Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Sword and Body as One
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Morning came.
I waited for Aruru to awaken.
She soon opened her eyes, summoned a water spirit, and lightly washed her face.
Her tail swayed gently, as if she felt refreshed.
Perhaps from a good night's sleep, her pure white fur had a healthy sheen.
"You're the cutest thing in the world."
"Hm? Why state the obvious?"
“……”
This was difficult, truly difficult.
Despite my efforts last night, my little cutie's affection level hadn't changed.
Could it be... my technique was lacking?
That couldn't be it. She had clearly fallen asleep satisfied.
Was it because she had grown used to it?
I would have to master a more thrilling technique.
I was only two points away from eighty.
I wanted to reach it quickly, but things weren't going my way.
It felt like I had hit a wall, but there was no need to be discouraged.
A challenge of this magnitude was to be expected.
How could I obtain a Hero candidate's trait for free?
Besides, I still had one ace up my sleeve.
Dreams and hopes.
She would have no choice but to surrender before them.
"This is a bit random, but what do you think of chicken?"
"A delicious friend? No, perhaps my soulmate?"
You can't resist chicken.
She showered it with praise in that vein.
"I love all chicken dishes."
"Hmm, but I wonder, was that truly the best there is?"
"Huh??"
To the girl tilting her head in confusion,
I began to preach the greatness of fried chicken.
Freshly fried chicken.
As I described its crispiness, her mouth gradually fell open.
When I moved on to sauced fried chicken, she unconsciously began to drool.
By the time I explained the exquisite charm of half-and-half, she let out a cry, unable to hold back any longer.
"Ahh, to think such a new world existed!"
Seized by a thrill, her body trembled.
She looked crestfallen, as if she had been living life at a loss…
"But I know now, so it's all good!"
That cheerful cry raised her affection by one point.
I couldn't believe it, but this topic had really hit the mark.
"Where do I have to go to eat that?"
"Well, it's a bit difficult right now…"
"Huh??"
Upon realizing it was a pie in the sky,
tears welled up in her large eyes, and she began to whimper.
"Calm down."
"B-But…"
"I swear on my name and my family. Someday, I will place a drumstick in each of your hands."
"!!"
I couldn't believe I'd staked my family name on something like this.
But the effect was greater than I had anticipated.
"I can feel your sincerity. To go that far for me…"
As if nothing could be more touching,
she clung to me with a look of pure bliss.
If I had made it and fed it to her myself, I probably would have hit eighty points, right?
The same method obviously wouldn't work again.
I would have to take my time and slowly earn that last remaining point.
Our bond would deepen with the passage of time.
My plan to get Aruru's trait right away had fallen through, but my spirits were still at their peak.
The trait reward was just a bonus; the real prize was something else.
Leaving the girl to worship the imaginary divine chicken, I opened the exchange list.
[Sword and Body as One]
[Required Achievement Points: 500,000]
[Current Points: 512,000]
The moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived.
I would have to invest all the points I had painstakingly collected, but I didn't regret it in the slightest.
[Sword and Body as One]
[A state where the body and sword become one]
[Unaffected by an opponent's presence]
[Lv 1/10 All Attack Power +14% & Critical Hit Chance +14%]
[Mana efficiency increases with higher-grade weapons. Base +30%]
Good performance with added bonuses.
Yes. It was definitely worth the high price!
Acquiring Sword and Body as One drastically increased my attack power.
At this point, I wouldn't be outmatched even against a ranker.
I could probably dominate the lower A-rank, up to around 80th place.
If I steadily raised my level, I could even aim for the mid-ranks.
The top ranks, however, were another matter.
It wasn't as simple as 'I'm the only one using skills,' which made it difficult.
They would each possess skills comparable to Mind's Eye and Sword and Body as One.
Still, I had caught up a lot.
The very fact that I could now hold my own against a ranker was proof of my growth.
Had I become quite strong?
In truth, I was still a long way off.
