I awoke in an unknown area, surrounded by large buildings and the smell of dirt and blood. I got up to see I was lying in an alley, near a dumpster that hadn’t been emptied in a while.
“Ugh… what happened? Where am I?” When I started to get up, a weight from my hip made me pull out the gun I used on… “Oh, right.”
I killed someone… I. Killed…
A retch filled my mouth and I was forced to expel it, disgust and misery mixing in as well. “Oh god. What have I done? How could I do this?”
What have I done? I killed someone. I murdered. For the first time in anything, I killed a human being. Even if it was for self-defense and the outcome would be infinitely worse I did not, it doesn’t matter since the fact is that I killed and drew blood for the first time.
I didn’t feel anything when it happened. I just wanted to be free, to escape and… “Revenge. I wanted revenge.” Adrenaline coursed through my body when it happened and all I thought was survival and revenge against those monsters that kidnapped me here and were going to likely to do inhumane experiments on me.
Just the thought of meeting one of those red-eye monsters filled me with indescribable rage. How could they? Against one of their own? Against us? Against humans? If I ever find one of those monsters, I swear I’ll ensure they don’t do the same to others.
I shook my head to get rid of that thought. “No, I can’t do that. I can’t hunt down everyone that looks like them. Maybe they were the bad bunch? Just scum that deserves to die.”
I’ll deal with this later. I just want to rest and-
Good day, host. That voice! I recognize that voice! I turned around but saw no one near me. Host does not need to look to hear me. For I am always with you.
“You are… Elpis, right? You helped me from yesterday?”
Indeed. I was with you during your escape from those metal assailants and was with you when you passed away. Do not fret, no one else has come here, Host.
This voice, Elpis, assured me, and the warm feeling from before coursed through my body. I instinctively knew what this was and glanced at my hand. “Then you were the one who gave me this power. Magic.”
You misunderstand. Magic was given to you by another. Elpis’ statement didn’t make sense but I remembered the day before I passed out and the booming voice that asked me a question.
“You mean God? God gave me magic?”
Indeed. I am your magic personalized. I am here to assist you in your journey, till death do us part.
“Till death do us part,” I repeated those words, sounding familiar and odd at the same time. “If that’s how it's gonna be then I thank you for helping me. If it weren’t for you then… I don’t want to think about it.”
The well-being of my host is my top priority above all. Elpis replied. Host, while you are hidden from view, it is best to continue moving. We did not stray far from your captor's residence.
“We aren’t? But I don’t know where we are. I don’t want to get lost here.”
Better lost than tortured. Elpis has a point. I then soon made my way out of the alley I was in and into the pedestrian traffic of the city.
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I spent most of my life behind the television screen. Never had I ever had the chance to go outside and become sociable but time pauses for no one and I was eventually forced to take jobs for money. Some sucked and others were unbearable but I got through each day with the premise that I have money in my account for reliable usage.
Now, I felt like I was back in those days of having no food, water, or clean clothes for that matter. And yet life moves on.
This city I ended up in, felt like one massive mix of people rather than a systematic order of places. It honestly felt eerily similar to Hong Kong back in my world. Am I even in my world anymore?
It doesn’t matter. I’m here now and I have to find my way in this cesspool of a city. It may sound rude but I was only here for like two or three days and I was kidnapped and was killed as well. And the people here are slightly better.
I don’t know why but the people would rather mind their own business than to help someone else. Trash littered the streets around me as bright neon lights blared their advertisements and logos above. Although it is, what is like nearly noon, those lights were ever present in my walk through this city.
I made sure to walk to the pace of everyone near me so that I didn’t stand out from the rest or cause a traffic jam. The people mind their own but if someone interrupts them then…
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“Hey, watch it ‘fore I flatline your ass!”
“Oh yeah?! Prove it gonk, ‘cause check this out!”
“You don’t know who you're dealing with!”
“Oh, I know ‘xactly who you are! Someone with iron in his pants!”
An argument between the two is starting to heat up but I paid no attention. Attention towards me in this unknown place is simply asking for trouble. And I barely knew what was going on. So I left without looking back, clamming my hands in my pockets, and kept my head to the ground.
Host. You are not wrong in avoiding conflict. It is as you said; attention towards you is troubling. Elpis said. Good thing no one else can hear her except me and I can communicate just by thoughts.
‘Elpis. Can you not read my thoughts? I’d like them private. But it still sucks that I can’t do anything about it. I mean, I have magic so can’t I do something about it?’
You always have a choice, Host. And I will assist you in whatever your choices are. However, host is still weak and requires further training for further usage of magical abilities. It is in your best interest to gain strength, experience, and skills if you want to survive.
‘That’s the plan. I was really lucky that time and I don’t plan on relying on luck the next time.’ If I was gonna survive in this place then I do need to get stronger. Be better. Learn more. And above all else, survive.
A grumble from his stomach made him wince. He hasn’t eaten, before and after he came to this world. Add in that mess he made in the alley and his stomach is practically eating itself already.
“Right, the first order of business is to find some food here. Then a place to sleep in. After that, a job…”
While I wasn’t looking, I felt a large push to my side which made me fall flat on the ground. The force was too heavy and powerful for me to fight back and I looked who I accidentally bumped into.
