Chapter 20: Interrogation For This Demon!
Part 1
I checked the new quests I unlocked when I woke up the next morning.
Repopulate the Giant Toads! Quest Rewards: 2 Intelligence, 2 Willpower
Kill the third floor boss! Quest Rewards: Random loot box
Discover the next trendy place! Quest Rewards: 2 Charisma, 2 Attractiveness
I was already planning on doing the first two.
But the third quest caught me off guard.
"...Where should I even look?"
The smoothie store and the cafe was straightforward enough, but I didn't know what other place would get the attention of normies.
I decided to just keep an eye on the news and the service locator.
I noticed there was a note waiting for me when I went downstairs to eat breakfast. It was the 1,000 Yen weekly allowance, left for me by my dad.
Here's your allowance! I bet you really need it!
Maybe a month ago, but this allowance was pretty much useless to me now.
It was the same thing with my family's bond rank reward of letting me skip classes.
I was actually trying in school now, so I couldn't afford to skip.
Still, I took the allowance since it was free money.
I went off to school. On my way there, I saw Rin.
"Ah! Senpai, good morning! I had fun yesterday!"
A rosy cheeked Rin greeted me.
She was still embarrassed about the kiss. How cute.
"Yeah, me too. Oh, I read some of the new books you recommended to me."
"Nice! Please tell me your impressions!"
The slight awkwardness disappeared as soon as we started talking about Rin's favorite hobby.
I noticed Mitsurugi by the school gates. When I walked past him without acknowledging him, he grabbed me by the arm.
"Oi… I know you saw me, so why were you walking past me?"
He said, giving me an offended look.
"I thought you said you weren't gonna cockblock me during my morning walks with Rin."
"Then you must have realized that this must be important if I'm 'cockblocking' you, right?!"
He was speaking too loudly and Rin heard him. She looked at us in confusion and said,
"Eh? Um, what is cockblocking."
I gave a warning look to Mitsurugi not to corrupt the innocent Rin and he rapidly shook his head.
"It's nothing! Um, I need to talk to your boyfriend, so…"
He was calling me her boyfriend. This guy really lacked any tact.
Rin just chuckled and started walking away.
"Alright, I'll see you later, senpai!"
I waved at her and turned to Mitsurugi, not bothering to show how annoyed I was.
"This better be good."
"I told you, it's important! Listen, one of the app-users I'm friends with said that he saw a portal opening in his neighborhood and a demon scout team came out! Here he got it on film!"
He was probably talking about one of the app-users I saw him talk to in the swimming pool. I accepted his phone and played the video in question.
Mitsurugi wasn't kidding around. It was in the video, a red, demonic creature stepped out of the portal, into the streets.
"...Aqua told me that the Demon King army can only open a portal to our world every full-moon. Is this one of those accidental portal openings?"
Just like Dust and the succubi who accidentally arrived here from the other world, I thought it was one such scenario.
"I hope that's the case. Because if it wasn't, then that means the Demon King army finally figured out how to create portals whenever they want!"
I watched the rest of the video. The demon looked around, before sprinting away from the portal.
"Did your friend attempt to give chase?"
I asked, to which Mitsurugi shook his head.
"No, he was with a girl, so he didn't want to leave."
"...He risked the safety of our world because he didn't want to leave some girl?"
"C-Come on, go easy on him."
Mitsurugi couldn't even defend his friend, and just pleaded for me not to insult him too much.
"Well, we need to track where this demon is going."
"Do you have any ideas, Satou?"
"I have a [Tracking] skill, but it only works on tracks that have been there for 30 minutes."
"Oh, that's unfortunate…"
"I guess we'll just have to look around for him."
Mitsurugi sighed and swept his hair back.
"Alright. I'll recruit some people to help. You should also ask the girls we hunted the Kobold Hero with to help."
"I'll ask Chris for help."
"Yes, Chris-san and the other girls as well."
"No, just her."
"Why?! It's more efficient if we have lots of people looking for that thing!"
"Megumin will try to blow the demon up on sight. Aqua will exorcize it right away. Darkness will want to be interrogated, rather than interrogate the thing. Yunyun will try to make friends with it. That's why."
"...You really have no faith in those girls, huh, Satou?"
"Absolutely zero."
"F-Fine. Let's begin our search tonight, then."
Part 2
That night, the app-users spread out through the whole city to look for this demon.
I asked Chris-san to help as well. Those with the [Enemy Detection] skill were sure to be useful in this case.
We didn't go together, as having more eyes to go around different areas of the city was more efficient.
That said, I also knew that just looking around randomly wasn't going to do much good.
So, I decided to contact an informant.
There were a few people I knew who came from the other world. I sought out Dust for information.
I knew exactly where to find him, the red light district, more specifically, the Succubus Shop.
"I'm sorry dear customer, but if you don't have the money…"
"Oh, come on! I'm a regular customer! Shouldn't you give me some special treatment?!"
"...But you already owe us for your last three unpaid visits."
A pathetic scene was waiting for me in the Succubus Shop.
"...! Kazuma! Dear ol' pal! You don't mind spotting me, do you?"
"Only if you give me some information…"
"That succubus over there is an E cup."
"Not that kind of information."
I told him about the demon I was looking for.
"Hmm… If it's a demon from the other world, then wouldn't they respond to the language of my world?"
"That's a pretty good idea, coming from you."
"What does that mean?"
If I made a fake message for the demon, pretending I was on its side, I might be able to trap it.
"Alright, here's 1,000 Yen."
I gave him the fee for the Succubus Shop.
"Ohh! I knew I could count on you! You're the best, Kazuma!"
Your bond with Dust has increased!
Dust (The Blond Delinquent), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Dust will give you information about the other world, as long as you cover his Succubus Shop fees! Dust views you as someone with deep pockets who he can follow around and receive money from. Be careful about being seen with him in public, as he owes the yakuza a fair bit of debt.
Bond Reward: [Spear] Rank-up
[Spear] Skill Rank: 2, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using spears. You gain 20% weapon accuracy with attacks using spears and 1 to damage using spears.
He was really just using me for money. What a transactional relationship.
Next, I wanted to ask the succubi for information, just in case they knew something. I booked a session with Rorisa.
The receptionist succubus took me to the private room, where Rorisa soon came to greet me.
"Hello, Kazuma-san! Thank you for being so understanding last time with Vanir-san!"
"It's no problem."
I was actually really annoyed by that, but I couldn't stay annoyed for long if she gave me such a cute smile.
"Actually, Rorisa, I wanted to ask you about this demon…"
"Oh, Kazuma-san wants to request a demon-type character this time?"
She made quite a misunderstanding.
Actually, that gave me an idea.
"Is it possible to request a scenario where I fight a typical Demon King army soldier from another world?"
Rorisa thought about it before nodding.
"Yes, that's possible. Although it will have to be limited to what I know about them."
