Chapter 1: Gifts: Beauty

Thirty years have passed since dungeons first appeared across the globe and humanity began to manifest special talents known as Gifts. In this modern age, the profession of "Adventurer" has become commonplace, with people venturing into dungeons to slay monsters and hunt for treasure.

During the lingering, lukewarm winds of autumn, a first-year high school student named Takanashi Hirose visited the Adventurer Guild Association.

Upon reaching one’s sixteenth birthday, a person gains the right to learn what Gift they possess from a Guild official who holds the <Appraisal> Gift.

The Adventurer Guild Association is a government-sanctioned organization established thirty years ago. They manage and operate all dungeons and adventurers in Japan; without their approval, entering a dungeon is strictly prohibited.

While there is no clear rule on when a Gift manifests, most people receive theirs between early childhood and elementary school. On the other hand, there remains a certain percentage of "Incompetents" who never manifest a Gift in their entire lives.

And so, having turned sixteen this September, Hirose finally crossed the threshold of the Guild to discover his fate.

"—Takanashi Hirose-san, your Gift is <Beauty>."

"......Eh?"

The Gift Hirose had been granted was <Beauty>—a power completely useless for combat.

The woman who performed the <Appraisal> was Fuyutsuki Saori, a Guild employee.

Looking to be in her early twenties, she had long brown hair pulled back with a floral barrette. She was tall, standing only slightly shorter than the 170-centimeter Hirose. Her suit jacket seemed to be at its limit, struggling to contain her bursting chest—a sight that was quite frankly a distraction.

"I’m sorry, but according to the Association’s regulations, your Gift does not qualify you for an adventurer’s license..."

"Right... I see..."

Fuyutsuki explained the situation matter-of-factly, but Hirose’s complexion was grim. It was only natural. He had admired adventurers and spent his life aiming for that goal, only to be granted a Gift that was utterly unsuited for battle.

One needs a qualification to challenge the dungeons. At the very least, one must possess a combat-oriented Gift, no matter how weak it may be.

Combat Gifts are generally categorized into Attack, Defense, Recovery, and Support types.

Even Gifts like <Water Pistol>, <Slip>, or <Cat Punch> would have been fine. If the Guild recognized it as combat-capable, you would be granted permission to enter. While there are a few exceptions, Hirose’s <Beauty> was not one of them.

"However—this is likely to be an extremely highly-valued Gift."

Hirose remained slumped over, but Fuyutsuki suddenly spoke up in a brighter tone.

"There has never been a recorded case of anyone receiving the <Beauty> Gift before. You might not be able to become an adventurer, Takanashi-san, but there will surely be people who seek you out—people like me, for instance."

"Wait—what?"

Hirose looked up at Fuyutsuki’s words. She was smiling at him kindly.

"I’ve been told that we shouldn't make personal requests... but once you've regained your spirits, would you please consider using that Gift on me?"

It was likely a statement that bordered on violating the Guild’s code of conduct.

However, unable to hold back, Fuyutsuki had voiced her desire to Hirose anyway.

"I thought you seemed like a scary person at first, but you're actually quite honest about what you want, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Women love beauty, after all. For us, this might as well be an S-Rank Gift with the ultimate buff effects."

While Gifts weren't officially ranked, Fuyutsuki was using the term to emphasize just how precious it was.

"I think I feel a little better hearing you say that..."

Even so, the shock of being unable to become an adventurer was too great for Hirose to even consider using his Gift on her yet.

He decided then and there that he wouldn't tell anyone what his Gift was. He couldn't face his friends, with whom he’d been talking excitedly about this just yesterday, but he could still live a normal life without being an adventurer.

As he stepped out of the Guild building, Hirose screamed into the open air.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now!?"

Knowing he couldn't become the adventurer he had dreamed of, his future felt shrouded in darkness.

The blow was heavy precisely because his expectations had been so high.

All he could do was drop his shoulders and walk home, a solitary, lonely figure.

◇

"—Hey, Hirose! How’d the Gift go?"

The next day, as Hirose arrived at school, he was greeted by his friend in the seat in front of him, Kuzuhara Yamato.

"Haha... it was a disappointing result."

"...I see. Well, chin up! It's not like I got a combat Gift either!"

Yamato’s Gift was <Fast Reading>. By simply flipping through the pages of a book, all the information would be instantly processed into his mind. Since his memory remained normal, he could still forget things, but it was a perfect Gift for studying. He had also dreamed of being an adventurer, but with his innate positivity, he had managed to pivot his outlook quickly.

