《Second Life of an Incubus Dragon》 Vol. 1 Ch. 1: The Siblings The world was quiet with the sun peeking from the horizon. A triangle of white light advanced from the window into a boy''s bedroom, arousing him from his sleep. Shut the goddamn window,Ethan cursed inwardly and pulled the blanket to his face. His dark brown bangs remained peeking. Rustles echoed near him then turned into fading footsteps. She snuck here again... He sighed and closed his eyes, counting sheep to steal a quick sleep. He would be up and running right now if it weren''t for the imbecile woman living below crushing his sleep throughout the night with her roaring pop music from the holy ancient era. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Half an hour later, a mechanical voice buzzed in his head. His hand crept out of the blanket and slapped the buttons on the digital alarm clock. "Die!" "Ethan, please wake up, or we will be late for the physics lecture." The sweet voice of his sister killed off any hope of sleeping this time. "Urgh," Ethan groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He wobbled out of the room and down to the kitchen. With eyes threatening to shut at any moment, he opened the refrigerator and gulped down milk from a bottle. Only then did his exhausted body regain the energy to live. "Here comes the bride¡­ hmm, the loveliest women ever, mmhm~." A soft humming prompted him to turn his head. A woman hummed there, shuffling around the kitchen in a black transparent nightdress that left her fair back and long legs exposed. Her hair was as black as the night fluttered in a rhythm. The scene was breathtaking and rather stimulating. Ethan, however, couldn''t stop his brows from knitting closer. "Mio, don''t you have any clothes to wear?" Mio spun toward him with a bright grin on her face. "It''s nothing major betweensiblings, right?" Ethan looked into the amethyst-colored eyes she inherited from her mother and suppressed a groan. Mio just loved toteasehim. "What''s for breakfast?" He shook his head. "Nevermind, anything you cook will be delicious." Mio''s smile became brighter from his compliment. "I prepared a water bath. Just dive in. Your uniform is all set in the closet." Ethan scratched his head. Before the day started for the masses, his sister had already prepared everything. "Go on. You want to get the punishment of standing in the hallway?" Mio chided with her hands on her hips. "I wouldn''t mind standing there with you¡­ some alone time in school, hehe." Ethan acted oblivious to her latter words and outright creepy giggle. At least hetried, but couldn''t stop his smile from turning wry. She was a bit too much at times. God, show her light,he begged whoever was in charge of this world and slipped into the corridor. A hot bath in this chilly weather always brought back his sanity, or whatever remained in his stuffed head. A steamy hot bath later, he threw on the school uniform¡ªa dark gray blazer on top of a white shirt and black pants. Mio stood in the dining room, beside the table. Her dress was the same dress as him, with pants switched for a skirt and white stockings. He forced his eyes away from her thighs and raised his brow at his breakfast. Waffles! Fuck my new diet.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Maintaining good health was hard for anygamer but he had succeeded in gaining a fit body. He took a seat and beckoned Mio, whose cooking filled with tons of nutrients. "C''mon, dig in." Mio clapped her hands. "Thanks for the food." Despite living in the foreign lands of the US for years, Mio never discarded her Japanese roots. Ethan imitated her gesture. "Thanks for the food." The breakfast was delicious as always, plus the absence of hisbastardfather made the sugar even sweeter. An ordinary occurrence he celebrated every day. Though the memories of his mother still stabbed his heart every now and then, he was far less heartbroken with Mio''s company. I have to live with it,he thought and focused on the food. Mio wiped his face with a cloth and tilted her head. "After school arcade again?" "Sure." He couldn''t endure denying her; it wasimpossible. "Yea!" His sister made anout-of-placeyetnaturalattempt to feed him, which he accepted with a wry smile.
The siblings exited the bus and strolled in the wide streets, making small talk. Sometimes a brief eye contact conveyed a thousand words. "Ethan!" Ethan tore his gaze from her face and turned around. Andrew, his friend, sprinted through the crowd. "Andrew, what brought you so early?" Ethan asked and grinned. "Which newflowerdo you want to chase now?" Andrew swept his hand through his dirty blonde hair and gave a dazzling smile befitting of his high status. "Ah yes, it''s our new Miss Beauty, Celia, the girl you rejected before the entire class." Mio smiled at Andrew. For some reason, Ethan shivered and rubbed his hands together. The cold air, eh. "Can you stop slandering Ethan?" Mio asked, no, she commanded. "Why will he accept a random girl''s confession?" Celia is my childhood friend, you know... Ethan glanced at Mio and shook his head. His rejection saved Celia from suffering a fate far worse than heartbreak. His sister had forgotten common sense after their mother went missing three years ago. Overrun by rampant emotions, she might do something severe if he started dating a girl. "Mio''s brother complex is as strong as ever," Andrew stated and walked past them, waving his right hand. Though he tried to act badass, in reality, he looked like an idiot. Mio didn''t even bother to deny Andrew''s accusation and clung to Ethan''s right hand, transmitting her warmth and softness despite the blazer''s obstruction. "Ethan, this idiot isn''t worthy of our attention!" Ethan''s lips formed a dry smile. During school, she would cling to him everywhere, and stop any girl from approaching with herabsolute zeroeyes. Some of the maidens subjected to Mio''s glare had awakened a strange fetish. As Andrew said, she showed signs of being a sister with a brother complex. Ethan sighed and let Mio drag him over to the school. In the classroom, Ethan greeted his friends and prepared for the lecture. Mio sat right behind him, keeping her eyes on his back. Sometimes, she was too much¡­ Teachers came and went, then the lunch period arrived where Ethan once again found himself indulging in Mio''s cooking. The boy with a sweet-tooth cleared away his petty grievances in exchange for her sweet sweet food. After lunch, the siblings attended the last class, then hit the arcade near the home. He beat the crap out of Mio in the games like usual. His sister tried her best to keep up but he refused to lose. He had his pride as a popular streamer on the Pitch platform. At the end of the day, Mio was brought to tears, hitting him for defeating her so hard. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, they looked like a high school couple openly flirting. "You bully!" Her attacks dealt zero-damage, only provoking a smile on his face. "Hey, hey, I am sorry, okay?" She puffed her cheeks. "I am not buying it again. You do this every time we play." You were the one who asked for it. Ethan raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, you win. What do I do now?" She was gonna pop some cheap requests like sleeping with him or bathing with him. He was fine with either as long as it didn''t cross the line, which blurred with each passing day, much to his displeasure. Mio stopped her attacks and fixed his collar with an apologetic smile. "I am also sorry..." With the distance between their faces, Ethan could just move a little and kiss her cherry red lips. This thought only lingered for a second before he purged it away. What am I thinking?He shook his head, waiting for Mio''s reply. "Ethan, go ahead without me. I have something important to do," Mio said and hugged him. Ethan stared at Mio. Sheneverleft his side on his way home.Where is she going now?He suppressed his curiosity and pushed her. She looked up to him, her purple eyes flickering with joy. He gave out another sigh and kissed her forehead. "Don''t get lost likethattime." I am spoiling her too much, aren''t I? But her heart is too fragile¡­ Mio revealed a smile that froze his heart. "I know how to take out thetrash." "Trash¡ª" "¡ªthen bye." Mio shoved her bag in his chest then trotted toward the street leading to the marketplace. Just like that, his sister vanished from his line of sight. "God, save the poor world from her terror," Ethan prayed. "I hope my heart takes her surprise without stopping." Listening to a soothing song, he strolled back home. He could have bought a car if he had a license. However, he wasn''t old enough and Mio, the older sister who acted more like a little sister, refused to drive. Vol. 1 Ch. 2: A problematic tenant Ethan stood outside a three-storey house with a frown. The witch was once again playing loud music from yesterday. Ethan climbed upstairs and pushed the doorbell. Moments later, a redhead opened the door. The burning cigarette pressed between her fingers let out trails of smoke. "You need something boy?" she asked, her crimson eyes flickering with annoyance. Standing a head shorter than Ethan, she appeared to be in her early thirties. "Can you lower the sound please?" Ethan asked, trying to act like a polite landlord. The woman narrowed her eyes to slits. Ethan felt the temperature drop by another level. This woman''s aura reminded him of his mother; she always had a strong air about her that couldn''t be put into words. "If I don''t?" she asked and hurled back her brown coat, revealing a revolver tucked into her black pants. Officer? Her outfit didn''t look close to a uniform. "You sure you wanna mess with me?" Even under her gangster-like threat, his gaze remained firm. From the moment he beat the hell out of his new father, he swore to stay strong, to be someone his sister could look up to. His plan somewhat backfired later, turning into a regrettable story. "Can you do that for me or should I exert my right as a landlord?" The woman rested her arms on her hips and leaned forward. The two loose buttons of her shirt exposed her creamy white cleavage. "Interesting. It''s rare to see a kid with a spine nowadays." Ethan glanced away from the tempting sight. The undeniable charm of a mature woman always enticed him. "Name is Valentina. Valentina Wright, a warrior on a vacation," she introduced herself with a grin and extended her right hand. Her swift change left him speechless. Reluctantly, he shook her coarse hand befitting a trained soldier. "Ethan Carter." "I will slow down the music. Don''t kick Regina out. She only has this place where she can find peace." Regina Velvet, the mysterious tenant his mother took in. She rarely left the room and survived on food deliveries for as far as he could remember. Their interaction started with a "Hello, how are you?" and ended with a "Bye, see you later". Ethan sighed, slightly pitying the woman who remained as lonely as a witch. "Then we are good." Valentina showed an appreciative smile. "Wanna come in?" Ethan shook his head. "Thanks for the offer but I have to take care of some stuff." Mio would raise hell if she found him in a room with two women. "Too bad. Regina would have appreciated a good-looking boy''s company." Valentina sighed. "Tina, who is there?" A female voice came from inside. "Gina, coming back in a jiffy," Valentina yelled and grinned at Ethan. "We will meet again, if the Goddess of Luck shines on you." And she shut the door in his face. The Goddess of Luck, heh. Ethan smirked. His luck stat needed some real buffs if he wanted to survive what lay ahead in his life. He returned to his apartment on the second floor and sprawled on the couch. "I am beat." His physical stats were above average but his sanity suffered from keeping Mio in check. Any carelessness and the ticking time bomb will explode. He washed his face with cold water. Standing in front of the mirror, he swept up his brown bangs, revealing a pair of golden orbs looking back at him. One of the reasons he avoided dark alleys in fear someone mistook him as a cat with his glowing eyes. His father also had the same eyes, or so his mother used to say. But the poor man passed away in a car accident a year after his birth. I wonder what kind of man he was to make mother head over heels for him. His mother later married Mio''s father, making Mio his adopted sister. Where are you, mom? He sighed and returned to the living room. His eyes fell on Mio''s black bag lying beside him. Should I check it? He shook his head and switched on the television. "Boring¡­ boring¡­ urgh," he groaned in frustration. Everything was so repetitive. Closing the television, he threw the remote aside and picked up Mio''s bag, pondering whether to inspect her possessions. It''s related to her health¡­ Taking up an excuse, he unzipped the bag and pushed his hand inside. "Ouch." A sharp thing pricked his finger. He flipped the bag and unloaded everything on the couch. A pair of scissors, a gray diary held together with rusty wires, and a kitchen knife. A woman carrying such items to school¡­ what the hell was this supposed to mean? Mio was a little over the top, but this surpassed his wildest nightmares. This black cover matched the set of diaries his mother bought. No doubt it belonged to either mother or Mio. This hides her deepest darkest secrets? He let out a heavy sigh and undid the wiring. He read the very first page which was written in Japanese. He could barely speak Japanese but reading it was possible.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
3/11/2002 Um¡­ Mama gave me this diary. But what should I write? Something. Hello to my future self, I guess. I should write about my great memories here.
4/11/2002 Today was a great day. Mama and I went everywheeeeeeere in Akihabara.
9/11/2002 I love my mom. She is the best. She scolded my teacher for hitting me for homework.
10/11/2002 I found purple marks on mama''s face. She didn''t answer, so I searched for it on the internet. They were marks of physical abuse? Who hurt her¡­ I swear¡­
13/11/2002 Daddy is an idiot. I saw him beating mama with his belt. I couldn''t do anything¡­ I should have helped.
