Chapter 156 That is One Resolution
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Dinner was a silent affair. The reason was simple: the air I was radiating was pure poison. Tatia, who had returned early and tried to strike up a conversation, was utterly shot down by my refusal to speak. Mitsuha-san, whose social skills weren’t exactly high to begin with, didn’t even try to open her mouth. Only Hinagiku-san’s oblivious food commentary functioned as a sort of background noise while we finished our meal.
Once the plates were cleared, everyone except Ichika, Dahlia, and Hinagiku-san beat a hasty retreat, clutching their stomachs from the tension. I caught the Acting Head of Family casting a worried glance my way before his two daughters practically dragged him out of the room, clearly trying to give Yohira and me some space.
Facing Yohira now, the little bit of composure I’d managed to claw back over the last few days evaporated. To be honest, while Ethelena was the one who had cut me the deepest, I still had a bone to pick with Yohira for being the catalyst.
Then again, I couldn’t exactly point to a single thing she’d done “wrong.” When I’d revealed that my knowledge came from a past life, she hadn’t dismissed me. She’d accepted it as fact and moved straight to analyzing the data. In that regard, she’d handled it far better than Ethelena.
The real reason I was pushing her away was simpler: she had triggered my old trauma. Being ganged up on was my breaking point. But even that was mostly because Yohira didn’t have many friends and Ethelena – the person who should have known me best – had completely lost the plot, leaving Yohira without a voice of reason to tell her where to draw the line.
Knowing my Mother-in-law, she’d probably put Yohira through the wringer for that. Besides, even back then, I suspect Yohira knew exactly why I was angry.
If I was being honest with myself, the reason I couldn’t let my anger go was because I had been leaning on her. I’d grown dependent on her intellect and her support during our explorations and in my private life. Feeling betrayed by that safety net made the sting even worse.
Two lives in, and I still haven’t grown up. I felt pathetic compared to how composed Yohira was acting.
”…And so?”
”Umu, I was told by Mother-sama to apologize immediately noja. I ¹ also wanted to do so that very same day if possible, but… Ethelena was a problem, noja.”
She caught the unspoken questions in my short prompt and answered them all. It seemed she’d already deduced the source of my fury. Looking back, even when she had seemed angry at me, she was probably just worried. After facing ‘Archangel’ and reflecting on my own behavior, I felt a pang of regret. Yohira had read the room perfectly.
”If we had left Ethelena with you in that state, a rift would have formed that could never be mended, noja. That is why Mother-sama took us back to the Torakuma ² estate, even if her methods were a bit… forceful, noja.”
My Mother-in-law’s judgment was terrifyingly sharp. Leaving the Acting Head here to bond with me, then sending the sisters later – every move was a calculated play to stabilize my mental state. The Acting Head had called me out on day one, but then he spent the rest of the time distracting me with “guy talk” and idiotic games, which actually gave my heart room to breathe. Mitsuha-san took over the housework so I could focus on the festival, and Ibara-san… well, she dealt with the trash for me.
”It has been quite a while since Mother-sama beat me black and blue, both in mind and body noja… Meanwhile, Ethelena stayed locked in my room, crying non-stop. I could not comfort her. All I could do was watch her waste away noja.”
”…I see.”
It sounded like Ethelena had completely shut down again, just like the day I first found her. Maybe by saving her back then, I’d accidentally taught her that the best way to handle a crisis was to stop moving and wait for someone else to fix it.
”Mother-sama decided my re-education was complete and sent me back here to promptly strive for relationship repair with Tatara noja.”
”I see, so Ethelena is receiving re-education from Mother-in-law now.”
”As for me, I thought my role was to protect her at Ethelena’s side… but according to Mother-sama, ‘Nothing will change that way’ noja.”
I wondered what kind of face the Matriarch had made when she said that.
”However, Mother-sama’s discipline was grueling noja…”
”That bad?”
”A full day and night of non-stop sparring. Even without our ‘Concept Appraisal’ ³ and ‘Temari-bana’ ⁴, being thrown around like a ragdoll for twenty-four hours straight… it breaks your spirit noja.”
