Chapter 19: I’ll forgive you if you do a full-nude dogeza, nya.

Late at night, with the lights in the houses extinguished, we made our way toward the temple through a city faintly illuminated by a thin, blue-tinged waning crescent moon—slightly larger than the one I remembered from my original world. The moon itself didn’t feel much different from reality, but the stars scattered across the night sky were almost comically numerous. I found myself vaguely thinking that it all looked like an illustration.

『Master, Dragoon deployment complete. Currently standing by above the target structure at approximately 5,000 feet in stealth mode. As instructed, we are carrying the weapons container, the improved Gungnir Mk.4 ground-combat armor attachment/detachment container, and two AWCS12b Crusader IV Kai units. We can drop them at any time on your command.』

"Thank you, Erika. Pray we won’t have to use them."

『I am an AI, so I do not pray. However, I do wish for your safety, Master. Please refrain from reckless actions.』

"Understood. I’ll be careful. If it comes to it, we’ll use the Crusaders to evacuate everyone."

It might have been excessive, but as Natsumi had said, if this really was a trap, there was no telling what awaited us. At the same time, we wanted to avoid using overly powerful weapons in the middle of the city, both to prevent unnecessary destruction and to avoid exposing our strength to other players. Ririka and Natsumi had agreed with that assessment, so the plan was to retreat immediately if the situation turned dangerous.

As usual, Natsumi was wearing a tight white one-piece dress that clung closely to his body and showed a bit too much skin. Ririka, on the other hand, wore a pink outfit resembling a cheongsam, with a hem so short that her underwear was clearly visible. She paired it with boots and gloves fitted with soft, paw-like pads, like a cat’s. With the hem that short and her tail sticking out from behind, anyone looking from the rear would see her panties completely on display.

Is she messing around?

According to Ririka, though, this was her combat style.

In the darkness-shrouded city, only one place was brightly illuminated by countless torches: the temple. Despite the late hour, many soldiers stood guard, blocking the entrance.

Rick and the Dom brothers were already there, along with Siegfried and Marie. Under Masato’s direction, they appeared to be waiting for us in front of the soldiers.

"Hey. That should be everyone, right? Doesn’t look like any other players are watching us. Let’s head inside while we can."

After Masato spoke to the soldiers, they stepped aside and opened a path. We were led into the now-empty temple. With Masato at the front, we carefully followed him through the strange hall—something like a chapel lined with counters, where we had once come to change our names—and then descended a wide staircase through a large door at the back.

"Erika, we’re going underground. Bring the Dragoon down to the lowest altitude you can manage while maintaining stealth."

『Roger.』

I quietly issued the order through the bone-conduction system in my suit, all the while keeping a wary eye on Masato, who was exposing his back far too casually.

At the bottom of the stairs lay a vast, high-ceilinged space. We couldn’t have descended very far, yet the chamber was enormous. The polished floor—likely marble—was lined with shallow water channels running along the walls. Pale blue lights, clearly magical in nature, glowed from the surrounding stone, illuminating a circular, ring-shaped monument at the center—large enough for a person to pass through—along with several stone pillars arranged around it.

"Hey, Masato. The gate isn’t active, and I don’t see a priest anywhere. Haven’t they arrived yet?" Rick asked.

Masato replied without turning around.

"Sorry, Rick. The priest isn’t coming."

"W-What do you mean, Masato?! We have to go look for Dias!"

"Yeah, Masato-kun! And if we don’t defeat the Demon King, none of us will ever be able to return home!"

Rick and Siegfried protested, but Masato still didn’t turn to face them.

"I told you I didn’t believe that nonsense. We finally made it to a world of swords and magic, and if there’s even a small chance we’d be forced back to that reality, that would be a problem for me."

"O-Our brotherhood never thought like that!"

"Sorry, Rick and Dom. You’re really just extras. To put it bluntly, I want you gone. Frankly, you creep me out."

So it really was a trap.

I had hoped—just a little—that Masato would keep his promise and send Rick and the others off without incident. That hope was quickly crushed.

As I reached for the handgun at my waist, aiming it at Masato’s unguarded back, something moved behind us.

"Gah!?"

Marie drew the greatsword from her back and, without a word, cut down Dom’s massive body in a diagonal slash, cleaving away half his torso. Without losing momentum, she thrust the blade forward and skewered Siegfried from behind.

"M-Marie-san…?! Wh-Why—"

Before Siegfried could finish turning toward her or voice his confusion, his body dissolved into particles of light.

Damn it. With Siegfried right there, I’d focused too much on Masato.

It wasn’t that I’d forgotten Marie was originally Masato’s ally, but Masato hadn’t given any visible signal. Either they had planned this down to the smallest detail, or their coordination was simply flawless. Even so, I hadn’t expected them to attack so mercilessly, without a single word of warning.

