Evil Avalon

Chapter 160 Our positions may be different, but our enemies are the same

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

— SOUTA NARUMI'S POINT OF VIEW —

I pushed my still-recovering body to its limits, sprinting down the hallway. There should be an emergency stairwell somewhere around here leading to the lower floors… but I can’t find it. I tried opening a nearby door and peeking inside, but it only revealed what looked like an office room.

The countdown to the explosion was closing in fast, and my anxiety was steadily mounting—but just as troubling was the dangerous situation I was in. Namely, the murderous aura stabbing at me from behind.

"…Hey, brat. If you keep dawdling, I’ll cut you down. Hurry up and search."

"Y-Yes, um… I think it might be that way?"

A woman in her thirties, wearing a disheveled kimono, glared at me while repeatedly fiddling with the sword at her hip. She was beautiful, yes, but had absolutely no trace of seductiveness in her expression—if anything, she looked like a hardened boss lady from some criminal syndicate. She was Shigure Rokurogi, a high-ranking executive in Ten Rakshashas, Japan’s largest clan.

I’d thought I was used to stares like that after being on the receiving end of Mr. Kurosaki’s glares (Tenma-san’s butler), but Rokurogi was infamous in Dungeon Explorer for being dangerously quick to act. There was a real possibility she would cut me down, and I couldn’t stop sweating.

As I calmed my trembling heart, nervously tapping around on my wrist terminal’s map, a long-haired girl with voluminous locks came up beside me and gently wiped my sweat.

"Narumi-sama, are you feeling alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Ah, Hinamori-san… Thanks to you, I’m feeling much better now."

The one patting my forehead with an embroidered, elegant handkerchief was Hiyori Hinamori, a member of Kunoichi Red, whom I’d saved when heading to the rooftop. She was a classmate of Kirara-chan, which meant she was technically my senior. She’d taken off her mask, and now her well-proportioned face was close enough to make my heart race—but I refused to let my guard down.

Kunoichi Red was composed entirely of upper-class women. If rumors ever started that I’d "made a move" on one of them, I’d probably be hunted to the ends of the earth. So for the sake of my own survival, I tried to maintain a polite smile and keep my distance—but every time I did, she just closed the gap again to fuss over me.

As I struggled with yet another threat to my life and kept tapping on the terminal, another kunoichi looked on with a teasing grin and spoke up.

"Oh, and by the way. All of Hinamori’s favors are wiped clean now, okay? Just so we’re clear~."

The glamorous older woman in a form-fitting kunoichi suit gave my shoulder a friendly pat, making sure to emphasize,
"We're even now—no more debts."
She was Kirara-chan’s boss—the one I’d met some time ago.

She wasn’t the clan leader (Haruka Mikami) but the vice-leader and currently the one overseeing this Kunoichi Red operation—Mizuha Toudou. She should’ve been busy deploying troops for intel gathering, yet for some reason, she was sticking close to me.

She was apparently among the most skilled in Kunoichi Red, so having her around actually made things safer for me. That said, I couldn’t help but wonder what she was planning. Still, I figured I ought to thank her.

"I do appreciate all the help, really. So you don’t need to worry about me so much—either of you, Hinamori-san included."

"I could never neglect someone who saved my life!"

"Still… it’s amazing you survived. You barely had anything left inside your stomach, you know?"

While Hinamori firmly declared she’d never leave my side, Toudou stared intently at my stomach. Gone was the usual soft, chubby belly—in its place was a set of clearly defined abs. My only suit had been completely torn to shreds and looked pathetic, so I wanted to change into the armor I used for dungeon diving. But that armor was fitted for when I was overweight, so it no longer fit.

And then—

"…Hey. I told you to search, didn’t I? Do you have a death wish?"

"Eh? Y-Yes, just give me a sec...!"

Rokurogi, clearly unconvinced I was searching properly, reached for her sword’s hilt and threatened,
"Hurry it up."
Faced with such overwhelming bloodlust, I had no choice but to resume tapping frantically on my terminal.

Trouble after trouble. How did things end up like this again…?

Sweat dripping from the pressure of three very different gazes focused on me, I found myself remembering how it all began.

　*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*

――Under the moonlight.

