An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

“…Hashi…it’s delicious…”

“Delicious? I mean, my body must be unpalatable because I’ve taken in so much monster flesh and blood…”

"...It tastes ripe..."

"..."

According to Yue, it was like a thick soup made from a variety of vegetables and meats, with a rich and mellow taste.

Come to think of it, when she first sucked his blood, her expression seemed particularly dazed, so it seemed that it wasn't just Hajime's illusion. It was like she was suffering from hunger and then ate a supreme meal, so it was normal for her to have such an expression.

However, she exuded a seductive aura as she licked her lips, and Hajime wished she wouldn't do that again. At times like these, Hajime felt clearly that Yue was older than him, but coupled with her youthful appearance, it exuded an indescribable sense of taboo, making Hajime extremely uneasy.

"……tasty."

“…Please spare me.”

Perhaps in various aspects, she is a very dangerous partner, Hajime couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

It was the day when Hajime met Yue and survived a life-and-death battle with the scorpion-like creature.

Kouki and his group of heroes once again arrived at the Great Labyrinth of Orcus. However, the only people who arrived were Kouki's group of heroes, Hiyama and his group of small-time thugs, and a group of five men and women led by a large judo student named Nagayama Jūgo.

The reason was simple. Even if students avoided discussing Hajime's death, it still cast a heavy shadow on many of them. They experienced what it meant to "die fighting," so intensely that they could no longer fight. It was a form of psychological trauma.

The Holy Church's personnel were naturally unhappy to see this happen. "As long as we practice combat repeatedly, time will pass and we'll be able to fight again," they gently urged the students to return to the front lines almost every day.

However, there was one person who protested strongly against this, and that person was Teacher Aiko.

Aiko hadn't participated in the expedition. Because of her unique and rare vocation as a farmer, the church preferred her to focus on developing farmland rather than actual combat training. As long as Aiko was there, there was a high probability that the food problem would be solved.

When Aiko learned of Hajime's death, she was devastated and fell ill. The fact that a student had died while she was enjoying a leisurely life in the safety zone, and the fact that she would never be able to bring everyone back to Japan—these two things deeply affected Aiko, who had a strong sense of responsibility. However, precisely because of this, she would never allow students who were unable to fight to be sent to the battlefield again.

Aiko's vocation is so rare that it could change the world's food situation. Unwavering in her resolve, she protests against the forced combat training of her students. To avoid exacerbating their relationship, the church accepts her protest.

As a result, only the Heroes, the Little Villains, and Nagayama Jūgo's team, who had actively sought to continue their combat training, continued their training. With this training purpose in mind, they once again challenged the Orcus Great Labyrinth, this time accompanied by Captain Meld and several members of the Knights.

Today is the sixth day of conquering the maze.

The current floor is the 60th, which is five floors away from being confirmed as the highest arrival level.

However, Guanghui and the others were now hesitant to move forward. To be precise, it was not that they were unable to move forward, but they stopped unconsciously because they remembered the nightmare at that time.

Indeed, what appeared before them—though different from that time—was the same sheer cliff face. To reach the next level, they had to cross a suspension bridge built atop the cliff. While the bridge itself wasn't a problem, it still made them think about it. Kaori, in particular, remained motionless, staring into the darkness below, which seemed to lead to an abyss.

"Kaori..."

Shizuku called out to her worriedly, and Kaori, who had been looking down with intense eyes, slowly shook her head and smiled at her.

"I'm fine, Shizuku-chan."

"Really? Don't push yourself. You don't have to be polite to me."

"Hey, thank you, Shizuku-chan."

Shizuku smiled back at her friend. Kaori's eyes shone brightly, a look that betrayed neither escapism nor despair. Shizuku, with her keen observational skills and a keen sense of human nature, could tell Kaori's words about being fine were sincere.

(Kaori is indeed very strong.)

Hajime's death is almost certain. His chances of survival are hopeless, yet Kaori, despite this, neither shirks nor denies it, forging ahead to find an answer she can accept. As her friend, Shizuku is filled with pride for Kaori.

