The Ability to Shift Anything is Convenient, Even in Another World!

Five minutes had passed since Shiori confronted Soru. Everyone stood still, afraid to interfere and risk provoking the powerful figures before them.

"Is Miss Shiori alright? She doesn’t look good..." someone murmured.

Shiki, Sukuna, and Satoru stepped closer to see what was happening. As they neared, Shiki and Satoru noticed Shiori standing rigid, sweat beading on her skin as she faced Soru.

"W-What’s happening over there?" Shiki asked.

Sukuna understood the situation immediately. He had expected this the moment Shiori met Soru—she was bound to do something reckless.

Did Shiori sense it too? That’s not good...

He recognized the faint "scent" clinging to Soru, the same trace he had noticed during their first encounter days ago. It was subtle—too faint for most to notice. But to a veteran warrior like Sukuna, it was an unmistakable presence that couldn't be ignored.

Once, he considered bringing up the matter directly with Soru but changed his mind after learning that the man had singlehandedly eliminated the Lord of Variance.

Waves of conflicting emotions surged through him. In his mind, he thought that confronting Soru recklessly was a bad idea. In the end, he chose to stay silent—and he had kept his mouth shut ever since.

Maybe... I should step in and stop them—

Sukuna halted as an arm extended in front of him. It was Alguis.

"Please step back, sir. I've already sent someone to handle this."

"Sir Alguis, if we delay any further—"

"If we interfere now, Miss Shiori will bear the consequences. It’s better to send the right person to mediate than to step in ourselves."

Sukuna’s brow twitched.

So he thinks Miss Shiori would be at a disadvantage… The former dwarven king really favors that man.

His gaze shifted toward Soru.

Just how strong is he?

Meanwhile, Shiori remained rooted in place, her defiant stance faltering. Soru, unmoved by her taunts, faced her with a blank expression. Compared to him, she was trembling—just from his presence alone.

Shiori paused as something clicked inside her.

What is this…?

Her relentless attempts to devise a way to take him down—though ultimately futile—had borne fruit. In the process, she had awakened a new ability: Countermeasure.

A Special-class ability of Deviated Abilities, Countermeasure was a Conjure-type skill that allowed the user to project one possible outcome to effectively overwhelm an opponent.

Whether in offense or defense, it will expose the opponent’s flaws and counter them with extreme precision. With a success rate close to perfection, it had the highest potential to turn the tide of battle in an instant.

With this ability, I can see the right path! I’ll expose his weakness and take him down!

Without hesitation, Shiori activated the ability. Confidence surged through her, her spirit soaring—until, suddenly, her eyes widened.

H-Huh? What’s going on…?

She hadn’t anticipated this. The ability she had placed her faith in, the power she was certain would turn the battle in her favor, showed no sign of working.

I should be seeing an afterimage of myself right now… But nothing is happening!

Her grip tightened around the hilt of her weapon, her hands unsteady. She swallowed hard, waiting, hoping Countermeasure would activate with a delay.

But nothing changed.

If there was no sign of an afterimage, did that mean landing a hit on him was utterly impossible?! That didn’t make sense! There was no way—

Shiori quickly realized why her intuition had been screaming at her. After dying countless times with no path to survival, she reached a single conclusion.

Don't tell me... t-that human... has no flaws at all?

Her fingers slipped from the hilt as her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground. Her body trembled, her lips numb, her eyes twitching uncontrollably.

"Hah... Haha..."

A flawless being? What a joke!

Clenching the dirt beneath her hands, Shiori's eyes widened. Even now, she refused to believe such nonsense.

T-That's right! If I focus harder, maybe it will appear eventually—

"S-Shiori, are you okay?"

She flinched at the familiar voice beside her. She recognized it instantly.

The ogre turned around and saw Reika watching her with a worried expression. She didn’t say a word and remained silent.

Fortunately, Reika and Veylir had arrived just in time. Neither side seemed harmed—though Shiori remained on the ground, visibly shaken.

Noticing that someone had stepped in, the other ogres hurried to check on Shiori. Shiki’s face tensed with worry as she took in her sister’s pale complexion.

“Sis! What happened to you?” Shiki asked, rushing to help her up alongside Sukuna.

“I’m alright,” Shiori murmured. “I can stand on my own…”

Shiori steadied herself and pulled her greatsword from the ground. Keeping her head low, she avoided meeting Soru’s gaze.

"I'll get to the bottom of this… just you wait," she muttered before turning away, leaving the scene in silence.

Shiki attempts to follow her sister, wanting to offer some comfort, but Sukuna stepped in her way and shook his head. She hesitated, then understood—Shiori needed time alone.

