《Why Did the God of Love Choose Me!?》 Prologue Sleep. It''s one of the best things in the world, closely followed by gaming and anime. It offered a sense of freedom that few things could match or grant. You could dream about being a popular and attractive celebrity, or you could be a superhero who was loved by all. That''s what made dreams so amazing. You got to escape reality and live in a world of your own making in which all you desired was yours. You no longer had to be who you were. You could be what you wanted, who you wanted, and be with who you wanted. That was the best thing about sleep. And in this moment, I was in a dream of my own. It was your average dream. The kind that constantly switched. One moment, I was playing one of my games; the next, I was at an odd mall with a water park inside, speaking with a stunningly gorgeous girl. ¡°You aren¡¯t happy with your current life, are you?¡± Her short pink hair was in a bob-like cut, and her pink eyes stared lovingly at me. I found the question strange. Was I self therapizing myself in my own dreams? Regardless, the answer to that was easy. I wasn¡¯t. There was nothing good about life, which is another reason dreams were so amazing. They weren''t reality. But the reality of dreams was that, eventually, you''d wake up, and I could feel the creeping of my alarm as it stalked up on me like a predator in the early morning getting ready to pounce on its sluggish and half-awake prey. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I replied. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because reality is shit.¡± I figured it out long ago. This shit world I was born in, this shitty life I lived, it was never meant for me. You see, I had discovered in myself desires which nothing on this Earth could satisfy. Therefore, there was only one logical explanation: I was made for another world. ¡°I see.¡± The woman smiled. Slowly, my eyes grew heavy, and I could feel myself slipping into the sticky strings of reality as my alarm clock''s buzz began to crawl its way into my ears. ¡°Be mine,¡± she reached a hand forward and placed it on my cheek. ¡°And I shall grant your desires.¡± ¡°I doubt you can do that.¡± I closed my eyes at the warmth of her hand and placed mine over hers. ¡°But even so,¡± I stared deeply into her eyes. ¡°I would gladly be yours.¡± Too bad this is only a dream. She truly was beautiful. I wished I could take her to the real world. She smiled endearingly before standing up and turning her back to me. "You have a long way to go.¡± She started. ¡°But I know you¡¯ll make it.¡± She glanced back at me. ¡°Now, wake up.¡± This was the worst part about dreams. Right when you were getting to the good part, you''d wake up. ??? I awoke lying on my back, gazing at the sky as the sun shone down on me through the canopies. The clouds drifted peacefully without a care in the world, and I felt the grass rustle around me as the wind blew it like the ocean waves. The sound of the crickets buzzed all around me, and the birds chirped their morning songs. I sat up, looking around and taking everything in. ¡°A forest?¡± I murmured to myself. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.How had I ended up there? I never stepped outside. Touching grass was a no-go for me. Yet¡­ My hands rubbed the grass I was sitting on, and the cool dew wet my hands. It was soft, cold, and invigorating. ¡°No way.¡± My eyes widened as I stood up and did a full circle. "This is another world.¡± I felt lighter, like I had lost a few pounds, and I no longer hurt. It was as if all those years hunched over gaming were no longer in play with my bones, but I paid no mind to that as I gazed at the beautiful sky. The sun beamed its rays of warmth over me and the forest floor, almost like it was welcoming me. It felt¡­good. "I never knew the sun could feel this good,¡± I murmured with closed eyes as I let the beams of trickling light wash over my skin. When I opened them again, I noticed the HUD in my vision. Like every classic RPG, it consisted of a health bar and a magic bar in the top left corner with the time and location in the top right, along with a mini-map. ¡°Hmm.¡± I hummed to myself as I began walking. ¡°If I have a HUD, I should have a status menu, right?¡± The problem was how to view it. No sooner than that thought crossed my mind, a menu box opened in front of me with a ping. It seemed all I had to do was want to see or think about it, and it would open. I immediately began to look over my stats, my eyes widening and jaw dropping the moment I did. Sion Barzahd Age: 17 Class: None Race: Human? Job: None Level: 1 Strength: 1 Agility: 1 Vitality: 1 Magic : 1 Defense: 1 Luck: 500 Experience: 0 NEXT: 50 Charm: ??? Harem: 0 Skills: ? Calm Mind (Passive) ? Charm LV.MAX (Passive) ? Adaption LV.MAX (Passive) ¡°Level one?!¡± My voice cracked as I raised it. My face flushed momentarily, and I looked around to see if anyone had heard. Thankfully, it was only me in the forest. I was surprised to have seen my age at seventeen again, despite having been twenty-eight on Earth. But I didn¡¯t care for that as much as everything else. Being brought into another world in most anime reverted the MC to a younger age. But I had seldom seen any of them given low stats. ¡°Seriously. What¡¯s with these?¡± I grumbled as I continued to look over them as I walked. ¡°Why is there a question mark after Human, and why is my luck so high? More importantly, what¡¯s with this Charm and Harem stat?!¡± I cleared my throat as I closed the status window with a sigh. ¡°This world is mocking me, isn¡¯t it?¡± It seemed it wouldn¡¯t be any different from Earth. I was a weak, pathetic nobody who was being mocked about being a single virgin all my life. Only now, I would constantly be reminded of that by my stats. It took a while to get out of the forest, but I eventually found my way out with the aid of my mini-map. When I stepped out of the thicket, I turned my head to see mountains piercing the skies to the east and more forests littering the land to the west. I was right at the exit of the Narvile Woods, according to my map, and was now in the Grassy Plain. Expanding my map enlightened me on the layout of the land. It looked like the Grassy Plains was the center of it all, and you could reach the woods, mountains, villages, and towns by traveling through it. Using my finger to scroll through the map showed me that there was a city known as the Raetia Empire to the north of me. And so, just like every starter quest, I made my way to the town of beginning. Chapter 1 ¡°Dear Lord!¡± I grunted as sweat profusely poured down my face, drenching my clothes. ¡°This is why I never stepped outside!¡± The sun was my enemy, and the heat drained me. That was why I always stayed in a cold environment. Sixty-five degrees or colder was ideal. My HUD told me it was ninety-nine degrees out, and the wind hadn¡¯t blown in the past hour of me walking. Yeah, that may have been an over-exaggeration. In reality, I had only been walking for five minutes. But could you blame me? I was a shut-in for crying out loud. I wasn¡¯t used to these NORMIE temperatures or activities¡­like walking. It didn¡¯t help that I wore jeans with a black long-sleeved shirt and a white lab coat. I knew you were always given starter gear when brought to another world, but why had I been dressed for the wrong weather? Was God mocking me? I bet it was Loki. If it were, I¡¯d kick his ass! ¡°Please, God!¡± I begged as I looked to the sky. ¡°I can¡¯t! Save-¡° The sound of a horseback carriage sounded behind me, and my eyes lit up as I turned to the source. "Hello, young one," an old man greeted me as he came to a stop. SALVATION! "What''s a kid like you doing in the Grassy Plains with no weapon? You may have high-grade gear and be young and full of spirit, but the Plains are still full of monsters." High-grade? I looked down at myself and the clothes I had been adorned with. They didn¡¯t look like anything special. Just your run-of-the-mill clothes you could have found nearly anywhere in my world. Minus the lab coat. Was I secretly a synergist? Would I go from commonplace to world''s strongest?! "S-Sorry.¡± I smiled weakly as I scratched the back of my head, a habit I had when uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m lost, actually.¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Raetia Empire.¡± "Hmm." He inspected me as he stroked his long salt-and-pepper beard. "What a coincidence. I¡¯m heading there right now. I have business to attend to there. Hop on; I''ll give you a ride back to town. I know it''s not that far of a walk, but who knows what monsters might attack you in that short period." "Appreciate!" I replied as I stepped on the carriage and sat down. The old man whipped the reins, and the horses went into a light trot. "So, son, you must be new to this place if you thought traveling in the Plains with no weapon was a smart idea." He smiled kindly as he spoke. "Er¡­yeah," I replied as I scratched my cheek nervously. I figured it would be best to keep quiet that I wasn''t from this world. "This whole area is new to me." "Ah, you must be from the southern kingdom then, the Soutoria Empire?" I slowly leered at him as he continued. "Well then, I''d like to welcome you." He smirked as my eyes met his. "Welcome me?" I repeated before returning my eyes forward. I wasn''t good at social interactions or eye contact, but what did you expect from a shut-in OTAKU? The only things I was interested in talking about were anime, video games, and that-which-would-never-exist, and so it shan''t be named. "To the Prostetian Kingdom!¡± He guffawed. ¡°Where all those seeking adventure come to make a living for themselves." The old man stroked his beard again as he looked at me. "So, what''s your name then, son?" Should I use my real name, or should I make it up? I didn''t know the world or how their names worked. For all I knew, my name would cause superstition. But what if I made one up and it caused even more trouble? In the end, I decided to stick with the best choice. "Sion," I said. ¡°Sion Barzahd.¡± "Sion?" He repeated with a quizzical look. "What a unique name.¡± Even in this world, huh? ¡°Well, Sion, what are you doing in the Raetia Empire? Are you here to become an adventurer?" "Adventurer?¡± My ears perked. ¡°You mean the people that fight monsters?" I asked wide-eyed as I looked at him. Now you''ve got my attention, old man! If this world has them, then damn right, I''m going to become one! Wait, aren¡¯t I technically old, too? "Why, yes. Though, I should explain the way this Kingdom works. After all, it''s much different than the south." And so, the old man told me everything¡­literally. It was nothing I hadn¡¯t already assumed with my time watching anime and playing video games, so I hardly listened. Let me break it down for you. You see, in this world, there were adventures, those who hunted monsters to make money and a living. There were, of course, other jobs such as a blacksmith, a shopkeeper, a maid, and the whatnot. So, adventurer wasn''t the only option. People also had a class. Classes were things like knights, mages, clerics, synergists, and so on. People would choose a profession based on the class they were assigned. Now, this part was new to me, so even I had to listen to the old man¡¯s lecture. Apparently, everyone started without a class at birth, but as they grew up and became stronger, their stats grew, and they were automatically assigned a class based on the automatic distribution of their stats. This was when jobs were chosen. To give a few examples: a knight could go on to become a royal guard to protect the King and the town''s inhabitants, or they could choose to become an adventurer. They could also become mercenaries or soldiers. Mages could also join the royal family, though they would spend most of their time casting spells to keep barriers around the town that prevented monsters from getting in. A Cleric could become a doctor, healing diseases and injuries. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. It seemed apparent adventurer was the best choice, as it came with more freedom and a sense of adventure. Every quest was a new job to be carried out differently, but not everyone wanted to risk their life for money. So, most people would work with the royal family to secure pay and safety or choose another job that best fit their class. This part really caught my attention, especially since it applied to me. The old man explained the leveling system and how adventurers formed parties and took on different work to level up. He said that, like everyone, you were born level one and gained experience from playing, learning, and other day-to-day activities. But that stopped once you reached level ten. At that time, your stats were automatically distributed, and that was when your class was assigned. He told me that after choosing a profession, you could gain experience from doing it and becoming better at it. However, at some point, this experience would become less, as the experience gained was based on the difficulty of the task. That was why parties were formed. Adventurers were accepted into parties based on the stats they had. The higher their stats, the stronger an adventurer they were. It''s just like an MMORPG! I thought with glee. It really is a video game world! And this man... I glanced over at him. Is definitely the tutorial guide. After learning about the leveling system, my heart sank even more. I was seventeen and level one with stats so low; a newborn baby was stronger than me. What kind of joke was that? Why could I never get a break, even in an alternate world? To hell with isekai anime! Just give me a classic rom-com! "Why the look of defeat?" The old man asked, noticing my countenance. "It''s nothing," I muttered Best to stay quiet about it. I didn''t want to admit my low level and stats. Being seventeen and level one with below-average stats would be suspicious, and suspiciousness was always rewarded with attention. I didn¡¯t want that, and I didn¡¯t know what would happen if others found out about it. Would I be killed? Interrogated? Locked away before even beginning my journey? Screw that. I knew it would be best to keep it a secret. Before I realized it, we were in the city. It looked just like you''d imagine in a fantasy world. The streets formed a perfect circle around a majestic castle. The castle, with its towering spires and gleaming stone walls, stood as a beacon of protection and prosperity. The winding streets were paved with smooth cobblestones and lined with lanterns that would light up as dusk fell, and there were narrow alleys where street performers and musicians entertained passersby with their talents. As we continued down the streets, I noticed how everyone parted around us peacefully and respectfully. My attention quickly turned to the shops, however, as I found those more interesting. There was a shop filled with magical artifacts, potions, and spell books that all had a soft glow. The rhythmic clanging of hammers on anvils echoed through the streets as the blacksmiths crafted weapons and armor for adventurers. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries wafted through the air, drawing people in for a taste The town square was the heart of commerce, bustling with vendors selling everything from exotic spices to handcrafted jewelry. Merchants haggled over prices, showcasing their wares and sharing tales of distant lands. Children played games, chasing each other around the fountain in the square and listening to stories from the town bard. Adventurers prepared for their next quest, gathering supplies and sharing tales of their exploits. I looked down several alleys as we passed them. They were dark and gloomy. Oh! Maybe I¡¯ll save a girl who¡¯s getting harassed and find love! "Why are you smiling like that?" The old man asked as the carriage stopped by the fountain. ¡°I was smiling!?¡± My voice cracked. Damn teenage body! I can¡¯t do puberty again! I REFUSE! "You were. And I didn¡¯t like the look in your eyes either,¡± his eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you planning on harassing the women of this town?¡± ¡°N-No!¡± I stuttered in nervous rebellion, which definitely didn¡¯t help my case, despite it being true. ¡°Hmm,¡± he hummed. ¡°Well then, this is where you get off. I would love to show you around, but unfortunately, I have important business with the King.¡± I stepped off the carriage as he spoke. ¡°But before I go, I wish to give you this." He tossed me a rather large bag that jingled as it flew through the air. I caught it, nearly dropping it. "Inside is 1,000 gold coins. This should get you a decent weapon, as well as some left-over money to stay a while at a nice Inn." "Uh...Thanks?" I replied questionably. I know I didn''t sound grateful, but that was mostly because I didn''t understand why a man I just met would give me that much money. Perhaps accepting the large sum would come back to bite me in the ass, but that would be something to worry about later on. With a smile and wave, the old man and his carriage made their way out of my sight. Well, I guess it''d be fun to look around and experience the life of a NORMIE. Time for shopping! With that thought, I began walking. Chapter 2 It felt as though hours had passed as I explored the city, though in reality, it had only been ten minutes¡ªsystem of a shut-in. As I had seen on the way into the plaza, there were shops everywhere, all selling different things, which I inspected as I walked by. Multiple times, I was asked if I had seen anything I liked, and several vendors had even attempted to push a product onto me for purchase. But I was no sucker and would only spend my money on something I needed. My refusals had been returned with scowls and insults. I tried not to let them phase me, but deep down, their words cut like an overly sharp knife. I¡¯m not an idiot! Nor am I stingy! Your products are just garbage! Garbage, I say! As the streets grew busier, a crowd of people surrounded me. I began to feel sick because of this, and the world started spinning as a result. Oh, man! I leaned against a wall, my face a dark hue of blue. I''m gonna hurl! Crowds had never been my thing. The more people there were, the more they would stare and judge, always saying crude stuff behind your back or in their heads. You could call it overthinking, but was it really when they were staring at you? You''re all staring! Please stop staring! I could feel all of their eyes on me and hear the insults they slandered me with. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?" "What is he wearing?" ¡°Don¡¯t get too close. I think he¡¯s going to vomit.¡± MMGH! I AM! I grabbed my stomach and mouth as I leaned over, but a hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around, forcing me out of the sickness that had overcome me. "SIR! If I might ask, where did you get those garments?!" A skinny man with short blonde hair asked as he looked at me. It took a while for me to register what he was talking about as my mind was still buzzing, but I soon came to the realization he was referring to my clothes "Oh, uh...I can''t quite remember where I got them." I muttered a reply. "I''ll give you ANYTHING just to have those!" This feels familiar¡­ "S-sorry, but these aren''t for sale," I stuttered nervously. Especially not if they''re high-grade. "Ah, what a shame." The fire in his eyes died out, and his gaze fell to the ground. But the sparks soon ignited again as he pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket. "Then could I at least take notes on the craftsmanship so I can replicate it?" "Er...sure," I murmured as he inspected my gear. He was rambling about the materials and something about the stitching pattern, but honestly, it all went through one ear and out the other as I scratched the back of my head. It wasn''t long before he finished and thanked me before starting to leave. "Hey!" I called after him, my face flushing red as I realized how loud I was. "Hm?" He looked back at me. "Do you...know where the nearest blacksmith is? Or any weapon shop, for that matter?" If I had been able to read the signs, I wouldn''t have had to ask, but the world''s written language seemed to be different than it¡¯s spoken, which I somehow knew¡ªanother clich¨¦ of most Isekai anime. "Huh?" The man looked at me like I was stupid. "It''s right behind you." He pointed at the shop, and my eyes followed. A sign with a hammer and a sword with a lotus behind them wrapped in vines. "Ah, I see." I blinked several times as my body grew hot in embarrassment. "Thanks," I mumbled as he waved and headed off on his own. The bell rang as I entered the shop, and I was immediately greeted by a kind yet overly excited voice. ¡°How can I help ya?!¡± The girl asked the moment the bell rang. My eyes darted across the store, looking at the swords, daggers, axes, spears, and shields of all kinds and varieties that littered the walls and shelves. ¡°Hm? Oh. I¡¯m not sure, actually.¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ve never used a weapon before.¡± At least, not in the literal sense. I had a collection of swords on Earth, all of which I would sometimes swing around and have mock battles with invisible bad guys. In those fantasies, I was a bad-ass sword-wielding hero, even though I swung the sword like a complete NOOB. Even so, I wanted to try them all. Besides, seeing as how I was summoned to this world, I was sure that, despite my low stats, I could wield something. Maybe even everything. That would be cool. I wondered if that was rare in this world. Most games had weapon restrictions for your class. Was this world the same? Since I had no class, did that leave me free to choose whatever I wanted? Or would my class be selected based on my weapon? Could this shop be the point of the game where I got to pick my class by choosing a weapon? I wonder what I should use. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a problem!¡± The girl brought me back from my thoughts before disappearing behind the counter. I could hear her rummaging around before coming back up. In her hands were a wooden sword, dagger, ax, spear, bow, and shield. ¡°What¡¯s all that for?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, ya said ya never used a weapon before. So, I brought these out ta see what best suited ya.¡± She replied with a smile. I hadn¡¯t realized it until then, mostly because she was covered in soot, but she was cute. She looked older than me as well, at least this body me. She had to be around nineteen or twenty. She was taller than me, at least five foot ten, and had blue hair that swept down to her neck, even with the small ponytail she had it styled in. Her eyes were a soft brown, and she had a black choker around her neck. She wore a sleeveless white smithing shirt with black gloves that went up past her elbows, a black apron, a brown skirt with black skintight shorts underneath, and black boots that went up to her knees. But more importantly, what stood out most above all else¡­ HOLY SHIT! WHAT ARE THOSE, DOUBLE-D!? ¡°Why are ya lookin¡¯ at me like that?¡± She asked as she covered her chest with an arm. ¡°I don¡¯ like those eyes of yers. They''re like a hungry wolf tha¡¯s droolin¡¯ over its prey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m drooling?!¡± I squeaked as I wiped my mouth. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t looking at your chest! I swear.¡± I defended myself. ¡°A-and the drooling is¡­it¡¯s a medical condition! Yeah, a medical condition!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Yer lyin,¡± tears formed in her eyes. ¡°Ya were starin¡¯ ¡®n thinkin¡¯ perverted thoughts about me.¡± Her face flushed red as she held back tears of embarrassment. Shit! I¡¯ve been caught! Abort, abort! ¡°N-No!¡± I replied meekly as I waved my hands in surrender. ¡°I wasn¡¯t, I swear!¡± ¡°Yer lyin.¡± I could feel her gaze piercing the side of my skull as I continued to stare at the wall. ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t like that!¡± I argued, and it wasn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t thinking bad thoughts when I was staring at her chest. I was simply marveling at its size; that was it. It wasn¡¯t as if I was thinking about fondling them or motorboating them. Because I totally wasn¡¯t! But it was too late to prove my innocence, and she continued to call me a pervert, among many other insults, until a man the size of a bear walked in from the back. He wore similar attire to the girl, and his body was covered in scars that looked like they came from a large creature. His face was turned in a scowl as he spoke. ¡°What¡¯s all this arguing about?!¡± He asked as he grabbed the girl¡¯s hair and pulled it. ¡°OWIE! OWIE! OWIE! Pa! It was him, not me! He¡¯s a pervert, Pa!¡± My heart started racing. That¡¯s her dad!? She¡¯s going to get me killed! The thought raced through my mind as he slowly approached me, a bead of sweat appearing on my cheek. ¡°Uhh¡­.¡± That was all I could muster as he towered above me like a grizzly bear on its hind legs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her.¡± His deep voice made my chest rumble. ¡°She¡¯s stupid and always thinks people mentally undress her.¡± Eh? ¡°They do, Pa! I can see it in their eyes! ¡®specially his.¡± She looked at me as she covered her chest again. ¡°Yer eyes are so¡­vulgar.¡± ¡°Screw you!¡± I snapped. ¡°Girls like you are why I stayed a professional NEET!¡± "A professional what?" The man asked in confusion. I ignored him, focusing all my attention on the girl. ¡°Ya already did!¡± She cried. ¡°Ya did vulgar things ta me with those eyes, didn¡¯t ya?¡± She looked down with a blush. ¡°Those eyes,¡± she stared at me. ¡°They¡¯re so¡­¡± she shivered as I stared back. ¡°S-Stop-ICK!¡± The man karate-chopped her head. ¡°Shut up, idiot woman!¡± He scolded as she grabbed her injury. ¡°OWWIE! Pa, I bih mah hung!¡± She cried as she stuck her tongue out and fanned it with her hands. ¡°Good!¡± He turned his gaze to me. ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry. I heard from the back; you never used a weapon before? Well, that¡¯s pretty normal, believe it or not. We have just what you need to get started. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re also going to need-¡° he looked me up and down, and he stopped. What, are you mentally undressing me now? ¡°Whoa there, fella, no need to scowl like that. I¡¯m only looking at your armor. It¡¯s¡­unique.¡± He touched the collar of my coat and rubbed it between his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s soft to the touch, but¡­¡± he trailed off before smiling. ¡°I guess it¡¯s just a weapon then.¡± ¡°What? But Pa, he¡¯s not wearin¡¯ any-¡° ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± the man waved the girl off dismissively. ¡°First things first, we need to know what you¡¯re compatible with. What¡¯s your class?¡± ¡°Withheld,¡± I answered immediately. ¡°Huh?¡± His face scrunched at my reply. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to tell you about myself. I just need a weapon.¡± I stated bluntly as I picked up a sword and inspected it. Just act cool and play off the fact you don¡¯t have a class. Don¡¯t give them any reason to question you. ¡°You¡¯re new to this, aren¡¯t you?¡± The man forced a smile, and his eyebrow twitched as he watched me. ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of kids like you come in expecting it to be as simple as ¡®Give me a weapon.¡¯ Well, sorry to say, kid, but it doesn¡¯t work like that.¡± Don¡¯t call me kid, you giant grizzly bear. I¡¯m probably around the same age as you in my world. Maybe a little younger. ¡°Is that so?¡± I replied half-heartedly. I already knew what would happen. If having a class factored into what weapons you could use, then having no class meant I could use anything. In other words, I was a jack-of-all-trades, which made sense with my high luck. ¡°I don¡¯t like that smug look on your face.¡± A vein pulsed on his forehead. ¡°Where did it come from?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking is all.¡± Knowing I can pick any weapon here makes me feel so cool! But I feel like this is a key part of the story, right? It was the part where the hero chose his weapon. But when the hero could use anything, what would he use to look the coolest? A sword? A spear? Daggers? DUAL WIELD! ¡°Whatever,¡± the man grumbled as he turned and waved his hand, gesturing for me to follow. ¡°Come with me.¡± I did as told and followed him to the back of the shop. My eyes widened at the training area before me. It was large and had dummies and targets to practice on scattered across the circular room. ¡°The name¡¯s Caz, by the way.¡± He started as he tossed me a wooden sword, which I clumsily caught. ¡°Caz Vanduzer, the owner of Vanduzer Smithing. My daughter, as you see,¡± he looked at the girl. ¡°Works here with me.¡± ¡°That''s cool.¡± I wasn¡¯t really listening to him. I was inspecting the sword and holding it up before the girl touched my shoulder, making me jump. ¡°GAH!¡± I cried out as I dropped the wooden blade. ¡°My name''s Lilith! Lilith Vanduzer.¡± She beamed me a smile. ¡°What¡¯s yer name?¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I grumbled as I picked up the sword I had dropped. ¡°What do I do? Swing it?¡± I ignored her and looked to Caz. I wasn¡¯t giving my name to the girl who nearly accused me of SA. I knew what she could do with that kind of information. I wouldn¡¯t allow her to Naofumi my ass! No way in hell! ¡°More or less. I¡¯ll be able to tell based on how you wield and swing it if it¡¯s a good fit for you. That¡¯s a common short sword. Any Knight can wield that effectively. So, if you can¡¯t, you can¡¯t use anything bigger.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± I readied myself. ¡°That stance.¡± I heard Caz awe. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it bafore.¡± Lilith finished. Heh! Here goes! The time to show off! The time to shine! I¡¯m doing it, Rihanna, I¡¯m going to show you just how bright this diamond can sh- ¡°EGCK!¡± I slipped mid-swing and face planted into the ground. Chapter 3 "Yeah, that makes sense." Caz laughed as I rose to my feet. Lilith giggled next to him. What? But I-well, I probably can''t use any weapon. I most likely have a set one. It''s one of these games, huh? I sighed at the thought. "Just shut up and watch," I remarked as Caz tossed a spear at me. I went to spin it for an attack, but it flew out of my hands and across the room toward Lilith. ¡°Ohhhh. That¡¯s not go-" I paused as Caz caught it effortlessly. "That was close." He laughed pathetically, pulling Lilith and himself further away from me. "Try the bow." "Why would ya suggest that one next!" Lilith hissed at him. Yeah, I''ll ignore that. I thought with a scowl before taking a deep breath. Breathe...Concentrate...Release! FWWWOOOONNNNTSK! DINK-DONK-CLICK-FWWOOOSH! "What th-uhhhhAHHHH!" I turned tail to run as the arrow bounced several times off multiple surfaces before flying back at me. "How is that even possible?" I heard Lilith whisper to her father as I dropped to the ground, and the arrow zipped past me. Don''t mock me! Just wait until I find my weapon! I wanted to cry. I wanted to die! I tried an ax next. I could barely swing it. I was given a sword and shield, but that, too, was a failure, as my form was stiff and ragged. "Wow, ya really suck, doncha?" Lilith giggled at my failures. "What am I gonna do with ya?" "Huh?" I scrunched my face. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I figured she was schizophrenic or something and left it at that. "I told you I''ve never done this before, so don''t judge me." My reply came off as crude, but I meant nothing by it. I think she knew that as her smile never left her face. I had also reached level three from practicing, if that''s what you''d call it. "Still, I''ve never seen someone that was incompetent with all weapons." Caz chimed in. "Are you sure you want to be an adventurer? You may be better off as a merchant or some-" "I refuse!" I interrupted. "I refuse to follow the clich¨¦ isekai of playing weak and being a traveling merchant!" "Isekai?" Caz tilted his head in confusion at the word before switching his attention to something else that had caught his mind. "Hold on, playing weak? It looks to me like you are weak." He grinned. "But, hey. Maybe you''re an all-powerful mage but deny your talent and wish to wield a blade." He jeered. "Don''t mock me!" "Right, sorry." He shrugged. I clicked my tongue. "We have one weapon left to try anyway," I grumbled as I grabbed a dagger, the least likely weapon I''d want to use. They were used by thieves and assassins, and I didn''t want to be one of those. I wanted to be the hero who pulled the blade that could seal the darkness. It was always a sword. It was never a dagger! "Alright. Please work..." I whispered as I took a deep breath. Every muscle in my body loosened in that moment, and I felt a strange calling. I flipped the dagger in reverse grip. I couldn''t explain it, but I knew how to move, so I did. With a quick kick off the ground, I lunged at a nearby dummy. Before I had even thought of it, my arm swung, slashing it. I quickly slammed it back down into its skull and pressed my hand to its chest and pushed away, sending myself back a few yards with a skid as I readied the blade at eye level and lowered my stance. "Woah!!" Lilith clapped her hands together. "That was...decent." She laughed meagerly. "Huh?" I had felt like it was perfect. "Your stance," Caz started with crossed arms. "It''s wrong. It''s obvious you''ve never wielded that weapon before, but you have more aptitude for it than the rest. It''s also clear you have no experience in martial arts." "Is that so?" I muttered as I scratched the back of my head. "But still...seeing you like that was pretty cool," Lilith muttered, her face red. I could tell she was agonized just making the joke. But even still, my heart raced. Could this be...the start of a relationship? GAH! WHAT AM I THINKING!? I may have been in the body of a seventeen-year-old, but I was still twenty-eight mentally. It was wrong to look at a young girl like Lilith in such a lewd way, and there was no way we''d ever become anything more than customer and seller. Not only that, but as a shut-in OTAKU, I needed to be careful with my feelings. I didn''t have much experience with social interactions, let alone ones with women, and I knew how easy it would be for me to fall for the first one who praised me and gave me even the slightest bit of attention. I knew what I was, and I hated it. I was, without a doubt, a SIMP. "Stop flirting," Caz smirked as he smacked my shoulder. "I w-ACK!" I tumbled forward from his hit and landed face-first into Lilith''s chest. Ahh, HeaveeeAAAAAAAAHHH! "I''m sorry!" I pushed away before throwing myself to the ground, my forehead slamming to the floor. "I didn''t mean to, I swear! I know I''m a guy and you won''t believe me, but it really was an accident! I don''t even see you like that, so why would I want to touch your chest?!" I did what I could to calm her before she killed me. I prayed my high-luck stat would save me. Some luck. I sneered in thought. This isn''t lucky at all. "Huh?" She glared at me, a dark look on her face. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It¡¯s not working!! "Okay, resetting the scenario," Caz muttered as he lifted me effortlessly by my collar like a kitten before placing me down. "It looks like you found your weapon. So, do you want to buy one from us?" "I-I suppose." I stuttered a reply. I could still feel Lilith¡¯s gaze burning holes in the back of my head. I did my best to ignore it. I hoped she didn¡¯t see the sweat dripping down my face. If he did, she¡¯d know I knew she was staring, and that would cause more interaction with her. I wanted to avoid that at all costs so she didn¡¯t think I was a pervert or a weirdo who tried to touch her chest. I mean, I had looked at them earlier, and now that my face had been buried deep into her soft, warm, round, jiggly tits, she would definitely think I was a pervert! "Great!" Caz motioned for me to follow him, and I did as told. "This is our selection of daggers and knives." He gestured toward them. ¡°Mmm," I grumbled as I inspected them. None caught my eye. None stood out more than the other. They were still of excellent quality, however. Extremely high, in fact. Even I could tell from looking at them. But even still, I didn''t see one I liked. Well, does it matter what I like? I¡¯ll eventually get a better weapon drop. That¡¯s what I told myself, but in reality, I wanted to speed up the tutorial and skip to the action. And to do that, I would need a weapon. I extended my hand out to one of them when a strange chime sounded in my ears. It was the sound of...magic? I didn''t know how else to describe it. It was a mystical sound, like whatever it was was calling out to me. My eyes drew upward to a dagger that hung on a mantle on the wall behind the counter. It was in its sheath, but I saw it pulse a hypnotic golden light as my eyes met it. It was a little shorter than my forearm, and it pulsed once more, and I was freed from whatever trance I was in. "What is that?" I pointed at it. "Hm?" Lilith''s eyes followed my finger. "Oh...that..." her voice trailed off, and her eyes glazed. "It caught your eye, huh?" Caz asked as he walked over and grabbed it from the wall. "It''s the only legendary weapon I''ve ever made." He walked towards me with it. "Legendary?" The word piqued my interest. "Indeed. It''s funny, too. They say that legendary weapons are the housings for the souls of those who have perished in battle." He held it delicately in the palm of his hands. "I made this after my wife passed." I heard Lilith shift to my right. "I put everything I had into it. She used a dagger and said they were the children of swords." He had a smile that was full of painful yet loving memories. "But the thing about legendary weapons is that not just anyone can wield one. It has to choose you; otherwise, you can¡¯t even pull it from the sheathe." "We like ta balieve that Maw''s spirit is in it." Lilith started softly. "But...if that''s true, why wouldn'' she choose Pa or me?" "..." I didn''t say anything, I couldn''t. I had no right to, even I knew that. "I can''t say for certain it''s my wife whose soul is in this dagger, but I can say that no one who''s ever held this dagger was deemed worthy to wield it." "Oh? Deemed worthy?" I began to feel a smile creep across my lips, but it quickly fell as I remembered the truth of the matter. I was weak. I could barely fight with the dagger they had let me use, and even then, they said my stance was terrible. The earlier me would have thought I was the chosen one. That this blade had been waiting for me to find it. But over the course of the past few hours, all my confidence had been stomped. I knew I wasn''t a chosen hero, and I was beginning to doubt I was even a hero at all. "But for some reason," Caz flipped the handle toward me. "I feel like she''d like you." He smiled. "Pa..." Lilith spoke softly as she held her chest. This blade, regardless of if it houses their mother and wife''s soul, is special to them. I can''t just take that from them... I shook my head and took a step back. "I can''t take that." I turned my gaze to the ground as I opened my status window. Sion Barzahd Age: 17 Class: None Race: Human? Job: None Level: 3 Strength: 3 Agility: 3 Vitality: 3 Magic : 3 Defense: 3 Luck: 600 Experience: 132 NEXT: 64 Charm: ??? Harem: 0 Skills: ? Calm Mind (Passive) ? Charm LV.MAX (Passive) ? Adaption LV.MAX (Passive) Seriously? Do my stats, besides luck, match my level? My heart began to drop as reality began to hit. Even in this fantasy world, I had gotten the shit end of the stick. "I''m not strong enough," I muttered as I closed the menu. "She wouldn''t choose me. Besides, it''s special to you two. I have no right to take it.¡± "Try it.¡± Caz pestered. ¡°Please?¡± Lilith stepped forward and leaned on my arm. I turned to see her face close to mine. ¡°Mgh!¡± I quickly turned my gaze as I nearly looked at her chest again. I didn¡¯t know if I was seeing things, but I could have sworn her face had a golden light on it. ¡°Try it,¡± Lilith said. "Fine," I grumbled and took it from Caz¡¯s hand. Chapter 4 It was warm. Really warm. Light, too, almost as if it weighed nothing. I stared at the sheath, marveling at the design. The blade pulsed once again, this time blinding me. When the light died out, I found myself in a world of white. "What?!" I looked around in a panic. "Really? You? What the hell.¡± Eh? I turned to see a familiar-looking woman. Her long blue hair flowed past her back, and her ample chest was held up by her arms as she crossed them. ¡°I guess you are kind of cute.¡± She grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t blame her for that. But really,¡± she glared at me. ¡°It¡¯s those eyes of yours.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t know what to say. Who was she? Where was I? Why was she talking to me like that!? Was she an older version of Lilith with a more enormous rack? ¡°I guess, just this once, I¡¯ll let you draw me for free. Just so they know I did choose you.¡± She walked up to me. ¡°But after that,¡± she leaned down to make eye contact. ¡°You have to make a deal.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you? Sukuna?¡± ¡°Who?¡± She frowned as she placed a hand on my chest. ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t care. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± "Who are you?" I asked as a warmth filled my chest. She only looked at my hand, and my gaze followed it to the dagger. "Ah, I see." My eyes met hers. "You''re-" "Rei," I said as I pulled her from the sheath. The blade was obsidian black and had runes etched on it. Those runes shone a golden light as I stared at them before slowly fading. "What?" Caz stiffened as he stared at me, and I heard Lilith gasp to my left. "Huh?" I looked up at him, a sweat bead appearing on my cheek. Did I say something wrong? "What did you just say?" He asked, his voice shaky. "Er...Rei." I replied nervously. "Why?" Tears began to flow down his cheeks as he stared at me in awe, not answering my question. "Er... Lilith, is he o-" I cut myself off as I saw her holding her hands over her mouth while tears fell from her face as well. "D-did I do something wrong?" I asked sheepishly. "I''m sorry. I told you I shouldn''t use the bla-" "No. No. It''s not that." Caz hiccupped as he wiped away the tears. "Rei...that was my wife''s name." He looked at the dagger. "It really is her." "She chose ya." Lilith grabbed my hand. "D-Did she?" I stuttered as I awkwardly pulled my hand away. Lilith¡¯s grip on it tightened. GORILLA STRENGTH! Wait, no. I¡¯m just weak¡­ ¡°Ya know,¡± her face closed in on mine. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± she rested a hand on my cheek, and her face was illuminated in a vibrant yellow light. ¡°If you-¡° Nope! I stepped away. ¡°Hey¡­¡± "Well then," I reached into my coat pocket and grabbed the bag of coins before pulling out a handful and handing them to Caz. I refused to let Lilith speak to and egg me on with her¡­flirting. I doubted it was that. I knew she was only trying to goad me into reacting, and I wasn¡¯t one to fall for those types of games. "W-what is this!" Caz exclaimed as the coins fell into his hands. "Your payment," I answered bluntly. "What else would it be?" "Forty-nine, fifty!" Lilith exclaimed. "Fifty gold coins!" She finally looked at me in awe. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Is there something on my face? "This is...way too much!" She replied. "Most legendary weapons cost fifteen or twenty gold!" "Hngh!" "Did''ja just croak?" Lilith chuckled. "Ya can take some back." That''d look so uncool, though! "I didn''t do anything," I scoffed, trying to play off my mistake. "I gave you fifty because that''s what you deserve. In fact," I reached into the bag and pulled out fifty more. "T-this is for taking me back there to train me." My body felt hot and flustered as I rambled and gave away more money. "Also, because she''s special to you, and I''m taking her." What am I doing!? I kept trying to act cool and play off my mistakes, but it only led to a worse outcome. "KYA!" Lilith squealed in excitement. "Pa! Do ya know what this means?" She looked over at her father, who had his arms crossed, eyes closed, and a smile on his face. "Yep. This should help us keep the shop open a while longer." He looked at his daughter. "Keep it open?" I repeated. Shit, I said that out loud. I knew I was in for a dialog. "Don''t worry about it." Caz waved his hand dismissively. "It''s nothing a customer needs to worry abo-" "We''re almost outta business." Lilith interrupted him, freezing me from where I had tried to sneak off. "I-Is that so?" I laughed sheepishly as I quickly turned to face them. Caz grumbled about his daughter before sighing heavily and replying. "Well, our smithing shop isn''t as famous as I''d like it to be. We aren''t getting many customers, so we aren''t getting much money." "Ah," I replied ambivalently. I mean, that''s how it works, right? No customers, no money, no shop. ¡°We''re a newer shop in this area," Caz continued, ignoring my blatant disinterest. "We set up here a few years ago after Rei passed. It was her dream to own a smithing shop in the capital. But since there were other smithing shops before us that people had gained trust with, we haven''t had much of a client base." He sounded disappointed, but he also had a look in his eyes that said he wasn''t surprised. "Well, it ain''t over yet, Pa!" Lilith said. "With what he gave us, we can stay open longer! Plus, Maw wouldn'' want us ta give up." ¡°Yeah, you''re right. We have to keep our spirits high." His eyes ignited with passion. I see. I closed my eyes. I like these two. They remind me of myself when I play video games. There were times when I wanted to give up. Where I felt stuck, like I wouldn''t move up or get better. But I kept at it and never faltered and grew from that. I was sure they would as well. Caz waved me off and told me I could stay a while longer if I wanted before making his way to the back. I, of course, didn¡¯t. Especially not after he left me with Lilith. I turned to the door again, reaching for the handle. "Ya gonna become an adventurer?" Lilith asked. What is she doing? Making small talk? Just let me leave! I was going to ignore her, but Rei vibrated violently on my back, where I had her sheathed. The sudden vibration felt more like a shock than anything else, and my hands were thrown up as I squeaked. Fine! I turned to Lilith. ¡°I am,¡± I responded. I hated it. Small talk, I mean. What was the point of it? Small talk, by definition, was talk used to fill in awkward gaps or pauses. And Lilith, as the one who initiated, was basically admitting she felt uncomfortable. I knew it was because of the incident earlier that caused that discomfort, so why wouldn¡¯t she just let me leave? Wouldn¡¯t that have been better than forcing conversation? "I figured it''d be fun to fight things and get stronger." I kept it short and sweet. "Get stronger, huh?" I narrowed my eyes at the smirk on her face. "How strong are ya?" Was she getting cocky? Did she want a challenge? Like that¡¯ll happen. I¡¯m level three. Of course, she¡¯d best my ass. Sadly, my competitive side still didn¡¯t like to be looked down on. "...." a sweat bead appeared on my cheek as I replied. "Not very. My level is still pretty low." "Really? I''m level twenty-five." "Cool." I didn''t care. Was I supposed to be impressed? Should I have given her a cookie? "Yea. I had ta practice mah skills at weavin'' an makin'' good armor an weapons. So, that gave me quite a bit of experience. Though I haven'' leveled up in a while since then." She laughed meekly. "Cool," I repeated. Rei vibrated harshly, making my back arch. ¡°Er! I guess you¡¯ve been hard at work then, huh?¡± I smiled meekly. "I have!" She beamed a smile. ¡°It''s made me pretty strong, even though I''m not an adventurer." I knew it. She¡¯s- The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Are you trying to say you''re stronger than me?" I asked with a frown. Isn¡¯t she, though? Nah, I bet I could still win. I¡¯ve fought plenty of high-level enemies in games before. I may only do chip damage, but if they can¡¯t hit me, I won¡¯t lose. "Oh, I don''t know," she shrugged. "Maybe jus'' a little." "Oh really?" I leaned over the counter and slammed my hands down with a smirk. My eyes glowed softly as they locked with hers. I always love a challenge. "Ya wanna'' test that theory?" I mocked her accent. I watched as she shivered before replying. I hope that didn¡¯t piss her off. "Heh," She smiled. "Bring it on, city boy!" She began walking to the back. I followed after her. "Oh boy." Caz sighed exasperatedly as we walked past him. He saw the fire in both our eyes and knew what was going on. ¡°The rules are simple. Hand-to-hand only.¡± Lilith explained. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°No groping.¡± ¡°Aww, and here I was, thinking I¡¯d have some leverage on you.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Oh well.¡± Anytime I was challenged to anything, I locked in. You could say it caused a shift in my personality, but I didn¡¯t see it that way. I saw it more as the real me finally having a reason to show himself. ¡°Perv.¡± She puffed. ¡°Uh-huh. You ready?" I asked as I got into a clumsy fighting stance I probably look stupid! I don¡¯t know shit about martial arts! I should have paid more attention when my dad forced me to do MMA as a kid! "When you are," she replied as she got into her stance. Her arms raised protectively over her face and placed her leading foot ahead of her. She looked like a professional boxer, and I immediately began to regret my decision to accept the challenge. Was I about to get my ass beat by a girl? Did that sound wrong to say? I¡¯m not sexist! I¡¯m a man! "You sure about this?" I asked. "I don''t want to hurt you." Fall for the bait! "Oh?" She stepped forward and tapped her fist to mine. "Try me." ¡°Hngh!¡± Dumb luck! I had somehow managed to dodge a jab from her fist. As clumsy as my dodge was, I ended up tripping over my own feet, managing to evade her cross punch. I hit the ground and quickly rolled to face her, getting lucky again as she slammed her fist to the ground where my head had been. She¡¯s trying to kill me! I knew it! This is revenge for falling into her chest! ¡°Wow, yer good at dodgin¡¯,¡± Lilith remarked as I rolled away and returned to my feet. She quickly closed the distance and unleashed a combo on me, all of which I somehow managed to dodge. Jab, cross, hook, backhand, swipe, overhand. NOTICE: You have adapted. New skill unlocked. Skill name: Martial Arts LV.1 (Passive) What is-Wait! My eyes widened. I wanted to question the messages that had appeared in my HUD, but I was too focused on the fight. And after receiving the aforementioned skill, I saw my opening. Executing an overhand left you open for a counterattack. So, I did just that and threw out a jab to gauge the distance and see what combo I could attempt to execute. ¡°Eh?¡± Lilith grabbed my arm and jumped before wrapping her legs around my arm and neck. As she fell, I went with her. A flying triangle choke! I hadn¡¯t expected her to know grappling, too. Not that I cared. Oh yeah. I drooled as she squeezed her thighs around my face. Wait, no! Bad Sion! ¡°Caught ya," Lilith grinned as she loosened the grip on my arm and pulled me closer with her legs so our faces were close together. Calm down! Calm down! It¡¯s just a sleeper hold; there¡¯s nothing sexual about this! Mmm. Nothing except these thighs. AH! I did it again! "Y-yo-you¡¯re pretty s-st-strong, aren¡¯t you?" I stuttered. Gah! Be still my beating heart! "Hmm,¡± she hummed. Her head cocked slightly as she stared at me with narrowed, judgmental eyes. ¡°I thought ya¡¯d be stronger than that. Yer pretty weak.¡± She chuckled as she unwrapped me and stood back up before reaching a hand out to me. I stared at it for a while, hesitating to take it. Ultimately, I did what any man who knows his worth does¡­I caved. "Plus, ya really don'' know hand ta hand combat." Lilith giggled as she lifted me. ¡°I know a little,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Mostly dodging. If ya want," Lilith grabbed my hand and lifted it. "I can teach ya sometime." "Oh?¡± My eyes glowed as I stared into hers. ¡°One on one?" I let slip a joke. Notice: Charm¡¯s effect has activated. Eh? Lilith¡¯s face flushed red as she shivered. "S-Sorry! It was a joke! It just slipped; I didn''t mean it!" I waved my hands in immediate surrender. Where was a white flag when you needed one? "Huh?" Her face twisted in annoyance. She''s pissed! Quick, use retreat! "I-I''m really sorry!" I took a step back. "Really. I-I d-" SQUEE! My boots squeaked as I tripped over my own feet. ¡°Careful!¡± Lilith reached for my hand to catch me, but she tripped forward, and both of us went crashing to the ground. Ahhh. Heave-WHAT AM I DOING!? My hands had¡­well, let''s just say it was instinct. I didn¡¯t want to do it; my hands did it on their own. "Ahh! I-I''m sorry!¡± I quickly pushed away from her and got to my feet. She did the same. Don¡¯t tell me¡­Is my luck stat actually lower than the average person!? ¡°I have really bad luck! I''m really not doing this on purpose!" I feebly attempted to defend myself. "Oh, I see what yer doin''," she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into her chest again. "Ya wan'' me ta coddle ya in my chest and rub yer back, donchya? Haha, just kid-" "Yes!" I blurted from my safe space between her breasts. My eyes were filled with determination as they met hers, but also an alien glow that I was unaware of. "H-Huh?" Her face flushed. Notice: Charm¡¯s effect has activated. Okay, that one was on me. But seriously! What is this Charm ability!? "A-Ah! S-Sorry! I was- I was thinking to myself aloud! I mean...I totally didn¡¯t mean that. See, where I¡¯m from, it¡¯s common to joke around with people like that.¡± ¡°Well, jus'' so ya know,¡± she smiled. ¡°Here, it¡¯s not common. We only do it with someone special.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry. I messed up and shouldn¡¯t have joked like that.¡± The best retreat was always a humble apology. Lower yourself before them. Make them know you¡¯re less than them. Then, out of a power trip or pity, they¡¯d let you go¡­Normally. ¡°Yer not the one who started it,¡± she puffed her cheeks. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I was in the wrong for going along with it.¡± I knew that trick. It was a test. She was seeing if I ever thought I had a chance, and if I played into it, she¡¯d say something like, ¡®Egh. You meant that? I was just joking! You¡¯re revolting, and stop looking at me like that!¡¯ ¡°Yer not listenin¡¯, are ya?¡± She sighed. ¡°So it¡¯s really not me,¡± she smiled happily as she let me go. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± I¡¯ve heard that plenty of times before. "It always is.¡± She grumbled something under her breath before we made our way awkwardly back to the front of the store. "Be sure to stop by again sometime!" Caz called as I began heading to the doors. "Will do," I replied with a wave. "Wait!" Lilith called to me before I stepped out. I sighed internally and turned around to look at her. "What''s your name?" I blinked slowly at her several times before replying. "Sion. Sion Barzahd." I answered as I stepped out the doors and back into the streets, signaling the start of my adventure. Chapter 5 As I made my way through the Grassy Plains, I looked around for my first opponent. As the starter area, even a BAMBIE like me could fight an enemy there. I even saw several other adventurers, all who looked new judging from their gear and horrid line-ups, fighting slimes and giant bipedal lizards. Did that thing just breathe fire? There was no way in hell I¡¯d be fighting one of those lizard things, so I set my mind on finding a slime. Slimes were basic enemies in every game you played like Legend of Zelda, Dragons Dogma, and even Final Fantasy. They were the joke monsters that were only a real danger if they ganged up on you¡ªespecially the ones in Dragons Dogma 2. The number of times I had died to those damned slimes, which were immune to physical attacks, while my stupid Pawns, which were my mages and sorcerers, cried about how I needed help without helping pissed me off. However, I watched the other adventurers slice the slimes down normally without magic, so I figured it best to take them on. From what I saw, the slimes had your average slime attacks. They jumped at you. Yeah, that was it. They had no crazy move sets like the lizard monsters I watched doing flips, twists, and dodges as they fought the adventurers. Man! I totally want to fight one right now! I thought as I saw several slimes that weren¡¯t occupied by other parties. But¡­I can¡¯t risk embarrassing myself. I still didn¡¯t know how to fight effectively, nor did I know how much my stats would come into play with my damage output. I didn¡¯t want anyone to possibly see a slime kicking my ass. If they did, my life as an adventurer would be ruined before it even started! They¡¯d see me in town and say, ¡®Hey, that¡¯s the guy who got his ass handed to him by a slime.¡¯ And then they¡¯d laugh, and no one would ever want me in their party! Just the thought of that scared me. With that said, I needed to find a place that was away from the other adventurers where I could practice. ¡°This should do it.¡± I looked around. There wasn¡¯t a soul in sight, and the only enemies I saw were slimes. ¡°Perfect!¡± I approached one of the slimes and popped a squat in front of it. It lazed about, its gelatin-like body jiggling as it moved like a snail. So cute! It seemed that slimes, despite being monsters, were docile creatures and would only attack if provoked. ¡°Alright then.¡± I stood up and kicked the creature like a soccer ball, sending it into the air before it came back down with a plop. Its attention turned to me, and its body contorted and wiggled as it prepared to lunge. ¡°Let¡¯s get this party started!¡± I grabbed Rei behind my back and went to unsheathe her. Click. ¡°Eh?¡± I looked behind me. Had I grabbed her wrong? Click. Click. Click. A sweat bead dripped down my face as I smiled awkwardly. I knew the slime was about to attack, and I needed to draw her to fight back. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! She refused to be unsheathed. That was when I remembered her words. ¡°Just this once, I¡¯ll let you draw me for free.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± My voice cracked. ¡°She was seri-HNGH!¡± I froze as the slime flew past my face at a murderous velocity. Maybe my luck was high because had I not turned my head to face it again, it would have smacked right into the side of it. And at that speed, I was sure it would have done some damage. Possibly even killed me with my current stats. ¡°H-Hey!¡± I stuttered nervously as I turned to face it. ¡°At least let me get ready!¡± It flung itself at me again, and I ducked under it. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Click. Click. Rei still refused to be drawn. You worthless bi- ¡°Ahh!¡± I squeaked as she vibrated violently, forcing me to let go of her hilt. ¡°What the hell! What was that for, you bi-AHHH!¡± Another vibration, only that time more violent. ¡°You b-IIIIIIHHHHHHHHH! OKAY! OKAY! I¡¯M SORRY! I DIDN¡¯T KNOW YOU COULD READ MY-EEEK!¡± I squealed as Rei vibrated again at an intensity that made me collapse. Just as I hit the ground, the slime flew past me. Wait¡­did she do that to save- ¡°Ahhhhhh! Okay! I get it!¡± I had tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and say her vibration had saved me from the slimes attack, but it seemed that had only been a coincidence. I guess I have to find a way to kill it without R- ¡°Eh?¡± A shadow covered me as the slime came down from above. ¡°OOF!¡± I watched as my HP dropped from full to a sliver that I could hardly see as the slime slammed into my gut with the force of a truck, knocking the wind from my lungs. LUCK: You have survived with 1 HP That would have been a one-hit kill!? ¡°Ah! R-Rimuru ¡­ W-Wait¡­¡± I gasped in pain as I rolled over to my stomach. I saw its gel-like body contort and morph from where it was in front of me, hinting that it was about to lunge again. I have to move! I rolled out of the way as it jumped up and slammed down again. ¡°Ugh!¡± I nearly hurled as I rose to my feet. ¡°Am I really this weak?¡± As if responding, Rei vibrated. ¡°Shut up!¡± I barked. ¡°This is all your fault anyw-AY!¡± I sidestepped as the slime attacked. Damnit! What do I do? I had no weapon to fight the slime, at least not one that would let me use it. That left me with one other option. I may look stupid, I took in a deep breath to steady my nerves as I raised my fists. But it¡¯s all I can do. In order to survive in this world, I would have to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I would do whatever I needed to grow stronger, even if it meant fighting in ways I never wanted to. I mean, who the hell was I? Itadori Yuji? Why would I want to go around punching people when I had a legendary weapon? I watched the slime as it moved. The way its body twisted and contorted gave away how and when it was going to attack. It wasn¡¯t a difficult enemy. In fact, I would hardly even call it that. If anything, it was practice. ¡°If one hit from you can kill me,¡± I started, a large smile spreading across my face. ¡°Then I just have to kick your ass without taking a hit.¡± As if reacting to my sudden cocky demeanor, the slime flung itself at me. ¡°Ngh!¡± I quickly dodged around it. It¡¯s so fast! I hadn¡¯t taken my eyes off it, yet I had barely seen it. Was the gap between my stats and the slimes that significant, or was I just that pathetic? It hardly mattered because I had already decided I¡¯d do whatever it took to win, even if it took all day to defeat it. Timing. I thought. I have to figure out its timing. I needed to figure out the spacing between the slimes attacks. How long did it take before it lunged? Was there a cool down or grace period before it could attack again? How long did it take for its attack to reach me? If I could figure those three things out, I could win. I watched it morph its body in preparation for another attack. Chapter 6 1¡­2¡­3.. It lunged. 1¡­ I dodged. Three seconds to prepare an attack and almost two to reach me. Now, I needed to confirm. 1¡­2¡­3.. It lunged. 1¡­ I dodged. ¡°Okay!¡± I could feel the grin forming on my face. I knew how to counter it. Now, my battle would be much easier to manage. I hated that I had to time a creature as low as slime. It made me feel as though I was dropped into the world on Dark Souls difficulty, where any enemy could kill you if you rushed into it. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I loved those games, but I saw the other NEWBIE adventurers fighting the slimes with no issues. I was the only one who had to fight like this. Whatever. My grin widened. If I have to play this game on Critical Mode, then so be it! ¡°I don¡¯t care if you take all day to defeat!¡± I dodged an attack as I spoke, countering with one of my own. My fist made contact, and the slime crashed to the ground with a jiggle. ¡°I will win!¡± The slime flung itself at me again. This time, I didn¡¯t dodge but instead hit it with a jab right before it reached me. My fist connected, and I unleashed an uppercut as it recoiled back. The attack sent it high into the air. ¡°Got you, you son of a-¡° I stopped as I watched it¡¯s body stretch apart before slamming back together, causing it to fly back at me. ¡°HUGH!¡± It slammed into my face, sending me flying back. I bounced several times before sliding to a stop. LUCK: You have survived with one HP. What was that!? It hadn¡¯t done that attack before, so it caught me off guard. Was that a counterattack? It had to be. There was no other explanation. Also, how did I survive with one HP when I only had one to begin with? Not that I cared. I was grateful not to have died from a slime. After all, this world may have been reminiscent to a game, but it was real, and I was alive. If I died, I would die for real. There was no respawn, no redo, no save point. I thanked my luck stat for keeping me alive before painfully rising to my feet. ¡°Cheap bastard,¡± I grunted. ¡°You¡¯re just a slime. You should have shown me all your moves already. Why the hell are you all of a sudden using new ones? Whatever. Let¡¯s try this again.¡± I waited for it to attack, countered, and then watched to see if it would. It didn¡¯t. It only hit the ground before preparing another strike. It lunged, I countered, it was sent flying back, and its body stretched again. It¡¯s not a counter! My eyes widened as I stopped my punch mid-swing. It¡¯s a retaliation! I dodged just as it flew back at me. It hit the ground and bounced like a ball, slamming into my back. ¡°HN!¡± I was flung once again and informed I had survived with one HP. ¡°What¡­What the hell!? Am I seriously getting my ass handed to me by a slime?¡± I hissed as I pushed myself up. A shadow appeared above me, and I quickly rolled out of the way as the slime came crashing down. ¡°One more time!¡± I readied myself in a stance as I waited for it to attack. Lunge, jab, step back. Lunge, jab, hook. Its body stretched. I dodged, and when it hit the ground, I quickly turned, executing a spinning backhand that sent the slime flying away. Notice: You have adapted Skill Martial Arts is now level 2 The slime jiggled before slowly melting and dissolving into a blue puddle. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­.GO!¡± I screamed to the sky. I had won. I killed my first slime, and I had leveled up doing so. The excitement kicked in my adrenaline, and I began searching for more to fight. I wanted to reach at least level fifteen before ending the day. I didn¡¯t know how long it would take to farm the experience, but I didn¡¯t care. Now that I knew the slimes attack patterns, the others would be easy. ??????????????? The sun had set by the time I finished farming and returned to town. There had always been something about the nightlife I found appealing. The streets, which were busy during the day, were dead now, with the only souls out being drunken adventurers making their way home or couples that had decided to go on a late-night walk. I scowled as one said couple walked past me. ¡°By the Seven,¡± the man said. ¡°The moon¡¯s light truly highlights your beauty.¡± ¡°Paul, stop it!¡± The woman giggled. I shivered at how cringe it all was and quickly turned down an ally to escape the torrent of cringeness known as flirting that followed. ¡°Psst.¡± ¡°EEE!¡± I jumped as a shadow appeared behind me. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The man inspected me. He was round, almost circular, and his gut hung low. The handlebar mustache on his lip curled up as he smiled. He wore a top hat, probably to hide his receding hairline, and his clothes led me to think he was some sort of butler. But the air around him told me he was no butler but something else. ¡°Those eyes of yours,¡± his unsettling smile did nothing to ease my nerves as he spoke. He had already approached me in a dark alley. That was shady enough on its own. The least he could have done was act a bit more charming. ¡°So rotten.¡± ¡°The hell does that mean?¡± I scowled at him. ¡°I mean that you most definitely would take a liking to my wares.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Ho?¡± A black market? ¡°I see I¡¯ve piqued your interest already. I knew you were my type of customer.¡± He rested his hands on his gut. ¡°Those eyes of yours tell me all I need to know. You are most definitely a man of culture. One who would take quite the interest in my wares.¡± ¡°Heh. What kind of shady shit do you sell, geezer?¡± I smirked as I rested a hand on my hip. ¡°We talking black market weapons? Possibly stolen legendary ones? Oh, or maybe sex slaves.¡± I nodded. ¡°Mmm. Yeah. That seems right down your alley.¡± I looked around. ¡°Er¡­this alley.¡± ¡°AHEHE!¡± His laugh sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°My. You are quite the fellow. Come.¡± He motioned for me to follow. ¡°Let me show you what I sell. BUT!¡± He quickly turned, making me stop in my tracks. ¡°You mustn¡¯t tell a soul about what you see tonight.¡± His eyes glowed a fierce red, and his demeanor completely shifted. ¡°Otherwise, I will find you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I scoffed, my eyes glowing brightly as I did so. ¡°Is that a threat, old man?¡± I placed my hands in my coat pockets and leaned forward to be at eye level. His face was highlighted in a vile yellow light. ¡°I¡¯ll rip that eighteenth-century shit stain off your lip if it was.¡± I may have been weak, and I may have been a shut-in, but I never let anyone walk over me like that. Especially not some round basketball-looking eel like him. I guess you could say it was the gamer talk in me. It was normal for us to talk shit online. The only difference with me was that I would do it in person. It was why I was so disliked by people in school. It wasn¡¯t my fault I refused to be bullied (I was), but I didn¡¯t stand there and take it (I did). I at least popped my mouth off as they beat my ass. Of course, I eventually dropped out, but that was because of more than just the bullying. The man shivered before composing himself, smiling once more as he spoke. ¡°Interesting. Very interesting. Come! Come!¡± He grabbed my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure I have something you¡¯ll wish to purchase.¡± ¡°H-Hey!¡± I cried out. ¡°Let me-Uhh¡­H-Hey! Th-That¡¯s a wall! A w-AHHhhhh¡­Eh?¡± I opened my eyes to see that we were no longer in the alley but in a strange warehouse-like space. ¡°What the¡­¡± I looked around wide-eyed. ¡°Where¡­are we?¡± ¡°Why, my shop, of course.¡± The man cackled as he let me go, motioning for me to follow. I did as told, all while looking around. His shop was a labyrinth of narrow aisles cluttered with an eclectic mix of items. On one side were racks of weapons¡ªgleaming swords, ancient daggers, and crossbows with intricate carvings. The metal glinted ominously in the flickering light of oil lamps hanging from the ceiling. Shelves lined the walls, which were filled with dusty tomes and grimoires. Their leather-bound covers were cracked with age, and some were secured with heavy chains as if to contain the dark secrets within. In the back, where he led me, large iron cages housed various wild animals. Wolves with piercing eyes paced restlessly, their low growls echoing through the room. Hawks perched silently, their sharp talons gripping the bars and eyes watching every movement. Among the cages, I saw creatures I never thought possible to exist¡ªtiny dragons with iridescent scales, a griffin with majestic wings folded tightly, and a phoenix, its feathers glowing faintly with an inner fire. ¡°No way,¡± I muttered as I inspected it. The phoenix let out a screech before it was consumed in flame, burning to ash. I jumped back at the sudden blast of heat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not dead. You see, those birds are unique. They-¡° ¡°From the ashes, you shall be born anew,¡± I whispered as a baby chick poked itself from the phoenix''s ashes. ¡°So cool!¡± My eyes sparkled. ¡°You¡¯re more interesting by the minute.¡± The man guffawed. ¡°How does one such as yourself know of the legend of the phoenix?¡± ¡°I used to do a lot of research on mythological creatures,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s nothing mythological about them. They¡¯re real and loyal as one could get.¡± No way. Am I about to get a phoenix! ¡°It could be yours for the price of nine hundred fifty gold coins.¡± ¡°Hngh!¡± I GAVE LILITH AND CAZ TOO MUCH! ¡°I-I can¡¯t afford that,¡± I laughed meekly. ¡°I only have nine hundred. Could you do it for that?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°REALLY!¡± ¡°If you throw in that legendary dagger you have hidden underneath your coat.¡± Well, seeing as how she¡¯s useless¡­ ¡°De-AAAHHHHHHH!¡± Rei shocked me as I went to grab her. ¡°S-Sorry. I can¡¯t do that, either.¡± I smiled like nothing happened as he gave me an awkward stare. ¡°W-What can you do for nine hundred?¡± ¡°Mmm. Well, I was hoping you¡¯d have enough to buy one of these familiars.¡± He grumbled. ¡°I saw the old man give you that money.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He was watching me? No...the way he spoke about the old man. Was he watching him? ¡°What did you spend the other hundred on?¡± ¡°¡­.I was scammed.¡± I averted my gaze. It wasn''t exactly a lie. I scammed myself out of the money. ¡°Poor soul,¡± he sighed. ¡°Well, I suppose I have some other stuff in here you may like.¡± ¡°Do you have any daggers?¡± ¡°You already have one. Besides, it¡¯s as you said out there. I sell legendary weapons, though not stolen, just¡­collected from the dead.¡± ¡°So?¡± I frowned. ¡°Sell me one, then.¡± ¡°No can do. You can only have one legendary weapon at a time. You know they have souls, yes?¡± I nodded. ¡°Well, they¡¯re clingy and picky with who they choose. So, if another weapon attempted to bond with you, the souls would battle each other, resulting in your demise.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d mind,¡± I grumbled as I reached back and touched Rei. ¡°She hates me.¡± ¡°Does she?¡± He rested his hands on his gut with a smile. ¡°Cause it seemed to me she didn¡¯t want to leave your side a second ago.¡± ¡°¡­.Do you have any magic books or items? Something that can teach me magic or help me learn to cast it?¡± ¡°Pointless.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You have no magic power.¡± He scowled. ¡°Why would you waste your money on that? It would be a waste to give a spell book to you.¡± ¡°No magic power!¡± I squeaked. ¡°W-Wait. What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean just that. You have no magic power. No aptitude for magic. You are unable to cast spells.¡± ¡°N-No¡­This¡­this can¡¯t be.¡± I fell to my knees as tears fell from my eyes like a river. ¡°No magic?¡± Chapter 7 ¡°Why are you acting as if you didn¡¯t know this already?¡± The man asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your magic power measured when you were younger?¡± Uh-oh! ¡°I-It was.¡± I quickly stood up and collected myself. ¡°I just¡­hoped it wasn¡¯t true and that I may have grown stronger.¡± ¡°Magic power cannot grow.¡± He scowled at me. ¡°Whatever you were blessed with at birth by the God¡¯s is what you have, and from what I sense, your magic power is hardly anything.¡± He motioned with his fingers, leaving only the smallest gap. ¡°It isn¡¯t enough to do anything. Hence why I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re a thief.¡± He smiled. ¡°Though, even most thieves have a magical aptitude to allow the most basic of spells.¡± It''s one of these games, huh? Depending on your class, it limited your spell arsenal, preventing you from learning or acquiring certain spells, and seeing as how I had no class, even after reaching level fifteen, it was no surprise to me that this was the case. Still, how could I have been brought to this world to be so weak? What was the point? Why was I scorned by the God¡¯s even in this world? ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± I murmured. A lie, obviously, but one I needed to go along with. ¡°Well, is there anything that I can purchase that can help me? I tend to struggle in fights. I¡¯m still new to fighting and only recently decided to be an adventurer.¡± ¡°Late on the uptake, huh?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Well, since you can¡¯t afford a familiar, perhaps a slave will be of use.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I blurted. ¡°I¡¯m not that low.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I have a rather intriguing girl I recently purchased from a slave trader. I was told she put up quite the fight.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She¡¯s a skilled swordswoman,¡± he continued. ¡°And rather charming, if I say so myself.¡± He twirled his mustache with a sinister grin. Maybe¡­Maybe I should buy her, if only to save her from whatever this man has planned. That¡¯s what I told myself, but the reality was that he had caught my attention after mentioning she was a skilled fighter. If I had someone like that traveling with me, farming would be much easier. I disliked the idea of having to be carried and hated running into others in my games who were. Valorant was especially bad at this, and every time I played, someone on the enemy team was being carried by someone in a much higher rank. The difference between them and me, however, was that I needed to be carried right now. Otherwise, I could die if I ran into a powerful creature. ¡°How can I guarantee she won¡¯t just run if I do buy her?¡± I asked with crossed arms. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll really lose my money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where a slave contract comes in. Once she is assigned to you, she cannot leave your side. If she does, she¡¯ll die after a certain amount of time has passed.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I placed a hand on my chin in thought. ¡°I guess I could take a look.¡± ¡°Good! This way.¡± I followed him further into the back until we arrived at our destination. A cloth covered the cage, and as he pulled it off, my heart stopped. Inside the cage was a cat girl. She had short, striking black hair and piercing emerald-green eyes that glared at me. Her tattered clothes barely covered her slender frame, and her chains clinked as she shifted. Her ears flattened against her head, and a low hiss left her lips. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. ¡°Hey there,¡± I spoke softly, trying to keep my voice steady. I couldn¡¯t believe it. My deepest desire. My one true wish. It had been granted. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you.¡± The cat girl hissed again, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. I could see the fear and anger in her gaze, and it broke my heart. How badly had she been treated to look at me like that? Her skin was bruised, and she had bandages wrapped around her arms and legs. She had been injured. It pissed me off thinking who could harm such a beautiful girl. I slowly approached the cage before kneeling down, making myself smaller to appear less threatening. ¡°My name is Sion, and I want to help you.¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but her hissing ceased. My eyes casted a soft, comforting light over her as I smiled. She¡¯s so cute! I want her! I need her! She retreated further into the cage as she began to shiver, the fur on her ears and tail sticking up in fear. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± The man rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I see you find her alluring as well. That face you made says it all. I take it you want her, then?¡± ¡°Shit, I was making a face?¡± I scowled at him before looking back at the girl. ¡°S-Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to look at you like that. I just¡­You¡¯re¡­¡± Her pupils shook in fear, and my heart sank. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I really do want to help you. Or, really, I need you to help me.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°No.¡± Her voice was shaky and barely audible. ¡°I-I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t do it.¡± Shit, that totally came out wrong. ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that.¡± I waved my hands in surrender with a weak and awkward smile. ¡°You see, I¡¯m pretty weak, and I heard you were strong.¡± She continued to stare but said nothing. ¡°I need someone like you to help me with my quests while adventuring.¡± Her eyes widened, and for the first time, a glimmer of hope appeared in her emerald depths. ¡°Adventuring?¡± She repeated. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± I smiled brightly. ¡°We¡¯re going to become adventurers, and you¡¯re going to help me.¡± She hesitantly crawled forward until she was directly in front of me. She grabbed the bars with both hands as her eyes met mine. ¡°Adventurer? Me?¡± I watched as her tail began to sway. MY HEART! ¡°You¡­want me to be an adventurer with you? You¡­want me in your party?¡± Don¡¯t tilt your head like that! I¡¯m gonna die! ¡°I do.¡± ¡°But¡­I¡¯m a Beastkin...People will¡­judge you.¡± ¡°Then let them judge.¡± I slowly raised my hands and grabbed the bars near hers. ¡°All I care about is me and you. Who cares what others think? Let them hate. While they¡¯re busy doing that, we¡¯ll be having fun and getting stronger, surpassing them. Then,¡± I smiled arrogantly. ¡°We can kick their ass for all the shit they talked.¡± Her eyes sparkled as a soft smile began to form on her lips. ¡°Hmm.¡± I heard the man hum behind me. ¡°You truly have no other intentions with this Beastkin?¡± I didn¡¯t know what a Beastkin was, but based on experience from games and anime, it was most likely people like her¡ªhumanoid people with animalistic traits. The term Beastkin left me to wonder if there were others like her and what kind of traits they had. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± My eyes never left hers as I answered. ¡°I just want to help her and for her to help me in return.¡± Her hand slowly moved until it was on top of mine. ¡°Okay.¡± She whispered. THUMP-THUMP! I quickly jerked back and cleared my throat. ¡°H-How much?¡± The man stared at me as if looking at a diamond in the rough before responding. ¡°How about you give me the rest of your coin? If you do that, I¡¯ll even throw in her sword that I purchased.¡± ¡°You have Nyroc!¡± The girl exclaimed. Her voice cracked as she spoke. It sounded to me like she needed some water. The name Nyroc quickly informed me she was referring to a legendary weapon. If she had one, then giving him the rest of my coin was worth it. Hell, I would have given him the rest just for her. ¡°Throw in some clothes, and you have a deal,¡± I said. ¡°No can do. I don¡¯t sell clothes.¡± ¡°It was worth a try.¡± I smiled weakly at the girl before looking back at him. ¡°Fine then.¡± I reached into my coat pocket and handed him the bag. ¡°Great!¡± He snatched it and vanished behind some shelves before returning with a sword and its sheathe and handing it to me. ¡°Oh, fancy.¡± The hilt was red and gold with platinum-colored wings extending from the guard. The sheathe was fancy as well. Black with golden lines wrapping around it. ¡°Ah, before I forget.¡± The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a watch. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the sign of your contract.¡± He replied before walking towards the girl. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± She hesitantly did as told, and he pricked her finger with a needle before letting a drop fall onto the watch. He did the same with me, and a dark purple light came from it before dying. ¡°Put this on.¡± He handed it to me. I did as told, putting the watch on my right wrist. ¡°Ho?¡± The man awed. ¡°You¡¯re left-handed?¡± ¡°I am. Why?¡± He grinned violently. ¡°No reason. Before I let you go, let me explain how the contract works. That watch tells you how much time she has left before dying if she gets too far away. The contract also forces her to obey commands as long as you say, ¡®I order you to¡¯ before making your demands.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± I shrugged as he opened the cage. The girl immediately ran into my arms after he freed her from the chains, and her face buried deep into my chest. ¡°H-Hey.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I felt her purr vibrating my soul, and I stuck my ass out as I pat her head. ¡°N-No biggie,¡± I replied before pushing her away softly. ¡°But¡­¡± I looked her up and down. ¡°We can¡¯t have you walking around like that. Here.¡± I took my coat off and handed it to her. ¡°Wear this until we get some money to get you a real outfit.¡± She smiled as she took it and put it on. It was much too large for her, and she rolled the sleeves up before taking a deep whiff. ¡°It smells like you.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t say things like that.¡± I quickly averted my eyes from hers. ¡°Weirdo.¡± She only giggled as we made our way out of the shop, the man thanking and waving us off as we did so. Chapter 8 ¡°D-Do we really have to do this right meow?¡± KYAAA! I LOVE HER! ¡°W-We do,¡± I stuttered my reply, but could you blame me? It was a real-life cat girl. A real-life cat girl that was walking next to me with her arms wrapped around mine! Cat girl! Cat girl! Cat girl! ¡°Master?¡± She tugged my sleeve. ¡°Why¡­are you drooling?¡± ¡°mEdIcAl CoNdItIoN!¡± My voice cracked as I wiped away the drool on my lip. "Y-You don''t have to call me that, you know. You can call me by my name." ¡°Oh¡­Okay¡­¡± She yawned, exposing her cute, sharpened canines. Ohhhh! My heart pounded, but that elation soon vanished as sympathy kicked in. After leaving the store, we headed into the Grassy Plains. I was tired, yes, but I was used to staying up several days at a time to farm in my games, and now that I had her as part of my party, I needed to see how strong she was. She, on the other hand, showed signs of drowsiness. Her constant yawning, the dark circles under her eyes, and her clumsy walking, which was why she held onto my arm. Needless to say, I felt terrible, and I was sure she hadn¡¯t slept comfortably in a while, but I had to test her to see where she was in terms of skill and strength. It would give me an idea of what kind of quests we could take on and what her limits were. My first target was slimes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized as I looked at her. ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, but I need to test your strength.¡± ¡°On slimes?¡± She meowed softly. ¡°Do you¡­doubt me?¡± ¡°N-No! Not at all!¡± ¡°Then¡­ why are you having me fight the weakest monster?¡± So they are the weakest!! ¡°Why¡­are you making that face? Did-Did I¡­disappoint you? I¡¯m sorry, Master. I-I won¡¯t ask any more questions. Please,¡± her grip on my arm tightened, and I felt her claws dig into my skin. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me.¡± LUCK: You have survived with one HP Are you kidding me! It seemed even her claws were enough to damage me. Of course, when the black market owner pricked my finger with the needle before, I had been given the same message. It looks like everything and anything can kill me. But I didn¡¯t care about that. All I cared about was how her body shook violently. She was scared. Scared I would abandon her. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where that fear came from. It had to have stemmed from somewhere. ¡°Were you abandoned before?¡± I asked softly as I rubbed the ears on her head. She jerked when my hand touched her, but after realizing I was only petting her, she began to purr softly. ¡°My parents sold me into slavery.¡± She started, her voice shaky. ¡°I think it was because Nyroc chose me.¡± She looked at the sword on her back. ¡°They wanted to sell him after I found him, but because he chose me as his wielder, I refused. They sold me in response.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Tsk.¡± I grit my teeth. ¡°How could they do that?¡± ¡°My family was poor, so I understand them having to sell me off.¡± My hand clenched into a fist as she continued. ¡°It was my fault. I never should have disobeyed them. I love Nyroc and all he¡¯s done to help me, but¡­that was only because I kept him. I never would have needed his help if I-¡° She stopped as I grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, my eyes glowing with anger. Her ears drooped, and her tail curled around her legs in a gesture of submission. ¡°How can you say that?¡± I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and hurt. ¡°How can you understand why your parents sold you into slavery? They betrayed you!¡± Her emerald-green eyes shimmered with unshed tears. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sure they had their reasons.¡± I let her go and turned my head as I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. ¡°No reason justifies what they did!¡± I looked back at her, and a vibrant golden light enveloped her face. ¡°You deserve so much better than that. You deserve to be loved and cherished, not sold like a piece of property.¡± She looked down, her ears flattening against her head. ¡°But... what if they were right? What if I¡¯m not worth more than that? What if... I was better off being sold?¡± My expression softened, though my anger still simmered beneath the surface. I stepped closer, placing my hands on her shoulders again. ¡°Don¡¯t ever say that. You are worth more than you can ever imagine. And I will never, ever abandon you. No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I know your worth.¡± Her eyes stared deeply into mine, and a golden light reflected in her depths. ¡°And so should you.¡± Her eyes widened, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. ¡°I promise. You¡¯re not alone anymore. We¡¯ll face everything together.¡± I pulled her into a gentle hug, my anger melting away as her warmth calmed me. ¡°I will never abandon you. I will never sell you. You were worth every gold coin I spent.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± Her tail uncurled as she clenched my shirt tightly in her fragile hands. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± She sobbed softly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shit. I made her cry. Did I say something wrong? ¡°Thank you!¡± Her wails made my heart break, and we both slowly got on our knees as she continued to sob into my shirt. ¡°I felt so alone! I was so scared!¡± She wiped the tears from her face, but they only continued to fall. ¡°Why did they sell me? Why did they get rid of me like that? What did I do to deserve that?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I reassured her as I rested my chin on her head. ¡°You did nothing.¡± She¡¯s been hurt badly¡­ I stroked her head as her wails sounded through the night. Both physically and emotionally. I looked at her. The way the moon made her skin look even paler than it already was, how her emerald-green eyes shone in the night, how red her face and nose were as she sobbed into my arms. In that moment, I made a mental note to make sure she never cried again. Chapter 9 ¡°I just realized,¡± I laughed nervously, doing my best to change the subject. ¡°I never got your name.¡± She sniffled a few more times and collected herself until she stopped crying. ¡°Nia,¡± she replied. ¡°My name is Nia.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± I grinned. ¡°That¡¯s way too cute.¡± Her face flushed softly, and she turned her head away. That was probably weird to say as her owner. I didn¡¯t want to say or do anything that would make her think I would make any sudden and unwanted advances on her. The fact I was her owner made things worse. Deep down, she knew that if I wanted, I could force her to do what I wanted. Of course, I would never do that, but she didn¡¯t know that, and the thought was most likely ingrained into her mind. ¡°Is my¡­name all that¡¯s cute?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°N-Nothing!¡± She quickly got to her feet, determination filling her eyes. ¡°I¡­I will do my best to show you I was worth every coin spent!¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± I sighed as I stood up. ¡°I already know you are.¡± I placed a hand on her shoulder as I walked past. ¡°So, I¡¯m counting on you to keep me safe.¡± I smiled. ¡°From¡­slimes?¡± She asked as she followed next to me. I gazed awkwardly in the opposite direction as I smiled weakly. ¡°M-More or less.¡± I laughed sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­pretty weak.¡± I scratched the back of my head. ¡°Then¡­I¡¯ll try my best to make sure nothing gets past me!¡± ¡°Heh,¡± I rubbed my nose. ¡°I like that fire in your eyes, Nia! Now, let¡¯s get to it!¡± I pointed at a slime that now crossed our paths. ¡°Show me what you can do!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± She unsheathed Nyroc. The blade was a stunning silver that seemed to shine in the moonlight, and she quickly ran toward the slime before launching herself into the air. Fire engulfed the blade, leaving a trail of fire as she crashed down. Fire erupted from the ground as she stabbed into the slime, killing it instantly. IT TOOK ME FIFTEEN MINUTES TO KILL A SLIME! SHE JUST ONE HIT KO¡¯D IT! ¡°Did I¡­impress you?¡± Nia meowed softly as she looked at me. The flames behind her were a stark contrast to her pale skin, and the shadows of her silhouette danced hypnotically. My face flushed red as I looked away and scratched my cheek. ¡°Y-Yeah. I¡­I guess slimes are too easy, huh?¡± ¡°I told you they were the weakest.¡± She walked to me and shot me an alluring smile. ¡°So let¡¯s try something harder.¡± ¡°A-Are you sure? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°I want to show you what I can do.¡± ¡°Idiot.¡± I already have a good idea of what you can do. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you look at me?¡± ¡°Hngh!¡± ¡°Am I¡­ugly? Am I¡­not to your liking?¡± Why is she asking that!? ¡°N-Not at all!¡± I waved my hands as I looked at her. ¡°Wait, that came out wrong. You are to my liking. You¡¯re totally my type. Wait, that came out wrong. You¡¯re cute. Super cute. Wait-¡° ¡°Hehe.¡± Nia giggled, her tail swaying fervently and her eyes shining. ¡°W-What? What¡¯s so funny?¡± Was it my stuttering? Was she making fun of it? I wouldn¡¯t blame her if she were. I was a complete mess, and it was all because of her. She was way too attractive, way too adorable, and totally my type. Her soft ears, her gentle meows, and her fluffy tail were everything I always wanted in a girl. That meant on Earth, my dream girl was just that¡ªa dream. But here, in this world, she was real and right in front of me. And now that my dream girl was no longer a dream, I couldn¡¯t help but fumble the bag anytime she looked at or spoke to me. ¡°Nothing.¡± Nia shook her head softly, her ears swaying with the motion. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Master. I want to show you what I can really do.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°R-Right.¡± I smiled weakly. ¡°And I thought I said you didn¡¯t have to call me that,¡± I said as we began walking, making our way into the forest in search of new enemies. ¡°But that¡¯s what you are.¡± She replied. ¡°You own my body, heart, and soul.¡± I could hear her purrs from where I walked. Mmmm. Music to my- ¡°Eh?¡± It had taken me a second to register what she had said, but when I did, my eyes opened wide. ¡°What?¡± Nia asked as she placed her hands behind her back and quickly walked ahead of me. ¡°Is this¡­ too fast for you?¡± She looked back with a smile as she spoke. Is she¡­No. I perished the thought. Of course, she wasn¡¯t flirting, nor was she attracted to me in any way. That wasn¡¯t how real life worked, and this was real life, despite feeling like a video game and anime. People didn¡¯t just fall for you like that. It made no sense, and they definitely wouldn¡¯t have fallen for me, either. I wasn¡¯t even the main character. Hell, I could hardly call myself the background character with how weak I was. ¡°Nah, I can keep up,¡± I replied as I picked up my pace. ¡°Hehe.¡± Her tail swayed. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure y-OOF. ¡° My foot hit a tree root, causing me to fall forward. Nia quickly turned to catch me. ¡°Mas-NYA!¡± So cu- ¡°Eh? What hole did we just fall-¡° ¡°M-MYASTYER! D-DYO-MMM!¡± Her hand clasped the hair on the back of my head, and I immediately realized where I was. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± I scooted back, and my face hit the ground with each apology. I was informed each time I had survived with one HP. ¡°M-Master¡­¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I was ready to accept whatever punishment she saw fit, prepared to see the disgust and rage in her eyes and face, but as my eyes met hers, I saw the flushed face of a cute girl who kept darting her eyes from the tree line and back to me while biting softly onto her finger. ¡°W-Why did you s-¡° Her ear flicked, and she quickly turned her attention to the nearby thicket. The mood immediately shifted from awkward to serious, and we stood up. ¡°You heard something,¡± I said more than asked. I already knew the answer, and Nia drew Nyroc from his sheathe. I reached back and grabbed Rei. Click. Nia looked at me, and I gave her a pathetic smile. Still won¡¯t let me draw you, huh? Rei vibrated softly. ¡°Whatever,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Trouble with your weapon?¡± Nia chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s probably jealous.¡± Why does she sound so arrogant? And why is her tail swaying like that? I shook my head to clear my mind. ¡°Nah, she wouldn¡¯t g-EEEGGGHHHH!¡± Rei shocked me violently. ¡°DAMN YOU VILE WOMAN!¡± She wouldn¡¯t get jealous; she was just being a bitch. That¡¯s what I wanted to say, but Rei wouldn¡¯t let me. She was, once again, giving me a hard time. If she wanted to shock me, I¡¯d let her, but how the hell was she going to be of any use if she wouldn¡¯t let me draw her? What was the point of choosing me as her wielder if I couldn¡¯t wield her? ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Nia chirped. ¡°You can always rely on me!¡± She held her sword up as something made its way through the bushes. Even I could hear it now, and it sounded big. Twigs snapped, and a low growl was audible. However, there was another sound mixed with it. A hiss that was fairly familiar to that of a reptile. I stepped back, unsure of what the creature could be. Whatever it was, I knew it was a danger to me regardless. ¡°N-Nia?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Master!¡± She stepped in front of me. ¡°I¡¯ll save you just like you saved me, and then¡­¡± her body shivered, and the fur on her ears and tail stood on end. ¡°Nya!¡± WHAT WAS THAT!? Chapter 10 The creature came into sight. Or rather, it was best to say the two creatures. One of the lizard men I had seen before was riding on the back of a wolf. The wolf was nothing like the wolves from Earth, and it towered over me and Nia as it approached. It looked more like the extinct dire wolf than the average gray wolf, not that size was of any consequence. It was a danger to me regardless, and I found myself shrinking behind Nia as the lizard pulled on the scruff of the wolf, causing it to rise on its hind legs like a horse. Consequently, the lizard breathed fire from its mouth, and the wolf slammed its front paws back on the ground before letting out a menacing snarl. I cowered behind Nia. Had I encountered this thing alone, I would have surely died. I was glad to have run into that black market shopkeeper and purchased Nia because outrunning it wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Master,¡± Nia reassured me as she stepped forward. Nyroc began to glow green as cyclones of wind surrounded him, and Nia gripped the hilt with both hands before bringing Nyroc to her side. She looked like a samurai who was ready to strike a deadly blow. ¡°This is nothing!¡± As if accepting her challenge, the wolf ran at her, reaching her in two enormous strides. Its jaws opened wide, and saliva leaked from its mouth like a starved and ravenous animal. At the same moment, the lizard breathed fire. Nia swung Nyroc like a bat, creating a funnel of wind that blew both the wolf and the lizard away. The powerful gust reached even me from behind her, and I watched her in awe as my coat, which she wore, fluttered in the wind. Nia didn¡¯t hesitate to follow up, and she ran forward. The cyclone had knocked the lizard off the wolf¡¯s back and sent it into the air, and Nia kicked off the trunk of a tree, flying toward the lizard. She spun in the air gracefully like a ballerina as she cleaved the lizard in two. The wolf, recognizing I was easy prey, ran at me, but Nia closed in on it from above. ¡°DON¡¯T TOUCH HIM!¡± She spat as she landed on its broad skull. ¡°HE¡¯S MINE! MINE! MINE!