Ahhh...
BOOM!!
We didn't even have a single chance…
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Look at those lightning strikes—relentless, nonstop. Does this bird seriously have no cooldown?
BOOM!!!!
Wow, it's attacking me directly now. I'm surprised I'm not dead yet.
"KAI!!"
Kanna's calling my name while covering her ears. Damn, that's kinda cute. Instead of worrying about herself, she's worried about someone else.
"Owww, good grief!!!!"
Lily's huddled in a corner, complaining about the ear-splitting attacks. How come she hasn't taken a single hit?
BOOM!!!
Ah, here we go again.
The lightning bolt struck me dead-on, making me scream at the top of my lungs.
"HAKDIDMSLCIWMJ!!"
It's strong. It's terrifying. My regeneration isn't just failing to keep up—it's torturing me right alongside the lightning.
Why the hell does that beast keep targeting me? The two girls aren't even hiding in hard-to-see spots; they're right in its line of sight, yet I'm the one eating every single hit.
God is so unfair… No, this world was rotten from the start. I hate this place.
Maybe even God isn't any good in this world. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a supposedly prestigious and serious academy with 10 rape scenes and 100 NTR scenes.
And the guy getting cuckolded is Kai! That's right! It's me right now!
BOOM!!!
The final lightning bolt slammed straight into me, making my body spasm before I collapsed flat on the ground, the smell of burning flesh rising from me.
"K-Kai! Are you still alive?!"
"Yeah."
"That earring is no joke. You survived 36 lightning strikes from that bird?" Lily shouted.
"It's probably the only plot armor keeping me alive, but this plot armor tortures me in exactly this way!!"
Raijindori stared at Kai for a long moment, then shifted its attention to the two girls.
"!!"
As it began charging electricity again, Kai immediately stood up and shoved Kanna out of the way.
BOOM!!!
"HAKCIWMCOWNM!!"
"KAI?!"
Kanna was still dazed as Kai slowly got back up after taking that hit, then looked at her.
"Don't worry about me… You're not allowed to die. No one has the right to take your life… Unless I'm the one doing it." (???)
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY??"
Seeing Kanna confused, I gave a weak, smoky grin.
"Just kidding… Unless the enemy is ready to give up, keep living."
"Does that apply to cowardly, power-hungry dictators too?" Lily asked.
"Yes."
"…Wow, are you a living Buddha or something?"
"No, because I only apply that rule to humans. If it's a monster—"
BOOM!!
And just like that, the 38th lightning strike hit Kai directly.
This time Kai passed out cold. Kanna and Lily then looked up at Raijindori glaring down at them.
"…U-um, could you please spare Kai? I-I know this sounds ridiculous, but… at least let Kai live?" Kanna pleaded, trembling with fear and worry.
"Girl! If you're gonna beg, beg for all of us! Why only Kai?! Has he impressed you that much??" Lily yelled.
"S-Sorry! But Kai's suffered enough! He should just forget about me and find another girl to be with! Even if I have to watch as a ghost, I'm okay with it!"
"HOLY SHIT! I KNEW THAT HEART TATTOO REPRESENTED YOUR PERVERTED SIDE! YOU HID IT PRETTY WELL, HUH??"
Watching the two girls argue, Raijindori grew slightly angry at being ignored.
A mighty thundergod bird like itself, being disregarded? That's just insulting.
Especially that pink-haired boy-crazy girl—wanting to spare the green-haired guy, huh? Fine, I'll grant your wish by killing both of you so you can be together as ghosts!
Instantly, Raijindori emitted a blinding light, its electricity surging so powerfully it spread everywhere.
"Amitabha Buddha…" Realizing the bird was about to unleash a devastating attack, Lily clasped her hands and started chanting.
Seeing she was about to die alongside Kai, Kanna moved closer to him and hugged him.
"You're so kind. You always help me and never complain about me. You're even willing to save me. It's sad to say this now, but you really touched my heart. If only I'd met you sooner, we could have built something together… Sorry for rambling, but these are my true feelings—"
"ENOUGH ALREADY, GIRL! YOU TALK TOO MUCH!"
Just as Raijindori was about to deliver its divine judgment, it suddenly sensed a familiar presence.
So familiar that it froze, then turned toward the source.
It was Kai—the very person it had blasted with countless attacks.