The dwarves ordered everyone to leave the area. The onlookers obeyed without question, dispersing at once. Only a few of them remained.

“I don’t understand. A confrontation between you and Shiori was unlikely,” Reika murmured. “Do you have any idea what caused her outburst?”

“I have no idea,” Soru replied.

Hearing this, Sukuna stepped forward with a serious look on his face.

“I know why she reacted that way.”

Everyone turned to Sukuna, confused.

“She sensed something from that boy. And it wasn’t just her—I sensed it too,” Sukuna continued. “You see, Miss Shiori has an exceptional sense of smell. Although mine is sharper than most ogres, her ability to sense things is on another level.”

“At first, I doubted my suspicion. But seeing how Shiori reacted to the scent he gives off… that alone confirms everything.”

Sukuna opened his droopy eyes, locking onto Soru with a grave expression.

“That boy… might have killed one of our kind in the past.”

Silence fell over the group. Everyone was shocked at Sukuna’s accusation.

“A-Are you certain, Sir Sukuna?” Alguis asked him.

“I am not mistaken. Even if someone erases all traces of their actions, we can still sense it—especially those with exceptional nose like Miss Shiori.”

Reika frowned. “Then how did you sense it on Soru? Do you have any proof? Blood, or something else?”

“…It’s not blood that we’re sensing, Miss Reika,” Sukuna replied. “It’s the resentment and malice of our fallen kin, lingering on him.”

“Resentment…?”

“That ogre might be referring to the hatred one of his kin directed at Soru before it died,” Veylir said.

“S-She’s right, Miss Reika,” Sukuna said in a low tone.

Reika turned to Soru, her expression serious. “Soru, is it true? Have you killed an ogre in the past?”

“No, I haven’t,” Soru replied calmly. “I’ve never encountered an ogre before.”

“He’s lying!” Shiki suddenly shouted.

“Miss Shiki!” Sukuna intervened.

“My sis wasn’t lying either! How could she—”

“Satoru, could you accompany the miss for the time being?” Sukuna said firmly.

Satoru nodded and approached Shiki, gently guiding her away. She left with him, grumbling under her breath.

Once they were gone, Sukuna sighed. “I apologize for her impulsive behavior.”

“It’s alright,” Reika said. “If someone questioned my sister’s judgment, I’d probably react the same way...”

“Everything might just be a simple misunderstanding. Sir Soru has stated that he didn’t commit such an act. Pushing this matter further might lead to something… unimaginable,” Alguis told Sukuna.

Sukuna lowered his head.

“…If that’s your verdict, I won’t argue,” he said before turning away. “I’ll speak with Miss Shiori about what we discussed here. Maybe I can convince her not to delve on this matter further.”

Everyone watched in silence as Sukuna walked off. They could tell he wasn’t pleased with Alguis’ conclusion, yet no one spoke against it. In their minds, Alguis had made the right call.

Although this may seem unfair to them, there’s nothing I can do but side with Sir Soru, Alguis thought.

His gaze shifted to Soru, who was still speaking with Reika ahead.

Mister Soru is an unpredictable individual. Behind those empty eyes of his lies something unknown. We have no way of knowing what he might do if provoked—only by de-escalating the situation would put us at ease.

After that tense confrontation, evening came and went in a flash. Everyone returned home, sleeping peacefully alongside their loved ones. Soru and Reika did the same, lying on their beds after finishing dinner.

By morning, life in the settlement resumed as usual. The orcs, goblins, and ogres continued building their temporary homes from wood and chiseled stone. The humans worked alongside them, their enthusiasm filling the air as they helped wherever they could.

Meanwhile, Reika wandered through the settlement, searching for anyone who might need assistance. To her disappointment, every offer she made was turned down.

"You don’t have to, Miss Reika. Leave it to us!"

No matter where she went, the response was the same. Left with no choice, she sighed and slumped onto a corner.

“Hahhh… What’s with them? They keep refusing me, telling me to rest. Wasn’t my four-day nap enough?”

"Hm. Isn't that a good thing, though? You get to laze around all day~," Veylir said with a grin.

"I'm not a slacker like you," Reika replied flatly.

"And that's one of the things I'm proud of," Veylir said. "Dragons do that all the time, you know? Every one of us is a slacker. With lifespans longer than most beings on this continent, why rush anything?"

"Right, right…" Reika muttered dismissively.

In the distance, Veylir spotted Soru speaking with Alguis. Something clicked in her mind.

"Hey, aren’t you curious about Master Soru?"

