Chapter 126 Departure
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Something broke into my dark and empty mind, like a slow wave. It felt as if a calm water mirror was stirred, and the sound sank all the way to a deep lake bottom. I became aware of it far away at the surface, but soon it rang loud by my ear.
I opened my heavy eyes when I noticed the sound was my phone alarm. My hand moved at once to search for it, but my fingers touched a hard floor, not a soft futon. When I saw I was in the bath, I sat up fast.
Shitone-senpai was gone. I stopped the alarm and checked the time. It was past five-thirty in the evening. Had I passed out for almost two hours? Since my phone was in my Storage (item space), Tina must have set it to wake me.
A quick look at the Auto-Map (map magic) showed I was alone on this floor. My status was clear too; the bad effects were gone.
Did she let me go?
While I drank a Universal Potion (healing drink), I saw that the mess on my lower body had been washed away. Even the water drops were gone. The floor had small lines to let water run, so it dried fast. Still cold, I took another shower.
When I left the bath, I found two clean towels in a basket. On top lay an ivory bra and shorts with dark purple patterns.
These were Shitone-senpai’s.
My hand almost reached for the large cup bra, and the hot memory made me stiff again.
This had to be a trap. If I touched it, I knew I would smell it, and that would only make things harder to hold back.
I pulled my hand away.
But I could not leave them here. If Himeno found them, it would end badly.
What a strange trap.
Shitone-senpai’s sharp mind scared me. I stared at the underwear for a while. In my head, I saw Himeno hang me upside down from the ceiling. At that moment, the underwear vanished with the towels.
Tina must have moved them. I had forgotten the Storage.
”Whew, thanks, Tina,” I said, wiping cold sweat.
After I changed into a clean uniform, I went back to the living room with care. Even if the Auto-Map did not show anyone, there were skills that could hide from magic. Shitone-senpai was good at hiding her presence.
My room felt like a haunted house, but she really was gone. I grabbed many cold drinks from the fridge and left my room in a hurry.
* * *
At the girls’ dorm, Satou-san and Hano-san were back. I felt safe now that I was not alone.
”Everyone should come back soon,” Satou-san said. She gave me a cold tea as I sat on the sofa.
”Thanks, Satou-san,” I said.
”Akari,” she said.
”Oh, right. Akari-san—”
”No ‘san’,” she said.
”O-okay… Akari.”
She smiled and sat at my right side.
”Then call me by my name too,” Hano-san said. She sat at my left and held my arm.
”Okay… Chikako,” I said.
”Yes! It feels nice, like we are closer!”
Akari nodded. “Yes. Takeru-kun, you always keep some space.”
”Do I?” I asked.
”When you call Tomoko by her name, your voice changes. You noticed?” she asked.
”Really?”
Chikako laughed. “Yes, yes. You can treat us more like family. You don’t hold back with AsuAsu, right?”
To me, Higurashi was more like a fight-friend than a girlfriend. But maybe I really did keep some space with the others.
Akari leaned on me a little. “Here, you can act more like a king, you know.”
”O-oh.”
Chikako said, “With Tsucchi, that level is fine. You can be bold. Everyone lets you touch anyway.” She took my hand and pushed it to her chest.
I wanted to touch, but I feared the mood in the house would break.
”So at least when no one is watching… okay?” Akari asked. She looked up and offered her lips.
I put my arm around her waist and kissed her.
”Ah, Tsucchi, me too!” Chikako said.
We were kissing with deep focus when everyone came back.
Higurashi sat on the sofa across from us and asked, “Tsuchimiya-senpai, did the shopping go well?”
”Yes, thanks to you,” I said.
When Higurashi and Hiromi finished, Himeno and the others returned too, and all came back here together.
Tomoko, Chikako, Akari, and Himeno began to cook dinner.
”Kanon, how was your training?” I asked.
”It went well!” Kanon said with a bright smile as she sat beside me.
”That’s great. I count on you.”
”Yes! Leave it to me!”
The attack team’s dive was fine too. They went to the fourth floor, where the recovery spring (heal spring) was. With our two main damage dealers and Himeno, there was no real worry. Himeno was rough at times, but Tomoko was careful.
Higurashi asked, “I wanted to talk with Amahara-senpai, but we were both busy. Did you tell her you will go for training?”
