The Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #6 a LitRPG (ATS)

by Alvin Atwater

  Su Yang made sure to sit very close to the man, her enticing perfume making him wish that he met the woman on different circumstances. He’d damage her honor by taking advantage of her during the Stockholm reign. “Here for a visit?”

  “As if you’d allow it,” she said.

  “It is a torture to sit with a woman you cannot take for a wife,” Aunder said. “Anyway, report.”

  “I’ve found the entity.”

  Aunder grinned.

  “And this is why you’re my favorite.” He stood. “Take the rest of the day off. Use those free-roaming privileges I gave you. Enjoy yourself in the city.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Su Yang said then dove into Aunder. “I’m sick of being sexually frustrated. Bed me right now.”

  “You know I cannot do that,” Aunder said, pushing away the woman. “Remember that I do plan to release you at the end of this journey. Hold your wits until then. No need to give into the—”

  “It’s not Stockholm syndrome!” Su Yang snapped.

  “Enough,” he said with a deadly calm. “I will not delve into that topic again. “Now give me Mortem’s location. It’s not very practical for the Stone and the Viper to be sharing the same guide, anyway.”

  Unable to disobey, Su Yang told him.

  “I see,” Aunder said. “Tell Olivia and Momo to prepare that spell. If Mortem’s out in plain view there, then this is probably trap set up by a watcher. I’m going to spring it.”

  Episode 33 (Part 1): Niyoto Times!

  Niyoto, Satovia…

  Alice took the last spoonful of her strawberry cheesecake, then turned to Chika and Ruri. The hellhound was already finished with her triple-beef sandwich. Her silver-haired friend on the other hand, still took stabs at her vegetable and… some kind of healthy meat mini-platter. The half-demoness just could not understand why she put herself through such an annoying diet, but indulged in junk food on the weekends. Chika will probably continue to nag at everyone to join her. Alice would rather starve.

  The hotel’s cafeteria was lightly populated. Most of the party either settled in their rooms to unpack or dropped belongings off to head off into the city. Clean and very stylish with gold and silver enlaced in its overall design, this place definitely catered to the wealthy.

  “We have a problem,” Alice said.

  “Add it to the list of ninety-nine,” Chika said.

  “If it’s about the shirt, I told you, it was Natalia that—”

  “No, it’s not about the shirt, you tit, it’s about the overload of other girls,” Alice snapped. “Look, we’ve got demon blood in us. Well, Ruri and I do. We’re a bit more lax as long as we don’t hate the others. But it’s getting a little crowded.”

  Chika nodded.

  “We’ll have to draw a line. We’re okay with you, Ruri, only because you’re cute. But no Matsume.”

  “She’s just my servant,” Ruri said. “There’s no way she’ll try anything.”

  “Is there anything to be done about Ming?” Chika asked Alice.

  “I don’t know…she clearly has a crush on my Clyde, which blows,” Alice said. “Natalia tried to pair her off with Seth, but the boneheaded…” Alice let out a sigh. “Look at us, sounding like TV villains.”

  Chika laughed.

  “I know right? Look, to be honest, Clyde has a place in my heart and I in his. I will always be able to pull him to me and you too, Alice.”

  “Of course,” Alice said. “He’s my life mate. I’m first and foremost. Maybe his first wife.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Chika said. “I wish I could be his soul mate too.” Her eyes briefly flashed to what Alice believed to be the yandere state Clyde told her about.

  “Me too,” Ruri said then sighed. “The heart knows what it wants. And sadly for us, the man we want is highly sought after.”

  Alice shrugged.

  “Whatever, I can take him whenever I want, whenever I please. No offense, Chika, but jealousy is more of a human thing.”

  Chika laughed.

  “Keep telling yourself that, Alice.”

  The blonde harrumphed anime girl style.

  “Let’s go check out the city,” Chika said. “We’re all princesses.”

  Ruri smiled.

  “Let’s get a limo.”

  “I’ve got plenty of influence out here,” Chika said. “Give me a minute.”

