…Honestly, this is a real problem.
While I was zoning out, the number of pairs shown on the screen had already passed half.
Only eight people were left, including me.
…Yeah, just eight.
There was still a little time on the countdown, but the mood in the room was the worst.
Ugh. I’ve always hated this kind of atmosphere.
It’s like in gym class when the teacher yells, “Hey, you guys! Pair up with someone!” That evil spell.
Normally, I’d team up with one of the few close friends I have. But if that friend was out sick, I was pretty much screwed.
Because, well, I don’t have that many friends.
So even if it’s a game, being forced into this kind of social situation is rough for me.
And this time, my partner has to be a girl.
That makes it even harder.
Ugh…
If my little sister Manami were here, this would be settled in no time.
But that’s way too convenient, I guess.
Looking around, the ones who’d already paired up were huddled in the corners of the room.
Probably introducing themselves.
Or maybe planning their strategy for the game ahead.
Lucky them, getting it over with early.
I scanned the remaining players.
A cool, smart-looking black-haired high school beauty, surrounded by a few guys trying to hit on her.
A girl-I think-sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up, her face completely hidden under a big hoodie.
Then there was a middle-aged lady, maybe in her forties, stocky and looking tough. She’d been grabbing some young guy in his twenties and forcing herself on him.
…Honestly, I absolutely did not want to pair up with her.
And the last one was the flashy curly-haired woman who’d been screaming hysterically about being kidnapped from the start. She still couldn’t accept reality, and was banging on the door with her heel, shrieking, “Let me out of here!”
So my choices were: the black-haired high school girl, the hoodie girl, the middle-aged lady, or the hysterical lady.
I had to pick one of them as a partner…
Wait. If I think about it calmly, wasn’t there basically only one real choice?
Alright. Time to be brave and go talk to that black-haired girl getting swarmed.
I mean, even when playing RPGs or mobile games, I always build my party with the best-looking characters to keep my motivation up.
Well, I’m more of a “stats guy,” so I don’t usually care much about looks or skins. But in this situation, there were only level “1” NPCs here.
That meant no matter who I picked, the stat differences were zero.
So of course I’d want to pick the one with the best graphics. That’s just the sad nature of a man-no, a gamer.
I dragged my heavy feet forward, one step at a time.
Before making my move, I used ‘Appraisal’ on the black-haired girl again to check her info.
I’d used it on the whole room once earlier, but back then I’d only looked at skills and level numbers, not the full details.
[STATUS]
Name: Shikijo Yuna
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Race: Human
Level: 1
HP: 350
[Description]
The eldest daughter of the Shikijo Group, one of the country’s largest conglomerates.
Extremely intelligent and physically gifted.
Has a model-like figure, and notably, a very large chest.
Serves as the captain of the kendo club, acknowledged by herself and others as an outstanding student.
Her father is elderly, and since she’s an only child, she’s considered the top candidate for the next head of the family.
She’s rejected every marriage proposal that’s come her way, and has immense pride.
Due to a past kidnapping trauma, she harbors a strong aversion to all men except her father.
[Fetishes]
Despises frivolous or incompetent men with a burning hatred.
However, deep down, she harbors a desire to be dominated by a man stronger than herself.
Also has masochistic tendencies, though she’s unaware of it.
[Weak Points]
Nipples, armpits, clitoris, tip of tongue, cervix (room for development)
[Measurements]
B95・W60・H85 (H cup)
[Sexual History]
Masturbates three times a week. Virgin.
Always comforts herself with fantasies of being physically and mentally ravaged and dominated by a strong man.
………………………………………………………………
…Huh?
Wait, what is this?
Before, it only showed level, skills, gender, age, and race!
Why did this suddenly appear like some kind of eroge status screen?
……That’s really weird.
Maybe I just missed it when I Appraised everyone at once earlier?
…No, that’s totally possible.
I’d just cleared the Abyss Labyrinth and was super tired, so I probably only glanced at it.
Plus, having multiple people in my field of view might’ve prevented the detailed display.
Maybe the status info shown in my vision has some kind of limit.
I should probably check each one carefully from now on.
……Especially the girl NPCs.
