The Seraphic System
Chapter: 02
(Rebirth)
I slowly woke up with a groan of discomfort, my eyes gradually fluttering open. Immediately, my body was engulfed in an intense heat that made me feel as if I were on fire. Every muscle ached with pain, protesting against the simplest movement.
I pushed through the pain that sent waves of discomfort through every one of my limbs, eventually managing to groggily sit up, with my head spinning and my throat dry.
As I coughed, a harsh rasp escaped my throat, adding to the disorienting haze that clouded my senses.
With bleary eyes, I glanced around the unfamiliar surroundings, knitting my brows together in confusion.
There were multiple screen pop-ups in front of me. I attempted to make sense of my situation and reached down with a trembling hand, grasping the dirt below me.
I suddenly remembered all the events that had transpired and led up to me being here. With the memories coming back to me in flashes, I let out a sigh of exhilaration, all while clutching my head.
I was alive.
The whole gamer thing was real. I had honestly had my doubts, and a part of me had feared I had gone insane. Relief spread throughout my body.
The relief at knowing I hadn't gone completely insane, along with the fact that I was once again alive, made me somewhat relax from my tense state. Now, slightly more relaxed, I remembered how I got here.
I took this time to look through the many various screens that were hovering in front of me.
Skill Gained
[Appraisal] (Passive)
[Allows the user to gain insightful information about their targets, as well as discern their power level and rank.]
Skill Gained
[Light Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Light Manipulation is an extraordinary power that grants its wielder control over the very essence of light itself. Those who possess this ability can shape, manipulate, and bend light to their will, harnessing its radiant energy for a myriad of purposes.]
[Passive effect: Reduces light manipulation cost by 10%]
Skill Gained
[Holy Power Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Holy Power Manipulation is a sacred and divine ability that allows its wielder to channel and control the forces of pure righteousness and divine energy. Those blessed with this power possess a deep connection to the divine, enabling them to shape and direct holy energies for various purposes.
With Holy Power Manipulation, the user can generate and radiate a powerful aura of pure light and divine energy. This radiant aura can inspire courage and hope in allies while striking fear and weakness into the hearts of darkness and evil.
The intensity of this holy aura can be adjusted, ranging from a gentle glow to a blinding brilliance that sears the eyes of demonic entities.]
[Passive effect: Reduces holy power cost by 10%]
My eyes widened at the two new skills. That wasn't bad. Not at all. In fact, this is excellent.
Deciding to test out my new light manipulation skill, I held up my hand and activated the skill.
I felt warmth rush to my hand, and after a bit more concentration, a ball of light formed. Holding out my hand, I sent the ball flying into a nearby tree and left a scorching mark on its bark.
New Skill - Mana Manipulation
[Mana Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Mana Manipulation is the ability to harness and control the fundamental essence of magic known as mana. With Mana Manipulation, one wields the essence of mana as their own. They can reshape the fabric of reality through their command of mystical energies, channeling the raw power of the universe to create, destroy, heal, protect, and kill.]
[Passive effect: Reduces mana cost by 10%]
I looked over the description.
That was pretty easy.
Though that may be due to my prodigy perk or the Gamer system, I honestly didn't know, but I could now feel a new energy swirling inside me and knew I could access it with a mere thought.
I hadn't put that much of my mana into that ball of light, but it was still hot enough to leave blackened burn marks on the bark of the tree I had shot at, which was pretty impressive.
Looking around from my place on the ground, I took in the sight of the vast crater that surrounded me—evidence of my abrupt arrival. My eyes twitched. It was apparent that I was in a forest of some kind.
The large towering trees in the unknown forest jutted high in the sky, stretching towards the heavens. They possessed an intimidating presence.
Their branches twisted and reached out like gnarled fingers, casting eerie shadows upon the forest floor.
Trying my best to peek through the many branches, I was barely able to make out that it was around dusk and would probably start to get dark soon.
The forest around me felt wrong, something that set it apart from any other forest I had ever been in. Even the air was tangibly different from anything I had ever encountered.
As I looked up, a confused frown formed on my face. The sky, instead of the familiar blue hue I had grown accustomed to my whole life, was adorned in a surreal shade of purple, further adding to my confusion.