He had taken down the second white-robed enemy, but the blood wouldn't stop flowing, and several of his internal organs were missing. The damage to his body was severe, and his vision blurred, growing darker against his will. He could still hear fighting nearby, but one thing was certain—he was going to die.

He had always assumed that in such a moment, he'd be overwhelmed by fear and despair. But now that it was happening, those things felt trivial. What consumed him instead was a deep regret—that he wouldn't be able to watch over the people he loved.

It was too late. The life of Narumi Souta ended here. Kano, his parents, the ones who loved him—they would mourn deeply. He had also put Satsuki in danger, and as for Butao, the original owner of this body, he had no idea how to apologize in the afterlife.

While considering whether a full-body prostration might earn forgiveness, something suddenly yanked him back from the brink of the Sanzu River.

As the abrupt force of gravity twisted his expression, his dimmed vision flipped back into brightness, flooded by a piercing light. The numbness from his devastating injuries started to recede—one bizarre sensation after another crashing over him.

"Wh-what the hell... gah, HAAAAAGHH!"

Writhing in agony from the overwhelming sensation coursing through his body—it was unclear whether it was pain or intense itching—he gasped, desperate to refill his oxygen-starved lungs. His face and body burned!

Had he ended up not in heaven, but a blazing hell? He forced open his eyes, realizing he was hunched over on all fours. Looking down, he saw his severed leg and gutted abdomen regenerating—bone stretching out, muscle knitting together, skin rewrapping itself.

This wasn’t resurrection. It was recovery magic.

"Narumi-sama!? Are you alright!?"

A girl around his age hugged him tightly, practically draping herself over him. Her drooping eyes brimmed with tears; her concern was unmistakable. But the pressure of her generous chest against him, accentuated by her tight bodysuit, only deepened his confusion.

Looking around, he spotted a group of women skewering the final white-robed figure with swords and blades. They wore ninja-like bodysuits, marking them as the "Kunoichi Red." Among them, he recognized one familiar face.

"Good eeevening♪ Thought you might be dead already, but you really pushed through."

She waved with a small smile as she walked over—calm and composed, like meeting an old friend on the street. This glamorous older woman, he remembered, was Kirara’s superior.

Even though this was moments after a deadly battle, she radiated ease. Only someone who had been through countless life-or-death scenarios could smile like that.

"That device you're holding—it's for our communications, but it also acts as a tracker. If this girl hadn’t handed it to you, we might’ve been too late."

"I was tracing the signal to find my comrades when I saw Narumi-sama coughing blood… I’m just so glad you’re alive."

Apparently, this long-haired girl was the Kunoichi Red member he had helped on the way to the rooftop. She had given him a small pen-like device, which they later tracked. When they picked up the signal, they found the battle underway and joined in. There they saw him, bleeding out after taking down the white-robed enemy.

The glamorous lady—no, Toudo-san—had assumed he was dead, based on the massive blood loss and injuries. But the girl helping him now—Hinamori-san—had poured all her high-grade recovery potions into him, reviving him, much to their shock.

(So I was saved by that thing after all...)

He pulled the pen-like device from his chest. It had snapped clean at the base, but its signal still functioned. Originally, this had been given to him by Mamiya, who had tossed it his way with a "too much trouble, you take it." It saved his life, but no way was he going to feel thankful toward that idiotic noble—he’d forget it immediately.

Meanwhile, Hinamori-san was crying tears of joy, saying she was glad he was alive. It was true—he had been three seconds away from death, right before diving into the Sanzu River. Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine. He had envisioned a more profound and poetic farewell to the world... but no, he'd been yanked back like a bad joke. Even he was stunned.

He touched his abdomen, blown apart by a stab, and his leg, which had been severed. Both were now whole. On the surface, it was impossible to tell he’d been injured at all. His color was good; his blood must’ve replenished too.

The reason he’d recovered so quickly was thanks to Hinamori-san's generous use of high-purity potions. If the potions had been low quality or too few, the healing would have halted midway—he might’ve ended up disabled, or dead.

But healing via potion was a rough fix. The nerves were forcefully spliced together, not seamlessly rejoined. He still felt a stinging sensation. He might want to get checked out at "Obaba's shop" later.

