The Making Of A Broken Character Part 5

―It was breathtaking.

What was breathtaking were his clothes.

There were yellowed briefs, a mask, a mantle, and an enormous amulet.

―It was breathtaking.

What was breathtaking was that―while the black dragon’s breath had been turning everything into charcoal…the guy was asleep.

He was lying down on the ground, sleeping like a log while snoring.

“Ugh, Igarashi…Momo…stop…”

He seemed to be suffering from a nightmare.

“Is he…actually sleeping? Even while receiving the black dragon’s breath..?”

She sent a glance towards the black dragon.

Its height was about ten meters, and it was getting visibly angry over how its attacks were ineffective.

Again, it let out a huge roar.

Along with its roar, it used its sharp nails as large as a buster sword to slash Yuuki with an uppercut. (TLN: A buster sword is one of those stereotypical oversized anime swords)

The nail hits him directly, but there is not a single scratch.

However, he gets launched into the air, as the laws of physics can’t just be ignored here, and rises upwards about 30 meters.

Then he plummeted.

His tragectory happened to lead right to the top of the black dragon’s head.

“Ugh…Igarashi…you, you! You’ll get what’s coming to you!”

While sleep-talking, he swung his arm at a high speed. Ruri couldn’t even see its silhouette, it was an impossible speed.

*Poof*

The entire upper-half of the black dragon’s body was blown away.

Yuuki fell onto the ground uninterrupted.

While blood and chunks of meat were scattered on the surface―Ruri stood there dumbfounded.

“What was that…? Even with my attack of 65535…I wouldn’t be able to end it in one blow…”

Even if Ruri got a critical hit on the black dragon, at best she would be able to cut up a one square meter hole into it.

Ruri was sent into thought.

Before her eyes was likely some abnormality regarding the max status limits.

If he combined numerous attack skills and status-raising skills, it could be the case that he had raised his attack stat to something beyond 100,000…at least that was her guess.

Well, in reality Yuuki didn’t actually throw out an attack. In his dream, he came across Igarashi and merely flicked at him with his fingers.

“So, how long have you been feigning sleep?”

With those words, Yuuki opened his eyelids with a yawn.

“Wooooah! What’s going on?! What the heck happened?!”

Yuuki stood up immediately.

Before him stood a beautiful girl.

She somewhat had the gaze of unyielding spirit, and she also had thin but dignified eyebrows.

Then there was the ponytail and shrine maiden outfit.

These were…Yuuki’s thoughts,

 

―A SHRINE MAIDEN’S HEREEEEEEEEE!

 

Yep, Yuuki was a shrine maiden enthusiast.

For instance, here’s a tale that happened―

When Yuuki was a middle school student, he got involved in a case where shrine maiden outfits were stolen from a neighboring shrine’s locker room.

Though the police had made a desperate investigation, in the end, the case remained a mystery.

And on the same time as that occurred, a certain video was uploaded on Nico Nico Douga. (TLN: Nico Nico Douga is Japan’s most popular video-hosting site)

‘A Middle School Boy Dancing In a Shrine Maiden’s Getup’

That video, three years after being uploaded―has boasted a grand total of 62 replays.

As expected, nobody knew that there was a video online resulting from the shrine maiden theft incident.

 

Anyways, Yuuki began to speak,

“Feigning sleep…say what?”

“You intend to play dumb? You intended to catch your opponent off-guard by pretending to sleep, didn’t you?”

Yeah, the black dragon received a lot of damage to the point of being flashy.

He likely reached the maximum attack stat, piled up tons of skills, and there’s no doubt that his attack had to have been a critical hit as well.

Going by that logic, perhaps pretending to sleep was also part of the man’s calculations.

“…?”

“I mean…you were just idling around…did you really not get hurt?”

Then, Yuuki had sensed a dull pain which he had felt before sleeping last night.

Indeed―he had lower-back pain.

Since he had a Nayuta-level HP, external damage is no big deal, but the cause of his lower-back pain was his own body.

“Aah…I’ve certainly…received some major damage …”

“I see…as expected…”

She observed Yuuki as if she was evaluating him.

Perhaps―Ruri had misplaced her expectations.

The man before her eyes seemed to have an offensive ability outside the standard. It was apparent though that Higure could single-handedly end that man’s idleness.

‘But―perhaps, if it’s this man in front of me…’ was a thought came across her mind only for a moment.

―However, it was completely futile.

While shaking her head sideways, she laughed in self-deprecation.

Whether he was or wasn’t outside the standard, it’s likely that he’d only reached a level similar to that of the Takane sisters.

She understood that based on what he seemed to say about taking major damage from the black dragon. Above all else though―

―He was full of openings.

She understood the moment she saw him that he did not learn any battle techniques.

Each of his actions, the movement of his center of gravity, the way he walked…all of it was at an amateur level.

“I see, you took damage after all…I expected as much, even if just a little…”

“Expected…?”

“If you’ve received damage to that degree…”

Right there, something snapped inside Yuuki’s head.

“You…! Do you have any idea how much soul-tearing and battling I’ve had to struggle through!?  Is that…the supposed degree of damage you’re talking about?!”

