Ah, this sucks.
Those were the thoughts that crossed my mind as I lay dying, blood pooling around my body. Was blood always this red? Did I always have this much of it? Ah well, guess it doesn't matter.
The weird part was that I didn't feel any pain. Everything was just numb, like my body was covered in a latex glove. Was that normal? I don't know, I've never died before.
But it wasn't as bad as I thought, I mostly just felt exhausted. My eyes grew more and more tired as the seconds passed, my eyelids felt heavier than they ever had. Guess this is it huh?
Turning my head, my beautiful bald head, I see the reason for my death. It was some dude, a tweaker if his appearance was anything to go by. He was robbing some little girl and her mother at knife point, probably to supply his next fix, and I just had to step in.
Naturally, I got stabbed. A couple of times in fact. Unfortunately for him, I gave as good as I got. When his knife was firmly lodged into my body, I grabbed his arm to prevent him from moving and used my other hand to grab his throat.
And I squeezed.
I got a pretty strong grip I'll have you know. Crushed his windpipe easy enough. Do I feel bad for killing someone? No, not really. Should I? Maybe, but I don't. He was threatening to kill a child afterall, so he can go fuck himself with a cactus.
They were fine it seems. The mother, or at least who I assumed was the mother, was on the phone. Ambulance? Too late. That second stab went right in my liver. Nothing for it now.
The little girl was looking at me with fear in her eyes. Fear and sadness. She knew, even if her mother didn't. She knew I wasn't going to make it. I didn't want her last memory of me to be whatever sorry face I was making.
So I smiled.
Her eyes widened, but at least she didn't look so sad now. That was good. Honestly, it wasn't such a bad way to die. Would people see me as a hero? Or just some idiot who butt in where he shouldn't have.
Ah, what do I care? I'm dead. They can say whatever they want about me. Hope they never see my hard drive though. My mother's heart couldn't take it.
My vision was starting to blur. Guess this is it. I get to see which religion was right, if any. So that's something. Hope it isn't one of those preachy ones, or the ones that go door to door and interrupt a perfectly good afternoon nap.
As my eyes closed for the final time I was able to make out one last thing. One final visage that made my heroic sacrifice worth it. That little girl, whose name I would never know, was smiling back at me. It was nice. Hope she has a long, happy life filled with plenty of reasons to make that face.
Those were my final thoughts before the darkness took me.
Ushio Tenma died at 7:45 P.M on March 24.
Ushio Tenma woke up at 7:45 A.M on March 25.
***Line Break***
An alarm clock sounded off inside a small bedroom. It was the sound that heralded a new day and eliminated the past. It was the doom of many a deep and restful sleep. There was also another thing it was…
Loud!
Grumbling, I clumsily reached for the annoying sound that had roused me from my slumber. I could feel it, that blocky shape, but for the life of me I couldn't find the off switch. Maybe because it was a button? Who knows.
Left with no other alternative, I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry, but slowly, through much blinking, the world came into focus. And that's when I found it, the culprit responsible for waking me at this completely normal hour.
Finally hitting the off button, and not the snooze button cause the snooze button is for pussies, I silenced my foe for another day. Tomorrow would signal another battle, but I would be ready for it.
Probably…
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I happily stretched my body. The small little aches and pains from a shitty bed leaving me. Wait a minute, shitty bed? I don't have a shitty bed.
Looking down at my sleeping apparatus, I found that yes, I have a shitty bed. It was a sad, worn down thing that wouldn't look out of place in a budget porno flick. And was that a spring poking out? Why was I sleeping on this thing?
No answer came to me. Looking around the room, it was a familiar derelict building that was completely unfamiliar to me. What was going on? It was like trying to remember a night you spent drinking enough to kill your liver.
Well I wouldn't figure anything out just lazing about in bed. Standing up, I headed for the bathroom, knowing exactly where it was even though I don't remember ever using it before.
All this thinking is giving me a migraine. I'm sure the reason will make itself clear when I'm either drunk or taking an extra long shower. You know, to wash my hair… That I don't have.
Shut up. My business is my business.
Entering the bathroom, which was just as bad as I didn't remember, I could finally relieve myself. Good, cause I was about to burst. Grabbing my mighty greatsword, I unleashed a fierce golden attack upon the unsuspecting toilet. Cue victory anthem.
