An Irregular at Yokai Academy (OC, Gamer, Rosario+Vampire)

Rob Conway · Dec 21, 2023

Chapter 12

Axe Defender x 15 Defeated
Spear Thrower x 10 Defeated
Blade Master x 4 Defeated

Level 25 > 32
Perception lvl 26 > 30 (Max)
Detective Vision lvl 14 > 18
Investigation lvl 15 > 20
Charge lvl 1 > 12
Damage Resistance lvl 12 > 15
Martial Combat lvl 25 > 28
Ki Reinforcement lvl 26 > 30
Blazing Aura lvl 18 > 22
Meditation lvl 10 > 13
Shunpo lvl 16 > 20
Barrier Jacket lvl 20 > 25
Midchildan Magic Style lvl 20 > 26

Equipment Found:
Axe Defender Full Plate (Broken Torso) x 15
Spear Thrower Half Plate (Broken Torso) x 10
Blade Master Armored Coat (Broken Back Plate) x 4
Dual Haken Greataxe - Att 60 - Slash/Bludgeon - An extraordinarily heavy axe that boasts incredible attack power. Only the strongest needs apply x 14
Blood Lance - Att 45 - Piercing/Slashing - Absorbs Damage as HP. Dark Attribute x 9
Defender - Att 32 - Slashing - An unadorned Knight Sword renowned for its defensive ability. Defense + 60% (Paladin gains 2x the effect under Cover) x 4
Skill Books Found:
Axe Combat Mastery x 3
Spear Combat Mastery x 4
Sword Combat Mastery x 1

Searching the second floor took nearly two hours. They had to be careful and pick their battles. Sumire was already reduced to giving Celeste the Status Buff for battles alone. She didn't have the mystical stamina to support it indefinitely. The Luck Boost was desperately needed as it kept them from being ambushed twice. Once turning a corner and the other time was checking a prison cell. Both ambushes were made up of Axe Defenders and Spear Throwers. They weren't stupid either. The bastards were learning. Spear Throwers targeted Sumire almost exclusively leaving Celeste in the unenviable position of meat shield/pincushion. While she recovered from that the Axe Defenders would storm in to try and hem in Celeste. They stopped relying on large windups and instead chose to use short haft strikes. It was infuriatingly effective. The new strategy worked until she simply started using overpowered Binds and making like Vlad the Impaler with telekinetically wielded Blood Lances. Oddly enough she didn't get a specific Skill for that, but her Midchildan Magic Style went up a lot.

The Blade Masters were an entirely new breed of dangerous. So far she only fought four, but each time was a struggle. The Defender Knight Sword was a fine weapon. A two-handed sword with a wide blade designed for deflecting attacks more than simply attacking. The worst part was their skill was so great that they could deflect anything from the front or sides. The Defender's reach was so impressive that it even partially extended to the back. So that left a very small spot to attack. Their helmets were as sturdy as the others so that was out. To make matters even worse was just how quickly they could turn around. The feeling when her Shunpo was blocked would live on forever. She had to completely bind them and even then they were adept at escaping. It took stealing their swords, a feat worthy of the Gods themselves, before she could actually kill them. Celeste was sure it wouldn't have looked so bad if she hadn't walked into two them coming out of the head. Even her Good Luck was fucked up!

Sumire dragged her into an empty office to take a break.

"Do you see anything else?" Sumire asked.

"Yeah. One more enemy, but something is keeping me from scanning it. It's standing in a larger room the same size as the one below," Celeste explained. The room in question was just over the first floor entranceway.

"How are you feeling?" Sumire asked in concern.

"Fine. I can keep going," Celeste assured her. Leveling up was such a cheat. Each time her Vitality went up her fatigue was removed. So far there didn't seem to be a limit on that. Luckily.

"How is that possible? I've never seen a monster like you," Sumire remarked in amazement. She looked terrible. Tiredness clung to her like a mantle, but she was forcing herself to keep going. By comparison Celeste looked fresh as a daisy. The only sign that she wasn't was her torn and tattered clothing. She needed new gear soon. The Tunic was finally destroyed.

"I absorb bits of my enemy's energy on their death," Celeste said. It was even true after a fashion. Sumire nodded as if that made perfect sense. She would have tried explaining her Human nature, but no one really believed her. Even her friends were humoring her. Oh well.

"We have to keep moving," Sumire said after a few minutes.

"Stay here and get some more rest. I can handle this," Celeste assured her.

"I thought you said we shouldn't split the party," Sumire argued, but didn't move from her seat. She could barely stand.

"If I could see other enemies it would be a bad idea. I can sense only one other presence on this floor," Celeste extended her awareness, but could only locate the final enemy.

"You don't get to decide what rules you follow," Sumire stated firmly. She inhaled fully before exhaling sharply. The tiredness in her posture vanished. Celeste used Libra to see what she did. Just like that her exhaustion was gone. Her powers weren't at a hundred percent, but she was fighting back against the suppression.

"How long can you hold it?" Celeste didn't even try to talk her out of this.

"Find out where your friends are and I should be able to get them out of here. I was saving this for later, but I can't afford to slack off. Not when you're giving it your all," Sumire said.
Was she giving it her all? Celeste really didn't think so. She was holding back 'just in case', but it was making the battles more difficult. This wasn't the time to keep secrets. Sumire was risking a great deal to rescue people she didn't even know. Celeste nodded firmly. It was time to stop sandbagging.

The dark haired girl manifested her Barrier Jacket as she activated all of her enhancement Ki Skills. She layered Protect and Shell Spells before entering the second floor main hall. The Blood Lance rested in her hand with a Defender held telekinetically across her back. Defender's Defense Buff didn't need her to be holding the weapon. Just that it be 'equipped.' Sumire hung back around the corner. Not for her safety, but so that she wouldn't be distracted when it was time to act.

"My my~! Are you the one who has been killing my men?" A seductive voice purred. Celeste felt the urge to facepalm rising. Standing precisely in the center of the chamber was a woman. She was dressed in a highly impractical suit of armor. It looked like a black bodysuit under a black breastplate, gauntlets, and thigh high boots. There were belts across the upper thighs and waist like a harness. If the boots had heels she might have started screaming. The woman was a redhead with deep blue eyes and a Devil May Care smirk. In her hand was an Estoc with a two-handed cruciform grip. It was a weapon designed for punching through armor. Celeste deadpanned when she saw it as such a weapon would be a threat to her armor.

"I wouldn't kill them if they didn't try to kill me first," Celeste replied easily. She gave the spear a lazy seeming twirl before getting into a ready stance. Her opponent briefly saluted the girl with the Estoc to acknowledge the point.

"You aren't the only visitor we've had tonight. A quartet of very cute and curious girls arrived. However, they are lost somewhere on the third floor. Too bad. I would have loved to play with them," she tutted softly. Celeste's heart turned to ice when she heard that.

"Where are they?" Celeste asked quietly. She briefly used Meditation to calm herself before she tried to tear the bitch a new one.

"Oh~? I suppose it won't matter if I tell you. You won't be alive long enough to act on it. They're in the room directly above us. The gargoyles won't let them escape. Gargoyles do love tender fresh meat," she smirked, revealing a pair of fangs. Her pupils started to glow with a hellish red light. The obscuring field fell. Celeste quickly used Detective Vision and nearly threw up.

Evalice lvl 50
The Black Sword Saint of Hell
HP ?????/?????
MP ????/????
KP ????/????

"Fuck…" Celeste let slip unconsciously. She tightened her grip on the spear. Evalice didn't even have a chance to act first as she used Shunpo to instantly close in and stab her throat. The black clad figure did an odd twisting motion with her Estoc. Her weapon deflected the charging spear to the side before coming back around in a tight spiral straight for Celeste's underarm. The dark haired girl pulsed Whirling Ripper while she still had the momentum. Her assailant held onto the Estoc, but was still sent spinning to the side. In an amazing display of acrobatics she turned her uncontrolled spin into a midair twirl.

"Black Goddess Fist!" She punched out in mid twirl. A ball of crackling black/red energy rocketed for Celeste's unprotected back. It struck off the Defender, but the momentum was still enough to send Celeste hurtling forward. She turned the uncontrolled tumble into a shoulder roll and spun around to face her assailant. Just in time as the redhead thrust her Estoc forward and shot across the floor with the lethal tip blurring so quickly it looked like a single thrust. The dark haired Paladin created a field of purple circles on the ground which swiftly erupted into a field of forward pointing stakes. Evalice flared her aura and shattered the stakes undeterred. Celeste threw herself backward just a moment before the rapid thrust struck. She was unprepared for the buffeting force from just the speed of the attack.

"Not bad. I was expecting to find a challenge, but you're better than I thought," Celeste admitted. The spear was put back in the Inventory. It wasn't going to help here. Her Skill was still greater with the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. She didn't get a chance to reach for her katana as Evalice jumped on her again. The Estoc had incredible range, but it was limited in how it could attack. It was designed specifically for punching through armor and didn't have a slashing edge. Which helped a lot as she couldn't just cut across, but the black armored girl had other tricks. As Celeste dodged the redhead executed a backfist with three foot long claws of ki coming from her knuckles. The dark haired girl parried the claw swipe with a handheld sphere of rapidly swirling ki. The claws emitted an eerie howl as they clashed with the tightly held sphere in her hand.

"Ngh…! What is this…?" Evalice growled as she tried to force the claws to penetrate. The Estoc blurred forward but scraped off a hastily upraised shield. The shield was small and rounded forcing the tip to veer off wildly. She tried to step back, but a pair of thick purple manacles snapped shut on her ankles. Chains locked into place all along her thighs and waist. The redhead forced her aura higher causing deep cracks to form in the binds, but Celeste just kept piling on more mana. Red claws warred with purple sphere kicking up sparks of ki in all directions. The Estoc came back around, but was instead stabbed into the ground. A blast of crimson light blew them both back across the room. Evalice dragged her ki claws along the ground to retain her balance. Celeste responded with a hastily formed Ki Wave Shockwave. The combination attack accelerated Celeste's flight until she crashed into the far wall. Evalice however was left to take the full brunt in the face. The dark armored woman backflipped across the room before landing on the ground with a resounding belly flop.

Celeste absently dismissed the pop up showing that something happened. She couldn't afford to take her attention off of Evalice. The redhead was already back on her feet, but the Estoc was gone. Her sword was lying in pieces around the room. Evalice held up her left hand and her right. Her right hand looked like it was grasping something. Celeste instantly drew Akai Kiba and used Shunpo combined with Whirling Ripper to cross the distance. She was prepared to end it in a single stroke. Unfortunately her plans were for naught as the sadistic woman somehow caught her katana on a curved blade of her own. At least that's how it would be if she wasn't trying to stop a head on charge at 200 meters per second. The result was never in any doubt. Oh she blocked the attack, but dearly wished she hadn't. Her arm vibrated violently from the force of the blow. She tried to dig in her feet, but Celeste rode the charge right into the wall. Evalice quickly reinforced her grip with her other hand.

"Nnn…! What freakish strength is this!? I thought...I smelled a human...but this power! It isn't human!" Evalice screamed desperately. Her maddened eyes were starting to show the first vestiges of panic. The redhead wasn't completely terrified out of her wits. She grit her teeth as foul mana roiled around her. Suddenly Celeste felt a sharp pain in her throat. A wide gash formed spraying red blood. Celeste watched in horror as the now revealed Vampire drank down her blood. The brief sensation of weakness was enough for Evalice to reclaim the initiative. She was thrown back with extraordinary force, her Barrier Jacket shattered instantly, as a deep slash forced across her torso. Celeste hit the ground with a grunt of pain and more than half of her health depleted.

"D-Damn…" Celeste's arms shook as she tried to hold herself up. She used Chakra and Cure simultaneously to at least get back on her feet. Evalice should have capitalized on her advantage, but she seemed distracted by something.

"Mmm...This blood is so much better than anything I've tasted in ages...The last time was when I faced a Shaolin Monk from the far East. Oh he was delicious and so skilled...Too bad he turned into a Ghoul. I tried so hard to make him a Vampire, but the process is something of a hit or miss," Evalice giggled girlishly. She laid a hand on her flushed cheek.

Oh fuck. She was getting off on this.

"What does that mean for me?" Celeste asked raggedly, but more to keep the crazy lady talking. She was still waiting for the magic and ki to fix her body more. Evalice didn't seem to notice or care.

"Hmmm? Oh I was just thinking that someone strong like you would make a fine Vampire. Under my control of course. You already resisted my domination several times…" Evalice said. She already tried to dominate her? Shit. "...I think you would have the willpower to survive."

"I thank you for your consideration, but I'm not really interested in becoming a Vampire," Celeste said politely. Ah her throat wasn't torn up anymore. Good. She was ready for the moment hostilities resumed, but it gave her time to replenish her defensive spells.

"Who said you had a choice? But I do appreciate your manners. Unfortunately…" Evalice's smirk vanished as she whipped her head around towards the corner where Sumire was hiding. Sumire gave her an infuriating little finger wave before vanishing through a red portal. The Vampire's eyes widened as she suddenly looked up and screamed. "No! How the Hell did she get them out of here!?"

Celeste wasted no time. She quickly used Martial Evolution II on Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. Evolving the Skill meant bringing to 100. The pop up for mastery was ignored. There were no second chances.

"Hiten Mugen ZAN!" Celeste blurred forward with her katana drawn. The technique was one of the penultimate techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. A series of perfectly executed slashes so fast they were invisible to the naked eye. All that bystanders would see was the devastation wrought in its wake. Evalice's skill was considerably higher than Celeste expected as she could perceive the individual strokes. Unfortunately the Vampire wasn't swift enough to counter. Her eyes flared with red light as a raging torrent of aura surrounded her. She was trying to blunt the force of the attack, but all that happened was tattered wisps of aura flew off of her with each blocked strike. Minute cuts formed along Evalice's skin as she desperately sought a way to fend off the inevitable. Evalice staggered back from the confrontation weakly. Blood running freely from the numerous cuts she failed to deflect.

"Is that all you've got…?" Evalice taunted before gritting her teeth…

"Soryusen Ikazuchi!" Celeste brought the sheathed katana down on Evalice's face with both hands at Godlike speed. The Vampire's teeth shattered and her nose burst in a spray of blood. She completed the motion by drawing the katana after trapping the sheath in her armor. The katana flashed once straight across her exposed throat. Her last expression was frozen in one of horrified disbelief. She picked up the sheath from where it fell and carefully cleaned it off.
Sumire escaped with her friends. The creepy Vampire was defeated. Now she just needed to escape. No pressure, right? If she was right it wouldn't be as simple as jumping out a window. She tried anyway just to be sure, but the window bounced her off. How utterly annoying. Now it was time to deal with the annoying pop ups.

Level 32 > 36
Damage Resistance lvl 15 > 20
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu lvl 13 > 100 (Max)
Ki Manipulation lvl 1 > 10

Rasengan (Incomplete) lvl 1 - You managed to half create an already incomplete technique, but needs must when the Devil drives. Creates a spiraling sphere of Ki that causes great damage, but requires strong focus.
Damage: Strength + Wisdom 300%
Cost: 100 Ki/50 per second

Equipment:
Dark Minerva - Defense 34 - Boasts impressive defenses. Reduces damage from all elements by 50%. Absorb Darkness. Durability Up and Break Resistance.
Valhalla - Attack 40 - Add Instant Death - A tainted blade that is said to bring about the end of the world. Yields its power only to one who has killed under bloodlust. Restrict: Dark Knight, Swordmaster, Sword Saint
Skill Books:
Sword Saint Class Manual - Requires 3 Martial Classes Mastered (Intermediate)
Skill "Blood Drinker" - Used by Vampires and Dark Knights to steal blood from their foes. It causes horrific tearing to the throat that can kill the victim. Restrict: Vampire, Dark Knight, Evil
Racial Token:
Vampire - Become a vampire! Or don't. It's up to you. Vampires gain: -50% cost and +50% effectiveness to all reinforcement techniques. +50 to all Stats. Vulnerabilities: Water - All water, any water, much water. Unless it's treated with special herbs. Hope you weren't looking forward to showing off a beach body.

A racial token? Ugh. Skip it. Celeste put the token in her Inventory, but she definitely put the new armor on now. It was just like Evalice's and hugged her figure like a second skin. She wanted to complain about the black leather, but it really did feel sinfully good. Her Steam Boots didn't even look strange with the new getup. Valhalla was a sword she planned on turning over to Sumire. Let the golden eyed girl bury it somewhere. Anything that says it's to bring about the end of the world was bad news.

The only downside to leaving the long way was all the Mortes on the first floor. Right up until they met Whirling Ripper and it became a moot point. She reached the door only to get the Quest pop up again.

Emergency Alert!
Desperate Rescue - What the Hell were your friends doing going into an abandoned ruin without you? You know they're not stupid. Something is seriously wrong here. Now they're in trouble and it's up to you and Sumire to save them, but you might be the one who needs saving...
Goal: Rescue your friends unharmed.
Bonus Goal: Destroy the source of the malignance. (Incomplete)
Rewards: 100,000 XP, 3 Rare Skill Books, 3 Rare Pieces of Equipment, Exalted Status with your friends, Respected Status with Sumire.
Bonus Reward: 50,000 XP, +10 CP, 1 Legendary Piece of Equipment (Incomplete)
Will you still leave? Y/N

"Can I come back?" Celeste asked.

