Chapter 2: Road to Understanding
A/N: This chapter was a particularly interesting one to write. I hope you all enjoy it. Do comment what you think, will really appreciate it.
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Notice: For clarity, attributes will now look like [this].
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Time – the one thing that is so valuable that it defines value itself.
Facing Rias and her peerage, I knew that if I wanted to truly gain an upper hand in negotiations, I required time.
Now, manipulating time itself sounded like something well beyond what I was capable as I was. So, instead, I went for something that provided virtually the same feel and benefits.
[Mindflow]
The next moment, essentially every single bit of free energy in me was redirected to my mind, immediately after which I noticed everyone around me look like they were frozen in time.
'Great; now I can think for a second.'
Things had taken a quick turn for the worst… or best(?) – I wasn't sure yet. Point is, it all happened far too quickly.
My hasty words to lessen Rias and her peerage's suspicion of me had worked for the moment, but if I wanted to establish a proper relationship with them, I needed to step up my game.
For starters, what I'd already offered was something that crossed my mind the very moment I realized who they were. Rias Gremory, Princess of the Underworld. Among the cast, she was one of the easiest ones to both get along with and… guide.
Having got the gist of what my power was capable of, I knew it was only a matter of time before I drew attention to myself. But then again, I could also use said power to become a hermit down to the t, but the thought irked me to no end. I had already been lamenting the way I'd lived my life before. A life that I was now skeptical of, given that my memories were fragmented for whatever reason.
That was a whole other can of worms to unpack later. For now, I was more focused on the present.
I was not going to be living in what was essentially self-exile, just to be safe. However, as I deduced earlier, doing so came with its own set of problems. Namely, unwanted attention and perhaps quite a number of unsolicited visits.
So, if I was going to get wrapped up in the supernatural political mess in this new world anyway, why not do so on my terms?
For starters, joining Rias's peerage was out of the question. Just… no. The mere thought of being reduced to a servant was appalling.
Instead, I opted to establish my own power. Maybe adopt some 'assets' here and there while working on improving myself. While at it, I would assist Rias, both by giving her advice and providing her with (probably extremely) efficient means of improving the strength of both her and her peerage.
As the thought crossed my mind, I found myself glancing at a particularly adorable cat-girl. I definitely wasn't doing this all just to have the opportunity to spend time with her. Nope.
Anyway… thinking back to what I had said earlier, I wonder how they interpreted it all. For starters, they weren't all that impressed with my claim of being from another world. Either that means this was a not-so-rare occurrence or that they simply didn't believe it.
My gut instincts were leaning towards the latter. For all I knew, they'd probably already come up with a background for me.
While it would've been hilarious to just tell them about where I came from, and the fact that they were literally anime characters there, I decided that it served no purpose.
Keeping my origins vague enough by only saying it was a different world was fine for now.
'Now… for negotiations, what should I offer? I can already think of a multitude of ways to help them improve by leaps and bounds. But which one should I showcase to make them see me as invaluable?'
After considering it for a short while, I came to a solid conclusion – do something that would completely turn their world upside down. Something that would make them consider approaches they never would've in the past.
For that, I already had an idea.
A way to continue testing more of my power out, while at the same time target Rias's greatest concern at the moment – assuming that nothing had occurred regarding her arranged marriage yet.
There was no guarantee, so I had to see. Based on her reaction, I'll be able to tell without giving myself away.
Satisfied, I revoked [Mindflow], and as a result, the flow of time from my perspective returned to normal.
"Rias Gremory," I began as I looked her deep in the eyes, "In return for your assistance, I will offer you something unmatched."
The beautiful Devil in front of me narrowed her eyes.
"How about a glimpse of what I've got to offer?" I suggested with an amicable smile.
"Go ahead," she responded curiously.
"For that, I require assistance. Akeno," I said as I turned to face her, "I need you to use your lightning on me."
[Lightning Immunity]
"What?" she said incredulously.
"Everyone else, please stand back," I instructed.
After a moment's hesitation, they did as I said, stepping back as Akeno prepared to strike me.
"Don't hold back," I said. Talk about a gamble… But then again, the invulnerability attribute worked.
Akeno looked towards Rias for a moment, the latter nodding. Then, a lightning bolt struck me.
I felt nothing. If anything, the only things affected were my clothes.
'Right, better deal with this.'
