A/N: I don't cover every move of the Shogi match, that would be boring as hell. I only cover the short opening of the game move for move. Yes I learned the basics of Shogi just for this chapter, no I don't think I got any of it correct. I'm on a family vacation, and there are a couple of minor things about this chapter I plan to change, but can't rn.
Shogi Piece behaves like: Chess Piece
Fu - Pawn
Kuku - Bishop
Keima - Knight
Hisha - Rook
Gyoku - King
Gin - No direct conversion (Kind of like a Bishop)
Kin - No direct conversion (Kind of like a Queen)
[Text] - The Game.
"Text" - Dialogue.
Text - Thinking.
"Text" - SIS talking telepathically to Ichika.
Text or Text - Sounds/Emphasis
The Tournaments
"I didn't expect you to actually come." Tabane noted as she stood in the stands.
It was somewhat amusing at how well someone could blend into the populace so long as they always dressed absurdly. This was the first day in almost a decade that she had dressed in civilian clothes, instead of her preferred dress of cosplay which the humans seemed to think were odd, not that she cared. Simple clothes, throw on a wig, keep a serious face, and boom, she was most certainly not Tabane Shinonono. Though anyone could see that she was still drawing attention, she had her voluptuous figure to thank for that. Honestly, this was supposed to be Ichika's moment, the least the humans could do was pay attention to him instead of her chest.
"Hell is that supposed to mean?" Chifuyu said through gritted teeth.
The Brunhilde had to be more careful. Though Chifuyu had always dressed in normal attire wherever she had gone, this was likely the first time since they were in school together that she had seen the woman in anything less than business formal attire. Even though she had to admit, it was hard to imagine that under the ponytail, standard jeans, and black button-up shirt, (all of which made her look considerably younger) was the strongest woman in the world. Chifuyu was lucky, silk black hair blended in perfectly anywhere in Japan, a stark contrast to her lavender hair.
This wig was so annoying. Should she have genetically altered her natural hair color? No, too much work. Besides, genetics was never her strongest suit.
"You know what it means, Chi-chan."
"This is foolish. We are drawing attention. Why could we have not watched from your lab?"
"You said you wanted to have a real relationship with Ikkun? This is it. You cannot simply watch the match through my personal satellite. It is the meaning behind being here in person that holds importance, not the act itself. Plus, we are only drawing attention because of our curves. They do not see The Brunhilde or The Inventor because this is not the place they expect to see them. Let the lesser gawk at something they could never hope to possess." She replied uncharacteristically coldly.
"You speak of humans as if you aren't one." Chifuyu observed.
"Chi-chan. Would you call either of us human? Two women who care only for what they care for, and would light the world aflame and watch on as billions died, so long as what they cared for was saved from the ashes? Would you have me sugarcoat my true self with hollow words? The cost of our strength was sociopathy."
"What about Ichika? He is growing, surely you have taken note. Strengthening. I'm...concerned...afraid...that he will be the same. What if he becomes like us? So hyper focused on one or a few people that his care for everything else fizzles out? What if I'm not one of the people he ends up caring for? What if I already lost him because I neglected our time together?"
She turned her attention from the match to her friend, giving her a small smile of encouragement.
"It never does anyone good to dwell on 'what if' Chi-chan. Make no mistake, you have done wrong to Ichika, but you have admitted that and begun to make up for the lost time. It is the best you can do, think no more of the past you cannot change. You have learned from it, that is enough."
"...thanks." Chifuyu said. Though it sounded almost begrudgingly, it was rare for The Brunhilde to thank anyone. Tabane could count on a single hand how many times, in fact. It made a bit of hope rise that maybe, just maybe, they would have that friendship she wanted all those years ago.
"You are most welcome, Chi-chan."
"And his growth?"
Tabane's face flashed with an odd mixture of giddiness and concern. "Inhuman."
"How inhuman?"
"...he has remarked several times to me the difficulty of his school assignments over the past year." She smirked mischievously.
"How difficult?" Ah, perhaps Chifuyu knew her better than she thought.
"Twelfth grade." Chifuyu grabbed a hold of the collar of her blouse. "You gave him twelfth grade level assignments?"
"No…." She denied, watching Chifuyu's anger dissipate before continuing. "Technically I gave his entire high school education's worth." Chifuyu's knuckles turned white against her collar as she tried to maintain her composure.
