Natsume Chikage

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Natsume Chikage (夏目千景)
Alias(es)	Sanqianli — pen name suggested by Natsume Ruri 126 127
Species/Race	Human; later transcends humanity as an Apprentice Deity 667
Gender	Male
Age	16 14
Affiliation	Moonlight Academy; Collection Club 16 293
Occupation/Role	Student; novelist; shogi competitor; kendo competitor; former Coffee Shop employee 112 445 546 650
Status	Active 745
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Initial panel	1	Strength 4, Agility 4, Spirit 5, Constitution 5, Charisma 9. Collecting three special equipment items grants one attribute point.
First attribute point earned	28	Registers a third piece of special equipment; the collection requirement resets after each reward.
Mental 6; Constitution 6; Charm 10	100	Raising Constitution enhances his senses, physique, and coordination while also increasing Charm.
Mental 6; Constitution 7; Charm 11	159	Constitution enhancement causes painful shedding and physical reconstruction; Charm rises alongside it.
Mental 7	185, 190	Raises Mental after accepting Mido Orihime's kendo challenge; later status confirms Mental 7.
Strength 5	190	Increases naturally through morning training.
Agility 5	219	Increases through running and continued exercise.
Constitution 8; Charm 12	235	Further Constitution growth gives him a more ethereal appearance and raises Charm again.
Spirit 8	267	Spiritual refinement causes intense pain and a period of unconsciousness; his perception and processing improve, and a faint aura appears around him.
Constitution 9; Charm 13	319	Another Constitution increase makes his appearance and bearing more otherworldly.
Constitution 10; Charm 14	361	A major physical evolution grants exceptional durability, recovery, endurance, and basic gas exchange through his skin.
Agility 6	364	Gains greater speed, flexibility, dynamic vision, reaction time, and fine motor control.
Strength 6; Mental 10	511	His status confirms further growth in both physical strength and Mental, with the latter already having passed the human threshold.
Constitution 11; Charm 15	511, 512	Constitution enhancement triggers extreme regeneration and leaves him intensely hungry afterward.
Mental 11	563, 564	His qi becomes denser; he can sustain telekinesis for over two minutes, form tangible qi constructs, and activate sword aura.
Literary Master Set	667	Synthesizes a literary equipment set that allows his works to profoundly move and immerse readers.
Apprentice Deity Set	667	Synthesizes the prismatic-quality set, becomes an Apprentice Deity, and gains divine power, dominion over wind and water, and expanded future sight.
Constitution 12; increased Charm	709	An apparently painless, cocoon-like evolution grants limited bodily reshaping, including the ability to redistribute tissue and grow additional limbs. His appearance becomes still more striking.

Background / History

Natsume Chikage is a successful man who transmigrated into the body of the original Natsume Chikage, a boy who died by suicide after the family fell into poverty. Left with the original Chikage’s younger sister, Ruri, he resolves to support her while adapting to their reduced circumstances. He later learns that the company’s collapse was caused by business partners who deceived Ruri’s father, leaving him with enormous debts; the man died in despair. 1 745

Soon after arriving, he discovers a panel that identifies special equipment, stores registered items, and awards attribute points for every three items collected. His first discoveries include Young Boy’s Painful Diary and the Dust-Covered Chess Manual, beginning his long-term pursuit of equipment and self-improvement. 1 9 14

He enters Moonlight Academy, where his appearance rapidly attracts attention, but he remains focused on earning money, protecting Ruri, recovering family keepsakes, and buying back their former home. 16 125 456

Chikage becomes a prominent competitor in the Rising Star Shogi Tournament despite having little formal experience. His victories bring him substantial prize money, public attention, professional recruitment offers, and eventually a championship win. 116 233 454 579

At Konoe Hitomi and Mido Orihime’s urging, he begins kendo training shortly before the Dragon Flag Tournament. His extraordinary learning speed allows him to surpass experienced practitioners almost immediately, and he ultimately wins the Dragon Flag championship as Moonlight Academy’s sole active competitor. 196 198 409 445

