“Ah—shit, that was close…”
Barely made it in time.
If I hadn’t dodged that, my skull would’ve been split wide open from the top.
“….”
In that split second, the Nether Realm Knight had read my opening and closed the distance in an instant, unleashing a devastating blow. I somehow managed to dodge it and immediately retreated to put space between us again.
Still… I wasn’t exactly out of danger.
I’d managed to grab Mina-chan again after briefly setting her down on the ground earlier and escape with her in my arms, so that much was a relief. But even now, she just kept her head down in silence—utterly unreadable.
I had no idea what was going on with her.
| > Mina-chan can’t help the old man? > What did the Nether Realm Knight do to her? > Did he recruit her so he could clear the Nether Class dungeon? > That’s low, Kisaragi Mina. > But something feels off about her attitude… > Did she end up parting ways with her brothers? > Weren’t her brothers strong too? > They’re basically extra combat power—just bring them along. > Something smells fishy. > Could she be being held hostage? > Is she being threatened? > Maybe the Nether Realm Knight was the one who needed allies for the Nether Class raid? > Mina-chan is insanely valuable as a healer/buffer. > Feels like she was forcibly taken. > Maybe she can’t even talk about it. |
There was no room left for hesitation.
Not anymore.
I didn’t have the luxury of carefully reading through the comment section, but habit still made my eyes catch fragments of text as they scrolled past at the edge of my vision.
Judging from Mina-chan’s behavior so far—and the speculation in the comments—the most likely scenario was starting to take shape. Her brothers had been taken hostage. Forced into cooperating. Dragged here by the Nether Realm Knight. And she couldn’t speak about it because she was being watched—or threatened.
That explanation… fit too well.
If that was true, then what now?
If I acted recklessly and something happened to her brothers because of me, I wouldn’t be able to take responsibility for it. And against an enemy on Hero-class level… could I even win while carrying that kind of disadvantage?
Damn it! What am I supposed to do?
“Please… don’t worry about me… Daishi-san. Please just fight…”
“…Where are they?”
“Eh?”
“Your brothers. They’re being held, right? Where are they?”
Keeping my guard up at all times, I chose to trust my own judgment—and the viewers’ speculation—and directed the question straight at Mina-chan.
“W-why do you know that? But…”
“…So you can’t say it.”
Her reaction made it clear. I’d hit the mark.
If I could pinpoint where they were being held, there was a chance I could use my agility to slip in and rescue them.
But… damn it. Is there no other way?
“Kyahhh!!”
“M-Mina-chan!!”
I wasn’t careless. I hadn’t let my guard down. And yet, in an instant, an absurd pulling force erupted—Mina-chan’s body was yanked toward the Nether Realm Knight, drawn straight into his outstretched right hand.
“I don’t care anymore! I’m putting everything on you, Daishi-san!! My brothers are being held hostage at our home—M District, S River, Second Street, Block 22-33!! Please!! Save my brothers!!”
It looked like she’d reached her limit. In a sudden burst of desperation, Mina-chan blurted out their full address and pleaded for help.
But…
That was a brilliant move.
“Requiem!”
Without hesitation, I activated my Requiem skill.
A storm of rainbow-colored, mirror-ball-like lights burst into existence, filling the ceiling of the first floor of the Nether Class dungeon. The entire space transformed—like some over-the-top live concert stage.
…At this point, this skill is basically just stage lighting. Of course, I never believed this alone would erase the Nether Realm Knight. This was nothing more than a smokescreen. I could tell the move had some effect—judging by the Nether Realm Knight’s subtle, displeased reaction. Mina-chan also looked like the light was getting to her, but… well, that couldn’t be helped.
“Next—!”
“Return! Set destination point!”
If I locked the destination here, the return trip would be instant. Movement would be done in seconds. As for the exact current and target coordinates… I’d have to rely on the viewers. With 1.02 million people watching, someone was bound to identify the location.
Now that it had come to this, I had to move fast. Honestly, I was lucky this was still on the surface. If we’d already gone underground, there was a high chance I wouldn’t have been able to come back at all.
| 《 Destination point has been updated to Nether Class Dungeon First Floor. Who will be returned? 》 |
“…Huh?”
The usual floating system display showed something I couldn’t immediately process.
“Who… to return?”
And then—ah, a list popped up.
| Return-Eligible List • Slime • Orc • Amane Satsuki • Skeleton • Mimic • Space-Time Rabbit • Kisaragi Slei • Kisaragi Jan • Dragon King of Netherworld, Ades • Raika • Gorue • Rakshasa |
“Eh, eeeh? What is this?”
Is this… the upgraded effect of my skill?
Return-eligible list…?
Wait, does this mean everyone written on here can be summoned to this location? No way, that kind of convenient system shouldn’t exist…
But—
…it might be worth betting on.
Can I pull them both back at once?
| 《 Kisaragi Slei and Kisaragi Jan will be transferred to the designated return point. Confirm? 》 |
It worked!
Hurry—just do it already!
Click Yes.
| 《 Understood. Returning designated point: Nether Class Dungeon First Floor—Great Hall. Transferring Kisaragi Slei and Kisaragi Jan. 》 |
A familiar spatial vortex twisted open.
Gyuurunnn.
Ah… yeah, that distortion again.
Thud.
And then—two figures dropped to the ground.
Yeah, I recognize them. The two people I’d seen before—Slei-san and Jan-san. The ones who had been lying unconscious on the 50th floor of the Nether Burial-class dungeon.
“Hey! What the hell is going on!?”
“Wha—hey!”
Still dazed from the flash of light, Mina-chan was flailing her arms and legs even while being restrained by the Nether Realm Knight. I quickly pulled her back out of his grasp and returned her to my side.
“Okay, now I can stop the Requiem stage effects now.”
I asked for the mirror-ball lights to be dismissed because they were getting in the way. With a soft flicker, all the light vanished, and the space returned to normal.
“Finally… I can see again… huh? My vision’s clearing…”
I set Mina-chan down next to Slei-san and Jan-san, effectively arranging a reunion between siblings. All while staying ready for the Nether Realm Knight’s next attack.
“Slei-oniichan! Jan-oniichan! …Thank goodness! I don’t really understand what’s going on, but… you’re both breathing!”
I glanced at Mina-chan, her eyes slightly wet, and for some reason, a sense of relief washed over me as well. At the same time, I felt a surge of intense hatred towards the black-armored knight standing before us.
You bastard Nether Realm Knight!
What you did to Mina-chan… and to my brothers-in-law… dragging them through something like that… I’ll never forgive you!Don’t think you’re getting out of here alive!
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com
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