"You mean to tell me you compressed Ichika's high school education into a single year?"
"He was acing everything I sent him! My calculations put his mental development close to that of an adult! His growth was exemplary, I had to test it!"
"You used my brother as a lab rat!" Chifuyu's strength raised her into the air.
"Only in a literal sense."
"What the hell does that mean?!"
"Chi-chan, please calm down, you're drawing more attention away from Ikkun."
Chifuyu looked around, scanning the crowd and noting that almost every face was staring straight at them.
"Humph." She set Tabane down, as the atmosphere around them returned to normal.
"...I would never do anything that legitimately harms Ikkun. Push his limits? Absolutely. But harm? Never." She said with certainty.
"Mmm..." Chifuyu hummed in mild doubt.
"..."
"..."
"...forgot to mention his graduation is in March-" "I'll kill you!"
Ichika forced a smile down as he could hear the chaos in the background as the two most powerful women in the world were thrown out of a high school tournament for disruption.
That alone was the single most hilarious thing that had ever happened to him and the fact that he was in a nationally ranked shogi competition and couldn't laugh at it was a crime against humanity.
He swore those two would be frenemies till they died. Hopefully the "fr" part would develop more if they ever stopped fighting every time they met. They had come to watch him compete, even if they couldn't watch his final match, it meant the world to him.
He sat seiza, as he sat on his own folded legs, with perfect posture as he looked in front of him. Atop
The silence filling the room was only broken by the constant drumming of the outside, at least now that Chifuyu and Tabane weren't in it.
Across from him was the opposing team's captain. Ichika had [Observed] him to be Hirayama Toshiko, a seventeen year old girl who was apparently a woman of justice, integrity, and lighthearted competitiveness. Certainly an apt description of the young woman who had given a deep bow of respect to a far younger and more inexperienced opponent. It was especially respectful as her team was the current title holder of champions, a title Ichika was confident he would soon take.
Though it was possible that Toshiko had given him more respect as Ichika's team had already proved themselves formidable.
The tournament was bracket style. Sets of two teams would compete and the loser would be placed into a loser's bracket while the winners moved on.
Each team was allowed to have five of their members compete, meaning the first team to three wins would claim victory. Both his and Toshiko's team had won two matches, meaning the final game between the team captains was the deciding point of the entire tournament.
Ichika glanced down at the board in front of him, analyzing the unmoved pieces, scouring his experience for a strategy.
The game time was quite limited in a tournament, which, whether intended or not, essentially made every game a blitz style match. Each player would have a severely limited time to think for each turn. He would have to make accurate decisions quickly, and stick by them. There would be little time for debate and backtracking in a match to undo a previous mistake was essentially throwing away two turns, one for the mistake and another to fix it.
Patience, he reminded himself, was of utmost importance in games such as these. Players, amateurs especially, ended up so focused on the turn time limit that they would end up moving too fast. Not using their allotted time to properly think ahead.
Speed and patience. Certainly an odd combination.
The first move was his, so he would play offensively. Strike quickly and deceivingly, and not let up until his opponent forfeited. Sportsmanship he may have, but he would be damned if he did not try his best.
Fu G7 to F7.
He looked back up to Toshiko, who, though clearly thinking hard, still held a kind smile on her face. Ichika returned in kind. Honestly, why could all competitors not be so hostile? People really got lost in the matter of winning a game, rather than the fun of one.
Fu C8 to D8.
Fu G2 to F2.
Fu D8 to E8.
Toshiko had just initiated the first possible 'capture' of the game. Either Ichika could take the piece directly, but risk a hole in his own defense, or he could further develop his own offense while rolling the minor risk to his defense. He quickly chose the latter.
Fu F2 to E2.
Kin A4 to B3.
Kaku H8 to G7.
Fu C3 to D3.
Gin I7 to H8.
He had laid a minor trap, one most competent players could easily spot. He had no doubt she saw it, it was a simple Kaku exchange. Toshiko would capture his and he would immediately take Toshiko's. The question was whether or not she saw the reason he had initiated the change. This early on it was nearly impossible to tell, so he wagered his opponent had not.
Kaku B2 to G7. Kaku takes Kaku.
His opponent had drawn first blood, typically a bad sign for a player, but he was no ordinary player. The first blood would mean nothing soon enough.