[Self Repairing]
Surprisingly, the attribute didn't consume much energy, so I cast it on every piece of clothing I had on at once. Was it because it was just ordinary clothing? Would using the attribute on something like, say, a magic sword cost more energy? What about something more complex like a machine?
Turning my attention back to the Devils, I spotted looks of shock as they stared at me.
I revoked [Lightning Immunity] and attempted casting [Elemental Immunity] this time, which worked, albeit at the cost of a high portion of my energy.
'Still… if this works as intended, it should be more efficient. I'll look into this later.'
"Don't stop there!" I declared, a wide grin breaking everyone out of their trance. "Hit me with some fire magic next!"
I could have just relied on my invulnerability for this little showcase, but I wanted to try something new. This time, Akeno didn't hesitate. Flames manifested in the air, surging forth and practically swallowing me whole. Yet, I felt nothing as the inferno washed over me.
Once the flames subsided, I once again saw the Devils' shocked faces. To them, I was a truly perplexing entity: a human, yet one who possessed the aura of both Devils and Angels. Seemingly immune to elemental attacks, if not magic itself. And then there was the information extraction I'd showcased earlier.
"As you just witnessed," I stated, my voice radiating utter confidence, "I am immune to elemental powers—and perhaps all magic, if I choose to be. And this immunity? It's not limited to me. I can extend it to all of you."
Rias's eyes widened. I spotted an emotion unlike any other in her bright eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but I continued, "Of course, this is just one of the many things I have to offer."
Silence ensued as neither side spoke a word. Though, eventually, Rias said, "How about… we discuss this further tomorrow morning?"
Hearing that, I smiled wryly before responding, "That would be fine and all, but where am I to stay?"
"I can arrange something for you temporarily for tonight," she spoke, "would you be fine with staying at a hotel?"
"I'm fine with anything that doesn't involve sleeping on the streets," I joked.
With that said and done, Rias had the rest of her peerage head back through teleportation magic, much to their chagrin.
I couldn't blame them for worrying about her, considering what they had seen me do.
It was futile, though, as Rias was very insistent. I wondered if she was even trying to hide the fact that she wished to speak to me alone. As for why? I had some ideas, but nothing solid.
Once the rest were gone, Rias donned a serious expression as she crossed her arms. "What do you really want?"
To that, I quirked a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"All this," she responded with narrowed eyes, "it sounds like you're offering me so much for very little. And don't even think about trying to pass it off as gratitude for saving you – you showed that you could handle that bit of trouble all by yourself had you wanted to."
It seemed like I had overdone it a bit. Couldn't blame the lass for her suspicion.
"You raise a fair point," I responded with a sigh, "I do get more out of this than I let on."
The key to gaining the upper hand in negotiations was to either make the other side think they've got you figured out or elude them completely. For now, I decided to go with the former.
"From what I saw, you guys are special. Not to mention, my power lets me know that, too. Put yourself in my shoes: Lost, homeless, and no identity to go by. Wouldn't you want to build a connection with anyone that could sort out all of those problems?"
"Connection?" Rias focused on the word, "You claimed to be not from here. How would you know this "connection" would benefit you?"
"Because fortune said so," I responded casually, to which she gave me a look of confusion.
"My powers. They guided me to this warehouse. To where you would be."
For a few seconds, Rias didn't respond, but instead simply stared at me with her arms still crossed.
"I'll be frank with you – I can't find it in myself to trust you right now. Not when you clearly know more than you let on. Don't think I didn't notice."
'Hoh? I wonder if that means what I think she means.'
"My matter – you know of it, don't you?"
"Yes," I responded bluntly.
"As expected, while it could be a part of that weird ability of yours… It's still suspicious."
"Not holding back, huh?" I chuckled.
"No. Not when I am risking my peerage's well-being by bringing someone dangerous among us."
"And so? What do you suggest?"
"For the time being, only I will be interacting with you. Of course, I will fulfill my end of the deal by providing you with a residence and an identity. But I will have to know you better before this 'connection' you mentioned can be built."
'Was she always like this?' My mind drifted for a bit as I thought about her counterpart in the anime I watched. She was mostly playful, only ever getting serious when a true threat was present.
'Well… in a way, I am a threat.'
"I'm fine with that. Can't complain about spending time with a devilishly hot woman."
