The Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #9 a LitRPG (ATS) Page 20

  “So, you were one of them,” Aunder said to Yuriko. She flinched.

  “Lord, you really should get to bed—” she paused at the sight of the man, shaking his head, laughing. Then at last, the act was dropped. “Careful, Aunder, you surely don’t want anything to happen to our cute little hostage.”

  Aunder could sense Dire’s location, but he hadn’t a clue they’d go so far as to capture her. An incredible feat, actually pulling it off. Or…did the princess let herself get captured? What could True Poison possibly hold over his second-in-command? What was Dire hiding?

  Aunder laughed harder.

  “Su Yang, Olivia, dispatch them.”

  “Tsk. Tsk. Aunder, your companions are dead,” Hibiki said then grinned. “Really, getting into their guard was as simple as relating to them. Aunder, Aunder, you can’t forcibly abduct your companions. We made a sport out of putting ourselves in the same boat. It’s not like the Venus sisters were trained to see through our deception. You surely weren’t.” She laughed hard enough to hit the man with a little spittle. “You see, you’ve got a problem and we’re going to fix it. No-no-no. I should say, you’re going to be our little tool, our…toy to restore the fear back into our name.”

  “I just wish our lost sister was here to see this,” Yuriko said, twirling a transparent dagger, then aiming it back at Aunder’s neck. “Sophia would revel in this. Her presence completely vanished.”

  Hibiki shrugged, standing to look Aunder in the eye.

  “It doesn’t matter how strong you are, those lines will hold you like a spider and her prey.” She raised a dagger. It hit something in the air, which revealed an entire network of strings, coating the area. “This technique could control even the founders of taint and purity.” Hibiki licked her lips. “You were badly misinformed when you thought True Poison was yours to command.” She laughed in Aunder’s face again. “No, so-called Lord. You are OURS to control. You figured out everything too late. A smart man would’ve started his own maidens. A brilliant man would even go so far as to put someone ridiculous in control, like a monster girl or something.”

  Aunder snarled, but when he tried to move, a searing blast of agony coated him. And he laughed. He let himself get fooled. The Venus sisters, dead, except one. The one he couldn’t retrieve.

  Was this a new challenge? Or something beyond him? Or did the feeling of betrayal actually hurt?

  **

  Clyde’s house…

  Wednesday. Week 3. Month 2. Year 1. Season: Late Autumn.

  [School: Active. Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.]

  [Current declared fiancée(s): Melody, Alice, Tear, Harumi.]

  [Card bearers in Lot City: 5. Ming (and her friends.) ]

  [Cook-off opponents in Lot City: 22. Harumi, Advanced chef Yuki, Alice, Kitome. The rest are unknown.]

  [Stone mode: still recharging. You must rely on your learned strength for now…]

  Shaking.

  “Just five more minutes,” Clyde said softly.

  “No sleeping in, finals start this Friday! Get up.”

  Clyde awoke to a fully dressed Chika. She placed his freshly ironed school uniform atop his dresser. “Up you go, we’ve got classes.”

  He sat up and winced a little as Chika shook the hell out of Melody and Alice. Tear was the only one lucky enough to be spared. “At least Harumi’s responsible enough to get up on her own.”

  After the morning’s activities and breakfast, Clyde and the party prepared to Jump to the academy.

  “You know, why am I bothering with the finals?” Clyde said, thinking about the adventure he prepare to take on.

  [Quest: excel in the finals . Reward: unknown! Due to your lifted restrictions, this quest is not mandatory. Accept?]

  “Will you give up on the academy then?” Chika said. “Will you not at least finish strong? You can decide whether or not to return for the next semester or even for the summer. But…” She walked over to him. “You’re not the person to give up. Even if the stupid Watchers want to run your life at every moment. So please reconsider.”

  He gazed into her glistening gray eyes, eyes composed of raw love. The top student of the academy, as well as the daughter of Lot City’s most powerful man, Chika looked out for him since the beginning. Even with her yandere “struggle” of lust, the young woman stood as one of the pioneers of Team Stone.