15/11/2002 It happened again. Daddy came from his work. I heard mama pleading from my room at midnight.
16/11/2002 Why daddy why?
19/11/2002 I am powerless...
26/11/2002 What should I do? I asked my teacher but she said it''s nothing.
29/11/2002 Tomorrow is my fifth birthday. I wonder if mama remembers.
30/11/2002 She remembered! I am going to visit lots of places in Tokyo alone with mama! My idiot father isn''t here.
"That scum¡­ He used to abuse Mio''s mother?" Ethan should''ve expected something like this from that man. Shaking his head, he flipped another page.
2/12/2002 I searched the internet and found a number to help mama. They asked for my address.
3/12/2002 Some people in suits arrived. They are supposed to help mama but¡­ why are they laughing with daddy? They did nothing. ¡­ Daddy slapped me. He hit me. It hurts. My face is swollen. Mama tried to stop him but he started beating mama. In front of me.
4/12/2002 He is beating mama again.
5/12/2002 He hit me again.
6/12/2002 Mama cried while hugging me. "I am a bad mother." "No, you are not. It''s daddy''s fault." He is a monster. A horrible monster.
7/12/2002 Mommy is stuffing things in a suitcase. She took me to a very small place compared to my home.
8/12/2002 The monster isn''t coming here.
9/12/2002 Mommy and I went out. This is a different city. Something happened. A giant truck hit mama. Wake up. Wake up. Mama ¡­ ¡­ They aren''t letting me meet her. That monster also came.
Ethan held his breath. He never knew Mio had a past like this.
10/12/2002 He says mama died. ¡­. ¡­.
11/12/2002 ...She really died. Will I meet her if I also get hit by that truck?
12/12/2002 Should I?
13/12/2002 Should I?
14/12/2002 Should I?
24/12/2002 Mommy wouldn''t want it. I have to live.
31/12/2002 Daddy took me to a restaurant. I didn''t eat anything. I don''t wanna write anymore.
Sympathy rose inside his heart. Mio suffered a lot.
31/12/2006 It''s been four years since I opened this, huh¡­ Four years of suffering. Four entire years living on that bastard''s money in a foreign country. He came to my room yesterday. I wanted to puke at his rotten face. "We will meet someone tomorrow. Wear your best clothes."
The next entry jumped four years. 1 Jan of 2007, this date seemed familiar. "Ah, I met Mio that day." The day his mother took him to meet Mio''s father. "Let''s see what she thought back then."
1/1/2007 I met him in a restaurant. The boy of the woman who wants to marry my father. A bright kid with golden eyes. I want to gouge his eyes out and play with them. Great toy, aren''t they?
Ethan gulped and continued.
2/1/2007 But his mother''s eyes remind me of Mama. I wonder why.
8/1/2007 They married. Claudia, now my supposed mother, came to our house. She tried talking to me but I stayed silent. It fueled the bastard''s rage. I loved it. Keep that face on 24x7. I hope he dies.
So much resentment.
10/1/2007 What is the deal with this brother of mine? Always sticking his face in his games. Fucking loser.
11/1/2007 Creep.
12/1/2007 Disgusting.
13/1/2007 Even the garbage collector refuses to take this trash.
The next few pages were filled with curses. Ethan glanced over them with a bitter smile. Mio''s dangerous eyes had scared him at first, so he maintained distance and played his games in silence.
7/2/2007 Claudia keeps pestering me. What is her deal anyway? I don''t want my mother to be replaced. But¡­ She is so gentle.
10/2/2007 I did it. I couldn''t control myself and hit her.
11/2/2007 Nothing changed. She is treating me like nothing happened.
12/2/2007 I finally confronted her when Ethan left to play outside. I yelled at her, cursed her for minutes but she just smiled and hugged me. She was warm like mama...
13/2/2007 What should I do? ¡­ Should I accept her? What if she also¡­
14/2/2007 I decided to accept her as a mother. Mama will always be my mama. I can''t accept this idiotic brother. What is up with him? He has the highest grade in his class and looks cute but no one likes him.
17/2/2007 I kicked him and it fucking hurts. What is with his body?!
Ethan leaned on the couch and chuckled. Then, continued reading with an amused smile until one sentence chilled his heart. Vol. 1 Ch. 3: Mio’s diary
19/5/2013 It''s already night and the mother didn''t come from work. ¡­ Ethan doesn''t know anything. I am worried. Where is she? Should I go find her? But where should I go to find her? Mother never told us about her workplace. I am staying to look after Ethan. Even if I don''t like him, he is my brother.
Ethan recalled the day and let out a sigh. If only he tried to probe for more information about her work, his mother might be together with him and Mio wouldn''t be so broken.
21/5/2013 The officers couldn''t even find her, not a trace. One even said my mother didn''t work anywhere. Incompetent fools. As if my gentle mother will lie to us for years.
22/5/2013 It''s 4 AM and I can''t sleep. The worries are eating me¡­
23/5/2013 Please don''t¡­
24/5/2013 I don''t want to go through that again.
31/5/2013 It''s been a week and my mother is still missing. My monster father is fucking around somewhere. Ethan and I are skipping school. He puts on a strong face for me. Cooking, cleaning, he is doing everything alone. But I heard him crying in his room. Idiot. I am a pathetic sister.
3/6/2013 I don''t know what to do. I just shut myself in my room. Ethan delivers food to me with a soft smile. I want to punch his face¡­ I want him to feel my pain and let him despair.
She was utterly broken when mom disappeared.
5/6/2013 I can''t take it anymore. My mind is getting more twisted. I will end up hurting Ethan if I stay here.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I am going outside. Somewhere. I need a break from this place. I see silhouettes at every corner¡­ Give me a fucking break! I packed everything including this diary. My card had enough money to last years. At least the monster didn''t lack money.
6/6/2013 Ethan didn''t see me because I snuck out at night. This hotel I rented is really cozy. ¡­ I forgot the cash and couldn''t buy clothes since most of the local shops don''t accept cards. Fuck! I need to go to the bank. I don''t wanna leave this room.
7/6/2013 I am queuing at the bank. I heard people talking about stuff and realized my embarrassing mistake. I could have ordered things online! I am an idiot. Fuck, I might as well get the money. ¡­ Seven suspicious men entered the bank¡­ The heavy bags on their back don''t suit them... I also saw Ethan entering the bank with his precious childhood friend, Celia. I hid from them...
"Onii-sama?" Ethan''s hand flipping the page froze. Onii-sama, a respectable address for big brothers in Japanese. Mio used to address him like this before, a long time ago. "Onii-sama?" The voice asked again. Ethan stiffly raised his gaze to meet Mio''s face glowing with a smile, contrary to her eyes gleaming with a dangerous glint. He gulped his dry saliva. Mio used to have a spare key for the house, which he completely forgot. I am dead¡­ Ethan shut the book and raised his hand with a friendly smile. "Yo! Where''s my surprise?" "Surprise, surprise," Mio repeated, "Onii-sama, did no one teach you to refrain from touching a woman''s belongings?" "I¡­ am sorry," he apologized and placed everything back into the bag. "It''s my fault." Mio hung her head. "How much?" Ethan tilted his head at her question. "How much what?" "How much did you read? "Till the bank." Mio covered her face and collapsed on the couch. "Ughh¡­ you read I used to hate you?" Ethan nodded, which she didn''t see. "I kinda knew it back then¡­ about your complete disregard for me. I just didn''t care." "I know that." "Onii-sama." "Hmm?" "I am sorry." Mio tugged at his shirt with a trembling hand. "I am sorry for hating you before, so please don''t leave Mio." Mio lifted her head, showing her tear-stricken face. "Please." The shadow of a young girl flashed behind Mio. She held onto a woman''s hand with a smile. Ethan blinked his eyes. Was he hallucinating? He ignored the image and focused on pacifying Mio. "When did I say I will leave you?" He raised his voice in fake anger. "Don''t go around assuming things on your own." "Onii-sama¡­" Mio mumbled, her lips curving in an innocent smile. "I am not hated?" "Goodness, stop acting like a little girl." He brushed her hair, messing up her elegant hairstyle. It didn''t affect her smile in the slightest. "Why would I hate you for something that happened ages ago? Believe me, I also didn''t like you that much before. So we are even then." "Un." She nodded busily. "Understood." Even though he was the younger one between them, he always had to act like the older one. She will lock me up somewhere if I let her be the older one. He couldn''t forget the numerous tragic endings in the yandere dating simulators recommended by Andrew. He devoted much of his time to prevent them at all costs. If it weren''t for them, he would be locked up in a dark dungeon with Mio all over him. "Onii-sama." Mio drew closer and leaned on his side. "Can we stay like this?" "Just call me Ethan, like always," he said, sliding his hand around her shoulder. "And I don''t hate to... cuddle with Mio." It''s cold after all and she feels warm, Ethan muttered to himself. Only times like these reminded him of Mio''s growth in various places. "Onii-sama is also warm," Mio murmured with a smile. Ethan averted his gaze and took a deep breath. His erratic heartbeat refused to calm down for some reason. Mio giggled and snatched the remote to turn on the television. Bright golden letters covered the screen. [Sleeping Chaos, the first VR MMORPG.] As they faded, a blond man in a tight suit appeared, holding a mic in his hands. "Rising Dragon Corps. just made a groundbreaking announcement. The dream of all gamers, the first-ever VR MMORPG finished its beta testing. Chairman Ray says the public can buy the product at the end of this month." The siblings blinked their eyes and pinched each other''s cheeks. "Is this a dream?" "The pain is real, Onii-sama." The announcement came out of the blue and smacked the gamer duo in their faces. "Wait, what if we get trapped in there like a certain story?" Ethan grimaced. The black-haired protagonist would have no way to save his heroine if he had no plot-armor. "I honestly wouldn''t mind living in a fantasy world with Onii-sama." Mio fiddled with the remote. "I would donate everything to charity if it happened." She gave a complicated smile. "Am I weird?" For a moment, Ethan imagined it. A cozy house alongside a deep river where he and Mio lived, far from the polluted air of the city. Ethan wryly shook his head. "No¡ª" Trrrring! The loud noise of the doorbell interrupted him. Mio looked toward the door and clicked her tongue. Judging from her expression, she knew the visitor. Ethan rubbed her head and made for the door. For safety measures, he peeked through the keyhole. "Ethan, open the damn door. Your father, Andrew, is here," Andrew yelled. An unknown brunette on his left and a woman with plum-colored hair on his right. Ethan knew her since elementary school. Celia¡­ What is she doing here? Vol. 1 Ch. 4: Celebration Celia Densford, the heiress of the Densford Family, also the girl Ethan played the most since the elementary grade, currently settled on his left and glared at Mio sitting on his right. An intense, unreasonable rivalry took place in the open. Andrew completely ignored the two and pointed at the television still discussing the new storm in the market. "Pal, what do you think about this new shit? It''s so damn gorgeous, the world I mean." Andrew always shirked away from Mio, so this was expected. "It''s like something from the future," said the brunette seated on Andrew''s side, her eyes burning with real enthusiasm, unlike Andrew''s past girlfriend. "The current VR tech can''t possibly produce a game of this level." "I would love to dive there for a grinding session." Ethan also joined his friend in treating the two like air. "Yep." Andrew nodded in agreement. "By the way, she is my girlfriend, Maria. We just met today in the canteen and clicked together, so we decided to try some dating." Ethan''s eyes widened a little. "That was sudden." Andrew was similar to Celia in a way since they both were future inheritors of rich families. He dated and dumped girls every other day. How long will this one last? Andrew grinned. "Of course, a virgin like you wouldn''t know the meaning of dating." Ethan shook his head in exasperation. He wanted to date a girl and experience a budding romance. But Mio, his last family, took priority over everything else. She meant the world to him. "That''s rude," Celia growled and threw an annoyed glare at Mio beside Ethan. "He would have dated me if not for an overly clingy sister refusing to let go of her brother." As expected of a young mistress, her self-confidence was sky-high even after the rejection. Ethan let his lips curl up. Maria''s will was like tungsten metal. She was resistant when people pulled at her but a small blow from him could shatter her into pieces. He ended his train of thoughts and turned to Mio looking up with a pleading gaze. "Onii-sama, am I too clingy?" Ethan opened his mouth to deny it but Andrew''s shout interrupted him. "Onii-sama. She just called him Onii-sama!" Ethan''s gaze went to Andrew, whose weeb persona was slipping through his frivolous guy facade. Andrew coughed and crossed his legs. "Mio has a nice voice¡­ yeah, this Dreaming