"Well," I whispered, flexing my fingers. "At least I got some souvenirs out of this nightmare."
I looked up at the sky. The moons of Nirn, Masser and Secunda, were hanging huge and bright above the tree line. It was beautiful, but it wasn't home.
"Now... how do I get out of here?"
I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the moonlight, wondering if I had to find a save point or something.
Ding.
[New Skill Created: ID Escape (Lv 1)]
[New Skill Created: ID Create (Lv 1)]
[Description: Allows you to create or exit an Instant Dungeon.]
[Cost: 10 MP]
"Of course," I sighed. "It's an ID skill."
I focused on the intent to leave. Escape.
A swirling purple light erupted around me, swallowing the campfire, the refugees, and the river. The world spun violently. I shut my eyes as gravity seemed to flip upside down.
Thump.
I hit the floor. Hard.
I groaned and opened my eyes. I was back.
The PlayStation 3 was still humming. The TV was still on. I was lying on the carpet in my apartment, in the exact same spot I'd collapsed.
I sat up, frantically checking my body. No dirt. No blood. I was wearing the sweats I had on before I entered the game.
"Did it... was it real?"
I held up my hand and focused. Sparks.
A crackle of purple electricity arced between my fingers, illuminating the dark living room.
"Okay," I breathed, extinguishing the magic. "It was real. Stats and skills carried over."
I opened my [Inventory].
The slots were full. The Imperial Heavy Armor, the Novice Robes, the Steel Sword, the potions, it was all there. I checked the currency tab. The gold coins I'd looted from the chests in Helgen were gone.
"Damn," I muttered. "Exchange rate must be zero. But at least I have the loot."
I glanced at the window. It was dark outside. I pulled my phone from my pocket.
7:00 PM.
"I spent twenty-four hours in there," I calculated, rubbing my temples. "And barely any time passed here? Or maybe the time dilation is 1:1 and I just lost a Sunday."
Either way, the adrenaline crash was hitting me like a freight train. My brain felt fried. I was absolutely not cooking, and I certainly wasn't going out to buy groceries.
I leaned my head back against the couch and spotted a colorful flyer resting on the coffee table.
Pizza Hut. Free Delivery.
I smiled, my stomach growling loud enough to rival a dragon.
"Well," I said, reaching for the phone. "I know how I'm celebrating the evening."
….
"So this is Kuoh Academy..."
The place was... unreal. That was the only word for it.
To call it a school felt like an understatement. It looked more like a high-end private university or a heritage site. The main building was massive, a blend of western architecture and modern design that screamed 'money.'
Everything was too perfect. The flowerbeds were manicured with geometric precision. The pavement was spotless, no gum, no cracks, not even a stray leaf. Even the students walking through the gates looked like they'd been airbrushed; their uniforms were crisp, their skin clear.
It was awe-inspiring, sure. But it also set my teeth on edge. It felt artificial. Like a stage set waiting for the actors to arrive.
Get your head in the game, Shiro, I told myself, tightening the strap of my bag.
I stepped through the iron gates, forcing my shoulders to relax. You're in enemy territory now. Keep your eyes open. Observe everything.
As I merged with the flow of students, I felt the change in the atmosphere immediately. Heads turned. It wasn't subtle. The "New Student" aura was in full effect, amplified by whatever hidden stats I had.
"Is that the transfer student?" I heard a girl whisper to her friend.
"Wow," the friend replied, not bothering to lower her voice much. "He's actually kind of cute. Do you think he's single?"
"I don't know, but I definitely want him to look this way. Senpai..."
I glanced in their direction. Instead of panicking or looking at the ground like I would have in my old life, I just offered a small, polite smile.
The reaction was immediate. The first girl squealed into her hands, and the second one turned a bright shade of pink.
On the other side of the path, the reaction from the guys was... less enthusiastic.
"Who the hell is that?" one guy muttered, eyeing me up and down.
"Great," his friend groaned, throwing his hands up. "He's stealing our spotlight without even trying."
"It was hard enough getting a girlfriend before," a third guy grumbled, glaring at my back. "Now we have to deal with thisguy?"
I suppressed a smirk. In my previous life, I was practically invisible. If I walked down a hall, people moved around me like I was furniture. This magnetic pull? It was new. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it just a little bit.
But I couldn't let it get to my head. This wasn't a slice-of-life anime; it was a battlefield waiting to happen. I needed to remember the plan I'd hammered out last night.
[Flashback: Last Night]
I sat at the small dining table in the apartment, a half-eaten pepperoni pizza in the box and a notepad in front of me. It was 8:00 PM, and the adrenaline from the Skyrim dungeon was finally fading into a dull ache in my muscles.
I needed a roadmap. Surviving one dungeon was luck; surviving the DxD world required a build.
I scribbled down three priorities:
Level Up: Raw stats are king.
Diversify Skills: Don't be a one-trick pony.
Intel: Learn the magic systems of this world.
Everything else was secondary. Sure, getting a Sacred Gear would be incredible, a Longinus would be a game-changer, but relying on finding one was like playing the lottery with my life. If I didn't get one, or got a trash one, I'd be dead within a week.
I needed to be strong without it.
So, what's the build? I thought, chewing on a slice of pizza.