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Labyrinth's Lower Levels, Seiryuu City, DesuMachi Planet…
Hachiman rubbed his temples, his cheeks twitching in growing frustration. As expected, the idle Astral Express crew kept bombarding him and Mei with questions about the progress of their "relationship". The situation was made worse by Sora, who sat beside him laughing uncontrollably as she scrolled through the incoming flood of messages on her terminal.
"Wahahahaha! Noah-nii and Hajime-nii are calling you Hachi-nii! Oh, poor Mei-nee! She's getting all the attention now because you're ignoring everyone!" Sora teased, her bright grin almost blinding.
"...That's enough," Hachiman sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We're moving out."
"Okay~" Sora chirped, still grinning as she tucked her terminal into her pouch.
The two turned toward the three beastkin they had rescued earlier. The trio huddled together, the older scale-kin girl arms wrapped protectively on both the smaller cat-eared and dog-eared children. All three pairs of eyes at Hachiman and Sora with a mix of wariness, curiosity and gratefulness.
"Ah! Sorry to keep you three waiting!" Sora said, flashing a bright, reassuring smile. "Our other companions were asking if we were safe."
"It's… okay," the scale-kin girl replied softly.
"Oh! By the way, my name's Sora! And this nice older brother here is my family, Hachi-nii!" Sora declared proudly.
Hachiman gave the trio a small nod of acknowledgement.
"Cat nyesu."
"Dog nanodefu."
"Lizard."
The cat- and dog-eared girls both bit their tongue mid-sentence, while a scraping sound came from the lizard girl halfway through her words as they introduced themselves.
"...Yes?" Sora's smile twitched, her brows tightening. "Can you please tell me your names again?"
"Cat desu."
"Dog nanodesu."
"Lizard…"
Sora's expression darkened, her cheerful aura fading for a moment. "...So you three were only called like that?"
"...Yes," the scale-kin girl answered softly. "Our Master Hoose and even our previous masters simply called us like that."
Hachiman let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Of course they wouldn't have proper names… figures.'
He glanced at Sora, expecting her to break down or get angry. But instead, she took a deep breath and forced a gentle smile. Her tone softened as she bent over to meet the girls' eyes.
"I see! Then we need to give you three proper names from now on!" Sora said brightly, her voice cheerful though her eyes carried a hint of sadness. Hachiman could tell she was forcing it, for their sake.
'I'd rather she didn't have to experience this so soon…' he thought solemnly. 'Her innocent view of the world shouldn't be destroyed by this.'
"Fumu, fumu, now what should we call you?" Sora murmured, crossing her arms in thought.
"Ah! You don't need to think that hard, Sora-sama," the scale-kin girl said quickly. "Something simple and easy to say is fine for us."
"That won't do!" Sora huffed, hands on her hips. "A name is something precious! It's what you'll carry for the rest of your lives! There's no way we'll call you Tama, Pochi, or Liza like you're some kind of pets!"
Hachiman raised an eyebrow while the dog- and cat-eared children blinked in confusion. Even the scale-kin girl tilted her head slightly.
—--
Before setting out, Hachiman handed the beastkin girls fresh cloths, water bottles, and the ointment Mei had brought earlier that morning to treat their wounds—especially the scale-kin girl, who had taken the worst of the stones thrown at them.
"Clean your wounds with these cloths soaked in water. After that, apply the ointment and wrap it with a clean one. And don't reuse the cloth you disinfected with, alright?" he instructed patiently.
The three girls accepted the supplies quietly but didn't move, just staring at the cloth in their hands as if it were something too precious to touch. Hachiman tilted his head, raising a brow at their reaction.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
"Beautiful cloth. I'm happy~," the cat-eared girl said, smiling shyly, her tail swaying.
"Thank you, nanodesu," the dog-eared one added, her voice warm and grateful.
Then, without hesitation, the two younger girls began removing their tattered rags and started cleaning themselves, wincing whenever the cloth brushed against a bruise.
"...Sir," the scale-kin girl spoke softly, hesitating.
"Hm?" Hachiman turned toward her, curious.
"With our master gone, we have no way to repay you," she said quietly. "I think it's better to save the water and medicine for yourself and Miss Sora..."
"You don't need to worry about that," Hachiman replied with a faint, small smile. "Just use it."
"But..." she still hesitated, clutching the cloth tightly in her hands.
"Just like I said, it doesn't matter. So use it, alright?" Hachiman said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"...I understand," the scale-kin girl finally replied, her voice soft with reluctant acceptance.
She turned away, untying the strings of her worn clothes, similar to what the other two girls wore. Ever the gentleman, and perhaps also out of sheer self-preservation (he could already imagine Mei's reaction if she found out), Hachiman quickly turned his gaze elsewhere and focused on the sulking Sora instead.
