The boys' dormitory at Kuoh Academy was quiet as Xi Ye sorted through his newly acquired treasure. He realized that a whole year of work hadn't been as profitable as this one job. It occurred to him that power truly was the ultimate factor.
The Sacred Gear he had just obtained, the Red Dragon's Gauntlet, offered infinite amplification, but it was not suited for him. Since he already owned the magic book "Astiel's Manuscript," the best equipment for him would be the auxiliary item "Ilias's Fragmentation" and the Black Emperor Sword, "Jutica," available in the exchange shop.
When fully activated and connected to the "Rage" library of the Magic Library, the complete set would initiate the "Collapse Phenomenon," providing power at the level of a starburst. Therefore, he concluded that using the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet wouldn't help him regain all of his abilities and saw it as inferior.
"Redeem points!" he declared, exchanging the Red Dragon's Gauntlet for points, earning him 1,000 points.
"Exchange for the Black Emperor Sword 'Judecca'!" he instructed, and soon after, a miniature Black Emperor Sword appeared in his hand.
"Black Imperial Sword!" he exclaimed, then opened his status panel:
*Sign-in System*
Host: Xi Ye
Race: Human
Strength: Superior Devil-class (Peak)
Weapon: The Codex of Astiel
Black Emperor Sword 'Jutica': Attached weapon, enhances Astiel's Manuscript abilities
Ability: "Rage" Library: Holy Ritual; "Gluttony" Library: Power Word! 'Magic Elimination'!
Special Ability: Can copy the abilities of others
"My overall strength should be about the same," Xi Ye estimated.
At that moment, he noticed a dark, strangely-shaped magic sword hanging from his neck. "Now that that's settled, it's time to move out of here," he said, feeling satisfied with his new belongings. With plenty of money on hand, he sent a message to Koneko.
"Koneko-chan, just letting you know I'm moving."
Almost instantly, he received a reply from Koneko. "Moving!? Do you want me to help you?"
Koneko assumed there would be many items to transport, and given that Xi Ye was just an ordinary person, he might need assistance. She was a nekomata, and physical strength was her forte.
"Help me..." Xi Ye had initially intended to just inform her, concerned she might miss him next time. However, the fact that Koneko wanted to help took him by surprise. With her small stature, she could easily lift boxes larger than herself without breaking a sweat!
Instantly dismissing the idea, Xi Ye worried that accepting her help would ruin the image of the little loli in his mind. "You better not come. I can handle it alone!" he quickly replied, anxious that she might misunderstand.
Koneko looked at his message with a cute pout, feeling a small gap in her heart. He was capable, but he didn't want her help. What could be the secret behind his thoughts?
Thinking it over, Koneko pulled out her mobile phone and browsed a website. She searched: "Why don't boys want girls to accompany them when moving?"
The search results provided numerous possibilities:
1. Maybe he's a worker hiding it...
2. Maybe he doesn't like you...
3. Maybe you're unattractive...
4. He might be self-conscious and doesn't want you to see his living conditions...
Koneko scrolled through the options without skipping any. Ultimately, she picked the explanation that seemed most plausible: boys might have inappropriate materials at home, which is why they don't want girls to accompany them when moving.
With newfound determination, she stared out the window, her mind made up.