[Minor correction: I completely forgot that the protagonist naturally rejects enchantments.

Changed Enchant: Levin: Hazard to Special Status: Levin: Hazard.

The concrete difference is that an enchantment alters stats, while a special status is a physical state of the body.]

Chapter 228: Bad Wolf, Snapping Rabbit, Pervert Cat

Rakuro: "Khaaah... phew."

On the yawning commute to school, summer vacation was over, but summer itself hadn't ended—cumulonimbus clouds sat heavily in the blue sky.

In the end, I ended up staying up late for one reason or another. I never expected a chat from Rust early in the morning asking, "You haven't been logging into NephHolo lately, have you?" (summarized).

I thought it might be some kind of quota for hardcore clan members, but in the end, I went three matches, won two, lost one, and ended with a winning record.

Rakuro: "What's today... Japanese class? I need to make sure I don't fall asleep."

World history I could manage, but Japanese was bad news. Our Japanese teacher, Horikawa, had a habit of putting things he muttered during class directly on tests, so I couldn't let my guard down. He was the only one who'd put world history questions on a classical Japanese exam.

Rei: "G-Good morning!"

Rakuro: "Wah!?"

What the hell?

Rei: "What a... coincidence, huh?"

Rakuro: "Ah, Saiga-san. Good morning."

That scared me. Getting suddenly spoken to from behind made my shoulders jump.

I turned around to find Saiga-san standing there with a slightly flushed face. Apparently, she'd dutifully decided to call out to me after catching a glimpse.

Rei: "I-If you don't mind... would you like to walk to school together and talk!?"

Rakuro: "Huh? Sure, but..."

Why did it feel less like a casual invitation and more like a duel challenge?

Still, what should I talk about? I can't keep talking about SLF over and over again. Alright, I'll play it safe with school-related topics to kill some time.

Rakuro: "Come to think of it, Saiga-san, are you in the humanities or sciences?"

Rei: "Well, I picked humanities..."

Rakuro: "Same here. I'm not great at math."

It's not that I can't do it, but I'm not exceptionally good either. For getting good grades and high praise, humanities subjects are a bit easier.

Rei: "Y-Yes! Me too. I mean, it's not that I can't do it, but in terms of my strong subjects, humanities..."

Nice. I'm being totally high-schooler right now, aren't I? We're talking about studying. This is super student-like!

Friend: "Hey, Hizutome."

Rakuro: "Huh?"

So I walked to school with Saiga-san, killing time with very student-like topics. But unsurprisingly, the sight of me arriving at school with the untouchable Saiga-san seemed to be a subject of general interest.

Friend: "Is it true you came to school with Saiga-san?"

Rakuro: "Huh? It's not like we intentionally walked together. We just happened to run into each other on the way and chatted a bit."

My friend, sitting somewhere between popular and introverted but leaning toward the former, closed in with the intense gaze of a housewife reading a tabloid.

His words made it feel like a few percent of the class turned their attention my way... but that's probably my imagination. I don't have a real-life presence-sensing skill.

Friend: "Do you realize that's harder than scoring 100% on a test? And anyway, how did you walk to school with Saiga-san when she's always chauffeured?"

Rakuro: "How the hell should I know? Understanding a woman's heart is way harder than figuring out RNG tables."

Friend: "…Whatever you do, don't ever say that in front of a girl."

I'm sure my face was a perfect picture of "Why the hell would I know that?"

After that, I got grilled about whether we'd exchanged numbers or if anything happened over break. But if anything, the only thing I could think of was running into her at a convenience store, so it's not like there was any fuel for the fire.

I told him that if he was that curious, he should ask Saiga-san himself, but he'd apparently gotten a bacterial infection in his ear piercing hole last year and now had delightfully swollen lobes. According to him, "the difficulty level of talking to her versus a poisonous weed like you is way too different."

Rakuro: "Who are you calling a poisonous weed, bacteria-earlobe guy?"

Friend: "Ah, stop! Don't pull on my piercing hole!"

I'll admit I'm a weed, but I want to be a man with the grit of a dandelion, stubbornly refusing to be uprooted.

【Back Alley Wolfgang Hangout】

Pencilgon: 'Sup, fellow Wolfgang members! Your Godmother Pencilgon has something important to say!

Sunraku: This is apparently a secret chat consisting exclusively of people clearly prepared to launch sneak attacks.