I’d be traumatized for life if I accidentally saw a Goblin’s or some old guy’s sexual history.
I should’ve used ‘Appraisal’ on each person way earlier.
I might’ve missed something important for clearing the event.
…Whatever.
Her name’s ‘Shikijo Yuna’ huh….
Based on this Appraisal info, including her base stats, she’s definitely a high-tier character.
If I gave her potions and equipment and raised her, I could see her becoming pretty strong in battle.
Her starting HP is ‘350’-way higher than mine.
I only had ‘100’ at level ‘1’. Heh heh….
I walked toward the group of guys surrounding her.
Two guys were clinging to her persistently.
She glared at them like they were garbage, coldly turning down their offers.
But the guys, maybe feeling the time pressure, kept pushing and sticking around.
So the “man-hater” setting in her profile was real.
”Hey, mind if I cut in?” I called out calmly from behind, stepping closer.
All three of them instantly spun around to glare at me.
”The hell d’you want, punk?! You trying to get piece of this too?!” the pierced-up blonde delinquent snarled, stepping right into my space to intimidate me.
…Pfft. Not scary at all. Honestly, I almost felt sorry for him.
His intelligence was probably below a Goblin’s.
”Yeah, that’s right,” I replied flatly. “I want to pair up with her too.”
”Ha! Sucks for you, kid! Me and her were just ’bout to lock it in! Get the hell outta here, you’re crowding my space!” he barked, shoving his chest out.
”I have stated this repeatedly..,” Shikijo Yuna cut in coldly, her aristocratically refined voice ringing out like a crystal bell. “I have no intention whatsoever of pairing with a creature like you.”
”Wh-?! The hell d’you say?!” he gasped, stumbling back a step.
So it was just the delinquent running his mouth. Complete delusion.
Tough luck, street trash. Looks like you’re the one who should beat it.
Man, seeing her up close like this-she’s really cute.
A classic, beautiful black-haired girl.
Her eyes were sharp and cool, showing the strong will and refined pride of a proper upper-class lady.
Her long black hair was tied up high in a ponytail that suited her perfectly.
Her outfit looked like some high school blazer? I didn’t recognize it.
And underneath that blazer, two heavy fruits pushing against the fabric.
The ‘H cup’ from the Appraisal wasn’t lying. Very nice.
”Hold up! I hit on her first, man! So it’s only right she pairs up with me!” a chubby guy with greasy, slimy eyes shouted, barging into the circle.
His heavy breathing was unnaturally rough-“huff, huff”-and it made me feel physically sick.
This guy was probably an Orc variant, not a Goblin.
He was so disgusting I thought about just killing him right there.
The girl he was harassing had deep wrinkles between her brows and didn’t even try to hide her complete revulsion.
She gave the fat guy a icy, insect-like stare, treating him like utter trash.
”Hah… I have no intention of pairing with you either,” she declared sharply, before turning her cold gaze toward me. “And as for you, the final contender-I shall not team up with you. I am not pairing with anyone! I shall navigate this trial entirely on my own!”
Shikijo Yuna delivered her cold ultimatum to all three of us.
Whoa, whoa. Does this NPC even understand the situation?
She’s supposed to be smart and high-tier, but choosing “I won’t pair with anyone” here seems like a total blunder.
We don’t even know what the penalty will be.
Is this just her refined pride talking? Thinking she can handle everything alone?
Or maybe her brain circuits were fried.
I needed to teach her a lesson.
I mentally reached toward the void behind me, thinking about summoning one of my ‘Wielder of the Ten Holy Demon Swords’ to my hand.
……Grr, GRRR…!!
A tiny fraction of my immense demon sword power and killing intent leaked out, visibly warping the air around us.
”Wh-what?! Hey, what the hell’s happening?!” the delinquent yelled, stumbling backward.
”Eek?! What is this?!” the fat guy squealed, grabbing his own head.
”Th-this pressure…!” Shikijo gasped, her eyes widening in sudden shock.
Seeing their reactions snapped me back. Whoa, careful.
I almost lost my cool and unleashed the demon sword.
I quickly canceled the skill, dispersing my magic aura back into the void.
Calm down, me.
I checked our surroundings.
