In the Multiverse, Only Wife-Taking Makes Me Stronger

If it meant finding another wife to strengthen the team, Tsukikawa Shu might consider it, but outsiders were out of the question.

After finishing the refinement of the ore, Tsukikawa Shu immediately upgraded Hiratsuka Shizuka and Goto Hitori's weapons to Epic Grade.

After clearing the dungeon twenty times, all three of them reached level 37. Tsukikawa Shu also obtained more than ten Experience Cards. Their current levels were sufficient to deal with the monsters they encountered, so he put them directly into storage for now as they weren't needed.

After finishing the dungeon, it was time to rest.

The three of them were no longer as nervous as when they first entered the Inner World, and they could even engage in some recreational activities during their breaks.

The main way to gain experience now was by clearing dungeons, which provided a large amount of experience and many items.

They found the same abandoned hotel from their last visit to the Inner World to use as their temporary residence.

Opening the Inner World chatroom, there were still quite a few people who had been newly pulled in. The continuously scrolling bullet comments indicated a scene of widespread misery.

Every time the Inner World opened, many new players died.

The first time the Inner World opened, it only lasted for three days. This was the time with the fewest casualties, and most players managed to survive by starving.

However, the second time it opened, the situation was different. That time, they needed to survive for five days, which exceeded the human limit, and they had to go out to find food. Many players died then, not just newbies, but also players who had entered the Inner World last time but were still level one. The overall reduction in numbers was huge.

Similarly, the number of novice deaths this time would not be small.

His post on the forum was still up, with many comments. The forum also had many team recruitment messages, roughly the same as the ones he had seen before.

In this current period, even offering a single ordinary piece of equipment could attract many players to join.

He browsed through his private messages. Most of them were requests for help from novice players. There were indeed many young women, but Tsukikawa Shu scanned through them and didn't find any familiar characters.

However, someone he knew had sent him a message:

Ryūgamine Mikado: "Mr. Tsukikawa, are you free recently? Could I trouble you for a moment of your valuable time to meet?"

After stating his identity, Ryūgamine Mikado sent the message.

Ryūgamine Mikado: "Mr. Tsukikawa, are you free recently? Could I trouble you for a moment of your valuable time to meet?"

Tsukikawa Shu looked at the message from the other party, pondering how to respond.

If he still wanted to talk about that DOLLARS organization, Tsukikawa Shu had no interest whatsoever.

Tsukikawa Shu remembered that in the original plot, Ryūgamine Mikado had quite good abilities, an excellent memory, and was a top hacker. As for why he was so low-key and seemed cowardly, it could only be attributed to the common trait of Japanese people, who liked to write their protagonists as timid and always adhering to rules. Even in a world where the strong prey on the weak, they would meticulously bring their father's killer to justice.

However, this character seemed to have undergone a blackening later on. Tsukikawa Shu didn't know the subsequent plot.

"What do you want to talk about?" Tsukikawa Shu asked directly.

The other party didn't respond immediately, seemingly thinking for a moment before replying.

Ryūgamine Mikado: "Firstly, it's about the dungeon. One of our five core members will be reaching level 20 in a couple of days and will be able to open a dungeon. I'd like to discuss the specific strategy with you."

Ryūgamine Mikado: "Secondly, I'd like to discuss the establishment of order in the Inner World with Mr. Tsukikawa and meet with you."

What strategy could there be for a dungeon that could be one-shotted? Tsukikawa Shu rubbed his chin and replied.

Tsukikawa Shu: "When you reach level 20, just come directly to the dungeon to meet."

As long as he didn't mention that damned organization, Tsukikawa Shu couldn't be bothered. Both sides needed to establish a stable order in the Inner World, and it was indeed time to meet.

Of course, Tsukikawa Shu wouldn't go to them. If they were to meet, it would have to be on his terms.

Afterward, Tsukikawa Shu glanced at his level again.

"Hmm... I should reach level 40 in about a day."

