Reawakened Emotions

Adam and Red Rabbit glared at each other.

With his 'Inspection' still active, the landowner was able to establish the Median Zone intuitively.

This only served to blow away his overconfidence.

Especially when the Movement Zone made a certain picture become clearly drawn in his head.

Though less complicated than calculating the multiple opponents, that didn't mean he could win.

Despite standing there with her sword drawn with a nonchalant look, the qualitative difference was big.

Extreme and intense enough to make her feel like a great entity. Especially when compared to himself.

It was the difference between a boat and a star cruiser. He lacked everything compared to her.

Manoeuvrability, attack capability, range, and defence. He perceived her domain as a dome…

Just standing in front of her made his extended hand falter. The length of her sword then shifted.

When the chokutō became a odachi, the already great range became large enough to nearly touch him. The imaginary zone which tracked her range made him see a solid 'barrier' in front of him.

Just to experiment a little, he touched the surface.

His fingers didn't literally 'touch' anything, but he definitely got into the range of her heavy blade.

The moment they did, Red Rabbit's arms turned into a blur momentarily, and he weapon swished.

An explosion of blood poured out of his hand…

*Splash*

Though he could visibly see his bones all until his wrists, Adam retrieved his hand in 'discomfort'.

The missing hand started to regenerate quickly.

It didn't take a genius to tell that he couldn't take her on with a sword. All tactics were useless.

This made him frown…

"How are you so good with a sword…?" He didn't remember any 'Red Rabbit' like her in mythology.

Seeing that he finally acknowledged the disparity between them, the woman answered with a smile:

"Oh, right… I never formally introduced myself. Did I not tell you earlier? Imaginary Spirits are mere tools to us. Masks… Many know me as Red Rabbit, but YOU can call me the almighty Sword Goddess'."

[Red Rabbit is revealing her modifier to you.]

['The Sword Goddess Who Cuts Karma' had revealed herself. You may now perceive her.]

As if he was given some sort of permission by the laws of the universe, her existence became clearer.

However, this only made the feeling of disparity become deeper. She was a massive spaceship.

One whose mere presence caused enough waves to topple a mere boat. Even if he didn't fear death.

The strong dominated the weak…

Steel bars could possibly be bent, but a heavy mass of it would never break from fragile bones.

A mere mortal made of flesh and bones. A mere wooden boat… They couldn't damage a nail.

That's what he felt from the woman, which made him fall to his knees in awe of her mighty presence.

"Are you giving up?" When he heard the Sword Goddess speak these words, he snapped out of it.

The woman felt the domineering aura she'd used to influence him was suddenly blocked out tightly.

Like her patched up the leaks in his boat…

This allowed him to not 'drown' in her presence. To keep a sane enough mind to continue fighting her.

'What did he do…?' She wondered, but the answer would probably surprise her due to its creativity.

Adam employed his 'Social Barrier' and infused it with his 'Death Insensitivity'. Thus, allowing him to strengthen his mentality against outside influences really well. Even against her dominating presence.

Even 'Mental Resistance' was added in their to strengthen his zones, so they wouldn't destabilise.

But a perfectly made wooden boat was still a boat.

Such measures were only temporary.

However, the fact that he was able to stand up to her despite knowing their disparity impressed her.

"I'll give you two handicaps." She lifted to fingers and continued: "The first is not moving a step.. You can consider it my loss if I do. The second one… is giving you the first move. Show me your strength."

"…" The newly initiated 'Black Mage' was silent.

She may have sounded kind, but there was a deep arrogance and derision underneath that façade.

An adult like was playing with a child like him…

And it wasn't like she was wrong to think so.

Adam indeed didn't have much to go against her with. His 'Inspection' only made that clearer.

He could try to change perspectives and try to graze her using magic, but he was still a novice.

Someone who had never used 'Mana' before…

Maybe if this was before, he would have given up on winning. There was no way he could compare.

However, things changed this time…

"Can I ask you something?" Rather than fighting recklessly, he decided to show some interest in her.

The question was really outside her predictions.

Considering the kind of antisocial outcast Adam was at heart, him asking her this sounded like he was scheming something. Regardless, the Sword Goddess wasn't scared of any tricks up his sleeve.

She welcomed any unpredictable elements…

"Go ahead." Seemingly easing up and putting her odachi down, she baited him to even try attacking.

That way, she could get this first bout over easily.

"Do you dislike me?" He gave an odd question. One she couldn't find the underlying meaning behind.

What was the point in him knowing that…?

"Yeah." She told him honestly.

"How come?" Adam found it hard to believe someone he'd barely talked to would think this.

"Because you're a softie."

"I'm not…? I mean, I'm pretty sturdy right now."

"Only because of Skills given to you by someone else. Without them, you were never anything special." Red Rabbit felt a glare coming from Gaia after speaking this. Those words went too far.

And yet, her words held no trace of falsehoods…

"…" Adam wanted to retort, but found himself swallowed by the feeling of being an empty boat.

Drifting in the ocean with no aim in life.

Since he had no personal goals anymore, there was also nothing for him to feel accomplishment for.

'What do I want…?' Maybe he would've avoided this question in the past and writhed in existential despair. He would've looked for something to distract himself. Anything to fill the hole within him.

However, things had changed recently…

He remembered the 'Landlord Stimulator' and the sequel to 'The Villainess Against Fate', with himself as an extra character. They made him realise a contradiction between his emotions and actions.