This is a Single Dungeon. It cannot be reentered once left, but there would be consequences for leaving without completing all goals.

The Paladin Class reminded her that she could not ignore Evil if it was in her power to face it down. If there were other people capable of dealing with it then she could go. Unfortunately she was the only one that could handle this now. If she left the dimension would collapse, but leave the malignancy. Something that would continue to grow and fester. She bit her lip worriedly. Leaving was the smart decision, but it would break her oaths. She was seriously regretting the choice to take Paladin now! It wasn't like she could just change out her class either. Class Change was frozen in the Dungeon. Celeste punched the wall next to the entrance angrily.
"I took Paladin to protect my friends and now it's screwing me. I don't give a fuck about people I don't even know!" Celeste snarled even as a tiny part of her denied that vehemently. Maybe she could live with it, and even forgive herself eventually, but the guilt would still be there.
She was going to catch hell for this.

Celeste turned around and went back to the dungeon.

It was time to finish this damn Quest already.

AN: I was already writing this when the talk about Sumire not being badass started. I hope the fight scene was awesome enough!

Rob Conway · Dec 21, 2023

Chapter 13

The Mortes crowding the first floor were annoying mostly because they stopped giving XP. She really shouldn't complain since a Shunpo/Whirling Ripper took her clear to the stairwell. At least the enemies were gone from the second floor. The only thing that remained were the corpses. Another reason to stay human was to avoid the Vampire's bloodthirst. She did not want to become a race with so many drawbacks. Besides, the Human's bonus to Skills was still too useful to give up. Skills were already hard to level up when they reached higher levels. Celeste absently cast another restoration spell on her katana. Akai Kiba was starting to wear down. She had one, maybe two, uses of it at high speed before it failed. Magic could do a lot, but it couldn't completely repair the katana. She really needed to use the Dark Arts and Crafts book before the next crisis.

"The bonus goals were listed as incomplete, but the main goals didn't say complete…" Celeste fretted. She had a chance to calm down from her rage against Paladin, but now she had a new worry. Did Sumire actually succeed? Evalice thought they vanished, but how could she be so sure?

She tried to use Detective Vision through the floor, but it refused to penetrate. Stupid video game Dungeon logic. The Quest would be so much easier if she could use her enhanced vision through the floors. She gave the second floor another pass and pocketed some of the little things that were left behind. A couple keys, some old time calligraphy pens, and a pocket watch. Nothing that said 'Key Item' but keys were always collected just in case. Celeste did a quick check of the basement door, but none of the keys worked. With that she continued on to the third floor.

"Good heavens…" Celeste breathed in shock. The third floor was like the second. RIght down to the fresh corpses strewn about. The only difference was the type.

She was cautious as some of the dead looked like they were strong. One of the bodies looked like it was made of stone, but the black blood spilling from the wounds said otherwise. The flow had slowed to a mere trickle indicating that it happened some time ago. Judging by the way it sprawled on the ground the creature, gargoyle, was about six feet high with a wide wingspan. The jaw reminded her of a mastiff. Further down the hall was a much larger body with dark purple skin and a more demonic appearance. She tried to imagine what might have killed them and came up blank. The collection of wounds gave her pause. Most of the injuries were made by a blunt instrument, but wielded with precision. However the 'demon' had no visible injuries but there were blood coming from its eyes, ears, and nostrils. She used Detective Vision on the monster's head. The brain was completely ruptured, but left the skull intact. Even the heart had exploded.

Further down the hall was another gargoyle lying amidst melting ice. There were large chunks of ice that remained intact. The creature's hamstrings were cut. She found another demon with its brain and heart burst. There was definitely a pattern. The gargoyles were either bludgeoned or crippled and ice bludgeoned. Whoever came through here was quite thorough. The Gamer in her grumbled at all the lost XP, but Celeste was more curious about what could have caused this. Did her friends do this? Was Mizore here too? Judging by the ice it wasn't an unreasonable suspicion. Well this was awkward. She only assumed it was just her core group of friends who were here. Except that Sumire didn't mention a Yuki Onna. Great. This was going to bug her. Which of her friends was using ice? Oops. One of the demons was killed with a chunk of stone. Aside from that the damage types remained consistent.

The doors were all locked, but one of the keys from the second floor helped. The doors along the outer edge were empty for the most part. It wasn't until she reached the armory that she struck paydirt. In most games finding an armory didn't mean much. One might find a chest or two, but that was all. Some games had racks of weapons and armor, but as part of the background. In D&D it was entirely possible to loot everything. If the DM said it was a well stocked armory then it was a well stocked armory. The Gamer seemed to be working off of D&D rules. Racks of weapons lined the walls. Various suits of armor dotted the center of the floor. Pieces of armor sat on the shelves erected in the back and just inside the door. Celeste cast a rejuvenation spell to make everything shiny and clean again. Much better.

Auto-Loot? Y/N

"Make it so!" Celeste declared and clicked the Y.

Main Gauche - Attack 29 - Slash/Thrust x 10
Carnwennan - Attack 30 - Slash/Thrust/Light - Remains unseen when worn on the hip. Stealth + 30% x 1
Estoc - Attack 25 - Pierce - Damages Defense by 30% x 10
Stinger - Attack 19 - Pierce/Poison - Inflicts with a virulent poison x 1
Longsword - Attack 18 - Slash x 10
Murgleis - Attack 25 - Slash/Stone - A sword made through Alchemy capable of turning those it cuts to stone.
Berdiche - Attack 35 - Slash x 10
Lohengrin - Attack 43 - Slash/Fire - A greatsword said to be born in the heart of a volcano.
Tsurumaru - Attack 22 - Slash x 10
Dojigiri - Attack 40 - Slash - A katana said to be forged only for experts in the art of Iaido.
Partisan - Attack 22 - Pierce x 10
Golden Spear - Attack 40 - Pierce - A gaudy spear adorned in gold and jewels.
Circlet - Defense 2 Intelligence 2 Wisdom 2 x 10
Kitsune Mask - Defense 13 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 3 - Resists Curse - A beautiful white mask made to look like a mischievous kitsune.
Lamellar Armor - Defense 15 - Resist Slash/Strike x 20
Locked Gauntlet - Defense 5 - Immune Disarm - Attack Speed - 20% x 5
Shield Gauntlet - Defense 8 Con 2 - Attack Speed - 20% x 5
Swift Bracers - Defense 2 Agility 5 - Attack Speed + 40%

Naturally she took this opportunity to update her gear. The Status Page even gave her a number of presets. She didn't really care for the Lamellar and most of the Gauntlets lowered her Attack Speed. So she chose to stick with Dark Minerva, but added the Kitsune Mask and Swift Bracers. Carnwennan would be a great weapon to add, but she just didn't use daggers. Adding a weapon to her loadout that she didn't use, just because it was cool, was silly.

Weapon Slot 1: Defender - Att 32 - Slashing - An unadorned Knight Sword renowned for its defensive ability.
Weapon Slot 2: Dojigiri - Attack 40 - Slash - A katana said to be forged only for experts in the art of Iaido.
Weapon Slot 3: Blood Lance - Att 45 - Piercing/Slashing - Absorbs Damage as HP. Dark Attribute
Head:Kitsune Mask - Defense 13 Intelligence 5 Wisdom 3 - Resists Curse - A beautiful white mask made to look like a mischievous kitsune.
Body: Dark Minerva - Defense 34 - Boasts impressive defenses. Reduces damage from all elements by 50%. Absorb Darkness. Durability Up and Break Resistance.
Arms: Swift Bracers - Defense 2 Agility 5 - Attack Speed + 40%
Accessory: Solomon Ring - Def 1 Strength, Intelligence, Luck + 6 - Increases the drop rate of Rare Items. A truly unique one-of-a-kind Ring crafted through ancient alchemy.
Feet: Steam Boots - Strike 21 - A strange mechanical creation that somehow uses steam to increase leaping and striking power. However it was made is a mystery.

The mask was surprisingly comfortable. She was expecting to have her vision impaired, but Detective Vision took care of that. At her current rate of Ki Regeneration she had no excuse to not keep it active constantly. For that matter Perception was entirely too useful to not keep active. Celeste noticed there was a definite synergy between the two Skills and Investigation. More scents and sensations reached her through the expanded senses. Her friends had definitely been here and recently. The scent was surprisingly strong considering Sumire took them away. In fact she could smell Sumire too. What the devil was going on? Celeste felt a lump in her throat. Did they even escape? Were they hurt too badly? Their scent could be here if they were hurt and left some blood behind. Except the only blood she was smelling was from the monsters. She stopped to focus on her breathing and entered a light state of Meditation.

"Calm down, Celeste. You can't help anyone if you lose yourself," Celeste muttered firmly. She had to fight against the rising swell of nausea. The Quest didn't say her main goals were complete, but did mention the bonus goals weren't. Exact words. The dark haired girl felt serenity clash with a sense of mounting horror and forced it back down. Have an existential crisis later once she was certain, one way or another, if her friends were somehow still here.

The closer she got to the third floor's main room the more agitated she became. A deep rhythmic booming echoed down the hallway. The combination of Detective Vision and Eagle Eye let her see what it was. There was a very big armored figure, nearly fifteen feet tall, pounding at the wall with a mace. At least it looked like a wall, but the closer she got the more it resembled a door. She strained her senses to see inside and very nearly threw up. Her friends were trapped inside the room with Sumire. Physically they appeared fine, but Libra showed that they were exhausted and emotionally wrung out. Himeko was using a heavy table to hold the door shut, but the heavy blows were battering the defenses. Celeste could assess them better after they were safe.

Now it was Stab o'Clock. What fun!

Celeste let her crazy out to play. All of her fear, anger, and resentment bubbled up. She didn't want it anymore, but it had to go somewhere. The Blood Lance was raised as she allowed her power to climb. Ki and Magic swirled around her in a torrent. Her muscles swelled from the excess of Ki as she channeled her Mana into the spear tip. A blood red blade formed at the tip and extended out to six feet. Aura 'wings' burst from her back as she poured more Mana into her legs to reinforce Shunpo. The mountain of armored muscle slowly turned towards her. He completely turned his attention on Celeste and left the door alone. All according to plan. Celeste let a slasher smile cross her face as she prepared to get some stress relief. Two things happened near simultaneously. She vanished and the lance was thrust through his helm. The force of her passage ripped him off his feet and carried them both across the room. An unholy clatter combined with a horrific shriek of metal was nearly overwhelmed by a great boom. The sound barrier finally realized Celeste broke it and was quick to catch up.

You have created an incredible technique. A fusion of Magic and Ki all bound together by your incredible resolve. Name this technique.

"Triple Accel Thrust," Celeste declared with satisfaction.

Triple Accel Thrust lvl 1 - By using Magic to alloy Ki Reinforcement and Shunpo with the speed of Hiten Mitsurgui-ryu a devastating attack was born. A seamless fusion of Magic and Ki that encapsulates the concept of Piercing at Godlike Speed. It allows the target no opportunity to dodge by mimicking the effect of Gae Bolg but at a lower level.
Damage: ((Attack Damage + Wisdom) + Level) x Speed
Critical Chance: Same as Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu
Range: Same as Shunpo
Speed of Technique: Shunpo x 1.5 + 0.5 per five levels
Accuracy: (Agility/5)%
Cost: 1000 KP/1000 MP - 1% per level

She leaped back from her landing pad. Her dead foe was quite clearly not getting up again. Few things could survive having their head, upper torso, and a large portion of abdomen removed. There was debris strewn about with pieces of flesh stubbornly clinging to them. Celeste made sure that it wouldn't get up again before turning to the cracked door. A cautious eye peered out through the cracks. Celeste turned the kitsune mask to the side. Better for them to know they were safe than see a strange person looking all foxy with a red tipped spear.

"Celeste!?" Himeko exclaimed. The ruined door burst as the oni girl didn't even bother opening it first. Celeste braced herself as she was flying tackled by an emotionally distraught oni. Even with all of her buffs it still felt like taking a hit from a linebacker!

"Oof! Easy girl...My ribs…" Okay so that was a lie. Her ribs were the next best thing to unbreakable. However other parts of her could still feel compression. That and she didn't want to have to fix her new armor so soon. She returned the hug just as tight.

"You came! Sumire-senpair said you were here, but she thought you were leaving since she was supposed to get us out…!" Aika somehow managed to worm her way into the hug. Celeste just held her arms open for the rest. She needed a hug as much as they did.

"Thank God you're here! Kurone-chan kept us together and came up with our strategies, but it was still terrifying!" Mitsuki wailed, but quickly toned it down. Her wail was very nearly as bad as a banshee's. Sirens were devastating with their voices.

"I-I didn't do much! Anyone could have done it! I was just lucky to have such competent friends…" Kurone tried to simultaneously deflect praise from herself and heap it on their friends. She was still trembling from suppressed nerves.

"They had a good strategy when I arrived. Mitsuki-kohai used her voice to disable their inner ear, Kurone-kohai then used magic to pummel them. Himeko-kohai used her bokken and fists to protect them. Aika-kohai was clawing and nipping at their heels," Sumire smiled faintly. The girls blushed with pleasure at being complimented.

"I almost left. I thought you were already safe outside…" Celeste whispered. She didn't miss Sumire's wince.

"She almost knocked herself out trying to get out. We had to stop her!" Aika piped up.

"I still failed, but thank you for understanding," Sumire smiled.

"You didn't fail, Sumire. I did. I've kept more secrets from all of you. It all comes back to the reason I've been training to grow stronger leading up to why I came with you. How I knew I needed to be here. Didn't you wonder why you found it so easy to convince me? It wasn't just that you mentioned my friends were in danger," Celeste said seriously.

"Is this the best time?" Kurone gestured at their surroundings.

"If I don't tell you some of it then you won't understand why I can't leave yet. I can get you to the entrance, but I can't just walk away," Celeste said tiredly.

"You want to stay? Listen, Celeste-chan, I know we called you our Class Protector, but you don't have to do more to prove yourself. We already know you're strong…!" Mitsuki clutched at her shoulder desperately.

"That's not it! That's not it guys…" Celeste sighed softly. "I get these...Quests. They give me the option to act on things I know. I can choose to accept or decline. Most of the Quests I've had carried very dire consequences for refusal. Tonight's consequence was so horrible that I had to act."

"How bad could it be…?" Himeko started to ask, but then seemed to remember where they were. Her eyes widened in horror at what almost happened. The sentiments were shared by all.

"Your deaths would have been on my head if I didn't come. An even worse threat has a chance of growing stronger if it isn't dealt with now. I've satisfied my heart, now it's time to satisfy my duty. I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't make things safer for everyone," Celeste smiled.

"Don't be so selfish!" Kurone suddenly yelled. Everyone looked stunned, herself included, at her outburst. However, before anyone could reply, she was already pressing forward. "Do you have any idea how we would feel if something happened to you? Did we really give you such an overinflated view of your 'duty?' Your only duty is to be a student and be our friend!"

"Wha…?" Celeste started to speak, but the floodgates opened.

"We're not just extras in this story. We're your friends and we want to be more involved. Stop trying to take the entire burden on yourself…" Aika pleaded. The normally cheerful girl was near tears.

"You are always there for us. Now it is our turn to be there for you. Let us help you. As you can see we are not helpless," Himeko reminded her dryly. Celeste nodded speculatively. She really couldn't deny that and wouldn't want to try. That would be dismissing their accomplishments.

"I really do think we should run to the exit and let someone else handle things. Just because we have the power doesn't mean that we have to do anything. In case you missed that Celeste I'm saying 'we' not 'you.' For God's sake girl let someone else handle this mess," Mitsuki's eyes held nothing but concern and worry for them. She wasn't saying this out of fear for herself, but for their friends too.

"As much as I hate to say this we really can't wait. If the malignance isn't dealt with it could spread to the rest of the grounds. There are a lot of restless spirits who will be allowed to run wild. You don't have to remain. Your ordeal was horrific and if I had done my job properly, never would have happened. Except that I need Celeste to finish this. I've used up practically all of my strength," Sumire plainly loathed herself for having to rely on Celeste for this. Mitsuki shot her a look of pure venom.

"If it hadn't been for Sumire-senpai then Celeste-chan wouldn't have known we were gone. I wish to remain and offer my assistance. My honor won't allow for less," Himeko said quietly. She didn't look in Mistuki's direction, but the redhead wasn't looking at her with condemnation. Honor was a big thing to oni. They hated falsehoods and always repaid their debts.

"But Sumire-sempai is on her last legs! She can't continue like this! All of us are tired except for Celeste Miss I-Have-Stamina-For-Days," Mitsuki tried to argue, but she knew it wouldn't work. Sumire's jaw firmed mulishly and Himeko would remain out of a sense of honor. Celeste wouldn't leave because they were remaining.

"Face it Mitsuki. We're going to stay and see this through. You will too," Aika hugged her side.

"Hey she doesn't have to continue…" Celeste started to say, but quickly shut up. Now Mitsuki was glaring at her.

