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Muramasa lost consciousness, Caliburn’s mana ran out, and the Knights of the Round Table were vanishing.

[Defeated Tsurugi Muramasa. Earned 5,000 EXP.]

Lanpeach looked at Caliburn lying on the grass and let out a sigh of relief, patting his chest in reassurance.

“Man, holding back is ridiculously hard. I was sweating bullets, thinking I might accidentally kill Muramasa.” (Lanpeach)

“Yeah~. Hmm, it is alright. This old guy’s head is still attached.” (Libra)

“Hey, let’s not use phrases that would allude to his neck tearing off at any point.” (Lanpeach)

“Ahaha, it’s fine. He’s still breathing.” (Libra)

“That’s a bit of a concerning way to put it.” (Lanpeach)

In truth, Lanpeach had realized partway through the fight that victory against Muramasa was assured. It might have been tough with his base stats, but Lanpeach had an easy time with all the buffs stacked on.

“This game allows you to stack buff spells as much as you want as long as they are not the same spell after all. But if you’re forced into a short-term battle while using them, you’re screwed.” (Lanpeach)

Powder of Element is a game where stacking buff spells before battle can change the outcome entirely. Even enemies that were tough in a normal state could be easily defeated with enough buffs. However, in late game, enemies that can use dispel-type spells and skills become more common, so you can’t let your guard down.

Thinking back on it, Lanpeach could somewhat understand why Avege’s subordinates used buff spells right from the start. The Magic Academy apparently teaches similar tactics.

“But it was really tricky to hold back without going too far. If this were a game, I could just leave the enemy with 1 HP, but that wouldn’t work here.” (Lanpeach)

In games, the ‘hold back’ command was designed to leave enemies with just 1 HP and knock them out.

“In that case, you might end up leaving them as little more than a vegetable, barely breathing.” (Libra)

“I’m glad I leveled up my martial arts skills.” (Lanpeach)

“Definitely. Otherwise, you’d end up as Lanpeach, the murderous thief. It might be a fitting title for a minor villain like you though, Soldier.” (Libra)

Lanpeach imagined himself as a robber, laughing wickedly while licking a knife. He certainly fit the image.

“Considering murderous thief as a title is a bit too much, don’t you think? I’ve never seen anything like that in any manga or novel. But from Muramasa’s perspective, this would be an illegal break-in and treasure robbery. Given the standards of this world, you can’t complain even if you are killed. But if I had killed him, I feel like it would’ve kicked off Touka’s revenge story.” (Lanpeach)

He could almost see a vision of a young girl smiling brightly as she set off on a journey to avenge her deceased father. But instead of focusing on revenge, she’d likely get sidetracked by things like aliens, power spots, or mysterious hidden bases. Lanpeach hadn’t known Touka for long, but he had a feeling she’d be like that.

“Well, it’s a bit late to say this, but players are sad creatures. Even if the item is marked as ‘Do Not Steal’, they’ll take it if no one’s watching. They’ll even swipe a merchant’s wallet while invisible.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach looked off into the distance, letting out a small chuckle. Anyone who saw his sad eyes and twisted smile would likely be wary, knowing he was up to no good.

“So, all game players are minor villains, huh? Well, they’ll even steal hidden stashes. ‘Hero’ just means someone brave enough to pillage from civilians.” (Libra)

“That’s a pretty nasty way to put it. I won’t deny it though. Anyway, Hero Michibiki is now going to collect the items.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach chuckled as Libra laughed while swimming through the air on her back, and picked up the fallen swords.

[Holy Sword Caliburn: Attack Power 120. When you have all 12, you can use [Summon Knights of the Round Table].]

[Holy Sword Excalibur: Attack Power 120. When charged with mana, you can use [X-Strike] and [Final Strike]. Current charge rate: 100%.]