Where the hell am I?
Staring at the purple sky for a few seconds, it finally clicked, and I couldn't help the bewildered expression that spread across my face. And I also noticed the irony in my question.
I was in fucking Hell.
If I recall correctly, the underworld in DXD had a purple sky, so unless some other unknown dimensions also had purple skies, it was pretty clear that I was in the Underworld.
So I was an Angel, a pretty weak one at that, in a random location in the Underworld. The place where all the Devils and Fallen Angels lived in and to top that off I didn't even know where in the underworld I was.
Such a perfectly fucked up situation.
Great. Just great.
I hope this wacky system of mine has something to offset that massive pile of disadvantage. Speaking of which, what is this screen flickering in fro—
[Quest Generated]
[Quest]
Where am I?
Description: Find your exact location.
Objective: Find your exact location.
Reward: Stat crystal, 500 Credits.
[Accept/Decline]
My eyes twitched at the words on the screen interface.
With the looming threat of the devils, fallen angels, and whatever other creatures lay in wait, it would be nice to at least know why I was transported into the middle of a random forest in the underworld, but I suppose I don't deserve even that much.
It sure would be awkward if some random devil went out on a stroll and found an angel wandering around in the middle of the underworld.
It would be awkward but not the end of the world. Not unless my luck is bad enough for someone really powerful to be that random Devil.
I checked the screen again and raised an eyebrow at the rewards. I decided to ask the system and hoped it would actually answer me.
"Hey, uh, system, are you there?"
[Affirmative.]
"Okay… would you mind explaining the rewards on this quest? Like what is this crystal stuff? I mean, I am not against drugs, but that's not really a useful reward in this situation. I can sort of guess what credits mean, but an elaboration would be appreciated." I asked the floating words in front of my face.
[Status crystals are a usable form of items, granted by the System via quests or rare drops. When used, the user will gain a random attributed stat point in their Status]
[Credits are the currency used by the System. This currency can be used to either exchange for any wares available in the System's Store.]
Huh, that's… surprisingly useful. Me bracing myself for disappointment has now gone to waste.
I was honestly expecting to have to brutally grind my stats to gain power, but that was a nice addition and a store function.
I looked back at the quest and pressed accept. I was going to find out where I was one way or the other, so I might as well get free stuff while doing so.
[Quest Generated]
[Quest]
[Tutorial]
Description: You have just arrived in a new and dangerous world, but you don't know how to use the System. Let us help and give you a basic tutorial on how it works.
Objective: Work out how the system functions.
Reward: 100 Credits.
[Accept/Decline]
"It would have been nice if I had gotten this a little earlier," I said, with my left eye twitching slightly.
I mumbled curses under my breath and clicked the accept button. The world went grey, and all noise abruptly stopped. A large screen hovered in front of me as the world itself seemed to just pause.
[Welcome to the tutorial! Press start to begin.]
[START]
Slightly creeped out by my now completely silent surroundings. I wondered what was going on before I just shrugged and chalked it up to system bullshit and pressed start.
[Step 1. Open your Status. Your Status page allows you to view your progress and stats. To open it, you must simply, mentally or vocally, utter the word "Status".]
"Status?" I said slightly questioningly.
{Name: Kai}
{Rank: 9-B}
{Power level: 440}
{STR: 20
{DEX: 20
{VIT: 20
{MAG: 20
{CHA: 20
Hm. I'm going to need to start working on those stats.
I had nothing to go off of, but since I was just starting, but because of that ignorance, it was far safer to assume that I am weak as hell. Which was probably true, especially in a world full of monsters like this one.
[Step 2. Next is Skills. The User can access them by using the command phrase, "Skills".]
I nodded, that seemed pretty simple.
"Skills," I uttered the command phrase and watched as a list of all my acquired skills appeared.
{SKILL LIST}
{Download} (Passive)
[Allows the user to download a character from fiction or non-fiction and select one of their skills. Can only download one character at a time. Time spent downloading characters will take time depending on their power level.]
[Appraisal] (Passive)
[Allows the user to gain insightful information about their targets, as well as discern their power level and rank.]