"Alright, let's go for that, then."
That way, I could prepare myself for when I have to fight a real demon.
"So is Kazuma-san the one who will be conquered, or is Kazuma-san conquering the feisty demon warrior?"
She still misunderstood me.
I explained to her that I didn't want any lewd elements in the dream. I just wanted to see what it was like to fight a demon soldier.
With all the parameters set, I laid in bed and went to sleep.
When I regained my awareness, I was in a battlefield among soldiers facing off against a horde of demons.
The soldiers around me bore flags of a nation I didn't recognize.
"For Belzerg! For Princess Iris!"
There was a short-haired blonde lady with a blue streak in her hair, leading the charge. She raised a sword and the soldiers all cheered.
I looked down at my equipment and saw that I had my regular gear, just like I requested.
I watched as the soldiers and demons charged, using [Lurk] on myself to quietly observe.
While I was watching, I noticed that the demons had all kinds of fighting styles. Those who were frontlining had huge frames and carried huge weapons that no normal human could carry.
There were medium-sized demons in robes carrying staffs who unleashed magic on the soldiers. There were also those who used bows to shoot enemies from afar.
Finally, there was a small class of demons who acted more like rogues and skirmishers. I recognized that the demon from the video belonged to this class.
It made sense that a scout would belong to this category.
I watched how the smaller demons fought. They were light on their feet and used all sorts of dirty tricks to take down bigger opponents.
"[Steal]!"
"[Bind]!"
In short, their combat style was similar to mine.
I was used to outsmarting opponents and taking them off guard, but these guys also relied on the same kind of trickery.
In fact, when I pulled out my bow and tried to shoot one, it seemed to notice me with a detection skill and took cover before I could even fire. They escaped my awareness, before sneaking up on me with a dagger and striking me in the back.
"[Assassinate]!"
I couldn't even react as I immediately died.
I woke up from the dream, panting from the momentary pain I felt.
"Are you alright, Kazuma-san?"
Rorisa-san asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, can you give me the same dream?"
"Eh? But this isn't really a dream, it's a nightmare!"
"I'd rather be prepared than die like that in reality."
Rorisa-san sighed and placed me back in the dream again.
I was back on the battlefield again.
This time, I made sure to focus on my surroundings like I did with the Rookie Killer, truly shutting off my senses to everything else and watching out only for the demon.
When I felt [Enemy Detection] signaling me of an attack, I quickly turned with my bow and shot an arrow at it.
The demon fell down, felled by the arrow.
I woke up again, with Rorisa smiling at me.
"Good job, Kazuma-san! You did it!"
"Humu, it's only natural."
"Ah, would you like me to give you a lewd dream as well?"
I already went all the way with Aqua, but…
"Well, since I'm here…"
…I couldn't resist, in the end.
Since Rorisa fulfilled my strange request, I also made sure to give her a tip.
Your bond with Rorisa has deepened!
Rorisa (Rookie Succubus), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Rorisa thinks that you are into some weird play. Regardless, she sees you as more than just a customer, thanks to your kind treatment of her. Treating her nicely when you come over will increase your bond with her.
Bond Reward: You learn the skill [Bedroom Skill]!
[Bedroom Skill, Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in pleasing your partner in bed. Success is determined by 'Charisma' (62).
I learned quite a crazy skill…
Rather, I was confused as to why I didn't gain that skill when I first slept with Aqua, since I was also able to gain skills just by performing it.
…Was Appuri-chan trying to say that I didn't do well enough to learn the skill on my own.
"Eh…? Kazuma-san, why are you putting me on sleep mode?!"
I got pissed off and turned her off.
Part 3
Since the demon rouge-types in Rorisa's dream service seemed to have a skill that could one-shot me, I decided to get better protection.
I went over to the blacksmith.
Like last time, the storekeeper was reading an erotic magazine. He looked up at me with bare interest.
"What do ya want?"
"...Is that how you treat a returning customer?"
"You want me to give you some complimentary shuwa shuwa or something? Just tell me what you want, then buzz off."
I really hated having to give this guy money.
"I'm going on a hunt tonight…"
"Not interested."
"I don't even know why you'd think I was."
I told him that I needed armor. I also needed some high quality rope for my recently acquired [Bind] skill.
"If you want a direct upgrade from your iron breastplate, I can give you a discount."
"Wait, you can do that?"
"Yup. There's an [Upgrade] skill available to the Smith class that can let me upgrade an armor if I have the material available."
"What a useful skill… Say, do you want to set up a bond link, maybe?"
I didn't know how else to say it, so I awkwardly asked him.
After all, if I made a bond with him, it was possible that I could learn that skill through the bond rewards.
"Hah? Not a chance. You're one creepy kid, asking to bond like that…"
"Oi! It's beneficial for the both of us to learn skills from one another, right?! In fact, I have something called a [Bedroom Skill] that might be available if you get close enough with me…"
"I don't need some lame skill to make me better in bed."
Seeing how adamant he was to refuse the offer, I just gave up and gave him the armor to upgrade.
The upgrade cost me 20,000 Yen.
Steel Breastplate - Medium Armor (Rare)
Reduces incoming physical damage by 7. Applies -7 penalty to stealth related stats when sneaking.
Sells for: 14,000 yen
As for the rope, he sold it to me for 1,500 Yen.
"Oh, yeah, you bought a hunting shortbow last time, right? Do you want a better bow?"
He was really intent on making money off of me.
Still, I couldn't deny that I needed more firepower.
"Yeah, what do you have?"
"I have this Elven Shortbow for 15,000 Yen."
I looked at his ears.
"How can you make an elf bow when you're not an elf?"
Better yet, were there any elves in Japan to begin with?
"Idiot. I have this skill called [Cultural Exchange] that lets me create equipment outside of my species. It includes species and races from the other world."
Since elves in stories were known for their archer prowess, I imagined that this bow would be quite powerful.
It was quite an expensive item, but my archery was still my most reliable DPS option. I decided to fork the money over for the upgrade.
I also sold my old bow for 1,500 Yen. Then, I assigned the new bow as one of my two signature weapons.
Elven Shortbow - Signature Weapon (Rare)
Shortbow of elven make. That said, a normal Japanese oji-san made it.
Ammo: 20/20 (Steel-tipped arrows)
Bow Accuracy: Dexterity modifier = 62% chance of hitting
Weapon Damage: 5 piercing damage Dexterity modifier (6) Bonus (2) = 13 damage
Sells for: 10,000 yen
"Did you level up or something, oji-san? I remember you were only an intermediate blacksmith last time."
I said, while looking at the rarity of the weapons and armor he was able to make.
"I guess I leveled up after ripping off… I mean, serving customers like yourself."
This guy wasn't even hiding it anymore.
I left the store once I made my purchases.
From then on, I would enact Dust's plan to capture the demon.
