“Utsurogi-kun, straighten your chin more! Yes, like that! Swings your arms straight too!”

“Its straighten! Your balance is s.h.i.+fting Himemizu! Your body is facing the wrong direction again!

After who knows how many days have pa.s.sed, Kyosuke and Rin’s breathing finally synced with each other.

As expected from the short distance runner ace, she’s very detailed about her running style. I played the role of the skeletal body and one thing or another, interruptions kept on coming into our conversations, which isn’t particularly bad.

On the other hand, I took on Rin’s request. Since my skeletal body was of a man and Rin was conscious that her flesh was slender like a woman, it was hard to obtain even the smallest balance.

And yet, outside the labyrinth, the two of us continued to run. Little by little, they were able to merge. Doing about two-three laps around the reddish-brown rock, their time slowly decreased.

Everyday during practice, Akira was always bored as he often tagged along. While outside with us, he often pointed out the unnatural movements and since we did not know if enemies existed, he was there as a watch keeper for precautionary measures. Although called a “useless person”, he did not feel ashamed nor cared about it. His “duties” are perhaps his ideas of freebies.

Recently, I don’t know how or when he got it, but during the middle of our practice he pulled out a book to read.

“Utsurogi-kun, what’s Hino-kun reading?”

“Well…..”

These few days, Ryuzaki and the others’ labyrinth exploration progress has stagnated. I’ve heard it’s the results of taking the safer side. As a result of that, they were able to discover new items with extremely reduced chances. Having said that, with the big danger no longer there, they entered what you could call a “stable lifestyle”.

A safe place to sleep guaranteed and additionally a steady supply of food guaranteed as well, they sought entertainment next. Surely Akira’s book that he’s reading is desired by the cla.s.smates exploring the labyrinth. With that, Akira (in spite of being a fireball) had a nonchalant air while reading and they eventually left him to be.

Seriously though, where the heck did he obtained that book? I’ve known him for a long time, and yet I still don’t understand Akira, even after when we reincarnated into monsters.

“You two, is there something on my face?”

Setting down the book and closing it, Akira questioned us. I turned away my awkward expression, and perhaps its lucky that Rin’s entire body perceived what happened, as she did not glanced towards Akira.

“Iya, but you have no face….”

“That’s true”

Rin burst into laughter from my side because of my tsukkomi. Enduring her laughter and since we’re unified it was transmitted directly to me

“Hey Utsurogi-kun. Are you tired?”

Rin always ask several times whenever we finished running.

“N? Ahh, just a little. Why?”

“hnnn, well you see, I. This time around I want to try going further”

“Further…..”

Sitting on a small rock, I glanced towards the reddish-brown rock on the opposite side. Certainly we have gone near that rocky are before, but what could there be beyond it? Again I did not know. Iya, its not just me, but Rin and Akira, as well as Kogane and Ryuzaki’s group probably did not know.

With only exploring the labyrinth, exploring above ground was forgotten. Possibly as soon as things calmed down, there would be plans to begin exploring here as well, which I don’t know when that could be.

“It might be good. I’d like to try as well”

Until several days ago, its not something I would have thought of.

“Walking and running among other things was fun together with Himemizu. Lets have more fun and try it”

“Right!? Then tomorrow! Tomorrow lets go! It’s a promise!”

“Okay”

While nodding, I turned towards that book reading wisp.

“Akira, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going. Its natural after all”

Without moving from his book, his answer came.

“If I’m not there, you’re going to do something reckless. Like in the past, I’ve stopped you before right?”

“Utsurogi-kun and Hino-kun, you’ve known each other for a long time?”

“Well….”

With those remark, she scratched her cheeks. Because it was Rin’s finger that scratched my cheeks and she just noticed as well, she stopped.

“Speaking of long… how long has it been?”

“When I was born, my mother neighbor in the maternity room was Kyosuke’s mother”

“Heee—!”

“Wai, Himemizu…… How often did I say to not not shake your head? I’m hurting here”

Although there’s advantages combining with Rin, there’s also many disadvantages. The advantage is that when there’s impact it’s becomes dispersed, so to speak my bones obtained flesh and up till now the powers were being demonstrated; However, the disadvantages are that her behaviors are literally like a weapon.

“Alright then—!”

Rin’s raised her energetic voice and finally fell from my body.

“Then, since we’re going out far tomorrow, lets return now!”

“Alright, lets go”

This combining special training is in fact kept a secret from the cla.s.s. Putting the two “useless” together, we are able to practice running without worrying about our secret leaking out. We couldn’t keep the figure since it would look like we’re colleagues with Hakuba and Was.h.i.+o.

And so, when it’s the time to return, we each returned separately. Rin and I leaving outside together was only know by some students, but they barely paid attention to us. Concerning about us, it was as if when we are there and not there, were the same existence.