Flushing, I made my way to the sink. After washing my hands I looked at myself in the mirror. Green eyes, handsome, and fantastically bald. Same old, same old. But that's when I made a few new discoveries. Some of them startling.
One, I was naked. Not surprising, that's how I usually sleep. Unless I was at a friend's house and only if that friend wasn't of the female variety. If she was, then chances are I was very naked. Or at least wanted to be.
Two, there was a floating box above my head with my name on it. That one threw me for a loop. I don't remember signing up for whatever that was. Or did I? I never read those terms of service pages. Was this Apple's doing? Am I going to end up as a HumancentiPad?
And three, there were a couple of scars on my torso. Right in the places I was stabbed to death. Oh right… I died. Weird how you can forget some things, am I right? You'd think I could remember my death at least, but no.
Ok, deep breaths Ushio, deep breaths. It's fine, you just died is all. You got better, no need to panic. Ah who am I kidding? If there was ever a more appropriate time to panic, I'd sure like to know. Cause I can't think of one.
After what felt like eternity I was finally able to calm myself. Normally, I would need a hit of that good stuff to feel this calm, but I suppose finding out you're alive after dying does the trick as well.
So what happened. Think! You were stabbed multiple times. I remember that part vividly. There was so much red. That kid and her mother. Were they alright? They should be, I ripped that guy's throat out. I mean, not literally, it was still in his body, just not functioning properly anymore.
I remember slowly bleeding out, my eyes drooping, and getting a nice smile right before I died. Then there was nothing, guess every religion got it wrong. Not sure if that makes me happy or not, because there was fuck all nothing after death. Or do I not remember? That was certainly a possibility. Let's go with that. Lessens the existential dread I was feeling.
After that, the next thing I remember was that alarm clock and waking up here. So am I dead? Is this the afterlife? Cause if it is, talk about a ripoff!
Taking another deep breath, and closing my eyes, I tried to center myself. I have no idea how to meditate, never tried it before, but right now, it sounds like a pretty good idea.
Breathe, in and out, in and out. Breathe until there is nothing of you left. Let the world melt away into nothingness and become one with the universe. Just breathe. In and out, in and out.
It seemed to be working. I could slowly feel my consciousness leaving me. I was becoming nothing and everything. The alpha and the omega. The first and the last. I am-
*Ding*
…The fuck was that?
Opening my eyes, I was greeted to another strange sight. There was a second floating, shimmering box. Not over my head this time, but right in front of my eyes. Close enough that I could easily read the text.
You have unlocked the Skill Meditation.
Excuse me? Meditation? What the fuck does that mean? The translucent box shifted, and new text appeared.
Meditation 1/100
By controlling your breathing and slowing your heart, you enter a state of calm, allowing you to increase Stamina, Health, and ? regeneration.
-Current regeneration rate: 3%
-Increases passive regeneration of Stamina, Health and ? by 0.2%
"Guess that's a thing. Am I sure I'm not dead? I thought I was but now…" I trailed off. What exactly is going on? Am I hallucinating? Am I in a secret lab?
Congratulations! By discovering your first Skill, you have unlocked the System. Welcome to your new life as the newest Gamer. If you are completely overwhelmed and have no idea what's going on, please say Tutorial. If you're the type who throws caution to the wind, by all means, fuck off and die.
I think I've read about this. Yep, I definitely have. There are tons of manga where the hero gets summoned to another world with game characteristics. It's usually a fantasy type world though, and this one looks fairly modern.
Ah what the hell. What's the worst that could happen? "Alright then box, I'll play your little game. Show me the money!"
Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. If there were any crickets they would have surely stopped chirping.
You have chosen to fuck off and die.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I take it back! Tutorial, Tutorial!"
Beginning Tutorial. Hello new player and welcome to your exciting new life as entertainment for a higher power. To ensure you don't die too quickly you have been entrusted with a great and terrible power. I don't think you're worth it, but who am I to judge?
Ok this thing was just making fun of me. And a higher power? What higher power? And why was he chosen?
To begin, please say Quest. This will open the quest screen where you can view the status of all active Quests.
Alright, easy enough, "Quest."
The screen in front of him shifted once more. In big, bold letters was the word Quest, and underneath was a list of Quests. There was only one currently.