  **

  While in the cab with Toru, Harumi, Sazuki and Kitome, Clyde pulled up the quest log. He did this to quash his fury. He just wanted a quick bite with Kitome, but Toru barged in and dragged Harumi and Sazuki into the bout. His “innocent” smile seemed to say,

  “If I’m not getting any, you’re not either.”

  Maybe that was a little overdramatic, but Toru’s awful timing ruined everything. To top that off, Kitome shifted back into her default pissed-off state. Tsundere angry mode?

  Well, it didn’t matter. They were on their way to some rich hangout location that Toru’s family controlled, for information about the missing men. The young man hoped to put that off to later that day, explore the city a bit, but somehow Toru’s insistence as the battle trainer and strategist—the position he forced the young man into during week one—bowled over Clyde. What could he say in front of his team? Fuck doing what we came here to do, let’s goof off . There was no need to stir up the ‘poor leadership’ seed.

  [Quest log:

  Main story.

  Defeat Dark in a Real game (Stone-Token quest.)

  Call or visit Chika in the late hours. (MS.)

  Either call or visit Kitome in the late hours. (MS.)

  Talk to Melody….again.

  Investigate Niyoto (multi-step quest. Required to defeat demon lord)

  Craft 1 complicated item. (MS)

  Get to know Sazuki over time.

  Take all female party members on one date

  Investigate the Dragon threat.

  World Objectives:

  Slay the demon lords: 2/15. Reward: *World star fragment* .

  Receive special training. Reward: Stone magic line access.

  World side objective: learn more about this world. Current knowledge of Satovia: 1.8%

  System opinion: you suck! Get on it, godling.]

  Kitome and Melody . He’d clear their quests on separate days. It was a perfect chance to learn even more about them—and vice versa.

  Clyde glared at Toru again. He completely and ruthlessly crushed all of the young man’s plans. And with Harumi, and Sazuki present, there was not a damned thing he could do about it. Behind his blank stare, laughter echoed. Revenge for the slime-jives? Possibly.

  When the cab finally stopped, after fifteen minutes of driving and turning and possibly blowing past red lights, Toru paid the fare. They stepped out to see a group of maybe twenty or so women, dressed in very short white dresses performing an odd and suggestive dance in front of a building called Spectators. The building they had to enter. On the heads of the women, were helmets with odd horns.

  “Praise the great minotaurs, the heroes of justice, the defender of women,” they shouted. The leader, in a seemingly tight red dress and golden helmet stepped forward and raised both hands. So much cleavage, Clyde thought.

  “Praise the great heroes of justice, the defender of women, ravisher of men! They who show us that we can have the upper hand, the power, and control. OH GREAT MINOTAUR HEROES HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SUPPORTERS. WE PRAISE. WE PRAISE. VIOLATE THE MEN!”

  Clyde turned to Toru, his glare preventing the blank stare. He clapped sarcastically.

  “Wait-a-go man. This is what we’ll have to go through. Let’s just go back to the cab.”

  The cab driver stepped out of his vehicle and with a loud voice, yelled,

  “TWO MEN RIGHT HERE. FRESH MEAT WHO NEEDS RAVISHING!”

  The driver dove into his vehicle, laughing, and floored it, speeding off, almost running someone over. Clyde’s mouth dropped as the minotaur cult fifty yards ahead looked at them. T
he young man tried to find anyone to divert the call to, but there wasn’t a single man in sight now, besides he and Toru. The civilian men fled with speed his brain could not register. He turned back to Toru, but couldn’t get the words out. The brown-haired noble smiled sadly. Harumi and Sazuki shook their heads. Kitome looked as if she was going to erupt lava. Or choke Toru.

  “Well, fuck,” Clyde said.

  Episode 33 (Part 2)

  Current time: Early afternoon…

  Clyde and Harumi placed a hand on Toru’s shoulders, smiling at him innocently.

  “Toru, our good friend, our representative,” Clyde began. “As someone familiar with the place, you’re the best man to speak for us.”

  Toru frowned.

