Chapter 128 The Abandoned Floor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The moment the teleport completed, I found myself standing in a vast white room surrounded by gleaming walls and marble pillars. Eight days had passed since I last stepped into the abandoned floor of the pyramid dungeon. The silence felt the same—sterile, echoing, and timeless.
I slipped a hand into my blazer pocket to check the time, only to notice an unread message blinking on my phone. I frowned, opened it, and read a single line: “Tina, remember this.”
“Ah, Master,” Tina’s cheerful voice echoed in my mind. “You always forget things like this.”
”Shut it,” I muttered. “I don’t forget. This is just precaution.”
I turned to Valeria. “Valeria, we’re heading back to base. Bring out the branch.”
”The small one? I do have spares, but we can’t teleport to base with them,” she replied.
”Wait, what? Why not?”
”That item is made from a processed Nectar Branch. It returns to its original source—the Nectar Tree. The tree itself is currently inside your Storage.”
I groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I’d planned to return to base right after arrival, but that plan evaporated fast. “…Fine. Guess I’ll sleep.”
”You’re sleeping already!?”
”No point staying up. If I move now, I’ll just pass out halfway.”
It was 9:22 p.m. last I checked. Traveling here from base had taken nearly five hours before, and the desert heat drained stamina faster than combat. Best to rest while I could.
I pulled a rugged wristwatch from Storage and synced it to the current time. Phones still functioned inside Storage, but time moved a hundred times slower on this floor. Without a normal clock, I’d lose all sense of passing hours. I even prepared a wall clock and an alarm, ignoring Higurashi’s insistence on buying one of those obnoxious cuckoo clocks.
Dragging the bed I’d failed to install in my own room, I set it near the wall. Sleeping in the middle of a giant room felt wrong. Like a cat, I preferred corners.
”Valeria,” I asked, “no monsters show up here, right?”
”Correct. This is a management zone—players shouldn’t even be here.”
”Good. I’ll actually get some peace.”
I changed into pajamas, set my alarm, and watched Valeria float toward the exit.
”I’ll head to the control room,” she said. “Just to confirm there’s no structural decay. It should be stable for a few centuries, but one can never be too sure.”
”Yeah, take care. Night.”
”Good night, Takeru.”
I watched her slip away into the glowing corridor and closed my eyes.
* * *
When the alarm blared for the third time, I groaned and rolled upright. “Ugh…”
”Finally awake?” Valeria’s voice sounded amused. “You’ve been asleep for ten hours.”
”Morning,” I mumbled. Truth was, it had been a perfect sleep. I stretched lazily, savoring the stillness. No warmth beside me, no soft breath, but plenty of rest.
”Takeru,” Valeria said, her tone unusually careful, “may I ask you something?”
I blinked, noticing her shimmering form coiled around my right wrist—probably because the left already held my watch.
”Sure. What’s up?”
”There appears to be a bypass forming in your mind, connecting directly to mine. Do you have any idea how that happened?”
I frowned. “A bypass? No clue. Why?”
”I noticed it when you entered my chamber yesterday. I believe it’s a type of curse.”
”A curse!? You’re telling me this now!?” I almost leapt out of bed.
”It only affected the outer layer of your mind,” she continued calmly. “At first, I assumed it might be… a hobby of yours.”
I glared. “What kind of hobby do you think I have!?”
”Still, I realized while you were sleeping that your lowered mental resistance could allow intrusion through dreams. Someone could watch or even manipulate them if they had the right abilities.”
”That’s—seriously bad! Can’t you do something?”
”I can sever it immediately, if you wish.”
”Do it! No one curses me for fun!”
A soft chime echoed. “It’s done.”
I blinked. “That fast… huh.”
I tried to recall anyone capable of such trickery. Only one name came to mind—Shitone-senpai. Maybe something had happened while I was unconscious.
”Well, whatever it was, thanks,” I said quietly.
”It was a minor task,” Valeria replied with a faint smile.
