《A DIFFERENT KIND OF HERO》


 Prologue : On a chair with a nice view

    Hi there everyone~ The name''s Katamiya Shiina.


    Anyway where to begin... Hmm...


    Well let''s start with something simple shall we. Anyway that''s enough 4th wall breaking for now so let''s get this started with~.


    It was a bright and sunny day in Tokyo''s Shinjuku ward and i had the best smile on my face as i stepped onto the train platform in the busy train station. It was only 2 days until my 25th birthday and my friends had said they had a special surprise for me.


    It was may 4th, the 3rd day of golden week and also the busiest day for most people here in Tokyo. I exited the station and headed towards Seibo Hospital, the place they wanted to meet up. I found it odd they wanted to meet up here of all places but i just went with the flow and agreed in the end.


    It was 11:00am when i finally arrived and saw my 4 close friends already waiting for me.


    They had smiles plastered to their faces but it almost seemed eerie to me, causing me to shiver a little.


    "''Sup guys~" I waved to them as i got close enough to greet them, a big smile on my face.


    They all looked at each other and then back at me with a big smile on all their faces.


    "Just in time~" One of them said as he brought a small device like thing from his pocket with a gloved hand. He walked over to me with the device and pressed it into my hands before walking a fair distance away from the Hospital. The other 3 followed suit and one of them pulled out a phone and shouted out to me.


    "It''s a little early for it to be counted as a birthday present but... Press the button Shi-kun."


    I tilted my head to the side a little before looking down at the device.


    It seemed a little sus to me considering it had a huge red button on it with a big fat [press me] sign written under it. I just shrugged and thought "eh whatever, hope it''s cool" and pressed it.


    The next thing i know I''m waking up inside a prison cell with cuffs around my arms and legs.


    I was surrounded by 3 guards, one behind me and 1 to either side of me, my 4 friends standing behind the bars in the hallway.


    "eh..." I was confused with the current situation and let out a small voice of surprise.


    "We thought you were a little weird Shiina but to do this..."


    "I thought we were real friends but i could never be friends with someone like you..."


    "To bomb a busy Hospital in the middle of the day... You sicken me..."


    ".... -sob-"


    I opened my mouth and closed it, unable to form any words at this sudden turn of events. I tried to stand up but one of the guards to my side brought a baton down on my shoulder, the impact sending me back down to the chair that was placed near the bars.


    "What are you guys talking about? Bomb? What''s going on?" I could feel myself begin to tremble a little and then i saw a faint smirk on one of their faces. It was only for an instant but i certainly saw it.


    "What are you talking about? You''re the one who told us to take a photo of you the moment you pressed that button! Don''t act like you''re the victim here!" He screamed at me before walking off down the hallway.


    "You... I can''t even look at you anymore. You genocidal maniac. There were 4000 people in that hospital!" Another one of them walked away.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Turns out you can never judge a book by it''s cover after all..." "----" Finally the other 2 walked away as well.


    "Your last meal will be served soon, scum. Enjoy it." One of the guards spoke before removing the cuffs on me. All three of them then proceeded to leave the room.


    "..." I couldn''t even begin to imagine what those words meant. No... I was pretty sure i knew what they meant. I was probably going to be executed for a crime i don''t even remember committing.


    "......" -snap- I could feel a vein threatening to burst in my forehead at the sudden realization of what had happened.


    "I was.... framed.... by my own friends...." I slowly walked over to the wall and leaned my back against it, the coolness causing me to shiver.


    "...... Betrayed...." I wasn''t quite sure, but i had the feeling it was my birthday right now. What a grand present to be given on your own birthday. An execution.


    After i had eaten what i could only see as an extremely expensive and extravagant meal, i was then cuffed again and brought down the hallway. After a few turns and doors, i found myself standing inside a wide open-air terrace overlooking a small quaint garden.


    There was a podium placed up at the top of an arching auditorium and in the center was...


    "Is that... what''s known as the electric chair? Am i really being executed?" I felt a shove at my back and i ceased my questioning at once.


    Once i was seated and looking down at the many seats placed down around the area i began to leak a tear.


    I saw my family, coworkers, old schoolmates from high school and my 4 ex-friends. They all had looks of both sorrow and disgust plastered on their faces.


    I felt something cool and wet touch my short hair and seep into my scalp. It was slightly springy so i assumed it was a sponge to help the electricity flow through into my head.


    After a few seconds, a cap was placed over the sponge and a strap was fastened under my chin and i knew immediately that my time was almost up.


    I couldn''t really make out what the warden was saying but i did hear the very last words he uttered. I would never forget those words no matter what.


    "And so let us pray that this soul finds guidance under his grace''s care. Amen. Now.... Pull the switch-"


    Just when i had braced myself for the surge of electricity and the pain that would assault me, i frowned slightly when none of that happened. I slowly opened my eyes and gasped at the sight that greeted me.


    There was absolutely nothing that could have prepared me for a situation like this... Well maybe a few web novels i had read might have helped a little...


    Just a small side project i may work on at the same time as the Bladeheart Chronicles~


    I had a lot of ideas swimming around in my head so i thought i''d put them to good use.


    Anyway~ Enjoy


    p.s I''m working on the next chapter of the Bladeheart Chronicles but i needed to get these random thoughts out onto "paper".

 1st Chapter : Gods and mortals, games and reality

    "Yo" What stood before my eyes was a young foreigner-looking man, standing in a blank white space that stretched out into the horizon. He had an awkward smile and his eyes seemed a little nervous as he lifted an arm up into a static wave.


    "Hi?" I was a little skeptical of the situation i was in. Was i dead? Was this the afterlife? Such thoughts drifted through my mind as stared blankly at the man. His blonde hair almost seemed to drift in an unseen breeze as he lowered his arm and took a step toward me.


    "So, like. Sorry about that Shiina, it was kinda my bad you ended up being sent to your death... tee-hee." He tilted his head to the side a little and tapped a fist to the side of his head.


    "..." I felt myself growing both angry and exasperated at his laid back behavior  and confession. I watched as he reached into a pocket in his cargo shorts and ruffled around for a few moments.


    "Now where was it....... Oh right!" He took his hand out of his pants pocket and moved it to the front pocket of his Hawaiian, floral print shirt. After shoving 2 fingers inside of it, he pulled out a large folded piece of paper and handed it to me. I was trying very hard not to tsukkomi him about how such a large object shouldn''t be able to fit in that small pocket.


    "Here, take a look at this for a moment and i''ll explain the current situation to you."


    "... Sure." I slowly opened up the paper and felt my eyebrow twitch at it''s size, almost as long as my own body.


    Congratulations~


    You have been specially selected to be either reincarnated or summoned into the world of Demonia.


    By the time you are  reading this, you have most likely been either;


    A: Killed of in  an unfair manner or;


    B: Been on deaths door due to unfortunate circumstances.


    In the event that someone like you who has an extraordinary amount of good karma suffers a terrible fate unbefitting of your karma, you will be given this special choice.


    Please let it be noted that if you are from a world such as Earth, the world of Demonia will seem "Game-like".


    If you choose to be reincarnated, you will be randomly given a base race to be born into and your stats and skills will be of a higher quality then your race''s.


    You will also have an enhanced growth rate and you will find it easier to learn new things.


    If you choose to be summoned, you will remain in the waiting room of the afterlife until a summoning ceremony is being undertaken by a race of Demonia.


    If you choose to be summoned then you will receive 1 free specialty from the god that has presented you with this document.


    On top of the free special, you will also have a much higher starting limit to your stats and your growth rate will be enhanced.


    As an extra bonus of being summoned, you will also be granted 1 ability based on your personal circumstances and personality at the time of your death or near-death before being summoned.


    If you have any questions regarding this document, please feel free to inquire with the resident god.


    Thank you for being a part of our wonderful system~ Have a great day.