Gin H8 to G7. Gin takes Kaku.
That completed the Kaku exchange. One less piece to have to worry about both offensive and defensively. Honestly, it was his opinion that shogi had a little too many pieces. A little too much focus to allow for a more peaceful, friendly competition. Whatever his opinion on the game, the first piece of his trap was in place, just a few more and the game would turn in his favor.
Ichika played strategically both in the game and in playing it. His offensive strategy was precise, and left little room for counter-strategies for his opponent. But his playing, turn by turn and minute by minute, was smooth and solid. He continued to make each move with deliberate confidence, and he knew Toshiko took notice.
"Your offense is… certainly impressive, Orimura-san." She commented as yet another trap was sprung, leading to him capturing a piece.
"Thank you, Toshiko-san. Your defense is impressive as well. None of my opponents have yet been able to create a Mino Castle while defending against me."
She gave him a light smile. "They say the most important strategies are the most basic."
True, but mastering the basics is something every professional has done. If you wish to advance, you still need to learn more. The Mino Castle is a great defensive strategy, but it will not hold up to properly executed advanced offensive techniques.
He politely smiled back, shrugging. "True enough."
The problem with the Mino Castle is that while it provides excellent defense for the Gyoku, it only provides such a defense because the Gyoku is completely surrounded with very little space for movement.
Toshiko captured a Fu of his. A waste of a move. Yes, she had captured a piece, but at such a late point in the game, a piece of so little value being captured meant little to him.
Ichika moved his Kin into position, eliminating a spot for Toshiko's Gyoku to retreat. Her eyes widened. The trap was obvious now, but it was far too late for her to get out of it. She looked at him in defeat, before smiling widely and moving a final piece arbitrarily.
He gave a modest smile, and captured one of her many Fu with his Kin.
Her Gyoku was threatened, and could no longer retreat into any of the available spaces. The remaining spaces surrounding it were Toshiko's own pieces.
Game.
[QUEST ALERT- "National Shogi Champion"]
[/Specifications/]
[Progress: Complete]
[...]
[Auto-claiming Rewards…]
[...]
[-REWARDS COLLECTED-]
[4250XP - 8500XP due to Title: Pubescent earned in skill: Shogi]
[Level Up in Skill: Shogi]
[Title Replace "Shogi Team Captain" - "Shogi Champion"]
[650,000 Yen] [5873.56 USD]
[3,750XP - 7,500XP due to Title: Pubescent]
[...]
The competitors simultaneously stood and bowed, shaking hands as the crowd began it's applause.
"Congratulations." She said as she shook his hand.
"Thank you, and well played." He said as both of their teams approached them for the award ceremony.
"First round contestants proceed to the arena. Your matches will start in five minutes." A voice spoke from the overhead speakers.
Ichika gave a deep sigh as he looked around the locker room, some teammates still dressing in their gear, some going through last minute practice movements, others just twirling their shinai in anticipation.
"Remember. Ready, not tensed. Eyes on the opponent. Do not hesitate to strike." He gave last minute advice to his team, though it sounded as if he was reminding himself. Whether it was targeted to them or not, they nodded in recognition as they made the last adjustments to their equipment.
They walked out of the locker room into the large stadium, filled with spectators and cheering supporters. Ichika grinned in giddiness under his kendo helmet as the many teams stood in place in their designated zones, all gazing up at the many enormous screens around the arena on which the first set of matches was displaced on a bracket.
The bracket was made of dozens of teams, each representing a prefecture of Japan and named after their respective team captain. His team was designated Team Orimura, which had obviously drawn significant attention. Not that it hadn't always been that way. Every time they competed, the number of spectators rose higher and higher, and from the amount of people supporting his team. Of course many were simply drawn in by the name, but he appreciated those who had recognized his skill and were enamored by it.
Team Orimura represented the mighty Tokyo. The capital. Even though his team was composed of all Junior High students and the competition was for all years of schooling, making most of their opponents far older, they were still representing the strongest part of Japan. Expectations couldn't have been higher.
He scanned the competition. Kyoto's team seemed solid, made entirely of clearly athletic girls of above average height. Hokkaido's team was a bit surprising as it was mostly male. Probably one of the only majority male teams he had ever seen during all of their competition. Even Ichika's own team was predominantly female, all of whom had only grown to begrudgingly respect his talent and hard earned skill.
