Chapter 1: New Possibilities

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Beep!

As the sound echoes, I quickly stretch out my left hand to stop the alarm.

Since enrolling at Seishin High School and entering the dungeon, I’ve gained a ton of skills.

Thanks to that, being able to sleep deeply even with just a short amount of rest is definitely a good thing, I think.

Yup……! My body feels light, no pain anywhere, and no weird sensations either.

As usual, I put on the uniform hanging on the wall and leave the room.

When I open the door and look down the hallway, I notice another door opening at the same time.

Emerging from it is someone wearing a boy’s uniform but with a hint of girlishness about them.

He smiles at me and waves.

“Hinata-kun~ Morning! Perfect timing, huh?”

“Morning. You’re up early too, Fujii-kun.”

“Of course! If I don’t get going early, I won’t be able to eat a ton for breakfast!”

“Ahaha……”

As always—or rather, despite his appearance—Fujii-kun’s a big eater.

It’s been a week since the irregularity occurred in C-rank Dungeon 3—commonly called C3.

That incident was by far the biggest irregularity in decades, with the highest number of explorers affected ever recorded. It became a global topic, still making the news, with daily debates about whether it’s a sign of something bigger.

And…… one of the people involved in that incident is Fujii-kun.

“Hm? Is there something on my face?”

Fujii-kun starts patting his face all over.

“No, nothing’s there. Come on, we’d better hurry to the cafeteria, or all your favorite foods might be gone.”

“That’s a crisis! Hinata-kun! Let’s go!”

A natural, happy smile spills out for my one and only friend.

We enter the cafeteria and eat breakfast at a leisurely pace. As expected, Fujii-kun piles his plate high with food, and just watching him makes me feel full.

After breakfast, we head to the classroom.

“Good morning.”

At the entrance, the first-year dorm matron, Seino-san, sees us off with her usual expressionless face.

She’s someone with such kindness and responsibility that she memorized all the dorm students’ names and faces even before we enrolled.

On the way from the dorm to the classroom, I pass by a few first-year students, but they all glance at me and grimace.

“That’s the guy, right?”

“Pretty sure it is.”

I can tell I’m disliked enough that I can hear their whispers.

It’s starting to feel a lot like Eran Town, where I lived until middle school. Back then, everyone hated me too.

I part ways with Fujii-kun at the second-floor classroom corridor, then enter my own class and sit down.

The only saving grace is that my desk hasn’t been vandalized like it was during the bullying back then. Still, cold stares rain down on me from the few classmates already here.

Sitting at my desk by the wall, I wait. Then, outside the window, a beautiful silver princess descends from the sky at the school gate.

Her long, flowing silver hair easily draws the attention of the surrounding students.

I immediately use my skill.

The skill Absolute Ice Dissolution. It’s a skill that melts the absolute ice she unintentionally releases, but by using it constantly, I can stop the leaking ice in an instant.

Her previously sulky expression softens all at once, and she raises a hand with a smile directed at me.

A smile aimed not at someone else, but at me.

And that, of course, is yet another reason for the piercing glares I receive.

She—Hina—enters the school building, followed by another female student who steps up to the entrance.

With neatly trimmed black hair and a clean, refreshing appearance, her bright and cheerful personality suits her perfectly. Naturally, she attracts the gazes of the boys around her.

“Hi~na~ta~kun! Goo~d mor~ning!”

Haha……

If I don’t respond, she’ll pout, so I quickly wave back. Then, using my other skill Telepathy, I send her a message.

【Morning, Shino.】

Shino flashes a bright smile and skips lightly into the school building.

Next, Hina enters the classroom. Everyone’s eyes turn to her, and when she stops in front of my desk, those gazes shift to me. Cold ones, of course.

“Hina-chan~ Hinata-kun~ Good morning!”

“Shino-chan~ Morning~”

“Morning.”

Since my telepathy can only be heard by Shino, I reply to Hina out loud while mimicking her tone through telepathy, sending my voice that way too.

