AN: I remember someone asking if they could see my lists for the companion crystals, so I decided to upload some of my data sheets to my old Pay-tree-on. They're free to take! I'd appreciate credit, but even then you don't really have to. It's just a silly little list of items and characters, I didn't really create anything revolutionary.
My pay-tree-on is under the same name as this, TheOneAndOnlyBanana, if you wish to check out the documents!
Anyways, that's all I wanted to say. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Onto the story!
[Happy Birthday Jet!]
The second I woke up, I was confronted with a big green screen. After reading it I asked, "I'm 18 now?"
[Uh… yes?]
"Cool. Thanks!"
[And because it's your birthday, you're gonna get something special!]
I blinked. "Wait, I'm actually getting something? Sweet!"
[Yeah it is! Here you go!]
[A new item has been placed in your inventory!]
I immediately pulled the item out and hit it with an Observe.
[Birthday Hat]
+0 Defense
On User's birthday, the Birthday Hat gives the User a special item once equipped.
Happy Birthday!
A purple party hat. It was triangular, plastic, and had a shoddy string to keep it on my head. I silently put it on my head.
A small arm popped out from the tip of the hat and extended outwards before dropping down to the front of my face, carrying something.
I placed my hand under it, and it dropped the item into my hand. I hit it with an Observe.
[Happy Birthday Token]
Once broken, User gets a cake!
A randomized cake, of course. We all know how much you love gambling.
I broke the coin, and a cake replaced the remains of the coin in my hand.
[Cheesecake.]
It's a cheesecake.
It most certainly was a cheesecake. A classic New York cheesecake too, one of my favorites. It even had a little strawberry syrup across the top.
It was very delicious looking.
…
"Well, perhaps a single slice wouldn't hurt. Right?"
Twenty minutes later, I had consumed the entire cheesecake when my doorbell rang. I smiled as I wiped the crumbs off my face and equipped my water wooden bo-staff with a smile. Time to become a hero!
"So Jet, ready to go?" Yui and I were talking right outside our apartments, both of us with our weapons in hand.
I nodded, a determined glint in my eye. "Yep! I'm ready to kick some ass and take some names!"
She giggled. "Me too!" Seemingly without thinking, she grabbed my unoccupied hand and began dragging me down the stairs. "Then let's go! We have no time to waste!"
I laughed. "Yes ma'am!"
And with that, we were on our way to become heroes! As she dragged me, I began to think about the future once more. Just like in the One Piece world, I wasn't gonna slow down for anyone. Not the Hero Association, not Saitama, not even God itself. I had shit to do, rewards to get, and strength to acquire. Nothing was gonna stop me!
The first step was right in front of me though. To the X-City's Hero Association building!
"WHO DARED TO KILL MY FAMILY?! WHO DARED TO KILL THE ASSEMBLED?! MY CENTIPEDE BRETHREN?!"
Alright, I was willing to admit I had spoke too soon. The monster that I quickly identified as Junior Centipede was wrecking the entrance exam area, thrashing and wriggling about, causing mayhem. Meanwhile, I was hiding with a bunch of other examinees behind some rubble, away from monster's wrath.
How did it get to this, you ask?
Well to make a long story short, Yui and I walked up to the X-City Branch of the Hero Association, entered the entrance exam area, then boom! Junior Centipede.
"Jet!" I turned to Yui, who was sitting next to me. "Did… did we do this?" Her face was filled with worry and guilt, her hands clenching the pipe she had taken with her today.
I shrugged. "I mean, maybe? Really, it could've been anyone. Maybe it just started it's rampage here for-"
"I CAN SMELL MY BRETHREN HERE, YOU SCUM! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
I glanced at my Water-Infused Bo-Staff, a single drop of water falling from the tip. "Alright, yeah, we probably caused this."
Her face fell, but was quickly brought back up with determination glinting in her eyes. "Jet, if we caused this, we have to fix this!"
I groaned but nodded. "Just because you're right doesn't mean I have to like it…" The centipede monster was gonna be so much tougher than anything else, I just knew it…
Without another word, I vaulted over the rubble into the clearing, ignoring the gasps and shouts of the people hiding beside me. A second later, Yui joined me at my side. I hit the monster with an Observe.
Bio
Name: Junior Centipede
Title: None
Age: 14
Sex: M
Height: 20'5"
Hair: None
Eyes: None
Likes: Centipedes, Himself, and Killing
Dislikes: Humans, Animals, and Light
HP: 3,000
Level: 24
Reputation/Affection: [?/100]
Your Relation: Doesn't Know You
Description: Once a normal centipede, Junior Centipede evolved into the monster he is today due to a mixture between a higher than average intelligence and a leaking nuclear battery. Once he evolved, he decided to try to make his brothers, the Water Centipede Colony, just as strong as him. However, while he was out, his colony was slaughtered. After following the scent of his kin to the X-City's Branch of the Hero Association, he has decided to get revenge on the one who killed his family.
Oh boy.
The moment I finished reading his stats, Junior Centipede whipped around towards me, a mixture of realization and anger on it's face. "You… I can smell them… from that stick of yours…"
I nodded. "My name is Jet Nirati. I killed your family." I pointed my staff at him. "And you're next."
[-100 Reputation with Junior Centipede!]
"You… you…! YOU BASTARD!" The red centipede began to physically steam, it's anger almost palpable. "I'LL DESTROY YOU AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE!"
The centipede shot forward, intending on cutting me in two with it's pincers. The thing was fast, even faster than I could've reacted if I was Jin. However, thanks to my Better Reactions perk, I managed to jump out of the way in the nick of time. "It's you and me against this guy Yui! We either kill him or stall for time!"
Although I didn't see her, I heard her shout an affirmation. "You got it!"
After it's miss, Junior Centipede immediately turned around and charged at me again. "I'LL RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"
I was prepared this time, and as it charged me again, I swung at it's face. The blow connected, a satisfying crack ringing out.
[Critical Hit! Double Damage!]
Drawing first blood, I dealt 238 hit points of damage and the monster reared back in pain. Right after it did, I heard a loud clang from the other side of Junior Centipede, and then Yui gasp. "My pipe didn't even make a scratch!"
I yelled, "It's carapace is tough! Try to aim for it's underside or face!"
She yelled back, "Alright!"
I saw Junior Centipede turn towards where it heard Yui, but I put a stop to it with a Taunt. "Don't look away you damn bug! Otherwise this'll be too easy!"
-10 MP!
[Taunt succeeded! Junior Centipede inflicted with Rage!]
Spending 10 mana points to Taunt, I successfully managed to grab it's attention. The monster turned back to me, it's face twisted into an even uglier snarl than before. "YOU SCUMBAG!"
It charged at me again, even faster than before, and I knew I wasn't gonna be able to dodge in time. I put my arms in front of, ready for the hit, when the monster suddenly flinched and lost all momentum. I capitalized on it, and once again hit my staff in it's face, this time with a Power Blow!
[Critical Hit! Double Damage!]
[Stunned!]
I dealt an incredible 258 hit points of damage. I hit the centipede monster with an Observe.
Bio
Name: Junior Centipede
Age: 14
Sex: M
Height: 20'5"
HP: 2,354/3,000
Level: 24
I gave a grin. Yui dealt around 150 damage on her own, which probably was why the monster flinched. If we kept at the rate we were going, he was gonna get crushed easy!
I then realized I was not paying attention to said monster because I was looking at the stats, and got punished accordingly. It was no longer stunned and it slammed itself into me with incredible speed, and I instantly felt multiple ribs crack before I flew into a nearby wall with a crash.
-435 HP!
I immediately coughed up some blood. I laid there for a moment, simply trying to breathe. I took multiple deep breaths, just breathing in and out, before realizing the sharp pain in my chest and back began to fade. What replaced it was a feeling of fatigue. Moving my arms and legs took more effort. It took a second to focus. I was breathing harder than before. The best comparison was like a sudden weight was resting on my entire body.
"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!" Junior Centipede roared, before it launched forwards once more. Adrenaline filled my veins as I barely managed to get out of the way with a clumsy roll to the side.
Thankfully though, because Junior Centipede passed me, it crashed into the wall behind me. Miraculously, the wall then collapsed, causing a bunch of extremely heavy debris landing and trapping the centipede monster, albeit temporarily.
"Jet!" I turned towards Yui, who was running over. She grabbed my shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?!" Her face was written with worry.
I gave a nod and stated, "I'll live. We need a plan though, cause this guy is tougher than we can handle. If I get hit even one more time, I'll be toast."
Yui nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Any ideas?"
I shrugged. "Best I can think of right now is to simply weather the storm and hope a hero comes. Either that, or kill it ourselves."
As I said that, a small ding rang in my ears, and a Quest popped.
I was wondering when it was gonna show…
[A new Quest has been added!]
