"!!!"
Everything in front of her was so familiar.
It was the same emptyhome she faced every day.
Her mind went blank for a moment. Just now, she had clearly been on a street some distance from home, right?
"What's wrong?"
Next to her, Rei Ao patted her shoulder, seeing her dazed expression.
""
Fumino opened her mouth but only muttered, "Rei Ao-kun, I think I'm hallucinating. I'm seeing my house right in front of me."
"It's not a hallucination. I used teleportation spell to bring you here," Rei Ao explained.
"Huh?"
A huge question mark seemed to appear over Fumino's head.
"Tele teleportation spell?"
"That's right. Just like you already know, Rizu was affected by the Inner World the other day. There's a mysterious 'Inner World' in this world."
"Mm???"
She recognized all those words as Japanese, yet strung together, they made no sense. Her eyes widened; her mouth gaped, perfectly capturing her state of mind.
Rei Ao realized something was off. He'd assumed she knew about Rizu's situationshe shouldn't be that shocked. Clearly, things weren't simple.
Stroking his chin, he asked, "Fumino, the thing you said you knew about me and Rizucould it be you weren't referring to the day she went to another world?"
""
Her mind reeled.
Rizu went to another world? What's that even mean?
Instinctively, she shook her head.
"Figures"
Rei Ao couldn't help a wry smile. "Seems I misunderstood."
But what he'd said was said, and it didn't really matter to him. Then, seeing how Fumino was practically in shock, he asked, "Need a glass of water to calm down first?"
" "
After downing a cup of water, Fumino didn't feel much calmer, but at least she'd sorted out a few basics:
She and Rei Ao were talking about different things. It was true she'd instantly been brought home. Which meantRei Ao's words were 100% credible!
She felt like she'd unintentionally opened a door to a world she should never have entered.
"All right, have you settled down? We probably need to have a good talk this time."
Though Rei Ao's tone was plenty gentle, Fumino shrank into a corner of the couch, trembling like a frightened rabbit.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not some creepy old man here to eat you."
Fumino's face reddened.
"Ahem. What did you want to say, Rei Ao-kun?"
"It's nothing. Since this was an accident, we could just pretend it didn't happen," Rei Ao said, shrugging indifferently. "What I really want to discuss is exactly what you were trying to say earlier."
"Uh, I was talking about youryour improper relationship with Rizu."
Fumino timidly voiced what she'd originally thought was crucial, though now it seemed far less important.
"An improper relationship?"
Well, that was amusing.
"Sounds like you have some misunderstanding about me and Rizu, Fumino. We don't have any improper relationship."
"S-sorry!!!"
Fumino immediately lowered herself into a dogeza on the couch. She had realized she was totally wrong about them. Their secret was probably not a romantic entanglement but rather something about that 'Inner World' Rei Ao had mentioned. It was all her overthinking.
"There's no need to apologize."
"It's just that I'm curious what exactly you define as 'improper relationship?' What were you planning to do?"
Under Rei Ao's curious gaze, Fumino hunched her shoulders and twisted her fingers in hesitation.
"S-should I really explain?"
"Go ahead. I'm not going to eat you."
"O-okay"
Clearing her throat, Fumino recounted her earlier "fantasy." The more she talked, the more Rei Ao's expression grew peculiar. When she finished, he looked exasperated and amused.
"Soyou thought I was cheating on Mai with Rizu, worried everyone would end up feeling awkward if it was exposed, and you tried to stop us from doing something so outrageous?"
"Y-yes."
Fumino was on the verge of tears. She hadn't intended this; she'd just let her imagination run wild, backed by various coincidences she'd taken as evidence. She gradually convinced herself that guess was correct, leading to this embarrassing situation.
"Fumino, as expected from a language-arts genius: your gift for creative imagination is impressive."
In other words, she was overthinking.
"Ugh."
The "high EQ" joke made Fumino's face burn in shame. It was so humiliating!
"But there's something you guessed correctly: I actually am involved with multiple people at once."
"Umhuh?"
Fumino was stunned. She patted her ears. Did she mishear?
"You heard meI'm indeed juggling multiple relationships. For example, Mai, Futaba, Tohru, Sora, Iliathey're all intimately involved with me, in the kind of relationship you're calling 'improper.'"
"!!!"
She knew about Mai. She suspected something with Futaba. A maid Tohru was plausible. But what about Sora and Ilia?! Fumino's entire worldview was already shaken, and now she was taking a second blow. Her brain shut down!
