Edit: I’ll be changing the format for the skills/weapons/etc just like in the original. I’ll be editing ch1 and 2 too.

Original: 身勝手な防御力エゴニスト

After:  Egocentric DefenseE G O N I S T 

oh and brine sickle here we goーー Chapter 3 ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

The one who suddenly cut me off and talked to me when I was about to take the quest is a tall ikemen b.a.s.t.a.r.d with dark blue hair¹. Being called out by a dude doesn’t make me happy at all. It makes me angrier at the fact that he’s an ikemen. Don’t get c.o.c.ky just because you are a little good-looking!

Now that I look at it, this guy looks rather strong.

The sword resting on his waist is covered with scales and emitting a strong aura, moreover the equipment he has is not a simple breast plate or an automail but a black armor that excites a man’s heart. So cool! Having a black armor is one of my dreams. So…. who the h.e.l.l is this guy? Since I have an awesome cheat skill, I might as well appraise him.

Name: Grey Kallstenius

Age: 27

Rank: Lv.63

Attribute: Dual Wielder

Skill: Twin Adder DanceB  R  I  N  E    S  I  C  K  L  E ²

Conditions: Have the Dual Wielder attribute. Level 45 and above.

Compensation: Rigidness will occur for 0.1 seconds for every released slash. When multiple slash attacks are released, the rigidity occurs after releasing the corresponding slash attacks.

And what the heck is this cheat-like skill! Even though it’s supposed to be a sword technique, he can use a slash as a long-distance attack! How awesome is that!? I checked the section where the condition is written, it seems you can acquire it by having a high level and an apt.i.tude for dual swords. I want to acquire it too but I don’t have the apt.i.tude for dual wielding so I can’t. I wonder what’s my attribute? It’s still written as ?? at the moment. Will the day when I know come? Let’s ask someone next time.

“What are you doing here, Grey-san? I thought you were summoned by the Imperial Order of the Knights from the capital?”

“I don’t have interest in those muscle brains. I just answered halfheartedly and kicked them out. Anyway, who’s this? I’ve never seen him before.”

Grey-san said as he rudely stared and scrutinized my face. What?? I only have eyes, a nose, and mouth on my face, dude? Don’t tell me it’s because the mould of his face is just too different and he got curious, is that’s why? Get destroyed, ikemen. Are you trying to pick a fight? I’ll graciously accept it after 3 years!

“He’s s.h.i.+romu-kun, a novice adventurer that just registered yesterday. He’s still a beginner so please don’t tease him, okay?”

“This guy is? He looks so lanky and feeble, I’d be more convinced if you tell me he’s a young master from somewhere, you know? Are you sure you really want to be an adventurer?”

Grey asked me dubiously. The reason he was staring at me before was actually because he was looking at my physique it seems.

Even I myself know that I don’t look like someone who’s ripped but it’s okay! Leave me alone! I have a cheat skill from crossing different worlds that’s why it’s okay! Don’t get conceited just because you are an ikemen who has a slim and muscular body and looks a little strong⁵! I’ll train and catch up soon alright!

“Yes, I want to be one. I’m penniless now so I want to earn money soon.”

“Since you have that kind of appearance, if you just want to earn money, won’t it be better to just sell “that”? If you want, I’d even be your first customer.”

“Wait a minute, Grey-san!”

Michel-san raised his voice as he rebuked Grey-san who’s grinning obscenely.

What is “that”? I’m a little interested if there’s an easy way to earn money but I can feel that it’s a dangerous job from the flow of the conversation and Michel-san’s tone.

…This is just my speculation but, don’t tell me the job he’s introducing to me is a job where a lot of Onee-sama work hard during the night? A hostess or ero-like work? Eh, but those kinds of work are for girls. I’m a guy, bro? Is what I thought but I realized there are only guys in this world.

