Set, Start!!
Kazuma considered the nature of his available boons for a long time.
His awareness of time wasn't perfect, even with the augmentations to his cognitive status; it felt like at least half an hour passed, each minute going by in a trickle of asking clarifying questions to Aqua, as well as considering options that were at his behest outside the catalogue.
He developed an expanding, interesting list of options, then started to narrow them down through heuristic elimination and gradual consideration.
At first, Aqua pained through the questions with admirable ferocity and irritation. As time went on, she became more heated, but failed to provoke even an anemic flake of apprehension in Kazuma, causing her to instead descend into emptiness and apathy the likes of which Kazuma hadn't seen in a long time. It reminded him of a bullied child that sat alone at lunch. Maybe there was something to it?
In the end, he came down to a strong pair of equally-salivating advantages. Both of them were good contenders for the Cheat Power he should take.
One of them, belonging to the Oracular Series, was aptly titled, '46,656,000° Vision.'
He was moderately sure that number was 360 to the power of three, but he didn't have a calculator on hand, and neither did he remember any mathematical formulae that could simplify the task of exponentiating such capital numbers within any degree of accuracy. It would have made logical sense though, as the power in question would give him insight far surpassing the human, including the ability to peek into the past, future, and places distant.
He considered it because such an ability had a natural application to limit the maximum interference potential of the Affliction of Misfortune.
Furthermore, it was just a good idea for battle in general. On Kazuma's backwater planet of Earth, information was the key to victory in all contests: social, political, and especially on the battlefield.
Human technological development meant that advancements in offense had far outpaced advancements in defense, so the only protection was being in a location your enemy could not detect. Overcoming that defense and procuring some long-distance ranged offensive method would ensure that Kazuma stayed relevant in contests of arms for a long time, especially with Progression's might sitting in his core and feeding him with the very milk of unsurpassed growth.
He wasn't sure how useful it would be in a fantasy setting. Would it matter when he encountered someone thrice as fast as him, with skin that was harder than polished steel, bones that adamantly refused to yield to the crushing downfall of a spiked club?
It would certainly be helpful in avoiding such troublesome people, but a margin of error existed, and a margin of error applied to someone with the Affliction of Misfortune was a probability of error.
But the other one? It was too much to refuse. No matter the situation Kazuma went into, there'd be some assured use for it.
It was the Virtue Series: Charity.
It was no mere utility, but the crystallized ideal of utility: an extradimensional space that was completely limitless, and which could be anchored to physical objects and produce kinetic force, either as suction or force. The only limit to its puissance was his own Magical Energy, which could be increased given enough time.
He could use it to store objects or fire them as projectiles, to pass objects at long distance or as a ranged offense; blink a short distance, or send attacks at enemies from unexpected angles. He could anchor a pocket to a box and use the functions that produced force in either direction to manipulate it like a telekinetic. He could anchor pockets across his body like sucker points on an octopus' tentacles and use them to augment his own motions. He could use them to absorb projectiles and send them back at opponents, or store them for later use if he was fast enough.
There were certain limits to the high-tier techniques, such as his entire body entering the pocket dimension or being entirely covered in anchored pockets. Both of them carried tremendous and atrocious costs in Magical Energy and placed considerable stress on his own heart.
In the beginning, he'd only be able to use either sparingly, maybe once or twice a day, but with the power of unbounded Progression on his side, he'd eventually achieve a level where potentially interdimensional teleportation and a near-immunity to physical mediums of attack were achieved.
As he considered the options of tomorrow, Kazuma's heart was filled with a susurrant frisson, like bolts of trepid excitement. It was a sensation distinct from anything he'd ever felt.
"I'll take Charity," Kazuma eventually decided with a pleased look, closing the book with a final clap.
"Nee, nee... Kazuma-san, Kazuma-san," Aqua said tiredly from her throne. "Yes, I'm Kazuma." She looked up, face bright with half-dashed, wary hope. "It means you're leaving, right? You're leaving, a-and you won't come back to ask me any more questions?"
She was, naturally, hoping they'd never see each other again, which... heh.
Well, technically, the answer to her question would be true if he confirmed it, so Kazuma nodded simply, and with an equally simple tone said, "Yes."
"Yesss!" Aqua hopped from her armchair, rubbing an aching shoulder. With a brilliant smile, Aqua raised a hand, the wicks of pale blue mana dancing between her fingers as she prepared to channel them into something more. "Alright, stand in the circle. Your money and Divine B-"
Suddenly, there was the sound of a stage-light activating. "Fear not!"
