Akihiko's vision blurred as the world around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors, the icy streets of the Icetis Kingdom vanishing in an instant. A surge of energy coursed through him, like static electricity dancing across his skin. His heart raced, not from fear but from the thrill of what lay ahead. The system's voice, calm yet tinged with an almost mocking cheerfulness, echoed in his mind: [Teleportation to Romantic Comedy Dungeon initiating. Role: Childhood Friend of the Protagonist. Mission loading…]
When the colors finally settled, Akihiko stood in a vibrant, modern city that screamed "anime aesthetic." Towering skyscrapers gleamed under a cloudless blue sky, their glass facades reflecting the bustling streets below. Students in crisp school uniforms chatted animatedly, vendors hawked colorful snacks like takoyaki and crepes, and faint pop music drifted from nearby shops. Cherry blossoms floated lazily in the breeze, catching the sunlight in a way that felt almost too perfect. This is straight out of a rom-com, Akihiko thought, a grin tugging at his lips. I'm gonna own this.
He glanced down at himself. Gone were the tattered rags of a slave; in their place was a sharp high school uniform—navy blazer, white dress shirt, red tie, and pressed trousers. His black hair was artfully tousled, and his red eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark that made him look equal parts charming and dangerous. He adjusted his tie, feeling oddly confident. Not bad, System. You've got style.
[Welcome to the Romantic Comedy Dungeon, Host!] the system chirped. [Mission details loading…]
A translucent holographic screen materialized in front of him, glowing faintly:
[Main Mission: Steal the Heart of the Heroine]
Target: Ayumi Tanaka, the kind-hearted and popular heroine of this romantic comedy world.
Objective: Make Ayumi fall in love with you before the protagonist, Haruto Yamada, confesses his feelings at the school festival in 30 days.
Secondary Objectives:
Gain Ayumi's trust by helping her with a personal problem (0/1).
Sabotage Haruto's attempts to get closer to Ayumi without being discovered (0/3).
Rewards: 500 Hentai God Points (HGP).
Skill Unlock: Charm Aura (Increases likability with female characters by 10%).
Bonus Reward (if completed flawlessly): Mystery Item. Failure
Penalty: Permanent -10% reduction in charisma stat.
Akihiko's grin widened. Steal the heroine from the protagonist? Child's play. He'd devoured enough light novels and anime to know the drill. As the childhood friend, he had a built-in advantage—shared history, inside jokes, and a bond the protagonist would have to fight to rival. All he needed was to play it smooth, charm Ayumi, and keep Haruto at arm's length. Easy.
"System, show me my stats," he muttered, keeping his voice low as a group of giggling schoolgirls passed by, casting curious glances at his striking red eyes.
[Status]
Name: Akihiko
Age: 14 (Appears 16 in this dungeon)
Strength: 5 (You're not winning any arm-wrestling contests.)
Agility: 7 (Nimble enough to dodge a punch… or a jealous rival.)
Charisma: 8 (You've got potential, but you're no Casanova—yet.)
Intelligence: 9 (Sharp enough to outsmart most, but don't get cocky.)
Curse Affinity: 10 (Your black hair and red eyes unsettle people, but also draw them in.)
Skills:
[Mind Whisper (Lv. 1): Subtly influence one person's actions for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 24 hours.]
Hentai God's Charm (Lv. 0): Locked until first mission completion.
Akihiko's brow furrowed at the Curse Affinity stat. It was likely tied to the rumors of his "curse" back in the Icetis Kingdom, where his black hair and red eyes marked him as dangerous. The Mind Whisper skill, though, was intriguing. He'd used it instinctively to escape the slavers, manipulating one to kill the other and free him. Ten seconds of control every 24 hours? That's a trump card, but I'll need to time it perfectly.
"Alright, System, where's Ayumi?" he asked, scanning the crowd of students heading toward a sprawling campus lined with cherry blossom trees.
[Target located: Ayumi Tanaka is at the school courtyard, 200 meters ahead. Follow the highlighted path.]
A faint golden trail appeared on the ground, visible only to Akihiko. He followed it, weaving through the crowd with ease, his new body feeling lighter and more agile than the malnourished frame he'd endured as a slave. The school loomed ahead, a picturesque building straight out of a rom-com anime, complete with arched windows and blooming flowerbeds. Perfect stage for a heroine, he thought.