Luckily, it seemed only the three people right next to me had noticed that brief distortion and pressure.
Nobody else seemed to realize that I was the one who caused it.
Seriously, why would I go all out against some NPCs?
Besides, even if I forced them to register through threats and fear, this game is called “Trust.”
If you rule through fear, you won’t get proper cooperation, and you might fail to clear it.
Times like this, you gotta stay cool like a real gamer.
I’ve beat tons of dating sims and eroge, right?
I just need to remember that and “win over” the characters in front of me.
”Heh, what was that just now? For a second, I almost wavered,” I chuckled softly, shaking my head. “Anyway, never mind that… Shikijou-san. Do you really understand the situation? You’re smart enough to know that if you don’t team up with someone within an hour, you’ll get penalized. And that this isn’t a normal world…”
”That… of course I understand!” she shot back, her refined composure cracking slightly. “Yet I require no assistance! Without relying on the strength of any man, I shall overcome this hardship through my own power! That is all…”
After making her declaration, Shikijou Yuuna suddenly narrowed her beautiful eyes with deep suspicion, staring directly into my face.
”…By the way, you. How do you know my family name when we are meeting for the very first time? I have not revealed my identity to anyone here.”
As expected of an NPC loaded with smart settings.
She caught my slip-up immediately.
Well, or maybe I’m just an idiot.
”Hmm, let’s see,” I offered with a calm smile. “How about this-if you partner up with me, I’ll tell you why I know your name.”
”I see..,” she murmured, pressing her well-shaped lips into a tight line.
She paused for a brief moment, then let out a quiet, graceful sigh of defeat.
”…Very well. I would far prefer partnering with someone who appears somewhat reasonable, like yourself, than with those two filthy beasts over there.”
”Yeah, nice to work with you,” I nodded.
”Hey! Hold the hell up!” the delinquent roared, shoving his way back in. “Why’re you locking in with some skinny punk who just rolled up late?!”
”Th-that’s right!” the fat guy wheezed angrily. “I approached her first, so I got priority!”
”Hey, shut it, you annoying goblins,” I sneered, letting my voice drop into a cold, irritated bite. “You got dumped, so stop whining about it and beat it.”
Their pathetic persistence made even me drop my polite act and show a little real irritation.
I can’t stand these level-one nobodies getting in the way of my run.
Any gamer would feel the same, right?
When you’re about to carefully win over the main heroine, and some random ugly guy steals her away in an NTR scene-of course that pisses you off.
NTR is something you can never, ever forgive.
”Uh, uh..,” the delinquent stammered, stepping back.
”Eep…!” the fat guy squeaked, trembling.
When I glared at them with a sliver of raw killing intent mixed in, the street punk and the fat guy let out pathetic noises and scattered like panicked roaches.
Looks like my peaceful persuasion-okay, intimidation-worked fine.
Thank goodness those goblins could take a hint.
Well, time’s running out, so let me wrap up this registration event.
”Shikijou-san,” I called out, turning back to her.
”Y-yes?! Wh-what… is it?!” she squeaked, flinching slightly.
Whoa, this aristocratic lady just let out a super cute gasp in surprise.
The gap between her sharp, noble demeanor and that flustered reaction is adorable.
She quickly tried to hide her embarrassment, shooting me a cold, deadpan glare.
”Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” I said, gesturing toward the wall. “But we really need to register soon-time’s almost up…”
I pointed at the countdown monitor and motioned for her to bring out her wrist device.
”Oh… quite right. Let us complete it at once,” she agreed, composing herself.
We brought the LCD screens of our metal watch-like devices together until they bumped.
[Beep. Registration complete! Partner: Shikijou Yuuna]
Oh wow, so that’s how it works.
The text on the wrist screen turned bright green.
With this, I’ve finally reached the starting line of Stage 2.
I’m starting to look forward to what kind of game starts next.
These high-tech gadgets always get a guy’s heart pumping, no questions asked.
”Kageyama, Mato… so that is your name..,” she read aloud, studying her wrist display.
Ah, right, I totally forgot to introduce myself.
She must have checked the partner section on her synced device to see my profile.
”Oh, sorry. Completely slipped my mind to tell you,” I chuckled, tapping my back. “But yeah, like it says on the screen-Kageyama. Seventeen, second year in high school. Nice to officially meet you.”
