The Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #14 a LitRPG (ATS) Read online

  The young man smirked and started into the forest, followed by the others. A hornet monster girl dove into a bush, poorly hiding her body. Natalia kicked her ass then giggled.

  “Hey, you stupid brat,” the hornet snapped. “I’ll sting…” her voice died as she met Clyde’s amused eyes.

  “Go on,” Clyde said. “Don’t stop on my account.”

  The hornet took off, yelling, “Sorry!”

  Airi’s eyes were starry, but Harumi’s presence seemed to keep her at bay. The young man would rather let their upcoming encounter answer the super druid’s questions.

  “Shouldn’t we just teleport there?” Airi said.

  “You know, I always wondered just who invented teleportation magic. This convenience would be profitable as hell to the everyday man,” Clyde said.

  “You don’t know?” Airi asked. “It was created by a man named Richard Dillman. Although… not many people have actually seen him during his limelight times.”

  “Some say he’s a mad man of magic,” Harumi said.

  “More like a mad lad,” Airi said.

  Natalia hopped onto Clyde’s shoulders. His stare went into flatness.

  “Can’t you walk?” he asked.

  “I don’t wanna,” Natalia said. “I’m tired. Be a good husbando and carry me.”

  Airi snickered. Clyde considered flying Natalia hundreds of miles into the sky then freefalling, but the sight of the approaching hornet hive pulled his attention. Like last time, a hornet was licking and sucking the hell out of an Alraune. Clyde and the others simply went around them.

  When they stepped into the building, the hornets immediately ran, except one, who was trampled by half a dozen of her sisters. She laid there crying, one of her arms clearly broken. Misaka looked at the young man, eyes glistening.

  “Harumi,” Clyde said.

  The fox girl waved her wand, instantly restoring the trampled hornet to full health.

  “Take us to your queen,” Natalia said before the words could slip off Clyde’s tongue.

  “Don’t worry, we’re not here to fight, unless she tries something, of course.”

  The hornet stared at them for a few seconds. She shrugged and gestured for the group to follow.

  “Thank… you for healing me,” the hornet said shyly.

  The busty queen hornet… seemed obviously different, lacking the confidence of their last meeting.

  She was on a couch, eating a giant bowl of ice cream and watching some sort of sitcom. Her eyes seemed to be haggard with dark circles, as if the woman hadn’t slept for the past year.

  She was a curvy woman with long blonde hair and large red eyes that seemed to be that of a human and hornet.

  “The hell happened to you?” Clyde said.

  The queen turned to him and stared for a half-minute before bursting into tears. Her words came out in a whine.

  “Those hobgoblins really did take my sex drive,” she cried. “I want to die.”

  Clyde facepalmed. “Well, there’s nothing to see here,” he told his team then turned back to the queen.

  “This is her fifth week in a row like this,” the hornet said.

  “Ah, something that’s not my problem,” Clyde said. “Anyway, summon your deity. I wish to have words with her.”

  The queen hornet shoved another spoon of ice cream in her mouth, her teary eyes… watching a hentai.

  Harumi sighed. “Why are we here?” she asked.

  Misaka and Natalia blushed heavily as they stared at the TV. Harumi covered the loli’s eyes.

  “Hey, no fair! Let me see.”

  Clyde turned off the TV. “Watching this will not magically bring back your sex drive. And that doesn’t make any sense. How can a hobgoblin take your sex drive? Did they—”

  “Using black magic,” the hornet guide said, eyes teary.

  “I wish this Richard Dillman guy was here to teleport her back the drive,” Clyde said. “We don’t got time for this. Summon your goddess now or I’ll… eat your honey.”

  “You’ll eat me? You think that will work?” the queen said. “Maybe if I have sex and take some spirit—”

  Surprisingly, Misaka delivered the paper fan of justice. The room silenced to look at her. She blushed.

  “I just want my drive back,” the hornet queen said. “Without it, I’m nothing.”

  [Quest: Retrieve the Hornet Queen Liana’s sex drive from the hobgoblins. Accept? Reward: unknown.]