He couldn't quite describe the realisation in words.

This prompted him to look deeper at himself rather than others. Was he truly as 'Empty' as he'd felt?

Or was that merely an illusion he placed on himself.

A delusional way of coping with his loneliness.

When Red Rabbit saw him turn the 'Inspection' Skill towards his regenerated hand, she frowned a little.

But didn't break her promise.

Adam also noticed this, but he decided to keep the attention on himself for a moment. His eyes had gleaned into his Mana, Qi, Characteristics, Skills, Job, Class, and everything related to his existence.

'…I should have introspected earlier.' Was what the novice Mage thought while checking his existence.

His own understanding of how to use all things regarding his existence started improving greatly.

At a pace faster than anyone could've expected.

[You have routed 'Mana Sense' through 'Magic Talent'. Comprehension of Mana is increasing.]

[You have managed to gain the 'Shadow Manipulation' (Common) Intrinsic Skill.]

[Your 'Shadow Manipulation' is improving greatly.]

[You have earned the basic dark attribute Personal Skill of 'Cloning'. Reinforcement via Mana possible.]

[You have gained greater comprehension of Affinities and your weapons: 'Solaris' and 'Lumina'.]

[Your 'Empty' Innate Semblance (Yin) becoming more clear. The capabilities of it are now known.]

[Reawakening of a Gift (Yang) is occurring thanks to the enlightenment the user is experiencing.]

[You have gained a new Innate Semblance.]

Adam found that that the Gift Slot (Yang) was being filled by that indescribable feeling within him.

The one that had always paired with his emptiness.

The 'Magus Mask' that only covered the top part of his face appeared. He generated his Dark Mana through the newly transformed 'Spirit Essence' on his face. Perhaps due to certain circumstances, it was on the E Rank… similar to his two Qi Centres.

The ones coming directly from his two blades…

He looked at the altered part of his stats.

[Innate Semblance: Empty (Yin)]

[Innate Semblance: House (Yang)]

'House'… This wasn't a feeling. Nor was it an emotion. However, it described himself perfectly.

He always wanted a house…

A home…

Somewhere he could return to after work and be greeted by people he truly trusted. The people he loved, and who loved him back. Perhaps this was the most hypocritical desire for someone like him.

Adam had pushed people away all his life…

His 'House' was 'Empty' only because he pushed people away. The cause of his own loneliness.

What could be any more pathetic than that?

A sense of shame flowed through him while looking at those two messages. He smiled wryly at them.

'A joke…' This thought wasn't directed at the world or reality, but the person he was while on Earth.

He was a mockery to himself. A joke…

Someone who was the cause of his own tragedies and despair. He was the greatest enemy to himself.

But now, he had made a resolution…

Clarity appeared in his eyes, and a determination strong enough to make his 'small' self seem larger than life. When Red Rabbit looked back at those eyes that had lowered earlier in Shane had lit up.

Predatory eyes gazed at that fragile figure. He may be 'something' in the eyes of others, but the Sword Goddess only saw him as a lost lamb. A boat with no direction… yet now, things seemed to change.

It wasn't like he suddenly got stronger. He was still the same as ever. The only change was 'mindset'.

A clear direction that was like a flame in the dark.

Even if that spark was tiny now. Red Rabbit knew he had the potential to become something more.

She acknowledged his resolve.

However, any amount of resolution meant nothing to her. She smirked, gesturing him to attack her.

"Come on…" She taunted, but she forgot who she was up against. The landlord didn't react violently.

Adam merely chuckled in response…

He relaxed… His stiff muscles were being stretched while turning to give a look at Gaia behind him.

"Can we change the location?" Since this was a space under her control, she nodded at him.

Hephaestus Terran and Pandemos watched as their 'ground' became higher than the fighters.

Adam's first bout took place on the replica of the apartment complex he owned. Both on the roof.

"What are you planning…?" Red Rabbit didn't know what he was aiming for. The weather was nice.

A nice warm sunlight blanketed the dusty rooftop.

She watched as the landlord out on

"Nothing… just-" The 'Magus Mask' moved onto his hand, and he sighed while putting it on his face.

Placing it on his face with a exaggerated posture…

The altered mask that only covered the top half of his face fused onto him. Becoming like a tattoo.

Dark Mana of the E Rank manifested from him.

'So he decided to fight…' It was a reckless move on his part, but she liked the confidence this time.

Even if she was about to break that resolve of his.

'Come… Let me break you.' A sadistic look arose in her eyes, only for him to suddenly kneel over.

His hands touched the ground.

She immediately knew what he was going to do in shock, but couldn't stop his actions fast enough.

*BOOM!*

The part of the rooftop beneath her was covered in layer of shadows, then shattered into small debris.

She awkwardly stumbled back into the room below her. There was no way for her to keep her balance.

When she looked up to see out of the hole, the face of a man really enjoying the sight appeared.

"You broke your rule, right?" She felt stumped by these words. She did say that she wouldn't move.

But… but…

A redness of fury appeared on her face. She had never been so infuriated by someone in her life.

"You're… dead!" She used her superhuman strength to leap out of the crater to attack him.

Only to find that he'd vanished into his shadow…

'You think you can escape?' She opened her eyes of truth to search for him, only to have it turn off.

'…?' Her thoughts had stopped. The prideful Sword Goddess couldn't externalise any of her energy.

The apartment seemed to be erasing her powers whenever she tried to extend it out to detect him.

What was this ability…?