Please select the only Quest you have for more information. I believe in you.
Pressing it like a touchpad, another screen popped up, smaller and a lighter shade of blue than the rest.
-Quest-
Complete the Tutorial
You have just discovered an amazing power! Follow along with the prompts and discover how to utilize the basics of your new System.
Reward
-1 Upgrade Token
-100 Exp
Failure
-If you fail this you deserve to die
Just going to ignore that second part, but what's with that reward? What's an Upgrade Token? Only one way to find out I guess.
Good job! You're amazing! I am rendered speechless by your ability to follow basic instructions! Next, let's take a look at your Stats. I'm sure they'll reflect how utterly magnificent you are. Just exit out of this screen by hitting the X or saying close and we can be on our way.
Could this thing be any more sarcastic? And did it have to sound like Claptrap? I'm I really stuck with it? Am I being punished for something? Because if that's the case, then I probably deserve it. Closing the screen and saying Stats brought up another screen.
Stats
Level: 1 (0/100)
Health: 330/330
Stamina: 140/140
?: ?/?
Strength: 60
Agility: 15
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 18
?:
Charisma: 8
Unused Points: 0
I always knew I was strong, but it felt good to see it displayed numerically. Not sure if it was any good having nothing to compare it to, but it made me feel good, and that's what was important.
I will now provide you with a description of what your Stats mean. Try and keep up.
Stupid, cocky, jerk. Just because my Intelligence is on the low side doesn't mean I'm stupid. Probably. Still no idea if those numbers are good or not. For all I know they could be out of 1000.
That would suck.
Level: This is your current level. Levels require Experience points to increase. Experience points are obtained through various means, such as defeating enemies and completing Quests. To reach level 2, you need 100 Exp.
How convenient I would earn exactly that much Exp for completing the Tutorial. Ten out of ten game design. Would recommend.
Health: This is how much punishment you can take before dying and ridding me of your existence. In other words, if it reaches 0, you die! Health is determined by your Vitality Stat, Strength Stat, and Level.
Health equals
(Vitality x 10) + (Strength x 2) + (Level x 10)
Stamina: Measures how long you can perform an activity without keeling over or sounding like an asthmatic chain smoker. Stamina is determined by your Vitality Stat, Agility Stat, and Level.
Stamina equals
(Vitality x 5) + (Agility x 2) + (Level x 10)
?: This is the amount of ? you have. It allows you to perform ? and grants you various other abilities, such as increasing your Strength or Speed. ? is determined by your ? Stat, Strength Stat, Agility Stat, Vitality Stat and Level.
? equals
(? x 10) + (Strength x 2) + (Agility x 2) + (Vitality x 2) + (Level x 10)
And we have ourselves a mystery stat folks. Judging by the text it has to be a magic power of some kind. Probably determined by whatever world I'm in. Wonder why it's hidden? Shits and giggles?
Strength: Do you even lift bro? Strength determines how hard you hit, whether by your own hands or with an instrument of violence. It also determines how heavy the dumbbells you lift are, and helps increase Speed. The maximum a regular human can achieve is 99.
Agility: Do you want to be the fastest man alive? Then this is the stat for you! Agility determines Speed as well as coordination. If you happen to be a clumsy dumbass, just increase your Agility. The maximum a regular human can achieve is 99.
Vitality: Can you go all night long? If not, then you're a pussy and need more Stamina, which is exactly what this Stat provides. It will also keep you from dying too fast by increasing your Health. Other benefits include poison resistance, disease resistance, and a great dental plan. The maximum a regular human can achieve is 99.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Intelligence: Are you smarter than a fifth grader? I doubt it so you'd better invest heavily into this stat. Stupid people die quicker, in case you didn't know. More Intelligence means you can learn things faster and improve your memory. The maximum a regular human can achieve is 99.
Wisdom: Do you have any common sense? Any at all? No? Well this Stat may be just what the doctor ordered. Wisdom is the instincts Stat, and allows you to utilize your knowledge to the fullest. Increases perception, intuition and more, put your experience to work today. The maximum a regular human can achieve is 99.
Charisma: So you think you hot shit huh? Well you might be. Objectifying you on a scale of one to ten, this Stat boosts all leadership and bedroom skills. Without a high Charisma, kiss your chances of love and respect goodbye.