Following the success of Snow Country, Chikage becomes a commercially successful author as well as an athlete and shogi champion. He later synthesizes the Literary Master Set and the prismatic Apprentice Deity Set, surpassing the limits of humanity through divine power. His identity as Sanqianli becomes public at an autograph event, drawing a large crowd of readers. 650 667 674

His former home proves to be golden-quality special equipment, adding a supernatural dimension to his longstanding goal of recovering it. He subsequently confronts the main family’s claim over him: Mido Orihime tells its members that Chikage has no blood relation to the Natsume main family. Chikage also brings Tsubae a letter from her late brother, allowing her to learn the truth behind their estrangement, and promises to protect Ruri. 686 725 745

Appearance

Chikage is a tall, refined boy whose already striking appearance becomes increasingly otherworldly as his Constitution and Charm rise. He is noted for his clear skin, balanced musculature, calm bearing, and an aura that makes him stand out even in ordinary clothes. 1 159 361 512

• Tall, with a straight and well-proportioned frame. 188 372
• Refined facial features and an unusually composed presence. 1 18
• Lean, smooth muscle definition rather than a bulky build. 100 361
• Develops a pale, resilient, almost translucent complexion after higher Constitution enhancements. 361 512
• Often wears a cap and black-rimmed glasses to avoid recognition after becoming famous. 463
• His pupils turn golden after becoming an Apprentice Deity, though he can voluntarily return them to their normal color to avoid attention. 667
• His Constitution 12 evolution further heightens his Charm and almost supernatural appearance. 709

Personality

Chikage is calm, polite, and mature beyond his apparent age. He usually avoids conflict, treats people respectfully, and does not flaunt his accomplishments, even when facing opponents who underestimate him. 16 151 336

His strongest motivation is responsibility toward Ruri. He refuses Kondo Miyuki’s tuition support because he wants to provide for his sister himself, and he repeatedly prioritizes the goal of buying back their former home. He later promises Tsubae that he will protect Ruri from a family-driven tragedy like the one Tsubae experienced. 125 456 579 745

Although he attracts frequent romantic attention, Chikage does not assume that every girl around him likes him and is reluctant to act presumptuously. He values genuine compatibility over superficial standards. 280 374

He has a practical, acquisitive side regarding special equipment, but he does not pursue every item recklessly; ownership requires the holder’s consent, and he often waits for a suitable opportunity rather than forcing the issue. 10 166

Even after gaining extraordinary power, Chikage remains cautious about drawing attention and exercises restraint around both equipment synthesis and his growing romantic entanglements. Despite becoming an Apprentice Deity, he remains concerned about extreme threats such as nuclear weapons. 649 667 709

As his relationships deepen, he recognizes that he may have feelings for more than one girl. He is candid with Hitomi about believing they will become a couple, but his intention to pursue other girls remains a point of disagreement between them. 686 745

Abilities & Skills

Attribute Panel

Chikage possesses an internal panel created from the mysterious orb he encountered before transmigrating.

• Detects special equipment and displays each item’s quality, effect, and synthesis conditions. 9 10
• Registers equipment only after he obtains ownership from its holder. 10 92
• Awards one free attribute point for every three registered special equipment items. The rule still applies when he registers the Cyan-Wood Floral Staff after becoming an Apprentice Deity. 28 92 706
• Allows equipment to be stored and equipped through the panel. 28 151
• Attribute enhancement causes severe pain and physical or mental transformation; his Constitution 12 enhancement instead renders him unconscious during a cocoon-like evolution. 100 159 511 709

Shogi and Board Games

Chikage is an exceptional shogi player with an adaptable style, rapid calculation, and the ability to switch between offensive and defensive play.

