Chapter 9 - Breaking (1)

  alwaysunqualified

  My mood had been sour since the incident at the training ground, and in an attempt to lift my spirits, my new family decided to surprise me by taking me somewhere. Honestly, I was skeptical about its potential to make me feel better. Last night, I dreamt of my real family once agian, which is why I like to sleep so much. I woke up wondering, if I just took my own life, would the goddess just send me back home.

  I'm at a loss. My initial pn was simply to grow up and somehow find my way back home, but the enormity of that task weighed heavily on me. How long would it take? Would my memories of them fade by the time I managed to return? Was it even possible to go back? These doubts clouded my thoughts, further dampening my spirits.

  "Brother, you're going to love the surprise," Sakura insisted, trying to brighten my mood. She had been apologizing since yesterday, convinced that she was to bme, despite my reassurances to the contrary. She was correct; she knew I was weak for my level, which led her to propose a mock battle on the losing side to demonstrate after my defeat to the kids my level.

  This had nothing to do with her, with any of them really. That was part of the problem.

  I tuned them out, trailing behind. Their attempts at comfort only intensified my discontent. If they were people I could hate, this would all be so easy. However, their unwavering affection since my arrival here complicated my feelings.

  They continued making small talk as we walked until I bumped into Sakura, who had stopped abruptly. Raising my gaze, I noticed the daytime sky darkening ominously, as cracks began to form. Suddenly, everyone around me halted and drew their weapons. The sky shattered like gss, and a viscous bck substance began to seep through the fractures.

  Before I fully grasped the chaos unfolding, Amelia's scream pierced the air. "Run!" she yelled, swiftly handing the twins over to Angelica's protective embrace.

  Miki was abruptly unched into the sky by a bck tentacle, which she attempted to sever with her sword. Amelia intervened, blocking another tentacle aimed at us, but it cost her dearly; her hand was the price.

  Sakura positioned herself defensively in front of me, yet a sinister, goo-like tentacle effortlessly penetrated her shield and her body, continuing to me. It was only Yuno's quick reflexes, pushing me aside, that saved me from a fatal blow. Chaos wasn't limited to us; everyone around was struggling to survive.

  What was my role in all this? Paralyzed, I stood frozen in shock, doing nothing until Sakura's reassuring smile caught my eye, signaling her relief at my safety. Angelica, gripping my hand, prepared to lead me and the twins to safety, offered me a comforting smile. Amelia, too, managed a smile as she rushed to defend Sakura, now under Angelica's healing spell.

  What the hell was I doing! Why couldn’t I move! I need to do something! Anything!

  The tentacles advanced, threatening to annihite what remained of my new family. It seemed unlikely we would survive the day. Then time froze and I still stood there with a prompt in front of me.

  [Who would you like to start a date with?]

  'Where did this come from?' It didn't even register for the first few moments as I stood there, immobilized.

  Alice flew in front of me and embraced my face tightly, jolting me out of my daze. 'It must have been her doing,' I realized.

  I felt her wiping away my tears. Only then did I become aware of my crying.

  My family was facing death right before me; of course, I was crying.

  My family. Yes, they were truly my family. Despite my efforts to maintain a distance, our bonds were undeniable. We shared moments of joy, from pying games to shopping together. When I was disheartened, they reassured me, sometimes even sacrificing their own happiness to lift my spirits.

  I love them. My love for them rivals the love I hold for my original family.

  What have I been doing all this time? Had I been more self-reliant, perhaps my family wouldn't be in peril now. If only I had focused on enhancing my abilities, pying along with the stupid goddess's game, they might not be facing death. I've always known this world's dangers, yet I chose to wallow in my despair. All the stories always felt so fake.

  "Optimism bias," I muttered, a wry chuckle escaping me as I recalled a psychology css. I had thought myself safe, cocooned in a city surrounded by familiar faces, believing nothing as absurd as the sky shattering could ever touch me. It's ironic how reality has a blunt way of dispelling illusions, revealing the thin line between the possible and the impossible. Overcome by this realization, I couldn't help but succumb to ughter, a mix of disbelief and newfound crity.

