Episode 31

“Huh? You’re with a guy? Shouldn’t I report this to your parents!?”

“It’s not like that. As a senior Soul Binder, she’s just accompanying me to teach me various things.” 

I didn’t want any strange events related to Kirisaki to trigger. So I made sure to set the record straight immediately. If any misunderstandings caused odd events, it would be a hassle.

Still, it seems that Kirisaki is quite the celebrity around here. Though she responds in her usual indifferent tone, she seems a bit more cheerful than usual. I hadn’t really seen this side of her in the game. It’s something I could only witness because the main storyline of the game hasn’t started yet. And I found it surprisingly refreshing.

As more people recognized Kirisaki, they began calling out to her one by one. 

…It looks like we won’t be able to move for a while. Though there’s a time limit, it’s not like we’re pressed for time right now. So it’s fine to take a little break.

“Kirisaki-chan! That last subjugation was amazing! I saw it on the news!”

“It wasn’t that impressive.”

“Long time no see, Kirisaki-chan! Glad to see you’re still doing well!”

“Yeah, I’m doing well.”

“My grandson keeps saying he wants to be like you, Kirisaki-chan.”

“That’s exciting. I’ll be looking forward to the day we can spar.”

Kirisaki responded to each person with short, emotionless replies. But her calm demeanor seemed to reassure the townsfolk that she was still the same as ever. 

While I watched this unfold, even the other Soul Binders began to notice her.

“…Isn’t that Kirisaki-san?”

“W-wait, seriously?! That’s the beautiful and powerful woman from the Michael Union, right?!”

“Whoa… This is my first time seeing her in person! I’m totally going to brag to my friends later!”

“W-who’s the guy with her…?”

……Hey, there’s no need to focus on me too. 

Kirisaki really is something else. Even a year ago, she was already regarded as the strongest active fighter. 

After a while of greeting people, Kirisaki finally said, 

“I have plans today, so maybe another time. Takigawa, let’s head to the weapon shop.”

“You don’t have to rush; it’s fine to take your time.”

“I’m fine. I can always come back anytime.”

…Anytime, huh? Hearing that made my heart ache as I thought about what lies ahead in the future. Together, Kirisaki and I walked towards the weapon shop further down the street.

“Oh, welcome, Kirisaki-chan! What brings you here?”

“I came to check out some weapons. I’m guiding someone who’s going into the dungeon today.”

“Ah, I see. Feel free to take your time looking around.”

Following the shopkeeper’s words, I began to browse the weapons.

“By the way, Takigawa. What kind of weapon do you use?”

“I use… my fists. I’m looking for gloves.”

“In that case, over here.”

I was somewhat torn about which weapon to choose, but I usually fought with my fists when I played the game. So I decided to stick with the same weapon. The shop had a range of gloves, from thin ones to heavy-duty leather ones.

…..I’ve got a decent amount of money on hand. When I started living on my own, my family gave me a pretty large sum. Even so, if I buy a weapon, it’ll likely use up most of it.

Ideally, I’d like to buy some other equipment too, but… I’ll have to choose carefully. 

I think it’s best to buy the strongest weapon I can afford right now. But having played the game, I know that’s not always the perfect solution. Equipment in the game isn’t just about defense or attack—it also boosts your stats when you level up. 

Generally, stronger equipment gives a bigger stat boost. But there are also recommended pieces specifically for leveling up. Eventually, after clearing post-game dungeons, you can get items to boost your stats further. However, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to grind that much in real life.

I picked up a pair of gloves from the selection. These were the Black Gloves. It’s an equipment meant for leveling up, which I often used in the main game.

I tried slipping the gloves on lightly, and they weren’t bad at all.

“It’s rare to fight with fists.”

“Is that so?”

“Most people use weapons.”

…That’s true. But from a game perspective, gloves aren’t a bad choice. 

Weapons like swords and spears have a hidden weight parameter, which slightly reduces movement speed the more you equip them. While the difference is almost negligible, there is a slight negative adjustment to base speed when comparing light armor to heavy armor. 

Gloves, on the other hand, have no such impact. In other words, if you want to maximize speed in battle, gloves are the best choice. 

…Of course, the stat boosts from equipment are lower, though. But that can be compensated by building up your base stats.

“I find this easier to use.”

…Besides, I want to equip gear that helps with leveling up. In the game, when you fight with certain gear, the equipment itself levels up too. You can equip up to three items. So ideally, I’d want to wear three leveling items at once.

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