Gamer of Glass

by Hypheliian

After a series of unfortunate events and the aquaintence of an old friend, the world of High School DxD faces its newest Gamer. Conquest and sexy harems follow Kano, the Gamer of Glass. Lemons apply.

1. Chapter 1

"Well… this is new. Where the fuck am I?"

My mouth tastes like it's filled with oily toothpaste. That first sensation is coupled with the fact that I'm currently blind, deaf, and swimming in- no, coated in something. After a moment of spitting out sludge and wiping my eyes, I look down at my hands. They're covered in black ink, and I'm wading in the stuff up to my ankles. My breathing's ravaged as my lungs clear up, meanwhile my hands are clutching my heart, which was beating at a mile a minute. Whatever it is covers every square inch of my body, and almost immediately I freeze in place when I realize I'm naked. My eyes narrow as my fingers explore my skin. I'm bald. Naked and bald. With a body unfamiliar to me. And with a hesitant hand, found I was missing a *very* important piece of hardware.

Although the reality wasn't what I feared, I literally had nothing there. It was like a Ken doll. No slit, certainly no dick, and by the lack of any other apparent features, I could only deduce that I had fallen victim to the most horrible fate my mortal mind could comprehend.

I had become Caillou.

Spitting the remaining taste out of my mouth, I finally take scope of my surroundings. Or rather, what lack thereof. The sea of sludge went on for miles in every direction, reminding me of Assassin's Creed purgatory. Or more accurately, Hermeaus Mora's Apocrypha. Minus the staggering libraries and Lovecraftian fish fetish. Though I had to admit, out of all possible afterlifes, Mora's domain of endless books wasn't the worst place to-

My head burns as bile fills my mouth, and not from the sludge surrounding me. Memories flood to the surface. Paramedics. An EKG. The sickly smell of sterilization. My heart throbs as my eyes go wide. My breathing's stammered- Christ now I'm hyperventilating. I wildly look around, desperate to find any semblance of familiarity in this indecipherable place.

God I hope this isn't Hell…

"…HELLO? ANYBODY?!"

The words leave my mouth before the debate of whether or not it's the best idea crosses my mind. Before I have time to process what was rapidly becoming apparent to me, my head jerks to face a churning mass beneath the waves. With sheering punctuation, slabs of polished stone raise from the ink before me, pristine and untarnished. The sound of rock sliding against rock fills the ocean, and the loud thud when they reach their height creates ripples surrounding them. One after another like inverse dominoes they rise, until a circular platform far larger than the others is summoned at the end. Its foundation is cracked and splintered, and I nearly lose my footing at it tremors, the cracks becoming wider. It breaks off, levitating to the precipice of the stairs. White and, frankly beautiful, I couldn't help but imagine my English teachers berating the blatant juxtaposition against the sea and sky.

The brief concept of simply turning around and walking in the other direction crosses my mind, and the breath of amusement it brings is enough to break my panic. I just needed a moment of clarity from this insanity. But that fleeting hope flickered as the reality of the situation quickly dawned on me. Whatever mad god ruled this terrible world was clearly inviting me for something, and I doubt I had anything to gain by spurning it.

Certainly not my dick.

I feel a chill over my shoulder, and despite the only thing surrounding me being the waves of oily blackness, I swear I sense an omnipresent grin.

Looking back I make my decision. Carefully, I take my first tentative steps on the quartz-looking stairs before me. As slippery as I expect the steps to be with my feet now slick with sludge, the path is surprisingly firm. Steadfast I make my way across, my breathing slowing and my stride more confident as I approach the circle. Now over ten feet above the ocean, the stainless floating island gives me quite a view on just how colossal this place truly is.

I've been out on boats before, but never on open ocean. It was equal parts breathtaking and terrifying. When I waded the horizon looked a nearly sickly green, but it darkened as I ascended, now pitch as night with hints of purple. A reflection on the waves came from nothing I could perceive, the edge seamlessly blending on the horizon, giving the impression I was within an immeasurable snow globe. Actually, it kind of reminded me of the realm of Chaos from my various playthroughs of Hades. I smiled. Those were good times.

My mind is still racing, but for some reason the farther I got the more collected and confident I felt. Eventually I stood in the center of the platform's intricate lattice patterns, looking around, eyes upwards.

"Okay... Okay." My voice was rising, all the pent up emotions I'd been feeling since waking up finally boiling over. "I don't know who the fuck you are, or where the fuck I am, I have no idea what the fuck you want or whatever you think I can offer you, so either reap my soul or put me back in my goddamn body!"

The world was silent, and at this point I'm wondering if I'm just comatose in a hospital somewhere, honestly that would be the most plausible explanation at this point. But this place feels so real, and everything has that sharpness of awareness that just doesn't exist when you're dreaming, even when you haven't realized it. I like to think of myself as a relatively calm and rational person… but this is not the time for either of that.

"Come on! Where are you!? What do you want from-

-…me..."

Two words. Two words fill my vision, appearing in what I can only describe as a text box pasted in the middle of the sky. Two words, that the moment I realized their inherent meaning, I knew were about to change my life. Forever.

[ WELCOME, GAMER. ]

That did it. Whatever shreds of rationality I had been faking to cope with this insane situation fell apart, and above the waves the mad cackling of my laugher filled the air.

"HAHAHAHAHA, YES! FUCK YES! OH, BABY CHRIST, YES! I'M-"

*-cold as all fucking depths of Nordic Hel.*

I sputter as a leveled geyser of water blasts me, washing away what oily sludge was left behind. Immediately my hands dove to cover between my legs, despite the absolute lack of any material there. I turned around on a dime, glaring in the direction of my would-be assailant, only to be left sputtering as another stream dredged my face.

"This is a gratis, friend, one-time-only complimentary premium car wash, free of charge. Car not included." An unknown voice called out as he hosed me down. From where he came from or where he acquired a goddamn hose I have no idea. Tasted like saltwater.

"Fuck that's cold."

"Heat costs extra." He remarked indifferently, then smiled under a deep hood. It was the only thing of significance I could glean from him. Just a hood and coat. Light skin, but it could be anybody underneath. Still, there was something about the stranger that was striking at the back on my mind. Though it was hard to focus on anything getting mouthfuls of water by the second.

"Would you fuck off with that already!?"

"We haven't even gotten to the rainbow suds yet." He smiles as I deadpan, staring at him as the water hits my chest. The stranger's smile grows wider. "There's those million dollar eyes."

I still can't place his voice, but for the life of me I swear to God I know this guy. Meanwhile I wonder how the hell he can even see my eyes under that thick grey hood that reaches his nose. I'm still processing the fact that I'm alone in this nightmare void, and whoever this is is probably some ancient deity trying to claim my soul, yet for some weird reason something about him strikes me as familiar. Which sounds insane considering the circumstances, and the fact that the literally only defining feature about this guy is that he might be Asian or Caucasian underneath a grey cloak with a long hood. But I just can't shake the feeling that there is something about him that's so incredibly…

familiar…

"…Shady?!"

The hooded figure let up for a brief moment, a hint of relief that I was quick to appreciate, his quizzical expression drawing into a wide, visceral grin. "I'm sorry, friend… do we know each other?"

At first I mentally swore at myself for such a dumb as fuck deduction, only to freeze where I stood. That was his line. His 'do you have a Geiger counter' phrase. I struggled not to laugh, either triumphantly or dejectedly, smirking as he awaited a response, to which I relied in kind.

"…We don't know each other yet."

Underneath his hood the now-confirmed Shady's grin grew to a wide teeth-filled Cheshire smile.

"Oh, my friend, you have no idea how gratifying it is to meet a client who actually knows a thing or two around here. That's going to save so much on my commission."

He tossed the hose off the side of the platform and into the ocean, and instinctively I reach for it. A light snort left Shady's nose, and without looking back he snapped his fingers, the remaining sludge fell off my body like it was never there, sinking back into the depths. Before I have a chance to evaluate what that meant regarding this whole interaction, I suddenly feel very exposed, meanwhile I's going through about a thousand emotions and all five stages of grief in the span of a few seconds. Regardless, I can't help but laugh to myself. Shay D Mann. The hopeless con.

"So then, friend, what gratifying piece of quality content do you know me from? Wait wait wait, let me guess, Star Wars?"

A hooded man pointing finger guns at me in the middle of an ocean of primordial soup was surreal on a level I could not describe in comprehensible words, yet at the same time it genuinely felt like conversing with an old friend.

I exhale, looking down, before finally smirking. "Avatar, actually."

"Ahh, Four Elements Trainer. I always did like that one, Mity always did catch my good sides."

I laugh again, still wrapping my head around this interaction. For all intents and purposes I was stuck in purgatory, talking to a possibly-time travelling possibly-interdimensional businessman… from a WinRaR porn game. I sigh, analyzing the being before me. "Seeing you in 3D is… weird. I mean, you still look remarkably like your 2D self, but regardless…"

"I'm almost surprised you recognized me. But then again, we are such great friends."

I match his smile, the conversation strangely feeling more relaxed as time goes on. "Well, you actually were a surprisingly memorable character. Genuinely one of the best in the game. Not to mention the best ride or die salesman this side of the multiverse."

[+5 Reputation with Shay D. Mann]

My eyes widened as a popup fills my view, and I immediately look back at the arial text box, nearly slapping myself at forgetting just exactly what circumstances I was finding myself in.

"Shady… am I in the Gamer system?"

He smiled again, apparently either pleased with my comprehension and foreknowledge or the simple fact he didn't need to explain it to me. Either way, it was all the confirmation I needed.

I was a Gamer.

It took everything in me not to start giggling like a little girl. Though I'm pretty sure Shady picked up on it regardless. If I had to be honest with myself, there were a LOT worse options for a guide in charge of a system as complex and intricate as the Game, not to mention patently vindictive depending on which version I was playing. But from what limited experience I have, literally 98% of it coming from various fanfictions, the fact that I even have a guide rather than the textboxes itself talking to me is generally a good thing. I think I'm theoretically in the clear. For now.

Besides, I genuinely really liked Shady. He was funny, reliable, and always had whatever your character needed. As long as you paid. May also have had clandestine powers over space and time but that's beside the point. The more I think about it the more it actually makes a lot of sense for him to be here, running this place. Especially if he's in charge of the shop. Assuming it exists here. Though considering his existence is from a literal fanmade porn game, admittedly a really good one, he certainly wasn't who I'd have expected.

Then again, of course, how do you possibly expect anything regarding 'here' in the first place…

"Indeed, friend." Shady commented, snapping me out of my inner monologue. "You have an amazing opportunity ahead of you. Anything and everything is within your grasp. The Universe-"

"Okay how much am I paying you and what do I need to buy?" I deadpan, though still leveling a knowing grin at the crooked conman, which he returned.

"May I recommend pants?"

I suddenly become re-acutely aware of my clothing status, but my reaction is more relaxed and less embarrassed. Maybe that's because I didn't have anything to show, maybe because Shady had once sold me anal beads for Azula before, I didn't fully question it. He always had this strange aura of nonchalauntness regardless of the situation. Despite very often smiling he rarely smirked or glowered. He was just an abundantly chill guy about pretty much everything, good or bad, never really holding anything against anyone. That was just his business.

"May I?" I ask, to which the hooded figure knowingly gestured towards the text box at the end of the platform. Almost relaxed, almost in awe, I approach the two words that remain on the screen. Suddenly the words flash away, the box now blank, and another box appears at chest height. Easily identified as a keyboard, new words appear on the screen.