  "Her game, huh?" I finally managed to quell my ughter, which seemed to stretch on endlessly. 'So, it's all just a game, isn't it? In real life, I freeze up whenever I'm caught off guard, but in games, I'm always in control. Is it about the stakes? I'm not sure, but if this were a game, what would I do?'

  I took a moment to gather my thoughts, pondering, 'if this was a game what would i do? Let's assess my options. What resources do I have at my disposal?'

  The cards. Until now, I hadn't really utilized them, except for the time I used Sakura's card to try and move something across the room, making me feel like a kid again. But from that experience, I learned that I could harness the blessings depicted on the cards as adeptly as their original owners, without needing to think about the mechanics myself. The most potent cards I possessed were those of Amelia and Miki.

  No, that's not quite right; they're my mothers. Perhaps I'll still refer to them by their names, as calling them 'mom' feels odd. Yet, even their abilities might not stand a chance against whatever emerged from the sky.

  “Would you like to use Goddess points to temporarily enable card stacking?” A robotic voice resonated within my mind.

  “Wait, I can do that? What about raising a card tier level?” I asked back.

  “Yes as long as you have the Goddess points necessary. It will take tier * 1000 points per tier you wish to increase.” it responded.

  It seemed my System had gained the ability to communicate directly with me, or perhaps this was a new function unlocked through the use of Goddess points. The voice sounded different from the one I had heard before. This was definitely something to explore further when time allowed.

  Next is my shop, where I've amassed a significant amount of love points. My immediate needs are defensive and healing items. Browsing through the shop, I find a variety of one-time use items, each varying in effectiveness.

  I opt to purchase two temporary mana barriers, each costing 1,000 love points, along with a set of tier 1 potions for 10,000 points. I had wanted to get the flex seal for Sakura, but at 250,000 love points, it was too much.

  [Temporary mana barrier - become stronger the more Love points you put in - once use item st 5 minutes]

  [Healing potion tier 1 - Heals back to a healthy state and has an increased healing rate dependent on the Affection of the person taking it. Can be harmful to those with negative Affection.]

  This appears to be the best purchase I can make; the other items might not be robust enough to withstand an attack from that entity. Five minutes might not seem like much, but it can be an eternity in actual combat. If I haven't won or escaped by then, I'm more than likely going to be dead. The major challenge is deciding whether using half of my points will suffice, or if even deploying all of them would make a difference.

  Upon exiting, I need to be able to utilize these items effectively and survive. Yet, the question remains: how long will these defenses st? If I had more love points, I could invest in something that offers days of protection without the worry of it failing.

  ‘Should I raise my Observe to see if I can glean something about how strong this thing is. It might help with choosing how many love points to put in. No, there's no point. If they are stronger than that then I would not get anything by putting points into Observe but luck on the other hand is supposed to work in all facets of life right?’ With that thought, I decided to invest all my points into luck, hoping it would tilt the scales in my favor.

  [Luck is now level 10]

  [Unlocked date point. You have 0/10 date points remaining.]

  [Unlock Luck based skills]

  [Date a lottery. Use 1 to max date points to start a date.]

  [A date to remember - upgrade a date's rank at no cost. Once a year.]

  'So, my attributes function like skills, enhancing my abilities as they grow stronger. The goddess might have mentioned something about that, but it feels like ages ago, and I can barely recall. If I manage this correctly, I might save everyone, but the monster still poses a threat.' I surveyed the sprawling mass of bck sludge and tentacles, its attack halted mid-assault towards me.

  I posed a question to the robotic system, “What is the strongest person I can get a date with and can you bring them here?”

  "Searching for a match. For 7,000 Goddess points, you can initiate a date with Sk?gul," it proposed. "Initiating a date will naturally draw you together."

  I needed to know, "How long will it take for her to arrive?" This detail would be crucial to my strategy.

  "178 seconds," it calcuted.

