Chapter 96 Amahara Karen♯
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Third Person Perspective)
Dungeon 4th floor.
”Hmph, this place doesn’t offer much of a challenge either.”
Kibakura Reiji, who just wiped out 3 orcs with a single swing, lets out a huff as he rests his massive club on his shoulder.
”Man, with Kibakura-kun around, us vanguards barely have a job, huh? Looks like today’s just gonna be another easy run for the rearguard. We’ll still get the exp, so I ain’t complainin’.”
Two boys from the swordsman class exchange wry looks.
As with the previous floors, Kibakura was taking care of most of the fighting by himself.
It was more like a one-sided fight.
That swing of his club could probably take down the floor boss.
The vanguards just had to hang back in the rearguard to avoid getting in the way of his wild swings.
Magician Fumioka checks for any monsters approaching and calls out to Kibakura.
He’s known Kibakura since middle school and is one of his closest friends.
”Kibakura. I get you’re relaxing, but let’s start thinking ahead, alright? If we had the scout to map things out, we could’ve cleared the 3rd floor way faster… Hey, Kibakura?”
Fumioka notices something’s off with Kibakura.
He’s hunched over, breathing hard.
”Huh? What’s wrong, Kibakura-san?”
The other members notice the shift and call out, recalling similar moments from before.
”Could it be… a level-up?!”
”Whoa! Hit level 10, huh?!”
”Let’s go take down Vice President Sogahara again! The Academy folks will be freaking out and won’t dare mess with us!”
Kibakura, who spends most of his day in the dungeon, becomes a total beast during the undead hunts at night, having just hit level 9 a few days ago.
At the Academy, level 5 is the highest rank, but some of the party members are even higher than that.
While the others are hyped up, Fumioka watches Kibakura with unease.
Kibakura’s level-up is different from the others.
His body has grown larger, and he’s starting to lose his sense of self as his aggression builds.
Although he calmed down after the Student Council attack two days ago, Fumioka is worried this level-up might cause him to snap again.
”Grrooo…!”
When Kibakura shudders, his custom shirt rips audibly.
His arms have grown thicker.
Fumioka notices those arms turning red, like they’ve been scalded.
As the muscles in his shoulders bulge, sharp horn-like protrusions tear through the fabric.
”Gahh…!”
Kibakura groans, squatting down and leaning on his knee with his left hand.
”Kibakura!”
Fumioka tries to rush over but freezes when he sees Kibakura silently extend his left hand, signaling him to stay back.
”Huh…? Kibakura…san?”
As Kibakura slowly turns around, the party gasps, and Fumioka instinctively steps back.
The flushed skin has darkened to a red-black shade, and two horns have sprouted from his forehead, flaring out to the sides.
His golden eyes lock onto Fumioka, but they don’t look like the eyes of a teammate.
It’s more like the gaze of a predator eyeing its prey, sending a shiver down Fumioka’s spine.
”K-Kibakura…”
As Fumioka manages to speak, a flicker of reason appears in Kibakura’s eyes.
”GOOOOAAARRR!!”
Kibakura roars like a beast, turning his back to Fumioka and quickly striding toward the exit of the room.
”W-Wait! Where are you going! Kibakura!”
Ignoring Fumioka’s calls, Kibakura bursts into the dim hallway.
”Hey! We’re going after him!”
Fumioka looks back at his teammates, but some of them are sitting on the floor, unmoving.
”W-Wait up… I can’t move my legs…”
”Man, that was terrifying… I thought he was gonna attack me…”
I’m wondering if the ones who can move should chase after Kibakura, but if we get swarmed by monsters while split up, our party might get wiped out in an instant.
Fumioka quickly gives up on the chase.
At least he doesn’t think Kibakura will be attacked and killed by a monster.
”Once things calm down, we’ll look for Kibakura. We’ll only search here. I’m not sure how far we can go alone on this level. If we can’t find him… nah, let’s focus on finding Kibakura first.”
”Got it…”
”Even if we do find Kibakura-kun… is he gonna be alright? He looked like a monster and was acting strange.”