Ririka immediately lashed out with a kick at Marie, but Marie leapt back toward Masato, narrowly avoiding it. Natsumi followed up by launching blades of ice, which Marie deftly knocked aside, using her greatsword like a shield to block every strike.

"I took care of one small fry and someone who would’ve been troublesome as a shield, but… you noticed, didn’t you? You’re sharper than I expected. I thought you’d be more obviously stupid."

Masato finally turned to face us, his words dripping with provocation.

"Doooom!!"

Rick screamed at the spot where Dom had vanished into light and collapsed to his knees.

"Rick, even in the city you should’ve made sure to register your party properly. Though I wonder—if he’d escaped in that state, would he eventually stand back up? I’d like to test that sometime."

Masato cruelly piled his words onto Rick’s slumped back.

"Still, it seems that without a priest, you don’t revive even after turning into light. I wonder what state they’re in now. Well, if they’re wiped out, they’ll revive at the nearest temple. Since they didn’t revive here, they probably didn’t come back in Larentia or the Aste Empire either."

I moved into a position where I could shield Rick from both Masato and Marie, then spoke quietly to Natsumi.

"He’s provoking us on purpose. Don’t lose your cool. Stay calm."

"Don’t worry," Natsumi replied. "I was already furious before we even started."

At that moment, flames erupted from beneath Masato’s feet. As Marie flinched for an instant, Ririka darted through her guard and kicked off toward Masato, who was engulfed in fire. The two collided and were blown back several meters, scattering flames as they flew—but both quickly regained their footing and stood up again.

"Didn’t work, nya?"

"Running a guild gets you some pretty good gear, you know."

Masato deliberately flicked his cloak, making it billow theatrically.

"Still, that’s impressive. You’ve already got magic under control at that level? Guess Elf-kun either gets tunnel vision or has a strong tendency to fantasize. Must be nice—getting to come to a world like this instead of reality. Even I still need to stall for time like this before I can cast spells."

Before Masato could finish speaking, semi-transparent vines glowing green burst from the floor beneath our feet, wrapping tightly around our arms and legs.

"Thorn Bind! It’s a binding spell, nya!"

Ririka leapt backward instantly, escaping the vines’ grasp and shouting a warning, but I, Natsumi, and Rick were all caught, the magical vines locking us in place.

This is bad. Like this, I can’t even deploy my suit’s electromagnetic shield.

Marie charged straight at the immobilized Natsumi with her sword raised, but Ririka jumped in between them, lowered her stance, and swept at Marie’s legs. Marie barely managed to hop back, but Ririka pressed the attack, driving her back with a rapid flurry of kicks.

"Nyaa!"

"...!?"

Spinning gracefully, Ririka slipped through a gap in Marie’s light armor with a spinning back kick that slammed into her stomach, forcing her down onto one knee. Even while kneeling, Marie swung her greatsword sideways in desperation, but Ririka sprang straight upward, dodged the blade, and kicked Marie square in the face on the way down, sending her crashing to the floor.

I see. That panties-flashing china dress really is built for mobility, and those paw-padded boots that look harmless apparently have plenty of practical value as well.

"What’s going on? A level 200 Marie getting pushed back by some dumb-looking cat-eared girl around level 120?" Masato said, clearly shocked.

"Nyahaha, Ririka’s not dumb, nya. I figured it out. Even in the original game, combat was very action-based. Leveling up mainly boosted HP and strength. Agility barely changed, even with big level gaps. And warrior-type damage depends heavily on weapon performance, nya. Ririka’s a Cait Sith magic fist fighter—both my race and job specialize in speed, nya. Plus, compared to the game’s limited animations, we’ve got way more freedom of movement now. There’s no way I’m letting a slow, wide-swinging greatsword hit me, nya."

"I see. I didn’t think I was underestimating you, but it seems I still was. I fell for appearances—every one of you looks stupid enough to misjudge."

Masato drew a short wand from beneath his cloak and raised it. Marie’s body began to glow faintly—a buff spell of some kind.

"Raising your defense now is pointless, nya. Just give up already. If you revive Sieg and the muscle-brain brother, I’ll forgive you with nothing more than a full-nude dogeza in the city square, nya. Otherwise, I’ll kick you until it hurts so much you can’t move!"

"Don’t get cocky, you old-man-fetish neta-gamer!"

"Why does everyone think Ririka’s an old man, nyaaa?!"

Anyone could tell—pink, panty-flashing, cat-eared twin-tails just screamed “middle-aged man’s taste.”

Still, if Masato and Marie coordinated properly, Ririka alone would be in serious danger. I struggled desperately against the vines binding me, but the thorns bit deep, even through my suit’s layered polymer kevlar.

So magic buffs don’t work on me, but this garbage does?

Maybe it counted as physical restraint since the vines were half-materialized, but I wasn’t exactly satisfied with that explanation.

Whether due to magic resistance or something else, Natsumi managed to break free of the vines before I did.

