LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 3: Charm
'These clothes seem really good...' thought Vahn, checking each article and finding that all but his sandals were S-Rank. He wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but the description made them seem amazing.
(An item's Rank denotes how powerful it is compared to all other items within a Record.) explained Sis. (This highest Rank an item can attain is SSS, with S-Rank being the third-highest and F-Rank being the lowest. So yes, the items you're wearing are of exceptional quality.)
'At the very least, they're much better than a hospital gown...' joked Vahn, exhaling a soft chuckle as he willed his Skill window to open.
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[Chainbreaker]
Rank: S
Passive: Status increases if the wielder is bound, sealed, or feels confined against their will. The increase is proportional to the wielder's stress level or desire for freedom.
[Veil of the Traveler]
Rank: S
Passive: Prevents information about the user from being exposed by skills of a lower rank without the wielder's consent. Increases the effectiveness of concealment and stealth-related abilities.
[Pain Tolerance]
Rank: A
Passive: The more damage the wilder sustains, the greater the effect this skill has on the mind. While it does not inhibit pain, it prevents the wielder from succumbing or losing focus as a result of it.
[Wound Transfer]
Rank: B
Active: Transfers wounds from one target to another willing target. The secondary target will temporarily have its regenerative abilities boosted by 5000%.
[Aura Conversion]
Rank: C
Active: Draw in energy from your surroundings via a special breathing technique, converting a portion into usable energy.
Passive: Increases stamina and passive recovery effects by 1000%.
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'More S-Rank stuff...' noted Vahn, feeling mixed emotions as, while it was always better to be powerful, he would prefer to become stronger. Having so many things handed to him felt...discomfiting.
(You will have plenty of opportunities to grow stronger, Vahn. These are just starting perks and abilities you cultivated based on your experiences in your past life.) explained Sis. (That said, there is one more perk you should be made aware of, a Function that was unlocked when you opened the gift from Klyscha.)
'What is it...?' asked Vahn.
(It's called the Corridor of Intertwining Fates, and its use is to allow you to create and access special areas where you can become more powerful, obtain rare items, and harvest Origin Points.) explained Sis.
'Oh...that sounds convenient...' thought Vahn, who had been wondering how he would accumulate the OP required to make use of the Shop. He didn't have anything he wanted to purchase at that moment, but if it truly included all items that could be found within the Records, he imagined he would be using it fairly frequently.
(Without it, you wouldn't have many opportunities to accumulate OP, as there aren't many monsters in the human world.) affirmed Sis. (There is an abundance in other worlds, but I don't suppose you'll be visiting them anytime soon.)
'I hope not...' thought Vahn. He found the notion of fighting monsters and becoming stronger exciting, but his priority at that moment was to attend High School and hopefully make friends...
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"What a curious child..." remarked a tall, remarkably handsome man with gentle features, long blonde hair, and gem-like eyes, pastel green in color and glistening like polished gemstones. A luminous golden halo hovered above his head, and his slender, almost androgynous figure was garbed in a crimson robe bearing a golden cross, enormous golden pauldrons, and a white, gold, and pastel orange cape.
"He's adorable~" hummed a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a similar shade of blonde hair but slightly curly with fringe bangs that framed her face. Her azure blue eyes drooped near the ends, giving her a somewhat sleepy appearance, but her most prominent features were her voluptuous body, garbed in a rather scant white and gold outfit resembling the robes of a Priestess, and the twelve, pristine, angelic white wings folded behind her.
"And he just appeared out of thin air, materializing in the most secure part of Heaven...?" asked a third figure, a male who appeared to be in his mid-to-early twenties with medium-length hair, messy and black, and his eyes a luminous shade of gold. Like the woman, he also had twelve wings, but they were silver in hue and subtly reflected light. As for his attire, he wore a black and gold surcoat, a white and gold stole, compact, silver and gold pauldrons, and a pair of silver and gold vambraces.
"We may wish to eliminate him as a possible threat..." remarked a fourth and final figure, an exceptionally muscular man with bronzed skin, a bald head that reflected light, and predominately red and gold armor wreathed in vermillion flames. He also had six pairs of wings, orange in hue, but like the first figure, who possessed twelve luminous, golden-hued wings, his were retracted as they caused discomfort to others by being wreathed in the same vermillion flames trimming his armor.
"Oh, come now, Uriel. You can't be serious," protested the sole woman within the group, adopting a pouty expression as she reminded, "We are Seraphim, entrusted with guiding humanity toward salvation. Killing a boy who hasn't perpetrated a single sin because he might become a threat is just absurd."
"I agree with Lady Gabriel," said Throne, the one showing the group Vahn as he sat in place, ostensibly thinking to himself.
"While this boy appears to be human, the protections around his soul are on par with Seraph such as yourselves," explained Throne. "And its purity is comparable to the Creator and the first man, Adam. To kill him without cause or provocation would be an irredeemably sinful act."