[Holding Out!]
Objective:
1. Survive for 10 minutes. (10:00)
Reward:
1. +750 EXP, 10,000 Currency, 1x Standard Gacha Coin
Failure:
Death, Junior Centipede kills everyone in the Hero Exam Area
Description:
It's simple; stall the bug until a real hero arrives. I'd recommend not dying!
Short, simple, and curt. I like it!
My attention was caught by Junior Centipede, the monster beginning to shift and move under the rubble. I sighed and turned to Yui, "The best I can offer is fight it. Either we kill it or we outlast it. Help is inevitably on the way, right? So we might as well just give it our way and hope we last long enough or we're strong enough to take it out on our own. Make sense?" Although visibly frustrated, she nodded. A boom echoed across the area and Yui and I both turned towards Junior Centipede, who managed to completely free itself. "Then get ready for round 2, cause the fight is resuming!"
Right as I said that, Junior Centipede launched forward again with a roar, still completely focused on me. Instead of jumping to the side like before, I jumped directly over it, landing directly on it's back. Thinking quick, I pulled my chakram out and slammed it between the plates on it's back. Although it didn't deal any damage, I managed to get it stuck in there, giving myself a grip to stay steady.
"Get off me you damn MURDERER! I'll rip you TO SHREDS!" Junior cried, wriggling and writhing in an attempt to throw me off.
As I held on, I took a quick look at my Skills. After skimming through all of them, I smiled when I saw the one that I was looking for. "I nearly forgot about you…" I muttered. One hand still on the chakram so I didn't get sent flying, I raised my other hand high into the air and cried, "Arcane Storm!"
-50 MP!
In an instant, five arcs of blue lightning shot from my fingertips and crashed into the carapace of the monster. The centipede cried in agony, but I didn't relent. With a wide smile, I continued casting my spell.
"Arcane Storm!"
-50 MP!
"Arcane Storm!"
-50 MP!
"Arcane Storm!"
-50 MP!
"Arcane Storm!"
-50 MP!
After my fifth cast, I felt my chakram loosened, and the monster finally managed to knock me off. I tumbled off the side and crashed into the ground, wincing at the sharp rocks that were poking at my back. I was smiling as I picked myself up though, because I dealt a whopping 600 hit points of damage! Oh man, Arcane Storm was a damn good spell alright!
[Arcane Storm has leveled up!]
[Arcane Storm] Rare Level: 2
Cost: 45 MP
Attack Power: 20 per bolt
Upon use, User summons 5 bolts of pure mana lightning. Deals True Damage.
A spell from the personal library of Magnus Spellbane, the Arcane Storm is said to have been one of his first creations.
Hell yeah! Game, what's his health at?!
Name: Junior Centipede
HP: 1,754/3,000
Oh, this was TOTALLY winnable! Each use of Arcane Storm now used 45 Mana, and I still had 500 in the tank! Thank you magic!
"Jet!" I whirled around, and Yui was running up to me, starry eyed. "You… you…! How did you…?!"
I smiled and said, "I'll answer when this is over. We still have a monster to defeat!" I winked. "Trust me!"
For a moment, she simply stared… Before nodding and smiled. "Alright!"
Our attention was then caught by Junior Centipede, who roared, "If it's a ranged fight you'll want, I'll give it!" Instead of charging at me again, Junior spat out ten balls of some kind of purple liquid at Yui and I, each one flying at incredible speed.
We both jumped out of the way, and when the purple goo hit the ground, it immediately started burning through the metallic flooring. "Acid…?" I muttered. I glanced back at the centipede, but it already began shooting more globs of the stuff at me. I broke into a run, pushing my body to run as fast as I could. More and more globs were fired at me, but I managed to barely out-paced them, each wad of spit hitting the wall or floor behind me instead.
As I ran, I spotted Yui, who SOMEHOW managed to sneak under Junior Centipede without the monster noticing. She roared, "Don't TOUCH him!" Then, using strength I didn't know she had, she slammed her pipe upwards, directly into the… jaw? Of Junior Centipede, dealing incredible damage and stunning the monster.
Capitalizing on the pause Yui made, I immediately began casting Arcane Storm once more, crying it's name out each time.
"Arcane Storm!"
-45 MP!
All five bolts of pure mana struck true, slamming into Junior Centipede.
"Again!"
-45 MP!
In an instant, five more blots shot from my fingertips, zooming across the room and crashing into the downed monster.
"Another!"
-45 MP!
My spell roared, crashing into the carapace of the monster!
"Another Arcane Storm!"
-45 MP!
"Arcane Storm!"
-45 MP!
"Arcane Storm!"
-45 MP!
"ARCANE STORM!"
-45 MP!
Over and over, I abused my magic, launching continuous bolts of pure mana at the monster. It cried in agony, but somehow managed to endure through the pain, grab Yui with two of it's legs, and threw her away, before doing something that I forgot it could do…
It started running away, digging through the ground.
My eyes widened. It was running?! "Game, what's it's health?!"
Bio
Name: Junior Centipede
Age: 14
Sex: M
Height: 20'5"
HP: 804/3,000
Level: 24
So low?!
Without even thinking, I sprinted over to hole Junior Centipede made, ready to jump down when-
"Jet! Don't!" Yui crashed into me, wrapping her arms around my waist, preventing me from diving after the monster.
I turned to her, frustrated, and yelled, "Why not?! We had it! It's almost dead!"
"It's strong enough to dig through the ground like water! What if it ambushes you?! Could you really say you'd be fine?!" She cried, worry all over her face.
I opened my mouth to retort, but… She was right. I couldn't. Funnily enough, the only thing that came to mind was when Ground Dragon – the mole that was apart of the House of Evolution – was killed by Saitama. All adrenaline and desire to kill the monster fled my body, and after a moment I suddenly fell to my knees, all the fatigue I had been ignoring catching up to me.
Yui gave a noise of shock as she fell with me, cause she was still wrapped around me, and both of us ended up on the floor, just looking at each other. After a few moments, I snorted. Yui giggled. Then we both burst out laughing, our merry voices echoing all over the ruined area.
We did it. We were alive. And you know what? That was enough.
"You two were incredible!" Yui and I both looked up, and a lady in a black suit was looking down at us, covered in dirt and grime, but with a smile on her face. "As an advisor and Hero Association scout, I think it's safe to say you pass the physical portion of the Entrance Exam, wouldn't you agree?"
I blinked. "Well-"
"Jet!"
A new voice, sounding worried, had entered the area. It was surprisingly… "Child Emperor?" I muttered, surprised.
The kid was standing in a hole to the outside that was made during the fight, his iconic spidery legs already detached and ready to fight. He said, "I heard there was a centipede monster attacking here, so I was afraid that it might've been related to yesterday! Are you two alright?!" He then noticed all the awed and surprised look at all the other examiners and gave them all quick smile and wave before walking over to us.
"Surprisingly, yeah." Yui and I stood up and dusted ourselves off as he came over. "You were right to be worried though. The monster that attacked us related to the centipedes we found underneath the national park. Thankfully, we chased it away." I gave a small sigh. "Sorry about not defeating it though. If we we're just a little better-"
"Jet, are you kidding me? You've already did so much!" He cried, visibly surprised.
Being the master conversationalist I was, I eloquently exclaimed, "Huh?"
The kid tilted his head at me and said, "You're not even officially recognized hero. Why would you be expected to defeat a Tiger disaster level?"
I blinked, and Yui lightly punched me in the arm. "He just aims big, hehe." She jokingly said, a smile on her face.
I huffed and tried to defend myself, saying, "It's just frustrating, you know? We totally had him! Then he just ran away! If we stopped him here, then it would've been another monster off the streets, you know?"
The woman in the suit that was quietly standing to the side finally spoke up, "Still, both of you defended countless civilians and stood up against the monsters when no one else did, and we all greatly thank you both for saving us."
I glanced at Child Emperor and asked, "Hey, Emperor. Think you can vouch for us and make us heroes? I think we more than proved our worth here, just saying."
Both the woman in the suit and Child Emperor laughed, amusement on their faces. The woman put a finger to her chin and hummed, before turning to Child Emperor. "I don't know… What do you think?"
Face full of amusement, the kid genius chuckled and said, "Well, they DID already fight off a monster, even before the exams finished…"
The two nodded to each each other before looking at us, and at the same time, shouting "B-Class!"
I blinked in surprise. "Wait, really?"
The woman gave a small wince. "Well, YOU are B-Class. Miss Yui Kaiyo will most likely be high C-Class, since she didn't do as much as you did." She then put her hands up to stop me from saying anything (I closed my mouth because I was DEFINITELY gonna say something) and she elaborated, "Not to say she wasn't important or didn't help, but purely looking at the recordings, you did a lot more to stall, damage, and engage with the monster. Miss Kaiyo got a few hits in and gave a helping hand, but I don't think her actions are enough to warrant an immediate shot to B-Class. Make sense?"
