米津玄師 MV「LOSER」by Kenshi Yonezu

POV Valentine

Shit hit the fan very fast and in large quantities, enough to cover me from head to toe.

I've been relegated to an observer for this battle, and I don't mind, really! Except, just looking at that disgusting thing makes me sick. I can almost smell its flabby mushroom like head and I fucking hate mushrooms! This dickhead is making me squeamish!

The more time passes, the more that thing gains an upper hand, the more enraged I'm becoming.

'That piece of shit dares! It fucking dares to threaten me!? An overgrown fungi fart wants to kill me!!? I'd rather be fucked to death then let a damn mushroom be the end of me!! This will NOT STAND!! I WILL KILL IT MYSELF!'

Fortunately, I've got an advantage over the others: I've dealt zero dmg, meaning zero aggro, aka I can just get close, stick the explosives, run away and let someone else detonate them. This is fool proof! The big shit won't know what hit it! And if it knew, HA! Someone else did it! I'll get away without drawing attention to myself!

'Two birds with one stone! I'll get the pleasure of destroying that thing, and it won't know that it was me! Ha! Ha! Ha!'

I've done what any self-respecting man would do: acted brave, said a cool like, total badass mode and all that bullshit.

The landing was rough, with a fucking spike going through my leg, but I persevered. 'No pain, no gain.'

Very reluctantly, I've used all my skills to judge the monster like I would any normal ingredient and determined the best spot to leave my explosive present. Prying a single scale off took some time and put a strain on me, but my cooking skills helped with this task.

Somehow … Something … Went wrong with my plan at this point and a simple delivery mission turned into a survival game.

The next thing I see is a giant dinosaur head trying to bite down on me, and the whole thing turning into a rodeo. I barely managed to fasten my load by stabbing one of my knives through the bag before I became weightless and started screaming bloody murder.

Not for long, as things exploded and then came a sharp pang of pain…. .

TSUNAMI - Finana Ryugu

POV Mari

As soon as the clock hit 6 a.m. I've made a move to get ahold of Haruka, who was still sleeping.

"Haruka: I WIIL say this again! I'm not a professional doctor to do these things! School nurses don't do THIS! Get someone qualified! I'M ON VACATION DAMNIT!"

"Mari: You know that we can't bring people here. There are too many things that need to be kept secret. Each new person is a new variable to account for. … You will be compensated for your help and continued discretion."

"Haruka: It's not about money! Haaaaa… Why me? What have I've done to deserve this? All I've wanted was to live carefreely and enjoy my school life for a bit longer, even as I get older. Maybe look for a husband among the staff, get to experience some spicy things at my workplace… BUT NO!! I end up at an all girl's academy, with basically no male staff! And now YOU get me involved in this crazy situation! Is living a peaceful life too much to ask for? You are making me cry! You really are! … Haaa haa haa fuuu. … I want a bonus. You've got plenty of people employed at the Kurihara conglomerate, there must be a virtuous, caring, gentle and kindhearted young man that is still single. I NEED to take my mind off this thing whatever is going with all of you."

I blink in disbelief, wrapping my head around the sudden demand. 'Maybe I haven't had enough sleep and can't connect the dots? Hmm… This is not my area of expertise.'

"Mari: I… can ask father to look into it. That, and make sure that you are compensated. Oh, also, we will be producing a new skin cream that will have.. magical effects."

"Haruka: … Like the kind your skin shows? Good enough, I'm not getting any younger and the extra stress you girls bring me doesn't help. `Sigh. Ok. I need a few hours to study up on the proper procedures and prepare mentally. I'll let you know when I'm ready. Send me pictures of the things you'll be receiving too."

"Mari: Thank you. I will do that as soon as I receive them. I'll be returning to the others for now."

"Haruka: …How …`Gulp, how bad was it?"

I bite my lip and consider glossing over it, but there really isn't much reason to do that and in the future we may require more help with these situations. It could help to push Haruka to become more active and collaborate with us. 'Maybe we could push her towards agreeing to absorb exp and try to unlock a healer class? Even without access to the portal, it will be possible to get her to Lv 2 or even Lv 3 within a few weeks to a month.'

"Mari: Likely… Dead on impact. After healing was applied to fix the ruptured internal organs, CPR was performed for over 10 minutes. There are complications that we don't understand, but he should regain consciousness after a week or so."

"Haruka: … .. I'll give you call later."

'At least she won't be running away this time. Fuuu..ok, next. Get father to send pictures and ready a driver for Haruka. Then I need to talk to the girls and then … … '

… .. .

"I still need to go home and talk to Chiyo to clean up this mess. I really need a vacation after this."

After considering how bad things went last night… For the sake of everyone's mental health, I've insisted that they leave and put this incident out of mind for a few days. Only Juliana was allowed to stay behind to deal with the weapons, while Meiko will be replacing her in the evening.

There are things to keep me busy too. Chopping food for my little warriors, they deserve a good reward for their help. Making lunch for myself and Juliana, we will be eating here for today. Going over the new data on the tablet: the new map, the portal that I've bought without looking much into, the mana reserves and how best to utilize them.