I used the [Smithing] skill to carve out messages all over town.
Dust gave me a message in the other world's language, which translated to an order for the demon to meet with its superiors.
The meeting place I specified was Wiz's store.
I figured that since two Demon King generals were staying there, the demon would have an easier time believing the message.
And if something went wrong, perhaps Wiz would take pity on me and defeat the demon for me.
I also recruited the help of the other app-users through Mitsurugi, as well as Chris, to plaster this message all around the city.
I felt a bit bad that there was random graffiti of some unknown language all over the place. Still, being a nuisance to the public was better than letting this demon wander around.
"Yo, Wiz."
I said, as I entered the store.
"Oh, Kazuma-san! Thank you for shopping with us once again!"
She had the wrong idea.
Vanir glanced at me from where he was sitting and scoffed.
"Foolish shopkeeper. This shrewd boy doesn't intend to give us proper business at all. In fact, he is using us to capture one of our comrades…"
"Eh?! Kazuma-san, is that true?!"
I felt a bit bad now, since Wiz was so innocent.
I shook that feeling of guilt off, knowing that Vanir was using that against me.
"Just let me stay here for a bit. You can do that much for me as a regular customer, right?"
"W-Well, I suppose so…"
"What a terrible business woman! You, boy, if you don't intend to buy any of the wares, then leave!"
"...If you make me leave, then I'll have Aqua come here and sprinkle holy water all over the place."
Wiz looked horrified when I said that.
"Please don't do that, Kazuma-san!"
"Aren't you a Lich, woman?! Why are you cowering before a mere human and his pet goddess!"
I gave an evil smirk at Vanir and continued,
"Aqua is your direct counter. Think twice before kicking me out…"
"...Among all the humans I've encountered, you're probably the one closest to a devil. Fine, stay if you want, boy! But I won't make this visit a comfortable one for you! I will now proceed to share your romantic escapades to the innocent Wiz!"
Wiz blushed as she heard this and waved her hands around.
"E-Eh?! No, that's rather embarrassing!"
I also didn't want Wiz to hear about my private affairs.
"Oi, Vanir, if you don't want this shop to be flooded with holy water, you better not follow up on that threat!"
"You see, it seems this boy over here who was a virgin not that long ago is getting a big head. He now has two girls that he's fooling around with…"
"Kazuma-san is a playboy?!"
I suffered through this the entire time I waited for the devil to arrive.
Part 4
It took a couple hours until [Enemy Detection] alerted me of a threat.
Vanir was telling Wiz all about my embarrassing secrets until he supposedly got full from all the nourishment. He went to work on items that adventurers might buy once he had his fun.
That meant that it was just me and Wiz in the store front when I felt the demon's presence.
"...Don't tell him I'm here, Wiz."
I instructed her, as I used [Lurk] and hid behind the counter.
She looked down at me as I crouched beside her legs, my face leaning against the side of her thigh.
"Um, Kazuma-san, why is your face pressed up against me…?"
She was blushing not only from the contact, but from the stories Vanir was telling her.
"I can't help it. I'm hiding, after all."
"...But there's lots of space under there."
"Shhh! The demon is coming in!"
The door opened, making the bell ring.
"Welcome to Wiz's Magic Item Store!"
"...! W-Wiz-sama! Forgive me, I didn't know that I was supposed to rendezvous with you!"
"Eh? You were?"
Wiz blinked in confusion, then looked back down at me.
I made a motion with my hands, telling her to play along.
"O-Oh, right…"
"...? What's the matter, Wiz-sama? You seem unsure."
"U-Um… Please wait a moment…!"
Wiz knelt down to face me eye-level.
"Kazuma-san, what do you want me to say?!"
"Just turn around and pretend you're sorting through your wares. I'm gonna use a skill to imitate your voice."
"A-Alright…"
She didn't seem all that eager to do this, but she still stood up and turned around to the wares on the display shelves behind her. Then, I used [Versatile Entertainer].
"...Tell me the details about your scouting mission."
I said, in Wiz's voice.
"Yes, ma'am! I was sent here with two tasks. The first is to make sure that our new portal system works. The second is to find out what happened to Beldia-sama and Vanir-sama, if they were defeated or they turned traitor…"
"The portal system… What kind of improvements has the Demon King army made?"
"We can now open small portals that can transfer two people at a time on every change of the moon phase, rather than once per full moon."
This was really bad. Once per month was already bad enough, but if they could send a Beldia and Vanir level threat every week, I wasn't sure if we could deal with that.
"...So, Wiz-sama, did you just want me to report to you? If so, then I will go back to my duties."
"Wait, I have one more task for you…"
"What is it, Wiz-sama?"
"You see, I've been very lonely here in this world… And I'd like some company… Perhaps you could be my partner, hmm~?"
"...?!"
Wiz shot me a panicked look as I used her voice to seduce the demon.
"W-W-Wiz-sama?! Surely a lowly demon like me… With someone like you…!"
Wiz looked at me pleadingly, begging me not to go further, but I wanted to take this chance to make the demon lower his guard.
"Take off your clothes and service your mistress, demon…"
"Y-Yes, Wiz-sama! Gladly!"
As expected, this demon couldn't resist the once in a lifetime chance to sleep with Wiz.
When I heard the demon removing its gear, I leapt out from behind the counter.
"...Eh?! A human?!"
I was about to throw the rope at him to use [Bind, but the demon kicked up the dagger it dropped on the ground and threw it at me.
"[Dagger Throw]!"
The dagger moved in a rapid spin towards me.
"[Steal]!"
I stole the dagger mid-flight, the weapon appearing safely in my hand.
It didn't matter if the weapon was moving in a deadly trajectory or was part of an attack. In fact, the skill was basically guaranteed to work since the weapon was no longer in the user's possession.
The demon was disoriented by having his weapon suddenly appear in my hands. I used that chance to throw the rope at him.
"[Bind]!"
"Ah, crap…!"
It couldn't move out of the way in time, as the rope wrapped around its entire body, making it fall on the ground.
"...Wiz-sama! Please help me!"
I gave it a cruel grin while imitating Wiz's voice once more.
"Nope~! Just give up, you stupid demon~!"
It had red skin, but I saw its face pale when it realized what happened.
"Wiz-sama, have you betrayed us?!"
Wiz shook her head in denial.
"N-No, I didn't! But I can't harm humans, so…"
"But you can't interfere with us demons! That's part of the deal!"
"T-That's true…"
I turned to Wiz and said,
"Oi, you saw what happened. This demon attacked first by throwing that dagger at me. I was just protecting myself."
"T-That's also true…"
"Wiz-sama, please don't listen to this human!"
"U-Um… W-Well, I'm sorry! But you did attack Kazuma-san, so he was only right to defend himself!"
"Gahhh! This can't be!"
I smirked and went over to the demon, rolling it around like a log with my foot.
