Ero Academy

Chapter 22  Chapter 25 – Academy Life Begins II

"Are you interested in firearms? Have you ever handled them before?"

Of course. I still remember my K2 gun number.

It was natural for me to become interested in firearms after having experience with cold weapons like daggers, spears, knives, and knuckles.

"Indeed, guns are better than knives."

Yuuna spoke, her tone slightly sulky.

"Hmm. If a gun malfunctions during a dive, it's game over, isn't it?"

"Do you dislike guns?"

"Ahem. In the hunter industry, it's one of the weapons that aren't acknowledged for their 'pure skill'. I'm not a particularly discriminatory person, but even if one has a high rank, using a gun tends to draw disdain. It's good to know."

"Then why do you restrain yourself?"

Is she upset that I didn't show interest in the same weapon as her?

Yuuna pouted her lips and mumbled.

"I prefer knives."

… How cute.

"Shall I go with this one?"

I picked up a Glock 19.

'Is this the compact version?'

The Glock 19 I had once held at the gun shop seemed slightly smaller than this one, yet its full grip posed no problem. Examining the magazine, I noticed it was loaded with fifteen 9mm rounds.

"Senior, how much is this?"

"That? 600 coins."

"…"

I carefully set the clock down.

"That's too expensive. Should I go for this knuckle instead?"

"That knuckle is made from a special material. It's 800 coins."

Is a knuckle more expensive than a gun? How is that even possible?!

As I pondered, Yuuna sidled up next to me.

"I'll buy it for you."

"No, it's way too expensive."

"You like the gun, don't you? I'll buy it for you. Just pay me back!"

"…haha."

I had barely paid off my debts, and here I was, getting into debt again.

Still, having a gun would be reassuring.

"Then, I think I'll need an ammo belt and an extra magazine."

"Add 200 more coins, and I'll sell you the whole set. Oh, and since your boyfriend is quite handsome, I'll give you a 100-coin discount if you buy everything together."

"…Boyfriend…?"

"Oh, really? Are you sure? After all, 700 coins isn't an amount to casually gift a friend, is it?"

Yuuna presented her student ID with a slightly tense expression.

"Ah, please proceed with the payment."

"Should I reconsider, Yuuna?"

"No, it's fine! Really, it's okay."

She may be a professional hunter, but it seems like a considerable sum to take from a classmate. Should I refuse?

Yuuna glanced back at me, concern in her eyes, and forced a smile.

"When I first started as a hunter, I was overwhelmed too. I had nothing and no one to help me."

"Yuuna…"

"That's when I made a promise. If I ever found myself in a position to help someone, I would do so without hesitation."

And so, she gave such a generous gift to me, who doesn't even have a weapon...

"You're going to earn a lot of money as a hunter, right?"

"Absolutely."

I stealthily approached the senior who was handling the payment.

"Excuse me, senior. Could you please give a bit more of a discount?"

"What? No."

"Is my 'face discount' only worth 100 coins? Please take a closer look."

"…"

It might just work, since she's a female senior.

I cautiously approached and gently gazed at her, and the female senior's face gradually flushed with a deepening shade of red.

"Oh, alright. Fine… Just don't get so close to my face."

Hmph.

A genius in the art of facial expressions, she could get discounts just by looking at someone.

"200 coins…?"

"Take a picture with me, and how about 50 more coins?"

"…Ah, a p-picture? In that case,

"If you link arms, 30 more coins."

"A-Ah, ugh…!?"

"I'll smile like this, so please add 50 more coins."

"…Gasp… U-uh, sure…"

Distracted and overwhelmed, I managed to haggle the full Glock package down to 400 coins.

Finally, I linked arms with the female senior, took a few selfies together, and then returned.

"I did my best. How was it?"

"So it's possible after all."

The female senior proudly showed off the pictures we had taken together to her colleagues.

"If they were male seniors, Yuuna could have done it too, right?"

"I-I can't! Just imagining it is embarrassing!"

I shouldn't have mentioned it, knowing full well the response.

Modesty is always best for a woman.

"Kim Sang-hyuk. Is there anyone you like?"

"Huh?"

"He's so handsome, yet I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

"I don't."

"You could date anyone if you really wanted to, right?"

Yuuna probably thinks that way because his appearance makes it seem like anyone would want to date him.

"I don't want to date just anyone. It has to be someone I truly like."

"That's right. It must be someone you really like."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, I don't! I've never had one!"

Would Yuuna go out with me if I asked her? As I gazed deeply into her eyes, the atmosphere somehow became moist and charged with excitement.

"Do you like the weapon?"

"Yes. I think it'd go well with the personality discharge skill."

"How could the skill's name be Personality Discharge?"

Sadly, as soon as the term "personality discharge" came up, the mood vanished completely. Is this the curse of the erotic game?

"Henna is waiting, so let's head back."

"Alright, let's go."

"Thank you for buying me the weapon."

"Work hard and pay me back! I didn't just give it to you for free."

