Chapter 99 Approaching Red Dot
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey, good morning”
I barely made it to the teleportation facility on time, where Sogahara-senpai and the others were waiting.
”Good morning”
’Good morning too!’
”……”
Njorn and I bowed, and then Himeno, Kanon, and Hano-san greeted us.
Hano-san had offered to join our exploration in Higurashi’s place.
We were all set to dive in right away, and it looked like Sogahara-senpai’s group was ready too.
”So, Kibakura still hasn’t come back?”
”Ah, yeah. It seems Demiurge’s group was searching the 4th floor until the undead started pouring in, so Higurashi-kun’s theory is looking more likely”
Sogahara-senpai was chatting with me while staring at Njorn.
Don’t mind them, they’re just a talking snake.
Then we did some quick introductions.
Sogahara-senpai’s party had a vanguard of Sogahara-senpai, third-year student Saegusa Mitsuki-senpai, and first-year student Katsura Keita-kun.
The rearguard had second-year Magician Kanami Shion-san and Support Magician Kijima Shiori-senpai.
The scout was third-year student Higashimura Takumi-senpai.
We also had Taniguchi Masaki-senpai, a third-year Scout, joining us from the party that was exploring the 3E area.
For some reason, Njorn was a hit with the girls.
Apparently, he’s popular in Kanon’s class too.
But, um, he’s a snake?
Just because he has wings doesn’t mean he’s cute or anything.
”I don’t want to draw attention, so let’s dive in already”
”Got it”
It was only 5:30, but we could see other parties starting to gather.
”There are parties who dive early on.”
”The pumped-up party dives in the early morning, attends classes after returning, and then dives again in the afternoon as a routine.”
”I see…”
If it were me, I’d probably just sleep through class time.
When I entered the teleportation room, no one was in line.
I passed my player card through the log crystal, and with Sogahara-senpai and the other 7, we boarded the teleportation magic circle.
In the center stood the lead man, Taniguchi-senpai.
Wrapped in white light, we teleported to the dungeon.
In the familiar room surrounded by stone walls, there were no other students.
”So this is 3E… we haven’t explored too deep, huh?”
Sogahara-senpai spoke to Taniguchi-senpai while checking the map.
”Since Kibakura changes the exploration area randomly each time, we had to be careful not to stick too close, so we ended up exploring the surroundings evenly. What should we do? I can lead you to the edge of the explored area.”
”No, if we’re seen together too much, Taniguchi-kun might attract Demiurge’s attention. This is enough for now, thank you.”
”Understood. Then, I’ll head back here. Good luck.”
”Good luck.”
As Taniguchi-senpai extended his arm, Sogahara-senpai lightly bumped his arm in greeting, and Taniguchi-senpai boarded the magic circle to return.
”Sogahara-senpai, Higurashi asked me to give you this.”
At the moment Sogahara-senpai turned to us, I handed over the smartphone I had.
”Ah, the one… thank you, Tsuchimiya-kun.”
”When you launch the chat app, please send a friend request and a participation request to the room owner in the Student Freedom Alliance chat room. Once approved, you can enter the room and send friend requests to those speaking or already inside.”
”Got it.”
When Sogahara-senpai started using his smartphone, the party members peeked at the screen with great interest.
”‘Student Freedom Alliance, Exchange & Information Room’… this is it. The room owner is Higurashi-kun, right? …Oh, they already approved it. Is this Tsuchimiya (Mole) Tsuchimiya-kun?”
”Yeah, well…”
It’s embarrassing to be confirmed so formally.
At first, my only contact was Higurashi.
Soon, I received a friend request from Sogahara-senpai on my smartphone, and as I was approving it, Kijima-senpai approached me.
”Hey, Tsuchimiya-kun”
”Yes. What is it……?”
Kijima-senpai smiled and took my hand, squeezing it tightly with both hands.
”I want that too.”
Kijima-senpai leaned in with a smile.
What an incredible pressure!
”Uh, um… right…”
”What should I do? If I kiss you, will you give it to me too?”
She said something outrageous with a grin, but her eyes weren’t smiling.
”W-wait! I understand, I’ll prioritize you, Kijima-senpai! F-first, let me talk to Higurashi, so please calm down!”
”Thank you. Then, please do it as soon as possible.”
I took the smartphone Kijima-senpai offered with a sigh of relief.
I hope she stops creating an atmosphere that makes me feel like Sogahara-senpai and Himeno might stab me in the back, even though we’re about to explore the dungeon.
”If we leave Takashi unchecked, it will turn into a disaster. We need to build a surveillance network urgently.”
Kijima-senpai whispered in a small voice.
”Ah, I see…”
Indeed, there must be many girls among the representatives of the Student Freedom Alliance.
Kijima-senpai has a lot of worries.
They should just break up.
I hadn’t planned to use it, but apparently, as the master, I have access to locked rooms and private message exchanges, including DMs.
If it comes down to it, I wouldn’t hesitate to gather evidence and report it to Kijima-senpai.
”Hmm, just a kiss, huh…”
”Well, Keita should be okay with at least that, right?”
Saegusa-senpai and Kanami-san were both eyeing me with unsettling gazes.
