It Turned Out, First Blood Actually Feels Good

"Welcome home..." as usual, I took off my school shoes and, too lazy to put on indoor slippers, walked around the house only in my socks.

"System... show the timer."

Before me appeared a system window, that actually changed its appearance after I rummaged through the settings.

[19:09:32:34]

I blinked and numbers changed.

[19:09:32:32]

It is the timer until I get a free "mark" slot, so I can finally use "World Transfer" of the system.

Yeah... it seems, that I didn't get any marks at the start...

Or, I should say, I got, because my current world also counts as marked.

Also, according to this timer, count down started on the Monday of the previous week, the first day of the exams, at midnight, while the system itself was installed only a few days ago.

So, it seems that this function was independent from the system itself.

Interesting... but not important.

Also, most likely, the beginning of the countdown was the time, when I reincarnated... also not important.

I came to my room to check my equipment for today sortie, as well to change my school uniform for something more suitable. For the full appearance change too early, though.

But before that...

"[Mage armor]," I said the spell incantation and in the same time touched myself with right hand that had fingers folded in a special way, while left hand in my pocket was touching an orb, made from one particular mineral.

At once my body was shrouded in a violet-blue translucent barrier in the shape of a plate armor, before it visually disappeared.

[Mage armor] -> [Level 1]

[MP: 4/4] -> [MP: 2/4]

If I would live by the rules of D&D, this spell would make hitting me 1.25 times harder.

In the real world... it is difficult to tell, but it should shield me from hits that don't have enough force or speed to penetrate it without being redirected from me.

Impulse of incoming attacks, as part of it speed especially, are very important for this spell, as well their direction and area. As a force field with myself in the middle, it constantly creates a force with vectors that are directed from me. If an attack are passing through the field, then to it would be softly applied force that would push this attack from me, changing its direction. Because force is simultaneously and constantly being applied in all area around me, the longer an attack passes through the spell and the bigger counteracting with it part of the field, the more it would be affected by the field. But the higher impulse of an attack and the closer to the angle to being perpendicular with the field, the more it would take to redirect such attack.

So, in the end, the lesser angle of a hit with the force field, the longer they counteract with each other, the wider physically solid part of the attack and, of course, the weaker the attack itself, the better the spell defends me against it. In the same time, it would be better for me to not receive any especially powerful, direct or fast blows, especially made with thin and short projectiles.

So, bullets are my spell's kryptonite...

But so are they for everyone. I shouldn't be too greedy.

The spell also have some kind of friend or foe identification, so it should affect only potentially harmful for me things. I fear that this part of the spell can be used to deceive it and avoid its effect, but it isn't so strong to begin with to rely on it confidently.

Spell works for 8 hours, which was more than enough.

On other hand, it was level 1 spell, which means that it costs 2 MP per cast... out of 4 per day that I have as [Wizard]... and my second class doesn't give me any additional MP.

But I, as [Wizard], also can additionally recover 2 MP during a hour-long rest... only once per day, though.

Of course my MP pool and MP recovery would be raised after some level ups, but for it I need to defeat some "mobs".

Oh, and "rest" may also include some light work... like my preparations before going out.

I also sent the familiar to search any kinds of crimes or just criminal elements as my XP sources, so I could move towards the next level without worries that official authorities will be looking for me too much... at least so early on.

Everything that I need is to wait...

And I have things to do for a while.

'Please, system, find at least someone tonight.'

—————

Looking out of the corner of my eye at a small screen with a familiar's point of view, displayed by the system on the side of my field of vision, I reached out a small deserted space somewhere in backstreets.

After looking around to make sure if anyone is there to see me, I changed my appearance to the one I prepared beforehand.

Hair changed its color to black, eyes also became darker, so the irises were hardly distinguishable from the pupils. Face features also changed, so no one would notice likeness with Zaimokuza. Afterward I slightly shortened my height, besides which body had already been of my new guise, and added the most important part of the character, the black tattoo-like image of raven that appeared on the left side of the neck.

Tattoo is one of the main identifying features of criminals and with such lack of other eye-cathing peculiarities it should be the main one for my criminal self.

