Every negative influence had been stripped away.
What remained was the purest seed of power.
With that done, Haimer picked up the parchment he had prepared long in advance and, with practiced ease, laid it flat across Hiruko Kohina's slender back.
He then uncapped a small vial of special transfer ink, ran the roller lightly across the back of the parchment, and let the ink seep through — imprinting every last divine character onto the page without missing a single stroke.
"Done."
Haimer peeled the parchment away and gave it a casual once-over. The surface was now covered wall-to-wall in dense, printed text.
"Kohina. You can sit up now."
At those words, Hiruko Kohina slowly lifted her face from the pillow.
Those already oversized eyes of hers were now shining with a brightness that was almost startling.
She didn't entirely understand what it all meant yet — but she could feel it. Something inside her body had changed.
That constant heat which had pressed down on her nerves back in the old world — the ever-present urge to rampage, to destroy — was gone.
In its place was something entirely different: a sensation of power that was calmer than anything she had ever known, yet somehow more vast and surging than ever before.
Hiruko Kohina flipped herself upright in one motion, completely forgetting she still had nothing on her back.
Lady-like behavior be damned — she thrust both small hands out and made a grab straight for the parchment in Haimer's hand.
"Kami-sama!" "Did Kohina get stronger?!"
Hiruko Kohina tilted her face up at him, her mouth splitting so wide with excitement it nearly reached her ears.
Haimer let out a quiet sigh.
This kid. She had grown up in a world of slaughter — the hunger for power was carved into her bones as pure, unthinking instinct.
He raised his free hand and pressed it firmly down on top of Hiruko Kohina's head, pushing her restless little body back down and pinning her outstretched hands in the same motion.
Then he turned and held the freshly printed parchment out to Onigawara Rin, who had been waiting patiently at his side.
"Get dressed first. You'll catch a chill."
The room was equipped with an extravagantly expensive Magic Stone temperature-control system — several fist-sized fire-attribute Magic Stones were set into the wall beside the entrance, radiating a steady warmth in a continuous cycle. You could sprint a full lap around the room bare-chested and not feel the slightest cold.
But habits still needed to be formed.
Haimer felt it was his responsibility to teach Kohina that a sense of personal modesty was something to observe here.
So he reached over with his other hand, snagged the thin blanket folded nearby, and with a single flick of his wrist, wrapped the completely oblivious little girl up tight — bundled her into a neat little dumpling with only a small, fuzzy head poking out.
Hiruko Kohina wriggled around a few times inside the blanket, found she couldn't break free, and resigned herself to staying put.
"As for whether you've gotten stronger..."
Haimer finally turned around to face the other women — all of them crowded around Onigawara Rin, necks craning, eyes fixed on the parchment with fierce concentration. The corner of his mouth curled into a quiet, meaningful smile.
"I think your seniors will give you a far more vivid answer than I can."
"This..." "What... what even is this..."
Onigawara Rin's grip on the parchment tightened.
The parchment gave a sharp, crisp crinkle.
She was no stranger to extraordinary things. Between the brutal high-intensity battles back at the academy and the last few days here in Orario — pushing through the Dungeon all the way to the mid-teens as a group — she had seen her fair share of geniuses.
But even so.
Looking at the information on this parchment — the readout their own Kami-sama had translated for them — Onigawara Rin still couldn't stop herself from drawing a sharp breath.
She reflexively rubbed her eyes, half-convinced she had read the wrong line, or that her brain was still waterlogged from the bath.
"Rin, what's wrong?"
One look at Onigawara Rin's expression — the look of someone who had just seen a ghost — and Hanasaka Warabi couldn't sit still a moment longer.
She leapt to her feet and closed the distance in a few quick strides.
"Don't just stare at it alone, read it out loud!"
She was practically hopping on the spot with impatience, the curiosity gnawing at her like an itch she couldn't scratch.
She crowded in close, wedging her head over Onigawara Rin's shoulder, her eyes landing urgently on the parchment.
Then.
"Huh?!!!"
Hanasaka Warabi let out a shriek that made Onigawara Rin's earlier reaction look downright understated.