High spirit or not, she’d just saved me from who-knows-what. Better not think too hard about it.
After washing up at the fountain where the spirit blade rested, I sat down to breakfast—onigiri and fried chicken, lovingly packed by my friends the night before. The rice balls were wrapped in plastic, the fillings marked in marker pen. I picked a konbu and a yakitori one. Himeno’s were easy to spot—misshapen and twice the size of the others.
”Delicious,” I said with satisfaction.
By the time I’d eaten, it was around eight. I geared up and descended into the dungeon, taking shortcuts through the maintenance shafts of the pyramid. Several monsters appeared along the way—enough to make me miss Tomoko’s covering fire. Alone, every fight felt heavier.
After an hour, I reached the exit. Beyond it lay nothing but blazing desert and wind. With a resigned sigh, I pulled on my Tsuchimiya mask and stepped into the shimmering heat.
* * *
By the time the base tent appeared on the horizon, the sun was sinking. The round white structure resembled a Mongolian ger, standing solitary in the dunes. It was around four in the afternoon.
”Finally made it…” I breathed.
I’d used several Universal Potions along the way, yet exhaustion clung to me. My body still worked, but my mind felt sandblasted. Using my Kondou Spear as a cane, I staggered inside.
Cool air greeted me—a relief after hours of relentless heat.
”Huh?” I said.
”Oh?” Valeria’s voice overlapped mine.
In the center of the circular room stood a table cluttered with unfamiliar vials and tools. In the corners, monster materials and a few daggers lay scattered. Someone had been living here.
”When we left, it was spotless,” I murmured.
The tent’s interior was larger than its outside suggested, connecting to a kitchen and a hallway lined with small bedrooms. Each room was soundproofed—no chance to sense movement within.
If someone was here, I’d need to check every room. The narrow space would make my spear unwieldy; my combat knife would serve better.
I took a cautious step toward the corridor.
Then a shout rang out behind me.
”Ah—!!”
I spun around. A figure stood by the entrance, cloaked and hooded, their face hidden beneath the shadow of the cowl.
”Y-you! Tsuchimiya!!”
I froze. That voice—familiar, furious, and very much alive.
I squinted as the figure strode forward, sand still clinging to her cloak. The mantle flared open, revealing red bikini armor and a lean, sun-darkened body that stirred my memory.
”Fujisaki!?” I blurted.
One of the assassins who’d ambushed us a week ago—at least, a week in my world.
Her eyes flashed. “I’ve finally found you! You’re not escaping this time!”
Her hand darted to her sword, and I instinctively leapt back, ready to counter. But instead of drawing the blade, she threw it—scabbard and all—at my feet, then flung off her cloak and dropped to her knees.
”I surrender! Please, help me!”
I blinked. “Wait, what?”
”I can’t take the desert anymore!” she cried, clutching my legs. “Please, get me out of here! I’ll do anything—anything! You can even make me your slave if that’s what it takes!”
My brain stuttered. “What the—”
As realization dawned, I pieced together the time gap. Eight days and five hours for me meant more than two years for her. Alone. On this empty, heat-scoured floor.
She looked older, not by much—but enough to show. The defiance in her expression had dulled to weary desperation.
”Okay, okay. Just—breathe. Let go for a sec, yeah?”
”No! If you run away now, I’m dead!” she wailed, refusing to release me.
I sighed. “Look, I’m not running. I’ve got business here. I’ll be around a while.”
I pulled off the Tsuchimiya Mask, unwilling to deal with her clinging while half-blind behind it.
”Business? You’re staying here? What for?”
”I’ll explain. But sit down first. I walked through a damn desert, so forgive me if I rest.”
She sniffled, glaring through damp lashes, still holding onto my leg. “Ugh…”
”…Tina,” I muttered, “sofa.”
A leather couch shimmered into existence behind me. I slumped into it with a sigh that felt half like dying. Fujisaki stared in disbelief but refused to let go.
”Want a crepe?” I asked suddenly.
Her eyes widened. “A… crepe?”