"Just because I'm not as loud about it as you guys I do repay my debts. If you're not going to leave then I better stay to make sure you survive," Mitsuki said hotly.

"What aren't you telling us?" Kurone asked mildly.

"Great. She's keeping more things a secret," Sumire sighed.

"Fine. This is the only chance to deal with the malignance. If we leave the dimensional space will collapse and it will just be buried until later. Probably when it would be least convenient for all of us," Celeste admitted exasperatedly. Why did Kurone have to be so damned perceptive?

She wasn't getting rid of them now.

They were all so stupidly noble that no one wanted to let Celeste do this alone.

"If you're going to stay then everyone is going to be properly armed," Celeste told them.

"Armed? You're carrying more stuff the same way you carried your boots?" Aika asked excitedly.

Celeste spent the next twenty minutes combing through her Inventory for protective gear. She handed Himeko a Tsurumaru, Circlet, and Lamellar Armor. The Locked Gauntlet or Shield Gauntlet would slow her down too much. The oni kendoka favored quick precise movements. Her strength meant that she wasn't slowed by the armor at all. Aika was given Carnwennan, a Circlet, and a repaired Blade Master Armored Coat. It was the lightest armor she had with the best defense. Celeste knew not to overburden the rogue. Mitsuki had some staff training so a Blood Lance was the next best fit. She was also given a Circlet and another repaired Blade Master Armored Coat. Sirens relied more on their voice, but giving her a polearm was just good sense. Kurone took the Stinger, Circlet, and Blade Master Armored Coat. Both of their 'mages' took Shield Gauntlets just in case. However Sumire showed that she had some sword training. The dark haired girl gave her sempai Murgleis. A longsword capable of turning foes to stone would make her life easier. She also laid claim to a suit of Lamellar Armor and a Circlet. Due to her exhaustion Celeste gave her the Safety Ring and Shield Gauntlet.

"One more thing…" Celeste murmured. She concentrated hard on The Gamer. It already told her once she couldn't form a party. However now she was asking it to make a compromise. She didn't want them to have the exact same powers of the Gamer. Just something to link them together and maybe let them use Skill Books or learn Skills quicker.

If you truly desire this then I will fulfill your wish. However all things come at a price. Do you wish to accept this price? Y/N

Celeste hit 'Y.' Anything to make her friends more survivable.

Party System Enabled
Cost extracted for service: Stop trying to do all of this alone!

The sudden blossoming of visible levels, names, and titles brought a smile to Celeste's face. She could appreciate what the System was trying to say now. No one was an island. Worry still gnawed at her, but they were together now. Celeste's smile morphed into a teasing grin.

"Now I think it's time to explain a few things. Huddle up ladies because this will blow your mind…"
And it was glorious.

AN: Okay so I have heeded the voices of wisdom. Just because they have a Gamer Lite won't instantly kill the story. The Gamer is THE Gamer. Her friends get the faster Skill learning and can use Skill Books, but not the leveling. Any levels they get will occur naturally from growing as people or training their powers. It also lets Celeste see their health and status. A major source of concern for her.

Idiot444 · Dec 21, 2023

Well, that does seem like the right way to do it if you're gonna have a party function of some kind.

Anyway, a part of me feels like a total party wipe should happen. It probably won't but...

Miss Vamp was a decent threat with MC in better condition, they seem to have been a midboss of sorts.

The party is seriously exhausted for the most part and notably weaker then MC. Given how difficulty works, the boss of that place should be beyond them atm.
But of course, this isn't accounting for several things such as the levels MC will gain on the way.

Was gonna say it feels like their getting way more EXP/ levels being too easy to obtain, but then I remembered theres a notable level gap.

Mr.Feen3y! · Dec 22, 2023

Did we skip Chapter 14?? Jumps from 13-15 directly

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

Mr.Feen3y! said:
Did we skip Chapter 14?? Jumps from 13-15 directly

Fixed. Somehow I skipped numbers. Kinda embarrassing to be honest

JackOfHeartQc · Dec 22, 2023

Did you post the wrong chapter? Because you jump (chapter 13 to 14) from Celeste opening her first party to her having breakfast the morning after with the girls and the quest completed, no loot or xp from the fight or things fround on the floors themselve?

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

JackOfHeartQc said:
Did you post the wrong chapter? Because you jump (chapter 13 to 14) from Celeste opening her first party to her having breakfast the morning after with the girls and the quest completed, no loot or xp from the fight or things fround on the floors themselve?

Okay, I really have to fix this. I'm taking care of it now

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

Chapter 14

Sumire Yakumo - Junior Gap Hag - lvl 32
Aika Nezumi - Exuberant Bitey One - lvl 16
Himeko Haruno - The Samurai Oni - lvl 23
Kurone Sawara - All Purpose Magical Cat Girl - lvl 20
Mitsuki Nakamura - Aspiring Idol - lvl 18

Now she knew why that name was so familiar! This wasn't the time to ask if Sumire was related to Yukari, but it was definitely on her mind now. The thought that Touhou Project might be real in this universe was just moderately worrisome. A little. Just a little. The other titles were spot on. She knew roughly what roles they would play in this Dungeon crawl. It wasn't easy for Celeste to tamp down her worry so she didn't bother. What she would do was trust in their ability to do the job.

"Right. We need to decide the combat roles before continuing. Otherwise we run the very real risk of getting in each other's way," Kurone cautioned.

"What do you suggest? I can fill just about any role. I also have healing spells and techniques if we're injured. With my speed I can provide emergency treatment if needed," Celeste offered.

"She's super fast, super strong, and can heal?" Aika gawked.

"Don't forget her skill in binding magics and defensive spells," Sumire added.

"That does make me feel better about this," Mitsuki admitted. She still wasn't entirely sure about this, but much of her worries were eased.

"How does this affect your plans?" Himeko asked Kurone. The Cat Woman adjusted her glasses with a smirk.

"This is perfect. We have enough for a front line, middle line, and a back line. Celeste and Himeko will be our front liners. They can hit harder and quicker than we can. Sumire and Mitsuki can make up the middle line. Mitsuki's voice is always available and can be used swiftly. Sumire can turn an attacker to stone if they get by the front. The back line will be me and Aika. Aika can scout ahead in places that Celeste's Detective Vision fails to reach. If there's a fight she can run back and hide behind us. I need time to cast my spells and I can't do that if I have to evade claws and fangs," Kurone explained dryly.

There was a sense of relief that came from having a plan. A good plan that didn't rest everything on her shoulders. Celeste wasn't being expected to shoulder the whole burden on her own. It was such a novel concept that she regretted not bringing them in more completely earlier. She still had a job to do, but it was a more manageable one. The dark haired girl started checking to see if she could set a Macro to streamline things.

Wisdom + 1

Now that was just insulting.

The 'Macros' functioned like the Gambit System from Final Fantasy XII. She tried not to go cross eyed at the number of options.

"Hey Kurone? Mind helping me with something?" Celeste asked with a nervous laugh.

"What…?" Kurone asked warily.

"I have a Macro system for performing actions automatically apparently," Celeste explained.

"What does that mean?" Mitsuki asked.

"It means she's even more pure bullshit than before," Aika stated bluntly.

"Crude but apt. It does mean that she won't be distracted in mid battle by having to renew a spell or something," Himeko noted.

"But what if she runs out of magic or ki?" Sumire asked.

"Then it feeds on my Stamina. I could go at full power for well over an hour. Using Macros for auto-casting would still use my Ki/Magic slower than it replenishes," Celeste explained.

"That does make things easier. Can you set up a Macro for this?" Kurone held up a sheet of paper. No, Celeste wasn't going to ask where she got it. If she could do weird things than her friends could too.

"I wanted to have control over what attacks I use. Suddenly getting jerked across the room if I set the wrong Macro would suck," Celeste shuddered.

"That sounds dangerous!" Aika exclaimed.

"Yeah, that too," Celeste nodded.

Trying to explain that she could turn herself into an absolute fortress of defense with enough magic was hard. If she didn't like taking out enemies quickly it was possible to armor herself to the point of nigh invulnerability. As such her friends were staring at Celeste like she was an absolute madwoman.

Chasing down the last key was an absolute pain in the ass. The person who hid the key did so in pieces. Six. Friggin'. Pieces. Celeste knew that finding secret areas could be difficult, but this was a level of aggravation she was unhappy to have the misfortune of dealing with. The Bonus Goal was to be conducted in a secret area beyond the basement door. It made sense that the key would be difficult. She just hated that it was this difficult. Celeste didn't want to look too deeply into it, but the challenges were tailored for each member of the party. For Kurone it was a puzzle to line up books in the library. An actual library on the third floor. Himeko had to perform a feat of strength to move a statue. Celeste tried to move it herself and it barely moved. Scary thought. Mitsuki had to sing in the right pitch to shatter a diamond hard plate of crystal. Aika was needed to duck into a small passageway that no one else could fit into. Sumire's challenge required reversing the flow of time on an hourglass. Breaking the glass would have caused the tiny piece to be lost amidst the sands. By contrast her own challenge was simple. She had the key from the first floor. Placing the remaining five pieces onto it completed the key.

The final door.

No one knew what lay beyond.

They made their preparations.

They were armed.

They were united.

They were really not ready for this…

Celeste readied her personal defenses and unlocked the door. The teens were cautiously optimistic when a fetid miasma didn't immediately assail them. In fact they were able to enter without even a hint of disembodied voice or ominous Latin chanting. Somehow the lack of anything overtly threatening made the tension even worse. She stretched her senses to the limit, but still nothing. Celeste shook her head to indicate that it seemed safe. Her friends tightened their grips. Good girls. They entered the room slowly. It was a vast chamber beneath the prison. The ceiling was completely obscured in shadows as were the far walls. As Kurone stepped through the door it slammed shut behind her. The girls deadpanned over the highly cliche occurrence. Electric blue runes flared to life along the walls, ceiling, and floor. There wasn't a single inch that wasn't covered in runes. It was a dim light, but there was enough to see a shackled and chained figure in the center of the floor. He was almost nine feet tall and covered in thick dark fur with a lupine muzzle.

"That is a big Werewolf…" Mitsuki murmured in the stillness.

"A Werewolf chained down here? Something is very wrong with this picture…" Aika laughed nervously.

"Some of the fastest monsters alive. Werewolves are Rank S, just a step below Vampires, meaning that if we do have to fight we need to lock down his speed," Kurone observed.

"Or we just stab him with a poisoned weapon repeatedly," Sumire said blandly.

"He's surrounded in containment runes. If you try to stab into it he would be released immediately," Kurone cautioned. Sumire flushed.

"So what do we do?" Himeko asked.

"Sumire-senpai IS right. We don't have to actually fight him. The runes are weakening. If we strengthen the runes again that should secure the victory," Kurone adjusted her shiny glasses.

"How can you tell that?" Mitsuki asked.

"I was doing some light reading with the books from the Occult Club," Kurone explained.

"That's light reading!?" Celeste gawked. Judging by the others' reactions they were thinking the same thing. Kurone's ears and tail popped out in embarrassment. A blatantly illegal move, but too cute to argue with.

"How do we do this?" Himeko asked.

"It will take some time, but recharging the runes should be relatively simple. We just have to go to each of the seven stones around the chamber…" Kurone started to say only to be interrupted.

"I did not wait all these years to lose out to a bunch of children! Wolves of the Bloody Fangs tear them apart!" A dark voice interrupted their strategizing.

"That sounds ominous…" Aika trailed off as her nose twitched and froze. Her hair puffed out threateningly. "Something's coming!"

From the shadows black furred figures emerged. The whites of their eyes stood in stark contrast. Gleaming fangs salivated at the prospect of tearing into their flesh. They looked like humanoid wolves. Each one standing at just over six feet. Celeste used Libra and had to bite back a curse. She scanned deeper to check their race, but it wasn't Werewolf.

Wolf of the Bloody Fangs lvl 42 - Race: Wolfkin

"What's a Wolfkin?" Celeste asked without taking her eyes off the enemy. More of them were stepping from the shadows. Almost forty of the monsters appeared from seemingly nowhere.

"Wolfkin!?" Kurone yelped in alarm. "A Wolfkin is an ancient Werewolf. More feral and dangerous than the modern ones. They were eradicated millenia ago. In the process taking the original Shinso Vampires with them. What you see now is a pale shadow of their predecessors…" She rattled off by reflex even as her panic climbed higher.

"Hu hu hu...So you know about that, huh? Clever little cat. Too bad that won't help you. Born to darkness my wolves are invincible in the shadows!"

The Wolfkin took that as their cue to attack. Their sudden forward rush was checked sharply by a shimmering plane of force. Celeste grit her teeth as her mana took a visible dip from stopping them. "Ladies! I know what the plan was, but we're gonna have to change it up! I can hold them, but you're going to have to fix the runes by yourselves. Go! I've got this!"

"Move ladies!" Himeko barked with uncharacteristic harshness. The others immediately took off towards the closest ward stone.

"How long can you hold out little Magi? I admit it is impressive, but this will surely drain you before long…"

"You made a mistake of telling me how they were born, demon!" Celeste shouted back defiantly. She held up the barrier while entering a meditative trance. Ironically, despite the danger, she didn't feel remotely threatened. No, but she did feel a sense of duty well up inside her. Purpose filled her as she extended two roomwide purple magic circles. One on the floor and one far above their heads. She let her purifying Ki combined with her Holy magic to fill the circles. The purple light turned to a pale lavender illuminating the room. Her friends seemed to draw strength from it, but the effect on the Wolfkin was far more obvious.

"What!?" The dark voice roared as his minions slowed to a crawl. Their immense speed reduced to barely human level.

Adding the effects of Defensive Stance to the protective field was a smart idea. Between the Holy, Purification, and Defensive Stance they weren't going anywhere fast. Celeste added a Mana/Stamina drain to the field. It increased the cost substantially, but the amount it stole back from the enemy made it negligible. The Wolfkin charged across the sacred field to attack her directly, but she was still inside of a personal forcefield. She made the field a cylinder extending from the floor to the ceiling. Through her heightened senses she continued to monitor her friends' progress.

"Grrrr...Leave her! Kill the others! HURRY!" Some desperation leaked into his voice. The sacred field continued to sap their strength, but they were still quick to obey.

Celeste had no choice but to trust in her friends. She couldn't move from her position or the field would stop. Meditation was already hard enough without adding more distractions. However, she really shouldn't have been worried. Kurone's plan was still good even without one of their forwards. Aika was quick to follow the Cat Woman's instructions as some of the Runes needed to be retraced. The Wolfkin had worn some of them down with their claws over time. With that done Kurone could direct some of the excess mana in the chamber to recharge the Stone. Some of Celeste's sanctified mana ended up being used as well, but that wasn't a problem. If anything Kurone was counting on that. That left Himeko and Sumire to hold off the Wolfkin that tried to pass them. The enemy was in even more trouble as their heightened sense of hearing left them even more vulnerable to Mitsuki. Her voice cascaded over them in silvery notes that nevertheless struck their ears like hammers.

"Just a little longer!" Kurone called.

"Oh take your time! This is easy!" Sumire called back dryly. The Wolfkin were slowed substantially, but they were still a real threat. Their strength and endurance was high. However the sword she wielded still left them stoned. Literally. It wasn't always perfectly effective, but enough of their assailants were sporting hardened limbs.

"They will not pass!" Himeko didn't need an enchanted blade. Each strike was executed cleanly and with precision. Heads and body parts flew in a shower of gore. The might of an Oni was not to be underestimated.

"Remind me to bring throat spray next time…" Mitsuki muttered before unleashing a shrieking blast at a Wolfkin that tried to sneak up on her. The hapless beast let out a pained cry before getting thrown back from the force. She raked the other side with her voice as well. More of the beasts collapsed with their ears bleeding.

"Finished!" Aika called down from the top. The little monster hopped to the floor.

"Let's go to the next!" Kurone was already hustling towards the next Stone.

"I feel like this is almost anticlimactic to you," The sealed wolf noted wryly.

"Anticlimactic? I'm sweating buckets, they're exhausted, and you just keep summoning more of these damn things. What part of this is anticlimactic to you?" Celeste demanded incredulously. The Stamina draining effect of the field wasn't restoring her Stamina as fast. Most of the stolen Stamina was being funneled into her friends. She could convert Mana or Ki into Stamina, but that had limits too. The number of Wolfkin pounding on her barrier increased. More of her mana was being sapped. Meditation was holding on by a thread as she fought to maintain calm.

It all came down to a war of attrition. If the barrier fell the enemy could use their full power. However each Stone they restored weakened the Wolfkin's strength more. The Boss alternated between cajoling and outright threatening them. His words fell on dead ears. Celeste just kept promising herself a nice hot bath and a long sleep. Oh yes. They were going to earn this victory and reap the rewards. She redoubled her efforts to maintain the barrier.

"This isn't possible! I was so close! Damn you! Damn you aaaaaaaaall!" His voice trailed off in a desperate scream as the last Stone was restored.

"Oh shut up you goddamn drama queen…" Sumire snarled balefully. The blonde yokai's eyes were dull with exhaustion. Hair plastered to her scalp with sweat. She dropped to her knees with relief.

"Try to lose with some grace…" Himeko groaned. The Oni fell down beside her comrade in arms. She was almost breathing steam from the effort.