"As for what kind of Gift it was—"

"It's fine, it's fine. I can tell just by looking at your face. You don't have to say it if you don't want to!"

"You're really a good guy, you know that?"

"Well, I understand how you feel, at least a little bit."

As a fellow friend who had aimed for the same goal, his words couldn't have been more comforting.

In the midst of their conversation, however, there was one female student watching them from a distance.

"————"

She was secretly activating a skill from her own Gift, sensing something.

"No way..."

Realizing what she had seen through her skill, the girl let a small voice escape her lips.

Mitami High School, located in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, had both a cafeteria and a school store.

Since Hirose didn't have a packed lunch today, he debated between the two and eventually settled on eating at the cafeteria.

"Hmm. I guess I'll go with the tonkotsu ramen."

To become an adventurer, Hirose had restricted his diet and trained his body, but as of today, that was no longer necessary. He decided to choose a high-calorie menu item and eat whatever he liked.

He sat down at an empty table and began to eat his ramen, when—

"This spot's open, right? I'm gonna sit here~"

"Eh... ah... yeah. Go ahead."

Wh-Why is Rindou-san sitting here!? There are plenty of other empty tables...

Hirose’s shock was justified. Sitting right next to him was Rindou Hibiki, one of the most popular and beautiful girls in class.

She had pink hair cut into a shoulder-length bob, large eyes, and long eyelashes. Instead of her blazer, she wore a slightly oversized pink cardigan over her shirt. As expected of a popular girl, she was a true beauty.

Hirose wasn't popular at all. He was a plain high school boy with no defining characteristics.

As such, girls never talked to him, and he had assumed they never would.

"—You’re Takanashi-kun, right?"

"Yeah. And you're Rindou-san, right?"

"Oh, you actually know who I am."

"I should be the one saying that... You're pretty famous in class, Rindou-san."

"Fufu. I guess so."

Wha-What is this conversation!? And damn, she’s so cute, and she smells so good, I can’t even focus on my ramen!

Hirose was secretly thrilled that she remembered his name. He was so nervous that his hands had stopped moving.

"Look, the table was open, but you were the only person from our class here. I figured I'd take the chance to chat."

"I don't really have anything interesting to talk about with girls, though. Is that okay?"

"We can talk about anything! For example... do you have a girlfriend?"

"I-I don't! I mean, do I look like I have one?"

"Nope!"

Guh. Hirose took critical emotional damage.

"You're right, but you didn't have to say it with such a bright smile."

Hibiki giggled. Her smile was so cute it made Hirose’s heart skip a beat.

"What about you, Rindou-san? Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Do I look like I have one?"

"You do... but I can't tell. If you did, you'd probably be eating lunch with him."

"He wouldn't necessarily have to be at the same school, right? —Well, I don't have one, anyway!"

"But if you did have a boyfriend, there's no way you'd be talking to someone like me."

There wasn't a girl in the world who would actively want to talk to an invisible guy like Hirose. That was exactly why he found this situation so baffling.

"Even if I had a boyfriend, is it wrong to talk to other boys?"

"I probably wouldn't if I were in that position. Depending on the situation..."

"Heh, you're quite the devoted type, Takanashi-kun."

"Isn't that just normal?"

"Fufu, I suppose so."

It was a perfectly ordinary, mundane conversation. But for Hirose, it was a first.

"I’ll take your tray for you."

"Ah... thanks."

Once they finished their lunch, Hirose picked up her tray along with his own and stood up.

"Takanashi-kun... doesn't seem like a bad person... does he?"

Watching Hirose’s retreating back, Hibiki whispered something cryptic to herself.

◇　

After school, Hirose was heading straight home without stopping anywhere. Or so he intended.

"—Takanashi-kun!"

Hearing his name from behind, Hirose turned around and his eyes went wide with surprise.

Rindou Hibiki, the girl he’d had lunch with, was standing there.

"R-Rindou-san? What’s up!?"

"Just come with me for a bit."

"Huh!? Wait—"

She suddenly grabbed his arm and began pulling him along.

Hirose was stunned by her assertiveness, but as he was being led away by a beautiful girl, he found he couldn't bring himself to strongly refuse.

After about five minutes of walking, they arrived at—

"This is my house. Come on, get inside."

"Wh-Why!?"

"Please! Just listen to my request!"

