I was… admittedly a little too excited to sleep well last night. I try to keep these emotions in check, but actual training with an expert is something I've been wanting to do since the moment I got my magic.

I woke up very early, at six in the morning, quickly woke my mom up, who took thirty damned minutes to get up, then headed straight to wherever we're supposed to be training. School starts at 8:30, so we have a solid two-hour training session before we can leave.

I debated whether I should reveal my ID-Create, but thankfully she had a place. It wasn't that close, but not very far either. Took us around 25 minutes to arrive there on foot. Mizuki explained a little about herself, or more accurately, her relationship with the Tojo.

Turns out I was right. My father wasn't a regular grunt, but a patriarch of a powerful family. He was so respected that everyone under him bowed in his presence, though he didn't necessarily care if they did or not.

She said that he was very loyal to the clan, but when he had me, he left it to raise me alongside my mother. He thought that being too close with the Tojo would endanger me in some way.

I wanted to ask how he died, since being a lieutenant must mean he was powerful but had to drop the conversation since we arrived. It… didn't look as good as I thought it would.

I take a look around the 'training grounds' my mother chose: an abandoned warehouse where the lights keep flickering and dust everywhere you lay your eyes on. I scratch my cheek, and while I do agree that it's a nice, hidden place to train in, it's not… really optimal.

I grimace as I see a rat scurry over to the other side of the place, then turn my gaze to my mother. "So how did you find this place?"

"A friend's recommendation." She shrugs.

"Right…" I mutter. "And how are you sure the devils won't be able to sense what we're doing?"

"Because our friends are making sure of it." She smiles. "Magic concealing technology is pretty up-to-date. Not even the most magically attuned individuals will be able to sense us."

"Right, the Yakuza." I nod and was a little interested in what she said. "So they have technology?"

"Yep. Unlike other races, humanity isn't very good at magic. A few geniuses here and there, but nothing special to devil heirs or angels." She explained. "So instead of magic, they decided to improve their technology instead, seeing that Sacred Gears are fairly rare. Weapons, armor, other useful gadgets - all the good stuff you see in Sci-Fi movies and games."

"Well, if that's the case, then why bother in magic training?" I ask, genuinely curious. "Wouldn't it be better to switch to tech instead? We're human, after all."

Mizuki stares silently for a second then answers. "Not… fully."

I freeze, my brows furrowing a second later, almost not believing what I heard. Not fully? Not fully human, shemeans?

"What?

"We're humans, that's true," Mizuki confirms. "But we have a little Yokai blood in us."

...But I chose human in the selection menu. What's the meaning of this? I didn't choose anything else - just a regular human. Did the system malfunction or something? Was the choice an illusion, and the game ignored what I wanted for… whatever reason?

Can I get an explanation, please?

You are a human.

Yeah, but I thought I was fully human, with no blood from different races. What's up with that?

Choosing human never specifies what sort of heritage you'll have.

I-...

Huh...

"Oi, Akaneee." My mother waves her hand in front of my face. "You just spaced out all of a sudden. Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, sorry," I reply, still confused.

"Heh, must be pretty shocking, right?" She grins. "Don't worry, your yokai blood is pretty weak, all things considered. I doubt you'll have trouble controlling your powers like I once had."

"That's reassuring, I guess." I sigh. "So what Yokai specifically?"

"A Yuki-no-Onna!" She says with gusto. "A very powerful one at that."

I blink, narrowing my eyes in thought. Alright, this is all oddly specific. Has it always been like this?

...Now that I think about it, some of the stuff I got in the selection menu has always been a part of this life somewhat.

As a kid, and even now, everything I picked up I was able to learn and master quite easily, from singing to playing the guitar, even brawling. It's all so oddly familiar to the Rising Star perk effects. I've also had no issues making friends - I've always drawn other people to me with ease, even if I act like a loner most of the time. Friendly Face perk.

Sin of Wrath can be explained by my short temper and my almost always picking fights. Yeah, connecting the stuff I got to what I went through in this life makes sense, so ice magic somehow leading to Yuki-Onna ancestry is plausible I think.

So... back then I wasn't making a 'character'.

I was making my own life.

5 Reputation with The Game [8/10]

Correct. You are quite sharp.

Heh. Wasn't that hard to figure out if I'm being honest. The dots were there, I just needed to connect them.

"So is that why we have ice magic specifically?" I ask.

"Yeah. Unlike human magic, we retain our ancestor's special magic instead." She explains. "Regular humans have to use calculations. Regular Yokai use something called Youjutsu, and we have Magic that is similar to Demonic Magic called Ancient Youjutsu, though much stronger.."

"How so?"

"Well, first off, Ancient Youjutsu is extremely rare, even to Yokai, as it cannot be learned or taught. It's purely hereditary." Mizuki answers. "It's almost lost to history at this point, but very few are able to use it. Devils, on the other hand, are almost all born with Demonic Magic, even reincarnated ones.

"Devil Magic has an emphasis on imagination. Anyone who has a vast imagination and a good pool of magic is bound to be powerful." She continues. "And while Ancient Youjutsu tends to also need imagination and a good power source, most of their magical power stems from one thing."

All of this is genuinely interesting to learn. It's always good to know your weaknesses and strengths. What makes your enemy strong or weak. I knew that Yokai relied on Ki from my metaknowledge, but I didn't know they had their own special brand of magic until this point.

"And that is…?"

"Emotions." She crosses her arms. "Some emotions affect our magic. For example, being angry increases your power, being confident makes your spells sharper and better, and being afraid does the opposite of those."

"If I'm happy?"

"Nothing grand. You simply feel better while casting." She shakes her head. "Not all emotions show a vast difference. In fact, I doubt being angry would help you now."

"Huh?" I raise a brow in confusion. "Why? I thought I use Ancient Youjutsu. Why won't that apply to me?"

"Well, mostly because your heritage hasn't shown up yet." My mother says. "Though seeing as there's still Yokai blood in you, you're still able to use regular Youjutsu rather than human magic."

"Well… that's disappointing." I sigh. "I guess Youjutsu is similar to Devil Magic, then? Without the emotion-boost benefit?"

"Yup." She confirms. "Those two are barely different from each other, though Youjutsu isn't as versatile."