I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Recordings? There are videos of us?" The Association member pointed behind her, where the other examinees had their phones whipped out, either recording us or texting away. "Huh."
She nodded. "Yep! So, congratulations! Normally there would be a written test, but I think your actions have proved that you're both hero worthy." She pulled out her own phone and typed a couple things in, and two chimes rang out from Yui and I's pants. We both checked, and we had received an e-mail each about our rankings. "B-Class Rank 100, huh? Nice!"
Yui read hers out loud as well, shouting, "RANK 7?! Oh my God!" She crashed into me and enveloped me in a big hug and said, "Jet, we did it! We're heroes! I – Oh my God I can't believe it! We're heroes!"
[+10 Affection with Yui!]
I gave a laugh and squeezed her back before we both let go and turned back to the Association member and Child Emperor. "So, what now?"
The woman then began to explain how exactly being a hero for the Association worked. "Well, to make a long story short, you both are on a salary – based employment. Jet Nirati gets around 11 million yen a year, while Yui Kaiyo gets around 7.5 million yen a year. If you are nearby, you are required to respond to a disaster warning unless you are already facing a monster, are incapacitated, or if the disaster level is too high for you. Other than that, just generally helping the public and keeping order is required of you when there aren't any disasters. Do that, and you'll have full access to all the benefits of the Hero Association."
She then pulled out a small pamphlet and gave it to us. As we looked over it, she listed all the things the Associations had. "A large gym, a spa, lounge, cafeteria, workshops, medical bay, and of course, massage parlor.
We both nodded. "A workshop, huh?" I muttered, an idea beginning to form.
"Now," She continued, "For C-Class heroes specifically, they are required to submit a report of their actions per week. Participating in monster subjugation, helping the public, or even just helping a lady across the street are all things a C-Class hero can do for their weekly task. If they fail to do something for an entire week, you'll be given a three-day warning before you are terminated. However, once you promote to Class-B, that requirement is removed."
I turned to Yui, but she was completely unfazed. Her determination was burning stronger than ever, a smile still on her face as she listened with rapt attention.
The woman finished, "Finally, depending on what you do, you can promote to a higher ranking or class. If you do, your ranking will reset and your salary will increase to that Class's amount."
"Actually," all of us turned to Child Emperor, "there are a few other ways to get promoted and make money. If you make a scientific discovery, participate in a potential crisis, or just improve the living of the civilians, you can get bonuses and rank – ups that way! It's not just about killing monsters and doing menial tasks!" He smiled, quite proud of himself.
I hummed in understanding. "From what you're insinuating, does that mean that you've ranked up through the tech you made, Emperor?"
The hero nodded, a pleased smile on his face. "Got it in one! I managed to get in the top ten of A-Class through a mix between monster exterminations and evolving the Association's tech."
I gave a nod. "That's pretty dope."
He faltered at my remark, probably due to me not being that impressed, before chuckling. "You're funny, you know that Jet?"
I barked out a laugh and said, "Ha! Only sometimes!" I stretched and multiple parts of my body audibly popped, "No offense, but can I leave? I'm exhausted and just wanna go home and sleep."
Yui yawned as well. "Yeah. I'm physically and mentally exhausted. I could sleep fifteen whole HOURS!"
The A-Class hero huffed in amusement and relented. "Alright alright, I'll let you go. That's fine, right?" He turned to the Association woman, who was watching our interactions with a raised eyebrow.
Realizing that we were all looking at her, she coughed into her hand and said, "Of course. You both get some rest, you deserve it. We'll call you if there's anything else, but that should be everything." She gave us both a smile. "Thank you both once more for saving us. I mean it."
I chuckled. "Anytime! That's what heroes are for, right?"
[+5 Reputation with Child Emperor!]
The kid nodded in approval. "Exactly!" He then turned around and starting walking away. "Well, I'm glad everything resolved itself! I'll send a few repair drones to fix this place up, and it'll be good as new by the end of the week! Jet, Yui, if either of you need me, I'm usually in my lab in Y-City! I'll see you later!"
I waved him goodbye, and after he left, Yui began to squeal. "Oh my God he knows my name! He invited me to his house! Oh my God, OH MY GOD!" She then paused and said, "Wait! I can quit my job since I'm a hero now!" She gasped again. "I'm a hero! This is the best day of my life!" She tried to squeeze the life out of me once more before yelling, "I gotta go quit, I'll see you later!" With energy she didn't have a minute before, she ran out.
"What happened to sleeping for fifteen hours?!" I cried, but she was already gone. I huffed in amusement and decided to leave as well, eager to get home.
I was home, and the instant I closed my door, I yelled, "Alright Game! HIT ME!"
[You got it pal!]
[You completed "Holding Out!"]
[+750 EXP!]
[You have leveled up twice!]
[+10,000 Yen!]
[+1x Standard Gacha Coin!]
[You completed Objective 1, 2, and 3 in "Above and Beyond!"]
[You received "C-Class Hero" Title!]
["C-Class Hero" has evolved to "Rank-1 C-Class Hero!"]
["Rank-1 C-Class Hero!" has evolved to "B-Class Hero!"]
[+800 EXP!]
[You have leveled up twice!]
[+2x Standard Gacha Coins!]
[+130,000 yen!]
[LUK has hit 100! Your perk has upgraded!]
Right on the dot too! A solid 100! Alright, let's see it!
[Lucky Hit II] LUK
User has a LUK * 0.6% chance of getting a Critical Hit, regardless of where the User strikes.
Be it leg, face, or even big toe, you now have the chance to deal double damage no matter what you hit! Lucky!
I blinked. Wow. Looking at my Luck, I actually now had a 60% chance to get a critical hit every time I swung, no matter where. Absolutely insane!
With that out of the way, I grabbed all three gacha coins and snapped them in half.
[Small Red Button] Common
A small red button. Once placed on a machine or mechanism, the button will act as an on/off trigger.
Honestly, I don't know why this is Common. Seems pretty powerful, in my opinion.
[B-Rank Companion Crystal] Uncommon
Summons a B-Rank Companion from a different universe. Upon use, the crystal will be consumed and a B-Rank Companion will spawn in front of you.
WARNING: These Companions hold zero obligation to assist you in any way! If you wish for them to join you, you MUST convince them ON YOUR OWN! The Game simply spawns the Companion!
[A-Rank Companion Crystal] Rare
Summons a A-Rank Companion from a different universe. Upon use, the crystal will be consumed and a A-Rank Companion will spawn in front of you.
WARNING: These Companions hold zero obligation to assist you in any way! If you wish for them to join you, you MUST convince them ON YOUR OWN! The Game simply spawns the Companion!
You know, was the System telling me something? This is the fifth Companion Crystal I've gotten so far, and I'm not even a week into either world. Was this luck or something else?
[Just luck, to be honest.]
…Oh.
Pretty good pull this time around, not gonna lie. More future companions (hopefully), a neat little button to break into areas I'm not supposed to be in, and overall a little stronger. Pretty nice!
Still, what the Association lady said piqued my interests. "A workshop, huh?" I muttered, browsing the materials I had gathered from the dungeon. "Sound's like a damn good thing to experiment with later."
I still had plenty of things to do, with the number one priority being all the companion's I'd be getting in the future. "Getting two decently powerful people right now would be hella dope, but…" The sad truth was, unlike in the One Piece world, I did NOT have a lot of room here. All I had was a tiny-ass apartment that was made for a single person to live in comfortably. Sure, my salary was 11 million yen, which meant around 900k yen a month, but reality was harsh. The average cost of housing ranged from 30 to 50 MILLION yen.
So yeah, while the Association definitely paid, it wasn't enough for me to fund potentially tens – if not hundreds, given my harem Quest – of people. It just wasn't feasible.
An idea hit, and my eyes widened in a new possibility. "What if…" I began to mutter, "I summon the A-Rank companion? They'd have good enough strength to protect themselves, right? And hypothetically, they could totally become a hero like me, right?" I hummed to myself and began pacing.
"What if they're evil though? Or just morally ambiguous…" I asked, playing devil's advocate. "Then not only would I be summoning a dangerous person to an already dangerous world, I would be actively creating more problems…"
For a long while, I stewed in silence, letting the pros and cons wage war within my mind. Before I made a decision though, I asked a question out loud.
"System, you said previously that my Luck stat doesn't affect gacha rolls. Is it the same for companion crystal rolls?"
For a minute, all was silent. Then…
[No. Depending on your Luck stat, although it's very minuscule, your Luck affects who you'll pull. The higher the luck, the better suited the person you'd be summoning would be for the world and you in that moment.]
"SYSTEM, THROW ALL 45 POINTS INTO LUCK!"
