Bog Standard Isekai

Book 2. Chapter 28

Book 2. Chapter 28

Once when Brin had been Mark, back in high school, he’d been a little more than rude to Rudolph Hansen. Brin had yelled some insults and expected to be paid back in kind. Instead, Rudy turned around and decked him. It was an eye-opening experience for Mark, to get laid out on his back with one punch. It wasn’t so much a lesson he could put into words; some lessons aren’t like that. They’re lessons you learn with your soul. But if Brin had to put it into words, he’d say something about humility, and the sudden knowledge that he wasn’t actually invincible or even really all that tough. It was a lesson he wished every young man could learn.

It was something Zilly needed to learn. He just wished it didn’t have to be him that taught it. He wished it didn’t have to be today.

Zilly lifted her sword. “Are we doing this or not?”

“No,” said Brin. “Not today. I don’t know if you’ve heard what happened–”

“I’ve heard. That’s why it has to be today.” She said it completely unapologetically, face firm. “I think it was meant to be this way.”

“Did Tawna put you up to this?” Brin practically growled.

“No. Fate had nothing to do with this. Just luck,” said Zilly.

“I killed a person today,” Brin said quietly.

Zilly’s sword lowered just a bit. A real steel sword, though dull. “I know. I know you, Brin. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t feel like hitting something right now. Tell me you’re not at your best and I’ll call this off. Tell me. Go ahead and tell me!”

The corner of Brin’s mouth twitched, but he resisted the urge to smile. It would have been an angry, joyless smile. A [Scarred One’s] smile. Because she was absolutely right.

Yes, he had felt guilty, but the walk had helped. About five minutes into his walk, all the guilt had quickly faded and replaced by quiet, simmering anger. Anger at [Witches], zombies, the Prefit, Hogg, the town, this miserable world. And now Zilly, for making him do this, even though he absolutely wasn’t safe to be around.

When he met Zilly’s eyes, her smile grew wider and wider. She was the same. What was she hiding between that sardonic smile and inappropriate sense of humor? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know any more.

Looking around, more and more people entered the town square, no doubt some of them had run to grab their friends as soon as he’d entered the field. If he didn’t put a stop to this now, half the town would be here to watch.

“Fine. Let’s get this over with,” said Brin.

He picked up the other steel practice sword. He swung it twice, getting a feel for its weight. Heavier than he was used to. He practiced with wood because glass was about the same weight, but of course Zilly would use metal.

“Ready,” said Brin.

“R–”

Brin dashed forward and started swinging. Zilly reacted, blocking his strikes. The first bout was a few quick testing blows, and then he jumped back again.

He was impressed with himself, honestly. Even in his current mental state, those had been quick, accurate, restrained blows. He’d worried that his emotions would force him to fight wildly, but he felt cool control.

She wasn’t as quick as he’d expected. Speed was a factor of Strength. Dexterity helped reaction time, reflexes, and finesse, but he wasn’t very far behind her in that either. This wouldn’t take long at all. The next clash would end the fight.

Zilly’s eyes narrowed, guard ready. He hadn’t caught her by surprise the first time. He wouldn’t this time, either. He didn’t need to.

He dashed forward. He swung twice. She blocked. He saw an opening, but at the last second he changed his aim on a hunch and smacked her hand with the dull blade.

“Ow!” said Zilly, and dropped the sword.

There was no mistaking it. A red welt formed on the back of her hand.

Brin closed his eyes. “Zilly…”

“That doesn’t count! Hand injuries don’t end the duel!”

Brin turned his head to the side, trying to keep her treacherous words from reaching his ears.

“Zilly. [Iron Body] can’t be turned on and off. If you had chosen that, there’s no way you’d get a welt like that,” said Brin.

Zilly stopped rubbing her hand. She held her sword in the guard position again. Admirable. There was no way her hand didn’t still sting like crazy.

Brin dropped his practice sword and started to pull on his magic. “That means you didn’t take [Iron Body]. You took [Blade Mastery].”

“So?”

Brin clenched his teeth to hold back a wave of emotion. He grimaced with bare teeth, and when his words came they came out as shouts. “You’re going easy on me! After all this! After everything you did to get me to do this and to make sure I wouldn’t hold back, you’re going easy on me!”

Of course he didn’t actually think she took [Blade Mastery]. A quick [Inspect] put that theory to bed.

Name Zilyana (Zilly) Mentirose Race Human Age 14 Level 16 Class Unknown Description Zilly is using Hide Status to pretend to be a Warrior

It wasn’t that surprising. You needed a very high [Inspect] to get through even a low-leveled [Hide Status]. Even so, he’d gotten what he needed to know.

She wasn’t a [Warrior], but the underlying issue was still the same. The Prefit wasn’t a complete idiot. He wouldn’t let Zilly pretend to be a [Warrior] unless he knew she was actually strong enough to pass for one.

She was going easy on him.