Goddess and Cursebearer glanced to see a bright, halcyon shaft in the middle of the void to their left, filled with sparkles of divine radiance that rained down like glittering snowflakes in winter. In their midst, a beautiful angel was casually descending with her wings extended to arrest any momentum gained from moving towards the ground.
She was beautiful beyond mortal words. It was enough to make Kazuma feel a tiny mote of remorse in his chest.
Remorse which he squashed with the swiftness of an executioner, once again returning to cold disinterest.
Besides, she might have been pretty, but she was not even in the same ballpark as Aqua standing next to him. His matured willpower had already proofed him to the feeling of standing in the vicinity of a beautiful girl like her.
Kazuma placed one arm on his waist, expectantly.
Curiously, as the angel landed and regarded them, she didn't seem to be affected by the Brand of the Wretched in the slightest. Not even a sneer.
It took Aqua an entire ten minutes to even start tolerating his presence, and during those ten minutes, he needed to shower her in subtle compliments and illusive affirmations of her talent and beauty in order to ingratiate himself to her. She proved to be shallow enough to yield to them, and his newfound instinct for maneuvering social matters told him where to aim those compliments to be most effective.
Even then, the endeavor of making Aqua not hate him was still incomplete. Instead of detesting him with open malice, she only tolerated him as an irritating insect now.
Was the angelic being in front of him truly so pure and benevolent as to be immune? No. That's impossible.
Kazuma considered and settled on pessimism. There was a more rational answer. Namely, she was an adept manipulator and was putting on a skilled poker face. He decided to probe her in a moment after she made her play known.
He also noted, slightly disturbed, how sharp-minded and clear his thinking had become due to the Accursed's gift. Although he probably could have done something similar with Aqua earlier, manipulating her to make her like him more, it would not have the same results, nor would he have been able to commit to the deed so thoughtlessly and naturally. His new level of borderline-superhuman understanding terrified him deeply, but he locked those feelings for later consideration as he raised himself expectantly.
"Aqua-sama, Satou Kazuma-kun," the angel said, bowing to them both at a polite depth. "I'm afraid I come bearing horrible news. The Demon King was not as we thought he was. He is, in fact, far more powerful. We believe that sending in normal heroes will no longer suffice, and as such, a decision has been passed by the Seraph Council to send Aqua-sama down to Belzerg alongside Kazuma-kun. She will do her best to support him and the other heroes there, and hopefully, that'll turn the tables in our favor. We have the utmost faith in you, Aqua-sama."
The angel smiled at Aqua beatifically, both hands pressed together in front of her chest, then recoiled with shock as Aqua attacked.
Aqua started babbling and crying loudly. She also, with no reservations or fucks given, charged forward, hoisting the angelic woman by the collar while screaming profanities not suited for the ears of any child, or the mouth of a Goddess.
As she was doing that, Kazuma folded one arm on his stomach and brought the other upon it to clutch at his chin in consideration.
Sending her with me? Surely, it's the doing of the Geas, but... would it impel an entire structure of the divine to action like this? Is it coincidence, something that'd have already happened? Or perhaps she is lying. The Accursed did mention they want to get rid of her. There's also the matter of the Demon King. If she isn't lying, then it seems like they've decided to cut their losses and make me either the slayer or the successor. Maybe even both, if they think they can manipulate me.
I mean... it'd seem like I'm not very competent to them, given the records of my death and the reaction to the discovery, not to mention the selection of a power that was said to be 'subpar' by the goddess. But did they not see everything else? The sudden increase in resolve and my ability to evade Aqua's hapless strikes?
Kazuma looked up. The angel was busy repairing her frayed tunic with magic, while Aqua was curled up on the ground, clutching her head with tear-stained eyes and cheeks.
There must have been someone monitoring the room at all times, otherwise, the angel's intercession would not have been so swift and decisive. She appeared to deliver those news just as Kazuma was about to depart.
He looked back down.
So they knew that I am more competent than at the start. Are they suspicious, paranoid? If so, why send Aqua with me? She's not in on the entire thing, so it would seem to me like this is mostly... arbitrary? If I'm competent and they're sending Aqua, what's the game? Maybe I'm overthinking and the Geas is making their brains melt to do anything it takes to send Aqua with me.
