I Got a Cheat Skill 4 wastes no time showing the enemy for this volume; it’s only a question of when she and Yuuya will meet.
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too Volume 4, increases the action and highlights Yuuya’s kindness, insecurities, and more. It’s hilarious at times, but the pacing occasionally drags. Still, it sidelined much of the ecchi moments, focusing more on character. While there’s a lot of entertainment in I Got a Cheat Skill 4, Yuuya feels flat and dull next to other characters.
Written by Miku with illustrations by Rein Kuwashima, the volume starts with Master Rabbit battling a young girl. Translated by Carley Radford, the Yen Press light novel has a prologue, epilogue, and six chapters between them. For the prologue, it’s the Deity of Kicks a.k.a Master Rabbit versus this girl who sounds more like a robot than a person, using the Deity of Arrows abilities. This girl retreats because she switches from him to pursuing Yuuya after Master Rabbit name-drops Yuuya, pointing out that Yuuya teaches him how to use magic. I Got a Cheat Skill 4 wastes no time showing the enemy for this volume; it’s only a question of when she and Yuuya will meet.
I Got a Cheat Skill 4 Bores in Parts and Excites in Others
After the prologue, Yuuya waits with Luna, Lexia, and Owen while the guards capture Lexia’s brother for his coup attempt. Here, the volume drags. While waiting for the prince’s capture, they travel around the town. This section would work better if they condensed it.
The only exciting parts are when they meet Glenna and when they realize Yuuya has so much mana that he destroys a crystal meant to gauge his level with a touch. Other than that, most of this section feels like fluff. Lexia and Luna bicker, Yuuya stays confused, rinse, and repeat. This repeated comedic bit loses its impact, given how often it pops up.
When Yuuya helps with the prince’s situation, it adds some fascinating tidbits for later volumes. I Got a Cheat Skill 4 hints that Lexia possesses some unknown strength. Her mana ran amok, messing up her brother so much that no doctors could help. Yuuya’s Herb of Complete Healing is like a cure-all cheat, but King Arnold and everyone else’s responses reflect the continued bit of Yuuya not understanding this world. The random girl’s appearance raises the stakes. Increased threats make Yuuya find ways to develop his skills, leading to magic merging with his weapons and even himself.
Finally, Another Person Enters This Magical World
It took four volumes, but I Got a Cheat Skill 4 has someone finally found that door to the other world in Yuuya’s home, Kaori. Kaori starts with low stats as well. However, now that she discovers this and Yuuya confesses about everything, there’s exciting potential for Kaori to develop abilities. While it’s clear this is a harem series as girls in both worlds flock to Yuuya, it would be great to see a strong Kaori fighting alongside Yuuya, even rescuing him.
Although, arguably, she does rescue him psychologically because he lacks confidence and feels he changed a lot. She tells Yuuya that he is who he always was, someone who saves her. He helped her back when he had no skill and helps her now that he’s physically strong. I Got a Cheat Skill 4 is overall entertaining as it builds new threats for the future and possible new allies.
The story maintains interest even with some moments that drag and feel like a flat joke. But the series needs to develop the characters beyond their crushes on Yuuya to keep readers returning. And give Yuuya a personality. Heroes in stories don’t have to be flat and dull. I Got a Cheat Skill 4 has uneven pacing but pulls together a compelling story despite it, thanks to the addition of foes, friends, and a mighty looming danger.
