Ortega is known as the Central Capital of the Continent, and is the gathering place of many species all over the world. In this world, many fell to the Lost Disaster, a mysterious calamity that caused the fall of many civilizations. This city can be considered the last bastion of humanity itself.
They have established Guilds, producing many heroes within these organizations so they could explore the changed world, and learn about the mystery of the Lost Disaster, and explore the various fallen civilization, and the monsters that lurked within.
But as decades passed, people seemed to have forgotten about their sole mission. Guilds became stagnant. The city was ran by malicious people, and the poor suffers.
In this world that is slowly falling into the brink of destruction, the world responded, transporting a person who might be able to save it, along with an ability that is synonymously attached to their spirit.
There is only one question left. Can Yui, the reincarnated person, save the world? And how can she save the world when the power she got from her reincarnation is something that force her to rely on others?
Watch as she leads her own Guild, strengthening them beyond the comprehension of everyone in this world with the use of her [Infinite Class System], the power to change the class of her members infinitely!
A text-based idle game developed by a Chinese game creator and marketed as an RPG rogue-lite idle game with an infinite variety of Classes. Surprisingly, despite being a low-budget indie game with nothing but text, its advertisement delivered on its promises. It genuinely has limitless Classes within the game!
In terms of how this game does it, it makes use of a technique that many game creators have yet to try in this day and age. It employed AI-generated text!
Unlike earlier apps that just employed AI-generated material for text adventure or image creation, this game focused its AI-generated content on a few important areas of the game. These important sections are Classes, Quests, Characters, and Random Events.
Despite being a single-player game, it can only be played online. This is because it required an internet connection to connect to the database server where the game is hosted. Every AI-generated material was saved on the database server, and the AI, amazingly, did not repeat what it created.
But that's about all. The game's premise was pretty innovative, and it actually provided players with an unlimited variation; however, the gameplay is somewhat uninteresting. There is nothing more to do but enhance your characters by joining your guild, changing them to advanced classes, accepting quests, and letting the idle element do its job, then repeating. Characters will automatically join you based on the value of your Fame, which is easily obtained by just completing a large number of quests.
The game is just like any other incremental game. You just watch the numbers rise.
So, why am I talking about this game?
That's because it is my current cheat ability. I now wield the power of this game, which I used to play on occasion to pass the time. It is not even my favorite game!
Why, after reincarnating into another world, was I granted an ability that relies on others rather than powers that exclusively benefit myself?
I am not the most sociable person ever!
It's not important. I now call this world home. Even if I keep complaining all day, nothing will change. This is what the world has given me; I should simply swallow it and accept it.
So, after only a week in this world, I'm already blending in. Perhaps it's because I'm in Ortega, also known as the Central Capital of the World. Various individuals of different species wandered along the major paved roads, and my look, as a regular adult Japanese lady, isn't unusual in this city.
It might also be that I sold most of my personal stuff after arriving on this planet. Selling my business attire did not give me a large sum of money, but my shoes and phone compensated. I gain a large amount of Luz as well as a new set of clothing, allowing me to easily fit in.
Anyway, it's been a week since my reincarnation on this planet. I still have a lot of money, but I cannot afford to remain complacent. I need to find someone willing to accept me as their leader. It is the only way for my abilities to be activated. If I don't meet someone this month, the money I made from selling my few personal possessions will be gone. If that happens, I'll have to look for a job on my own to support myself!
That is something I do not desire. In my past life, I only did desk jobs. This world may have it, but it is only for those in positions of power. I am not qualified for that in this world, thus I cannot just join the Association or any Guild to work as an assistant. The only remaining possibilities are to undertake physical labor or to become an adventurer. I am not capable of doing such duties! My body is not built for physical labor, and an adventuring job is dangerous!
If I'm going to dabble in the adventurer industry, it has to be as a leader. My powers allow me to bestow Classes on my members and enhance their Classes if they reach a certain level. That is why I can't join any groups in Ortega!
"... This is bad. I still haven't found anyone willing to accept me as their leader."
It's been a week, and I haven't persuaded anyone to join my group. I know my own group hasn't been formally recognized yet, but that doesn't matter. Many people on this street are forming their own Guilds, despite the fact that they have not gone through the formal process. I'm only following their lead. I just need someone to acknowledge me as their leader. I don't need my own Guild to be properly acknowledged.
This is also a bust.... Inviting teens to join my group does not work either. I just have one option left!
"I don't have a choice then..."
I get up from the fountain I'm sitting on and move towards a location where most people in this district would be afraid to go.
I'm going to the slums! Ortega is divided up into eight districts. These are the districts: Alpia, Belkka, Ceres, Drakkia, Eustiana, Falmoore, Gnosia, and Heymour. Falmoore is technically the poorest of any district. Heymour is regarded as the weakest district; however, Falmoore has a greater percentage of homelessness than Heymour, which has less urbanization because it is an agricultural area.
Falmoore's slums covered the bulk of the area, emphasizing its status as the poorest. This is why it was simply referred to as the slums, and no one from the general public living in Falmoore's suburbs would dare to enter it unless they were desperate or didn't have a place to live.
How do I know all of this? I just asked. Every person in this city is aware of this truth. It is common for locals to be aware of such things. Of course, even though I am usually unsociable, I can communicate with others. I just prefer not to since it makes me uneasy to talk to strangers.
So, why are people terrified of the slums? According to some of the folks I've spoken with, people in the slums are quite dangerous. If you want to survive in the slums without getting robbed or killed, you must be confident in your own power.
But there is one aspect that many in the suburbs are unaware of. People in the slums normally ignore you, as long as you don't bother them.
The proprietor of the business where I sold my personal articles is a slum dweller, and he is the one who taught me the majority of what I know about the world. He is quite helpful, despite mistaking me for someone involved in a Lost Incident. Maybe it was because of that misconception that he helped me out and even gave me some facts about the slums, such as how people don't mind if you don't annoy them. Of course, if you're flaunting your money like an idiot, some slum residents will take the opportunity and mug you. So it's best to go there discreetly.
So that's what I'm doing. In addition to the clothing I typically wear in this city, I'm wearing a hood. This one is a freebie from the shop owner, so I'm grateful.
Unlike the well-kept areas of Falmoore, the air in the slums is quite foul. The smell of filth and excrement is rather intense, and I can't help but scrunch my nose. Unlike the clean, concrete structures outside this neighborhood, this portion of the district solely has wooden dwellings or other constructions created from rubbish or dirt. It's a significant change from the portion of this district where I'm now residing. I'm happy I selected to live in the more desirable portions of this district. I won't be able to stay here, even if the amenities and inns are less expensive than the one I'm now staying at.
I can sense some of the slum residents' gazes. I try not to look, but I can see some of them just standing where they are from my periphery. Most of the time, they are accompanied by a group, and they must have been conversing with one another while looking at me. Their clothes are less clean than mine. I believe I can see some mismatched cloth stitched together on their pants and shirts, and some don't even wear shoes.
It's unpleasant. Even with the information I've received on slum inhabitants, I'm still scared. Fortunately, they did not react as I passed across them and walked right to an area where I know the most unfortunate gather.
The slums have several locations where the downtrodden congregate. Among them are orphaned youngsters who have lost their homes as well as their parents. They built their own dwellings in the slums because there were no orphanages that could accommodate these youngsters. These sites are known as Youth Spots, and there are many of them. The Youth Spot, like the Elderly Spot, is a slum region where underprivileged youngsters assemble to live together and form their own society until they reach adulthood.
I'm in one of these Youth Spots. Just seeing that made me cringe. It is even worse than I expected. It may be labeled a Youth Spot, but it is a slum. It's a gathering place for everyone who has had a bad life. Of course, Ortega mainly ignores this portion of the district, and there are no guards monitoring there, so road upkeep, or any maintenance at all, was not performed. Still, seeing a group of malnourished youngsters sitting on the side of the road, some even lying on the soil, sleeping in the sweltering heat, was terrible.
The adults... well, even though I am angry at their inaction, I understand why they are unable to aid these youngsters. They simply went by them without a second thought, and the youngsters looked at the adults with lifeless fish eyes. It's clear why. The adults appeared skinny, as did the children. They may not have any money for themselves, so why would they care about others?
Still, I can't help but think it's despicable to overlook children like this. And I can't help but feel ashamed since I'm going to do the same. I don't have enough money to support them all.
I can only assist one person, and they will be the key to my long-term stability in this city. So, despite my aching heart, I ignore the other youngsters and head directly to the nearest one sitting on the mud. When I came on the side of the street, I noticed her gaze fixed on me. She was a young child, perhaps in her adolescence. Her entire appearance is filthy. Her garments looked like drabs that had been tied together, and she was coated in soot and mud. Her long hair is disheveled, and the triangular ears atop her head resemble those of a canine. As I approached her, she offered her palm while looking at me.
"... Food... please..."
Instead of asking for money, she requests food directly.
I'm sorry, kid. What I'm about to do next will be terrible, but I hope you'll forgive me in the future.
I knelt beside her and attempted to smile. "Hey, would you like to join my Guild? I'll let you eat your fill if you join my guild!" I stated it as casually as I could, despite the fact that it makes my heart heavy.
I can see her eyes light up with anticipation as I inform her about the food. I feel ashamed. I am taking advantage of a child's need to gain my own member.
It leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
"If you become a member of my guild, I will take care of your food. You will never be hungry in your life again!"
After saying so, I notice her head gently bobbing and her face leaning in with expectation in her gaze.
"Really...?"
"Yes. So, will you accept my offer?"
I extended my hand to her, and she looked at it blankly for a time. Then, with some trepidation, she reaches out and tentatively takes my hand. At the same moment, I notice it. After she took my hand, the confirmation screen appeared in my mindscape, visible only to me.
[Ruu (Level 3 Citizen) has joined your guild!]
[You got 3 PP!]
I may have used an underhanded tactic, which I regret, but I eventually got it.
My first guild member!
(Abilities)
[+] (Learn New Ability)
And now that she's joined my guild, I can finally do what I want.
Your name is Ruu, right? Okay, Ruu, I apologize for exploiting your desperate situation. Regardless of what I do, the situation is still unacceptable. That is why, while this may be a little consolation, I will ensure that you become stronger under my leadership. And if you leave my side. Well, I'm hoping it occurs once I'm financially established. I won't resent you for it, though it will hurt my feelings...
I swear on my heart. I will make you stronger!
I hate myself... Once again, I am making another story even though I promised to continue my other stories. I hate writer's block, I hate my indecisive mind, and I hate my lazy self!
.... Sorry for the rant.
Anyway, this story is made because I haven't been writing for a long time now. I forced myself to write this even if my lazy self doesn't want to write anything and just lie on the bed and sleep all day. I am very sorry for not continuing my stories...
This one, well, the story is a simple idea of what will happen if the protagonist can change the job class of any people following her, just like an RPG game, and the job class evolution possible for her is infinite.
This is that idea turned into this story.
Hopefully, it is interesting even if it is being written by someone like me.
I hope you have fun with this story too, and I am sorry for making another story. The next chapter will be posted later, maybe tomorrow or soon, and I really promise that it will be uploaded soon, because I have already written the next chapter, and I just need to check it and edit some parts I don't find satisfactory before I actually post it here.
That will be all. Sorry again for writing a new story....
Thank you for reading everyone, and I hope to see on the next chapter!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
After Ruu accepted my offer, we headed back to the district, leaving the slums behind. I let her wear the hood I had been wearing so that no one would make a fuss when they saw her. Falmoore's citizens... are not very welcoming to the slum dwellers in this district. So all I can do is disguise her appearance as we head directly to the one store I know that sells clothes for her.
And now we're in Donan's store. After I showed him who was accompanying me, the shopkeeper looked at me with disappointment in his eyes.
"Y'know, I thought better of you than that..."
"No, wait, this is not what it looks like!"
