Determination

'Incredible...' thought Vahn, riding in the back seat of a black sedan, his gaze fixed, unblinking, on the world outside the window. He had dreamed of what it might look like and gained insight into it through the anime and manga he had seen, but it was more wondrous, more alive than anything he had imagined.

"Do you have any preferences regarding your lodgings?" asked Fumiko, glancing at Vahn through her rearview mirror as they stopped at a stop light.

Following Sis's advice, Vahn responded, "Someplace private and close to Kuoh Academy."

"There are a few nearby apartment complexes that cater to transfers from out of town," revealed Fumiko. "But a hotel would be more convenient and provide greater privacy. You can order room service, and the one I have in mind has a gym and a pool."

"That sounds amazing," responded Vahn, adopting a broad smile. He had used a pool in the past for physical therapy, and while the experience was less than pleasant, he enjoyed the feeling of the water and had wanted to learn how to swim after reading several manga chapters dedicated to the beach.

"Splendid," said Fumiko, adopting a smile of her own before revealing, "We should be able to arrive there within ten to fifteen minutes. Before that, is there anywhere you would like to stop? As splendid as Vahn-dono's outfit is, ordinary citizens might find it unusual if they see you walking around in it."

"Thank you for the offer, Fumiko-san, but I'm more interested in resting at the moment," responded Vahn, once again at Sis's suggestion. If she was right, the Church and Heaven could be trying to curry favor with or indebt him to them. So, while he had little choice but to accept their generosity regarding his lodgings, he should aim to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible.

"I understand completely," responded Fumiko, offering a close-eyed smile before returning her attention to the road. The light had just turned green, so she put the sedan into gear and accelerated gently so as not to disturb Vahn's wide-eyed enjoyment of the sights and scenes they drove past. It was almost painfully obvious he had never visited a large town or city, but since it wasn't her place to question him about his background, she didn't ask. Instead, she took the scenic route to the hotel, allowing him to enjoy the view a bit longer before getting him checked into a luxury hotel room. She tried booking him the 35th floor's penthouse, but since Vahn refused, citing it was much too luxurious, she got him a room on the sixth...

...

..

.

"I didn't even know they made beds this big..." muttered Vahn, tentatively touching the foot end of his room's king-sized mattress, blanketed in dark red covers with a trio of comfortable-looking pillows near the head.

Seeing his hand sink into the mattress and feeling how soft it was, Vahn's eyes became as round as saucers. The mattresses he was used to were a little more than an inch thick and predominately used for examinations, so he had only seen such a phenomenon in manga.

(Take your time as do as you please.) said Sis, her synthetic voice filled with what Vahn interpreted as gentleness as she added, (You will never again have to return to that place. And once you adapt to this world, you will be able to experience sights and sounds far beyond what the medium of manga and anime can convey.)

Feeling a paradoxical sense of relief and excitement wash over him, sending chills through his body, Vahn spread his arms and fell face-first onto the indescribably comfortable mattress. It smelled incredible, and though he wasn't particularly exhausted, he couldn't help but close his eyes and submit to the unfamiliar and liberating feeling of comfort...

...

..

.

Waking after what felt like the longest and most restful sleep he had ever gotten, Vahn rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling with a peaceful smile, his brain utterly devoid of thoughts.

the earth-shaking call of the great ones, rousing from their slumber

"I believe I might be hungry..." hummed Vahn, prompting Sis to suggest (Then I recommend ordering room service. That black card you received should allow you to purchase sustenance elsewhere, but venturing out at night in an unfamiliar setting is ill-advised.)

"It's nighttime...?" asked Vahn, rising to a seated position and releasing a protracted yawn. In response, he felt like he could feel Sis nodding as she revealed, (The current time is 6:18 PM JST or 1818 if you would prefer to continue using the military standard.)

"6:18 PM is great," affirmed Vahn, looking around his spacious room until he spotted a flat, VHS-shaped object displaying the same numbers on a small but elaborately carved wooden table with a drawer and what looked like a lamp with a cylindrical covering. Next to it was what he assumed to be a phone, but as he was used to large, wall-mounted phones with dials, it didn't immediately register as one.

'Oh, yeah...' thought Vahn, reaching into his pocket to pull out the object Fumiko had given him before her departure. According to her, it was also a phone, but Vahn found it difficult to believe as it was small and flipped open to reveal a tiny screen with a bunch of lettered numbers. It could apparently send messages and calls through the air to communicate with similar devices using satellites in space and special towers, but he could only guess how...

"I have so much to learn..." muttered Vahn, smiling at the prospect. Then, with Sis's guidance, he figured out how to order room service, prompting a very polite man in a uniform to arrive with a pushcart covered in a white cloth. Vahn was confused when he saw it was transporting several silver domes, but he soon learned they were to protect the delectable-looking food underneath. He ended up eating too much, causing his stomach to hurt, but since every dish tasted better than the last, he couldn't restrain himself. Fortunately, even after eating every other dish clean, he still magically had room for the slice of raspberry mint-chocolate cheesecake Sis had suggested he save for last...