Yohira, supposedly the strongest fighter in the Torakuma family, looked absolutely haunted by the memory. Just how strong was my Mother-in-law?
”So, Yohira wants to fix the discord with me?”
”Umu, I came to correct it noja.”
Yohira straightened her posture and looked at me. That expression was serious, representing the straight nature that I liked.
”But you see, there is one thing I cannot do noja.”
”…Which is?”
”I cannot apologize to you noja.”
Doubt clouded my mind. If she wasn’t going to apologize, why bother coming back?
”I could understand that the wound on your heart you received in your previous life was that of being blamed by a group. I also came to sense that being betrayed by companions such as us and receiving such an attack stimulated it further noja.”
She hit the nail on the head. So why the refusal?
”But, if I were to apologize… Tatara would have to forgive me. It would create that kind of atmosphere noja.”
”…What?”
Tatia couldn’t apologize because she didn’t understand what she’d done. Yohira was refusing to apologize because she understood too well.
”That is…”
”Tatara, can you… forgive what we did noja?”
Yohira stared straight into my eyes and asked that.
”I think… I can forgive.”
”Can you be convinced? It is a wound that won’t heal from your previous life, is it not noja?”
”Even so, if one reflects, it’s natural to forgive.”
”That is the reason I cannot apologize noja.”
Yohira continues her words while keeping her eyes straight with mine.
”Let me say it again, I love Tatara Julon noja.”
”…Oh.”
My face flushed. If she had said that before our fight, I would have said it right back.
”Therefore, I do not want Tatara to fake and kill his own heart. I hate things like taking advantage of that kindness and being forgiven before Tatara’s heart is convinced. Unless Tatara forgives me from his heart and allows me to be by his side… I would regret it for the rest of my life noja.”
This was the sincerity I loved in her. The noble spark she’d inherited from her parents.
”For a lifetime… perhaps even if I reincarnate many times, I may be resented and held in anger. Even so… even so, I want Tatara to live according to his heart. Not bending by my words, I want you to interact with me as you please noja.”
Her voice trembled at the end, and I saw tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. She was terrified. She was terrified that the man she loved would hate her forever, yet she was still putting my feelings above her own desire for peace.
She was so incredibly kind. I leaned in and hugged her, whispering into her ear – words meant only for her, deciding how we would move forward together.
* * *
We reached a temporary truce: I wouldn’t force myself to forgive her yet, but we would stay together until I could. Ichika and Dahlia weren’t exactly thrilled, but they understood. Things were still stiff, especially between Ichika and Yohira. They used to be so close, but the fallout from my breakdown had clearly left a mark on their friendship too.
”Humu, it seems Tatia managed to mend her bridge much faster noja?”
”Yes, it wasn’t because she realized her mistake on her own, but I accepted her apology.”
”…I see noja.”
Yohira’s expression was complicated. Tatia had basically fled to my house after nearly being assaulted at the academy, but that was her story to tell, not mine.
”Anyway, let’s get up to speed?”
”Umu, I request a rundown of what happened while I was away noja.”
”Fine. But you have to tell me what’s going on with Ethelena, as far as you know.”
”I have accepted noja.”
I caught her up on everything. When I mentioned I was planning to push for Level 70 and go through the ‘Sublimation of Existence’ ⁵, she looked visibly relieved. She probably remembered how I’d acted like I’d given up on living. I told her about the fishing trips with her father and the situation with Aarem. She looked a bit exasperated at the latter.
”You’ve bounced back more than I expected noja…”
”I won’t deny it. Though the bonding with your father wasn’t exactly intentional.”
”No matter how you look at it, Father-ue was likely just doing what he wanted. Because he is usually only fussing over Ethelena, playing with a member of the same s*x likely led to a good change of pace for Tatara too noja.”
That made sense. The time I spent with the Acting Head and that piece of trash at the river, just talking about nothing, had done wonders for my head. Not having to act “cool” in front of women let me finally relax. Maybe I needed to make time for that more often to keep from redlining again. I wondered if the Acting Head would consider moving here?
”As for Ethelena… to be honest, I can’t do anything for her noja.”
She looked pained, clearly regretting that she couldn’t help her best friend.