However, not understanding such an atmosphere is the true nature of a hero. In Kouki's eyes, Kaori gazed down, sighing in sorrow as she remembered Hajime's death. So he concluded—the gentle Kaori still felt the pain of her classmate's death. And so, through the filter of wishful thinking, Kaori's smile was merely a show of strength.

Moreover, Guanghui had no idea that Kaori had special feelings for Hajime and still believed that he had a chance of survival, so Guanghui repeatedly comforted Kaori in a misleading way.

"Kaori... I like your gentleness and kindness, but you can't be trapped by your classmate's death forever! You have to move forward! Nagumo must have wished the same."

“Hey, Kouki…”

"Shizuku, don't interrupt! Even though this sounds harsh, as your childhood friend, I have to say it... Kaori, it's okay. I'm by your side. I won't die, and I won't let anyone else die. I promised you that I won't make Kaori sad."

"Ah~ I'm on a rampage again as usual... Kaori..."

"Ahaha, it's okay, Shizuku-chan... Uh, I understand what Kouki-san means. I'm fine."

"Really? Do you understand?"

Hearing Guanghui's words, which she completely misunderstood, Kaori could only smile bitterly.

Even if I tell Kouki Kaori honestly about how she feels right now, he probably won't understand.

In Kouki's mind, Hajime is already dead, so he never considers that Kaori's enthusiasm for training and her goal in clearing the maze are all due to her belief that Hajime is still alive. Kouki's unwavering determination to follow through on her beliefs leads her to interpret Kaori's feelings as escapism or a mental illness.

Since they had known each other for a long time, Kaori could probably guess Guanghui's way of thinking. Because of this, Kaori dealt with it without further explanation.

Incidentally, those words sounded completely like a declaration of love, but Kouki himself said them with complete sincerity, without any ulterior motives. Shizuku and Kaori were also used to Kouki's words and actions, so they didn't take it seriously. If it were any other female students, they would probably be immediately captivated by his handsome looks and sweet atmosphere.

Normally, a childhood sweetheart would have fallen for Kouki, a man with a good personality, a knack for both martial arts and literature. However, Shizuku, raised in her family's dojo, had been surrounded by adult students from a young age. Influenced by her strict father, coupled with her naturally keen observation skills, Shizuku quickly recognized Kouki's weakness, often letting his sense of justice get to her head. As a result, Shizuku never harbored feelings beyond childhood sweethearts for him. However, Kouki still held a higher position in her heart than anyone else.

Kaori is naturally slow to fall in love, and she has heard many glorious things about Shizuku, so she is not moved by his words and actions. Although Kaori thinks he is a good person and values ​​him as a childhood friend, these feelings have nothing to do with love.

"Kaori-chan, I'll support you. If there's anything I can help with, just let me know."

"That's right~ Ling will always stand on Xiang Xiang's side!"

Listening to their conversation with Guanghui, Nakamura Eri and Taniguchi Suzu joined the conversation.

Although they only met Kaori after she entered high school, their relationship with Kaori is good enough to be called good friends. They are also strong people who joined the team of heroes led by Guanghui.

Nakamura Eri is a dark-haired beauty with glasses and a natural bob. She has a gentle and quiet personality. She always takes a step back and takes a comprehensive view. She enjoys reading and seems like a typical library member, which is exactly what she is.

Taniguchi Suzu was a tiny girl, standing at 142 centimeters tall. Her small frame was filled with boundless energy, hidden somewhere. She always looked cheerful, her braids bouncing along with her, a sight that made everyone smile. She was like the class mascot.

On the day when Hajime fell into the abyss, the two of them saw Kaori's crazy look, and they understood Kaori's feelings and agreed with Kaori's purpose.

"Well, Huili-chan, Ling-chan, thank you."

Kaori smiled at the two friends she met in high school.