?: ? ? ? ? ?
Increasing Stats: Stats may be increased through a variety of methods. Leveling up will give you two free Stat points to spend, working out will increase your physical stats, studying will increase Intelligence, not making stupid decisions will increase your Wisdom, and there is no way to Increase Charisma through normal means. You'll need perks for that.
Well at least these are fairly self explanatory, cause the in game explanations kind of suck. I suppose I'll just have to get a better feel for them as I level up and gain Skills. Really curious about that last one though. Wonder what secrets it holds.
But at least now I know how my own stats measure up. I'm actually getting fired up thinking about how to increase them. Running, lifting, reading, those should be good places to start. Just need to figure out the best methods.
What are Perks? Are they like Feats in D&D?
For the most part that is correct. I was going to go over Skills next but what the hell, this seems like a good enough segue. So without further ado, let's look at the Perks tab. You know what to do.
That I did. With but a simple command the screen once more shifted. It now said Perks in nice bright letters. Oh, looks like I have some. Nice.
Perks are special abilities and bonuses that can be purchased by using Perk Points. One Perk Point is given every 5 levels, but you can get more by completing Quests and Special Events. Let's take a look and see what Perks you currently have.
Guardian
You have given your life in defense of another. Whenever you act to protect someone other than yourself all combat related skills gain a 10% increase in power and effectiveness.
Bald is Beautiful
You're sexy and you know it. Even women who aren't into bald guys are into you. +1 Charisma while bald.
Well Equipped
You are the big dick in the locker room. You know it, they know it, everyone knows it. Gain access to Big Dick Energy.
I can certainly see the use of Guardian. Ten percent may not seem like much, but in the future when my Stats are higher, it should prove to be useful. Especially if I can stack it with other passives. That's the dream.
The second one, Bald is Beautiful, seems like it increases my dating pool more than anything. Women being attracted to me when they normally wouldn't be is great. And since I'm always bald, my charisma should get a permanent +1, so that's nice.
Not to toot my own horn, but I can confirm that I am, indeed, Well Equipped. Though I'm not sure what Big Dick Energy actually is past all the memes. Is it an actual energy source, or is it just flavor text meant to fuck with me?
Big Dick Energy is the most powerful source of energy in the multiverse. Even I am unable to quantify it in a numerical value. Be grateful you are one of the blessed few to receive such grace, and leave it at that.
Ok, ok! Geeze, touchy much? It was just a question, no need to bite my head off. I'll just use some extra shower time and figure it out by myself.
You do that. Moving right along, let's check out your Skills/Abilities. Come on, don't be shy. I'm sure there's nothing to be embarrassed about.
Rolling my eyes I did as instructed. When looking at the new screen however, I noticed a distinct lack of anything besides Meditation. So I don't have any Skills or Abilities, is that what you're trying to tell me?
Well that's just sad, but don't worry, I'll throw you a bone and unlock a couple. It should make explaining easier anyway.
The screen glowed slightly before words appeared. Running, Sprint, Observe, Scan. So those are my current Skills huh? Oh, and Meditation from earlier.
Skills and Abilities are similar and often linked together. Skills tend to be passive in nature, giving you a boost whenever you use the Skill. Abilities however are Active and require you to activate them to use. Let's take a look shall we. Select the Running Skill.
Running 15/100
Faster than a walk but slower than a sprint, it's the happy medium of getting your ass in gear. Running requires Stamina to use. The greater the user's Agility, the greater the user's run speed.
-Increases speed while running by 30%
-Reduces fatigue while running by 7.5%
I guess my current level would have to be a result of my previous life. Or it could be because of this body's previous owner, who may or may not have been my multiversal counterpart. Best not to think of it. Option 1 made me feel less feelings.
As you can see, Skills have levels. The higher the level, the more effective the Skill. Using Running as the example, each level increases your running speed by 2% while decreasing your fatigue while running by 0.5%. At max level your running speed will increase by 200%, and your fatigue while running will decrease by 50%.
Skills can be leveled up by using them, as well as rewards for completing Quests. Some single use items may also increase a Skills level. Let's check your Ability Sprint next.
Sprint (Rank *)
The fastest form of basic movement.
-Doubles the bonus to speed you get from the Skill: Running.
