Chapter 26 The Calm Before the Escape
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Life had a way of surprising me. After everything that happened, I felt a spark of energy returning, like a dim light flickering back to life. There’s something universal about the opposite sex, no matter what world you’re in. Flirting, laughing, getting close—it’s a bandage for even the worst days. When everything feels like it’s falling apart, a little connection can make you think, Well, maybe it’s not so bad. Women, I realized, were like a miracle cure for life’s darkest moments.
Better yet, last night’s romp with the two older sisters had shifted things. I didn’t have to hold back with them anymore. No more awkward distance, no more tiptoeing around their feelings—or mine. That had been quietly eating at me, but now? They saw me for who I was: a guy who wasn’t afraid of their desires, a rare find in this world. In a place where men were already scarce, being one who didn’t flinch at a woman’s passion? I might as well have been a legendary hero, an SSR-tier human rights character in this reversed-chastity world. The thought made me grin. SSR. Sounds pretty good.
My mind was finally clawing its way back from the fog. Nothing about our situation had changed, but a clear head let me see things differently, piece things together. I’d spent the morning huddled with Trash-san and C*mslut, talking over last night’s chaos and what came next. We weren’t just lounging around, mind you—this cramped space didn’t exactly allow for sprawling out.
”Okay, let’s talk about what’s next,” I said, glancing at C*mslut. “Hey, what’s so funny? Get serious.”
”Young Master, we did it,” she teased, her voice sing-song. “We totally did it.”
I groaned. “Is this really the time? We’re in a dungeon crawling with strategic-class monsters, and you’re acting like it’s a picnic!”
She smirked, undeterred. “You’re grinning too, you know.”
”What? I’m not—” I started, but she cut me off.
”When should we have the kid?” she said, her tone playful but pointed. “I mean, you finished inside, right?”
C*mslut had been giggling like this all morning, her energy infectious. If I wasn’t stuck between her and Trash-san, they’d probably be at each other’s throats by now.
”C*mslut, relax,” I said, trying to keep things light. “You don’t need to go that far. I’ll… take care of you whenever you want, okay?”
Her eyes lit up. “Hear that? My Young Master’s the best! Cute and sexy!”
Trash-san buried her face in her hands, clearly regretting her life choices. Last night’s impulsive, premarital fling was a secret we’d all sworn to keep. For an Imperial Guard to take their master’s chastity? In this world, that was a scandal that could ruin us all. Poor Trash-san, caught up in the heat of it, couldn’t exactly judge anyone else. Her guilt was almost comical—she kept rubbing the spot between her eyebrows, like she could massage away the stress.
”First things first,” Trash-san said, her voice firm despite her obvious headache. “We need to understand the monsters’ habits. Without that, we’re not escaping this dungeon safely.”
”Habits?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Monsters have personalities?”
”From the two attacks so far, we’ve learned a few things,” she said, her tone steady. “Not all monsters are hostile or aggressive. If we can figure out their patterns, we might be able to fend them off—or slip away without a fight.”
The three of us were half-dressed, sprawled in this dim, cramped space, and it felt oddly like a secret hideout. Trash-san went on, her voice calm but focused. “Take that Horned Owl, for example, Young Master. It’s powerful—a predator with stats to match. It’s relentless when it hunts, but creatures like that often sleep for long stretches. When it’s out cold, it won’t even notice us.”
”Huh,” I said, mulling it over. “So that’s our opening?”
”Exactly. If we time it right, we can sneak through the dungeon without it spotting us.”
It sounded promising. Sneak out while the Horned Owl was napping—like slipping away when the ghost’s not looking. But a nagging doubt lingered. Did monsters even sleep? Did they eat, act like living things? I wasn’t sure how they worked.
”You mentioned that call they make before attacking,” Trash-san said, her hand resting near her mouth, like she was picturing the last assault. “That’s another habit. Some monsters bind themselves to strict rules. It might be part of what makes them so strong.”
”Yeah, that call,” I said, nodding. “It’s always there before they strike.”
”Exactly,” she said. “They might have to make that sound before they attack.”
I thought back. Every time the Horned Owl appeared, it let out that piercing cry. It was silent while attacking, but if it vanished and came back, it always screeched again first. Was it a warning? A taunt? Whatever it was, that predictable signal could be a lifeline. The problem? I seemed to be the only one who could hear it.
