The Samurai and Pocco, her wolf familiar, spent some time meditating in Chrysus’ temple after her fated meeting with the god.
He had left her with basic instructions on how to do so and she’d spent days on end in a Buddhist pose trying to decipher the inner workings of her soul.
She had eventually worked out how to replenish her HP by breathing in natural energy from the air around her and manipulating the way it interacted with her inner circulatory system.
Once she had cracked that nut, the rest was easy, though it still took some time to fill her bars. Concentrating her willpower for such a long time on such a menial task drained her mental faculties quickly and she had to take breaks regularly.
It wasn’t wasted time though as she practiced with her newly fixed and upgraded katana. She smiled fondly at the weapon with its gleaming black blade and fancy crimson wrap.
It looked truly demonic, which sat perfectly in line with the persona she wanted to portray to the world. She chose a skill which allowed her to summon an Oni mask, after all.
She fondly opened her system interface and read lovingly through the katana’s upgrade notification for the umpteenth time that day.
Katana of Unyielding Prosperity
Upon taking up the mantel of retainer for Chrysus, God of Wealth, he rewarded you with a weapon upgrade token.
The Katana of Unyielding Prosperity is the personification of Chrysus’ violent will. Perhaps you will think on his teachings as you slay your enemies.
Loot gold from enemies killed by this weapon.
Mana cost for sword-based skills is halved.
+20% mana whilst wielding this weapon.
+10% stamina whilst wielding this weapon.
Her new god had given her a serious boon to her offensive strength with the gift of the upgrade token. Not only would being his retainer grant her wealth, but also some serious power.
With the halved mana cost to her sword-based skills alone, she would become an unstoppable force in the midst of battle.
Previously, she had used her active skills sparingly as they had a particularly high mana cost. That would change though, with her new weapon.
She practiced with the sword and meditated for a few more days as Pocco merrily hunted around the oasis. Their little spot in the desert attracted all kinds of wildlife which the wolf familiar would happily chase, kill, and eat. Sometimes he even brough The Samurai entire birds as presents and he always wagged his tail proudly as she praised him for his accomplishments.
Eventually though, she did leave the temple.
Chrysus had given her a new mission and she intended to enact his will fervently as she made her way to the Western Continent to take part in his High Priest Tournament.
What those in Celestia referred to as the Western Continent, she knew as the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Of course, those countries didn’t exist in this world but the map was comparatively the same as Earth’s was.
It struck her as odd that the land masses in Celestia mimicked the ones on Earth, but it wasn’t her place to question things that she couldn’t control. Maybe one day when she became a god herself she’d get an answer as to why they bore such striking similarities to one another, but that was a task for another day.
As The Samurai travelled across the desert, heading to the western coast with her faithful wolf companion, she thought on her newest quest.
The Celestial Map.
Her new god had given it to her immediately and his snake-like eyes glinted with hunger as he spoke about this task. It was quite a simple one, though it would possibly take her a lifetime to complete.
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She was to hunt down and eliminate all 10,000 of her Earthen compatriots who had been isekai’d into the world with her. Supposedly, once she’d killed them, she could adsorb their map pieces, eventually piecing together the entire thing on her own body.
She wasn’t overly keen on the idea of marring her flesh with 10,000 tattoos, she was a samurai, not a yakuza. However, if her god willed it then it would be done. That was their deal and so far he had more than kept up with his side of the bargain.
Besides, amongst that vast number of humans, there was sure to be a few worthy opponents… and their experience points would certainly help her in her personal quest for power.
She was no assassin though, so she planned to challenge these people to honourable duels like the great warriors of old.
One such duel happened faster than she had anticipated.
After a few weeks of traversing the desert, levelling up and killing monsters, she arrived at the unimpressive port town of Arkesh.
It was a simple place of clay huts and wooden, ancient Egyptian watercrafts. Colourful cloths adorned the streets, keeping the beating sun away from the precious skin of the dark locals.
It was quite refreshing, she had to admit, even if it was a little tacky.
It was whilst perusing the markets, in search of a trustworthy vessel to traverse the sea with, that she found her first prey.
