episode_0097

Cain.

A versatile character skilled not only in swordsmanship and magic, but also in cooking, foraging, butchering, infiltration, marksmanship, and more.

…However, he’s a D-rank, so his limits are clear.

So, I thought about it.

How can a D-rank character survive in a hero’s party adventure?

‘The simplest way is to boost my specs through equipment.’

I geared up defensively.

HP ↑↑↑ Defense ↑↑↑ Natural Healing ↑↑ Evasion ↑↑↑ Movement Speed ↑↑↑

Conversely, I boldly gave up on offense.

Physical Attack ↓↓↓ Magic Attack ↓↓↓ Elemental Attack ↓↓↓ Attack Speed ↓↓ Critical Rate ↓↓

With gear set up roughly like this, even D-rank Cain can withstand attacks up to B-rank.

‘And if I add escape items and self-defense items, it’ll be even better.’

With smoke bombs, emergency teleportation, stat-boosting rings, buff potions, and various scrolls, I can even block A-rank attacks to some extent.

‘Honestly, this should be enough.’

It really was enough.

I had items that auto-activate when I’m knocked out,

and items that trigger when my HP drops below 10%.

With this, even if the Demon King captures me, I can escape at least once.

So, I was satisfied.

But.

What if there’s a way to get even stronger than this?

‘It’s not like I haven’t thought about it.’

If I really wanted to, I could.

I could find equipment, skill books, elixirs, or Trial Caves suited for me and build my strength myself.

Other reincarnators grew stronger this way, so I could too.

But.

Raising D-rank Cain to hero-party levels is incredibly difficult.

Even with my veteran RPG prophecy knowledge, it’d take 2–3 months of grueling effort to barely achieve it.

So, I gave up.

Rather than strengthening D-rank Cain,

it was more urgent to push through the story quickly and reach Marianne’s rescue ending.

But?

What if there’s an easy way to get stronger?

A method to reach A-rank combat power with just a few hours of effort?

There’s no reason not to take it.

So?

What’s that easy and simple method?

Becoming a PokéOmon Master!

“Hayan! I choose you!”

I immediately summoned Hayan (Serena) and activated her ability.

“Sanctuary Proclamation!”

“Awooo!”

Shwaaa!

[Ability: Sanctuary Proclamation]

When Hayan (Serena) enters the field, she emits light and transforms the field into a ‘Sanctuary’ for 5 turns.

“Gyaaah!”

“Kyaaah!”

[Sanctuary’s Special Effect]

Instantly stuns Dark-type enemies (monsters, demons, dark mages, Shadow Clan, etc.) for 1 turn and reduces all their stats by 1 rank.

Thanks to this ability, the Shadow Clan members are screaming while clutching their eyes.

So?

What should a top-tier PokéOmon Master do here?

Obviously, use a stat-boosting move!

(Stat-boosting move: Short for stat rank-increasing techniques.)

“Hayan! Nasty Plot!”

“I am Cain… I think like Cain… I act like Cain…”

[Hayan (Serena) had wicked thoughts, activating her mind.]

[Hayan (Serena)’s Special Attack sharply rose! (Sp. Atk +2 ranks)]

Somehow…

The standard for ‘wicked thoughts’ seems weird…

But I ignored it and gave the next command.

“Next! Solar Beam!”

Hayan pulled out a hyper cannon and gathered light.

Normally, it takes 1 turn to charge before firing a powerful attack on the second turn,

but on a ‘Sanctuary’ field, she can charge and attack in a single turn.

Bweeeeeeem!!!

Hayan’s hyper cannon roared as it fired a thick laser beam.

“Uwaaah!”

“Kyaaah!”

The Shadow Clan descendants hit by the beam screamed and collapsed.

Kwa-gwagwagwagwa!!!

The cave ceiling shattered spectacularly, revealing the blue sky.

“Whoa… Clean sweep.”

As expected of a Light-type attack.

In PokéOmon games, it’s a Grass-type move,

but with ‘Sanctuary Proclamation’, any attack deals double damage to Dark-types.

…That’s how the setting works, right?

But.

One thing bothered me.

“I told you, didn’t I? Every time you follow my command, shout ‘Hayan Hayan!’”

“Why would I do that?!”

“Because that’s what PokéOmons do!”

Just like Pikachu shouts ‘Pika Pika!’ when using Thunderbolt,

Hayan should shout ‘Hayan Hayan!’ when firing Solar Beam—it’d be way more fun.

But she refuses.

…I was grumbling about this when—

“Grrk…”

One guy had survived the Solar Beam, guarding through the dust.

Valorsk.

Stat-wise, he’s A-rank,

and since he’s not part of the Shadow Clan, he’s not a Dark-type.

That’s why he endured the attack.

“Our hideout… Our comrades… You massacred them like this?!… I’ll never forgive you!!!”

Valorsk charged with a massive axe.

But right now, I’m a PokéOmon Master!

I’ll settle this with a fair PokéOmon battle!

“Hayan! Dodge!”

“Eat this!”

Hayan evaded the brute axe swing and leaped into the air.

“Hayan! Death Wing!”

She drew wing blades and gathered light on both edges.

The blades grew larger,

taking on the majestic form of a dragon’s wings.

Then, she descended vertically in a swift strike.

“Guhk!…”

The massive wings of light cleaved through Valorsk’s body.

“Grrk…”

Valorsk staggered back, clutching the deep wound on his torso.

“Now! Flame Dance!”

“Here I gooo!”

Hayan surged forward, wreathed in sacred flames.

“This—?!”

Valorsk swung his axe, but—

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Hayan dodged every strike with dance-like footwork.

Whoosh! Thud!

She seared the wound on his torso with her flames.

“Gyaaaaah!!!”

“Hayan! Flame Dance again!”

“Hyah!”

Hayan blasted flames from Valorsk’s stomach and struck again.

“Gyaaaaaah!!!”

“Consecutive Flame Dance!”

“Hyah! Hyah! Hyaah!”

She attacked once more with flames,

then again, and again.

With each strike, the flames grew larger and stronger.

“Ugh… Grk…”

Valorsk collapsed under the relentless assault,

his body charred and motionless.

Thud.

But.

He wasn’t dead yet.

So, I pulled out the Chalice of Sacrifice.

“What are you gonna do with that?”

“Gotta catch him.”

In PokéOmon, when a creature is near-faint, you throw a Poké Ball to catch it. That’s the basics.

So.

I’ll catch him too.

…Well, technically,

I’m converting him into an item.

Just like demon flesh can be turned into ‘Blood Stone’,

human bodies can probably be processed into ‘Something-Something Stone’, right?

…That’s the idea I’m testing.

“You said killing people made you queasy, but you’re awfully eager to use corpses?”

“Using everything to my advantage is my playstyle.”

“Really?”

“…That, and I got used to it after seeing so many.”

At first, corpses made me nauseous.

But.

After a while, I got desensitized.

Humans are adaptable creatures, right?

Exactly.

Adaptation made it bearable.

‘Well… Even if I’ve adapted, I still can’t kill innocent people…’

But for clear-cut villains like the Shadow Clan descendants? No problem.

…Thinking this, I raised the Chalice—

“Hayan?”

“What?”

“You ever thought about using this?”

“Using what?”

“Valorsk’s body.”

“What for?”

“It’s artificially enhanced to withstand divine energy—super durable.”

“So?”

“It’s sturdy enough for you to possess.”

“……?”

“What?”

“Last time, you said humans can’t be possessed because of the Heavenly Barrier… Didn’t you say that yourself?”

“I did say that.”

“But this human body works?”

“Yep.”

I explained briefly.

Before killing the Demon King and lifting the Heavenly Barrier, human bodies normally can’t be used,

but illegal modifications make it possible.

“Illegal modifications?”

“Yeah.”

Lifespan drops from 100 years to 1–2 years,

but it lets you possess and control the body even under the Heavenly Barrier.

“Ah… So you didn’t use it because the lifespan shortens…”

“Exactly.”

Serena’s human body could also be modified,

but reducing her lifespan to 1–2 years is a huge loss.

She wants to live happily with her daughter for a long time,

see her grandchildren, and enjoy life.

A 1–2 year lifespan ruins that.

But.

Other people’s bodies? No problem.

…I explained this, but—

“Hmm…”

“What?”

“You’d possess this exact face and body?”

“Obviously?”

If you alter the appearance, the divine energy resistance disappears.

“Uh… So… You want me to possess this ridiculously muscular middle-aged man’s body?…”

“Still better than a puppy—”

“No.”

Hayan shut it down flatly.

“At least a puppy is cute! This is way too much!”

“So you’re giving up on a human body?”

“I’d rather live one year as a puppy.”

“Really?”

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“You can possess it too.”

“Well… That’s true, but…”

Abandon Cain’s handsome 20-something pretty-boy body,

for a grotesquely muscular 40-something man’s body?

Hmm…

I’ll politely decline.

I like Cain’s current body.

“This is an A-rank body, though?”

“I’d rather keep my handsome D-rank body than an ugly A-rank uncle’s.”

No matter how I think about it, living with that face and body is a no-go.

…I laid it out bluntly, but—

“You… damn brats…”

Valorsk, still barely alive, muttered through tears.