”Why just me, though?” I muttered.
”‘Cause you’re a kid, maybe?” C*mslut piped up from my other side, her eyes meeting mine. “Some sounds only kids can hear.”
I blinked. “What?”
”You know, like baby birds or maggots,” she said, shrugging. “High-pitched stuff adults can’t pick up. Ever heard of mosquito tones? Same deal. Some Imperial Guards use dog whistles for hunting—sounds most people can’t hear. What’s the call sound like to you, Young Master?”
I frowned, thinking. “It’s… like a mosquito’s whine. High-pitched, sharp. I thought it was something mystical, like only I could hear it because of my age or being a guy or some hidden power.”
C*mslut grinned. “Could be that too, sometimes.”
If it was just a matter of pitch, other kids might hear it too. I remembered another boy, a lower-grade kid like me, who’d reacted to the sound. And that older sister with the spider-silk trick—she’d sensed it too, maybe through vibrations. It was starting to make sense.
”Let’s test it,” C*mslut said, her voice brimming with mischief. “You take a thin stick, shove it in your ear, and push the membrane taut. Makes your ear like a kid’s again.” She mimed the motion, wincing. “Done. Now I’ve got it fixed with Psionic Power. I can blow a dog whistle, so the Horned Owl’s call… maybe like this—Giii… Piii… GIIII!“
She jammed a finger in her mouth and a stick in her ear, letting out a wild whistle. Her face was a mess, like a tiger waking up grumpy. The sound was spot-on, though.
”Whoa!” I said, startled. “That’s it! That’s the exact sound!”
Trash-san just stared, her expression blank. “I didn’t hear anything.”
But to me and C*mslut, the whistle was crystal clear. It wasn’t some mystical curse—it was just biology. That realization steadied me, like a puzzle piece clicking into place.
”Nice one, C*mslut!” I said, grinning.
”Heh, don’t underestimate the Exploration Squad,” she said, puffing out her chest. “Hunter’s wisdom, baby.”
We laughed, our eyes meeting in a shared moment of triumph. Though, staring at her with that stick poking out of her ear was… a lot. Surreal didn’t cover it.
Trash-san cut in, her voice practical. “If we can predict attacks by hearing that call, we’ve got an edge. With flash bombs and quick dashes between tree hollows, we could make it to the dungeon’s exit.”
”Hope’s starting to shine through,” I said, feeling lighter.
”Or we could wait for rescue,” C*mslut added, her tone sly. “Young Master’s here, after all.”
I shot her a look. “Don’t mix your desires into this, C*mslut.”
Escape or wait for help—we hadn’t decided yet. For now, I asked them to explain how the kingdom usually handled monsters like this Horned Owl. Turns out, it was a rare beast. One word summed it up: overpowered.
For a typical Exploration Squad Imperial Guard, a monster was something you could face head-on, maybe even overpower. Normally, the endlessly spawning creatures in dungeons weren’t this tough. That Horned Owl? It was a raid-level boss, the kind that only shows up when certain conditions are met. Not every monster was that brutal, thankfully.
Take Ichihara’s other dungeons, for example. You’d find slimes or wild dogs—creatures about as strong as an average adult woman. Armed locals dealt with them like pests, clearing them out daily to keep the dungeon’s resources accessible. But the Black Forest? It was a rare breed of dungeon, spitting out nothing but raid bosses like that owl.
When a monster this powerful appeared, it was treated as a national crisis. A strike team would be assembled, and if they managed to take it down, its corpse could be turned into a mystical object, bringing massive wealth to the region. That was the job for Imperial Guards and male-led teams. So, one option was to hunker down in this tree hollow, wait for the pros to handle the monster, and stay safe until then.
Normally, that kind of plan would be impossible. But Trash-san’s Psionic Power was like a pocket biscuit that defied the laws of physics. She always carried a single meal’s worth of rations and a small water flask, but her ability let her stretch those supplies indefinitely. Survival for weeks, even months, was doable.
C*mslut’s mysterious Psionic Power was just as handy. She could lock the state of anything she deemed possible, making the walls around us in this cramped space unbreakable. Toss out waste in a flash, keep a tiny airhole open, and we could hold out forever.