”Indeed, likewise,” she replied, offering a stiff, polite nod. “It seems you already possessed knowledge of my identity, but to formally introduce myself-I am a third-year high school student, Shikijou Yuuna.”
”Oh, so you’re my senior by grade. Should I use polite speech with you?” I asked.
”No, that will not be necessary,” she answered, waving her hand slightly. “Rather than superficial pleasantries… you clearly seem to possess considerable knowledge regarding the rules of this facility. I shall certainly require a thorough explanation from you later.”
What does she mean by “considerable knowledge”? Probably just the mechanics of this God’s game.
Sorry to disappoint, but I’m going into this “Partner Game” blind too, so I can’t give her answers.
I mean, I could tell her about my skill setup and level, but what’s an NPC gonna do with those stats?
…Ding-dong-ding-dong~
…Ding-dong-ding-dong~
While I was thinking about that, a cheerful chime rang out across the entire room.
Looks like time ran out.
Everyone turned their heads toward the massive screen up front.
[Current partners: 9/10]
Huh, one pair failed to form?
…Where? Ah, over there.
Left in the corner of the room were the middle-aged lady who was harassing that young guy earlier, and the big fat guy I chased off.
Not to be mean, but that’s a super predictable outcome.
They could’ve just given in, tapped their wrist devices together, and cleared the goal-but I guess both were too stubborn and refused, saying “anyone but you.”
…Can’t even follow simple rules-what total idiots.
By the way, the other two pairs: that poor handsome guy who got bothered by the lady ended up with the hysterical woman, and the hoodie girl reluctantly paired up with the blonde street punk.
…Hm? Is that hoodie girl alright?
Looking closely, her clothes look a little rumpled.
Maybe that punk grabbed her arm and forced her to register against her will.
I couldn’t see from my spot, so I can’t say for sure.
But right now, playing the hero won’t give me any rewards, so I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.
The huge front screen changed its display.
[NOTIFICATION]
[Time’s up!]
[Penalties will be given to Players who failed to form pairs.]
[Now, please move quickly to your individual rooms according to your (Partner Ring)!]
[If you do not reach your designated room within the time limit, you will also receive a penalty!]
A sharp beep sounded, and the TV beside the display started a ten-minute countdown.
Looks like we’ve got about ten minutes to reach the next location.
”……NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” a woman’s shriek tore through the silence.
”U-UGHHHHHHH!? I’m sorry, no, help, AAGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!” a man screamed right after, gurgling on his own blood.
Suddenly, horrifying screams echoed from the back of the quiet room, loud enough to burst your ears.
…What the hell?
”Wh-what is this?! What on earth is happening?!” someone yelled in panic.
”This is… seriously bad!” another voice cried out.
”Eeeeek!”
”KYAAAA!!!”
I spun around in shock-and right in the middle of the room, two people were bleeding heavily from their eyes, noses, and ears.
The middle-aged woman and the fat guy who failed to make a pair were lying there, totally still.
”…No way,” I muttered under my breath.
Even I lost my words for a second at the bloody sight.
Shikijou-san next to me must have felt pure terror too.
At some point, she had grabbed the hem of my blazer tightly with her fingertips, trembling.
…Oh, wait. …I have potions.
Maybe those two can still be saved.
I secretly pulled a glass bottle of potion from my Inventory and slid it into my pants pocket.
”Excuse me, let me through!” I shouted, stepping forward.
”Wait, Kageyama-kun…!?” Shikijou called out, her voice laced with confusion.
Pushing past the terrified people who were frozen in fear, I rushed over to the two badly injured players.
Shikijou-san called out from behind me, but I didn’t have time to explain.
What creeps me out is-I didn’t hear a sound or feel any skill go off.
So how did God hurt those two?
…Even with my crazy high stats, I didn’t spot a thing.
And I’m over level 2000.
Maybe the game host is way stronger than I thought.
I reached them and dropped to my knees.
I put my hand on their bloody necks to check for a pulse.
Hmm, nothing.
Yeah, they’re already dead.
If they’re dead, potions won’t restore their HP.
