The Umi Variable Gurururuk!!
Umi—the variable—gurururuk!! A level 2 slime and two level 3 slimes closed in on me.
Now that I'd picked up a new skill, it was time to test it out.
"Heavy Strike!!!"
Heavy Strike
Pop! I could feel the skill kicking in.
Ding! Down in the corner of my vision, below the status window, the SP gauge dipped slightly. It was like skill points in a typical game.
Well, in this game, SP stood for Soul Point, but you get the idea. It was a perfect showcase of the devs' hipster disdain for straightforward mechanics.
Anyway, I swung the iron pipe hard.
Kwaaaaang!!!
The Heavy Strike skill nailed the level 2 slime right between the eyes, clean and precise.
Spluuurt!!
The level 2 slime's body burst apart spectacularly.
"Geruruk!!"
One of the remaining level 3 slimes charged at me with a body slam.
"Dodge!!"
Saying it out loud didn't actually make dodging any easier, but it felt good to shout anyway.
Whoooosh! Even at level 3, it was still just a slime at heart. Its movements were painfully predictable.
I sidestepped effortlessly.
"Heavy Strike!!!"
I triggered the skill again.
Thwuuuuck!!!!
The iron pipe smashed right into the level 3 slime's forehead.
"Gerururuk!!"
Definitely tougher at level 3—it didn't drop in one hit. But its stance crumbled badly.
"Kkieeeek!!!"
Feeling my superiority as a living being, I let out a triumphant screech and swung the pipe one more time. Finishing with a regular hit was JRPG gospel, after all.
Thwack!!!
The pipe pulverized the slime completely.
Even level 3s were a breeze now.
"Gerururuk!! Geruk!!"
Level 2 slimes surrounded me.
"You guys... are weak."
No need for skills here. I swung the iron pipe wide.
Thwackthwackthwackthwuuuck!!!! Kwaang!
The slimes got shredded in one regular hit each. Mobs that used to take two swings now dropped in one. That alone made my growth feel real.
"I've... conquered slimes."
A little self-indulgent euphoria was fine at this point.
That's when it happened.
"Gurururuk....!"
Another slime approached me.
"You wanna die too?"
My confidence boost was short-lived. I spotted the anomaly.
'Level 4.'
The highest-leveled one I'd seen yet.
Level 1? Big deal. You could brush that off.
But past level 4? That was different. They used magic attacks.
"Guruk....!"
The slime's mouth quivered, and a small fireball came flying at me.
"Hngh, shit!!"
I dodged immediately.
Fwoooosh!!!
Flames scorched the ground right next to me.
'Just spam Heavy Strike?'
I considered it for a second, then scrapped the idea. My mana was already running low.
'No... even at level 3, isn't this too weak?'
Players weren't this feeble. Then it hit me.
'Magic: 0'
With such a pitiful Magic stat, magic skills and mana got heavy penalties. Regular hits wouldn't cut it either—the thing looked too tough.
"Adios!!!"
Easy choice: bail.
I bolted out of Old Town.
"Gerururuk!!"
The level 4 slime chased with impressive vigor, but hey, slime. Not exactly speedy.
I escaped without a hitch.
And so, the day passed safely.
The next morning.
"Rise and shine!!!!"
I leaped out of bed.
"Ufufu. Shota, something good happen?"
Mom chuckled, looking brighter these days. Well, with her son suddenly so upbeat, it had to rub off. Mornings like this felt great.
Regular slimes were no match anymore. Hell, I might actually dodge that fixed event in early March week 1.
Hope was sprouting.
Anyway, after breakfast, I headed straight to the dojo.
Three weeks into my full-throttle hustle at Kiryu Dojo.
Gonzaemon grinned and handed me something.
"Here, bogu. Didn't expect you'd reach this level so soon."
Gonzaemon bellowed a laugh.
"B-Bogu..."
The Korean connotation felt off, but damn, I was touched.
"Putting on bogu after just two weeks. Unprecedented."
Gonzaemon clapped my shoulder, chuckling.
"Uh, but... the cost."
This stuff wasn't cheap.
"Ah, it was a previous student's. Just take it—as a gift."
Gonzaemon flashed a warm smile. He seemed like a genuinely good guy like this... but
"Gotta invest a bit if you're gonna crush it in tournaments later."
