Chapter 23 Regret
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After homeroom, the school management committee staff came in and the Dungeon Studies class began. Everyone was listening attentively and taking notes.
The content was interesting, and it was important knowledge to have for dungeon exploration. I was also paying close attention.
Dungeons decompose and absorb organic matter. Waste, for example, disappears within twenty minutes. I knew this from living in the dungeon. Corpses apparently disappear completely within a day.
It seems that decomposition is faster when in contact with the floor or walls, and if you leave food directly on the ground, it will disappear without a trace. As long as they maintain their life activities, they won’t decompose, and things infused with magic won’t decompose either.
What gave me the creeps was the fact that if you die in the dungeon, you become a monster. Zombies are like that too, but on the lower floors, there are phantoms, which are monsters that look like humans. They appear normal and can speak like regular humans, but once they recognize you, they attack without hesitation. Their abilities are probably the same as when they were alive, and they often launch coordinated attacks in groups. Knowing about these enemies in advance is crucial. It’s important to mentally prepare yourself because defeating them is no different from killing a human. Personally, I might hesitate if it came to killing a girl. It seemed like the other students were also taking notes with pale faces.
After class, a couple of outgoing and cheerful guys from the popular group came over to me.
”Hey, Tsuchimiya. You had a tough time with Irie-chan earlier, huh?”
The cheerful guy approached me with a big grin.
”Yeah, thanks for backing me up. It really helped.”
”If you let things like that slide, it’ll become everyone’s problem eventually. It’s important to take action from the beginning.”
This guy really knows what’s up. Instead of just supporting me, he probably scolded the class rep for ignoring personal circumstances in the name of justice.
”Hey Tsuchimiya-kun, why don’t you join my party? We’ve got some pretty girls and you can bring home a girl you like every other day.”
He casually invited me with a smile.
”Sorry, I want to do things solo.”
”I see. I kind of figured you’d say that. Well, how about helping out occasionally then?”
No signs of being upset, he presents a compromise.
”Well, if it works out and I’m in the mood.”
Honestly, I’m not really keen on teaming up with someone I don’t know much about.
”Alright, then let’s go with that. By the way, do you know our names?”
When I shook my head, the two of them smiled wryly.
”Well, I’ve only seen Tsuchimiya when he’s asleep. I’m Akiyama. If you ever have any problems, feel free to ask me. I have a feeling it’s better for you to owe me a favor.”
So he’s calculating. It’s easier to understand and trust than trying to show kindness.
”I’m Kageyama. I thought you were a quiet and gloomy person, but you can actually voice your own opinions.”
The name of the talkative short one is Kageyama, huh? Doesn’t hold back. Compared to the others, this person seems more stable. Maybe he practices some martial arts.
I thought I had trained quite a bit during the week in the dungeon, but this morning’s run was nothing. I need to train properly.
”Hey guys, it seems like you’re really impressed with me, but I might have just been hiding in a safe zone because I’ve been in the dungeon all this time.”
”No, no, I mean, you’re a legendary guy, you know?”
”A legendary guy?”
Come on, the rumor about me killing a hundred police officers is a lie. You guys don’t actually believe that, okay?
”On my first dive, you went into the goblin’s nest with Asagiri and saved about 30 girls. I even heard that you defeated about 10 of those white creatures that shouldn’t be on the 1st floor.”
”Oh! Uh, does everyone actually know about that?”
”Well, it’s a legend, so yeah. Last week, several girls who said you helped them came to here one after another.”
What the heck… I was planning on leading a quiet school life while exploring the dungeon, but is it really turning out like this? Well, maybe I can still make it if I change my appearance and just don’t say my name?
”Actually, Asagiri from the first year is incredibly strong. And you, who have been training, are definitely the strongest.”
Kageyama mentioned a name that caught my attention. Come to think of it, Higurashi told me to meet Asagiri.
”I wonder how Asagiri is doing?”
”I heard a crazy story that Asagiri joined a party looking for help and single-handedly defeated the floor boss on the 1st floor in an instant. They say she has the nickname ‘Ryuusei’ (Shooting Star).”
Shooting Star!? That’s so cool! I’d love to trade it for my ‘Cop Killer’.
”But, it seems that Asagiri’s personality has changed from being friendly to having a scary aura that keeps everyone away. It must be because of leveling up, but it’s a bit disappointing. She used to be the lovely top idol of the school with a beautiful smile.”
Huh? Asagiri has an atmosphere that keeps everyone away? I wonder what happened. It’s a little concerning.
”Hey, Tsuchimiya. What’s your deal with Asagiri?”
”Oh, nothing much. She just asked me for a favor.”
”A favor, huh? Did you really charge into the goblin’s lair for that? You must be crazy.”
”…”
Just then, the bell rang, and Akiyama and Kageyama grumbled as they returned to their seats.
After a while, my phone buzzed, and I received a message from Higurashi.
GC: Tsuchimiya x Higurashi
Higurashi: I’ve spotted the target! It’s an emergency! Come to the school store right away!