"Eh?"

He had only just started talking to her at lunch. Naturally, being suddenly dragged to her house was a shock. But what shocked him more was that Hibiki had begun to bow her head in a deep plea.

Panicking, Hirose quickly told her to raise her head.

In the end, he was overwhelmed by her persistence and ended up entering her home.

It was his first time in a member of the opposite sex's room—and a beautiful girl's room at that. His heart was pounding in his chest.

It seemed her family wasn't home yet, so they were currently alone. He could feel his palms growing damp with nervous sweat.

Unlike his own, Hibiki’s room was decorated with cute, pink-centric interior pieces, and a faint, sweet scent tickled his nose.

"Sit there, okay?"

"U-Uh, yeah..."

Following her instructions, Hirose sat in front of a square low table in the center of the room. Hibiki sat across from him and, after a moment to steady her resolve, began to speak.

"—What I’m about to tell you is serious. See, I have a Gift called <Desire>. It’s a skill that lets me know what I want most in the world. This morning, when I looked at you through my skill, you were glowing with this brilliant aura."

"So... you're saying you want something from me?"

"Yes! I overheard you guys talking. You went to get your Gift appraised yesterday, right?"

"I did, but..."

"Whatever that Gift is, it’s probably what I want most right now. I don't know what it is yet, but my body is telling me... that I want you to use that power on me."

"So that’s why you talked to me at lunch."

"Yeah... Is it... not okay?"

"I don't know..."

Hirose felt a slight pang of disappointment realizing that she was interested in his Gift rather than himself.

However, as if seeing right through him, Hibiki continued.

"It’s true that I reached out because of the Gift. But the fact that I, a girl, brought you into my home... it’s because I looked at your character and decided I could trust you."

"Oh..."

Hirose was conflicted.

He had decided not to tell anyone about his Gift after failing to become an adventurer.

But the girl in front of him had a completely different, much more serious expression than she did at lunch.

She had invited someone she barely knew into her home.

Hirose understood just how high the hurdle was for a girl to invite a boy over. Hibiki was making this request even if it meant jumping over that hurdle.

"I won't tell anyone about your Gift, Takanashi-kun. I promise that if I ever feel like I have to tell someone, I'll consult with you first! So please!"

"Whoa..."

She suddenly grabbed his hands, looking up at him with teary eyes.

This is a trap. This has to be a trap. Grabbing my hands out of nowhere... I should refuse here and—

"—Alright."

Why am I like thisssss!

Hirose had surrendered to Hibiki’s cuteness.

The soft, small sensation of her hands and the sweet scent emanating from her proximity melted his brain, making resistance impossible.

"Thank you so much... I'm so happy."

Still holding his hands, Hibiki beamed with joy.

Man, she is way too cute.

Hirose was utterly overwhelmed by her charm. Then, Hibiki followed up with a question.

"So, what exactly is your Gift?"

"—The Gift I received is called <Beauty>."

"No way... You mean... KYAAAAAA—!! That’s amazing! That’s incredible! <Beauty> means you can make people pretty, right!? Skin, hair... no, maybe even more than that! You’re amazing, Takanashi-kun!!"

Hibiki let out a dazzling smile and began shaking Hirose’s hands up and down vigorously. The sheer force caused her violent breasts to bounce and jiggle right before his eyes.

"W-Wait, Rindou-san!?"

"Ah... sorry, sorry. I just got so excited..."

Unable to contain her joy, Hibiki blushed slightly and straightened out her disheveled cardigan. After a quick swipe at her bangs, she dug deeper into his Gift.

"What kind of skills does <Beauty> have?"

Gifts are categorized into "Natural Types" and "Command Types." Natural types don't learn specific skills; instead, the range of their ability expands through training and can be used freely. Command types, however, learn specific skills and activate their abilities by consciously using those skills. The number of skills a person learns varies, and they can increase with continued use.

Hirose’s Gift was a Command Type that learned skills. Through the <Appraisal>, he had recognized the skills he currently possessed.

"The skills I have right now are... <Skin Quality Improvement> and <Fat Burning>."

"Eh... What did you just say? Say that again!"

"I said <Skin Quality—"

"KYAAAAA—! Amazing! That’s seriously incredible, Takanashi-kun!"

Even though she was the one who asked him to repeat it, she cut him off with a shout of joy.

Watching her explode with happiness, Hirose could only manage a wry smile.

