Chapter 14

[1st POV]

Upon waking up, I found messages from the System waiting for me.

It turned out that I had forgotten some of the notifications after the crash.

I leveled up to ten, and I also gained Observation and Inventory.

[Observartion: A special skill that allows you to identify the objects they see, whether living or non-living. This ability also enhances your vision, enabling you to see in the dark.]

[Inventory: is where you can store anything up to your own body weight. You can store anything in a subspace without adding any extra weight.]

'This is awesome!'

Now I see that the System has some major benefits. Just think of how much contraband a dealer could smuggle if they had this feature.

Then again... I guess that thought comes from my profession.

[Quest Complete: Hunger Games

Reward:

+5000 Experience

+Increase in relationship with ?????,

+10 Attribute Points

[Failure or Refusal: Death]

'Ah, just 40 more points, and I'll earn the status of Chakra User...'

But then, something caught my attention:

Relationships:

Amazons of Themyscira: 1000 (interest)

Artemis: 1000 (interest, respect)

Diana: 500 (interest)

Hippolyta: 450 (interest)

The highest relationship score is with Artemis, but I beat her up pretty badly.

It looks like we've got some hidden masochists here... Who would've thought?

Finally, I reviewed my stats and skills.

They've all gone up, and my skills gave me a pleasant surprise:

Skills:

Stealth - Level 3

Darts Mastery - Level 7

Shooting - Level 6

Hand-to-Hand Combat - Level 15

Regeneration - Level 2

Berserker Mode - Level 1

Special Skills:

Cooking - Level 11

Guitar - Level 9

Problem Solving - Level 17

Persuasion - Level 7

Casanova - Level 13

Chuck Norris Kick - Level 8

Accuracy - Level 7

Melee Weapon Mystery - Level 7

Troll - Level 5

Cheater - Level 2

Talk No Jutsu - Level 15

I've leveled them up quite well.

"Already awake?"

A voice sounded above me.

It was Hippolyta.

"Your Majesty? I didn't think you'd be personally watching over me."

"I'm not guarding you. I just wanted to check on you. You're a rather intriguing person and different from the others. I haven't met anyone like you in a long time. You didn't kill Artemis when you had the chance. After that, no one would dare to touch you. We would have had to follow tradition. But you..."

"I apologize for interrupting, but as I mentioned before, I'm not a killer. I once served in the army and now work in the police force. However, my goals have changed. I want to make a difference in this world, even if just a little, and I'll start with myself."

[+100 relationship with Hippolyta.]

"You're an interesting young man."

Hippolyta chuckled.

She sat with me for a moment, looking me over.

"Rest up. You'll need your strength to build yourself a ship. We'll give you the tools and show you where to find suitable wood."

With that, she left, leaving me alone.

A bit later, an Amazon came by to bring me food, changed my bandages, and left.

I was grateful for that.

I was starving, and I'm not sure how long I'd been unconscious, but I finished everything, almost licking the bowl clean.

Afterward, I passed out again and slept… well, for quite a while until my next bandage changed.

I spent most of the time lying in bed. To be honest, I had a lot of bruises, with half my body wrapped in white cloth.

After three days, I could walk well. I asked them to show me where I could work on building a raft without disturbing anyone.

They led me there, pointed out the spot, and gave me the tools.

I moved everything from my old "shelter" over to my new spot and started setting it up, and then finally build this damned raft and sail away before these feminists decided to change their mind.

After five days of working on the raft, it was about eighty percent complete.

During this time, I gained a new skill, Carpenter, and leveled it up to level 5.

Over the past three days, I'd been "watched" by one or two Amazons at a time. Of course, they were trying to be discreet.

At first, I just had a gut feeling and gained another point in intuition.

Then, I actually managed to spot them.

I wasn't playing guitar for anyone specifically, and I was just bored and a little sad, so I started playing.

That very day, my relationship with Themyscira increased by a hundred points.

The next day, the same thing happened, but I also gained points with Artemis this time.

I decided to keep playing a few more ballads while glancing around to see how many listeners had gathered this time.

I counted about a dozen Amazons hiding in the bushes but only as silhouettes.

When I finished, I set the guitar aside and began to lie down to sleep.

"Do you enjoy singing and playing on this strange harp?"

Hippolyta asked, almost silently approaching across the sand.

"Well, that's a tough question. Mostly on special occasions, among friends, or when I'm feeling a bit down."

"And do you feel sadness now? About someone or something?"

"It's about home. And those close to me."

"You mentioned having someone you loved. Who is she?"

"Well... it's hard to describe our relationship. Despite everything, we keep each other at a distance. Although, I think she must believe I'm dead by now. It's been quite some time has passed."

"Perhaps."

Hippolyta replied, sitting down across from me.

I heard rustling in the bushes, and it seemed the others had quietly slipped away.