That single outburst was enough to pull everyone else who had been hanging back over the edge. The remaining onlookers couldn't hold out any longer.
"Let me see." "Let me see too."
The group converged all at once.
There on the parchment, printed in dense ink, was the following:
[Name]: Hiruko Kohina
[Race]: Human
[Level]: Lv.1
[Ability Values]: Strength: I-0 | Endurance: I-0 | Dexterity: I-0 | Agility: I-0 | Magic: I-0
[Skills]: 『Crimson Calamity Factor』 『Twin Death Wheels』 『Preying Mantis』
"Three skills..." Kikakujou Mary murmured the words aloud, her elegant brows knitting into a deep, troubled furrow.
A fresh recipient of God's Grace who had never once set foot in the Dungeon. Every base stat starting from the absolute floor — rank I, value zero.
That was standard. That was normal.
But.
When you looked further down the page.
Three skills, right out of the gate.
Among everyone here, only Inaba Tsukuyo had ever managed that.
"This 『Crimson Calamity Factor』..."
Onigawara Rin continued reading aloud, a peculiar emotion threading through her voice.
"Growth rate of all base ability values receives a massive boost..."
"And then this line — when emotional state reaches an extreme, all base stats receive a temporary explosive surge..."
At those words, the group exchanged glances.
"So..." Hanasaka Warabi scratched at her hair, uncertain. "Does this mean every time she goes into the Dungeon to grind, she levels up way faster than a normal person? And if she gets pushed to her limit she goes berserk?"
Kikakujou Mary gave a slow nod, her expression uneasy.
A universal growth boost was already a lot to take in — but it also came with a passive berserk trigger built right in.
And that was only the first skill. They kept reading.
『Twin Death Wheels』:
Dual-blade mastery.
While wielding two bladed weapons simultaneously, [Dexterity] and [Agility] receive a massive bonus.
When the urge to attack runs high, an additional [Attack Speed] bonus is granted.
Bestows a tremendous power amplification to the battle technique [Spinning Slash].
Furthermore, while spinning at high speed, is capable of deflecting and cutting down projectiles of equal or lower level.
None of them had ever actually crossed blades with Hiruko Kohina.
But earlier in the bath, before she had undressed, Kohina had casually tossed the two small tachi she always carried on her back onto the bench nearby.
Just from the sight of those honed, mirror-bright blades — and the web of old scars, large and small, that covered the girl's body — everyone had already quietly drawn their own conclusions: this child, in the world she came from, was the real deal.
And now, this skill's manifestation confirmed it beyond all doubt.
Mastery. Bonus. Even a power amplification tailored to a specific battle technique.
It meant Hiruko Kohina's proficiency with those two blades of hers was already at an exceptional level.
And that ability to cut down airborne projectiles — against any monster with a ranged attack, it would all but eliminate every margin for error.
But the description that sent a crawl across every scalp in the room — Onigawara Rin's included — was the third skill.
『Preying Mantis』:
Against all targets within visual range who are in a [Turned Away] or [Retreating] state, damage dealt is doubled.
Upon successfully killing a target, briefly refreshes all bodily functions — [Movement Speed] receives an explosive surge, with duration determined by the target's strength.
Onigawara Rin and the others swallowed audibly, throats gone dry, and lifted their eyes toward the bed — where Hiruko Kohina sat bundled in her blanket, blinking up at them with a dazed, happily oblivious expression.
The moment anyone dared to turn their back in a fight.
Or showed even the slightest flinch — that split second of hesitation that exposed their back to her instead of meeting her head-on.
Doubled damage, instantly.
For anyone fragile, that was a one-hit kill with no room for argument.
And it didn't stop there.
Land the kill, and that terrifying refresh mechanic triggered immediately.
Fatigue, briefly swept away.
Speed, pushed even higher.
And then she could go straight for the next one.
Strike after strike after strike.
As long as the speed held.
Until there was no one left.
None of them had expected it. That Hiruko Kohina's body had been hiding a potential like this all along.
"This kid's talent... it's genuinely terrifying..." Onigawara Rin held the parchment, the look she directed at Hiruko Kohina one of staggering complexity.
