I managed to finish writing it in a week.
I want to focus on party-based stories soon, but it’s proving to be quite difficult.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, single, no girlfriend.
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee) + Recruiter.
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class).
Rank: Warrior.
“So, Jiro, do you know why you were summoned?”
“I have too many possibilities to know which one it is.”
I am currently in one of the private rooms called a small conference room.
What number it is in the sequence of rooms is not important right now.
What is important is that I was directly summoned by Supervisor Evia, and she has completely entered into a lecture mode.
“You’re straightforward. If you were human, wouldn’t you try to cover it up?”
Given the established relationships of snakes and frogs, wolves and sheep, or dragons and peasants, is there any option other than waving a white flag?
Besides, whether one tries to cover it up or not, I feel it makes no difference whether one is human or a demon.
However, it seems my preemptive jab was effective, as the slightly menacing atmosphere of Supervisor Evia has softened.
I believe the term “model student” is the most unsuitable title for myself.
There are times when the title “problem child” feels more familiar.
With that kind of personality, how could I possibly say I have no problem and don’t know why I was summoned?
Moreover, I couldn’t possibly tell a lie to Supervisor Evia, who is showing signs of anger.
If I did, I can dread what the aftermath would be.
“By acting alone, I have no regard for cooperation with others. How can someone like me say that I don’t particularly recall anything?”
“Kukukuku, you’re not wrong.”
Well, while I’ve laid out all these reasons, the truth is that I’m having this conversation because I understand from experience that this method results in less damage.
It’s faster to show that I understand the problem than to apologize unnecessarily and ask about the explanation of the problem.
The downside is that if I make a mistake in the aftermath, things can become quite frosty with my superior.
Fortunately, this person? Demon? is someone who can understand.
She’s not the type to lecture me head-on.
She gives me enough leeway to respond with a joke like this.
“Now, to the main topic. There have been requests for your resignation.”
“Eh?”
But it seems this is not the time for jokes.
This must be what they mean by losing color from one’s face.
When you hear that a guillotine has been prepared to sever your social ties, you can’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
I could clearly feel myself sinking from the top of my head downwards.
“Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s not from us.”
“Meaning…?”
“I said it came from above. Some of the Testers have filed requests to have you fired. When I asked for the circumstances, Jiro, you almost killed one of the Testers, didn’t you?”
I was relieved.
Actually, there was nothing inherently reassuring in the supervisor’s words, but at least it wasn’t a declaration of severance from the higher-ups, and some color returned to my face.
Furthermore, the fact that her mouth and eyes were smiling, as if she were a sadist who had just pulled off a successful prank, was also a source of relief.
It’s rare to find someone who expresses themselves so openly, playing with me like this.
And the biggest source of relief is that I have a familiarity with the matter that has become a problem.
More than that, it’s the sense of relief that comes from not considering it much of a problem myself.
“…So that’s what it is.”
“I’ll investigate the other matters later and ask you about them. For now, is it true?”
The supervisor probably intends to ask a normal question, but her sharp features make it sound like an interrogation.
It’s not as heart-wrenching as the Ogre Yakuza or the Dark Gentleman, so I can answer calmly.
“To be precise, they threatened me, so I threatened them back.”
It was just yesterday.
Even without much thought, I can easily recall the gist of it.
And if I simply explain the situation.
“So that’s how it is.”
The supervisor understands.
I like to believe I’ve built that kind of trust.
“So you’re saying you didn’t believe the other party’s opinion?”
“Hmph, do you humans underestimate the existence of demons? Our profession is built on lies and contracts. To me, who has lived by deception, lies are meaningless. The truthfulness of a youngster who has only lived for twenty years is as clear as distinguishing black from white.”
She then added that my words are no different.
It was then that I realized.
In other words, that handsome man was seen through his lies but still tried to argue passionately that he was not at fault and that I should be fired.
How can I put this…
“It was quite comical, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t read my thoughts.”
While I found it comical, it’s closer to thinking if there were any heroes who could actually lie to this person than anything else.
“Are you trying to steal a demon’s fun? How arrogant.”
