The Anime Trope System: Arc: Legend of the Stone Father. #21 Read online

  Olivia: a tall, busty woman with dark blonde hair. She serves as Aunder’s tracker, presenting him with possible whereabouts of the other “players.” She’s the reason why Aunder found the others so easily, despite their vast distances apart.

  Eventually Joined Team Stone along with her sisters after her cover as a double agent was exposed.

  Momo: a white-haired cool beauty. Lacking in the breast department, she is often seen in more revealing clothing. She’s able to Jump the party vast distances, though Aunder prefers to travel by foot. She is the best at hiding her emotions, not that the Viper cares.

  Eventually Joined Team Stone along with her sisters after her cover as a double agent was exposed.

  Stone Maidens:

  Arch Priestess Ichika: a young woman with sky-blue hair and a righteous attitude. Possibly the most normal of her small group. Often takes responsibility very seriously and will easily blame herself for any failures, even if out of her control. The second in command of the Stone Maidens, following Head Maiden Asu.

  High Priestesses that follow Ichika:

  Megu: someone who is somewhat short tempered and sometimes blames others a little too often. The other high priestesses call her lazy. She calls it, “taking a lax approach at life.”

  Emi: a tender-hearted young woman who panics a little when things get out of control. Maybe comedically cries a lot.

  Jae: a kuudere that loves to eat, but never gains weight. She’s blunt about everything, but doesn’t talk much. Many of the others call her adorable behind her back.

  Yumi: a timid girl who is sometimes known for a sense of humor. That is, when she’s actually around. She has a tendency to lock herself in her room after work or take multiple bathroom breaks. Could she be…

  Team Dark:

  Dark: the Leaf. A chuuni and an interloper from Earth; aka a “player.” Only five interlopers are allowed in the stone-viper games; however, many Watchers consider them illegal, along with any other intruder. Dark’s element is… well, dark. Brought to Satovia by a guide of his own, a green-haired entity named Selkie, the young man is on a comical mission to… take over the world. Or so he says aloud. The truth is, Satovia is an escape from his horrific old life on Earth. He’s soul-searching. Unfortunately, when he thought he found a place of belonging, the Viper showed up and forced him to abandon them. Selkie was unsuccessful at getting him to return. He did not feel he had the right to show his face to the maids and butlers. He can never face Ikumi again.

  Selkie: a friendly entity, who loves her Chinese-style dresses. A short beauty with green hair and mystery. Dark’s guide. She’s on a mission to save her sister from a special petrification. The Leaf will eventually gain the ability to save her.

  Myriad: a thunderbird, and Dark’s party member. Curious nature, loves to eat. Harpy family. She hates eggs, especially when they’re cracked near her.

  Tiffia: A sex-teasing Crusader researcher with a secret project that could supposedly change the world. Many of her fellow researchers back it. She’s a blonde woman who was secretly a customer of Terrance, though he didn’t recognize her when she attempted to “purify” him. Orders from a now-dead Pillar.

  Terrance: dark-skinned man with black hair. A psychic, although he didn’t know at first. He didn’t believe in anything supernatural until strange things started happening around him. It is unclear why the Crusaders were truly interested in this man; however, so was Aunder, the Viper. He left Terrance a business card for recruitment, which he eventually accepted, seeking answers. He is the Viper’s prophet.

  Sol Niye Lor: the Falcon, one of the five dimensional interlopers invited by the Watchers. With goals of glory, the young man had no intention of letting the other “players” get a one-up on him. If he could change the stone-viper games to the Falcon game… A skilled fighter, although a bit unreasonable. After being brought back to life by the Bright Ones, he joined Team Viper as the Golden Reaper.

  Other characters:

  The Oyabun: Misaka’s father. (Yakuza boss.)

  The red-hooded stalker: a mysterious man in a red cloak that serves the Stone Maidens proper.

  The Viper Maidens.

  The ex-kid-maid: the 14-year-old Mei sent away in Volume 2.

  The Watchers.

  Alena: Alice’s mother. An archangel.

  Madrian Tanaka: Chika’s mother.

  Nila: Alice’s paternal grandmother.

