87 DXD 5

After being informed by the guard, we were escorted back to the same room where the assassination attempt had taken place at. As we walked in, I immediately noticed that the room had been tidied up and the cracked floorboards had been fixed. The sudden transformation of the room surprised me and I couldn't help but wonder if the staff had some sort of magical ability for repairing things, like the spell [Reparo], or if they had simply worked swiftly to fix the room by hand.

As we entered the room, Yasaka and her guards were already there, awaiting our arrival. Unlike our previous encounter, they appeared more at ease and relaxed, which led me to believe that Yasaka may have spoken to them about what happened during the attack. I was taken aback when the guards showed us respect by bowing as we entered.

Yasaka too greeted us with a bow and a warm smile. She acknowledged the interruption during our previous meeting and said, "Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Yasaka, the leader of the Youkai Faction in Kyoto. And this is Takumi," she pointed to the Kitsune standing to her right, "he is my trusted right-hand man."

With her introduction, I noticed that Yasaka's demeanor had changed. She seemed more relaxed and open as if she was making an effort to establish a positive relationship with us. Her introduction of Takumi also indicated that he was an important figure in the faction and someone we should be aware of.

"Nice to finally put a name to the face, Takumi," I say, chuckling as the man who had led us to the mansion looks away awkwardly.

"Before we start, I want to express my gratitude to both of you for saving my life and uncovering the traitors," she says, bowing her head, with her guards and assistant following suit.

"You're welcome," Olivia responds on my behalf, knowing that I tend to wave off our accomplishments. I look to the side with a pout, while Yasaka brings her hand to her lips, chuckling at our interaction. She gestures to the spot across her and continues. "If it's not too much trouble, Andrew and Olivia, I'd like to ask you a few questions," She says, adopting a professional tone, as we sit across from her.

"Sure, go ahead," Olivia replies, while I simply shrug.

"Where are you both from? My team has searched for information about you, but it seems as though you don't exist," Yasaka inquires.

"We're travelers who have come from afar," I reply with a chuckle, reaching for a cookie on the table and drawing the attention of the room.

Yasaka nods, understanding that I don't want to divulge more, and asks. "So that means you're independent agents without any affiliations?"

"Well... Yes, you can say that." Olivia answers after a moment of thought.

"Can you elaborate on that?" Yasaka asks, intrigued by Olivia's response.

"We're technically part of an organization, but it's not relevant to our current situation here," Olivia replies, hesitant to reveal too much information.

Yasaka nods in understanding and continues her questioning. "And, if I may ask, what brings you to Kyoto?"

"To be honest, we were originally here for sightseeing, but after noticing your men following us around, the place piqued my interest," I answer with a smile.

"I'm terribly sorry for any discomfort or invasion of privacy. However, I must ensure the safety of this place. Two individuals suddenly appearing out of nowhere, with one of them emitting unusual energy, could raise some concerns," Yasaka responds with a weak smile. "Speaking of that energy, may I ask what it was?"

"It was just a type of detection spell, nothing dangerous," I respond.

Yasaka nods in acknowledgment. "I have no way of confirming the validity of that, but I'll take your word for it," she says with a small smile. "What are your plans for the future?"

"Nothing for now, although, we might need to find a place to stay," I say after thinking about it for a moment.

Yasaka's eyes perk up and she suggests, "May I make a suggestion? Would you like to stay in town? We could provide you with a place to stay."

I chuckle and respond, "You do realize that I can read your thoughts. If you want us to train your men, just say it. There's no need to beat around the bush."

Yasaka smiles, knowing that I caught onto her intentions. "Yes, that is part of the offer. We could use your expertise to train our soldiers," she confirms.

I turn to Olivia and ask, "Are you okay with that?"

A grin spreads across her face, causing the guards around us to shiver in fear. "Sure, but can we train them the same way we trained Lili and Haru?" she asks.

I chuckle and with a smile respond, "I'm not sure they would survive that." My statement makes the present guards gulp in fear.

