In a cubicle of the toilet at the end of the corridor.
It is not known why she is in the toilet.
But, the location is known.
We memorized the route.
The talk about it having a low level of difficulty might indeed be true. The map scan was detailed, and it seems easy to reach the girl.
In that case, it will be easy to kill her, I suppose.
With that, the second hour comes to an end.
『Third Hour ---
Lesson on the girl's weakness』
The third-hour period is even easier.
It is a lesson on the girl's weakness.
The girl is weak against water. If a bucket of water were poured onto her, it would be like corrosive acid to her and her body would be covered in burns.
A cubicle in the toilet.
Water.
If the thing about 'girls contracting the 《Labyrinth Disease》 is because of a darkness they carry' were true, then one could more or less imagine what might have happened to the girl.
The part about her being popular in school --- is it really true?
Perhaps she is actually a target of bullying?
Or, like getting shut inside the toilet and having water poured onto her?
"............"
But, to me, it does not matter. The diseased girl, 『Asahi Momoka』, is not my little sister.
She is a stranger.
It is not my concern.
Her life and death is none of my business.
Therefore, there is only one thing that matters.
That is, I now know her weakness.
♦
Break-time.
I have left the classroom and am on my way to the toilet.
In this school, you can find a toilet at the end of the corridor after passing by a number of classrooms, but since I did not want to visit a toilet that has been packed by the other students, I went two floors above, to the toilet that is on the floor where the AV room and the meeting room are at.
There are no other students. Naturally. No one would come to a toilet that is this far.
More importantly, we are in the midst of the lesson in killing a diseased girl. There is probably no student who would stay too far away from the classroom. This floor is thus terribly quiet. Even the lights along the corridor have not been switched on.
I look hard at the toilets with half-opened eyes.
The gents is on the right.
The ladies on the left.
Without hesitation, I head towards the ladies.
There is only one reason for that.
And it is because I have never seen the inside of a female toilet.
And the diseased girl that we are going to kill is said to be inside a female toilet.
I want to avoid the stupid situation whereby I would fall behind while fighting just because I do not know the layout of the place that I will be in. Thus, I am about to enter the female toilet for the purpose of learning its layout.
"...... uuw, uuuw, uoh-ueeeh."
I can hear the voice of a woman coming from the toilet. And it is the voice of a woman who is puking.
Following that,
"Haah, haah...... don't get jittery. I-I'll be fine. I'm going to be fine. I'll do it this time too. I'll be able to kill the girl without dying, without letting any of my comrades get killed!"
"............"
I narrowed my eyes and quietly close the door to the toilet.
But, I can still hear the voice. Since this place is terribly quiet with no one else but me.
"...... I'm a genius. I'm a genius. I even have seven corporate sponsors. Even Papa and Mama have great expectations of me. That's why I have to win; I will be worthless if I don't win...... all right. Let's do it. This time too, I'm a perfect genius...... I'll absolutely clear the labyrinth!"
Pah, she patted her face, getting motivated, it seems from the sounds.
A flushing sound.
Running water from the tap at the basin.
It stops.
And then, the woman comes out of the toilet.
The self-proclaimed genius girl --- Mizuiro Gunjou.
With a small back, fair skin and blond hair, that girl walks out of the toilet while wiping her hands with a handkerchief.
I have my back up against the wall just beside the door to the toilet and as such, she never notice me when she came out of the toilet. And I could have just let her go without calling out to her. More like, a gentleman's manners dictate that I should not call out to a girl after seeing her do all.
But sorry. Unfortunately, I am no gentleman.
Smirking, I say.
"Yaah, what a flashy way of throwing up, vomit-girl."
In an instant, I can see Gunjou's small body make a startled jump in a funny way. She immediately turns around. Her face all red. Filled with a mix of fluster and shame, her tear-filled, almond-shaped blue eyes glare at me,
"W-W-Wh-Wh-Why are you here in such a place!?"
"I am just going to the toilet."
"You don't need to come to a toilet this far right! D-Don't tell me that you tailed me here?"
"Haha. You are being over-sensitive. Everyone's visiting the toilet just before the labyrinth raid, so it's crowded downstairs."
"Ah...... I-I see."
Gunjou seems to accept my explanation, but it was a lie. The toilet below here is empty.
Even after accepting what I have said, Gunjou glares at me again.
"Even so, what's the meaning of eavesdropping at the female toilet! Pervert!"
"Ah-ha, I'm called that quite a lot today. Even I wouldn't have the fetish of getting excited from listening to a girl puke."
Gunjou's face could not have become redder than what it is now. Her body trembling, her mouth quivering, she glares at me with a face that is on the verge of tears, and says.
"...... h-how much have you heard?"
"About?"
"You've been listening all this while right? To me talking to myself in the toilet."
"You talking to yourself? Did you do something like that?"
"Eh!? Ah, you didn't hear that?"
As I see the color of relief gradually returning to Gunjou's face, I grin stupidly and say.