“Arrogant?”
Perhaps I’m the only man on Earth who has been called arrogant by a demon.
I recall such a trivial thought.
“Hmph, if you don’t like it, try to put on a better face. That way, my enjoyment will increase a little.”
“And please don’t make a hobby of reading people’s minds.”
It’s like a tanuki and a fox, no, in this case, it’s more like a psychological battle than trickery.
Supervisor Evia, who seems to enjoy such things, would never grant my wishes.
“I refuse.”
“As expected.”
She cut me off cleanly.
What was the initial tension all about? Considering our previous conversation and my feelings, it feels like Supervisor Evia was just toying with me.
“I’m setting up this meeting for the sake of appearances for you people. If you can’t overlook a trifle like this, your mettle as a man will be doubted.”
Given Supervisor Evia’s position, if she appealed to me like this, I couldn’t help but act to smooth interpersonal relationships.
Even though, from a racial standpoint, she knows it’s clearly a lie, we humans won’t be convinced.
So, she goes through the trouble of creating an environment where we are more likely to be convinced.
Explaining it to me like this might be meaningless, but it’s truly a comedy.
Being so perfectly manipulated by her makes me sympathize with the aforementioned handsome man, whose name I can’t recall and who is in a similar position.
It’s a sympathy I’ll likely forget by tomorrow.
“Understood. In short, I just need to make sure I don’t get read, right?”
“I like men who understand quickly.”
“Thank you.”
Her personality is that of a hedonist with a strong sadistic streak, but her appearance is so beautiful that even idols and actresses would flee in dismay.
Even if she says she likes me formally, it makes me feel a little better.
“Now, Jiro, the main point. Given my position, I must tell you to get along, but that’s a human convenience. I won’t tell you to suppress your anger unreasonably and play nice. However, avoid causing trouble and achieve results.”
Then, the supervisor switched to a serious expression as if hitting a switch, and declared.
“That’s not something you say to someone who caused trouble, is it?”
“Hmph, I wouldn’t say it to someone who couldn’t do it. Besides, all this talk of everyone getting along is just naive. Humans try to foster camaraderie through noble ideas, but to me, such group consciousness is nothing but a loathsome target that makes me sick.”
It seems my supervisor dislikes anything that is too pure.
Two of the three principles of shonen manga—friendship, effort, and victory—have been directly denied.
“Listen, Jiro, remember this. I’ve seen humans by the gross. Greedy ones, upright ones, wise ones, foolish ones. You humans never change, only your individual consciousness differs, but nothing else. We are evil, and you raise weapons capable of destroying us, proclaiming righteousness, and then strike. ‘I’m not bad, I’m just being true to my desires.’ ‘I believe I’m right, so I’m not bad.’ ‘It’s all the enemy’s fault. It’s the opponent’s fault. Justice is on my side.’ What preposterous justice that is.”
I wasn’t particularly shocked by Supervisor Evia’s words, spat out with utter disdain.
That is what relationships between people are like.
People believe only what they want to believe, and turn a blind eye to or reject anything inconvenient.
Rarely, relationships exist that can endure even seeing the ugliness, but such cases are a tiny minority, and most people interact at a shallow, moderate distance.
“How can you expect me to tell you to cooperate amicably as friends after seeing all that?”
To the Supervisor, it only looks like naive camaraderie.
As for me, who could understand and agree with that…
“That’s true, and it’s a sound argument, but are you going to say that to me, a human?”
I was left with no choice but to be bewildered by her reaction.
“I’m considered discerning, even so. Before you are human, you are the being known as Jiro Tanaka. I can make exceptions. Whether others can do the same, I don’t know. It depends on their efforts.”
I couldn’t help but feel good about her implying I could do it.
Even knowing it was all part of her scheme.
“As a plaything?”
“Hmph.”
“No, you don’t need to say it.”
Even without her saying it, I could tell from her expression.
Yes, she looked genuinely amused.
“And another thing, Jiro, while it is the Demon Lord’s order, normally inviting humans into my Dungeon would have been utterly repulsive. However, I found a gem and have been enjoying myself surprisingly well, so I am satisfied.”
