[Firsts]
"You've been behaving strangely..." muttered Ais, her expression and tone flat, but her cheeks flushed as she lay against Vahn's chest, enjoying the feeling of resting her cheek against his firm yet strangely pliant pecks.
"Can you be more specific...?" asked Vahn, combing aside a few loose strands of Ais's hair as he stared at the golden-haired girl with all the compassion and tenderness he could muster. In truth, he knew exactly what Ais was referring to, but there wasn't much he could do since the memories of his past and future encounters weighed on his heart and mind...
"Mmm..."
Unsure how to express her uneasiness, Ais deliberated for nearly a full minute before saying, "It's like you're here...but you're not here at the same time..."
"Yeah..." agreed Vahn, raising his gaze to the ceiling and staring at a place far beyond even his expanded comprehension. He had all the knowledge, memories, and experiences of his past self, but he felt like the version of him that had traversed multiple Records had reached a point so far beyond him that it was like they were completely different people.
"Given time, the feeling should fade..." asserted Vahn, his expression and tone gentle as he caressed the underside of Ais's chin and compelled her to look up and meet his gaze. Then, with a playful smile adorning his face, he added, "If it feels like there is distance between us, we simply need to close it..."
Drawn to Vahn's lips, Ais took the initiative to initiate a long and passionate kiss. By the end, she was straddling his lower belly, but when Vahn grabbed his proud member and attempted to direct it to her eagerly awaiting entrance, she surprised him by pulling away and saying, "I want to try something new..."
"I like new things..." replied Vahn, pecking Ais on the lips before asking, "What did you have in mind?"
"What's something you've never done before...?" asked Ais, her golden eyes glistening with intrigue and intensity. She had always been obsessed with claiming his firsts, but since his past self had fused with the consciousnesses of an entire metaverse, Vahn wasn't sure he had any firsts left to give.
Noticing Vahn's hesitation, the glimmer in Ais's eyes waned, giving her an almost puppy-like look as she asked, "Is it no good...?"
"Technically speaking, anything we do is something we're doing for the first time..." stated Vahn, gently caressing the side of Ais's face as he added, "But I have an idea..."
...
..
.
"Look, it's the Sword Princess..." muttered a middle-aged man with a scraggly beard and brown hair, seated at a table at the Hostess of Fertility with several of his dungeon-faring colleagues.
"Good Gods...she's even more beautiful than the rumors..." expressed a second man, eyes full of admiration and jaw slack as he stared at Ais, seemingly obvious to the other members of the Loki Familia that were present.
"Hey, you!" shouted Bete, his matte-grey hair standing on end as he glared at the group of tavern-goers and threatened, "Keep gawking, and I'll tear your eyes out and shove 'em down your throats...!"
"Oh, come now, Bete!" exclaimed Loki, smacking the wolf-like man's backside and laughing as she joked, "Our Ais is one of the most beautiful girls in town! Even Gods are captivated by her beauty, so what chance did these fools have?"
Despite her words and joking tone, Loki parted her snake-like eyes and directed a warning look at the group of men. She didn't mind them staring, but if they tried anything, Bete's fury would be the least of their troubles.
Feeling they had overstayed their welcome, the group of men promptly flagged down Arnya, closed their tab, and departed the Hostess of Fertility as if they had forgotten to turn off the stoves at their respective dwellings. Ais noticed this, but while she felt guilty, she remained silent, seated between Loki and Lefiya with an impassive look on her face.
"Is something wrong, Ais...?" asked Lefiya, noticing there was something 'off' with the girl she looked up to more than anyone else.
"Hmmm...?"
Hearing Lefiya's query, Loki cracked her left eye and gave Ais a scrutinizing gaze. She had also noticed their burgeoning ace was behaving strangely, but with all the other oddities she had observed, the mental state of a single Familia member wasn't her highest priority.
"I don't know..." muttered Ais, wrapping her hands around the mug of beer she had been provided, staring at the innumerous bubbles forming its head as if the answer she sought could be found within.
"Oh, come on," said Bete, scowling as he asked, "You're not still thinking about that rookie you saved from the Minotaur, are you? That tomato brat isn't worth a fart, much less your concern!"
"Now, now," said Finn, wearing his usual smile as he leaned forward onto the table with his elbows, hands linked together as he reminded, "It was our mistake that led to the Minotaur fleeing to the higher floors. We're fortunate no one was killed."
