Delusional Multiversal Travels

Fanfiction by: Final_Order

Delusional Multiversal Travels

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 9: From Disgrace to Grace: The Art of Face-Punching

- - -

It fits well, doesn't it?

The scorned and disgraced one awakening to become the honored one is something I should have expected.

Even though I had managed my best, it seems something was pushing him towards this event.

The type you call… the original main character, 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 curse could hit you next! Hurry up!"

"Excuse me. I was 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 off'ing 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!

A tower of light engulfed me as I felt the wound on my body disappear and power coursing through my body.

○

[Name: ???]

[Title: Demon King's daughter]

[Status: Sealed]:

• [Unseal Conditions]

— [Ordina's Authority]

— [???]

When I first laid eyes on the status panel, my immediate reaction was 'waaah'. Everything seems to revolve around the older heroes' party, doesn't it?

I mean, 

After defeating the demon king, they imprisoned his daughter here to serve as a mobile dungeon core, generating monsters.

These monsters are then used for training.

Honestly, they should have just eliminated her. I knew it all along. Humans often create their own troubles.

Not to mention.

She did call out to Yuto, right?

I see, the second condition is [Absorption] isn't it?

• [Unseal Conditions]

— [Ordina's Authority]

— [???]

Mhm. That fell flat, huh?

I really thought I had it. I mean, what else could it be? The setup practically writes itself.

Honestly, it felt too much like a deliberate plot device. Too much of a coincidence I dare say.

Not that I have anything to say or complain about.

But hey, that's the thing. I don't interfere unless I absolutely have to. I'm a strong believer in watching how things unfold on their own.

Even the littlest intervention changes lots of things. But to know how things would change without one's intervention is also a charm.

Of course, it also depends on my mood.

That being said, had he not awakened? Sure. I would've stepped in, but really, guess things are this predictable.

Dragons exist. Gods don't. But demon lords do. And where there's a demon lord, there's always a hero. Naturally.

What's more! The protagonist exists! Iya, the fantasy troupe is strong with this one.

Just as I stood there watching from the sidelines, a small amused smile tugging at my lips—

BAM!

"Gah!"

A violent thud shattered the tension as all heads whipped toward the sound. Onizuka was now part of the wall. Or rather, embedded into it.

"What the hell!?"

"No way… did he just beat Onizuka!?"

Onizuka slumped to the ground in a broken heap, blood spilling out of his mouth like someone turned on a faucet.

"C–cowarz! Zhat ziz zhu zo!"

His speech tumbled out in warped syllables, completely unintelligible. 

At this moment, nobody even dared to move. Not even the boy who'd done it moved.

Maybe even he didn't believe it himself.

From the looks of it, it looks like Onizuka got launched straight into the wall by a single punch.

Hehe. Deserved.

But, 'this is absorption, huh?' Interesting. And while we're at it...

[Absorption]

[Description]:

- [A skill originally belonging to REI. Allows the user to absorb other skills into themselves. Using this on a target will temporarily disable the target's active skills]

- [Does not apply to you because of ###### is ### ####]

Huh?

While yes, I knew I was an oddity, but even his skill doesn't work on me?

So, what's the catch? Is my power… outside this world's system?

Cause… If all these shenanigans are the case, then maybe… my abilities aren't from this world at all.

After all, thinking back to our oh-so-mighty predecessors, I doubt any of them wielded something like this.

They would have been a second REI or even more. But just as I thought things couldn't get any better,

[The basic version of "Ogre God" can be obtained]

My lips twitched. 

"What?"

My eye twitched as I blinked, gaze half-lidded as the results of my [Analysis] drifted across my vision.

Sure, I knew my analysis results were limited to what I could comprehend… but this?

Wasn't this going too far? 

It doesn't even sound like an analysis system anymore. 

"Oh… wait. No way—"

Suddenly, I had a foreboding, and sure enough.

[Intrinsic skills]:

[Continuous Conversion] ← [Ogre Strength]

A sigh left me as I stared blankly at the screen. Right. I guess that's how this world wants to play it.

But before I could even finish processing that, reality kept dragging me back.

"Ha… Hahaha! Nakatani-dono! Look at that. I never thought you'd have that type of power!!"

Cue: the knight commander, scuttling up like the sycophant he always was, voice soaked in false praise, grinning from ear to ear.

Ah, right on schedule.

The moment someone gets powerful, this guy's loyalty does a backflip and lands in their lap.

Even Miyamoto is lost on the flip attitude. Look at his face.

You hate to see it.

"To bring down Onizuka-dono so swiftly, truly the makings of a hero! Come, come, let me congratulate you properly!"

He held Yuto's hand with that stupid smile plastered on his face, but all it earned him was a dead, skeptical stare from the boy.

And… slowly, Yuto raised his darkened gaze to meet mine.

"..."

Naturally, I met his gaze with a raised eyebrow before returning a grin, the curl of my lips, alongside an okay hand sign.

I saw him nod ever so slightly. Then, he turned to the knight commander.

"I appreciate the concern, even though you all let me die, it's kinda creepy how fast you're switching up now. Bootlicker."

Haha…

I don't blame Yuto for snapping. He was the first to make the suggestion. 

Had he made any other suggestion aside from that, their relationship at the very least wouldn't have gotten this bad.

But oh well, he just had to suggest leaving him behind.