”Not yet. There are others I should tell too. I will write a note in ‘The Last Survivor’ chat room.”
After I wrote it and checked it again, my phone rang. Sogahara-senpai’s name showed on the screen.
”Yes, Tsuchimiya speaking,” I said.
’Hello, Tsuchimiya-kun. I just read your message. Is something wrong?’
That was fast. I had posted it to many people, but he read it at once.
”Great timing. I was going to go train, but I wanted to ask Sogahara-senpai for advice before I leave.”
’Special training? …If you have time, I can make time today. Anytime works.’
”Thanks! I plan to leave my room just after eight. Is that okay?”
’Yes. I will wait at the dojo (training hall). I have a little work to finish first.’
He said that and hung up. I knew he was busy with Student Council work, but he would still make time for me. When we fought Kibakura, he risked himself so I could escape. I could never repay him.
No sooner had the call ended than another came. This time it was Amahara-senpai.
’Tsuchimiya-kun! Is something wrong!?’ she asked as soon as I answered. She must have read my message right away. Maybe she had been trying to call while I was on the line with Sogahara-senpai.
”Good evening, Amahara-senpai. I’m fine. Right now I probably can’t handle the fang—King Ogre alone, so I’m going for some training.”
’Oh…?’ she said. ‘You wrote “don’t look for me,” so I was scared you were running away!’
”Ha ha, that was a bad joke. I’ll be back the morning after tomorrow, so don’t worry.”
Amahara-senpai was serious. My joke might not have landed.
’Hmm… I see. Tsuchimiya-kun, you are the same as in the First Dive. When this is done, let’s talk alone, just the two of us.’
She said it in a low voice, then cut the call.
Wait—was she mad?
I froze, then Higurashi sighed and spoke as if tired of me.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai, please delete that message. It’s a bit of a problem. I’ll write something proper for you.”
”O-okay, I’ll leave it to you…” I said.
I could not make Amahara-senpai angry. I had to bring back a good souvenir from the discard floors!
”Takeru-kun, maybe you should invite Valeria too?” Hiromi, sitting next to Higurashi, asked.
”Ah, right. I’ll go ask her.”
Still shaking a bit, I stood and walked to Valeria’s room.
* * *
”Okay, I’m open.”
I knocked on the door and heard her lazy answer.
”It’s me. I’m coming in.”
Valeria sat in the kotatsu with a controller and was playing Bunyobuyo (puzzle game) with all her focus.
”You’re really into it,” I said.
”Yes. I, Valeria, do not need much sleep, so except when I go with Hiromi, I play all the time.” she said without looking up.
”What!?”
Did she really play for a week straight without sleeping?
”Wasn’t Vuarneola supposed to give you work? Is that okay?” I asked.
”We spirits live a long time. Even if I play for ten years before the work, it is not a problem,” she said.
No way. She was like a full-time shut-in spirit. Even after a hundred years she might still play.
Valeria did not look at me and kept her fingers moving. Well, she had no real face—only a blue robe as a transparent being.
As the one who taught her the game, I felt a little guilty. I did not want Vuarneola to get angry at me for this.
”So, I’m going to the discard floors to train. Will you come with me?” I asked.
”To the discard floors? How long will you be gone?” she asked.
”Until the morning after tomorrow.”
”What? I am sorry, but I cannot leave Bunyobuyo (puzzle game) for one hundred and fifty days. I will not leave this room for more than a day.”
She had become a hopeless gamer spirit. I had to drag her out no matter what.
”All right then… let’s play Bunyobuyo for a bet!” I said.
”A bet…?”
I did not know why I said it, but the shonen-manga energy worked on Valeria.
She paused the game and finally faced me.
”All right, a Bunyobuyo duel. If I win, you will come with me quietly to the discard floors.”
”Fufu, you dare challenge me, the Elderun Diine (title)? You are brave, Takeru. I should tell you I already beat four people in easy mode,” she said with a proud laugh.
”What!? Really—! I don’t care! I have to do this. Duel, Valeria!”
”Very well. Come at me.”
I had cleared normal and hard modes above easy mode. I had not touched the game in over a year, but that should be fine.
When I first started, my stepsister beat me badly. I trained so hard that I won twenty times in a row, then she threw the controller at me. I learned that doing everything full force is not always the best idea.