I quickly explained to him why Ruu was with me and what I planned to do with her. He still stares at me with disappointment in his eyes and shakes his head when I finish talking.
"Lass, that's a slum child. Do ya think she can do anything?"
"Of course she can."
Is he skeptical that she can assist me?
Of course, she can assist me. Anyone can help me if they accept me as leader!
After that response, I looked him in the eyes, and we both stared at each other. It takes some time, and I'm starting to feel worried, and my eyes are getting strained by the time he diverted his look.
"Child... are ya sure ya want to come with this lass?"
Ruu gave Donan a confused face before nodding and muttering something I couldn't hear well. He nodded and then glanced at me.
"Kay, Lass. If ya want anything, just tell me. I'll give ya discount." Then he leaned his face closer to me, forcing me to step back. "But if I hear ya mistreating her, forget bout coming back here!"
"Yes sir! I'll do my best!"
Right, he was also a slum dweller before he made his wealth and opened his store here. It's reasonable that he'll be furious if I do anything to the girl, even if she's one of many children lounging in the slums.
And I had already asked him this, but as someone who had left the slums, he couldn't afford to assist anyone there. Regardless of his own feelings, he is not without restrictions. He was unable to assist the youngsters there directly, owing to the large number of children living in the slums, which is expanding year after year. He has a reasonably profitable general shop in the suburbs. It is difficult for him to assist all youngsters in the slums. Instead, he stated that he is doing something about it, but that I should not inquire too much. We're only acquaintances, so asking such sensitive inquiries will seem strange.
Even if we're only acquaintances, I appreciate his aid. He goes out of his way to teach me about this world, and now he's letting me buy clothes for my first member.
I'm grateful Donan was one of my first interactions in this world. After obsessing over Ruu for a minute and then making recommendations for us, I eventually exited the store and went directly to the location I'm living with Ruu, carrying the bag of outfits for my first member.
Ruu kept her head low as we walked through the streets, not looking around. When we arrived at the three-story building where I am living, the girl looked up, surprised to see where we were heading.
We entered the facility without waiting for her to recover and informed the lady behind the desk that I would also be paying for Ruu's stay, even paying in advance so they wouldn't question her. I also instructed them to prepare for a bath in my room and to leave it at that as I led Ruu directly to my room.
"This will be mine, and your room too, starting today. What do you think?"
I assumed she would be delighted when she looked around the room. The room is adequate, with some furnishings and a huge bed that can accommodate two people, or possibly four if I urge it. Instead, she looked around briefly before approaching me and tugging on the hem of my clothing.
"Food... hungry..."
Right, she is hungry. I neglected to feed her outside. Even if I tried, no one would serve us properly. People here are not receptive to slum residents.
I kneel next to her till I'm at her eye level, then speak to her soothingly.
"Don't worry. Just endure for a bit. We will eat something good after we're done here, okay?"
She stared at me for a moment before nodding in obedience. After that, I heard someone knocking on the door and noticed Ruu flinch. I quickly move to the door and peek through it, and when I see it's one of the inn's employees, along with some workers carrying a tub and some bathing supplies, I let them in.
They placed the tub in a corner of the room, where the floor is tiled as opposed to the wooden tilings around here, and then draped a curtain over it, and I noticed their silhouette as the female clerk who knocked on the door said something that sounded incomprehensible to my ears.
"••• [Create Water]"
Magic. I'd always heard that magic usually required a chant. The potency of their magic is determined by the number of verses in their chant. The only method to determine how much verse they utilized is to listen to the number of tics throughout their incoherent speech. I only heard three ticking noises throughout the high-speed chant, indicating that spell to be pretty potent. They claim that those many tics are enough to fill an entire tub with a [Create Water] spell.
This is obviously something I will be aware of. This is where I reside. Throughout my week here, I have often requested this type of assistance. Of course, as a newcomer to this world, I had to inquire, and the personnel responded calmly.
Isn't it confusing? This week, I have had more interactions than I have in my past life. And I've always assumed I wasn't sociable. ... Well, there's also the fact that, because I'm in a new environment, I need to learn everything I can as fast as possible.
Right, just because I've talked to so many people this week doesn't mean I'm instantly a social butterfly.
"• [Boil]"
After another spell was made to warm the water, the staff and workers departed the room, leaving us alone. During this time, I noticed Ruu standing stiffly in the opposite corner of the room.
I can't help but feel terrible for her when I see her in that state. While thinking so, I urged Ruu to come closer to me.
"Come on, Ruu. I'll help you clean up."
She flinches, then stares at me for a time before taking a step forward, as if she had found bravery inside herself. When she drew near, I requested her to remove her hood. Then I helped her take off her clothing, which was pretty easy, and nearly gasped when I saw what lay behind the drabs that covered her body.
Aside from the soot and filth that coated her flesh, I noticed scrapes and wound lines on her body. Her triangular wolfish ears fell down above her soot-covered hair as I helped her turn around, revealing wounds on her back. The most heinous was the tail attached to her tailbone, or rather the remnants of it. It appeared to have been trimmed sloppily to its root, creating a terrible appearance for the child.
Is this normal? What about the other children living in the slums? Do they also have such terrible scars and wounds on their bodies?
This sight reminds me once more that the world isn't as safe as I'd like it to be. Such a pitiful sight is common in our city, and it's very close to where I live, only a few houses away from the slums.
I can only sigh as I bring her to the tub, where I may cleanse her of the filth in her body with a bucket full of warm water.
"... Nnn!?"
She appeared shocked when she saw me attempting to assist her with washing herself, but I simply shook my head when I watched her try to deny me with a vigorous shake of her head.
"Don't worry, now that you're my member, I have to take care of you thoroughly!"
She still didn't seem convinced. She looked at me with concern in her eyes.
"After this, we will eat something delicious. It will fill your stomach until you can't eat anymore! So, stay still and behave, okay?"
It's like a magic word, because when I promised her that, her body relaxed and she stopped resisting. Finally, I can clean her up without too much difficulty. And I made certain that I thoroughly cleaned her! This is awesome... I knew Ruu was cute the first time I saw her, but now that all of the filth has been removed and she is wearing a stunning white outfit that complements her well, I can see how beautiful she is. Her soot-covered hair is now sparkling, revealing its silvery threads in all their brilliance. Her figure, even when she appeared underweight, retained a slenderness that, if she plumped up a little, would reveal her true beauty. Then there's her face, which has that sweetness that danderes in anime are normally known for. She also has a stunning pair of ruby eyes.
The way she skittishly tries to grip the hem of her skirt is adorable. It's simply a shame that her attractive clothing exposes some of the scars on her body. I hope there's a way to get those scars off. Such gorgeous skin shouldn't be marred by such an unsightly blemish!
She is still young. She shouldn't have such wounds at her age!
While pondering such stuff within my head, we proceed to the dining room of this inn, where some of the guests are also eating. The two of us go to a free table. We sit beside each other.
Just as we took our seats, a female staff approached us with a menu in her hand. She inquired what we wanted to eat from their menu today. I didn't look at the menu since I already knew what I wanted to have.
"Give us a feast. I will pay the additional costs."
"... Understood!"
The female staff member was stunned at first, but then smiled as she nodded at me and went. When I looked at Ruu, she tilted her head in confusion. I gave her a grin.
"Just wait for a bit; we're going to eat a lot today!"
Her confusion changed to amazement as she noticed numerous staff approaching our table, moving trays of food, and then placing enormous plates and bowls on our table. After a time, I couldn't help but grin at Ruu's face of obvious surprise as she peered wide-eyed at the wide range of delicacies presented on our table.
She alternated between the food and me, clearly unsure whether to begin or not. Her wolfish ears perked up, and I observe a slight movement behind her skirt, which I believe is the vestige of her tail wagging in excitement.
"What are you waiting for? Come on, let's eat."
"... Eat...?"
She was staring at me with anticipation in her eyes, and I could see her hands reaching out for the meat. I couldn't help but laugh at how she is attempting and failing to restrain herself as I reach out to her hand and direct her to the spoon and fork on the table beside us.
"Yes, you can eat, but you should know how to use these spoons and forks. Don't worry, I will teach you."
Even if I want her to eat her way, I can't. We're currently in a fine establishment, and the folks around here may object if I let her eat with her hands. The personnel may even kick me out, regardless of whether I paid or not.
I'm sorry, Ruu, but I can't give up my own convenience for that. Instead, I'll try to get you used to eating like this, okay?
Ruu is well-behaved. Even when she is eager to reach out and eat her fill, she allows me to direct her hands and follow my instructions as I teach her how to eat with the spoon and fork. I also taught her how to eat with a fork and knife. Even though I am Japanese, I have some experience eating with such cutlery. I occasionally have to go, unhappily, with our company's team leader for their "team building activities," and sometimes it's to some western restaurants that utilize these kinds of cutlery. That's why I've just gotten used to it, even if I'm still a little uncomfortable with it.
When I let her eat a steak for the first time, she seemed completely enthralled as it entered her mouth and she chewed on it. Her eyes had lost much of their dullness, and they were now bright and vibrant as she looked at me.
"Delish!~"
Looking at her smile, I couldn't help but sigh blissfully. If I hadn't picked her when I went to the Youth Spot, I believe she'd still be sitting there, hungry and sad. Now she is here, finally able to eat her fill. I am glad. At the same time, I feel ashamed.
I spent a lot on her since it was another method to manipulate her. I want her to feel attached to me. At the very least, I want her to stay with me for a long period until I can establish a solid foundation in this city. Sorry, Ruu. All of this is intended to get you to work harder for me.
With that thought alone, my initial delight turned sour. We returned to our room once we had finished our meal. Ruu has been unusually clingy after we have finished our meal. While we approached our room, she tightened her grip on my hand and pressed her body closer to mine.
Now that we have entered our room, it is time for my final act. Hopefully, if I succeed, Ruu will stay with me for a long time.
"Okay, Ruu... now, it's time for me to tell you about your responsibilities as part of my guild." Before I continued speaking, I turned towards her and kneeled to make sure we were eye to eye. "Before that, do you know what a guild is?" I continue once she has nodded. "Okay, then do you know what a Guild member does?" She gave me another nod. "Good... then do you have any idea what I'm going to ask of you?"
"Yes."
I was astonished when she responded without delay, but I proceeded. "Okay. I know it will be hard. We are going to do something dangerous, but don't worry. I am not going to let you jump into a dangerous situation without any preparation." I stood up.
Now it's time to tell her about my ability.
"Ruu, I recruited you because I see potential within you. I have the power to release that kind of potential. The only condition for that is that you have to follow me forever. Are you fine with that?"
It hurts. I hate deceiving a child after influencing her to feel thankful to me, but I have to. Not doing so will compel me to work on my own, and my abilities do not work on me!
As predicted, the child glanced up at me with a clear gaze before nodding.
"Yes!"
She gazed at me with a firm glance. She has a determined look in her eyes, as if she has made a decision. It's such a pure stare, and it makes me feel even worse since I'm using such genuine emotions for my own benefit.
I am sorry, Ruu...
"Great, then right now, and in the future, I will release the latent potential hidden within you. You simply have to fight for my sake to become strong! Do you accept that?"
"Yes!"
With her approval, I opened the status window that only I could see in my thoughts. Then I operated it while pointing my hand at her.
"O world, release the shackles that bury the potential of this child!"
All of those phrases were used solely for theatrical purposes. The fact is that I just use my status window to access the panel containing Ruu's name.
(Abilities)
[+] (Learn New Ability)
Then I mentally pressed the [+] button on Ruu's panel.
[This will cost you 0 PP, are you sure?"] (Y/N)
Potential Point (PP) is a currency used in the [Infinite Class System] to learn and develop your character's abilities. A player can earn PP via recruiting members, which is automated based on the value of their Fame, or by leveling up their characters. The amount of PP a player gains is determined by the tier of the character's class and level.
