Old Version? New Version? Vote?! (3/3)
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Arc_I_-_Chapter_14
***
From Appraisal Result, Haru was aware that defeating/killing animate objects that the system acknowledged as units would reward him with EXP.
Regarding the definition of units, almost all animate objects could be considered as units. Keyword: almost. It looked like small lifeforms such as insects and ants weren't acknowledged as units, unless they were individually dangerous for a human who wasn't negligent. Some examples of this exception were insects that carried and could infect disease in a single bite (i.e., Aedes Aegypti and Anopheles Mosquito), or poisonous arachnids like Black Widow.
Haru decided to create a single mouse as a test subject because a mouse was considered as a unit. He created a cute, white mouse that often became a pet instead of a pest. He felt no drain in his stamina and mental energy after creating it. Haru watched his creation with contemplative eyes. The cute little critter was tilting its head and sniffing on his palm.
Looking at the adorable tiny creature, Haru hesitated to kill it. However, he resolved himself and killed the mouse by twisting its neck.
Then, Haru saw the dead mouse fade like an illusion. It was interesting. Still, he felt bad for killing it, but he convinced himself that this was for SCIENCE!
"A mouse only gives me 0.1 EXP. Next, let's try a rabbit."
Haru created a cute rabbit with white-colored fur. After twisting its neck, Haru obtained 0.1 EXP.
"Next, it's a dog, but a dog can be dangerous for a human if it's wild and cornered. Since I am the master of this world, can I control elements in here as I please?" Haru wondered loudly and then experimented with how far he could control this world.
A couple of hours passed, and Haru discovered as to why the possessor of Innovate Clear called "Someone Who Impersonates God" in 'High School DxD.'
Haru could control anything in this world, even life-and-death of this world's residents, with a mere thought. It was both a scary and exciting prospect.
Haru also discovered that all animals he killed, irrespective of their size, rewarded him with 0.1 EXP.
'Well, since animals, irrespective of their sizes, only give me 0.1 EXP, I should use a mouse to power-level. After all, I can create many of them without problems,' Haru thought before creating several hundreds of mice.
By killing them all, Haru would obtain the exact amount of EXP to raise his level to 6. What's more, the stamina and mental energy were quite low.
Haru looked at the hundreds of mice floating a few dozen meters away from his spot. He then used his Absolute Authority over this world to kill those mice.
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Level Up! You're now Level 6! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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And just like that, Haru leveled up.
'I have around 9 hours left until one day passed there. By the way, I haven't felt hungry or tired. Perhaps, it's because of my high VIT and INT? Well, whatever. Now, I'm going to power-level myself until I max out my Protagonist Job's Level.'
And so, Haru concentrated on power-leveling. He created mice in a batch and immediately killed it. Rinse and repeat.
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Level Up! You're now Level 10! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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You have unlocked a new Job's Ability!
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You maxed out a Job: Protagonist!
Your Job has changed to Harem Protagonist!
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Haru was stunned by his new Job and then recovered.
'What kind of Job is Harem Protagonist?!'
He retorted before calming down. He then accessed his Status Board to see his new Job's Ability.
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Haruka Kasugano — Human — Male — (February 5th)
Job: Harem Protagonist | Level: 1/20 | EXP 100/0
Stats — STR: 0.7 — VIT: 5.8 — DEX: 0.7 — INT: 6.2 — MAG: (Locked)
Stats Points: 65
Status Effect: Healthy
Job's Abilities: Plot Armor — Deus Ex Machina
Notable Abilities: Enhanced Memory — Mysterious Lottery — Item Box — Appraisal — Longinus: Innovate Clear
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[Deus Ex Machina]
All protagonists are creatures beyond understanding that can break your common sense. They are hard to kill like a cockroach, extremely lucky as if Lady Luck loves them and always in the correct place at the right time for important events. This skill increases the potency of Plot Armor.
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Haru was at a loss for words. He had mixed feelings for Plot Armor due to its downsides. Then, he had a new ability that increased the potency of upsides and downsides of Plot Armor.
'I must increase my vigilance!'
After dismissing his Status Board, Haru then continued his power-leveling. However—
"Huh? A mouse only gave me 0.01 EXP now! What the heck?!"
Haru was stunned when he discovered how his EXP acquisition dropped by ten times. However, he quickly recovered and created 99,000 mice before killing it without hesitation.
As for how Haru could kill those innocent animals without remorse or guilt, it was because he had adapted with killing and committing the act of animal cruelty.
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Level Up! You're now Level 2! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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Haru dismissed the notification and created another batch of mice. He then killed it, then created another batch, and then killed it, rinse and repeat.
'I never thought that committing genocide is such a chore!' Haru complained as he did the cycle of creating and killing mice.
Haru had discovered that the EXP requirements were increased by 100 points, meaning that at Level 2, he needed 200 EXP to reach Level 3, 300 EXP to Level 4, 400 EXP to Level 5, and so on, so forth.
When Haru felt that his stamina and mental energy got depleted by more than half, he took a break for a couple of hours before carrying on the next genocide. Although he was the god of Paradise, he found another restriction that hampered his progress to OP-ness.
Haru was aware that Sacred Gear consumed mental energy and stamina of the wielder if he/she had no Mana to act as a substitute. However, he couldn't refill his depleted stamina despite his absolute authority in Paradise. He even tried to create something that could help recover his depleted vigor. However, those things didn't have any effects.
Admittedly, even something like Boosted Gear that could double the possessor's power was unable to double the stamina that fueled it. Haru supposed Innovate Clear, Boosted Gear, and other Longinus were alike in this case.
After Haru killed the last batch, containing 900,000 mice, he finally received a Level-Up notification.
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Level Up! You're now Level 10! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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You have obtained a new Job's Ability!
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"This time, I got a new ability of Harem Protagonist after reaching level ten. I guess the next ability will be unlocked after I maxed out this stupid sounding Job, huh? Well, let's see what kind of skill it is!"
Haru accessed his Status Board and immediately formed a deadpan when he saw another stupid-sounding name with a disgustingly useful effect.
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[Aura of Harem Protagonist]
You can't call yourself a Harem Protagonist without producing the aura that helps you pick up lolis, schoolgirls, and MILFs. With this skill, you passively give off a presence that subtly influences your opposite gender; you will have an easier time getting their trust and affection. Your lovers will become more open-minded with the idea of sharing you. However, beware of the same gender because they will show animosity at you and act upon it.
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Haru was at a loss of what to do. Although his new ability seemed very good at first glance, Haru wasn't the type of person who actively chased girls or women who caught his fancy.
As prideful as Haru was, he respected individual free will. Thus, he would never treat others as a tool or property. He might be a bit control freak and overprotective. However, he would never stoop that low.
The ability also acted like an Aggro to males. He had a feeling that he would have a hard time finding a real Bro.
"Should I continue?" Haru wondered loudly. He was wary of the next ability he would unlock at Level 20. If the unlocked second ability of the previous Job was an amplifier type, it might become a trend. He didn't really think that he wanted to have women throwing themselves on him and men swearing themselves as his archenemies.