  Clyde selected no. “We’ve wasted enough time here.” He cracked his knuckles. “We were farming hornets. I suppose beating up the entire nest will—”

  “Plleeeaassee,” Liana begged as she dove at Clyde’s ankle, grabbing it. “I’ll do anything. I’ll swear my hive’s alliance to you. Please, I’m begging you. I’m desperate. The hobgoblins are too strong.”

  “Then get your goddess to get it back,” Clyde said, shaking the annoying hornet off his foot. “I’ve got better things to do right now. And fighting hobgoblins for some hornet queen isn’t on the list.”

  “Pleeeeaaseeee, I swear by your name, this hive will belong to you—I need my sex drive. Wahhhh.”

  Clyde felt as if he was dragging Kanako as he forced his way back to the entrance with the queen holding his leg. When they were outside, he activated Binder’s Hand to keep her still.

  [Binder’s Hand 6: Type: spiritual. Class: mysterious. Bind your enemies with tendrils of spirit energy. 46% chance to bind 1 enemy. Does no damage unless you will it. If willed, will do 14% damage per second. Able to will it to hold allies. Cannot damage allies.]

  [Liana was inflicted with bind. Bind still holds!]

  “Coming here was a mistake,” Clyde said to Airi. “Anyway, let’s go before the binding wears off.”

  [Bind has worn off.]

  “Oh great Forest Deity—please take me over. Please, I beg you to punish the fools who won’t help us out even when I offer my allegiance, offer my life. They spit on me instead. I am yours, my goddess.”

  The familiar voice of a heavenly woman answered the plea. “Your call has been heard, my loyal servant. I will use your body.”

  Liana glowed incredibly bright. Like before, she transformed. The orange hornet fur and hair shifted to white, her eyes became coldly violent, like a poison flower. Ironically, the form became more human-like. Insect wings morphed into angel wings.

  “I am Ai Tel Nekta, the ruler of this forest and the one who will make you suffer for interfering with those who pledged themselves to me. Kneel!”

  Clyde was way ahead of her compulsion attempt. Last time, she almost killed him and his friends.

  Liana (Possessed by Forest Deity Ai Tel Nekta)

  Level: 426.

  Type: Minor Deity.

  Works under: N/A

  Special: ???

  Weakness: taint. Metal.

  Resistances: dark and all of its attributes. Fire and all of its attributes.

  Secret: wishes she could fall in love like any normal woman or girl. She bears the heart of a woman that simply wants to be loved.

  “Kneel?” Clyde said, his voice tinging with the power. “YOU KNEEL, WHELP!” So much power rushed out in a wave from Clyde that day shifted to night and time and space bent, sending golden cracks through the air, all the way to the skies as far as the eye could see.

  [Clyde’s Unstoppable Pressure.]

  Clyde walked toward the shocked, possessed hornet.

  “You—you! I’ll kill you for entering my forest, disturbing my children. Stay back.”

  When Clyde was within a yard of her, the deity fell to her knees, crying, groveling.

  “Please,” she whined. “I’m sorry. I’m just a minor goddess, cursed to live in this forest. There is nothing to be gained from killing me.”

  “You sure as shit didn’t offer this mercy the last time we met,” Clyde said as he aimed a hand at the deity. “Anyway, the allegiance I want is yours. You want to be set free from this forest, right? I could use a powerful summon. And someone
to help me find some Omen’s Spheres. World Star Fragments too.”

  “Yes, yes, anything, just don’t kill me, Master,” Ai said.

  Airi chuckled. “God, I love it when he takes the high-horse ones down a peg.”

  “And… he doesn’t kill her,” Misaka said. “Even though she tried to kill his friends. Why?”

  “Because he wants a new summon,” Airi said. “Of course, if she doesn’t comply, who knows what would happen.”

  “I say we’d have to get as far back as possible,” Harumi laughed. “My hubby’s punches could shatter planetary systems.”

  “Hubby?” Airi asked, then grinned evilly at the fox girl. Harumi covered her mouth, blushing heavily. “Your kitsune instincts are right, you know. Besides, you’re the nine-tailed fox. How freaking cool is that? Aren’t you a fox goddess? Any new perks?”

  “Uhm… well, there are too many to keep track of,” Harumi said.

