Tensei Skill Shop Chapter 16

Tensei Skill Shop

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 16:

“Breakfast is ready!” Uzume’s voice called out to me.

“Coming!” 

“Good morning, Rick-tan,” Matsu greeted me when I walked out of the bedroom.

“Good morning, Uzume, Matsu. How are you two feeling?” I asked them as I took a seat at the table.

“Sore,” The redhead admitted.

“That’s because you don’t exercise enough,” Uzume scolded her lightly.

“Need a boost?”

Matsu shook her head. “It’s not that serious. I’ll recover fine on my own.”

“Alright, but don’t forget to ask if you really need it.”

On my end, I had used a bit of healing magic to recover after our practice last night, since it had worked muscles I didn’t usually use. That was to be expected, since all three of us were new to Air Treks.

Air Treks, or ATs, as they were more commonly referred to, were the motorized roller skates that were all the rage in this world. The motors, the suspension, the cushioning, all of them added up to become the hottest trend on the streets for thrill seekers, as they allowed their users to run faster, jump higher, and soar further. 

Shortly after our arrival in this world, we went out to the shop and purchased a pair of each of us, and spent the rest of the day slowly getting used to them. I had very little experience rollerblading or ice skating, and it took me longer than I liked to finally learn how to move as I liked on them, though it was going to take even longer to really master the more complicated tricks.

“So what’s the plan today?” 

“More practice, and maybe a bit of scouting,” I decided.

“There’s a skate park nearby that we can use. Perhaps we can start learning how to do some of those tricks online.”

Technically, we didn’t have to learn how to use ATs and become Stormriders, as AT users were nicknamed on the streets, but it was pretty fun being able to move around so easily. It really made me understand just why ATs had become so popular with the young crowd.

We were currently staying in a mixed hostel, having found one through Matsu’s information-obtaining skills. It was cheap and comfortable with several included amenities, like access to a shared kitchen, and we could share a room between the three of us with no issues. The only other guests were a pair of backpackers, and they would move on after a few days, so we only had to be cautious about the hostel’s staff. With Matsu hacking the cameras and altering the footage, that caution was only necessary when they were present in person, so we could use our skills without any worry.

“You know, I’m really learning a lot from working with these ATs,” Matsu remarked as we walked towards the skate park.

Said ATs on our feet were currently locked, allowing us to walk on them like normal shoes, albeit with a bit of instability due to the curved wheels.

I nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. They’re very similar to the skills we work with, in a sense.”

“What do you mean?” Uzume asked.

“Right now, we’re training using the basic ATs, right? However, as we get used to them and learn just what our running style is like, we can customize them with different parts to suit our individual style.”

“All the small parts add together to make the functional whole,” Matsu followed up with the explanation, “But it’s not as simple as simply swapping the parts in and out. There are various small adjustments that can affect the overall efficiency.”

“Yeah, if the compatibility is bad, they could even be a burden on the user. Sano tries to avoid that with the skills he sells, which is why the skill compatibility with the world system is important. ATs have the same issue.”

“I think I get it, but let’s put that aside for now.”

Uzume crouched down and unlocked the power limiter on her ATs, kicking off into a smooth dash. 

“Come on! Let’s go!” She called back from ahead of us.

I exchanged looks with Matsu, then we both did the same. Once we reached the skate park, we immediately got down to business, practicing the moves and tricks that Matsu could find on the internet in this world. Considering that the ATs came with sensors and memory cards capable of recognizing tricks performed, we had no lack of data to work off in our practice.

Each Stormrider would develop their own style of running, based on the types of tricks they enjoyed using, and that would eventually culminate into the form of their individual ‘Road’. It had only been a short while for us, but I could already see the start of it for each of us.

With how much practice I put into the [Full Focus Breathing] skill, I had grown deeply aware of how my muscles preferred to work, and I realized that Water really suited me as an element. Or more specifically, its flow ability. Running, grinding, jumping, every part of the run was connected, and when I got really going, it became hard to stop. I still didn’t dare to descend from tall heights too quickly, but making a wall run downwards was no issue for me.

Uzume lived up to her title as the Veil Sekirei, because her run was similar to my flowing one, except it was much lighter. Just like a cloth streamer being blown by the wind, caressing the surfaces it brushed over. That wasn’t to say it couldn’t be offensive in nature; if Uzume really wanted to, her ATs could leave slices on the surfaces she rode upon, especially when the powerful leg strength of a Sekirei was involved. It had some similarity to the Fang Road used by Wanijima Agito, but I could tell she didn’t want to use it unless absolutely necessary.

