"Could you come again? I didn't get you last time," the shop owner said, leaning over the counter.
"I said I'm looking for a katana," Felix snapped. "You know—those long, thin, sharp swords used in Japanese myths?"
"And what makes you think we have those here? After all, we're not in Japan, are we?"
"Hey, with all due respect, sir, I am a customer. I have the right to buy and acquire any weapon my heart desires. If not, I should get going."
The owner paused, his eyes scanning Felix with newfound intensity. Could this kid be a disciple? No. I know every disciple of every ranked Exorcist in this zone. But how does he know? I don't remember any high-ranked Exorcists having interest in it... let alone knowing I was in possession of that blade. Unless...
"He sent you, didn't he? Your master."
"Seriously," Felix muttered, "what is this dude on about?"
"Look, mister, I just came looking for a katana. You got one or not?"
"Don't play dumb with me. You're his disciple, aren't you? The Hell Samurai."
Felix rolled his eyes. I don't even understand why the system brought me to a guy this dense. Whatever. I'll play along.
"Yeah, what if I am his apprentice? Why does that matter? I came here for business. So, let's do business," Felix said, his impatience pushing him over the edge.
"I like how you think, kid. I'll give you the katana, but you have to gamble for it." The owner smirked. "So, what do you say? Are you willing to play a game?"
A game? Is he for real right now? "Which game?"
"A simple one," the owner replied, sliding six identical wooden boxes onto the counter. "Inside one of these is the weapon you seek. In the others are items of similar size, but nowhere near the same value. Guess the correct box, and the blade is yours. If you are truly who you say you are, you would know the worth of this blade to your master. But if you lose... you keep whatever is in the box you chose. To play, you bet everything in your pockets."
"Deal. I'll play your game." Felix reached into his jacket and slammed his savings onto the wood.
"Eight hundred dollars? Are you sure that's all you've got?"
"What do I look like, an ATM machine to you?"
The owner's jaw tightened. This jackass of a kid. I hope you lose horribly. Actually, I know you will. "Okay. Pick one. If not—"
"This one." Felix pointed to a box before the man could even finish his sentence.
"I am sorry to say this, but you—" The owner stopped. His heart skipped as he flipped the lid. "Wait. That box... no, it can't be possible."
"That's it, isn't it?" Felix breathed.
It was exactly as the System described: a katana with royal black silk wrapped around a crimson-red hilt. The glistering black sheath was etched with vibrant red patterns, a long tail of red silk trailing from the end.
"So, it's all mine now, right?"
"Wait—"
"Sweet. I can't wait to use this bad boy!" Felix snatched the blade and dashed out of the store before the owner could recover from his shock.
That scam of a store owner is probably wondering how I managed to find out which box the katana was in . Even though the wooden boxes where the same in every way.
I could sense a strange presence coming from the box it was in. It was all or nothing actually a true gamble but I still went for the box even though I wasn't sure myself. Is as if the katana called out to me
[SYSTEM UPDATE: SUB-MISSION COMPLETE.]
[REWARD: (MURAMASA) WEAPON MASTERY TIER TWO OBTAINED.]
[AGILITY AND ENDURANCE STATS INCREASED BY 20% WHILE WEAPON IS IN USE.]
Felix felt a surge of heat through his muscles. His physique was tightening, his senses sharpening. Muramasa. So that's your name. I can feel a slight difference in my physique as I am holding the blade but only luck can tell whether it will enough to kill that thing
"I hope you're ready, you fiend. I'm about to rock your world."
He checked his watch: 12:00 AM. He had wasted too much time. He began to sprint toward the docks, his new stats making his feet feel light as feathers. But then, the screen flickered.
[MISSION OBJECTIVE LOCATION UPDATED. REROUTING DIRECTIONS.]
"No! You've got to be kidding me!" Felix yelled. "I just ran a marathon to get here, and you want another one?!"
[TIP: FOLLOW THE ETHER THREADS.]
"Heck no!" He cursed, but his body was already moving. He followed the glowing threads into the dark, heart hammering, lungs burning.
[DISTANCE TO OBJECTIVE: 70 METRES... 50 METRES... 20 METRES. OBJECTIVE LOCATED IN INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE.]
Felix skidded to a halt. He stood tall despite the exhaustion, staring at the massive structure.
"Water Manipulation: RIPTIDE!" a sharp, female voice chanted.
BOOM!
A colossal wave of water erupted, leveling the side of the warehouse in a spray of splintering wood and steel. Felix froze as a figure leaped away from the wreckage, clearly injured, leaving the scene in a blur.
"So, I guess I wasn't the only one hunting you," Felix whispered. He stepped into the ruins. "Remember me, you shit-face monster?"
From the shadows, the creature emerged. It moved with a terrifying, calculated grace.
"Why?" the monster shrieked, its voice vibrating through the very ground. "Why do Exorcists keep hurting Jorogumo?!"
It can talk. Felix gripped the hilt of the Muramasa.Whatever. I'll get answers after it's dead.
He drew the blade. The steel shimmered in the moonlight as he sliced through a lashing spine like bony tendril as if it were soft butter.
"Heck yeah! This weapon is on a whole other level!"
The Jorogumo charged. Its armor was thick, clashing against the blade with sparks of fire, but Felix didn't flinch. Though he had never trained with a katana, the System's mastery flowed through his veins. Every slash was fluid, every parry precise.
"Come on, you stupid fiend! Give me your best shot!"
"JOROGUMO KILL YOU!"
The beast slammed its weight into the ground. Massive spine-tendrils erupted from the earth, catching Felix off guard and launching him high into the sky. He felt the stomach-turning sensation of weightlessness.
Heck no! I'm a sitting duck up here!
The monster leaped, hurtling toward him in mid-air like a guided missile. Felix watched the distance close with terrifying speed. He couldn't dodge. He couldn't move.
Calm down. Focus.
"Not yet... not yet..."
[SYSTEM DETECTING ADRENALINE SPIKE.]
[(MURAMASA)WEAPON MASTERY TIER
TWO MAXED OUT.]
[HOST INNATE ETHER MANIPULATION UNLOCKED: GHOST FIRE.]
"NOW!"
Felix's blade erupted in roaring white flames. He unleashed a whirlwind of slashes. The once-impenetrable armor disintegrated into ash. The monster's limbs were reduced to cinder and smoke before they could even touch him.
They slammed back to earth. Felix stood over the creature, a thick, white aura of Ghost Fire swirling around him.
The Jorogumo made one last desperate struggle, jabbing a regrown tendril into Felix's ribs. He didn't even flinch. The white flames instantly vaporized the limb.
"Farewell, Jorogumo."
The blade moved like lightning. It's head in a split second fell to the ground.
"I won..." Felix staggered, his lungs seizing as the adrenaline began to fade.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: MISSION COMPLETE]
[MISSION: A HEART FOR A HEART HAS BEEN COMPLETED]
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLAIM YOUR REWARD]
"Finally... Yes"
[INITIATING FULL SYSTEM UNLOCK]
Suddenly, a white-hot needle of pain pierced his skull.
"Wait—my eye! ARGH!"
Felix's vision went red. His eyeball ruptured, blood pooling onto the concrete as the "System" tore its way into his very soul.