    "... ... ..." I slowly raised my eyes up to the "god" and folded the paper back up again, handing it back to him and sighing once.


    "So, any questions?" He asked with an awkward smile on his face.


    "Yeah just one. Are you the reason i was put to death so easily?" I almost seemed to growl the words out which surprised me a little.


    "Ah... Yeah i am, sorry about that. I was kinda bored and saw an opportunity to get a new follower so i just... Played around with a few minds to make it so you would be accepted by the system." His smile dropped into a look of apology and he raised his hand up to his chest in an apologetic sign.


    I was a little annoyed, sure. But at the end of the day, i could at least enjoy my life a little from now on i suppose. My day to day activities almost never changed.


    Get up from bed, wash my face, eat breakfast, brush my teeth and head out the door for work. Take the train to my job at the current construction site, do manual labor for 11 hours, take the train home, cook and eat the meal i felt like that evening, shower, brush my teeth and go to bed. Rinse and repeat, day in and day out


    The only real time anything else happened was when i went out drinking with my coworkers of my ex-friends or the time off during Christmas or my birthday. So in a way, this was like a dream come true for me.


    "-sigh- Well... I''m not really that pissed off i guess, so let''s get this over with shall we. I''ll take the summoning i guess, i don''t feel like being reincarnated yet." While it could be cool to start life all over again, i wanted to live my current one to the fullest.


    "Ah but one- no two questions actually. The first one would be, would i keep my memories if i reincarnated and the second one, will i be able to reincarnate into that world when i die?"


    "Well for the first one, it''s entirely based on luck whether or not you will keep your full memories if you reincarnate. And as for the second one....... If you would like to make Demonia your new core world then sure i can arrange that for you. But you won''t keep your memories if you do die and reincarnate I''m afraid." He had a small smile back on his face and he placed his hands back into the pockets of his green cargo shorts.


    "That''s fine. If it''s a game-like world where fantasy and reality coexist then it''s fine indeed. So this free specialty, what is that?"


    "Ah that? You just tell me one thing you would like to have, like say, an ability or an item that only you would have, something like that."


    I placed a hand to my chin and pondered deeply. Something only i would have huh.......... OH! Maybe something like from that web-novel i started reading? I slowly brought my hand back to my side and asked in a slightly nervous voice.


    "Does it matter how complicated or powerful the ability or item is?"


    "Nope~ Just as long as you explain it in detail so that i can grant it to you."


    I thought back to a certain ability of a certain web-novel, "S--ve Har--", the ability to pick and choose bonuses with bonus points.


    I explained in detail what i could remember from reading it and the guy leaked an admiring voice before nodding once.


    "Well now, it''s not everyday you find someone wanting something of that scale. Luckily for you though, that concept already exists to some extent in Demonia. It''s just not as complicated or all powerful as that though." He waved a hand up in front of his face and then a blue box appeared in front of him. After poking his finger at it a few times and scrolling it around like it was a touch-screen computer, he nodded once and it disappeared.


    "Alright then. I suppose i should fill you in on a few more details." He waved his hand again and a small table and two chairs appeared between us. I talk one seat and he took the other and he proceeded to explain a few more details to me.


    "My name is Jun and I''m one of the many patron gods in Demonia. I have a few temples and shrines around the world and I''m in charge of the following statuses.


    Growth correction for even stats so that one stat doesn''t become too powerful compared to the rest.


    Magic understanding. This means that those who are under my sign can more easily adapt to and learn magic easier. It also allows them to form their own magic and magic based abilities.


    Understanding, meaning they can have a more deeper understanding of knowledge as well as being able to control the flow of the conversation more easily.


    And lastly, wisdom of the ancients. This is sort of a specialty that only certain followers are able to learn. It means they can harness the knowledge and wisdom of the ancient races and learn special skills that have been lost to time. On top of that, they can also better understand the secrets of the world and the status system, unlocking many unknown hidden functions of the "menu"." He took a deep breath before continuing with his speech.


    "While i can''t exactly tell you what''s going on in the world nor can i tell you about the political and economical situation of the many races, i can tell you this. Follow your heart and don''t let yourself be deceived by those around you. While I''m sure that the spark in you will give rise to a special ability, it''s not good to rely solely on that. Just remember this one fact, people can just as easily lie to themselves than lie to others. Just because they believe something is true themselves, does not mean it is true."


    "Wow you sure are very talkative aren''t you Jun. By the way... What happened to the memories of the past few days before i wound up on that chair? As far as I''m aware, i pressed that button and then suddenly, 2 days have passed and I''m standing in front of my ex-friends."


    "... I don''t know... Someone else seems to have their eye on you as well but I''m not sure why they would want to erase your memories like that. Oh and just for the record, i made sure that no matter what you had said, you would wind up on that chair."


    "-sigh- I get it, so one more question. Regarding "signs" and "followers" Is it possible to be under the care of more than one god?" I was slightly curious since he said someone else was interested in me.


    "Yes it is possible but most of the time, we gods try not to share a mortal between ourselves... We get a little possessive after all hehe." He laughed a little and then gave an exclamation of surprise.


    "Wow what impeccable timing is this? It looks like a summoning ceremony is under way right now. And by the high imperial court of Gardenia of the human tribe. Well then, Shiina, good luck and have fun out there, i''ll be watching over you."


    Before i could even utter a complaint, he leaned forward and placed a finger to my forehead, a spinning sensation hit me and i saw a light formation appear in front of my eyes.


    "Hey wai-" I suddenly felt myself being pulled into the light and i felt the sensation of being pulled through a vacuum tube before suddenly appearing inside a strange magic formation.


    "........ It''s a success your royal highness! A new hero has been summoned!" I heard a loud voice shout happily from behind me and i felt a wave of nausea hit me.


    "Ugh~ God damn this feels terrible urp-" I fought down the urge to vomit and raised my eyesight to survey the room, a hand resting over my pale lips.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Your bonus ability [Mind''s Eye] Has been registered.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>The meny category [Bonus] has been registered.</td></tr><tr><td>Your status has been updated</td><td>You have successfully been summoned to Demonia</td><td>You have successfully learned every language of Demonia</td></tr><tr><td>Starting main quest {{Summoned}}</td><td>Your basic attire has been registered as equipment</td><td>The menu has become available</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>Welcome to Demonia, we hope you enjoy your new life here, Hero</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I blinked twice before a smile rose to my lips. Cool. This is pretty cool.


    "My lord! He appears a little unwell. Did the summoning go wrong somewhere?" "This one looks pathetic -sigh-


    I could hear an undercurrent of speech drift through at the same time he voiced his words.


    This must be the function of [Mind''s Eye], almost like mind reading i guess.


    Stolen story; please report.


    "Hmm perhaps we should let him rest for a few moments... Hughes, prepare some water and medicine for our guest."


    "At once highness"


    I heard a pompous sounding voice and an over eager voice a little to the right of me and i looked up towards the sound of the voices.


    I saw a young man standing up on top of a small podium situated a little ways away. He seemed about 31 or 32 years of age. He had short white hair and golden crown embedded with various gems like rubies and emeralds. He was wearing a white buttoned shirt and white pants of some kind with a red-gold king-like regal gown draped over his shoulders. It was obvious at a glance he was the king of those gathered here.


    His blue eyes carefully scrutinized my appearance as he slowly took in my figure. I wasn''t entirely sure but, i could sense a sort of sinister aura being emitted from him, causing me to gulp.


    A few moments later, another young man cam hurrying back holding a tray with a glass of water and some white powder-like substance.


    He seemed even younger than i was, maybe 20 or 21 years of age with shoulder length black hair and pair of circle-rimmed glasses covering his blue eyes. He was wearing the typical butler style clothes; White button down shirt with a black waistcoat and long black tie. Along with a pair of black trousers. He even had a handkerchief in the front pocket of the waistcoat...


    "Please take this medicine sir hero. It will ease the queasiness you are feeling."


