Chapter 231 A Despicable Trap
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Tester Life: Day 100, Morning. My Room. Sanada Yakumo.
I woke up to Kyoko’s mouth on me and finished while nursing on Sayaka’s breasts. Moe had already slipped out to start breakfast, leaving the three of us to handle the morning routine.
After a shower with the girls, I stood there as Sayaka brushed my teeth. Kyoko-san was shaving my beard, wearing that annoying, self-satisfied smirk of hers. I decided I’d had enough of her attitude. I sat her on the edge of the tub, forced her legs open, and gave her a thorough grooming right then and there. Her face turned a brilliant shade of crimson; apparently, even for her, having a man trim your pubic hair in the bright light of day was a bridge too far.
Satisfied with her embarrassment, I headed to the living room. Karen, who was helping Moe, poured me a coffee. Once everyone was gathered and fed, we took a quick breather and made for the 14th Stratum¹. We’d finished the southeastern perimeter, so today’s mission was the southwest.
* * *
”The 3rd Gacha² Tournament is now in session!” Karen announced, her voice booming over the ‘Get Lucky’ track she’d started playing.
”Yay! I’m putting my money on Sheena today!” Leticia cheered, always the most energetic when gambling was involved.
”Has my turn finally come?” Sheena asked with a fearless grin.
”Ugh, I really don’t want to pull,” Sanae groaned, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else.
”The G-Coin³ drop rate was trash today,” Sayaka noted. “The RNG is definitely in a slump.”
She was right. Despite clearing 320 Orcs and seven chests in our urban warfare drills, we only netted 22 Bronze G-Coins. Zero Silvers. Even with the carryover, we only had 28 coins – two short of a proper 30-pull multi. To make matters worse, our designated rollers were Sheena, who had been a walking bad-luck flag all week, and Sanae, the only person in this dungeon unluckier than me.
I handed the coins to Sheena. She marched toward the machine with a confidence she hadn’t earned. Karen, Lucy, Leticia, and Feli crowded around, watching the hopper spin. Sheena twisted the knob, and a blinding white light filled the room.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
”Wh-what?!” Sheena stammered.
”Are you serious?” Karen muttered, bewildered.
Every single capsule was white. Pure common-tier trash. It was almost impressive; to miss the 20% bronze rate ten times in a row was statistically rarer than hitting a gold.
(Incredible, Sheena. I’ve seen some bad luck, but that is a masterpiece of a failed flag.)
”- Hmph. Look closer,” Sheena countered, desperately salvaging her dignity. “Carrots, jelly, and even pudding. I hit the triple crown.”
”Uh, yeah. Good for you, Sheena,” Karen said with a strained smile.
”Sheena… you’re a beast,” Leticia added, looking at her with a weird kind of respect for her sheer audacity.
Next up was Sanae. She stomped toward the machine, fueled by spite. “Just watch! I’m gonna pull an attack magic scroll that’ll make Sheena’s jaw drop!”
”Sanae, just get us some juice,” Leticia teased. “Something fizzy.”
”You’re the party’s comic relief,” Sheena added. “Don’t force it. Just give us a laugh like you always do.”
”Who are you calling a clown?!” Sanae barked. She shoved the coins in and cranked the handle. The machine hummed, emitting a bronze glow.
”Yes!” Sanae cheered.
But then the light shifted. Among the nine white capsules, a single golden shimmer rolled into the tray. The room went silent.
”No way…” Lucy whispered. “That’s gold.”
”I did it!” Sanae screamed, holding the golden capsule aloft like a trophy. “Did you see that, Sheena?! Gold! I pulled a gold!”
”Ugh… I suppose I have to acknowledge the result,” Sheena muttered.
”So, what’s the loot?” I asked.
There are only three things in the gold pool for this machine: the Entry Permit⁴, a High Heal Magic Tome, or a Bracelet of Might. The Permit is the jackpot, High Heal is a solid win, and the Bracelet is trash you can buy at the shop.
Sanae cracked it open. “Oh… it’s the bracelet.”
The room went cold. I pulled Karen and Leticia aside. “You see that? She hit a 1% drop on her 50th pull and got the only ‘spook’ in the pool. This is a trap.”
”Totally,” Karen agreed. “Management is baiting her.”
(I knew this game. The demons running this place were using the oldest trick in the book: give a struggling player a ‘fake’ win to get them hooked. I remembered my own days, screaming in my room and sprinting to the store for more cards. My grandmother used to look at me with such pity…)
”We can’t let her pull anymore,” I said. “She just burned a lifetime of luck on a pity-breaker.”
”Hey! What are you guys whispering about?!” Sanae yelled, her smug face already returning. “I finally win big and you’re all acting like I’m a curse! And Sheena, I heard that! Who says I used up my luck?! You’re just salty I beat you to a Gold!”
Sanae was vibrating with rage.
”I only care about the carrots, honestly,” Sheena replied.
”You were literally saying two days ago you’d pull two Golds!”
”I have no memory of that statement.”
”Don’t give me that politician crap!”
”Alright, calm down, Sanae,” I said, stepping in. “We weren’t trash-talking. We were just… impressed. Seriously, great job on the Gold. Even if it was a spook, that’s one less dud in the pool. The odds for the Entry Permit just went up for the next month. That’s all you.”
”Th-that’s right, Sanae! You just boosted our rates!” Karen added.
”Yeah. Sanae is the GOAT,” Leticia said.
”Heh, right? Exactly! Just leave it to me, I’ll hit the next one too!” Sanae puffed out her chest, looking incredibly smug.