[Mana Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Mana Manipulation is a mystical power that grants its wielder the ability to harness and control the fundamental essence of magic known as mana. With Mana Manipulation, one wields the essence of mana as their own. They can reshape the fabric of reality through their command of mystical energies, channeling the raw power of the universe to create, destroy, heal, protect, and kill.]
[Passive effect: Reduces mana cost by 10%]
[Light Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Light Manipulation is an extraordinary power that grants its wielder control over the very essence of light itself. Those who possess this ability can shape, manipulate, and bend light to their will, harnessing its radiant energy for a myriad of purposes.]
[Passive effect: Reduces light manipulation cost by 10%]
[Holy Power Manipulation] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Holy Power Manipulation is a sacred and divine ability that allows its wielder to channel and control the forces of pure righteousness and divine energy. Those blessed with this power possess a deep connection to the divine, enabling them to shape and direct holy energies for various purposes.
With Holy Power Manipulation, the user can generate and radiate a powerful aura of pure light and divine energy. This radiant aura can inspire courage and hope in allies while striking fear and weakness into the hearts of darkness and evil.
The intensity of this holy aura can be adjusted, ranging from a gentle glow to a blinding brilliance that sears the eyes of malevolent entities.]
[Passive effect: Reduces holy power cost by 10%]
[Mokuton] (LVL: 1/20) {Novice}
[Wood Release (Mokuton) is a Nature Transformation Kekkei Genkai, a combination of Earth and Water Release. It was famously used by Hashirama Senju.
At its simplest, Wood Release allows the user to create wood, essentially converting their chakra into a source of life.
At its greatest, mighty trees of various sizes and shapes can be created. The Wood Release was also equally famous for its power to manipulate, suppress, and/or absorb a target's energy.]
[Passive effects: Enhanced chakra, natural affinity towards Earth and Water]
I scanned through my skill list and frowned in thought.
I was going to have to work on levelling them all up soon. Especially the Mana Manipulation and Mokuton. Those are my probably most important skills right now.
[Step 3. One of the most important System functions is the inventory. To enter your inventory simply use the command phrase "Inventory"]
"Inventory"
A new screen appeared and I looked over my inventory space with mild intrigue, noticing my newly purchased blade safely placed in there.
Out of curiosity I decided to withdraw it and watched with slight fascination as a dark swirling portal appeared. With hesitation, I slowly put my hand in, and felt the handle of a blade.
I tried to pull it out, and realised with fascination that I could actually pull it out.
That was perhaps the coolest thing I have ever been capable of doing.
Suppressing a huge amount of impatience and excitement at the prospect of pulling swords out of space rifts, I decided that I could play around with Murasame later and should focus on finishing this tutorial for right now.
I released the katana handle and pulled my hand back out of the rift, watching with curiosity as the portal closed as soon as I withdrew my hand.
[Step 4. Active Quests. This feature will allow you to look at all your active quests in a list format. To open this feature use the command phrase "Quests"]
'Quest'
Honest to its brand, just as the system had stated, a new screen popped up with a list of my current active quests.
{Quests}
[Quest]
Tutorial
[Quest]
Where am I?
Eh.. Neat? I guess. It's useful, sure, but nothing groundbreaking.
[Step 5. Final function: Shop. The Shop is a place where the user can purchase items from the gamer system in exchange for credits. To open the system shop use the command phrase "Shop"]
"Shop."
Instantly, a wide assortment of items and skills appeared in front of me, presenting me with a virtual shop of infinite possibilities. The array of items and choices before me was nothing short of amazing.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the top right corner, where a glowing golden symbol caught my attention. It emitted a captivating radiance that couldn't be ignored, indicating a collection of limited items for sale.
The words "50% off" adorned these items, but unfortunately, they were still well out of my price range.
That was the only downside to exploring all the choices the system's shop presented me. I noticed that everything powerful was extremely expensive.
Seeing the prices in the store made me realize it was going to require an ungodly amount of grinding to achieve. I suppose it was fair, though, since some of these items could break DXD.
Out of curiosity, I searched for the Akame Ga Kill Murasame sword I had purchased and gaped at the price: 250,000 credits. I had to recheck to ensure I saw the price tag correctly. I couldn't believe it; I got it for free.