Taking into account Japan hard relationships with tattoos, there are few places where you can get temporary ones outside of fests and events, so police shouldn't consider this possibility and take it as some kind of my sign, as I want. Maybe even look straight up into organized crime and its ties.

Though, even if I hope that authorities would associate myself with yakuza and wouldn't investigate so zealously, I won't rely on it. While tattoos there wear bad stigmata within the older generation, younger people usually more supportive of them and some even wear them despite absence of bonds with criminalities. And I will pose myself as a part of the younger generation – it is more comfortable for me and I wouldn't look like I pose a danger in a fight so an opponent may possibly weaken their guard.

After getting a new look I started to prepare my hidden equipment.

From insides of my wearing I pulled out sheathed in cloth unusually big throwing knife and kaiken-styled tanto.

I wasn't very knowledgeable about weapons, so I had to rely on Zaimokuza and internet in that regard, in same time being quite limited with my choice.

After taking some magic items as part of starting equipment, daggers were the only, except sickles and darts, sword-like weapons that I was allowed to pick. Thankfully, both of my chosen weapon were considered such.

Tanto is better as main weapon as it is simply more comfortable to use in melee range, and still may be carried stealthy because... well, kaiken tanto is literally made for it.

In the same time, oversized throwing knife is a good supporting weapon because it is better for what is made for and still may be used in a close combat... actually I had to pick oversized one so it would be in different category from darts(for which the usual ones were considered as part of them for some reason) and I could comfortably use it in a close combat... also I picked the one that resembles a kunai because it was easier to throw; also it may be used as a grappling hook substitute if connected to a rope... though, I also had taken a normal grappling hook with a rope as parts of starting equipment... but I didn't take them now. Hypothetically a kunai also should be a good concealed weapon, but I don't think that I would pass as an old-fashioned mason if someone would find it.

Initially I wanted to take a ballistic knife as a second hand weapon, but I wasn't allowed to, as it doesn't pass as a dagger for the system.

I unsheathed throwing knife and put it back into the hidden pouch inside of left sleeve of my coat, so I could easily draw it.

This coat also was a part of my starting equipment and I spent a lot of time modifying it for myself.

At last I pulled out small reddish-black orb on a thread and tied it around my left hand, under a glove.

It is one of my magic items, "Orb of Shielding" made of fernian basalt, magic item of common rarity, priced at least 51 gold pieces in D&D. And I was glad that the system agreed to thread it beforehand.

It's also my spellcasting focus – my way to fulfil one of the components necessary to cast some spells, the material component, which is represent a need of a specific item to be held in a caster's hand or used in some other way during the cast. Spellcasting focus in that regard is an universal item with an ability to replace majority of this specific items for spells... majority, but not all. Though, I was surprised, that it can replace in that regard a brass brazier, inside of which I had been supposed to burn an incense, charcoal and herbs for [Find Familiar] spell.

Besides being a spellcasting focus, which I would have to get anyway, it may slightly absorb a heat that would hurt me otherwise, though only after my order. However, unconscious reaction to a heat is enough to activate this effect. It also works only if I am holding the orb in a hand. Recharge time for this ability – the smallest distinguishable in D&D time interval, 6 seconds.

I also had one other important piece of equipment, but I was already wearing it under my clothes... actually I had never took it off since the moment I got it.

My second and the last magic item of starting equipment – "Periapt of Wound Closure".

It has only uncommon rarity, but it's effect are much more valuable than any other item of the same rarity, at very least in solo-play and especially in my conditions. I don't regret spending 100 gold pieces on it, majority of my budget on starting equipment.

It does two things.

First, it doubles my natural regeneration.

Second, if I would receive a wound that may cause my death, then in 6 seconds after that all such wounds would be recovered.

I doesn't recover my exhaustion or heal things that can't be regenerated naturally. It doesn't work against death from old age or majority of deceases. It also can't save me if I would die during these 6 seconds.

And this is great.

In the game you can't die from wounds if you aren't unconscious and stabilizing doesn't make you conscious, but in the real world it works differently, so you hypothetically may return into a battle right after a recovery.

Moreover, because "instant death" in the reality isn't so instant it can affect wounds caused by excessive damage that would kill me right away in D&D; it would work even in a case of clinical death.

I call it "Mini-Avalon" because of its resemblance with passive effects of a certain sword sheath.

