alwaysunqualified

  Chapter 41 – Kidnapping (2)

  I wake to the sound of ughter. "Three Tier Two cores on Caelum," a male voice decres. "I put a Tier Three on Kael," another counters.

  Cracking my eyes open, I glimpse a group of men engaged in betting. Around forty of them encircle another five, all missing legs—cleanly sliced to simplify regrowth, avoiding the need to repair the initial damage. They merely need to regenerate. On the table, stacks of Cores indicate the stakes, betting on which of the men will regrow his legs first.

  Shaking my head at the continued oddities of this world, even after so many years, I rise, feeling unexpectedly refreshed. I may not need sleep, but it certainly helps.

  'I guess the solution to avoiding nightmares is to overwhelm my brain until it shuts down,' I think to myself, though I quickly realize it's a terrible strategy. Standing up, I stretch briefly, ensuring everything functions properly while I take in my surroundings.

  As I swivel my head during my stretches, I survey the orderly rows of simple wooden tables next to each standard bed, den with small cups of mixed healing powders, rolls of bandages, and the occasional flicker of sunlight from outside. The air carries a blend of herbal and floral scents, mingled with other, more magical aromas that defy description.

  The pce teems with men in various stages of recovery. Healing without the aid of high-tier potions takes time, further complicated by any adverse effects like poison, which must be resolved before the body can start to regenerate any missing parts.

  Once confident in my own condition, I head to the exit of the portable building and inquire with the guard about the current situation.

  "Reporting, Commander. We're currently engaged in cleanup and core collection. You're free to proceed at your discretion until further notice," he informs me. It almost slips my mind that my recent promotion has elevated me to a high rank, though I tend to interact with the military as little as possible, aside from dealing with my own squad.

  With the all-clear, I check my mini-map only to realize that the two girls I'm searching for aren't dispyed. I've yet to go on a date with either of them. However, I notice the Trailbzers still in the Octave, likely waiting for the Adventurers' Guild to process their contributions and issue rewards. Given their role in defending the town, it's probable that the girls are also adventurers and still here.

  The walk there is brief. Upon arrival, I encounter numerous mobile vendors cmoring for the attention of passersby, drawn by the recent surge and the influx of cores. They seem to be selling a lot of repcement gear and powders. A quick look at their prices confirms my suspicions: these merchants would make scalpers look charitable by comparison.

  Fortunately, amidst the bustling stalls, I noticed several familiar signs of well-known merchants offering reasonable prices. It seemed that those sponsored by the nobility couldn't hike their prices too much, although there was still some markup.

  As I navigated past the stalls, I caught a glimpse of the two girls I had been searching for. They were sitting at an open-air shop. The smaller one rested her head sideways on the table, sipping a drink through a straw, while the other watched the passersby with a serene gaze.

  'What a lucky break,' I thought, relieved I wouldn't have to spend all day searching. I also could have asked someone from the Trailbzers for help; their keen senses would have simplified the task.

  I hesitated, realizing I hadn’t pnned how to approach them. I couldn’t just blurt out, “Hey, are you from Earth?”

  Or could I? The name would be meaningless to anyone not from there. If I was mistaken, I could easily pretend I had confused them with someone else. They would likely dismiss me as just another local attempting to flirt, a common enough scenario here. Some of the pickup lines I've heard could even give the most hopeless loser back home a boost of confidence.

  So, I decided to take the direct approach. Walking up to them, I asked, "Excuse me, are you two from Earth?"

  The smaller of the two instantly perked up, pointing at me. "See? It really is that easy when we're the main characters."

  "Are you really from Earth?" the other girl, dressed more conservatively in a thick pid long-sleeve shirt and denim-like skirt, asked. Her attire was modest by this world's standards. If she was indeed from Earth, it would expin her choice of clothing. I knew something to look out for; tales here seldom featured fully clothed women, so a modest outfit definitely stood out.

  "Ya," I confirmed, now certain of my hunch.

  "Where from?" she asked, eyeing me cautiously.

  I initially thought to mention my state, but realizing they could be from anywhere, I simply replied, "America."

  Her demeanor rexed. "I'm Aralyn, also from the USA. Have a seat, it looks like we have a lot to talk about."

  [Name: AralynLevel: 72Affection: N/A???]

  Upon viewing her screen, I noted she wasn't as strong as I had anticipated. However, if she was also summoned here, she likely received some system simir to mine, enabling her to perform bull shit that could leapfrog tiers. What piqued my curiosity more was the 'N/A' under affection. Something I hadn't seen in the thousands of Observers I'd preformed over the years.

