[Top-tier Robe: Crafted from rare materials by a master tailor. Intelligence +25, Defense +15. Additional Skill: Mana Recovery - Recovers 1 point of mana every 10 seconds.]
[Top-tier Staff: Intelligence +18, Strength +20, Speed +6.]
[Star Ring: Intelligence +8, Defense +8, Constitution +8. Additional Skill: Mana Barrier - Creates a mana barrier with a diameter of three meters to block damage upon activation. Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes. (Note: Barrier may break prematurely if damage exceeds capacity. Strength correlates with Intelligence attribute.)]
Looking at this complete set of equipment, Takeru couldn't help but smile happily. Both the robes and the ring were extremely rare.
Although the Star Ring's skill seemed somewhat mediocre, the attribute points were valuable. Most importantly, multiple rings could be equipped. Without hesitation, Takeru immediately put them on.
After equipping them, Takeru, who was already handsome, looked even more dashing. As for Yui and the others, they didn't receive any. Though they didn't get anything, they didn't feel resentful. Instead, they all congratulated Takeru.
After the commendation ceremony came the celebration banquet. Notably, Manato and his group had also arrived with the Count, so Takeru saw them at the banquet.
After greeting everyone briefly, Takeru was surrounded by numerous volunteers… not to cause trouble, but to toast him one after another.
Especially a few enthusiastic volunteers who pulled Takeru aside, expressing that if Takeru hadn't acted swiftly, their own bodies might be lying on the ground now.
After dealing with everyone, Takeru returned to the inn in a daze. When he woke up, the sky was already bright...
Most importantly, Takeru found that besides himself, there were several other figures sprawled haphazardly on his bed… Yui and the others...
Seeing Mio and Ui clinging to him like koalas, with Yui and Tsumugi lying nearby, Takeru quickly tried to recall what had happened last night.
However, Takeru only remembered everyone toasting him. After drinking an unknown amount, he couldn't remember anything afterward. All he recalled was that in his drunken state, he had insisted on drinking with Yui, Ui, and the others...
Seeing that everyone's clothes were still intact, meaning nothing inappropriate had happened, Takeru let out a sigh of relief. But now, being pinned down like this presented another dilemma.
After all, Takeru was in the prime of his youth, full of vitality...
Perhaps because Takeru moved slightly, or maybe because she had rested enough, Ui drowsily opened her eyes. To her surprise, she wasn't hugging her sister but Takeru. She was stunned, staring blankly at him.
"Um, good morning, Ui," Takeru said with a gentle, polite smile.
"Ah!" A scream shattered the quiet morning. The scream didn't come from Ui, but from Mio...
Triggered by Mio's scream, everyone quickly opened their eyes, instantly realizing they were all lying on Takeru's bed.
…
At the dining table in the inn, everyone was slowly enjoying breakfast, each lost in their own thoughts.
The usually gentle and well-behaved Ui kept glancing at Takeru, her face sporting an unmistakeable blush. Yui also acted differently from usual, no longer carefree, but looking at Takeru with some embarrassment.
Even the usually composed and unflappable young lady, Tsumugi, just kept her head down, eating her breakfast.
As for Mio, she was the most uncomfortable. Remembering the morning's scene almost made her faint from embarrassment...
Takeru looked at everyone helplessly. Honestly, that situation wasn't intentional… it was just an accident.
Takeru had never drunk alcohol in this world before, but last night, relying on his high attributes, he had accepted every toast.
This led to the alcohol hitting him hard later, causing him to drunkenly insist on drinking with Yui and the others...
But what was done was done. Takeru apologized to them and reflected deeply on himself. Seeing this, Yui and the others could only accept the reality, as no one had suffered any real loss...
Besides, everyone harbored varying degrees of fondness for Takeru...
After that incident, life had to go on. They first explored the Deadhead Watching Keep properly, then threw themselves back into intense training.
Influenced by Takeru, even the normally lazy Yui put in a decent amount of training.
Just like that, another seven days passed. Then, in a secluded spot, Takeru and the others were enveloped by a beam of light and vanished from the spot.
...
[Congratulations on clearing the Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash World. Beginning settlement!]
[Main Mission 1: Survive for 30 days (Completed).]
[Main Mission 2: Hunt 30 Goblins (Completed).]
[Main Mission 3: Hunt 30 Kobolds (Completed).]
[Side Mission 1: Kill Dead Spot (Completed).]
[Side Mission 2: Change Manato's Fate (Completed).]
[Side Mission 3: Change Team Tokimune's Fate (Completed).]
[Hidden Mission: The Battle for Deadhead Watching Keep (Completed).]
...
[Significantly impacted members of Team Manato. Rating increased. Altered the fate trajectory of some volunteers in Ortana. Rating increased! Total Goblins slain: 688. Rating increased. Kobolds slain: 486. Rating increased! Orcs slain: 264! Rating increased.]
[Settlement complete. Congratulations on achieving an S+ rating. Rewards: One S-Rank evaluation, 120,000 points, S+ rating treasure chest!]
Seeing the settlement rating, Takeru smiled, 'The later comment about significantly impacting Team Manato suggested they were likely the protagonists of that world. But the side mission mentioned changing his fate... did that mean something would have happened to him without interference?'
Takeru shook his head. The specifics didn't matter much to him. Although he had taught them for a while, in terms of emotional attachment, perhaps he felt closer to Shihoru.
"Open the S+ treasure chest!" Shaking off his thoughts, Takeru gave the command.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: 60,000 points. Congratulations! You have obtained: 120 attribute points. Congratulations! You have obtained: Primary Character Manifestation Card. Congratulations! You have obtained: Equipment Slot Expansion Permit *1. Congratulations! You have obtained: Item Slot Expansion Permit *3. Congratulations! You have obtained: Intermediate Enhancement Potion. Congratulations! You have obtained: Intermediate Skill Enhancement Scroll *2!]
Seeing the chest's contents, Takeru showed a puzzled expression. There were many items, so he prepared to examine them carefully.
The first three were self-explanatory. Takeru quickly checked the equipment slot expansion.
[Equipment Slot Expansion Permit: Possessing this item allows you to spend points to open additional equipment slots. (e.g., opening a necklace slot allows equipping two necklaces simultaneously, gaining bonuses from both.)]
[Item Slot Expansion Permit: Possessing this item allows you to spend points to open additional item slots.]
[Intermediate Enhancement Potion: Can enhance your attributes. (Note: Requires all base attributes to be at least 30 to use. The process involves slight pain and a burning sensation. A person can only consume two such potions in their lifetime.)]
[Intermediate Skill Enhancement Scroll: Upgrades a primary skill to intermediate level.]
Seeing this, Takeru took a deep breath. Overall, the items were very practical and offered significant improvements for his current state.
[Initiate item manifestation? Detected that you have achieved an S+ rating. This time, you can manifest 4 pieces of equipment or 20 items! (Note: One equipment slot equals five regular item slots.) Initiate manifestation?]
Seeing the prompt, Takeru hesitated briefly before making a decision.
"Manifest the Top-tier Robe, Top-tier Staff, Star Ring, and five crystals." Takeru quickly confirmed.
The so-called crystals were actually a form of currency circulating in orc society… button-like objects made of crystal. They looked very beautiful and valuable. In Grimgar, their value ranged from about five to five hundred copper coins.
But Takeru felt they might hold higher value in other worlds, so he had casually collected some of the highest quality ones.
He chose to manifest them out of curiosity about whether they might be useful later, as some worlds might require substantial funds.
These items might serve a good purpose. Of course, if Takeru guessed wrong, it would just mean wasting one equipment manifestation opportunity.