A Cheap, OP Brawler 68 Chapter 68: Pre-Duel Nerves Over Lunch

Why did I put the IEB back in the MIB and not put it in my [Storage], you ask? Well, I would if I 'could,' but I can't.

Let me just say for the record that I didn't just think about putting the IEB in [Storage] when Ume pointed it out to me, all right? It's not like I didn't think about doing something that simple since I first came to this world while I was adjusting to the drastic changes of a new environment.

Because 'not' putting such a cheat-like bag in a cheat-like item box system would be such a stupid noob gamer thing to do, there's no way I'd just forget about trying it until now, okay? The concept itself is just so f.u.c.king laughable, only a total idiot wouldn't think about doing that first thing when they got the [Storage] spell, right?

Hahaha, ha ha, ha …

Aaanyway, when I tried putting my bracelet in [Storage] back in the meeting room, I couldn't do it. The spell wouldn't respond when I tried to put the bracelet there. I couldn't even put the MIB in [Storage], either, whether or not the bracelet was included. When I thought about it, maybe the Immortals enchanted the IEB to not be put in a magical s.p.a.ce like [Storage]. It's strange since I recall Ms. Obina specifically telling me I shouldn't lose that bracelet, so it'd make sense to put it in a place like [Storage] for safe keeping, right?

So, why would the Immortals tell Champions not to lose their bracelets, yet have it enchanted so that we couldn't put them in what may be the safest s.p.a.ce to keep valuable items? Why was keeping it in the MIB fine? It seems another mystery of this world has suddenly been discovered.

As for the MIB not being able to go into [Storage], it may also have been the Immortals' doing by enchanting it that way like they did for the IEB. I mean, I could put the normal knapsacks I got from the White Rapture scouts' haul in [Storage] just fine yesterday. It's likely they didn't want Champions and the residents of the world try to break the system in some way since the MIB could carry up to 10,000 kilograms [~22,000 pounds] inside it, while the [Storage] Null Spell's capacity depends on the user's MP. Thinking of it like that made sense to me, but I'm still scratching my head on the IEB issue. Since I couldn't put either the IEB or MIB in [Storage], I had to keep both of them on me at all times. It's why I had to refuse Ren and Erizora's offer in holding my bag for me as my slaves.

It's not that I don't trust them in keeping my things safe, I've just had a lot of misfortune involving the loss of my belongings through stealing over the course of my school days. Mom and I weren't financially well off enough for me to just buy replacements for lost items, so I had to track the stealers down like a bloodhound and take responsibility for the owners.h.i.+p of my own things.

The MIB … I'd likely not have as much of a fuss over losing by itself since I have [Storage] to help me keep my things. Since I have so much money now, I could just buy a new one through the IBS to replace it if that's possible. h.e.l.l, if I could make one or some kind of equivalent, I'd probably save a lot of money that way, too. I just can't have my IEB out from my reach and of course, I can't just keep it in my pocket and risk someone finding it like Lili did the day before. What's more, I learned from going over the Thief skills earlier that there's a 'Steal' skill that allows one to take one random item from the target without them knowing. With my LUCK, things would quickly get chaotic if a Thief somehow got a hold of my IEB that way.

Besides, I don't feel very hindered carrying around my MIB since it can hold so much while still weighing as much as a feather, but since it would suck if I lost valuables like my smartphone that I brought with me from Earth, I took a moment to transfer those items from the bag to my [Storage]. If I really need to, I'll probably just put the IEB in a regular knapsack for me to carry while Ren or Erizora would carry the MIB for me.

We ordered the food we wanted for lunch when we got down to the lobby before I told Lili what happened in the meeting room with the [Soundproof] bubble up to keep the conversation private. Of course, Lili went about as hysterical in my duel with Eugus as Kalline was. Even if I didn't have a skill like 'Size Up' to ensure my chances of winning, even with my stupidly high defenses, there's no way I would've gone up and challenge someone like Eugus, a guild master, without coming up with some sort of plan beforehand.

And so, by the time our food arrived and we started lunch, I took necessary measures to prepare myself for whatever battle Eugus had in store for me while I ate.

[You have spent 2,080 SP. Total: 14,048 SP

[You have now learned 'High-Speed Thought Processing' LV 10!

[The skill, 'High-Speed Thought Processing,' has reached the maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to 'Hyper Thought Processing.'

[You have now reached 'Hyper Thought Processing' LV 10!

[You have reached the maximum level of the 'Hyper Thought Processing' skill!

[You have now learned 'Foresight' LV 10!

[The skill, 'Foresight,' has reached the maximum level of mastery and will now evolve to 'Hyper Foresight.'

[You have now reached 'Hyper Foresight' LV 10!