¡± Ice enveloped Nyroc as she plunged him into the wolf¡¯s skull the moment before it reached me. The force of her thrust plunged the wolf to the ground, pinning it down as several pillars of ice protruded from the earth, stabbing the wolf''s flank and underbelly. It let out several whimpers and kicks before falling limp. I was left in a state of complete shock as Nia walked down the snout of the beast, licking the blood off her hands and wrist. Her emerald-green eyes met mine, and the look in them sent a shiver through my entire being. It wasn¡¯t fear; it was something else I failed to comprehend as her purrs sounded in the deathly silence. ¡°I-¡° I was at a loss for words. Both because of her strength and agility and also because of what she said. I¡¯m¡­hers? My heart raced. Ah, she means I¡¯m her owner. I sighed softly. That makes more sense. ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± I finally said. That was an understatement. I was ecstatic to have someone as strong as her supporting me. With her, I could grow stronger and achieve the power I sought. I will be as strong as her one day. My eyes glowed with determination as I looked up at the starry sky. No. A large grin forced its way across my lips. I¡¯ll be even stronger! I can already see it! My arms spread to either side of me as I closed my eyes and began laughing softly. I will be the strongest! ¡°M-Master?¡± Nia beckoned me with a meow, bringing me back to reality. ¡°Er, sorry.¡± I smiled awkwardly as I scratched my cheek. ¡°I was just daydreaming, is all.¡± ¡°You¡­ looked like the bad guy from the stories I used to read as a kid.¡± She murmured. ¡°D-Did I?¡± I laughed sheepishly. ¡°You did. It was¡­¡± her cheeks flushed softly as she looked away. ¡°Hot.¡± ¡°Hm? You seriously have to speak up.¡± ¡°Nyothing!¡± She exclaimed in embarrassment as her face flushed a bright red. ¡°W-What? Why¡­are you smiling at me like that?¡± ¡°Am I smiling?¡± I reached my hand to my mouth to feel that it was, indeed, lifted in a smile. ¡°S-Sorry.¡± I waved my free hand feebly, doing my best to hide the smile that refused to leave with the other. ¡°You¡¯re just too cute.¡± ¡°Mmph!¡± Her tail shot straight up, and she quickly did an about-face. ¡°M-Master?¡± She started nervously. ¡°Tonight¡­d-do you want to-¡° ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked as I bent over and grabbed a strange glowing orb. I didn¡¯t mean to cut her off; I just hadn¡¯t heard her, but I did hear her walk up behind me to inspect the orb. ¡°Oh!¡± She placed her hands on my shoulders as she leaned over me. ¡°Master! That¡¯s a Core!¡± ¡°A monster core?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She looked at me from where she was leaning over my shoulders. My eyes slowly lurked toward her chest, but they quickly darted back to her. She had a large smile on her face as she continued. ¡°And this one is in perfect condition!¡± She chirped. She talks louder when she gets excited. I smiled softly. I¡¯m glad she¡¯s enjoying herself. ¡°Is it?¡± I asked as I picked it up. I held it up slightly, gazing into the stone as it shone a vibrant red. I saw something swirling within, and a sense of comfort came from its beauty. So beautiful. I couldn¡¯t explain it, but it was like I was gazing into a soul, marveling at its beauty and transcendence. ¡°¡­.me like that?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was pulled from my thoughts as Nia spoke. ¡°Nothing,¡± she grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s rare to get one in that condition, so it should sell for a good price. We can get a room at an INN for the night.¡± ¡°So it sells pretty good, huh?¡± I placed a hand over my mouth to hide the smirk that had formed. Maybe my luck stat will come in handy here. ¡°They do. But¡­ like I said, getting a core in that pristine condition is rare. We should return to-¡° ¡°ONWARDS! TO MONEY!¡± I stood up abruptly, causing Nia to stagger back. ¡°B-But Myaster.¡± KYAAAA! Don¡¯t do that! Nia leaned against me and pressed her hand to my chest. ¡°I want to hurry and get a room.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired,¡± I agreed. For some reason, that made her frown. ¡°But if we can get a few more of these, we could get you some clothes and armor before tackling quests.¡± I placed the core in my pocket before resting one hand on my hip and the other on my chin. ¡°Plus, it would help us cover a room for me and you so we don¡¯t have to-¡° ¡°No!¡± ¡°Hu-Hey!¡± I cried out as she grabbed my arm and began to drag me. ¡°N-Nia! Where are you going? We need more! More money! More experience! More levels!¡± ¡°No! We don¡¯t need any more money.¡± She looked back at me. There was a look in her eyes that turned my blood to ice. It was the look a predator had when it found its prey. ¡°I¡¯m tired. We¡¯re done for tonight. I want to sleep.¡± ¡°But Nia!¡± I cried as she dragged me through the streets of the town. I was trying to pull away or hinder her advances, but it was all to no avail. She simply overpowered me. ¡°No buts!¡± She hissed. ¡°Ni-YA!¡± I squealed as she reached into my pocket to fish out the core. She quickly slammed it on the counter, and the receptionist for the INN''s eyes widened. ¡°Just one.¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± I tried harder to pull away, using every ounce of strength to break free. ¡°Nia!¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± she purred as she continued to pull me along. ¡°Me and Master. Me and Master.¡± ¡°WHY ARE YOU JUST STARING? HELP ME!¡± I begged the receptionist or any of the other adventurers who were in the lobby to help me. They all looked away. ¡°TRAITOR!¡± I turned my attention to Nia, who chirped happily. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Me and Master, nya! Me and Master, nya!¡± Lord, forgive me, for I am about to sin. I happily resigned myself to my fate. ¡°Was that a Nekomorian?¡± Nia froze as the adventurers began to speak. ¡°What the hell is a Beastkin doing here, and why was she with that guy?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the watch? She¡¯s his slave.¡± ¡°Why the hell would he ever want a Beastkin for a slave?¡± I watched as Nia¡¯s ears drooped, and her tail fell flat to the ground. ¡°People¡­.will judge.¡± The words she spoke when I first met her rang in my ears. Was this what she was referring to? Why is it such a big deal? What''s the issue with Beastkin? Those questions raced through my mind. I was still new to the world, so customs and beliefs were new to me. I hadn¡¯t thought anything of it when she first said it, but it seemed there was an issue with Beastkin. It seemed as though they were hated, but for what reason? I wanted to ask Nia, but I saw how deep the words of the others cut into her psyche, so I quickly took the lead. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go, Nia.¡± I said as I grabbed the key from her. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°I told you before to ignore them,¡± I grumbled as I unlocked the door to the room. ¡°Didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­.You did.¡± ¡°Then why are you letting what they say get to you?¡± ¡°¡­Because they¡¯re right.¡± She whispered. ¡°I¡¯m a Beastkin, and I shouldn¡¯t be with you.¡± ¡°Nia¡­¡± I pat her head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Her eyes met mine, and I quickly averted my gaze. ¡°If anything, I shouldn¡¯t be with you. I¡¯m weak, and you¡¯re not. You deserve someone who can protect you, not someone you need to protect.¡± She had already been captured once. It may have been luck on their part, or maybe she had simply been outnumbered, but the fact still stood that she couldn¡¯t do everything on her own. But I was doing just that. I was leaving everything to her. Having her carry me through quests, protecting me from monsters, I was sure that was a heavy burden to bear. ¡°Master¡­¡± She abruptly wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You¡­you should be with me. I want you to be with me.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, then why bother caring about what they said?¡± My hands held her waist softly. ¡°Why care about others'' feelings when you know your own?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m just a worthless Beastkin, and you¡¯re a Human.¡± Her hands clasped the back of my shirt tightly. ¡°And I still don¡¯t know if you hate me deep down. Your eyes¡­they look at me differently than the others. But¡­what if you aren¡¯t looking at me? What if you¡¯re faking it? What if this is a trick?¡± ¡°Nia¡­¡± My heart shattered. She was broken and found it hard to trust. I couldn¡¯t blame her after what she told me. Her own family sold her away, so how could she truly trust a stranger who bought her as a slave rather than freed her from it? Maybe¡­I should set her free? I looked at the watch on my wrist. I hated to admit it, but I knew she was only staying with me and acting clingy to conform to what she believed I wanted. She feared upsetting me because I could force her to do what I wanted. So, she did everything she thought she had to do to ensure I never forced her to do anything. If I set her free, she would be free to do what she wanted, go where she wanted, and be with who she wanted. She wouldn¡¯t be forced to stay with me by the contract that bound us. ¡°Mas¡­ter?¡± Her eyes watered as I reached for the watch. I removed it from my wrist and gripped it tightly. ¡°Do you reckon if I break it, it¡¯ll set you free?¡± Just as I raised my hand to smash it, Nia, with her feline agility, tackled me to the ground, leaving us in a position I found much too exciting given the circumstances. ¡°Ngh!¡± "Nyo! Please, dyon¡¯t!¡± Tears streamed down her face as she cried. ¡°Nia¡­I-¡° ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± She sobbed as she dug her claws into my chest. She was trying to keep me pinned down, fearing I would run away. That¡¯s hopeful thinking¡­ If anything, she wants to run away. I looked at the watch in my hand. She just can¡¯t. ¡°You didn¡¯t-¡° ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d always be there for me. I don¡¯t want to break the contract.¡± Her face pressed close to mine, and her scent enveloped me. It wasn¡¯t sweet. She reeked of BO and sweat, but I found that enticing in its own strange way. ¡°I want to stay with you. I don¡¯t want you to leave me.¡± Her words pierced my heart. I had thought breaking the contract would free her, but seeing her pain made me realize that wasn¡¯t the case. Was it because I treated her differently than other Humans? It had to be. She said so herself that I looked at her differently. She had found someone she could speak with without being scorned or looked at with hate. She didn¡¯t want to lose that. I understood her fear and pain. In a world that often felt indifferent, making someone feel unwanted was one of the greatest disservices we could offer, so I showed her attention like no one else. I promised her a life of adventure and safety. A life with me. It seemed she was ready to fight tooth and nail to keep that. I failed to see why. Why did she want to stay with me so badly? I was a Human, just like she said, so why wouldn¡¯t she just go to her own kind? She could escape whatever suffocating feeling she had being stuck with me in a city of judgmental Humans. I hoped it was love, but I knew it was fear of the unknown. Ironic, wasn¡¯t it? People believed they were driven by their desires, but in reality, it was their fears that guided them, and it was Nia¡¯s fear of the unknown that clouded her judgment. ¡°Nia, I never meant to hurt you. I just thought¡­ you¡¯d be better off without me.¡± She shook her head fiercely, her tears flying through the air as her ears flattened against her head. ¡°You promised me.¡± She meowed desperately. ¡°You promised that it would always be me and you. Don¡¯t leave me.¡± My resolve crumbled, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nia.¡± Her purrs vibrated my chest as she nuzzled closer. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you. I promise.¡± The watch glowed softly in my hand before dying out. Notice: Nia¡¯s bond with you has deepened. All stats have been increased by 50. My eyes widened at the message that appeared in my HUD. Bond? Wait, do I¡­have an affection system? Some games had them. It allowed the player to deepen their bond with the other characters in their party, sometimes giving stat increases or bonuses as a result. No, that¡¯d be weird. I sighed internally. It probably has to do with the contract between me and her. Regardless of the cause, I was grateful for the stat increase. ¡°Come on,¡± I grunted as I sat up. ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep. We¡¯re gonna need it for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± With that, we both crawled into bed. ¡°Uh¡­Nia? Wait, you¡¯re right.¡± What had I been thinking? What kind of man would make the girl sleep on the floor? ¡°Master.¡± She tugged on my sleeve, stopping me from getting off the bed. ¡°yEs!¡± DAMNIT! ¡°You can¡­¡± She lifted the covers over her face. ¡°Sleep on the bed.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± I sighed as I got up. ¡°It¡¯s weird for a guy and a girl to sleep in the same bed. Especially when they aren¡¯t together.¡± ¡°¡­ward.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She puffed as she turned her back to me. ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight,¡± I replied. I removed my shirt to use it as a pillow before lying down on the cold, hard floor. It wasn¡¯t soon before sleep slowly began to take me, and I prayed that when I woke, I would still be in this world. Chapter 11 ¡°God, I love ice cream,¡± I said as I happily licked away. ¡°NMM!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I looked around. ¡°Mmm.¡± I went back to licking. ¡°So good!¡± I opened my mouth and chomped down on the vanilla swirl. ¡°NYA!¡± My eyes opened to Nia. She was completely nude and lying on the ground facing me. The base of her tail was tucked under her legs while the tip was in my mouth. ¡°Hmm?¡± I had never been a morning person, and it always took me several minutes to fully wake up. So, with my mind still a groggy mess, I sucked on the tip of her tail a few more times, still believing it to be vanilla ice cream. ¡°M-MYASTER! I-I¡¯M GONNA-¡° Her claws dug into my shoulder, jolting me awake. ¡°Eh?¡± My eyes widened as I looked her up and down, using my tongue to slowly push her tail out of my mouth. ¡°EH!" I jerked back as I realized the dangerous situation I was in. Nia breathed heavily, and she was biting a finger as her purrs vibrated loudly through the room. She stared at me, her eyes filled with a glint of longing as she crawled towards me. ¡°Master,¡± she started, her meow soft yet seductive. ¡°Why¡­did you stop?¡± ¡°EHHHH!?¡± I shot to my feet. ¡°N-Nia! W-Wh-Wha ah hou hakeh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re drooling,¡± she purred. ¡°Why are you drooling?¡± ¡°MEHIHAL HOHIHON!¡± I wiped the drool away. ¡°Master¡­¡± She crawled closer. I crawled back until I hit the wall. There was nowhere left to go, and I stiffened as her face closed in on mine. ¡°Were you dreaming of food?¡± ¡°I-I-¡° My eyes began to fall as I looked at her chest briefly. No! I can¡¯t! I quickly looked back at her eyes. ¡°Are you¡­hungry?¡± She sat on her knees as she tilted her head. ¡°W-Why are you naked!?¡± I squeaked. ¡°I always sleep naked,¡± Nia replied. ¡°Do you¡­not like that?¡± ¡°Y-You c-can¡¯t d-d-do th-that wh-when I-¡° ¡°When you what? When you¡¯re in the same room?¡± Her tail wrapped around her slender and curvy torso as she pressed her hands to her chest. ¡°Why not? You own me, Master. My heart, body, and soul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works!¡± I stood up. She grabbed hold of my pants and looked up at me. Oh, God! She looks like she¡¯s about to- ¡°You¡¯re¡­excited.¡± She purred loudly as her claws dug into my thighs. ¡°I can smell it.¡± Her hands slowly moved to my inner thighs. ¡°I can feel-¡° ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± I screamed like a girl as I ran to the other side of the room and jumped into the bed. I grabbed the covers and wrapped myself inside. ¡°Put some clothes on!¡± ¡°But, Master.¡± The bed weighed down as she got on it, and I felt her mount the covers on top of me. ¡°But nothing!¡± Her claws penetrated the covers, and she slowly began to rip them. KYAA! ¡°Master. Master. Master.¡± She repeated repeatedly in promiscuous excitement as the light from the window began to leak into the tears of the covers. ¡°I see you.¡± She giggled. ¡°Please, Master.¡± Her tailed crept it¡¯s way into the slits. ¡°Finish what you-¡° A knock on the door, followed by a voice, cut her off. ¡°Excuse me, but it¡¯s time for you two to check out. We have other adventurers waiting for rooms, and you only paid for one night.¡± SALVATION! ¡°Tsk.¡± Nia clicked her tongue before getting off the bed. I heard the sound of clothes rustling as she dressed herself, and I sighed in relief before breaking free of my cocoon. ¡°Here.¡± My shirt collided with my face as she glared at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°W-Why are you looking at me like that?¡± I asked nervously. ¡°I hate being teased.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I tilted my head. What did she mean she hated being teased? Who teased her? She was the one teasing me. I knew Nia had no intention of going through with whatever she was doing. She was only doing that to please me. She was still in the mindset that if she didn¡¯t do it, she thought I would force her to. I should probably tell her I¡¯m not like that. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to force yourself on me,¡± I murmured as I threw my shirt on. ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of guy that¡¯ll force you if you don¡¯t do it on your own. In fact, I don¡¯t want you to do it.¡± The tip of her tail and ear began to flick as I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to try and pleasure me, especially when it¡¯s not what you want.¡± ¡°So¡­I do have to force myself on you.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m saying that you don¡¯t. I won¡¯t make any advancement on you, nor will I force you to make any on me.¡± ¡°So¡­I do have to force myself on you.¡± WHY ISN¡¯T SHE UNDERSTANDING! ¡°Maybe a new outfit will change your mind?¡± She mumbled to herself as she looked at her tattered clothes. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. What is she on about? I sighed softly, giving up on the previous conversation and changing the subject. ¡°You do need some clothes.¡± I agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to farm more for Cores last night.¡± ¡°I was tired and thought you¡¯d¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Well, you did, but then stopped.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She grumbled. ¡°I told you Cores like the one we found are rare. It would be better to go to the guild and get some quests.¡± She¡¯s more talkative than usual. Maybe she really did need some sleep. ¡°I guess we should do that,¡± I agreed. ¡°They probably pay more for the quests, and we can tackle multiple at a time for a greater profit.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She purred. ¡°Alright then!¡± I pointed. ¡°ONWARDS! TO MONEY!¡± ¡°To money!¡± She chirped as she mocked my pose. SO CUTE! ??????????????? After leaving the INN, we made our way to the guild. No, I didn¡¯t know where it was, but I was no NOOB to games. I knew it would most likely be in the heart of the town near the square or somewhere around it. It wasn¡¯t long before we found it, and as we entered, the clinking of mugs and the hum of lively conversation filled my ears. The bar, which was made of dark, polished wood, stretched along one side of the room with a variety of drinks lined up behind it. The bartender, a burly figure with a friendly smile, expertly poured ales and meads for the patrons. In the center of the room, adventurers gathered around sturdy wooden tables, sharing tales of their latest quests and battles. Some were clad in shining armor, while others wore robes adorned with mystical symbols. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and the sound of hearty laughter. At the entrance, a receptionist sat behind a large, ornate desk. She had white hair, icy blue eyes, and pale skin. She held a quill in hand as she diligently recorded the comings and goings of guild members. Her desk was piled high with scrolls and maps, and a large ledger lay open. Hanging on the walls was a massive banner depicting a fearsome monster with three horns. The creature¡¯s eyes seemed to follow me as we moved about the room, adding an air of mystery and danger to the guild hall. We made our way to the receptionist''s desk, and I slammed my hands on the counter. ¡°I want some quests!¡± The girl standing there slowly looked up from the book she was reading. Her eyes darted to Nia, looked her up and down, then to the watch on my wrist, and finally back to me. ¡°You make me sick.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°You have a slave?¡± She sneered. ¡°And a Nekomorian at that.¡± Nia shifted beside me, and I frowned at the receptionist. ¡°Watch your tongue, Ice Queen,¡± I remarked. I thought it a fitting nickname, but her lips curled as she reached over the counter and grabbed my collar, slamming my face into the counter. ¡°Ack!¡± Luck: You have survived with one HP ¡°Don¡¯t call me tha-¡° ¡°HISSSK!¡± Nia spat as she drew Nyroc, cutting the receptionist off and pointing him at her. ¡°Sheathe your weapon, Beastkin slave.¡± Her tone carried malice as crystals of ice began to glimmer around her. ¡°Nia, calm down.¡± I stepped in front of her. ¡°MOVE, MASTER!¡± Nia demanded. ¡°SHE HURT YOU! I PROMISED TO PROTECT YOU, NOW LET ME-¡° ¡°Nia!¡± I struggled to hold her back as she attempted to lunge at the receptionist. ¡°NIA!¡± I wasn¡¯t strong enough, and she was easily pushing me back. What do I- Her tail flicked in my face. Please work! I grabbed hold and pulled. ¡°NYAAAA!¡± Nia cried out. She dropped Nyroc as she dug her claws into my chest. ¡°M-MYASHTHER!¡± She drooled. ¡°N-Nyot here! Nyot in front of everyone!¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking abo-¡° ¡°You disgust me.¡± The receptionist snorted. ¡°You''d do that in public?¡± ¡°Huh? I only-¡° ¡°Myaster! Myaster! Take me back to the INN, nya! Take me back!¡± ¡°Now look what you¡¯ve done.¡± The receptionist growled. ¡°Myatser! Please!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a despicable man.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do any-¡° ¡°What¡¯s all this commotion about?¡± A new voice asked. The guild immediately fell into silence as the air inside changed. I knew who it was that had spoken. It was the guild master, and even though I was new to this world, I felt their presence. I felt their power. It was like a weight on my shoulders, and I struggled to stand as I turned to face them. Chapter 12 Crimson red eyes and midnight black hair. A small, lithe frame, and as she smiled at me, I saw the fangs in her mouth. ¡°AW SICK! You¡¯re a vampire!¡± My eyes sparkled, and I quickly exposed my neck to her. ¡°Turn me! Turn me!¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Her eyes glinted. ¡°That¡¯s a reaction I haven¡¯t gotten before.¡± She stopped as she reached me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°Hell no! I love vampires! Now turn me!¡± If I became a vampire, I would immediately grow in strength. Sure, it was a cheat way to achieve my goal, but it was only fair. After all, I was the only person in the world that was as weak as I was. So, getting a power boost was only fair. ¡°Hmmm.¡± She looked me up and down as if to gauge me. ¡°Come on,¡± my eyes glowed softly as they narrowed in a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that.¡± I exposed my neck even more. ¡°Bite me already.¡± I watched as she bit her lip before breaking eye contact. ¡°Tempting,¡± she said. ¡°Very tempting. Very tempting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually thinking about making him your-¡° ¡°Maybe.¡± The guild master cut the receptionist off. ¡°There¡¯s something about him that¡¯s¡­intriguing.¡± ¡°Come on!¡± I was begging now, and I lowered myself to her height. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like th-AGH!¡± Nia sucker-punched me in the gut and knocked the wind from my lungs as she hissed at me. ¡°Wh-What¡­did I¡­do...?¡± ¡°You know what you did!¡± Nia spat before turning to the guild master. ¡°He¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Oh¡­.my stomach¡­!¡± I nearly gagged as I spoke. ¡°Is he?¡± The guild master asked with a cocked head. ¡°I don¡¯t see a mark.¡± She smiled. ¡°HISSSSK!¡± ¡°I¡­can¡¯t breathe¡­!¡± ¡°My. My. Defensive, are we?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Stay away from him, you dream sucker!¡± ¡°Dream sucker!¡± The guild master gasped. ¡°I¡¯m no dream sucker! That¡¯s a succubus! I¡¯m a vampire!¡± ¡°God¡­help me¡­!¡± ¡°That demeanor is unbecoming of you, Sabrina.¡± The receptionist scolded. ¡°You¡¯re right, Erza. Apologies.¡± Sabrina sighed softly before looking at me. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before. You must be new around here.¡± ¡°Just¡­.kill me¡­¡± ¡°We are,¡± Nia answered for me, seeing as I was still unable to. I swore she hit me with her full strength, and I wished it would have killed me. Leave it to my shitty luck stat to keep me alive, only to suffer. I still didn¡¯t know her cause for hitting me so hard. Had I purchased a sadistic kitten? If I did, I wanted my refund! That was a joke. There was nothing Nia could have done to ever warrant me getting rid of her. I would just have to talk to her after this was all done. Or after I caught my breath. Whatever came first. Sabrina looked Nia up and down before responding. ¡°You¡¯re a slave, yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his.¡± Nia¡¯s eyes narrowed, her tail swaying. ¡°I¡­think it¡¯s getting better¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah.¡± Sabrina waved a hand. ¡°I suppose that means you¡¯re part of his party.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°And I assume you two aren¡¯t registered with the guild?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then,¡± Sabrina smiled wide. ¡°Let¡¯s get you-¡± ¡°No.¡± Nia scowled. ¡°I think we¡¯ll register with a different guild.¡± ¡°WHA!¡± Sabrina exclaimed. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you look at my Master.¡± The pain had subsided at this point, and I could breathe again. I only stood there awkwardly. I felt out of place. I technically wasn¡¯t part of the conversation, seeing as how the entire time I had been bitching about my pain to no end. However, it also seemed like Nia had made up her mind, and there was no way I would upset her again. ¡°I say let them,¡± Erza remarked. ¡°I don¡¯t want a filthy man or a disgraced Beastkin in this guild.¡± I saw Nia stiffen briefly. Pain filled her eyes as she looked to the ground, her hair covering her eyes. A fire lit in my stomach, and I made my way towards Erza, the air around me dark. ¡°What do you-¡° ¡°I thought I told you,¡± my lip raised in a snarl, and my eyes glowed an odious yellow as I leaned closer so our faces were only inches apart. ¡°To watch your fucking mouth.¡± She could say what she wanted about me. All of it would have been right. She could call me weak, pathetic, a degenerate, or whatever else she saw fit, but I refused to let her speak about Nia like that. I refused to let anyone! Anyone who dared to hurt my precious cat girl would suffer severely. I didn¡¯t care if I was weak physically. I would destroy them verbally and emotionally. Erza shivered as her eyes widened. I thought that fear filled them for a moment, but I couldn¡¯t confirm as she averted her gaze and took a step back. ¡°How did you-¡± ¡°I told you,¡± Sabrina said as she stepped toward me. ¡°He¡¯s intriguing.¡± ¡°So you want some sucky sucky?¡± ¡°Ew. Don¡¯t say it like that.¡± Sabrina giggled as she slapped my chest. ¡°GAH!¡± I was flung backward and into the receptionist counter. The scrolls and books rattled before falling on my head and to the floor. W-Why is everyone looking at me? The entire guild had their eyes on me. They were giving me strange looks. I immediately knew what they were thinking, and my nerves kicked in. ¡°S-S-Stop staring!¡± My face turned blue. ¡°I¡¯m gonn-HUGH! I¡¯m gonna-¡° ¡°Master?¡± Nia grabbed onto my arm. ¡°Are you¡­okay?¡± Her eyes stared worriedly into mine, and I felt all my fears washed away in her ocean green. My eyes widened as they glowed, casting a soft, golden light on her face as I replied. ¡°I am now.¡± Her purrs grew in volume, and I felt her claws kneading on my arm. ¡°Are you marking me with your scent?¡± I joked. That was what kneading was, after all. Cats had scent glands on their paws, so if they ever kneaded on you, they were scent-marking you. She didn¡¯t have paws, but I figured it would be a funny joke. Her smile grew, exposing her pearly white canines. ¡°Do you¡­want me to?¡± Extra quest: Respond to Nia¡¯s question Option One: ¡°No.¡± Reward: None Option Two: ¡°Yes.¡± Reward: All stats increased by 5 Option Three: ¡°How about I mark you with mine?¡± Reward: All stats increased by 50 Chapter 13 Eh? I froze at the messages in my HUD. Was I seeing things? I had to be, and if I wasn¡¯t, what the hell was with those options? That third one is way too sexual! But¡­ It gives me the most stats. Perhaps I hadn¡¯t been wrong in my earlier assumption. The messages would make more sense if I had a bond system. Hang on. Didn¡¯t I have a harem stat? Could this be¡­A DATING SIM RPG! I loved those kinds of games, and I had played plenty of them before. I was the master at them, and I achieved every ending, chose every option, and unlocked every dialogue. I said I¡¯d do whatever it takes to get stronger. My hands slowly grabbed Nia¡¯s waist as she pressed closer, and I gazed deeply into her eyes. That means anything! ¡°How about¡­¡± I rested my forehead on hers. ¡°I mark you with mine?¡± Notice: All stats increased by 50 That¡¯s right! This is the power of a dating sim player! I can say cringe things and not be bothered by it! ¡°Oh, Master,¡± Nia¡¯s face flushed as she buried it in my chest. ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you two!?¡± Erza snapped. ¡°Are you exhibitionists?¡± Extra quest: Respond to Erza''s insult. Option One: ¡°No.¡± Reward: None Option Two: ¡°Oh, yeah. Totally.¡± Reward: All stats increased by 5 Option Three: ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Reward: All stats increased by 10 Ho? It seemed I was right. I had an affinity system. However, unlike most games where it deepened the bond with the character, this one made me stronger. If I had to guess, my bond with people was different than my stat increases, but deepening my bond also gave me stat increases, which I had experienced with Nia. Looking at the new choices in my HUD, I came to another logical conclusion. The deeper my bond was with the person, the more stats I would receive as a reward for completing the events. I get stronger by having a harem! ¡°What¡¯s with that revolting smile? And why the hell are you drooling like that?¡± Erza growled. ¡°Shit, I¡¯m drooling?¡± I wiped it away. Guess I got to excited thinking about that. I couldn¡¯t help it though. I had thought this world was mocking me upon my arrival. I was weak, and my stats only went up by one each time I leveled up. I still hadn¡¯t received a class either, so I had nearly given up on ever being strong unless I maxed out my level, whatever that was. But this world was offering me everything I desired. A harem of woman AND power! Three! Pick number three, my lord! ¡°Aww,¡± I pouted as I leaned smugly against the counter. I couldn¡¯t help it. If this was a dating sim, then all I had to do was act confident and say whatever I wanted. The girls would practically fall on their knees for me after that. ¡°Is somebody jealous I¡¯m not giving them atten-SHACK!¡± Erza slammed my head into the counter again. LUCK: You have survived with one HP Notice: Quest failed due to incomplete dialogue. QUEST FAILED!? SCREW YOU! GIVE ME MY STATS! This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. It seemed I was wrong. I had forgotten that, despite feeling like it, this world wasn¡¯t a game. So, not every girl would react the way Nia did. She¡¯s probably the only one I can get away with saying it too! And she only let it slide because I was her owner. She was probably still worried about what I¡¯d do if she made a disgusted face like Erza. Wait¡­was that why she punched me? Was she randomly letting out her frustration and blaming it on something else? Why do you mock me, God? Rivers of tears fell my eyes as I rubbed my forehead. A low growl sounded the source: Nia. ¡°Master.¡± Her growl deepened. ¡°EEEK!¡± I shouted as I ran from Nia. ¡°What were you about to say!? Are you flirting with other women!?¡± I jumped from table to table, Nia hot on my trail. GOD HELP ME!! ¡°YAA!¡± I screamed as she pounced, pinning me to the table on my stomach. ¡°You¡¯re mine! Mine! Mine!¡± She closed in on my ear. ¡°N-Nia! P-Please!¡± I heard her claws extend with a shing. ¡°Say it!¡± She spat. ¡°Say what?¡± I cried. ¡°Say that you¡¯re mine and that I¡¯m yours!¡± She¡¯s crazy! ¡°Y-You are mine! I¡¯m your owner!¡± ¡°HISS! WRONG ANSWER!¡± She raised her claws. ¡°I demand you to-HMPH!¡± Her tail shoved into my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± You asked for this! ¡°NYAAA!¡± Her face turned red as I began playing with her tail with my tongue. ¡°MMM!