—WHAM!
I hit the ground. Hard. My nose was flooded with the smell of wet dirt and grass, and I could taste the dirt in my mouth. Spoiler alert: Dirt tastes awful. I pushed myself up, groaning from the pain in my.. well, entire body. I looked to be in a pretty big forest, surrounded by massive trees and other plants.
I pushed myself into a sitting position, resting my head in my hands. My head hurt so damn bad, I was running out of comparisons to even think about how bad it was! As I sat there, I remembered that whole system.. integer.. grating.. whatever. Was it like one of those video game things? Or maybe like the system from Solo Leveling?
Well.. it was worth a shot, at least. Maybe it was some kind of cheat thing, like I was the main character in some kind of crummy webnovel or something. 'System,' I thought. 'Open Status!'
In front of my eyes, a semi-transparent, blue panel bloomed from thin air, with white words describing.. a lot.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Yuki Teruhashi
Age: 19
Race: ???
Titles: —
Class: —
Current Location: Great Jura Forest
Skill List:
PredatorAEGISGreat Sage
Item List:
Silver Surfboard
Quest List:
Survive for 24 HoursFind Shelter
[Shop]
I blinked, reading the words over and over again. "Okay…" I said, rubbing my temples to ease the headache. Who would have thought that blue light would still manage to torment me in another world? "This is just some.. weird acid trip.. but where would I have gotten the acid? This crap makes no sense.."
My brain felt it was running at a tenth of its normal speed; everything felt groggy and weird, like there was some kind of haze in the air. Even then, I still knew how to put two and two together. This 'survive twenty-four hours' quest sounded like it was pretty dangerous. If I was going to be rewarded for just not dying, then there was obviously something either trying to kill me, or this forest was, in of itself, deadly.
Which, you know, that's great! I mean honestly, I couldn't have hoped for better. (If you can't understand my sarcasm, maybe start learning. I'm pretty fluent in it.) Looking back to the panel, I finally notice the little [Shop] tab on the corner.
Out of curiosity and a teeny bit of desperation, I decided to click on it, and was greeted with what was essentially a massive Amazon-esque screen full of items. I saw things like Devil Fruits, the Infinity Gauntlet, a book series titled 'How to Learn: Total Concentration Breathing,' and a massive selection more.
It was.. actually a bit overwhelming. But, as always, I was broke. Even in this magical fantasy world, I was poor. Poorer than poor, really. According to this system, I had a net worth of about zero dollars. Zilch. Nada. I was almost ready to cry, really.
With a sigh, I return to the main menu, looking at the things I'd already possessed. Predator, Great Sage, AEGIS, and this 'Silver Surfboard.' What good was a surfboard when I wasn't even at the beach? I mean, honestly..
[Skill: Predator
Source: That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime!
Description: A Unique Skill that allows the user to devour targets and store them within their body. Devoured targets can be analyzed, replicated, mimicked, or stored at the user's discretion. Additionally, enhances skill acquisition when devouring.]
[Skill: AEGIS
Source: Aegis Protocol
Description: A Unique Skill designed to protect its user from hostile forces and outside influences. It will identify, adapt to, and counteract any hostile environment or substance that the user comes into contact with. It offers the following sub-skills:
Passive Defence: A permanent, low-level protection against environmental dangers.Adaptation: Catalyzes the gradual building of resistance to any damage encountered.Auto-Repair: Provides mild regeneration, both to the body, mind, and soul, as well as to any items or skills listed in the System.Immunity Development: Over prolonged periods of exposure, immunities can be developed.]
[Skill: Great Sage
Source: That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime!
Description: A sort of AI-like entity capable of rapid data analysis, combat support, and guidance on decision making. It provides the following sub-skills:
Thought Acceleration: Boosts mental processing speed dramatically.Analytical Appraisal: A skill that releases a type of wave that enters the targets of analysis and perform a full scan of their composition and abilities, which is then sent back to the user.Parallel Calculation: Allows for the execution of multiple thought processes simultaneously.Chant Annulment: Eliminates the need for chanting after a spell is analyzed or successfully cast. The spell is then stored in the user's mind and can be cast instantly, simply by thinking about doing so.All of Creation: Allows the user to comprehend anything, so long as they can perceive it, and have a basic level of understanding of it.Analysis
Additionally, allows for enhanced development of skills, resistances, immunities, and magic skills.]
