(First Update) / (Second Update)

Tsukikawa Shu currently had two Class Cards, two Rare Grade weapons, three Skill Cards, and more than a dozen Fine Grade weapons and Skill Cards.

As for the Normal Gear, Tsukikawa Shu simply threw it all away or used it as upgrade material for skills and weapons, so it would not clutter his inventory.

After thinking it over, Tsukikawa Shu updated his post and listed all the items he did not need.

Whoever wanted them, envied them, or needed them could come sign a contract. With so many good things, Tsukikawa Shu was not worried about failing to reel in high-quality female characters.

Tsukikawa Shu was certain that quite a few people were still secretly watching this post without revealing themselves.

And making them show themselves and submit was simple. He only needed to throw out the things he did not need and steadily raise the stakes.

[Special Dagger (Rare)]

[Blood Jade Longsword (Rare)]

[Great Fireball Technique (Rare Skill): A fire-element skill that releases an enormous fireball, dealing massive damage and inflicting a burning effect on enemies.]

[Lion Beast Transformation Technique (Rare Skill): An enhancement skill. After use, it grants tremendous lion-like strength, greatly increases bite force and physical power, and provides a certain degree of self-healing ability.]

[Swordsman Class Card ×1]

[Mage Class Card ×1]

[Priest Class Card ×1]

After looking over these Rare Grade items, Tsukikawa Shu put them, along with a large pile of Fine Grade materials and skills, as well as Class Cards, into the post.

Tsukikawa Shu could not even be bothered to look at the Fine Grade stuff. There was too much of it, and neither he nor Goto Hitori or Hiratsuka Shizuka needed it, so he listed all of it.

He even specifically added two lines beneath the post:

"All of the above items are not for sale."

"Do you want to become stronger? Do you want my equipment? If you do, I can give it all to you. Go sign a contract! All the equipment is with Tsukikawa Shu!"

Finally, Tsukikawa Shu updated his handsome photo as well—a selfie of himself standing before the dungeon's stone gate.

"Hehehe."

Goto Hitori had gotten a new weapon, and it was a guitar she was familiar with. She could not put it down, constantly plucking its strings with a particularly distinctive silly laugh.

Aside from serving as a weapon, it was also a very fine guitar, more than good enough for ordinary performances.

She usually liked being alone, and now she casually found a broken set of steps to sit on and began playing the guitar.

Hiratsuka Shizuka also equipped her newly acquired weapon. She clenched her fist, threw a few punches into the air, and after getting a feel for it, she seemed somewhat hesitant.

"You're really giving this directly to me?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka asked, "We already have usable weapons. You could use this equipment to attract more people into signing contracts with you."

"Teacher Hiratsuka, wouldn't you get jealous?" Tsukikawa Shu asked instead.

"..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka twirled a lock of hair by her temple, thought for a moment, then sighed with one hand on her hip.

"I think you're stating the obvious," Hiratsuka Shizuka said. "What woman wouldn't get jealous?"

"It's just that... I wasn't the first person to have you, and I have no right to demand anything from you."

"You could use these things as bargaining chips. In this Inner World, you could gain more initiative and room to negotiate."

Hiratsuka Shizuka had her own little thoughts. She was a woman, and ordinarily, she naturally wanted her lover to spend more time with her.

But she was also a teacher, and a rational adult.

In the current situation, she could not selfishly indulge her own girlish feelings. Tsukikawa Shu had to maintain an overwhelming advantage over everyone else.

That was precisely why he needed to find the next contract partner as soon as possible. The sooner, the better; the more, the better. Only then could he ensure he maintained his advantage.

After hearing Hiratsuka Shizuka's reasons and concerns, Tsukikawa Shu smiled and took her hand.

"Teacher Hiratsuka, while that would indeed secure more advantages, I won't do it."

Tsukikawa Shu said seriously,

"I won't waste resources on outsiders. I'll only let my own people use the best resources first."

"As for outsiders, if the remaining items can attract them, then they can attract them. If they cannot, I won't actively PUA them."

"You're still as blunt as ever." Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed. "No wonder you never had a girlfriend before. What woman would like a man who refuses to even flatter her?"

"I don't need to flatter anyone." Tsukikawa Shu squeezed Hiratsuka Shizuka's hand. "And now, I don't care for others flattering me either, much less need to flatter anyone else."

"Yes, yes." Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke helplessly.

"By the way, Teacher." Tsukikawa Shu suddenly looked into Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyes.

"Hmm? What are you trying to do?" Hiratsuka Shizuka blinked and met Tsukikawa Shu's gaze.

Then, she had a rather bad feeling...

There will be a massive release at midnight tonight, with a chapter posted every two minutes. Guaranteed minimum of five chapters; however much I write today is how much I'll post.

Also, please send some votes!

An extra chapter for every 1,000 recommendation votes, every 100 monthly votes, every 5,000 Cat Coins donated, or every 50 blades!

