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

by Alvin Atwater

  Clyde waved a hand to signal Tear and Yuki to obliterate the annoying wizards. “Don’t hold back. Try not to kill them, but if they take a loss or two, it’s on them.”

  Natalia hopped off Clyde’s back, black and white aura surrounding her in a giant vortex. “Pervy cheater nii - you should rely on me too. I have a new skill.”

  “Wait,” Clyde said, but it was too late. Natalia rained hell on the wizards.

  [Natalia activated MODIFIED GODDESS TIER SKILL: Anthem Anti-Vitality Rain of Collapsing. This is an unblockable and undodgeable skill.]

  Black and white spears of magic rained like death on all forty wizards. One of them, a hidden gray robe, seemed completely unperturbed, the loli’s magic seeming to not damage him. Either that or he simply had no fucks to give.

  Not all of the wizards collapsed, but Tear and Yuki entered the fray, unleashing enormous blasts of magic. The enemies quickly retaliated with their own death blasts, but it wasn’t enough.

  [Tear’s wrath has reached 100%.]

  [Wrathful bonus activated from your heavenly aura. 200% extra boost to all stats while wrath is at 100%... or more.]

  They were done for. And Tear’s wrath could go past one hundred? The young man hoped that wouldn’t be necessary. Anyone who could hurt his Tear to that point would answer to him.

  Since the wizards were simply keeling over, Clyde motioned for the rest of the attackers to charge in. He and the gray robe made eye contact. Of fucking course the gray was after him. The bearded man even smiled.

  “Come, little birdy,” he shouted to Clyde, then licked his lips and laughed, eyes crazed. “I will fuck your skull in, you inferior, wannabe magician.”

  Wizard, Gray Robe, Sah.

  Level: 252

  Type: human, spellcaster.

  Work under: Kindas.

  Special: ???

  Weakness: ???

  Resistances: dark and all of its attributes x50.

  Secret: blocked.

  Level two hundred fifty. Great, Clyde thought. Just fucking great. His high resistance to dark magic told the young man why Tear, Natalia, and Yuki’s attacks did jack shit to him.

  Sah charged him, consumed with mania.

  [You have been dragged into a *Sub-Boss fight!]

  Clyde aimed at the ground just ahead of the man and unleashed a Blizzard, but the road didn’t freeze. His eyes widened, realizing that the heat of the Phoenix Fire was continuing to increase, canceling out his ice magic.

  His mystic senses allowed him to dodge the incoming, fiery fists. The man laughed harder as he continued to swing at the young man. Once again, Clyde knew something was off here. This fucker wanted to find the right opportunity to grab onto the young man and send him on the road to Valhalla.

  Clyde Flash Stepped ten feet behind him, not caring how much that bit into his MP. Now how should he go about this? The opponent was a large, muscled man, which meant simply punching and kicking wouldn’t give him the upper hand. Wait, he had this.

  The young man pulled out his Executioner’s Staff. A risky plan, but he’d have to slow the man or even knock him to the ground before entrapping him. Undine thankfully stayed behind, refusing to be Support Team during crucial times like this.

  What would a man without actual staff combat training do? Not swing the damn thing. This is why Clyde kind of admired Harry Potter.

  [Clyde activated Wiseman’s Calm.]

  [Wiseman’s Calm: Enter Wiseman mode. This form lasts for a short time and drains magic points, but all physical and magic attacks increase greatly. You will be able to cast Destructive Mystic Lightning. Chance to fully heal when entering this mode: 3%. Sometimes allies around you will be randomly healed.]

  His transformation took a little too long - two seconds, but it didn’t stop the intense magic from hitting him.

  [Sah activated Void tier skill: Dark Tiger Bite.]

  He felt himself fly backward, fast. The crash into one of the vans didn’t make his existing pain any better.

  [Critical! Clyde’s HP has dropped to 200%.]

  Clyde picked himself up, only to be met with a laughing fist. Yes, the fist itself, coated in dark and fire magic laughed. Multiple fists…

  [Sah activated Void tier skill: Howling Barrage!]