I placed the Glock in the holster we bought together. There were five spare magazines.

Sang-hyuk decided to store the remaining ammunition in his inventory, replenishing it as needed.

'Now that I've bought it, I find myself wanting something like a compensator.'

He couldn't bring himself to ask for that as well.

Perhaps he'd try upgrading after paying off his debt.

'I must work hard. Life in the Academy.'

Sang-hyuk and Henna returned to their restless state.

Surrounded by male students, Sang-hyuk's pace quickened.

"You said your name is Henna? Come with us."

"If you join our squad, we'll distribute more coins to you. Double the amount. How does that sound?"

"How about forming a duo with me? I promise not to do anything weird."

"I don't want to."

In just a moment of inattention, this had happened.

"Henna!"

"Sa, Sang-hyuk!"

Henna's expression brightened like a puppy called by her master, and she ran toward him.

Then she stood close beside him and tightly grasped his hand.

"I'm, um… in a party with Sang-hyuk already... I'm sorry…"

"…D-class…"

Why was he mumbling? If he had conceded defeat, he should just leave quickly. Good riddance.

Every time, I am reminded of the tremendous advantage a man gains by being tall and well-built.

Similar to the saying, "don't exercise if you're handsome," if my rank were to increase, I can't help but think the other males would feel immensely deprived...

Isn't this akin to a walking harem generator?

"Were you properly saying, 'No. Way? Sir.'?"

"Uh-huh…! But he kept insisting, so I felt really awkward."

Yuuna watches our conversation with astonishment.

"Is Henna some sort of child?"

"Yeah, Henna is quite innocent."

"You shouldn't keep indulging her like that. Henna, instead of 'No way. Sir.', say, 'Stop bothering me and buzz off.' Try repeating that."

"…"

Would that kind of input even work for someone so innocent?

It appears that half of the F-class students have already entered the dungeon while I was away at the armory.

"The rest of the students should also form groups of three. If you intend to be matched as a solo or duo, inform the teacher beforehand."

'A group of three. Is this a squad?'

I alternated my gaze between Yuuna and Henna.

"Are we a team?"

"I originally preferred going solo, but I'll accompany you both. I'm concerned about leaving just the two of you on your own."

It's evident that Henna, merely by observing her fidgeting, has every intention of joining me.

"Oh, Yuuna. Are you forming a squad? Who will be the leader?"

"That would be me, instructor. Please guide us to the most enticing dungeon."

"As it happens, there's one C-ranked dungeon remaining for squads. Head to B-3."

It appears that the three of us can venture into a rather high-level dungeon.

The area designated as B-3 is a section of the indoor training ground, divided into squares like a chessboard. In each square, dungeons were generated using gravitational wave induction devices, and as seen previously, white gravitational waves rippled and shimmered.

Although they all appear similar,

C-ranked dungeons were subtly distinct from the gravitational waves. Perhaps they possess a more undulating sensation.

It's difficult to explicitly describe...

[「Perception·Crimson」activated]

[C-ranked dungeon]

[#9319. Lake's Phantoms] [Rarity C-] [Reward C-] [Aberration D]

[Maximum participant limit: 3 (squad)]

Hmm. It's clear to me upon seeing it like this.

Ganpa Hong is an incredibly useful skill.

"With the three of us, we should be able to handle most situations. Let's go!"

Just then, Deherit appeared out of nowhere, pushing Yuuna aside and taking control of the dungeon entrance.

"Whoa!"

"…Ugh! What's going on?"

"Sorry, but this is the dungeon we've claimed."

"What? There was no one here, so what do you mean you've claimed it?"

"Well, all three of us had a sudden urge to use the restroom. Now, would you mind stepping aside? We'll be taking on this C-class dungeon."

Deherit was also part of a 'squad'.

Beside her, there was a girl smirking mischievously and a short-haired boy.

"Don't cut in line. Do you realize how childish it is to start a fight like this?"

"A fight? Me? Even if you add up the scores of all three of you, you still can't match me."

When did she find out our scores?

"Actually, shouldn't you be the ones to step aside, even if I'm late, so you don't hold back an A-class honor student like me?"

"What kind of logic is that?"

Henna gripped my hand tightly and clung to me, looking frightened.

Our leader seems unwilling to back down. If a fight breaks out here, honestly, it would be a loss for both sides.

Deherit Ade.

She has despised me since day one. The gang doesn't seem to have a favorable view of me either.

Is it because I'm an on-hole collector?

It's irritating to her that I, who should have been expelled from this academy, still remain.

Ade's cold gaze appears to convey that sentiment.

"Hey, D. What's with that pistol? There's no way a D-rank could have the money to buy something like that. Aha! You must have scraped together your funds and bought it when our pro-hunter wasn't around."

"… What are you trying to say?"

"It's amusing to play king among the weak. It's fitting for weaklings to lick each other's wounds like that."

"Don't insult my friends."

