"Where are they?"
"Those two adventurers I saw yesterday!"
The next day, the blonde Crusader girl, Darkness, burst into the Adventurers' Guild.
She looked around, scanning the place, trying to spot Rin and Ogerpon from the night before. But after searching all over...
She saw nothing.
"Not here?"
"Did they go on a quest?"
Thinking that, Darkness walked up to Luna and asked about Rin.
In the Konosuba World, asking about fellow adventurers wasn't rude.
There really wasn't much scheming here.
"Are you referring to Rin-san and his familiar, Ogerpon?"
"Rin? What a strange name."
Darkness repeated it a few times under her breath, then asked, "Um... I'd like to join their party. Could you help me keep track of this Rin's movements?"
"I can. But wouldn't posting a notice be quicker?"
"I'll do that too."
Just thinking about Rin and Ogerpon's blood-soaked, dripping-wet appearance made Darkness tremble again.
She unconsciously clamped her legs together, and her pale face flushed with... an odd blush.
"...Uh."
Luna stared blankly, not sure whether she should report this to Rin.
"Alright."
Luna nodded. "Next time I see Rin-san, I'll pass on your message."
But what neither she nor Darkness knew...
Was that Rin had already left the Konosuba World.
Whether he'd accept Darkness or let that masochistic Crusader join his party.
That would be something for Rin to decide after he returned.
—
Cardinal World
"Pon!!"
Two figures appeared on a grassy hillside. Rin and Ogerpon had returned from the Konosuba World.
---
[New intelligence acquired. Beginning analysis...]
[Analysis complete]
[Obtained Inherent Skill: Melee Mastery]
[Obtained Inherent Skill: All Weapon Mastery]
[Obtained Inherent Skill: All Class Mastery]
[Obtained Special Skill: Magicules Solidification]
[Acquired New Magic: Explosion Magic, Superior Magic, Elemental Magic, Healing Spell...]
[Magic Integration Complete, Obtained Class: Mage]
[Divine Blessing discovered, beginning Appraisal...]
[Appraisal Complete]
[Obtained Unique Skill: Duplicator]
"We're back."
Rin exhaled as he opened his status panel.
---
[Itoshi Rin]
[Race: Half-Demon]
[Existence Value: 4015EP]
[Magic: Energy Cube Creation, Pokémon Space, Appraisal, Explosion Magic, Superior Magic, Advanced Healing Spell, etc.]
[Class: Mage (Can directly construct magic using magic power)]
[Special Skill: Magicules Solidification (Can convert magicules into spirit and flesh for storage)]
[Inherent Skills: Adaptability, Melee Mastery, All Weapon Mastery, All Class Mastery, etc.]
[Unique Skills: Traveler [Broken], Leader, Capturer, Duplicator (Can duplicate others' general skills and inherent skills)]
[Dependent: Ogerpon (8031EP, B-rank)
Marked Worlds: Pokémon World, Konosuba World]
---
"The Mage profession must've formed from integrating all the Konosuba magic I absorbed."
"Same with all these melee-related mastery skills…"
Rin had also gained a Unique Skill—Duplicator.
Can duplicate others' general skills and inherent abilities.
In the Cardinal World, skills are divided into four tiers: General skills, Inherent skills, Extra skills, and Unique Skills.
Above those are ultimate skills that only True Demon Lords can awaken.
"According to this world's rules, only beings with special souls can gain Unique Skills."
In the original story, there was a case where Shogo, a summoned otherworlder, killed a girl named Kirara and sacrificed her soul to obtain the Unique Skill Survivor.
Only a special soul from another world could be traded for a Unique Skill.
That proves how rare Unique Skills are.
Even Rimuru initially only had two: Great Sage and Predator.
"This trip to the Konosuba World was a massive win."
In just one day, to have gained this much… Rin increasingly felt the power of the Broken-ranked Traveler skill.
Just as he was examining the changes in his panel, Ogerpon's startled cry interrupted his thoughts.
"Rin!!"
"Hm?"
Following Ogerpon's gaze, Rin's eyes narrowed. "This is…"
"O-our camp!!"
What greeted them was a total mess. The camp, which was supposed to be nearly complete, had been reduced to rubble.
Ogerpon was completely stunned.
"Who did this?!"
She was furious.
Crude as it was, that camp had been built with Rin's hands, piece by piece.
It was their effort. Their base.
"Who destroyed Rin's hard work…"
Ogerpon was ready to summon her Ivy Cudgel and beat whoever did it into the ground.
"Calm down."
Rin gently reassured the angry Ogerpon, and the two cautiously moved in to inspect the scene.
"These tracks… definitely some kind of large insect."
Rin crouched down, examining the imprints in the mud. "Could those Insect Monsters have sent others looking for us?"
The smell of that insect creature still lingered in the air.
No doubt about it—it was them.
"Damn it…"
"Ogerpon hates bugs!"
She was frustrated, but more than that, her heart ached for the ruined camp.
"Alright, don't be angry."
Rin smiled and stroked her head. "At least we weren't here when it happened."
"And this incident is a wake-up call."
"This place isn't safe."
"Then what should we do…?"
"Either we move and find a new base," Rin said, "or we find their lair and eliminate the threat completely."
How could he sleep knowing those monsters were right next door?
If it had been intelligent demons capable of negotiation, Rin wouldn't have minded talking it out and coexisting.
But those Insect Monsters never gave him the chance.
From the start, the spider-type bug had treated them as food.
And every attack after that made their intention crystal clear: devour Rin and Ogerpon.
So there was no need for mercy.
If he had to act, he'd go all the way. No survivors.
(To be continued.)