• Defeated professional and title-holding players despite beginning the tournament as unranked. 336 454
• Won against Mido Orihime, a women’s fifth-dan player regarded as an elite shogi talent. 506 507
• Defeated Tendō Ryūji, the Eternal Dragon King, and won the Rising Star Shogi Tournament championship. 576 579
• Declined professional mentorship and Shogi Association recruitment because he does not want shogi to become his career. 233 336

Shogi Saint Set

After collecting the Dust-Covered Chess Manual, Sealed Shogi Board, and Sealed Shogi Pieces, Chikage synthesizes the Shogi Saint Set. 9 92 511

• Grants extensive knowledge of numerous board games. 511
• Allows him to never lose a board-game match. 511
• The component equipment respectively grants exceptional shogi aptitude, 30% faster shogi thought speed, and a chance to unsettle opponents through silence. 9 92 511

Kendo and Swordsmanship

Chikage displays extraordinary physical learning ability, rapidly mastering footwork, suburi, distance control, and combat rhythm after beginning kendo training. 196 197

• Defeated Dragon Flag champion Horie Kenichi, sixth-dan Arai Kotaro, and seventh-dan dojo owner Kojima Yoshinobu during instructional sparring. 198
• Defeated Moonlight Academy Kendo Club members, including captain Sugiyama Hideki. 216
• Won forty consecutive victories at the Dragon Flag Tournament before entering the final. 437
• Defeated Sakamoto Takashi, the Reiwa era’s strongest kendo prodigy, by countering Returning Swallow with True Returning Swallow. 442
• Won the Dragon Flag championship. 445

Sword Saint Set

Chikage synthesizes the gold-quality Sword Saint Set from the Rusty Wooden Sword, Water-Song Kitchen Knife, and Dragon Flag Championship Cup. 446 537

• Zanshin Field — increases his innate speed fivefold for three seconds, with a fifteen-second cooldown. 446 537
• Kendo Talent — increases his aptitude in kendo by 2000%. 446
• Invisible Slash — releases an invisible cutting force at will; using a physical weapon greatly increases its power. 446 537
• Instantly deepens his understanding of swordsmanship and corrects flaws in his muscle memory. 537

Physical Enhancement

His rising Constitution, Strength, and Agility grant him superhuman physical ability.

• Constitution 10 grants immense endurance, recovery, impact resistance, and the ability to sustain basic functions through skin-based gas exchange. 361
• Agility 6 improves his flexibility, reaction speed, dynamic vision, and precise bodily control. 364
• He learned baseball pitching rapidly enough to throw a 158 km/h fastball with control after less than an hour of instruction. 300
• He is capable of defeating multiple kendo opponents in succession while maintaining substantial stamina. 422 436
• At Constitution 12, he can stretch and reshape parts of his body, turn his fingers into flexible tentacle-like forms, and grow additional arms or legs. Growing limbs requires him to redistribute his existing muscle and bone mass. 709

Mental Enhancement and Qi

Higher Mental attributes develop Chikage’s spiritual and psychic abilities.

• At Spirit 8, his perception and processing sharpen, and a faint aura appears around him. He can suppress it through concentration, though doing so is tiring. 267
• At Mental 11, his qi becomes dense enough for telekinesis lasting more than two minutes. 563 564
• Can condense qi into visible, tangible shapes such as hands and tentacles. 564
• Can trigger the Sword Saint Set’s sword aura through qi. 564
• The Pseudo-Yata Mirror triples his psychic power and creates a powerful aura around him. 662
• After becoming an Apprentice Deity, he can effortlessly levitate and manipulate numerous objects simultaneously with divine power. 667

Future Eye

Chikage can receive brief visions of immediate future events.

• Foresees Akita Sana slipping while handling a seasoning jar. 584
• Uses the warning and Zanshin Field to catch her and the falling jar before she is injured. 584
• After synthesizing the Apprentice Deity Set, he can receive future visions at random or view a person’s future by touching them and expending divine power. 667
• Later tells Konoe Hitomi that he has seen a future in which they are together. 745

Divine Power

Upon synthesizing the prismatic Apprentice Deity Set, Chikage transcends humanity and converts qi into divine power. 667

• Commands wind and water, including generating a miniature typhoon and sculpting water into detailed forms. 667
• Can fly and manipulate large quantities of objects or divine-power constructs without meaningful strain. 667
• Can create more than a hundred divine-power tentacles at once. 667
• Believes ordinary firearms and ammunition can no longer defeat him, though he remains uncertain about nuclear weapons. 667 709

Writing and Drawing

Chikage is a successful novelist despite initially being treated as an academically unremarkable student.