For a moment, Rias's expression shifted from serious to one of disbelief. The pun had caught her off guard, it seemed.
"I can't believe you actually said that…" she muttered, sounding a bit amused.
"So, that's that, right?" I grinned, "We got a deal?"
To that, Rias smiled lightly. "We do. I do hope it works out."
'Well, isn't that reassuring? She has a (somewhat) positive impression of me.'
"Now, time to find a hotel," I said suggestively, causing her to sputter before giving me a pointed look.
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"Fancy place. Am I considered to be a gigolo now?"
Those were the words that left my mouth as I stared at the ceiling. True to her word, Rias found a nice hotel for me to stay at for that night. The bed I was lying on felt great. Amazing even.
…
…
'I wonder what they think of me now…'
To me, it was rather obvious that the reason Rias told me to wait until the next morning was simply an excuse. One for her to properly discuss my matter with her peerage. There was even the possibility of her informing others about me, but my gut instincts were telling me that wasn't happening. Whether said instincts were to be trusted or not yet, I'd be finding out in due time.
I lamented, a lot, you know? The fact that it didn't all go so well. From my memories, I recalled how others in my shoes tended to have an easier time most of the time.
Was it unfair of me to compare fantasy to reality? But then, I wondered if my reality was actually, you know, a reality.
'What if… I am a character in a story just like any other?'
It only felt right to consider the possibility, as damning as it was to think about. Did I have free will? Was I just a construct for the whims of a higher being?
Eventually, I arrived at a conclusion: 'It doesn't matter.'
Regardless of whether it was the case or not, there wasn't anything I could do about it, could I? What I was experiencing felt real to me, and that's all that mattered. This was no time for an existential crisis.
Right now, I had much more important matters to focus on. Such as the fact that I was in an extremely dangerous world. Devils, Angels, Gods, 'Yokai', Exorcists, and a load of other fantasy beings. They all were real now. As I was at that moment, to some, I would be nothing more than a pebble by the roadside. To others, perhaps even less.
'I need to improve, and fast.'
As versatile my powers were, I knew I had to quickly figure out its limits, and while at it, find a way to grow said limits if not break through them completely one way or another.
'First, my body.'
While it was nice and all to make myself stronger, faster, and more durable – doing so with my power consumed precious energy. So, I thought about ways to permanently improving my body.
The first idea that crossed my mind was training under extreme conditions. Work my body to its bloody limits and then use my power to reinvigorate myself to top condition.
However, after thinking about the reason to do so, or rather, the end goal – another idea popped up in my mind.
'Why not skip the process altogether?'
Earlier, when I had used the satiation and well-rested attributes, I saw that their effects persisted even after I stopped fueling the attributes. So, wouldn't it make sense that any attributes that were to, say, reshape my body, persist as well?
Earlier, I had granted myself immunity in different ways. But those were magical in a sense, not ones that changed my body biologically. For that reason, I didn't see any difference upon revoking them.
There was a good chance that I was spot on with my hypothesis. And so, I tried it: [Perfect Body]
Every last bit of energy in my body began spreading all over me as the long, excruciating process began. It took all my willpower to not scream bloody murder from the sheer agony I felt.
I'm not sure if it was my subconscious messing with me or otherwise, but I could hear my bones being reworked. My muscles being torn and healed. And something happening to my tendons. It wasn't just that, no, but essentially every part of my body.
Multiple times, I considered revoking the attribute, but then the mere thought of the possible consequences prevented me from doing so.
I have no idea how long the entire process took, but I was pretty damn sure it was more than an hour at the very least.
Once it was over, I felt hot, sore, and basically every spot on my body hurt like a bitch. My breathing was ragged, and my heart was beating abnormally fast.
"Fuck…" I managed to curse out, glad that the process was finally over.
Now, it was time for the gamble. Would revoking the attribute change my body back to how it was?
The moment I removed 'perfect body', I noticed that nothing happened. I didn't feel any different. My gamble had paid off.
[Healed]
[Energized]
[Satiated]
[Well-Rested]
I granted myself attribute after attribute to help improve my condition, and the results were immediate.
"Well, that fucking sucked," I said and then laughed, mostly in misery.
My clothes felt tight – didn't need to think why that would be the case. [Adaptable]
With the discomfort of my garments gone, I quickly got off the bed, and while doing so, already noticing that my body felt completely different from before. For starters, I felt significantly more powerful. My height had changed, and I could feel that the muscles on my body were far more pronounced.