His eyes gleamed. Yeah, quitting kendo later might be impossible.
"Now, suit up. I'll show you how."
Gonzaemon grinned.
"Today's... your initiation ceremony."
Gonzaemon smirked.
Ahh... the initiation. The dojo's regular event.
Newbies don bogu and spar every disciple one-on-one. Obviously, clueless rookies get pummeled. The finale's handled by the instructors and dojo head, hammering home the power gap.
Sounds brutal, but it worked. Real combat experience injected straight into training.
I thought it was solid.
Anyway.
"You'll do it too, Master?"
I asked while suiting up. Instructor was technically right, but Gonzaemon loved "Master."
"One more time."
Gonzaemon's eyes sharpened menacingly.
"Master too..."
"Master!! Emphasize that part!!"
Gonzaemon was obsessed with the title.
Fine, if he wants it.
"Master!!!"
"Uryaaah!!!!"
"Master!!!!"
"Uooooh!!!!"
"Master!!!!"
"Kkieeeek!!!!"
Master and disciple bonded for a while. The other students seemed used to it.
"......Not normal."
Umi Kiryu's voice drifted from where she fiddled with her phone off to the side. Weird—she usually holed up in her room to avoid the dojo's stuffy vibe. Why was she here?
The other disciples shot her intense stares.
"Ufufu. Never seen my husband this pumped. Must really treasure this disciple."
Mrs. Kiryu chuckled.
Initiation was set for afternoon peak hours with the most students.
Until then, I needed to get used to the bogu.
Whoooosh!
Whoosh!
Swinging a shinai in this heavy gear burned stamina like crazy.
"How's the bogu feel? Getting the hang?"
Gonzaemon grinned.
"Can you feel it, Master? My power."
I struck a stance.
"Heh heh heh. Cocky brat. I'll make you shit yourself at initiation."
Gonzaemon roared with laughter.
Soon, lunchtime.
"Join us for lunch?"
Gonzaemon said, setting up the dojo table.
"Nah, I'm good."
I smiled. Planning to grab something at the convenience store.
"Aw, so shy."
Gonzaemon sounded disappointed.
Anyway, I handled lunch at the conbini. Japan quality—those bento boxes were legit. One bite and you're hooked on the vibe.
After eating, I brushed and washed up in the dojo bathroom.
As I stepped out, someone spoke up.
"Hey."
It was Umi Kiryu.
Umi was talking to me.
"Uh. Hey."
I kept it cool.
But inside, I was rattled.
'Why's she talking to me?'
School term hadn't even started. Arikiri Shota didn't seriously hit on Umi and go full creep until right after entrance ceremony. No contact before that.
'And... it's not like Umi at all.'
That was the puzzle. Umi Kiryu was, bluntly put, a bimbo. Top predator in the dating market, only entertaining hot guys.
She was a knockout, so it was legal. Guys below her standards? Ignored completely.
Even applied to the player—high enough Charm stat in the humanity tree was needed to progress her route.
Disciples showered her with affection despite the shade, though. Beauty privilege.
'I'm... not that handsome.'
Yeah, crucial point. Arikiri Shota wasn't ugly, but sub-average. The gloomy vibe had improved post-possession, but still, average-down everyman.
Normally, Umi wouldn't even glance.
'Ah... damn.'
I hated variables like this!! Just follow the game script!! Don't take away my foreknowledge perk!! Stay in character, Umi!! Why talk to me? Just a greeting? Nah, she wasn't that polite.
"Saw you training hard at the dojo, so I figured I'd say hi. Wanna be friends."
Umi flashed a super-friendly smile. The grin and her figure made it oddly alluring.
"Ah, yeah. You're starting high school soon too, right?"
I stuck to safe topics.
"Yeah, Natori High. You?"
Umi asked.
"Same, Natori High."
Yep. Even same Class F.
"Cool. Let's get along then. Sticking with kendo?"
Umi said.
"Yeah."
I gave a vague reply.
"See ya."
I made my escape.
Her sudden approach was seriously bugging me. Game characters not acting scripted? Pure stress for a possessor.
"Huh...? W-Wait. That's it? Hey, still got time. Let's chat more."
Umi blocked my path.
No, seriously, what the hell? I was gripped by pure dread.