    "Thank you..." I picked up the small piece of paper that had the powder on it and poured it into the water before stirring it with a spoon that was also placed on the tray.


    Once it was mostly dissolved into the water, i picked up the glass and brought it to my lips.


    -gulp gulp gulp- "Pa~ Tastes like lemon..." I accidentally leaked my thoughts out and slowly brought the glass back down to the tray, my ears and cheeks growing hot.


    "Pardon me." The butler-like man slowly bowed and then walked off towards a door on one side of the room before disappearing behind it. I stretched a little before facing the king again.


    "My apologies for having you look after me like this." I bowed before raising myself up again and continuing.


    "My name is Katamiya Shiina, It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance my lord."


    "Fumu. My name is Furio Dean Gardenia, King of the holy country of Humas and current leader of the Human Alliance. Please do not hesitate to call me Furio or even Dean if that suits you more." He flashed a small smile towards me.


    "I''m sure you are probably wondering why you are here correct?" He gazed intently into my eyes and it caused me to almost take a step back from the invisible pressure he was giving off.


    "Ah well... for the most part, yes. I already know the general reason behind summoning but not the reason why you yourselves have summoned me. I had a little chat with a man name Jun a short while ago."


    At the mention of the name Jun, the king almost seemed to radiate a small amount of fury, small enough to almost go completely unnoticed.


    "I see... So you have spoken with one of the gods of our world? That is a very rare chance occurrence for our people, but i guess since you are from another world, it is normal." He seemed to calm down a little and then continued.


    "Our people have been oppressed by the demon king and it''s army for countless years and even after summoning many hero''s before you, it has yet to be destroyed. While it''s not that the other hero''s were killed, it''s just that they have all given up after failing to kill the demon lord.


    We hope that perhaps you, the 7th hero might have a better chance at ridding this world of the evil that is, the demon lord." "I hope this one is a little easier to use. But that bastard Jun huh... He may have given the brat something to help him squeeze out of our control... We are already so close to taking control of this world, i don''t want anything to go wrong. This is the last time the humans can summon a hero for at least 100 years. At least that fool of girl is already on the verge of collapsing from depression but she is still a demon lord after all..."


    "..." I was shocked at what i heard from under the words he was speaking. If what i thought was correct...


    These guys are bad news. I got summoned by the bad guys? What a joke... I slowly looked a little to the side of the king and stiffened. A large mirror showed my reflection; medium height, medium build, short black hair, black eyes...


    The fuck is this? I''m 17 again....... Yes, i had suddenly reverted to being 17 again, this fact causing me to stiffen unnaturally.


    "Is something the matter sir hero?" A shy voice snapped me out of my reverie and i finally took notice of a young girl standing on the other side of the king.


    She seemed almost frail with her thin body and limbs, a white shoulder-less dress was donned on her and a thin scar ran along the entire length of her left arm, from the shoulder down to the wrist. She had pale blonde hair that fell to her waist and a small braid along the top of her head, from one ear to the other. Her pale blue eyes gazed at me with both fear and nervousness and she held a small white flower in her right hand. I looked at it and then, as i wondered just what it was, a small window appeared before me.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Weeping Lily</td><td colspan=''3''>A rare flower that is said to bloom in the depths of the S-class dungeon [Nightmare Valley]</td></tr><tr><td>S-Class Item</td><td>Rarity LVL [9]</td><td>Danger LVL [19]</td><td>Alchemy Ingredient</td></tr><tr><td>Magic Catalyst</td><td>Inedible</td><td>If consumed, can cause permanent debuffs to be applied to consumer</td><td>When used with nature magic, can force victim to submit to caster</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>This rare flower is said to be found in the very bottom layer of the dungeon [Nightmare Valley]


    It is a powerful item and catalyst and should be handled with care.


    If you see someone holding this item openly than you better be on guard, you may just wind up on the receiving end of a powerful curse.


    [Gods Grace] The magical properties of this item can be harnessed to learn the hidden skill [Scent Of Death] (% of success [5])</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I immediately questioned the young lady about the flower she was holding in her hand.


    "That''s a pretty flower young miss, what''s it''s name?"


    "Eh!? Oh this? It''s-" As soon as she was about to tell me, the king interrupted her.


    "Julia, please go inform your mother of the successful summoning."


    "Ah... Yes, father." She bowed once towards me before elegantly walking off and through the door.


    "..." I gazed into the kings eyes and then said the one thing i had to no matter what. I wasn''t about to be fooled or betrayed yet again. I didn''t want to go through that sort of thing again.


    "So can you tell me the real reason you summoned me here, Asshole?"


    """"!!!"""" I heard the sounds of armor clanking and swords being drawn but i ignored them for now. I was more interested in the king smirk.


    "Hou~ Are you saying that there is something else to this summoning? Please do tell us all what that might be."


    "Before i do that can you please tell me how to check my status? I''d like to at least know my own details before i possibly make an enemy out of an entire country."


    "HAHAHA! An interesting person indeed. Very well then, as a reward for entertaining me i''ll do just that. However..." His smile dropped and was replaced by a frown. "I wish to know one thing first. I am a man of my word and i will help you in understanding yourself before possibly needing to kill or imprison you. In what way did you figure i was lying?"


    "... A skill that lets me know if someone is lying..." I decided not to reveal too much just yet and kept it at that.


    "Hmm... Very well then. Just recite the words [Menu Open:Full Status]"


    I bowed once to thank him.


    "[Menu Open:Full Status]"


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Status</td></tr><tr><td>Inventory</td></tr><tr><td>Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Magic</td></tr><tr><td>Equipment</td></tr><tr><td>Quests</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>Bonus</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I brought my finger up and tapped on [Status], a large window showing my basic stats then popped up.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Name: Katamiya Shiina</td><td>Age: [17]</td><td>Race [Human]</td><td>Patron: [Jun] [Heris]</td></tr><tr><td>Title: [Betrayed]</td><td>Fame: [100]</td><td>Allignment: [Neutral]</td><td>Gender: [Male]</td></tr><tr><td>Professions: [5]</td><td>Villager [1]</td><td>Hero [1]</td><td>Student [1]</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 305 / 250 [+55]</td><td>MP: 190 / 150 [+40]</td><td>Strength: 17 [+3]</td><td>Endurance: 15 [+25]</td></tr><tr><td>Agility: 15 [+5]</td><td>Intelligence: 20 [+5]</td><td>Wisdom: 50 [+20]</td><td>Dexterity: 20</td></tr><tr><td>Defense: 100</td><td>Magic Defence: 164</td><td>Evasion: 23 [+3]</td><td>Attack Speed: 44 [+20]</td></tr><tr><td>Bonus Points: 103</td><td>Skill Points: 20</td><td>Friends: 0</td><td>Not serving a kingdom at this time</td></tr><tr><td>No monsters tamed</td><td>No slaves owned</td><td>Monsters Killed [0]</td><td>Skills Learned From Monsters [0]</td></tr><tr><td>People Killed [4041]</td><td>Skills Learned From People [0]</td><td>Dungeons Cleared [0]</td><td>Quests Cleared [1]</td></tr><tr><td>Titles owned [3]</td><td>Equipment Forged [0]</td><td>Items Created [0]</td><td>Skills Created [1]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Oh wow it''s fairly detailed isn''t it? Well then, i guess i better explain myself a bit more then.


    I slowly brought my eyes back to the king and smiled a little.


    "I know exactly what it is that you are planning. You want to conquer the world and the final piece that is blocking you, is the current Demon Lord. Too bad for you though, i don''t like being lied to or betrayed." I gave a small wave and then turned to face a giant window behind where i stood. There were a few guards standing in my way but i braced myself and ran.


    I weaved through the surprised guards and threw a fist out as i neared the window, shattering it and plunging myself out into the air.