"Yeah. I didn't hear it. I didn't hear anything like 'it's scary it's scary, I have to answer to the expectations of Papa and Mama'."
"Huh?"
Her eyes widen in surprise. Her blue eyes seize me, and following that, a strong hatred blazes in those eyes of hers. She is really easy to figure out. In an adorable way. She holds out her slender right hand. And snaps her fingers thrice.
It was the sound indicating that magic is being activated.
Gunjou says sharply.
"I'm going to kill you!"
Unlike Kiri, when she says 'kill', she means it. At any rate, she is wearing a 《Headphone Fuzz》 in her left ear.
A right-brain type.
An emotion-type.
Furthermore, since the sight of her vomiting have been seen by someone else, her emotions are probably at an all-time high.
"...... Sea Moon Wheel switch."
Said Gunjou.
I knew that magic. It was a magic made from the technology brought back from the eternal labyrinth called Water-Death 7.
By the way, that labyrinth had the architecture of a gigantic municipal pool but --- well, it does not matter now. Anyhow, this magic should be hard to manipulate.
Numerous transparent balls resembling jellyfish with water inside them are floating around Gunjou, and they start rotating furiously with a Gwihn Gwihn sound. The 'jellyfish' that are spinning like circular saws will cut anything that touches them and inject a paralysis poison into the bloodstream --- or something like that, is what the magic is capable of, if I remember correctly.
I look at that with half-opened eyes, and say.
"Water magic huh? The diseased girl this time seems to be weak against water so --- what a nice magic."
"Whatever, activate your 《Headphone Fuzz》 as well. I'll teach you what will happen when you make a fool out of me."
"But I don't want to learn what will happen."
"That doesn't matter! Just get on with it! Hurry up! I'll really kill you, you know!?"
"Nah."
"Hey, stop ridiculing me already!"
Gunjou waves her fingers. A water disc flies towards me. Fast. It brushes against my neck and at its high speed, cut into the wall and lodges itself in it.
A thin smile surfaces on my lips and I say.
"You missed?"
"Are you an idiot!? If that had hit you, you would have died!"
"Oh my, weren't you going to kill me?"
"That......"
"Aah, I see. Your magic sucks and you missed."
"There's no way that will haaaaapppeeenn!"
Gunjou raises both her hands in fury. I have no idea how she can let loose so much emotions openly, but she just seems to be such a type.
Possessing strong emotions, and using those emotions to wield magic ---
I look hard at Gunjou and say.
"Hey, vomit-girl."
"If you use those words again, I'll separate your head from your body cleanly."
"Then Gunjou."
"Why are you using my first name!? I'll really send you fly......."
But, I interrupt her and say.
"You know...... why're you going to the labyrinths?"
"Eh?"
"If you're so afraid to the point of barfing, then you should just give up. You're already a rich man's kid right? Then, there should be many ways for you to obtain happiness. There's no need for you to do something like descending to a shitty place where people die right?"
On hearing that, Gunjou lowers her right hand that has been activating her magic.
The 'jellyfish' disappear.
Her blue eyes look hard at me and she says.
"...... it doesn't concern you."
"Well, that's true too."
"Anyway, a second-rate commoner like you shouldn't interfere with a genius like me."
"I'm not doing that, am I?"
"Whatever, just don't interfere with me!"
Gunjou hollers angrily. For some reason, she is on the verge of tears. As expected of an emotion-type. Her expressions have been shifting again and again.
I say.
"Hey Gunjou."
"Like I said earlier, don't call me by my first name......"
But I cut her off.
"If you like, shall I protect you?"
"...... eh."
"A girl like you doesn't need to shoulder everything by herself. There's no need to be afraid of your friends dying, no need to tremble at the prospect of failure. I can do all those in your place. I'll protect you."
At that moment, Gunjou's eyes widen in slight surprise.
"...... w-w-wh-wh-wha-what are you saying? Erm erhh, does that mean......"
Her cheeks turn red. Her blue eyes waver, looking troubled. Just as I thought, she is an emotion-type that is easy to figure out.
I grin, and say.
"So, will you pay me money?"
"Huh?"
For a while, Gunjou's face changes to one that seems unable to comprehend what I am saying.
Thus, I explain to her.
"By the way, Shiro seems willing to pay me six million for a raid, but if you're willing to pay ten million or more, then I will happily become your knight. Compared to vomiting out of fear, ten million is a cheap......"
At that moment, Gunjou takes a step forward. And sends her right fist flying straight at my cheek. It would have been an easy thing to dodge, but I took that fist. The inside of my mouth got cut, and I can taste iron.
I lick my wound with my tongue and smile foolishly.
"...... let's see, for the pain I'm feeling now, make that twelve million. If you want me to help you......"
"You're annoying, shut up trash!"
"Then, our negotiations have failed? Are you okay with me lending a hand to Shiro? If I'm on his side, you might just lose, you know?"