As for Matsu, she preferred sticking to the traditional and technical, and I could feel a nice rhythm to her run and tricks. While she was the least adventurous of the three of us, her moves were improving at a much faster pace, and her advice helped us to improve our own as well. Overall, not a Road with its own style, but one perfect for a support. She was a shoo-in for the tuner role on our team.

There was the occasional fall and scrape, but nothing too serious happened, and I could easily heal any injuries incurred. But those occurrences lessened the more we practiced, until we were performing tricks with almost no errors at all.

“Alright, let’s take a break for lunch!” I checked the surroundings with my skill, before producing the bento boxes Uzume prepared from my Inventory. 

“Whew! That was quite a workout! ATs are really fun!” 

“I totally agree!” Matsu laid on her back, her limbs splayed out. “I think I’m definitely going to be aching a lot more tomorrow!”

The road ahead of us was one of self-discovery, and we were going to have fun running it together.

Aside from practicing tricks, we also explored the city, getting a feel for a place that was so greatly influenced by ATs. It also allowed us to get an idea of where we were in the timeline, which just so happened to be a while before the start of canon. The main character was just a delinquent who had yet to get involved with ATs, and the person responsible for his introduction to it… was still wandering around trying to find the person she was hoping to find.

“Welcome to Mamurasaki Sports!” The female staff greeted us cheerfully as we entered the store. “How may I help you today?”

“Just came to look at parts, thanks.”

“Certainly! Our AT selection is right over here!”

I caught the curious glance she gave me as she left to serve other customers.

<Is she the one you told us about?> Uzume asked me through our mental link.

<Yup,> I confirmed, <That’s Simca, one of the characters with the biggest influence on the story’s main character. Though at this point, she’s just doing her own stuff.>

<What did [Appraisal] tell you about her?>

<She’s got pretty high [AT] skill, but she’s also holding the [Gravity Child] skill.>

<Are you going to [Steal] it?> Uzume asked, picking up two AT wheels and comparing them. <Or use [Creation]?>

<Let me check… It’s only 4200 LP. Not cheap, but still affordable. Either of you interested in it?> 

I saw Matsu shake her head, disguising it as a rejection of the part she was examining. <Not right now. More importantly, the customizability on these is fantastic.>

“Are you and your friends new to Air Trecks?” Simca approached us again, having foisted the other customer off onto another staff member.

“Yes, are we that obvious?” <Looks like we caught her attention.> I told the others.

“I do see quite a few customers like you, coming here all fascinated,” She replied with a cute-sounding chuckle.

“We’ve been practicing a little lately, so could you explain what all these different parts are for?” Uzume stepped closer to put an arm around the other girl’s shoulders.

My gaze couldn’t help lowering to where those large globes of flesh pressed up against the younger girl’s arm, before I pulled them back up to catch Simca staring at the same spot with what looked like a bit of jealousy. The pink-haired girl wasn’t small by any means, but there was a clear difference between hers and Uzume’s sizes.

<”Ufufu…”> Matsu giggled, both through the mental link and out loud, enjoying the scene of skinship taking place.

“Certainly!” Simca slipped out of Uzume’s hold, skipping over to me.

She picked out a wheel in a playful manner, before taking hold of my hand and placing the part in it. It was an attempt to get a reaction out of my Sekireis by pretending to come onto me as part of a sales pitch, but all I could feel from them through our bond was amusement. Still, the information she gave was useful.

There were various types of AT users, who often gathered into like-minded groups, or ‘Teams’, and the parts they customized their ATs with usually fell within their preferred specialty. Those who focused on polishing their tricks, those who just rode for casual fun, the ones who enjoyed speed, whether it was on freeways or on more complicated routes, even those who sought to join professional teams in sports that used ATs… 

It was quite similar to Mario Kart’s stats. Speed, acceleration, turning, traction, etc. All those values could be adjusted by making changes to the parts being used in the ATs.

And what those desired values were varied depending on the requirements. The Stormriders’ preferred style of tricks, the usual terrain within the Stormriders’ territory, physical status and so on.

“So it wouldn’t be wrong to say the sky’s the limit in finding one’s preferred customization settings,” I commented.

“Correct!” Simca winked at me. “Though the best way to know what works best for each of you is to buy and try them out.”

