I finally decided on another of my skill slots. Near the end of Haru’s life using a sword was almost weaker then just punching people. This was mostly because I put too much force into slicing with the blade and it could snap at the slightest resistance at that speed.

I also started to feel a bit of stress that I needed to work out. So, I picked up a skill called [martial arts] It’s been interesting. Unlike swordsmanship it seems to apply to learning all forms of martial arts including ones that wield weapons. But at a slower rate than the swordsmanship bonus.

Skill martial arts lvl 1

Description: Improved rate of learning martial arts by lvl/2 %

It’s been helpful I look back on some of Haru’s memories and see the way that he moved in order to try to see where things could have been better. He was never officially trained beyond simple moves to work into with swordsmanship so after lessons I started seeing some of the things he could have done better.

It also helped me to just hit something to release some of my stress. Pitching is nice but it just can’t beat the satisfaction of punching something. Eventually it leveled up enough to get its first bonus. It reduces the force felt by my own body by my own attacks which is useful. As long as I regularly practice with attacking, I can hit a wall and my knuckles won’t even become scraped.

The lvl 25 milestone effect doesn’t seem to help weapons though. They still break under the same amount of stress unlike with swordsmanship. This should help with being proportionally more speed based than resilience to deal with the strain on my body.

4 years pass.

I’m 17 sitting in class half paying attention to the teacher half writing up a design for an assassins creed style wrist dagger. I figured a punch dagger or a quick access throwing knife would be beneficial with my current skill set. Distracted in my idle thinking I’m snapped out of my ruminations by a sound. At first, I thought it was someones text alert until I see the blinking light in my vision.

NEW QUEST!

What? Already? SHIT I’m in school I look around gauge my surroundings. First step, run to a defensible position. I start whipping my head side to side like a madman planning a route out. A few of classmates give me a concerned look but I hardly pay attention my route figured out I begin my plan. I stand up and just run out of the classroom at a dead sprint being out of the classroom and to my locker before the teacher even has a chance to say a word. Ripping open a dummy locker I use to hold weapons and other materials that I would get in trouble for it being found.

Mentally checking what type of threat I’d face while I start gearing up, pulling out several throwing knives and strapping them to a bandaleer and pulling out a spiked metal baseball bat from the locker that has a couple of nails welded onto it.

New Chain Quest: Cheer up new student Miho.

…What? What the hell is this! I had to fight zombies before! I had to kill people! I just have to cheer up a girl? That name doesn’t sound familiar! WHO THE HELL EVEN IS IT? I’VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG! I’VE HAD NIGHTMARES! GOD DAMNIT.

I start to quickly load my go bag back into the locker. A quick look around shows an empty hallway thankfully no one noticed me pull out weapons from a locker.

Almost mechanically I start slowly trotting my way back to class.

Mentally I look back the last several days. I recall something on the news about a rape case where a band attacked several students from some other part of Japan. It became a social shit storm because they were released soon afterwords on technicalities in the case. One of the victims was named Miho, but… wait who even are my classmates? A quick mental check pulling up their names I don’t find a Miho. There is a new girl that joined our class three days ago though. The new girls name is Saiki Tomiyo unless…. Oh, right she could have just changed her name since she was in a public case with a band with a lot of fans… we are a dumbass sometimes. Both mental and real me shake our heads at not thinking of that first.

Walking back to the class awkwardly. People give me weird looks. Especially the teacher who’s face is a little red as it looks like they were about to chase after me but I’d returned.

“Young man what has gotten into you? You’re quiet your entire stay here, never cause a problem then suddenly you just get up and run out of the room? What has gotten into your head?” The teacher looks concerned but also annoyed.

“I’m sorry teacher. I received a message from my parents that I misunderstood as an emergency. Once outside I called, and it was just a misunderstanding.” I bow with the boldfaced lie. They seem to be mulling over it for a moment. A quick peek up though shows that they probably believed it as they give a nod.

“So long as this doesn’t happen again. Now sit down and I will continue the lecture.” I give another bow before sitting down. Looking around the room I see ‘Miho’. She just stares at a desk absentmindedly. She has a short black bob cut and round face with glasses and black eyes. I see her eyes just glazed staring into nothing. Haaa this is going to be hard.

After class ends, I make my way over to her desk. God how long has it been since I talked to someone my physical age? Do group projects that I finish on my own count? Shaking my head slightly I go for it.

“Hey um Tomiyo right?” she doesn’t respond at first, then realizes that it’s directed at her.

“-sigh- Just me alone. I don’t want to talk to guys.” She seems to put on a bit of an annoyed face. I don’t really know what I’m doing. Mental me is tossing books around looking into Haru’s memory trying to find something too but he never really talked to people well either.

