"Fail-proof Schedule Management"
"Visualizing Work. Super Task Management!"
"Finish Your Work at Lightning Speed! 10 Rules to Succeed Without Failing"
"The Quality of Your Sleep Affects the Quality of Your Work!"
"Manage Your Work Priorities with a Planner"
"Expert Advice from Neuroscientists on Productive Work Habits"
"Let Programs Handle Tedious Tasks"
A mountain of books on work strategies and advice were on display in the bookstore.
"Shut up!"
I interjected, alone in the bookstore.
These books were just copies filled with common sense and spiritual mumbo jumbo.
I didn't even bother checking their contents.
"Damn it. The deadline is coming up..."
I slumped in a corner of the store.
Memories rushed through my mind like a slide show.
"What's wrong, Suguru-kun? You look spaced out," Chiaki's worried face appeared in front of me.
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just mentally managing my schedule," I replied.
"Huh?"
A wide range unique magic, the magic eye technique "clairvoyance" that allows the user to see things far away, that magic suddenly disappeared after 30 seconds of activation.
I have to go. What is happening?
I have no idea why that technique was activated so early in the game.
I need to go check it out.
"Sorry, I'm going to the bathroom for a bit."
"Uh, okay. Go ahead," Chiaki said, surprised by my sudden request.
No, that's not it.
It's not enough yet.
"You're wearing a gothic lolita outfit and beating up thugs late at night. It's a slightly dangerous hobby for relieving stress. I wanted to ask you about it..."
"Huh? What about it!?"
"My flower-garden time might be dangerously long, Suddenly, I was hit with stomach pains. Ooh, my stomach! Something that had been building up for a week is creeping up to my rectum, I might end up spending the night in the bathroom, Can you go home ahead of me...please..."
--- Intense moment ---
I gave a dramatic performance, sweating and turning pale. I'm a shoo-in for the Best Supporting Actor award. I could see a future vision of walking the red carpet.
"Are you okay for now? You look pale. I'll wait for you."
Ha! My performance was perfect. The acting of a man who might have an accident any moment. It was perfect.
"I'm not okay. You can assume I went to the VIP restroom. There's a bed in there."
Chiaki frowned.
"In the room with a bed...not the restroom?"
She voiced a normal question.
Oops, I got it backwards. Oh well.
"I'm about to explode. It's going to be a long, grueling fight. Sorry. Argh, my stomach! I can't take it anymore!!"
I told a big lie, boldly.
"Hey, wait a minute..."
"Huh? But something's clearly wrong."
"It's weird for you to come with me to the restroom."
She's strong, but I have a bad feeling that if we go together, it might become a dangerous situation. Besides, she probably didn't bring any equipment with her.
So, I'll leave her here.
Until I can obtain and strengthen the A・RE equipment for the summer event...
I won't be able to protect my party members.
The day for men's flower garden is a secret time.
Or rather, don't girls have their own special day too?
Men also have it. It's called "Men's Day."
I just realized it now. Today is Men's Day. I checked it earlier on my phone. ...
Chiaki looked surprised and disgusted.
"Oh..."
Uh-oh. This is bad. Even I regretted my words. What is Men's Day anyway? I'm such an idiot.
I felt sweat dripping down my back. I was so embarrassed about my lack of sensitivity.
"Well, sorry... I think I can't treat you to Saburo Ramen after all. My wallet's a bit tight."
"Eh, I'll wait! I want to hear the rest of what you were saying earlier!"
"Sorry!"
I left Chiaki and was about to run away when two people blocked my way.
"Gu-ge!? Amachi-san!"
Maria and Komachi. What are they doing here? They're supposed to be training together.
"Maria-senpai! Don't let him get away! This trash... no, I mean, this scumbag Amachi-senpai is trying to run away!"
Who the hell is Amachi scumbag?
Komachi has been influenced by me too much lately, and her language has gotten worse.
"Oh my, Amachi-san. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Just... the bathroom."
"Well, in that case, let's wait for you. I also want to ask about your relationship with Ayaka."
She gave Chiaki a sharp look.
"Eek!"
Chiaki was startled.
"Amachi-san, I'm sad. I made a promise to teach me directly, but you are not paying attention to me. We promised to go into the dungeon together, but instead, you're doing laps on the ground, doing 10,000 push-ups and 10,000 side jumps with Homura-san. What is that about? You promised to teach me step by step, but why are you ignoring me?"
Maria stamped her feet on the ground in frustration.
I haven't made such a promise or manifesto.
First of all, regarding the advice you gave me.
That was something you guys decided on your own without me knowing.
I was left out.
I am serious about training both Maria and Komachi from the basics.
