Chapter 3 Iryoku’s Side of the Story
Chapter 3 Iryoku’s Side of the Story
The warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the gym’s high windows as Iryoku lay sprawled on the floor near the gymnasium, feigning sleep. Alessandra had already left after her earlier scolding, and the courtyard had grown quiet again.
He let out a low sigh, slowly opening one eye to check if anyone was nearby. Seeing no one, he grinned mischievously.
“Alright… back to business,” he muttered under his breath.
Rolling onto his side, he shifted to reveal a hidden air vent behind him. It wasn’t the first time Iryoku had noticed it, but today felt like the perfect opportunity to finally satisfy his curiosity. With a practiced motion, he pried open the metal grate and set it aside, slipping silently into the narrow duct.
“This better not be a waste of time,” he whispered to himself as he crawled through the tight space. The metal creaked softly under his weight while he moved forward, his sharp ears soon catching the sound of muffled voices up ahead.
He smirked when he peered through another grate—immediately recognizing the girls’ changing room below.
“Oh… jackpot,” he murmured, adjusting his position for a better view.
Below, several girls from Yumi and Reika’s class were changing into their gym uniforms. The room buzzed with idle chatter and the rustling of clothes as they slipped into gym shorts and T-shirts.
Iryoku’s eyes scanned the room, lingering for a moment. Reika’s elegant figure stood out, her purple underwear refined and tasteful. He grinned internally. Classy as always.
Next, his gaze moved to Yumi—her petite frame barely managing to contain her disproportionately large curves. Standard pure white, huh? he thought. That bra’s on the verge of surrender, he mused with an internal chuckle.
Then came Alessandra’s voice from outside as she entered the room. Iryoku frowned. Tch. That’s a shame. She only ever changes at the beginning or end of the school day.
He shook his head, still smirking.
“No doubt about it… Yumi, Reika, Alessandra—easily the hottest girls in school. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.”
As the girls finished changing and left for the gym, silence settled over the room. Iryoku remained still a moment longer, enjoying the quiet. Then he let out a yawn.
“Not bad for today,” he murmured, stretching out in the vent.
The gentle hum of the building’s ventilation system surrounded him, and soon, his eyes began to close. Minutes passed, and soft snoring escaped from the narrow shaft above the ceiling.
Then—without warning—the metal beneath him groaned ominously.
“Shi—!”
CRASH!
Iryoku plummeted down, hitting the changing room floor hard. The shock of the fall jolted through his entire body.
He groaned, sitting up with a wince, rubbing his back.
“Well… that could’ve gone better.”
But his relief was short-lived. He suddenly heard footsteps and voices approaching the changing room again.
“Oh shit,” Iryoku hissed, glancing around desperately. His heart raced as he scrambled to his feet, frantically searching for a hiding spot. The lockers lining the walls caught his eye, and he darted toward the nearest one.
“Please be empty, please be empty!” he whispered, opening the door. Finding it vacant, he squeezed inside just as the door to the changing room creaked open.
Through the narrow slats of the locker, he watched as Yumi and Reika walked in together with the rest of the girls, all of them oblivious to his presence. He held his breath, hoping—praying—that none of them would notice anything amiss.
The girls took their time, chatting idly as they changed back into their uniforms. Iryoku cursed silently, his muscles cramping in the tight space.
“Why me? I just wanted to see some tits,” he muttered under his breath, trying not to make a sound.
Just as most of the girls had finished changing and left the room, a strange tremor shook the floor beneath him. His cramped position made it difficult to balance, and he nearly toppled forward as the entire room shuddered and groaned.
“What the hell is that?” he whispered, peeking out through the slats.
The air suddenly grew thick with an unexplainable tension. Sparks of electricity danced along the walls, and a sound like shattering glass echoed loudly in his ears. The locker around him began to warp and twist. Before Iryoku could react, his entire world went black.
When he opened his eyes again, there was only darkness—except for a faint light coming through the slits of the locker door. He could hear screaming. Slowly, he pushed open the door and stepped out.
He found himself standing in the middle of a massive, dark hall. The changing room lockers and benches had been transported with him, scattered haphazardly across the floor. The air was heavy with the metallic stench of blood, and the screams of the dying echoed all around.
“What the hell just happened?” Iryoku muttered, taking a hesitant step forward.
His stomach twisted at the gruesome scene. Grotesque creatures roamed the hall, their twisted forms illuminated by flickering torchlight. Hulking orcs, scuttling imps, and goblins with jagged teeth tore into knights and mages, their weapons soaked with blood.
Iryoku’s breath hitched. He couldn’t move. Fear gripped him like a vice, and for the first time in years, he felt small—powerless.
“What the hell am I supposed to do here?” he whispered, stepping back.
Then he saw them.
In the distance, Alessandra, Yumi, and Reika huddled together, their faces pale with fear. Alessandra held up a shield, fending off a group of imps with desperate, strained movements. Yumi clutched a bow, her trembling hands barely managing to nock an arrow. Reika stood behind them, her hands glowing faintly with magic as she tried to summon another spell.
Iryoku’s eyes widened in surprise—then he saw it: a massive minotaur lumbering toward them, snorting and snarling. Panic surged through him, and before he realized it, his feet were already moving, chasing away the icy grip of fear.