Tsuchimiya: Target? What are you talking about? Did you find some limited edition special yakisoba bread or something?
Higurashi: Forget about that! Hurry up! Run! Run!!
An emergency? Is it a super cheap cup noodle deal for one person only? Well, I couldn’t help it. I quietly stood up and left the classroom, and no one even questioned me.
* * *
When my eyes opened with a snap, I found myself in a slightly familiar ceiling. Looking at the alarm clock by my pillow, it was two minutes before 6:00 AM.
I sat up and turned off the alarm.
It wasn’t a refreshing wake-up, just the switch of consciousness. I was still groggy.
As I searched through my Boston bag to get ready for a change of clothes, I heard the gasping sounds of female students. Last night, some girls had brought in a Level 1 male student and had a g*ng-r*pe. The party must not be over yet.
Hearing their pleasurable voices made my uterus ache with desire, but it was never-ending. Last night, I also comforted myself while listening to their moans until late.
The only happy time left for me was when I reached pleasure while thinking about that person whom I can only meet in my fantasies. But once it’s over, an unbearable emptiness sets in.
Why did that person leave me behind at that time?
According to the last sighting information I heard from Kijima-senpai, it seems that person disappeared into the depths of the dungeon with Higurashi-san. Why was it Higurashi-san and not me?
I had decided that I would confess to that person when he returned to school.
But why was I so hesitant when he went back? Rather, I was hoping that Tsuchimiya-senpai would confess to me instead. That’s why I ended up putting off confessing myself.
Until now, whenever a boy and I would talk a little and get close, they would quickly confess or show obvious signs of interest. Because I had been so spoiled, I convinced myself that Tsuchimiya-senpai would do the same. I thought that love would be easy even though I didn’t have much experience. But I was truly foolish.
If I had expressed my feelings earlier, would he have stayed with me? Would he have taken me with him? Would he have chosen me instead of Higurashi-san? No matter how much I regret, I can’t fully regret it.
I still remember the words of goodbye from that time, as if we would never meet again. Deep down, I somehow knew that person was carrying something dark that I couldn’t understand. He might have already prepared himself for this outcome when he stepped into the depths of the dungeon. Now, there’s no way to know Tsuchimiya-senpai’s true feelings, but it seems that he chose Higurashi-san as his last companion, not me.
For Tsuchimiya-senpai, I was just a kouhai who didn’t mean anything more than that. None of my feelings reached him. Back then, I was so caught up in Tsuchimiya-senpai’s kindness that I couldn’t see anything else. And now, there’s no chance to redo that mistake.
I open the curtain and hold my change of clothes as I descend the ladder of the bunk bed.
There are three bunk beds lined up on each side of the room. My spot is in the second bunk bed on the right side, towards the back.
”Good morning, Asagiri-san”
The girl in the top bunk was already awake and greeted me.
”Good morning.”
I answered with an emotionless voice, and the girl lowered her head in fear. I didn’t even feel sorry anymore. Nothing mattered.
On my way to the exit, I could hear the moans of a girl and the groans of a boy coming from a closed curtain around a bunk bed on the first floor. It seemed like multiple girls were surrounding a single boy.
”Come on, you have to try harder, okay?”
”We won’t stop until we’re satisfied, okay?”
”Ugh… please, forgive me… ahh!”
Some girls were peeking inside, hoping to join in. It felt like being thrown into a lion’s den as a zebra. Without any emotions, I headed to the shower room.
The shower room next to the dorm would start getting crowded in about thirty minutes, but it was still empty at this time.
I quickly undressed and put my clothes in the laundry basket, placing my number tag on top. While I was showering, I could hear someone nearby moaning. They were pleasuring themselves while showering. I’ve gotten used to this kind of thing already. I guess I can’t blame them for this impulse, since I do it sometimes too.
It seems the impulse will subside in about a month, but in the meantime, I’ll probably have to deal with this situation for a while as I level up.
While drying my hair, I looked at my face in the mirror and noticed dark circles under my eyes. My expressionless face, like a doll, scares me a little.
I tried to smile, but it only made me feel even more scared.
Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes, so I quickly looked down to hide them.
”Why are you doing this to me, Tsuchimiya-senpai… I can’t smile anymore.”
Oh no, I feel like my heart is breaking.
I heard someone approaching from outside, so I covered my head with a towel to hide my tears.
I took a deep breath to calm myself, put the towel in the laundry basket, and headed towards the exit.
Two girls who entered the changing room hurriedly separated and made way for me. I wonder what kind of expression I have right now.
The school cafeteria is still closed. I should move my body a little to distract myself or I might break down.
As I entered the school from the main gate, I saw a church-like teleportation facility on my left. When I entered the lobby, I saw several parties having meetings in front of the gate at the back.
I went through the door on the left and entered the locker room.
I scanned my player card at the locker where I had stored my equipment in the girls’ area, and 300 yen was deducted as the lock clicked open.
