Volume 3 Chapter 13 The S-Rank Adventurer’s Secret and Hirose’s Humiliating Interruption
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”H-Hirose!”
It sure looked like he was being pinned down and beaten, didn’t it? Anyone walking past would think the same thing. What Hibiki, who’d also left for the restroom a little while later, saw was Hirose getting slapped by Kurebayashi Nagisa, the famed S-Rank Adventurer.
”Ah… this ain’t what it looks like… P-Please forgive me!”
Shedding her typically cool demeanor entirely, Kurebayashi Nagisa bobbed her head repeatedly, apologizing profusely to Hibiki.
”I’ve got a reason for this, honest! I’m truly… so sorry, you know!” she pleaded.
”Did Hirose’s classic, lucky pervert moment just activate?” Rindou Hibiki wondered aloud, though she felt a sincerity in Kurebayashi Nagisa’s earnest apology. This wasn’t intentional. Thinking calmly, the most plausible scenario was that Hirose had just stumbled into a classic ‘lucky pervert’ situation.
* * *
—Five Minutes Later.
”Huh… what?”
”You awake, Hirose?”
Hirose blinked, finding himself on a sofa in the lounge—the same floor as the banquet hall—and his head resting squarely on Hibiki’s lap. He sat up, adjusting himself, only to see an imposing figure seated on the sofa across from him.
”I… I am so, so sorry!”
It was Kurebayashi Nagisa, apologizing with sweat pouring down her face. Curiously, that perspiration seemed to dissipate, vanishing into thin air almost as soon as it appeared.
”No, not at all… I couldn’t dodge it, so…” Hirose mumbled. He was trying to recall the exact moment before he was knocked out. The scent of her body odor—was that really what he’d smelled? The intense, pungent smell, like something had been boiled down to a potent essence. It was an odor he honestly never expected to come from someone as drop-dead gorgeous as her.
”Um, were you doing something just before?” Hirose asked, speaking what was on his mind first. Her action right before the slap had been so strange.
”Ah, that was my Gift. I was controlling the wind to track the scent of the poison,” she explained.
”you can do that, really?”
”Yes, I can. Some folks know, but my Gift is ‘Cool Breeze.’ Simply put, it lets me manipulate the wind. Since I heard about the poisoning, I figured it was likely the wine. My nose is also sensitive, so I was using my Gift to trace the source of the toxin, you see.”
As she explained, Kurebayashi Nagisa’s Gift, ‘Cool Breeze,’ was exactly what it sounded like: the power to command the air. The name might make it sound like she can only muster tiny drafts, but she’s S-Rank for a reason. By adding small winds to other small winds, she can build them up into a great wind, amplifying it until she can generate a powerful, destructive whirlwind in an instant. That ability to instantly create chaos is what earned her the S-Rank.
”So, does that mean the culprit is—”
”No, not yet, I’m afraid.”
”I… I bumped into you before I could figure it out, you know…”
”Ah… I see…” Hirose finally grasped the sequence of events. Since not much time had passed, the culprit was likely still at large.
”Oh, I’ve got a text from Midori… She says Dad’s okay. A high-level Healer got there right away and managed to detoxify him,” Koharu announced, reading the message on her phone. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief at the news.
”Asami, where are you, though?” Kirino asked.
”Here, I am!”
”Whoa!?”
Suddenly, Yaginuma Asami materialized out of thin air where nobody had been standing. Hirose, startled by the sudden appearance, nearly tumbled off the sofa.
”How did you do, Asami?” Kirino probed.
”Uh… I dunno… I checked all the Gifts, but no one had anything that looked like they could use poison, you know,” Asami mumbled, clearly frustrated.
”If even Asami can’t figure it out, this case is gonna be a tough one, huh?” Kirino sighed.
Kirino had been the one to send Asami out, using her ‘Mimicry’ to turn invisible while she used ‘Appraisal’ to check the Gifts of the banquet attendees. Even so, the culprit couldn’t be narrowed down. The police were still sweeping the banquet hall and the rest of the floor. With the apology complete, the group agreed to part ways with Kurebayashi Nagisa for the moment and discuss their next move. As she left, Kurebayashi Nagisa stated she’d continue her own investigation, then strode away.
”Hey, Hibiki,” Hirose murmured.
”Yeah?”
”You didn’t use any Skills on Kurebayashi-san, did you?”
”Ooh, what’s this? Curious, are you?” Hibiki teased.
”Um, it’s not for any weird reason, I’m just curious about something that happened earlier, you see…” Hirose explained. It was the smell he was worried about. If it was a deep, personal problem for her, could he maybe fix it?
”Hmm. Sorry, but you weren’t glowing, Hirose,” Hibiki stated.
”Oh, you were watching, then?”
”Of course I was… So, what’s got you so curious?”
”It might be a super delicate thing, so I can’t say yet. If I do, I’ll check with Kurebayashi-san first.”
”Got it, I understand.”
If that smell was what I think it was, I was hoping maybe I could fix it with ‘Skin Quality Improvement,’ Hirose thought internally. Guess not. He knew he hadn’t gained any new skills yet. If he was going to solve Kurebayashi Nagisa’s secret problem, he’d have to rely on a new Gift entirely. But right now, he was useless.
”I think I’m gonna walk around alone for a bit, too. Maybe I’ll find a clue, you know,” Hirose stated.
”Alone, huh? Alright. We’ll just chill here for a bit, then,” Hibiki acknowledged.
Hirose got up from the sofa and walked off by himself.
* * *
”He know, he know, he know…!?”
Away from Hirose and the others, Kurebayashi Nagisa wandered the floor, muttering anxiously to herself. She’d managed to calm down on the sofa, but the fact remained: he knew. The realization that her secret was out there made her unable to stay put.
”Will that kid tell the others…? If he’s going to say anything, I have to find him and make him promise to keep his mouth shut first…”
A subtle, invisible wind barrier enveloped her body and clothing. The air was constantly working, gently directing the scent rising from her skin toward the ceiling, where it slowly dispersed.
”I’m too famous… If people find out I’ve got severe body odor¹, it’ll definitely become a huge scandal!”
An S-Rank Adventurer held the same level of celebrity as a veteran A-list actor. In the modern age, with news programs dedicated solely to adventurers, and even features on S-Ranks being common, practically everyone knew Kurebayashi Nagisa’s name. Her hidden lifelong struggle was her condition. Despite her natural, stunning beauty, it had forced her to maintain a rigid distance from others. Romance was out of the question. Even if she managed to date someone, the risk of a public exposé after a breakup was unbearable. That constant risk kept her from taking a step toward love.
The reason she was a solo adventurer wasn’t just because she was S-Rank and too strong—her body’s condition was the true, core reason.
She actually liked being in the public eye. That’s why, when she became a famous adventurer, she’d joined an entertainment agency and even took on modeling gigs. Her ‘Cool Breeze’ Gift was the key to that success. She’d use the wind to constantly adjust the air around borrowed outfits, ensuring no sweat or odor could cling to them. She was grateful for her Gift, which allowed her to take those modeling jobs in the first place.
”—Uh, excuse me!”
”Whoa!”
Just then, a voice called out from behind, making Kurebayashi Nagisa jump. She spun around to find Hirose standing there.
”Th-That was about earlier…!”
”I didn’t properly introduce myself. I’m Takanashi Hirose,” he said, giving a polite bow.
”Takanashi-san…”
”Um… I think I said some pretty awful things right before I passed out, and I wanted to apologize for that… I was completely insensitive,” Hirose admitted. She’d apologized for the slap, but he hadn’t apologized for the cruel words he’d spat out.
”Ah… I see…”
”Please rest assured, I won’t tell anyone. Ever,” Hirose promised.
”Um… Thank you,” she replied, a genuine warmth creeping into her voice.
”A-And also! I’m a fan! I always watch Kurebayashi-san’s exploits on TV! You’re strong, cool, and gorgeous… I’m just a massive fan!” he blurted out. He hadn’t been able to say it during the chaotic apology, but now that they were alone, he had to tell her. Kurebayashi Nagisa looked surprised for a moment, but then she saw the genuine look in his eyes and offered a quiet, “Thank you.”
”Could… could I maybe get an autograph?” he asked, then quickly changed his mind. “No, wait, a handshake instead?”
”…”
”Is… is that not okay?”
Kurebayashi Nagisa hesitated.
He already knows my secret… So, what the heck, she conceded internally.
She never offered a handshake in public. Considering that, this was special treatment. Kurebayashi Nagisa extended her hand, and Hirose carefully took it.
”Whoa…! Your hand is so tiny…”
”Yours is quite large, Takanashi-san. Not that that’s a bad thing,” she remarked with a faint smile.
”Ahaha… not at all, you know.”
Kurebayashi Nagisa was as tall as Kirino, so he’d expected her hands to be larger, but they were delicate and small, a true girl’s hand. Hirose, though only average height for a man, had surprisingly big hands.