”This is bad… If the outsiders find out, Doromi Uryuu Goushuu (Mudshade Rainflow Legion) could fall apart, and that’s not good…”
”Kibakura…”
Fumioka’s face twists in anguish.
He had a feeling it would come to this someday.
But there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Fumioka starts thinking about what he’ll do if Kibakura doesn’t come back.
* * *
(Tsuchimiya’s POV)
”Have you made up your mind, Tsuchimiya-kun?”
”Uh, hold on a second…”
Sogahara-senpai, sitting across from me at the small table, smiled, though his expression carried a hint of pressure.
”What’s wrong? Getting cold feet now that you’ve come this far?”
”You said you’d accept the confession, right? Amahara-senpai is already your girlfriend, you know.”
For some reason, the two glasses-wearing guys flanking me and Sugimoto-san leaned in closer.
What is this? An interrogation?
Apparently, I’ve somehow agreed to date Amahara-senpai without even realizing it!
After lunch, we split up for a while when we got back to the Academy.
Amahara-senpai said she had some preparations to make, so she went back to her room with Ukita-senpai and Kijima-senpai, while I waited in Sogahara-senpai’s room.
To be honest, I was so fired up earlier that I thought I might actually hook up with Amahara-senpai. But then… I cooled down.
It was probably the burger I had for lunch.
It was one of those massive, homemade burgers, so tall it had a bamboo skewer holding it together.
I’ve always wanted to try one of those, so I got super excited and wolfed it down. After that, my excitement fizzled out.
Now I want to try the fish burger, too.
I’ll invite Ijuuin-kun to join me next time.
”So, what’s your issue with Amahara-san, anyway?”
”N-no, it’s not her. It’s me… I already have three girlfriends. I don’t know if I can handle Amahara-senpai, too…”
Honestly, I’m not sure I’ll survive.
With Nishina-san, Satou-san, and now Amahara-senpai in the mix, that’s six ladies total. Six!
That’s double what I’ve got now.
Even if I rotate nights with each of them, one per day, the system would collapse in no time.
Himeno might not say it out loud, but there’s no way she’d be okay with just one night a week.
So, things would probably escalate into group situations all the time.
I can already picture myself getting utterly wrecked right from the start, waking up every morning completely drained.
There’s no way I’d survive a night with Himeno and Satou-san together without a break.
And Nishina-san, who has this oddly intense fixation on bl*wjobs, would probably go all night. That’s… kinda terrifying.
Sure, the recovery spring might heal my body, but my mind? I’d be a wreck.
I can already see myself too exhausted to even think about the dungeon, with my preferences all messed up.
”Yeah, I hear harems are a lot for one guy to handle,” one of the glasses guys says, giving me a pitying look.
”Most of the time, it ends up being a group situation with more dudes. Unless it’s about actual lovers, not just partners. That’s a different story.”
It’s crazy to think I’d double the size of my harem at level one when even the dudes at Evold can’t handle it.
Sugimoto-san leans in, glaring at me with a mix of cuteness and menace.
”Hey, Tsuchimiya-san! You’ve got my senpai, Amahara, all smitten, but you’ve been dodging her, ignoring her, and now this? That’s not gonna fly. We need to settle this, don’t you think?”
”Ugh…”
”I’m sorry! I do want to respond to Amahara-senpai’s feelings. Even Himeno said it’s up to me to decide…”
”Well, if Amahara-san’s already made up her mind, there’s no point overthinking it now,” one of the glasses guys chimes in. “Don’t sweat it. Tomorrow’s problems will be tomorrow-you’s problem. Just do what you want for now.”
”That’s a terrible philosophy!”
But if Amahara-senpai’s already decided…
So, this is really happening, huh?
I glance around the room. It’s the vice-president’s office in the Student Council building, but it feels more like a waiting room at a brothel or something.
A knock at the door breaks my train of thought, and Kijima-senpai pokes her head in.
”Tsuchimiya-kun, we’re ready. Let’s head to Karen’s room.”
”Y-yes…”
”Tsuchimiya-kun. Amahara-san’s happiness is in your hands.”
