Chapter 575 - Partners, Unchanging as Ever (?)
From my exclusive artisan's workshop to our meeting spot at the Azure Sky Clan home. From there, we relocated to the sky, atop a dragon.
The Sapphire Express, now a familiar transport service, was running at top speed today. Having gained more levels after the second Starry Paradise Event at the beginning of August, its wings, which could now nearly match my own top running speed, were nothing short of reliable.
It turned out that under certain conditions, it could even use that special ability it showed before I tamed it. If I worked on improving more than just its speed, the day it could play an active role in battle might not be too far off.
As expected, raising and training these things is a deep rabbit hole. The potential for growth, the future possibilities—it's all just endlessly fun.
It's no wonder so many players are abandoning their previous virtual lives to become dedicated trainers. I myself am planning to start some serious coordinated training with Sapphire once its build is complete...
And when that time comes, I'm thinking I'd like to ask for some guidance from my partner, who has already mastered fighting alongside her Stardust Beast.
"...Uhm, Sora?"
"..."
"Sora-san?"
"..."
...About the fact that said important partner is currently in a foul mood in my arms.
Atop Sapphire's broad back, the pleasant flapping of its wings is actually just for show; the dragon's flight doesn't rely on them for lift, making it a smooth, linear motion. There's virtually no physical strain from shaking or turbulence.
If your AGI, which reduces all sorts of strain from high-speed movement, is raised to a level befitting a tamed mount, even the wind pressure is nothing more than a gentle breeze.
And for someone under the protection of my Luna Nobody, being held by me should provide a relaxing time no different from being on the ground.
In other words, even though we're riding bareback without a saddle... there's absolutely no need for her to press her body against mine so insistently.
And when this young lady pushes against me in silence, it has, without exception, recently become a sign that she's displeased or upset about something, her way of demanding to be coddled.
"Sora-san? Sora? Lady Sora? ...Oh, come on, don't give me that pouty face that says, 'I'm so disappointed I couldn't come cheer for my partner because of my own business that it's looped all the way around to being frustrating, but taking it out on him would be wrong and totally unfair so I'll try to keep a straight face but I failed so now I'm embarrassed and I'll just use my 'younger partner' privileges to go into full-on 'I don't care anymore' stubborn mode'..."
"—! Y-You... h-how... how could you say that?! Do you normally just... lay out a person's entire inner thoughts like that...?!"
"I do. We're one-of-a-kind, telepathic partners, after all."
"I hate you, Haru...!"
She can say that all she wants, but I know for a fact her mood will improve as soon as I start stroking her head, so I'm really sorry but please don't pull on my side-tail...!
"And besides, why have you been in your transformed body every time we've met lately?!"
"That's because Sora-san has been requesting long trips every time... or so it seems, but what you actually want is just a leisurely stroll through the sky, just the two of us."
"H-Ah, eh?"
"Which means summoning Sapphire with my rebuilt primary avatar would be a little tight on MP."
"..., ...!"
"...Uhm, in other words, this is the result of me trying to be considerate of my partner's feelings—"
"I hate you, Haru...!!"
Don't read my mind about every little thing—I tried to protest that this was unfair, but the girl, who was seventy percent embarrassed and thirty percent angry, just smacked my hand away from her hair.
And yet, she only pressed against me even more forcefully. The hearts of maidens are a complex mystery.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I'm absolutely not at fault, but it was my fault. Tell me what you want, okay? I'll do whatever I can until we reach our destination."
"Ugh... ...Well, then, hold me tight—"
—And it was at that very moment.
"Oh, we're here, Sora-san. Our destination. Alright, Sapphire, let's land! Go, go, go!!"
"I haaaate you, Haru!!"
Don't be like that. A good workout will clear your head. Hahaha.
◇◆◇◆◇
◇ You have conquered the [Light-Caressing Crucible] ◇
◇ Titles Acquired ◇
・'Conqueror of the Light-Caressing Crucible'
・'Escort'
"...Hahaha..."