”She just huddles in the corner of the room, sobbing. The only word she speaks is your name. She barely eats. I thought she was going to waste away, but as it turns out, her Succubus ⁶ traits kicked in. She’s been subconsciously draining my essence just to stay alive noja.”
”What is that guy doing?”
My heart had been aching for her a second ago, but that ⁷ tsukkomi somewhat came to mind. I mean, I know it’s a biological reflex for her species, but draining your best friend?
”Also, I felt that her movements have become a bit child-like noja.”
”Childhood regression, huh… It’s just like when I first met her,” I said.
”That’s a bit concerning,” Tatia replied. “Is it alright if I ask about it?”
”I can’t go into details because it involves Ethelena’s privacy,” I said, “but immediately after I took her in, she was prone to regressing like that.”
That was the limit of what I could say; any more would require Ethelena’s permission. Tatia seemed to accept that and didn’t push further.
”Seeing her in that state, my mother decided my ‘re-education’ was finished and sent me back to this house-noja,” Yohira added.
”I see… Though that seems a bit sudden, even for your mother-in-law,” I muttered.
That was what bothered me. It was a move so abrupt it felt like she was desperate to keep Yohira away from Ethelena.
”Your intuition is likely right, Tatara,” Yohira said. “Even to me, Mother seemed unusually rushed-jaro.”
Yohira’s words only deepened my suspicion. I couldn’t understand why she would be in such a hurry. It felt as if having Yohira around was somehow inconvenient for Ethelena’s situation.
”Lord Tatara, do you have any ideas?”
”To be honest, no… but there’s one possibility I’d rather not think about,” I replied.
”And that is, Master?”
”The possibility that Ethelena was trying to form a dependency on Yohira,” I said after a pause.
Ethelena had a dependent personality. Whether it was innate or a result of her environment, she had leaned on me heavily. After I rejected her, and with her best friend Yohira constantly by her side… she might have just been looking for a new anchor. Her mother likely sensed that, cut Yohira’s training short, and stepped in herself. If things had gone south, Yohira might have been dragged down with her.
”If you say so, Tatara, it is likely true-nou,” Yohira said. “The thought of being Charmed by Ethelena and ended up as her lover… it’s terrifying to even imagine-nou.”
”To wreck the very idol you were rooting for just to take the lover’s spot? That’s some top-tier ‘landmine’⁸ behavior right there, I daresay-degozaru,” Torakuma Ichika teased.
”Knock it off-noja.”
Yohira let out a long sigh, shaking off the teasing, and refocused. “That is all regarding Ethelena. If our combat status remains unchanged, I believe I should focus on grinding my skill levels. What do you think-ja?”
”Well, once you max out the skills you’re working on, you should probably go through with your Sublimation of Existence⁹,” I suggested.
I shifted gears to match the conversation. Dahlia was still a step behind, but Ichika transitioned instantly. That was the Torakuma clan training showing-the hallmark of the Oniwaban¹⁰. I had no objections to Yohira’s plan. With her Concept Appraisal, she could farm organic mobs way above her level. It was basically a cheat code.
”I have a few skills near completion. Tomorrow, I dive-noja.”
”Just remember, the City Festival starts soon. They’ll lock down the dungeon entirely. You’ve only got a few days-can you pull it off?”
”The deeper I go, the more they swarm-noja,” Yohira said. “If I pull in enough numbers, it’ll be over in a flash-jaro.”
She was being optimistic, but with her talent, she wasn’t wrong.
”The only problem is your stats will tank temporarily after the Sublimation,” I noted.
”Even if we have to fight that 50th-floor boss, it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker-noja,” Yohira replied. “Though if the ‘Undead King’ decides to show up for a laugh, we’re probably screwed-nou.”
”Don’t jinx us,” I said. Talking like that was a great way to make a nightmare come true.
”Actually, I forgot to mention,” Tatia interrupted. “I’m training ‘Swallow’s Reversal’ at Rank II.”
”Wait, really?” I asked, surprised.
”Yes. My attack power drops, but the extra hits will be vital later. Plus, I need more options for dealing with the students. I swapped it in once my ‘Physical Defense Boost’ hit its cap.”