[Oh my God.]
A small ding told me that the action went through and I whipped out my crystal.
[A-Rank Companion Crystal] Rare
Summons a A-Rank Companion from a different universe. Upon use, the crystal will be consumed and a A-Rank Companion will spawn in front of you.
WARNING: These Companions hold zero obligation to assist you in any way! If you wish for them to join you, you MUST convince them ON YOUR OWN! The Game simply spawns the Companion!
Without a second thought, I broke the crystal, and light filled my room. In an instant, I was blinded by pure white, grinning like a loon the entire way! I couldn't wait!
When the light died down, I was looking at… "An egg?" I immediately hit it with an Observe.
Bio
Name: Echo
Title: The Infinite Learner
Age: 20
Sex: F
Height: 5'11"
Hair: None
Eyes: Blue
Likes: Learning, Mina Liao, Protecting the weak
Dislikes: Feeling useless
HP: 4,000/4,000
Level: 50
Reputation/Affection: [0/100]
Your Relation: Doesn't Know You
Description: Created by Doctor Mina Liao, Echo is a robot with one of the fastest adapting AI in the world. With her advanced learning programs, Echo is a master at fulfilling multiples roles in a battlefield, and the plans she can create are foolproof! However, days before Echo's final testings were to be commenced, a rogue terrorist group known as Talon invaded the base Doctor Liao was stationed at, and she was then killed in front of her own creation, Echo. The robot was then shut down and held in stasis for over 7 years before an attempt to rescue her was made. Unfortunately, the rescue mission failed and the pod she was in was critically damaged, resulting in Echo losing her life before she could even experience it. Now, still in her pod, she is confused, cautious, and extremely eager to get the chance to help the world, her creator's number one desire.
Right in front of the now identified pod, there was a small white piece of… tech? That took the shape of a guitar pick. After staring at it for a second, the cogs in my brain finally turned enough for me to identify it as Echo's activation chip. I walked over and grabbed it before turning my attention back to her pod. The thing was high fucking tech. Sleek, pristine, and extremely expensive looking, I couldn't help but marvel it.
"So the ol' cowboy's plan didn't go quite like he wanted, huh…?" I mumbled, still admiring the pod.
Oh well! That just meant that she was here instead! Without further waiting, I pressed down on a small button that blended in to the pod's exterior, opening it with a hiss. Inside was the body of Echo, faceless and finger-less, and I won't lie, I winced at the site. "Whew, seeing someone without a face is weird…"
It really was! I knew she had a face, so the fact that it just wasn't there was kinda creepy!
It was then that I noticed a small socket right underneath her…neck? That had the same shape as the little pick that was in front of the pod. "That's right, it wasn't opening the pod that activated her," I muttered, looking at the small white piece of tech. "It was this thing."
With a shrug, I placed the little chip into the slot, and Echo immediately turned on, just like in the cinematic. The chip took a second before perfectly slotting in, then the outline was burned away by a small light beneath the surface, making the chip look like a part of her body naturally. Then, the hard-light projector in her head turned on, and in front of it, a face slowly built into existence. After that, her fingers appeared, materializing in the same way, and the rest of her segments and joints turned a bright blue, signaling the completion of her set-up.
For a second, she was completely still. Her arms crossed, her knees pushed into her chest, and her hands wrapped around them. Then, as if she was actually waking up (who knew, maybe she was), her eyes fluttered for a second, slowly opening and the irises inside adjusting to her new surroundings. She then took notice of me and she immediately narrowed her eyes in confusion, immediately on guard.
"I do not know you." She stated. Wordlessly, I offered her a hand, and she quickly took it. Some suspicion fell, and her eyes softened a little. "I… apologize, for being curt. I am not quite sure what is happening right now. All the data I've collected isn't really helping me, surprisingly." She pulled herself up and let go of my hand, examining me and my room.
I gave her a shrug and plainly introduced, "I'm Jet Nirati, and you're in my apartment."
Once more, Echo took a quick survey of the room before slightly relaxing. "I… yes. It appears that I am."
For a moment, we stared at each other.
I raised an eyebrow and asked, "…And you are?"
She blinked. "Oh!" She clapped her hands together and introduced herself. "I am Echo, Doctor Mina Liao's greatest creation. I have been made to learn!" She finished with a proud smile.
"Learn?" I asked, eyebrow raised even higher.
She eagerly nodded. "Correct! The late Doctor Mina Liao granted me one of – if not the most – adaptable artificial intelligence in the world! With it, I can become her legacy and fulfill her dream, to make the world a better and happier place!"
"A happier place?" I picked out, mind whirring. "How exactly would you do that?"
Echo shook her head, smile still wide. "I do not know. That is what I intend to figure out!"
I huffed in amusement. "Well, I guess the first step is figuring out a plan, yeah?"
She gave a small giggle. "Yes, I suppose you are correct!" She then asked, "So, where are we?"
I tilted my head, "Like, what city we're in?" When she nodded, I revealed, "We're in X-City."
Echo immediately furrowed her brow, her smile dropping and a small frown replacing it, confused. "X-City? I do not know such a location. Was it just recently constructed?"
I shrugged. "I doubt it, but I dunno. I haven't been here for very long. Just about a week."
At this, Echo's frown grew, and her brow furrowed even more. "If that's true, then how are you speaking Japanese so fluently? My bio-metric scans show that you're 100% American." I froze at that. "Going even further, how would you even find me? I was positive I was somewhere in New Mexico right now…" I began to sweat. "And, how did you get my activation chip? Dr. Liao gave it to Jesse before she… before she passed." The pinnacle of Dr. Liao's research narrowed her eyes at me, the tips of her fingers on her right hand beginning to glow.
I raised my hands, palm – forward, to try to placate the AI. "Whoa whoa whoa, relax now." Mentally, I was groaning. I wanted to earn her trust without spilling everything, but I didn't have a choice, did I? Guess reality was a little different from the fan fictions I read… Darn. I sighed. "I was the person who summoned you here," I revealed. "I just wanted to help you get yourself settled in, since I was in a similar boat. After I died, I was pulled here, so I know what it's like to be left up and dry."
At this, Echo completely froze, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. "…What?" Before I could do anything else, Echo suddenly flew up to me and grabbed my shirt, her right hand glowing even brighter. "Explain."
And so, I did. I told all about how after I died, I was pulled into the One Punch Man world and how I had been living so far. "Your case is a bit different though," I admitted. "I actually have the power to pull people from different worlds into this one as well, you know? I don't know who I'll pull, and I can't really do it consistently, but I can. You're the first person I've ever summoned." This was where I needed to play a convincing part, so I winced and asked, "Were you in the middle of something important? Sorry, but like I said, I can't control who I summon."
At that, realization seemed to finally set in, as her eyes widened in shock. "So…I actually died?"
Still acting like I didn't know, I gave a shrug.
The elegant robot then fell to her knees, a look of shock and despair across her face. For a minute she simply knelt there, processing that she did indeed lose her life and that she would never see – nor save – the world she was created in. Her face was marred with confusion, loss, and overwhelming sadness. "I… I thought I was dreaming," She admitted, "Or that my own mind was playing tricks on me. That my own software was somehow changing due to the isolation. But the piercing pain I felt, the feeling of slowly losing power… it all happened?" She asked, her face stricken with grief as she stared at her shaking hands.
Seeing an opportunity in her weakness, I made my move. I knelt down next to her and slowly put my hand on her shoulder. "While I'm not entirely sure what happened, I'm sorry that it did. Just know that I'm here for you."
She turned to me, looking more lost than ever, and asked, "Why?"
I gave a small smile. "Because it's the right thing to do."
[+15 Reputation with Echo!]
She slowly closed her eyes and after a minute, leaned against me. The feeling of her cool metal against my skin feeling weird, but oddly soothing. "Doctor Liao… Mina… I'm sorry…" She muttered, hard-light tears beginning to fall from her face. For around ten minutes, I sat there, letting Echo use me as someone to (literally) lean on as she fully processed her situation. Then, after all her tears dried up, another screen popped up, catching my attention.
[+45 Reputation with Echo!]
Confused, I opened my mouth to say something, but Echo beat me to it. "You don't know it, but you saved me Jet." I turned back to her, who was looking up at me with a weary smile. "However you did it, you gave me a second chance at life. I was… no, I already died. I was gone. But you managed to bring me back, and have given me the opportunity to actually live. It might not be in my original world, but you have given me the chance to be free, to continue Dr. Liao's dream. I… I don't know how I can repay you."
An idea, a very very wicked idea, sprung into my mind. A stray thought that rapidly turned into a potential future, one where my success was inevitable. I would be taking this woman, a marvel of technology and of pure innocence, and molding her to my liking. It was wrong. It was cruel! It was… it was… PERFECT!