He was a tall man with a beer belly and a fez hat perched atop his blading head. He didn’t look like much of a fighter, but the men he commanded certainly did.
She had stumbled upon him accidentally after fighting off some thugs on the outskirts of town. Nobody had deigned to tell her that the outskirts were bandit territory.
After despatching them easily, she asked the last one where the rest of his scummy band of merry men were hiding and the injured, terrified man had pointed to a compound of unassuming clay huts.
Naturally, upon seeing the plethora of guards in their murder hobo attire, she waltzed straight through the front door.
Samurai’s do not sneak… at least not when their foes are weak.
After kicking down the door to the biggest hut in the cesspit of a bandit hideout, she stood face to face with the fat old man.
“A samurai?” He said questioningly. “So… they have those here too?” He pondered, stroking his invisible beard with his stubby little pig fingers.
It was at that moment that she knew she had found her first target. Chrysus would be pleased.
“Outworlder!” She declared boldly, pointing her sword towards the man. “I challenge you to a duel.”
He looked up at her, pointed at himself with a single raised eyebrow. “Me?” He scoffed incredulously. “What do you think I have all these minions – I mean guards around for. Get rid of her.” He gestured lackadaisically to his goon squad. “If you manage to take her alive then you’re free to play with her as a reward.”
The man’s black eyes glinted as his pink cheeks flushed red at whatever nefarious thoughts he was having.
Disgusting. The Samurai thought to herself.
If all the humans that had been isekai’d were like this one then she’d be doing the world a service by murdering them.
She drew her sword as the lecherous goons charged, an evil grin hidden by her Oni mask. Pocco stood in the door, guarding her flank. He was a good boy.
The Samurai would dispatch these cretins in an instant.
Midnight Slash (common)
Unsheathe your blade in an instant 10-foot leap to slash through foes. This skill imbues the wielder’s blade with dark mana.
Activating this skill has a medium mana cost.
Her Midnight Slash ability took hold and she leapt through the air in a millisecond, leaving severed torsos, shocked expressions, and a swimming pool of blood in her wake.
The pig’s cronies never stood a chance.
“Pathetic.” She spat as she stood face to face with the outworlder. “The idea of adsorbing the tattoo of such an immoral, and frankly disgusting, cur such as yourself makes my very soul shudder.” She announced in a regal, old fashioned nature. She had seen enough samurai dramas back home to know that she was nailing the dialect.
Before the man could protest she swiped her blade across his neckline, severing his head from its body. As the head fell to the floor she kicked it into the wall where it crunched and splatter gross, old man juice in a stain that reminded her of psychiatry test cards.
A notification popped up asking if she wanted to adsorb the man’s map piece and she begrudgingly mentally asserted yes.
Thank you! Chrysus said into her mind, his snake-like hiss a warming presence on her raging internal discord. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me Yuki. I am quite literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of where your journey will lead you next.
She wasn’t keen on people using her real name. Her moniker: The Samurai, was a promise she had made to herself, the person she wished to be in this world. Yuki was her dead name, as far as she was concerned.
However, she gave the god a free pass owing to the respect and reverence she gave him as the most powerful being she had ever met.
Yuki bowed at the waist after sheathing her sword and she knew that the god had seen her acknowledgement of his praise.
Later that evening she purchased lodgings for Pocco and herself in a small, unassuming inn near the port. Upon entering her room she received an unexpected notification.
Would you like to open loot boxes?
Y/N
She hadn’t even realised that she had loot boxes to open, but she quickly mentally asserted yes all the same as she sat down on the dirty bedsheets.
PKing Loot Box
Only the best murder’s get rewarded. Consider yourself initiated.
Reward: Entry to the Morning Star Hotel and Spa.
A bright, crimson light appeared in front of her as a small, oriental, black box floated down from the ceiling, landing in her lap.
She looked at it, cocking her head to the side, and as she reached out to open it, the lid evaporated and a mild, burning pain lit up the back of her hand.
She unsummoned her armoured glove and saw a black pentagram lined across her hand.
Oh great anther tattoo. Just what I wanted. She sighed and went to bed, not even waiting for the loot box to burst into golden flames before disappearing