"Then, can you do it right now!?"

"Huh?"

"That’s why I called you here!"

"I mean, yeah, but... wait a second. I need to figure out how to do it."

Hirose fell silent, searching his mind for the method to use the skills. Soon, the full picture of the abilities came into focus.

Method: Stroke the target area.

Effect: Rejuvenation, skin regeneration, wrinkle removal, hydration, firmness, dark circle removal, pore shrinkage, blood flow promotion, waste discharge.

Backlash: The body will become flushed and hypersensitive for a period of time.

Method: Knead the target area.

Effect: Fat burning.

Backlash: The body will become flushed and hypersensitive for a period of time.

"Uh... Apparently, I have to stroke or knead the parts where we want to see the effect..."

"Which means... you have to touch my skin directly, right...?"

"That seems to be the case..."

A major problem had presented itself. If direct contact was the condition for the skill, then if she wanted her whole body treated, it would mean—

"My face..."

"Eh?"

"Can you... start with just my face? I mean, the whole body is a bit... you know?"

"Y-Yeah! I think that’s a great idea!"

Even Hibiki seemed embarrassed, suggesting they start with her face rather than jumping straight into a full-body treatment.

"Then... please..."

Hibiki leaned in toward Hirose, tucking her hair behind her ears to make her skin more accessible. That simple gesture alone was enough to make Hirose’s heart race.

Sitting face-to-face, Hirose raised both hands and touched Hibiki’s cheeks.

"Mmph..."

Hibiki’s body gave a small jolt the moment he touched her. The reaction sent a surge of heat to his lower half, but Hirose suppressed his urges and focused.

"Alright, I'm starting."

"Okay..."

Hirose took a breath and activated the skill.

"—<Skin Quality Improvement>."

Instantly, a faint, pale light emanated from his palms.

"Are you okay?"

"It’s a little warm, but I’m fine... keep going."

"Got it. I'm moving my hands."

Using his fingertips, which had become comfortably warm, Hirose began gently stroking her cheeks in circular motions.

He understood that to get the effect across her entire face, he needed to touch the areas adjacent to her cheeks. Next, he moved his fingertips to her ears.

"Hyan!?"

"A-Are you alright?"

"K-Keep going... Don't mind me, just keep going. This is necessary, right...?"

"Yeah..."

Following her instructions, he began to stroke and massage her ears. He traced the contours, the lobes, and even the back of her ears. It was a soft, delicate massage.

This was the first time Hirose had ever touched a girl’s ear. He felt as though he were doing something wicked. And for good reason—Hibiki had been blushing and letting out small, breathy moans for a while now.

"Nng... ah... hyan... not my ears... hng...!"

Even the stoic Hirose was starting to feel the heat rising in his lower body. However, he didn't want to betray the expectations of the girl who had asked him so sincerely, so he desperately tried to hide his reaction.

As the treatment continued, beads of sweat began to appear on her temples and neck.

These reactions were likely the result of the Backlash—her body becoming flushed and hypersensitive.

"Ah... no... nng...!"

Hibiki gripped the hem of her school skirt tightly, enduring the side effects of the skill. A face she would never show at school was on full display right in front of him.

One could call this a "perk" of the job. Hibiki, with her brow furrowed in a pained yet pleasurable expression, looked so suggestive that he could hardly look at her directly.

About ten minutes had passed since he activated the skill.

The light in his hands faded, signaling that <Skin Quality Improvement> was complete.

"Haah... haah... haah... ♡"

Hibiki was breathing heavily, her face still bright red, and a thin trail of drool had escaped the corner of her mouth.

If a stranger were to see her now, they would surely assume something lewd had taken place.

"Rindou-san, are you okay?"

"I... might not be... My body’s so hot, and I feel so strange... ♡"

"Uh, well, I should probably head home. You should lie down on your bed."

He felt like he shouldn't stay here any longer. Hirose stood up quickly. Part of the reason was that he wanted to go home and deal with his own frustrated feelings...

"No... I can’t stand up. Help me get to the bed."

"...Got it."

He had decided not to touch her outside of the skill activation, but he couldn't refuse when she asked like that.

He grabbed her shoulders to guide her toward the bed, but—

"Ahhh!?"

"Rindou-san!?"

The moment he touched her shoulders, Hibiki let out a wild cry and her body jolted violently.

"My body... is sensitive right now... please be gentle..."

"O-Okay."

