Shards of Reminisce Ch.36 (Patreon)

The sun is fully up on my last day in Patch. Its warmth and peace will soon be replaced by Vale’s urban cold life. A part of me hopes that Ozpin, that old bastard, has somehow managed to capture Cinder and her bootlicking crew so they’d no longer be a problem, but that’s wishing for too much.

With Neo occupied this morning, I find myself drawn back to the forest. Her note promising lunch together later is a nice touch, but I push it aside. The forest calls, and I answer, venturing into unexplored territory.

The modified Atlas drone hums to life, its sleek form darting between trees at my command. I’ve gotten better at this, I realize with a hint of pride. The drone weaves through impossibly tight gaps, maneuvering through branches and leaves. It’s... fun. Didn’t think it would be this fun to play with expensive toys.

But the world, ever cruel, decides I’ve had enough fun. A flash of feathers, a startled squawk, and suddenly my screen goes black. And my special drone’s gone, taken out by a fucking bird, of all things.

“Goddamnit!” I snarl, my fist clenching around the scroll. Of course. Of-fucking-course this would happen. Shouldn’t have had much fun with this.

I take a deep breath, trying to quell the frustration bubbling in my chest. Focus. The drone’s emergency locator is blinking on my scroll. A nice feature whoever made this implemented. So I just need to follow the signal. As I trudge through the underbrush, I pray that the damage isn’t too much. But even if that isn’t the case then, how can I fix it? I know jack shit about robotics or electronics. I could ask Neo for help, but that would inevitably lead to endless teasing about wrecking my toys so soon, and the last thing I need is to give her more ammunition.

The crash site is a tangle of metal and feathers. And the poor bastard is still alive, its pained coos cutting through the forest’s tranquility. I stop for a moment to watch the scene. Its wing is bent at an unnatural angle, pinned beneath the drone’s crumpled form.

“Shit,” I mutter, kneeling beside the mess. The bird’s beady eye fixes on me, expressing agony. A pleading look. One that even I can understand very well.

My hand moves almost of its own accord, gently grasping the bird’s neck. “Sorry, little guy,” I whisper, then snap my wrist sharply. The cooing stops and the forest falls silent.

As I disentangle the drone from the lifeless body.

After that, I started untangling the drone, removing the feather and the wind that got stuck in the propeller.

A quick systems check shows the camera’s still working. Relief washes over me, but I’m not out of the woods yet. I toss the drone into the air, holding my breath as its propellers whir to life. It hovers steadily, and I allow myself a small smile. 

Looks like luck’s on my side for once. I would have been very pissed if it broke.

But I’m not about to push it. One close call is enough for today. I recall the drone stowing it safely away in my inventory. As I turn to leave, my eyes are drawn to a massive tree nearby. High up in its branches, a bird’s nest catches my attention.

I pause in front of an ancient, gnarled tree, its branches reaching towards the indifferent sky. High above, nestled in the crook of two sturdy limbs, sits a bird’s nest.

I stare at it, my throat unexpectedly tight. Was that the home of the bird I just killed? Are there hungry chicks up there waiting for a parent that will never return?

Shaking off the unwelcome sentimentality, I turn away. There’s no point dwelling on it. But after a few steps, I let out a loud groan that echoes through the forest. Dragging a hand across my face, I mutter a curse under my breath and pivot back towards the tree.

I easily scale the rough bark, my strength and dexterity making quick work of the climb.

At the top, I peer down into the nest, half-expecting to see a brood of hungry chicks. Instead, I’m greeted by an empty tangle of twigs and leaves. I guess that’s a good thing then. So I launch myself off the branch and land with a soft thud on the forest floor. No use lingering here any longer.

I make my way out of the woods; the trees thinning until I find myself at a crossroads. Weather-beaten signs point in various directions, and after a moment’s hesitation, I choose the path leading to the beach. The walk is long but oddly peaceful, giving me too much time with my own thoughts for comfort.

