Chapter 40
Along with a clear sound that rang through my mind, long system messages poured down before my eyes like a waterfall.
[Battle settlement begins.]
Ding- Ding- Daling- Ding-
[You have slain the enemy commander-class entity 'Kardor Ironskin'.]
[You detected and completely repelled a night raid that threatened your allies.]
[Using deceptive tactics to turn the enemy's trap against them, you annihilated 'Gromnar Ironfist' and the main force of the Ashen Claw Tribe.]
[You have completely seized control of the Ashen Forest, a key stronghold on the Western Front.]
I scrolled down with a satisfied smile. The most important reward message appeared.
[You gain an enormous amount of experience as a reward.]
Ding-!
[You have reached level 10!]
[You have acquired 1 new skill point.]
Ding-!
[You have reached level 11!]
[You have acquired 1 new skill point.]
"Ha, figures."
My prediction had been right. After taking down the mid-boss, defending against the night raid, and defeating the final boss, I would have been disappointed if it had ended with just one level gained. I had risen two levels in one go. I was now level 11.
But the notifications did not stop there. A dazzling golden window, bright enough to make my eyes ache, appeared before my field of vision instead of the usual blue one.
[Congratulations! As a level 10 achievement bonus, you are granted the following skill.]
"Oh…."
It seemed to be a bonus granted separately from skill points. Filled with anticipation, I read the golden skill window.
[Conception Control]
Details: You can manipulate the motility of sperm released into the body during ejaculation and the probability of fertilization according to your will. You can perfectly prevent an unwanted pregnancy (0%) or reliably induce implantation with a single act (100%). This skill cannot be leveled up.
'Huh.'
It was nothing surprising. It was exactly the kind of skill the [Harem Overlord Integrated Pack] would have. Fortunately, I liked the effect itself. From now on, I would not need to worry about the risk of pregnancy. Just imagining pressing my body against Hanna's without a condom already made my groin feel heavy.
Fwoooosh-!
Golden particles poured forth and enveloped me. Along with the sensation of a tingling electric current running through my entire body, a heavy, hot warmth settled in my lower abdomen.
I checked the skill window next.
[Skill points held: 2]
[Choose one of the options below to receive a reward.]
1. [Enhance an existing skill]
2. [Acquire a new skill]
Without hesitation, I selected [Acquire a new skill].
1. [Bullet Time]
Details: When the skill is activated, you enter a hyperaccelerated state in which you perceive the flow of everything except yourself at one-tenth speed for up to 3 seconds.
Option 1 was [Bullet Time], occupying its usual place as always. I lowered my gaze without hesitation.
2. [Iron Virility]
Details: During sexual interaction with the opposite sex, your physical vitality and stamina increase dramatically. This skill cannot be leveled up.
"Hmm?"
[Iron Virility]? If it had been a bonus, I would have taken it without question, but I didn't think it was worth spending precious skill points on. Even with Hanna, I had never felt particularly short on stamina.
I moved over to [Enhance an existing skill]. Then I selected [Touch of Tuning]. It was an essential skill if I wanted to keep tending to Seraphina in the future.
['Touch of Tuning' skill: Would you like to enhance it?]
"Yes."
['Touch of Tuning' skill level has increased. (Lv.1 -> Lv.2)]
[You can now detect, manipulate, or reconstruct the target's vital energy with greater precision.]
A new sensation seeped into my hands. It was a strange feeling, both electrifying and ticklish. It felt as though the sensations transmitted through my hands had grown sharper.
'I wonder how well I can control [Mana Reflux] with this.'
[This skill has reached its maximum level.]
It seemed that [Touch of Tuning] had a maximum level of 2. Thanks to that, I had 1 skill point left.
I returned to [Acquire a new skill] and chose [Bullet Time]. It was far better than [Iron Virility], which was useless for anything besides sex.
'Something feels a little unsatisfying.'
Selecting something I had always put off until later left me feeling a little disappointed.
But I still had points I could gain from being promoted to captain or through Seraphina.
[You have selected the skill 'Bullet Time'.]
[Acquiring a new skill!]
A ding- sounded, and information and sensations about the skill flowed into my mind. I instinctively understood how to activate it and how to move.
That was when I heard an irritating buzzing sound. It was a fly.
'Bugs tend to swarm around you when you're in the military.'
Especially when it came to nimble flies, I had long since given up trying to catch them, since I could never even get close.
'I won't have any use for it for at least a day anyway, so I might as well try it out.'