Her expression was pure despair, a perfect 'What have I done?!' moment. She holds her head dramatically, groaning in disbelief at her own blunder.
"How could I be so careless!!" Sora cried out. "Out of all the possible names I could've said, why did it have to be those?!"
Hachiman's lips twitched, the corners of his mouth softening as he watched her spiral.
"Pochi? Tama? Liza? Those aren't people's names!!!" she continued, her voice full of regret. "And why did they even like them?!"
Earlier, Sora had casually tossed out the names "Pochi," "Tama," and "Liza" without much thought and, to her horror, the beastkin girls actually like them. The cat-eared girl proudly called herself Tama; the dog-eared one cheerfully answered to Pochi; and the scale-kin girl chose Liza, saying it reminded her of her original name, which had been long and hard to pronounce.
"This is the greatest mess-up of my entire life!!" Sora groaned, collapsing to the floor in full drama. "Now they'll keep these names forever! What have you done, Sora?!"
Hachiman snorts, watching her act. "....At least they now have proper names," he muttered towards her.
Sora peeked up from the floor with a pout. "That's not helping, Hachi-nii!!"
He gave a small smirk. "Didn't say it was supposed to."
Sora's reply was a pouty glare that only made Hachiman more amused. Shaking his head at her childish display, he reached into his storage space and pulled out a ration pack and bottles of water, handing them to her.
"Here, take this and share it with Pochi, Tama, and Liza," he said. "You four should eat first, we'll need everyone's strength if we want to get out of this labyrinth."
"Oh..." Sora blinked, standing up before taking the ration with both hands from Hachiman's. "What about you, Hachi-nii? You're not eating?"
"I will," Hachiman replied, smiling faintly. "But I'll do it while mapping this place out and planning our route."
"Hmm… fine." Sora puffed her cheeks but nodded before heading over to the three beastkin girls. "Alright everyone, food time! We'll need our energy!"
The girls' ears twitched at her voice, their tired faces brightening just a little. Hachiman watched the small scene unfold with a small exhale before turning his attention back to the glowing interface before him.
He opened his skill menu and activated the 'All Map Exploration' skill. Instantly, a 3D holographic layout of the labyrinth materialized before his eyes—glowing lines forming layers of winding passages that seemed to stretch endlessly underground.
'This system is truly a cheat. Easy mode at finest.' he thought, smiling wryly as the structure of the [Demon's Labyrinth] came into view. Pulling out a can of MAX Coffee, he took a long sip and studied the projection. 'This looks more like an ant's nest than a labyrinth.'
Just as he noted, the passages branched out from their current position like roots, splitting, rejoining, and twisting into hidden routes that connected to countless more rooms beyond.
As Hachiman scanned through the projected map, small dots moving across the holographic layout. "Let's see… 159 people aside from us," he murmured. "Fifty of those were the reinforcement that Zena called. Seven are demi-humans, the rest are human kin. Around a quarter slaves." His eyes stopped when he spotted a single blue dot surrounded by several gray ones, a little distance from his and Sora's position.
'So Mei must be with Auna-san and the others,' he thought, narrowing his eyes.
He took another sip of his MAX Coffee, lips pressed into a thin line. 'Knowing Mei, she'll be fine. She can handle herself… but after this mess, our cover's probably gone.'
"...I guess that's fine," Hachiman muttered aloud. "We never really planned to stay hidden anyway. Still… there are things we have to keep secret, for Kagura's safety."
His attention sharpened as he turned back to the map, tracing out paths with his finger. Searching for the shortest and fastest route to meet up with Mei and head towards the exit while taking notes about the red dots marking monster positions. "Level ten to twenty… insect-type mostly," he murmured. "No special traits, but a nuisance if they swarm."
He frowned as more red dots began appearing. "Tsk. That demon's really working hard. The only twenty monsters just now became a hundred and even multiplied fast."
By the time he finished speaking, over a hundred dots covered the map, with other icons resembling snake and frog shapes appearing among them. He let out a low whistle. "Yeah, definitely not just insects anymore."
He sighed and leaned back, finishing the last sip of his drink. "Guess I'll have to arm those three. At least they'll stand a chance to defend themselves."
Pocketing the empty can, Hachiman straightened and glanced toward Sora and the beastkin girls, who were finishing their meal. Sora sat cross-legged, sipping her drink with an easy smile as the girls chatted softly beside her.
"Hmm? Are you done, Hachi-nii?" Sora called out when she saw Hachiman approaching.
"Yeah. I've already mapped our route. It'll lead us to Mei's position halfway before reaching the exit."
"I see!" Sora said brightly, hopping to her feet as she began her preparations.
The three beastkin girls misunderstood the situation entirely. Seeing both Hachiman and Sora readying themselves, panic flashed across their faces.
"Please don't throw me away! I'll do anything!"