"..." Mitsuki merely grunted. She was disheveled and weary. The spear in her hand saw a lot of use after her voice gave out.

"Permission to die now?" Aika flopped face down on the ground. Even her inexhaustible store of energy was depleted.

"Permission denied. You can die only when I tell you. Right now we still need to get out of here," Kurone was forcing herself to continue. Libra told Celeste the truth. The Cat Woman was one foot in the grave from exhaustion, but still standing.

She truly had amazing friends.

Emergency Alert!
Desperate Rescue - What the Hell were your friends doing going into an abandoned ruin without you? You know they're not stupid. Something is seriously wrong here. Now they're in trouble and it's up to you and Sumire to save them, but you might be the one who needs saving...

Goal: Rescue your friends unharmed. (complete)

Bonus Goal: Destroy the source of the malignance. (complete)

Rewards: 100,000 XP, 3 Rare Skill Books, 3 Rare Pieces of Equipment, Exalted Status with your friends, Respected Status with Sumire. (complete)

Bonus Reward: 50,000 XP, +10 CP, 1 Legendary Piece of Equipment (complete)

Exit Dungeon? Y/N

"Thank God...I can get us out of here without having to go back to the exit…" Celeste said with a sigh of relief. Her weary friends collapsed with joy or they were even more tired than she thought. Probably exhaustion. She hit 'Y' and watched as the dungeon disappeared only to be replaced by…

Her bed!?

Everyone was on the bed despite the lack of room. No one wanted to move. No one could move. Celeste queued up the Inventory and tried to remove their equipment. She was considerate enough to requip them with spare pajamas. A couple grunts and sleepy mumbles spoke of their deep appreciation. She used the last of her Ki to use Purification and Chakra to remove their aches and pains. It did nothing for their Stamina. Celeste needed to sacrifice her own Stamina to replenish someone else's and she was tapped out. Sleep would fix that. The dark haired girl snuggled up to the closest warm body as someone hugged her from behind. There was some lazy squirming to get comfortable, but even that stopped soon. By scent she could tell who was where. Kurone was apparently in her arms with Sumire at her back. Aika was laying across their legs. Mitsuki had her arms around Kurone's legs and was snuggled up to her stomach. They were all laying on Himeko.

Plans were already being drafted for a bigger bed. The Gamer power would probably do this to them again and Celeste couldn't wait. Ahem. She would be prepared.

The pop ups demanding her attention were soundly ignored. The cuddlepile demanded that she cuddle and she would obey.

AN: Right so the next chapter is the aftermath. Sumire comes up with a suggestion for keeping the party going. Celeste picks her next Class and finally uses the Crafting Skill Book. Also the rewards are discussed. Phew. This chapter didn't want to come out, but I was more stubborn! Huzzah!

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

Chapter 15

Celeste's little table wasn't up to handling six people. They were spread out on the floor using cushions and blankets for seating. Empty dishes sat before them. No one was quite sure what to say making breakfast slightly uncomfortable. Waking up together was nice, but it was also strange. Last night was one strange event after another. A night full of terror, despair, but also one of abiding faith and fellowship. They knew their relationship had changed. Friends helped each other study, but true companions fought and bled together. In the light of day it was harder to speak of what happened. Celeste knew she should start looking for her next Class, but the sense of belonging was nice. She didn't want it to end. Except now no one was talking. Part of that was still some residual mental and emotional exhaustion. The rest was teenage awkwardness. They did sleep together. It was innocent, but it only made them more aware of their changing relationship. The things that had to be done to survive left her feeling confused. Like Evalice. If the Vampiress Warrior hadn't been so axe crazy maybe they could have talked things out. Did she really try to talk it over with her? All she heard was Evalice talk about capturing and hurting her friends…

Never mind. She would probably feel worse later about what happened, but she wouldn't doubt her actions again. Too much contemplation was just as bad as not enough.

"Are you doing something with your 'Gamer' power?" Kurone asked. The sudden question caused all of them to jump. Following that came a sense of relief. The silence was oppressive, but now it was broken.

"No, nothing like that. I probably should, but really I was thinking about the Vampire from last night…" Celeste said regretfully. Despite what she told herself it still felt like a failure of some kind.

"To a Vampire dying in battle is welcomed. They want to live of course, but their pride demands that their deaths be important. Just don't forget her and that will satisfy honor," Himeko said gently.

"Before coming here, before getting my power, I never would have thought killing was an answer," Celeste admitted.

"To most monsters it's a kill or be killed world. We don't see it the same way as humans do. That doesn't mean we're all bloodthirsty though. What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't let it get to you," Sumire smiled awkwardly. Celeste giggled a little.

"Fair enough. I don't regret saving you guys. It's just not easy to wrap my head around," Celeste shrugged.

"Then don't try," Mitsuki said. Celeste looked at her strangely. The Siren shook her head before clarifying, "It's not something that can be dealt with immediately. Just let yourself feel, but don't let it overwhelm you."

Aika carried the dishes to the sink, "So why not explain how your powers work? I know you said it was like 'living life as a video game', but what does that mean?" The ratfolk girl deftly moved the conversation away from the touchy subject.

"Does that make us like NPCs?" Mitsuki looked disturbed by the implications. Celeste shook her head.

"That's not how it works. What it means is that I get Quests, Experience points, and loot drops. Oddly enough I haven't been getting money. That IS something my power gives…" Celeste realized that she didn't have a single cash loot drop.

"We get a small stipend to spend on luxuries and store credit for necessities. Money would be a strange thing to earn around here. Especially if you were fighting student skeletons," Sumire pointed out.

"And we get the benefit of the faster 'Skill' learning. It sounds fantastic, but for the physical things we would need the conditioning. Having the Skill is fine, but we could really hurt ourselves," Himeko noted.

"I better pick my next Class. The Vampire dropped a Class Book for Swordsaint. It needs three Martial Classes at Intermediate level. With the amount of XP I got it would be stupid not to use it to master another basic Class," Celeste said.

"What are the 'Tiers' for Classes?" Kurone asked.

"All Classes have Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Master, and Grandmaster Tiers. Basic Classes level up extremely fast. If I chose the Basic Tier of another Class it would probably go straight to twenty. That would leave Monk and Paladin for my other Intermediates. I'm also trying to keep my Stats more or less even," Celeste shrugged.

There wasn't even an issue. This time Celeste knew what she wanted. She wanted a Class that increased Luck but didn't leave her other Stats behind. The only Class she had for that was Kampfer. It's unique Skill 'Form Change' didn't actually need to be used. Besides it wouldn't be forever. There were other Classes that could increase Luck, but they weren't listed as Martial like Kampfer. She would be lying if she claimed not to be curious. Now that she wasn't alone it was actually safe to experiment!

Paladin > Kampfer
Kampfer lvl 1 - Apparently the power of God and Anime is on your side. Except it seems this God has a weird sense of humor. This Class is an odd duck in that it's a 3 in 1. You have a 1 in 3 chance of activating Schwert, Gewehr, or Zauber when using the unique Skill: Form Shift.
Skill Growth: Schwert (Sword) + 70%, Gewehr (Gun) + 70%, Zauber (Magic) + 70%
Opposition Skill: Schwert > Gewehr > Zauber - Varies according to currently active Form.
Stats: All Stats + 1, Luck Training Bonus + 50%

The transition to Kampfer was weirder than any Class change before. Unlike the others this one had a visible sign of change. On her wrist a purple bracelet appeared like the other Kampfer. She held up her left wrist curiously. The others eyed the new piece of jewelry in confusion. It radiated with potential power. Celeste arched an eyebrow as it turned out the new trinket had actual stats. It came with the drawback Soulbound, but the effects actually were pretty nice.

Kampfer Bracelet - Def 10 - Increases all recovery effects by 50% when Form Change is active. Instantly heals 30% Max HP/Stamina/Ki/MP when Form Change is activated. Drawback: Soulbound - Cannot be removed. Takes up a Wrist Slot.

"Oh crap," Celeste muttered when she finally looked at the Unique Skill.

"That's ominous…" Aika remarked.

"So this is what Form Change does…"

Unique Skill Gained: Form Change lvl 1 - Kampfer, loosely translated as Fighter, are each capable of transforming into one Form based on Sword, Gun, and Magic. However you don't have that limitation. Lucky you!(?) You have a chance of becoming one of the three different types. The chance of getting what you want isn't the greatest to start, but it can happen. Each 'Form' has a different base weapon. Find a better one and fast. These aren't the greatest.
Chance of Chosen Form: (Luck/20)% + 1% per level
Schwert - A Kampfer who is a master of blades. Capable of wielding any bladed weapon like a master. Blade Damage = (Wisdom/5) x (Type)
1-Hand Damage x 1
2-Hand Damage x 2
Dagger Damage x 0.5
Gewehr - A Kampfer well-versed in the use of firearms and ranged weapons. Commonly uses guns. All of a Gewehr's weapons benefit from limitless ammo, no jamming, triple durability, and zero recoil. Ranged Damage = (Wisdom/5) x (Type)
Handgun x 1 (Range equal to Wisdom)
Rifle x 1.5 (Range equal to Wisdom x 5)
Shotgun x 3 (Max Damage Range equal to Wisdom/10)
Assault Rifle x 1 (Range equal to Wisdom/5) (Attack Speed 300%)
Zauber - A Zauber versed in the mystic arts, but primarily their innate element. Your innate element has become Holy from all the channeling you've done.
Mana Effectiveness: +100%
Mana Range: +100%
Mana Manipulation: +100%
Mana Cost: 50%
Spell Attack Speed: +200%

"Give me a second. Just need to turn in the Quest from last night and end the leveling freeze," Celeste said.

"Your leveling was frozen until the Quest was turned in…?" Himeko asked in confusion.

"And you're unfreezing it now to take advantage of all the level gains. Sneaky," Sumire said admiringly.

Emergency Alert!
Desperate Rescue - What the Hell were your friends doing going into an abandoned ruin without you? You know they're not stupid. Something is seriously wrong here. Now they're in trouble and it's up to you and Sumire to save them, but you might be the one who needs saving...
Goal: Rescue your friends unharmed. (complete)
Bonus Goal: Destroy the source of the malignance. (complete)
Rewards: 100,000 XP, 3 Rare Skill Books, 3 Rare Pieces of Equipment, Exalted Status with your friends, Respected Status with Sumire. (complete)
Bonus Reward: 50,000 XP, +10 CP, 1 Legendary Piece of Equipment (complete)

Level: 36 > 52
Kampfer lvl 1 > 20 (Max)
Kampfer (Intermediate) lvl 1 > 12
All Stats + 10
Form Change lvl 1 > 32
Midchildan Magic Style Style lvl 26 > 30
Mana Shaping (Basic) lvl 22 > 25 (Max)
Evolved: Mana Shaping (Intermediate) lvl 1 > 4

Vitality has reached 100! A new Perk was gained!
Regeneration I - This is the classic form of Regeneration. Your body is capable of restoring itself to pristine condition regardless of the damage. The only caveat is that your brain must be mostly intact. Recovery times may vary depending on severity.

Wisdom has reached 100! A new Perk was gained!
Mana Font I - The mana replenishment interval drops from 3 minutes to 1. Excess MP recovery spills over into Stamina and Ki.
Charisma has reached 50! A new Perk was gained!
Winning Smile - You've just got a way about you that puts others at ease. All Charisma based Skills for influencing others get a +50% increase. Reduces all fear effects in those who see you by 75%.

Humans have defined limits on their stats. Stats can only reach 100. You must either change Race or make use of Stat increasing gear.

"I might have made a slight error in judgement," Celeste said diplomatically. The number of shocking revelations left her reeling.

"What happened?" Kurone asked in concern.

She told them what the pop ups said. Sixteen levels from all that XP felt a bit on the low side, but there were a lot of nice bonuses. What convinced her she made a mistake was in continuing with Kampfer into Intermediate. Celeste thought it would max out Intermediate too, but it stalled. The amount of XP made her internally wince. Hopefully Swordsaint was worth the trouble. Finding out that her Stats topped out at 100 was annoying. It made sense for humans to have a Stat Cap, but she was still unhappy with the knowledge.

"You do have a Vampire token," Sumire reminded her.

"Yeah but turning into a Vampire just for Stat buffs isn't me. Maybe if it's an emergency, sure, but this isn't a hardship. I can still boost my Stats with Skills," Celeste reminded her.

"Did you get anything cool from the Quest rewards?" Aika asked curiously.

"Might as well check the last pop up," Celeste said.

Skill Books:
Secrets of the Sacred Forge - This rare book allows the user to imbue crafts with sacred flames and makes the user more resistant to fire.
Principles of Creation - Teaches the reader how to confer magical effects to their crafts.
The Secrets of Metallurgy - This ancient tome is used in the creation and shaping of exotic metals.
Equipment:
Craftsmaster's Goggles - The very best in eye protection when handling hazardous materials. Also useful for spotting little imperfections before they become big problems. Reduce Waste - 20%, Quality + 10%
Craftsmaster's Gloves - The very best in hand protection around the forge. You don't wanna smash your fingers, right? Oh yeah and it also helps to improve the finished product. Quality + 10%, Protection from Hazards + 20%
Craftmaster's Vest - A crafting apron and toolkit all in one. Always have the right tools for the job. Unless it's magic then you're on your own. Still this is a real time saver. Quality + 10%, Crafting Time - 30%
Craftmaster's Hammer of the Great Smith - The ultimate in crafting hammers. Perfect for nearly any craft that requires a good sturdy whack. This is insanely good. Quality + 100%, Reduce Waste - 50%, Crafting Time - 50%

"...I think the system is trying to tell me to start Crafting…" Celeste stared at her new acquisitions in awe. She held aloft the Craftmaster's Hammer of the Great Smith. It was an impressive hammer made of black metal wrapped in runic bands with a pure adamantine shaft. Her inner Munchkin started to squeal in delight.

"Uh oh. The last time I saw a look that manic Mitsuki locked herself in the Home Ec room for the weekend…" Himeko said worriedly.

"She looks as excited as the Headmaster with a new scheme…" Sumire looked frightened.

"I think this is where we part ways. I have no desire to witness a friend's descent into madness," Kurone deadpanned.

"Right/Good idea/I'm outta here!"

Celeste let them go as she had a new project to work on. One that would make them all safer. She just had to figure out how to exploit this (im)properly. The first thing she did was use all of the Skill Books. It was no surprise that they all merged into one Skill as they were all based around crafting.

Crafting lvl 1 - This is a general catch all Skill for the various forms of Crafting. You like to have a clean Skill List, right?
Fire Resistance: 1% per level
Quality: 1% per level
Waste: -1% per 3 levels
Time: -1% per 3 levels
Chance of Failure: 59% (53%) - 1% per 3 levels

Nothing she had lowered Failure Chance, but that was okay. She could work around that. Did Cooking count as Crafting?

You can use Crafting for Cooking, but that would mean reducing your Cooking ability to level 1.

"But I can grind it up with the rest of my Crafting Skill," Celeste reasoned. She still remembered the recipes so it wasn't a horrible change. Now it was time to do some experimenting. Her friends might have left, but she could make them dinner. Dinner could be flank steak, mashed potatoes, mashed carrots, mashed peas, and mashed greens. The Hammer almost seemed to radiate a sense of worry, but all she did was stroke it soothingly until the legendary artifact calmed.

The Hammer was right to be worried.

However the dinner she made was absolutely divine.

Her friends looked so confused when she dropped off the covered dishes, but appreciated the gesture. Celeste took the Hammer to everything in her dorm room. Aligning doors, frames, bases, and unsticking the window. Okay so she shattered the window, but she was able to rebuild it even better. She was the only person in the dorm with hurricane windows. Breaking something and rebuilding it actually gave more XP than just creating. Celeste went on a veritable orgy of destruction through her entire room. The Hammer sang through the air as it smashed everything into little pieces. She spared Burnt Alive Lion out of sentimentality, but also some fear. Would the quality improve so much that he came alive? Scary thought.

Fixing collectible figures with a Hammer took a great deal of skill so even more XP was gained. Yay!

Celeste finally came to her senses well after dark. The dark haired girl blinked as she finally took in the state of her room. Whereas before it looked like a normal if uniquely decorated room. Now it looked practically palatial. She sweatdropped as a pop up happily informed her that she was at level twenty five with Crafting. Twenty. Five. The bed was even different. How did she turn it into a King Size bed? Where did the extra material come from? She stroked the headboard in wonder. Not a single nail. Everything was carefully joined without nails or glue. The massive increase to Quality from her gear was obvious. If she could figure out how to make clothes using the Hammer Mitsuki might combust. A pattern for armored clothing appeared in her mind. It wouldn't be that hard to make either. Decorative, looks like the school uniform, and with strategic armor plating. A bit of embellishment would certainly make it look stylish…

She carefully put down the Hammer.

It was filling her head with strange thoughts.

That was her excuse and she was sticking to it.

