Baekrim.
A quick internet search revealed their true nature: a criminal organization operating in Japan. Ostensibly, they claimed to be working to reform the corrupt Japanese government, but few believed their stated ideals.
Most people considered Baekrim an even more vicious terrorist group than the Yakuza, given their activities: political assassinations, attacks on the Japanese Hunter Guild, and more.
Seitaro, believed to be Baekrim's leader, was an S-Rank criminal in other words, a criminal with the power of an S-Class Hunter.
His abilities included Spirit Transformation. Despite his youthful appearance in his thirties, his true age was over sixty, and he was a highly skilled Onmy?ji.
"Shit. What the hell is this?"
I scratched my head roughly.
I couldn't understand his reasoning. Why attack now, with the whole world watching? With two S-Class Hunters standing right there, attacking now would be practically suicidal, wouldn't it?
Space Rift... that must be similar to a Dungeon concept.
The Rift hadn't disappeared before the TV screen cut out. It was probably still active.
I launched the Pleasure World App.
It's unlikely to work, but just in case...
I wanted to check on the Sex Doll's status, and Amatsuka Koyori's situation.
And my hunch was right.
Koyori's image appeared on my smartphone screen. She was on guard, along with Kouga Mio, the female ninja who had been caught up in the incident with her. Judging by the drab walls and gloomy atmosphere, they seemed to be indoors.
If the other Rifts are the same... Jin Seyoung must be safe!
The situation had suddenly changed, and I couldn't just stand still. I opened the door and stepped outside.
"...?!"
Through the corridor window, I saw something semi-transparent and mint-green. I opened the window and peered out. A massive mint-green Barrier enveloped the entire Fuka Shrine.
No surprise there. That bastard must have erected this Barrier before leaving.
I frowned. It would take time for external forces to breach this barrier, and escaping would likely be impossible.
I raced toward the Fuka Festival grounds. The Barrier around the shrine had shattered without a trace, allowing me to enter the festival grounds unimpeded.
The once-crowded spectator stands were now completely empty. Trash littered the floor, and space rifts dotted the stands at least 500 of them, both large and small.
A sense of unease washed over me as I gazed at the rifts. People here had been sucked into them, unable to resist. Even the S-Class Hunters, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of rifts beneath their feet, had been pulled in without a chance to escape.
Am I going to get sucked in too?
I approached the rifts cautiously, my guard up. Contrary to my fears, I sensed no force emanating from them.
It seems the rift's ability to pull people in is limited to its initial appearance.
I carefully maneuvered around the rifts, heading toward Jin Seyoung's seat. Since everyone here had been invited and assigned specific seats, finding her location was easy.
A rift had appeared right in front of Jin Seyoung. Should I go in?
I was worried about Jin Seyoung, but part of me wondered if I might actually be a hindrance to her.
With my current skills, staying put might be the best way to help.
I crossed my arms and scanned the surroundings. The rift remained stubbornly open.
Seitaro said we have ten days to play around. Does that mean the rift will stay open for ten days?
I pulled out my smartphone and checked Koyori's status.
She was currently engaged in battle with a monster.
It was a bipedal creature resembling a crocodile, about 2 meters tall, with a head and tail identical to those of a crocodile. Its body was covered in thick, hard scales.
This was a C-Rank Monster called a Croker.
Croker was torn apart by Koyori's spear without offering any real resistance.
A C-Rank Monster? Maybe it's not as dangerous as I thought.
With Jin Seyoung's skills, a Croker would be no problem at all. Besides, she wouldn't have gone in alone. Shin Jihyo and the guards were nearby.
Since Shin Jihyo and the guards are all A-Class Hunters, there's no need for me to intervene.
"...Hmm."
I glanced around. Should I just go back to my room and get some sleep? But then a particular Rift caught my eye.
It was the Rift where the delinquent and his girlfriend had been sitting.
There's a cluster of small Rifts nearby. Did they enter separately from the others?
I was about to turn away when a sudden thought struck me, sending a shiver down my spine.
This could be my
"The inside was like a dungeon a maze-type dungeon. Since I was alone, I just started moving. Orcs appeared, but they couldn't stop me."
As the man continued speaking, his confidence grew.
Orcs.
It seemed Croker wasn't the only monster in the Rift.
"Then I met a Pierrot."
"...A Pierrot?"
"Yes. Don't look at me like that it's not a lie, it's true. This Pierrot claimed to be a member of the World Hunter Association's Special Forces."
The World Hunter Association.
It was the supreme authority over the Hunter Associations of various nations, possessing transcendent powers beyond national borders in exceptional circumstances.
"Did you believe him?"
If a Pierrot you met in a maze told you he was a member of the American Hunter Association's Special Forces, you'd naturally assume he was lying. He seemed far too suspicious.
"But it was hard not to believe him. The Pierrot spoke perfect English and even had an ID. He wouldn't give me his name, which was a bit odd, but... I'm pretty good at reading people, and something about him felt trustworthy."
He continued talking about the Pierrot. Apparently, the Pierrot had entered the maze while investigating Baekrim. When he told the Pierrot about the events happening outside, the Pierrot's face had hardened.
"Maybe the Pierrot's clown makeup is due to his abilities. But how did you manage to return here?"
"The Pierrot showed me the way out."