  As I sat down, the other girl sprang up and enthusiastically raised her hand.

  “Hai, I am Kurayami no Hime, age 27, professional NEET. Not once have I csped hands with a mortal man, for I have transcended my earthly form to rise as the formidable Demon Princess of the Eternal Night.” The second girl introduced herself with a deeper tone, sounding quite proud of her NEET status, though I couldn't quite remember what the term stood for.

  "Don't listen to her; she's delusional," Aralyn said, rolling her eyes.

  Looking at the names they provided, they matched those revealed by Observe. These were likely the names they used here. I pondered whether I'd even respond if someone called me by my old name, Kevin, and decided to introduce myself the same.

  “I’m Liev. Nice to meet you,” I said, diving straight into the core of the matter. “Were you two kidnapped here too?”

  "Kidnapped? No, while I was drowning in the abyss of job-seeking despair, a celestial envoy appeared before me, offering a proposal—would I like to be the protagonist in my very own anime? I was momentarily baffled, as no truck had hit me, yet her aura was benevolent. She guided my spirit, helping me to craft a new vessel and choose a realm for my journey," she expined, puffing out her small chest proudly. She still wore the same red dress as st time, with her rge hat resting atop the chair.

  After parsing her dramatic expnation, I asked, “You chose that form?”

  “Of course, small girls are the cutest,” she replied cheerfully. My gaze began to wander, but I quickly redirected it to Aralyn. If there was one positive outcome from the incident with the void, it was that my libido had been drained along with everything else, making the st few weeks more manageable.

  Unfortunately, it was also gradually returning. If I had to describe my current state, it was akin to how I normally felt on Earth. My eyes might stray briefly, just to appreciate a woman's appearance before refocusing on the task at hand, rather than being overwhelmed by an incessant need to get her.

  It also meant I wasn't drawn to bizarre things anymore, but that too seems to be creeping back. On Earth, I wouldn't have given a girl like her a second gnce, let alone a first.

  "I was offered a deal. If I complete a task while here, I get information I desperately need," said the older-looking of the two, her expression tinged with sadness.

  'Wow, was I the only one to get shafted?' I wondered, looking at them. "So, how are they?"

  "They?" both asked in unison.

  "The goddesses," I crified.

  "The Goddess of Magic welcomed me with maternal grace when we met," the smaller girl recounted. “She was kind and warm.”

  “The Goddess of Justice was more reserved, speaking only to present her offer,” the other added.

  "Have you spoken to them since?" I inquired.

  "No," they both responded.

  "They are Goddesses; it would be odd unless this was meant to be a comedy. And I didn’t choose that genre," the smaller one said, giving me a perplexed look before scanning the surroundings and exhaling in relief.

  'So I am the only one getting annoyed too, I really did get shafted,' I thought, disgruntled. Then I posed a more pressing question, "What about going home?"

  "Why would we want to go home?" the Demon Princess replied, her tone genuinely perplexed.

  "I can’t go back until I achieve my goal here," Aralyn said, the small girl looking at her as if hearing this for the first time. "Don't worry, that's a long way off, and I’m sure we'll find others before then," she reassured her, then turned to me. "What about you?"

  "My goddess is a real bitch; I decided to find my own way back," I said, dismissing the stupid goddess.

  "Hehe," the smaller girl chuckled, "you should have dragged her here with you."

  And have to deal with her twenty-four seven. No, it’s even worse, it would be forty-ten. What kind of idiot would do that?

  She continued with renewed enthusiasm. "Ah, that sounds fun," she said, deepening her voice again. "Come, join us! We traverse these fantastical nds in search of our kin from the Earthly realm, gathering all protagonists to forge our destiny together. To save this world!"

  "Don’t listen to her nonsense," Aralyn interjected. "We just want to bring everyone together to help each other. We all come from the same pce, after all, and this world can be quite strange. You really should join us."

  It was a tempting offer; I could dey going back for a while, learn more about this world, and get my impulses under control.

  'Trust your gut when it comes to your retionships,' a thought flickered through my mind, oddly timed. I shook my head, my gut feeling was to go home and I had already decided to head back. It’s not like I couldn’t meet up with them ter. "I’m headed back to Cupid City once my mandatory service is over," I stated.

  "What? But the world is full of so many cool things, why stay cooped up in a city?" the smaller one protested.

  "The world is also full of danger," I added. The image of Sakura's smile fshed before my eyes, and I clenched my fist. She was far too nonchant about a world where monsters could materialize from nowhere.

