The crowd cheered as Katsumi stepped out to the arena.

– Huh? Is that for me?

She struck a few poses copied from famous anime, but the crowd didn't really seem to care. As she looked up, the reason for their excitement became clear.

There he was. Liatris, dressed up as a viking, slowly descending into the arena while singing at the top of his lungs. Small baby angels circled around him, playing various musical instruments such as the harp, lyre and bells. Golden petals rained from their back and bright lights illuminated the majestic opera master.

– Hey, fuckface! – Katsumi shouted. – You want a beating on the ground or should I bring a ladder?

Liatris frowned, but didn't stop his staccato. He descended to the other side of the arena, hitting the final note as his toes touched the ground. The angels disappeared as his fabulous performance was met by roses and a standing ovation.

– What the hell did I just watch? And where are these flowers coming from?

– Jealous? Where are your fans, pretty lady? Oh wait, you don't have none!

– Tsh! We're in the arena of a murderous tribe. Is not getting cheered on really such a bad thing? Anyways, hope you had fun with that performance, because it's the last you'll ever give!

– So eager…

The ground began to shake and Katsumi fell. Her knife slashed through the air as she readied for an attack. But nothing happened. The ground violently shook, yet no enemy came.

Liatris patted his beard.

– You can still crawl here and kiss my feet. I might just forgive your sins.

– You'll be the one to kiss my feet when I stomp it through your fucking skull!

Katsumi quickly stood up and charged the man. As she did, obelisks rose from the ground. Dust rained on her head as they reached to the skies, far-far above Katsumi.

Before she could consciously react, she found herself in a maze of stone.

– W-What?

– Just so we're on the same page – Liatris yelled from the other side –, you brought this upon yourself!

Filled with killing intent, Katsumi rushed through the maze, looking to the ceiling to ensure her whereabouts. There were so many turns, so many corners, and every road led to where she began. All the while she Katsumi could hear Liatris hum a calm lullaby in the distance.

'Damn it! I once read if you stick to the wall on the right and follow that, you'll eventually find out of every maze. But this… I've done that and look where I ended up! In the beginning, just as before!'

The top of these stonewalls were greatly above her. Katsumi leaned on a wall, then tried pushing herself up from another. This seemed to work and she reached halfway to the top, when a strange grease touched her back. Even with such a smart technique, she slid to the ground.

'Weird, these stones don't seem wet at all. No worries though, for I have my spirit pot! Let's break through this prison of stone!'

Once again, she used the same technique to reach halfway to the top. It was quite a tiresome work and she relief as the strange grease finally appeared.

'Okay, I can feel my legs slowly slipping down. It's time to use my Spirit Pot!'

Katsumi put her hand up against the wall. Blueish particles appeared in her palm, gradually equipping the shape of a pot.

'Yes, this is it! Pierce the wall! Break through the oppressive rocks!'

Particles entered the wall's fiber. Relief ran through Katsumi's smile, quickly disturbed by purple particles appearing from the wall.

'What is this? I've never seen anything like this before!'

As if it was the immune system of the wall, these anti-dusts ate up the blue Katsumi summoned. In a panic, she forced her hand through the purple and pushed against the wall.

Stolen novel; please report.

'Come on now! Work, you damn pot!'

Snap-crackle-pop, sounds of electricity sparkled around her nails. The blue and purple went into a ferocious dance, trying to kill each other before more could come. Small bolts of lightning tickled her hand before BOOM! She fell to the ground from a magical explosion.

– Ah, fuck! My head…

Her entire body felt numb, besides pain creeping up the back of her skull. As that uncomfortable high pitch noise disappeared from her ears and she could move once again, a strange feeling formed around her right hand.

Her eyes couldn't comprehend what she saw. The skin of her right hand was chocolate brown and her veins were more visible than before, coated in a blackish tar.

– Heh? Heh. Heheheh. Heheheheh! – she nervously laughed before screaming from the burning sensation piercing through entire brain.

– Oh, there you are!

Katsumi's covered her mouth with the remaining good arm. Quietly whimpering, she could hear the lullaby of Liatris gain sound. He was approaching.

She stood up and ran in a random direction. The pot couldn't be summoned again. She tried again and again, but to no avail.

'Why? Why is this happening? Why now?!'

/// System Warning! ///

User out of Mana.

'Excuse me? Mana? Nobody told me about Mana! What the fuck is this, a shitty MOBA? Then where is the tutorial? Why didn't I get any?'