The strength of the Hero candidates was on another level.
My little cutie alone had easily defeated Largo, a ranker in the top twenty.
That gap couldn't be closed with effort alone.
As a protagonist perk, they possessed exclusive skills and S-rank or higher traits.
There was only one way.
I had to obtain Jace's exclusive skill.
I needed to properly wield Perfect and Flawless to have even the slightest chance.
It would be a relief if that were the end of it, but it wasn't.
At present, the Four Heavenly Kings were more powerful.
Only by leveling up while fighting against the Demon King's Army's invasion would our strengths become comparable.
And after defeating the Four Heavenly Kings?
The final boss, the Demon King himself, was scheduled to appear.
Just you wait. We'll beat you down in the name of justice!
This world was full of strong individuals who could become my allies.
Even excluding the Hero candidates, there were quite a few.
The upperclassmen who had graduated from the academy.
They were already checking the Demon King's Army in various ways.
They were skilled and proud, so they would likely look down on their juniors, but I would cross that bridge when I came to it.
Level-up events.
Events to obtain S-rank equipment.
Events to awaken and acquire ultimate skills…
And much more was planned.
This was just the beginning, so I wouldn't be bored until next year.
There was one slight problem.
This body was not originally supposed to be here, so I was disconnected from the main story.
Which meant some events didn't apply to me.
Well, I had an ace in the hole, so it didn't really matter.
The system window that gave so generously.
Once I reached A-rank, it would surely shower me with related quests.
I finished my thoughts and looked at Aruru.
As if ready to receive the divine chicken at any moment,
she had her arms stretched high, licking her lips.
It was my fault for describing it so vividly.
Still, I didn't think she would get this into it.
I gently stroked her head, and she finally snapped out of it.
"I'm feeling kind of hungry."
The sight of the girl's bashful smile was healing in itself.
Right. Even if I starved, I would make sure you were fed.
"Hmm? You feel a little different. Did you have an epiphany or something?"
She had already noticed the change in me.
I figured most rankers would be able to sense it.
"Not an epiphany, more like regaining a past state…"
"Anyway, that's great. You seem a bit more dependable now."
She was as happy as if she herself had gotten stronger.
But her words were a bit odd. What was I like until now?
"On the other hand, it's a little sad."
"Why?"
"The stronger you get, the less time I'll have to look after you."
“……”
For a moment, I felt a sense of bewilderment.
I had thought I was the one looking after her, but was it actually the other way around?
Well, it didn't really matter.
The only thing that mattered was that we were together.
"Let's go get something to eat."
"Okay!"
Was it because I had gained a new skill?
The scenery outside looked different.
Not long ago, I had been full of worries, but now, I wouldn't be scared even if I ran into a ranker.
I had entered the ranks of the strong.
I finally felt like I had graduated from being a newbie.
"Hmph. Not bad. But you've still got a long way to go."
"Huh??"
We happened to run into…
No, Largo, who had intentionally appeared, spat out a cold remark.
He liked that I had gotten stronger, but he didn't want to praise me.
With that kind of look, he scowled and continued.
"I'll show you the full extent of my power this time."
He intended to win the A-rank tournament.
As a strong contender for the championship, it wasn't strange for him to show such confidence.
What? Did he want me to cheer for him?
As if that wasn't necessary, he said his piece and walked past.
My little cutie stuck her tongue out at the back of his head.
“……”
For some reason, I felt strange.
I quickly realized the source of this dissonance.
Despite encountering that beast, my inner peace had not been disturbed.
I had been subconsciously on guard, but now, I felt nothing.
It seemed the secondary effect of Sword and Body as One had activated, deflecting Largo's presence.
Verification complete.
This confirmed I could maintain my composure no matter who I met.
On our way to the dining hall, Ceria naturally joined us.
"Huh??"
As if her lover looked different,
she examined me from all angles with a quizzical expression.
"Could it be…"
"It is."
"Ah, I understand."