• His manuscript, The Devotion of Suspect X, earns competing publishing offers and an unusually high royalty share. 112 113
• Signs a contract for Snow Country and later completes the novel. 248 463
• His writing can strongly immerse readers, aided by his special equipment. 488
• Snow Country sells out on its first morning of release and attracts film-adaptation interest. 650
• Begins drawing as a complete beginner but progresses at an abnormal rate through instruction, his learning equipment, and enhanced attributes. 250 252 258
• His identity as Sanqianli is revealed to readers and editors at a signing event, where his autograph table draws a large queue. 674

Literary Master Set

Chikage synthesizes the Literary Master Set after acquiring Tokyo Love Story and its associated literary equipment. 649 667

• Amplifies the emotional impact of his writing. 649
• Enables his novels to deeply move readers and immerse them in the worlds he creates. 667
• He delays synthesis until Yukimura Suzune finishes reading Tokyo Love Story, considering her feelings before using the item. 649

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Shogi Saint Set — grants unmatched board-game knowledge and guarantees victory in board-game matches. 511
• Sword Saint Set — grants Zanshin Field, enhanced kendo talent, and invisible slashes. 446 537
• Literary Master Set — enhances the emotional impact and immersion of his literary works. 667
• Apprentice Deity Set — a prismatic-quality set that grants divine power, wind and water manipulation, qi conversion, and advanced future sight. 667
• Pseudo-Yata Mirror — triples his psychic power and serves as a component of the Apprentice Deity Set. 662
• Tokyo Love Story — literary equipment that strengthens the emotional impact of his writing. 649
• Home Laden with Memories — his former family home, identified as golden-quality equipment. It rapidly restores the wearer’s energy while they are inside; residents receive Mood +3 and Comfort +3 and can fall asleep more easily. 686 727
• Cyan-Wood Floral Staff — special equipment purchased from a shop and registered for another attribute point after he becomes an Apprentice Deity. 706
• Replicating Hand — creates one effectless replica of each acquired special item; copies disappear after a month away from their primary user. 492 532
• Collector-Grade Fighting Magazine — reveals an opponent’s weaknesses and adapts its displayed targets to Chikage’s subconscious intent. 201
• Amber Bastion Stone — creates a sturdy one-second defensive effect with a fifteen-second cooldown. 167
• Poker Face Ring — suppresses visible emotion and creates an unreadable expression. 396
• Pseudo-Talisman — dispels slight negative bodily effects. 530
• Sports Watch — increases exercise efficiency by 15%. 253 257
• Eager-to-Draw Brush — special drawing equipment gifted to him by Kaga Resaki. 147 257
• Thief’s Master Key — opens any simple door once per day. 557

Relationships

• Natsume Ruri — younger sister and Chikage’s foremost priority; the siblings rely on each other after their family’s collapse. He promises Tsubae to protect her from the main family’s machinations. 1 125 486 745
• Konoe Hitomi — Mido family associate, kendo supervisor, and frequent companion; their relationship becomes increasingly familiar and playful, while she increasingly presses him to confront his feelings. She later admits she likes him, but rejects his intention to pursue other girls; their disagreement remains unresolved when they kiss. 194 397 435 660 745
• Mido Orihime — Moonlight Academy student council president and formidable shogi rival; she views Chikage as uniquely human in her distorted perception. She later intervenes against the Natsume main family’s attempts to claim him and states that he has no blood relation to it. 85 507 533 725
• Fujiwara Aoi — Coffee Shop coworker and classmate who becomes openly protective and increasingly affectionate toward him. 1 135 237
• Saionji Nanase — desk neighbor, Collection Club companion, and childhood acquaintance; her family supports her feelings for Chikage. 16 92 478
• Yukimura Suzune — classmate and Collection Club companion; she guides his drawing practice and often shows subtle concern or jealousy. After his identity as Sanqianli becomes known, their friends recognize how closely he matches the literary qualities she seeks in a partner. 17 250 369 709
• Akita Sana — classmate, special-equipment benefactor, and later Collection Club member; her affection for Chikage grows increasingly open, culminating in intimate moments and a brief hand-holding exchange. 201 649 662
• Tsukishima Rin — upperclassman and shogi student; she confesses her feelings by kissing his cheek. Chikage promises to consider dating her first once he buys back his old house, though he does not promise they will become a couple. 189 492 686
• Kaga Resaki — Ruri’s classmate and drawing partner who often stays with the Natsume siblings; she grows attached to Chikage and supports his ambitions. 188 257 597
• Furukawa Masahiro — former Dragon King who recognizes Chikage’s shogi potential and repeatedly offers mentorship. 116 157 336
• Kondo Miyuki — friend of Chikage’s late father who treats the Natsume siblings warmly and attempts to assist them. 10 125 328
• Natsume Tsubae — estranged older sister and legal guardian who performs her duties without meaningfully supporting the siblings. A letter Chikage brings from her late brother reveals why they lost contact; she asks Chikage to protect Ruri, and he promises to do so. 130 210 745
• Natsume Yuma and Natsume Taizo — main-family relatives attempting to bring Chikage and Ruri back for the family’s interests. Orihime later challenges their claim by stating that Chikage is not related to the main family by blood. 470 558 598 725