"I wanted to make some armor or accessories. Not start a This Old House Revival in my dorm room!" Celeste groaned as she fell back on the sinfully comfortable bed. She blinked in astonishment at the absolutely gorgeous wooden mural on her ceiling. Comprised on different types and grains of wood. It was fitted together so neatly that it appeared seamless. The gentle sloping shapes were pleasing to the eye and relaxing to the mind. Why count tiles when you can meditate on this beautiful sight? She could see countless little things all woven together tightly. The bed was naturally a perfect temperature from being imbued with sacred flames. All of this combined robbed her of consciousness.

This was fine too.

AN: Next chapter is Celeste's new addiction and a return to the Newspaper Club. She has a decision to make about sticking with the club or not. Phew. Also! For the happy people who keep my character sheet up to date I implore you to save me. I've gone a while without updating anything properly.Most of the chapter is in Spoiler Boxes. It's a lot bigger without those.

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

Chapter 16

There were many questions in life. To Celeste the most important one was the question she forgot to ask. When she woke up with her friends the morning after it was hard to know what to say. She didn't want to alienate them by suddenly asking hard questions. Then she started thinking about killing Evalice. Can't forget getting distracted by all the leveling up and Gamer related stuff. The truth was that she completely forgot to ask about why they were in the dungeon. Now it was Monday and she didn't have the luxury of avoiding the subject. She had to find out the truth. Just in case her friends were harboring any ideas of exploring more dangerous places. The annoying thing was that Sumire disappeared again. Celeste checked her dorm room, but no one was home. The covered dish she left for her was mysteriously in her drain board, but that was the only sign Sumire was still around. Maybe they should find a place to make their own. A hiding place of sorts. Someplace that Celeste could turn into a crafting workshop. The former prison would make a good spot…

She was doing it again!

Lunch was the earliest that they could get away. The other students had lunch in the classroom, but Celeste dragged her friends into the forest. She felt the tingle as they crossed into the Field Dungeon. This would normally be the point that Skeletons would start to stalk them, but Celeste was using the Sacred Field from the other night. Anything evil or undead was instantly destroyed. Her friends looked a little confused about why they were in a pocket dimension. Sumire invited herself and took a seat on the picnic blanket Celeste packed.

"Another heavenly meal? You're getting very good at this," Sumire smiled approvingly as she picked up the bento marked for her.

"Indeed. I still have no idea how you managed to cook so much with a hammer," Kurone marveled.

"I don't think I'll get tired of mashed food anytime soon," Aika piped up, already halfway through her meal.

"The fact you can make a bento with a hammer is a strange mystery…" Himeko remarked. It was delicious, she couldn't deny that, but a mashed bento deeply unsettled her. That didn't stop her from eating the tasty offering.

"That isn't the only reason she brought us here," Mitsuki noted wryly.

"What I'm curious about is just why you didn't come get me for your exploration," Celeste said with a kind smile. Nonetheless the girls shivered as a hint of her displeasure leaked through the pleasantness.

"Why am I shivering? I didn't make the mistake," Sumire muttered incredulously.

"She's using her aura to influence our feelings by drawing out the guilt we're feeling. You still feel guilty over leaving the dimensional rift open," Kurone observed absently. It would have sounded better if her ears weren't flat.

"We were trying to start up an explorer's club. See it's like this: Yokai Academy lets you join multiple clubs. This way we get to keep our clubs and have a school sanctioned excuse to hang out and wander around," Aika explained excitedly.

"Your talk about RPGs and choosing Classes fired her up. She started saying that each of us represented a different 'Class' to form a party. Aika was the Rogue, Mitsuki the Bard, Kurone the Mage, and I was the Tank. A balanced party in case we did run into trouble," Himeko added.

"And it worked. You were doing fantastically before I arrived. It was only the armored giant that made you retreat," Sumire reminded her.

"It was scary, but between Aika's enthusiasm and Kurone's planning we managed. The reason we didn't ask you was, well, you were always training. That and your club commitments with the Newspaper Club. You were getting frustrated with the little Witch who joined," Mitsuki shrugged apologetically.

"You didn't want to add to my workload. Good grief…" Celeste rubbed her forehead. Mentioning Yukari reminded The Gamer that she had to see her in the club. She wasn't sure if going back was a good idea. "I'm seriously considering just dropping the Newspaper Club…"

"Don't," Sumire quickly said. Celeste halted in mid sentence with a questioning look. "The Newspaper Club is already making waves. I need you to be there. If the Public Safety Committee gives them a rough time I can count on you to bring it to me. Ginei wants to keep his head down and not draw their ire, but if I had proof they were overstepping their boundaries I could go to the Headmaster."

"What does she get out of it? She's sticking her neck out for this," Mitsuki said. Celeste opened her mouth to speak, but Kurone held up a hand. The dark haired girl looked disgruntled, but subsided. Sumire smirked faintly.

"If she does this I guarantee she would get the Headmaster's gratitude. He might even be willing to help with supplies and facilities," Sumire said.

Public Unsafety Commission - The PSC has vastly overstayed its welcome and made a nuisance of itself. You're the only one on good terms with Sumire. The upperclassman always keeps an ear on you it seems. If you can bring her proof of their actions she can get the Headmaster to shut them down.

Rewards: 5000 XP, Increased closeness with Sumire, Exalted Status with the Newspaper Club, Random Skill Book, Perk Point, The Headmaster knows your name

Failure: Decreased closeness with everyone.
Accept: Y/N

"Devious little Siren…" Celeste smiled approvingly. She mentally tapped the 'Y'.

"What happened?" Aika asked curiously.

"Mitsuki took advantage of the Quest system to have Celeste rewarded," Kurone nodded admiringly at Mitsuki.

"I'm not just another pretty face," Mitsuki preened.

"Very well done," Himeko inclined her head.

"That's why I didn't take offense. She just wanted to make sure you got something out of it," Sumire explained.

"Tonight I want to go back to the prison and turn it into a workshop. I'll probably need an actual anvil to make armor and weapons though…" Celeste trailed off.

"Let me handle that. We had a blacksmithing club that didn't really go anywhere. There's lots of stuff that no one is using," Sumire waved her off.

Celeste wasn't sure what was more surprising. That there was a blacksmithing club or that it didn't go anywhere. There was just too much to comment on so she let it slide.

"So we can be an Explorer's Club and still be in our other clubs. Sounds good to me," Celeste said instead. She half expected a pop up to appear to show the benefits of an Explorer's Club.

You already have a Party System and faster Skill Learning. Don't get greedy.

Cheeky, but fair.

That still left her to deal with the Newspaper Club. Ginei returned from his talk with Nekonome-sensei a humbled Werewolf. He wasn't a bad guy, just perverted. Celeste was fine with perversion as long as there was a proper time and place. Tsukune still seemed to be confused about his relationship issues. He had a problem most heterosexual guys his age would kill for and yet didn't know what to do about it. Celeste hoped he figured it out before someone explained about a Succubus' Destined One. The pressure from dealing with that on top of teenage crap would crush normal people. When a Succubus found their Destined One they could not be with anyone else. If their love was unrequited the Succubus could die. That was not something Celeste would wish on a nice girl like Kurumu. Moka was supposedly a Vampire. The Seal she was under prevented her from using most of her phenomenal power. That left her woefully weak and the fact she didn't even train worked against her too. How was her unsealed state supposed to fight at her fullest if the base wasn't built up? Yukari was the one that gave Celeste the most trouble. The Witch was eleven years old. Eleven. Yet somehow she was even worse than Ginei. How did she get forgiven so easily for basically molesting Moka without consent? She needed more information. If it wasn't for Sumire asking her to stay she would have walked away without looking back.

Except there seemed to be a new face.

"Shirayuki-san?" Celeste yelped. There was no mistaking the purple haired Yuki Onna for anyone else. Mizore Shirayuki had gone unseen since they dealt with the Physical Education teacher together. Now here she was in the Newspaper Club.

"I was looking for you. Aono-san said you were in the Newspaper Club," Mizore said softly.

"Celeste-kohai is so good to her Senpai for bringing such a cute girl to the Club!" Ginei cheered in the background. No one paid it any mind. Apparently they were already used to his behavior by now. This was troubling as it implied that Yukari's behavior might become normalized.

Disturbing.

"Oh great the Screamer came back," Yukari said snidely.

"That isn't nice, Yukari-chan," Moka chided her lightly. Tsukune let it pass by him as usual.

"When I hear an eleven year old talk about sex it sets my teeth on edge. Please don't talk about it with me around," Celeste requested politely.

"It won't work," Mizore muttered balefully.

"She's an incorrigible brat!" Kurumu agreed firmly.

"Cow tits!" Yukari fired back while giving her wand a wave. A wash basin descended for Kurumu's head only to be sliced in half. It landed in two pieces on either side of the Succubus.

"My what a strong breeze," Celeste commented mildly. No one saw her put the katana in the Inventory.

"If you weren't here I would have left already," Mizore said.

"I don't plan on dropping the Newspaper Club anytime soon," Celeste assured her.

"So we have to deal with your tyrannical views?" Moka asked. "I really have to be somewhere else…" The Vampire didn't even wait for a response before leaving. Celeste blinked a few times. Were her views so tyrannical? She could have been nicer…

"Don't let it get to you. She's been ditching us to model for Ishigami-sensei," Kurumu explained. Tsukune looked crestfallen at the reminder.

"Of course she would want Moka-sama! She's so kind, beautiful, and perfect…" Yukari lost herself in a daydream. Thankfully it stayed in her mind and not spoken aloud.

"And she's missed three deadlines already," Ginei remarked.

"What about her?" Yukari pointed at Celeste.

"I only had one story and that was investigating the Cafeteria. My poor nose...Food should not be abused like that…" Celeste complained. Yukari sat back down at her desk with a pout.

"I was asked to talk to other freshmen to see who missed their homes. I also got some nice stories about things they like," Tsukune said happily.

"My cooking and romance column will be a huge hit! After all there isn't much I don't know about love and food," Kurumu winked cheerfully.

"I did an interview with the head of the Occult Club...what's-his-name...anyway he's okay. Not like Tsukune-sama or Moka-sama though," Yukari said dreamily.

"Taru Ogaki. Geez at least try to remember the names of the Club heads," Kurumu complained.

"I've just been helping out with arrangement and organizing the stories," Mizore shrugged.

"Except now we have another story to cover. Since the beginning of the school year six girls have gone missing," Ginei said as he put their pictures up on the blackboard.

"You only care because they're hot," Yukari said snidely.

"Yukari? If you can't say something productive then shut up," Celeste snapped. The little Witch looked stunned. "I don't care about his perversions. He's talking about real people in real trouble. Focus on that." Okay so her resolve to be nicer would start tomorrow. She was not putting up with a little brat. Yukari looked downtrodden, but also thoughtful. Celeste fervently prayed to God, Anime, and maybe ROB that she finally got the hint. Time and place.

"Has anyone tried going to the school?" Kurumu asked.

"The teachers say they don't have any leads, but the girls were all popular. Their friends all say this isn't like them," Ginei explained.

"Common hobbies?" Mizore asked curiously.

"That IS a good question," Kurumu nodded.

"Their friends said that they were always hanging out around the Art Room," Ginei glanced at his notes. The Werewolf facepalmed, "That's too much of a coincidence…"

"Dark skinned woman in a white artist's smock? She reminded me of a sexual predator on the first day," Celeste remarked.

"Ishigami-sensei did have a lot of girls showing up during their free period. There were even girls who should have been in class," Tsukune noted.

"So she's really popular with girls and Celeste-senpai said she looks like a predator," Yukari tapped her chin thoughtfully. Maybe she really did understand time and place. Celeste decided to take it easier on her.

"Didn't Moka-san just go to the Art Room?" Mizore asked. The students froze as they realized that Moka did, in fact, just storm off towards one of the suspects in their investigation. There was a mad scramble for the door as Tsukune, somehow, reached it first and bolted down the hall. Kurumu and Yukari weren't far behind. Ginei took off towards the Teacher's Lounge. Smart guy. Mizore just shrugged her shoulders and leaped from the window. She made an icy ramp to skate along.

Celeste beat them with Shunpo.

Shunpo was awesome and no one would tell her different.

The Art Room was on the first floor. In fact it was exactly two floors down from the Newspaper Club. Moka didn't have far to go to reach her destination. Celeste arrived through the open door with a faint rush of air. She used Detective Vision and upped her Perception to avoid an ambush. The pink head of hair that briefly obscured her sight thankfully didn't come out of nowhere. The Vampire practically tackled Celeste with a cry of fear. It took her a moment to realize that Moka just whacked her with a stool.

"Moka? It's me. It's Celeste," Celeste didn't try to grab her. The other girl was clearly distraught and running on panicked adrenaline.

"C-Celeste…?" Moka asked, teary eyed. She glanced at the stool only to sweat at the way it was bent at a ninety-degree angle.

Damage Resistance lvl 20 > 25

Ow.

Did Moka, dear sweet Moka, just nuke 25% of her health in one hit? Yes, yes she did. Even sealed a Vampire was a scary thing.

"Honey, you're safe. What did you see?" Celeste rubbed her shoulder now that the danger of unwanted head trauma was past.

"G-Girls...turned to stone...They're still crying!" Moka wailed. Her fragile heart was breaking, but the sight was also terrifying her.

"Let me see. I might be able to help them," Celeste guided Moka back into the Art Room. She scanned the area to make sure that Ishigami-sensei didn't get the drop on them. In the process she spotted the victims. Petrified. Their condition read 'Cursed' and 'Petrified.' That was ominous. It meant she would have to overwhelm the Curse before they could be healed.

The prognosis was grim. Celeste didn't have the magical might to remove a Curse of this magnitude. It would take getting Ishigami-sensei to remove it or something drastic. According to Moka the Art Teacher was coming back in a few minutes. By then the rest of the Newspaper Club should be there. Except there was a way to get the power required quickly. It would just require getting lucky on the roll. Celeste wasn't one to back down when someone needed help. Especially innocent victims. She activated Form Change while focusing hard on Zauber. The change began only for a weird twist to tell her she missed. Her hair grew wilder, more aggressive, and turned electric blue. A large handgun appeared in her hand as the transformation completed. Celeste growled under her breath.

"Fuck! This wasn't what I was fuckin' lookin' for. Goddamn it!" Celeste railed. Moka was so startled she merely stared in disbelief.

"Celeste…? Are you okay…?" Moka asked hesitantly.

"Oh doin' just fine babycakes. I just rolled badly on the Luck table. We're gonna have to get this Curse broken the fun way," Celeste grinned while flashing the girl a wink. Moka deadpanned.
"Somehow I feel violated," Moka said.

"Haaa…? I haven't grabbed your funbags or anything like that kid did! Sorry, sorry, I'll take my wandering eyes elsewhere," Celeste managed to reign herself in. She was not in the right here. If someone felt violated it wasn't her place to declare otherwise.

"...Good point...I just can't stand seeing her ostracised. It reminds me too much of being shunned in middle school…" Moka murmured softly. "Tsukune was my first friend when I came here. Then Kurumu. I can handle Yukari because I know what it's like to be alone…"

Celeste huffed softly. Of course it would be something like that. How could she keep spazzing when Moka made such a good point? "At least try to get her to realize that what she's doing is making you uncomfortable. You can be a Real Friend or a Good Friend. A real friend tries to help the other improve. A good friend just wants to make them feel good. You're a good person. I think you can do the right thing."

There. That satisfied her morals without sounding like a preachy fuckin' idiot.

"How sweet. Such sentimentality. If only I could immortalize that on canvas…" Ishigami-sensei said as she stepped into the room. Because of course the Boss would pick now to reveal herself. Celeste clucked her tongue in annoyance.

"How the fuck did you avoid my senses?" Celeste demanded coldly. Moka slowly stepped behind a long table covered in art supplies. Smart girl. The nickel plated handgun came up pointed between the teacher's eyes. She had the gall to look amused.

"I am a Gorgon, dear. Cold blooded and all that. Snakes have avoided being seen for countless years. You're not that special," Ishigami-sensei smirked.

"What have you done to them?" Moka demanded. It might have had more impact if her voice didn't waver. The Art Teacher looked amused and more than a little excited.

"Do you like it? Beauty is just so transient. With my powers I can truly immortalize their beauty," the self confident woman spread her arms grandly.

"Do they get any say in it Scaly Ass?" Celeste asked. Her finger gently caressed the safety. The click echoed loudly in the still room. Ishigami-sensei looked a little less sure of herself, but rallied admirably.

"They all want to be my model, but I admit some of them needed...convincing," the Art Teacher had the temerity to laugh.

"Meaning 'no.' Fuckin' say it ya stupid cunt! They didn't want it!" Celeste yelled in sudden anger. Moka's grip tightened on the table. Ishigami-sensei looked startled at the change in tone.

"Fine! They didn't want to, but I knew better! They would be beautiful forever! Who cares if they didn't want to become my artwork!?" Ishigami-sensei yelled back.

"Thanks dipshit! Got enough, guys?" Celeste grinned at the doorway.

"What…?" The Art Teacher turned around in confusion. Her expression morphed into one of steadily growing horror as she saw the Newspaper Club. Tsukune held up a voice recorder for her to see. He rewound the clip and played back her confession.

"Yeah I think we got enough," Kurumue smirked.

"First page right here," Yukari grinned and posed cutely with her wand.

"You really love to hear yourself talk," Mizore said with amusement.