The beach that greets me is deserted, nothing but sand, sea, and sky stretching out before me. As I scan the shoreline, my eyes land on a natural rocky sea wall jutting out into the water. Perfect for fishing, if I had a rod. But today, I’ve got something else in mind.

I summon my fish net from my inventory, the large mesh materializing in my hands. It’s meant for two people, but hey, I’ve always been overqualified in the strength department. Might as well put these muscles to use.

Kicking off my sneakers, I store them away before walking into the water. The cool water laps at my waist, a stark contrast to the warm air. I take a deep breath, savoring the salty breeze, then rear back and cast the net as far as I can. It arcs through the air before splashing down, disappearing beneath the waves.

Minutes tick by as I wait, the rhythmic sound of the ocean waves almost lulling me into a sense of peace. Almost. Finally, I start to pull, my muscles straining as I drag the net back to shore.

As I heave it onto the sand, I’m greeted by a satisfying haul: a variety of common fish flop about, interspersed with scuttling crabs and a few oysters. Not bad for a day’s work–or rather, a few minutes’ work.

This should be enough fish for a couple of days, I can tell. But as I’m admiring my catch, something else catches my attention - a series of notifications flashing before my eyes.

[Journeyman Fisherman job has increased by one, 48/50]

[Journeyman Fisherman job has increased by one, 49/50]

[Journeyman Fisherman job has increased by one, 50/50]

[Congratulations! Journeyman Fisherman upgraded to Adept Fisherman.]

My eyes widen in surprise at the massive level boost. I look down at my haul, actually noticing even bigger fish with scales of different colors, and other sea-faring beings that I’m not even sure are edible. A grin tugs at the corner of my mouth - this is the breakthrough I’ve been waiting for, my second one at that.

This is definitely a good goodbye gift.

Now I wonder what advantages I have gotten from this new tier. There’s only one way to find out. After emptying my net, I rear back and cast it far into the sea again, the mesh sailing through the air with a satisfying whoosh.

This time, as I start to pull it back, something feels... different. The net isn’t as heavy, and it takes hardly any effort to bring it back to shore. As the contents become visible, I can’t help but let out a surprised chuckle.

Inside the net is a bizarre aquatic trio: a big octopus gripping tightly to a giant crab, which in turn has a large oyster trapped in its pincers. It’s like some kind of underwater wrestling match frozen in time.

“You guys having fun in there?” I quip as I start untangling the net.

I dispatch the octopus with a quick whack to the head before storing it away. The crab follows suit, leaving me with the oyster. But before I can decide whether to use it as bait or toss it back, the stubborn crustacean’s last act becomes apparent–the shell cracks apart in my hands.

Confusion furrows my brow as I stare at the broken pieces, but that feeling quickly morphs into a strange sense of familiarity. The shattered oyster shell seems to melt away, leaving behind a single shard of greenish color resting in my palm.

My breath catches in my throat. This isn’t just any shard – it’s the same type I’ve been searching for. This would be the fourth one I’ve discovered so far, if I’m counting correctly.

This little piece of... whatever it is, has the inexplicable ability to attract animals. I’ve seen it happen so many times to stop being a weird coincidence, but I’m no closer to understanding why or how.

I close my fist around the shard, feeling its energy hum against my skin. But unlike the other shards, this one doesn’t disintegrate or shatter at the mere application of pressure. It remains solid, unyielding. My eyes narrow in surprise at the glaring difference with the others.

Stepping away from the water’s edge, I return to the dry sand. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes. I increase my strength in my grip and crush the shard in my hand.

For a moment, nothing happens. Then, like a dam breaking, I feel the familiar surge of power enter my body. But this time, it’s different. Stronger. Wilder.

[The Gamer system has been updated to V 1………..]

[WARNING!][WARNING!][WARNING!][WARNING!][WARNING!][WARNING!]

[WARNING ANOMALY DETECTED!!!]

[CORRUPTION INMINENT!]