Still, I could not believe Valeria had not cleared easy mode after so much play. Each mode needed nine wins in a row to clear.
I sat in the kotatsu and took the second controller.
”Anytime! Duel ready!” I said.
The game reset and selected two-player mode.
”Then I will play the song of despair,” Valeria said with confidence and chose her character. Her choice did not change the game mechanics, only the look.
I picked the default character, and Valeria chose a blue-robed, clear-magic user that looked just like her.
The countdown hit zero and the match began.
I tried to plan chains with quick, rough calculations on the screen, stacking pieces. Valeria simply linked four same-color pieces and cleared them over and over.
Her screen looked clean, but on mine a huge bomb was slowly growing.
Valeria got a two-chain by chance and sent junk pieces to my field.
”Fufu, what’s the matter, Takeru? Aren’t you out of moves? You talk big but look small,” she teased.
I ignored her taunt and cleared the junk that landed on my ignition point.
I had built maybe a four- or five-chain. If another lucky chain happened, it would be trouble, so it might be time to detonate the bomb.
The right color piece dropped at the perfect time. I guided it to the spot and lit the chain.
Two-chain, then three. A chain popped in a place I never planned, which sometimes happened as a lucky break.
Each time the chain grew, the girl main character called out the magic name. It started with a cute “Fire!” and leveled up with every link.
After my planned four-chain, more unexpected chains kept coming. It reached six, then seven.
I stared at my screen in shock, and then a strong feeling hit me from Valeria—fear and despair.
The chain ended at nine, and with a sweet shout of “Megido Flame!”, a huge wave of junk pieces dropped and filled Valeria’s screen at once.
”Uu… so cruel! Takeru, you are so cruel!!” she cried.
Valeria looked crushed. The sadness pouring from her felt like the end of the world, and it was honestly too much.
”Stop it. You lost, so you will come with me. You don’t get to say no,” I said.
”I can’t! I won’t feel like doing anything for two hundred years! Ah, will I fade away like this…?” she said.
Unbelievable. What kind of high spirit fades away from losing a game?
”Tch. Fine. When we return from the discard floors, I’ll teach you my family’s secret art for chains,” I said.
”Secret art… for chains?”
Valeria slowly turned toward me.
”Yes. A skill passed by word only. You cannot grow stronger now. But if you learn this art, you can clear easy mode,” I said.
”I understand…! So this is a trial to clear easy mode! I will follow you!”
At least she was fired up again. She needed more than game skills—I should guide her a bit.
I had been a no-sleep gamer too, but that was then. For her, I would act like a wise teacher.
”All right, let’s go! Come on, Valeria!”
”Yes!”
I held out my left hand. Valeria shrank and wrapped around my wrist like a thin glass snake bracelet.
After that, I returned to the living room and ate dinner with everyone.
* * *
The girls saw me off as I left the dorm. I would meet Sogahara-senpai at the dojo next, but Himeno came with me at least to the teleportation center. I could not risk Shitone-senpai jumping me again when I was alone.
The night was cold, so I put on my school blazer.
”It’s beautiful…” Himeno said as she walked and looked up at the stars.
”Yeah…”
The sky was full of stars, more than I had ever seen in my old world. It was so crowded that it was almost scary.
The star map was nothing like Earth’s. Higurashi said that if she knew the distance to each star, she could build a 3D map in her head and guess where this planet was from Earth’s view. Too bad she could not.
We did not even know if this planet was in the same universe.
I glanced at her. Himeno’s face, lit by the starlight, looked more beautiful than the sky.
I remembered how Akari and Chikako said I held back too much. I took a small chance. I put my arm around Himeno’s shoulder and pulled her close.
”Ah…” she said, looking up at me in surprise.
”It’s a bit cold,” I said as an excuse.
Himeno wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned on me.
”Hehe, yes. It is cold,” she said.
For a short while, we shared warmth.
We went through the glass door of the dojo, took off our shoes, and then opened the heavy inner door. Sogahara-senpai was sitting in a formal kneel, waiting.
I bowed and moved closer. Behind me, Himeno slid the heavy door shut.
Sogahara-senpai wore a white training top and black hakama. A wooden sword lay at his left. He did not move as I sat in front of him in the same kneel.
”Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said.
”No, I just came too,” he said.
He probably didn’t.
”So, what kind of training will you do?” he asked in a calm voice.