"Oi, you can't complain since you were stripping and about ready to do all sorts of erotic things with Wiz! Did you really think you'd have a chance with your superior, huh?!"
"Y-You took advantage of my admiration for Wiz-sama! How dare you!"
"Ehhh… You hear that, Wiz? This little demon admires you!"
Both Wiz and the demon blushed in embarrassment as I started laughing at its plight.
"Kuh! J-Just kill me already!"
The demon started saying lines that Darkness would say.
"Nope, you're gonna give me more information. Tell me everything you know, now."
"And why would I do that?!"
"...You're currently buckass naked and tied up. What kind of leverage do you have in this scenario?"
"Y-You make a good point."
I eventually got it to give up.
"...I don't really have any more information I can give you. I'm just a scout after all. Ah, but I do know that the Demon King is planning to send two generals next week, when we can open a portal again."
"Which generals is he sending?"
"Hans-sama, a giant poison slime and Sylvia-sama, a chimera…"
The chimera sounded a bit threatening, but the slime didn't seem all that scary.
After all, I defeated a slime before in the dungeon.
However, Wiz seemed nervous when the demon told us who was coming.
"Oh, no… Hans-san in particular is very scary."
"Hah? Wouldn't the chimera be a bigger threat?"
"Sylvia-san is also powerful, but Hans-sama as a poison slime has powerful regeneration and is almost immune to physical attacks. Not to mention his incredibly potent poison…"
Could it be that slimes were actually pretty dangerous?
Even though they were just cute mascot characters in Dragon Quest.
"I-I gave you information, so please let me go now…"
The demon said, as it squirmed underneath my feet as I kept it in place.
"Hah? And why would I do that? It's better to just keep you prisoner here for a while."
I learned my lesson with the Kobolds. When I used [Lore Reading, I found out that this small, red demon didn't have any means to evolve or grow more powerful. That meant that it wouldn't suddenly get a power up like the Kobold Hero did.
That meant that we could keep it in captivity while knowing the full extent of what it was capable of.
"Um, where are you planning to keep him, Kazuma-san?"
Wiz asked, looking at her comrade in the army with pity.
"Just keep him here for now. You need employees anyway, right?"
"W-Well, that's true…"
She couldn't deny that.
"As for you, demon, you get to be with the Wiz-sama you admire so much. It's not a bad deal for you, right?"
"...I suppose there's some positives to this."
Trying to find some good in this bad situation he found himself in, the demon said this.
Part 5
The next day, after school, I asked the same group that took down the Kobold Hero to meet me at a family restaurant.
Mitsurugi was the first to arrive, followed by Megumin. Even though Chris and Darkness weren't from around here, Aqua was actually the last to arrive.
"You're lucky I showed up in the first place!"
Aqua said, when I pointed this out.
I then told them what I learned through that demon.
Mitsurugi sighed in concern.
"It's a good thing my friend managed to film that demon, or we would have never known about this."
"A giant poison slime and a chimera, huh? That sounds cool."
Megumin said, nodding along to whatever image had in her head of our enemies.
"A slime, huh…? I tried to make friends with one in the dungeon, but it tried to melt my clothes instead… I think it was called a cloth eating slime…"
"...Where did you encounter this creature, Yunyun?"
Of course, that got Darkness's interest.
Chris coughed into her hand, trying to get everyone back on track.
"Slimes are pretty powerful, but their abilities are largely known. They are incredibly durable and have high regeneration on top of that. However, a chimera's abilities are much harder to predict…"
That was because chimeras were made out of many different components. Even the demon couldn't tell me much, since he said that Sylvia had a habit of absorbing a bunch of different things into her body.
"The thing I'm most concerned about is how to hide this from the public. If it's a giant slime we're dealing with…"
Mitsurugi said, as he rubbed his temples from the stress of all of this.
"Apparently, chimeras have high magic resistance, right? Then I'm not sure if my explosion magic will be much help."
We all turned in surprise at what Megumin said.
"...Hey, is this the real Megumin, or an imposter?"
Aqua said, pulling Megumin's cheek to see if her body was real and not that of a doll's.
"Hah? Why are you all surprised?! Did you think that I'd insist on just blasting it with explosion magic?!"
"That's what you do every single time."
I said, unable to forget how she acted before.
"Hmph… Why would I be excited about firing off my explosion magic against a target that won't even be harmed by it?"
"Even though you get excited firing it off in the junkyard and at abandoned buildings?"
"That's only for practice! But if I'm against a living opponent and they manage to tank my spell… The humiliation of my explosion magic being ineffective in that scenario is too much!"
I couldn't really understand her reasoning. It seemed like no one did.
Still, I said,
"It won't hurt to try and raise the levels of Megumin's explosion, though. Even if the enemies have high magic resistance, if we can increase the attack power of explosion, it could be our trump card."
Megumin's face filled up with joy as she leaned forward to grab my hands.
"Kazuma! I knew you have what it takes to be an explosion sommelier! What an excellent idea!"
Of course she approved of it.
"I guess we'll have to go down the dungeon, then. Oh, Aqua, you'll be there, too."
"...No thanks."
She gave us a blank look.
"Hah? Even though you were begging me to take you along last time?"
"I wasn't begging! And it's too dangerous to go into the dungeon with this explosion girl!"
She was still traumatized by the Giant Toad incident.
Well, there was more than one Giant Toad incident, and all of them involved Megumin's explosion magic somehow.
"I swear I won't use explosion while we're in the dungeon! Besides, if it's to increase the power of explosion, I'm fine with holding off on using it! As long as Kazuma takes me out to practice explosion somewhere else, of course!"
I somehow got roped into being her permanent explosion buddy.
"...I'd volunteer to be your frontliner, but I'm too high-level. It might interfere with your training."
Mitsurugi said, looking at us apologetically.
"I'm also pretty busy these days, so I can't join you."
Chris said, before looking at Darkness.
"I'm free, so I can help."
Even though Darkness sounded reliable when she said that…
I'd honestly prefer Mitsurugi, but he wasn't available.
"I suppose Darkness will do."
"...Kazuma, insulting me in front of all these people is…"
So it was fine for Darkness if we were alone? What a freak.
Yunyun shyly raised her hand.
"U-Um… What about me? Can I help?"
Megumin glared at her and shook her head.
"No way. Yunyun will just ruin my mood."
"E-Eh?! What does Megumin mean by that?!"
Megumin didn't say anything, but I could tell that she was wary of Yunyun who had advanced magic, that she would just end up killing all the monsters.
"Actually, Yunyun, you're probably better off training with Mitsurugi. He can take you to the higher floors, while the rest of us will just hold you back."
"Um, but I'm not that high level…"
"The difference is that you have the [Teleport] spell. You can just leave whenever it gets too much."
"So you're fine with me being left behind, huh?"
Mitsurugi said, chuckling weakly. He didn't seem to have any problems with it, though.
