So a little note. The yakuza side of this is pretty damn different, so you don't really have to worry about too many spoilers. And I've also taken creative liberty to change a bit of the lore of DxD to make it more interesting. They're not huge changes - Rias and Sona for example are the same as their canon counterpart, so you don't have to worry too much.
(Mizuki)
After flipping through the channels, she exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke while sat on the floor as her steel-grey eyes remained dull and bored. Mizuki glanced at her smartphone, frowning at the time. At ten past four, it'd still be another hour and twenty minutes before she could go to the mahjong parlor.
"Tsk, nothing interestin' ever on anymore…" She mumbled to herself, taking another drag from her cigarette. "Still twenty minutes before One Piece comes on…"
Mizuki clicked her tongue, leaning back until she was laying down. She shut her eyes, but the frown remained as her thoughts returned to the meeting she'd attended a few months back. She shouldn't and Mizuki knew that, but with Daigo's persistence and the promises he'd been willing to make to her, she relented, not mentioning her daughter's own desire to continue her education there.
Kuoh Academy might be a very prestigious school, but the place stuffed to the rafters with disgusting, filthy devils, not even the normal and easily disposed of kind, but apparently two heiresses, one being the literal sister of Lucifer.
What the fuck was Daigo thinking? Giving those literal hellspawns a chunk of Kanto? Fucking Kuoh of all places? Sure, as the Chairman of the Tojo Clan he wants his organization of almost 30,000 loyal and powerful and active Yakuza to be in a decent relationship with every faction, but the devils? There was the Fallen, the Olympians, or even the Norse, but he chose fucking devils out of the lot. That peace-loving moron is gonna get them all killed someday, maybe enslaved to those bat-winged fuckers.
Mizuki sighed, frowning bitterly. No, that wasn't fair to Daigo. She knew he means well, both for the human race and all living beings in general, but it didn't stop it from hurting her to know that he decided to make a pact with them instead of just throwing them out of Japan as the Samurai'd done with the Mongols. He's in the right, and what made it worse was that she knew it, but even then…
….Well, at least she wasn't alone with her sentiments. Watase, Ryuji, even Yasaka agreed with her, even if the latter is having to consider a follow-up act with her own peace agreement with the devils at this rate. As for Mizuki? She'd do anything in her power to see the damned worms squirming and begging for their lives. She'd never forgive them for what they'd done.
And now her sweet, snarky, lovely daughter will be at the heart of their fucking lair after Mizuki tried so hard to keep her away from the supernatural. Akane doesn't deserve to be dragged into that hellhole. She should live the life of a normal human, with a normal job, living a normal life, marrying a normal, decent, human, to eventually have normal children before dying old and happy like a normal woman.
A sinking feeling let her that that future was slipping further and further away, especially after Akane's mana suddenly spiked up overnight.
"Stop kickin' me when I'm already down, Universe-sama," she whined.
It might not mean much, but at least Daigo'd promised to keep her safe. He promised that he'd send out one of his best, a patriarch and his family, to protect Akane from the shadows, but she wasn't told who and that worried her. She might have connections with both the Tojo and Omi, but Yakuza weren't to be overly trusted as a rule of thumb, even at the best of times.
Even with that, at least she'll be there with her daughter alongside her late husband's best friend. The moment he heard about the news, the man immediately booked a vacation and came down from Kamurocho to stay with them in Kuoh. If there was anyone she could trust more than Daigo, Yakuza or no, it was Akane's uncle.
The sound of approaching footsteps gave Mizuki pause, which caused her to tilt her head to look at the open door of the living room only to spot her daughter entering quickly, an uneasy frown marring her face. She blinked, putting out the cigarette in the ashtray before going after Akane.
"Heeh, yer back early," Mizuki stated. "Thought ya were gonna take a few more hours. What gives?"
"Nothing, really," Akane replied, her girl was lying through her teeth, but Mizuki decided against calling her out on it. "Just remembered the news and thought coming back early would be best. Also, accent."
Mizuki clicked her tongue, frowning in annoyance before continuing. "That's weird. Didn't think stuff like that scared you. Usually, you'd be the first one to snoop around after the rumors... before getting into another fight."
"Yeah, well, this is different." She said, looking even more uncomfortable. "It's a gut feeling, okay? This whole situation kinda creeps me out."
"Eh?! You?! Creeped out?!" Mizuki looked surprised. "Am I talkin' to the same person who used to pick up cicadas and shove 'em up in another kid's face?! I thought cockroaches were the only things that creeped you out!"
"Can you stop dragging that up?!" Akane scowled at her, face reddening a bit.
"Which, the Cicada Incident or the cockroaches?" The mother grinned, relishing the reaction she'd fished out of her daughter.
"Both- ughhh!" Akane groaned, that adorable blush on her face deepening. "Whatever, I'm taking a shower now. Please don't bother me unless it's important."
"But you took one early today already?"
"Well, I'm taking another."
With that, Akane left for the bathroom, leaving behind a smug and self-satisfied Mizuki. Ah yes, one of her favorite past times: teasing and embarrassing her daughter. Once Akane'd hit puberty, she became more distant, snarky, and rude to a degree, but that was no issue because Mizuki had an unbeatable weapon.
She knew all the dumb and adorable shit her daughter had done over the years.
Considering how she acts now, the Akane of today absolutely hated her younger self. The tiny, energetic, loud, and nosy girl had done plenty of stuff in her time which was absolute grade-S mom-blackmail material, which Mizuki would use relentlessly to torment this new, calm, and mature Akane.
And it was always such a delight to see; the sight of her daughter so thoroughly embarrassed. Though Mizuki could do without the return-fire of dirty language and often-times undeserved attempts at revenge. But no pain no gain went the saying.
Also, Akane definitely deserved it. The girl is a problem child that always got into fights just because someone looked at her wrong, and who is it that eventually has to cough up for the damages or has to come to apologize later? Mizuki. Who has to bail Akane out of starting shit with the police? Mizuki. Who's the one who has to pay the hospital bills for whoever Akane sent there?
You guessed it. Mi-zu-ki.
In fact, she wasn't quite satisfied with what she'd managed to tease out of her girl. That was just baby-level embarrassment. No, she had to get Akane utterly flustered, but what could she follow up with?
Mizuki frowned in thought. Hmm, following her to the bathroom sounded like a start.
And that's what she did, just as soon as the sound of pouring water came out. Mizuki peeked around the bathroom, grinning mischievously as she saw the one towel Akane had brought out for herself.
Hehe, we'll see how you feel about prancin' around the house naked!
"Reeru kara hazureta~" Akane sang, her voice almost drowned out by the noise of the shower. "Furyouhin no norainu sa~"
"Anybody tell you how beautiful your voice is?" Mizuki called out with a smirk, hoping to have caught her off guard.
"da kedo- Yes, I know. It's amazing- kantan ni wa~" She continued without missing a beat, seemingly uncaring that her mother heard. "Teeru wa furanai ze~"
Well, that didn't work.