"I'm stuck with the weakest one, then."

"U-uh, no? There's still human magic…?" She grimaces slightly. "I mean, maybe you're a late bloomer?"

"When did your heritage show?"

"...w-when I was six?"

I look at her in bemusement as she chuckles nervously. I sigh and rub my neck, asking another question. "Let's say that I am a late bloomer. How do I know when it shows itself?"

"Hmm, well the most visible mark would be your eyes and hair." She replies. "Your pupils will change color to light blue, and your hair will have white-to-light blue streaks."

"Right, so why are you missing those signs?"

"I-I uh…" She gulps, unable to meet my eyes as she steps back. "Well…"

Oh great, another secret. I know being nice and understanding is necessary to increase my affection with her, but this is really starting to get on my nerves.

I cool myself down. "Whatever, let's start practicing already. We rambled on long enough."

"Oh yeah, sure. Let's start off with the first spell you learned." Mizuki clears her throat as I comply.

I create an Ice Needle hovering over my palm, showing it to her as she squints her eyes in thought. "Not really powerful, but it's the first thing I made."

"Yeah, this is fairly average for a first spell, all things considered." She nods. "Okay, now the strongest spell."

I dispel the needle and cast a bullet from the tip of my finger. Mizuki tilts her head slightly, confused from what I can see. "Could this be a bullet?"

"Yup," I confirm, shooting a nearby crate. "It's pretty strong, though it takes a lot more than the needle."

"Heh, a bullet spell is pretty advanced, y'know. Seeing that you can effortlessly cast it is pretty impressive." She notes with an approving smile. "Though, it's pretty rough. There's a lot of room for improvement, even for the needle. Show me another spell."

I shrug and cast a spear this time. "How about this?"

"Hm…" She hums, looking at my spell thoughtfully. "I can tell that making spells isn't hard for you, is it?"

"Eh, well, not really," I answer. "Usually takes about less than a minute. Any reason?"

"Hm, well, do you notice how rough they are?" She looks at me. "While yes, you are making advanced spells, they're fairly crude. You don't take time to refine them and they come out weaker than they're supposed to."

"Eh?" I blink in surprise. "Really?"

"Mhm, they're definitely good spells, but not as great as they could be." She nods. "How about we spend time refining what you have? I would teach you new spells, but you already have an advanced technique. Let's improve them, then we can learn the good stuff."

"...Sure, I suppose that makes sense." I agree. Won't say no to better versions of my spells. "So what do I need to do?"

"When casting a spell, you must have a clear image of what you're casting. Simply thinking 'spear' will result in an incomplete spell, like what you have right now." She explains. "Take your time, focus on your magic flow, and don't rush. Magic is a calm energy source, like a flowing river. Disrupting the calmness of it ends up with you having a harder time to control it."

I take her words to heart and close my eyes to focus, recasting the spear but slower this time. I do the same as I always do, but add more magic.

"No, no. That's overcharging your spell, not refining it." She says. "Don't fuel your spell with magic too fast. Give it some time, slowly pour your magic into it instead."

I sigh and do that, the image of a spear getting clearer in my head as seconds go by. It was a stranger feeling than usual - I feel even less mana being taken from me, yet the spell feels… better. Easier to cast, somehow.

"That's it." My mother quips. "Just a little longer. You're a very good learner."

I feel a smile creep up on my face, then slowly open my eyes to the final product. A notification from the game takes my attention for a little, and I couldn't be happier to see it. Spells really can be improved, and it's so easy too.

[Cryomancy: Ice Spear+4] - Spell

A basic, yet fairly decent spell used by almost every Cryomancer out there. A sharp, strong spear, reliable in taking down many different kinds of foes. Incredibly deadly when used by a very skilled Cryomancer.

Deals 200 + INTx2.9 Ice Damage

Costs 150 MP

A bit stronger and costs less. Definitely can see the benefits of refining spells, seeing how easy it is to do. The wings especially need an upgrade later once I get the time. I'd show it to Mizuki, but I feel like a spell that is complicated will make her suspicious. Maybe later once I'm more 'skilled'.

The Magic Control upgrade quest mentioned evolving a spell, but this doesn't seem to be it. I suppose it makes sense, evolving something implies a significant change, not a little damage boost.

"That's… wow, well done." She says in surprise. "You've refined it better than I expected. Much better."

"Now that I know the right way to do it, it's easy." I shrug, dispelling the spear. "So I just do the same to every other spell, right?"

"Yup."

"And do I gotta refine it until I can't anymore, or what?" I ask, hopefully getting an answer.

"Well…" She hums in thought, prompting me to lean closer. "There are other ways where you can improve spells, but it amounts to changing it. More like making a new spell than anything."

Could this be the evolution thing?

"And how do I do that?"

"Woah there, don't get too ahead of yourself. You're still a beginner," Mizuki replies with a shrug. "It's not possible until you've fully refined your spell, otherwise it'll end up as a failure, and you might hurt yourself."

"Oh?" I raise my brow in intrigue. "Can you explain a little more?"

"Of course. It isn't the same as refining, as this way of improving a spell could be different from person to person. For example, I once turned my Ice Spear spell into an Ice Trident instead, while another person could turn it into an Ice Halberd.

"In the end, that part of magic relies a lot on imagination and concentration." She continues. "Now, changing a spell doesn't mean you can't use the previous stage, it simply means you have a stronger, but more costly version of it. That's the gist of it, really."

"So can I change my spear spell into an axe or something?" I ask. "Or does it not work?"

"You can't exactly call it 'improving a spell' if it's wildly different." She chuckles. "To simplify it: you must use the previous stage as a base for the changed spell."

"Ah, yeah, that makes sense." I nod. So refine a spell to the max then evolve it I think. "I think I got my answers now. I'll keep refining my spells today, maybe we can start evolving them tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." Mizuki agrees with a smile. "And when we're done with that, I can teach you some special tricks I know."

"Heh, looking forward to it," I respond with a grin.

All this has been very helpful. I've never gotten her help, I might've never learned about skill refining and evolution until much later on. It's definitely useful to know about it so early, seeing my Rising Star perk making it easy to learn and comprehend new stuff, so mastering them shouldn't be much trouble.