Dragon Corps. appeared out of nowhere. Even my mother can''t find its origin." "Huh? You too? So I wasn''t alone," Celia mumbled and crossed her arms on her chest. "It''s too suspicious." Her family has dabbled in the gaming industry for decades now, so her checking up on a new fish in the market was reasonable. She gifted Ethan tons of consoles before, one of the reasons he got into gaming in the first place. "Is this scheme of some rich psycho aiming to trap people inside a game?" Maria threw a serious accusation with bright eyes like an innocent child. No wonder she gets along with Andrew. Both of them seemed to have a craving for new, exciting things. "Are we trying to uncover the mystery behind this organization?" Mio asked with a blank expression. "I will play this game, no matter what. Onii-sama will play together, right?"The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. She already firmed her stance on the game. Ethan could only nod his head. This was real life, not some fiction where psychos like a certain scientist had a goal to become God of his own created world. Celia sneered at Mio. "Then I will accompany him like a good friend." Andrew clapped his hands to distract the girls. "Guys, enough of this, let''s start the thing we came here to do. Mio, is everything ready?" The sudden appearance of the trio was really related to Mio. "Mio, why are they here?" Mio hurried out of the room and came back dragging a trolley with a giant strawberry cake on it. Everyone stood and clapped. "Happy eighteenth birthday, buddy," Andrew said. Ethan stared at him, shock growing in his eyes. The calendar showed 3rd March, his birthday. How did I forget it¡­? More importantly, how did Mio invite the three? Celia and Mio hardly stayed in the same room. Did she endure it for him? Mio was getting better in social skills. Celia stood up, tossing back a stylish black jacket off her shoulder. She stretched her arms, accentuating her curves hidden in a snug black sleeveless dress. She took Ethan''s hand and yanked him to his feet. "Congratulations on becoming an adult." She pulled him in for a hug and gave him heavy pats on his back. "Guess your gift?" Ethan deadpanned. "It''s you, right?" "Ahaha." Celia let out an awkward laugh and released him. Looking up at him, she pouted her lips. "How?" Ethan ignored her captivating fragrance with a straight face and flicked her forehead. "You gave the same gift last year." "Did I? But you didn''t accept it last time. Accept it now." Celia touched his lips with an alluring smile. "We can do anything you want. Anything." Ethan''s heartbeat rose as his imagination ran wild. He was still a teenager and in the face of a tempting offer, he found his resolve cracking. "Onii-sama." He glanced at Mio pouting. Her past relapses flashed in his mind, bringing back his senses. "I can''t." He pushed Celia away, who had a whole family to look after her unlike Mio, whose mentality was similar to a child stuck up on some shiny candy. Celia clicked her tongue and caressed his cheeks. "I will wait then. She can''t marry you, but I can." Ethan''s lips arched in a wry smile. What the hell did he do to gain her undying affection? Just a bullet for her during a bank robbery. Wait, that''s a pretty big thing to do. But Celia was one of the richest women in the entire nation of the USA, whose suitors will be enough to drown his humble home. Yet, she was hell-bent on having him as her boyfriend. Ethan moved his gaze to Andrew, who snatched the knife from Mio and placed the giant cake on the table. "Get a room, you two. The payment is on the generous me." Maria nudged Andrew. "Are we getting a room today?" "We will. Gotta enjoy the youth, unlike a certain friend who can''t refuse his sister." Ethan ignored Andrew''s obvious taunt and sat beside Mio. "Did you buy the cake?" Mio snatched the knife back from Andrew. "I saved up some bucks from my pocket money." She received pocket money from Ethan like a kid. Even though he had told her to buy anything from his card. "Cut the cake already," Celia urged. Mio sliced a piece of the cake and pushed it near Ethan''s face. He barely took a bite out before Mio gobbled the whole thing up and giggled. Andrew shot a blank stare at Mio. "You bro-con woman¡­" Mio bared her fangs in response. Andrew flinched but kept a scowl on his face. Maria pulled Andrew''s ear. "We are the guests here." "Okay, sweetie." "Hmm." Maria nodded, smiling at her control over Andrew. Celia shook her head. "Such innocence. No wonder you can''t make any progress in your relationship." Mio''s face went redder. "S-Shaddap!" Ethan blinked his eyes in surprise. It was rare for Mio to act this flustered. She is cute¡­ "Hah, where is the music? Can''t be a party without some vibbin'' music." This guy will get along with the music witch living under him. Celia fired up some rock music in Andrew''s stead. Trrring! The doorbell rang. Ethan looked at Mio, who shook her head. Who could it be? Ethan opened the door. Standing outside was redhead Valentina along with a young silver-haired woman wearing a blank expression on her face. The pair held hands, looking quite strange with a crate of beers dangling from Valentina''s hand. Valentina gave a cheeky grin. "You should have invited us to the party? Gina hadn''t gone out for nearly a year now." Regina nudged the redhead. "Stop using that idiotic nickname." "But you love it when I use it." Regina still had a bland expression, leaving Ethan wondering how she loved this nickname. "Ah, not gonna invite us in?" "You won''t cause any troubles, right?" Valentina blinked her eyes innocently. "We never cause trouble." "Hello, Ethan. It''s nice to meet you," Regina said in a stiff tone, beads of sweat rolling off her forehead. Her violet eyes escaped eye contact with him. Is she sick? Ethan shrugged his shoulder and let the uninvited guests inside. It wasn''t long before the beer was flying all over the place, Regina''s odd choice of 80s music, Mio''s baseless threats echoing around, Andrew kissing Maria, a drunken Celia trying to imitate the gesture with Ethan. Chaos was literally everywhere at Ethan''s birthday party. Vol. 1 Ch. 5: A Nightmare Ethan woke up to birds chirping in his face. Wait¡­ bird?! His eyes snapped open. The bird pecked his face and darted away. "Where¡­ am I?" he thought out loud and inspected the surroundings. Thick, luscious trees stretched as far as he could see. Sun peeked from the cracks between the trees. It was a forest no matter how you look at it. Is Mio playing a prank on me? Last night, he drank with Valentina until they puked on the floor, bringing a fun end to the party. Then, Mio cleaned him up and dragged him to the bed. Why the hell was he sleeping in a forest? The nearest forest from his home needed a three hours drive and even that barely had many trees unlike this. He craned his neck and squinted at the sun. Columbus city wasn''t this warm. Someone kidnapped me in my sleep? Among the people he knew, only Celia and Andrew had the power to send him out of the city. However, Celia''s pranks didn''t go this far and Andrew would never waste his time on a childish prank. Wait, Valentina and Regina. They were also there last time. Are they behind this? Those two had no beef with him besides they had a lot of fun last night. He ruled out this possibility for now and checked his t-shirt and trousers. No smartphone and communication tool. He groaned and leaned against a tree, scratching his head for some idea. Minutes passed by, but nothing came up in his mind except the worst possible outcomes. What if someone really dumped him in a forest to participate in a survival show similar to the anime where people used explosives to battle each other? What if Celia wanted revenge for rejecting her again? What if Mio¡ª He slapped his cheeks to clear the negative speculations budding inside his head. They were just baseless assumptions. Celia acted on her whims but she wasn''t so petty. She was charismatic and strong-headed. Besides, last night, she looked sincere about her confession. Let''s treat this as a survival game for the time being. I won''t lose anything either way. He won''t have any regret if this really turned out to be some shitshow. Shelter, some food, and clean water¡ªthe most important elements for surviving in the wild. He sprang to his feet and dusted his grey shirt. Every direction looked the same, so he chose a random one and advanced. A crunching sound echoed as he crushed a twig under his feet, breaking the serenity. No point in attracting some wild bea¡ª Roaaaaar! A roar resounded in the forest, frightening the birds up top the trees. Ethan''s head jerked to the left. Bear? Lion? Tiger? Ethan gulped. He was no expert in distinguishing between them, nor did he want to stay here to shake hands with the owner of the earth-shaking roar. He forced his trembling legs to retreat. The thought of climbing a tree to hide emerged but he shook it away. Many animals could climb, even faster than him. Roaaaar! Another roar echoed in the distance. This one was sharper than the last.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Screeeeech! Groooowl!... In a second, hundreds of different cries filled the forest. Ethan''s walk broke into a sprint, his heart hammering against the chest. What the¡­ fuck? What the fuck?! A screech resounded above and a shadow covered him. He lifted his gaze and his steps froze. The upper part of the trees was burned and reduced to nothing. A giant bird floated there, with shining red feathers that seemed to burn endlessly, radiating heat as if the sun had descended on the Earth. It resembled the legendary Phoenix. Phoenix stopped its movements and glanced down. Ethan''s golden eyes met Phoenix''s golden pupils and his legs quivered. But the adrenaline rushing in his head prevented him from collapsing. This is another world... The realization was not as sweet as he used to imagine. There was no princess to greet him, no god to grant him overpowered abilities, no cheats, nothing of the sorts. He was thrust into the world with nothing but a pair of shitty clothes. "Fuck¡­ fuck¡­ Fuck!" He cursed at the situation and gritted his teeth. He had no chance to fight a legendary bird. Hell, even a wild animal could tear him into pieces. But he refused to go down this easily. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be the same man who survived a yandere sister for two entire years. His gaze flew around the place and stopped at a thick tree. He wasted no time and darted for it, taking cover behind the broad trunk. It was better than standing out in the open. Phoenix, however, had some plan of its own as it appeared above Ethan and squinted. It flapped its wings once and flame swirled, forming numerous spears that glared down at him. In one moment, a dense web of burning lances blanketed the sky. Think, Ethan, think. Try something. Can it understand me? He took a deep breath. "Hey, can''t we talk this out?" No answer. "We can make a deal or something. We have no enmity whatsoever. You will gain nothing by killing a weakling like me." His blabber only received a cold glare from Phoenix. Shriek! Phoenix''s shriek brought down the spears one by one. God, fuck this Phoenix. He would be the worst Isekai Protagonist ever to get killed in just half an hour. But strangely, his fear had disappeared at that moment, only regrets remained in his heart. To not being able to meet Mio again. To not accept Celia''s confession and try out something. A little regret to not say the last thanks to Andrew, who always looked out for him, and a lingering regret to not meet his mother again. Regret, huh. Ding! A sudden ding echoed in his head and a gray window appeared in his line of sight.
You gained a new Aspect for having deep regrets: Lament (I)
Ding! Another ding birthed a hot sensation in his heart. The same sensation he felt when he managed to knock out an armed robber to protect Mio and Celia. His eyes unconsciously narrowed and glared back at Phoenix.
You gained a new Aspect for remaining strong under the death threat: Courage (I)
The spears stopped an inch before him and vanished. The sensation inside him grew. His golden eyes glowed, despite the light around him, as though emitting his resolve. Ding! Another small ding reverberated in his head.
Aspects Regret and Courage crystallized into a skill: Survivor''s Vigor.
+10 Prana for gaining your first skill.
Prana requirements met. Do you wish to consume 10 Prana to unlock the skill?
Yes No
A blue hologram-like window floated before him. Survivor''s Vigor. It looks like a skill from an RPG... His gaze drifted to Phoenix still floating up there. "Interesting." A female voice reached him; it belonged to Phoenix. "Show us your courage." Saying those words, Phoenix vanished into a puff of smoke. "Show us your courage," Ethan repeated her words that sounded like he was just a toy to fulfill her amusement. There was a possibility that this bird summoned him here. He wiped the sweat on his face and hung his head. What now? Roaaaar! The vicious roar reminded him of the danger looming everywhere. He mustered strength in his legs and bolted in the opposite direction. Vol. 1 Ch. 6: Colorful world Running for over two hours, Ethan left the roars behind. He slumped against a tree and took deep breaths. The bottom of his feet bled for stepping on sharp stones in his way. Ding! Another ding rang and a blue hologram-like window materialized.
