REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, SIXTEENTH FLOOR
Yomogi and Chantal lead the way and walk side by side like they always do as Yomogi's nose and Chantal's ears act like our trackers this whole time. And between them, Pinna's floating Observer Unit One hovers silently, its single red eye flicking about like a scanning drone.
Kimberly and Pinna walk behind them a few places. The Crawler Unit Two slithers along the ground between the front and back lines, its segmented, silver disc body weaving in a smooth pattern.
And then there's me, taking up the rear and bringing Yamitsuki into play again.
But honestly, I think I might have the best view of it so far. Every sway of Yomogi's loose, orange bridal robe is like threatening to drop even more and expose more than just her cleavage. Chantal's toned back already looks completely bare, her purple bikini armor only covering her front body and not the back. Kimberly's golden halter dress flows like silk, but its deep neckline and high slits definitely don't leave much to the imagination. And as for Pinna, that skintight bodysuit of hers is pure sci-fi fantasy, green and glossy with circuit patterns that trace every inch of her curves.
Focus, Motegi.
This is a labyrinth, not a breasts and asses show.
Suddenly, the two in front come to a stop.
As usual, Yomogi sniffs the air.
"Wait, something's coming…"
And Chantal's ears twitch.
"Yeah, I hear it… kinda sounds like buzzing?"
Then, I ask Pinna for confirmation.
"Hey, Pinna. What do you see?"
While Yomogi sniffs and Chantal listens, Pinna's Observer Unit is like her third eye, as its vision is directly linked to hers, making her battlefield awareness near-absolute. So if there is something out there, that orb will scan, and she can also see what it sees.
"Multiple entities detected. Count: four. Species: Needle Bees. Airborne. Closing fast."
"Needle Bees?"
And Kimberly explains it to me.
"They fire... poisonous… needles… from a distance…"
And as if on cue, four human-sized bees with razor wings and dagger-like stingers appear, buzzing toward us at high speed. Then, one of them launches a stinger immediately.
"Wind... Wall..."
Kimberly raises her hand, and a barrier of spiraling wind materializes into place, protecting us as it catches the needles mid-flight. The sharp projectiles clatter harmlessly to the ground.
Then, Yomogi and Chantal call out to her.
"Thanks, Kimberly!"
"Nice save!"
I scan the area quickly. Something felt off.
"Hey, Pinna, where's your crawler?"
"Crawler Unit Two has initiated its mission protocol."
"Huh?"
When the Wind Wall dissolves, I can see it. Her Crawler Unit has already slithered beneath the airborne bees, completely unnoticed.
Then, small metallic marbles roll from its chassis, scattering around on the ground, and after that, all six begin to glow. In an instant, all four Needle Bees are slammed into the ground with bone-shattering force.
WHAM!
Their wings buzz frantically, but they can't lift off. The more they try, the more crushed they are, like the gravity has pinned them in place with a heavy, unrelenting weight.
And just like that, they're still and dead, leaving Yomogi, Chantal, and Kimberly stunned.
"They just died like that..."
"Pinna, that was awesome!"
"You did not even... touch them… or use… magic…"
And Pinna replies flatly as usual.
"Correct. Magic is inefficient. Variable mana output. Inconsistent environmental response. Technological systems provide greater reliability and control."
Even though I'm also stunned, I decide to examine and step forward.
But first, I crouch near the fallen bees' spot, as each had dropped a lump of beeswax, which I quickly gather and tuck into my pouch.
Next up, I turn my eyes to the marbles. The six of them are perfectly spaced and not scattered randomly. It's like they form a pattern. A circle.
It looks exactly like a Gravity Bind spell, a Cosmic spell that pins an enemy in place using overwhelming downward force.
But this isn't spellcasting because Pinna doesn't chant anything and doesn't channel mana.
She built the spell.
I thought back to her comment when I teleported all of us here as she called my spell "convenient but doubtful." She didn't trust magic. So instead of replicating it, she engineered the same effect using tech.