  Clyde accepted the quest.

  “If I can make it back to the next semester—”

  “If we can make it back,” Chika said. “Don’t think for a moment that we’ll abandon you to take on the world by yourself.” She poked his nose.

  Feeling a tightness in his chest and then an ease of worries, the young man pulled Chika into a hug. The sweet flowery fragrance of expensive perfume tickled his nose.

  “Nyaa, early morning rump?” Neko said as she walked into the kitchen, dressed in a shirt and shorts. Her sister Ako followed, wearing traditional shrine maiden getup. Neko facepalmed.

  “Nya, she’s so embarrassing.” The catgirl leaned on the table. “Do you have any milk in there Yuki? Never mind, I’ll get it myself.”

  “If you step one foot into my kitchen, cat, I’ll skin you up and turn you into a rug.”

  Neko shuddered, giving Yuki the pouty face.

  “You and the dog are so mean.”

  “I’m not a dog!” Ruri comically snarled, then went back to watching a suspiciously canine-themed anime.

  Yuki poured the catgirls each a glass of milk.

  “I’m not mean, I’m practical. Too many people in the kitchen is a fire hazard.”

  “What?” Neko said after the first gulp. “That kitchen’s huge!”

  “More of a reason to keep those without the skill or guests, out,” Yuki said.

  “If I violate your rules, lady Yuki, I will commit seppuku to restore our family’s honor, nya,” Ako said.

  “No!” everyone shouted to the kuudere catgirl.

  Neko rolled her eyes, before tackling the rest of her milk.

  Clyde and the others waved off those staying behind, then he initiated the Jump.

  Clyde, along with the other students sat, carrying on hushed conversations, waiting on their late professor, Hinako. They were baffled when a loli walked in. She struggled for a few minutes to reach the marker on the podium. When she finally managed to knock it on the ground, she gracefully picked it up and wrote her name on the board.

  Professor Natalia…

  The students shouted their excitement and surprise.

  “Wha…WHAT?”

  “EH?”

  “Why is she so cute?”

  The loli’s evil grin was directed right at Clyde, Chika, Harumi, and Alice. Mostly Clyde. She licked her lips. Clyde and his fellow Team Stone students nearly fell backward.

  Volume 9 Epilogue

  Temple of Aunder…

  Aunder grinned at the women, his long black hair blowing in the wind.

  “You really have no idea. Those who underestimate me, well, to put things into perspective, let me give you a taste. You who… do not understand fear .”

  Aunder’s purple eyes glowed bright. The night sky flashed red and orange, repeatedly. The moon bled, a crimson that some called beautiful, others would name it death. Intense purple and black aura surrounded the man.

  “You just don’t understand your predicament, do you, Aunder?” Hibiki said. “You are our toy. These strings will make sure you’re an obedient dog. They can even follow you.”

  Aunder laughed, then allowed his power to burst. And even the women were taken aback. The strings exploded into ashes. The man shook his head as he walked to the traitors. The women took a fighting stance as if they stood a chance. The arch priest tried to hide her trembling.

  “To think even the lowest of the low, those who lack even a shred of honor believe themselves my superiors? Very well, come, let’s fight.”

  [You have entered *Slaughter combat .]

  Aunder blurred toward Hibiki and swatted
her with a single pinky. She rocketed backward, breaking the sound barrier, breaking the speed of light several times over. The man already awaited the girl at the destination. As if playing a game, he kicked her, teleported to the other side, propelling her forward with a counter-kick. And repeated this hundreds of times, for just over a minute, while the arch priest watched in horror.

  She gathered her magic, attempting to Jump, but was met with an unexpected collision with the body of her accomplice.

  “How disappointing,” Aunder said as he lifted Yuriko up by the throat. “Look at how bloody she is. You know, I do not enjoy hurting the ladies, but for you bitches, I’ve made an exception. Those who lack honor have a special place in my books.”