A few dozen minutes later, I stood in the scorched earth that was our destination and let out a dry laugh.
The place we had traveled so far to reach was a high-difficulty dungeon called the [Light-Caressing Crucible], located about three hundred kilometers north of the city.
It was a temple-type instance area ruled by mysterious humanoid (?) luminous life forms that looked like spirits of light—though apparently they weren't—and their leader, the [Scorching Giant of the Light-Caressing Crucible], a massive lump of condensed light and heat.
I'd come here solely with the intention of promoting Sora-san's build growth.
Since the enemies were magic-based, true to their appearance, I figured her [Cradle] would gain experience, and fighting opponents of the same element would hopefully have a positive effect on her Light Magic Aptitude... or so I thought.
I... stood in the scorched earth that was our destination... and let out a dry laugh.
"Looks like a typical high-difficulty dungeon isn't enough of a challenge for you anymore, Sora-san..."
"...P-Please don't look at me like that."
Well, it's not like this is a new development; she's been like this for a while.
The devastation wasn't the result of her rampaging with the pent-up shame and anger from my teasing before we arrived. Sora-san had, with extreme calm and her usual demonic sword prowess, meticulously scorched this dungeon to ashes.
...That's odd. I thought the enemies here were also in the 'heat' category, so why was she able to just burn them to a crisp head-on?
Both the mobs along the way and the boss at the end were, quite literally, 'unable to do a thing.'
As if being surrounded by a raging storm of sand swords wasn't enough, her flame sword projection and explosion combo, which seemed to steal the thunder from my own [Ruby Rabbit Bullet], was simply vicious. The way she casually strolled along while obliterating the riffraff made her look less like a young lady and more like a queen.
She's secretly known as 'The Maiden of the Scales,' 'The Priestess of a Thousand Blades,' or 'The Golden Angel' in some circles, but in many ways, she could probably give the [Sword Queen] a run for her money—
"Haru?"
"Nope, I wasn't thinking anything stupid just now."
The one overhyping things is the general public. My recent, random thought is, I estimate, barely innocent... but anyway, that's beside the point.
"How was the haul?"
"Um... a few titles. But no skill growth."
"Yeah, figures."
As the 'escort' who just followed behind her, it's only natural I got nothing. But with Sora clearing the dungeon so effortlessly, the 'experience' gained must have been trivial.
Acquiring a new skill, or having an existing one evolve—both typically happen when a player has a significant or new experience and feels a sense of growth.
She's no longer the blank slate of a brand-new avatar. While not quite at my level of near-zero skill growth for the past two months, Sora seems to have completely exited her growth spurt phase.
Which means, this is where it all begins.
What you build after the rapid growth unique to a newbie stops is what gives a veteran player their depth and flavor... or at least, that's what a no-life MMO guildmate of mine used to say.
"Haru?"
"Sorry, I was thinking something a little weird just now. In any case, it wasn't a waste. Today's grand parade... I mean, trampling... I mean, conquest, should be properly stored as experience in your avatar. It'll bear fruit someday."
"I can't tell if you're being serious or just teasing me..."
"About half and half, I guess."
"Hey, I'm going to get mad...!"
Since she's giving a warning beforehand, her light taps are probably just playful banter. I accepted her cute protest while glancing at the system clock.
"We finished up a lot earlier than planned. What do you want to do now?"
"Ah... Um. Right... It's... still too early to start preparing dinner."
The Four Pillar War selection tournament is split into two days to account for player fatigue and other factors, so the schedule for both days wraps up before evening.
So, even after leaving the first day of matches, heading straight to the workshop, running to our meeting spot, and then immediately departing on our date... I mean, outing, it's only been about an hour. In real time, it's just before 5:00 PM. We have a little over an hour of free time before the Yotsuya kitchen gets busy.
And the reason I know that is because a certain maid keeps mysteriously leaking intel about her Young Mistress's daily life and routines.