"I concur," said the inordinately tall and androgynous leader of the group, Archangel Michael, drawing everyone's gazes as he adopted a faint smile and added, "As Throne suggested, it is no coincidence this boy appeared as we were preparing to conclude our three-way deadlock with Devils and Fallen Angels. It remains to be seen if he's the one our Father prophesied, but he has the potential to become a representative of the new era. To kill him could be the same as severing our path to the future."
"Regardless, I vote in favor of his execution," said Uriel, his expression firm as he stated, "It's better that he dies free from sin than potentially becoming corrupted by it."
"It's unfortunate, but I also believe that to be the course of action..." expressed the silver-winged Seraph, Raphael.
"Such cruelty from my own kin..." muttered Gabriel, wiping a tear from her eye before bringing her hands together in close-eyed prayer and stating, "Our Father would not want this. Therefore, I shall cast my vote in favor of the child's salvation..."
"As shall I," declared Michael, the edges of his smile curling upward as he looked to Throne, appending, "That leaves you to decide the child's fate. I trust you will make the correct decision."
"Then hear us, Great and Noble Seraphim, for we have decided that Vahn Mason is to be free to live outside the purview of Heaven," stated Throne, its voice reverberating with the surrounding space as it declared, "As Our Father and Creator willed so long ago, he shall be free to choose his path and whether to seek salvation. Amen."
"Amen," repeated the four Seraphs, closing their eyes and bringing their hands together in prayer. Uriel and Raphael weren't particularly pleased with the decision, but as they had agreed long ago that the outcome of a vote would determine the operative principles of all residents of Heaven, they had no intention of opposing it. To do so would risk falling, and since their main objective was to protect Heaven and its inhabitants, they would never jeopardize their positions in the pursuit of personal want or because they disagreed with Michael's judgment...
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"I have returned," declared the voice of Throne, causing Vahn to startle as he was in the middle of speaking with Sis. Immediately after, the displays from before reappeared, revealing Throne's eyes as it explained, "We are in the midst of making preparations for you to attend an institution known as Kuoh Academy, situated within the Kuoh Ward of Japan. It is presently under the stewardship of the heiress of the Gremory Dukedom, Rias Gremory, but is regarded as a neutral territory."
"Dukedom...?" asked Vahn, tilting his head to the side as he revealed, "I've never heard that word before."
"It is a Title of Nobility, with the only ranks above it being those of the Royal Family of Hell," explained Throne, followed by a white-backed stone tablet with a blue, sapphire-like screen appearing in the air before Vahn.
"That is a device inspired by a grimoire known as the Greater Key of Solomon," revealed Throne. "Stored within it is a detailed record of all knowledge and information transcribed in the past three millennia. You need only to ask, and it should be able to answer any questions. Please accept it as a sign of friendship between you and Heaven."
Though he was taken aback to receive another gift, Vahn adopted his best smile and replied, "Thank you very much, Mr. Throne. I will do my best to cherish and use it responsibly."
"You are very welcome," hummed Throne, narrowing its many eyes. Then, opening a golden, door-shaped portal a short distance away, it explained, "This portal will take you to the human world. A representative on-site will show you around and help you choose the place you will be staying. Kuoh Academy is currently on what is known as Spring Break, so you have eight days to prepare and acclimate before the start of the new term."
"I understand...and thank you again..." responded Vahn, swallowing hard as he climbed to his feet and approached the door. He felt things were developing too quickly, but while it was probably possible for him to stay in the Seventh Heaven for a while longer, he was eager to experience life outside a lab or sterile environment...
"Go forth, Vahn Mason..." said Throne, its synthetic voice softening into an almost fatherly tone as it added, "And should it please you, be fruitful and multiply..."
"I'll do my best...?" responded Vahn, feeling somewhat confused about the meaning of Throne's words. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be long before he understood exactly what the advanced intelligence meant, but before that, he had to deal with the bespectacled, raven-haired woman standing before him in a dark blue blouse and skirt with dark hose. Her blue-black eyes glistened, and she sported a welcoming smile as she looked at him, but Vahn couldn't help feeling taken aback.
(As I explained, the people who inhabit the Records are bound to look different from those you interacted with in the past.) reminded Sis.
'Right...' responded Vahn, closing his slightly open mouth. He had nothing else to compare her to, so as far as he was concerned, the woman before him was the most beautiful in the entire world. Her raven-black hair, fixed in a tight bun, glistened in the light, and though she was wearing makeup, everything from her facial structure to her physical proportions appeared more in line with a Goddess than a human being.
"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Saint-dono," said the woman, folding her hands over her lap and offering a courteous bow as she revealed, "My name is Takahashi Fumiko, and I've been selected to be your handler until such a time as you deem my services unnecessary."
"I-It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," responded Vahn, hurriedly mirroring the much older woman's actions, causing her to beam like a girl half her age. She wasn't sure how old Vahn was, but she had never seen such a handsome and innocent boy. The latter had yet to see himself in a mirror, but to Fumiko, he looked like a vulnerable young bishonen wearing cosplay. The average Charm within the Record was only 23, so at 51, Vahn was on the same level as celebrities famed for their appearances without his knowledge...
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