It suddenly made the credits I was getting from my quests seem much less impressive than I had thought.
Thinking about it now, the price was kind of understandable. Being able to stop people's hearts in one cut was pretty strong, even if it wouldn't affect many stronger beings that would require more cuts; it was still a good starting weapon.
However, as I looked through the various weapons available, I realized that Murasame was actually one of the cheaper swords. All the truly good swords were much more expensive, which made sense. That's why I had gotten Murasame.
Some people may not find it impressive like I do, but all the other truly overpowered swords were extremely expensive.
Murasame was definitely a good starting weapon for me. I decided to stop exploring the shop since I had other things to do, and wasting hours being shocked by the prices of various abilities was not a good use of my time, especially when I was stuck in the underworld.
Now, having finished the tutorial, a new notification popped up.
{Tutorial Finished!}
[Quest completed!]
Rewards:
100 credits gained
[Congratulations!]
The world suddenly unfroze once more. The colors returned to the world, stripping it away from its prior gray state, and the sounds came back as well as if someone had just unmuted the world.
I felt the wind that had ceased altogether come back and blow gently through my hair. I looked around and finally decided to get up from my previous position on the ground.
I brushed off all the dirt that had landed on me, now noticing the white kimono I was dressed in, which was oddly comfortable. I guess the system isn't heartless enough to leave me butt-naked.
I did a few stretches in it and moved around.
The white kimono I was wearing seemed to fit me perfectly and didn't interfere with any of my stretching, making it pretty easy to move around in.
This was my first time wearing a kimono, and thus, it was a new experience for me. I was brought out of my childlike curiosity about my clothing by a loud growl that made my blood flow faster.
As the inhuman guttural growl pierced the stillness of the air, a shiver ran down my spine, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
This was my first encounter with another living creature in my life, and I had to say it wasn't going great, judging by the inhuman hate that I could see coming from the eyes that shone through the darkness of the canopy.
From the aforementioned darkness, a monstrous form emerged, its two bestial slitted eyes glaring at me as if my very presence pissed it off.
I fixed my gaze upon the creature that was walking toward me.
A wolf-like beast with fur black as the night itself. Its eyes, crimson and baleful, bored into my very soul, sending a chill coursing through my veins.
Say what you want, but as a formerly normal human, that was terrifying. As if emerging from the nightmarish realm itself, four additional sets of glowing eyes glimmered menacingly behind what appeared to be the alpha.
The sheer size of the alpha wolf was staggering, dwarfing the size of a fully grown lion. Its colossal form towered over the rest.
It seems like my arrival has caused quite the commotion.
Shaking off the feeling of its presence, I scoffed and glared right back at it.
I didn't get reborn just to die to some shitty animal. I had already died, and I had to say death was boring as fuck. I decided to use appraisal to estimate how fucked I was.
'Appraisal'
{Name: None}
{Title: Alpha Shadow Wolf}
{Race: Shadow wolf}
{Power level: 500}
{Description: The shadow wolves are notorious for their ability to blend into the shadows and sneak up on their prey. Additionally, they can shadow jump into any surrounding shadows making them an annoying hunter to escape from.}
Hmm, I see. I am very fucked. Nice to fucking know?!
He was above me in terms of power level by a 60, so it shouldn't be too hard to fight him, but the thing is, I am not fighting him alone. I looked at the other shadow wolves starting to creep toward me.
That's the problem with wolves. They always travel in packs.
I decided to use Appraisal on the other wolves to see if they would be a problem.
{Name: None}
{Title: None}
{Race: Shadow Wolf}
{Power level: 370}
Okay, that was… manageable.
I honestly didn't know if I could take them, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to outrun them.
In a flash, I brought my left hand out and formed a light spear. It was crude, a testament to my inexperience with light manipulation, but it would do for now.
I quickly launched it at the alpha but frowned as he dodged, and it instead hit the shadow wolf behind him.
I instantly backed away, as that seemed to have pissed them off even more; they all snarled and charged at me. I quickly formed another light spear, throwing it at one of the approaching wolves and hitting it in the shoulder.
I really needed to learn how to aim better. I had to dodge as the alpha was already on me, its teeth snapping shut where I had just been. I quickly started to dash into the forest, hoping to gain distance as another crude light spear formed in my outstretched hand.
