HOTD Intermission

Haven's eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing. All around us, a massive platform greeted us. The center was occupied by a giant ball of light. They had appeared in the Terminal Lobby. A place where mission survivors could exchange their points for new and improved enhancements. At the edge of the platform, pure darkness surrounded it, no walls, nothing, just pure darkness that separated the floor from nothingness.

Yukio cracked his neck and glanced around the lobby.

Two pale and partially frightened faces greeted him back.

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Yukio: Glad to see you guys made it.

Jax: Yukio! Haven! Holy shit, you're actually still alive?!

Izumi: Oh my god. This... is this a miracle?!

Haven: (weakly) You make it sound like... you were hoping for me to die?

Jax: Well, of course. You're a bastard.

Haven: ...

Izumi: In any case... How're you still alive? I thought you were bitten?

Haven: I was. In fact the virus is still coursing through my veins but my immune system is fighting it off. It's losing, badly, but I think I should have at least around two hours before I turn.

Yukio: Alright. Explanations can come later, get healed up. I should say some things before you all go crazy and spend your meager points. Haven, instruct god, the floating sphere of light, to give you a full heal. We don't know what other infections or diseases those runners who bit into you carried. It'll be better if you can get a full clean up, after all.

Haven: Sure.

Izumi: Runners? As in plural? I thought only one-

Yukio: Later. Explanations can come later. Now let me just get this stuff off my chest before I go off to relax. Firstly, each of us gets one free human creation. You can create any type of person you'd like to have, a girl, boy, lover or even anime characters for all I care. Anything is possible in regards to their appearance. In any case, you get only one free human creation before you need to use points to purchase a new one.

Jax: Alright... that sounds like a pretty good deal! Can we change their personalities as well?

Yukio: Yes, you can make them loyal to you or sadistic or even masochistic. Whatever you desire.

Izumi: You... you're planning to do something perverted aren't you!

Jax: (rubbing his hands) Hehe. Thi'll be fun

Yukio: (sighing)You should all get some rest. With the amount of points all of you have earned, you wont be able to buy any specific enhancements and before we go and start wantonly spending, I'd like to be there to guide you or some sort.

Izumi: Guide us? Where are you going?

Yukio: Are you seriously asking that right now? We have down time. Free time now. We should all take a moment to relax and get some sleep. If you want, only use the free human creation program. Nothing else. Go up to the platform and heal up, Haven.

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Haven nodded and made his way over.

A regal dignified voice echoed through his mind, enveloping him in a warm state of being. He felt slightly amazed at the power this ball of light had.

Haven gave god his request and it was granted for only 100 points in total. Haven still had an extra 10,262 points more to spend.

A ball of light shot down and enveloped Haven, healing up his debilitating injuries. He was only barely able to walk earlier due to Yukio's rough patching up but once the warm light encompassed his body, it spread its healing qualities into his body, successfully curing him of all his ailments

A moment later, he landed back down onto the ground and tested out his new physical might. A few punches and kicks later, Haven confirmed that he had felt better than he had ever felt before.

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Yukio: Good. Now I'm going to go to sleep. I'll see all of you here tomorrow.

Haven: Ah! Well... alright then. See you.

[We should do the same. Lets go.]

Haven: Ah but, our enhancements?

[Heh, I've already planned it all out, Haven. We're going to choose two very important things.]

Haven: Aw... but...

[Relax. I have a feeling you're going to like it and I can finally test out a theory that I've been dying to test out.]

Haven: Can't you just tell me?

[No.]

Haven: ... Please?

[No. Tomorrow.]

Haven: Sigh. Fine.

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Taking my advice, we strolled away ignoring Izumi and Jax's argument, something to do with human creations.

We chose a room and jumped onto the bed inside. We fell asleep without even realizing it.

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The next day, we woke up at noon, having slept for a refreshing 15 hours, our body was refreshed and our fatigue, both physical and mental had faded away, Haven stretched out his body, cracking and removing the kinks around his spine.

After a short conversation about what were were about to exchange for, Haven seemed excited at the options that I presented to him.

Slightly happy and relaxed, we made out way our way out into the Terminal Lobby only to notice that we weren't the first ones there.

Yukio, Jax and Izumi had all been waiting for us apparently and Jax as well as Yukio had human creations standing nearby them.

There was a girl standing near Yukio, dressed in a maid outfit. She had a very voluptuous body and the black high heels that she wore seem to accentuate the air around her into the perfect maid for someone to hire.