[ Quick Play ] — [ Custom Creation ]

Holy shit yes, obviously I'm going with the custom creator. If any of this was even remotely real I was not going to pass of the opportunity to minmax the shit out of this. And if KOTOR taught me anything its that you *always* put in the extra effort.

[ NAME ]

My hand instinctively goes to type it out, but I hesitate. This… is an opportunity. A new name. A new life. A new-

Fuck, I feel like throwing up. I had a life. My parents. My sister. My best friends, Jason and Victoria. I have no idea if I just fucking died on their world, I don't even know how much time has passed on Earth. I could be millennia in the future, I could be milliseconds, they'll never know-

[Gamer's Mind activated]

I slow my breathing. I should have expected that. The fact Gamer's Mind had only just now activated ticked me off a bit, but better late than never I suppose. I still felt… hollow, and grieved, but it was muted now in a way. Rationalized. They would mourn and grieve for me as I would for them, if they haven't already. I'd have to ask Shady later, assuming this wasn't an incredibly elaborate fever dream. But even if it was, then there was no reason not to continue. Every Gamer had to accept this eventuality. Still…

[ K-A-N-O ]

Kano. Jason's favorite character in the Mortal Kombat series, and conveniently a moderately Japanese-sounding name. Plus I fucking love cybernetics. Not sure if I would go down the machine path, plenty of setup involved, but hell I was an AdMech player. It felt right.

But there it was, glowing as I pressed the Enter key. My name.

[ Kano – Level 1 ]
[ Character Creator Unlocked ]

Immediately the mosaic patterns of the circle platform surrounding me started glowing, Shady smiling in my peripheral vision as dozens of pop ups appeared. Some with various text boxes, some with slider icons, and suddenly I feel a weight fall on top of me as something covers my eyes. I reach up only to find that I have hair now. God it's so weird that I missed that. It was ragged, and blonde, a far cry from the hair of my previous life.

Similarly, by the grace of the Game and all who came before me, my dick was back.

Of course, that only lasted as long as until I got a hand on the slider system. Let me tell you there are way too many fucking settings for what kind of junk you can have in your pants. I also invested in pants, if only so I wasn't completing exposing myself to my new transdimentional roommate. Not that he cared in the slightest. Having a G-cup for a few minutes- seconds was pretty cool, but eventually I came around to the above average male stereotype, my very human dick now resting at a respectable eight inches. I was a grower in my past life, and by God I was not making the same mistake in this one.

I did make several improvements to the general build, standard six pack and slight tan. Only slight, I actually liked the softer color of my skin. My hair I decided to go midlength with an older look, the kind of dignified grey you'd find on a wiser person, but on the body of a late teen/early 20 something. Honestly it looked good, I never liked pitch black hair on guys, and pure white hair looks better with blue eyes rather than my green.

Again I feel that weird chill over my shoulder, that foreboding delight that put Shady's Cheshire grin to shame. At first I thought it was him, but now I'm not so sure. If that's all its going to do though, I'm not about to let it interrupt me. My jawline is squared off and I have the realistic indents of abs, not enough to look like I work out but enough to be athletic. Honestly, I look good. Not like Ryan Reynolds gorgeous, but easily a nine out of ten. Let it be known I'm not bisexual but goddamn can I appreciate this look in the mirror.

Finishing the specifics takes another several minutes, I was always particular on character creation, but eventually I get the minute details exactly where I want them. I somehow always managed to fuck up the cheek gaunt in Mass Effect's CC with Commander Shepard, granted that's a poor example of a UI, but when all was said and done I had to admit I was proud of my work. Even had a nice pair of snazzy snug denim pants. Shady offered me a thumbs up, and after one last look, I hit [Enter].

[ Choose your Class: ]
[ Warrior ] — [ Mage ] — [ Rogue ]

"Don't suppose I can get any more than the base three? Any subclasses?" My only reply was Shady's wry smile. I narrow my eyes for a moment. "…Could I pay you?"

"You can't afford it." he replied immediately, his smile unbroken as I shake my head. Figures.

So, here it is. The all-important decision. If this version of the Game is anything even remotely similar to how I was led to believe it works, I should be able to re-spec into any of the base classes once other conditions were mazed out. I knew I was going to spec into Mage eventually, the sheer mind boggling concept that some people actively choose not to use fucking magic when given the chance is beyond me. Then again, certain things were magic adjacent in themselves, like stupidly high tech builds.

…Okay if I get that fucking chill one more time I'm going back to the soup.

Regardless, knowing that given the chance I would eventually choose mage, it still proved the absolute riskiest start to the early game. And if somehow I managed to end up getting killed before snowballing into an XK-Class SCP, I swear I'm gonna find a way to haunt myself. Warrior would be the safest, reliable DPS and highest constitution. But if I was honest with myself, and at this point I couldn't afford not to be, I had never been one to face my problems head on.

Ergo, fuck that.

"Thief, eh? It's never too late to take charge of your own fate." I smirk at Hadvar's words as I make my selection. God I played too much Skyrim…

[ Rogue ]

Eat your heart out Todd, I shelled literally hundreds of dollars out for your broken as fuck game, and I don't regret a single moment of it. I don't know what world I'll be dropping into, but some things require more than brawn, and Rogue has far more avenues of leveling than simply combat. If I can pick a thousand locks and skulk around alleyways free of danger for those vital first few levels, sign me the fuck up.

[ Choose your Inheritance: ]

"Choose your… what?"

Shady smiled again, "Yeah, it's this new thing we're trying out here, keep at least a few of you alive past the first day. At least past the first few hours." he responds, casually relaying vital information. "You get one free first-level skill of any game you managed to beat beforehand. Consider it a gratuity. From the big man." His smile widened.

My eyes equally widen. That was new. And massive.

"Any game?" I ask, receiving a nod. "Any restrictions?"

"Class restrictive." Shady replies, earning a swear under my breath. "Needs to be a rogue skill. But, yes, so long as you can acquire it at level one, it's on the table."

Fuck me, that's good. Almost too good, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the hood. That had… a lot of potential. That being said, it also had its serious limitations. I pour over my Steam library in my head, honestly most stealth or survival type games didn't get the good stuff until way later. This was going to be harder than I thought, and with the limit being games I myself had completed, the list was growing shorter by the moment.

"Are these skills upgradable?" I ask suddenly, Shady happy to perk up.

"Completely. Some tweaking usually has to be done for them individually, not all skills are created equal. Some upgrades are enhanced ability or cost reduction, some with even greater potential if you can afford the time and effort."

I look up at the screen, an answer forming in my mind. Honestly I'm almost surprised I didn't think of it earlier, but it was perfect for now. I still hadn't forgotten about my precious Shadowblade Godwoken from Divinity 2. As so tempted as I am to unleash the terrors of Chicken Claw on an unsuspecting world, I snag [Chameleon Cloak] as my Inheritance.

~12 seconds of complete invisibility. Perfect for rogues looking to disengage combat, score critical hits, or get generally fucky with people's pockets. While there may have been other abilities in niche games I'd either not completed or forgotten, I genuinely feel good about this choice. Invisibility in Skyrim is an endgame level spell, both for the Mage and Vampire Lord, as well as Karliah's nightingale bullshit. I don't care how cool the suit looked.

Honestly it may have even been a little bit too overpowered, but hey the Game gave me the option, and I am making the most of it. Or at least the best with what I've got. Also, I could die, and I'll take anything that I can in order to prevent that.

"Good choice." Shady nods approvingly. "The AP required will be converted into a mana cost, and the cooldown timer will be tweaked a bit. And no need to give me that look, everyone has a little bit of mana regardless of the class you choose."

Again I am astounded by his means of observation despite literally never seeing his eyes, already perceiving the concern on my face. Regardless, he did answer my question, and being able to pop invisibility at the drop of a hat is going to be a massive boon. Even if it's only for twelve seconds, that can easily make the difference of survival.

Skill Added

[Chameleon Cloak – Level 1] (Active)
Instant – 50MP
Grants 12.2 seconds of Invisibility, 600 second cooldown
Invisibility will be interrupted by any action besides movement

Any action? Well shit, there goes my plan to rob people blind before slipping into the cover of darkness. It had an MP cost now, that was new. Meanwhile the cooldown had increased by nearly twenty times, though honestly I had absolutely nothing to complain about here. Invisibility every ten minutes was still fantastic, and it was totally possible that it could be improved through upgrading. In all sincerity it was pretty much what I expected, in Divinity basically everything broke Chameleon Cloak, and I used it almost exclusively to avoid dangerous scenarios. Which is exactly what I'm gonna use it for now.

Skill Gained

[Gamer's Mind] (Passive)
Allows the user to rationally analyze information
Grants clear mind
Grants immunity to psychological status effects

Skill Gained

[Gamer's Body] (Passive)
Allows the user to wield their body as a weapon, forged by the Game
Grants upgradable skills and abilities

Skill Gained

[Observe] (Active)
Instant – 10MP
Grants the user insight into a target
Detail is variable based on level difference

Skill Gained

[ID Creation] (Active)
Creates a simulated training ground for the Gamer
Customizable Attributes, Environment, and Difficulty

Skill Gained

[Sneak – Level 1] Active
Concentration – 5MP/s
Reduces detectability of a user while crouching
Reduces movement speed and sound when moving while crouched

Skill Gained

[Backstab] (Passive)
Stealth attacks made from behind with [Dagger] equipped scores a Critical Hit: 3x DMG Modifier

Okay, that was a lot of info, though considering Gamer's Mind triggered passively for me earlier I suspect these popups were on backlog till my Inheritance skill was selected. Interesting that it separated 'gained' from 'added', though I suspect that's just an oversight of how I acquired them. ID Creation was here, that's a major plus. I got both characteristic rogue skills right off the bat, though it's also interesting I got Backstab instead of the more versatile Sneak Attack. Still…

"I guess no active skill creation this round, huh?"

Shady's smile broadened beside me. "Yeah, let's just say a few particular previous Gamers abused that ability to the n'th degree, so we had to make a few specific alterations. The Game still has access to them, but you'll have to work for every rung of the ladder you climb."

I slowly nod my head, that was fair (or at least Shady made it sound like it was fair, which inherently made me suspicious), though his description was still vague. Of course I could just ask him to clarify, I doubt he would outright lie to me, but come on. Had to save myself a little adventure. And I was the last guy about to expect handouts from the Game. I mean, come on… it's the Game.

"Should I even ask if I can pull Observe on you?"

He shrugged. "You can, though I doubt you'd enjoy the headache that comes with it. But it ain't gonna kill ya, so, have fun."

Right. That sounds like a 'later' issue to dal with.

"Is the Game aware that I'm playing it, or is everything I'm experiencing for this one run by you?"

Shady's grin actually grew, I swear he was going to break his jaw or die trying. Never trust a man in a pitch-black suit with a smile that goes on for miles, either he's a creature from the far off reaches of space or a guy tryn'a prey on the mentally fragile. "It's always watching you, friend. I run our little pocket of the Game, happy to be here, but the Boss gets the final say."

I really didn't want to meet whoever Shady considered the boss of the Game. Nor do I intend even slightly to piss them off. I hit [Continue].

Suddenly the sounds of casino slot machines rang out around me, and the text on the screen glitched for a moment before technicolor text covered the board.