"W-Well, I'm fine with that! I-I'm looking forward to working with you, Mitsurugi-san…"
"Yeah, same here!"
The two of them smiled at each other. They surprisingly got along pretty well.
Maybe that was because in terms of personalities, they were the most level-headed of the group.
Unlike the rest of these erratic girls…
"Kazuma, I have a feeling you're thinking something rude about me…"
As always, Aqua was quick to pick up on these things.
"...? What's this? A spicy curry challenge?"
Darkness said, noticing that awful challenge Mitsurugi and I undertook.
I exchanged glances with him, bonding in our trauma.
"Wait, aren't those Mitsurugi-kun and Kazuma-kun's pictures on the wall?"
Chris said, noticing the 'reward' we got for completing that hellish challenge.
"Yeah, we took on the challenge because of a side quest…"
Mitsurugi said, his voice shaking as he spoke.
I got an idea while we were talking about the challenge.
"Actually, maybe you girls should do that challenge, too."
Mitsurugi whipped his head to look at me in disbelief.
"Why would you subject these girls to that, Satou?!"
"H-He wants to see us suffer!"
Darkness was too excited to say that.
"I'm not some sadistic freak. Remember, we got the [Heat Resistance] skill from that quest."
"Ah, now that you mention it, that's a very useful skill. I survived the fire breath attack of a dragon because of that skill."
I was about to show off how I survived holding an overheating Manatite core, but I couldn't anymore after Mitsurugi casually mentioned that.
"For a frontline fighter like me, a resistance skill like that will be invaluable. Very well, I'll take on this challenge."
Darkness said, even though it was clear she wanted to take on the challenge for a more ignoble reason.
"Hah? Count me out."
Aqua wasn't interested at all.
"Do the challenge. You can just heal yourself afterwards."
I said, putting up my hand to call a waitress.
"No way! I'll still have to suffer in order to gain the skill, right?! I'm not doing this, no way!"
A few minutes later, all the girls had plates of spicy curry in front of them.
"...I can't deny that I want that useful skill, but…"
Chris said, looking at the dangerous looking curry in front of her with empty eyes.
"Food is food. I'm not complaining. It's your treat right, Kazuma?"
Somehow, I got roped into buying the food for her.
"Let's have Mitsurugi pay, since he's the highest level one here."
"Me?! …Fine. I did get a lot of money from that dragon."
This guy always managed to piss me off.
Megumin was the bravest one, scooping the curry into her mouth.
"H-How is it, Megumin?"
Yunyun asked, watching Megumin's face carefully."
"...It's pretty good."
I couldn't believe that such a small girl was this tough.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I do recall Megumin saying that she ate a bunch of chilis as an entree for a week or so…"
"Yes, because they were on sale in the supermarket."
Everytime I heard about Megumin's home life, the more concerned I got for her.
"Gahhh! Make it stop! Make it stop!"
"...I-I can't handle this…"
Meanwhile, Aqua and Chris were in sync, suffering from just the first spoonful.
"...This pleasant stinging sensation radiating through my whole mouth… It's even pervading the rest of my face… Now it's traveling to my stomach. Ah, this is bliss…"
Meanwhile, Darkness was in complete ecstasy.
They all managed to learn the skill somehow.
Even though Aqua had to vomit afterwards.
Part 6
The Megumin training crew gathered in the dungeon afterwards.
Yunyun and Mitsurugi went ahead to the high level floors, while we went through the first two floors.
The whole time, we set up Megumin to get the killing blow with her staff. I was the one mainly dealing damage while Darkness stalled the enemy. Aqua didn't have to do anything but give us buffs.
Interestingly, Megumin was actually pretty capable as a melee fighter with Aqua casting buffs on her, since Megumin's physical stats were inordinately strong for such a young girl with a spellcaster class.
At least, that was what I thought as I watched Megumin club a goblin away with a swing of her staff.
"...Maybe you should use a different weapon, like a spear or a sword."
I said, seeing how capable Megumin was as a brawler type.
"I actually have a [Staff Combat] skill that gives me increases with staffs. But I'm not a warrior class, so I can't learn other weapon proficiencies."
So that was why she was adamant on using her staff.
"What should we do about the second floor boss?"
Darkness said, as we took a break since he had been fighting nonstop since the first floor. She leaned against the wall, wiping the sweat off her brow.
"Have you and Chris managed to beat the second floor boss yet?"
She shook her head.
"No, we've mostly been sticking to fighting the monsters here. That's because it's hard for me to get the killing blows."
"...Even when Chris can just disable the enemy for you with [Bind]?"
"I-It's hard to hit them when they're squirming around, OK?!"
It was hard for her to hit anything regardless of what it was doing.
"The fact that Megumin is a better frontliner than Darkness… How embarrassing…"
Darkness blushed profusely. She didn't even seem to enjoy that in a masochistic way, she seemed legitimately embarrassed.
Megumin sighed and patted Darkness's head.
"Don't tease her so much, Kazuma. I'm just a generational genius who can do everything. It's not her fault that she can't reach my level…"
Meanwhile, this little girl was letting all my compliments get to her head.
"Let's skip the second floor boss, then. I faced it and it's quite tricky, assuming we'll have to face the same one."
I couldn't imagine these girls dealing with that teleporting Rookie Killer. Even if Megumin had powerful strikes, she was pretty much defenseless if that thing managed to get within distance. Darkness had her [Taunt] skill, but the Rookie Killer was very cunning. It might find a way to counter it, like teleporting away as soon as Darkness activates the skill, then rushing back in.
"So we're just gonna sneak past the second floor boss? That's kinda lame, isn't it?"
Aqua said, looking unamused by that plan.
"You say that, but if you see what that Rookie Killer can do, you're gonna cry and beg for me to save you."
I said, predicting exactly how it was gonna go.
"All this armor is gonna make it hard for me to sneak in…"
Darkness said, looking down at her full-plate armor.
"Just put it back in your inventory while we sneak in. Aqua can also buff us."
I had Aqua do just that, then we prepared to go through the forested area of the second floor.
We were careful while making it through the forest, crouching down and keeping alert. I relied on [Enemy Detection] to locate the Rookie Killers stalking behind in the shadows, while also avoiding the goblins they used as bait.
It turned out that as long as we didn't fall for the temptation of hunting those goblins for EXP, it was relatively easy to sneak past the Rookie Killers. After all, they couldn't detect us if we were avoiding the clearings that those goblins tended to settle in.
As for our scents, I made sure that everyone was covered in mud.
"...This sucks. I'm dirty and my legs are tired from crouching so much."
"Shut up, Aqua."
This girl just couldn't keep her mouth shut for more than ten minutes.
Thankfully, Aqua's yapping didn't alert the Rookie Killers and we managed to make it to the door leading to the third floor.
Mitsurugi advised us on what kind of monsters were on the third floor, so we weren't going in blind. He said that we needed to watch out for Orcs. Also, for some reason, there were only female Orcs and they tended to go after male app-users rather than female ones.
"...Are Male Orcs extinct in the other world, or something?"
"How disappointing…"
Darkness got depressed when she heard that, for whatever reason.
There was also a monster that he warned us about called Tranquility Girls.
Apparently, they were innocent looking monsters that imitated the appearance and mannerisms of beautiful girls.
But that was just a front to sap the life energy of its victims.
Of course, I figured that the girls were smart enough not to fall for that trap, but…
"Kazuma, put that sword away!"
As soon as we encountered one, Darkness jumped in front of it and spread her arms to protect the Tranquility Girl.
"...Friend wants… Hurt me…?"
It spoke with a voice that pulled at the heartstrings.
"Kazuma… You wouldn't be so cruel as to hurt this poor girl, right?"
Megumin said, talking to me in a voice that was equally compelling.
"Kazuma… If you leave this pitiful girl alone, I'll give you a surprise tonight…"
And here was Aqua, offering me quite a tempting offer while pointing to her mouth.
I looked at this Tranquility Girl. It was a plant-like being that looked very human, if it wasn't for the vines, leaves and roots growing out of it.
It also had the appearance of a little girl and had a tearful face that invoked pity on those who saw it.
Furthermore, if it was alive, that meant that the other app-users who went through the third floor allowed it to live.
"..Mister… I do not need food… Dungeon feeding me… I not harm friends…"
What's more, it was fully capable of making a logical argument, instead of just appealing to our protective instincts.
"It's true, Kazuma. Look at its roots. It's attached to the dungeon wall, right? That means that it's getting a steady supply of nutrients from the dungeon."
Aqua said, pointing to the roots. Since the dungeon absorbed biomass, which it used to then support the monsters living in it, I did see how a plant monster could sustain itself using the dungeon.
After all, I also absorbed mana from the dungeon using Drain Touch.
I turned to the Tranquility Girl and said,
"So… You haven't harmed any humans at all, right?"
"I not harm friends…"
"...I have the [Steal] skill. If I randomly start spamming it in this area, I won't get any random app-user's cheat item or gear, right?"
"..."
I didn't know that a plant could sweat. Something like mildew dripped out of its 'skin'.
"E-Eh? Um, then that would just be a treasure or something in the area, right? Haha…"
"Wellll… Cheat items don't appear in treasure chests, yanno~! Also, is it just me, or did you start speaking normally now?"
"...Onii-san, let's have a talk over here."
"Eh? Kazuma, did that thing just call you onii-san?"
Aqua said, also looking suspicious of the Tranquility Girl.
"...It has a real suspicious look on its face. Ah, did it just glare at me?"
The Tranquility Girl glanced away as Megumin looked down to stare at it.
"T-This cute girl can't be an evil monster, right…?"
Darkness was still stuck on that. She was surprisingly naive.
I decided to entertain the Tranquility Girl and had the others give us some space to talk.
"What? Just know that I don't negotiate with monsters…"
"H-Hey, onii-san? Let's come up with a deal, OK? Um, I'm pretty attractive, right? I can grow some reproductive organs and…"
"...I regularly do lewd things with that blue haired girl every night. I'm not so backed up that I'd do it with a plant."
If she offered that to me a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure if I could answer that confidently, though.
"Eh?! An otaku NEET like you?!"
It completely dropped the innocent act and started saying terms like 'otaku' and 'NEET'.
Some perverted app-user probably taught her those words while getting his life energy drained.
"What else can you offer me?"
I said, while placing my hand on the handle of Chunchunmaru.
"W-W-Wait! I won't attack you app-users anymore! I wasn't lying when I said that I get nutrients from the dungeon! I'll abstain from you humans, I swear!"
"Why are you even eating humans if you can just sap nutrients from the dungeon?"
"Humans taste better for us… Besides, how would you feel having to suck the nutrients of dead monsters all day?"
I suppose that kind of made sense.
"...That still isn't a reason why I should let you live. You're probably worth a lot of EXP…"
"I-I know everything there is to know about this floor! I'll tell you everything and assist you! Just please stop looking at me like I'm an A5 wagyu steak!"
Whoever her victim was, he sure yapped a lot about Japanese culture to this Tranquility Girl.
"Fine. But I'll always check up on you and see if you've attacked anyone…"
"...You're so scary that I don't even want to think about betraying you."
Was I really that scary?
And so, I made a tentative agreement with the Tranquility Girl.
Adventurer Card
Name: Satou Kazuma
Age: 16
Class: Level 8 Adventurer
Armor (Steel Breastplate): 8 physical reduction
Health Points: 69/69
Mana Points: 43/48
Stamina Points: 63/63
Exp: 226/350
Money: 50,522 yen
Stats:
Physical:
Strength 62, Stamina 65, Speed 58, Dexterity 62, Health 71, Attractiveness 56
Mental:
Intelligence 72, Intuition 65, Creativity 71, Faith 44, Magic Power 50, Mana Capacity 68
Intangibles:
Charisma 62, Willpower 50, Potential 10, Cunning 80, Bravery 53, Luck 90
Skills:
[Improvised Weapon] Skill Rank: 5 (MAX), Passive Skill
You are proficient in using improvised weapons. Ordinary items that haven't been previously equipped deal 5 more damage. Furthermore, any item that is created on the spot is now considered an improvised weapon.
[One-handed Sword] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using swords that require one hand to wield. You gain 10% weapon accuracy with attacks using one-handed swords.
[Enemy Detection] Skill Rank: 5 (MAX), Passive Skill
You can focus your senses to detect enemies within a 30 foot radius around you. Your 'Intuition' score (65) will go up against the enemy creature's 'Cunning' score when determining if the enemy creature is detected by you. If there is more than one enemy detected by this skill, you can determine the exact number. You can determine the threat level of enemy creatures. You can sometimes sense any form of danger, as if you have a sixth-sense, even if it's from an unexpected source.
[Lurk] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
You can hide your presence from enemies. Your 'Cunning' score (80) will compete against the enemy's 'Intuition' score to determine if the enemy creature detects you.
[Bow] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using bows! You gain 10% weapon accuracy when using bows.
[Snipe] Skill Rank: 1, Active skill (5 mp cost)
Add your Luck modifier (90%) to Weapon Accuracy calculations involving bow-type weapons (Max total: 100%).
[Elementary Magic] Skill Rank: 5 (MAX), Active skill (1 mp cost)
Unlock the ability to use the beginner magic spells [Tinder, [Create Earth, [Wind Breath, [Create Water] and [Freeze]!
[Tinder]
Shoot out a small flame from your fingertips
Spell Attack Accuracy: Intelligence modifier = 72% chance of hitting
Spell Damage: 1 Fire Damage Magic Power (5) = 6
Spell Effect: Summon a small flame from your finger tip. Range 5 feet (Magic Power 50).
[Create Earth]
Summon dirt in your hand.
Spell Effect: Summons 1 pound of dirt per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (5 pounds total)
[Wind Breath]
Summon a gust of wind when you exhale.
Spell effect: Objects lighter than 5 pounds can be blown away up to 1 feet per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (5 feet total)
[Create Water]
Summon water from your hand
Spell Effect: Summons 1 pound of water per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (5 pounds total). Does 2 water damage per second when in contact with Undead creatures.
[Freeze]
Freezes objects, especially water
Spell Effect: Freeze 1 pound worth of water per 10 Magic Power stat points you have (5 pounds total), halve the amount on other objects/creatures.
[Cooking] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
Cooking food ingredients dropped by monsters will give a slight increase to the bonus benefits gained when eating them.
[Nature's Beauty] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (10 mp cost)
Impress an audience with a wonderful party trick! Your 'Charisma' stat (62) will determine the effectiveness of your party trick!
[Smithing] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in creating and repairing items! The success rate of this skill is determined by your 'Creativity' (71). At Rank 1, you can create, combine and repair items of the 'Common' variety. Combining compatible items of the 'Common' variety might yield an item of 'Uncommon' variety.
[Spear] Skill Rank: 2, Passive Skill
You are proficient in using spears. You gain 20% weapon accuracy with attacks using spears and 1 to damage using spears.
[Night Vision] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You have a 15-feet radius of night vision.
[Heat Resistance] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You can endure heat more than the average person can. When up against magical heat, the success rate of this skill is determined by your 'Willpower' (50).
[Quick-Draw] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
When you have a sheathed sword, draw it quickly to catch your opponent off guard. Use your 'Cunning' (80) against the opponent's 'Intuition' score. If the opponent is caught off guard, your attack damage will increase by 1.
[Enemy Reading] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
When facing an enemy you have encountered before, you will see their basic combat stats (Armor Score, Health Points). This information will hover above the enemy.
[Escape] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Chance to escape hostile enemies increases by 10%. Ability to escape is determined by 'Speed' stat (58).
[Farsight] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
You can see objects and creatures 60 miles away. If your vision isn't 20/20 already, you will have perfect vision whenever this skill is activated.
[Fishing] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are now proficient in using fishing tools. Your fishing skill depends on your 'Intuition' (65) score. You can fish aquatic creatures that are ranked as 'Common'.
[Steal] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Allows you to steal an item. If the target is a creature, you will have to be within 15 feet of the target to use this skill. Success depends on your 'Cunning' (80), contested against the target's 'Intuition'. Items that are not held or equipped by a creature can be stolen as long as you can see it and are aware of its presence. The value of the item you steal is determined by your 'Luck' (90).
[Trap Detection] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You can now sense traps within a 15 foot radius around you. Your 'Intuition' (65) score determines the success rate of discovering traps. You can only detect traps of 'Basic' make.
[Versatile Entertainer ] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are adept in mimicking the voice of someone you know. If you are mimicking the voice of someone you don't know, you must spend at least 15 minutes observing their speech patterns and mannerisms. Useful for making celebrity impressions.
[Signature Weapon] Skill Rank: 3, Passive Skill
Assign two of the weapons in your inventory as your 'Signature Weapon'. These weapons gain 10 durability and 2 weapon damage. These weapons won't be destroyed even if they fall below 0 'Durability', but you can't use them again until you fix it.
[Lore Reading] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
Use your 'Intelligence' stat (72) to determine if you can learn information about a creature, object or location that you can see.
[Monster Talk] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You can communicate with humanoid monsters such as kobolds and goblins. Ability to express complex ideas to such creatures is determined by your 'Intelligence' (72).
[Medium Armor] Skill Rank: 2
You are proficient in wearing Medium Armor. You no longer suffer the stealth penalty when wearing Medium Armor. Damage reduction increases by 1.
[Drain Touch] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill
After making contact with the target, you can absorb 2 Health Points, Mana Points and Stamina Points per second that you stay in contact with the target. You can also distribute Health Points, Mana Points and Stamina Points to other targets.
[Scroll Adept] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
Whenever you use a spell scroll, you can cast a spell you don't know if you use twice as much mana.
[Heal] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (15 mp cost)
You can heal yourself and others, restoring HP lost.
Damage healed: 10 HP Faith modifier (44) = 14
[Tracking] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (5 mp cost)
You can track the location of creatures using tracks and prints that have been around for no longer than thirty minutes. Your detection radius is 15-feet. Success is determined by your 'Intuition' (65).
[Bind] Skill Rank: 1, Active Skill (10 mp cost)
Throw a rope at a creature. Success is determined by your 'Dexterity' (62) against the target's.
[Ice Magic Increase] Skill Rank: 1, Passive Skill
Increases the power of Ice Magic by 1.
[Bedroom Skill, Rank: 1, Passive Skill
You are proficient in pleasing your partner in bed. Success is determined by 'Charisma' (62).
Inventory:
Elven Shortbow - Signature Weapon (Rare)
Shortbow of elven make. That said, a normal Japanese oji-san made it.
Ammo: 20/20 (Steel-tipped arrows)
Bow Accuracy: Dexterity modifier = 62% chance of hitting
Weapon Damage: 5 piercing damage Dexterity modifier (6) Bonus (2) = 13 damage
Sells for: 10,000 yen
Chunchunmaru (Unique) - Signature Weapon
Forged by Intermediate Blacksmith. Named by Megumin.
Durability: 35/35
Weapon Accuracy: Dexterity modifier [One-handed Sword] = 77% chance of hitting
Weapon Damage: 4 slashing damage Strength modifier (6) Bonus (2) = 12 damage
Sells for: 6,000 yen
Steel Breastplate - Medium Armor (Rare)
Reduces incoming physical damage by 7. Applies -7 penalty to stealth related stats when sneaking.
Sells for: 140,000 yen
Spell-Storing Ring (Rare)
Store a spell for later use. You can only store one spell per day, but unused spells stay in storage until use.
Sells for: 20,000 yen
Rope (Common)
Ordinary rope.
Sells for: 1,000 yen
Service Locator - App Upgrade (Rare)
An Upgrade For This Adventuring App! Use this to find useful services and stores in your city! Sign-up for news about promotions and discounts to relevant stores!
Quests:
Go on a thirty minute jog! Quest rewards: 30 exp, 1 speed, 1 stamina (Completed!)
Go to school! Quest rewards: 30 exp, 1 knowledge, 1 Bravery (Completed!)
Kill 3 monsters in the dungeon! Quest rewards: Random loot box (Completed!)
Get the librarian on duty to recommend a book to you! Quest rewards: 30 exp, 1 Bravery, 1 Charisma (Completed!)
