Chapter 90. The First Boss, Leang (8)

"Ugh... I feel like I'm going to die."

A worm... no, Luna approached, tapping my shoulder.

While we were talking, I was swinging my sword wildly, so it was a natural outcome.

"How about it? You've gotten stronger, haven't you?"

"Hehe, I saw the worm wriggling very well."

"...I didn't ask you, you know? I asked Teacher Caron."

So you spoke informally to the teacher? Even to the killing machine Caron?

No matter how much Caron likes you, that's crossing the line.

Luna's face might turn into a pancake.

"...You've improved a lot. If you keep trying, you'll get even better."

Yeah, I see. Now you're not going to hide the fact that you're a guardian anymore?

If I had wriggled like a worm, I would have been stepped on and burst immediately.

"Did you hear that?"

Luna nudged me with her elbow.

She said her skills had improved significantly, which is a fact.

'Caron seems to have no idea.'

It's amazing that someone as dull as Luna can survive.

I'd rather have a weak person like me protected than a strong person like Luna.

I was seriously considering whether Caron would take care of me if I also had twin tails like Luna.

Sniff, sniff.

Suddenly, Luna sniffed.

Luna's nose, which was sniffing around, pointed to...

Thud.

Caron's embrace.

"What, what is it?"

"Just a moment. Stay still for a bit."

Luna started sniffing around Caron.

Then she frowned slightly.

"This smell... I've definitely smelled it somewhere before... but I can't remember."

Caron stiffened.

It was natural for her to do so, as Luna, who had been watching from a distance, approached.

'She's been doing this since last time.'

I remembered what Luna had said and sniffed a few times. But I couldn't smell anything from Caron.

It doesn't make sense for Caron to have a smell in the first place.

'She needs to act secretly.'

Stalking and tracking are part of her daily routine, and disappearing without a trace is essential.

For someone like that to have a smell? Impossible.

It must be Luna's delusion.

"Teacher Caron, have we met before?"

"...No, we haven't."

"Well, that makes sense. But why does this smell feel familiar? It's strange..."

You're the one who's strange, Luna, for trying to remember someone by their smell.

Don't people usually remember faces first? You're not an animal.

"I'm going to leave now. Don't overdo it and come back soon."

Caron gently pushed Luna away and left the training ground.

Does it feel like she's running away? Is that just my imagination?

'There might be a chance to dig deeper.'

I asked Luna, who was still sniffing.

"Hehe, I don't smell anything."

"Hmm, really? Then maybe it's my delusion..."

"Can you at least describe the smell?"

"What kind of smell? Hmm... It's hard to describe. It's not a smell I know."

"Even a vague description would be fine. Just tell me what comes to mind."

Luna closed her eyes.

She seemed to be trying to think of the closest words.

After a moment of concentration, Luna's mouth slowly opened.

"It's a warm and nostalgic scent. That's for sure."

When I asked for an abstract description, she really gave an abstract one.

I doubt you'll find such a brat anywhere else.

"Hehe, a warm scent? That's not a smell."

"You asked for an abstract description, didn't you?"

"I meant a similar smell... I made a mistake. I should have considered your level of knowledge."

"..."

Tap, tap.

Suddenly, I felt someone behind me.

I turned around to see Regis.

She was tugging on my collar.

"Hehe, Miss Regis. What's the matter?"

"Something feels off. We need to leave here. I have a strong feeling that something terrible is about to happen."

The tuft of hair on Regis's head was spinning wildly.

Regis has an A-rank skill called [Crisis Detection].

So she's probably not lying.

The problem is that my [Super Senses] didn't react.

"Hmm, that's strange. Is a natural disaster coming?"

I don't think there's a story like that.

I was thinking whether Regis might be mistaken when...

Regis, who had been looking behind me, panicked and buried her head in a box, shaking.

"Ah, ah! I'm going to die! We need to hide!"

Suddenly, something life-threatening?

That's impossible. Unless a demon attacks us...

I turned around and saw it.

A demon was standing there. A demon named Luna.

Click.

"L-Luna? Why are you doing this suddenly?"

"...Not knowing that is your sin, isn't it?"

The demon Luna started to bite my head.

"Die! Die!"

"Ah, ah, ah!!"

"Save me!"

As the first chapter was about to end.

A cat that sometimes turns into a demon and a rabbit that trembles in a box.

That's the current strength of my party.

* * *

A day passed.

Time has been passing quickly since I entered the game, but it feels even faster now.

'Only one day left.'

Tomorrow is the day to tackle Leang.

I wasn't nervous.

I knew it wouldn't be a fight to the death.

'Leang is just the first chapter boss.'

Let's compare Leang with the fragment of a demon.