[ Traits and Tribulations ]

I should just learn to stop expecting shit.

I side glance towards Shady, who offered me an indifferent shrug. "What, figured this place could be more festive. Gloomy customers are frugal customers." I snort, looking back towards the keyboard, now replaced by a very obvious claw game control panel complete with waterslide- a big old lever with a large red top. "This one's simple. Pull the lever, get two traits. One good, one bad. No guarantees on anything you get, and it's a fairly wide spectrum. No refunds."

I look back at the screen. Am I willing to risk it? Most Gamer fics I've read had this kind of system in place in some form or another, but here? I have no plot armor. Nothing stopping the game from potentially royally fucking with me.

"Are they permanent?"

"Not technically." His smile never faltered.

Right. Be incredibly fucking weary, but know it isn't the end of the world. Probably. Take it easy, son. But take it.

"Three times." I say as I pull the lever, the screen spinning like a casino wheel cycling through thousands of different options before finally landing on one.

Trait Added

[Bountiful Harvest]
You have a knack for nooks and crannies, needles in haystacks, and gemstones on the beach.
Rare Item spawn rate +15%

That's actually fantastic, whether that's a flat fifteen or relative to normal rate obviously impacts its usefulness, but goddamn if the Game didn't have some awesome things in store of the multiverse. I have no idea if this applies to instant dungeons, Gacha tokens (assuming those exist), or otherwise, but I will happily take what it will gift me.

Negative Trait Acquired

[Impulsive]
You just can't let opportunities go to waste, you need to seize them, and you need them now.

Fuck. FUCK, I couldn't afford to be impulsive this early in the game, already I felt the call to keep spinning that damn wheel.

"TWO times." I say through grit teeth. Again the wheel spins, elating my newfound pride in gambles, and subsequently infuriating me.

Trait Added

[Aquaphilic]
You find peace beneath the waves, across the sea, and down the hatch.
HP Regen increased by 1.5x when drinking water (1 minute), and 5x when submerged (20 minutes). Running water heals minor wounds.

Alright, not the best, but I certainly won't turn down a free healing passive. I can literally just carry around a bottle of water with me and use it as a minor health potion, at least for the early game. What's the expense?

Negative Trait Acquired

[Machiavellian Rebel]
You despise the natural order, the status quo, and will pluck whatever strings you need to set things right.

That one's… tolerable, actually, and honestly not too far off from my genuine mindset. If all this means is that I can work behind the scenes to influence the circumstances of what and where I want to be, that actually sounds kind of fun. Or maybe that's my new impulsiveness talking. But the idea of playing the Game like Lelouche vi Britannia or Light Yagami, at least aspectively, appeals to my baser desires. I'll certainly need to get strong first, but depending on the world I end up in, this could be very entertaining indeed.

No evil laughing.

Maybe later.

"Hey Shades, do I get to choose which world I end up in or…?"

"World? What makes you think I don't want to spend eternity haggling with my favorite customer?"

His grin only grows at my deadpan stare.

"A price for everything. You get *way* more spending points if you choose to randomize the world, or you can spend to guarantee it. Harder worlds are cheaper, but inversely cost more to modify. It'll all make sense in the next part."

I nod.

"Last one."

[Eidetic Memory]
You can recall anything, in perfect clarity. You just need to remember to remember it.
WIS and INT stat gain doubled

Oh fuck yes. That was going to be a massive boon, and for far more than just the raw stats. Though unfortunately, since nothing out of my past is coming to mind right now, I have a feeling it only applies to what I learn from here on out. Still fantastic, and my memory isn't that bad from before either. This was fantastic.

Negative Trait Acquired

[Atrophied]
Your muscles ache, your cells' corrupted. You feel yourself wasting away at the seams.
STR, CON, and DEX stat gain halved

FUCK. ME. God fucking damnit, I can already feel the lethargy. Fuck. Jesus Christ that is beyond fucked, halved dexterity on a stealth build is a death sentence. I am going to need to milk the hell out of my rogue skills until I can wipe that trait off the fucking map.

"Don't feel too bad, the disappointed live longer." Shady's voice rang out. It didn't do much to make me feel better, but [Gamer's Mind] is keeping me calm and rationally sees the logic behind his insights. Complacency kills, now I'm going to be extra cautious.

I hit [Continue].

[ World Credits Remaining: 500 ]

"Welcome to World Selection!" Shady sung merrily. "This part's my favorite."

"I'm sure." I smirk, finally getting to a point where I'm actually spending currency. "What are the rules?"

"Fairly simple, and you seem to know your way around this place already. There is a list of available worlds that you can choose from, not all of which are ones you know. They have different credit costs based on their difficulty, and can be additionally modified if you have any left over."

Alright. Fairly straightforward.

[ Randomize ] — [ Customize ]

Obviously I was customizing the world I'd be in. Traits are one thing. As horrific as [Atrophied] was, it was manageable in the long run. If I had a month I couldn't describe all the ways a random world could treat my ass like a bowling alley. Luckily, and somewhat expectedly, the two worlds I wanted to prioritize were both rated moderate-severe in terms of world danger, making the price a very tolerable 300 points. Earth of High School DxD, and Remnant of RWBY.

I breathe slowly. God, I was really getting to the end of it, wasn't I? Still not 100% convinced this isn't some escapist coma fantasy I'm experiencing in a hospital right now, but blatantly I don't care. I'm willing to ride the dream. Plug me into the Matrix.

Just out of random curiosity, just to see it for myself, I check how much it would be to drop myself into Warhammer 40k-

If I had water in my mouth I'd have spit-take, *negative* 1500 points with the rating registered at quadruple skulls. Sorry Cawl, another day. And by that I mean not the fuck ever until I can 1v4 the Chaos Gods.

Back to my previous selections, I heavily debate on the pros and cons of either. Grimm vs Heavenly Hosts and Co. Becoming a hunter, becoming a devil, just being me and seeing where I can go with this. Currency and survival differences. Reliable jobs. How much I actually know and remember about each of the universes. I've only seen up to season 1 of DxD and Season 3 of RWBY, after that it's all inferences from various fanfictions.

Speaking of.

After a surprisingly short time searching, for what I can only assume to be due to previous Gamers highlighting this, It costs 100 world credits to upgrade DxD to a hentai universe, and 200 for RWBY. I guess the Grimm really make it a war world where that isn't really a top priority, huh? Hey, just because I'm not immediately planning on boning half of Kuoh doesn't mean I'm fucking blind, deaf, and amputated. Lust is my vice, I'll say it plain. Survival simply comes first. Without a guarantee of unlocking my Aura and dealing with Atrophied, I knew where I had to go first.

I keyed in my decision. High School DxD it is. Sorry Neo, but a Gamer's work is never done.

*That* thought returned the chill from earlier, far nearer this time, and I made the executive decision not to go out of my way drawing the attention of the elder gods here.

"A fine choice. Not surprised, considering how well we know each other, friend." Shady commented, and for a moment I almost forgot I knew him exclusively from an Avatar Hgame. Good times.

"You think you can make the upgrade to H-universe?"

"Sure, no problem." Shady said without a single hint of judgment. I glance at him.

"You know, that's what I love about you Shady. You're the man."

[ +5 Reputation with Shay D. Mann ]

His usual grin returns. "Well shucks, Kano, you know just what to say to make an old friend feel special."

I realize this is the first time he's ever used my name. Or rather, the first time anyone's ever used my name. My new name. Felt weird to hear it, but inversely there was a strong sense of validation attached to it. Kano, this world's Gamer.

100 World Credits left. I really had to consider what I wanted to modify. I put a few points into starting equipment, just some money and basic resources, as well as the standard Rogue's kit. I considered spending the 50 points to guarantee safe spawn, for me it seemed like a no brainer, but I can't imagine where in Kuoh I could be dropped only to be killed automatically. This was still Earth after all, where everything that's actively trying to kill me is hiding from the general public.

"Hey Shay, do you have anything I could spend on for the long haul?"

Shady's smirk fades just a fraction of its usual mirth. "That would cost… a *lot*. More than you currently have. You could afford it, theoretically. But there's a price."

I narrow my eyes. "And the price is…?"

Shady actually looked contemplative for a moment, then returned to his usual smile. "Oh, I think you're gonna like this one, friend. Tell you what, lend me the rest of your world credits and do a few favors for me, and I can make a real nice modification, something I know you'll love."

"How many favors?" I ask slowly with narrowed eyes. I'm fully aware of how incredibly open ended and one sided this is, and Shady had the reliability of a Fey when it came to deals. That said, I have an idea, and I'm willing to put some sacrifices in play to make it happen.

"It's more of a quality over quantity kinda thing, you know? Won't be more than a couple, Gamer's honor." He holds up a hand.

"A couple?" I almost laugh. "You want me to pay you something I don't know in exchange for something I don't know?"

"If you want one hell of a quest reward. Remember, all sales are final."

"Shady. Buddy. Best friend. I'd expect nothing less from you."

I smirk, not even remotely hesitating, my [Impulsive] trait taking over. Regardless, I know how Shady operates, and he'd rarely put a client in direct harm's way if it meant he could get more out of them later. Any rational person would consider this suicide. I call it business.

"Deal."

[+15 Reputation with Shay D. Mann]
[You aren't very bright, are you kid?]

Alright, there's the Game we know and love, fucking snarky bastard. I knew this sounded idiotic from any outsider's perspective, but the truth is I would have gone through with this even if I hadn't pulled [Impulsive] from the traits list. Shady, while not a trustworthy individual in any semblance of the word, was a businessman doing business. Was it entirely in his favor? Absolutely. But so was I, and Shady wasn't about to lose a customer permanently after screwing them in a major deal right off the bat. Was I being hopeful, yes, but I was also hedging my bets that this would turn out far better than I expected.

Quest Added
For Honor and Glory
Complete the first Act of the Game
Bonus Objective: ?
Reward: 5 Gacha Tokens, Skill [Skill Combiner] Unlocked
Bonus Reward: 5 Gacha Tokens, 1 Inheritance Skillgem

And lo and behold, my faith in my friends has been rewarded. Upon realizing exactly what resource Shady had added to the rewards pool, my eyes widen like saucers. I can get more inheritance skills.

Oh I need to put some thought into that. This was a bonus objective for a major questline, I don't expect Inheritance skills to pop up like any common quest reward, and it looks like I will really have to fight for them. Regardless, it was a massive benefit. Shady was right, it was a hell of a reward.

Now there's only the matter of payment. I questioned what he could even use world credits for, whether he could actually influence anything or if he just liked currency in any capacity, but his face lit up as I transferred them on a popup screen. I have no idea what kind of favors a person like him could need in a world he nearly controls, or how many he needs, but it wasn't my time and place to ask. Yet.

Also, that answers another question I had, Gacha Tokens are very much a part of this game. I'm very happy about that, access to the multiverse's entire reservoir of legendary to innocuous items is in my opinion one of the greatest parts of the Gamer system. Not to mention skill combiner, a very useful and powerful addition to my future arsenal. One I seriously look forward to acquiring.

There's only one button left. All other menus had disappeared, leaving only a single text box that hovered before me. This was it.

I hit [Continue].

"Wait wait wait wait WAIT YOU FUCKEEEEERRRR!"

