Akihito Yamada POV
[Get Your Revenge on Your Former Friends!]
[Objective: Confront the ones who betrayed you, punish them mentally, physically, emotionally.]
[Reward: +500 XP]
[Mystery Box]
[Title: "The Punisher"]
[Penalty: Emotional Suppression Debuff for 48 hours if you back down.]
I stared at the quest screen, a cold smirk tugging at the corners of my lips.
"Well," I muttered "guess it's time I made good on my promise."
I knew they usually hangout at the Dead End Caffe bar in the lower ends of the city after school was over so that's where I'd be heading.
First though I'd need a disguise.
I searched around my closet until I found a matching black pair of pants and shirt.
I quickly threw them on before taking the [Nameless Holy Shroud] from my inventory and wrapped it around my head into a makeshift hood/scarf.
It would be useful for it's stealth effects especially since I didn't need any of them spotting me before I made my move.
I stepped in front of the mirror looking over my reflection.
The all-black outfit clung lightly to my frame practical and forgettable.
The shroud cast a shadow over my eyes and for the first time I didn't even recognize the person staring back.
I shake my head, I had a job to do.
.
.
.
The walk to the Dead End Caffe was brisk the further I got into the city's underbelly the fewer people paid attention.
The perfect kind of place for a secluded confrontation.
When I reached the alley behind the bar I scaled a rusted fire escape and crouched on the rooftop edge waiting for the right moment.
[Stealth Lv1 — Passive concealment activated]
Through the second-floor window I spotted them inside laughing like they hadn't betrayed me.
Ryuu the loudmouth leader who suggested that they backstab me that night.
Kei, the spineless follower.
Then there was Miki… the one I'd thought was a friend but in actuality is a greedy bitch.
I felt my jaw tighten and a dull throb echoed from my clenched fists.
[Warning: Emotional Instability Rising][Suppression Debuff Imminent if Quest is Abandoned]
Who said I was going to back down system because I wasn't.
I reached into my inventory, gripping the Dagger of the Magus Killer.
I dropped down quietly and slipped in through the back. The shroud masked my presence just enough to get me within earshot.
Their laughter died when the lights flickered, and I stepped into view the red hood casting my face in shadow.
"Yo," I said, voice flat "remember me?"
Kei went pale immediately.
Ryuu stood up with a sneer, "Aki? How the hell—"
I threw a chair across the room which kind of took me by surprise a bit as well since I was never able to lift a heavy chair like that with only one arm.
It shattered against the wall behind him cutting his sentence short.
"Shut the fuck up!"
The room went silent.
Kei tripped over his chair scrambling backward, Miki pressed herself against the bar, and Ryuu stupid, arrogant Ryuu tried to puff up and step forward.
"Look man—"
I moved.
He didn't see the punch coming.
The sound of my fist connecting with his jaw cracked through the air like a gunshot. He staggered back crashing into the pool table behind him. Before he could recover, I was on him driving my right knee into his gut then slamming his face against the felt edge of the table.
[Skill Acquired: Brawler Combat Style LV 1]
Kei made the mistake of charging me from behind. I twisted, grabbing his wrist and wrenching it back until I heard the ligaments strain.
He screamed.
"I was your friend, Kei," I said, twisting harder. "I shared what little I had with you."
"P-Please—Aki—" he sobbed.
I flung him against the jukebox with enough force to knock the wind from him.
Miki tried to run.
I threw the dagger handle first.
It struck the wall just past her head pinning her in place by fear alone.
"Sit. Down." I growled.
She obeyed, trembling.
[Skill Acquired: Killing Intent LV1 - Activated]
Ryuu groaned on the ground, coughing up blood I grabbed him up by the collar and dragged him to his knees, eyes wide and dazed.
"You stabbed me left me to die like garbage," I hissed, pulling back my hood so he could see my eyes.
There was no kindness in my stare anymore nor warmth just that burning intensity they had ignited themselves.
"I should kill you here and now, one placed knife in the liver would do it real slow."
Ryuu whimpered.
"But I won't," I said, voice low and cold "not if you do one thing."
He looked up, trembling "a-anything… what do you want?"
"Every single yen you stole from the store I want all of it, you hand it over and we will never see each other's faces again."
Kei and Miki looked at each other, panic etched in their expressions.
"I don't care what you have to pawn or sell—if I don't get my money back, I won't come back to talk next time."
I leaned closer.
"I'll come to finish it."
They scrambled.
Purses, wallets, hidden stashes under the counter.
In less than two minutes they piled everything into a torn duffel bag.
[Quest Update: Funds Recovered — 498,000 yen obtained (3,362 Dollars)]
[+500 XP Earned]
[Obtained Title: "The Punisher" — Intimidation effectiveness increased by 25%. Enemies below your level are more likely to flee or surrender.]
[Obtained: Mystery Box — Item added to Inventory]
"I'm not the same guy you betrayed," I said grabbing the impaled Dagger from behind Miki before moving over to the doorway "but I'll give you one gift I'll let you live with what you did… and what you saw tonight."
The lights flickered again as I disappeared into the darkened alley leaving them behind me.
[Penalty Avoided Emotional Suppression Debuff Cancelled.]
[Stealth Skill Has Leveled Up!]
[Stealth Lv2 — Movement softened. Detection radius reduced by 20%]
[Passive bonus to surprise attacks increased.]
The cold night air met me like an old friend as I emerged from the alley my breath came slow and steady. I flexed my fingers still tingling with adrenaline and slid the Dagger of the Magus Killer back into my inventory with a flick along with the bag of money.
A smile ghosted across my lips but it wasn't one of joy.
It was satisfaction.
"System open up the mystery box," I ordered as I discreetly moved around the dark streets of Fuyuki City.
[Opening Box]
[Obtained! 10 System Points]
I blinked.
[System Points: 10][New Feature Unlocked — System Store Access Granted]
A soft chime echoed in my ears as a glowing blue tab opened to the side of my vision, expanding into a minimalist interface with clean categories.
[→ Physical Enhancements]
[→ Skills & Techniques]
[→ Items & Equipment]
[→ Passive Abilities]
[→ Mystery Items (Gacha Style)]
"Man this really is like a video game," I muttered with a grin.
-end of chapter two-
Thoughts so far? Also stones and reviews are appreciated.