  “He always had an air about him,” Harumi said. “Spirit energy that attracts the… uncivilized.”

  The group of women continued to march toward them.

  “Should we really be standing here?” Kitome said, uncertainty in her voice.

  “I’ll handle this,” Sazuki said, her voice cold. “I know of these idiots. Good luck getting them to even talk to a man. They’ll come over here, but if you stand up to them, they’re all blushes, tears, and apologies until one of them rallies them.”

  “Well, since they’re already rallied, do your thing,” Clyde said to Sazuki. He gave one more micro-glare to Toru then turned to face the approaching cult.

  “There sure are a lot of them,” Sazuki said. “So many gullible buffoons. Disgusting. Women should pride themselves to be at their best, not… worship, whatever a minotaur is. A mythical monster, right?”

  “Sazuki…remind me to get you into gaming and fantasy novels after this,” Clyde said. The student council president blushed.

  “Well excuse me for not being a famous magic-wielding, long-time Team Stone member,” Sazuki said.

  “We’ve got you covered,” Clyde said. “By the way, how’s the training going? Or is Harumi interrupting it to make sure you’re not hurt.”

  Harumi snorted.

  “It’s going quite well,” Sazuki said, “but seeing my younger sister toss around heavy objects, even the boulders at Libado, like pillows, is kind of unsettling. But if it helps settle your consciousness, Toru works us like he’s some kind of hardcore sports coach.”

  “I see,” Clyde said then pat Toru on the shoulder. “Good shit man.”

  “And you wanted to sacrifice me to the cultists,” Toru said. “Although.” He said in a voice just above a whisper. “Look at what they’re wearing. Makes a man glad to be alive.”

  “I know right?” Clyde whispered back. “Why aren’t there a ton of men around, gawking?”

  “They probably believe that tangling with the cult-freaks will get them spirited away by the minotaurs,” Toru answered.

  “What are you two whispering about?” Kitome said, barging in between them.

  “Nothing important,” Toru and Clyde said simultaneously.

  When the cultists were less than twenty feet from them, they stopped. The leader continued forward. She seemed startled when Sazuki moved toward her, poised and dignified.

  “Those women are doomed,” Harumi said confidently.

  “Ice queen president,” Toru said. “No man is brave enough to ask her out. She’s like Kitome. Unapproachable.” The magical girl elbowed him in the gut. “Oof.”

  “I’m not unapproachable,” she snapped. “I just have standards. Unlike you, slime-chaser.”

  “No need to be a species-racist. A speciest?” Toru laughed, gaining an indignant blush from the blue-haired girl. Her green eyes would probably turn red at some point if the noble continued to push it. Harumi hissed at them to quiet down.

  “How can we help you?” Sazuki said to the cult leader.

  “We just have a few questions for the men. No need to be alarmed, girl,” the cult leader said.

  “I know all about you, Lia,” Sazuki continued. “So unless you want your name squashed all over the media, I suggest you leave these two college students alone.” She emphasized the ‘college’ to boil up her point. However, the cult leader just didn’t back down.

  “Perhaps I should tell you what we’re all about,” Lia said. “Because you clearly have a misunderstanding ringing in that empty head of yours.”

  Sazuki suddenly punched the woman so hard, she lurched thirty feet backward, crashing into a heap on some of her minions.

  “Oh, I forgot Sazuki’s habit of punching every girl that insults her,” Toru said.

  “Reminds me of the first real meeting with her,” Clyde said. “Dammit Sazuki—let’s go, run!”

  Sazuki said nothing but the ice remained in her gaze.

  It took the group nearly twenty minutes to find another cab. Kitome muttered what felt like an infinite series of Toru insults. Sazuki looked weary. She apologized for losing her temper, but no one held that against her. They were at the right place during the wrong time.

  “Toru, you’ll be in charge of checking the news or internet every morning for minotaur cult sermon locations,” Clyde said.

  “Sure,” Toru said, unenthused, but knew he couldn’t protest. A fuck-up was a fuck-up.