"Wow~ Xiao Xiangxiang is so touching~ Damn Nanyun-kun! He made Ling's Xiao Xiangxiang so sad! If he dares to die, Ling will kill him."

"Rin, Rin? Um, I think if someone dies, you can't kill them anymore, okay?"

"Don't worry about such trivial matters! Oh, and if he dies, just use Huihui's spirit summoning technique and let him serve Xiangxiang!"

"Rin, Rin! You're so crazy! Kaori-chan believes Nagumo-kun is still alive! And I'm good at summoning spirits..."

It has become normal for Huili to persuade Qian after she has a violent outburst.

Seeing the two quarreling as usual, Kaori and Shizuku showed a happy expression. Incidentally, Kouki and the others were some distance away from them, so they couldn't hear what they were saying. Kouki naturally had the deafness to lose hearing when it came to key words or lines.

"Eri-chan, I'm not really concerned, so it's okay."

"Don't be so unreasonable, Suzuya. Eri is troubled, isn't she?"

Hearing Kaori and Shizuku's wry smiles, Suzu puffed up her cheeks in defiance. Eri was relieved to see that Kaori didn't seem to take Suzu's words to heart. However, the word "necromancy" still made her pale.

"Meihui, are you still helpless with the necromancy technique? It's rare to have such a vocation..."

“…Um, sorry, if I could use it, I could be more helpful…”

"Eri, everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and you have a high aptitude for magic, so don't worry about it."

"That's what I'm saying, Huili-chan. While it's a calling, that's just talent in that area, not personal preferences. Huili-chan's magic was timely and accurate, and it was a huge help to everyone."

"Yeah, but I'll still try my best to overcome it because I hope to be of more help."

Eri clenched her fist to express her determination. Seeing her expression, Qin jumped up and down to support her, saying, "This is the ambition, Huihui-chan!" Kaori and Shizuku smiled at their friend's efforts.

Eri's calling is to be a necromancer.

Dark magic is magic that affects the mind or consciousness. In actual combat, it is basically understood as magic that gives the target an adverse status.

Necromancy is a highly complex form of dark magic, acting upon the lingering thoughts of the deceased. It is practiced by several priests of the Holy Church, allowing them to listen to the lingering thoughts of the deceased and convey them to their bereaved families, a practice reminiscent of the clergy.

However, the essence of this magic lies elsewhere. The true method of use is to encapsulate the remaining thoughts of the deceased with magic, granting them material powers to be driven, or possessing the body as a puppet. In other words, while degraded, the deceased can be manipulated to utilize their skills and abilities from life. Furthermore, by possessing a living being, the deceased's skills and abilities can be replicated to some extent.

Although they could hold a certain level of conversation, the person looked pale and lifeless, almost like a ghost. Moreover, Eri had an ethical aversion to the idea of ​​commanding the dead, so even if Eri had this talent, she was completely unable to use it.

At this moment, there was a pair of malicious eyes from behind, looking at the four girls, no, to be more precise, they were looking at Kaori.

That man was Hiyama Daisuke. After returning to the palace that day, some time had passed and the students' moods had begun to calm down. As expected, Hiyama, who had caused such a dangerous situation, was faced with severe reprimands.

Hiyama had, of course, anticipated this. So he simply knelt down and apologized desperately, knowing full well that arguing at this moment would be the worst option. The timing and location of an apology are crucial.

Hiyama's goal was to kneel down in front of Guanghui, because he expected that if it was Guanghui, after seeing his apology, he would definitely forgive him and help him plead with his classmates.

His plan worked, and thanks to Guanghui's forgiveness, the voices blaming Hiyama subsided. And because Kaori was naturally gentle and kind, seeing Hiyama's tearful apology, she didn't blame him too much. Everything went as Hiyama had planned.

However, Shizuku vaguely sensed Hiyama's scheme, and she seemed to be disgusted by the fact that he was taking advantage of her childhood friend.

Furthermore, Hiyama also silently carried out the orders given by that person, which were extremely terrifying and trembling. Although he felt an intense fear, Hiyama, having crossed that line, could no longer stop.

