Chapter 6 – Encounter 【3】

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

In the original game, no human besides Hanako was ever summoned. From the first floor to the sixth floor, Hanako was all alone.

However, there are many corpses throughout the labyrinth. According to the creator’s interview, those corpses belonged to people who were transferred before Hanako. If that’s the case, then it’s not strange for someone to be transferred after Hanako either.

So I’d already considered the possibility of a new transferee appearing. The reason I doubted my eyes was because the person transferred this time was, unfortunately, a man. Unbelievable. This should be a cute girl.

But I doubted my eyes for only a moment. Happy to meet another person after so long, it didn’t matter anymore whether they were a man or whatever. If this keeps up, I might awaken to a new world. No, I won’t.

Let me get back on track. He must have been surprised too. When he saw me, he was delighted and spoke to me.

“Well, well! To meet such a pretty boy in this crazy labyrinth! I totally thought I was the only one! I’m Yamada! Call me Yamada! Nice to meet ya!”

He introduced himself and extended his hand.

Pretty energetic guy. If his name is Yamada, he must be Japanese. Hanako’s Japanese, I’m Japanese—just how much does this labyrinth like Japanese people?

While wondering if this is what it feels like to be loved by a yandere, I looked at the hand Yamada extended.

Does this mean he wants a handshake?

After thinking a bit about the meaning of this “handshake” and what laws of the labyrinth I could analyze by shaking hands, I grasped his hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Suzuki Satou. Please call me ‘Satou.'”

“Oh, Satou-kun, huh! Alright! Nice to meet ya!”

Yamada somehow reminded me of a tiger. His short, dyed-yellow hair, sharp eyes, thick eyebrows, and sparse beard gave him a wild beauty, and his height—a full head taller than me—and muscular build emphasized that wild beauty even more. …Well, any wild beauty vanished the moment he was wearing a middle school girl’s sailor uniform.

Oh, speaking of which, I forgot to mention until now—I’m also wearing a sailor uniform. Apparently, sailor uniforms are the only clothes that exist in this world. This probably happened because the clothes Hanako wore were a sailor uniform.

Anyway, a muscular man in a sailor uniform and a high school boy… What a surreal sight. If this were a game and this scene became a CG, wouldn’t it be an eyesore?

In any case, we finished our brief introductions and discussed how we came to this labyrinth.

“So Yamada-san was also hit by a truck.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Damn, never imagined it. I just played it once after seeing it introduced on some blog I randomly found, and I got transferred into that game. But I got hit by a truck whose driver was dozing off, while Satou-kun got hit by a truck to save his kouhai. You’re a total hero! I might fall for ya! Looks like it’s just you and me here—wanna go out?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Oh well. Too bad. Hey, if you change your mind, let me know anytime! Kuhahaha!”

Dangerous. For a moment, I thought I’d come to a different genre world instead of a ryona game. Like, a rose-colored one.

No, was that an illusion? Maybe the ryona game was just the opening, and it’s actually that kind of game?

…No good. In my confusion, my thoughts are flying in a terrible direction.

Well, it’s fine. Whether it’s a muscular man or an ordinary high school boy, physical abilities in this world are equally at middle school girl level. Even if I’m attacked, I can resist—or rather, respond. My chastity is safe.

After that, we exchanged information about how to clear the game.

“The final boss has three transformation phases, and the last one becomes a bullet hell shooter—it’s seriously the worst.”

“Damn right. Plus, the first floor boss has insanely high difficulty. Surviving for one minute in a closed space ain’t sane. I couldn’t clear it no matter what, so I quit.”

“So Yamada-san has never played past the first floor?”

“Yeah, that’s right. In here, my ‘superpower’ is sealed too, and my strength is gone—I’m really saved that you’re here, Satou-kun.”

“Having someone to talk to is reassuring. Being alone in a place like this forever would drive you crazy. By the way, what’s this about superpowers? Don’t tell me Yamada-san is a psychic?”

“Huh? Don’t tell me Satou-kun, you’re a ‘Powerless’? That’s rare…”

Calling ordinary people rare… What world are you from? A parallel world?

“No, psychics are the rare ones.”