As a finishing touch I took off my glasses, that recently have common flat lenses instead of corrective ones, and gave them a look.

'...Hm. Let's add a lonely Aizen hair strand,' a funny thought entered into my mind.

I immediately turned it into reality and changed my hair with my shapechanging ability... I was unskilled with haircuts, so the one from my previous life was always a mess, but it's turned out good there. Deciding to go with it, I hid the glasses in one of the coat's inner pockets.'

Next... where are they, system?' I switched to familiar hearing, looked at the edge of my vision, where I made the system place a sort of mini-map, and started to walk through backstreets so I would meet my targets ahead of their path, in the same time eavesdropping their conversation.

"Ha~ Man, you sure overdid it," jestingly spoke a lean man of above average, for Japan, height, who was holding a metal pipe behind his back. He had blond hair and was wearing a striped white-yellow shirt, black leather jacket and black jeans.

"...The guy gave too little money. I had to do something! And he already owes us! Because of him we've messed up the schedule," answered him the low-pitched voice of a much more buff bold guy with tanned skin, who also was even taller. He was wearing simple black shirt with pants and black leather jacket of the same design as the previous one.

"Don't worry about it. He saw it coming. It's exactly what's we for!" joyfully said the third one, slightly shorter than other two and this time with black hair. He was wearing blue jeans, white shirt and a similar black leather jacket again. Like the second one, he didn't openly carry any weapons.

It was a group of criminals that my familiar, or the system, finally found not a long ago.

This trio was a part of a biker gang and, as I understood, they had an unplanned debt collection because some antique shop had been overdue in payment, though I didn't really know a source of debt – be it a "protection" or a loan.

A good, though not an ideal, prey.

'Show their characteristics,' I ordered the system, remembering what it said about their potential danger when it found them.

In my vision above their heads had appeared short statblock with approximate values, based on my and system's observations with calculations of the later.

'Two 1/8 and one 1/4, right?.. I would get the next level only after 3 such batches...'

Experience gained after defeating someone is defined by their "challenge rating", which in 5E is equal to the average level of full party for which it is an average opponent. In other words, 4 level 1 characters should be able to defeat a sole opponent with CR 1 with mild complications.

So it isn't good to look upon on low CR, because it have higher density, in power-wise sense.

But even so... for an opponent of 1/8 CR you would gain 25 XP and 50 XP for 1/4 CR. To get level 2 I need 300 XP, so I wanted someone with higher CR... but preferably in lower amounts.

In D&D it is easy to calculate difficulty for any fight if you rely on CR. It is sum of everyone XP value to which afterwards applied a special multiplier, connected to the quantity of opponents.

In current situation there are 2 opponents 25 XP each and single one of 50 XP, 100 in sum. After multiplying by 2.5, number used in the case of fight with 3 – 6 opponents and you have only 3 or less members of your own party, it would be 250.

After that you would need to calculate difficulty borders for the characters. For level 1 character it is 25 for an easy fight, 50 for a medium, 75 for a hard and 100 for a deadly... It is lower boundaries. And it is not an actual numbers for me as a Gestalt character.

You also should note what each difficulty means.

Below easy – doesn't provide a challenge.

Easy – high possibility to end fight without spending any resources. At worse character would receive light wounds.

Medium – may be possible to end without spending any resources. Chance of death almost negligible.

Hard – almost guaranteed receiving of wounds. Low possibility of death.

Deadly – death in almost a half of cases... at minimum.

...

In non-turn based reality it is almost useless.

There is no such thing as everyone having their own uninterrupted turn, so "balance" is skewed towards a side of quality and sole powerful units while significance of quantity is much lower compared to D&D and other turn based systems.

But... I still can use D&D difficulty system to predict outcome of 1 vs 1 battle. However, any such "prediction" can be reduced to one simple conclusion.

Opponents of deadly difficulty are at least as powerful as I am. In other cases I am deliberately stronger.

But it excludes many valuable factors.

It doesn't consider condition of participants before a fight, for one. After all, even if you receive only "light wounds" after each battle, after numerous times you would die.