“Yosh, Himemizu. Lets race to that entrance over there!”

“Why don’t I get a handicap befitting so I can compete against you!?

“Gocchisosan!!”[TL: Thanks for the meal]

Today again, Gofun Kawahara raised his lively voice as he exits the communal dining hall. And again Ok.u.mura chased after him. Within the cla.s.s, those two are called a ghost duo since they are workaholics when exploring. It must be in their nature to do so.

Lately since the urgent search for necessity has disappeared,  students endlessly poured out from the dining hall. With the dining hall messy again, Sugiura once more puffs her cheeks in anger.

“Sugiura, thanks for the meal”

“Aya-chan, Thanks—!”[TL: Temporary name since author has not stated how to p.r.o.nounce her first name]

Rin and I carried our plates to the front of the kitchen, where from inside two octopus legs extended out and swiftly cleaned our plates.

“Thanks—. It’s only you and Surarin that’s tidying up”

We were able to hear a voice from the inside.

“Surarin?

“Since Rin-chan is a slime, Surarin. When we were humans, since you were Himemizu Rin, I’ve called you Himerin”

It seems like inside Sugiura was was.h.i.+ng dishes, and as always in an energetic voice 『Come now come now, hindrance should go away』 and drove us out. Not being said in all seriousness it doesn’t mean she was curel, but hindrance does make the work harder.

Next to my side and crawling, Rin muttered to herself.

“Himerin…..and Surarin….”

“What ar—“

“Iya, nothing in particular…..”

A portion extending from Rin’s body as she slapped the ground.

Walking through the pa.s.sage, we pa.s.sed many cla.s.smates on the way. In synchronization they looked at Rin, then at me, and not hiding their intentions started to whisper.

In regards to Rin’s treatment within the cla.s.s, there was a great difference when comparing Rin to the time she was a human and now when she’s a slime. Although feeling refreshed after talking to Sugiura in an unusual way, in particular between the girls, many scoffed at her fall from being an idol.

The queen’s entourage, Harui (Harpy), Hebitsuka(Lamia), in particular gossiped loudly enough for Rin to hear, making me sick at times. For example, some time ago in the middle of eating

“You’re no longer one of the top three Bishoujos right”

“If it was me, I rather not live”

Those gossip continue daily but Rin did not pay any attention towards it.

Rin just really loves running. Since she can now use my body to run, other problems could be called trivial matters to which I think that its good of her to not care. With my previous experience, if one does not pay any attention to them, before long the bullying would recede.

As natural as we can, Rin and I both went towards the direction of the exit. Hoping to fulfill yesterday’s promise, to try and go a little further. Akira was not here yet and its almost time to go out too.

By chance, from the bottom of the dungeon stairwell came students who we’ve known, as they walked into our view.

I waved my hand at them

“Yo Kogane”

“It’s Kogane-kun. Yaahoo!”

Following up was Rin, who was wobbling as she said her greetings. Kogane, with his handsome face, looked towards our direction and leaked out a small 『Ahh』. Without changing, he was silent as he almost pa.s.sed through us, and showing just a little hesitation, decided to stop at my feet.

While thinking that he was acting a little strange, I chatted with him as I’ve always done.

“Are you going to explore the underground levels again, Kogane?”

“Un. We have to look for food first, and as much as it is…. so we wont be going yet. And yourself, Utsurogi?”

“Aah, since its Kogane, I’m just going to say but….”

I think its fine if its him, so I sent a fleeting glimpse at my feet where Rin was at.

“Himemizu and I are going to explore a little outside, together”

“With Himemizu-san and…..outside…..?”

Kogane had also looked down to see Rin, then looked at my face and alternating views. Rin had been wriggling while moving and a section of her body extended outward like a hand, greeting 『Yo!』.

“We’ve always been in this labyrinth, so you should be patient and not go”

“That is…..you’re right”

“Ma, if you happened to meet a strong monster, you should just scurry on back here. You guys have to be strong for that job”

Kogane just stared at me. I knew it, something is odd about him.

“Something wrong Kogane?”

“Iya, nothings wrong. Yup nothing at all. Since we’re stronger, its our job right”

“Nn? Ahh”

If we were to ever meet with a strong monster, Rin and I would not be able to put up a fight. Having strong cla.s.smates like Kogane and Goubayas.h.i.+, I’d have no choice but to receive their help.

Kogane had became a splendid person nowadays. I can be proud in knowing that I’m friends with him.

“Its alright Utsurogi. Whatever happens, you can leave it to me. It’s a good thing you became friends with Himemizu”

“Iya, that’s not wrong but….”

“Right, right. Just ordinary, gatt…..ah itaii!”[TL: Ouch/that hurts]

I almost spilled our secret of combining when Rin trampled me with all her strength.

Gunii, and the feeling was conveyed to my bones.