You gained a new Aspect for pushing past your limits: Tenacity (I) Conditions fulfilled to gain passive skill Sprint. Do you wish to consume 2 Prana to unlock the skill?
Yes No
I got the Tenacious Aspect and even gained the Sprint Skill. How great. How fucking great. I can run a whole lot more now, can''t I? His snarky comments reached no one. He covered his face with a twisted expression. What''s the point of this if I can''t meet Mio? If given a second chance, he promised to try his best to answer Mio''s feelings and make her happy. Heck, he even swore to respond to Celia''s feelings. But rarely do people go back to their world in this situation. What am I even supposed to do here? Kill the fucking demon lord or something? The grass nearby rustled and two rabbit ears peeked out. The gray-furred rabbit followed soon and rushed at Ethan. Ethan pushed his hands forward in defense, somehow catching the rabbit by its fluffy ears. It didn''t try to struggle and looked at him with teary eyes. Ding!
You gained a new Aspect for seducing a creature: Charm (I)
Ethan deadpanned and threw the rabbit back into the bushes. I seduced a freaking rabbit?! It wasn''t the first creature he met here. Every creature here seemed like a mutated version of animals on Earth like a raven with three eyes, a magpie with three tails, a spider spanning over a meter, and many more. Weirdly enough none of them tried to attack him. A large four-eyed monkey even cleared the logs blocking his way. This really is another world, isn''t it? The reality once again came crashing down on him. Definitely not Earth. Could it be some kind of VR simulation? He pinched his face and felt pain, nothing different from Earth. There might even be dragons and ogres in this forest other than your typical goblins. He didn''t want to imagine what the green little shits would do to a man like him. He would have met Hades if not for Phoenix''s last-minute amusement at his existence. He suppressed the depressing thoughts for the time being. Moping around will accomplish nothing. He had to find a way to return to his Earth. Prana¡­ hmm, it used to be Life Force of sorts in the games I played. Does this work the same here? How much Prana do I have? "System." "Skills." "Show Status." His random calls summoned another floating window beside the first one.
Ethan Carter Level 1 Prana Available - 10
Parameters: Health - 179/220 Stamina - 62/190 Will Power - 135/135 Strength - 13 Vitality - 22 Endurance - 19 (+1)Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Agility - 18 Intelligence - 14 Wisdom - 13 Prana available - 10
Active Skills: -None
Passive Skills: -Survivor''s Vigor (Rank 1) Rank: Rare When injured, the strength rises by 5%. Grants minor resistance to poison.
Inherent Skills: -Magic Eyes of Limitless Wisdom Rank: Mythic Displays the information of any object or being recorded in the Wisdom Archive. (Requires 10 Prana to awaken) -Sealed
Aspects: -Tenacity (I) Quite the tenacity you have there lad. Grants +1 Endurance. -Charm (I) Any female feels intimate to you. Just being near you makes them feel as if they are seeing their lover. It doesn''t work if the target already has negative emotions for you. Enemies can''t be charmed, got that? People with higher Willpower can resist you as well, so don''t try to seduce Saintess Elena, okay?
What are the comments inside Aspects as if they are mocking me? This whole thing is very RPG-like. My stats aren''t¡­ bad if the average is ten. Stamina is Endurance times ten. Health is Vitality times ten. Still, why do I have this overpowered skill? There might also be more Skills under the Sealed pretext, which sprouted a bad feeling. What if someone intentionally summoned him to fight some OP demon king? He decided to mull over it later. I have 10 Prana. Let''s get this Mythic Rank skill first. I might be able to analyze the fruits with this. As he pressed yes, a strange current ran through his body, mainly concentrated around his eyes.
-Magic Eyes of Limitless Wisdom Rank 1 (0.0%) Rank: Mythic Displays information on anything recorded in the Wisdom Archive. Restricted to Iron-rankers and below.
Only this window remained in vision, everything else became pure white. Giant pillars of glowing silver replaced the trees. A yellowish hue covered the ground and the sky became a tint of green. Was this the infamous Elemental Sight? Then again his hand seemed a shade of purple, red, and pink, which raised a doubt. Red should be the fire or blood element if there was any. What about purple? Darkness? Void? And pink? I don''t know any element associated with pink¡­ How do I deactivate this sight? "Deactivate." "Shut down." "Seal Magic Eyes of Infinite Wisdom." He tried rubbing his eyes, blinking and closing for a few seconds, but nothing worked. What if it is the type to always stay active? The thought of seeing red figures everywhere filled his heart with coldness. What should I do now? "Show Status." His status remained the same. However, the Willpower went down to 115 from 135, then 114 another moment later. So this consumes Willpower. I should wait for it to deplete. He focused on listening for any sound. Drip. Drip. Drip. He picked up a sound similar to water dripping but in a far larger quantity. A river? His other senses worked far better than before, letting him hear sounds of ants crawling near his feet. He kept an eye on the slowly draining Willpower bar and stamina rising at 11 to 12 points per minute. 10¡­ 5¡­ 3, 2, 1¡­ The colors exploded in his vision and everything returned to normal. He heaved a sigh of relief and noticed his other senses getting weaker. It''s normal, I guess. He opened his status and checked on the new skill''s description. There was still no mention of this sight. A bug? Maybe it will show if I level it up. How to use this information skill? He raised a brow and swept his gaze over the trees. "Activate Magic Eyes of Infinite Wisdom." "Analyze." "Inspect." "Scan."
Star Spring Tree Rank: Common A tree that can thrive under the hottest of climates.
Scans are the activation key, huh. Hot climate? This place isn''t particularly hot. Ethan activated the ability on a crow cawing on top of its lung.
Grim Raven Level 3 A subspecies of Crow famous for crying when death calls out to someone.
Ethan gulped. This crow was surely not referring to him, right? It''s time to move. He jolted to his feet and turned to his right. Hope this is a river leading to some civilization. He sneaked around the trees for several minutes and came across a change. The trees became scarce and the soil became more rigid and darker. He followed the same direction and finally came out of the forest. An intense heat attacked his face. Several steps ahead was a flowing river of... magma falling from the ravine between two valleys. He took a step back from the heat. "Fuck." Following this will lead to nowhere, he had a gut feeling. The other side had several caves carved into the mountains spanning for miles. His gaze stopped on the castle towering over the mountains. The red and golden design of the floating castle could only belong to one entity. Phoenix¡­ The curious bird most likely observed him from her base with some mystical spells. The bird is keeping a human in a cage. He chuckled at the thought. A cave should be a good place to spend the night. The boulders could block the entrance. Most of the creatures wouldn''t cross the magma river. How do I get there though? Charm another animal¡­ it could work if a giant bird l gets attracted to me¡­ He rubbed his stomach. I feel hungry. There are fruits here but what about the water? He let out a sigh. Watching anime over the survival guide was a big mistake. He returned to the forest and climbed a tree with orange-like fruits hanging, tempting him to pluck them. It seemed similar to an orange but the texture was a little rigid. "Scan."
Dreamnight fruit Rank: Rare Fruit of the Sugarshield tree that thrives on Dryad''s nectar. Has a rare taste that changes according to the eater''s desire. Effect: The abundance of life force inside it can cause a nauseating effect on people with Willpower lower than 100.
I can eat it. He pocketed three fruits and climbed down. There was no lack of dreamnight trees here. Now where to go? Grrrraawr! A series of growls reached him. He didn''t dare to dally any longer and bolted away to search for some small animals. Vol. 1 Ch. 7: New friend Ethan spotted a cute squirrel munching on a nut and lowered his speed. A white horn on its head reflected light like a crystal. I hope it''s a female. He shuffled toward the squirrel, trying to look as harmless as possible. His efforts were in vain as the squirrel''s ears perked up. Its blue eyes lingered on him for quite a few moments. The white horn on its head let out a blinding light. Ethan didn''t blink from the flashbang-like attack, only seeing an afterimage of the squirrel as it vanished. It ran away. His shoulders dropped down. His plan to make an animal army failed. The scrubs suddenly crinkled and the squirrel bolted out, holding a round pink fruit bigger than its own head. It scuttled closer and held out the fruit for him. Ethan squatted and received the fruit with a smile. "Scan."
Precious Rank: Rare A fruit that grows on the Fresia Trees. The sweetness of this fruit exceeds anything in existence. Many animals use this to propose to their mate. Effect: The taste can intoxicate anyone with love if the Willpower is less than 200.
Ethan almost dropped the fruit. His second proposal came from¡­ a horned squirrel. She is cute though. "Scan."
Horned Squirrel Level 4 A squirrel mutated from accumulating an extreme amount of Prana. It can control the wind currents with its horn.
Her description startled Ethan. This little thing could control the wind to an extent, despite being a Level 4. Ethan held out his finger, letting her nuzzle his finger. The first soldier recruited. If only every animal were female his survival chances would shoot up. "I will call you Mini." The squirrel''s ears perked up. She rushed up to his shoulder and pointed to the front. "Squeak!" Ethan wrinkled his brow. "Danger?" She nodded, as though understanding him and repeatedly pointed behind and right. "There too?" Ethan turned to the only safe direction, or it wasn''t as safe since it led to the magma lake. "Fuck. I should try to outrun it." He dashed toward the safest direction, somewhat confused at his trust in the little squirrel. His feet took bigger strides than usual, almost throwing him headfirst into a tree. Is this Mini''s magic?Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. She was affecting the air resistance to increase Ethan''s mobility. Several moments later, he reached the magma lake. Mini scratched his neck and pointed at the river, making a gesture similar to a kid flying a paper plane. "Squeak!" "Wait, you want me to jump?" Mini confirmed with a nod and rubbed her horn. "Squeal squeal!" He glanced behind to discover over a dozen ferocious wolves charging at him. Their open jaws revealed gleaming fangs; their pitch-black eyes held anything but good intentions. Ethan swallowed his dry saliva. These wolves meant business. I can''t fight them off. At least this magma will melt me in less time, way better than feeling them chewing on my bones. He turned back to the river. The distance between the two sides should be 30 to 40 meters. The longest jump record is 9 meters or something. "Mini, I am counting on you. Just four times the speed and I will be on the other side." "Squeal." Mini thumped her chest as if saying leave everything to me. Making up his mind, Ethan took Mini in his hand. He retreated and sprinted forward, leaping above the river. His "Courage" Aspect wasn''t just for showing off. "I am flyiiiiiing!" He flailed his hands to control his movements in the air. The heat of magma didn''t bother him much. In a second, his world revolved as he rolled on the jagged ground. He held Mini close to his chest and crashed into the cave. "Argh..." he couldn''t suppress the painful groan. His bones ached as if a car had run over him. "Squeaaaal!" He let go of Mini being suffocated in his hands. Her horn had several cracks. She pushed her limits for this magic. "Mini, your horn¡­ are you okay?" She crawled on top of his head and patted his head. She is fine. He pushed himself off the ground and leaned against the cave. He stifled the metallic taste rushing up his throat and let out a dry laugh. "I would have died if not for my stats. I am still not exactly fine." He whipped out the crushed fruit from his pocket and took a bite. The sweetness just melted his taste buds. "Kii!" He plucked a piece for Mini, which she grabbed instantly. He devoured two fruits and resisted the temptation to eat the last one.
You gained a new Aspect for enhancing your Lifeforce: Robust (I)
You have reached the limit of Aspects for your current level.
So the Aspects are restricted by the level. Can''t abuse it now... He opened his stats to see the new Aspect''s description.
-Robust (I) You are harder to kill. Is that a good thing though? Grants +1 Vitality.
He raised his middle finger at the castle. "Fuck you, asshole bird." He staggered over to the cave''s mouth. A dim light illuminated the walls, coming from the silver moss growing everywhere in the cave. "Mini, you hear anything here?" Mini shook her head. "Great." He stepped inside. His footsteps echoed in the desolate cave. After walking for several minutes, he could see a table and a chair at the end. What the? He quickened his pace, almost tripping on a loose stone in the process. From up close, he found something sitting on top of the table. A water bottle and a diary¡­ It looked familiar. "Scan."
Mio''s Diary Rank: Unique A recollection diary narrated by Mio Emerson, a sister head over heels for Ethan Carter.
He grabbed the book and opened it.