But "being gentle" was easier said than done. In the end, he managed to get her onto the bed while holding her shoulders, but he had to listen to her suggestive voice many more times along the way.

"Haah... haah... Will this... work right away? Skin has its own turnover cycle and all."

"That might be true... but I think you'll see small changes little by little."

As Hirose confronted his own skill, he felt certain of that fact. He also realized there was one more condition.

"It’s hard to say this, but... it looks like I need to do this at least twice a week—for a total of eight sessions with breaks in between—to see the full effect. You can stop whenever you're satisfied, but..."

"...I see. I wonder if my body can take it... but if I can become beautiful, I'll see it through to the end..."

Hibiki pulled out her phone and began tapping away. She then showed the screen to Hirose.

"Here... add me."

"Is that okay?"

"We have to coordinate our schedules from now on. Messaging will be faster, right?"

"Right..."

And so, Hirose exchanged contact info with a girl—a beautiful girl—for the first time.

Leaving Hibiki behind while her face was still flushed, Hirose stepped out of the room.

Once she was alone after Hirose left, Hibiki let out a sigh.

"This... might be bad. It’s probably just the Backlash from the skill, but..."

Through her own Gift’s power, Hibiki understood that the skill Hirose had used on her was the real deal.

"But this throbbing... what am I supposed to do about it? ...And Takanashi-kun, you definitely had a reaction when you saw how I was acting..."

Even if she understood it was just a side effect, she couldn't help it. Hibiki’s body was hot and hypersensitive.

"If I touch myself like this... what’s going to happen to me...?"

Overcome by a strange curiosity, her right hand drifted toward her lower half. Her fingertips brushed against her underwear—

That day, inside her empty house, Rindou Hibiki let out a cry like a beast in lust.

◇　

'—Three A-Rank adventurers from the <Tenchi Guild> have conquered yet another dungeon! This time, it was an A-Class Lower Dungeon in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Between their youth, stunning looks, and prowess as adventurers, the public is buzzing with excitement!'

The next morning. As Hirose ate breakfast in the living room before school, news about adventurers was playing on the TV.

On the screen were three beautiful girls belonging to the <Tenchi Guild>. All of them possessed powerful Gifts and had been the objects of Hirose’s admiration for some time. They appeared to be around high school or college age.

According to reports, they possessed Gifts related to Swords, Fire, and Lightning.

They were apparently a party that lacked a healer, yet they were rumored to annihilate monsters with pure firepower alone.

"........"

Until recently, watching news about adventurers was the highlight of his day.

He had always thought that one day, he too would be active in the dungeons and making a name for himself.

"Worrying again, I see. —<Mental Heal>."

Sitting across the table, Hirose’s mother, Takanashi Honoka, tapped her finger and activated her skill. A gentle green light rained down on Hirose’s head, blowing away his gloomy thoughts.

"Thanks, Mom."

"It’s no trouble. But don't bottle things up. You have to let your worries out."

Honoka’s Gift was <Mental Stability>. The derived skill, <Mental Heal>, could soothe a target’s dark emotions and clear their mind. It was a perfect skill for when someone was feeling mentally unstable. Honoka used her Gift to work part-time at a mental health clinic while being a housewife.

Honoka didn't know what Hirose’s Gift was yet. However, she could tell by the look on his face when he came back from the <Appraisal>... that he had received a Gift that wouldn't allow him to be an adventurer.

He had dreamed of being an adventurer since he was a child. Realizing that he couldn't fulfill that dream, Honoka comforted her son without needing to say a word.

Maybe I can help people with this Gift too...

Little by little, Hirose’s perspective was beginning to shift.

He could no longer be an adventurer. However, just as his mother helped him, perhaps he could help others. And Hibiki, who had been so happy about his Gift yesterday, was starting to prove that.

◇

"Ah... No way, is this...?"

When Hibiki woke up in the morning, she noticed a change in her body.

It was only a slight difference, but compared to yesterday, her acne had decreased and the redness had faded. Her skin felt smooth and wasn't oily from night sweat. It felt hydrated and fresh, as if she had just used a high-end face mask. Looking in the mirror confirmed it.

"...You're really amazing, Takanashi-kun. I... I've been struggling with my skin for so long."

Hibiki murmured, tears welling up in her eyes. It was an expression she had never shown Hirose.

Hibiki had a complex. She suffered from breakouts like acne on her face and body. While she hid it well with makeup, it was a source of long-standing distress for her.