"Now, let us become one."
And so Oishi—or the entity that identified itself as Oishi—brought down its raised sword toward Takeo Samejima, who was currently pinned against the wall.
Slash!
The blade cleaved through something without a hint of resistance.
Specifically, it was Oishi’s right arm.
"————Eh?"
His own limb spun through the air before hitting the ground.
Oishi didn't even need to turn his head to understand what had happened. He had seen the entire sequence clearly.
In simple terms, it was this: an instant before Oishi would have bifurcated him, Takeo Samejima had suddenly lunged from the wall. He had swung his blade with such speed that he severed Oishi’s right arm at the shoulder.
But—
"————!? What? This is incomprehensible."
Utterly baffled, Oishi hurriedly leaped backward to put distance between them.
It should have been impossible. Oishi had not deactivated a single defensive skill. Reduced Damage with Armor, Armor Aura, Magic Armor, Adamantine Armor, and Iron Body were all active.
The last one, Iron Body, was Oishi’s skill seed. Its effect was simple yet overwhelming: a flat +500 bonus to his Constitution.
By activating Union of Mana and Might, Oishi’s Constitution exceeded 4,800. On top of that base value, the damage reduction from his multiple skills was layered.
No matter how anomalous Takeo Samejima’s attack power was, he shouldn't have been able to deal enough damage to lop off an entire arm. In fact, when Oishi had been trapped by the barrier earlier, Takeo's attacks had barely scratched his surface. The damage had been negligible.
And yet—
"—Kehi."
Faced with an impossible phenomenon, Oishi tried to observe Takeo from a safe distance.
Takeo, who had landed on the ground after springing from the wall, began to tremble as if having a seizure.
"Kihihi, kuhihihihi—Hyahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
Then, he began to laugh.
He threw his head back until he was staring at the ceiling, as if he could no longer contain the mirth.
(He is wide open.)
The thought crossed Oishi's mind, yet he couldn't bring himself to close in. There was an inscrutable, eerie pressure radiating from Takeo.
Finally, Takeo spoke.
"Ahhahahahahahaha!! Hey, hey! I had a feeling, but damn, you! You’ve got a face like Pepsiman, and even in that getup, you actually still think you’re human?! That’s a masterpiece! A total masterpiece, man!!"
(What do you mean?)
Without answering, Oishi activated Appraisal. He peered into Takeo’s status, certain the answer to this abnormality lay there.
————————————————
Strength: 1,855 Constitution: 1,726 Intelligence: 955 Spirit: 1,286 Agility: 1,739 Dexterity: 1,410
[Skills] Increased Damage with Bladed Weapons Lv. Max, Berserk Lv. 1, Goblin Genocider Lv. Max, Fighting Spirit Lv. Max, Blood Vengeance Lv. Max, Sword Aura Lv. 3, Taunt Lv. 1, Lust Murder Lv. 1, Life Magic Lv. Max, Magic Sword Lv. 1, Danger Sense Lv. 2, Mighty Blade Lv. 3, Seeker Lv. Max, Indomitable Spirit Lv. 1, Asceticism Lv. Max, Awakened One Lv. Max, Equanimity, Footing Creation Lv. 1, Blue Sky Beyond the Clouds Lv. 4, Slime Killer Lv. 1, Brave Heart Lv. 1, Silver Lightning Magic Lv. 1, Magic Shroud Lv. 1
[Titles] Battle Junkie, Goblin Genocider, Pleasure Killer, Swordmaster, Awakened One, Slime Killer, Hero
————————————————
Takeo's stats hadn't changed since the last check. However, the skills and titles that had been blacked out until now were suddenly readable.
The title Pleasure Killer and the skill Lust Murder.
Oishi quickly checked the details of Lust Murder via Appraisal.
————————————————
[Skill] Lust Murder Lv. 1 — Damage dealt to the human race is multiplied by 4.0. During combat with the human race, all stats except HP and MP are increased by 100%. Additionally, experience points gained from the human race are multiplied by 2.4.
