CH 127.1

Chapter 127.1 : Yamakawa Junichiro and Himeno Airi

「Aah, thank goodness, we meet other surviving classmates!」

「Yup, it’s been a while since the last time I saw a woman.」

「Thank goodness you’re safe, Yamada-kun, Yamakawa-kun! It must be hard for you guys to arrive in this place. Anyway, let’s take a break for today.」

The group we met next was the duo consisting of Yamakawa Junichiro, otherwise known as Yamajun, and Yamada Genki of the baseball club. Tch, even though it would be for the best if it was a pair from the same club, the futsumen amongst futsumen, Takashima-kun.

Even so, we would welcome any additional war potential in this kind of situation.

After Haruma-kun left, we had advanced a bit into one dome forest after another. We’d a hard time finding a breakthrough from this forest. Good grief, the Totem Pole Trio was such a musclehead.

Majority of the monsters in this area were small fry, but our main problem was the dinosaur-like monster called 『Gore』. Its tough and solid body gave the sword user a hard time dealing damage.

In addition, they were ferocious in nature and would attack us on the spot with their fangs and claws. Worst of all, they came in groups.

Honestly, we had no choice but to escape since we could barely protect ourselves when the five of them came to us at once. In short, we were simply lacking manpower to kick their asses.

But then, we met another pair just when we needed more manpower.

Moreover, that’s where this divine protection of succubus’s goddess-sama was truly useful, wasn’t it? Fufufu, I mean, I would’ve to do my best to reward them from now on.

「It’s good to see you safe and sound, Ueda-kun, Nakai-kun, Shimokawa-kun.」

「Same goes for you, Yamajun.」

「Please tell me if you’ve injury. I mean, my vocation is 『Healer』, so I’ll be able to do something about your wound.」

「Ooh, so Yamajun is a 『Healer』 too. Well, there’s none so far since Airi’s vocation is the same as you.」

「Ah, I see now. Then, I’ll help you with covering fire from behind with my 『Lux Sagitta』. My apologizes beforehand but please don’t expect too much on its destructive power.」

「Seriously Yamajun, you can use offensive magic! Man, we finally have another magic user who can use attack magic.」

As expected of the true center of class 2-7. He could talk normally with the Totem Pole Trio.

Well, he originally already had a wide array of connections with so many people regardless of their gender. Even the gloomy virgin me back then had shared some conversation with Yamajun too.

His amazing communication skill was something I wanted at all cost. Yamajun, who had a good relationship with women, was also the one with more immunity compared to the other men but… that was only for high school level. I could easily make him submit with my 『Succubus』’ s power.

「Oi, have you been searching around this area?」

「Well, we already did what we could.」

+++

「What about the boss room?」

「Not yet.」

「The hell you guys are doing, don’t tell me you can’t even take on those small fries? That’s lame.」

「Those Gores are tough and powerful. You should’ve known if you fight them, Yamada.」

The one who spoke with a condescending attitude to us was, of course, Yamada Genki. Even though he was nothing more than futsumen with a potato-like face, he spoke to the trio with such a condescending attitude. I mean, the only hunk who could speak in such a condescending manner. Oh well, this kind of man who had no idea about their position was dime a dozen.

But in return, this kind of guy was easy prey. There’s a saying that even a pig could climb a tree if you praise them, right? Yamada was more like a gorilla than a pig though.

「Well, well, I think the dungeon capture will be easier with more people joining in.」

「Absolutely~! That’s why, everyone should get along, right?」

Indeed, everyone should get along, as my servant. Now men, work your asses off for the sake of getting a reward from me!

===

「―― HEYAAAAAAAA!」

Regarding Yamada’s strength.

I’d heard from Yamajun before, but Yamada apparently had a rare vocation called 『Heavy Warrior』, it was fairly more powerful than a normal vocation. And the most amazing thing about his vocation was the fact that he could take on those Gores’ fangs and claws like they were nothing. I heard that his unreasonably tough defense was the work of his two overlapping passive skills.

Full build defense was completely useless in game but… this was reality, meaning that Yamada could tank the damage just fine.

Thanks to Yamada’s cheat-like defense, now we could take on those Gores with ease. I mean, he could stop their fangs and claws with his defense. In contrast to his amazing defense, 『Heavy Warrior』’s offensive skills were falling behind, his offensive martial art was… normal.

Yup, Yamada was tough but his attack was normal.

「You’re so amazing today, Yamada-ku~n!」

「O-Ou, this much is nothing for me.」

I love strong men you know?

His face was definitely not my type, or should I say that though he was ugly his strength was so irresistible. He alone was comparable to the Totem Pole Trio combined together.

Fufufu, since it was thanks to him that we could safely cross the dome forest area… I would give him a lot of service tonight.

===

I had this bad premonition as soon as I met their group.

Yes, I knew what kind of relationship they had the moment we met the group of Shimokawa-kun, Nakai-kun, Ueda-kun, and… Himeno-san. And I knew that my suspicion turned out to hit the bull’s eyes on the third day after we moved together.

A single girl amongst several men. Moreover, in the middle of dungeon survival where the rules of modern Japan were of no use.

But their relationship was wholesome in a sense. Himeno-san had an almost impartial bodily relationship with the trio. In addition, the trio could accept that kind of relationship too. So rather than making Himeno-san their girlfriend, it was a relationship close to water business service.

