MTLNOVEL Chapter 21 - Upgrades and Enhancements
Bang.
The door closed, and footsteps faded into the distance. Since they were already at the tunnel’s dead end, there was no need to worry about Yuuki wandering off alone.
Hayasaka Ai and Sakurajima Mai exchanged glances. This was their first time alone together in a temporarily safe situation, and looking at each other now, they couldn’t shake a strange feeling.
Just hours ago, they had been complete strangers, yet now they felt an odd familiarity—like comrades who had survived a desperate escape from an old castle, where a single glance was enough to convey intent.
[No wonder people say that life-and-death crises bring people closer. In just a few hours, I’ve already faced three life-or-death choices with her.]
Sakurajima Mai found it fascinating, as if she had stepped into a scene straight out of a movie. Still, trust was one thing—Hasaka-san, was another headache entirely.
“You… have acting experience?”
“No. Or rather, what I do isn’t quite acting—it’s more like…” Hayasaka Ai tapped a finger against her lips, tilting her head in thought. “A long-term self-defense mechanism developed from living in a complex and treacherous environment. I have to adjust myself to match my surroundings.” She chuckled. “Haha, just kidding. Sounds pretty cool, though, right? Feel like making me your idol yet?”
The blonde girl, who had been completely expressionless just moments ago, suddenly burst into laughter. Her closed left eye shimmered as if reflecting the trail of a shooting star.
But Sakurajima Mai didn’t laugh. She wasn’t blind—of course, she could tell what was real and what wasn’t.
“Hasaka-san, you seem… really tired of living like this.”
“Tired? Maybe. But most of the time, I’m still enjoying myself.” Hayasaka Ai shrugged. “That’s why, no matter what, I have to make it back alive. And you, Mai-san? Are you any different?”
“…I suppose not. Coming to this Reincarnation Game has made me realize just how precious life is.” Sakurajima Mai let out a bitter chuckle, resting her chin in her hand. “No wonder you’re so skilled. But now I’m even more curious—why is he so much stronger than the average person?”
A strange silence settled between them.
It was a question without an answer.
Yuuki wasn’t a veteran player, yet everything about him radiated a sense of professionalism, as if he had long since prepared for all of this.
“That kind of composure, always ready for anything—it really makes you wonder.” Hayasaka Ai rubbed her chin before suddenly flashing a mischievous grin. She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “A mysterious man… But you know, they say that when you start getting curious about the opposite sex, there’s a good chance you’ll be attracted to him~~~”
An image flashed through Sakurajima Mai’s mind—his blood-stained back, his constant chatter. It was like he had two personas: sometimes tense and intimidating, other times relaxed and talkative.
But no matter what, in the cruel darkness of this game, he was the only light that made her feel safe.
“Who told you that?”
“Don’t romance magazines always say that? Wait, wait—don’t tell me I actually hit the mark?”
“Hasaka-san, I suddenly think you’re a lot cuter when you’re serious.” Sakurajima Mai dodged the question entirely, then suddenly realized something. “Wait a second—your inate trait… could it be—”
“You know, aside from your pretty face, maybe he values your intelligence even more. But I think being a fool—hiding your true thoughts—might make life a lot easier.”
Hayasaka Ai’s smile faded. Her voice grew colder, more rational. She snapped her fingers, and a mask—pure white, with an expression both laughing and crying, both angry and scornful—appeared in her palm. She lifted it to her face.
Sakurajima Mai’s pupils contracted.
In the reflection of that mask, she saw herself.
Disheveled clothing couldn’t hide her high-class elegance, and her beautiful face bore a touch of calm laziness. Then, her reflection smiled—a perfect, practiced, idol-like smile.
“That’s right. This is my innate trait—【The Fool’s Mask.】“
…
While Sakurajima Mai and Hayasaka Ai were bonding, Yuuki was making his way forward along the railway tracks.
He scanned his surroundings, brows furrowed as if contemplating a difficult problem.
“This innate trait is really interesting. It’s a draw-based system… actually fits my perspective on risk and reward pretty well.”
Just a few minutes ago, he had reread the notes, and his expression had turned oddly complicated.
This wasn’t just a simple, brute-force power boost.
“So, for now, I can draw one regalia per day. No storage—each lasts 24 hours. There’s also a two-hour cooldown between draws… is that to prevent me from pulling off some instant reversal?”
“There are all kinds of regalias—character-based, conceptual, knowledge-based… Whether they’re useful or not is another matter. But one thing’s for sure: no one else will even understand what I’m using. This really is an ability suited for an unknown.”
“Hmm, if I can invest specialization points, maybe I can reduce some of these restrictions.”
Yuuki muttered to himself, his expression shifting between deep thought and brief relief.
Even without testing it yet, he had already deduced a lot. The conceptual catinnatery alone was essentially a collection of obscure references that would leave anyone else utterly confused.
