Rough Story Progression 2
Rough Story Progress 2
While on a quest to obtain the Stone of Purity, I unlocked a skill.
It was called the Mental Collapse skill.
"...What is this now?"
But just by the name, I couldn't grasp its meaning.
A skill that destroys the mind?
Does it roughly mean turning someone into an idiot?
"Oh."
Unconsciously, I ended up pressing the skill name floating in the air.
—Click.
And then, the sound of a button.
Soon, a small description window unfolded beneath the skill.
——
[ Active Skill ]
* Mental Collapse
Effect: Collapses the target's mind, blurring the boundaries of reality.
How to Use: Extend your hand to use it.
Constraint: The skill's casting time is very long.
——
'...What does this even mean?'
The description is so short it's ridiculous.
It blurs the boundaries of reality? So what can it do?
And the skill casting time is long... how long is it?
"Hmm..."
It feels like it can roughly grab someone and make them dazed...
Why is it so vague?
Personally, I prefer clear expressions.
If vague things keep piling up in my mind like leftovers, they'll eventually hold me back.
Then, no studying, no planning, and no further growth will be achieved.
In a word... this description is too uncomfortable.
"Ha..."
But well, should I just overlook this much?
Wasn't the person who made this game none other than Doctor Aerus-nim?
Clearly, he wouldn't even know the first letter of 'game'.
No, did he even try playing a game in the first place?
I felt a similar way when making HP potions.
The ingredients for an HP potion were an apple, water, and my saliva...
No, then I could just eat an apple and drink water separately, couldn't I?
'The recipe is weird...'
Just as I was continuing those thoughts.
"What... Harin? You're Harin, right?"
Someone called my name.
"...Oh."
"Wow. Long time no see?"
As I naturally turned my head towards the direction of the voice, the sunlight stung my eyes.
A black-haired man with a sturdy physique, tall enough that I had to look up at him.
"Ah, hellooo...?"
He was a man I'd never seen before.
"But where did Pai go, and why are you out alone?"
He was dressed in long sleeves and long pants, an outfit that looked quite hot.
"Ah, well... you see..."
"By any chance... you didn't fight like last time, did you?"
"Ah, eh?! No?!"
"Then never mind~"
Wow, what is this?
I almost forgot that this place was a game.
The conversation flowed so naturally, and I felt a strange sense of realism, especially from the man's gentle tone of voice.
Of course, this man must be an NPC, just like Pai, right?
"Well~ anyway, come visit the blacksmith often. Just say if you're short on materials."
"...Ah, yes."
"Magic might be the trend these days, but potions have their own romance, don't they?"
He said that and turned his back.
"Then, see you later."
"Yes, eh..."
The man waved his hand while turning his back.
From a distance, he looked at least two or three years older than me.
Seeing that he had some muscle, it seemed he also exercised.
"Hmm..."
My mom told me to find a man who takes good care of himself.
"...?"
No, wait.
Why am I thinking about things like this?
This is just inside a game...!
[ Harin. ]
At that moment, Seis's voice was heard.
"Ugh...! W-why are you calling me so suddenly?"
Had I become so easily startled that I'd jump just by hearing his voice?
My shoulders twitched slightly.
[ That man said it was a blacksmith shop. ]
"...S-so?"
[ 'So?' you say...? ]
[ Hahahaha. ...Honestly. If you don't move quickly, I'll raise the sensitivity. ]
"...Yes?"
Hmm.
I had forgotten. The mention of 'raising the sensitivity' suddenly brought back memories.
I was on my way to get ingredients for the Purification Agent.
I quickly followed the man.
I didn't bother to talk to him; I just secretly trailed behind him.
Perhaps because it felt awkward... I couldn't bring myself to speak to him.
* * *
"Damn it..."
Should I have just left her alone? From now on, I shouldn't give her any hints.
I thought she'd have some sense, working under Doctor Aerus-nim, but she keeps getting distracted.
"Hoo..."
I am currently watching Harin's appearance through the monitor.
Well, if push came to shove, I could even fast-forward time into the future.
Since I have Time's watch, skipping Harin's Corruption process is no big deal.
However, that's no fun at all.
Even though turning the entire Earth into an eroge is my ultimate goal, I can't give up enjoying the process.
This is just the beginning anyway.
After all, the plan truly began after dealing with her, the strongest Guardian.
Known as, the Guardian of Absolute Victory.
Truly... she was unbelievably naive.
Her assigned role was mainly to resolve disputes among Guardians.
Furthermore, when large-scale wars like world wars broke out, her primary role was to bring them to an end.
Therefore, those who contended with her attached various epithets to her.
She is the strongest, an absolute being has appeared, that is an inviolable domain... and so on.
However, even she had a secret.
A tremendous secret that would render all those praises meaningless.
Paradoxically, she possesses no physical means of attack.
In other words, she didn't win by fighting.
Destruction rays? Telekinesis? Super strength?
Authority of Creation? Authority of Destruction?
All of them were interesting illusions she had created.
All the abilities people knew about her were merely false information she had planted.
Her true ability was, in fact, to win.
That is, literally, mind control that instills in people the belief that she is the strongest is her true ability.
She simply ended battles by winning and with overwhelming mind control that made others believe she couldn't be defeated.
Furthermore, she couldn't use any other powers.
'This is all the result of what I confirmed with my own two eyes.'
It was strange from the very beginning.
From the day I was appointed as a Guardian, I observed her.
But what about using abilities? She couldn't even levitate!
From that moment, I put my plan into action.
To Corrupt her, making it impossible for her to return to the Guardians' headquarters.
First, I slowly broke down her gender identity.
