Chapter 90

Chapter 90 \n\n“…. this is, different.”

After arriving at a fairy square upon his magical transfer following the skeleton boss fight, Ryuichi went outside to fine not stone passages that spawned skeletons like the previous area, but a zone full of green.

It wasn’t exactly a real jungle, as the floors and walls were still stone, but flora had clearly dominated the construction. The architecture of the zone also seemed to be different in that, while before there had been mainly passages branching out to small rooms, now there were large forest like areas, domes to be exact, with short passages connecting them. Basically, it could be called a jungle zone.

 

“GuBeaaah!!”

“Shut it.”

The first monsters ryuichi encountered here were a black humanoid type called gomas. They tried to use the environment to their advantage, hiding behind bushes and on branches, and had launched an attack on Ryuichi from all directions. Not an issue.

“These are easy too.”

 

He designated them as smallfry from the moment he first saw one. They could come in swarms and Ryuichi would have no trouble at all dealing with them. Of course, these short, black monsters held bladed weapons that could potentially injure him, but he felt not an iota of threat. He almost felt like yawning at the whole affair, but since they were kind enough to welcome him, he figured he could at least show some gratitude by testing his new sword on them.

Ryuichi needed only one swing to not only cut down the poorly armed gomas leaping at him from all directions, but the slash even chopped down the tree where their archer lay hiding, bringing it equal death.

 

“This thing’s pretty sharp.”

He was afraid that his sword would be as sharp as a block of wood, but thankfully, it wasn’t. He wasn’t sure if it was the skeleton boss’ sword that was of high quality or if his Royal Sword skill did the magic.

Whatever it was, Ryuichi was satisfied with his new, reliable sword, and continued his march through the jungle zone in steady steps.

 

Some time later, and with a sigh, “… Guess zone bosses are the only things that’ll give me a fight.”

This zone was different from the previous, skeleton-only area in that there were a variety of monsters here. There were humanoid ones like gomas and other ones that looked like animals.

A weird, red dog that spat fireballs, horned monkeys that hopped around like bunnies, wild boars whose only course of action seemed to be ‘charge’, yellow toads with poison tongues, and many, many giant bug type monsters: man sized ants, bees and mantises, just everywhere.

Predated skills

    Red Spark: Let off hot sparks.

    Sidestep: Make agile side steps.

    Charge‘n Dash: Build up potential and perform a powerful charge.

    Paralyzer: Produce paralysis poison.

    Power of the Ant: Lift things many times your weight.

    Dissolver: Produce acidic fluid.

    Mantis Slash: A quick and deadly double slash with scythes.

Arriving at his second fairy square, Ryuichi reluctantly ate the least disgusting of the monster parts… mostly a single piece of bone from each monster, and learned a number of new skills. He did not eat any gomas, however. Not because they were humanoid and it would be wrong, but because his gut sense had told him that eating that disgusting creature wouldn’t get him anything.

The skills he did gain didn’t seem like they would be useful at all at the moment, but since this world worked on rpg mechanics, they might just come in handy somewhere down the line.

 

After that, he went on to traverse more of the jungle zone, coming to a point where he didn’t seem to find any new types of monsters, which was when he came to a dome much larger and higher than any he’d seen before. And as he took the first step inside,

“ ―― Woah!” Ryuichi was met with an explosion right in front of him, followed by a hot gust of wind to the face. The powerful blast shook the large jungle trees and threw up Ryuichi’s hair.

“Could be a runaway boss?” he thought, never fearing a challenge. He took a bold stride inside and discovered the cause of the explosion.

 

“Oh? You’re… Tendo Ryuichi.”

 

At the center of the dome that had opened up into a wide field, Ryuichi found the giant red creature.\n“Wow, it’s… a fucking dragon.” He noted.

A ‘red dragon’ perhaps, as it could be called in a fantasy game.

 

“Hehe, surprised are we? This ‘Salamander’ is my familiar, my obedient servant.”

 

It’s face was unlike that of a lizard and nor was it crocodilian. It had the ferocious look that could only be described as a dragon’s. Rows of razor-sharp teeth lined its massive jaws and small sparks could be seen escaping the gaps in between. Its red wings were lifted outstretched and its two bulky legs allowed it to stand upright, giving the beast a certain regality, like that of a ruler of all monsters. Its long tail looked flexible and was yet covered in tough red scales that gave of a metallic sheen. One strike from such a tail could surely break human bone.