Don’t tell me it’s true!? A brothel with only guys! A hostess bar for men and by men. What a sordid-sounding shop. I’m confident that I’d run even if I’m barefoot if I ever see a shop like that. Though it’s probably normal in this world since there’s only males. I’m starting to hate this world again.

Speaking of hostess bars, I think of it as a den of demons that bewitches fl.u.s.tered youngsters even though they know it’s impure. But here, it’s just a filthy shop! I want to go back to my former world. Nothing good comes out of transporting to another world.

“I only want to do those things with someone I love so I refuse. Besides, I’ve always dreamed of being an adventurer in the past so I really want to be one by all means.”

“Hmph.”

I decided to just do those kind of things with a girl I love. I want to do it with a GIRL. Doing it with a guy is out of the question and not even worth considering.

Grey replied indifferently as he listens to my answer. My answer was boring so he probably lost interest in me. If that’s the case, I’d love to keep it as it is. I don’t want guys to have any interest in me either.

“If you want to be an adventurer that much how about I come with you?”

“Eh?”

“It’s your first quest, right? Let’s form a party and I’ll take the quest with you.”

“Grey-san!”

I thought he lost interest but the conversation suddenly turned in a different direction. Take the quest with you? How did it become like that?

“What is it, Michel. I’m just saying that an S cla.s.s like me wants to help a newbie adventurer. What’s wrong with that.”

“That in itself isn’t bad but s.h.i.+romu-kun just registered yesterday and he doesn’t even know the guild rules yet, you know? It’s still too early for him to go with a senior adventurer.”

“Isn’t it alright if I just teach him those rules? Hey, you want to hunt with me, right?”

Grey asked as he smirked at me once again.

Apparently, Grey-san is an S cla.s.s adventurer. How high spec is this ikemen, is what I thought but he’s also a one of the best adventurers in the world. Looks strong. So… Why is the the only-5-exists-in-this-world S cla.s.s adventurer in this kind of place? Do you have nothing to do? Don’t tell me S cla.s.s adventurers are actually idle people?

Well, let’s leave it at that. Listening to their conversation, it seems that this guy called Grey wants to take me along with him. It’s a mystery how this guy came up with that idea but listening to them talk, it looks like it would be beneficial for me if I join him.

I am just a noob in this world no matter how many excuses I make. I can learn the basics if I travel with an expert adventurer. This is too good to pa.s.s up. Because to be honest, I don’t even know how to swing a sword. I can learn how to handle weapons and learn information about monsters too. It’ll be much more easier for me if I make him teach me than doing it myself. Yup. This is a good deal. Too good of a deal.

I stared at Grey’s face. Grey, who seemed to notice it, grinned at me widely.

“Brat you’re coming, right?”

I only have one answer.

“BUT I REFUSE!⁶”

Grey’s ikemen face went stiff the moment I answered. Haha! Take that!

No matter how attractive Grey’s offer is, I won’t accept it. I have a different set of skills from normal people and I can’t just readily expose it to strangers. Unusual power brings about a lot of unwanted trouble.  Getting relied on or being respected is still good but people looking at me as if I’m a freak or being feared by people is something I want to avoid at all costs.

I gave such a lengthy excuse but the truth is I just don’t want to be with an ikemen guy! I decided to only form a party with a cute girl, STUUUUPID! Who the h.e.l.l would pair up with a good-looking guy!

“You’re refusing my invitation? b.i.t.c.h, don’t get c.o.c.ky just because you look a little cute.”

“I never ever thought I was cute, what’s wrong with your brain.  Don’t tell me you think I am? I’d be glad if it’s an Onee-sama with a nice body saying, “Is it your first time, boy? How cute.” but being looked at like that by an ikemen b.a.s.t.a.r.d doesn’t make me happy at all!”

“Getting impudent just because I treated you a little kindly. Don’t get conceited or I’ll rape you right here.”

“Wait, don’t say such frightening things, Grey-san! And s.h.i.+romu himself already declined so isn’t it okay? Please go home for today!”

