Ch.344True Pinocchio (5)

“Come forth! Pinocchio!!”

I raised my hand high.

Fwooooosh-!!

As light enveloped my body, Pinocchio revealed himself.

“Master. I shall obey your command.”

Pinocchio’s speech pattern… has become fluent!!! Plus, his voice is now a deep baritone!!!

His appearance had changed significantly as well. He was no longer the stubby two-head-tall wooden block he used to be. He was now a full eight-head-tall figure!!! Except for his long wooden nose, all his body parts had been transformed into mechanical components.

Honestly… he looked cool. The mechanical gears constantly turning throughout his body fulfilled every man’s fantasy.

“I… have matured, Master. I realize now that I did terrible things to my former… father. I’d like to make it up to him, even if it’s a bit late.”

Pinocchio said with a wistful expression. Perhaps because his body had been remodeled with steel, his mind had matured as well!!

“Y-yeah…”

I couldn’t quite get used to this new Pinocchio.

Ding-!

After summoning Pinocchio, various options appeared.

‘Pinocchio’

‘Level: 72’

That’s the Psycho-Robo’s own level. It had risen quite a bit. This game has separate levels for players and Psycho-Robos. If Pinocchio had been a decent Psycho-Robo, I might have cared more about his growth… but since his growth stats were so poor, I rarely looked at his level screen.

‘Once you hit level 99, all stats get boosted to 99…’

But the game was already in its final stages. How could I possibly reach level 99 now? The game would end before I could get there.

Anyway, the true Pinocchio’s skill window displayed various descriptions. Considering he had virtually no skills in the beginning, it was quite impressive.

‘Pinocchio Armor: Temporarily surround yourself with Pinocchio as armor for combat. The all-attribute nullification effect applies to this armor.’

There was an amazing technique. It was a skill I’d never seen in the game before. From the description alone, it sounded quite good.

“Pinocchio Armor!!”

I immediately raised my hand.

Whirrr-! Clank-!

With those words, Pinocchio’s body parts began to detach one by one.

Clank-! Click-! Thud-!

The separated parts of Pinocchio’s body attached to mine like armor, fitting perfectly. Each part seemed to be a perfect match for my body.

Whirr-! Clank-!

Pinocchio’s body itself attached to mine like plate armor.

This was quite useful. Normally, I wasn’t fond of wearing heavy armor that weighed me down, but Pinocchio was fundamentally a Psycho-Robo. He had no weight. Thanks to that, it felt like I wasn’t wearing anything at all. This wouldn’t hinder me much in battle.

———

‘Pinocchio Sword Improved: You have maximized the property of his nose growing when he lies. By consuming a certain amount of SP, you can change the form and combat style of the Pinocchio Sword.’

There was one more new skill. It seemed to be an enhancement skill related to the Pinocchio Sword. But from the description alone, I couldn’t quite grasp it.

“Pinocchio Sword!”

I shouted with my hand raised.

Fwooooosh-!

Separate from the armor, the Pinocchio Sword was summoned. The sword’s appearance had also changed to something more metallic. There was no trace of wood anymore.

On the sword’s handle, there was something like a dial. I guess I’m supposed to turn it. Following my intuition, I immediately turned the dial.

Whirrr-!! Clank-!!

Right after, the sword’s handle extended.

Shwang-!

As the handle extended, the blade expanded proportionally, transforming into a greatsword.

“I see. When the handle extends, it becomes a greatsword.”

I got the gist of it.

I walked to a spot while holding the greatsword. When using a weapon, you need a target.

Fortunately, there was a suitable target: a pumpkin that Green Beard was growing. The pumpkin’s surface was starting to turn white, becoming harder. If left longer, it would become inedible, but Green Beard seemed to have grown attached to his pumpkin and refused to sell it.

I swung the greatsword, now in its transformed state, toward the pumpkin.

Kwaaaang-!!

The heavy blow from the greatsword’s mass flew straight toward the pumpkin.

Kwaaaaaaang-!!

The pumpkin split in two and scattered.

“You bastard!! What are you doing?!”

Green Beard shouted at me.

Ignoring him, I swung the sword once more.

Click-!

As I turned the dial while swinging the greatsword, the blade began to vibrate intensely.

Swoooooosh-!!

Simultaneously with my swing, blade winds whirled around like cutting gales. The blade winds erupting from all directions tore the pumpkin to shreds. The pumpkin was completely torn apart.

“This is quite useful.”

I nodded as I spoke. Not only was it powerful, but it also had a wide-area effect.

‘Though… its weight is a drawback.’

The Pinocchio Sword in greatsword form had mass. While not excessively heavy, the sword vibrated tremendously when releasing blade winds. Controlling that vibration while swinging required considerable strength. The size of the sword also meant larger movements, creating many openings.

‘I could rely on the all-attribute nullification for tank-and-spank…’

However, even with all-attribute nullification, fixed damage and stance breaks couldn’t be defended against. I couldn’t rely solely on tanking.

‘I’ll need to use this at the right moment.’

It would be perfect for delivering a finishing blow when an enemy’s stance was broken. Or for clearing out mobs. I had a good sense of it now. As a swordsman with experience, I could figure out how to use a weapon just by picking it up.

“My pumpkin…!! What are you going to do about this?!”

Green Beard grabbed me by the collar.

“I’ll pay for it.”

I said. I was earning decent money from my novels, and Kunami Corporation was paying me quite well.

“It’s not about the money!! My child… in such a horrible state…!!”

Green Beard collapsed, wailing.

Clank-!

At that moment, my armor disassembled, and Pinocchio appeared.

“Old man. The pumpkin would have wanted this. If you let it grow too large… it would become inedible and rot.”

Pinocchio placed his hand on Green Beard’s shoulder as he spoke.

“Now, when the pumpkin is at its sweetest, being eaten deliciously by people is what vegetables would want.”

Pinocchio said.

Wait… are you really Pinocchio? This mature tone is creating such a disconnect… you’ve suddenly become so mature!!

“Will you… eat this pumpkin well?”

Green Beard looked at Pinocchio.

“Ah. Of course.”

Pinocchio nodded.

“Then… take it. Eat it well.”

Green Beard said as he stood up.

“Ah… yes.”

I replied, gathering the broken pieces of pumpkin. Well… if I take them home, my girlfriends will probably cook something with them, right? That’s what I thought. We missed Halloween in October. Might as well have a belated Halloween party.

“If you try to wake up with them in your possession, they’ll be neatly placed beside your bed. I’ll handle that much.”

Blue Beard said.

“Ah… thank you.”

I nodded. The Soul Room, incredibly convenient.

———

Anyway, after the big event of strengthening Pinocchio, I opened my eyes.

My girlfriends were still asleep. They were all pressed against my body without any gaps, leaving me no room to move. I could only lift my head to look beside the bed.

The pumpkins were neatly stacked in vacuum packs. Even packaged for me. How truly kind.

That’s when I noticed someone on top of me.

Looking closely, I saw slightly silver-tinted purple straight hair, porcelain-white skin unlike anyone of this world, doll-like beauty… it was Violet.

“Why are you here?”

I couldn’t help but blurt out.

Just then, the alarm went off. Eri opened her eyes at the sound.

As usual, Eri tried to give me a morning kiss.

Naturally, Eri discovered Violet lying on top of me.

“Shota… that’s Violet, right? The one we saw before.”

Eri stared at Violet.

“………”

How should I explain this? I finally came to a conclusion.

“That’s how it is.”

I said, embracing Violet.

“…We’ll need a family meeting once everyone’s awake.”

Eri said with a completely humorless face. Eri… why are you like this? I’m scared, really.

———-

I explained the whole situation.

“Past life spouses? Hahaha. Look at this guy making up excuses now that he has no legitimate reason.”

Taiga immediately put me in a headlock, taking advantage of her large breasts.

“No! Taiga! It’s true.”

I shouted.

“This is why otaku are… obsessed with past life connections and such. It’s so otaku-like. Before clinging to past lives or whatever, I want to tell you to look at reality. The desperate search for settings because you can’t face reality is what makes it so otaku-like.”

Mika immediately launched into sharp criticism of otaku culture.

I had anticipated Mika would say something like that. So, I took immediate action.

Rustle-!

I pulled out a crumpled notebook. It was Mika’s secret diary where she wrote her fantasies.

“Hey, hey!! Where did you get that?!”

Mika shouted.

“Wow. The platform’s #1 author is really something. Your secret diary is quite entertaining.”

I smiled as I turned the pages.

“Hey!! Stop!!”

“Yet Mika also indulged in past life connection fantasies. A long epic based on the setting that she and I were actually spouses in a past life…”

“Don’t read it!!”

Mika and I scuffled.

“So, what are we going to do?”

Kana asked Eri with a sour expression.

“I wanted to decide together with everyone.”

Eri said to Kana.

“We… will follow your opinion. Even though we don’t like it, you’re the legal wife that Shota acknowledges. We respect the authority of the legal wife.”

Kana said. Though she always bickered, she seemed to acknowledge Eri implicitly.

“Let’s just… accept it. We have no choice.”

Eri sighed as she spoke.

“…….”

Violet’s expression brightened at that.

“There are… already too many of us. It wouldn’t be fair to accept some and reject others.”

Eri looked at all the harem members gathered in the living room with a face full of realization. The living room was now completely full.

“Welcome, Violet.”

Eri said.

“Y-yes.”

Violet tried to maintain a haughty expression, attempting to establish dominance.

“Regardless of past lives, I am the legal wife. I’d like you to accept that.”

However, Eri was surprisingly assertive when it came to love.

“Ah… okay. I’ll acknowledge it. The world has changed, after all. I’ll adapt since this isn’t the world I used to live in.”

Violet said.

Phew… is this issue resolved now?

That’s when Tina opened a new topic.

“But you know, if past lives exist… what were we in our past lives? Were we members of Shota’s harem in a past life too?”

Tina was about to open Pandora’s box.

“We must have been! I fell for Shota at first sight! It’s destiny!!”

Umi’s eyes sparkled.

Women really do love this talk of destiny and fate.

“Violet! You’re knowledgeable about this, right? Can you find out what relationship we had with Shota in our past lives?”

Umi immediately grabbed Violet’s hands.

“It’s possible… but you might be disappointed.”

Violet answered ambiguously.

“Come on! It’s just for fun!”

Umi wouldn’t back down. The other girlfriends seemed interested too.

“……..”

Violet looked at me with eyes seeking help. But once my girlfriends got into this mood, no one could stop them. I winked at Violet. Go ahead, proceed!