She stepped back, spouting denials, but he was past listening. A final surge of magic into [Summon Glass] finished his sword. It was a twisted, wicked-looking thing. It was blackened and burnt in places from how quickly he’d pulled it together. The blade was a series of serrations as if it had been knapped, making it look like ugly and crude, but it was sharp. Sharper than modern scalpels.

“How could you, Zilly? I thought we were friends?”

That one actually seemed to hurt her. Perfect opening.

He charged, and swung down with overwhelming strength. She dodged, fear in her eyes, and he pressed the advantage.

He swung, kicked, stabbed and lunged, chasing her around the practice square. She dodged when she could, and when she was forced to block the power of his swings they sent her stumbling.

Every clash of their swords cracked his sword, spraying shards of shattered glass. Only a constant stream of mana into [Shape Glass] made it hold together at all, and he quickly repaired it in between each swing.

He battered her around, kept her on the defensive, never giving her time to think. Even so, she managed to block or avoid every single strike. At first it was because Brin was holding back, knowing that if he cut her with this sword it would be bad, but the more time went on the more frustration built. He found himself trying harder, moving quicker, swinging more viciously until he realized he was going all out. She was still keeping away from him.

“Is that what you came here for? To run away?” he snarled.

She started to respond, and that gave him all the opening he needed. A quick snap of his sword sent her weapon flying out of her hands.

She backed away, hands up, smiling. “Ok, you got me…”

The second he started to lower his blade, she dove, grabbed her weapon and neatly rolled to her feet.

He stomped towards her, and the smile finally slipped from her face. “Fine.”

She grabbed her sword in both hands, and this time there was something different about it. Weight. The swords seemed to be a little more solid this time. A little more real. He recognized this from when she fought the chimera.

He smiled. He still didn’t know what the Skill was, but at least she was finally using it.

He charged, and this time, she charged to meet him. The sword seemed to press her down, make her boots sink into the ground just a little more, but at the same time she wasn’t any slower. She swung like a semi truck whose breaks had been cut.

He swung to meet her and his sword cracked straight through. Still holding the stump of a broken glass sword, Brin’s fist kept moving, to clock Zilly on the chin.

It was a good blow, a perfect right hook, and he saw the light of realization enter her eyes as they started to roll up a bit. Lessons learned, humility, or was it humiliation? He saw it all across her face.

She took two unsteady steps backwards. Unlike when Mark had learned this lesson, however, Zilly stayed on her feet.

Brin snorted and then turned around to fetch his practice sword from the ground. He didn’t know what Skill Zilly was using, but he knew his glass wasn’t at a level that could stand up to it. He’d need good old fashioned metal for this.

He turned around swinging, barely deflecting Zilly’s stab. She really would’ve stabbed him in the back, her face contorted in rage. The sarcastic, smiling mask was finally off.

With fury in her eyes she battered him, trying to break him down, and this time it took everything he could muster to deflect her blows. The strange weight in her weapon made each strike feel like he was battling a giant. They shook him with concussive force, leaving his arms vibrating and his ears ringing.

“I feel like I’m finally meeting the real you. Good! Well done! ” he found himself saying. But it wasn’t enough. He activated a Skill.

[Directed Meditation] came easily this time, and in a state of perfect concentration he started to fight back. His form lost all unnecessary movements, his blows directed his force perfectly. Her weapon Skill had evened things up, but the limiting factor was her. He was still stronger than her.

Their weapons rang out a hectic beat, almost musical. She snarled and raged, but it didn’t help. He started to push her back.

All at once, she fled with unnatural speed. She backed up a few steps, but somehow those few steps took her fifteen feet away. She circled him, still moving quicker than could be accounted for, then darted in again towards his back.

Without [Directed Meditation], he probably wouldn’t have blocked in time. Maybe he’d have been distracted by the crowd, or maybe the setting sun would have gotten in his eyes. As it was, the only things that existed in his world were him and Zilly.

He deflected her stab, but she was already running again, moving with ridiculous speed. She ran in circles, darting in occasionally, then moving back out again before he could counter attack.

He pushed more mana from [Shape Glass] into the shattered pieces of his sword on the ground. He transformed them into caltrops, wicked five-pronged traps that were used to stop horses.

She attacked, perceiving an opening, but stumbled to the ground when she took one through the sole of her boot. He jumped over to press the advantage, swinging down at her fallen form, but she scrambled away again still supernaturally fast.

He thought that would be it, but she frowned and started walking forward. She winced on her injured foot, and scanned the ground for more caltrops, but kept walking towards him in careful steps.

He met her halfway. The first few clashes of their swords were fierce and desperate, and for a moment Brin wasn’t sure who’d come out ahead. But then she began to weaken. Her next swing was a little slower, as was the one after that.

He wouldn’t draw it out. Brin stepped into her guard, back-handed the sword out of her hands, and then punched her again.

This time, he knocked her down flat.

