In Rosh's eyes, she clearly saw how that long cock suddenly sprang forth—how it jolted with explosive force, how it began to grow more menacingly, and then, with that same terrifying momentum, struck her square across the face.
The moment the warmth and impact struck her face, Rosh caught a strange scent—and with it, a feeling she could hardly describe.
It wasn't excitement. It wasn't pain. It wasn't even urgency.
It was shame.
A crushing, unbearable shame—as if her entire life had been ruined in that instant.
She, Rosh—both a warrior and a woman—had been struck in the face by something so filthy, so humiliating, that she could scarcely believe it.
Her mind blanked. She collapsed to the ground, overcome with grief for her own power and her own fate.
Even Ryuji hadn't expected things to turn out like this. He rushed forward and quickly helped her up.
But Rosh's expression remained vacant. She didn't move, didn't speak. She only stared blankly ahead, unable—or unwilling—to accept the reality that she had been defeated in such a way.
Ryuji understood her feelings, understood exactly what must be going through her mind. But to him, the whole situation was far less shocking.
"Honestly, this isn't something unusual. As long as you're still a girl, you'll run into things like this sooner or later. Even if you become a Battle Goddess of Beiana, it won't be something you can always avoid."
Now fully dressed once more, his words of "comfort" carried all the tact of a hammer.
Sizki, listening from the side, couldn't hold back. She rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. Rosh, who had just begun to regain some composure, instantly froze again, staring like a wooden puppet.
Sizki's conclusion was clear. If Ryuji didn't know how to comfort people, then he should really just stop trying.
"Either way, the real problem right now is getting out of here."
Her gaze fell to the massive corpse of the minotaur at their feet and the fire spreading rapidly around them. Sizki frowned.
Until now, Ryuji's reckless words and strange condition had completely monopolized her attention. But looking around, it was obvious—the forest was burning. And it wasn't a natural blaze. This fire had to be the work of a monster.
All the more reason to leave immediately.
"You're right," Ryuji agreed, standing atop the wagon, scanning their surroundings with a grim look.
In the depths of the Lorien Forest, there was only one monster known for such flames.
The Witch of Flames, Flaming Binoche—of course, often mentioned alongside her twin sister, the Ice-Locking Keraha.
Creatures like them were hardly strangers to cruelty. They weren't the type you could show mercy to.
A faint grin tugged at Ryuji's lips. "Heh… this could be fun."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Even without leaning on that dangerous forbidden power, he was confident he could take them on. Monsters like these didn't deserve considerations like "human rights" or "dignity" anyway.
But at the moment, his curiosity burned brighter than the hunt.
So while Sizki urged the horses forward, steering the wagon toward Hendon Myre, Ryuji opened his system panel.
"…Still, just what is this Forbidden Power?" he muttered.
Searching through the menus, his eyes caught the entry tied to Seria—and there it was.
Forbidden Power (MAX):
Because of the influence of the Primordial Power—and the strength of your own heart, you have awakened a terrifying power.
You can absorb the resentment and lingering thoughts tied to people and things from the world around you, even from other worlds, and convert them into strength.
This power does not belong to any one place—it flows from countless worlds, unclaimed yet with a clear purpose, carrying the emotions of anger, sorrow, and obsession.
This power is near-omnipotent.
With it, you can create matter out of nothing, even reverse life and death. You can use this power almost infinitely and use it to change everything in the world. You can even alter the very nature of a person's abilities, their experience, techniques, and secret arts. As long as you touch them, and they have sufficient concentration of resentment and longings, you can use this power to instantly master everything they know and claim all of their strength for yourself.
But there is a price.
To wield this power is to carry the weight of those resentments and longings that comes with it. That is the burden.
The Forbidden Power magnifies every desire and thoughts within you, pushing aside every obstacle to your will. Yet, if you drown in it, you will become nothing more than a puppet to the forbidden power its cravings. It is only a matter of time, before you lose your will.
The only way to temporarily ease this burden is to satisfy the wishes and grudges tied to the emotions you've absorbed. But if doing so requires even more of the Forbidden Power, things grow dangerously unstable.