However, Ryuichi noted that overall, the color of this dragon felt faded… giving the impression that it was an old, aged dragon.

 

“Fret not. So long as I hold command over it, Salamander will not attack you.”

“Huh? Wait, when’d you get there?” Ryuichi said as he finally noticed the young man standing arms crossed in front of the red dragon, looking awfully proud of himself…. From the fact that he was wearing the school uniform, Ryuichi quickly understood that he must be a classmate.

 

“I have been here this whole time! You see this Salamander? This is mine!”

“Uh, yeah. Who are you again?”

“W-who am I…? Are you seriously asking that!? I am your Class Rep, for goodness’ sake!”

“No? You’re definitely not Ryoko―― Ah, right, there was the boy’s rep too, I guess. Oh yeah, you’re Kazuma, right?”

“Azuma! My name is Azuma Shinichi!”

“Sure, close enough.”

 

Ryuichi was frankly terrible with names. Or rather, he found it a pain to remember people. Just didn’t give a crap, basically. Then again, he kind-of-sort-of did remember seeing this guy stand at the class podium along with Ryoko a couple of times. Maybe?

Ryuichi finally connected the boy in front of him to the boy’s Class Rep of 2-7.

 

“Alright, now what? You’re gonna sic your amazing dragon on me, that how it’s gonna go?”

“Sic him on you? Me? It is truly drôle how the first thing you delinquents think of is fighting. It is because of people like you that young adults of our age have gotten the label of being ‘too short tempered’. I personally think it is the adults who put all us youths into the same category as some hot-blooded muscle-brains need to get their own heads examined―― but I digress. Let me just say, that I have no intention of instigating any form of violence against you. Let us think about this logically, yes? What reason would I, a classmate of yours, have to attack a fellow of mine when we should be joining hands one and all in order to surmount this catastrophe that has befallen us. In fact, the very suggestion of such barbarism is so carelessly nonsensical that――”

 

“Quit your bullshit.” Ryuichi put a swift end to Azuma’s monologue. “Your little pet almost went and attacked me and you had to stop it.”

“… What ever might you be implying?”

“I’ll say it again. Your damn dragon sensed you wanting to kill me, so it did its thing.”

Ryuichi had of course been well aware of Azuma’s presence at the moment the dragon had entered his visual range. He had simply forgotten this particular class representative’s name but, had no doubt that the youth in front of him was the master of the seemingly out of control dragon. Ryouichi had even seen Azuma gesture at his fire breathing pet from behind, firmly ordering it to stand down while he boastfully called out to the class’ toughest delinquent.

 

“It’s all over your face.” Ryuichi said, driving the point home. “Heh, guess that’s an honor student for you? All goody-goody to the core.”

 

The cocky smile completely disappeared from Boys’ Class Rep’s, from Azuma Shinichi’s face as he scowled, directing eyes of enmity at Ryuichi…. But he wasn’t about to blow his top just yet. In no time, he straightened his expression, and looked Ryuichi in the eye: “I cannot seem to understand what you might be implying. But if that is how you see it, I suppose I cannot convince you otherwise.”

“Playing dumb, now?” Ryuichi saw no reason to play along. “You sure you don’t want your pet lighting me up?”

“I kindly request that you stop it with those nonsensical provocations.”

“Then how about you fucking decide. Fight me or fuck off. I don’t have time to play games.” Ryuichi said, shoving his hands into his pant pockets as a gesture that he was willing to give Azuma some time to make a decision. At the same time, almost naturally, he gave off the intimidating aura of a bad-to-the-bone delinquent squatting outside a convenience store past midnight, the type that an upstanding student such as Azuma wouldn’t even think to approach. This left the Boys’ Class Rep unable to speak right away.

Azuma took in a breath, exhaled, then made his case, ”Listen, Tendo Ryuichi. Seeing as you have come this far inside the dungeon, you should be well aware as to what sort of place this really is. Am I wrong?”\n“Yeah, what’s your point?”

Ryuichi understood it simply as a world where video game logic seems to work, except for the fact that dying here meant actual death.