First Update

"I gave you such nice gifts. Shouldn't you show some appreciation tonight?" Tsukikawa Shu revealed a meaningful smile.

"..."

Remembering how Tsukikawa Shu had tormented her last night, Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a little afraid.

After thinking it over, she glanced at Goto Hitori, who was still on the other side hugging her guitar as if she could not bear to let it go.

"Call your girlfriend over," Hiratsuka Shizuka said.

"Teacher Hiratsuka is my girlfriend too," Tsukikawa Shu said.

"Whatever. Just don't go too far."

Remembering how the two young people had made so much noise on the first night that she could not sleep, Hiratsuka Shizuka warned, "At least leave some time for sleep."

"Okay."

Tsukikawa Shu still wore that mischievous grin. Then he called out to Goto Hitori on the other side:

"Bocchi-chan—"

"Ah... I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Goto Hitori snapped out of her blissful trance, hurriedly hugged her guitar, and ran back.

"What is it?" Goto Hitori blinked, still unaware of what she was about to face.

"Teacher Hiratsuka intends to have you share some of the work." Tsukikawa Shu smiled with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, no problem." Goto Hitori froze for a moment, then agreed.

She often helped teachers with work at school, so she did not realize that the atmosphere was somewhat strange.

"Then good. The three of us will sleep together tonight."

Tsukikawa Shu spoke as he held Hiratsuka Shizuka's hand with one hand while casually wrapping his other arm around Goto Hitori from behind.

The three of them pressed close together.

"Eeeh?"

Goto Hitori froze.

Three days had already passed, and the cries of despair that had previously filled the chatroom had basically disappeared.

The reason so many people had wailed and cried in the chatroom before was purely because there were too many newcomers, along with quite a few naive fools.

People who had lived through peaceful times had no understanding of this Inner World's cruelty. There were even many innocent students who had never entered society, believing that someone would truly come rescue them if they cried out in the chatroom a few times or promised generous wealth and power.

Little did they know that everyone was struggling to look after themselves.

Those people who had cried out in the chatroom before had either died in despair because their injuries were too severe and they could not receive help, or they had been too active and caught the attention of Player Hunters who treated newcomers as Experience Packs, dying immediately.

The people who could still survive now were all smart. Those who were not had already been beaten smart by reality.

Naturally, the chatroom had become much quieter. The only messages were people cautiously seeking teams or posting trade information, while not daring to reveal too much.

But the forum had become lively again.

"Go check the forum! That guy Widely Recruiting Virtuous Wives actually updated his post!"

"Shit! Where did this guy get so much good equipment?"

"So much equipment, so much good equipment... are dungeon drops really that good?!"

"These are items he put up for that Widely Recruiting Virtuous Wives thing. The weapons and equipment he uses must be even better. Wuwu, I'm so jealous!"

"No way... he already listed two Rare Grade weapons. Could it be that he's already using Epic Grade stuff himself?"

All sorts of comments were increasing beneath the forum post.

"My god, so many Fine Grade weapons, and Rare Grade weapons too! Did this bastard rob a weapon shop?"

"This beast transformation Skill Card is seriously amazing... With that self-healing ability, would I still have to cower in a room and go hungry? I'd go straight out and fight those monsters!"

"Class Cards, Class Cards... You have no idea how miserable I've been without a Class Card. I have skills but can't even use them!"

"Fine Grade weapons! Fine Grade weapons! I want Fine Grade weapons! Aaaah! Big boss, you have so many weapons, please give me one!"

Besides the people who were envious, jealous, and resentful, some began asking about the main point of the post.

"By the way... has any beautiful woman caught Tsukikawa Shu's eye? Please let me ride your coattails..."

"Yeah, anyone who gets selected should stop hiding and just say it openly. I have enough money to make a deal with you."

"Sigh, I tried messaging him privately too, but he didn't accept..."

The chat channel was bustling as everyone saw the information Tsukikawa Shu had updated.

Meanwhile, in the city center,

the people from Shiritsu Shuchuin Academy were still staying where they were. They were also browsing the system chatroom and had seen the newly updated post.

They counted as one of the luckier groups, at least because they had not been targeted or found by Player Hunters.

Although this Tsukikawa Shu was a despicable bastard and was doing something called "Widely Recruiting Virtuous Wives," which sounded bad at first glance, they had to admit that he really was capable.

Especially that selfie of him standing before the dungeon's stone gate. It proved that he had indeed opened a dungeon and cleared it easily.

Yet one thing had not changed: a sense of loss had shrouded everyone from beginning to end, slowly turning into despair.

(First Update!)

Second Update

They had been in this Inner World for three days. They had only gone out once at the beginning to gather food, and during that trip, a male student had been attacked by a venomous spider and collapsed.

A group of students who had never experienced hardship frantically gave him some crude bandaging, but it was useless. That male student became their first casualty.

His body was still lying in the corner, and no one dared approach it.