Yeah, this close, it’s obvious she’s wearing colored contact lenses to cover up her actual pupils. “So what are the parts here focused on?”

A sports store like this place dealt with mainstream pieces, good for general use and meant for newbies with a few specialty parts for those seeking to go further afield. However, Simca confided to us that there were specialty shops and parts crafters, when the normal parts weren’t enough. Naturally such services came at premium prices, on top of the difficulty in even getting one’s foot in the door. Not to say that the conventional pieces weren’t pretty expensive themselves…

ATs were most popular among the young crowd, but the majority of that customer base lacked the funds to replace their parts as they wore out from use. Due to that, they had no choice but to keep using their degrading ATs despite the fact that a malfunction could lead to serious accidents. That was why Simca suggested that we follow her to a place where we could get maintenance done for free, performed by a team in the name of charity.

“ATs sure have a huge culture!” Matsu remarked interestedly.

“Yep!” The pink-haired girl looked over her shoulder at another new customer entering the store. “Please wait a moment, I’ll be with you shortly!”

Oh, feels like her interest has dropped down to the level of curiosity. Guess I don’t measure up to her standards. “No, no, don’t let us occupy all your time. We’ll be fine here.”

“Really? Okay then, I’ll be done at…” Simca glanced at the clock on the wall, “Five, so wait for me until then.”

“Alright, we’ll just continue looking at the parts here.” 

<So after this, we’ll get introduced to Tool Toul To?> Uzume asked through the link.

<That’s right. From there, we’ll work on getting closer to the Keepers and their Regalias.>

…

“Seems like you’re getting quite a lot of experience,” Sano said approvingly as he looked at the glowing ball in his hand..

I nodded. “It’s amazing how similar this world’s technology is to the whole skill setup you’re using.”

“That’s the multiverse for you. Sometimes the mundane reflects the divine, sometimes it’s the other way around.” The god continued to examine the data packet I sent him earlier, “Matsu’s doing good work too.”

“Yeah, she told me to give you her regards. How’s Eevee?”

“Behaving properly, though it’s only been a few hours since you left the shop.”

I don’t think I’ll ever lose my fascination with how the time flows differently between worlds. “Well, we shouldn’t be here much longer. We’re nearly done grabbing the conveniently available stuff.”

“Considering that it’s tech-related, I can’t promise it’ll be worth that much in DP.”

“That’s fine.” I smiled at him. “The learning experience is worth the tradeoff.”

“Oh? We do have some time, so why don’t you tell me about what you all have been up to?”

Uzume, Matsu, and I, the three of us, had been immersing ourselves in the world of ATs as lone independents, untied to any teams despite the invitations we received. As a group of three, we didn’t have the numbers to qualify for official ranking matches that called for a team of five, but we could participate as substitute members, which was good enough for gaining practical experience.

It gave us the opportunities we needed to approach some of the named characters, getting close enough to [Scan] and [Appraise] their ATs and their components. The Regalias that all Stormriders were after might be one of a kind prototypes, but that was only by this world’s setting. By this point, we had already gained access to five of them, the Fang, Flame, Thorn, Wind, and Pledge ones, and their holders barely suspected anything. 

At the same time, we occasionally engaged in more illegal actions, making use of my other skills to grab the parts and data we had our eye on. In FFTA, the one piece of equipment you couldn’t Steal from an opponent was their footwear, because there wasn’t a corresponding skill in the list of Thief Steal skills. So obviously ATs were excluded from the list of stuff I could steal. 

Or so they were. I now had [Editing], and that meant I could just add ‘footwear’ to the list of targetable equipment. 

There were rumors of an extremely strong Stormrider that would take the ATs off the ones he defeated, similar to the historical Japanese character Benkei who would take the swords from unworthy samurai he defeated. However, those were just rumors, because the people who were said to have lost their ATs were seen still having them, no matter how much they claimed they had their ATs stripped off their feet before they realized anything.

In reality, the actual target of those thefts were the memory cards, with the records of the various tricks. Though I did grab some of the rarer parts, if only to resell them elsewhere to keep our funds up and to make connections with those who dealt in such things. 

Connections were a convenient way of ensuring the desired rumors were spread, after all.

As for the parts themselves, I already made a [Fabricate] Skill that would allow me to reproduce them without any of the identifying marks left by their official creators. Plus it’s also good for helping us modify our own ATs with the data we gathered.