Congratulations! You have defeated: Zilly [16] Reduced experience awarded for non-lethal duel.

Level up! Level 19 -> 20 +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Vitality, +2 Mental Control, +1 Will, +2 free attributes.

Rudolph Hansen was a very unpopular person. He acted out in class and made himself a general nuisance. Not in a cool “I have friends” way, but in an annoying “I wish I had friends” way. After he decked Mark, he got suspended for two weeks. Strangely, Mark was thrust into new levels of popularity after getting hit in the face. Three different girls had gone out of their way to thank Mark for getting Rudy suspended. When Rudy returned after two weeks, the teachers had gotten too used to Rudy-less peace and tranquility and weren’t willing to put up with him anymore. He’d quickly been suspended again, and then expelled.

This taught Mark a whole different lesson. As bad as it was to get punched in the face, being willing to get punched in the face for a righteous cause could actually be a good thing.

That’s why Brin was certain he knew exactly what was going to happen next.

He was wrong.

When he undid [Directed Meditation] and let the world back in, the surrounding people were clapping politely. None of them looked overly bothered or alarmed by what he’d just done. Most of the eyes landing on him were approving.

He shook his head, not really believing it. A significant reminder. This was not his world. These people did not live his life. They knew the price of power, and they were happy to see Zilly pay it if it meant saving her life one day.

“G–good fight, Zilly,” said Brin.

She was still face-down in the dirt where he’d left her. She turned around to her back, but didn’t even seem to see the hand he reached out to help her up.

She didn’t respond. She was breathing heavily and didn’t look particularly wounded except for a growing bruise on the cheek near her eye. She’d probably been certain she was going to win, even before using her Skills. It was understandable she’d be in shock. He’d just turned her entire life on its head.

He used [Inspect].

Name Zilyana (Zilly) Mentirose Race Human Age 14 Level 16 Class Rogue Description: Zilly is a close friend. She is using Hide Status to pretend to be a Warrior. Skills:

Perception - Zilly’s non-primary senses are all increased, scaling with Mental Control. These senses include those involving heat, electricity, balance, and vibration.

Dash - Zilly’s movement speed increases significantly when entering or retreating from combat. Increase starts at 300%, scales with Dexterity, and can be increased with a heavy mana cost.

Kick - Zilly can perform a powered kick that disrupts spell-casting and Skill preparation, and dispels ongoing magical effects.

Overload - Zilly can channel mana into a weapon, making it more powerful.

The Overload must’ve been the thing she was doing to her sword to make it seem heavier. “Making it more powerful” was vague; he’d have to ask Hogg exactly what it did.

[Dash] must’ve been the Skill she used at the end, when she’d suddenly sped up. The Skill said it improved her speed when entering or leaving combat. She’d gamed the Skill by constantly moving in and out so that it would stay active for longer. It was an impressive strategy.

[Kick] was a little worrying. He’d had daydreams of morphing glass armor all around his body, but what good was that when any random [Rogue] could take it out with one kick?

He had a million questions for Zilly, but he couldn’t ask them now. There were too many people around, and he doubted she was in a state to answer them regardless.

He shrugged and turned to leave.

Only then did he finally hear a disapproving voice. “Thank you for leaving broken glass all over the place where my children play.”

It was a woman’s voice, but he was too embarrassed to search the crowd to find who’d spoken. He used [Shape Glass] to pull all the bits of glass towards him, where he deposited them all in a jacket pocket. The two big pieces of his broken sword he carried under his arm.

It wasn’t as cool or dramatic a display as he wished it could’ve been. He still wasn’t great at levitating glass and could only get the really small pieces. The rest he had to pick up piece by piece, but at least his Class let him sense where they were so he was sure he didn’t leave any behind.

Zilly ignored him as he worked. She ignored everything, stunned. It was only when he was done picking up all the pieces and started to leave that she said something. “I want a rematch. One week.”

“Fine with me,” said Brin. If she couldn’t beat him today, she couldn’t beat him a week from now. In a week, she wouldn’t be fighting a common [Glasser]. She’d be fighting an [Illusionist].

Congratulations! You have earned a new Skill. Please select from the following. Upgrade - Summon Glass Increased ability to summon glass. Increases ease of summoning different glass varieties. Upgrade - Memories of Glass

Becomes -> Memories in Glass

In addition to a perfect recollection of memories involving the knowledge of glass, this Skill allows you to store your memories in Glass, to be retrieved and reviewed at your convenience. Stored memories do not need to involve glass.

Glass Evaluation You gain a greater ability to understand the properties of glass you touch.

He’d discuss things with Hogg first, but he already had a good idea which one of those he was going to take. That wasn’t the thing that had him so excited, though.

You have 1 free General Skill available. Select now? Please prepare for Class selection.

It wasn’t optional. The System was giving him just enough time to get somewhere to lie down, and no longer. He dashed his way home, threw himself on his bed, and it started before he even hit the mattress.

Class selection initiated.