It didn't seem like Kazuma had enough information to go off of, so any tactical considerations would be half-hearted theories at best.
It was a bad place to be in, with his curses. Even if the risks were minimized in the Divine Realm, the Affliction waited like a patient tiger in a cage. Waiting for the moment it was let out to hunt. And maybe it already was? Maybe, outside of his awareness, the angel's appearance was some kind of ploy? Maybe his very overthinking of this, meant to infuse him with a bone-deep paranoia, was a calculated chess movement crafted to frustrate him in a subtle, undetectable way?
He considered all of that and more in the span of a breathless, mortal second and felt uncomfortable with the knowledge that his affliction might potentially run so deep.
Kazuma chose to test his first hypothesis, that he was to be the slayer presumptive.
"Say," Kazuma suddenly spoke, interrupting both goddess and angel. They looked at him, Aqua with moisture in the eyes, and the angel with confusion and acrimonious displeasure - the first note of open dislike he noted from her. "If the Demon King became so dangerous, wouldn't it be smart to issue more Cheat Powers and Items to the reincarnated? I could go for that oracular power in addition to what I already selected."
"I'm afraid that's not an option," the pretty angel said crisply, the edges of her mouth curving in smugness. She expected him to say this, for some reason. "Both the Divine Blessings and the Divine Artifacts are tied to the user's essence. While applicants for reincarnation are sifted through both for spiritual potential and capacity for surviving interplanar transportation, I'm afraid no soul can take the strain of having multiple Blessings or Artifacts linked to them. It's too much of a risk, so-"
"I volunteer, by all means," he insisted, stepping forward with his arms spread. "Give it to me. If there has ever been a time for heroic sacrifice, it's right now, is it not?"
Both of them flinched with surprise, while Kazuma was suppressing laughter.
What a complete pile of horsecrap. As a Cursebearer, Kazuma possessed an instinctive understanding of his own spiritual essence. He felt confident that he'd be able to shoulder at least three or four more additional Blessings in a short timespan, if not more. His soul would acclimate to anything of their metaphysical nature very quickly.
From the white-marble floor came the Water Goddess' sugar-sweet voice, "Hey, hey... even if you're a reckless shut-in, I have to say that's pretty admirable. Let's give him as many Blessings as possible, right~?!"
Aqua's words screened her desire for Kazuma's utter purgation, which he frowned at. Aqua smiled at him innocently, then turned to the regal angel as she stood up.
"I-I'm afraid that goes against rules and regulations, Satou Kazuma-kun," the angel sputtered out after a moment, torn between terror at his suicidal display and simultaneous annoyance with his insistence. It was enough to make her facade crack like an eggshell.
Still, a refutation, huh? Kazuma closed his eyes and breathed in.
Fine. If the godlings refused to comply, he'd strike directly.
If Aqua was the below-average example of her species, then most of them would be as afraid of hard work and modest amounts of exertion as a demon was of holy water. He decided to use that to his advantage, and terrify her to get concessions.
Kazuma half-turned, one hand on his chin, the other cockily on his belt. The angel pinned his back with her glare, but he didn't react.
"Well, I suppose if you're sending Aqua for support, you'll be coming along too, right?" He spun back around and pointed at the angel off-handedly, causing her coy eyes to widen like dinnerplates of open horror at the unexpected question, at being put in the spotlight. "You and that Seraph Council, and probably like a hundred other deities too. With all of that power, we should be able to paste the Demon King into mincemeat in the matter of a paltry afternoon. It just makes sense to do that, right?"
Before the angel could protest or show objection, Kazuma stepped forward, voice rising an octave in obnoxiousness; a tilting song that grated on the ears.
"If Aqua - an important psychopomp who's necessary to the order of the universe - can take such a break from her function, it'll be fine if everyone does, won't it? It's just sensible strategy, something a toddler would come up with, really - if one goddess is invaluable, then all of Heaven ought to be an instant path to victory."
Kazuma smiled darkly, causing the angelic woman to step back in fear.
"Aa-a, a-hum, a-" The angel stuttered like a broken record, then cleared her throat and laughed nervously. She composed herself with visible goosebumps. "W-well, us divine entities are so busy, so, you know... And it's against the rules since it removes agency from mortals. We can't really do anything more, sorry!"
She cast her arm out as the room filled with light. Suddenly, Aqua and Kazuma were surrounded by tubes of splendorous white-blue light. Kazuma rubbed his finger against one and found it was smooth like glass or plastic in texture, despite its appearance as flowing energy.
