KonoSuba 8

Frustration and anger pulsed through me as I repeatedly unleashed [Kinetic Burst] after [Kinetic Burst] upon the mangled corpse of a god. "Stay... fucking... dead... you piece of shit," I cursed under my breath, the weight of annoyance and contempt evident in my voice. The god's ability to manipulate time had proven to be a formidable challenge, and I was determined to obtain that domain for myself in the future.

Sighing with exasperation, I scanned my surroundings, my senses on high alert for any more incoming challengers. However, a deep silence hung in the air, unsettling in its stillness. It seemed that for now, there were no further adversaries to face.

The previous battle had been an infuriating ordeal. The moment the god who possessed control over time entered the fray, the battlefield tilted in their favor. It forced me to employ cunning and unorthodox tactics, resorting to me using [Voidborn] blood and manipulating biological matter to shift the tides of the battle.

While all of the god of time stats were inferior to mine, there was one aspect where he surpassed me—perception. According to my [Appraise], his perception stood at a staggering twenty-five thousand. Clad in a regal golden robe, with gray hair and a long beard, he exuded an aura of majesty. It seemed that everyone present referred to him as "Your Holiness," making it clear he held a position of reverence and authority. It was essential for me to focus my attention on him from the very beginning.

Fortunately, my [Temporal Singularity] skill rendered me immune to his time manipulation abilities, allowing me to strike swiftly. In a moment of shock, I seized the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow, killing him for the first time. However, to my frustration, he continued to resurrect, unwritting his death from the annuls of time, and repeatedly freezing or accelerating time not only to evade my attacks but also to hinder the assaults of his allies. He had transformed himself into an ultimate support, making the battle all the more challenging.

The battle grew increasingly frustrating as every opponent I dispatched miraculously returned to life. The man controlling time rewrote the fabric of reality, nullifying my previous kills and restoring them to their original state. Even the souls that I attempted to shatter with [Soulrend] were rejuvenated, rendering my most powerful spell practically useless. While his manipulations had no direct impact on me, it became apparent that he had complete control over the surrounding environment.

However, the most infuriating opponent among them was a woman, presumably his wife or daughter, for her first death triggered an unprecedented rage within him. She possessed divine dominion over space, yet wielded it like an imbecile. Instead of utilizing her powers to their full potential, such as separating space to decapitate me or teleporting deadly attacks into my body, she opted for a more chaotic approach. She continuously teleported me around the battlefield, often placing me directly in the path of their attacks or teleporting attackers directly at me, while also hindering my own spatial manipulation abilities. The fight became a maddening whirlwind of confusion and unpredictability.

Throughout the relentless onslaught, I endured various forms of brutal disfigurement. I was skewered, pierced, bisected, and even blown to smithereens on a few occasions. Surprisingly, these occurrences proved to be quite enlightening, providing me with fascinating insights into my own capabilities.

I discovered that losing half of my brain, and perhaps even the entirety of it (although I didn't explicitly test that hypothesis), did not instantly end my life or impair my cognitive functions. This was likely due to the combination of [Immortality], which safeguarded me from death as long as the core of my being persisted, and [Astral Cognition], which allowed my consciousness to transcend the confines of my physical form.

As the battle raged on, I found myself facing a formidable opponent—a god who held dominion over souls and, likely, the power of death. Their attacks targeted the very essence of my being, causing immense pain and anguish.

Despite my formidable powers and the abilities bestowed upon me, I couldn't deny the vulnerability of my soul. While I possessed potent defenses such as the Soul Shield, which thwarted any attempts to observe my true nature, and [Soul Cohesion], which granted me soul regeneration as well as safeguarded me against manipulation, I lacked the means to shield my soul from direct attacks. It was a realization that reminded me of the limits of my immortality, as the essence of my being remained susceptible to harm.

To mitigate the damage caused by the soul-rending attacks, I had to resort to a split consciousness strategy. By dividing a portion of my mind, I could focus on maintaining the optimal functioning of my soul regeneration abilities, ensuring that I could heal and recover even amidst the onslaught.