Yuuna placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Friends? You can only call someone a friend when you're on equal footing. Just so you know, my score is 2,500 points. Atali has 1,700 points, and Wilhelm has 2,000 points. How about that? You need to be at least on this level to be considered a 'friend' for the first time."

"Isn't it just pitiful when someone judges others based on their rank while making friends?"

"Yuuna Nakamori. They say that if you hang out with a D-rank, you'll start thinking like one, and it seems to be true. How about you try exploring a 3D dungeon more suited to your level?"

"You, you little..."

As much as I wanted to tell her to stop bothering with every little thing, it seemed too late already.

Instead of engaging with Deherit, I activated my crimson gaze and surveyed the surroundings.

My legendary skill, 'Insightful Red,' allowed me to discern the dungeon's rank just by catching a glimpse of the gravitational waves.

I had a hunch that there might be a well-hidden and rewarding dungeon nearby.

[C(B)-Rank Dungeon]

[#7119. Golden Orc Fortress] [Rarity C] [Reward B+] [Anomaly B]

[A demon merchant will appear in this dungeon.]

[This dungeon possesses an above-average anomaly level, and its rank will increase upon fulfilling certain conditions.]

[Reward Multiplier +3]

[Maximum Participant Limit: 3 (squad)]

'Found it.'

An undiscovered gem of a dungeon that no one had ever entered.

Now there was no reason to ascribe importance to the dungeon that Deherit was so fervently obsessed with.

"I truly can't endure this anymore! I challenge you to a duel.

"Hold on!"

I interposed myself between Yuuna and Deherit.

Yuuna appeared flustered, while Deherit's glare intensified in my direction.

"What is it? Grade D."

"Calm down, Yuuna. All three of them urgently needed to use the restroom."

"Such a preposterous excuse."

"Deherit. You handled it. That dungeon."

Truthfully, I would prefer if they left for that dungeon sooner.

Let's share some sweet moments together.

"Being in Grade D, you grasp the situation rather quickly. It seems those who have crawled to the bottom know how to adapt, huh?"

"In all honesty, I was somewhat frightened, but I'm truly relieved that you'll take care of it."

"…Hahaha! Are you afraid of a C-class dungeon? Yuuna, what on earth were you planning to do with such a coward?"

"…"

"We have other plans, indeed. We will venture into a 3D dungeon. Keep your spirits up, Deherit."

"Silence. I don't require your encouragement. We will consult the rankings later to see how much we've earned."

Deherit's gang laughed as they vanished into the dungeon, leaving Yuuna behind. Her face was flushed with excitement—a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"He insulted both you and your friend, Henna! Can you really let him go without even a duel, Kim Sang-hyuk? Are you really that passive?"

"Calm down, Yuuna. We came here to make money, remember?"

"But now we've been kicked out of the dungeon we were planning to go to. What do we do now?"

"We have two options. Either we tackle the 3D dungeon with the mindset of a defeated party..."

Yuuna's gaze grew even more piercing.

Her emotions were on full display, and it seemed she was ready to turn her back on Sang-hyuk and leave.

"I hope the second option is more appealing than the first."

"The second option is to venture into an unknown semi-B-class dungeon that even Deherit was unaware of."

"…What?"

Sang-hyuk proceeded to explain his insight skills to both Yuuna and Henna.

This ability allowed him to briefly grasp information about a dungeon before entering it.

He had already spotted another promising dungeon while Yuuna was quarreling with Deherit.

Upon realizing this, Yuuna's anger began to subside.

"Well, you should have said so earlier."

"It was better that you didn't speak up. If you become angry and huff, won't Deherit enter the C-class dungeon with an even more satisfied heart?"

"I didn't huff!"

"Let's go. If you're so quick-tempered, you can deal with him later."

"But it's incredible... I never knew such a skill existed."

"Me too… Sang-hyuk is amazing."

Both Henna and Yuuna unanimously expressed their awe at my discernment skills.

It must be a rare skill, even in the hunting industry.

It's a "mythical-class" skill bestowed by the goddess of Yagem, the owner of this OnaAka world.

In terms of value, it's comparable to Lucky Skeve, which manipulates reality.

and personality excretion, which induces the expulsion of one's personality.

It wasn't even a challenge to gain the upper hand in the minor information wars within the academy.

"The problem is, after entering this dungeon, if the conditions are met, the rank increases, and it becomes B-class, but if Yuuna can't manage it, we'll have no choice but to withdraw."

The success of clearing this dungeon relies entirely on Yuuna's capabilities.

I conveyed this fact clearly.

"Are you okay, Yuuna?"

However.

Could it be due to Deherit? Yuuna was ablaze with enthusiasm.

"You mean a horse? This is a place to act, even if you can't eat! Just follow me!"

"Alright, let's go in!"

"Let's go together, Sang-hyuk."

[Participating in the dungeon]

[Participants: Yuuna Nakamori, Kim Sang-hyuk, and Henna Isis]

The exploration began.

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