Ryo's eyes slowly flickered open, a subtle ache radiating from his head, more like a dull throb than anything, reminiscent of the discomfort that gripped someone who had woken up far too early without the benefit of a good night's sleep.
"Ouch, that can't be good,"
he muttered to himself as he sat up straight, feeling the pain begin to ease almost immediately. As his vision cleared, he noticed a figure sitting across from him, slightly blurred at first. It felt as though he were emerging from a trance, an illusion that distorted his view. Then it hit him, the shimmering effect was caused by the heat emanating from a fire just out of reach, two arm's lengths away.
Who is that? More importantly, where am I? Confusion washed over him. Moments ago, he had been trying to escape from the Floor Master in the fifth layer, the Jewel Centipeder, but after that, his memory was a blank slate. At the very least, he hoped they had escaped, which meant this couldn't possibly be the afterlife… could it? He clenched his fists, fervently wishing he was wrong.
"Mr. Snowfall... where are we?" he finally asked.
The figure came into sharper focus, revealing none other than Logan Snowfall, one half of the duo in his party. The realization eased Ryo's nerves, and he let out a hefty sigh of relief.
"Oh, you're awake! Feeling any better?" Logan asked, his tone brightening.
"Yeah, though I feel like I had a hangover...or like I was hit in the head with a blunt weapon," Ryo replied.
Logan lifted an eyebrow at that remark, glancing away from his task of sharpening his sword on a whetstone. He had been meticulously cleaning it since Ryo had woken up.
"Well, you did pass out after spewing blood from both your nose and mouth. I can't imagine that was a pleasant experience," Logan remarked lightly.
Passed out? So that means I was carried down to the sixth layer unconscious.
Ryo struggled to grasp the implications of what Logan was saying. Had he truly lost consciousness during their escape? Why would that happen?
"Can you remind me what occurred? I'm having trouble remembering," Ryo said, searching Logan's expression for clarity.
"We escaped from that centipede bastard, but just as we were about to reach the sixth layer, blood started pouring from your nose and mouth, and you passed out. It was probably due to the sheer amount of Kardia-magia you expended all at once," Logan explained, keeping his tone steady.
That's never happened before. I guess it's dangerous to force that much Kardia-magia out of my body.
As the pieces began to fall into place, Ryo realized the risk, using that much Kardia-magia could have severe side effects on his body. He'd have to be mindful of that in the future if he found himself in a similar situation.
"So, I was carried to this forest? Sorry for the inconvenience; I didn't mean to be a burden," Ryo said, a sheepish undertone creeping into his voice.
Ryo had a good idea of who must have carried him all the way here. Looking at Logan's build, it wasn't hard to figure out he was the one who went to the trouble of doing so.
"Yeah, don't sweat it. You really helped us out back there. In fact, we could've been dead without your quick thinking. It was the least I could do to repay you," said Logan.
His tone was firm as he spoke; he meant every word. He continued, "You saved both my girlfriend's life and mine. For that, I'm deeply grateful. If you ever wind up in trouble, I promise to do everything I can to help you out."
As he spoke, Logan dropped his sword and even bowed his head in a show of politeness. Ryo was caught off guard, no, he was shocked. He wasn't used to being praised for his efforts and wasn't quite sure how to respond. He ruffled the back of his head sheepishly and replied anyway.
"Uh, you're welcome. But I didn't do anything that noble. I just wanted to get out of that situation alive, that's all," Ryo said, nervously.
"Heh-heh, even so, I plan to make good on that promise. Wouldn't be much of a man if I couldn't repay my debts," Logan said, smiling.
As they spoke, Ryo noticed a figure in the corner of his eye, Tadashi, who was sitting on the floor, fast asleep. Ryo wondered just how uncomfortable that must have been. He could have easily rested against a tree like Ryo had done.
Wow, that looks terribly painful. I guess even he gets tired like this.
Soon, Ryo realized the absence of the girls, all three women in their party were missing, leaving just the boys around the fire. Where could they have gone? He scanned the dark forest. The trees here were enormous, and a slight fog made visibility poor. But Ryo couldn't see a single shadow in sight.
"Where are the girls? Did we get split up or...?"
Logan broke into a wide grin at that question, eager as if he'd been waiting for it to come up. It was, to say the least, a bit unsettling.
"I've been waiting for you to notice! Before we found this perfect spot for camping, we stumbled upon a river, and it was oddly warm, almost hot, even. It was a crazy sight, but the girls decided it would be the perfect opportunity to finally wash themselves off."