His eyes froze as they drifted over a deep lavender. Even from across the entire stadium he could feel the girl's eyes lock in on him.
...if anything. This should at least be interesting.
Houki Shinonono, his former best friend, now simply his best friend's sister. They had been friends for a handful of years, up until Tabane had unveiled the IS, leading Houki along with the Shinonono parents into being placed under a witness protection program.
They were forced to move away. New jobs, new school, new everything. He knew that meant no contact with him, but Houki could have easily gotten a direct line to him through Tabane. But she never did.
Looking back on their many years together now, it was quite obvious that the girl had had feelings for him. Herself and her family being forced into witness protection severed her contact with him, and he wagered to guess that was why the girl had such a distaste for her elder sister. She blamed Tabane for causing the ever increasing divide between her and her crush. That was what made him upset. The utter hypocrisy of the situation.
Tabane was indirectly at fault for causing the initial divide in their friendship. That was her mistake, which she had tried to correct. However, with one simple call to her elder sister, Houki could have easily got into contact with him whenever she wanted and their friendship could have remained intact.
However, the girl elected to let her antipathy of her elder sister, which was caused by the divide in their friendship, get in the way of her asking Tabane for help, thus causing more divide in their friendship. She caused the very thing she continued to hate his best friend for.
Whether or not she acknowledged it, Houki had chosen her pride over their friendship.
Was it fair that he expected so much of her? That, even though her mental maturity still matched her age while his had skyrocketed, he still expected her to make such a mature choice? He supposed not. But life was not fair.
The relationship they had once held was a distant memory and nothing inside of him wanted to put in one-sided effort into a relationship with someone so immature. Though, she could make a good ally if she managed to acknowledge her flaws…
Perhaps… a harsh awakening would make a good motivator?
Yes… that was it. He had taken into account that the team she was on was from Kochi, which was on the same side of the bracket. With some luck, their teams would meet. If he could so soundly and unarguably defeat her, pushing the line of blatant humiliation, maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get her to look towards Tabane.
Houki had always been competitive. She had always been more proficient than him in kendo as a child. If he beat her in her own forte, irrefutably so, it would likely have a snowball effect. She would have to find something else that could feed her competitive nature. She would have to find something else so she could once again be 'stronger' than him. Her natural conclusion would be to become an IS pilot, since her assumption would be that he could never surpass her in that field.
The benefits would be two fold.
Assuming she hadn't decided to become one already, the decision would allow him to collect her as an asset for his conquest against Phantom Task.
More importantly to him, it would drive her into Tabane's arms, likely requesting that her elder sister make her a personal unit.
There was a chance her hard headedness could carry over. Simply using Tabane as a resource and discarding the chance to reconnect or not using her sister's help at all, allowing her pride to build once more as she became skilled in IS piloting. But he was willing to roll those dice, just to get Tabane happy. In the end, if Houki did not take the chance, he would knock her down another peg once they met again. Whatever it took to get Tabane her precious sister back.
[QUEST ALERT- "Sibling Bonds" - Part 3]
[QUEST - "Pride and Prejudice"]
[Description: The Shinonono sisters have been driven apart by circumstance and immaturity. Begin restoring their bond by beating Houki's team and nudging her in the right direction.]
[Rewards: Slightly improved relations with Houki Shinonono. Unknowns.]
[Penalties: Ruin chances to gain Houki Shinonono as an ally.]
[...]
[BONUS QUEST - "National Kendo Champion"]
[Description: Win the national kendo tournament.]
[Rewards: Title Upgrade]
[...]
[ACCEPT]
[YES] [NO]
Yes… but that brings up another point. My actions have been aligning relatively consistently with quests. I mean… I wasn't given a quest for something I did not already plan to do. That brings up the question of how much influence my actions have over the quests I get. SIS?
"Yes?"
Does The Game base quests around the players actions and thoughts?
"As The Game is designed to give the player the best experience, the quests are vaguely based on their actions and desires. Quests can go from barely based on the player's desires to based solely upon them."
...mmm… thank you.
"You are most welcome."
...so 'Pride and Prejudice' is clearly based solely on my desires while 'Mr. Worldwide' was hardly based on them. I guess that makes sense.
