Challenger Interview

When I woke up that morning, a peerlessly beautiful girl with light-blue hair and large breasts was sleeping beside me, and my half-asleep head was momentarily confused, unable to recall who she was.

Even without knowing who, whoever it was was fine. Erotic, cute, I like her… was as far as my thoughts got before I remembered she was Lyuka, grown into adult form by Yuria's tonic.

As I shifted around, Lyuka seemed to wake up too. Those beautiful, large eyes hazily looked over at me.

… Just looking at her face, she was almost the same as when she'd been twelve. What an incredible loli with huge breasts…

"… G-good morning… Lyuka."

"Yes, good morning."

With that, Lyuka groped for the glasses by her pillow, went to put them on… and then remembered that even without them her eyes were already in focus, smiling wryly.

So cute… I couldn't help pinning Lyuka down and giving her a kiss. Without glasses, maybe kissing came easier.

Or at least, that was what I thought. Getting to taste soft breasts and sweet lips first thing in the morning made me very happy.

"Today's finally the real thing, isn't it?"

"… Yeah."

"Then… I'll change back."

Lyuka took four youthening tonic pills and returned to her original loli form.

In her adult form none of her Spirit Garbs would fit, so we'd decided she'd stay in her original form for combat.

… This form was cute, really very cute, but…

The fact that big-breasted adult Lyuka had been lost from this world, just for now, made me a tiny bit sad.

"What are you thinking about?"

"No, it's nothing… Come on, let's go."

Up until the end of the month, we'd headed out on monster hunts as many times as possible, somehow squeezing in the bare minimum of leveling.

… So just barely scraping up to LV40 was a relief.

Every 10 levels HP went up by 10, giving us an edge.

In truth, hitting LV50 jumped HP up by 50 all at once, which was even more of an edge, but still.

Maybe everyone understood the importance of the upcoming battle, because they'd picked up new techniques well too. They'd been strengthened considerably, I thought.

We'd also drilled mock battles repeatedly, getting their newly learned techniques up to a level they could use proficiently.

… As for what kinds of techniques they'd learned, I wanted to save that for the real match.

The opponent was finally B-Class. A truly strong Master who'd seized noble status by force.

I had no choice but to face them as fully prepared as I could be.

The month turned over and at last it was time. We headed for the venue of the B-Class swap match.

Pasha, pashapasha.

… All of a sudden, photos were being taken.

These weren't the small digital cameras you'd see in modern Japan, but old-fashioned big cameras you'd rarely come across these days.

Whether they used film, or whether the insides were actually high-tech magic-imprint systems, I couldn't tell.

"Helloooo, nice to meet youuu, C-Class rank-1 Master, Naoto Akai-senshu! I'm Patty from the Garumon Battle Weeklyyy.

"Please tell us about your enthusiasm for the swap matchhh!"

A girl came running up to me with footsteps that went tayun, tayun, as if she were carrying two buckets full of water.

"…!"

For a moment, my eyes were captured.

… Her breasts, huge! Massive! Weren't these even bigger than Leone's? Amazing…

This was incredible…

… No, staring too long at a woman's chest was rude.

I hurriedly tore my gaze from her chest and looked at her face.

Her face was… cute again! What was with this girl? Adorable, slightly droopy blue eyes, brown hair in curling ringlets.

Horns grew from her head. What were those? Maybe her race was Oni, or something along those lines. In this world, that was possible too.

Her lips were a touch full. Perfect for paizuri, of course, but a fellatio would feel great too.

To match her tremendously enormous breasts, she was a touch chubby overall, but she wasn't fat. In short, plump and fleshy, and erotic!

Despite all those gushing pheromones, her face was babyish, looking like she was still in her teens. Well, you couldn't tell a Garumon's age from looks…

But this restless air about her made her seem awfully young. Same age as me, or maybe even younger.

With natural hair and eye colors even by Earth standards, she gave the impression of a foreign beauty who could shine as a model on Earth.

Well, her body was completely pornographic, though.

The oddly drawn-out way she spoke made her seem all the more like a foreign girl unaccustomed to Japanese.

… So she was a girl who gave off a strong sex-symbol vibe, and even normally unbothered me felt a strong, seductive aura making me want to sexually harass her, but…

Of course, I wouldn't actually do something like sexually harass her. My reason won out… Well, obviously.

"Right. We don't yet know who the opponent will be, but whoever it is, they'll be a higher-ranked B-Class Master.

"Naturally, a tough fight is expected.

"But no matter who I end up fighting, I'll definitely win… If I didn't have that mindset, I wouldn't be standing in this place."

I rattled off some such by-the-book remarks.

"Oooh…"

A buzz rose around me at the confident statement.

"Thank you very muchhh… U-um, are you Naoto Akai-senshu, the otherworld-transferred Master who's the talk of the town right nowww?"