The trio was truly comrade-in-arms in every sense, they were working together to capture the dungeon instead of trying to trip each other, that’s why Himeno-san, who detected their lack of enmity towards one other, made the full use of the trio’s camaraderie to led them by the nose.

Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say that this party was absolutely safe either. The subtleties of the relationship between men and women were too delicate, extremely strong yet fragile at the same time. Especially in this kind of situation, the balance would crumble as soon as someone who wanted to monopolize the girl appeared amongst them.

Himeno-san should’ve planned to get along with the trio for a long time. This delicate balance shouldn’t crumble as long as no one triggered it but then… that happened.

Yes, the two of us, Yamada and I met with their group.

Yamada was one of my friends who often talked to me in class. He might be slightly sarcastic and self-centered at times, but he was by no means a bad guy. I had a fairly good relationship with my friends. In short, I was just looking for a slightly better than the average person for my friend. That’s why my evaluation of anyone who was not my friend was rather harsh.

In fact, there was no problem with our dungeon capture so far. Though Yamada-kun fought in the frontline as the vanguard of our group since he was a 『Heavy Warrior』, never once did he complain about me who could only use recovery magic and rear guard support. In fact, he had always protected me all this time. His action was the only proof I needed to know that he acknowledged me as his friend. Anyone who got along with him would know that he was the kind of man who always shouldered the hardship by himself.

That kind of character was what made Yamada-kun a good person but… that kind of character was what backfired in this kind of situation.

「Good grief, get a grip already, you three, make yourself more useful next time. Don’t just scream if you feel that you’re not strong enough, go with guts.」

For better or worse, Yamada-kun’s sportsmanship spirit was often mistaken by others as arrogance.

In addition, the factor that decided a man standing in this dungeon’s survival was none other than their own power. The power of the trio was clearly falling behind Yamada-kun, at least, things wouldn’t become an issue if everyone was equal but, for better or worse, Yamada was too powerful.

Thus, a pecking order was created. Yamada would throw his weight around without even bothering to hear the trio’s opinion.

Even so, since the trio couldn’t avoid defeat if they fought the current Yamada, they wouldn’t oppose him that much. The reason being they knew that they’re weaker than him.

「Well, according to today’s performance, Airi will be mine too for today.」

And above all else, Yamada-kun started monopolizing Himeno-san for himself.

Appearance-wise, I absolutely couldn’t say that Yamada-kun was a handsome man, but it was also a fact that he didn’t have a girlfriend. In short, he was a youthful baseball player brimming with libido and zero resistance against women on top of that.

It was as clear as day that he was completely engrossed with Himeno-san’s body.

+++

And worse of all, Himeno-san just simply accepted that as a matter of fact.

Maybe, that was the survival path she chose in this dungeon, hugging the thigh of a strongman.

I had no intention to judge her as something along the “fucking b!tch” or the likes. I mean, she just used her weapon as a woman to survive in this kind of situation.

Based on my interaction with Himeno-san back when we’re still in Japan, she shouldn’t be the type of girl who could sell her body without batting her eyelids, but for some reason, her gestures indicated that she was a veteran in the water business.

Or maybe, this was simply the real Himeno Airi without putting on a mask of a quiet girl. Honestly, I wanted to know the reason behind her drastic change, but my intuition and experience of interacting with numerous people along with sense as 『Healer』 had sent a warning―― she was bad news.

This was my guess so far but, Himeno-san might be a—

「Good evening, Yamakawa-kun.」

「Ah, good evening Himeno-san. By chance, are you by yourself tonight?」

In regard to the relationship between Himeno-san and the other guys, she always spent time alone with the MVP upon arriving in fairy plaza. They would spend around two hours. By the way, since those two hours had passed, we’re prepared to hit the bed.

When it came to sleeping, everyone literally chose their own favourite spot and slept there. My favourite spot was right under the fairy walnut tree on the corner of the fairy plaza.

And then, on this extremely rare occasion, Himeno-san came to visit me, who always slept alone under the fairy walnut’s tree.

When I was looking around, I saw that Yamada-kun, who was Himeno-san’s partner for today, too had already fallen asleep. The same went for the other three, they’re already asleep on the lawn.

In short, she only had one reason to visit me today.

「Yeah, I want to chat for a bit with you, Yamakawa-kun.」

「Sure, even though I’m sure that both of us are already tired from today’s exploration, the night is still young.」

「Ahaha, already in serious mode huh.」

「You’re mistaken, I’m simply showing my true self.」

Because no one wanted to approach a serious person. In case of students, the sure way was to crack a joke or two and do slightly stupid things.

「E~h, is that so? It doesn’t look that way to me~」

「Ahaha, I mean―― no one talks to me whenever I show this side of mine. I feel lonely you know.」

Oh, how I missed the good ol’ peaceful days in Japan! Even though I was at my wits end inside, desperately telling myself to calm down and not get caught in the other party’s pace.

「Fufufu, I want to know more about you, Yamakawa-kun.」

Even though she spoke lightly, my brain was working at full speed, wondering what in the world she was thinking right now? Did she want to go back to Japan? Did she really want to return to her usual plain girl, unnoticed in the corner of the classroom?