“These stats are incredible. You could use these weapons even near the end of the story. That’s only if it is the first playthrough though.” (Lanpeach)

“Yeah, those stats are off the charts. On the surface, it’d be considered a legendary weapon.” (Libra)

Libra peeked over Lanpeach’s shoulder, agreeing as she checked the swords’ stats. They were indeed worthy of the title of holy swords. Muramasa boasting about being able to defeat Star 9 explorers wasn’t a lie. Muramasa excelled at buffs, and he could have easily won in a one-on-one fight.

If Lanpeach had continued the story without resetting his stats, it could have been disastrous.

[Lanpeach the Thief has appeared!]

Lanpeach imagined himself in a bandana, grinning wickedly, only to be swiftly defeated. The thought of death flags being present even here sent a chill down the minor villain’s spine.

“The tuxedo and rings might also be worth a lot, but… Yeah, that would feel wrong, considering he’s Touka’s dad.” (Lanpeach)

“You’ve already pocketed the best stuff, and now you’re playing the good guy!” (Libra)

“This is also a good deed. A hero shows mercy to civilians. I’m a good guy, you know.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach placed a hand on his chest, speaking with a gentle smile. Though whether that smile was truly gentle or not, one would need a hand-mirror to confirm.

◇◇

“That said, level 5 with a Star 7 rank is weak in reality. Or maybe I’m just too strong. Well, I’ve got 5 times the experience, space equipment, and the deep wisdom of a sage.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach laughed proudly, his ego inflated by his overwhelming victory over the formidable mage, Muramasa.

[You… Well, I guess that’s fine.] (Libra)

Libra sighed with a bit of exasperation, but Lanpeach didn’t mind.

“Alright, let’s clear this dungeon quickly.” (Lanpeach)

He retrieved the Twin Spirit Key and held it up to the altar. 

The key glowed, illuminating the surroundings as the magic circle reactivated, sending a blue pillar of light up to the ceiling. 

It was a teleportation portal leading to the dungeon.

“This dungeon should be untouched. Uhihi, maybe I’ll post this on the guide website.” (Lanpeach)

[That doesn’t sound reassuring. Wouldn’t it be better to enter with a bit more style?] (Libra)

Lanpeach rubbed his hands together with bent back to the front and a wicked grin while stepping into the portal with Libra who had a wry smile. 

The space around them lit up, and Lanpeach squinted against the brightness. 

Once his eyes finally adjusted, he looked around, letting out a breath of awe.

“It’s a pretty modern dungeon.” (Lanpeach)

It was a room that resembled a cargo bay. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of metal, and the emergency lights cast a dim glow over the space. Next to the teleportation portal was a cylindrical terminal, and small containers and shelves were scattered throughout the room.

[The terminal seems to be operational. Look, there’s something displayed on the monitor.] (Libra)

“Indeed. This is…” (Lanpeach)

[Machine Operation]

[Electronic Operation]

Lanpeach activated his skills, trying to determine the nature of the machine. His brain was equipped with knowledge from the Space Library, allowing him to analyze the relics. Lanpeach was truly a sage of intellect.

“It appears to be a machine for controlling the teleportation portal.” (Lanpeach)

[Fumu fumu, and?] (Libra)

“I-It appears to be a machine for controlling the teleportation portal…”

[Is that all you can figure out?! What about how to operate it?] (Libra)

And so, the sage of intellect, Lanpeach, was revealed to be utterly useless.

“It’s not my fault! My level is too low. I’d need at least level 6 for this. But I don’t want to waste EXP on Machine Operation.” (Lanpeach)

He sighed bitterly as Libra, the silver-haired shrine maiden, pouted and smacked his head in frustration. 

It seemed that in reality, various skills were necessary unlike the games. It is even necessary for shopping, so experience point distribution is becoming increasingly challenging.

“Hey, Libra, can’t you operate this? Isn’t this the kind of situation where a support character shines?” (Lanpeach)

[…Um, did you say something? What? What did you say?] (Libra)

“Nothing. Yeah, I think Libra is just fine the way she is.” (Lanpeach)

Libra-san pressed her soft, peach-like breasts against Lanpeach’s cheek while tilting her head cutely. Yes, this was the support character he needed, thought Lanpeach, grinning like an idiot while going ‘dehehe’.