"Whether I'm the talk or not I don't know, but I'm certainly an otherworld-transferred Master."

"Oh really! Then please please let me interview youuu. I've been thinking of putting together a feature in the news streams. About the trajectory of the otherworld-transferred Masters who've been arriving one after another since year 298. Please, please, Naoto-senshu, let us hear your storyyy."

With that, Patty bowed her head.

For a moment, the line "if it's in bed, I'll answer as much as you want" flashed through my head, but I hurriedly chased it away.

"All right. If it's combined with an interview about my B-Class promotion."

That was all I said before I detoured around her so as not to bump into her, and headed for the venue.

"… Well, that much is acceptable. If you'd been any more obvious, gawking and drooling at those big breasts, I'd have pinched your butt."

Kanan gave me that warning.

"Ahaha… scary, scary. But that media person was awfully… cute-looking… is she someone famous?"

If she was that cute, it wouldn't be strange for her to be a famous reporter or anchor, so I asked just to be sure.

"I don't know about her personally… but more than her, her mother is the famous one.

"There's a person called Pamela who was originally an S-Class Master's Garumon. She took an interest in the media industry, retired, and became an NPC.

"She's the editor-in-chief of one of the Garumon magazines, I believe."

"… Ah, now that you mention it, I might've seen that name written somewhere."

I didn't really remember.

"Pamela is famous. The resemblance is strong, so she's probably her daughter.

"She's a Gyuuki Beastkin, and her overall appearance closely resembles her mother's. Probably.

"She was an NPC's daughter, so it seems she became an NPC herself."

"Heeh…"

Well, enough of that aside. The unexpected appearance of an erotic Garumon had pulled the topic off course. From here on, it was the B-Class match. I had to pump myself up.

"Hey, gentlemennn! From this moment, this year's second B-Class swap match begins!"

Bashu! Paaan!

… This was pretty showy.

In the center was a 20-meter-square sand pit. That would serve as the battlefield. Tiered audience seats surrounded it on all sides, set up to hold… probably about a thousand spectators.

On the platform stood a bunny girl… probably an actual moon-rabbit girl.

And there was even a TV camera filming.

"… So they do TV."

"B-Class swap matches and above mostly get TV broadcasts. When B-Class challenges A-Class, media, commentators, and play-by-play announcers come flying in from out of nowhere, I hear."

Before I'd even watched TV in this world, who'd have thought I'd end up on the broadcast side first…

Well, no use getting nervous.

I just had to throw caution to the wind and go for it.

"Now then, when your name is called, please come up onto the platform. Bring only one Garumon up with you."

The NPC guide told us. Kanan it is, then, I thought, taking her hand.

"Player entry! Seeds Block rank 1, Naoto Akai-senshu!"

Gripping Kanan's hand, I went up onto the platform.

A wave of cheers, wooo. The crowd seemed to be in good attendance.

"… Quite the cheering. Was I really the right one? Wouldn't Lyuka or Yuria have been able to give the kind of explanations you like?"

"But for standing in a place like this, I figured it had to be Kanan. Did you not want to?"

"… Of course I did."

Kanan smiled and gripped my arm.

… The remaining three C-Class Masters lined up too. Come to think of it, since we were all challenging B-Class together, I could've spoken with them at least a little…

Oh well. If we all won, there'd be chances to talk. If not, no need.

"Now then, you'll each be drawing lots to determine your opponents.

"Starting with rank-1 Naoto Akai-senshu, please!"

At those words, I went up to the platform. Glancing back, the C-Class Masters were sending up prayers of, "Pull Lagas…", "Lagas, Lagas…"

Yes, on my end I had no objection to drawing him either, I thought as I drew…

A perfect bullseye.

"B-Class rank 501, Arsh Lagas! Naoto Akai-senshu's opponent is Arsh Lagas-senshu!"

"How do you see it, Matt-san?"

"Arsh Lagas-senshu has stood in 34 anti-C-Class matches up till now, and still boasts an undefeated record. As a C-Class Master, he's the one absolutely no one wants to fight. For Naoto Akai-senshu, who challenged as rank 1, what bad luck…"

They were having their say.

I see, so he was tough… my arms were itching for it.

Number 2 drew B-Class rank 512 and shouted "uoooo!" with both arms thrown up in joy. Numbers 3 and 4 looked disappointed as they drew rank 502, Idosen, and rank 503, Maizu, respectively.

"And so, the opponents have all been decided. The first match is in one hour from now.

"So, will a new B-Class Master be born this time? Or will they be bounced back by B-Class's high wall…

"The starting moment approaches!"

With that, we returned to the waiting room for now. Being in the first match, I didn't have to wait long, which was a help.