Upon reaching level 40, the dungeon quality would improve, and the drop rate of high-quality items would increase.

[Level 40 Dungeon Drop Rate] [Guaranteed Items: Large Experience Card, Refined Ore] [Random Drop Items: Fine Grade (2%), Rare Equipment (1%), Epic Grade Equipment (0.2%)]

The drop rate for items of Fine Grade or higher would double.

More importantly, upon reaching level 40, the daily dungeon clear limit would increase from 20 to 40!

"What are you doing?"

At that moment, Tsukikawa Shu felt someone hugging him from behind. Long hair cascaded down, and a familiar scent entered his nostrils.

Hiratsuka Shizuka embraced him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

This time, Hiratsuka Shizuka had prepared herself well and was wearing clothes suitable for exercise. It was just a shame he couldn't see her in stockings.

"In a couple more days, quite a few people will reach level 20 and come to clear the dungeons," Tsukikawa Shu said.

"Mmm... there are restrictions on the teams entering the dungeon, right? Only one team can enter at a time."

Hiratsuka Shizuka pressed her face against Tsukikawa Shu's and looked at the system information. "There's a limit on the number of people too."

When the level 20 dungeon opened, only one team could enter at a time, with a maximum of 10 people.

If multiple teams arrived and the number of people was too large, conflicts were highly likely to occur.

But this had nothing to do with Tsukikawa Shu.

"I don't care about that."

Hiratsuka Shizuka rustled and fumbled around inside her clothes, pulling something out. "It's really great that we can bring items like this into the Inner World."

Then, her face flushed slightly, and she once again hugged Tsukikawa Shu's waist with a smile.

The familiar scent of hormones still emanated from him, making it impossible to resist.

"Don't call for Hitori this time..." Tsukikawa Shu said with a hint of helplessness.

Hiratsuka Shizuka was becoming more and more proactive, her mature woman's nature gradually being unleashed by love.

"Don't rush, she's napping in the next room," Hiratsuka Shizuka chuckled.

Their lips met, and the two embraced again.

Nita Goichi no longer needed to cower in a safe place to barely survive as he had before.

Having starved for five days the last time the Inner World opened, he had secretly vowed that the next time he came to the Inner World, he would eat well and drink well!

So, he had brought along the two highest-level bodyguard players he could find at the moment.

The effect was significant; at the very least, his safety was guaranteed, and he could snatch a good amount of food.

Their team originally consisted of eighteen people: eight students and ten bodyguard players they had hired. They were quite a formidable team.

However, upon entering the Inner World this time, they encountered three more peers who knew each other.

Approximately 50% of new players in the Inner World came from people around old players, and 50% were randomly selected.

This brought their numbers up to over twenty people.

Among the three newcomers were a young couple and another woman with a strong scent of alcohol. They all looked around in a daze, following the group, not yet fully understanding the situation.

The leadership of the team had completely fallen into Nita Goichi's hands.

He walked at the front, chewing on an apple he had snatched from another player. The crunching sound was audible to the entire team; he hadn't stopped eating since they started.

The two bodyguard players Nita Goichi brought were the strongest, and no one else dared to defy his orders. Although some grumbled, they didn't dare to say it openly.

The group walked in silence. Even Fujiwara Chika, who was usually lively and fond of joking, remained quiet.

Besides, it wasn't the time for jokes. In the current oppressive atmosphere, it felt as if speaking would invite a fatal blow.

When facing desperation, or when someone with a significant threat loomed over them, no one could afford to laugh.

Iino Miko also felt a strange atmosphere spreading among the team.

She was furious with Nita Goichi, clenching her fists tightly.

Along the way, his two bodyguards had even robbed another team's belongings. If the other party hadn't had some means of self-preservation, they would have been nearly wiped out.

The classmates who were usually polite and elegant at dances had completely changed in this Inner World.

Or rather, without anyone to restrain them, their true natures were fully exposed.

But she couldn't do anything about him. In this Inner World, strength was king. Her two bodyguards were not as strong as Nita Goichi's, so they could only follow his orders.

