The Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #12 a LitRPG (ATS)

by Alvin Atwater

  He glanced at a hologram clock on the wall. Roughly fifty minutes remained until the equipment inspection.

  “Pervy nii-channn.”

  Clyde caught Natalia by the back of her shirt with a single hand, dangling the loli into the air.

  “Pervy husbando nii, look what I’ve made for you,” she said, completely unperturbed. He gazed at the unopened box in her hand.

  He thought Noona would be angry or annoyed, but the demoness seemed just as curious as him about the box.

  The young man opened it to see two golden bracelets etched with some kind of runes. Glowing runes.

  “They took almost a month to make, and if pervy booby grape head and her other booby maid friend weren’t ordered to the library to constantly interrupt my improvement research, I would’ve finished sooner.”

  [You have received a gift from your fiancée, Natalia. Bracelets of the New Path. Item class: Legendary, *One of a Kind*. While wearing these bracelets, all Ki-based abilities will do four times the damage. All Ki cultivation will be tripled. When married, all wives will receive a 250% damage boost to Ki-based attack skills while within fifty meters of you. You will receive a menu option to turn the bracelets on and off. If on, they will drain your Ki until it reaches zero, then deactivate. The cooldown to reactivate is a solid 24 hours.]

  Clyde put the loli down to try on his new bracelets, a shit-eating grin on his face.

  “You made these?” he asked.

  “Sure did,” Natalia said. “Do you like them?” He could see the tears hanging at the corners of her eyes.

  “Damn right I do,” Clyde said as he put them on. “These bracelets are freaking amazing. W-”

  Natalia anime-dove into him with a tight hug. The hotel staff and some guests let out a group aww. Some of them wiped away tears, sniffling. One of the staff, a glasses-wearing anime girl, tripped over something, spilling her coffee right onto the lap of her seated boss. He sounded like Tom from Tom and Jerry as he let out a yowl of despair, ruining the entire mood.

  “I’m really sorry!” the girl cried, bowing, but the man’s snarl didn’t fade. How could it after getting burned for no reason by a clumsy employee that should be doing her job?

  “You… oh fuck, that hurts,” he said. “You’re sorry, huh? Well, that won’t stop this reprimand. And your last warning. Go to my office for the write-up. And I’ll let you show me how sorry you are when you sign.”

  The staff girl scurried off. The man sighed.

  “I worked eighteen hours straight and wanted to take a break, and I get burned for it.” He shook his head. “I apologize for my outburst. My staff aren’t usually like this.” He nodded at Clyde. “Somehow you gained fangirls after this morning.” He briefly glared at his staff members, except the androids. “Please continue to enjoy yourself. I’ll be off to speak privately with my employee.”

  The middle-aged man in the suit followed after his employee, pace unhurried.

  He heard a nearby male employee say,

  “I guess she’ll be licking the coffee off his penis.”

  “Doubtful,” a passing android said. “That is the first time she’s gotten into trouble. And she isn’t nearly as attractive as some others. There is only a twelve point two five percent chance that the boss would actually get aroused by her.”

  “She’s actually really cute without the glasses,” the hotel employee said. “But you can’t see that because you’re an idiot-bot.” He moved on, his last words being, “I wish they would’ve just left those robotic voices installed. Fucking idiot androids.”

  Clyde did not miss the android’s fist balling. Then she folded her arms to harrumph like a tsundere.

  “These stupid humans will end up being the deactivation of me.”

  Clyde and Team Stone blinked. “Maybe we should go to the reserved room?”

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  “Most of us came early to prepare anyway,” Toru said. Fumi was at his side in human form, holding his hand.

  Noona seemed to be a little annoyed at the cute couple. Clyde chuckled. The adorable and beautiful demoness was capable of getting anyone she wanted, yet she emitted jealousy toward a boy and his slime girl waifu.

  Natalia hopped onto Clyde’s shoulders. He examined his new bracelets again, following Tear and the others’ leads.

  “How did you make these?” Clyde asked. “This is well-crafted. And the runes...”

  “Pure skill,” Natalia bragged. “Well, I did have the meanie girl teach me some things. It has to look pretty.”