Greetings Otherworlder Ethan, I am Fiona, the sole Phoenix Spirit in the world. I hope you are not too offended by my prank. Bear in mind that I have no hand in summoning you here, nor do I wish to offend the one who summoned you. Be assured, for they cannot harbor any malicious intent against you. In compensation for any damage, I grant you water!
The note ended there. The next page was the start of Mio''s diary. "Scan."
Water Rank: Common Water can be found anywhere. Effect: Reduce your thirst and rejuvenate your energy.
This bird¡­ is so shameless for advertising water as it is some God-Tier Elixir. She would have become a first-class salesman on Earth. He gulped down the cold water. "Maaan, it''s delicious." "Mini, want a si¡ª" Everything turned dark and his eyes blanked out. He collapsed on the ground. His body dispersed into purple specks. "Squeeeeal!" Mini''s scream resounded in the cave. Vol. 1 Ch. 8: Disappearance of Ethan Carter [Mio''s POV] I was happy. Very happy. I could fly if I tried. My heart fluttered with every step inside our love nest. Onii-sama forgave me for the past. It felt like he accepted me for what I am, a twisted woman lusting for her adopted brother. This was like a knot in my heart but today, I became free! I caressed Onii-sama''s face while lying on his side. The cutest and most handsome man in the world. But he doesn''t know that since I always accompanied him, not allowing him to get overly chummy with any girl. The girls shrank away from me while Celia bitch kept the rest at bay with her high status. She was indeed a good dog of my brother, always running at his beck and call. Celia tried to win him with a brand new car on his birthday but she didn''t know Onii-sama could afford it too. Her ignorance of Onii-sama''s income was ecstatic. So many rich women threw thousands of dollars to see his smile on his stream. My onii-sama is very popular. He deserved it. Oh shit, my panties became wet thinking about his kind smile. I threw away my soaked panties. No point in wearing a fresh one! I pressed my lips on Onii-sama''s cheeks. "Onii-sama, can I take you now? You won''t object if your cute sister claims your virginity, right?" Hehe¡­ oi, calm down! I slapped myself. Not good. Onii-sama will hate me if I do it like this. I must remain patient and seduce him little by little. I swallowed the sleeping pills, or my pure love will force me to do something to Onii-sama here. He should be awake when he pins me down and whispers sweet words in my ears. Enough delusions! I don''t want to dirty the blanket now. I hugged him and closed my eyes. "Good night, Onii-sama. I love you." Onii-sama is the best hug pillow. Celia always chewed her nails when I told her about sleeping with Onii-sama like this. I still remember the time she gritted her teeth and said, "You still can''t marry him." No, I will marry him. If I can''t then I will¡­ I don''t know what I will do. Urgh¡­ if only the law allowed siblings to marry. ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª My eyes opened at midnight, my arms unconsciously stretched to embrace Onii-sama. Huh?This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Where is Onii-sama? I switched on the light in skepticism. Onii-sama wasn''t in the room. I searched the whole house but he is nowhere. "Is he sleeping with the women down there?" It can''t be¡­ they are beautiful but Onii-sama won''t do it. First, I apologized to Onii-sama for doubting him but it must be checked! After wearing my clothes, I went down and knocked on their door. Valentina opened the door while scratching her messy hair. I raised my brow at the deep scars on her arms and some extending from her white tank top. She really was a soldier. "What do ya need now?" "Is Ethan here?" Valentina yawned. "Who Ethan? The cute guy living above? Why would he be here? You really think I kidnapped him to rape him?" She didn''t seem to be lying. I bowed my head. "I am sorry for disturbing you at midnight." I had to act politely to maintain Onii-sama''s image. Valentina rubbed her eyes. "Don''t worry about it. Do you need my help in finding him?" She looked like a kind woman. Regina also arrives behind Valentina in pale blue pajamas. "Did something happen?" I shook my head. "I will contact you in the morning if I need it." "Goodnight." "Goodnight?" I returned to Onii-sama''s room and fiddled with my phone. Must I really contact Celia for help? She would find Onii-sama quickly but I don''t want to owe her. I could have placed a tracker on Onii-sama''s body if using tech was my suite. I tried. I really did. But the only result was a failure. Aaaargh, Onii-sama, where are you? Your sister here is worried you know. I just laid on the bed, wishing for Onii-sama to return. Swoosh! A cold wind whacked my face. What? I opened my eyes to find Onii-sama lying beside me. How did he appear out of nowhere? His clothes littered with dirt release a strong smell of sweat. "Onii-sama." I shook him but he kept his eyes shut. His pulse seemed normal. I heaved a sigh and took off his shirt. The magic thing will come later but I need to take care of him for now. I threw off his shirt and a gasp left my lips. "Onii-sama¡­ how?" Blood flowed from the small wounds stretching on his upper body. His swollen feet were impaled with many thorns. Did someone chase him in a forest? I can''t come to a conclusion right now. "Where have you been?" Suppressing the urge to cry, I fetched the medical kit and applied the medicine to his wounds. The deep scar on his right rib evoked some old memories. I gently caressed the reason I fell for him. Back when he stood up for me, his back looked so wide shielding me from the criminals. He didn''t even flinch from the gun aiming at us. He was so heroic. I had my entire world flipped upside down in a moment. My loathing at that time had melted away and only warm feelings for him were left in my heart. Unfortunately, Celia was also there to witness Onii-sama''s figure and fell in love. And the next day, sitting at his bedside, watching him wrapped in white gauze, I felt like someone slashing my heart over and over. Unknowingly, Onii-sama had seized a big part of my heart after he saved me. The same feeling sprang from my heart. I gritted my teeth. You fucker¡­ I am gonna find whoever did this to Onii-sama and strangle you with my own hands. No one messes with my Onii-sama. Not even God. I picked up my phone and called Celia. I didn''t like Andrew but I could tolerate Celia. Barely. She answered the phone. "Hmm¡­ Mio, what happened?" "Celia, Onii-sama is hurt¡­ can you come over right now?" "Hurt? How? Just hold on, I am coming!" That reminded me that I never called her by her name. I draped a blanket over Onii-sama. Celia must never see him naked. The doorbell rang precisely four minutes later. She was fast. "Where is he?" "In his room." She brushed me aside and rushed into his room. I followed behind and found her looking at Onii-sama with clenched fists. "What the hell happened?" Her ice-cold voice surprises me. "I have no idea. He disappeared somehow and just appeared beside me." She grabbed my collar, her eyes carrying an intimidating glare. "Don''t. bullshit. me. How could this happen with you here?" Huh? I clutched her collar like she did to me. "You think I harmed Onii-sama? How dare you? It looks like calling you here was a mistake on my part." All my anger burst forth at that moment, almost prompting me to bring my blade. She released me and fixed my dress. "I am sorry. I couldn''t think straight seeing him like this¡­ let me call a doctor." "Do it." While she talked with the doctor, I sat beside Onii-sama. His fingers shook; his eyelashes fluttered. Onii-sama woke up! Vol. 1 Ch. 9: Celia’s delusions [Celia''s POV] I put down my phone. The doctor might arrive in several minutes. I will break her bones if she doesn''t. "Onii-sama!" Mio wrung Ethan''s hands. He woke up? I whisked over to him and took a seat on the bed. "Ethan, how are you feeling?" He coughed twice and sat up. He stared at us, his eyes widening as if he saw a ghost. "Ethan?" He ignored my call. His trembling hand reached out and touched Mio''s face. "Mio, is that you?" Mio squeezed his hand into her own. "It''s me, Onii-sama. What happened?" A look of relief washed over his face. He suddenly jerked Mio into his embrace and rested his chin on her head with closed eyes. "I am glad to see you again¡­" I was a little lost here. His voice felt as if he had met Mio after years of separation. Just what happened to my Ethan? Still, I was glad for his safety. "O-Onii-sama¡­" Mio stuttered, her face blushing and her breath getting heavier. This perverted woman¡­ I envied her for being this close to him, just a tiny bit. I decided to leave the siblings alone and focus on finding the culprit. I had my own ways, especially the things set up here. As I moved from the bed, Ethan grabbed my hand. "Celia." "Ethan?" He gave a strange smile, yet I found my heart palpitating. His golden eyes carried a different air. Deep and unfathomable charm. I couldn''t look away even if I tried. He had finally found it. The something he always lacked. Motivation. A goal. I can''t describe it in better words. "Can you wait for me?" Wait? Wait for what? Was he talking about¡ª "My answer." "Are you¡­ serious?" He nodded with a soft smile. "I am." I resisted the sudden urge welling up in me. The urge to throw myself at him and push him down. "Why now? Where did you go? Tell me." "Tell us," Mio corrected me, glaring at me from the corner of her eyes.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Ethan released my hand and patted the spot beside him. "First you have to promise you won''t tell this to others." "I promise, Onii-sama." I sat near him, leaning on his shoulder. "I will never betray my friends." "Show Status." Is he high¡ª a blue window appeared in his face. Like the hologram technology my mother tried to emulate last year but turned into another waste of millions. Ethan pointed at the window. "Can you two see this?" Mio''s hands passed right through the windows. "I can see it." I leaned closer to read the text. Status, Ethan Carter Lvl 1, below are various parameters, active skills, passive skills, Aspects¡­ Tenacious, Charm, and Robust¡­ this looked like a typical RPG status board. "The thing is¡­" Ethan began his story. It left me dumbstruck. He went and returned from the forest in another world, where he met a Phoenix. He squeezed his hand every time he mentioned this Phoenix. The bird tried to mess with my sweetheart. I gotta repay her back, don''t I? My small grudge aside, this whole thing sounded too bizarre. I am a sucker for the Isekai genre but this happened in real life, to my beloved man at that. Unbelievable, despite the greatest evidence with the status window and words from Ethan himself. And Mio, stop saying things like "I can fry the chicken, right? They taste good." "She threatened my precious Onii-sama?" "I need to kill her for the greater good." She was a scary rival. But I thought of another angle in this. "Ethan, do you know the reason for this? Is it a coincidence that this occurred on your 18th birthday?" He shook his head. "But I know that this won''t be the last time I visit that world." "How can you say that?" He tilted his head. "I just have this feeling." "Onii-sama, what do we do? I don''t want to see you like this again¡­ ever." I agreed with this minx for once. My beloved future husband suffered alone in another world. The mere thought wrenched my heart. I swore to protect him, like he did to me. But I could do nothing now. This unknown magic. This is hopeless. What if the spell broke and he never returned? My throat tightened as my eyes blurred. Ethan wrapped his arms around my shoulder. "C''mon, stop with the long face. I survived just fine, didn''t I? I will do the same if it happens again. Besides, I made a little friend over there." I covered my face to hide my tears. "The squirrel?" "Mini." "I want to meet her." No, I wanted to visit that world with Ethan and help him. If possible go on adventurers, where we risk our lives for each other, grind goblins in the day, and spend our nights in cheap inns. I will run a small business, which will flourish under my intellect and his hard work. We will buy a large house and have kids. Spending our retirement there. My, how wonderful would that be. It cheered me up instantly. My materialistic mother can''t buy this warmth coursing through my chest. Nothing in the world can. "Celia, you pervert. Stop including Onii-sama in your weird delusions." I came back to reality and controlled my breathing going haywire. "Stop projecting on me. I just have a little cold." Ethan didn''t say anything. At least he sided with none of us instead of sticking with Mio. I wonder what his answer will be. I wasn''t giving up either way. I was going to cling on to this warm feeling, even if he pushed me away. No one can reject my devotion. Not even Ethan! "Celia is a pervert¡­" Ethan''s whisper ended my delusions. Even he called me a pervert. I felt like crying on all fours now. A knock on the door dissolved the warm atmosphere in the room. "It''s the doctor." Ethan rubbed his ribs. "I might need some painkillers¡­ after all." Mio glared at me with her head pressed on Ethan''s chest. "Celia, please." This bitch¡­ I didn''t want to leave. This was the first time Ethan hugged me so intimately on his own. Ethan sighed. "I will go then." "No!" "Onii-sama!" We both raised our voices. I bit the bullet this time and opened the door for Miss Cruger, a middle-aged blonde woman wearing glasses. The doctor froze near Ethan''s room, staring at him with wide eyes. With cheeks tinged in red, she played with a lock of her hair. "Ermm¡­ are you the patient?" This woman had never met Ethan before. So why was she acting like the picture-perfect definition of a maiden in love? Was this the power of his Charm (I) Aspect? Fuck¡­ I met Mio''s eyes and we nodded at each other. Even though we were rivals for his affection, we both will hate if any more contenders popped up and wasted our precious time together. Ethan nodded with a bitter smile. "I am." "Can I have your number?" "Miss Cruger, you got some nerves flirting with my Ethan. Mister Cruger will be really happy if he hears this." She laughed awkwardly. "Let''s start the checkup." Another shameless woman, like my mother. Vol. 1 Ch. 10: Preparations The lady doctor''s gaze bothered Ethan. He still allowed her to examine his body. The pain in the left side of his ribs agitated him. Some painkillers might let him recover since people with high Vitality tend to recover quicker, or so the Litrpg novels had taught him. "Woman, stop your hand!" The lady pulled up her hand heading down to his crotch. "S-Sorry." His eyes turned dead at her blushing face. Fuck¡­ Charm ability is too strong and it''s only Rank 1 from the (I) part. What will happen at Rank 2 or further? I won''t be able to go out, or the women on the streets will kidnap me. He shuddered at the thought. First, he had to solve his problems with Mio. If his sister ever wanted to date him, he needed her name out of his family register. Andrew could do it in a minute. I can''t chicken out of my own promise. As for Celia, he had no idea. He had asked her to wait based on an impulse. The thing was he didn''t want to see her with someone else. He couldn''t do it. The feeling was new and foreign but he felt like he should do something for her and make her happy. So much for calling Andrew unfaithful¡­
You gained a new Aspect for embracing your desires: Affection (I)
This Aspect will remain locked until you reach Level 2.