It was a challenging and exhausting battle, constantly balancing offense and defense while enduring the relentless assault on my soul. But I persevered, drawing upon my skills and abilities to keep fighting, determined to overcome these formidable adversaries.

Nevertheless, the moment my opponents made a critical error and exposed a vulnerability, I swiftly seized the opportunity. Engulfed in the flames of [Infernal Mastery], I burned not only their physical forms but even their souls, leaving nothing but ashes in my wake. I poisoned the very terrain and air with my [Healing Toxicity], corroding the environment and sapping away any remnants of vitality. With relentless precision, I unleashed a relentless barrage of [Kinetic Bursts], each strike capable of shattering planets, and reducing the battlefield to a chaotic wasteland. The devastation was undeniable, rendering a quarter of the city uninhabitable, leaving behind a scene of utter destruction.

With my heart still racing within my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins, and covered in the gruesome aftermath of the battle, I cast one final glance at the devastated battlefield. Swiftly, I activated my cleansing spells, purging the gore and filth from my body and restoring my appearance. Through our connection, I sensed Olivia's location and focused my power to puncture a hole in the dimensional barrier, creating a shimmering blue portal. Without hesitation, I stepped through the portal, leaving behind the chaotic scene and venturing towards the next destination, where Olivia awaited.

Exiting the portal, I found myself in the inn room that Olivia had reserved. "Well, that was incredibly annoying," I muttered to myself, reflecting on the encounter. Despite being tier-four enemies empowered by divinity, they didn't pose a truly significant threat. However, their numbers and sheer annoyance factor surpassed their actual danger. Even the most formidable opponents I had faced had total stats that were only about half of my augmented stats. It was a reminder that power and tier alone didn't always determine the level of difficulty in a battle.

The battle with the gods proved to be an invaluable experience, yielding significant rewards on multiple fronts. Not only did my levels skyrocket, ascending to new heights, but my skills also underwent a substantial increase in proficiency. The firsthand encounter with gods who wielded diverse domains provided me with invaluable real-life combat experience, broadening my understanding of the intricacies and challenges of facing such formidable adversaries.

Also, the awe-inspiring and unexpected manner in which certain gods wielded their domains sparked a surge of inspiration within me. Their mastery over their respective powers and the creative applications they showcased ignited a plethora of ideas for future projects and spells.

[Class: [Artificer] reached level 75]

[Class: [Physicist] reached level 16]

[Class: [Spellthief] reached level 42]

[Img Andrew Skills]

During the battle, the advanced skills management system exerted its influence, guiding and compelling certain skills to undergo significant evolutions. The crucible of combat and the need to adapt to formidable opponents pushed my abilities to their limits, triggering level-ups and evolutions in specific directions. Through this process, my skills transcended their previous limitations and gained new facets, unlocking greater potential and enhanced capabilities.

[Dodge III LVL: 200/300]

- Increases chances of dodging an attack by 0.3%/LVL.

- Increases movement speed after a successful dodge by 0.2%/LVL.

- Grants temporary invulnerability for 0.1 seconds after a successful dodge.

[Counter III LVL: 200/300]

- After dodging or blocking an attack, the next attack deals 1.5%xLVL damage.

- After successfully blocking or dodging an attack, your next attack's speed is increased by 50%.

- Allows the user to perform a counter-attack immediately after successfully dodging or blocking an attack.

[Unwavering Resilience II 7x LVL: 100/200]

- Increases resistance towards poisons, toxins, diseases, fear, and pain by 30% + 0.20%/LVL.

- Increases resistance towards magic and physical damage by 35% + 0.25%/LVL.

- Allows the user to build up a tolerance to certain substances and toxins over time, making them less harmful or even beneficial in small doses.

- Grants partial immunity to status effects after experiencing them once and surviving, allowing the user to resist them more effectively in the future.

- Diffuses harmful magic within 2m*LVL of the user, reducing its potency by 2% per second, and nullifying it after 50 seconds.

[Bestial Physique II 8x LVL: 100/200]

- Grants a 3x boost to all physical stats for 30 seconds, with a cooldown of 5 minutes.

- Increase all physical stats by 0.06%/LVL.