Testing his condition carefully, he tried to stand—when a nearby adventurer spoke to him.

"I saw it. Damn impressive, taking down two of those Holy Empire bastards."

A greatsword user with a cloth mask gave him a light clap, praising his effort. The white-robes had been so strong that even the Kinrankai had been powerless. Yet, Narumi had overcome that gap with pure willpower, taking two down with him. The man held out his fist in admiration.

He had no choice back then—it had been do or die. But in hindsight, it really was a reckless charge. He stood and bumped fists, suppressing the tremble that crept up now that the danger had passed.

More adventurers began to gather.

"A battle like a raging demon… surely you’re a legendary adventurer."

"Indeed. Such swordsmanship is rarely seen—ah, but let’s save introductions until we’ve purged the Holy Empire."

"Thanks to you, our spirits are soaring. Let's prep our counterattack and give those smug traitors a death most gruesome!"

Though it had looked like total defeat at one point, several others—like him—had survived thanks to recovery potions. Apparently, Satsuki’s decision to distribute them at the Tenma party had already paid off.

Some even regrew lost limbs and were eager for the next battle. After such a brutal fight, their fearlessness was nothing short of admirable. Still, Narumi didn’t have time to stand in awe—he needed to get back to Kano and the others. No time to be scared.

The adventurers, including the Kinrankai members, checked their weapons and, with a unified shout, dashed off toward the next battlefield.

Even in such a desperate situation, seeing nameless adventurers push forward with such determination was inspiring. Our positions may differ, but our enemy is the same. Wishing them well in my heart, I turned to leave… but the girl who had cared for me—Hinamori—refused to let go of my arm. What could she want?

"Toudou-sama, Narumi-sama’s body may not have fully recovered yet."

"Well, considering how badly he was injured, it’s only natural to be cautious… But more importantly, I heard you took down two members of the Holy Empire? Care to tell me exactly how you managed that?"

As Hinamori gently chided me not to push myself, Toudou inched closer with a slinky motion, clearly trying to sniff out my secrets.

The last remaining white-robed enemy had been wounded, and even then, it had taken the entire Kunoichi Red squad launching a surprise attack to subdue them. They were so powerful that even that ambush resulted in several of the kunoichi being injured. No matter how prepared you are to trade your life, if the level gap is too wide, it’s meaningless. So how did I manage to defeat two of them? Toudou asked with a smile—but her eyes were razor-sharp.

It’s true, not just the ones on the rooftop—the white-robes I fought here were top-tier opponents. Even with Satsuki’s buffs, I thought it would be impossible to defeat them without using my trump card, Overdrive. But surprisingly, I could read their movements and keep up with them physically better than expected… though I still nearly died.

Why was I able to fight like that? I tilted my head, puzzled myself—but I had a hunch. It was probably that.

"Due to certain circumstances, I happened to end up in direct combat with the white-robes. I think I leveled up a few times in the process."

"…I see. Well, taking down enemies that strong would certainly net you a lot of experience. Though I feel like there’s still more to the story."

Leveling up through PvP—Explorer allowed players to level up via PK (player killing). But it was far more efficient to hunt monsters, and PKers were usually already at the level 90 cap, so PvP leveling wasn’t really viable.

But in this world, no one had hit the level cap, and PvP could be a great source of experience. Especially if you defeated someone like a white-robe—taking down just one would earn anyone a few levels. So it wouldn’t be strange if I’d gained multiple levels.

I smirked at the unexpected reward—but remembering the cost of getting my leg chopped off and a gaping hole in my stomach, nearly taking a dive into the afterlife—I knew if someone asked me to do it again, I’d absolutely refuse.

…Still, I didn’t have time to dwell on bitter memories. I had no luxury for sentimentality right now.

"Thank you for saving me. But I have to go—no matter what. My sister and my best friend are in danger."

"…Now that you mention it, Kirara-chan is with them, isn’t she? I’m worried about her too."

"Then allow me to escort Narumi-sama to Kirara-sama’s side!"

Toudou placed a hand on her cheek with a mock-troubled expression, while Hinamori burned with purpose, declaring she’d escort me safely. Seeing us talk, the nearby kunoichi began gathering around, curious about the conversation.