I can and will apply all of this to my wings in the dungeon once I'm done with school. I realize that going to dungeons during lunch break is pretty risky, so maybe whenever I lose whoever is following me I can enter it.

Better at home, too. Maybe when my mother leaves the house to do some stuff, or when she's asleep. Improving my AoE spells will make it easy to clean up the annoying archers whenever I restart earlier waves.

I give it a week of this and I'll be ready to deal with the Fallen, probably.

I stare at the classroom door, not looking forward to the reactions I'll be getting once I enter. I made a huge spectacle yesterday - I've probably earned another shitty nickname because of it. I don't regret what I did, I just hoped I was a little discreet about it. Maybe followed one of them home and beat the shit out of him in an alley or something.

Instead, I lost my shit and practically screamed "Hey, look at how violent I could be! Better not interact with me! Teehee!" as I grated one guy's face like it's cheese. Now everyone's gonna name me the 'human grater' or the 'balls crusher'.

Then my mother's gonna pick up on it and make fun of me for it until the day I die.

God fucking damn it.

I sigh. Oh well, all this is nothing more than mild annoyance if I'm being honest. Seeing where my life is headed, I'm pretty sure I won't have to deal with it a lot. Maybe. Hopefully. I think.

At least I've made good progress in today's training. Most of my spells are at +5 now, apparently the final level for some spells. For example, I was able to increase the spear spell up to 7+, but my lower-ranked Ice Skin spell can't go above 5+. So some spells have higher limits than others.

My spells feel a lot sharper and easier to use. Refining spells is pretty important I've discovered, even more so than making new ones. It's quality over quantity. You can have one spell that one-shots rather than a hundred spells that only damage a bit.

Better yet, a hundred spells that can all one-shot.

I've gotten a couple of ideas for evolutions too. I think I can improve Ice Skin to Ice Flesh or something, a defensive spell is a must-have seeing how low my HP is. Ice Skin wasn't really helpful in the dungeon all that much since it shatters easily.

I'm gonna improve my more advanced spells, like the repeater and wings while in a dungeon. From the description, those are supposed to be far above my level, and Mizuki might notice that something was odd. Hell, I got the wing spell from a gacha, I didn't make it myself.

I shake my head. I can brainstorm later, I have a class to attend.

The door slides open, everyone stopping what they were doing as they all lay their eyes on me. I scan the classroom, my eyes narrowing at Issei who flinches, quickly redirecting his gaze to something else. Haruka smiles softly and Ichiban nods in greeting.

The teacher wasn't here yet, and just as I closed the door behind me, almost every student there cheered. I flinch, not expecting the reaction as the female students approach me, thanking me profusely or asking me questions.

I was admittedly stunned, barely able to answer their questions as some shake my hand. I blink a few times, slowly enjoying the positive attention I'm getting. I finally smile as I understood why there's so much positive response, the opposite of what I expected.

"You have no idea how much those perverts harass us!" A girl says. "They take pictures of us changing, peek at us, and even tried to grope me a few times!"

"Oh, no, I did what any other girl here would do." I try to be humble.

"We've tried scaring them off more than once, but they always come back!" Another states. "I think you got the message across when we couldn't. Thank you so much, Amamiya-san! You're our knight in shining armor!"

Heh, this might not be so bad after all. I'd be lying if I said I don't like the attention, much different from what I'm used to.

"It's alright. I'm happy to help."

"Too bad this one here didn't suffer." One glares at Issei, who looks away uncomfortably. "Maybe we should finish the job."

"Any more would be overkill I think." I shrug, trying to gain an even more positive rep. "To be honest, I feel a little bad. I might have overdone it. I didn't mean to send them to the hospital."

10 Reputation with Issei Hyoudou [-5/100]

Oh wow, he believed me?

"You're too kind, Amamiya-san!" A student praises. "To think you'd feel sympathy for horrible people like them... You're like a princess straight out of a fairy tale!"

This immediately raised a fuckton of flags. Oh, I know where this is going, and I do not like it one bit. Please be wrong. I don't want another title.

"I-is that so?" My smile slowly turns into a grimace as I try to somehow change the subject. "Well, I appreciate the kind words but I think the teacher is-"

"That's it, you're the princess of the school!" Oh no. "Akane Amamiya-san, the Princess Knight of Kuoh Academy!"

...So when's Kokabiel gonna destroy the school?

I feel a vein in my forehead threatening to pop as I spot Ichi puff his cheeks, trying so hard to not laugh. Princess Knight alludes to something not very nice - I've scoured the internet a lot, it was fate that I'd stumble upon that considering my interests in anime and games.

And from Ichiban's reaction, he knows what it is too. My hands ball into a fist as I calm my nerves before I do something I regret. None of the girls seem to notice my inner conflict as I politely cut them off.

"Please never call me that," I say with a cold smile. "I feel undeserving of such a grandiose title. Either call me Amamiya or Akane."

"But-"

"I insist." I hiss.

Some of the girls finally notice, flinching as they nod frantically. Others didn't and just blinked in response, almost trying to convince me. Thankfully, the teacher enters the classroom and tells everyone to get to their seats.

I sigh deeply as I sit down, Ichi still trying hard to not laugh.

"Mention what happened here and I'll end your bloodline," I promise coldly, making him choke on his spit.

"I-I won't. I promise." He mutters. "...so you know what it is, too. Didn't think you'd be into that stuff, Akane."

"What was that?"

"Nuthin'." He replies quickly. "Nuthin' at all."

I stop myself from groaning. If my mother hears about this...

...I fucking knew this was gonna be a disaster.

(Ichiban)

"So you feeling better now?" Was the first thing he asked during lunch break, right after he and his friend moved the desks and chairs to be facing each other.

It was pretty rough on their first day, with Akane losing control like that. She's always been hotheaded for sure, though he did find her calmer these days. She lost her Kansai Accent from what he noticed and was a little quieter than what he remembered.

The same as she always has been, though. Sarcastic quips, lightly teasing him whenever he says or does something dumb, and her interests didn't change. Overall, she just seemed more mature than the first time he saw her.

Her brutality never wavered, though. He'd go as far as to say that it got worse. She crushed a defenseless guy's balls for god's sake, he had to intervene before she did something worse. At least that Hyoudou guy managed to run away.