"Please don't leave me behind, nanodesu!"
"Sir! Miss Sora! I don't mind being a sacrifice just please take us with you!"
Hachiman and Sora froze, eyes wide at the sudden outburst.
"Ah! N-no, no, no, you've got it all wrong!" Sora waved her hands frantically. "Please don't worry, we're not leaving anyone behind! I'm just getting ready for our escape!"
"Like Sora said," Hachiman added with a wry smile, scratching the back of his neck, "we're not abandoning anyone. So relax, alright?"
The girls slowly nodded, though their shoulders still trembled with unease. To reassure themselves, they began eating faster, determined not to fall behind when it was time to move.
Sora let out a helpless laugh. "Ahaha… they're really serious about this, huh?"
Hachiman shrugged lightly, understanding can be seen across his face. "Guess they've had enough of being left behind in life."
After a short while, the girls finished their meals, and Hachiman began pulling out weapons from his inventory. Their eyes widened in shock as he casually drew out daggers and a spear from what looked like a simple pouch. None of them dared to question it, too stunned by the sight.
The three hesitated when Hachiman handed them the weapons, after all, it is uncommon for slaves to be allowed to carry such things. But as he explained, his tone was calm but with authority, that it was for their own protection, they reluctantly accepted, holding the weapons close like newfound hope.
Meanwhile, Sora brought out not only Wan-chan but also another golem, Champ the Kangaroo. As one would expect from a creation of both Hajime and Anisphia, even though both Wan-chan and Champ were technically golems or androids, their lifelike details made it nearly impossible to tell they weren't real animals.
Wan-chan served as Sora's faithful ride and support unit, equipped with missiles and the infamous funnel system Hajime named 'I-Just-Can't-Have-Enough-Hands'. Champ, on the other hand, acted as the front-line powerhouse. A master of boxing, enhanced by Hajime's gravity amplifier gloves, each of Champ's punches could flatten a two-story building in one blow. And that wasn't even accounting for the countless hidden functions still tucked inside its metallic body.
Once everyone was ready, the group, Hachiman, Sora, Pochi, Tama, Liza, Wan-chan, and Champ, set off through the dimly lit, rocky corridors of the labyrinth. Hachiman led the way with confident steps, followed by Sora, then Pochi and Tama, while Wan-chan followed beside them. Champ and Liza guarded the rear, their footsteps heavy but reassuring.
Though Hachiman's minimap made ambushes unlikely, he still took precautions. "Tama," he said in a low voice, glancing back, "if you spot anything suspicious ahead, tell me in a low voice. Pochi, if you hear or smell anything strange, report it right away. Liza, keep watch on our rear and let Champ know immediately if you sense movement. But don't focus only on the back, keep your pace with us."
The three straightened and nodded firmly. "Yes!" they replied in unison.
Hachiman smirked faintly. 'Not bad. For their first time of coordination, that was a solid response.'
"Ehh? What about me, Hachi-nii? What should I do?" Sora blinked, pointing at herself when she realized he hadn't given her any orders.
Hachiman blinked once, thinking quickly. "...You're our spotter. Keep an eye on the distance between the front and rear guards, and make sure our formation stays tight."
"Okay~!" Sora beamed, her hair bouncing as she nodded enthusiastically.
As they continued down the dim corridor, Hachiman's eyes went toward his minimap. A red dot appeared at the edge of his vision. His expression sharpened as he slowly reached for his pistol.
"I can smell blood from the other side of the passage, nanodesu," Pochi said suddenly, her nose twitching as she pointed ahead.
Hachiman turned toward her, one brow arching. '...That's impressive. She picked that up from five hundred meters away?'
"...Good job," he said, gently patting Pochi's head. Her tail wagged wildly, clearly pleased with the praise.
"Hehehe~ good job, Pochi!" Sora added, patting her head too, only for her face to freeze mid-motion. 'What are you doing, me?! Pochi's not a pet!!!'
"Sora-chan-sama? Is there something wrong nodesu?" Pochi tilted her head, blinking in confusion as she looked up at the frozen Sora.
"Aha… ahaha… no, it's nothing! Don't worry about it, ahahaha…" Sora laughed nervously and continued patting Pochi's head anyway, her smile stiff.
As the two kids chatted, Hachiman's attention was fixed on the minimap, studying the monster ahead.
'Level 20 insect-type monster. No special abilities. Primary attacks—ramming and biting. Looks like it's the only one in the next room,' he analyzed, eyes narrowing.
The deeper they went, the fainter the light became. Soon, the sound reached them, a wet, rhythmic crunch ringing down the passageway. Everyone froze. The air turned heavy. Sora, Pochi, and Tama went pale, while Liza's grip on her spear tightened until her knuckles whitened.
Hachiman motioned for them to stop. "Stay here. I'll handle it," he said quietly.