“Haaah? Psychics are rare? What the hell are you sayi—ah, I see. You really are someone from another world, just like that goddess said.”

Superpowers alone made me half-skeptical, but now a goddess and another world came up. Putting aside another world, what’s this about a goddess and superpowers? Does he have delusions? Or has stress made him brainwash himself into believing he has superpowers and was brought here by a goddess after meeting her?

No, let me think about this. Right now, I’m actually in a world that shouldn’t exist in reality. If so, maybe he really was summoned here by a goddess from a world where superpowers exist.

To verify the truth of his story, I considered various possibilities. Still, with Yamada’s appearance, I no longer need to consider the possibility that “this labyrinth is an illusion created by my brain.”

There’s no way my brain would create a muscular man in a sailor uniform. And getting confessed to by that man? Out of the question. Therefore, this is definitely the ryona game world. Proof complete.

“Still, you’ve been living on the first floor this whole time? How long have you been here, Satou-kun?”

“Let’s see… There’s no clock so I’m not sure, but I think several months have passed.”

“What!? Several months!? Satou-kun, didn’t you try to go down to the lower floors?”

“I didn’t. I mean, why would I go to the next floor when I know it’s a bad ending?”

When I asked back, Yamada looked dumbfounded.

“Hey… didn’t the goddess tell you anything?”

“Forget talking to her, I’ve never even met a goddess. What’s this about a goddess you keep mentioning?”

“You’ve never met the goddess!? Ah, I see. The ‘Powerless’ can’t see her.”

Yamada kindly explained to me. Summarizing his explanation:

“The goddess selects one being with the highest aptitude factor from each world and summons them to this labyrinth.”

“When one of the summoned beings clears the labyrinth and shows the will to become the labyrinth’s master, that being becomes a god of the new world and can have any wish granted.”

“If multiple beings clear it, everyone’s wishes are granted.”

Honestly, I can’t trust this at all. What’s this about becoming a god of a new world? Are we picking up a notebook?

That aside, when he said “Powerless” earlier, it was just for an instant, but he sent me a look of contempt. Apparently in Yamada’s world, the term “Powerless” is commonly used, and they’re looked down upon by other people. Of course, that’s assuming his story is true.

“Without a reward like that, who’d bother clearing this! So Satou-kun, let’s clear this crazy labyrinth together and go back to our original world!”

Certainly, if we cooperate with each other in this labyrinth, we can safely overcome several crises. Assuming what he says is true.

“Well… Honestly, I find it a bit hard to believe. I’d like some time to think about it…”

“You’re suspicious. Well, you’re Powerless, so can’t be helped. Oh! I know! Hey, Satou-kun. If I show you my superpower, will you believe me?”

“Well, if I see it, I’ll have no choice but to believe it. But didn’t you say earlier that your superpower was sealed?”

“Ah, actually I can use it. Only once a day though. I was planning to save it as my trump card, but if it’ll earn your trust, can’t be helped.”

Honestly, I can’t believe it at all. In the original, Hanako didn’t have any abilities. And this labyrinth thoroughly recreates the original state. Therefore, even if it’s only once a day, there’s no way it would allow an “ability called superpower.”

…Let me see it anyway.

Thinking that, I looked at Yamada, and he closed his eyes for a while, making a difficult expression. Then when he opened his eyes, he slipped on the empty floor and fell toward me with a contrived “Whoops!” I didn’t dodge. There’s no way to dodge with Hanako’s physical abilities anyway.

While falling, Yamada extended both hands to prevent injury. However, what his hands touched wasn’t the floor but my chest.

Meanwhile, his face went perfectly into my skirt. I asked Yamada with my cheeks twitching from how disgusting it felt.

“Yamada-san… Don’t tell me, your ability is…”

He stuck his head out from the skirt and said with a refreshing smile.

“Yeah, lucky pervert!”

Indeed, this is a genuine lucky pervert moment. And lucky pervert situations almost never happen in reality.

Now it’s certain. I decided to trust his story.

“Haah… I understand very well that Yamada-san’s story is true. I’ll cooperate. Let’s aim for the lowest floor together.”

“Oh, you finally get it!”