Though, something was different about her physical appearance. He didn't notice it the day before, but she looked prettier. Much prettier. He wasn't sure if it was makeup or what, but she took his breath for a second when he saw her today.

He won't say that, of course. Otherwise, she's gonna start teasing him or maybe get the wrong idea. He could admit she looks beautiful, but it doesn't mean he's attracted to her like that.

...probably.

His friend right now looked to be daydreaming, staring off into space as he ate his lunch. She didn't bring any with her it seems, nor did she disappear like yesterday either. Her visible red eye glanced over at him with mild interest.

"Hm?"

"Y'know, after the whole thing yesterday." He elaborated.

"Ah." She nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Had some time to think about this and all that."

"Did your mom lecture you again?" He questioned with a teasing grin.

"The dumbass is too much of a pushover to do that." Akane rolled her eyes.

"Do I gotta remind you of the time we blew up the Red Hounds' base?" His grin widened, making her pause. "You looked so embarrassed it was hilarious."

"You weren't safe from her either. You looked like you were about to cry." She scoffed.

"Heh, you can keep telling yourself that." Ichiban was unaffected by her response, then he leaned back. "But man, it feels like forever, doesn't it? From picking up fights with gangs to being students. Life's weird, backward almost."

She only chuckled a little as a response.

"Thinking about it, we were kinda dumb, weren't we?" He continued. "Don't know what possessed us to pick a fight with a whole gang there. They had guns and shit, and we just fucking yolo'd it anyway."

"I think you're giving yourself too much credit, Ichi. You were the dumb one, rushed in their base without a plan."

"I had that grenade I found!"

"And you didn't know if it was a dud or not." She glared. "You found the thing in the sewers for fuck's sake. We lived because it actually worked."

"Pfft, whatever." He scoffed. "I still saved us."

"Your ungodly luck did." She responded. "You're still a moron for charging in like that."

"Hey, wasn't your uncle around?" He countered. "We've seen how good Akiyama is at fighting. Guy could've taken care of the entire gang on his own while asleep. We weren't in any real danger."

"Now you're trying to justify your dumbassery." She said fondly with a grin. "Classic Ichi. Never change."

He was about to deny that but wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult, such is how his best friend works. The fondness in her tone contradicted the sentence, which confused him for a bit.

Was she being nice or rude? This girl switches between the two with every word, and it astonished him. Instead of replying, he accepted the 'compliment' and sighed, right before a third voice spoke next to them.

"Um, excuse me?"

Ichiban and Akane turned to the voice, the girl with the ponytail. Haruka if he remembers correctly, looked at them shyly.

"Is it fine if I join you two?"

The two looked at one another and silently communicated before Akane nodded with a soft smile. "Sure."

"Thanks!" She smiled back, and Ichiban couldn't help but notice how cute she looked.

She brought her chair and sat to the side, bowing her head. "Thank you for helping out last night, Akane-chan."

"Eh?" Ichiban blinked in confusion.

"I told you, it's fine." Akane shrugged. "Always happy to help a classmate-"

Doubt.

"-couldn't just leave that asshole harassing you."

"You know each other?" He questioned.

"Took a walk last night, and saw some punk harassing her," Akane explained. "Scared him off and we hung out. Nothing special, really."

"Yeah. We've had a lot of fun, too." Haruka added.

"And you couldn't be bothered to invite me?" Ichiban glared at his best friend. "And here I thought you liked me."

"How the hell was I supposed to do that?" She challenged, crossing her arms. "I don't even know where you live."

"Call me!"

She blinked. "You have a phone?"

"Of course I-" He froze, realizing that he only got his phone a few months ago. "...Riiight."

"Dumbass."

"Look, I forgot, alright?" He rubbed his neck, a little flustered. "Lay off."

"You um…" Haruka tried to quip. "You seem to know each other."

"We met in Kamurocho a few years ago," Akane answered. "Though, haven't seen him since I left. Until yesterday that is."

"Kamurocho?" She blinked.

"Yup." He nodded. "You live there too?"

"Eh? No, I live in Okinawa, but I've visited Kamurocho before." She clarified. "...far too many times than I would've liked…"

The two blinked.

...Ominous.

"Heh, so this is our first time in Kuoh." He changed the subject. "Then that means we gotta stick together, right? Since we're new here, why don't we explore the town after school?"

"...Sure, I don't have anything better to do." His best friend shrugged after a bit. "How about you, Haruka?"

The girl in question stared silently for a few seconds then smiled warmly. "Sure, that'd be grand."

"Great!" He grinned. "Where should we go? Arcade? Karaoke?"

"We'll think of something once school's over," Akane said.

It was then that the bell rang as lunch break finally ended. All returned to their classes and seats, Ichiban being unable to keep the smile off his face. Finally, something to do and a possible new friend, a cute girl at that.

He expected a boring year when he got here, but then was surprised to see an old friend and delighted once he got along with another student.

He won't mind going to school if it meant hanging out with his friends like this every day.

Once school was over, Akane had told him that she was going home to change, and so did Haruka. He was fine with the school uniform, it looked nice. The male ones, at least.

He could see why Akane didn't wear the female uniform. Aside from the skirts being too short, the uniform itself was fairly tight. He'll admit that yes, the 'view' was nice even if he tried to keep his eyes away.

They agreed to meet near the school's gates, so all Ichiban had to do was wait. He took out his phone and scrolled through multiple sites, looking around on game news websites for anything that might interest him.

Throughout his bleak life as a street rat, one thing kept Ichiban a bit hopeful, and it was surprisingly video games. Once he was old enough to get his own apartment - bless his foster father's soul for the help - he'd always be on the lookout for new games.

His favorite game being Dragon Quest of course. He wasn't necessarily picky - he enjoyed all kinds of games from mechanic-heavy RPGs to simple sidescrollers, but nothing came close to capturing his heart as much as Dragon Quest did.

It was another thing that he bonded with Akane over. Though she doesn't share a lot of his tastes, she's also shown him a lot of games that stuck in his mind, most of them were western too. From stuff like God of War to GTA.

He didn't like what she calls 'strategy games' though. He loves fast-paced and interactive mechanics more than just waiting around and clicking stuff.