  Naomi: a cute and shy, green-haired journalist who gains massive courage when angered. One of Clyde’s first friends.

  Hideo: Toru’s uncle. Crusader researcher. Defeated as a major boss of Volume 7.

  Kazumi: Harumi’s friend. Perverted girl with the glasses.

  Ming’s friends/minions: Han, Peng, Tyrone (Kazumi’s boyfriend), and Zack.

  Chesire: servant of the queen of Wonderland.

  Ashard: fairy son of Titania the Fairy Queen. He’s a man of mystery at this point but is definitely a creature of the light.

  Thor, God of Thunder. [Dead?]

  The Lady Mayor.

  The Lady Mayor’s mystery tracker, Jin.

  Matsuko, fallen angel.

  Alexus Reid, mysterious cultivator and “player.”

  Mother Nature.

  Ayano: Kitome’s mother.

  Risa Soulless: the youngest of the Soulless family’s elder dragons. She was full of ambition to climb to the top. She’s a blonde beauty of a dragon girl with the ability to shift from human form to that of an enormous reptile of death. Chiyo and the others knew her as someone who wouldn’t hurt a thing.

  Anzu: from Volume 3. They first walked in on the loli while she was singing a cat-heavy song. She is the real estate agent who booked Clyde his first house. She’s 23. A friend of Harumi and Liru.

  Amaterasu “Juliette”: Melody’s mother. She Who Dawns Time. A legendary trickster demoness, wife of Platus, Dark God of Utopius. Crimson red hair like her daughter. However, she has unnerving glowing eyes. Melody does not share this trait. She was a major 3-phase boss in Volume 8. Clyde pulled a miracle summoning Over-Stone 75%, easily defeating her. (Gave her life to protect her daughter… )

  Platus, Dark God of Utopius: Melody’s father. He is not to be mistaken for He Who Paints the Night, a rogue dark god that impersonated Platus. Platus wants to harshly punish his daughter for accidentally breaking the realm’s core. She couldn’t control her immense strength back then. He sealed it as a result. He’s an angry, kingly figure who will do whatever it takes to get things done. Even if it means hurting loved ones.

  Fumi: a very kind slime girl with the ability to shift into human form. She is Toru’s lover.

  Nina: a gothic loli vampire, who first debuted as Kiko’s mistress, in Volume 4. She didn’t care about the system constructed by the Lot City vampire clan. Instead, she turned out to be a videogame addict and kid at heart. Surrendering and begging for her life the moment Team Stone attacked her clan. Not that she was aware of the plans of those on the upper hierarchy.

  Maya: a mucus toad monster girl, CEO of Nowie pizza chains and more. She’s in love with Seth. First appearance was in Volume 3.

  Nuri: half-pixy servant of Maya who actually attends Sato Academy.

  Ling: Tetra’s coworker and close friend. She’s a short woman with wavy brown hair, a bust somehow exceeding even Tetra’s, and a somewhat sexual-flirty vibe about her.

  Sahara: leader of the Fireside magical girls. Long silver hair, red eyes. Cool, calm, and collected: she is the picture of serenity. Powerful and resourceful. The FM has a history of trying to recruit Yusuke and Kitome into their group. Clare’s shop has been booming ever since Sahara and her girls worked the café half of it. The maid café on 21st Street may start to notice…

  Mortem: the entity who brought Clyde to Satovia. Technically Clyde’s guide. An asshole.

  Julius: Seth’s older brother and was once a member of Fuyoko’s group of misfits: Treasure hunters, though Fuyoko attempts to persuade him to unlock the vault or pass on the key failed.
In volume 19, after finding himself on his own again, Julius was presented with an offer from none other than the Crusaders.

  Aunder: the Viper himself. Our “antagonist” who lives for the honor of battle. An esper (from a warrior-race). Like Clyde, he was brought into Satovia against his will. Universally powerful, this man is feared. The Soul Taker was a nickname given to him on his home-world, though he doesn’t acknowledge it. He’s not evil, but will not back down from the sweet call of the fight. He’s on a journey to seek out the other “players,” following the rules of the game. However, his heart isn’t in it. His decisions will mostly depend on the journey. He single-handedly enslaved all three Venus sisters. Let’s not forget his love for the drink. [Dead.]