Kyogoku: So, when are we attacking?

Oikatzo: Regarding the stranger who got added without my knowledge and seems to be incredibly combat-hungry.

Sunraku: Is it true there's someone here who still hasn't made it to Fifticia?

Oikatzo: Shut up. I just took a different route due to job constraints and stuff. Besides, real life is a fucking mess.

Pencilgon: Well, Rust-chan and the others don't seem that interested in SLF, and Akki-chan is more of a light side kind of girl.

Pencilgon: Anyway, Kyogoku-chan over here is an acquaintance from my Ashura Kai days. She's an anachronistic swordswoman who believes she can get by with just a katana.

Kyogoku: That's harsh. Not that I disagree.

Sunraku: The scumbag aura is strong with this one.

Pencilgon: Well, anyway, I had an info broker look into the internal situation at Schwarz Vulf, and it's apparently a total shitshow.

Pencilgon: Since Psyger-0, the one at the center of the storm, hasn't logged in, their hostility is turning toward us.

Kyogoku: That's exciting.

Pencilgon: So, I've told the light side group to lay low until this blows over, but the question is, what exactly do we do?

Oikatzo: What does Schwarz Vulf want from us, anyway?

Pencilgon: Well, since Psyger-0 isn't showing, at the very least, they'll demand info on Lycagon and Ctarnidd. And if they get difficult, they might even try to start shit over Wethermon.

Sunraku: I don't owe some random people's complaints a damn thing.

Pencilgon: They're pretty far gone. There are some decent people, but there's an equal number of elitist players.

Pencilgon: Normally, their clan leader keeps them in check, but the problem is that their clan leader has blood in her eyes this time.

Pencilgon: Anyway, I plan to get the Library involved and find a compromise, but if it comes down to it, we may have to resort to force. That's my assessment.

Kyogoku: I like it. Leave any blade-drawing situations to me.

Pencilgon: However, someone has thrown a wrench into my brilliant plan.

Sunraku: That would be me.

Sunraku: To be blunt, I don't want to disclose Ctarnidd's Tome of Truth to an unspecified number of people.

Oikatzo: Why not?

Sunraku: A spoilered gimmick boss is just a chore.

Oikatzo: Huh? That's...

Sunraku: Besides, the power of information is just too damn dangerous.

Sunraku: To be perfectly honest.

Sunraku: You can challenge Ctarnidd of the Abyss multiple times.

Yes, more than defeating Lycagon, more than defeating Ctarnidd, this is the most dangerous piece of information of all.

A replayable Unique Monster. This information is more dangerous than defeating a new Unique Monster. In an MMO, the concept of equality is fundamentally impossible.

The profit to be gained by monopolizing Ctarnidd is immeasurable. If this information were to leak to a well-organized clan, they would almost certainly monopolize Ctarnidd.

And right now, Schwarz Vulf would probably do it. If Pencilgon's information is accurate, Schwarz Vulf is out of control right now. Twice... no, three times they've been outdone by us, a bunch of hardcore players. If there's an elitist clan like that, one where arrogant players have taken the reins...

Even putting that aside, my biggest reason is that I'd be pissed if they used strategy guides to clear Ctarnidd without breaking a sweat.

Anyway, I've already told Rust and the others not to disclose the Tome of Truth to anyone.

Sunraku: "So, taking all that into account, how do we settle this...? Well, troublesome stuff is best left to the demon lord."

It's not like I can do anything anyway. I'm just a bullet or a convenient decoy. I'll leave the brainwork to people who actually enjoy it.

Sunraku: "All right, I'll do what I want...!"

Unique Scenario EX: even though Akitsu Akane has appeared as a successor, for now it is still an advantage that only I possess. If I don't complete this errand soon, the boss is going to get mad.

Sunraku: "Bilac, are they ready?"

Bilac: "Hmph!"

Arameese: "Whoaa, young lady! My spine, careful with my spine!"

The comedy duo has reunited.

I happened upon Arameese—the noisy cat in boots, lying face down with Bilac standing on him—just two seconds before she would have brought her hammer down on his back.

Arameese: "Oh! Sunraku, who gives off the aura of a bird despite not being one! I, Arameese, have brought the promised goods!"

Sunraku: "Promised goods... Ah, the accessories."

Right, I'd completely forgotten I had to do something about those accessories too. Another thing to add to the pile...

