Would you like to loot the body of the Red Ogre ?

[Yes] [No]

Hitting yes, I placed my hands over my head and stretched my body, groaning in satisfaction at hearing a little pop. Turns out, fighting monsters and having an emotional breakdown left you feeling all stiff.

Who knew?

But what I need now more than anything is a nice hot shower. Not to wash my hair like Ichigo, but to get the overwhelming amount of blood off of my person. Seriously, I looked like I came straight out of a slasher flick.

After several seconds of watching that damn buffering icon, I finally heard the ding signifying my successful recycling of the corpse. Perfect. Now let's see what we got.

Red Orb

Held by the Red Ogre, this mystical gem is half of the keys needed to release the lock to the Tower of the Ogre Princess. The other, the Blue Orb, is held by the Blue Ogre.

Yeah, that one was a gimme. But it was nice to see me move ever closer to my goal of saving Hiyori and lording it over her for the rest of my life. I couldn't wait.

You know, it's kind of rude to plot against your future wife like that.

"My future what?," I asked, momentarily distracted from seeing the spoils of war I was rightly owed.

Wife. You know, as in spouse? Till death do you part? Ringing any bells?

I rolled my eyes at the sass. "I know what a wife is, thank you very much. But what in the hell do you mean by Hiyori being my future wife?"

Oh come on. It's pretty obvious you have a thing for her. I saw the way you groped that little chest of hers.

I wasn't sure what to say to that. I couldn't formulate a counter, as I indeed enjoyed the act of gropage I performed while inside of her. "So what? I'm a guy. Of course I enjoyed the feeling of boob. Besides, after her trying to bifurcate me with a chainsaw, I don't see much happening between us, no matter what your scheme may be."

Oh come on. I know your Intelligence Stat isn't very high, but I'm sure even you've put two and two together.

"I have no idea what you mean…" I denied, though I had a sneaking suspicion she didn't buy it. Hell, I could practically feel her roll her eyes at me.

The effect the Red Ogre had on you isn't limited to inside the Dungeon. It also affected Hiyori, and made her even more violent than usual. Calling yourself her boy toy wouldn't normally make her made rough to go for the chainsaw. Render you unconscious, sure, but not kill you.

I sighed as I placed the Red Orb into my Inventory. Yeah, that math checks out. It's a suspicion I had since she told me about the Area of Effect in this place. Took a bit of the wind out of my sails, not gonna lie. But still, I can't get the image of her sadistic grin, with my face at the time, out of my head.

But at the same time, that moment of clarity she showed when I switched my title to Silver Tongued wouldn't leave either. She sounded confused, and dare I say it, scared. Knowing that, and a feeling in my gut, told me to not hold it against her.

But I was still mad damn it! That was some scary ass shit! A lesser man would have crapped their pants. But I, as the supreme specimen of men everywhere, was able to hold it in.

I only peed a little.

"Fine, even if that is the case, who said anything about marriage? Just because I have a huge heart and am willing to let bygones be bygones, doesn't mean I'm ringing wedding bells any time soon."

Oh come on, there's no need to be shy. I'm sure she'll look wonderful in a wedding dress. Or you will, if you don't get your bodies back.

"Ha ha, very funny. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to see what else I got from this thing."

Fine, spoilsport. But this discussion isn't over mister.

Finally… I'm glad we're in a better spot and all, but she sure is determined to make me some other woman's problem. Or women, if her threat of a harem is to be believed. But that's a future problem for a future me. Now, let's see what else this big guy was carrying.

Girdle of the Great Giant (Uncommon)

A belt worn by a mighty giant. Grants the user a portion of his mighty strength.

-Increase Strength by 20 when worn.

Upgradeable

Ok, pretty basic, but still, very useful. My Stats already spec me as a brute, so adding to my Strength is only a good thing. The belt itself was red, with a snarling golden demon head for a buckle.

There's also the fact that I may or may not enjoy physically dominating my opponents. Being part Ninja is cool and all, but nothing beats just straight up overpowering your foes.

Ring of Resistance (Uncommon)

A ring forged in the heart of a volcano. The firestone ruby placed in its mold increases the wearer's resistance to fire and heat.

-Increase fire resistance by 25%

Upgradeable

You know, I'm starting to see a theme here. Everything he has is red and gold. He must have been a pretty big fan of Ironman then. That being said, while the item is useful, it's also something I could have used earlier. But oh well, beggars can't be choosers.

Crystal of Power (Rare)

Condensed energy crystalized and given form. Used to increase one's Stats.

