Inside The Dungeon - Part 1

Haruto surveyed the area, his gaze drawn to a cluster of people adorned in extravagant garments. Their attire exuded luxury, adorned with high-quality equipment that seemed to be the finest available. Their coordinated movements indicated they operated as a cohesive team of five, emanating an air of wealth and refinement. Amidst the crowd, this group commanded attention as they engaged in combat, swiftly dispatching horned rabbits, goblins, and orcs one after another. A swordsman, clad in metallic armor, effortlessly sliced through goblins and orcs as if they were cutting through butter, single-handedly vanquishing a total of eight monsters.

His companions managed to vanquish a total of twenty-two monsters. Among them, a muscular man punched five of the creatures with such force that their heads burst with each blow. Six monsters fell victim to a slender blonde woman, who unleashed scorching red flames from her hands, reducing them to charred remains. Another woman, dressed in a nun-like garb with long black hair, gently tapped her staff on the ground, conjuring magic circles that released swirling blades of wind. These blades swiftly cut down two horned rabbits and four goblins. The last member, a petite girl dressed in black attire, swiftly wielded her daggers, slicing through the monsters with rapid precision. Blood spattered the ground as the creatures cried out in agony, their lives draining away. She harvested the lives of five monsters in her relentless assault. After cleansing her daggers of blood, the petite girl casually reunited with her teammates.

The crowds of students and onlookers who had gathered to hunt the surface monsters stared at them with awe. Their fighting style captivated the crowd; the team's strength and appealing appearance drew admiration from both men and women. They were a group of handsome men and beautiful women, each with their own unique stature and personality, surpassing even the allure of TV actors and actresses. As the realization of their victory sank in, the crowd erupted into applause and cheers, celebrating the team's clean and seamless triumph.

After witnessing the glorious battle, Haruto's classmates were brimming with excitement. Those who had previously been timid, fearing the monsters, now found themselves filled with encouragement to fight, their inner resolve soaring higher than ever before. Observing their dreamy expressions, their teacher, Yoshino Haruka, chuckled and approached the team of five formidable warriors. The swordsman among them caught sight of Haruka and grinned with happiness before leading his team towards her, each member wearing a joyful smile.

"Haruka-sensei, it's great to see you... How have you been? I heard you'd be here with your students... Knowing you'll be leading them into the dungeon, my team and I decided to come along as escorts. It's risky inside, and it's not safe for you to manage alone. There's a good chance... you could get seriously hurt. So... please, allow us to lend a hand!" said the swordsman, Chinen Hiroshi. His teammates chuckled and gently teased him, but they also admired and respected his unwavering determination to support Haruka-sensei, a commitment he had maintained until now.

Haruka comprehended the reason behind their laughter. Letting out a tired sigh, she replied, "I'm doing fine... I'll take you up on your offer then... if you don't mind, Ai, Asuka, and Hikari!" Haruka's gaze turned menacing as she directed it toward her former students, particularly the three girls whose faces had paled and were now seeking refuge behind each other. Asuka quickly shielded her buttocks, recalling the way Haruka-sensei had touched them. Ai, with a bashful look, covered her chest, reminiscing about how Haruka-sensei's hands had molded and reshaped her bust. Hikari's legs quivered, driving her to seek solace behind Ai and Asuka. She felt she was the most unfortunate of the trio, overwhelmed by the urge to cry and wishing desperately to find a hole to hide for the rest of her life.

"No, w-we're completely on board with that! How could we possibly allow our dear sensei to face danger from monsters! L-Leave everything to me, I'll clear the path ahead for you! And both Ai and Hikari will be there to support and protect you from the sides!" Asuka's words quivered with desperation, stemming from her fear of potential retribution from Haruka-sensei. Even though she had already graduated from high school and was now a first-year university student, the fear instilled in her by Haruka continued to make Asuka timid whenever she encountered her.

Hiroshi and Jiro wore awkward smiles on their faces, well aware of the history between them. Mio and Ichika's eyes gleamed like shiny stars, observing the three beauties who appeared so submissive to their teacher, almost as if Haruka-sensei were their master and they were the slaves. Mio and Ichika found themselves intrigued by their dynamic. Keisuke and Fuji kept their eyes on the two boys, who were supposedly their seniors, upon hearing the word "sensei" from their mouths and assuming as much. They waited patiently as Haruka-sensei engaged in conversation with them, disregarding the unnatural expressions worn by the three senior sisters.

Haruto observed them from a distance, seated on a protruding stone. "I'm exhausted," he muttered wearily. Surveying the warriors ahead, he mused, "Why are the three women so flustered? Hmm... Upon closer examination, one of them has the stature of a high schooler, and they addressed her as 'sensei' when greeting Haruka-sensei. It indicates they had a teacher-student relationship in the past." The swordsman, in particular, appeared genuinely delighted to meet Haruka-sensei. "His enthusiasm, along with the expressions of his team members, suggests that the swordsman either has feelings for Haruka-sensei or simply admires her more than his comrades," Haruto concluded, lost in thought.

