Episode 71: Flowing Bloodline
Yuma gulped, hearing Aisha’s words.
“N-No way…”
“That’s right, Yuma-kun. I want you to use it. This Bloodstained Ore!”
“No, no, no, no, no!”
Yuma stood up and refused with all his might.
“Why do I have to eat something like that?! Absolutely not!!”
“Don’t worry. Since your body can undergo ‘Metallization,’ we can assume that everything from your bones and muscles to your blood vessels and internal organs is made of metal. In other words, your body won’t break. Isn’t that wonderful!”
Yuma cowered, seeing the madness in Aisha’s eyes.
No way. I’m not going to be a guinea pig! Yuma began to resist desperately.
“You can’t say for sure that it’s harmless to my body, can you?! Let’s stop this!”
“We know that the effects of this Bloodstained Ore wear off in about three minutes. Your ‘Metallization’ lasts for at least five minutes, right? Then it’s okay!”
“W-Well, but you haven’t researched it much, have you? Then it’s strange to use it! Common sense, please.”
“That’s why we’re going to research it now! Using you!!”
Oh no. This person is out of her mind.
“Anyway! I absolutely won’t do it!!”
Yuma left his seat. The president also stood up, saying, “Enough, Aisha! Our employees aren’t your toys.”
As he was about to leave the room, Aisha called out from behind.
“Yuma-kun. Of course, I won’t ask you to do it for free. I’ll give you a special bonus.”
“Eh?”
Yuma frowned and turned around.
“I’ll pay you one million yen. How about that?”
“Don’t make fun of me, it’s not about the money!! This is about someone’s life!”
“How about five million?”
Yuma, who was about to leave, stopped dead in his tracks. “F-Five million?” he asked back, returning briskly.
“I’ll hear you out.”
The president was dumbfounded at Yuma, who sat down on the sofa, and Aisha was delighted, saying, “That’s the spirit.”
◇◇◇
The three returned to Tokyo, and decided to test the “Bloodstained Ore” at Aisha’s Laboratory.
On the first floor of the Laboratory, in a place where physical strength Measuring Devices were placed, Aisha handed Yuma the Demon Ore.
“I’ll take responsibility for managing your physical condition. You can drink it with confidence.”
Aisha smiled and handed him a plastic bottle as well. Yuma took it and looked at the Demon Ore in his hand.
Jet black with blood-like red streaks. If possible, I don’t want to put it in my mouth.
He agreed to ingest it because he was tempted by the money, but when it came time to eat it, he hesitated.
Aisha urged him on from next to him, saying, “Come on, come on.” Yuma braced himself, put the Demon Ore in his mouth, and washed it down with the water from the plastic bottle.
“H-How is it?”
Aisha asked with great interest. There was no particular change in his body. But after a while, something ran through his whole body.
A strange sensation different from the usual “Demon Ore” and “Magic Gem.”
He regulated his breathing and waited for it to subside.
“…………I’m okay.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
Aisha was relieved and picked up a clipboard with A4 paper and a pen.
“Well then, let’s try it right away. First, try ‘Metallization’.”
“Understood.”
Yuma put strength into his whole body and activated his “Metallization” ability. He was worried that the effect of the Bloodstained Ore would come out on its own, but his body turned black without any problems.
It seemed that as long as he had a clear image, he could use them separately.
The president also looked on anxiously from a distance.
“Okay, next is finally the ability of the Bloodstained Ore. Try to imagine your muscle strength increasing and exerting Superpower.”
“Yes!”
He concentrated his consciousness. An image of blood flowing through his body and power welling up.
At first, nothing happened, but gradually steam rose around Yuma. Thin, red streaks ran like veins on Yuma’s arms, neck, and face.
The vein-like streaks floated all over his body and glowed faintly red.
“I feel… power overflowing!”
“Ooooooh! S-Success. There’s no doubt the ability is activated. Let’s measure your physical strength in that state.”
Aisha picked up a digital grip strength meter.
“Put your strength into it!”
“Y-Yes.”
Yuma gripped the grip strength meter. At that moment, there was a cracking sound.
When he looked, the handle was crushed. The digital screen was broken and showed nothing.
“Ah!”
“Ahahahahaha, amazing, amazing! How wonderful!!”
Aisha said, “Okay, next, next,” and brought a measuring device to measure back muscle strength, but this time she tore off the chain part.
If he did a vertical jump, he would jump to a position that could not be measured.
“Wonderful. Is your body okay?”
“Y-Yes. I’m okay.”
The three minutes of ability duration passed in an instant, and the red streaks disappeared.
“So power really does increase. It’s the first time I’ve seen it, but it’s amazing!”
The president also looked at Yuma’s body intently and was impressed. But Aisha, who was writing something on the clipboard paper, looked frustrated.
“Aah, the time is too short! I want more various data. To end with this today!!”
Once the Demon Ore’s ability is used, it cannot be used again until the next day. For now, it’s over for today.
Yuma breathed a sigh of relief that there was nothing wrong with his body.