The mosaic patterns of the platform I'd been standing on shattered in blinding light, and I was accelerating as I fall unimpeded through the air, [Gamer's Mind] clocking in overdrive as I rocket towards what is rapidly becomes apparent as oncoming wooded terrain. From this height I almost briefly consider the view to be absolutely breathtaking, if it wasn't actually taking my breath in the form of screaming incoherently.

The crater hurts less than I expected. Let me asterisk that. It hurt less than I expected from several hundred feet of unobstructed freefall. God I'm so thankful for [Gamer's Mind], my body feels like it's been hit by a bus and I'm laying motionless in the dirt trying to still my breathing. You win this day Truck-kun. You win this day.

Holy christ everything hurts. I try to move my arms and all I get is some pathetic feeble flinching. God [Atrophied] is a bitch. Though so far, if anything's convinced me this isn't some fanatically insane escapism, this is it. The act of falling, even within a dream or otherwise, is an evolutionary jumpstart that kicks you wide awake and alert. Always fun to watch from the other side. Not so much from here.

And fuck me if the pain wasn't real too.

"Enjoy the trip?" I hear from above me, only to see Shady sitting on a tree branch looking down at me. Somehow from this angle I still cant see beneath his hood, and at this point I'm starting to wonder if he may be magically masquerading behind it. Edgelord.

"Fuck… you…" I say between breaths, still laying on the ground trying to catch my breath.

"You get what you pay for" He smiled, undeterred from the swearing. Not surprised but slightly thankful. I landed in a forest, though I can hear the sounds of civilization nearby. "You'll be fine. But you might want to get up. You did gloss over safe spawnpoint after all."

I glared at him, but as usual he wasn't smirking, simply stating the facts as they were. I lay my head back and close my eyes. He was right. I certainly wouldn't say this was the result of me being cocky, more accurately I was short sighted. I'm still thinking of things in Human terms, the Game is more than willing to get creative while screwing me. I needed to plan better.

Quest Added
Who Needs Training Wheels?
Objective: Complete the Tutorial
Reward: ?

Fair.

"You don't look so good friend. Pull up your stats, let's see how the damage is."

I stare up at the opening in the trees above me, the sun overhead but streaming through scattered leaves. The air feels so nice. I can feel the sunspots on my cheeks, and the warmth is comforting. I take a few more deep breaths, appreciating the quality of the forest. I exhale.

"Stats."

Nothing happens for a few seconds before Shady snorted a laugh. "Good attempt, almost got it. But Mental. Not verbal."

Seriously? I roll my eyes and look up at the sky,

Stats.

Suddenly my vision is filled with new textboxes, words appearing in bolded letters.

Kano Kazuki
Level: 1 – Human
Class: Rogue – (Level 1/100)
HP: 28/100 (5 per minute)
MP: 85 (4.25 per minute)
STR – 8
DEX – 16
CON – 9
INT – 10
WIS – 12
CHA – 9
LCK – 7

Well, that confirms the fall damage works about the same as 5e, thank the lord my HP is buffed beyond the limitations of DnD. At least for me, I doubt the average person could survive a 200 foot fall like that. Seems to have adopted the others as well. God these stats are fucking abysmal... also, Kazuki?

No, stop thinking like that. You're in the Gamer system. You can improve. And far more fucking importantly, you're in the Gamer system. This is the greatest gift any underworld deity could ever grant you, stop complaining every five seconds. Embrace it.

[+5 Reputation with *̵̡̭̻̱͖͍͊̀͋͛̌̔́̈͑͋͆̕͜͝$̴̛̻͂́͛̀͜͝%̷̡̘̰͖̽͆̀̏̇̉͐͐̅̈́̚͝#̸̺̏͗͐̈́͗̉͗́͝͝͝Y̷̧͉̥̘̙̥̙̑́̇̌̽͗̚%̸̡͚̪̖̝̼̼̓̋̈́͊̏̐́̏͋̈́͘͘͠#̸̢͎̳̙̂͛̒̔̀̌̌̋̽̀͝͝(̷̟̜̜͇̥̼̻̙͙̥̪̗͒̑͗̐̆̉̍ͅͅ]

…I'm going to pretend to ignore that.

"Shouldn't I be a human variant after all these skills and traits?"

"Yeah but they charge by the letter." Shady responded immediately, earning him a very raised eyebrow.

He smiled, jumping deftly from the tree to the ground beside me. "Nah, I'm just fucking with ya. You're doing good Kano. But you got a lot of work ahead." As I lay on the ground he offers me a hand, which I grasp as he hoists me to my feet. I can feel the creeks in my joints from [Atrophied], but nevertheless I bring myself to stand tall.

"Thank you."

"Favor to a friend." He replied, pulling out a bottle of water from somewhere within his robe. "On the house."

I gingerly take it, recalling the benefits of [Aquaphilic], inhaling slightly as the water brushes passed my lips. Immediately I feel better, the strain on my throat from screaming vanishing entirely, and I pull up my stats again.

HP: 30/100 (7.5% per minute)

Nice. I still feel like my head met a hydraulic press, but I can already feel the recouperation. I pour some of the water across my back, exhaling as the wounds and scratches close. Honestly I should probably be plastered guts on the forest floor, but I will take every blessing I can get.

I just realized that has a very different context where I am now. I look around, and while I can hear the sounds of a city in front of me, the forest is too thick to see the end. I have no idea how far I am from people, or what the native fauna of Japanese woodlands includes, but I was… here. In Kuoh.

I was here. In a world where God himself was truly dead and his children raged war on an unsuspecting world. Priests were soldiers, Fallen Angels were homicidal maniacs, and devils were surprisingly placid horny teenagers. Well, the main cast was anyway.

Now that's a question to address. How much do I want to interfere with canon? How involved to I want to be? How exactly do I want to interact with-

"GODDAMN IT!" I shout upon realizing a very vital piece of information, regret and frustration at the forefront as Shady stares at me questioningly. I realize I probably overreacted, especially considering the problem at hand, but regardless I cursed myself at my shortsightedness.

I forgot to genderbend Issei.

I didn't even check If it was an option. Not only does that mean he is going to continue to be an active romantic rival throughout the series, not to mention a bumbling idiot-
It means I completely miss out on fanon's best girl Atsu-

"Kano!" Shady shouted at me in unnatural urgency, my eyes turning only fast enough to see a full sized fucking wolf lung at me as I dive, teeth literally inches from my leg. We make eye contact, they're bloodshot and locked on me, not even registering Shady to my left. Almost instinctively, I cast [Observe] the popup only briefly catching me off guard.

Honshu Wolf
Level: 2
HP: 60
MP: 7
STR – 12
DEX – 15
CON – 12
INT – 3
WIS – 12
CHA – 6
LCK – 4

What the actual fuck, wolves have been extinct in Japan since 1905- huh maybe that Eidetic Memory actually does work retroactively aftera- FUCK!

It lunges again, the only thing that drew its attention for a split second for me to roll away was the water bottle I threw at it. Forget everything I said, thank all the powers at be for my sixteen dexterity save that Rogue gives me-

ROGUE!

[Chameleon Cloak]! I mentally shout immediately, and suddenly the world looks like that grey blur effect Frodo sees when he puts on the ring. Unfortunately, I only have twelve seconds to come up with an effective plan, [Gamer's Mind] triggering passively as I contemplate this scenario.

I could see Shady and the Wolf, who didn't seem to target him, it still looking in my direction but clearly confused. For a brief moment I was ticked off, but at this point it was almost a certainty that Shady was somehow hidden to it, if not to all the residents of the world. Revealing himself now would make him vulnerable, and I have no idea how a merchant would fare in combat. This was my moment. My tutorial.

A bit Dark Souls for my taste at tutorials go, but one I now had the upper hand in. Nine seconds. It was beginning to sniff around, and I slowly raised myself to my feet, careful not to step on any dry leaves. I took tentative steps away from where I disappeared, the wolf clearly aware something was still in the area, but unable to pinpoint me.

Please let this work. Inventory.

To my immediate relief my hand phased into a purple cosmos, and I became intimately aware of the contents of the entirely of this strange new pocket dimension. To my further relief and moderate surprise, it appeared accessing my inventory didn't seem to trigger Chameleon Cloak's 'Any Action' clause to cancel the effect. I doubted that extended to equipping items, and a broad smile broke out on my face as I found what I was looking for,

Six seconds. I very carefully made my way behind the wolf, still smelling the air for me. Silently I praised my past self for the one purchase I made in the world editor. The Rogue Kit. Sure, the lockpicks and thieves' tools were useful, but my eye was exclusive for one item alone.

Simple Dagger
Practically decoration, but it will do the job.
DEX DMG

Four seconds. I couldn't bank on equipping an item keeping cloak active, and if my math was right, I would need an additional hit on top of a critical to bring it down. It had to be one swift motion. I reached for the hilt, eyes on target, but the wolf was turning to face me as something caught its nose.

"YO DOGGY!"

Both myself and the wolf perked up to see Shady waving his hands wildly in front of us, it's face immediately locking forward and preparing to charge.

But not before I did.

Backstab!
48 DMG Critical Piercing

The wolf screamed a wretched howl as it whipped around to see me burying my dagger in the coat of its neck. Holy shit I'm actually killing something, the thick crmson blood is staining my hands. Its still breathing, barely, and if it wasn't frenzied before it sure as fuck is now. It threw me off violently with a force I didn't expect, and suddenly I was prone on my back as it turned, its teeth drawn bare and bloodied. It lunged at me.

16 DMG Piercing

I looked up at the wolf, its eyes only a foot from mine, and watched as they slumped over as the light left them. I catch my breath and peer at my hand, still holding the dagger, sunk deep into the wolf's chest when it made its lunge. I carefully push the creature off me, laying on the ground, [Gamer's Mind] finally wearing off.

Vanquished
Wolf slain

Quest Completed!
Who Needs Training Wheels?
Objective: Complete the Tutorial
Reward: Apartment Key, 3x Gatcha Token

I stare at the popup unmoving, the reality of my actions finally dawning on me. I'd never even gone hunting before in my previous life, and I just killed a wolf in the forest with a knife. I don't know exactly how I feel about that, but it isn't negative. Pride? I'm not sure of that either. All I know is that I weakly offer Shady a thumbs up in my non-bloodied hand, which he smiles and returns.

Okay. Tutorial is over. Cool. I didn't get hit in that encounter, by the grace of my decent dexterity stat. I needed to increase that as soon as humanly possible. Meanwhile, while I didn't expect the Game to inherently throw another encounter at me almost immediately, I did have a luck stat of seven, so I couldn't be complacent. I need to get out of these woods.

I rise to my feet, still looking at the popups that filled my screen. Apartment Key. No idea what door this opens but anything is better than staying in this place. I put my simple dagger back into my inventory, then pause, looking down at the wolf corpse in front of me. I don't even know if I can do this, but I place a hand on the side of its body.

Instantly it disappears, I recoil just a bit before collecting myself, I can feel its contents now firmly in my pocket dimension. Good to know that was still an option. I couldn't do anything with it immediately, but perhaps one day. I look up at Shady.

"Thanks for the assist… Partner."

"Don't mention it. I'm a lover, not a fighter."

In truth his distraction was the only thing that gave me a clear shot at its neckline. "Can you see me while I'm invisible?"

"Just your outline." He replied, "Which is more than anyone else can see. Few things can hide you completely from me, but they exist. I'm sure you'll find them eventually. I could tell what you were trying to do, figured you could use a hand out there. Favor to a friend."

