This was their very first time stepping into the suffocating darkness of the dungeon. Captain Meld wisely didn't force them to push deeper, knowing the sheltered teenagers desperately needed time to acclimate to the sheer terror of real combat. Yet, without a doubt, Suzuki had established himself as the absolute pillar and anchor of the entire group.
Not only had he flawlessly directed the chaotic vanguard, but in the aftermath, he moved with terrifying, clinical efficiency. Suzuki swiftly butchered the monster corpses, expertly extracting the valuable magic cores and pelts while effortlessly discarding the useless viscera. Even more astonishingly, he immediately calculated the market value, sold the materials through his [Absolute Storage], and distributed the gold coins equally among the exhausted students.
With their pockets suddenly heavy with hard-earned cash, the class swarmed the local tavern, eagerly drinking and celebrating their survival.
He must be protected at all costs...
Captain Meld and the veteran knights watched from the bar, deeply impressed. The knights were fierce combatants, but they were absolute garbage at logistics and supply chains. With Suzuki managing the backend, the entire raid had felt incredibly smooth.
Yet, while the tavern roared with laughter and clinking mugs, Suzuki quietly slipped away to "prepare for tomorrow."
The knights didn't realize that Kaori and Shizuku had discreetly followed him, slipping through the shadows and into his private room at the inn. It was there, behind a locked door, that Suzuki dropped the ultimate bombshell.
"...."
The one who looked the most violently shocked was undoubtedly Kaori.
It wasn't Shizuku. Kaori's eyes were wide, her face burning a brilliant, feverish red. She had never, in her wildest dreams, expected Suzuki to be so devastatingly blunt! He had just looked them both in the eye and confessed exactly what had happened last night.
"S-Shizuku, I-I am so..." Kaori's voice trembled. Her eyes welled with tears as she desperately tried to apologize, utterly consumed by guilt for letting her weakness and forbidden desires take over.
But Shizuku reached out, her soft hand gently covering Kaori's lips. She shook her head, a deeply fond, knowing smile playing on her face. "No, it's fine, Kaori. I'm the one who asked him to comfort you in the first place. You don't have to worry about a thing."
"...So... it's really okay?" Kaori whispered, her mind completely short-circuiting.
While Kaori was paralyzed by shock, Shizuku turned her sharp gaze to Suzuki. "What do you mean, is it okay? You two slept together! You can't just brush it off. You took her innocence, Suzuki-kun. You need to take absolute responsibility for her!"
Shizuku's tone was fierce. She looked entirely ready to draw her katana and sever a very important part of his anatomy if he even dared to act like a scumbag.
"I will take care of Kaori, and I will always love you too, Shizuku," Suzuki said, his voice a low, unshakable rumble. "That is, of course, if you both will let me."
Suzuki didn't hesitate. He reached out, his large, warm hands firmly grasping both of theirs. He knew that showing even a fraction of a second of indecision right now would ruin everything. He had to be direct, dominant, and entirely unapologetic. He told them both that he wanted them, and he intended to keep them by his side forever.
Women rarely said exactly what they wanted aloud; society conditioned them to be passive, leaving them to suppress their deepest desires. Suzuki was incredibly grateful for Shizuku's blunt, unyielding honesty. It paved the way for this exact moment.
His heavy, possessive words made both girls stare at him in a trance. Shizuku, bold as ever, didn't waste another second. She surged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and claiming his lips in a fierce, hungry kiss.
Kaori hesitated, her heart pounding frantically against her ribs. She was the interloper. Was it really okay for her to step into this intense, blazing intimacy?
"Come here, Kaori," Suzuki murmured against Shizuku's lips, his hand sliding to Kaori's slender waist, pulling her flush against his side.
Kaori's mind instantly melted. All logic evaporated. She surrendered completely, her soft hands gripping his shirt as she joined the embrace.
The atmosphere in the room spiked into an overwhelmingly thick, lewd heat. The sound of wet, desperate kisses and heavy breathing filled the quiet air. Their tongues tangled in a slow, intoxicating rhythm, exploring and tasting each other as they completely lost themselves in the shared euphoria. Suzuki's hands wandered, tracing the soft, flushed curves of their bodies, eliciting sweet, breathy whimpers that drove him to the edge.
But just as Kaori's switch had been entirely flipped, her body completely pliant and burning for his touch—
"Wait a second!" Shizuku suddenly gasped, breaking the kiss and pushing against his chest.
"W-What's wrong?" Kaori panted, her eyes heavy with lust, terrified that her best friend was suddenly regretting this.
But Shizuku's cheeks were flushed crimson for an entirely different reason. She glared at the cheap, scratchy wool blankets of the inn's bed.
"Suzuki-kun... isn't the penthouse a much better place for this?" she whispered, biting her lower lip suggestively.
"P-Penthouse?" Kaori blinked, entirely confused.
Suzuki didn't waste time on nonsense explanations. He smirked, snapping his fingers to open the dimensional tear to his [Subspace Penthouse]. He smoothly swept both girls through the glowing doorway.
The moment the heavy, soundproof door closed behind them, there was absolutely no turning back.