Kunoichi Red was mostly composed of upper-class women, many of whom had a glamorous, even idol-like image. Yet they also possessed formidable espionage skills and group strength—enough to take down a white-robe. Up close, their presence was even more impressive. However—

"Oh, he’s cuter than I expected."

"Is this your type? Personally, I like someone a bit older—"

"So fresh… If you’d like, I could show you a few things sometime—"

Most of them were slightly older than me, and quite revealing—thighs exposed, cleavage showing, exuding an overwhelming sensuality. I tried to avert my eyes, but that only seemed to amuse them, as they drew even closer.

"Stop that! He’s our savior… and someone very important to me, Toudou-sama!"

"I was enjoying the show, but I suppose now’s not the time."

Just as I was starting to panic, Hinamori stepped in with arms outstretched to shield me. Toudou began issuing orders to the others, and the older kunoichi quickly fell back. A shame—no, I mean… I was saved.

"So Kirara and the others went to the 44th floor to destroy a magic circle, right?"

"We don’t know for certain if there is one, but it’s highly likely."

"Communications… aren’t connecting."

Toudou and the others had been inside a communications-jamming zone and hadn’t been able to contact Kirara or Mikami, so they were in the dark about the situation. I quickly explained why we had to reach the 44th floor.

Hinamori confirmed that we’d lost contact with Kirara’s terminal—evidence the 44th floor was inside a jamming zone. That was worrying, but fortunately, we could reach it quickly using a staff-only elevator visible just ahead. I needed to reunite with everyone and help search for the magic circle.

"Then we’ll help search for the magic circle too. That’ll be quicker for everyone, right?"

"I’d appreciate that very much."

Toudou agreed. With Kunoichi Red’s infiltration and intel-gathering expertise, scouring a single floor wouldn’t take long. That was reassuring.

There was still the risk of encountering another white-robe, but Overdrive’s cooldown was nearly over. And with all the recent level-ups, I felt confident I could crush one or two of them if I fought seriously.

If they laid a hand on Kano or Satsuki… I’d make sure my fists rained hell on them. Simmering with quiet fury, I pressed the elevator button.

As it activated, I stood between Toudou and Hinamori, the kunoichi forming a semi-circle around us. But then—a series of low, rumbling sounds echoed toward us. Not the mechanical whir of an elevator… no, something else.

Then, the floor shook from an impact—clearly a battle, not machinery malfunction. Just as I wondered whether Mikhail’s magic shots had hit nearby—

—the elevator doors exploded. Something was flung from inside—

—a figure in a white robe!

Kunoichi Red instantly dropped into combat stances, drawing their blades. I also readied my sword in a panic.

The white-robe’s armor was stained with blood—he was seriously wounded. As he tried to drink a potion, Toudou intercepted with a thrown kunai. Several kunoichi followed up with attacks, but he deflected them all.

Despite his condition—blood still dripping—he moved with frightening precision. As we kept our distance warily, someone far worse descended behind him.

Another figure—clearly more dangerous—arrived cloaked in raw magical energy.

With a languid motion, she raised her blade—then unleashed a single, devastating swing.

The floor itself was ripped apart by the force, rubble and brown magical energy crashing toward us like a tidal wave. I instantly abandoned any thought of blocking, wrapped an arm around the slower-reacting Hinamori, and dove backward with her.

The white-robe had no such luck—unable to dodge, he was struck head-on and lay in a pool of blood.

And atop his body, a woman—transformed into a demon of war—walked slowly forward, radiating killing intent strong enough to chill the soul.

"…Alright. Who wants to die next?"

　*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*

—That was what had happened just a few minutes ago.

The kunoichi red ladies had scattered for reconnaissance. They were relaying information, sure—but that also meant I got stuck playing the guide. Just behind me, Rokurogi was drawing and resheathing her sword irritably, the merciless metallic scraping ringing in my ears. I would really appreciate it if she didn’t keep needlessly provoking my fragile, chicken-hearted nerves.

“Hmph. Why must I be the one kept waiting because of your incompetence?”

That’s because you’re the one who broke the lift! —Not that I’d ever dare say that out loud. All I could do was frantically tap the screen faster while Hinamori-san stood beside me, wiping the cold sweat from my brow.

TL Note- Souta might get a possible GF......

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