  "Fear not, for we are the chosen heroes of this tale, shielded by the very script of fate itself from the clutches of misfortune,” she said, shrinking back under my stern look. “Nothing bad will happen to us."

  Her words made her sound much more like the child she appeared to be than the twenty-seven-year-old she cimed to be.

  “Don’t worry about her, I make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble. But are you sure?” the more responsible of the two replied.

  A wave of tiredness washed over me, tinged with fear. What would I face once I returned home? Images raced through my mind, but I shook them off. The goddess was right—I never thought I'd agree with her, but I needed to trust the people in my life more. Maybe I should tell them to knock me out if I’m about to do something really stupid; for once, being weaker might actually be beneficial.

  I began to speak but paused, thinking I saw a pop-up appear. Looking again, there was nothing there. “I really need to go back, I can't keep my family waiting.”

  “Family, huh,” the smaller girl muttered, smming her face back onto the table.

  “She was spawned into this world just like that, wandering alone until we found each other,” Aralyn expined, answering the question I hadn’t asked.

  That would have saved me a lot of trouble early on but thinking of my family, I wouldn't trade them for anything. It’s a grim thought, but I might have given up and killed myself if I had been spawned here completely alone.

  The sudden cmor of hurried footsteps drew our attention, interrupting our conversation. A group of amazons was making their way toward our table.

  Leading them was a girl I recognized, her dull dirt-colored eyes now vibrant with life, her brown skin glistening while emanating steam, her hair wild and untamed.

  My gaze involuntarily swept over their figures. Each was slightly muscur yet retained the full femininity of their forms, and all were completely nude. I couldn't restrain my eyes from wandering. The Amazons fixed her gaze on me, seemingly oblivious to the others around. "I have come to bring you back with me. Let's go."

  “Recollection date starto!”

  [A recollection date has triggered, costing you 0 date points.]

  I sat frozen, puzzled by her words, until I was roused by a yawn. A small, featureless image of a little girl materialized beside me, rubbing her eyes. “Father, good morning.” She gnced around briefly. “Is it time to get kidnapped again?”

  As I took in her and the six other amazons, it did indeed feel like an attempt at kidnapping. I was not getting kidnapped.

  Mockingly, the options sprang up before me.

  Get kidnapped.Fight.Try to talk it out.I chose option three, given the limited interaction I had with her so far, she did not seem completely unreasonable.

  “I am on military duty—” I began, but she cut me off. “That does not matter.”

  I was fairly certain breaking a contract mattered, though the terms did include cuses like 'no will of your own,' so technically it might still be within contract as long as I wasn’t the one trying to leave. She should have been aware of this too, but judging by her expression, filled with the etion of her recent victory against the monster surge, she didn’t seem to care.

  Suddenly, the ninja stepped forward, positioning herself between us.

  “Our first princess, rightful leader of the next generation, will not appreciate this,” she stated, her voice calm but her bde already halfway drawn.

  She too was ignored by the Amazon, who continued to fix her gaze on me.

  “Then perhaps we could negotiate some leeway and postpone this? His wife has requested that we ensure his safe return home,” another familiar face said as she stepped forward, her blue power armor spttered with the remnants of battle, hues of blood still evident and only half-cleaned. Behind her, the rest of her group was already consuming pills and potions, bracing as if expecting the situation to escate into a full-blown conflict.

  Seeing this, the amazons seemed unfazed, if anything, more exhirated than before. Their joy only intensified when another voice joined the fray.

  “While I respect the customs of the amazons,” a woman announced, entering from the opposite side, through the dispersing crowd, her sword already unsheathed and followed by her maid. “I cannot permit you to continue your usual practices in a settlement under our control. I urge you not to strain our newfound alliance due to impatience.”

  The standoff didn’t even st a second. Everyone moved, and I shifted Shadow 13’s card, but I felt like I was hitting a wall as I struggled to manipute time. Normally, information flowed freely, aiding my actions, but it was different now.

  I had experimented with Ellie’s card, the older of the twin sisters, after New Year's just to see if there were any changes. Although I could still invoke the Blessing, it no longer provided the usual burst of information that followed. I hadn’t thought much of it since the Blessings themselves were straightforward for me to use—until now. Deprived of the usual guidance, my brain was overwhelmed as it tried to process and utilize something I didn’t fully understand, in an attempt to stem time locally.

  The best I could manage was a slight deceleration. Despite my efforts, a fist smmed into my face, jolting me violently back to the ground. The room spun as I y there, still conscious. That blow was clearly meant to incapacitate me.

  As I y there, the options gradually came back into focus as my senses began to return.

