CH 273

May 17, 2023

“…Sorry, I’m a little late.”

“So, any excuse?”

“Don’t have one…”

At the entrance to the city of beginnings, I was down on my knees with my arms crossed in front of the angry Rin-chan.

To add salt to the wounds, I could feel the piercing gaze of people around me as if they as [what the hell they were doing?]

“Three hours, it’s three hours. Isn’t it a bit too much for [a bit late?] right?”

“It’s as you say….”

Yes, that’s right.

I had nothing to say to that because I took my time in eliminating the ghost of the sunken city.

The final number of ghosts killed was about 650 in all. I honestly don’t remember the exact number, but if I take a look at my history, I might be able to figure it out.

I also got a lot of experience, a not-so-unreasonable amount of iris, and some rare weapons from millionaires and stronger Seekers. In the end, the battle results were so bountiful that I was running out of space in my inventory.

But…

When I took a break and looked at my watch, it read 7:30 a.m. I had missed my 5:00 a.m. appointment to stream with her by two and a half hours.

I dashed to the safe zone and dashed to the meeting place in the city of beginnings, where I was greeted by a smiling Rin-chan.

Naturally, I immediately got down on my knees and apologized.

< That’s given.>

< I’d also be pissed if I was held up for three hours.>

<Sukuna had switched to having fun.

<She was flying pigeons, for God’s sake.

< It’s a very immoral picture.

< It’s like we’re on good terms with each other.”

I don’t need to see to know the chat is currently bashing me, but I did anyway. Then again, I am 100% to blame, so I have to accept this.

“Haah~~ It’s my fault for not stopping you, so be it, this is not worth my time.”

After several minutes of persistent lecturing, Rin-chan sighed and said,

“As a punishment, you will hold me in a princess carry until we got reached the Shrine of the End.”

“I’m fine with it, but… won’t you get embarrassed, Rin-chan?”

“There’s nothing to embarrassed about, I need to show the world how much I and Nana love each other.”

“? Well then, hold tight on me, okay?”

Lifting Rin-chan effortlessly, I held her as she wrapped both arms around me, pressing her face against my chest.

<aaaaaaaaaaaaaa ^.^>

<Just when I thought they were fighting, they suddenly started getting lovey-dovey.>

<T-These two…>

< Let’s just state what happened as it is (lol).>

< They’re taking it too far.>



<Wow, amazing!>

<Have you ever seen a transition to a princess carry happen so naturally?>

<What are these two doing in public?>

I’m used to doing princess carries because I did them quite frequently, not necessarily every day, but from when I was a small child until junior high school.

In the real world, Rin-chan is very weak. She’s quite strong now, but she had really poor physical strength in the past.

When she was feeling well, she’d take my hand and lead the way, but when she was tired, either piggyback or princess carry was the standard mode of transport.

Rin-chan preferred the princess carry the most because she said [it’s because we can see each other’s faces].

“Nfufu~”

“You’re very excited today, aren’t you?”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve done something like this, right? I need you to treat me like a princess, right now.”

“Yes, yes. Hold on to me.”

<Where is the Rinne we know…?>

<Is it okay to allow a Rinne to show something like this…?>

< It’s so dazzling, I feel like I’m going to die.>

<Nana unexpectedly looks silly with her remarks.>

<The person who can maintain composure even when being embraced by Rinne must be very rare in this world.>

<Rinne → Nana, it’s nice to see this kind of thing happening. *thumbs up*>

<↑I think it’s been like this since the beginning.>

<Is this the Tete venue?>

<Yes, this is.>

<Where is the Rinne we know…?>

<Is this the kind of Rinne we’re allowed to have here at ……?>

< I’m dying from the glare.>

<Nana is surprisingly salty.>

< She’s just being normal.>

<How many people in this world can maintain their normalcy when being hugged by Rinne?>

<Rinne to Nana, I like that there is such a thing.>

<↑I think that’s been consistent since the first time it came out.>

<Is this the TeeTee venue?>

<This is the venue.>

It took about an hour on foot from the town at the beginning to the forest at the end.

I had many people look at me with curiosity and actually talk to me, but I never met any monsters.

The reason why I did not encounter any monsters was simply because of the level difference. Apparently, having a level that is too high above the average level of the field causes enemies to avoid the player.

I have to admit that I was thankful for this because my hands were full, and I was carrying Rin-chan in my arms. I could fight with just my legs, and Rin-chan could use magic, but it would ruin the picnic mood.

After a while, we easily reached the forest of the end.

“I was thinking of saying ‘it’s been a while’ but this is my first time coming to the Forest of the End.”

“I came here in the early days. Oh, give me the lantern for directions. I’ll tie it to my muffler.”

“But I can’t see it if you tie it behind me… chat, please do the live commentary nicely.”