~~~
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Chapter 406: A Trade to save a friend...
After telling Fumino some of his current situation, she fell into a dazed state, mumbling, "I must be dreaming" and so on.
Rei Ao initially intended to comfort her, having seen how stunned she was, but after the chat group reminder, he abandoned that plan.
[Ding! Shizuka Marikawa has initiated a trade request!]
[Trade Content: Rescue her friend, Rika Minami!]
[Ding! Please choose your trade conditions!]
A trade from Shizuka Marikawa?
He knew who Rika Minami was: Shizuka's good friend, her best buddy.
Either Rika was in danger, or she'd been bitten by a zombiethese were the only two possibilities Rei Ao could think of.
But the timing of this trade was perfect. Since Fumino had already fallen into a state of disbelieving everything, why not show her what's real?
[Ding! You have selected a sub-group and granted access to: Fumino Furuhashi!]
"What's this?"
Seeing the strange prompt, the emptiness in Fumino's eyes regained some brightness.
"You don't need to ask too many questions. Whatever pops up in a bit, just agree to it. I'll take you to see another world."
"Another world?"
Sure enough, she quickly received an alert about "traveling together."
[Ding! Trade begins!]
[Trade Partner]: Shizuka Marikawa]
[Trade Content]: Rescue her friend, Rika Minami!
[Trade Conditions]: "Unlimited body usage rights"
[Duration: 24 hours]
Rei Ao didn't ask any more questions and directly proceeded with the trade.
As for Fumino, he sent her the request to accompany him. Whether she joined was up to her.
"!!!"
Rei Ao's body abruptly vanished, snapping Fumino completely out of her daze.
On one hand, her mind was flooded with knowledge of the "trade chat group"; on the other, an on-screen request popped up.
" "
Fumino bit her lip gently.
She chose to follow.
She wanted to see what sort of other world Rizu had experienced.
Night was quiet.
Beeep!!
A siren pierced the night sky.
In an instant, the military base was thrown into unimaginable chaos.
At first, there were only scattered gunshots.
But the crisis spread and exploded at terrifying speed.
Rika Minami, who had been sleeping, woke to find the situation uncontrollablezombies had broken through and bitten their way into the perimeter!
"Ahh!!!"
"Ratatat!"
"Boom boom boom!"
Outside, screams, gunfire, and explosions tangled together, while fires blazed everywhere, lighting up the night.
Rika reacted immediately: she quickly put on her gear and grabbed her automatic rifle.
She understood that just waiting meant certain deathshe had to save herself.
But before she headed out, there was one more thing to do.
She took out her satellite phone.
Meanwhile, at the villa of Saeko and the others:
Saya Takagi, who had been sleeping, was woken by a familiar beeping.
She grabbed the satellite phone on the stand beside her, glanced at it, and jumped up, running to Shizuka Marikawa's room.
Without hesitation, Saya shook her awake.
"Mmm, Rei Ao-kun, please don't mind me, no matter how intense it gets, I'm not afraid"
"???"
Saya had only intended to wake her, but never expected such words in Shizuka's half-asleep mumbling. Then she glanced at the hand under Shizuka's nightie.
" "
Saya immediately realized what this woman had been dreaming about and felt anger surge within her.
Your thoughts in the day reflect your dreams at nightthere was no doubt what Shizuka-sensei was thinking about all day long.
Smack!
Vexed, she gave Shizuka's rear a light spank.
"Sensei, your friend Rika Minami is calling on the satellite phone. And here you are, still sleeping."
"Hmm?"
Shizuka wriggled, blinking her sleepy eyes open.
"Saya? Why Why isn't it Rei Ao-kun?"
"Pfft."
Saya rolled her eyes.
"Sensei, you were having a spring dream. Quit babblingyour friend's on the phone. Answer it."
Too lazy to explain, she thrust the phone into her hand.
"Rika?"
"Shizuka?"
"Ah, it's mesorry, I was asleep."
"It's okay. Listenthe military base here is about to fall. Don't come. Stay far away, and please survive Nngh"
Click!
The call ended.
Boom!
It was as if a thunderbolt struck Shizuka's ears. She was instantly wide awake.
"Rika? Rika!!!"
No matter how she called out, there was no answer. Seeing her suddenly panicked, Saya asked, "Sensei, what happened?"
"Rika's in trouble! She said the military base's been overrun!"
Shizuka leaped out of bed, not even bothering to dress properly as she dashed outside.
"Eh?"