Because as your self-control, reason, and shame are stripped away, everything that once restrained your impulses will vanish. And almost no one can resist the temptation to take in more of this forbidden strength.
Unrestrained use of the Forbidden Power is suicide.
Thus, the true challenge is not only learning to wield this power within the limits of your body and mind, but also resisting its backlash—the erosion of your will, the dissolution of your self—lest your body be consumed and overtaken by the endless flood of alien thoughts and resentments.
The description of this ability was vague, but to Ryuji—through his own experience—it was already perfectly clear.
Whether it was conjuring the lollipop for Rosh from nothing, or the mysterious energy that had surged through his body earlier, the Forbidden Power had been behind it. It answered his thoughts as naturally as an extension of his arm. Unlike blood energy or other powers, it required no training—just a single thought to bend the world. Convenient… almost frighteningly so.
"This… almost feels like the power of faith used by the gods of belief systems—versatile, but with terrifying drawbacks."
Ryuji pressed his lips together as he studied the description of the Forbidden Power. He had already tested it once. Just by slightly enhancing his body, the power had nearly dragged him into madness, turning him into nothing more than a monster that only knew how to kill.
The name was well-deserved. For humans, this truly was a forbidden force.
After all, what separates people from beasts is the ability to control their desires, to act with will and thought. Strip that away, and what's left is nothing but an animal driven by hunger.
Still, he had to admit—it was intoxicating. The feeling of acting without restraint, knowing that the Forbidden Power would back him no matter what he did, was dangerously addictive.
Even for him. If he hadn't felt his own will beginning to dissolve—his very sense of self teetering on the edge of destruction—he might have drowned in it willingly.
"Tch… why do I keep ending up with powers that trade intelligence for strength?"
Ryuji couldn't help but complain to himself.
Take the Blood Qi Arts, for example. He didn't even bother with breathing techniques, because once that secret art was in full operation, his mind slowed down drastically. There was no room left for steady breathing or rational thought. Breathing techniques worked by stimulating the lungs to disrupt blood flow and trigger certain effects. But Ryuji could already manipulate his blood directly—far more advanced than that.
Now, on top of that, came this Forbidden Power. It was undeniably powerful, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone out there wanted to see his intelligence ruined.
What would happen if he activated the Blood Qi Arts and the Forbidden Power together? His combat strength would skyrocket, yes—but his brain would be gone. He didn't even want to imagine what sort of things he might do then.
"A tragic story, really," Ryuji sighed, shaking his head.
Fortunately, his abilities were diverse enough that he wasn't forced to rely on the Forbidden Power alone. That meant he didn't need to lean on it heavily just to survive or fight.
"If it's just a small portion, maybe it's manageable…" he reasoned. "According to the description, as long as I fulfill the grudges or lingering desires bound to the power, its side effects can be eased. When I used it earlier… if Sizki had given in, or if Seria had actually had sex with me, then I probably wouldn't have lost control the way I did."
He thought back carefully. At that time, he had been overwhelmed by restless desire, desperate for some outlet. But because those around him stopped him, and because the Forbidden Power drove him to act on every impulse, he had no clear target and thus lost control.
If he had simply taken Seria into the woods and… done it, the influence might not have grown so severe. In the end, what saved him was likely the battle against the Minotaur. By killing it, he burned through most of the power, leaving too little resentment behind to threaten his will.
Or perhaps, he thought, those lingering emotions had clashed with his own convictions. Too weak to break his bottom line, they had dissolved harmlessly.
"This is really…" Ryuji trailed off, at a loss. For someone like him—whose will wavered so easily, whose eyes always drifted toward a woman's breasts—this power felt completely ill-suited.
"But I can't just throw it away either."
He needed to set his own threshold, a safe limit for using it. After all, it was still strength. Dangerous, yes, but strength nonetheless. He wasn't foolish enough to reject it outright, only to fumble helplessly when he needed it most.
Even if its side effects couldn't be erased, he had to understand exactly how severe they were before using it.
"The problem is just… it's too damn strong," he muttered, frowning.
Recalling that earlier technique, Ryuji knew that without the right help, he could easily fall into a spiral: using Forbidden Power to defeat an enemy, then giving in to desire, which would push him to draw even more Forbidden Power, which in turn would deepen his cravings. A vicious cycle.