[You have reached the maximum level of the 'Hyper Foresight' skill!]

To break it down, I spent 500 SP each to learn the 'High-Speed Thought Processing' and 'Foresight' skills first. I was capable of doing this thanks to me having the 'Erudite' t.i.tle that I gained after having my Intelligence from my Innate Stats evaluated and acknowledged as 'SS' rank. I then just used 'Skill Point Conversion' to spend more SP maxing those skills out, which evolved into 'Hyper Thought Processing' and 'Hyper Foresight,' respectively, before spending even more SP to max those out.

As for the skills, 'High-Speed Thought Processing' allows me to process and think in my mind at higher speeds than normal while 'Foresight' heightens my 'prediction' and gives me a glimpse to see what actions would take place in my surroundings. Just think of me being able to have those long monologues to myself that takes place between short, climactic instances in action and sports mangas while I can see what my opponent will do next by watching their after-images of sorts … actually, in this case, wouldn't they be 'before-images?'

Anyway, their evolved skills basically work the same to a greater extent. When activated, it's strangely like my 'Hyper Perception' that everything slows down, at least the effects of my surroundings depict it as such, but it's really the result of thinking really fast while being able to predict what will happen within a few seconds. Unfortunately, with 'Hyper Foresight,' it's not like I'm able to see very far into the future, more like I can predict what and where the trajectories of incoming attacks would come from at that very moment, for example.

When I do activate 'Hyper Perception' on top of those two, then things really pick up in how fast I would respond to those situations. It's incredible how none of these even require MP to use them.

I may not know what kind of battle Eugus has planned for us or what the full extent of his skills are, but I believe with these three skills combined and my AGI that far surpa.s.ses his, while I don't want to overestimate myself and get c.o.c.ky, I do think I'll have better chances to see what's coming and act accordingly.

Plus, with 'Hyper Thought Processing,' I could listen and answer to what Nyra has to say in my mind while in the middle of a conversation without skipping a beat. It may be another story if I try using 'Telepathy' with the people of my party, but I'll work that out later.

Speaking of my party, while Ume, Ren, and Erizora were fully enjoying their lunches without care, Kalline, Kenaka, and Mametama looked listless while they ate, probably still trying to take in the fact that I'm a Champion.

Aside from Lili—who looked to have just been fed up with everything while she ate after I told her about my duel with Eugus—Ms. Raize, and Winny who are aware of my ident.i.ty under different circ.u.mstances, I felt I had to let those currently in my party know of my true ident.i.ty as soon as possible, and while Kalline is yet an official member of my party, I was going to make that happen no matter what it took.

Still, it was concerning to see how quiet they've gotten since I made that promise to Kalline.

"Hey, are you doing all right, Kalline?" I ask first.

"H-Huh?! Oh … yes, I am fine."

"You certainly don't 'look' fine," Lili rebuts.

"It is just … now that I know what Master Jinma is, I am further questioning if I even have the right to serve such a man."

"Ah, so you are aware of that now."

"Kalline Gallofree, I would suggest that you stop that line of thinking from this point on," Ume says while furrowing her brow. "If you think about it, Jin could use his high-ranked Charm with Demons to find another exceptional, experienced adventurer to help show us the ropes on doing this job while joining his party as an advisor, and then f.u.c.k her silly with his awesome d.i.c.k that same night to make her stay with us permanently."

{Am I really that quick in doing such a thing? But I wouldn't just choose party members that w.i.l.l.y-nilly, right? Some things just happened that led to the four—soon to be five—of us coming together as a party. Does Ume really think I could get any girl just like that?}

"He could've done that and not worry about all of this trouble," Ume continues, "yet here he is staking his money and rank on the line for you, who may not even have the slightest bit of romantic interest in him, so pa.s.sionate and desperate to join his party yesterday, and now you're questioning your worthiness to join after all that he did for you? Do you even realize how much you're insulting Jin by stepping over his kindness? If you have the gall to second-guess your decision after your show of pa.s.sion for adventure yesterday then you shouldn't have bothered us to begin with."

"Ume, stop, that's going too far—"

"Nay, Master Jinma. Lady Umeiyon has a point," Kalline interrupts me before getting up and lowers herself as much as possible into a bowing position towards me and Ume. "While I was second-guessing my usefulness in this party, I had inadvertently second-guessed thy prowess and kindness after doing everything thou have done to give me this opportunity. Please, Master Jinma, Lady Umeiyon, I beg forgiveness for my negligence."

{G.o.d, are all Centaurs this serious about everything? I feel like some sort of power-hungry ruler or something.} "It's fine, Kalline. It's understandable to get worked up being caught in a situation like this, but seriously, it won't do us any good getting serious all the time. I know I want you to act as our advisor, but just try to loosen up a little, all right?"