She didn’t even realize she’d just set the ultimate failure flag. I sighed. If I stopped her now, she’d just blame me for ‘ruining her streak.’
(Fine. Let her see what the bottom of the swamp looks like.)
”Nice job, Sanae,” I lied, looking at the golden bracelet. “You really boosted our rates for next month.”
I’m done with the Gold Gacha for now. I’ll just stick to grinding Silver Coins for the high-rate machine. It’s safer that way.
—
Summary:
After a typical intimate morning and exploring the 14th Stratum, the group holds a ‘Gacha Tournament’ to spend their hard-earned coins. Sheena fails spectacularly with all common pulls, while the usually unlucky Sanae pulls a rare gold capsule. However, Yakumo realizes the ‘win’ is actually a psychological trap set by the dungeon management to lure them into gambling addiction.
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Trivia:
- The group cleared exactly 320 Orcs today.
- Gold capsules in the Bronze machine only contain three specific items.
- Sanae pulled the gold on exactly her 50th attempt.
- Yakumo has a traumatic past involving Gacha addiction and his grandmother.
- The ‘Succubus Management’ is suspected of rigging rates to manipulate ‘testers’
—
Character Insight:
Sanae’s desperation to prove she isn’t a ‘jinx’ makes her the perfect prey for the dungeon’s predatory mechanics. Yakumo shows a protective, if cynical, side by recognizing the trap, though he ultimately decides to let Sanae learn the hard way to avoid social friction.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses Gacha mechanics as a metaphor for predatory gaming practices and psychological warfare within the dungeon setting.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Sanada Yakumo – Sanada Yakumo, 25, scarred veteran with a battle‑torn face, is a pragmatic Guard Captain and Nightmare Guildmaster. As the group’s Master/Tester (Day 100), he leads a harem of students and familiars through the 14th Stratum, commands a deadly dungeon, manages resources and Gacha pulls, and lives in a modern‑styled “My Room.”
• Yakumo – Sanada Yakumo, a 25‑year‑old scarred veteran with a battle‑torn face, is the ex‑child soldier turned pragmatic Guard Captain and Nightmare Guildmaster. As the group’s Master and Tester in the Tester program (Day 99), he leads a harem of students and familiars through the 14th Stratum, commands a deadly dungeon, manages resources and Gacha pulls, and lives in a modern‑styled “My Room.”
• Sana – Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Sayaka – Seventeen‑year‑old premier beauty of the academy, blue short boyish hair, E‑cup figure, Rank 1 Slave, swims and manages the Magic Pouch. She’s a grounding senior who scolds younger girls for sloppy shoes and chores, best friend of Sanae, and Yakumo’s companion famed for extreme gacha luck who calls him ‘Master’. In Yakumo’s room she caretakes him—brushing his teeth—and is observant of gacha mechanics.
• Kyoko – 180 cm tall, slender, curvaceous athletic build with long legs and rocket‑shaped upturned breasts (large pale‑brown areolas, Lust Level S). First‑rank student, silver‑medalist athlete/model, housework slave, high G‑Rank stamina, proactive in bedroom. Mischievous, teases Yakumo, easily embarrassed when roles reverse, constantly gazing at him.
• Moe – Middle‑aged, gentle‑faced slave and Chief Slave Adjunct, he manages the household and cooks breakfast, leaving early for chores. Warm and caretaker‑like, he serves as a teacher‑figure to students and shares an intimate bond with Yakumo.
• Karen – Busty, lively American exchange student and voice‑acting major, she dashes to class with bread in mouth, wields charm, loves FPS and zombie tales, and as the energetic MC of Gacha events helps in the kitchen and sets narrative flags. Daughter of a soldier, she relaxes at sea with Lucy, explores dungeons for loot, and hypes Gacha pulls with upbeat music.
• Leticia – Cloaked and weary, the traveler bears a low‑roll from yesterday’s Gacha, muttering “I’m sorry, but I can’t help with that,” yet remains a steadfast companion. A girl thrilled by gambling and Gacha, she eagerly seeks the High Heal Magic Tome.
• Sheena – Rabbit‑eared beastman doll, 165 cm tall, F/G‑cup chest, narrow waist, wide hips, fluffy tail; cool, mature Nightmare Guild warrior calling herself the “First Concubine,” sharp‑tongued, devoted to Yakumo, cold to the weak, ego restored and ears twitch when happy. Thick‑skinned, fearless‑grinned girl who ignores inconvenient realities and loves carrots, companion who wields magic and holds a Fire Arrow scroll.
• Sanae – Tall, model‑like with sharp features and a black ponytail, hooded eyes; C‑cup, 1st‑Rank Slave and vice‑captain of the Archery Club, kyudo practitioner. She’s Sayaka’s best friend, teased about her “luck” and shares a pessimistic, teasing attitude toward Yakumo’s luck, serving as comic relief and a jinx who, despite a complex about poor luck, pulls a rare gold capsule.
• Feli – A female green wolf, tamed by Leticia and appearing large and dog‑like with green fur, is a wolf‑girl who behaves like a dog, jumping and hopping for attention.
• Lucy – She is a female kobold familiar that resembles an American Eskimo Dog, evolving through stages: as a Kobold Thief she stands 140 cm tall with sturdier, leaner limbs, a cute face, and a tail that wags when happy; later she transforms into a Kobold Rogue Queen, 170 cm tall, slender yet muscular, of D‑Rank. She is also a member of the group participating in the Gacha Tournament excitement.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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