Death March — Fixed

Warning:

Sexual Content Lurks Below

“Tek here, no matter what your ethnicity, anyone becomes happy when they meet someone from the same land in a foreign country--since we speak the same language, have similar moral values (in theory)--It helps lessen feelings of loneliness and homesickness.”

“To be exact, I am Arisa Hathford, the former British girl who died tragically and reincarnated in the Kubooku Kingdom with her memories intact. Well, my name on Earth was Alice--but the God changed it to Arisa for some reason, maybe because having Alice from England falling down a hole and traveling to another world is cliche?” Arisa went off on a bit of a tangent at the end there, “Ahem--so, were you reincarnated too? No, judging from your black hair, you’re a summoned hero aren’t you, Tek?”

The Heads-Up-Display doesn’t show whether she’s originally British, or her real name of Arisa Hathford.

Since my information didn’t state that I’m a former British, Alex Conner, too; it seems to be a similar situation.

“What’s wrong, why did you stop talking? You’re the second person from Earth I have met; though the other one was Japanese.” Arisa spoke with amusement in her voice.

Hearing those words, I turn my gaze towards Lulu, who’s laying in the other bed--she quickly closes her eyes and pretends to be asleep, but I can see the deep blush hasn’t left her cheeks.

“Lulu is different, you know? It seems that her great-grandfather was a Japanese man, though I’ve never met him, mind. Atavism is a cruel thing--she could have been an idol if she was born in Japan.” Sadness flashed across Arisa’s violet eyes as she glanced at Lulu, her shoulders slumping.

“Did you use your Mind Magic--”

“No.” Arisa spoke over me.

I was going to ask if she used her Mind Magic to make people think that Lulu looks ugly, but she instantly denied my words, even before I could finish the sentence.

“This world’s sense of beauty if very different to that of Earth. They think that those with flatter faces, thin lips, and a small ass is idea--she has a lot of counterpoints. But thanks to that, there weren’t many buyers during our days as slaves.”

Of course, beauty standards across worlds would be different--

But, then again, I agree with the small ass ideal.

“So, Tek, are you a reincarnated person, or a summoned person?” She raised an eyebrow, turning her attention back to me; only speaking after suddenly licking my cheek--she moved too quickly and I couldn’t react--and the triumphant grin on her face was just too cute.

Should I answer honestly, or keep it a secret?

She may be a user of Mind Magic, and used it to get in bed with me--I’m not sure why I bring that up, since I really don’t mind it--but she seems to be a clue as to why I’m here.

Of course, if the time comes, I can just order her not to tell anyone.

I also really need to learn to trust my companions--this situation could help. I have the feeling that she is the kind who won’t betray me; she had powerful Mind Magic, but only used it to sate her lust, and didn’t do anything actually bad.

“Well, a reincarnated person is someone who died on their former world and then was reborn here. A Summoned person is someone who is forcefully abducted from their world and taken to this one--like in the animes and web novels!” Arisa sounds excited as she speaks, pausing to calm down and clear her throat, she continues, “Someone like a hero is a person who has been summoned.”

Well, I don’t seem to be either of those.

“Is a reincarnated person always reborn as a baby?”

“There’s a legend about someone who was reincarnated and given an adult form, but from all sources that I have found, a reincarnated person will always be a baby--without fail” She sounds very sure of her claim.

When I ask how she knows for sure.

“Reincarnated people are told this by the god as they reincarnate.” She smiles in reminiscence--it was likely that she asked to be reborn as an adult--not many people would want to be a baby with memories of someone older.

So, they meet god?

If a person was to say such things on Earth, people would either doubt his sanity--or make him a high rank in the church or design a cult around him.

“Do summoned people keep their original appearance? Like their clothing, belongings and figure?”

“Well, it seems that the summoned person retain their clothes--and of course their looks.”

So they keep their original looks, but I became younger--why is that?

“Did you hear that from others?”

“The hero from the Saga Empire told me, so I don’t think it’s wrong. Since the only one who seems able to summon heroes from another world is the Saga Empire.” She seems both proud, and a little annoyed, when she mentions the hero.

Well, let’s remember to check out the Saga Empire in the future.

“I see--but I’m neither of those--I took a nap after work, and when I woke up, I was in a wasteland.”

“You didn’t see the god?”

“Nope.”

Arisa sits up and crosses her arms under her chest, frowning slightly--she’s still naked, and giggles when she sees that my gaze is drawn to her.

“Then, were you at the summoner’s place when you arrived?”

“No, I was the only one out in that wasteland--other than a lot of Lizardmen and Draconic species--” I feel a surge of guilt run through me and I quickly cover my mouth as nausea rises.

Looking curious at my actions, Arisa tilts her head, and then gently strokes my hair with one hand--until I calm down.

“Then, were you high-level from the start? Or had infinite Magic Power? Or get a lot of interesting skills?”

“No, my level was 1 in the beginning and my Magic was also only 10--I didn’t have any skills either.”

--No, there was those Special Abilities: All Map Exploration and Meteor Shower.

Arisa moves her other hand and cups my face, staring into my eyes, “What’s with that impossible game?”

Oops, she seems to be sympathizing with me, I need to tell her.

“I did have two Special Abilities that allowed me to survive.” I smiled and caught one of her hands.

“I see,” She nods with a serious expression, releasing her free hand from my cheek and holding it to her chin in a thinking gesture.

“Rather than me, this conversation is about you; tell me all your skills, one by one. The Innate Skill and Special Ability too--this is an order.”