If I were to flatter myself, this “gem” would be me.
It’s good to be favored by your superior.
However…
“Excuse me, Supervisor, what did you just say? This company is a Dungeon?”
I apologize for interrupting the pleasant conversation, but I think this demon just casually dropped an earth-shattering bombshell.
“What, you didn’t realize? Ah, it must be because I slightly thinned the concentration to help you get used to magic power. You didn’t notice, did you… This company’s building itself is my Dungeon. Otherwise, how could it be equipped with Gates leading to other Dungeons, let alone be able to permeate a world without magic, even if limited?”
“Ah.”
What should I do? You might be able to guess from my slip of the tongue, but I find myself half-convinced that it’s somehow inevitable that Dungeons have appeared on Earth.
And when I think back, it’s true that while this company is large, there are several facilities within it that inexplicably boast vast indoor areas, defying physics.
The training room, for example, or the underground commercial facility.
When explained, it makes sense.
“So, this company building also has…”
“Yes, a Dungeon Core. If it were destroyed, I too would be unable to maintain my existence and would vanish.”
“Are you alright with telling me that?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s classified, but it’s not placed in a spot that can be easily compromised. It is, after all, a Dungeon. It is equipped with adequate defenses. If anything, Jiro, why don’t you take this opportunity while on a security check to challenge my Dungeon and make me your opponent? Other Generals will join in this time?”
“I’ll have to decline. I have no desire to increase my workload further.”
I think it was a quick retort.
Evia’s Dungeon could easily hide an extra-stage secret boss.
I’m already struggling with even an orthodox Dungeon.
I can’t afford to be in an environment where I can’t even level up through ‘respawning.’
“Is that so? I heard the Duke was bored, so I thought this would be perfect, but alas.”
“Please continue to let that Duke remain bored.”
Duke, that’s a title higher than the usual hierarchy.
A demon of ducal rank; the difference in power is visually apparent.
“You’re indifferent. Well, we’ve strayed off topic, but generally, my response is to watch and wait. As a measure of improvement, I gave that man a job advertisement flyer, and that’s all. I won’t interfere further, at least I won’t. What will you do now?”
“Ignoring it would be the only option. That’s all there is.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
“My feelings are largely dominated by the thought that it’s troublesome, but if I were to give a rational reason, it’s that I can clearly see I’ll only lose by getting involved. What do you think of that?”
“Continue.”
She crossed her arms, leaned back in her chair, and urged me to go on.
“I’m the one who broke the Tengu’s pride. Even if someone like that approaches me saying ‘let’s be friends,’ they’d only think of using me and discarding me, looking down on me. No, they’d probably think of eliminating me first. I don’t want to be attacked from behind, and a purely work-related relationship is impossible at this stage. From what I can see, they’re the type who only focus on immediate profit. In that case, it’s best to pretend it never happened. Or, maintain distance as if it never existed. That would be the most beneficial.”
It’s a measure of covering up a stinking mess, a temporary fix, but the options available are limited in the current situation.
I’m choosing what’s not the best, but a better course of action.
“How boring.”
“You dismiss it so readily.”
“Hmph. From the perspective of managing an organization, what you’re saying isn’t wrong. But it’s not to my liking.”
I almost gave a wry smile as her preferences started to show, but just as the Supervisor leaned away from the backrest, she grabbed my collar and pulled me close.
“Crush it.”
“Huh?”
For a moment, our faces were so close our hearts pounded—close enough to kiss—and then she said something so murderous.
Naturally, my pounding heart began to race for a different reason.
“Aren’t you indignant? Your evaluation by others is at the very bottom. Seeing those who get excited over mediocre results in rankings, to the point of being comical and recently numb, and being looked down upon by them—doesn’t that bother you?”
“Well, I don’t care.”
I spat it out as if I truly meant it.
And I actually did.
I’m a follower of “avoiding trouble” and “disliking anything bothersome…”
“Don’t underestimate demons.”
I couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Lies don’t work. I believe I said that. I don’t like it. I don’t like you now, accepting falsehoods.”