What a perfect setup for a siege.
”Rescue from Ichihara will take at least three days,” Trash-san said, her face grim.
”Three days?” I frowned. “That seems slow for a male’s rescue.”
She sighed, rubbing her temple. “You saw how the school staff at the teahouse acted. They weren’t exactly bursting with responsibility.”
”Yeah, they did seem pretty careless,” I admitted.
”They hesitated to explain because there’s no real rescue system in place,” she said. “Ichihara has standing Imperial Guards, but if too many are sent and die, it weakens the region’s power balance. Other regions could take advantage—start a war, even. Sending a proper rescue team takes time.”
I’d assumed that in this world, where males were so rare, any female would drop everything to save one, no matter their status or affiliation. Apparently not. And a state-run school causing an accident like this, then dragging its feet on rescue? What did that say about their authority or trustworthiness? I guess when the nation’s survival was on the line, even a male’s life took a backseat.
”So what happens next?” I asked.
”First, they’ll send in scouts—roped-in volunteers or expendables,” Trash-san said. “They gather intel, and based on what they bring back, the kingdom recruits males for a strike team. By now, the first wave of scouts is probably in the forest.”
”Scouts?” I said. “You mean cannon fodder.”
She nodded, her expression dark. “Exactly. Most won’t make it out. They’re… sacrifices, often pardoned criminals trading their lives for a chance at freedom.”
”That’s…” I trailed off, a heavy weight settling in my chest.
It was a grim strategy: throw criminals or desperate women into the unknown, then pick through whatever the survivors report. The thought made my stomach churn. “I’m the one being rescued, but… it feels wrong.”
”Those people don’t deserve your pity,” Trash-san said, her voice sharp. “Heavy criminals, older women chasing a second shot at intimacy with a male, maybe a few commoners driven by righteous anger to save you. That’s who they send.”
I frowned. I didn’t like the idea of anyone dying, no matter who they were. Unlike other males, I couldn’t just shrug and say my life was worth more than a dozen women. The gender ratio made it logical, sure, but it didn’t sit right. “It’s just… hard to stomach. But fine, I’ll let it go for now.”
”Young Master, you’re too kind,” Trash-san said softly.
Still, those people were out there now, wandering the Black Forest. Or so I assumed—we couldn’t hear or sense anything from inside this hollow. The dense trees swallowed sound and movement, leaving us blind to the outside world. Part of me wanted to peek out, see what was happening, but that felt like tempting fate.
”Don’t worry,” C*mslut said, grinning. “This place is safe. My power keeps these walls solid as long as I’m touching them. Stick close to me, and you’re golden.”
”Your power’s pretty mysterious,” I said, half-laughing.
”No monster’s getting in here,” she said. “Leave the strategy to us. We’ve got this.”
She pulled me into a tight hug, her firm breasts pressing against my face. Instantly, my spirits lifted. “God, I’m so simple,” I muttered, chuckling.
”Heh, gotcha again!” C*mslut laughed, then froze, her cheeks flushing. “Oh, Young Master… you’re, uh… hard.”
She was still getting used to males, blushing at her own boldness. There was something charming about a woman who dove in headfirst and then tripped over her own confidence. Behind me, I could feel Trash-san’s annoyed glare, her frustration practically radiating. But in this harsh situation, I let myself lean into their words, playing dumb for a bit to keep things light.
Days passed.
”Oh… Young Master, yes… from behind, it’s so good…” C*mslut’s voice was a breathless moan.
I gripped her hips, moving with her, our bodies pressed close. Her curves were unreal—her waist narrow, her muscular backside like something out of a fantasy, powerful and commanding, like mating with a queen bee.
Three days ago, C*mslut had a stroke of genius: using her Psionic Power to keep a certain part of me rock-hard. Since then, the Horned Owl had returned regularly, pecking at our tree hollow before giving up and slinking away. It knew we were here but couldn’t reach us, and it sounded increasingly pissed off. That high-pitched call? Definitely a mosquito-like tone, audible only to kids—or to C*mslut, who’d tweaked her eardrum to hear it.