Sogahara-senpai looks surprisingly cool saying that.
Alright, focus! Don’t think about tomorrow. Just… don’t think…
* * *
(Third Person Perspective)
”Karen, why don’t you try this dress instead?”
Ukita Shoko held out a sheer negligee with a plunging neckline, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
”No way! I’m just here to talk to Tsuchimiya-kun today!”
Karen exclaimed, her cheeks flushing crimson.
”I just want to make sure we’re on the same page before… doing anything like that!”
Fresh from the shower, Karen had firmly rejected the skimpy, see-through outfits Shoko had prepared, opting instead for her school uniform.
But as she put it on, she realized the skirt was inexplicably short and was now desperately tugging at the hem, trying to preserve her dignity.
”You’re being so stubborn! This is your big chance!”
Shoko shot back, crossing her arms.
”But first, I need to redo the confession properly!”
Karen insisted, puffing out her cheeks.
”Sneaking up on someone like that wasn’t fair! Honestly, I’d be satisfied just holding hands today…”
”Karen, listen to me,” Shoko said, leaning closer with a grave expression. “Tsuchimiya-kun is ‘hot property’ right now. If you keep dragging your feet, someone else is going to swoop in and take that seat before you even know it!”
”Ugh…”
Karen’s face fell, her confidence shaken. Seeing her friend on the verge of tears, Shoko let out a long sigh.
”Alright, alright. I’ll share something someone I respect once told me.”
”Someone you respect…?”
Looking into Karen’s puzzled gaze, Shoko straightened her posture and spoke with conviction.
”──’If you walk this path, what will happen? Don’t be afraid. If you’re afraid, there will be no path. But if you take a step, that step will become the path, and that one step will lead the way. Go without hesitation, and you’ll understand when you get there.’”
Karen’s eyes widened further.
”If you’re afraid, there will be no path…” she murmured, her mind drifting back to a long-buried memory.
* * *
In her mind’s eye, Karen saw herself in elementary school, standing behind the building with her first love, Masaru-kun.
Even back then, she had already grown taller than most boys in her grade—over 170 centimeters by the 4th grade—and had a commanding presence as class representative.
When she called Masaru-kun out to confess her feelings, her serious tone and towering figure had unintentionally intimidated him.
The boy burst into tears on the spot, and rumors soon spread that Karen had bullied him.
After that, he avoided her at all costs, running away the moment he spotted her.
The memory had left a deep scar.
Karen withdrew from the idea of romance, creating an idealized “prince” in her mind, someone who would come and sweep her away from the pain of reality.
She poured her energy into her studies and leadership roles, eventually becoming Student Council President in both middle and high school.
Admired for her beauty, intelligence, and poise, Karen was placed on a pedestal, unreachable by the boys around her.
Most were too intimidated by her presence, height, and family name—the Amahara Group’s vast influence—to approach her.
Karen resigned herself to the idea that her future might involve a loveless arranged marriage with another wealthy heir.
But then, Tsuchimiya Takeru appeared.
He wasn’t intimidated by her or the walls she’d built around herself.
In fact, he had saved her in life-threatening situations more than once, always treating her with respect and kindness.
Slowly, Karen began to see him as not just a gallant, idealized prince but a real person with flaws and virtues like her own.
That realization made her heart race.
Tsuchimiya was far from perfect, but his imperfections made him all the more endearing.
For the first time in her life, Karen wasn’t longing for a fairy-tale prince—she was in love with a real person, Tsuchimiya Takeru.
But even now, she couldn’t quite summon the courage to take that final step.
* * *
”Come on, Karen, pump yourself up!”
Shoko’s voice jolted her back to the present.
”H-huh?”
Karen blinked at her friend.
”Daaaah!”
Shoko cheered, throwing her fists into the air.
”Oh…”
”Your voice is too quiet! Louder! Daaaah!!”
”O-oh! Daaaah!”
”That’s it! Shaaaah! Karen, fight!”
”Ooooh!!”
Karen raised her fists in determination.
At that exact moment, the door swung open.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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