However, if Haru didn't continue, his progress would stop. But, the most important, he wanted to unlock his MAG attribute to use magic!
It was magic!
Since he had lied to Sora and Suzuka about his past identity as a magician, he must keep his façade, or they would feel suspicious. He didn't want them to find out the truth because it would leave him brokenhearted!
"Ah, well. To hell with it! Let's continue!" Haru shouted in resignation before continuing his genocide.
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Arc_I_-_Chapter_15
***
A while later, Haru received the notification about his level up; it was the last level up for his Harem Protagonist Job.
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Level Up! You're now Level 20! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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You have obtained a new Job's Ability!
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You maxed out a Job: Harem Protagonist!
Your Job has changed to Fantasy Protagonist!
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Due to unlocking Fantasy Protagonist, the MAG stat now is available!
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Haru dismissed the notifications. Then, with a healthy dosage of trepidation, he accessed his Status Board.
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Haruka Kasugano — Human — Male — 16 (February 5th)
Job: Fantasy Protagonist | Level: 1/40 | EXP 2000/0
Stats — STR: 0.7 — VIT: 5.8 — DEX: 0.7 — INT: 6.2 — MAG: 0.1
Stats Points: 165
Status Effect: Slightly Fatigued
Job's Abilities: Plot Armor — Deus Ex Machina — Aura of Harem Protagonist — Red String of Fate
Notable Abilities: Enhanced Memory — Mysterious Lottery — Item Box — Appraisal — Longinus: Innovate Clear
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Haru's gaze immediately zeroed to his new Job's Ability—Red String of Fate—and 'Appraised' it. Then, another smaller screen popped up in his field of vision.
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[Red String of Fate]
A Harem Protagonist can't be called True Harem Protagonist without the ability to protect his harem from all unscrupulous attempts on them. With this skill, all your lovers will become eternally loyal to you until death do you apart! You needn't be paranoid of Netorare and other trashy stuff! You only need to 'tie the knot' with your lover, who truly loves you, to activate this ability's effect! In addition, whenever your lovers are in danger, you can teleport to their location to save your damsels-in-distress! (Warning! This utility will enter 24 hours cooldown time after activation for each lover.)
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Haru, once again, was stunned by his latest Job's Ability. However, unlike his other questionable Job's Abilities, this Red String of Fate ability was really a godsend.
Although it seemed like a shackle that bound his lovers to him, Haru couldn't deny its usefulness. With this ability, the love of his lovers had for him would be lasting until death did them apart.
Haru knew that one's love could wane by the test of time. If love could last until death did the couple apart, such a thing like a divorce wouldn't exist in the first place!
Of course, Haru didn't reject the existence of a loving couple who could survive the test of time, grew old together, and accompanied their partner until the last moment. However, those couples were only normal humans who lived a bit over a century if they were lucky, and less than a century according to the norm. They didn't really survive the real test of time.
At this point, Haru's natural lifespan was 5.8x natural lifespan of an ordinary human. Such was the effect of increasing his VIT attribute.
Speaking of his enhanced lifespan, well, he decided to put it aside for the time being. He just started his second life and didn't want to think something in the far future.
"Not all Job's Abilities are weird and questionable, I suppose," Haru remarked and dismissed the detail of Red String of Fate, returning his Status Board.
When Haru fixed his gaze on his stats attribute, he couldn't help but feel anticipation and excitement. After all, he had unlocked his MAG. He didn't seem to care that his MAG attribute was pitifully low, only 0.1 value.
"Now then, let's turn the bullshit I fed to Sora and Suzuka into reality."
After Haru declared that sentence, he focused on learning how to do magic.
***
Magic———it was a concept that only existed in fantasy stories in Haru's past life.
As someone who had watched anime and read manga and novels with such a concept, Haru had dreamed wielding this mystical power. But alas, it was impossible to happen in his past life.
Thankfully, Haru had a chance to wield this mysterious force in this life.
"All right, let's spend my time here to learn magic!"
Like a child in a toy or candy store, Haru was so energetic and full of excitement and anticipation.
Haru then sat cross-legged on the ground and started meditating. Since there was a thick grass under him, he had no problem with his location. At the very least, sitting on the grass field was better than sitting on a barren wasteland. It was surprisingly soft and comfortable. He was feeling glad that Innovate Clear had developed to the point of creating something that seemed like a real paradise.
After meditating for a little, Haru could feel something he labeled as Magic Circuits and Magic Energy in his body. It felt weird because Magic Circuits overlapped the location of blood channels such as major and minor veins and arteries, yet their location was conceptually different. Meanwhile, Magic Energy felt like his blood, though it traveled across the Magic Circuits.
Magic Energy originated from something that Haru labeled as Magic Core that overlapped his heart. This energy moved through Magic Circuits and would enter what he dubbed as Magic Reservoir if he didn't use it. If Magic Reservoir became full, the content would leak out. For your information, Magic Reservoir existed between his bellybutton and crotch.
In truth, the existence of Magic Core, Magic Reservoir, Magic Circuits, and Magic Energy only existed in a spiritual/metaphysical plane. An ordinary human who never dabbled in the field of mysticism would never sense their existence.
As a former ordinary human, Haru shouldn't be able to sense their existence. However, he cheated.
Haru used his authority as the possessor of Innovate Clear to help him sensing his Magic Core, Magic Reservoir, Magic Circuits, and Magic Energy. By the way, they resided in his spiritual/metaphysical body.
After discovering their existence, a notification screen popped up in Haru's vision in spite of him closing his eyes. In fact, Haru could see his Status Board and the pop-up screen, whether his eyes were open or shut. After all, the system was a divine artifact that fused with his existence.
Putting all digressions aside, Haru shifted his focus to the notification without opening his eyes or breaking his meditation. It was a notice about a new Notable Ability he had obtained.
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You obtained a new ability: Magic Detection!
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You obtained a new ability: Magic Control!
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Haru dismissed the notifications and focused his attention on his task; he wanted to know the limits of his newly unlocked mystical power. Before long, he found his limits; his magic energy's reserve and quality were too low because of the low MAG stat.
Without breaking out of his meditative state, Haru accessed his Status Board and put 1 Stats Point to his MAG attribute, increasing it to 1.1 points. He immediately noticed the difference; the space of his Magic Reservoir improved, the potency became thicker, and the quality grew higher. He calculated that his reserve had increased by 1000%.
Well, that was obvious. After all, Haru had 0.1 MAG previously.
Haru exited his meditative state and raised his right hand until it became parallel to his chest, his palm facing upward. He then controlled his magic energy to move toward his right hand and coaxed it to come out of the openings or nodes in his palm. He then condensed the energy into a ball of raw magic energy—no, let's call it Mana to shorten the name.
When Haru saw a softball-sized something floating on top of his palm, he knew that he succeeded. But alas, it broke off his concentration and dispersed his Mana into the air.
