I’ve finally achieved 100% completion of the cookie achievements by just messing around…
Can I be done now?
“I will cooperate. Depending on the conditions, I might.”
Sahzan, her bracelet back to how it was, looked at me and said so with a displeased tone. Her expression was hidden by her mask, so I couldn’t see it, but it was clear she wasn’t happy about my return.
“But, why do you even need offensive magic to return to your original world? If you need my power, you’d better explain it properly.”
She leaned forward and asked with her usual condescending tone. For reference, perhaps due to excitement, her arms, which she had been crossing in front of her chest, were now down. My gaze somehow focused there.
Since I was in hot water, my sense of distance was off, and I couldn’t see clearly, but there was nothing particularly strange. It had seemed suspicious that she was crossing her arms unnaturally, and I suspected she had some hidden secret, perhaps on the scale of a “Snowpeon,” but it seems I was just overthinking. Besides, my gaze kept flicking to the “Snowpeon” below, making it hard to concentrate.
“You! Distracted when someone is talking seriously… HYAAAAAA!!”
“Wha—!”
Noticing my gaze drifting downwards, Sahzan turned her body with an intensity that surprised me, turning her back to me as if to hide.
“…Did you see?”
Then, looking back at me over her slender back, she asked in a flustered voice, but that was far too late.
“See? You mean, about your… Snowpeon?”
“NAH!!”
Perhaps it was an unexpected response, but Sahzan let out a startled cry, no less than before. I doubt she didn’t realize her “Snowpeon” was fully exposed, but with Sahzan, you never know.
“Guh… ugh…”
For some reason, Sahzan gnashed her teeth and glared at me with an intense look, as if annoyed by something.
“R-Right. That, the Snowpeon.”
After a moment, she said so with an attitude of desperately trying to swallow something she didn’t want to admit. I don’t understand, but does this mean she didn’t want to show her “Snowpeon”? …Well, that makes sense.
“How can I put it… you have it tough, don’t you?”
When I said it with a hint of sympathy, she somehow snapped, “Shut up!” Kids these days get angry so easily, it’s a problem.
“More importantly, what about the answer to my question earlier?! Stop changing the subject and answer me! How do you plan to return to the original world by obtaining offensive magic?!”
Sahzan shrieked at my exasperated face. I thought she was the one who changed the subject, but pursuing it would be a waste of time. I composed my expression and answered concisely.
“—To return to the original world, I will use the forbidden fusion technique, Death Flash. For that, I need the strongest magic of this world, ‘Stardust Flare’.”
Stardust Flare, a magic known by the alias “Annihilation Magic” due to its high destructive power, possesses tremendous capabilities that live up to its grand name. It’s a fearsome skill with characteristics such as extremely large range, multiple attacks, random targeting, and ignoring magic defense, and it has gained a reputation as the strongest player-versus-player magic.
Moreover, it’s not just the power of Stardust Flare that’s amazing. This flashy magic, which rains down a large number of stars from the sky and causes them to explode one after another, has also earned the top spot among the “Four Heavenly Kings of Lag” due to its spectacular effects. By casting this simultaneously with the magic “Bubble Chain,” obtainable from a raid event, it generates a massive amount of processing, activating the VR Machine’s safety features and forcing a logout. This is the “Forbidden Fusion Technique: Death Flash.”
“…I think I understand the gist of it.”
Sahzan listened to my explanation in a position where she had just opened her legs slightly from a seated position, and gave a small nod. It’s irrelevant, but her “Snowpeon” is still fully exposed because she has her legs spread. I suspect it’s because Closing her legs would cause her “Snowpeon” to bump into them, but I wonder if she wants to hide her “Snowpeon” or not.
However, Sahzan serously asked me, who was still distracted by the “Snowpeon.”
“But, will it really work?”
Upon seeing Sahzan’s unusually serious demeanor, I also became serious. However, I couldn’t give a clear answer to Sahzan’s question.