He enjoyed the clever distraction provided by the lovely girl as he vowed to ask the same question again later while thinking of his next move.

“Alright, let’s go with [Expedition Command]. I’ll have the rabbits analyze this machine.” (Lanpeach)

He issued the command without much expectation. 

The teleportation portal shimmered, and the rabbits came trotting in, including Mimi, who had been sleeping soundly in bed.

“Hnn~, Mimi doesn’t know what to do, so she’ll just sleep here, okay?” (Mimi)

Mimi quickly gave up on analyzing the machine after a few pats and fell asleep. It seemed she really wasn’t up to the task.

“This terminal controls the teleportation portal’s destination. I’ve deleted the settings to block transfers from other regions and set ‘Sweet Pancake’ as the new destination. The portal to Tsurugi House can be used only once for returning. Otherwise, we’d be stuck here. Ah -rabbi.” 

But there was one other rabbit that actually proved to be useful. Carrying a tuxedo over its back, it had a small pouch at its waist with glimpses of wallets and rings peeking out.

The rabbit had black, sleek fur, almost skin-tight, which is most likely because it is a variant. The fur around its legs look like fishnet stockings, but you are just imagining it, just imagining it.

Its small figure and flat chest made it look quite young, and staring at this bunny brought on an odd feeling of guilt and shame.

[Nyaa! Soldier, don’t stare at the rabbit like that! I’ll call the police!] (Libra)

Libra shouted for some reason and tightened her legs around Lanpeach’s neck. Did something about the situation make her react this way? Lanpeach wasn’t quite sure.

“Okay, okay. So, can you set it up quickly?” (Lanpeach)

“About five minutes-rabbi.” 

It seemed that this bunny-chan was far more helpful than Libra. She must have come to offer support…not just to retrieve the abandoned treasure chest.

“As for the support characters… Hmm, changing support characters isn’t really an option.” (Lanpeach)

With her soft chest pressed against him and smooth legs wrapped around his neck, the cute support character wasn’t someone he could easily replace. 

They’d been through a lot together, and now, a bond had formed. There’s no other reason.

“Alright then, I’ll leave it to you. I’m going to clear the dungeon.” (Lanpeach)

“Good luck. I’m sure it’ll be even more exciting from here.” 

Lanpeach waved at the bunny-chan, then pulled the lever beside the bulkhead. The emergency lights lit up and began to rotate, and with a heavy grinding sound, the thick, moreover, multi-layered bulkhead, slowly opened.

“Whoa, what is this place? It’s huge! How many domes does this cover?” (Lanpeach)

The room beyond was vast —so large that it hardly felt right to call it a room. The ceiling soared at least 100 meters high, and the width stretched beyond what could be seen in the dim light. Massive metal pillars lined the space like a temple, and the area seemed large enough to fit an entire city block.

The floor and walls were metal, and as Lanpeach stepped forward, the dust that had settled there began to lift into the air.

“A base of death ruled by silence, I guess?” (Lanpeach)

[Seems like it. Doesn’t look like there’s much here.] (Libra)

Lanpeach and Libra walked forward, commenting on the dusty surroundings as they moved, and…

“Looks like we’ve got some company.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach noticed two girls with green bodies standing a few hundred meters ahead. 

The figures had the appearance of young girls, but their smooth green skin glowed faintly, almost like neon. Their faces were cute, though expressionless, as they stared blankly at Lanpeach.

[Mad Sylph: Level 6.]

Libra quickly identified the enemies, pointing them out with a sharp gesture. She wore a very proud smile, eager to show her usefulness.

[Soldier, enemies ahead! Your brilliant support character has already analyzed them for you!] (Libra)

“Thanks. Alright, let’s make quick work of this first encounter—” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach, grinning confidently as he prepared for battle, suddenly saw the Sylphs raise their hands and mutter softly.

“Intrusion of humanity detected.”

[Windstorm]

[Windstorm]

“Huh?”

A raging storm engulfed Lanpeach and Libra soon after he spoke. 

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