"Hahh, don't get too carried away. Who do you think I am?"
"Scaredy cat vomit-girl?"
Her fist came at me again, but I did not take that this time. I take a step backward, and while smirking, I look at her intently.
"I think you're going to need me though."
"I don't need someone like you."
"Well, if you change your mind along the way......"
"I won't. I'll teach you in the labyrinth. That who's the real genius. I'll teach you that someone of your level is of no use in that kind of place!"
After yelling angrily, Gunjou turns around. And faces her back to me.
At the same time, Piih, the siren rings out.
It is sounding the start of the fourth hour.
Therefore, I too start walking, and Gunjou then says.
"Hey, stop following me!"
"Even if you tell me that, we're in the same class, aren't we?"
"If we return together, the rest might think we were doing something together right!?"
"I was looking at you vomit, and you were being looked at while vomiting."
"Ah-uuwu...... I-I'll definitely kill you in the labyrinth!"
"Hahah."
I laugh, and head back to the classroom.
『Fourth Hour ---
Lesson on selecting the magic to kill the girl』
The fourth-hour period --- is a lesson on selecting the magic that will be useful for this labyrinth raid.
Basically, inside a 《Headphone Fuzz》, there is only room enough to accommodate six cursed songs.
In other words, one can only use six varieties of magic.
This means that one must deal with any kind of situation with just those, however, there were many a times that one would not be able to tackle the obstacles and traps a labyrinth had given rise to with just six varieties of magic.
Let's just take the offensive class of magic as an example:
Extreme close-range offense.
Close-range offense.
Mid-range offense.
Far-range offense.
Extreme far-range offense.
Special offense system.
If one were to employ these six varieties of magic, one would have no room for any kind of defensive magic.
Or say, room for illusionary magic or magic used for sensing traps. Or magic used to forcibly open locked doors and so forth.
Thus normally, the six available slots will be filled by 『2 Offense, 2 Defense, 2 Support (balanced configuration)』, or 『3 Offense, 2 Defense, 1 Support (offense-specialized configuration)』, or song distributions such as these that have a certain degree of balance will be employed.
However, in the case of team raids on a labyrinth, it will be a different story altogether.
Those who excel in offensive magic will be in charge of offense; those who excel in defensive magic will undertake the responsibility of defense all by themselves.
And while protecting those who only equip themselves with support magic for the sole purpose of breaking through the labyrinth, the team advances --- such has been the strategy employed as a result.
That is why one will need friends.
The more friends one has, the more tactics that will be available. Any kind of irregular situation could thus be dealt with.
In order to break through the labyrinth this time, there are two classes of magic that are absolutely necessary.
Sensing of traps.
Unlocking of magic locks.
Along the route to the diseased girl located on the eighth level below ground, there are three locks that have to be undone.
Two of the floors are trapped zones, according to the reports.
However,
"............"
It is not something I am concerned with.
As always,
Two slots for offense.
&
nbsp; One for defense.
Three for support.
This is the usual configuration I go with and I have used that in all the labyrinths I have raided. Thus, I have no intention of changing anything this time as well. Teamwork? What's that? Trusting in others with the hope that your trust will be answered is a thing meant for the lazy fellows who have been drowned in the lukewarm waters of a peaceful world.
That was why, during that lesson --- while everyone was desperately fretting about what songs to choose for their 《Headphone Fuzz》, I merely gazed out vacantly at the schoolyard.
『Fifth Hour ---
Time for forming the teams for raiding the labyrinth made by the girl』
The final lesson before invading the labyrinth.
It is a period used for discussing among your buddies the tactics to be used and telling the rest what sort of magic you have selected for your 《Headphone Fuzz》.
But, since I have no buddies nor friends, I did not talk to anyone.
"............"
Scratch that, in the midst of it, Shiro approaches me and says.
"All right. I've transferred the money. Just as promised, you're now in my team. So I'll introduce the rest of the team to you."
I look at Shiro. Behind him, is a timid-looking girl with black hair tied up into a ponytail. And a bespectacled guy.
Shiro says.
"Once we enter the labyrinth, these will be your buddies. Yuuyami Himi is on all-support role. Endou Yousuke on all-defense."
The girl's name is Yuuyami Himi.
The bespectacled guy is Endou Yousuke, it seems.
Each of them has all his or her slots filled with a single class of magic. In other words, these people employ teamwork.
I ask Shiro.
"Then, you are on all-offense?"
But Shiro grins and shakes his head.
"I'm on all-specialized-offense."
"Huuh?"
"Well, mine are really special, so you can just think of them as all-offense. So, about you. I'm hoping that you can adjust yours to a balanced configuration though."
I nod in affirmation.
"It's just nice then."
"Yours is already balanced?"
"Yeah."
"All right. Then, we can beat Gunjou this time."
Pachin, Shiro snaps his finger once.
I look at him in amazement.
Mokushiroku Arisu - Volume 01 Page 6