The notifications flash before my eyes, a rapid-fire assault of information that I can barely process. Before I can even begin to rationalize what they mean, my world explodes into agony.

Pain. Fucking everywhere. It shoots straight into my skull like a white-hot lance, threatening to split my head open. My hands fly to my temples, clutching desperately as if I could physically hold myself together. I yank down on my ears, a primal instinct to protect, to hide, but it does nothing to fucking help me.

H̶̨̳̩͕̫͈̩͎̬͍̱͈̊̎̂̈́̋̔͊̉͌͠Ī̶̺͉͉̺͙̽H̵̡̧̛̦̺̝̦͍͚͈̙̮̗̠̲̯̼̩̦͕̱̙̟̜̝̳͚͎͙̞̿̂̆̈̃̍̊́̆́͊̓̅̈̄͘̚͘̚͝͝Į̵̟͉̳̞͔̟̻͓̜̱͇̼͙̰͍̖̬̱͖̜̦̲̠̑͊͒͌͗͜H̷̡̛̛̝͉̖͖̯̳͈͇̲̳̞̩̯̦̠̗͓̦̙̪̞͉͍̹͓̼̟̪͍̹͛̐̋̀̌͆́͋͒͒͋̆͆̈͛̎͛̋̀̾̿͂͒̌̈́̕͘ͅĮ̸̥̫̟̯͖̼̙͔̦̤͗́́̑͋̆̍̉̏̈̽̂̄̓͘͠H̸̡̧̨̨̛̩̥͓͔͍̠̥̥̜̰̰͈̘̮̟̘̺̻̤̹̹͓̹̳̬͓̳̝͚̲̟̤͙͈̲̜͛́̊́̈́̓̂I̵͈̭͍̖̋̀̑͊̂͋̐̀̔̒̑͌͋̓͌̈́̿̈́̓̄̐̍̾̐͘͝Ĥ̸̢̨̢̙͙̰͉̰̦͓̞͔̻̗̞̬͉̫̟͈̗͛̐̃̆̽̅̇́͊͆͗̈̇̆̒̈́͛͊̽̀͂̉͂̉̋͑̓̓̇̑̾̇͂̋̇̚̚̕Í̷̢̢̨̤̯̺̫͇̙̯̤̦̤̥͔̹̘̻̼̰̙͓̬͇̬̠̲̪̅̈̿̃̄̐̓͊̔̚͘͘̚͝͠ͅḨ̶̢̛̛̙̠͓̟̞͚̦̜͍̯̗̩̝̖̝̤͎̖̠̹̬͕͙̞̾̔̍̏́͑̑̍̉̓̓̾̿̎̚͘͠ͅÎ̵̩͖̘̮̪̥̗̤̘̱͇̣̬̲̰͇̼̭̯̾̑̽̑̒͘͝ ̷̛̛̛̛̥͉̜̥̺̘̹͓̎̽͂͗͒̂̇̿̓̀͌͑͝͝ͅͅͅ

F̷̨̣̱͎̻̓̓̋̀̈́̋͒͝Ỡ̷̧̨̮͇̪͍̞̱͓͍͇͓̰̣̳̠͖͔̔̅̏̔̀̈́̏͂̓̈́̕͠͝ͅͅŪ̴̯̝̐̔͂͘͝N̷̡̙̾̽͆͑̕͝D̷̢̻̝̓̀́͆̿͌̽̿̋̍̾̀́͋͆̽̋̆̈̾̓ ̸̨̨͉̰̦̘̣͈͔̞̺̳͍͊̏͂͗̆̏̾̊̀͐͛͒͘Y̷̨̟̮̽̈́̃͗̇̏̉̈́́̋̏̿̈́̀̿̊͜͠͝͝͠Ő̶̧̰̺͖̟̹̞̯̯̰̭̳̮̠̬̘͙͇̥̾̓͑́̔͆͊͝ͅȔ̷̢̢͈̦͚͇͇̹̝̲̫̖̖̈́́̀̈́͗̇͆̀̔͐̋̚̕͜ͅ ̵̢̡̰͉͎͇͍̖̲̹̙̺̞͉̣̬̺͙̝̆́̌̓̌̃̀͗̃̄̄̍͜͠͝͠

A pained groan escapes my lips as I collapse onto my hands and knees. One hand clutches my stomach while I desperately gasp for air, but it’s like trying to breathe in a vacuum. My body betrays me, refusing to obey any command as I writhe and spasm on the beach.