Damn it. Mizuki pouted. What to do, what to do…
Looking around the place for anything that can be used to mortify her beautiful daughter. She spotted Akane's clothes peeking out of the laundry basket, then a grin formed on her face. She tip-toed over to the basket, taking out the clothes one by one. Red coat, black button-up shirt, plain black panties, and-
Mizuki froze, grimacing at the barely visible bloodstains on Akane's trousers. With a deep sigh, she questioned her daughter.
"Honey, did you get in a fight again?"
"Wow, breakin' the- uhhhhh no?" Akane lied. "...Maybe?"
"Akane…"
"Look, they asked for it, alright?" She said quickly. "Tried to harass me, I kicked their asses. Regular day-to-day stuff."
"Did-"
"Yes, I made sure nobody was looking," Akane answered. "It was in a tight alley anyway. Don't think there were any cameras either."
"At least you weren't careless." Mizuki sighed again.
She dropped the clothes back into the basket, glancing around for anything else. Mizuki smirked as she saw Akane's phone on one of the shelves, then scowling as she noticed it had a new password. She put it pack, pouting at her failure to find anything incriminating.
I s'pose the only thing left for me to mess with here is that towel, Mizuki thought to herself.
Just as soon as she laid hands on the white towel, the showerhead cut off, making her stiffen in panic as she looked around for a hiding spot. To no avail, however, as Akane slid the door open, pausing as she saw her mother, towel in hand, looking extremely suspicious. Akane sighed, looking deadpanned as Mizuki laughed nervously.
That… was a quick shower.
"I'm gonna regret asking this, aren't I..." She muttered to herself. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Uhhhh… stuff?"
"Stuff."
"Yeah, stuff."
"...what kind of stuff?"
"Y-y'know, this and that."
Akane did not look convinced at all.
"Just give me the damned towel." she demanded, holding a hand out.
Damn it! She thought to herself, biting her lips. Think Mizuki think! This is your last chance before you get your butt kicked!
There was nothing in the room now she could use to embarrass her, so the only thing Mizuki could think to look at was her daughter in front of her. Wet and silky hair, smooth, flawless fair skin, decent breasts, and a good waist gave her a figure that even her own mother was a bit envious of, long legs and-
Mizuki paused as she noticed her daughter's crotch.
"T-the hell are you looking at?" Akane fidgeted, more than likely a little weirded out.
The wires in Mizuki's brain must have crossed since she forgot to filter her next two words as they left her mouth, she sounded casual, as though she was asking about the weather.
"You shave?"
Akane flinched, her expression morphing into one of flustered outrage. She struggled to form words, a strangled noise left her throat before her face, ears and even neck became crimson from sheer embarrassment or anger.
Most likely both.
"What the hell- what kind of question is that?!" She yelled, reflexively covering her privates. "Are ya out of your fucking mind?!"
"Hey, it's an honest question." Mizuki tried to play it up, enjoying the delicious schadenfreude from her daughter's mortification.
"Of- of course, I do!" She answered, surprisingly. "What, yer sayin' ya don't?!"
"I just trim it to look nice." Her mother shrugged.
"Rhetorical question!" Her shock, embarrassment, and anger were joined by disgust. "Ya didn't need ta answer!"
"Hey, hey, we're family, it's fine." Mizuki shook her head with a sigh before an impish smile can over her expression, "Heck, I can teach you how to make it look nice if you want."
Akane didn't bother to respond, stomping over to her mother before snatching the towel away from her. "Gimme that!"
"Oh my!" Mizuki smirked. "I don't recall having raised such a rude young lady, where did my sweet girl go?"
"Go fuck yourself."
"Tsk, tsk." Her smirk widened. "You shouldn't have said that."
Just as Akane passed her, Mizuki took the opportunity to deliver a swift spank, eliciting a pained yelp from her daughter. Akane scowled with the fury of a thousand suns, an admittedly unsettling growl escaping her throat as tears made themselves known at the corners of her eyes.
"Ya fuckin' did it now, you cock-suckin' bitch." Mizuki flinched as Akane's mana levels suddenly spiked. "I swear I'm gonna stab ya in yer sleep."
But even then, Mizuki fearlessly puffed her cheeks. "Hey, the only cock I ever sucked was your father's."
"STOP IT!" She shivered. "I didn't need ta hear that ya moron!"
Mizuki then blinked, only just noticing something, prompting her to smirk widely. "Sweetie?"
"What?"
"Accent."
Akane's mouth clamped shut as she silently, yet furiously, strode away, leaving the bathroom behind and most likely heading for her room. Mizuki sighed in contentment, smirking widely at the show she'd gotten.
Just another day in this wonderful life of hers.
(Akane)
I'm somewhat surprised at how fast my previous anger evaporated. I thought my Sin of Wrath would cause me to hold grudges for longer, or that's what it implied anyway, but thirty minutes in, and I only found myself mildly annoyed at the previous teasing. Sure, I'm planning to pay her back tenfold, but nothing that might include serious bodily harm.
Maybe it's because I'm used to it? She always does this crap anyway, trying to get a rise out of me. I learned to ignore it or straight up kick her ass if she gets too annoying, however, what she did today really caught me off guard.
I know the dumbass doesn't have a filter, but that was just too much.
I'm not even sure how I got flustered. Sociopaths don't typically feel embarrassment unless we bring it on ourselves, but then again, I technically just became one recently. Maybe there are some leftover emotions I can still feel? People don't just flip a switch and turn into a sociopath like me. I don't know, I'm not a psychologist.
... I still hate that I'm used to getting teased, but maybe that's for the best. I can actually sorta control my anger with my mother. I definitely don't want to kill her now. She still has way too many secrets for me to pry into, and something's whispering to me that she'll be one to keep around once I do learn them. We'll see, I suppose.
"Well, I'll be going now." My mother informs, looking at me from the door frame with a smile. "Want anything?"
I simply sprout my middle finger from a fist held in her direction while staring at the TV, prompting a giggle from her. "Chocolate then? Okay~"
"I never said that," I reply.
"So you don't want any?"
I remain silent, pursing my lips in annoyance.
"That's what I thought." She smirks before waving goodbye. "Look after the house until I get back. See you at dinner, love you~"
With that, she slides the door closed, leaving me alone. I flip through the channels for a few minutes until I'm sure she's out of the compound, at which point I turn off the TV before leaving the living room. I have about four hours until she gets back, which is more than enough time to rummage through her room and grind in the dungeon.
I stalk over to my mother's room, pausing as the door refuses to budge. What the hell? How is it locked? You can't just lock a Shoji- there's literally no way to lock a traditional Japanese door.
I frown in thought. There's got to be something big within, but how do I open this damn door. I mean, it's paper, I could easily just punch through it, but then I'd have to explain why there was a hole in the door. I don't think mom would believe anything I say if I tried destructively getting in.
Damn it, how did she lock the stupid thing? How do I get in?
... I don't think I can.
I frown in thought.
At least, not right now. I need to have her unlock it somehow. Trick her into doing it for me. I doubt just asking her would work, and if it did, all it'll do is make me look suspicious.
So for now, I can't do anything until she comes back.
