[Novice Conceptualization
Common Skill
Conceptualization is your ability to understand what should not be. In essence, it is your ability to comprehend the mystical, magical and eldritch. You have an easier time comprehending, understanding and learning mystical and exotic effects, far above the average person.]
"Are you sure this isn't rigged?" Rito asked after seeing the new skill obtained from the bronze ticket.
[…]
[I think you have extremely good luck] the system replied, just as confused as he was.
Rito did not answer. He was lost in thought, analyzing his abilities. With Novice Conceptualization, he felt that understanding how they worked and how to combine them became easier.
Not only that. By better understanding supernatural concepts, he realized that flying consumed an internal energy he had not noticed before.
He decided to call it mana, because that is what they call it in games.
After making a rough calculation, he estimated that he could fly for about thirty minutes before exhausting it.
As for Deafness and Project Image, the first depended on the target's resistance to determine how much mana it used, while Project Image was so basic that he could create hundreds, even thousands, with barely any effort.
"By the way, what stage of the plot are we in?"
[Since the original target was Yuuki Rito and the goal was to lead him to success, of course we are at the initial stage of the story.]
[Do you plan to interfere with the plot? Allow me to help you.]
[Side Mission: Social/Romantic Route (1): Interact with named characters from the plot. Reward: 1 Ticket of variable quality depending on the depth of the interaction and the importance of the character.]
Rito read the side mission and better understood the system's earlier explanation.
At the same time, a faint mocking smile formed on his face.
"Are you crazy? I will stay out of the plot. That way I will not have problems while I build a company and rise to success."
[…]
Rito laughed when he saw that the system had no response and decided to leave.
After wandering through the air for a few minutes, he grew bored and ended up sitting in a nearby public park.
He had no way of knowing that it was the exact same park where the final scene of the first chapter of To Love Ru took place.
[If you truly plan not to interfere with the plot, I recommend leaving the area immediately.]
The system, which did know, warned him.
"Wh…?"
Rito had time to finish the question because several people suddenly appeared in the park running.
At the front was an exhausted looking boy carrying a girl in his arms.
With their characteristic orange and pink hair, Rito recognized them immediately, Yuuki Rito, the protagonist of To Love Ru, and Lala Satalin Deviluke, the main heroine, alien princess and daughter of the ruler of the galaxy.
Behind them ran four or five men dressed in black, steadily closing the distance.
No one seemed to notice his presence, which seemed perfect to him.
Putting into practice an idea he had considered before, he used Project Image to project around himself four images of the same place, but without him in the middle, creating an improvised invisibility effect.
Since it barely consumed mana, he created several more, forming a kind of visual tunnel through which he began to fly away without anyone noticing, intending not to interfere with the plot.
But the plan did not last long.
Crack!
He heard the sound of glass shattering beside him and right in front of him appeared a man with shoulder length light brown hair, dressed in armor ornamented with bones.
Before the man could reach him, Rito moved backward in the air and quickly ascended to create distance.
Yuuki Rito, Lala and the other men involved in their own plot looked up toward the sky in the direction of the noise, startled by the sudden scene.
"Who are you? And what are you doing following her Highness?" the armored man said from the ground after landing, pointing a sword toward Rito.
Despite being below and although his sword did not seem to have more than a meter of reach, Rito felt crushing pressure. He was sure that man could reach him in less than a second with a simple jump and kill him in a single strike.
What happened before had only been a warning and only because of that was he able to escape.
So he could only do the most sensible thing, he raised both hands in surrender.
"Yuuji Rito. I live nearby. I was just flying around the area and came to rest. I do not know who her Highness is, but I was here before, I swear."
Rito confessed, claiming to be a passerby who got caught in the drama by accident, which was exactly what he was.
The man frowned, clearly distrustful and deciding to attack, but just as he was about to act, a female voice stopped him.
"Zastin, what are you doing here?"
"Your Highness, I was sent to find you and protect you. This individual is clearly dangerous," explained the man in bone armor, Zastin, diverting his attention from Rito for a second.
"Him?" Lala looked at Rito curiously. "What is dangerous about him?"
"He is flying. And he used illusions."
Lala looked at Zastin in confusion. "And what is dangerous about that?"
"This... is not exactly dangerous" Zastin admitted somewhat uncomfortably, "but on Earth there should not be people with those abilities."
"Then is he an alien?" Lala suddenly asked excitedly. "I did not know there were other visitors here! Where are you from?"
She asked while cheerfully waving at Rito, who was still several meters in the air.
Rito descended cautiously. He knew approaching was risky, but at that moment Lala was the only thing protecting him from the most powerful general of the strongest army in the galaxy.
"I am not an alien. I am human. Yuuji Rito" he introduced himself as he landed.
"Yuuji Rito?" Yuuki Rito repeated in surprise.
"What is it?" Lala asked, confused by his reaction.
"Ah, my name is Yuuki Rito. I was surprised by the similarity" he explained nervously.
"I see" Lala nodded.
"In that case, you can call me Yuuji. We are not close enough for you to call me Rito" Yuuji clarified calmly.
"Sure. By the way... did you just fly?" now knowing he was human, Yuuki Rito immediately became curious about his abilities.
"Your Highness, this is not the time for introductions" Zastin interrupted. "I need to take you back."
Lala frowned.
"I do not want to! I am tired of meeting suitors, I am not going back!"
Zastin sighed as if he had expected that response.
"Your Highness, I will speak with His Majesty, but I cannot promise anything. You know how important the succession is."
Lala frowned again, but suddenly her eyes shone as she had an idea.
Zastin immediately recognized that expression. It was the face she made before doing something problematic.
"I cannot get married, because I already have a fiancé" she said, taking Yuuki Rito's arm, making him blush instantly, his face turning red.
"Your Highness, do not say nonsense. How could you marry someone you just met?" Zastin protested.
"What is strange about that? It was love at first sight" Lala replied with a mischievous smile.
"Your Highness, even if you think it is a good idea, it is not. Think about the suitors who will try to harm the mortal at your side. Besides, you have only been on this planet for a few minutes. Do you really plan to stay here just to escape?"
But Lala's smile only grew brighter.
"Of course. In just a few minutes I already fell in love and even made a friend. What a fun planet!"
At that, Zastin drew a cold smile and unsheathed his sword.
"Friend?"
In a single movement he appeared in front of Yuuji and launched a direct slash, cutting him in half.
However, the expected blood never burst from his body.
Instead, it fragmented into several pieces of glass before disintegrating into the air.
"Is that your friend? He left a while ago" Zastin said.
Lala blinked, somewhat disappointed.
"This... It does not matter! I will not go back and that is final!" she declared, raising a small remote shaped device she took from her pocket.
Zastin tensed immediately. He knew far too well the danger of Lala's inventions.
The men in black, now revealed as aliens after removing their masks, also stepped back instinctively.
Zastin tried to advance to stop her, but Lala was not using the device as a threat. She was already activating it.
Her finger was faster than a restrained Zastin trying not to hurt her.
The device activated immediately and everyone around her began to levitate, except for her.
Zastin, who had been in motion, was the most affected, shooting into the sky without being able to stop himself and disappearing into the horizon.
Lala watched him vanish into the distance with relief, then without wasting time, she grabbed Yuuki Rito's hand, who was floating like a frightened balloon, and ran out of the device's range toward her house.