Chapter 16: Beating the Gatekeeper

"So Light, no mission for this time?"

{Host, it's already posted in the mission panel. Check it out.}

{Mission 2: Save the beauties

Mission details: Protect the three beauties; Kishimoto, Sakuraoka, and Suzumura. Make sure they get back into the Gantz Room.

Rewards: Blessings from Light}

"Again with the blessing? Why don't you just rewards me with some System Points?"

{Ehem... actually, I don't have much of SP in my pool of rewards. Host needed to do more mission for me, in order for me to get more share on System Points. Only then I will be able to rewards the host with it.}

[If you needed more SP, do my mission. Here is my mission.

Mission 2: Collect as much DNA sample as you can.

Mission details: Kill the Buddhas alien in order to get it's DNA.

Rewards: 2 System Points per sample DNA.]

"Huh!? Dark?"

Kurono can see Dark is hovering behind Light. Is not this guy on the run? Why is he here?

{Why are you here? They haven't caught you yet?}

[Yo big bro. Those System Patrol? Hah! They won't be able to catch me that easily. hahaha.]

"..."

{...}

[Forget about them. Host, you already have taken my SP for free. I am not going to ask that back. However, please help me do the mission. That way, you and I will get a share for SP. What do you think? This is a win win situation.]

"Well...sure."

[Nice. That's more like it.]

_What's more like it?_

[Huh!?]

{Huh!?}

<Uncle?>

"Huh!?"

As Kurono looked up, he saw a middle-aged man in an office suit hovering in the air, looking down at them.

[Fa... father? Wha...why are you here?] Dark shivered when he saw the middle-aged man.

Bonk!

The man instantly appeared behind Dark and knocked his head. _It's Administrator! I told you to call me Administrator!_

[Gah! That's hurt, bastard!]

Bonk!

Another punch knocked Dark unconscious. The man took him and placed him on his shoulder. After that, he looked at Kurono.

_Hello there Host of the Ninth Earth. This is unexpected. Still, nice meeting you._

"Host of the Ninth Earth? Uh...nice to meet you too... Administrator." Kurono's curiousity grew bigger with every encounter with System Entities. From this guy, he could infer that there are other host out there, other than him.

_Well, this is not some convenient time to chat. I'll be bringing this kid away first. You can do your own stuff._

After that, the man rose up with Dark, but momentarily stopped. _The mission this kid gave you is still available. Also, as a token of our first meeting, here's my mission for you.

Mission 1: Save the beauties..._

{Father, I already gave that mission to him.}

_Is that so? Ehem...then, let see... I know.

Mission 1: Kill that annoying monk.

Mission details: Just kill that monk.

Rewards: 100 SP (incomplete)_

"..."

{...}

<...>

[...]

_So you are just pretending to be unconscious, huh._

[Ah ha ha... Father...I mean, Administrator. I am willing to receive my punishment. So, please let me watch the mission success this time.]

_Not a chance. Let's go. Move your lazy ass!_

The two then disappeared into thin air.

Kurono was rendered speechless as he saw their behavior. Forget it. Let's focus on the task on hands.

As he looked at the locked temple, he saw two Rowdy Aliens on the left side of the door, and two Grumpy Aliens on the right side.

"Four? Wait, did every mission have double amounts of aliens compared to the original timeline? If so, this is really bad news." Kurono's expression changed as he suddenly realize the situation. "Then, there are two gargantuan Buddhas inside. Shit! Just my luck."

At this time, Kato and Hojo tried to open the door to the temple, but it was locked.

"The door is locked."

"Let just burst it with the gun."

Hojo pointed his gun to the door and shoot it. The wooden door then broke off. They then entered through the broken door.

"Wait." Miyafuji stopped everyone. "If we are looking for the target, aren't these statues them?"

Everyone looked up and saw the faces of the four statues.

"Their faces really resembles the target."

"You gotta be kidding right?"

"No shit. How do we fight such enemy? They are way too big for us to fight."

All of them sweated profusely. Just the thought of going against this things are impossible. What more for them to want to defeat this giants? That's plain suicide.

"Kei-chan, do you know about them?"

"Yes. They are some of the many target."

"Then, let's just kill them before they move."

Everyone then picked their target and tried to shoot.

"Hei, aim for the foot..."

Kurono's warning came a little late as everyone already pulled their triggers. However, the aliens moved first before they could shoot.

"Ahh! Ahh! Those thing moved!"

"Oh shit! It's really is an aliens. We are dead!"

Grandmaa! They are scary! Waahh!"

The sudden movement by the giants caused everybody to falter.

"Guys, go inside the temple.Hurry!" urged Kato.

Everyone then rushed through the broken door. On the other hand, Kurono still decided to stay at the back. He was calmly thinking of how to improve himself.

"If I have enough points, I should be able to increase my strength. What to do?"

Kurono calmly jumped to the side to evade, when one of the Grumpy Alien punched down. As he looked at the running people,he got an idea.

"Let's use one strength potion for now. It should be enough to lift one of the Buddha."

