kscans

Chapter 143 - Just Forgotten?

"Why did I just get insulted out of nowhere..."

I, for my part, had to ask a question that came out of left field, earning me a suspicious look from my partner.

And to top it off, she's demanding 'lots' of a rare drop from a rare enemy that's a pain to spawn.

How many is 'lots'...? If I remember right, I think I got maybe one [Azure Sky Feather of the Lucky Bird] for every three I hunted...

Right, looks like I'll be sacrificing a bit of sleep tonight—

"Haru?"

"Yeah?"

I looked up at the sound of Sora's voice—and yup, too close.

I subtly took half a step back from the girl who's been naturally close lately and tilted my head at the amber eyes peeking at me from the side.

"Is something wrong?"

Was I making a weird face thinking about my late-night bird hunting? "It's nothing," I replied to her curious question, closing the chat window that had gone silent.

"Are you used to it now?"

"Yes! I adjusted my stats, so I think I can move just like before!"

—Haha... Her movements might be the same as before, but her firepower has gone up even more.

This was related to the fact that Sora had acquired a new skill around the time we hunted the third [Misty Snake].

It wasn't an unfamiliar skill, though...

――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Name: Sora
Lv: 100
STR: 100
AGI: 200 (+10)
DEX: 200 ⇒ 100 (+10)
VIT: 100
MID: 400 ⇒ 500 (+50)
LUC: 50

◇Skill◇
・Magic Sword Aptitude
《Optimize Alert》
Magic Sword Telekinesis
Homing Projection
Magic Sword Generation Efficiency

・Light Magic Aptitude
《Qualia Veil》

・《Scales of Song (Scareless)》
・《Observer's Eye》

・Acrobatics New!
・Precept of Healing Hands
・Precept of Insight

・Telepathy
――――――――――――――――――

Yes. The god-tier skill I've been indebted to for so long, both before and after its evolution,《Acrobatics》, has appeared.

Ever since establishing her current combat style, Sora has been diving headfirst into the swamp of high-speed combat, almost catching up to me. To be honest, I thought she could get it at any time.

Its post-evolution form is exceptional, of course, but even in its initial state, it's an excellent skill that provides an effect equivalent to DEX +100. It's a significant buff for her build.

...Wait, thinking about it calmly, isn't it kind of insane that a single skill has the same effect as +10 levels? This is beyond 'excellent.'

By the way, my old skill 《Fleetfoot》, which had become a lesser version of 《Acrobatics》 after I messed up my stat reset, has now evolved in a rage into its third form, 《Adamant Sky Dash》.

Unlike 《Fleetfoot》, which doubled DEX upon reaching a certain speed, this one adds my STR value to my DEX under the same conditions.

In other words, a virtual DEX +300. The Acrobatics skill line is apparently just fundamentally broken.

Anyway, we defeated the fourth snake to finish the hunt. Sora, feeling that her DEX was a bit excessive in that fight, used her hoarded remake system to reallocate her stats.

She won't be able to reset them for another month, but if she hesitated, she'd never end up using it.

We can't predict when it will evolve into 《Fleetfoot》, so I think it was a good decision.

—And so, with her excess DEX shaved off and added to her MID, Sora's MID has finally reached 500. She's hit the benchmark for what's known as a Pure Mage, an artillery-specialized magic user build.

Including the boost from her [Crimson Rabbit Choker], an accessory that's already borderline broken by Nia's standards, her MID is an even higher 550. And she's on the front lines as a 'swordsman' with those stats. Her own brokenness is accelerating.

"By the way, I noticed something when I was looking at my stats for the first time in a while."

"Oh, what's up?"

Sora materialized her status window and brought it in front of me, as if to say, "Look at this."

I turned my gaze to where she was pointing—

"Right here. My equipped title was unequipped at some point..."

She was showing me the title settings tab of her status window. Just as she said, the box that should have had some title equipped was blank.

"You didn't unequip it yourself?"

"Well... to be honest, I set it a long time ago and kind of forgot it existed."

Ah... I know the feeling. In fact, I'm exactly the same—

""...""

At that, we both fell silent, looking at each other.

Sora probably realized from my expression that I was in the same boat.

Namely—that both of us had completely ignored the fact that titles have special effects.

"I saw the acquisition notices all the time..."

"For some reason, the idea of changing it never crossed my mind, did it...?"

I'm pretty sure I paid attention to it in the early days, and the last one I set was the 'Bond-Weaver' type that requires you to designate a specific person—

"—..., ..."

In that instant, following a mysterious intuition, I opened my own status window. Just like Sora, I went to the title settings screen and...

Ah...—haha, mine's blank too.

"Hey, Sora-san."

"Y-Yes?"

"This might be a long shot, but..."

Actually, there's no other conclusion to draw.

"Was the title you had set 'Bond-Weaver,' by any chance?"

I materialized my window, flipped it over, and turned it to face Sora.

Seeing the blank box, just like her own, she looked at me with a puzzled expression—

"Eh..."

Then, the meaning of my question. The meaning of why I opened my title screen after she did. And probably the meaning conveyed by my expression and everything else... the astute girl understood it all.

Kindred spirits, we had surely arrived at the same answer—the girl's face rapidly flushed crimson.

'Bond-Weaver'—by setting a specific person, all your stats receive a slight boost when fighting alongside that player.

Looking back, it feels like a long time ago, on that grassy plain where we stood back to back.

I chose Sora's name without hesitation. And Sora, though I don't know when, probably chose my name as well.

She said that for some reason, the thought of changing it never occurred to her.

And I'm probably the same.

It's not that we forgot.

We both just subconsciously had no intention of ever changing it—

"—...!!??"

"Ah..."

She probably saw it. My face, which had gotten uncharacteristically heated.

Sora turned her back, her golden hair whipping around, and I looked away too, patting my cheeks to dissipate the heat—no, this is impossible. Anyone would be mortified by this.

"—So... I have a suggestion."

"Y-Yes...!"

Her voice, trembling with agitation, echoed in my ears.

This is bad. Just hearing her voice is painful.

"How about we... continue our break for a little longer..."

"I... I agree..."

With only those words exchanged, we both, without prompting, started walking towards a nearby rocky area.

In the middle of the gloomy swamp, we sat down on a convenient large rock—a 'chair'—that was sticking out of the mud—

""—...""

Creating a strange atmosphere that didn't fit the field, we sat with our backs to each other and, in unison, completely shut down.

---

Special Title: 'Twin Wings' — One of the special titles derived from 'Bond-Weaver'. When fighting alongside the designated target, all stats receive an upward correction. Furthermore, if the designated target's HP falls below a certain threshold, the user will acquire the timed enhancement effect 《Devotion of the Twin Wings》 once per battle.

・《Devotion of the Twin Wings》—Grants a massive +50 correction to all stats. In addition, while 'protecting' the designated target who has met the activation condition, damage taken is halved. Furthermore, upon a death-blow, the user will be instantly revived once with 1 HP.

While 《Devotion of the Twin Wings》 is active, two exclusive skills are acquired.

・《Intertwined Branch》—Upon activation, teleports the user directly in front of the designated target. Can be used once.
・《Great Tree of Feelings》—After the revival effect is triggered, all attacks are nullified for ten seconds.

・Special Title—A unique title that exists in a separate category from the normal titles set by players. Unlike normal titles, which require one to be set as active, their effects are always active from the moment they are acquired.

There is no need to enable them, but there is also no way to disable them.

Whether they become a blessing or a curse varies greatly depending on the title's content and the player honored with its rarity.