————————————————
(There is no mistake. This is it.)
It was a deranged skill. While limited to human targets, its effects were monstrous.
And—
(I see. Indeed, I am human.)
The current Oishi was in an extremely peculiar state. His Fragments Weapon—a specialized shield—had fused with him, and the "Shield" had taken over his consciousness.
While this version of Oishi could access the original’s memories, his personality was distinct. Furthermore, due to brain damage sustained during the fusion, his memories were full of gaps.
Even so, his status was categorized as human. A shield, after all, couldn't possess a status. The original Oishi’s status had been boosted by skills, fed with stolen experience points, and leveled up; therefore, the current entity was still technically part of the human race.
This meant the effects of Lust Murder applied to him perfectly.
(So that is how my arm was severed. I understand.)
The 4.0x damage multiplier was the most terrifying part.
Oishi already knew Takeo Samejima possessed several other damage-boosting skills. Adding a 4.0x multiplier on top of those was catastrophic. Going from a 1x multiplier to 4x wasn't much, but going from 100x to 400x changed the entire math of the battle.
In stat-based damage calculation, the actual damage received changed drastically depending on whether the attack power exceeded the value derived from the target's Constitution, Spirit, and defense skills.
Takeo was now clearly "piercing" Oishi’s defense power. And by an overwhelming margin.
However—
(Will I be shaken? Will I feel fear? No, there is no need.)
Oishi remained analytical. He forced himself to stay calm.
(Yes. His stats have doubled, but even at this level—)
He paused. He realized something else.
(No. That is wrong.)
When he had first checked Takeo’s status, he assumed the stats were the same as the ones he'd seen just moments before. But those "moments before" were when he had slammed Takeo into the wall. At that time—
(The skill 'Blood Vengeance' should have been active at its maximum potency. But now...)
Blood Vengeance boosted stats as the user's HP dropped. But Takeo had just received two High Heals, restoring his health. He no longer met the conditions for the Blood Vengeance buff.
This meant Takeo’s current stats were his base values. They were going to go even higher as the fight progressed.
"————!!"
A chill ran through Oishi.
At that moment, his eyes met Takeo’s. Takeo wore a gentle, soft smile—one that didn't betray a hint of hostility.
"Hey now, don't stare so hard, you pervert—"
In an instant, the expression shifted into a predatory, savage grin. Takeo's sword blurred.
"—You're gonna make me excited!!"
Suddenly, a barrage of flying slashes whistled through the air.
Oishi sprang into action. He ran, dodging the incoming blades or parrying them with his shield. But there were too many, and their trajectories weren't straight; they curved through the air, closing in from above and both sides simultaneously. It was impossible to block them all with a single shield. Therefore—
(He is clever. But it is futile.)
Oishi attempted to intercept Takeo's flying blades with his sword arm.
The sword on his right arm had already regenerated. After falling to the ground, the severed limb had transformed into a snake-like shape and slithered back to Oishi to be reabsorbed.
This was within Oishi's capabilities now. Even if his torso were split or his head removed, he wouldn't die as long as he could reabsorb the parts. That was the true power of his awakened skill seed, Iron Body. The Constitution boost was merely a side effect.
He believed that by striking directly with his arm, he could easily neutralize the flying blades, even with Takeo's Lust Murder multiplier. After all, Oishi’s Strength was still technically higher, and his own attack multiplier was 32x. But—
"—!!? Wh-Why?!"
The sword blade he swung to parry was violently knocked aside.
The unblocked flying blade sliced into Oishi’s body, followed by a relentless rain of follow-up slashes. With his right arm knocked out of position, he couldn't dodge in time.
In a heartbeat, several slashes carved into his form.
His Adamantine Armor was still active, so the physical damage was negligible. However, the mental shock was massive.
(Those weren't even infused with 'Mighty Blade.' So why?)
Slashes infused with Mighty Blade carried a distinct, brilliant aura, making them easy to spot. These, however, were all standard Sword Aura flying blades.
Oishi had underestimated the 4.0x multiplier. Takeo’s current attack multiplier had reached 80x, even for simple ranged slashes.