As an aside, it seemed like Mana didn't have color, or maybe, Haru's Mana didn't have any. Other than the Magic Detection that helped him sensing Mana, he also saw mirage that seemed like the refraction caused by heat where his condensed Mana stayed at.
Haru sighed exasperatedly and then formed a wry smile. "It looks like it won't be easy. Concentration is vital in controlling my Mana, and a small lapse in concentration can break the spell structure. Since it's only a ball of raw Mana, it didn't explode and hurt me. But, I can't be sure if I will stay unscathed if it explodes when I am crafting a complicated spell," Haru hypothesized calmly. "Fortunately, I have raised my INT stat. If I utilize the full potential of my mind, controlling my Mana won't be a problem."
Haru then thought about another matter; he wanted to know if he could produce elemental spells. He tried to convert his neutral Mana into elemental Mana but found that he was unable to do it.
"It seems like I'm unable to cast an elemental spell. Is it because I have no aptitude?"
Disappointed, Haru ended his meditation and flopped back on the soft grass; he absentmindedly stared at the clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds floating leisurely.
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Arc_I_-_Chapter_16
***
Haru forcefully suppressed his disappointment and tried to be optimistic. "Maybe, I need to unlock the aptitude for elements first? Well, I'll figure it out later. What's important is that I can control my Mana well. I wonder if I can use telekinesis with my neutral Mana."
Haru decided to test it out. He raised his body to a sitting posture and created a wooden cube with his Absolute Authority over this world. The wooden cube had a precise weight of 1 kg.
"Let's see," Haru licked his bottom lip and muttered. He then thrust his right hand forward, with his open palm pointing at the wooden cube. He put his concentration on controlling his Mana.
After his Mana existed through the metaphysical nodes in his palm, he made the colorless energy wrapping the wooden cube. He then tried to lift the wooden cube with his Mana.
"Oh! I did it!" Haru exclaimed.
However, Haru immediately lost control over his telekinetic grip because his concentration broke. The wooden cube fell on the ground as a result. He wasn't discouraged, however. He quickly repeated his action and made the wooden cube fly around him with his telekinetic grip.
Although it was simple telekinesis, Haru was so happy. He was like a child with his new toy. Granted, he was doing MAGIC!
Haru experimented with the limits of his telekinetic power. He discovered that his maximum weight was 67.5 kg; he could hold on that for a while before his Mana got emptied.
Then—
"Dhamnh~ I fheeel lhike shiiit~" Haru wheezed and looked very miserable because he experienced his first-ever 'Mana Depletion' sickness.
Haru realized how awful the 'Mana Depletion' sickness was. It felt like you have a fever as well as having no energy to move your body; your mind was very sluggish. Thankfully, the items he created in Paradise could help him refill his empty Reservoir. He created a fruit, which looked like a blue-colored apple, that could recover his Mana.
"Geez, somehow, I can recover my Mana with items created by Innovate Clear, but Stamina is no go, huh? What a picky restriction!"
Haru complained after he recovered from Mana Depletion sickness.
Admittedly, Haru's complaint was justified. After all, both Stamina and Mana are a type of energy. Yet, he couldn't recover his Stamina like what he could do with his Mana.
"I guess I can go power-leveling now. I'll think about expanding the utilities of my telekinesis later."
Haru decided on his next action and wasted no time to implement it. He created another batch of mice and killed them with a thought.
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Level Up! You're now Level 2! You obtained 5 Stats Points!
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"Man, power-leveling becomes harder as I get stronger. Previously, I need 2000 EXP to level up, but I need to collect 4000 EXP to go up to Level 3 now! What's more, a mouse now only gives me 0.001 EXP!"
Haru complained after discovering that the speed and efficiency of his power-leveling had dropped. Yet, he gritted his teeth and continued power-leveling.
Whenever Haru became fatigued because of depleting his Stamina and Mental Power for creating those EXP Cashes, he would get a break and take a nap. Haru repeated it with a single-minded zeal; he convinced himself that he must milk the advantage while he had it.
Unbeknownst by Haru, he was affected by one of his Plot Armor's downsides. He was acting like the cliché hotheaded shonen protagonists with a tunnel vision after setting their minds into something.
And so, three days passed.
Within three days, Haru had maxed out his Fantasy Protagonist Job.
Haru's Status Board had become like this—
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Haruka Kasugano — Human — Male — 16 (February 5th)
Job: Isekai Protagonist | Level: 1/80 | EXP 80,000/0.036
Stats — STR: 66.7 — VIT: 66.8 — DEX: 66.7 — INT: 101.2 — MAG: 101.1
Stats Points: 1
Status Effect: Healthy
Job's Abilities: Plot Armor — Deus Ex Machina — Aura of Harem Protagonist — Red String of Fate — Great Sorcerer — Alchemy Meister
Notable Abilities: Enhanced Memory — Mysterious Lottery — Item Box — Appraisal — Longinus: Innovate Clear — Magic Detection — Magic Control — Telekinesis — Fire Affinity — Water Affinity — Earth Affinity — Wind Affinity — Holy Affinity — Dark Affinity — Alchemy — Enchanting
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Haru decided to stop power-leveling his Isekai Protagonist Job in spite of his capability to raise it quickly. His reason was because of the downside of this new Job.
Regarding the Job's details, it is like this—
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[Isekai Protagonist]
They are creatures that are both lucky and unlucky because they will get summoned/transported to another world, at least once in their life. The moment the System's Holder achieved Level 40 of this Job, the System's Holder will experience their first foray in another world.
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As the Job's description stated, Haru would be reincarnated or transported to another world. However, he was content with his present life. He didn't want to be killed by Truck-kun again. Once is enough, thank you very much!
Although Haru preferred the summoning trope, he still had his misgivings. He didn't want to leave his little sisters behind; they would become concerned about him if he got summoned abruptly. At the very least, he must save up some money for Sora's and Suzuka's livings before a god or a bunch of magicians kidnapped him to another world.
Such was Haru's reason behind his decision to put power-leveling his new Job on hold.
However, after he had saved enough money and told them about the likelihood of him getting summoned to another world, he wouldn't mind visiting other worlds for a while.
In fact, after making sure those worlds were safe for Sora and Suzuka, Haru didn't mind bringing them there.
Speaking of Sora and Suzuka, Haru missed them. No, he was already gone beyond that point!
Other than the new Isekai Protagonist Job, Haru had a bunch of new abilities after maxing out his Fantasy Protagonist Job. He obtained Grand Sorcerer at Level 20 Fantasy Protagonist Job, while Alchemy Meister got unlocked at Level 40.
For the abilities descriptions, they are like this—
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[Grand Sorcerer]
In some universes, Magicks were extremely flexible and easy to use for the creatures called Protagonist. More often than not, they only need to envision the effect and form of their magicks to cast one. With this ability, the System's Holder can freely cast a spell according to what the caster envisioned!
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[Alchemy Meister]
Alchemy is the process of transformation, creation, or combination. Concocting potions and elixirs, as well as crafting tools and artifacts with various effects and functions, is one of a magician's capability. With this ability, the System's Holder can instantly understand the structure and operation of alchemy without special education or training.