  [Clyde’s HP has dropped to 45%.]

  [Wiseman’s Calm has been forcibly deactivated by the poison of Void magic.]

  Clyde quickly put up a Cosmic Shield, blocking an incoming large beam of dark magic. He gritted his teeth and focused. Taking a stance taught to him by Ako, the young man cleared his head of anything but his opponent. He warped the staff back to his inventory, knowing that it would be useless against Sah’s relentless attacks.

  Sah laughed. “Little birdy, little birdy, I will break you first.”

  [Your composure stat of 420 continues to aide you. Your endurance of 380, too. You can take one hell of a beating. Odd.]

  [Chika’s Ki stats aide you. Vitality: 10. Speed: 10. Aura: 11.]

  [System advice: Stop messing around.]

  [System has forcibly activated your killing intent.]

  [Just kidding.]

  Clyde shook his head, but he didn’t have time to wonder why he had to put up with the System’s trolling. He Flash Stepped forward.

  [Clyde activated Skill Fusion: Stagger Punch + Shatter Strike!]

  [*Skill Fusion- legendary special ability- combine skills and see what happens. You could unleash death on your foes! Can be very draining to your MP. Use seldomly.]

  Not even Sah had anticipated such a skill. The bones in the gray robe’s arms cracked as he attempted to block the attack. Clyde showed no mercy, repeatedly attacking the injuries, until the man fell to the ground. He delivered a swift kick to the head to knock him unconscious. Undine wasted no time, absorbing the explosive energy from afar. The young man assumed she knew exactly where to look. And it still looked creepy as hell oozing from Sah’s open mouth like a black fog.

  [Battle completed. Victory! Reward: 312 million EXP + bonus EXP. Elroot wand part 2 of 3.]

  [Congratulations, you have reached levels 156-160. Stats increased!]

  Harumi’s healing washed over Clyde, allowing him to remember important details about the recent quest.

  “Everyone, pull up the local news on your phones. I have a bad feeling right now,” Clyde said.

  Ming nodded in agreement. “Me too.”

  Toru made sure to text that to Support Team so they’d be up to date on current events.

  Everyone tuned into the same website to catch a live broadcast. What they watched set a huge pit in the young man’s stomach.

  A black-robed wizard wearing a dragon mask spoke with his hand aimed at the princess. The gun-firing princess. Black Ki oozed from a dragon-shaped tattoo on her forehead. Dead bodies, android and human, littered the place. Molten fury rose into Clyde’s chest.

  “Who is the cause of this situation?” the Black Mask asked. “Who will bear the hurt and the sin of what has happened today? As you can see here, the royal family will murder all who they suspect to be the fabled terrorists. This is why we fight! We wish to see the improvement of the Nation. They seek to keep things to themselves. Now… I regret that I must do this, but I cannot allow more people to die by those hands.”

  The Black Mask fired a concentrated bolt of magic that struck the princess with intensity. The young woman fell to the ground, unmoving. The gun she held skidded a few feet forward, releasing a few rounds that actually hit the Black Mask.

  And dropped him. A malfunctioning safety mechanism which normally prevented a gun from firing when dropped undid him. Or so that’s what everyone thought.

  Black Mask stood, healing circles surrounding him, almost automatically.

  “Not even Death wants me,” the Black Mask said. “People, rally against the palace. Send a warning.”

  In a puff of black smoke, the terrorist vanished.

  [Adventure Quest failed.]

  Clyde was about to yell, when a syste
m update popped into his head.

  [Update. Adventure Quest target was changed to Palona in advance. The princess predicted a possible mishap. Quest renamed to Bloodstained Kaguya. The objective remains the same. Palona will receive your blessing.]

  “It seems like we have to go see Palona now,” Clyde said, his heart just not in the words. “For now, let’s return to the hotel and plan. I have a feeling shit’s about to get insane. Now is not the time for us to go to the city’s square. Airi, Seth, and Yusuke should be on the way back.”

  Team Stone nodded solemnly. Game faces were on. Killing was now an option again. The young man shook his head. Why didn’t these situations allow him to handle things peacefully for once?