[Item: Silver Surfboard
Source: Marvel Comics
Description: An item created by the cosmic entity known as Galactus, wielded by the entity known as the Silver Surfer. The board is indestructible, responsive to mental commands, capable of flight at high speeds, as well as manipulating its shape to suit the user's needs.]
Huh. Well that was.. certainly something, I guess. Was I actually some sort of protagonist? It would definitely explain the kinds of cheats I've got access to.
[You have received a Quest: Skill Testing!]
Skill.. testing? Not really much to infer, there. I look around, trying to find something interesting to test my skills on. Pointing at a rock, I ask Great Sage.
"Great Sage, what is this?"
[That is a rock.]
Oh. Well.. fuck me, I guess. Opening my hand, I kinda-sorta.. wiggle my fingers aggressively and think about devouring it? It's weird to explain. A cloud of black mist— or maybe dust— bursts from my hand, engulfing the rock before receding into my hand again. I take a step back, a bit concerned, but then I hear the voice of the system— or is it Great Sage?— speaking.
[Skill acquisition successful. Resulting Skill: Stoneflesh.]
…Huh. Just like that? Just.. eat some stuff.. and get a free skill? Just like that??
Well…
In that case.. I'd do what any normal person would do.. right?
Holding out my hand, I released a torrent of that black.. grainy.. whatever it is, into the world, consuming grass, dirt, even more rocks, trees, leaves, plants, maybe even a bug or two. Good thing I can't taste whatever I use Predator on, or I might have been in trouble.
[Skill acquisition successful. Resulting Skills: Photosynthesis, Body Armor, Nature Affinity.]
[You have completed a Quest: Skill Testing. Claim Reward?]
Rewards? Umm.. yes please! 'Yes,' I thought, 'Claim reward!!'
[Reward Claimed. You have received 1,000 Shop Points, and an item. Check inventory for details.]
Already? That was.. fast. I didn't even get to test out the new skills I earned!! You know what? No. I decided to test my skills, and I'm not leaving until I test them all!!!
And so began my Super Awesome Mega OP Main Character Protagonist Training Session! Despite the kinda goofy name, I did manage to learn a lot about my skills.
Photosynthesis was a skill that let me replenish my energy through sunlight, and it even made small wounds heal faster. (I fell and cut my hand on a rock, shush.)
Body Armor formed these plates of chitin over my skin, kind of like what centipedes have, but way more durable.
Nature Affinity was.. weird. It was almost like a sixth sense, in a way, where I could feel the dirt under me, and feel how the trees sensed. It was sort of like a high, but.. nature-y.
Stoneflesh, on the other hand, was rather straightforward. It gave my skin the properties of stone. Hard, difficult to break, and heavy. So.. what I'm saying is I didn't trip, I was pushed off balance by my super heavy skill. Yeah. Yeah…
So, anyways, after that super awesome and not at all boring training session was over, I finally remembered to look at all the new stuff I'd got!!! Summoning the panel, I navigated to my inventory, and..
[New Item: Grimoire
Source: Black Clover
Description: A simple grimoire. Bound by no elements, it can grow with its user. Any spell they learn is stored here, and amplified when casted with the grimoire open. Additionally, any elemental affinities are translated to the grimoire, empowering spells of that affinity.]
Summoning the grimoire, a simple, kind of boring book appeared in my hand. The cover was a solid grey, sort of like wet concrete-colored. The pages were a creamy color, and were entirely blank. It was only about a half-an-inch thick, but easily a foot long and maybe eight inches wide. Pretty nice, if I do say so myself.
While I was musing to myself about my pretty new book, I wasn't paying enough attention to my surroundings, meaning I didn't hear the growl of the beast approaching me from behind..