It was just absurd.
Even the seniors here — the ones Kami-sama had personally chosen, who had achieved a Level Ascension to Lv.2 in a mere three days — felt the pressure bearing down on them when they looked at these three outrageous skills.
Once this little girl got her base level up to speed.
There was every chance they'd end up treating her like some kind of monster.
"Is this... what the aptitude of the other children is like?"
Kikakujou Mary pressed her lips together, unable to hide the bitter taste rising in her chest.
She thought of herself.
Then looked at what was in front of her.
Suddenly felt a quiet pang.
The gap was just too obvious.
Amou Kirukiru, on the other hand, let the corner of her mouth curve upward.
Because as far as she was concerned — the stronger the better.
It was perfectly clear that Amou Kirukiru had already quietly added Kohina to her personal list of future rivals to overcome.
"Not bad at all." "With this power." "You'll be able to show the world what you're truly capable of."
"In this dangerous Dungeon, and among all the tangled factions of Orario, you'll have enough cards in your hand to stand your ground."
"And the potential to prove, beyond any doubt, that you have what it takes to become a hero."
"Mm!"
Haimer ruffled Kohina's head, his voice uncommonly gentle.
Hiruko Kohina nodded vigorously.
She hadn't caught every word the big sisters were murmuring about over there.
But.
She could see the looks of genuine astonishment the impressive big sisters had sent her way.
And the unconcealed satisfaction on the face of the Kami-sama before her.
That was enough.
It meant the her of right now had value.
At that thought, the smile on Hiruko Kohina's face grew even wider.
But after smiling for a moment, her red eyes rolled around in thought.
"...Where's Papa?"
Hiruko Kohina tilted her head and asked out of nowhere, those enormous eyes fixed on Haimer.
"If it's Papa, would he be able to get this strong too? Papa used to be able to block a lot of bullets, you know."
The "Papa" Hiruko Kohina spoke of was, of course, Hiruko Kagetane — the man who had fought alongside her throughout the G-404 world, morally ambiguous to the last, always hidden behind that ridiculous grinning mask, with a fondness for toying with people's hearts.
An image of that man surfaced in Haimer's mind — their first encounter.
A somewhat troublesome character, but a genuinely interesting one.
So.
Haimer smiled, and answered with some amusement.
"Him? Well..."
"If he were to come to this world and receive God's Grace, then yes — he would certainly become quite a formidable figure."
He had the raw foundation and the battle instincts to back it up, after all.
"But right now."
"He's not the one worth thinking about."
"Right now, this power belongs to Kohina."
"A strength that belongs to Kohina alone."
Haimer straightened up.
"Really?!"
Hiruko Kohina's eyes lit up instantly, blazing bright.
The sheer, unguarded joy of being recognized was written all over that still-young face without a shred of restraint.
"Of course." "A god does not deceive the children they hold dear."
"Now, though — let's get you dressed."
Haimer said gently.
Only then did Hiruko Kohina start squirming around inside the blanket, searching for the clothes she had shed earlier.
"Now then."
"Enju."
Haimer turned to look to one side.
There, Aihara Enju had already been holding herself back for as long as she possibly could.
The moment she saw Haimer look her way —
"Yes!! I'm here!! I'm here!!"
Aihara Enju shot forward as though she'd been waiting for exactly this.
She came bounding over to Haimer in an instant.
She stood before him, a flush of pink spreading across both cheeks.
She hesitated for less than two seconds.
Then, quick and nimble as could be, she pulled her top off in one clean motion.
And just like Hiruko Kohina before her, she launched herself forward in a flying tackle and landed flat on her stomach across the wide bed.
The force of it sent Hiruko Kohina — who hadn't managed to get off the bed yet — rolling half a turn to the side.
Aihara Enju displayed her bare back to Haimer without a trace of self-consciousness.
"Kami-sama!"
"Hurry, hurry, I want to get stronger too!"
Even Haimer blinked at that.
This girl... wasn't she making herself a little too at home?
There were still so many people watching, and she wasn't even the least bit embarrassed?