"You won't get away with this…!" Ishigami-sensei screamed. However, before she could take a step a surprising thing happened.

"Shut up…!" Moka yelled as she gave the entire table a huge swing. Celeste yelped and dropped to the floor just in time to avoid the wind up. The Art Teacher screamed, this time in fear, moments before getting clobbered by the long metal table. Ishigami-sensei went head first through the wall. All that was left was her butt sticking out.

Celeste gawked before laughing uproariously, "Damn girl! Why aren't you on the baseball team!?"

Moka, upon realizing what she did, just blushed in embarrassment.

"Home run," Mizore giggled.

Moka blushed harder.

Celeste decided that sticking around the Newspaper Club wouldn't be so bad.

AN: I wanted this to be a fun chapter. Some questions were answered and the Newspaper Club got a chance to shine. Hope you all enjoy!
Okay I fixed the mistake from earlier. Posted the correct Chapter 14 and reuploaded 15 and 16. Phew!

cazador · Dec 22, 2023

Shame she didn't get wolfkin race change instead of vampire

Butter Flies · Dec 22, 2023

cazador said:
Shame she didn't get wolfkin race change instead of vampire

The Vampire token is going to be used on behalf of another. I read this story (and enjoyed it; I was sad to see it go) on SB.

Rob Conway · Dec 22, 2023

Butter Flies said:
The Vampire token is going to be used on behalf of another. I read this story (and enjoyed it; I was sad to see it go) on SB.

According to them it was too naughty. At least it found a good home here.

Butter Flies · Dec 22, 2023

Rob Conway said:
According to them it was too naughty. At least it found a good home here.

Yes, I remember.

Reaver · Dec 22, 2023

Yaaaa I imagine from the monsters perspective she is mostly human on a technicality and if nothing else probably figured some God of some stripe is having fun with the situation

But ya especialy after the Kampfer thing no way in hell that the majority of the school thinks she's human

Rob Conway · Jan 21, 2024

Chapter 17

Do you wish to claim this space? Y/N

Celeste blinked at the pop up. She could claim the prison? Experimentally she tapped the 'Y.' The pop up disappeared. At first she thought nothing happened, but then a deed dropped into her hand. According to the deed she had full rights to make changes to the structure. Sumire left the smithing tools in the basement. A sensible precaution to keep any other 'explorers' from finding her stuff. She took the Hammer to the door and reinforced the dungeon entrance. The rest of the prison could remain looking dilapidated to make it look unattractive. Maybe later she would work on reinforcing the whole structure, but for now this was good enough. The dungeon looked different than the other dimensional space that held the Wolf. It was still a wide open space, but where the Wolf was held stood eight prison cells. Each one angled to face at least three others. It was meant as a form of torture for those held within and made it easier for a single guard. She used her full strength, and the Hammer, to break down the bars. The cells could be converted into rooms for guests. Celeste was going to use the larger main area for the smithy. The window near the ceiling could be used to vent the fumes.

Perfection.

"Glad you like it, but what are you going to use for material? The Headmaster didn't leave anything behind," Sumire said from right behind her. Celeste didn't jump. Much.

"I have plenty of materials. The large number of weapons and armors should do nicely. I just want to find a way to learn the enchantments they have," Celeste said.

"I could just change 'Failure' to 'Success' for you," Sumire said coyly. Celeste's head whipped around so fast she had to actually take a step or snap her own neck.

"What do you want for a favor like that?" Celeste asked.

"Good question. What do I want?" Sumire tapped her chin lightly. "How about I bank the favor for later? Does that work for you?"

"Yes!" Celeste blurted out. If she could grant a five hundred point bonus to Luck when tired, what could she do well rested?

"Oh ho ho! Glad to see I'm appreciated! I bet you want to make all sorts of shiny things for our friends," Sumire purred.

"Oh yes. This is gonna be awesome," Celeste clenched her fists.

Enchanting was a magical art that went with Crafting. That much was obvious. Celeste requested the Luck Bonus again from Sumire before using Form Change. This time when she went for Zauber she got Zauber. The change in appearance was almost the same as Gewehr, but the hair color was a very pale lavender. She felt the unbridled magical power well up inside. Sparks of eldritch power arced from her fingers. With this power there was nothing she couldn't do! It took her a moment to realize that someone was laughing. The unhinged laughter sounded so joyful that she tried to join in only to realize something. The laughing person was her. Now that was funny!

"Okay you can stop reveling in your power or I'm switching you from Form Changed to Not," Sumire deadpanned.

"Eh!? Sorry, sorry, but don't you see? I'm so much more powerful now! I can do this Enchanting stuff in my sleep!" Celeste gloated.

"So you don't need my help now?" Sumire asked archly.

"Whoa now I didn't say that!," Celeste quickly backpedaled. No matter how great the power trip she was still herself. Even if a part of her railed at needing help. Ugh. No, don't listen to the voice of insanity.

Do you wish to begin Enchanting? Y/N

"Damn straight!" Celeste declared excitedly. Enchanting consisted of two arts: Enchanting and Disenchanting. Disenchanting was breaking down enchantments to learn how they were applied. She could make her own Enchantments, but some of the nicer ones were on the stuff she found. Even with Sumire's help the Hammer couldn't be analyzed. Disenchanting would destroy it so that was out. The first thing she did was break down one of the Blood Lances. She had a bunch of them so it wasn't a loss.

Enchanting lvl 1 - A Skill in two parts. Enchanting and Disenchanting. Enchanting is used to add effects to crafts. Disenchanting breaks down Enchantments for future use.
Chance of Enchanting: Luck% + 1% per level
Mutation Chance: (Luck/20)% + 1% per 5 levels
Chance of Disenchanting: Luck% + 1% per level
Destruction Chance: 100% - (Luck% + 1% per level)

Sumire watched in bemusement as Celeste continued to toss things in the air. Some of them fell back down, others vanished in a shower of shrapnel. Each success made the girl laugh while the failures caused her to cackle with delight. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason behind her joy. Just pure unbridled chaos.

Hairband
Rusted Ring
Safe Ring
Blood Lance
Stinger
Murgleis
Lohengrin
Swift Bracers

Enchanting 1 > 23

"Ouch. You lost some good things there...and my sword…" Sumire pouted. She liked the petrifying blade. Celeste patted her on the shoulder.

"I can make you another one. I just need to process the materials…" Celeste promised. She did get a number of useful Enchantments out of this. Stat enhancers, Debuffs, Defense/Attack Modifiers, and Health draining enchants. She was looking forward to extrapolating more from there.

Celeste also cheated when it came to processing the sheer amount of weapons and armor. Midchildan Magic let her effectively create a spell to turn the metal into ingots. All the metal. It wouldn't work for creating anything, but breaking it down? Perfect. She stared at the stacks of materials that appeared in the casting circle. Most of what she found was good quality steel it seemed. Sixty ingots of it. The Defenders were made of Mithral. That was another twenty ingots. The Blood Lances were made of an alchemical metal called Blood Steel. Thirty whole bars. The steel was nearly as good as Mithral with strong necromantic properties. It wasn't evil. Not after getting purified to high Heaven by her processing spell.

"Do you think you could bless it further? Really make it Holy?" Sumire asked curiously.

"You want something really Holy?" Celeste blinked.

"Protection from Holy would be nice. Yours feels nice and safe. Other purification magics don't really feel good to me," Sumire wrinkled her nose.

"Do you think it has to do with the personality of the user?" Celeste asked.

"Magic is about intent. You just don't have ill intent. So naturally your magic reflects that," Sumire explained.

"I wonder why Kurone never mentioned it…" Celeste mused.

"Because that's one of the most basic lessons in magic. Somehow you skipped the basics and went straight to advanced," Sumire giggled.

"I really need to fix that. Hopefully Kurone still has one of the basic magic primers," Celeste said with a shrug. If she had it, great. If not then it wasn't that important. Kurone could give her the highlights anyway.

"How long before I get my new sword?" Sumire asked.

"About two hours. I have a minus eighty-eight percent to crafting time. The Crafting tooltip says that times are based on real world crafting. So one sword would be twenty four hours normally," Celeste explained.

"Weird time for your power to worry about realism," Sumire remarked.

"It is what it is," Celeste shrugged. "Now let's get to crafting!"

Sumire wanted a lighter blade than Murgleis. Something between the weight of a rapier and longsword, but not an Estoc. So it had to be a thinner blade than a longsword. Celeste gave it the grip of a hand-and-a-half sword. Just long enough if Sumire wanted to use two hands. She gave it a flared crosspiece to catch other blades and a basket to protect her hand. The pommel stone was a moonstone that Celeste planned to enchant with Holy, Defense + 40%, and all Stats plus 10. Since this was an experiment she reversed Esuna to enchant the blade itself. She made sure to keep the formula at the front of her mind the entire time. With each blow of the Hammer she could feel more of her mana flow into the craft. Suddenly there came a shift as probably twisted. The change in mystic pressure altered several of the enchantments substantially. Hours later Celeste finished dousing the blade in the oil barrel. When she held the sword aloft Sumire squealed with delight. Honest to goodness squealed. She would deny it of course, but who could blame her? The sword was beautiful.

"Magnificent…" Sumire breathed as Celeste handed her the finished blade. The blade itself was a deep blue/black color. The Mithral used gave it a faint silvery sheen. Celeste ornamented the hilt with gold.

"What will you name it?" Celeste asked.

"Me? I get to name it?" Sumire asked in astonishment. She turned back to the sword with a reverent look, "Vanus. A blade to make others disappear."

Vanus - Thrusting/Slashing 47 - A sword for making others disappear according to the wielder. It has numerous powers due to the way it was made. Add/Strengthen: Holy, Defense + 80% Inflicts: All Status AIlments/Debuffs. All Stats + 20

"Oooh that is a very scary sword…" Celeste cooed appreciatively. At Sumire's curious look she explained what the sword did exactly.

"Amazing...You better make something at least this nice for the others. They might be jealous otherwise," Sumire teased.

Vanus - Thrusting/Slashing 47 - A sword for making others disappear according to the wielder. It has numerous powers due to the way it was made. Add/Strengthen: Holy, Defense + 80% Inflicts: All Status AIlments/Debuffs. All Stats + 20

Celeste scrunched up her face at the new pop up, "My power just added Vanus as a crafting recipe. I'm not sure how I feel about that…"

"You could make more of these?" Sumire asked.

"It's meant to be a one-off. Yours alone," Celeste explained her distaste. Sumire blushed a little.

"If that's what you want then who am I to argue?" Sumire said half to herself as her eyes were drawn back to the beautiful sword.

"I have enough time tonight to make one more blade. Something for Himeko I think. With how hard she worked acting as the Tank it's the least I can do," Celeste said with a fond smile. The Oni girl wouldn't be expecting something like this.

For a frontline fighter who valued honor it made more sense to craft a Bloodsword. That way she could constantly replenish her vitality and stamina during combat. She was also planning on increasing lethality and attack speed. An enchantment for Defense and increasing her Stats made perfect sense. Celeste used the Blood Steel to forge the blade. The mana started to twist inside of the craft as she altered part of the enchantment to drain off energy too. After all Himeko also used her energy when she fought. The resulting craft had a blood red blade with a black grip edged in gold. It wasn't overly ornate as Himeko wasn't that kind of person. Like its future wielder the sword was all business in combat with no frills.

Nameless - Slashing 49 - An unnamed katana made in a manner similar to a Bloodsword. Add/Strengthen Holy. Converts Damage inflicted to HP/Stamina/MP. Attack Speed/Defense + 40%. All Stats + 20.

"I bet Himeko will appreciate this," Sumire eyed the sword with interest. She nodded once approvingly.

"Odd. It didn't wait for me to ask Himeko what she wanted to name it," Celeste looked surprised. "Just said 'Nameless' and gave it's abilities."

Sumire sent Celeste back to her dorm room before she could try to craft something else. The dark haired girl looked stunned at being sent away. She wasn't that bad about overwork. Not now anyway. There was still so much to do! Except that Sumire was probably waiting for her to try and leave. Regretfully, Celeste let the transformation drop and almost hit the floor. Without the power coursing through her she felt strangely weak. Her Stamina was practically empty! How hard was Crafting anyway? Celeste put it out of her mind. Crafting apparently took more than just physical effort. She owed Sumire a thank you for sending her back. Besides, the sooner she got to bed, the sooner she could see how Himeko liked her new sword.

Celeste nearly lost her ribs. A tragic casualty of surprising an Oni with a thoughtful gift. The normally reserved Himeko was so happy with her gift that she forgot where they were. Celeste endured the chiropractic hug and nuzzling with good humor. Okay, so the nuzzling shocked her at first, but it was harmless. She would have tried returning the hug, but her arms were trapped. The dark haired girl contented herself with rubbing her cheek in Himeko's hair.

"I wanted you to have this when we were alone," Celeste said. Himeko came out of her bliss induced daze reluctantly.

"A-alone?" Himeko squeaked. She didn't let go, but it was clear the remark startled her.

"Can you imagine how jealous the others would be otherwise? I want to have enough for everyone," Celeste explained. She wasn't stupid. She knew where her friend's mind went and was quick to explain.

"But I was the first," Himeko said.

"Second. Sumire wanted a new sword and used her power to guarantee a success," Celeste said apologetically.

"So you wanted to make sure that it would be a perfect success. Yes that is acceptable," Himeko seemed to be talking to herself towards the end.

Celeste knew where this was going and just didn't have the heart to talk her out of this. Besides she did want romance in her new life. Judging by how Kurone and Sumire were acting she managed to pull them too. Eventually she was going to have to sit everyone down and talk it out. That was the sensible thing to do. She refused to be like those clueless harem protagonists. It was better to get out in front of things than wait for them to blindside her. Except she wasn't expecting to attract Himeko. With how proper she was it was sometimes hard to remember the other girl was an Oni.

"Oni are shapeshifters," Himeko purred. Apparently she was still talking to herself, lost in a daydream. Then the full impact of what Himeko said hit.

Celeste decided to take a spontaneous nap.

Naps are good.

She could avoid thinking about that a while longer…

AN: Some crafting, some humor. The next chapter will be more crafting and Celeste outfitting her friends (Newspaper Club included). I promise it won't be a character bloat. You'll see how I manage that.

Idiot444 · Jan 21, 2024

Rob Conway said:
Oni are shapeshifters," Himeko purred. Apparently she was still talking to herself, lost in a daydream. Then the full impact of what Himeko said hit.

Its rather obvious where thats going is it not?

Reaver · Jan 21, 2024

Yaaaa just did a reread and saw a new chapter but seriously there is no way the students at the school are going to believe she's human at best in that direction they are going to think she's a Demigod of some kind because she's bullshit enough to fit that mold

But especialy after the whole Kampfer thing they are not believing normal human

Rob Conway · Jan 21, 2024

Chapter 18

Well this is embarrassing. Kampfer should get a +2 to all stats at Intermediate level. Terribly sorry. Gains have been fixed retroactively.
All Classes gain a +1 to their main Stat at Intermediate. The bonus increases +1 for each Tier of the Class.
Charisma has reached 100! You have gained a Perk!
Divine Grace - This is a Perk granted to those who follow the Divine. Adds Charisma to all Stats and base Defense.
Agility reached 50! You have gained a Perk! (Finally)
Double Action - There is a 25% chance of an action to be repeated. Can't be modified.

Stats went up with the different Tiers? That sounded nice on paper, but she was already approaching her max. In fact Agility and Luck were the only ones that still trailed behind. Agility needed fifteen more points and Luck needed forty seven. That wasn't much. Still the two Perks were incredible. Divine Grace was overpowered, but definitely welcome. Anything that mitigated damage and increased her durability was welcome. Double Action looked like something she should get at the Agility 100 milestone. A twenty five percent chance of repeating an action was powerful. Except she didn't know how it would work exactly. Did it let her perform the action again and maybe change the target? Was it the same target?

Would it work on all actions?

Could it be used to repeat Crafting?

Celeste had to use Meditation before she started hyperventilating. The Perk tried to activate on Meditation, but she was able to suppress it. Phew. If it couldn't be suppressed then it would be a pain in the ass rather than a help. Duplicate Crafting could be useful. So could duplicate casting of healing and defensive spells. The only issue was that she would have to keep manually telling it to stop. Wait. Would it instantly duplicate crafts without having to go through all that time? Something to investigate. It would probably use the same amount of materials. She could examine the Perk while working on the Student Uniform Armor for her friends. Celeste sweated as she remembered some of the things the Newspaper Club got into almost daily.

Better get them in for a fitting too.

The idea she had was for brigandine armor. Heavy cloth enchanted with defense boosts over thin mithril strips. Silk on the inside to make it more comfortable. Give it a high fire resistance so that it wouldn't be burned off and resistance to slash, pierce, and bludgeoning. Celeste spent the entirety of Math Class working out how to make the armor work. Perhaps tie in a Barrier Jacket effect to extend the enchantments over the whole body? None of them could wear fullplate in school so this would have to be the next best thing. Belts, rings, and bracelets could be used to tie other enchantments. Protection from all status ailments, stat boosts, and maybe something to strengthen their natural talents. Now to create the right enchantment would take some research. Celeste knew most of the rest, but boosting inherent abilities was something different. In some games it was possible to find gear that gave Class bonuses. Inherent abilities weren't that different from Classes, right?

