“(Even if we’ve got a guaranteed way back, it’s obviously better to land the reward without getting teleported…)”
Satsuki-chan muttered something under her breath as she took her stance—her left foot forward, left arm bent in an L-shape and eyes locked on the target.
I didn’t quite catch all of it. I am terrible at darts, so I left the throwing to her.
“Alright… here I go.”
We only had one shot.
The dartboard stood about two and a half meters away. There is even a neatly drawn throwing line. Setting it up like this was all some kind of sick game. Honestly, the tiny white spot in the center looked so small, the odds of hitting it felt less than one in ten thousand. Even a pro would struggle with that.
Maybe I should start preparing myself for the worst.
“…Fuu.”
Just before she threw, I thought I saw Satsuki-chan curl her lips into a fearless smile.
“Direct Hit—activate!”
With a buzzing sound like the beating of insect wings, a faint glow wrapped around the dart board Satsuki-chan had been aiming.
That light… was it magic?
> Oh, Satsuki can use a Direct Hit skill too?
> Didn’t think of that
> With that, it’s gotta be 100%, right?
> Man, I kinda wanted to see the Nether-Class dungeon
> You guys really think it’ll go that smoothly?
> That Space-Time Rabbit’s got a nasty personality
> If I remember right, then this is probably…
Among the comments from the now 4,000-plus viewers, a few ominous ones stood out.
Honestly… I’d already gotten the feeling that rabbit had a terrible personality. It reminded me of my old boss back when I was still a corporate slave—the kind who loved throwing his weight around and dishing out power harassment.
Same vibe. The kind of guy who never told you anything important, then blew up at you when the results weren’t up to his expectations. Just remembering it made my blood boil.
It was one of the reasons I quit that job in the first place.
“I’m throwing!”
The dart pin flew the instant Satsuki-chan released it, cutting a perfect straight line through the air—heading directly for the center of the board.
Oh—! That looks good, doesn’t it?
The rabbit didn’t seem to interfere at all.
Maybe I’d been overthinking things. Guess I shouldn’t judge someone based on appearances and vibes alone.
…Sorry, Rabbit.
—
“Ahh… you’ve gone and done it now.”
The dry thunk of the dart pin hitting the board was drowned out by the rabbit’s exasperated voice.
I looked up at the board. The dart pin had landed… just slightly below the center—on one of the black sections.
“…We missed!?”
Satsuki-chan couldn’t hide her surprise.
The dart pin, which had seemed to fly perfectly toward the white spot, appeared to slightly veer off course just before hitting the board.
“Explorers really can’t help but cheat, huh? If you’d thrown normally, it would’ve hit the center no problem.”
The rabbit shook its head with a weary, tch-like gesture.
Whether true or not, it claimed that it had rigged the board so that any dart thrown without a skill would always hit the white center. In other words… using a skill had been deliberately designed to make the dart miss.
> So that’s how it is
> That rabbit never gives rewards for free
> The whole game’s a farce
> If you throw normally, it just complains: “Impossible for an explorer to throw without using a skill”
> Your destination was probably set from the start
> That rabbit is a con artist
“Too bad. Well then, let’s see where you’re headed.”
The rabbit pulled the dart board toward itself and stared at it intently. The board was completely blacked out, and from a distance, there was no way to tell what was written—though, knowing this rabbit, it was probably another sham.
Most likely… there was nothing written at all.
Yep, this rabbit was terrible. I might as well rename it “Boss Rabbit.”
“Hm-hm… congratulations! And now, your teleportation destination has been decided—you’re heading to the Nether-class dungeon’s, floor fifty!”
“No way!”
Watching Satsuki-chan’s stunned expression, it was clear she hadn’t realized this game was meaningless. This was probably her first time encountering it for real.
“Then, allow me to guide you!”
The rabbit traced a figure-eight pattern in the air with its cane. The dart board vanished instantly, and simultaneously, the air around us warped like a spiraling drill. True to its name, the Space-Time Rabbit clearly possessed some ability to manipulate the very fabric of space and time.
> Space-time gate, open!
> Nether-Class Dungeon, floor fifty! Can’t wait!
> Don’t let it be an instant death on arrival
> Don’t come back immediately, alright?
> At least hold out for a minute
> Hide as soon as you get there
> You and Satsuki can do this!
The viewers, as always, were having the time of their lives.
Meanwhile, we were risking our lives here. Damn it!
“We… we don’t really have a choice, do we…”
“Well, it’ll be fine. I set it up so we can come back anytime, at least.”
“Daishi-san… please, you have to protect me, no matter what…”
“…You’re asking a beginner to do that?”
“I-I’m really scared, honestly…”
“Getting all timid, huh? You know, I actually think that makes you even cuter.”
“Ah… geez! What are you saying at a time like this…”
“I’ll protect you.”
“Huh?”
“I will protect you, Satsuki-chan! So don’t worry—just trust me!”
“Y-yeah!”
Satsuki-chan’s eyes were glistening, on the verge of tears, and I deliberately put on a confident, upbeat front to give her some courage.
Sure, a lot of terrible things had happened, but in moments like this, the adult in me had to step up. You can call it maturity, I guess. Of course, a part of me was still nervous—but there was no point dwelling on that now. Sometimes, baseless confidence is exactly what it takes to push through a crisis.
I’d survived plenty of rough patches during my corporate days that way, and it had even helped boost the morale of new recruits. At least, that’s how I saw it.
It’ll be fine. We’ll manage.
“Oh, and when ten minutes pass, I’ll pull you back here automatically. That counts as mission complete, and I’ll give you a super rare item as a reward. But the contents are a secret.”
…Really giving it to us?
Well, chances are slim we’ll clear it anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. For now, surviving even just one minute would be a win.
Wait… am I actually kind of looking forward to the Nether-class dungeon?
“Alright then! Good luck, and may fortune favor you!”
The vortex of space-time began to spin at a dizzying speed.
Satsuki-chan and I were drawn toward its center, as if the very pull of the spiral was dragging us in.
My consciousness started to blur. The next thing I knew, I would probably be right in the heart of hell itself.
| 《Burial Skill【Return (LV2) 】 has overwritten space-time interference performance. 》 |
| 《Randomness and space-time functions of the Unique House have been restricted. 》 |
| 《The 【Unique House】 has been fixed to Room 2, Basement Floor 1, Fourth Beginner Dungeon, West Tokyo. 》 |
The usual monotone, mechanical voice whispered directly into my mind, trying to explain something I couldn’t begin to comprehend.
But honestly… I didn’t understand a word.My awareness slipped away completely, fading into nothingness.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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