 

“This place is very, very dangerous.” Azuma began. “We have been granted amazing powers by our Callings, but the creatures inhabiting this dungeon, the monsters, also have a variety of powers. I am certain that in the very depths of this dungeon, we are sure to encounter an unimaginably powerful boss monster.”

“Sure.”

“You may be proud of your strength, Tendo Ryuichi, you were even famous for it. But let me remind you, that strength back in our world means nothing here. A Calling grants us power easily surpassing any human being. Your Calling is your absolute lifeline, so it is only logical to assume that multiple individuals possessing these Callings can exert much greater power where they to cooperate.”

 

“Oi, you plan on getting to the fucking point sometime this year? Quit wasting time.”

“Tsk…” Azuma complied irritably. “In other words, I am saying that we should all work together, you, me, and all of our classmates. Thus, Tendo Ryuichi, I suggest you refrain from suggesting that you want to act solo.”

“AAh?” Ryuichi barked. “You telling me what to do now, is that it?”

“I am suggesting,” Azuma’s voice began to grow in volume, “and in very clear, logical, easy to understand terms, that we must consolidate our strength!”

“Calm down dude, your glasses are getting fogged over.”

As Ryuichi had correctly pointed out, Azuma’s slim black-rimmed spectacles had indeed been coated in the condensed vapor produced as a result of his heavy breathing. That calm retort from the supposedly hot-headed delinquent however, was akin to pouring oil on a fire.

 

“I am speaking calmly!”

“Come on, don’t get so worked up. We’re gonna work together right?”

“Shut up!”

The Boys’ Class Rep had snapped. Ryuichi didn’t go so far as to sigh in annoyance (even though he wanted to), but he was nearing the limit to his patience. He entertained the idea of shutting up his over-excited classmate with a solid punch to the gut, but he wasn’t sure if ‘Fido’ the dragon would sit idly while his master is being attacked. Ryuichi got the distinct impression that this whole thing was going to be a major pain in the ass.

“… Tendo Ryuichi, just tell me this. Are you going to cooperate or not, yes or no?”

Oi, where’d Mr. Sophisticated go all of a sudden? Ryuichi wanted to say as Azuma suddenly switched to speaking like a normal person, but he stopped himself, thinking it better not to fan the flames even further.

 

“Yeah, I’m gonna do my own thing for a while. If you want to get everyone together, be my guest. I won’t get in your way.”

“Do you really think you’ll be fine acting all on your own?”

“Do you really think I can just hold hands and get along with everyone else?”

To Ryuichi, it was sort of hilarious how Azuma was seriously asking him, him of all people to cooperate. Feeling exasperated, Ryuichi decided to set him straight. “Take a good, long look. I bleached my head, I don’t give one fuck about the school dress code, and I even smoke… oh, yeah can’t smoke anymore. But you get my point. You even said it yourself: I’m a delinquent.”

 

He wasn’t particularly proud of it, nor was he one for show, but, “Can’t be a damn delinquent if I let a stupid dragon scare me, yeah?”

At some point, people just started calling him one. He hadn’t strayed from the so-called ‘honest’ path, but merely became one through the natural course of his life. Therefore, being thrown into a dangerous world full of deadly monsters didn’t seem like much of a reason to change his ways. That was Ryuichi’s take on the matter.

 

“Ri-ri-ridiculous!” Class Rep Azuma had, as expected, not liked his answer.

“Think about it, do you even need me at all? Heck, your plan might just go smoother without me around.”

Ryuichi did not get along with many people. At most, there was his childhood friend who stuck to him through and through, but his other classmates? They’d be scared out of their wits just being in his presence. Ryuichi was keenly self-aware about these things.

 

“We can’t have anyone do as they please in our situation! You are no exception to that!”

“Who’s this we? You’re making this bigger than it needs to be. I mean, you and everyone will be fine as long as Yuuto’s around.”

At the mention of said childhood friend, Azuma fell silent for a moment. “… Yuuto? Do you mean Souma Yuuto-kun? Why, do you mention him.”

“Well, who else is gonna take charge?”

\n“Yup. I’m done.”

“Ah?” Ryuichi looked at him. At his bulging eyes but otherwise emotionless face. He wasn’t sure where this was going, but he sensed that it was strange. Very strange.