His Cheshire smile returned, always pleased at collecting more favors, meanwhile I roll my eyes and start walking. "It was appreciated. I assume they can't see you either?"

Shady shook his head. "Not unless I want them too. Only a few exceptional beings can perceive the existence of the Game, and most of them in this world are dead. Besides, I like to stay out of the way. Wouldn't want to cramp your style."

"Well as it so happens, staying out of the way is exactly my style at the moment." I smirk, [Machiavellian Rebel] enticing various positions of power from behind closed doors. "Not particularly exciting for a Gamer, but I plan on staying as far the fuck away from Kuoh Academy as possible until I at least max Rogue out. Speaking of which," I stop, opening my inventory and smiling, glancing towards Shady, holding three engraved gold coins in my hand.

"Would you like to do the honors with me?"

Despite the fact that I can't see anything underneath Shady's hood, I knew 100% that his eyes practically lit up.

[+5 Reputation with Shay D. Mann]
[For being such a good friend.]
[And because he's a greedy bastard.]
[I prefer acquisitive and he's a good friend.]

Before I could question anything Shady grabbed my hand, and together flicked our thumbs launching the Gacha Token into the air. Yeah, I could have done this all directly in my inventory, but I wanted the first time to be special. All three coins evaporated into sparkling dust in midair, and immediately I received three pop up notifications on my HUD.

Stylish Short Sword
Not the most practical, but it does look nice – DEX+8 DMG

It's still is my best weapon for direct engagements, at least for the moment. Once I was no longer in stealth I couldn't rely on Backstab, and a flat +8 damage per swing is nothing but positive.

Wayman's Bracers
Taken from an old friend

Nothing particularly special here, genuinely just nice leather… hold on, I 100% recognize these insignias, this is the White Tree of Gondor. Were these Boromir's? They feel a bit oversized and don't inherently provide any magical benefit, but free armor is free armor, and they look fucking cool.

Clockwork Phantasm
Blessed is this ticking mechanical ring – Grant basic commands to machines upon touch

Now this is fascinating. I absolutely love machines, honestly I may have taken it a bit too far in my previous life, I was an avid H+ supporter and specifically majored in mechanical engineering to build prosthetics. But I was undecided on doing a tech build in the Game, especially in such a magic-focused world such as DxD.

Regardless, this is abundantly useful depending on how far I can push 'basic commands'. If I can use this thing to jumpstart a car or have an ATM spit out cash then this is by far the greatest item in my limited arsenal. I'll have to wait to find out, though I won't have to wait for long.

Civilization. People walking around, conversing, a few staring at me or otherwise averting their eyes, one actively running away. Oh, fuck, my hand is still covered in wolf's blood. I keep it tucked away as we approach the town while I'm trying to find my way around, DxD didn't exactly show off Kuoh enough for me to recognize anything but the Academy. Assuming I was still in Kuoh. The Apartment Key doesn't actually have any address, any GPS, certainly no magical guidance system. So for now we're alone.

Quest Added
Home Sweet Home
Objective: Find the door to the mysterious key
Bonus Objective: ?
Reward: Credit Store Unlocked
Bonus Reward: ?

Okay, that just became my top priority. Honestly I'm just happy to be out of the forest, seeing actual people on the other side of the trees is a sight for sore eyes. Literally, my eyes burn, everything still hurts, I'm only on 42 HP and recovery's slow. I need a boost. Food. I haven't eaten since my resurrection, and I'm starving.

My starting equipment is limited, and from what I recall the exchange rate of Yen to Dollars is about 100 to 1, which is convenient. That said I only have around $40 of purchasing power on me, but I doubt that will be a problem for very long.

I'm struck by the signs and ambient conversations all being in English, thank God. I'm sure that's one of the first things that got patched out of the Game from previous gamers, but I'm still grateful for it. That said I recognize none of these road signs or landmarks, they were never in the show.

But I do recognize this.

WcDonalds. Ahh, glory be, you dumb as fuck trademark avoidance. And in similar respect I am grateful for automated teller machines, as much as I would love to talk to the cute girl behind the cash register, I don't know nearly enough about Japanese customs to avoid looking like an idiot foreigner. Best to get straight to business, right after I dip into the bathroom to wash my hands.

On that thought I whisper to Shady. "Are people going to notice us talking together?"

"If you keep doing that they will." He smiled, and I nod. Best to keep it to a minimum then. I order two burgers, figured I'd be polite, though I'm not sure if Shady actually eats. Then again I am more than hungry enough to eat both myself if he doesn't.

¥1080. Not exactly a bad price for two meals if I did my math right. But as I look down at the ring on my finger, a grin grows on my face as I rest it against the screen.

"Make it free."

[+10 Reputation with Shay D. Mann]

I bite down on my lip to suppress the yelp building in my throat as it constricts and zaps me, but when I look back I can tell that it's done its work. The screen's completely changed, registering the order as paid in full. Absolutely worth it, side effects included. Though I realize I probably shouldn't have just done my first act of magic in clear public view, especially because I had no idea what it would look like or how flashy it would be. Holy shit I definitely shouldn't have don't that. [Impulsive] is going to be a bigger threat than I thought.

Wide eyed and silent I return to our table, simple chairs for Shady and I, didn't want to seem like the dickhead who takes an entire booth for a single person. Nevermind I absolutely am that dickhead, but I sit down anyway. Shady on the other hand sniffles under his hood.

"I'm so proud of you."

I give him an eye roll and a nod, careful not to seem like I'm talking to myself. Though in a way I felt the same. I had just preformed magic. Real, live magic. And it was a snowball downhill from here.

"Not that I'm complaining," I whisper, "but it feels like you're giving reputation away like candy."

"It pays to be on good terms with partners. And you've been handling yourself pretty well. I have a good feeling about you Kano."

Hearing my name said out loud still feels strange to me, but it's a good strange. One door closes, a window opens, something like that. Though that does remind me…

I pull up my stats.

Kazuki. Like Kallen? No I think that was Kozuki. Hmm. Kah-zu-ki. Ka-zook-i. Nah, definitely the first one. Kano Kazuki. I like it. Felt mine. Quite Japanese despite my very American appearance. I wasn't spawned in with a backstory, so until I come up with something better, I'm an orphan from one of the other Japanese islands. Here to finally see the city now that I'm an adult. Not the best plan and frankly pretty generic, but it could help explain the lack of social graces.

As if on que our waitress brings over our order, it's the same cute one from behind the register. Odd, figured they'd ring up orders, though my method of 'payment' didn't exactly offer me an order number.

"Two Bai Burger double meals and a fountain cup." She recites in a little bit too chipper of an attitude. Even if I was ordering for Shady, getting two drinks would seem suspicious. Then again maybe it would look like a date walked out on me and I wouldn't seem like a fatass. Then again again I didn't particularly care and by God was I seconds away from devouring both of them.

"Here's your receipt, Sir!" the cheery blonde hands me a white slip with black lettering, somehow still in English, but it's the slip of paper she offers underneath it that makes me freeze a fraction of a second.

Fuck me.

I do my best to look unphased as I take the papers from her hand, the one underneath 'catching' my eye. "What's this?" I ask, knowing full well what it was. A devil summoning circle. God fucking damnit, was she one of Sona's Peerage members? I don't recognize her at all.

She smiles. "Just an upcoming promotion we're offering, sir. Be sure to check it out!" She turned back to her station and resumed her fairly innocuous duties behind the cash register, meanwhile I was struggling to appear as though I wasn't watching her intensely.

Did she see me use the Phantasm? Did she feel it used with magic? Does she have absolutely no idea and just hands these out to everyone? My worries aren't sated when the next customers she serves receive nothing but a normal receipt, then again they're both quite elderly.

"You gonna stare at the pretty girl all day or are you gonna finish your burger?"

I give Shady the side glare, only to see he's finished his meal in its entirety, meanwhile I've barely touched mine. I guess that confirms he eats, though I wonder what that looked like to anyone observing.

Tentatively I resume eating, only to be lost in the flavor as I take even larger bites. The sudden cold fear may have stayed my appetite, but my stomach could not be denied for long. It doesn't take me long to finish my burger and fries, and my HP is nearly back to full. Acting as casual as possible I get up to use the fountain machine, the corner of my eye watching to see if she looks in my direction.

Sure enough, she does, but almost immediately goes back to serving the next customer. Far from incriminating, but enough to make me weary. If my impulsiveness puts me on the Satan's radar before I'm ready, I am going back in time and breaking that goddamn lever.

As I fill the cup with Dr. Pepper I'm not surprised to find it doesn't trigger Aquaphilic. Doesn't matter, my HP is almost full anyway. I make a subtle jerking motion signaling Shady that it's time to go, and as I approach the door I hesitate. I was betting a lot on this, but I was about to do something very stupid. I activated [Gamer's Mind] just to be certain it wasn't my impulsiveness talking, and as much as I wanted it to be I wasn't thinking anything differently. Either they sensed my magic or they didn't. Either way nothing would theoretically change if I used it again, and this information was far too important to let it slip passed. With one last breath I turned to face her.

[Observe]

Hana
Level: 6
Race: Imp Familiar [Akeno Himejima]
HP: 406
MP: 155
STR – 6
DEX – 17
CON – 13
INT – 11
WIS – 12
CHA – 14

I stay absolutely still, the hair on the arms standing on end as she suddenly stops talking to the people in front of her, but by the time she turns to face me I am already out the door. I don't even look to see if Shady is trailing me before I throw myself over a fence, down the street and into the nearest alleyway.

"Home sweet home." I turn on a dime only to see Shady smiling as I catch my breath. "You doing okay Kano?"

"Peachy."

For the moment I lean up against the wall, [Gamer's Mind] calming me down and forcing me to think rationally. I hadn't actually risked anything, if anything I had only confirmed that she had sensed my magic earlier at the teller machine. I don't know if casting it directly on her made it any easier to detect, but what's done is done. As bad as this may have looked I'd come out on top.

Akeno's familiar. It completely slipped my mind, and explains why I didn't recognize her, she's never actually shown in the anime. Issei was recruited practically the same way, though I'm surprised one has the capability to actually hold down a full time job. Or maybe that's more devil hypnosis at work. I feel like they never really capitalized on that.

Focus. 'Hana' knows your face, and presumably so does Akeno. As unintended as this may be, it's manageable, and honestly I'm kind of glad it was someone from Rias's Peerage. I'm going to need the aide of the devils eventually, whether I sign on with them or not. I couldn't afford to be completely on my own if the Fallen somehow perceive me as a threat. Better the devil you know-

I actually started laughing at my unintended punchline, Shady standing undeterred beside me. This does severely impact my plans, I wasn't intending on directly introducing myself in canon until far later. This wouldn't be a fatal error, if anything Akeno would try to protect me to serve in Rias's peerage, if only at first.

Did I want to join her peerage? I was still a split decision on that. No doubt I would be able to advance to the rank of High Class Devil at a ridiculous rate, not to mention access to all the various beauties of canon, but I had my own plans for conquering them eventually. And that kind of power can be aquired elsewhere, with an individuality I would be sacrificing should I sign on with her. Still, it would be a worthy sacrifice. I will decide later.

For now what I needed was a room to call home and a bed to pass out on. It would be getting dark soon, and I was nowhere closer to finding a-

Wait. Hold on a sec.