Well, so his plan failed. That's that, he supposed, but it was better to strike out and try, than not to. Do or do not, but always try.
"This is unfair!" Aqua cried as magical circles appeared under their feet. Her fists crashed in a brutal assault against the barrier but to no avail. "This is against the rules! Sending a goddess down is against the rules! It has to be! I do not consent! I do not consent to thiiiiis!"
Kazuma was sickened deeply, sighing in disappointment.
He was a sybarite for most of his life, a degradation of a human being that bore no resemblance of honesty or desire for hard work. But even at his worst, Kazuma wasn't a bad person: if he had a water bucket and there was a burning man in front of him, he'd have doused the man in water and called an ambulance with haste.
This was something on another level, though. It was spineless wretchedness that even Old Kazuma would have balked at with mild disgust and affront.
How can a self-proclaimed goddess be this selfish? She's protesting so much because they'll make her go out and play with the other kids, and save people?
It wasn't the behavior of a deity, an entity to be admired. It was the protestation of a spoiled child, with a rotten core.
He could have understood, even empathized if she never acted so arrogant as to declare herself a goddess, and constantly drone about how much better than him she was; morally and objectively, but she did that whenever she had a chance to so far.
"If you manage to defeat the Demon King, we'll have someone bring you back, Aqua-sama. As for you, Satou Kazuma, we're prepared to fulfill any wish you have if you succeed." An empty promise, Kazuma mused absently as he waited for the teleportation to take place impatiently. "I wish you good luck on your journey!"
With a slow build-up, force started to ruffle Kazuma's tracksuit. It poured down from the ground at a constant trickle, slowly raising him up like a tremendous fan spinning at speeds that were considerable enough to null gravity's effects. Aqua was likewise affected, yelping, and then continuing her protests in vain.
Kazuma looked up and saw the bright light of the portal. He reached deep into his awareness and metaphysically grasped the lever to activate Fortune's Smile.
The Goddess and Cursebearer flashed upward, and Kazuma pulled the lever.
Suddenly, a feeling similar to warm confidence sprung in his chest. It was the last thing he felt before entering the next world. Everything in his awareness became white, and there was no sound other than static energy as his body was rebuilt.
When Kazuma appeared, he stood in the middle of a busy street. An emptied coach drawn by horses went past him and the destitute Aqua. There was a burlap sack next to his feet. A light prod with his shoe produced a veritable jingling noise.
Kazuma looked up, scanning the entire street.
It didn't give the vibes of a place terrorized by a Demon King. It was a modestly idyllic feudal town's suburbs, with cobblestone roads that would be painful to walk on in sneakers and a bunch of medieval peasants going on about their daily lives. He could not place the exact architectural style, but it was a cross between the cottages with straw and shingled rooftops he'd expected and something more ornate or Renaissance, with exterior walls colored in pastel yellow, white, and greens, but at more tolerable saturations. Most of the buildings on the street he was on had up to three stories, although some of them were shorter.
There was a certain, heavy, rustic familiarity to this environment. A rude and pervasive familiarity, in fact. Kazuma recognized and placed it at once as the characteristic atmosphere of a town you'd see in anime or manga. The kind of place that a savvy Japanese mangaka assuredly thought looked classically European.
Or, to rephrase it, Kazuma found himself in a medieval city that wasn't even slightly medieval and far too clean. There was no lingering scent of shit or piss anywhere and the streets looked as if they'd been extensively and thoroughly combed for any drop of dirt only a minute ago.
Kazuma glanced to his right. The Goddess seemingly went through eight separate epiphanies and mental breakdowns while he was busy observing their surroundings.
Each minute of Fortune's Smile was more precious than a nugget of gold per second. He needed her stable and ready for anything, and he needed it fast.
"Hey, Goddess... Aqua-sama, are you okay?" He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. To his surprise, she didn't throw it off.
With an expression of surrender and drained hope, Aqua shook her head. Her chest heaved slightly as she answered, "No. No, I'm not..." There was a deep pain in her voice, at a level that made him uncomfortable with thinking of her as a mere spoiled child.
If anything, he commiserated. She would probably empathize with him in retrospect, once she realized their circumstances were identical. Their lives were taken from them with no warning, and they were pathetically unable to do anything about it.
The last twenty-four hours were by far the craziest of Kazuma's life. And yet, he only had fifty-eight minutes and eighteen seconds to seize the day, and then less than seven hours before he needed to sleep.