I turn to Yasaka and say, "Alright, we agree, but we won't be officially joining your faction. Tell your men they will experience hell but by the end of the training they will born anew." I say with another chuckle. "Olivia can train them with weapons, and if needed, I can do the same with magic."

Yasaka nods in agreement and says, "I'll inform them. If you need to discuss any logistics or anything else, you can always contact Takumi or me."

After the questions were addressed, we continued our meeting by discussing the training schedule and engaging in casual conversation. Meanwhile, Yasaka sent a few attendants to prepare a residence for us. During our talks, she revealed that thanks to my earlier help, she had eliminated her political opponents, with the majority of them losing their lives. Her decisive actions made it evident to others that crossing her or her family was unwise.

As the meeting wound down, Yasaka's servants returned with news that a house has been prepared for us to stay in during our time in Kyoto. We thanked Yasaka for her hospitality and left.

We followed Yasaka's servant through the streets of Kyoto, marveling at the traditional architecture and the bustling crowds. After a short walk, we arrived at our new residence, a beautiful Japanese house nestled in a quiet corner of the city. The house was surrounded by a small garden, filled with cherry blossoms and a small koi pond.

As we stepped inside, the scent of wood and incense filled our senses. The interior was simple yet elegant, with tatami mats covering the floors and shoji screens separating the different rooms. The main room had a low table with cushions to sit on, and a small alcove displaying a beautiful flower arrangement.

Yasaka's servant bowed to us and informed us that everything we needed had already been prepared, including food and drinks. The maid also let us know that she would be staying in a separate part of the house, and if we needed anything, we could simply call for her assistance. We thanked her for her assistance and dismissed her.

It was clear that the maid was not only here to assist us, but also to keep an eye on us. Understandable, as we were unknowns in their eyes. Instead of jumping forward in time and ignoring everything, we chose to stay in the present moment. This decision also allowed us to train our abilities extensively, which was a necessary step for us to achieve our future goals.

In addition, staying here also gave us the opportunity to go through our list of classes and carefully select the ones that were currently the most suitable for us. As we wanted to ensure that we were equipped with the best skills and knowledge for the foreseeable future.

I decided to start my class selection with the Artificer class, for several reasons. Firstly, this was a high-level class with a maximum level of 100, which meant that I could potentially gain a significant boost to my main stats with each level. Additionally, the Artificer class offered two crafting-related skills, which made it an ideal choice for someone who liked to dabble in item creation.

Artificer 0/100

+3 DEX, +3 INT, +4 WIS, +5 PER per level

Gain the skill [Craft], providing you a passive boost towards all crafting abilities.

Gain the skill [Disassemble], allowing you to break down items into their base components.

The skill [Craft] may seem like an unremarkable and unimpressive skill at first glance, but in reality, it was a highly useful and potent skill. This skill provided a passive boost to all of my other crafting skills, without any negative effects or drawbacks.

It quickly became apparent that [Craft] had the potential to become the best option for a universal crafting skill base. By putting all of my other crafting skills under it as subskills, I could maximize the benefits and synergies between all of my abilities. This would allow me to create more intricate and complex items, as well as increase the efficiency and speed of my crafting processes. However, all of that had to wait, for those skills to be maxed out.

[Craft LVL:1/100]

- Allows the user to create more complex and intricate items with greater ease.

- Increases proficiency in crafting techniques by 0.1%/LVL.

- Increases crafting speed and reduces crafting time by 0.05%/LVL.

On the other hand, [Disassemble] was a much more intricate and nuanced skill. This ability allowed me to disassemble objects and materials into their base components, and there was even a small chance of recovering rare resources that were consumed in the original crafting process. Additionally, this skill also gave me a slight chance of uncovering the hidden properties or effects of materials, which could be extremely useful in creating new and unique items.

It's noteworthy that the skill didn't specify any limitations on its use with carcasses or bodies. This led me to believe that it could serve as a harvesting ability for obtaining valuable materials and components from animals, monsters, and other biological remains.