    "Shit..." I looked down and saw a 30 foot drop below me. Thankfully there was also a small pond near where i was falling so i tried as hard as i could to guide myself towards it. I felt a strong impact as i hit the surface of the water and a small message appeared in front of me.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Due to the impact and the lack of protection, you have suffered 30 damage [-30 HP]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I groaned from the pain as i rose to the surface and breathed in a gulp of air. Luckily the pond was deep enough that i didn''t hit the ground and hurt myself further.


    I heard a large commotion from above and saw the guard pointing their open palms my way from the shattered window.


    Before anything could happen though, i saw the king move into my vision and he waved his hand causing the guards to lower their own hands.


    "I don''t see why we can''t just let you go for now, that display was certainly entertaining after all. I will allow you 1 week to leave the country before i send the army after you Shiina-kun. It''s the least i can do for you."


    The king''s shout echoed out into the surroundings and i slowly spat a breath as i swam my way to a shallower area of the pond.


    "... -sigh- 1 week huh... Better find out where the Demon King girl''s territory is." I had decided that since the humans were the bad guys then surely the current demon king was the good guy. Such twisted logic almost seemed natural for me at this point.


    I slowly stood up when i found myself in a really shadow spot and then made my way out of the pond, pondering on what to do first in order to gather information......................


    Yay~ Chapter 1 is here -fanfare- -fireworks- -applause-


    Anyway i gotta go to bed right now as i''m posting this since i have work tomorrow :C But anyway thanks for the support guys and girls for both this series and my other one~ I''ll leave a link here for those who don''t know of my other series. [My other one~]</a>


    Anyways as always~ Thanks for reading my works~ I love you guys <3

 2nd Chapter: Meeting a hero and unlocking the help desk

    Christmas present for my readers~ I finished this in time for Christmas Eve tomorrow Yay~ Enjoy~


    "..." I hadn''t taken much notice at it until i dived into the pond but... "-sigh-"


    I had been summoned in the same clothes i had died in. In other words, my prisoner uniform.


    The white shirt clung to my skin and i could feel the weight of the orange tracksuit as i trudged out of the shallow water and into a small garden.


    I slowly began to make my way through a small sandy path that weaved through the shrubbery and flowers until it split at small forested area a few hundred meters away from the pond. I turned around and saw a tall majestic church-like structure and surmised i had been summoned in some sort of religious building.


    I turned back around and shivered a little from the cold, damp clothes that clung to me as i thought of which way to go.


    The left path headed into a darker portion of the forest, while the right path headed to a part of the forest that had small flowers growing along the side of the path.


    The so called "trick junction" I''m sure.


    "Eeny Meeny Miney Moe~" Since i couldn''t exactly just blindly go down the seemingly gentle path, i decided to leave it to chance.


    "......" I begrudgingly headed into the darker path and began to slow my pace so i could keep an ear out for anything or anyone, who may be watching or stalking me. It might be a baseless worry but... It was better to be careful rather than ignorant.


    ".........." I kept walking through a seemingly endless straight path and i begun to feel restless. I wonder how much time has passed? I was starting to feel tired and hungry and the forest was getting darker with every step i took.


    There was a slight scent of the ocean in the air that just barely tickled the nose but i couldn''t determine the direction it was coming from.


    After another few hundred steps i stopped walking and turned around, feeling a sharp gaze on me for the nth time since entering the dark path. The weird gaze fell me on me every 104 steps exactly, almost like it was triggered by some sort of complex system in place. The main concern is that every time i walked another 16 steps, it would vanish as though it was never there to begin with.


    Considering that i couldn''t tell where the path led, nor if it was truly going straight to begin with, i decided to confront the gaze, wherever it may be coming from.


    I turned my own gaze towards the uncomfortable feeling and frowned when i saw nothing out of the ordinary.


    "I''m 100% sure It''s not in my head so..." I started walking towards the gaze until i hit my 15th step.


    "Going by the current system in place... I''ll have to do something about it from here but... what?" I brought a hand to my chin and began to stroke the small stubble that was growing, letting my thoughts wander for a few moments.


    "I wonder..." I opened up the menu screen in front of me and then tried a little something.


    "Create category [Help Desk]. Create category [Status; Enhanced]."


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have successfully created the menu item [Help Desk]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have successfully upgraded the [Status] category.


    More details will be added.


    More entries will be added.


    Hidden variables will now be unlocked but not displayed until certain conditions are met.


    The title [Statica''s Apprentice] has been unlocked and registered.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Yosh~ Just as planned. But who''s this Statica? Another god?" I smiled mischievously as i reopened my menu again.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Full Status</td></tr><tr><td>Inventory</td></tr><tr><td>Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Magic</td></tr><tr><td>Equipment</td></tr><tr><td>Quests</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>Bonus</td></tr><tr><td>Help Desk</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I brought my finger over to the new menu category but stopped as i felt the gaze grow more intense.


    I hastily closed my menu and sent my focus back to the location of the gaze as i heard the snapping of twigs and underbrush gradually getting closer.


    "........" I slowly breathed out and then took a deep breath.


    "Yo, kid." I heard a deep voice echo around me and felt myself begin to break out in cold sweat. I tried to take a step back but a taunting message betrayed my expectations.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Status [Fear] contracted.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Due to a high degree of the [Fear] effect, you have been Paralysed. [Paralysis] in effect.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    .... great, just great.


    "Hey boss, he looks scared kakaka."


    "Should we kill ''im?"


    "Oioi, why don''t we sell him to the slavers? He looks like he''d fetch us a decent amount."


    I could hear another couple of voices as the footsteps drew nearer, an unnatural fear building up in me.


    I forced myself to go against the paralysis effect and slowly turned my head behind me.


    "... Interesting." An older man stood directly behind me, a smile on his lips.


    "Boss?" I heard one of the voices say in a slightly anxious voice.


    The man that stood behind me had dark tanned skin and toned muscles that were visible even through his shirt. A long scar cut across from his right eyebrow to near his chin and a fierce black eye gazed at me warmly from under his scraggy grey hair.


    "It''s been a while since i last saw a fellow Japanese... About 35 years now i reckon." He lifted an arm up and suddenly a light began to be emitted from the air around him, lighting up the dark forest like it was daylight. As soon as the forest was brightened, i felt my body loosen and a message telling me the fear and paralysis effects were cured, popped up in front of my eyes.


    "..." I slowly turned my body around and smiled awkwardly at the old man before me.


    "H-hello there Jii-san."


    "Jii-san.... i guess i am getting on in my years now. The name''s Nagamu Oshiro, a pleasure." He held out a rough hand to me and i shook it awkwardly.


    "Boss is being friendly with a kid..."


    "It''s a miracle..."


    "Shh they can hear us y''know."


    "Stop talking idiots, you''ll piss ''im off again."


    I could hear the 4 other men whispering amongst themselves and felt a surge of anger begin to radiate from the old man.


    "Kora, get moving back to the camp before i beat your asses to the next sundown." His voice held a slight amount of humour under the angry tone.


    I turned around and saw 4 men ranging in age, salute the older man and begin to walk through a hidden path in the forest. All 4 of them were wearing outfits with fur and leather as the main focal point, in other words, classic barbarian attire i suppose.


    "So, quick question. Are you one of the hero''s the asshole summoned?" I decided to question him a little as we began to follow after the idiots.


    "I suppose calling myself a Japanese was a poor choice huh... Yeah I''m one of the summoned fools who got used up until i was no longer useful." He chuckled a little as he lead me forward through the hidden path, following after the the other guys.


    "Yeah i was summoned a good 50 years ago now i reckon. Just like you, i was summoned in my old 17 year old body." He stopped speaking for a few moments, reminiscing on his past experiences no doubt.


    "I blindly followed his orders and did what i thought was right, right up until i met the previous demon king, a powerful demon lord and handsome to boot. We exchanged a few words and pleasantries before he invited me to dine with him."


    Demon king, demon lord... Aren''t they the same thing... Oh shit i almost stopped listening to him. I almost got lost in my thoughts for a moment as he steadily began to tell me his tale.