I have no idea if this will work, but it's certainly at least worth trying. I summon the Apartment Key from my inventory and hold it in my hand, staring at it.

[Observe]

A simple metal key, registered to Apartment 221B Kuocho Drive.

…

Holy shit. I can't believe that worked. I mean 'target' doesn't necessarily have to mean 'person' in this instance, which I guess now is obvious, but I am patently not that lucky. Literally. My luck stat is a whopping seven. But I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth- I still have no fucking idea what that phrase means- we just need to find a map of some kind. What I wouldn't give for Clairvoyance right about now.

Hang on, can you acquire the Clairvoyance spellbook at level one? That may actually be an inheritance target, but that's a discussion for another day. I start leisurely walking down the road taking the sights in, I doubt I'm going to find a map of the city anywhere nearby, but assuming I was in the modern era GPS smartphones were probably still a thing.

Or I could go the absolutely suicidal route and use Hana's summoning circle. I smirk. Pass.

That said my window of opportunity is running out and I'm losing daylight, For all intents and purposes, I'm homeless. First day as a gamer and my accomplishments include eating a McDonalds burger and wandering aimlessly through the city streets. Finally I cave, walking over to an old man sitting alone on a park bench.

"Umm… Excuse me?" He doesn't move. I speak a little louder. "Pardon me, Sir, do you happen to know how to get to a street called Kuocho?"

The old man perked an eye up, and I bow slightly to show some kind of reverence. I still have no idea how Japanese customs work, but I know respect for elders is a big thing in eastern philosophy. Though he seemed to smile, and offered a weary finger towards a building at the end of the street. I can't place what it is, it doesn't exactly look residential, but I offer my thanks. I also offer about a thousand yen, but he turns it down hard. Whatever his reasons, I respect him enough not to insult his pride.

Once we get there I figure this obviously isn't Kuocho, but in a way it is so, so much better. I bask in the glory of the thousands of books and documents lining the wall. A public library. I say a quiet thanks to the old man and search to find the holy grail of information. A personal computer.

Thankfully it takes me no time at all, the place is absolutely filled with them, but they seem a bit old by personal standards. Mainly Dell desktops and bulky frames. I take the farthest and most easily concealed one I can find, not too difficult but a little less inconspicuous than I'd like. Nevertheless, it's the perfect opportunity.

I rest my hand against it's casing and release the Phantasm into its circuits. I don't know if this is an actual machine spirit kind of thing or just another weird form of magic, but either way it gets results. Admin access, public records, all things to serve me well in the time being. I half contemplate searching the names of the canon characters, but honestly I probably knew far more than the machine did, and it would only bring heat down on me. I keep it simple, search for the address. Not too far, that's good, only about a ten minute walk. Though I am realizing there's a problem.

I'm in 2010.

I swear under my breath. That explains the computers, they're over a decade ol- holy shit I need to buy bit-coin. Assuming that still exists here, aaand yes it does. Hoh boy that's going to be fun to take advantage of, Machiavellian Rebel is practically foaming at the mouth. Problem is that I currently have a net worth of about fifty bucks. One problem at a time.

The first major issue I'm seeing is that there's no clear timetable for DxD's events. Annoying as it is, it's never actually stated when canon takes place or what events precede those of canon. A quick google search reveals most historical events line up with reality. 9/11 was a national tragedy, Japan saw the atomic bombs, meanwhile Kuoh Academy is well established and respected within the community.

I print out a crude map as best I can, never actually had to read one before and I have been described as the world's worst navigator. That said I think I know where I'm going. I have no idea where Shady is, but somehow I know he'll catch up with me eventually. There's no way he's going to miss the in-game store system.

I head out, still seeing that old man sleeping on the park bench. I have no idea what the city ordinance is, or if he's even homeless, but if I ever see this guy again I'll do something kind for him. Eidetic Memory has his face, so it's up to serendipity now.

I realize I still about 20 minutes of daylight to get where I'm going, and that gives me enough freedom to do something I've been meaning to since I got here. I need to actually start leveling my Rogue skills. At my current and frankly pitiful rate of mana regeneration I can only keep Sneak active for a whopping seventeen seconds. Woo. I know that'll improve drastically both through leveling the skill and leveling myself, but it didn't hurt to put in the extra effort. Though the early levels seem to grow faster with diminishing returns, but that's perfectly fine by me.

[Sneak – Level 4] Active
Concentration – 1MP/s
Reduces detectability of a user while crouching
Reduces movement speed and sound when moving while crouched.

Points towards sneak have already quintupled its effectiveness by the time I reach Kuocho, though none of its actual descriptions have changed. I still move as though I'm swimming through molasses while crouching, but my steps are effectively silent so long as I'm standing on a flat surface. Not ashamed to admit I crunched a few leaves under my foot on the way here. For science.

Finally, Kuocho. I feel like maybe I should have spent those points directly just so I could've started here, not have had to deal with all the falling and the fighting and the devil bullshit. But that's just the plot, how the game interacts with me. I know I can't bunker down and power level without risk forever, the Game would find numerous ways to punish me for it. If I want power, I'm gonna need to fight for it.

225… 223… 221. Finally. I take it in, it's a decent complex, appealing from the exterior, more blocky than I expected. Tentatively I climb the steps, pulling the key out of my inventory. Though I quickly realize being an apartment building, it had a key code and a dial in, neither of which I know. I was just about to pull out my thieves kit tools when the door swung open, a young woman clearly in a hurry barreling into me. I manage to grab the railing as not to fall down the stairs, but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating the ample chest currently pressed up against me. Hello neighbor.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

I keep my expression neutral. "No, please, entirely my bad. Shouldn't be in the way. I just moved in, pretty sure this is the place, still trying to find my way downtown around here."

She perks up as I say that, and out of curiosity I cast [Observe] on her.

Yuiko Hikamari
Level: 1
Race: Human
HP: 163
MP: 12
STR – 8
DEX – 16
CON – 9
INT – 11
WIS – 10
CHA – 14

"Move in? You're the new resident?" After a moment she coughs and collects herself. "I mean, hi, I'm Yui. Welcome to the neighborhood, I guess."

Alright, she's adorable. Got kind of the straight A student look going on, cute face, black hair in a bun. And going for the nickname right off the bat absolutely scored bonus points. I'd venture to guess she's a tad bit older than me, this is an apartment building after all, I wouldn't expect to find its residents in Kuoh Academy. Prime dating material? Absolutely check.

"Kano. And thanks, just moved into 221B. Pleasure to meet you." I show her the key, just to confirm I'm not some random vagrant, smiling empathetically as I do so. I question what she could possibly be leaving for in such a rush so late in the day, but I have her just for the moment, and I'm going to use it. I put a hand on the back of my neck. "Though I actually got stuck on the numpad, the lease never sent me the code."

"Oh!" Her eyes perked up, apparently happy to assist someone she felt she'd inconvenienced. "Well welcome home, Mrs. Namski is terrible about that I'm afraid. Still won't get back to me after two months." She said that last part under her breath, but immediately perked back up to her normal enthusiasm. "1872, try not to forget it. I'd love to stay but I really must be going. It was nice to meet you Kano!" She hurried passed the stairs and ran down the block, her yoga pants giving me quite the appreciable view from behind.

"You too Yui."

[+5 Reputation with Yuiko Hikamari]

Not bad. I need to work on my first impressions, and far more importantly I need to power level my Charisma score. I know I'd put the sex aspect in the background for now, but if anyone thought for one second I'm not planning on going down on every single eligible bachelorette in Kuoh they are out of their fucking minds. This is DxD we're talking about, and I spent those world credits for a reason. Seeing Yui's tight ass in those black leggings only reminded me of what I have to look forward to.

Quest Added
Bow to Thy Will
Objective: Reach 100 Charisma
Bonus Objective: Reach 100 Charisma before the events of canon
Reward: Affection Gain Unlocked, ?
Bonus Reward: ?, 5 Gacha Tokens

Oh fuck to the hell yes. Honestly I'm surprised that something as important as Affection Gain is locked behind a stat, and I have no idea how soon canon starts. But that gives me a goal, and one I fully intend to complete. If the universe demands tribute for power I intend to collect. Also, probably a good idea to wait on courting girls till my charisma score is high enough not to get me incinerated upon attempt.

I punch in the keycode and sure enough the door clicks as it unlocks. You know if this is an electronic lock it's entirely possible I could've used Clockwork Phantasm to open it, but then again if I'd done so I wouldn't have had that lovely encounter just now. 221B. No use delaying, and honestly I am eager to get some genuine sleep. Technically [Gamer's Mind] prevents the need for actual sleep, but need was never part of the equation. I find the room easy enough, jiggle the key in the physical lock, and sure enough, the door opens.

Quest Completed!
Home Sweet Home
Objective: Find the door to the mysterious key
Bonus Objective: Reach 221B by Sundown
Reward: Credit Store Unlocked
Bonus Reward: 3 Gacha tokens

Oh hell yeah, that was a little too close for comfort. Hello credit store. If I'd had known about the bonus objective I'd have kicked my ass into high gear, but I was still minutes ahead and three Gacha tokens richer.

"So how do you like the place?"

I sigh defeatedly, smirking to myself. "You knew where to find this place the whole time didn't you?"

On cue Shady steps into view from what I can only assume to be the kitchen if the other door leads to the bedroom or bathroom. He's eating a truly massive chicken sandwich so his answer is between mouthfuls, and honestly it's kind of funny to watch. "I mean yeah, duh, but you can't expect me to handhold you through the entire game. That business in the forest was to make sure you didn't die. It's all on you from here on out. Besides, we have business to attend to." His Cheshire grin returned.

"Speaking of, I'm hearing something about a credit store?" I smirk, his grin widening further. Swear this fucker is part snake.

"Oh, my friend, this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship." He pulls a hand out of his grey cloak revealing a completely ordinary smartphone. Well, I say it's ordinary, actually its an iPhone 3GS, reminding me yet again I'm currently stuck in the year 2010. He tosses it towards me, and I briefly panic as I catch it, before remembering these old phones were built like Nokia bricks. Even had an Otterbox case. Nice.

It doesn't have a passcode, I may have to set one later, but already I can tell this is no ordinary phone. Half the apps I don't even recognize, meanwhile the speed is ridiculously faster than anything out back then, or now for that matter. Magic phone. Very nice. I play around with the apps and setting for a bit figuring out what various things do, and sure enough I find the credit store, but I also find something else that makes my eyes narrow.

"You had a functioning GPS this entire time?"

"I told you. No handouts."

He slumped into a recliner chair that I will definitely be using later, instead I fall flat on the couch. The apartment is nice, I have to admit. Apparently the fridge is fully stocked, as Shady's quite keen on displaying. Seriously how many chickens died in the making of that sandwich? Meanwhile the snakelike qualities of his jaw are on full display.

I play around with the store a bit more, contemplating. There was a buy as well as a sell page, but I still had zero credits and nothing of value on me. In all honestly everything Shady said was entirely fair, It's time for me to step up to the plate. As much as I want to go to sleep [Gamer's Mind] is keeping me from actually tiring, and I need to level beyond the boundaries of this currently limited flesh prison.

Okay bud tone it down, you're not playing Mechanicus anymore.

I sit upright and try cashing my Gacha tokens within my inventory. Immediately new popups cross the screen of my vision.