Kogane face had fallen and looked like an evil spirit. If his worries are resolved, then it’d be good. Rin and I together, informed Kogane of our depature, and went towards the entrance.

“That’s right, Utsurogi…..You and Himemizu-san are a little too good…..”

Looking at their back while alone, Kogane quietly ridiculed Kyosuke.

“Himemizu, unite!”

“Ou~tsu!” [TL: Alright]

Pyon as Rin leapt in the air and coiled around my body. The skeleton frame obtained the Slime’s flesh. These past few days we practiced countless times, although at first it was an uncomfortable feeling but recently that completely disappeared.

How to put it, it came together very nicely. Combining many times, Rin was able to take on half the body. It could be called an original human, since the flesh covered both sides of the bones and was easy to move in. It seems that Rin was similar as well, since she was steadily growing her body and limbs.

“Yoshh! As planned, lets go further today—!”

“Make sure you don’t get lost—“

At any rate, the reddish-brown rocks continuously tumbled around on the land. There’s a possibly to be lost since the base was located right next to the labyrinth. But a carefree voice was heard and surely enough a Wisp could be seen floating about.

“Why is it that Akira is seen coming from the sky. Well?”

“It can’t be helped, if that’s enough for him”

If Akira had a human shape, perhaps he would be shrugging his shoulders? Since becoming a fireball, I don’t completely understand anymore.

“Jya, lets go!!”

With Rin’s voice filled with vigor supporting us, the three of us walked towards the rocky area willingly.

As we were walking, I recalled something after reincarnating in this world. It has been two weeks since we came here, and we had experienced the worst times of our lives. After all, the bus guide-san, the bus driver, and our teachers were not found.

If we a.s.sumed that they were unable to reincarnate, most likely they might have died in the bus. If they did reincarnate, we have not found them these past few days and the hope was thinning.

“Hey, hey. Do you think we’ll be able to return to our former world, Utsurogi-kun, Hino-Kun?”

Rin also thought about the same thing, and abruptly said it aloud.

“It’s not impossible”

Akira answered

“Now that we have accidentally reincarnated, intentionally doing the same thing is hard. Well, either way is fine with me”

Indeed that’s the realistic answer. There was no hesitation when saying those, since there was not much lingering affections he had in the former world. Well, its probably that. Akira way of living is always fleeting.

“And Utsurogi-kun?”

“Unn, I also think its not impossible but…..”

Not knowing the correct answer to Rin’s questions, I stated my honest opinion

“If we are to return, or if we are unable to return, our current cla.s.s situation is not at all good. I wonder if you could call it as delaying our confinement. Just a little while ago since we had struggled to live with all our might, I can understand that now”

Ryuzaki, Kogane and several other students were out exploring vigorously and as a result, the entire cla.s.s lifestyle became stable. Many cla.s.smates thought that since there was nothing threating their lifestyle, they had entered a peaceful time. And now they began to search for entertainment.

That is not entirely good thing in itself.

There’s too many things we don’t understand in this world. Currently our cla.s.s “in this world”, from our base in the underground labyrinth there’s 10 levels that is considered a safe hunting ground. Because of that, at most the reddish-brown area has yet to be explored. Our life is spent too much in a narrow place.

“I think that if we were to understand this world more, we may be to return or might not and we could discover various ways to live. We generally don’t know whether humans exist in this world too.”

On the contrary, with the exception of us, we have yet to come across any intelligent beings.
We were too quick to stay cramped in the labyrinth.

“That is Kyosuke’s convenient opinion”

Akira interposed.

“I am as I am and that’s not a problem. Looking for new things outside is a good thing, but danger also comes with that. That danger to be burdened, if its just you its good, but you shouldn’t put the burden on someone else”

“And that is what you think”

Akira briefly expressed it as before. Does not particularly mind pa.s.sing time in the narrow labyrinth, surely that’s his way of enjoying his life. However as far as I thought, majority of the cla.s.smates are like Akira, boldly doing nothing.

Someday the limits will come.

“Well, Kyosuke. That’s the part that I like about you”

“Hey hey, Hino-kun. Are you h.o.m.o?”

“Himemizu….why are you…Well I’m straight….”

I was too tired to retort. Akira’s flame weakened a little as well. He might be smiling too.

“Well I’m not h.o.m.o. Evidence is Himemizu, if not taking Kyosuke for granted, I preferred you.”

“Eeh…….That much, receiving those same words I can’t help but not feel relieved however…..”

Gohon, as Kyosuke cleared his throat.

“At any rate. I chose to go along with Himemizu’s proposal to go further and also have other reasons.”

“EEehhhh!? Is it some relations.h.i.+p to Hino-kun being h.o.m.o!?”

“Wrong!  Theres no relations to that, and Akira is not h.o.m.o! You’re not h.o.m.o right!? Oi Akira, why are you smiling like that! Before you just denied it!”