”Hey now, don’t put Tsuchimiya-kun in a difficult spot, you two. And Shiori, don’t make unreasonable demands. Sorry about this, Tsuchimiya-kun. I do want to get Shiori connected as soon as possible, but favoritism isn’t good.
We have to be strict and fair; otherwise, it won’t set a good example for everyone else.”
Sogahara-senpai spoke with a bright smile devoid of any ill intent, but I was sure he was dead serious.
I exchanged a glance with Kijima-senpai and nodded.
I’d better return the smartphone with the communication feature to Kijima-senpai as soon as possible.
”Alright, let’s set off. We’ll head to the mapped location first and deploy the Scouts there. Luckily, we’ve got Higashimura-kun and Asagiri-kun as Scouts. We’ll have them explore different routes and proceed with whichever path looks promising.”
”Ah, about that──I can see up to two hundred meters ahead on the map, so we don’t need the Scouts.”
”What!? Is that a skill or some kind of magic, Tsuchimiya-kun?”
”…It’s a skill.”
This was a race against time.
With my auto-mapping ability, the chance of finding the boss room in a single run would skyrocket.
Since they were relying on me, it wouldn’t be right to withhold an effective solution.
”Oh, I knew it. You’ve been using it since the First Dive, haven’t you? At some point, your detection range seemed to expand suddenly. You can also see where the monsters are, right?”
Did Kijima-senpai sense it?
This person’s insight is not to be underestimated.
Maybe he didn’t say it in front of everyone, but he must have noticed the positions of both the Monsters and the humans, as well as the magic circles.
It might be good to consider that there are other things he could have figured out too.
”Yes. My skill leveled up back then, and the range expanded.”
”So that’s the secret to surviving a week in First Dive. That’s helpful, but it seems like my role as Scout might be gone.”
Higashimura-senpai shrugs.
By the way, Higashimura-senpai and Saegusa-senpai were the ones waiting for me in front of the shower room yesterday.
”Alright, I’ll leave the course to Tsuchimiya-kun. Aim for the depths as quickly as possible.”
”Understood. Himeno, I leave the front to you.”
”Yes! Leave it to me!”
Himeno and I took the lead and began exploring the west side.
* * *
”A swarm is coming from the next room! Kanon, prepare the flare bomb!”
”Yes!”
”No problem! Leave it to me!”
Himeno jumped into the corridor, weaving through the gaps in the battlefield.
We were surrounded by nearly 30 Monsters, fighting to protect the rearguard, but as expected of Sogahara-senpai’s party, known as the strongest in the Academy.
With Kijima-senpai’s support magic, the entire party was strengthened, quickly reducing the number of Monsters.
Sogahara-senpai is indeed strong.
Most of the Monsters he faced fell with a single strike, but he couldn’t push forward to eliminate them due to the need to protect the rearguard, so it took time to wipe them out.
The other 2 were also quite skilled.
Hano-san was also doing her best.
I could see she was focused on not letting any Monsters through rather than trying to take them down forcefully.
While Hano-san held them back, Kanon secured a line of fire and supported with small flares, reducing the number of Monsters.
From the long corridor where Himeno jumped in, about ten white Hobgoblins and a larger Goblin Leader came running around the corner.
Is she okay?
With narrow passages, Himeno can’t make full use of her speed.
If she get swallowed up by the amount of things, she’ll be crushed in an instant.
It made me feel a bit uneasy, but just before she hit the front of the pack, Himeno was speeding up even more and kicking the wall.
”Oh!?”
It’s a truly instantaneous event.
From wall to wall, Himeno zigzags and slips through the pack like lightning, and the hobgoblins spurt up and spurt down with blood.
Without even looking back, Himeno turns the aisle and heads to hit the trailer.
Just as Higurashi said, it was no use to worry.
”Amazing…that’s Asagiri the ‘Shooting Star’…”
Katsura-kun, who was fighting next to me, is completely captivated.
Without missing the gap, Cave Wolf jumps over Katsura-kun, and I stab it from the side with Kondou Spear.
”Ah! Sorry!”
”Ah, don’t worry. Don’t let your focus go.”
”Yes! Thank you!”
The goblin leader in front of me was burning with Kanon’s small flare, and the subsequent Monster was frightened and space was created.
”Blue Thunder Fang!”
Immediately, I kick the goblin leader to the ground and step on it, slashing it into the midst of the monster’s flock.
A nearby Monster was hit by my skill and fell flapping.
The downside to my magic trick is that if you don’t be careful, your allies will get involved.
”Wind God Sword (Fūjin Ken)! “
At the same time, as Monster numbers decrease, Sogahara-senpai comes forward and begins hunting the remnants.
From there it was a one-sided killing.
Every time Sogahara-senpai swings his sword, Monster falls with blood splashes.
Looking at it, it’s obviously outside the distance, and even if the sword is not touched directly, Monster is slashed down.
Is that Sogahara-senpai’s magic trick?
It’s a pretty powerful skill.
You might be defeated before you know it if you’re watching it for the first time.
However, with that skill, I don’t think he would have gone to the trouble of using magic tricks.
I’ve exposed my hand, so I guess it’s a return gift.
He’s a polite person.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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