“To be honest, I don’t know. But I believe there’s a possibility.”
I believe the reason the menu screen became unusable is that it was too game-like and would be a hindrance to this world as “a single, independent world.” If we’re talking about game-like elements, then skills and magic are also game-like. However, characters in “Nekoneko” also recognize and use these skills, which is a crucial difference from the functions used through the menu screen.
In “Nekoneko,” which obsesses over trivial matters, there wasn’t a single person who would give meta-advice like “It’s important to save frequently,” or “Weapons won’t have an effect unless you select them from the menu screen.” The common sense in the world of “Nekoneko” does not include menu screens, saving and loading, or logging out.
However, does it mean that anything not recognized by the people of this world is not allowed to exist? Not necessarily. Bug skills, which are clearly beyond the imagination of humans in this world, and skill activations through Orders and Focus, could indeed be used in this world. Nevertheless, the menu screen being sealed off was a matter of degree, perhaps the most “game-like” among game-like things. If that’s the case, then there is hope.
“Equipment,” one of the menu screen’s functions, could be achieved by an alternative method: directly wearing weapons and armor. —If that’s the case, then if there’s a way to save, load, or log out without using the menu screen, wouldn’t it succeed? It’s a hopeful speculation mixed with wishful thinking, but that’s what I believe.
“Even so, I don’t know what will happen. Of course, I’ll proceed with experiments step-by-step, and if Maki opposes it, I’ll consider a different method.”
“You want to return to your original world because of Maki, don’t you?”
At Sahzan’s surprisingly sharp words, I was momentarily speechless.
“…That’s the biggest reason, yes. But I don’t think I can just live in this world pretending nothing happened.”
“In other words, if you can contact someone from your original world, you’re willing to live here?”
“That is…”
Is this really Sahzan? She’s asking so sharply. I couldn’t answer immediately. However, for some reason, my attitude seemed to please Sahzan. Muttering “Hmm,” she said energetically,
“Understood. Then, I will cooperate with you fully!”
“Eh? Really?”
She said she’d cooperate from the start, but why was she suddenly so eager? Seeing my surprised face, Sahzan suddenly shouted and pointed at me.
“B-But! As long as it’s until you return to your original world, you cooperate with me too!”
“Cooperate?”
“That’s right! In the library, there should be a stone tablet that only you and Maki can use! Until you return to your original world, finish reading it and tell me its contents!”
The “stone tablet” is probably referring to the visual records of the Evil God War. That much is a small favor.
“Ah, understood.”
When I answered immediately, Sahzan somehow looked taken aback and continued, pointing at me with force.
“A-And!”
While still pointing at me vigorously, she averts her gaze slightly and continues.
“I will cooperate with you returning to your original world. So… please think of a way to return to this world again too.”
“Sahzan?”
“D-Don’t misunderstand! I just haven’t used you enough yet! So it’s not like I’m sad to part with you or anything…”
Sahzan babbled on. Good grief. She’s not honest, but in a way, she’s more honest than anyone else.
“Thank you, Sahzan.”
“Wha—!”
When I thanked her, Sahzan frantically splashed the water, flustered.
“I-I don’t understand! M-More importantly, the magic! You’re going to get that Stardust Flare, right?! What are you planning to do?!”
It was an obvious topic change, but I went along with it.
“Ah. To do that, I need to complete a certain event, and for that, I need you.”
“Me?”
“More precisely, a magician with strong affinity for the dark attribute. In the game, you were the only one.”
“Dark attribute, huh…”
As soon as she heard those words, Sahzan scowled. Her enthusiasm from before had completely vanished. Come to think of it, despite constantly talking about dark power, I’ve rarely seen Sahzan use dark magic. She mostly uses fire or water attribute magic. Does she have some trauma related to dark magic? She clearly showed reluctance.
“Is it really necessary for me? If we’re talking about dark attributes… well, there’s Layla.”
“No, Layla is more of a ‘yandere’ attribute than a dark attribute. …Anyway, in the game, only you could do it, so it must be impossible for anyone else in this world too.”
I stated it firmly, but Sahzan continued to grumble.
“It doesn’t even make sense! It’s Stardust for a Flare, but dark attribute related!”
“What do you want me to say about that…”
It’s not like I set the attribute.
“Besides, why do you hate the dark attribute so much? Perhaps you can’t actually use dark magic?”
I asked, knowing it wasn’t the case, and perhaps my pride was stimulated, Sahzan retorted loudly.
“I-It’s not like that! It’s just… my dark power is too immense to exist in this world.”
“…Hah?”
When I let out an annoyed sound at her sudden “chuunibyo” line, Sahzan flinched and added in a small voice,
“S-So, uh… a long time ago, when I used dark magic, I lost control and burned down a forest…”
Recalling the past, Sahzan rubbed her right hand uncomfortably while sitting cross-legged. Seeing that, something dawned on me.
(—Perhaps)
Perhaps Sahzan’s chuunibyo origin, the whole “dark something” and “sealed something,” is due to her excessively high dark magic aptitude. Sahzan, who is already prone to going overboard, would be immeasurably more destructive if her dark magic aptitude was even higher. If she went out of control due to uncontrollable dark magic and was ostracized by others, it would explain her twisted personality and even her chuunibyo tendencies. Moreover, if we consider the influence of dark magic, it might also explain the obviously abnormal “Snowpeon” at her crotch… No, that’s probably too far-fetched.
Regardless, Sahzan’s aversion to dark magic seems genuine. However, I can’t back down now.
“I understand you don’t want to use dark magic. In that case, I’ll use it. You just need to break the seal.”
Players can learn the Stardust Flare magic by witnessing its acquisition event. I thought this would be acceptable…
“U-Uhm. However, even so…”
Still, Sahzan’s response wasn’t favorable. Perhaps she has an aversion to dark magic that transcends reason. I have no choice but to push forward.
“Anyway, you’re the only one I can rely on. This is something only a wizard with excellent aptitude like you can do.”
“M-Me… Excellent wizard…”
Sahzan’s sullen attitude softened instantly at my words.
“Actually, the person who hid the Stardust Flare magic, Mulligan Sprite, is an amazing person called the ‘Golden Magician’ and the ‘Greatest Alchemist in History’.”
“Golden… Greatest in History…”
She’s like a robot just repeating my words, but Sahzan was genuinely hooked. I pressed on.
“He sealed the Stardust Flare in a certain place and created three medals to unlock the seal. Only those chosen by overcoming the trials of mind, technique, and body, possessing superior dark attribute aptitude, can obtain that magic.”
“Seal… Medals… Trials… Chosen one!!”
From Sahzan’s eyes, flushed with heat behind her mask, I felt her chuunibyo igniting. This is my victory.
“Fine! Then, the Great Dark Magician Sahzan will obtain that magic!!”
“Thank you! I knew you’d say that!”
—She’s so easily swayed!
Without betraying my true thoughts, I expressed my gratitude to Sahzan. Perhaps pleased, Sahzan puffed out her chest while sitting cross-legged.
“Fu-fufufu. With me, any fragile trial made by humans is like a castle in the sand! The day my name resonates throughout the world as the strongest magician is near!”
…But. Sahzan, boasting like that, doesn’t know yet. That an unimaginably terrible ordeal awaits her, one that she never imagined. I quietly recall the content of the trials.
—The trial of the mind: Odds or Evens.
—The trial of technique: Poker.
—The trial of the body: Horse racing.
All of them are equally difficult, and none of them have anything to do with magic.
…Incidentally. The man, Mulligan Sprite, who hid the Stardust Flare magic in a certain place and created the trials to obtain it. He was the great Casino King, with epithets such as “Golden Magician” and “Greatest Alchemist in History.”
The dawn of gacha in another world!
Since this is a split update, the next update is scheduled for the day after tomorrow… scheduled!
