Delusional Multiversal Travels

Fanfiction by: Final_Order

Delusional Multiversal Travels

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 8: The Art of Agenda: Agenda Awakening

- - -

Monsters.

Distinct from demons. Any avid readers of fantasy, whether they prefer novels, manga, or anime, can easily differentiate between the two.

Green skin, stout bodies, elongated eyes, and the unstable, guttural sounds that spill from their mouths.

Individually, they may be weak. Yet, they gain strength in numbers.

Not due to their intelligence. But because they can overwhelm their foes when they swarm together.

Goblins.

That's the name they go by.

"Above!"

A voice cried out as a fireball zipped through the confined space, igniting something in its path.

"Ghiii!"

The result was a shriek from the creature that had been scorched by the magic.

The area was dimly lit, narrow, and cave-like. Yet, I couldn't help but scowl at a certain individual.

"Monsters. Let's go!"

Blondie declared, wielding his longsword, crouching slightly as he prepared for action.

A group of about ten monsters approached him from the front. In an instant, he had sliced through them.

"Hey… how many did he just take out?"

"Miyamoto is incredible."

Dungeon raid.

It has been a month since we were sent by the kingdom to eliminate the monsters infesting this dungeon.

Surprisingly, despite being monsters, they tend to stay within their territory.

A rare occurrence.

However, it's not impossible. Thus, we were tasked with this mission. Naturally, I would have been eager to participate, if only this dungeon weren't…

"Aya?"

"Don't mind me zoning out, continue on."

Yuto, standing beside me, nudged me. He was dressed in a black shirt, trousers, and boots, complemented by scale mail armor that protected his chest.

He also had additional armor on his arms and legs. Not the kind of gear I would have personally recommended for him.

But I had no authority to dictate his choices.

"Ha!"

Nonetheless, he has improved. At the very least, he is currently utilizing his weaker skills to their fullest potential.

Having leaped back, he raised his left hand while gripping the handguard of his sword with his right, positioned at his waist.

[Absorption].

Right now, all the skill really does is draw objects closer to him. The size of the object affects the pull—bigger means slower.

But by leaning into the one advantage it does have, he can interrupt an enemy's movement, even if just for a moment.

Of course, that depends entirely on the enemy's strength.

"Ghii!"

And he did just that, stopping the goblin in its tracks mid-charge. Yuto unsheathed his sword and took care of it in one clean motion.

"GYAH!"

Clean cut on the neck.

Fresh.

"W-wait, is that Nakatani?"

"No way, that weakling…"

These people have some serious misconceptions, but I've learned to ignore them for the most part.

Hmm?

Me? As for me, on the other hand, not that I couldn't care less. I was ordered to hold the rear on purpose.

But not that they would notice anyway. I was also moving in the shadows to take care of the enemies.

"Let's rally them up like this!"

Suddenly, a man shouted. Gruff voice, tall, with bulkier mass. He's someone I didn't really remember, but was forced to because of his status.

I think he was called the knight commander or something. A little strong in my opinion, though to be honest… Miyamoto was already at his level.

"Hah! Small fries outta the way!"

"Wahh!"

BAM!

That obnoxiously loud voice, followed by an equally obnoxious crash. A boulder had landed—no, been thrown—into the goblins.

Of course, it was the delinquent. Mohawk guy. Onizuka.

Where he found the boulder, I have no idea.

He'd jumped straight into the fray, hoisting it high and smashing it down, crushing several goblins on impact.

A mix of showy, yet brutal and sloppy ways of fighting. I couldn't help but shake my head.

He cracked his knuckles with a satisfied, vainglorious smile.

"Onizuka too is also good!"

"As expected of someone with the power called Oni God!"

How fitting.

But I narrowed my eyes. If my eyes didn't see it wrong, he was also aiming for Yuto too, wasn't he?

If Yuto didn't avoid it in time, at the very least, he'd have been fatally injured, no?

"Everyone."

Yet, this is not the time to be distracted. Hearing Minase's voice pulled me out again from my thoughts.

I looked over at the black-haired girl who clasped her hands together; a crescent moon-like halo appeared.

From the crescent moon, its light illuminated the space. While I was holding up the rear very well.

Some still managed to fatigue themselves, and others even still injured themselves.