    "I was quite surprised at the sudden invitation but i decided to accept his invitation regardless. After all, why would a demon king want to invite a hero to dine if not to talk? Well i soon found out the truth from his very own mouth about what that bastard Furio was planning and i immediately made my way back to complain to him."


    I saw a small camp-site set up in a clearing as we neared an edge of the thick trees, the smell of smoke and fish filling the air. Nagamu smiled brightly as we exited from the hidden path and entered the clearing, telling me he would finish talking about his time as a hero when we had eaten.


    "We have plenty of rare fish and fish monsters that we caught a few days ago, help yourself kid."


    "Ahh, thanks Jii-san, i appreciate it. Oh yeah, i never introduced myself, did i? My name is Katamiya Shiina, pleased to meet you." I bowed once before continuing, "I was... summoned on my 25th birthday."


    "Shiina, huh... an interesting name i guess." He trailed off towards the end with a small smile on his face, it almost looked like he was reminiscing again but i just titled my head and followed him to the camp-site.


    The 4 idiots were joined by a young a woman who was leaning against a tree near one of the make-shift tents, her eyes closed and her arms folded over her chest.


    "Fendia, I''m back, sorry about that." He called out to the woman who opened her eyes at his call.


    "Eh?" I almost dropped to the ground as i she fixed her gaze on me and i felt my strength leaving me.


    "Why is there a legit criminal following after you, Nagamu? Care to explain?" Her voice sent shivers down my spine as i felt a large amount of hate and animosity directed towards me.


    "Oh... Is there a problem here? You remember what the letter said right? Only those with an extreme amount of good karma can be summoned right? So how is he a legit criminal?" I could see him tense up a little as he questioned the woman named Fendia.


    "..." I felt my strength return and her sharp gaze softened a little.


    "You''re right. My bad Nagamu." She pushed herself off from the tree and slowly approached us, her movements leaving no openings.


    "..." I stared in awe at her beauty as i tried very hard not to swoon.


    Long black hair that seemed to shine in the light of the fire. Soft, smooth, porcelain like skin and and slight muscles were visible on her visible belly. Her eyes were a strange hue of red/purple and held a certain allure to them as i found myself lost in her gaze. She was wearing a pair of black hot pants and a tight black tank top that accentuated her modest bust.


    "Beautiful...... Oh fuck, i said that out loud." I bowed down and held my head to my knees as i felt a large amount of embarrassment wash over me.


    "Wow~ I''m impressed he didn''t propose to you right away like i did." I heard Nagamu''s mocking voice and lifted my face, red with embarrassment, towards him.


    "Eh!?" The woman named Fendia was standing directly in front of me with her face just inches from mine, staring into my eyes.


    "..."


    "..."


    I fell backwards onto my butt and almost screamed out loud as she slowly stood up straight and smiled at me.


    "It must have been rough... Welcome to Demonia, Shiina." She was almost like a goddess when she smiled...


    "Eh? Ahh, un, thanks..... Wait, what??!!"


    "It''s Fendia''s special ability, [Memory Link]. It allows her to see a persons past from their own point of view. Of course, the people themselves have to either allow it, or be incredibly weak willed."


    "Oh...." I felt a little naked after finding out that my life had just been seen through like it was nothing.


    "My name is Fendia Kingsly, I''m also from earth... Kind of." She bent down and held her hand out to me as i sat there stunned. I awkwardly grabbed her hand and felt my heart beating faster as she pulled me up to my feet.


    "Th-thanks."


    "Hmhm, no worries Shiina." It felt a little awkward to be called my first name by a beautiful woman i had just met.


    "Ahh, call me Fendia too please~"


    "Sure..."


    After i was finally on my feet, i noticed that her hand was still holding my own, the warmness that was transmitted made me feel calmer and more relaxed. She noticed me looking at her hand and then she smiled mischievously at me.


    "Am i making you excited, Shiina? Fufufu."


    "A little..." I murmured automatically before i realised it, my face blushing bright red when i became aware of what i had done. Her hand holding mine tightened a little and she pulled me into a hug, stroking my hair a little before pulling away and letting go of my hand.


    "Anyways~ For now, let''s eat some fish." She giggled a little and then we all walked over to the camp fire and sat down.


    There was a wide variety of weird-looking, cooked fish, skewered with sticks that were slowly roasting over the open fire. I grabbed one at random and took a tentative bite, the salty flavour of fish entering my mouth as a little juice trickled down my chin.


    "This is pretty good."


    "HAHA! I know right? We caught some good ones this time." Nagamu''s heartily laugh eased a little of my tension and i began to eat in earnest, devouring 3 small fish and 1 large enough to cover the length of my arm.


    After the meal, Nagamu continued his story from earlier, telling me about what happened after he left the demon kings castle.


    "Since the demon race lives primarily on the small island nation of Highgrande, it''s fairly difficult to get there unless you can fly, or you travel with the slavers on their ships. The areas around their islands are dotted with whirlpools and rifts, making it very hard to get their without a proper guide. And since the slavers are neutral in regards to power struggles, they are given permission to enter any lands they like, as well given detailed maps on surrounding terrain." He reached beside him for a clay mug filled with some sort of alcohol, and took a swig from it.


    "Anyway, after getting permission to use one of their griffins to fly back to the main continent, in other words, Gardenia, i hastily made my way back here to the mainland. That was over 35 years ago now though, and this forest was still just a small garden area with a few saplings spread out. The church building way back on the other side of the forest is called [Summon Point Alpha] and is, as the name implies, the primary summoning point in Gardenia."


    "Ara, you "borrowed" a griffon? Isn''t it more like you demanded one and stole it when they refused? Don''t lie to the poor boy, Guma." Fendia chimed in when Nagamu stopped to take another swig out of his mug.


    He immediately spat out the contents in his mouth at her words and then proceeded to choke a little before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and replying.


    "Oi, don''t tell him that... and don''t call me Guma, it''s embarrassing. Anyway, where was i..." He paused for a moment and then continued again.


    "After i finally got back to the main continent here, i landed near the port city of Harrier near a cave and sent the griffon back to Highgrande. After leaving the cave, i used my spacial magic to teleport to the capital city, almost running out of mp at the same time.


    I got within 5 kilometres of the city and walked the rest of the way until i got to the city gates, where i met another hero that had been summoned while i was gone....... He later ended up getting killed by a dragon but that doesn''t matter at the moment."


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I saw him from a distance and felt a sort of, connection with him. I knew immediately he was a hero thanks to my special ability, [Connections]. I won''t go into detail about so i''ll just give you the basic, it means I can tell if someone has a strong connection to me. It can be either through a quest or through an event that will happen in the near future.


    Well i decided to ignore him for now and I made my way to the hidden door that was situated in a small alcove of the wall  of the gate, shrouded b a few trees and vines."


    "Seems like you must have been favoured by the asshole, huh?" I couldn''t help but mutter that little comment."


    "iie. I don''t think he''s ever favoured anyone to be honest. I found that hidden entrance on my own thanks to a skill i had at the time." He shook his head gently at my comment and then continued once again.


    "Once i was inside the city, i felt a tangible tension in the air and i hesitated to head straight for the castle. I walked into the quest hall that was located near the entrance i had been at and asked one of the adventurers what was going on. He told me in no uncertain words, ''It looks like the day has finally come... Furio-sama has decided to make public, his plans to conquer the world''. I felt my blood run cold at his words and so i headed straight to the main gates of the castle as fast as i could. Unfortunately for me, however, it would seem that he was waiting for me."