Wow, this even works here¡­ I should start grinding for any Aspect I can think of... He wrapped himself in a white blanket after the doctor finished her inspection. "You have multiple injuries, some might be deep enough to affect your internals. I recommend a thorough examination at a hospital." Breaking the longest jump record had its consequences. "Can''t you bring that stuff here? You want him to go there in this condition." Celia was overbearing today. "Celia, that''s fine. I will get checked after some rest." The doctor nodded gratefully and walked out of the room. Celia followed her. Mio crept closer and hugged him. "Onii-sama, we should do something about the fact that you went to another world." He draped one arm around Mio''s waist and brushed her silky hair with the other. Doing this made his chest giddy. "Don''t worry. I will prepare for everything." "If Onii-sama says." "Mio, do you like me?" Mio craned her neck to look up. Ethan''s heart raced from her radiant smile. "Of course I like Onii-sama." She is a saint¡­ Lost in her smile, he forgot the thing on his mind. Celia returned after throwing out the perverted doctor. "I will buy the prescribed meds. Mio, don''t try anything stupid, okay?" These two will always fight¡­ Ethan waved his hand. "Thanks for your hard work." Celia licked her lips. "It''s nothing, darling. You will see how devoted I am in the future." "Pretentious bitch."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Mio''s whisper prompted him to shake his head. Celia went out again. "I will lock the door from outside." Her voice echoed in the house. "Onii-sama, she is an idiot." "..." She pushed him down on the bed and closed the lights. "Let''s sleep!" "Sure. I don''t feel like going to school today." "I wouldn''t let you even if you wanted. We don''t want women attacking our home." He couldn''t deny her and shut his eyes. The entire day of running around had exhausted him, both physically and mentally. ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª Ethan''s eyelids unfolded after a long sleep. Celia and Mio slept hugging his arms, restricting his movements. They are pushing my limits. He broke his arms free and stretched. The pain had completely vanished. His body brimmed with energy. His HP also showed 230. Nice. He snuck out of the bed and glanced at the clock. 2 PM, huh. I have 10 hours if the magic summons me again. I have a lot to do. First is a shower! A quick shower later, he discovered Mio dancing in the kitchen. "Onii-sama, Mio''s special lunch will be ready in a minute~." Celia also entered the room and slapped Ethan''s back. "Don''t put anything weird in it." Mio turned around with a sneer on her face. "You can cook in my place... Wait, a certain rich spoiled lady knows shit about cooking." "Shut up!" Celia growled, with a hot blush. Ethan chuckled and sat down. His eyes went to Celia and an idea popped into his head. "Scan."
Celia Densford Level 1 Prana available - 0
Parameters: Health - 90/90 Stamina - 78/80 Will Power - 90/90 Strength - 7 Vitality - 9 Endurance - 8 Agility - 8 Intelligence - 10 Wisdom - 8
Emotions towards you: Insufficient skill rank. Current thoughts about you: Insufficient skill rank.
Skills: Insufficient skill rank.
Aspects: Insufficient skill rank.
She was weak compared to his stats. He got another insight into the parameters. The average of Intelligence and Wisdom multiplied with ten made up the Willpower. The locked features are a severe invasion of privacy. The inherent skill was overpowered. But how did he inherit it anyway? Mother? Father? One of them could be related to the other world since Phoenix said the person who summoned means no harm. His suspicion went to his mother, who mysteriously vanished. Phoenix definitely knew the answer. He scanned Mio this time.
Mio Emerson Level 1 Prana available - 0
Parameters: Health - 90/90 Stamina - 78/80 Will Power - 80/80 Strength - 10 Vitality - 11 Endurance - 10 Agility - 12 Intelligence - 9 Wisdom - 7
Emotions towards you: Insufficient skill rank. ...
Mio''s physical strength surpassed Celia''s. Celia sat calmly, not showing any interest in the status windows. An RPG geek like her would have jumped at the status windows. So that''s how it works. If he wanted to show it then others will be able to see, otherwise, they will remain hidden. Celia grabbed the chair beside him. "Darling, I ordered my maid to bring my stuff here. I will stay with you until we solve this problem, maybe even after that." "And your family agreed to that?" Her family was rather unique. Her father loved her dearly. However, his legs wobbled before his fierce wife, Celia''s mother, the current leader of the Densford Family. Celia''s eyes turned cold. "The hag tried to stop me but I ignored her." "I don''t mind actually. Just don''t sneak into my room again." "Can''t promise that." She pointed at Mio coming with dishes. "You need to stop her first." Ethan only shook his head in resignation. Leaping across the magma river was easier than denying Mio. The lunch event passed with the two girls throwing random insults at each other. However, they seemed closer than the last time. Ethan walked to the balcony and called Andrew. Andrew answered instantaneously, "Why the fuck did you miss class? Celia is also not present today. Are you two having fun over there?" Ethan touched his forehead. "I need help." "What now?" "Buy me some tactical knives, a solid axe, a crossbow, and any weapon that doesn''t make much noise. I need them by evening." "Woah, stop right there buddy. You are robbing a bank without me?" "Andrew, please. I am serious." "Tell me, who is bothering you? I will make sure they don''t ever walk in this world." "Nobody. I need them for something else." "Fine, I will arrange everything by the evening." Ethan let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, man. You are always there to help me." Andrew laughed out loud. A female screamed in the background, most likely the teacher. "I love you too." Ethan also chuckled. "Freaking homo." "Drag your butt over here tomorrow and give the details about your first night with Miss Densford." "I will, after I fuck her that is." This should shut him up for some time. "Hooo, my man got a backbone." Ethan ended the call and shook his head. It was hard to imagine this guy used to pursue Mio until she slapped his face with her foot. From feeling sympathy for him to becoming best friends¡ªlife was indeed one strange cycle. Vol. 1 Ch. 11: A sneak attack Ethan spent the afternoon tinkering with things around the house, but nothing gave him a new Aspect. So they depend on strong emotions? Let''s think of it like that until proven otherwise. He returned to his room and stood before a shelf beside the bed. The top half held his favorite novels, comics, as well as manga. He might as well call it ''Andrew''s Weeb Collection'' since everything here belonged to him. The bottom layer of the shelf accommodated all the classic games of the last twenty years. He and Mio loved every one of them to death. Might as well play some games. He booted his newest console (Courtesy of Celia) and logged onto ''The Heaven''s Chalice'', the most popular game of this year. The title might not last long with the new VRMMO debuting soon. A terrific affair since Mio''s father owned most of the stocks of this game company. Hope the bastard cries for real. Bang! The door was flung open and Celia appeared, arms crossed on her chest. The ''Touch Me'' written on her pale green sleeveless top left no room for Ethan''s wild imaginations. "Welcome, Mistress. What brings you to this humble one''s abode?" Celia ran off without answering, then returned with a handheld. "Lemme join!" Celia sprawled on the couch and lounged her head on Ethan''s lap. The charming smile on her face reminded Ethan of her unreal beauty. But one thing he mastered while living with Mio was keeping a poker face. "Where is Mio?" "No idea. Probably singing songs of her Onii-sama, like she always does." "Can''t you two get along?" "Ethan." Celia narrowed her gaze. A sharp gleam hidden inside her violet eyes. "You are getting a bit too chummy with Mio after the incident." Ethan focused on moving his character around the boss, rather than her talk. Dash. Attack. Retreat. After slaying the boss, he put down his controller. "Do you want the answer?" Celia slumped on his lap and forced a smile, stabbing his consciousness with guilt. "Depends. Will this hurt me?" Ethan maintained eye contact with her. Running was never an option when it came to Mio. She will always come first, no matter what the circumstances. "Considering your rivalry with her, yes." Celia let out a sigh at his straightforward answer. "Then forget it. I don''t care either way." You do. He restrained the retort and invited Celia to a party. "LastDragonEthan," Celia shoved her elbow in his ribs. "Your in-game name is freaking hilarious. You know that?" "Still thousands of times better than ''Thepreciousbeauty111''," he muttered. "Dragons are fascinating, don''t you think?" "Well, they are. I am sure the world you visited has dragons." "I hope I don''t encounter them. A mob like me will be obliterated within seconds." "Ethan," Celia called out and touched his face. Her solemn expression caused him to adopt a thoughtful expression of his own. "If you ever get the ability to bring someone to that world. Please choose me." Denying will protect her but hurt her feelings, so he only had one choice.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I will." He just had to work harder to protect Celia as well. "Ethan, thank you." A warm smile blossomed on her face, her dimples crinkled and magnified her loveliness by miles. Ethan failed to resist his impulse. Raising her body in his arms, he brushed her hair aside and drew closer. As his lips touched hers, a pink spark doused his sight. What? His first kiss almost ended prematurely. Nothing of the same sort happened again, so the kiss continued. Celia''s hand tangled around his neck. Her soft, warm lips pressed against him. A gentle light surged in her eyes, drawing him deeper. Ethan sloppily delved inside her mouth. Her tongue tasted a strawberry-like flavor, almost like her favorite brand strawberry juice. The spark occurred once again and he ended the kiss. "Did you see something?" "...What?" Celia''s breathing quickened. Ethan''s kiss nearly knocked all the wind out of her lungs. "It''s nothing." Celia swiftly turned and settled in his lap. Her arms slipped around him and she looked into his eyes. Their foreheads touched and a dazzling smile rose on her face. "Darling, you are¡­ making me curious. Tell me what you saw." "Pink sparks. Almost like the rose color." Celia thought for a second then nodded her head. "I saw something purplish. My mind was too lost to notice anything." "I see." Was the affection Aspect acting weirdly before it was activated? "I want to continue." Celia brushed his face with a grin. "I want to go all the way." As he opened his mouth to answer, hurried footsteps reached Ethan from the corridor. He shifted Celia to the side and picked up the controller. "Onii-sama!" Mio sang and rapped at the door. "A guy delivered a box with your name." He ignored Celia''s prickly glare and shut down the console. "Let''s unpack it together." "There goes my time with darling," Celia sighed. "Count me in." ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª Living room. Ethan examined the giant box sitting on the table. Celia sat on the couch with a kitchen knife and placed a basket of vegetables on the table. Ethan grinned at her clumsy way of handling the knife. "Mistress, be careful or you might hurt yourself." Celia faced him with a pout. "Way to kill my confidence before I even started." "You wanna cook now?" He snatched the knife from her and sliced open the box. Celia peeked at the contents of the container. "Oh my god, they are so cool!" Celia shrieked and reached out to the box. Ethan curled his lips. "A dagger used by the Military is cool. You have a taste befitting your Mistress status." "Stop with the Mistress. Call me sweetheart or honey." "Not happening." She clicked her tongue at his blatant rejection. Ethan rechecked the contents of the box. Three tactical knives that would remain sharp even after a long time of use, a black axe with a silver cutting edge, a self-cocking crossbow pistol with a quiver of arrow bolts, and a pistol with a silencer equipped. A note also lay beneath everything. [Dear friend, this crossbow pistol is in its experimental stage but each bolt fired at 400-426 fps. In simple words, it''s strong as fuck, enough to pierce through a bear''s hide if used from 5m. Do not use them to kill in broad daylight. I cannot save you if you go that far. Try to be a bit sneaky if you want to splatter some watermelons.] Andrew really thought Ethan wanted to kill someone. Ethan shook his head. The crossbow pistol was just for experimenting. If Mini could tinker with the air resistance again, a simple arrow should suffice in killing or at least harming the scary wolves. "Onii-sama!" Mio caught up and plopped beside him. "The knives are so cool!" A yandere loving knives¡­ that''s a flag! He placed the things back in the box. "I will be training with them in my room." Celia tugged at his sleeve, reluctance clouding her eyes. "Be careful, okay." The thought of comforting her with a hug flashed, but Mio''s pinch on his waist eliminated it. "Are your injuries better?" Ethan effortlessly lifted the box weighing over two hundred pounds. "Couldn''t be any better." Back in his room, Ethan powered on his pc and watched some tutorials related to handling a crossbow. He tore a piece of paper and drew five circles on it. He pasted it on a box sitting above a table. He nocked a bolt on the crossbow and tugged the handle to pull back the string. He straightened his posture and gripped the crossbow as shown in the tutorial. Concentrate. He narrowed his eyes on the dot and pressed the trigger. Shiiing! The bolt flung the box into a corner, hitting nowhere near the center. He replaced the paper and kept shooting until he got the hang of the recoil. Moving on to the dagger and axe practice, he researched stances for a beginner and practiced them. Four hours later, he slumped in the chair with sweat oozing out of every pore of his body. Swinging the axe for nearly three hours opened his eyes to the truth. Handling weapons was hard in real life. The axe made it even harder, though it could chop flesh and bones alike when paired with extreme force. A hammer could crack skulls. The extra weight would still be hard for a newbie. Every monster possessed different characteristics like the swift squirrel, the flying raven, the scary spider, or the hungry wolves. A single weapon won''t be able to kill them all. I am getting weirder thinking of stuff like this. "Onii-sama, dinner time, or would you like to shower with me?" "Hell no." Showering with Mio. His remaining control will slip and things will happen. Vol. 1 Ch. 12: Sudden trouble A green-skinned face with a pointed chin and dark, unkempt hair; lips curled up, revealing a set of yellow teeth and emitting a foul stench¡ªa nightmare greeted Ethan as soon as he opened his eyes. Oh fuck, a goblin! Ethan reached out to the bag, only to find nothing. The goblin''s grin grew wider as it swung his bag. "Gigigigi," the creature snarled. "Looking for this boy?" Ethan scanned the cave and grimaced. A whole pack of goblins surrounded him and he hadn''t felt a thing. "What do you want?" The goblin hurled the bag to its shoulder and crossed its arms on its bare chest. "Capture you for our Lord." The goblins jumped at him at once. Ethan swung his fist and knocked out one. Kicked another one and smashed one to the floor. His blow sent the little goblins crashing into the walls. "Just take him down," the leader ordered. Ethan dashed for the leader but the rest of the goblins swarmed over him and subdued him on the ground. Ethan glared at their presumed leader since he could speak, unlike the rest who only yelled. What shitty luck to get spawn-camped in another world. Why am I in a goblin cave... How do I get out of this situation? The leader squatted and touched Ethan''s hands with its mucky hands. "I have never seen delicate tools like these. The Lord will be pleased to interrogate you on this." Fucking hell. He cursed as the goblins dragged him out and threw him into a different cave. The leader laughed and pressed his palm on the ground. An earth wall rose up and imprisoned him. He used some sort of magic for this. Ethan dropped his back on the crude floor. "Now what?" Even if he breaks the door, a goblin army will welcome him outside. This time they won''t be this gentle. The silver moss on the ceiling left some room to see. The cave was empty except for some small tunnels smaller than his head leading outside. "I am fucked." First of all, he didn''t sleep at all. Mio and Celia stuffed him with coffee all night but he kept the bag with stuff around, just in case. "So much for preparing like hell." Phoenix is a bitch. ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª "Kiii!" A familiar squeal woke Ethan from his nap. Mini crawled on top of his chest and rubbed her face against his. Her horn is healed. He scratched her head with one finger and gave a glance at the tunnels. "Why are you here?" Mini stood, pointed at his face, and crossed her arms on her chest. "For me?" Mini bobbed her head up and down. Ethan gestured at the wall with a wry smile. "I am trapped here." Mini leaked a low squeak and patted her chest. Ethan somehow managed to interpret her gesture.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "You can help me?" Mini nodded repeatedly and pointed at the ground. "You want me to¡­ wait here?" Mini confirmed his intention with a nod. "Fine. I have nothing else to do anyway." Mini snuck out of the tunnel. Ethan sighed and laid back on the floor. How will she help me? Attacking the goblins alone? Mini isn''t that dumb though¡­ I will hide a weapon in my clothes next time. He placed a hand over his chest. Unlike his last time here, his heart remained calm as if the goblins didn''t seem much of a threat. Maybe the letter from Phoenix did the trick. Still, making calm decisions fared better than panicking. ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª Meanwhile, outside the cave, Gryven, the Goblin Chieftain kneeled alongside dozens of goblins to welcome his Lord. A pale-skinned female with flowing black hair. Her crimson eyes carried an indifference, paying little to no attention to Gryven or anyone for that matter; they also proved her noble lineage. Gryven tightened his grip on the bag he obtained from that strange human. It was his only opportunity to promote his tribe rank from E to D or even C and save his skin. "The Goblin Village greets Lord Eclipse." Lord Eclipse ignored his greeting and entered a massive tent laid beside the cave. "Gryven, follow me." Her monotonous voice arrived. "Yes, my Lord." Gryven scrambled to the tent. Inside, Gryven stood as his Lord sat on a wooden chair or the throne he crafted with the best materials he scavenged from the Vanishing Forest. Her frown almost froze his core. "You better have a reason to call me a week before the Blooming, or I will deliver your village to the Second Monster Lair." Gryven shuddered. The Second Monster Lair was a cruel place where he would be killed again and again as a source of resource and amusement for others. He didn''t pour hundreds of hours into honing his ''Tongue'' Aspect to suffer a fate worse than death. Gryven held his trembling body and bowed. "I am extremely sorry to request your presence like this. However, I have found an interesting thing." Lord Eclipse crossed her legs, revealing a delicate smile on her enchanting face. Unlike the foolish goblins, who lusted after human females, Gryven was never turned on by them. Yet, this gesture took his breath away. "Oh, is that related to the strange sack on your back?" Gryven shifted his eyes from her and handed her the bag. "Yes, my Lord. Please inspect these peculiar artifacts." With an amused smile, Lord Eclipse fished out an axe. She scraped her thumb on its blade. "Quite polished but the dwarfs can make stronger toys." Gryven gulped. Lord Eclipse threw the axe aside and took out daggers, which suffered a similar fate. Then, she held the weirdest weapon of the bunch. Gryven had never seen any weapon of this peculiar shape. "Hmm¡­ Is this a magic gun? It doesn''t have the stylish looks of a dwarven firearm and lacks an energy core as well." So it is called a magic gun? Lord Eclipse pointed the weapon his way and smiled. "Let''s test something, shall we?" A flash erupted in its narrow opening accompanied by a strange sound. "Argh!" Gryven raised an involuntary scream and covered his bleeding stomach. Disregarding his severe injuries, Lord Eclipse nodded her head. "Gryven, what''s your current level?" Gryven stifled his groans. "Eleven, my Lord." "Interesting." She took the last weapon inside. It appeared as though someone mixed the magic gun with a bow, or so Gryven thought with his shallow wisdom. "A gun bow? How peculiar." Gryven dodged the line of fire and prostrated before her. "My Lord, I can call another goblin." Lord Eclipse squinted her eyes in disgust. "Coward¡­ go on." Gryven dashed out and grabbed the closest goblin. He threw it before Lord Eclipse and she quietly pulled the trigger at its head. The dart flew out and blew up the goblin''s head. It slithered on the ground then a calmness settled in the tent. Gryven felt his heart in his throat. He just narrowly dodged the hands of death. "M-My Lord, what do you think of this?" "It has potential if we recreate it with better materials. The berserk Spirit Beasts will be less of a threat then." Her words gave Gryven hope. She placed a finger on her cheeks and sighed. "The problem lies in materials. The War of Abyss killed off the majority of the skilled miners. My two hands can do only so much since the snobbish nobles refuse to get their hands dirty." The War of Abyss occurred twenty-one years ago, seven years before Gryven even arrived in this world. He only knew its horror from his father''s words. The war started with the demise of the strongest race and ended with killing over ninety percent of the world''s population. That was all Gryven could find in a forest like this. "My Lord, d-do you not like it?" Lord Eclipse tilted her head. "Bring me the source and I might promote your Village." Gryven bowed his head. "Certainly, my Lord." If that boy entertains Lord Eclipse enough, Gryven will be next in line to receive a Sacred Oath with a Black Knight like all other C-Rank tribe leaders. "This might be a worthy contribution to the Great Exodus." Great Exodus, Gryven tilted his head in ignorance. "Now the official talks are over." Lord Eclipse yawned. "Do you have any place for sleeping? I forgot to bring my coffin." "It would be my honor to make one for my Lord." Gryven placed his hand on the ground and focused on the yellow square marking on the back of his hand. The earth split and a casket emerged before Gryven. Lord Eclipse removed the lid and smiled, kindness brimming inside her eyes. "Fine work. You are making good use of the Rune I carved on you." Gryven almost took a step back. The woman who eradicated the Silverwolves, the only S-Rank tribe for a minor rebellion, was revealing her dimples with a wide smile. Gryven regained his composure and lowered his head once again. "My Lord, it is nothing before you, the one hailed as Crimson Knight of Trista." Lord Eclipse shook her head. "I am still a little girl in comparison to Lord Faust¡­ now go, I will call you after some sleep." Vol. 1 Ch. 13: Reinforcements At the same time in the forest. Mini scuttled through the bushes. Desperation filled her eyes. Her tribe had betrayed her trust. She even threw out a tempting offer that they could contract a higher-ranked being. All they had to do was expand the tunnel with their innate Aspect. Yet, they rejected her. What could she do to save him? Was she wrong to give him false hope? Such questions swirled within her consciousness and she didn''t notice a rabbit falling from the sky for who knows what reason. By the time she did, the gray fur buried her underneath. Mini squealed and poked the rabbit with her horn. It jolted away and gave her a wary look. Mini conjured the power in her horn but the rabbit didn''t even flinch. She gave it a closer look and froze. Shadow Rabbit! Mini screamed mentally and retreated step by step. The gray furball, however, vanished and arrived in her face. It sniffed her briefly and grabbed her tiny shoulders with dead serious eyes. "You were with his highness?" The rabbit''s voice was soft, unlike its intense eyes. Mini could only nod as she didn''t possess the ability to speak like this rabbit. Mini also found that man''s scent on the rabbit. "Where is he?!" Mini squinted her eyes and glanced at the cave''s direction. "There are so many greeen animals there. Is his highness safe?" Mini shook her head and told the rabbit with gestures. The rabbit fumed and dragged her over to a place with hundreds of shadow rabbits. Mini finally saw some hope to save that man. I refuse to be useless in this life, she thought and tailed the Shadow Rabbit. ¡ªx¡ªx¡ªx¡ª Several hours later. Ethan woke up to warm fur covering his face. His eyes unfolded to witness a gray rabbit licking his cheeks. It looks familiar. "Kwiii!" That''s Mini! He pushed the rabbit off his chest and forced himself up. The rabbits bunched around him. Roughly around fifteen. Mini climbed onto his thighs and pointed her finger at the rabbits smaller than the one on his lap. "Kiii!" The bunnies came here to play? "Scan."