Grey-san clicked his tongue as he glared at me and went away. I heaved a sigh of relief after seeing Grey walk out the door.

S-Scary… Thinking rationally, I just picked a fight with an S cla.s.s adventurer. This is bad. Yup. Let’s avoid walking on the streets at night.

“I’m so sorry, s.h.i.+romu-kun. Grey-san is an S cla.s.s adventurer and you can trust in his abilities, but he has a little problem…”

“Don’t worry, Michel-san… I don’t really mind”

Well, it’s a fact that adventurers are rascals so it can’t be helped. I should do my best and get powerful quickly so that I won’t get looked down on by those guys.

“Thank you for saying that. But really, I’m quite worried about how promiscuous Grey-san is. It’s good that s.h.i.+romu-kun declined his invitation.”

“Eh, promiscuous?”

Hearing promiscuous makes me imagine a s.l.u.tty Onee-sama but in this world the meaning is probably different. Since there are no women. That means….

“Once Grey-san sets his eyes on someone who interests him, he eats them up immediately. s.h.i.+romu-kun is probably Grey-san’s type since you’re cute.”

“I’m not really cute though..”

My face twitched as I answered. As I thought, it really means THAT! That’s the only way you can interpret it anyway!

My….my virgin a.s.s is actually being targeted!!! SCARRRRYYYYYYYー!!

I fully understand that in a world with only males, s.e.xual activities are also done between men. But hearing that the target is actually me, makes me want to start crying. Wait, okay! I’m really straight! I can’t go to THAT side! I CANNOT OFFER MY a.s.s!

“That’s not true… s.h.i.+romu-kun is really cute.”

Michel-san smiled at me while I suffer from culture shock.

“I thought you were just a child but I guess you are not as young as I thought? s.h.i.+romu-kun is my type so what do you think?”

I want to shout “Even you, Brutus!?⁷“ to Michel-san as he happily smiled at me while saying he’s glad that Grey didn’t take me.

It seems that I will be soaking my pillows with tears once again as I realize my situation, that I…am surrounded by h.o.m.os.

A wall of notes, forgive me:

¹dark blue hair. In the last chapter it was really written black. Then in this chap it’s dark blue. After a few more chaps it’s written indigo from what I remember. so yeah. Grey’s real hair color is ¯_(ツ)_/¯

²Brine Sickle (Twin Adder Dance): same as s.h.i.+romu’s skill, it was written as JP: Souja no Ranbu and ENG: Brine Sickle. For the JP it can also be translated as, Double Serpent Dance but I went with Twin Adder Dance because author probably took the skill name Souja from Final Fantasy so yea.

³From my understanding, Grey can send slashes that tracks the opponent. So 1 tracking slash he sends >> Stiffness for 0.1 seconds. Sends multiple of those >> stiffness wont occur immediately but will occur in one go after the attack.

⁴Originally, “Kachi-gumi”. Jp ppl has this term, the kachi-gumi and makegumi. Kachigumi means ppl who are winners in life/society.

⁵he said Hoso-Macho. Hoso as in hosoi, meaning slim and macho is, well macho. Hoso-macho is diff from the body builder type of body.

⁶BUT I REFUSE! in JP, DAGA KOTOWARU! is a meme line of Kis.h.i.+be Rohan from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. “One of the things that I, Kis.h.i.+be Rohan, love to do, is to say “NO!” to people who think they’re hot s.h.i.+t!” If you’ve watched No Game No Life, Blank mentioned this as one of they lines they want to say in real life ovo.

⁷j.a.panese (Brutus omae mo ka)

A Latin sentence meaning "Even you, Brutus?" from the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare. Caesar utters these words as he is being stabbed to death, having recognized his friend Brutus among the a.s.sa.s.sins. Note: "Et tu, Brute?" is used to express surprise and dismay at the treachery of a supposed friend.