I took out a pouch and a combat belt with a throwing knife from the locker and strapped it around my waist. Then, I grabbed the spear that Tsuchimiya-senpai gave me and closed the door, locking it. I didn’t plan on staying long this time, so this should be enough.
Yesterday, I challenged and defeated the floor boss on the 2nd floor all by myself. Since the teleportation point changes when you join a party through the help request, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the 3rd floor’s situation now.
I passed through the gate and swiped my player card on the log crystal, then I got on one of the teleportation magic circles lined up in the back. It’s no surprise that there aren’t many users at this time.
When the overflowing light burst, I was already inside the dungeon.
In the middle of a large room, there was a staircase leading to the 2nd floor. If I go from the magic circle next to the staircase and move towards the center of the room, there are doors in front of me and on both sides.
I took out my notebook from the pouch and decided to do some mapping quickly. If it’s an area that no one has reached yet, they might buy it even if it’s just a simple map.
Opening the doors from right to left, I found straight corridors about five meters long each. It’s brighter compared to the second floor. After thinking for a bit, I decided to go down the corridor on the right.
Every 10m (32.8ft), I dropped a copper coin from my pouch. In unfamiliar places, you might get chased by monsters or caught in traps and lose track of your position, so it serves as a marker just in case. They teach this in the dungeon survival class, but I haven’t attended many classes. The people from the party I joined as a helper before were the ones doing it.
In the middle of my exploration, as I examined a small room with a door, I felt something strange when I tried to open one of the doors.
While I was about to open the door, I noticed something odd. When I let go of the door and looked around, I realized that the copper coin I dropped was nowhere to be found. It was probably a trap for teleportation. It turned out to be quite useful.
Apart from the missing coin, everything looked the same as before. Upon returning to the first room, I entered a room through the left door. This time, I left all the doors open before exiting from the right exit. There, on the floor, I found the copper coin I had dropped earlier.
I continued on, marking the trap locations on the map.
As I carefully opened the door, I found a room where a treasure chest was casually placed along the wall. It seems like no other player has reached this far yet.
I took out the Thief tools I bought from the store and carefully examined the treasure chest from my belt pouch.
It was locked, but it didn’t seem to have any traps.
My class is ‘Thief’ now that I’ve reached level 4. I had been thinking about how I could be useful to that person and how I could stay by their side on that day.
First, I need to develop the skills to handle treasure chests using my abilities. In dungeon exploration, the presence of treasure chests is an essential element, and specialists who handle them will definitely be needed. And then, I must also ensure high combat abilities so that I don’t become a burden.
Specifically, from now on, I will focus on using the Thief’s skills such as stealth and silent movement to aim for a class change to “Assassin.” After that, I plan to aim for the “Ninja” class, which is considered rare in many games.
I’m not sure if ninjas exist in this world’s player system, but if they don’t, then I’ll just become one myself.
Even now, without that person, I am calmly following my plan. I can’t find any other purpose, and if I were to give up on this, my existence would lose its meaning. I don’t want to think about what to do after I achieve my goal, at least not right now.
Using my lockpicking tools, I easily opened the simple lock.
When I opened the lid, silver light overflowed from inside, and the treasure chest itself turned into particles of light, evaporating and disappearing. When the light disappeared, multiple items were left behind.
On top of scattered coins were a knife, a metal bracelet, and two potions in glass bottles.
I took the knife out of its sheath to check the blade and then placed it on my belt. I gathered the rest of the items into a leather bag and hung it on my belt. If these are healing potions, they can be sold for 40,000 yen for a small one and 20,000 yen for a tiny one, but since they can be a matter of life or death, I usually keep them with me, even if it means pushing myself a bit. I also have one in my pouch. First, I need to take them back and appraise them. There were about 200 copper coins, 23 silver coins, and one gold coin scattered around. The gold coin can be sold for 10,000 yen. The silver coins are worth 500 yen each, and the copper coins are worth 30 yen each. Since copper coins are cheap and bulky, I sometimes leave them behind during long explorations, but today I’ll take them back since I’m going home soon.
With this, I have enough savings to enter the girls’ dormitory, but I don’t have much motivation to improve my living environment.
Treasure chest information is also included on the map. It’s important because they usually respawn after a few days. The more information you have, the higher the selling price of the map.
It’s been about 30 minutes so far. I want to see the monsters on the 3rd floor if possible, so let’s proceed a little further.
As I step into the hallway, I feel a presence and turn my gaze towards the direction of the first room.
There, 20 meters away, stood a male student.
He’s not very tall. He’s wearing a white button-up shirt with a hooded black cloak on top. In one hand, he holds a rough and twisted wooden staff. Since he’s not wearing a tie, I can’t tell what grade he’s in.
His gaze, which includes a scornful smile, doesn’t feel very friendly. Could he be the rumored phantom?
”Are you the top runner of this group? Sorry, but you’re going to suffer and die.”
With a smirk, he said those words.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.