As for Jax, there was... an older mature and very, very sexy woman. Her body had a perfect hourglass figure and she wore tight ripped jeans that hugged her legs. She had glasses adorned upon her face and a lose T-shirt that hung around her upper body.

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[Seems Yukio has a fetish for maids huh? And Jax's choice is... really something.]

Haven: Heh. What'll we do for the human creation option?

[Hmm... not sure. Maybe Tohsaka Rin? How about Nico Robin or Nami from One Piece?]

Haven: Hmm... I don't know. They aren't even the most perfect ones out there anyways are they?

[True...Ah! I know. What about Zelda?]

Haven: Still....

[Hmm... this is really quite the tough decision isn't it?]

Haven: Yeah.. how about Ino Yamanaka?

[I don't know... I'm not really feeling her though.]

Haven: What about, Ryuko Matoi?

[Seriously?]

Haven: Just saying...

[Sigh. This is truly torture. We have an infinite amount of to choose from!]

Haven: F*ck! You're right...

[Damn... how about Yui Yuigahama?!]

Haven: Ooh... but...

[You're right! Shit. Okay... what about Yuno Gasai?]

Haven: ...

[...]

Haven: ...I mean... she's Yandere.

[Cough. I meant Yoko Litner.]

Haven: Now... there's an option!

[Alright! We'll choose her then?!]

Haven: Sigh... I don't know... I'm second guessing at this point. How about Erza Scarlet?

[Mhmmm.... I like her but...]

Haven: Dammit, what about... aaah I donn't know... some one from Maken KI!

[Mhmmm... I guess?]

Haven: Sigh, no. No no, never mind. What about... Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop!?

[Oh! Yes I THINK THAT might not be the one...]

Haven: ... Rias Gremory?

[...]

Haven: ...

[Lets forget about it! Just go greet the rest of them before we're here forever, wondering about the human creations! Lets check out some girls from Hentai anime later to choose more options.]

Haven: I couldn't agree more.

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After our tirade in searching for the perfect anime girl to choose, we headed over towards the trio. Izumi seemed to be glaring heavily at Jax and Yukio but they paid her no mind. More so towards Jax, it seems.

I wonder why.

After greeting them, Jax and Yukio introduced their creations to us.

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Jax: This is my girlfriend, Ashley. She's the best one I could ever ask for.

Ashley: You have no tact. You created me. Of course I'm perfect in you eyes, idiot.

Jax: Ah... I might have screwed up her mindset a little... heh heh.

Ashley: What was that?!

Jax: No-nothing!

Haven: Right...

Izumi: Disgusting!

Jax: Hey! You're free to create your own, you know. No one's going to stop you.

Izumi: You're the worst and to think that I actually...

Jax: Huh?

Izumi: N-nothing.

Haven: Okay, then.. moving on.

Yukio: Haha, this is my maid, Kino. Isn't she a wonderful. She knows how to cook 5 star meals, clean and even sing. She's everything I could ever ask for.

Kino: (bowing slightly) A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Master has spoken highly of you, Haven.

Haven: Likewise... I guess?

Yukio: Meh. So, who are you creating then, Haven?

Haven: Ah. About that... I don't think I can create one.

Yukio: Oh? Why's that.

Izumi: Finally! Someone with a little more sense. I knew you were the smartest one here, Haven. You can't just go around creating... Haven?

Haven: AAAAh so many choices. I can make a Tsundere, Yandere, Dandere, Kuudere and many more. I can even choose some characters from anime itself. There are too many to choose! Maybe Erza Scarlet? What about Lucy Heartfilia? Maybe Chitoge Kirisaki or even Nami from One Piece! What should I choose?! This is torture!

[Its okay, my friend. We... we will choose... one day. One day.]

Yukio: ...

Jax: ...

Izumi: ...gross.

Haven: Cough. I mean, I haven't chosen yet, perhaps later?

Jax: ...

Izumi: ...You are really a weird idiot.

Yukio: Okay, then... moving on.

Haven: Right. Yukio, what are the enhancements that you chose?

Yukio: I chose two major ones to suit my fighting style.

Haven: Two ones? Oh yeah, now that you mention it, your body was glowing quite a lot when you fought the Evolved.