"Heh, my condolences…"

"Beating Lasheid-san by a fluke was good and all. You're gonna get plucked clean down to the hairs by Lagas…"

"Well, fellow C-Class, we'll cheer you on. Hang in there."

The other C-Class Masters called out as they passed. The rank-4 guy seemed pretty decent, so I gave him a nod.

"… Tch, you've got to be kidding me. Those guys, looking down on Naoto…!

"Every last one of them, not understanding that Naoto's going to win. Are they idiots!?"

Kanan was indignant.

"Ahaha… it's fine. Once we fight, they'll find out soon enough."

The fact that Kanan was convinced of my victory made me happy and put me in a thoroughly good mood.

At that moment…

"U-um…"

Patty from earlier poked her head in apologetically.

"I'm sorry to interrupt while you're concentratingggg… You drew an unfortunately tough opponent. Are you all rightttt?"

She asked.

"Didn't I say earlier that no matter who I drew I'd definitely win?"

I asked her back, looking surprised.

"Hau, y-you're right. I-I'm sorryyy…"

Patty was contrite.

"… Well, I understand the worry that the interview promise might fall through."

When I followed up that way…

"I-it's not thattt… It's just, I wanted to cheer you onnn. Hawawa, I'm so sorry for being presumptuousss…"

She got even more contrite.

"Cheer me on…? Aren't the media supposed to be fair and neutral?"

"? Even media will cheer on people they want to cheer on. I'll absolutely cheer for Naoto-sannn!"

Patty clenched her fist. Munyon, her chest pressed against me.

The way her sentence-endings stretched out was something I kept noticing. Well, since she was cute I'd let it go.

"Um… I see. Thank you. But…"

If that was true, I'd be happy, but…

That said, was it really okay to be relaxing my guard with a goofy grin?

A wildly sexy, gorgeous beauty had suddenly come to me out of nowhere. With a strangely high level of favorability.

Was a convenient story like this really plausible? This had to be… suspicious, didn't it?

"Ah, could it be this is a honey trap? Coming to probe my weaknesses to make Lagas win, or to throw me off…"

Oh, if I did say so myself, that was a reasonable inference.

"Whaaat!? N-n-no, that's not it! Not it! If you're suspicious, you can even tie me up! Please tie me upppp!"

Patty came pressing in close, mashing her huge breasts against me.

She really only looked flustered at being unexpectedly suspected.

… Hmm, what was the deal? If this was acting, it was movie-grade… no, a spy looking to set a honey trap could probably manage at least this much.

But… honestly, I felt guilty.

For dropping unfounded suspicions of "this is a honey trap" on a cute girl who'd come worrying about me and hurried over to cheer me on.

… No, but it was a reasonable judgment. Thinking normally, this had to be a honey trap.

Driving her out was the safer move. This match… every match leading up to Yamagata-kun had Kanan riding on it.

I couldn't take risks by getting lured in by feminine charms. No amount of caution was too much.

But…

I shifted my gaze briefly to Lyuka, Yuria, and Leone.

Whether to trust an NPC I'd just met. It was the same judgment as when I'd met Leone or Lyuka.

Suppose I hadn't met Leone or Lyuka first, and was meeting them only now… If at that time I'd refused to trust them and turned them away.

I'd never have grown close to such a wonderful Leone, such a cute Lyuka.

What could be more terrifying than that?

I'd trusted Leone because of Adelia's introduction, Lyuka because of Leone's introduction, and trusted Yuria in part because of Lyuka's introduction.

That was how I'd been blessed with such a wonderful circle of people.

If, as the standard for an isekai transferee, I'd been granted some out-of-spec cheat…

Then this luck of being blessed with wonderful encounters was that out-of-spec cheat.

No matter what else I doubted, this luck alone I must not doubt. Once I doubted it, it would vanish like foam. That was my hunch.

"Au, au, that's not it… Wh-what do I have to do for you to trust meee…?"

Seeing me fall silent, Patty was at a loss.

… I really couldn't see any malice in her.

Then, if a companion I trusted came to her defense…

"… Naoto-san. Why don't you stop teasing her around about now?

"Patty-san doesn't seem to have any particular malice. I think you feel the same way, don't you?"

Right on cue, Lyuka stepped in to mediate.

"… I see. If Lyuka says so, I'll trust her."

… Phew. I felt relieved that I didn't have to doubt Patty any further.

Aah, what a relief. If Lyuka trusted her, I could trust Patty without any problem at all.

"But if you thought so, you could've said it sooner…"

"… No, I was just frustrated that another girl with bigger breasts than me was joining us."

… Lyuka could be playful.

"Come on, Lyuka, you don't need to have a complex about your breasts anymore."

"That was then. This is now. The haves can't understand the feelings of the have-nots."

… It seemed there were various complicated feelings at play.