“Sorry it’s just um you look down and thought maybe… I’d come by see if theres anything I could do?” Sounding more unsure of myself by the end of it. I obviously said something wrong though cause her face morphed from being annoyed to almost shaking with anger.

“Shut up! You’re just another guy. What? Did you lose a bet or something with one of the other guys? Go talk to the depressed girl shes easy right? Take advantage of her or something? GO FUCK OFF. Just… Just ‘kindly’ back off. It’s not like talking to me would make you famous or anything.” A bit too shocked I just stare for a moment. She slowly slumps back into her chair a lot of the other people that still stuck around are staring too.

I try to lower my voice a bit so the other people don’t hear. “Woah woah, um well that answers one thing… Um your Miho right? I saw the news on what happened. Those guys were scum.” Her eyes light up then settle into a deeper glare now. Likely confirming to her that I’m only here because I know she was on the news or that I’m here to gain something from her.

“All men are scum… they…they all think the same thing. I thought they were great, but they were really just the same… just like boys trying to get famous for talking to the girl from the news. Well heres a scoop for you, I’m not famous just because I was there. It’s not like I can get them to talk to you either.” Her round face is in a scowl it looks like she hasn’t slept much in days. Her eyes are clearly puffy from crying a lot. Why is she even in school right now if shes this bad?

“Hey, I don’t really need any publicity I’m famous enough. I’ve already got offers for scholarships for baseball and I have a perfect grade.” Trying to show that I don’t need publicity and a bit of bragging shouldn’t hurt right?

“Oh look at you Mr.Perfect white knight come to save the fucking day.” Okay maybe I said something wrong? She grabs her bag and is clearly annoyed getting ready to leave.

I try to stop her by moving with her. “Hey sorry… I guess I just thought everyone needs someone to talk to sometimes... I’m… I’m not really good at this whole cheering up thing. So, I’ll leave you alone. Just… you know um if you consider wanting to talk, I’d be willing.” Hmm my social skills are bit rusty… I guess that’s what happens when you don’t really talk to anyone in a couple years.

She hits me with her bag as she storms off at a faster pace.

Haaa damn it why is THIS a quest? Why can’t it just be go hit something?

That night I go to my last resort. I ask for some advice from my mom.

“You want to cheer up a girl? That’s news! I mean THAT’S GREAT! Um whats she like? Is she cute?” Mom gets distracted by the idea that I’m finally talking about girls with her. Getting a bit flustered and happy at it all.

“Mom! Relax! It’s not like that anyways… she just looks down and I want to help her out.” Shit that’s not really believable for a 17-year-old to only want to help a girl out when it’s the first time ever mentioning a girl at school before besides comments about them being annoying.

“Sure sure, whats her name?” completely ignoring what I just said nodding eagerly while looking at me. She very obviously thinks I’m into Miho... Damn no way getting around it is there. Was this a mistake?

“Saiki Tomiyo but um… she was recently on the news for an incident in Tokyo. I think she changed her name… she use to be called Miho.” She looks surprised then a little concerned since she recalls the news story.

“Um son I understand you want to help her and all. But she might just be going through a bit of a rough patch in life right now. Sometimes time is the only thing to really heal some things… even then sometimes events can leave marks that trying to cheer them up will just make them even more upset with you… espeshally if you’re a stranger uh guy. No matter how great you are she just doesn’t know you well enough to know that yet.” She puts her hand on my shoulder looking in my eyes. Trying to convey her message as seriously as she can. She cares about me but also cares enough to try to make sure I don’t make things worse for Miho.

“I… I know… But I guess when I saw her staring off, I felt this need to cheer her up.” Also known as a quest that will reward me for doing it. Though seeing her eyes… I feel like I should try to help regardless.

“Well…. If your dead set on helping someone…” she seems to think for am moment. “I’m just happy you’re finally showing an interest in others.” Mom fidgets a bit like shes trying to come up with something to help the situation.

“Well, if you’re going to try to cheer her up, you just have to make her laugh or just days a bit better. Don’t say anything about it stuff that happened. Don’t make any jokes or try to force her to smile. Just do a little something funny each day maybe one day she will smile. It’s not a quick thing to cheer someone up espeshally from something… Like that…But the idea is to just make the days a little bit more normal. No need to focus on the trauma. Don’t ask her about it unless she brings it up first. Just offer to be there if she wants to but please, please, PLEASE son… don’t be weird about it just ask once not every week if she wants to talk about it. It kind of defeats the purpose of making her life a bit more normal if you remind her about it every chance you have.” Hmm she makes some good points; I can’t really rush this type of thing otherwise it would just make her more upset with me. It also shows how much I already messed up things…

Mom pats me on the back “I’m glad you’re doing something just… Don’t make things harder for that girl while you do. I love you but I also don’t want you to hurt someone else even if you have good intentions.” She ruffles my hair a bit then, goes back to making dinner.