"Match point, Orimura!" A round of applause met the announcement.
Oh right.
He thought as he gave a light smile towards the crowd and bowed to his opponent, before walking back to his team's bench and awaiting his next match. Fighting in a nationwide tournament had slipped his mind. Not that you could blame him. He may have been younger than his opponents, but it was obvious to all the spectators that his strength, speed, and skill was preeminent.
Though, he wasn't the only one who was standing out. A handful of competitors. He stood out the most. An older girl who was far taller than average was defeating her opponents with exceptional speed. A short but stocky boy used strength to overwhelm his opponents, having an offense that none of his opponents had yet been able to defend against. There was a particularly skilled girl, whose strikes were far cleaner than her opponents, easily racking up points. Lastly there was Houki, who was a mixture of all three traits like him, although he knew he would still outmatch her with ease.
With his last win, that was three victories he had under his belt, with three more up and coming. With the way things were flowing, he could already predict the outcome of the matches.
Assuming the team Houki was to continue their successful streak, their team's would end up clashing in the semi-finals. He was not concerned about the final match, as Houki was clearly the second most skilled competitor, even if the difference between his first and her second was large enough he wouldn't be able to go all out against her.
His next match was with the particularly skilled girl, whose name was apparently Saito Masako.
Although her skill was admirable, his own was more than enough to match, and his strength and speed quickly overwhelmed her. Sure enough, the other members of his team had snagged enough wins for them to move on.
It didn't take long for the match he was anticipating was called, and he was back on the kendo mat.
"You look nice." He started off with a soft compliment, to which Houki lightly blushed under her mask before shaking it off.
Though he had only gone for a compliment because he honestly had no idea who to start a conversation with her, he was not lying. She had grown taller and clearly took her training seriously as she had kept a lean form. Her silk lavender hair tied in a ponytail reminded him of how Tabane looked in her maid cosplay.
"I want to talk, Ichika. Just not right now." She whispered back as they bowed, before she immediately took a ready stance.
"Competitors ready." He took his own ready stance, holding out his shinai angled in front of him.
"Begin!"
Houki slashed at his side, which he easily parried. She sent a barrage of swipes at him, but his defense remained impenetrable.
"You certainly haven't slacked in your training." He noted as he blocked a strike to his head.
She scowled in concentration. "Not now."
As Houki continued her relentless attacks, her frustration became evident as her strikes became sloppy and less focused with greater strength. Unfortunately for her, even if she fueled her strength with anger, he was still far superior.
She gritted her teeth and doubled her offensive effort, pouring any speed and strength she still held back into the duel. Her strikes became noticeably heavier, but it still wasn't enough to make a difference.
"Take me seriously." Well.. if I must… He smiled mischievously.
"Very well." He flourished his shinai, blocking a strike to his left and knocking her shinai out of her hand, he rushed her guard and struck her stomach.
"Point, Orimura." He could see the surprise evident on the onlooker's faces, and the frustration on Houki's.
"What is that?" She pointed towards the hand that had struck her, making him glance at the [Shinonono Family Ring].
"A gift."
"What?" She sounded more annoyed than questioning. Ah. Jealousy. Yet another "reason" for her to dislike Tabane. Honestly, he could be friends with both of them, it wasn't Tabane's fault that Houki hadn't put in the effort.
"Reset." They took their stances, this time Ichika could see Houki's anger rising. She was fueling her adrenaline as her body looked clammy and tense. He was fairly sure he could see her flaring her nostrils under her helmet.
He could feel some tension grow in the air.
Kendo matches were typically short affairs, even in master level tournaments. Competitions were three point matches, so the first to two points would win. In the unlikely event that the clock ran out without either competitor reaching two points, whoever had one would win. In the case of a tie game when the clock ran out, a final match point would be played.
"Begin!" Houki predictably went straight in for a strike.
More anger, more offense. More offense, more strikes. More strikes, more energy. Her frustration may have given her strikes more strength and speed, but they were pointless if she continued to impatiently strike without waiting for an opening.
Houki struck. He blocked. Strike, block. Strike, parry. Strike, flourished parry, strike, riposte. Fighting someone that was using so little analytical technique was child's play. No patience, no variety to her attack, just pure anger driven offense. She said he was the one not taking her seriously, but she looked like she was trying to play whack-a-mole.