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Those two Job's Abilities became Haru's trusted aide in the path of magic and supernatural; he was so happy when he obtained those abilities.
With Grand Sorcerer, Haru had learned affinity for Five Basic Elements. Regarding the Five Elements, they are—
Fire, governing over flame, heat, and combustion.
Water, governing over liquid and its other states such as ice and vapor.
Earth, governing over minerals such as dirt, stone, metal, crystal, etc.
Wind, governing over the wind, which can generate electricity and be utilized in a covert action like refracting lights to appear transparent and suppressing sound, smell, etc.
Holy, governing over the benevolent kind of concepts such as applying for buff/support, healing, purifying, etc.
Dark, governing over the insidious and/or malicious kind of concepts such as infecting debuff, curse, mental manipulation, sacrifice, etc.
Putting Haru's progress aside, let's return to the story.
"The downsides of Plot Armor is scary," Haru mumbled under his breath. He snapped out of the stubborn tunnel vision when he realized that the cooldown time of Mysterious Lottery had ended. That was 4 days + 4 hours that he had gone through training montage!
Haru had underestimated the encroachment of Plot Armor's dark side, and he had paid for it! He felt anxious about the random moment of foolishness and troubles after experiencing the scary tunnel vision.
"Ugh… I can only do my best now."
Haru decided to move toward the next topic because he didn't know how to deal with Plot Armor's downsides.
Anyway, it was time to try his third Mysterious Lottery.
"Please, give me something good!" Haru prostrated on the ground and raised his arms up to the sky. He had a solemn expression.
A moment later, Haru saw notifications in his field of vision. He then accessed his Item Box and took out the item in a hurry.
"Huh?" Haru unintentionally made a stupid sound when he saw pure white panties appearing in his hand.
And that thing was still warm!
"Eris' Divine Panties? It massively increases my good luck when I wear it on my head… The heck?!"
Haru's brow and cheek began furiously twitching.
"What the fuck?! Do you think I am a degenerate pervert? I have a class in my perversity, dammit!"
Haru screamed furiously into the sky. His voice echoed in the whole Paradise that sounded like the bellowing of an enraged god. The divine and still warm panties of a certain Goddess of Fortune of Another World was flapping above him.
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Arc_I_-_Chapter_17
***
"Well, it would be a pity to throw this item away…"
Haru muttered after he calmed down.
Putting the…eccentric requirement to activate the item's effect aside, the…fabric was a potent luck-boosting item. Besides, he could use it to increase his fortune when he tried Mysterious Lottery.
It wasn't as if he must use it in front of other people. He could use it in a secret place when no one saw him wearing panties on his head like a desperate pervert.
"By the way, who is the owner of this panties? I am curious."
Haru mumbled as he pinched his chin with his free hand. His other hand was holding the panties in front of his chest.
From other people's perspective, Haru seemed like a true connoisseur of panties because of his solemn expression as he watched the underwear in his hand.
"Let's see, it said the owner's name is Eris, and she is a Goddess of Fortune from another world… Well, the result of Appraisal said so… Anyway, the clues are Eris, Fortune, Panties, Luck… Hm? Wait for a moment. Don't tell me…"
Finally, Haru connected the dots in his mind. He was at a loss for words when he realized the identity of the panties' owner.
In the end, Haru settled with a dry laugh.
"Poor goddess. Not only she became a victim of Kazuma when she graciously taught him a skill, but she also became a victim of my dubious ability. Wait..."
Haru paused abruptly when he realized something. He inspected the panties closely while clenching and unclenching his hand to feel the temperature and texture better.
"I guess I got a better catch than Kazuma. It's obvious that she wore these panties when she was doing her godly job." Haru then gave the panties a deadpan. "What the hell am I doing? Goddammit!"
Haru shook his head in a self-admonishment and then stores the divine panties in the Item Box. He looked at his surroundings and realized that he got distracted.
Admittedly, the distraction helped him. Beforehand, he was experiencing an intense longing for Sora and Suzuka. Well, he still missed them dearly, but it wasn't as bad as before.
"AAAARGH! I REALLY, REALLY MISS SORA AND SUZUKA, GODDAMMIT!"
Haru's frustrated scream echoed in the empty Paradise. The next moment, he exited the world of Innovate Clear and returned to his bedroom. He immediately smelled Sora and Suzuka's unique scent. The former was more stronger because Haru knew her body extremely well.
When Haru smelled their smell from his bedroom, the intense yearning returned. It urged Haru to unleash his longing as quickly as possible.
Of course, Haru wouldn't allow the great, mysterious urge to control him. Maybe, it controlled him a tiny bit as he exited his room in a hurry and went to find Sora in the living room.
Haru's hurried footsteps grabbed Sora's attention. She was reclining on the sofa while reading Haru's script and snacking without a care in the world.
"Sooooora~cwaaaaan! I miss you~!"
Like a certain perverted cook who was thirsty for real women, Haru loudly declared his arrival, shocking Sora.
"Eep!"
Haru ignored Sora's confused yelp, smooched her lips for several seconds, and then hugged her soft body tightly. He then rubbed his face on Sora's head as if she was a cute, fluffy animal.
"H-Haru! W-What are you doing?! Stop! It's stifling and uncomfortable, you fool!" Sora tried to resist Haru's hug to no avail.
Admittedly, there was no way Sora could resist Haru's strength because his physical strength was above fifty times of ordinary man in his twenties.
Haru ignored Sora's desperate attempt to release herself from his grip while rubbing his face on her hair and sniffing her fragrance. He really missed Sora after staying in Paradise for several days. It was pure hell when his fragile heart toyed by the insidious and cruel dark side of Plot Armor.
Because Haru was too focused on Sora, he missed Suzuka's arrival. She had gone to the living room because the uproar she heard from her bedroom. At the very least, Suzuka had missed it when Haru boldly smooched Sora's lips. It would end ugly quickly if she saw that.
Suzuka became dumbfounded when she saw Haru hugging the flailing and blushing Sora. She then snapped out of her shock and shouted at them in jealousy.
"ONII-CHAN! WHAT. THE. HECK. ARE. YOU. DOING?!"
Right after registering Suzuka's scandalized and jealous scream, Haru stopped hugging and fluffing Sora, much to Sora's silent disappointment. She was actually enjoying the contact in spite of her resistance.
Haru turned his body around and went to Suzuka. His movement was inhumanely fast that it seemed like he was teleporting. In Suzuka's perspective, she just finished shouting at Haru, and the next moment, she found herself got smooched by Haru before he embraced and fluffed her.
"Ah~ Suzuka~cwan~, I miss you too~" Haru had a blissful expression as he rubbed Suzuka's head with his face.
Suzuka had become frozen like a statue, her mind unable to catch up. When her mind finally caught up, her face and ears turned extremely red, and her eyes turned glazed.
"On…Ki…Onii…Ki…O-Onii…K-Ki…Bweh!"
Suzuka fainted as her mind crashed.