"Hollister-san? What is the answer to the problem on the board?" Kagome-sensei asked sweetly. Celeste took in the board at a glance. The equation was huge.

"3," she said dismissively before going back to her planning.

"Is that so? Well just so you know…" Kagome-sensei worked out the problem on the board. When she reached the end the look on her face said it all. "...The answer...is...3?" She flushed red in embarrassment, but Celeste wasn't paying attention anymore.

Compared to Midchildan equations this was nothing.

She drifted through the rest of the school day. With her high mental stats it was easy. This was just the first time Celeste decided to stop paying attention. Her heightened Perception ensured that she missed nothing so trying to catch her with trick questions wouldn't work. It was actually fun to be able to breeze through her classes. High school was a relentless slog her first time through. She had to study more than her classmates just to break even. This was such a joy. She loved to learn new things but now it was just so much easier. It was also time to start expanding out from her current knowledge of Midchildan magic. She really wanted to get into stuff like dimensional travel and other higher level feats. Her Midchildan Magic Style was currently stalled out at thirty. Without a fresh new breakthrough the Skill wouldn't increase. It wasn't that she didn't practice her other Skills, but they weren't leveling up as fast. Crafting was the only Skill that wasn't stalled so far. Then again it was hard to stall out on something that was constantly evolving.

The Newspaper Club was working on their first edition. They planned on putting them more regularly after this, but the first had to be the best. At least that was Ginei's reasoning. He did have a point. Most of the students were still settling in during the first couple months. Celeste really wanted to work on her projects. She already had her stories written and ready for print. Except this was supposed to be a Club project. There was just one thing to do. Invite everyone back to the Workshop. It was the perfect plan. That way she could have fun with her friends, work on the paper, and have time for her projects. Besides, she had a solution for Tsukune's little 'human' problem. No one in their right mind would suspect Celeste was human with the powers she employed. Tsukune on the other hand was definitely human. Her sense of smell compared the two of them and realized the truth. He wasn't a minimally exceptional monster, but a human. No one could find out. No one. Not until she had her solution ready. Just because the school handbook said to report humans to the faculty, no one would. There was just too much prejudice.

But if he didn't register as a human…

Celeste's smile turned positively evil.

Ginei did complain about moving their operation to the middle of nowhere, but she was quite persuasive. She told him that all of her friends were going to be there. All her female friends. The Werewolf's attitude changed so quickly it gave the Club collective whiplash. Celeste just forgot to mention that one of her friends was Sumire. He was still doing his best to give her the slip. Too bad, Ginei-senpai. He had a good run, but his luck ran out. She told the Club to wait an hour after school let out. Kurone would take them to the prison. That would give her and Sumire plenty of time to work on the surprise for Tsukune.

Changing someone's race was a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There were probably other tokens out there, and most likely required the monster to be defeated, but a Human Token? Unlikely. Celeste was tempted to try and make more Tokens, but the moment the Crafting window opened a pop up said no. So creating more Tokens was out of the question. Except it didn't say she couldn't craft with the Token. Celeste had Sumire bump up her Luck and not guarantee Success. She wanted the ring to mutate into an artifact. Artifacts being several orders of magnitude higher than normal crafts.

"What are you going to use to make it?" Sumire asked.

"Blood Steel, Vampire Token, and a blood stone. I also want to put protection from purification on the ring. It wouldn't be immune, Vampires aren't, but it should increase resistance," Celeste explained as she set up her tools.

"Why not load on the enchantments like you did with the swords?" Sumire suggested.

"That is a good idea!" Celeste beamed happily. She was once more in her Zauber Form so thinking this through rationally wasn't going to happen. No. There was a hunger within her to break all the rules and surpass the limitations. Mere mortals weren't going to tell her what she couldn't do! This would be a masterpiece!

Sumire just wanted to watch the fireworks.

Crafting the Ring didn't actually take long at all. With all her bonuses to Crafting speed it only took ten minutes. Celeste did feel her mana take a huge dip though. She ended up channeling far more magic into the Ring than intended. However, the results spoke for themselves. It was so good she was half tempted to keep it for herself. Not even half. Her good side overpowered the voice of selfishness.

Ring of the Legendary Vampire - A ring that shall go down in history as the mightiest artifact a Vampire could possess. When used by any other Race it adds the powers of a Vampire to their own. However, when worn by a Vampire, their might could transcend to that of the legendary Shinso. Spoken only in secret.
Protection from Purification 90%
Attack Speed +80%
Defense +80%
Add: Protect, Shell, Regen
Guts - Survive a single deathblow. Resets after 24 hours.
All Stats + 50
Unlock Supernatural Energy/Strengthen Supernatural Energy

Crafting lvl 26 > 40
Enchanting lvl 26 > 40

"I half expected to get a warning about cheesing the system," Celeste looked pleasantly surprised that nothing came up.

"You've only done it twice. Do you want to keep doing it this way?" Sumire asked. Greed warred with common sense. So far the system hadn't cracked down on her blatant cheating. One voice said if you ain't cheating then you ain't trying. Another voice reminded her of the folly of abusing the system. She might provoke it into somehow punishing her or turning her gains into losses.

"If it's an emergency, sure. Though I suspect I created a bigger headache than a solution. I'll still give it to Tsukune, but I'll let him know what the flavor text said. Vampires will hunt him down for this thing if anyone talks about it," Celeste eyed the beautiful ring with wonder and apprehension. It really was something to behold. Pure crimson red with faint traceries around the band. The traceries appeared to be filled with shadows. A stylized bat held the bloodstone in its mouth.

"Great…" Sumire muttered. Nothing was ever simple or boring around Celeste.

The Explorer's Club and Newspaper Club arrived soon after. Both groups appeared wary of the other, but that was natural. They didn't exactly move in the same circles and only had Celeste in common. Ginei almost fled when he saw Sumire, but she merely held aloft the box of newspaper supplies. He grasped at nothing before looking down. The Werewolf was well and truly outmaneuvered. Reluctantly the Wolf decided to stay. It was enough to get the others to laugh so mission accomplished.

"Okay guys! There's a reason I invited you all here besides getting the newspaper done," Celeste said.

"What did you have in mind?" Kurone asked.

"We tend to get into some pretty scary situations. To that end I want us all to have better protection. I designed a school uniform jacket based on the brigandine. It would be enchanted with just about every protection I can think of. I needed all of you here because the jackets do need to be fitted. Not closely, the garments will have a limited ability to resize to the wearer, but not everyone's the same height. I also plan to include special items to enhance your natural abilities," Celeste explained. There was a collection of 'oohs' and 'ahhs.' Tsukune and Moka both looked apprehensive. The excuse of enhancement artifacts would let her get each of them alone. She wouldn't give the Ring to Tsukune in front of everyone. It wasn't her secret to tell.

Tsukune was the first person she brought back into the fitting room. She cast a privacy barrier. He looked even more nervous about being alone with her.

"Relax. I can use a spell to get your measurements. This is more to do with your little 'problem,'" Celeste explained.

"P-problem? W-what problem?" Tsukune's voice went up in pitch. Impressive really.

"We're both human, Tsukune-san. I know it seems impossible to believe, but I am human. Thanks to a gift I was able to transcend strictly human limits. It wouldn't work for you so I came up with another solution," Celeste held up the Ring of the Legendary Vampire.

"What does it do?" Tsukune asked apprehensively.

"Effectively, while wearing this Ring, you would be a Vampire. You could take it off at any time. The protective enchantments alone would make this worthwhile for you. There is just one catch," Celeste's expression turned grave.

"What would that be?" Tsukune already seemed interested, but the talk of a catch made him hesitate.

"If anyone finds out about this Ring the power hungry Vampires would seek it for themselves. It's capable of transforming a Vampire into a Shinso. In essence a super Vampire," Celeste explained. At least that's what she assumed. Shinso Vampire didn't come up in her research.

"But you made it and I don't plan on talking about it...Except with Moka…" Tsukune fidgeted. He was already going to take the Ring. She suspected that he would.

"You can tell whoever you trust. I won't even talk about it with my friends. Not unless you give me permission," Celeste promised.

"Thanks…" Tsukune slipped on the Ring. His appearance changed substantially. He put on what looked like nearly fifty pounds of pure muscle and bishonen handsomeness. There were no changes to his hair, but his eyes picked up a brighter sheen. Almost jewel-like. Celeste took a sniff and nodded approvingly. His scent changed to that of a Vampire.

"Now this bracelet will set up a disguise field. It's keyed to your original appearance. When you want to 'unseal' yourself have someone take the fake seal off," Celeste snapped a chain bracelet on his wrist with a fake rosary. The rosary was the anchor for the illusion. It could be clipped on again like a charm bracelet.

"I need a disguise?" Tsukune asked curiously.

"You're too damn handsome without it. Anyone would be able to tell there was something odd if you didn't look like yourself," Celeste explained.

He didn't know what to say to that.

Taking his and Ginei's measurements went by quickly. She gave Ginei a pair of sneakers that would let him tap his full Werewolf speed even without a full moon. They also provided anti-slick, hyper traction, and had the Perk Accelerator. Celeste was especially proud of herself for conferring a Perk to someone else. He was so well behaved she almost didn't believe it was him, but apparently Sumire had him on a short leash. Aside from the sneakers, she used a standard ring setup to give everyone their enhancements. A little bit of their blood for a catalyst and she had a tailor made accessory for each of her friends. She almost gave Kurumu the Gainaxing Perk, but then realized it was a bad idea. The Succubus was already Gainaxing enough thank you very much. Accelerator kept trying to activate on the individual crafts, but she refused. What would she do with a Ring of the Flighty Witch? It wasn't even keyed to her! However it did make crafting the uniforms easier. She needed enough for two guys and nine girls. With Accelerator it took her less than four hours to make everything.

Special School Uniform Jacket - Defense 40 - A very unique type of uniform jacket. It boasts amazing protection. Casts a constant Barrier Jacket effect to protect the wearer.
Add: Protect, Shell, Regen
Half: Ice, Water, Wind, Earth, Dark
Resist: Fire 90%
Immune: Holy
Status Resist: All Status Resist +90%
All Stats: + 10

"Now can we get back to the newspaper? I'm glad that you want to protect us, but we do have to get something done tonight," Ginei said exasperatedly.

"Do you mind if we help?" Himeko asked politely.

"More hands make the work go faster," Mizore said.

"Right! For now you're temporary Newspaper Club members. Let's get crackin'!" Ginei declared.
"Aye!" Came the enthusiastic response.

They worked well into the night. It wasn't finished yet, but it would be soon. Everyone went back to their dorm rooms that night satisfied. For Tsukune and Moka tonight gave them newfound peace of mind. Tomorrow was a new day and she couldn't wait to see how it turned out.

-Elsewhere-

"Where is she…? She was supposed to be here!" An angry voice growled. "It doesn't matter...I can still leave the pictures here...Heh heh heh...No model gets away from me..."
The person walked away from the rows of shoe lockers with a barely heard squelching sound…

AN: Now this was a fun chapter to write. Am I going to keep bringing the Explorers and Newspaper Club together often? Nope. Too many people to keep track of. Except that it would be out of character for Celeste to only strive to protect one group of friends over another.

Rob Conway · Jan 21, 2024

Chapter 19

Magician's Spear - Pierce 36 - A spear crafted of Mithral and etched with runes that look vaguely like circuitry. The diamond set in the spearhead is covered in golden circuitry like the shaft. Similar to a Storage Device if more simple. Capable of reinforcing and storing spells for later. Requires the user to restore its reserves.
Casting Time: -50%
Casting Power: +50%
Casting Range: +50%
Reserve MP: 100000

Celeste came bearing more gifts for her friends. This time Kurone and Mitsuki. The Magician's Spears were casting foci. She knew that Kurone's casting was suffering from not using a proper focus. Mitsuki might not be a traditional Mage, but Siren's used magic in their songs. Basically she was a Bard. Both girls liked having a way to defend themselves. The initial reserve MP came from Celeste herself, but her friends would have to top them up in the future. It was highly unlikely that they would go through the whole amount, but it could happen. As long as they didn't drain it completely the Spear would regenerate its reserves slowly. It was such a nice weapon she made one for herself. The Magician's Spear was weaker than the Blood Lance, but it was more useful for her combat style.

Skill Book "Midchildan Magic Style" - Details the basics of the Midchildan style of shooting magic x 2
Skill Book "Belkan Magic Style" - Details the basics of the Belkan style of melee magic x 3
Class Book "Midchildan Magus" - A mage capable of fighting adeptly from afar and at midrange. Utilizes Binds and Seals to lock down their targets x 3
Class Book "Belkan Knight" - A sturdy mage that brings the fight to the enemy. Utilizes powerful barriers and melee spells to demolish foes x 3

She had a few critical successes while crafting Skill Books. Once she made a Skill Book for the Belkan Style it was easy to make more. However the Class Books were the biggest surprise. Celeste wasn't expecting something this good, but here it was. The one that she really wanted was the Belkan Knight, but she had to finish Kampfer.

"Note to self: Find a new place to level up," Celeste muttered. The forest Field Dungeon just wasn't giving out XP anymore. She was just too overleveled. It was about time to start entering some Instant Dungeons. Any Field Dungeon could be made a Instant by using the requisite amount of Stamina.

Crafting lvl 40 > 50
Enchanting lvl 40 > 50

For reaching Crafting lvl 50 you get to choose a Perk!
Hyper Craft - Instantly finish any Craft. No waiting! Success Chance - 50%
Economizer - Chance of using no materials during crafting. 25% Chance
Sublime Quality - Doubles the Quality of all Crafts. Materials + 100%
For reaching Enchanting lvl 50 you get to choose a Perk!
Warp Evolution - Mutation increases the Tier by 3 instead of just 1. Destruction Chance 20%
Analyzer - Increases Disenchanting Chance by 50% and chance of Rare Enchantment by 50%. Destruction Chance 50%
Stability - Nothing is worse than an unstable Enchantment. Destruction Chance 0% Mutation Chance -50%

For Crafting it was a no brainer. She chose Economizer. A one-in-four chance of using no materials was fantastic. There were no drawbacks. The others might be useful later when she had more materials, but her crafting supplies were at a premium. As for Enchanting that was another no brainer. She chose Stability. No chance of destruction and she still had a mutation chance for crafts. Minus fifty percent didn't matter. Just level up a bit and she was back in business. Besides she wanted reliability. Good thing she was making these decisions as her normal self. Zauber would have gone for the flashiest stuff. That reminded her to use the Belkan Magic Style Skill Book. Instead of creating a separate Skill it folded into the Midchildan Style to create MidBelkan Style. Celeste winced at the horrible name, but she couldn't change it now. At least she didn't lose any levels from the original Skill. That was far more important than a horrid name.

She had to wait until after school to give out her gifts. Ginei was determined that the paper would get done today, but in the school room. Celeste wanted to argue, but how could she? Nekonome-sensei didn't know where they went and gave him Hell over it. Ginei-senpai was behaving himself. He didn't deserve getting grief for something she did. It would have been the perfect opportunity to place the blame on her, but he simply told the teacher he understood. Her respect for him increased greatly. The rest of the Newspaper Club was even dressed in proper uniforms. Mainly because of the protective jackets. Yukari looked slightly odd with her witch's hat, but it wasn't a battle anyone could win. It was probably the most comfortable article of clothing she ever owned. There appeared to be a crisis going on when she arrived at the Club room.

"I'm sorry! I-I have to go...It's an emergency…" Kurumu was rambling. The Succubus was distractedly getting her things together. She stank of fear and shame.

"But Kurumu-san! The paper is almost finished!" Tsukune exclaimed. The scent of shame grew worse.

"Let her go. We don't need her," Yukari bit off spitefully. Kurumu flinched as if struck.

"I thought we were friends…" Moka said with bitter regret. The reek of shame and sadness was overwhelming.

"I'm so sorry…" Kurumu whispered as she left the room with her head bowed.

"Hnnn…" Mizore made a sound of disgust before hopping out of the open window. From the third floor. The Yuki Onna was capable of performing feats Solid Snake would think were too risky. She was probably going to follow Kurumu. That's what Celeste would do. If she didn't have some attitudes to adjust.

"What the Hell is your problem? Your friend is almost in tears and you tore into her?" Celeste's voice came out hard.

"She's leaving when we need everyone…" Yukari tried to say, but she couldn't meet her gaze.

"We've had a rough day and I-I guess it boiled over…" Now it was Moka's turn to smell like shame.

"Let's go get her," Tsukune suggested. Celeste held up a hand.

"Hold it. Let Mizore-san handle Kurumu-san for now. What boiled over and why would it make you treat Kurumu-san like a pariah?" Celeste asked. The significant look exchanged between Tsukune and Moka spoke volumes.

"She tried to claim Tsukune as her Destined One and told us she could die if her love went unrequited," Yukari didn't have a problem explaining.

"It just sounded like another excuse to get with Tsukune-san…" Moka shrugged.

Celeste facepalmed. Hard.