To my shock, both of their eyes were completely gone, with blood pouring out from the empty sockets.
Blood was pouring from their noses and ears too-a clear sign of severe brain damage.
I don’t even need to use Appraisal to know that.
There’s no Blue Save Point in this room like the one in the Abyss Labyrinth, so they’re probably not coming back.
Oh, but now that I think about it-they’re just NPCs, so who cares…?
Oh well, moving on!
”Kageyama-son, be they… be they still breathin’ out there?!” old man Haruo asked, rushing up beside me with a pale, trembling face.
Everyone else was either running for the door to get out as fast as possible, or frozen in fear at the bloody mess.
In this mess, this old guy was the only one who came over to check the body and show real worry.
Yeah, this Sasaki guy must be different from the other NPCs.
He’s gotta be a key character for pushing the plot forward.
”Unfortunately… it’s too late,” I said, shaking my head slowly at him.
”I see… Lord have mercy, this just ain’t right, no sir..,” he groaned, his face twisting in pain as he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fist.
”Oi, you two! Instead of fussin’ over them corpses, you’d best get your gear moving outta here double-quick!” Reina barked from a safe distance, calling down to us like a market trader hustling a crowd.
”I hear ya, girl… but we shared this room together, didn’t we?” Haruo replied softly, his voice thick with grief. “Just give an old man a second to say a proper prayer for ’em.”
Haruo knelt right there on the bloody floor, not caring if his suit got dirty. He pressed his hands together and closed his eyes.
In the middle of the panicked crowd rushing for the exit, I decided to play along with the old man’s action too-just to follow the game event. I closed my eyes and put my hands together for a few seconds.
That’s when a slender, hesitant hand lightly touched my right shoulder.
I turned around, and there was Shikijou, who had walked right up beside me without me noticing.
”Kageyama. We ought to be departing as well..,” she whispered, her voice tight with worry. “We must avoid incurring the next penalty at all costs, precisely as the display instructed.”
”Yeah, you’re right,” I agreed, standing up. “Let me lead the way.”
And so, us eighteen surviving players left that big room, stained dark red with blood from the first deaths, each carrying our own thoughts and plans for what was coming next.
Trivia:
- Naoshi’s casual reference to his sister Manami hints at a close sibling relationship that may become relevant later, possibly as a party member or emotional anchor.
- The detailed Appraisal results reveal that Yuna’s seemingly cold exterior masks deep-seated psychological contradictions, including a hidden desire for submission that directly opposes her proud public persona.
- Naoshi’s near-accidental summoning of his demon sword demonstrates that his power is immense but volatile, and he struggles to control it when emotionally provoked.
- The protagonist’s casual willingness to check on the dying victims while simultaneously dismissing them as NPCs reveals his psychological compartmentalization—he treats the game world as real enough to care about mechanics but fake enough to avoid moral weight.
- Shikijou’s physical reaction—grabbing the protagonist’s blazer without realizing it—contradicts her verbal claims of self-reliance, suggesting her composed exterior is already cracking under the game’s pressure.
- The absence of a Blue Save Point in the main hall implies the penalty deaths are permanent, establishing that the game’s “rules” are not mere flavor text but lethal enforcement mechanisms.
- The protagonist’s cold, analytical internal narration (“this Sasaki guy must be built different,” “key character for moving the event forward”) reveals he’s treating the death as a game mechanic, not a tragedy.
- Haruo’s willingness to kneel in blood and get his suit stained shows he’s one of the few characters still treating the deceased with human dignity, contrasting sharply with the protagonist’s detached perspective.
- The “navigation system” and “penalty” references suggest this survival game has mechanical rules and consequences, implying the participants are trapped in a structured death game rather than a random disaster.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Short for “netorare,” a genre trope where the protagonist’s love interest is stolen or corrupted by another character. The protagonist treats this as the ultimate violation in gaming narratives.
2 ↩ A standard RPG menu system that stores items and equipment in a pocket dimension accessible only to the player.
3 ↩ A common RPG skill that allows the user to view detailed information about objects, characters, or status effects.
4 ↩ A checkpoint mechanic typically found in games where players can save progress and respawn upon death. Its absence here suggests permadeath is in effect.