¡± I felt her stiffen on my back as her claws dug in. ¡°AH!¡± She moaned as she began to shiver. ¡°A-Almost¡­I-AH!¡± She fell flat on top of me. ¡°AH! M-MYASHTER!¡± She drooled heavily. NOW! I rolled, forcing her off me as we both crashed to the ground. Nia quickly wrapped her legs around me and dug her claws into my shoulder as we found ourselves in a missionary position. ¡°Myaster! Myas-¡° ¡°NOT IN MY GUILD!¡± ¡°AH! OOF! GAH!¡± Sabrina kicked me, sending me bouncing off the ground and into the wall. ¡°What¡­did I¡­do¡­?¡± I groaned as I fell from the wall to the floor. ¡°Master!¡± Nia ran to me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine.¡± I huffed. ¡°We keep getting interrupted.¡± She purred as she squatted down and helped me up. ¡°Maybe tonight we can actually finish.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± She smiled. ¡°The less you know, the more likely you are to do it.¡± I cocked my head in confusion. ¡°Are you going to register or not?¡± I looked at Sabrina. Her lip had curled into a scowl, and I could tell she was getting fed up. ¡°W-Well¡­¡± I looked at Nia. ¡°I know you said you wanted to register with a different guild, but we¡¯re already here, and we need the money to get you some clothes.¡± ¡°You¡­care what I think?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Well, yeah. Earlier, you said you wanted to register with a different guild. If it''ll upset you, I don¡¯t want to register with this one.¡± I don¡¯t want you to hit me again. That¡¯s what I was really saying, but if I said that, I was sure she¡¯d hit me. ¡°Oh, Master.¡± She purred as she held her hands to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m okay with whatever decision you make.¡± ¡°All right then.¡± I looked at Sabrina. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in.¡± ¡°Ah. Ah. Ah.¡± Sabrina wiggled a finger. ¡°It isn''t that easy.¡± ¡°Ah. An assessment?¡± I inquired. ¡°Indeed. Indeed.¡± She smiled. ¡°So?¡± She extended her arms. ¡°Who will be your opponents?¡± ¡°I get to pick?¡± ¡°You do. Two.¡± She raised two fingers. ¡°A one on one, and each of you gets to pick the opponent.¡± ¡°Anyone?¡± ¡°Anyone.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I looked around. All the adventures looked way too eager to fight me like they wanted me to choose them just so they could beat my ass. I wondered why. Had I done something to piss them off? I doubted it. People always disliked me for one reason or another. With that said, being truthful, any one of them would destroy me in a fight. There wasn¡¯t a single person in the guild that I could hold a candle to. So, with that being the case, I found the best option to be someone who stood out more than the others. Someone stronger than the rest. That way, when I did lose, they couldn¡¯t blame me. "Heh.¡± I smiled fiendishly. ¡°Sabrina!¡± I pointed at her. ¡°I choose you!¡± She smiled at that. A smile much too frightening for my liking. Her fangs gleamed, and her eyes shone softly. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡± She walked closer. ¡°There¡¯s something about you. I can smell it.¡± She inhaled deeply before smiling again. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± Before I could tell her how wrong she was, another message appeared in my HUD. Heh. I smirked. That¡¯s an easy one. The other answers were something I would never say, so I didn¡¯t even bother to look at them. I said it before, and I¡¯d say it again. I loved a challenge. ¡°No,¡± I started, my eyes shining bright as I looked into hers. ¡°You¡¯re just weak.¡± Notice: All stats increased by 10 Notice: Sabrina¡¯s bond with you has increased. All stats have been increased by 5 ¡°Oh?¡± Sabrina¡¯s hand gently rested on my chest. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what you can do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± Nyroc came crashing down between us as Nia hissed; however, Sabrina effortlessly caught him between two fingers before glaring at Nia. ¡°I¡¯m not your opponent, kitty pet.¡± She scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m his.¡± ¡°IS THAT A CHALLENGE!¡± Nia spat. Sabrina only chuckled in response. ¡°Fine! Then I chose her!¡± She pointed at Erza. ¡°Oh?¡± Erza smiled. It looked like she accepted. ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s head to the training grounds.¡± Sabrina motioned for us to follow, so we did, along with the rest of the guild, which was now buzzing in excitement. Chapter 14 ¡°Anything goes,¡± Sabrina explained as me and her stepped into the center of the training grounds. ¡°Magic, weapons, hand to hand. Whatever you have at your disposal.¡± Hand to hand. I smiled weakly. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I looked at her. ¡°Can¡­Nia go first?¡± I asked. ¡°I have to mentally prepare.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Sabrina replied. ¡°I don¡¯t like waiting and want to see what you can do.¡± ¡°Please!¡± I begged. ¡°I already said no.¡± She scowled. ¡°Now hurry and draw your weapon.¡± ¡°Mmmm.¡± Tears fell from my eyes as I reached behind me and grabbed Rei. Click. Why, Rei!? ¡°I¡­don¡¯t need a weapon to beat you.¡± I let her go as I took a stance. ¡°I see.¡± She crossed her arms and closed her eyes with a nod. ¡°I knew you were strong, but to think you were so confident in yourself that you¡¯d refuse to draw your blade on me.¡± Her crimson eyes glowed in amusement as she opened them. ¡°I won¡¯t be holding back then!¡± She vanished from my sight. What? Where did she- As I looked to my right, her fingers stabbed past me, missing me by a hair. I had managed to avoid her lightning-fast attack, and I responded by jumping back calmly. Strange. Why am I not panicking? I usually would have, but a wave of calm kept washing over me for some reason. That was when I remembered the skill Calm Mind. Was it the cause? It had to be, but I failed to understand how it worked. It said it was a passive ability, but there were plenty of times when I had panicked. Then again, thinking about it¡­ Was I ever truly scared, or was it just natural reaction? It didn¡¯t matter, especially not now. I had to focus on the fight at hand. I had to observe Sabrina as best I could. I knew I stood no chance against her, but it didn¡¯t mean I would stand there and let her win without a fight. ¡°You saw me coming?¡± Sabrina asked, perplexed by my calm reaction. ¡°Just lucky, is all,¡± I replied. ¡°Luck, huh?¡± Sabrina smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you admitted that. Luck can only get you so far!¡± She ran at me with her fingers extended, reaching me in less than a second. I may be weak, but I¡¯m lucky. I calmly stepped back as she stabbed. a hand at me. She spun, unleashing a roundhouse kick. I ducked, catching a glimpse of her panties before grabbing the leg that held her balance and pulling it from under her. She fell on her back while I calmly walked past her. ¡°Huh,¡± I shrugged. ¡°I guess luck is good for something.¡± Maybe I wasn¡¯t as weak as I had thought. Sure, my other stats were extremely low, but my luck stat seemed to make up for it. It allowed me to dodge and evade attacks, even ones like Sabrina¡¯s that my eyes couldn¡¯t see. I didn¡¯t know how they would attack or when and where; it was just luck that I guessed right. ¡°Luck my ass!¡± Sabrina hissed as she quickly got back to her feet. ¡°Lick your ass?¡± ¡°What? No! Don¡¯t toy with me!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I shrugged arrogantly. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help it?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I began walking in a circle around her, holding my hands behind my back as I did so. She watched my every movement, turning with me. ¡°Who is he?¡± One adventurer asked. ¡°He actually landed a hit on the guild master.¡± Another spoke, awestruck. ¡°Is he¡­stronger than her? How can that be possible?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you help it?¡± Sabrina asked. ¡°Is it because you fell in love at first sight, and now you want to tease me?¡± I could tell she was toying with me by her tone, but it didn¡¯t faze me. Oh no, I can feel myself getting lost in the role-play! ¡°Watch yourself, Sabrina.¡± She stiffened as I spoke her name. My eyes glowed as I looked at her while walking. ¡°For it was never curiosity who killed the cat, but rather vacuous impudence.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Did she just take a step back? No, there¡¯s no way this shitty acting is scaring her. But still¡­I can¡¯t stop! I was too deep into it. I couldn¡¯t just turn it off. ¡°Do you not understand?¡± I stopped and faced her, my eyes pulsing as I smiled sinisterly. ¡°I¡¯m amusing myself, using you as the outlet, because I thought you¡¯d be stronger than this.¡± I threw my arms out to either side of me and looked at the sky. The clouds drifted slowly in the beautiful blue sky until one covered the sun. Rays of light pierced the cloud, casting a beam over me like a spotlight as I closed my eyes, relishing its warmth. How lucky! I probably look badass right now! ¡°What¡­What are you?¡± ¡°What am I?¡± I repeated, my eyes still closed. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± I laughed softly. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± It grew louder, turning manic before I quickly looked at her as I opened my eyes, which shone brightly even in the light of day. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come find out!¡± Notice: Stolen story; please report.Sabrina¡¯s feelings for you have increased. All stats increased by 20 Really? She found that attractive? It seemed as though she liked arrogant assholes, but I couldn¡¯t blame her. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me if you get hurt!¡± She ran at me before attacking. Left, right, left, right, jump, back step, duck and twist, back step. I dodged each punch and kick she threw at me. ¡°Master¡­¡± Nia¡¯s awestruck meow reached my ears. Do you see me, Nia? I¡¯m getting stronger. I will protect you, I swear it. I jumped back, sliding on my feet and twisting to unleash a backhand punch that connected with Sabrina¡¯s cheek. It had no effect. Shit. I forgot I¡¯m just lucky. I¡¯m not actually strong. ¡°I see. I know what you are.¡± Sabrina smiled as I continued evading her attacks. She jabbed, and I turned to the side. She attempted to step on my foot, but I pulled it away. She stepped closer, and so did I. She jabbed her fingers at me, and I swiped them away with a hand. She roundhouse kicked, and I stepped under it and around her. She straight punched, and I parried it, sliding my hands down her arm and twisting in the process so I was behind her. It looked like we were dancing around the training grounds. ¡°Do you?¡± I chuckled. ¡°And what might that be?¡± She continued her onslaught of attacks. ¡°You act weak and like a coward, but when it comes down to a fight, you act completely different.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It is,¡± she lunged at me. I sidestepped, grabbed the collar of her waitress-like uniform, spun, and tossed her away. She reoriented herself in the air and dug her nails into the ground as she skidded to a stop. ¡°You also hold back your punches so you can draw out the fight. Then there¡¯s that smile.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°That smile that hasn¡¯t left your mouth since we started fighting.¡± Am I smiling? I touched my mouth. Shit. ¡°You¡¯re a battle junkie!¡± Am I? ¡°Heh,¡± I lowered my hand. ¡°You got me.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Master! Y-You¡¯re so strong, nya! My Master, nya!¡± Music to my ears! ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ve gauged your strength enough.¡± Sabrina sighed softly. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Did you think I was going all out? I haven¡¯t even used my magic yet. Speaking of, I apologize in advance.¡± ¡°Apolog-IIIIIAHHH!¡± I cried out as a gust of wind lifted me high into the air. Sabrina quickly appeared above me as I reached max height. She rested her knees on me and grabbed hold of my collar as we began to fall. ¡°There really is something about you.¡± She smiled as her face closed in. ¡°S-Sabrina?¡± I looked down at the ground that was closing in. ¡°Sabrina!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she whispered as her mouth opened and closed in on my neck. Thump-Thump! My eyes widened as I felt her breath on my neck. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret this.¡± Her fangs sunk in, and fire shot through my veins. It felt as though liquid fire was being injected directly into me, but that pain soon turned to a feeling of ecstasy and euphoria as Sabrina moaned softly. ¡°So good. So good.¡± Her arms wrapped around me. Notice: You have been chosen as Sabrina¡¯s Successor Unique skills acquired: Ripple Jump and Flow Flow: A movement-based ability. All vampires and successors have this. Grants significantly increased movement speeds. Ripple Walk: Your own unique ability. It creates ripples in the air that act as footholds, allowing you to walk or jump between them. ¡°Um¡­S-Sabrina?¡± I looked down at the ground. It was too close for comfort. ¡°S-Sabrina!!¡± She was too busy snacking on my blood. ¡°Mph. Mph. Mmm.¡± I¡¯M GONNA- at the last second, a gust of wind slowed our fall, and we landed on the ground just as we had been in the air. ¡°S-Sabrin-AH!¡± I moaned as she released my neck just to clamp back down again. ¡°Oh¡­oh, fuuuuhhhh.¡± I grabbed the back of her head and pulled her closer. Ecstasy. Pure ecstasy. Her bite felt like a drug that I found myself growing addicted to. It didn¡¯t hurt, not in the slightest. It was like bliss had consumed my entire being, and it seemed Sabrina was feeling it, too. Her hands clasped my shirt as her fingers curled, and she pressed closer. The heat between her legs warmed my abdomen, and I shivered in delight as she let go of my neck and licked it up to my ear. ¡°I want more.¡± She whispered. ¡°I want to taste mo-¡° ¡°NYA!¡± Nia lunged at Sabrina, and they both rolled on the ground as they struggled to pin the other down. I only lay in place, my breathing heavy and face hot as I waited for my heart rate to lower as well as¡­other things. Chapter 15 That¡­that felt so good. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. I..I want her to do it again. Was that weird? Was it weird that I wanted a vampire to suck my blood? It felt good. So good. I bit my lip at the memory as I looked at Sabrina. She was still struggling with Nia, but she eventually won and pinned her down. When she did, she looked at me. Our eyes met, and she smiled. I quickly looked away, my face flushed as I rubbed my neck where she had bitten me. Now isn¡¯t the time. I stood up. I need to ask Sabrina about the message I saw. What was a Successor? What was the skill Flow fully capable of, and what was the Ripple Walk ability? The description had said it was my own unique ability. Did getting it have anything to do with becoming Sabrina¡¯s Successor? ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! How dare you pleasure him with those teeth of yours!¡± Nia spat as she and Sabrina continued to argue. I wonder if my stats went up! ¡°I did more than that, kitty pet!¡± Sabrina smiled arrogantly. Sion Barzahd Age: 17 Class: None Race: Human? Job: None Level: 15 Strength: 190 Agility: 190 Vitality: 190 Magic: 190 Defense:190 Luck:1,460 Experience: 2,362 NEXT:761 Charm:???Harem:2 Skills: ?Calm Mind (Passive) ?Charm LV.MAX (Passive) ?Adaption LV.MAX (Passive) ?Martial Arts LV.5 (Passive) ?Buff of Harem LV.1 (Passive) ?Flow LV.1 (Active) ?Ripple Walk (Active) ¡°Hm?¡± I cocked my head. If I had done the math correctly, my stats, from my level and stats increases, should have all been one forty, but they were one ninety. It also said I had a harem of two, which I assumed were Nia and Sabrina, with whom I had increased my bonds. It seemed that having the harem didn¡¯t entail engaging in intimate acts but rather building an affinity with them and increasing affection. It also looked like having them in my harem had given me a new skill: Buff of Harem. My stats being one ninety had to be due to that. That meant that I not only gained stats by increasing my affinity with girls but also by adding more to my harem, which would increase the level of the skill, thereby giving another buff to my stats. If I learn to abuse this system, I can get stronger faster. Currently, I saw no other options, and from the increases to my stats, in order for me to be OP, I¡¯d have to have hundreds, if not thousands, of girls in my harem. Yeah, that¡¯s only a dream. I sighed at the thought. There was no way I¡¯d ever be able to do that. I just had to abuse the knowledge I had to achieve greater heights, using Nia and Sabrina to grow my stats until I was at least average in my stats. Seriously¡­ I stared at my luck stat. So high! I closed the window to see Nia and Sabrina had stopped their bickering, and Nia was now in the center of the grounds with Erza on the other side. Sabrina had taken a spot next to me and was watching with crossed arms, waiting eagerly for the battle to begin. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Done fawning over your stats?¡± Sabrina asked. ¡°Just my luck,¡± I responded. ¡°Did you see the skill you unlocked after becoming my Successor?¡± ¡°Actually, I did,¡± as we spoke, the battle between Nia and Erza started. ¡°I have a few questions as well.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°What is the skill exactly?¡± ¡°You saw how fast I was moving, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± No. ¡°That¡¯s Flow. It increases your agility stats by ten times. ¡° ¡°tEn!¡± My voice cracked, making Sabrina chuckle. ¡°W-What about the Successor thing?¡± I turned to face her, causing a spell Erza had fired off to miss me. I paid no mind to it as I continued. ¡°Am I not a Vampire?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± She shook her head, swatting away a spell some flames Nia had created with Nyroc with some magic of her own. ¡°You¡¯re my Successor.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Basically, my familiar.¡± She smiled. ¡°You¡¯re my underling. I¡¯ll train you to learn to master your new skill, as well as train you in,¡± she licked her lips. ¡°Other ways.¡± I shivered. ¡°I also think your martial arts could use some work, especially if you don¡¯t like to rely on your weapon except as a last resort.¡± Is that what she thinks it is? ¡°Your stance is alright,¡± she continued. ¡°But it¡¯s lacking in many ways. I¡¯ll help you improve that until you¡¯re a master like me.¡± Her eyes met mine. My neck twitched, and she smiled as if knowing it had done it. ¡°You want some sucky sucky?¡± ¡°Sh-Shut up!¡± I stuttered as I looked away. Sabrina chuckled as I collected myself. ¡°So¡­as a familiar, will you eventually turn me into a vampire?¡± I asked. ¡°I will. But only after you prove yourself worthy of that power. I can¡¯t just turn you off the bat like that. It¡¯s happened once before, by another vampire¡­¡± Her eyes glazed. ¡°It was a mistake to turn him. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t my Successor, but all of us vampires had to work together to take him down because of her mistake.¡± ¡°Her?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She sighed. ¡°All that matters is that you need to get stronger.¡± She crossed her arms and looked at me again. ¡°We can only ever have one Successor in our life, so don¡¯t make me regret choosing you.¡± ¡°Only one?¡± My eyes widened. ¡°And you¡­chose me of all people?¡± I immediately felt remorse and regret. ¡°Why would you do that!?¡± I shouted. ¡°Why would you waste that on me?¡± I¡¯m not worthy. I¡¯m not strong enough, and no training will ever help me achieve the power she believes me to have. ¡°You think you¡¯re not worthy?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes filled with sympathy. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because I told you, I¡¯m not strong! I¡¯m just lucky!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hum-¡° ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± I stepped forward as a fireball crashed into the ground where I once stood. ¡°I¡¯m only lucky!¡± ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You should have an ID that shows your stats. Everyone gets it at birth. It¡¯s how adventurers show other parties they aren¡¯t lying about their stats. Show me.¡± She extended her hand out. ¡°Hngh!¡± I didn¡¯t have one of those. ¡°Er¡­y-yeah. Let me just¡­¡± I patted my pockets. Eh? I felt something in my back pocket and pulled it out. Sure enough, it was an ID that looked like my stat menu, except it didn¡¯t say my skills. ¡°Er¡­¡± I hesitated to hand it to her. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m just jok-HEY!¡± She quickly snatched it and eyed it over. Her eyes widened. I¡¯m screwed. Chapter 16 ¡°What¡­What are you?¡± Her voice shook as she looked from me and back to the card. ¡°Weak?¡± She covered her mouth with a hand. ¡°I told you¡­¡± I murmured. ¡°You¡¯re only level fifteen. How is this-¡° she looked at me. ¡°How are your stats¡­¡± She gulped. ¡°Are you¡­Human?¡± I¡¯m that weak, huh? My heart sank. ¡°I am,¡± I grumbled as I took the card from her and placed it in my pocket. Sabrina stared at me for several moments in dumbfound silence, her mouth opening and closing several times as if she wanted to say something but failed to articulate it. I knew she regretted her choice, and there was nothing she could do to take it back. She asked me not to make her regret it, and I already let her down. ¡°I know I¡¯m weak and not what you thought, but I promise I¡¯ll do everything I can to get stronger.¡± My eyes met hers. ¡°I swear, Sabrina,¡± they glowed. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Notice: Sabrina¡¯s feelings for you have increased. All stats increased by 50 She¡¯s¡­not mad? ¡°Sion,¡± ¡°See-on,¡± I corrected as I pronounced my name. ¡°Not sigh-on.¡± She smiled at that. She stepped on her tiptoes and pulled me down to her chest. ¡°Sion. My little monster.¡± ¡°S-Sabrina?¡± I could hear her heart beating rapidly. The sound was strangely calming. ¡°I will make you the strongest.¡± She said, her voice determined. ¡°You are worthy of being my Successor, so never doubt yourself.¡± She pulled back and stared lovingly into my eyes. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Sabrina.¡± ¡°Sion.¡± She pressed her forehead to mine. ¡°Can I¡­¡± her lips brushed softly against mine as she tilted her head and drew closer. ¡°Can we¡­¡± Extra quest: Kiss Sabrina Reward: All stats increased by 100 I gulped, and my heart raced as the message appeared in my HUD. It vanished, leaving me a clear sight of Sabrina¡¯s eyes. They stared at me longingly, and she moved no closer than she had already gotten. She was waiting on me. My heart wasn¡¯t racing for anything other than her. I didn¡¯t care about the stat increase, although it was a plus. The problem was that I had never kissed a girl before, and I was nervous to do so. I kept thinking it wasn¡¯t what she wanted. I kept doubting myself. I felt unworthy. She was too good for me and deserved more. But despite those thoughts, I found myself leaning closer. ¡°Get back here, you Nekomorian!¡± Erza shouted. The moment her words reached my ears, something collided with me with the force of a truck. ¡°BLAGH!¡± I hit the ground to see Nia mounted on top of me. ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡± She hissed. ¡°N-Ni-HMPH!¡± Her lips pressed to mine, and her tongue forced its way into my mouth. ¡°Mmm!¡± Her claws dug into my chest as she moaned. ¡°Ah!¡± Her tongue danced around mine. ¡°Mashter. Mashter!¡± Notice: You have kissed Nia. As a result, all stats have increased by 100 Notice: Nia¡¯s feelings for you have deepened. All stats increased by 100 Notice: Nia¡¯s controlling nature over you has festered into a deep obsession. All stats increased by 100 Warning: Beware the vampire''s jealousyUnauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. What¡¯s going on! I pushed Nia away, but she forced my arms down and kissed me again, her throat vibrating in a seductive purr. Her tail swayed wildly, and her hand slowly began making its way lower. EEEEEEK! ¡°N-Ni-AH!¡± ¡°Nya!¡± She cried out as I pushed her away. ¡°Master!¡± She began crawling back to me. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°YAAAA!¡± I screamed as I hurried back to my feet to turn tail and run. ¡°Master!¡± She grabbed my leg, causing me to hit the ground. My fingers dug into the ground as she began pulling me closer. ¡°Nya! Master! Nya!¡± GOD HELP ME!!! ¡°NOT IN MY GUILD!¡± SALVAT- ¡°AHHHHH!¡± A gust of wind sent me flying into the air. ¡°Die, you mangy mutt!¡± Sabrina yelled. ¡°AHHHHHH!¡± The ground closed in. ¡°Wait,¡± I took a sitting potion. ¡°Why am I screaming?¡± I rested a hand on my chin. ¡°Don¡¯t I have an ability that-BLAGH!¡¯ I hit the ground. Luck: You have survived with one HP ¡°Well, look at that,¡± Sabrina hovered over me, her hands on her hips. ¡°You actually survived.¡± She grinned. ¡°I guess you are pretty lucky.¡± ¡°Uhhhmmahmha.¡± ¡°Oh, hush.¡± Sabrina sighed as she grabbed my hand and lifted me. ¡°You¡¯re fine. Now let¡¯s get you and Nia settled, yeah?¡± ¡°F-rank!¡± I shouted. Sabrina had taken us to her office on the second floor of the guild to get the paperwork so we could be registered. Erza could have done it, but she refused despite Sabrina telling her to. She was mad that Nia and her hadn¡¯t finished their fight, but she was also angry at me. When we were heading back into the guild, I felt her cold, deathly stare on the back of my head. I didn¡¯t know what I had done to upset her, but I didn¡¯t care either. She was hardly what I¡¯d call cute, especially with her icy attitude, so I had no problem knowing that she disliked me. I hated tsunderes. They were the worst girls in any dating game or anime. Why did they have to act like they hated the protagonist when they wanted to be with him deep down? It was stupid as hell, and if you asked me, shitty writing. However, there was one tsundere I understood. Aisaka Taiga. She¡­she was something, but Erza? To hell with that ice queen. Anyway¡­ After taking us to her office, Sabrina started the paper work while explaining how the guild worked. It was the basic stuff. Accept quests, meet your quest quotas, and you could rank up. Higher rank meant better quests that paid more. The lowest rank was F, and the highest was S. That probably gave you a better understanding of my earlier exclamation. ¡°Why the hell would you place me in F-rank!? I totally kicked your ass!¡± ¡°You licked my ass?¡± Sabrina cocked her head from where she leaned cross-armed on the front of her desk. ¡°Don¡¯t toy with me!¡± ¡°Haha,¡± her laugh was graceful. Much too graceful for a vampire that kept staring at me with slutty eyes. ¡°What the hell¡¯s so funny? I thought I impressed you. You made me your-¡° She quickly covered my mouth. ¡°Shhh.¡± She pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°That¡¯s our little secret.¡± She winked. ¡°What?!¡± Nia demanded. ¡°What secret? What is she talking about? What did she make you?¡± She pressed closer with each question. ¡°Er¡­I¡­uh¡­According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.¡± ¡°Answer me, damnit!¡± Nia mewled as she grabbed my collar. ¡°Nyow! Nyow! NYOW!¡± ¡°Aghabahfa!¡± My brain rattled as she violently shook me. ¡°Fine,¡± Sabrina sighed. ¡°Since you''re in his party, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°WHAT!? TELL ME!¡± ¡°My head...¡± ¡°I made him my personal snack stop.¡± Sabrina winked. ¡°Snack st-HEY!¡± Nia shouted as Sabrina used a wind spell to pull me to her. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she traced a finger down my neck before pressing it to my jugular. ¡°My snack stop. OMPH!¡± She chomped down on my neck. ¡°S-Saahhh¡­.Sabrinah!¡± I weakly grabbed the back of her head. Ecstasy. Pure ecstasy. My legs began to shake and buckle from the pleasure as I felt her draining my blood. ¡°HE¡¯S M-YAAaahhh!¡± Sabrina waved a hand, blowing Nia out the office doors, which slammed shut upon her exit. She opened her mouth, releasing me from her fangs. ¡°S-Sabr-IGH!¡± She chomped down again, her hands caressing my upper torso all the while. I only breathed heavily and weakly as she moaned in the back of her throat. She repeated this several times, releasing her hold on me before biting down again, and each time, the pleasure intensified, growing more and more until I began to feel the addiction forming. She let me go and licked my neck where she had bitten me. ¡°S-Sabrina!¡± I forced her mouth to my neck again. ¡°P-Please¡­¡± My eyes glowed brightly. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°Oh, Sion.¡± She nibbled my neck but didn¡¯t sink her fangs in. ¡°My little monster. My little snack. My little addict.¡± She leaned forward and looked into my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for not kissing me earlier and instead kissing Nia.¡± ¡°W-What? I get what? You¡­You¡¯ll bite me more?¡± I panted heavily, my mind still a cluttered mess. She had to have done something to me. I felt like a junkie who would do anything for their next hit. ¡°No,¡± her crimson eyes stared passionately into mine as she held my cheek. ¡°You get to be left waiting.¡± She smiled. ¡°W-Waiting?¡± ¡°A vampire''s bit is addictive, you know,¡± she explained. ¡°We release an aphrodisiac upon biting that stimulates pleasure for both parties. We aren¡¯t supposed to feed on the same person more than three times. It drives them into insanity, and they beg us to drain them dry.¡± I don¡¯t blame them. ¡°Sabrina,¡± I reached up with both hands and grabbed her head. ¡°Please,¡± my eyes glowed as they stared into hers. ¡°Suck me dry.¡± Her eyes filled with lust as she pressed her nose to mine. ¡°I want to suck you dry in other ways.¡± ¡°Please, Sabrina!¡± My voice rose. ¡°Just bit me!¡± I couldn¡¯t get the thought of her bite out of my mind, and I hadn¡¯t even realized what she had said. I just wanted to feel that feeling again. I wanted her to sink her fangs in and drain every drop of blood from me. ¡°Okay.¡± She pressed to my neck, and I moaned in anticipation as she licked it. Her tongue traveled up, making its way into my ear. My back stiffened at the sensation and sound as her tongue moved around. Soon after, she pulled away. ¡°But you have to kiss me first.¡± I pressed closer, but she used a hand to separate our lips. ¡°Nope.¡± She grinned. ¡°You have to earn it.¡± ¡°H-How! How do I earn it!¡± ¡°You want to kiss me that badly?¡± Her face flushed. ¡°I do!¡± ¡°What will you do for me?¡± ¡°Anything!¡± ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Yes! Whatever it takes!¡± ¡°Then participate in the upcoming Tournament of Adventurers and win.¡± Chapter 17 "Eh?¡± I snapped out of whatever trance her bite had put me in as the effects wore off. ¡°No way that¡¯s happening.¡± I frowned. Her eyes widened, surprised by my sudden composure. ¡°I mean, I can participate if you want, but there¡¯s no way I can win. You saw my stats. My only good one is luck, and you said that can only get me so far. Plus, you haven¡¯t trained me yet. I thought you were going to help me get stronger.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± She laughed through her nose. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be fine. After all, strength is in the eye of the beholder.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get cryptic with me!¡± I pointed at her. ¡°I hated that shit in Batman! I skipped every mission and ignored every riddle!¡± ¡°Batman?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. The point still stands that I¡¯m weak. It doesn¡¯t matter if I tell myself I can do it ''cause I know I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She grumbled as she pushed herself off the desk and walked toward a closet. ¡°¡­hate that¡­think¡­weak¡­you¡¯re¡­monster.¡± I only heard a few words as she continued grumbling to herself before pulling out a black cloak. ¡°Here.¡± She tossed it at me. I caught it and inspected it in awe. It had silver lining and some chains around it. Along with the cloak was a pullover vest with a hood. For whatever reason, it had bunny ears on it. I frowned and looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s this Organization XIII bunny cospl-AY !¡± I caught something else that she threw at me. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s this?¡± I asked as I inspected the mask. It was just that. A mask. Plan and simple. It was black and had no design on it. ¡°Why are you giving me-¡° ¡°Those are special magical artifacts taken from the vampire I mentioned before.¡± ¡°The one all vampires had to work together to take down?¡± ¡°Yep. Yep.¡± She smiled. She¡¯s so cute when she repeats the same thing twice! ¡°If you wear the cloak and hood, it multiples your stats by five times.¡± ¡°fIvE tImEs!?¡± My voice broke. Damnit! ¡°Hehe!¡± Her smile grew, exposing her fangs. ¡°W-What about the mask?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a magical artifact that conceals your identity as long as you don¡¯t speak.¡± ¡°¡­And I need these; why?¡± ¡°To participate in the tournament, duh.