  “Oh no,” Harumi said tiredly.

  “What?” Sazuki said.

  “Airi texted me. She stood against a group of minotaur worshippers in defense of Yusuke and Seth.” Harumi groaned. “And here I thought if Airi took control of Yusuke’s lessons, just for today, nothing could possibly go wrong.” Clyde winced at the mixed-in sarcasm. “She’s also with Kiko.”

  Sazuki nodded, her trust in Airi visibly displayed. Clyde took in that note. What was she behind those question marks? Did Harumi know? Well, it wasn’t his business, for now.

  The moment the group stepped out of the car, cheering up at the sight of the mall, the cab driver held up a hand.

  “No charge.”

  “Sir, we couldn’t possibly hamper your job,” Harumi said.

  “No charge,” he said again, voice firm. “FRESH MEAT, MEN HERE!” He slammed the door shut and took off while laughing wildly.

  Clyde’s eyes widened. Sure enough, cultists from just a dozen meters away looked at them, smiling. Leading them was another red dress-wearing woman.

  “Friends! Oh, great friends!” she shouted. “Let’s chat!”

  “You’ve got to be shitting me,” Kitome snapped. “Are the people in this place fucking crazy?”

  “This one isn’t on me,” Toru said.

  “Funny enough, it was your suggestion to go to the mall,” Kitome said.

  “Let’s not start the arguing,” Harumi said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we found them near the hotel upon return. So, it’s time we ditch the hide-magic approach, Clyde, because it’s clearly not working.”

  “Do undercover agents blow their covers in weak situations like this?” Clyde said. “Stick to the plan.”

  Harumi sighed.

  “Why is this happening?”

  “I’ll tell you why it’s happening,” Kitome barked. “Doofus-head here and his monster girl attraction magic.”

  “That only works on monster girls,” Clyde said. “Unless I’m blind—”

  “Don’t be a smartass on me,” Kitome said.

  “I’ll do the talking,” Sazuki said.

  “No!” everyone shouted.

  She smiled sheepishly. Clyde laughed. He almost said, “there’s only one kind, sweet, beautiful, girl out there who could handle this,” but thought better of it. Kitome was holding his arm now. Making the jive on Harumi would just backfire. Sazuki would probably lapse back into ice mode.

  “Harumi, do you want to give it a shot or shall we run?”

  “Fine, but you owe me for this,” she said. Once again, the leader of the worshippers seemed to be taken aback that a woman would dare side with a man.

  “We really got to do something about the minotaurs,” Toru said.

  Kitome sniffed, but for once, held back her fiery tongue that held a football field’s worth of ins
ults for the noble.

  **

  Somewhere…

  “I am Dark…washed up overlord.” Dark stared at the tired young man in the mirror. The watchers told Selkie that the Supreme demon lord unlocked the gate to Wonderland and that whatever she was discussing with the Queen of hearts could affect the entire world. And among one barely transmitted word, they caught, ‘send a jobberwock to play with the Stone.’

  Dark would’ve simply called the normie to warn him, but his phone was crushed by harpies. As if things couldn’t get any worse, guides’ had their Jumping privileges restricted to prevent the Viper from honing onto their magic signatures and killing them. Punishment squads were supposedly being prepared to deal with the maniac.

  Despite level-grinding, he still didn’t learn Jump or any kind of teleporting ability. What a mess for the great lord of the dark. A bloody freaking mess.

  The young man sat back on his bed. Selkie walked into his hotel room, mocking humor in her smile.

  “Charly, if you’re going to continue to solo like a chuuni, then double your training,” she said. “Triple it. You’ve got to do something. This standstill…”

  “I know,” Dark said. “I know. But…why should I? I’m not ever going back to earth. Maybe I should…”

  “Then go back to the palace,” Selkie said. “They’re waiting for you. Many expressed how much they’ve missed you.”

  “I…can’t face them,” Dark said. “I just left them there. What if the Viper turned out to be even crazier than he already is? Murderous and psycho, bloodthirsty.”