Moreover, Oishi hadn't really felt the weight of Takeo’s 1,855 Strength yet. Until now, Takeo had been fighting with his Strength boosted to around 1,500 by the first stage of Blood Vengeance. The jump to his current base Strength was a massive difference of over 300 points.
When you combined that with an attack multiplier that had jumped from 20x to 80x, the destructive force was on another level entirely.
(I must remain calm. The damage is still minor.)
After all, it was only 80x. Even the Mighty Blade attacks that reached into the hundreds hadn't done much real damage to Oishi. He could ignore 80x flying blades.
(Parrying with a sword compromises my posture. I should instead—)
Should he counter with his own ranged slashes? No, the difference in power was too great; they would just be swallowed up. If so—Oishi steadied his stance and began to run again, dodging the slashes while shifting the shape of his arms.
His wrists expanded into broad, flat surfaces.
Kite shields.
He abandoned the sword blades entirely, turning both arms into shields.
(If I block with a shield, I have nothing to fear from these slashes. And shields have offensive skills too, Takeo Samejima.)
—Shield Bash.
It was a skill that released a massive burst of aura into a target, blowing them away. It could be used to parry or as a direct offensive strike. The unique aspect was that its power scaled with Constitution rather than Strength.
(The damage multiplier will be lower than a 'Magic Sword' slash, but...)
With Shield Bash, he could maintain his defense while attacking. Against an opponent like Takeo, who lacked defensive skills, a Shield Bash would be more than enough to kill.
Oishi convinced himself of this. His shield’s Adamantine Shield reinforcement provided far more protection than his armor because the area it covered was smaller and more concentrated. He could stop Takeo's blades with this.
Oishi closed the distance, easily catching Takeo’s flying blades on his twin shields.
Takeo watched the approach with an amused look.
"Oh? What's the matter, Pepsiman? Done running away?!"
"Your attacks are strong. I admit this. However, you cannot rend my shield! You are powerless before it!"
"Hah! Spouting such a pathetic taunt. Fine, I'll take you up on that. Come on."
Takeo stopped swinging. He smirked and beckoned with his left hand.
Oishi was certain of his victory.
(Foolish. He throws away his only advantage. This is perfect. I have won.)
Despite his certainty, Oishi remained cautious. He stayed alert for a feint as he moved into range.
"Please die!"
He thrust his right-arm shield forward with the full momentum of his charge.
The moment Takeo’s downward swing collided with it, a torrent of aura erupted from the shield's surface.
—Shield Bash.
Even if Takeo's slash neutralized the offensive part of the move, the aura would still dampen the impact of the blade. Oishi wasn't being careless; he was prepared for the possibility that his shield might be damaged. That was why he used the skill.
And yet—the shield was sliced in half with tragic ease. It offered no more resistance than a sheet of paper.
"————!?"
Oishi, who had been preparing to slam his left-arm shield into Takeo for a follow-up Shield Bash, aborted the attack and leaped backward with everything he had.
"What... is that all you've got?" Takeo muttered, sounding genuinely disappointed.
Oishi checked Takeo’s status again—specifically his HP. Takeo still had nearly 300 health left, meaning Blood Vengeance still hadn't kicked in. His Strength remained at 1,855.
If so, the only reason the shield had failed was the sheer difference in multipliers. Oishi knew Takeo's skills, but he couldn't have calculated the actual output just by looking at the numbers.
1,536x.
That was the maximum multiplier of the strike Takeo had just delivered using Mighty Blade. The power was far beyond anything Oishi had anticipated.
(This is impossible. I cannot win.)
The realization hit him instantly. He couldn't defend against the attacks. He might have a chance if he could stall until the duration of Brave Heart expired, but even then, the multiplier would still be 768x—and Takeo would likely just use Blood Vengeance to bridge the gap.
Stalling against this monster until the timer ran out felt like a death sentence.
(I must retreat.)
He didn't hesitate for a second. Oishi pointed his left-hand shield at Takeo and unleashed a hail of projectiles.