  Use a skill.FightRunI shifted my perspective from my prone body to survey the chaos around me. The area had erupted into turmoil. One of the girls, apparently the strongest, had knocked 404 aside as her wire whipped through the area, controlled by the shadows that encased the room. Nysa, the Amazon, had managed to slip through those wires and nd a blow on me.

  The Trailbzers were engaging four of them: Yelizaveta, cd in glowing blue armor, had sent one girl soaring high into the sky with a powerful punch. Esmeralda was entangled in a fistfight, her cloak darting between her punches. Tabitha battled another, her fming spinning staff parrying a barrage of blows enhanced by some form of Blessing. The st four were drawing an opponent outside, interspersing their retreat with attacks. The noble girl engaged the final opponent, with her maid silently standing behind her.

  The two still sitting at the table, seemed as bewildered by the chaos as I was. I empathize with their confusion; I had no idea why I was suddenly the target of a kidnapping either. I had heard of such instances involving men and Amazons, but those were typically high-tier men, and they were notified days in advance. Any man who shied away from such a challenge was not a true man in their view, but they also expected him to be prepared.

  Considering my options, I could use ‘Charm Her Pants Off,’ but the outcome was uncertain. It could potentially overpower her, or it might just result in me being taken away. I could attempt it and reset, but I wasn't sure if the rules of a recollection date applied in the same way.

  Alternatively, I could try ‘My Father Works For That Company,’ but I doubted she would let me utter a word before unching her next strike.

  It looked like I was on my own, facing off against Nysa with only the Princess and Sk?gul the Valkyrie cards as my viable options. My best strategy was to stall with Sk?gul, relying on Grace’s buffs to support the others so we could all hold our ground. We were still within our territory, and I expected the military would soon arrive to defuse the situation.

  However, facing her brought back memories of our previous encounter. Despite my daily training, I questioned whether I had narrowed the gap between us. Had I grown stronger?

  Or would she simply steamroll me again? Observing her, it was clear her Battle Continuation had been active on her for an extensive period.

  Doubt crept in as I considered my own progress.

  Gncing over at the system, who was peeking through her fingers with her hand in front of her eyes, I gave myself a smack.

  My thoughts drifted to the future—where a version of me was confident in his progress, believing he was growing stronger not merely because of reliance on the system. Yet, where had that confidence led me? It seemed only to a pce filled with regret.

  ‘Trust your gut when it comes to your retionships,’ echoed my own voice this time. Why was I pondering her absurd advice? Yet, as I reconsidered the valkyrie's card, I was reminded of her straightforward nature. She was true to her intentions and seemed genuinely keen to serve under me.

  Why was I still hesitant about it all? It baffled me why someone I had just met would be so willing to commit like that, especially without even an exchange of words.

  But did I truly trust her? Yes, I did. Rationally, I shouldn't, but my gut told me she would have my back, even if I never fully grasped her way of thinking.

  Suddenly, a rainbow-like thread extended from inside me to the card in question.

  [Suitable connection, would you like to perform a spirit summon?]

  ‘What is that?’ I questioned.

  [Summon a girl's spirit to aid you.]

  That expnation wasn't helpful, so I activated ‘show hidden secrets.’

  [By locking your field, you can unlock the special summon zone and summon a girl who will utilize her own blessing. She can only use as much mana as you can generate.]

  [In order to be spirit summoned, a girl must have an Affection rating above 500 and her css unlocked. She must also sacrifice her remaining uses to come into py. All remaining uses sacrificed remain attached to you and can be detached to act as mana, equivalent to your current mana capacity. This does count for a combo chain.]

  So, if I understood correctly, I essentially enable her to handle the heavy lifting, allowing me to concentrate on the battle.

  Looking at the system, I asked, “Can you help me out too? Just return anything that gets too far from me to my inventory.”

  “Yes, Father,” she responded, saluting—though I had no idea when she had learned to do that—as she stood up, donning what I could only assume was a determined expression.

  Upon selecting yes, the tranquil scene of the little café with its grassy floor turned pitch bck, then shifted to red as the two fields I had access to closed off. Above them, a new field opened, and a scene from years ago repyed.

  "The maiden of lightning makes her entrance!"

  A bolt of lightning struck the field, her nce embedded in the ground as she looked back at me, smiling before she raised her nce and shield, ready for battle.

  I felt nothing—no surge of information, no overy of Blessings. Yet, I felt more prepared to fight than ever before.

  As time resumed, my armor donned itself and a shield materialized in my arm, elevated by a rune to protect my face just as a kick came crashing into it. A perfectly timed rune deflected the kick to the side.