Sand grinds against my skin as I thrash about, one hand gripping the coarse grains while the other inexplicably smashes the back of my head against the ground. The pain is everywhere, all-consuming, but it’s nothing compared to the assault on my mind.

f̲ͮu̧͔͚ͣn̡͉̝̱͐ ̩̯͍͓ͦͭ̄f̵̼̳̬͍̯͗̒u̶͎̲͙̗ͪ̅̕͞n̪̮̘̥̜͔̮̆ͣ͢͟ ͇̱̮͕ͩ̿̾́͐̅̀͟f̵̡̦̖̌ͮ́̈́̋̍́́̚u̵̮͓̤̿͊̈͛́̓ͩͭ͘ṋ̸̸̺̇ͯ͊͋̄ͭ̎̚͢͞ ̵̛̘̳̜̬̀̈̑̌̀́͆ͬ͢f̢̹̰͇̤̯̜͎̘̪̝͊̿͟͡u̶̼̳̳͔̙̐̅̈́ͪ̑͒̈́́̐n̨̹̜͐̉ͣ͊͗̈͐͗̃ͪ͘͟ ̸̲̺̮̯ͨ̍͐̈̎̕̚҉͑͟m̶̷͙̠͎͔̞̎ͯ̐́̑̅ͯ̃i̵̵̢̛̥͈̰̬͂͐ͬ̏́̍͢s̡̨̬̜̮̝̏̆͒̽͑ͫ͋̕s̸̷̛͕̥̹̝̩ͭ͊̄ͣ͠ ̸̢̣͓̠̜͒̌͛ͬ͘͝͡y̶̦̩͙̯͉̾ͦ̃̏̓͡o͙͉̞͙̩̤ͣ̀̇̐̅ụ̡̩̜͒̇̊̚͠ ̖̖̲̲̒ͮ̈̂forever ḟ̡̰̫ͯ̎͢u̵̴̺̮̘ņ̷ͪ͢ ̵̶!̘

The words repeat, a maddening mantra that threatens to drown out my own thoughts. It’s familiar yet alien, a twisted echo of something I can’t quite grasp.

Just as I think I can’t take anymore, when the edge of unconsciousness seems like a blessed relief, something shifts.

[Corruption quarantined]

[Anomaly contained]

Suddenly, my lungs expand, and I let out a loud, desperate gasp. My eyes shoot open, finally able to draw in the air I so badly needed. My hands quickly clutch at my chest, rubbing the sore spot as I exhale. I take another lungful of air, feeling relief wash over me.

Curling up in a fetal position, I start coughing, spitting out grains of sand. 

Just what the fuck was that?

‘S-STATUS!’

Ma’iq Rakhan

Race–Feline Faunus

Age 18

Class: The pugilist

Level–17 (2%)

Mentor – Blake Belladonna

Apprentice– Jeanne d’Arc

HP – 510/800 [60 regen per minute]

MP – 2240/2240 [350 regen per minute]

SP – 2002/3010 [250 regen per minute]

STR–63

END–54

DEX–65

INT–44

WIS–40

CHA– 45

LCK– -4

Status effect:

[Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́’̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒  (PERMANENT)

I pant, but my eyes focus only on the last part, my fucking luck stats that are now in the negative, along with the glitched, distorted status effect. A permanent status effect.

What? How? I don’t even… did I just get this bullshit? Or did I actually have it with me all this fucking time in my entire fucking life? I remember the notification that this is an anomaly that my system just detected….

So my shitty luck has always been because of this garbage?

