Imagine Dragons - Bones

POV Valentine

I have decided to stop entering spirit form... almost completely. Something goes wrong with me when I spend time as a disembodied blob of consciousness. I become able to process information like never before and see things in a new light.

However, everything and everyone become numbers to me. Just plain numbers in a complex equation. Numbers are just that, numbers. They can be treated as such without hesitation... But, they aren't numbers. They are people.

"Fucking DEMON, I should have seen it coming. How did I not suspect anything wrong with getting a boon? Just a useful access to manage the HQ..."Ha! It's actually turning you into a psychopath! Hehe~ sorry about that!" Well, fuck you!! And your fucking HQ with its soul fuckery! Fuck!"

.... ... .. .

The next few days I've spent most of my nights as a normal person would. I can safely do short dives for five minutes to complete a task, but then I pull out immediately before my mind has a chance to focus on anything else.

"Haaa...it was so liberating to have a clear head for five whole hours. Now it's down to only five minutes a day."

'Was I a person that would plan ways to "dispose of" people I don't like? Hmm...that ...actually sounds about right. I just never had the means, guts, motivation or a clean getaway. It was just a momentary fantasy of a tired mind.'

I put away those thoughts into another dark corner, labeling the box as maybe-usefull but hazardous material, and ignore its existence from now on. A new day is in full swing, can't be lazing around when I've got training to do.

Throughout my day, I can't help it but think back on the HQ statistics, or more precisely on the mana gain. It has dwindled. Around a thousand mana points are pulled out of the dungeon each day on average. Mostly done by Juliana who is actually putting in the hours and a few random people who want to smash monsters around. The rest are more focused on training their followers and attending the academy.

'I will need to find a more efficient source of mana. Then again, I need more mana to do that. Ok... don't think about it. Soon, there will be over twenty people filling up the mana batteries. These investments will give slow and steady returns, just relax and chill out for a week... or a month... .'

I'm worried that the new gate address might end up on a hell planet. Statistically speaking, it is the more likely thing to happen if you consider the ratio of uninhabitable planets to earth like ones. The odds are stacked against me.

"I should cut down my time in spirit form to four minutes. I'm getting bogged down by the numbers again."

I've decided to believe that the HQ has some sorting function going on and is displaying a list of perfectly suitable places for me. There is no point in overthinking it when the only option is trial and error. It's much better to focus on regulating my breathing as I lift increasingly heavier weights.

I'm far from bench pressing a hundred kg, but twenty on each side are putting a good burn on my muscles after doing it for a few minutes. With an empty mind and BGM blasting from the speakers, I methodically train every part of my body.

"???: Hello. Umm Mr. Keeper? Can I have a moment?"

'Tfjt fffu!!!? Fucking hell!'

I got started by one of the new girls. It must be late already, as they were supposed to go on an expedition late in the evening. I've got no idea who this is exactly, but I remember seeing her along with the others.

"Valentine: .. Sorry, I was lost in thought. How can I help you?"

The short and slightly chubby girl doesn't look to be the violent type, so I calm down from the momentary fright. Seeing the other party being nervous also feels nice, it doesn't happen often to me.

"???: I'm Chika. I was wondering if you could give me advice on enchanting gear and creating magic items. Like a magic staff or an item bag, maybe single use talismans with stored spells in them? Is there a beginner item I should start grinding from?"

'To hell with you!! If this shit was so easy, I would have begun doping myself with food buffs that give +100 to all stats from day one! WTF are they promising to these idiots?!'

I'm floored by the magnitude of sheer fucking hubris on display. The girl wants to bend space in order to create an item bag during her first month of training!

"Valentine: ...The others did tell you that "magic" is difficult and that you are basically pioneers, right?"

"Chika: .. Umm, yes. I just wanted a second opinion on things. I mean, they can do fantasy like things, so it stands to reason that I can create something magical too."

'...hm. I can honestly see where she is coming from. It's a load of bollocks, of course.'

"Valentine: I'm likely going to sound like everyone else, but that's my honest opinion... . Set an unreachable goal, then image an unending ladder leading up to it. Take a step and keep on going to the very end. Start with a match. Feed it your mana in a controlled way, then stabilize it so that it doesn't disintegrate in your hands. It's small enough that you don't need any tools to work on it, so focus your imagination solely on the match. Create a tunnel for mana to pass from the bottom to a conversion point where it will produce heat from friction. That is already four steps for your first magic item. Try a toothpick next, do the same but enlarge the friction point so that it can set fire to more mass. That's another two steps. You've got a practical physics club, pay them a visit and try replicating some of those phenomena. Build upon what knowledge you have available until you reach the point where YOU dictate what is possible and what is just a step away. But, please consider that this will take time. Truly ungodly amounts of time and effort."

'BS of anime world proportions. Hopefully, this gets her to go away and bother somebody else. I sure as hell wouldn't know shit about magic, I can't even properly cook magic food!'

"Chika: Yeah... that would be better than hitting my head against a wall. Thanks for the confirmation, I'll first start working on my mana control."

I'm a sweaty mess, so we didn't prolong our little chat and parted ways. I still have to go through a few exercises before finishing up for the day.