Within less than a minute her movements had slowed significantly as she grew fatigued from her thrashing. With a quick faint towards her left he got a strike onto the right of her ribcage.
"Match point, Orimura." The crowd cheered lightly as to not disturb the other matches occurring around the arena. With Ichika's win, his team only needed one more victory to be secured in the finals.
He bowed deeply to Houki in traditional respect, to which she returned, though it was noticeably reluctant. He attempted to begin a conversation, but she walked off the mat before he could initiate it. Shaking his head at his childhood friend's childish behavior, he walked back to his team's bench as his team prepared themselves for the final round.
His final opponent was the notably tall girl a handful of years his senior, Kaneko Masako. Her longer legs and lean build gave her far greater speed than her opponents had been able to handle. In the two matches of her's he had been able to observe, she had scored points exceptionally quickly. She was good for her age; solid skills, a well trained body with decent strength, and a trump card in speed. But he was better.
Their match lasted shorter than most would have anticipated, but since she had always moved hastily and he was not about to underestimate an unknown opponent, he refused to 'go easy on her.' Though, he also did not wish to insult her by not trying his best and making it seem like he was toying with her.
If he had to be honest, being so clearly out of his opponent's league was somewhat boring. Hopefully, he would be able to go on to professional kendo and shogi, and his opponents would be more challenging.
Though the rewards he accepted quickly washed away his melancholic feelings.
[QUEST ALERT- "Sibling Bonds" - Part 3]
[QUEST ALERT- "Pride and Prejudice"]
[/Specifications/]
[Progress: Complete]
[...]
[BONUS QUEST - "National Kendo Champion"]
[/Specifications/]
[Progress: Complete]
[...]
[Auto-claiming Rewards…]
[...]
[-REWARDS COLLECTED-]
[Slightly improved relations with Houki Shinonono.]
[4000XP - 8000XP due to Title: Pubescent earned in skill: Swordsmanship]
[Title Replace "Kendo Team Captain" - "Kendo Champion"]
[600,000 Yen] [5479.70 USD]
[3,500XP - 7,000XP due to Title: Pubescent]
[...]
...well I certainly won't be hurting for money for a while, or ever. The level experience is nice, as is the skill experience, but the upgraded title is clearly the best reward.
He inwardly sighed as he bowed at Masako, gave a nice wave to the crowd alongside the classic Orimura smirk, and welcomed his team onto the mat as they were presented a less than modest trophy.
I can already tell it's going to be hell getting Houki to accept Tabane as a sister. Hopefully it will be worth it. Speaking of Tabane, I really need to talk to her about why my school's principal said I had been pulled out of the seventh grade almost a year ago. Glad I'll finally have time off though, it'll give me time to start working on building an IS unit.
...
Not even a month back and I got two championship titles under my belt. Not bad.
His smirk widened to a smile as he waved at the crowd.
Not bad.
[...]
[QUEST ALERT - "Anime Protagonist"]
[/Specifications/]
[Progress: Complete]
[...]
[WARNING]
[Auto-claiming for rewards has been temporarily disabled. A reward that will be claimed will significantly impact The Game's future functions, requiring an update. Do you wish to accept the reward(s)?]
[ACCEPT]
[YES] [NO]
Not bad at all.
[-REWARDS COLLECTED-]
[Ability to pilot an Infinite Stratos.]
[500,000 XP - 1,000,000 XP due to Title: Pubescent]
[...]
[LEVEL UP]
[5 Ability Points - 10 Ability Points due to title: Pubescent]
[LEVEL UP]
[5 Ability Points - 10 Ability Points due to title: Pubescent]
[...]
[UPDATE]
[Player has gained ability to pilot an Infinite Stratos.]
[The Game is being augmented to fit IS capabilities...]
[...]
[Sub-Menu "Infinite Stratos" added]
[IS-EP (IS-Energy Points) bar created, to be used while piloting an Infinite Stratos]
[IS-HP (IS-Health Points) bar created, to be used while piloting an Infinite Stratos]
[...]
Here we go.
CHAPTER END
[STATS]
[Ichika Orimura]
Age: 13
Title(s):
The Gamer/Player One - [Grants: Gamer's Body & Mind]
The Negotiator - [Grants: 5% increase to base LUK and INT.]
