Chapter 395 – Touch Control
People’s appearances change with time, but generally speaking, their characteristics can sharply differ depending on whether they are in their teens, twenties, or thirties.
Teens.
A time when they shout wildly, expressing themselves vigorously.
Due to repressed circumstances, they sometimes complain about their surroundings.
In a way, it can be seen as a somewhat lacking phase.
Twenties.
At this stage, they no longer complain about their situation.
However, being older than their teen years, they stubbornly hold on with great determination, pushing through.
All the while, they don’t even know their own limits.
“I’m fine.”
“I can handle anything.”
“There’s no problem yet.”
In simple terms, this is a time of grit, pushing through sheer will and fleeting faith.
But once they hit their thirties, things start to change.
– Swoosh!!!
“Ahhhhhhh!!!!!”
Just like now.
Four juvenile offenders teamed up in pairs.
Ability users with ability users, and powerless with powerless.
And among the two in a pair, they showed different behaviors.
One was firmly tied to a cross-shaped frame.
The other was swinging a long, broad wooden stick down.
Naturally, the target was the juvenile offender tied to the cross.
– Swoosh!!!
“It hurts!!! It really hurts!!!”
Put simply, it was like being flogged.
– Swoosh!!!
“Please hit softer!!!”
And it was by no one other than their own hands.
“Stop whining! This is a test!”
“……F*ck…”
Both the one hitting and the one getting hit had tears in their eyes.
And understandably so.
“It’s time.”
“Wait! I’m not ready yet!”
“Right now, dammit… you f*cking dog!!!”
They were alternatingly hitting each other with the stick.
“Is the exchange over?”
“No, it can’t be!!!”
“You… you’ve crossed the line.”
The succubus’s initial test was a complex examination.
The one getting hit tested for endurance and patience.
The one hitting tested for strength and stamina to support it.
“Begin.”
And the moment the leader was bound to the cross again.
The stick cut through the air with a fierce sound, striking the leader’s tender behind.
– Swoosh!!!
It might be weak since they’re not even adults but elementary school kids hitting, yet when you actually get hit, that thought vanishes in an instant due to the pain.
And it was the same for the other pair as well.
– Swoooooosh!!!
“It hurts… sniff…”
“Stop crying! I’m hurting too!!!”
With tears flowing down, a fierce girl slapped the stick down.
The bulky juvenile offender who took the hit couldn’t even scream, only letting the tears fall.
Yet, nobody had any intention of going easy.
The more one endures, the higher the score.
The harder one hits, the higher the score.
Of course, aside from that.
“Hey, hit moderately! I swear I’m gonna die!”
“Then… Just hit softer like before… you f*cking hit so hard…”
While there was a purpose to relieve the grudges built up between them.
The leader thought he might die due to the pain.
But after a long time of being hit, he desperately shouted, thinking it was finally about time to switch.
“When do we change? When?!”
At that, the expressions of the juvenile offenders hitting the tied-up one grew grim.
Now the impending pain was about to be theirs.
But the moment they heard the succubus speak next.
“Oh, I wasn’t timing it.”
“……What?”
The highs and lows of the one tied up and the one hitting sharply contrasted.
The one tied up displayed overwhelming despair on his face.
In contrast, the one hitting breathed a sigh of relief quietly.
“Right now… what did you just say?”
Shockingly, they stared at the succubus with disbelief.
But she merely spoke dryly.
“Start again.”
“Hey, you b*tch—!”
Before the leader could finish his curse.
– Swoosh!!!
“Aahhhhhhh!!!!”
The screams replaced the curses that followed.
The leader, who had been hit for an even longer time along with the teleportation ability user.
As soon as they heard the succubus’s words, they immediately protested.
Why were they the only ones suffering?
“This isn’t a f*cking test!!!”
“Where’s that Chūnibyō guy screwing around anyway?!”
“He’s too much to handle, so he’s undergoing a harsher test.”
Indeed, the man had been dragged into a room with the elf and hadn’t stepped outside during the time they were being hit.
Perhaps it felt too unfair, as the other juvenile offenders joined in the protest.
“What the f*ck is this harsh test!”
“That guy is the only one having it easy!”
“Ugh… No matter what, he’s probably suffering more than us, right?”
“Honestly, tell us!!!”
They were all in a state of rage.
How hard could it possibly be?
It’s clear he was just sitting inside, enjoying himself.
Surely, compared to the pain they felt now, it couldn’t be much worse.
But just as the juvenile offenders grit their teeth with that thought.
“If that’s the case, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and listen closely.”
“……That’s nonsense, f*ck.”
As they calmed themselves down per the succubus’s instruction.
The moment they heard small screams coming from beyond the room.
– “Help me! You crazy b*tch! My lower stomach really hurts! Seriously!!!”