- Increases M. Res and P. Res stats by 0.5%/LVL.

- Increases Strength, Vitality, Agility, P. Res, and M. Res stats by 2 + (0.02*LVL) per level.

- Increases health and stamina regeneration by 0.02%/LVL of total health/stamina per second.

- Grants self-fertility manipulation, and children born from you will always match your race.

- Grants the ability to regenerate lost limbs.

[Mental Mapping II LVL: 100/200]

- Allows the formation of cognitive representations of one's current environment.

- The environmental data is continually refreshed with information from various sources.

- Increases the accuracy and detail of the cognitive representation by 5%/LVL.

[Spatial Sense II LVL: 100/200]

- Allows the user to sense and perfectly perceive the spatial distortion caused by all entities within a 2*INT*LVL meter radius.

- The skill can be used to detect invisible barriers, hidden portals, and other spatial anomalies that may be invisible to the naked eye.

[Optimize II LVL: 100/200]

- Increases the user's ability to optimize and enhance any processes or systems by 0.1%/LVL.

- Grants a 15% chance of reducing the resource cost of tasks, increasing the user's endurance and sustainability in various endeavors.

- Enables the user to create and deploy new strategies or methods, which can be customized to fit their unique objectives or circumstances.

- Allows the user to identify and exploit weaknesses or inefficiencies in complex systems or structures.

Shifting my focus away from the captivating information displayed on my status screen, I took a moment to survey the environment I found myself in. The room Olivia rented exuded a cozy medieval charm, with wooden furnishings, tapestries adorning the walls, and a comfortable king-sized bed in the center. Soft candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow across the room.

To my surprise, I found Olivia reclining on the bed, engrossed in a book, with the wolf cub snuggled up next to her. Her alluring figure, clad in black panties and a semi-transparent camisole, caught my attention. Her legs playfully swung in the air as she remained completely absorbed in her reading, while her hand lovingly stroked the wolf's fur, seemingly oblivious to my presence. I couldn't help but admire her serene beauty, appreciating the casual comfort she exuded.

Cocking my head to the side, a playful smile formed on my lips as I recognized the book Olivia was engrossed in. "Fur, Fins, and Funny Business: A Whimsical Look at Animal Reproduction, not your typical bedtime read," I remarked, my voice tinged with surprise. Instantly, Olivia's face flushed with embarrassment, and she hastily turned around, unintentionally waking up the pup nestled beside her. With a sheepish smile, she attempted to conceal the book behind her back.

Closing the distance between us, I approached Olivia with a teasing glint in my eyes. "You know, I'm curious now. What fascinating secrets about reproduction did you stumble upon in that book?" I asked, my voice filled with playful curiosity. Making her avert her gaze, unwilling to divulge the contents of her reading material.

"You seem... different," I remarked, sensing a change in her demeanor. "Did you do something with your hair?"

Her hand instinctively reached up to touch her hair as she replied, "No, I didn't. Why? Does it look bad?"

"No, not at all. It's just... you feel different," I said, giving her an inquisitive look. And as I took in a deep breath, it suddenly struck me. "You smell different. Did you get a new perfume?"

She shook her head, "I've actually changed my race..." But her eyes widened realizing my words, "But wait a minute! I smell different? What does that mean? Did I smell bad before?" Her voice grew increasingly higher in pitch, reflecting her growing concern.

I quickly reassured her, "Nah, you always smelt wonderful, I'm even tempted to say alluring." I offered a reassuring smile, relieved that I had deflected any potential issue. Mentally patting myself on the back for my quick thinking, I continued, "But that doesn't mean you don't smell wonderful right now."

A pout formed on her face as she crossed her arms, her expression accompanied by a squint and a mild glare. However, after a sigh, she dropped the act and explained, "So... I might have an idea why I smelt 'alluring'. I've discovered something interesting about the race system." I leaned in, giving her my undivided attention. "You know how it gives us instincts on how to use our new appendages, right?"

I nodded, recalling my own experiences with controlling the Cat Person race's tail. "Yes, it's quite... intriguing."

She rolled her eyes but continued, "Well, it turns out those instincts aren't the only ones we inherit from races."