I’ve gotten pretty used to this by now—it’s second nature at this point.

“See you at lunch~”

With that and a smile, she heads off to her own class.

She probably won’t smile again until lunchtime. The earplugs she wears create a huge wall between her and most people.

“How can a dull guy like him be friends with those two?”

“Maybe he’s got some dirt on them?”

“That’s the only explanation, right?”

Lately, thanks to all the skills I’ve picked up, even my hearing’s gotten sharper. I catch every single whisper.

This never happened before I started diving into dungeons. I wouldn’t say I’m used to it, but I guess I’ve got no choice but to get used to it.

Homeroom starts, and our teacher steps up to the podium.

“As I mentioned before, dungeon entry was banned for a week. Unfortunately, that ban’s been extended through this week too. That means no dungeon entry until Golden Week starts. It’s a rare opportunity, so I recommend that students who were planning to go into the dungeon this afternoon join the special education program instead.”

Due to the C3 irregularity, all minors who had dungeon entry permits had them revoked.

By “minors,” they mean high schoolers and up, so it’s essentially a ban on high school students.

Thanks to Hina and Shino, I’ve been able to use the special curriculum to enter the dungeon every afternoon, but last week I attended regular classes for the first time in a while.

I don’t hate studying or anything…… but right now, I’d rather be in the dungeon. Still, rules are rules, and I’ve got to follow them.

After that, classes begin without incident, and soon it’s lunchtime.

We head to our usual spot on the rooftop. The wide-open blue sky feels great, and though the sunlight’s bright, the occasional breeze makes it pleasant. I really like the rooftop.

Hina and I arrive first. She pulls a picnic sheet and a low table out of her magic bag, setting them up, then lays out a bunch of delicious-smelling bentos.

I’m used to it by now, but her deft movements are impressive. All I can do to help is spread out the picnic sheet. I can’t help but smirk when she casually pulls out the heavy-looking table with one hand.

The rooftop door opens, and Shino steps in.

“Finally, lunchtime~”

Shino immediately slumps and rubs her head against Hina’s shoulder.

Next, a boy with a hesitant expression steps through the door but stops in his tracks.

“Fujii-kun~ Yaho~”

“H-Hey!”

“What’s wrong? Come on over~”

“Okay!”

Fujii-kun cautiously steps onto the rooftop. He’s still not used to this.

Sitting next to me, his eyes sparkle as he gazes at the food on the table.

“Looks delicious!”

“It really is. Hina’s bentos are the best.”

“Mom’s been enjoying making bentos lately. I want to help, but……”

Hina’s shoulders droop as she says this. I’m sure her feelings alone are enough, and her kindness definitely gets through.

““““Let’s eat!””””

We all put our hands together and dig into the meal.

Savoring lunch under the cool breeze, I think to myself how nice it’d be if these happy days could continue forever.

“Oh, by the way, Fujii-kun, your family runs the Berners Magic Tool Shop, right?”

“Yup! On my dad’s side, that is.”

Come to think of it, Hina’s Kamui family and Shino’s Kagura family are conglomerates too, aren’t they?

Being called conglomerates means their houses must be huge. That alone shows how wealthy their families are.

I’d heard Fujii-kun’s family ran a shop, but I’m surprised to learn it’s a conglomerate too.

“Do conglomerates ever meet up with each other?”

“Yeah, there are parties and stuff~ I used to go when I was little, but since this happened……”

Shino points to her earplug-shaped earpiece. She can’t even live normally without blocking her ears.

Nowadays, regular earphones aren’t enough—she needs magic tool earplugs powered by magic stones to block out the sounds effectively.

“I didn’t go much either. My dad’s Fujii family is part of it, but my mom’s side isn’t a conglomerate. My half-siblings on my dad’s side go a lot, though.”

“You’ve got a lot of siblings, right?”

“Yup! Three older brothers and one older sister~”

Sipping the tea Hina prepared, we spend the time leisurely.