”I want to build strength, stamina, and skill,” I said.
”That cannot be done in one day,” he said.
”Yes. I have a way to get four or five months of time for it,” I said.
”I see. You fight without much force. Do you have a problem with your body ability?” he asked, going straight to the point.
”To be honest, I’m level one,” I said.
He widened his eyes, but closed them again to listen quietly.
”Right now, I cannot beat Kibakura. So I need a stronger base and better skill. If I can get a new skill, that would help too, but that part is not sure,” I said.
Sogahara-senpai opened his eyes.
”Your lower body and flexibility are most important. For the upper body, too much muscle is not good,” he said.
”Really?” I asked.
”Yes. Western and Japanese martial arts are very different because their weapons are different. Western swords are close to raw iron, not steel. They do not cut well, more like big knives. You need power. But the Japanese sword cuts very well, is fine, and not made for power swings. So Japanese sword arts do not rely on force. Your spear skill is close to Japanese arts. My grandfather is a sword master. When he lost muscle as he grew old, he learned moves he could never do when young. Strong muscle had blocked his movement. I try not to train too much, but my body builds muscle easily,” he said.
Well, he did have a full English body frame, so he was built different from a pure Japanese person.
”Western weapons and arts and Japanese ones… it is hard to say which is better. A Japanese sword is great, but making and using one takes a lot of work. A western sword can be made in large numbers, and even if low quality, it is better for a country or ruler. And even in Japanese arts, beginners often use force until—”
Was he drifting off topic?
”Sogahara-senpai, you blocked Kibakura’s attacks. How can I do that? Do you think I can?” I asked.
”Ah, sorry. I got carried away,” he said. “What I did came from my Evold body ability and long years of repeated training until my body learned the moves.”
”So it can’t be learned in a day…” I said.
”Even with the Player System’s support, your skill is impressive for someone who was a beginner until recently. If you train with real battles against monsters and have months of time, you can do it,” he said.
”Really!?”
”Yes. It’s a simple thing to say, but… would you like to spar with me before you go?”
”I’d be honored!”
”Then let’s begin.”
Sogahara-senpai stood, picked up his wooden sword.
I removed my socks and blazer, stepped back for some space, and took out a wooden staff from my storage.
We bowed and prepared.
He held his sword in a forward stance. His blade brushed my staff lightly—then the tip stopped at my throat.
Huh? What just happened?
I froze. In a real fight, I wouldn’t have even known I died.
”Did you see it?” he asked.
”Eh…?”
He drew back three steps. Yes, that was where he started.
He slid inside the spear range in one smooth motion. I had seen it, but my body could not react.
Fast—yes. But not as fast as Himeno. Only after thinking back did I realize I had seen it at all.
”That wasn’t a magic skill, right?” I asked.
”It’s a pure technique… maybe. Something learned over long training. I’ll show you again.”
”Please.”
This time, I tried to stay aware in real time—but still could not react.
”It isn’t mubyōshi (no-timing)?” I asked.
”Oh, you know that term. No, this is different. It’s like an evolved form of iai—the art of drawing and cutting. Remove all waste from movement, erase your presence, become one with nature. It sounds like soft philosophy, but if you master it, it becomes real. I haven’t mastered it yet, though.”
He had no killing intent at all. With no pressure, I couldn’t react. If a robot with no intent moved like that, I should still dodge… shouldn’t I?
…Let’s try that.
I shifted my focus beyond him. I didn’t watch his body. I used my side vision and only hit what entered my danger zone.
We reset our stance. Without warning, he attacked.
I sensed movement—but did not track him. The moment the blade tip entered my danger space, I swept it away.
I was late, but the sword point slid away from my throat and passed near my shoulder.
”Oh! You reacted already! What did you do?” he asked.
”I watched the whole view and ignored your movement,” I said.
”Excellent. Katsura-kun is a genius, but you adapted even faster,” he said.
”I still didn’t do it perfectly.”
”If you did, I would have no face left. But doing it once is huge. You’ll do better next time.”
He was right. Usually, that kind of move was never shown. If it was shown, the rule was simple: kill before the opponent learned to counter it.
High-level players might have similar skills or magic. If I met someone like that, this experience could save my life. He was thinking that far ahead.
Next, he stopped using that move and fought at close range.