Since we kept bantering for awhile, that would its own story some other time.

In summary, I thought that knowing this world more is beneficial to us. And the first step would be exploring outside the labyrinth as its an important matter. If we continue diving in the labyrinth, I think it would be harder to find hints about this world.

“I see now. Utsurogi-kun perfectly thought about this”

“What’s that”

“I don’t think much about nothing you see! That was just some amazing thinking!”

“Himemizu, you shouldn’t be br.i.m.m.i.n.g with confidences after saying that”

After triumphantly and actively conversing, the conversation gradually died down. The cause of that was due to the change in scenery. At this point, there was no point in proposing to go back. Returning without harvesting anything would be annoying.

And finally, they reached the rocky area. Jumping at their field of vision came a vast land of reddish-brown earth. It’s a wasteland.

“Uwaa…..”

Rin broke the silence first.

“There’s nothing impressive……”

“Iya, its empty with nothing.”

As I stared at the wasteland, I concentrated on a speck. A particularly big silhouette laid over there and it was not too far from our current position.  Akira also nodded.

“That’s within walking distance”

“But isn’t that just a big rock?”

“Maybe so. It looks like a man-made thing to me”

Of course there’s not evidence to support what I said. However, its figure seems a bit strange to be a mere rock.

Even if it’s a man made object or a natural object, its height is long. The thing’s length is probably around 100 meters. If we were to go over there, there might be able to see something different, than this viewpoint.

“Well, if we find nothing, then returning would be annoying—”

Rin again had voiced the our opinion.

As they approached near, the silhouette became clearly visible. And once again, the trio fell into silence. This time, it is because of a different reason.

It was a man made object, just as Kyosuke suspected. However, this object was not supposed to exist here.

“Is that….a s.h.i.+p…..?”

I muttered those word, while Rin and Akira agreed but continued to be stunned.

But its not a s.h.i.+p. Its been rusted away, rusting for many years. Must have weathered through many seasons. It came from our world being made of metal and was certainly a wars.h.i.+p. This s.h.i.+p resembles something I have seen before.

“This is what Kogane showed me….in a photo was the exact same cruiser model”

“This was the heavy cruiser that was built at the s.h.i.+pyard, right?”

Akira also nodded. Rin was the only one who did not understand as she asked, 『What? What? 』, so I tried to explain to her.

Essentially, we were supposed to go visit the WW2 s.h.i.+pyard for a fieldtrip. It was there that the development of various battles.h.i.+p began. I’m sure Kogane would be angry at such a rough explanation. I also tried to explain the difference between a battle s.h.i.+p and cruiser, and the difference between a light cruiser and a heavy cruiser. Sadly I did not have time to go in-depth.

There’s also an important part. When Akira was busy being sick in the bus, he talked about a certain rumor. There was one particular s.h.i.+p that was built at that s.h.i.+pyard and in the middle of a battle, it suddenly vanished, or so the story goes.

Kogane mixed in the joke 『Did it trip into a different world?』 , as he lively lectured on web short novels to Sak.u.ma, who had been sitting in front of us.

That was no joke.

Nor was it a rumor.

Before our very eyes, the rusting heavy cruiser was enshrined there. Surely that’s as enough evidence as one would need.

“Eh, Eh….Wait a minute”

Rin interrupted my monologue.

“If so, this s.h.i.+p is the s.h.i.+p that came along from our world? Are there people inside? What happened to the crew?”

“I don’t know. From our world, 70 years has already pa.s.sed. In the first place, since this boat is in a rotting condition, I think it came and stayed in this world for an unthinkable amount of time already”

Gokuri, as we swallowed our saliva. Well skeletons are not supposed to be swallowing their own saliva, instead I swallowed (a portion) of Rin, while she exclaimed 『Ehh』.

“Are the crew member humans? Did they return to our former world? Did they not return? Since we reincarnated into monsters, are they not humans as well? Since this s.h.i.+p stopped here, did it transfer to a different location as well? Are they alive? Are they dead?…………………..”

For one, I don’t know. As we were starring motionlessly at the rusted shop, Akira asked from the side.

“What do you want to do? Kyosuke”

“…….Lets explore inside”

As I said that, Rin called out in a worried voice.

“It might be dangerous right?”

“Its fine if we just run away from the danger”

I can’t tell anything from the s.h.i.+ps corpse. For that reason, I had no choice but to ask questions. I took the first step forward and felt no resistance coming from my legs. Seems like Rin also agrees with going forward. Akira also followed along without needing to say anything.

From inside the wreckage of the s.h.i.+p, countless red eyes stared at the intruders. Kyosuke and friends did not notice.

 

Authors note:

Kyosuke and Rin’s first battle! And the cla.s.s meets their first crisis. Thank you and Enjoy!