Now that I think about it, they all have siblings. Hina has an older sister, Shino has an older brother, and Fujii-kun has older brothers and a sister.

That reminds me of my little sister.

With last week’s irregularity, I contacted my sister and mom to let them know I was safe. I’d been avoiding reaching out to them because I didn’t want to rely on them out of my own selfishness.

Now that I’ve made friends and gotten strong enough to handle the dungeon, I feel like I won’t have to depend on them anymore or make them worry.

“This way, I won’t have to rely on them all the time anymore, and I won’t make them worry either, I suppose.”

“Hinata-kun? What’s up?”

Hina looks at me with a curious expression.

“Hearing about Fujii-kun’s siblings made me think of my little sister.”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned you have a sister.”

“Yeah. She’s a year younger, and she’s kinda like Shino, I guess.”

“Huh? Me?”

Shino points at herself in surprise. That reaction’s kinda like my sister too. Back when I first met Shino, I often thought she reminded me of her.

“Not in a bad way, okay?”

“I know that. I’ve never heard you say anything bad about anyone, Hinata-kun. Your little sister, huh~ I’d love to meet her.”

“My sister’s pretty cute, you know.”

At that, all three of them stare at me, dumbfounded.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you guys?”

“It’s just…… hearing you call someone cute is so rare, Hinata-kun. You don’t talk about your sister much, so it’s surprising.”

“I guess I haven’t talked about her much…… Now that you mention it, maybe you’re right. We live apart now, so that might be why.”

“You said you don’t contact her much either, right?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to worry her too much……”

“……Doesn’t that have the opposite effect?”

“Opposite effect?”

“Yeah. I think not contacting her might make her worry more. I don’t care a bit about my brother, but if your sister’s the worrying type, she’s probably even more anxious.”

Hina and Fujii-kun nod in agreement.

“Because of the irregularity, I had to contact my family, and since then, I’ve been keeping in touch again. I’m heading back home this weekend too.”

Once this week’s classes are over, there’s a ten-day holiday starting this weekend.

Considering the family budget, the round-trip cost feels like a waste, but Mom and my sister have been silently pressuring me to come back. Plus, I kinda want to go home after so long.

And thanks to Hina and the others, I’ve earned quite a bit from dungeon materials.

All I can do for them is suppress their abilities, yet they’ve given me so much. I want to find a way to repay them more.

I suddenly notice Hina and Shino looking a little lonely.

“Right…… that makes sense. It’s normal to go back home for Golden Week.”

“You and Hina live at home, right? What about you, Fujii-kun?”

“Nah. Even if I went back, my family’s home is in England right now.”

“England!?”

Fujii-kun gives a wry smile and nods.

“The Berners Magic Tool Shop’s headquarters is in England, after all.”

The Kamui family, the Kagura family, and the Fujii family are all incredible……

Shino talks about foreign countries so casually—those three really do feel like conglomerate kids.

“I’ll probably spend Golden Week dungeon-diving~”

“Me too, probably~”

The mood suddenly turns gloomy.

“By the way, what’s everyone doing this afternoon?”

Thinking it’d be better to change the subject, I bring up how we were supposed to go into the dungeon this afternoon but can’t because of the ban.

Last week, we spent the time separately, and after school, the three of us visited Hina’s house.

As for Fujii-kun, we haven’t officially formed a party yet, so we decided to talk it over and invite him properly once it’s settled.

“This week separate again~? What about you, Hinata-kun?”

“Our teacher mentioned a special education program, so I was thinking of checking it out. You guys aren’t going?”

For some reason, all three of them don’t look too thrilled.

“Uh…… I think I’ll pass.”

“Me too, kinda……”

“I wouldn’t even if I could~”

They really don’t want to go, huh. Shino’s case makes sense, though.

“For me, I’ve been learning a lot from the seniors in their party, so there’s not much point in attending a beginner’s course now.”

He was with those seniors during the irregularity too.

“Oh yeah, was it okay for you to leave their party?”

