Dragon Ball: Saiyan's Gourmet Journey

Chapter 714 Stop being a heartless, emotionless girl, show more emotional reactions on the surface!
The swordswoman skipped ahead, and any low-level monsters she encountered along the way were easily eliminated by Ais's sword.

Broly followed behind, bending down to collect the magic stones and loot left on the ground after the monsters were destroyed, and thus made his way into the middle level.

It wasn't until the sixteenth floor of the maze that Broly had to call out to the girl ahead of him, who was relentlessly slaying monsters along the way: "Miss Ais, please stop for a moment."

"Ok?"

The swordswoman turned around in confusion, looking at the boy with some bewilderment.

In her opinion, the monsters here are too weak to be effective for training.

Ideally, you should go deep into the floors near the lower levels, where the monsters are stronger.

"Our packages are full."

Broly patted the bulging support bag behind him and said to the swordswoman in front of him with a hint of helplessness.

"Hmm, that fast?"

Ais was somewhat surprised; she hadn't felt like she'd killed that many monsters yet.

"My skills can grant me the development ability [Luck], while the wings' skills may allow you to share my [Luck] development ability, thus increasing the drop rate of monster loot when only the two of us are in a party."

Broly thought about it carefully and then answered seriously.

Previously, when he teamed up with Bell and Lily Luca, the drop rate of monsters was very high. Only when he teamed up with someone who was not part of his encounter group would the drop rate of items decrease.

Looking back now, the drop rate was lowest when teaming up with the first echelon of Loki's Familia to run dungeons. Considering the abnormally low drop rate now when only teaming up with Ais, Broly has come to the following conclusion:

When you team up with someone who has the Invisible Wings skill or someone who has the [Luck] development ability, the team's drop rate will not only not decrease, but will actually increase.

Conversely, teaming up with someone who doesn't have the Invisible Wings skill or doesn't have the Luck development ability will dilute the luck brought by the Luck development ability.

"Oh, I see?!" Ais exclaimed in realization, then asked, "Then how about we discard some small magic stones and low-value drops?"

"I'm already doing that. I'm discarding all the low-quality magic stones and not taking any worthless drops."

Broly replied somewhat helplessly.

"Then what to do now?"

Ais looked at him with a somewhat innocent expression.

"We have two options: either we go back to the surface and use the magic stones and loot from our backpacks at the guild's money exchange window in the Tower of Babel, or we go directly to Rivera Town on the 18th floor. However, if we go to Rivera Town, the prices there might only be a third of what they are on the surface."

"I'd like to go to Rivera town, is that alright?"

Going up and down the maze was a waste of time, so Ais, who was eager to train with the Saiyan boy, asked him a question.

"If Miss Ais, you can accept selling your spoils for only one-third of the price."

Broly shrugged.

"My main goal is to practice swordsmanship with you; killing monsters and making money is secondary."

The swordswoman looked at the boy, her calm expression revealing her seriousness, and then spoke.

"In that case, let's go to Rivera Town on the 18th floor."

"Ah."

Ais had no objections and reduced her tendency to go wherever there were more monsters, instead focusing on routes that allowed her to quickly descend through dungeon floors.

On the way, Broly spoke to the swordswoman about her current swordsmanship: "Miss Ais, there's nothing wrong with your swordsmanship right now. The problem is your mindset in battle."

Is there something wrong with my fighting mentality?

Ais slashed at the monsters blocking her way with her sword while tilting her head to look over.

The contrast between her fierce swordsmanship in the bloody slaughter of monsters and her humble manner of asking questions creates a rather endearing charm.

"Your inner self is not as calm as you appear on the surface. Every time you fight, your sword is always affected by the turmoil in your heart."

Of course, I'm not saying that this is bad. On the contrary, sometimes swordsmanship infused with emotion can have unexpected creativity and may even unleash unimaginable power.

However, with positive effects come negative ones. For example, being impatient can disrupt one's fighting rhythm, which is the most typical negative effect.

Broly's words reminded Ais of herself when she was a child. Back then, she was immersed in the past of her parents being killed by a demonic dragon and wouldn't listen to anyone. In order to become stronger, she joined the Loki Familia. After joining the Loki Familia, all she thought about every day was going to the dungeon to kill all the monsters she encountered and become stronger.

Although Ais's obsession with becoming stronger remains unchanged to this day, she no longer does anything that would cause excessive worry, is irrational, or could potentially kill herself or even her companions.