I return with the loot and look at Pinna.
"Pinna, that was amazing."
"Analyzing verbal tone… compliment detected. Emotional response: pleased. I am glad you are impressed, Master."
And then...
"Shall we keep going?"
"Of course, Motegi-chan...!"
"Let's go, Motegi-kun!"
"Yes… Motegi-sama…"
"Affirmative, Master."
As we continue to move forward, the buzzing returns.
And again, Pinna's Crawler Unit zips ahead, releasing marbles again.
WHAM!
Then just like that, all four bees are slammed into the floor in unison and pinned to death. As I collect their beeswax, I can hear the girls are talking about Pinna's ability again.
Yomogi definitely sounds amazed.
"Pinna, you're amazing again."
Chantal lets out a light laugh.
"At this rate, we won't even get a chance to shine!"
And Kimberly even has her own opinion.
"My magic… might not be... as effective… as your attacks..."
However, Pinna disapproves of Kimberly's words.
"Incorrect. Your Wind-based output remains highly efficient within expected parameters. I do not possess the capacity to replicate abstract, unexplained qualities such as mana."
"Thank you..."
Then, I can hear Pinna say something to them that makes me curious.
"I can modify our combat tactics so Yomogi and Chantal can engage aerial units like the Needle Bees."
"Really!?"
"Oh, now we're talking! How, Pinna?"
"You will see shortly."
Yeah, I can't wait to see it too.
We keep walking, and another swarm of four needle bees comes buzzing towards us.
Then, Pinna instructs Kimberly, which Kimberly understands.
"Kimberly. One is yours."
"I got it. Wind... Bullet..."
A gust of concentrated air shoots from her hand and pierces a bee straight through, dropping it mid-flight.
Pinna's Crawler Unit Two slithers ahead again, releasing another wave of marbles to crush a second bee to the floor.
However, something new happens as two glowing wires shot out, snaring the remaining bees by their stingers mid-air. And without warning, they're yanked straight by the discs, one toward Yomogi and one toward Chantal.
When they're closed, Pinna calls out to Yomogi and Chantal.
"Yomogi, Chantal. Engage."
"Thanks, Pinna!"
"Nice pull, Pinna!"
Yomogi catches the bee mid-air, spinning it like a discus.
"Grrraahh!!"
As Yomogi growls, she hurls it into the ceiling and shudders the entire corridor shuddering as the lifeless insect drops.
Meanwhile, Chantal welcomes hers with a twirl.
"Come to me, baby!"
Chantal leaps, slashing clean through the bee with her twin daggers.
Wow.
That gadget really can do anything, can't it?
First, it's a gravity field, and now it's flinging enemies?
And I can't help but praise her.
"Pinna, that was incredible."
"Observation confirmed. Thank you, Master."
So do Yomogi and Chantal, who have their tails wagging and swishing.
"You're amazing, Pinna!"
"Seriously! Couldn't have asked for better."
"New hypothesis: Team coordination enhances combat efficiency. Conclusion: working together yields optimal results."
After Kimberly retrieves the beeswax, we resume walking. And as we move, I suddenly become curious about something.
"Hey, Kimberly. What's the Needle Bees' rare item?"
"It's... the honey... Motegi-sama…"
In an instant, Yomogi claps her hands and turns her back to me.
"Ohh! Needle Bees' honey is so much sweeter than regular honey, Motegi-chan! We should totally grill some for dinner tonight!"
And Chantal is excited by Yomogi's idea.
"Yeah, that sounds amazing, Yomogi! Hey, Motegi-kun, can you do it again?"
"Of course."
Honey, huh…
If it's really as good as they say, then I'm definitely doing it.
And just like that, four Needle Bees come at us again.
"Motegi-kun, do it!"
"Got it."
With that, I silently activate my [Temporary Boost], setting all of our stats, including mine, to infinity. And the girls are delighted as always.
"Thanks, Motegi-chan!"
"You're the best, Motegi-kun!"
"I shall... do it... Motegi-sama..."