Ichiban slid his phone back into his pocket after a few minutes of searching, finding nothing was worth noting.

He caught something at the corner of his eyes - it was Haruka, who wore a red shirt underneath an open white hoodie. She greeted him with a small bow and a polite smile. "Sorry if I kept you waiting, Kasuga-kun."

"I don't mind." He shrugged with a grin. "And you can call me Ichiban if you want."

"If you insist." She nodded. "You can call me by my given name, too."

"Heh, don't mind if I do."

"Becoming friends already?" His best friend said, prompting the two to look at her. "Since when did you become a people's person, Ichi?"

He expected the same outfit she always wore: the black and red jacket with an eastern dragon on the back, jean shorts, and the red shirt. That gave her the punkish look he always knew, which complimented her boyish personality pretty well.

Instead, it was different. A thin red coat with fur trims and cuffs, a black button-down shirt, and black pants that looked… admittedly a little tight, which may or may not have brought her curves out a little more.

Yeah, she looked a lot different, even her sense of fashion changed a little. It's a shame she didn't wear that kickass jacket, though. He even tried to borrow it once because of how cool it looked.

"I was just being nice. That doesn't mean I'm good at socializing." He shrugged. "You're the social butterfly."

"It's a curse." She deadpanned, crossing her arms. "People can get insufferable."

"Yeah, yeah, you said that before." He waved it off. "C'mon, Arcade isn't gonna find itself."

"Of course it's the arcade." Akane rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I haven't visited Kuoh's arcade yet, okay?" He reminded her, acting a little defensive. "I just want to see how different it is to Kamurocho's."

"Ichi, it's all Sega." She sighed. "Literally the same thing. It's not gonna be different."

"You don't know that!"

Ichiban started arguing as their newest friend giggled quietly at their bickering. He wasn't gonna lie, but Haruka looked a bit familiar, even if he was sure he never met her before. The name rang bells the first time he heard it, though he kept his mouth shut since he didn't know from where exactly.

Akane doesn't seem to know her either, and if she did, she didn't show it. He always viewed his best friend as someone who was well-versed in current internet culture as a whole. She practically knew everything at the time, though to her, it looked like he was living in a cave. In a way, she's right.

He only very recently got himself a phone after all. The only electronics he had were his gaming console, a tiny ass TV, and a microwave. Getting one was life-changing, especially after surfing the web so much. Akane once laughed at him for being "An old fart in a kid's body" due to his ignorance.

Regardless, he had a feeling about Haruka - she wasn't a regular person. Her eyes were warm and kind, but they also felt kinda… old and tired. It reminded him of Arakawa somewhat. She wasn't quite faking her amusement, but there was weariness in her look anyway.

He wasn't sure what exactly is up with that, but he hoped she'll be fine. From the few hours he's known her, she's been very kind and polite. He liked her, as he never felt her being insincere. She was truly genuine.

Ichiban was glad to have made a friend like her so fast. Maybe making friends wasn't that hard after all.

(Akane)

To be honest, I didn't want to go along with them since I wanted to develop my magic spells some more in the dungeon, but I had to since I wanted to increase my REP with Ichi and Haruka. Ichiban's REP increased to 60 and Haruka's to 35. It's always good getting allies, especially ones with secrets.

I still don't know what made Ichiban far more powerful than any regular human. It has to do with this Arakawa person, which I haven't found much about on the internet. Haruka is related to the legendary Dragon of Dojima, so anyone would want to get close to her.

Maybe find secrets about the Tojo or something. Worth a try, and seeing how surprisingly easy it is to increase her REP, I think there won't be a lot of risks. It's also been easy to increase Ichi's, so why not?

...Alright, I'll admit it, I did have fun messing around with the two. Haruka's been pleasant and polite to talk to, and it doesn't feel like she's faking it. I expected a lot of arrogance from a former idol, but she's been humble the whole time.

Ichiban never changed a lot. He's only matured a bit, doesn't seem as rash or hot-blooded as before, and is still fun to tease. His physical appearance is the only notable change. A few inches taller than I remember, that ridiculous hair, and it looks like he's been working out. He was kinda scrawny back then.

We've had fun at the arcade, karaoke, and the batting center, even if I was a little hesitant about that last one. You don't know what sort of high-ranking yakuza hangs around that place. I'd rather not bump into one again, even after knowing how important I am to them. Almost had a heart attack that time.

Once we were done with our fun, we decided to have dinner, which went as normally as you'd expect. We would've ended it there, but then Haruka suggested we stop by a cafe for a chat, and I thought why not.

"So after those guys interrupted us, we made a temporary truce and kicked their asses instead," Ichiban said, telling the story of how we met. "It was kinda hard since we were already tired, but we scared them off."

"Oh?" Haruka looks interested. "Then?"

"I dunno, we just hit it off, I guess." He shrugs. "It was weird - we were literally about to kill each other, then we let off some steam on those morons and became friends."

"You still owe me, Ichi." I quip casually. "I paid dinner for the both of us that time. Where's the money?"

"I-it's been years- how the hell do you still remember that?!" He looks at me in shock.

"Money is money," I say simply. "Now hand it over."

"Aren't you rich?" He tries to argue. "You don't need a couple of hundred Yen, do you?"

"A couple of hundred?!" I scowl at the absurdity of his statement. "I paid tens of thousands you dipshit! It was Korean BBQ! That stuff isn't cheap!"

"Thousands don't make a dent on your wallet." He sneers back. "Stop being so stingy! It's already been years damn it!"

"I'm teaching you that people don't forget what they're owed." My eyes narrow. "Now give it here or I'll shove your wallet so far up your ass you might as well be the first-ever human ATM."

"Ugh… fine." He relents, fishing out his wallet.

The amused giggle of our third member catches our attention. The both of us turn to look at Haruka, who puts her teacup back on the table.

"You two are really close, aren't you?"

I blink. "I suppose."

"We've known each other for a long time." He added. "We might not have spent a lot of time together at the time, but we made the most of it. Heh, every moment was a thrill back then."

"Oi, people might get the wrong idea, dumbass." I deadpan. "We were close, but not that close."

"I didn't mean it that way!" He scowls, cheeks burning red at the implication. "God, can you stop saying that stuff? You know exactly what I meant!"