However, with that light, I could see everyone recover slightly.

Well…

SIZZZ..

"What the—"

For some reason, my body was sizzling just by being near the light, instead of getting healed and recovering my fatigue.

I felt it was having the reverse effect on me, and with that in mind, I retreated further away.

With that, we had cleared another wave again. We've been here for hours now, and clearly people had hit their limits.

Well, most have.

However, "Come on, guys, let's continue forward."

Spoken like a true slave driver. He had not a shred of sympathy for the people he called classmates. He ordered that.

Honestly, nobody in the class has a choice but to follow them. At the far end, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Let's leave this small fry and go for the boss, Miyamoto."

Onizuka, at the extreme front, said it with a laid-back tone, his hands resting leisurely behind his head like this was all just another school event.

Beside him—

"It can't be helped, Onizuka. There's an order to everything... though I can't deny, it's not as tough as it sounds."

Miyamoto answered calmly, eyes forward. The moment they said that, I could practically hear everyone in front of me pale in shock.

Wr had split our forces into two.

The class's major forces, the strongest among the rest of the class, took the front.

On the other hand, everyone else was lagging several meters behind, struggling to keep up.

"Hey, you f*cks! Hurry it up!"

Onizuka barked, turning back with his usual arrogant tone, and that alone was enough to make them shiver

Ah… is this what I looked like to Yuto?

No, I think he should have imagined me worse than Onizuka.

Regardless, my interest wasn't in them or any of my classmates here currently.

[Demon King's Daughter Dungeon]

A smile slowly escaped my lips.

Within a dark place like this, one could say it is my domain, having synced with the shadows long ago.

I reached out to the deepest layer of the dungeon and saw them. Those pairs of dead red eyes staring back at the shadows.

At me.

'She's strong.'

However, currently, her powers seem to be sealed. And if there was anything I've begun to notice a recurring pattern here.

"Alright, everyone. Let's take a break here."

"Haah."

A chorus of exhausted sighs filled the cavern. Some of them collapsed to sit against the damp stone walls, shoulders slumped, faces pale with relief.

Looking back at it all… it's ridiculous, really.

A part of me wanted this. Wanted to explore this world. With my power, I could go anywhere. Unrestrained and free from all this.

But I know, that's not enough to satisfy me.

Even after deducing that the entire class would be transported, I could have, rather…

If I'd wanted to, I could have avoided this. But there was no way I could—

"Oi! Onizuka-dono. Didn't I say that if you stimulate one monster, it'll be transmitted to the others?"

Huh?

While I'd been lost in thought, a certain idiot had gone ahead and attacked a monster.

From the looks of it…

Humanoid. White skin. A single horn jutting from its head. My classmate had his hand inside the monster's chest.

Some weird variant—probably a twisted cross between the standard Isekai white rabbit and a troll. One of the two.

"That's why we can only engage when everyone's focused."

The knight commander's voice was tense as he tried to warn him.

In response, Onizuka casually rubbed his ear with his pinky and flung the monster's body aside like it was trash.

"Shut the hell up. You better not be talking to me like that! First of all, this is your fault!"

Oi, oi. Are you serious right now?

Blaming someone else for your idiocy? Unbelievable. But I didn't have time to dwell on it—

With a twitch of my lips.

"Everybody, stand the hell up now! Monsters approaching!"

I had screamed those words to the front. The numbers were much, and their strength, vastly compared to the goblin.

"What the hell?"

They all looked toward me, confused—until they finally turned to the path ahead.

And there they were. Several of those white-skinned humanoid rabbit variants darted out of the tunnels.

GHHHHHIIIIIIII

They all made such grotesque sounds, and this time, having had enough of all this bullshit flying,

Without hesitation, I reached to my sides and drew the twin daggers I'd designed myself for the Empire's blacksmith to help me forge.

[Mushashi Cross].

In one step, I appeared in front of the humanoid rabbit variant, slicing clean, the neck of one before it even noticed I was already there.

SHLUCK—!

"GHIIII!"

Blood sprayed in an arc as it shrieked loudly, attracting the attention of the others to me.

"Hmph."

I dropped low as another came from the right.

With a twist. I ducked under its swipe, feeling the claws slice air inches from my nose.

