Chapter 105-2 Reached the 4th Floor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After a while, Higashimura-senpai returned, spear in hand.
”Welcome back. We’re about to explore the southern area.”
”The south, huh…”
”Guess we have no choice but to handle it smoothly.”
Without another word, Higashimura-senpai and Saegusa-senpai followed Sogahara-senpai’s lead.
We formed a line and stepped into the passage from the southern exit, all while the Demiurge’s bunch kept an eye on us.
”Hano-kun, nice work. It was worth coming this far.”
After walking down the corridor for a bit, Sogahara-senpai called out to Hano-san.
”Hm? What is it? Did I do something?”
She seemed genuinely clueless, even though I knew she was just naturally like that.
”No, you managed to extract information from them, right? Thanks to you, we can firm up our plans for what’s next.”
”Oh, I did? Then how about this──teach me sword skills in return! I want to get even stronger!”
”Ah, that’s fine by me.”
”Yay! It’s a promise, okay? Seeya!”
Indeed, learning sword techniques would help her improve faster.
All I can teach is spear techniques.
Sogahara-senpai mentioned something earlier, about the Hokushin Ittoryu style (Northern Star Single Sword Style).
It’s a school that laid the groundwork for modern kendo, a genuine killing sword style which even Sakamoto Ryoma earned a menkyo kaiden in.
I’m a bit interested myself.
”Tsuchimiya-kun, I’d like you to scout a route by circling to the west and then heading north. Dungeons often connect deeper in, but areas without a safe zone entrance are more likely to be connected at a relatively short distance.”
”Understood.”
They don’t know about my auto-map, so I should be able to buy us quite a bit of time.
As Sogahara-senpai predicted, I found a route that led back to the west much sooner than expected.
”This passage seems to lead north. What should we do?”
”It’s a hassle to run into those Demiurge guys too early, so let’s go deeper. The fact that they haven’t found Kibakura-kun yet means they’re probably not around here. Let’s head to the boss room on the north side before they do.”
”Got it. Our immediate goal is to search for Kibakura, right?”
We confirmed that Kibakura was missing, but since we didn’t have any details, it made sense to prepare for unexpected situations by accessing the front lines of Demiurge.
Still, I felt there was a low priority for further searches at this point.
Our exploration was more measured than the frantic pace we had on the 3rd floor; we took our time and fought the monsters we encountered along the way.
Higashimura-senpai was actively participating in battles with her spear, showing off her skills.
She was still a bit shaky, but a skilled vanguard was doing a great job keeping her protected.
”Yeah. If Kibakura-kun is just lost, that would be great, but unfortunately, this doesn’t seem like a simple issue.”
”That’s true…”
If that girl Kujinami, who stirred up trouble for Himeno, or Zeus is involved with Kibakura, I can barely imagine what kind of mess that could be.
It’s just a possibility for now, but it might be worth probing a bit further.
”If we can rescue Kibakura-kun who might be in trouble, it could open up a path to negotiating with Demiurge later.”
Kijima-senpai’s words gave me a light shock.
”Is hunting for Kibakura part of the Student Council’s policy? I thought it would be more convenient if he just stayed missing.”
My words slipped out before I could catch them, prompting a wry smile from Sogahara-senpai.
”If we’re talking about simple wins and losses, that’s probably the right answer. But we’re not here to kill each other. Well, to be honest, I *do* want to kill Kibakura-kun. But not out of anger or hatred, as a swordsman. If Amahara-kun hadn’t been at this Academy, I probably would have become a mass murderer. That’s why I prioritize Amahara-kun’s ideals over my own feelings.”
Sogahara-senpai says something ominous with that kind, friendly smile of his.
Probably, there’s a terrifying face hidden beneath that smile.
I’m begging you, don’t make any weird confessions to someone like me.
”I absolutely won’t condone students killing each other. I’ll always help any student who needs it, even if it’s a Demiurge. That’s Karen’s policy──protecting all Seito Academy students.”
”Understood. I respect Amahara-senpai’s beliefs. But just so you know, there are other schools that have been summoned to this world besides ours. Some of them have guys who would happily kill us without hesitation. Their ideals wouldn’t work on those guys. In fact, I’ve already killed two of them for self-defense.”
”Wha…!? There are other schools!? I mean, I considered that possibility, but Tsuchimiya-kun, you were in contact with them!? Was that when you were trapped in the dungeon!?”