¡± She rolled her eyes. Has she always been this cute? Something''s not right. Did she drug me with something else when she bit me? Everything she did was attractive. I liked how she walked elegantly and maturely yet spoke down to earth. I noticed she only did that with me, too. Her atmosphere and manner of speech changed when she spoke to other guild members. She was more refined and stern. There was also something about the way she animated herself when talking. Her expressive body language and hand movements appealed to me in some fashion I couldn¡¯t explain. It was just¡­her. ¡°I think I¡¯m in-¡° Her eyes met mine. ¡°Hngh!¡± ¡°What? What were you about to say?¡± She scuttled closer until her chest pressed to mine. ¡°I-I think I¡¯m in for a challenge.¡± I smiled weakly. NICE SAVE!! ¡°Hmph.¡± She puffed her cheeks. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± I smiled nervously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She turned away. ¡°The tournament is three weeks from now.¡± She placed her arms behind her back as she stared out the window. ¡°I¡¯ll be training you until then. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll catch on quickly and probably won¡¯t need much training afterward. So, when we¡¯re done.¡± She looked back at me, and the rays of the setting sun shone through the window. The leaves outside blew in a gentle breeze as she smiled. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll still come to talk to me like this. Just me and you.¡± She gazed back out the window. ¡°Being guild master can be so much work. Sometimes, I just want-¡° ¡°A little snack to recharge?¡± She giggled at my joke. ¡°I was going to say-¡° ¡°NYA!¡± The door burst open. ¡°YOU BROKE THROUGH THE BARRIER!¡± Sabrina exclaimed in shock. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± Nia charged on all fours and pounced at Sabrina. I sighed softly as I reached my hand out and grabbed her tail. ¡°MYASTER!¡± She hit the ground. ¡°Oh, Myaster! Myaster! Pull harder! Could you put it in your mouth? Plyease! J-Just the tip. Just a little.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never put the tip of anything in my mouth!" I shouted as I continued to force her tail away from me. ¡°MYASTER! STOP TEASING ME!¡± She quickly turned around and lunged at me, grabbing my collar and pulling me closer. ¡°Ungrab!¡± I squeaked. ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± a low growl rumbled in her throat. ¡°Stop teasing me.¡± I gulped at the weight of her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took your Master away from you,¡± Sabrina started, attempting to alleviate the situation. ¡°But I needed to talk to him about something important.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Nia let me go, freeing me from her gorilla strength grip and turning to Sabrina. ¡°I asked him to participate in the upcoming Tournament of Adventurers.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Nia gasped. ¡°My Master can¡¯t do that. He¡¯s too weak,¡± she grabbed hold of my arm. ¡°He¡¯ll get hurt. You must have asked me and him to-¡° If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°No, just him,¡± Sabrina¡¯s stern tone made Nia¡¯s fur stand on end, and her grip on my arm loosened as she stepped back. ¡°Myaster.¡± She looked at me with Puss-in-Boot eyes. ¡°Please dyon¡¯t do it.¡± Those eyes. Such beauty! Much begging! Must list- ¡°Sion!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I snapped to attention. ¡°Calm yourself. Otherwise.¡± Sabrina opened her mouth slightly and ran her tongue over her fangs. I immediately knew what was at stake. ¡°Ma¡¯am, yes, ma¡¯am!¡± I saluted. ¡°I will control my urges and swear allegiance to the fangs of the United States of Euphoria.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sabrina chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re so weird.¡± I did my best to ignore Nia¡¯s glare. However, it was hard, seeing as her tail was waving violently and smacking against my back. ¡°So then, it¡¯s come to that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I looked at Nia. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You heard me,¡± she meowed fiendishly before running a hand across my chest as she walked back to the doors. ¡°I¡¯ll behave for now and let you two talk. But know I am the jealous type, Master.¡± I shivered at her threatening tone before she glared at Sabrina. ¡°And I will get what I want, even if I have to force it. I will be the first.¡± ¡°First?¡± Wait! That¡¯s not important! ¡°What will you force? What are you talking about?¡± Nia said nothing before shutting the door, leaving Sabrina and I alone. ¡°Well then, shall we continue now that she¡¯s gone?¡± ??????????????? ¡°Get up, Sion!¡± Sabrina demanded. ¡°But I don¡¯t wanna!¡± I complained, banging my hands and feet against the ground like a child. ¡°This is unfair! There¡¯s no way I can touch you!¡± Before I had even realized it, two weeks had passed. Two weeks since I was transported into this world. Two weeks since I had met Nia, and two weeks of getting my ass kicked by Sabrina. The stipulation for my training was simple. She taught me how to use Flow while also training me in Martial Arts. Her style of fighting was different than mine, not that I had a fighting style. Her fighting style was something I had seen before on Earth. Krav Maga. I never thought I would have seen it in action or person before. I didn¡¯t know if I was lucky or unlucky that, in this world, she had developed it herself after becoming a Vampire. All I knew was it was way too OP. ¡°Until you touch me, you¡¯re going to suffer every day.¡± She scolded as she formed several Water Bombs in the air around her. ¡°I can¡¯t get past all that!¡± I shot to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m not a Vampire, and my stats are pathetic! At least let me put on that cloak that-¡° ¡°No,¡± she fired one of her spells at me. ¡°YA!¡± I arched my back and dodged it. ¡°Use Flow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried! It¡¯s not enough!¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than enough, especially since I¡¯m holding back.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t help!¡± You have no idea just how much you¡¯d have to hold back to make a difference! ¡°Stop holding back!¡± She roared, firing several more Water Bombs at me in succession. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± I cried as I dodged each one, using Flow to help me. Without it, I would have been hit by each one. The ability really was broken. It gave me way too much speed and increased my agility to the point where I felt the difference. ¡°Yes, you are!¡± She ran at me. She continued to fire spells at me as she drew closer, and I dodged each one. Notice: Flow has leveled up. New skill acquired Skill name: Zip (Passive) ¡°If you keep holding back, you¡¯ll never achieve the dreams you told me about! If you want power, show me that you want it!¡± She was within striking distance now, and time felt as though it slowed down as her words reached my core. She was right. I wanted power and told her my dreams of becoming the world¡¯s strongest, no matter what it would cost. But if I thought negatively of myself, I would never be able to achieve that dream. I kept comparing myself to everyone else, but I couldn¡¯t do that because I wasn¡¯t from this world. I was different, so instead of comparing myself to others, I had to look back at my own growth. And of course, I had gotten stronger. My hands balled into a fist as my chest tightened. She¡¯s right! I had to try, even if it meant failing. I had to stop fearing failure because that was an inescapable and undeniable part of growth. No more holding back! Her fingers closed in on my face. Even if it means embarrassing myself while giving it my all, I won¡¯t quit! My body moved on its own, zipping around and behind Sabrina as if an invisible current had pulled me like the sea''s ebb and flow. I got behind her, her hand still outstretched and eyes wide at my sudden movement without built-up momentum. It was all because of the new skill I had received. It was because of Zip that I was able to dodge the way I had. I took that opportunity to reach for her shoulder. Chapter 18 ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sabrina had vanished and was now behind me. ¡°But it¡¯ll take more than that!" She reached for my leg. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you more!¡± I was pulled by an invisible string once again, flying over and above her. I reached for her shoulder again, but she quickly grabbed my hand, spun, and tossed me, sending me flying into the air. I stopped and stood on a ripple upside down as I looked down at her. ¡°There it is!¡± Sabrina''s smile widened as my eyes glowed a vile yellow. ¡°There¡¯s that smile!¡± She aimed her palm at me, sending dozens of Water Bombs in my direction. ¡°You wanted me to try, right?" I kicked off the air, creating a ripple that sent me away from the first bomb. Another closed in, and I zipped around it. "Then I guess I have to lock in.¡± ¡°You can dodge mid-air!¡± Sabrina sounded more excited than shocked as I continued using Ripple Walk and Zip to evade her spells. I looked like a rabbit jumping through the air with every evasion, and each time, I got closer and closer to her. ¡°Let¡¯s see you dodge this, little rabbit!¡± Hundreds of Water Bombs spawned around her, and I stopped mid-air on one of my ripples. I thought she said she was holding back! I shook my head as the spells rained down on me. It doesn¡¯t matter even if she doesn¡¯t. I will show her! I will get stronger! ¡°So graceful¡­¡± Sabrina was in awe as I dodged every Water Bomb that would have made contact. I created a ripple that suspended me upside down before jumping off to evade a Water Bomb that would have hit. The moment I left the platform, I had to zip around another, which gave me no time to jump off the air. I created another ripple and jumped back before another would have hit, and zipped around another. I continued this process, flipping and spinning through the air, drawing closer and closer to Sabrina until I finally saw an opening. I created a ripple and positioned myself. I jumped off, using Flow to give my momentum an unfathomable burst of speed as I reached a hand out to touch her. Sabrina smiled wide as she grabbed my wrist and tossed me to the ground. I rolled but quickly recovered, getting to my feet as she began to attack. I parried her palm and reached for her shoulder again, but she pushed my arm away and kicked my foot, forcing me to a knee. Her palm connected with my cheek, and she grabbed my hair, kneed me in the gut, and tossed me away. I rolled again, getting to my feet immediately to prepare my defense. ¡°You have no fighting style,¡± she scolded as she attacked me again. I parried and evaded what I could, still trying to touch her when I saw an opening, but each time I was denied. ¡°You¡¯ll never get anywhere fighting like that.¡± She unleashed a spinning roundhouse that I managed to check with my wrist. Her force caused me to slide several yards, and I bit my cheek in pain. ¡°Then teach me,¡± I said as she began attacking me again. ¡°No. You need to develop your own fighting style just as everyone else did.¡± I parried her palm and zipped behind her as she attacked me with another. Using the momentum that pulled me, I executed a roundhouse kick. She blocked it. ¡°Good kick,¡± she grabbed my leg and pulled me closer, striking my chest with her palm. ¡°But terrible form.¡± I staggered back but regained balance and clicked my tongue. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little rabbit?¡± Sabrina smirked as she crossed her arms. ¡°Giving up already?¡± ¡°You know I hate that nickname.¡± She had given it to me after our first week of training. When I showed her my Ripple Walk ability, she said it reminded her of a rabbit jumping through the forest to escape its predator ¡°That¡¯s what you are, though.¡± She remarked. ¡°A scared little rabbit who still holds back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not-¡° she pointed to Rei behind my back. ¡°You refuse to use your weapon to your advantage.¡± That¡¯s not what it is! She¡¯s a b- ¡°IIIIIIGH!¡± Rei shocked me violently. Sabrina looked at me in confusion. I gave her a weak smile in response. ¡°That¡¯s not why I don¡¯t use her.¡± I grabbed Rei¡¯s hilt. ¡°I don¡¯t use her because¡­¡± It''s not because of her. My grip loosened. It¡¯s because of me. ¡°I¡¯m not worthy.¡± Why did she choose me? Was it just so her family knew that she was the soul within the dagger? Was I only the messenger for the message she wanted to send? That had to be the case because there was no other reason she would have chosen me. I can¡¯t even protect Nia. I grit my teeth. She has to step in front of me while I hide behind her like a coward! I didn¡¯t blame Rei for refusing to let me draw her. What she saw in me was nothing more than a weak and pathetic loser. She still saw me from Earth, which was also me in this world. ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel,¡± Sabrina got into a combat stance. ¡°Prove to her that you are worthy.¡± ¡°You need to develop your own fighting style¡­¡± Sabrina''s words echoed in my mind. My own fighting style¡­ I closed my eyes and thought back to all the styles I knew of from Earth. I recalled watching UFC growing up, fantasizing about being a fighter one day and not a coward. Out of all the fighting stances I remembered, one called to me. Muay Thai. Many of the fighters used it, and I liked how it looked. I thought it was cool how they bounced forward and backward on their toes, disguising a lunge or starting one faster. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Let¡¯s see if I remember correctly. I put one foot forward and stood with my feet out the same distance as my hips. I stepped on my tiptoes and began bouncing. It took a moment for me to get into a feel of the movement, but it eventually started to feel natural. ¡°Hm?¡± Sabrina looked at me in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what this is?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t. What is it?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± my eyes glowed vibrantly. ¡°Come and find out.¡± I motioned with my hand in a mocking gesture. ¡°Fine then.¡± Sabrina kicked off the ground and immediately appeared in front of me. She attacked me with her palm, but I quickly jumped back on my toes and spun, executing a flawless spinning backhand. She stepped into it, causing my strike to barely miss her as she attacked with her back leg like an ice skater striking a pose, but I quickly jumped back again, spinning to execute a spinning roundhouse. She ducked under it and came at me, but I used my kick''s momentum to spin again, jumping off my leg to execute another kick. She blocked it and grabbed my ankle, pulling me closer to palm-strike my jaw. I zipped above her, balancing my hands on her arms and pushing off into the air. I created a ripple and jumped off it back toward her. She turned to face me, a large smile on both our faces. I reached out to her when a Water Bomb flew at me from the side. I zipped, twirling around it in the air and behind her. Before I hit the ground, I brought my knees to my chest, creating a ripple and kicking off, slamming into her back. ¡°AGH!¡± Sabrina cried out as I crashed into her, pinning her to the ground. ¡°Finally!¡± My eyes glowed brightly as I leaned forward. ¡°I got you, you little imp!¡± ¡°Dummy.¡± She side-eyed me. ¡°You¡¯ve always had me.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± My face flushed. ¡°Sh-Shut up!¡± I quickly got back to my feet and averted my gaze. ¡°Aww. You¡¯re cute when you blush, you know?¡± She giggled and reached a hand to me. I looked at it and grabbed it with a grumble as I pulled her up. ¡°My little monster.¡± Sabrina sighed dreamily. ¡°To think you won already. Those abilities of yours are quite intriguing.¡± ¡°Are they?¡± I murmured and scratched the back of my head. ¡°They are,¡± she assured. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like them. How were you dodging in the air like that? And that ability to create platforms in the air, it''s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± She slapped my back. ¡°You¡¯re a lot stronger than you let on.¡± ¡°That hurt,¡± I grunted. Yet, I hadn¡¯t flown forward like I did all the other times. I figured it was because she finally realized how weak she had to slap me not to knock me off balance and send me flying. ¡°What now?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, now that you completed your first assignment, I have another for you.¡± She fiddled with the cuff of her sleeve as she spoke. ¡°Have you heard about the dungeons?¡± Dungeons! ¡°Sort of.¡± I didn¡¯t know this world had them, but I knew what a dungeon was. ¡°Well, as I¡¯m sure you know, no dungeon has ever been cleared. Parties tend to fall back or perish within them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re complete NOOBs when it comes to dungeon completion,¡± I remarked with a snort. ¡°Most people believe dungeons are for loot, and they enter in an attempt to gain treasure, but that¡¯s far from the truth.¡± I smiled. ¡°Dungeons are a test of strength. A trial with tribulations, and the best way to complete one, in my opinion, is by speed-running.¡± ¡°NOOB? Speed-running?¡± Sabrina cocked her head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± I rubbed my nose confidently. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I like to complete them as fast as possible. The faster you complete it, the better it looks. Even if you use glitch strats or clip out of bounds, people always look up to you depending on your speed.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sabrina rubbed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand a word you¡¯re saying. It¡¯s giving me a migraine.¡± ¡°Aww, is the wittle vwampire stwuggling to understand?¡± ¡°HISSSSK!¡± She bore her fangs at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± I cried as she chased me around the courtyard of her estate. ¡°Sabrina! I¡¯m sorry!¡± We both had used Flow, but she was still faster and was hot on my trail. ¡°PLEAHEHEASE!¡± I sobbed as I jumped off a ripple into the air. ¡°I was just-KYAAA!¡± She grabbed my ankle before I gained any height and pulled me toward her. ¡°No! No!¡± I struggled as she wrapped me in a jiu-jitsu hold and exposed my neck. ¡°W-W-Wait! S-S-Sabrina!¡± I gulped as I heard her mouth open. Her eyes stared at me coldly, and I knew what she was thinking. ¡°M-Master,¡± I stuttered. ¡°P-Please¡­¡± My eyes teared up. ¡°Don¡¯t-HNGH!¡± Her fangs sunk in. ¡°I KNYEW IT!¡± SALVATION! Nia tackled Sabrina off of me, pinning her to the ground. I¡¯m so grateful! I clapped my hands together. Thank you, God! Had Sabrina not agreed to let Nia stay with us at her estate while I trained, I would have become Sabrina¡¯s mid-day snack. Chapter 19 ¡°Get off me, you damned feline!¡± Sabrina spat. ¡°I knyew you two weren¡¯t training! You were making nasty vampiric love!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what we were doing!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Nia hissed at me. ¡°You don¡¯t need to speak! You¡¯ve already sealed your fate, and anything else you say can and will be used against you in the bed tonight!¡± ¡°I need a new room. One with a lock.¡± ¡°¡±NO!!¡±¡¯ I cried softly as the two of them refused my request in sync. The two girls struggled with each other for a while longer before I steadied my nerves and wiped away my tears. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said. ¡°YOU WILL!¡± Nia¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at me. ¡°Me or her?¡± Sabrina asked, also looking at me with a sparkle. ¡°Huh? What the hell are you two talking about? I¡¯m referring to the dungeon.¡± I smiled wide. ¡°I¡¯ll solo and clear it.¡± ¡°Dungeon?¡± Nia¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°Solo?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes filled with fear. ¡°No. You can¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°I thought that¡¯s what you were going to ask me to do, though.¡± ¡°No!¡± Sabrina pushed Nia away and got to her feet. ¡°You can¡¯t do that. I told you that entire parties die in there!¡± ¡°And I told you that¡¯s because they¡¯re complete NOOBs.¡± I don¡¯t care what she says. I knew I could do it. I could solo the dungeon on my own, especially with Flow and the gear she gave me that increased my stats. It would make speed-running easier. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means,¡± Sabrina grabbed my wrist tightly. ¡°But I won¡¯t let you solo the dungeon. Not even you could do that.¡± ¡°You say that like I¡¯m a powerhouse of a player. You know better than anyone just how weak I am,¡± I scowled. Her jaw clenched as she averted her gaze. ¡°Then you should know it should be impossible for you to do on your own. I want you and Nia to enter together. I want her to help you, but only when you absolutely need it. She¡¯s the last resort.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± I frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to clear it either. I just want to see how far you can get on your own.¡± She looked at Nia. ¡°I want you to watch him and count the times you had to help him and what he struggled with.¡± ¡°Can do!¡± Nia chirped. ¡°Good. Then get some rest, both of you.¡± Sabrina looked at the setting sun. ¡°You both have a long day ahead of you.¡± ¡°Mmm. Fine.¡± I grumbled, and Nia and I made our way to our rooms. ¡°As if!¡± I chuckled as I ran through the night streets, jumping from the rooftops. ¡°I don¡¯t need help speed-running!¡± I used Ripple Walk and began running on the air high above the buildings. ¡°Even if she is stronger than me,¡± I kicked off and spun through the air. ¡°She¡¯ll only slow me down!¡± Using the map in my HUD, I was able to scan the area around the town. The dungeon showed on the map with the classic dungeon icon of a stone door. As I made my way there, my heart raced in excitement. I had changed into the cloak and hood Sabrina had given me, and I could feel the shift in my power. I had looked at my stats, but they didn¡¯t show any change. I figured that it was an invisible buff, but because it wasn¡¯t my true stats, it didn¡¯t show the change in them. I had taken the mask as well, but it rested in the pocket of my cloak. I didn¡¯t need it since I had no reason to hide my identity and was going in solo anyway. It wasn¡¯t long before I reached the door¡ªa stone arc with two large doors in between. The doorway was flush against a large mountain''s base. I smiled wide as I eyed it. ¡°I will be the first,¡± I stepped forward. ¡°I will clear this dungeon!¡± I pressed my hands to the doors. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s-¡° Notice: You have been chosen The world zoomed in; before I knew it, I was in the dungeon. ¡°Eh?¡± I turned to see that the door was gone, replaced by a wall of rocks. ¡°Eh?¡± I turned around again to see several goblins approaching me. ¡°Meh,¡± I shrugged as a smile crept across my lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on leaving anyway.¡± My eyes glowed brightly, casting a yellow light over the goblins and the dimly lit room. ¡°Now!¡± I threw my arms out on either side of me, finding confidence in my newfound buff. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got!¡± As if accepting my taunt, the goblins ran at me with their weapons raised. I activated Flow, lowering myself to the ground in a rocket-start stance. ¡°Just kidding.¡± I stuck my tongue out as I kicked off the ground and twisted between them. ¡°I¡¯m speed-running this shit baby!¡± I began kicking off the air, using my ripples to adjust myself before launching myself down another corridor. ¡°Unless it¡¯s a mandatory fight, I ain¡¯t fighting!¡± I was met with several lizard men as I turned down a corridor. They were spread out, blocking my path. ¡°Too easy!¡± I ran on the floor before kicking into the air and twisting so my feet faced the ceiling. A ripple appeared, and I ran upside down, passing the monsters. They hissed and stabbed upwards but were too slow and missed. I turned another corner before coming across a staircase. ¡°That¡¯s floor one cleared!¡± I laughed as I launched myself down the stairs. ¡°What else does this dungeon have in st-OOF!¡± ¡°KYA!¡± ¡°Rubellia!¡± ¡°Monster!¡± Boobs! I drooled as I found my face buried in the girl''s chest I had crashed into. Wait. I entered the dungeon alone. How are there other people here? That was when I recalled that this wasn¡¯t a game, and unlike games that could put you in a private server, this world wasn¡¯t like that. That meant I wasn¡¯t the only one in the dungeon. So much for no one being in the way. I quickly rolled off the girl before anyone could see my face, pulled the mask from my cloak, and put it on. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No one can see your face while you¡¯re wearing that, understand?¡± My conversation witb Sabrina sounded in my mind. ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°Because anyone with that much power will be seen as a monster.¡± ¡°Fair enough. I mean, it is a buff that multiplies my stats by five.¡± ¡°Huh? What are you-oh, r-right.¡± She laughed weakly. ¡°You mean the cloak.¡± It sucks that I can¡¯t talk, but oh well. Not like I needed to. I would get up and continue through the dungeon as planned without their interference. ¡°Kill it!¡± The girl I had crashed into cried as she held her chest with one hand and pointed at me with the other. Eh? ¡°KYA! I-It¡¯s looking at me! HAN!¡± An axe slammed into my rib. Hm? I looked to my left, where the attack had come from. ¡°Hngh!¡± The man jumped back. ¡°W-What?¡± His face turned white. Is this the power of this cloak¡¯s buff? I looked at my hand and clenched it into a fist. The leather gloves creaked as I closed and reopened them. I didn¡¯t even feel that. However, a message still told me I survived with one HP. I don¡¯t get that. I sighed internally as I scratched the back of my head. But whatever. ¡°W-What is that thing?!¡± Another girl cried out as she readied an arrow in her bow and shot it at me. It looked like it was traveling in slow motion as it approached. The buffs were broken. Useless. I grabbed the arrow midair and crushed it in my hand. ¡°Ya!¡± The archer stepped back. ¡°Rubellia!¡± The man, Han, cried out to the mage girl I had crashed into. ¡°Already on it!¡± Rubellia pointed her staff at me as a fireball began to form at the end of it. Look at them. I turned my head, getting a good look at the trio. Judging by their gear and terrible class placement, I knew they were scrubs. Their warrior was behind the archer, and their mage was in front of her. Scrubs. I activated Flow again, appearing behind the mage. ¡°Wha?¡± Her face turned to look back at me and turned blue as she realized my face was inches from hers. ¡°I-I,¡± she collapsed to her knees. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Get away from her!¡± Han charged at me with his axe, swiping it at me. I jumped and flipped so I was suspended upside down on a ripple on the ceiling. ¡°It can walk on walls!¡± The archer panicked. ¡°What is that thing!? I¡¯ve never seen a monster like it!¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to think, Sora,¡± Han shouted. ¡°We just need to kill it!¡± As if, I waved a hand dismissively as I turned my back to them. NOOB¡¯s like you would only hurt yourself. ¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going, you little rabbit!¡± I vanished, appearing in front of Han in an instant. Before he could even cry out, I grabbed hold of his face with a hand and lifted him. Watch your mouth, boy. I said that, but he looked around my age. So did the two girls. Han had tan skin, red hair and eyes, and armor that fit a warrior. Sora had short black hair, blue eyes, and light armor. Rubellia had long white hair and silver eyes with a white and blue robe. Unlike Sora, she had ginormous breasts. ¡°W-Why is it staring at me like that?¡± Rubellia shivered. Shit! I quickly turned my attention back to Han. ¡°Han!¡± Sora screamed. ¡°Let him go!¡± She released another arrow at me that I swatted away with a hand. It was by complete luck I had done it. I was only trying to swat away a gnat I kept seeing in my vision. ¡°I-¡° Han gripped my wrist tightly. ¡°Run!¡± His eyes filled with determination. ¡°But we-¡° ¡°I SAID RUN!¡± He shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t¡­we can¡¯t win!¡± Tears filled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this thing is. It¡¯s never been reported before. It probably has something to do with the dungeon telling me I was chosen¡­but how the hell does it expect me to beat this?¡± Wait, the dungeon said what? ¡°I don¡¯t want you two to suffer because of me. So please, RUN!¡± ¡°Han¡­¡± Sora grabbed her chest. ¡°No! We won¡¯t leave you!¡± Oh, God. I don¡¯t want to hear this cringe MC dialogue. I dropped Han before walking away. The two girls flinched as I walked past them. I looked back at them before running off. Stay out of my way. With that, I continued my way through the dungeon. I made it past four floors, reaching floor six when a new challenge arose. I stopped running as a magical barrier appeared between me and the door frame. ¡°This is insanity! Who the hell do you think you are just running through my dungeon like this? You haven¡¯t even killed a single enemy or searched for treasure!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I scoffed as I removed my mask. ¡°Who the hell said that? And why are you complaining? I¡¯m speed-running, now let me through!¡± I banged at the barrier but was bounced back. ¡°No! This is supposed to be a trial for the strong, not the fast!¡± ¡°Who cares? Just let me clear this shitty dungeon already!¡± ¡°SHITTY! Do you know who I am? You clearly don¡¯t, otherwise you¡¯d never-¡° ¡°You¡¯re the creator of this dungeon, right?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I figured. You remind me of one of the dungeon creators from Arifureta, minus all the tedious traps.¡± ¡°Areyoufruity?¡± ¡°Just let me through!¡± ¡°I refuse! I haven¡¯t gotten to gauge your strength and adjust my minion accordingly!¡± Oh? One of those dungeons, huh? I hated them. Dungeons that, no matter how much you farmed, would match your level and stats. They were the worst. They made all your farming a huge waste of time. ¡°So?¡± I snorted as I crossed my arms. ¡°Not like anything you throw at me would stand a chance.¡± ¡°Oh, it looks like we have Mr. Confident over here.¡± The female voice chuckled. ¡°Fine then. If you¡¯re so strong, let¡¯s see you handle all the monsters you¡¯ve skipped from the beginning!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± My eyes widened as every single enemy I ran past spawned in the room with me. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± I raised my hands and started bouncing on my toes. ¡°What? Are you sc-Wait, why are you smiling? That¡¯s creepy. Why are you smiling?¡± ¡°Because,¡± My eyes glowed vibrantly as I grabbed a goblins wrist that tried to attack me with its club before bouncing back to execute a roundhouse kick. ¡°I love a challenge!¡± Chapter 20 The goblin slammed into the wall, its skull cracking open and blood pouring from it as it fell limp to the ground. I quickly parried another attack, jumping and wrapping my legs around its neck before swinging. I pulled myself to the ground, sending the goblin flying into several that tried to approach. One of the goblins slammed an axe down at my face, but I quickly rolled out of the way as I crossed my hands on the ground and lifted myself in a handstand. I uncrossed my arms, unleashing a tornado kick that connected with three goblins. I heard their jaws shatter as they fell limp. I pushed my arms off the ground and flipped back to my feet, bouncing on my toes and jumping backward to evade another attack. ¡°Come on!¡± I smiled as I unleashed a spinning back fist. The goblin slammed into the wall, leaving a crater. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?!¡± One of the Draconians breathed fire at me, but I zipped around the flame closer to it until I was behind it and wrapped around its back. Its mouth shut, but I reached around and pried it open. ¡°Burn, baby, burn!¡± I laughed as fire erupted from its mouth, burning all the other goblins as I forced it to turn. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± I kicked off the Draconian and stood in the center of the room. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± My eyes glowed brightly as my heart raced, my pupils dilated, and my smile widened as I extended my arms to either side of me. ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± I stared at the ceiling as I erupted into manic laughter. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The voice asked shakily. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s funny.¡± I looked down at the enemies. Their numbers had dwindled significantly, and only a few dozen were left. ¡°This just feels,¡± I took a step forward, and the monsters took a step back. ¡°Exhilarating!¡± I kicked off the ground and pinned one of the Draconians to the wall. Its dagger fell from its claws, and I quickly caught it in my hand. I spun as another attempted to pierce me with its spear. I grabbed the shaft and pulled it toward me, plunging the blade into its forearm, upper arm, and then its neck before Roundhouse kicking it away. A goblin swung its sword at me. I slid the dagger down the length of the blade, causing sparks to fly past my face. I saw my reflection in the monster¡¯s fear-filled eyes. My face was covered in blood, and my smile had only grown more. I didn¡¯t care as I grabbed the goblin''s face with a hand, reached a leg behind its knee, swept its leg, and plunged the dagger into its chest. The dull blade shattered in its chest, and I jumped back as a Draconian breathed fire at me again. With the broken hilt and blade, I began running around the room, dodging the fire the Draconians attempted to burn me with while slashing the throats of the goblins. The fire helped me, burning other monsters along the way. ¡°Wh-What are you?