With the core mechanic of that game being my cheat ability, of course PP worked the same as the one from the game. If I remember correctly, the cost of learning a new ability corresponds to the number of abilities a character has. For example, if a character has two abilities, then the next ability will cost 2 PP. Without any abilities, they can learn an ability without using PP.
Since I received Ruu's acknowledgment on the slum, I can give her new abilities. I haven't because I want her to recognize that I am the one giving her new abilities. It's a disgusting way for her to express her gratitude to me.
It truly hurts... I feel so dirty doing this to her!
[Ruu learned Brawl!]
[This will cost you 1 PP, are you sure?"] (Y/N)
[Ruu learned Cooking!]
[This will cost you 2 PP, are you sure?"] (Y/N)
[Ruu learned Sprint!]
I noticed her eyes widen briefly before going glassy and looking blankly at the air for some time after I finished editing her panel.
(Abilities)
[+] Brawl I
[+] Cooking I
[+] Sprint I
[+] (Learn New Ability)
This is something new for me. I'm not sure how it will go because this is my first time trying it, but it appears to work well. I'm familiar with the skills because they exist in the game, but their descriptions confuse me. Their description is considerably different from the one in the game. Skills in the game only affect the amount of money, experience, or fame you can gain, but here they have their own flavor text.
The capability to fight like a thug. Gives slight correctional bonus to every unarmed combat and every unconventional weapon handling. Also gives a slight boost to blunt weapon handling.
The capability to cook. Gives slight correctional bonus to any cooking process, and slight boost to taste, aroma, and presentation to any meal the you finished.
The capability to sprint fast. Gives slight boost to moving in a straight line.
What exactly does it mean by "slight correctional bonus?" How much increase does the "slight boost" provide? I don't understand. These descriptions are too ambiguous!
As I was thinking this, I noticed Ruu revert to normal and look at me with wide-eyed awe. Then, unexpectedly, she knelt at me with one knee.
"Ruu?"
"... Ruu... will do Ruu's best!"
Her tone of voice has changed. At first, she was mostly amazed and awed by me. Now it felt like there was something inside... I don't know, reverence?
The guilt in my heart has not subsided. I made her stronger so she could help me. That is the only reason I recruited a child like her. So, Ruu. Being so appreciative only adds to my guilt.
"... I look forward it."
I know I'm smiling, but it doesn't reach my heart at all.
So that is the second chapter.
Anyway, yeah, Yui, the MC, feels guilty. She has high morals for someone who got transported into this world. Even if it is necessary for her, she will feel guilty thinking she is manipulating a child to do her bidding. She thinks what she is doing is so bad...
I hope it's not unpleasant reading that.
Thank you for reading again, and I hope to see you on the next chapter everyone!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
Our morning starts with us going to Donan's General Store. My plan for today is to buy a weapon for Ruu. I didn't do it yesterday because I still hadn't used my PP so she could learn abilities at that time. Learning skills in the [Infinite Class System] game are randomized. Whenever you select it, you will get abilities based on a character's Class. I didn't buy a weapon for Ruu since I wasn't sure what type of ability she'd obtain if I picked that choice.
Furthermore, Donan's Store is a general store rather than a business selling weapons. I must either commission something from a smithy or purchase weapons for adventurers from a weapon store. I didn't do it for a reason.
"Seriously, ya came here asking to loan some steel eh?"
"Yeah, and no, I'm not specifically asking for swords. I just want something blunt, like a club or something."
He looked at me with a puzzled expression, which I suppose is understandable. I came here early in the morning to beg for a loan. It's not even a product he usually exhibits in his business. His products are often garments and other items necessary in the everyday lives of the average citizen. This is not the place to go if I need anything dependable for adventurer work.
The problem is, I can't afford it!
I spent a lot of money on Ruu's attire, as well as her stay at the White Tavern. A week in the inn costs 15,000 Luz per person, and with Ruu included, the total cost is 30,000 Luz. That consumed a quarter of all my money, and I can't just starve Ruu. She ate a lot this morning, so I had to pay an extra price for it. Food is normally provided with my stay at the inn, although it is just for two servings for each person. Going for a third or more will result in further expenses on my end, which Ruu took advantage of.
I'm already taking advantage of this child for personal gain. I shouldn't be stingy with her too!
So that is why I require a loan, and Donan is the only person I know who I believe will allow me to do so.
"Ya seriously wanna go at it eh? Wait here..."
Ah... I'm glad. I thought it would take some more conversation before he let me loan some weapons.
He walks behind his store's counter, passing via a door that leads to the back, and returns after a while with a variety of blunt instruments such as clubs and staves.
"Pick yer weapon, kid." He remarked this while gazing at Ruu, who is now looking at the weapons with curiosity.
Ruu glanced up at me, and I simply nodded. After that, she took a closer look at several of the weapons before reaching for one.
"Eh, a good choice kid!"
She picked a wooden stave that is as tall as her. Ruu is just half my height, so it isn't a long stick, but it's adequate for her to wield as a weapon.
"That staff is made of Amoranth Wood, so it's quite sturdy. Ya have good eyes, kid!"
As if spurred by his compliment, Ruu's ears perked up, and I noticed subtle movements behind her skirt. Still, I'm intrigued about what he said.
"Amoranth Wood?"
"Eh? Ya curious Lass?" With my nod, he grinned before explaining things to me.
Amoranth Wood originated from a tree on Heymour's Tree Farm and is regarded as the continent's fifth most durable wood. It is not only employed as a construction material, but it is also commonly used as handles for adventurer equipment such as spears and axes. It's a pretty good material, and utilizing it alone is sufficient as a weapon.
"... If it's that precious, does it cost a lot?"
"Heh, don'tcha worry Lass. I'll give ya friendly discount."
Then he offered me a price. Which is 10,000 Luz if I have to pay up front.
"...Can I pay in installments?"
"What do ya mean?"
I explained the notion of installments to him, and he appeared intrigued before telling me it was fine. He explained that it is the same principle as rental payments, so I instantly accepted the offer. With a down payment of 5,000 Luz, we now have Ruu's weapon. I just have to pay 1,000 Luz every week because they don't provide a monthly payment plan for item loans.
I also requested a loan for a knife to use for self-defense. That one will cost me half of Ruu's staff, but that's okay because I intend to pay in installments. The reason I opted to get a weapon for myself is quite simple. I need to accompany Ruu on her first Ruin Dive to check on her and, at the same time, foster a relationship between us. If I simply toss her on the Ruins without accompanying her, she may harbor resentment and possibly flee, refusing to return.
I cannot afford it! I've already spent a lot on her!
As far as I know, my cheat ability does not contain a feature that allows me to obtain 100% loyalty from everyone who joins my guild. If I want to gain their trust, I will have to strive for it. It's pretty inconvenient, but what can I do? That's how my ability works!
"So, what do ya plan next?"
"Isn't it obvious?" I looked at him while taking a confident posture. "We're going to a Conquered Zone!" Conquered Zone. A Lost Region that has been recovered by humans. It still contains remnants of the Lost Phenomenon, but its sole purpose is to generate Ruin Monsters against whom adventurers can train before facing the actual thing.
There are certain terminologies that I am still unfamiliar with, but from what I understand, the Lost Phenomenon refers to distortions of reality that replace parts of our world with alien ones. The Lost Disaster is regarded as the greatest incidence of a Lost Phenomenon, and they claim that several Lost Incidents were documented at the time. It was still there today, and it is up to the adventurers to stop this dreadful phenomenon by conquering the afflicted places and destroying the creatures it created within them.
Based on some people I heard in passing as I roamed the city in my first week, Lost Phenomena produced these harmful particles known as Ruin Particles. Ruin Monsters were created from these elusive particles. They turned into creatures that were oddly themed with the affected location, for reasons I couldn't comprehend.
Well, I stated Ruin Particles were harmful, but as long as we don't linger in a high concentration of these hazardous particles, we should be alright. Conquered Zones, unlike Lost Regions, have Ruin Particles maintained by those who have conquered them. This is why anybody may visit this region without fear of being corrupted by the Ruin Particles.
Now we're standing at the entrance of one of these Conquered Zones. It is maintained by the Falmoore District Administrators, who worked for the crown and are not affiliated with any Guilds or the Association. They called this Conquered Zone "The Falmoore Park," which was an appropriate name given that it resembled a recreational park. The only difference between this and a typical park is that many individuals entering are carrying weapons or wearing a jumble of protective gear on their bodies, and I spotted several battling something smaller than them in the distance.
A guard stands at the entrance, wearing armor with the emblem of three sharp, thorny vine-like lines that form a rough spiral in the chest section of his armor. It is Ortega's emblem, implying that this guard works for the city. Despite guarding the entrance, he hardly glanced at us as we entered the Ruins via the enormous open gates.
It may appear careless, but the reason he disregarded us is fairly simple, even if we are not officially registered adventurers. There are two types of Conquered Zones: public and private. Public Zones were open to everyone, while Private Zones were only accessible to members of the Association or any of the Guilds.
This is one of the things I attempted to learn earlier because my cheat ability is especially focused on leading adventurers. So, after checking the information I received, which was fairly simple because it is common knowledge around the world, I began making preparations for my Guild.
My plan is straightforward. Strengthen my members in Public Ruins, then acquire enough money to register my Guild and establish it in this city. There is a reason that I am still unregistered. I have to spend one million Luz merely to register my Guild! That is why I need money, and Ruu is my ticket for that!
Ugh... It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth thinking about it...
Hm... When we passed through the gate, the air seemed to change. Donan once told me that the Ruins always had a weirdness to them that anyone could detect. He said it couldn't be expressed in words. I thought he was exaggerating, but now that I've visited my first Ruins, there's a real sense of unpleasantness around me. It's beyond my comprehension. It's as if an awful presence is creeping up on me, as if I'm not wanted here.
I stare at Ruu, wondering whether she is intimidated by this unfamiliar feeling, but she merely appears more serious. I can feel tension in her posture, yet she appears to be prepared rather than concerned about our surroundings.
"Ruu... do you have any experience in the Ruins?"
She perked up at my comments, gazing up at me and responding with a nod.
"Nn!"
I see... So she already has experience...
This should be obvious. She is a resident of this planet, and Public Ruins exist in this city, so even a citizen like her should have experienced it, right?
I questioned her about it, and because Ruu doesn't talk much, it took me a while to figure out how she obtained any experience in the ruins. She didn't identify where exactly, but she assured me that this was not the Ruins she had visited at that time. That suggests we're both new to this area. She doesn't know of any good hunting sites we could use for ourselves.
We stroll farther into the park while talking. Avoiding any location where a party seems to have claimed their hunting position. We finally came to a point in the park where there were few people, and we paused to look around. It didn't take long before I saw what we were looking for.
Hopping white rabbits may be seen lounging in the tree's shade. They have crimson eyes and extremely sharp front teeth, but the most unusual aspect of their appearance is their form. I'm not sure whether it's just my eyes, but they look like they were digitally created and tossed into the actual world. It's strange how they appear in comparison to their surroundings, as if a pixelated image was placed in a highly realistic 3D environment.
How should I express it in simpler terms?
... Right, they resemble holographic images interacting with the real world. That's how I would explain it anyway.
So this is what they refer to as a Ruin Monster. As they say, if you see it, you'll know it's not from this world.
I look at Ruu, and seeing that she takes a stance with her long stick, I unsheathe my knife and hold it in a front grip while staring at the creature.
"Okay Ruu, this is our first act as a Guild. Let's do our best!" Even though I mentioned that, I know I'll be dependent on Ruu the most of the time. I came here merely to provide moral support and to demonstrate that I am not afraid to work beside her.
"Nn!"
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Ruu answered with a surprising enthusiasm before she kicked the ground and vanished from my eyes. I can only blankly gaze at the space she previously occupied before looking at the Ruin Monsters we spotted. From there, I see her moving at them at speeds unnatural for a child like her. I think she even beat olympic runners with the way she got close fast at them.