"You're welcome."
Then, I glance at Pinna. Her eyes flicker rapidly, and I can hear her murmur something.
"Initiating program… [Continuum Clarity]."
"Program?"
Is that what she calls "skill"?
Yeah, I think it kind of makes sense, though.
Since she doesn't believe in magic, her automaton logic probably frames skill as an installed function or something.
But she seems lost in thought, still processing, until Yomogi and Chantal call out to her and snap her back to the present.
"Pinna, bring them over!"
"They're getting closer, Pinna!"
"Understood."
Her Crawler Unit zips forward, releasing its wire snares again. The glowing threads lash out and grab two of the bees mid-flight, yanking them toward Yomogi and Chantal.
Yomogi strikes first, catching the incoming bee with both hands, spinning, and hurling it into the ceiling with a bone-cracking slam and a growl.
"Grrraahh!"
Then, Chantal whoops as the second bee flies at her. She leaps high and shreds it with a clean cross-slash of her twin daggers.
"Woohoohoo!"
Kimberly raises her arm, forming a spear of wind above her palm.
"Wind... Javelin..."
She launches the spell forward, skewering the third bee mid-flight, and it tumbles back lifelessly.
As the fourth bee hovers above, I glance at Pinna again.
"Hey, Pinna, do you want this one, or should I?"
"I will proceed, Master."
Despite her answers, she somehow looks distant, like she's distracted over something. Her Crawler Unit deploys another gravity field, dropping the last bee hard to the ground and crushing it instantly.
After that, our desired rare items appear, which Yomogi is delighted about and already bounces over to.
"It's a honey! Motegi-chan, thank you!"
Chantal rushes over beside her.
"You're amazing as always, Motegi-kun!"
And Kimberly says with a smile, following the two.
"Another… rare item..."
"Yeah."
Then, I turn to Pinna again, who is still quiet.
"What's wrong, Pinna?"
"My system… is reacting. I am still evaluating if the reaction is safe or potentially volatile. Readjustment… in progress."
"Take your time."
It's no surprise, actually.
This is her first time getting a stat boost like that, so I think her system is still scrambling to make sense of it.
Well, just let her process it little by little.
**********
My system is still… processing.
It isn't just an upgrade. It's an instant, overwhelming surge. Every subroutine — combat analysis, sensory mapping, and tactical prioritization — all activated at once. Every limit is removed, every calculation speeds up.
My logic core can't keep pace, not because I'm too slow, but because everything suddenly becomes too fast. My internal framework accelerates beyond anything I was designed for. My ability to absorb and interpret incoming variables enhanced exponentially.
And that's what makes it so… uncertain.
Is this beneficial?
Or dangerously unstable?
My system can't determine the answer, so hesitation lingered. I need a safeguard.
When I looked at Yomogi, Chantal, and Kimberly, I had a hypothesis if their bodies had changed too.
Which was why I initiated [Continuum Clarity].
That was my designated automata's program.
Or as people in this world call it… a "skill."
Its function is precise: a predictive combat protocol that measures enemy movement, reaction time, velocity, attack power, distance, and damage to surroundings. It calculates structural vulnerabilities around the battlefield, engagement ranges, damage potential, outcome probability, and chain reactions. It even measures how much force is required to eliminate a target down to the exact number.
When I observed Yomogi's fist, Chantal's twin blades, and Kimberly's Wind Javelin, the results were beyond normal combat thresholds. Yomogi's attack exceeded kill force by 400%. Chantal's slash was over 260%. Kimberly's spell was clean and controlled, yet still more than required.
The Needle Bees should have fallen instantly… and they did.
But then they dropped something strange.
Honey.
Drop probability: 5%. Yet all of them dropped it.
I recalculated. The results remained the same. The variables were off. The drop rate shouldn't have increased, but it had. As if the world's logic bent.
I turned my attention to Master.
Is this his doing?
How does he manipulate probability?
How does he push systems and reality beyond their boundaries?
What kind of power lets him work outside the rules?