The other man appears to have the demeanor of an office worker, and my intuition suggests he might be the type who only knows how to fight, much like Fuji. Could they be brothers, or is there some other connection? Haruka-sensei seems incredibly close to the three women. Seeing her surrounded by three beautiful women almost made me have a nosebleed. I quickly check my nose and confirm that it's fine. But really, seeing their breasts pressing against each other, the way they bounce and their shapes... it's truly heavenly!

I nod my head in approval. Most of the boys had grins plastered on their faces, saliva almost dripping from their lips, and emitted creepy laughter. The girls noticed this behavior and distanced themselves from the boys, casting scornful glances at them filled with contempt. Feeling ashamed, the majority of the boys looked away, while a minority continued to smile wickedly, their eyes filled with lust. Such behavior attracted attention, and Mio and Ichika turned to look over. Ichika's glare made the boys visibly frightened, while Mio's icy gaze was directed at me, who was watching the scene unfold.

Seeing Haruto's lazy expression, she beamed a happy smile at him.

By that time, Haruka had already finished conversing with her former students and proceeded to lead them towards her current students, initiating introductions. The first to step forward was the swordsman, Chinen Hiroshi, followed by Takao Jiro, Sasaki Hikari, Watanabe Asuka, and Suzuki Ai. Their roles were defined as follows: "Sword Master," "Brawler," "Lancer," "Assassin," and "Life Priestess." It was a team comprised primarily of fighters, with one member serving as a healing singer. After the introductions, Mio and Ichika joined Haruka and the three senior sisters, Ai, Hikari, and Asuka, for a chat. Meanwhile, Keisuke and Fuji engaged in conversation with Hiroshi and Jiro, leaving the hesitant Hinata by himself. It was clear from Hinata's expression that he was feeling shy.

Hinata let out a sigh and glanced around, spotting someone lazily seated atop a nearby stone, observing him with a questioning gaze, as if silently asking, "Why are you standing alone? Aren't you going to join your team?" Hinata almost chuckled at Haruto's inquisitive demeanor. He had gotten to know Haruto through Mio and Ichika, and found him to be the laziest person he had ever encountered. Learning from Ichika why Mio cared for Haruto had surprised Hinata, as Mio's reasons for liking him were unexpected. Now, witnessing Haruto's behavior firsthand, Hinata couldn't help but find him quite endearing.

Hinata moved to sit beside Haruto, their proximity allowing Haruto to detect the sweet fragrance emanating from Hinata's body. Haruto's expression darkened; despite knowing Hinata was a guy, his lower body almost responded to the scent, reminiscent of that of a girl. Doubt crept into Haruto's mind about his preferences, his eyes losing their usual laziness. After all, his happiness hinged on whether he had feelings for a guy or a girl. If it truly was the former, his future seemed grim.

Hinata watched Haruto closely and noticed the change in his expression, prompting him to ask, "Is everything alright? You seem a bit off, Yoshikawa-kun."

Haruto glanced at Hinata with a serious look and replied, "It's nothing... Just remembered something unpleasant. Something really bad, and I hope it's not true..."

Shifting my focus to Abe-san, I questioned, "And what about you? Aren't you going to join your team? What's holding you back?" I glanced in the direction of Mio, Ichika, and then Keisuke and Fuji, puzzled by Abe-san's hesitation. What was causing him to hesitate? Did he not feel comfortable with them, or was there another reason for his sudden reluctance?

"Well, you see, I'm not very good with new people..." Hinata explained, resting his chin on his palm with his elbow on his hip. He continued, "It took me years to fully open up to Mio and Ichika, and we became good friends. My friendship with Keisuke and Fuji isn't as strong; they don't know much about me because I lack the courage to share with them... Mio and Ichika were the first friends I could truly confide in." Hinata turned to Haruto with a warm smile.

"Why are you telling me this? I don't think I can be of much help," I responded to Abe-san, whose gaze lingered on me. Abe-san had a somewhat feminine appearance at that moment, radiating charm that made my heart skip a beat. With his cheek resting on his palm and a genuine smile gracing his face, accentuated by the mole under his right eye, he looked incredibly attractive. I found myself staring at him, squinting slightly as if I were admiring an attractive woman.

As if sensing my gaze, he blushed and turned his face towards the direction where Mio and Ichika were standing. Suddenly, Hinata stood up and stammered, "I-I'm going to see Mio and Ichika! See you later, Y-Yoshikawa-kun." I could only stare in bewilderment as he hurried off. What the hell?! My mind was blank, still processing the unexpected encounter. Had I really just found Abe-san beautiful and attractive? I didn't even have time to dwell on that thought as Haruka-sensei called us over and began instructing us on how to fight monsters.