In other words, acting impulsively and recklessly challenging dangers beyond one's ability to cope with, ultimately causing concerned companions to pay the price for one's recklessness.

“Mr. Broly, you’re right. Using my sword emotionally is probably a problem I’ve always had, but I don’t know how to correct it. Can you give me some advice?”

We know that rationality and calmness are beneficial, but humans are flesh-and-blood beings with emotions, so how can we possibly remain rational and calm at all times?
Not only can Fiora not do this, even Broly himself can't do it.

"To be honest, sometimes I can't control my emotions, but a mentor once taught me that properly releasing the other side of oneself can help to harmonize the yin and yang of one's personality."

This was said by the father. After witnessing the good and evil Broly split apart by the Tiger Talisman, he taught Broly this method to soothe his negative emotions.

"Simply put, laugh when you should laugh, get angry when you should get angry, don't suppress your emotions, express them directly through laughter, anger and scolding."

In this way, emotions are released, and the heart finds peace, preventing them from being suppressed deep inside and suddenly erupting at some opportune moment.

Although Broly felt that he had always done things this way and that what his father taught him was useless, it didn't stop him from telling Fiora about it now.

"Miss Ais, you should use more facial expressions to convey your happiness, troubles, and other emotions."

Is it like this?

Ais thought for a moment, then tried to purse her lips, as if trying to make an expression that could convey her happiness.

But her smile seemed stiff, like a forced smile, giving off an unreal and fake feeling.

"Miss Ais, are you really happy now?"

Broly looked at the swordswoman and had no choice but to ask the question.

"Uh, I don't know."

Ais stopped smiling, frowned and thought carefully for a moment, then shook her head and gave an uncertain answer.

"Miss Ais, I have a way to increase your current strength tenfold."

After a moment's thought, Broly suddenly spoke to the girl.

"Ah, really?"

Upon hearing this, Ais's eyes widened, and she looked directly over.

"Water Mirror Technique".

Broly seized the opportunity and snapped his fingers.

The water sphere condenses in the air, is shaped, and then frozen into an ice surface.

Then, fresh water was added, creating a mirror-like effect.

Standing directly in front of the swordswoman, Ais saw the expression on her face, an expression of anticipation mixed with immense joy.

"Well, now, Miss Ais, do you know what you look like when you're happy?"

Broly asked with a smile.

"Ugh, I see. So, Mr. Broly, your method of increasing my strength tenfold was actually a lie?"

Ais looked over, and before she even received a reply, disappointment appeared on her delicate face. She already had the answer in her heart; after all, how could there be such a way to increase strength tenfold?
"That's not false, I really do have such a method."

Broly shook his head and answered, "Eh, really?"

Upon hearing this, the swordswoman's mouth opened slightly, and she blinked at the boy in great surprise.

And the little disappointed expression on her face, at a speed visible to the naked eye, transformed back into a beautiful blooming flower.

"Yes, there really is."

Broly nodded seriously.

"Then what should I do to get this method from you to increase my strength tenfold?"

Ais hurriedly asked.

Unbeknownst to them, the two had already arrived at the 17th floor of the maze, at the entrance to the ramp leading to the safe floor maze on the 18th floor.

"You don't need to do anything. This is one of my skill effects. As for the wing skill, it should also be shared with you. You probably have this skill of mine now."

"Oh, then why don't I feel anything?"

Ais looked down at herself.

The water mirror floating in front of her reflected the girl's current confusion.

"Because my skill requires certain conditions to be met before it can be activated."

Broly explained.

What are the conditions?

The girl in the water mirror asked impatiently.

Then Ais realized that the question she had asked was somewhat presumptuous.

She lowered her head, readjusted her tone (which sounded only calmer), and pleaded, "Mr. Broly, this is really important to me. Could you please tell me?"

"It's anger. Extreme anger will cause my skill to have its base stats on the current stat panel increased tenfold."

Broly didn't hide anything and answered Fiora's question.

"Of course, this is the multiplier described on my own skill panel. As for how much of this skill multiplier the wing skill shares with you, I'm not quite sure."

After a pause, Broly added this sentence.

"Even if it's only two or three times the improvement, that's still a significant increase."

Ais didn't expect the skill to be so simple and straightforward. She wasn't disappointed because Broly's shared skill might reduce the multiplier of its effect on her.

"If possible, I still hope you won't need to use this skill."

"Ok?"

"Being blinded by anger is not a good thing; it can make you hurt the people around you."

Seeing the Fiora's questioning gaze, Broly began to explain.

The skill "Rage" likely originates from his evil side.