**********
And just like that, we keep marching through. With [Temporary Boost] still flowing inside us, we're on fire.
Pinna's Crawler Unit continues to drag the Needle Bees midair and yank them toward us.
"Raaahhh!"
Yomogi growls as she brutally launches her fist into one bee, destroying it immediately.
"Got you now, you buzzing bastard!"
Chantal zips past two bees with wild laughter, cutting them cleanly.
Of course, I'm not just going to sit back and watch. I slash through one of the bees mid-flight with Yamitsuki, just as Pinna's gadget yanks it toward me.
"Take this!"
As for Kimberly, she is like a magic powerhouse who keeps casting spell after spell, shooting many shapes of Wind that pierce straight through the bees' thoraxes.
"Wind... Fragment..."
"Wind... Spear..."
"Wind... Burst..."
Sometimes, I fall back beside Kimberly as we cast the same spell together, letting our twin strikes collide with two bees midair and shred them clean.
"Wind Bullet!"
Eventually, with our pockets filled with honey, we descended together to the seventeenth floor.
REMANTIA'S LABYRINTH, SEVENTEENTH FLOOR
Arriving there, I cast a teleportation spell, blooming a portal that leads to my house.
"Alright, let's go home now, shall we?"
"Yes, Motegi-chan!"
"Let's go, Motegi-kun!"
"Yes… Motegi-sama…"
"Affirmative, Master."
BACK AT MOTEGI'S RENTED PROPERTY
The moment we arrive, Yomogi immediately rushes to the kitchen upstairs.
"Let's make something delicious with that honey!"
The moment I hear that, I want to offer her a hand.
"Can I help, Yomogi?"
"Of course, Motegi-chan. Grill the flatbread, please."
"Okay."
And just like that, the others join, and Yomogi is delighted.
"I want to help too!"
"Let me… assist…"
"I would like to optimize meal preparation."
"Yes, the more the better!"
Then, I knead the dough and heat the flat grill. As I do it, I glance over at Yomogi, who is pouring the Needle Bees' honey and melted butter into a wooden bowl, grating some horseradish over it, and then sprinkling in a pinch of salt before mixing.
"Chantal, can you prep the Blitz Sheep?"
"On it, Yomogi."
After that, Chantal opens the freezing box and takes out the meat and begins slicing it into cubes. She dunks the chunks into the honey mix and begins skewering them.
"Kimberly, help Chantal, okay?"
"Yes… I understand… Yomogi..."
Then, Kimberly picks up a skewer from Chantal and Yomogi turns to Pinna.
"Pinna, grill these, please?"
"Understood."
As Pinna says that, she adjusts the flame and carefully lays each skewer across the grate. Her eyes scan the color, timing, and scent as she flips them. Every skewer comes out with golden sear marks and caramelized glaze.
Before long, the foods are ready, and we set the table together, then I stare confusedly at the spread.
"Uh… how am I supposed to eat this?"
And then, they demonstrate the steps one by one.
"Take the bread first, Motegi-chan..."
"Next! You put spinach and kale on top... like this, Motegi-kun! Spread 'em wide."
"Then… remove the meat… from the skewer… and place it… atop... the greens..."
"Final step: citrus enhancement for flavor balance."
I follow each step. Bread, greens, meat, and lemon, and then I bite into it.
"Whoa! What is this?"
The sweetness of the honey hits first, then the spicy bite of horseradish, followed by the rich, juicy lamb that gets enhanced by the butter, and the lemon tied it all together with a sharp, bright finish.
"This is incredible!"
Yomogi beams.
"I'm so glad you like it, Motegi-chan!"
Chantal, Kimberly, and Pinna smile nostalgically.
"I've really missed eating like this!"
"This… used to be… my favorite… as well…"
"Despite its traditional simplicity, this composition provides a balance of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. The use of honey as a glaze enhances digestive efficiency. Satisfactory."
And just like that, we continue our dinner, surrounded by laughter and delicious smells in our little home.