  “Did you see her forehead?” Ming asked Clyde.

  “I think we all did,” Clyde said. “And we’re not stupid enough to believe that the princess would suddenly attack her own people.” He balled his fist, time and space bending around him. The city shook heavily as the god chant erupted from the young man’s mouth. “I think these people have had enough of the fucking wizards.”

  Episode 62 (Part 1): Godless Nation. Cradle for Hope.

  A block away from the city’s square and palace entrance….

  Noon…

  Wind and aura raged around Tessa as she roamed about, viewing the absolute carnage. This city had been in turmoil since the moment she came here. The oddball her goddess was - this chaos had to be the true reason why Venus sent Tessa. Sadly, such a tragedy had occurred while she explored a different side of the city, Clyde forgotten.

  Tessa knew that Clyde and his party, what he called Team Stone, could handle themselves just fine. This wasn’t a place for pleasantries, but an awful political battleground between wizards that wanted to take over the country and the royal family. The princess became the first true, major casualty. Not everyone would be able to see the dragon mark on her forehead during the inevitable repeat broadcasts. The people and even the monster girls that had become citizens were going to riot.

  Tessa flinched at the sight of the scattered body parts - more android than human. Most of them ran for their lives, but the androids… those poor women willingly took the executions. That black-robed wizard was going to pay for this. Tessa swore it.

  “Lady Venus, please shine your light over the queen, the princess’s soul, and help Clyde.”

  Kindas HQ…

  Maverick’s office…

  Maverick slammed his fists into the table, breaking it into pieces, as he let out a guttural roar of fury. “WHAT HAS THAT IDIOT DONE? NO! MY PLANS. THIS WILL CAUSE CHAOS, NOT WIN THE PEOPLE OVER.”

  Maverick stared at the repeating massacre that played on the TV mounted on his wall. The helicopter shot that played over and over again as the news.

  “It seems like someone is having a great time.”

  Maverick spun and grimaced in distaste. “What the fuck do you want, Palona? And what’s taking you so long to just swoop in and kill the fucker? Let me guess, the Crusader researchers need more money.”

  A middle-aged woman with long crimson hair, glowing orange eyes, and a devilishly perfect smile stepped out of the shadows. She was dressed in a long, plain gray robe with the Crusader gold cross symbol embedded onto both breasts.

  “Unlike you, I’m not jumping the gun with my plans,” Palona said. “We Crusaders can be a patient bunch you know, sticking around.” She shook her head. “I had drones watch the city, hoping I could catch the Stone slaughtering your minions.” She chuckled. “That footage could’ve helped me paint him as someone who kills the misled.”

  “What the fuck do you mean, misled?” Maverick snapped. “My minions are soldiers and they do what it takes to fight for this country. They are not misled, knowing damn well what they’ve signed up for.” He shook his head, glaring at the smiling woman in disgust. “To hear that talk coming from a Crusader of all people. You had better focus on keeping your bargain.”

  Palona laughed. “You forged this plan for years, and what? Had it all crumble apart in a matter of seconds. You’re a fool for not listening to me. And now you’ve gotten that innocent girl killed. I warned you about that spell.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Maverick said. He pulled a cigar from his pocket, lit it and puffed. The familiar action calmed him down a little. “You were paid in advance years ago, after offering the support of the Crusaders to take this Nation, in exchange for certain powers. You’d gotten close to the girl, played the part of a loving nanny and foreteller. I don’t know how you managed to lure the Stone here, but I can tell you’re not full of shit. At least not yet. Why are you obsessed with the games, anyway?”

  Palona chuckled. “You are also not human, a being who lived in the ancient days, so I know you can understand the quest for power more than anyone. After all, look what you’ve accomplished.”

  Maverick held back his desire to crush the bitch in front of him. “That still doesn’t answer my question,” Maverick said.

  “I didn’t lure him,” Palona said. “I simply inserted myself as a figure of his destiny.”

  Maverick’s eyes widened. “You… only an Entity could pull that off.” He chuckled. “So, it is not a mere coincidence that we’ve met and made a deal that benefited us both.”