If that's the case, then all I can do that would be productive is grinding for a couple of hours and then maybe do something else afterward. Kiyoraha gets kinda crowded at this time of day, so I don't think whatever stray devil is out there is going to attack me. That's if I stay out of dark alleyways and otherwise avoid acting like an idiot.
I sigh, stepping back and taking out the leather bracer as well as the Motorcycle Jacket, putting them both on for the extra defense. I pull out the Baseball bat as my free hand glows, and after a deep and admittedly nervous breath, I activate the ID Create spell.
Only this time, a new window appears.
Choose Wave.
Wave 1 – 25 Slow Zombie [Cleared!]
Wave 2 - ? [New!]
So I can choose what wave I start in? That's useful.
But the skill says cleared waves don't give any benefits, such as levels or rewards.
...Though, it never said anything about skill EXP, right? So it's possible I could level up my Masteries and all that. I'm not sure, but it's worth giving it a shot. I'll start with the first wave again, to experiment with the skill a bit more.
Just before I confirm my choice on the window, I pause, glancing around the place. The compound is a little small though. Maybe I should get out? Find a place where I can run around comfortably.
I do just that, leaving the ruined version of my home. The roads, nearby buildings, parks- Kiyoraha as a whole looks to be in ruins. I walk through the ghost town, heading for the nearby park I used to play in as a kid.
This place is big enough. I can move freely, and escaping if things got dire shouldn't be much of an issue either.
Feeling ready, I start; mentally choosing the 'Wave 1' option, then the dungeon quest appears like before, only without any listed rewards this time.
Wave start
Defeat 25 Slow Zombies [0/25]
Rewards: None
I clench the bat tightly, my left hand glowing blue as I prepare an arrow. A zombie slowly stumbles towards me with a growl, but a single swing to its head shattered its skull completely, making me grin.
"Critical hit…" I mutter under my breath, shooting another that was approaching in the chest.
One arrow is worth 130 damage with my current INT, and most zombies have an HP value of between 90 to 110, so all of them are one-shot without any difficulty, especially with how fast my MP regen is.
A glance at my Mana Control skill confirmed that the EXP gain for skills is not included in the repeated waves rule, therefore I can actually practice in cleared dungeons to get some use out of them. This makes grinding a lot easier, but there's still my two-hour time limit to account for.
I make quick work of the zombies, the big, empty park making it easy to spot them before they get too close. Once they were taken care of, the 'Wave Clear' message appeared, and under it was 'Proceed to the Next Wave?'.
I'm not sure what I'll be facing, but I shouldn't be too reckless. If I had to guess, then maybe it would be running zombies? My 20 DEX is great for now, but I'm not sure if I can outrun a running zombie yet.
My eyes narrow seriously as I activate the next Wave, I take a deep breath.
Wave start
Defeat 15 Slow Zombies and 20 Fast Zombies [0/35]
Rewards: 2 Common Gacha Tokens, Frost Shiv, 50 Credits, 3 Minor Stat Crystals
Hah, called it.
Slightly better rewards than the previous Wave. I don't know how good this Frost Shiv is, though I doubt it'd be better than the bat I'm using right now. The ring I got from Wave 1 is pretty weak, so I don't think this will be any different.
Not to mention, who the hell uses a knife or a shiv against zombies? Getting too close to something that doesn't feel pain was silly unless what you're using can just one-shot them.
A wail pulls my attention away from the rewards, prompting me to quickly turn around to see a zombie running at me surprisingly quickly. Its stats are only a bit above the slow ones from before if you don't count the large difference in DEX, so I was able to simply kill it with a pair of Ice Arrows.
Name: Zombie
Title: None
HP - 160
MP - 10
SP - 130
Race – Petty Undead
LVL - 2
STR - 15
END - 9
DEX - 26
INT – 0.8
WIS – 0.4
CHA – 0.1
LUK – 2
Multiple Slow Zombies followed after, but they weren't an issue. The first one felt like a warning shot of sorts because no more runners appeared until I finished off the last slow one.
Level up x4!
Three more Fast Zombies sprint after me, all from different directions, but I manage to react fast enough to use my Ice Magic, riddling them with arrows and killing them all. Five more appear, but I can't simply kill them all before one gets near, so I start running away.
Level up x2!
They're faster than me, but not by much. I was able to keep a distance between them and myself while shooting arrows at them, killing them one by one. As I turn my head to where I was running, I gasp as two face me. Reacting quickly, I smash my bat into the first's head, forcing it to stumble away as I stick an arrow right in the other's face, killing it instantly.
The one I used my bat on howls, hitting me in the chest with a swipe from its rotten fist. It was stronger than the average man, so it did hurt a bit, but my armor managed to help me not stumble and fall on my ass, and I responded with another smash to the face with the bat, destroying the head.
Knowing I can't stop to rest, I get ready as the trailing Fast Zombies approach. I stow the bat in my inventory and use both of my hands to stream Ice Arrows into them, glancing around me every once in a while to kill any that were coming from behind.
A few moments later and I finally clear the wave, causing me to sigh in relief. Okay, I'm not good at dealing with the fast ones. Leaving the compound was an amazing idea. I would've been ripped apart if I stayed there and they'd been able to hem me in.
Level up! X2
[Ice Magic Control] Rank up!
Wave complete
Rewards added to inventory
Proceed to the next wave?
Okay, I'm done with that little difficulty spike. I knew underestimating this dungeon would be a terrible idea, seeing how weak I am in terms of my physical stats. I really hope the stat crystal rewards are either DEX or STR.
I withdraw the items, frowning at the crystals. Two CHA and one LUK. I crush them anyway, but it doesn't mean I'm happy about this. Oh well, a stat increase is a stat increase.
Oh well, let's hope the Tokens give me something more useful.
The first one I snapped gave me a tiny vial filled with a glowing red liquid, making me raise a brow. What the hell is this?
[Petty HP Potion] – Item
A weak potion that restores a tiny amount of HP
Restores 50 HP
Huh, well, this is definitely useful considering my low HP. A hundred points isn't exactly in danger of straying into tank territory after all.
And the next one is…
[Iron Nail] – Item
A regular iron nail. Nothing special.
Useless, I scoff as I throw the junk over my shoulder.
Well, I wasn't expecting anything much out of common level tokens so I can't very well get too disappointed about it. I wonder what qualifies as an uncommon tier item though, or a rare one. I hope I get the next tier of stuff soon.
I take out the new ice weapon, which looks very like my Ice Spike spell, but a tiny bit thinner. It looked like it's sharpened too, unlike the obviously crude end of the spikes I make. Essentially, it looks like a higher-quality Ice Spike.
[Frost Shiv] – Item
Enchanted ice that won't melt by normal means, turned into a sharp shiv.
Deals 15 + DEXx0.7 Physical Damage and 25 Ice Damage.
Bonus: Backstabbing deals twice as much damage.
Yeeaaah my bat deals more damage than this and has a longer range. That bonus might look tempting, but it really doesn't amount to much. With my 10 Strength, my baseball bat deals 75 Damage in total, but with my 20 Dexterity, the shiv only deals 54, backstab makes it 108.