-Increase Vitality by 5 points

Oh, now that's what I'm talking about! Nothing like getting some Stat points for free. The crystal itself was yellow, and appeared rough around the edges. Well, no time like the present, let's use this bad boy.

Taking the crystal out of the Inventory, I grinned as I activated it.

Would you like to use Crystal of Power?

[Yes] [No]

Hitting yes, I watched as my Vitality rose by 5, bringing it up to 37. It was far from making me invincible, but I'll take what I can get.

After that, the only thing left was the money, a whopping 1,500 Yen. Way more than any enemy has dropped before. Normally it's 10 times their Level, but this is 100 times their Level. Is it because it was a boss?

Not quite. It's more or less for clearing this part of the Dungeon. A little boost to say, "Good job."

"Well, alright. I'll take it," I said. But with that, it was time to move on. There really wasn't anything left for me to do on this side of the isle, so to speak. I watched as the Red Ogre disappeared as I finished looting its body. My eye twitched at the fact that I was still covered in blood, as was everything else that wasn't the ogre itself.

I really needed that shower. Letting out a yawn, I suddenly realized how exhausted I was. Which made sense, all things considered. It was the middle of the night and I've been running around since this morning.

Man, it was hard to believe my sparring match against Tatsuki was around 8 hours ago, give or take. Then there was dinner with Karin, which was quite literally the death of me, and then running into Hiyori, getting chased by her and somehow getting roped into traversing her Inner World and saving her from her Hollow.

It's sure been a busy day. No wonder I'm so beat. Not to mention how low my Stamina and Reiryoku is. Especially the latter. Casting 2 True Double's really took it out of me, but it was worth it.

But I don't think I can continue on like this. Even after the nap I got in earlier, it wasn't the most restful sleep, considering I was in a damn barrel. I mean, Samantha is great and all, but the inside of her isn't exactly what I'd call comfortable.

Well, with all the enemies dead, I should be safe enough to sleep somewhere. I know I ran all around this place and inspected basically every house I could, but I don't remember if any of them were particularly inviting.

Just head to the destination on the Map. It should have everything you need.

Perking up at the sound of her voice, I checked the Map and what do you know, there was a yellow marker pulsating from a house. Luckily, it didn't seem too far, just a few minutes of walking and I should be there.

"Thanks a bunch Sarah," I said with another yawn. With a destination in mind, I began making my way towards it. It took a bit longer than I thought, mostly because the Map doesn't show elevation, but I arrived at a fairly swanky apartment on the second floor of a complex.

The interior was still a bit dated, but there was a couch, a table, a bedroom, and most important of all, a shower! And a fairly modern one to boot. Nice, for a second I was worried I'd need to start a fire or something to get some water going.

Alright, first I'll shower, then I'll eat, and finally, zonk out for several hours. Plan set, I immediately began to strip, shoving my filthy clothes into my Inventory. I wasn't exactly looking forward to putting them back on either, but the pants and the shoes were the best armor I have.

Because as bloody as they were, I was not putting on an ogre's soiled loincloth. I guess I could run around in the Shadow Ogre's Loincloth, but that just made me feel like a pervert. It barely covered anything. And for all I know, Hiyori's Hollow could be watching me at this very moment…

Hang on, speaking of people watching me. "Hey, Sarah…?" I asked, covering my chest with my arms.

Yeah, what is it?

"So, you're some kind of angel administrator person right? How does that work exactly?"

What do you mean?

"I mean, are you like, in a room somewhere, looking at me through a screen or something?"

"Don't be silly. I'm not looking through a screen, I am the screen.

"Wait, what?" I asked, genuinely confused, dropping my arms to the side. "What do you mean you're the screen?"

Angels are what you might call a spiritual lifeform. We have no true physical form. So when I was forced into this job, they just changed my form. It's why a lot of angels don't like getting saddled with a Gamer. Why do you ask?

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Oh, no reason. Just curious is all," I said, maybe a little too quickly. A few seconds of silence ticked by, feeling like an eternity.

Is that why you covered your chest? Because you thought I was watching you through a screen? What would that even do?

"Well I'm not covering up my son. We were just reunited recently. And I was just trying to make a joke, but then you surprised me," I said, turning the shower on. But as I waited for it to heat up, another thought crossed my mind.

"Hang on, if you're the screen, doesn't that mean I'm technically touching you whenever I click something?"

Pretty much yeah. I wasn't going to mention it, but now that you brought it up, could you be a bit more gentle with me? I am a lady you know.