  “Please, mercy,” Yuriko said, real tears streaming.

  “Mercy she says, let her live, she says.” Aunder sighed. “I like to teach lessons, even if my methods seem…a bit overkill. Observe.”

  “PLEASE! I beg you. I’ll do anything!” Yuriko cried.

  He aimed a hand at Hibiki.

  “Despite looking like a bloody mess, I left her alive at one percent. And now.”

  [Aunder activated Void tier skill: Poison God heal.]

  [Hibiki’s HP has been restored.]

  The redhead screamed at the top of her lungs as her body reestablished itself. Steam gushed from her pores. Yuriko trembled, tears falling. She…wet herself.

  “Ah yes, the cruelest healing spell ever known to magic users,” Aunder said. “Feeling everything reform bit by bit in the most painful manner possible. And best of all, you can’t pass out. There’s no relief.”

  Still carrying Yuriko by the throat, he walked over to the terrified Hibiki. “What’s that? Trying to cast spells? You can’t be serious.” He chuckled. “I’ve muted your abilities.”

  He placed a booted foot on her face. “You’ve got some nerve, believing you could control me. And what? For something as pointless as fear in your name? You disappoint me. To think that I almost accepted such idiots as my subordinates.”

  And to Yuriko’s horror, he smashed the redhead’s face in.

  [Aunder activated Void tier skill: Poison God heal.]

  “I do not enjoy this,” Aunder said over Hibiki’s healing screams. “Torture is cruel, and it brings dishonor to my name.” He sat the arch priest down. “You’ve had an accident I see. I suppose that’s good enough.”

  Trembling, Yuriko allowed herself a sigh of relief. When she looked up, Aunder’s palm was in her face. Her eyes widened. “I discarded my honor some time ago. Now die.”

  [Aunder activated ** Taint tier skill: Full Soul Melting .]

  Yuriko will scream in agony for an eternity without release, even as a spirit.

  Aunder stared at the puddle of goo, eyes cold. Hibiki tried to run, but the man teleported in front of her. He backhanded the traitor to the concrete. Blood gushed from her nose.

  “I avenge the Venus sisters, whom I promised to let go at the end of this journey,” Aunder said, “yet, I’ve broken it, allowing them to die to such cowards. Su Yang…Olivia. One who would’ve made a fine wife. It would’ve taken one wave of my finger to cure her Stockholm Syndrome before letting her go home. I even had a large payment ready, something to make up for the time loss from their temples. Such brilliant women and yet their goddess let them die to you.”

  He aimed his hand at Hibiki. “Let me ask you this, idiot woman. Was it my easygoing attitude that gave you the false sense of security?” Hibiki suddenly pissed herself, trembling in utter terror. “Ironically, you were once a Venus worshipper. Guess who she also let down? You’d better hope she catches your soul.”

  “Please! I beg—”

  [Aunder activated ** Taint tier skill: Full Soul Melting .]

  As she melted, feeling every moment of it, Aunder walked to the parking lot and sat down.

  [Your HP has dropped by half due to the backlash of using a Taint skill. Remember, these abilities are even more dangerous to use than the Void tier skills.]

  “I grow weary of this,” Aunder said. “I’ve focused too much time on the players, but…” He stood. “I had it wrong.” His eyes seemed to glow brighter. “I will kill the gods. All of them.”

  Looking down at him from an unseen world, grinning wildly, was someone known as Thor.

  “Come then, Viper. I look forward to facing you. And you will know your place.”

  Aunder didn’t hear the challenge, but sensed the thrill. He teleported to Dire’s location—an underground cell. With just a finger, the man slashed away the bars and chain that held her. She weakly smiled at him.

  “I knew you’d come,” Dire said softly.

  Aunder lifted the kid into a princess carry.

  “Let’s go say goodbye to the maidens, who are just maidens. I believe the rest of True Poison has fled, led by their second in command.”