At the side, Sora watched everything with a deadpan. Then, with an unreadable blank look, Sora approached Haru and the fainted Suzuka in his arms before separating the latter from the former. At the very least, she tried.
Unfortunately, Sora couldn't separate Suzuka from Haru's fluffing hell. For the first time since she could remember, Sora felt real pity for Suzuka.
"Haru! That's enough!"
"Wait, Sora! I still need to recharge!"
"You idiot! Look! She has fainted!"
"Huh?!"
Haru finally realized Suzuka's state from Sora's words. As he supported Suzuka's limp body with his left hand, he turned his attention on her. He then saw the blissful expression on her extremely red face; her grin was so wide and silly that it almost split her face; her eyes had rolled back, showing only the sclerae.
Although Suzuka was out of commission, she seemed so happy.
"Ah! Da-rn!"
"Haru! Language!"
Sora scolded Haru when she heard him cursing. However, Haru ignored her scolding and moved his free hand in front of Suzuka's face. "Huh?!" Sora was stunned when she saw Haru's hand glow pale golden.
"Haru," Sora called him, catching his attention. "Was that magic?" She sounded amazed when she asked.
Haru turned his head to Sora and saw her wide-eyed, surprised expression. "I have told you that I am a total awesome magician in my past life, right?"
"Well, I haven't seen real magic, okay? So, what kind of magic is that?" Sora replied peevishly before she realized that she'd gotten sidetracked. "Wait! That's not it! How is she?"
"It looks like nothing bad happened to Suzuka. She just fell unconscious from a sudden spike of stress and mental strain. I think her mind got overloaded by stimulation. By the way, it's just a simple Holy Element spell called Diagnosis. The name is self-explanation, don't you think so?"
Haru released a relieved sigh after ending his spell. He then carried Suzuka's body in a bridal carry and brought her to the sofa.
Sora had envious eyes when she saw that. But, she put her envy aside and followed him.
"I see. Well, about that poor girl, her reaction is understandable. You kissed her, you know. In front of me, as a matter of fact." She seemed so annoyed when she said that.
"My bad!"
At the very least, Haru had the decency to show an apologetic expression as he said that. At the same time, he put Suzuka's body on the sofa.
"All right. I forgive you," Sora said as she stopped next to him. She flitted her gaze between Haru and Suzuka. "So, are you going to wake her up with your magic, or what?"
Haru nodded his head without looking back at Sora. He raised his hand on top of Suzuka's face and silently cast another spell.
"N...!" Sora restrained her sound when she saw Haru's hand release pale golden glow again. She didn't want to interrupt Haru with her voice.
Although Sora had no knowledge of mysticism, she had an inkling feeling that casting magic wouldn't be that simple as how Haru demonstrated.
From Haru's hand, pale golden gaseous substance poured down on Suzuka's body and quickly covered her from head to toe. Sora watched the process in fascination. It seemed so fascinating in her perspective. Then, Haru moved his eyeballs slightly, glancing at Sora.
"If you have something in your mind that you want to ask out, don't hesitate. We are not strangers, so you needn't show reservation."
"Well," Sora turned her head to him and said, though she still sounded unsure. "Don't you need to focus on your spell?" She finally forced something out of her mouth.
"I was called as a genius magician not only for show, you know. Not trying to toot my own horn, but small matter like this doesn't need my full concentration."
"Is magic easy?" Sora asked and seemed genuinely curious.
"No. It is not easy." Haru replied.
"Could I learn magic?"
Haru saw Sora's eager eyes and became silent all of a sudden.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
Arc_I_-_Chapter_18
***
Haru didn't answer immediately. He seemed carefully thinking Sora's question while maintaining his Holy Element spell, which was named Tiny Recovery.
That was the lowest of the bottom of the Recovery Spell's totem pole. It just slightly speeds up the natural recovery of the spell's target; the caster supplies his Mana to raise the speed of target's natural recovery without affecting the target's life-force, or stamina, or Mana, or all three of those types of energy.
Even though it was the lowest of the Recovery Spells, it was still potent for a mundane human that lost consciousness just because of exhaustion.
Suzuka was unconscious because of the mental strain from getting her mind worked up. Thus, using this spell was more than enough to speed up her awakening.
But, enough with Haru's spell. Let's return to the story.
"I'm not sure if you can use magic."
After thinking deeply, Haru gave Sora his answer.
"Why?" Sora immediately asked.
Haru contemplated his answer for a short time before he said it.
"This world doesn't have supernatural elements, not even a speck. It is also the reason why I chose this world from countless others as my destination. I want to have a slow, enjoyable life without the threat of magical monstrosity or other dangers. Well, something that the past me considered as dangerous. And you know how it ended. I died when I crossed the worlds and ended up reincarnated into the current me.
"But, we digressed. Back to the topic, in my previous world, human has three fundamental parts that formed their existence. First is the soul. Second is the physical body. Then, there is the magical body, which cannot be physically seen but overlaps the physical body. If a person is likened to a computer, then the soul is, hmmm, maybe, the operating system software? Yes. It's just about right. Then, the physical body is the necessary hardware. Lastly, the magical body is the extra gimmick that allows the computer to function better than the standard specs.
"Humans in my previous world have these three components, though not everyone can use magic. Sometimes, they lack properly developed Magic Circuits, Magic Core, and Magic Reservoir to be a functional magician. By the way, Magic Circuits are like blood vessels; Magic Core is like a heart that produces and pumps Mana, or magical energy instead of blood. Then, Magic Reservoir is where Mana is being kept when not used.
"However, humans of this world lack the magical body. They only have the soul and the physical body, so I don't have the confidence to help you in learning the art of mysticism. Still, I will find an alternative, so you can protect yourself when something bad, which hopefully never happens, happens."
Haru spouted such bullshit as if he was telling the truth. As a matter of fact, he just put together some magic mumbo-jumbo from some fantasy novels that he'd read in his past life.
However, looking at Sora's expression, she seemed believed his bullshit. Although he felt complicated feelings for doing that, he'd promised to bring the truth to his grave. It was impossible to tell them the real truth! That was just signing his love-life's death warrant!
Meanwhile, Sora wondered what kind of hardship her twin had experienced in his past life. She was aware that this world wasn't perfect. In fact, some people considered this world the worst. However, her twin thought that this world wasn't the worst and was also an acceptable destination for a vacation or retirement.
That made Sora feel curious about Haru's past life and wanted to ask about it. However, she lost her chance because Haru spoke up first.
"By the way, Suzuka will wake up soon," Haru said after he stopped his magic show and pulled back his hand.
When Sora heard that, she held back the urge to sigh in disappointment.
Just as Haru had declared, Suzuka stirred awake. Haru and Sora turned their attention on her.
"Uuu..." Suzuka moaned as she slowly woke up.
Suzuka then opened her eyes and saw Haru looking at her in concern.
Sora, standing next to Haru, was looking at her in curiosity. However, she intentionally disregarded Sora's presence because her attention fixed on her beloved brother.