Yukio: Yeah. Originally, my fighting style was built around dealing heavy damage and getting out of the fight fast thus I chose the chakra network energy from Naruto. It cost me around 4,000 points, 1D rank reward and 1B rank reward to reach the level of Jonin in chakra reserves. Unfortunately when my previous team was wiped out in the 20 man difficulty mission, my third mission, I was forced to change my upgrade path. I had to be able to take hits as well as dish them out. The muscular quirk genetic enhancement helped me out in that terms quite well. Since it was one of the more powerful quirks out there, I need to enhance this genetic mutation two more times to reach its most powerful stage. This quirk cost me 7,000 points and 1B rank reward for just the Tier 1 level of it. I haven't had much time to practice with it as well which causes the severe drain of energy consumption when I use it.

Haven: Man, that's crazy. I think you should exchange for any ability that will help you recover faster or perhaps enhance your cell vitality to be able to use that form longer.

Yukio: You're right, but I don't really have the amount of points required to exchange for a powerful technique. I am aiming to exchange for Tsunade's Mitotic Regeneration technique that continuously heals my body as long I have chakra left.

Jax: Huh. I've never seen Naruto. I guess I should catch up on anime huh?

Izumi: You haven't seen Naruto!? Sigh.

Jax: Hey, you can't expect me to watch every single show out there now, do you?!

Haven: (ignoring their argument) Well, for one, that technique is very strong but you're able to just buy it? Just like that? I thought that there would be some restrictions in place, at the very least.

Yukio: There are. I have to exchange for two hings before i can get technique. First, Perfect Chakra control. Next, Kage Level Reserves. This technique eats up a lot of chakra, it doesn't just heal wounds but it also heals fatigue and even suppresses pain, for the most part.

Haven: Hmm... What are your elemental affinities?

Yukio: I exchanged for three of them. Fire, Wind and Lightning. Im also, sooner or later, planning to exchange for the Raikage's Lightning armor. It both enhances my speed, durability and strength with its oppressive power.

Haven: Well... that's quite... a way ahead of you I guess, huh?

Yukio: Yes. In any case, you should all focus on enhancing your stats and upgrading them to go beyond superhuman. How many points do each of you have?

Jax: 1,400 points

Izumi: I have I,002 points.

Haven: ...(mumbling)

Yukio: Haven?

Haven: I... Have 10,262 points and 2 B rank rewards.

Yukio: ...

Izumi: ...

Jax: ...good joke.

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Haven started to explain to them what had happened during the mission and how he had gained all of his points. Firstly, saving Hisashi had unexpectedly given him a side mission that which he received the rewards for after leaving the school. Well, Haven couldn't just up and explain that he had a reincarnator living within his mindscape who had knowledge of the plot far greater than what was depicted, now could he?

The extra points he received were points that came from breaking through the physical, mental and longevity realms in addition to the hidden quest from God that gave away extra points when all three realms were broken. After calculating the points he acquired for kills, It came up to a cumulative amount of 10,362. The healing that he received from the dimension cost merely 100 points thus he was able to retain all of his points safely.

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Jax: Wait, YOU killed the two Evolved that Yukio was fighting?! How?!

Yukio: Yeah, he did. I softened them up for him and when my power ran out, he was there to pick up the pieces.

Jax: Thats...

Izumi: ...unfair.

Jax: I was going to say B*llshit but yeah that works too. You are really a crazy suicidal bastard aren't you, Haven?

Haven: ...

Yukio: That's not all. The aftermath of our fight attracted quite a few runners to clog up the area. They found us and started to try to kill us. This idiot here, decided to call attention to himself and became those runner's chew toy. In the first place, it wasn't even necessary.

Haven: ...ah but I-

Yukio: Course, I managed to kill them all off in the end but you didn't really need to do that. I was about to prepare a ninjutsu to kill them all off. You stopped my plane when you jumped in like a retard.

Jax: Wait, he jumped in while you were preparing a ninjutsu? AHAHA!

Haven: ...

Izumi: (stifling her gigles) Pffft.

Jax: You were right! He is a Suicidal bastard.

Haven: Dammit Erin.

[H-hey! Why're you blaming me?!]

Jax: What? What's an Erin?

Haven: Nothing. Don't worry about it.

Yukio: (sighing) Alright. Since you have the most points out of all of us Haven, have fun... I guess? Build yourself in whatever way you want. Jax, Izumi, unfortunately you both wont have that privilege. Be careful in what you buy for because it will be very important later on. I recommend simply enhancing your stats to a certain degree. You wont really be able to buy anythign due to your amount right now.

Jax: Sure.

Izumi: Alright.

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After instructing us, Haven and I checked out the exchange list that came up. We were able to see a wide array of abilities that spanned across the entire pages.