"Yeah." I grin. "Still funny to call you out on it."

"Tsk, whatever." He sighs, then turns back to Haruka. "What about you, Haruka? Do you have anyone close?"

"My siblings." She nods. "I live in an Orphanage with a lot of other kids. I'm the oldest one, so I'm doing my best to get to a good college since we don't have a lot of support right now."

"Heh, you're responsible." Ichiban compliments with a smile. "Must be pressuring, though. Is that why you got into Kuoh? Cuz it's a pretty good school."

I notice a tiny wince from Haruka, making me hum quietly. Does she know something?

"Y-yes, I think graduating from Kuoh Academy will help me immensely." She confirms. "And I don't feel much pressure. I'm confident I can get a good job in the future. I'm just worried that they're gonna struggle because I take too long."

I try to look interested and sympathetic, though I couldn't help but groan on the inside. So dumb. If I was in her place, I would've just given them the middle finger as I lived my own life. Tying myself to emotions like this is only gonna bring me down.

Think and live for yourself, not others. Otherwise, what's the point?

"...You know, if you need any help, we can lend a hand." Ichiban offers with a confident smile, and I couldn't help but pause at the 'we'.

...I don't like this.

"Eh?" Haruka blinks.

"Yeah. I personally know some people that might be able to help if I try really hard to convince them." He says, then points at me. "And this girl here is richer than all of Kuoh Academy combined."

Oh for fuck's sake.

"Oi, don't go around spouting people's wealth like that." I frown in annoyance. "The money isn't even mine in the first place."

"And you think your mom is gonna ignore a chance to help some children in need?" He crosses his arm.

I open my mouth to argue, then realize that he has a point. "Fair. Knowing her, she'd be all over Haruka right now."

"Y-you really don't have to." She stands up from her chair, looking a bit flustered. "I appreciate it, really! But I can handle this on my own."

"You don't have to, though." He shrugs. "We're willing to help, and it's okay to take us up on our offers. If you're really in need, then don't shy away from asking for help."

She looks at the two of us, most likely touched by this gesture, then a warm smile takes over her face as she sits down. "Thank you. I'm… very glad to have met you two."

"Hehe, anytime!"

10 Reputation with Ichiban Kasuga [70/100]

20 Reputation with Haruka Sawamura [55/100]

Oh.

Well, thanks Ichiban. Did all the work for me.

I pull out my phone and check the time, frowning slightly. It's late - checking up on that abandoned church is probably a bad idea now. Better do it in daylight instead, safer that way.

Oh well, guess I can spend the rest of the night grinding my spell levels in the dungeon, maybe finally finishing the last wave.

"I think I've had enough fun today," I state, getting up from my seat, giving them a small smile. "It's been great hanging out, but I have to get home."

"Me too." Haruka nods. "I've had so much fun today. Thank you, Ichiban-kun, Akane-chan."

"Already?" Ichiban raises a brow.

"We're in school, Ichi." I deadpan. "That means studying and sleeping early."

"Oh right." He chuckles sheepishly. "Guess I gotta head back too, then."

"Oh don't sound so disappointed." I wink. "You'll see me tomorrow anyway."

A strangled noise leaves his throat as he blushes a little, making Haruka giggle. "T-this wasn't about you."

"I'm sure," I say, then give them a wave. "See you."

I walk away, almost skipping steps as I wonder what the rewards for the final wave will be. They gotta be powerful, right? I've been getting meh stuff the last few waves, so the final one must make up for it all.

Though, I'm more interested in improving my other, powerful spells, like the Crystal Wings spell. I need to refine it more, make it actually useable and not just a 5 minutes flight spell. It acts as a good shield for sure, but 20k is probably nothing compared to the real heavy hitters like Sirzechs.

I need more power if I want to survive. Improve as much as I can with my mother's help. A legendary assassin must have a lot of tricks worth learning after all, and I'm not just talking about magic. Assassins in DxD must have some special abilities that I can learn.

Can't wait till I get some kickass killing moves…

First thing I did was obviously refine my Crystal Wings, leveling them up to +3 from the get-go, which increased the time limit to 11 minutes, decreased the cooldown to 25 minutes, and increased its armor potency to 27,000. This is already a huge upgrade, much better than it was unrefined. I don't know what refining limit this spell has, but I'm hoping for something like 10+.

Then I decided to improve my walls, towers, and turrets for a better base. Same with traps actually. I've refined most of my current spells until I couldn't, increasing their potency significantly. The wings spell is the only one I struggle with since I need to wait for the cooldown.

Though, I think this is enough refining. I'm confident I can take on the final wave and win. I'm a little worried about possible difficulty spikes, but my improved bullets can take it. There's one more wave before that I haven't finished, though, it can be the warm-up wave.

I created my castle, making repeaters here and there seeing that I've improved them a lot. Instead of 3 seconds per shot, it's 1.5 now. Twice as fast, and it deals a good bit of damage. I made 12 all around the little fortress, then filled the outside with traps.

I crack my knuckles and roll my neck, feeling a little excited. Alright, here goes.

Wave start

Defeat 5 Zombie Paladins, 100 Zombie Soldiers, 50 Zombie Archers, 45 Zombie Mages [0/200]

Rewards: 1 Epic Gacha Token, 5 Minor Life Potions, Paladin Shield, 5 Greater Stat Crystals, 500 Credits

That… is a lot of paladins.

I do the smart thing first and quickly take out the mages, as their fireballs hurt my castle walls a lot. Some walls and towers fell since I couldn't kill them fast enough, but overall, they did minimal damage.

My wings were doing an amazing job of protecting me from incoming arrows, which is why I ignore them for now as I turn my focus on the Paladins. Some began charging, ramming into my ice walls and shattering them with ease.

Tiny ice spheres form around me before soaring at the Paladins faster than the eye could see, penetrating their armor and ending them quite easily. Finally, all that remained are the archers, which were easily taken care of.

Not gonna lie, when I turned to look at them, I saw that half of them were already dead. My repeaters and traps did incredible in shaving off their numbers. Tower Defense really is the way to go.

Once done, I smile. That was easy, though I've deliberately over-prepared for it. There's no such thing as Overkill after all.

Wave complete

Rewards added to inventory

Proceed to next wave?