Sora hesitated but nodded, tightening her hold on Pochi and Tama's hands. "Be careful, Hachi-nii," she whispered. He gave her a reassuring half-smile before moving forward.
Peeking through the crack of the stone doorway, Hachiman's stomach lurched. A massive, cricket-like creature was in the room ahead, its jaws snapping wetly as it devoured… something. The lower half of a person hung lifelessly from its mouth.
He inhaled sharply, forcing down the bile rising in his throat. 'Damn it… I'm weak to gore, you know?!'
Taking another deep breath, he waited. The monster's chewing slowed, then stopped. The moment the sound faded, Hachiman moved in, jumping quickly into the room with a smooth movement. His pistol was already up, the barrel aimed at its head. He pulled the trigger as the Geo elemental bullet flew through the air and struck true.
The insect monster didn't even have time to react, its giant eyes caught only a flash of Hachiman's silhouette before the bullet punched through its skull. The monster's head exploded under the crushing force, and its body collapsed to the ground with a dull, heavy thud, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Hachiman exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon. The stench of blood and decay clung to the air, but the silence that followed was almost comforting.
"Alright," he called over his shoulder. "It's clear now. You can come in."
Four heads peeked cautiously around the doorway—Sora, Pochi, Tama, and Liza—stacked like a totem pole. Wan-chan stepped forward first, followed by Sora guiding the two younger girls, with Liza and Champ carefully bringing up the rear.
"Uwaaa… these things look so disgusting," Sora grimaced, covering her nose. "And ugh—! It smells awful!"
"Amazing, nanodesu," Pochi said, eyes sparkling as she looked at the destroyed monster.
"Amazing," Tama followed, nodding vigorously.
"…As expected," Liza murmured, her gaze full of awe. "Sir, are you perhaps… a great magician?"
Hachiman blinked once, then snorted with amusement. "If shooting bugs makes me one, sure. But let's hope there aren't any bigger ones waiting."
Sora rolled her eyes. "Don't jinx it, Hachi-nii."
Hachiman's expression froze as his mind replayed the past few days, whenever he opened his mouth and said something, it somehow came true.
"...Nothing's going to happen, right?" he muttered, gulping audibly as he turned to Sora with a pleading look.
Sora, ever the cheerful little sister, smiled and patted his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, Hachi-nii. Even if it does appear, you can easily deal with it." She winked and flashed a thumbs-up.
"...That's not comforting," he deadpanned.
Sora smirked. "Didn't say it was supposed to~."
Hachiman's cheek twitched as his own words came back to haunt him. He sighed and reached out, pinching her cheeks.
"Staph it~" Sora mumbled, her words muffled but her grin never fading.
"Hmph. You're getting cheeky, huh?" Hachiman said as he let go, raising an eyebrow. "Where'd you even pick up that attitude?"
"Obviously from the person right in front of me," Sora said proudly, rubbing her red cheeks.
Hachiman shook his head with a resigned sigh before turning toward the beastkin girls. That was when he noticed Liza crouched beside the dead insect, cutting at the joint of its head with careful hands.
He blinked, tilting his head. 'Wait… is she hungry?'
"Liza, if you eat that thing, you'll get a stomachache," he warned aloud.
"Y-You're mistaken! Since it's a monster, it should have a magic core inside, so I was just retrieving it…" Liza quickly turned, her cheeks red as she explained herself.
"Magic core?" Hachiman and Sora said in unison. Sora tilted her head curiously while Hachiman raised an eyebrow.
"What's a magic core?" Sora asked, eyes wide with interest.
"Magic cores can be sold for money," Liza explained carefully, glancing between them as she continued her work. "If you bring a monster's core to a peddler, you can trade it for various goods." She pulled out a dull red orb, its surface slick with greenish blood, roughly the size of half a fist. She wiped it gently with a cloth before holding it out to Hachiman.
Hachiman cleaned it further with some water, narrowing his eyes as he examined the faint glow inside. 'Hmm, it's mana alright. A little diluted, but still viable as a low-grade catalyst.'
Sora tugged on Hachiman's sleeve, looking up expectantly. When he turned to her, she extended her palm silently. He gave her a small, amused smile and placed the core in her hand.
"Ohh! So this is a magic core, huh?" Sora said, her eyes sparkling. "An-nee and Hajime-nii are gonna love this!"
"That's for sure," Hachiman said with a small chuckle before glancing at Liza. "Liza, for the next core retrieval, have Tama and Pochi assist you. Teach them how it's done."
"Yes, I understand," Liza said respectfully.
"Okay, nanodesu!" Pochi said, giving a proud salute.
"Ay~!" Tama followed, mimicking her with a grin.
Hachiman smiled at the sight. "Alright, let's move. We don't want to spend our entire day in this place."
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