say."

"But alchemy alone would be tough... even with something like cloning, a perfect replication would be difficult... or rather, probably impossible."

Even using the power of my 'Nucleus,' recreating it would be hard.

Even if I gouged out my own eye, there's no guarantee the power of `Spirit Eye` would be maintained. It might be usable as a material for a magic tool, but it's still uncertain whether that would allow someone to see Sana.

...Ah. Just imagining that sent a chill down my spine.

Since becoming an adventurer, and especially after encountering so many stampedes, I'd been seriously injured many times. But even so, the thought of scooping out an eyeball is a bit much.

"And speaking of materials, Yagawa... you incinerated the contents of my trash can with alchemy, didn't you...? Why would you do something like sinking a gold ingot into a bottomless swamp, Yagawa...?"

"Why were you trying to take materials from Kyouta-chan's trash can, Shī-chan? Snot doesn't contain that much mana, does it?"

"Explaining this to a friend my age is a little..."

While Busujima-san averted her gaze from Erina-san's innocent eyes, Ooyama-san glared at me resentfully.

"Well, because someone was trying to rummage through my trash?"

"You...! Don't you get it!? Even if it can't be sold, for a craftsman, creating tools from precious materials leads to immense growth! An Awakened Person's growth isn't just about leveling up! It's about using the 'skills you just find yourself with' to their fullest! Taking away that feeling of spreading your wings for the first time... have you no heart!?"

"You should try to remember how you felt when we first met."

Back when you were grossed out by the idea of a `Homunculus` made with someone else's semen for the golem delivery.

What is it that drives you to this madness? Seriously.

"Listen. I'm not saying anything complicated. It's about stretching out stiff limbs. It's only natural for a living being to find pleasure in that. Letting a skill get rusty is like sleeping without ever turning over. You have to understand that!"

"It doesn't have to be my materials, does it?"

"You! You need to value yourself more! Do you have any idea how much my skills improved by using your materials!? Ten times more than Erina's, ten times! I seriously feel like my skill proficiency has clearly gone up! For real!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't know."

Honestly, even if she is a beautiful girl, having someone rummage through my trash is just plain terrifying.

I was truly grateful that alchemy allowed me to dispose of the evidence and circulate the air without starting a fire.

"Hmm?"

As we were having that conversation, I felt the mana in the air grow slightly thicker.

Wondering what was happening, I looked around, and Mia-san, who was by the window, spoke up.

"Oh, a fog is rolling in, everyone."

"Huh, really?"

Erina-san went over to where Mia-san was, and I looked out a nearby window as well.

Sure enough, a white fog was blanketing the surface of the sea. It covered quite a wide area. I wondered if it would be a problem for navigation.

"Don't look so worried, Kyouta-kun. It's not that unusual for fog to appear at sea. We have GPS, and there are no rocks around here, so we'll be fine."

"Well, if you say so... More importantly, doesn't the mana feel thick around here?"

"Huh, is this fog someone's ninja art!?"

Erina-san whipped her head around to face me. Why did she look so happy about that?

"No, that's not it. The fog itself is just fog."

"Aw, man."

"Don't 'aw, man' me. It would be terrifying if it were someone's skill or magic."

Beside the exasperated Busujima-san, Ooyama-san flashed a mischievous grin.

"Maybe a ghost ship will appear."

"Hey, don't say scary things!"

I gave a wry smile at Busujima-san's panicked face, and in the next instant...

My `Spirit Eye` foresaw a rapid increase in mana density.

"Tch!?"

Normally, this precognition only activated when I was in imminent physical danger. A simple increase in mana density shouldn't be harmful to me.

However, the vision I simultaneously saw of a 'stone-paved landscape' was—!

"Everyone, grab onto someone nearby! Battle positions!"

"Huh?"

"What?"

I grabbed the shoulder of Aira-san, who was right next to me, and tried to move closer to Erina-san's group.

Over there, Erina-san and Mia-san each grabbed onto Busujima-san and the others, and almost at the same time, Mia-san grabbed Erina-san's arm with her other hand.

And at the moment my hand and Erina-san's reached for each other...

A strange sensation, like the floor had suddenly vanished, but without any feeling of falling, washed over us.

"This is...!"

By the time I realized it, my socked feet were standing on a hard, cold floor.

I immediately deployed my `Arcane Gear` and created a fireball in the palm of my left hand with the 'Bracelet of the Flame Horse' I was wearing.

I'd made it a habit to wear it when going out because I got caught up in stampedes so often, and it had paid off. Though I would have preferred it to be a wasted precaution.

"Wh-Where is this...?"

Beside me, Aira-san murmured in a daze. She was clutching Sana's birdcage with both hands and had nothing else.

She hadn't been able to grab anyone's hand. Position-wise, I was the only one within her reach.

And my own hand hadn't reached Erina-san's fingertips in time. That said, since 'five or more' people would be scattered randomly for sure, I should probably consider it lucky that Aira-san wasn't alone.

Yes, this place was...

"A dungeon...!"

Somehow, we had stepped into a demonic labyrinth.

The two of us were standing alone in a place with no prior information, one that hadn't been scouted by the Self-Defense Force.

I swallowed hard, unknowingly. The sound from my throat made me realize a second later that I had done it.

This was a sick joke, really.

A pitch-black space, with only the fireball in my palm for a light source. The damp, cold air slowly caressed my body.

An uncharted dungeon. We had abruptly wandered into a place that could only be called a deathtrap.