"Wow, when talking about catacombs, I was thinking more about skulls, bones, and reliquaries, not... this..."
After leaving Notre Dame, we entered a church where I solved a puzzle that required casting a [Reypulse] onto mirrors to reflect it towards a trapdoor on the floor. This trapdoor led to a hidden entrance to the catacombs, and now we were exploring while following a map we found inside that secret hideout.
"Yes, apart from the crystal around, which I think has some supernatural connection, there's not much going on except for multiple paths. In games, catacombs are more like ruins, just like now."
The corridor filled with crystals opened up to a different section of the catacombs, where no crystals were in sight, but it was filled with man-made bricks.
"Yeah, true."
As we continued down this corridor, we noticed how many paths there were. In less than a minute, we had found twenty different routes that converged here.
"Almost like a labyrinth. We're lucky to have the map with us."
Not that we would have died, as I had plenty of food and water in my inventory; it would just be frustrating to wander around aimlessly, hoping to find something.
Then we came across something unusual.
"...This screams trap."
"Yeah, it does."
In an empty room, there was a cube with some gaps—an ancient version of a Rubik's Cube. My [Trap Detection] skill, which I had recently acquired from a nearby bookstore, was warning me not to enter. But on the other hand, [Puzzle-Solving] was urging me to solve the cubic puzzle, and [Superior Observation] was pinging me about the potential treasure inside.
"Yuki, what does [Seeker] tell you right now?"
Looking at her status and skills, Yuki found that [Seeker] boosted her intuition and puzzle-solving ability, and I was curious about how powerful it currently was.
"I don't want to go in. It feels dangerous..."
"Interesting..."
At least she had something to warn her not to play with fire.
"Wait, where are you going?!"
"To solve the puzzle, obviously."
While Yuki felt limited by her apprehensions, I was confident in my abilities.
Nothing happened as I entered the room, but the moment I picked up the cube, the gate closed off the only exit, and spikes appeared on the two opposite walls, slowly moving towards each other.
Now that I think about it, this situation felt familiar.
"Masachika!"
"Don't worry, Yuki, everything is okay."
While I was aware of my capabilities, Yuki wasn't, and the approaching walls certainly didn't help her anxiety. I quickly activated [Decryption] to solve the puzzle more efficiently, and I finished it in no time. The walls didn't even move a meter from where they were, and I held the now-complete cube in my hand.
As the gate slowly opened and the walls retreated, Yuki rushed to hug me, and I returned the embrace.
"I want to eat spicy food."
Knowing it was the price for my recklessness, I didn't refuse her request; I liked spicy food, too.
"Sure. Just remember, your Onii-chan is more resourceful than you know."
And wasn't that the truth? Even without all my other abilities, I could buy anything with my [Shop] for its appropriate price. While not cheap, resurrection items were less expensive than one would expect.
But then something caught our attention—the cube began to glow before turning to ash, leaving behind an amulet. I recognized what was inside.
"Time to play, Springer!"
On my shoulder appeared a creature that was a mix of a squirrel and a fox with two tails. Although its claws distinguished it from just a cute pet, the focus was on its big blue eyes, which were questioning me about what to do next.
[You've obtained the skill: Seeker]
[You've obtained the skill: Titan's Bond]
As I acquired the same skill Yuki received when she called for her Gar-Ghoule, I noticed how different Springer felt this time; I could sense his mental question asking for my orders. Since I was still unsure about his level of sentience, I decided not to treat him like a typical pet and tossed him a 4x4 Rubik's Cube from my inventory—something more challenging than usual.
"Aww, how cute! So you're Springer. I'm Yuki; it's a pleasure to meet you!"
Yuki began to pet him, but he didn't seem to notice her as he became engrossed with the cube in his paws. For a Titan, he had the same gesture of scratching his head as if deep in thought, just like a human.
"...Completely ignored, huh."
Yuki pouted since she wasn't acknowledged by my little fox, but her frustration faded as I walked forward. I also decided to let Springer out whenever possible, as I had only spent MP on his summoning, and it seemed like a good way to level up my [Titan's Bond].
---
**(Yuki's POV)**
We had already spent a few hours wandering through this not-quite labyrinth, but we were almost at our objective. As always, my dear Onii-chan was proving why he was a better protagonist than anyone else... by making small talk. And he certainly had a way with words.
"While anime portrays 'adventuring' and 'exploring' in an exaggerated manner, the reality is quite different from a true adventure or expedition," he said.
Our current topic was the sad truth about adventures.
