Confirmation and a Trap

Now, Leonas gone, but its not like I can sleep yet.

Because I still have to do the final confirmation.

With that, I went to [White Beach]. The footprints from where Leona had walked had almost completely vanished, but I guess she walked in that direction?

I went into the forest.

Lets see, it was definitely this way oh, a broken branch. Looks like she was here.

I went farther into the forest.

Huh? What am I doing? Why did I go this far again?

No, yeah. I have to confirm. The final confirmation. Yeah.

I arrived in front of a cave. There were some burned areas, as well as bits of it still smoldering. It looks like she forcibly opened it up through some villainous magic, making an impromptu cave.

And my target was inside. Right, I could understand that from the details. This is why I came.

When I looked into the caveLeona was spread out sitting on a futon, waiting.

Crap, I have to run! No, its fine!? The thoughts for [STOP] and [GO] lit up in my head at the same time.

W-wha-what the heck. My heads all mixed up.

I was waiting.

.

Spoken to by Leona, I held my head. I was using [Super Transformation] today, its alright. I have an extra life. Calm down.

Theres something you want to ask, right?

Yeah. There is.

Go ahead, Ill even teach you how to have fun and live for hundreds of years.Setsuna, Nayuta, the Toys, how to raise your skills, how to kill and deceive gods, even how to steal their powers, anything. Now, what do you want to ask first?

Leona, what era did you come from?

Oh?

Leona smiled with a smile that said she hadnt expected him to ask something so similar to asking her age.

But she probably wouldnt have a problem with itshe was seventeen, after all.

Well lets say it was an era that made todays entertainment feel nostalgic. It was like that for you too, right?

That so, well, Im happy you liked it.

I really enjoyed it, enough so that I wanted to stay there for longer

Leonas smile looked lonely. What she was thinking wasnt something me, someone who wont even live till five hundred, could understand.

Which is why I felt that I definitely had to give you my thanks and call you here with this.

Leona patted the futon The Godly Comforter? I see, so thats it?

It looks like I was lured here by the Godly Comforters divinity. Like a moth to the flame.

So next youll want me to tell you about Toys. That girl, Meat Kuroinu, if I recall?

You knew? No, so Meats like that?

I knew~. Its something I made after all or maybe its better to say Im making? Unlike Setsuna, that girl isnt natural.

Meat isno, Toys are created existences?

Different from Setsuna and Nayuta? I thought something was said about them being sisters?

Setsuna is natural, I havent adjusted her at all. And yet shes so interesting right? The seed Id chosen randomly brought forth a miracle. Thats why I gave making Nayuta and the Toys a shot. [1]

Hold up. She just said something outrageous like it was nothing.

Leona continued talking about her story.

Setsunas talent value is super close to 6V and feels like 5V! Ah, you dont know what I mean? Well, anyways, she has miraculous talent. However, shes a bit lacking in the head, so I adjusted Nayutas head to be better. Toys are things I made when I wondered what would happen if I raised their talent to as high as possible! Theres a lot that I did that so, so I decided to call all of them Toys oh, the origin of their name is the Japanese word toy. Well, setting aside Nayuta who Id only added checks to so that she wouldnt be unreasonable, Ive had a lot of failures too. Really, training so many different creatures causes a lot of troubles. Ive finally gotten to the point that I can mix a few things together without changing their appearance though. After many sacrifices, I finally made five Toys to assemble the Toy Rangers!ah, that part was a lie. The Toy Rangers arent a thing~. Itd sound too cheesy. Well its true that I had a ton of failures, only three of them ever turned out exceeding their planned talent values. Ah, but dont worry! My lovely grandchildren and my failures werent for nothing. The staff happily accepted them, turning them into materials, food, even furniture ah, there was even one of them that became a toilet! Ufufu, I said something good there Hmm? But isnt it weird? The failures shouldve all been locked away and recycled? And I know where the three successes are? Huh? Then that means theres a fourth, I guess? Maybe its one of the ones I discarded and stopped paying attention to? Well, its a trivial problem. Its probably just that I threw her into a slum in attempts to see if shed be able to break through her limits in such a horrible environment and forgot about it. Theres also the possibility that Haku-chan stole my research results. That child has a hero under her control after all. Theres also the chance of godly intervention, but well, thats not much of a problem either. What I cant remember doesnt matter, probably. Ah, I started babbling didnt I? Well, with all that

Leona took a deep breath before continuing.

the Toys were created by me! Amazing, right!?