"To pay me back, would you like to help me make a harem?" I inquired.
Her brow immediately scrunched together, confusion written all over her face. "I – What?"
"So, you want me to use my sophisticated and incredibly high – tech artificial learning algorithm to help build you a harem of woman, monsters, and criminals?" Echo asked, now resting on my bed.
I nodded. "Indeed, my friend!"
Alright alright, let me explain my plan.
According to the Bio, this version of Echo "died" when the train that transported her was raided on Route 66. Which meant that the only human interaction – and any interaction with human society at all – was extremely little, outside of Dr. Mina Liao and Jesse McCree, if the original story was the same as it was before. So what better use of this incredibly naive and good – natured AI (that was now in my DEBT) than to use her to further my goals of obtaining a fucking GINORMOUS harem?! It's genius! Sorry Dr. Liao, I want ladies!
I was going to hell for this, probably.
"Well, that's not all," I continued, "I was more wondering if you could become something akin to my assistant or helper." At this point, I was pacing around my room as I explained, "You said you were created by this "Doctor Mina Liao" to learn about the world and make it a better place, yeah?" Once Echo nodded, I proposed, "So why not explore this world with me? Not to brag, but I know a lot about it! And as compensation, you help me with my dating life!"
Despite everything, she gave a small – though exhausted – giggle. "You really are something else, Jet Nirati. You have one of the most sophisticated robots in your debt, and you want me to help you chase skirts?"
I nodded. "Pretty much."
[+5 Reputation with Echo!]
She then gave a sigh, amusement visible on her face. "I almost can't believe any of this, but… Alright. I'll help you obtain a harem."
Before she realized, I ran up to her and gave her a fierce hug. I was laying it on a little thick, but hey, I always thought she was awesome anyways. Why not show it? "Haha! Thank you so much!"
[+10 Reputation with Echo!]
Thankfully she seemed to like my enthusiasm, as she slowly hugged back, nestling her face into the crook of my neck. "Thank you, Jet."
I gave her a toothy grin. "No problem!"
She let go first and stepped back. "Do you have anything that can access the internet?"
Without hesitating, I pulled out my phone that Child Emperor gave me and tossed it to her. "This is the only thing I got. A friend of mine gave it to me."
She caught it and smiled. "Thank you Jet." She paused, an eyebrow raised as she asked, "Do you not… mind?"
I shrugged. "Not really? I'm assuming you're gonna use it to learn about this world more, so I don't mind. If there's anything to I can do for you, just ask."
She tilted her head to the side and asked, "Why?"
I gave her a smile. "I trust you."
[+5 Reputation with Echo!]
A small smile blossomed on her face. "I see. Thank you, Jet." With that, she turned her attention to the phone.
I glanced at the time as did, and I winced. "God, it's not even noon yet and I'm exhausted…" I muttered. After taking a moment, I shrugged and laid down on my bed. "Hey, I'm gonna take a nap. If something comes up, could you wake me?"
She turned to me and nodded. "Of course! Get some rest, Jet."
I smiled. "Thanks, Echo," And closed my eyes.
The sound of Ghetti's whistle woke me up, but unlike all the other times, there was someone waiting for me right outside my door when I went to open it. I gave her a smile. "Hey Bisc."
Completely ignoring my greeting, she grabbed me by the arm and yelled, "We gotta go! The Commander is waiting for you!"
I raised an eyebrow as she pulled me down the hall. "Really?"
"Really!"
I sighed. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised." With that said, we took off towards Bayback Rib.
When Bisc and I got close, I noticed the two men talking to each other. Commander Colate and surprisingly, Nilla.
Hearing us approach, both men turned around. "Good morning, Petty Officer Tetari. Ready to take off?" The Commander asked, a small grin on his face.
I smiled at them. "Good morning Commander. I'm ready!"
The man nodded. "Good, because the sad truth is that you're on borrowed time. The sooner you're out of here, the safer you are."
I turned to Bisc, but although she was saddened, she didn't seem surprised. "You know?" I asked, curious.
She nodded. "When my Dad took me home last night, Commander Colate met up with us and told us everything." She gave a heavy sigh before turning to me. "Please come visit Jin."
I blinked, genuinely taken aback. "You're not coming with?"
She shook her head. "I… I can't. There's still so much I have to learn and figure out before I'll be able to set sail. And besides… I'll just hold you back."
I shook my head in denial. "That's not true-!"
"It is!" She cried, sudden tears in her eyes. "When I was under that freak's spell, hypnotized… It felt like I was floating through a haze, never fully awake. I tried to resist, but it felt like my own mind was slipping between my fingers, never stable. And when I woke from it, only to learn that YOU saved the entire island? Against two of the West Blue's most dangerous criminals?!" Tears began to fall from her eyes and she yelled, "I felt USELESS!" I was stunned at her outcry, simply staring at her in shock as she poured her heart out. "I couldn't live with myself! Then I started thinking… what if Mom or Dad got killed because I wasn't there? That if something happened to Savosweet while I was out on some merry adventure?!" She looked down, visibly pained. "The thought KILLED me… So I decided to stay."
I was a little sad, but I understood. Even if I took her away, I had a feeling she'd just resent me for it more than anything. "I see." I gave a sigh. "I'll definitely visit. And when I do, you'd better have whipped this Marine base into shape, you hear me?" I put a hand on her shoulder and said, "You're an incredible woman. You're gonna make this island change, for the better. I know you will. Right?"
A couple tears began to fall before she quickly wiped them away. "Damn straight!" She cried, voice wavering. "I'll make this island a God damn FORTRESS! You hear me?! That way, when I finally do leave this place, I can do it with my head held high and my faith in this island unbreakable!" She sniffed, tears and snot beginning to fall. "I'm gonna miss you Jin… Please come back!"
I wrapped my arms around her as hard as I could and leaned into her neck, sad but understanding. "Of course I will. I promise."
She hugged back, just as fierce. "Good."
For a second, we simply enjoyed each other's presence. At least, until I heard a certain man cough. I turned and saw Nilla giving me the stink eye, and I decided to pull back. "I'll see you later, Bisc. I'll miss you."
She nodded, a watery smile on her face as she pulled herself off of me. "I'll miss you too. Come back soon!"
I simply nodded and smiled. "I will!"
[+30 Affection with Bisc!]
"Your ship is set to arrive soon," Commander Colate began, "But it'll still be a little while before it's fully prepared, so-"
I cut him off, saying "Oh, Commander, I already have a ship." I discretely peered into my inventory and grabbed the item I'd been wanting to use since I got it.
[Large Portable Ship] Epic
A large ship that can be pulled in and out of your inventory whenever you wish. Items and inhabitants inside while in inventory will be put into stasis until user deploys ship once more.
About 130 feet long and 200 feet high, this ship is built to last! The most noteworthy details of this bad boy are the seastone-coated bottom, the built in compass, and the large deck! Just break the bottle to spawn it!
In my hand was a ship in a bottle, with four masts – two with two sails and two with one – a set of triple – barreled cannons in the front, five cannons on each side. With a smile, I did exactly what it asked and smashed it onto the ground.
The Commander opened his mouth to speak, but before he did, an identical ship to the one in the bottle I smashed spawned right next to us, landing in the water with a large splash. Trying to hold in the laughter from seeing their eyes pop and jaws dropped, I quickly climbed aboard. "I'll see you three later, alright?!"
Dumbfounded, all three could only nod in response.
And with that, I was off.
As my boat sailed further away from the island, I waved to the three watching me go, and they waved back. We didn't stop until the island fell from the horizon, and even after that, I simply stared in the direction for another ten minutes or so.
The second I turned away from the direction of Savosweet, a green text box appeared.
[Welcome Captain, to your very own ship! While it's most attractive features of this bad boy are it's large deck, it's seastone bottom, and built in compass, this ship has much more! Countless bunkers/bedrooms, bathrooms, and lounges! A state-of-the-art kitchen! A pristine workshop! The finest navigation room yet! And last but not least, a prison!]
I whistled in awe, but the text kept going.
[Now, a few things must be done. First: Would you like to see the Ship tutorial?]
[Yes!] [No!]
I shrugged and hit yes.
[Wonderful! This is a relatively short tutorial, so don't worry! First, here's a map of the place!]
[You have discovered a new location: Your Ship, Currently Not Named!]
A small map of the place appeared before me, and I quickly dismissed it. A secondary screen then popped up, and it was labeled "Customization."
[This is the ship's Customization screen! In it are all the various ways you can decorate your brand new ship!]
Ship:
Name:
Paint Job:
Affiliation:
Sail:
Figurehead:
[Pretty simple. Have at it, eh? Once you're done, we'll continue.]
I gave a smile and got to work. There were quite a few options for each one too, which made me happy. A couple minutes later, I fully customized the ship to my liking.