Without another word, Yuto tore his hand away and turned his back to the crowd, heading deeper into the dungeon.

"Hey! Nakatani! Where do you think you're going!? I'm not done with you! You think you can just—"

"Guwh!"

It was Miyamoto who began barking, but just as he was about to go on, I appeared in front of him, my hand raised with an overly cheerful grin as I slugged him.

Pretty sure the last thing he feels before getting his skull rattling like a screen saver is a flash of black and then white.

"Eh!? Ayaka!?"

"Gu—cough! Y–you!"

He clutched his right cheek where I hit him, glaring at me with intense anger, his hand gradually moving towards his sword.

However before he did.

"Seriously... What kind of braindead classmates are you people? Especially you, Miyamoto."

I said that, slowly raising the corners of my lips, as my dagger pressed thin against his neck.

From its resting place, just above his lungs, a thin trickle of red began to seep out.

"Well, considering how Onizuka and his crew have treated him, along with your influence and the class's own foolishness, I can't say I blame him."

As I spoke, TAP!

Two figures had already positioned themselves to my left and right. Likely, the second to fourth strongest in our class at the moment.

I know for certain these two are a notch above Miyamoto. And I won't dispute that.

Both had their hands on their respective weapons.

"Calm down, you two. While I don't mind getting blood on my hands, this one is just not worth it."

I mustered the most disgusted expression I could manage as I spoke, drawing my blade away from Miyamoto's neck.

The two would-be interceptors tensed, hands gripping the hilts of their weapons. 

But after a quick glance exchanged between them, they each let go, backing off with practiced restraint.

Smart choice.

Turning my gaze toward Yuto, I pointed directly at him.

"Head straight to the deepest part of the dungeon. Your fate's waiting there. And I already told you, didn't I? You're not going to die."

He met my gaze with a small, lopsided smile and nodded. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tapped the side of his ripped trousers.

This esteemed me does nothing without reason.

Seems he just noticed. Good. I slipped three full-grade recovery potions into his pocket earlier. 

Considering there were only ten of them total, that was no small act of generosity.

But I call it what it is—an investment. And one that's already paying off.

"Nakatani-kun!?"

"You! Retsu-dono! How could you say something like that!?"

Ah, the peanut gallery finds its voice.

Slowly, I turned my head toward the knight commander and gave him a glare cold enough to flash-freeze magma.

"Oi. I don't remember giving you permission to call my name."

If he had the spine of a jellyfish in front of Onizuka, he sure as hell wasn't getting any respect from me.

At the same time, I wouldn't overly do it.

"Thank you, Aya… for everything."

I turned back to Yuto with a faint grin. 

"Don't talk like this is goodbye. This isn't some dramatic final farewell. Our paths are going to cross again."

While I could accompany him, I too have my own motive after this.

First, to seek out a dragon. Next, to seek out one of the remaining heroes, if they ever exist.

Especially the one named Ordina, the one who Akane received her Skill from.

"Alright then, we'll meet later."

With that, he turned and vanished into the shadows of the dungeon, his silhouette swallowed by the dark corridor ahead.

I watched until he was gone, then clapped my hands once and pivoted with a smirk.

"Now then. As for this half-dead delinquent."

I approached Onizuka's crumpled form on the ground. One of the seven remaining potions in hand, I uncapped it with a flick of my thumb.

Crouching beside him, I gave his cheek a light slap enough to get a reaction. His mouth parted weakly.

"Drink up, dumbass."

I poured the potion in, watching as the glowing liquid trickled into him.

"Wa-wait, what are you doing?!"

I turned back at the voice, Minase, standing there mid-step. 

Pretty sure she was about to start healing him, but she looked completely thrown off.

"Hm? Already healed him."

"Eh?"

That dumbfounded little sound escaped her lips, and the rest of the group stopped in their tracks.

Oh, that was satisfying.

Thanks for the setup, Yuto. You gave me the perfect stage to show off. Again.

"Well then." I stretched lazily. "Seeing as today turned into a total disaster… why don't we call it wraps for the day?"

I didn't even have to push it. 

After what just happened, no one had the spine left to argue, especially not after the mess with Yuto.

Naturally, the first to stomp off like a brat denied candy was none other than Miyamoto.

"Let's go," he hissed after a long, hateful glare my way.

If glares were lethal spells, I'd have been shredded into molecular dust by now. A shame for him, I'm still standing.

One by one, the others followed, heads down. 

I could tell now… it wasn't just that I had incurred the hate of the class… I bet I had also instilled fear.

"Ayakafurushi-san…. Why… Did you let Nakatani-kun go?"

Behind me, clutching the sides of her clothes, Minase asked.

And, I don't think I've ever mentioned, but the reason they call me Aya or Ayaka was because my full name was a mouthful.

Before I knew it, everybody started shortening my formal name.

"Haah. What do you think, Minase?"

I didn't look at her right away. Just stared off into the hall Yuto had disappeared into.

"He's supposed to stay here? After the crap you all threw at him? This was his best shot at freedom. I support his decision."

Well, if this is also somehow related, letting Yuto leave might be for the best.

And if things are really interconnected, then it'd be best to let him help the one down below.

With all these in mind, I can tell humanity definitely started the war, or at least I think.

But for now,

"Come on. Let's go. If not, a very jealous person will be seething by now."