Episode 8: "Thinking through cheat acquisition with a steely mentality"

I thought I had finally received the cheat coins I had been waiting for, but it was because I had achieved the achievement of being used as a masturbation pet 10,000 times.

　No, that's weird.

　What kind of god is it that grants cheats with such ridiculous achievements?

　Is being used as wanking material 10,000 times in this world as great an achievement as finding a stray dog in modern Japan and taking care of it until it dies? Both cost five cheat coins, but isn't the rate strange? My beloved dog Pero, who has departed for heaven, is probably angry in the clouds.

　Well, I suppose being used as a masturbation object 10,000 times is quite an achievement. But what's more, I'm horrified at the idea that there are a total of 10,000 women in this city who use my half-naked body as a wank. I've been in this city for half a year, so if you divide 10,000 times by 180 days, that works out to roughly 60 wanks per day. ...No, that's a lot. Even if each person masturbates twice a day, there are still 30 women.

　Or rather, I wish they would try to pick up girls more proactively instead of masturbating in secret. For some reason, there aren't many guys who approach me directly.

　Well, that's enough for now. I'd like to talk about cheat coins.

　Regardless of how it was obtained, this was the chance I had been waiting for over half a year to purchase the cheat.

　If I could buy some magical power now, I would finally be able to stand on the starting line as an adventurer. Not buying any magical power before my reincarnation meant I had to spend half a year digging gutters and hunting rabbits, so this time I wanted to make a purchase I wouldn't regret.

　I picked up a catalog hanging next to the vending machine and glanced through the pages related to magic.

　…The rates for magic seem to be high overall. Every ability is pretty expensive.

　Is it inevitable since it's essential infrastructure in this world? I feel like if it's infrastructure, it should be cheaper.

　When it comes to skills that can be purchased with five coins, there are things like the [Amateur Wizard Basic Set] and the [Apprentice Alchemist Set]. This is a set product that gives the standard magical power of a human in this world and the expertise of an apprentice, and the description says things like "Recommended for reincarnated people who want to train in their spare time like babies!" and "The first step for those who want to make potions and cheat at alchemy!"

　Hmm? It's a bit off from what I want.

　I'm not aiming to be a wizard or an alchemist. I just want enough magical power to be able to make it as an adventurer. I wonder if I can just buy magical power. I turned the page thinking that, but it seems that magical power and skills are basically supposed to be bought as a set, and buying magical power by itself would be quite expensive.

　...Well, if you think about it, this catalog is supposed to be read before reincarnation. Maybe it's meant to let you choose what kind of life you want to live next. And if you consider that you get specialized skills as well as magical power, it's a pretty good deal.

　If that's the case, I wonder if there's a magic set for people who want to become adventurers.

　Thinking this, I tried to turn the page, but then I tilted my head in confusion.

　Is there really any need to be an adventurer in the first place?

　It's true that when I lived in Japan, I loved web novels, and I dreamed of becoming an adventurer if I could be reincarnated in another world. I was so passionate about it that I even trained my body to the point where I could be called a lean muscular man, and I even learned camping techniques.

　That's why before I was reincarnated, I chose a cheat that would allow me to live a life as an adventurer, and after being transported to this world, I immediately knocked on the door of the adventurer's guild.

　So, my impression after actually living as an adventurer for half a year is... well, it's a pretty mundane job. I'm a giant rabbit hunter and sewer sweeper. That's because I have zero magical power and can't join any party, but even if I did gain magical power and was able to join a party, wouldn't that just mean I'd have a colleague who's a monster exterminator?

　Hmm. I'm not really excited about it. I wonder what the reincarnated protagonists of the world find enjoyable about the life of an adventurer. Maybe they're adored by cute girls in their party, living a harem life, and easily defeating monsters with their powerful cheat abilities? I'm sure I enjoyed those parts of the web novels I read too.

　But you know, the women in this world are all monkeys with the sexual desires of middle school boys, right?

　They're the ones who get their own climax by looking at me half-naked, 30 of them, twice a day, right?

　Of course, if you form a party, you'll end up with a harem situation, because there are almost only female adventurers. But, like... isn't there something wrong?

　In my mind, a harem party is something like a lovely sister who clasps her hands and says with tears in her eyes, "You're wonderful, Hero-sama!", or a reliable female warrior who entrusts you with a request, "Hero, leave your back to me!".

