“So, how’d you get roped into this,” Masashi asks Hajime who’s busy working on the wall that he’s making for the town.

“Sensei can be pretty persuasive.” Hajime transmutes another section of the wall as he says to Masashi.

Amen to that. “The monsters will be here in about 5 hours.”

“I know. You need some help?”

Hajime was surprised at Masashi offering help, “With the monsters?”

“Yeah. Is that so surprising?”

Hajime narrows his eyes, “Sensei?”

“Sigh… Yeah.”

“Haha. Isn’t that funny?”

“Come on let’s get to work.” Masashi rolls his eyes at Hajime’s weird uncharacteristic actions and takes over the part of the wall that Hajime was working on.

Masashi dumped a huge amount of mana and started finishing the wall much faster than Hajime.

“Why’re you guys even here?” Hajime asks giving a glance to Mai who’s talking with Shea and Tio as he works on another section.

Masashi can see Mai rubbing Shea’s ears with an envious expression.

Shea was smiling abashedly due to Mai’s open adoration for her bunny ears.

“Mai was curious about how the class was doing, so I brought her to meet everyone. I heard from Ilwa that you were here so we came here.”

“Makes sense I guess.”

“So… what’s with the masochistic dragoness?”

“Ugh. Don’t ask, it’s a weird situation.”

“Is it related to you fucking her into submission?” Masashi snickers.

“What!? NO! Of course not.” Hajime reacts a little too eagerly.

“Yeah sure, no shit. Do you even need any help with the monsters?”

“No, not really. With someone strong here it’ll just be easier to take care of them so I didn’t refuse.”

“I thought that you’d be averse to any help. What happened? I expected a cold killing machine who’d stop at nothing to achieve his goals.”

“Well after Orcus that was my situation… but it all changed after meeting Shea. She kinda dragged me back to somewhat humane levels.”

“She sounds nice.”

“She is, she really is. I guess I should thank you for telling me to not kill the bunny.” Hajime has a little smile on his face.

Masashi just smiles mysteriously and doesn’t reply. Looking at that expression Hajime knows that he isn’t gonna get the answer to how Masashi knew about Shea beforehand so he doesn’t bother to ask.

“I guess I should thank you for another thing.”

“What is it?”

“Sensei told me about what you did after I fell off the bridge.”

“You mean how I stole your kill?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t sweat it. I did what I wanted to do. I could’ve helped you when I jumped down. I didn’t. That’s because you need to go through what you did to come out of it stronger. I could’ve babied you back to your world but where’s the fun in that? This is your growth and I don’t want to hamper it.”

“I see…” Hajime has a thoughtful look on his face.

“Also just for the sake of truthfulness. I’m not from your earth. The one I’m from is completely different. And I can return whenever I want to don’t expect me to care about your goals. I’m only collecting the ancient magics because immortality is boring and I want to see the different stories of different people that I can experience.”

“What-“

“Don’t sweat it, bro.” Masashi drops way too much unnecessary information on Hajime because he wanted to see his dumbfounded face and went back to working on the wall.

Hajime is quietly contemplating Masashi’s words for a good 5 minutes before he gets a resolute look on his face and gets back to work.

When both of them are done with the wall they group back up with the girls.

“How long till they arrive?” Hajime asked Masashi since he could tell that Masashi’s range was better than his sense perception.

“We have another hour till the monsters arrive.”

“Good. Let ‘em come.”

“Hello, Masashi-san.” Shea gives a little bow to Masashi in greeting.

“Hey Shea, as you can see my girl here is a big fan of your cute ears so I hope you don’t mind her rubbing them.” Masashi turns his head at Mai while saying that.

“No, it’s fine. It’s flattering that Mai-san likes my ears.” Shea’s ears flop a little signifying her contentment with Mai’s love for her ears.

“The monsters will be here soon you girls should get ready.”

Tio turned to Hajime and said, “Hmm, I too have something to discuss with you, Ma- Ahem... with you. Will you please listen to my request?”

“Huh...? Oh, is that you, Tio?”

“Wh-Why the long pause? Y-You could not possibly have forgotten me already... Haah... Haah... To think this could be so pleasant...” Tio gets all hot and bothered in public.

‘I’m so glad that you’re not like that.’ Masashi telepathically told Mai.

‘Yeah, ‘cause you’re the one who’s into that crazy kinky fuckery. I was normal before you got me used to that stuff.’

