Honestly, he had worried about what would happen if he was chosen.
The phenomenon of mass disappearance, the Kamikakushi, had been going on for over thirty years. Recently—for about the last decade—the news reports about it had been met with murmured comments like, "Ah, it's that season again." However, once it crossed the thirty-year mark, the phenomenon began to be widely problematized again.
This was reportedly related to the fact that the first generation of victims' classmates were now in their mid-forties, having accumulated wealth and position. Calls for information were being made independently of the police investigation, and the conversation about whether to stop this phenomenon grew louder.
For example, closing all high schools during the period of the disappearances.
However, the discussion hadn't progressed because it wasn't realistic. One reason was that the dates of the disappearances were inconsistent, and gaining cooperation from all private high schools was near impossible. Most importantly, if they did all that and the disappearances simply occurred somewhere else, it would be a complete failure.
And so, most high school students around the world ended up going to school, praying, "Please don't let me be a victim." He, too, was one of those students.
He never thought he would actually fall victim to the disappearance.
The fact that the destination was another world was fine. Being asked by a man who called himself a Sage to conquer a dungeon was also fine. As someone who loved light novels and manga and whose mood rose and fell with the news of new anime each season, isekai transfer and reincarnation were familiar concepts. He had even fantasized that "something like that" might be happening.
The problem was that he would miss the new releases of his favorite manga and light novels, and the sequels to his anime.
What joy could he find in life in a world with so little entertainment?
"You've got to be kidding me, telling us to fight for our lives if we want to go home!?"
"Just send us back home already!"
His classmates were voicing their pent-up frustrations. Everyone in his class (excluding absentees) was gathered inside the stone building called the Shrine. As it was a medium-tier public school, the students were a diverse bunch.
However, no one seemed to be frustrated for the same reason he was. Well, there were those worried about their club's tournament or a favorite artist's concert.
"...I understand how you feel. I was once like you," the Sage continued, addressing the group that was about a third his age, without showing any anger.
"However, there is currently no way to return. If it were possible to return, the news you saw would have changed significantly."
If it were known that there was a way to go to another world and return, it would cause an uproar. Nations might launch major teams to investigate.
Though cruel in a way, the Sage's words silenced or softened the tone of most of the classmates.
He then added further words of persuasion.
"My testimony alone may not be sufficient. So, I have brought another transferee to join us. Seeing her form should make it easier for you to grasp that this is another world."
With that, the Sage signaled toward a corner of the Shrine. He had thought it was strange. There was a screen set up in the corner, providing a space where one or two people could hide. The person in question was apparently there.
His initial thought that this was a pointless surprise instantly evaporated when the girl appeared.
—A beautiful girl with wings and a tail.
She looked to be around their age, perhaps fifteen or sixteen. Her white skin was visibly smooth. Her demonic wings and tail were contrastingly black, which tightened her overall silhouette. Her dark purple hair and eyes were alluring and enchanting, and her slightly youthful face and slender waist gave her a sense of purity.
On the other hand, the curves of her bust and hips were ample—that is to say, big. Especially her chest; it looked like she could comfortably hold or place a small object there.
Beyond her bust, her arms and legs were slender yet had a soft texture. She possessed a certain plushness, or sexiness, that walked the fine line of what a viewer wouldn't perceive as "fat."
What was she? Calling her a demon girl was easy, but there was a more fitting word.
"A Succubus…!"
"Hoh, you know the term. Yes. She is a Succubus. Whether she should be called a type of demon is debatable, but in any case, she is a race that absorbs energy from others as sustenance."
More simply put, sex was her food. It was unknown how much his classmates knew, but given that both the boys and even the girls were fixated on her, the general idea seemed to have been conveyed without explanation.
Amidst this, she smiled faintly and spoke fluent Japanese.
"Hello, I'm Ren. I, too, was transferred here two years ago, just like all of you. Despite my appearance, I was originally an ordinary Japanese person."
"No way, really?"
"Really. The 'Blessings'... the perks given to you all are different for each person. Some people, like me, even have their race changed. But everyone is somehow managing to adjust to their new life."
"Ren is the deepest diver among the younger generation in the dungeon. Her party might even clear the dungeon eventually."
There was too much information to process.
In any case, Ren certainly seemed capable of challenging the dungeon. She definitely looked like she could use magic.
While they were talking, the "Blessings" began to be bestowed upon them. A commotion arose again, and as the powers were granted, there were exclamations about the changes in each other's appearances—their clothing.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, no one's race seemed to have changed. It would have been nice if one of the cute girls had gotten cat ears.
"It seems you have all been given job classes. With that power, all of you can also dive into the dungeon. ...Of course, there are dangers and caution is required, but if you all cooperate and work hard, a path will surely open for you."
"A dungeon, huh. That sounds a little interesting."
"But it's dangerous, right? Or will Ren-san come with us?"
"I alone cannot provide enough guidance, and if you get into the habit of relying on seniors from the start, it will likely cause problems later. So, please form parties within your class as much as possible."
That's disappointing. Adventuring with such a beautiful girl would surely make dungeon conquest fun.
"Um. What is your party like, Ren-san?"
He asked, using "for reference" as an excuse. She replied without any apparent surprise.
"There's Fūri, a Sylphid, Iris, a Half-Elf, Mei, a Golem, Shion, a Fox Spirit, and Meteora, a Dark Elf."
All were non-human and all girls. His mind went wild with instant fantasies. And terrifyingly, the beautiful girls he fantasized about were close to the reality, or even better than his imagination, which he would later see.
Moreover, the beautiful Succubus met his gaze. The fact that she dropped her honorifics to answer his question meant she might be interested in him (hereafter omitted).
"Those who are afraid to fight can work in the city. Those who have a specialized skill might be better off doing that. But if you want to earn money, the dungeon is the recommendation."
While a house, furniture, initial food, and military funds were provided, from that point on, they had to earn and procure everything themselves. Production-based, behind-the-scenes professions were limited in the amount of work they could take on, and thus the amount they could earn, as the workload was proportional to the population. In contrast, the dungeon promised rewards commensurate with the effort put in.
Nevertheless, facing traps and monsters was terrifying, but—
"...By the way, there are places in the city to unwind, too. Places where you can drink and eat, buy clothes, and for the boys, there are naughty shops."
"...Naughty shops!?"
"Disgusting."
"Pervert."
One of the boys was caught out by the bait, and the girls immediately shot him down with looks of contempt.
It couldn't be helped. When such a sexy beautiful girl said "naughty shops" with a slight blush, not reacting would be unnatural. If no one else had spoken up, it might have been him.
Interestingly, Ren herself did not draw hostile looks from the girls. They had no wish to openly pick a fight with a clearly superior rival.
Anyway, those naughty shops. Even if it was likely difficult to get close to Ren (she probably had a boyfriend or something), he wanted to relieve his frustration. Since there was a shop, he should use it, and that meant he needed lots of money.
"I think I'll go to the dungeon."
A large number of dungeon conquest volunteers emerged from the class, mainly boys. He was one of them, but—
"...Hey. What was your job class again?" a classmate asked.
"Huh? I'm an Esper," he replied.
"! T-then, can you see through Ren-san's clothes!?"
"What did you say…!?"
Thus, they immediately went down the wrong path (in a sense).
It would be some time before he learned the fact that Ren was a lesbian and deeply involved with all her party members. Life isn't always fair. He knew that, but he couldn't help but think, Did she have to end up with other beautiful girls?
============
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