The fragment of a demon isn't a boss monster, but in terms of difficulty, the 'fragment of a demon' is much higher.

With the devastating gimmick of a three-turn instant kill and fighting without any abilities.

'Originally, it would be a challenge for the third chapter.'

In contrast, Leang is the first chapter boss.

There are no special gimmicks.

Just choosing whether to move left or right, up or down, based on the techniques he uses?

Since he's the first chapter boss, he has been analyzed to the point of dissection by veterans.

Knowing all of Leang's techniques, I had nothing to worry about.

My level is much higher than Leang's.

That's right. There's no problem with winning the fight.

The current issue is...

'The lack of information about repentance.'

To get a special reward, I need to repent and then kill, but with the information I currently have, that's impossible.

'I got some information from Roderlin and Caron, but...'

I'm missing puzzle pieces. Pieces of information about the character Leang.

'Should I go to Elesser and ask? But if I raise suspicion, it will be just as troublesome. Wait a moment...'

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

What if I ask Leang directly? A crazy idea.

'He won't draw his demon sword in front of people.'

It doesn't matter if he has bad feelings towards me.

We'll be fighting to the death tomorrow anyway.

'I'm really smart, aren't I?'

Whistling, I left the dormitory.

* * *

The morning classes ended in a flash. Now, after finishing lunch.

It's time to go to Leang as planned.

But I'm facing an unexpected problem.

"Hehe, Luna?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"...What's going on right now?"

Clank.

A metallic sound came from my wrist.

The sound of the chain that binds my wrist.

What's strange is that the same sound came from Luna and Regis's wrists.

That's right. We are currently connected by chains.

Of course, the culprit is Luna.

"Aah, Regis needs to make friends, so that's why. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but please cooperate."

Making friends for Regis and chaining our wrists together.

What's the relationship between these two?

As a normal person, I can't understand this behavior.

"Wouldn't it be better to show them how to have fun? That's why I tried chaining them. What, is it bad?"

Yes, it's bad. Very bad.

It feels like a restriction, doesn't it? It symbolizes that you can't escape once you're here.

Regis must feel the same way.

"Good idea. We look close this way..."

Yeah, I see. You're not normal either?

I can't do this. Not to find Leang, but to save my normal life, I need to get out of here.

Right now!

"Hehe, I have something to do... It's troublesome."

"You can come with me. Where do you need to go?"

Clank, clank.

The metallic sound echoed with every step we took.

I wonder if Leang would run away in fear if he saw us like this.

No matter how I think about it, going together is impossible.

"Hehe, didn't you promise to take Regis for a walk? You should do that."

"Yeah? I can do it later."

"Didn't you skip it yesterday because you were tired from training? You need to make up for it."

"Is it really that low to do this?"

"Take a walk and slowly explore the academy. You might find a friend for Regis to get along with."

"Then you can come with us."

She said, wiggling her fingers.

"Hehe, if I'm there, the kids who want to approach will stay away."

"...Yeah, that's true. People who judge by appearance will reject this."

I'm the one with the slit eyes, a symbol of ominousness.

'Of course, the kids who see you will run away.'

Luna and Regis, bound by chains.

Various debuffs on me and the readiness for a fierce battle.

"Making friends for Regis is important, but I don't want to leave you behind..."

"Hehe, it's rare for Luna to come up with a good idea. It would be a waste to let it go. Besides, I do have something to do."

After thinking for a moment, Luna spoke.

"Alright. I can't help it. I have something to do..."

Luna, looking disappointed, untied the chain.

If it were the old Luna, she wouldn't have given up and would have clung to me.

'Since that incident, she's improved a bit.'

When I suggested she make other friends and gave her some time alone.

She seemed to have a realization and started giving me personal time occasionally.

About 10 minutes a day?

This is a significant improvement. She used to follow me even to the bathroom.

'She'll keep improving.'

Luna will grow into a person who can live without me, a very excellent person.

If you mean she won't be an excellent person but a normal person?

...To think you can have such thoughts after seeing Luna bind us with chains.

Are you T?

Anyway, the chain on my wrist was gone.

I wanted to shout, "Zero is free!" but I held back.

If I did, that chain might end up around my neck.

No matter how much I like Luna, I can't let that happen.

"Hmm, the chain is left. Should I put it around my neck?"

Luna, looking at the chain left in her hand, fell into deep thought.

Luna, if you do that, the walk will turn into a different kind of walk (??).

Maybe this game will be rated for adults and the world will collapse.

"Hehe, I'll take the leftover chain. It's my share."

"Hmm, yeah. Don't lose it. You'll need to put it back when you return."

That way, I saved one world from censorship.