"Natsumi!"

"Yes!"

At my call, Natsumi didn’t hesitate—he fired an ice blade straight at me. The shard struck my body, instantly triggering my suit’s electromagnetic shield and tearing the vines binding my limbs apart.

It worked, thankfully—but having sharp, icicle-like chunks of ice flying at you is absolutely terrifying. Next time, I’d prefer something with less lethal potential. At least the black suit hid the fact that I involuntarily leaked a bit of internal moisture.

As soon as he freed me, Natsumi turned and fired flaming arrows at Marie. She deflected them once again with her greatsword.

"Eyes forward, nyaaa!"

As Marie focused on Natsumi, Ririka launched a flying kick from behind, aiming for the base of her skull. Marie didn’t even turn—she raised her left arm and blocked it.

Her instincts are insane.

"Clarice-nyan! Don’t break the gate, nya!"

Ririka landed some distance away, warning me as I finally stood free.

"I know! I’ll use that!"

I pulled a stun grenade from my belt and tossed it at Marie’s feet, shielding Rick—who was still trapped in the vines—at the same time.

A blinding flash and a thunderous bang tore through the underground chamber.

Ririka and Natsumi instinctively covered their eyes and ears. Masato reflexively hid behind his cloak—but Marie took the blast head-on, gripping her greatsword with both hands as she staggered.

She’s still standing? What is she, some kind of manga tough guy?

Even so, manga characters lose their sight and hearing for a bit after something like that.

"If you’re still standing, then let’s make this hurt a little more!"

Multiple ice blades launched from Natsumi toward Marie—but unbelievably, despite being temporarily blinded, the female warrior knocked every single one aside with her sword.

"Persistent little pest, nya!"

Ririka kicked at Marie again, but Marie leapt back to evade it and retreated once more to Masato’s side.

What is going on? This goes beyond good instincts. Did the stun grenade not work on her?

"You seem to be using some kind of item I’ve never seen before. An application of flash magic, perhaps? Did you make it yourselves?" Masato said calmly. "Thanks to that, Marie can’t see a thing right now."

He spoke in Marie’s place.

Masato had stayed back and shielded himself with his cloak, apparently avoiding the stun grenade’s effects entirely.

Is he giving her instructions somehow?

Even so, there had been no visible exchange between them, yet her reactions were instantaneous.

Could they be using some kind of cheat ability too?

The moment that thought crossed my mind, another—far more plausible—possibility struck me, and I froze.

Compared to me being dragged into this world from a completely different game, it made far more sense.

"...Multi-accounting."

"Heh. Nice catch," Marie said—her tone completely different from before.

"That’s right," Masato continued.

"I am Masato."

"And I am Marie."

"At first, having two versions of myself felt strange."

"But once you get used to it, it’s incredibly convenient."

"Now that the trick’s out, there’s no need to keep acting."

"So I’ll stop holding back."

"And kill you properly."

"Round two begins."

Masato and Marie twisted their faces into identical, distorted smiles.

Bang.

A sharp gunshot echoed through the underground chamber.

Masato’s body crumpled to the floor, blood spilling from a hole in his forehead, that irritating grin still half-frozen on his face. I kept my handgun trained on Marie, smoke curling from the barrel, as I spoke.

"If that’s how it works, killing one of you should be fine. I figured I’d start with the one whose face annoyed me more. Does that mean round two’s already over?"

"W-Wh…?"

The one who had been smiling—Masato or Marie—staggered back, trembling visibly.

"What did you do?! What is that weapon?! Why do you have a gun?!"

"Grinding the same game so hard you make multiple accounts is impressive and all," I replied coolly, "but you should really try playing something different once in a while."

"There’s no winning now, nya," Ririka chimed in cheerfully. "Give it up already, revive Sieg and the muscle-brain little brother, and do a full-nude dogeza in the plaza, nya."

"So how does it feel?" Natsumi added brightly. "Thinking you were cheating, only to get wrecked by an even bigger cheat? What’s it like right now? Huh? How does it feel?"

Surrounded by the three of us, Marie dropped her sword—but then, perhaps out of sheer desperation, she shoved Natsumi aside and sprinted for the exit.

"Ow! Hey—she’s getting away! Shoot her dead already!"

"Yeah, but… shooting someone who’s running away with their back turned feels kind of wrong…"

"Haaah, you’re way too nice. Even American soldiers in the Vietnam War said to shoot women and children first if they’re slow."

"That’s from a movie… Anyway, it’s too late for her to escape now."

After Marie vanished up the stairs, I opened a channel to Erika.

"Erika, track the biometric data of the one who just fled the temple—"

『Master! A massive lifeform has suddenly appeared in the airspace above the surface! This is extremely dangerous! Evacuate immediately!』

Erika’s urgent report cut me off mid-sentence. We all exchanged glances in silence.