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Chapter 384

Day 90 – Nighttime, the Town of Omui　

The festival has ended. The more fun it was, the heavier feels the silence that follows. The clamour from just moments ago vanished like a lie, leaving only the people packing up their stalls behind on the now quiet streets. The softly glowing red lanterns, the last lingering remainders of the festival, are fading like a dream. And now that the festival is over, it’s also the time for the Orphans to move to the new orphanage.

The new orphanage has a proper school, caretakers who’ll always be there for them, it’s much better than staying behind at the inn to mind the place or help out all day. The Orphans have already blended into the town, so they’ll surely be happier at the orphanage. And even if they moved out, we’re still in the same town, we can see each other any time.

Everyone holds hands, a few tears slipping out as we head to the inn… only to find a new orphanage built behind it… Yeah, it’s obvious who’s the culprit even without asking..

「Look, the old orphanage is now a memorial and tribute site, right? And with the number of Orphans nearly doubling, the old place was too cramped. So, I was asked to build a new orphanage and, well, I did? Because I’m a hard-working, industrious Highschool Boy doing his best with side jobs, so I totally did nothing wrong, okay? I mean, little kids who are too young to work will still help out at the inn, and living in the same area is more convenient, right? Also, the buildings are secretly connected, so it’s kind of like being under the same roof? Well, okay, technically they’re separate buildings, but as facilities go, we’re next-door neighbors so I’m giving out soba for the occasion? Although I’m not sure why I’m stuck handmaking noodles for people who are the ones moving, while I’m still living at the inn. But hey, want some? It’s got fillers, but I managed to get my hands on some buckwheat flour? So basically, I’m frankly not at fault here?」

「「「「「We’ll eat it! But you should’ve told us beforehand! We all cried a little, you know!」」」」」

Slurping soba noodles leaves no room for scolding. Meanwhile, the culprit is going, 「C’mon, the old orphanage turned into a church-like place, so of course they had to relocate, right?」 like it’s completely obvious, but no, he’s guilty. 「And besides, being close is more convenient for dropping off that little raccoon, and, Gyaaaah!! Could you not chew on my head while slurping soba with the noodles still in your mouth?! If my hair ends up all soggy and wavy like soba, I’ll be called into the teacher’s office for breaking the no perm rule! Though I guess the teacher’s office would have to teleport here first, huh? From that-whatever high school?」 he complains, not the slightest bit repentant, so no one stops her from biting his head.

Do you even know how sad Vice Pres C was?! But that’s why the new orphanage was built right behind the inn… He must’ve asked the previous residents to relocate, even built them new homes, and spent all that time preparing. And once he saw that he would be able to pull it off, he went for the pool and the festival… Since coming back to the frontier he’s been planning everything for this. But since he kept quiet, she’s allowed to bite him!

He is acting very dissatisfied about the soba being far from pure, mixed with wheat flour for volume, and having no bonito flakes, but even so, it’s delicious. The Japanese food gourmet, the Librarian-san, also approved with 「Even if it’s unorthodox, if it’s delicious, it’s justice」, so it turned out really good.

Vice Pres C is crying from a mix of happiness, embarrassment, and anger while biting Haruka-kun’s head. Being so happy, she’s harder than usual… Well, he’ll regenerate soon enough, right?

After a light meal and dessert at the inn, the kids move into the orphanage. The luggage was already carried there, so all they need to do is bring their blankets. After all, it’s just down the corridor.

「「「「Good night! See you tomorrow～!」」」」

Led by Murimuri-sama, the children make their way to the orphanage, or rather orphanage wing, and we wave to them as they go.

「「「Good night～. See you tomorrow.」」」

Yes, tomorrow, and the day after, and every day after that, we can all still meet. Even if they were putting on brave faces, the kids couldn’t have been entirely okay. They’re still children. But they did their best to act strong to not cause trouble. Yes, there’s no way Haruka-kun would have just accepted that. If he had thought they were sad, he would’ve either refused to send them to the orphanage or moved in himself. But he didn’t do anything, meaning everything was okay. Or more precisely, he forced it to be okay. Physically and geographically.

So now he gets a lecture! There’s still plenty to scold him for, like not telling anyone what he was up to, and everything that happened during the day. He was doing something dangerous once again.