Said data also helped me with deciding what Skills I wanted to make with [Creation]. One of the quirks of this world’s system was how I could make Skills named after the various titles given to the characters, and those Skills consisted of multiple subskills, like [Pledge Queen] having things like [Infinite Scale Access] and [Perfect Rhythm]. Matsu definitely enjoyed having that skill [Bestowed] on her, assembling and disassembling ATs with stunning speed without a reality-defying skill like Uzume’s cooking one.

I could see that Sano was interested in those Skills, especially with the data gathered on the physical movements involved. So much for saying it’s not worth much in DP.

“I’m impressed,” Sano finally said.

“Thanks.”

“So what’s your next step?”

I scratched my head. “We’ve pretty much hit all our targets, except one. Hopefully he’ll be showing up soon.”

“Any estimates on the time?”

“According to Matsu, probably within the week.”

“Alright. So the next time you contact me will be to retrieve the three of you then?”

“Probably, yeah.”

Sano inclined his head. “Alright. I’ll be waiting.”

I uncurled my legs and stood up upon returning to the real world, looking around the apartment we were renting. It was nicely furnished, but still generic in a sense, apart from one corner filled with various mechanical tools meant for working on ATs. The sound of the shower that I could hear before I contacted Sano had stopped.

“Uzume? Matsu?” I called out.

“In the bedroom!” came their reply.

Smiling to myself, I headed over to where they were waiting. When I caught sight of them, my smile widened.

Uzume was wearing a furry bikini with a cat ears headband, while Matsu had a sheer babydoll lingerie that barely hid the thong covering her privates. Both of them were kneeling on the bed, giving me inviting looks.

“Hope you’re ready for tonight’s fun times, Rick-tan!” 

“This little pussy’s in heat and waiting for you~” Uzume added, reaching down to cup her crotch.

I was already shedding my clothes. “Don’t mind if I do then!”

Our carnal relationship started as we were exploring the city one night, and the trigger happened when a bunch of rowdy Stormriders hit on the girls, inviting them to ditch me in favor of joining them for ‘fun’. 

I objected, naturally.

They insisted, and attempted to intimidate me.

I objected again, this time physically. They weren’t capable of responding after that.

Matsu suggested a detour to let me unwind after getting all worked up, and our route just so happened to pass near a love hotel, which was where Uzume brought up the idea of taking a short rest there. 

I wasn’t dense enough to miss that invitation for what it was, so we checked in, and ended up doing the deed that night with the free condoms provided. Since it was their first time, it was slow lovemaking for Uzume, followed by a slightly more intense one for Matsu. After that, it was like a dam broke, and we didn’t get any sleep that night.

No regrets spending some of my LP on [Sexual Stamina].

Now that we had a more permanent place to stay, almost every night ended with some sexy fun times. Tonight was no exception.

Climbing onto the bed with them, I kissed Matsu first, then Uzume. Both kisses were deep, and I could tell that it was very arousing for both Sekireis.

“So who’s first tonight? It was Matsu last night, so…”

Matsu shifted backwards with a smile. “Sure, let Uzume-tan have your milk first. The kitty needs it~”

“Come on then, go ahead and squeeze my tits like you always do,” The brunette invited. 

My hands sought out those soft globes, sinking their fingers into her titflesh and playing around with them, with her moans as accompaniment. Her bikini top was pushed up, exposing those hardened nipples, and I teased them with my fingers before leaning forward to capture them in my mouth, playing my tongue over those nubs even as I sucked on them. Uzume’s arms went around the back of my head, pulling me even closer against her chest.

“Ufufufu… perhaps I should try mixing up something so that we can give milk, since you enjoy sucking on them so much,” I heard Matsu say.

“That’s… Mmm! An idea…” 

I released one of the breasts from my ministrations, and brought the freed up hand down between Uzume’s legs, which opened even wider at my touch. My fingers could feel the heat even through the fabric, and the way her body twitched as I rubbed the increasingly damp spot got me even more aroused. 

“Rick-kun… I love the way… you touch me…” She panted softly into my ear. 

Encouraged, I trailed my fingers upwards, until they passed the edge of the cloth, then back down once more, this time underneath her bikini bottoms. Releasing the nipple from my mouth, I looked up to meet her misty eyes, and accepted the needy kiss she planted on me.

“Mmmnn~” She groaned into my mouth as I slipped a finger into her hot core. “Yes… touch me more…”

Even though my touch was pleasurable to her, I could tell that she was needy for more, so even when I managed to bring her to a light orgasm by playing with her breasts and pussy, all it did was to stoke her fire further. One of her hands was already playing with my erect dick, stroking its length and running fingers over the sensitive tip.