  "Excellent, that's within the five-minute threshold. But can she defeat that thing?" I probed further.

  "To determine that, an upgrade to your Observe is necessary. Would you like to spend 500 Goddess points for this temporary upgrade?" it inquired.

  "Yes," I consented.

  After a brief pause, it provided its analysis, "Based on calcutions, Sk?gul should be capable of victory with minimal casualties on our side. The monster ranks at tier 6 in strength, while Sk?gul stands at tier 7, equipped with comparable Blessings."

  "The probability of encountering a stronger void creature is low. The city's cleanup forces are already mobilizing and will arrive in 1,870 seconds. The defensive items you've purchased should maintain their integrity for the full five minutes, provided you allocate half of your avaible love points to each, and assuming there are no continuous attacks," the system informed me, aligning with my hopes.

  Realizing the items would hold provided a great relief, though I recognized I'd need to attract its attention—a challenging yet doable task. "I would've expected a quicker response from the city. It'll take them 30 minutes to arrive?"

  "A tier 32 void monster is attempting to breach the void and must be thwarted to prevent the city's destruction," it expined, providing a surprisingly pusible justification.

  "A tier 32? What's the highest tier within the city?" I asked, incredulous. Such a tier suggested power on a scale where one could accidentally obliterate a mountain.

  "The queen, a tier 15, is currently the city's strongest defender," it replied, which was hardly reassuring.

  "Can they truly hold off such a monster?" I wondered, contempting a shift in strategy towards escape.

  "The city's artifacts will stall the entity, buying time until reinforcements from nearby races arrive. Once they're here, they can stop its breach and eliminating the lesser void creatures should be a matter of seconds," it reassured, alleviating my concerns.

  "Is it possible to enhance my card with Goddess points without increasing its tier?" I inquired. With my remaining Goddess points, I preferred to take action now rather than face regret ter.

  "Blessing skills on your card can be reinforced with Goddess points, though the points will deplete based on the intensity of their application," it crified.

  "One st question, where is Miki?" My gaze shifted towards where she might have nded, but my view was obstructed by buildings.

  "For 10 Goddess points, you can activate the map function temporarily. This will enable you to track the whereabouts of all individuals bound to you," it suggested. Upon agreeing and accessing the map, I realized I had overlooked Cire and Sister Selen.

  “Shit, will they be alright?" I suddenly felt guilty for forgetting them.

  "Yes," it assured.

  ‘I'll have to pce my trust in the system,’ I resolve, taking a deep breath, only to be interrupted by the sound of giggling.

  “Better?” Alice inquires.

  "Yeah, you really saved me this time." I pause to affectionately rub her head.

  "We're family," she giggles, releasing me from her hug.

  "Yeah, we are," I reply, smiling back at her. They've always been there for me. Now, it's my turn to look out for them—not just my immediate family but Cire and Selen as well. ‘Start the date.’

  “Date start”

  Suddenly, a heavy metal theme song bres through the air.

  "The maiden of lightning makes her entrance!" booms an announcer's voice.

  [A date in a disaster.] [Date target - Sk?gul]

  I witness a blonde girl who, upon noticing the sky's turmoil, transforms into a bolt of lightning and makes her way toward us.

  Time unfreezes and I move.

  With a mere thought, Angelica's cards align on my visual board in the top right of my field of view, and I expend Goddess points to fortify her barrier. I swiftly cast a protective barrier over my family. A tentacle collides with it, causing minor cracks to appear, and I find myself down by 25 Goddess points. I retrieve the items, simultaneously employing a small shield to deflect the tentacles. By creating shields along their length, I manage to direct their movement—a strategy inspired by observing Angelica create footholds for Sakura during their joint battles. Attempting to form a barrier within the creature proved futile as the magic dissipated before taking effect, costing me an additional 350 Goddess points.

  Amidst this, I anchor the spear into the ground, dedicating half of my Love points upon prompt. Moments ter, the crystal atop the spear illuminates, conjuring a dome-like shield around us. The tentacles are repelled by this new barrier as they continue their onsught.