　They are definitely not perverts like the sultry sister who rummages through your underwear every night saying, "Guhehe, hero-sama's panties are nice ♥," or the sexually harassing female warrior who tries to accompany you in the bath, breathing heavily and saying, "Hero, leave the back washing to me ♥."

　And the Adventurer's Guild in this town is filled with filthy women like these. Hell, I wonder? No matter how stupid I am, I'd be able to tell after half a year that the person peeking in from the room next door at the inn every night is a member of the Adventurer's Guild.

　Well, I'm a healthy man, so I honestly love dirty girls, but I'd like to think about it for a moment if I were to be with them all the time. I think it would probably be pretty tiring. They say that a man's ideal woman is "a lady by day and a prostitute by night," and I agree. Some people might get angry if I say this in modern Japan, but there's no way there's a man who doesn't like a cute, pretty girl who only shows her dirty face when they have sex.

　And the women in this world are too open to be called ladies during the day. Can't they just be a little more modest?

　Hmmm... the more I think about it, the less meaningful it seems to be for me to advance in my career as an adventurer. In fact, rabbit hunting isn't even appreciated, and in fact, digging through a gutter half-naked would have been more meaningful if I'd been used as a masturbation pet...

"No, that's not good."

　I slapped my cheeks with both hands and shook my head to clear away all my distracting thoughts.

　That's putting the cart before the horse. It's not like I was digging through the gutter half-naked every day because I wanted to be a masturbation pet. I was digging through the gutter as a way to become a successful adventurer, and there was certainly joy in knowing that I was helping people.

　Even though it was just a natural choice, he had decided to become an adventurer, so he had to stick to it. Otherwise, the past six months would have been a complete waste of time.

　With renewed determination, I turn the pages of the catalogue.

"Oh, there it is! It's the [Adventurer Basic Set]. Let's see..."　

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[Adventurer Basic Set]

　This is a set of all the qualities you need to be a tough and wild adventurer! Get this set and take your first step into a dangerous new world!

　From the skills that have earned high user satisfaction, we have put together a luxurious selection including [Modest Magical Power], [Mental Resistance], [Pain Resistance], and [Beginner Spirit Magic], all available at the bargain price of 10 coins.

　It can be used to meet various needs during an adventure, such as starting a fire while camping, generating clean water, creating a sandstorm to keep you awake, etc. Depending on how you use it, the possibilities are endless!

　Furthermore, [Mental Resistance] gives you resistance to sleep magic and brainwashing magic, and [Pain Resistance] allows you to act normally no matter what kind of injury you receive. We have received many comments from people saying that this skill saved them from near death!

*Notes on use... Please purchase a skill to compensate for the disadvantages of [Mental Resistance] separately. If you acquire only [Mental Resistance], there is a possibility that you may have serious problems with empathy for others. We will not be responsible for any interpersonal troubles that arise from acquiring only [Mental Resistance].

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　Wow, so [Mental Resistance] is a dangerous skill.

　You lose empathy, I see.

　I guess it's no wonder I don't know what other people are thinking.

"Say it first, idiot!!"

　I slammed the catalogue into the vending machine with all my might.

　Damn it. I thought the way people reacted to me was weird.

　What's with this [Mental Resistance]? Doesn't this skill itself just pollute your mind?

　It's true that I'm no longer intimidated by the intimidation of others, but if I can't feel it at all, then I'm just a person who can't read the atmosphere. I've been living like that for the last six months...

　Breathing heavily, I picked up the catalog and tried to look for a skill that could make up for the disadvantage of [Mental Resistance], but the search was poor and I had a hard time finding anything.

　There's something strange about this catalogue, too.

　I'm sure I read the explanation for [Mental Resistance] properly when I acquired the skill, but I don't remember seeing such an important note. Also, when I looked through this catalog before reincarnation, I almost missed some important skills. Maybe I'm not paying attention, or...

　After much struggle, I finally figured out some skills.

　To summarise the description...

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[Hide Shadow] ... Modify your mind and create a different personality. You can choose the skills to give to the different personality. When you acquire this skill, [Mental Resistance] will be nullified. * Please be aware that there is a risk that the initiative of the mind will be taken over by the different personality.

[Skill Switch]: Allows you to freely turn constantly active skills on and off.