I pulled one from Storage—a chilled, factory-wrapped treat. She snatched it from my hand as though afraid it might vanish.
”Crepe…” she whispered, staring at the plastic packaging like it was holy scripture. Then she peeled it open carefully, bit into the sweet cream, and promptly burst into tears.
”Hh… huhhh… ughhh… mmm…!”
She cried as she ate, shaking, sobbing, savoring each bite like it was salvation itself.
I watched quietly, guilt pricking my chest. She reminded me of a starving cat finally given milk.
When she finished, she sat still for a long moment, clutching the empty wrapper.
Then, softly, “Please… let me come with you. I’ll help with whatever you need. Just don’t leave me here again.”
I folded my arms. Cooperation, huh? She was an assassin—probably stronger than me hand-to-hand. A potential ally… or risk.
”All right,” I said slowly. “If you help me, I’ll take you back.”
Her face lit up. “Really!? I’ll do anything! I’ll be your slave, your pet, whatever—just order me!”
I choked. “N-no, that’s not necessary. Just swear you won’t turn on me. We’ll seal it by contract.”
”Contract?”
”Yeah. My Gift can bind promises. You in?”
”I… I’ll do it.”
”Good. Then wear this.” I handed her the Tsuchimiya Mask.
She grimaced but obeyed, pulling it over her head. I touched my finger to her forehead, my tone solemn.
”I am Tsuchimiya Takeru. You will not harm me, and while you remain here, you’ll cooperate fully. Keep this vow, and I’ll bring you back to the Academy. Swear it.”
Fujisaki lowered her head. “I, Fujisaki Kaede, swear not to harm Tsuchimiya Takeru. I… I also swear to become his devoted slave.”
I sighed inwardly. “Why does it always come back to that…”
Then, grinning wickedly, I added, “Break your vow, and you’ll grow… well, let’s just say it’ll be unpleasant and extremely anatomical.”
”What!? You mean I’ll—grow that!?”
”Don’t break the vow and you’ll be fine.” I lifted my finger. “Contract sealed.”
A faint glow pulsed, fading into her skin. Empty bluff, but effective enough.
Tina’s voice hummed in my mind. “As expected of Master. You said you’d focus on training, yet here you are crafting a slave on arrival. Admirable efficiency.”
”Shut up! It’s not like that!”
Oh, hell. If Himeno ever found out about this, I’d never live it down.
”Eh? What’s that?” Fujisaki blinked at me.
”Nothing. Forget it.” I took the mask back and stored it away.
She sat beside me, calmer now, her posture tentative.
”So… what exactly do you need me for?”
”I came here to train. You’ll assist. Might take four or five months by this floor’s time.”
Her eyes widened. “Four or five months!? You mean I’m stuck here even longer?”
”I’ve got food and supplies. You’ll live better than before.”
She sighed. “Fine. Not like I’ve got options. How long have I even been here, anyway?”
”About two years and three months.”
”Only that? I thought it’d been five!” she muttered, glancing at me. “And you… you haven’t aged at all.”
”For me, it’s been a week,” I said. “Time flows a hundred times slower here.”
Her jaw dropped. “Then that means—I’m the only one aging!?”
”Pretty much.”
She paled. “If you hadn’t come back for another half-year…”
”Would’ve been about fifty years for you.”
”Fifty—what!? Nooo!!” she shrieked, grabbing my arm in renewed panic. “You’re taking me back, right!? Promise me!”
”Yeah, yeah,” I said, prying at her grip. “You have my word. The contract’s binding, remember?”
It took another hour to calm her down, her cries echoing faintly in the empty tent. Outside, the desert wind howled against the walls like a reminder of the years she’d spent alone.
Notes:
• 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.
• Higurashi – Higurashi Asuka. A girl afflicted with an incurable disease. Another MC’s girlfriend.
• 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
• 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
• Fujisaki – The female assassin from another school who appeared in Chapter 56. She, along with her late friend, battled with the MC in the abandoned floor of the dungeon.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply