Chapter 25 New Assets
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It was our second day in the Kingdom of Paul. We started hitting the streets, gathering intel while doing a bit of sightseeing on the side.
The town was simple in its construction but pulsed with energy. Because of the ongoing war, the constant flow of people meant business was booming. I’d expected to find some heavy hitters in a place like this, but so far, my Mana Sensing¹ hadn’t picked up anyone stronger than me.
As we made our rounds through the shops and guilds, I casually brought up the topic of demi-humans. As expected, everyone I spoke to harbored deep hostility toward them. However, a few whispers suggested the existence of a dark Merchant Guild Paul that operated in the shadows.
With the bulk of our information gathered, we turned our attention to a more pressing matter: leveling. If everyone got stronger, the anxiety of living in the wild would vanish. I wanted that sorted as quickly as possible.
But first, I had some prep work to do. With our numbers growing, I needed to upgrade the plane-and fast. As it stood, the flight would be as clumsy as a pseudo-bat.
”Right,” I announced. “First order of business: I want to head out on a hunt for some wind-element monsters!”
”So that’s why you were digging for monster data at the guild,” Lisha said. “If you’d told me, I could have helped you look…”
”Yeah, you’re right. Tell you what, let’s move out and talk through our future plans on the way.”
We’d been playing it by ear up until now, but with more information in hand, planning was getting easier. Lisha let out a sigh of relief and smiled. Apparently, she’d been hesitating, unsure if it was okay to pry into my business. Honestly, between the border crossings and figuring out who we could actually recruit, everything had been too up in the air for me to make a solid call. Or maybe things had just been going so swimmingly that we never found the time to sit down and talk.
”Um… Sir, should I… hold back a bit more at night?” Charlotte asked, looking downcast.
”If I have to hold back on that, I’ll just end up overextending myself,” I replied firmly. “And if that happens, I’ll start taking unnecessary risks on my own. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
”N-No! You absolutely cannot!” the girls cried in unison.
I felt like I was being a bit too high and mighty, but I stood my ground. Leaving the town behind, we decided to split up. Well, more like I was going off on my own.
I needed to go ahead to scout the area and set up a landing strip to ensure our move to the hunting grounds went smoothly. The main roads were safe enough, so I asked Shirley to guard the group while I sprinted to a secluded spot and took to the sky.
After circling the hunting grounds, I dropped a series of Cocoons² in a wide perimeter. I watched the movement below to gauge the numbers, then descended to build a landing zone and my usual set of traps. I added a little extra flair this time-a walled-off corridor with a massive pitfall right in the center. If the luring went well, they’d all drop right in.
Trap-making was second nature to me now. I dug out the pit with a staircase, extended the tunnel, and hollowed out the floor and ceiling. I kept our observation area spacious but added a lip to the edge so nothing could climb out, along with some safety railings. I even rigged up some lanterns for light and threw in some park benches for good measure.
As an afterthought, I used my crafting to pop a small house into the space. With the lighting installed, the underground didn’t feel dreary at all. I’d gone a bit overboard with the decor, but I figured if I had the space, I might as well use it.
I took off again, gathering up the Cocoons and rolling them further toward the trap before heading back to pick up the rest of the group.
”Hey! Everything’s ready!” I called out, landing in the meadow where we’d agreed to meet.
”Are you sure we’ll be okay with this many people?” Charlotte asked, her voice tight with worry.
”Yeah, that’s why I’m planning on doing a few round trips. It’d be a bit too cramped otherwise.”
Charlotte looked relieved at that. Honestly, I could have built a few more planes and had everyone fly separately, but I wanted us together in case of an emergency. At least until everyone was high-level enough to survive a fall. I’d been buffeted by the wind a few times on longer flights, and while I never lost control, it was enough to make me realize how dangerous a real storm could be.
In the end, I modified the plane’s capacity to hold six passengers.
The plan was for three round trips. The first flight was me, Lisha, and four of the new recruits. Thanks to the landing strip I’d built, the flight was smooth, though the new girls were a panicked mess the whole way.
We arrived without incident, headed underground, and followed the tunnel until we reached the open plaza.
”This is the Training Floor³,” I said, pointing to the massive hole in the center. “Just make sure you don’t fall in by mistake.”
”Hehe, nobody’s going to jump over a railing like that, Sir,” Lisha teased.
”I know, I know. But just in case. It’s a long drop. Anyway, make yourselves comfortable in the house until the others get here.”
I sealed the entrance behind me for safety and headed back to the meadow. The second trip was Charlotte and the rest of the new girls. By the time I finished the third trip, the entire group was finally gathered in the trap room.
”Man, I really need to prioritize a wind-type magic tool,” I muttered. “Leveling is going to be a slog at this rate.”
”What? You call this a slog?” Charlotte asked, staring at me. “Sir, your sense of scale is completely broken.”
”Even just the travel has everyone else completely floored,” Shirley added.
I reminded them that if we were going to make all their wishes come true, we needed to be as efficient as possible. Shirley, at least, seemed to take that to heart.
”Alright, let’s get to work,” I said, leading them out to the benches.
”Um… what exactly should we be doing?” asked Olivia, the oldest of the new recruits.
Olivia was an Archer, standing about five-foot-three. With her deep blue-black hair and cool demeanor, she looked a bit unapproachable, but in person, she was perfectly pleasant. She looked at the benches in front of the pit with a look of pure confusion.
”Nothing,” I said. “Just sit back and relax. Have a chat. I’ll handle everything.”
”Aww, Ibuki-sama is getting so powerful that I don’t even have a job anymore,” Charlotte pouted.
It was true; Charlotte used to be the one throwing the Cocoons. As we talked, I started shifting the Cocoons I’d placed earlier to draw the monsters in. I’d dropped them over such a massive area that a staggering number of creatures were swarming toward us. It was on par with the pseudo-lizard incident. If we wiped them all out, we were looking at nearly five thousand kills.
I decided to take it easy at first. Things were going to get pretty hot.
Once they were close enough, I lured the monsters near the entrance, and they charged blindly down the corridor. I’d already placed Cocoons along the walls of the pit-embedded just deep enough that they wouldn’t fall.
Suddenly, the ceiling opened up, letting in a shaft of light. A split second later, a deluge of monsters began to rain down.
”Whoa!”
”Aaagh!”
”Help!”
The girls scrambled back, bracing themselves and shouting in shock.
They were vulpine monsters, looking like large, feral foxes. As they fell, they seemed to be using some kind of wind skill, sending a gale shrieking through the room. I’ll definitely need to fix that, I thought, glad I’d only pulled in a small group. I activated Storage, vacuuming them up before they even hit the ground. Once I was sure the pit was empty, I turned to the trembling girls.
”This is how we’re going to get your levels up,” I explained. “You don’t need to do a thing. Just sit there and talk.”
”Y-You’re telling us to just… have a chat in the middle of this?” Lotte-chan stammered, her eyes swimming with tears.
Lotte was a twelve-year-old blue mage with fluffy, light-brown hair and big, watery eyes. At barely over four feet tall, she looked like a fragile little thing, and she was currently shaking like a leaf.
In this world, magic users were split into Mages and Wizards, with their element determined by a color prefix. Blue meant water or ice. Magic users were in high demand, which was why her price tag had been the third highest among the group.
”It’s fine, really,” I said. “I’ve done this a dozen times. How are you feeling? Is the level-up heat hitting you yet?”
”I’m fine…” Lotte whispered, before her face scrunched up. “…actually, I’m really not!”
The long pause made me chuckle, and even through her tears, she managed a small smile. With the tension broken, I turned the conversation toward the others.
”Does anyone here know much about the materials used in weapons?”
”Well, usually it’s copper, iron, silver, Holy Silver, or Black Iron,” Shuri offered. “Though I’ve never actually seen Black Iron.”
Shuri was a fifteen-year-old Lancer. She had long blonde hair that was a bit of a mess-I really needed to get her to a bath soon. At nearly five-foot-seven, she was the tallest of the women and had a lean, athletic build that she carried with a certain grace.
She’d grown up around blacksmiths and had picked up quite a bit of lore. Apparently, Holy Silver was another name for Mithril, and Black Iron was Orichalcum. Most high-end gear was made by blending those metals with monster parts. A master smith could supposedly forge a weapon that retained the specific traits of the monster used.
”Do you know where they mine the ore?” I asked.
”Oh, you aren’t from around here, are you, Master?” Shuri said. “There are veins all throughout the Rock Valley mountains. They have excavation sites scattered all over. I’m not sure about other countries, though…”
”I can help with that,” Lisha chimed in. “The Kingdom of Soil is famous for its rare ore deposits. They have several major mining operations running there.”
By the time we finished talking, the heat from the level-ups had faded. I gave the girls a heads-up and started the next wave. This time, a massive swarm had gathered, and I could see the girls winced as the energy hit them. I called for another break and kept the conversation going.
Since we were on the topic of weapons, I decided to experiment. I pulled some iron from my inventory and tried to forge a blade infused with the essence of the pseudo-foxes we’d just hunted.
The first weapon I forged using nothing but my own skills.
”I need you to test this thoroughly,” I said, handing the blade to Shirley-kun⁴.
”I tried a little monster-compounding as an experiment, so tell me-how does she handle?”
Shirley looked at the blade, her expression clouded with hesitation. “Um, what should I cut…” In response, I summoned a one-meter cube of solid stone directly in front of her.
”Are you sure? I’m afraid it might actually snap…”
”Yeah, it’s fine. I can fix it in a heartbeat. I can’t have you using gear I haven’t stress-tested. I want you to push it to the limit.”
At my word, she shifted into a stance. She exhaled a sharp breath and, in the same motion, unleashed a devastating diagonal slash. Even to my amateur eyes, the strike was breathtaking-a blur of speed and raw, focused power. The blade bit deep, carving about thirty centimeters into the stone before it hit its limit. With a sharp crack, the steel gave way.
”!? I-I am so incredibly sorry!”
”Hey, I told you it’s fine! Just hold on a second.”
I pulled the fragments into my Storage⁵, repaired them in a flash, and brought the sword back out.
”See? Good as new. No need to worry, right?”
Shirley scratched her cheek, looking sheepish. “Y-yes, I suppose you’re right…”
”Whaaa…” The other girls stared, their brains failing to process the sight of a shattered sword returning to mint condition in the blink of an eye.
”Next, let’s see what happens when I reinforce the edge with Mana⁶. But first…”
It was time for another “drop.” I lured the monsters in, and they fell in a chaotic clatter, straight into my Storage.
”What… what is this, really…?”
The question came from Meena-chan. She was an eighteen-year-old thief, but she had a youthful, innocent look-black hair and a blank, wide-eyed expression that was honestly quite charming. Despite being barely 140 centimeters tall, she was… well, “gifted.” A legal loli⁷ giant b**bs-it was a wild combination of traits. This is great in its own way. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope she’d let me get close to her someday…
”Like I said, it’s power-leveling. You can feel your levels jumping, right?”
”Well, yes, but… is it really okay to do it like this?”
”It’s more than okay. You all are going to have to fight eventually. I want you strong enough to win without breaking a sweat. I don’t want anyone in my circle getting a scratch on them.”
”A-ah… thank you…” Meena whispered, looking dazed.
We returned to the testing. This time, I used iron reinforced with Mana. Shirley managed to cut through the one-meter block-well, “mostly.” The blade stopped near the end, but the force was enough to shatter the remaining stone.
Shirley lamented, “I was so close…” but I was just happy to see the power scaling.
”Alright, iron is settled. Next up: Silver.”
We tried the silver, but the results were actually worse than the iron. I was baffled-wasn’t silver supposed to be an upgrade? Then Shuri-chan chimed in. “I think it’s because it’s meant to be a conductor for Mana.”
I turned to Shirley. “You know how to channel it?”
”Yes, of course,” she replied. With the silver now properly Mana-charged, she sliced that stone block clean in two. Without the charge, it was useless, but with it? It was a beast.
”By the way, what’s ‘Holy Silver’⁸? Is it a different metal entirely?”
”No,” Shirley explained. “I’ve heard it’s silver found in places where high concentrations of magic-matter accumulate. But because those areas are crawling with high-level monsters, mining it is a nightmare.”
Wait… so can I just make it?
I threw a one-meter cube of silver into Processing⁹ and pumped it full of every bit of Mana I could muster. It took a massive amount of energy, but sure enough, it transformed into Holy Silver. I forged a new sword on the spot. Even without a manual Mana charge, it sliced through the stone like a hot knife through butter.
”Perfect! Alright, let’s get everyone’s weapons made with this.”
”What!? You’re letting us use Mithril weapons too!?”
That was Maria-chan. She was sixteen, a swordswoman with long, lustrous red hair and a sharp, dignified look.
”Yeah. Armor, too. Once I figure out the patterns, I’m getting you the best of the best. All I need from you is to keep honing your skills.”
The whole group stared at me, dumbfounded. Even Shirley.
”Uh, Shirley-kun… why are you looking so shocked?”
While I waited for her to reboot, I swapped out her massive Greatsword Mountain for a Mithril version. With this, she probably wouldn’t even need to repair it if she dropped a stone block on it from a cliff.
”I mean… Mithril armor, too? Only the highest-ranking nobility ever wear that…”
She told me that even among the knightly orders, most people were lucky to own a Mithril dagger. Her family had been a knightly house, and she remembered her father saying they couldn’t even dream of the price tag.
”Well, that works out for us. If you’re decked out in full Mithril and have the strength to back it up, nobody’s going to mess with you, even if you are slaves. They’ll see the gear and assume you’ve got someone powerful-and rich-backing you. And honestly? If anyone tries to touch my wives, I’m going scorched earth on them.”
The leveling fever had died down, so I figured it was time to wrap this up.
”Alright, let’s clear the rest in one go,” I said, casting Cocoons in every direction to scoop up the remaining monsters.
There were still a ridiculous number of them. We hadn’t even cleared a fifth of the total. My Storage was already sitting on about 1,500 “pseudo-fox” carcasses. This was going to be the biggest subjugation mission in history. I stood up and told the girls I needed to focus.
Different types of monsters were starting to mix in now, probably drawn in from the wide area I’d scouted with the plane. Their Mana signatures were different. But as they fell, they seemed to be mostly animal types, so they dropped easily into Storage. Unless a “Big Bad” showed up, I didn’t even need the iron blocks.
I watched the monsters fall in endless waves, clicking the Storage command like a metronome.
”This… this has to be a dream…” Lotte-chan whispered, her face pale.
”You can feel the heat, can’t you? This is real,” Shirley said. Her voice lacked its usual formal edge-she sounded just as overwhelmed as the others.
”It seems… we were purchased by a truly terrifying man…” the silver-haired woman finally spoke.
”Hehe! Of course! Ibuki-sama is the Hero-sama, after all!!”
Charlotte puffed out her chest with a smug grin. A chorus of “Wh-What!?” echoed through the clearing.
”A Production Class Hero,” I corrected, not looking up.
”Shh! Don’t distract him right now!” Lisha said.
”Uuu… sorry…” Charlotte said.
”It’s fine, I don’t mind the chatter. Doesn’t seem like any ‘weird’ ones are here yet.”
”Define ‘weird’?” Olivia asked.
”Oh, you know. Boss types. The stuff above the High Species.”
”There are High Species in there!?” Erina desu wa. She was seventeen, another swordswoman. She had curly hair and a certain “rich girl” elegance about her. Likely another high-born girl sold into slavery, just like Shirley.
”Yeah, tons. I’ve probably killed a few hundred of them already.”
”Wh-What did you just say!?”
”Hey! Stop bothering him!”
”M-my apologies…”
”Go ahead and talk amongst yourselves,” I said. “Hearing you guys helps keep me awake, honestly.”
The flow of monsters wasn’t stopping. Even from outside my Sensing range, they were still trickling in. Erina started grilling Charlotte and the others.
”Wh-Why is the Hero-sama all alone in a place like this!?”
Hey, I’m not alone. Don’t make me sound like a loser.
Charlotte started explaining everything that had happened. When she finished, a heavy silence fell over the group.
”That… that sounds really bad, doesn’t it?” Meena-chan asked quietly.
”Whether this ‘world crisis’ is a lie or not, this is no joke,” Erina desu wa, her voice grim.
”Exactly. That’s why Ibuki-sama has cut ties with the humans. He’s preparing to bring the hammer down on the Kingdom of Dole.”
”Wait… are we… are we going to war with a whole country!?” Shuri-chan, the lancer, sounded terrified.
”If you don’t want to fight, you won’t have to,” I cut in. “I’m not putting anyone on the front lines who isn’t ready or willing. I’m not doing this just to watch my own people get hurt.”
”I-I’ll do it! I’ll get stronger! I’ll show you!”
”I know, I know. I’m not trying to leave you behind. But it’ll be a while before I can guarantee we’ll win so easily we can laugh about it afterward. So don’t rush.”
”A while…?” I heard someone whisper, but I ignored it.
I kept my arms crossed, watching the hole and clicking Storage until the flow finally slowed to a trickle. I capped the hole and placed a massive array of Cocoons around it. Might as well turn this whole place into a safe zone.
With the last of the stragglers swept into the pit, the Great Subjugation finally came to an end.
—
Summary:
Ibuki and his group arrive in the Kingdom of Paul, swiftly establishing an efficient underground ‘leveling room’ to rapidly empower their Fresh Slave Trainees, where he refines his trap system to unleash thousands of monsters at once, luring them with irresistible ‘Cocoons’ as bait. The chapter introduces three striking new characters—Olivia, Shuri, Maria and Lotte—before Ibuki dives into experimental monster-infused weapon crafting.
Testing these fresh-forged arms alongside his slave group, he unveils a groundbreaking discovery: the ability to artificially produce Holy Silver and Mithril, the sheer scale of his power-leveling and material output leaving everyone stunned in awe. As the girls absorb Ibuki’s bold plan to challenge the Kingdom of Dole, the weight of their high-stakes reality truly begins to settle over the group.
—
Trivia:
- Ibuki upgraded the plane capacity to six people specifically for these round trips.
- The ‘Blue’ in Blue Mage refers to water or ice attributes.
- Black Iron and Holy Silver are local names for Orichalcum and Mithril.
- Leveling up causes a physical ‘heat’ sensation that requires rest periods.
- Charlotte feels insecure about her role as Ibuki becomes more self-sufficient with his crafting.
- Ibuki can repair items instantly using Storage.
- Silver is a poor weapon material unless reinforced with Mana.
- Holy Silver and Mithril are extremely rare and expensive in this world.
- Ibuki’s subjugation count has already reached 1,500 foxes.
- Erina and Shirley likely shared a similar noble background before slavery
—
Character Insight:
Ibuki shows a shift toward high-efficiency leadership, focusing on maximizing the safety and strength of his expanded party. Charlotte expresses a need for intimacy and validation, fearing her lack of ‘utility’ might distance her from Ibuki.
Ibuki shows a mix of casual detachment and fierce protectiveness, referring to his followers as his ‘inner circle’ and even ‘wives.’ The girls’ perception shifts from seeing him as a master to a ‘terrifying’ yet reliable Hero.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses ‘pseudo-‘ (modoki) as a consistent naming convention for monsters that resemble Earth animals but possess magical traits.
The ‘legal loli’ trope mentioned by the protagonist highlights the specific niche of the web novel’s targeted audience, contrasting the dark elements of slavery with lighthearted harem tropes.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Lisha – Mature native girl with killer curves, huge rack, brown long haired and big-sis vibes—polite, shy homebody type who calls banging Ibuki a
• Charlotte – Short, skinny late‑teen slave girl with messy brown hair, feline eyes, and a soft, slender body. Was an Ex‑Level 8 farmer, now Level 10 and bound to Ibuki, who she calls “Master” and calls herself his wife. Wears rags at first, then pretty clothes he makes, plus his bat‑wing hairband. Blushy, clingy, protective, and easily emotional, she follows him on runs, fights, and flights while always worrying if she’s useful enough.
• Shirley – 14yo ex-knight family swordswoman, Ibuki’s 2nd slave (8-gold scapegoat from Karl), rocking long red hair, dignified cool beauty in tight white dress—shocked by the chill vibes at first. Fanatic loyalist, weapon tester, security guard, blunt questioner of his slave game, one of his 3 wives, combat/sales pro but can’t cook.
• Olivia – A member of the group who asks about the ‘weird’ monster types with some technical/magic-tech knowledge who is stunned by the efficiency of Ibuki’s skills. Archer. Eldest of the new recruits. Height approx 160cm (5’3). Deep blue-black hair. Calm demeanor.
• Ibuki – Broke high‑schooler from Earth who got tossed into another world with the “Crafter” class he first thought was useless—turns out it’s totally busted. Black‑haired, germaphobic, and low‑key bitter but sharp as hell. Uses Synthesis, Processing, and Inventory skills to survive, craft gear, and haul loot while exploring. Currently a Level 10 otherworlder, wielding a stone axe, traveling the frontier forest with Charlotte, and just trying to stay alive long enough to find a bit of peace.
• Lotte – 12-year-old slave girl under Ibuki, a scaredy-cat blue mage (water/ice) standing just 130cm with fluffy light-brown hair and big watery eyes. Lacks magic confidence, gets shocked by his OP power, one of the group’s sensitive lil’ sis types dreaming of spell-slinging skills.
• Ivy – A thirteen-year-old Knight Academy student in the Royal Capital, direct retainer of a minor noble house with blue-collar vibes; daughter of Lean from Yada Village, she’s a small-built, energetic aspiring swordswoman and temporary shop girl, deeply doted on by her family.
• Shuri – 15yo tomboy lancer at 170cm, messy blonde hair, lean athletic build—worries about the Dole Kingdom beef heating up. Blacksmithing savvy, she’s the tough chick with a spear who’s all about that hands-on grind.
• Meena – A young girl and slave who is easily overwhelmed by Ibuki’s crafting abilities. An 18-year-old thief with a youthful appearance. Height is approximately 140cm (4’7
• Maria – A 16-year-old swordswoman. Has long, lustrous red hair and a sharp, dignified facial structure. One of the new recruit.
• Hero – Ibuki’s upperclassman from Earth—summoned as the naive Hero with emotional, mentally fragile personality. Empathetic yet reluctant and inadequate-feeling, lacking survival instincts and political skills. Currently in despair and terrified by his situation.
• Erina – A 17‑year‑old swordswoman and slave under Ibuki’s contract, originally from Paul, with drill hair, a refined noble‑like air and speech suggesting she was once a high‑born lady.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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