Story Role / Major Arcs

Transmigration and Collection System

Chikage awakens in the original Natsume Chikage’s body, learns of the family’s bankruptcy and the original boy’s death, and discovers the equipment-collection panel. 1

Moonlight Academy and Early Shogi

He enrolls at Moonlight Academy, joins the Collection Club’s circle, begins gathering special equipment, and enters the Rising Star Shogi Tournament to earn money. 16 24 92

Novelist Debut

Chikage submits The Devotion of Suspect X, negotiates an exceptional publishing contract, and begins establishing himself as the author Sanqianli. His pen-name identity is later revealed publicly at a signing event. 112 113 127 674

Rising Star Shogi Tournament

He progresses from an unknown, unranked participant to a feared tournament contender, defeating players such as Tanabe Yuto, Suzuki Takayuki, Mido Orihime, Watanabe Toshiya, and Tendō Ryūji. 180 279 506 454 576

Dragon Flag Tournament

After only a brief period of kendo training, Chikage enters the Dragon Flag Tournament as Moonlight Academy’s one-man team. He sets consecutive-win records, defeats elite schools, defeats Sakamoto Takashi in the final, and claims the championship. 409 424 437 442 445

Natsume Main Family Conflict

As Chikage’s fame and value rise, the Natsume main family repeatedly attempts to reclaim him and Ruri. Chikage rejects their offers, refuses to become a tool for arranged marriage, and prioritizes his independent life with Ruri. When the family seeks to use their former home as leverage, Mido Orihime intervenes and declares that Chikage has no blood relation to the main family. Chikage later brings Tsubae a letter explaining her late brother’s actions and promises to protect Ruri. 470 558 598 725 745

Literary and Divine Equipment Synthesis

After Snow Country becomes a commercial success, Chikage acquires Tokyo Love Story and completes the Literary Master Set. He subsequently synthesizes the prismatic Apprentice Deity Set, gaining divine power and becoming an Apprentice Deity. Later, raising Constitution to 12 gives him the ability to reshape his body. 649 650 667 709

Recovering the Family Home

Chikage discovers that the house he has long hoped to buy back is golden-quality equipment called Home Laden with Memories. Its effects include rapid energy recovery inside the house and improved mood, comfort, and sleep for residents. 456 686 727

Notable Quotes

“I'm strong. Stronger than anyone here. I won't lose.”
— Natsume Chikage 435

“It’s because I—want to buy back the house my family lived in before we fell on hard times.”
— Natsume Chikage 456

Trivia

• Chikage’s Charm rises automatically alongside major Constitution increases. 159 235 361 512 709
• He initially tries to maintain a low profile because of prior experiences with obsessive fans, but his shogi and kendo achievements make this increasingly difficult. 189 463
• Although he receives professional shogi offers, his immediate priority is financial independence and restoring his family home rather than pursuing a professional career. 233 456 579
• His former Coffee Shop job becomes untenable because fan attention disrupts both his work and daily life, leading him to resign. 546
• After becoming an Apprentice Deity, he conceals his golden eyes by deliberately changing their color back to normal. 667
• His old family home is itself special equipment, making the place he sought for personal reasons valuable to his collection system as well. 686