It was a smart move. Tatia’s strength was within normal limits, so increasing her hit count through Swallow’s Reversal synergized perfectly with her ‘Charge’ ability. Since ‘Charge’ grew based on frequency of use, this combo would speed up her overall progression.
Unnoticed by many, the entire party’s offensive power is starting to climb.
As for myself, I needed to hit Level 80 for my final Sublimation. The ‘Original Story’ was about to kick off. Depending on the route, the ‘Whirlwind’ could get caught in a war, or some ancient superweapon might surface. If I wanted to survive the final bosses, I needed my stats to be high enough to at least put up a fight. From what I remembered, those end-game bosses were actually weaker than that damn ‘Undead King’ anyway.
”Perhaps I should perform my Sublimation as well-degozaru?” Ichika asked.
”Do it after you max your current stats,” I said. “You only carry over 60% of your final values when you push the cap to 80.”
If Ichika, a youkai¹¹ with massive natural growth, maxed out now, she’d still be stronger than most humans even after the reset. She had a knack for sorcery, so if I gave her the Earth Mother Goddess series¹² gear, she’d hit her stride immediately.
”I’m free tomorrow, so I’ll dive with you,” I said.
”Master needs to focus on his own levels. It is best to stay in your appropriate zone-degozaru yo,” Ichika reminded him.
”I know, but that bullshit boss is still in the way…” Tatara’s voice trailed off.
Thinking about ‘Janus’ on the 50th floor made me bitter. Yohira looked just as annoyed. Tomorrow, Dahlia would be busy at the arena as the Acting Head, leaving Yohira as our heavy hitter. If her mental state wavered because of her family training, we’d be in trouble. I’d have to keep an eye on her.
”Look, Yohira. We aren’t at full strength, so I’m not planning on pushing to the 50th floor yet, okay?”
”You say that, Tatara, but you’re the one who swore he’d never do another Sublimation. Now that you’ve changed your mind, we have to move fast. You’re usually as stubborn as a mule, so I’m not letting this chance slip by-noja.”
”Is that really how people see me?” I wondered. I thought I was being flexible, but I guess self-evaluation is a lie.
”Anyway, I recommend Ichika reset tonight so she can start grinding tomorrow-noja,” Yohira added. “With Tatara’s knowledge and the right accessories, she’ll be stronger than ever.”
I checked Ichika’s status. With a few items, I could max almost everything except her Magic Defense.
”Ichika, pump ‘Early Maturity’ as high as it’ll go during the reset. At Rank III, it’s a 60% XP boost. It’ll make the grind trivial.”
Ichika agreed. I applied the boosts, and the Sublimation began. A torrent of Mana erupted from her like a physical gale. A few seconds later, she was testing her new limbs.
”I feel… sluggish-degozaru na,” Ichika grumbled.
”Your stats just reset. It’ll pass.”
I handed her the Earth Mother Goddess series gear I’d just crafted. “Wear these. They’ll guarantee your growth stays on track.”
”As you command-degozaru yo.”
She put them on, though she looked pained as she unequipped her ‘Egg’ and ‘Yakusetsu’ accessories. They were powerful items; letting them go, even for a better build, clearly hurt.
”Master, it is difficult to say -degozaru, but… wouldn’t it have been more efficient to use stat-boosting items after your Existence Sublimation ¹³?” Ichika asked.
”Well, if you’re just looking at the raw numbers, it’s hard to argue,” I replied.
”The numbers… Do you mean there’s an invisible impact we can’t see?”
”I haven’t been able to run a full verification here,” I said after a pause, “but how close you were to your limits before Sublimation directly dictates your growth rate afterward.”
For player characters like me, it was a different story. But in the original game, the devs officially announced that maxing your stats before reincarnation was the only way to boost your non-primary attributes. I’d tested it myself. Using the Earth Mother Goddess series ¹⁴ items to force a perfect growth rate resulted in a twofold difference-no joke. For Torakuma Yohira (Yohira Torakuma in Western order), Attack Power increases by a fixed five per level, but her Defense fluctuates between one and four. If you cap those stats before Sublimation, that growth locks at the maximum. In the end, you reach peak stats without burning through items.
