The World of Kai is Colored by God's Eyes ~Only I can see the status, and I'll rise from the weakest to the strongest volume 2 chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Date with the Young Lady

“Tanaka-san♪ Please grant me permission for a B-rank block—!”  

I put on an exaggeratedly cheerful tone as I pleaded with Tanaka-san, hoping it might sway him.  

“Too soon, don’t you think? It’s only been a week since then. Besides, the paperwork for B-rank is a bit…”  

“Ugh, no dice, huh? Guess I should’ve gone with the earnest approach to win Tanaka-san over…”  

“It’s not about your approach, okay?”  

After that, I went back to tackling C-rank blocks.  

Honestly, though, the monsters there barely register my presence before they’re dead.  

According to their stats, their intelligence is all lower than mine—the highest barely breaks 1,000. They’re no match for me.  

“My mana’s already strong enough to solo a B-rank dungeon! Please! I need to save Nagi as soon as possible!”  

There’s only one reason I’m in such a rush.  

Nagi’s mental state.  

They say the longer someone’s sealed away, the more likely it is for their mind to break down.  

Just imagining how Nagi must be feeling right now—I can’t stay calm.  

“…B-But still…”  

Tanaka-san hesitates, clearly troubled.  

It’s understandable why he’d be so torn. B-rank blocks spawn monsters with mana nearing 10,000.  

That’s leagues beyond C-rank. Even for an A-rank like Tanaka-san, a solo fight against a monster with a bad attribute matchup could end in defeat.  

He’s probably wrestling with the idea of sending me—a newbie—into a place even he struggles with.  

Just then, Tanaka-san’s phone rings.  

“Sorry… Mind if I take this? It’s from Aya.”  

“Aya? Go ahead.”  

On the other end is Ryuenji Aya.  

The granddaughter of the Japan Dungeon Association’s president, an S-rank awakened with mana exceeding 100,000—just like her grandfather.  

With her flowing black hair, she’s every bit the picture of a refined young lady.  

She’s also the girl I saved from the Godslayer Cult.  

“Yeah, it’s me… Oh, I see! Got it. He’s right here with me. Should I pass the phone to him…? Huh? Why so flustered? Alright, I’ll hand it over.”  

Tanaka-san passes me the phone with a grin.  

“It’s Aya. She sounds nervous.”  

There’s a sly edge to his smile that I can’t quite figure out. Puzzled, I take the phone.  

“Hello, Aya?”  

“Ah, h-hi! It’s been a while!”  

“Yeah, about a week since we last saw each other, right? What’s up?”  

“The crafting method’s finalized, and it worked! So I thought I’d make something for you.”  

“Eh!? For real!? I’ll head over right now!!”  

“Th-Then… um…!”  

“Hm?”  

“C-Could we… have lunch together today? Outside… just the two of us…”  

(Oh, I get it. Aya’s been banned from going out unless she’s with the President… In that case—)  

“No problem. I’ll keep you safe, so don’t worry.”  

“…”  

(Weird. No response…)  

“Hey, Aya?”  

“I-I’m here! Then, um, I’ll leave it to you! I’ll wait for you at home!!”  

Beep—beep—beep—

“She hung up. She sounded pretty worked up. Thanks for the phone, Tanaka-san.”  

I hand it back, and Tanaka-san takes it with a chuckle.  

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”  

“Did what?”  

“No, nothing. Poor Aya… dealing with a natural flirt like you…”  

I don’t get what he means, so I just leave Avalon HQ and head straight to Aya’s place.  

“A crafted item, huh! If I can get my hands on that, maybe B-rank dungeons won’t be such a hurdle.”  

If she can whip up high-performance gear like that on demand, my strength’s bound to skyrocket.  

I might even be able to solo a B-rank dungeon with ease.  

With excitement and anticipation buzzing in my chest, I arrive at Aya’s house and ring the bell.  

This place is as extravagant as ever. Maybe it’s time I start thinking about moving myself.  

Thanks to the President’s help, I’ve been converting dungeon loot—mana stones—into cash. I’ve got a decent little nest egg now.  

Ding-dong—  

“Coming! Is that you, Ash-san?”  

“I’m here. You ready to head out?”  

“I’ll be right there. Could you wait a sec?”  

“Sure—”  

I wait by the front gate.  

Going out for lunch together feels a bit like a date. But after being cooped up for a week, I can see why she’d be eager to get some fresh air.  

“Sorry for the wait! I’ll be in your care today.”  

A voice calls out from behind as I lean against the gate.  

I turn around—and wow, she looks like she stepped out of a fashion magazine.  

She’s stunning, like a celebrity or idol on TV, radiating pure, innocent charm.  

Her outfit screams “young lady” vibes.  

It’s gorgeous, but it’s not a dress—more like a cute-yet-sexy ensemble. To put it bluntly, it’s a total “virgin-killer” look.  

And since I am a virgin, well, you can guess what that means. My heart’s pounding.  

Her shoulders are boldly bare, and she’s holding a tiny, fancy handbag in both hands.  

I have no idea what’s in that little purse—it doesn’t even look big enough for a water bottle.  

Wait, don’t most people carry water when they go out?  

“…You really give off that ‘rich girl’ aura.”  

“Can I take that as a compliment?”  

“Yeah, I really like this pure vibe you’ve got going.”  

“—!?”  

Aya dips her head, then snaps it back up, glaring at me with a sharp, almost fierce look.  

It’s less “young lady” and more “queen”—and it’s intimidating as hell.  

“Ash-san, you’re actually pretty good with girls, aren’t you? But don’t think I’m that easy to fool. You saved my life, sure, but don’t underestimate me because of it.”  

“Good with girls? I’ve never even had a girlfriend, so I wouldn’t know… Sadly, I’m pretty unpopular.”  

“…You’ve never had a girlfriend?”  

“Embarrassing as it is, my age equals my years single… Though, to be fair, I’ve been too busy for that stuff.”  

Between part-time jobs, looking after my little sister, and squeezing in some studying, my youth pretty much evaporated into those responsibilities.  

I’ve had crushes before… but I never had the spare energy to dive into romance.  

“I see…”  

For some reason, Aya looks faintly pleased, clenching her fist lightly.  

This topic’s getting way too humiliating—time to drop it.  

“So, where to next?”  

“Hmm… There’s a shopping mall nearby. How about there?”  

“Oh, I figured you’d pick something like an Italian place or a fancy French restaurant. Didn’t expect you to go the commoner route.”  

“For dinner, maybe I’d choose something like that. But it’s lunchtime, after all. And despite how you might see me, I’ve lived in this country for eighteen years. Aside from being the Dungeon Association president’s granddaughter, I’m just an ordinary girl you could find anywhere.”  

“Haha, my bad. I was picturing you as some kind of princess.”  

Instant noodles? What’s that? I half-expected a reaction like that, but it seems this country doesn’t breed that kind of sheltered noble.  

Especially since President Keitora’s a warrior who clawed his way up from nothing—a regular guy at heart.  

He’s a mega-rich tycoon now, sure, but not some corporate bigwig. Aya’s surprisingly down-to-earth about things.  

“So, Aya, what’s the deal with the crafted item?”  

We arrive at the shopping mall.  

Even on a weekday, it’s packed—everything you could want under one roof. A commoner’s best friend, the bane of local shop streets, and a cool haven from the summer heat. Especially since my place’s AC reeks of mold.  

“Let’s sit down first—I need a moment to brace myself.”  

“Huh? Alright.”  

Our conversation’s not for prying ears, so we pick a restaurant with private rooms.  

It’s a Japanese-style place, a bit pricey, but with my current funds, it’s no sweat.  

“Welcome—”  

We each order our food.  

Chilled soba noodle set… Ooh, looks tasty. Add a side of tempura shrimp—score!  

My income’s at a point where I can splurge on extras without blinking, and that alone’s enough to make me giddy. I’m too easy to please.  

After all, back when I was growing up, those days of scrimping and saving were pure misery.  

And it’s exactly because I couldn’t eat my fill that I ended up so scrawny.  

Now, I can chow down to my heart’s content, and it all turns into muscle.  

If I keep eating like this, will I end up with a build like President Keitora’s? That’s… not exactly what I’m aiming for.  

“So, Ash-san, take a look at this. What do you see?”  

Aya pulls a few round crystals out of her tiny handbag.  

Each one’s a top-tier A-rank mana stone—ultra-premium gems worth hundreds of millions each.  

“Whoa, hold on! Don’t just whip those out in a place like this!”  

“No need to worry. With you here, no one’s going to rob us…”  

“There don’t seem to be any shady characters around…”  

My eyes flash with golden light as I scan our surroundings.  

I’ve noticed that when I check status windows, a faint gold glow flickers deep in my pupils.  

It’s subtle—hard to spot unless you’re up close—but I can see it in the mirror.  

Pretty cool, honestly. It kinda tickles my chuuni side.  

After confirming the area’s safe, I focus on one of the green gems.  

“So this is the crafted item…”  

---

Attribute: Item (Crafted Artifact)  

Name: Green Dragon Mana Stone  

Acquisition Difficulty: S  

Effects:  

- Defense Mana Reflectivity +25%  

- Speed Mana Reflectivity +10%  

Description:  

A crafted artifact made from a green dragon’s mana stone.  

Suitable Wielder: Ryuenji Aya  

Will automatically disintegrate if touched by an unsuitable wielder.  

Time until disintegration: 00:00:10 

---

“What!? Suitable wielder!? Disintegrate!? Wait a sec!”  

“Sorry about that.”  

Aya says, plucking the green gem from my hand.  

“How about now?”  

---

Attribute: Item (Crafted Artifact)  

Name: Green Dragon Mana Stone  

Acquisition Difficulty: S  

Effects:  

- Defense Mana Reflectivity +25%  

- Speed Mana Reflectivity +10%  

Description:  

A crafted artifact made from a green dragon’s mana stone.  

Suitable Wielder: Ryuenji Aya  

---

“The disintegration timer’s gone. The suitable wielder’s your name. By the way, this artifact boosts defense and speed reflectivity… but it doesn’t work for me.”  

“…I see. So that’s how it is.”  

“You sound like you’ve figured something out.”  

“Grandfather and I tested this a bunch of times. Let me share a few of our findings.”  

“Is that okay?”  

This secret could literally be tied to Aya’s life.  

“You’re fine telling me this?” I ask.  

“I think… I can trust you.”  

“Got it.”  

Aya nods and starts explaining.  

First off, crafting artifacts requires A-rank mana stones or higher.  

Anything B-rank or below breaks down too quickly.  

Also, when holding multiple artifacts, not all of them necessarily take effect.  

They still need to investigate this further, but the theory is that even if you have two artifacts boosting intelligence by 100%, it won’t stack to 200%.  

If effects could stack, you’d be invincible with a dozen artifacts strapped on.  

From Aya’s tests, it seems artifact effects don’t multiply.  

For example, if you’ve got one artifact with a 10% boost and another with 15%, carrying both doesn’t give you 25%—it defaults to the higher value, 15%.  

But if they boost different stats—like intelligence and attack—they’ll both work.  

Aya picks up three artifacts in front of me, and her status window pops up. I’m floored.  

“She’s a monster…”  

---

Name: Ryuenji Aya  

Condition: Good  

Class: Crafter [Awakened]  

Skill: Craft Creation Lv2  

Mana: 325,040  

Attack: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 81,260  

Defense: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 81,260  

Speed: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 81,260  

Intelligence: Reflectivity ▶ 200% = 650,080  

Equipment:  

- Green Dragon’s Ward = Attack Reflectivity +25%, Defense Reflectivity +10%  

- Black Dragon’s Might = Defense Reflectivity +25%, Speed Reflectivity +10%  

- Yellow Dragon’s Swiftness = Speed Reflectivity +25%, Attack Reflectivity +10% 

---

“With this, I wouldn’t need protection anymore. I don’t have the experience of an S-rank conqueror, but this gives me enough power to fight.”  

“More than enough… You’re stronger than me.”  

As Aya suspected, the effects don’t stack additively.  

Each stat reflects the highest bonus, not a combined total.  

“You’ll surpass me soon enough, Ash-san. As for the artifact disintegrating earlier… it seems that if anyone other than me holds it, it breaks. When Grandfather tried, it lasted about ten seconds before crumbling, and it didn’t do anything for him.”  

“No way…”  

I can’t hide my disappointment.  

I’d hoped to borrow the artifacts’ power, but if they disintegrate in ten seconds, they’re barely usable—let alone effective.  

Especially since I focus on solo dungeon runs, there’s no way I could bring them along.  

“But… there’s a way to pass an artifact to someone else without it breaking…”  

“What!?”  

I blurt out, louder than I meant to, and shoot to my feet.  

“…Let me explain. This stone came from an A-rank block boss. By the way, it’s worth 500 million yen—one of Grandfather’s trophies from his adventurer days.”  

“Whoa…”  

That number’s beyond anything I can wrap my head around. I let out a stunned gasp.  

500 million? That’s lottery jackpot territory.  

Then again, A-rank boss stones fetch prices like that.  

A single one can power all of Tokyo for a week—insanely valuable.  

It’s wild to think a little rock the size of my palm could fuel an entire city.  

“Do you remember that day? The first time I successfully crafted an artifact?”  

“How could I forget? I nearly died that day…”  

“Right… That day, when you were protecting me, you bled. Some of your blood definitely got in my mouth. My memory’s a bit hazy, but I can still taste it. Right after that, when the blood touched the mana stone… the artifact was complete.”  

“Yeah, that’s how it went down. I remember too. So it’s about blood?”  

“…After some research… crafting artifacts… requires… my… ngh…”  

“Ngh?”  

Aya’s voice suddenly drops to a mumble, barely audible.  

What’d she just say? I didn’t catch it.  

“…Fluid.”  

“Fluid?”  

“…Body fluid.”  

“Huh?”  

“Body fluid! It seems crafting requires my—my body fluids! Like blood… or, um, saliva or something… The type and amount affect the success rate. We haven’t tested much since A-rank stones are so expensive…”  

“Oh… body fluids, huh… So these three artifacts have your sal—”  

“N-No! It’s blood!! These three are from blood! Not spit! Not sweat either—it’s not gross at all! Stop looking at me like that!!”  

She’d been so composed, but now her face flushes red as she frantically denies it.  

So these artifacts were made with her blood. I was about to say saliva would’ve been kinda hot.  

Body fluids might include other stuff too… Better not go there.  

“S-So, based on my theory…”  

“Yeah?”  

“…If I take in your body fluid through my mouth and craft right after, I might be able to make an artifact you can use…”  

“…Mine? You’d suck my body fluid into your mouth? That sounds… kinda naughty, doesn’t it?”  

“Pfft—don’t say that! Th-That’s sexual harassment! Ugh… why does it have to be this power…”  

Aya panics and snaps at me. Yeah, sorry, that was definitely harassment.  

“S-Sorry… Like my blood or something?”  

“Probably. Otherwise, there’s no explaining why you could use an artifact back then. So…”  

“So?”  

Aya lowers her head, forcing the words out through a trembling voice.  

“I’d need to drink a little… of your blood… preferably… directly…”  

“N-No problem…”  

Hearing her answer, I draw the Gray Wolf Fang sword from my waist.  

If I hesitate, it’ll just make her more embarrassed, so I try to play it cool, calmly slicing a shallow cut across my finger.  

“So… what now?”  

“E-Excuse me.”  

Aya grabs my wounded hand with both of hers, staring intently at my finger.  

I can’t help but feel a little excited about what’s coming next.  

“S-So, first we’ll try crafting directly, then indirectly, and finally after some time has passed. So… ngh… H-Hey!”  

Slurp.  

(Oh…)  

With a little “Hey!” Aya gently takes my finger into her mouth.  

I can’t blame myself for thinking she looks kinda cute like this. Plus, she’s a total beauty—not getting flustered would be downright rude.  

“…”

I focus on my finger—the sensation of her sucking.  

There’s also a soft, warm touch. Her tongue, maybe? Without thinking, I wiggle my finger, brushing against it.  

Aya jolts with a shiver.  

Still holding my finger in her mouth, she looks up at me, eyes brimming with tears.  

I feel like I’ve done something bad, and the sadistic streak in me stirs a little.  

“…Th-Thank you for your cooperation. Now… within three seconds of intake, I’ll start crafting.”  

Her face beet red, Aya uses my sword to nick a small cut on her own finger.  

Blood drips onto the 500-million-yen mana stone from earlier. She clasps it between her hands, her pose almost prayer-like.  

A blinding light—like the midday sun—floods the private room, so intense I have to squint.  

And then, before me—  

“Huh? Is that my sword?”  

A blade appears, identical to the one I’ve been using.  

Except now, the green gem from before is embedded in the hilt.  

“Yes. While crafting, I pictured the sword you use, Ash-san. The size is slightly different from the original, though.”  

“That’s incredible… You can actually do that?”  

“The shape and appearance can match whatever I imagine. And since it’s an A-rank mana stone, the durability’s insane. But like I explained, artifact effects don’t stack—not even for weapons. I’m guessing it’s the same as regular mana weapons: higher-tier abilities override lower ones. So crafting a weapon from scratch might be the better move, right?”  

“Yeah! This is amazing—it looks exactly the same, feels super sturdy, and seems crazy strong. I’ll cover the hilt with something, but this is unreal!!”  

With mana-infused weapons, stronger abilities take precedence.  

It’s common knowledge—otherwise every conqueror would be lugging around a dozen blades.  

To be precise, it’s the highest value for each stat that applies…  

But I’m the only one who can know this for sure, thanks to my status window vision.  

Take a simple example: if you’ve got a weapon with +100 attack and another with +50, only the +100 reflects in your stats.  

But say you’ve got one weapon with +100 attack and +50 defense, and another with +50 attack and +100 defense—then you’d get +100 to both attack and defense.  

“Ash-san… how is it?”  

I stare at the sword. The mana stone in the hilt glows with an eerie green light.  

---

Attribute: Item (Crafted Artifact)  

Name: Demon King’s Treasure Blade  

Acquisition Difficulty: S  

Effect: All Stats Mana Reflectivity +20%  

Description:  

A crafted artifact made from the Demon King’s mana stone.  

The Demon King is an upper-tier A-rank, the strongest evolved form of a goblin.  

Suitable Wielder: Ash Tenchi  

---

“It worked! Aya, it worked!! Super successful!! Whoa, this effect is insane…”  

“Phew… Good thing it worked. Wasting a 500-million-yen stone would’ve been a gut punch. It’s yours now—Grandfather was totally fine with giving it to you.”  

“Is that okay? This isn’t just worth 500 million—it’s a priceless treasure nations would fight over.”  

A 20% boost to all stats means the stronger the conqueror, the more overwhelming the power.  

If an S-rank wielded this, it’s questionable whether anything in the world could top it.  

This artifact’s strong enough to tip the global military balance.  

“It’s fine. You saved my life, and Grandfather said giving it to you is for the good of the country. Plus… with anyone else… I’m not… mentally ready for the crafting process…”  

“I get it. Thank you.”  

She’s probably talking about the body fluid part.  

It’s only natural for a young woman to balk at drinking someone else’s blood.  

“Then I’ll take some samples back…”  

Aya collects my blood into a test-tube-like container.  

“Need saliva too?”  

“…I-I’d need more mental prep for that… Saliva can… w-wait for another day.”  

Her face flushes again as she ducks her head.  

Sorry, I didn’t mean anything weird by it—just thought it might help the experiments.  

Later, she tries licking my blood indirectly after some time passes, but the crafting fails.  

It seems the blood’s only recognized as “mine” within a few seconds of being drawn.  

I thought everyone’s blood was the same—no individual differences. Wait, doesn’t it have DNA? Or maybe mana? Whatever the distinction, it’s a strict condition.  

After a bit more testing, we leave the restaurant.  

“Since I finally get to go out, mind if I do some shopping? There’s barely anything at home.”  

“Sure, of course.”  

We spend a while enjoying some shopping.  

Aya’s so gorgeous that passersby can’t help but stop and stare.  

I feel a smug little thrill—can’t blame me for that.  

Her every move is graceful, like a model strutting down a runway.  

It almost feels like a date, I think to myself, picking up some daily necessities.  

“By the way, Ash-san, have you already cleared C-rank cubes?”  

“Yeah, pretty easily. Next up is B-rank, but Tanaka-san’s a little worried… With this artifact, though—”  

We’re sitting at an outdoor table now, sipping drinks to cool off.  

I grip the artifact sword Aya crafted, resting at my waist.  

Back in the day, weapon control laws banned carrying dangerous stuff like this in public. But after the dungeon collapse, certified conquerors got the green light to carry self-defense weapons.  

In this era, people wield mana like unsheathed knives—whether you’re armed or not doesn’t really matter.  

Still, pulling out a sword in a mall would freak people out, even if the green mana stone’s glow is undeniably cool.  

A blade this exquisite? You’d have to be weird not to think it’s awesome.  

“I’m glad you like it.”  

“It’s so gorgeous I wanna rub it on my face.”  

“Hehe.”  

We’re laughing together when a group of punks saunters over.  

Three guys with garishly dyed hair—probably trendy college kids.  

“Looking pretty cozy over here—”  

“Hey, this chick’s crazy cute.”  

“…Forget that guy, come hang with us instead.”  

What’s with these cliché troublemakers popping up out of nowhere?  

Are they for real? Or hired to stir something up? Either way, their vibe’s so half-hearted it’s almost sad.  

“No thanks. You’re unpleasant. Get out of our sight.”  

(Oh, right… That’s her real personality.)  

She’s so gentle and smooth with me that I forgot—she’s got this side too.  

Her sharp comeback should’ve spooked them… or so I thought. But they don’t even flinch.  

That reaction feels off, like they can’t even process what we’re saying.  

“What a joke!!”  

Their over-the-top outrage is so fake—what’s this, some kind of play?  

Why does this whole thing feel so wrong?  

Aya effortlessly blocks a guy lunging at her.  

With her artifact boosts, no ordinary thug stands a chance.  

The commotion draws a small, curious crowd, eyes on us.  

I let my guard down.  

These punks are weak—D-rank at best—and we’re in the middle of a busy district.  

Something’s off, sure, but nothing serious could happen here.  

This isn’t a dungeon—I didn’t think anything would go down.  

But I should’ve known where their madness came from.  

They’re convinced they’re on the side of justice—common sense doesn’t apply to them.  

And ever since that day, this country’s been a battlefield.  

“Huh?”  

Blood sprays.  

It’s not Aya’s. Not mine either.  

A fountain of red bursts out as a sword pierces the chest of the guy grabbing Aya.  

The blade doesn’t stop—it keeps going, aiming straight for her.  

That longsword’s out to take her life.  

Aya can’t block this.  

She’s green in combat, too stunned to react, just watching as the sword closes in on her throat.  

So—  

Clang!  

“What… the hell are you doing?”  

I have to protect her.  

“GYAAAHHH!!”  

The mall erupts into chaos as blood spills.  

Onlookers scream and scatter in a panic.  

“Ah, ahhh! H-Help us!”  

The punks snap back to reality, faces pale, collapsing to the ground.  

Behind them, three foreigners step forward—normal-looking at a glance.  

But their eyes gleam with unhinged madness.  

Without a shred of hesitation, they swing their swords at the trembling punks.  

Those blades, numb to killing, slash down.  

But they won’t get their way.  

I parry the strike and yell at the punks.  

“Run—!!”  

“Ah, AH—!!”  

They flee.  

The regular folks around us scatter in a panic, and the once-crowded mall plaza empties out in an instant.  

Though, in the distance, a few linger, pulling out their phones.  

“Not just earlier… but blocking this attack too… No rank, huh? Must be a lie.”  

They’re probably foreigners, speaking a language I can’t understand.  

“Who are you people? Foreigners… You can’t understand me, can you? Why kill innocent people!?”  

“We’re… the Godslayer Cult. Killing is meaningful—it’s our resistance. But today, our main targets are you and the woman behind you.”  

“Ash-san! They’re from the Godslayer Cult!”  

Aya translates from behind me.  

As expected of a refined young lady. I don’t know what language that was, but she clearly understands it.  

“I see… So you’re the ones controlling those punks from earlier… In that case!”  

Those thugs must’ve been under some kind of skill’s influence.  

I swing hard, knocking aside the Godslayer’s blade—a weapon that treats human life like nothing.  

“Ugh!?”  

“I’m taking you down and making you talk.”  

I step forward, raising my sword.  

“Ash-san! I’ll fight too! I can do this!”  

“No, Aya. Stay back… I’ve got this sword, and you’re not a fighter.”  

“B-But…”  

“Besides…”  

My eyes flare with golden light as I check the three men’s status windows.  

---

Name: Lane Agride  

Condition: Fanatic  

Class: Swordsman [Beginner]  

Skill: Taunt  

Mana: 8,500  

Attack: Reflectivity ▶ 50% = 4,250  

Defense: Reflectivity ▶ 50% = 4,250  

Speed: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 2,125  

Intelligence: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 2,125  

Equipment:  

- Black Ivory Longsword = Attack +1,000 

---

(…Upper B-rank, and all three of them… B-ranks are supposed to be rare…)  

After confirming their stats, I see they’re all B-rank.  

A swordsman, a mage, and an assassin.  

This lineup feels oddly familiar—similar to that upgrade trial from before.  

The only difference? Now, I’m overwhelmingly—  

“I can handle this alone… Illusion.”  

Stronger than them.  

“He vanished!? Everyone, back-to-back—Gah!”  

In the next instant, I appear in front of the apparent leader, slamming a fist into his gut. He wheezes out all the air in his lungs and crumples.  

“Agride! D-Damn it! Cast Illus—!?”  

“Without a swordsman to guard you, a mage can’t get a spell off, right?”  

A right fist straight smashes into the jaw of the second guy—the one trying to cast some kind of illusion magic.  

Judging by his stats, he’s probably the one who controlled those punks.  

They were just pawns to distract us.  

The mage staggers, then collapses with a thud—down in one hit.  

“Go—go die—!!”  

“No need for the Eye of the Gods to read moves this obvious. Silent status doesn’t mean much if you’re that predictable…”  

“W-Why!? Who are you…!?”  

The assassin swings at my back, aiming to stab me from behind.  

But without even looking, I grab his arm—he’s got nowhere to run.  

“Hmph!”  

With just enough force to avoid killing him, I hurl him to the ground.  

“Guh!”  

The impact cracks the concrete, and the assassin passes out cold.  

Five seconds. That’s all it took to neutralize three B-rank fighters—among the world’s elite.  

◇  

“Aya, call President Keitora and tell him the Godslayer Cult showed up.”  

“…So strong.”  

Aya stares, mesmerized.  

She’s not some battle junkie—it’s just that the split-second clash was too captivating.  

She can’t help but think it’s cool.  

She doesn’t fully grasp what this feeling is, but ever since that day, she’s noticed her eyes keep drifting to Ash.  

Eighteen years of dismissing romance have twisted her personality, leaving her unable to honestly process these emotions.  

