The morning was rising. The golden light filtered through the poorly adjusted wooden shutters, tracing dusty rays across the room. Amane opened her eyes, then sat up and yawned.
From the common room came the distant noise of pans clattering and animated voices. Already, the agitation of the morning filled the air: travelers preparing to hit the road, adventurers laughing loudly over a too-generous breakfast, and the innkeeper barking orders with his warm but firm voice.
She prepared herself right after waking, though with great laziness.
"Damn, I forgot to set the "sleep" competence just a few hours since I went to bed late," she thought, still half-asleep.
> [Body Cleanliness – Activated]
[New Clothing – Activated]
[Care – Activated]
"Fortunately, a skill can cancel fatigue," she exclaimed, relieved, letting out a big sigh.
> [Creation of Japanese Dish – Activated]
After breakfast, she headed straight to the guild.
> "Hello, Miss Amane!"
"Hi, Amane!"
"Thank you again for the other day!"
"No, it was nothing. I only completed my quest, Madame Elma," replied Amane with a perfect and sweet smile.
Many people greeted her warmly and thanked her, and she responded with the same friendly air. Yet behind those appearances, she hid a calculating and manipulative side.
Additional Skills:
→ [Rapid Affection – Level 999999]
"It all starts to set up… Since it's permanently activated, people are beginning to love me little by little. Thanks to Aria, I can reduce the power of a skill, even at maximum level."
> [Rapid Affection is used at 0.003%]
She entered the guild, where adventurers greeted her with enthusiasm. She replied with her usual radiant smile.
Advancing to the counter, she was met by the receptionist.
"Hi Amane, I have quests just for you today!"
"Hi. You know me so well, Marina. You would like to find me also a boyfriend as long as you're there" teased Amane, her playful smile and shining eyes full of light malice as she leaned on the counter.
The silence that followed was broken by a short gasp and Marina's sudden blush.
"Stop being so indecent, Amane!"
Amane grew a little more serious again. "Actually, I intend to find a group to raise my rank."
Marina was surprised. Amane had never sought a group in the past two weeks, but she still proposed some at her level. Amane was scanning the files when someone burst into the guild.
"Finally, I found you, Amane!"
She looked at him with visible annoyance.
"Tch… Erynd, it's you. What do you want from me again?"
The receptionist, astonished to hear that a ranked adventurer was after Amane, listened as she explained that he had been asking her all week to join his group.
"Why don't you accept his invitation?" Marina asked, surprised.
"I'm still only Rank D. I'll take my time with smaller tasks first." That was her explanation, though the truth was she didn't want to outshine the other members of his group too quickly.
"Please, Amane. Your rank doesn't matter. In our group, you're welcome. You're special—I can see it. And…" He was struggling to convince her when, without hesitation, Amane accepted.
The whole guild froze, stunned.
Then suddenly, loud cheers erupted.
> "Congratulations on your integration, Amane!"
"That's great news!"
"We're all behind you!"
Erynd was overjoyed, though surprised at how suddenly she agreed. "So you accept? Then welcome to Black Wolf, Amane."
After a long round of discussions and formalities, he offered to introduce her to the group members.
He took her to a small restaurant, where a loud voice called out from a table:
"Erynd, hurry up or we'll eat your share!"
Erynd led Amane to the table and began introductions.
"Don't touch my food, idiots. Here, let me present them: Kael, our second swordsman. Fenric, our healing mage. Seris, the support mage. Amelie, our archer. And finally, Elyra, our protective mage. And here's Amane, an attack mage who uses flames."
Kael crossed his arms. "For me, a Rank E has no place here, but… we'll trust Erynd's instincts. Welcome."
In the end, the group agreed to let her join Black Wolf.
"Thank you for your welcome. I hope I can be useful," said Amane, lowering her head in gratitude.
The conversation soon turned chaotic:
Kael: "Where do you come from?"
Fenric: "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Seris: "How did you get such a big chest?"
Amelie: "Can you cook?"
Elyra: "Are you free tomorrow?"
"Stop your stupid questions, you're bothering her!" barked Erynd, annoyed.
"It's nothing, they just seem rather fun," Amane said with a slight smile.
"In fact, our next group quest will be next week," Erynd announced.
Amane frowned and asked why it would take so long. He explained that, for several weeks now, the dungeon had been completely empty without explanation, and monsters had been found dead in the forest for no reason.
"Damn, I should have spared some monster in the dungeon and avoid monsters near the city to test my skills," she whispered to herself.
"You know what? Rumors say it's the work of Death. A creature with a scythe and a terrifying mask, paralyzing people just with its presence," said Amelie, shivering a little.
"Stop with that nonsense. It's nothing but rumors," Kael said calmly.
"Perfect… I could use this story," Amane thought, a sly smile forming on her lips, though mixed with a subtle anxiety.
The day was filled with lively exchanges, and they even organized a small celebration for Amane's arrival.
Time flew, and soon night fell.
> "Good night, Amane!"
"Good night, Amelie. Good night, everyone."
Back at the inn, finally alone in her room, Amane threw herself face-first on the bed.
"It was nice… but now everything will end."
She got up and began preparing something.
"Just when I joined a team, but I really have no choice," she muttered to herself.
"The plan" reincarnations "started" announced Aria in the mind of Amane.
Her keyboard appeared before her, and she wrote a new skill.
→ [Monster Attraction – Level 999999]
Effect: Attracts all monsters of any species within range.
> [Monster Attraction – Activated]
The skill is used at 1%, radius: 10 km
> [Strengthening – Activated]
The skill strengthens all monsters under its influence by 10%
A bell rang out, resonating through the city like a thunderclap on a clear sky.
Children grabbed their parents' trembling hands. Merchants abandoned their stalls, half-rolled up in panic. Soldiers already on alert froze, the air growing heavy with the certainty of what was coming.
Amane now stood above the rooftops, her face hidden behind a full mask. Its surface was smooth yet cracked with fine black lines, as if time itself had scarred it. The sockets were two dark abysses, spiraling voids where no light could exist—only emptiness that swallowed the gaze.
"Now… it's time to play the antagonist."