This difficulty grades only measure threat "in vacuum", in case of honest battle without accounting of possessed items and advantages or disadvantages for any side... like having a dragon-slaying weapon against a dragon, fighting a creature with fire immunity inside of an active volcano or...

...like making an ambush.

And I shall not turn away possible advantages just because it isn't 1 vs 1.

[Toll the dead] -> [Cantrip] -> [Hold]

[Use item] -> [Disguise self] -> [Level 1]

With activation of rune on the glove worn on my right hand, my appearance changed again, but this time it was only an illusion... and changes did touch only my wearing, not the body.

For me, as a shapechanger, this spell duplicates some aspects of my natural abilities, but I got it almost free of a charge, as a part of my [Rune shaper] feat, that is itself a part of background benefits, and it has its own advantages.

This spell affects immediate surroundings of the spellcaster, who is also the target of the spell, and, as such, may make a big knife in my hand, my unsheathed tanto, invisible... as well change an appearance of my mercenary coat for something more innocent, but in the same time expensive looking, so I would be a better bait.

I was overpreparing...

I knew that I was overpreparing, but it was better than underpreparing.

'Let's start.'

"Hm... kid, what're you doing here?" I was asked by the biggest member of the trio, when he noticed me after a street turn.

'Well... I hope my deception expertise and performance proficiency would work as intended.'

"Et-to... do you know where can I find "Elegant Era Antiques"?" I said the name of the place that they had just plundered, adding a bit of fear to the voice.

"Hm?.. And why would you go there? Like antiques?" approached me the blond guy, leaning on the pipe like it was a cane.

"Eh... Not really but my father kne-..."

"Heh! So you are a daddy boy?.." tried to mock me the gangster, coming even closer to me in an attempt to intimidate. "Well, then don't you think your daddy would be more than happy to pay a debt for a place he is holding in such high regard?"

In the same time big guy behind frowned, but stood up in a threatening pose anyway, while other gang member even playfully displayed his butterfly knife, that he took of from insides of his jacket...

At sight of it I slightly smirked.

The bald one obviously didn't really like this job and despite his naturally threatening look radiated uncertainty, while the other one... well, blade of butterfly knives may be quite short and this is the case there.

Most likely he have this kind of knife only because it passes according to Japanese Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law as a knife with the blade under 5.5 centimeters and thus legal, but still may look threatening thanks to its long handles.

Their intimidation attempt only gave me confidence.

"Ha?! Punk, what're you smiling at?" leaned forward and looked right into my eyes the only decent threat there.

So, needed to seize the opportunity.

"[Toll the dead]," I quietly incanted while making some gestures with left my hand behind the back.

[Toll the dead] -> [Cantrip]

"Huh? Wha-..."

"Guargh!" scream of the brunet cut out line of the blond and attracted his attention, so he looked back.

And opened himself for an attack.

Half-consciously I made a precise strike on his neck, spurting his blood over my face.

[Sneak Attack]

Abilities granted me by the system take forms that allow them to perform their functions in reality despite the absence of conventions involved in their work.

So [Sneak Attack] of [Rogue] class, that I choose as a second half of the Gestalt level 1, took a form of instinctual knowledge of weak points, where they are and how to strike them so I may deal as much as possible damage to a target if I have an opportunity to utilize them.

"Guargh!" screamed the blond in the same manner as the brunet and grabbed his neck with the hands, trying to stop the bleeding.

'Are they brothers?' I made a silent question in same time releasing my move for the sure kill.

[Held spell] -> [Release]

[Toll the dead] was especially effective against already wounded targets, so it was good for finishing enemies off. Stealth attacks as well, as the only accompanying effect of it is a quiet sound of bell that may be mistaken for hallucinations, so if body of the target overcome this effect then the target itself wouldn't even notice it.

This ethereal sound filled an air around us as blood vessels of the blond started to blackening, especially around the wound. That, I suppose, was a manifestation of necrotic damage.

The he fell on the ground, already dead.

It had been the first time for me to murder a human, another conscious being, that had desires, dreams and thoughts, not really different from me. And yet... I had destroyed it, send to nothing. All dreams and ambitions, bonds and rivalries, all feelings, all sufferings were send to the void and lived for nothing. I had even spent withheld spell to be sure in his death, when he, most likely, had already been a walking dead.