’Sure… It was all me, you had no kinky tendencies. Especially not exhibitionism.’ Masashi’s sarcastic quip makes Mai speechless.

‘…I was going through some stuff okay, you know that. You were there.’

‘And I’m glad I was. Think about it, the headlines would’ve been reading: Mai Sakurajima is going around town in a bunny girl outfit. Wouldn’t that be a scandal?’

“Oh yeah, I remember now,” Hajime says to Tio as Mai and Masashi are having their telepathic conversation.

“Mmmmmm! Umm, once your battle here is over, and you have safely seen young Will to his family, will you be resuming your travels?” Tio is almost moaning while she speaks.

“Yeah.”

“I see. Well, I was hoping... that I may be allowed to join you-”

“No.” Hajime flatly refuses.

“...Haah... Haah... Such a prompt rejection. I knew you would make a wonderful ma— Ahem! Of course, I am not asking you to do this for free! If you agree to let me join you, then I shall call you master, and devote myself to you body and soul! Surely—”

“Go home. Better yet, go die.” Hajime would rather kill her than, let this piece of raw masochism follow him around.

“Now now Hajime. That’s not how you deal with-“

“I didn’t ask you.”

“All right,” Masashi says a little too quickly, putting his hands in the air and walking back as if he was expecting Hajime to interrupt him.

He gives Tio a wink and says, “See Tio, he cares enough to not let me degrade you. I think that you’ve got him in the bag. Just tone down on ruining his reputation in front of others. Exhibitionism is a fine fetish but only if you’re the one in control of it or at least your ‘master’. There are certain times and places for this kind of stuff.”

“I see, thank you mister Masashi for your support in affirming my thoughts in following my master and your advice. You seem to be knowledgeable about this type of lifestyle.”

“I’ve dabbled with the concept.” Masashi gives an evasive answer and proudly smiles at his achievement of helping Hajime and Tio progress but sees both Mai Hajime giving him death glares.

“What? Don’t act all high and mighty. You’re too Japanese to refuse an assertive girl from becoming a part of your harem.” Masashi tells Hajime while smartly ignoring Mai’s glare as he doesn’t want to sleep on the couch since the extra bedrooms are not an option.

“That’s racist.”

“It’s not if I’m also Japanese.”

“…Touché.”

Aiko, Yuka, the other students, Will, and David’s knights walked up to the quintet of Masashi, Mai, Hajime, Shea, and Tio.

“How are your preparations coming along, Nagumo-kun? Is there anything you need?” Aiko asked Hajime.

“Nah, I’m fine, Sensei.” Hajime didn’t turn around as he was walking to Masashi. Unable to stand his attitude, David angrily flared up.

“Hey, brats-”

*Crackle* *BOOM*

“And the divine lightning smites him again. Seriously man. Being a simp is fine and all but don’t be an asshole to everyone. Especially not someone who’s helping you all when he could easily leave everyone here to die.”

“Masashi… He can’t hear you.” Mai pours cold water on Masashi’s posturing.”

“Sigh… Why do you have to take it away from me?” Masashi glares accusatorily at Mai.

“I don’t always do that. Only when it’s dumb.” Mai mutters the last sentence under her breath.

Masashi looks at the night sky as if he’s going through the vicissitudes of life as a light breeze blows his hair back with a whistling sound.

Everyone looks at Masashi and Mai’s bantering as they realize that they’re much less than the monsters they thought them to be after what Masashi did with Kouki and Hiyama.

Till now everyone other than Aiko was keeping their distance from the duo due to that reason. Aiko was the only one who was able to understand that Masashi and Mai weren’t bad people, just they dealt with things in a little extreme way.

“Anyway… Nagumo-kun. About the black-robed boy…” This was the main reason Aiko came to talk to Hajime.

“You want me to find out who he is, right? And not kill him?”

“...Yes. I have to be sure. Nagumo-kun… I understand what I’m asking isn’t easy, but...”

“I’ll bring him to you.”

“Huh?”

“The black-robed kid. I’ll bring him to you. Do what you want with him... I’ll follow your decision.”

“Nagumo-kun... Thank you so much.”

“They’re here!” Masashi says as he turns his head toward the direction of the monsters for dramatic effect but the wall ruins his moment.

Though this time Masashi thinks something up quickly and jumps up on the wall.

’Saved it.’

Mai rolls her eyes at this dramatic bullshit that Masashi likes doing every once in a while.