Ch.196Break Time (2)

“Ohhh… the Hero’s persuasion…!!”

Honestly, without exact numbers, I couldn’t get a feel for it.

Gamer trait) Gets anxious without precise probabilities or stats.

‘I can’t even look at the script…’

Well, I just had to try it directly.

“Violet-chan!!!”

I immediately called out to Violet.

“W-what is it? That’s creepy.”

Violet instantly gave me a wary look.

“Become a member of our harem!! I love you!! Violet!!”

I attempted persuasion right away.

“Fuck off. Seriously.”

Violet stared at me with cold eyes. She already had a cool beauty impression, but when she openly showed contempt, it was even more intimidating. My heart… feels crushed!!! But somehow that feeling was also kind of good…

Hmm. In the end, it didn’t work at all.

“So it’s not quite as powerful as a brainwashing app.”

Well, that would have been too overpowered anyway.

“Alright. You can go now, Test Subject #1.”

I waved my hand at Violet.

“What kind of offensive thing are you saying!!!”

Violet immediately got angry.

Anyway, even after getting the special bonus, I couldn’t take a break from training.

“Ah. And… it seems something has changed within you. A new function has been unlocked in the Weapon Dungeon.”

Bluebeard said.

“You’re being strangely generous with the rewards.”

I replied.

“Normally, this would be an unauthorized special privilege… However, you’re doing better than expected. I can at least unlock a bit of your inner potential.”

Bluebeard said.

“Lord Bluebeard achieved this by sacrificing some of his own power!! You should be grateful!”

Violet shouted loudly.

“Oh…”

Hearing that, I felt grate—bull crap. These guys couldn’t even handle their own world’s problems and ended up dumping their mess on Earth. Of course they should do at least this much.

“These cosmic refugees…”

I muttered unconsciously. They were just lucky autobots.

“Cosmic refugees!! Why are you saying such harsh things!!!”

Violet immediately flared up.

“Anyway, what’s the special bonus?”

I asked Bluebeard—I mean, Bluebeard, not Optimus Prime.

“Look over there.”

Bluebeard pointed to the Weapon Dungeon.

There was something at the entrance of the dungeon.

Metal fragments… yes, parts of a weapon. A sword. Pieces of a sword were scattered about, dismembered. The added bonus was that they were strangely rusted. The sword fragments were blocked by a circular barrier.

What garbage… As I thought that, I felt a sense of déjà vu.

That sword… something wasn’t right about it. Familiar, you could say. Like running into an old classmate by chance on the street.

“When you reach max proficiency in the Weapon Dungeon… the barrier blocking those sword fragments will be removed. If you collect all the fragments, you can combine the sword.”

Bluebeard explained.

“Exodia the Sword…!!!”

The fact that I had to gather scattered pieces appealed to my manly romance. When combined, it seemed like it would be powerful.

“Anyway, good luck.”

Bluebeard said.

So, I need to put in the legwork, huh?

One piece in the “Sword Dungeon.”

Another in the “Dagger Dungeon.”

And one each in the “Axe Dungeon” and “Blunt Weapon Dungeon.” I needed to collect four pieces in total.

But before that, I needed to level up first. I immediately headed to the Undead Fortress. Since I could only run it once a day, I couldn’t waste the opportunity.

———-

After sweeping through the undead, I headed straight for the fortress where the necromancer was.

“Hero!!! No matter how much you struggle!!! The destruction of this world is inevitable!!!”

The necromancer shouted loudly and fired putrid magic from his hands.

Tzzzzrrrrrr-!!!

Everything around the fortress began to decay.

“Hup!!!”

I immediately jumped above the ground.

Getting hit by that decay would drain my HP at a tremendous rate. As long as I was careful with that area-of-effect pattern, he wasn’t much of a threat.

“Hyaaaah!!!”

I swung my sword with great force.

SWOOOOSH-!!!!!

The necromancer’s body split in two like chopped firewood and scattered.

With that, the dungeon was cleared.

“Phew…..”

I wiped my sweat and immediately checked my status window.

Ding-!!

My level had reached 57. I was approaching level 60. I was gradually reaching end-game specs. Somehow I was keeping up with the specs of Sasith, who had that ridiculous protagonist buff.

——–

Afterward, I ran through the Sword Dungeon and Dagger Dungeon in sequence. The sword fragments would be unlocked when proficiency reached 1000. I had no choice but to grind hard.

Going the straightforward route would take too much time. For the Sword Dungeon specifically, I devised a clever strategy.

The Sword Dungeon’s theme was hell. The concept involved gates opening from all directions with demons jumping out.

While slashing demons, eventually a stronger one would appear.

“Kuhahaha!!! Filthy mortal!! I’ll kill you!!!”

Some kind of flesh mass covered in tumors jumped out.

This guy… would regenerate infinitely unless his core was destroyed.

In other words, I could use him as a training dummy without destroying his core.

Whoosh-!!

I closed the distance toward him.

Grrrrrr-!!

His tumor-covered massive arm flew toward me.

SWOOOOSH-!!!!!

I immediately swung my sword wide and cut off his arm.

Slash-!! Slashshshsh-!!!

Then I systematically dismembered his other arm and legs.

“Anakin!!! You were the chosen one!!!! You were my brother!!!”

“What nonsense…!!!”

Before the demon could finish muttering, I slashed his torso deeply.

SWOOOOSH-!!!!!!

“Kuhurgh!!”

With that, the demon collapsed into a mess.

Grrrr-!! Grr-!

His jelly-like body parts slowly began to reattach.

“Hehehehe. Unless you attack my core… my body will regenerate infinitely…!”

The demon said with a laugh.

“Yeah, I know. Hurry up and recover.”

I said with a smile.

“What…!!”

“So I can use you as a training dummy.”

I lightly swung my sword. My strategy was to cut him down to the point just before death, wait for him to regenerate, then cut him again. By repeating this like running a workshop, I’d get efficient results. No need to waste time and effort searching for demons in the field.

“You… you dare humiliate me, the great demon Kitanjo…!!”

The demon muttered with an expression full of humiliation.

“Kitanjo? Don’t know, don’t care!!! From now on, your name is Training Dummy #1!!! Got it?!”

I immediately named the demon.

“You bastard…!!”

Training Dummy #1, having somehow regenerated, immediately lunged at me.

However, Training Dummy #1’s fate was sealed.

SWOOOOSH-!!!!

I delivered another slash, cutting off his limbs once again.

“Hurry!!! Regenerate!! You’re slow!! Too slow!!”

I kicked his jelly-like body and shouted.

“You bastard… I’ll definitely… kill you with my own hands!!!”

Training Dummy #1’s anguished cry continued.

——–

How much time had passed?

Time really flew by. It was just a repetition of cutting down the dummy, waiting for regeneration, then cutting again.

“Hngggk…. please… please kill me… mortal… hngggk…!!”

The dummy seemed to have accepted his fate as a training dummy.

Trait of someone begging to be killed) Actually doesn’t want to die.

To prove this theory, I tried to stomp on his core. With just a bit of force, his magic core would shatter.

“Really? You want to die?”

I looked at him.

“Fuuuuuck!!!!”

The dummy immediately accelerated his body’s regeneration. Yeah, that’s what I thought.

As the old saying goes, it’s better to live even if you have to roll in a field of dog poop.

That’s how I “rehabilitated” an evil demon into a training dummy.

“This must be… the Hero’s persuasion? He must have been moved by my persuasiveness.”

I convinced myself.

“What persuasion?!!! You fucking asshole!!!!”

Training Dummy #1 shouted loudly.

———-

Anyway, the dummy training was quite effective.

Ding-!

My sword proficiency had already reached 700. I was now 70% of the way to my goal.

However, repeating the same task continuously was quite draining. My physical stamina was fine, but my mental energy was being depleted.

I immediately left the dungeon.

“Hah. You’re out. Dawn is breaking. How about calling it a day?”

Bluebeard said.

“See you tomorrow then!!”

I immediately greeted Bluebeard.

“Mr. Greenbeard, how are the crops?”

Afterward, I spoke to Greenbeard who was farming.

“Oh, here. The Power Turnip you ordered.”

Greenbeard pulled up a turnip with a proud smile.

“W-what!!!”

I was immediately shocked by the size of the turnip.

It was almost as big as Umi’s thigh!!!! How could a mere turnip be so large and… enticing!!!

“Hehehe. The world of farming is quite profound. It’s not just about using expensive fertilizer.”

Greenbeard laughed proudly.

“That guy… he was reluctant at first, but he’s completely gotten into it. He’s even started talking to the turnips in the field.”

Bluebeard said.

“…Giving them names is a bit creepy though…”

Violet said.

Farming… was it unexpectedly his calling?

“Anyway!! What should I plant next?”

Greenbeard asked with strangely sparkling eyes.

“Uh… Magical Tomatoes please.”

I actually had enough buff crops already, but I felt I should give him a request for Greenbeard’s sake.

“Hehehe. Got it!! They’ll be fully grown in three days!!”

Greenbeard immediately planted the crops while humming.

After finishing my business, I left the dream dungeon.

“Are… you not going to enhance Pinocchio?”

Bluebeard kept trying to get me to spend money… but I just ignored him. Not buying. Not buying.

And so morning came.

As morning arrived, I opened my eyes and checked my phone.

“An announcement… is up!!”

I checked the notice board of the web novel platform where I made my living.

‘5th Fantasy Web Novel Contest’

‘Sponsor: Kunami’

Our platform’s major event… a contest had been announced!!!!

“Is this where the legend of Arigi Shota begins…?”

I muttered unconsciously.

Contest trait) Feeling like you’ll win if you just submit a new work.

“Shota. Stop messing around and come eat breakfast.”

At that moment, Eri, wearing only an apron over her underwear in a splendid outfit, kissed me and said.

“Yes.”

I immediately sat at the table.

Saving the world was important… but to live happily together, we needed income.

‘I also have dreams of becoming a successful web novelist…’

I had more desire to succeed as a writer than in my original world.

A new work… what should I write? It was a difficult decision.