My fiancé is a genius.
It's not strange for his state to improve overnight.
She nodded with that sort of understanding.
I couldn't help but feel at ease with her reaction.
I supposed others would think similarly.
"I want to be held by you."
The girl spoke without thinking.
She realized it a moment later,
but as if it were nothing, she puffed out her chest instead.
“……”
What good was Sword and Body as One?
Before my fiancée, my composure crumbled to dust.
There were quite a few eyes on us, but a light hug should be fine, right?
"Let's take care of breakfast first."
Perhaps conscious of Aruru, she postponed it for later.
That was the right call. Even if I was going to show off our love, I had to feed the other party to avoid future trouble.
Nom nom nom.
Ceria stroked the tail fur of the fox, who was serious about her food.
"I can rest easy now."
She wasn't just saying that.
Her smile felt a degree brighter.
I skipped saying, 'I'm sorry for making you worry.'
There were plenty of better things to say to make her happy.
"I think this is the result of my efforts while always longing for you."
"!!"
Just as I intended, the girl's heart skipped a beat.
Her elegant face overflowed with emotion and happiness.
It was the plain truth, so I felt no pang of conscience.
I thought of Ceria several times a day.
Even when making plans, her existence was my top priority.
Sometimes, with a fluttering heart, I even wished she would do something unexpected.
My partner for life.
At some point, half of my mind had become filled with her.
And half of the remaining half was occupied by my little cutie.
In the warm atmosphere, we continued our friendly chat.
"The tournament is tomorrow. How are you feeling?"
"Not bad. I've prepared sufficiently."
She added that she had been sparring with the Student Council members from time to time.
Being part of a specific faction had its advantages,
but the factions of the Hero candidates carried a high risk of being used.
No, wait a minute…
An idea suddenly formed in my mind.
What about joining the Student Council?
Members of the Student Council receive various benefits.
Most of them were decent people, so I wouldn't get caught up in trouble.
Before, I wasn't qualified.
But since I was about to become A-rank, I thought they would accept me.
However, it was clear I would get busier, so it had its pros and cons.
"What do you think?"
I asked casually.
I thought she would be pleased, but she only showed a sullen reaction.
"I wouldn't recommend it. I especially hope you don't join."
"Huh??"
"Everyone has their own role to play. Please continue to aim for the top, just as you have been."
I'll handle the support.
You just go out there and make a name for yourself!
It was something like that… no, maybe a little different?
I could feel the girl's earnest wish for me to quickly return to being a Hero candidate,
and to focus only on becoming a Hero.
She then looked at me as if to say, "How could someone who knows better say something so ridiculous?"
I didn't avoid her gaze.
I would smooth over a mistake of this level with my wits.
"That may be so, but I only said that because I wanted to be with you, even for a little while…"
"!!"
Oh, what should I do?
I didn't understand his feelings!
This time, it was definitely that kind of feeling as she grew embarrassed and blamed herself.
Hmm, it was getting to the point where I felt sorry.
Still, seeing her secretly happy brought a smile to my face.
She had a cute side, just like my little cutie.
After a pleasant meal, by the time we arrived at Aruru's private training hall,
"Could you spare me some time?"
For some reason, Ceria had followed us.
I wondered if she was about to do something unexpected—that is, something befitting a couple.
"I'd like you to look at my swordsmanship."
“……”
With the tournament approaching, she was asking for help.
I couldn't help but be taken aback for a moment.
It wasn't that I didn't want to, but I wasn't particularly keen on it!
- Jace (Four Heavenly Kings) vs. Ceria (Hero's Companion)
That incredibly sad dynamic naturally came to mind.
It wasn't quite trauma, but it was quite unsettling.
Well, I couldn't be like this forever.
I would shake off that feeling as soon as possible.
Especially considering her actions so far, Ceria was sure to provide a reward.
A premonition that this time would be something special…
A strange sense of satisfaction washed over me, and the boyish purity within me stirred wildly.