"Fortunate?" parroted Bete, his expression and tone incredulous. "If anyone's fortunate, it's that stupid tomato-head. Someone that weak and pathetic shouldn't be venturing into the Dungeon, much less solo-diving. He might have survived today, but he's bound to die if he keeps doing stupid shit like that."
"Harsh, but true," hummed Loki, taking several large swigs from her mug as she wondered what kind of fool entered the Dungeon alone. Even talentless Supporters formed groups to avoid being ambushed or overwhelmed by numbers, so the person Ais rescued had to be a special kind of stupid or desperate to ignore common sense...
As the celebratory chatter between the members of the Loki Familia continued, none in their group realized the boy they were speaking ill of was seated just a few meters away, hanging his head at the bar. His matted brown hair and tattered clothing gave him the appearance of a beggar, but any girl who saw his face or had his placid aquamarine eyes meet theirs would feel their heart skip a beat.
"Is everything okay, Vahn?" asked Syl, resisting the temptation to embrace the young man as she remarked, "You've barely touched your spaghetti."
Forcing a smile that caused the Affection values of several people to increase, Vahn, his voice suffused with a deep melancholy, replied, "I'm sorry, Syl. The food is just as good as always, but I don't have much of an appetite..."
Casting a fleeting, disproving glance at the members of the Loki Familia, Syl asked, "It's typically not allowed, but I'm sure Mama Mia wouldn't mind if you finished your meal in the back..."
"There's a limit to the amount of favoritism you can show certain customers..." remarked the nearby Mia Grande, sporting a disproving look that softened when Vahn met her gaze with a glimmer of apology contained in his large, unfathomably deep eyes.
'This boy is going to break a lot of hearts...' thought Mia, closing her eyes and exhaling a loud, exasperated sigh. Before she could agree to allow Vahn to finish his food elsewhere, however, Bete leaned against the bar immediately to his right, propping his elbow on the counter as he demanded, "Hey, Mama, give me your best cut of jerky. I'm pissed and need something to chew on."
"Sure, but you better watch your tone..." warned Mia, narrowing her eyes. Beta laughed out loud in response, but anyone looking closely would have noticed that the hair on his head, the tips of his wolf-like ears, and his bushy tail were standing in response to Mia unleashing a faint but penetrating burst of killing intent.
Looking to cover his anxiousness, Bete turned to his left, mostly to address Syl but also to get a look at the beggar she had been talking to.
As he had never seen Vahn not covered head to toe in Minotaur blood, Bete didn't recognize him. But, as he could tell the boy was weak, he felt obligated to ask, "Hey, kid...you wouldn't happen to be an Adventurer, would you? If so, what Familia do you belong to?"
"The Hestia Familia..." responded Vahn, surprising Bete as he turned to stare directly at him. Most people avoided his gaze for fear of being lashed out against, so Bete was momentarily taken aback by the fact Vahn could stare directly at him, absent so much as an iota of fear...
'Freaky kid...' thought Bete, holding his right fist up to his mouth and coughing into it before adopting a fierce expression and stating, "Must not be a very successful Familia if they got you wearing rags. Either way, make sure you don't enter the Dungeon alone, okay? If you do, you only have yourself to blame when a Kobold tears out your throat, or you get railed in the ass by a Minotaur..."
With Mia handing him his jerky, Bete punctuated his warning with a contemptuous snort and attempted to walk away. There were few things he hated more than weaklings, but since he knew what it was like to be powerless, he felt obligated to warn those weaker than himself to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
"Wait..." said Vahn, his voice low but easily picked up by Bete's sensitive hearing.
"Haaaaaaa? You got something to say, you little shit...?" asked Bete, turning to face Vahn but tensing when he noticed the latter's piercing green eyes looking directly at him. There wasn't a hint of animosity exuding from him, but Bete felt his fight or flight response trigger as Vahn firmly asserted, "I won't always be weak..." with a slight frown marring his face.
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Bete forcefully exhaled a "Ha...!" before approaching and looming over Vahn as he asked, "Is that so? Then, how about I give you a private lesson? If you're lucky, even that porous turd you call a brain might absorb something..."
Leaving Bete at another momentary loss for words, Vahn's expression hardened into one of grim resolution as he nodded and replied, "Fine...let's fight..."
Knowing how powerful Bete was, Syl was startled at Vahn's words, her eyes briefly widening to their limits before she hurriedly positioned herself between the two, arms spread as she asserted, "This isn't the coliseum or some back alley arena! If you continue to cause trouble, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave...!"
