kscans

Chapter 71 - An Old Foe

"I'm sho lonely..."

That evening, shortly after I got back from leaving Byakuren at Ooyama-san's place.

A Telepathy call came in from Aira-san, and when I answered, that was the first thing I heard.

"...What's wrong?"

"How could you, Kyouta-kun? You and Erina-kun, the two of you have been all 'Ā-chan' this and 'Shī-chan' that lately. Who's more important to you, me or your school friends?!"

"What's with the troublesome girlfriend routine?"

"I've actually wanted to try saying that for a while."

"Is that so. Well then—"

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Just as I was about to take off the earring, Aira-san continued.

"In all seriousness, haven't you been spending less time chatting with me? Have you and Erina-kun forgotten about my existence?"

"I haven't forgotten. Besides, you were just navigating for us during our dungeon exploration the other day."

"Nuh, uh, uh!"

"Excuse me, were you just trying to do the finger-wag thing?"

If so, wasn't that a little terrible? Did she lose the muscles in her tongue?

"Good grief. You truly are a pitiful creature. You're at the level to compete in the national tournament to decide this century's most pitiful creature."

"A tournament like that doesn't exist."

"Listen to me. Listen closely."

For some reason, I had a feeling Aira-san was making a smug face on the other end of the line.

"I... want to drink alcohol and play games while asserting my dominance over someone younger!!"

"Congratulations. You've won the national tournament."

What a pathetic reason.

"Alright, fine. Let's play some online games tonight."

"Thank you, Kyouta-kun... Unlike Erina-kun, you're so kind...!"

"...? Did Erina-san refuse?"

That's rare. I'd have thought she would have accepted in a heartbeat.

"No. She's on the phone with this Shī-chan right now, so I haven't had a chance to ask her. If I were to join a conversation between high school girls, I would turn to ash in the next instant."

"You pitiful creature..."

Why is this person's mental fortitude as fragile as her physical body?

*

The next day.

"I heard my dear senpai was lonely! So I've come to the 'Awakened Training Ground'!"

"Why...?"

Two beautiful women in jerseys. But their expressions were a study in contrasts.

One was bursting with energy. The other had the face of 'someone who found an oasis in the desert only to realize it was a mirage.'

"This is strange. Erina-kun told me we were 'going for some delicious tea'..."

"That's the same way they trick toddlers into getting vaccinations."

"Tea tastes even better after some exercise, Senpai!!"

Erina-san declared with a smug look, her hands on her hips.

It was a textbook line for a sports lover. Something incomprehensible to indoor types like us.

"Besides, you said you'd join our training the other day, didn't you, Senpai?"

"Well, yes, but through a screen. You know, I want to be the one giving intellectual and cool advice."

"Weren't you drinking and cackling last night while trapping people in aerial combos in a fighting game? 'Cool' is impossible for you now, absolutely."

"It's called gap moe, you see!"

"You're only tough when it comes to things like that. Mentally."

"Hey, what's this, I didn't hear about this. Did you leave me out?! Senpai! Kyouta-chan!"

"Hmph! It's your fault for fawning over that Shī-chan, Erina-kun! Don't get the wrong idea!"

"So annoying."

"Could it be, Senpai... that you wanted to become friends with Shī-chan!?"

"No, that's not it."

"Leave it to me, Senpai! I'll invite Ā-chan and Shī-chan over next time! Let's all hang out together!!"

"Wow. I didn't know a person could look that despairing."

Well, we can leave the dead-eyed, despairing Aira-san for now. I took out the frisbees I'd bought in bulk from the 100-yen store from my backpack.

"Erina-san, you're going to help me with my training first... right?"

"You bet! First, we need to level up your Wind Style!!"

"It's not Wind Style."

"What... did you say...!?"

"For now, can you handle this, Erina-san?"

"Leave it to me!!"

As I handed her the frisbee, Aira-san laid out a sheet she had brought from somewhere in a corner.

You're being way too free, considering there are no other users here.

"Well then, I shall be the advisor here. Do your best."

"What are you talking about, Senpai?"

"Huh?"

"Senpai, you're going to build up your stamina on that exercise bike!!"

"Wh-What did you say?!"

"Is that really so surprising?"

"Erina-kun... Are you telling me... to die?!"

"How did you interpret it that way?"

"Senpai... it is on the brink of death that growth can be found!"

"Are you serious?"

"Let's set it to a light load today and have you try for about ten... no, five minutes, and see how it goes!!"

"That's super light."

"This is... how I die...!"

"I'm more surprised you've survived this long."

"So you stand in my way... exercise bike! Hyaaa—!!"

While the pathetically weak college student was making some strange threatening noises at a slightly old exercise bike, I kicked the floor with the tip of my toe to check the feel of my gym shoes.

Then, I looked up at the ceiling.

This gymnasium, rented out as a training ground, was surprisingly large for the town's population. I wondered if it was part of some public works project I'd heard about, or if they had envisioned a sport that required this much space when it was built.