¡± The dungeon creator whispered fearfully. I threw the broken dagger in the air as I parried a club from a goblin with my fist and grabbed hold of it. I pulled it closer, spartan kicking its chest. Its ribs made a satisfying crack as it fell to the ground, gasping for air, but its ribs had punctured its lungs, making that impossible. A Draconian hissed at me as it opened its mouth. Fire began to shoot from its mouth, but as the broken dagger came down, I jumped and spun as I kicked it, sending it into the lizard¡¯s mouth. It was pinned to the wall, and the Draconian gagged as it flailed helplessly and died. Another Draconian attempted to attack me as I kicked the blade, but I created a ripple at my feet that suspended me upside down as I parried its sword, forcing it out of its hand. The lizard took a fighting stance and threw an open-handed punch. I dodged two attacks with a Dempsey Roll before unleashing a hook punch to its snout. Before it hit the wall, I kicked off my ripple and appeared behind it, grabbed its shoulders, pressed my feet to its back, leaned back, and kicked it into the ceiling. ¡°M-Monster¡­¡± ¡°More! More! MORE! HAHAHAHA!¡± I pinned a Draconian down and pressed my face closer. ¡°ENTERTAIN ME MORE!¡± I was finally strong. I was no longer weak. I knew it was only because of the cloak that I could do any of this, but it didn¡¯t make it any less exciting. Even though it may not have been much, the power I now had was enough to let me fend for myself. I mean, I had just taken down over sixty enemies alone, and they didn¡¯t even land a single hit on me. I felt unstoppable. It felt like I was playing my MMORPGs all over again, where I had a fully maxed-out character. I was even ranked number one in those games and had unique spells and items from limited-time events. As the first to clear them, I received the item. I guess my habit of laughing and shit-talking transferred with me to this world because, in those games, I acted the same way. I got too deep into the role-play and acted like I was the character in the game. People in VC hated me. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The Draconian opened its mouth to breathe fire, but I moved my head at the last second. The fire spread across the ceiling, and I reached behind my back and grabbed Rei. She unsheathed, and I spun her in my fingers before plunging her into the lizard¡¯s neck. It died not long after, and I stood up, all monsters dead. "What...Who are you?" The voice asked as I sheathed Rei. I wasn''t able to answer as voices traveled down the corridors. ¡°I¡¯m telling you! I heard someone!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way! We shouldn¡¯t be able to run into other parties.¡± ¡°Those voices¡­¡± I quickly grabbed the mask and put it on, the blood on my hand smearing over it as I turned to them the moment they entered the room. ¡°KYA!¡± Sora screamed as she jumped back. ¡°What? What is-SHIT!¡± Han readied his axe from his back when he saw me. ¡°I-It¡¯s that mons-¡° She paused as her eyes gazed at the dozens of dead monsters surrounding me. ¡°No way¡­¡± Sora''s eyes locked with the eyes of my mask as her face turned white. ¡°Did¡­Did it¡­do this?¡± She asked, her voice in awe as she took in all the bodies. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a monster, right?¡± Han looked at me. I only watched them as they entered the room. ¡°I thought monsters didn¡¯t kill monsters.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you heard someone, Rubellia?¡± Sora asked. ¡°Do you guys think¡­¡± She looked at me. Damn, I guess I got too loud. I scratched the back of my head. ¡°So, it was you.¡± Sora took a step forward. ¡°That means¡­you¡¯re not a monster?¡± I shook my head. ¡°What!¡± Han shouted. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! It¡¯s a trap, Sora! Get ba-SORA!¡± Sora ignored him as she approached and slowly reached a hand out to me. ¡°You aren¡¯t lying, are you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°You aren¡¯t a monster trying to trick me, right?¡± I shrugged. She frowned at that. What? You can¡¯t just trust anyone. I rested a hand on my hip. You¡¯re lucky this isn¡¯t a PvP game. If it was, I could have tricked you into getting your gear. ¡°W-Why is it moving its hands like that?¡± Han asked awkwardly. ¡°I think it¡¯s trying to talk but can¡¯t?¡± Rubellia answered his question with one of her own. ¡°I think¡­That¡¯s exactly what it is.¡± Sora¡¯s hand pressed to my chest, and I gently pressed my hand to hers. Her eyes sparkled. ¡°You really are Human.¡± At least they won¡¯t try to kill me anymore. That was my whole reason for not running, despite the fact it increased my time. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Han asked. ¡°The power emanating from it¡­¡± He gulped. ¡°It¡¯s like it¡¯s crushing me.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Sora asked, her voice distant from the conversation as she held my hand and ran her fingers over my glove. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that. I feel¡­¡± her eyes locked with the eyes of my mask, and her face flushed a deep red as she quickly averted her gaze. ¡°M-My name¡¯s Sora.¡± She pushed her bangs behind her ear. ¡°I know you probably can¡¯t speak, but¡­can I ask some questions? They¡¯ll be yes or no, so you can shake or nod your head.¡± Hmm¡­I don¡¯t see why not. I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that means you don¡¯t mind,¡± she laughed sheepishly. I nodded. ¡°Great! Then my first question is this.¡± She looked at all the bodies and then the blood that soaked my cloak, gloves, and mask. ¡°Did you¡­do this?¡± I nodded. ¡°By yourself?¡± I nodded. ¡°Are you alone?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then why can we see you? The dungeon should have separated our parties with magic.¡± Is that how it works? I rested a hand on my chin before shrugging. I didn¡¯t know the answer to that, but I figured it had something to do with what Han had said earlier. The dungeon had told both of us we were chosen. I couldn¡¯t speak and explain that, though. ¡°Are you single?¡± I nodded. Wait, why does that matter? ¡°Really?¡± She pressed her hands to my chest and leaned forward. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cute?¡± Well-I-I mean- ¡°Sora!¡± Han shouted. ¡°What does that have to do with anything? Move!¡± He pushed her out of the way. ¡°I have some real questions.¡± ¡°Hey! I wasn¡¯t done!¡± Sora complained. ¡°Why are you here? Who are you? How are you this strong?¡± ¡°Han, you idiot!¡± Sora shoved him away. ¡°He can only answer yes or no questions! So, am I cute?¡± Just tell her what she wants to hear. It¡¯ll make this faster. I¡¯ve lost four minutes in my run already. I nodded. ¡°Really!¡± She grabbed my hands and pulled me closer. ¡°Then¡­¡± her fingers walked up my back. ¡°Be my boyfriend.¡± Nope! I zipped around and behind her. She yelped as I smacked her ass before running off down the now-open corridor. The party called after me as I made my way quickly through the rest of the dungeon until I finally reached the last floor. Chapter 21 ¡°You really killed them all by yourself,¡± the dungeon creator had yet to shut up about my earlier encounter. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why won''t you work with them if you¡¯re so strong?¡± ¡°Like hell I¡¯d let those NOOBs get in the way of my speed run. I¡¯ve already lost more time than I should have because of them.¡± ¡°Speed run?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to complete this dungeon as fast as possible.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I just said it is.¡± I frowned as I turned a corner. There was a giant stone door with two large statues next to it. ¡°And it looks like I¡¯m almost done!¡± I grinned as I ran to the door. ¡°Let''s end the-AGH!¡± I slammed into the door. ¡°PFFT!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not funny!¡± I yelled as I rubbed my leg. ¡°Mmm. I guess it¡¯s a pull.¡± I tried to pull it but nothing happened. ¡°What the hell!? What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, that¡¯s easy. You said you wanted to speed run, so I changed the rules of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Everyone in the dungeon must be together for the doors to open.¡± ¡°wHaT!¡± I squeaked. ¡°Why would you do that?!¡± ¡°To piss you off. It looks like it worked.¡± ¡°I hate that tone in your voice! I¡¯ll kick your ass!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared.¡± ¡°GAH!¡± I shouted in frustration as I sat crisscrossed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wait for them. But it won¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯ll instantly kill the boss behind that door.¡± ¡°I doubt that. But go ahead and think that.¡± ¡°Bite me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like spoiled meat.¡± ¡°The hell does that mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re rotten; that¡¯s what it means.¡± ¡°Grrrr!¡± I grit my teeth. ¡°Whatever. Just¡­let me think.¡± I grumbled as I put the mask back on, waiting for the trio¡¯s arrival. ¡°You know¡­they had four people in their party when they first entered.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I moved the mask to the side of my face. ¡°There were four. One of them died.¡± ¡°Pfft. On the first floor?¡± I had met them on the second, meaning the fourth died on the first, seeing as there were only three when I met them. ¡°Some hero you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not a hero.¡± I sighed as I looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to be one. I¡¯m more of a background character.¡± ¡°Not strong enough!¡± The girl shouted. ¡°You took down an army of monsters by yourself!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the buff.¡± ¡°What buff?¡± ¡°The one I get from wearing this cloak and hood.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you shocked at how strong the buff on the armor is?¡± I grinned. ¡°¡­.So that¡¯s why you wear a Mask of Deception.¡± She mumbled. ¡°Huh? What are you-¡° The footsteps approaching made me stop midsentence and move the mask back over my face. ¡°Those enemies weren¡¯t that tough,¡± Han¡¯s ego-filled voice reached me first as they rounded the corner. ¡°We might actually be able to clear-¡° ¡°IT¡¯S HIM!¡± Sora squealed as she saw me, cutting Rubellia off. ¡°You waited! I knew you would!¡± She ran at me as I stood up and attempted to jump into my arms. I stepped aside, causing her to ram face-first into the door. ¡°Owie!¡± She cried as she held her nose. ¡°What was that for?¡± No touching! If you do, Nia will smell you all over me. It pisses her off, and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m being punished for your actions! ¡°Don¡¯t point at me like that! What are you trying to say? Did you lie? Do you actually have a girlfriend?¡± No! I shook my head violently. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t.¡± She smiled mischievously. ¡°If you did, you never would have smacked my ass.¡± She turned her behind to me. ¡°You like it, right?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Oh, momma! She¡¯s shaking it like a milkshake! ¡°Sora!¡± Han stepped between us. ¡°What are you doing? You don¡¯t even know who or what this thing is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a he,¡± Sora argued. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t know what he looks like. He¡¯s wearing a mask. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s ugly as hell.¡± I pointed at him and nodded my head. ¡°What? You are ugly? I knew it!¡± Han fist pumped. ¡°See, Sora? You have no reason to-¡° ¡°Say, Mr. Rabbit,¡± Sora ignored Han as she walked her fingers up my chest. ¡°Do you¡­¡± her eyes met mine, and a shiver traveled up my spine as I saw the hearts in her eyes. ¡°Fuck like a rabbit?¡± I attempted to step back, but she grabbed me by my collar and pulled me close. ¡°Don¡¯t back away, little rabbit. Nod your head yes or no.¡± Unhand! I grabbed her wrist to push it away, but she quickly spun and locked me in an arm bar, pressing her finger to my jugular. ¡°Yes, or no!¡± She demanded an answer this time. KYAAAA! GOD, HELP ME! ¡°Sora. Let him go. You¡¯re scaring him.¡± At least Rubellia had some sense and tried calming her down. Han was only staring at me in despite. ¡°Not until he answers my question!¡± Let me go! Let me-Wait, why am I acting like I can¡¯t break free? I calmed myself and stood up like her hold did nothing to restrain me. ¡°Huh?¡± Sora¡¯s eyes widened as I reached an arm back and grabbed the collar of her shirt, lifting her over me and dropping her to the ground. She landed with her legs sprawled out on her knees. ¡°Wow. You really are strong.¡± She looked at Han. ¡°Looks like you have a long way to go, Hero of Knowledge.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Han frowned. ¡°You know my name, and I told you we don¡¯t need formalities.¡± ¡°I was just teasing.¡± Sora chuckled. These two seem close. I thought as I looked from one to the other. I wonder if they¡¯re dating. ¡°I see you getting jealous, my little rabbit.¡± I shivered at the nickname Sora gave me as it gave me flashbacks to Sabrina and her training. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing is going on between me and him. I know most people fawn over the heroes, but I¡¯m not like other girls.¡± She squinted her eyes and smiled fiendishly. ¡°Get me in the bed and I¡¯ll show you that.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying.¡± Rubellia stepped toward me. ¡°She was all over Han until recently. Until she met you.¡± She looked at Sora with a scowl. ¡°After you ran into me on the second floor, you were all she talked about. And then after seeing you on floor six and all those monsters you killed, she¡¯s been obsessed.¡± Rubellia looked at me with pity. ¡°You never should have touched her butt. You sealed your fate with that.¡± I was just trying to teach her a lesson about slowing down my speed run! I flailed my arms. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be the obsessive type! A tug on my sleeve drew my attention to Sora. ¡°My minds filled with thoughts of you.¡± She placed a hand between her thighs as she squirmed. ¡°All kinds of thoughts. There¡¯s something about you. Something that makes you attractive.¡± Sora''s sapphire blue eyes stared intensely at me, shining softly in the dim light surrounding us. A sense of unease washed over me, one that I couldn¡¯t understand. There was something about the way she looked at me. Something about the way her eyes glowed. No, it was more than that. As I inched closer to get a better look at her eyes, I saw a reflection in them that made my heart drop. Error: Bio not found Chapter 22 I took a step back, realizing she was attempting to use some sort of ability to get a read on who I was. I was grateful it didn¡¯t work, though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to the mask or another reason that her attempt had failed. Either way, the fact she had an ability like that made her a danger to my privacy. ¡°No way.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°What? Did you finally get a read on him?¡± Han asked. ¡°What did it say?¡± Rubellia chimed in. Wait! Was her behavior a hoax to allow her to get close enough to me to read my bio?! ¡°You look surprised,¡± Han smirked. ¡°Did you really think she was into you like that? Sorry, but she¡¯s not. She needs to touch you for a certain amount of time to use her special ability. It allows her to get info on anyone.¡± He looked at Sora. ¡°So? What did it say?¡± ¡°I...couldn''t get any information..." She starred at me wide eyed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rubellia asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t get anything from him. It showed an error message. I¡¯ve never seen that before, though.¡± So she did things in an attempt to get a read on me. I scratched the back of my head and sighed internally. Yeah, that¡¯s about how it went IRL, too. Girls pretended to like me but always did it as some sort of prank or to get something out of it. It mostly was to get their real boyfriends jealous, which would result in them beating my ass. Man, girls are scary. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sora asked curiously. ¡°Talk to m-¡± I swatted her hand away as she reached for the mask. I¡¯m sick of this shit. I threw her at the door, then Han and Rubellia. I just want to clear this dungeon. The doors opened as I approached them, and they shouted and cursed. I don¡¯t need any of you for that. I glared at them as the doors stopped. I just needed you to open the door. I walked past them. ¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Han demanded as he followed me into the dark room. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer our question. Who are-¡° As the others followed us, the doors slammed shut. ¡°KYA!¡± I think it was Rubellia who screamed. Maybe Han. I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°It¡¯s dark!¡± ¡°I KNEW IT!¡± Han roared. ¡°He led us into a trap! It is a monster!¡± ¡°Han! Where are you!¡± Sora called out. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can make a fi-¡° Before Rubellia could finish, torches that lined the walls began to light one by one, revealing an arena. In the center, along with me, was a monster. Oh¡­my¡­IT¡¯S HUGE! The beast stood over nine feet tall, its body a blend of human and bull, covered in coarse, dark fur that rippled with each breath. Its muscular arms bulged with raw power, one of which held a gigantic, gleaming sword. The head was that of a bull, with sharp, curved horns that jutted menacingly from its skull. Its eyes glowed a fiery red, filled with a primal rage that sent shivers down my spine. Each exhale from the beast¡¯s nostrils released a cloud of steam as if its very breath was forged in the fires of the underworld. Its hooves clattered against the stone floor as it stepped forward, the sound reverberating through the room. I could feel the heat radiating from the creature, starkly contrasting the cold, damp air around me. ¡°W-Wh-¡° I heard Han drop his weapon. ¡°What is that!?¡± ¡°S-Sora?¡± Rubellia stuttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen or read about anything like that before!¡± Her voice was filled with panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that thing is!¡± A minotaur. With a low, guttural growl, the minotaur raised its sword, the blade catching the light and casting a long shadow over me. I knew I had to react quickly as the sword closed in on me, and I felt a smile forming on my lips as I readied myself. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there!¡± Rubellia shouted. ¡°R-¡° She stopped as I zipped up and around the blade, connecting my foot to the beast''s jaw. It staggered slightly before grabbing hold of my foot. Good reaction time. It threw me into the air with enough force to cause me to spin uncontrollably. It swung its blade at high speed, almost as if the giant sword weighed the same as a feather. I quickly used a ripple to stop myself while jumping back toward it. Amazing speed! Both of my feet collided with the minotaur¡¯s chest. Its pecks tightened, and my kick had no effect. The beast grabbed me in its hand and let out a ferocious roar in my face before throwing me to the ground. I bounced several times before I twisted to my feet and caught my balance. SUCH POWER! YES! YES! I pointed at the minotaur. You are a worthy enemy! My hand extended to the beast¡ªa good test for my abilities. My hand slowly closed into a fist. AND I WILL DESTROY YOU!! ¡°HE¡¯S CRAZY!¡± Han screamed as the minotaur and I ran at each other. It swiped its sword at me. I jumped, landing on the blade and running up it to its arm. The minotaur reached for me with its free hand in an attempt to crush me like a bug, but I zipped between its fingers, quickly reached for Rei, and pulled her from her sheath as I stabbed her into its hand, slicing between its fingers. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The minotaur roared in pain as I ran up its arm to its shoulder. I was heading toward its jugular when it twisted its head. Its horn collided with me, sending me flying off the beast. It''s not that easy to get rid of me! I quickly twisted and created a ripple before jumping back toward it. ¡°No way¡­¡± I could hear the party marveling from where they stood, unmoving. The minotaur kept swatting at me like a fly, hoping to land a hit, but it never did. I kept zipping around its hand and using my ripples to jump back and forth around it, slashing its chest, back, arms, legs, and face as I flew by. COME ON! My smile grew wider under the mask. I THOUGHT YOU¡¯D BE STRONGER THAN- It finally grabbed hold of my foot, its eyes glowing a vibrant blood red as it dropped its sword. Huh? I watched as the beast''s blood absorbed back into its skin and its wounds healed. I see. My eyes glowed brightly under the mask. It¡¯s DMing. A red aura surrounded the beast before it threw me across the room. I spun several times before creating a ripple. The minotaur roared as it looked up at me. I, of course, was out of reach. So, its attention quickly turned to the trio. ¡°H-Hey!¡± Han took a step back. ¡°I-It¡¯s looking at us!¡± ¡°It¡¯s charging at us!¡± Sora yelled. ¡°Help us!¡± Rubellia begged as she looked up at me. Nah. I took a seat on my ripple and looked down at them. You three have done nothing this entire time. Carry your weight. ¡°Why is he sitting!¡± Han grabbed his axe and readied it. "That piece of shit is gonna watch us die!¡± I shrugged. ¡°No¡­I think he wants us to prove we¡¯re worthy of being helped.¡± Rubellia said. Huh? ¡°Huh?¡± Han repeated my thoughts out loud. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± They dodged out of the minotaur¡¯s path, causing it to crash into a wall. ¡°He¡¯s testing us.¡± She answered. ¡°We would have been in here with or without him. Seeing as how we''re trapped in here, we can¡¯t escape. He showed us he could handle this monster, so now he¡¯s making us do the same.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Sora shot several arrows at the minotaur. All it did was piss it off more as it roared and ran at her. ¡°He¡¯s testing to see if we would have died without his help. He wants to see if we could have handled the beast without him. Because if he wasn¡¯t here and we couldn¡¯t handle it, we¡¯d die.¡± ¡°I think I get it.¡± Sora slid under the minotaur¡¯s legs and unleashed arrows into its chin. ¡°He wants to see if we¡¯re a bunch of weaklings that should be left to die or if we¡¯re worthy of being saved.¡± That¡¯s¡­not at all what I was planning on doing. I frowned. I was going to let you die if you couldn¡¯t handle the beast. That¡¯s what happens to people who think they¡¯re stronger than they are. They learn their place. ¡°He reminds me of the guild master!¡± Han grunted as his axe collided with the beast''s ankle. Guild master? ¡°Yeah. That pesky little vampire pisses me off!¡± Sora said as she jumped off Han¡¯s shoulder to arc over the minotaur. They know Sabrina? I watched as Sora unleashed several arrows into the beast''s skull. Not long after she landed, they exploded. The explosion along with its weakened ankle caused it to collapse to a knee. ¡°She always tests us, and he¡¯s doing the same!¡± A red light enveloped Rubellia. My eyes widened as I watched magic being used. ¡°The only difference is that this is life and death! At least all she does is drop ridiculous quests on us!¡± A fireball erupted from her staff and exploded on the minotaur. It fell completely, landing on its back. ¡°Who cares!¡± Han launched himself into the air. ¡°Let¡¯s show him that we don¡¯t need his-¡° ¡°RAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!¡± The minotaur let out an ear-splitting screech that caused them to drop their weapons. Han hit the ground, paralyzed and unable to get up. ¡°I-I can¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Me neither!¡± Sora panicked. ¡°Rubellia?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t move either.¡± That¡¯s an odd skill for a minotaur to have. I rested my hand on my chin¡ªa paralysis roar. The beast rose to its feet. I could feel its rage from where I was as it looked to Rubellia, who was closest to it. ¡°No¡­¡± her voice cracked as it walked to her. ¡°P-Please¡­¡± tears filled her eyes as it reached for her. ¡°Rubellia!¡± Sora screamed. ¡°Why can¡¯t I move!¡± Han was still trying to get up. ¡°Damnit!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Its hand closed in on Rubellia. ¡°I don¡¯t want to-¡° She stopped as her eyes looked up to the ceiling above. I guess, just this once¡­ Rei¡¯s runes began to glow a bright gold as I gripped her tightly in my hand. I¡¯ll be the hero. I spun as I descended on the beast from above, Rei¡¯s golden light illuminating the room. Her light reflected in Rubellia¡¯s eyes as she spoke. ¡°The Gilded Hero.¡± I landed atop the beast''s head, plunging Rei into its skull. She cut through like a hot knife through butter. Immediately, the unmoving minotaur collapsed, and the trio was freed from their paralysis. Chapter 23 I stood straight, Rubellia staring at me with wide, sparkling eyes. My mask and cloak were covered in blood, as was Rei. I twirled her in my hand before flicking her, causing the blood to splatter on the ground, before sheathing her and stepping down from the minotaur. You okay? I reached a hand out to Rubellia. ¡°You¡­You saved me.¡± She whispered as she gently took my hand. Everybody gets one. I pulled her up gently. Don¡¯t think too hard about it. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± She never let go of my hand. In fact, her grip tightened as she continued to stare. You must also have that damn ability. I pulled my hand away forcefully. I won¡¯t let you get a read on me. I began walking away. ¡°You¡¯re him, aren¡¯t you?¡± I stopped at Rubellia¡¯s question. ¡°You¡¯re the Gilded Hero.¡± ¡°He is no hero,¡± an all too familiar voice sounded from the room. Great. This woman again. ¡°What? Who are you?¡± Han pointed his axe toward the woman. Dumb ass. Can¡¯t you tell she¡¯s an apparition? ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid, Hero of Knowledge.¡± Han¡¯s eyes widened at her response. ¡°You and your party have cleared my dungeon; for that, I am here to reward you.¡± Excuse me! I¡¯m sorry. I think I just heard you say he and his party cleared it. You know damn well I soloed this dungeon! ¡°Out of my way, pesky rabbit.¡± The woman scoffed as she waved a hand, creating a gust of wind that blew me across the room. ¡°Heh,¡± Han smirked at me. I¡¯ll kick your ass! ¡°Reward us?¡± Sora asked as she stepped forward. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You three were the first party to ever clear a dungeon, as all who attempted before perished. That was why I chose you. I knew you could do it.¡± They would have died without me! ¡°Yeah,¡± Han shrugged. ¡°It was pretty easy.¡± The woman chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was. Now, for your reward, I will bestow upon you the gift my guardian had.¡± A red orb floated from her to Han before merging with him. ¡°It¡¯s called Berserk. Use this skill when you are hurt and feel you can no longer fight. It will heal your wounds and double your strength.¡± THAT SHOULD BE MY SKILL, DAMNIT! ¡°As for you,¡± A blue orb floated toward Sora and merged with her. ¡°I have upgraded that ability of yours. It should now be called Scan, and it allows you to see all information on any person or monster you encounter at will. It can even show you their stats and abilities. However, if the monster or person is significantly stronger or higher level than you, it won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sora immediately looked at me, only to frown. It seemed the ability still hadn¡¯t worked on me. ¡°And you,¡± a silver orb floated and merged with Rubellia. ¡°I grant you the spell Bind. Use it to prevent your enemies from moving.¡± ¡°This is a level eight spell!¡± Rubellia squeaked. ¡°Use it in your adventures.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Now, go.¡± Light surrounded the trio. ¡°Continue with your adventures and grow ever stronger. Many more trials await you, especially if you plan to conquer the other dungeons. May the God¡¯s smile upon this hero and his party.¡± At that, the trio vanished. I immediately removed my mask. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What the hell was that!? You gave them all the good shit! What about me? I soloed this dungeon, and they would have died without my help.¡± ¡°Can you shut up?¡± She scowled at me. Her attitude towards me was completely different than it was for the trio, and I didn¡¯t like it. Not only had she praised them for doing something they didn¡¯t do, but she rewarded them for it as well. All those skills and abilities she gave them should have been mine. That left me with nothing but a bitchy apparition. Moments like this made me wish the world was more video game-like. If it were, at least all of us would have been rewarded for the dungeon¡¯s completion. But because this wasn¡¯t a game, the woman favoritized the trio, rewarding them instead of me. I understood her frustrations with me, however. I mean, I soloed her dungeon, called it shitty, and speed ran it, all of which she hated me for, but that didn¡¯t excuse my lack of reward. If it weren¡¯t for me, the trio would have died. If it weren¡¯t for me, the dungeon never would have been cleared. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it had something to do with Han¡¯s title. Sora and the dungeon creator had called him the Hero of Knowledge, and the dialogue he received sounded like that of a main character. That was most likely why she had given him and his party the upgrades. In this world, in terms of coding, I was a virus, a trojan horse, an unaccounted variable. What I meant by this was that I was never meant to clear the dungeon. ¡°Whatever,¡± I grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m just saying they would have died without my-¡° ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Her sudden yelling caught me by surprise. ¡°Gods, what am I gonna do?¡± She began to ruffle her hair in frustration. ¡°I thought they were strong enough when I deemed them worthy, but they almost died. If you hadn¡¯t been here¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°Strength means nothing compared to experience,¡± I said, stepping toward the woman. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said you thought they were strong enough, and they showed their strength in the second phase of the fight. The minotaur was strengthened by a buff, yet they still managed to take it down. But it was their lack of experience with a monster like that that led to their near death.¡± ¡°You say that like you¡¯ve dealt with it before.¡± She frowned. ¡°More or less,¡± I shrugged. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that I have experience with these kinds of things. They don¡¯t. Plus, their formation was terrible, regardless of how well they did. They had their mage by herself away from the warrior, and the archer was fighting on the frontlines. That¡¯s why I had to step in and save their NOOB asses.¡± ¡°NOOB?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Indeed, it doesn¡¯t.¡± She sighed. We were silent for a moment before she looked at me again. ¡°You¡¯re experienced, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong, right?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°Then watch over them.¡± Chapter 24 ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Had I heard her right? There was no way she asked me to babysit a party of grown adventurers. ¡°Watch over them. Help them. Train them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not a babysitter or a coach. I don¡¯t teach people how to play the game. It¡¯s something they gotta find out on their own.¡± ¡°You want your reward, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You gave away all the good shit. The shit that was rightfully mine.¡± ¡°They needed those powers more than you!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter! I deserved it!¡± ¡°Wah wah wah.¡± ¡°Hey! I am not a baby!¡± ¡°Are you sure? Cause you¡¯ve been crying about those abilities since they left.¡± ¡°And rightfully so.¡± I crossed my arms with a huff. ¡°Ugh,¡± the woman groaned. ¡°If I give you something, will you shut up and do as I ask?¡± ¡°Depends on the reward I receive. Asking me to babysit is tiresome work, you know.¡± ¡°What if I granted you the power to use magic?¡± ¡°mAgIc!¡± My voice cracked. ¡°Indeed. I sense that you have little to no Mana, preventing you from casting even the simplest of spells.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. I thought Mana couldn¡¯t be increased, though, and I¡¯d be stuck without magic forever.¡± The woman walked up to me as she spoke. ¡°Normally, it is impossible. However, this is different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°You¡¯re experienced. You even guessed I was the dungeon creator. Tell me what you think.