  “Of course not,” Palona said, “however, my powers aren’t perfect. When you brute force against destiny and fate, things change. The Stone refusing to kill the killers when I tried everything to get him to do so. The princess dying when she shouldn’t have. Your disciple’s powers just happening to go out of control. Everyone has conscious choices - like your idiot student - ugh! He should’ve followed your orders to keep his mask on at all times. He should’ve heeded my warning about those powers, that at any point they’d drain his life. And now look. They slowly led to this disgusting disaster.” Palona softly facepalmed. “Seventeen years of patience. And whom I hoped to recruit into the Crusaders dies at nineteen.” Tears streamed down the woman’s cheek. “All of my work! You better fix this, Maverick. Your dumbass disciple isn’t going to return.” She shook her head. “And the nerve of him to make things worse. Why in the Great One’s name did he blame my sweet, dead recruit? Why did he do any of these things?”

  “I DON’T FUCKING KNOW!” Maverick snapped. “At this point, I may have to just do everything myself. Guard.”

  “Yes sir,” the man in a suit said.

  “Send a force to clean up the city,” Maverick ordered. “If they spot Black Mask, tell them to drag him back. Also, kill the Stone.”

  Palona laughed, her voice like a chime. “Don’t attack the Stone, you’re wasting your time. If the gray robes couldn’t touch him, imagine what would happen if he decided to actually try.” She sighed. “I believe he’s going to start killing now, but it’s too late for me to create a negative narrative since a certain someone’s idiot disciple ruined everything.”

  Maverick swung at the wall, causing it to collapse. “Palona, stop pushing me to attack first. We both know what you’re trying to do, but we’ve made the oath. And now you’re going to burn down with me or clean it up. Lawlessness on my side and within the palace. The trap for the Stone has failed. Deal with it.”

  Palona gritted her teeth. “Tsk. A simple miscalculation.”

  Suddenly, another guard rushed into the room. “Sir, we’ve found our sniper unconscious with a Ridout Enterprises card on him. I think they’ve sent a message.”

  Maverick sneered.“We don’t have time for the pettiness of our business rivals. Focus on the main task for now. We’ll deal with them sometime later. Maybe ban them from this Nation when I assume control. Now go!” Maverick turned back to the Crusader woman. “For now, you return to the palace, offer support and get a statement out. If you find that idiot, do what you must.”

  “Don’t order me around,” Palona said. She walked over to the shadows of the room. “What happened to Nezerath may happen to you if you’re not careful. Just because your old rival was on a different side of the world
is meaningless.”

  “Do you have a point, bitch?” Maverick asked. “If not, get the hell out of here. I’m in no mood to hear your goddamn taunts today.”

  Palona smiled cruelly as she melted into the shadows, her last words being, “You just need to trust in me.”

  “The world will have to end first before I trust in that woman,” Maverick said. “Fucking Crusader scum. You can trust no one in this world.”

  Inside the Palace…

  On the cold, lonely floor, Queen Tarine cried before the lifeless body of her daughter, wondering what went wrong. Why did things have to turn out this way? Why?

  “Don’t… leave me… please come back. Your dear mother can’t go on without her happiness. It’s selfish, I know, but you completed me. I wanted to be there for your bright days and your dark days, your marriage, and to sit back and be proud as you one day inherited the throne. Your sister wanted the same thing.”

  The queen felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up with teary eyes into the sympathetic face of Palona. The head maid and mentor of her daughter, a kind woman who valued duty, even before her own wellbeing. Queen Tarine needed the closeness of that loyal woman.

  The sound of protesting, yelling, and wailing outside intensified, but the fire within the queen just wouldn’t spark. She continued to weep for her daughter as a human guard carried her away.

  Palona grinned behind the back of the queen, thriving in the atmosphere. As the Entity of Sorrow, her power only increased. She wasn’t a Crusader researcher, but one of the four Pillars. Sure, she could continue the charade of a very capable human and become a leader of the Order, but the being leading that, the Arch-Pope, would ruin her status with his very presence. The Entity couldn’t have that.