<Leave it to us, baby.>

<What about our right not to be used for their flirting? >

< That’s what we want!>



<Well, it’s probably not there.>

<Go right.>

< It’s on the right side.>

<The light is stronger on the right.>

<Probably on the right?>

“Okay, it’s on the left.”

<You said you couldn’t see it!?>

<Maybe there are eyes on the back of her head.>

<Darn, it’s the reflection!>

<Well, the forest is dark at night, so it can’t be helped.>



“Nana’s listeners are lively.”

“Do you think so? They’re not so kind to the streamer.”

“They just want to bring out various expressions from the people they like. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a smile.”

“Are your chat meanie? “

“Yes, they are.”

< Don’t agree right away!>

< That’s impolite.>

<My condolences.>

<Fire the regret cannon!>

<Please deny that.>

<Because Rinne’s listeners are evil.>

< It’s the word of the female streamer with the most fans and anti-fans in the world who says so.>

< That’s… we just want to see our favorite’s various faces…>

<↑Darkness, disappear!>

<Rinne is also a pretty evil streamer…>

<↑Birds of a feather flock together, I guess.>

Chats are getting excited by Rin-chan’s relentless words.

I enjoy seeing a lot of things you don’t usually see from Rin-chan in a collaborative stream. Rin-chan’s listeners are a bit like mine, but they have a different image of Rin-chan than I do, so I get to see fresh reactions.

“We’re similar right, Rin-chan?”

“Well, if there were more of our kind, Nana wouldn’t have to struggle so much just to survive.”

“Hahaha, that’s definitely true.”

< It’s not that way.>

<now it’s just boasting!>





<Sukuna has a sad history…>

<Even in the world of fighting manga, there is no such thing as a lawless creature.>

< I’m going to expand my circle of like-minded people with a plan to turn the entire human race into Sukuna.>

“When the world is filled with me, the human race will rise to the next level.”

“By then, I doubt we’ll even be called human anymore.”

<LOL>

<An organism from the Nana species.>

<Science isn’t going to progress at this rate.>

<Welcome to a world without order, ruled by violence.>

<the era of the King of the End of the Century.> {Hokuto no Ken reference. I don’t want to elaborate on that, lol}

<Tere-tete> {menancing sound effect}

“>∩(・ω・)∩< “{in case this is not clear, this is hand raised emoticon}

“Let’s at least bury them with our secret techniques…”

“Rude.”

I cut my gaze away from the chat’s comments, which were becoming tainted by the masterpieces of long ago, and put my focus on the stillness of the forest I had been feeling earlier.

“Then again, it’s not so much that monsters don’t come by, but that there aren’t many, to begin with, here. I suppose it’s partly because I just came from S≠Trillia which was hellishly packed with a monster.”

“I guess so. I think it’s fair to say that it’s the dead end of the world. There is no reason for it to exist except for the shrine of the end… No, there is actually one more thing. There’s a Named monster here.”

“What kind?”

“It’s Vladia, the Luring Serpent. It’s a super-sized, viper-shaped Named.”

“I think I’ve heard of this before.”

“It’s Rou’s Named Weapon, right?”

“Aah! I see, so it’s come from this place.”

It’s the Name of Boss Monster used as the material for Rou’s Mellow Rapier of seduction.

With the particulars of the equipment that specializes in poison and abnormalities, it’s easy to imagine that it’s a snake monster with a nasty characteristic.

“Do you want to fight it?”

“No, not right now. We’re probably too far apart in level to fight it anyway.”

<Strong.>

<Strong.>

<The composure of the strong.>

<Well, Vladia is only around level 50, right?>

< What’s the point of repeatedly hunting low-level Named monsters?>

“Well, there’s not much benefit in it, really. As a general rule, the stats of Named monster materials are about the level of the Named monster + 10-20. Even with the soul included, they’re at most +30. Of course, you can use them for a long time if you enhance them, but you need corresponding enhancement materials. Unless you really like the appearance or quality of the materials, it’s more useful to make equipment from the fields that correspond to your level in terms of certainty.”

“I see. Well, that’s true.”

The level of the solo named will change according to the level of the person who challenges him or her, but the party named will not. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the level of the boss is fixed, so if there is a difference in level, the boss will eventually become an easy enemy to defeat.

However, the strength of a dungeon boss and a Named Boss are different, even if they are at the same level.

Even if you defeat them for the sake of their soul, there is a possibility that you won’t be able to enhance them without another soul, like with my Red Wolf attire.

Considering the fact that the probability of obtaining a soul is extremely rare, it’s only natural that there are many opinions. For example, Rin-chan opt. to make the equipment by hunting monsters in a new town, which is more time effective.

While talking with chat and with Rin-chan, we continued to move toward the direction where the light from the lanterns waving behind us was getting stronger.

