Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 84

Chapter 84 – The Ritual Begins (Part 4)

“Alrighty, that should get most of the dirt off.”
““Thank you very much!””

Using a quick makeshift dryer made from a combo of Wind Magic and Water Magic, I cleaned off the dust and grime from the kids' clothes and skin without them having to strip. Once done, I sat down on the ground.

“Okay, let me just confirm again—so, you two were suddenly transported to this place along with your grandfather, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”

The girl—apparently the boy’s older sister—answered my question.

According to Appraisal, the two of them were technically from an enemy faction opposing the Kuon clan, but that didn’t matter. They were just kids.

And more importantly, they didn’t have the power to threaten anyone here.

Which meant there was no reason for me to treat them with hostility or caution.

“Have you been anywhere else besides this room?”
“No. Until you broke the wall, this place was completely sealed off.”
“I see…”

…Well, that complicates things.

So this labyrinth actually has completely sealed rooms—totally disconnected from the other passageways or spaces?

If that’s the case, then following the normal path won’t necessarily bring me back to Kuon and the others.

Worse yet, from the outside, this place looked like nothing more than a dead end.

If I had to start checking every dead end on every floor for hidden sealed rooms…
Yeah. That’s gonna eat up a ridiculous amount of time.

(…Come to think of it, I never actually Appraised this whole space yet.)

I’d been mapping the paths and monsters here in my notebook, jotting down the terrain and whatnot… but I never properly investigated the space itself.

(That should’ve been step one. Appraisal.)

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Target: Layered Barrier Technique for Youma Confinement

Effect: A prison installed by the first head of the Kuon family, connecting an alternate dimension to the real world to contain youma.
Uses jujutsu to bind captured youma and prevent escape through barrier destruction. Also induces a state of chronic starvation to weaken their power.
An escape point exists on the first floor.
At the escape point is a control panel, which allows the release of any human within the barrier.

Status: Skill Level [Corrupted]

Note: The interior of the barrier has been altered via an otherworldly realm, allowing youma from all over Japan to enter.
Though the structure inside has been heavily changed, the flooring and escape point remain intact.

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Hmm, “otherworld”? That word sounds familiar…

No, better not get distracted by that right now.

The most important takeaway from this Appraisal is that:

“There’s a control panel at the escape point that can freely release any humans inside.”

Which means my top priority is clear—reach the goal as quickly as possible.

“…Is something wrong?”
“Ah, no. Nothing. So what about you two? Are you going to stay here and wait for your grandfather?”

At my question, the boy and girl looked at each other, quietly conferring. Then—

“Please let us come with you!”

The two of them bowed to me in perfect unison.

“I don’t mind, but… are you sure? Your grandfather might be out there looking for you.”
“Even if we waited here, I don’t have the strength to protect my sister. That’s why—I want to stay with you.”

…When a kid makes a plea that seriously, there's no way I can just say no.

“Alright. But given the situation, I can’t promise I’ll be able to protect you no matter what. Just keep that in mind.”

The moment I said that, they gave me bright, relieved smiles and bowed again with a heartfelt, “Thank you!”

“Alright, here’s the plan: from now on, we’re heading straight to the goal. I did a quick check, and it looks like there’s a mechanism at the labyrinth’s exit that can let people out. So we won’t be stopping to look for others. Got it?”
“…We understand.”

The siblings nodded, trying to convince themselves more than me.

It was harsh, asking kids their age to leave behind family. I got that.

But we had to prioritize the highest chance of survival—for everyone.

“Okay then…”

I held my hand over my boots, combining Design, Blacksmithing Technique, and a little Wind Magic for some minor upgrades.

“Um, what are you doing…?”
“Just trying to make the trip a little easier on us… Okay, all set. Hop on my back, you two.”
“O-Okay…”

After securing both kids on my back, I built a small defense drone for extra protection and stationed it behind me.

I turned my gaze toward the area where the stairs to the next floor should be.

“Gonna launch us forward, so don’t bite your tongue!”
“Wha—wait—!?”

With a flick, I activated the external booster I’d attached to my boots—and we blasted toward our destination in one shot.

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◇◇◇

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“Hahaha! So that’s how this works! The things the Thorn does are always so magnificent!”
“H-Hiiiee!? G-Genji-sama! Please, please stop—!”

In the highest level of the labyrinth created for the Selection Ritual, Kuon Genji stood, completely out of his mind.

He had just torn a glowing “something” from a trembling exorcist and brought it to his mouth.

The moment he consumed it, the power radiating from his body intensified dramatically.

All around him, the elite exorcists gathered for the Selection Ritual—loyal to the Kuon family—lay unconscious, collapsed across the floor.

“You’re incredible, Genji-sama. If you keep drawing power from the others like this, then one day you’ll surely stand equal to Kyori-sama—no, even to Shu Iori himself.”
“Equal isn’t good enough. I’ll surpass him. I’ll crush that bastard and become the true head of the Kuon family!”
“Yes, of course! With your strength, Genji-sama, you will! You absolutely will!”

Cheering him on with a serene, unnatural smile was the girl called Thorn.

But in her eyes—there flickered a dangerously seductive, otherworldly gleam.

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Translator’s Notes:

• 妖魔 (Youma) – Supernatural, often demonic or cursed entities. Common antagonists in Japanese fantasy.

• 久遠玄治 (Kuon Genji) – Now revealed to be consuming others’ powers, possibly via spiritual or jujutsu-based extraction, likely facilitated by “Thorn.”

• 汚染 (Corruption) – The barrier’s status being corrupted hints at an external or malevolent force meddling with what was once a secure prison.

• 操作盤 (Control Panel) – Key for escape, likely the party’s main destination now.

• Thorn (茨) – A manipulative girl whose true nature remains ambiguous. She may be aligned with a greater power.

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