"Aqua, look at me," he said.
Again, he didn't expect much, but to his surprise, the Goddess complied and met his gentle gaze. Her eyes were red and stained with tears, running down her pale cheeks. There was snot streaming down her nose, slimy and reflective. Even despite her broken state, she looked impossibly beautiful, like a delicate bird with a broken wing. People on the street cast looks of sympathy at her and some of them appeared to even consider approaching to ask what's wrong.
Kazuma didn't know what to tell her. Even his enhanced charisma failed him utterly at this moment. He didn't have any experience consoling people who suffered terrible despondency, especially not a goddess he could scarcely relate to.
Instead of thinking then, Kazuma made a silent plea.
Whatever deity is watching over me. Whatever angel or god or entity. Whatever the source of my apparent luck is - even though I have never felt lucky - I beg you. If there's anything you can do right this moment, help me.
The plea was silent, and it was met with silence.
Kazuma started thinking in random loops, considering the problem at strange and obscure angles, and as he did, the answer came to him. As if there was a wellspring of something deep in him, pulsating with velvet radiance and chipperly offering its aid, the words came to him. The words felt right, and he spoke them as they appeared.
"Listen, I can tell this is very hard for you," Kazuma said. Those words caused Aqua to sniffle and her chest to heave, as she took in deep breaths. Kazuma maintained an even, comfortable level of eye contact. "You're feeling hopeless. As if there is no path to follow, no one to turn to. You feel like the entire world is set against you, like everything you've ever known stabbed you in the back. You're feeling a deep, ghastly certainty that, no matter what you do, you'll fail, suffer, and probably die."
Aqua looked down in numb hysteria. "H-How do you know?"
"Because, not even forty minutes ago, I felt the same thing." Aqua looked back up at him in shock, but he continued speaking, "I know it's hard, but a man I know told me that even if every window of opportunity is lost, I need to cleave a path through the indestructible wall."
"Y-Your friend sounds like an idiot," Aqua argued, tears passing down her cheeks still.
"Maybe, but isn't he right? You're right, too, for that matter: there is no path for you. No path, other than the one you make for yourself," Kazuma said. Aqua looked up at him, numbness turning into listless attentiveness. "I'm not asking you to find resolve at the moment. That would be cruel. We're not the same people. But I'm asking you to calm down, consider this isn't the end of it, and then try. Do or do not, but always try."
Numbly, jaw unshuttered, Aqua nodded.
The next idea that sprung to his mind was the very definition of a risk. It was a question of how much he trusted his luck, and how much he trusted the Geas of Incompetence to screw him over. But the deeper Kazuma considered it, the more he leaned on the former option.
The Geas of Incompetence didn't compel Aqua to act the way she did. She was that way of her own accord and would stay like that. Mitigation wouldn't do anything for her, although a lack of Mitigation meant he wouldn't be able to aid her in improving as a person either.
However, she could be motivated to act outside of her usual habits, and he felt that he'd already done that. Combined with Fortune's Smile, it would have to be enough.
If there was ever a time to take risks and put blind faith into something, it was right this very instant.
"Here." Kazuma picked up the small bag with their money and tilted it, pouring down 35,000 Eris into his palm. He took Aqua's hand, then practically shoved the coins into it and closed her fingers tightly around them. "Find an inn, a hotel, or whatever, and rent a room. I'll go have a look around town, see if I can find the Adventurer's Guild. We'll meet in the city square in an hour. Take some time to relax and calm down in the meantime. Alright?"
Aqua looked down at the coins in her hand, as if barely able to comprehend what was going on. Kazuma leaned in a centimeter closer, and Aqua flinched, looking up and realizing what he said.
"A-Alright. I can do that." The Goddess nodded, with a determination that Kazuma would have equated to a child's resolve to find a rare beetle. It was better than her earlier numbness, though.
"Good," Kazuma said, then gave her a prompting tap on the shoulder. Aqua reacted with motion, jogging down the street.
Silently, Kazuma hoped that she wouldn't die by accident, but again: he trusted her enough to carry on this basic task. If there was ever a time he'd be able to do so, it was right now. She was too focused on finding support to consider doing anything else.
In a way, he supposed, things somehow turned out well between them. He expected that he'd need much longer to achieve this level of... he wouldn't call it trust, or friendship, but... mutual dependency, maybe? No. He didn't feel as if he depended on her, but he definitely wanted her help.