It really isn't worth it. I'm not the sneakiest person around, and I'd rather just use my spells instead anyway.
Can I throw this at something instead? It'd probably be more useful that way.
Now, what do I do? Should I drop out of this dungeon and use my time in a safer environment I.E. at home, or do I continue grinding? This has been significantly easier than the first time since I knew what to expect, and my increase in stats makes it less dangerous. Admittedly, I don't feel smarter when my INT increases, but at least my magic is easier to use.
I'm level 15 right now, which gives me 150 in INT and WIS. I have plenty of mana to spare, so running dry isn't really an issue. Arrows seem to be enough to one-shot zombies for now, but I'm not sure about what might be in the third wave. I can't tell what would come after Fast Zombies.
I can maybe try to make a stronger spell before going in seeing that I ranked up. Let's see, needle, then spike, arrow… Dagger? Sword? Shortsword maybe. Hmm, I think I can make that, and even then, my Ice arrows should deal a lot more damage than before.
I close my eyes and focus, picturing the most basic shortsword I can imagine. I feel my MP pool draining slowly, but I can also tell it's working. I open my eyes to see the spell forming without breaking my focus.
A few seconds later and I have it fully made, floating just above my hand.
That was slightly more difficult than making the arrows, but I did it.
Skill created
[Cryomancy: Ice Shortsword]
A low-tier Apprentice level spell that is used in battles by most ice mages, no matter the skill. Not quite powerful, but quick to cast when used by skillful Cryomancers.
Deals 50 + INTx1.8 Ice Damage
Costs 100 MP
Nice. That's 320 damage in total right there.
I think I have a good chance at actually beating the third wave. This should deal with any unwelcome surprises… maybe. I know now that I don't do well against fast enemies, so let's hope I get something slow and dumb.
I hesitate, but fuel my resolve with the promise of – maybe – good rewards from the system, and mentally press 'proceed'
Defeat 17 Slow Zombies, 22 Fast Zombies, and 1 Hulking Zombie [0/40]
Rewards: 1 Uncommon Gacha Token, 2 Common Gacha Token, Frost Necklace, 1 Standard Stat Crystal, 75 Credits
Oh, hulking. I think that means slow and dumb. Heh, I'm predicting the new dungeons without even meaning to.
Almost immediately, a crowd of fast ones rushes me from all directions, but I was ready. The rank up made it easier for me to actually cast the spell so I can throw arrows out much faster, and with that, I was able to get rid of the charging zombies a lot more easily than I would have the last wave, I still had to move of course since there were a lot of them at the once. The slow ones were even easier to deal with, and it didn't take long for the big one to arrive.
Level up! X5
This mini-mini boss thing reminded me of the Tank from Left4Dead, just less muscly. It looks more like a bodybuilder actually, just really grotesque looking. I won't lie, it's properly disgusting to look at.
Fleshy, bulging muscles and pulsating veins stretch over an otherwise emaciated frame. I flinch as it lets out a guttural roar before charging at me. I roll out of the way, barely evading an attack that was a sure-kill and quickly cast Observe, prompting a cocky smirk to grow over my expression.
Name: Hulking Zombie
Title: None
HP - 1020
MP - 10
SP - 840
Race – Lesser Undead
LVL - 12
STR - 70
END - 31
DEX - 21
INT – 1
WIS – 0.1
CHA – 0.01
LUK – 6
This thing has nothing on my shortswords.
I cast the new spell using both hands, hurling a pair of swords that skewer it right through the back. 410 damage is imparted with a single sword, meaning those two shaved off 820 of its total HP. It tries to turn around to attack me again, but another shortsword pierces its head, ending the thing's misery.
Level up! X2
Wave complete
Rewards added to inventory
Proceed to the next wave?
That… was easier than I anticipated.
Granted, I deal a fuckton of damage now and I grow extremely fast, but… I don't know, I expected something a little more difficult? Regardless, I'm happy with how it turned out. The easier the better. I'm not here to look for a challenge, I'm here to grow strong.
I take out the rewards, grinning at the Tokens and Crystal in particular. It feels strangely satisfying to use them, especially the tokens. Standard Crystals increase a stat by 10, but with my bonus, that's 20. This one increases STR from the looks of it too.
I crush it, smiling at my stats in pride.
Name - Akane Amamiya
Level – 22
Title - None
Class - Cryomancer - LVL 22/100 [53%]
Race - Human
Rank - Mortal
Alignment - Neutral Evil
HP - 100 [20 per minute]
MP - 2200 [1320 per minute]
SP - 100 [20 per minute]
STR - 30
END - 10
DEX - 20
INT - 220
WIS - 220
CHA - 40
LUK – 20
That's a lot of mental stats, especially when you realize that this is technically my first day. I still have a few more days before even going to Kuoh and I think I should also find a way to hide my mana, maybe work on sensing the mana of others as well.
That'll be nothing but helpful in the long run. I don't want the devils snooping around my place or ham-fistedly trying to convince me to join their fucking peerages. Who knows what might happen if I refuse. I'll act nice about it of course, but devils are devils.
Annoying bastards.
I look at the uncommon Token, bracing myself before snapping it in half.
Two, tiny purple earrings materialize in my hand. I blink, and what I read on Observe makes me frown in disappointment a bit.
[Earrings of Darkness] – Item
Accessories enchanted by a lesser demon to trick a human mage into an inescapable contract. They may hold power, but nothing compared to what the demon promised.
Increases Dark Magic Damage by 10%
Decreases Dark Magic Cost by 5%
I'm not exactly a dark mage, so this is useless to me right now. I suppose the higher rarity made me expect a bit too much. They're not bad-looking, though.
The two other Common Tokens gave me a newspaper from three years ago and a… kit-kat. I'm not about to turn my nose up at candy, but I definitely could've gotten something better than old newspaper. Come on, at least give me one from the future or something, it wasn't even one with a historic headline or anything.
And the last reward for today is…
[Frost Necklace] – Item
An old, enchanted necklace given to the apprentice mages who served the Cold Emperor. A tinny spark of magic empowers the wearer's focus when using ice magic.
Decreases Ice Magic Cost by 5%
Now, this is useful. I don't know who this Cold Emperor is, but I'll gladly take this off his hands. I'll put it to better use than any of his mages.
I can continue and proceed to Wave 4… but I won't. As strong as I am now, I'm still a glass cannon, and I was almost hit by that Hulking Zombie, which would've been the end of me. I need to get better equipment, maybe by doing some quests or something, and increase my HP.
Besides, I'm hungry now anyway. I don't know if Gamer's Body gets rid of my need to eat, but I'm craving some soba right about now. I'll continue with this dungeon once I feel comfortable with my total HP.
With that, I return home, dispelling the ID Create as I arrive. The sun has already set, confirming that time does pass even while I'm inside a dungeon.
I gather my keys, phone, and wallet, then head outside, shooting my mother a message that I'm going out.
