In the Multiverse, Only By Taking a Wife Can I Grow Stronger

Epic-grade equipment is obviously hard to obtain, so Tsukikawa Shu didn't think about it for now. But even with a 1% chance for Fine-grade equipment and 0.5% for Rare-grade, if this were a gacha system, it would be incredibly generous, possibly even better than some scam games.

No matter how powerful you are in a game, it's all fake. But in this Inner World, your strength is real!

With these odds and no need to spend money, it's just like grinding for artifacts in Genshin Impact. You'd have to go all out, right?

It's just that I don't know how long it takes to clear a dungeon. These drop rates are pretty high, so it probably won't be quick.

His Muramasa is a Rare-grade equipment, one of the rewards for marrying Goto Hitori. It's more than enough to survive the early stages in the Inner World. As for the Skull Crusher Hammer, it's only Fine-grade. He managed to pick up two in three days of wandering, which was quite lucky.

--This is even with Tsukikawa Shu not having to fear most of the monsters in the city.

For low-level players, forget about wandering around; they wouldn't even dare to go outside, let alone find equipment. Moreover, items in this world don't respawn. The equipment Tsukikawa Shu obtained in three days was purely due to the advantage of being an early explorer. In a while, he probably wouldn't even find a bone.

Looking at the rewards, Tsukikawa Shu really wanted to rush into dungeons, but there were more important things to deal with right now.

"What a shame. I brought quite a bit of food, planning to level up properly this time. Looks like finding food still has to be the priority."

Tsukikawa Shu searched the surroundings for any shelters that might hide food.

"This isn't your first time here?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka, wearing slippers and clutching her pajamas, tried to cover herself.

Clearly unprepared, she couldn't adapt to the situation here.

"It's our second time," Tsukikawa Shu replied. "We spent three days here the first time."

"Tsukikawa-kun, you're already this proficient after only three days?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka was very surprised.

Based on Tsukikawa Shu's relaxed and calm expression just now, she would have believed him even if he said he'd been here for years.

The Tsukikawa Shu before her was completely different from his usual lazy and flippant self at school. He was like a calm wolf, cautiously searching for prey.

She followed behind Tsukikawa Shu and Goto Hitori, constantly watching the messages in the System chat group.

The people inside were complaining endlessly. It wasn't just the newbies; even those who had entered before were crying out in despair.

As veteran players, many had prepared food and intended to find a place to hide and wait out this period. However, they never expected all their equipment to be confiscated by the System the moment they entered.

This time, the quest wasn't something they could just endure.

At first, the chat group was relatively calm. Many were just panicking and curious; some were even a little excited. But within an hour, the tone shifted.

"Help... does anyone have medicine? I was bitten by a spider."

"Please, I can't move anymore... Can someone come help me..."

"Please, I really can't hold on much longer."

Some people were already injured. The forum would automatically delete useless messages, so he could only repeatedly ask for help in the chat group.

From the jumbled messages, Hiratsuka Shizuka learned that the culprit was a giant spider that liked to ambush players from the shadows. It was an extremely dangerous and imperceptible existence; they had no idea from which corner they would suddenly leap out to eat people.

However, less than five minutes later, that ID's messages could no longer be seen.

And such pleas for help were not uncommon.

This time, everyone was forced to confront monsters and various dangers. Injuries and death were inevitable.

Some might have planned to continue hiding, but human stamina is limited. The longer they delayed, the weaker they would become, which was the most fatal aspect.

Anyone with normal intelligence knew they should act as quickly as possible while their stamina was still sufficient.

And so, one tragedy after another began to unfold in the chatroom.

Each abrupt end to a plea for help in the chatroom represented the demise of a life, which shocked Hiratsuka Shizuka.

Looking at Tsukikawa Shu's back ahead of her, and then at the people in the chat group, the difference between those who were also entering the Inner World for the second time was immense.

"If they had posted bounty requests on the forum, the System wouldn't have swallowed their posts. While the chance of rescue would be very small, there would still be some," Tsukikawa Shu said, glancing at the situation in the chat group.

"But, as newcomers, what would they even have to offer as bounty rewards?"

This was the starkest and most ruthless reality.

Hiratsuka Shizuka tightened her grip on her collar.

If she hadn't met Tsukikawa Shu and had wandered around aimlessly, she probably would have become one of those tragic newbie players in the chatroom.

Was it too naive of her to be worried about exposing herself at a time like this?

Hiratsuka Shizuka secretly glanced at Tsukikawa Shu, who was walking beside her. He wasn't looking at her either.

Really, did she, an old maid who couldn't get married, need to be afraid of this young man? Hiratsuka Shizuka thought to herself.

She was truly embarrassing all adults...

"We'll stay here tonight."

Tsukikawa Shu looked at a derelict hotel in front of him.

It was located on the outskirts of the city, relatively close to the dungeon location, and had plenty of resources.

The further out you go, the greater the danger. For players below level ten, this place was completely forbidden territory. Tsukikawa Shu didn't have to worry about anyone else competing with him for territory.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, seven or eight giant spiders were lurking inside. Seeing people enter, they all opened their eyes and quickly assumed a pouncing stance.

The combat power and agility of the spiders on the outer ring of these cities are much higher than those in the city center.

However, this time Goto Hitori didn't even need to use crowd control; Tsukikawa Shu, holding a katana in one hand and the Skull Crusher Hammer in the other, charged forward himself.

With a single slash, he cut three pouncing spiders in half. Then, he raised his left hand and smashed a spider monster that was trying to attack from the ground.

