74 – 74. Not Bad!
“Kenichi, are you ready?”
“You can go ahead.”
“How could you! Leaving a friend behind and going to school first, such a heartless thing! I can’t do that!”
“…Please, can you just go ahead without banging on the bathroom door!”
Bang! Thud! Thud!
I fervently knocked on the door, hoping Kenichi’s martial arts practice would become more lively.
Even in such small moments, I wish for my friend’s happiness. I am indeed a good friend.
“Kenichi! Cheer up!”
“Please, just stop!”
Today, we are heading to school once again.
***
After finishing the midterms and the sports festival, there were no special events scheduled at Karakura High School.
The routine of school life, like a hamster wheel, began until the final exams.
If I were an ordinary first-year high school student, I might have felt bored with this life, but having experienced it, and with friends who shared the pain, I did not feel lonely.
“It’s like tormenting Kenichi out of affection.”
Of course, it was merely an act filled with affection, not anything like bullying.
Kenichi pretends to dislike it, but we always go to school together.
If this isn’t what best friends do, then what is?
“Quickly write down where we should go. Don’t peek at others’ answers. Do it with confidence!”
Today, a survey was being conducted for the second semester’s math trip.
Due to budget and execution issues, it seemed we had to choose our destination for the fall trip already.
The homeroom teacher said to do it with confidence, but is that really possible?
“So, where do you think we should go?”
As soon as Ichinose Hotaru received the math trip application, she turned around with a beaming smile and asked.
She eagerly waved the application as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Maybe somewhere far since we can go to places like Disneyland anytime? How about the opposite side, Osaka? You can visit the castle and even go to an onsen in Kobe!”
“I prefer somewhere close because I’m lazy…”
“Kenichi! How long are you going to stay on the outskirts of Tokyo! You barely went to Mount Fuji even during middle school! Let’s go further this time!”
“…Why are you so enthusiastic again.”
On the other hand, Kenichi, feeling drained due to morning constipation, collapsed on his desk.
“…I don’t mind, so do as you please.”
Looking down at Kenichi, who had completely given up, Hotaru turned back towards us with a smile.
“Then, let’s decide where to go without Kenichi, who has no decision-making power! Hmm, where does Sawamura like?”
“Well, I’m fine with anything.”
It seemed like Kenichi’s treatment hadn’t improved since elementary school. Well, that’s a new revelation.
Regretfully shaking my head, I clenched my fist and shouted for the foolish Kenichi’s well-being.
“I think a hot spring trip would be better than an amusement park! A relaxing trip! A cultural trip!”
“Ooh!”
Unanimously, it was decided that we would head to the Kansai region—Osaka.
Of course, it was just among us, and it might take a bit longer for the whole school vote results to come out.
“hehehe, I’m looking forward to it.”
Hotaru seemed to be excited about the trip, even though there were still a few months left.
There were still final tests to go through, and it would be a while until the summer vacation, let alone the math trip.
There were more plans than I had anticipated.
“Hmm, since the final exams start in mid-July.”
“Yeah! Just one month left now!”
“……Ugh.”
At the mention of ‘exams,’ Kenichi groaned and hunched his body even more.
Exams seemed to be the archenemy of fools, like a cat loathing water.
“Kenichi, do you hate exams that much?”
“…Don’t talk to me.”
Just hearing about it made him want to die.
I shrugged, feeling sorry for my pitiful student.
After all, exams were a fate he had to face.
“By the way, time flies so fast.”
“Yeah, feels like I haven’t done much.”
Hotaru nodded in agreement.
Indeed, Ichinose Hotaru was always engrossed in her duties as a shrine maiden, barely leaving the temple.
It was a painful truth despite my advice.
“Everything is for the greater good of the world…!”
As I encouraged them, Sento’s expression somehow shifted, resembling someone looking at a middle schooler with a delusional disorder.
Though it was another element that hurt me, it wasn’t as significant as the many worldly matters I had to attend to rather than worrying about a partner’s disdainful gaze.
Final exams.
With just one month left until mid-July, it meant we were already approaching the end of June.
I glanced at the date written on the green chalkboard.
[June 19 – Monday]
Only two days left until the end.
***
Apocalypse Love Comedy.
Abbreviated as ‘Apoculco,’ it was the game I dedicatedly played during my hikikomori days.
Back then, I often cursed it as a trash game, but upon reflection, it had many aspects of a masterpiece.