Ship:
Name: Dynami
Main Paint: Navy Blue
Stripes, Rails, and Trimmings: Seas Foam Green
Affiliation: Marines
Sail Symbol: Marines
Figurehead: Kraken
Turns out, I had zero creativity when it came to ships. I really couldn't come up with a name, so I had it randomized, and the colors were pretty basic. The only real difference between my ship and every other Marine ship was the figurehead. It was pretty dope! Sea foam green with red eyes, hell yeah!
With that done, another screen popped up.
[Not gonna lie, super weak customization man.]
"I literally don't care."
[Fair. Know that you can customize each room however you wish as well, and each type of room has a variety of different customization specifically for that room. Make sense?]
I nodded, and it continued.
[Cool. Final thing, ship battles. If you are in a fire fight with an enemy ship, there are two ways it can go down. Ship fights or raids.]
I raised an eyebrow. "Raids?"
[Ship fights are self-explanatory. You sink the enemy's vessel with your own artillery/defenses. Raids are also self-explanatory. You can raid or get raided when you and the other ship are close enough to each other.]
"Seems like ship fights would generally be easier…" I muttered, and a new box appeared.
[And you're right! Because so, raids give a lot more exp, as well as the opportunity to find extra cash, loot, and maybe even people to recruit!]
A simple risk-reward system. An effective one though, so I couldn't complain. "Shanks raided a Marine ship and got the Gum-Gum Fruit, so obviously raids are better on average if I think I can take the enemy… Cool! Anything else?" I asked, eager to explore the place.
[Yes, two more things. First, this ship is just that: a ship. It requires maintenance, care, and effort to keep it floating, and if you have people actually on it, you'll need proper food and drinks as well. Keep that in mind. You can access Dynami's Statistics, Customization, and all the other pages in the Captain's room, near the front of the ship.]
I gave a hum of understanding and asked, "So I can't just go to sleep and the ship will automatically be clean and repaired, huh?"
[Correct. You are the exception in this world, not the rule.]
And wasn't that the truth? "I see. What's the last thing?"
[Upgrades!]
A new screen popped up, this time looking like a standard shop from a tycoon game. Upgrades, new rooms, and more were shown, each one with a ridiculous price. "1 billion beri to increase the overall size huh? Wild."
Okay, I know I just said "you are the exception not the rule blah blah," but this ship also has an exception.]
I gave a small chuckle. "Alright, what's so special about this ship then?"
[The Upgrades! In this shop, if you buy it, it's automatically applied! Bigger and better rooms, new rooms, better storage, you get the idea. Anything to make this bad boy bigger and better, we have it available!]
"Sweet!"
[Okay, that's it. Go crazy, I guess.]
I blinked at the sudden dismissal but shrugged. "Alright." And I immediately knew where I was going! I pulled up my map and headed to the workshop.
Down a flight of stairs and the first door on my right, I opened it up and walked in. Inside was a workbench, a large furnace, and an anvil in the corner. A screen then popped up.
[Welcome to the crafting area! Here, you can craft, smelt, and forge new items, weapons, and armor! Each one is simple to use, so this tutorial will be quick.]
The box disappeared and a new one popped up above the workbench.
[Anything not requiring metal/metallic substances can be created here.]
The box disappeared and a new one popped up above the furnace.
[Anything that requires to be smelted can be placed in here, and the smelted version is created here.]
The box disappeared and a new one popped up above the anvil.
[Anything requiring metal/metallic substances can be crafted here.]
I frowned and asked, "How do I actually craft? Is it like-?"
[Walk up to one of these three things and a screen will show up, showing exactly what you can make, how much material it'll cost, and how many of said item you can make. Also, if you have a material that is in a recipe but don't have enough or all the materials, the item it makes will appear but be unavailable.]
I blinked, shocked. "I – Wow, that's extremely generous and simple. Seriously?"
[Yeah, there used to be a whole – ass system for crafting but I honestly can't be bothered right now. So yeah, easy.]
I laughed and said, "I ain't complaining! Thanks for this!"
I knew what what I wanted, so I walked over to the workbench. The moment I did, fifteen different items appeared, all relating to honey and wasps. Scrolling through the selection, I finally picked what I wanted. "A new armor set!" I revealed, and crafted the Honey Wasp Set.
[Honey Wasp Helmet]
+3 Defense
A yellow and brown helmet that covers the entire head, styled in the fashion of a Honey Wasp face. Honestly kind of gross looking.
[Honey Wasp Chestplate]
+5 Defense
A chestplate made entirely out of Honey Wasp stingers, wax, and mandibles. Surprisingly smooth too.
[Honey Wasp Leggings]
+4 Defense
A pair of leggings fitted in the style of the abdomen of a Honey Wasp. Striped Yellow and brown, these bad boys look kinda hideous!
Smiling, I equipped them and glanced at my Armor tab.
Jin's Armor
Head: Honey Wasp Helmet (Hidden!)
Neck: None (Hide?)
Body: Honey Wasp Chestplate (Hidden!)
Arms: None (Hide?)
Hands: None (Hide?)
Waist: None (Hide?)
Legs: Honey Wasp Leggings (Hidden!)
Feet: None (Hide?)
Accessory 1: Discount Card (Hide?)
Accessory 2: None (Hide?)
Accessory 3: None (Hide?)
Total Defense: 22
I smiled. Despite wearing three new pieces of armor, I didn't feel them at all, thanks to the Hide function. This was super useful! Plus, it counted my Marine outfit too, just like in the One Punch world. Hell yeah!
Dismissing my armor tab, I browsed all the different things I could create. I drained almost all of my Stingers, Wax, and Mandibles, but I still had some pretty valuable items from the Royal Wasps and the Queen. However, three things caught my attention more than anything.
[Royal Honey Blade]
Attack Power: 20 + STRx1.3
A one-handed sword created through the extermination of the Royal Honey Wasp's, this blade is made from the Mandibles and Shells of the strongest Honey Wasps. This blade's most dangerous bit is the end, which is barbed like a stinger.
The sword was funny looking, truth be told. A dark blue blade with some barbs at the tip, a dark yellow hilt, and an orange grip, the weapon looked like it came straight from a fantasy book.
"Then again, I guess I am in a fantasy book. Hm."
While it's smaller base damage was something to note, the increased multiplier was better. As I was right now, my Platinum sword dealt 191 damage while the Royal Honey Blade dealt 199. Going further, the higher my strength stat would grow, the bigger the gap there would be. So overall, an upgrade!
I crafted it and placed it in my inventory, now ready to be pulled out for action at anytime.
The next item was equally special, catching my attention.
[Honey-Dipped Rifle]
Attack Power: 50
Every attack hit will heal User for 5% of damage dealt.
A standard rifle with the barrel coated in Royal Honey. This somehow makes it able to heal anyone who fires this thing. I don't get it either.
I shrugged and crafted it. If I was ever in a pickle, I could use it to give a little health back. Not the best weapon, but still pretty interesting!
Finally, the last item that REALLY caught my attention.
[Bug Wings]
Equipment
Flight Time: 30 seconds
Once equipped, User can fly for 30 seconds. User will no longer take fall damage.
Light, gross, and weirdly transparent, these insectoid wings will allow you to fly as high as you want! Only for like, 30 seconds though. They also buzz when used.
As much as I'd like to fly, I was missing a crucial component: a material called "Essence of Flight." It was a shame, but I guess flying was a little too powerful for this early in the game.
With my weapons and armor upgraded, I decided to finally do something smart: plan. I walked back up to the deck and pulled up my mafia take-down Quest.
[Family Business]
Objective:
1. Clear out the remnants of the Five Great Families! (0/5)
a. Wipe out the Capone Family! (0/1)
b. Wipe out the Regula Family! (0/1)
c. Wipe out the Chic Family! (0/1)
d. Wipe out the Blod Family! (0/1)
e. Wipe out the Cip Family! (0/1)
Rewards:
1. 10,000 EXP, 5x Standard Gacha Coin, +500,000 Currency, Title [Gang Destroyer]
a. 3,000 EXP, +100,000 Currency, Capone Family Crest
b. 2,000 EXP, +200,000 Currency, Regula Family Crest
c. 2,000 EXP, 1x Standard Gacha Coin, +100,000 Currency, Chic Family Crest
d. 2,000 EXP, +1 Ship Room Upgrade, +50,000 Currency, Blod Family Crest
e. 1,000 EXP, 2x Standard Gacha Coins, +50,000 Currency, Cip Family Crest
Failure:
The Five Families continue their gang wars and territory disputes. Countless innocents die.
Description:
Alright, this family feud has gone on long enough! Someone needs to wipe out these gangs once and for all, and that someone is you! Wipe out these five Families, and your name will go down in West Blue history!
God, seven whole gacha coins… my mouth was watering! First things first, I-
[Hey, real quick, you never got the rewards for becoming a Petty Officer.]