What did I feel at this moment?..

'Huh. It is... exciting?'

Well, I wanted to continue reveling in this moment of absolute control over someone else's life, but unfortunately there were two more opponents.

[Toll the dead] -> [Cantrip] -> [Hold]

After preparing my spell again, I sprinted to the the remaining mobsters.

Brunet was leaning on the wall, recovering from the hit spell, while baldie, confused about what is happening, decided to defend his companion and stood up before him in something like a boxing stance.

Too bad for him.

I slid under his blow is same time cutting his leg just above the knee.

[Held spell] -> [Release]

"A-ah!" He uttered a moan of pain, as he fell on his knees... and showing me the unprotected back of his bald head.

[Sneak Attack]

Pulling out my tanto out of his head I slightly throw it in the air so I can catch it with my left hand and point it to the last thug without concealing it with an illusion.

"So... what about you?"

"A... I... I surrender!" answered me the brunet gangster, who wasn't even that wounded.

Suddenly I got a message from the system about accepted experience... which included his.

'Huh? He didn't hit 0 HP...'

He only got one spell, effect of which on an average untrained human would make them non-combatant only in a half of cases. This guy is 1/8 CR, while untrained humans are 0 CR and rewarded 10 XP for defeat. I can't tell, how powerful was it hit, but he still was conscious and looked like he was able continue fighting. Though, system counted it as a defeat, so I suppose it was alright.

'How sides are turned.' I chuckled in my mind and prepared myself for the next actions.

[Toll the dead] -> [Cantrip] -> [Hold]

"Well... then tell me, what gang are you part of?" I started the interrogation.

—————

[Prestidigitation] -> [Cantrip]

Blood on my face, weapon and clothes under the illusion disappeared. I sheathed my tanto and hid it back in the hidden pouch inside of my sleeve. I also took out "kunai", that hadn't even been used, and also sheathed it back in cloth, before hiding.

I, as expected, had been overprepared. Even my [Mage armor] was needless.

But it is good to be a little paranoid, right?

And I got some "loot" from them that can compensate my excessive work.

I even found out that I can get experience from one enemy only once. To gain XP again from them I need to wait until they somehow raise their CR and even then I will gain only a difference between their new CR and old.

It wasn't like I spent more than I for.

Coming out of the back streets I headed right to "Elegant Era Antiques".

There was something in this shop, that had caught my attention... or, should I say, attention of my system. And I can exchange this thing for something almost useless to me.

Light ding notified the owner about my entrance.

"Ah? Sorry for an inappropriate look, but do you seek something?" asked me middle aged man behind the counter who was putting scattered porcelain figurines in place.

He looked exhausted, but that's expected. It was only 5-10 minutes after his shop was burgled by gang members.

"Well, there is one thing, that I want... this ring" I pointed at a small showcase with simple rings, made of different metals, some of which had gems. The one, that I pointed at had small diamond and itself was very thin. It wasn't even an antique!

"Ah, this?.. But it's just a souvenir... Nevermind," with sigh, owner decided that he shouldn't try to dissuade me from spending money on his ware. "30 000 yen. Jewel in the ring is artificial, but it's not quite cheap. It is one of the most expensive on the stand."

Quite a sum, but I expected it.

'System. This diamond would be enough?'

[This gem is indeed qualified as a "diamond worth at least 50 golden pieces"]

According to the system, a single golden piece, "gp" for short, holds roughly the same purchase power as a 1000 yen. But it is really rough calculation, because circumstances of a fantasy world are different from the real life, as well value correlation between various objects.

How example, while artificial diamonds usually are worth less than natural ones in our world, magic doesn't differentiate them, and so their origin holds no power over their worth in D&D. Actually, from the point of system, artificial diamonds usually would be worth more than natural, because they typically are of a higher quality and contain lesser amount of inner defects.

It is relevant, because diamonds are one of irreplaceable by focus material components for spells.

"Well, then I think it should be enough," I said and handed him a piece of folded paper, gaining a raised eyebrow from the owner.

However, his eyebrow lowered back shortly after, when he recognized this paper.

It was an IOU. His IOU, according to... my newly acquired information. The shop owner was forced to verify it with his seal because he was overdue on his "protection fee" for "Shadow Raiders", the local gang which this trio was a part of.