In the courtyard, a small crowd surrounded a girl with long, chestnut-brown hair tied with a red ribbon. Her bright green eyes sparkled as she knelt to help a younger student gather scattered books, her smile warm and genuine. That's Ayumi, Akihiko thought, his pulse quickening. She was the archetype of a rom-com heroine—kind, approachable, and effortlessly beautiful.
Nearby, a lanky boy with messy brown hair and glasses watched her with a lovesick grin, clutching a notebook to his chest. Haruto Yamada, the protagonist, Akihiko deduced. The guy was textbook: earnest, awkward, and completely oblivious to how obvious his crush was. This is almost too easy.
Akihiko sauntered over, keeping his posture relaxed but confident. He needed to make a strong first impression without coming on too strong. As he approached, Ayumi looked up and spotted him, her face breaking into a playful grin. "Aki-kun! You're late again, you slacker!" she teased, her voice light but carrying a warmth that made his chest tighten.
Aki-kun? The system had seamlessly woven him into this world as Ayumi's childhood friend, complete with a nickname. Score one for the Hentai God System.
"Sorry, Ayumi," Akihiko said, flashing a lopsided grin. "Got held up helping an old lady cross the street. You know me, always the hero."
Ayumi laughed, rolling her eyes. "Sure, sure. Keep dreaming, hero." The students around her chuckled, but Haruto's smile wavered, his eyes flicking to Akihiko with a hint of unease.
Jealous already, huh? Akihiko thought, suppressing a smirk. Let's see how you handle a real rival, protagonist.
The system pinged softly. [Secondary Objective Opportunity: Ayumi is worried about her upcoming speech for the student council election. Offer to help her practice to gain her trust.]
Akihiko leaned casually against a nearby cherry blossom tree, keeping his tone light. "Hey, Ayumi, I heard you're running for student council. You nervous about that speech?"
Ayumi's eyes widened, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face. "How'd you know? Yeah, I'm kind of freaking out. I've never spoken in front of the whole school before. What if I trip over my words or—ugh—everyone laughs?"
"Relax," Akihiko said, his voice soothing. "You're Ayumi Tanaka. People love you. Want some help? We could practice after school. I'm pretty good at calming nerves."
Her face lit up, and she clasped her hands together. "Really? You'd do that? Aki-kun, you're a lifesaver!"
Haruto stepped forward, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I-I can help too, Ayumi! I mean, if you need more people… I'm free."
Akihiko shot him a quick glance, his red eyes glinting. Not today, buddy. "Nah, Haruto, don't you have that math club meeting? Wouldn't want you missing it. I've got this covered."
Haruto's face flushed, and he stammered, "Y-Yeah, you're right. Math club. Uh, good luck, Ayumi." He shuffled off, casting a reluctant glance over his shoulder.
Ayumi watched him go, then turned back to Akihiko with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Aki-kun. I really appreciate it."
[Progress Update: Ayumi's affection level increased by 15%. Current level: 25%.]
Akihiko's grin widened. Not a bad start. But he knew Haruto wouldn't back off so easily, and with the school festival only 30 days away, he'd need to stay sharp.
After school, Akihiko met Ayumi in an empty classroom, the late afternoon sun filtering through the windows and casting a warm glow over the desks. Ayumi clutched a crumpled speech script, her hands trembling slightly as she paced. "I don't know if I can do this, Aki-kun," she admitted, her voice small. "What if I freeze up there? Or worse, what if I say something dumb and everyone hates me?"
Akihiko sat on a desk, his posture relaxed but his red eyes focused on her. "You won't freeze, and you definitely won't say anything dumb. You're too smart for that. Here's a trick: picture the crowd as a bunch of goofy puppies wagging their tails. Hard to be nervous when you're imagining that, right?"
Ayumi burst out laughing, some of the tension melting from her shoulders. "Puppies? That's so ridiculous, it might actually work."
They spent the next hour running through her speech. Akihiko listened intently, offering pointers on her pacing and suggesting ways to emphasize her key points. He kept the mood light, tossing in jokes to make her smile—like mimicking a puppy barking when she nailed a line. By the end, Ayumi was delivering her speech with confidence, her voice steady and her eyes bright.