Though.
As he looked at Aihara Enju lying there on the bed, face buried deep in the pillow, only a pair of bright-red ear tips poking out — her small frame trembling ever so slightly with barely suppressed excitement —
Haimer gave a helpless smile.
Still shy after all. Of course she was.
But then again, it made sense.
They had spent their whole lives being treated like rats in the street — scorned, rejected, always one step from being discarded.
To find a place that would take them in without conditions, treat them as real people — even be willing to give them a home.
That was probably the single thing they craved most of all in this world.
And so, this kind of trust — unconditional, holding nothing back — was their way of showing it.
Haimer gave his head a quiet shake, sweeping the tangle of sentiments out of his mind.
Then he picked up the custom-made syringe once more and, with practiced precision, pricked his fingertip.
Deep crimson Divine Blood welled up.
It fell in a clean, steady drop onto Enju's back.
"Bear with it — it may sting a little."
As the red light bloomed, the intricate cascade of characters began to dance and weave across Aihara Enju's back once more.
The whole process seemed to go even faster than it had with Kohina.
When the light faded,
Haimer pressed the parchment down and made the transfer impression in one smooth motion.
This time, before Haimer could even take a proper look, Onigawara Rin and Hanasaka Warabi had already edged their way in, craning their necks to peer at the page.
And with good reason.
Kohina's stat readout had left a mark on all of them that wasn't going to fade anytime soon.
Haimer said nothing.
But the information on the parchment was already plain for all to see.
[Name]: Aihara Enju
[Race]: Human
[Level]: Lv.1
[Ability Values]: Strength: I-0 | Endurance: I-0 | Dexterity: I-0 | Agility: I-0 | Magic: I-0
[Skills]: 『Crimson Calamity Factor』 『Sky-Treading Stride』 『Crimson Lotus Battle Dance』
...Three skills again.
The group swallowed collectively and kept reading.
Skills:
『Crimson Calamity Factor』.
This all-stat growth amplifier — they had already seen it on Hiruko Kohina's sheet.
But.
The other two skills were the kind that would leave anyone who saw them for the first time genuinely stunned.
『Sky-Treading Stride』:
The ultimate manifestation of the Rabbit Factor.
Grants the legs power that defies all natural expectation.
Leg strength receives a massive boost.
While running, ignores the majority of terrain restrictions.
"Ignores terrain restrictions while running?"
Even Nomura Satori, who rarely spoke up, couldn't help but voice her surprise at that.
Because if you could ignore all ground obstacles and maintain full speed —
In the Dungeon, where the floor was riddled with pits, rubble, and patches of marsh —
the mobility advantage would leave even the most lumbering monster unable to keep pace. Not even in her dust.
A skill that could achieve that was, without exaggeration, a once-in-a-generation rarity.
And it didn't end there.
As Haimer's gaze continued down the page,
it was clear.
The third skill.
Would push Aihara Enju's combat capability to an even more staggering height.
『Crimson Lotus Battle Dance』:
Kick technique mastery.
When using kicking-type attacks, [Strength] and [Agility] receive a massive bonus.
Bestows a tremendous power amplification to the battle technique [Kick].
Furthermore, during a continuous kicking combo, each successful hit on a target causes the next strike's power to stack cumulatively — until the combo is broken.
If an attack is launched while in a [Airborne Descent] state, damage is doubled, and a small-radius shockwave effect is generated on impact.
"Gulp."
Several audible swallows broke the silence in the room.
"What — what kind of freakish skill set is this?!"
Hanasaka Warabi finished reading, then pressed both hands hard against her own cheeks, rubbing them vigorously — her expression somewhere between stunned and vacant.
The mastery was already ridiculous enough. But each hit stacking the next strike's power?
If that girl ever found her rhythm and chained together ten, fifteen kicks on a single target — the power on that final blow would be absolutely terrifying, wouldn't it?
And on top of that — a damage-doubling aerial drop kick, complete with an AOE shockwave on landing?
In that moment, they finally understood exactly how those adventurers back in the day must have felt watching their own group's leveling speed.