Skipping Stone
A very smooth edge

Lesser Summoning Gem
Plague Rats

Bosendorfer Austrian Piano
Favored of Vienna's halls

The rats are kind of interesting, not sure if that's like Corvo's rat swarm or how that works, but the fact it's a gem makes it seem like it's a one time use. It also has nothing inherently stating they're on my side or otherwise commandable, but it'll be great for test purposes. It's weak, so I'll probably use it sooner rather than later. The stone is relatively useless, but it's the last item that grabs my attention.

That's… a whole ass Grand Piano. I really didn't think about size as a limitation within the Inventory space, then again I do have an entire wolf corpse stashed in there. But even that's not half the size, this thing's gigantic. Cautiously I summon it at ground level, and it easily takes up a third of the living room space against the door.

Shady whistles in approval. "Now that's a beauty. Boy do I know some guys on the Strait that would sell their own mother for that kind of hardware."

I certainly can't disagree with him, all of my immediate monetary concerns would evaporate if I decided to box it up. But could I truly justify that? It's a stunning masterpiece of German engineering. Yes Austria is a part of Germany, it always will be. I'm a tad sentimental, I was born in Bremerhaven on my world, and I was always partial to piano. That said I only know a few Christmas songs that I can play reliably, but listening to my great aunt who was a childhood prodigy was some of my favorite memories as a kid. Tentatively I strike a chord, and Christ that bass is beautiful. Despite my elation I place it back into my inventory, it is way to big to be held in this cramped apartment. Maybe one day.

Quest Added
Moonlight Sonata
Objective: Successfully complete one [Beginner] piano piece
Reward: Skill [Pianist] Unlocked

I glance at Shady, who shrugs. "I like the classics." Alright, maybe keeping it around isn't such a bad idea after all. I genuinely do love piano, and always regretted not getting better at it. Now I guess I have that chance. But regardless, that hypothetical still comes later. Right now I have other priorities. Sleep will have to wait just a little while longer.

[ID Creation]

Suddenly Shady perks up as a new popup opens on my screen, his rare severity grabbing my attention, though he holds up a hand defensively. "I just need to warn you brother. If you die in there, you don't come out. Finito. End of story. Game over." He's way more serious than he usually is, then again this is my literal life on the line here. "Don't get me wrong, dudgeon crawling is great. It's fun and it's the best way to level up your skills, not to mention all the loot, but dead is dead. Here or otherwise."

I exhale, and hit [Continue].

Welcome to Instant Dungeons!

[ Adventure ] – [ ? ] – [ ? ]

"Should I even ask?"

"You'll unlock them all with time, should you survive." He says with his usual smile, which I return. No victory without sacrifice. I'm ready.

"Can't exactly leave my partner hanging, now can I? We have the loot of a thousand worlds at our fingertips-" with that I key [Adventure], a portal of golden swirling void appearing before me, both Impulsive and Machiavellian Rebel flaring in approval. "-And all of it will be mine."

[+10 Reputation with Shay D. Mann, great minds think alike]

Reputation Perk Awarded for Shay D. Mann [50]
[Here Comes The Money] – Increased Reputation Gain with Businessmen (20%)

I wasn't even thinking about perks this entire time, and I turn towards Shady who is absolutely beaming. I chuckle a bit to myself, still looking into the swirling void. A bit weird, not that I can reliably take insights from fanfics, but it was usually an instantaneous thing. Hence, instant dungeon. Certainly not complaining though, a portal system may actually make things easier if I eventually bring parties into it.

"Nothing's gonna come out the other side, right?" I only half-sarcastically ask, thankful when Shady shakes his head.

"First room of every dungeon is a safe room, all the doors are locked and only respond to your input. For that matter, nothing spawned inside the dungeon can leave the room it spawns it, and it can't survive outside of it if by some miraculous chance it somehow did get out."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Some things to know, you can leave the ID at any time, so long as the room is clear, but the dungeon won't reset until you beat the boss. After that the layout randomizes, encounters respawn, and it unlocks the next tier of difficulty if you haven't already."

I nod slowly, fairly straightforward and overall expected. "Loot and enemy drops?"

His grin widens. "Also randomized, and usually related to the type of enemy. Though some rare drops have special attributes. The real jewels are in the chests wherever you find them, they're usually higher value than your standard enemy rewards."

Honestly, no explicitly new information that I wasn't expecting, but knowing for certain still made me fell a lot better. Well, I say for certain, but this is Shady I'm talking about. I'm not letting fifty reputation cloud the probability that he's omitting something, not something dangerous, per say, but something I'll likely find out on my own. I take a step forward, just barely in front of the portal.

"Good luck Kano."

I don't need luck, I have ammo a knife. I have a knife. I just really wanted to say Grunt's line. Though I absolutely would not turn down a straight up gun in a world otherwise dominated by fantasy. Maybe artificer was a possibility in my future. Possibly. I step forward.

"Knock em dead."

There's a flash of light and immediately I am in a grey room of cold stone walls. The air's pretty thin, and I have no idea where the light's coming from, because I don't see any torches inside. It really didn't feel like travelling, it was almost like getting water splashed in my face, which reminds me I probably should have grabbed a bottle or two from the kitchen to proc [Aquaphilic] at some point. I really need to get rid of [Impulsive] at some point.

Alright, focus. This is easily going to be the most dangerous part of my journey so far, and possibly the most dangerous part for a very long time. I am only level three from that wolf, and he did no damage to me, all of that came from the falling damage. I'm at my weakest, and have limited options for dealing with enemies. Dagger, Sword, Sneak, Invisibility.

Bring it on.

Quest Added
Through the Gates of Hell
Objective: Clear the First Dungeon
Bonus Objective: Clear 100% of the First Dungeon
Reward: ? Unlocked, 5 Gacha Tokens
Bonus Reward: ?, 1000 Store Credits, 3 Gacha Tokens

[Chameleon Cloak] costs 50 MP, and until my mana regeneration is something that isn't registered in the minutes I need to keep my pool above that. It severely weakens my position, I can only effectively use sneak for about 40 seconds at my current level, but at the rate it was improving that cost would be near indefinite soon enough.

There's a single wooden arch door in the room, classic castle style. I place a hand against it as it opens into a long corridor, same stone tiles lining the walls. There's a few torch sconces providing ambient lighting, but perhaps that's only there for the immersion. Nothing immediately visible, but that means precisely fuck all, and the first thing I do is check for pressure plates.

[Observe] isn't bringing up anything, not that I expected it to, it specifically requires a target. I'm looking at an empty hallway, with a large foreboding door at the end of it. If this wasn't literally the first room I'd have called it a boss door, it's lined with bones with a skull in the center, crossed cutlasses reminding me of the Pirates of the Caribbean. No gold teeth from what I can see, and cautiously I reach for the handle.

Instantly the sabers drop, and I have to yank my hand back to avoid losing my fingers. I watch as the bones clatter to the ground, eyes widening as a skeletal hand clasps a blade. One by one the bones assemble, rising up, animating into a duel wielding skeleton pirate. I smirk, now that's cool.

Skelemius, Captain without a Crew
Level: 2
Race: Skeleton
HP: 30
MP: 5
STR – 10
DEX – 14
CON – 15
INT – 6
WIS – 8
CHA – 3

Nice. Without the element of surprise I ready my short sword in my main hand, dagger in the offhand. A strike from each should do the trick, but I wanted to learn. I've never had any actual training in melee, let alone any experience, but the wise words of Iroh remind me to keep my stance wide and footing solid.

Skelemius lunges and I dodge, fully prepared for the methodical rigid strikes. There's no organic movement to it, just a glorified sentry to what I can only assume to be the tutorial level. I'm actually fighting a skeleton in a dungeon. This is the best day of my life.

I'm tempted to counterattack, but one barrage will kill him instantly. I swing my sword against his own, getting a feel for it, the weight is very even tip to pommel. I can't tell If that's just its design or is being a gamer automatically grants me proficiencies in swordplay. His attacks don't become any faster or slower, it's an incredibly predictable pattern of swings and lunges. Just to see the result, I intentionally let a single strike hit me, blocking it directly with my bracers.

Kano Kazuki
Level: 3 – Human
Class: Rogue – (Level 3/100) [42%]
HP: 96/110 (6 per minute)
MP: 90 (4.5 per minute)
STR – 8
DEX – 16
CON – 9
INT – 10
WIS – 12
CHA – 9
LCK – 7

…Alright maybe that was a tad shortsighted, I can't afford to take damage irresponsibly but this was important for gaging my opponents abilities. Plus the bracer took the blow well. I wait for the lunge and sidestep, leveling a sloid kick into the center of its ribcage. I half expect it to fall apart, but it staggers and falls prone, both my blades finding their marks in its pair of eye sockets.

24 DMG Piercing
16 DMG Piercing

Vanquished
Skelemius slain

I smirk as Skelemius crumbles into dust, but it's soon washed away when I realize both his cutlasses vanish with him. Damn, was actually kind of interested in those. I guess monster drops within the dungeon are specifically left behind, and I can't recover any corpses. Bit of a shame but honestly not too bad. I wonder what happens if I immobilize something and just straight up take its weapon, though I doubt I could carry it into the next room.

It seems that I get way less experience if I don't use any of my skills in the encounter. Understandable but annoying. I half contemplate sitting here for half an hour just power leveling [Sneak], but after just half a minute I can tell that I'm not actually gaining any experience. The last time I used it was in the alleys of a major city, I suppose it doesn't level if there's not actually anybody to hide from. I open Skelemius's door, weapon raised in case it tries to do anything else fancy, but it offers no resistance as the next room is revealed to me.

I crouch and enter [Sneak] as a pair of armored skeletons patrol the door. Neither have noticed me, yet, then again these are the lowest of the low in terms of monster encounters. I ready both weapons and move in for the kill.

Click.

Oh boy.

I swear under my breath as the pressure plate under my foot pops the lids on two very familiar caskets, Draugr springing inches from the inside of the door, facing me. There's my 7 luck in action, this is gonna be fun for the early game. Before the skeletons have a chance to react I strike, though with only a single dagger I can only score one backstab. The skeleton crumbles, and its partner swivels about-face raising its sword to meet me.

I half contemplate popping [Chameleon Cloak] just so I can level it along with [Sneak] against them, but it's my only failsafe and I can't afford to lose it yet. The skeleton only has 6 HP remaining, and the Draugr each have 45. Easily doable, and on that note a simple dodge easily opens the remaining skeleton for a counterattack, its armor turns to dust before it hits the ground.

Two Draugr. Honestly in some faint way I'm almost disappointed, I know full well there is a near 100% chance I'll encounter more enemy variety type the more dungeons I clear, but after your seventeenth Skyrim playthrough I just kind of feel bad at this point. Oh what I would give to be the Dragonborn in a world with Boosted Gear.

They advance, and for the first time I notice they're not holding the ancient Nordic blades l'd expect, they just seem like poorly kept iron swords. Easily deflected, easily sidestepped. Just on a whim I back up to the edge of the wall and try sneaking, and to my surprise it actually does trigger, but neither target averts their ironclad attention.

I am gaining experience though, admittedly in significantly reduced amounts, but it's enough for these early levels to actually be appreciable. I kite them for a bit, even slowed I can still generally outpace them, only having to stand up to avoid their highly telegraphed swings. I don't let this go on for too long, still need to keep my mana up and there's always the possibility of more traps in the room, but I gain a couple levels before I go on the offensive. With a little bit of practice parrying its literally child's play.