A single overhead stroke of her stick connected with one of the Ruin Monsters. It gave out a howl that grated my ears as it collapsed to the ground. The rabbit, which appeared digital, then slowly dissolved into wisps as it lay still on the floor. Ruu ignored it and began her attack, swinging her stick at the other bunnies who were frightened by her abrupt entrance.
Amazing... Is she really the same malnourished child from yesterday? She can move so quickly! Is this due to the abilities she learned yesterday? And I see; this is how Ruin Monsters die. They just vanish into nothingness after death.
... Wait, I should not be standing here like an idiot. Get it together, Yui!
As my sole Guild Member deals with the group of rabbits in the shade, I approach the one that is isolated from them. This rabbit monster is hopping around, as if searching for Ruu's blind spot.
I'm not sure if Ruin Monsters are merely narrow-minded or have tunnel vision, but it doesn't see me while I lurk behind it. When it leaps to the side, I try to launch a surprise attack by swinging my knife in the direction it will travel.
... I missed!
Maybe I still view them as genuine live things, despite how eerie they appear in the real world, or maybe I'm just terrified, but my surprise attack failed!
Now its head turns toward me, and the pair of crimson orbs that serve as its eyes appear to glow ominously as it glares at me.
I'm not sure why, but it truly intimidated me when it turned its attention to me. As it jumps towards me, I unconsciously move back.
"Woah!?"
I nearly tripped, but I was able to land on my feet. Nonetheless, that momentary interruption provided it with an opportunity to attack me. When I looked up, I saw its body approaching my face quickly, and out of panic, I flailed my arms violently.
"Aaaaaah!"
Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic!
What type of Guild Leader screams like a baby when they try to join this trip? Oh, yes, that's me!
Fear, self-loathing, and desperation raced through my head, and everything became a jumble of events for me. When I paused, I realized I wasn't harmed at all, with merely a numbness in my hand gripping the knife. Looking at it, I see the blade of my knife dripping with a bright, pinkish liquid that is slowly disintegrating, and as I glance down, I find the rabbit on the ground with a big gash on its side, spewing forth organs that are likewise fading into wisps of light.
... Oh, I killed it. I'm not sure how, but I manage to kill it...
As I am thinking this, I hear a noise approaching from my side. When I glance to the side and see another one of those huge weird rabbits approaching me at horrifying speed, my heart stops.
I should have flailed my arms again, but instead, like an idiot, I crossed my arms while screaming. I thought everything was over after I belatedly realized what I did...
Then I realized I wasn't in any pain at all, so I reluctantly stopped hiding my face with my arms and looked forward.
I notice someone standing in front of me, and it doesn't take long for me to recognize her by the exquisite white dress she's wearing, her silver hair, and sharp ears that are perked up in worry as she stares at me with an evident concern on her face.
"Master!"
Master? Huh? Who is it? Me? Ruu touched me all over my body while I was disoriented, saying something I couldn't hear properly, but I could tell she was concerned. As I realized this, I felt somewhat relieved that she was so devoted to me, but also ashamed that I had shown her my pathetic side. I have a concern in the back of my mind that she will take this as her superiority over me and will leave me alone.
"Master!"
It wasn't until she hugged me that I thought, well, I don't believe she'd do that to me. I have revealed my weaker side to her, yet her noticeable care for me indicates that she is really attached to me. I've succeeded in getting her emotionally attached to me, and I'm glad, but I can't be joyful since I know I misled her into being this way.
I understood I couldn't accomplish anything at this adventurer job. They said that the Park Rabbits are one of the weaker Ruin Monsters that even unregistered adventurers can handle, yet even I was afraid of them. Maybe if I do this often, I'll grow used to it, but for today, I don't feel like doing it right now.
It's been brief, but I'd like to leave this place right now. It's just ideal, since in my mindscape, the status screen that only I view shows information regarding Ruu's development.
[Ruu has leveled up!]
[Ruu has leveled up!]
[Ruu has achieved max level to her "Citizen" Class!]
[Class Promotion for the following members is now available; Ruu.]
[You got 2 PP!]
(Abilities)
[+] Brawl I
[+] Cooking I
[+] Sprint I
[+] (Learn New Ability)
"I'm fine Ruu... and thank you..." I made sure to tell her that after she calmed down.
After we had calmed down, we left the Ruins. Of course, we did not forget about the loot obtained from the creatures we defeated. It is one of the reasons we have come here. It's not just to grind levels for my only Guild Member, but also to make money.
Hopefully, I can do better tomorrow...
I think this is a good cutoff for this chapter.
This time, it's the introduction of the dungeons in this world, or as to what they call it, the Ruins. Well the term Ruins is just a simplified term for the Lost Region in this world, so it can either be called a Lost Region or the Ruins. I hope it is not that confusing, when I keep changing terms like that -_-
Next chapter will be a brief introduction of the loots, and hopefully a Class Promotion scene which is actually important because its the main gimmick of this story itself xD
Sorry for the infodumps, I am building the world at the same time as I am writing this, so I can't help but add it in.
Also, if you notice, I made another change to the status screen for the character. Well, those will occasionally occur when I felt like it is going to be troublesome, and I have to simplify it enough so it doesn't give me too much of a headache as I write the future chapters.
Anyway, that's all. Thank you once again for reading this story!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
The Adventurers' Association, or simply the Association, is the principal organization for all Ortegan adventurers. According to Donan, this group handles all things adventure-related. Requests from any organization, company, or individual are processed by the Association, and those who have not yet joined a Guild are considered linked with the Association.
Even unregistered adventurers can go to the Association if they have an adventurer-related issue that they want to be processed, such as selling loot from Ruin Monsters. Each district has its own Association branch, with the main one being in the central sector of this city, also known as the Alpia District. Along with their branches, they also have Association Hubs, which are smaller branches of the Association scattered all around each district for easy exchange of products, allowing them to process everything the city needs for any adventurer-related matters.
This is why, despite not registering as adventurers, we can enter the Association in this district and trade our loot for cash. We are currently at one of those Association Hubs, which is close to the ruins of Falmoore Park.
Now, simply remembering what I learnt about the Association made me realize how enormous Ortega is. Well, it wouldn't be called the Central Capital of the Continent if it weren't massive.
"Next please."
The call of the receptionist behind the desk jolted me out of my own thoughts, and I rushed towards the counter. Ruu followed me, clutching my hand.
"So, what can I do for you?"
"I'd like to sell these off."
I removed the pouch linked to my belt, which contained the loot from the Ruin Monsters we killed, and tipped it upright, displaying the contents on the table. Pale, crimson orbs hit the table with dull thuds, showing more than 10 of them to the receptionist. These orbs are known as Monster Cores. These are often the ones dropped by Ruin Monsters after they have been killed. I don't know much about it, but I've heard that there are many varieties of Monster Cores, and the price varies depending on which type. I haven't done any study on it yet since I'm more concerned with how much money I can make by selling it.
"Okay, please wait for a moment."
The female receptionist took the orbs I provided on the counter without inquiring where I acquired them, and then she placed them on a scale immediately behind the desk. The scale briefly shone, revealing a floating set of glyphs that I couldn't understand.
"Park Rabbit Cores... 15 in total... okay, miss, that will be a total of 18,750 Luz. Do you want to sell it right now?"
"Yes."
After my confirmation, she instructed me to wait a moment as she unlocked a drawer just below the counter and did something with it. It didn't take long for her to lay down some paper notes and some coins on top of them. Despite the fact that this planet is an Isekai, Ortega utilizes both coin and paper currency known as Luz. I was astonished when I received my first Luz bill in this world, but I soon got used to it.
"Please confirm the amount first."
I did this, counting the notes first, then the coins. If I recall right, their highest bill here is one million Luz. I believe those kinds of bills are commonly used by larger guilds and other bigger organizations here. For me, the largest bill I've ever held was a 10 thousand Luz bill. It couldn't be helped; Donan gave me those bills when I sold my personal stuff to him.
After informing the receptionist that I had counted correctly and there was nothing else, she bowed her head at a slight angle.
"Then, I hope you have a good day, miss. Next please..."
With that as parting words, we eventually exited the counter, allowing the line to progress. Ruu is silently following along with me, and I realize she is gripping the hem of my clothes since I had to use both hands to count the money we received.
Right, this is unexpected. I was not expecting to receive this much. I've heard that typical, unregistered adventurers only earn a thousand or two Luz every day, and it also depends on the sort of loot they obtained from the Ruins. I tried to be casual about it so as not to make the people on the other end of the line wait any longer, but when I heard her quote the amount we received from our latest plunder, I was genuinely taken aback.
This amount alone more than paid for Ruu's stay at the White Tavern. Because she is the one who earned it anyway, isn't it fine if I treat her with her own earnings?
"Ruu... are you feeling hungry?"
After a brief minute of staring at me, I heard a low grumbling sound coming from her tummy. She instantly dropped her face and curled her ears down, and I believe I saw her face get red. I can't help but chuckle with amusement. She's so adorable!
"I'll take that as a yes, then."
With that, instead of returning to White Tavern, I decided that we walk the streets and get some snacks from street vendors. We had a good time together, and seeing her smile joyously after getting her meat skewers was very lovely. After enjoying ourselves at the street food vendors, we went straight to our room at the inn where we were staying. When we got to our room, Ruu was still carrying a bag of meat skewers and eating them all by herself. She looked so cute doing that!
Well, I think I can tell her about it even as she is eating her meal. So as I sat on the bed, I immediately called out to her.
"So Ruu, before everything else, congratulations on reaching your peak at your current Class."
She tilted her head at me, still chewing on a tasty piece of meat off her skewer, as if my comments had bewildered her.
"Right, this is a secret, but other than the ability to release hidden potential within a person, I can also elevate their status to a new level. I call this a Class Promotion or a Class Change. It's one of the things I can do for you."
Even though it doesn't appear that she understood what I was saying, I can tell that she is now paying close attention to what I am saying. Still, I'll give her a simplified explanation of my abilities so that, hopefully, she will at least understand what I can do.
"You see, winning against a fight will raise your status in this world, but it doesn't display itself immediately. To even tap into this kind of potential, you will need to train yourself diligently and get luck on your side so you can discover this hidden potential." I paused for a bit, and seeing her gulped the last mest in the current meat skewer she has been eating with, I resumed after confirming that her full attention is only at me. "With my powers, I can quickly push that potential to the forefront, and give you the benefits of that potential as if you have already trained just to get to it. This is called Class Changing, and right now, you are eligible to ascend to a new Class!"
"... Ruu wants it!"
"Wait, there is more to it!" I raised a finger, stopping her as I was still not done explaining. "Ahem... anyway, it's not that simple. A person has multiple potentials within them, and I can only push one of those potentials to the forefront. These potentials are called Job Classes, and you can only choose one. After you choose it, you will be stuck in that Class. If you want to change Classes, then you need to reach the limit of that Class, and that can only be done through winning fights. Also, only I can do this!" I looked her straight in the eye after explaining all of that. "So, what do you think? If you want me to change your class, you have to tell me what kind of potential you're trying to achieve."
Hopefully, she grasped the absurdity I said. All of those were merely exaggerations laced with some facts regarding my cheat ability. She wouldn't even comprehend if I used the right terms for it. Game terminology would be incomprehensible to her, would it not?
Ruu stared at me for a moment before her eyes sharpened and her face settled into a serious expression.
"Ruu wants to be strong!"
... I see? No, I don't understand. What does she mean by "wanting to become strong!"? Almost any option for her will make her stronger!
"...I see...? But what type of strength are you looking for?"
I almost want to mention every available Class she can grow into, but I know she won't understand it. So I have to wait for her response and attempt to find something that is near to her preferences. Surprisingly, before I could act on that thought, she said something unexpected.