  My sister gazes at me, a mix of confusion and surprise painting her features.

  "Take these and heal mother and sister," I implore, her astonishment deepening at my formal acknowledgment of their roles.

  Quickly understanding, she secures the twins within a makeshift aerial barrier and accepts the potion I offer.

  Not wasting time, I dashed toward where Miki y dazed on the ground, having crashed through a building and formed a small crater on the other side.

  Just in the nick of time, I encased Miki in a barrier, deflecting a tentacle that sought to crush her.

  [-125 Goddess points]

  I failed to notice another tentacle, targeting my head from the side, until it collided with a shield. This barrier, though simir in function to mine, appeared more robust and defensively oriented.

  Turning, I saw my twin standing behind me. 'Had she always been capable of conjuring barriers? Given her ability to adapt her skills, probably. But why hadn't she used this before?' I wondered.

  Observing her small frame, flushed and dripping with sweat, I realized I was putting too much on her. She was, after all, still a child. 'She must have been inspired by my actions, but it's clear this effort is taking a toll on her.'

  Without needing instruction, she climbed onto my back.

  With Yuno covering my blind spots, my focus remained on Miki's safety.

  [-725 Goddess points]

  The sound of destruction filled the air behind us, along with the screams of those caught in the chaos, as we made our way.

  Emerging on the other side, I noticed Miki beginning to rise. She was quick on the uptake as always. Remaining low, she started to expel a stream that resembled liquor from her mouth.

  Upon contact, the tentacle aiming for me disintegrated, its particles dissolving instantly.

  I felt a surge propelling me forward, dramatically increasing my speed and bringing me swiftly to Miki's side. I seized the opportunity to pnt the second rod into the ground.

  Miki, flipping to her feet as the barrier activated, took a deep breath and exhaled a red mist.

  The creature's advance slowed perceptibly.

  With a mere thought, I switched my card to Miki's, instantly comprehending her strategy and how I could contribute. Inhaling deeply, I released a blue mist from my mouth.

  A gust of wind arose, confining the mists together and aiding their fusion. The creature began to emit a screeching sound, focusing its fury solely on us.

  This diversion allowed the others to commence their assault from the fnks.

  [Luck has triggered breaking your barrier.]

  ‘What, how is that lucky?’ I thought, almost wanting to shout in frustration, yet I was in the midst of exhaling poison.

  As the barrier gave way, a tentacle targeted me directly. Quickly switching to Angelica's card, I conjured a healing spell and hastily erected a makeshift barrier, preparing to tank the assault.

  Moments before the impact, the surroundings were suddenly illuminated. Standing before me was a blonde girl, her nce embedded in the earth. Our eyes connected, and a moment ter, the resounding boom of thunder filled the air.

  [A fateful encounter.]

  [Sk?gul believes she has met her chosen.]

  [+500 Affection.]

  [Sk?gul has completed her css and wishes to show off to you.]

  The sky bzed with light as a lightning bolt, massive as a building, struck the creature. As darkness recimed the sky, the creature vanished without a trace.

  Sk?gul, with a triumphant smile, transformed into lightning and darted away.

  "You've really been keeping some tricks up your sleeve, haven't you, sweetie? I could just devour you, and it seems I'm not the only one interested," Miki teased. I could not help but smile at her, even in a situation like this she just could not stop.

  Around us, the girls' gnces sent a continuous stream of Affection my way.

  "Brother, are you okay?" My family rushed over, Sakura leading them, her previous wounds now healed.

  "I'm fine," I responded, my eyes brimming with tears of relief at their safety.

  Angelica, with a gentle touch, dried my tears. Overwhelmed with relief, I embraced her tightly, then gathered the rest of my family in a group hug.

  [Date End]

  [Achievement unlocked- Little heart throb - Earn more than 10000 Affection in one date. Affection gains of groups increased by 20%.]