He would need someone—or something—that could quickly satisfy his urges without fueling more of the power's hunger.
His gaze flicked toward Seria. But after a moment, he shook his head.
She was alluring, yes, but far too pure. The kind who inspired the urge to protect, not to corrupt. The only real resentment she held was probably over unpaid debts. Hardly enough to balance the weight of the Forbidden Power. Instead, there is a feeling that makes people want to protect her.
To put it simply, Seria's ability to reduce the resentment may not be very strong.
In that case…
Ryuji remembered the dream he'd had not long ago.
"If I recall correctly, every person and every event/thing has its own resentment, its own lingering wish… Satisfying those could greatly reduce the negative effects of this power. And in that dream… those voices, those grudges… they were calling a name."
Kiri!
Ryuji's eyes lit up sharply at the thought.
While he was lost in these considerations, their carriage safely left the burning forest and rolled onto the main road toward Hendon Myre. Nothing strange happened no one attacked them along the way. The flames slowly died down, and thanks to Seria's presence, Sizki made no attempt to investigate.
By evening, they stopped to eat. The smell of food finally snapped Rosh out of her dazed stupor, and she immediately began fighting with Ryuji over the dishes.
Her attitude toward him had clearly soured, though. She didn't forgive him until he apologized profusely.
"Honestly! How can you use that kind of power so casually?!"
Rosh glared at him, clutching her bowl.
"A force with such massive drawbacks—it could kill you!"
She scolded him between bites, her tone equal parts frustrated and worried.
"I know, I know," Ryuji said with a small shrug, sipping his tea. "But sometimes… having no power at all is an even crueler fate."
Since they were on the road, Seria still wasn't willing to have sex outdoors yet, so Ryuji hadn't eaten much. That left plenty of food for Rosh, who devoured it with unladylike speed.
Watching her, Ryuji sighed inwardly. All that energy, wasted. She ate so much, yet her chest never seemed to grow. At this rate, this was probably the largest she'd ever get.
A pitiful girl, really.
As if sensing his thoughts, Rosh looked up mid-bite, her small fangs bared in irritation.
"The way you're looking at me right now is really pissing me off…"
She couldn't help but feel his gaze was incredibly rude.
But when Ryuji looked at her—so small, so cute—and remembered that she would never grow into a mature big sister with full curves, the grief in his heart overflowed uncontrollably.
He covered his mouth instinctively, trying to stifle his tears.
"No… I just feel sad," he whispered.
Rosh nearly snapped her chopsticks in frustration.
"I swear, I'm getting more and more tempted to kill you…"
Sizki sighed again. Ever since Ryuji had returned, she realized she had been sighing far too often.
"So… are you planning to develop this kind of power?" she asked.
She had already pieced together his intentions.
"More or less," Ryuji admitted with a nod. "Rather than running from it, I'd rather understand this power—figure out what it truly is—and then decide for myself whether to use it."
He had no intention of abandoning it. This power was clearly a form of World Power that Seria had somehow returned to him, though she herself didn't seem to realize it.
"I see…" Sizki murmured, biting her lip.
Ever since Ryuji had defeated her, there was one thing she had wanted: to train with him.
When they fought before, she had realized just how solid his fundamentals were—far beyond ordinary—and yet his speed, strength, and reflexes had all completely outstripped hers. Only by fighting an opponent like him could she truly expose her own weaknesses.
But back then, sparring with Ryuji had brought him no real benefit, so she had kept the request to herself.
Now, however, if he wanted to test this dangerous power, maybe she could finally get her wish.
"I still think this kind of power is unnecessary," Sizki said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she tried to persuade him. "Sacrificing reason and clarity for strength… it doesn't sit right with me, Ryuji."
Seria, too, looked at him with worried eyes, silently pleading for him to let it go.
"She's right, Ryuji. Just hearing about this power… it sounds wrong."
But Ryuji only shook his head.
What frustrated him most was how easily this forbidden power had seized him before, leaving him utterly defenseless. If someone else out there wielded a similar ability, wouldn't that mean he could be turned into a puppet without resistance?