This is bad. I seem to have stepped on a huge landmine.
A cold will, tinged with madness, pierced my eyes.
My body stiffened instantly.
I couldn’t move. It wasn’t like being unable to move; it was far beyond that.
It was as if my life was being squeezed in her grip; there was no pain, yet my body was bound by something chillingly cold.
Not even a finger, not even an eyelid blink was permitted.
“I’ve scrutinized the records of every human here. The others all had unremarkable backgrounds. Even an ‘elite’ human is no different from a pebble on the roadside to me. But you are different, aren’t you?”
Is this what they mean by a smile filled with madness?
She seemed genuinely delighted as she stepped all over my past with muddy boots.
“You were a human who could be crushed. You did it, didn’t you? You crushed someone, didn’t you?”
To put up a front, or to embellish—that’s a survival tactic in society that all humans engage in.
However, this demon does not permit it.
He sees my forced pretense as ugly, and since he knows it’s the me I prefer inside, he shows no restraint.
He is trying to expose what kind of person I am.
“Why do you go to such lengths to suppress yourself, feeling so constricted? Are you afraid to reveal yourself? No, that’s not it. You don’t fear it in the slightest. You know it’s not something to be afraid of; it’s a weapon too easily controlled by reason and swung by emotion. A blade that harms others, removes threats, and instills awe.”
“It’s nothing that grand, you know.”
It’s like a legendary sword from tales.
However, in contrast to that, what I did was probably that.
You could call it a revolt from below, or in a bad way, a cornered rat biting back.
Three years after joining my previous company, just as I got used to the work and could finally manage on my own, there was a period where work overflowed like a spring that suddenly appeared.
Every employee in the company was working at a pace that seemed to exceed 120%, on the verge of overheating, and when stress reached its peak, it happened.
Well, while I write it grandly, what happened is simple.
An incompetent person just wasn’t reading the room.
That superior twisted the gears that were barely turning under an unspoken rule of following up on each other’s work without pointing out minor mistakes due to busyness.
It just so happened that I was the one they noticed, and my patience, which had long run out, easily burst its container.
When I lost it, my mind instantly went cold, and it felt like the limiter on my brain came off, allowing me to think more clearly than usual.
If they had done this intentionally, that superior would have been amazing, but seeing their smug face and lecturing me about contributing to the company with a self-important air, there was no possibility of that.
My mind became solely focused on how to efficiently complete the work and, at the same time, how to bring down this superior.
I continuously converted past grievances into present anger, relentlessly considering how to erase the opponent’s position.
Humans, at their core, are creatures that scheme, even if their fundamental nature differs.
A surprise party is a good example of something close at hand.
A bad example would be this scheming I did to bring down my superior.
My 120% work capacity, which I had suppressed with emotion, was controlled by reason and fueled by anger, allowing me to achieve 200% capacity.
Continuing to act according to my dark emotions, I meticulously took away his work bit by bit, intending to make him nothing more than an ornament sitting in a chair.
“You bring up such nostalgic matters.”
The result? If I say that someone else is sitting in that seat now, you’ll understand.
“It’s because you were too soft. It’s not my fault.”
Recalling the sensation from that time, my voice, barely managed by my trembling body, naturally lacked any power.
Listening to my weak voice, which sounded like someone else’s, I gazed at a part of myself covered in dust.
“Humility may be a characteristic of this country, but to me, it’s nothing but sarcasm.”
There is nothing as unreliable as self-assessment.
Among evaluations that fluctuate between overestimation and underestimation, the part of my personality the Supervisor points to is undoubtedly something I evaluate very low.
“Listen, you said earlier that it wasn’t much, but you’re wrong. What you have is significant. Jiro, what you possess is called ambition.”
The thing that revealed itself after being dusted off.
“People hear ‘ambition’ and call it a bad thing, but that’s not true. While it has that element, ambition is also the necessary driving force to improve oneself. How can one push aside those above them and establish their own position? It would be a shame to let that linger.”
The Supervisor affectionately pulled it out.
“Polish it. You are capable of that.”
“Don’t you dislike selfish people?”