Truly?

No, this is the place to even think about this. I need to go back to a safe place. At least a place that is safe enough to actually sit down and think, to be alone with my thoughts.

Gulping hard, I roll onto my side and push myself off the ground. My limbs tremble violently, making it a monumental task just to stand up. Sand clings to every inch of me, but brushing it off proves too difficult in my current state.

“Fuck it,” I growl, giving up on cleaning myself and beginning the long trek back to the hotel. ‘Walk’ would be too generous a term - I limp like an injured animal, and I must look pathetic like that.

Nobody even throws a glance my way as I stumble my way to the town and then into the hotel. They just ignore me, their eyes sliding past as if I’m invisible. I make my way straight to my room, tuning out any calls or words that might be directed at me - or, more likely, meant for someone else entirely. It doesn’t matter.

As soon as I cross the threshold of my room, I beeline for the refrigerator and open it. My trembling hands fumble with a cardboard drink, desperately trying to bring it to my lips. But my coordination betrays me, and the pineapple juice slips from my grasp, splashing across the tiled floor in a sticky, fragrant puddle.

“Shit,” I mutter, staring at the mess. Cleaning it will have to wait. Right now, I need something very cold.

I turn away from the refrigerator after closing it and move towards the bathroom. The sink faucet creaks as I twist it on, cool water rushing out. I cup my hands under the stream, splashing my face once, twice, again and again. I don’t stop until my upper clothes are soaked and my hair is dripping, plastered to my forehead.

Somehow, the shock of the water seems to work. The frayed edges of my nerves start to smooth out, the trembling in my limbs subsiding to a dull quiver. I raise my eyes to the mirror, staring into my own black eyes. I blink slowly, trying to center myself.

But when my eyes open again, the face staring back at me isn’t quite right. It’s still me, but... different. Intricate facial markings - or are they tattoos? - trace across my skin. And my eyes... one red, one yellow. They stare back at me with an intensity that makes me flinch.

My hands fly up to my face, frantically rubbing at my eyes. When I look again, my normal reflection greets me. No markings, no mismatched eyes. Just the same old me, the same normal me, because I’m just normal. Just Ma’iq Rak’han, looking a bit worse for wear.

I shake my head and frown, backing away from the mirror as the wave of confusion swirls in my mind, threatening to overwhelm me again. My gaze flicks to the bed - sleep might help, might let me forget this whole mess for a while, like I’ve always done. But then my eyes land on the couch, and for some inexplicable reason, it looks far more inviting.

Without really thinking it through, I shuffle over to the couch and sink down onto it. My face finds its way into my hands, and I take deep breaths. Slowly, ever so slowly, the world around me seems to calm. Or maybe it’s just me.

I don’t know how much time I sat there but after a while I called for my status windows to properly check it this time.

Ma’iq Rakhan

Race–Feline Faunus

Age 18

Class: The pugilist

Level–17 (2%)

Mentor – Blake Belladonna

Apprentice– Jeanne d’Arc

HP – 800/800 [60 regen per minute]

MP – 2240/2240 [350 regen per minute]

SP – 3010/3010 [250 regen per minute]

STR–63

END–54

DEX–65

INT–44

WIS–40

CHA– 45

LCK– -4

Status effect:

[Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́’̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒  (PERMANENT)

My luck is in the negative numbers - but is this a new thing, or has it always been this way? Have all the misfortunes and fucking problems in my life been due to this... anomaly?

With that line of thought taking root, a chilling thought creeps in: was I right all along? Those instances where bad luck seemed to pile on, where coincidences felt too cruel to be random… were they all because of this?

I suddenly realize I’m biting my nails, a bad habit. I just know it is a bad habit that I shouldn’t do. Forcing my hand away from my mouth, I take several deep breaths, trying to calm myself enough to think rationally about this mess.

