"Those who have nothing will gain nothing. Those who are meant to have will gain much."
— Konro Sagamiya, Fire Force
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[ Push the Story Forward with your Power Stones ]
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"If Saeko hadn't been stronger than that Stray Priest, Freed," Roy mused, "and without the others' help, he would have escaped, even if defeat was inevitable."
Even so, the incident proved how powerful those weapons were. Rika had often considered that such a fighting style would be perfect for her.
She was already a skilled sharpshooter, and her swordsmanship, learned from Saeko, was fairly decent. If she could master the combined use of guns and swords in combat, her strength would dramatically increase.
To her surprise, Roy had gifted her these new weapons without her even asking.
Overjoyed, Rika jumped up and gave Roy a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Roy! I absolutely love them!"
"I'm glad you like them," Roy replied with a warm smile.
Rika had been struggling to find her place. When it came to swordsmanship, she couldn't surpass Saeko or Roy. In magic, she was less proficient than Alice and Saya.
Shizuka and Asia were the experts in healing. Only Yuriko was weaker, but even Yuriko, despite her current limitations, had greater innate talent.
That's why Roy had formulated a plan when he encountered Freed.
"Congratulations, Rika!" Shizuka exclaimed, pulling Rika into a warm embrace.
"Rika-nee, try them out!" Alice, her eyes shining with curiosity, urged Rika to test the new weapons.
Rika, eager to do just that, looked to Roy for approval.
"Let's head to the training room, then," Roy agreed.
Everyone eagerly made their way to the training room.
"Rika, pay close attention. Here's how you use these weapons..."
Inside the training room, Roy demonstrated the proper way to wield the gun and sword.
Rika channeled her magic into the sword hilt, and with a sharp *shing*, a black blade extended outwards. With a casual swing, she sliced a massive training boulder cleanly in two, as effortlessly as cutting through tofu.
"Wow, it's incredibly sharp!" Rika exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement.
"Hehe, this energy sword is far superior to that Stray Priest's," Roy explained, his arms crossed with a touch of pride. He had acquired these weapons with his sister's assistance; they were far more powerful than Freed's.
"Really? I love it even more now!" Rika declared, examining the energy sword with admiration. This Darkness-aligned blade wouldn't be outmatched by Freed's Light Sword.
The pistol was equally impressive. Channeling her magic into it would generate Darkness bullets.
The other girls watched with envy, longing for such powerful weapons of their own.
Noticing their envious expressions, Roy felt a pang of sympathy. It wasn't that he didn't want to provide them with weapons, but they were all still novice magic users, and such powerful tools would be beyond their control.
"Don't worry, everyone," Roy reassured them. "You'll all receive your own gifts eventually! But for now, I have something important to discuss."
Back in the conference room, Roy addressed everyone.
The girls settled down, their attention focused on Roy.
"I'm planning to take Saeko with me on a journey," Roy announced. "Rika, I'll leave things here in your capable hands."
The girls were surprised by this sudden announcement.
"Is it something important?" Shizuka asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Yes, it's very important," Roy confirmed. "But don't worry, we might be back within a day."
Saya, her analytical mind at work, had a suspicion. Adjusting her glasses, she asked, "Roy, are you going to another world? Like when you went to the world of *Highschool of the Dead*?"
Roy was momentarily taken aback. "Eh? How did you know?" He hadn't expected Saya to deduce his intentions so accurately.
Since Saya had already figured it out, Roy decided to be upfront. "You're right, Saya. I'm taking Saeko to another world to seek opportunities to become stronger. You all stay here and continue your training."
"If all goes well, we might be back in the blink of an eye!" After all, his previous trip to the world of *Highschool of the Dead* had only taken a few seconds in this world. He hoped this trip would be similar.
*It's all because of this useless system, without even a system spirit to guide me,* Roy grumbled internally.
"I want to go too!" Rika exclaimed, eager to put her new weapons to use. She expertly twirled the pistol in her hand with a confident grin.
"Me too, me too!" Shizuka chimed in, her hand raised high. "As Roy-chan's maid, I must accompany him on his travels!"
"As the strategist," Saya declared, puffing out her chest, "my analytical skills are indispensable in an unfamiliar world!"
Alice, Yuriko, and Asia, though they didn't speak, looked at Roy with pleading eyes.
Only Saeko remained quiet, a serene smile gracing her lips as she observed the scene.
Roy, faced with this enthusiastic response, chuckled. "Come on, everyone, this isn't a vacation. I can't take all of you with me. Besides, the place we're going to is quite dangerous."
His words brought a hush over the room. They knew he was right; they were simply not strong enough yet.
"Don't worry," Roy said, his voice softening. "Focus on your magic training, and you'll become stronger too."
After reassuring the girls, Roy wasted no time. He activated the system's world-travel function.
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