  “Show off,” Airi said. “As a super druid, I halted my aging, making me effectively immortal. Well, unless someone kills me. I bet she’s actually immortal.” Misaka flinched and blushed when Airi pointed at her. “Are you really the daughter of the Yakuza boss? How do you plan to revive the phoenix clan…?” Airi halted as if realizing the answer. “I could help. Get both of you drunk and filled with—ow, I was kidding.”

  Harumi handed the paper fan back to Misaka.

  [You have formed a pact with the hornet hive and their deity, Ai Tel Nekta. She is effectively your slave in all but name. Congratulations.]

  Clyde returned to the women. Natalia was a yard or two from the group sniffing roses.

  “Let’s head back. I’ve got a few questions for Amina.”

  “Oh, your deck leader lady,” Airi said. “I’ve got some questions about—”

  Clyde targeted all of his friends and made the Jump before the super druid could get the rest of her words out.

  Episode 67 (Part 3)

  Lot City, Yaponiya…

  Clare’s backyard… Workshop area…

  Alice concentrated as she poured her magic into the golden watch on the table. She needed this to be perfect before gifting it to her lovemate. Not only would he be able to do incredibly advanced summons with it, but the magic within would amplify his stats too.

  The half-demoness worked on the watch in secret, even securing funding from her father’s investors for advanced parts that couldn’t be easily obtained. The human heads seemed to be too afraid of her father to try anything and gladly supported the young woman. Of course she had a maid from the palace start collecting extra funds in a high tier account which would automatically pay the investors back upon reaching the correct amount.

  None of that was important at the moment, except making the watch as perfect as possible. That was why she brought Kitome. Combined with Clare, they were unstoppable. Ruri tagged along, too.

  Alice still felt a tiny sliver of hurt from when Clyde had replaced the bracelets she had given him with Natalia’s, but she understood. With her and Tear almost always in the party, there was no longer a need for the specific summons.

  Alice somehow acquired Clyde’s enchanting ability after… she took in his seed. The half-demoness ranked it up in secret, although it bugged her that her Clyde didn’t use this amazing ability. She planned to give him a good talking to. What did Airi call slacking off to this degree? Noob moves?

  Then again, Clyde had so many abilities—she didn’t know them all, but he performed so many incredible spells. Just being near the young man felt like entering a gravitational bubble.

  Alice was so close to unlocking the next stages of her power. Yet, she seemed to be missing something. Something about the young woman’s bloodline just made no sense.

  Half angel, half demoness. She now had the ability to take on a full demon form, which could be useful against foes that were immune to her holy and angel-based attacks.

  The demon form gave Alice immense super strength and extra abilities. She could even cause earthquakes.

  Despite the new form’s impressive feats, it was still nothing compared to whatever her confusing bloodline hid. She needed answers. Why the partial goddess, archangel, and demon? What did this mean? She trained in secret so much… yet…

  “Nya, spacing out like that isn’t healthy.”

  Alice sighed. “Who invited the cat?”

  When she turned to face her guest, Alice froze. Standing there wasn’t Neko. Something about this one triggered Alice’s battle instincts.

  “Who are you? You’re certainly no friend of Clare.”

  “Nyyaa, I am Chesire.” She grinned then unrolled a… paper from thin air and read. “I’m just here to take you back to Wonderland. Our… wonderful. Well, not wonderful. That sounds like a pun destined to fail, nya. Who wrote this?” Suddenly, Chesire’s stomach growled. Alice nearly fell backward. “Nyya, I haven’t eaten for days.” Eyes teary, the catgirl collapsed into the chair the half-demoness was just using. “I’m off script for a while. Who wants to go back and get smothered into her stupid lumps of fat. Or get yelled at. Well, she doesn’t yell at me. Just those dumb guards.”

  “Okay, as my Clyde would say, hold up,” Alice said. “Slow down. You lost me. And why are you… You know what, I shouldn’t forget my demon instincts. You attempted to kidnap me and now you’re going to die.”