That was a rather convenient discovery, Ryo thought. It made sense why the girls were absent. It had been six days since they got here, and no one had a proper way to clean themselves. All the walking they had done left them sweaty, Ryo even stank right now. Occasionally, the girls would head to another cave, claiming they wanted to freshen up. Mei had discovered a way to use their unlimited water bottle supply to clean themselves off.
Ryo and the boys had somewhat adopted that strategy, but considering how much they moved around, it didn't change the fact that they stunk and couldn't exactly wash their clothes either.
A river like that was a perfect opportunity for all sorts of cleaning-up. Ryo thought he would take advantage of the situation, after all, they might never encounter something like this again. It was best to use it properly, even if it meant taking a whole day to relax.
"So, what do you say? Wanna come take a peek with me?" Logan asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"What?" Ryo replied, brow furrowing in confusion.
"Come on! I know you wanna see what's beneath their uniforms."
"Again, what?"
"Don't tell me you're a straight arrow. I see how you look at that one with the silver hair—what was it? Right, Emma."
That wasn't perversion, it was just annoyance. Who could mix that up? This guy must have hit his head.
Ryo couldn't understand Logan's offer. Was he really unaware that his own girlfriend was among them? Ryo couldn't fathom how the thought of seeing her naked didn't bother him at all. There was no way he was going to take advantage of their situation and become a peeping Tom, no matter how intriguing it was. He was about to turn Logan down when—
"I don't think we should be—"
"Are you worried about me letting you see Olivia? If that's the case, you have my permission. Not like you could try anything."
Wasn't he being too lenient? Ryo thought. Did the idea of another guy seeing his girlfriend naked not make Logan angry or uncomfortable? Suddenly, a troubling thought crossed Ryo's mind.
I think I've seen this before online, guys who take pleasure in being cucked.
"Even if I had your permission, it doesn't mean I wouldn't feel bad about it," Ryo said, standing firm.
Logan rested his chin on his hands, deep in thought. He was trying very hard to convince Ryo.
"Listen, down here, we could die at any moment. Wouldn't you want to experience something nice before you do? You know, for memory's sake," Logan said earnestly.
"You do make a valid point," Ryo admitted, considering it.
"Consider this offer as me paying you back for what you did for us earlier. I'm sure Olivia could agree to that."
We're doing this now? I don't think Olivia would share your sentiment.
Ryo pondered how odd it was for Logan to think of using his girlfriend's body as payment for Ryo's efforts. But it wasn't just Olivia he could catch glimpses of, Mei and Emma were part of the equation too. After a moment of reflection, Ryo reached a conclusion.
"Fine, let's do this."
"That's what I'm talking about! Way to make the reasonable choice, Kobayashi!" Logan cheered.
"But what about Fujita? Are we just going to leave him here unguarded?"
Logan let out a sigh before responding, "The river isn't that far from here. Plus, I doubt he'd be the kind of guy to get up and join us. Besides, we won't be gone long, it'll be a breeze in, breeze out operation."
And what, I was that kinda guy? Well I guess I am agreeing to it afterall.
With that, Ryo and Logan stood up from where they were sitting and shook hands as if they had just finalized a lengthy business deal.
It's hard to believe this was the first time they had actually engaged in conversation. While the topics they discussed may not have been entirely respectable, it was still a genuine exchange between two perfectly healthy men.
...
Deep in the cold, dark forest, three ladies had just finished washing their clothes. The young Lady, tasked with drying them with magic, was Emma, who finally set them aside with a satisfied sigh.
All three of them, strikingly naked, stepped into the warm river, the soothing water enveloping their bodies like a comforting embrace. It was truly a pleasant sensation.
"This is the life," Emma said, her expression one of pure ecstasy.
They all nodded in agreement.
Mei, however, felt a bit nervous about being so exposed, even if it was just the three of them. She couldn't shake off the embarrassment. Olivia, on the other hand, sat confidently with her arms crossed, radiating her usual self-assuredness. As for Emma, she was blissfully lost in the moment; if they weren't there, she might have drifted off completely in her pleasure.
For a while, they all basked in their relaxation, taking in the tranquil view of the forest beneath the night sky. Something was odd, though; the sky above was a stunning cluster of stars, stretching out in a magnificent display of purples and violets. It was a breathtaking sight, yet it was merely a fabricated night sky, created by the labyrinth, with no moon in sight.