This way his debt had been legalized and become indelible. He wouldn't be able to erase his debt while this thing exists. Moreover, it would grow.

"It... it is?.."

To return his attention I tilted my head, so he could clearly see my tattoo that in this situation could hint at some hidden criminal agenda.

"I suppose this is more than enough pay for this ring, don't you think?" I reminded him, why I was here, just in case to prevent him from freaking out.

"Ah?! Yes..." He quickly grabbed the document and I, with a slight nod, took the ring and exited from the shop.

According to the IOU he was indebted for 500 000 yen. It wasn't a low sum even for Japan.

I wasn't good enough to just give it the owner, but it was pointless to try to steal it anyway, with already written name in IOU. Considering my shapechanging abilities I could hypothetically try to gain some profit from it, but it was just inefficient.

And... well, I didn't create this persona for nothing, right? Corpses of the trio will be found and vicinity, including the owner, will be questioned. So, in the case if I somehow left clues about my real identity, I needed to put the police and "Shadow Raiders" on the false track. And next time it would be even easier to put a blame on this false identity.

Besides, if I wanted to feed on XP from criminals it wouldn't harm to gain some positive fame. Maybe "I" would be praised as some kind of vigilante... or mercenary, which is more likely, considering tattoo. Then someone may try to contact "me" and maybe give me new targets and supply me...

But for a while I will have to focus on this gang or continue my patrols.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out exact affiliation of "Shadow Riders" with the lender in the document, but at least I got his name.

But shady things aside, I still had to meet with Hiratsuka tomorrow and find out what she prepared for me.

—————

At night, at the house of of a certain Sobu High School teacher, despite a need to get up early tomorrow, Hiratsuka Shizuka cannot fall asleep.

It is because she can't stop thinking about one particular student of her – Zaimokuza Yoshiteru.

He has... had, well... an eccentric personality. Heavy as a thousand of elephants combined chuunibyou, who was always walking in a coat and fingerless gloves and was giving every person with whom he was talking a nickname according to his setting... which weren't many. The guy was a loner and very shy when it came to talking with girls around his age.

At least it had been so before...

Now he has changed... and Shizuka doesn't know why.

He still is wearing his chuunibyou outfit, but has almost stopped his act, indulging in it mostly as a joke on himself, and no longer calls everyone by an in-setting nickname, though it is hard to tell, because he reduced his talking in general. She doesn't know did he get rid of his shyness with girls or not, but the guts have been telling her that he did.

At first glance, he simply became more serious, but something about this felt wrong...

He started to lose weight... extremely fast. It was hard to notice at first, but if compare him at the start of week and now it was fairly easy to discern changes. Actually, if look closely then it possible to see slight shifts in his appearance with each passing day.

But reason of his behavioral and physical changes still is unknown.

His family was alright, although it was concerning that, as Hiratsuka found out, Zaimokuza lives alone.

Moreover, he doesn't have close friends outside nor inside school. The closest to being friend with him person was Hikigaya Hachiman, with whom he was usually paired during shared between 1-F and 1-C classes PE lessons... Hachiman! The guy, whose existence doesn't even remember majority of his own classmates!

She supposed that being social outcasts brought them closer together, so she thought about involving both of them into the Service Club, where they at least would acquaint with the young Yukinoshita and requesters, whom she would lead there.

But she decided against it in the end.

If what he told about his studies is true, then he lacks motivation in education and club would only hamper this situation further.

It's her duty, as his teacher, to make sure that he studies properly.

And by chance, not a long ago, her acquaintance, headmaster of another educational institution in Chiba, also met some difficulties with her students' education, but the opposite of the ones of Zaimokuza.

So they thought that it would be a good idea to compensate their problems by making Zaimokuza responsible for tuition of her acquaintance students and by doing so giving him motivation for his own studying.

In the same time Shizuka herself would have an excuse to interact with Zaimokuza during the school holidays and thus she may find out what happened with him.

Logically there is a possibility that she is worrying for nothing and cause of his changes was banal, like falling in love with someone... but also her guts has been telling her against it. And she used to listen to them.

'Anyway... he shouldn't be involved in anything dangerous, right?'