“What’s a special case saying. I am a demon. Demons have watched over humanity’s development and downfall, sometimes lending a hand, sometimes offering advice, and have been involved in it. Do you think I would let go of someone who has finally become an object of interest after so long?”
He slowly released the collar he had grabbed, and the madness he had shown gradually and quietly disappeared.
“I will see your outcome. I look forward to whether you fall or rise again.”
“What’s the literal translation?”
“If you become a boring man, just wait. I will mold you into a man who entertains me.”
“That’s too direct.”
Why am I expected to this extent? Is there really this much value in me? I almost fell for it.
However, being told this much makes me reconsider my previous words and be willing to retract them.
“Hmph. Try to make a better face.”
“That’s harsh.”
“What are you saying? To me, that’s still being lenient.”
His evaluation is harsh.
I thought I had improved myself a little, but even though the change was noticed, it was still not enough.
“It’s taken me a bit too much time. I’m leaving. You should rest your body and think about your future response.”
The Supervisor, not giving a second thought to me, declared the end.
“I will do just that.”
Once his business was done, he smoothly stood up and left quickly.
A woman who left a significant ripple in my state of mind, leaving no trace of her presence in the room.
“What shall I do?”
And in the quiet space, I naturally reached for my cigarette, the words “no smoking” having long since disappeared.
It may be surprising, but this company does not have designated smoking areas, which is common in general society.
The smoke I exhale is instantly consumed by magic power and disappears.
I don’t know how it works, but now that I know this place is a Dungeon, it seems likely it has a function for air purification.
All I have to worry about is the used cigarette and ash, so I can smoke anywhere I like.
Of course, I’m careful in public, but for a smoker, this is an irresistible company.
“…Ignoring it is the easiest thing to do.”
And while smoking, I slowly consider my relationship with the other Testers.
At first, it was friction and distortion due to differences in values stemming from the age gap, and now it has even developed into semi-factional disputes.
Thinking about it, the first thing that comes to mind is maintaining the status quo, or rather, ignoring the status quo.
As if not noticing annoying flies buzzing around, if I pretend they don’t exist, it might hold for a while.
During that time, I’ll think of a solution.
That would have been the better approach, but given the Supervisor’s warning, I have no choice but to give it my all.
“The best thing is probably not to be underestimated, isn’t it?”
Looking back at yesterday, I was clearly treated as inferior.
From the other party’s perspective, the hierarchy is set, and I am at the bottom.
“Changing values is the most troublesome thing!”
When I think about it, solutions come to mind instantly.
In this company, where the law of the jungle exists, the most successful and strongest are deemed correct.
However, because it is simple, it becomes troublesome to overturn.
“Well, considering Kaido and the new personnel, it’s best to make a move here.”
And once I find areas for improvement, I must then consider solutions.
“In that case… the only thing that immediately comes to mind is that.”
Since I still have this lingering feeling of unease, it’s fitting.
As I’ve been stagnating recently, going back to basics might not be a bad move.
“…I don’t feel like it, but since I said I would do it, I have no choice but to do it.”
By the time the break ended, I grudgingly accepted the conclusion and got up with a heavy heart.
I was called in on a holiday, but it wasn’t even noon yet.
There was plenty of time to take action.
“So, it’s a ‘live in the moment’ kind of thing, huh?”
Even if some people declare they’ll do something tomorrow, a good portion of them won’t.
Those who act now, believing it’s the right time, tend to be more highly regarded.
Leaving the conference room, I headed for my own room, walking with my shoulders loose as I thought about my plans for afterward.
***
Another side
“So? What prompted this change of heart, Jiro?”
“Ngh, well, I thought I should go back to basics!!”
He launched an attack that felt like a playful nudge, aiming to blow my arm off.
It was the kind of power a child might use when challenging an adult.
It was a natural outcome given the difference in physical ability between me, an Oni, and Jiro, a human, but I could tell he was definitely getting stronger.
The soft sword, made by the Giant race to withstand my magic power, or as Jiro calls it, his “sword fighting sword,” was once again deftly launched from my arm, deflecting his weapon, the Ore Tree.