That was unacceptable. Training against it wasn't optional—it was necessary. He refused to allow himself a weakness that others could exploit.
And besides—
"Having a flawed sword in hand is still better than having no sword at all when you need one," he said firmly.
Once a blade rests in your palm, the killing intent is already there. Better to study and test it now than to remain ignorant until the moment of crisis.
After all, it wasn't as if Ryuji couldn't pull himself out of that state. A few controlled attempts should be enough to determine under what conditions he could safely use it.
"I see…" Sizki exhaled softly. She could already sense his resolve. She didn't know why Ryuji, like herself, yearned for strength so deeply, but her strong sense of duty wouldn't allow her to stand by and watch.
"…Then I'll help you train this power. And in return, you can help sharpen me. Only…"
She slipped the gravity-controlling armband from her arm and turned toward Rosh.
"Rosh, can you modify this to be controlled remotely? With magic—so I can adjust the gravity multiplier without physically touching it?"
If Ryuji insisted on pursuing this, then at least safeguards were essential. She had promised Chobung she would look after him, and she wasn't about to break that promise.
But Rosh only shook her head.
"Not possible. Items like these come with reinforced magic seals. My field of study doesn't cover this kind of modification."
She felt Sizki was being unreasonable to even ask.
Just as Sizki was about to take the armband back, Seria spoke up.
"Um… may I try?"
Sizki blinked in surprise but still handed it over.
"You know magic?"
Seria nodded.
"A little. But… this is something I can handle."
She accepted the armband, and under the watchful eyes of the others, a faint glow gathered in her palm. The runes etched on the band shimmered and shifted. What was once a simple green armband turned golden, humming with altered energy.
Sizki and Rosh only felt the magic, but Ryuji sensed something else entirely.
The Power of the World.
Of course—if Seria could absorb his World Power, it stood to reason she could wield it as well. Hardly surprising.
When the light faded, Seria was a little out of breath but smiling faintly as she held the armband back out.
"It's done. Just say 'double' and the gravity enchantment will increase its pull. I also added a calming effect—to quiet the mind."
She said this with a confidence that made one forget she was supposed to be a simple village girl. Sizki felt the serenity immediately when she touched the band, though her own heart was always calm anyway. Without comment, she tossed it to Ryuji.
"This is yours for now. If you lose control, we'll have a way to restrain you."
Ryuji didn't protest. If they chose to help him today, then he would repay it later. He wasn't like some protagonists who took it for granted that others would help him.
"…Thanks."
Sliding the armband on, he was instantly pressed down by a crushing weight. His breath grew heavy, his movements sluggish—even raising his hand felt stiff. Sizki clearly hadn't set the multiplier low.
But stronger than the weight was something else.
Tranquility. A stillness in his heart, free from wandering thoughts.
"How does it feel?" Sizki asked.
"I think… I can try invoking the forbidden power again." Ryuji raised a finger.
"Good. Let's see if this band really works on you," she replied calmly.
Closing his eyes, he let the invisible force well up again. Darkness filled his mind, yet nothing tempted him. The World Power woven into the band soothed his spirit, dissolving the whispers of resentment and malice that surged with the forbidden power.
"As expected of Seria…" Ryuji couldn't help but praise her.
But the moment he opened his eyes, the serenity shattered.
Sizki sat nearby, clad in her skintight battle gear, her bronze-toned skin glinting in the firelight. The way the fabric clung to her legs and chest made his breath quicken—and the sight only grew more dangerous under the flickering shadows.
Seria sat properly at his other side, watching him with worried eyes, her posture demure, but her pale legs peeking from under her skirt stirred another, darker impulse within him.
And then there was Rosh—small, tense, eyes flickering with fear, her little hands and feet drawn close as if bracing for him to snap again. The forbidden power whispered temptation, urging him to indulge the cruelest impulses against the defenseless.
Ryuji's mind instantly began working out how to fake composure—how to make the others think he hadn't entered the state of Forbidden Power, and then strike later when their guard was down.
And with that, he finally understood one thing.
Damn… I really can't control this at all. My willpower is this fragile?
Ryuji wanted to clutch his head and cry, but the crushing desires burning inside him forced his face to remain utterly blank.
