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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 36 Part 2

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Pasifista

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「For the time being, the restriction pertaining to club recruitment is lifted by May, so we’d like to settle everything before we receive any unnecessary meddling, you see. If Touma-kun is alright, I’ll send our girls in pair to Anzu-chan’s place.」

「… There is, no problem with it. Since it seems that Ichigo-senpai is already down.」

「Even Ichigo-chan, who seems would take the most time, has straight out fallen, huh. At present, I’ve told everyone but Mikan-chan about the matter, and there are no other girls who seem reluctant about it, you see.」

Rinko thought that the reason for it being favorably accepted was most likely his action during the 『Student Duel (Mensur)』 where she was bet on.

The academy’s culture had come to be based on the idea that strong men were attractive based on that fact alone.

The atmosphere was a little scary, and the bearded glasses were a mystery, though.

「It seems that Mikan-chan is the only one who holds Touma-kun dear, so I hope he can talk it out directly with her.」

It was a small castle in the sand that her small self had built up.

Even if it was just a papier mache, it was an irreplaceable umbrella that had protected them up until now.

◇ ◇ ◇

「Ta-da! Here I’ve come. I’ve heard the story.」

Mikan-senpai, arriving in full of energy, puffs out her tiny chest and huffs heroically.

「If you want my girls, you have to beat me first!」

「Mikan-chan-senpai, ‘sup.」

「I feel energized just from watching Mikan-chan-senpai, or rather, super endearing.」

「Mikan-senpai. I’ll be in your care today.」

The party members who welcome Mikan-senpai, who is doing her best to maintain her dignity as a senior, in a radiant manner are merciless.

Like Saki for instance, who has her beloved katana created by Mikan-senpai, she loves her very much and is merrily going kyakya.

「Senpai, Senpai. I’ll go swoosh a lot, so please take a look at it okay?!」

「We’ll be in your.」

「Care.」

Mikan-senpai, who is crossing her arms in arching backward style, is looking up at me with a troubled look on her face as she is assailed by the kyakya power.

「I have a feeling that my words don’t reach them, though…?」

「No problem.」

In the face of Mikan-senpai’s loveliness, most things are trivial.

「Maybe it’s because you’re carrying me in your arms, Touma-kun. Put me down at once.」

The Rashomon floor is crowded after the lunch break, so it’d be bad if she ends up getting lost.

That’s why I hug her from behind, firmly securing her.

She is in a dungeon dive style, equipped with a vest and belt that looks 『Craftsman』 class-ish, so holding her is easy peasy even in legs dangling manner.

That’s why today we’re going to capture the dungeon together with Mikan-senpai.

I was the one who received the invitation letter from Mikan-senpai.

The Mikan language such as 「Show me your strength」 or 「Will you take responsibility?」 or 「Go over my dead body and go」 or something were hard to understand, but it seems that in short, she would accompany us on dungeon diving.

Now that she’s undertaking the creation and maintenance of our weapons, I guess she has the urge of wanting to check the user’s skill.

And the answer is a no-brainer.

「Ah. Come to think of it, Mikan-chan-senpai, what stratum do you usually dive into?」

「Umm, I guess the fifth stratum. I’ve been diving with everyone to collect materials, though. I’ll go along with you guys on this occasion, so you don’t need to worry about it.」

「Then, it may be somewhat lacking, but we’ll go to the third stratum.」

「Wow. You’re proceeding so quickly, aren’t you?」

Mikan-senpai, her ankles swaying, nods her head admiringly.

Apparently, one of the requirements for promotion to become a second year student is to reach the seventh stratum.

For us, it’s a stratum we’ve only just begun to conquer, but true enough, it ought to be lacking for Mikan-senpai.

「L, leave it to me! Umm, if it’s the third stratum, the opponents are still goblins, right? … Yeah, it’s okay. Even if something were to happen, I, I’ll protect you.」

「Ah, no, some pretty strange monsters also may appear, though.」

Seiichi is speaking ambiguously, but we haven’t seen any goblins these days.

Instead, Orcs are starting to appear, but I wonder if it’s a display error by the Interface.