Then, Suzuka remembered what happened. Her mind got overworked again, and she became lightheaded.
Haru opened his mouth, going to ask her condition. However, he stunted when he saw how fast her complexion turned red. He felt an urgent feeling to calm Suzuka down.
However—
"Fweh!"
Haru was late by a second because Suzuka had gone to the realm of unconscious again.
Indeed, Suzuka had fainted again from overloading her mind. Suzuka.exe had crashed once again.
When Haru and Sora saw that, they had a matching deadpan expression on their faces. They were at a loss for words because of how fast and easy Suzuka fainted.
"I think you better be somewhere else when she wakes up if you want her to function properly."
Haru couldn't object to Sora's opinion because he was aware that his presence was just exacerbating the fragile state of Suzuka's mind.
In the end, Haru had retreated to his bedroom after he cast another Tiny Recovery on Suzuka.
***
In the living room, after Haru headed for his bedroom, Sora was staying there, sitting on a single sofa as she waited for Suzuka's awakening. Suzuka was lying on the long sofa.
If you ask her real opinion, she would answer that she didn't want to be here as a babysitter for Suzuka.
However, Sora wasn't cruel enough to leave Suzuka alone. She might dislike, and even hate, Suzuka in the past. But, it was in the past. She had warmed up to Suzuka lately. It was because of her talk with Haru regarding his choices for her and Suzuka.
Speaking of that topic, the seed that Sora had planted in Suzuka's mind had grown up well within several days. Although Suzuka had yet to give her a clear answer, she felt like Suzuka wouldn't mind sharing Haru with her.
Nowadays, their interaction wasn't as toxic as their past. They still bickered, but it never escalated to a full-blown barbs and veiled insults with intention to hurt each other.
*Sigh!* "Just what the hell have I been doing in the name of love? Am I really this desperate to be with Haru? I think I am slowly turning mad…" Sora sighed and muttered softly. Her mood was sullen.
Whenever Sora thought about that topic, she had complicated feelings. Although she had told Haru that she wouldn't mind sharing him as long as he didn't abandon her.
Admittedly, it would be a lie if she said that she didn't want to monopolize Haru for herself. She wanted Haru as her lover, for herself, but her luck was lousy because the result was against her deepest desire.
"As the saying goes, 'Beggars can be choosers.' At least, I have a chance to be with Haru now. Hm?"
Sora stopped her moment of introspection when she noticed Suzuka's awakening. When she turned her head to Suzuka, she saw her stirring awake.
"Huh? Why am I… Hngh…" Suzuka groaned as she rubbed her forehead.
"Are you fine? Do you have a headache or other painful sensations somewhere?"
Sora asked, catching Suzuka's attention. She saw Suzuka turning her head to her.
"Huh? Nee-san? Why am I here? Did I faint?"
"Yeah. You did," Sora nodded and replied.
Suzuka frowned after she heard Sora's blunt confirmation. She then shook her head to clear her mind. She began recalling what transpired before her fainting. However, she froze, and her face turned red when she remembered Haru kissing her.
"No. That's just dream. Yup. Just a dream. There's no way Onii-chan getting my first kiss. I won't mind it, though…" Suzuka murmured.
However, Sora caught a bit of Suzuka's whispers. She rolled her eyes at Suzuka and cleared her throat to get Suzuka's attention. When Suzuka turned her head to her, she spoke up with a neutral expression.
"Those aren't dream nor your delusions. They did happen."
"Huh?" Suzuka made a stupid voice and blankly stared at Sora. She was a bit slow in comprehending Sora's words.
After it finally sunk in her mind, Suzuka's blush went nuclear. Her body was shivering.
"D-d-d-did Onii-chan really k-kiss me?!" Suzuka asked with a strangled, high pitched tone.
"Yes," Sora crossed her arms and bluntly replied.
"Aih? Aw...awawawawa—"
Suzuka's mind got overloaded, though she didn't fall unconscious this time. She flailed her arms helplessly while her face and eyes had gotten really red. Her eyes tightly shut, and her lips rapidly flapped open and close.
Sora mirthfully watched Suzuka's funny reaction. However, she remembered her previous dilemma and then decided to force the answer of her 'hypothetical question' out of Suzuka's mouth.
"By the way, Haru also kissed me."
Sora decided to pop Suzuka's happy bubble because she didn't want Suzuka get a funny idea and become cheeky.
"—awa—what?!"
Suzuka froze and then blankly stared at Sora. Her blush quickly receded as her mind tried and failed to comprehend Sora's words. After a while, she finally succeeded comprehending Sora's words.
"WHAT. THE. HELL?!" Suzuka flipped her lid in outrage.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
Arc_I_-_Chapter_19
***
"Please use the indoor voice," Sora reprimanded Suzuka, who had shouted all of a sudden, surprising her.
"Ah. I'm sorry... That's not it! What do you mean Onii-chan also kissed you?!" Suzuka glared at Sora and demanded an answer.
Sora released a suffering sigh. She then replied, "Not sure, but I didn't mind it, you see. Anyway, he suddenly came out of his room and did that without warning."
"That... That idiot Onii-chan! I must get an answer from him. No! I WILL get an explanation from him until I'm satisfied!"
Suzuka declared and then marched toward Haru's bedroom. Sora wanted to stop her. However, she was a bit late because Suzuka had made a beeline to Haru's room. With a helpless expression, Sora followed Suzuka in a hurry and then saw Suzuka tearing Haru's door open. Suzuka's usual politeness and reservation were nowhere to be seen. Admittedly, Suzuka wasn't in the correct state of mind.
Sora followed Suzuka into Haru's bedroom and found that Haru was talking with his phone in a hurry. Apparently, their legal guardian was giving Haru a call, and Haru was in the middle of a chat with her when Suzuka forcefully opened the door of Haru's bedroom. Granted, she could easily do it because Haru never locked his door.
Suzuka had restrained herself from lashing out at Haru when she saw him talking with their guardian. However, she still demanded Haru's attention with her enraged glare. And soon, Sora joined them and stood a bit away from Suzuka.
Finally, Haru's chat with their guardian ended. He moved his phone from his ear and turned his attention to Sora and Suzuka. He was looking at them dubiously.
"Onii-chan! I demand an explanation! Why did you do that?"
"Pardon me?" Haru was confused. He shot an uncomprehending gaze to Suzuka.
"You! Why did you kiss both of Nee-san and me?!" Suzuka seethed at him.
At the side, Sora watched everything calmly. Now that Suzuka had asked that, she became curious about the reason for Haru's sudden moment of idiocy.
Haru made a wry smile as if he had expected this outcome. Admittedly, he had predicted something like this to happen after he retreated into his room. However, he put this matter aside when he got a call from their legal guardian.
Haru was silent for a little. Sora and Suzuka were keeping their eyes trained on him as they were waiting for his answer.
"Well," Haru finally said, "Maybe it didn't feel long for you two, but it has been several days since I met you, you know. And I really miss you because of that."
Sora and Suzuka had a perplexed expression.