  Princess Dire: a mysterious figure throughout the lore, known to be named after a curse that turns its victims into children. There is a possibility that the princess herself is a victim of the curse. Aunder rescued her from being publicly executed by a group of crazy villagers who practiced witch hunting. [Dead.]

  Episode 94 (Part 1): Ako and Neko

  Last time on the Anime Trope System, the battle for Satovia’s fate had finally began. The stone-viper games climax. Clyde and Aunder had at last faced off in a decisive battle, one which powerful beings of every reality had their eyes on. Bets were won, bets were lost. Even souls were lost.

  It became a struggle against a vicious passive skill known as Rising Dragon, an ability that increased Aunder’s power rapidly. The longer the battle, the higher his level and stats rose. Eventually Viper Mode enabled. As time continued to pass, Aunder revealed a second and terrifying form. He could obtain the Divine Viper Mode and unlike Clyde’s Divine Stone Mode, it was complete. Fighting it seemed impossible, bringing our hero to the brink of death. There seemed to be no hope.

  But a ring crafted by Alice had other plans for the young man. Triggering the mysterious blessing by Purity, instead of descending to the Land of the Dead, Clyde was brought before Mother Nature and the Watchers. The Ring of Fate forced a loophole. The Genesis Omen Director, a mysterious being from another reality, apparently gave Mother Nature the approval to accept this loophole. The loophole which meant the Watchers, including the Celestial Ruler, would lend the young man the power to fight the Divine Viper Mode. This sparked major controversy, of course.

  Mythic Stone Mode was born. Clyde became a mythological god and with the power of the final Stone Mode, defeated Aunder, a duel which would be written in many history books.

  The troubles, however, had only just began, as suddenly the World Star absorbed Aunder. This unusual event triggered a panic in Celestial, even among the Punishment Squad. The neutral entity was set on preventing the Viper from being reborn. Where the World Star vanished to is unknown. It is likely that the Viper is gone forever, an infinite limbo, stuck in a simulated reality generated by the neutral entity. Holding Aunder’s essence would prevent anyone else from becoming the next Viper.

  As if things couldn’t get any worse, a faction of the Watchers returned, determined to send Clyde back to his timeline, despite Mother Nature granting him permission to live in Satovia forever. Despite the fact that Clyde’s true purpose, the reason why Celestial desperately needed him, had not been revealed yet.

  With Mythic Stone Mode disabled, Clyde was given the choice of either dying or returning to his timeline. The chance to actually select… Well, that got cut short as the Watchers attacked him. The final boss fight had begun and to think it was none other than against a faction of the beings responsible for pulling Clyde to Satovia in the first place. No one saw this coming. The Observers bashed this terrible decision.

  Hope seemed to be lost again. Even Clyde believed the rest of his luck was used up and that his time was up. Desperate, Alice called out to Mother Nature herself, her grandmother, and urged the Celestial Ruler to do something. The call was heard, carrying it with it just enough magic to allow Mother Nature to break some of her restraints. She used it to link Clyde and Team Stone and urged them to send him their wishes. Their prayers.

  And so they did. Clyde’s mythic aura recharged and recharged until, at last, the young man was able to reach the powerful form again.

  The Watchers did not see this coming, and stood no chance. However, unlike them, Clyde had a heart. He didn’t forget that they’d brought him back. So instead of deleting them from reality, he banished the Watchers from Satovia. The Watchers can never return.

  Unfortunately, the system warned the young man that one day, he could end up facing them again. It was likely a grudge would be held.

  A loophole through the banishing magic could be discovered if they pursued the grudge. By then, Team Stone must be prepared. The Watchers’ attacks should no longer be one-shot kills.

  But that is another story.

  Welcome to the Anime Trope System Season Two!

  The Anime Trope System Season Two: Legend of the Stone Father.

  Welcome to the Anime Trope System Volume Twenty-One!

  Midmorning…

  Clyde’s house…

  Sunday. Week 1. Month 4. Year 1. Season: Winter. First day of the new Satovian Year.

  [Satovian Universal Calendar: Justice, 46390.]

  [School: off day. Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.]