..... .... ... .. .

Days pass one after another with little variation in them. Same routine, same work, same training, same food, same life. I'm growing bored of the monotony of it all and start going out to the city. It alleviates some of my boredom, but what truly bothers me is the slow pace of my improvements.

I haven't stepped into the dungeon. Not in this body anyway. It gives me the impression of stepping over my own grave and I've chickened out. I'm letting my fighting instincts rust with inactivity.

The new training room is both expensive to operate and feels like fighting in a movie, it just doesn't give the same intense rush of adrenaline like the real thing.

"Valentine: Haaa... Come on, man up and go killing today! You with me!?"

"ca caw"

"Valentine: ...no, not the fish floor. `Sigh. Let's just go fight some carrots and collect veggies on the way back."

It's rather anticlimactic to come back to fighting slimes. They pop with a single stab and deflate just like my excitement. I at least try infusing my mana into the stabs but they literally pop before I can notice any improvements to my attacks. Next I try the carrot-men, but infusing mana into the axe doesn't really work for me. I lose control after it flows too far away from my hands.

"Valentine: Fuck. I really didn't want to do it this way."

In an act of cruelty, I chopped off the monster's arms and legs before getting on top of it and bringing my knife down repeatedly. I'd be mistaken for a serial stabber if someone saw me right now, mutilating the victim. It fundamentally feels wrong.

However... it allows me to test out how to apply my mana in combat, or for torturing giant carrot-men. I'm fairly certain that some emotional damage is dealt to me, but I ignore it and continue my butchering spree for hours.

'Hmm..I need a better handle. Tonight, I'll go into spirit form and try replacing some of my knives for modified versions. This... "training" has potential to improve my skills, judging by the results of today's session.'

At the end of the day, I've got drained of all my emotions and just saw ingredients on a chopping board and nothing more. This shift of perception kicked off my passive skills into overdrive and allowed me to instinctively know how to "prepare" them. I'm not fighting monsters. I'm processing ingredients.

"I should accelerate my plans to find cat girls, otherwise this is going to mentally fuck me up without an outlet."

I should be calling it a successfully delve, with 300 Mp gained and skills improved. Instead, I feel dirty and go straight for the hot shower to wash off the blood I've got from a slip of the hand.

'Perhaps using a meat cleaver is a better option to "process" the chickens, and some earplugs would help to minimize the SAN damage I take.'

My clothes were sent to disposal. It didn't feel pleasant to dirty the washing machine with all the gore I've collected over the long hours. I'll need to change up my outfit for something that is both less expensive to replace and provides better protection against liquids.

"I'll buy a bottle of cognac to use as mouthwash. Mm indeed, need to spend some money or else it will rot away."

Of Monsters and Men - Human

POV Mitsuko

"Mitsuko: Anzu, I'm really mean it! It's too dangerous to enroll into Hachimitsu Academy! We should consider another place for you, and I'll try to transfer out of here."

My words fall on deaf ears. It's understandable, really. She hasn't seen the students changing, hasn't felt the heavy air, hasn't heard about the secret gatherings where ancient blood rituals are performed.

"I'm not joking around. There are dangerous things going on below the surface. I don't want any one of us getting involved with it."

"Anzu: Anmitsu, you should try reading less of those fantasy books. ...If you are being bullied, then just say so and I'll knock some fear into them. There really is no need to make up a story."

'It's not like that! Uuugh! Its so hard to be taken seriously when everyone just sees you as the clutz!'

`Knock, knock.

"`Eeep!" `Thud!

I wasn't expecting anyone to come knocking on my door, so I jumped and hit the table out of surprise.

"Kate: Mitsuko? Are you alright? You've suddenly gone off without telling me anything, so I've come to check up on you."

'She is lying! I've told a junior member next to me that I was going outside to stretch my legs before leaving to bring Anzu into my room! She's definitely lying! Why is...oh...She came to silence me before I talk too much! But I didn't tell Anzu anything!'

Before I can get my legs freed from under the low table, Anzu has already gotten up and unlocked the door.

"Kate: Ah, my dance partner. You must be Mitsuko's cousin, Anzu."

"Anzu: Um, yeah. Good to see you again, Miss president. Sorry if Mitsuko ran off on my account."

While I'm panicking about what to do, Kate began to make herself at home and is talking amicably with Anzu.

`Tap, tap. "caw"

"Kate: ... Thank you little one. You may go. ... I've ordered some sweets in case Mitsuko was feeling down, but we may as well share them over tea. I could use a short break myself."

"Anzu: You have delivery birds? Well, call me impressed. I'll set the kettle."

I do my best not to show unease on my face and not to act nervously under Kate's gaze. I fail as soon as she starts whispering to me...

"Kate: We would love to welcome a student that is fully prepared to get her hand "dirty" for the sake of family. There is no need to scare anyone away... ."

I pale at hearing the intonation behind the words and almost start pleading for mercy right there and then. The pressure from her eyes momentary stopped me from doing so, and she continues in a louder voice...