"Back there, when we ran from that centipede, I had a thought," Olivia said, breaking the serene silence.
They all turned to her, surprised. Olivia wasn't typically one to engage in conversation, let alone initiate one, but her unexpected comment immediately captured their attention.
She continued, her voice carrying a weight that hung in the air. "That was just the first monster of that caliber. Surely we'll encounter similar, even stronger ones. Are we going to run then, too?"
As Olivia spoke, the mood shifted, growing heavy and somber. Their faces fell.
"That boy, Ryo, he's truly something," she remarked. "While we were all panicking, wondering if we should give up, he was the first to keep his head and think about surviving that life-or-death situation."
"Perhaps only he would survive this page," she said, her gaze fixed on the false night sky, her expression unreadable.
Mei clenched her fists. Though submerged in the water, she looked up as well, determination blazing in her eyes.
"We'll just keep running," she insisted, her voice gaining strength. "If we face something as terrifying as what we just did, we'll run again and again, and we'll keep running even after that. No matter what, we have to survive. At least until…"
Her voice trailed off, and a look of pain crossed her features as she left the thought unfinished.
The truth was, no matter how much they ran, once they reached the bottom of the labyrinth, there was no telling what they would have to confront to truly conquer it. Since they hadn't received any special items, as the messengers had said, it was likely they weren't in the lead. It wasn't just them who had escaped the floor master on the fifth layer; there could have been several others who had made it past as well. Without a plan like the one Ryo had implemented, it was hard to know if everyone managed to get out in one piece.
If they reached the final layer, running would no longer be an option, and that was a big "if".
"Yes, that's a viable strategy," Olivia said, "but eventually, we'll have to come to terms with the fact that we won't be able to run away, especially once we reach the lowest layer."
"Who knows? Maybe we could run into unexpected trouble, and I could be the first one to die," she added, a self-deprecating smile creeping onto her face, though it faded quickly.
Mei's expression dulled, understanding the weight behind Olivia's words.
Clap!
A loud clap interrupted their conversation. It was Emma, perhaps sensing the somber mood and trying to lighten things up.
"Enough of all that depressing talk! We finally have some time to relax, and you want to waste it on negative conversations? Come on, try to have fun, you two! We might never get to do this again, like, never! Wait, now I'm doing it too," she said, testing her own resolve.
Mei and Olivia broke into laughter. Emma was right; wallowing in negativity wouldn't do them any good. They needed to lock away those thoughts that drained their morale, after all, a strong mind was crucial for tackling the labyrinth.
"That being said, what should we talk about then?" Mei asked.
"Really? A group of girls spending time together? What else do you think we'd talk about?" Emma replied, her triumphant grin spreading across her lips, though Mei still looked puzzled.
"What are you getting at?" Mei asked, tilting her head.
"You really have no imagination, do you? Maybe that's why you and Ryo get along," Emma teased playfully.
Mei could only furrow her brow, trying to figure out what Emma was hinting at.
"She's talking about love," Olivia chimed in, the realization hitting.
That's when it started to click for Mei. They were technically having a girls' night, considering their circumstances. This kind of topic was typical for such settings, but Mei wasn't exactly used to that kind of thing.
"W-what do you mean?" Mei stammered, a hint of embarrassment creeping into her voice.
"Oh, don't play dumb with me! Anyone can tell you've got the hots for Ryo. Did you really think that occasionally glaring at him after stealing glances would cover your tracks, especially from a pro like moi?" Emma said, her eyes glinting with mischief and a triumphant grin spreading across her face. She was determined to break down Mei's defensive wall.
"That's not... how did you...?" Mei stammered, struggling to find the words. The sudden assault on her composure left her vulnerable, and noticing how shaken Mei was, Emma turned her attention to Olivia.
"I guess it would be more interesting to start with you, Ms. Astrid," Emma said, still wearing that mischievous grin.
"By all means, call me Olivia," she replied, waving her hand in an elegant gesture of approval.
"Okay, Olivia. When did you and Mr. Snowfall start dating? Was it in this world or back on Earth?"
"Quite the shameless little one, aren't you?, I suppose I'll indulge you as much as I can," Olivia said, pausing for emphasis before continuing. "It was after we were summoned. Logan was such a gentleman. He had his flaws, but once I got to know him better, I realized what a great person he truly was. He was kind and considerate, always good at making me laugh. He had this knack for finding unorthodox ways to surprise me with gifts back at Sword Isle. The man always loved to see me smile, after all. And—let's not forget, he was quite incredible in bed. Just when I thought he was done, he'd look at my body and gain an unexpected burst of energy to keep going. Of course, it wasn't just the sex side of things that I truly loved about him."