My mind went blank at that. So then, what exactly was I touching whenever I did something to a screen? Was this a Hiyori situation? Was I groping Sarah without even realizing it?

*Snicker*

Hearing her laugh snapped me out of the path my mind was wandering down. "And just what is so funny?" I asked.

Your face. You were just thinking you've been copping a feel this whole time, weren't you? Admit it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I denied, which only further increased the giggling. It was still creepy as hell, not gonna lie.

Listen, I'm currently a screen. I have no lady parts for you to fondle at the moment. Sorry to disappoint. When you do touch me, it's more like the feeling you get when someone is tapping you on the head while you're wearing a hard hat. Just, all over.

"That's a relief, I guess. Still a bit weird though," I mumbled as I stepped into the warm shower. I sighed in relief as the hot water battered my weary frame, loosening my tight muscles. Man it felt good.

I stood there, simply enjoying the feeling for several minutes, before finally looking for some soap or something. Finding a bar that smelled like vanilla and coconut, I began to lather myself up.

"So, what does an administrator do exactly? You mentioned something about preventing people going mad," I asked, washing underneath my arm.

That only happened five times. But to put it simply, my job is to ensure the generation of Quests, Dungeons and such, is done so properly. You know, make sure things are relatively balanced. I mostly report bugs and make patch suggestions.

"Huh, I see," I murmured, continuing to wash my body. After rinsing the suds off I repeated the process, wanting to get as much blood and grime off as I possibly could.

But then a thought occurred to me, "Wait, does that mean you know everything that's in these Dungeons? Or about what's happening outside?"

Not really. Like I said, I mainly report bugs and glitches. I have an idea of what I'm supposed to see and how things are supposed to progress, but that's about it. We used to have more control, but that didn't turn out so well… Had to start a few universe's over.

"Right…" I drawled out. Not sure I want to know what happened that would cause a universal restart. Some things are best left to the imagination.

"Another question. When you said I was entertainment for a higher power, was that all bullshit as well?" I asked after several minutes of silence.

…

I waited several seconds for an answer, but when none came, I grew a bit concerned. "Uh, Sarah? You there?"

Huh? What? You say something?

I paused in my washing, taking note of the tone in her voice. "Everything ok? You sound rather… distracted."

Hmm? Oh, yes I'm fine, no distractions here. Anyway, you were saying?

Alright, now I was suspicious. She answered that way too fast. But what could she be so engrossed in that would render her unable to respond. Looking down at the soap in my hands, I came to a realization.

I was naked. Not the greatest epiphany in the world, considering I was bathing, but it did make me recollect something. A conversation we just had. I asked her if she was watching me through the screen from a room somewhere, and she said she was the screen.

But she never actually denied watching me. I crossed my hands over my chest again.

"You pervert."

Wha!? How dare you! I'm merely observing you to ensure I can make an accurate report if needed. And why are you covering your chest again? It does nothing!

"Uh huh, and what exactly do you intend to report? Length x width?" I asked sarcastically. I didn't really mind if some angel chick was watching me bathe, but this was too great an opportunity to pass up.

I… You… Shut up!

I snickered as she went all silent on me. There was a righteous indignation there, or maybe it was self righteous. Either way, it was funny. I made sure to bathe in a more suggestive manner from then on.

After staying in the shower till the hot water ran out, I left the bathroom with a cloud of steam billowing into the hallway. "Ah man, that felt great," I said with a satisfied smile. Nothing like a nice hot shower after a hard day of work.

"Alright, now let's see what they have to eat around here," I muttered, walking towards the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and saw there was enough to make a bologna and cheese sandwich. A few actually.

And… sparkling apple cider? Really? I was expecting booze or something, not fizzy apple juice. Well whatever, as long as it tastes good, I'll be happy.

So that's what I did. It wasn't the healthiest meal, but it would be satisfying enough. There was some bread on the counter, and I quickly found the knives. Taking a butter knife, I spread some mayo over both halves of the bread slices, before sticking a piece of bologna on top. Then I did the same with the cheese, and repeated the process until I had two stacks of each. I then covered the top with the second slice of bread and viola, a nice cheap meal.

"Alright, one down, one more to go. Hey Sarah, you aren't still mad at me, are you?" I asked, starting to make my second sandwich.

Hmph!

I rolled my eyes as I spread the mayo. "Oh come on, I was just messing with you. You're the one who was so gobsmacked you couldn't answer my questions."