—Metal Bullet.
Metal slugs produced by his slime-inherited skill rained down on Takeo.
"Hah-hah!"
Takeo, his reactions sharpened by his boosted Agility and Danger Sense, laughed as he leaped aside, easily clearing the rain of metal.
But it had created the opening Oishi needed. He turned and bolted toward the corridor leading to Floor 11. He ran with everything he had.
"Wow, that was a fast decision!!"
"—!?"
Oishi didn't even make it three steps. His legs suddenly stopped moving, and he tumbled forward, rolling across the ground.
Confused, he looked at his lower body. The reason was immediately clear: his legs had been severed at the thighs. He shouldn't have even needed to look; his panoramic vision had captured the entire thing.
—Mighty Great Blade.
Takeo had manifested a massive, elongated blade of aura and swung it in a horizontal arc. That was all it took.
Looking down at the squirming Oishi, Takeo shook his head.
"That decision was way too fast. I was planning to play with you a lot more, you know? The fight was just getting started. Don't you understand the script? You're supposed to struggle, I struggle back, then I activate 'Blood Vengeance' for a dramatic comeback. Then you fall into despair and beg for your life. That's how these things are supposed to go. Come on, man."
"P-Please... spare m—"
"That's not how the line goes... Haa, I guess a human-wannabe really is no good. I can't get any satisfaction out of this."
"P-Please spare me."
"............Fine."
"—Eh?"
The response was unexpected. Takeo looked down at Oishi with a bored, dismissive gaze and waved his left hand as if he'd lost interest.
"Killing a fake human like you isn't even fun....Forget it. Just get lost. I’ll let you go."
"—!!"
Was it true? Oishi was naturally suspicious. He stayed on guard as he reabsorbed his severed legs and regenerated. Takeo didn't attack.
Oishi slowly stood up and began to back away. Takeo was looking off to the side, seemingly indifferent.
Was he really letting him go?
"...Th-Thank you. My gratitude."
Oishi turned his back. He kicked off the ground with all his strength to flee. In that instant, a sword of aura pierced through his chest from behind.
"—Na!?"
Oishi had seen it coming with his rear-facing vision, but he couldn't dodge. The moment he had turned his back, Takeo had manifested another Mighty Great Blade and skewered him.
Oishi’s feet left the ground. Despite weighing hundreds of kilograms, his metallic body was hoisted into the air by the massive aura blade.
Takeo’s face split into a wide, mocking grin—a sneer meant to humiliate his prey.
"—Aaaaa-hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
"Liar! You're a liar!!"
"Are you an idiot?! I told you, a beast should never trust a hunter's word!...Wait, did I not say that? Well, whatever."
"Lying is wrong! It's bad! Lying is a sin!!"
"Didn't you know? I'm a bad guy. Watching you scream like a loser feels great."
"————!! Takeo Samejima, you are a complete deviant! A madman! A demon!! An ogre!!"
Takeo just sneered harder. He hoisted Oishi even higher, then wound up for a massive swing.
"—!! St-Stop it, please!!"
"Become a shitty firework."
He swung the blade down with everything he had.
At the midpoint of the swing, a sharp Cling! rang out. The massive aura blade detached from the hilt. Oishi, still skewered by the giant construct, was launched through the air. Inside his chest, the aura that had lost its anchor began to expand uncontrollably.
—Mighty Great Blade: Explosive Blade.
A light like a miniature sun filled the room, followed by a cataclysmic explosion. The blast wave displaced the air in a violent surge, rampaging through the boss room.
"Ah, crap."
Takeo swung his sword one more time.
Mighty Blade Great Flying Blade.
A massive arc of aura sliced through the incoming shockwave, parting it before it could hit him.
And then—
●◯●
I felt the experience points flow into me.
However, there was no level up. It didn't feel like a particularly massive amount of XP, either. Subjectively, it felt like maybe a few hundred thousand.
I guess unlike the Metakin, I don't get the XP for all the slimes Oishi absorbed. That really wasn't a true Fusion Absorption, then. What a letdown.