I blinked in surprise. "Really?"
[Well, I mean, I was gonna give it to you right as you woke up today, but you didn't give me anytime before you went out the door. Next thing I know, you've already done so much in such little time that I nearly forgot!]
My eyebrows scrunched together, I asked, "You… nearly forgot?"
[Haha, yeah.]
"I – Well, uh… Lay them on me, I guess?" I requested, a little confused.
[You got it.]
[+650 EXP!]
[+155,000 Currency!]
[+2x Standard Gacha Coins!]
I smiled in surprise. "Oh shit, more gacha coins! Exactly what I was drooling over!" I grabbed them and broke them immediately. Both items appeared in my inventory, and I quickly used Observe on them.
[Hot Hands] Common
+2 Defense
A pair of gray fire-retardant gloves.
You know, they're pretty fuckin' thick. Could be used for more than just fire.
[The Horseman's Blade] Legendary
Attack Power: 500 + STRx5
Summons homing burning jacks that deal 50% Attack Power on hit.
What was once a normal blade, the amount of fear, anguish, and death caused by it's owner formed the weapon into a nightmarish blade that sings when it spills blood. Rumors say that every time a person is cut by this blade, a burning pumpkin rains down from the skies to hunt down the injured to finish the job.
For a while, I simply stared at the weapon in silence. I slowly and robotically equipped the Hot Hands and hid then, all the while staring at the icon in my inventory.
Well, I guess I didn't need to make that new sword. Throw all the shit about which one is better OUT THE WINDOW! HOLY FUCKING SHIT I GOT ANOTHER LEGENDARY!
[+1 Reputation with !#$%]
[How the FUCK do you keep getting shit like this?! It's been AGES since someone got two Legendary items practically back to back! Hot damn!]
"I genuinely don't know." Why couldn't Jet get this luck?! I already had the Seastone bullets, and now my sword is fucking powerful too!? "God I really am a gambling addict. If I keep getting shit like this, I'll fucking pray to the Gacha GODS! I believe in them now!"
[Seriously, I'm stunned. It's not the rarest quality, that's what the UltraCoins are, but the fact that you've been in this world for less than a month and got TWO LEGENDARY ITEMS is absolutely astounding. Your luck is genuinely incredible!]
I could do nothing but laugh. "I guess dumping all my points into Luck really does help, even if it doesn't seem like it!"
After that… experience, I had to reorganize my thoughts. First things first, examine The Horseman's Blade. I pulled it out of my inventory to properly examine it, and man, it was one menacing blade. The blade itself was made out of some kind of orange metal that caused it to glow faintly, with it slowly turning to a forest green as it got closer to the hilt. The hilt itself appeared to be made out of a type of wood, colored dark purple. Finally, the grip and handle was pitch black with a small orange jewel in the pommel, and it was extremely comfortable to hold. Overall, it was a very beautiful sword and I was ecstatic to wield it in a proper fight. I couldn't wait!
The whole thing was surprisingly light too. It felt like nothing in my hand, yet when I gave it a couple test swings, I could practically feel the air itself getting sliced. I was stunned at how incredible it was. I really did hit the jackpot!
"Alright, let's try this bad boy out for real!" I then began to practice with the sword in full, going through all the swings I learned while I was in Savosweet as well as just swinging the blade in various ways and angles. I got so absorbed by it, three whole hours passed and I didn't even notice. What snapped me out of my trance was a ding from the System.
[Sword Mastery has leveled up!]
I blinked out of my trance, surprised that time had passed so quickly. "Guess I should actually think things through now…" I muttered, before sighing and putting the Horseman's Blade in my inventory. I slapped my face with both hands and mumbled, "Alright. Plans."
The obvious first place to hit was the Capone Family. The strongest members of the family – Capone Bege, Gotti, and Vito – were all in the Grand Line. Now, that didn't mean that the rest of the Capone Family was powerless without them, not by a long shot, but it was obviously the least powerful. Hell, there's might only be a total of five people in the West Blue under the Capones for all I knew. So it was the easy first choice.
Next… I didn't know. I had zero idea about all the other Families. The best thing I got was that the Regula Family was either the richest or the strongest since they were buddies with Mind and Whiler. So… probably keep them for last.
That was it. Destroy the Capone Family first, and destroy the Regula Family last! Easier said than done, sure, but anything worth fighting for isn't easy. "Oh well!" I yelled, before pulling out my sword. "Might as well practice while I head to the next island!"
[…Do you even have a map?]
I paused. "I thought the navigation room has maps?"
[Yeah…no. It has a bunch of tools for navigating, yes, but… no maps.]
"…Oh." After a minute of silence, I sighed. "Guess we'll just have to see where the ocean takes me." With that said, I began swinging my sword once more. I needed to level up my Mastery!
[Sword Mastery has leveled up 2 times!]
Seven hours. Seven hours of just letting the wind take me as I trained, and I still didn't see any sign of life. No boats, no islands, nothing.
During the seven hours, I trained and further explored the ship. The kitchen was fully stocked (and the Game gave me a note about food never expiring as long as it was in the kitchen, neat) and ready to be used. The navigation room had a compass, rudder controls, and even a built-in set of pipes that could be yelled into that distributed around the entire ship. The prison was empty and the bars used to contain criminals was made out of seastone (this was seriously a lucky pull, holy hell) so that no one escaped, and each cell had a comfortable bed and a small toilet. Finally, the Captain's Room had everything I needed. A window seat right under the bow of the ship, letting me get a beautiful view of what was ahead, as well as a desk right in front of it, so I could always turn around and enjoy the view. The rest of the room was pretty bare-bones though, with a single wooden shelf and a single couch on each side, but it wasn't a big deal. I could always customize it when I desired.
With that wall of text out of the way, I decided that the next thing I needed to do was to get a crewmate! And what better way to grab a certified companion than using my companion crystals?! Thankfully, unlike the companion crystals I received in the One Punch Man world, the ones I had obtained in this world were low level, a single C-Rank and a single B-Rank, so even if they didn't want to be apart of my crew, I could just dump them on an island and be done with them. Maybe visit them every now and again after my own quests, right? Right!
With that in mind, I decided to choose the B-Rank Companion Crystal, since they'd be tougher than the average civilian, but they wouldn't be able to overpower me. Or at least, they SHOULDN'T be able to.
Decision made, I pulled out the B-Rank Companion Crystal and smashed it. A bright light shone, blinded me, and when it faded someone was laying on the ground in front of me. I immediately used Observe on them.
Bio
Name: Ozaki
Title: Demon Slayer
Age: 18
Sex: F
Height: 5'6"
Hair: Black
Eyes: Dark Blue
Likes: Camaraderie, Sushi, and Bears
Dislikes: Demons, Isolation, Losing control
HP: 1,050/1,050
Level: 20
Reputation/Affection: [0/100]
Your Relation: Doesn't Know You
Description: Raised in a small village, Ozaki's life was changed over night when a horde of demons came through, massacring all of the village residents but her. Fueled by her hatred of demons and a burning determination to protect the innocent, she joined the Demon Slayer Corps, became an official Demon Slayer, and began to learn the Water Breathing Style. However, she tragically lost her life after being manipulated to kill her comrades by a demon. After experiencing true death though, Ozaki's will has changed, and she now desires the strength to protect herself and the one's she cares for, no matter what.
A Demon Slayer, huh? A pretty low-leveled one too… Perfect!
The first thing I noticed was what she was wearing. A black long-sleeve jacket with white buttons and collar, a white belt, black baggy pants folded into thick white socks, and a pair of black sandals adorned her. On her back was the single character "metsu," or in other words, "extermination".
Looking at her outfit, I couldn't help but whistle in admiration. The Demon Slayers had some style! Compared to my standard sailor uniform, I actually felt under-dressed!
It was then I noticed the sword on her hip and immediately hit it with an Observe.
[Nichirin Sword]
Attack Power: 50 + STRx2
Also known as the "Color Changing Katana," this blade was crafted by the finest sword-smiths in Japan with Scarlet Crimson Sand and Scarlet Ore, both of which were found on Sunlight Mountain, a mountain bathed in sunlight all day year round. Imbued with the sunlight themselves, this sword is the bane of all demons. It's also known to change color depending on the skill of it's use.
Well, that's a damn fine sword!
"Wha… Where…?"
I blinked. Oh, right. There was a person attached to the clothes and weapon. Turning my attention to Ozaki, she was looking around confused when she finally laid eyes on me. Immediately, she jumped up and put a hand on her sword, tense.
"Where am I?!" She cried, eyebrows furrowed and frown on her face. "Where is everyone else?!" She was tense, confused, and it seemed like she hadn't sleep in days, given the bags under her eyes. She was glancing around wildly, trying to understand how she was on a boat when her last memories were in a forest. "Where are the demons? The Demon Slayers?!"