  Clyde nodded, a new respect forming for both Kitome and the loli.

  “I texted the rest to hurry over,” Harumi said as Clyde entered the room.

  He nodded, setting Natalia down.

  “Where’s Ruri?” Yuki asked. “I need her nose and cuteness later.”

  “I think she stepped out with Matsume,” Alice said.

  Noona frowned. “I don’t know about this.”

  “You mean the wolfman?” Seth said then chuckled. “I don’t know who that guy is, but he can’t touch Ruri.” Everyone shot him a blank stare. “The same looks as when I told you that none of the hostile hellhounds could take on Chika. Imagine the looks on your faces to find out I was right.”

  Ming snorted. “I don’t see any danger reading on her. Matsume’s… I’m unsure. Her meter’s yellow. But any girl that is approached by a guy… wait.”

  “Ah shit,” Clyde said. “Well, I would say that, but when we first met Matsume, her level was even higher than Ruri’s.”

  Seth chuckled. “She’s one of the strongest members of our party. And hottest.”

  “You’ll say that about anyone with large breasts, pervert,” Kitome snapped.

  “I just hope we don’t end up with a dead werewolf on our hands,” Clyde said.

  Many of the team’s eyes widened at the implications.

  “I forget that they’re hellhounds sometimes,” Yuki said, then she chuckled. “Maybe if we’re lucky enough, they’ll shred him to unrecognizable pieces in an alley way.”

  The last time Ruri got incredibly pissed - not counting the boss fights - was during that fight with Alice. The power generated put Lot City in danger of being blown off the map, almost like the time Goku powered up into Super Saiyan Three.

  “While we’re waiting on them, it’s time to upgrade shit,” Clyde said. “No exceptions.” He sat Natalia on his leg. “That includes you, squirt. At least show us the upgrades you made on the staff.”

  Natalia held her hand to the side. The Staff of Hope materialized out of sparkles less than a heartbeat later. She set it on the table. Kanako ran a finger down the magical tool, admiring its design.

  “I can certainly feel a lot of added power into this thing,” Kanako said.

  The loli only stared at them smugly.

  Episode 59 (Part 4)

  Somewhere in Alon…

  Aunder needed willing followers. If the gods were going to persistently make him the villain of the stone-viper games, while interfering with every attempt to end it, then he may as well embrace it.

  As if he’d obey the Watchers. He wasn’t some hero, and he’d do whatever it took to survive this persecution. After all, they tossed him into this game in place of a goddess he’d never met. Aunder would die for no one, even if that meant slaying the Stone. He was but another soul pulled from his world, tossed into a death scenario, and forced to dance to the tune of those who desired entertainment for their eternal boredom.

  Aunder could have all the power in the universe and still fail to catch the fleeting victory. This left one logical conclusion. A team. He’d decide of course, not going with Dire and her nonsense about picking minions for him. The runt sometimes forgot who was the master. Disrespectful students earned lashings by the discipline rod in his world. The man carried those values.

  Now the main problem…

  He had investigated Dire’s memories a few days ago in hope of discovering a glimpse of Fatalus. Su Yang’
s placement in a dimension of torment somehow didn’t come as a surprise to him. He undid her recent banishment and then asked the ghostly woman a favor. He needed to figure out what made the silver-haired child snap further into instability.

  Aunder always knew she was unstable, never hesitated to let her know that much. Of course, his love for the drink always stopped people from taking him seriously.

  He had found a respawn doll in his inventory. The one meant for himself. In the menu, the man always kept it equipped but set to hidden. If the Watchers cheated and took him out, Aunder would rise and deliver a surprise.

  Sadly, he could not simply bring Su Yang back, not with Dire in this mental condition. Killing her would only cripple the team he was trying to build. The girl had talent, held serious power. And she devoted herself to him. She could even take out the Venus sisters by herself with little effort now, thanks to the training. Thanks to bringing out that latent power.