  [Current declared fiancée(s): Melody, Alice, Tear, Harumi, Chika, Natalia, Kitome, Yuki, Tessa, Ruri, Ming, Amina, Airi, Neko.]

  [Expecting: Harumi, Alice, Kitome, Chika, ???]

  [Countdown until babies are born:]

  [Harumi, kitsune: 4 months until due. Currently: Month 2/5, week 2, day 5.]

  [Alice, half-demoness, half-angel: 4 months until due. Currently: Month 2/5, week 2, day 1.]

  [Kitome, human: 9.3 months until due. Currently: Month 2/9, week 1, day 1.]

  [Chika, human: 9.3 months until due. Currently: week 3, day 2.]

  [???, human: 9.3 months until due. Currently: week 2, day 1.]

  Clyde flinched when Ako slammed a glass of milk down on the table in front of her sister, Gin smile on her face. A drop of sweat fell off the back of Harumi’s head. Liru sighed. Maki yawned as she finished sweeping the floor.

  “Here’s your milk, dear sister, nya,” Ako said. She was a busty catgirl with long beige hair and blue eyes, dressed in a white and red Shrine Maiden outfit. Normally reserved and kuudere, the young woman’s aggressive aura felt almost strangling.

  Neko drank, seeming oblivious to her sister’s aggression. In fact, the catgirl flashed her ring, admiring it and even snuggling into the young man. Long white hair and the same blue eyes as her sister, the carefree catgirl continued to radiate her usual aura of humor.

  Natalia pouted at her handheld. “Jump! No! Shoot! Shoot! No! She cheated! Waaah, I lost again. This is impossible.”

  Seeing Neko all over Clyde seemed to trigger something within Ako. The samurai catgirl snatched the handheld from Natalia’s hand, shocking the loli. With sheer anger… or something, Ako laid down what the loli-witch saw as a string of infinite combos. The announcer from the video game shouted, “Victory!”

  Everyone stared at Ako, even Neko. As if a switch had been flipped, the kuudere cat dropped the game into Natalia’s lap, blushing heavily.

  “Super Onee-sama,” Naoko said, causing Ako to anime-fall to the side.

  “Nya, what did I just see?” Chesire said.

  “Nyaaa, that’s my line,” Neko said.

  Even Airi stared at her. “Either someone’s been practicing for a rematch or Ako just awakened her natural talent.”

  Ako facepalmed softly. “It seems even I still lack training in decency.”

  Neko gave her sister a cat blank stare. Clyde could tell Ako considered wielding her paper fan. He wondered if she used that more than her sword.

  “Recorded the whole thing,” Tear said, eyes starry.

  “Pervert,” Nina said.

  Tear gave Nina a head pat, Gin smile on her face. “I remember a time when kids had manners.”

  “I’m not a ki—”

/>   “How about we head out to Noona’s restaurant for a sushi snack?” Clyde interrupted. Stars and fire erupted into Ako’s gaze for just a second. Yuki sighed.

  “We should probably return to Grandmother’s,” Ako said.

  Now it was Neko’s turn to anime-fall.

  “You know, I always wanted to know what you two would do after this,” Airi said.

  “Grandmother will pass her dojo to us, nya,” Ako said. “We will return to running it…”

  To the young man’s surprise, she didn’t seem that enthused.

  “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Dark said. “The great lord of the dark approves. Teach martial arts to the aspiring.”

  “The chuuni’s right,” Selkie said. “Kind of. You could always—”

  “Nya, it’s boring,” Neko said bluntly, interrupting the entity. She snuggled back into the young man. “Thank Stone I’m getting married to the love of my life.”

  Clyde… felt his face heat up. Everyone stared at the catgirl. Ako anime-fell backward.

  “You can’t leave,” Natalia said, anime-diving into Ako, eyes teary, which invoked yet another surprise. Not that the loli-witch insulted the catgirls. She interacted with Neko more than Ako, mainly due to anime, but appeared to look up to the beige-haired woman.

  Ako was undoubtably the more mature sister. And perhaps old-fashioned, behind in times. The two sisters were polar opposites.

  “I’m with Natalia on this one,” Clyde said. “You can’t leave.”