-Triples fatigue accumulation. Reduced by Skill: Running.
Can you see the difference? I realize this may be difficult considering your IQ, so I'll go slow. When Sprint is activated your speed while running will increase by 60% rather than the 30% you get from running alone. Your Stamina will also drain 3x faster, being reduced by your Running Skill (7.5%). Got it?
Yeah, yeah I get it. No need to be such an ass System. Seems pretty basic to me, but what does Rank mean? I can guess, but it's your job to explain System.
I'm surprised you actually noticed. All abilities have a Rank, maximum of 5, and each rank improves the Ability. For example at Rank **, Sprint will increase to 3x your bonus from Running, and 4x at Rank ***. Ranks can be improved by meeting special conditions, through Quests, or special items.
Interesting. Maxing that out will turn me into the Flash. As long as it isn't the Ezra Miller version, I'm ok with that. Increasing the Running Skill seems like the best move for increasing my speed for now.
Might as well check out my other Skill and Ability while I'm here, and before the System decides to move on.
Observe (1/100)
By watching people you gain a basic idea of their mindset and character, allowing you to read their intentions and react to their movements. Speed of Observation is determined by your Wisdom Stat. Use this Skill incorrectly and you may be confused for a creep. But we all know that's not true, right?
-Observation speed increases by 3%
-Increases reaction time against observed enemies by 1%
-Increases Scan speed by 0.5%
Scan (Rank *)
Deep dive into someone's personal information. Is nothing sacred to you? Can also scan items.
Information you can obtain includes:
-Level
-Stamina
-Hp
-Description of the person or thing being scanned
So if I level Observe enough I can become a Jedi? Sweet. Being able to predict my enemies movements is awesome. Scan isn't too useful at the moment, but just knowing someone's level compared to my own could save my life. Wonder what else I'll be able to see once I've Ranked it up?
Don't slow down, we're almost done. Let's take a look at your Inventory next. Currently you have 30 Inventory Slots, and each Slot can hold 99 of the same item regardless of size or weight. Isn't that convenient? However, it can only hold 1 of any unique item.
Well let's test this shall we. Since I have yet to leave the bathroom, I'll just use a toilet paper roll. Grabbing the clearly cheap butthole cleaner, I shoved it into the Inventory Screen. Which worked, thankfully. An icon of the toilet paper appeared in one of the slots.
Touching it brought up another screen with a full view of said toilet paper, along with a description. Placing my hand on the screen allowed me to reach in and grab it out. Which felt weird, but I have successfully used my Inventory.
Staring at the toilet paper in my hand, I decided to Scan it.
Scanning…
10 seconds.
9…
8…
7…
6…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
Scan Complete.
Cheap toilet paper (Common)
The cheapest, thinnest toilet paper a person can buy. Will not clean what you want it to clean.
-Remaining toilet paper 82%
-Durability 1/1
Note to self, get better toilet paper. Also I checked the Observe Skill and saw that I was 3% closer to the next level. So Scan levels up Observe, good to know.
"Alright System, what's with the Common by the name? Item rank or something?"
That's not inaccurate. Items have Grades attached to them ranging from, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and Dvine. Items above Common have special properties attached to them. An item's grade can be improved by various means depending on the item.
Hmm, so to improve a sword for example, I should find a blacksmith. To improve my shitty house, I need a carpenter. I assume something similar with its Durability. Of course, Quests and certain Items would probably work as well, just like with Skills and Abilities.
Well aren't you clever. That's correct. Certain people may also provide special bonuses you can't get anywhere else, so don't be a shut-in.
Next is… That's it for now. The remaining functions are locked until certain conditions are met. Congratulations, you have finished the Tutorial.
-Quest-
Complete the Tutorial
Rewards
-100 Exp
-1 Upgrade Token
Congratulations!
You have gained a Level!
+2 Stat Points.
+10 Health
+10 Stamina
+10 ?
New Quest Available!
Where in the World am I?
You have awoken in a strange new world. Find out where you are!
Landmarks discovered 0/7
Rewards
-150 Exp
-Map feature unlocked
-1000 Yen
Failure
-Map feature permanently locked
Time Limit: 7 days
Nice! A level and a new Quest. It seems easy enough, and it will answer that burning, nagging feeling I've had for a while now. Not in my crotch thankfully, just in my brain.