“Did you hear that?”
“”””……””””
They quickly realized the succubus had been right.
Whatever test was going on in that room, they couldn’t fathom.
But if someone was screaming out of desperation like that, it was certainly worse than what they were going through.
Especially after hearing that tortured voice, it was hard to believe the person had been a Chūnibyō just moments ago.
Although it faintly seemed like a woman’s moan could be heard from the other side of the room.
It was such a heartbreaking wail that they couldn’t afford to focus on it.
“Then let’s move on to the next test.”
In the end, the juvenile offenders couldn’t do anything but agree in silence to the succubus’s words.
And they began to endure the next harsh test with their bodies.
First up was a test of stamina and strength.
“Ahhhhhhh!!!”
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”
The four juvenile offenders hopped onto stationary bikes fixed to the ground.
Pedaling like crazy, as if they were cyclists.
Well, it had to be that way.
– Crack!!!
“Urrrrrr!!!”
If they wanted to feel no pain now, they had to keep increasing their speed.
All the bikes were connected to a single device, and that device administered electric shocks to everyone except one on the bike.
To be precise.
“Slow down!!! I’m gonna die!!!”
“Shut up!!!!!”
– Crack!!!
The one who’s the fastest received shocks along with everyone else.
“What? If it’s tough, you can quit if you want.”
“No way! That guy will get electrocuted!”
“Y-You should die first…!”
And with the anger rising, they couldn’t even consider quitting, so they all pedaled for dear life.
Mixing their strong survival instincts with a sticky desire for revenge.
Then suddenly, the transparency ability user fell down with a pop.
The succubus immediately turned off the power to the weird device connected to the bikes.
It was as if she had anticipated such an event.
The juvenile offenders who hadn’t lost consciousness wheezed heavily and cautiously spoke.
Unlike before, where they showed hostility, they instead showed deep concern.
“…Is he okay…?”
“He’s just taking a little nap.”
“No… he’s not breathing…”
Just moments ago, they were still rivals gritting their teeth at each other, yet they were all genuinely worried since they were close friends.
“He’s fine. In fact, it’s time to move on to the next test.”
But the succubus, as if it was no big deal, said that and immediately prompted the next test.
Moreover, this time the Saintess from the Beastman Kingdom would come to assist them.
Of course, the juvenile offenders whose friend had fainted could hardly pay attention to that.
“Don’t worry. The Lord can awaken him.”
“Really…?”
“Of course. Let’s begin.”
With a mix of skepticism, the remaining juvenile offenders reluctantly proceeded with the test.
“Those who admit to being sinners, raise your heads.”
And soon, the transparency ability user, whom they thought was dead, opened his eyes.
Breathing erratically.
“Hah… hah… I’m… alive…”
“The Lord saved you.”
Pouring out repeated sighs of relief, he wore happiness on his face, embracing that he was alive.
“Do you feel like repenting for your sins?”
“Yes! Yes! I will repent! I was wrong!”
Upon hearing the Saintess’s words, she gathered her hands and began to chant a prayer.
Yet, that prayer was recited from a slightly different place.
“Then bow your heads again.”
“Wait a second—!”
More accurately, it was from underwater.
– Glub Glub Glub!!!
“Is this really… part of the test…?”
“Did our Lord not receive baptism in his lifetime? We are recreating that.”
This time, it proceeded in pairs just like when they were being flogged.
One person submerged their head in a tub full of water.
The other desperately pressed down on the back of their head.
“This… looks like water torture, doesn’t it…?”
“Are you daring to doubt our Lord right now? Be careful. They’re trying to come up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I’ll push down again!”
– Glub Glub Glub!!!
It was a type of lung capacity test, strength test, and at the same time, a rather vigorous baptism.
And as before, because it was a two-person relay style.
The juvenile offenders switched roles and began to actively take part in the test.
Though there was some emotion involved, they put their all into it.
“Help me!”
“Hey, this isn’t ‘help me,’ it’s ‘water.'”
Regardless, they were diligently participating in the test, which was a good thing.
How many times they repeated that, they finally finished this hellish water torture.
“With this, your baptisms are over. Congratulations.”
“Hah… hah……”
“And please make your donations via bank transfer.”
“Got it… so just go now…”
Finally, the words the juvenile offenders had longed to hear came from the succubus.
“With this, the test is concluded.”
“Ha… finally…”
At that moment, the Chūnibyō male and the elf, who had vanished earlier, appeared through the door.
The man had a face resembling someone on the brink of death.
In contrast, although the elf looked a bit tired, she had a very glossy face.
“We’re done here too!”
“I’m… dying… f*ck…”
Either way, their tests had come to an end.
Though it seemed like everyone had suffered significant injuries.
Well, at least it was over, and that was a relief.