He extended his hand, showing me the gray stone he had been holding since earlier.
"Using Mana on this white stone allows you to escape. It's gray now, but it was white before use. Pierrot said it would revert to white after 30 hours, making it reusable for escaping the Maze. I was skeptical, but... it turned out to be true. I'm out here, after all. But how did you escape without a white stone?"
"I never entered the Rift."
"Huh?"
"I was resting in the Gentleman's room yesterday, recovering from the sparring match."
"Ah, that's right! I thought I recognized you. You were the one who fought yesterday. My apologies. I didn't get a good look at your face then."
"It's alright. More importantly, that white stone... could you give it to me?"
"I was planning to hand this over to the Japan Hunter Association, but..."
He stared intently at me. I tried to look as desperate and urgent as possible.
"You seem to be in a hurry. Very well, I'll give it to you."
"Th-thank you! But are you sure it's okay to give this to me?"
"Didn't I say I have a good eye for people? It might seem strange given the circumstances, but I want to get to know you better."
"Thank you! I won't forget this kindness. I'm Sung Yujin!"
As I bowed in greeting, he waved off the formal gesture and extended his hand for a handshake.
"Kagaya Mizuchi."
I was stunned to hear his name.
"The heir to the Kagaya Group!"
"Haha. Yes, that's me."
The Kagaya Group was one of Japan's top conglomerates.
But my familiarity with him wasn't because he was the Kagaya Group's heir.
Kagaya Mizuchi. He was a C-Rank Hunter despite his abysmal combat skills, all thanks to his unique ability.
Mizuchi's ability, "Dichotomy," allowed him to discern which of two choices would be more beneficial to him.
For example, if presented with a delicious-looking fruit, he could choose whether to eat it or not. Dichotomy would advise against eating it, revealing that the fruit was poisoned.
In essence, it was a form of precognition. This ability earned Mizuchi special privileges within the Japan Hunter Association.
I first heard about Mizuchi's ability about three years ago. At first, I scoffed, dismissing it as some bizarre power. A future prediction ability? As if such a thing could exist.
But compared to my own ability the Pleasure World App it's hardly unusual. After all, I can enter creative works.
Mizuchi's ability is impressive, but it's not omnipotent. It has its limits.
I hesitated before stepping into the Rift, then turned to Mizuchi.
"...Did you give me that white stone because of your ability?"
"Ah ha ha. I see you know about my ability after all. Yes, that's correct. When faced with the choice of 'give' or 'not give' to Ms. Sung Yujin, my ability chose 'give.' I don't particularly like this ability, but since it's helpful to me, I have no choice but to follow its guidance."
"...Hmm. For some reason..."
"For some reason you're reluctant? Ha ha. I understand. I feel that way sometimes too," Mizuchi said with a wry smile. After thanking him, I leaped into the rift the one near the Delinquent and Gyaru Girl's seats.
As I entered the maze, I felt my breath growing heavy. The humidity and temperature had spiked, and a strange odor filled the air.
I drew the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger from my inventory and scanned my surroundings warily.
The ceiling stretched five meters high, and the distance between the walls appeared to be around eight meters. Though it was a maze, it was surprisingly spacious. A faint, silvery light emanated from the ceiling, illuminating the interior without the need for torches or lamps.
I scanned the surroundings and noticed traces of a battle and fresh bloodstains on the floor. The blood hadn't yet coagulated. I cautiously followed the trail.
Grrrraaaarrrr!
"Get lost!"
The beast's growls mingled with the voice of Yoshikawa Misa, the blonde, tanned gyaru. I moved stealthily toward the sound, suppressing my presence.
About fifty meters away, I saw a delinquent and Misa fighting a Spike Tiger.
The delinquent lay unconscious with a wound in his side, while Misa stood before him in a combat stance, her face taut with tension.
The Spike Tiger, true to its name, was a tiger covered in sharp spikes on its head, body, and tail. It was a C-Rank Monster.
'The Gyaru Girl is stronger than me, so there's no problem... wait a minute. She doesn't have a weapon.'
A delinquent lies unconscious, wounded.
Misa is trying to protect him with her bare hands.
The Spike Tiger, a C-Rank Monster.
"Heh heh heh."
A grin spreads across my face. The opportunity has presented itself.
I sprint toward the Spike Tiger.
"Hey, you spiky cat! I'm your opponent now!"
"Grrr?!"
The Spike Tiger turns its head, its piercing blue eyes flashing.
As I charge forward, radiating murderous intent, the Spike Tiger lunges at me with equal ferocity. Its speed far surpasses mine.
Crackling!
Red Thunderbolt writhes along the blade.
The creature was right in front of me. As it lunged forward, I activated Momentary, instantly slowing its movements to a crawl.
I moved beneath it.
Momentary.
Activating Momentary repeatedly, I raised my sword and slashed upward, slicing open its thornless belly.
"Kroooaaarrgh!"
Blood and entrails spilled as the Spike Tiger collapsed to the ground. I rushed toward the struggling beast and struck its neck with my blade.
If I hadn't had the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger and Momentary, I wouldn't have been able to defeat it so easily.
In any case, I had won.
After retrieving the Spike Tiger's Magic Stone, I walked toward Misa, who was watching me. I forced my face into a neutral expression, afraid that the slightest lapse in concentration would reveal a sinister smile.