In the same motion, I slashed bottom to up in an X-pattern, which was from its gut to collarbone.

It howled. "GRIIII!"

Still, I paid it no attention.

I pivoted on my heel, kicking off the ground to hurl myself into the next one. Shoulder slammed its chest.

We hit the dirt together, and I drove both blades into its throat before it could open its mouth.

"GYAHHH—Nngh."

My blades weren't missing flesh. I was actively pursuing them, cutting through the swarm.

As long as they were within the domain of shadows… I knew their exact positions.

They tried to encircle, flank, leap above, dive below. But they never landed a blow.

My blades arced and plunged, severing tendon from muscle, opening ribcages, dismembering limbs as they swung.

When one dropped, I was already stepping through its falling body, jumping mid-air before descending, plunging my daggers into one from above.

Onto the next.

Little did I know, at some point, the rest had stopped fighting and had their eyes locked onto me.

"T–that is…"

"Miyamoto is impressive… but this…"

Bodies flew, my feet skidded against the ground to a stop, then with a wide arc, I discombobulated a few encircling me.

"Tsk! Everyone! Snap out of it! Let's go!"

It took them a moment. Like waking from a trance. But eventually, they rallied, and together we finished the wave.

It was only a matter of—

"MINASE!"

A voice, even though the voice wasn't calling my name. It was a voice so loud that I couldn't ignore.

Plunging my daggers to the sides, I slowly turned my head.

"NA–NAKATANI!"

A sight that stopped me for a moment.

This one was different entirely. Compared to the rest that had white skin, this one had darker skin.

Its eyes were frenzied, and on its head was a mark.

And this monster… had its hands embedded in the sides of his stomach.

"Yuto."

I didn't know why, but I gritted my teeth and planted my feet against the ground. A step forward.

That was all that was in my mind.

As I took the step forward.

"Ghii!"

I appeared in front of the monster and swiped its head clean from its body in one move.

"Gah…! *Cough*."

However, as I did, Yuto was already sprawled on the ground.

"Minase, healing."

I'd immediately called for her; no, I didn't need to, she had also come rushing and knelt down beside him.

However,

"I–It's not working."

Her voice was shaking. She said that nervously. I could also see it. The wound wasn't closing.

[Nakatani Yuto]

[State: Cursed. Cannot be healed within a certain period of time.]

What the—

So that means he can't be healed?

Tsk. What an annoying negative status.

"Mhm. Seems like it's a curse that can't be healed. I suggest we leave him behind. No… maybe from the start. He had a curse. Kind of creepy."

Before I'd even comprehended those words, I raised my head towards the source of the voice.

It was the commander who had said that.

[Commander of the Knights: Sieg]

[Level: Unidentified]

[Trait: Corrupted Righteousness. "I hate the weak, I fear the strong." Professional Butt Kisser. (+3)]

If we were in any situation but this, surely, I would have laughed. But certainly not in this situation.

I gave him the sternest stare I could muster. But then I paused for the briefest of moments.

"Minase, let's leave Nakatani."

Miyamoto said that dead seriously.

"I understand your feelings, but if he can't be healed, we have to leave him behind. We can't stay here forever."

~ There's nothing we can do about it.

~ That guy was weak.

~ He was a useless guy.

~ I agree with Miyamoto.

~ Just because he got better at fighting, how pathetic.

Or so were their words, their intentions, which they didn't bother to hide. Honestly, it was so deplorable of them.

Akane… Are these really the people I should be protecting?

I looked over her, seeing her bite her fingers while also looking uncomfortable with this situation.

But we didn't say a word.

We didn't need to.

Also…. Probably, there's a high probability he'd felt it, but hasn't entirely noticed it yet.

"Nakatani-kun is your friend! Why are you—"

"—Friend? Stupid! I don't associate with such weaklings. Besides… isn't it his fault he's going to die?"

~ I guess that's true.

~ You're mkserable, aren't you? Being so incompetent.

~ Ah! Don't tell me he's trying to drag Minase down?!

~ Ugh. Such a creep.

I looked at the male. On his face, without needing to mention it, were pain, agony, and terror.

A lot of negative emotions currently showed on his face. Now I see. After this, I understood it very much now.

Thinking that, I stood up.