Before using it in actual combat, I needed to confirm whether my body could withstand moving at accelerated speed and whether the skill truly worked according to my thoughts.
I waited for the fly to come closer. After buzzing around inside the tent as though it owned the place, it soon flew toward me.
'Now.'
[Activating the skill 'Bullet Time'.]
For a moment, every sound in the world stopped. No—it had not stopped. The fly's buzzing, which had been going bzz-, stretched into a bizarre, deep zzzzzzzzzzzng- sound.
Before my eyes, I could clearly see the fly flapping its wings in slow motion.
I reached for the military boot lying on the floor. Then I swatted the fly without mercy. Pweeeeeeok-! With an almost weightless impact, the fly died instantly.
I looked around. Time was still slowed. I returned the military boot to its place and took a bite of an apple resting in the corner of the tent.
'……When is this going to end?'
It was only after biting into the apple three times that [Bullet Time] ended. At the same time, a system message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[The skill 'Bullet Time' has entered cooldown.]
[Time remaining: 23 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds]
After trying it out, I realized that [Bullet Time] was an even more incredible skill than I had expected.
'Three seconds at one-tenth speed… That means I can use it for thirty seconds. Thirty seconds is much longer than I thought.'
If I sprinted at full speed for thirty seconds, I could run more than two hundred meters in the time it would take everyone else to run a few dozen.
'One-tenth speed. So I can move ten times faster than everyone else. This really is a cheat skill.'
I checked my physical condition, too. Had I injured myself by moving so quickly? It was an obvious cliché for someone's body to be unable to withstand heightened senses and get hurt.
'I'm fine.'
But I had not been injured anywhere.
'In the end, this is a game world, and this is a skill.'
That was good news for me.
*
A few days later, the 7th Regiment returned to headquarters, leaving only the minimum garrison force behind in the Ashen Forest. Officially, we were returning to the rear to take time to reorganize, but rumors were spreading that the 7th Regiment would rest after handing the breakthrough we had opened over to the follow-up forces.
The rumbling procession of trucks and the soldiers' footsteps filled the dirt road. I sat in the passenger seat of a jeep and looked out the window. The familiar main gate of the base came into view.
The jeep soon stopped, and I got out and straightened my clothes. That was when I caught sight of Seraphina stepping out of the vehicle ahead.
"……Oh."
An exclamation escaped me before I knew it. She was not wearing the combat uniform I always saw her in. Perhaps she had changed in preparation for our return; she was dressed in the formal uniform of an Imperial female officer.
Imperial female officers' dress uniforms were famous for their design, which struck a peculiar balance between practicality and aesthetics. The top was a tight tunic that emphasized the waist, similar to a male officer's, but the bottom was not trousers.
A snug black H-line skirt that fell just above the knees.
Beneath it were flawless black stockings and long leather boots.
'She always wears trousers.'
Why had she bothered to change clothes now, right before our return?
Perhaps she sensed my gaze, because she turned her head. When our eyes met, she flinched and looked away. The tips of her ears were slightly red.
[Status: Conscious of Max Jaeger's gaze.]
'Looks like she wanted to show it off.'
I chuckled and approached her.
"Welcome back, Captain. That dress uniform suits you very well."
"……I only dressed formally because I have to report my return to the regimental commander."
She replied deliberately stiffly.
"…Tomorrow, there will be a preliminary meeting on the distribution of rewards for merit, presided over by the regimental commander. It looks certain that you'll be promoted, too."
"Thank you. It's all thanks to you, Captain."
"No, it's your own ability."
Seraphina paused for a moment, as though weighing her next words.
"…And, this evening."
Her voice grew quieter.
"I'll come to your quarters."
Oh?
"…You need treatment, don't you?"
"Understood. I'll have everything ready."
*
Knock, knock.
"…It's me."
At the appointed time, there was a knock at the door. Seraphina entered when it opened. She was still wearing the dress uniform I had seen earlier.
"Salute, Captain. Welcome."
[Status: Suppressed fatigue.]
[Hidden Trait: Mana Reflux (Mana Overload) - Chronic internal injury. The pain has begun again.]
The effect of the back rub I'd given her during the operation seemed to have worn off completely. The pain must have started again, because Seraphina's complexion was pale and her body was trembling faintly.
"Where does it hurt?"
"…My whole body, again."
"Then we'll start with your back again today…."
"No…."
Seraphina's quiet voice cut me off.
"Today, I'll have the front… treated. And my lower body, too."
"……"
Her trembling hand moved toward the buttons of her shirt.