“Rick-kun… I want you inside me… now…”

“I’ve got it ready~” 

We both turned to look at Matsu, who was holding up an opened condom. Her exposed nipples and vulva made it clear that she had been enjoying herself while watching us, not to mention the shininess of her wet fingers.

“Matsu-chan… quickly…” Uzume begged.

“Right away!” 

With the same precision that she always used to fix ATs, the redhead slipped her hands between the two of us, and had the condom covering my cock in an instant. The next moment, Uzume was pushing my hand away from her crotch, her hips already lifted and descending upon mine. It was a familiar hot wetness that engulfed my cock, and I was already moving my hips to meet it. 

“Rick-tan, touch me too~”

“Come closer then, Matsu,” I ordered.

Even as Uzume began to ride me with a thirsty ferocity, I watched Matsu out of the corner of my eye, as she took hold of my hand and took a slow, careful lick of the fingers that I used to play with Uzume’s pussy. Her smoldering gaze didn’t turn away from me, as she lowered it back down, this time placing it between her legs in a clear invitation for me to touch her there.

I obliged her, and Matsu’s moans joined with Uzume’s in filling the room. 

Uzume’s forwardness carried over to her lovemaking, so she would often initiate, but she didn’t mind if I did the same for her. She also enjoyed a lot of skinship; when I touched her body, more often than not she would lay her hand over mine to keep it there, like the one she was using to hold my hand on her butt, encouraging me to grope it more even as she pressed her boobs against my face. Obviously I was sucking and licking away, enjoying the reactions I got from her in doing so. In the face of so much stimulation, it didn’t take long before I blew my load, even with the condom reducing my sensitivity.

“Aaaaah~!” Uzume came as well, her hold tightening on me as her orgasm rocked her body.

<I-I’m cumming!> Matsu shivered as well, her tiny hole squeezing the digits I had inside her. “Mmm~!” 

Mental links were useful for more than just communication, as we discovered, and made good use of.

<My turn now…> 

Uzume’s hold on me tightened slightly, but she eventually relented and pulled away, allowing Matsu to close in and give me a deep French kiss of her own. I felt the condom being removed, before a tongue began slowly licking along my dick, and ultimately engulfing it in a cleanup blowjob. After a few moments, she withdrew, and a new condom was placed over it, ready for Matsu’s turn.

To be honest, I really, really wanted to do it without the condom, but we made the agreement to hold off on that until we managed to get the Sekirei medical data from MBI. Thankfully, my partners were very eager to make it up to me in other ways.

The Wisdom Sekirei wasted no time in mounting me as well, her hole already wet and eager to be filled, but she also mentally prodded her fellow Sekirei to come closer. I had to admit, it was pretty hot seeing the two of them lock lips even as one of them was fucking me. That side of her had gotten a bit out of control after our first night, and Uzume had to rein her in more than a few times to stop her from being too public with her lewd behavior. In private though, Matsu was more than willing to give and receive pleasure from either of us, but most of the time preferred it to be both.

Which was why Uzume didn’t hesitate to grab and play with Matsu’s breasts, tweaking her nipples even as I hammered my hips upwards from below. 

“Do-don’t stop!” Matsu squealed, <Cu-cumming again!> 

Her climax triggered my own, and I filled the condom again. Her face flushed, Matsu slipped off from me, and carefully removed the second one. Instead of throwing it away, she gave me a sultry look as she emptied it on her extended tongue. Both of us could feel the surge of energy similar to the winging process, and she turned her head to kiss Uzume in a cumswap.

“Are you trying to trigger my fetish?” I couldn’t help asking.

Matsu broke the kiss off. “Is it working?”

“Yes.”

“How about this then?” 

She pushed Uzume over onto her back, resting her pussy above the other’s in a blatant invitation. Both holes were flushed and wet, and I barely registered Matsu looking back at me over her shoulder.

“Pick your favorite hole, Rick-tan~”

I reached for the box of condoms. “We’re gonna run out for sure…”

I was right. We were forced to stop after running out of condoms, and only after they got the last few loads by hand and mouth. 

As a final comment, [Clean] was invaluable for post-sex cleanup. 