    "When i reached the main gates, a large amount of guards and soldiers came rushing out of them and began to surround me. When they had fully surrounded me, i drew my sword and got into a stance, ready to kill my way through if necessary. Just as i was about to start killing them, Furio himself showed up and walked between the assembled men to confront me. He said one word, with a big smile on his face..... ''Banishment''. Before i could do anything to defend myself or even evade it, i was suddenly pulled up and out of the city by a strong force and sent crashing into the ground from 50 feet up in the air. I lost almost all my hp and suffered broken bones and punctured organs all throughout my body, barely surviving."


    "I later found out that i had a cursed seal placed on me, preventing me from being able to get within 2 kilometres of the city. I later formed up a large organisation to try and do something about it but in the end, everyone but my 4 friends over there, were killed. It was 5 years ago that i met the 6th hero, Fendia. She''s from a similar world like earth but it was also similar to Demonia in that it was a sort of game-like world. Well if she wants to tell you about her world or our meeting, I''m sure she will."


    I slowly took in all the information and then frowned a little as i saw a small flaw in the story.


    "Hey... You said that he made the world domination plan a publicly known thing but... How did he keep that a secret from the hero''s?"


    "..." Nagamu looked at Fendia and that back at me.


    "Was there a young girl with him called Julia when you were summoned?"


    "Oh..." I knew immediately what that meant and so i voiced my thought out.


    "So it was the [Weeping Lily} huh.... I see, that makes sense."


    "Yes. That flower is as dangerous as it is beautiful, and the one holding it, is even more so. She is Julia Faith Gardenia, first princess of Gardenia and the most powerful magic user in the world. She has the ability to completely brainwash and control the minds of, every citizen on the continent. It''s just a shame that she herself is being controlled by her father."


    "So that''s why she was scared of her father... I got the feeling that if i tried, i could have seen her status, possibly even found a way to save her if i wanted."


    "Wait... You can see people''s status''s?" Fendia was the one to cry out.


    "I don''t know... I do know, however that i can see detailed information about items if i try." I told them about how i learned what the flower was and how i was under the care of Jun.


    "Oh yeah that reminds me, what kind of god is Heris? I haven''t checked the patron gifts from her yet so i have no idea."


    "Hmm~ So you have 2 gods huh? Well... I''m not too sure about that myself. It''s very rare for someone to be under her sign after all. You''ll have to check it yourself."


    "Yes i agree. The only other person who would be under her sign in Rachel, but... Since she''s the current demon king..."


    "Oh yeah that reminds me. What''s the difference between a demon lord and a demon king?"


    "[Demon King] is the title for the ruler of the demon race. [Demon Lord] is a species of demons, kind of a pure blooded devil i guess. Think of it that way."


    I thanked Fendia and then turned my attention back to the fire, letting my mind wander as i watched the dancing flames.


    After a few moments of silence i stood up and walked over to a nearby rock and punched it, the sudden action stunning everyone a little. As my fist hit the rock, a sudden surge of power flowed from my chest to my arm and down into my hand.


    [Heavy Blow] That name entered my thoughts as the rock shattered and burst into fragments, spreading out in the surroundings at an incredible speed.


    """"""..."""""" I felt everyone''s gaze on me and i slowly brought my hand back to my side. A sudden message filled my vision and i laughed a little.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Strength [+3]


    The status slot [Attack Power] has been uncovered.


    Current attack power [15 ~ 49]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Well this is something i wasn''t expecting." I turned around to face everyone and then told them i was going to rest over by the trees while i check out my status screen for a while.


    Leaving the clearing, i headed a little ways into the forest and then found a desent sized rock to sit down on.


    I hastily opened my menu and then pressed on the Help Desk tab, a new window appearing before me.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Currently available categories</td></tr><tr><td>Skills</td><td>Professions</td><td>Stats</td><td>Locations</td></tr><tr><td>People</td><td>Races</td><td>Gods</td><td>Gods Grace</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Bestiary</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmm it''s  more detailed then i thought. For now i guess i''ll just have a look at the Skills, Stats, and Gods Grace categories.


    I pressed on the Skills tab and saw a very short list of skills that i could select. A list so small it only had 5 skills.


    I went through each of them slowly, nodding as i read the descriptions and such.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Minds Eye</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>An ability that is both unique, and unusual.


    It has a very high chance of overlapping someone''s true thought with their voice as they speak to you.


    In most cases, it only activates when someone is either lying to you, or you feel a deep mistrust towards them.</td></tr><tr><td>Semi-Active</td><td>Unique</td><td>No mp cost</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [2]</td><td>No Evolutions</td><td>No Skill Combinations</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Analyse</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A special gift from the god [Heris]


    Gives a greater ability to learn information on an object or person than [Appraisal]


    When mastered, can completely divulge a persons status among other things.</td></tr><tr><td>Active</td><td>Unique [Gods Grace]</td><td>No mp cost</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [3]</td><td>1 Evolution</td><td>No Skill Combinations</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Wisdom Of The Ancients</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A special gift from the god [Jun]


    Has a myriad of effects including-


    Easy understanding of the world


    Easier skill acquisition


    The ability to learn hidden secrets of an object or person</td></tr><tr><td>Passive</td><td>Unique [Gods Grace]</td><td>No mp cost</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [0]</td><td>No Evolutions</td><td>No Skill Combinations</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>This Skill can not be levelled and is automatically acquired at [Master] proficiency</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Heavy Blow</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A battle skill that greatly increases an initial attacks power output.


    Can also be used as a defensive skill to parry a powerful attack.</td></tr><tr><td>Active</td><td>Common [Class Specific]</td><td>Mp cost [35]</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [5]</td><td>No Evolutions</td><td>Can be combined with other attack oriented skills</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>Skill cool-down time [60 Seconds]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Fighting Spirit</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A berserker type skill.


    Grants the user an increased attack speed and attack power at the cost of defence and evasion.</td></tr><tr><td>Active</td><td>Basic</td><td>Mp cost [100]</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [3]</td><td>2 Evolutions</td><td>Can be combined with [Buff] type skills and magic</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>Skill cool-down time [300 Seconds]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "I see. So these must be skills that i already know, or have seen, i guess. Let''s take a look at the stats section now."


    I went back to the Help Desk''s main menu and selected Stats.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>HP


    Your Life points


    If this runs out you will die


    if not revived within 5 minutesyour soul with ascend</td><td>MP


    Used to cast spells and use skills


    With isufficient points, you can not use skills or magic</td><td>Strength


    Your physical capabilities


    A higher strength mean a higher attack power


    Some quipment and weapons have a strength requirement to use them</td><td>Endurance


    Your overall stamina and defensive capabilities


    A higher Endurance means a higher defense


    With a higher Endurance, you will have more stamina</td></tr><tr><td>Agility


    Your basic speed and movement are affected by this stat


    Higher Agility means faster movement and better body control


    With a higher Agility, you can jump higher and move faster</td><td>Intelligence


    Smarts and magical power are derived from this stat


    You can better understand things with a higher Intelligence


    Your Magic power and capabilities will improve with higher Intelligence</td><td>Wisdom


    Magic defence, mp regeneration and hp regeneration are affected by this stat


    10 points grants 1 point per minute to hp/mp regeneration once per minute


    Wisdom also improves understanding and tactics</td><td>Dexterity


    Reaction speed/movement are affected by this stat


    Higher stat means faster reaction speed and reflexes


    Your degree of movement and evasion are affected by this stat</td></tr><tr><td>Defense


    Determines how much damage can be reduced from an attack


    If your Defence is higher than an enemies Attack Power-


    A certain amount of damage will be avoided upon impact</td><td>Magic Defence


    Same as Defense but against Magic based attacks instead</td><td>Evasion


    As the name implies


    A higher evasion means a higher chance of dodging an attack


    Also works against some Magic based attacks</td><td>Attack Speed


    How fast you can attack with a weapon or body


    A higher stat means more attacks in a shorter time</td></tr><tr><td>Attack Power


    Your minimum and maximum damage variables


    If your Attack Power is higher than the enemies defence-


    May increase the odds od dealing a Critical Attack


    May deal more damage than expected</td><td>Magic Attack Power


    Same as Attack Power but using Magic based attacks</td><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>All stats grow naturally over time as you accumulate experience.