At least whatever happened after I consumed the shard was stopped by my system. The memory of that experience sends a shiver down my spine - it felt like something was actively trying to harm me, scrambling my thoughts and pushing me to the brink. That’s an experience I never want to repeat. But did it happen because I detected this anomaly or after consuming the shard, it created an opening?

A long, tired sigh escapes me as I slump against the back of the couch. I’m at a loss, unsure how to even begin processing all of this.

The sudden sound of the door opening makes me jump from my seat slightly. But as quickly as the tension rose, it dissipates when I see it’s just Neo coming in, carrying two plastic bags. She kicks the door closed behind her, then pauses, tilting her head as she notices me.

In an instant, she’s dropped the bags and is at my side. Her cool hands cup my face, and she presses her forehead against mine and her semblance flickers to life.

‘You are burning’

“I know,” I mumble, leaning into her touch. It feels nice.

Neo pulls back slightly, her mismatched eyes scanning my face.

‘We have aura, we cannot get sick.’

“I know that Neo, it’s fucking weird,” I respond, trying to deflect. “Maybe another thing, aura overload or whatever else?” It’s a half-truth at best. I won’t tell her about the system or the shards.

Neo’s eyes narrow slightly, clearly not entirely convinced. 

‘Wait, a moment’ She lets go and heading towards the kitchen.

I let out a weary sigh, leaning back against the couch and trying to find a comfortable position. The sound of rustling from the kitchen reaches my ears, and moments later, Neo returns with a steaming cup.

Without questioning, I take her cup, blow on it briefly, and take a sip. Instantly, I regret my lack of caution as a bizarre mixture of bitter and sour flavors assaults my taste buds.

“Bleh,” I grimace, pulling the cup away from my lips.

‘Drink it.’ Neo’s frown is accompanied by her pushing the cup back towards my mouth.

Rolling my eyes, I steel myself and down the hot weird drink, forcing myself to ignore the unpleasant taste. When I finally finish, I let out a relieved sigh, my breath still hot against my lips.

Suddenly, I feel something draped around my shoulders. Glancing down, I realize Neo has wrapped a mantle around me. Before I can say something, she takes the empty cup from my hands and sits next to me on the couch.

In one smooth motion, she pulls my head down to rest on her lap. Her fingers find my ears, caressing them with a tender touch I am very familiar with.

I frown slightly at first, trying to make sense why she is doing this again. But as this crazy girl continues her ministrations, I feel the tension slowly seeping out of my muscles. After the ordeal I’ve just been through, this moment of peace is exactly what I need, even if I’m reluctant to admit it.

Closing my eyes, I let myself sink and drift off

And it soon became a peaceful sleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When my eyes finally pry themselves open, I’m surprised to find myself tucked snugly into the bed. Sunlight streams through the window, signaling that I’ve slept well into the next day. A twinge of annoyance flickers through me–I’ve missed the final day of my short vacation. But as I let out a yawn, I realize I feel more refreshed and clear-headed than I have in a long time. Maybe I really did need that extended rest.

Doing a quick math, I figured this must be the fourth day. Neo must have extended our stay for another night. Not that I’m complaining about the extra day.

I slowly push myself up, kicking off the bedsheets. As I glance around the room, I notice Neo’s luggage, already packed and ready to go. All I need to do is send it to my inventory, and we’ll be set for check-out and our flight back to Vale.

Taking a deep breath, my nostrils are suddenly filled with the unique aroma of breakfast. The familiar smell of eggs and bacon wafts through the air, making my stomach growl appreciatively. 

Finally, something other than pineapple.

I hop off the bed, stretching my arms as I make my way to the kitchen. The sight that greets me stops me in my tracks. Neo is at the stove, cooking breakfast, wearing nothing but an oversized white shirt - one of my spare shirts.

I can’t help but appreciate the view. The shirt hangs loosely on her petite frame, making her look both sexy and adorably cute at the same time. 

But I quickly shake myself out of it and move to take a seat at the table.

“Morning,” I finally manage to say, my voice somewhat groggy from sleep. “Smells good, by the way.”