"You're amazing, Ayumi," Akihiko said sincerely as she finished her final run-through. "You're gonna blow them away."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Aki-kun. I feel a lot better now. You're… kinda awesome, you know?"
[Progress Update: Ayumi's affection level increased by 20%. Current level: 45%. Secondary Objective (Gain Ayumi's trust) completed. Reward: 100 HGP.]
Akihiko's heart skipped a beat—not from the reward, but from the way Ayumi was looking at him, her green eyes soft and warm. Focus, Akihiko, he told himself. You're here to win, not to get all mushy.
As they packed up, Ayumi hesitated, then said, "Hey, Aki-kun… do you think I'm doing the right thing, running for student council? I mean, it's a lot of responsibility, and I don't know if I'm cut out for it."
Akihiko tilted his head, considering her words. This was a chance to deepen their connection. "You're doing it because you care about people, right? That's why you're perfect for it. You're not just some popular girl—you actually listen to people, Ayumi. That's rare."
She blinked, clearly touched. "You really think so?"
"I know so," he said, flashing a grin. "And I'll be there cheering you on, front row, probably embarrassing you with a giant sign or something."
She laughed, swatting his arm playfully. "You're the worst! But… thanks. It means a lot."
As they left the classroom, the system pinged again. [Warning: Haruto is planning to ask Ayumi to join him on the festival planning committee tomorrow. Sabotage recommended to prevent him from gaining her favor.]
Akihiko's eyes narrowed, his mind already racing. Haruto, you're persistent, I'll give you that. But you're not stealing this show. He glanced at Ayumi, who was humming softly as they walked down the hall, oblivious to the battle brewing between her childhood friend and her would-be suitor. Time to get creative.
The next morning, Akihiko arrived at school early, his mind buzzing with a plan. The system had given him a heads-up about Haruto's move, and he wasn't about to let the protagonist score points. The festival planning committee was a classic rom-com setup—late nights working together, accidental hand brushes, all that cliché nonsense. Not on my watch.
He found Haruto in the hallway, nervously rehearsing what was clearly a scripted invitation. Akihiko slipped into a nearby classroom, out of sight, and activated Mind Whisper. He focused on Haruto, feeling a strange tingle in his mind as the skill took hold. Ten seconds. Make it count.
"Haruto," he whispered mentally, his voice threading into the protagonist's thoughts, "you forgot your math club presentation is today. You need to prep for that instead."
Haruto froze, his eyes glazing over for a moment. Then he muttered to himself, "Right… the math club presentation. I can't miss that." He turned and hurried toward the library, completely forgetting his plan to approach Ayumi.
[Sabotage successful. Haruto's attempt to invite Ayumi has been delayed. Progress: 1/3 sabotage objectives completed. Reward: 50 HGP.]
Akihiko smirked, leaning against the wall. One down, two to go. But he knew Haruto wouldn't stay distracted forever. He'd need to keep the pressure on, maybe even dig into Haruto's weaknesses to keep him off balance.
As he headed to class, Ayumi caught up with him, her red ribbon bouncing as she jogged. "Aki-kun! You're here early for once. What's up? Planning some grand prank?"
"Maybe," he teased, winking. "Or maybe I just wanted to see you before class."
Her cheeks turned pink, and she looked away, flustered. "You're such a flirt," she mumbled, but there was a smile in her voice.
[Progress Update: Ayumi's affection level increased by 5%. Current level: 50%.]
Akihiko's grin widened as they walked to class together, the cherry blossoms falling around them like a scene from a movie. Halfway there, and it's only day two. But as he glanced at Haruto in the distance, now frantically flipping through a math textbook, Akihiko knew the real challenge was just beginning. The protagonist wasn't going down without a fight, and with 28 days left until the festival, Akihiko would need every trick in his Hentai God arsenal to come out on top.
"Let's go, Ayumi," he said, slinging an arm around her shoulders in a friendly, casual way. "We've got a festival to steal."
She laughed, oblivious to his double meaning, and Akihiko's red eyes glinted with determination. Get ready, Haruto. The God of Hentai's just getting started.