It was something, whatever. He'd think about it later when he wasn't running against an hourglass.
"Now, then." Kazuma turned around and felt around inside of himself.
The ability to create utility pockets was there, dormant but rousing to awareness with stunning momentum. He opened a small portal in the middle of the air, then deposited the rest of the coinage within for safety. There was no way he'd be getting pickpocketed at an inopportune moment.
Kazuma considered what he should do first. There was an hour of time that he needed to take advantage of.
---
The last winning vote was:
[Kono] Virtue Series: Charity
[Suba] Felicis Ad Victoriam
Kazuma has a long hour in front of him, but only a limited number of actions to expend. Ontologically, consider yourself as having 10 Action-Luck points to spend. These combine both the assignment of Kazuma's time, as well as the auspiciousness of the events taking place during that time. Spend them accordingly.
Since this is a rather involved and large decision and involves a number of paths that's difficult to count, I'd like you to vote by plan and discuss thoroughly prior to voting. Good arguments for a course of action that is more beneficial will be taken into strong consideration and may, in fact, outweigh even a sizable number of votes if the author believes it'd serve Kazuma better.
Each selected option costs exactly 1 AL unless stated otherwise. Each sub-option costs another 1 AL unless likewise stated. In order to pick a sub-option, the primary option needs to be selected first.
Here are the options, as well as their sub-picks:
[ ] Acquire License - Kazuma finds a path to the local Adventurer's Guild.
There, he pays Luna for registration and obtains an Adventurer Card, initiating him into the Adventurer System. The Adventurer Card is an identificator that shows him, directly, his spiritual progression and lets him consciously direct the flow of experience, in the form of nebulous "skill points" that let him purchase new powers related to his Class.
He may select between several Classes, including a bunch of common ones, as well as several Rare and Unique Classes: Adventurer, Merchant, Fortune Teller, Fighter, Archer, Thief, Assassin, Ranger, Monk, Wizard, Knight, Rune Knight, Arch Wizard, Fateweaver, and Cursebearer. The Class selection vote will take place separately in the next update.
- [ ] Acquire License: Fame - Fate is altered substantially. As Kazuma arrives in the Adventurer's Guild, he finds there's 300% more people there than normally would be: a coincidence due to the high amount of quests and returns at the same time, caused by a freak cabbage storm on the night before.
News of his substantial parameters and class options are made known and public, counting as a substantial reputation bonus. Kazuma's reputation will also be decided, in part, on his selected Class. If he chooses Fateweaver he will gain an aura of mystique in the populace's eyes. If he chooses Cursebearer, it will be replaced with apprehension and enigma-induced curiosity.
- [ ] Acquire License: Kingdom - Costs 5 AL. Fate is altered massively. As Kazuma arrives in the Adventurer's Guild, he finds that due to recent movements from the Demon King's army, the Royal Family sent forth the Crown Prince, "Belzerg Stylish Sword," Jatis to check in with the local Guild to see what they needed.
He happens to be around as Kazuma registers and is deeply impressed by his natural talent, even going so far as to offer Kazuma a position on his own retinue - an offer Kazuma can refuse or accept with no consequences. Regardless of his choice, Kazuma gains an "in" with the Royal Family, an occasional confidant in Jatis, and becomes a known quantity in the realm of the aristocracy, which means that special, high-value requests and missions may be forwarded to him in private, and he'll also gain some degree of political immunity when it comes to any accusations of wrongdoing. If you want reputation on top of this, picking Fame will be necessary.
[ ] Greet Shopkeepers - Costs 2 AL. Kazuma goes around the city, moving from one shop to another. He introduces himself to most of the shopkeepers and, despite the Brand of the Wretched's best attempts, he manages to make a searingly good impression on most of them through part-coincidence, part-charisma. This includes innkeepers, bar owners, costermongers, and other businesses.
Consider 55% of Axel's shopkeepers Neutral to start with, 25% as Amiable, 15% as Sympathetic, and around 5% as Friendly.
- [ ] Greet Shopkeepers: Ancientry - Kazuma makes acquaintance with Wiz, the clumsy featherbrained shopkeeper who runs Wiz's Shop, a store that sells magical equipment of dubious efficacy. Although the effectiveness of her equipment may not be the best with a naked eye, she's a good person to talk to, offers free tea with every visit, and there appears to be something more to her.