”Don’t… don’t you dare try to smell my hand, now, you hear?”
”I-I wouldn’t do that! That would be so weird, you know…”
Kurebayashi Nagisa chuckled softly and released his hand. The impression Hirose had of her—from seeing her on TV—had completely flipped. He’d thought she was cool and quiet, but in person, she was calm, kind, and capable of both sharp anger (like the slap) and gentle humor. She was a caring person who would actually grant a handshake.
”So, you’re gonna use your Gift to keep searching for the culprit, right?”
”That’s the plan, you see. I don’t wanna be tied up here for too long, and if my power can help, I should use it,” she confirmed.
”Got it. Well—my friends and I might be able to help, so just say the word. Even though they don’t look it, my friends have some amazing Gifts.”
”I know. That tiny kid who just popped up… she’s definitely not normal. Though she seems really shy.”
”That’s Asami. I can’t tell you everything about her, but… yeah, she’s incredible.”
Kurebayashi Nagisa had definitely been startled by Asami’s sudden arrival. She’d immediately recognized that the girl was anything but ordinary.
”So, if you need anything, just let me know!” Hirose insisted.
”I will… See you later.”
Kurebayashi Nagisa watched Hirose’s back as he waved and walked away. She then activated her Gift and began tracking the poison’s scent once more.
But just then, the departing Hirose stopped dead in his tracks and muttered to himself in a sudden realization.
”I… I learned it!”
”—Odor Improvement.”
Kurebayashi Nagisa froze, her entire body twitching at the sound of those two words.
—
Summary:
In this high-stakes urban fantasy chapter, Hirose is comically knocked out by the beautiful S-Rank Adventurer Kurebayashi Nagisa in a bizarre misunderstanding. After waking up, the awkwardness melts into a genuine connection as Nagisa reveals her gift, ‘Cool Breeze,’ which she’s secretly using to mask a lifelong, painful problem. Hirose, a loyal fan, promises his powerful friends will help her track the elusive poisoner. The scene climaxes with a shocking twist when Hirose suddenly awakens a brand-new skill, ‘Odor Improvement,’ potentially offering an incredible, permanent solution to Nagisa’s deepest secret. The fate of the famed adventurer’s reputation—and her love life—hangs in the balance.
—
Character Insight:
Kurebayashi Nagisa is a study in contrasts: a cool, powerful S-Rank Adventurer whose greatest strength is also her shield against her greatest weakness—a severe body odor issue. Her ‘Cool Breeze’ Gift is essential not just for fighting, but for maintaining her celebrity status as a model, desperately hiding her secret. Her emotional state is a constant, high-wire act of shame and professionalism. Hirose breaks through her barrier with his honest fanboy admiration, making her momentarily forget her fear. This makes his accidental learning of the ‘Odor Improvement’ skill an absolute game-changer, promising to give her a freedom her Gift alone could never truly grant.
—
Behind the Scene:
The confrontation between Hirose and Kurebayashi Nagisa was immediately cut short due to the confusion and her shame over the smell, which was the real cause of her violent reaction. The scene was deliberately designed to move quickly from high-tension comedy (the slap) to vulnerable revelation, emphasizing the double life S-Rank Adventurers live. The sudden appearance of the new Gift, ‘Odor Improvement,’ happens because Hirose’s strong desire to help Nagisa—his intense fan loyalty and desire for her well-being—acts as the catalyst for his hidden gift’s evolution. This is a crucial turning point, moving the plot from a detective scenario to a focus on character growth and a solution to a delicate, personal problem.
—
T/L:
1 [Axillary osmidrosis (ワキガ), or severe body odor/excessive sweating in the underarm area, is the lifelong, debilitating condition Nagisa suffers from.] ↩
Notes:
• Kurebayashi Nagisa – One of the few S-Rank Adventurers in Japan, possessing a wind-type Gift. She is stunningly beautiful with long dark blonde hair, sharp and a model physique. Despite her fame, she keeps her distance from everyone, and a mystery surrounds her behavior. She just accidentally collided with Hirose.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
• Kirino – Strikingly beautiful with blue long hair (F, 168cm), Kirino is gifted with ice magic and feels isolated because of her appearance. Hirose’s Beauty skill helps her improve her self-image and social comfort, directly affecting Kirino’s relationship with her family and classmates.
• Yaginuma Asami – 16-year-old 1st-year, many inherited/stacking gifts, stores items, reflects attacks, teleports, resists conditions, mixed Japanese-English.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply