kscans

Chapter 1096 - Predictable but Unavoidable

And so, ten-odd minutes later.

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◇Status◇
Name: Sora
Lv: 108【0】
STR: 50
AGI: 150
DEX: 50
VIT: 100
MID: 700(+200)
LUC: 100

Lv. 1 <>
Lv. 1 <>
Lv. 1 <>
Lv. 1 <>
Lv. 2 <>
Lv. 1 <>
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"...Does it look something like this?"

"Isn't it fine?"

While also incorporating my opinions, which followed with a certain amount of knowledge, Sora-san subsequently finished extending her own 'Extense (Extense)' tree to its current limit.

Starting from the 'AGI' tree's <>, which was a "take it for now" just like mine, she also moved to the 'MID' tree and was the same up to the first-tier sense, <>.

And from there, she went to a different branch. Unlike me, who proceeded toward the sense called <> from the second tier, Sora climbed toward the direction of the paired sense called <>.

Thus, combining the two of us, we acquired quite a variety of abilities... but according to what I hear, senses with strong quirks (..........) start appearing around the tenth tier.

In short, the various things we acquired are all relatively simple and straightforward.

For example, setting aside <>, which is exactly as it reads—

"............I can feel (......) it, can't I."

"I feel (......) it too."

Like the 'MID' tree's first tier, <>.

As for what we feel, it's each other's presence... —correctly, it's each other's magic (......).

I thought there wouldn't be much point in presence detection while I had Sora on my lap and Sora was on my lap, but it was certainly a new perception added to 'how things have always been.'

The normalization (....................) of magic sensing ability. That is the benefit of <>.

"This is, um... how should I put it."

"Yeah. It looks like it'll take time to get used to—"

Until now, there were times when I felt the pressure of magic on my skin at specific moments... like when Sora-san was getting fired up (..................), but this is fundamentally different from that sensation.

That was just physically (......) sensing (......) the 'materialization of magic,' a talent possessed by only a few even in the virtual world, and it wasn't that I was truly grasping "magic."

—Honestly, it's a ve-e-e-ery strange sensation. It's like an 'eye' without sight has been implemented, or a mysterious radar has grown inside my thoughts...

Anyway,

"Um, I'm scared to go outside..."

"I feel you."

I can tell. I can see. That someone, or something, with magic is there.

Sora's words are exactly right. If we head out into a town crowded with players with this, I'm normally worried about what on earth will happen.

I wonder if we'll get people-sick, or rather magic-sick, and collapse if we're not careful.

It's not an unpleasant sensation by any means, but the addition of a perceptual ability that hasn't existed until now is a relatively major update. As I said, it'll likely take a while to get used to it.

—And,

"Oh. You erased (......) it?"

"I tried erasing it."

Suddenly, Sora's magic vanished from my perception.

"It's perfectly gone. As expected of Sora-san."

"No, um, it was simple (......) with just thought operation... ehehe."

The power of the second tier, <>, which is the pair to the <> I chose. This is also not difficult to imagine from the name; it's the ability to suppress the magic one emits.

It can interfere not only with players who have acquired <> but also with enemy hostility (hate) relations. Including the fact that it can be freely turned ON and OFF, it's a normally capable sense.

Even at Lv. 1, it seems it can completely suppress even Sora-san (MID: 900) during normal times. Most likely, it'll leak out if she releases everything during combat, but even so, the cost-performance looks good.

I should probably acquire this immediately once I can earn points next time.

I feel like this set of <> and <> will become a standard recommended set to acquire if one has the leeway. In many ways, I can't think of it as anything but useful even without thinking deeply.

Especially for a player whose face is known, like me—a 'rank-holder.'

—Now then, with that.

"Well then... Sora-san."

"Yes?"

After having spent time very leisurely, that is.

"I think I'll head outside soon... or something."

"............"

It's not like. It's not like I'd mind just spending the rest of the day lazing around like this. Yeah, really, truly, not at all, not in the slightest...—

"Whoa, whoa..."

I wonder if my inquiry (..........) was not to her liking.

Sora, who turned around with a playful half-glance that didn't quite reach the level of a glare, pressed her head against my solar plexus and rubbed it. After attempting an attack with the strength of a frolic.

"...No (..........). Everyone must have been worried."

While she stood up from my lap with a fluid motion, she offered her hand.

"We have to go and give our proper greetings."

"Yeah, I guess so."

I took it, and she pulled me up vigorously.

In the expression I gazed at, no traces of tears could be seen. I couldn't find any shadows or sense of wrongness anywhere in her gentle expression—in that case, I can rest assured that she's okay.

After all, I'm the one who can't find them. So, she's okay.

"Alri-ight. Then, in order—"

I was pulled up and stood... the first redo. This time, I pulled my partner's hand, and as I put my hand on the door of my room in the guild home,

"Starting the greeting tour............"

...At the same time.

"Star......................................................"

"...? Um... i-is something wrong?"

......................................................Er, what. That, you know.

As I put my hand on the door... that, that thing. As a result (..........) of releasing (......) the seal.

The number of incoming unread messages, which had jumped even higher than the number I 'remembered' an hour ago. And, while thinking 'whoa...', the first one I opened in a hurry.

In short, as a result of looking through the latest one stacked at the very top of the countless messages. That was, well, the result of having looked through it.

"............Sora-san."

"Yes...?"

"Is it no good if I just stay shut in for a while longer after all..."

"............I don't really understand, but it's probably no good."

"I-I see... I guess so. Probably no good, huh."

"Yes. Probably... —"

—[Ri-na]: Playing dead. You've got guts. Get ready, okay?—

"Because Haru is in the wrong."

"I wonder if I'm the one in the wrong here..."

I remembered that I had muted the knocks too, and a requirement for a mysterious resource called 'great courage' successfully occurred for opening the door. It was already too big to fit in my free hand.

Thus, when I tried opening the door ve-e-e-ery slowly...

"—............................................................"

"............I'm sorry, okay?"

I wonder how long she had been waiting there.

The blue self-proclaimed younger sister, with a perfect pout, welcomed me without a word.