"Wow, so it all comes down to your bodies, doesn't it?" Emma teased.
As Mei sank into embarrassment, her face turning the color of a ripe tomato, the conversation continued to spiral deeper. The girls delved into the nitty-gritty details as the night wore on, their laughter filling the air.
...
"Wow, Olivia, you're huge! This size is just incredible!" Emma exclaimed, gripping Olivia's breasts, which were far too large to fit entirely in her hands.
"Well, I am rather proud of my size, yes," Olivia replied with a playful smile.
Both Emma and Mei felt a twinge of intimidation. Sure, they weren't exactly lacking, with Emma's assets slightly above medium and Mei's just a bit smaller than her friend's, but Olivia's figure was undeniably more imposing.
"C'mere too, Mei!" Emma said, playfully groping each lady on either side of her, her grin widening.
"Stop that!" Mei protested, splashing water at Emma.
Emma retaliated in kind, and Olivia was caught in the crossfire. Soon, they were all caught up in the fun, splashing each other by the river, laughter ringing through the air as they enjoyed their playful antics.
"Whoa, they're really letting themselves go, aren't they?" Ryo said, his eyes wide.
"Holy crap, what a sight indeed," Logan replied.
From the bushes nearest to the river, two unexpected visitors observed the scene: Ryo and Logan.
Now I feel even more guilty. Aren't they stark naked? Wait, I already knew that.
Ryo felt the urge to retreat, but Logan seemed as eager as ever. Reluctantly, Ryo pressed on.
"Olivia sure is loaded," Ryo thought, but he couldn't voice that opinion with her boyfriend beside him. Logan might have given Ryo a free pass, but he could just as easily change his mind and get mad—people were complicated like that.
"Olivia is as beautiful as ever, don't you think?" Logan said, breaking the silence.
Not cool, man. Just as I was trying to avoid pissing you off, you throw that kind of question at me.
"Y-yeah, she is," Ryo replied awkwardly.
"Of course she is; she's my woman, after all," Logan said with a smirk.
Ryo began to have second thoughts about Logan. Maybe he was just a scumbag when it came down to it.
For now, Ryo decided to focus on Mei and Emma instead. He noticed the differences in their shapes: Mei was the perfect medium size, while Emma was larger but somehow even more appealing. And then there was Olivia... Ryo shook his head.
Nope, stay on track. Don't let those gourds sway you, Ryo.
But as Ryo's gaze wandered, Olivia was the first to notice something was off.
"Something's in the bushes," she said, her voice laced with caution.
Mei and Emma's expressions shifted to serious concern. Quietly, Olivia picked up her sword, wrapping her cape around her like a towel as she moved toward the bushes, with Mei and Emma close behind.
"Oh crap, they're coming this way," Ryo whispered to Logan.
"So, uh, what's the plan, Ryo? You're good at coming up with those, right? Plans to escape vicious beasts?" Logan stammered, his confidence visibly shaken.
You've got to be kidding, he's shaking? Is Olivia really that scary?
They were in a precarious situation, far more fear-inducing than their past encounters. Ryo knew he had to act fast, but what could he do? They could run into the safety of the forest, but navigating that maze could lead to getting lost. They could return the way they came, but that would give away their identities, since only they should know that route.
They'd have to chance it. Slowly creeping back from where they came might buy them some time. At least by the time they crossed paths again, Olivia and the others would have calmed down, even if just a little. No amount of talking would get them out of this situation right now.
"Let's crawl back the way we came. If they don't notice us quickly enough, we'll sprint back," Ryo said.
"Thanks, this is why I insisted you come with me. I knew you'd be handy in these kinds of situations," Logan replied with a sigh of relief.
This bastard, no wonder he was so persistent.
"No time to dawdle. Get moving," Ryo urged.
But as Ryo turned, he noticed a single drop of water fall to the ground beneath him. Looking up, he saw a woman with purple hair, a cape wrapped around her body, her eyes closed and lips curved into a smile. Ryo could feel the wave of murderous intent radiating from her.
Smack!
In an instant, without even registering the pain, Ryo returned into an eternal slumber, but this time, Logan accompanied him.