[Disassemble LVL:1/100]

- Allows the user to disassemble objects and materials with a 90% success rate.

- Grants a 10% chance of discovering hidden properties or effects within the disassembled objects or materials.

- Provides a 5% increased chance of recovering rare or valuable materials consumed by the original crafting process.

For my next class selection, I prioritized gaining more points in my main attributes, while also seeking out additional skills that could complement my existing abilities. After some pondering, I settled on the Programmer class which provided a substantial boost to my stats, along with four additional skills that were somewhat weaker in comparison.

Programmer 0/50

+1 DEX, +2 INT, +1 WIS, +1 PER per level

Gain the skill [Code Master], allowing you to write and modify code with ease.

Gain the skill [Data Savant], increasing your ability to analyze and interpret data.

Gain the skill [Hack], allowing you to temporarily gain control of electronic devices and systems.

Gain the skill [Optimize], allowing you to optimize and enhance any processes or system.

One of the skills I acquired from my second class selection was [Code Master], which was somewhat similar to the [Coding] skill I already possessed. Despite some similarities, [Code Master] offered a unique set of abilities that could be valuable in specific situations, making it a worthwhile investment. On the other hand, I found the [Hack] skill to be somewhat redundant, as my [Technomancy] skill was already capable of performing many of the same functions and more.

[Code Master LVL:1/100]

- Increases proficiency in writing and modifying code by 0.05%/LVL.

- Provides the ability to easily learn and adapt to new programming languages, frameworks, and libraries.

[Hack LVL:1/100]

- Provides the ability to gain temporary control of electronic devices or systems within the user's perception radius, granting access to information or functionality that may be otherwise restricted.

- Grants a 10% chance of detecting and exploiting vulnerabilities in electronic systems, allowing the user to gain access to sensitive information or take control of critical systems.

However, the other two skills that came with the class made it worth taking. Both [Data Savant] and [Optimize] were incredibly powerful and perfectly complimented my existing skillset.

[Data Savant LVL:1/100]

- Increases the user's proficiency in data analysis by 0.05%/LVL, allowing the user to quickly and efficiently analyze and interpret data from any source.

- Provides the ability to extract valuable insights and patterns from large and complex datasets, allowing the user to make informed decisions and predictions.

- Increases the user's understanding of statistical principles and best practices, making it easier to design effective experiments and analyze data with confidence.

[Optimize LVL:1/100]

- Increases the user's ability to optimize and enhance any processes or systems by 0.05%/LVL, allowing them to make the most of their potential.

- Grants a 10% chance of reducing the resource cost of tasks, increasing the user's endurance and sustainability in various endeavors.

- Enables the user to create and deploy new strategies or methods, which can be customized to fit their unique objectives or circumstances.

As for my final class selection, I decided to take a small risk and chose something that wasn't necessarily a typical choice for a mage. The Thief class didn't offer any significant benefits, skills, or stat boosts to my main attributes, but I was intrigued by the possibility of unlocking new and interesting classes once it maxed out. Even if it didn't, considering its maximum level was just 25, it wasn't much of a risk. The only drawback was that it would raise my experience demands for my following class, but that was acceptable to me.

Thief 0/25

+1 DEX, +1 PER, +1 LUCK per level

25% increased movement speed while sneaking.

25% increase in physical damage dealt when attacking from behind or while stealthed.

After finalizing my class selection, I sat down with Olive to help her choose her classes. Despite her initial interest in defensive classes, I advised her to opt for a more balanced approach and convinced her to select one combat, one defensive, and one support class. In the end, she settled on Slayer, Tank, and Scout, with maximum levels of 100, 50, and 25, respectively - similar to my own choices.

Slayer, her first choice, offered a significant boost to her main attributes and damage dealt, along with a 10% physical and magical penetration. It also provided an ability to bypass 2% of the enemy's armor with her attacks.

Slayer 0/100

+4 STR, + 1 DEX, +4 AGI, +2 VIT, +3 PER, +1 LUCK per level

Gain the ability [Eternal Hunt], increasing your total damage for each soul you took, for a certain duration.