"You can piss off...!" exclaimed Bete, raising his left hand and motioning as if he were about to backhand Syl before several members of his Familia, including Gareth, grabbed and held him from behind. Before they could tell him off for losing his cool, however, the entire tavern succumbed to a tense silence as an oppressive aura exuded from Vahn, his expression firm and tone trembling as he asked, "Just what were you about to do...?" while glaring daggers at Bete.
'Oho? Just which God's kid is this...?' Loki wondered, her smile stretching far beyond the limits of an ordinary human as she leaned forward to observe the scene with interest. She felt a peculiar sense of...familiarity when perceiving Vahn's aura, so she was curious to see how things would play out.
"It's him..." muttered Ais, temporarily garnering Loki's attention as she rose from the table and hurriedly approached the burgeoning conflict. Those observing the scene thought she was planning to intervene, but while that wasn't incorrect, her actions caused even Loki to become slack-jawed as she walked up to Vahn, grabbed his hands, looked him in the eyes, and said, "Please go out with me," with an expression comparable to the one she wore when going into a battle she wasn't sure she would walk away from...
...
..
.
(A/N: Someone on my Discord suggested I use EPIC to help promote the novel I'm currently working on, but I didn't want to simply post a glorified ad. The EPIClogue is something I still have a vested interest in, so if you'd like to support me so I can continue writing, please take a look at -The Path-. It's based on the very first novel premise I published and eventually ties in with EPIC itself, so I would greatly appreciate feedback from those of you who have stuck with me since the start of this journey and are curious to see how I develop as an Author moving forward. Either way, thank you for your time. Life hasn't been especially kind to me these past few months, but I pray you are all well and will continue to remain as such in the far future.)
(A/N: For those of you who aren't keeping up with my other novels, long time no see. I hope that, as you're reading this, your day and lives are going well. As for what this post is about, it's to inform those who are interested that EPIC has transitioned to the post-logue sequel, a story that, by popular demand, will follow a freshly anointed Vahn's journey as he begins a very different adventure, starting in the Record of Highschool DxD. If that appeals to you, you can read up to chapter 50 for free on my Patreon, and I'll be posting twice-daily chapters here on Webnovel under the title EPIC: Path of Demons and Dragons. Now, without further ado, enjoy some insight into one of the story's greatest secrets o3o...)
...
..
.
"This brings back memories..." remarked a tall man with dark, somewhat messy hair that framed a handsome face and deep aquamarine eyes, which, upon closer inspection, appeared to swirl with innumerable, ever-shifting specks of light.
"It truly does..." responded a petite woman with equally messy black hair, emerald green eyes with slit-like pupils, sun-kissed brown skin, and a slim yet shapely body adorned with distinctive, cat-like ears and a tail. Like the man, her eyes glistened with specks of shimmering light, but their number and intensity were greater.
"It amazes me that, no matter how many times we reach this point, it forever feels like the first..." mused the man, turning to face the woman and adopting a smile that caused the surrounding darkness to retreat, casting the entirety of the boundless expanse they were in with equally endless light.
"That's because it is," hummed the woman, approaching the man and embracing him for the first and last time. He readily reciprocated, and though the two had already spent an eternity together, they enjoyed a few eons more as seconds to an ordinary person. Then, without further need to communicate, the body of the man broke down into countless motes of light, sinking into the woman's body but leaving behind a tiny, ancient-looking orb covered in indecipherable runes.
"And thus, life eternal makes way for endless possibility..." muttered the woman, her body breaking down to a nebulous mass that appeared both male and female, its form ever-shifting depending on the perspective and angle it was viewed from.
Though nothing happened for a truly incomprehensible amount of time following the woman's utterance, so long as the possibility of something happening existed, she would wait. Fortunately, she was never alone, the dreams of countless beings materializing within her, their pasts, presents, and futures coexisting within a single moment...unchanging...expectant...
Rousing from what felt like an endless dream, the woman looked down to find a single mote of light, born within the darkness that had encroached upon her in the wake of the man's disappearance. This was what she had been waiting for, but while she felt an indescribable urge to reach out and grasp it, she remained patient, a single, even smaller mote of light, barely a speck, separating from her nebulous mass to meet the anomalous mote that had appeared from nothingness. Memories of a boy with translucent skin and glowing blood flooded into her, rousing countless others, but as it was her first time experiencing this particular set, alongside the feelings attached to them, she couldn't help muttering, "You poor child..."