  “I’m sorry, Master Aunder,” Dire said. “If I wasn’t caught by surprise. That night…the arch priest.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “But they’re dead. Poor Su Yang and Olivia,” Dire cried.

  Aunder said nothing as he Jumped them back to the temple. As expected, the maidens were confused.

  “Listen up ladies,” Aunder said, “this entire organization will be disbanded.”

  “Lord, why?” they protested.

  “You were being used by your own so-called leader,” Aunder said. “As you can see, True Poison, the real Viper maidens, fled. You were a front, a distraction to cover up secret operations.”

  The women looked crestfallen.

  “My lord…we have nothing,” one of them said. “This place served as a home, school, and place of belonging for us. Without it…”

  “It was just an elaborate lie,” Aunder said. “Your arch priest is dead. Hibiki, the other traitor, is dead.” He sighed. “You lot have no idea who I am, except someone your dead arch priest said to respect. You believed in her, even the false lessons. The reality of things, I’m afraid is much grimmer. If you’re unable to leave this place right away with the saved earnings, including the money your so-called priest hid away in the safe beneath this building, then rename this place. Call it something else. Turn it into a dining establishment, I don’t care.”

  He turned to his two fallen comrades that lay in their chairs, poisoned. “Bury them. And give them a decent tombstone.”

  “Yes lord—”

  “I’m not your lord,” Aunder snapped. “Just call me Aunder. Remember what I’ve said. This entire organization is a lie. Unfortunately, you were the victims of it.”

  He would not let his guard slip again. Not even the prompts could be fully trusted. “Dire and I will set off in the morning.”

  “…What should we do,” one of the women said as he made his way to a random room. Others wept. Some even cried over Su Yang and Olivia. Aunder had enough of these pity tears.

  He liberated the women from a terrible trap. They’d have to figure out what to do on their own.

  His game plan was set.

  “I’ll kill Venus first.”

  He also needed to learn more about his counterpart. The Stone…maybe he was a puppet of the gods. Aunder would crush him! Even if he’d have to become an anti-god.

  **

  Misaka, the girl who finally began the path of destiny, the daughter of a great phoenix, the girl that actually held incredible powers, fell on her ass. Someone slipped on a puddle of suspicious white liquid, nailing her in the face with a bowl of sweet curry. She felt like crying.

  “Are you okay?”

  An incredibly pretty girl with twin tails helped Misaka stand. She believed her name was Alice Hades. Right before the crowd, the girl waved a hand, causing the entire mess to disappear. The dark-haired girl’s mouth went agape. Even the smell vanished.

  The kindness almost made the young woman tear up, but she held it back.

  “T—thank you,” she said, giving Alice a short bow.

  Alice smiled, then hurried back to Hi
s side. Misaka knew him as Clyde Stone. The Stone, according to her mother. She’d have to confront the young man about his journey. Tell him about the phoenix clan. Assist him with saving the world from a growing threat.

  She looked at Harumi. To think Kitsune were real. To think any of this was real. Among her destiny, she had to stop something called the Thousand Year Eye or whatever. Her mother stated that people mistake it for being weak to Kitsune magic. But the Thousand Year thing could only be destroyed by a combination of fox, angel, and phoenix power.

  Perhaps the most embarrassing thing her mother requested was for her to have that man’s child. Misaka blushed. She knew nothing about love or sex, except from the romances she read every now and then. And maybe from the many anime shows she watched.

  She would most definitely not listen to that request. She will not! Why did she have to restart the phoenix bloodline this way?

  Misaka stopped in front of the cafeteria. She wasn’t going to run away from this. The world needed Team Stone. She marched over to the cheerful man.

  He locked gazes with her, eyes knowing. And he nodded.

  “Ming said you would eventually come around.”

  Alice winked, her smile alluring and kind.

  “Welcome to the team.”

  This has been volume nine of The Anime Trope System. The episodes will remain in order.

  The next story arc is underway! The long-awaited journey approaches.

  Fate is a mysterious string.