I could feel his expression worsened as I did, his hands, slowly reaching out to me.

"A—Aya—...."

"Don't worry. Just keep yourself safe."

Saying that, I walked away from him, as I passed Miyamoto and Onizuka, I could literally see them grinning ear to ear.

Now then, let's see… your awakening, that is..

With a fall like this. The only option for you is to rise, is it not?

●

"I'm… I'm…. sorry…. Nakatani-kun."

Too late. It was too late to say those words. I just did what I could didn't I? I did everything he said. I got stronger didn't I?

Even though I was trying to protect Minase, yet, why was it being made like I was dragging her down instead.

It isn't fair.

"If… If only I could heal him properly…"

Minase was crying. I could tell the tears were real. Yet,

"Minase. That's enough."

Miyamoto appeared from behind, taking advantage, and pulling her into his embrace, all the while spouting some words I couldn't understand.

"You worked hard enough. You have to survive for Nakatani."

Wait… why was it being made as if I was already done for. I don't want to die. Haha… even before I knew it, Aya too had left my side.

"...Hey, Nakatani."

Hearing his voice, I looked over to Miyamoto.

"You were an unnecessary luggage till the end. Minase Is a valuable healer and you're hurting her. I hate useless trash like you."

"Well then you should suffer and die."

What? That same Miyamoto. That same smiling, self-appointed "class rep." He said that?

All this time—he really thought that way?

I stared up at him, numb. The cold wasn't just physical anymore. It was crawling through me, burrowing in.

My throat burned. My chest felt cracked open. And his eyes… Those eyes. I finally saw what lived inside them.

Madness.

Cruel, functional, purposeful madness. Hidden beneath his charisma Now that I think of it….

"Sir Miyamoto! The chrse wkll pass! Hurry up!"

"Excuse me. I wqs saying goodbye to my classmate for the last time."

Goodbye? Don't make me laugh. Don't say it like we were ever close. Don't say it like this is some tragic parting.

What was that supposed to mean? Yet, to my dismay,

"As expected of prez!"

"Miyamoto is so kind."

They believed it. They all stood there, watching me die. No one said a word in protest.

No one came back for me.

Damn it. My throat's burning. I want to scream. I want to speak. But my lungs don't answer.

My mouth won't move. It's getting cold. Everything's getting cold. I can't move anymore.

So that's it, huh?

You're all really going to let me die.

{Don't worry. You won't die…}

"Hey Miyamoto!" Onizuka's voice rang out behind the fog in my mind. "I've come up with a great idea!"

The Knight Commander turned, startled. "Onizuka-dono! What are you—"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

His tone was bright, cheerful, like someone pitching a party game. But his eyes were dead. Hollowed out with delight.

"Hey… hey, even a guy like this is a hero right? Then why don't we kill him? Shouldn't offing a hero give me mad EXP?"

"Onizuka-kun!"

Hey, what's he talking about. Stay away. My body. I tried to move but my limbs refused.

My body was like a baggage, getting colder, blood leaking out second by second.

I really will be killed.

No. No, no, no, I don't want this. My fingers twitched. My lips trembled. My soul screamed.

But my pleas wouldn't reach him.

He'd already grabbed me by the throat. His fingers locked like iron claws around my neck, and lifted.

I was dangling.

My feet kicking uselessly in the air. My eyes flooded, tears streaming down my cheeks from the helplessness.

Onizuka just smiled wider.

He was enjoying this.

{{Then. Your powers… use them}}

I seem to hear a voice, one which I recognized. The other, I couldn't make it out much.

My powers…? But… I can't… it won't work. To someone like Onizuka.

{Haah… I keep saying it. You're still the same coward.}

The voice wasn't mocking; it was disappointed. Cold and honest, like someone who once believed in me.

Should I really try it? If I could knock him down, even just once. Even if I die right after. I'd laugh in hell.

{THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! CLAIM HIS POWER FOR YOURSELF!}

"NGH!"

Onizuka's eyes widened. "You bastard, what are you—"

Pain ripped up my spine. My throat burned. Like swallowing fire. Just raising my hand hurt. Muscles tore like paper.

Yet…!

"HRRGH—ARGHHHHH!"

I thrust my hand toward him without thinking, and then…

BOOM!