Besides, Maria, I feel like you're just putting it off.
Didn't you ask Komachi before, "Why aren't you doing what I advised you to do?"
Why are you getting angry now?
"Amachi-senpai, you're just playing around! We're teammates, so let's get on the same page! You've been ignoring me this whole time!"
Komachi began to pursue further.
"Wait a minute!? Suguru-kun, why is Maria-san... And advice? Hand-holding???"
Chiaki looked at Maria and Komachi and stumbled over her words before asking her question.
Things are getting complicated. I'm now trapped with the three of them. It's about to get chaotic. Let's stay calm and cool down for a moment. I'm not Prince Shotoku.
"Time!"
Like a soccer team coach, I made a "T" shape with both hands.
Hold on a second.
"You didn't answer the question at all... But I'll forgive you!"
Komachi declared while looking at me like a referee.
"Thank you, referee."
I sped up my thoughts.
Maria was giving me a doubtful look.
Next, Komachi always had a teasing look on her face. Lately, she's been a little careless with me. Her eyes were judging me like garbage.
Lastly, Chiaki looked confused. Half of her face was twitching from her slip-up earlier, and the other half was bewildered. She looked at me, Maria, and Komachi, alternating her gaze and showing signs of confusion.
If I were to run away now, the next time I meet them, it would be incredibly awkward. It would be so awkward that I might become a ghost party member.
I can't run away now. I need to do a clairvoyant investigation and then reappear in front of them once again...
That's when a surge of electricity hit my brain. It was a bolt from the blue.
--- Friendship Party ---
I covered my mouth with my hand and whispered to myself, "It's perfect... A friendship party."
Suddenly, I had an idea. I could turn it into a party to foster friendships between us.
Could it be done? It didn't matter, I was determined to try. I had to adjust my tasks for the day as much as possible to make it happen.
"Okay, I'll be back from the flower garden within an hour... no, two hours. I promise."
I rescheduled my plans.
"What are you talking about, Suguru-kun?" asked Amachi-san.
"Are you going to the flower garden or the bathroom?" asked Kocho.
Maria-senpai whispered something to Kocho, who blushed.
I spoke quickly in my otaku-style language.
"Listen up, everyone. You're all members of my party. Ayaka Chiaki-kun, I'm going to appoint you as my vice leader. Please be friendly with each other while I'm gone to the flower garden. Let's meet at Komeida Vader Coffee in the commercial district at 8pm."
"What do you mean?" asked Maria-senpai.
"Who are the members of the party?" asked Kocho.
"It's about money," I said, taking out 30,000 yen and putting the bills in Kocho's hand. "It's a friendship party, so please enjoy talking with each other. See you later!"
I felt like everyone was looking at me in surprise, but I decided to ignore it.
---I entered the world of super high-speed tachyon combos.---
.
.
.
Although I felt a strong sense of reluctance, I continued to walk forward.
I ran through the crowded streets, weaving through the people.
Those who had just witnessed the extensive magic display seemed excited.
Maria, Komachi, and Chiaki didn't seem to have any doubts.
Maybe they didn't even see me since they were whispering about me.
Even if they did, they might have mistaken it for an attraction or a festival signal.
"No, that's not it..."
It was a strategic unique magic that could survey a vast area and terrain from a bird's-eye view.
In Megashuva, this magic could also be used by the enemy character Maniacs, as long as you drew them from the gacha. Even the boss character, Maniacs, could be used.
Maniacs could not participate in battles, but they could be used as limited support personnel.
In games, enemies are often nerfed when they become allies. However, in this world, it's different.
Enemies are still enemies, and you can't easily increase your allies without drawing them from the gacha.
The unique ability that only the enemy characters had was the ability to perceive everything within a wide range.
It was mainly used in large-scale party battles in the game, and it was called "Clairvoyance" when used for reconnaissance.
It was an ability to see through the characters' parameters and item locations, as well as their positions.
What kind of ability is it in this world?
"Where is the carrier?"
At least, they were at Onogoro.
What were they looking for? Did they find what they were looking for?
That magic was a unique ability of Maniacs.
"Figure it out."
The last place the eyeball looked at. The place where they met each other's gazes many times.
That was the target. That's where the carrier was aiming for.
What was there? The area was too wide.
What was the target? What was it?
"No way..."
The Dobu River Aqueduct Main Store. The name that players mocked. It leads to the underground of the school...
"Is it a secret room?"
I pushed through the crowd and ran without stopping to the outside of the amusement park.
"97 minutes until 8:00. I'll just go and check. I should be able to come back soon."
I set Dobu River Aqueduct Main Store as my destination.