Satoru's Plan

[ ~ Chapter • Start ~ ]

For a long while, Satoru has been asked questions by Aletia. About his students, whatever he has done for the past few months, and about himself, too.

Somewhere in between, she requested a contract of blood to him.

He accepted her request, and after a short while, allowed her to drink his own blood.

Surprisingly, it was the sweetest thing she ever had, as his blood was very full of life, perhaps due to not being able to drink blood for years had possibly done that reaction.

But, because she still had to limit herself from drinking his blood, she stopped herself after ten seconds.

Soon enough, she was introduced to his students.

Some looked a little memorable, even the muscle head that was Ryutaro, the kind hearted Kaori, the synergist known as Hajime, a very unseen person known as Endou, and even her.

"I am Eri Nakamura, a Necromancer. And I shall be your rival!" She almost yelled out, yet her declaration was completely genuine.

"Nn...? What are you talking about?" She asked bluntly, earning a flabbergasted expression from the teenager.

"Hmph! Just a moment after you met, he's already fallen for you!" Eri rebuked, yet her head was smacked by a metallic umbrella.

Courtesy of Satoru.

"Since when had I fallen for her, Eri?"

Satoru did mind his relationship with Aletia as it had already been kick-started earlier. In fact, right now it was her who's fallen in love with him!

Still, he expected something like this to happen, speaking purely from the "Martial Artist's" and "Astral Magician's" experiences.

He now has a half-yandere and a kuudere in his harem, though it seems like he had to regulate their conflict right now.

Eri grumbled as she rubbed her arm and apologized to both Satoru and Aletia. Not minding it, he began to lead the students even deeper in the labyrinth.

A single day wasn't wasted, as through that, several floors were obviously cleared just because everyone was beginning to feel tired of clearing one or two floors a day or even being taught several tricks and even techniques by Satoru.

In short, they were beginning to Speedrun the entire lower floors.

Aletia, with her knowledge of spells, and because she didn't want to feel like she was falling behind from the group because his students were already powerful and skilled enough at this point.

Just what had he been teaching them?

Not that she wanted to complain.

[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]

{ Several tens of floors and a week later.... }

{ .... at night..... }

{ .... Technically it's noon at this moment but because their sense of time has been distorted for a while now, they might think it is really noon. }

{ 99th Floor }

Satoru stood near a tree, watching his students and Aletia who were asleep with his hands on his pockets, contemplating.

"..... They've all grown really well..... but I suppose because the monsters here have just become fodder, I doubt the Seven-Headed Hydra would be a challenge for them." He muttered with a gentle smile.

That definitely was true since their Levels and Stats have grown exponentially, growing up to 95 and around High 2 Thousands and Low 3 Thousands respectively. Though that will change and grow bigger later on.

They all gained skills that should be enough for them to see themselves as "cheats", though in a one on one battle against a MAX level apostle, they are no match when one of them uses a Limit Break, for a while.

But him?

He was at Level 65 and his stats are around 5 thousand to 7 thousand, but with all his enhancement abilities his stats would be around 24,391~26,666. Satoru can still grow way stronger than how he is supposed to be at this moment.

Even so, he still has the skills and experience to defeat them, despite their numbers, expertise, and experience.

In the next moment, his smile faltered, and he was growing serious by the following seconds.

"But I suppose it is time to put them to the test, and.... before that I have to make sure I am prepared."

Once he told himself that, he began to leave the group, exiting the floor on a pathway nearby.

Eventually, he walked through a long hallway that felt like it led to a supposed Final Boss's Room, then entering a massive space that is the actual 100th Floor.

Satoru, with his quick thinking and through sorting his memories easily this time, leaped to the middle of the room.

The moment he landed, he pressed his palm on the ground below, and began to modify the magic circle that remained hidden from all eyes.

"There, now my "little" guardian won't be summoned again until I decide to allow him. Now, where were we? Ah, that's right. I have to act like the Last Boss of this Great Labyrinth!"

Deep in thought, the teacher began to rehearse what he should say, as he planned to make a mental script of what his fight with his students would become.

He's already decided on what the endings would be, and they would all be good enough even with deviations that it might get.

"Should I sit down on a throne, or should I just stare at the exit of this room? Maybe..... a Mecha should be fine for a phase, too."

Satoru then smirked. It seems like his plans were beginning to come into fruition.

His goal was truly to forge his students into strong individuals who would have the ability to be recognized as heroes.

They still needed some more of his guidance, though. Heroism isn't just about strength, after all.

Sometimes, there should be a time to reflect at oneself by facing one's "hidden/true self". In other terms, a "shadow".

Satoru took notes from a very masochistic elf who was a fellow Liberator at his time as Oscar Orcus, and someone from the Schnee Snow Fields.

Once his preparations (which lasted for an entire day) are over, he lifted his curse on his students and Aletia.

A long yawn came out of his mouth, and he felt really sleepy....

All that preparation really tired him out, not just on this time, but even in all of his time in the Labyrinth.

[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]

The students began to wake up one by one, though they immediately noticed that Satoru was gone.

"Teacher? Where are you!" Eri yelled, looking around the forest almost frantically. Eliminating any monster that came across her path pretty easily.

What just happened, really? It took them hours to realize he wasn't going back to them, and this isn't even a prank.

To the students who know a but more about red flags, it was something that needed to be overlooked.

Soon, they concluded that he must be on the next floor.

However the moment they arrived to where Satoru was, they weren't shocked to see him sitting on a throne, but because of a hazy, dark aura emanating from him, something must have happened.

Then, he opened his eyes, which looked dull and empty, contrasting from his usual self.

"Welcome, students. I am Oscar Orcus, the ruler and creator of this Labyrinth. It was nice to meet new visitors who passed my tests and became stronger, but because I have to keep my words, I shall be the one testing you. Whether you live or die is within my judgement."

[ ~ TO • BE • CONTINUED ~ ]

Author's Commentary: We'll focus on building more of Satoru's relationships with both Eri and Aletia/Yue later.

Maybe I'll just put a glimpse of how Hajime's relationship has developed in omakes too?