He then bought and consumed one strength potion. After that, he grabbed the foot of one of the Grumpy Alien and lifted the guy up. After that, he threw it towards the running people, specifically towards the monk that was left at the back of the group.

Feeling the strong air at their back everyone looked back, only to be shocked as a giant buddha was almost upon them.

"Ah ah ah! Save me...ah!!"

The monk was so scared that tears were flowing down on his cheeks. However, his fate was already sealed. The head of the Grumpy Alien crushed him, and his body splashed onto the ground.

He was killed!

The others saw it and experienced the biggest terror in their life.

"The monk is dead. He got easily killed!"

"Why did the giant fall down?"

"Did it trip on it's feet?"

The thought was only a glimpse, as the continued to run away from the Grumpy Alien.

_Mission 1: Kill that annoying monk.

Mission details: Just kill that monk.

Rewards: 100 SP (Complete)_

"Ah, nice one. Now, we got some points to waste."

Kurono smiled as he saw his SP increased.

Kei Kurono

System Points (SP): 135

Level: 1 (Average Human)

Stored Items: Non

Seeing the points, Kurono was deep in thought. He was not really willing to waste the point to buy those potions, as it is only a momentary effect. He looked at the basic stats, and asked Rose and Light, "How do I use this basic Points?"

<Just add it into your stats like how you use the charm point. Hei duck!>

Kurono ducked, and a kick almost blasted his head.

{Here's your stats.

Kurono's Stats

Strength: 34 (+30)

Dexterity: 42

Intelligence: 31

Charm: 8}

"Hey, that's very low of a statistics."

{That's not including the Gantz suit. Also your stats is comparable to the average human stats. Here's the average stats for human.

Average Humanuman Stats

Strength: 30

Dexterity: 30

Intelligence: 30

Charm: 5}

"Ehh... that's even lower. So, I'm better than average then." Kurono smiled seeing the difference. "I assume those (+30) is the effect given by the potion, right?"

{You are correct host.}

That's why he felt so powerful just by using one potion. However, this thing only a momentary effect, and cost him too much SP. "In that case, using basic stats is the right thing to do."

Kurono then spent 30 SP to buy the limited 10 Basic Stats. He used 5 basic stats on Strength, and 5 on dexterity. As soon as he did so, he felt his body got energized, and a little light.

Kurono's Stats

Strength: 39 (+30)

Dexterity: 47

Intelligence: 31

Charm: 8

"Now, let's go beat these gatekeeper."

After getting those boost, Kurono started his counterattack against the aliens. Right as one of the Rowdy Aliens punched at him, he punched back in reply.

Boom!

A shockwaves was generated between the two. Both of them retracted their own hand.

"What? Did my eyes played on me? I just saw that kid received a punch from that buddha guy, and still come out unharmed."

"You are wrong. He punched at the same time, and cancelled out the giant punch."

"That's the same thing. Anyway, is he still human?"

"Woah. He is a hero!"

Inside the temple, everyone looked back and saw Kurono was fighting the three giant without being in a disadvantages.

The three giant things attacked consecutively. However, Kurono just countered it with some kick and punch. Sometimes, he just evade to the side. After one or two minutes, Kurono felt that he is ready to face any giant aliens like these three.

"Uh...guys is that even possible?"

"He is certainly not a human."

"Then, we have a chance to win against these thing."

All the others stood watching at the distance. The second Grumpy Alien turned mad and headed towards Kurono's direction. While he was busy countering and evading the attacks from the three enemies, the Grumpy Alien punched Kurono on his back.

"Kurono!"

"Watch out!" "Becareful!"

Seeing the ambush, the others shouted out to warn Kurono. Kishimoto shouted Kurono's name in fright.

Right then, Kurono turned around and grabbed the punch from the Grumpy Alien. After that, he pulled on the wrist of the guy, swing the guy like some light stick. The Grumpy Alien was swung swiftly, and hit the other three giant aliens consecutively. The two aliens who got hit crashed on the ground, while the last one staggered and fall face down.

Before the three could stand up again, Kurono swung the alien on hand, and hit the three on the ground, as if beating some wounded dog.

Boom! Bang! Bam!

The sound of beating reverberated in the surrounding. Everytime the Grumpy Alien landed on the ground, it will create a small quake that affected everyone footings on the ground. Finally, after two to three minutes, all three of the alien on the ground turned into a meat paste. Even the one that turned into a 'stick' already become a mess.

"Well, that's all for these guys." said the sweating Kurono, stopping from beating the target. After that, he threw away the remaining giant in his hand.

He then headed inside, towards the others. "Guys, I'm done here."

What he got in reply was a silence. Everyone looked at him as if looking to some dangerous beast.

"Monster! This guy is a monster!"

"Hahaha. That's a hero for you. He is so sick!"

"It's good that he is on our side. I don't ever want to make him as an enemy."

Those newcomers felt some hope for the fight. However, they are also got frightened by the boy's inhuman strength.

This also affected Kato and the others. For the first time, they found Kurono to be unfamiliar. It's as if he suddenly turned into an entirely new person. Is this because he is a past Gantz fighter?