  Just why did Fatalus ruin the life of an innocent woman, turn her into a child, and leave without another word? What could the dark goddess accomplish… Aunder’s eyes widened. Of course she’d do this for entertainment. Fuel Dire with an extreme desire for revenge. The silver-haired runt would brutally destroy her own family with fire and rage.

  Honestly, Aunder would do the same. Betrayal was repaid with death in his world. Nothing new, really; however, he wanted no one pulling the strings of his servants.

  First, he’d continue to observe Su Yang’s haunting. Would Dire break down or continue to sink? The ghostly woman should be laughing at her after the lashings he delivered to the runt’s ass. Not that that had been the first time she received them. Aunder’s training mimicked the brutality of his own, along with the extensive lessons of honor passed down from a long-dead master.

  He wasn’t expecting Fatalus to cure Dire.

  Aunder’s mission served... a deadlier purpose. He pulled the orange blade from the scabbard. Electricity crackled around the edges of the metallic surface. Nemesis, the deity-slaying sword.

  Attincusburon, Alon...

  Kiko’s nose burst with excitement as she wandered almost aimlessly around the high-tech city. In addition to enjoying the delicious scent of blood… ugh, that amazing red liquid of wonder… the smell of exotic foods hung through the air, pulling in spenders to their respective restaurants like moths to a light.

  Kiko wished she could enjoy this with Harumi, Airi, and her sister like the old times. Well, Alice and Ruri too. Really, all of the girls were okay in her book, although Natalia hid her feelings behind that curse. The brat was actually as sweet as honey. She wondered about the taste of her blood…

  The dark-haired young woman shook herself. Over a year ago, she would’ve called such thoughts gross. Her mind and body had adapted over time. None of her classmates knew, nor her parents or non-immediate family. Would they think differently of her upon discovering the truth? Kiko and Sazuki’s parents really didn’t pay much attention to them these days. Their mother was a high-end attorney, their dad an important judge.

  Her sister worked so hard to earn a full-ride scholarship to the number one college in the nation and, according to the others, was taken advantage of by the dean. Yet… their parents still didn’t seem to care. They didn’t return home early from work, take some time to see if their daughter was mentally sound. Their jobs made Kiko’s own return just a short burst of hugs and kisses from her parents before they eventually eluded again.

  Kiko realized she had stopped, staring into space. She took a deep breath, composing herself.

  Abruptly, she noticed Ruri and Matsume ahead, walking, chatting, and probably exercising their noses. Excitement rushed through her, only to snuff out at the sight of a man following them from a distance. Alarm bells sounded in the vampire’s head.

  That was clearly some kind of wolfman, the person Clyde warned the entire party about. The suspicious budge in his pants, poorly concealed by his coat, and lustful gaze in his eyes meant that he planned to… attack the girls doggy-style?

  The average wolfman and werewolves weren’t this unreasonable. Kiko would know. She had met some during her stay at the vampire clan mansion. That led to the only possible conclusion. The blond was a wild one. Monsters that didn’t give a rat’s ass about the rules of society, law, nor order. As a lone wolf, he’d be an idiot to attack at the wrong time, which explained the stalking. There was a chance he had a way to neutralize the women’s movements before committing his crime.

  He had to know they were hellhounds - attacking them in a conventional manner guaranteed death.

  Kiko sent a warning text to both Matsume and Ruri, but it turned out they already knew. Ruri’s nose detected the excitement before Matsume’s ears picked up the stalking rhythm of his footsteps. Hellhounds didn’t run.

  Kiko’s stomach dropped at the implications. She tried texting them again, but the duo didn’t bother to reply. In fact, their ears perked and their posture indicated just a hint of aggression. A horny wolfman would probably be too turned on to use his nose for anything other than sniffing pheromones. He certainly missed the magical flames.

  Kiko could sense the overwhelming difference in power. Hell, a quick inspection revealed that the wolfman was severely overmatched. Team Stone’s reputation…

  The vampire’s eyes hardened as she made a decision. A passing android gave her a possible answer to saving their reputation.

  “Excuse me,” Kiko said to the officer. The android looked at her, eyes calculating. “There’s a man stalking those two women over there. The blond. He followed them around for a while. And the budge in his pants means only one thing for his kind.”