I wonder what I should do after I eat…
Having had my fill for now of Nameko Soba, I visited the pawnshop again to see if they have anything else I can use. Unfortunately, the best thing I found was rusty chainmail that looked like it's gonna shatter the moment I touched it. I don't know why the guy had it for sale and how he got it, but I definitely didn't need it.
After a few seconds of walking around the city, I thought that maybe I can make my own armor with my ice magic. Since I ranked up the skill, perhaps I can make a shield? A thin layer of armor? Hell, maybe full, heavy knight armor.
It should be possible, and if I can't manage it at my current level then I'll just grind in the first three levels over and over until I rank it up again. It'd probably be much harder to do that now, seeing how huge the differences between Novice - Apprentice and Apprentice - Adept would be, but hey with enough time I could do it.
[Ice Magic Control: Apprentice] – Mastery Skill
Ice Magic, while one of the most common elements throughout the multiverse, is without a doubt no less powerful for it. Control and manipulation over sharp and deadly weaponry made of ice, ability to freeze the target's skin, blood, and flesh, or create thick barriers of ice to protect you, this element has an excellent balance between offense and defense.
You're growing more familiar with Ice Magic, now able to create slightly more complicated spells and constructs while needing to focus less on their casting.
Deal 37,500 Ice Damage to reach the next Rank. Progress to Adept Rank [4240/37,500]
Originally, I think it was supposed to be 50,000 damage, but my Rising Star perk decreased the requirements. I can probably rank up the skill to Adept in a few days just by popping in and out of a dungeon, redoing the completed waves over and over, and I'll do just that.
...Eventually. After I get in a few rounds in the batting center. I haven't been in ages and I had a sudden itch to hit a home run or three. Must've been the experience of smashing my bat into the zombies that brought up the urge.
I give the receptionist three hundred yen, heading towards one of the Homerun Cages. Next to the metal door are four buttons; green for beginner, yellow for intermediate, red for expert, and silver for national. Just as I was about to hit the red one, a message from the system pops up.
Quest added
[Beginner Batter] – Quest
Objective: Clear the beginner level at the batting cage
Rewards: 1 Common Gacha Token, 5 points for STR
Danger Level: None
Oh…
Well, that means I've got to clear every level now, doesn't it? If I'm getting stats just by having fun, then why would put this chance to waste? After all, I can't efficiently raise my stats unless I finish new waves, and this is definitely safer than slaughtering the undead.
Maybe I can find other places that have challenge modes like this. What would Karaoke increase, Charisma?
If there are quests whose objectives amount to "go have my fun", then I'm sure as hell not about to complain. This Gamer power is getting better and better~
I press the green button, getting inside the cage before the countdown ends. I grip the handle of the bat tightly, getting into a stance to wait for the game to start. I have ten shots and need to get at least five home runs to clear the level. Fastballs and Curveballs aren't expected from this stage.
And it wasn't difficult at all to complete. I'd been doing this for more than three years from when my uncle took me here for the first time, and I've finished the advanced stage multiple times before. My increased DEX only made it even easier to anticipate and hit the balls hurtling my way without any issue.
Hell, I got a perfect score too. Ten home runs out of ten.
Quest complete
[Beginner Batter] – Quest
Objective: Clear the beginner level home run challenge at the batting cage
Hidden Objective: Get a perfect score
Rewards: 1 Common Gacha Token, 5 points to STR
Hidden Reward: 1 Uncommon Gacha Token, 5 Points to DEX
Danger Level: None
I'll clear the rest to farm as many rewards as I can. Hell, maybe I'll be able to complete the national level. I've never done it before, but maybe I can finally hit that damned 100+ MPH Fastball with my spiffy new reflexes.
I'd been challenging the national stage for almost an entire year, going there whenever I didn't have any exams or homework, but I was never able to hit that specific pitch. My best was two home runs, and I only really got them because I got used to the pattern.
I gave up on it due to my circumstances, mostly from getting bored with the whole thing, but now I might- no, I can hit it. This was the first time I got a perfect score on the beginner stage, and that's with me considering myself rusty. I'm definitely leagues better than I was before.
The next two challenges weren't that difficult either, but I sadly didn't get a perfect score on either. Mildly infuriating, but that irritation was overshadowed by the rewards I've earned.
Quests complete
[Intermediate Batter] – Quest
Objective: Clear the intermediate level home run challenge at the batting cage
Rewards: 2 Common Gacha Tokens, 5 points to DEX
Danger Level: None
[Expert Batter] – Quest
Objective: Clear the expert level home run challenge at the batting cage
Rewards: 1 Uncommon Gacha Token, 10 points to END, Sliver Plated Baseball Ball
Danger Level: None
Finally, an increase in Endurance. I want more HP so I don't get one-shot by, well, anything really. It makes you wonder how I survived the dozens of fights I got into up until now. I'd gotten hurt pretty badly a handful of times, a memorable one was a brick to the face. Memorable obviously not meaning pleasant in that case.
I want to see what this Silver Ball can do, but I can't just casually pull something out of my inventory out in nigh-public. I don't want to be seen. There's no telling who might be watching. I especially would rather not get involved with the Yakuza, and I know this spot is popular with their crowd.
I slap down another 300 for the next round, pressing down on the silver button before getting ready. Grip tight and eyes sharp, I manage to easily hit a regular curveball, landing the first home run.
The next two were misses, a Slider, and a Screwball, then two more hits. That's three home runs out of five, two more and I'll have this cleared. All these pitches are much faster than what typical people are usually capable of, but my reflexes are helping me big time.
The Fastball breaks down to the left, prompting me to swing the bat as hard as I can. I hit it a little too hard, sending it to the farthest corner of the room, meaning it's a foul. I frown and smack the next one, but my lost focus makes that a foul as well. I scowl, clicking my tongue in annoyance.
It's admittedly a little nerve-wracking. What happens if I fail? Could I challenge it again, or do I only have get one chance? Regardless, I don't plan on losing. I have more than double my DEX since the last time I tried it for god's sake.
I pull in a sharp breath, focusing again as I stand still. The ball comes flying towards me while tilting a bit downwards, and I swing fast to slap the ball away, giving me my fourth home run. Two more balls, I get just one and I'm golden.
The next pitch comes in a straight line, only this one is significantly faster than the others. With my enhanced reflexes, I was able to swing my bat just quickly enough, causing a grin to emerge on my face as I score the final home run I need.
I throw the bat down, not caring about the final ball. "Yes, I got it!"
Quests complete
[National Batter] – Quest
Objective: Clear the national level home run challenge at the batting cages
Rewards: 2 Uncommon Gacha Tokens, 5 points to DEX, STR, and END, Golden Baseball Bat, [National Batter] Perk
Danger Level: None
The sheer volume of rewards I got by simply playing baseball is staggering. Kiyoraha is packed with places like this, so does that mean every one of them will have its own quest? Could I seriously grind just by messing around and having fun?
I already loved this power but now I might be in love with this power.
Four quests cleared in a single day which reaped me multiple rewards and increases to my physical stats. I got something made of gold simply by batting a few balls. For the ball I got, it specifically said plated, so if it didn't say the same for the bat then that must mean it's legit gold, right?
