Chapter 1162 - Beyond the Foundation
The portal connecting from the 100th floor of the Key Tree Foundation, which seemed to have been activated upon the transition of the World Phase. If they stepped in and answered yes, the blue light of teleportation danced and fluttered.
As expected, for players who could climb all the way to a place like this, it was a sensation they were completely used to. Neither floating nor disappearing, like a doze that passes in an instant... embraced by the unique, indescribable feeling that accompanies those who leap through space.
Counting five seconds, ten seconds... after a much longer time than a normal teleportation.
Sensing the sudden release of tension, slowly opening her eyes,
"............Mm, ngh..."
Sora was in the middle of a deep blue sky.
No, that was wrong.
"............Huh, was I sleeping...?"
The wind and grass caressing her cheeks. The hard yet soft sensation of the earth supporting her back. And as she tried to shift her gaze, the sunlight that dazzled her eyes, and the sea of clouds that blocked it.
Sora, who woke up at the end of the long teleportation, was rolling in the middle of a grassland.
...For now, although not to the extent of Iris, she had collected information about "this place" beforehand. However, unlike school, it was her habit to keep her preparation regarding the virtual world to a degree that wouldn't spoil the freshness of the adventure. That was why she was surprised to find herself suddenly rolling in a grassland.
────Though, having said that,
"...I've never tried it before, but..."
The other sensation supporting her back.
"When sleeping, this might be... a little convenient...?"
Namely, four large, pure white fox tails. She was not surprised that they were growing from her waist on their own, even though she had not activated her 《Trance》 skill. The fox ears on her head were the same.
Because this place was that kind of place, it seemed.
In short, the Key Tree Maze────which should probably be called the original world of Arcadia, the next green connected by the first 【Garden of Divine Creation (Jehatéglier)】. A giant sprout that budded from a seed.
The scene that naturally spread before the eyes of those who had traversed the path to such a next world.
Its name was,
"────...Just as the information said. There is nothing."
...And the voice and words that reached her from the side applied perfectly. It had no name or anything, a truly brand new baby of a world.
Beyond the 100th floor of the Key Tree Maze, there was no such thing as a 101st floor.
What lay beyond the foundation was only the surface of a new heaven and earth, shining and full of what was to come────
"It is, isn't it... but the wind feels so nice, m-mph!"
"That's totally unfair. I wanted something like this too."
"Heh, wait, ah...!"
In other words, no matter how one described it, it was a single color of grassland that could only be described as 'nothing'. Even if one stretched the imagination, in an environment where the only demand was to enjoy the breath of the world, the only thing they could do was play around with each other.
Thus, rolling next to Sora without hesitation, followed by a merciless tail hold.
It was a kind specification where the hit detection disappeared nicely only during combat, but normally it could be touched and there was sensation. And since it was naturally a part that did not exist in humans, she was not used to the tactile sensation of animal ears, tails, or wings during Trance because they were rarely touched.
So, basically...
"H-Hey! No, I told you no squeezing, didn't I...!"
"Sorry. I couldn't help myself."
"You say sorry but you're not letting go...!!!"
Players who had 'characteristic parts' added by 《Trance》 reigned supreme as the weakest of humanity in tickling and all other body contact categories of play.
It seemed that it would improve somewhat with training, but even with a hug from Iris, who wasn't particularly trying to tickle her or doing anything 'suspicious', she ended up like this.
If so, training equaled death, and while trembling in fear, Sora left her intense weakness during Trance as it was. However, even if left alone, she would be targeted, so there was no salvation...
...But, still.
Normally, she was unfortunately helpless and left to the mercy of others. But now, in this world────just as Sora had been in 《Trance》 on her own, her other self naturally manifested,
If she was in this second world of Arcadia.
"Take... this...!"
"Ngh, h-hmph!?"
Having a weakness was mutual.
If so, a counterattack. The hand of the girl whose fox tails were being played with as they pleased flashed, and her fingertips touched the "ears" of the Princess who was committing all kinds of tyranny... ──Yes, none other than her ears.
When did she obtain that form?
How long had she kept it stubbornly hidden since obtaining it?
Why did Iris────keep that 《Trance》 dead-stocked for so long?
...According to Helena────Ah, how should I put it, yes. It's just as it looks.
According to Uni────Ah, how should I put it, yeah. Zero sense of mismatch.
According to May────..., ...? Mm... where, what... did something change...?
According to Fuji────I saw it in some movie. By the way, did you star in it?
According to Orin────Pfft... ah... um, which one is the Trance body, pfft...!
According to Aika────For now, can I take a screenshot? I'll frame it and display it.
According to Natsume────Somehow... um... it's super cliché, isn't it...?
According to Record────No, I want to show it to my daughter. Look, it actually existed.
According to Yata────It seems like it could be sung in a poem.
According to Oubaitouri────Why don't you match the outfit too? Look, green and forest-like.
...That was all. Almost all. And a slight sense of disappointment from herself.
What that meant was this. Unlike those of normal humans, they had changed into a long, horizontally pointed shape... ──She simply didn't like her elf ears, which had let out a scream when touched by Sora, causing her to hurriedly hide them in an uncharacteristic panic.
So, once again,
"...I wanted something like this too."
"You're still doing it... Geez... how long are you going to be jealous for...!"
With envy rather than affection.
The Princess, who had pulled a Trance body that had no changes other than her ears, was simple, suited her too well, and had zero sense of mismatch or specialness, sought fluffiness────
And so, although her first counterattack was successful, the girl was shocked by the voice she had never heard before, flinched at a mysterious, massive sense of guilt and an increase in heart rate, and in the end, was overrun by the sulking Princess.
...If it was as usual, it would be around the time the skinship gradually escalated.
And in terms of elapsed time, it was a few dozen seconds after only Sora and Iris, out of the three who had entered the portal, had been rolled into this brand new second world ahead of the other.
"Mm"
"Ah"
Light, sound, and a third presence appeared in the grassland.
"────..., ...eh? What's with this feeling of just waking up...?"
There was no need to confirm or ask who it was. What needed to be confirmed was... as she herself muttered while rubbing her eyes like she had just woken up, the change in the blue-haired girl who stood up with sluggish movements.
Her change. That was all.
Thus,
"............Horns...?"
"............Horns, indeed. Two of them."
"............There's a tail, too."
"............Mm, there is a tail. The tip is fluffy."
"............ Ah, and somehow, my eyes...?"
"............Yes. The shape of your pupils has changed."
Arriving late────the entry privilege of the second world. After going through the selection of the 'Trance System' which had finally been fully implemented, the two stared at Nia, who had been carried by the teleportation light, as if trying to burn holes in her.
"...Um, wait-wait-wait, you're looking too much. It's embarrassing. And you're too close, too close."
Her gender had not changed, and characteristic parts had manifested. In other words, what she chose was definitely not 《Trance (transformation)》 but 《Trance (possession)》... and looking at those multiple characteristic parts,
""............────A 'Dragon'...?""
Probably, thinking simply, if one were to take it as it was.
"Huh? What? A dragon???"
Nia, who seemed to have pulled an presumably super rare Trance body, tilted her head with a blank face.
It's Dragonia-chan. Gao~. So cute.
By the way, as you can tell from the Elf Princess, the models for Trance are not limited to animals or mythical beasts.