Chapter 5, Rekka’s High School Life

Translator: Lizz

 

Three days had passed since Masato began his activities on the 2nd floor of the Tokyo Dungeon. On average, he earned 13,000 yen a day, which meant he could expect about 390,000 yen in monthly revenue.

 

But that was only if he worked without taking a single day off. No one could keep up such grueling battles without rest. It was natural for reality to fall short of the ideal. On top of that, taxes, insurance, and the costs of maintaining weapons and armor also had to be paid, so the actual profit left was not much.

 

It was enough to get by, but if he wanted to think about the future, he needed to earn more.

 

“I can’t wait to start working in the dungeon myself!”

 

Having heard about these circumstances, Rekka muttered while gazing around the classroom.

 

Depending entirely on someone else didn’t suit him. One-sided charity built up stress, and he felt like he might explode at any moment. To be ready to start as soon as he became an adult, he had recently begun studying practical swordsmanship and was preparing himself. If not for Masato’s presence, he probably would have dropped out of high school to explore the Tokyo Dungeon already.

 

To calm his mind, he closed his eyes and imagined the battles with goblins as he had done countless times. The result was always a crushing victory. In perfect condition, he couldn’t picture anything but winning.

 

“Good morning!”

 

A voice, clear for a boy, reached his ears, and Rekka opened his eyes. He looked for the source. At the classroom entrance stood a boy with androgynous features. It was Koizumi Seiji, No.1 in the school’s social hierarchy.

 

With a refreshing smile, he walked up near the teacher’s desk and stopped, surrounded by female classmates.

 

In an instant, the room grew noisy.

 

The girls, wanting to spend even just a little more time with him, greeted him one after another, and from there casual chatter began. Topics ranged from games, manga to online videos, but all were things aimed at men. It was obvious to anyone that they were desperately trying to win Seiji’s favor.

 

“Tch.”

 

Rekka clicked his tongue, unable to suppress his jealousy.

 

The more the girls actively spoke to Seiji, the more irritated Rekka became at how popular he was. But that wasn’t the only reason. What disturbed him most was that Seiji already had an explorer’s license, and had real experience inside the dungeon.

 

Of course, it wasn’t an achievement Seiji had accomplished on his own. His parents’ money had bought him equipment, even skill cards. Unlike Masato, he hadn’t explored solo. He had been introduced to reliable senior explorers and fought monsters alongside them.

 

Even though they were the same age, the gap between them was so wide that Rekka, in his youth, couldn’t accept it. In short, it was ugly jealousy that made him dislike Seiji one-sidedly.

 

“You went to the Tokyo Dungeon again yesterday, right? How was it?”

 

At last, the topic shifted to the dungeon. Rekka’s mood grew even worse.

 

“As usual, I’ve been defeating monsters while learning from my seniors. It’s going so smoothly it even surprises me, so I think I’ll be able to reach the 2nd floor next month. Every day I can feel myself getting stronger, and it’s been really fun.”

 

“Wow! That’s so fast! That means you’ve got more talent than most people, doesn’t it?”

 

“If it’s among people our age…? Well, there’s always someone better. Like the other day, Domyoji Hayato and his team went on a large-scale expedition. They’re really amazing. If I want to aim for someone like him, I’ll have to work even harder.”

 

“I know that person! He’s the strongest explorer in Japan, right!? Seiji, you’re aiming to be number one in Japan!!”

 

“I’ve only just taken the first step. Besides, I want to gather companions who will fight alongside me—”

 

“I have an explorer’s license. If you talk to your party, maybe they’ll let me join as one of your teammates.”

 

A short-haired girl with sharp, gleaming eyes jumped in eagerly. Seiji leaned back in surprise, and even the other girls nearby recoiled.

 

While the rest were talking about the dungeon in a lighthearted way, she seemed serious about exploring—serious enough to aim for the lower floors. Rekka felt something was off, though he couldn’t put it into words. After some thought, he managed to recall only her surname—Tachibana.

 

“I’m currently tagging along with my senior’s party, so it’s not possible right now, sorry. But when I’ve leveled up enough to stand on my own, maybe we can discuss it again?”

 

“…I’m sorry. You’re right.”

 

Tachibana answered with a disappointed look. She seemed genuinely dejected, and Rekka’s sense of unease only grew stronger. If she liked Seiji, it would be normal for her to show some charm, but she didn’t act that way at all.

 

She wasn’t seeking Seiji as a boy, but as an explorer.

 

When Rekka reached that conclusion, he finally realized the source of his initial discomfort. Her body was toned, her stance steady. Her movements resembled those of his swordsmanship master; all proof that she had trained her body for battle.

 

“If he needs companions, it should be her.”

 

Rekka couldn’t help but imagine it—Tachibana joining Masato’s party, and then himself as well. The three of them fighting monsters together. Overcoming danger side by side, and in the process, the bond between them deepening—

 

“Oh, oh, the popular guy surrounded by girls is alive and well today.”

 

A deep voice shattered his fantasy.

 

The one who spoke to Rekka was Shoji Tanaka. His hair was dyed blond and slicked back. He’s a friend that fits neatly into the delinquent category.

 

“He pisses me off. How about we give him a good hit soon?”

 

“And then what? That’d just make the whole class our enemy.”

 

“Tch, yeah, you’re right.”

 

Shoji had only been joking. He raised both hands slightly in a gesture of surrender.

 

“Besides, I can’t cause trouble for aniki.”

 

“Well, that’s true. You can’t go against your brother anyway.”

 

Shoji knew that Masato was earning a living as an explorer. He also understood that this was the reason Rekka looked up to his brother, so he accepted it without argument.

 

“Since I’ve been in a bad mood since morning, how about we go hang out?”

 

“Pass. I don’t skip school.”

 

Rekka never skipped school and attended classes diligently. Whether or not that was reflected in his grades was another matter, but despite appearances, teachers regarded him as a serious student.

 

He couldn’t afford to waste the money and effort Masato had earned. That was a conviction shared by both brothers.

 

“Well, I figured you’d say that. I’ll ask someone else.”

 

Since this exchange had happened many times before, Shoji didn’t seem bothered by Rekka’s refusal. He invited him because they were friends; there was no deeper reason.

 

“Hey, if you succeed at picking someone up, invite me again.”

 

“When that happens, I’ll brag about it all I want.”

 

“Go blow up.”

 

“Too soon for that.”

 

Shoji gave Rekka a light punch on the shoulder, and Rekka returned it in kind. Rough as it seemed, this was a greeting popular among their group of friends. After a bit of playful sparring, Shoji left the classroom. Even though homeroom hadn’t started yet, he planned to gather friends and head into town.

 

“Why’d he even come to school?”

 

If he wanted to invite friends, he could have just used his phone.

 

Tilting his head, Rekka thought about it briefly but found no answer.

 

“Well, whatever. More importantly, I want to go to the dungeon.”

 

Listening to Koizumi’s ongoing bragging and the voices of the girls surrounding him, Rekka’s thoughts drifted toward the Tokyo Dungeon he had yet to visit.