Oh, they changed the title, I like that. Now off to read it.

ETA: I hope Aoi's going to help Sakou find a girlfriend in this book. The dynamics are so sweet.

@LightningLeaf 3 books in Japan, with the 3rd releasing at the 2024/2025 New Year.

@QuestioningEspecialy This story is not particularly sexualized. As I recall (my memory is not great, and I haven't read it since it was being translated) expect some occasional descriptions of tight outfits and bust sizes, but not much more.

@dragon3010 Didn't Berwick tell them that he's got more mana than all of them combined? That would be a one-sided fight with numerous fatalities. The second best solution, since they rejected letting Alpha take the lead would be to let Jean make contact with him. With anyone else, it's going to be fatal.

It appears to me that it's the nation of the number 2 magicmaster that is in league with Kurima, knowingly or not. Alus will know who their ringer is and that will become a fight to the death on sight. Not that turning him into ash will provide any evidence to clear him. Still, if he can get him to show that he's a shapeshifter, that will sway some people's opinions.

It's too bad that Leonard died, he was a nice character. I like Victor too and I hope he'll become a recurring one. Keith and Karen might also make for a nice couple later. The subplot about the princess is the part I like the least of the series, though.
I wonder if once reforged Leonard's karana will end up in his friend's hands as a form ot atonement.

So that's how Maria will get a boyfriend.

@ravenchilde Ok I quit drinking nearly 27 years ago but reading this last section reminded me of being blackout drunk some parts made sense and well other parts of it were like the last gasps of dyeing brain cells as the early stage alcohol poisoning snuffed them out.

Oh, she absorbed his attack and turned it back on him.

@strangeattractor Well we know he does buy info from her every once in a while, it's just he keeps dropping things so what he buys ends up being less than the amount owed.

The Kamil POV did a good job for me of giving the character more depth, and showed he really does like Dier as a person.

@LightningLeaf It sounds like it doesn' it.

Nvm. I thought I was commenting in the Arc 2 section. Weird that pressing the forum link from Arc 2 part 4 lead me here.

Feeling very lukewarm towards this series in general, but the latest part was very boring. US School culture completely lacking the 'seven mysteries' meme doesn't help (meme in this case being an idea/behavior that spreads through imitation through a culture).

It was a great volume. We saw Sharanla dead (well, at least for a while) and got a great amount of romance development.

What a little jerk this kid is. This being the final volume seems about right for the pacing.

@Kurzaa said in Pens Down, Swords Up Vol. 7 Discussion:

@Leon_97 being "reincarnated", doesn't he also prefer older women and might just be ignoring the teenage girls as either innocent crushes or stupid antics of youth?

He still wants the "heart pounding teen romance" that he missed in his past life because he was studying nonstop, even if he doesn't really want a serious long-term relationship yet.

Fey and Jewel are nobles, and he doesn't want to be tied down by marrying into a noble house, and least not yet.

@karasutengu Or dead. Just as good. I want to see his reaction when an undisguised Sora walks into the throne room. Don't care how many court mages he has in the wings, they won't be enough. Then again, with Geed's appearance, the line comes to mind: Your Majesty, you've soiled your robes.

Bizarre week.

I very rarely drop series, yet this is the second multi-volume series I've dropped this week because of an author's weird plot choices coming across more as personal fantasies and/or desires. Or maybe this was an attempt at fan service by innuendo.

The "doll" in Part 2 seemed unnecessary and tasteless. Maybe the author did something amazing to make the doll the lynchpin to the story, but for me it was the end of a sluggish adventure.

At least I'm finally at a point I do not feel I have to finish reading everything I start--now I just need to trust my instincts and throw in the towel earlier.

@Lex said in Now I'm a Demon Lord! Vol. 17 Discussion!:

I'm still not sure if it's the end or not.

As I saw one person put it recently (in regards to The Faraway Paladin) it's not over until everyone's dead. Life goes on, and there's always another story that could be told.

@arghc I'm expecting the descriptions of the spells to match up with some of her other tales, and them just assuming.