Level up x12

I take out the rewards, of course starting with the stat crystals. Two LUK, two CHA, and one STR. I'd have preferred END or DEX, but oh well. Good enough I suppose.

I snap the token, and a weird, dark blue colored bottle appears in my hand. I raise a brow as I inspect it up close. I can feel… something inside. My senses aren't that good yet, but whatever this thing is, it's very powerful.

I take out the shield and life potion from my inventory, then use observe on everything. The potions were a glass bottle with a colorful liquid, and the shield was similar to the one the zombie paladins used, though in a better condition.

Surprising. I expected another Cryomancy item, but maybe I can use it later.

[Minor Life Potion] - Item

A potion filled with the Essence of Life, a powerful source of energy that can give birth to life-filled planets. Although extremely diluted, it is a useful item.

Restores 10% of HP, MP and SP

[Paladin Shield] - Item

A shield belonging to a Paladin, a warrior of light and the protector of innocents. Created with decent metal and enchanted by the light of certain gods, then given to noble individuals.

Negates 20% of overall damage when blocked with. Becomes 30% when the attack is filled with darkness/unholiness.

[Spinel Tonic] - Item

Pure lunar energy turned into liquid, this tonic gives the drinker a massive increase in power. It is risky, however, as it could turn anyone who drinks it addicted, suffering from heavy withdrawal symptoms and even madness. Drink with caution.

Increases all stats by 120% for 2 minutes, and gives the user temporary lunar abilities

Once the effects wear off, there's a 20% chance to be inflicted with [Lunar Affliction]

Alright, the Tonic is a last resort item, then. I don't know if this Lunar Affliction can affect me with Gamer's Mind, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. I'll keep this in hand whenever I need it.

I do think it's a good drop, though. A 120% increase is immense, even if it's only 2 minutes. I don't know what these Lunar Abilities are, but they gotta be powerful. Moon power is always strong from what I know.

I spend the time rebuilding my stuff, and even enhancing the base seeing that the final wave might be really dangerous. The difficulty spike is worrying - 200 mobs is a lot. More EXP, sure, but I'd rather not get overwhelmed and killed.

I also kept the wings' time limit in mind. I only have four minutes before it dispels. I need to make this quick.

With an enhanced base, I take a deep breath, then start the final wave.

Wave start

Defeat: 1 Lich, 2 Paladin Zombies, 7 Zombie Mages, 100 Zombie Soldiers, 50 Zombie Archers, 15 Zombie Knights [0/175]

Rewards: 2 Random Cryomancy Spellbooks, 1 Grand Stat Crystal, 2 Greater Stat Crystals, 1000 Credits, [Undead Slayer] Title, Frost Katana

A lich?

In the distance, I see the 'boss'. A floating, rotten corpse wearing tattered robes with a glowing staff in its hand. The Paladins and Mages acted as guards, sticking close to it as the rest charged at the ice fortress. He's too far, I can't use Observe on him from here.

Most were taken care of by the traps and repeaters, and I quickly focused on the boss, shooting it with multiple bullets. The staff in its hand flickered, and a purple barrier formed around it and its guards.

I frown in annoyance as I try to break this barrier with more spells. Bullets and spears struck it, and there was progress as cracks began to show up, but then it charged another spell. The staff swirled in magical energy, a purple fireball igniting above it as the lich launched it at me.

I felt something was off about it and quickly flew away, and it was the right decision as the fireball decimated the fortress, swallowing it whole and leaving nothing but scorched earth behind. My jaw drops as I look at the Lich, admittedly intimidated.

...Yeah, no.

I pull out Angel's Sorrow, newly dubbed 'GFR' or 'Get Fucked Revolver' and pull the trigger. The force once again pushes me backward, but not as hard as before as I catch myself from flying too fast.

As you'd expected, the lich, along with the paladins and mages, got deleted. There was a fucking crater where they stood too, making me chuckle at the absurdity. This gun is insane.

Kinda anticlimactic, but hey, I'm not dumb. It's easier to just end them like this.

I took care of the remaining weaker soldiers before landing on the ground with a smile. I'm so glad I got this gun.

...My wrist still hurts a bit, though.

Wave complete

Rewards added to inventory

[Undead] Dungeon Completed!

[Plant] Dungeon Unlocked!

Alert: You are not high enough level to enter the [Plant] Dungeon. Level 150 Required

Level up x16

I dismiss the dungeon message as I see the level requirement. Still not even level 100, close, but not there yet. Guess I'm gonna need to grind here instead somehow, without alerting anyone.

Kinda annoying.

No Gacha Token, which is strange. Got them almost every wave, so what gives? Oh well, I think the Cryomancy Spellbooks will have to do, and a Frost Katana, now that's something. Also, my first ever title, which I don't see being useful since there's not a lot of undead in DxD.

The first thing I do is use the crystals of course. A grand crystal is a 50 points increase, meaning 100 due to my perk, and amazingly, it's a DEX one. The other two greater crystals are END and LUK. This is great - one hundred stats at once?

I love my perks.

Name - Akane Amamiya

Level - 93

Title - Undead Slayer

Primary Class - Cryomancer - LVL 93/100 [11%]

Secondary Class - Engineer - LVL 0/100 [0%]

Race - Human

Rank - Mortal

Alignment - Neutral Evil

HP - 1900 [190 per minute]

MP - 9300 [5580 per minute]

SP - 1900 [190 per minute]

STR - 190

END - 190

DEX - 240

INT - 930

WIS - 930

CHA - 330

LUK – 190

I take out the Cryomancy spellbooks, which looked almost identical. A thin book with an arctic blue cover, a white snowflake symbol on the front. I blink a few times, thinking I got the same spell twice, but then I used Observe on them.

[Cryomancy Spellbook: Frost Cloak] - Item

A Cryomancy Spellbook detailing the process of using the Frost Cloak spell.

Requirement: Journeyman Rank in [Ice Magic Control]

[Cryomancy Spellbook: Frozen Soldier] - Item

A Cryomancy Spellbook detailing the process of using the Frozen Soldier spell.

Requirement: Adept Rank in [Ice Magic Control]

Oh? I can learn the Ice Soldier spell, and I'm assuming it's a literal soldier that can protect me? That's incredibly useful. It's basically a summoning spell disguised as a Cryomancy one. Ice Magic is so overpowered, and I love it so much.

