Chapter 182: Role Playing

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The light flickered briefly, and the gift box vanished in an instant.

Amamiya, noticing the empty right hand of the blonde girl, asked curiously, "Did you get a skill?"

Umi put her hands on her hips, beaming with joy. "Hahaha! That's right, from now on, I'm a skill user too!"

"You're laughing too loudly," Amamiya commented dryly. "You scared the crows out of the trees."

"You're supposed to smile when you're happy," Umi replied cheerfully, demonstrating her newly acquired skill with a smile that was as radiant as the sun. "Look, it's a gold-level skill!"

Amamiya looked closely at the display:

[Ability: Dress-Up Doll]

[Quality: Gold]

[Attribute: Role-playing. By changing into the corresponding outfits, you can engage in role-playing. However, there are compatibility requirements. Only when the minimum compatibility is met will you unlock some of the role's attributes and abilities. The higher the compatibility, the greater the bonus.]

[Note: Step aside—I'm about to transform!]

"Role-playing..." Umi crossed her arms, her smile fading as she mumbled, "This is bringing back some bad memories from last night."

"Actually," Amamiya corrected, "once it's past midnight, it's technically the next day. So we were actually playing the game today."

"Well, either way," Umi said with a slight frown, "I don't fully get what this skill does."

Amamiya thought for a moment. "It's probably something like cosplay."

Umi's eyes lit up with sudden understanding. "Oh! If that's the case, could I cosplay characters from games and anime?"

"According to the description, that should be possible," Amamiya nodded, "but you'll have to meet the compatibility requirement first."

Umi's face glowed with excitement. "What if I cosplay as Shizuku-tan?"

Amamiya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Out of all the characters, you want to cosplay the 18+ adult star, 'Miss Big Boob' [beep——]?"

"But Shizuku-tan is the cutest thing ever," Umi said, raising her chin and clasping her hands together. Her eyes sparkled. "I've always wanted to cosplay as her, but the outfit was so expensive. Now I can do it for real!"

The character, Shizuku Kuroe, from the game was completely perverse—possessing no special abilities other than her masochistic tendencies. She definitely wasn't someone worth role-playing.

Amamiya sighed and interlaced his fingers. "How about cosplaying as Nyarlathotep?"

Umi tilted her head, puzzled. "Nyarlathotep?"

"Or you could role-play as Mr. Peddo and hand out candy to people."

"Who is this Mr. Peddo? He sounds really dangerous! That would be a terrible idea!"

"…"

"Amamiya-kun, hurry up and lock the door. Let's go out together!" Umi clung to his arm, her voice full of excitement. "I want to test out my new role-playing ability!"

Amamiya raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to do your homework?"

"I'll stay up late and finish it tonight," Umi said, her face flushed with anticipation. "I can't hold it in any longer! If I wait until tomorrow afternoon, I'll be totally exhausted."

She smiled mischievously. "When you learn a new skill, you have to use it right away—just like when a package you've been waiting for finally arrives. No one can resist opening it!"

Thinking about it for a moment, Amamiya had to agree.

"If it were me, I wouldn't be able to wait either," he admitted, nodding. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Akihabara!" Umi's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That's where all the cosplay stores are! We can try on as many outfits as we like."

"…"

After locking the door, Amamiya and Umi headed toward the tram station together.

"Wow, the sky is so blue."

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying the clear and bright voice of the girl on the wind.

It was already May, and the afternoon sun beat down relentlessly, leaving the streets sparsely populated. Umi pointed to the sky and said, "That cloud looks like a little sheep—so cute!"

Amamiya glanced upward but found the sunlight too harsh for comfort.

To him, the clouds were just clouds, and the sky was simply a typical sunny sky.

He turned his gaze back to Umi, who was walking ahead with her hands behind her back, her steps light and carefree, like a fawn wandering through the forest. Her mood was evidently good.

A moment later, Umi added, "I want to eat it all in one bite."

"Huh?" 

A question mark seemed to float above Amamiya's head.

You call it cute one moment, and now you want to eat it? Girl, something's definitely off!

They arrived at the tram station.

After waiting for a short while, a tram approached slowly. The two boarded. It was the quietest part of the day, with very few passengers. They found a corner and sat down.

Suddenly, Umi's hand reached out and naturally clasped Amamiya's right hand.

"What are you doing?"

Amamiya glanced at her, puzzled.

Leaning in, Umi covered her mouth with her other hand, her warm breath gently brushing his ear as she whispered, "Amamiya-khn, try copying my ability."

Her breath smelled sweet, making his ear tingle.

Amamiya focused inwardly, sensing the skill before confirming, "No problem."

"Good, copy it over," Umi said, not releasing his hand. "Then we'll head to Akihabara and try out role-playing together."

"Sure."

Amamiya was genuinely intrigued by this ability.

What exactly is compatibility? 

In role-playing, what traits or elements must be portrayed? Beyond the outfit, are there behavioral restrictions? And once the role is successfully played, how far do the attributes and abilities extend? What are the upper and lower limits?

As the saying goes, 'know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win every battle'.

Learning a skill and mastering it are two entirely different things.

With his right hand still held by Umi, Amamiya couldn't use his phone, so his attention drifted to the sensation of her soft hand.

Her skin was pale and smooth.

Her fingers were long, and her nails, adorned with diamonds, reflected her unapologetic hot-girl style.

Looking at her nails, Amamiya suddenly had a strange urge.

Those beautiful nails… I really want to trim them.

"What are you staring at?" Umi asked softly.

Amamiya responded with utmost seriousness, "I was thinking about trimming a kitten's claws."

"..."

The rest of the tram ride passed in silence.

"Here we are—Akihabara."

As they stepped off the tram, the bustling Akihabara Electric Town greeted them.

Known as the most famous hub for all things anime and cosplay, Amamiya immediately spotted a cosplayer walking by.

The person wore blue and silver armor, their long blonde hair blowing in the wind. A tuft of hair stood upright at the top of their head, swaying with each step. It was none other than King Saber. However, instead of the Sword of Promised Victory, they were holding yakisoba bread.

"My king is so cool," Umi said, clasping her hands behind her back and gazing up in admiration. "I love her so much. How about I cosplay as Saber?"

Amamiya gave her a sideways glance. "Now that I think about it, you two do share one big similarity."

Umi blinked. "What's that?"

"You both have a big appetite."

"..."