After Makoto's explanation, all the players fell into silent contemplation, scared half to death by the cruelty of this world.
After a long while, Yu broke the dead silence, asking Makoto with dissatisfaction: "Makoto-senpai, does that mean there's no way for us to get stronger in this world?"
After learning the secret of how Makoto and the others became strong, Yu was arguably the most excited one.
Even being scared half to death by the Gun Devil's world-destroying power earlier hadn't extinguished the excitement within him.
Because he could see his future path.
He was also one of the chosen ones… he could also become strong, become an official member under Makoto's command, and use that power to slaughter scum like Ogino Ko.
However, Makoto's earlier words had poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
"That's not necessarily true. The people in this world have physiques far superior to those in the real world."
Makoto said. "If you train diligently, you should be able to reach Yui's or Miura's level."
In the original work, Kishibe, known as the strongest Devil Hunter, basically didn't rely on Devils to fight… he fought purely with his physical skills and combat experience.
Even so, he demonstrated physical skills at the level of an Elite Chunin, perhaps even reaching the level of a Special Jonin.
Another example is Higashiyama Kobeni.
It wasn't clearly stated in the original work whether she had made a contract with a Devil, but her physical skills were solid, more than enough to be a Chunin. This shows that in this world, humans can still achieve considerable combat prowess through training.
It's just that it seems inadequate in front of those top-tier Devils.
Hearing Makoto's words, Yu looked at Yui and Yumiko, and obvious joy appeared in his eyes.
He had seen these seniors training.
Although not comparable to Makoto, and even compared to the Aizono sisters or Utaha, Yui and Yumiko's strength didn't rank high-
Even so, they could already trounce ordinary people, even ordinary military forces, to the point they wouldn't know what hit them.
Even just that was enough.
"I see. Now I understand your good intentions towards me, Makoto-senpai."
Yu said with a grateful expression.
'So Senpai had been having me do physical training all along to temper my will, so that I could persevere when chosen by the Reincarnation Game. How great!'
"Huh?"
Makoto was a bit confused.
'What was this kid talking about?'
If he knew what Yu was thinking, he would definitely be speechless.
He had made him train physically purely because, at that time, not yet having been transformed by the Reincarnation System, that was the only path available. He hadn't thought that far ahead at all.
Makoto's words served as a final shred of comfort for new players like Shizuka and Soma.
Although the youngest among them were high school students, and it was hard to say how much they could achieve by starting physical training now, at least it was a glimmer of hope.
Yumiko puffed out her cheeks in slight displeasure.
'Why did he call Yui by her first name but me by my surname?'
After understanding the basic structure of this world, everyone's mood was exceptionally gloomy, especially after hearing from Eriri, Chizuru, and others about what happened in the previous world.
Even a spirited girl like Yotsuba had her ribbon drooping like a pair of deflated rabbit ears.
"You guys were so lucky. You got superpowers after going to such an easy world for the first time."
Yoshino Yuki pouted and complained.
Her personality was similar to Yotsuba's, both being energetic girls, though their physiques were quite different.
Hearing this, even knowing Yuki didn't mean anything special by it, Yukino, Yumiko, and others felt like kicking her.
'Lucky?'
'Did she know how close we came to death during the previous Chunin Exams and Konoha Crush?'
But thinking calmly, although the Naruto World was harsh, it was still much better than the Chainsaw Man World.
"Ah well, what's done is done. Let's eat first."
Everyone picked up the instant food and ate it listlessly, without any appetite.
Just then, Ito Makotou also woke up. Like a dog stretching its neck, he nibbled on a compressed biscuit.
He and Tomoya were in a special situation… they couldn't urinate temporarily and could only eat dry food like this.
Even though it was all junk food, under these circumstances, they couldn't worry too much about it.
However, two people stood out as incompatible.
Nakiri Mana and Nakiri Erina.
Looking at the cheap chocolate handed to them by Marina, the mother-daughter pair fell into deep conflict.
'Were we supposed to eat such low-grade stuff?'
'It wasn't even cooking… it was just junk food.'
'Absolutely not!'
It must be noted that both mother and daughter possessed the God Tongue.
This special tongue could amplify the deliciousness in ingredients, but it could also infinitely amplify defects, making them destined from birth to become top-tier chefs.
However, this also had its drawbacks.
As they aged and tasted more and more food, the God Tongue would become increasingly sensitive.
Eventually, even dishes with the slightest flaw would have their defects amplified to an unbearable degree, making them impossible to swallow.
Mana suffered from this condition, rendering her unable to enjoy normal meals, forcing her to sustain herself on nutrient IV drips.
Everyone else munched away on chocolate, chips, and instant noodles… foods that the Nakiri mother-daughter considered garbage.
The two who remained motionless were particularly conspicuous.
"Mmm~?"
Soon, Leonora, who was munching on a chocolate bar with her daughter like a big and small hamster, noticed her sister-in-law and niece looking troubled and immediately understood their dilemma.
Leonora nudged her daughter with her elbow and whispered, "Alice, do something."
Alice also saw her cousin's predicament, but hearing her mother's words left her speechless.
'Huh? Me?'
'What could I do?'
"Aren't you close with him?"
Leonora lowered her voice and kept gesturing towards Makoto.
Alice was once again speechless.
She felt her mother was overestimating her.
'We had only exchanged a few words. How close could that be?'
Just then, Alice noticed her cousin sending her a pleading, teary-eyed look.
Alice scratched her head.
'Ah, forget it.'
Her relationship with Erina was quite similar to that between Miku and Nino.
Even though they always bickered when they met, they actually cared about each other.
After a few seconds, Alice gritted her teeth and walked towards Makoto.
Her movements naturally attracted quite a bit of attention.
Even though they were in the middle of ruins, Makoto was still like an emperor.
His head rested on Utaha's black-stockinged thighs, his whole body stretched out…
His hands were gently massaged by the Aizono sisters…
His legs were propped up on Chizuru and Megumi's laps for them to knead.
Nearby, the popular trio fed him potato chips, handed him cola with a straw, and fanned him gently.
"Amazing..."
Soe couldn't help but marvel.
For a married man like Soe, with a very beautiful wife, to say this, it was even more so for the underage boys.
Even Soma, who usually wasn't particularly interested in women, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.
Ito Makotou and Tomoya were even more blatant, practically writing 'envious' on their faces.
"What? Are you envious?"
Leonora glared at her husband fiercely, making Soe flinch and quickly avert his gaze.
Meanwhile, the parents of Utaha and Megumi seemed to want to say something but held back.
It felt like Makoto wasn't taking them, his prospective in-laws, seriously at all?
But remembering that without Makoto, they would all have died at the hands of the Gun Devil, the few parents wisely kept quiet.
And seeing that their daughters weren't objecting, they found it even harder to speak up.