Join a sports club! Quest rewards: 1 in all physical stats (Completed!)
Drink an Energizing Smoothie from the train station! Quest rewards: 30 exp, 1 Stamina, 1 Charisma (Completed!)
Kill 6 monsters in the dungeon! Quest rewards: Random loot box (Completed!)
Attend soccer practice! Quest Rewards: 1 to all 'Physical' stats (Completed!)
Ask Hinamori Rin for her number! Quest Rewards: 30 exp, 1 'Charisma', 1 'Bravery' (Completed!)
Get a part-time job! Quest Rewards: Starting pay of 3,000 yen per shift! 1 Willpower, 1 Bravery per shift! Bonus rewards available according to performance during the job! (Completed!)
Play in an official soccer game! Quest Rewards: 2 to all 'Physical stats (Completed!)
Go on a date with Himamori Rin! Quest Rewards: 2 Charisma, 2 Attractiveness (Completed!)
Max out [Enemy Detection] to Rank 5! Quest Rewards: Skill-Up Potion (Completed!)
Complete the spicy curry challenge! Quest Rewards: Learn the skill [Heat Resistance] (Completed!)
Kill the second floor boss! Quest Rewards: Random Loot Box
Give Chris her panties back! Quest Rewards: 2 Speed, 2 Bravery (Completed!)
Reconcile with Aqua! Quest Rewards: 2 Faith, 2 Willpower (Completed!)
Defeat the Player Killer on Myriad Swords 2! Quest Rewards: 2 Intelligence, 2 Willpower (Completed!)
Bonds:
Satou (Family) Bond Rank: 5
At rank 5, your family trusts that you will continue to be a good student and productive member of society. Your brother respects you for managing to hook-up with the girl of his dreams, who is playboy self couldn't manage to seduce. If you mention wanting a non-blood related step sister again, your parents will beat you and leave you with major injuries.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 500 yen bonus allowance per week (total 1,000 yen). Parents will call the school and request for days off if you ask (limited once per week).
Rank 3: Kazuto won't insult you as much when you talk to him, and he will also give you lessons that raise 'Charisma' once a week.
Rank 4: Parents will give you an advance on your allowance as long as you pay it back.
Rank 5: Kazuto cheating lessons (allowed to have two girlfriends at the same time)
Aqua (Water Goddess) Bond Rank: 7
At the max rank, you have become Aqua's lover! Despite all the arguments, despite all the teasing and insults, you two have developed an unbreakable bond. You two might never admit it, but you truly care for one another. She sees you as her best friend and her lover, one who will save her no matter what. She will never leave you alone, and will even risk her life to save you.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Nature's Beauty]!
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Night Vision]!
Rank 4: 10 Faith
Rank 5: You learn the skill [Versatile Entertainer]!
Rank 6: 20 Faith
Rank 7: You learn the skill [Heal]!
Hinamori Rin (Librarian on Duty), Bond Rank: 6
At Rank 6, Hinamori Rin has developed feelings for you! You have become more than friends! She accepts the fact that you two are not exclusive, yet, she wants to try since she cares for you. You can go on dates whenever you want, and go to her apartment when she's free. Have fun dating her!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 5 Mana Capacity
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Enemy Reading]!
Rank 4: 10 Mana Capacity
Rank 5: You learn the skill [Lore Reading]!
Rank 6: 20 Mana Capacity
Darkness (Masochist Crusader), Bond Rank: 5
At Rank 5, your relationship with Darkness has taken an awkward, but strangely exhilarating turn! She really enjoyed your time together… And is eagerly awaiting more. Even without being treated roughly as a masochist, she still enjoyed your intimate touch. This is the start of a bittersweet crush!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 5 Health
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Medium Armor]!
Rank 4: 10 Health
Rank 5: [Medium Armor] Rank-Up!
Megumin (Explosion Mage), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, definitely sees you as a pervert now. Not only that, you might also be a scumbag. Are you really the reliable guy she thought you were? With that said, she believes that you'll come through when it counts, like a hero. She might be developing a bit of a crush on you now… But you'll have to prove yourself! Can you become Megumin's hero? Do your best!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 5 Magic Power
Rank 3: Magic Skill Rank-Up
Rank 4: 10 Magic Power
Chris (Silver-haired Thief), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Chris views you as someone she can confide with! Her trust in you is slowly increasing! It seems that the key to deepening a bond with her is to show her that you can get along with Darkness and the other girls! She thinks that you are reliable and resourceful and will ask for your help in keeping the dungeon safe and functional!
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the [Steal] skill!
Rank 3: You learn the [Bind] skill!
Mitsurugi Kyouya (Soccer Club Ace), Bond Rank: 5
At Rank 5, Mitsurugi Kyouya entrusts you with the soccer team, even when he's gone. He has no doubts about your capabilities and willingness to improve, after he's seen you pushing your limits in practice. He has begun to view you as a rival of sorts, someone that he must catch up to, no matter what. Staying on the soccer team and working hard in practice will deepen your bond with him.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Quick-Draw]!
Rank 3: 10 Strength
Rank 4: You learn the skill [Signature Weapon]!
Rank 5: Signature Weapon Rank-up
Dust (The Blond Delinquent), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Dust will give you information about the other world, as long as you cover his Succubus Shop fees! Dust views you as someone with deep pockets who he can follow around and receive money from. Be careful about being seen with him in public, as he owes the yakuza a fair bit of debt.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 5 Dexterity
Rank 3: [Spear] Rank-up
Rorisa (Rookie Succubus), Bond Rank: 2
At Rank 2, Rorisa will see you as an understanding customer who allowed her to meet her idol, the Arch-Duke Vanir. Unlike the other customers who she only serves out of obligation, she's beginning to see you as a customer she looks forward to seeing. Treating her nicely when you come over will increase your bond with her.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: 5 Charisma
Wiz (Lich Shopkeeper), Bond Rank: 3
At Rank 3, Wiz sees you as a returning customer who gave her money that she can use to buy some solid food. You remain as her best, and only, customer. Shopping in the store will deepen your bond with her.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Drain Touch]!
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Ice Magic Increase]!
Yunyun (Lonely Stalker), Bond Rank: 4
At Rank 4, You've gotten closer to Yunyun after she saved you from death. This dangerous experience has caused her to have feelings of protectiveness over you. Her feelings for you are growing even more. If you keep flirting with her, she might develop feelings for you…? Although if she gets too attached to you, it could end up being problematic.
Bond Rewards:
Rank 2: You learn the skill [Monster Talk]!
Rank 3: You learn the skill [Solo-Levelling]!
Rank 4: You learned the skill [Scroll Adept]!
Vanir (Masked Devil), Bond Rank: 1
At Rank 1, Vanir will willingly exploit you for his own ends. He sees you as a useful pawn to further his goals. This devil is not to be trusted! This app does not approve of this bond! Please break ties with him immediately!