This was the second time I'd come to the settlement space, and it wasn't much different from the last time.
In the boundless darkness, the only source of light was my own semi-incorporeal self.
[Settlement beginning. Evaluating player's instance performance... Evaluation complete.]
[Comprehensive Score: S (This instance's maximum possible score).]
[Basis for evaluation: Calmly responded to crises, consistently avoided the danger of falling into darkness, and successfully resolved the Blood Moon crisis.]
[Player level up: LV1 (80% EXP) -> Lv2 (60% EXP). As a reward for leveling up, your overall physique has been slightly enhanced.]
Hearing this, Fumiya Jin saw some small points of light materialize out of thin air in front of him, drift over, and merge into his body.
It was a bit like absorbing the green experience orbs that drop from killing zombies in "Minecraft."
This must be the physique enhancement?
But perhaps because his body was incorporeal, Fumiya Jin's perception of it was somewhat numb at the moment, so he couldn't tell just how much it had improved.
[Now distributing instance rewards.]
[Due to receiving an S-rank evaluation, the quality of this reward has been greatly increased.]
[Reward 1: Class Trait - Apex of Iaijutsu (Gold).]
[Upgrades the 'Draw Slash' skill to 'Iai Slash,' allowing the user to perform a special charge before activation. (Must also be used from a sheathed state.)]
[Charging will continuously consume the user's stamina and spirit, increasing the power of the strike.]
[When the charge reaches a certain level, the charge level will increase. There are three levels.]
[Releasing at different charge levels will unleash completely different powerful techniques.]
[If the charge does not even reach 1.0, it will only release a Draw Slash (power increased based on the charge).]
Iai Slash?
Fumiya Jin was no stranger to that.
But a charged Iai, with different techniques? Why does this feel so familiar?
Does this mean I also have to practice some kind of grappling hook hundred-rending slash?
And...
As the system prompt sounded, Fumiya Jin could clearly feel the trait integrating into his body.
However, regarding the three different charged techniques mentioned in the trait's description, no new understanding appeared in his mind.
So, when the charge is complete, how do I activate it?
Does it just automatically release once the charge condition is met, without needing to be consciously learned?
[Reward 2: Item - Rubick's Ring of Knowledge (Purple).]
A dark green ring materialized from thin air, floating in front of Fumiya Jin.
[While wearing this ring, touch another person for 10 seconds to temporarily acquire one of their skills or areas of knowledge. (Cooldown: 12 hours.)]
[The stolen content must be knowledge or a skill that the target has truly mastered through study or practice. Innate talents or directly granted skills and traits are not included.]
[The stolen content is stored in the ring as a medium, and only one can be stored at a time. If a new piece of knowledge is learned, the old one will be replaced, and the wearer's memory of the old skill will be quickly forgotten and cannot be retained.]
Fumiya Jin was slightly startled.
I... steal!
Although the description says it can only steal knowledge and skills gained through learning, so skills and traits directly awarded from instances definitely won't work.
But things like firearm proficiency, lockpicking, piloting vehicles like airplanes, and various other professional knowledge... all seem to be within its scope.
And Fumiya Jin also thought of something crucial... Kendo.
In Japan, Kendo is called the "way of the sword," but it primarily involves the use of blades.
The tachi is one of the main weapon types within it.
Although he now had a reasonably sharp weapon, a rapid close-range attack in the form of Draw Slash, and even a more powerful stationary burst skill with Iai... he was actually severely lacking in overall proficiency and other techniques for using a tachi. In previous battles, he had been slashing purely on instinct. If he could learn Kendo, his performance would improve dramatically. Both his offense and defense would become much more methodical.
So, where could he find someone with Kendo skills to "learn" from?
Fumiya Jin pondered for a moment.
An idea quickly came to him.
[Reward 3: Soul Sand *200.]
A cluster of semi-transparent sand floated in the air.
Its semi-transparent state was somewhat similar to Fumiya Jin's own body at the moment.
Fumiya Jin looked at it, slightly puzzled. What is this stuff?
But he wasn't in a hurry, waiting to hear the system's explanation for it.
One second...
Two seconds...
Three seconds...
[Reward distribution complete. Settlement will now conclude.]
[The next game will arrive in seven days at the latest. The Samsara Game looks forward to your next arrival.]
Wait, no.
It's just ending like this?
At least explain what this Soul Sand is!
After a brief moment of haze, his consciousness solidified again.
Fumiya Jin woke up with a start, his eyes snapping open.
He was sitting on the sofa in his living room, with Nijika right beside him.
As he turned his head to look at Nijika, she also moved her head groggily and woke up.
At that moment, Fumiya Jin noticed that Nijika was properly wearing that rabbit mask, and he had a mask on his face as well.
Which meant the masks hadn't disappeared; they had just been automatically confiscated upon entering the instance.
It seemed the Samsara Game didn't want them hiding their faces.
Although he could think of some ways to try and circumvent this, like wearing clothes with a particularly high collar...
But whether that would be effective, he didn't know.
After all, the Samsara Game didn't exactly play by the rules.
"Ah... We cleared it!" Nijika rubbed her eyes, waking up fully. Realizing they had cleared the instance, she couldn't help but let out a cry of joy.
Then she turned her head to look at Fumiya Jin, wanting to share her current joy with him, but for a moment, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind, and she didn't quite know what to do.
After all, this was the first time the two of them had entered and exited an instance together.
Having just come from that incredibly perilous environment where they shared life and death, and now returning to the safety of reality, they were face to face... How should one celebrate in a situation like this? She didn't have much experience.
Subconsciously, there was one answer—she wanted to hug him.
But she couldn't help but think, wouldn't that be... a bit forward, a bit presumptuous?
But just as she was thinking this, she saw Fumiya Jin take off his mask, then reach over and start to take hers off.
"Ah..." Nijika stiffened slightly. "I can get it myself..."
And so, Nijika's mask was also removed by Fumiya Jin and placed on the coffee table.
Though she said that, she didn't resist Fumiya Jin's actions.
Fumiya Jin leaned in.
He wrapped his arms around Nijika's slender and soft body.
Then he lowered his head and planted a big kiss on her tender right cheek!
Mwah!
He kissed her so forcefully that it even made a rather loud sound...
__________
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