  “Nya, wait, Lady Alice, that was just a script,” Chesire said. “If I touch you, the God of Life and Eternity whatever will smite me. I know he’s watching us from the sky.” She held up the script. “This magical paper will confirm that I attempted to—”

  “What are you, four years old—do you expect me to believe that nonsense, so you could attack when I let down my guard?” Alice snapped. Her voice radiated magic and anger as pink aura blasted around her. “I grow tired of people attempting to take me for a fool. They forgot who I am. I AM Alice Hades.”

  [Alice has entered a SUPER BOSS fight!]

  [Alice’s pressure has unknowingly activated Ancient Pressure.]

  [Ancient Pressure decreases the speed and defense of all enemies within a 5,000-mile radius. This ability can only be activated when she is not transformed, but will stay activated for hours.]

  Alice summoned Hellbreaker, the Hades’ family sword passed down from parent to child for centuries. Then she charged Chesire.

  “Nya, how barbaric,” Chesire said as she blocked the sword with a single finger. “I think I shall teach you a lesson, little girl. You should mind your manners with those who are far stronger than you.”

  The catgirl’s spin-kick would’ve been impressive had it connected, but she hit thin air.

  Alice reappeared behind her, pink aura now black and red. “Stronger?”

  The half-demoness’s hand flashed for less than a second before blasting Chesire forward.

  [Alice used Unknown Tier skill: Radiant Steal Blast.]

  [Alice has stolen a can of catnip.]

  [Chesire’s HP has dropped to 1.2M%.]

  She stared blankly at Chesire, who was picking herself up, then tossed the can to the side.

  “Nya, my catnip,” she whined. “Be careful with that.”

  Alice took a stance with her sword, aura outputting enough pressure to attract the attention of the entire Nation. Chesire blurred to the young woman’s side, then was in front of her, then behind her. The half-demoness couldn’t keep up with the chaotic movements.

  [Chesire activated Special Tier skill: Dimensional Slash. This is an unblockable attack. Warning: this attack can cause paralysis for an entire day.]

  The catgirl couldn’t believe she slashed the air…

  Alice stood behind her, aura dark pink and white. “I’d like to remind the world not to look down on me.”

  [Alice activated GODDESS TIER SKILL: Final Melancholy of the Singing Goddess. This is an unblockable and undodgeable attack. To use this ability, it requires reaching type 3 aura. Alice has achieved type 3 aura.]

  [Alice’s Ancient Pressure.]


  Erupting from Hellbreaker was magic so powerful that had it hit Chesire, immense damage would become the least of her problems. Sadly, the catgirl leapt into a dimensional rift at the last second. When she reappeared behind Alice, she aimed a hand.

  [Chesire used Special Tier skill: Wonderland Arc Blast.]

  The light-blue magic struck fast. The burning and electrical sensation covered the half-demoness as it launched her into the tree in Clare’s backyard.

  [Double critical! Technical! Alice’s HP has dropped to 24%.]

  Alice struggled to stand, wiping the blood from her lip as she faced Chesire.

  “Nya, like I said, stronger than you,” the catgirl said. “Now, since I’m mad, I will be taking you back to Wonderland. You’ve got a long journey through our lewd-tastic world before meeting the queen.”

  Alice laughed. “You think you’ve won?”

  [Alice activated Connection magic. Harumi. Wife ability.]

  [Triple Grand Heal.]

  [Alice was fully healed.]

  [Alice’s Connection magic cooldown has reset to 24 hours.]

  “To think I just wasted that new skill,” Alice said. The catgirl stared at her incredulously.

  “I’ll have to end this quickly,” Chesire said. “Don’t think for a second that I plan to let you heal again.”

  Alice’s aura was back to its pink color again. With the lengthy cooldown, she couldn’t access her other aura types. That cut her off from the skills that required it. The young woman’s finishing move… wasted due to an impossible dimensional dodge.

  “I tell you what. Give me food and I’ll overlook this,” Chesire said. “Nya, anything is fine. Even canned tuna.”

  Alice shook her head. “You still believe in your victory. That you’ve overmatched me.”

  “Nya, clearly I have,” Chesire said. “My power levels exceed yours; my magic is better. I’m a dimensional master, you know. Some call me tricky to interact with. They’re right. I’m awesome.”