Sunraku: "Bilac, I don't know what he did, but go easy on him."

Bilac, visibly annoyed, reluctantly removed her foot from Arameese. For some reason, Arameese looked like he actually wanted to stay there longer, but Emul and I ignored it. After everything we've been through, we've gotten very good at tuning that sort of thing out.

Arameese got up, dusted himself off, and placed an intricately decorated box in front of me.

Arameese: "In friendship to the Vorpal Bunny, and in respect to the courage recognized by Lycagon, I present to you the 'Lapistella Cloak' from Cazzeria's finest jeweler, Jeweler D’Artammeow, and the 'Levin Trigger: Hazard.'"

Sunraku: "Ah, well... yes. Our thanks to the kingdom of the Cait Sith... to Cazzeria. If anything troubles you, don't hesitate to rely not just on Vash-aniki, but on me as well."

It was an impromptu roleplay, but how was that? At least Arameese seemed to react positively.

Keeping ties with Cazzeria is sure to be useful, so showing proper gratitude through roleplay was the best move here. Damn, this galge-like forced friendliness means I can never let my guard down.

I'm reminded once again that Emul and Araba, who I can mess with and tease freely, are truly valuable assets.

Anyway, I need to go to the Rabituza accessory shop immediately, but first, let's see just what these top-class accessories can do.

Lapistella Cloak

A pure white mantle with shoulder armor, containing a night sky within, created through the "Gem Weaving" technique. The outer shell is pure white, while the inner lining, as dark as the night sky with glittering stars, has the ability to store and convert magical energy.

By casting a "spell" on this accessory in advance, you can set it to store one spell, which can be activated at the wearer's will. In that case, the magical energy charged in the mantle is used, so the wearer's MP is not consumed.

The amount of magical energy the Lapistella Cloak can store is determined by the grade of the "Lapisteria Stellar Crystal" used as a material. For a first-grade crystal, it can store up to 300 MP.

The light of the sky is bound by no one, yet the right to gaze upon it is equally granted to all things.

Levin Trigger: Hazard

A glove with amber decorations that covers the right hand. By striking the amber part on the right thumb against one's own left chest, the effect sealed within the amber is activated. Additionally, it grants the wearer the "Special Status: Levin: Hazard" for a certain period.

Aside from the attribute sealed within, the "Sealed Amber" series is also classified by the danger level of the sealed object. The classes are divided into five: "Crude," "Density," "Pure," "Hazard," and "Superior." Among these, the "Hazard" class unleashes power that even surpasses the highest class, "Superior," but in exchange, it also bares its fangs at the user.

The hammer is amber; the trigger is the wielder's will.

Special Status: Levin – The target shrouds itself in pitch-black lightning. Adds the additional effects: "Additional Damage," "Decrease in target's status ailment resistance," and "Corrosion Lightning Effect."

Additional Effect: Hazard – While the effect is active, grants the user the "Overflow" effect. In the "Overflow" state, the user's motion sensitivity is increased several times over, and all motions receive a corrective bonus. Additionally, every ten seconds, the user takes damage equal to 50% of their total HP at that moment.

Ah, this is dangerous.

[It's not like I'll lose my ego and destroy everything in sight just by continuously using Levin Trigger: Hazard.

I'm just so hooked that I've made "Hazard On!" my morning alarm. That's all. Really.

By the way, both the Lapistella Cloak and Levin Trigger: Hazard are not Unique Accessories. If you have the materials and a "Jeweler," they can be mass-produced.

Jeweler

Accessories are synonymous with magical items. Thus, those who can create accessories are both blacksmiths and mages. Among them, the "Jeweler" is a title that only those particularly skilled in gem processing are permitted to bear.

"Gem Weaving" is a technique that could be described as the pinnacle of Jewelers. It allows the transformation of a gem's properties into threads, fabric, and garments while maintaining the gem's power intact.

By studying under a player or NPC "Jeweler," and fulfilling conditions such as having a certain DEX value, mage-related jobs, a certain number of accessories created, and other various requirements, you can obtain the "Jeweler" job. However, currently, there are no players who have obtained it.

Why? Because the final requirement is to "create an accessory using a gem of a certain rarity or higher," and the mining area for such gems is infested with a ridiculously strong, group-bashing scorpion army! So, the discovery of a safe mining area is either being hoped for in the New Land or not.]