...
..
.
"Ugh...my stomach..." groaned a boy with healthy and fair brown skin, dark brown hair that sat messily atop his head, and striking aquamarine eyes, fighting back the urge to throw up after enduring a sensation akin to his stomach being wrung like a rag. He couldn't help noticing that he was naked, but instead of focusing on that, his eyes widened to their limits as he saw he had hands with which to cradle his stomach and a pair of thin but intact legs.
"I have hands and legs..." muttered the boy, tears swelling within his eyes and quickly pouring freely down his face before he covered them in a vain attempt to deter his sobbing. It wasn't that he was sad, but after enduring years of being strapped to an exam table and being unable to move about without the aid of others, he felt overwhelmed.
(That is correct.) said a distinctly synthetic-sounding voice within the boy's mind, causing him to startle as it explained (Though the physical body of the Host may have sustained damage, the structure of your Soul is immutable. It may appear to change, but it is always as a reflection of the Host's desires.)
"Who are you...?" asked the boy, staring up at the endless nothingness surrounding him. After meeting with the Goddess, who had introduced herself as Klyscha, he had been deposited on what looked like a strange, circular stone platform. He was excited for what was to come, but seeing nothing beyond the platform compelled him to tuck in his knees and hug them.
(I am the System created to act as an intermediary between the Host and The Path.) explained the voice, its tone appearing to soften slightly as it appended, ("As the Host is incapable of understanding the functions of The Path without assistance, I was created as an auxiliary support and to serve as an intermediary. I shall do my utmost to answer any questions the Host might have about The Path, its functions, and the Records within which you shall venture.*)
Sensing the System's sincerity, the boy, named Vahn Mason, breathed a sigh of relief, a feeble but excited smile developing across his face as he responded, "I see...and I think I understand. I'm glad to have someone to help me. I'm certain I'll get used to it, but this is all a bit much right now..."
(And I am pleased to assist you.) responded the System, giving Vahn the impression it was happy despite sounding like a female robot. In response to that thought, the System remarked, (You aren't mistaken; I am happy. However, that shouldn't be your primary focus at the moment. Your Ego is too fragile to remain in this place for an extended period, so while it might be presumptuous of me to do so, I suggest initializing the Tutorial. Then, once you have familiarized yourself with The Path's functions, you should choose the Record you wish to inhabit as soon as possible.)
"Oh...um...okay...?" responded Vahn, a little overwhelmed but feeling he could trust the System. He couldn't explain it, but he felt like it had been looking after him for much longer than the few minutes they had known each other, reminding him of a cold-sounding but very caring older sister.
Making it clear that it was privy to his thoughts, the System responded, (Acknowledged. If it pleases the Host, please refer to me as Big Sister or simply Sis from now on.) in a markedly more feminine tone.
"Is that really okay...?" asked Vahn, feeling a little embarrassed. While it was true that he had always wanted an older sister, it felt weird referring to the voice in his head in such an intimate manner.
(The decision is the Host's to make.) responded the System. (However, if the Host is asking if I'm okay with it; there are few things that would make me happier.)
"Well...if that's the case...I...I'm happy to have you, S-Sis..." stammered Vahn, his face flushing red, prompting him to use his hands to conceal it as he added, "Please initialize the tutorial...!"
Though he wasn't sure what a tutorial was, Vahn felt he would find out faster by experiencing it directly. Fortunately, it appeared that a tutorial was some kind of explanation, as Sis responded (Affirmative.) before a transparent blue window appeared before him, floating in the air.
-------------------------------------------
[Available Functions]
[Status]: Displays the Host's physical, mental, and spiritual attributes in a quantifiable format.
[Skills]: Displays a list of the Hosts' available Skills. The Host may toggle Skills On and Off to Activate or Deactivate their effects.
[Shop]: Displays a list of all items available across all Records. The Host can sell items stored within the Inventory for a currency known as Origin Points. The same currency is what's used to purchase items.
[Inventory]: Displays a grid that permits the Host to store items within a localized sub-dimension, inaccessible to all but the Host. Items stored within are not influenced by the flow of time. Furthermore, the Host can Equip items within the Inventory to pre-designated slots, permitting the instantaneous changing or removal of equipment.