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Spiderman Genetic Mutation -

Rating 84.

Applicable to movies that require high dexterity. Web shooters can be used in any circumstances. Requires a rank B reward and 2000 points.

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Wolverine Genetic Mutation -

Rating 84.

Applicable to moves that require CQC and vitality. Adamantium skeleton and claws can be used in any circumstance. Requires a rank B reward and 2000 points.

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High level Ki -

Rating 87.

Applicable to movies that require close combat. Can buff stats substantially in short period of time. Requires rank B reward, 2500 points and intermediate level Ki.

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Upper Class Hunter Nen -

Rating 91.

Applicable to missions that require close combat. Potentially has very high growth, but because of the specialist nature of Nen is very limited ability wise. Requires a rank B reward and 2700 points.

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Advanced Mana Control.

Rating 82.

Applicable to most missions that require the use of magic. Allows access and control Mana that is in the environment for Magic Spells. Can be used to increase stats. Requires a rank B reward, 2000 Points and Intermediate Mana Control.

Jonin Level Chakra -

Rating 85.

Applicable to most missions. Can increase stats moderately over small periods of time. Has a harsh rebound when exhausted. Requires a rank B reward, 2300 points and Chunin Level Chakra.

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Armament Haki

Rating 79.

Applicable to most missions. Can create an armor like substance to cover body parts and protect them from harm using willpower. Allows user to touch intangible objects. Requires a rank C reward and 1,000 points.

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Observation Haki

Rating 81

Applicable to most missions. Allows the user to use willpower as a resource to detect things using a sixth sense, invisible and intangible objects can be detected as well. Provides high resistance toward the effects of Psyche Force. Requires rank C reward and 2,000 points.

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Vampire(Count) Genetic Mutation

Rating 90

Applicable to most missions. Allows the user to gain blood energy and the healing power of the vampire race. Wounds can be healed as long as the heart of brain isn't destroyed. Requires Vampire Baron mutation, 4000 points and a B rank reward.

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High Werewolf Genetic Mutation

Rating 90

Applicable to most missions. Gives the user immense physical might and the ability to transform into a werewolf, which significantly enhances stats for a period of time. Requires Medium Werewolf genetic mutation, 4000 points and a B rank reward

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Earlier one, Haven had already decided that since I had prior knowledge of how this dimension works, I would be the one to choose his upgrade paths.

Every time my soul reincarnates into a new host, I gain the memories and experiences of my previous host. This allows me to have knowledge of martial arts, sword techniques and a various plethora of magical abilities.

My current host, Haven Crest lives in a world where neither magic nor Ki exists. Due to this, I am unable to utilize the powers I have to ensure our survival. However due to the exchange category becoming available, I have a plan in where our growth should reach into.

Our first priority to exchange was an ability that would protect out mind. Later on we were bound to face enemies that had abilities that could affect and control our minds. Our willpower needed to be strengthened. And what better way to do that then to exchange for willpower itself.

Haki. The power of ambition. WILLPOWER.

Due to reincarnating into a previous host who had an ability similar to this himself, I should have no problems in teaching Haven how to use it effectively.

Splitting up one of our B rank rewards into 3 C rank ones, we chose both the Observation and Armament Haki, leaving us with 1 B rank reward and 1 C rank reward.

We finalized our purchase. A beam of light fell down on us and lifted us into the air. I could feel knowledge of this ability implant itself into our minds.

Haven's enthusiasm excited even myself. When we landed, he immediately tried out his new abilities.

Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned.

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Haven: Um... Erin... I can't

[Hmm? What's wrong?]

Haven: I cant use my abilities.

[!!!]

Haven: Shit... what.... we just, oh no.

[Erm...]

Haven: F*ck. This... why can't I use it?!

[I don't know.]

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Haven, was distraught, as he tried willing the black armor to cover his arms. I had no clue what was wrong. He appeared to be doing everything perfectly, according to the instructions given to him by god. So what was the problem? Why wasn't it working?

His efforts, however amounted to nothing.

Frustrated, he clenched his fist.

A second later, it turned black.

Haven looked at his fist confused.

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Haven: Wait a minute. I wasn't trying to activate it, that time. Why is it working now?

[...That wasn't you.]

Haven: What?

[...You... weren't the one who used Haki.]

Haven: I don't get it.... what do you mean?

[I... used it. It works for me. I am able to use Haki on your body.]

Haven: Oh... well shit.