Confusion clouded my expression as I asked, "What do you mean? I haven't noticed anything different with my current races."

With a deadpan look, she replied, annoyance lacing her voice, "Well, please don't laugh, but if I equip the Kyuubi no Kitsune or Nekomata races, or any other animal-based race, I experience what they call 'Heat'. What's more, the more of those animal-based race I equip, the stronger the urge becomes." She maintained a straight face, clearly not finding the situation humorous.

Suppressing a chuckle, I responded, "Really?" My voice strained to contain the laughter bubbling within.

She shot me a glare, her annoyance palpable. "Yes, really," she retorted, exasperation evident in her tone.

I suppressed the urge to laugh, giving Olivia's discovery a deeper consideration. It made sense that the races we equip have a profound effect on our emotions and way of thinking. "They shift our complete biology, so it's not surprising that they have additional effects on us," I mused. However, I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary within myself. However, as I delved deeper into the concept, things started to fall into place. High Elves known for their arrogance, Vulcans for their emotional detachment... As for my other currently equipped race, Renard, didn't exhibit a clear trait, but I had a hunch about its subtle impact on me. However, despite this newfound understanding, it didn't compel me to change my races.

"Well, that does explain why I've been feeling drawn to you lately," I replied, my tone thoughtful as I shifted into my researcher persona. "Your body's been emitting pheromones that have been subtly influencing my responses. And as for your recent behavior, it seems like the effects of your races have played a part."

"The last one might have just been me..." She mumbled softly, barely audible, causing me to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh really?" I said, a mischievous grin appearing on my face as I wiggled my eyebrows. "So, two days ago, when you presented yourself on all fou—" Before I could finish the sentence, she abruptly clamped her hands over my mouth, silencing me.

With a sheepish expression, she removed her hands and admitted, "Alright, I might have been influenced by it." Her cheeks blazed with a deep blush. "Also, I'm sorry for my earlier outburst. I know you're not ready for a child. It was just my hormones speaking. Now that my mind is clear, I understand that it would be dangerous currently." She sighed, a hint of sadness lingering in her voice.

"Don't worry," I said with a wry smile, settling down on the bed next to her and giving her a quick peck on the chin. "I've given it some thought, and honestly, the idea of being a father terrifies me," I spoke honestly, my voice tinged with vulnerability. "I'm afraid that I would be a horrible father."

She tried to interject, but I raised my hand gently to stop her. "But I've decided to give it a try," I said with a sigh. Her eyes widened, and a radiant smile bloomed on her face, but I quickly added, "But not yet! Give me a few months. Maybe if things are calm after my birthday, we can start working on it. There are a few logistical issues we need to solve before then. And we should definitely talk to Rob about this."

Confusion flickered across her expression, and she asked, "Why?"

"Well, I'm not sure how the system handles this," I explained. "Will the baby be born with a system? If born in a doomed world, do we need to extract it, and how much would it cost? Also, thanks to my [Bestial Physique] skill, it would be born as the race I have active. Does that mean it would be a mix of all the equipped races, or would only one of them be chosen? And if it's one, is it random, or does it follow some kind of pattern? Additionally, your current strength is in the two thousand, and I worry that pushing too hard during childbirth might harm the baby."

As my words sank in, she paled, her eyes widening in realization. "Calm down," I reassured her quickly. "I've already come up with an alternative plan to address that concern, so it shouldn't be an issue. But there's still the problem of pregnancy. Nine months is too long for you to be out of commission. I might be able to reduce the pregnancy time, but I'm not sure if it would work and how safe it is. I'll need to do some research and a few experiments." I left out the part about potential human trials, as there was no need for her to worry about that.

"So, yeah, there are a few issues we need to address before we even start thinking about having a baby," I concluded, offering her a weak smile as I gently patted her head.

"I didn't even think about all these things," she admitted, her voice tinged with worry, her gaze dropping. I sensed the anxiety building up within her through our connection. "What if-"

I gently raised my hand, placing a finger on her lips to interrupt her anxious thoughts. "There is no need to worry," I assured her, offering a comforting smile. "Everything will be alright. We'll figure it out together."