“Yes. So first…”

“First?”

“Please take your hands off my chest.”

Disgusting.

◆ ◆ ◆

After that, we avoided various traps and monsters and obtained earplugs, a potion, and the key to the boss room.

There were properly two pairs of earplugs. Apparently they increase according to the number of people. Then I thought maybe potions also increased, and when I went to check, sure enough, one more had appeared.

Since I’d already used my portion, I gave that potion to Yamada. He was very pleased.

In front of the boss room, we exchanged information about the boss’s patterns. The information we each knew was mostly the same.

The first floor boss is a monkey-like creature called the “Savior.” However, it has three faces, no fur, and its skeletal structure and muscles are completely visible—decisive differences from a monkey. Players must continue avoiding the boss’s attacks for one minute in a closed space.

The basic pattern is approaching Hanako and punching, kicking, or biting. But after 30 seconds, a pattern is added where it teleports behind Hanako and strangles her with both hands.

Once it catches you, it won’t let go unless Hanako dies. If you get caught by this pattern, a scene appears of Hanako with a broken neck and the promised yellow liquid flowing from between her legs. In Yamada’s case it’s a man in a sailor uniform, so I really didn’t want to see it if possible. That would be an eyesore.

You can avoid the punching and biting patterns by crouching, and the strangling and kicking patterns by walking or running.

If you survive for one minute, a door appears, and if you go through it, you reach the second floor. However, when the door appears, the boss’s pattern changes again.

Yeah, I need to explain this carefully.

“Speaking of which, Yamada-san, I think you already know that when one minute passes and the door appears, the boss’s pattern changes, but it’s very important so let me explain again.”

I explained carefully.

“Among the boss’s patterns, there’s one where it teleports behind the player.”

“The teleported boss strangles with both hands and won’t let go unless the target dies.”

“At this point, the boss’s teleportation is completely random, but when the door appears, the pattern changes.”

“After the pattern changes, the boss reacts to voices, sounds, and movements, teleports in front of the target, and strangles them.”

“You got it? ‘When the boss’s pattern changes, it reacts to voices and movements, teleports, and strangles’—that’s what’s important. Let’s both be careful.”

“Yeah, got it! Thanks!”

“No, no, not at all.”

As expected, Yamada was pleased.

Eventually, we entered the boss battle. The boss’s attacks were very easy for me to avoid. On the other hand, Yamada got punched and bitten several times, but survived somehow by drinking the potion. But at that rate, even when the door appears, getting there might be tough.

While carefully continuing to avoid the boss’s attacks, eventually 50 seconds passed, and it was almost time for the door to appear.

“Yamada-san, the door will appear soon! Please, be careful with your voice!”

“Yeah, got it! Then let’s go together!”

With that conversation as the last, we ran together without saying a word. But the moment the door appeared, Yamada suddenly pushed me out and stopped moving.

I lost my balance and fell while screaming at the top of my lungs, “Uwaaaah!?” And the next moment, the boss teleported in front of me, reacting to my movement and scream, and strangled me.

I can feel my HP gradually depleting. Yamada’s laughter reached my ears.

“Kuhahahaha! It succeeded so smoothly! You idiot, I tried various things to use you from the start! You didn’t notice at all! Powerless and stupid too!”

“Tried various things,” huh? Don’t announce trivial things as if revealing some high-level trick. I already knew that much.

At first, when Yamada asked me for a handshake, I was able to grasp his hand. That told me mutual interference was possible.

Also, when he deliberately fell and pushed my chest with both hands—I learned that the act of pushing others out was also possible.

Yes, his falling was an act. Yamada said his ability activated, but even if he really has some kind of ability, given the nature of this labyrinth, it should have been sealed from the start.

And without an ability, lucky pervert situations almost never happen in reality. Unless you deliberately make them happen.

If he was trying various things to assess the situation, he should have honestly asked for my cooperation. The fact that he didn’t means he planned to use me from the start.

If so, he’d betray me eventually. So I created it. A situation that looks irreversible but from which escape is actually possible. A situation where using me maximizes profit.