"The new floor is also a difficult case. From the brief look that I've taken the fourth floor looked like an expansive ocean with a few little islands sprinkled around. Hmm. With each consecutive floor getting bigger in size, this one may very well be over 10 km in diameter."

I do not wish to think about my failure, so I distract myself with other things instead. It's blatantly turning away from the problem, but I need the distraction.

`Ring`Ring

"Mari: Hello, father… M m, yes, thank you, I'm fine. Just send it over the fence, … tomorrow, I'll come home tomorrow. .. .. It will be fine. See you in the morning and keep Chiyo pacified until then. … Talk about the discoveries we have made and I'll breach the deadly monsters subject. Ok."

I spend another 10 minutes doing something before making an effort to move.

'It's time to face realty …and the consequences of my actions. Tch, the only positive scrap in here is that none of the girls got seriously injured. Hehe, I would have been a bigger mess right now if it was Meiko lying in a coma, and there would be no one to shift the blame on either.'

"Caw. Caw."

"Mari: I'm fine, he will be fine too. Don't worry, you all performed excellent. Go, keep an eye on my delivery, I'll be there shortly."

… .. .

"Juliana: Boss, I think that all your weapons need an upgrade. There is too much damage to the metal, I don't think that they were made with our physical parameters in mind."

"Mari: This was the first time that we had actually exerted ourselves to the fullest. I can see why it never happened before. I'll talk about it tomorrow with father."

"Juliana: Ok. .. Do you need support tomorrow? I can help soften the blow from little Chiyo. She probably won't be taking it too well and mentioning last night's affair may not be the best thing right now. We aren't going to be jumping into that sort of situation anytime soon."

"Mari: We won't. Definitely not on a water or an underwater floor. If we were to do that, then no amount of sacrifice would save us. Haaa… Thank you, I'll think about it tonight and give you a call tomorrow."

"Juliana: Anytime. You've got the nurse coming over soon, right? .. I'll give her a hand, you don't need to join. I .. I've got experience with this sort of thing."

There is much I wish to say, but nothing comes out. Instead, as I stand there, I get a warm hug and a pat on my back.

"Juliana: It's ok, I've got this covered. Things turned to shit, but we all have made it out, that's the main point. This is life, we continue to move forward until we can't anymore. Please get some rest, take a moment to think about nothing and let everything go. I'm here to make your burden lighter, so let me carry some of it."

'`Sigh. This has been a very tiring day. I could really use a break to unwind and let go.'

"Mari: Fine. I'll be at the rooftop if you need me."

I make myself comfortable: move the recliner chair to the shaded side, take some cold juice and snacks, and relax listening to the sound of nature.

…. … .. .

"Meiko: … … … Lady Mari, it's getting colder outside."

Half-awake I hear Meiko calling out to me. `Yawn. 'Hmm, I must have dozed off after relaxing for a bit.'

"Mari: What time is it?"

I get up and do some stretches, shaking off my sleepiness. I do actually feel better after a nap.

"Meiko: Late afternoon. I've sent Juliana home and came to relieve you for the night. I've been given instructions on what to do, you don't have to worry. I can also exercise here and watch a movie, so I won't be bored either. Also, Risa will be coming tomorrow morning and Juliana in the afternoon. You can take your time to talk with Chiyo. .. Should I come with you for that talk?"

"Mari: It's fine, Meiko. It's probably best to keep it between sisters, but I'll give you a call if I need your help."

After a nap I actually feel hungry again. We combine our efforts and make simple dishes for ourselves. There are plenty of ingredients ready to be cooked, reducing our burden.

A nice, simple lunch with just the two of us. No heavy topics, no need to make crucial decisions, just two young women having fun. Meiko even opened a bottle of the failed high-grade potion that turned into wine but refrained from drinking herself.

"Mari: Thank you for cheering me up Meiko, I think I'll be going after I take a look on the situation downstairs."

It may be my imagination, but as I open the door to his room I could swear that it smelled like the hospital for a moment. I glance around and decide that it was most likely due to the new setup.

"Meiko: I've been told that there are enough supplies for four days, I also have a beeper linked to this monitoring equipment. If Kate is right then we will need to get only one more delivery."

'It turned into a hospital room. Though..it has gotten more personality since I've last been here.'

I look at the boxes in the corner: stuffed animals, books, manga, laptop, new clothes, lotions, trinkets, perfume.

"Meiko: Some girls thought that the room was too plain and have been giving him small things from time to time. … I've brought over a couple things for the gym since I use it sometimes …and my favourite shampoo."

'…There is nothing personally from me. Money is paid by father and the phone too.' I look him over, visibly healthy but in a deep slumber.

"Mari: Did Haruka or Juliana mention anything else that needs to be brought over? Do you need anything, Meiko?"

"Meiko: Nothing for the time being. We are all settled to bunker down for a few days."

'Alright, nothing I can do then.' I spend a bit more time with Meiko before leaving.

