Kazuki sat in his dorm room, staring blankly at his phone screen. The notification had appeared just a few minutes ago, jolting him from his brief moment of peace. It was the system, of course, delivering its latest demand with the same casual tone that one might use to announce the weather. But this time, the task was different—more intrusive, more horrifying.
"Task: Peek into the girls' locker room for at least five minutes."
Kazuki's heart sank as he read the words again, hoping against hope that he had misunderstood. But the text was as clear as day. He was expected to sneak into the girls' locker room, watch them in their most private moments, and somehow survive the shame and fear that would undoubtedly accompany such an act.
His immediate reaction was to refuse. There was no way he could do something so perverted, so blatantly wrong. But then, like clockwork, the system's voice chimed in his mind, cheerful and annoyingly upbeat.
"Well, well, Kazuki-kun! Looks like you've got yourself a new task. This one's a real challenge, huh?" The voice was that of a young girl, the kind you'd expect to be talking about fluffy toys and candy, not coercing someone into being a peeping tom.
Kazuki groaned and buried his face in his hands. "You've got to be kidding me… There's no way I'm doing this. This is insane!"
"Insane? Oh, come on! It's just a little peek. Think of it as a mission—like a spy movie! You know, sneaking around, gathering intel. Except, in this case, the intel is… well, you know."
Kazuki could almost see the system's avatar grinning at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. It was maddening. "No, it's not just a little peek! This is someone's private space! I'm not some pervert who—"
"Technically, you are," the system interjected, cutting him off mid-rant. "Remember that last task? The one with the panties? You didn't seem too heroic then, either."
Kazuki winced. "That's different! I was—"
"Desperate? Afraid for your life? Don't worry, I totally get it," the system said, her tone uncomfortably understanding. "But the fact is, Kazuki-kun, you're in this now. It's not about what you want or don't want. It's about surviving. And to survive, you've got to follow my instructions. Simple as that."
Kazuki glared at the ceiling, wishing he could throttle the disembodied voice in his head. "I hate you."
"Aww, don't be like that! We're a team, remember? And teams stick together, through thick and thin, highs and lows, perverted tasks and… well, more perverted tasks!"
He sighed, knowing the system had him cornered. It was like arguing with a particularly stubborn child—one who had absolute control over whether he lived or died. "I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Not if you want to keep breathing," the system replied sweetly. "But look on the bright side! This task might boost your stealth skills even more. And who knows? Maybe you'll pick up some valuable intel."
"Intel? On what, how many push-ups they can do?" Kazuki muttered, half to himself. The absurdity of the situation was almost too much to bear.
The system giggled. "See? You're getting into the spirit of it already! You might actually enjoy this task."
Kazuki felt a chill run down his spine. The system's casual dismissal of his concerns only made him more anxious. He had hoped that his first encounter with Mikako would have given him some respite, something normal to focus on. But now, he was back in the system's twisted game, and the stakes were higher than ever.
"How am I supposed to even do this?" he asked, trying to focus on the logistics rather than the morality of the situation. "The locker room is off-limits to guys. If I get caught, I'll be expelled. Or worse."
The system hummed thoughtfully. "That's where your new skills come in handy! You're more agile and stealthy now. Use that to your advantage. Sneak in, find a good hiding spot, and just… observe. Five minutes will fly by, I promise!"
Kazuki closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This is crazy. I'm going to get caught. I just know it."
"Not if you're careful! And besides, isn't there a part of you that's at least a little curious? You're a red-blooded teenage boy, after all!"
"Curiosity has nothing to do with it," Kazuki snapped, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "This is about survival. And that's the only reason I'm even considering it."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself, Kazuki-kun," the system replied, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "But remember, you've only got two days to complete this task. So you'd better get a move on!"
The callousness of the system's words left Kazuki feeling even more uneasy. There was no compassion, no understanding of the moral dilemma he was facing—just a cold, mechanical insistence that he comply. It was like being trapped in a nightmare, one where his every action was dictated by an uncaring force.
As the hours ticked by, Kazuki tried to think of a way out. He considered ignoring the task, but the memory of the system's warning—that failure to complete a task would result in his death—loomed large in his mind. The thought of dying in such a ridiculous way, all because he refused to peek into a locker room, was too absurd to accept.
He tried to distract himself with schoolwork, but his mind kept drifting back to the task. Every time he saw a girl on campus, he was reminded of what he had to do, and the guilt gnawed at him like a persistent itch. He avoided Haruka, not wanting her to see the turmoil he was in. He even considered asking her for help, but what could he say? "Hey, Haruka, could you help me spy on the girls in the locker room so I don't die?" The thought made him cringe.
That night, as Kazuki lay in bed, the system decided to chime in once more. "Kazuki-kun, I've been thinking…"
"That's never a good sign," Kazuki muttered, pulling the blanket over his head.