  I quickly rolled, spinning to my feet, evading a direct kick aimed as a follow-up. As soon as I nded, my body took a ready stance: feet set, shield up, spear at the front, while runes rapidly spread across my body, emitting a soft blue glow.

  [+ 20 Nysa affection points.]

  When our eyes met, I could tell she was enjoying this. It was clear why Amazons were categorized as a violent race.

  As she moved, afterimages trailed her form, swaying left and right as she surged forward, blending feints into her movements.

  I thrust my spear forward, but she ducked low beneath it. With a flick of my wrist and a burst of a rune, I shoot the shaft downward, forcing her to sidestep. She rebounded off her hands, aiming a kick at my hand holding the spear.

  My foot, already positioned forward from the thrust, pivoted, shifting the spear shaft into her new direction. This forced her to abort her kick and twist her body once more, her legs attempting to wrap around the spear's shaft to disarm me. I let go willingly, shifting my back foot into a kick.

  As my spear flew away, she used the momentum to bring her hands up to catch my leg, but as her hands made contact, my leg transformed into lightning, passing through her grasp before solidifying and making contact, unching her across the store, smoke trailing from her hands that had just encountered lightning.

  I smiled, she was not just battling one person now but two. One of whom had been fighting since before the Amazon was even born.

  I resumed my stance, spear back in hand, aware that the runes had finished their work. I flipped my hand, now full of runes, into a throwing position and, stepping forward, hurled my spear like a javelin. It shot forward like a bolt of lightning streaking through the sky.

  Instead of halting, the Amazon let the momentum carry her into a back bridge, allowing the spear to sail over her. But it never made contact with the ground, returning to my inventory just as it passed by her. I reached for the spear again, but it was already jetting forward from my inventory.

  The preservation of momentum was new, but I had no time to ponder it. As I watched the spear miss its target again, the little system raced to catch it, sending it back to my inventory where the cycle restarted.

  My smile widened—it wasn't just two against one; it was three.

  I drew my axe, which quickly filled with runes, differing from those on the spear, and hurled it. It transformed into a rolling vortex of lightning.

  The Amazon regained her footing and managed to maneuver her body around the two rapidly approaching projectiles. Watching the system effortlessly catch both and return them to my inventory, I grinned, curious to see just how slippery she was.

  I drew my sword and a handful of daggers, letting them join the fray in a relentless barrage akin to a repeating railgun. Yet, even with the constant onsught, she was steadily closing in, darting left and right. Her darker skin contrasted sharply with the fshing lightning whizzing by, still unscathed.

  Despite the continued barrage, she maneuvered through until her foot hit the ground, and it was as if her body split apart, disappearing into afterimages. A trail of her duplicates moved through the air, and a rune forced my shield up, intercepting her blow as she reassembled her form.

  I caught my spear, still crackling with lightning, and gripped it by the head, using it like a knife to stab at her arm. The bde sliced into her flesh, causing blood to spray. I let the spear continue forward in my grip, reestablishing my hold, but the expected follow-up strike never came. Instead, Nysa stood there, eyes fixed on me, breathing heavily, the steam from her breath mingling with the air.

  I kept my gaze locked on her, but behind me, I heard the noble girl speak, “Are you done?”

  Nysa addressed me directly, ignoring the girl. “I apologize, I acted rashly. There was something missing, I originally did not pce much importance on it, but after the battle, I couldn't let it go, so I came to find you.”

  Turning to address the noble finally, she added, “I will send compensation to the queen and princess. I will also cover the costs incurred during our exchange,” I gnced back, noting that all the other fights had concluded, our side having cornered the amazons. “In the future, I will not disgrace you with such a shabbily put together group. If we strike it will be with no less than our elite.”

  What I really wanted to say was, "How about you don't strike at all?" but she was already moving away. A small smile pyed on her lips as she departed. Perhaps she deserved a second name on my new list; someone needed to smack some sense into her. Who just walks up and starts a fight like that?

  I paused, realizing I was smiling, probably enjoying the fight as much as she did. Yet, it was concerning that the apparent ck of affection might have been what unsettled her. Hollowing was a grave issue here, and if she was experiencing something simir, I could somewhat understand her turmoil. More troubling, however, was the possibility that others might be affected as well.

  Still, that was no excuse for attempting to kidnap me. I'll say it again—I am not getting kidnapped.

  “Oh, I know this. That is a fg,” the system chimed in, sounding very confident.

  [Date End]

  [Nysa’s Affection has returned to normal.]