'What do I need to get done today? Well… Make some changes to our plans during the vacation, make a list of things I need to order, a long hot shower, figure out what to tell Chiyo, write a report while the fight is still fresh in my mind. That should be enough for today.

POV Kurihara special research group, Dr. Hideko

"Psychiatrist: How are things today Dr. Hideko? Anything exciting? …That can be explained in non-professional terms?"

'Sure, as if I'm a magician! I can easily explain everything! Even magic itself!'

"Dr. Hideko: Magic healing powder. That's the short of it. There must be an underlying principle somewhere between it and the other biological samples we are working on. The plants exhibit unprecedentedly rapid cell division on their own AND when this power comes into contact with damaged cells it somehow does the same! But only with animal cells! How does it read DNA? How does it force the rapid division of cells? I just doesn't make any sense!! It's the same with that damn ice tree! Trees don't work that way! They don't thrive in freezers and die from room temperature! It's not a damn ice algae! That's just NOT how things work on our planet!"

"Psychiatrist: I see. You have started working on a new frontier. How do you expect this to progress?"

'How? How?! We'll be added to the history books for millennia to come! Maybe I'll be turned into a saint after my death! Children from all over the planet will read about us in text books!'

"Dr. Hideko: We will crack it, smash it into pieces and reassemble it ourselves! This will push medical science forward by a thousand years, at least! It will become an organic alternative to medical nanites, and it will be done by us even before others can properly develop their technology!"

"Psychiatrist: Is it that simple? You will surely face hardships moving forward."

I give my best impression of teacher answering the most obvious question.

"Dr. Hideko: That is obvious. We aren't that self-confident to the point of being delusional. This alien biotechnology needs us to examine it from the ground up, but we are only provided samples. … Hm! If you look at it from our perspective, you would see that these things aren't completely natural and considering our own level of technology… The conclusion is simple. Why else would we have 100 levels of non-disclosure agreements, daily psychiatrist access, armed security, quadruple salary, and work in a bunker! We are on the edge of a new era, and my team will make sure that Japan has every advantage we can give it."

"Psychiatrist: Yes… just, don't blow things up or unleash a world ending plagued. I've watched too many of those types of movies. Also… I've been promised that, as far as we can understand, there are no impending threats."

"Dr. Hideko: Except for our fellow humans. Statistically speaking, humans have killed more humans than any alien invaders. Just look at our history, when was the last time that we had no conflict, big or small? I bet that our entire species is blacklisted by whatever galactic community there is and someone is risking big by smuggling in the things that we get here."

"Psychiatrist: Technically, there are no official laws prohibiting this and we are working for the collective benefit of humanity in the long run. Who knows, your team may end up being a decisive step in the right direction. We only need to control ourselves, so that greed doesn't blind us."

'What greed? Everything is already served on a silver platter to us, and all we have to do is put in the work.'

"Dr. Hideko: I'd be worried if there were hundreds of us, fighting for merit, but with a tight-knit team of five women we won't be blinded by stupid ideas. I guess that you are also a safety measure and a convenient listening partner for venting our grievances. Especially when things don't make any sense and make us frustrated."

"Psychiatrist: Eh, I get paid handsomely and if things turn out as we all expect them to, then I'll get a paragraph written about my involvement down the line too. Not to mention that I get a first class seat to watch history in the making."

"Dr. Hideko: Ha! Ha ha ha! Indeed! Now, back to business, do us a favour and suggest an all expenses paid spa retreat for a few days. We NEED to cool down and de-stress from all this brain work. A fresh look at things can be beneficial and all that, you know better how to make it sound believable."

I practically hear the gears turning in her head, calculating the most beneficial course of action.

"Psychiatrist: Hmmm, I'll need to be present for support in case anyone has developed an emotional instability."

"Dr. Hideko: Just say that you want to tag along and enjoy a few days of relaxation!"

'This vixen wants to be paid for going on vacation! An all expenses paid vacation!! How shameless can one be!! I'd slap her around if I actually cared about the money, but I'm not the one paying so I don't care too much.'

These visits are mandatory every three days and optional anytime, so we go there to vent, complain and ask for benefits most of the time. Usually, when we have downtime waiting for test results. It's a win-win for us all.

"Dr. Hideko: Silver platter indeed. Now then, back to work! I should remember to ask for the raw ingredients of that powder and preferably the tools used for producing it, though I doubt that it will be possible."

"Psychiatrist: … Actually, you better hold that off for a bit. I'm not clear on the details, but apparently the "smuggling team" got in a bind a few days ago with some being in critical condition. I've had work on Mr. Kurihara to calm him down. It's best that we keep to ourselves for a week on that front. I'll get the spa trip approved ASAP, this way time will pass quicker and we can try asking for more samples once we are back. I've got strong emphasis that everything will be in order after a few weeks."

'Oh… shit bucket! We need fresh samples coming for decades to get good results. Ok. Let's add sample preservation to our list of things to do. Hopefully, the people risking their lives can keep at it for long enough.'

"Dr. Hideko: Good to know, I'll put nondestructive testing as a priority for the week."

There is enough time to have tea and snacks before I need to check up on things in the laboratory.