Every time, he slipped inside my spear’s reach and forced me into sword distance—my weak zone.
I had to accept that range and learn to fight there.
He was clearly trying to show me as many styles and motions as possible.
In the middle of fast exchanges, he stepped sharply to my right.
I aimed a thrust at his landing spot—but he slid the other way as if pulled by a wire.
”!?”
I swung the butt of my staff as a counter, but he cut my shin first, ducked under, and escaped.
”That wasn’t a skill either!?” I asked.
”No. An old sword art footwork for assassination. My hakama hid my knees, so you couldn’t read my legs. Be careful of swordsmen who hide their feet.”
Seriously? Humans can move like that?
”It’s a first-strike kill technique, but you reacted right away. You have talent,” he said.
”Thanks… I guess.”
Being beaten the whole time hurt my pride, though.
After about an hour, we stopped.
”Thank you very much!” I said, bowing, exhausted.
”When your strength grows, your ability to answer old moves grows with it. I hope this helps you,” he said.
”It really did! Thank you!”
This was priceless. He showed me everything without holding back.
”You kept your girlfriend waiting. Go to her,” he said with a small smile.
I turned. The door was open a little—Himeno peeked in with one eye.
I bowed to him again and stepped out.
”Sorry you saw me lose so much,” I said.
”No! You were amazing!” Himeno said, eyes sparkling, and hugged me.
”Next time we meet, I’ll be stronger,” I said.
”Yes! Please stay safe,” she said.
She walked with me to the teleportation magic circle. For her, it would be only two days. For me, it could be half a year.
I started to step toward the circle, then changed my mind. I turned back, walked to her, and hugged her tight. She hugged me right away. I wanted to remember this feeling.
I kissed her, then slowly stepped back.
”I’m off.”
”Yes. Please come back,” she whispered.
”I will. I’ll always come back to you,” I said.
I turned, waved, and jumped into the magic circle.
Notes:
• Shitone-senpai – A mysterious and sexy third-year from Class 3-E. Wears round glasses and braids, has a beauty mark under her left eye. Struggles with isolation and harbors a deep sense of emptiness.
• Himeno – MC’s first girlfriend
• Hano – Hano Chikako. Brown-skinned, brown-haired gal, and free-spirited. Honest and straightforward. She joined Maekawa Party after being helped in the past.
• Hano-san – Hano Chikako. Brown-skinned, brown-haired gal, and free-spirited. Honest and straightforward. She joined Maekawa Party after being helped in the past.
• Satou – Satou Akari. The Scout. Long black hair, slender and cool-looking. Passionate underneath, she was once the leader of the violent yakuza gang.
• Satou-san – Satou Akari. The Scout. Long black hair, slender and cool-looking. Passionate underneath, she was once the leader of the violent yakuza gang.
• Akari – Satou Akari. The Scout. Long black hair, slender and cool-looking. Passionate underneath, she was once the leader of the violent yakuza gang.
• Chika – Hano Chikako. Brown-skinned, brown-haired gal, and free-spirited. Honest and straightforward. She joined Maekawa Party after being helped in the past.
• Chikako – Hano Chikako. Brown-skinned, brown-haired gal, and free-spirited. Honest and straightforward. She joined Maekawa Party after being helped in the past.
• Tomoko – Nishina Tomoko. Shy girl. Looks like an upper elementary school kid despite being in high school. Childhood friends with Satou Akari. One of the Maekawa group
• Higurashi – Higurashi Asuka. A girl afflicted with an incurable disease. Another MC’s girlfriend.
• Hiromi – The leader of the group of four girls (including Hano, etc) who are in the same class as the MC.
• Kanon – Watarase Kanon: The magician girl. Party with the MC.
• Amahara-senpai – Student Council President
• Sogahara – Student Council Vice President
• Sogahara-senpai – Student Council Vice President
• Kibakura – Leader of Demiurge
• Valeria – An Elder Undine and part of the Water Spirit King Varniora, she first appears at a feast Hano opens and Maekawa toasts before Higurashi’s joint dungeon dive (direct: student demo; underlying: training). She allies with Tsuchimiya’s group, serves Varniora, outranks Njorn, coils as Maekawa’s glass-snake bracelet, and uses storage magic and water materialization.
• Katsura-kun – First-year vanguard student in Sogahara-senpai’s party
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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