  The android’s eyes widened. “Not on my watch. The wild ones are not exempt from the law.”

  Kiko chuckled as the android rushed over there. The encounter was not what she hoped… As the android attempted to give an order, the wolfman suddenly barked and delivered an elbow-rush that spiraled the nonorganic woman into a building. She didn’t get up from that attack.

  He turned his gaze to Ruri and Matsume, licking his lips, eyes manic. Then he ripped off his own pants to reveal a massive erection.

  At this time, there were plenty of witnesses, murmuring and wondering what the hell was happening. The wolfman pulled what appeared to be some kind of gun from his coat pocket, taking aim at the hellhounds.

  His mistake was not watching his surroundings. One fist from Kiko rocketed him into the sidewalk, creating a five-foot deep crater. The rapist didn’t recover.

  “There’s a reason why vampires are complimented when it comes to speed,” Matsume said, patting Kiko on her back.

  Kiko blinked, forcing her deadly instincts to retract.

  “Let’s go,” Ruri said. “He was caught on camera assaulting a cop. A friendly civilian returned the favor. We’re clear.”

  “There are more androids on the way, I can smell them,” Matsume said.

  Kiko nodded. “We’ve got a meeting to get to, anyway.”

  Kiko wondered if she’d ever be recognized by the team lead for her speed and strength. Or would he continue to send her away from the big fights? Would she ever truly feel like a Team Stone member?

  Unknown city…

  In someone’s large backyard…

  Dark was seated in the audience, watching a duel between two fellow card bearers. A man named Pando, the other Jamal. The heated match raged on for quite some time, although the lord of the dark could feel its conclusion.

  Jamal still had a monster on his side, a fierce bull with five flaming horns. Pando began his turn with a draw.

  “I summon Fap Magician,” he said.

  [Field Pando- F.A.P. Magician.]

  A porta potty… emerged from a burst of light, confusing everyone, including the card owner. They all heard strange noises emerging from it. Pando nodded at Jamal, indicating a request for brief respite as he marched over to the portable restroom. He knocked softly.

  “Umm Fredrick, are you okay in ther
e?”

  “…Yeah… Ugh… I’m fine,” a masculine voice replied. The weird noises, like slapping or something, continued. Dark gave the duelists a skeptical glare. They shrugged.

  “Are you sure?” Pando said. “We’re in a match. You need to come out now.”

  There was an audible grunt loud enough to reach Dark’s ears. Suddenly, white… liquid oozed from the bottom of the door, causing Pando to grimace and step back. The F.A.P. Magician finally exited the stall, a relieved expression plastered across his scruffy face. He offered a hand to Pando.

  “Good to see you again, buddy.”

  “Yeah, no,” Pando said, not accepting the handshake. “We’re dueling. Get to the field. And I thought your name was Fredrick Andros Potonis the Magician.” He shook his head.

  “Sure, but I can’t begin a duel without giving a good friend of mine a handshake of good loyalty. I’m too well-mannered for that.” He moved toward his deck owner.

  Pando backed away furiously. “No-no-no, fuck the main phase. Battle phase!”

  A spark of electricity forced Fedrick to stop, his eyes widening, his head forced to look at the bull ahead.

  “He’s stronger than me,” he said, his voice filled with indignance.

  “I don’t care! Go kill yourself!”

  The game’s mechanics forced the magician to charge, horror in his eyes.

  “Oh yeah, got yo ass today,” the bull said, grinning evilly. He easily dodged the magician’s attack, then impaled him. Fredrick gagged, falling backward, vanishing in sparkles of light.

  “Oh, thank God he’s gone,” Pando said, his life force draining from the exchange. “Note to self, take that card out of my deck.”

  Dark anime-fell backward. Maybe he should’ve joined Selkie and Myriad on the walk back to the hotel.

  They had given up on the hunt for the Falcon in favor of fulfilling Selkie’s objective. Whatever that was. She still insisted that someone as great as Dark continue with training, leveling up, and fulfilling quests. The blatant disregard pissed the young man off greatly, but he took it. For now.