Seeing as I can't exactly do much with the items right now, not without flaunting my inventory to everyone around, I instead look over the perk I gained. It might not be that useful in the long run, but I sure as hell feel amazing reading it.
[National Batter] – Perk
Your skill with the baseball bat is one in a million! Surpassing that of regular players and masters alike.
...You're using bats for baseball, right?
Baseball Bats deal x2 more damage, and are far less likely to break
This is really good for my current level. 300 Damage in a single swing with a normal bat, and I don't even know how strong the golden one is yet. I can one tap every zombie barring the hulking one with what amounts to a carved stick now.
And I can't wait to see what all those Tokens would give~
"That was some mighty good swingin' there, Ojou-chan." A deep voice commends in a thick, Kansai Dialect, making me pause.
As I was just out of the cage I could easily spot the man who'd addressed me. He was huge, probably pushing over 6 feet tall with broad shoulders to boot. Blond, swept-back hair and a large scar were his defining facial features. He was dressed in a black, button-down shirt with brown pants and a yellow jacket slung over his shoulder.
His looks just screamed stereotypical yakuza, but much older than I'd expect. This guy must have been in his forties maybe? He also looks… kinda familiar? Have I seen this guy before? Eh well, I'd passed by a few Yakuza here and there over my time in Kiyoraha, so maybe he was one of them.
"Thanks…" I nod slightly. Best to be polite with him. No need to piss off a Yakuza. "My uncle taught me how."
"Yer uncle, eh?" He smiles slightly. "He a good batter too?"
"Too good" I reply, "I've never seen him miss even once," I answered honestly.
"Heh…"
He stepped forward, looking in the cage I played in.
Oookay then… I don't know who this guy is, but he's acting kinda weird right now. I don't know what possessed him to spark up a conversation with me, but I really want it to stop now. Hope he just goes away and-
"Ya know something, Ojou-chan." I resist a grimace as he keeps talking. "The fastest pitch ever thrown was a 105."
"105?" I blink, but I quickly realize what he meant. "Ah, miles per hour you mean? Yeah, I've heard that before."
"Yeah, and that last one ya hit?" He gestures towards the machine with a nod. "That was a 160."
I stiffen.
...What?
"And you just-" he mimed a swing "-hit it first try." He turns back to me. "That takes some serious skill."
"A-ah, well, um…" I fidget slightly, shrugging. "Practice makes perfect…?"
"Hehe." He chuckles. "Fair 'nuff."
I shuffle awkwardly, not really sure what to say or do. I don't exactly interact with Yakuza all that much barring my dad considering his history, and I'd really rather not fight one. I can already tell this dude could kick my ass without trying, and the only way I might win would mean using magic.
Even then, beating or killing a Yakuza would just get the entire Omi Alliance on my ass unless it's a grunt. Which would mean I'd have to live on the run if I even lasted the first two days. The Yakuza can be fucking ruthless when it comes to keeping people from messing with them.
In brief, I don't want to piss him off, I can't afford to yet. I don't want to spend any more time next to him. How do I leave without being rude-
My phone suddenly starts ringing, prompting me to fish it out, smiling at my mother's name on the display. I've never been happier to see the moron call me out of the blue.
"Sorry, I have to take this." I apologize with a small bow.
"Don't mention it." He waves it off, grabbing a bat from the can. "Careful on yer way home, Ojou-chan."
I leave him with a thankful nod and quickly escape, giving the man one last look to use Observe on him. What I saw caused my heart to drop to my stomach, and my legs to hasten their pace as my face paled. Oh… fuck.
Name: Ryuji Goda
Title: Dragon of Kansai
HP – ?
MP –?
SP – ?
Race – Human
LVL - ?
STR - ?
END - ?
DEX - ?
INT – ?
WIS – ?
CHA – ?
LUK – ?
Reputation – 50
Affection – 00
Obedience – -100
Loyalty – -95
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!
Holy shit!
Aside from the terrifying stats – all of them hidden by question marks – he's the Ryuji Goda. That isn't some fucking grunt or uppity lieutenant. That's the fucking Chairman of the Go-Ryu Clan. Why the hell is he here?! What, is batting his hobby too?!
Okay, calm down. The guy definitely never wanted to hurt you. Calm down, Akane. You're starting to shake- that trait is affecting you right now. Take a deep breath, everything is fine.
He's not about to suddenly start chasing me down to kill me. I'm just being paranoid. The stats shocked me, that's all.
He probably just wanted a bit of start small-talk. Why would he want to hurt me anyway? If he wanted to, he could've just sent a few of his men to do it for him. Why would the Chairman of the Go-Ryu come down from his cushy seat to beat me up? Hell, for some reason he has positive rep with me.
I chuckle slightly. I'm being ridiculous right now. What could a guy like that ever be after with a random girl like me?
Honestly, what scared me the most is his stats. In games, a question mark usually means it's gigantic, way above the player's current level. Just how strong is that guy? I'm already stronger and faster than the average man, so he must be thousands of times stronger than me, right?
That… might mean that the Yakuza are involved with the Supernatural.
This means that this isn't the DxD I know... Well, fuck.
I shake my head and answer the phone, calming my nerves. "Yeah?"
"Where are you right now?"
"Walking home," I answer evenly. "Why?"
"Good, I'm almost back myself." My mother sighs. "I can't believe what happened…"
"What, you lost?"
"Pff, me? Lose?" She clicks her tongue. "No, it's just that the guy I beat is a sore loser!"
"What happened now? He scammed you?"
"Yes!" She yells, making me wince. "As soon as I beat him and his stupid friends, he sent some thugs at me and ran away with my money!"
"Eeh?" I raise a brow. That's new. "And then?"
"I kicked their fuckin' asses of course, but now I'm pissed." I can feel her pout from here. "I wanna spend time with you instead. How about Mario Kart?"
I giggle slightly, the tension from before evaporating. Leave it to mom to utterly annihilate any discomfort or tension in a few short sentences. She really has her talents.
"You never learn, do you?" I state in confidence. "Fine, give me ten minutes and I'll be home."
"This time I won't los-"
I cut off the line, pocketing the device after giving the batting center one last glance.
That is the last time I'm ever going there.
My gaze is held by two items laid before me, alone in my room with the lights turned off, only the full moon's shine giving any light. One was a silver-colored ball while the other was a beautiful golden baseball bat.
I already used the tokens, but I didn't get anything noteworthy. The common tokens gave me really useless stuff, like chalk, a red pen, and a face mask. Uncommons gave me a laptop, an emerald, and another potion, this time for SP.
I don't think I'll be using my SP heavily any time soon, and none of the other items were great either. Sure, I can probably use the laptop – an Alienware from 2020 when it's only 2018 right now – and the emerald I can sell or gift to someone for rep points, but in the long run, I don't think they'd be that useful.
[Silver Plated Baseball Ball] – Item
A regular ball plated in real silver, which makes it slightly heavier and more dangerous when thrown at someone. Should fetch a great price if sold, can otherwise be used as a gift or kept as a trophy.
