Chương 153: Reborn as the Dragon — Chapter 153 - The Ultimate Freedom

Haruta Motono glanced around. The Blaze Rabbits were all busy with production and hadn't noticed a thing. He let out a quiet breath of relief. When he'd first found the object, his first thought had been that he finally had a way to end it all. But that vast, overwhelming will had crushed the idea before it could take root. Power. He wanted power. Of course he did. Back in middle school, he'd gotten his hands on a Japanese translation of a novel from the mainland. Its title: Dou Po Tian Qiong.

The protagonist, Xiao Yan, carried a ring. Inside the ring lived a wise old man who guided him, empowered him, and stood beside him through every trial. In China, they called that kind of guide a Golden Finger. And what had just happened to him was practically identical. Maybe, just maybe — that vast will was his Golden Finger. His moment was finally coming! He worked carefully through the entire morning, diligent and obedient, terrified of drawing the monsters' attention. The vast will never returned.

Everything that had happened felt like a dream. But it wasn't a dream. He knew that much, because the hard, strange object was still right there in his pocket. When lunch finally came, Haruta wolfed something down and slipped back to his room alone. Orihime-chan was still at the table, eating with great enthusiasm, and had absolutely no time to worry about him. These monsters were brutal about work, but they fed their captives generously enough. Haruta counted that as a small blessing. He had a moment to himself.

Finally.

"My Golden Finger! This must be my Golden Finger! Power! I want powerful power!" His chubby hands trembling, Haruta reached into his pocket and carefully drew out the object. He wiped the dirt from its surface. His expression went strange. Because the object was a crystal banana. A banana. Why is it a banana?! [What? You have a problem with bananas?] The vast will surged back into his mind. Perhaps because the bond between them had deepened. This time, it could project a full image — and what an image it was.

A powerfully built man. Bare-chested, wearing nothing but white underwear. Skin deep and dark. A red headband wrapped around his brow. He was smiling. A smile that meant freedom. Just looking at it, Haruta felt the weight in his chest lift completely, replaced by something open and blazing, like wind rushing through a fire.

"Oh great existence," Haruta said, his face a masterpiece of reverence and flattery, "I have no opinion about bananas whatsoever."

"On the contrary, I love bananas."

"Bananas are sweet, they're filling, they keep you satisfied for hours. Truly remarkable fruit." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. No matter who this being was, Haruta was just an ordinary player. There was nothing to lose from laying it on thick. So thick it dripped. [Mmm~ Not bad. Not bad at all. Since you dug out the object I reside within, there is clearly a thread of fate connecting us.] The muscular man's smile stretched wider, freer.

He was satisfied — extremely so. Satisfied enough that he broke into a dance. Explosive. Uninhibited. Absolutely full of something that could only be called freedom.

"Uh... what are you doing?" Haruta didn't follow. But watching those moves, watching the great existence glance back over his shoulder with that grin, something stirred in Haruta's chest. Something instinctive. Freedom. [This is the Dance of Freedom, fated one. You like bananas, so I shall bestow upon you power!] The dance intensified in his mind. It had a pull to it, something hypnotic in the rhythm, something that reached into his limbs without asking permission. Haruta Motono started to wiggle.

[Accept the gift of the God of Freedom!] [I look forward to the day you become freedom incarnate!] The words faded. The blazing figure in his mind dimmed, and dimmed, and was gone. In its wake, a warm pinkish energy spread through his body from somewhere deep and central. The grand existence had left. Just like that. No ongoing guidance, no mentorship, nothing like the ring grandpa from the novel who'd walked beside Xiao Yan through every chapter of his growth. Just a gift, and then silence.

Haruta was a little disappointed. But he pulled up his status panel anyway, and his eyes went wide. Two brand-new golden passive skills.

[Dance of Freedom], When you perform the Dance of Freedom, you will apply a Charm effect to specific humans in the vicinity. While Charmed, those specific humans will actively seek to discuss philosophy with you. [Banana's Blessing], You have gained the favor of the God of Freedom. When you wear a red headband and possess dark skin, this passive activates. Each philosophical discussion grants you +1 Vitality and +1 Attack. (Each person: one-time effect only.) [You have obtained the unique Legendary-grade item: Red Headband Symbolizing Freedom]

"This... this is insane!" Haruta's eyes lit up like lanterns. His spring had arrived. The description said nothing about a cap on how many times the attributes could stack. No limit mentioned anywhere. Which meant. As long as he kept dancing, kept triggering philosophical discussions, he'd keep getting stronger. Forever.

"Really, truly, absolutely too strong! Yoshi! Yoshi!" He paused, frowning at his panel.

"But this 'discuss philosophy' part seems a little weird. What exactly does that mean?"

"And why philosophy specifically? What's wrong with something practical? Like postpartum care for sows?" He didn't have an answer. But Haruta Motono was a man of exploratory spirit. And as it happened, he'd spent the past weeks baking under the open desert sun. His skin was already deeply, genuinely dark. Every condition was met. He put on the Legendary-grade equipment. The moment the red headband settled on his head, something clarified inside him. Freedom is like the wind, ever at my side.

He left his room and walked next door. Several Sakura players who'd finished lunch were already back, resting. They looked up when he walked in.

"Huh? Haruta Motono? What are you doing over here?" They stared at his appearance with obvious bewilderment. Haruta said nothing. He smiled. A smile of freedom. Then he began to move. The same explosive, uninhibited dance that the mysterious existence had shown him, identical in every detail, every rolling beat of motion. The air in the room changed. The other players' expressions shifted. Confusion became curiosity. Curiosity became something warmer.

Warmer became something that could only be described as philosophical. A Sakura player with a thick, full beard stepped forward. His gaze was deep and earnest. He placed both hands on Haruta's shoulders.

"Motono-kun," he said, his voice full of feeling.

"Your dance is incredibly beautiful. It makes me want to show you my muscles." He removed his gear. Bare-chested, still smiling, he began to flex. The others followed, one by one.

One hour later. Haruta Motono trudged back to the experimental fields with a dark expression and pursed lips. His movements were mechanical. His eyes were blank. His mind was still cycling through an assortment of classic philosophical techniques. [The King's Smile]. [The King's Invitation]. [The King's Body Slam]. [The King's Chokehold]. And more. So many more. There was also a massive handprint on his face. That one was Orihime-chan's.

"Could it be," Haruta murmured, "that this is the price of power?"

"Is this... what 'discussing philosophy' means?" He drifted through the motions of his work, expression cycling between hollow desolation and quiet grief. He reached back and pinched his still-burning backside. Then, slowly, a strange little smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. ➤ Next: Dragon Speech Instruction