Everyone looks shocked, but Sogahara-senpai seems excited and strangely pleased.
”No, last Sunday, I was thrown onto a abandoned floor due to a teleport magic circle malfunction. That’s where I was attacked by a level 17 party.”
”Level 17… Tsuchimiya-senpai, did you defeat them!?”
”It happened so suddenly…I can’t believe it right away… Is it true…?”
Katsura-kun and Kanami-san ask, their faces full of confusion.
”I’m serious! My friends and I got flung together! If it weren’t for Tsucchi, our whole party would have been wiped out. He put himself on the line to protect us, even nearly dying in the process… That’s why I want to become stronger!”
”Well, I really almost died, and I honestly don’t think I could have won on my own. There are also some sketchy characters lurking around here, so I need you to keep a close eye on them, Sogahara-senpai.”
”Me?”
Sogahara-senpai blinked in surprise, puzzled by my words.
”I should mention this too: I’ve also killed a student from another school.”
”You too, Asagiri-kun!?”
After that, we paused our exploration, and Himeno listened in on our conversation.
I kept my explanation hazy, only detailing my fight with Sendou and glossing over everything else.
”I can’t believe that happened…”
”But Karen’s choice to unite the Academy peacefully was definitely the right one. For us low-level students to interact on equal footing with other schools, we need to come together without losing numbers to an internal conflict.”
”Honestly, if Amahara-san hadn’t been here, we’d probably be in the midst of a killing spree by now. I can only imagine how brutal things were for the other schools.”
”What Tsuchimiya-kun felt about people being ‘used to killing’ really fits the situation. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if there were schools whose student bodies have been reduced to less than half due to internal strife.”
”I’m really glad Amahara-senpai is at this Academy.”
The Student Council had formed a paramilitary group for maintaining order right from the First Dive.
It’s not every day you find someone who can act so decisively at that early stage without being overwhelmed by the urge to unleash violence.
”Anyway, Sogahara-kun, it’s possible that they might reach out to you.”
”Yeah. Considering what happened with Himeno, there’s a good chance that Sogahara-senpai, with his top-tier skills, could become a target.”
”Got it. A beauty in a sailor uniform in her early twenties? Sounds like a wish come true!”
Please stop smiling so brightly with those shining teeth.
You’re looking forward to it for a different reason, aren’t you?
”If that’s the case, then those guys might be involved in Kibakura-kun’s disappearance too.”
”Well, I can’t deny that possibility.”
Sogahara-senpai and the others began to debate with serious expressions, but the other members seemed disinterested, staring blankly at Sogahara-senpai and company.
Hano-san opened her mouth wide, letting out a big yawn.
Tina was around too, but she was just circling us, playing like it was no big deal.
After a short while, Sogahara-senpai and Kijima-senpai’s smartphones went off with alert sounds.
”Hmm… It seems that Moriya-kun from Demiurge has turned back to the dorm just before diving to gather his troops. We should head back quickly too.”
So, Sogahara-senpai is diving now because he heard from those guys earlier that they were targeting the Student Council headquarters.
The exploration of the 4th floor will have to stop here for now.
”Oh, Tsuchimiya-kun, don’t move just yet.”
”Huh?”
Kijima-senpai pointed his phone at me and snapped a picture with a click.
”What’s that for?”
”Karen wants me to send her a picture of Tsuchimiya-kun. Let’s take another one for an update, okay?”
”Amahara-kun can’t stroll outside the headquarters easily because she’s being targeted by Demiurge. So make sure you show your face regularly, Tsuchimiya-kun.”
”O-Okay, I understand.”
I get it, but facing Amahara-senpai for personal reasons makes me feel a bit shy.
We’ve been dating already, so it should be a normal thing, right?
It’s all good; I just need to be confident.
”Moriya-kun probably doesn’t think we’ll return this quickly, so if we hurry, we should make it in time. He must have his main forces focused here, so I don’t think he’ll attack if I show my face.”
”Shion-chan and I will handle the distribution of results with Tsuchimiya-kun and the others.”
If I rushed back now, class would be starting for the second period.
Even after finishing the results, I’d still have plenty of time to catch some sleep in class.
We hurriedly made our way back through the dungeon, returning to the safe zone in less than 30 minutes.
The blankets and gear left behind by those guys from earlier were still lying around, but thankfully, no one was here now.
We stepped onto the teleportation magic circle and returned to the Academy.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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