We deploy the Lecture Encirclement Formation. But the culprit flips his black cloak dramatically and bolts off, vanishes like mist as he escapes, countless shadows dance and flicker, turning into clones as they slip past the encirclement.

If only I hadn’t gotten distracted by that pudding dessert and missed my cue to close the net… If only I didn’t ask for another serving… if only I’d stopped at four.

His cloaked figure splinters into a number of shadowy silhouettes, scattering through the dining hall. When we try to cut off his path, the image bursts into a flock of crows and vanishes.

Clearly, he knew he was going to get scolded. He’s fully intending to run. It’s not just about the orphanage, but because he fought solo against a level 100 Dungeon Master. A monster that had Future Sight and the lethal skill Ultimate Death, and he fought him all by himself.

Even after pushing his body past its limit, with it starting to break down on him, and weakening as a result… Haruka-kun somehow cheated his way through it, masking the damage, faking his strength back into place with brute-force trickery. And as always, not the slightest bit of remorse, spouting his usual nonsense excuses, as if that somehow absolved anything.

「I worked really hard and tried my best, and it worked out, so I guess I’m one of those if I try (to kill), I can do it kids? Better to do (kill) and share the experience than regret not doing (killing) it at all? Get what I mean?」

「「「That sounded like something a hardworking, well-meaning kid might say, but he’s just super bent on killing stuff!!」」」

He scurries away. He got through. He has more new skills now, which means he had more reckless episodes! No matter how much we worry, he just brushes it off with a 「Oops, got scolded」, not getting it at all. It also seems like he thinks that it’s Affection Rating’s fault. He shows no signs of reflection!

The partial encirclement was torn apart by clones and illusions, and weaving his way through those gaps he vanished. We let him escape… but, I mean, it’s pudding?

「So he’s gonna try real hard and kill things, huh.」

「There is something really scare about the way he said it!」

「He’s definitely going to make his killing public!」

「More like, he’ll regret not killing?! How badly does this guy wanna kill things?!」

He said it with this smug look like he’d just delivered a heartwarming quote, but listen closely and it sounds more like the unhinged manifesto of a really, really dangerous serial killer.

「He’s stronger than before, and more stable, too. His way of fighting is, was way, more solid, then he took it down with some completely incomprehensible attack?」

「That was unfair.
Dungeon Master was strong.
But the opponent was too rotten.」

The two are not really angry. Which means he showed them he was strong. Maybe not enough for a peace of mind, but enough to convince them it was fine. He fought using proper methods to show stability, and then a trick to take down the Dungeon Master. Still cheating, sure, but he did it to reassure them. To prove he can fight.

Earlier, too, he slipped past a 21-person encirclement like it was nothing, vanishing without anyone able to touch him. It was so graceful that we asked Angelica-san and Nephertiri-san to reveal what still did he use, and it turns out that he distracted everyone using『Clone』 , 『Illusion』,『 Shadow Clone』, and 『Shadow Crow』, and while we were watching all that, he crawled under the table and escaped… It was all a trick! A sleight of hand!

When we asked, it turned out to be nothing more than a basic misdirection. That move’s the kind of thing you’d expect from someone more low-key and subtle, but thanks to the flashy visual impact of the shadow clones splitting into a flock of crows and scattering, all 21 people momentarily lost track of him. We hadn’t lost sight of him really, but in that instant when everyone’s attention wavered, the real one swapped places with the shadow clone and hid under the table. He literally crawled his way out. Not that graceful, huh?

Since the orphans are not around, the bathhouse became a bit lonely, so naturally, it turned into a girls-only bath gathering. And of course, the topic of discussion is the ultimate threat『Mutation』. Yeah, the skill name alone screams Danger but the actual weapon wielded was even more wicked… Not quite clear if the atrocious wickedness came from the destructive power itself or the power of the user’s imagination, but apparently it was a frenzied rampage that ended in utter devastation.

Everyone, thoroughly intrigued, hurriedly strips, rush into the bath, and cover themselves with the bubbly soap, moisturizing and polishing their skin until it shines, then dive into the tub, eager to hear every detail of the terrifying tale.