Wasting no time, I approached a wall mirror nearby to examine my new self.
Fairly tall, muscular but not bulky. 'Perhaps, all the muscle is compressed?'
I had a strong feeling that was the case.
But then I shifted my eyes over to my face. Bluish-Grey eyes met mine as I peered at my face. It complimented my long, dark-blue hair well enough.
'Glad to see I've got the same face I remember having.'
I had no idea how I would've reacted if even that had changed. But of course, I wasn't all that content with my new reality the way things were. I knew too little; felt too small.
'Is this enough?' I asked myself as I observed myself in the mirror. For all I knew, I now possessed the physique of a peak human. But was that truly enough for such a world?
I wanted more. Something both fantastic and permanent. Something… superhuman.
"Wait… Could I grant myself, say, fictional attributes?"
Thinking about it, I was in a supposedly fictional world. So, what exactly was preventing me from straight up using my knowledge to go beyond simple attributes?
That would require some testing.
"First, I need to understand the specifics of my power."
Earlier, I had granted myself the invulnerable attribute. During my encounter with the Stray Devil, it was largely effective. But then that brought up a rather important question: Would that have been the case if my opinion was far stronger?
There had to be a limit, right?
I revoked all attributes in preparation for this testing phase.
[Invulnerable]
The amount of energy consumed was less than before. Whether this was arbitrary or because my pool had increased marginally, I wasn't sure.
I revoked it before granting the attribute again, but this time, I attempted to use less energy: [Invulnerable]
Lo and behold, it worked. This time, I used around one tenth of the energy I used earlier, yet it worked. Logically speaking, the effectiveness of the attribute should be lowered, no?
The problem was, I couldn't test it out. So, I considered a different approach. Some other attributes with different energy levels.
I revoked the invulnerable attribute and went for something much more noticeable: [Boosted Speed]
The effect? It simply made me faster.
I didn't really think about how much energy it should consume, so it pretty much went ahead and consumed a huge portion of it.
For my test, all I did was wave my hand around and observe how quickly I could so.
Once satisfied, I revoked the attribute before granting it once more, this time controlling the amount of energy to make it far less: [Boosted Speed]
As expected, the moment I repeated the motion of waving my arm, I noticed a significant difference in how much my speed was boosted.
In essence, I wasn't all-powerful. My base strength was tied to how much I could improve my body beyond attributes, and everything else depended on how big my pool of energy was.
Aside from that, there was the matter of experience. If I were to engage in combat in the future, I required proper battle experience. For that, I had an idea about how to improve. However, it required Rias and the co trusting me.
"But what I CAN change right now is my body…"
Looking into the mirror again, I focused on a certain idea that crossed my mind when I thought of the word 'superhuman' earlier – Steve Rogers, commonly known as Captain America.
If I wanted to become superhuman, I needed a reference of sorts to work with. For now, that was the best one I could go for. Mostly because while superhuman, Steve was still human. I wanted to wait a little before fucking with my race.
I knew for a fact that in the future, if I truly let loose, I would be a husk of a human. Heck, by the end of the night, I would already be far different if what I had in mind worked out.
With a newfound resolve, I lied back down on the bed. Following that, I revoked every attribute I had bestowed.
Before getting to the real thing, I considered something: Will an attribute that changes how I perceive pain change me biologically?
Messing with my senses sounded like a pretty damn bad idea. But then again, was that truly the case? I'm sure what I'd done already had fucked with my senses one way or another. Not to mention, whatever I would be doing in the future, much the same.
[Bio-Expert]
In the hopes of better understanding what I was doing, I gave myself the attribute. Of course, once it came to turning superhuman, I would revoke it.
'Now then…'
Pain resistance – a combination of both mental and biological factors. It wasn't like the attribute suddenly granted me knowledge I didn't have, but rather, it helped me make clearer 'educated guesses' per se.
"That confirms it. I should be fine."
And so, I revoked that attribute before granting myself another: [Pain Resistant]
Once more, I felt changes in my body. This time around, however, rather than pain, it was an odd sensation that I couldn't even begin to describe. Around a minute or two later, the process was done.
'This better work,' I wished internally.