Shadow Rabbit Level 6 A rare rabbit found in the Vanishing Forest. They skillfully exert their dominion on the ''Shadow'' Aspect to teleport short distances as well as create a pathway to the Shadow Realm.
This rabbit could hop all the way to a different world. It turned out Mini had brought in reinforcements to rescue him. He picked up the little squirrel and tickled her stomach. "Okay, little bunnies. Take me home." His whisper brought a still silence to the cave. The rabbits separated from him and faced the tunnel. Black tendrils oozed out of their bodies and waived together in the air. The threads soon formed what appeared to be a dark vortex.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Shall I?" Ethan asked for confirmation. The biggest rabbit pushed his legs. Taking the cue, Ethan stepped inside. The darkness consumed the silver light and painted the world in its colors; it also touched Ethan, chilling his body down to the core. The silence screamed. He could understand its loneliness. He felt his fists brimming with a surge of power as if he could collapse this world to his whims. Let''s get out of here. One step forward brought him before a murky river and sky. Where was this place? Shadow Realm? The land of gray served reminiscent of the name. Ethan looked down. From torso to legs he was of different shades of purple. How do I go back? He searched around. Two glowing crimson spheres plastered on a fuzzy red silhouette caught his attention. It must be a monster lurking in the Shadow Realm. Ethan had no time to dwell on this. Turning away from the peculiar eyes, he sprinted. Ethan felt an abrupt vibration. He stopped and watched the colors return to the world. Trees. The goblin''s threat disappeared from his back. Ding!
You gained a new Aspect for embracing the Void: Void (I)
Huh? He opened his status to check its information.
-Void (I) Void has accepted you as its dweller. You can borrow Void''s power as your own. Be mindful that it comes at a price. Grants +10 Stats inside any non-physical realm.
Weird. Extremely weird and useless as he had no intention of fighting in this place. He glanced down at the rest of his skill.
-Magic Eyes of Limitless Wisdom Rank 1 (5.9%) Rank: Mythic Displays information on anything recorded in the Wisdom Archive. Restricted to Iron-rankers and below.
The Magic Eyes skill rose a bit. Scanning everything would be a great way to rank up as it costs literally nothing. Ethan spun around. The rabbits and Mini rushed at him. Like children happy to see their mother. The thought made him chuckle. "Thank you, everyone. For saving me." The bunnies parted and the biggest one approached, skidding as she did. She dragged the black bag he brought to this world. "Wonderful!" He seized the bag and checked it. Everything was there. He patted the rabbit''s head and scratched her cheeks. "I am sorry for ignoring you last time¡­ We should move from here." The rabbit flipped on its back and sprawled to seek more affection. Mini pointed in a direction and Ethan headed there. Everyone trailed Ethan''s back like ducklings following their mother. His strides strangely made no sound. He glanced at the biggest rabbit emitting dark sparks. To think he would treat her cruelly at their first meeting. I should give her a new¡ª He paused. The sound of trickling water could be heard in the distance. He swallowed his dry saliva and ran, recalling the taste of water given by Phoenix. Please don''t be another magma river. His worries were unfounded as sparkling water entered his sight, reflecting the trees. He splashed a handful of icy water on his face. The clear water revealed the shallow river''s bottom. Should he drink it? It could be poisonous for an otherworlder like him. He glanced at Mini, who nodded at him. She is a saint reincarnation, isn''t she? Ethan quenched his thirst. His eyes darted past the river. A cave was there, with vines covering its mouth, as though no one disturbed it for decades. But looks can be deceiving. The last cave he entered turned out to be the base of the stinky green creatures. He was lucky to escape with his chastity intact. He hurled a stone inside the cave. A minute passed and no disturbance came from the cave. It''s safe, probably. He folded his pants to his knees and crossed the river with Mini on his shoulder. The shadow rabbits dispersed into black clouds and came together on his side. Neat. Mini jumped off his shoulder and slipped through the vines. "Wait for me." Ethan removed the branches and vines and pushed the boulder. The scent of a rose lingered in the air, although the cave only had silver moss growing everywhere. This one was rather narrow as he could see the end from the entrance, where Mini furiously scratched the ground. A scan of these strange moss could come later. He approached Mini and helped her dig out the damp soil. The rabbits also joined and together they clawed the ground. Ethan''s nail scratched something hard and bled. He patted the dust away. A crimson light burst forth from the ground, filling the cave with its radiance. It came from tiny blood-red shards. Ethan took one and used his scan ability.
Blood Shards Rank: Unique Prana-filled blood crystallized after a long time.
Blood? Did someone die here? Ethan''s eyes went to Mini, whose sparkling blue eyes gazed back at him. Was his joke about her reincarnation real? She was intelligent and knew gestures that a human could understand. Even the Shadow Rabbit couldn''t compete with her in this aspect. "You want me to keep them?" Mini nodded and continued digging for more. In the end, he collected nineteen crystals. Vol. 1 Ch. 14: Sacred Oath and Alyssia’s Past Ethan pocketed his loot and went to the river. He cleaned himself and his new friends in the river. Did they qualify as his friends when they were attracted to him? This could even be called a harem. Ethan''s lips formed a wry smile. Mini climbed over his shoulder and snuggled near his neck. He returned to the spacious cavern and covered the entrance with boulders. Escaping would be easy with the shadow rabbits around. I am just being a neet here... "Mini, can''t you talk to me?" Mini darted out of the cave and returned with a little stick. She pushed the rabbits away and drew something on the ground. Some weird characters, perhaps the language of this world. Mini stared at him as though gauging Ethan''s reaction to her work. "I can''t read it." She slammed the stick on the ground and plopped with crossed arms. Ethan comforted her anger with a few rubs. Mini regained some energy and drew a figure of a man and squirrel. She squealed and tapped both figures. Then she connected them with two arcs. "What does it mean?" Mini covered her face with both hands and fell on her back. Her frustration seemed immeasurable. "Idiot, she wants you to take a Sacred Oath," A sweet voice arrived in his head. "Who?" No one answered Ethan this time. It must have been Phoenix, only she had the time to stalk people from her luxurious castle. "Mini, do you know Sacred Oath?" Mini''s ears perked up. She shot at him and grabbed his collar. "Kii!" "I don''t understand your language. Should I take an oath here?" Mini''s quick nods said everything. So he was to take an Oath for Mini. Literature was never his forte since the baldy''s lectures bored him to death. He thought to the best of his abilities. "Alright, here goes nothing. Mini, form a pact with me and become my Spirit Beast." "Kiii!" Mini answered with an enthusiastic squeal. Ding!
Conditions fulfilled to form a Sacred Oath. Do you want to sacrifice 32 Willpower to form a pact with the Level 4 Horned Squirrel?
Yes / No
The permanent stat reduction didn''t stop him from pressing the Yes. It was nothing compared to the help Mini gave him. A red wisp flew out of his body and enveloped Mini, who also sent a green wisp to him. Ding!
Mini has become your Spirit Beast Partner.
You have acquired the ''Swift'' Aspect.
You have acquired the ''Wind'' Aspect.
Ethan''s jaw dropped at the messages.
Your Level is insufficient to contain the Aspects.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Sealing the Aspects.
He punched the blue window. Fuck. He couldn''t use the Wind Magic for now. He calmed himself and watched Mini''s fur gleaming in the dim lighting. He plonked himself down on the ground. Mini returned to his lap. "Master!" A cute, childish voice rang inside his head. Ethan found Mini looking up at him. "Was that you?" "Yes, Master! We can talk now!" A relieved sigh escaped his lips. "Okay, now tell me who you are? Are you a reincarnated person?" "Master, let''s talk about you first. Who are you exactly? You look like a noble''s son, yet you can''t read the Elvish Language. You know nothing about Sacred Oath, something even a commoner knows." "Would you believe if I say that I am not a resident of this world?" "Absolutely! I can sense if Master tells any lies." A Spirit Beast Partner could do that as well. Ethan nodded in admiration and retold how he got teleported here in his sleep. About what Phoenix said to him about his summon. Mini crossed her arms with a thinking expression. "So my Master is summoned. Only a handful of individuals in Avalon can use Magic of such caliber. Mistress Azar, the last descendant of the Phoenix Clan, isn''t one of them." That obnoxious Phoenix was known as Azar, although she introduced herself as Fiona. Ethan nodded his head and raised another question. "Avalon?" He only knew one Avalon, the legendary island in Arthurian Legends. "Ah, forgive me for not telling this earlier. People refer to this world as Avalon." "Okay¡­ so now about you." "Master, okay. I will start with my birth." Ethan leaned his back on the hard wall and listened to her story. Alyssia Rheona, born and raised in Rheona Family, a baron ranked noble family in Twilight City. From her childhood, Alyssia grew up hearing the legends of Lord Brilliance and Mistress Luna, the ancient gods, and a couple loving each other deeply. They protected the humans from the wild Spirit Beasts, bestowed their power upon the Overlord, and created a path for dead souls to be reborn. Those feats were just the tip of the iceberg of the help they provided to humanity. Alyssia came to worship the Gods showering humanity with their kindness, going as far as to disregard her magic talent to become a nun in the House of Brilliance, the church of Lord Brilliance. However, the Archbishop discovered her talent and groomed her to become his successor. Alyssia finished the given tasks with flying marks and only one trial was left¡ªto gain Lord Brilliance''s blessing from a totem in the Vanishing Forest. She wasn''t allowed to get any help, or the blessing would be of inferior rank. Alyssia almost reached the totem but a scream distracted her, leading her to a man surrounded by black chains. The soil beneath him was tainted blood-red. He only gave a look at Alyssia and faded into shadows. As Alyssia stepped on the soil, the soil enveloped her body. Anguish filled her soul and she screamed until her throat became dry of any moisture. When she woke up again, she wasn''t Alyssia anymore. Her skin became pale white, her blue eyes crimson and a layer of snow shrouded her hair. A wild leopard pounced on her but she didn''t hesitate to twist its body with her newfound strength. Compelled by a sudden urge, she sank her fangs into the leopard''s throat and drank its blood. She continued feasting on the wild Spirit Beasts and slaughtering groups of hunters, until the paladins from the church found her. A chaotic battle ensued and the well-equipped knights came out on top. She was dragged back to the church, where Saint Grant conducted a ritual to restore her condition. With her urges to drink blood cured, Alyssia searched for the hunters families she destroyed and worked day and night to support them in any way possible. One such night, she collapsed outside a tavern from overexertion. A man took her home and assaulted her in her sleep. Thus, woke up with a stranger''s child in her womb. Once the boy came into the world, she didn''t keep him near herself in fear of her urges returning, forcing her to bare her fangs in her own blood. She sent the child to an orphanage. Several years later, the Warlord Hall accepted the boy for his talent. He joined the Hunters Guild and participated in the Spirit Beast wave that occurred every now and then. He slew the Generals in the Undead Legion. His merit grew with every war. Titles kept piling upon his name. In the end, the King of Gramver City bestowed a duchy on him. Four decades passed by, but the age had no effect on Alyssia''s body. She looked the same as the day she walked out of the Vanishing Forest. However, on the inside, she was dying. Every passing day increased her urges and Saint Grant was too busy with his marriage with the Dragon Queen. In the end, she shut herself in this very cave for several months. The urges drove her to insanity but she persisted in not taking any more lives. Devoid of any nutrition, she took her last painful breath. But the next moment she was alive again, in the body of a horned squirrel. Ethan gazed at the ceiling and patted Mini, or rather Alyssia''s head. A kind woman like her suffered too much. Forced to become a Vampire-like creature then getting raped by a stranger. Like Earth, this world also had no place for kind people. Her tragic past didn''t reduce any of her liveliness. No one had forced her to rot in a cave alone. But she chose it herself. The title of "Saint" suited none other than her. "Master, I am okay. It was Lord''s retribution for my sins." "You did nothing wrong. You even devoted your life to help people in need. I actually admire you for that." "Really, Master?" "Alyssia, can I use this name?" "Of course, Master. I like my new name too!" An unease passed through Ethan. He found his hands turning into purple particles. The end of the second day in Avalon... "Alyssia, we will meet again." He clutched the bag and rubbed her head. "Master, I will wait here!"