Mm… Seria's breasts really isn't as big as Sizki's… and with that bronze skin and that body wrapped in tight leather, Sizki's practically oozing sex appeal right now! And Rosh—she looks like she'd cry the moment I push her down! Damn it, why am I thinking like this?!
Even as those shameless thoughts surged through him, his voice came out calm and steady:
"Looks like Seria's magic worked. I don't feel anything strange anymore."
Inside, though, Ryuji sighed. He had talked so bravely before, but the moment he dipped into this state, the first instinct that rose up was not wanting to leave it. That was the true terror of this power.
"Really? You're sure?" Sizki tilted her head, studying him with suspicion. Something felt off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"I already told you, I'm fine. Stop worrying so much."
Ryuji shook his head with feigned annoyance, even as his heart raced with schemes to get closer to the female fighter.
"…If you say so," Sizki muttered, still unconvinced.
"Of course. Anyway, let's get some sleep."
He waved his hand dismissively. Desire tore at him like wildfire, but he forced it down. For that, even he had to admire himself—losing rationality, yet still managing to endure for the sake of his goal.
Damn, I'm amazing.
Ryuji lay down and shut his eyes. Sizki shook her head, took first watch, and left him to rest. Ryuji, however, spent the long hours imagining Seria's breasts until the second half of the night.
But this was nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst. The Forbidden Power itself had stopped growing, yet his own swelling desires burned hotter with it, until it felt like his skull would split apart.
By the time it was his turn to stand watch, Sizki stretched lazily in front of him.
Her full, plump breasts bounced, and for a terrifying second, Ryuji nearly lost all restraint. But he forced it back down.
Endure! Attacking her now will gain me nothing. Once I reach Hendon Myre, I can spend money to recruit beautiful women who are willing to become my lovers! Even the rational me wouldn't dare that… but now? Ha! All too easy.
His fists clenched hard. Sizki, startled by his blood-red eyes and the twisted expression on his face, stepped back.
"You… are you really okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine…"
Ryuji forced a smile, but with the crushing mental pressure twisting his features, it looked quite scary. The state he was in couldn't be concealed at all, which made Sizki to shake her her helplessly.
"You're looking scary right now," Sizki muttered.
She wasn't stupid. His earlier words, his strange composure, his current state—all of it pointed to one conclusion: Ryuji had already lost control, and was desperately trying to hide it, waiting for the chance to act.
She stared at him, and asked bluntly:
"You've already entered the irrational state, haven't you? Tell me—what obsession is so strong that it lets you disguise yourself even like this?"
Ryuji's red eyes blazed. Without hesitation, he declared:
"Harem! If I can just hold out until Hendon Myre, I can use this state to build my harem. And afterward, I'll just blame it on being irrational—perfect excuse!"
His pride, his dream of being the Harem King, would not allow him to lie.
Hearing such an explosive revelation, Sizki couldn't help but sigh. If it had been anyone else, she might have been shocked—but when it came to Ryuji, she realized there was no reason to be surprised at all. Nothing he did could really be called "unexpected."
Especially when he was in this irrational state.
"…Can you not say your excuses out loud like that? Should we fight it out right now? Or should I wake up Seria and let you vent your… urges?"
Sizki crossed her arms over her chest. Ryuji's eyes immediately locked onto the fullness of her breasts.
"Sorry, but right now," he said, his gaze unwavering, "my heart is filled with nothing but big breasts."
The blunt confession made her flush crimson, forcing her to cover herself with both hands.
"You—!"
"What's wrong with a man liking big breasts?!" Ryuji shot back, his tone unrepentant.
"….!"
Her face burned hotter—though she couldn't tell if it was from anger or embarrassment. His predatory stare left her at a loss for words. She glanced at Seria, still peacefully asleep, then back at Ryuji, who looked like he might snap at any moment. Finally, she let out another sigh.
"If you use your hand," she muttered, "I'll… let you look at my chest while you do it."
That was her greatest compromise.
Because if she did nothing, who knew what a reasonless, desire-driven Ryuji might do? That single sword strike that cleaved through that minotaur—she would never be able to withstand something like that.
After all, it was only letting him look…
~~~~~~~~~~
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