Multiverse: SSS-Rank Treasure Chest at the Beginning

"Hey! Who gave you permission to expose my identity!!" Eriri's face instantly turned dark.

"It's actually Kashiwagi-sensei and Kasumi-sensei..."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you!"

Ruri looked shocked. As an experienced weeb, she had naturally heard of their reputations.

Tenya explained, "Anyway, we're all in the industry, what's the big deal?"

"Revealing our identities will make collaboration more convenient."

Utaha asked the key question, "Black Cat... can I call you that? Just to confirm, was the game test package you sent last time completed by you alone?"

"Yes. I have a coding speed of 6kb per hour."

"The scale of a galgame isn't large, I'm more than capable of handling the programming by myself."

Ruri gave a confident affirmative answer.

"Unbelievable..."

"An elementary school student actually managed that." Eriri exclaimed in surprise.

"No, I'm a middle school student, a third-year middle school student!" Ruri emphasized sternly.

However, her slender build and innocent baby face made it very easy for others to mistake her for an elementary school student.

"Excuse me, Sawamura. You look like an elementary school student too." Utaha said.

"Who looks like an elementary school student?" Eriri puffed out her chest, looking defiant.

Tenya narrowed his eyes, measuring them up. The two were about the same, on the same level.

"I never expected..."

"The ones making a harem galgame are actually three high school students." Ruri said.

Originally, she was afraid the other party was a group of unemployed otakus. If they had malicious intentions, she would immediately run away.

Now it seems, with one handsome guy and two beautiful girls, they probably won't make a move on her, right?

Speaking of which....

Why is that guy named Tenya staring at her?

It's like an adventurer discovering a golden treasure chest.

...

Eriri and Utaha each proposed various requirements for the game's operation, and Ruri took notes one by one.

"Heh... I didn't expect you, this dark guy, to be surprisingly capable." Eriri's praise also carried a tsundere flavor.

"For text subtitles, a fast/slow adjustment button needs to be added... That's all for now." Utaha seriously stated her requirements.

"I understand. I can complete it within a week." Ruri replied.

"We've been busy for so long, how about we go on a date together to change our mood?" Tenya suggested.

"Count us out."

"Making a date invitation to a middle school student, aren't you a bit too criminal?"

Utaha hugged her chest, her red eyes carrying a hint of disdain.

"I don't have time to play with you. I still have deadlines. That's it, message me if anything comes up, I'm leaving."

Eriri grabbed her bag, and left.

"I also have something to do, so I'll excuse myself first."

"Oh right, Tenya-kun."

"I certainly don't want to see news of someone committing a crime against a middle school student, do you understand?"

Before leaving, Utaha didn't forget to say to him.

"Don't worry, even if it's a crime, I won't get caught." Tenya replied seriously.

"Eh?!" Ruri's eyes widened instantly.

Is this... something to be relieved about?

"...."

This answer tied up Utaha's venomous tongue, leaving her speechless.

Finally, with a big roll of her eyes, she turned and left.

At the booth, only Tenya and Ruri remained.

The other party seemed not very good at socializing, remaining silent the whole time.

"Black Cat, give me your hand for a moment."

Tenya's goal was clear: get the treasure chest first!

"What is this?"

Upon hearing this, Ruri immediately pulled her small hand back, looking at him warily.

"No need to be nervous, I'm not a bad person."

"That's what all bad people say..."

"Look, I'm a handsome guy. Holding hands with me, you won't lose out."

"You're really trying to make a move on me?"

"It's just a normal handshake."

"Sorry... my right hand is sealed with the cursed power of darkness, anyone who touches it will be stained with evil."

"Then hold my left hand."

"No... my left hand also contains immense demonic power, humans won't be able to bear it."

Ruri tried to refuse the other party using her chuunibyou language.

"Really?"

"Coincidentally, I possess Ice Devil-Slayer Magic. Let me help you purify the demonic power within your body." Tenya said the big truth in a serious manner.

Then he rolled up the sleeve of his right hand, revealing the black, profound pattern on his arm.

"Th-this is...!!!"

Seeing this, Ruri's eyes immediately lit up.

Most people seeing the pattern on Tenya's arm would only think it was some kind of non-mainstream tattoo.

But Ruri's perspective was very unique. She felt that this pattern contained mysterious magic power.

Just like the various magic circles she drew in the "Nightmare Queen's Grimoire", they were existences that transcended reality

(Chuunibyou's notebook)

"Ice Devil-Slayer Magic...?"

"A setting I've never heard of."

As if her chuunibyou soul was poked, Ruri's gaze towards Tenya suddenly became friendly.

"Black Cat, we are comrades!"

Tenya extended the hand of friendship (treasure) again.

"I..."

This time, Ruri hesitated. She didn't refuse immediately, but she didn't easily agree either.

"The Nightmare Queen's contract is very important..."

"Our bond hasn't reached the level of signing a contract."

After much thought, Ruri ultimately chose to politely refuse.

Translated, this means, we just met, we're not familiar yet, so we can't become friends for now.

"Alright."

"I swear by my Sharingan, I will definitely earn the trust of the Nightmare Queen."

Tenya thought to himself, 'Ruri's chuunibyou attribute has some similarities with Rikka. But essentially, their personalities are completely different.'

'Ruri's personality is more introverted, and she is more cautious about making friends. In this regard, she is a bit like Yukino. No wonder they're both cat girls!'

"Sharingan...?"

"It seems your dark power is even more intense than mine!"

Ruri felt that the chuunibyou concentration of the man in front of her was even higher than hers.

The key was, the setting he described had a strange attraction to her.

He spoke as if it were real...

The two chatted happily, completely free of the awkwardness of being alone.

Ruri's emotionless face gradually showed some subtle micro-expressions.

A small, almost imperceptible upward curve appeared on her lips.

"It's getting late, I still need to go back and make lunch for my sister."

Ruri suggested leaving, a hint of reluctance flashing across her brows.