"I imagined it wouldn't match the manga depictions exactly, but I didn't expect it to differ this much," I admitted. What had started as excitement in the beginning was now dwindling; the gloomy corridors were starting to feel monotonous.
"When you take the stereotypical isekai anime, for example, you see the main character taking quests from the adventurer's guild. After some slice-of-life moments where they gather companions and check their gear, the next scene is usually them fighting a monster. There's no reference to what happens in between those two points. Furthermore, if it's an exploration like this one, the chance of any fight occurring is usually against a rival organization that was tipped off or something. We've been doing our work quickly and without interference—if we had any encounters here, it was just bad luck."
Damn him and his 'sad reality' in a fantasy setting. It should be illegal to crush the hopes and dreams of people of all ages.
"Hey, don't be so glum. Maybe there's an unreal world out there that you'd enjoy."
True, with my Onii-chan's powers, we could travel to such a place.
"And even if that doesn't exist, I don't think you need to worry. I might have something just for this..."
And just like that, he flashed me his mischievous grin—the one that conveys, 'I know something you don't.' I found it irresistible.
"Could you tell your dear imouto what this surprise is?" I asked, giving him my most pleading look, the one with the sweet eyes. I knew he wouldn't resist for long; he always wanted to avoid my pouting.
As expected, he sighed and gave me a knowing look.
"I'll give you a hint: it's two letters and starts with 'V.'"
I paused for a moment. Two letters starting with 'V' were too short for a word, so it was likely an acronym. But for what?
VA—virtual assistant? That didn't seem relevant. VB? VC?
I kept scrolling through the alphabet until I finally realized what it was. He was the CEO, owner, and creator of a company called Re-Logic, focused on novels, manga, and video games, with plans to expand into anime if his words were to be believed. All geek-related endeavors.
And what is the ultimate dream for a geek seeking to escape reality?
"...VR—Virtual Reality."
"Pin-Pon! Correct answer!"
He gave me a quick round of applause before I interrupted him.
"Your powers are straight out of an anime, and you want to make Sword Art Online a reality for everyone? Don't you think you're wasting your time?"
I mean, with his abilities, he could go out and slay monsters and accept quests left and right. Instead, he seemed to be wasting his time.
He suddenly stopped and gave me a severe look, and I immediately felt guilty. This wasn't just his typical serious expression; he looked almost judgmental, like a parent disapproving of a child's mischief.
"...Do you think it's something I don't know? The power I have is something I designed for myself. While I may not understand everything, I know a significant part of how it works. So why do you think I'm making the wrong choice?"
"I... I don't know..."
He looked at me with exasperation, and I couldn't understand why.
"Yuki, at the end of the day, this life is mine. I wasn't reincarnated by a god who made a mistake, there wasn't a hero summoning to defeat a demon lord, and I'm not the amusing hobby of an all-powerful being who granted me these abilities. We are real people, not anime characters. And while you might argue otherwise, the truth is we are essentially living in a simple slice-of-life high school anime."
Oh...
He shook his head slightly and continued, his voice more controlled now.
"We are individuals, and unlike characters, we don't have to fit into one-dimensional molds. There isn't a character obsessed with training and past demons and it just stops here; there's always depth to a person. What I want to express is that we are people, and we can choose to do whatever we want. Just because my powers tend toward fighting and conflict, it doesn't mean that's my focus in life. Additionally, while it may seem that way, my abilities are also geared toward crafting and other pursuits; it's just a focus of mine."
His serious demeanor softened, and he looked at me gently.
"I know this adventure and my revelations have impacted you, but always remember: we are not mere ink on paper or images and voices on a screen. Our identity goes beyond that."
"I... think I understand now... We are living characters."
That's also why, although he still watches those shows, he doesn't prefer anime with characters who have strange obsessions. For instance, there's one where the protagonist is reincarnated as a villain destined to die, and everyone he encounters thinks, "He/It is going to kill me." I also don't understand why he doesn't consider this an obsession.
Also... the head pat is nice, but he looked really appealing while giving his speech.
---
**(Masachika POV)**
[You've obtained the skill: Ego]
Maybe I should have spoken to her more gently, but I needed to say what was on my mind. I'm a Gamer; that doesn't mean I have to spend all my time farming in a dungeon and preparing for the next enemy on the list that comes after me for one reason or another.
It's probably why I was reincarnated in a world filled with supernatural elements but as a mundane character. I have no intention of fighting one villain after another just because that's the plot of the anime.
[Playboy Lv.32->33]
...Damn it, Yuki...