In the game, I only optimized my favorites. But in this life, I have Tatia-a girl who breaks the laws of probability just by existing. If I want the people I hold dear to survive, I have to do this right.
”In that case, should I have maxed my Magic Defense before Sublimating -degozaru ka?” Ichika asked quietly.
”No, for you, your magic stats should naturally lock to their maximums anyway,” I assured her.
If I believed the ‘Archangel’-or rather, the laws of this world-the blood of a Demi-deity flows through Ichika’s veins. As a fox spirit gifted in the arts of magic and divine lineage, her potential was staggering. She was on par with the ‘Poster Girls’ or the original game’s protagonist. Even the ‘Part-time Leader,’ the weakest of the sisters, could overwhelm entire armies if her stats were managed correctly.
It made me realize the world was already halfway to hell. As long as we were on the surface, the Machine God’s authority gave us a level playing field, but the Demon Lords were monsters who threatened to transcend the very laws of reality. And lately, it felt like I was making friends with far too many of those ‘strongest-class’ types.
”Hearing you explain it… your knowledge is terrifying,” Tatia said.
”Were you a scholar in your past life?” Yohira asked noja.
”Nothing that prestigious,” I said, keeping it vague.
I didn’t want to explain that I’d simply memorized a fan-wiki.
”The point is, Ichika, your bloodline handles the heavy lifting. You’ll be fine,” I finished.
”That’s a very lazy way to end a conversation -degozaru na,” Ichika muttered.
”You’d hate it if I talked your ear off, wouldn’t you?”
Actually, I just hated long-winded explanations.
”What about Master Tatara?” Yohira asked noja.
”One, my starting stats were trash, so I needed the boost to recover. Two, I planned to dive into the deep floors immediately after Sublimating,” I explained.
”And don’t forget, we were the ones who pushed for it,” Tatia added with a nod.
I agreed. We’d gambled on a 40% stat carryover to survive the 60th floor and beyond. It had worked against the ‘shitty bosses’ we’d faced, but it was a niche build. If I were starting over, I’d probably prioritize ‘Perfect Body’ ¹⁵ for even growth over ‘Early Bloomer’ ¹⁶. Still, the skill experience boost from ‘Early Bloomer’ was too good to pass up. I might have rushed ‘Limit Break’ ¹⁷ a bit, but gaining 20 points per rank instead of 10 was the better long-term play.
”Master, I have a question -degozaru,” Ichika said, looking a bit miffed.
”What’s up?”
”I couldn’t find the ‘Limit Break’ skill in my list -degozaru. I wanted us to have a matching set, but it wasn’t there -degozaru yo.”
I gave her a wry smile. “Skill pools vary by person, Ichika. It’s the same as normal skills.”
Even for player-made characters, unique bloodline skills were off-limits. In the game, ‘Limit Break’ was a crutch-a way for generic characters to reach half the power of a ‘Poster Girl.’ Without it, a regular unit would get shredded in the deep dungeons or by a stray Demon Lord. Even the ‘Immortal King’ was technically weak in terms of raw stats; he just wouldn’t die.
”Based on what I know, ‘Limit Break’ is a skill for the weak to catch up. It doesn’t show up for people who already have a strong foundation,” I said.
”Muu… I don’t like that explanation -degozaru yo.”
Ichika puffed out her cheeks in protest. It was adorable. I couldn’t help it-I reached out and poked her puffed cheek with my index finger.
Pfft.
I started laughing as the air escaped, but my triumph was short-lived. Before I could blink, a frustrated Ichika grabbed my face and claimed my lips in a kiss that tasted like a desperate promise.
I froze. My brain’s gears ground to a halt. I had no idea she could be this bold.
After a long moment, I forced my mind to reboot and turned back to the others. Tatia and Yohira were staring at us with expressions somewhere between a glare and a breakdown.
”Anyway!” I coughed, trying to regain my footing. “You can’t just copy my build. I can help with combinations, but unique skills are a black box.”
”But you can ‘almost’ do it, right?” Tatia pressed.
”Almost. But I didn’t know anything about your specific skills, did I?”