“MEYAAAAAAAARGH!!!!”
“You’ve got a good weapon there.”
When Suella called me over, Jiro was waiting, bowing his head and asking me to train him.
I had been a bit bored myself.
So, I thought, “Fine,” and we sparred like this in the training hall. I was amazed by how much he had grown.
“Kaha.”
And it became fun.
It’s my bad habit.
But it’s also in my nature as an Oni.
We Oni love humans who possess this kind of spirit.
The man before me was repeatedly sent flying, forced to the ground, and though I aimed my attacks to avoid fatal blows, the pain must have been real.
He resisted.
He challenged me.
He braced himself, unwilling to lose.
We Oni love straightforward people.
We love clumsy people.
We love people who come at us like this, head-on.
It doesn’t matter if they are strong or weak.
The fact remains that I, Oni King Raidou, am fond of this crooked yet straightforward man.
“Ho, ho!! Your attacks are slowing down!!”
“You’d be tired after swinging that for two hours!!”
When I provoke him like this, he fights on sheer willpower.
He accelerated even further than before, approaching with the highest speed of the day, and I met his blade with my “sword fighting sword,” protected by my magic power.
“Hahaha!! With just that, when will you ever land an attack on me?”
“I’ll land one!!!!”
“You said it!!!!”
His attacks seemed to be moving in slow motion to me.
It was harder to *not* get hit.
But strangely, part of me expected him to actually land a blow.
“Whoa, that was close just now?? Huh?”
“That’s easy for you to say when you’re dodging with all that room to spare!!”
Perhaps it was because we were in the middle of a fight.
His fierce spirit, as he raised his voice without caring about appearances, was pleasant to experience.
When I first met him, I thought he was so fragile, like he would shatter if I just nudged him.
In fact, he nearly died from a light tap.
I thought that was the end of it.
I thought he wouldn’t be able to get up, laughing and looking down on him as just another human.
So, I was genuinely surprised when he got up after being treated.
And when he challenged me again, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Just counting, I’ve nearly killed him over a hundred times.
But each time, he got back up.
“Up! Right! Up! And then right again!!”
“You’re taking it easy!!”
“I’m stronger than you!!”
And he’s getting stronger.
He’d fall, get up, and then when I went to defeat him again, he was just slightly harder to defeat. So slight, I almost mistook it for my imagination.
The No Lifes used to laugh and say his soul was being polished, and perhaps that’s true.
He’s not beautiful.
He doesn’t possess the radiant sparkle of a jewel.
He’s rough-hewn, like striking one pebble against another to polish it, but his glinting eyes are gradually becoming sharper, and he possesses something undeniably captivating.
“Now he’s unarmed!!”
As if to prove it, this man is a born combatant.
His mind is flexible enough to calculate the risks and rewards during combat.
He casually let go of his main weapon, the Ore Tree.
When I struck it away, I felt a subtle difference in resistance; usually, his body would have tensed up to brace himself, but that wasn’t there.
He chose to risk letting go of his weapon to come at me.
His hand shot out, reaching to grab my arm as I swung it sideways, and I deliberately let him grasp it.
He’s skilled.
His movements aren’t just rote.
These are movements honed in actual combat.
He leaps like an ape, entwines like a snake, and attacks like a wolf.
His movements, a fusion of beast and human, stirred the Oni blood within me.
“AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!”
“But, you can kindly get lost for now!!”
To quell the blood that yearned to defeat him with my full power, I grabbed Jiro’s leg as he aimed for my face and slammed him to the ground.
He had clearly grown since we first met.
“Oh, he’s still conscious.”
“If that’s the case, could you go a little easier? My ribs are cracked.”
“I got carried away because it was fun?”
Back then, a cracked rib wouldn’t have been the extent of his injuries, but now he’s become much better at taking hits and reducing damage.
“If I died after that, I wouldn’t have enough lives… This Potion tastes awful.”
“Gahaha!! Isn’t that great? It’s proof you’re getting stronger!!”
His growth fills me with an irresistible joy and excitement.