Neo turns with a small smile on her lips, her mismatched eyes sparkling with amusement as she gives me a quick once-over. Suddenly, she leans forward slightly, showcasing her shapely ass.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her antics, but my breath catches for a moment when I realize she’s not wearing anything under my borrowed shirt.

A surprise, to say the least. But I definitely can’t say that I’m not enjoying it.

A view that also doesn’t last as Neo quickly returns to cooking, serving up the meal with ease. She places a plate in front of me, loaded with sliced bread, scrambled eggs, and bacon, accompanied by a glass of orange juice. The simple yet appetizing spread makes my mouth water.

I take a bite, savoring the familiar flavors. “Thanks,” I mumble around a mouthful of food. Neo just grins in response before disappearing somewhere in the room.

As I continue enjoying my breakfast, washing down the eggs with a sip of orange juice, I’m caught off guard when something is suddenly dropped in front of me. Looking down, I see Neo pushing a small, colorful box towards me, wrapped with a pink ribbon.

Raising an eyebrow at her, I swallow the last of my food before picking up the box. With a gentle tug on the ribbon, the lid falls away, revealing... a fucking collar. With a bell attached to it. I stare at it, then look dryly at Neo.

She nods, her grin widening.

“Seriously? All this for a stupid joke of bad taste?” I deadpan, failing to see the humor in this little ‘gift’.

Instead of backing down, Neo clasps her hands together, giving me her best puppy dog eyes. ‘Please please? You can take it off later.’ 

I look from the collar to her pleading face and back again. A groan escapes me as I drag a hand across my face. Part of me knows I’m going to regret this, but... she has been exceptionally kind lately. And she’s not forcing it on me this time, but actually asking nicely. Maybe I can make an exception, a way to repay her recent streak of kindness.

As I reach for the collar, I can practically feel Neo’s glee radiating off her. She giggles silently, practically bouncing in place.

“Let’s get this over with,” I mutter, strapping the collar around my neck. The bell jingles softly as it settles into place, the click of the fastener sounding far too final for my liking.

“Happy now?” I ask, my tone gruff but lacking any real annoyance. Neo merely nods in satisfaction.

[Lucky charm detected….]

[Charm identified: Namazu bell]

Wait what?

[Calculating…]

[Luck has been boosted]

[Blessing has been added]

‘Status’

Ma’iq Rakhan

Race–Feline Faunus

Age 18

Class: The pugilist

Level–17 (2%)

Mentor – Blake Belladonna

Apprentice– Jeanne d’Arc

HP – 800/800 [60 regen per minute]

MP – 2240/2240 [350 regen per minute]

SP – 3010/3010 [250 regen per minute]

STR–63

END–54

DEX–65

INT–44

WIS–40

CHA– 45

LCK– -4 (+5)=1

Status effect:

[The Big One protects yes, yes!]

BLOCKED [Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́’̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒  (PERMANENT)

I stare at my status window, blinking in disbelief. This fucking collar, complete with an annoying bell that makes me feel like a domesticated house cat, has actually fixed my fucked up luck. Not only that, it’s somehow blocking the anomaly that’s been probably plaguing me for my entire life. It’s a solution handed to me on a silver platter, even if it comes in a form I’m not particularly fond of.

Before I can fully process this turn of events, the mismatched girls moves in close, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. Her cheek presses against mine, soft and warm. Then she extends her hand, holding out her scroll for a selfie.

Another sigh escapes me, but I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “Alright, alright,” I mutter, turning towards the camera and putting on my best attempt at a genuine smile.

The flash goes off, immortalizing the moment. Neo’s triumphant grin is visible in the corner of my eye, and suddenly, a mischievous idea strikes me. Two can play at this game.

Quick as a flash, I turn my head, aiming to steal a peck on her lips. But she proves to be one step ahead of me and turns at the last second, and my lips land clumsily on her cheek instead. Another click of her scroll catches my dumb moment.

‘Nope∼∼’

Oh, come on! Let me have one win at least woman!