CHAPTER 413

Metamorphose

Arriving at the mountain entrance, which was the shortest route to the Dungeon ruins hot spring, we got out of the light van and switched drivers with Nina-san.

"Are ya sure ya don't need me to come pick ya up on the way back?"

"Yeah. From here to my house, it's pretty much all downhill."

As we were having that exchange, Serai-san chimed in lightly from behind us.

"That's right, Shiz. As long as Egetsu-san is here, she can make anything out of rock salt, so you don't need to worry."

"Oh, that's right. Well then, Coach, I'll be borrowin' the car."

"Sure, you two siblings enjoy some time to yourselves as well."

"Thanks."

After seeing off the light van, now driven by Nina-san and carrying Masa-kun and Yuki-kun, the four of us also began preparing to enter the mountains.

"Wow, what a wonderful view. Huh? But I don't see anything like a hiking trail nearby, do I?"

Yuzuki-chan, dressed in her pants-style mountain girl fashion, seemed delighted by the scenery but also suspicious about the lack of a path.

"Oka~y, I'll explain then. From here on out, we'll be entering the mountains using [Three-Dimensional Maneuver Art]."

""Eh, [Three-Dimensional Maneuver Art]...??""

"Fufu, that's right. Like ninjas, zipping through the trees. But Egetsu-san and I will carry you on our backs, so you two just need to hold on tight."

"Huh, is that so. In that case, we won't have to march through the mountains, huh."

Shark, dressed as usual in military fashion and dutifully wearing her military boots even in the heat, had two canteens attached to her gun belt, perhaps anticipating a mountain march.

Yes. The reason I'm explaining this now, after we've come to the mountains, is because we were avoiding any talk related to dungeons in front of Nina-san's twin brothers, Masa-kun and Yuki-kun. Nina-san hasn't yet revealed to them that she is a dungeon ability user, so we were careful not to accidentally let something slip.

Ruuha also seemed to be paying attention to such things and looking after the brothers, so for now, we've managed to cover it up smoothly. That said, the longer we spend time together, some parts will probably start to feel unnatural, so it's probably only a matter of time before they find out.

"So, we're going to change into our battle suits now, so you two wait here for a bit, okay?"

Saying that, Serai-san went into the shade of the trees, so I went even further in and kept watch on our surroundings. We'd already finished combing this mountain area, so it should be safe, but it's still better not to create an opening where both of us are changing at the same time.

"Thank you, Egetsu-san, I'm finished changing now."

"Oh, is that so. Then I'll change as well."

In about two minutes, just as Serai-san, now in her Fly Queen Suit, returned to Shark and the others, I also emerged from the difficult-to-walk slope and joined them.

"Huh? What's up, only Manchi changed?"

When I returned to where the two were waiting, Shark complained about me not having changed yet.

"This is also for safety's sake. Until just recently, mountain goblins were prowling around this area too."

"Heeeh~. Well, I heard you guys exterminated them, though."

"And it won't take long, so don't worry about it. Ah, Hinata-kun. I'm going to change here, so could you look away and maybe enjoy the scenery? Shark, you don't look either, okay?"

"Ah, YES!"

"W-who would peek at a guy changing clothes?!"

Says you, you're the one who tackled me once when I was taking my pants off. Well, that time you were just panicking because you were startled by Serai-san's prank, so it's fine.

"Still, why come back here to change? You could just change in the shade of the trees..."

"My changing is fast, but on the other hand, I need a slightly open space..."

Responding to Shark, who was grumbling while looking away, I lined up the parts of the Insect King Suit I'd taken from my luggage on the ground.

"Alright, preparations are OK. Now, Chakra On...! Mmmnn, Aura Transformation!!"

[(Fwooon...) Kyubaaah!]

Releasing my chakra, high-speed circulation of energy. Generating aura power and levitating with psychokinesis, I also activate the skill [Slime], and multiple strands of slime extend from my body, absorbing the parts and assembling them onto my body...

[Shubii...! Gyupamunn! Pago, pago, Batstsunn!]

And finally, the Insect King Mask covers my head completely, I channel magical power throughout the entire suit, making it fit my body perfectly.

[Fukyun! Fukyukyun!]

"(Biko~on!) Fushurururu~!"

figcaptionattachment__caption""(Transformation complete... My time was 7.62 seconds. Hmm, not bad.)

"Eh, ah, what was that just now...!?"

"W-what did you just do...!?"

Having finished equipping the Insect King Suit via [Aura Transformation], I was met with an instant double retort from Shark and Yuzuki-chan, who were staring at me with their mouths wide open.

Eeeek! I told you not to look~!