I take pleasure in the fact that his blade is steadily approaching my neck.
“Is that so? I really thought I might hit you just now.”
“To land that, you’d need to be a hundred times faster.”
“…This instructor is bugged. They’re bugged.”
“Hurry up and become someone I can fight to the death with, okay?”
“Why can you make such an absurd demand with just seventeen characters?”
I could tell him he’s the one who’s making things fun, but I’ll refrain.
Oni love to bestow trials.
Especially when they see someone who has the potential to grow stronger right before their eyes.
Among them, I’m a bit unusual.
If it means fighting strong opponents, I’m willing to lend a hand to those who have the potential to become stronger.
If such a person is struggling before me, I’ll at least listen to their story.
“So? What’s troubling you?”
“Ah, to get to the conclusion, it’s about how to become stronger, I guess.”
“So that’s why you called me.”
“Actually—”
As I listened to his story during the break before our next spar, I thought, “My, my, it seems Evia is quite fond of him.”
It’s precisely because Jiro takes action after being spurred on by Evia that we, the No Lifes and Evia, can’t help but want to help him.
“Ah, well, that’s your fault.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, if it were me, I’d tear apart anyone who looked down on me. If you get hit, hit back. The weak get eaten.”
“Is the other world that brutal?”
“Unlike this one, there’s constant conflict year-round. If you let them, they’ll do this to you.”
I made a gesture like I was beheading someone, and Jiro’s face contorted slightly.
“So, does that mean we’re quite naive?”
“I won’t deny it. To me, your last attack had no killing intent. Be more serious. Then you might just reach me.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Well, there’s probably another reason why he got so fired up, though.”
“Huh?”
There was no need to hesitate whether to say it or not.
My standard for judgment is whether I can fight strong opponents or not.
In other words, whether they will become food for them or not.
So, I’ll say what Evia didn’t say.
“He was a failure.”
“Huh? Huh? Uhm, please give me a little time.”
“I understand how you feel.”
Evia, who looks like an elite to anyone, is already showing great potential by not being surprised at hearing that.
“For your information, I’m an old-timer here. I know he was a low-ranking demon before he reached his current position.”
“…I can’t imagine that.”
“I bet. That just goes to show how much effort he’s put in.”
Demons are strict about their hierarchy.
Onis are also strict, but here it’s clearly decided that the strong are on top.
But they are different.
They have troublesome ranks like nobility and aristocracy.
It’s a system that makes it difficult for those below to easily rise above.
“Naturally, Jirou must have experienced being looked down upon and scorned from above far more than I have. Envy, resentment. In the world of demons, which is already tough, he grew up in even worse conditions and still rose through the ranks. He must have thought our circumstances were similar, hadn’t he?”
“No, no matter how you look at it, I’ve had it much easier. What is this rags-to-riches story in such a twisted social structure that would make a soap opera blush?”
To say such a thing when he’s repeatedly come close to death fighting me.
Jirou is indeed blessed.
But he carries the burden of effort and suffering that comes with it.
He also has Suella as his support, and the General Nōraifu as an ally.
However, he’s using his body to fulfill our ideals, even if unconsciously.
That’s a result he himself has achieved.
A result he grasped after tumbling and getting covered in wounds countless times.
If he had given up halfway through training, I would have written him off.
During the intermediate training, he was the only one who remained, catching Evia’s eye.
And probably the attention of the Commander as well.
He has seized his current position through sheer effort.
“If you think so, then you don’t need any more breaks, do you?”
“Oh no, I’ve poked the hornet’s nest.”
“Since you seem to have gotten a little stronger? I guess it’s about time I used a proper weapon instead of this toy.”
“I’ll die, so please spare me that.”
“Gahahaha!! It was a joke!! A joke!!”
The one I’m holding is protected by my magic, so even if cut by iron, it wouldn’t get a scratch. Yet, this thing’s surface is faintly scratched all over from just two hours of sparring.
At the very least, he couldn’t do that when he first started training.
I’m really looking forward to his future.
Though I was looking forward to it…
“Crap, I overdid it.”
To put it plainly, he’s a wretch.