"Mitsuko, I hope that you are recommending Anzu to join our student council. We could always add an extra spot for more capable people to bolster our ranks, and even if not us, then you should mention the USC too."

"Anzu: I don't think that she wants to misuse her position. Anmitsu is a sucker for rules, despite her tendencies to cause collateral damage."

"Kate: Oh, don't worry about that, let me explain the interesting activities in the academy and the benefits of joining our group. I'm sure that Mitsuko won't be against a little gossip among friends."

'Ah... I'm done for. Kate is going to hold Anzu hostage to keep me on a leash... .'

I'm turned into a decorative ornament while they talk. There is no longer any chance for me to interject while Kate is here and I'm afraid that the damage has already been done. Now I'll look like the delusional girl lost in her own imaginary world after reading too many fantasy novels.

"Kate: Well then, it was nice getting to know you Anzu, take your time to walk and look around the campus. The open day hours are quite lax, you can even join our students for dinner with Mitsuko."

"Anzu: Thanks Kate, I think that I will."

Finally, we are left alone in my room. I honestly want to burst into tears and plead that my side of the story is the truth! However, that will be counterproductive. I need to find real evidence to convince Anzu that I'm not playing make-believe.

'Come on Mitsuko! Use that brain of yours! There must be something! Anything!'

With so many people walking around today, I doubt that there will be a single shred of evidence left on display. No, everything must have been hidden away somewhere.

"Mitsuko: We are breaking into the old prison block. Wait here, I'll take the keys from the office while everyone is distracted."

There is no time for talking. I need to act while Kate thinks that I'm tied down in my room. I take the less frequently used corridors to make my way to the ASC office and try the handle. It being locked is a good sign that no-one is inside and I have the keys necessary to get in. I check the locked cabinet. The box with all the keys is well sorted and labeled by myself, but just to be certain that these are truly all the keys available, I check the other drawers for any hidden ones. Finding nothing but paperwork and stationary supplies, I return to my room.

"Anzu: Anmitsu, I think that you've confused our roles. I'm the risk taker between the two of us, and you are the quiet, stay at home, book reading, good girl. ...Is this what you were talking about? Did you completely change your image and are now trying to hide it from me? `Sigh. Even if you have become a delinquent, it doesn't change anything, I won't rat you out to any relatives or anything."

I'm happy that my cousin has my back, however the situation is completely different from what she thinks that it is. Flipping out and emotionally declaring that I'm not crazy would have the opposite effect. Kate hasn't done or shown anything too suspicions, so I can't start blaming her either.

"Mitsuko: I'll prove that there is something going on. You'll see that I'm not making it up and then listen to me. Hmm...you better change into my spare uniform to not stand out. We will use the closest exit and hurriedly walk up to the fence, I'll lock it back up behind us while you open the other doors."

Unfortunately, or in this scenario quite fortunately Anzu has more experience in sneaking around and entering locked areas than I do. She is treating this like another rooftop visit, but without the need to pick the locks. I got too nervous along the way, succumbing to the perceived law breaking that sped up my heartbeat and made me sweat uncontrollably.

'How do people just do this like it's nothing? I'm definitely not suited for a life of crime.'

We go into each and every room before going downstairs. The majority of the renovation looks to be finished and a few of the rooms farther in are filled up with furniture. Another two weeks and this ancient building will become useful once again. The question is...

'Where are the sacrificial altars? The dark chambers screaming mystery? The smell of blood and unspeakable horror? The room full of guns and other weapons? There is nothing here!'

I've checked everything, knocked on walls and floors in an attempt to find hidden passages. There must be at least one secret room in such an old building, likely covered up by the new furnishings.

"Anzu: `Whistle. Is this going to be a new facility for the students? There's even a sauna down here and private rooms for relaxing. Someone has spent a pretty penny to rework the whole place from the ground up."

"Mitsuko: It's both of the student council presidents, or more precisely the families behind them, who are paying. It's going to be a semi open facility for students and staff, with a bit of extra privileges and duties held by the councils. There will be permanent staff employed to provide services and a new club organized around this facility."

'It's also a venue for clandestine gatherings and unholy rituals... according to the rumors that I've overheard.'

We have looked through the whole building. I've mentally checked the footprint, but haven't found any missing area that could be used for a hidden room. Unless it's no bigger than a cleaning supply cabinet.

"Anzu: This was fun. I remember you always turning me down when I had invited you to go on an adventure. It's nice seeing that you are expanding your interests. And don't worry, my lips are tightly sealed."

I'm already absorbed in finding other ways to prove my words true. A direct confrontation would be dangerous and likely useless, or even more likely, it will paint me to be the crazy one. I need something shocking!

'... Maybe I can catch one of the crows and prove that they can move through windows and doors? No, I'll ask one to deliver me something and then ignore its tapping on purpose. It will lose its patience and slip up! That will prove to Anzu that I'm not crazy, and she'll listen to me!'

Anzu locked the doors, and we made a clean escape. After returning the keys, I've tried calling out to some crows sitting on nearby tree branches, but they pretended to be normal wild birds and ignored me. I won't live down this shame for years. Anzu will bring it up every time just to embarrass me.