"Elaborate clearly, please," Suzuka demanded with a no-nonsense tone after she recovered. Sora wordlessly nodded her head, agreeing with Suzuka's demand.
Haru flitted his gaze between Sora and Suzuka. A little while later, he nodded his head and began talking.
"Okay, sure. Let's sit down first."
***
Around 30 minutes or so later, Haru finally finished his explanation. He had also demonstrated some harmless spell for Sora and Suzuka.
As of now, Haru was sitting on his swivel. Meanwhile, Sora and Suzuka were sitting on the edge of his bed.
"So, correct me if I'm wrong," Suzuka said. "Onii-chan has regained one of your powerful magical artifacts from your past life. So, this artifact can create an imitation of a world in another dimension. As the owner, you are like a god in that place. You can even control the flow of time in that place.
"Then, you have an idea to use the time difference between that world and this world to retrain your magical abilities. You have spent several days there while it is only a short time has passed in this world. Because you were there for long, you missed us so much and lost control when you returned. So, that's the summary of everything, correct?"
"Yes," Haru nodded his head in confirmation.
Suzuka put her face on her palms. Her elbows nicely rested on her thighs. She was trying to stop the upcoming headache from Haru's outrageous story, which sounded unbelievable, that he said in a casual tone as if he was talking about the weather.
In truth, Suzuka had intentionally put the topic of Haru's magic and reincarnation aside because she couldn't wrap her mind around it. In addition, she was over the moon because she felt that she had gotten closer to Haru lately.
It was understandable that Suzuka chose to focus on the development of her relationship with her once estranged brother than the supernatural topic around Haru. She was just an ordinary girl who grew up ordinarily in 21st-century and loved her brother too much to cope. So, do forgive her for her skewed up priority.
Admittedly, Haru's outrageous story and display of magic had distracted Suzuka from her main reason behind barging into Haru's bedroom.
Sora, who had been silent so far, changed her sitting posture. She lowered her feet on the floor and straightened her back, her eyes on Haru.
"Haru, can you bring me to this other world?"
"Huh?"
Haru and Suzuka looked at Sora and made a confused voice at the same time, apparently surprised by Sora's request.
"What are you saying?" Suzuka asked Sora with confused eyes, apparently unable to understand Sora's thoughts.
"I'm curious about this other world," Sora plainly answered without turning her gaze away from Haru.
Suzuka was at a loss for words by Sora's casual behavior.
"Don't you also feel curious about this so-called another world?"
"Well, it's true that I also feel curious, but..."
Suzuka replied Sora's inquiry with a troubled expression. Unlike Sora, who didn't really care about what she wasn't interested in, Suzuka was grounded in reality. She had her misgivings when facing something that challenged her belief and common sense. So, it was understandable that she was at a loss for words.
At this point, Haru decided to speak up: "Well, I don't mind bringing you there."
Haru could invite someone into Paradise. He also could forcefully drag someone into Paradise. However, if he forced someone into that place, the target could resist the forceful draw through pure willpower or magic power. However, ordinary humans wouldn't be able to give significant resistance because Haru's specs had surpassed them.
"Huh? Really?" Suzuka turned her head to Haru and gave him a surprised look.
Haru nodded his head. "I can't promise you that it's an interesting place. I mean, I just create that world. There are no lifeforms there, not even animals. However, if you want to know what that place is good at, I have the confidence in the scenery of that world will take your breath away, at the very least," he said.
"As expected, hearing Onii-chan creating a world all of a sudden is..." Suzuka trailed off, seemingly at a loss of words to describe the absurdity of the situation.
"Can we go there now?" Sora suddenly asked.
Unlike Suzuka, who had trouble accepting her stepbrother's ridiculous feat that broke common sense, Sora didn't really care about something that didn't interest her. She was actually easy-going despite her social ineptitude.
"Well, I don't mind bringing you there now. We can have a picnic and stay there for several days. As a matter of fact, let's have a vacation there."
"Wait!" Suzuka suddenly raised her voice. "We can't just go and stay there for several days without any preparation!"
"I said that I am like a god in there, right? You two don't need to prepare anything. I can create our needs without problems."
"Really? Can you really create anything? Will it be an inconvenience for you?"
"Yes. Yes, and no." Haru responded to Suzuka's inquiries. He then added, "However, anything that is created in that world is unable to leave that place, though."
"I see," Suzuka finally acquiesced.
"By the way, can you create a phone's and laptop's charger over there?" This time, the question came from Sora.
"Yes. I can do that. You can't bring back the chargers, though."
"Then, let me bring my smartphone and laptop."
"Hm? Sure. You can get them now."
After receiving Haru's permission, Sora walked out of Haru's bedroom. Haru then turned his head to Suzuka, who was rubbing her forehead to stop the upcoming headache.
Suzuka felt that everything indeed stopped making sense after Haru shared his 'secret.' More and more ridiculous things, the latest always more ridiculous than before, kept popping up.
"What about you, Suzuka? Do you not need to get your phone and laptop? Although there was no signal because we are literally in another dimension, you can take some shots there, you know. I think that is what Sora is thinking."
Suzuka turned contemplative after she listened to Haru's words. A few seconds later, she nodded her head and said, "I guess I will bring my digital camera, laptop, and phone. I'll get them now."
After that, Suzuka walked away, leaving Haru alone in his bedroom.
'Good grief... I am glad that my bullshit distracted Suzuka from demanding an explanation for my mistake. I suppose I must confess my feeling soon. Well, I can tell them when we are in Paradise. I hope that my Plot Armor and Aura of Harem Protagonist will help me out later,' Haru thought after he became alone in his room. He had his misgivings but decided to put his faith in one of his latest abilities.
'I guess I'll prepare something for our vacation in Paradise before Sora and Suzuka return with their stuff...'
Haru then entered Paradise and began preparing for his and his sisters' vacation in there.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
Arc_I_-_Chapter_20
***
Within several days inside Paradise, translated into several seconds outside of Paradise, Haru had created many fantastical creatures and sites in his world for his vacation with his sisters.
Other than that, Haru had used his fourth try of his Mysterious Lottery. He was surprised by the potency of Eris' panties because he obtained a mundane yet still useful ability. Regarding Haru's latest ability, that was a topic for another time.
After Haru returned from Paradise, he changed his attire and then waited for Sora and Suzuka. Thankfully, he didn't need to wait for a long time.
"Onii-chan, I am ready," Suzuka reported as she approached Haru, who sat on his swivel.
Suzuka wore her casual getup, consisted of a yellow one-piece under a turquoise cardigan. She tied her hair in her usual high ponytail style with black and red ribbons. She also donned outdoor shoes over comfortable white socks that stopped under her knees. Her bag, which kept her laptop, digital camera, and phone, was hanging from her shoulder.
Meanwhile, Sora chose to wear one of her Gothic Lolita collections, consisted of frilly white top and frilly black skirts. She donned a pair of boots that stopped below her knees and carried a bag filled with her belongings on her shoulder. Her hands were holding her iconic rabbit doll. She let her hair loose.