Add her stunning looks to the mix, and she’s always found the men who approach her repulsive.  

“Aya? You okay? Not hurt, are you?”  

“Eh!? Oh, I-I’m fine. I’ll call Grandfather right now.”  

◇  

Aya makes the call, and soon a group of black-clad figures arrives.  

Leading them is a woman with short black hair, dressed sharply in a suit, striding toward us.  

One look and you can tell she’s strong—probably their captain.  

Her piercing gaze feels like it could kill; most would flinch and look away.  

Still, she’s strikingly beautiful.  

“Dungeon Association Awakened Crime Response Unit…”  

They’re dispatched by the country’s Dungeon Association—essentially police for high-level awakened.  

A specialized unit built to handle B-rank and above criminal awakened.  

Regular cops in this country can only manage C-rank and below, so anything higher falls to the Association’s Crime Response Unit.  

The woman at the front issues crisp orders before approaching us.  

“Is Miss Aya injured? …Dispose of the body immediately. Casualties… Looks like no one else was hurt.”  

“I’m fine, Miss Tsubaki. But…”  

Aya glances at the three Godslayer men I took down.  

“…Hello. I’m Tsubaki Sayuri from the Dungeon Association Awakened Crime Response Unit. Did you defeat these three?”  

“Yeah, that was me.”  

“Sorry to ask… Your name? I hear they’re B-rank Godslayers. Not many people can take down three awakened of that caliber. This is my first time seeing you—are you from overseas, perhaps?”  

“…No, I’m Ash Tenchi. Japanese. Uh…”  

Seeing me fumble my words, Aya steps in.  

“Miss Tsubaki, please direct any details to my grandfather. We were just attacked.”  

Tsubaki looks surprised.  

She sighs softly, and seems to drop the matter.  

“…Understood. We’ll take them into custody. I’m A-rank, so you two can rest easy.”  

“Seems that way.”  

I check Tsubaki’s status window.  

To be precise, she’s upper A-rank—stronger than Tanaka-san, with more mana than I currently have.  

An upper A-rank edging toward S-rank, with well-balanced stats.  

---

Name: Tsubaki Sayuri  

Condition: Good  

Class: Paladin [Advanced]  

Skills: Taunt, Protective Barrier  

Mana: 74,000  

Attack: Reflectivity ▶ 50% = 37,000  

Defense: Reflectivity ▶ 50% = 37,000  

Speed: Reflectivity ▶ 50% = 37,000  

Intelligence: Reflectivity ▶ 25% = 13,500  

Equipment:  

- None  

---

“…”  

As I study her stats, she’s staring right back at me.  

After a brief, quiet moment, she exhales lightly and escorts the three men to a transport vehicle.  

“We’d normally ask you to come with us to clarify the scene… but we’ll let it slide today. Until next time, Tenchi-san. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”  

“See you.”  

And with that, we part ways with the Crime Response Unit.  

They’ll handle the cleanup. Normally, they’d drag us in for questioning, but they let us go right away.  

No doubt because Aya’s the President’s granddaughter.  

“Things got messy, but let’s head back for today.”  

“Right. Thanks for coming out with me. The more artifacts I craft, the more my level and precision improve. If you get your hands on a high-quality mana stone, bring it to me.”  

“Eh? You’d make more for me!?”  

“Of course, anytime. I need to get stronger too—it takes practice. And…”  

Aya glances at my finger, a shy look on her face.  

“If it’s yours… I’m okay with it anytime…”  

I don’t quite follow but nod anyway.  

After dropping her off at home that day, I’m about to head out.  

Having walked Aya back to her familiar mansion, I figure it’s evening—maybe I’ll grab dinner somewhere before heading home.  

But as I step away from the gate and walk a short distance, a sleek black car pulls up beside me.  

I tense up slightly. The window rolls down, and the face that appears—  

“Ash! Perfect timing.”  

“Oh, President.”  

“Sorry to drag you back, but I’ve got something to talk about. Let’s head inside. Stay the night.”  

 —.

ToC