    They can also grow from taking certain actions or completing certain tasks.


    There are also special ways to grow these stats [Locked]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I nodded as i read through the descriptions, the information mostly matching up with what i expected.


    "And lastly, let''s check the Gods Grace section now..."


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Currently acquired knowledge of Gods Graces</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Jun</td><td colspan=''2''>Heris</td></tr><tr><td>Knowledge Of The Ancients</td><td>Stat Growth Correction [Unused]</td><td>Limit Skills [Currently Sealed]</td><td>Rapid Stat Growth [Unused]</td></tr><tr><td>Understanding</td><td>Magic Understanding</td><td>Analyse</td><td>Language Library</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td></tr><tr><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td><td>[Locked]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I already knew the general information for Jun''s gifts, so i went ahead and looked through the 2 remaining ones for [Heris], Limit Skills and Language Library.


    I didn''t look at Rapid Stat Growth, though, since i already had a general idea of what it would be. The fact that both the stat related gifts were unused was likely because they cancelled each-other out. And i didn''t check Analyse since i had already seen it''s description in the skills section.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Language Library</td></tr><tr><td>Grants the mortals under Heris the ability to completely understand all languages of Demonia.</td></tr><tr><td>This allows a complete understanding, and the ability to-


    -Read


    -Write


    -Speak


    -Understand the speech patterns, tones and variations of the different races.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Limit Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Once a certain amount of power and knowledge has been accumulated by a mortal under [Heris] They can unlock the ability to use [Limit Skills]</td></tr><tr><td>Limit Skills are special skills that require Limit Points in order to be used.


    They can range from Defensive to Offensive and are always very powerful.


    Some are activated straight away and some have a time lag between use and activation.


    There are two types of Limit Skills-


    -Immediate


    -Continuous


    Limit Points are gained by fighting and killing your enemies or by performing cetain tasks for the goddess [Heris].


    The maximum amount of Limit Points can grow over time and all Limit Skills use the full amount of your Limit Points.


    The more Limit Points You have, the stronger the effect of the Limit Skill.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I raised my eyebrows at the description of the Limit Skills and felt a little troubled about the god that decided to take interest in me.


    "Heris... huh..."


    "You called~~"


    ".................................. Eh?"


    Woo~ Another chapter~ This series seems to be more popular than my other one... Oh well who cares -shrugs- I kind of like this one more as well to be honest. Anyways i''ll try to make the chapters for this series long if possible but that may mean delayed releases as i add more content to each chapter.


    Also some of you may have noticed, but, i''m switching to using my Australian spelling from now on as that is what i''m used to~


    Either way, look forward to another chapter in the next 3 days (Maybe tomorrow).


    As always guys, Thanks for reading my story~ I love ya''s and enjoy~.


    P.S Let me know if you want me to put more detail on the location/character appearances from now on (I''ll try harder if needed).

 3rd Chapter: Forest of the ancients [Part One]

    Small chapter but the next one will be bigger (when i get around to it qq)


    I slowly breathed out as I focused on the enemy before me, the blood-lust it was releasing was almost visible in the surroundings as a snarl echoed through the forest. I fought the urge to run in fear and stared down my opponent, the ruling being of the forest, the ancient dragon of blood [Krisna].


    I closed my eyes for a moment and brought my thoughts to a halt as I prepared myself for the inevitable struggle that was to come.


    "Fuu" I breathed out once more and opened my eyes, my fighting spirit pouring out like a tsunami.


    "[Endless Waltz]" I ran forward and activated my new skill, the first limit skill I had learned thanks to Heris.


    As I neared the large body of the dragon, I felt a large energy start to cackle around it and I let the skill take control of my body as I felt a bad premonition.


    I felt my body start to move in unnatural ways but I ignored the uncomfortable feeling and focused on the battle at hand.


    I felt invisible bolts of electricity arc around me as I quickly moved into attack range and readied myself to attack.


    "Grrrr" The dragon began growling as soon as I entered into attack range and I wasted no time in sending a fist flying into it''s chest with [Heavy Blow].


    I felt a large impact upon striking it and a few large, heavy scarlet scales were blown away from the impact, the recoil sending the dragon back a step.


    Given it''s sheer size of 40 meters in length and 15 meters in height, it could be said to be an impressive feat.


    It gave a feral snarl before leaning back and standing on it''s hind legs, a large amount of power could be felt gathering around it''s chest.


    "..." I could feel my limit points slowly trickling away and forced my body to break through it''s limits, the skills power suddenly rising to another degree.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Due to forcing your body to surpass it''s safety limits, [Endless Waltz] has risen in rank.


    [Endless Waltz] has reached rank [2]</td></tr><tr><td>On top of an increased agility and dexterity boost [Rank 2 = x100 boost] An increase in Strength has now been applied [Rank 2 = x150 boost]</td></tr><tr><td>All unarmed attacks made during [Endless Waltz] will now be imbued with the skill [Heavy Blow] without the use of mp</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "I hope this won''t all be for nothing..." I jumped forward and slammed a fist forward into the dragons throat, forcing back 10 meters and almost falling onto it''s back.


    Thankfully, whatever attack it was preparing a moment before, was interrupted and cancelled.


    "......." I could feel a sort of curiosity coming from it''s gaze as it slowly dropped back down to it''s forelegs, a small groan leaking from it''s large maw.


    "... -sigh- How did it turn to this again?" I gathered strength in my legs and leaped forward once more.


    8 hours earlier........


    I looked up from the menu and saw a pair of azure blue eyes staring at me, a hint of mischief could be seen inside them.


    "..."


    "..."


    I silently gazed into those eyes as I felt my cheeks begin to blush, a small, wry smile forming on my lips.


    I decided to break the awkward silence first.


    "Can I help you?" The only words that came to my mind were, in a sense, "perfect".


    "Hmm~ Maybe?" She leaned in and whispered into my ear, the soft breath tickling my ear and sending a shiver through my body.


    "..." I leaned back a little and almost fell off the rock I was sitting on as my butt began to slide a little.


    I held my breath as she moved closer once again, her mouth almost touching my own.


    What is it with women and kissing me...? I felt helpless towards her charms and tried desperately to calm my own libido as the urge to "attack" her began to well up inside me.


    "You''re an interesting one after all~ I''m glad I decided to "help" you come to this world. Ah, right, sorry about the whole memory wipe thing. It was kinda necessary, after everything you went through in that place."


    I watched her every move as she slowly stood up and took a few steps backwards, her movements seeming almost inhuman as she did so.


    She was slightly tall for a woman, the height I really couldn''t measure but looking at least 6 foot maybe higher I''m sure.


    She had scarlet red hair that was a shade darker than her eyes that was kept in a short ponytail down to her shoulders. I couldn''t really make out what kind of clothing she was wearing, it was too futuristic-looking. A kind of vest like thing and a pair of half shorts half trousers? It was combination of black, yellow and grey and the vest like thing was dark red like her hair. She has a bracelet thing on her left wrist and a chain-belt around her hips. Add on top of all that, a denim beret she had slightly tilted to the right on top of her head, she seemed kind of weird in my books.


    "... Nice style..." I sarcastically commented on her looks before I realised it. "At least put something on your feet as well..."


    "Ehh~ Too lazy... But look who''s talking, Prisoner-San~"


    "... Touch¨¦."


    I jumped to my feet and dusted my butt off before closing my menu and giving her my full attention.


    "So, ahh, Heris-Sama?-"


    "Heris is fine~"


    "... Then, Heris. Why did you show up as soon as I called your name? I''m assuming that that kind of thing is usually not normal, right?" I felt a sort of our of place feeling as I took in her appearance, like she wasn''t actually there to begin with.


    "To be perfectly honest, this is more like a physical hologram than my actual body, something like that. Or more like, a cloned body that can be erased at will? That''s basically it."