"Ruu wants power to protect Master!"
... Aahh! I felt my heart melt as she expressed care for me! I nearly want to embrace her tightly and stroke her head!
I see; she wanted to protect me. Then she required a tank ability, but which class would transform her into a tank?
No, that's not it!
She wants the strength that will protect me, which implies she wants to be so powerful that no harm can reach me. She wants a power so overpowering that no one can hurt me no matter what they do.
... At least, that's how I perceive her desire for her promotion.
"Okay, show me your hands."
With my remarks, she put the bundle of meat skewers she had been holding for a while now on the bed and raised her palms to me. I placed both of my hands on her presented palms and instructed her to close her eyes while I mentally operated my status screen.
Let's see, if she wants to be really powerful, I'll have to select a class that will complement her present skill set. Her [Brawl] talent is her only combat-related skill for now; thus, I should lean that way.
It took some time before I was able to shorten my options to three. With her [Brawl] ability, she can advance to become a Monk or a Martial Artist. Just those two alternatives provided her with a wide range of possibilities for weapon handling or unarmed combat skill. I haven't played the game in a long time, but at least I remember the names of the talents these two job classes can master, and their subsequent progressions are so ludicrous that it's not even funny.
The third one is called Dragoon. Dragoons reign supreme when it comes to crazy class progressions. They can utilize poles, which is what Ruu's current weapon can be classified as. This class is also extremely powerful, since every dragon-slaying mission in the game is accomplished swiftly when a Dragoon class character attempts it. Their class advancement is also ludicrous, with one example being Lord of Dragons, which, if I recall correctly from the description of this class, actually commands and summons various species of dragons.
Aren't dragons the ultimate sign of strength?
If she wishes, I can guide her through a similar class path.
However, unlike Martial Artist and Monks, which are both accessible after taking the Brawler class, Dragoons can only be picked from pole-wielding or tamer classes.
Is that what she wants? Unlike the two martial classes, who can wield any form of weapon, Dragoons are confined to a single type of weapon, and the game extensively implies that Dragoons rely on their dragons rather than their own talents!
I glance at her again, and I see her staring at me with immense expectation in her eyes. I'm not sure whether I'm just imagining it, but I believe she's trying to express how much she wants to be strong for my sake. So, if she desires personal strength, I suppose there is just one option.
[Would you like to promote Ruu (Citizen) into Ruu (Brawler)?] (Y/N)
Yes!
"Nn!?"
Ruu's body briefly lit as I mentally affirmed my choice for her. I am astonished; I did not expect this to happen. It also stunned me, as I was not expecting the sudden glow on her body that I naturally have to cover my eyes. When I finally open them again, I gaze at Ruu and see... Nothing truly changed about her appearance.
[Ruu has been promoted to the Brawler class!]
[You got 2 PP!]
(Abilities)
[+] Brawl I
[+] Cooking I
[+] Sprint I
[+] (Learn New Ability)
Okay, there is a change, but it cannot be seen physically by the average individual.
Ruu gently opened her eyes while I was thinking about that. Then she stared at her hands, tightening them briefly before saying something.
"Uooooh! Ruu... feels strong!"
Wait, she can sense the changes within herself?
... Oh right... If I recall properly, in the game, even without acquiring any skills, advancing a character's class allows them to complete a large number of quests owing to the sheer quantity of upgrades in their status that are concealed from the game.
Is it like this here? Do they get stronger just by progressing through a class?
... Okay, Yui, focus! I still need to do one more thing before we are done here!
"Don't get excited yet, Ruu; I can make you stronger with this!" I pointed my hand at her and chanted something nonsensical. "O World, destroy the chains that lock the power hidden within this humble soul!'
Okay... I know my chant is quite different than the previous one, but whatever. It's just for theatrics. It's not like Ruu will remember, right?
In any case, I accessed the status panel while uttering something embarrassing like that, selecting Ruu's panel and then selecting the "Learn New Ability" option on her status screen. Hopefully it gives something decent for her.
[This will cost you 3 PP, are you sure?] (Y/N)
Of course, yes!
[Ruu learned Throw Object!]
Throw Object? Is that useful?
The capability to accurately throw anything your hand can reach. Gives a slight correction bonus to thrown projectiles and gives a slight boost to your accuracy.
Wow... Even if I'm not sure how much this "slight boost" is, if I consider Ruu's performance earlier this morning, isn't this talent pretty powerful?
"Master! Ruu... feels so strong!"
... Whatever. If Ruu grows stronger, that's even better. I don't want to ponder too much and should just be happy that she's becoming stronger.
Okay, this is it for now. Next chapter will be more grinding, and hopefully not as infodumpy as the earlier chapters.
That will be all... I'll be going to sleep now.
Thank you for reading everyone, and I hope to see you in the next chapter too!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
The next day, we returned to Falmoore's Park Ruins to earn some money. Secretly, I also want Ruu to grind some levels so I can advance her Class again.
After a Class Change, a character's level is reset, and their level ceiling increases by 5. Surprisingly, the amount of EXP required for a character to level up does not increase even when they switch classes. As a result, grinding EXP in the early stage is rather easy. If this is the game, I can easily get Tier 5 characters in a single day.
Things were not the same in this world. It isn't like I'm just reading a text on what my character is doing on a phone screen. I am actually guiding a real person to do my bidding, and unlike in the game, where you simply have to wait a short time until a character automatically completes whatever goal they choose for themselves, Ruu must battle with her life on the line. It's the only way for her to level up.
It still makes me feel horrible just thinking about it, allowing a little child to fight for my sake, but Ruu appears to be rather eager. I'm currently standing on the sidelines, watching Ruu swing her wooden rod madly and strike the hopping monster rabbits precisely. Whenever she hit them, a noise similar to a spiked volleyball resounded as the rabbits were comically blasted away from the field.
And as expected...
[Ruu has leveled up!]
[You got 2 PP!]
Ruu's level increased after beating the rabbits. She easily reached her previous level from yesterday following the combat. This is only our third fight of the day, and it appears that if we keep this up, she will hit the maximum level for her Class before the end of the day.
"Master!"
Ruu called out to me, sprinting back to me with a big smile on her face. It's still odd to see her so cheerful since she seemed so miserable the day before. I'm not sure why she quickly got attached to me. Is it because of the food? Perhaps there is another cause for this?
"Good work."
As she approached me, I stroked the top of her head, and seeing her so pleased made me smile as well. Right. Ruu has been approaching me with nonverbal demands for head pats since our first fight with the rabbits this morning. It's fairly evident from the way she stares up at me with an upturned gaze, leaning her head closer to mine. So I ended up simply doing it, and now she seems to want it every time we finish a fight.
I really don't mind. If she wants it, then I will give her a lot of head pats!
"Ehehe~"
Yeah, this girl is so cute.
After that little headpat session, we split off to collect the loot from the monstrous rabbit she had defeated.
Oh... Lucky! We got a loot!
Aside from the monster cores that Ruin Monsters generally drop, they occasionally drop additional items linked to them. Consider this one, for example. In addition to the orb, a nicely folded pelt is lying on the ground. If my assumptions are true, I believe it is a rabbit pelt dropped by the Ruin Monster.
Of course, I take it. It's a bit too big for the pouch I currently have. This pouch is only for storing monster cores. If we get something like this again, I think we'll need a new bag to carry more of these loots.
When I checked Ruu's progress, I saw that she had already collected all of the orbs on the ground. She approaches me with an eager expression as she presents the orbs clenched in her fists.
In the end, after getting all of the orbs off her hands, we took a brief break and spent our time with me just headpatting her. After our little break, I took the opportunity to improve her status by having her learn new skills. Today, I decided to personally strengthen her anytime we had spare time, and I had enough PP. I could do this without being with her, but I want to reinforce the impression that only I can do this for her, so I'm doing it in front of her.
Otherwise, if I don't do it in front of her, I'll seem useless standing on the sidelines here.
I can't fight, and Ruu told me to basically leave all the fighting to her. If I keep doing this in the future, she might think I'm useless and abandon me to join another guild. Even if she has shown that she cares about me, I am nevertheless concerned that she might leave me alone. We've only been together for three days, so I can't expect to earn her full loyalty in such a short time. I have to keep making her rely on me!
At the same time, I want her to be as strong as possible; therefore, whenever I had the opportunity, I had her master new skills. It's important now because she is effectively demonstrating the impacts of my cheat ability to her.
If she is this strong with just her Tier 2 Class, how much stronger will she be if she advances to higher tiers?
This is why, after strengthening her, we continue our trek within the Ruins. While scouting for another hunting site, I'm looking at Ruu's new abilities in my mindscape.
The ability to move to an opponent's position with minimal footsteps while maintaining combat effectiveness. Gives a minor boost in speed and instantly corrects footsteps when approaching an enemy.
A fist technique that can knockout humanoid foes. Deals moderate damage to foes and inflicts stagger or stun when hitting an opponent's chin.
Those are the abilities she got after I used my PP on her. Although her sole weapon is the Amoranth Staff, she was given a talent that used her fist. I'm not sure when it will be helpful to her. She won't use her little fist to battle monsters, right?
"Master!"
As I glanced at her, I noticed that she was pointing somewhere. Then I notice another Ruin Monster that is distinct from the Park Rabbit in the direction she is pointing. It resembled a raccoon dog, with the only difference being its bright red eyes, many sharp teeth, and dangerous-looking claws. Being a Ruin Monster, it naturally possesses that strange form that gives the impression that it was a digital image that was forcefully shoved into the actual world.
Hmm... Well, I've been anticipating the spawning of a monster that looks like a dog or another regular park animal. According to some, Ruin Monsters fit well with the theme of the area where they initially emerged. Still, I don't expect I'll ever see an actual raccoon dog with this deadly appearance.
Ruu is looking at me expectantly, her gaze shifting from me to the distant creature that is moving around. I believe she might be strong enough to handle it, but I've never seen a creature like this before, so...
"Be careful, okay?"
"Nn!"
She then vanished from my sight, leaving only dust in her path as she went toward the raccoon dog creature. By the time I get a good look at that raccoon dog, she's already engaged with it.
Ruu swings her staff, intending to squash the creature, but the raccoon dog leaps from the air, evading it. Then she swung at it while it was in midair, and the raccoon dog yelped as she hit it, making a loud meaty sound as it was flung away to the side. Surprisingly, it survives, landing on its paws, staggering from the injuries but determined to fight as it lowers its body and displays its teeth, growling at Ruu.
Their second exchange went poorly because after a few strikes from Ruu that it dodged, it jumped again, and Ruu took advantage of that opportunity to perform something I did not anticipate. She bent her body low and then stepped forward as she swung her fist, planting her staff with her other free hand while her uppercut connected solidly with the monster's face.
The dying raccoon's yowl resounded as it flew into the sky, and when gravity grabbed hold of its carcass, its body disintegrated into wisps of light before it ever struck the earth. Ruu is in the forefront of the scene, standing there with one arm lifted as if she had won a competition.
Well... She looks adorable... However, it feels a little unsettling.
... Whatever, they are creatures who endanger the entire world, so I guess I must grow accustomed to their deaths...
[Ruu has leveled up!]
[You got 2 PP!]
Oh, so the raccoon dog provides more experience than the rabbits here, huh?
"Master!"
I already know what Ruu wants as she approaches me with the monster core that the raccoon dog monster dropped.
Yes, I'll have to compliment her again.
"Good job, Ruu."
I reached out to touch her head, which she had willingly extended to me. As I consider what to do next, I hear what I can only assume are murmurs of satisfaction from her.
So she is also capable of dealing with the raccoon dog monster. During their brief engagement, I note that the raccoon dog reacts faster than the rabbits. Does this imply that Ruu is capable of dealing with more powerful monsters in the park?