The owl was waiting us out, hoping we’d crack. But with no way to leave, I’d fallen into a rhythm: eat, sleep, and… well, mate. A lot.
”Touch me more,” C*mslut gasped. “Harder. Grab my chest, my hips—squeeze.”
”Alright, full force,” I said, diving in.
”Ow! It hurts… but it’s good. So good… harder, please!”
I matched her intensity, pouring everything into it. I’d thought I couldn’t keep up, but I was wrong. Something about male biology in this world amplified my touch—every slap or pinch hit her like a lightning bolt. After about thirty minutes, I let go, finishing inside her with a rush. It was satisfying for both of us.
Once a day, I indulged with her. It was like bears mating in a cave before hibernation—messy, intense, maybe a little unclean, but fulfilling. When we weren’t tangled up, she’d stroke my hair or we’d talk endlessly, never running out of things to say.
”Maybe it’s because death feels so close,” I said one day, staring at the hollow’s ceiling. “It makes life feel real. Honestly, I could stay here forever and be happy. With you two.”
”Young Master, you’re wild!” C*mslut laughed, delighted.
Trash-san’s eyes widened, a flicker of panic crossing her face. “That’s… a joke, right? The other guards must be worried sick.”
C*mslut beamed, but Trash-san looked unnerved by the sincerity in my gaze.
A few more days passed, and we’d figured out the Horned Owl’s routine. At dawn, when it was quiet, we’d slip out of the hollow just once to mark nearby trees, leaving signs of our presence for any rescue team.
We decided to play it safe and wait for rescue. To help the team find us, we scratched arrows into the black trees before the Horned Owl’s cry could signal its approach. Those marks would surely clue them in that we were hiding nearby.
”Never thought I’d be living in a dungeon,” I said, picking up a dark, brittle leaf from the ground. “What an experience.”
The owl’s call gave us about a minute’s warning before its screeches grew closer. We never strayed too far from the hollow—too far, and we’d never make it back in time. If it caught us out there, we’d be done for. Even with Trash-san and C*mslut giving it their all, we couldn’t hope to beat it. The best we could do was startle it for a moment. But knowing the call was coming gave us enough leeway to chat a bit while we worked.
”You didn’t know?” Trash-san said, turning to me with a faint smile. “Young Master, you’ve already been living in a dungeon.”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
”Kujukuri,” she said. “That town is the first layer of a dungeon.”
”Seriously?” I said, stunned. “Even my room?”
”Yes. Kujukuri repurposes a conquered dungeon as a settlement. Every private room there was once a mid-tier monster’s nest.”
The leaf I was holding slipped from my fingers. It made sense. The bizarre layout of that place, defying all laws of physics—it never felt like something humans could’ve built. “I thought it was just weird technology,” I muttered, dazed.
Trash-san finished carving an arrow into a tree and grinned, clearly enjoying my shock. “Kujukuri is called the ‘Alien Ship’ dungeon. Beyond the first layer, you’ll find monsters mimicking extraterrestrials or autonomous machines. They produce clothes, mobile devices, food, and weapons far beyond modern tech. Inorganic dungeons like that are rare, even nationwide.”
”Huh,” I said, a vague memory stirring. “I think I heard something about that.”
”The flash grenade we used to fend off the Horned Owl came from the weapon caches in the deeper layers,” she added, her voice tinged with regret. “If this were a proper exploration, we’d have brought better gear.”
”Wow,” I said, imagining what else might be out there. The dungeon’s name conjured images of ray guns for fighting aliens.
”Wait,” I said, frowning. “If that’s true, why do you both carry swords?”
Trash-san straightened. “It’s a symbol of our loyalty as Imperial Guards.”
”Yeah,” C*mslut chimed in, twirling a dark branch she’d gathered, probably to barricade the hollow’s entrance. “It’s a big deal.”
She swung the branch playfully, then added, “Sure, when it’s go-time, we’d storm in with firearms. If we’d known we’d face a biological monster like this, we could’ve brought gas stronger than any tranquilizer.”
”Poison gas?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
”Not something to tell Young Master,” she said with a shrug. “No idea if it’d work on a beast this strong, though. Guns and gas only go so far. In the end, an Imperial Guard relies on their sword and their oath.”