 

“You know, Tendo Ryuichi, I wanted to be a good person.” Azuma began. Ryuichi’s first thought was that he was going to go off on another tirade, but his tone was placid. It was as if all the anger and frustration from just now had vanished into thin air. “I am strong. It’s because I’m strong that I was granted such great power. Power that I would use responsibly. That is how it was meant to be. I aspired to use this strength wisely and protect my classmates, take care of them, lead them back home, to Earth, to Japan. I truly wanted that, you know? Even if I knew―― ”

At this point, Azuma’s wide-open eyes had gone wet and glossy.

“ ―― Even if I knew, that only three of us could go back!”

“Only three? Oi, what the f―― !?” The dragon attacked.

Ryuichi heard a whistling intake of air, then saw from the red behemoth’s gaping jaws, a flash of orange.

Dragon breath. Dragons are creatures that breathe fire. It was the stuff of legends and folklore back on Earth, and in this world, a concrete and undeniable truth.

Ryuichi already knew that though. He knew that the explosion he was met with upon his entry into this dome was caused by the fire of this very same dragon.

 

Even Ryuichi, with his powered up body, couldn’t take such an explosion head on. Before his ears began ringing, he not only made the split-second decision to dodge with one of his predation skills, Sidestep, but he additionally used his Royal Sword to shield himself from the blast wave. Even then, he was blown back. That was a powerful attack. If he hadn’t evaded, he would’ve ended up as a smudge on the charred ground.

 

“Tsk… chances ain’t so good here” Ryuichi judged that the open area he had tumbled to would only leave him open to attacks, and so, quickly standing up, he ran for the trees.

“Fuh, fufu, fwahahahaha!! You see now, Tendo Ryuichi! This, this is my power!”

Uh, no, your dragon’s doing all the work, Ryuichi wanted to retort but now wasn’t the time.

He was more or less hidden now, and didn’t expect the dragon to burn down the whole forest. Even Azuma wouldn’t risk that.

“This is all your fault, Tendo Ryuichi… Here I was, trying to SAVE everyone using the STRONGEST power that only I was granted, and you just had to… you, youuuuuuu!!!”

The lie that Ryuichi had fathered a child with Kisaragi Ryoko had caused this madness within Azuma. Ryuichi had expected to rile him up, but he didn’t expect the guy to go absolutely ballistic.

“Great…” Ryuichi sighed, “You just had to get a nutcase go for you huh, Ryoko.”

 

Ryuichi knew how Azuma Shinichi had a thing for Kisaragi Ryoko. It was common knowledge for the better half of their class, a staple topic for those interested in love gossip. Azuma was just that obvious about it.

And that’s exactly why Ryuichi told the lie that he did. To test him.

Azuma had made noble and virtuous claims. Like how he would gather and lead his classmates through these troubled times, leaving no one behind and all that. But how far was he really willing to follow through with those ideals?

For instance, what if it turned out that the girl he likes was carrying another man’s child? What if the father turned out to be the type of scum that he simply despised, someone who boasted about their lewd deed in vulgar detail? Could he still make peace with such a man, in the name of his noble cause; could he work together with such a man, knowing all this?

The answer to those questions, as it has been shown, is evidently, a big, fat NO.

 

“I’m done! I’m done being the stupid Class Rep! I’ll escape! Me and, and the girl I love, only the two of us will survive and return back to Japan, we’ll even start a family!”

“Oh yeah? Then take good care of my kid will ya? I’m sure you’ll be a great dad!”

“Aaaaaah!” Azuma screamed. “Kill him! Salamander!!”

Another massive explosion. The forest was being set ablaze at an alarming rate―― but the red heat of the huge fireballs were flying at random while Ryuichi was still hidden behind the thick green.

“So you do wanna fight, after all. Bring it on, Azuma―― ” A fireball flew toward the direction of his voice, but its lack in accuracy made dodging easy. Each time the dragon’s breath missed, it was an opportunity to get used to it.

Firing rate, damage output, attack range and accuracy, Ryuichi observed and learned.

Ryuichi knew just how strong he was. So he knew that if he were to give it his all here, he had a decent chance at winning against that thing.

The risk was exhilarating, fun even. Without realizing, Ryuichi’s mouth had curved into a wide grin as he took on the challenge:

“ ―― I’m ready, anytime.”