Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: The Conviction of 20,000 Hours of Playtime
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D/Z SAGA's party system.
It's an RPG at its core, but with heroine endings tied to affection levels and route choices.
Magic Division. Knight Division.
Not just the main heroines from each division—side heroines, extra heroines unlocked on New Game+, the true final heroine route that opens after conquering all others.
There's even a protagonist corruption route, subdivided into variants, so even the corruption heroines aren't just one.
Popularity polls have even seen corruption side heroines beat out main route heroines.
And of course, fail at affection management, and you won't even reach Act 12.
Screw up royally, and you get a message like "No one has seen Kelters since," followed by death.
Abandon a heroine or let affection drop, and she'll dump Kelters with, "Sorry, I'm just not interested in you anymore."
Mess up a flag, and a heroine dies saying, "...I wanted... to laugh with Kelters... a bit more..."
Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes again.
Anyway, back to the point.
So how do you manage heroine affection?
Simple. Add them to your party and hunt with them often.
I have no idea why grinding XP through hunts boosts affection in the system.
Is this a world where you spot someone attractive on the street and go, "Hey, you catch my eye—wanna hunt?" and if it clicks, you draw swords, slay monsters amid the blood spray, split the loot, and say, "We sync so well; mind if I ask you out after?"
A world I wouldn't wanna live in.
Still, this party system is critically important.
Why? Ha. Easy to explain.
...Told you.
Critically important.
D/Z SAGA isn't a god game.
I won't call it trash, but it's a solid effort barely scraping into masterpiece territory.
Too perfect, and it's not a game anymore. Games need those slightly rotten, trashy edges to charm you.
And this game's trashiest part? The party system, hands down.
Say, in the original story, I become Kelters and join the Magic Division to recruit party members.
Eve slots in first, then Regina. Since I've built Kelters for magic, his Magic Power has grown.
Party looks like this:
Kelters gets that extra +1 Magic Power because two party members outstat him, triggering the Magic Power Sync system for bonus correction! That's the lore.
In Knight Division, Nefti or Leonバイス lead with Stamina and Strength.
Hence, Strength bonus parties get nicknamed "Stronk Pot," like that.
Others are "Magic Pot," "Tank Pot," "Dex Pot," etc.
Yeah.
Kelters rides the bus hard from strong allies, uniting hearts for bonus stats—eventually matching Eve's Magic Power.
Bus city.
But huge issue: extreme stat gaps mean no support.
Eve's 22 Magic Power doesn't bless everyone with +1; only those at 18+ qualify.
Balances early-game Eve party without bursting Kelters to 22. Yeah, that tracks—early +1 Magic Power is huge.
So, applying to me, Wolfram von Loengrin:
Stat bonuses only if Stamina ≤6, Strength/Magic ≤7, Dexterity ≤12.
Hmm. If it weren't Aila, maybe someone else...
Like, say...
"None, huh?"
Racking my brain, no one's left at Jefrin that weak still enrolled.
Outstat Wolfram by 4? They'd quit the academy.
"Milmyu... no good either."
Expelled as a total failure, Milmyu level?
Milmyu's stats: Stamina 9, Strength 8, Magic 11, Dexterity 6. Wolfram: 2,4,3,8.
If Milmyu were first party member, +1 Strength bonus, sure.
...But that's nonsense too.
Overpowered chars qualify for party by existing.
Stack competent members, and beyond stats, Magic Pots get action bonuses, great success boosts. Tons of gains.
That 5% comes from trust, bonds, affinity—or affection for heroines. Max 8% from memory.
Hit 8% right before a heroine's ending. Means Aila trusts me immensely.
"...Aila."
"Yes?"
"You're the symbol of my trust. Here's to more ahead."
"You got it!"
Strictly speaking, stat grinding was never the plan from jump.
Didn't even know party system existed at first, and no weaklings around to support me anyway.
Could scrape tier-4 trash from the labor market for +1 stats, but wrecks party balance.
Aila's OP stats give magic action gains; trash drags judgments to the dump.
So devs roll Dex Pots, swap to Tank Pots for taunt, Stronk Pots for melee DPS. Deep, tricky game.
Most of it's useless here.
But regardless, one thing you must grab early with a party...
"Aila."
"Yes? Calling me, Wolfram?"
"Free this weekend?"
"Yeah. Exams done, no socials."
Perfect.
Golden chance.
"Join me on an expedition then?"
"...Expedition?"
"Yeah. Takes time, but possible?"
First-party mini-quest you must do.
Problem: time sink.
Aila tapped her chin, thought, then beamed.