I pictured C*mslut dual-wielding a gun and a blade, some kind of Tanegashima sword style. It made sense—firearms wouldn’t faze the Horned Owl. The raw power of an Imperial Guard’s body and Psionic abilities seemed far more effective.
”Tch,” C*mslut hissed suddenly. “It’s coming.”
”You hear it?” I asked, stepping closer and scanning the trees.
Her hearing, sharpened by her Imperial Guard training and tweaked eardrum, was leagues better than mine. A moment later, I caught it too—a faint, piercing cry.
Giiii, gii-giiii!
The sound sliced through my ears. Owls didn’t hoot like storybooks said. That rasping, eerie call was why these birds were seen as omens of doom.
”Back to the hollow!” I shouted.
”Got it!” C*mslut replied.
They scooped me up, moving like a gust of wind. Grass and bushes blurred past as they sprinted, reaching the hollow just before the next cry. But when we got there, I froze. The entrance was gone.
”What the—?”
At first, I thought I was seeing things. But no matter how I looked, the gaping hollow we’d just left was sealed shut, covered by a thick layer of black bark, like a scab.
”It healed itself,” Trash-san said grimly.
”Annoying,” C*mslut muttered. “I’ll open it.”
She set me down and grabbed the tree with her bare hands, tearing into the bark. Her grip crushed the wood with terrifying strength, splinters flying. Soon, the hollow reappeared, and relief washed over me. We slipped inside, and C*mslut yanked a root from the ground to block the entrance, hardening it with her Psionic Power.
”Your strength is insane,” I said, still shaken. Watching a human shred wood like that was unreal. For a moment, I’d thought we were trapped, but they acted like it was nothing. Then again, these two had long since left “normal human” behind.
GIIII! Gi, gi-gi-gi!
The owl’s cry echoed from just outside, probably perched on a nearby branch. “It’s pissed,” C*mslut said with a smirk. “But my power keeps everything out. Lighting a fire like last time won’t help it. Can’t burn what’s sealed.”
Gi… gii!
The noise faded, and the presence outside vanished.
I swallowed, my heart still racing. “Why did the hollow close up?”
Trash-san frowned, thoughtful. “Dungeons don’t follow human logic. Strange things happen, but they’re not always mysterious.”
She turned to C*mslut. “What do you think? Did the Horned Owl manipulate the trees to trap us, or is the forest itself trying to push us out?”
C*mslut hesitated, her usual confidence faltering. “Dungeons naturally repair themselves. A hollow’s like a wound, so it healing makes sense… but this feels different. Like the whole forest is on edge, rushing to seal its wounds.”
”Rushing?” Trash-san echoed, falling silent, her face clouded with thought.
The air felt heavy, and my pulse quickened, sweat beading on my palms. Something about this didn’t sit right.
”What’s wrong, Young Master?” C*mslut said, pulling me close. “Scared? Don’t worry. We’ve got you. No matter what happens.”
”Yeah,” I said, forcing a smile. “You’re both strong. I’m fine, probably.”
”That damn bird’s gonna pay for scaring you,” she said, grinning. “This is the safest place in the world. My Psionic Power’s the best there is. You know, an Imperial Guard like me once shielded her master from a nuke. You heard of those? Big American bombs. But she kept her master and their building safe for a hundred years.”
”That’s… incredible,” I said, eyes wide.
”Right?” she said proudly. “When you went missing, I wished time would stop. I wanted everything to stay the same until I found you. That’s how my power works. Got me in trouble, though—punished so bad my voice ended up like this. But I’ll get you home, Young Master. Promise.”
”C*mslut…” I said softly, touched.
”So relax,” she said, her grin softening.
I looked at C*mslut again, really seeing her. She was still in her teens, like me. I leaned on my status, sure, but could I have mustered that kind of resolve at her age?
As I sat there, lost in thought, she glanced at me, a shy smile flickering across her face. “…If you’re still nervous, wanna go again?”
It was like her saying, Need me to rub your worries away?—but dialed up to eleven. My heart warmed, the tension melting a little.
”You just want to, don’t you?” I teased.
”Heh, n-no way!” she stammered, laughing. “I mean… maybe. I’ve never loved a guy this much before, you know.”