Well, I'd like to find out. I'm planning to hit the max cap for Ruu's class today so I can make her stronger, so I think staying is preferable. My hand is a bit preoccupied with carrying the rabbit pelt, but it's not like I have any bag with me right now, and it's not like it is bothersome. I'm not even fighting anyway, so I can just act as a baggage carrier while Ruu fights for me.
So, after satisfying her, we venture deeper into Falmoore Park.
Here is the next chapter. I hope you have fun with it too!
Sorry if it's quite short, I'll try to make something longer next time...
Thank you for reading this story, and I hope to see you again in the next chapter!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
It was not until almost dusk that we succeeded in our objective. As Ruu reached the peak of her Brawler Class, we also got several monster cores, and the pouch that was fastened to my belt grew so heavy that I could feel it on my hips. Along with that were other loots like rabbit pelts and an intact foot of a rabbit. I felt a bit queasy carrying it in my arms, but I endured because these could earn us money too.
Anyway, it took us so long because, if I recall correctly, the EXP needed for each level climbs exponentially. I don't see the numbers, but I believe the amount of EXP required jumps by at least 1.5 times or something. I vaguely remember because my cheat ability, for some reason, doesn't show me the exact amount of EXP needed for Ruu to level up. It only showed me a percentage and a bar, which doesn't even tell me anything!
Another reason is that we are constantly on the move. I don't have time to wait for a Ruin Monster to respawn, and there are other groups of adventurers hunting around us, reducing the number of Ruin Monsters we can kill if we stay in one spot. That is why we have to travel somewhere much less busy so we can hunt as many as possible.
Now that we're done, I'm just thinking about returning to where we came from when I discovered we'd gotten lost. It appears that we went a little deeper than I expected.
All around us is a vast area of clipped grasses, broken asphalt roads that lead nowhere, and sparsely spaced trees. I don't notice any people in my surroundings.
... This is strange... When I go around the enormous marble walls that encircle the outside of this ruin, I don't get the feeling that it is this big. Is the ruins' interior much larger than its exterior?
A tug on my clothes broke me out of my reverie, and I noticed Ruu peering up at me with worry.
Right... We should do something about this.
"... Ah, sorry Ruu, but do you know the way we took to get here?"
"Nn!" Ruu nodded at me enthusiastically.
"Oh, really? That's great; lead the way then!"
I'm so glad she knows how to get out of here that the feeling of shame that was almost rising in my gut has been replaced with relief that we can leave this hostile atmosphere. I don't want to spend the night in an environment populated with hostile life forms!
Ruu happily led me back to the original road we went, being sure not to approach too close to any other creatures in the distance. Now that we're merely strolling, I'm noticing how little these monsters' attention spans are. Despite the fact that nothing is covering our appearance, the pack of monstrous rabbits around us barely recognizes us as we walk by. It felt like they were some kind of robot that could only recognize us when we were near them. They don't behave like live beings at all!
All of my thoughts were interrupted as the yowl, similar to the sound of a blown trumpet, exploded into our ears. Without me noticing, I have been crouching on the ground, covering my ears throughout the shrieking sounds.
What? What is this noise? Is it coming from there?
I looked in the direction it came from and noticed a peculiar fog in the distance. I'm not sure why, but simply staring at that strange fog fills my heart with anxiety. It's a fog, yet there's something peculiar about it. Despite its lack of form, it appears to change forms. As if the fog were thinking on itself.
"Master!"
Hm? Ruu? Why does she look so scared? I can see practically all of her hair standing up as she reaches out to me, tugging on the hem of my sleeves as if urging me to come along with her, with desperation in her eyes...
I don't know what is happening, but it seems like that fog is bad news. If that is the case, we simply have to avoid it!
Fortunately, the fog only exists in that specific direction. It does not include our entire surroundings. So we can merely take a detour and go to the path that leads to the exit. We immediately go in the opposite direction of the fog, our steps brisk and rushed despite the fact that we are not running.
I sometimes glanced at the fog, noting how it seemed to remain motionless in that spot, covering that specific region alone as we moved away from it.
When we got a good distance away from it, my legs suddenly felt weak, and my knees involuntarily collapsed on the patch of grass I was standing on. I am not sure what is going on. I feel like I just escaped something life-threatening...
As I was taking a few soothing breaths, which I had just discovered had become irregular, I sensed Ruu moving in front of me, as if to protect me. I looked up and noticed metallic noises getting closer and closer to us.
"What is that?"
I hurriedly stood up, already convinced that something worse was on its way. After standing up, I looked beyond where Ruu was looking and saw a group of people in heavy armor approaching us. As I squinted my eyes to look at them clearly, I noticed a familiar symbol on their chestplate, as well as a coat of arms with eight curved lines encircling a circle in the middle, resembling a cyclone on their pauldrons. I'm not sure which group they specifically belong to based just on their coat of arms, but the insignia on their breast implies they are linked with the crown!
Wait, isn't this a Public Conquered Zone? What are Ortegan Soldiers doing here?
As I felt confused about their appearance, they finally got closer to us. The large man leading them stepped forward with a scary look on his face.
"You! State your affiliation right this instant!"
"Eeek!?"
What the heck!? I am not good at being shouted at! It reminds me of my father when he scolds me, or my boss from the company I last worked at!
Seemingly noticing my distress, I noticed Ruu tensing up too and noticed the way she was holding her wooden stick becoming threatening. It seemed like the soldiers noticed it too as they put their hands on the sheath of their blades.
"I-I'm Yui! Leader of Infinity!"
Before things escalated, I immediately responded while holding Ruu's shoulders with my hands. The loot I have been carrying on my arms is already forgotten below the ground, as I'm feeling more distressed at what the soldiers might do to us.
"A Guild Leader?" The large man muttered as he looked at me all over, then he shook his head. "Regardless, you are currently trespassing on an active military operation!"
Active military operation? Are they fighting something!?
"I-I..."
"Leave now! We have no time to waste for the likes of you!"
After saying so, the group of knights behind him moved towards us, encircling us. I can sense Ruu's shoulders tensing up in my hold, but I just held her there even while I felt like fainting being put in this situation.
"Yes sir! We are going to leave now!"
We tried to leave, and the knights seemed like they wouldn't block us out of our way out, though they were following us, as if to prevent us from even going deeper on this part.
... Wait, our loot!
"Uhmm..."
I tried to speak, but the large man who seemed to be the leader of this group glared at me.
... Right, I don't want to anger him any more than I can. It took some time, but we finally managed to return just before the skies turned dark. The knights stopped following us at a certain point. I continued walking towards the exit anyway even as I grew curious and glanced at their way, trying to discern why they stopped following us.
There, I noticed a thick red line on the ground filled with some sort of runic text separating the area beyond from here. Looking around me, I noticed that the other people who seemed to be unregistered adventurers like me didn't go beyond this thick red line that stretched beyond. I assumed these lines ended until they hit the walls surrounding this entire Ruins.
Surprisingly, before we passed by, it seemed like one of the knights carried the loot that I forgot from that place, and he handed it to Ruu before we passed that line. I just noticed because Ruu finally looked calm enough that she was leaning closer at me again.
In the end, both of us left the Ruins and went straight to the Association Hub so we could sell all of our loot. The total we got was more than a hundred thousand Luz, though I couldn't feel that happy as my mind was still preoccupied with the mystery of that fog and what those Ortegan Soldiers are doing.
As we were just returning to White Tavern so we could rest, Ruu suddenly stopped, which made me confused.
"... Ruu... will be stronger in the future!"
Huh... what? Where did this come from?
"Ruu...?" I walked towards her, feeling a bit concerned.
"Master!" I was startled when she suddenly looked up at me, her free hand clutching the hem of her skirt tightly as she gazed at me with determination in her eyes. "Ruu promised! Ruu will do Ruu's best to protect Master!"
... Is she worried about what happened at that time? She shouldn't be!
If I recall properly, Donan advised me not to antagonize people who worked for the crown. Each knight of the crown was comparable to high-class adventures, and registered adventurers are reported to be highly powerful in comparison to unregistered ones like ours.
I don't really know how much stronger they are, as I haven't seen them actually fight someone, but I have no reason to fight any people who worked for the government. That's basically rebelling against the authority of this city!
I don't want to become a criminal in this city! I practically live here!
Call me stupid or whatever, but even when I'm being quite sociable lately, I'm still an introvert at heart! I can't handle those kinds of people!
"Don't worry... we can't do anything about it. Those are people working for the crown. It will be bad if we antagonize them..."
So I said, but she just shook her head.
I am confused, but it seemed like she wouldn't elaborate anymore after I waited for her to explain herself, so I decided to shelve this question for later. For now, she seemed to be waiting for a different kind of response.
... Well, even if she doesn't say anything, I already plan to make her the strongest, so...
"Don't worry. Didn't I tell you? I'll make you so strong that you can eat anything you want so long as you follow my lead."
Those remarks seemed to be adequate, as she appeared to have calmed down after that. There was still a strange sense of determination in her eyes, but I think this is enough to satisfy whatever seemed to have bothered her.
Hopefully, she's not thinking of fighting against those soldiers. (Ruu's POV)
Ruu is grateful because of my Master!
Master is a great person who helped Ruu fill Ruu's hunger!
Without Master, Ruu will be dead!
Ruu is very grateful that Master trusts Ruu so much!
Even though Ruu is useless... Even though Ruu has been thrown away...
Master said Ruu is needed, so Ruu will do Ruu's best for Master!
Ruu swears that Ruu will do her best, but every time Master is always put in danger!
Just this afternoon, Ruu encountered a very strong enemy along with Master! It's the bad smoke that destroys everything!
Ruu can't beat the bad smoke yet! Bad smoke will kill Ruu instantly!
And then Ruu failed at protecting Master! Even scary metal people make Master scared!
Even though Ruu is protecting Master, Master is still scared!
Ruu doesn't like Master to be scared!
That's why Ruu will become stronger!
If Ruu is stronger, then Master is safe. When Master is safe, Master will give Ruu head pats!
Happiness is achieved if Ruu becomes stronger!
That is why Ruu has to become strong. Master said Ruu can unlock more power. Ruu accepts because Ruu wants power!
When Master holds Ruu's hand, a warm feeling spreads on Ruu's body.
Then, Ruu feels so strong once more!
But Ruu thinks it's not enough!
Ruu needs more power!
When morning comes, Ruu will hunt disappearing prey! Master said Ruu will become strong if Ruu hunts successfully!
Ruu will always protect Master because Master trusts Ruu!
Please wait, Master; Ruu will do everything to make Master happy!
Another short chapter... sorry, but this chapter is bit harder for me to write...
Hopefully it is still enjoyable.
Anyway, the mystery about what happened in this chapter might be explained in the next chapter, or maybe in the future chapters... well, it depends on how I write it...
I hope you have fun, and also look forward to the next chapter too!
That will be all everyone. Thank you for reading once again, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
The following morning, after breakfast, we go to Donan's General Store. I'm here to buy new adventurer tools and items like a bag and to pay the loaned weapons given to me in full.
"Huh, ya serious!?"
Well, I know we are acquaintances at most, but it might be because he is the first person to even talk to me in this world that I just end up telling him what we did in the Ruins as I browsed through his displayed products. He looked quite shocked when I got to the part where we encountered the fog.
"Yer quite lucky lass. People normally doesn't leave that place alive if they encounter a Lost Monster..."
"Lost Monster...?"
I think I heard the term somewhere, but I can't quite remember what it meant.
"... Oh right, ya don't know. I always forgot yer a victim of a Lost Incident." He shook his head in disappointment before continuing.
He explained what the Lost Monsters are. According to him, unlike the Ruin Monsters, these monsters originated directly from the Lost Phenomenon.
Does it contradict what he already told me at that time?
Actually, it doesn't!