「Wait, wha, wha, what is that?! Something like that… going inside…(*Splash!*)」

「It, it changes shape while inside, with bumps and bulges squirming around…?(*Blub blub blub*)」

「And the mucus it secretes… boosts sensitivity not just externally but from the inside too! (*Plop!*)」

「A mutating, shape-changing mushroom… a squirming, vibrating, shifting mushroom inside… (*Splash!*)」

From the outside『Poison Hand Gloves』inflicting various abnormal status effects by applying poisons on skin, massively boosting sensitivity, driving them into a frenzy state. From the inside, the effects of the mucus created with the new equipment『Aberrant Necklace – Mutation, Aberration, Mucus (All Resistances, All Status Ailment Infliction), +DEF』 raise sensitivity even further, putting them into ecstasy. And with 『Mutation』’s transformation, the transformed wicked mushroom rages within. A menacing combination the effects of which are hard to even describe, a relentless, mind-breaking rampage of sensations that’s too intense for the body to even lose consciousness, continuing in an endlessly repeating madness.

「This is an SOS.
We seek reinforcements.
Legal wife, quick!!」

「No time to revive, or… regenerate! We can’t, handle it, with two people! We need at least five, ideally ten, to even stand a chance?」

「Why are you all looking at meee?! No-no-NO, this is impossible! Inside and out, driven insane from inside and out? No-no-noway! I-I-I mean, eh, eeeh, digging in and moving around? Melting while being attacked like that eeeeeeeh, nowaynoway, absolutely no! Or rather, why are you nominating me without any hesitation? No way I can do that? Those warty, bumpy things digging through your inner walls, and the lumpy, pulsing thing just plunges in, vibrating and rotating inside, INSIDE? inside, there is no way?!」 (*Splash!*)

　【Undergoing Treatment, Nom-Nom】

The terrifying, most villainous, most dreadful, the most insane ruler of obscene techniques 『Sex King』. Even the mightiest Dungeon Emperors of another world, fighting two-on-one, could do nothing, they were driven mad and crumbled. A calamity that brings a climax of insanity! Pulling out the girls who’re half-drowned from this provocative conversation, we wrap them in the brand-new quick-dry towels, dry their hair, and all move back to the room.

「Buuut … if you’ve got『Regeneration』, even if you die or go crazy, you just regen, and you’re instantly back on the front line～?」

「Could also use some sort of a damage control officer or something? Just to keep tabs on the situation?」

「Or we all pitch in with Healing and Recovery spells, bring her back every time, and voilà: an infinite meat-shield?」

「Every time she collapses we resupply the, uh, mushroom to her mouth, have a medic on standby, and she becomes the Eternally Unfalling Fighter!」

「Why am I the only one being volunteered for this suicide-tank formation?!」

The entire body thoroughly toyed with, every inch of the skin stroked and fondled, throwing one into the depths of maddening pleasure. Predated by the tentacles from both inside and outside, is enough to push anyone into maniacal euphoria, but the thorough violation is aided by the terrifying new skill! It was… Apparently very amazing.

「Every nerve in your body goes berserk, your brain, feels, like it’s on fire, you go mad. And even after you’ve gone mad… it keeps coming.」

「Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over
So many times you lose count
And still it never ends!」

Most terrifying of all is that even the tongue can extend, change shapes, and drip mucus, he can weaponize every part of his body! Naturally the ten fingers lengthen, transform, and vibrate too… the sheer number of weapons is overwhelming! That’s why, adding ten more people would only break even, not enough to gain the upper hand!

「「We’re waiting for reinforcements. Official wife, emergency entrance, miracle turnaround! If we don’t finish him fast he just keeps getting stronger! Honestly… it’s already bad.」」

Angelica-san and Nephertiri-san don tight, shoulder-baring dresses, the fabric clinging to every alluring curve, stockings on their long, beautiful legs, and march off to defeat the Sex King.They probably have an advantage if they won’t allow him to equip his gear, but with his full kit he might already be unbeatable.

He is probably the strongest of this world. A harbinger of maidens’ death that even sheer numbers can’t guarantee victory against… At the pool he’d blushed and let his eyes dart everywhere when faced with bikinis, earlier, in yukata, he’d been squirming as the girls mobbed him, and yet, the Sex King. Even now, when the girls press up against him he locks up, and even when a naked girl stands before him he desperately keeps his eyes shut tight…

But even if he is a shy coward, his attack power is absolutely wicked!