[Golden Baseball Bat] – Item
A baseball bat made out of real gold, given only to the most skilled batters. Something about this bat makes it only hit people with a lot of money. It is significantly better than a normal bat but is more fragile.
Deals 250 + STRx4.5 Physical Damage.
Bonus: Anyone hit by this will cause their wallets to explode and whatever hidden cash they may have to fly away from them.
I may be a bit excited to try out the bat. This whole wallet exploding gimmick sounds hilarious. I'm not exactly in need of money, my allowance is pretty substantial for a girl my age, and I don't really care about it. I can make easily money if I wanted to, but power is more important as of now.
I do want to see the look on whatever poor sod's face I use this on, though.
That's going to have to wait though. I still need to see what my mother's hiding.
It's around 1 am now, my mom is in her room doing mom things. The lights in her room are on, meaning she's most likely awake. I don't know what she does at this time, and I'm not really interested, but I have to figure out how to get her out without locking the door.
The first thing I should do is actually get inside, and I have the perfect excuse. She's a pushover, no matter how 'stern' she acts. A few sentences and she relents easily without any fighting back.
I stuff the items away in my inventory and head straight to my mother's room.
"Kaa-san, are you up?" I call out in a soft voice.
"E-eh? Yes, I am. What is it?"
"Can I come in?"
"Sure." She allows. "Door's open."
I slide it open, pausing as I look around. Unlike the rest of the house, mom's room is very European. Wooden floors rather than tatami, tall wardrobes, a set of shelves and bookcases behind a solid wooden desk and a chair which my mother is currently at, and a double bed at the other side of the room next to a mini-fridge.
I glance at the katana hung over the wall, the only eastern thing in the entire room a stark anachronism, before looking back at my mother, counting a number of empty beer cans nearby. Mizuki blinks, holding a cigarette with her mouth while her hands rested on the keyboard of her computer as she looks at me.
"Is everything alright?" She asks.
"Uh, yeah…" I nod, forcing my gaze away. "It's just… uh, well…"
"Honey, are you okay?" She questions again, more concerned now than she had been a moment ago.
...I'm never going to live this down, am I?
"Can I… sleep with you tonight?"
"...wut?"
"T-the news about the girls disappearing recently is getting me anxious, okay?" I explain, feeling embarrassed as a blush creeps up my face. "I don't want to sleep alone."
I don't even need to look to know that she has a gigantic grin on her face. I could recount so many times when it was her that asked me to sleep together before I kicked her out of my room. She never gave up until I firmly told her to stop sneaking into my bed when I'm asleep.
I can't fathom why she's so persistent about it. I get it, I'm her daughter and supposedly her only family since my dad died, and she loves me a lot, but there had to be a limit to this. It creeped me out sometimes if I'm being honest.
So hearing this must be like getting told both Christmas and her Birthday had come early.
"Awww is lil' baby Akane scawed-"
"Don't push it or I'll shove that sword up your ass you'll be tasting steel for weeks." I scowl deeply, making her flinch. The irritated anger burning my former blush off my face.
Unfortunately for her, I'm not in the mood for teasing. I've put up with enough of that shit for today.
"Ahahahah, i-it was a joke! A joke!" She waves it off with a nervous laugh. "Of course you can sleep here! I… still have a couple of things I need to do first though. You can lie on the bed until I'm finished."
I nod and move to the bed, but then she speaks up again.
"Ah, actually, sweetie?" She starts. "Could you hand me a few cans of beer from the fridge?"
"Sure."
I crack open the fridge, grabbing the six-pack before pausing, a smirk blossoming on my face a second later. This is my chance.
I send it to my inventory, forcing myself to hide my smirk. This might not work- she could just go "oh well." and continue doing whatever she's doing, but knowing her… well, I doubt it. If she leaves for the convenience store, then I'd have about 15 minutes at most.
It would need to be enough.
"There aren't any," I say, making her pause.
"They- What? Are you sure?" She questions, getting up off her chair.
"Yup. You drank it all. Again." I make a point of sounding exasperated and take a step back for her to see.
"H-how? I literally bought two packs today!" She says in surprise. "And I did not drink all of it. How would you know?"
"I've lived with you for my entire life." I deadpan. "You've done this more than once."
"And how can I be sure you didn't drink it?" She frowns at me.
"Are you serious- Kaa-san, I'm underage." I raise a brow. "It's illegal for me to drink."
"Oh, now you care about what's illegal or not? Now, after how much property damage you caused because of your petty fights?" She uncharacteristically sneers, causing me to flinch a little at the rebuke. "Hell, how can I be sure you don't drink without me knowing? Wouldn't be the first time you did something illegal behind my back."
"Okay, what the hell is up with you?" I scowl, my anger flaring at the accusation. "Has all this beer turned your brain to mush, you old hag?"
"I-!" She was about to retort, but then caught herself, her expression becoming one of melancholy guilt. "I-I don't know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give it out to you. I... I don't know what got into me there"
Seeing her suddenly become as docile as a puppy made me soften my looks. I don't think staying angry here is a good idea. I'd rather not risk losing REP or AFF, not to mention that it might ruin my plan to get her out of the room for a bit.
"It's fine, Kaa-san. I was being rude for no reason." I respond with a softer tone, shaking my head and comforting her with a hug. "I shouldn't have said that."
5 Affection with Mizuki Amamiya [85/100]
"I-" Her breath hitches as her body begins to shake minutely. She quickly lets me go, striding out of the room. "I'm going out for some fresh air."
Perfect~
"Alright." I nod with a small smile. "Take care, Kaa-san."
The door slides close behind her, leaving me alone in her room. After a minute and I hear the gate of our home close I smirk widely. Alright, I don't think it's the walk to the convenience store I was angling for, but I should have enough time to look around.
The first thing I do was check the bookcases and her desk, inspecting the books to see if she'd given in to cliché and used a generic hidden button or something of the sort. I make sure to return them back exactly as they were. As dumb as she acts, I know how sharp mom can be under it all.
Turning up nothing in the bookcase, I turn to the desk, an annoyed frown takes over my face as I see what she was doing on her PC. Really, mother? Eroges? didn't even bother to close it when I got in. This fucking dumbass...
I shake my head and continue looking under the desk for anything strange before pulling open the drawers. I'm greeted with school papers, a pack of cigarettes, and old photos of dad, uncle, and two others I don't recognize. One was a strange guy with a stranger fashion sense, amounting to a snakeskin jacket and an eyepatch. The other was a large man, maybe even bigger than the yakuza I saw back at the batting center. He kinda looked like a homeless man with a buzz cut, a green jacket over a black shirt, and camouflage pants. All four were smiling at the camera- well, dad was trying. He still has that same scary smile that promised eternal torment.
Have I met these people before? They seem familiar.
I shake my head and continue my search, coming across a letter in the next drawer. I raise an eyebrow, wondering who the hell even bothers with them anymore. I quickly take it out and read the contents anyway.
M.A-san.