The Quest I got last time was accepted automatically, unless screaming for the tutorial counted, so I had to accept this one manually. By using my brain, I thought to accept the Quest and it worked. I'm glad the System has touch screen capability, but no one else can see what I'm doing, so it's probably a good thing I can think commands so people don't think I'm crazy.
With that done, let's check out my Stats
Stats
Level: 2 (0/250)
Health: 340/340
Stamina: 150/150
?: ?/?
Strength: 60
Agility: 15
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 18
?:
Charisma: 8
Unused Points: 2
I know Intelligence is my lowest Stat, but that should make it the easiest to level right? I'm going to assume yes. So I think I'll put these bad boys into Wisdom, even it out to 20. My OCD brain can't handle that 18. Needs to end in 5 or 0.
Stats
Level: 2 (0/250)
Health: 340/340
Stamina: 150/150
?: ?/?
Strength: 60
Agility: 15
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 20
?:
Charisma: 8
Unused Points: 0
Alright done. I don't feel any different, but the number went up, so I'll make another assumption and just assume I'm wiser. And due to my new found Wisdom, I deduced it was time to leave the bathroom and explore the world.
But then my stomach decided to let me know I have yet to eat. Wonder what kinds of food, if any, I have in my kitchen. Looking around my ramshackle studio apartment made me realize something. I live in a shithole.
That is unacceptable. I need money. Having a Gamer System should make that easy right? I just need to use my big boy brain and figure it out. Maybe I should have increased my Intelligence.
Heading to the kitchen I start checking for food. I also use my Scan Ability on everything I can.
Fridge (Common)
A small, white fridge that has seen better days.
-Durability 2/8
-Upgrade available
Chef Knife (Common)
A dull knife used to chop food.
-Durability 4/10
-Upgrade available
Dishwasher (Common)
A machine to wash dishes. Broken.
-Durability 0/8
-Upgrade available
Milk (Common)
Breast milk from a cow. Spoiled.
-Durability 0/1
Cup Ramen (Common)
Cheap ramen with little nutrition
-Durability 1/1
Microwave (Common)
A machine used to quickly heat up food. Works sometimes.
-Durability 2/8
-Upgrade available
God this place sucks. Everything is either broken or damn near. Is this game on hard mode? I don't play games on hard mode. Call me a pussy if you want I play games for fun not torture. Why get mad at something that was supposed to relax me?
Preparing the cup ramen, because that's the only edible thing I found in this place, I went over to my back breaking bed and Scanned it. I mean, why not, level this shit up.
Cheap Bed (Common)
A broken down, full size bed. Will not provide a good night's rest. May cause back problems if used consecutively.
-Durability 1/10
-Upgrade available
Shit that sucks. No wonder I feel so sluggish. I thought it was just because I was transmigrated into another universe, but nope, it was from sleeping in a shitty bed.
Hang on, upgrade available? Some of the other items I scanned said the same thing. What does that mean? It took me a moment to remember the token I received from the Quest. Might as well check it out, I still had some time before my ramen was ready anyway.
Clicking on the icon in my Inventory, a zoomed in image appeared. The token looked like something from an arcade, gold and shiny, with an embellished U. Now let's check the description.
Upgrade Token (Rare)
A token used to upgrade an item. Can be used on most items Epic Grade or lower. Cannot be used on most foods. If an item cannot be upgraded, may give a random benefit or restore Durability. To use token, hold it aloft and say what you want to upgrade. If the item can be upgraded, a confirmation screen will appear.
Not sure what it means by upgrade, but I guess there's only one way to find out. Now what should I use it on? I have a few things in this shitty apartment that could use a good upgrade.
I shifted a bit while thinking and a spring busted and jabbed me in the ass.
"Ah fuck!"
That's it. I'm not spending a single night sleeping on this thing. How my counterpart could is a mystery I don't care to find out. Maybe he was just tougher than me, I don't care. I want a nice bed.
Taking the token out of my inventory and holding it high, I speak the magic words, "Oh blessed token, hear my prayer. Please make my bed not suck. Upgrade: Cheap Bed!"
I'm not sure I needed all those words, but I really want a new bed. It must have worked because a new screen appeared.
Confirmation
Would you like to Upgrade the Item Cheap Bed?