However, Hiyama was both afraid and delighted by the person who blended in naturally with the class but was secretly plotting a terrible plan.

(That guy is crazy... But if I follow him, Kaori will be mine...)

As long as he obeyed, he could get Kaori. Hiyama felt gloomy joy at the words, and a smile could not help but appear on the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, Daisuke? What's wrong with you?"

Seeing Hiyama's unusual demeanor, Kondo, Nakano, and Saito shared a look of surprise. These three, now associated with Hiyama, were like-minded. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together; these four had always been the same kind. Although the atmosphere had been awkward for a while, Hiyama softened his stance and their friendship was restored.

But whether it can really be considered friendship is very subtle...

"No, no, nothing. I'm just so happy to think that I've surpassed the sixtieth floor."

"Ah~ Indeed, five more floors would be the highest record ever~"

"We've become quite strong. Seriously, the group that stayed behind are so cowardly."

"Don't say that, because we are different."

The three of them had no doubt about Hiyama's cover-up and joined in the same tune with him.

Thinking they were unique because of their constant fighting, they became complacent. That's what makes little villains little villains. When they were in the palace, they were also arrogant towards the remaining group. Some even complained about their arrogance, but since they did have the strength to break through the 60th floor, they couldn't raise any strong protests.

Having said that, because the little villains are not as good as the team of heroes, they are very well-behaved around Guanghui and others. This is very similar to the principle of action of small people.

The group encountered no problems and finally reached the 65th floor, the highest level ever reached.

"Everyone, be alert! The map of this floor is incomplete, and no one knows what will happen!"

At the voice of the accompanying Captain Meld, Guanghui and the others put away their smiles and stepped into the unknown.

After walking forward for a while, they arrived at a spacious hall and the group felt a bad premonition for no reason.

And that premonition came true. As they invaded the hall, a magic circle appeared in the center of the room. A magic circle that pulsed with a dark red, about ten meters in diameter, a truly impressive one.

“Could it be… that guy!?”

Guanghui yelled with cold sweat on his forehead, and the other members also looked obviously nervous.

"Is this true? Isn't that guy dead?!"

Ryuutarou also cried out in surprise. Despite his stern expression, Captain Meld remained calm and replied:

"The reason for the maze monsters hasn't been solved yet, so it's normal to encounter monsters you've defeated before. Everyone, stay alert! Don't forget to secure a retreat!"

In order to ensure a safe escape in an emergency, Captain Meld ordered that securing a retreat be prioritized. His subordinates immediately obeyed his order, but Kouki expressed dissatisfaction with the order.

"Mr. Meld, we are no longer who we were back then. We've become many times stronger! We won't lose again! We will definitely win!"

"Hey, that's right. It's not my personality to not get back what I lost. This is our revenge battle!"

Ryuutarou responded with a fearless smile, while Captain Meld shrugged helplessly, believing that with the current strength of Kouki and the others, there wouldn't be any problems. He too wore a fearless smile.

Then, the magic circle finally exploded, and the nightmare of the past reappeared before the eyes of Guanghui and the others.

“Gahhhhhhhh!!!”

The alien roared, its stomping footsteps creaking on the ground—Behemoth glared at Kouki and his companions with eyes filled with intense murderous intent.

Just when everyone was tense, one girl glared back at Behemoth with a resolute expression that had nothing to do with nervousness.

That person was Kaori. Kaori declared in a tone that no one could hear, but with a clear will:

"I won't let you take anyone away from me anymore. I'm going to step over you and get to him."

Now, the battle to transcend the past begins.

The first to strike was Guanghui.

"Wanxiang flaps his wings, reaching for the sky, 'Sky Soaring Flash'!"

The curved slash of light made a loud bang and hit Behemoth directly.

In the past, even using the superior skill of "Ten Xiang Shan" "Shen Wei" could not hurt it at all, but as Guanghui declared, they would not always be the same as then, and Guanghui proved this with the results.