…

I sighed at the continued silence. See, this is why I don't want to deal with a harem. One woman is hard enough to understand, let alone a whole gaggle of them. "Ok, look, I'm sorry alright. Now can we have a conversation please? Food is best enjoyed with company."

You know, I might have believed you if you weren't STILL NAKED!

"Ah fuck, my ears! There's no need to shout. Besides, it's not like I have much to change into right now. And there was no towel! I'm not going to put on clothes while soaking wet."

*Sigh*

Whatever. What did you want to talk about?

"See, that's better," I said, finishing up my second sandwich. I took my meal and drink over to the couch, placing it on the table in front of it. I grabbed the first sandwich and, with a wide grin, took a bite.

"Mmm, not not bad. The cheddar could be a bit sharper. Anyway, back to my question form earlier. Am I really entertainment for a higher power?"

Ugh, don't talk with your mouth full… But to answer your question, yes. Gods have always enjoyed watching heroes attempt to triumph over impossible odds. It may not be as malicious as I implied, but you are, in fact, a form of entertainment.

"Hmm, that right…" I mumbled, swallowing my food and taking a drink of the apple cider. After swallowing it and releasing a burp, I asked my next question.

"Ok, but why send me here? I mean, couldn't they just watch Ichigo overcome the odds. That's what happens normally, right?"

You are such a boy… Anyway, under normal circumstances you would be correct, but gods are immortal, and grow bored easily. Why would they bother watching the same show over and over again when they can just introduce a new variable and see what happens?

"So it's kind of like watching a reaction video. Or reading a fanfiction. I guess I get that. But why me? I know I went out like a boss, but that can't be the only criteria. I don't think I'm particularly heroic. I was kind of an asshole for a while," I questioned.

And that was putting it mildly. I would pick fights just to numb the pain, even if it was only for a little bit. I didn't even care who I was fighting, as long as it kept the memories at bay.

You're too hard on yourself, you know. They would have died if you didn't step in, so don't beat yourself up over every little misdeed you've done. Use it as fuel to do better.

"I guess…"

But to answer your question, you were selected, from what I understand, because you have a caring heart, even if you don't like to show it. I mean, you willingly poisoned yourself just so a little girl wouldn't cry. Tatsuki was right, you really are a big softy.

I ate the rest of my meal in silence, even though I said I wanted the conversation. Was she right? Did I deserve to be here? One act of bravery at the end doesn't just erase the bad I've done.

But maybe Sarah was right and I should use the guilt I feel to fuel myself and do some actual good. And not just to complete a Quest, but because I want to. Yeah, that doesn't sound half bad.

Gotta make sure I don't turn into some sort of goody two shoes though. Just because I want to better myself, doesn't mean I'm going to get all preachy about it. You know, those heroes of justice types.

If I can make the world a better place and slake my thirst to punch douchebags and assholes in the face, why shouldn't I? Sounds like a win-win to me.

"Hey, Sarah?"

Yeah?

"Thanks."

Anytime.

I sat up straight on the couch and stretched once again, feeling my body demand sleep more than ever. "Alright, now that I'm all nice and dry and my belly is good and full, I think it's time to hit the hay," I said, standing up. I then made my way towards the bedroom.

But I didn't get into any nasty old ogre's bed. No siree. I opened up my Inventory and brought out my bed. It feels like forever since I've seen it, and it's never looked more inviting.

Locking the door behind me, just in case, I proceeded to close the blinds as best as I could to block out the damn sun. Thankfully the rooms were air conditioned, or I'm not sure I could have slept even if I wanted to. The Red Ogre's District was hot as hell. After that, I promptly climbed into my soft and comfy bed, sighing in contentment.

Oh yeah, that's the good stuff.

"Good night Sarah," I mumbled as I felt myself drift off into wonderland. Maybe I'll get to meet Alice?

Goodnight Ushio. Pleasant dreams.

With that, I fell asleep. I may not have gotten to meet Alice, but I did dream of Hiyori and Tatsuki in wonderland. For some reason, they were both Succubi. Wonder why…

Elsewhere in the Dungeon…

A young looking girl with blonde hair and freckles was chained to a wall, her feet dangling in the air. Both her arms were placed above her head, her wrists shackled tightly.

Her face was bruised and swollen, and dried blood coated part of it. Sweat covered her body and her clothes were torn in several places. All in all, she looked like hell.

The girl tried to adjust herself to ease the strain she felt on her shoulders, but it did little to abate the pain. She would have no choice but to endure.

She tried to remember just how she ended up here. She remembers that giant of a baldy calling himself her… her… boy toy! Right to that blabbermouth Mashiro! She intended to punch him in his big fat mouth, but he took off running like a coward.