Vanquished
Undead Slain

Okay, one of them may have gotten a lucky hit in while I was dodging the other, but overall I consider that a success. I'm happy with that, Rogue leveled up too, now to level 5. Still not exactly sure how the level system works in this game, but I suppose that's why I'm here. I think I know what I want to do for the next encounter for test purposes, I know it feels like I'm going at a snail's pace here, but every snowball has to start somewhere.

I do a quick scan of the area to search for any hidden rooms or treasure items, even pull on all the wall sconces, but nothing is apparent to me. Doesn't necessarily mean it isn't there, just means I need more detection skills.

Quest Added
Too Greedily and Too Deep
Objective: Discover three hidden chests within the Dungeon
Reward: Skill [Awareness] Unlocked

…That works.

Title of the quest is slightly concerning but I patently refuse to believe even the Game would allow me to face a Balrog this early. Though I probably shouldn't tempt it. I make my way into the next room, nothing immediate which concerns me. There's a fountain in the middle, and without thinking I Immediately cup my hands to get a drink, the perks of [Aquaphilic] on my mind.

The fucking Water Weird had other ideas.

I really want to blame [Impulsive] for this, but this one is entirely on me. I yank my hands back but the thing has an iron grip, and sure enough it pulls me closer towards the surface of the water. I'm actually starting to panic a bit, drowning is a surefire way to guarantee a kill if you can ensure the opponent stays under long enough, and this thing's strength stat is well above my own. I've never actually tested holding my breath for duration, but I'm about to get a crash course.

It pulls me under.

Now the panic is full on, [Gamer's Mind] doing its best to keep me coherent. While the fountain isn't particularly deep, it's more than enough to keep my nose and mouth below. Its dark, much darker than I'd expect looking down from above, and it has me on all sides now. Ironically my HP regen skyrockets now that I'm submerged, but it's not nearly enough and I'm running out of time. I summon my sword, but my arms are constricted and it is useless. All of my skills are useless. My armor is useless. I am completely useless.

I literally have only one option.

In a desperate maneuver that I pray to whatever god is listening works, I summon my inventory and pull out the one thing I own that might save me from this situation. I crush the Summoning Gem of Plague Rats, and they all spawn beneath the water line in the center of the fountain.

Well the Water Weird certainly did not expect that. It thrashes and whirls as a ton of new entities swim directly inside of it, and by the grace of the Game it is just enough to distract it. I sputter and cough as I cling for dear life to the fountain, the jutting and artistic edges granting me a hold to keep my arms and head above water, but it still has my legs. The rats are flailing and drowning, not even close to a match for the pseudo-elemental.

I try to think as I struggle, both of us locked in a temporary stalemate, but I know it has the advantage. The fountain is my only lifelin-

The Fountain.

The Fountain is a machine!

"Expel everything!" I shout with as much authority as I can muster, slamming [Clockwork Phantasm] against its spouts. Sure enough I feel the familiar jolt and constriction, and a hint of a devilish laugh in the air, before each nozzle explodes into a fire hydrant of water in each direction. The walls surrounding us are flooded, but the isolated fountain in the center of the room?

It's draining by the millisecond.

Fun fact about Water Weirds, they can't survive outside a central water source. They are literally made of water, and as the pool surrounding us drains, it immediately loosens its grip and makes erratic motions around its increasingly limited pool. I take the opportunity to scramble up the fountain's side looking down at the rapid movements in the water, that of which does not last long as the last gallons are expelled out the side, the Weird silently shrieking as it completely evaporates. I exhale.

Vanquished
Water Weird Slain

I breathe a few more times, steadying myself, slowly stepping down to the fountain's floor. I glance down at the ring on my finger, still ticking away despite being completely submerged and manhandled. I place my thumb on it deftly.

"Thank you."

My only response is a pinching sensation I suddenly receive on my foot. I raise an eyebrow looking down. "Oh. You're still alive."

Sure enough one of the summoned Plague Rats was trying and failing to gnaw through my shoe, and I kneel down towards it, careful not to interrupt. I suppose this confirmed that summoned creatures and companions were not guaranteed to be nonhostile, something I was happy to affirm now rather than later. I had wanted to test if a summoning gem would break concealment while I was sneaking, but I value living just a slighty bit more.

"Thank you too." I offer the rat, in honor of the sacrifices of its brethren, before swiftly removing its head from its body. A small mercy I could offer it. I move to stand upright, but something catches my eye. From here I'm low enough to see the base of the fountain, something I was otherwise too distracted to discover earlier, and it is obviously hollow in the center supported by four stone prongs.

"…No way."

It would have been completely impossible to notice before, perhaps the water was even enchanted to conceal it, but there is unmistakably a chest lodged between the four progs at the base. I briefly check for any indications of a trap surrounding it, but honestly if some sadistic sociopath puts a trap here after that bullshit I may just train exclusively outside of dungeons from here on out. Thankfully nothing happens when I tug it from its resting place, and slowly I open the lid as I stare inside.

It's completely dry, which I'm thankful for because it has a sweet ass jacket folded at the bottom. Its not a whole length trench coat, of which I'm eternally grateful. I need to have some standards and 'not cosplaying Kirito' is certainly one of them. It's actually pretty classy for leather, and there's a weight to its pockets. Two golden coins I immediately recognize as Gacha Tokens, and a shifting sapphire gemstone. [Observe].

Skillgem: Hydrologic
The Water Cycle at your fingertips

"You. Ungodly. Fuckstick."

I stare down at the gem with a mix of anger and laughter. I guess this is how the Game wanted you to deal with the Weird, if you were exceptionally lucky or exceptionally suicidal. Still, interesting to know that the dungeon may provide alternate solutions to the problems it presents. I can't rely on that in any way, but useful to note it may be there. I crush it in my hand.

Skill Added

[Hydrologic – Level 1] (Active)
Instant – 70MP
Evaporate or Condensate bodies of water

Okay, so not actually hydrokenesis. Still, I actually have some use for that. My first new skill since acquiring [Chameleon Cloak]. I'm extremely tempted to use it just to try it out, but the cost is high, more than enough to put my MP below 50, and I don't intend on staying here very long. That said, [Machiavellian Rebel] is already asking questions like 'can I condensate all the oxygen and hydrogen out of a given area'? I have a feeling I was really going to enjoy these dungeon crawls, once I was strong enough not to be one shot by entry level enemies.

"Oh, right." [Observe].

Conch Coat
Like a walk on the beach

Alright, definitely seeing a pattern here, though from that description I have no idea what this thing does. Let's see if the Gacha follows suit.

Guiding Gloves
First star to the right

Sinner's Satchel
Won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?

Well that description's terrifying. They sound cool though, I equip the gloves and immediately get a popup on my screen.

Skill Added

[Magelight] (Active)
Instant – 10MP
Create a ball of magical light that follows the user

Oh. I was really hoping that was going to be something akin to Clairvoyant, though I shouldn't feel bad, the cost is low and apparently I can gain skills specifically from items. I raise an eyebrow as I phase them back into my inventory.

[Skill Removed]

Now that's interesting. May explain why there's no leveling attribute to the skill, then again I don't know how much better a magic lightbulb could be unless you wanted to burn your enemies' eyes out. But that was an interesting mechanic, and incentivized actually utilizing armor for meta purposes rather than simply for protection. I like it.

I guess Gacha items are completely randomized, not that I expected anything else, though its important to test these things early so I don't make catastrophic mistakes later down the line.

The satchel I pull out with some hesitancy, but there's honestly nothing remarkable about it, just has a lot of glyphs and symbols I don't recognize interwoven in its threading. What does strike me about it is how heavy it is, and unless my hands deceive me, there's actually something inside it. Items within items? Alright, random but useful. Lets see what we've got.

Flask of Gluttony
A pirate's life for me

On a hunch I tip it over, and sure enough as the seconds pass I'm convinced this thing is an infinite source of what I assume to be rum. Smells spiced. Oh well, you only live twice. I take a few swigs, honestly the taste is divine, I'm not much of a drinker but damn that's good. Did drinking said rum just curse me for all eternity? I guess we'll find out later.

Shady's Sunglasses
He's been looking for those

What the fu- Fucker doesn't even have eyes. Still taking bets on that. And the fact that the Game itself recognizes Shady as apparently what I can only assume to be the embodiment of Greed is probably far more concerning than I currently perceive. Hopefully he'll like these back, whatever he uses them for.

Locket of Lust
Attuned to the blood within

That… wooo, this could be big. I open the locket and it's dry as dust inside. Is what I'm about to do a direct result of [Impulsive]? Absolutely. Am I willing to take that risk in exchange for the feeling of Rias Gremory's soft pouty lips tethered to the base of my dick?

You better fucking believe it.

I pull out my dagger, and with a wince I draw several drops of blood directly into the base of the open locket. Nothing happens initially, so I close and seal it, the pendant shifting to a deep ruby red.

Skill Added

[Paramora] (Active)
Instant – 10MP
Unlock the world's deepest desires

…

*Insert that gif of M. Bison shouting Yes! YES!*

I'm over the moon, I'm probably cursed in seventeen different ways, and I have genuinely no fucking idea what the hell this spell does. Seriously, the fuck kind of description is that? I can only assume it's a good thing, honestly anything helps here and I need all the magical seduction powers I can get. But seriously that could mean anything.

Suppose I need to test it out.

On that note, I need to test something else out. I place the locket in my inventory, and sure enough I don't receive any notification that the spell's been removed. It said the blood had to remain, not that it had to stay on my person. I tense slightly when attempting to cast the spell fails, however I'm relieved when it fails again while I'm wearing the locket. Most likely it requires a target to function. I'll keep trying.

God, so many choices. I still have no idea how far I am from canon, and the window for deciding how I want to do things is shortening by the hour. Actually I'll have to ask Shady how time functions in the Dungeon, but that's besides the point.

I really don't want to kill Issei, especially if I find any way to genderbend him in the future. But that said, I cannot allow him to become an established character. I have no idea if he's on the Devil's radar or not, and the Fallen find out about him even before canon, so I'll need to act quickly, whatever I do. That said I also do not feel comfortable with necromancy, even if the best solution is just to stuff him in my inventory until the time comes that I can use him. But there are other consequences to consider too.

What do I do about Asia Argento? Leave her to die as canon dictates to ensure she becomes a devil, or negate it entirely? Interfere with Kiba's resolution of his trauma and vengeance? Take the entire peerage under my wing and throw them into dungeons so they'll be ready for Riser Phoenix? Find a way to kill him outright and assassinate him alone?

Too many options, too many choices, but my goals are clear. I'm not letting my girls come to harm-I'm already calling them my girls, and I will do whatever I must to ensure a happy ending for everyone on Team Kano, devil or otherwise. My knowledge is limited, I'm only completely reliable up to the end of season 1, but I have a general idea of what and who I have to deal with. Fuck Freed Seltzen and Kokabiel, insane warmongers that they are. Ophis and the Khaos Brigade are on a whole 'nother level of fucked, God is dead, and Serafall's an incestuous magical girl. I got this.

I debate moving on, but I think that's enough for my first foray. Honestly seeing what the dungeon already has to offer has me excited. I'll be prepared next time, and I'm going to train my ass off on these stealth skills to clear it. It'll be long, and damn if it won't be grueling, but it will all be worth it.

Could really use a new dagger. Oh well.

Perhaps the next time around.