It’s a monster that comes rushing aiming at the girls, so I have to properly guard Mikan-senpai.

◇ ◇ ◇

――『Yomotsu Hirasaka』, a branch realm attached to the labyrinth of Perforation Realm, 『YGGDRASILL』――

――The『sixth』 stratum, 『uncharted』 domain――

Well then, we switched to Mikan-senpai’s changing time due to some slight trouble right after we dove into the dungeon, but the person in question was going Uuu~ with teary eyes, so we’re expected to act as if nothing has ever happened.

The one who took care of her was Shizuka, and the one who provided her with a change of panties was Miharu.

By the way, Mai, Saki and others are in the middle of taking care and praising Mikan senpai who is in a bad mood.

Come to think of it, I remember that Saki and the twin sisters also had dive sickness for a while after they joined us.

As expected, perhaps it’d be dangerous if I don’t hug and protect Mikan-senpai.

「You are too overprotective.」

「… No, I also thought that it was somewhat strange, you see. No matter how much of an uncharted area it is, it shouldn’t have miasma pressure that would make Mikan-chan-senpai, who should be used to deeper stratum, faint.」

「So you’re saying that Mikan-chan has sensitive skin?」

「That’s not it. Well, it’s that. The point is, is this really the third stratum?」

Hearing the conspiracy theory remark from Seiichi, who is putting on airs, I exchange glances with Shizuka.

I thought that his tuber remarks have grown faint lately, but it seems that he’s been groping for a new style of acting.

We’ve been having terribly getting the wrong idea, I feel like he’s going to start saying things without chain of reasoning around it like 」mankind is going to get wiped out!」 or something.

「… I see.」

「Yeah, we’ve set foot into the deep stratum without even realizing it.」

This, I’m at a loss about what kind of face I should make when listening to it.

Well, in my case, I think I’m mostly expressionless, but I wonder if I should make like 」what the」 face here.

「Are you saying that when we moved through the realm gate, it was actually connected to a floor deeper than normal?」

Shizuka seems to have chosen the option of matching the conversation before all else

「I don’t know. But, based on the monster that have been appearing as well as our classes and level, we’re coming to be on par with the top groups of the second year students.」

This is not good.

Seiichi has ended up suffering from I’M STRONG syndrome.

I’ve heard that due to body correction from skill, class and level, every year there are misunderstood guys who end up getting afflicted with superman syndrome.

It’s those who do self-projections onto superhuman characters in games and manga, causing their ego to end up swelling up.

It’s only been a little over a month since we began diving into the dungeon, so I think it’s quite presumptuous of us to compare ourselves with the Senpais who have proceeded one whole year ahead of us.

If Seiichi, who is in charge of the party’s tsukkomi, ends up running wild, then I, the party’s conscience slash common-sense man, have no choice but act as the stopper.

「I see. Well, I guess there are also times when you feel that way.」

「… Wait a minute with that lukewarm stare of yours.」

「The desire to be superhuman, to think you’re special, is like the measles for adolescent boys.」

「That’s not it! Or rather, get it into your skull just how much of a cheat-smelling superhuman you are.」

「I think you can rub your perceptions together when we get back later. Right now, roping in Mikan-senpai takes precedents.」

Seiichi, scratching his head, lets out a sigh.

「If left alone, I can’t help but feel that it’ll give rise to an outrageously explosive blazing event, though.」

「Please give it up. Touma-san is basically, a drag racer with no brake.」

What a supercar that seems to be very easy to blaze up.

In fact, I’m as harmless as an eco-friendly car with an automatic braking system, airbags and ABS.

「It seems that lately there have been some first year students who have been appearing to pick a fight against second year students and beat the hell out of them through Student Duel (Mensur), though?」

「I’ve heard the rumors, but it’s not me. You’ve got the wrong guy.」

「Yes. It’s the mysterious bearded glasses gentleman.」

Shizuka-san’s casual cover fire is nice.

Or rather, I was scolded by Shizuka that indiscriminate tsujigiri is a no go, so I’ve been having her manage the suitable opponents.

The application and formalities to the duel committee have also been wholly entrusted to Shizuka, who works like a manager.

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