Revoking the 'pain resistant' attribute, I focused my mind on the next attribute. I thought back to everything I could remember about Captain America – the specifics of the Super Soldier Serum.
[Superhuman]
The next moment, I felt like my entire body being assailed with pain like no other. I knew for a fact that if I hadn't done what I did a minute ago, I would have passed out from the pain right then and there.
Still, I gritted my teeth and endured. This was my ticket to greater power, so what was a bit of pain in the grand scheme of things?
After a short eternity of immense torment, my body finally settled down. I once again granted a few attributes to quickly recover.
I felt powerful. Godly, even. But it wasn't enough.
"More…"
I didn't even get up from the bed this time as I considered a particular passing thought. What if I tried granting myself a self-made attribute? Something with no clear reference, but rather built from scratch with my mind?
In this new world, magic was all too real. Multiple beings could harness its powers, including the Devils I had met earlier. In the future, I would most likely be encountering several other beings capable of wielding the mystical powers.
And so, I wanted it. Desired it.
[Hyperfocus]
[Heightened Analysis]
My mind raced as I thought of the perfect attribute. One that would not only make me capable of using magic, but so much more. Something that would heighten my sensitivity to the mystic. A trait that would increase my endurance when it came to spells. An attribute that would accelerate the rate at which I gained proficiency when it came to magic.
A perfect attribute that would make my body better over time.
With my mind made up, I revoked all attributes before casting one: [Dragon Heart]
At that moment, what I felt was something far beyond what could be described as pain. It felt as if my soul was being ripped apart.
It lasted very briefly. Perhaps a few seconds at most. But those few seconds felt like an eternity.
And the only reason it stopped was because I fainted.
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Once again, I found myself in a comforting darkness.
But then I opened my eyes.
"… Sunlight?"
'Did I faint through the night?'
As my mind retraced the last thing I remembered, I noticed something.
I felt different. Not just as a matter of power, no, but completely different. Something inside me had changed.
Had I succeeded?
Curious, I rose from the bed, while doing so noticing that I saw, heard, and felt much more than before. All my senses felt like they were on steroids.
[Perfect Adaptability]
A little hack to get used to my new condition. Pretty simple.
But then when the energy shifted to apply the new attribute, I noticed one of the reasons I felt different.
My energy pool – its size now dwarfed what it used to be. It had grown anywhere between tenfold to twentyfold. And this was with the 'Dragon Heart' attribute still being active.
"Holy shit…" I muttered, much more excited now.
Aside from that energy, I felt something else within me too. Rather, I felt something all around me in the air that interacted with my body.
"Is this perhaps… mana?"
Curious, I held up my hand before imagining flames manifesting. And lo and behold, imagination turned into reality as a ball of inferno formed above my palm.
Looking at the fruits of my godawful, painful labor, I could only laugh. It was all worth it.
Still, now that I had an increased energy pool, I revoked the 'Dragon Heart' attribute before granting myself a new one: [Power Insight]
Similar to what I had attempted a day prior, the attribute would allow me to peer into power. Well, to a certain extent.
However, it was more than enough to make me understand something crucial: The existence of evolutionary attributes.
Certain attributes could evolve, either themselves or whatever they were bestowed upon. In my case, the ones I had used last night, such as 'Superhuman', 'Pain Resistant', and 'Dragon Heart' all fell under this category. They differed from ordinary attributes in a few key ways.
For starters, the size of my energy pool didn't determine the effectivity of the attribute, only the rate at which it evolved. As a byproduct, it also affected any pain or discomfort that came with it.
Take 'Dragon Heart' for example. I had less energy yesterday than I do now. So, if it were an ordinary attribute, I would bestow it again to obtain an improved version. But that wasn't the case. What I had at that moment was already perfected as a result of hours of being unconscious.
At that moment, I noticed a shift in the mana around a certain part of the room, following which a magic circle formed.
A few seconds later, a familiar figure appeared from within it – Rias.
"Well, that's just rude," I joked as I turned to face the intruding lass.
Rias, for her part, stood ramrod straight with widened eyes.
For a moment, neither of us uttered a word.
"You… you're awake!" she spoke, utterly surprised.
"Yeah, what about it?" something felt off, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly.
"You have been unconscious for three days!"
…
…
"Say fucking what?"
As it turned out, I was a bit off with how long the process took.
'No wonder I feel so damn hungry.'