Saya, realizing the gravity, turned pale. "Wait!" She hurried after her out the door. Meanwhile, Saeko, Rei, and the others heard the commotion and came out of their rooms. Seeing Saya grab Shizuka's arm, she called out, "Sensei, calm down! At this rate, we won't get there in time!"
"But Rika's there!"
"What happened?" Yuriko stepped forward to steady Shizuka, asking.
"Rika She just called. She said the military base is going to fall"
Those resolute farewell words made Shizuka's heart clench, her voice already choked with sobs.
Hearing that, Busujima Saeko wore a grave expression. "So the zombies have broken through there too?"
"I have to go save her!" Shizuka was in chaos.
Saya: "Sensei's not thinking straightsomeone help me talk sense into her!"
Rei Miyamoto cautioned seriously, "Sensei, we're too far from the base. Even if it were me and Saeko, we can't get there in half an hourso what can you do?"
"I I"
Doused by that cold reality, Shizuka slumped helplessly to the floor, eyes unfocused.
Yes. Even those like Saeko, with their superhuman ability, couldn't manage ithow could she, a normal person, do anything?
Even so she wouldn't give up. She still had one thing she could do.
She opened the chat group, and without hesitation sent Rei Ao a trade request. She could only entrust everything to him.
"Rei Ao-kun please help me"
She prayed Rei Ao would see the request soon and respond.
~~~
For Every 100 Powerstone = 1 Bonus Chapter! Please Vote for more Chapters!
Please Check my Other Fanfic!
"Freelance in the Ninja World" and "Speedrunning Naruto to the Top"
Both Naruto Fanfic!
Also you can read more in Patreon!
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
Currently You can Read 190+ Chapters Ahead of Others!
Chapter 407: Save the Beauty! (Bonus Chapter)
Rei Ao naturally responded to Shizuka Marikawa's trade request, appearing right in front of her.
"Rei Ao-kun!"
Shizuka excitedly grabbed hold of his hand.
"Rei Ao-kun, please save my friend, Rika Minami!"
She was dressed only in her underwear, and although her warm, graceful figure was right there, Rei Ao wasn't in the mood for any untoward thoughts.
"Calm down. First, tell me where she is."
"She's at a military base. Based on what Shizuka-sensei's friend Rika Minami said, it sounds like the place was overrun by a wave of the undead."
Since Shizuka herself wasn't calm enough to explain properly, Saya Takagi stepped in to provide the gist of the situation.
"The military base is in that direction," she added firmly, pointing.
"Got it. Wait here. I'll be right back."
Knowing the location was all that mattered, so long as she was still alive.
"I'm going with you!" Shizuka insisted, deciding at once to follow him.
"No need. I'll be faster alone."
Rei Miyamoto: "But you don't know what Shizuka-sensei's friend looks like, do you?"
"I do."
"Eh?"
Rei Ao recalled quite clearlya dark-skinned, busty, dashing woman.
"Oh yeah, this is my friend. Please look after her."
""
So in the end, Fumino Furuhashi had shown up as well.
She still felt dazed about the people and the scene around her.
Rei Ao had no intention of taking her along.
If that military base was overrun by the undead, one could imagine the carnage.
Given Fumino's current state, it wouldn't be good for her mental health to witness it firsthand.
Once Rei Ao disappeared from that spot, Saya Takagi frowned. "How does Rei Ao know what Shizuka-sensei's friend looks like?"
" "
No one could answer her question.
And now wasn't really the time to worry about it.
Alice came over to Shizuka Marikawa, holding out a towel.
"Shizuka-nee, hereput this on, or you'll catch a cold."
"Thanks."
Saeko and the others also gathered around.
Noticing the worry on Shizuka's face that wouldn't dissipate, she suggested, "Since you're still anxious, why not ask Rei Ao to turn on a livestream while he's at it?"
"Good idea."
Shizuka's eyes lit up at once.
She immediately sent Rei Ao a message.
Shizuka Marikawa: "@Rei Ao, Rei Ao-kun, could you please turn on a livestream?"
Rei Ao: "No problem. I was just about to."
[Ding! Rei Ao has started a livestream!]
Everyone on their side logged into the broadcast, focusing carefully so as not to miss Rika Minami.
Meanwhile, Yuriko Takagi approached the still-bewildered Fumino Furuhashi.
"Young lady, may I ask your name?"
"M-my name is Fumino Furuhashi."
She answered somewhat timidly.
Yuriko nodded in understanding. She had a general guess that this pretty girl must have just learned about certain things and hadn't yet come to terms with it.