The Lost Phenomenon occurs when space suddenly distorts. This distortion causes a certain environment to be replaced by a strange, unsettling version of itself that cannot be recovered. A generally accepted explanation about the Lost Phenomenon is that these strange replacements are remnants of a long-lost civilization that have been haphazardly inserted into our current reality. The exact cause is unknown, although it does lend plausibility to the presence of the Lost Monsters.
When a Lost Phenomenon occurs, it releases a clump of otherworldly particles known as Ruin Particles. In higher quantities, individuals will see these malevolent particles as a moving, murky fog. Just coming into contact with that type of fog will corrupt a living being, transforming them into Corrupted Entities.
Lost Monsters are said to be monsters natural to the world that replace the original piece of reality that was impacted by the phenomenon. Lost Monsters, like the Lost Phenomenon, create Ruin Particles around their bodies. Their appearance was equally extraordinary. When compared to Corrupted Entities, who resembled deformed organisms from this world, or Ruin Monsters, who resembled poor imitations of the living species found in this world, Lost Monsters appear completely foreign. In fact, they appear to be out of place, even at the location where they were spawned.
"... Wow, you know a lot of stuff Donan... Oh yeah, I'd like this bag, please."
"Heh, this is just common knowledge in this city, lass. Even that kid knows what it is." He smirked as he looked at the bag I presented on the counter. "And that will be 5,000 Luz."
I see, so Ruu knows about it too?
I glanced at Ruu and saw her perk up before nodding at me.
Now I understand why she was distressed when we encountered that fog. So that's what Ruin Particles looked like, huh...
"Still, I can't believe the kid has it in her. It makes me wonder why she was even thrown on that dump..."
Ahaha... It's actually because of me. Well, I can't really tell him about my powers. He's not even part of my Guild, so it will be foolish if I do that.
"Didn't I tell you? I told you she can do it. I know a talent when I see one!"
It's a lie, but whatever. I will be using this kind of excuse in the future anyway when I recruit more people, so I think starting now will help me solidify the impression that I can do just that.
"Yeah, ya did say that." A wry smile formed on his lips. We talked for a bit more as we browsed his products on display until we finally felt satisfied. During our talk, I also blurted out about the Ortegan Soldiers within the public ruins and the red line separating the major part of those Ruins from the part near the entrance. He just laughed at me when I complained about that and then told me that it was quite normal for the army to cull the number of Lost Monsters from the Ruins they managed.
The red line is a barrier that prevents Lost Monsters from passing through. This is why only Ruin Monsters spawn in the areas that were open to the public. I see... So beyond that red line is a dangerous area, and only military personnel are permitted to step foot on it, huh?
If that is the case, then we will only limit ourselves to the public areas and not go past that red barrier. It's quite a simple thing to do, so I have no complaints about it.
"Okay, time to start another hunt!"
I was just getting thrilled about the possibility of earning more money starting today, especially since I had just advanced Ruu's class yesterday, when I was abruptly halted by Ruu.
"Master... Ruu wants to hunt alone!" She said as she stood in front of me, looking up at me with a serious expression... wait what!?
"...Uh, Ruu, what do you mean?"
"Ruu... wants Master to be safe, so Ruu will hunt alone!"
Oh, is that so?
... Well, she has a point there. I have not been doing anything since yesterday, and it seems like she caught on to the fact that I am quite useless other than my on-the-spot updates of her Class.
It's not like I am needed to be there, right? She's the one fighting anyway, so why not leave it to her?
But I can't!
What if she gets hurt? Or what if this is just a ploy so that she can leave me now that she is strong?
So I stand there, both of us still in front of the entrance of Donan's store, as I think about how to reply to her. Outright denying her request might cause her to hate me, but just letting her go on her own... I am still unsure about it...
"Just let the girl do it, lass."
Donan suddenly said behind us.
Just let her do it?
"Master..."
The way Ruu looks at me pleadingly... But if she leaves me alone, I will be pretty devastated...
What should I do?
"Are ya questioning the loyalty of a wolf type Zoan?"
I turn to Donan and see him looking at me with a shake of his head.
"Garms are known for their loyalty. Even Zoans derived from Garms inherited this kind of mentality. A young wolf girl like her is telling ya that she will protect ya, so just accept it as it is and let the kid on her way."
Garms? Is that their version of wolf people in this world? Wait, he said she is a Zoan derived from them... So does that mean Garms are actual wolves!?
Okay, that thought is irrelevant to what's happening right now. Focus, Yui!
Donan claimed that wolf girls like Ruu are loyal. Does that mean she meant what she actually said?
I noticed Ruu staring at me with an uneasy expression. She has both hands squeezed into fists as she looks at me with honest and expectant eyes.
... Right, rejecting such an earnest look will be bad.
I should learn to trust her... Right?
"...Okay... I'll let you go, so just... please be careful on the ruins."
That's right. We only knew each other for four days, but Ruu has always been extremely supportive of my decisions. She doesn't whine and just enjoys being offered good meals. I should stop believing that she would desert me just because she is now stronger than she was before I recruited her!
"... Yes, Master!"
She smiled brightly at me after I gave her permission to hunt alone.
... Still, I can't help but feel anxious...
"Ruu." She looked up at me, waiting for my words patiently. "Remember not to cross the red barrier, okay?" She nodded, and I just realized something, so I reminded her. "Also, you shouldn't forget about the loot after killing the monsters... Oh, and don't follow strangers. Also also, you should return before the outside goes dark... and that's right, you shoul--"
"Can ya do this somewhere? Y'all blocking the door, y'know?"
"Ah! Sorry!"
I hastily moved aside, only to realize that I had been wasting our time spouting rubbish because I was concerned about Ruu's safety. I took a long breath to calm myself.
"... Sigh... right, just be careful, okay?"
"Yes, Master!" Ruu nodded at me enthusiastically.
After that, I finally let her go.
... Oh right, I just realized, what should I do now that I am not going to the Ruins? Should I just go back to the inn?
Right... I think I'll just wait for Ruu to come back. Hopefully she comes back... Ugh no, she will come back! I just have to believe!
It took me a few minutes just standing there before I finally decided to return to the White Tavern.
I hope Ruu doesn't get hurt. (Third Person POV)
The streets of the Northern Falmoore District were crowded. People of many races wandered the streets, and a few carts were drawn by beasts like rhinoceroses on the main roadways of this street. Loud, bipedal humanoids with complete animal traits barked at the throng to buy their items, while customers such as humans and stout-bodied donums walked to their various destinations.
Ruu, a member of the unauthorized guild Infinity, moved among the diverse throng of these bustling streets, passing through the wall of bodies with ease thanks to her newfound flexible control of her body. Her wolf ears perked up anytime she heard the sounds of sizzling from the food stall's grills, and the growl of her stomach caused her to pause occasionally, but she resumed her steps despite those temptations.
It took some time, but she eventually arrived at a wide area enclosed by huge marble walls. Its appearance was extremely different from the structures around this commercial zone, which were quite flamboyant and predominantly painted in white. If one looked above the walls, they would discover a translucent dome encompassing the inside of the region bounded by the walls.
Unlike the last street, the entrance to this one was jammed with armed people, both humans and other humanoids. There were individuals who were covered in armor from head to toe, as well as those whose figures were highlighted, some of whom were overtly tempting. Some of them wore light clothing, while others were laden with multiple weapons or carrying enormous sacks as if they were pack mules. Many just wore leather gear, a gambeson, or carried various types of iron weapons, but they lacked something that the other side, who wore better and more complete gear, possessed.
They lacked pendants with distinct symbols on each of them.
Ruu recognized the pendants worn by those in better gear. Those were the "Guild Emblems," which denoted that they were members of a guild. Those who don't have these pendants are the same as her; they aren't members of a formal guild.
She remembered some of her clanmates wearing something similar. She had hoped to grow up and become a member of the guild that their clan operated, but after her direct parents died, she was tested and pronounced useless. Their clan does not accept individuals who are unable to contribute; therefore, she was discarded, and her tail was severed as a symbol of cutting off any ties to them.
She shook her head. She realized such ideas were pointless because she couldn't go back to that day. Instead, she strengthened her resolve to assist her new Master. The one who accepted a useless person like her.
She proceeded straight to the massive gates leading to the Falmoore Park Ruins. She strolled past the armed mob on the side before entering the Ruins, oblivious to the guard, who likewise stood there ignoring her.
The air around her became muted as soon as she reached the Ruins. The fragrance of Falmoore's busy streets, freshly baked pies, and grilled meat had all been replaced by this stale air that seemed unpleasant to her nose. Despite the fact that the region resembles a recreational park, the scent of nature does not dominate her sense of smell. Everything about the place was incorrect. Even the sky appeared twisted, as did the uneven pavements that worked as highways to nowhere, or the haphazardly arranged trees with leaves of varying shapes and sizes, as well as branches of varying hues and lengths that created an unsettling effect.
She did not waste time after entering the Ruins. She traveled straight on a random path, past other people who were seeking their own monsters. Her Master would constantly avoid crowded locations, which perplexed Ruu, but she didn't say anything at the time. Now that she was alone, she could hunt more comfortably near other adventurers, as long as she did not take their prey.
So when she spotted an unattended Park Rabbit in the distance, she dashed towards it, brandishing her long stick. Even if she was abandoned as a worthless person, she at least knew that explorers would not intervene if they spotted someone already fighting. They had an unspoken agreement, so she felt comfortable capturing this prey without getting into problems.
She moved like the wind, her footsteps swift as she approached the bunny. When she drew near, her hand was already swinging her stick downward.
*SPLAT*
The eerie rabbit monster's body splattered on the ground, spreading pinkish gore on the grasses before dissipating into wisps of smoke. After the rabbit's body vanished, it was replaced by a single crimson orb the size of a thumb. Ruu kneeled down and grasped it, bringing it over her head and staring at it as she reflected on her uselessness in the past and how much she had changed in such a short time.
She clutched the orb hard, her eyes bright with excitement. For the first time, Ruu smiled like a predator.
It was time for her to hunt!
Sorry, this is the only chapter I can upload for today...
Anyway, I hope this chapter is fine. It's a bit hard writing a few sections of this chapter because I can't get satisfied with the results, so it took me so long before I finally feel satisfied with this version.
What do you think? Is it getting better?
... Anyway, thank you for reading the story, and I hope you have fun with this chapter too!~
See you on the next chapter!~
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If that is the case, then we will only limit ourselves to the public areas and not go past that red barrier. It's quite a simple thing to do, so I have no complaints about it.
Although that does raise the question of how they ended up on the wrong side of it in the first place. Are there gaps, or were they just very inobservant / distracted?
Now, if you had a second follower, you could train them up as a party of three for a few days then leave them in Ruu's care. She'd have someone (weaker than her) to watch her back.
Although that does raise the question of how they ended up on the wrong side of it in the first place. Are there gaps, or were they just very inobservant / distracted?
The MC, Yui, is not as observant as she thinks she is. She just noticed that there is a red barrier there after they got forcefully pushed away from that area.
I mean I know it, and watched the earlier episodes when I was a child, but I haven't really kept up with it for years now because I'm not that interested... so yeah...
I mean I know it, and watched the earlier episodes when I was a child, but I haven't really kept up with it for years now because I'm not that interested... so yeah...
I think so... Zoan is just another term for animals, so I just pick that as it sounds cool and it sounds thematic for the beastmen's version of this world.
But I am also aware of Zoan-type devil fruits, so that fact alone might also have influenced my choice about it.
I think so... Zoan is just another term for animals, so I just pick that as it sounds cool and it sounds thematic for the beastmen's version of this world.
But I am also aware of Zoan-type devil fruits, so that fact alone might also have influenced my choice about it.
Since I returned to our room in the White Tavern, that prompt has kept appearing in my mindscape; it is unfortunate that I cannot see what Ruu is doing in real time, but it does indicate that Ruu is doing well in her solo dive.