As for Fujiwara Chika, she rolled her eyes a few times. After assessing the atmosphere and the situation, she quietly walked behind the group with Iino Miko, suppressing her usual liveliness and natural demeanor, trying not to draw attention to herself.

In such a dangerous place, where everyone in the team had their own ulterior motives, those who sought the spotlight wouldn't fare well.

While searching for shelter and food, the group also passed a poisonous spider nest, and the bodyguard players' eyes lit up.

To the newcomers, these were terrifying monsters, but to these players in their teens or twenties, they were prime sources of experience points.

"Kill them quickly! Let's hurry and reach level 20 to run dungeons!"

Someone shouted, and the ten bodyguard players rushed into the cave, killing indiscriminately.

"Hahaha! Die! All of you die!"

Kyuutake Itsuki wielded his cleaver, hacking wildly at the giant spiders. His massive physique was like a tank, charging through, constantly reaping experience.

Miyamoto Daichoku pulled out his pistol and precisely headshotted them one by one, also frantically absorbing experience points.

The other bodyguards also drew their weapons, chasing the monsters and unleashing skills, afraid of losing experience to others.

The students of Shuchiin Academy could only watch from the outside. They were still level 1 and stood no chance against these monsters, let alone leveling up by fighting them.

Iino Miko became angry.

"Wait, you should leave some experience points for us! And isn't that supposed to be our primary objective right now?" she said.

The students of Shuchiin had originally planned to find a foothold and enough food first, but they passed a spider nest along the way, and these so-called "high-level players" had completely forgotten the "Sugar Daddies'" primary objective.

However, no one listened to her. These people continued to frantically absorb experience points.

"We don't need to get stronger anyway. It's just like in the real world; we pay, and they do the work, so why fight over these experience points?"

Nita Goichi stood at the back and sneered.

Iino Miko glared at him fiercely, then walked towards the two bodyguard players she had hired.

She couldn't command the bodyguards of other players, but her own bodyguards should listen to her, right?

"Help us subdue some monsters. Senpai Chika and I need to grind some levels," Iino Miko said.

"This..."

However, the two bodyguard players Iino Miko had hired showed hesitant expressions.

These two bodyguard players, one male and one female, were both fitness trainers by profession. Their excellent physical condition allowed them to gain an early advantage. However, compared to professional fighters and special forces soldiers like Kyuutake Itsuki and Miyamoto Daichoku, they were far inferior.

The gap wasn't just in levels and equipment; their skills and experience in direct combat were also completely insufficient.

"Apologies, Miss, but experience points are very valuable right now, especially in this early stage. If our leveling speed slows down... we might become prey for others."

The male bodyguard player glanced at Kyuutake Itsuki and Miyamoto Daichoku, who were slaughtering venomous spiders as if cutting vegetables at the forefront. "Those two are Player Hunters. If my level drops any lower, I might become a target for them too."

"Besides, we can unlock dungeons at level 20. We all need to reach level 20 as soon as possible, or others will gain an advantage. This is us looking out for ourselves."

"Player Hunters? Didn't Nita Goichi vet them when he hired bodyguards?" Iino Miko asked, quite surprised.

Even if she hadn't encountered them before, she knew what kind of people Player Hunters were from the chat rooms.

"Who knows? Maybe Player Hunters aren't important to him," the other female bodyguard shrugged, resting a baseball bat on her shoulder with an indifferent expression.

"So... you can't even get us to level 10?" Iino Miko blinked. "I paid a lot of money to hire you. The contract clearly states it."

The two bodyguards exchanged glances.

"Sorry, even if the contract states it, we won't abide by it. Doing so would cost us a lot of experience points, and with team activities, we can't get many monster spawns anyway..."

It was still the female bodyguard player who answered. She shrugged and said coldly, "Nowadays, no one would willingly give away experience points to others."

Then, she paused and added, "Except for Tsukikawa Shu, before."