"When a Succubus finds their Destined One it's considered a joyous event. They've found the one person in all the world they can truly give their heart to. However, if their Destined One refuses to accept her love, a Succubus can die of a broken heart. Literally die. This is not hyperbole. They. Will. Die. Kurumu-san was probably hoping her friends would want to talk things out," Celeste bit off her words with irritation. Yes, they were teenagers. It was understandable that misunderstandings would abound. Teens lacked the wisdom that comes with experience in most cases. The Newspaper Club weren't bad people, but they were definitely impulsive.

"That isn't just an excuse?" Moka half-pleaded.

"Kurumu-san…" Tsukune looked stricken.

"I suppose a fourth person is okay…" Yukari murmured to herself. Moka and Tsukune stared at her in total disbelief. That's okay. Celeste was similarly bemused by the little Witch's single-mindedness.

"This all hinges on how hurt she's feeling. I know that I would be hurting if my friends didn't trust me," Celeste decided one more twist of the knife would prevent this from happening again.

"Now can we go after her?" Tsukune demanded impatiently.

"Go ahead. I'll keep working on the paper," Celeste said. She could make good use of Accelerator and her Crafting Skill.

"I'll stay behind and help out," Yukari said. She tugged on her hat in embarrassment. Celeste nodded appreciatively.

There was something almost soothing about using her powers for a mundane utility. Ginei finally came back with more paper. He asked where the others were only to be told 'miscommunication' and left it alone. Their senpai was much sharper than he let on. Yukari wanted to be with her friends, but gamely stayed and helped. The first paper was coming along beautifully. All they had left to do was get it printed up. The sun was setting by the time they were finished. Tsukune, Moka, Kurumu, and Mizore still hadn't returned. Poor Yukari was about ready to declare a search party for them, but the Yuki Onna arrived just as Ginei started locking up.

"Slug guy was trying to blackmail Kurumu. He paralyzed Moka and Tsukune before she turned him into sashimi," Mizore said.

"I thought our armor protected from 'status ailments!'" Yukari exclaimed.

"There's still a ten percent chance. Admittedly it's a low chance, but it can happen," Celeste explained before turning back to Mizore. "How is Kurumu-san? It can't be easy killing someone…"

"Slug monsters are really hard to kill. Unless she dumped a lot of salt on him, he'll probably regenerate. I really doubt that he'll be back though," Ginei was quick to assure them.

"Kurumu didn't really care. He was threatening to take disgusting pictures of her and Moka. Tsukune wanted to rip his head off too," Mizore said.

"Where were you?" Yukari asked.

"Making sure no one was around to interrupt his punishment," Mizore stated coldly. Yukari nodded once in approval.

It wasn't the first time that Celeste had to remind herself monsters had a different standard. The dark haired girl also found that it was easy to let it slide. Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu went back to the Succubus' dorm room to hash things out between them. Hopefully it all worked out for the best. They lost Ginei when he heard that the three of them were off discussing relationship matters. Fantasizing was different than actually violating someone's privacy so it wasn't important. He would just have to do all the printing by himself. Fair's fair after all. Besides it gave Celeste an excuse to knock off early and spend some time with her friends. Kurone was redecorating the prison with bookshelves and the books they had so far. Mitsuki took one of the former cells for herself as a sewing room. The rest were trying to figure out what to do with their spaces. Mizore fell in step with her on the way out.

"Mind if I come with you?" Mizore asked.

"Not at all. The more the merrier," Celeste said.

"I joined the Newspaper Club to be near you," Mizore said.

"And I haven't been hanging out with you. Sorry, Mizore-san," Celeste apologized sheepishly. The Yuki Onna shook her head.

"I was around," Mizore assured her.

"But is it better to be a stalker than to just hang out with us?" Celeste asked.

"You knew I was there," Mizore realized. The dark haired girl tapped her nose playfully.

"I have a powerful sense of smell," Celeste said with a smile. The purple haired girl smiled lightly.

"I didn't know there was room for one more," Mizore shrugged.

"Of course there is!" Celeste threw an arm around Mizore's shoulders playfully. Her friend looked especially pleased at the contact. She was glad for her sense of smell now. It was telling her that Mizore wasn't interested. Phew.

"Are we moving out of the dorm?" Mizore asked curiously.

"What makes you say that?" Celeste inquired.

"The rooms at the prison. You did tell everyone to pick one," Mizore reminded her.

"I mainly meant for their own projects, but if that's how they took it...Yeah I guess they move into the prison. The door to the Workshop is just about the most secure place on campus. If Sumire didn't make it better," Celeste grinned.

"What kind of monster is she?" Mizore asked curiously.

"We're not supposed to talk about our monster forms," Celeste said teasingly.

"You don't know," Mizore realized with a smirk.

"Not really...no," Celeste admitted. She knew her friend's Title was Junior Gap Hag, but that didn't help. No one knew what Yukari was either just that she was ancient and stupidly powerful. Even her Familiar was powerful enough to have a Familiar. Sumire wasn't quite in that bracket, but she was quite strong.

Celeste was more tempted than ever to try and claim the whole prison. If she could get Dimensional Magic down it would be something to look into. Perhaps find a way to create a dimensional space that was strictly for her and the others, but would look like the same dilapidated ruin. She didn't want to keep going to Sumire for everything. Lyrical Nanoha had some amazing magic and she wanted to harness some of that. What other series used magic math? Nosurge/Ar Tonelico did. She used to love the music and it was a programming language. How much of it did she remember? Maybe she could just write out some of the songs she knows using Crafting and hope for a Crit? It wasn't such an insane idea actually. That was less of a need and more of a want. Though maybe Mitsuki might like to learn Hymnos. A project for another night. She really wanted to give Kurone and Mitsuki their spears before heading out to the Field to make an Instant Dungeon. Mizore's appearance didn't even raise an eyebrow. Some obscure tension left the Yuki Onna's shoulders.

"Here you are ladies," Celeste laid the spears out on the table. Kurone picked up the first with a look of interest.

"Oh! That feels kind of strange...like it's connecting to my magic…" Kurone marveled.

"It is connecting to your magic. In fact, now that you've touched it, no one else can use your Magician's Spear. As the creator I can touch it, but it won't work for me either," Celeste explained.

"I can feel the same thing. My youki is flowing easier," Mitsuki gave the spear an experimental twirl. She looked quite pleased with her new acquisition.

"If you're trying to buy our affection it's working," Kurone teased. Mitsuki looked startled at her daring before bursting out in laughter.

"Indeed, Celeste. You're too much," Mitsuki said warmly.

"Whatever keeps you safe," Celeste said seriously.

"Going to do some more crafting tonight?" Aika asked excitedly. "You can't stop now. Me and Mizore need something now." Her playful tone made it clear that she was only kidding.

"Whatever you want," Mizore said with a shrug.

"Why don't you decide on a personal weapon and I'll make one for you?" Celeste turned to Mizore. To the others she said, "I have Skill Books for two different magic styles and Class Books. I don't know if you can even use Class Books, but nothing is keeping you from reading them."

In the end Kurone took both the Midchildan and Belkan styles. Mitsuki picked up the Midchildan Style. Himeko surprised her by taking the Belkan Magic Style Skill Book alongside Mizore. Aika, not to be left out, picked up the Midchildan Magic Style. Sumire did the same as Aika. The exact thing happened with them as with Celeste. The Skill Books looked as if they had gone through a bad photocopier, but they did learn the Skills. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for the Class Books. They could read the books and practice the lessons, but it wasn't instantaneous. In the end Mizore chose a kunai. Aika wanted a shortsword to go with her dagger.

Replicating Kunai - Slashing/Piercing 36 - A specially enchanted kunai capable of duplicating itself when placed in a holster. Never runs out. With enough practice it can be used to throw a single kunai and turn it into many.
Strengthen: Holy, Ice, Water
Attack Speed + 80%
Critical Chance + 80%
All Stats + 10
Sword of Shadows - Slashing 40 - An unusual sword with a dull gray blade and a mottled gray hilt. There seems to be nothing special about it as the enchantments are mysteriously hard to read. The holder is as hard to discern as their sword.
Add: Transparency, Anti-Scrying, Trackless
Attack Speed + 80%
Killing Blow - Turns Sneak Attacks into Death attacks with half the success of a Crit.
All Stats + 10

Well Killing Blow was a new Enchantment. When Celeste made herself a new katana that was definitely going on there. It wasn't even a Mutation. She used a drop of Aika's blood in the forging and it gave the sword an extremely lethal ability. Mizore's blood added Ice and Water affinities. Celeste was kicking herself for not personalizing Kurone and Mitsuki's gifts more, but they weren't complaining. Though Mitsuki's comment of making her a dress wasn't brushed off as a joke. She wanted to branch off more into other types of crafts. The modified school jackets were just jackets with mithril strips and added silk. It wasn't much of an alteration. Celeste shook her head sharply. She had to stop belittling her accomplishments. It was the same thing she used to do in her old life. Good things happen and Celeste immediately thinks she could have done better. Sapped the fun out things. Apparently just because she got a fresh start, bad habits still cropped up. At least she didn't have depression to reinforce her darker thoughts. Ryosei's headband warmed in her pocket.

"Can't even sulk in peace," Celeste murmured with a wry smile.

"What was that?" Sumire asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking about trying out an Instant Dungeon tonight. We still have some time," Celeste evaded the question. Thankfully no one called her out on the dodge.

"So we have two Mages, two Rogues, two Tanks, and Celeste," Kurone noted while indicating each of her friends in turn. The Mages were her and Mitsuki. The Rogues were Aika and Mizore. Himeko naturally was a Tank. Sumire looked bemused at her inclusion as a Tank.

"I'm a Tank?" Sumire looked puzzled.

"You are good with the sword and crowd control. Add in your ability to alter Boundaries and you could even change your strengths/weaknesses at will," Kurone explained. Sumire looked surprised at the suggestion and then chagrined.

"She is pretty OP," Aika agreed.

"Almost as bad as Celeste," Mitsuki needled them both.

"Is anyone else amused that Celeste counts as her own category?" Himeko giggled. Mizore giggled along with her.

"Funny girls. So who wants to run a Dungeon?" Celeste asked. Unsurprisingly the Explorer's Club wanted to join immediately. Mizore let herself get swept up in their enthusiasm.

This was Celeste's first time using the Instant Dungeon function. She didn't know what to expect, but it wouldn't be too horrible. Usually Instant Dungeons in MMOs and the like had some form of level select. Something to keep the Dungeon manageable for everyone. Her friends were all solidly in the twenties. Mizore was the biggest surprise at level twenty-six. Sumire was the highest at thirty-seven though. So if the Dungeon had a level requirement they could probably meet it easily enough. They went out to a clearing near the prison. Celeste had the girls remain close to avoid getting separated. Some Dungeons split up the party as an extra 'challenge.' She had no desire to put anyone through that kind of fun. The dark haired girl reached out with her power and immediately felt something respond.

Congratulations on deciding to give Instant Dungeons a try! Thanks to your friend Sumire you have access to more than just the normal types. However it will still cost your Stamina and not hers. Be careful as dungeons, despite the level indicator, could have dangers beyond the obvious.
Different Types of Dungeons provide different treasures and challenges. Be careful about your choices!
Stamina Costs
Basic: Level x 100
Intermediate: Level x 500
Expert: Level x 2500
Master: Level x 12500
Grandmaster: Level x 62500
Now what will you choose? Your choices are:
Night of the Living Dead - Tired of fighting Skeletons? Why not give Zombies a try? Zombies are more dangerous as they possess more of the powers of those they're based on. At higher levels some can even think and plan.
Goblin Slayer! - Scared ya for a minute, didn't I? This isn't the LN. The woods are full of goblins. Stupid, cruel, but nothing too offensive. Except they do come in swarms. Each swarm continues to grow in size and strength with each wave. This is the only one that costs as much as Basic, but can grow in severity until it reaches Grandmaster. Death is a slap on the wrist, but all loot gained is lost. All Stamina is drained on defeat preventing you from retrying.
The Vortex - This is an unstable realm of wildly different foes and challenges. Who knows what can be found here? Due to the shifting of reality treasures, and sometimes foes, can be of a different Tier than specified. For the added danger loot drops occur more frequently.
Specify World - You have a Reality Warper on hand. It is entirely possible to step into other realities for a visit, but be warned: This is not a game. You will be an active participant. Anything you do here will have consequences. Chance of sparking Quest Chains increases.

"There's a lot more to this than I thought. Night of the Living Dead basically just upgrades the Skeletons to Zombies. Goblin Slayer is waves of goblins that we have to kill. If we die it just kicks us out, but we lose all the loot we gained. It also keeps getting stronger the longer we last. The Vortex is an unstable place with monsters and treasures from across the level spectrum. Specify World is basically jumping into another world. If we get caught up in the story there can be Quest Chains that we must complete," Celeste explained. Hey this would be good for either a Race Change or getting knowledge she didn't have yet. That definitely perked up Celeste.

"Let's just go with Goblin Slayer. You said it's just waves of enemies, right? We can back out at any time and it doesn't permakill us," Aika suggested. Kurone raised a finger before slowly lowering it thoughtfully.

"Aika-chan's right actually. It's the most straightforward of the challenges. This is supposed to be a test and not a full run, right?" Kurone asked Celeste.

"We will take it as seriously as if it were permanent death," Himeko's tone brooked no contradiction.

"Definitely," Mizore agreed wholeheartedly.

"Relax! I agree with Aika and Kurone that Goblin Slayer looks like the best choice for now. I also agree with Himeko that we should take this seriously," Celeste was quick to assure them.

"With wave tactics we can set up fortifications too. Depending on where we end up…" Mitsuki suggested.

"I won't use my Gaps unless it's life or death. I was letting my Boundary Manipulation power go. Mother would be so disappointed that her daughter was so lazy," Sumire smiled faintly.

"Right then. Let's do this thing…" Celeste selected Goblin Slayer! A thick fog rolled through and obscured the clearing. It was so thick the girls couldn't see more than a foot away. As it passed, however, they were treated to the sight of a large old growth forest. Trees so big that three grown men could stand hand to hand stretched up to the dark sky. The forest floor was dense with mossy vegetation. Out in the darkness they could hear the stirrings of many creatures. Eyes gleaming with malice peered out from the gloom. There were so many surrounding them it was hard to see them all. The girls quickly stood back to back to prevent anyone from separating them.

"Mitsuki! Look for a place to make a stand!" Celeste called out. Her standard combat Buffs were cast over the party.

"Right!" Mitsuki vaulted into the sky, Siren wings spreading beautifully in the night air. Luckily she had barriers as several arrows shattered off her protections. She did a lazy circle around the clearing. "Follow me!" The Siren flew quickly to the right. Her friends were just as quick to follow.

The goblins really weren't a threat. Celeste used Libra to check their levels and felt a moment of pity. None of them were over level two. She knew that would change with each wave, but for now it made their goal of fortification easier. Mitsuki's eyesight was impressive as she spotted a nearly perfect place to hold up. It would take some work to make it perfect, but they had time. What she found was a broken down stand of trees. The huge logs could be moved around to create a funnel to drive the goblins into their Tanks. Kurone, Aika, and Mizore got to work trapping the logs to prevent the goblins from simply climbing over them. Yuki Onna could control ice and keep it frozen almost indefinitely. Aika added sharp stones sticking up from the ice. It was the Cat Woman's contribution that made it a nightmare. She cast a spell to create glue and another spell to keep it from hardening. Sumire's contribution was to alter the air itself outside of their fort from Normal to Thin. As in the air was now as thin as the top of the highest mountains. Celeste watched with pride as her friends worked together to make a truly devastating trap. When she wasn't keeping the goblins from getting too close. It took nearly two hours, and two waves, before they were finished. Just in time as the forest shook. The latest wave arrived and they brought bigger goblins. Hobgoblins in piecemeal armor with heavier weapons. Two-handed blades, axes, and crossbows.

"Let's dance," Celeste grinned.

The night was soon alive with their mad battlecries…

AN: Right so the aftermath of their goblin slaughter will be revealed next chapter. More talking and stuff. Feel free to amuse yourselves (and me) with your guesses/suggestions.

Idiot444 · Jan 21, 2024

Clearly you should have V1 (ultrakill) come out of nowhere and initiate a total party wipe within 5 moves (on both sides) this makes total logical sense to occur.

Akuma-Heika · Jan 22, 2024

What happens if Moka, a Shinso, wears the ring?

Dakkaface · Jan 22, 2024

Akuma-Heika said:
What happens if Moka, a Shinso, wears the ring?

~~Third~~ Second Impact.

Akuma-Heika · Jan 22, 2024

Dakkaface said:
~~Third~~ Second Impact.

Guessing that means if Alucard wears it a new Big Bang will occur

XnionX3 · Jan 25, 2024

Nice chapter

An Irregular at Yokai Academy (OC, Gamer, Rosario+Vampire)

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

The third worst thing to happen to myself...

Getting sticky.

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Know what you're doing yet?

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Experienced.

Versed in the lewd.

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Versed in the lewd.

Versed in the lewd.

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

The third worst thing to happen to myself...

Versed in the lewd.

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

Ding of Bats Hailing from SB

The third worst thing to happen to myself...

The Devil Exists Within

Magical Defender of Justice

The Devil Exists Within

Getting sticky.

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