It was a cold day in Elementary School.

It had happened in a flash.

First, he couldn’t get out of bed. Just by moving his body a bit, a sharp pain ran through him as if his soul was being torn.

After that―while having to go back and forth between the orthopedic clinic, his body had to use everything it could and battle itself.

Nowadays, that pain has mostly gone away, but when it does make a reappearance, it makes carrying out daily life a serious problem.

Such days of intense fighting…the shrine maiden in front was him was purporting such a degree of damage.

He could not tolerate that.

“Battling and soul-tearing…is it? Is that… what you’ve been doing?”

Up until this point, Ruri was bothered by the question of how he had gained such power.

And, with those words, she was convinced.

―Forbidden Arts: Soul Eater

There are three ways to reach the max stats in this world.

One way is have a cheat-level of initial bonus points like the Takane sisters.

Another way is to convert the soul of another person into points to add to one’s status, like Higure.

The last way is the Soul Eater skill that comes from the research facility.

This is the reason why some people were able to deal damage to the Takane sisters during the time of the battle royale.

In the facility, by tampering with one’s brain, it was commonplace to implant a circuit converting their soul into magic, and its application was feasible for both attack and defense power.

In essence―it was a technique that temporarily gave one a strong doping in exchange for their life expectancy and the pain of the soul tearing away.

Ruri had heard about it.

The person who founded the idea of this technique―was someone who was thrown out by the king after being transported here.

“Indeed…I am certainly utilizing that. That forbidden power. There’s no reason to overuse it though. So these days, I only employ it if things get really dangerous.”

Yes, Yuuki was using that.

―A Pip Elekiban (TLN:Pip Elekiban is a brand of pain relief patches in Japan)

It relaxes stiffness and heals back pain using its magnetic force―When he was transported here and as the king was robbing him of his possessions, he quickly concealed them inside his trunks at mach-speed.

There were very few remaining, so there’s nothing stopping anyone from saying that they were his precious treasure.

“I see, so you’ve also had it rough…Perhaps I’ve overstepped my boundaries, my apologies.”

“Well, ever since I was tossed away by that horrid king, everyday has truly been a living hell.”

Then, Yuuki noticed something.

Actually, he was aware of it the moment he met her…but he was troubled on how to carry out his remark.

“Right now…you’ve…been walking on the wrong path.”

“The wrong path…?”

Yuuki nodded deeply.

As he could see, she was was shrine maiden―carrying a battleaxe.

“The wrong way, you say. Could it be that you…know about my circumstances?”

Suddenly, Ruri’s heart felt like it was being pried open.

Certainly, she could not say that she had been taking the right courses of actions.

Even so, she was forced to hunt ‘rabbits’ in accordance to Higure.

“Here, let me say it. You’re making a mistake…and don’t you make light of me.”

Here’s the rundown.

He judged that the only items a shrine maiden should have are a broom, their ritual equipment, and a Japanese sword.

It may be an exaggeration to call it an absolute matter for him.

Apart from those, perhaps a handgun would be okay too. Perhaps having a spear is fine as well.

However.

―There is no room for an axe.

“You…what do you know? How can you act like you’ve somehow looked back into my past? You don’t own any clairvoyance ability.”

“…Hey…a Boss Gorilla”

A group of gorillas were visible in forest behind Ruri, as Yuuki pointed out.

They originally lived in the forest before it became a burnt field. After the extermination of the black dragon, the gorillas emerged to look at the situation.

“You…you actually…know?”

Ruri’s expression changed into a look of shock.

Somehow, he was able to correctly tell her the nickname of her sister used back in Japan.

“…Hey…a Female Gorilla…”

He even managed to correctly say her own nickname.

She had no choice but to trust him at this point.

―Perhaps, this person actually has a high-level clairvoyance skill

“Anyways, you are walking the wrong path. Do you know that?”

“…I know. Since you seem to know everything, what else are you going to say?”

“I somehow get your reasons for doing this. So, I will say this. What you are doing is merely running away.”

Indeed, a war maiden with a battleaxe…he doesn’t exactly know what’s going on with her.

It could be that her ability to use a Japanese sword isn’t that great.

It could be that she’s the ‘super-strength-clumsy-girl’ type of character.

However.

Since she picked a shrine maiden outfit, she has to also follow suit with a Japanese weapon.

“Running away…Perhaps you would say it like that.”

He began to go on,

“Why are you running away!? That’s the wrong course of action! Do you really think that doing this okay?!”

“You…what do you know…about the depths of my suffering?! I had no choice but to do this!”

“Why do you not fight it?! No matter how the desperate situation is, don’t you know that you have to fight it?!”

“Fighting…I can’t do anything like that…There’s no way I can do it! There’s no way I can win!”

Yuuki had a sour expression, as if he had swallowed a bitter bug.

Indeed…it seems to him that she’s of the ‘super-strength-clumsy-girl’ type. It seems like she wasn’t suited for the delicate skill that a Japanese sword required.

However…Yuuki began thinking.