Consider yourself to be on Friendly terms with Wiz. Also, gain a free, random amount (6-12) of trinkets with usefulness ranging from, "an active danger to the user, his family, and the environment," to, "mildly handy at times." Despite the potential dangers, Kazuma will be able to store them in his pocket at no inconvenience to himself.
- [ ] Greet Shopkeepers: Discount - Costs 2 AL. Kazuma goes around the city, moving from one shop to another. As he does so, a handful of the shops have a lot of good equipment on sale, with a lot of special offers directed towards him, specifically, due to interest in sponsoring him as an adventurer.
If you picked, "Acquire License: Fame," then reduce the cost of this option by 1 AL due to a commendation from Luna. If you picked, "Acquire License: Kingdom," do the same due to a commendation from Jatis. If you picked both, this option is free, but still costs Kazuma money.
Kazuma spends 150,000 Eris, the vast majority of his net worth.
In exchange, he gains: a collapsible recurve bow made from ironwood and light metal, a very sharp sword capable of changing its length to anywhere from 25 centimeters (>1 foot) to 240 centimeters (8 feet) at the speed of thought, leather breastplate (fireproof, magicproof), leather bracers (fireproof, magicproof), leather kneepads (fireproof, magicproof), leather boots (fireproof, magicproof, enchanted for comfort and durability,) a bandolier that contains three healing potions and three stamina potions, a half-kilogram of 92.5% pure manatite ore.
In addition, to be chosen in the update itself, you can acquire one of the following, or, alternatively, take more and indebt yourself to the shopkeepers for an additional 15,000 Eris per item.
*A magical staff for Aqua, crafted from whitewood with a stylized rose petal at the end. Slightly increases the power of clerical spells and lowers the mana cost by a sixth.
*A two-kilogram slab of processed, enriched dragon meat. Although it's chewy and doesn't taste that good, it's supremely rich in life-force (EXP.)
*A single potion of heightened vigor, which can enhance the drinker's physical stats by around 15% for half an hour upon consumption and restores all stamina for that duration. No side-effects.
*A jug of marzipan fairies that scream as they're being eaten. While rather disturbing, each fairy tastes profoundly good and acts as a low-quality healing potion. The fairies regenerate each day at a rate of one fairy every three hours, to a maximum of ten. Aqua will claim this is a deactivated Divine Artifact when asked. Kazuma will ponder what sadist would pick this.
*A circlet studded with cabochons and rhinestones, which confers high resistance against mentalism, illusion, and mind control. Also increases the user's Intelligence slightly.
*A number of spare alchemical implements and basic ingredients, which can be used to make a decent amount of varied potions with the correct recipes.
Getting all of this for 150,000 Eris is such a steal, far too compactly generous for human rationality. If anyone were capable of doing so, and they knew Kazuma obtained such an arsenal for so cheap, they'd suspect him of mind-controlling the shopkeepers or slipping them a Potion of Dumbness.
[ ] Greet Adventurers - Costs 2 AP. Kazuma goes around the city and Adventurer's Guild and makes acquaintance with the who's who.
Consider yourself on Good Terms with the majority of Axel's civilian and adventurer population. At worst, the average boukensha will scoff at Kazuma's sight, but that's something he's used to and not much of a difference from canon.
This works to greatly stabilize his social situation and overall standing. In addition, Kazuma knows and acquaints himself with Dust and Chris, opening them up as future tutors and potential allies.
- [ ] Greet Adventurers: Friendship - Choose a single, canon individual residing in Axel or its surroundings. Kazuma strikes up a conversation with them and manages to make a searingly-good impression by accident. Consider them as being one step closer to friendship.
Vanir is unavailable, and choosing Beldia would be outright idiotic, don't do it. Being one step closer to friendship with an enemy that wants to murder you is having an enemy that wants to murder you but will slightly regret it for a week afterward.
Can be taken multiple times, as many times as you want.
Suggested individuals: Megumin, Darkness, Luna, Dust, Chris, Lean, Keith, Taylor, Katsuragi Kyourya, Sena, Alexei Barnes Alderp (???),
[ ] Meet Natsuki Subaru - Rather than meeting Subaru later on in the day, Kazuma stumbles on him almost immediately upon setting out, and they manage to quickly make friends due to Subaru committing suicide over and over until he manages to make Kazuma trust him.
They set out together, and Subaru provides minimal advice and support that somewhat bolsters the effectiveness of all other options on the list.