They were scared, but they were fighting.
He took a deep breath, eyes narrowing.
“All right,” he said, his voice low. “If they’re not giving up, neither am I.”
As he ran, he spotted two daggers lying on the ground nearby. He snatched them up, testing their weight. The cold steel felt reassuring in his hands. A slow grin spread across his face as he glanced at the walls, an idea forming in his head.
“Let’s see how you bastards like this.”
Without hesitation, he darted toward the wall, using its uneven stone surface to climb higher. Reaching a chandelier overhead, he swung himself forward with all his strength, aiming directly at the massive minotaur in the center of the chaos.
With a roar, Iryoku drove both daggers into the creature’s eyes. The impact reverberated through his arms. The minotaur howled in rage, flailing wildly as Iryoku clung on for dear life.
“Time to even the odds!” Iryoku shouted, adrenaline washing away his fear.
“Calm down, you stupid cow!” he yelled, gripping the daggers embedded in the minotaur’s skull as the enormous creature bucked and thrashed beneath him.
The minotaur roared in rage, its blazing red eyes filled with fury. It swung its massive head from side to side, its horns tearing through the air with terrifying force. Each movement sent tremors through the ground, toppling smaller monsters and scattering debris.
Iryoku clenched his teeth, his knuckles white as he clung tightly to the beast’s thick neck. His arms burned, his muscles screaming in protest as the minotaur’s wild movements jostled him. Blood trickled down his face from a gash on his forehead, blurring his vision.
"Stupid monster... just go down already!" Iryoku muttered, his voice strained as he drove the dagger deeper into the minotaur’s thick skull.
The creature bellowed in agony, its thrashing becoming even more erratic. Nearby imps and goblins were sent flying, crushed beneath the minotaur’s massive hooves as it lashed out in blind fury.
Below, Alessandra, Reika, and Yumi watched in horror as Iryoku held on, his body battered and bleeding.
"Idiot!" Alessandra shouted, her voice trembling as she gripped her shield tightly. Her eyes were fixed on Iryoku, a mix of anger and deep concern flickering in them. "What is he even trying to prove?! He’s going to get himself killed!"
Yumi stood beside her, gripping her bow with trembling hands. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her expression a mixture of fear and disbelief.
"Why won’t he just let go?" Yumi whispered, her voice barely audible.
Reika shook her head, her usual composure replaced with visible panic. "This is madness. No one can survive that..."
The minotaur let out another deafening roar before charging toward the girls, its massive horns aimed directly at them.
"Move!" Alessandra shouted, grabbing both Reika and Yumi and pulling them out of the way just in time. The beast’s horns slammed into the stone wall behind them, leaving deep cracks in the surface.
Iryoku winced as the impact sent another jolt of pain through his already aching body. His grip on the daggers faltered for a moment, but he forced himself to hang on.
"Damn it... this thing’s built like a tank," he muttered under his breath. He glanced down at the girls, who were struggling to keep out of the minotaur’s reach. His jaw tightened. "I can’t let go... not yet."
The minotaur continued its rampage, ramming into walls and pillars with reckless abandon. Each collision sent chunks of stone and dust raining down onto the floor. The girls ducked and dodged, barely avoiding the debris as they tried to stay out of the creature’s path.
“He’s completely reckless!” Alessandra snapped, her eyes locked on Iryoku, her chest tight with worry. “But… he’s not going to quit, is he? We need to do something.”
Yumi glanced at her, noticing the uncharacteristic softness in Alessandra’s tone.
“He’s still holding on,” Reika said hesitantly, though the doubt in her voice was clear.
The minotaur slowed briefly, its massive frame heaving as it began to tire. Iryoku’s own strength was nearing its limit—his body trembled, and each breath came in ragged gasps.
“Just a little more…” he whispered to himself, his vision swimming as exhaustion threatened to overtake him.
Then, suddenly, the minotaur snarled. Its muscles tensed, and with a violent shake of its head, it flung Iryoku into the air like a ragdoll.
“No!” Alessandra cried, panic flooding her voice as she took a step forward.
Iryoku crashed into the ground several meters away, skidding across the stone floor. He groaned, coughing as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Blood dripped from fresh cuts, and his arms trembled under the strain.
“Iryoku!” Alessandra shouted, her voice breaking slightly as she ran toward him.
He slowly got to his feet, swaying unsteadily. Then he turned to face the girls, placing himself between them and the approaching minotaur.
“Stay back,” he said, his voice hoarse but firm. He took a shaky step forward, body hunched, fists raised. “I’m not letting that thing get to you.”
The minotaur glared at him. Its eyes—already healed—narrowed with animal rage. Blood still ran down its head as it lowered its horns, preparing to charge once more. For a moment, the hall fell eerily silent, broken only by the heavy breathing of the monster—and the girls.
Then, a deep rumble echoed from the massive hole in the wall where the monsters had first emerged. The sound was low and guttural, like the growl of some colossal beast.
The girls’ eyes widened as the noise grew louder, accompanied by the thunderous thud of footsteps.
“What… what is that?” Yumi whispered, her voice shaking.
Iryoku’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the dark opening, his fists clenching tightly.