“(Huh? Are you fucking blind?!)” A man dressed in a lazy suit with a shirt, riddled with tattoos and baggy pants angrily asked me something. His arms were metallic though, reaching to his shoulders. I didn’t understand what he was saying but the accent was Japanese.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking.” I didn’t want trouble and the blame was mostly on me. But when I tried to step away from him, he harshly grabbed my shoulder and threw me to a nearby alley in between buildings.
I landed on the harsh concrete. The familiar pain felt dull simply because of how used I was to the situation. But this isn’t like before. This isn’t my world. So I immediately got up and grabbed my gun at my hip.
The yakuza-looking man drew his weapon, a single curved blade from its holster. A katana from what I remember. I aimed my pistol at him but he suddenly sprinted at me, which made me fire the gun.
A couple of shots rang out but he deflected them with his sword. ‘Shit, Elpis a little help here!’
Use your magic! I’ll handle the rest! ‘What does that- Oh crap, I hope you know what you're doing!’ I hurriedly forced my mana within me to come out, the feeling within welled up like a fire, and pain momentarily took my sight as I closed in preparation for certain death.
But instead of that, I heard a loud clanging noise. Like metal against metal. I slowly opened my eyes to see the katana hitting an invisible forcefield on my chest. I must have shared the same bewildered look since my attacker was also shocked at the sight.
But I used my opportunity. Suddenly, the magic that was raging inside of me became controllable and I felt my body respond faster as I was pulling my arm and throwing a heavy punch at the yakuza.
The punch connected to his cheek as he skidded beside me towards one of the building's walls. It had an audible thud as he slid down to the ground with a groan coming out of his mouth.
“Haa… haa… haa.” I let out a breath I didn’t know as the forcefield around me disappeared. “Elpis?”
Are you alright, dear host? You do not suffer any injuries, external or internal? I shook my head. That is good news. I had hoped we did not have another encounter like before. But it seems I was too naive.
“I think… we both are.” Honestly, was the universe bullying me to the point I had to get attacked twice in a row? Or was this attack cemented my belief that this city is an asshole? “Anyway, thanks again for helping me there Elpis. Couldn’t have done it without you.”
Your thanks is appreciated. However, I would use more caution when navigating next time. Our next encounter might not be so lucky.
“Yeah.” I was lucky then, and I was lucky now. That guy didn’t know about me and foolishly thought I was some kid with nothing on me. He was wrong about me and look how deep my fist is to his face.
Looking down at the katana that guy dropped, I grabbed it and gave it a few swings. It felt… cool to hold one and awesome to keep it but unfortunately.
“I think I found our meal ticket.” It was money. Same with my gun since I’m absolute shit with it and swinging my fists seem to be my only positive right now.
I grabbed the yakuza’s scabbard and left him, bringing along his katana.
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There is a word that is often used for tourists. When people go to places dissimilar to their own, they have what is known as ‘Culture Shock’. Normally, these can be rectified by studying, learning, and accepting the culture and continuing.
The only reason they can continue is because they have a native to the area that knows what to do.
Unfortunately, I have no one to fall back to. No guide about this world, no instructions, nothing.
Thus my realization when I pawned off the katana and gun. The currency of this world.
“Here. A couple of eddies for your irons. Dunno why you want them sold but it's not any of my business.” The shopkeeper grumbled loudly, giving me a sizable stack of money as I walked away from him and to a nearby bench.
The currency is odd for me to look at. It oddly resembles the American dollars but this feels more… techie or edgy to me. Like someone wanted to create their currency in a cyberpunk setting.
“This whole city is a cyberpunk setting.” Wasn’t there a game about that genre? I don’t remember or care about it. “Well, at least I have some money now. But I doubt I’ll keep them all without someone pick-pocketing me.”
That is understandable. It has only been two days since we both arrived and yet my trust in humanity dwindles with each dreadful sight around us. Elpis chimed in, her words agreeing with my view. Host, I believe I know a solution to how you can keep valuables from being stolen. It comes from one of your memories and I can recreate it here.
‘Oh, you do. Well, go at it then.’ The fiery sensation came back, only less and warmer. It felt slightly uncomfortable, like a slow-burning, but it lasted about a couple of seconds before I could hear Elpis speaking again.
I have successfully created what you call; an “Inventory”. This allows you to store any non-organic and non-living object/person in a separate dimension where time is halted and everything is neatly organized.
“What?!” I stood up from the bench and yelled excitedly, accidentally making heads turn as I sat down again. ‘You actually created an inventory? An actual mini-dimension that I can use freely?’
Indeed. Now your worries about stolen valuables will be nill. To activate it, use thoughts on objects interacting with your body to send it to the dimension. Like the currency you are holding.
Without any thought, I gripped the stacks of money in my hands and thought of the inventory slots to place it there. To my surprise, the money disappeared from my hands, and a mental image was projected into my head of where it was. I even saw a counter of how much money I got.
‘This is amazing, Elpis thank you.’ I couldn’t help but praise my guide. Her support is really making my situation turn out better than I thought it would.
As I have said, my host’s well-being is my top priority.
‘Stop saying “Host” addressing to me. I have a name, you know.’
And what is your name, dear host?
‘It’s…’