Lastly, Haru wore a turquoise-colored jumper over a plain white T-shirt and a pair of black jeans. He also wore a pair of sneakers.
Haru kept his belongings in his Item Box. When Suzuka saw how Haru made his laptop, flip phone, and charger disappeared, she had a blank look on her face. It seemed like Suzuka had yet to adapt to the supernatural phenomenon around her brother, unlike Sora, who had become accustomed to the absurd sight.
"So, how do we do this?" Suzuka suddenly asked, apparently anxious.
Sora looked at Haru with curious eyes, wondering the same thing, though she lacked Suzuka's nervousness.
In truth, Sora was feeling nervous, but she hid it under her aloof mask.
Haru had a mischievous smile and said, "Like this."
"Huh? Kyaaa!"
Sora and Suzuka were dumbfounded when their surroundings changed abruptly. The familiar sight of Haru's bedroom turned into an endless greenfield. Whether it was Haru's fault or not, a strong wind blew their hair and clothes, making them yelp in surprise.
Suzuka ducked her head slightly and tried to hold her long ponytail from getting blown by the wind. Meanwhile, Sora had her free hand on her silver hair. They had shut their eyes in reflex.
A short time later, Sora and Suzuka opened their eyes and viewed their surroundings. The beautiful scenery immediately blew their mind away.
"Wow!" They made an awed voice at the same time.
Then, their gazes stopped at something that caught their attention.
"Onii-chan, that tree..."
"...it is so huge and tall!"
Sora continued for Suzuka as they got their attention stolen by a supermassive tree that seemingly stood taller than mountains at its surroundings. The tree had a faded green colored trunk and glimmering emerald-colored leaves.
"That tree is the core of my artifact. I called it Yggdrasill after the same tree from Norse Mythology," Haru answered their questions.
"How tall is it?" Suzuka asked, and Haru replied, "Around twenty thousand kilometers or so," in a casual tone that made her and Sora speechless.
"It's taller than Mount Fuji!"
"it's even taller than Himalaya!"
Sora and Suzuka remarked in disbelief.
"Don't be surprised with just that. In truth, it is still growing."
"Huh?!" They made a disbelieving voice after listening to Haru's comment.
"How tall will the tree be after it became matured, Onii-chan?" Suzuka asked in extreme curiosity. At her side, Sora also gave Haru a curious gaze.
Haru involuntarily formed a wry smile. "I don't know."
"What did you mean with 'I don't know'?" Suzuka retorted.
"Well, I have yet to see it fully matured in my past life. I died first before that tree fully matures. When I reincarnated, it reverted back into a seed. Yet, it has grown so much in several days, which translated into several seconds outside of this world. Even, I, its owner, am surprised by its fast growth."
Haru told them another bullshit with a straight face.
"That's a valid point," Suzuka believed Haru's words without hesitation.
Sora wordlessly nodded her head, agreeing with her stepsister. When she thought about it a little, she agreed with many things with her stepsister lately, and she was mildly surprised by the change. However, this realization occurred in her mind with Haru and Suzuka unaware of it.
"Ah," Haru made a voice as if he finally remembered something, grabbing Sora's and Suzuka's attention, "This is a little late, but... Sora, Suzuka, welcome to my world—Paradise!"
Haru welcomed his beloved little sisters in the world of his Innovate Clear with a refreshing smile.
***
"Wow! It's an amazing sight from up here!"
"Putting the fact that we are dozen of thousand meters from the ground aside, you have a valid point, Nee-san."
Sora and Suzuka remarked as they looked the mesmerizing view from their spot on the back of a massive, beautiful avian creature. They were sitting close to and holding Haru in fear of falling from that absurd height.
Haru had assured them that nothing would happen; even if they fell from that height, they wouldn't fall to their death. However, they still had their misgivings.
Sora and Suzuka never flew in a plane, yet their first experience flying was quite intense. It was hard to perceive their luck as good or bad.
They were sitting on a massive bird that looked like Phoenix but with rainbow-colored feathers; they were dozens of meters long from the tip of their beak to the tip of their long feathery tails. Their wingspans were as wide as their length. Haru named this breed of bird Rainbow Phoenixes. Unfortunately, these birds had no magical abilities in spite of their appearance that looked like the legendary bird.
These Rainbow Phoenixes were one of many breeds of creatures that Haru had created to fill his empty world.
The flock of Rainbow Phoenixes was flying in a Delta formation, and the leader was carrying Haru and his little sisters in the front. They were getting closer to their destination, the foot of the supermassive tree, Yggdrasil.
Haru accompanied Sora and Suzuka sightseeing the fantastical sight far below them. There was a vast forest around the Yggdrasil. When they got closer to that massive tree, they saw the big forest ended, and beautiful flower fields spread to the base of Yggdrasil.
"Wow..."
Sora and Suzuka made a voice that conveyed their awe. Such a view their eyes feasted upon wasn't something they could easily see in their original world. Not even the famous Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan nor the world-class flower fields on Earth could contend against the flower field under Yggdrasil.
"Amazing, is it not?" Haru couldn't help but brag his creation. In return, Sora and Suzuka wordlessly nodded their heads. They were still in awe and wonderment.
"Anyway, we will land at the outskirts of the flower field, so we can walk through it while enjoying the sight."
After notifying his sisters, Haru told the Rainbow Phoenix he mounted via a telepathic connection.
As the creator of these creatures, Haru could control them with his thought. What's more, he could share his senses with each of them and turn them into something like a typical mage's familiar in fantasy stories.
After receiving Haru's order, their Rainbow Phoenix let out a beautiful voice that entranced Sora and Suzuka.
As an aside, when those two saw the Rainbow Phoenix for the first time, they got scared. However, Haru's assurance, its pretty appearance, and the beautiful voices it produced quickly wiped away their fear. Other than their misgivings for carrying them flying high in the sky, they had silently agreed that Rainbow Phoenixes were amazing creatures.
After landing safely, Haru led Sora and Suzuka through the seemingly endless field of flower, which actually was around 1 kilometer in length. There were countless butterflies with mesmerizing colors and unique marks on their wings floating around in the field.
"Ne, Onii-chan, what kind of flowers are these?" Suzuka stopped not far from the entrance, crouched down at the edge of the stone-paved path to get a closer look at an unknown flower, and asked Haru without turning around.
Haru walked up to Suzuka with Sora following behind him. "Actually, I haven't named that flower yet. I focused on their appearance more than their name when I created them."
Suzuka stood up, turned her body around, and put her knuckles on her hips. She had a serious expression as she looked at him.
"That's not good! You are very irresponsible, Onii-chan. Pretty flowers like these must have a name. As their creators, you should give them a name, so they can become unique and not just 'that pretty flower with purple color'!"
Haru smiled wryly at Suzuka, who was full of tension. "My bad. I'll think about a name later. For now, let's go to the other end. We can have a picnic there."
After that short talk, Haru led Suzuka and Sora to the other end of the flower field. They chatted casually to pass the time.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
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