Without hesitation, I said, "You died." She instantly froze, eyes widening to saucers. "In the forest, you were forced under the control of a family of demons and killed your comrades, unable to stop yourself. Am I wrong?" She started shaking, her face rapidly paling, but I continued, "And right when you thought you were saved, you were killed. Neck snapped, and it was over. Right?"
She fell to her knees, grip on her sword going slack. Her eyes were wide as tears fell, seeing something that I couldn't. "I… No, I didn't…"
I walked over until I was right in front of her before kneeling down. I softly grabbed her hand and asked, "And after that… there was nothing. Just… darkness, right? Then, you were here. Right?" Seeing her barely nod, I said, "I'm just like you." I grabbed her hand and added, "I died too, all alone, without any way of getting help." She finally focused on me, a mix of understanding, pity, and confusion on her face as tears continued to fall, her mouth slightly open in shock. "But, there's one thing I know." I pulled her close and gave her a tight hug, eyes closed. "It's over."
I felt her confusion. "What?"
"It's over." I repeated, and while I knew she still had many questions, I think she figured out what I meant.
"It… it is?" She asked, voice tinged with despair, hope, and disbelief.
"Yep."
And that was it.
She hugged back, as tight as she possibly could, and began crying. "I WAS S-S-SO S-SCARED!"
"I know."
"I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE!" She wailed to the skies, all her negative emotions pouring out.
I rubbed my hand up and down her back as she wailed, letting her despair and misery finally out into the world. "You did as much as you can. Good work."
She continued to cry and apologize, mourning her village, her comrades, and her family for around half an hour. She cried and howled in misery and despair, and I stayed with her, whispering soft affirmations to make sure she understood that everything truly was over.
She had died.
"I'm sorry… So so sorry… I tried so hard… I'm sorry…!" Even after the tears stopped, she continued to mutter apologies and half-formed sentences. We stayed like that for a while, before she eventually passed out in my arms.
I gave a sigh and picked her up. "Guess I'll take her to a room…" I muttered, before making my way towards an empty bedroom.
The sun was beginning to set when I heard Ozaki. I was practicing with my new gun – the Big Kill – slowly getting accustomed to it, when I heard the door to the deck creak open. Without turning around, I asked, "Feel any better?"
She didn't answer.
"I understand." I continued, "If you'd like me to drop you off at an island, I could." I fired a bullet into the ocean, firing at an imaginary target. The bang was loud enough to suppress the noise of the crashing waves for an instant, before the sounds of the sea took over once more. "My name is Jin Tetari." I introduced myself, back still to her. "I'm a Marine. Someone who carries out justice and protects the innocent." I heard her finally take a step closer. "But truth be told, the organization is pretty corrupt. I'm just using their name to travel the world with some backing." Another bout of silence, so I kept going. "Of course, that doesn't mean I'm gonna ignore when someone is in danger, far from it. If I feel like something's wrong, I'll step in and deal with the consequences. Does that make sense?"
"…What is your version of wrong?" She asked, her voice barely above the waves.
I finally turned to her, a smile on my face. "Guess you'll have to find out."
She had her hair down, I noted. She was a little pale too, most likely realizing that she's in an odd predicament. "…Where am I?" And yet, her eyes still blazed, a defiance in them that I respected.
"In a new world," I answered. "One completely different from yours. With new technology, new races, and new locations."
Unwavering, she asked, "Why did you save me?"
I shrugged. "I didn't."
She furrowed her brows, confused. "What?"
"You were lucky," I explained. "I have the power to occasionally call people to this world, but I am unable to control who I'm summoning and where they are in their lives." I gave a smirk. "You were just lucky enough to be chosen." I paused and rectified, "Or unlucky enough, I suppose. It depends on the person."
She absorbed everything I said and asked, "Then… all the people I killed…?"
I shrugged. "I dunno. But," I walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, "In the end, there exists something after death. You standing here right now confirms it, yeah?" She nodded, so I speculated, "I'm sure your fallen friends and family are having their own new adventures, or perhaps just relaxing and enjoying their afterlives." I offered a smile. "That makes sense, right?"
"Or…" She began, "They're watching me right now…" Her eyes widened and she suddenly looked towards the sky, hope finally in her eyes once more. "I see… I see!" She whirled back to me, eyes wide and fierce. "What are your plans for this world?"
I shrugged. "Take over the world, I guess?"
The wind was immediately taken out of her sails and she deflated slightly, visibly confused. "What?"
I scratched the back of my head and sheepishly admitted, "Truth be told, I got here less than a week ago. Plus, it's my first time doing something like this, so my best guess is becoming the leader of this world or something. I'm still figuring it all out, I guess." I laughed and said, "But I'm doing it all the way I want to!"
She finally cracked a small smile and asked, "So that's it, huh?"
I nodded, visibly proud. "Damn right! I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm gonna do it how I wanna! So don't get in my way, you hear?!"
She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Should a soldier of justice really be saying such ridiculous things…?"
I laughed and asked, "Why not?! There's a whole world out there, ready to be explored! I might as well explore it how I want to!"
Looking away, amusement in her eyes, she asked, "You don't have a plan at all, do you?"
I nodded. "Pretty much! And I'd like it if you'd be with me!"
[+5 Reputation with Ozaki!]
Smiling, she laughed, "You don't even know my name!"
Watching her finally open up, I smiled back. "Well, let's do a proper introduction then; My name is Jin Tetari." I stuck out my hand and said, "And I want to turn this world on it's head and having fun while I do."
[+5 Reputation with Ozaki!]
Her dark brown eyes looking into mine, she grabbed my hand and introduced herself. "I'm Ozaki, former Demon Slayer. Before everything, I fought against demons to make sure that others wouldn't share my fate. Now… I just want to be strong enough to never lose anyone again." She gave a small and watery smile as we shook. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jin Tetari."
I raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, does that mean you wanna join my crew?"
She nodded and said, "For now. Consider this something like a test trial, alright?"
I laughed and we let go of each other. "Sounds like a plan! Welcome to my crew, even if it's temporarily!"
She gave a small chuckle. "Thanks Captain. So, where are we going?"
"No clue," I immediately answered.
Her face lost all amusement. Her face lost all emotion entirely. She turned to me, eyes filled with a type of emptiness that one would see from an old veteran soldier. The kind of look that one would see in their grandfathers who fought in a war and never truly left the battlefield all those decades later. One where a man saw their best friend die in their hands, or witnessed their platoon wiped out, leaving them the last one. "I can't go on," the look would scream, "I can't forgive myself for surviving." She had the look of a man who was never given the proper help he needed, where every night he's still tormented by the nightmares of his comrades falling, his superiors leaving, and his friends disappearing, never to be heard from again.
"Where are they?" Her face asks. "What happened to the ones I promised I would die for? Are they still alive after they were sent away, to fight at another front line? Will I ever see them again?" Her face was one of loss, shock, and numbness. Where uncertainty and dread mix together into a deadly concoction of misery, consuming her entirely.
"Yeah," I chuckled, "I was practically forced out to sea without a map. So were just drifting until we find something or someone, I guess. We have plenty of food though!"
She sighed. "I resign."
Shocked, I asked, "So soon?!" And we continued to bicker and laugh at each other until the sun fell, the ocean whisking us away to our next adventure.
I couldn't wait!
AN: And scene!
Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with this everyone, I really appreciate it! Game Breaker has been a journey so far, and I've loved every bit of it! Still do!
I did notice that I've been making longer and longer chapters though. My intention in doing so is to give each world enough content, so to say. One shouldn't have more focus and care than the other, you know? As proud as I am, writing this much for a single chapter is… a lot of effort. I'm thinking that from now on, if a chapter is gonna end up too long, I'll split it into two easier to digest chunks. Part 1 for one world, Part 2 for the other. Makes sense, yeah?
Also, what do you guys think of Echo and Ozaki? Do you think they're good additions? Bad? I would like you all to give your thoughts on them! I had a blast writing both of them, and I genuinely believe that the occasional "outside characters" would be a fun and exciting way to shake up the stories!
Also, can you believe Jin's luck? I was genuinely surprised he got another Legendary, and so soon! When I initially made my gacha list, I rolled a hundred times to see if the percentages were out of wack, and I never got a Legendary! I figured I'd even need to increase the chances of them, but I guess my luck only decided to work when I actually started the story! I was so shocked!
Finally, one last reminder, my Gacha sheets and companion crystal sheet are up on my pay-tree-on, completely free! Go on and take them if you wish, go crazy! I had a blast making them, so I would be honored if you guys used my sheets (or even just an item or character or two) for your own creations! My name is the same here, TheOneAndOnlyBanana!
That's all I can think of for now. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and have a good one!
Thank for reading!