...

..

.

"I didn't know it was possible to feel this full..." groaned Vahn, lying atop his bed with his stomach out, rubbing it with his right hand. It was usually sunken, making it possible to see each of his ribs and the luminous blood flowing through him, but now it bulged slightly, and his skin was a healthy brown hue. The glow that had haunted him his entire life was nowhere to be seen, and when he got a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, what he found staring back at him was a sharp-eyed boy with what he believed to be a handsome face, an angular jawline, dark brown hair that flowed away from his scalp and formed somewhat spiky bangs and tufts, and a healthy body adorned with soft but noticeable muscle.

(I wouldn't recommend eating so much in the future.) expressed Sis. (As your appearance is a reflection of your desires, there is little chance of you becoming overweight. However, as food generally costs money to procure and process into dishes, each time you employ room service, it increases the amount the Church could ask you to repay.)

"In other words, I need money or a means to procure food on my own..." concluded Vahn, prompting a pleased-sounding (That is correct.) from Sis.

Since he was pretty sure what Sis was alluding to, Vahn deliberated for a moment before saying, "Sis, please open the interface for the Corridor of Intertwining Fates..."

(Of course.) responded Sis, accompanied by a transparent blue window appearing before him. The window had the same structure as every other that had appeared before it, but other than a neat-looking pattern of gold lines running along the edges, the only thing displayed was the text Inner Sanctum, First Stratum, in ornate golden letters.

Sensing Vahn's confusion, Sis dutifully explained (You will have access to other areas after fulfilling various conditions. As for how to enter, you can either touch the icon with your finger or initialize the transfer by using the vocal or mental command 'Initiate Transfer' along with the destination you would like to go. Once inside, you can return via specific gates at the start or end of each stratum or using checkpoints located throughout.)

"I assume it's going to be dangerous..." muttered Vahn, swallowing hard but sporting a look of determination as he asked, "How will I fight? Using my hands and feet...?"

(My recommendation is that you sell the clothes you're wearing to the System Shop and purchase new equipment more suited to your level and the Sanctum's difficulty.) responded Sis. (The value of items sold rarely exceeds half of the purchasing value, but you should be able to acquire a considerable amount of OP from the conversion of S-Rank items.)

"Well...I guess it would be weird to walk around in a tunic and sandals when everyone else is wearing normal clothes and shoes..." muttered Vahn, following Sis's advice and selling everything but the white, heart-patterned boxers he wore beneath his trousers. They felt nice and had high defensive stats to protect his privates, so he wanted to keep at least them. In the end, this left him with 499,553 OP. He wasn't sure if this was a lot, but it felt like a lot.

(It is more than enough.) assured Sis. (Next is the important step of deciding your weapon or if you would prefer to fight using your fists and feet. Many spend their entire lives trying to master a single discipline, so while you can choose a different path whenever you please, you will grow faster if you stick to a single weapon or combat style.)

Holding up his right fist and staring at it, Vahn imagined flying around in the sky, blasting his enemies with energy beams and defeating them with martial arts. He then pictured himself wielding a sword and shield in a suit of armor, slicing apart hordes of monsters and fending off attacks to both himself and his allies.

shink

Feeling a sensation similar to a jolt of electricity, a flash of inspiration manifested within Vahn's mind in the form of a golden spear. He recalled reading that a spear was one of the simplest weapons to use but one of the most difficult to master. It also had much better reach than a sword, but that was only truly an advantage in wide-open spaces. If he were to fight indoors, it could become a hindrance...

Making up his mind, Vahn nodded, acknowledging his decision before firmly asserting, "I choose a spear and my fists. That way, even if I find myself in a situation where I can't use a weapon, I won't be completely helpless."

(Then I recommend perusing the list of B-Rank spears and equipment.) stated Sis, adding, (If you would like, I could make a recommendation or choose suitable equipment for you.)

"I want to make my own decision," declared Vahn, appreciating Sis's help and guidance but not wanting to become dependent on her. His wish was to be able to live and grow freely so that his mother, who died giving birth to him, would be able to look back on the life he had lived and be proud of the path he had walked and the person he became. He would doubtlessly make mistakes along the way, but that was a risk he needed to be willing to take to be truly free.

(I'm certain you will choose well.) said Sis, once again giving Vahn the impression she was proud of him. His awareness of this caused him to feel embarrassed and rub the underside of his nose with his right index finger, but since he was about to enter his first battle, he quickly pulled himself together, opened up the System Shop, and began searching for everything he believed he would need to not only survive but thrive in the Corridor of Intertwined Fates...

...

..

.