[Yokai Satori]... You can read other people's thoughts. Even if you lose empathy, you can read their thoughts directly! * Because other people's thoughts flow endlessly into your head, there is a risk of going insane if you do not purchase [Skill Switch] or [Mental Resistance] separately.　

[Third Eye]...Other people's emotions are quantified and displayed in your field of vision at all times. If you can read other people's emotions directly as numbers, it's okay even if you don't have empathy! *You can understand other people's emotions as if they were right in front of you, but you will no longer see them as equals.

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　A bargain sale on minefield skills?

　The sales pitches are all great, but why are the annotations all so terrible? If I get any of them, I'll have no empathy, and I'll just have a feeling that my life will be over.

　Among these, the only one that seems reasonable is [Skill Switch], but it costs 100 coins... That's a bit too much for the price. Looking at this group of skills, I thought that the god who prepared this catalog must have a pretty bad personality. Did he intentionally provide some disadvantages?

　There's no other way, so I'll give up on [Mental Resistance].

　Well, nothing has happened for the past six months, so it's okay (trembling voice).

　I'll let the people I've met so far think of this as my personality. It feels like half of my personality is made up of [Mental Resistance], but there's nothing I can do about it right now.

　More importantly, it's magic, magic, that's the main issue.

　The [Adventurer Basic Set] is a good product. If I had found it before reincarnation, I would have bought it. I especially like that it can make fire and generate water. I feel like it would be worth 10 coins just for the magic and spirit magic, but unfortunately I only have 5 coins right now. Hmm, I'm sad to say goodbye, but I guess I'll have to pass on this one too.

　I wonder if there are any other good products...

　Oh?

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[First Demon Set]

　Feel like a demon for just one coin! This is a simple and affordable set that we can confidently recommend to those who choose transference over reincarnation. Why not flirt with a demon girl and aim for the prosperity of your descendants? Limited time sale, now for just one coin!

*Please note that your race will not actually change to demons.

　Included skills: [Minimum magical power] [Demon breeding rights]

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"Well, what are demons...?"

　The skill is also unclear. What the hell is this breeding right thing?

　Look for the included skills and summarize the descriptions in your head.

[Minimum magical power]: The minimum magical power for a demon. Magic items can be activated.

[Demon Breeding Rights] ... The curse will not be transmitted even if you mate with a demon. The child born will be a demon, but will not inherit the curse of the mother and will be born healthy.

"So what are demons...?"

　Nowhere was it written what the demons themselves were.

　Apparently, there is a race called demons in this world, and they carry a curse that infects you if you have sex. It's kind of like an engacho... I guess they're a kind of monster, but I don't really want to meet them.

　Even if I'm told that mating with them won't pass on the curse, I still don't want to do it in the first place.

　But it's not so bad if you think about it, you can buy demon-level magical powers at a bargain price. Demons should have stronger magical powers than humans. Even if it's only the bare minimum, it's still stronger than the average human. It's also nice that you can activate magic items.

　In fact, among the items in the guild's warehouse, there was a magic item that could use lightning magic. According to Wes, it wasn't something that could be used in real combat, but rather to scare monsters and use the opportunity to escape, but it's better than nothing. However, since I have zero magical power, I can't even activate it, so I have no choice but to leave it lying around. I really want to try using it.

　If you can try it out for just one coin, it's probably not a bad purchase.

　I probably won't use the [Demon Breeding Rights] in my lifetime, but... the idea of prosperity of descendants sounds nice. My grandpa told me to have lots of great-grandchildren in the future. My dream is to live with a big family surrounded by children in the future. I think I'll buy it as a good luck charm. Here it is.

　Now, what should I use the remaining 4 coins for?

　A set with a bit more magical power would be nice though...

"Ah, that's right."

　A thought suddenly occurred to me and I turned the page.

　When I was searching for skills earlier, something happened to catch my eye.

"Yes, yes, let's use this."

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[Influencer]

　It gives the user any status or skill they have to any target they can see. The user does not lose any abilities.

　Granting a status overwrites the target's original ability.

　If you give a skill, the target can activate it at will if it is a spontaneous activation skill, and if it is a constant activation skill, its effect will always be active.

　The status and skills granted by this skill can be removed at any time by the user.

　Give your allies refined ability scores and powerful cheat skills to increase the strength of your party!

　Cost: 4 cheat coins