The wolves behind me weren't letting up in the slightest. I threw the light spear again, managing to hit one of the lagging wolves; it went straight through its skull, making it drop dead.
Light Manipulation leveled up!
20 Credits Gained
Luckily, the other wolf I hit seemed to be lagging behind its fellow companions due to the pain, which was good. I grinned as I started to feel my blood pumping.
This was fun in a strange way I couldn't comprehend. I felt alive. My life had been so boring, and now here I was, fighting shadow wolves.
I couldn't dwell on my excitement for long, as the alpha shadow wolf charged in front of me, and I had to duck just in time to narrowly avoid its maw tearing out my throat. I held up both of my hands this time and formed two light spears in each hand with some difficulty and concentration.
I threw one at the alpha as he dodged again, and it hit a tree. I threw the other at the nearest shadow wolf, other than the alpha, and it went straight through its skull with a spray of blood, causing it to slump over.
Dead.
20 Credits Gained
I finally started to feel winded, as I had been running at full speed for a few minutes. I was going to need to work on my stamina.
Coming up to a clearing with a lake, and more importantly, no shadows, I created and shot another spear of light at a shadow wolf, realizing that the alpha wasn't going to go down with one like the others.
The shadow wolf barely avoided it and got a cut along its side that started to bleed.
Finally out in the clearing, I stopped and turned around, watching the shadow alpha and the last two wolves behind him. One of them was the one I hit earlier that was half limping and growling.
I opened my inventory, grabbed Murasame by the hilt, and pulled it out with ease. I felt myself panting slightly. I had been running faster than any human could hope to run, and it was easy to maintain, but that didn't do anything to detract from my savage grin.
I looked down slightly, not letting the wolves out of my sight, but admiring the beauty of Murasame in my hands.
The blade extended through the hilt, ensuring optimal balance and a solid, unyielding structure.
Meticulously hand-polished to perfection, Murasame shone. The expertly crafted Yokota, where the edge transitions to the point, featured a sharp and defined edge that added to the sword's allure.
Its razor-sharp edge glimmered. Adorned with a vibrant red handle, Murasame radiated death. The hilt was designed to provide a comfortable and secure grip.
Completing the ensemble, the sword was accompanied by a matching red sheath, crafted with meticulous attention to detail. The sheath prevented it from cutting anyone.
The blade had a subtle, almost ethereal, purple glow emanating from its surface, ready to kill anything it cut.
I focused my attention back on the shadow wolves, getting ready with Murasame in my right hand. I extended my left arm and formed a light spear.
There were a few seconds of silence as both the wolves and I prepared to attack before I launched the spear at the injured wolf. It was too injured to dodge properly and got its throat impaled by the attack.
20 Credits Gained
The other wolves growl and charge me as I run towards them. I barely avoid a slash of the alpha's claws before I dash to the side and go after the other wolf. It jumped towards me recklessly due to its lack of intelligence.
I was able to duck and with a swing of my blade slash its right side. I was about to back away only to be slammed by the tail of the alpha. The force sent me skidding back.
That hurt. I watched with fascination as the wolf I had cut gained markings over its body before it simply slumped down. Dead.
That cut would have hurt it but it wasn't a killing attack. Well, at least it seemed the blade worked as advertised. I hissed slightly from the pain from the alpha attack.
20 Credits Gained
I was lucky that these wolves were pretty stupid or I suspect I would have had a much harder time. The alpha looked beyond enraged. It let out a loud roar and charged at me.
I ran with Murasame gripped firmly in my grasp and formed another light spear. I launched it at him as he swiftly dodged and I barely ducked under a slash of his deadly sharp claws.
Dashing back as he came down with a nasty bite. Hoping to rip my throat out. I sent another light spear flying at him and frowned a bit as I felt my mana reserves start to get low.
The giant alpha came at me and I barely avoided its bite but gritted my teeth as it instantaneously swiped its deadly tail at me at the same time.
Forcing me to block with my arms and launching me back a few yards. It seemed I couldn't underestimate this one. He was smarter than the others. I could see the gleam of Intelligence in its eyes.