She gave chase, but lost him amongst the maze-like structure of the warehouse district. That just made her angrier, and everything gained a tint of red. But he couldn't escape her for long, and she eventually cornered him in a building, but then he…

Threw a rock at her balls! That was something she never thought she would say. And she'd like it if she never said it again! The red tint to her vision turned crimson, and she blacked out a bit.

Or completely.

She came to, briefly, but her Hollow somehow gained control of her Inner World completely. And she hasn't even seen Kabukiri Orochi, who was supposed to be suppressing it.

When she blacked out the second time, she found herself here in this room, chained to the wall, where her Hollow took sick pleasure in tormenting her. At least she was in her own body again, but something was off about the whole situation, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Her ears perked up as she heard the door open and footsteps began to approach. Speak of the devil… She turned her head to glare at the approaching figure, who only smiled in return.

"Now what's that look for? And after I came all this way to keep you company. You should be thankful," stated the figure. Rather than reduce the anger of the girl, it only increased it, her glare becoming even more hateful.

"Who the hell would want your company? Now untie me!" she screamed. But the other figure did no such thing, not that the imprisoned girl expected her too. If anything, she merely sighed in disappointment.

"You really are so cold to me. And to think…" she stated, walking up to the trapped girl and rubbing her cheek affectionately. "We share the same face. It's almost like we're sisters."

It wasn't just the face that was the same, it was the clothes too. They wore the exact same thing, only the colors were inverted. Her shirt was red rather than white, and her jumpsuit was white instead of red. The only real difference between them was the fact that the other girl's hair was white, not blonde, and her eyes were a bright yellow surrounded by a black sclera.

Which made sense, considering this was the captured girl's Hollow. A twisted version of herself.

Her hand then went from her face and slowly started to move down her body. "In fact, we share many things, don't we Hiyori? We're almost identical in every way…"

"Don't touch me!" the chained girl shouted, as the Hollow's small hand trailed over her breast. This made her captor frown for the first time, and a loud slap rang out in the room. Hiyori's face was facing to the right now, her cheek red and stinging.

"Now see what you've made me do?" stated the unchained girl, anger lacing her tone. But her captive only glared at her, spitting a wad of blood at her feet.

With a sigh, the Hollow took a step back, staring right into Hiyori's own. "You know, you're very difficult to put up with. No wonder you're still single," mocked the Hollow. Hyiori growled at her, a hint of red tinting her cheeks that had nothing to do with the slap from earlier.

"S-shut up! Who the hell cares about that anyway!? If you have nothing better to say than go away already!" Hiyori shouted. But her angry bluster only seemed to amuse her captor.

"Aw, did I embarrass you? Should I remind you about how much you liked seeing that hunk form earlier grope your chest with such zeal? It was like he was entranced by them," the Hollow stated, puffing her chest out and fondling herself.

Hiyori glared at her with an even bigger blush. "If that's what you saw then you need to get your eyes checked. No way I liked seeing that dumbass baldy grope me!"

Her hollow giggled in response, "My, how cruel you are. And after he came all this way to save you. Not very grateful are you?"

That caught Hiyori's attention, as her eyes went from pissed to bewildered in about 2 seconds flat. "Huh, what the hell are you talking about?"

The Hollow's smile turned predatory at the question, "Oh, didn't you know? That Ushio guy is here, and he's even defeated one of the guardians. Too bad he won't be able to beat the other one. Such a shame to have to kill a man of his… caliber, but oh well."

Hiyori kept up her glare at the Hollow, though now it was tinged with worry. Sure the guy was an idiot who fondled strangers, but he didn't deserve to be her Hollow's play thing. A deck to the schnoz would more than suffice.

Or maybe a couple.

And how did he get in her Inner World? He didn't even know how to get out of her body, no way he did it on his own. He had to have had help, and there's only one person she could think of who possessed the capability of doing so.

"Kisuke…" she growled out. If she got out of this alive, she would kill him. How dare he let some stranger enter her mind without her permission.

"But just in case, I think I'll prepare something special, in the off chance he makes it this far," said the Hollow with a smirk. Hiyori watched as she pulled something out of her pocket roughly the size of an egg.

"What the hell is that?" she asked, worriedly. Whatever scheme her Hollow came up with did not bode well for her.

"Oh there's no need to worry about that. Now, open up," the Hollow said in a sing-song voice. Hiyori's eyes widened as the other woman approached, struggling in vain to get free.

"No, get away from me!"