Naturally, I leaked that leak back to my partner, but just as naturally, the maid remains undeterred even after being thoroughly scolded. The intel bombs haven't stopped coming—
"...Um, Haru?"
"Yeah?"
The young lady who, according to the maid, recently 'brought down the thunder' on her, called my name.
That hesitant, timid voice and gesture is a habit Sora has when she's trying her hardest to say something she's not quite sure about herself.
It's adorable.
"Today is... um... Saturday, and..."
"Yep."
"Um, I know you must be tired, but... if you'd like, today too—"
"Yeah, okay."
"I-I haven't finished what I was saying...!"
Her face, as if to say, 'I worked up all that courage for nothing,' is just precious.
Tired is one way to put it, but it's just mental fatigue, so I have plenty of energy to spare. And if it's for spending time with my trusted partner, you could say I have more than enough.
Therefore... if I'm to be honored with another one of the weekend invitations that have become a regular thing since the month before last, I will gladly attend. In fact, it will get me even more fired up for tomorrow.
"In that case, we can't be lazing around... Alright, let's head back. At top speed."
"Eh, ah... ...A-At top speed, you say? Does that mean Sapphire-chan—"
Ha, what are you talking about, Sora-san?
It's true that Sapphire's current top speed is approaching my own full sprint, but that's still just a developing stage where it's only 'approaching my natural full sprint.'
In other words,
"It's been a while, but how about a game of human rocket?"
"...It's not really a 'game'... Haru, your version of that is the real thing—"
And so, a few minutes later, it goes without saying that I would hear my partner's rather genuine-sounding screams for the first time in a while.
And it goes without saying that afterward, I received a not-so-infrequent lecture.
The quality of their flirting is... unusual, isn't it?
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Name：Sora
Lv：100
STR(Strength)：100⇒50
AGI(Agility)：200⇒150
DEX(Dexterity)：50
VIT(Vitality)：100
MID(Mind)：600⇒700(+200)
LUC(Luck)：100
◇Skill◇
・Maiden of the Magic Sword (Leaveslasher) Up!
(Magic Sword Aptitude + Magic Sword Player + Magic Sword Lord)
《Optimize Alert》
《Load Bullet》
《Construct Position》
《Attribute Conversion》
・Light Magic Aptitude
《Embrace》Up! (Qualia Veil)
《Fast Light》
《Circlet》
《Geo Stake》New!
《Light Enchant》
・Active
《Scareless》
《Glad Bounce》
《Tremple Slide》
《Upturned Amber Eyes》
・Passive
《Dual Magic Weave》Up! (Magic Clad + Magic Control Sky Dash)
《Charis Heart》New!
《Fairy Dance》Up! (Featherfoot)
《Flying Swallow Run》New!
《True Eye》
《Healing Hand of the War-Runner》Up! (Devotion of the Healing Hand)
《Risolde Esta》New!
《Root of Magic》Up! (Master of Magic)
《Four-Sided Blessing》
――――――――――――――――――
Simplified Version
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Name：Sora
Lv：100
STR(Strength)：50
AGI(Agility)：150
DEX(Dexterity)：50
VIT(Vitality)：100
MID(Mind)：700(+200)
LUC(Luck)：100
◇Skill◇
・Maiden of the Magic Sword (Leaveslasher)
《Optimize Alert》
《Load Bullet》
《Construct Position》
《Attribute Conversion》
・Light Magic Aptitude
《Embrace》
《Fast Light》
《Circlet》
《Geo Stake》
《Light Enchant》
・Active
《Scareless》
《Glad Bounce》
《Tremple Slide》
《Upturned Amber Eyes》
・Passive
《Dual Magic Weave》
《Charis Heart》
《Fairy Dance》
《Flying Swallow Run》
《True Eye》
《Healing Hand of the War-Runner》
《Risolde Esta》
《Root of Magic》
《Four-Sided Blessing》
――――――――――――――――――
I'll explain Sora-san's current skills in an interlude three sections from now.