In any case, bigger is better. Here, I could practice that.

After some light stretching, I looked at Erina-san.

"Let's begin."

"Okay! I'll be coming at you fast!!"

She was holding a frisbee in each hand in a strange stance, but I trusted her skill.

I took one deep breath. I already had the basics down, but what I was aiming for was beyond that.

It was a technique I probably wouldn't use much in dungeons, and it would be best if I never needed it... but being prepared gave me peace of mind.

I began my training.

—Incidentally, later on, a cocky Aira-san would say things like,

'This is my power now that I'm an Awakened...! I can do this, I can do this!'

...before cranking up the resistance on her own and self-destructing, but that's a story for another time.

And the fact that I got flustered by two busty, beautiful women exercising is also another story.

*

The next day. Less than a week before the sports festival.

We had come to a certain dungeon.

It was a place I'd never been before. But it was also a dungeon with which I had a history.

'Are you two ready?'

"Yes."

"You bet your boots!"

In the gate room, we completed our final checks.

Arcane Gear, check. Luggage, check. Condition, check.

Erina-san and I nodded to each other, and after she placed her hand on my shoulder, we stepped into the white door.

The sensation of the ground disappearing beneath my feet was replaced by the feel of a stone floor. The place we landed was illuminated by torches mounted on the walls.

The stone floor and walls were a common enough dungeon interior, but the torches were a rare sight.

The SDF's lights would be destroyed by monsters if they tried to set them up, so instead, the monsters themselves maintained the torches.

It was probably because they lacked night vision, but having a light source was a welcome convenience. I still switched on the lantern at my waist, just in case.

"Erina-san, please be on alert."

"Yep. I'll be on scouting duty this time!"

After saying that to her, I took a container that resembled a kettle from my backpack.

Byakuren was currently left at Ooyama-san's workshop. More importantly, his main body... the 'homunculus-like being,' was in his dedicated body.

This was a spare. One I had made separately from the ones I gave to Aira-san and Busujima-san's group.

I placed it on the floor with a piece of paper on which an alchemy circle was drawn, and performed the alchemy. The familiar, stout golem body was formed.

As I showed the monster photos from this dungeon to its marble eyes and gave it instructions...

"Hey, Kyouta-chan."

"Yes?"

When I turned around, Erina-san was peering up at the golem's head from below.

"What's his name? He's not Byak-chan, is he?"

"Ah..."

A designation. It would probably be better to have one.

"Then let's go with Number Two."

"That's so lazy, Kyouta-chan! Don't you have any love for him?!"

"You shouldn't get attached to a wall and decoy. It'll get in the way when it matters."

"But still. Number Two is just... no."

"...Then, 'White.'"

Since he's Byakuren's number two, I took one character, 'byaku' (white), and just said it in English.

As is always the case, the 'homunculus-like being' has a white, misty appearance, so it wasn't an inappropriate name. Though you probably can't see the contents of the flask from the outside.

"Then he's Who-chan! Nice to meet you, Who-chan!"

Erina-san greeted him cheerfully, but of course, the golem didn't respond.

With a small shrug, I placed my backpack on the stone golem's back. Next, I attached a penlight and a hand mirror.

"Alright, alright. Aira-san, we're ready. Beginning exploration."

'Understood. ...You two, please remain calm. I don't think this is a dungeon you'll struggle with in terms of skill, but your mental state is a different matter. Be prepared.'

"Yes."

"It's okay, Senpai. Don't worry."

In contrast to my own stiff voice, Erina-san's tone was light. As usual.

...Considering the damage, I would have thought she'd be the one most concerned about this opponent.

In any case, if she was her usual self, I had no complaints. I drew my sword and moved to the front line with White.

"Let's go."

"Yep!"

Illuminated by the flickering flames of the torches, we slowly advanced through the dungeon.

The smell of oil, perhaps? That smell filled this dungeon.

As we walked down a passage wide enough for a single truck to pass, I spotted some SDF paint. Between the torches, letters and numbers were written in yellow.

In this dungeon, 'monsters destroy everything left by the SDF,' but this paint had been left untouched.

"Aira-san. We're currently at 'G-26.' Please navigate."

'Got it. ...Let's see. In that case, continue straight and turn right at the first crossroads. After that, it's a straight shot for a while.'

"Roger."

It was right after we started walking again.

"Kyouta-chan, I hear footsteps. Three of them."

"Tch..."

At Erina-san's warning, I stopped and tightened my grip on my sword.

"They're coming from the left side of the crossroads ahead."

Inside this old fortress-like interior, footsteps other than our own began to echo.

A wet, slapping sound of bare feet. But the sound was heavy, conveying the mass of the one walking.

Thick, rugged fingers gripped the corner of the stone wall, and a massive body emerged.

Faintly glowing red eyes. A twitching pig's snout. Gray skin, clad only in a loincloth. In its left hand, it held a heavily chipped axe.

"Buoh, Buoooh!!"

The monster that had spotted us—an Orc—let out a roar.