"…" Raijindori stared at Kai for a moment, then withdrew its lightning, flapped its wings, and vanished into nowhere.
"…Was that plot armor that just saved us?" Lily asked, looking around cautiously.
"Phew… Thank goodness. I didn't want to die before doing anything with him…"
"Wow, your true personality is showing now, huh?" Lily eyed Kanna.
"N-No! I just… I didn't want Kai to know too much about me. Ever since he help me from the start, I've already fallen for him, but if I acted too soon I'd scare him away, so I kept up this personality…"
"…"
Holy hell, is this girl's brain filled with nothing but love? No wonder her hair is pink—it matches her personality perfectly.
'Hope she's the loyal type… Otherwise Kai's gonna suffer…'
She sighed, walked over to Kai, and checked if he was seriously injured.
But the moment she turned him over, Kai's eyes were wide open.
"…" "…" Both girls stared at Kai, then at each other.
"Uh… Thanks for the feelings? But I prefer money."
"UHAH!" Kanna clutched her chest as if shot by an arrow, even pretending to cough up blood.
'…Maybe I shouldn't worry too much about this kid. Who knows if he'll ever develop real feelings for anyone? Straight-up brutal with zero remorse.' She sighed again and checked Kai's wounds.
Everything had already healed.
'…Insanely strong regeneration. Even high-tier Gear recovery isn't this fast and thorough. Just what is that earring?' She stared intently at the golden snake-shaped earring on Kai's left ear.
"Ughh… Plot armor really saved my ass." Kai stretched, then suddenly opened his eyes wide.
'Oh! All the joint pains and back aches are gone! Looks like the full-body electric damage forced the regen to fix those too!'
Excited, Kai started shadowboxing and throwing punches, grinning happily.
"…You seem pretty cheerful."
"Yeah! Now I can do way more work to earn money! I'll probably sleep better too!"
"Is money the only thing in your head?"
Kai walked over to Kanna and pulled her to her feet.
"Kanna." He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch.
"W-What is it?" She nervously twirled her hair, looking at Kai then down at the ground.
"…Next time I want to rest, can I use your lap as a pillow? Your thighs are so thick—they'd feel like a luxury pillow. Super comfy." Kai gave a thumbs-up and a huge praising smile.
"…So I'm just a pillow to you?"
"Oh, right—if you ever get a boyfriend and sleep with him, remember to wash thoroughly down there. I don't want to smell someone else's cum."
"…"
'Did all those lightning strikes fry his brain?' Lily sweat-dropped, watching a deadpan Kanna and a cheerfully smiling Kai.
"Alright, enough. Let's get out of here! Oh, and return that love armor too!"
"Mhm…"
So Kanna was left wearing only Kai's shirt, while Kai put his Gear back on.
"Let's push the gate together!"
The three of them touched the gate and pushed hard, but it didn't budge.
"…I think we have to pull it toward us instead."
They used all their strength to pull it inward, and light finally shone from the gate.
Ahh, finally. Once we open this, we get out of here and I can demand compensation from Irilia. She owes me big time.
Lost in pleasant thoughts, Kai noticed Kanna's eyes widen as she looked beyond the gate.
"Hm? What's wrong, Kan—"
WOOSSHHH!!
"…"
Kai blinked three times, then looked down at the ground.
Lily was sweating bullets, her face filled with worry and fear.
"K-Kai…"
Kanna lay on the ground, coughing up blood and clutching her stomach.
But there was nothing visible on her stomach except a huge circular wound with blood pouring out continuously.
"Well, well. You survivors did pretty well, but you're kinda stupid, huh? Not picking up the Gear that dropped from the monster?"
A stranger's voice rang out. Kai immediately grabbed his broken knife and hurled it at the figure behind the gate.
Unexpectedly, the gate shook violently and flew forward, slamming straight into Kai.
"Wha—"
"Shhh, quiet now, lady."
A man standing behind Lily grabbed her chin, making her extremely nervous.
There were two of them! The one who had attacked was already walking toward the corpse of the monster Raijindori killed, prying out one of its eyes.
"You… Who the hell are you?" Kai's voice was flat as he crawled out from under the gate, filled with indescribable rage.
"Just a treasure hunter. Now die so there's no witnesses." The man smiled.