The lower you descend, the lower the probability of surviving when betrayed, and the more brutal the death scenes. If I’m going to be betrayed anyway, let him betray me here where I can survive without problems.

Well, he probably persuaded me to survive here too. With just a little thought guidance, he’d take the bait immediately. Like right now.

Huh? Didn’t I say “I decided to trust his story”?

Of course I decided to trust it. I still believe it now. Not his superpowers or incomprehensible explanations, but “there’s a reward for clearing this labyrinth.”

He went so far as to perform such an embarrassing act to try to clear this labyrinth. Without a reward, there’s no way he’d deliberately challenge it knowing it’s already a bad ending.

Anyway, this situation isn’t his scheme—rather, I created it. That’s why I deliberately fell and screamed at the top of my lungs. To lure the boss.

“Advice from a life senior—doubt people a little! Well, if you get the chance, that is!”

Yamada’s still talking, not getting tired of it. So noisy. If you have time to babble, hurry up and go down. How much leeway do you have? Here I am on the brink of being strangled to death in a huge crisis. Well, not really.

“Then get along with that guy! I’m heading down! Kuhahahaha!”

Finally Yamada turned around and tried to head for the exit. But at that moment, he was strangled by the boss that teleported in front of him.

“What!?”

The reason he was so easily caught by the boss is, of course, because he was too careless. Before entering this room, I certainly told him:

“Among the boss’s patterns, there’s one where it teleports behind the player.”

“The teleported boss strangles with both hands and won’t let go unless the target dies.”

“At this point, the boss’s teleportation is completely random, but when the door appears, the pattern changes.”

“After the pattern changes, the boss reacts to voices, sounds, and movements, teleports in front of the target, and strangles them.”

Yes. I clearly said:

“When the boss’s pattern changes, it reacts to voices and movements, teleports, and strangles—that’s what’s important.”

In other words, I hid nothing, told no lies, and even kindly advised the person trying to use me as bait. Because the meaning of Sugar is a man who’s kind to others.

By the way, Yamada assumed on his own that since the boss was strangling me, he wouldn’t be targeted until I died. He mistakenly thought that while the boss was strangling me, he could easily exit at his leisure. And he assumed that only two things about the pattern changed—”teleporting in front of the target” and “reacting to voices, sounds, and movements.” But the most important thing is what I said. Namely:

“It doesn’t strangle one target until they die, but rather changes strangling targets in reaction to voices, sounds, and movements.”

This is to eliminate targets approaching the exit, the creator said in an interview.

Yamada made every mistake. This outcome is only natural. When someone even kindly advises you, and you can’t utilize it at all—what a hopeless man.

“Ugh… kh!”

Voiceless sounds leak from Yamada’s mouth. I stayed in that spot doing nothing, not even averting my gaze, watching him get strangled.

I’m not relishing it. I just didn’t know how far the definition of “movement” extended. Of course I didn’t make any sounds either.

In the first place, he betrayed me. And used me as bait. I’m not sweet enough to save someone like that.

Die with regret. I don’t know if the superpower story is true, but even if it is, I’ve worked hard living without relying on abilities in a world where superpowers don’t exist. Living dependent on superpowers yet looking down on me, and using this life my parents protected as bait—die while reflecting on that.

As I stared with emotionless eyes at Yamada’s face dyed in agony, soon with a “crack” sound of cervical vertebrae breaking, yellow liquid flowed from his crotch. He’s dead. No, he’s not.

Well then, time to head to the next floor.

I started walking. As I verified before, even when stamina is completely depleted here, walking speed doesn’t change. And this floor’s boss’s movement speed is exactly the same as the monsters’ movement speed that I’ve gotten completely used to through long tag sessions. The only difference is the teleportation pattern.

At this speed, walking is enough. The boss teleported in front of me in reaction to my movement, but I continued easily avoiding the boss’s attacks and reached the exit. Well, if you concentrate without being careless, an ordinary middle school girl won’t fall to this level of attack.

And so, I passed through the door and descended to the second floor.

That aside, a urination scene of a muscular man in a sailor uniform—no matter how you think about it, there’s no demand, or rather, it’s an eyesore. Ah, this is why I didn’t want to see it if possible.