"You'll be here a while longer."

She continued.

"And no, don't look at me like that. Neither I nor my people will interfere with your return. I wanted to tell you that a storm is approaching. It will be circling our island for quite some time. You should move your raft deeper into the forest so it doesn't get swept away or damaged by the storm, or keep it in the abandoned workshop where you stay. You're welcome to stay with us in the city for the time being."

"Thank you for the information but why this kindness? I thought you hated men."

"We don't hate them for existing. It's their cruelty that we despise. But ultimately, there are no children born without them. And you... you're different. You reminded all of us in the arena that we've started to forget something important. That we too are capable of cruelty and anger, sometimes even more so than men."

"Thank you for those words."

I said with a smile.

[+100 relationship with Hippolyta.]

"Tomorrow, you can move into the palace."

Hippolyta said before leaving.

I sat there, lost in thought, my mind spinning with ideas about Gotham and the entire DC universe.

It suddenly struck me that I didn't have a clear plan. It's just big words and dreams that won't be enough for long.

I need to think seriously.

So, what could a plan to "save the universe" and "change it for the better" actually look like?

First and foremost, I need a solid foundation for this.

What kind of foundation?

A logical choice would be an organization.

There are two plans to take here. The first is to join an existing one, and the second is to create my own.

However, there are some issues that come with joining an existing organization.

It's mainly because various countries are establishing alliances and organizations to strengthen their power.

I need a safety net for the entire planet, and even something like "Argus" will not do for now.

That leaves me with the second option.

I could create a powerful organization that can influence politics and the lives of humanity, aside from just saving it from itself and monsters like Darkseid and Trigon.

However, I'll need money and people to create such an organization and have it function effectively.

Money is a problem, but the issue of people is somewhat more solvable.

The question will be how to unite them based on what principles and ideals.

The ideas behind the Justice League are pretty solid.

I could take some notes from that, but their excessive pacifism and humanitarianism drive me up the wall.

Therefore, I'll need to figure something out regarding that...

...

In the morning, when I woke up, the wind had picked up significantly.

Hippolyta didn't lie, and the storm was already beginning.

So, I first dragged all my tools into the workshop and then moved the raft.

I scattered logs along the way to the workshop and pulled the raft over them.

It was much easier, even if it took a little longer.

After that, I headed to the palace to find Hippolyta.

The Amazons occasionally looked at me disapprovingly but didn't dare say anything, and not all of them ignored me or looked down on me.

It seemed that my victory, along with the decree from their queen, had a positive effect on their attitudes.

I was given a rather big room.

"Isaac."

Diana called out to me.

At that moment, I stood on the terrace, watching the sunset.

"Yes, princess?"

"Just Diana."

She replied, scrunching her face.

"Mother asked me to tell you not to leave the palace today. It's a festival dedicated to Demeter, and men are not welcome."

"Got it, I'm no fool. I'll stay here. Considering I'm on the land of the Amazons, I should probably keep a low profile."

"We're not as terrible as you might think. You'll understand that a little later. After all, you're going to be here long enough to figure it out."

This damn storm had ruined all my plans.

To be honest, the crash had already derailed my plans before that, but there was no sense in complaining.

"Diana, may I ask you a favor?"

I called out to the princess, who was about to leave.

"Go ahead. I'll see if I can fulfill it."

"Could I get access to your library? If you have one. Or is there just one for the entire island?"

"Hm. We have many libraries. There are personal ones and a public one that all the island's residents can access. We have quite a good education…"

It seemed I had touched a nerve.

"… Besides, there's a huge library here in the palace as well. I'm a bit surprised by your question, though. I've never heard of a man wanting to gain knowledge beyond the skills of killing and fighting."

"Not all men are like you think. The world beyond your island is diverse. In a single city, you can encounter thousands of types of people. And our world is truly vast."

"Could you tell me about the outside world? Beyond the island."

'Wow! It seems like a conversation is brewing with Diana. That's great.'

"I know little about it, and I've never been there."

"It's no trouble for me. Feel free to come by anytime."

"Good. And yes, I don't think there will be any issues with the library. We have no reason to refuse you."

Afterward, she left.

I was delighted at the chance to gain knowledge that no one from the outside world had shared before me.

With that excitement, I poured myself a drink of wine that turned out to be very strong, and it soon led me to sleep.

When I woke up, it was already morning, and my shoulders were sore.

I tried to stretch, but my arms wouldn't budge.

As I blinked my eyes open, I found myself sandwiched between Artemis and Diana.

They are both naked, drunk, dangerous, and amazons.

'How on earth did I, with my intuition, miss this?! I was in deep trouble when they woke up!'

At that moment, Hippolyta entered my room along with two amazons in full battle gear, all three looking grim.

Then I realized—I was doomed!

To be continued…