Albeit from a distance, I could finally see the goal come into sight.

“Oh, look, Rin-chan-chan, there’s moonlight about a kilometer that way. Maybe there is an open area.”

“I can’t see it with my eyes.”

<We too.>

<We can’t see it either.>

< Where’s……?>

<This is the telescope eye of Sukuna.>



<We followed Mr. Lantern here, so we can’t be wrong.>

<Now to Kamakura!> {…dammit, too many references, this translation quickly becomes a research note…}

We walked for about 7 minutes more before we arrived at a space that opened up about 20 meters into the forest.

In the center of the space, there was a small structure that looked like a shrine but was too small to be a residence.

The door to the shrine was closed with a plate-like disk in front of it that seemed to be asking me to put something on it.

“Perhaps this is the Shrine of the End.”

“I guess so. Nana, I’m going down there.”

“Okay.”

I did as I was told and set Rin-chan down.

It was only natural since we were about to enter a dungeon with a high level of difficulty.

“So…. how did you get here?”

I called out without turning around toward the presence behind me that I had faintly sensed from the moment I arrived here.

At times like this, I thought it would be kind of cool to direct the presence without daring to turn around.

But all that joking aside.

I turned around to see Oni NPC in a Miko costume, who had given me a lantern yesterday.

“Don’t be so cautious. I am the guide of this shrine. Whenever a qualified person visits, I will be summoned.”

“I see.”

<Who?>

< It’s the lady with the lanterns.>



<Sukuna so cool!>

<The camera was moving at the perfect angle to avoid showing the shrine maiden.>

< It’s like a scene from an anime.>

< Camera-kun’s framing is too genius.>

“I was surprised too… I hate the idea of being in a forest at night…”

Rin is the type of person who scoffs at horror games as mere fiction but believes in the existence of ghosts. In fact, she tends to believe in things that are generally considered to “not exist.” According to Rin, “it was something that run inside the Takajou’s blood.”

So, she’s not easily scared by overtly scary things, but she does have a sensitivity to sudden surprises and gimmicks that make something suddenly appear.

“This is the door to reach the world between the worlds. And it is not only the demi-gods who are sealed in the world between the worlds.”

While smiling at our three different reactions, the priestess began to speak in a certain NPC-like manner.

“Beyond here lies the abandoned fairyland of waste, a paradise of solitude, an insect jar of emptiness, a sub-space of suspicion, the silent sea of mist, and the great shrine of the end. Punishment for sin. The reward for virtue. These great sinners, who have brought calamity upon themselves, but also possess both virtue and evil, and are thus permitted to exist by the Creator.”

The worlds that would probably exist inside the shrine are listed matter-of-factly by the shrine maiden. I couldn’t remember them all, but I feel like the “great shrine of the end” at the end is the place I want to go.

“I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to remember much about it. Rin-minna, please clip this for now.” {Rin’s followers}

<On it.>

<UOOO.>

< I’ll transcribe.>

<No, I’ll do it.>

While I was thinking about this, Rin-chan was already commanding her followers.

“Now, place the key here. The tied bond will lead you, the divine child, to the realm of the Oni god.”

“Okay, got it. This hairpin, right?”

“That is correct.”

“am I going to lose it? “

“After opening the door, it should return to your equipment.”

“That’s a relief. Let’s go then!”

I pulled out the Houzuki hairpin, which I felt like I had received many years ago, from my hair and offered it to the plate in front of the shrine.

Suddenly, a light was generated from the hairpin and irradiated onto the door of the shrine.

The door of the shrine shakes. It shook, and then I noticed that a vortex-like force field was generated there.

“I just need to dive into this whirlpool, right?”

“Yes, please dive in without hesitation.”

“Okay, got it. Let’s go, Rinn-chan!”

Rin-chan made a tired expression. It seems she had just finished a conversation with her viewers and then came over.

I was worried if the vortex didn’t properly transport us, we might end up hitting our faces on the shrine door… but then the shrine maiden NPC started talking.

“Please take care. Following the bond to the Kishin-sama means traveling back in time to the ‘Era of the Lost Gods’, which involves tracing back memories.”

“Okay!”

“It’s like an RPG intro, isn’t it?”

<LOL>

< That’s a shame.>

<Hey, Rinne, it could be called something like ‘XX Quest Side Story: The Era of the Lost Gods.’>

<It sounds about right.>

< It’s not bad.>

<A collaboration like that would work, even if it’s loose.>

“Come on, Rin-chan!”

“Alright, alright.”

We tightly held hands and jumped into the vortex, expressing our thoughts out loud, fully knowing that it might have upset the viewers.

====*

The initial plot was that Vladia was originally planned to be defeated by Nana. It has been here for the entire time.

By the way, I finally lifted the ban on emoticons.