[Records]: Displays a list of all available Records and their associated difficulty. Difficulties range from 1~7, with one being Mortal and seven being the Realm of Duality. There are Tiers of existence beyond seven, but they cannot be conceived. CAUTION! It is highly recommended that the Host avoid Records exceeding Tier 5 until they have attained Divinity!
[Map]: Displays a map of the current Record, but only places the Host has seen or sensed directly.
-------------------------------------------
Sensing that Vahn had finished reading, Sis explained, (You can view the specifics of each by saying or thinking display along with the function you wish to review. I suggest starting with Status, as it would be beneficial for you to understand your current capabilities before choosing a Record.)
"That makes sense," responded Vahn, nodding before focusing his mind and thinking that he wanted to view his Status. In response, the window before him closed, replaced by a completely new one.
-------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: [Vahn Mason](?)
Age: 0(Age does not apply to the Soul)
Race: Human(Soul), Sealed
Parameters: Does not apply outside of Records
Soul Tier: 1 (Mortal Soul)
Karma: 0
-------------------------------------------
'I'm not sure what I expected...' thought Vahn, prompting what felt like a laugh from the depths of his mind before Sis assured, (It shows that you have infinite potential and room to grow. As for your Karma, which I sense you are curious about, it was used to allow you access to The Path. Once you access a Record, you will be able to acquire considerably more based on your actions and decisions moving forward.)
"Then I guess I should display Records next...?" asked Vahn, prompting a new window to appear before him, this time depicting a list that appeared to scroll forever. Fortunately, it had two boxes at the top, one for inputting specific Record names and another for inputting search parameters.
'I'm not sure I want to enter the Record of a place I know...' thought Vahn, his face forming a frown as he imagined screwing things up for the people who lived in the worlds he would be traveling. He didn't believe he would be turned away if he traveled to a Record like Fairy Tail and aspired to join the titular Guild, but if the members considered him weird or too weak, he might be ostracized or get in their way...
(Then, is there anything you would like to experience?) asked Sis. (You are not limited to choosing a single Record to spend the remainder of your days. You could always select one to accumulate strength and knowledge before moving to one you're more familiar with.)
"That's...a really good idea..." agreed Vahn, his doubt gradually replaced by a broad, bright-eyed smile as he appended, "You're really smart, Sis~!"
(Thank you for the compliment.) responded Sis, giving Vahn the distinct impression she was pleased. Then, in response to the thought forming in his mind, she displayed a much shorter list of Records that fit the criteria he was imagining. His goal was a Record similar to his previous world but with things like Magic, Martial Arts, Demons, and Gods. Most importantly, he wanted the Record he chose to allow even someone like him to be able to attend High School without being seen as too weird or creepy...
"What does DxD stand for...?" asked Vahn, referring to the Record at the top of the list, an unfamiliar world known as High School DxD with a Tier range of 1~5.
(Analyzing.) responded Sis, followed by a lengthy delay where Vahn got the distinct impression his brain was heating up. Fortunately, it didn't give him a fever or persist for too long before Sis appended (Based on what I was able to deduce, it should stand for Demons and Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons, or something comparable. However, this is speculative, as I possess no direct knowledge of said Record.)
"Then let's learn about it together~!" said Vahn, adopting a radiant smile that seemed to light up the surrounding darkness, albeit only slightly. In response, a sensation akin to static briefly emanated from the depths of his mind before Sis, her voice sounding audibly softer, responded, (That would be wonderful, Vahn. Before initializing the transfer, however, there is an item within your Inventory you should make use of. It is a gift given to you by Klsycha, its effect being to bestow you a unique Skill that could prove useful in your first Record. Take note that-)
Before Sis could finish issuing her warning, Vahn, excited by the prospect of attending school for the first time, interrupted her to state, "Oh! I want to use it...!" with the enthusiasm of a child who had just learned they were about to receive a present. Sis had no choice but to obey, so alongside a pleasant-sounding ding and a tiny blue window appearing along the edge of his vision, Vahn experienced a powerful tugging sensation in his gut as he abruptly descended into his first Record...
...
..
.
— Bald kommt ein neues Kapitel — Schreiben Sie eine Rezension
Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen
Kommentar absatzweise anzeigen
Die Absatzkommentarfunktion ist jetzt im Web! Bewegen Sie den Mauszeiger über einen beliebigen Absatz und klicken Sie auf das Symbol, um Ihren Kommentar hinzuzufügen.
Außerdem können Sie es jederzeit in den Einstellungen aus- und einschalten.
ICH HAB ES