"Yes, Master Jinma, I thank thee for thy kindness."

"And as for you, Ume, you need to choose your words better. That last bit was uncalled for, especially when you told Eugus yourself that you wanted to see what Kalline is capable of, right? I already know how strong you are but I doubt anyone in this table will get to that same level as you so quickly. You gotta consider where they stand before saying something so harshly."

Ume sits there in silence while averting her eyes away from my stare.

"I was weak once, too, you know? h.e.l.l, I still question if I'm still weak in some things even now. Surely, there were times you guys have also felt that way, right?"

Ume then exasperates a sigh and scratches her head. "Considering who and what my father was, maybe it wasn't fair of me to judge you so harshly, Kalline Gallofree. I … apologize, for stepping out of bounds."

"N-No no! Not at all! I should be the one to—"

"Just accept the d.a.m.n apology and finish your food before I 'Water Blast' you in the face."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Considering how we saw how powerful that spell was from her 'test' with Winny's older brother yesterday, it'd make sense for Kalline to get fl.u.s.tered, back to her seat, and went back to eating her lunch without further questioning.

{Well, it's a step in 'some' direction,} I think, hoping Ume will get better with Kalline and the others.

<"hey, if="" anything,="" i="" thought="" you="" handled="" the="" situation="" pretty="" well!="" i'd="" probably="" learn="" to="" get="" used="" to="" things="" like="" this,="" though,="" having="" them="" being="" in="" your="" harem="" and="" all,"=""> Nyra advises.

{But Kalline isn't part of the harem?}

<"not right="" now,="" she="" ain't,="" but="" soon="" …="" very="" soon,="" things="" will="" change.="" i="" can="" feel="" it="" in="" my="" loins."="">

{Do you even 'have' loins?}

<"hey, if="" i="" got="" o.r.g.a.s.mic="" when="" you="" used="" me="" to="" cut="" b.i.t.c.hes="" up,="" then="" my="" loins="" must="" be="" somewhere,="" right?"="">

{Hm, fair point.}

"Still though, for Milord to not only be one of them but also representing the G.o.ddess of l.u.s.t. My, does fate work in mysterious ways. Don't you think so, too, Kenaka?" Mametama asks him. I can't help but feel there's something about her tone that might've intentionally rubbed Kenaka the wrong way. The two of them are currently at the edge of the table on the floor eating food off of their own plates.

"… I have no comment aside from how grateful I am to have someone like Milord to be my master. That is all."

"Oh, come now, we're talking about the G.o.ddess of 'l.u.s.t,' after all. If you to ask Milord nicely, maybe he can—"

"I will not bother Milord on my trifling matters and if you value your cute little kitty face, you will refrain from speaking any further on this subject and drop it, Mametama."

"Well then, I guess that speaks enough of how you've been doing up to now."

Compared to Ume and Kalline, Kenaka and Mametama's 'relations.h.i.+p' may take some more time and effort to improve, considering how they seem to have a history that none of us know about. I admit I'm curious to how they know each other and how I might help Kenaka since I'm representing Ms. Obina, but I want to respect their personal s.p.a.ce, so I won't interfere unless I need to.

Everyone continued eating and wound up ordering seconds—Ren and Erizora were reluctant to ask me for more but I was more than happy to oblige—while I decided to step out into the training grounds as directed by one of the guild staff. To work off my food and prepare for my duel with Eugus, I do some light exercises like I was doing radio calisthenics back in the day and then some. Some of the other adventurers nearby were eying at me strangely, as if they never saw someone doing exercises in a training ground before, but I didn't pay them much mind. Kenaka ended up coming out partway through and when I asked him what was up, he said the others were having a girl talk that he'd rather not want to listen in on. So, he ended up helping me with my exercises by becoming a makes.h.i.+ft weight-resistance bag of sorts, basically carrying him by piggyback. I think I got even more strange looks from the other adventurers after that, but again, I didn't pay them any mind.

I remember Ms. Obina mentioning how I could raise my stats by doing some training. While I confirmed that statement to be true, it didn't feel like I changed all that much, especially when only my HP and MP have gone up by a few points. It could be that I wasn't intense enough in this training, and so I make a mental note to try and come up with a more strenuous session in the future.

I realize that this would be the first time I'm facing a demon in battle since I came to this world. I've mostly fought monsters and humans up to this point. I admit this duel will be different from the fights I've had up to now, going up against a Centaur would be the same as facing a human on horseback while they're in perfect sync. It will be different, sure, and the stakes are high, but I'm gonna do what it takes to win Kalline's freedom to join my party.

Before I even noticed it, the time for my battle with the guild master of Dondegarm had come.