Let's see what else I got.

[Frost Katana] - Item

An impressive katana enchanted by a wandering frost wizard, giving it an icy edge.

Deals 275 + STRx4 Physical Damage + 200 Ice Damage

Eh, decent I suppose. Compliments my skillset very well I'd say.

Finally, the title.

[Undead Slayer] - Title

You've slaughtered many of the undead to the point of becoming an expert. Whether it's through magic or weapons, you've had your fair share of killing these abominations, enough that you have a special edge against them.

Passive: You are 50% resistant to undead diseases and curses

Active: You deal 25% more damage against undead creatures, as well as take 25% less damage from them

Huh, I assume the active buff means when I have it on the stat sheet? If so, then that's good. At least I get the passive boost all the time.

Well, since I've finished the dungeon, I think I can go back home. I feel a little tired if I'm being honest.

I snap my fingers and dispel the dungeon, returning to the real world. I was pretty far from home, in an abandoned construction site since I needed an open place to train in. It did well, and any damages I caused in the dungeon don't reflect on the real world, so I can rest easy.

I stretch my limbs a little as I walk home, taking out my phone as I scroll through interesting forums. I went through different wikis to look for ice spell ideas, from D&D to WoW. Hey, I might find something I can recreate.

I should ask Ichi for ideas too. He's a fan of Dragon Quest, he must know a few spells or something. The nerd will probably even brainstorm because he thinks it's cool.

A cold gust of wind makes me shiver a little, a frown taking over my face as I slow my pace.

...This feels oddly familiar.

I flinch as I sense something approaching, quickly rolling out of the way, dodging something as I turn around with a scowl, only for me to pause as I take in its familiar appearance. A grotesque, centaur thing holding two spears, which my previous memories recognize as Viser, the first Stray Devil introduced in DxD.

"You dodged." She grins. "And it seems you have fight left in you. Oh, how I love prey like you~!"

I click my tongue in annoyance as I glance at the puddle of acid.

"What a beautiful smell…" She cackles madly. "I wonder what you taste like…?"

"Too bad you're never finding that out," I respond as spears of ice form around me.

Name: Viser

Title: Acid Squirter

HP – 15,000

MP - 10,000

SP - 12,000

Race – Corrupted Devil

LVL - 120

STR - 310

END - 225

DEX - 190

INT – 65

WIS – 35

CHA – 25

LUK – 10

I almost laughed at the title. Fucking ridiculous.

It's significantly stronger than the stray I dealt with, but I'm stronger too. I'm faster and my magic damage is devastating. I can win easily.

I cast Ice Skin as the spears soar towards her, but surprisingly, she was able to block and parry the attacks with her own spears. I narrow my eyes as I switch to bullets instead, and this hurt her a lot.

She cries out in pain as a bullet goes through her front leg, growling in anger as she shoots more acid with her breast. I scrunch my face in disgust and quickly dodge, not really taking this seriously. How can I? What kind of power is "acid nipples"?

Fucking Ishibumi…

Seeing that the bullets are working, I keep shooting this gross moron, shaving off a lot of her HP in mere seconds. She screams loudly, demonic magic circles opening up near her, prompting me to crouch and summon a wall.

The magic coming out of the circles barely does anything to my ice wall, though a spurt of acid melts through it easily. With an annoyed scowl, I aim right at where it hurts, then unleash a barrage of bullets at her top half, blood splattering everywhere as she loses her acid ability right there and then..

It screams in agony, shaking in fear seeing that she really can't do much. I smirk, taunting her with a 'Come at me' gesture, which worked wonders as she charged with a snarl.

She barely had any HP left. A few more shots and she's dead.

I point my hand at her in a finger gun, a small glow forming at the tip of my finger. Right as I was about to shoot, a red blur came flying, making me flinch. I blink, the beast being sent flying to the other side as my uncle turns around, giving me a thumbs up.

"Don't worry, Akane-chan." He assures me. "You're safe now. I won't let it get near you."

...

"...uh…" I scratch my cheek awkwardly. "Thanks, but I kinda had it covered already."

He looks at me in confusion. "What?"

"Yeah, I was sorta kicking its ass," I reveal. "That thing was weak as hell. I was right about to kill it before you showed up."

"Ah…" He chuckles sheepishly. "I-is that so? There goes my cool moment, then."

The stray struggles to get up, groaning and moaning in pain. My uncle sighs, walking over to it as I follow him. "Guess you know what this is?"

"Yep, stray devil." I answer, looking down at it with pure apathy. "Kaa-san told me about them last night."

"That makes things easier." He replies, then whispers under his breath. "...Looks like she's too far gone…"

"Hm?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head. "I suppose all we can do now is put her down."

"Sure." I nod, aiming a bullet at her with my finger. "Might as well make it painless."

5 Affection with Shun Akiyama [25/100]

"That'd be best."

With that, I shoot it, the bullet going through its brain and instantly killing it. It falls down on the ground, limp and unmoving as life leaves its body.

Level up x2

Nice~

"...I guess I have some explaining to do?" I say awkwardly.

"Heh." He smiles. "Make that the two of us."

It was happening eventually, telling my uncle everything. I'm not really mad or annoyed about it - I had a feeling it was happening soon anyway.

I don't know what a stray devil was doing here - you'd think the yakuza would've taken care of it a long time ago, but eh, I suppose it's for the best. I got two levels out of her after all. Five more and I max out Cryomancy.

And I finally get to learn what my uncle really does for a living - where he got so much power, and what he can teach me.

From learning how my magic works to finishing up my first dungeon, and then to this.

All in all, I think this has been a very productive day.

Yuki Onna here aren't giant frost monsters like they were in canon. Fucking Ishibumi, can't get shit right.

They're beautiful women here, and if you want to see what Akane's ancestor looks like, join my discord server. smooth plug.

My personal server discord link: (Discord . gg / Rjjzt8erYK) no spaces. It's a new server, but I might post exclusive content there. No, I'm not bribing you to join.

SGO Discord server link: (Discord . gg / wd3tUYWVCd) No spaces.

If you want to support me, here's my pat reon link: (Pat reon dot com / Mirlnir)