You already said that.

Oh.

Yep, most of the middle parts fuzzy, but I do get that shes done a ton of bad things. I was listening since it seemed like shed break me if I didnt though.

Hmph, then lets talk about something else. How about raising hero skills?

Sure.

+1 if you destroy a Dummy Core. +1 and a chance to learn a new skill if you destroy a Dungeon Core. If youve maxed out all your levels, itll be stockpiled until you learn a new oneYou probably know that as well, right, Keima-san?

Nope, didnt know that. I did realize that the level went up when you destroy a Dungeon Core though.

Then I wonder if youve noticed that, for us who are also Dungeon Masters and who are affiliated with the Dark Gods faction, we can level up as much as we want?

Eh?

H-h-hold up. Huh, what?

Hmm? Whats wrong?

I mean, Dummy Cores are things that can be bought for 5000 DP. I used to think that was a lot, but nowadays I can earn 5000 DP pretty fast. In other words

I can power level myself!?

Yeah?

I can power level myself like eating french fries at a buffet.

Lets level [Super Transformation] as soon as I get back.

Ah, but I dont recommend leveling hero skills all at once. The Light God will eat your soul if you do.

Huh? Please, wait. What?

Fufu.

Leona laughed.

Do you think that so out-of-the-norm skills like hero skills can be mastered so easily? Your souls growth and adaptation wouldnt be able to keep up. If you arent a capable container, you should level up only once or twice in a year at the most.

So its like that? Rather, souls growth and adaptation? Just what are skills?

Itll corrode your soul if you go past your limit. And since hero skills are the Light Gods territory do you understand now that Ive spoken this much? Yeah, if you give it your all in raising your levels at a fast pace, youll turn into Gods Vanguard.

Lets keep it to one level a year! Ive probably already hit my credit limit, I mean, Im probably just barely safe. I went straight to Lv 3 after all.

Well, you usually wouldnt be able to capture multiple dungeons in a year, so its a double standard unique to people like us. Even if other Heroes did their best, being able to capture multiple in a year is something theyd probably only be able to do as a Gods Vanguard in the first place.

Leona, uhh, have you been corroded?

Me? No? Im still fine, my soul isnt a what a single person should have and cant be compared to yours. Its a rule I found out in an experiment with Haku-chan. Well, I kept it quiet so Haku-chan probably hasnt noticed though.

So many horrible things. The experiments, Leona, and the Hero Skills.

Oooh right. Could you take care of Setsuna? You could add her to your harem. But make sure to have lots of kids since Ill be taking one.

Eh? I dont intend to make a move on any of my employees though? And let alone a harem, I havent touched anyone.

Eh?

Surprised, Leona opened her red eyes widely.

Uwaah, seriously? Unbelievable, youve gathered so many pretty things eh, is that it? Youre gay? Ah, Setsuna has a penis, you know? She is a girl though.

Im straight!

I see, so youre a no-good virgin.

H-h-h-how does that have anything to do with someone being a virgin!?

Shall I give you some confidence then? Its alright, Ill be gentle.

Tapping the top of the Godly Comforter, Leona moved her shirt a little out of the way. She exposed part of her clavicle, even her cleavage but dang. I cant see her legs at all with that pose. In other words, its not effective against me at all.

I refuse.

Oh, Ive been rejected? Interesting, is the comforters effect not working? No, it worked in bringing you here. Do you have some resistance?

Staying here any longer might be dangerous.

Honestly, Im attracted to that futon, but Im heading back!

That would be a problem.

When I came to, bandages had been twined around my hands at some point and Leona was opposite me. The heck. I didnt black out though?

Whaaat, itll be over before you can count the dots on the ceiling~, or not~?

Wh-whatre you trying to pull, cut it out!?

And then I lost consciousness.

Footnotes:

Theres some word play going on here that I believe is going over my head. My apologies.