…

The motorcycle rider drew the attention of various people on the streets as it sped down the road. Perhaps it was the bike’s appearance; it had extended forks stretching its front wheel out far ahead of the motorcycle’s body, and a metal skull mounted on the front between the handlebars. Another possible reason was the rider herself; she was the image of a mature beauty, with a buxom figure, long black hair, and wearing a leopard print shirt with a bra on the outside.

Whichever the case, she quickly lost the attention by driving into a secluded area, where she braked to a stop and pulled out a flip phone. Flicking it open, she dialed a number and held it up to her ear.

“Boss, I’m in Tokyo,” She reported to the person on the other end, “Yeah, I expect this ‘Benkei’ to come searching for me soon enough, once word gets out that I’m here.”

“...”

“It’s pretty obvious this whole thing was a trap meant for me… or us. You said it yourself, the best way to find the culprit is to trigger the trap and see what, or who, pops up.”

“...”

“Seriously, I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you, having to handle Tridents by yourself without me.”

“...!”

“So you say. Don’t go destroying Osaka while I’m gone.”

“...! …!”

“Yes, yes. I’ll be going now. I have to meet the leaders of Genesis now that I’m in their territory. Bye.”

Cutting the call, she tucked the phone away into her pocket. Her eyes flickered upwards at the shadows of the nearby building, but when nothing happened after a few more seconds, she sighed and just drove away.

In the direction where she had been looking, a male in an animal mask and a jacket made his own call. 

“It’s me. Yes, Benkei just arrived, but she hasn’t been approached by the faker yet. She noticed me even though I was hiding.” He listened for a moment. “Understood. I’ll continue my surveillance.”

After the Stormrider ended his call, he leapt out into the night sky, in pursuit of the woman known as Benkei. Both of them, and the organizations behind them, were waiting for the imposter who had the same nickname to come after her.

“Welp, mission accomplished.” 

With a wave of my hand dispelling the magic, the illusion field faded away, revealing the three of us standing less than five meters away from the spot where the bike had stopped. Matsu stood next to me in her overalls, holding an open laptop and scrolling through the information displayed..

“So she really brought it along, huh?” I asked, peering at the screen.

“Perhaps she thought it was necessary as bait,” Uzume suggested, her hands occupied with bags.

“Whatever the reason, we got the last thing we came for,” Matsu shut the laptop, tucking it away into the slingbag she had on.

The information had been acquired from the special [Scan] skill that she used on the bike, or more specifically, the pair of ATs that was in a hidden storage under the chassis. It might have been protected from conventional scanning technologies, but Skills weren’t deterred by such things. As such, we now had the data for the Rumble Regalia, and we were ready to leave.

Having a map search skill is just too broken, yep. I could tell she was approaching early on, and figured out her stopping point thanks to Clairvoyance. “Alright, anything else we need before we go?” 

“Nope, we’re all set here!” Matsu winked.

“Can’t wait to see Eevee again,” Uzume added. “Say, I wonder if we can make ATs just for her to use?”

The two of them huddled up against me, and with a trigger of a skill, we vanished from this world, leaving various people with only unanswered questions and mysteries.

“Vee! Veeveevee!”

“Hi Eevee!” Uzume dropped the bags she was carrying and caught the Pokemon that leapt at her in a tight hug. “I missed you!”

“Welcome back, Rick, Matsu, and Uzume,” Sano greeted us in his casual manner. “So what skills will you be trading this time?”

“Besides stuff that would be good for a kick-focused physical fighter, how about skills that can enhance air manipulation? And that’s to start.”

I began extracting the various Skills from my body’s storage, the ones I [Stole], the ones I [Created], and the ones I [Learned]... it added up to quite a pile, and I still had a bunch that I was keeping back for the three of us. After all, there were a bunch of skills that Matsu was looking forward to modifying, since she couldn’t do so without the shop’s services.

“Well now, perhaps this might prove to be more profitable than I expected!” 

And those words were just what I was hoping to hear!

Afterword: Happy New Year to my readers! Here’s to hoping that 2025 will be a great year, better than 2024! As usual, I was following my muse on this one, which was how my intended first time scene between Rick and his Sekireis got pushed to a ‘we did it already, and now we’re just banging regularly’. Maybe that’s why this plot got shortened a bit, since I picked the insertion point as before the start of canon. Writing got pushed back a little, since there was a lot of stuff to do for Christmas and the end of the year, but I hope I can get to write about visiting more cool worlds in the future! 

Thanks again to all my Patrons who are supporting this hobby with their money!