It’s been three hours since then. In response to Jirou’s unexpected enthusiasm, I got carried away and ended up doing this.
I didn’t land direct hits, but I think I did quite a bit of spirit-draining attacks.
“If you fix it before you get found…”
“It’s too late.”
I didn’t sense his presence, but I felt his magic. It’s a considerable effort to come here using Teleportation Magic.
“Whoa, Evia’s here.”
“This is my interior. You were saying unnecessary things to him, weren’t you? I’ve come to supervise.”
“What, so if you weren’t going to interrupt, that means it’s okay for me to say it, right?”
“Fool, unlike you, I’m busy. I don’t have time to correct you every single time.”
“Yet, you’ve come here like this… Whoa, whoa, that’s scary.”
She scowled further as I dodged the magic spell she sent wordlessly.
“Why did you say that, Raidou?”
There’s no need to ask what.
This is Evia’s interior. Everything that happens here is known to Evia.
“What, didn’t you care about him because you liked him that much?”
I don’t have the hobby of asking obvious things in such a roundabout and wasteful way.
So, I’ll honestly answer.
“Hmph, move aside. You’re in the way of the treatment.”
“What, you’re not going to deny it?”
“It’s pointless to say anything to an acquaintance from way back.”
“Personally, I’d like to know in detail why an old acquaintance is showing concern.”
“Do I need to tell you?”
I continued talking while watching her kneel and manipulate her magic.
“No. But it concerns me.”
“You Onis are selfish.”
“Gahahaha!! You say that a lot.”
“…Tch, just imagine whatever you want.”
“Don’t sulk, don’t sulk!! We’ve known each other since childhood when I took care of you!!”
“What era are you talking about?”
“Well, I’m talking about when you were a newcomer. Just like Jirou over there, when you were all banged up. …Let it go, old stories.”
I flick away the magic bullets with my finger, which wouldn’t make much difference even if I were hit.
The habit of casting magic while treating someone without even looking at me is a telltale sign when I’ve hit the mark.
She hasn’t changed at all from back then.
“Hmph, I just don’t like seeing a strong opponent crushed by someone like you.”
“Kaka, let’s just leave it at that.”
I decided not to mention how convenient the timing was.
“After that, just throw him into the infirmary.”
“What, are you leaving already?”
“Didn’t I say I’m busy with my work, too? Thanks to some idiot who keeps creating extra work.”
Oh, I should offer my heartfelt sympathy to that idiot.
The fate of those who smile only with their mouths and not their eyes is usually not good.
She’s the type to hold a grudge and grind her opponents to dust, and even after they’re scattered, she’ll still use them.
Kuwarakuwabara, that’s why she missed her chance to get married…
“You’re not saying anything, are you?”
“I just didn’t like that smug look on your face.”
This time, she used magic with substance.
I break the chilling ice spear at her fingertips.
“You have a surprisingly resilient body.”
“Demons are similar, aren’t they?”
“Hmph.”
She sent out magic that would instantly freeze and shatter any ordinary Oni, yet she left with Teleportation Magic, just like when she glanced at Jirou.
“Kaha, it’s getting interesting. This is what makes life worth living.”
There’s a lot I can understand because she’s an old acquaintance.
And that attitude… no, I won’t say it.
“Considering the difficult path that awaits him, I’ll carry him.”
That’s enough playtime for today. After carrying Jirou, I’ll go for a drink with Nōraifu.
“Bring your own snacks. Let’s have some good sake, okay?”
Another side END
Instructor Kio (Real Name: Raidou), Age Unknown, Married, Two Wives, Four Children
Occupation: Seven Generals and Instructor
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Samurai
Status
Secret
Today’s Word
Kaha, there’s nothing better to pair with sake than other people’s dramas.
It’s spicy and goes well with alcohol.
It’s from my experience. No doubt about it.
Well, I haven’t increased the party size, but I have increased the heroines.
What do you think? I personally like cool characters who are clumsy and caring.
In the next installment, I think I’ll form the party (tentative).
Please continue to support “Let’s create a dungeon that even the Hero can’t conquer!!”