I looked at my forearms which were bright red from the nasty attack and instead of being angry I laughed. I gave the alpha a vicious smile that seemed to make it take a step back. I launched myself at it with renewed vigour and intensity. Slashing my sword in a wide arc at it.
I quickly avoided the tail bash and dashed to the side avoiding its deadly claw swipe. With the side of its torso exposed I brought up Murasame and with a heavy slash of Murasame, cut through his torso.
Watching as the sharp blade easily cut through its flesh I grinned. Victory.
Instead of facing it I simply put my blade back in its sheath and back into my inventory as I glanced back over my shoulder and saw the strange symbols like before spread over its body as he dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Murasame was definitely a good starting weapon.
50 Credits Gained
I let out a breath of exhaustion. I was pretty exhausted. Fighting a bunch of shadow wolves wasn't as easy as it seemed.
I would have to be more careful from now on. It was lucky those wolves were around my level of power and weren't that smart except maybe the alpha or I seriously would have been in trouble.
Sitting down for a few minutes I had a small rest, letting my adrenaline settle down after the intense battle, I felt myself grow extremely tired. Just as I went to get up a new screen appeared.
Through intense physical excursion, you have gained.
1 DEX Gained
1 VIT Gained
1 MAG Gained
Well, that was certainly easier than I expected. Looking over at the river I got up and walked over towards it and looked into my reflection.
As I peered into the still waters of the lake, my breath caught in my throat at the sight that greeted me. The reflection staring back at me was nothing short of astounding.
The system had promised that my appearance would be handsome, but what I looked like exceeded all expectations.
A pair of mesmerising hazel eyes locked with mine, radiating a captivating allure that seemed to draw others in.
They held a depth and intensity that I hadn't possessed before. It was as if the very essence of charisma and magnetism had been bestowed upon me.
The aristocratic contours of my face revealed chiselled features that could rival those of sculptures. My jawline was strong, with a perfectly symmetrical face that seemed almost otherworldly.
Every detail seemed carefully crafted, a testament to the system's meticulous attention to perfection.
Strands of silky golden hair cascaded effortlessly, framing my face in a way that accentuated my features perfectly and added to the air of superiority that surrounded me.
It was as if even the simplest movements of my hair exuded elegance and grace. As I absorbed my new appearance, I noticed it held an aura of superiority that seemed to emanate from my very being. I wasn't even trying to look that way and It was a strange sensation.
it was as if an invisible crown rested upon my head, bestowing upon me an innate sense of authority and power.
Was this the allure perk, subtly influencing those around me without my conscious effort? That was certainly interesting, to say the least.
I touched my face to confirm that it was my face. I must admit I was pretty fucking shocked at my appearance. I looked down at my kimono and noticed it was still intact even after the two attacks I had suffered from the alpha.
That was good. I would hate to have to go running around naked like some sort of Tarzan wannabe. Swinging around branches and shit. Even if Tarzan was pretty awesome.
The only unfortunate thing about my appearance was my age. Even though I looked amazing, I looked to be about 14 years old. Which was annoying since I seemed to have de-aged.
I could only imagine how much they would grow as my stats grew but leaving that aside I need to find somewhere to rest. I felt another wave of tiredness hit me. My eyes started to feel dreary and I knew I was exhausted.
Just as the weariness began to settle in my bones, I cast my gaze upwards, my eyes drawn to the towering giants that enveloped me.
With a surge of strength, I propelled myself upward, relying on every ounce of strength within me to ascend onto one of the colossal branches that reached towards the sky.
I felt strangely tired, perhaps a side effect of just being reborn. I doubted walking around what was apparently a supernatural forest would do me any good, especially if I was half-asleep.
It would have to serve as my makeshift resting place for now.
Perched upon the sturdy limb, I settled myself as comfortably as possible. With a sigh, I let my body relax, feeling the strain of my recent exertions weigh upon me.
My eyelids grew heavy, and my mind surrendered to the call of sleep.
I felt rushing anything else while I was tired wouldn't be a good decision.
With that in mind I allowed myself to drift away, succumbing to the exhaustion that permeated every fibre of my body.
This was going to be fun.
-END-
AN: If you have any suggestions for the story please let me know and if you have anything you don't like.