Blade Wielder (Advanced) - [Grants: 5% increase to base AGI and END.]
Culinary Master - [Grants: 7% increase to base END.]
Gunslinger (Intermediate) - [Grants: 3% increase to base AGI]
Kendo Champion - [Grants: 7% increase to base STR, END, and AGI]
Martial Artist (Intermediate) - [Grants: 3% increase to base STR, END, and AGI]
Shogi Champion - [Grants: 7% increase to base INT and WIS]
Silent Warrior (Intermediate)- [Grants: 3% increase to base STR, AGI, and WIS.]
Pubescent - [Grants: 2x EXP gained on quests, enemies, etc. 2x to ability points gained. Slowly increases bodily maturity (Height, Weight, Sexual Organs, etc).]
Magical Items:
[Omamori - Prayer of Luck] - [Effect: 10% increase to LUK]
[Omamori - Prayer of Strength] - [Effect: 10% increase to STR]
Level: 21
Exp: 483,200/1,000,000
HP: 1405/1405 (END *5)
RGN: 1385/hour (AGI*5)
MP: 1235/1235 (INT *5)
RGN: 1275/hour (WIS *5)
STR: 235 (*1.22) = 287
END: 230 (*1.22) = 281
AGI: 229 (*1.21) = 277
INT: 231 (*1.07) = 247
WIS: 232 (*1.10) = 255
LUK: 47 (*1.10) = 52
Points: 100
Money: [106,075,070 ¥ / 958595.10 $]
Beta read by AnUbIs-Bahumut. Author of TBT:IF
A/N: Houki is the only one of the girls that he got to interact with pre-canon and not just influence indirectly.
I felt that it was necessary as she was his only childhood friend in this story, as he never got into a one-sided relationship with Rin. I also wanted to start developing her character as soon as possible.
Houki is stubborn and prideful. She refuses to forsake her pride to ask Tabane for help because she blames her lost relationship with Ichika on her. With a sister of such youthful success, she likely has an inferiority complex that fuels her distaste for Tabane. That, along with the fact that she is still immature and likely piled on the feelings that Ichika never returned her "young love" onto her already significant dislike of Tabane.
I know I know I know. A total bitch right?
Not to worry.
Hate her now all you please, but I am careful with my characters. Just like Chifuyu has begun to. Just like anyone. Houki will slowly change. She will slowly come to terms with her faults and try to fix the flaws in her character.
Also, keep in mind, while Ichika may have the mental maturity of an adult at this point, she is still barely a teenager. She is immature, but she is young, so she has every right to be.
I'll point this out, though I doubt anyone has noticed. Experience was not a reward in the "Anime Protagonist" quest. I meant for it to be a reward, but I must have forgotten. It will be fixed in the rewritten chapters, of which I now have 1-4 done. I have no idea how many times I will rewrite chapters, but for now I plan to rewrite each arc once, then another final time once the book is complete.
Ichika leveled a lot in this chapter and the one before, but he completed one quest that took ~1 year and another that took him ~3 years. I'm trying to keep an average of ~7 levels per year. Each level gets more difficult to get, but the quests get harder and Ichika gets stronger, so it balances out decently.
Both we and Ichika know that he is (with bonuses), now slightly inhuman. But this is the IS-verse, with machines that can take on armies. This puts Ichika in the delicate situation of being able to take on humans rather easily, but still being able to be swiftly killed by an IS if he himself doesn't have one.
I would like suggestions for the use of MP. My only rule is that Ichika will opt not to use any magic that outs his power.
I'll be blunt. This fic is not, nor will it, be perfect. My portrayal of inhuman intellect and my use (or lack thereof) of magic are likely the two major flaws it will have. Magic is especially hard to implement as the universe is tech-based, and I can't introduce any magic that uproots the plot. If you can overlook those flaws, I promise a fic of solid characters overcoming strife, realistic relationships, comedy and sadness, and a hell of a lot of action.
Next chapter is the finale of this arc.
Personal Reply:
JAckK: I plan for Ichika's IS fighting style to be extremely unorthodox due to all of his proficiencies. The sheer variety of his skill makes him exceptionally hard to predict in a fight.
Just some guy: One of the main things I want to ensure I have in this fic is character/relationship development. About the intensity beginning to pick up, you are certainly right.