"About what?"

"Everything. His unusual abilities, the way he does things… you know what I mean?"

Reika pondered for a moment.

Well, I already know why he can’t express emotions. But still…

"Now that I think about it—I don’t even know what his ability is called…," Reika murmured. "I understand how it works, but I never asked for its name back then…"

"Exactly!" Veylir exclaimed. "He’s so tight-lipped about it…"

Their gazes met, and in that instant, they both knew what had to be done.

That's right, we’ll ask him in person!

When afternoon arrived, Reika and Veylir confronted Soru. Away from the prying ears of the settlement’s inhabitants, they had only one goal—to uncover the truth behind his powers.

"Soru, we need some minor clarifications. Care to enlighten us?" Reika asked.

Seeing Veylir nodding in agreement, Soru replied flatly, "Sure, go ahead."

Both Reika and Veylir swallowed hard as the tension thickened. Soru, meanwhile, silently wondered about their odd behavior.

"Is your ability… just one, or do you have multiple abilities?"

At Reika's question, Soru paused.

Veylir and I made a bet earlier, Reika thought. She believes Soru has multiple separate abilities, while I’m convinced it’s just a single ability—like Contract.

They both held their breath, anticipation making every second feel stretched.

Come on, tell us I’m right! It’s obvious—all those abilities are just sub-abilities within a single ability, just like mine!

“…It’s only one.”

Hearing his answer, Reika grinned and shot a victorious look at Veylir.

"Heh! Told you~!"

"Rrrgghhh, I guessed wrong!" Veylir groaned.

"You better keep your promise, alright?"

"Urk…!"

Damn you, Reika! Veylir cursed internally. Now I have to entertain those kids and let them use me like a plaything… just as promised!

"Tch. Yeah, yeah, I'll do it," Veylir muttered begrudgingly.

Reika, satisfied with her win, turned back to Soru. "So, what’s the name of your ability? I’ve always wondered—the identity of that ridiculously overpowered power that made you insanely strong…"

Soru's eyes widened slightly.

"This power has always been a part of me for as long as I can remember… I never once thought of giving it a name."

Both of them squinted at Soru, unimpressed by his roundabout answer.

"Come on~ it’s an Individual-type ability, right?" Reika pressed. "Just like my ability, Contract, yours should be the same. Keeping it secret from us would be pointless…"

"Individual-type ability? What’s that?" Soru asked flatly.

Reika’s eyes narrowed. "Hey, telling us your ability’s name isn’t that hard—"

"Everything I’ve said is the truth," Soru interrupted. "My power doesn’t have a name. That’s all there is to it."

Reika and Veylir’s expressions stiffened.

"You’re joking, right?" Veylir said, her tone serious. "Every ability has a name—it’s what gives them identity. Just like how everything in this world had a name, abilities are no different. An ability without a name… that's utter nonsense."

A brief silence settled between them. Then, after a few seconds, Soru finally spoke.

"If that’s how you see it, then yes—it’s the truth."

A wave of bewilderment washed over them. It was their first time encountering a nameless ability, and their confusion was plain on their faces.

"That means… every time you use your ability, you’ve never uttered or even subconsciously thought of its name?" Reika asked.

"No," Soru replied. "A name was never required to execute it in the first place."

"But that’s—"

"Alright," Veylir cut in. "Let’s just say that’s true… If the world found out an ability like this exists, it would cause an uproar. Something like that defies all logic and common sense. Heck, it shouldn’t even exist in the first place!"

"Veylir's right…," Reika murmured. "We should keep this a secret. If word gets out, it might attract the wrong kind of attention—and that could put everyone in danger."

"That makes sense…," Veylir agreed.

A brief silence followed, then an idea suddenly sparked in Reika's mind.

"Hey, Soru," she said, a smirk forming. "Remember those Shōnen stuffs you guys used to read? Every character’s power had a designated name, right?"

She confidently poked Soru’s chest.

"Since your ability never had a name to begin with… why don’t we give it one ourselves?"

Veylir’s eyes widened at Reika’s suggestion.

"That’s actually a great idea! Not only can we hide the truth from others, but it also gives your ability a proper identity!"

"Umu," Reika responded proudly before glancing at Soru. "You wouldn’t mind, right?"

Ehhh~ Veylir thought. Look at her, acting all smug over something so trivial…

"I don’t see any problem with it," Soru replied.

"Now… what should we call it?" Reika mused. "Let’s see… transferring damage, teleportation, blah blah blah…"

"Hm…" Veylir murmured, tapping her chin. "How about naming it Shift?"