    "... I see..." I didn''t really get it but I just nodded and pretended I did.


    "Well anyway, since you wandered so far away from your new companions, I decided to come say hi and give you some advice and a warning. Oh and unlock your [Limit Skills]."


    She jumped up and started hovering in the air, a small trail of red light streaming out behind her as she floated around the area.


    "I''ll start with the advice shall I? Since you''ve decided to go see the little demon girl, I gave you a helping hand by shifting the time-space data inside the Ancient forest here, to connect with the Ancient forest in Highgrande. Think of it like a giant wormhole connecting both of the forests. There is, one tiny little problem though but i''ll get around to that after. Anyway, as for the first piece of advice, don''t blindly rely on your stats and levels in this world, Talent and ability are just as much a deciding factor as stats and levels."


    "I see. So basically, what you''re saying is, it''s not impossible for a weak 100 stat average low levelled noob to beat a high level top tier player... right?"


    "Exactly. While it''s not impossible, it is extremely rare and mostly due to the factor of unique skills."


    I mostly understood what she was trying to tell me.


    "The second piece of advice is, do not underestimate yourself. If push comes to shove, do not hesitate if you feel that a situation is beyond your abilities. Just because a situation seems hopeless, doesn''t mean that is hopeless."


    As for the warning... Well it''s more like a request really. If you happen to meet a certain existence in the forest here, please don''t kill it. I''m sure that with your talent, it may be possible to befriend it."


    She approached me quickly while hovering and brought her hands to my cheeks.


    "I''ll unlock your [Limit Skill] ability now and completely fill your limit gauge, but I hope it won''t be necessary."


    She stole my lips and began to kiss me, her tongue slowly prying apart my lips and invading my mouth. I felt my eyes widen at the sudden action and, just as I began to grow accustomed to the feeling, a short burst of power filed my body and she disappeared, leaving behind the lingering touch, taste and smell of her kiss and body.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Status has been updated</td></tr><tr><td>Limit Points has been unlocked</td></tr><tr><td>Limit Points has been filled to maximum [100 / 100]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Limit Skills have been unlocked</td></tr><tr><td>You can now use Limit Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Limit Skills available for purchase [2]


    Skill Points Available [20]


    [1] Free Limit Skill can be acquired for unlocking Limit Skills</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''2''>Limit Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Endless Waltz</td><td>Cost [100]</td></tr><tr><td>Meteor Bullet</td><td>Cost [200]</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>You currently have [1] free purchase available</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I saw those messages appear but the second one didn''t vanish. I couldn''t even open the menu while it was hovering there.


    I shook my head once and then checked the skill descriptions of both skills.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Endless Waltz</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A Limit Skill which boosts your stats depending on the rank of the skill


    More stats will be boosted at higher ranks and the boost multiplier will rise accordingly


    On top of a stat boost, your body will be able to move more fluidly and your mental perception will rise


    You can also allow the skill to control your body''s movements if the need should arise</td></tr><tr><td>Active [Continuous]</td><td>Legendary</td><td>Full LP Cost</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [5]</td><td>1 possible Evolution through [Bonus] [Gods Grace]</td><td>Can be combined with skills</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>Rank [1] Benefits</td></tr><tr><td>Agility [x50]</td><td>Dexterity [x50]</td><td>Small Attack Speed Boost</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''3''>Meteor Bullet</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''3''>A one-shot, homing attack that focuses all your mp into a special offensive magic


    The attack magic [Meteor] is condensed into a bullet form and shot towards the enemy


    The power and speed of the bullet is shaped by the users stats and Limit Point level


    Will deal critical damage 100% of the time with a 100% hit rate</td></tr><tr><td>Active [Immediate]</td><td>Semi-Legendary</td><td>Full LP and MP Cost</td></tr><tr><td>Top Rank [2]</td><td>3 possible Evolutions through [Bonus] [Gods Grace]</td><td>No Combinations</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I went with the first skill since it seemed the most usable at this point in time, especially since it raised stats.


    I went through and checked my status and skills screen before turning around and making my way back to the camp.


    At least, that was the plan.


    "... I''m lost aren''t I?" I sighed heavily before looking down at the ground, the darkness not helping me make out my tracks at all.


    I opened up my menu and to my surprise, found that as long as it was open, a large enough amount of light was illuminated from the screen to light up my surroundings a little. It was a little better than a small hand held lamp but as long as I could see the ground, it didn''t matter.


    I soon found my tracks and slowly made my way back through the bushes and trees until I could just barely make out some light in the distance.


    "Weird... I''m pretty sure I didn''t go that far away from the camp. Oh wait, she did say that the space was warped or something." I gradually neared the clearing and froze.


    "-sniff sniff- Grrrr..." I could make out a large shadow dancing in the surroundings, most likely due to the fire. The fact that I could hear it''s sniffing and growling from this far away, meant that whatever it was, it was big.


    I heard something flying through the air before a -thunk- was emitted from the tree beside me, an arrow jutting out of the bark and vibrating a little. I looked at the arrow and saw a small piece of paper folded up and attached to it with string.


    I carefully unfolded it and read the contents, a small sigh almost bursting from my lips.


    We''ll meet you in Highgrande Shiina. This seems like it would be a tough fight.


    Sorry about this but you''ll have to navigate the forest yourself.


    P.S. We know about the fluctuation in the forest.


    We''ll be eagerly awaiting our reunion with you.


    Kisses~ Fendia


    "..............."


    "Roooooaaarrrrrrrr" I dropped the paper and arrow in fright and saw the shadow moving closer to where I was, thick heave steps bearing down on the ground, causing it to shake a little.


    I cringed a little as I felt myself shaking and I involuntarily took a step forward, out into the clearing......


    And so this brings us back to the current predicament with the ruler of the forest. How do I know what it is?


    I accidentally Analysed it and it''s name and title appeared in my vision.


    I shot forward at an incredible speed and sent a roundhouse kick into the side of it''s maw, the leg crashing into it and sending it''s head and neck flying off to the side.


    I heard a small cracking sound as I landed on the ground by it''s chest and I wasted no time in sending another punch into it''s chest, my fist slamming through into the fleshy skin where I had punched away the scales before.


    Before I could leap backwards out of the dragons attack range, I felt a vice-like grip around my entire body as a giant clawed hand wrapped around me.


    Wait, hand? I couldn''t feel myself being squeezed, on the contrary, it felt more like I was being held with care.


    "........... Strong" I heard a crackly voice moan as the pressure from the dragon began to lessen.


    "... You''re fairly strong yourself but I''m sorry to disappoint you, my strength is about to revert since my skill just ended.


    I felt my blood run cold at the thought that I couldn''t fight on equal footing with the dragon now that [Endless Waltz] had run out. However, unexpectedly, the hand holding me firmly, slowly lowered to the ground and released me.


    I watched in amazement as the giant dragon slowly began to shine a pale red and then shrink until the light and shape was that of a human.


    I felt like complaining to whoever was governing the creation of beings in this world since apparently, they only like beautiful or handsome people in general. A new grudge had began to take root in my heart.


    Sorry for the late chapter after promising a release a few days ago guys.... I was more busy than i thought i would be...


    Anyway, after much toil and effort (and 5 rewrites) here''s the next chapter. No idea when the next one will be released though since i need to bring Aevolia up to at least 20 before i take a small hiatus on it (to focus on this one)


    I will however promise that when i do get back to a proper schedule, i''ll make this my main series with a minimum of 2 chapters per week (3 when i get my long weekends)


    For now though. please leave any feedback you can for me so i can improve my writing style or better improve the overall story so it''s more enjoyable for you, my readers. I won''t be making any major changes from my already half set storyline but i''m willing to take in some ideas for characters or plot ideas for later on in the story (chapter 15 and on)


    As always, thanks for reading my story and i hope you enjoyed it. Love ya all~