"Don't be like that! I was just going to say, maybe you should try to enjoy this task. Think of it as… expanding your horizons."
Kazuki groaned. "I'd rather expand my fist into your face."
The system giggled. "Oh, Kazuki-kun, you're such a kidder! But seriously, try to have some fun with it. Life's too short to be all doom and gloom."
"Yeah, it'll be even shorter if I get caught," Kazuki shot back. "And fun? How am I supposed to have fun doing something like this?"
"By embracing the moment! Live a little! Take a risk! You might be surprised at what you find."
Kazuki rolled his eyes, grateful that no one could see him having this ridiculous conversation. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"
"I try my best," the system replied cheerfully. "Now, get some rest, Kazuki-kun. You've got a big day tomorrow!"
Despite the system's infuriatingly upbeat attitude, Kazuki felt exhaustion pulling at him. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind swirled with images of the locker room, of Mikako, of the countless what-ifs that plagued his thoughts. He knew that tomorrow, he would have to face the impossible task head-on, whether he liked it or not.
The next day, Kazuki wandered through campus like a man in a daze. He avoided eye contact with everyone, especially the girls. The weight of what he had to do hung over him like a dark cloud, suffocating any sense of normalcy he tried to cling to.
The system, of course, was relentless in its reminders. Every few hours, it would chime in with a cheerful "Don't forget, Kazuki-kun! Five minutes in the locker room, that's all you need!" Each time, Kazuki would grit his teeth and try to push the thought from his mind, but it was no use. The system's demands were inescapable.
Finally, as the sun began to set, Kazuki found himself standing near the girls' locker room. He had no idea how he had ended up there—his feet had simply carried him, as if on autopilot. He stood in the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest, as he watched girls pass by, oblivious to the torment raging within him.
"This is it," the system's voice piped up, full of enthusiasm. "Now or never, Kazuki-kun!"
Kazuki took a deep breath, his hands trembling. He couldn't believe he was actually going through with this. Everything in his body screamed at him to turn around, to walk away and forget this madness. But he knew he couldn't. The system had him trapped, and there was no way out.
Steeling himself, Kazuki moved closer to the door, his heart pounding in his ears. The hallway was empty, and he could hear the faint sounds of laughter and chatter coming from inside. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he reached for the door handle.
"Just
five minutes," he whispered to himself. "I can do this. Just five minutes."
The door creaked open, and Kazuki slipped inside, his heart racing. The locker room was dimly lit, and the sounds of girls chatting and laughing echoed off the tiled walls. Kazuki felt like he was walking into a lion's den, every nerve in his body on high alert.
He found a hiding spot behind a row of lockers, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. The seconds ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity. Kazuki squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds around him, but it was no use. He could hear everything—the rustling of clothes, the splashing of water, the giggles and whispers.
His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to bolt, to run as far away from this place as possible. But another part, a darker part, was curious, intrigued by the forbidden nature of what he was doing.
"You're doing great, Kazuki-kun," the system's voice whispered in his mind. "Just a few more minutes…"
Kazuki bit his lip, his hands clenching into fists. He couldn't believe he had stooped so low, that he was actually going through with this. The shame and guilt were overwhelming, but the fear of what would happen if he failed kept him rooted to the spot.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the five minutes were up. Kazuki didn't waste a second—he bolted from his hiding spot, slipping out of the locker room as quietly as he had entered. His heart was pounding in his chest, his body trembling with a mix of adrenaline and relief.
As soon as he was outside, Kazuki doubled over, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He couldn't believe he had done it. He had actually completed the task. The system's voice chimed in, cheerful and congratulatory.
"Well done, Kazuki-kun! You did it! And look at that—no one even noticed!"
Kazuki didn't respond. He couldn't. The weight of what he had just done was too much to bear. He felt sick, disgusted with himself, and the system's cheerful tone only made it worse.
"Don't be so down, Kazuki-kun! You survived, and that's what matters. Plus, you've probably gained some valuable skills from this experience!"
Kazuki clenched his fists, fighting the urge to scream. He had survived, yes, but at what cost? The system had pushed him to do something he would never have considered in a million years, something that went against everything he believed in.
But there was no turning back now. Kazuki knew that he was trapped in this twisted game, and as long as the system had control, he would have to keep playing along. No matter how perverse, no matter how dangerous, he would have to do whatever the system demanded.
As he walked back to his dorm, Kazuki felt a deep sense of despair settle over him. He had survived, yes, but the price was his own humanity. And with each task, he could feel that humanity slipping further and further away.
The system, of course, remained oblivious to his turmoil. "Cheer up, Kazuki-kun! You've got more rewards coming your way! And who knows? Maybe the next task will be even more fun!"
Kazuki didn't respond. He was too tired, too drained to even argue. All he could do was keep moving forward, one step at a time, hoping that somehow, some way, he would find a way out of this nightmare.