I couldn’t tell them the truth-that to me, their world was once a story on a screen. I didn’t want them to doubt their own existence.
”I know the skills of the past-the legends and the old heroes. But people like you, Tatia… you’re part of an era I can’t predict. My knowledge only goes so far.”
”Still, that is an incredible amount of information,” Yohira said noja, her voice laced with a mix of awe and suspicion.
I had to be careful. If a king found out I knew the skill sets of every major general in the world, I’d be locked in a basement for the rest of my life.
”So, Master, are there any other skills you recommend -degozaru ka?”
”There are, but it’s a lot,” I said.
Sublimation skills like ‘Robust,’ ‘Idaten’ ¹⁸ for speed, or ‘Vajra Strength’ ¹⁹ were all game-changers. But no one could take them all. Even I couldn’t get ‘Luck’-that was a legendary drop rate that once made me send a very angry email to a customer service department that no longer existed.
”Ichika, what did you see in your list?”
”I had ‘Robust,’ ‘Idaten,’ ‘Great Archmage’ ²⁰, and ‘Luck’ -degozaru na.”
”That’s a perfect mage build,” I said. “Take ‘Luck.’ Always take ‘Luck.’ It’s the only way to break the stat cap on drops and crits.”
”What about you, Tatara?” Yohira asked noja.
”I can take everything except ‘Luck,’” I said.
”You really are a monster, Tatara-dono,” Tatia noted.
It was the body’s perk, but I only had five slots. I couldn’t be a master of everything.
”Let’s wrap the shop talk there. We’ll be here for days if I keep going,” I said.
”Agreed,” Yohira said noja, stretching. “We need to fix our internal clocks and get some rest anyway.”
The group called it a night, everyone splitting up to get some rest before tomorrow’s exploration.
Since I had completely forgotten to mention that my two sisters were using the guest room, Yohira-san’s²¹ scream echoed through the house a few moments later. My bad.
I returned to the workshop alone and began tinkering with an idea for a new piece of equipment. It turned out as a massive gauntlet-large enough to cover half my body height. I designed it with five distinct fingers, lining the palms with chainsaw blades. The idea was simple: grab an enemy, squeeze, and let the blades shred them to pieces.
I didn’t need it immediately, but it was a trump card for the Earth Dragons lurking on the 80th floor and below. If Ichika-san is going to survive in this “Whirlwind” world with her child, I need a weapon that can put monsters down for good without relying on Sublimation of Existence²².
”Earth Dragon” is the catch-all term for flightless dragon species, which usually look like giant lizards. There was a time when people thought Fire Lizards were part of the family, but those are actually Spirits. Then again, given how cursed some of these bosses are, a Spirit-Dragon hybrid isn’t out of the question. Honestly, considering how close the biology is, I wouldn’t be surprised if a Fire Lizard “got busy” with a dragon and created that mess.
I could almost hear some dragon out there who’d hooked up with a Fire Lizard bragging about how he’s a real “Quick-Draw McGraw”-and not the cool kind. What a bottom-tier thought. I shook my head to clear the distraction.
I focused on Earth Dragon ecology. The weakest ones in the dungeon are the Great Lizards. Don’t let the name fool you; they’re still dragons. Their stats easily clear 100, making them a nightmare for the unprepared. If you let their looks deceive you, you’ll get a rude awakening from a high-speed charge or a bite from jaws strong enough to snap you in half. Or worse, you just die.
Then there’s the namesake: the true Earth Dragon. Their defense is a walking fortress. Compared to the Wyverns in the sky, these guys have scales so thick and vitality so high they practically refuse to die. The semi-rare Forest Dragons even have HP Regen abilities. Taking just one down is a total slog.
And then there’s the Rare Enemy variant. This guy’s design is a straight-up lawsuit waiting to happen, with performance stats to match the copyright infringement.
Pitch-black body. Crystalline dorsal fins. It spits out a breath attack that an Earth Dragon has no business having. Its defense and health are so broken they far outstrip the Golden Three-Headed Dragon-the rare variant of the High Flyers from the even deeper floors. It makes zero sense. Players nicknamed it the Monster Dragon King. If you’re unlucky enough to get sandwiched between this guy and a stray Demon Lord, the collateral damage alone is enough to wipe your party. It’s tougher than the 90th-floor boss, the Ancient Dragon. Whoever balanced this thing needs to learn some moderation.
The Monster Dragon King has top-tier stats across the board, except for speed. Its Physical Attack and Defense are massive, but its Magic stats are also sky-high to power that breath attack. Its Speed is only around 80, but the terrifying part is that every single one of its attacks has a massive accuracy buff and Pierce III. Unless you’re like Ichika-san and can pull off a perfect evasion with raw speed, you’re looking at an accidental death.
The safest bet is probably having Dahlia-san use Auto Eizul for a one-shot kill. Even this beast can’t touch Dahlia-san’s maxed-out stats. If Yohira-san uses Concept Appraisal²³ to snipe a weakness from outside its aggro range, we’ve got a shot. Back in the game, it was one of the few enemies with capped HP, but as long as it follows the rules of this world, I can find a way to win. Maybe I’ll have Yohira-san prep a Charge too, just to be safe.
While my mind wandered, the Magic Device took shape. I used a Mithril-Orichalcum alloy for the core, using mana and thought-control as the interface, and synced the feedback with the movements of my Kokuyo blade. The hand is big enough to crush a man’s torso, but the controls are precise enough to peel a boiled egg without cracking it. I used Orichalcum for the finger-saws-Adamantite would’ve been better, but I’m running low.
For the plating, I went with Demonsteel to add weight, then engraved an Antigravity Spell Formula on the inside. It feels weightless now, but it still has the massive inertia of the Demonsteel. Even if I can’t punch out the King of the Monsters, I can definitely take the Monster Dragon King with this.
I stared at the completed device, thinking of a name. I remembered a certain legendary mecha series-the one with the massive, katana-wielding upgrade from the side story. I decided to lift a piece of that legacy.
”Your name is Dreadnought,” I said quietly. “The giant’s hand that fears no foe.”
As I spoke, the familiar clicking sensation of a finished connection took hold. I used Appraisal.
===
Prototype Expansion-type Magic Armguard: Dreadnought
Physical Attack: 250 DPS
Physical Defense: 100
Speed: -20
Special Abilities: [Restraint], [Continuous Shredding Damage during Restraint]
===
Dealing 250 damage per second is absolutely vicious, but the fact that I have to keep a grip on the target to make it work makes it a high-skill item. I could already hear the earful Dahlia-san and the Chef would give me if they saw this “evil” thing. I let out a wry smirk.
I stashed the device in my Inventory, stretched my shoulders, and stood up. I really needed to hit the sack if I wanted to be functional tomorrow. I turned around to head out, only to stop dead.
Dahlia-san and the Chef were standing there, side-by-side, eyes wide with wonder as they stared at me.
”Guys, you could’ve at least said something,” I muttered.
—
Summary:
Yohira returns to Tatara’s home after being ‘re-educated’ by her mother. She and Tatara have a deep conversation about their fallout and her refusal to give a forced apology. They reach a truce to remain together while Tatara processes his feelings.
The party discusses Ethelena’s psychological state and the suspicious behavior of her mother. Ichika undergoes ‘Sublimation of Existence’ to reset her level and optimize her growth for the future conflict. Tatara prepares the group for the upcoming ‘Original Story’ events while navigating party interpersonal dynamics.
Tatara explains the intricate ‘Existence Sublimation’ mechanics to his party, detailing how pre-reincarnation stats affect future growth. The discussion turns personal when Ichika learns she cannot obtain the same ‘Limit Break’ skill as Tatara, leading to a surprise kiss that stuns the protagonist.
After a group breakup for rest, Tatara realizes he accidentally left his sisters in the room meant for Yohira. He spends the night in the workshop crafting ‘Dreadnought,’ a high-DPS mechanical gauntlet designed to combat the ‘Monster Dragon King’ in the lower dungeon floors. The chapter concludes with his companions Dahlia and the Chef discovering his new creation in the middle of the night.
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Trivia:
- Tatara’s trauma is specifically linked to being blamed/ostracized by a group.