Influencing reality through concepts—undoubtedly a high-level supernatural ability. But Yuuki didn’t let himself get too excited.
He knew that whether the regalias were character-based, knowledge-based, or conceptual, some would be powerful, some useless, and some downright dangerous.
And that two-hour cooldown? Instead of allowing a last-minute turnaround, it felt more like forcing him to strategize his choices carefully.
Besides, as an “honest person,” he preferred to crush his enemies step by step.
But given the nature of this game, he had to admit—this ability was a godsend.
“If it works well, I’ll gain an extra layer of pre-planning options. If not… well—”
“My innate trait is only one part of what makes a player strong. I still have other assets to rely on.”
After all, an innate trait was just a materialized characteristic—it didn’t define a player entirely.
The real foundation of strength came from chaos artifacts, skills, and raw physical prowess.
Yuuki refocused. The Enhancement Point was what truly satisfied him. He had risked his life to earn it—neither Hayasaka Ai nor Sakurajima Mai had gotten one, let alone those two veteran players. Based on his calculations, this was likely a reward tied to both contribution and challenge difficulty.
He was the one who had cracked the puzzle. He was the one who had confirmed the solution. As for difficulty? If Thomas and Li Dan had been truly desperate, they might have had a chance to break through together—but in that case, there’d be no extra rewards.
He had long decided how to use it. Slowing his pace, he allocated the point to Skill Mastery.
The moment he did, an overwhelming flood of knowledge surged into his mind, forcing him to clutch his head in pain.
【Enhancement Point used】
【Skill: Reinforcement Magic upgraded from Novice to Mastered.】
Two simple sentences—yet they represented years of study for a magician, along with talent, mana reserves, and other conditions.
A leap in mastery like this would enrage any real magician.
[Wait. My mana capacity just increased.]
[If I focus on skills within the same magic tree, will I progress even faster?]
A new idea struck Yuuki.
But no response came.
Yeah, probably not.
He still couldn’t sense any magic circuits. This was just a skill—not a full-fledged system.
“…Looks like if I want to climb the magic skill tree, I need to either find structured Type-Moon knowledge and start from scratch, or draw a ‘Mana Circuit’ regalia as a foundation before building on top of it.”
Yuuki let out a slow breath, exhaling his lingering frustration. His idea had fallen through, but there was no regret—simple as that. The method was too slow, completely inadequate for dealing with the immediate threat. Just like now.
So, he took a moment to analyze his upgraded magic. Not only had its output increased, but he could finally control the scope of its enhancement.
“The closer I push to the limit, the longer the cooldown, and the shorter the enhancement duration. If I use it sparingly, I can maintain it for thirty minutes? Not bad. I can adjust the output as needed.”
This ability was incredibly intricate. Achieving the same bulletproof effect required vastly different amounts of energy depending on whether he was reinforcing a sheet of iron or a piece of paper. Likewise, the difficulty of strengthening objects and enhancing the human body differed tremendously. The skill upgrade had granted him much-needed flexibility.
“Alright, onto step two.”
Curious to see the results, Yuuki activated his trait without hesitation.
“Innate trait Extraction.”
His vision twisted. A whirlwind of images flickered past—too fast to fully grasp. He barely managed to catch a single moment, and yet, everything seemed both familiar and alien.
How nostalgic…
After his reincarnation, he had spent another ten years as a human. This was the first time he had glimpsed something from his past life. He didn’t waste time speculating on any hidden meanings. Instead, he simply watched as the images slowed down, revealing a frail old man with white hair.
【Conceptual Regalia Extracted】
“So it’s from this scene? But… how exactly is this useful against a horde of undead?”
Yuuki muttered to himself, feeling both excitement and disappointment. When he had the time, he could plan around this regalia. But for now, clearing the dungeon took priority.
Tap.
His thoughts were interrupted as his steps came to a halt. Yuuki stood at the end of the tunnel. A warning line stretched before him, painted across a concrete wall. At its center, however, lay an old section of stone bricks. A notice was affixed beside it.
“WARNING: This area is a protected heritage site. Unauthorized excavation is strictly prohibited.”
It was like those cities that dug subway tunnels, only to accidentally unearth ancient ruins, forcing them to reroute endlessly.
Do they not check the depth when building subways?
Yuuki muttered under his breath, but this discovery confirmed his suspicions. The subway station’s endpoint was indeed connected to the old castle. Based on the depth, the wall ahead separated the first and second basement levels. And judging by the discarded fire extinguisher nearby, the limit of the Red Moon’s reach was just beyond.
So, the outside world and the castle were linked after all. And the absolute boundary of the Red Moon… was this very wall.
Yuuki didn’t yet know how to make use of this information, but he made a mental note of it. Without wasting more time, he retraced his steps and opened the break room door—only to freeze in place.
Why are there two Hayasaka Ai!?