Yes/No
"Yes, yes, a million times yes!" I shout while pressing yes. I waited a moment with baited breath before my bed started glowing. This is it! Goodbye back pain you son of a bitch. Tell your mother she's a whore!
After a few moments, the glowing died down. Where my garbage bed once resided as a… very normal looking bed. May have gotten my hopes up. Oh well, it looks better than it did before, so let's check it out. Scan.
Bed (Uncommon)
A comfortable, queen size bed. Sleeping in this will fully restore Stamina and ?.
-Durability 12/12
Worth it. I made the right choice. Not only is it bigger than before, but its Grade increased and it will now restore my Stamina and whatever the hell ? is. It would have been worth it just for a good night's sleep.
Laying down on my new bed, I sighed in content. This was nice. The apartment didn't seem quite so shitty anymore. And now it's time to eat!
My first meal in a new world, and it was cup ramen. Oh well, it could be worse I guess. I could be a little magic girl in WW1. That would suck.
Finishing my ramen I rubbed my now full belly in contentment. Now that that's done it's time to plan. I only have seven days to complete my current Quest, which, depending on where I'm at, could be hard or easy.
Fingers crossed for easy.
Next is my Skills and Abilities. Leveling up Running should be fairly simple, since I need to find a bunch of landmarks, I can run around the city to find them. Two birds and one stone. After completing my Quest I can focus on finding new Skill/Abilities when there isn't a time crunch.
I'll need to make sure to Meditate a bit each day as well. The regeneration I get from meditating will be useful for training, and that passive regeneration it gives me will be good in the future, as it should max out at 200%.
Next is my Stats. Agility and Vitality should be simple enough for now, all the running should take care of that. For Strength I may need to find a gym, a cheap gym, or scavenge for some weights. I'll probably go with the second option for now as I clearly have no money.
For Intelligence I'll need to, sigh, read. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good story. Fiction is the way to go. But this is going to be like studying, and I hate studying. Maybe I can find something that isn't dry and boring like science or history. I'll figure it out when I find a library or something.
But for now I had a Quest to complete, and that required going outside, and that required clothes. I was still buck ass naked after all and I refused to get arrested again. And thus my search for clothes began.
It didn't take long. I found some torn jeans and a worn out, white shirt. A dirty hoody was crumpled in the corner, and my shoes were on the dresser for some reason. What the hell was wrong with other me? Judging by the state of the clothes, I would need a new outfit pronto.
I scanned them to be sure. And for the Exp to Observe of course. The Scan confirmed it, they were as close to being rags as they could be.
Checking my jeans, I found a wallet in the back pocket. Must be mine. Opening it revealed that, indeed, it belonged to me. Ushio Tenma, that was my name. Height 6'2, weight 235 lbs, eye color green, hair color N/A, age 16…
Wait a damn minute, age 16!? I was 18 last I checked. That would explain the loss in height as well. I was 6'4 last I checked. Guess I still had some time to grow.
Wait, does that mean I have to go back to school? I don't want to go back to school, I just graduated damn it! Come to think of it, what day is it? Do I have a phone? That would be real handy right about now.
After searching it turns out that no, I did not have a phone. That sucks. Another thing to add to the list. I did find a calendar though. The date April 1st was circled. That was when school started, but that doesn't help me very much. I don't know if that was in the future or the past.
Maybe my System has a calendar? Or at least it can tell me the date. After searching through every page I could it turns out that no, it cannot. That sucks. It can do all this reality bending things but the date is too much? Really?
Time and date are linked to the Map function. So I suggest you get started on that, unless you want to deal with a truancy officer.
That is something I did not want. Knowing that did calm me down a bit. Thinking about the Quest, I had seven days to complete it right? So does that mean school starts in seven days? So today would be the 25th of March.
No confirmation. Asshole System. I'm probably overthinking it anyway, I can just ask someone on the street. Yeah that's what I'll do, no need to panic. Oh wait, I still have to go to school, there was plenty to panic about.
Does this mean I'm in some slice of life anime? Will I shout "Persona!?" Will I get a hundred girlfriends that really, really love me? I hope not, that sounds like a pain in the ass.
Well only one way to find out. Opening the front door, I take my first step into another world. My second life begins now.
Game start