  [Unlocked Love nd - A nd where you can py around with your girls for as long as the love sts. ]

  Sk?gul appeared just as formidable in her card as she had in person, cd in her shimmering silver armor, with lightning striking dramatically in the background. This card was distinct from the others I had collected, framed by a gold border.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]

  [Name: Sk?gul Level: 238Affection: 500Trait: Goddess: The Goddess of Magic.Primary Blessing: Enbody Lightning tier 7Lesser Blessings: Lightning Reflex tier 7, Rune Craft 6, Armor Mastery tier 6, Sixth Sense (Danger) tier 5, House Work tier 5]

  [Enbody Lightning - Become the physical embodiment of lightning.]

  [Lightning Reflex - React lightning fast as well as apply a lightning effect to them.]

  [Ruin Craft - Craft Rune sets.]

  [Armor Mastery - Use armor to its fullest effect.]

  [Sixth Sense (Danger) - You can feel danger.]

  [House Work - Gives knowledge and speed to house work.]

  I burst through Void-chan's door, finding her sulking on her bed amid a sea of food wrappers.

  "Void-chan, how could you? That's btant cheating," I admonished, fixing her with a stern gaze.

  "I haven't done anything. And none of what you described is actually here," she retorted, her mood undiminished.

  "It was a metaphorical scene for the readers. A conceptual void isn't something they can easily visualize." I am accommodating.

  “Didn’t you tell your human to stop giving your reader false information?” she countered.

  “That hasn’t happened yet and stop changing the subject. You almost killed poor Liev’s family! That’s against the rules. The game has not even started yet.” I pointed out, standing firm in my accusation.

  “I did nothing to your human, you're the one using my breaking for your own gain.” she countered, her accusation sharp.

  “His name is Liev Ekker…” I began, but couldn't help but stop to giggle to myself “ Get it Ekker, like splooge.”

  “Splooge is too thin and watered down, it is better to eat him whole.” She licked her lips at the thought.

  “You can't eat him, well you can but not in that way. Ah, back to the main point she almost got her pet to kill his family,"I said getting us back on track.

  “So?” She raised an eyebrow, challenging me.

  "So, if you do that, he'll turn into 'emo Liev,' all brooding with an 'I am vengeance, I am the night' attitude. That version of Liev is far less entertaining!" I expined, emphasizing my point.

  “I like him better that way.” she countered, unfazed.

  “Of course you do, but you can't just go around stealing other people's pieces.” I retorted, incredulous at her audacity.

  “Isn’t that your whole pn?” She shot back, pointing out the irony in my accusation.

  “Yes, which is why you can't do it. On that note, nice choice in tentacles, also really respecting the mind break commitment she has going on. Really do the eldritch theme nicely, but was it really necessary to have her be born, while eating her mother alive, while she screamed in pain? I think you might have done a number on the poor girl,” I said. Well I do like her current self, so i'm not that worried.

  “What is wrong with that?” She challenged me.

  “There is an order to things, we need to start off mild and work our way up,” I sigh, the troubles of being the only sane Goddess.

  “Didn’t you pce your human in a situation were he would inevitable be involved in incest?” She flips the question on me.

  “Yes, so?” I failed to see the connection between our actions.

  “Isn't that seen as quite disgusting to the humans of his world?” She pressed further.

  “Well, humans are stupid,” I concluded bluntly.

  “I agree,” she nodded, finding common ground in our assessment.

  “Well, it seems we are at an impasse… welp let's py some ergos. This one is like it was made for you.“ I pull out a box covered in tentacle art.

  [Liev Ekker - Level 11 Goddess points: 1,265Love points: 5Stat points: 1

  Luck: 11 Charm: 2 Social: 1 Observe: 1

  Skills - Date a lottery 0/10, A date to remember [x]

  Achievements - 17Achievements_Alice - 1

  Cards: 1_Yuno - 1683, 2_Sakura - 353, 3_Angelica - 362, 4_Alice 376, 5_Cire - 146, 6_Selen - 223, 7_Miki - 301, 8_Amelia - 303, 9_Anna - 177 10_Emma - 177 11_Sk?gul - 500 ]