"Pant... pant...! Just... just a little further, and we'll see them... naked...!"
His breath was ragged, his expression twisted into something repulsive, and his words made no attempt to veil his base desires. Woz radiated an aura of pure creepiness as he stared at the fence of the open-air bath, swallowing hard.
Heaven was only a dozen meters away.
Hiding in the thickets surrounding the bath, he moved stealthily, his mind filled with delusions of the "event" about to unfold. He wasn't alone; he could sense the presence of other men around him, all harboring the same dark desires.
There were about ten of them in total—just enough to count on both hands. It was almost comical, the way these so-called Hero Candidates—reincarnators, every last one—had congregated for the sole purpose of voyeurism.
No, it wasn't a laughing matter at all. But witnessing their sheer obsession as they snuck around the traps set near the fence (not that they knew they were traps) to get closer to the women’s bath brought out a dry, hollow chuckle. Seeing a pack of boys who would usually be considered "pretty boys" stoop to such levels was beyond surreal; it was grotesque.
"I-I can hear voices! That was Melt and Ann just now...!"
The sound of girls splashing and laughing reached their ears. The group gulped in unison, their excitement mounting as they recognized the voices of popular characters like Melt and Anhel. Then, the voices of the other girls followed.
"Whoa! Ann, yours are massive! That’s just not fair!"
"Hahahaha! I'm not just the strongest warrior; I'm the 'bustiest' too!"
"Mmm... I suppose this humble one has no choice but to honestly concede defeat..."
"Look, it’s not like bigger is always better. Sure, it’s a nice feature, but it’s not the end-all-be-all, okay?"
"P-Peewee...? Your eyes look... lifeless. Are you okay?"
"I truly admire how all of you can move so nimbly despite your... assets. Since we're on the smaller side, we don't have to worry about that sort of thing. Right, Peewee-san?"
"Misery, stop twisting the knife so casually."
"A blade without malice really does cut the deepest, doesn't it...?"
"Mmm! Washing each other's backs is so much fun! I've never been in a bath with so many friends before!"
Heh-heh-heh! Oh, baby!
Woz let out a silent, bizarre scream of triumph in his heart. From the petite, slender types to the model-like beauties, plus the classic busty girls, the "busty lolis," and even "explosive" breasts of a level rarely seen in the real world—as a man, he couldn't help but be overcome with anticipation.
Heaven lay just beyond that fence. He was about to see the girls he’d only ever dreamed of—defenseless, in the flesh, and showing off parts that even the best game CGs or character portraits couldn't capture.
The swaying curves, the rounded hips... the naked bodies of girls he could never hope to see in reality were literally right before his eyes. And every one of them was an exceptionally beautiful girl—the heroines he had fallen for in the games he had played so thoroughly.
"Pant... pant... pant... Naked...! Melt and the others... naked...!"
He couldn't stand still any longer. The other Hero Candidates felt the same. Driven past the point of endurance by their fantasies, they approached the fence with cautious but hurried movements.
They neared the peep-holes that existed in the game’s version of the resort, but judging those insufficient for their numbers, they gripped the knives they had brought along and stopped right against the perimeter.
Finally... the moment is here!
Knives in hand, they set to work, carving small holes into the wooden planks. The other Hero Candidates did the same, and they all took deep breaths in unison, trying to suppress their tension and excitement.
Woz exchanged a glance with Torin, who was nearby, and both wore indescribable, lewd smiles. Woz actually planned to betray them later, handing them over to the girls as the culprits to gain favor... but first, he had to indulge. He would feast his eyes on the healthy Melt, the Warrior Shrine Maidens with their flawless skin and perfect proportions, and Anhel, who boasted the greatest sex appeal in the entire series.
Until that goal was achieved, they were comrades. Bound by an insolent bond born from lewdness, the Hero Candidates all pressed their eyes to the holes at the exact same moment.
"Haa... haa...!"
He could see it. He was finally looking into paradise. He was looking at the naked bodies of the stars of Luminous History.
Breathing heavily, their bodies tense with arousal, Woz and the others stared through the steam with bloodshot eyes. They caught sight of figures moving through the mist and held their breath, and then—!
"...Eh?"
Suddenly, they realized something was wrong.
The silhouettes visible through the steam were definitely not Melt and the others. In fact, they didn't even look like women.
Furthermore, the scenery beyond the fence didn't look like an open-air bath at all; it looked like an indoor shower room. As Woz and the others stared in confusion at the tiled walls, a group of massive, muscular men appeared directly in front of them.
"Oh yeah...!"
"Another great workout today!"
"Your muscles are coming along nicely. You have the physique of a man who protects the peace of this island."
"Damn right. I am a muscular macho man of the Security Force."
"O-O-O... BLEAAARGH!"
Faced with a manly, sweat-soaked sight so far removed from their fantasies, the Hero Candidates were struck by a wave of nausea and fell backward.
They had come expecting to see soft, feminine curves; instead, they had been forced to look at the hairy, rippling physiques of grown men at point-blank range. They screamed in terror and revulsion, their minds spiraling into total confusion.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing, you punks?!"