Kaori had a dozen questions about the luxurious, impossibly modern Tokyo apartment, but the moment Suzuki pinned them to the massive, California king-sized bed, her questions dissolved into absolute bliss. The two of them completely overwhelmed her, bathing her in a sensation so intensely pleasurable it melted her sanity, leaving her entirely enraptured by the dark, sweet magic of his touch.
That night, while the rest of the naive "Heroes" slept soundly in the drafty inn, completely oblivious to the real world, the three of them drowned in each other. They released the crushing stress and terror of the labyrinth through pure, unadulterated pleasure. And by the time the morning sun rose, both Shizuku and Kaori knew they were hopelessly, permanently addicted to him.
Back at the tavern, the noisy celebration was in full swing.
The pressure of their first real fight had been immense. Even though they had only cleared the beginner floor of the dungeon, it was a staggering achievement. Two weeks ago, they were just ordinary high school students worrying about exams and crushes. Now, they had spilled monster blood and lived to tell the tale.
With their spirits high, the students laughed, drank sweet cider, and stuffed their faces with roasted meat. Meld and his knights watched them with fond, protective smiles, allowing the kids to blow off steam.
But then—
SLAM!
"Everyone, listen to me!"
Kouki suddenly slammed both his hands down on a heavy oak table, glaring around the room with a gaze full of righteous disappointment. The tavern instantly went dead silent.
"Our first fight was an absolute failure!" Kouki shouted, his voice echoing off the wooden rafters. "Instead of drinking and goofing off, we should be analyzing our mistakes! We can't just get lazy! We need to stop this nonsense partying and start planning our expedition for tomorrow!"
Kouki's ego was bruised. He had seen the class make several uncoordinated mistakes, and his rigid Hero complex couldn't handle it. He demanded a post-battle debriefing immediately.
"...Even though you were literally frozen in fear just like the rest of us..."
A low, deeply irritated mutter drifted through the silent tavern. It was quiet, but in the dead air, everyone heard it perfectly.
"W-Who said that?!" Kouki's face flushed a brilliant, humiliated red. He whipped his head around, desperately trying to find the classmate who had dared to call out his hypocrisy. "If you have a problem with my leadership, be a man and say it to my face!"
But no one met Kouki's angry gaze. The students just lowered their heads, staring awkwardly into their mugs.
"Calm down, Amanogawa," Captain Meld sighed, stepping forward and placing a heavy, gauntleted hand on the boy's shoulder. "You're exhausted. We are all exhausted. Let them relax. It is impossible to conquer the Great Labyrinth in a single day. Hell, it's existed for thousands of years and no one has ever cleared it. We are not in a rush. We will discuss tactics tomorrow morning when everyone has recovered."
Meld's tone brooked no argument. "Go get some rest, Amanogawa. You're done for the night. Go back to your room."
Kouki hesitated, his fists clenched in frustration. The mocking mutter had stung his pride deeply, but he had an image to maintain. He couldn't look petty. Forcing a tight, magnanimous nod, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the tavern.
The moment the heavy wooden doors swung shut behind him, the entire tavern let out a collective, massive sigh of relief. Within seconds, the cheerful chatter, laughter, and drinking resumed as if the Hero had never spoken.
As Kouki stalked down the dark, cobblestone streets toward the inn, he could hear the music and laughter echoing behind him.
This is exactly why they are all so helpless, Kouki gritted his teeth, his delusions protecting his fragile ego. I have to be strict. I have to lead them. I am the Hero. They just don't understand the burden I carry.
Back inside the lively tavern, one boy wasn't celebrating.
Hajime Nagumo sat silently in the corner, nursing a cup of water as he stared at the wooden table. He was violently replaying the day's events in his mind.
Even though we both have non-combatant Jobs...
Whether it was him as a Synergist or Suzuki as a Merchant, they were both theoretically weak. They possessed Jobs meant for the rear echelon. Yet, while Nagumo had cowered in the backline, utterly paralyzed by fear and completely useless except for sharpening chipped swords, Suzuki had been entirely different.
Suzuki had thrown that dagger. Suzuki had calmly barked orders, anchored the entire vanguard, and efficiently managed the terrifying chaos of their very first battle. Suzuki had made it look effortless.
No. I have to do better! Nagumo gripped his cup tightly, a fire of determination igniting in his chest. I'm going to get stronger. I'll prove to everyone—especially Shirasaki-san—that I can be useful too!
Nagumo made up his mind, entirely oblivious to the dark, venomous glare currently burning into the back of his neck.
From the other side of the room, Hiyama gripped his mug so hard his knuckles turned white.
You're just a useless, pathetic otaku, Nagumo... Hiyama seethed, his mind clouded by a toxic, delusional jealousy. He was furious that Kaori had visited Nagumo's room the night before.
But Hiyama was completely blind to reality. He had absolutely no idea that Kaori wasn't remotely interested in Nagumo's naive kindness anymore. He had no idea that Kaori was currently entirely naked, miles away in a pocket dimension, screaming another man's name.
---
Can you help me make a list of beautiful heroines on Tensura?
Let me remember them in case I forgot.
Also, in the world of Naruto, too.