I can not stop worrying, though. I know I only recently promoted her class to the third tier. I chose the Martial Artist class for her specifically because, unlike Monks, who, if I recall correctly, only have skills with fancy-sounding names that essentially boil down to unarmed combat, Martial Artists can equip anything. They also have a plethora of abilities that they can learn.
Of course, this is only true if my power is based on the same logic as the game it was inspired by. If my power follows its own progression, I am not sure if it has the same skill set within its class as I expect. Fortunately, it is doing what I expect of it, but I should not be too confident because it has only been three days since I used my ability on someone.
I will have to test it for at least a month and with at least three people before I am confident it is working the same as the one in the game, because if it is not, all of my knowledge about their future progression will be useless, and I will have to wing it as I improve them.
Anyway, I know Ruu has gotten stronger when I raised her Class to Martial Artist, but I don't know... not seeing it directly makes me anxious... ... Or maybe I'm just feeling restless since I am not doing anything?
Right, she has those new abilities, correct?
A martial art for the specific usage of long sticks. Gives minor correctional bonus for attacking using staves, and give minor boost for blunt damage using staves.
Move around like a gentle stream of water!
Gives minor bonus on movement speed, and minor boost for stealth movements.
She got some really good abilities. Adding her existing abilities and referring to her accomplishments from the previous day, I am confident she can handle herself...
But still...
"Argh! I should just stop thinking so much about it!"
Finally, I rose up from my bed and exited my room. Just being cooped up in my room would make me restless all day. I should try to do something constructive while waiting for Ruu to return! (Third Person POV)
Ruu dodged the pounce of the raccoon dog monster going for her head, disregarding the assailant who sailed past where her head used to be, while she quickly parried the next attack from its other partner raccoon dog. Fangs met wood, and the sturdiness of her stave won as she managed to swing her staff on her back, hitting the raccoon dog that had just fallen from behind her with the other raccoon dog that was still trapped biting on her stick, causing both beasts to cry in pain.
Before she could take advantage of the two dazed monsters, her ears perked up as a sharp sound from above swung through the air towards her. She instantly shifted how she held her stick, shifting her hands so neatly as she spun, using the momentum she gained from that little action as the force of her stick to strike the hidden assailant attacking from above. The crow's wail echoed as a meaty sound resounded from the connection between her swinging stick and the bird monster's body. Black feathers fell from the contact area, and the bird monster splattered on the ground, spreading its pinkish intestines, which swiftly vanished as it disintegrated into wisps of smoke.
Then she turned around to see that the two Ruin Monsters had already recovered from the concussion she had given them. The two raccoon creatures quickly dashed to flank her, and with quick thinking, Ruu charged directly at one of them before they could finish their flanking maneuver, changing the way she handled her stick into a swinging motion. Her speed outpaced the beast's awareness, and before it knew it, her Amoranth Stick smacked squarely into its side, hitting it like a golfer.
As the beast flew into a parabola as its body dissipated into wisps of vapor, she wasn't idle as she altered how she held her stick and utilized the buttocks of her long rod to swing back, swatting away the other beast that attempted to creep behind her. The raccoon dog monster evaded her first attempt by jumping into the air, but as if she had planned it, she tightened her grip on her stick and thrust precisely where it was in midair. The raccoon dog monster was blown away with a sound similar to a bubble popping. It rolled on the ground before coming to a halt as it slipped on the uneven pavements of this strange environment. Before it could leave its bloody smear on the grass, its carcass vanished and was replaced with a crimson orb.
Ruu remained in her pose for a while, her triangular wolf ears twitching as she listened to her surroundings. When she was certain that there were no more hostiles in her surroundings, her posture lightened. She enthusiastically turned around, expecting to be praised by her Master, but the lack of Yui's presence swiftly reminded her that she was doing a solo dive of this Ruins. Her ears drooped in sadness, but she swiftly recovered as another idea sprang to her.
'If Ruu returns with lots of shinies, Master will praise Ruu a lot!~'
That notion prompted her to quickly gather the crimson orbs left by the Ruin Monsters' deaths. It didn't take her long to gather the three monster cores and a feather from the Dark Crow. She placed the monster cores in the pouch attached to the utility belt her Master purchased, while the feather was placed in the backpack firmly fastened on her back. It still amazed her that she could move nimbly despite wearing such a cumbersome backpack. It felt like she could move freely regardless of what she was wearing.
Before she could depart, she frowned as she felt eyes on her. She looked to one side and noticed one of the groups of adventurers staring at her, who swiftly turned around when she looked at them. She tilted her head and furrowed her brows, wondering why they were looking at her. It happened recently during her hunt through the public areas of these Ruins. When she was on her sixth hunt, she later noticed some people's attention being directed at her. She couldn't understand, and being a slum-dweller for many years who was scorned by those living outside slums, she doesn't want to interact with them. So, once she had gathered all of the loot from the monsters, she quickly left the scene. She was slowly realizing that maybe, even when the adventurers weren't interfering with her hunts, her Master might have a point when they avoided the adventurer groups at the time. Ruu continued her journey in the Ruins, defeating enemies such as Park Rabbits, Wild Raccoon Dogs, and Dark Crows until dusk. She looked at her haul for today and was pleased with the amount of loot she received. Seeing her bag stuffed with pelts, skins, and other loots from the hundreds of creatures she had slaughtered, she felt content as she finally decided to leave this Conquered Zone.
"Master will give Ruu lots of pats!~"
Her steps were light as she sang in a cheerful tone. Today had been amazing, and she could feel improvements within her body as she won her fights against those Ruin Monsters. She would have felt better if not for the occasional adventurers who gazed longer than necessary for her comfort, but other than that discomforting experience, she was satisfied.
After walking on the quickest path back to the exit of this Ruins, she finally arrived back to the city, leaving the Ruins for today. She moved quickly towards the familiar route leading to the White Tavern, avoiding the crowds in Falmoore's still-busy streets as nightfall approached. She had one goal in mind: to see her Master and receive praise from her.
It didn't take her long to arrive at the three-story structure, which was mostly painted white. She pushed open the doors and entered without hesitation. The receptionist at the counter gave her a quick glance before just nodding when she recognized her. She bowed her head, unused to being greeted in a proper place, and hurriedly shuffled her steps towards the stairs leading to the second story. Then, after continuing and passing a few rooms down the hallway, she arrived at a door with the number "207" on it. She opened the door, her cut-off tail hidden beneath her skirt wagging as she recognized the familiar scent of the sole person who recognized her potential among the impoverished residents of this district within this room.
Those beautiful, tired-looking green eyes blinked as they were directed at her form as she entered this room, and the woman sitting on the chair, as well as the book and magic pen on the table, indicated she was busy with something, before that surprised gaze quickly turned mellow as her normally impassive expression changed into a small smile.
"Welcome back, Ruu." Her Master stood up as she spoke and moved towards her, who had just entered the room.
"Master!~"
Ruu, eager to please the one who accepted her useless self, hurriedly unlatched the bag behind her, undoing the clasp on its front and then lifting the cover up, revealing its contents to her Master with delight.
"Ruu gathered lots!~"
Yui cast a cursory glance at the contents of the bag, and the widening of her eyes made Ruu glad, especially when her Master's surprise immediately transformed to joy, her hand already reaching out to her head, which she eagerly presented.
"Good job, Ruu. You did great!"
Ruu was delighted to be praised. Without her Master, she wouldn't be able to perform all of this. She was grateful that her Master had taken her from that terrible area and made her the first member of the Infinity Guild.
Ruu is happy with her life right now. (Yui's POV)
Ruu's diligence resulted in our guild earning more than two hundred thousand Luz in cash. Thankfully, Ruu came to me first before exchanging the loot she got at the Association Hub, because I'm afraid she'd get in trouble if she did it alone. After that, we ate a lot at the White Tavern and eventually let Ruu sleep in the bed.
As for me, I'm still awake, writing everything in my book. I went back to Donan's shop a while ago to talk to him about many topics while also purchasing some essential items, such as this amazing pen and this notebook. Donan is my only acquaintance in this city, so I only want to talk to him. Then I write everything I learned in a notepad, as well as anything crucial in our future, so that if I forget, I have a book to remind me.
There is a book for general knowledge, a book for adventurers, a book for random items and my own thoughts and goals, and another book dedicated solely to the operation of my [Infinite Class System]. I'd need all of them if I wanted to help my Guild Members. This day alone made me aware I can't fight along with my Guild Members. If I want to be useful as a Guild Leader rather than merely a glorified authority figure for improving my members, I must do something else that will benefit them.
I cannot guarantee that I will recall everything in the future. Some details of the game version of my cheat ability are also slipping through my mind. I know I am still in the "Initial Phase" of the class progression, and it will be a long time before we reach the "Grinding Phase" and, in the future, the "Meme Phase." Aside from that, I forget most of the game's details, such as whether there are other ways to level up a class outside battling monsters and how many skills are available in the game.
Well... There are infinite skills in the game, but I know there are broken skills in there, such as true supernova invocation and black hole summoning, among many other broken powers. I don't quite remember how I can get to that point other than by selecting the mage class progressions.
Ruu isn't even following the mage path. She is currently in the Martial Artist class progression. So, if I remember correctly, the typical progression would be Martial Arts Expert, Martial Arts Master, Martial Arts Grandmaster, Martial Arts Sage, and finally Martial Deity. The next step will be to choose whether to become a Martial Daoist or a Divine Taoist. There are other variants throughout those class changes, but I don't recall most of them because I didn't follow their class progression tree during the time I played the game.
I know that Ruu can learn techniques like "Death Punch" and "Buddha's Palm" on this path, but I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly. Regardless, I need to write it all down so I don't forget!
I also need to think about our future!
Ruu has proven her ability to hunt alone in the Ruins. Even while Falmoore Park is recognized for being beginner-friendly so that even citizens can try it, her performance alone outperforms the average by a hundred times!
The next step is quite clear then... I need to recruit another member for our guild!
But there's an issue. I am still an unregistered guild, and I am certainly an unregistered adventurer!
Nobody will join me unless I have a Guild Emblem or a Guild Pendant with that emblem. My first week has shown me that people don't care if I don't have any qualifications.
So, should I just go to the slums then?
Well, it's a viable alternative. People in the slums are desperate. Ruu alone demonstrates how horrible their situation is. However, I feel uneasy about doing so. I basically manipulated Ruu into feeling grateful for me!
Can I do that to someone again?
... No, actually. I just can't. I don't want to deceive the other members the way I did Ruu. If I want people to join my guild, first I need to register it!
Then, I will go to the slums and officially recruit the children there in order to strengthen them like Ruu!
Not only that, but I plan to recruit a large number of unfortunate people from the slums. I will take the elderly, children, the crippled, and even those deemed useless! My cheat ability can strengthen anyone, no matter who they are! Even Ruu quickly gained strength, so why can't they?
So, while this may sound shameless, I will have to rely on Ruu for the next few days before considering hiring a new member!
If I use Ruu's current earnings as an average, I believe it will only take a week for us to accumulate enough to register into an official guild.
This is just right. I intend to make Ruu the main captain of my guild. So grinding more levels solo will give her an advantage over the other potential members of our guild. She will act as their senior, so she must be stronger than them!
As I sat there spending the entire night penning all my thoughts, a plan began to emerge in my head.
I'm so sorry this chapter took so long!
I am unsatisfied with what I wrote yesterday so I deleted a lot of parts and replaced them with what you can see in the chapter now. After a few polishing, I finally managed to finish this chapter...
Sorry again for the delay in update, I'll try to do better next time...
Anyway, it won't take long before new members join the Infinity Guild. We are getting closer to it!
I hope you look forward to it~
That will be all. Once again, thank you for reading this story, and see you again in the next chapter everyone!~
P.S. If you'd like to support me, you can go to my Ko fi HERE and leave a donation. Thank you in advance and I hope you have a good day everyone!~