“It’s not really leaving. They were helping me out temporarily anyway. I think it’s easier for them without me around. Those seniors have a contract with our magic tool shop.”

“A contract……?”

“It’s an exclusive deal with the shop. They promote our weapons and agree not to use tools from other magic shops. It’s a popular contract style worldwide, and Berners Magic Tool Shop has a pretty big share.”

The Fujii family’s even more amazing than I thought……

“So, once again, I’d love to join your party!”

Fujii-kun bows formally.

He’d made it to the second floor of C3 but said he’d rather form a party with classmates, even if it meant progressing slower, and asked me if I’d team up with him.

After discussing it with Hina and the others, we ended up eating lunch together like this. Normally, we’d do a trial run in the dungeon as a temporary party and form officially once everyone’s on board, but the dungeon ban from the irregularity has delayed that.

I haven’t seen his skills yet, but I think he’s stronger than me, so it should be fine.

“Are you going to the special education program, Hinata-kun?”

“I was thinking of giving it a shot. I still don’t know much about parties.”

“Hehe, that might be a good idea. Still, it’s funny to think of you, Hinata-kun, who’s teamed up with two S-rank potentials, attending a beginner’s course~”

“It’s just a coincidence. I’m nothing special—I’m just grateful they’re willing to team up with me.”

I glance at Hina and Shino, who look at me with puzzled expressions.

They exchange looks and sigh in perfect sync—almost like sisters.

If they were sisters, Shino’d be the younger one and Hina the older one, I bet.

“Lunch break’s almost over. Should we head back?”

“Yeah.”

We’ll part ways with Fujii-kun this afternoon. Since I’m having dinner at the Kamui house, I won’t see him again until tomorrow morning at the dorm.

I walk the three of them to their classrooms, then head to the gym.

A ton of students are gathered at the special education program venue—mostly first-years, with some upperclassmen helping run things.

I spot a few student council members on stage, the ones introduced at the entrance ceremony.

Shouldn’t Hina be here too……? I wonder, but given her ability, maybe it can’t be helped.

If Hina didn’t have that icy aura, I bet she’d be up there leading the charge more than anyone.

Imagining a cool, confident Hina I’ve never seen before, I line up, noticing some first-years glancing at me.

“Hey…… isn’t that the princesses’ lackey?”

“For real. That’s him. Did he come here to mock us?”

“No doubt. Probably gets pampered by the princesses every day.”

“Ugh, I’m so jealous.”

It’s not just them—tons of people are giving me shady looks.

Before I knew it, this is how people see me now. It feels so much like being back home that I could mistake it for there.

Amid that, the program starts, and we split into our respective sections.

There are four sections: Melee, Ranged, Magic, and Porter.

Normally, I’d go for Melee, but lately, I’ve been dismantling monsters and supporting the others, so I figure I belong in Porter.

Standing in the Porter section, I still get the occasional cold stare.

Since this isn’t a combat-focused section, no one here looks particularly strong.

“We’re gonna teach you all about being a porter. Your instructors will mostly be second-year seniors. And if anyone’s here just to mess around, you can leave now.”

It’s easy to tell who that’s directed at. But I’m not here to mess around—I genuinely want to learn.

“Whatever. Let’s get started.”

From there, they teach us how vital porters are to dungeon exploration.

Dungeons aren’t just about killing monsters. Some people level up just by hunting for experience, but even then, you hit a wall fast without a porter.

Plus, the materials you get from dungeons sell for a lot. Even doing nothing myself, the stuff Hina and Shino take down has earned me an unbelievable amount already.

It’s because they’re so strong, but even I can take down a decent amount and make some cash. Everyone else could probably earn even more.

That said, splitting the work definitely makes things more efficient than doing it all alone.

I just happen to have skills like Monster Dismantling and Dimensional Storage, which is great, but without those, it’d be a real hassle.

Shino said something similar once too.

From that day on, I attended regular classes in the morning and joined the porter program in the afternoon.