Green ichor splattered, stunning Hiratsuka Shizuka.

Based on their recent chat, she recognized these spiders as monsters that had been fatal to many novice players, yet they were utterly defenseless in Tsukikawa Shu's hands!

(New author, please vote! QWQ)

In less than a minute, Tsukikawa Shu cleared all the monsters in the lobby.

Carefully stepping over the corpses, Hiratsuka Shizuka also checked the monsters' levels; they were all in the 15-20 range.

Am I clinging to a student's coattails? Hiratsuka Shizuka thought.

I never expected this irresponsible brat to have a day where he could handle things on his own. As a teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a sense of relief, like an old mother watching her child grow up.

Kicking open a hotel changing room, she opened the closet, revealing rows of women's business attire, seemingly hotel staff uniforms.

Tsukikawa Shu turned his head, glancing at his teacher's chest, and the water cup and toothbrush she was holding.

"The hotel has clothes and shoes, so you don't need to be so secretive."

Tsukikawa Shu sized her up, "The teacher I usually know is more conservative than I imagined."

"...What kind of person do you imagine your teacher to be?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka's face flushed. While holding her exposed cleavage with one hand, she used the other to tap Tsukikawa Shu's head.

"Hmm... someone who's desperate because she can't find a boyfriend, so she's quite open in private?"

Tsukikawa Shu said.

Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't waste more words with Tsukikawa Shu. She pushed him out of the room, closed the door, and then began to change.

"How old is your teacher?" Goto Hitori leaned closer to Tsukikawa Shu.

"Hmm... maybe five or six years older," Tsukikawa Shu replied. "Or maybe six or seven."

"Is she married?" Goto Hitori asked.

"Definitely later than you," Tsukikawa Shu chuckled.

"Let's not talk about that..." Goto Hitori's gaze darted away as she smoothed a strand of hair at her temple.

Just having turned adult and not yet entered society, the thought of getting married made her feel an unspeakable shyness.

As they were talking, the door opened again a moment later, and Hiratsuka Shizuka, having changed, walked out.

A white blouse paired with a business skirt, and black stockings wrapped around her thighs, she indeed possessed the aesthetic of a professional white-collar worker.

"I couldn't find any trousers."

Hiratsuka Shizuka tidied her hair and walked out.

Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't feel comfortable in this outfit; instead, she felt a chill from her thighs down.

Covering her private parts, Hiratsuka Shizuka finally regained her teacher's dignity. She skillfully took out a box of women's cigarettes she found in the room, lit one, and wisps of white smoke rose.

"Quite nice, very charming."

Tsukikawa Shu looked his teacher up and down, as if appreciating a work of art, and nodded, saying, "I feel like Teacher Hiratsuka can take another step closer to the altar of marriage."

"You little brat!" Hiratsuka Shizuka put one hand on her hip and tugged at Tsukikawa Shu's ear with the other, "Are you bringing up what you shouldn't be?"

Marriage and boyfriends had always been taboo topics for Hiratsuka Shizuka; whoever brought them up would get hit.

Of course, Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't beat Tsukikawa Shu now, so she could only tug his ear symbolically to maintain her dignity as a teacher, which ironically made it look more like an intimate interaction.

The abandoned hotel had plenty of supplies, and the three of them found a good amount of food there.

The hotel kitchen was still usable. Tsukikawa Shu was too lazy to be as cautious as last time. After clearing out the monsters lurking in the kitchen, he simply prepared a simple meal with the ingredients they found.

While the budae jjigae was simmering, Tsukikawa Shu glanced at the Inner World chatroom.

"Help! There are werewolves here, I'm hiding in the hotel closet, someone save me!"

"Does anyone have any hemostatic medicine... I'm injured, I'm dying..."

"Please save me, you can have my body, my possessions, anything, I don't want to die here..."

"Good luck to yourself! Werewolves' attack power doubles at night, I'm not going to risk my life!"

The chat channel was still filled with cries for help. As night fell, more unarmed players were casualties, and despair permeated the entire chatroom.

People were selling their bodies or their possessions, but those who could rescue them were extremely scarce.

Besides Tsukikawa Shu, everyone else was struggling to survive; who had the time to rescue others?

It would likely be the same for the next two days, nothing worth watching.

As for the forums, players who had already adapted to the cruel rules of this Inner World were already conducting trades.

Closing the chatroom, Tsukikawa Shu placed the finished budae jjigae on the table.

"I didn't expect your cooking skills to be this good, Tsukikawa."

Hiratsuka Shizuka took a sip.

"My dream is to become a househusband," Tsukikawa Shu said. "Preferably, someone who can support me."

"You've got quite the imagination," Hiratsuka Shizuka replied.

"Speaking of which, how did you two get together?"

Full and satisfied, Hiratsuka Shizuka became gossipy again.

"Uh... haha..." Goto Hitori scratched her head, finding it difficult to explain.

"We met in the Inner World," Tsukikawa Shu said. "But it's a bit complicated."

Then, Tsukikawa Shu explained how he and Goto Hitori had signed a Marriage Contract, and even showed Hiratsuka Shizuka the System interface.

Hiratsuka Shizuka was stunned.

"So, you... you're married?! Already married?!"

I'm not even married yet! Hiratsuka Shizuka screamed internally.

And this was a contract that transcended the law.

After forging their destiny, the two were essentially one, with both parties needing to sincerely care for each other and unable to easily break the contract.

"You could see it that way," Tsukikawa Shu said, taking Goto Hitori's hand once more.