Comparing yourself to others really could drive you to despair.
Haimer, for his part, stroked his chin thoughtfully.
An aerial drop kick... why did this skill description feel so strangely familiar?
Wasn't this basically just the Knight Kick?
One step forward, and it's all over.
"Looks like."
"We'll need to have a custom pair of battle boots made especially for you."
Haimer mused to himself.
Because if it came down to it,
ordinary shoes would probably blow out the soles after one or two kicks, given the leg strength Aihara Enju was working with. It would need to be something of quality.
"Battle boots?!"
Aihara Enju sat up, snatching a nearby pillow and holding it in front of her chest as a makeshift shield.
Her twin red eyes blinked rapidly.
"Is Kami-sama giving me a present?" "Something like that. Without the right equipment, it'll be hard for you to bring out your true strength in the Dungeon."
Haimer gave Aihara Enju's head a pat.
"It's not just Kohina's dual-blade style being at mastery level." "Enju's leg technique is at mastery too — how on earth did you two train?" "You're only ten years old. How are combat techniques already carved into your instincts at this age?"
Onigawara Rin couldn't make sense of it.
Because it had to be said.
Whether it was Hiruko Kohina or Aihara Enju —
their abilities were genuinely astonishing, far beyond what anyone could reasonably expect.
No matter how young someone started training, or how much live combat experience they had accumulated — looking at the ages of these two kids, the level they were already at seemed far, far too early by any normal standard.
At that, Aihara Enju sat up on the bed and scratched her cheek, a little sheepish.
"It's probably because the Gastrea virus in my body is the Rabbit Factor."
Aihara Enju even pointed to her own calves as she said it.
"Because it's the Rabbit Factor, the muscle structure in my legs and the way they generate force — it was literally shaped from birth for kicking and jumping."
Hiruko Kohina beside her gave a small, quiet nod.
"Kohina too." "Papa said the Gastrea virus inside Kohina is the Mantis Factor!" "So Kohina's coordination between both hands is really strong, which makes dual blades a perfect fit."
"Gastrea virus?"
At those words, Kikakujou Mary and the others pinched their chins, turning the term over in their mouths.
As people from a peaceful modern era —
they naturally had an instinctive sensitivity to vocabulary that carried such obvious biological-warfare connotations.
"So what exactly is that thing? Is it some kind of enhancement agent unique to the Holy Emperor's world?"
Onigawara Rin directed the question at the Holy Emperor, who had been sitting quietly to one side throughout all of this.
The moment she did.
A strange stillness fell over the room.
Everyone went quiet at once.
A look of obvious discomfort surfaced on the Holy Emperor's face. Her pale hands clasped tight in her lap, fingers pressing so hard against her palms they were nearly leaving marks.
Tendou Kisara's expression darkened as well. She turned her gaze away to one side, clearly thinking of the string of tragedies that had unfolded in that world.
The shift in the room's atmosphere was far too conspicuous.
This was clearly not something good. Not even close.
...
"From the look on your faces... this thing called the Gastrea virus."
"A viral enhancement — it couldn't possibly be something benign, could it."
Amou Kirukiru leaned against the wall, her gaze sweeping between the Holy Emperor and Tendou Kisara. She had already begun piecing together the truth.
"Most likely some kind of exceptionally cruel biological weapons experiment."
Amou Kirukiru kept watching the Holy Emperor and Tendou Kisara's reactions, her eyes flickering slightly, and laid out her deduction in a flat, even tone.
"Looking at how they're only ten years old —"
"That thing called the Gastrea virus was probably taken from animals carrying whatever Gastrea-type factor it is, and had their genes forcibly spliced into a mother's body while she was still pregnant — or used directly on infants as test subjects. All in exchange for a power that transcends human limits..."
"As the price for that, the virus would continuously erode their bodies — and even their human minds — and in the end, it would likely reduce them to emotionless creatures with nothing left inside. That's the truth of your world, isn't it."
Amou Kirukiru's conjecture cut straight to the heart of it.
The Holy Emperor gave a labored nod.
And with that.
The truth was told.
____
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