- Yohira’s mother used a full day and night of weapons-based sparring as discipline.
- Ethelena is currently undergoing her own re-education with the Matriarch.
- Ethelena is subconsciously draining Yohira’s ‘essence’ to survive due to her Succubus nature.
- Ethelena’s behavior has regressed to a child-like state.
- Ethelena has a dependent personality trait which might be a ‘landmine’.
- The ‘Undead King’ is significantly stronger than the story’s final bosses.
- Sublimation carries over 60% of the previous stats.
- Yohira has a unique skill called ‘Concept Appraisal’ that is ‘broken’.
- A City Festival is approaching which will close the dungeon.
- Ichika is a fox spirit with demi-god blood, which naturally maxes her magic stats.
- The ‘Limit Break’ skill is actually a ‘catch-up’ mechanic for weaker characters, not an elite-only skill.
- Tatara’s knowledge comes from a ‘fan-wiki’ in his previous world, making him essentially a walk-through guide.
- The ‘Earth Mother Goddess’ items are used to force RNG stat increases to hit maximum values.
- There is a 40% stat carryover rule for the Sublimation process.
- The ‘Monster Dragon King’ is a Rare variant stronger than the floor boss.
- Dahlia has completely maxed-out stats in every category.
- The new gauntlet ‘Dreadnought’ weighs as much as Demonsteel despite the antigravity spell.
- The gauntlet’s high damage is conditional on maintaining a physical restraint/grip
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Character Insight:
Yohira demonstrates profound emotional intelligence and integrity by refusing to apologize just to force a reconciliation, showing she values Tatara’s true feelings over her own comfort. Tatara realizes he has been emotionally dependent on Yohira’s intellect.
Ichika shows extreme loyalty and pragmatism by resetting her power level for long-term gains. Yohira is revealed to be more observant of Tatara’s character flaws (stubbornness) than he is of himself.
Ichika shows deep insecurity about not being ‘matching’ with Tatara, which she compensates for with a sudden, bold romantic gesture. Tatara struggles with the ethical dilemma of seeing his friends as ‘game units’ while simultaneously protecting them as people.
Tatara shows deep tactical foresight, building specific gear for floor 80+ encounters well in advance. His smirk at the ‘evil’ nature of his weapon highlights his pragmatism over traditional heroism.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘re-education’ by the Mother-in-law highlights the martial intensity of the Torakuma family, where physical discipline is used to straighten out mental wavering.
The ‘landmine’ term (jirai) is common Japanese slang for a romantic partner who seems attractive but is emotionally volatile or dangerous.
The author uses this chapter to bridge the gap between hard-coded game mechanics and the lived reality of the characters, emphasizing that the ‘meta’ knowledge isn’t always 100% applicable to unique individuals like Tatia.
The ‘Monster Dragon King’ is a parody of Godzilla, specifically the black body and crystalline fins. The name ‘Dreadnought’ and the gauntlet design refer to the ‘Tactical Arms’ from the Gundam Astray series.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Hinagiku – A tengu woman as Ranka’s potential companion. She stays with Tatara’s group after travels. Joins household scenes only. Linked to Ranka by shared gluttony jokes. No direct tie to Tatara beyond cohabitation. Cheerful eater.
• Mitsuha – Second daughter of the Torakuma family (Yohira’s sister). She is quiet, awkward, surprisingly deadpan, and possesses a gentle, nurturing side (shown with Cornremu). Hair so long it trailed across the floor like Tomie Kawakami (Junji Ito), face half-hidden by hair, single dark horn (above brow), loose violet robes.
• Dahlia – The automaton.
• Ichika – The fox girl. Kunoichi. Virgincest⚠️, becomes pregnant immediately.
• Yohira – Torakuma’s first name. Oni warrior.
• Ibara – Eldest daughter of the Torakuma family (Yohira’s sister). She is sharp, formal, and possesses a predatory confidence and dry humor. Relative of the Narrator’s ex-companion (Yohira) and a new house guest/guard. Short black hair (neatly at the shoulder), crimson horn (from forehead), eyes of molten gold, red and black kimono like Shuten-dōji (Fate).
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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