"I shall grant you a new Protection"

So if you can, please spare me the pain! Thinking this was also a same old repet.i.tion.

Ah, he’s started another one of those incomprehensible G.o.d lectures again. To be perfectly honest, even if he goes all deep and profound on me when he’s giving me a new Protection, all I care about is if it’s gonna hurt or not, so none of the talk is actually entering my head, you know?

"Put two people together, and they’re either friends and foes. With three, one vies to take a position of neutrality, or even opportune for the winning side. The situation complicates as you add more. In other words, chaos ensues"

Red, blue, yellow, green. These lights flickered in a myriad of colors— no, not quite. They were b.u.t.terflies. With black-lined wings like those of the black swallowtail, these critters flapped about each with their own color. Hundreds, thousands of these glittering b.u.t.terflies were dancing and, I see, this really is an illusory scene worthy of being called a miracle of G.o.d.

“I, I see… wai-, Buwah!?”

“Uh, Uuh, FuwaaaAAAAAAAAA—”

Contrbeat b.u.t.terfly: Using medicines, create a b.u.t.terfly that releases the opposite effect with it’s scales.

With this new curse in hand, the Worst Harem Party, with me inaugurated as its sub-leader, entered once again into the dungeon.

It need not be said that the atmosphere surrounding us was really bad. None of us showed it on our faces, but none could deny that the air was dangerously close to its boiling point.

If we could survive thanks to her orders, then I had no qualms. The only time I did speak up would be when we encountered enemies that were actually life-threatening.

“Cla.s.s Rep, let’s get Mei-chan up front”

“Give me some ice walls after my bog sets in. There’s two of those Mantes this time, so if we don’t go full power here, we might regret it”

“It’s fine, the last junction was a few hundred meters back. Even if we get Ants from behind, we can buy time with the bog and ice. If you guys can take out even one of those Mantes in that time, we’ll win easy.”

Leaving behind a bright smile, Mei-chan became a gale as she rushed off to battle up ahead.

All of these changes were things I suggested before heading out. Cla.s.s Rep asked a few questions about my rationale, but otherwise accepted right away after I answered.

“Rotten Bog— and done. Alright Cla.s.s Rep, Kenzaki-san and Natsukawsan will take on one of the Mantes, you and Soumsan provide spell support with all you got. Me and Mei-chan will stop the other one”

“We can slow it down. In that time, you guys have to beat yours quick!”

“Got’cha!”

“That’s how it is, so Kenzaki-san, don’t be late okay?”

Facing the Mantes, Mei-chan who was shoehorned into the vanguard, spoke to Kenzaki with a smile. To which the latter replied with a shakey voice. Yup, we definitely can’t put her and Mei-chan together any time soon.

“— Guys, they’re here!!”

Now, all that’s left was the fight itself. With our current collective strength, we should be able to take on 2 Mantes at the same time. It’s a good chance, I’ll test our my new curse magic here too.

“ Eis Sagitta ”

But this enemy wasn’t half-baked. Sharply swinging it’s 2 scythes, Mantis A deflected their preemptive attack.

“ Red Fever, Blackhair Bind!!”

“— SHAA!”

“Ha!!”

And stopped it. But, though slightly, the Mantis was indeed pushed back.

She bested a monster in pure strength. That Mei-chan, it’s like she was getting EXP every time she defeated an enemy and was levelling up when before I know it.

“Soar, oh wings of misfortune, rooted in this—”

Who knows what kind of poisons this thing will work on. I can’t really tell since Intuition Pharmacy only gave me a rough explanation. But whatever it is, it’s definitely an antidote of some kind, no doubt.

“—Contrbeat b.u.t.terfly”

In the next moment, the pasty antidote reformed into swallowtail b.u.t.terflies with a blue luminescence. They each gently fluttered up from the palm of my hand. I wonder if their number depends on the amount of meds used. The blue, poisonous b.u.t.terflies rose from my hand until there were 10, which is when all the antidote had been expended.

“Nice, now go!”

This goal that is Mantis B was presently in fierce combat with Mei-chan. With it’s big, compound eyes, there’s no way it’d miss my blue glowies. But as if implying it sensed absolutely no harm from them, the Mantis showed no signs of trying to avoid or drive away my b.u.t.terflies.

Upon landing on the Mantis’ back, the b.u.t.terflies, as if remembering that they were beings of curse mana, dispersed into blue phosph.o.r.escence. These blue-white glowy things must be their poisonous scales.

All shots were on target. However, Mantis B showed no changes at all.

“Not at all. Look, this Mantis is getting weaker!”

“And it’s reactions, are also— dull!!”

The bug was a good match for Mei-chan using both its scythes in unison. Take away even one of those, and the fight was practically over.

Following the same swing that cut off its arm, she sliced off its left frontal leg. Its posture now broken, what remained was for it to be chopped up like a cuc.u.mber, its pieces finally sinking into a pool of its own green blood. With that as a background, Mei-chan gave me a delighted grin as she praised the efficacy of my poison b.u.t.terflies.

Wait, is the Souma team still fighting over there...

30 seconds after Mei-chan was done, Mantis A, after being pin-cus.h.i.+oned by light and ice arrows, and hacked into by the dual weapon users, fell defeated.

With my meds and Souma Sakura’s healing magic, her absolutely devestated face was already fixed. When she later opened her eyes, Cla.s.s Rep took the lead and explained everything. Now, It was like her headstrongness was all a lie, and she listened without a single complaint.

I think everyone’s already fully aware. That Kenzaki Asuna’s heart, that proud girl’s heart, was torn down by the overwhelming violence of the Berserker.

And so, Souma Sakura was the only person left in the list of people trying to get in my hair.