“I would tell you even if you didn’t order me, you know?” She rolled her eyes at me before continuing, “First, my Mind Magic is at level five. Aren’t I quite good? I’ve dedicated almost all of the skill points that I acquired since birth to raise this one.”

Since it sounds strange, when I check her skill, the required points to level up each skill seem to be between two and twelve, with an average of seven; the required points aren’t only one, like with me--but each one requires a different amount for each skill, and the required number seems to increase as the skill level increases.

Am I a special case, or is there a specific condition required to almost remove the cost?

“Self Status is a skill to check my own status. It’s more detailed than a Yamato Stone; the most important function of this skill is that I can decide which skills I allocate my points that I receive from leveling up.”

I thought that it’s the same Special Ability that allows me to learn skills easily, but it seems to be an inferior version of it.

As for the general populace, it seems they have a certain probability to increase their skill levels depending on their training as they level up.

“Status Check is a skill that allows me to see other people’s Stats--it’s incredibly convenient. It would have been better if it was Analyze, but my ‘Reincarnation Privilege Points’ weren’t enough--” She muttered with a sulky expression, then pokes her small tongue out and explains that Reincarnation Privilege Points are what the god gave her when she reincarnated.

“Hide Skill is exactly what it says on the tin, and once used, even if you are looked at with Analyze or a Yamato Stone, it’s show: ‘Skill: None’--until it’s canceled.”

My Heads-Up-Display shows ‘Skill: Unknown’, which means that it gets information differently than Analysis does.

“Item Box, it is another skill which is exactly as it says. It’s the same kind of storage that usually exists in a game or books. Though it’s not the same as the one that heroes get with their Infinite Storage--Inventories--the store-able number is limited, but it doesn’t add bulk and there’s no weight, so it’s really convenient.”

She then explained how it can only stone one hundred types of items, with a maximum stack of one hundred for the same type. For things with indeterminate shape, like water, it’s counted by litre.

If I were to compare it, my storage is closer to the infinite storage--inventory--then hers is.

After explaining it, Arisa smiles seductively and says, “My throat it a little dry--”. She theatrically swings her hand horizontally and says ‘Item Box, Open’. In front of her, a black hole opens in the air and she puts her hand inside, taking out a bottle of water that she drinks; some spills from the corner of her mouth and and draws lines down her naked chest, dampening her hair and looking erotic.

She quickly finishes drinking and looks at me with a wink, before opening her Item Box and placing the bottle back inside.

 

>>Skill: Item Box Acquired.

 

I don’t need such an inferior version of storage--

Rather than that, the remaining Never Give Up and Over Boost, one of which allowed her Mind Magic to pass over a difference of three hundred levels--I want to know about them the most.

 

“Hahaha, how about it, aren’t I amazing? It’s incredibly rare for a slave to have this many skills!”

 

“Aren’t there two more remaining for you to explain?”

 

She looks a little disappointed that I didn’t praise her, but she speaks anyway, “The others are, Unique Skills, two of them, even! Amazing isn’t it?”

When she poses, one hand pointing into the air, the other on one of her hips--pushing her hair over, and exposing her well-shaped breasts--which may or may not have been the purpose of the movement; I reach up and stroke her silky hair, causing to look really happy and rub her head against my hands.

“Even Lulu doesn’t know about these abilities. The first, Over Boost, uses all of my Magic Power and Stamina--but is causes the power, or probability of success of one attack to be raised many folds. It’s the perfect power for a heroine isn’t it?”

If a heroine wishes to be a disposable cannon, then yeah, perfect.

“The other, Never Give Up, is the power to absolutely never give up, no matter how powerful the enemy is! More accurately, no matter what the level difference is, or how high the enemy’s defense is, an attack or Magic will have a 10% probability to hit! Isn’t it great?” She smiles happily, However, it can only be used three times in a row and after that I have to wait for it to recharge; which is one charge a month. Since my Magic didn’t really work against master, I used all three.”

So, it was this skill that allowed her Magic to affect me--there are a lot of ‘Magic Resisted’ messaged in the log.

What an interesting, and troublesome, skill--I’m glad that she isn’t an enemy.

This is something I heard much later, but it seems that the skill is useless if the opponent has ten points in resistance. For example, even if she uses it successfully, if the Elementary Magic Water Shot--it would be absolutely useless against a Great Water Spirit, who is immune to Water Magic.

***

“There are a few things that I want to confirm,” As I speak, I grab Arisa’s shoulders and pull her down, pressing her against me; it may seem strange, but I was finding it almost impossible to concentrate now that Arisa’s hair had stopped hiding her body.

She snuggles up to me with a happy noise, and a slightly curious look on her face.

Ahh, now I can think again, even though I can feel her soft breasts pressing against me--it is much better.

“Ahem, go ahead.” She mutters and raises her face, her violet eyes staring intently into mine.

“How did you use Mind Magic without chanting?”

“Umm, it’s a hidden function of Self-Status, once I know a Magic, then I can use it by just reciting the trigger words in my head.” She paused when she saw something in my expression, “Are you perhaps unable to use Magic?”

“Well, I’m failing to properly chant the spells--”

“They can be difficult, I was going to give up when I heard other people chanting as well. Eventually, I managed to succeed in around a year and a half.”

“I’ve only been trying for around two days, though it’s actually only two hours in total.”

“What? That’s way too short--if someone could do it within that period, then anyone could become a Mage.”

“I forgot to ask, who’s the Japanese person you met?”

She pauses, as though picking her words, “It’s the Saga Empire’s Hero, Hayato Masaki.”