“Did you truly try and go against your fate to the bitter end? Can you say with pride that you tried to resist it? In the face of one or two challenges, did you just simply end up telling yourself it would be impossible?”

“That’s…”

Indeed, as he had said, she only went against Higure twice on occasion.

The first time was at the start of the game, and the second time was at the end of it.

The second time was just a fit of anger though―strictly speaking, she had only really opposed him once with the intent to take control of her situation.

“You’ve been swept away by the tide of events―and now the situation has developed to this point. Before things turned out this way…there must have been something you could have done.”

―Being swept away by the tide of events, and now the situation has developed to this point.

Certainly, it might be as he says.

Ultimately, from the beginning to the end of the game, she could not even decide what she should do until the final battle with her sister.

As a result, she’s currently living out a life that her sister paved for her.

―There’s no sense in trying to oppose and win against Higure. There’s no doubt about that.

However, a way to rescue everyone from the system, or at least, by sacrificing herself, a way to save her sister…might have existed.

Instead, her older sister became the one who saved her life.

That was what Ruri thought.

“You…you…what do you know…? What kind of life have you been been through? Just about anyone can simply give out that kind of opinion if their life has only been easy-going.”

Yuuki answered while sighing,

“I too…have experienced pain beyond description, an excruciating pain…that was the kind of life I’ve been through. The kind of pain everyone is oblivious to. However, I do not think it’s the kind anyone wants to know about.”

He continued on with his reasoning,

“It is absolutely something one must overcome. If it’s a fate that someone cannot escape, then they must oppose it.”

Ruri had received a shock like she was being whacked in the head with a bat.

Before her eyes was indeed a user of Forbidden Arts: Soul Eater in this other world.

Under circumstances where couldn’t tell right from left, he had been kicked out, and then to gain strength, he acquired this skill that could be called a double-edged sword.

He literally―was living while having his soul being torn.

She had grasped the meaning of his words, and their weight as well.

However―

“It’s all too late at this point…Anything I do won’t change a thing. You know that, don’t you? How will I even be able to keep surviving past this point?”

“Indeed. I know…how regrettable it is. So if you can’t manage to do something by yourself, then let me help you out.”

“Help out…?”

Like that, Yuuki lied down on the spot.

“That pain from a while ago is getting intense…It’s quite bad, so let me lie down a bit.”

“You say that you can help?”

As it was, had Yuuki lowered himself and was lying down.

―What’s the meaning of this? The repercussions of Soul Eater are that violent? But, this is too much…

Questions marks were laying all over Ruri’s mind.

She could understand his abnormal power, but wasn’t he being too defenseless towards her?

At any rate, she had to carry out her ‘rabbit’ hunting, and there was one right there in front of her eyes. That’s something he should have known about.

‘Perhaps he―’ Ruri thought.

“Yes, I want to help you. I want to be your strength…I know…that you can oppose this fate. Though, I do not know how far I can help you with this problem you face…”

Those words were as expected.

He was purposely exposing himself as defenseless, he was telling her to take him to the research facility.

And there―he would oppose Higure.

Well, no matter what, she had to take him to the research facility anyways.

“You…although you’re being quite laid-back…are you actually prepared?”

“Oh…I’d like you to also strike me if you can.”

Yuuki was thinking.

―My back is killing me.

If he didn’t get a massage he wouldn’t be able to get over this pain.

“Alright…I understand.”

Ruri raised her battleaxe towards Yuuki, who lying face-down.

It appeared that he was intending to accompany her to the facility under the guise of being unconscious.

―He’s definitely intending to fight Higure.

However…Ruri had some doubts,

―There can’t be someone who can actually rival that monster.

“Well then, this might be painful for a bit.”

“Right, do it.”

So, Ruri hit Yuuki in the head with the back of her battleaxe.

 

 

 

At that moment, a magical burst occurred in Yuuki’s brain.

In such a circumstance, his brain emitted a danger signal and fell into an unconscious state in an emergency.

The berserker axe.

Its Confusion Magic gave rise to an additional effect.

What would happen if Yuuki, who was always confused, gets affected by magic meant to induce confusion?

Yeah.

From the start, since there wasn’t any room left for further confusion to enter, his brain had been put into a precarious situation.

So, due to that, it became evident that some phenomenon akin to shock-therapy had taken place.

In other words, by exceeding the limits of confusion, his brain became normalized.

Temporarily, he had acquired a circuit of rational human thought.

While dozing off in his dreams, Yuuki recalled the various things that happened up until this point.

Beating a magician who wielded magic on par with a nuke.

While he was running, the trees around him blew away somehow.

The petrification of medusa being nullified.

Then he remembered his own status. It stated that the ‘1’ was denoted in terms of ‘Nayuta.’

And there―he noticed it.

 

―It might be that…I’m insanely powerful, aren’t I?

(TLN: Okay guys, fun’s over now. Everyone pack your bags and go home.)

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Author’s Note:

This time he’s going to he’s going all out OP since the comedy over the misunderstandings hasn’t been getting positive reception. I know that this changes the entire atmosphere, though I feel that changing up the writing like this is okay.

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