She ran as fast as she could, though always back to the start. The titan's lullaby only became clearer and louder. Tears filled Katsumi's eye as the helplessness got to her heart.

'Crap! Crap-crap-crap, the pot is the ace up my sleeves, why did it have to break now? Is it because the rock's surface was solid? But that titan I killed before… I mean, I defended myself from! It cut right through his intestines and bones, it pierced through him! What's the difference between the two? Bones can't be much denser than stone!'

Human beings have a tendency to panic and feel extremely stressful. How they relieve such stress differs by each person. And by Momo Katsumi, it's usually to meditate next to a good tea or a coffee. But now, that she had none nearby and her and was fast approaching, she did something one may not be so proud of: she raised her fist and punched the wall. Her knuckles hurt from the impact, but she didn't care.

Such a brutal way of relieving stress. Hurting yourself and not feeling any better after that. A thing, most people would look down upon.

Fortunately for her, this revealed a secret they've long kept from her.

'Why can't people be nice and hold my hand just at least once? Why am I any lesser than another? Why, why, why?! Why won't anyone help me?'

The stones were covered in a yellow dust. Katsumi's punch blew it aside, revealing the solid yet smooth surface of the walls. In the shape of her hand, a mirror appeared.

As if she was controlled by instinct, her body moved on its own. She wiped more of the dirt away and a bigger mirror appeared. Using tears, she cleaned the surface and the mirror wasn't blurry anymore.

'It's me. Last time I've seen myself was when that spirit trapped me underground. I gained a level from that, didn't I? Haven't had time to check out what I've got.'

/// Level 4 ///

-> All stats increased by a little!

-> New ingredients can be used and summoned!

'Huh, nothing helpful. Wait… that small circle in the corner of my eye… it's still showing an exclamation mark! Why though? I haven't levelled up since.'

/// Soul Consumed ///

'Wait, what? When… what… how? What?!'

/// Soul of Minor Waterfall Spirit ///

Grant minor control over water element.

'… what the fuck?'

– – –

There was a small bar my classmates frequented. I never was an outgoing type and only ever drank any wine with Granny. Of course, when Mom wasn't watching. She probably knew about it though… never mind, that's not the important part.

So there was this bar. Small, ugly, a pretty rundown place. They served minors. That was the only reason the bar could swim afloat. Snotty brats came here during Saturday midnight and ordered whatever they pleased. Yep. Anything.

– Come on now, Katsu! No need to be scared! I invited you! If anything happens, that's on me. I'll take responsibility.

– That's… fine, but… I'm kinda scared.

– Hah, no need to be! I'm the leader of the basketball team for a reason.

– I thought that was because you like balls so much!

– …

– Sorry, it was a joke…

They had playboy images taped to the wall. They couldn't make it any more obvious who the target demographic was. By the way, who even buys those anymore?

Skinheads, kids and buncha' closeted pedophiles, all gathered around the cheapest Ikea tables you could find. In the back of this cringe place was a small corner with one of the comfiest sofas I ever saw.

– Comfortable, isn't it?

– It feels like heaven! Ahh, I'm about to feel things I'll be ashamed of!

– R-Right. Well, anyways Momo, you never had a boyfriend before, have you?

– Huh? Why?

– Just the rumors. Some people said you were a lesbo.

– …well, some people are really bored. And even if I was one, why do they care? My life, I do what I want.

– Are you still a virgin?

I remember the music that was on. Have you ever been on a long road-trip where a really catchy rock song comes up and you never get to know its name or hear about it ever again, but still remember somehow? Yeah, that's the stuff. Now imagine the opposite. Like someone taking a dump in your ears, then jackhammering it down your skull. Yeah. It was like that.

– That's not really something you ask someone.

– Come on now, Katsu! You're a human too! And we're the exact age where most people lose their virginity!

– Yeah, well… I don't really care about those stuff.

– Why are you lying?

– Tsh, I'm not lying, I just have other things I care about. Like learning how to draw or taking up an instrument. Did you know that learning music can greatly benefit your…

– Guys! Come, quick! This is my new friend, Momo!

– My… my name is Katsumi…

The 'cool kids'. Ah, how I loved to hate them. They had their bitches too. I remember feeling extremely anxious whenever we met in school, but now that we met outside that safe place, in an uncontrolled environment…

– Hey, guys! Which one of you is still a virgin? Ay-ay, come on now, only the truth!

…I was scared.