While the skill's effects are powerful, they also come with the risk of losing one's sanity.

Broly told the swordswoman all of this.

Ais listened in silence, because her leader also possessed a similar ability.

Broly's skill is a technique, while her leader's is a berserk magic called "Ferocious Magic Lance".

When used, all abilities are greatly enhanced.

However, there is also the risk of losing one's mind; her leader's berserk magic only doubles the power at most.

Compared to the [Rage] skill that Broly described, which instantly increases base stats tenfold, it's practically nothing.

"Okay, I understand. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't use your skill lightly."

Knowing the side effects of Finn's Berserk Magic, the swordswoman gave her answer earnestly to the Saiyan boy.

She also didn't want to harm her companions because of a skill that might cause her to go berserk, but having an extra trump card skill that could temporarily unleash powerful combat abilities was indeed a good thing.

"Mr. Broly, I wonder if you would allow me to try using your [Rage] skill within my own clan's territory, under controlled conditions?"

After selling the supporters' large bag of magic stones and loot in Rivera Town, the two headed directly to the nineteenth floor of the dungeon. While they were practicing swordsmanship on live targets with a group of Minotaur, Ais suddenly thought of something and asked the Saiyan boy a question.

"I'd like to know exactly how much of a boost this skill will give me, so that when I encounter truly formidable opponents in the future, I can have a concrete assessment of my own strength."

"Yes, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle. Understanding both your opponent's and your own intelligence is also part of your strength."

Broly nodded, indicating his approval of the swordswoman's idea.

Although most of the opponents he has encountered so far can be overwhelmed by pure numerical strength, intelligence becomes crucial when he encounters an opponent that he cannot defeat with pure numerical strength.

Broly's combat setbacks throughout his life have been largely due to insufficient intelligence.

I don't need to elaborate on how the Six Worlds brought me a future of defeat. That guy's appearance was so sudden that there was no way to defend against him. He was completely invincible, and then suddenly an enemy appeared from the sky.

The unique Yin-Yang balance mechanism of Xiaoyu's world allows the black energy to create a false version of himself through the Holy Lord's hand, capable of fighting against him. If it weren't for the strongest concept bestowed upon him by his father-in-law, the God of War Altshu, from the Star Cup world, which had the corresponding effect, he might have truly experienced defeat again in that world.

Finally, there's Goliath, the giant who almost capsized himself after activating the [Super Weight Training] skill in this world.

These setbacks were mostly due to insufficient intelligence, both regarding the opponent and one's own intelligence.

Of course, it could also be said that because of his own strength, he inadvertently committed the sin of arrogance, underestimating his opponent and overestimating his own current state.

Therefore, Broly was very satisfied with the humble attitude shown by the swordswoman.

The two spent most of the day grinding monsters in the nineteenth level of the dungeon, making eight trips back and forth to Rivera Town before finally leaving the dungeon at dusk with a backpack full of valuable loot.

On their return journey, they encountered members of the Ganesha Familia, who were transporting living monsters out of the dungeon, reportedly in preparation for the monster festival to be held the day after tomorrow.

After selling the spoils, Broly suddenly remembered something: "Miss Ais, I forgot to record the magic stones and drops we got from killing monsters today. So, can we split all the profits from today's dungeon run 50/50?"

As he spoke, Broly handed half of the thick stack of receipts in his hand to the swordswoman.

"Ah, we don't need that much."

When Ais saw that the contract could be worth nearly four million francs, she quickly waved her hand and declined.

"To get such high returns just by casually fighting monsters in the middle layer, this must be due to the extremely high drop rate effect brought about by your luck development ability. Mr. Broly, you should get more."

"Although I don't remember the magic stones and drops we got from killing monsters, I do remember that you killed more monsters than I did, so splitting them evenly is already a bargain for me."

After a pause, without waiting for the swordswoman to say anything more, Broly added, "If Miss Ais feels that you took advantage of me, then just repay me with more actions later."

Ais was silent for a moment, but finally took the contract from the Saiyan boy and nodded softly in response.

The reason she stopped making excuses was that she suddenly realized that the debt of gratitude she owed the boy could not be measured or repaid with money.

Having too much debt is no problem, just as having too many lice is no problem. A few million in profits is no problem to collect.

Well, at worst, I can find another way to repay them in a bigger way later.

Of course, the swordswoman had no idea how to repay him at the moment.

But Ais decided to consult with her public guardian and life mentor, 99-year-old Riveria, tonight.

(End of this chapter)