I wasn’t a pervert to obsess over a game with no apparent merits, so it was only natural.
Firstly, it offered abundant content at a low price.
Although it was clearly aaa-grade in terms of volume, it cost less than 30,000 won due to its superficial appearance as a dating sim.
The heroine’s character design was beautiful, and the occasional combat scenes were impressively depicted.
Excluding the main purpose of a dating sim like romantic descriptions or bed scenes, it was actually an excellent action game.
I was confident that such a dating sim would never come out again.
In many ways, it was unprecedented.
With so many advantages, it was ironic that it was labeled as a ‘total trash game.’
“It was a complete disaster.”
Setting aside the fact that it didn’t resemble a typical pretty girl dating simulation, the main reason for the criticism was the disastrous difficulty level.
The fact that thousands of Koreans spent over two months and couldn’t even complete half the game was proof enough that it was a disaster.
From Noble mtl dot com
Well, for some, it might be a god-tier game overflowing with content that was beyond comprehension.
From some point, I played for the thrill of killing monsters rather than for the romance.
Regardless, one thing was certain – the difficulty level was insane.
Except for the tutorial-like first chapter, I had to die more than ten times in every episode.
In Chapter 2 – Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, I mastered combat techniques; in Chapter 3 – Battle with Kenju Seichi, I learned the importance of digesting gimmicks and backgrounds.
In Chapter 4, I realized that if I let my guard down, the heroine would turn into a hidden boss and wipe us all out.
In Chapter 5 – The End Times Episode, I deeply felt that this game, unlike a typical romance, was indeed a damn tough game.
In Chapter 8, which is linked to the previous episode, I died a whopping 100 times, not as much as before, but still over 50 times in Chapter 5.
Unlike other episodes, the fact that monsters are summoned in broad daylight is challenging, but above all, the quantity and quality of the monsters we had to face were on a whole different level compared to the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
This time, dragons and giants appear.
Monsters slightly inferior to the ancient demon Byakko appear in pairs, not just one.
It was normal that they couldn’t be stopped by main characters like Kenichi, Sento, Hotaru, Eris, and the nearly destroyed Tokyo-based sorcerer clan.
“Oh, this is really bad, isn’t it?”
As disaster struck right before our eyes, my heart pounded with excitement.
As I chuckled nervously, the homeowner I hadn’t seen in ages narrowed his eyes.
“…What’s such a big deal again? I said you could take the Yosuzume in front of the cave as you pleased, so what are you thinking of taking from me now?”
“Come on, I’m not the kind of person who would steal from others!”
“…Who said you’re kind?”
The Guardian of the Dragon Vein, Imugi – Kyoryu, wrinkled his face while letting out a snort.
Seems like he’s used to being taken advantage of, this guy who doesn’t trust anyone.
Well, he did come for a reason.
“hahahaha, I might be here to borrow something, but I’m definitely not a bad person, right?”
“…Sigh.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Kyoryu shook his head in resignation.
“So what do you need? Just take whatever I can’t stop you from taking.”
“Oh.”
Looking at him now, I felt like a bad employee neglecting the Guardian’s duties.
A thief of this level of salary, truly a fine talent capable of provoking the boss’s anger.
Good for me, but still.
“Well then, I’ll just look around for the item!”
Not a dragon, but an Imugi, so a step lower, but still a den of spiritual objects.
Dying at the moment, but once a well-known figure, so there were quite a few items.
I sifted through the items piled up in one corner and grasped an old, worn-out book.
“…That’s it.”
Known as the Hidden Pithos.
This ancient book is an item that cannot be obtained at this point through the normal route.
Information released by the operation side to pique the user’s interest.
Since I easily obtained an item that I would only get by killing or capturing Kyoryu someday.
“It’s not in bad condition!”
I smiled contentedly as I looked at the book that was about to disappear into dust.
This ancient spellbook, existing since ancient times, is a one-time use item, a bit of a waste to use, but still a powerful item.
Especially for me.
─It’s the remnant of a forgotten past glory for everyone. Do you know what that book is?
Goryong also seemed unaware of the true identity of the ancient book.
Well, if he had known, he would have gotten rid of it long ago, naturally.
I chuckled, nodding my head. The power of the ancient book was quite simple.
“Well, it’s nothing special. Just a ritual that enhances the user’s power, right?”
Limited to one-time use, it’s an ability enhancement.