"Wolfram. Wrong approach."
"...Huh?"
"Say, 'Let's do this together. I trust you.' That'd make me way happier?"
"......Let's do this together. Requesting the one I trust."
"Gladly! Who's coming, what time? Early morning?"
I recalled the quest trigger and shook my head.
"No. Just you. No early start needed."
"Ah, haha... r-right. Just us. Got it. Short trip?"
"No. Camping till midnight in the field. Overnight probably."
"Ah. Overnight. Return next day. Cool, late start then."
Aila nodded, satisfied.
Then her cat eyes went wide, stunned.
"...O-overnight...?"
"Yeah."
Act 2, as mentioned, is heroine intros and affection-building episodes per route.
Prime example: 2-1 Eve's Black Flag Hideout Raid.
I tagged along somehow, but canon has Kelters first-party with Eve, then student council execs for first Black Flag exec encounter.
Clear it, and Eve-Kelters get a sweet system.
Skill unique to one per party—essential for party building.
Glad I didn't unlock party with Eve field trip.
Might've been her otherwise. Gross.
Anyway. Here we are in Sleeping Mountains for this skill.
Visit way too often.
"U-um. How far we going? Ah, 【Black Crystal】 【Area Control】"
"Not long. Hmm. Partlashu. Here works."
We rode Partlashu's handcart amiably, pitched camp midway up the deep peaks.
Last Eve camp spot still had traces.
Aila Black Crystal'd en route monsters easy.
And my sad status popped:
...Pathetic.
Whatever.
Set up monster-repelling herbs, barrier stones. Partlashu's telekinesis for tent, campfire.
Light meal. Aila offered help; I declined. My convenience, my job.
Salad with mayo beans dressing, cream pasta from cream beans, two smoothies from mix beans. Set, sat.
"Wow..."
"Eat before cold."
"Y-yes! But... you're surprisingly camping-pro, Wolfram?"
"Natural. Consider my goal."
World's best convenience store boss needs cooking chops.
No meal kit factory here.
"...True. To see the world, need cooking... camping skills. Someday you'll chase your dream."
"......?"
"Love it. Great dream. Dig in, Wolfram!"
"Mm."
Post-meal cleanup. Aila Black Crystal'd a chair by fire.
Actions so far: two big ones.
'Partied in field, fought.'
'Shared meal.'
Last trigger. I sat by her, spoke.
"Phew. It'll be fine. Aila Trista. Wolfram said he'd wait."
Aila muttered as I finished dishes, sat on her chair.
"Eek?!"
"Why so startled."
"N-no. Sudden... close, scared me."
"Sorry then."
"......Wolfram. Why this expedition today?"
"...Mm."
What to say.
'Party member, here for skill!' Spear to gut.
Hmm, so...
"Wanted to talk."
"...Talk?"
"Yeah. Too busy lately for calm chats. Chance to bond deeper with top rebellion ally."
"Ah... y-yes!"
Aila shed day's awkwardness, beamed at me.
"So, Aila. 'Let's talk.'"
"Yes! Let's chat tons, Wolfram!"
Triggers complete. Holo panels flashed, vanished.
"What to talk about."
"Old stories?"
"Old stories? Like what."
"Our childhood!"
"......"
That's Wolfram von Loengrin's memory.
Yi Young-jin doesn't know, not even in setting docs.
"Too much happened; don't remember all. Childhood's fuzzy."
"...Ah. Right. Your childhood... must've been hell, just 'low talent' label."
"Mm. Sorry."
"N-no, my bad."
"So tell me. What was my childhood like."
"......Y-yes! So..."
Aila launched into excited chatter.
Skirted some bits deliberately, but filled head with fresh Aila-Wolfram backstory.
And.
"...So yeah. Wolfram...... that's..."
"Sleepy? Crash in tent."
"Yawaawn..."
Clock: 10:30.
Like she said, bedtime.
Aila tented. I eyed system window.
Heart Link
[8T]
Party-only skill.
Trust beyond magic forges bonds. Shares party member's HP drop below threshold with leader! Shares status ailments with leader!
Nodded reading skill.
"Got it."
Add-on skill marking party ailments, low HP. Game-changer for party play.
Activated: Tiny Aila face icon, green healthy HP bar, blue mana glow, clean status.
"Act 2 ends, Act 3 looms. Act 3 final boss: Aila Trista."
Hope nothing happens, but fate's unpredictable.
Prep anyway.
Party leader means protect her from danger.
That's D/Z SAGA 20,000-hour cafe vet Yi Young-jin.
Never once let a party member die.