Grants a flat 35% damage boost to all forms of damage dealt.

Grants a flat 10% magic and physical resistance penetration.

All your attacks ignore 2% of the enemy's armor.

It was evident that the class was specifically designed for combat, evident not just from its name and passive bonuses, but also from the unique skill it bestowed. [Eternal Hunt] augmented her damage output for each enemy she defeated and allowed her to mark a target and track its location for 24 hours. Furthermore, this skill provided her allies with increased damage against the marked target.

[Eternal Hunt LVL:1/100]

- Increases all damage dealt by any means by 0.1% per soul taken in the last 24 hours.

- Using the souls of the slain, allows the marking of a hunted prey for 24 hours, allowing you to sense his general location and increasing all damage dealt towards him by your allies by 10%.

For her second class, Olive selected Tank. She was drawn to its passive damage reduction and defensive stat bonuses, as well as its intriguing skills. However, the class came with a slight drawback - a 20% reduction in all damage dealt. Fortunately, this was offset by the Slayer class's 35% damage increase.

Tank 0/50

+1 STR, +2 VIT, +1 P. Res, +1 M. Res per level

Allows the instinctual knowledge on how to wield a shield.

Gain the ability to [Taunt] enemies, keeping their focus on you.

Gain the ability of [Damage Transference], allowing you to take damage intended for your allies.

40% reduction of all damage received.

20% damage reduction in damage dealt.

With Tank as her second class, Olive became an excellent front-line fighter, able to draw enemy attention and transfer damage away from herself or her allies. I was pretty sure her new skill, [Taunt], involved some kind of mental manipulation, which we tested on me - but since I had high mental stats and defenses, it sadly had no effect on me. The other skill, however, was a double-edged sword. It allowed Olive to transfer damage or status effects to or from her target.

We had the idea to try and evolve this skill so that Olive could transfer the damage she received onto her enemies. However, this proved to be a difficult task, as she only saw me as a trusted ally and couldn't force the skill to harm me in any way.

[Taunt LVL:1/100]

- Sends out a wave of energy that forcibly attracts the attention of nearby entities that the user perceives as enemies, making them more likely to target the user.

- While the taunt effect is active, the user's defense stat is increased by 10% + 0.2%/LVL against attacks from affected targets, but their evasion and stealth stats are reduced by the same amount.

- The effect can be resisted by targets with a higher resistance stat, a specific skill, or a strong enough willpower.

[Damage Transference LVL:1/100]

- Allows you to form a temporary ethereal bond with a friendly target, transferring all damage and status effects received by either party to the other.

- Reduces all damage received through the bond by 0.1% per level.

For her third and final class, Olive went with Scout - a level 25 class that granted her the skill [Eagle Eye] and a 50% increase in movement speed outside of combat. However, after selecting this class, she found the sudden increase in speed to be overwhelming and required a full day to adjust to it. It was quite amusing for me to watch as she repeatedly bumped into objects in our house, though she didn't appreciate my laughter.

As a form of revenge, she used her Tank class skill to transfer damage onto me. While it didn't cause much harm, it was certainly an interesting experience to suddenly feel a pulsating bump on my head while sitting on the sofa and laughing. All in all, it was a fun day.

Scout 0/25

+1 AGI, +2 PER per level

Gain the ability [Eagle Eye], allowing you to view the area before you from a bird's eye perspective.

Increases your movements speed by 50% while out of combat.

Despite the modest stat bonuses, the Scout class offered an intriguing ability that caught Olive's attention. The skill allowed her to distort her perception and gain a bird's-eye view of an area, enabling her to scout out locations or position herself more effectively in large-scale battles. At its current level, the skill granted her a clear top-down view of a 40-kilometer radius area around her.

[Eagle Eye LVL:1/100]

- Allows you to warp your perception to view an area from a bird's eye perspective, with the radius equaling to a quarter of your perception.

- Increases the sharpness and clarity of your vision, allowing you to see objects and details from far away distances.