My abilities encompassed life and death, and the power of life, in particular, was the only channel that could manipulate reproduction and instinct.
Therefore, I planted the seed of reproduction in her mind and waited.
A task to change her disposition.
For her, who had no means of defense in the first place, brainwashing was a piece of cake.
Even if I occasionally fell victim to her mind control, that seed could continue to bloom.
Because the desire for reproduction has nothing to do with winning or losing.
Perhaps reproduction is closer to the concept of victory.
Thus, every day, little by little, I encroached upon her.
I brainwashed her to consider herself a female.
Not with the awareness of being a woman, but as a female who could be tamed by a man at any time.
And at the last moment, I instilled a sense of guilt in her.
I embedded the delusion that she was originally a man deep into her mind.
Then, her time spent on Earth gradually lengthened, and now it's been months since she vacated the Guardian headquarters.
It was a bit puzzling that only I knew she was this easy, but the plan is proceeding smoothly.
If things continue like this, I'll be able to fulfill that long-cherished wish.
Finally, that dream will come true.
"Hahahaha..."
The more I thought about what was to come....
...only laughter emerged.
"Puhahahahaha...!!!"
"...."
Shall I connect to the Microcosm again?
By now, a new event must have appeared.
"Um..."
"Uwaaah!!! Oh, fuck! You startled me!!"
"...What are you doing?"
It was then.
A breathtaking voice came from behind me.
As I turned my head, magnificent white hair caught my eye.
"Uh, eh? Eh?!"
"What's wrong...?! Why are you so flustered?"
Golden eyes that, once seen, could never be forgotten.
An immense aura hidden behind an innocent face.
Our eyes met, and only then did I realize.
The Guardian of Absolute Victory, she had appeared before my eyes.
* * *
The blacksmith shop was cleaner than I expected.
Various weapons were displayed on the walls, and shelves held all sorts of jewels, just like other shops.
I thought a blacksmith shop would be dusty and hot...
I was a little surprised by its unexpectedly neat appearance.
"Oh? What?! I didn't expect you to come right away!"
Was he tidying up under the counter?
The man from earlier popped out from under the counter.
"Ah, yes... I needed something."
Ah, seriously. Why is this so awkward?
For some reason, my earlobes felt hot, so I fiddled with them unnecessarily.
Thinking about it carefully, had I ever properly conversed with a man?
Most of my time was a repetition of laboratory, home, and then laboratory, home...
Moreover, it was strange.
No matter where I looked in the laboratory, I couldn't find a single normal man apart from The Doctor-nim.
Ah, of course, I often saw The Doctor-nim's peers, but...
Anyway, it had been a long time since I'd seen a man I could treat as a potential romantic partner.
"Come on in. I've made a new product this time!"
Perhaps that's why my body kept flinching every time that man spoke.
Moreover, that man... his appearance and personality subtly match well.
He exuded the typical protagonist vibe, as if he'd jumped out of a shonen manga.
"Um... that... what I'm looking for is called the Stone of Purity, do you happen to have it?"
"Stone of Purity? Oh, that? Just a moment~"
The man simultaneously began rummaging through the shelves.
"This is it, right?"
The man pulled out a stone from the shelf, identical to the one Pai had shown me.
"Ah, yes!"
"Hmm~ How many do you need?"
"Um... I only need 5 for now."
He handed me five Stones of Purity.
"Here, this should be enough, right? If you need anything else, just say so!"
"Yes..."
Naturally, he didn't ask for money.
Even looking at him like this, the setting is that he's been brainwashed by me.
'That means...'
Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.
Do Pai, that man, and all the people in this village have their original personalities?
That's a pretty reasonable guess.
Well, my brainwashing ability is also a type of skill.
Then, naturally, they must have implemented the personalities that would emerge if the brainwashing skill were to be dispelled.
'Should I try it...?'
Driven by that curiosity, I glanced at the man.
The man showed me a pure smile.
...
I can't help it.
I have to check this.
I'm curious.
I said I'm curious.
It's better than just letting it go, isn't it?
I want to know that man's true personality.
I'm also curious about the newly acquired Mental Collapse skill.
It might be a wild guess, but if I use this Mental Collapse skill, wouldn't that man's brainwashing temporarily wear off?
Of course, it's just a hypothesis.
...Because in some games, there are rules where skills don't overlap.
Perhaps he could literally go crazy.
Well, since this is an eroge, being pounced on is somewhat plausible.
Well... if I get pounced on like that, wouldn't that just be unavoidable...?
"Ugh..."
My fingers twitched as if a trigger had been planted in my mind.
Irresistible curiosity.
An impulse rising from deep within my heart.
I can't assert it, nor can I prove it. The only way to prove it is to try it myself.
'It's just an experiment, after all.'
My nature is only appeased when my curiosity is resolved.
"...."
I swallowed the saliva gathered in my mouth with difficulty and gently extended my hand.
"Hmm?"
The bewildered man.
A feeling of apology slowly crept up, but I reassured myself that satisfying this much curiosity was fine.
'Roughly... by extending my hand like this...'
A slight pang of guilt washed over me, but I deliberately ignored it.
Instead, I recalled the things I had done here.
Dirty yet fun, those memories...
"...."
How should I put it, a wall in my heart crumbled.
Cheok—
I use the skill.
As I extended my hand, such a suggestion suddenly flowed into my mind.
Seureureuk—
It was then.
The area around the man's body began to glow white.
Paaht—!!
"Ugh...!"
The man was in pain.
Could he be going crazy? Or, as I expected, would he... me...?
"Ugh... W-what is this..."
He seemed to feel something strange in his body and looked down at his hands.
And a moment later....
"W-what is this...?"
Nothing happened.
"...Eh?"