¡± ¡°What do I think¡­?¡± I trailed off into thought. Let¡¯s use the little information I have. I knew she was the dungeon¡¯s creator, and according to what she and Sabrina told me, the dungeons had never been cleared. That meant the dungeons had to have been around for a long time. If the dungeon wasn¡¯t recently created, it meant she had made it long ago. She was an apparition, a left-over illusion of the actual dungeon creator. However, for an illusion, her dialogue options were advanced. That meant one of two things: She was an extremely powerful being when she was alive, or¡­she wasn¡¯t an illusion. She seemed to focus on the hero and his party, blessing them all on their adventures. She was even asking me to watch over them now, meaning, to her, the hero and his party were important in some way or another. ¡°Are you¡­a previous hero?¡± I asked. Her eyes widened. ¡°I-How did you-¡° ¡°So, you are,¡± I murmured. ¡°That means you also created the other dungeons, and they¡¯re all to test the hero and his party.¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± she smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t create the other dungeons. Just this one. The other heroes created the others.¡± Other heroes? ¡°You aren¡¯t an apparition, are you?¡± She smiled softly at my question. ¡°How do you think I can increase your magic? If you guess right, I¡¯ll do it. If it¡¯s wrong, however, I¡¯ll kick you out of the dungeon with no reward.¡± ¡°wHaT!¡± She giggled at my voice crack. ¡°Screw you,¡± I snorted. ¡°But fine.¡± I crossed my arms. If I were to guess, and this is a far jump, seeing as how I¡¯m basing it off anime¡­ ¡°Do you use the last of your magic to pass it on to me, destroying the dungeon in the process and making it so that it can never be entered again?¡± She blinked several times at me. ¡°You¡¯re creepy,¡± she grumbled as she touched her hand to my chest. ¡°But you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I am!¡± My eyes sparkled. ¡°So then, I-¡° ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she smiled as a warm sensation filled my body. ¡°You¡¯re getting a bump in your Mana. Plus,¡± she stepped on her tiptoes and brought her lips close to mine. ¡°I¡¯ll even give you a few starter spells.¡± ¡°Aw, sick! You¡¯re the be-HMPH!¡± I was silenced as her lips pressed against mine. Notice: Yue has kissed you. All stats increased by 200 Notice: Yue has transferred the last of her Mana to you. Magic menu is now accessible. Notice: Yue has transferred the knowledge of four spells. Stolen story; please report. Spells learned: Pyrokinesis, Ice Javelin, Water Whip, and Whirlwind Notice: You will now be transported out of the dungeon I was transported to the nearby forest, a ways away from the original entrance to the dungeon. I noticed when looking at my map that the dungeon symbol had vanished. It seemed the dungeon really had vanished after Yue transferred the last of her Mana to me. It was strange to say, but I still felt her presence. It probably had something to do with the Mana transfer, but I didn¡¯t care too much about that. No. There was something else I was much more interested in. Something else that deserved my attention. ¡°Magic! Magic! Magic!¡± I repeated manically after opening the magic menu. There were dozens of spells, but only three that weren¡¯t greyed out. It seemed, however, that those spells had spells linked with them, branching out like a tree. That meant the spells could be upgraded, and in order to upgrade spells, like skills, they had to be used. What do I use first!? I thought to myself excitedly. Pyrokinesis allows me to create and manipulate fire. Ice Javelin creates a spear of ice that I can fire at my enemies. Water Whip allows me to create tendrils of water to grab my enemies, and Whirlwind creates a gust of wind that can stagger enemies. I wanted to use them all, but which one did I want to test first? The bushes shaking nearby caught my attention, and I immediately smiled like a madman as I realized I found my first practice target. Whether it was a goblin or a draconian, I didn¡¯t care. I finally had magic! Before I could even step toward the shrub, a goblin leaped out. ¡°Hehehe,¡± my hair covered my eyes as I chuckled softly. As I looked at the monster, my eyes glowed brightly, even in the light of day. For whatever reason, it froze in place. ¡°Good,¡± my left hand caught fire as I stepped toward it and leaned over to be at eye level; my flame-engulfed hand raised between us. ¡°You know your place.¡± The goblin stepped back only to trip on its own two feet. ¡°Now,¡± I reached for its face. ¡°Burn to nothing.¡± As I grabbed hold, the fire engulfed the goblin. Its screams of pain sounded like a symphony of music to my ears as the fire slowly peeled its skin away, followed by its bones, until not even ash was left. ¡°Woah,¡± my eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s a starter spell?¡± I looked at my hand, which was still burning. ¡°Creepy.¡± I closed it into a fist, snuffing the flame out. ¡°What about Ice Javelin?¡± A spear of ice spawned over my shoulder. ¡°Hmm. Looks normal enough.¡± A rabbit jumped from the thicket, and I immediately fired the spear. It pierced the rabbit''s flank before continuing its trajectory, piercing and destroying several dozen trees as it exited my site. ¡°Er¡­¡± I scratched my cheek. ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t hit somebody.¡± I smiled nervously. ¡°Okay. So, what about Water Whip?¡± A ring of water circled my feet, and several tendrils rose. ¡°Oh?¡± I smiled. ¡°Hehe.¡± I began to drool. ¡°I can think of so many uses for this.¡± The tendrils lost form and fell to the ground, seeping into the grass as I stopped the spell. It looked like things were finally looking up for me. I had magic now, which meant that I could still do some damage even without my cloak. Sure, my stats would lower once I removed the cloak, but magic was still magic, and fire burns and sharp objects still pierce their enemies. Magic was strong regardless of stats, to a degree, and with my recent two hundred increase with Yue¡¯s kiss, I was stronger, if only a little. ¡°Now let¡¯s see about Whirl-¡° ¡°It came from this direction!¡± Shit. I quickly put the mask back on as the Han and his party stepped through the shrubs. ¡°You again!?¡± Han barked. ¡°Are you stalking us?¡± Sora asked wierly. ¡°He¡¯s probably stalking you,¡± Han grumbled. ¡°You did flirt with him pretty hard in that dungeon. Add a beautiful girl and an ugly bustard like him that¡¯s never been hit on, and you¡¯re bound to end up with a stalker.¡± ¡°Do I detect a hint of jealousy?¡± Sora grinned. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You¡¯re jealous he touched my ass, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± I really don¡¯t want to deal with these three. I turned around. And I especially don¡¯t want to see those two flirting. I was walking away when Yue¡¯s voice reverberated in my head. ¡°Train them.¡± Tsk. I about-faced back to them. ¡°Huh?¡± Han scowled. ¡°What? What are you looking at?¡± Not sure, but I¡¯m pretty sure I saw you on Animal Planet. ¡°Why do I feel like you just thought something smart?¡± Han gnarled his lip. I shrugged in response. ¡°You must want a fight.¡± He grabbed his axe. ¡°Han!¡± Rubellia stepped in front of him. ¡°We can¡¯t! You saw how strong he was. We can¡¯t beat him.¡± ¡°That was before we got our new abilities.¡± He shoved her aside. ¡°Ky-¡° her scream was stopped halfway through as I caught her. ¡°So fast.¡± Sora gasped while I helped Rubellia balance herself. ¡°Speed is for cowards who want to run away.¡± Han stepped forward. Speed? For cowards? Hehehe. A smile made its way across my lips. ¡°What the-¡° The trio took a step back. You really don¡¯t know anything, do you? My eyes glowed, and the red eyes on the mask emitted a crimson glow. ¡°Wh-What is this?¡± Rubellia cowered. ¡°So much blood lust.¡± Sora gulped. But that¡¯s okay. I took a step forward. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I took another step. I will show you¡­ I kicked off the ground and appeared in the air behind Han. Just how important speed is! Chapter 25 ¡°Han!¡± Sora quickly pushed him out of the way from my spinning backkick. Oh? I looked at Sora as I landed on the ground. Looks like you have some pretty good reaction time. I lunged at her. But let¡¯s see just how good it is! She evaded my roundhouse, albeit clumsily. In a panic, she attempted to spear-tackle me. I lifted my outward leg in a crescent kick, bringing it back down and wrapping her neck between my calf and thigh. I jumped off my other leg, spinning back so my hands were on the ground before pulling her back with me and sending her slamming into a tree trunk. I heard the wind leave her lungs as she gasped for air. I turned my attention to Rubellia, and a fireball flew past where my head had been. ¡°I missed!?¡± She cried as I ran at her. ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡± Han stepped in front of her. Yes! Good! I jumped back as Han swung his axe at me. Protect your mage. She¡¯s your most valuable asset. ¡°Rubellia, can you use that Bind spell?¡± ¡°Y-Yes. But I need to use an incantation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He steadied himself. ¡°Well protect you while you do that.¡± Sora groaned as she stepped between them. Wrong! I ran at Sora. Han should be protecting you both! I jumped and spun sideways as I unleashed a kick. She dodged out of the way, but the moment I landed on the ground I used the momentum from my spin to get low and sweep her legs from under her. ¡°Gah!¡± She hit the ground hard, and I jumped off all fours like a rabbit as I spun in the air and descended on Rubellia, who was still muttering an incantation. She hasn¡¯t stopped? My eyes widened, and I immediately used Zip to escape Han¡¯s attempt to grab me. I landed on his shoulders and kicked away in a backflip, sending him staggering forward. She trusted him to protect her. I smiled as I landed on the ground. Good. That¡¯s good. They really would have been in trouble if she had stopped the incantation. ¡°Damnit!¡± Han growled as he turned to me. ¡°Calm down, Han.¡± Sora readied an arrow. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Oh? Let¡¯s hear it. I stood straight. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay back and support you from here. There¡¯s nothing I can do in close-range combat with him. But you,¡± she smiled. ¡°I think you can take him.¡± ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at.¡± He grinned. Hm? I cocked my head as he dropped his weapon and cracked his knuckles. ¡°He wants to fight hand to hand; then I¡¯ll beat him at his own game!¡± He ran at me, and Sora fired several arrows simultaneously. It''s not that- ¡°Bind!¡± Rubellia had finished her incantation, and I looked down at my feet as the ground below me rumbled. Vines spouted from the earth, wrapping me in their hold. Impressive. I attempted to break free, using all my strength, but the vines didn¡¯t budge. ¡°I got you now!¡± Han was closer now, charging at me like a rhino. Simple-minded buffoons. My eyes glowed as I smiled wickedly. Did you truly believe a mere restraining spell would be enough to hold me down? Embers began to swirl around my hand. If you did¡­ Soon, the embers sparked into a bright and hot flame, the fire consuming not just my hand but my arm as well. You were wrong! The vines burst into flame, freeing me from their grip. ¡°Shit!¡± Han cursed and jumped back so he was next to Sora again. The arrows she fired at me caught fire before reaching me. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Oops. I may need to turn the heat down a little. I focused on the magic, lowering the output until the flame covered only my hand, and the scorching heat that had singed the leaves and grass around me died out. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rubellia fell to her knees. ¡°That¡¯s not possible¡­¡± She whispered. ¡°Rubellia!¡± Sora ran to her side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Tears filled Rubellia¡¯s eyes. ¡°He what?¡± Han asked as he took a knee close to her. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± Rubellia shook her head, her eyes never leaving me. ¡°He broke free.¡± ¡°Yeah, we saw,¡± Han grumbled as he faced me again. ¡°He must have some powerful spells to break free of a level eight spell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing.¡± Rubellia¡¯s voice was still shaking as she spoke. ¡°That was a level one spell he broke free with.¡± ¡°What?¡± I saw Sora¡¯s face fall. ¡°Y-You¡¯re joking. How do you know that?¡± ¡°It was Pyrokinesis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Han shouted. ¡°That spell can be used by children, and it''s only really used to light candles or fires. Look at him.¡± His eyes rested on my flame-engulfed hand. ¡°That¡¯s not Pyrokinesis. It¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± Rubellia exclaimed fearfully. ¡°That¡¯s Pyrokinesis! He broke free with Pyrokinesis!¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re serious?¡± He gulped. ¡°I am.¡± Rubellia turned her attention back to me. ¡°And for him to be able to do that with a level one spell means.¡± She stood up. ¡°You¡¯re an Arch Mage.¡± Nope. I shook my head. ¡°Y-You¡¯re not?¡± ¡°Be real, Rubellia. You¡¯ve seen how he fights. No mage, high or arch, could ever do what he does.¡± And those are facts. ¡°But¡­how?! How else could he do that with a level one spell?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Han looked at Sora. ¡°Can you still not get a read on him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°It keeps saying error. But¡­¡± She looked him in the eyes. ¡°Sometimes, for a brief moment when I first use the ability, I can see, but before I can even register any of it, it turns into an error message. It¡¯s almost like¡­something is interfering with my skill.¡± Her eyes met mine. ¡°Like he''s interfering.¡± No idea what you¡¯re talking about. I shrugged. ¡°Who cares who he is?¡± Han grunted. ¡°He¡¯s trying to kill us. We don¡¯t need to know who he is. We just need to-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to kill us.¡± Rubellia¡¯s gaze never left mine as she continued to talk. It was begging to make me feel uncomfortable, and I scratched the back of my head as I awkwardly averted my gaze, my discomfort apparent. I didn¡¯t know why she kept staring; I just knew it made me uncomfortable. Her piercing silver eyes harbored no resentment or judgment but something else. Her eyes shone like a child who believed to have met the real Santa Clause. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Han scowled. ¡°Of course he¡¯s trying to-¡° ¡°If he was, then why isn¡¯t he attacking?¡± They all looked to see I was gazing at the trees, waiting for their conversation to end so we could continue our training. ¡°He¡¯s¡­training us.¡± ¡°Training?¡± Sora murmured. ¡°It¡­would make sense. He was testing us in the dungeon as well.¡± Hm. The sun¡¯s at its peak. It¡¯s noon. I blinked several times before panic consumed me. NOON! Sabrina¡¯s gonna kill me! I jumped onto the branch of a nearby tree. ¡°Hey!¡± Han shouted at me. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Sorry guys. Today¡¯s training session is cut short. I gotta go! I jumped into the air and ran off on my ripples. Chapter 26 I got back to Sabrina¡¯s estate in record time. The estate was quiet, which eased my nerves. If they had known I was missing, the entire estate would have been in chaos searching for me. I had just finished changing into my everyday attire when I noticed my lab coat on the bed. I was confused because I knew Nia normally wore it since we still hadn¡¯t gotten her any clothes, but I thought nothing of it as I put it on. I hated the outfit. After changing out of the cloak and hood Sabrina had given me, I felt my stats decrease. I felt weaker, and I hated it. I wanted to wear it at all times, but Sabrina¡¯s warning stuck with me. ¡°They¡¯ll see me as a monster?¡± I scoffed as I made my way to the door. ¡°Yeah-¡° I paused as the door swung open. ¡°I KNEW I SMELLED YOU!¡± ¡°S-Sabrin-AHHHH!¡± I screamed as she began chasing me around the room, tearing up the bed and furniture in the process. ¡°Stop it!¡± I begged as I began running down the hall. ¡°Why are you so angr-AHHHH!¡± She pounced and pinned me down by my shoulders. ¡°You know what you did!¡± She bore her fangs at me. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what-¡° ¡°Liar!¡± She turned me so I was facing her. ¡°You liar!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying about-¡° ¡°I told you! I told you it was too dangerous to go on your own!¡± ¡°S-Sabrina. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re¡­Sabrina?¡± My eyes widened as tears fell from her eyes. ¡°I told you you could have gotten yourself killed. Why? Why didn¡¯t you listen to me?¡± Her face was close to mine, and her tears stained my cheeks. ¡°I-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you!¡± She buried her face in my chest. ¡°I can¡¯t lose you¡­¡± Her fingers clung tightly to my coat like a child clinging to their parent in a crowded area. ¡°You could have died, Sion. You could have died.¡± I opened my mouth to tell her she was wrong and to explain how smoothly the dungeon went but decided against it. What she needed was reassurance, not an explanation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I rested a hand on the back of her head. ¡°I know I defied you, and after going, I saw just how hard the dungeon was.¡± Like hell. It was easy as hell. But¡­ I sighed softly. I can¡¯t tell her how easy it was. She knew I was weak, and she said herself that even with the cloak I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. So, even if I told the truth, there was no way she would believe me. ¡°Is that why you turned around and left?¡± She sniffed. ¡°It was too hard?¡± So you can leave the dungeons. It was different for me, though. I wasn¡¯t able to. ¡°Yeah.¡± I smiled weakly. ¡°I only got to floor three.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± She sat up and wiped her tears away. ¡°I figured you would have at least gotten farther than that.¡± ¡°I did, too. But it took me several hours to get from one floor to the next, and I was getting tired.¡± ¡°I bet you are.¡± She rested her elbows on my chest with a wicked smile. ¡°S-Sabri-¡° She scowled heavily. ¡°M-Master.¡± I gulped. ¡°Wh-What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Well,¡± she walked her fingers up my chest. ¡°A loyal familiar would have listened to their master.¡± I gulped. ¡°Yet you chose to defy me. So,¡± her crimson eyes glinted with mischief. ¡°I think you need to be reformed.¡± ¡°R-Reformed? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Her smile widened, exposing her fangs. God, I love it when she looks at me like that. ¡°I mean you need to learn your place.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you gonna axe kick me now?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± She grabbed my collar and effortlessly threw me into a nearby room. I hissed in pain as my head hit the foot of the bed frame. ¡°I¡¯m going to do something much more effective than that.¡± ¡°What the hell, Sabrina? That hu- Where did you get that whip?¡± Whitish! It smacked the ground with a loud pop. I jumped, squealing like a terrified rabbit as I scurried to my feet. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you damn mutt!?¡± ¡°AH!¡± I cried as the whip smacked my back. That actually hurts! ¡°Unloyal curs like you need to learn to listen to their master.¡± She smiled sadistically as she approached. ¡°I-I thought I was a little rabbit, not a dog!¡± ¡°Since when could dogs speak!?¡± She whipped the bed next to me, cutting it open. ¡°EEEEK!¡± I squeaked. ¡°M-Master. I-I¡¯m sorry, I really-AH!¡± She whipped the other side of the bed next to me. ¡°Who said you could speak!?¡± She raised her leg, giving me a brief glimpse of her panties under her skirt before her foot collided with my face, forcing me off the bed and onto the ground with a loud thump. ¡°Learn your place, mutt!¡± She twirled the whip in her hand. ¡°You will listen to me from now on, do you understand?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Mast-¡° WHITISH! ¡°Bark if you understand, you damn mongrel!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯ll ever-¡° Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. WHISTISH! ¡°ARF! ARF!¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± A euphoric smile spread on her lips. ¡°Good boy. Now strip.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°STRIP!¡± She hissed. ¡°ARF!¡± I quickly removed all my clothes until I was only in my underwear. Kill me! ¡°Now get on all fours!¡± ¡°Arf!¡± I did as told, and she sat on my back before removing her shoes and bringing her foot to my face. ¡°Remove my sock.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I averted my gaze. ¡°Did you just growl at me!?¡± ¡°ARF!¡± I reached for her sock with a hand. WHITISH! ¡°Ah!¡± She stopped me. ¡°Do it like the half-breed you are.¡± She grinned. ¡°Use your teeth.¡± This is so degrading! Tears streamed down my face as I softly bit onto her sock and pulled it off. ¡°Slower.¡± She demanded. ¡°Arf!¡± I pulled slower until I finally got it off and spit it to the ground. ¡°Good boy.¡± She scratched my head. Mmm¡­that feels good. Her sharpened nails scratched an itch I never knew existed, and my entire body became covered in goosebumps as I shivered. ¡°Now the other.¡± She gave me her other foot, and I did as told, pulling it off slowly before letting it drop to the ground. ¡°You¡¯re such a good boy!¡± She scratched under my chin as she stood and sat on the bed. ¡°There¡¯s only a few items left for you to remove, then, I¡¯ll reward you for your good behavior.¡± Eh? ¡°Come on,¡± she laid down on her back and gently pulled down on her skirt to loosen its hold on her hips. ¡°You can do it.¡± W-Wh-What the hell is going on!? ¡°I-I¡¯m not doing th-YA!¡± I yelped as she smacked me with the whip. ¡°Who said you could speak!?¡± ¡°A-Arf!¡± I cried as I bit softly on her skirt. ¡°Mmm,¡± Sabrina looked down at me, biting her finger with flushed cheeks. She¡¯s a God damn sadist! I pulled down, lowering the skirt to her knees. ¡°Faster,¡± she huffed. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that, Sion. Strip me faster.¡± Don¡¯t say my name like that while forcing me to act like a dog! I preferred Nia¡¯s forward advances over this forced role-play. Please, save me, Nia! I got Sabrina¡¯s skirt off and dropped it to the ground. All she had on now were her panties and garters, along with her blouse and vest. She breathed heavily, her breaths slow as she eagerly awaited my next step. My heart raced rapidly, and my mind buzzed with drunken delight as my lips closed around her panties. ¡°Ah!¡± Sabrina moaned as she arched her back. Her hand reached forward and gripped the hair on the back of my head as she began to thrust her hips slowly. ¡°H-Hurry.¡± She begged. Extra Quest: Tame the Vampire Reward: All stats increased by 500 I don¡¯t care about that. My eyes never left hers as she stared pleadingly at me. Sabrina¡­ My eyes began to glow as I released my grip on her panties. ¡°What are you doing? I didn¡¯t say you could-Ah!¡± She moaned loudly as my hand caressed her thigh, making its way up under her shirt to her abdomen. ¡°You lost the right to order me around the moment you caved into your desires.¡± Her eyes stared deeply into mine while a golden light enveloped her face, making her skin look paler than it already was. ¡°But don¡¯t worry.¡± I leaned to her ear. ¡°I promise to take good care of you, Master.¡± I chomped on her ear softly. Sabrina gasped loudly, her back arching as she grabbed hold of my hair once again. ¡°D-Don¡¯t!¡± Her voice shook as I kissed her neck. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me.¡± ¡°Tease you?¡± I leaned forward, so my eyes stared into hers. They began to pulse softly as I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not teasing you. I¡¯m taming you.¡± Quest Complete All stats increased by 500 Notice: Your bond with Sabrina has deepened. As a result, all stats have increased by 100 Notice: You have met the minimum requirements for class assignment. Class will now be assigned Class assigned: Shifter Notice: Class tutorial will now commence Chapter 27 My eyes opened to a blinding white. ¡°No way.¡± My heart sank. ¡°Did I just die?¡± Had my and Sabrina¡¯s intimacy gotten me killed? ¡°I mean, it was a lot, especially for my first time.¡± I began to drool as I remembered her flexibility. If I died because of that, then I welcomed death''s embrace. ¡°I finally get to see you again.¡± I jumped at the woman¡¯s voice that came from behind me. I turned to see a stunning woman whom I could only describe as a goddess. Her short pink hair shifted as she tilted her head, and her rose quart eyes stared lovingly into mine. She made no attempt to get closer, but she held her arms behind her back while her gaze stared off into the void of white. Her countenance left much to be desired, as it looked like she had a lot she wanted to say, but her eyes told that she couldn¡¯t. Her soft pink lips opened briefly but shut not soon after. I decided to be the one to break the silence. ¡°Again?¡± I asked in confusion. I''ve never met this woman before, so her statement left me in a state of confusion. She looked at me with a sad smile. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡± ¡°I¡­guess I have.¡± I scratched the back of my head with a mumble. ¡°Sooner than I anticipated.¡± She looked at the ground, that is, if there was one. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m overpowered or anything,¡± I grunted. ¡°It seems that my stats scale differently than everyone else''s. It¡¯s like me having one thousand strength is the equivalent of twenty-five, or less, for everyone else.¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± ¡°When everyone else was level ten, they received their class. At first, that made me believe your class was assigned from your level, but I still didn¡¯t have one after reaching level ten. That¡¯s when I realized it was based on your stats. My stats just reached over one thousand, but no one else¡¯s stats are that high. Normally, I would think I was OP, but seeing as I was just informed I met the minimum requirements for class assignment, it confirmed how weak I was. No matter what those numbers say, my stats are equivalent to a level ten.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± She giggled. The sound was similar to the flapping of an angel''s wings. ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re weird,¡± I remarked. ¡°Now, why am I here? How did I die?¡± ¡°Die?¡± She queried. ¡°You didn¡¯t die; I brought you here for training.¡± ¡°Training? Why the hell would you do that?¡± I scoffed. ¡°It''s far better to restart your run than it is to try and save it.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t in need of saving,¡± she stepped forward. ¡°You just need to realize.¡± Her hand rested softly on my cheek, and the sweet smell of roses filled my nostrils. ¡°R-Realize?¡± I stuttered nervously. Could you blame me? She was gorgeous. A genuine goddess stood right in front of me. I couldn¡¯t help but get tongue-tied. Add her beauty to her enticing smell, and I was bound to fumble the bag. ¡°Y-Yes. R-Realize.¡± She giggled as she mocked my stutter. ¡°Realize w-what?¡± Her hand caressed my cheek until it rested on my chest. ¡°That you¡¯re lying to yourself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I chose you for a reason, Sion.¡± She gently rested her head on my chest. I knew she heard my fast-beating heart, and she closed her eyes as she listened. ¡°You¡¯re nervous.¡± ¡°Not nervous, anxious.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Have you seen yourself? You¡¯re a literal goddess.¡± ¡°I know I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit conceited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± She pulled away to look into my eyes. ¡°And you¡¯re my hero.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no hero,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Nor do I want to be.¡± ¡°You saved that party.¡± ¡°Out of pity,¡± I remarked. ¡°I had no desire to save them, not genuinely. I only did it because dying in the first dungeon is pathetic as hell.¡± ¡°Everybody gets one, right?¡± ¡°Exactly. Everybody gets one.¡± ¡°What about Nia? You saved her, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. For one, she¡¯s a cat girl. Two, I needed her to help me farm experience since I¡¯m too weak to do it alone.¡± ¡°Those were the only reasons you saved her?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Yep. You must think I¡¯m rotten, don¡¯t you?¡± I wouldn¡¯t blame her if she did think that, because it was true. Those were the only reasons I had done what I did. I saved Nia for my own benefit, and the only reason I chose to save her was because she was a cat girl. Had she been Human, I would have left her there and found another way. I only saved the Hero and his party because I didn¡¯t want to see a pathetic end to a pathetic party. Dying in the first dungeon was pitiful, and had I watched them die to such an easy boss encounter, I probably would have laughed. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. It wasn¡¯t because Rubellia and her cries. It wasn¡¯t because they had begged for my help. It was because I pitied them. Not guilt, not obligation, and not a desire to appease to their pleas. It was pity. Nothing more, nothing less. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± My eyes widened at her response. ¡°And even if I did, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I still chose you.¡± Her smile was soft, not even exposing her teeth, yet it was still radiant. ¡°What do you mean you chose me?¡± I inquired. ¡°You¡¯ve said that twice now.¡± ¡°I told you, you¡¯re my hero.¡± She pulled me into her soft, voluptuous chest. ¡°And you promised to be mine.¡± My face flushed, and I welcomed her loving embrace as I closed my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never met you before. How could I have promised that?¡± She said nothing, but I felt a shift in her posture. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you don¡¯t remember.¡± She spoke softly. ¡°You asked me to wipe your memories of me because if I didn¡¯t, you¡¯d never long for another woman again. And we couldn¡¯t have that.¡± She pushed away gently. ¡°You¡¯re the Hero of Love, after all.¡± ¡°Hero of Love? Wipe my memories of you?¡± I frowned, trying to remember. ¡°You said you¡¯d win for me. That you¡¯d build a harem to grow stronger than all the other Heroes of Love in the past, who settled down after getting the one they love.¡± ¡°Why would I need a harem,¡± I looked into her eyes. ¡°If I could just have you?¡± She smiled and stroked my head as she pulled me back to her chest, smoothing out the ruffled parts of my hair. ¡°That¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve said that.¡± Her cheeks had a soft blush. ¡°I¡¯m glad to know that, even with your memories wiped, your feelings never changed.¡± My hands clasped the back of her dress. I didn¡¯t want to forget her. Why would I have ever chosen to forget her? Why would I ever offer to build a harem if she was already mine? She was the pinnacle of beauty, love, and kindness. Her eyes were filled with a light I¡¯d never seen before, the kind that illuminated the darkest parts of me that I locked away. She didn¡¯t recoil, judge, or hesitate to hold me. She embraced me for everything that I was. She was different. Sabrina, for whatever reason, saw something in me: potential. But what she saw wasn¡¯t me. She had the wrong idea, believing I could grow into a worthy Successor. She made a mistake choosing me, so I did my best to meet her expectations. I soloed the dungeon, but only because of the cloak she had given me. Without it, I would have failed. I did my best to put on a show in front of her, going so far as to role-play as someone I wasn¡¯t. I acted cocky like I was holding back and playing with them, but I wasn¡¯t. I was trying my best, and it was only because of my luck that I got where I was. Nia saw me as weak. As someone she needed to protect because I was. Out in the real world, when I wasn¡¯t using the cloak Sabrina had given me, she needed to protect me. Without her, I was a helpless rabbit. She pitied me; no matter what she said, I knew it was pity; the same pity I had felt for the trio. She didn¡¯t want to leave me because I had saved her from slavery, and after finding out how weak I was, she devoted herself to protecting me. That was why I needed to grow stronger. I had to do whatever it took so that I no longer needed to rely on others. I wanted them to live their life, for Nia to live her life freely and without obligation. If she could see me grow, she would leave, realizing I no longer needed protection. If I gained unparalleled power, I could meet Sabrina¡¯s expectations, and she would no longer worry about me the way she had. I made her cry. I made them both cry because they were scared of losing me. Because I could easily be lost, done in by a simple slime. I could only imagine the anxiety and turmoil they felt when I was out of their sight, constantly worrying and wondering if I was okay. If I was safe and still alive.