”I want to, too,” I said, reaching out. “Can I hold your hand?”
”Ugh, Young Master, you’re too cute…” she mumbled, her cheeks flushing.
C*mslut had a bold streak, especially in the heat of the moment, but outside of that, she was surprisingly bashful about intimacy. Her tough, striking figure hid a soft, almost innocent side.
”…Hey, Young Master,” she said quietly. “Is it okay if I have your kid?”
”Sure,” I said.
Sure? Wait, was that okay?
I didn’t know. But if we survived this, she could do whatever she wanted. I’d back her up, make sure it happened.
We kept flirting, her wild, carefree energy pulling me in. Meanwhile, Trash-san, right next to us, was turning red from our antics, her frustration bubbling over. But then her expression shifted—serious, almost grim. What she said next changed everything.
”Scorched earth strategy,” she spat, her refined features twisting with disgust. The playful mood vanished.
”Ichihara’s officials… damn them. They’ve likely set the forest ablaze. Soon, you’ll hear the trees burning.”
”They lit the forest on fire?” I said, stunned. “With us still inside?”
”Yes,” she said, her voice trembling with anger. “If we’d acted sooner… No, it’s too late for that now.”
She lowered her head, lost in thought, her hands clenched. I leaned forward, urgent. “Trash-san, calm down. Tell me what’s happening.”
”Young Master,” she said, her voice heavy, “the school’s given up on survivors. They’re probably burning the whole forest, monster and all, starting from the dungeon’s entrance. They’ve decided the Horned Owl’s corpse isn’t worth the cost of losing Imperial Guards.”
”That’s… Are they allowed to do that?” I asked. “There’s a male in here—me! Maybe others, too!”
”Of course it’s not allowed!” she snapped, slamming her fist against the wooden floor. “It’s unforgivable. To think there could be other males trapped… Those cursed bastards!”
If she was right, this was bad—really bad. But thanks to C*mslut’s earlier words, I remembered I was older than them, at least in spirit. It helped me stay a bit calmer. “Is there proof?” I asked. “We haven’t heard or seen anything yet.”
Trash-san’s eyes narrowed. “Ichihara’s records mention something similar. When they hunted a lion-like monster, the forest healed its wounds rapidly. They burned it down, then flooded it with seawater, destroying everything inside the dungeon.”
”That’s… not good,” I said, my stomach sinking.
”That’s why the air felt off,” C*mslut cut in. “There was a breeze. Barely noticeable, but this forest doesn’t have wind. That’s what changed.”
The three of us started planning, assuming the forest was burning. “C*mslut,” I said, “can your Psionic Power protect us?”
”From a fire? No problem,” she said confidently. “I’ve got this tree locked down. No heat’s getting through. Even if it’s a blazing hell out there, we’re fine in here.”
”Good,” Trash-san said, but her face stayed grim. “That doesn’t mean we’re safe.”
”What do you mean?” C*mslut asked, frowning.
”This is a massive forest, and it’s indoors,” Trash-san said. “To overpower the dungeon’s regeneration, they’ll use coal and mystical objects to keep it burning for over a week.”
”Oxygen deprivation,” I realized aloud. “Can you make air, Trash-san?”
She gave a bitter smile. “No. I can’t multiply what I can’t touch in my pocket.”
”What about you, C*mslut?” I asked. “How long can you keep us… stopped?”
”Animals are trickier than trees,” she said. “If I fix us, we don’t need to breathe, but for three people…” She hesitated.
”Forget about me,” Trash-san said quietly. “Calculate for just you and Young Master.”
”Maybe a full day,” C*mslut said. “I could push it longer for Young Master, but…”
”That’s not enough,” Trash-san murmured.
”Hey!” I snapped. “Don’t just write yourself off, Trash-san!”
Our path forward boiled down to two options. We could brave the blazing forest, dodging the Horned Owl while racing for the exit. Or we could seal the airhole, block out the heat and toxic fumes, and gamble on surviving oxygen deprivation in a desperate siege.
Hours later, the smell of smoke began to drift in.
Notes:
• Psionic Power – Mental energy concept in Chapter 35’s lecture. Trash-san teaches it to strengthen the protagonist’s mind after dungeon ordeals.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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