Regardless, Pepsiman—I mean, Oishi-san—is dead. Combat over. Case closed.
I turned around to see that Hinata-san and the others were safe. They’d been behind me, so the shockwave hadn’t hit them too hard, and Mayurin-san had been keeping everyone protected with her barrier.
I’m glad they’re okay—but Ikegami-san and the others were pointing their weapons at me. Mayurin-san looked confused, and even Hinata-san was warily leveling her staff.
Ikegami-san and his group shouldn’t know about Pleasure Killer, but they must have felt something was fundamentally wrong with how I was fighting. As for Hinata-san... well, it goes without saying. She likely suspects that the seal on Pleasure Killer has been broken.
I expect nothing less from her.
"Takeo-kun...?"
"Yes, Hinata-san?" I answered.
"Are you... sane right now?"
That would be a pretty harsh question if she didn't know the circumstances. I gave a wry smile and sheathed my sword.
"Yes, I'm sane. It’s okay."
"...Really?"
"Of course. I was a bit high during the fight, but I've been in control the whole time."
It was true. I’d been sane throughout the entire thing. I could feel the horrific murderous impulse from Pleasure Killer—in fact, I was still feeling it—but I remained myself. Unless I chose to give in to it, I wouldn't lose my sanity.
Why? Because of the effect of Equanimity.
When I had asked Mito-san about the specifics of Sword Aura and Magic Sword, I’d also asked about Equanimity. She told me its effect was exactly what the name implied: "to be at peace in mind and unmoved by events."
To be more specific, it granted the user the ability to remain unaffected by abnormal mental states relative to their normal self. It wasn't like Mental Status Resistance, which just deadened emotions; it was a skill that allowed me to resist mental corruption from titles or interference skills like Charm.
It didn't "negate" the impulse; it allowed me to "endure" it.
I could feel the murderous urge right now, but I could endure it and maintain my sanity. Mito-san had told me that with this skill, I’d be fine even if the seal on Pleasure Killer ever broke.
I hadn't wanted to test it, of course, so I’d kept the seal as a backup until today.
As for how I broke the seal... the Headshot Yakuza mentioned it once. He said killing a person would "activate" a title or skill and break the seal. Paradoxically, that means killing isn't the only way to do it. The key is simply for the title or skill to be "activated."
So, I had summoned every ounce of killing intent I had toward Oishi-san, forcing Pleasure Killer and Lust Murder to activate, which broke the seal.
I’d already explained the details of Equanimity to Hinata-san, so...
"It looks like Equanimity worked properly. So please, don't worry."
I figured that would be enough to put her at ease, but—
"—Really?"
Wait, what?!
"You aren't... just planning to kill us once we let our guard down, are you?"
Hinata-san was still on guard! She still didn't trust me! I hadn't prepared for this possibility!
"Wh—?! Th-th-th-there’s no way!!"
I got flustered, which just made me look like I’d been found out.
"............"
"No! Really, Hinata-san!! I'm sane!!"
"............"
"L-Look into my eyes!! Do these look like the eyes of a guy who enjoys killing people?!"
"............"
Uh-oh. Are we about to have a party breakup? I understand why she’s scared, but all the trust we’ve built—
"—Gah!?"
I coughed up blood. A lot of it.
Oh, right. I forgot I still had a hole in my stomach.
Strength drained from my body in a rush. I hit my knees and then collapsed face-down on the ground.
"—!? Takeo-kun!!"
I heard Hinata-san's footsteps as she sprinted out from the barrier.
My vision started to go white. My consciousness began to slip.
Hinata-san... you believe me now, right? And hey, can you even fix a hole in someone's gut with shredded organs? Even a Saint with Intermediate Healing Magic shouldn't be able to regenerate organs...
I don't want to die yet. That’s why I didn't let the Mark of Death take Oishi-san with me. My leveling life has only just begun...!!
I'm... counting on you, Hinata-san...
I whispered that to myself in the darkness—and then I lost consciousness.