I've read your letter, and I can assure you that your daughter will not be getting in contact with Heiresses of Kuoh, and I've also taken measures to have one of my patriarchs and his family guard her from the background. The Clan is striving to make peace talks with every other faction to keep wars from occurring between us, please understand that this includes them. I know how upsetting this is for you, but know that you and your daughter will always have my support and protection.
If you still have your doubts and would like to discuss them, please come and meet me at the Clan's Headquarters. We haven't caught up in years.
Yours truly.
D.D
Well, then…
This is good information, but also concerning. I'd had my suspicions from earlier, but this proves that my mother knows about the Supernatural. I assume that M.A means Mizuki Amamiya, but I don't really know who D.D is. It says clan, so… Go-Ryu clan? Maybe?
Thinking back on it, that blond yakuza had a positive rep with me when I'd never met him before. Does that mean my mother has connections with the Omi Alliance? Maybe she knows Ryuji Goda somehow? But who exactly is D.D?
The only Yakuza I can think of with those initials is… Daigo Dojima?
I scoff and shake my head. No way. I can understand her knowing people in the Omi, but the Chairman of the Tojo Clan? The Kanto Yakuza? There's no way… right?
Regardless, I'm apparently going to have someone keeping an eye on me in Kuoh, which is honestly reassuring. I don't know who this patriarch is, but hey, a guard. I'd never say no to someone protecting me from the hellhole that is Kuoh.
Hehe, hellhole.
I put the letter back, snatching the pack of cigarettes in the process. Mom smokes a bit too much, she doesn't need it, and I'm definitely not gonna use it. No sir, I'm a pure child and would never smoke. Smoking is bad.
...It was my uncle's fault. He got me into it.
My hand brushes against something metallic as I do. I crouch to peek at what it was and my eyes go wide as I spot a tiny button at the very end of the drawer. It was the same color as the wood, completely camouflaged. Hell, even with the increased DEX, I could barely tell it was even there even after feeling it.
Thinking I found what I wanted, I press it… er, well, I try to press it.
I frown, using more force, but it doesn't budge. What the hell is this?
With an annoyed glare, I use every bit of my strength... and it works. I smile as I hear something in the room click, but that's it. Nothing else happens, my only reward was that clicking noise. I frown and stand up, going to where I heard the sound coming from: The bookcase.
But there's nothing different about it. It did inform me that what I was after was definitely here, or maybe behind the bookcase, so once again, I search around, this time opening the books as an extra measure.
Eventually, I opened a green book about ancient Japanese history. Inside it wasn't pages like you'd expect. Instead, it was a remote, something like you'd use for an electric garage door, and seeing it made me smile. Finally…
This one was at least simpler than the desk button, but it yielded a much more substantial reaction. I flinched as the bookcase suddenly began to shake, opening up to a dimly lit room I never knew existed. My jaw nearly hit the floor as I saw what was inside.
Dozens upon dozens of guns filled the space, all neatly lined up with ammo boxes of all types strewn everywhere. A couple of sharp blades of different make were here and there. There was practically every implement of death you could ever use from daggers to rocket launchers. There were so many weapons, and all of them looked…
I've never even seen some of these before! Some definitely do not look like normal guns- at least, not from this era. A few just screamed magic- not to mention some of the freaking swords are literally glowing!
But what really caught my attention was an almost normal-looking suit in the middle of the room. It looked so out of place yet it felt like it belonged here somehow. The first thing I did was use Observe on it, and, once again, I was shocked.
[The Ultimate Killer] – Legendary Item
The strongest suit made by mankind, created with the best mythical materials and enchanted by the greatest magicians. It belongs to Mizuki Amamiya, a legendary Ex-Assassin who worked for a secret organization that planned to overtake both the Omi Alliance and the Tojo Clan.
When worn, the wearer gains 25% to all stats, and their SP will double. Nullifies 15% of all damage dealt to the wearer and has a 10% chance of reflecting 2.5% of it.
When worn, guns, swords and daggers will deal 50% more damage. 75% easier to successfully hide and sneak away from targets. The wearer deals 300% more damage on an unaware target.
This suit will repair itself when damaged.
Bonus: If the wearer is an ?, the suit's power will double.
Well, damn…
Mom was an assassin. That dumbass was an actual killer for hire turned housewife turned widow. What the actual hell?
I had no idea. She acts so damn goofy for me to even consider her doing that kind of work much less apparently being so good at it that, by the account of this information gleaned from the suit, she'd become a legend for it. And she used to work against the Yakuza but now – possibly – has connections with them? I have no fucking idea what's going on anymore.
And what the hell kind of suit is this? Mom used to wear this overpowered as hell gear? Seriously, a 25% increase is no joke, and double SP is downright absurd. Also, what the hell do these question marks mean?
The sound made by the gate opening shakes me from my trance, and I quickly shut the secret room thing before putting everything back in its place, but not before grabbing the closest weapon and stuffing it inside the inventory. I even pressed the tiny button just in case she finds anything suspicious, then I quickly go back to sit on the bed.
The door opens and in walks my mother, holding a plastic bag. "Hah, sorry for taking so long. I lost track of time."
"Hm, it's fine." I shrug. "Is everything better with you?"
"Yep!" She answered cheerfully. "I even got something for you."
She dug into the bag and pulled out my favorite drink before tossing it at me. I catch it and stare down at it for a second before smiling.
"Thanks," I say, stabbing it with the straw.
"You're welcome." She nods. "But aren't you a little too old for chocolate milk?"
"There's no such thing as too old for chocolate milk." I roll my eyes as I take a sip, standing up from the bed. I turn my nose up at her and stand "Whatever, I'm going to my room."
"Eh? But I thought you wanted to sleep here?!"
"I'm good now," I reply casually, eliciting a whine from her. "Goodnight."
"No, no!" She whines, getting on her knees to hug my waist. "Sleep with me!"
"Let go of me." I scowl. "Don't you have work to do?"
"No! The monsters might get me!" She cries. "Pwease stay!"
"What do you mean, monsters?!" I push her away. "You're a grown woman! Act like one for god's sake!"
"Nooooooooooo!"
She tries to chase me, but I quickly close the door on her face, sighing in frustration. That was close.
This woman was an assassin… Is the universe fucking with me?
I can't imagine this interaction would've gone as smoothly if she suspected anything was awry. She looked a bit tipsy, even after coming back from her walk. I didn't expect her to grab more beer after the way she was before she left, but she might've passed some convenience store on the way and bought the cans anyway.
At the very least, I now understand a bit better who my mother is and what she used to do. I guess I can see where she got all that money from. Killing obviously isn't done cheaply.
Quest completed
[Bloodstained Past] – Quest
Objective: Discover what Mizuki is hiding
Hidden Objective: Steal one weapon from the secret room
Rewards: 2 Common Gacha Tokens, 1 Uncommon Gacha Token, Minor EXP, 100 Credits
Hidden Rewards: 1 Rare Gacha Token, Minor EXP, 150 Credits
Danger Level: Low
I smile slightly at the rewards.
One Mystery down.
One Stray to go.
I know i said weekly uploads, but hey, four days is basically a week. I was just bored, alright?
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