kscans

Chapter 967 - flying step

Anyway, let’s set aside the state of my useless little sister, who’s in off-mode for various reasons.

"Hmm………… This is gonna take a while to get used to, I bet."

Though it wasn’t a solitary muttering, a stronger sense of exasperation and resignation unconsciously tinged my words this time. What was I referring to…?

"…………It already looks like you’ve mastered it, you know?"

Ri-na pushed herself up into a sitting position, her completely upside-down face doing its best to broadcast cuteness as I continued my practice with the skill in question.

It was `[Innocent King of Play]`────the evolution of `[Trickster of Zenith]`, the very backbone of my [Acrobat] build. It was a rather tricky skill.

My body was currently in mid-air, with nothing beneath my feet. But that was thanks to the power of my existing skill, `[Talaria Record]`, so it wasn't relevant.

The new power was the thing that was allowing me to maintain this perfectly upside-down posture.

In other words…──

"Nah, using it isn’t the problem. When I say it’ll take a while, I’m talking about getting used to the sensation."

"The sensation?"

"Yeah, the sensation."

"………………Isn’t your head always spinning around in mid-air anyway?"

"Shut up. Even I have never experienced the concept of up and down completely disappearing before."

It was an active-passive skill that could be toggled on and off at will.

‘The power to designate footholds’────that was the first new ability granted by `[Innocent King of Play]`, and the tricky little thing whose ins and outs I was still trying to figure out.

Simply put, it’s a skill where whatever I place my feet on becomes “down” for me. As demonstrated by the fact that even ‘the void’ is included in its range when used in conjunction with `[Talaria Record]`’s aerial walking, there are basically no exceptions.

Even an unfixed object… like a small stone I toss into the air, becomes my new ground the moment I fly towards it and land on its surface. It’s so ridiculous it’s practically saying goodbye to the laws of physics.

…And, as I told Ri-na.

"Haha, this is so weird I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. This is hilarious."

"…If you ask me, your movements are what’s getting more and more bizarre."

"What a thing to say."

The problem I was facing was the massive sense of disorientation that came with using it. In short, my brain was getting scrambled by the constantly shifting direction of gravity.

────That said, I’ve already found some huge strengths and ways to abuse it, so I have no intention of letting it gather dust. Compared to the other problem-child skills I’ve had to wrangle in the past, this one’s performance is as straightforward as it gets. I’ll just take my time getting friendly with it.

The self-destructing enhancement effect from the original `[Trickster of Zenith]` has also been updated in various ways, so I can finally lift my policy-driven seal on it and start relying on it more freely from now on…

"────More importantly."

"No, it’s not ‘more importantly.’ The main event right now is this training."

Ri-na tossed the topic aside, seeming to have quickly lost interest. The pipsqueak, now fully recovered from her grogginess, stood up.

"I haven’t heard your thoughts yet. Fulfill your duty as a proper ‘brother’."

"Seriously… what is this obligatory duty? First I’m hearing of it."

She puffed out her flat chest, showing off the crimson, glittering accessory.

Her outfit consisted of a school uniform-like shirt and skirt paired with a wizard-style robe. It was a look I’d grown quite accustomed to lately, but a new accent had just been added.

The `[Crimson Rabbit Brooch]`—the very reward for conquering this place, the `[Spiral Crimson Tower]`—now served as the clasp for her robe.

…Just like the times before, when I brought Sora and Nia here,

"Yeah, yeah, it’s cute, it’s cute. Looks good on you."

"I don’t hate that super-casual response. I like it."

"I told you to stop being invincible."

I can’t help but wonder if this is appropriate for a once-unconquerable dungeon. But hey, I’ll gladly take what I can get… and, well, you know.

It wasn’t planned, but the timing was just right.

"I didn’t intend for this at all, but should we just call that your birthday present?"

"…, …………? ………………Huh?"

Because────

"It’s the twenty-second of this month, right?"

"…Yes, but."

────Well, that’s why.

"…Is it okay?"

"It’s not a matter of okay or not, I’m just saying it as it comes to mind… Like I said, I really didn’t plan this. And I’m not just saying that to hide my embarrassment, I’m serious."

We may have ended up in a strange relationship, but I thought it would be awkward to start making a big deal out of anniversaries and whatnot so soon. So, I was actually planning on just ignoring it.

Well, not ignore it completely, but I didn’t intend to bring it up myself.

So, again, this wasn’t some joke to cover up my shyness.

"It’s just a bonus, an afterthought. From a ‘brother’ to his ‘sister,’ something like that is good enough, right?"

This was absolutely, positively the case────and yet,

"…What’s with that look? I’ve never seen that expression on you before. I’m taking a screenshot."

"Hee hee… Make it something only you have, okay?"

"You know, sometimes the way you say things… it feels so calculated, it’s kind of annoying."

As if she didn’t know or care about my true feelings, my self-proclaimed little sister was, judging by the facts, utterly delighted.

Her default deadpan expression vanished, replaced by a smile befitting her age… well, in just over ten days she’d be the same age as me, but I mean befitting her appearance here in the virtual world.

"Hee hee, hee…"

"Hey, stop pulling on me. Gravity is upside-down, remember?"

I dodged Ri-na as she playfully latched onto me.

As I did, I turned off the various things I had running in the background────

"Alright, let’s go. …Since we’re at it, want to take a stroll through the sky on our way back?"

As a sign of my own, ever-so-slight, not-unwilling feelings, I gave her head a gentle pat.

…As for that,

"Big brother."

"What is it?"

"That was such a textbook example of a tsundere, I think I might catch a cold."

"Go right ahead, you idiot."

I’ll make a note to myself that perhaps that was a bit too much service.

---

Mi-na and Ri-na's birthday is 11/22.

That aside, these siblings(???) are cute. I like them.