Now then…

Paaan!

I slapped my own cheeks.

"Sorry, Patty! I said something weird! After you came over worried about me… thank you."

I gave her a smile.

"N-no, no! That's… I-I said weird things tooo… I-I believe in your victory, Naoto-sannn!"

Patty, with a heartfelt smile, once again clenched both fists and struck a pose, mashing and pushing out her chest.

… Cute.

Yeah, never mind. If this girl was a spy, she was a spy.

I'd prepared myself fully, so if Lagas was now in a tight spot and somehow countered after the fact, I'd actually like to see that.

"U-um, I'm sorry for suddenly coming over and lingering for so long during the delicate time before your matchhh…"

Patty shrank, shun.

"Don't worry… There's still over 30 minutes until the match starts, and I'm bored. Let's chat a bit."

"…! Yes, with pleasure…!"

Patty hesitantly sat down beside me.

"… Patty. Are you that Pamela's daughter?"

Lyuka asked.

"You know Mama? Yes! Patty is that Pamela's daughterrr! I want to be a wonderful Garumon like Mama tooo!"

We chatted in a mellow atmosphere.

"But anyway, we just met, and you're already cheering for me this much. It does feel sudden.

"I haven't done anything that would raise a flag…"

It wasn't like we'd bumped into each other at a corner with bread in our mouths.

"… Th-that's not so!"

Patty insisted.

"… Today was the very first time I was able to do an interviewww…"

"… Oh, really?"

"Yes… I've interviewed about 20 Masters so far. But none of them would answer me, just saying, 'Forget that, let me touch your breasts'…"

"… Aah…"

I'd been close. Patty had an aura that made you want to say exactly that.

"When they suddenly try to grope and find out I have my breasts set to no-contact, a lot of Masters get angry… 'Showing off breasts like that and not letting people touch, don't mess with me!' they'd say… and I always end up running awayyy…

"So I don't really go on interviews much, but today there was no one else to do it… Today, too, I came resolved to run if it didn't work out."

I had to wonder how that media organization stayed afloat.

"And then, Naoto-san, you properly answered my interview, and on top of that… you said you'd cooperate with the project I'd been working onnn…"

"The project, you mean the trajectory of otherworld-transferred Masters? That's exactly what I'd been hoping for too."

I had been concerned, in my own way, about how the Reido Academy students were doing.

Up till now I'd had no spare capacity either, but once I made B-Class and the Yamagata-kun matter was settled and things stabilized, I wanted to do something about them.

If a method for returning home could be established, I might be able to send them back to our original world.

"If we can get media cooperation, that's extremely helpful.

"When the time comes, please take care of us too."

"Yesss! With pleasure!"

Patty stared at me with sparkling eyes.

"… Well, for now it's still pie in the sky. To make it real… I have to work hard from here on."

When I said that and looked ahead…

I felt some hot gaze. Bo… a stare that obviously said "I'm in love with you" was fixed on me…

Hold on, was this girl okay? Wasn't she a bit too easy to fall for someone?

"U-um, is there really nothing I can do? I-if I can be of help, I'll do anything. Please, just tell mee!"

With that, ponyun, she pressed a hand to her chest. Purun, purun, her breasts undulated and quivered.

If she said things like that, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from sexual harassment.

"… You don't have to do anything. If Patty cheers for me, that's enough."

I somehow managed to put on a cool front, but…

"Oh? How about, if you win, she'll let you fondle those breasts as much as you want? That would fire you up the most, wouldn't it?"

said Yuria.

"Yuria… that makes me no different from the other Masters…"

"I-if it's something like that, with pleasure!"

Patty was unexpectedly into it.

"… Wait, really?"

Ah, that did it. My cool-front mask peeled right off.

"With Masters I disliked it was unpleasant… but with Naoto-san…!"

Patty confessed, her eyes dampening into a toron melt.

For her favor to go this far just because I'd answered the interview properly without sexually harassing her, what was that about?

… No, but I myself was favorable enough. Mostly thanks to her breasts' charm. Men, really…

"And, for the project's sake too, if you don't win here, Naoto-san, things won't get exciiiting…!"

… Oh, so she did have her own goals in mind.

Hearing that she was acting not just on emotion but on practical interest, I actually felt relieved.

This girl wasn't just an airhead.

Well, of course. If the person you'd selected as your project's subject suddenly lost and lost everything, there'd be no excitement to speak of.

"In that case, for Patty's sake too, I have to win."

… Oh, I really was getting fired up. Somehow, the thought that I could be useful to this person raised my tension.

And once I pulled it off, I could accept the reward without holding back.

"Naoto Akai-senshu, it's time."

"All right, let's go!"

"Good luckkk."

And so, seen off by Patty… I headed for the decisive battle.