Hindsight is a bitch...

It was a strange and wonderful sense of deja vu that John experienced, as his eyes slowly cracked open and he took in the situation. Lying in a bed in a plain unadorned room, hints of sunlight cracking through the curtains, and an unbelievably soft and warm female body pressed against him in a cuddle.

The only difference this time was that rather than being fast asleep, the girl wrapped into his side was wide awake, a pair of milky eyes directed at his face and a happy smile lifting her rosy pink lips. Quietly, as if afraid of breaking the soft silence of the morning, Velvet whispered shyly, “Good morning… boyfriend.”

He couldn’t have stopped the huge smile that broke across his face, not that he even tried for a moment. “Morning… girlfriend.”

She giggled softly, her smile stretching wider, and he caught the slightest movement past her head of her feet wiggling under the covers. Strangely emboldened by the quiet reverie of the moment, John ducked his head closer to land a kiss to her lips. Velvet let free the smallest noise of surprise, before matching the languid desire he offered with a breathy noise.

After a moment, the two separated again, both smiling ridiculously at the other. With a sigh, Velvet placed her head against his chest before speaking again, “I… I could get used to this, I think. It’s…nice.”

“Yeah… it’s- you’re amazing,” John responded, feeling the covers shift again as she did that happy wiggle again.

For some time, the two lay there in the slowly brightening room, until the sounds of movement outside grew louder and more frequent, reality creeping into the timeless moment they shared, and with it the expectations of the day.

Eventually, John could put it off no longer. His smile dropped from its dopey height, and his actions of yesterday laid heavily on his mind. He let out a heavy sigh that prompted Velvet to move, her expression wry and almost regretful as she commented, “I suppose we have to deal with what happened now, right?”

“Unfortunately…” John sighed again. “I should probably start with my system, to get it in order first…”

“...and to delay going outside more?” Velvet guessed the unspoken reasoning, the corner of her lip quirking up despite the shadow cast by the prior day. She laughed lightly at his telling silence. “I need to, um, use the bathroom, so I’ll leave you to that for now.”

In a fluid movement, she lifted the covers and rolled out of bed, unknowingly painting an image that could have been straight from John’s fantasies. Her figure was lit from behind by the soft rising glow of the morning light, illuminating every perfect curve with a golden glow. With her hair mussed in an impossibly perfect way, as if styled professionally, and wearing only a simple pair of panties and a bra, she could have been a cover model in that picture-perfect moment. Which made it all the sweeter when her face turned to him with a shy but excited smile and said, “I’ll be back soon… boyfriend.”

All John could do as she left, going through a side door that assumedly led to an ensuite, was watch the way her hips swayed, how it made the plush twin globes of her ass bounce with each soft-footed step, until she eventually vanished through the door.

Only then did he blink out of the ass-induced trance, and turn his attention reluctantly to his power system, and the stack of notifications waiting under that little insistently flashing red dot. A glance over it told him they were mostly achievements. Not a big surprise, considering how much happened yesterday.

Achievement Unlocked! - You got balls, kid. For now, at least.
Mouth off at someone notably more powerful than you.
Your newfound confidence seems to be going to your head. Better take this if you're going to keep it up, or the Viking chick might break you.
Rewards: Athletic Groin Cup

That immediately drew a grimace from him, as he remembered how he’d spoken to Erica. Considering how the day had gone… she had been right, really. Not just that, she’d been worried for him, and he could count the people who cared enough about him to worry like that, and actually say something, on one hand.

John resolved he’d have to apologise to her, and hoped she’d forgive him. Frown in place, he opened the next one.

Achievement Unlocked! - Once more unto the breach
Fight in your first real battle, outside of a dungeon.
Didn’t expect you to get this one so early. Maybe slow down before your luck gives out?
Rewards: Class Unlocked - Battlemaster

…He had a feeling he’d be frowning for most of these. Hindsight was a bitch. At least he’d gotten something significant from yesterday’s shitshow. A new class was definitely important. He moved to the next, making a mental note to check that new class after going through the stack of notifications.

Achievement Unlocked! - There’s no New Game+
Take a killing blow for someone that would have died.
Whilst I’m sure Katherine is very grateful, you do realise you can still die, yes?
Rewards: Level Up, Skill Unlocked - Interception, Bloodstained Bolt

John felt all too aware of himself as he swallowed thickly, the phantom feeling of a gaping hole pulled to the forefront of his mind. He grazed the skin with his fingertips, as if reminding himself it was gone. He didn’t regret it, but… fuck, it had been really awful.

Training that skill was definitely a priority, because he wanted to avoid another situation like that at all costs.

What was he even going to do with the bolt? It was just a grim reminder of what happened, since he didn’t even have a bow or whatever. He took a moment to move that to the very bottom of his inventory, where he could ignore it the easiest, before moving to the next achievement.

Achievement Unlocked! - Follower of the Old Ways
Come into possession of a life debt.
I didn’t take you for the type, but hey, no judgement… yet. I’ll definitely be judging what you do with this.
Rewards: Crest of Clan Hrafnsung

That…

What was a life debt? The term had him remembering Kitty saying that yesterday, which he’d forgotten amidst everything else, but he had no idea what it actually entailed. And which ‘old ways’ was this talking about, come to think about it? Was it some kind of eldritch Lovecraft thing, or, like, ancient Aztecs, or-

Hell, did the Abyss even have the same ‘old ways’ that the normal world had? John shook his head slightly. No point in guessing. He’d have to ask Kitty later, when they talked.

Besides, the name at least ruled out some of the wilder ideas like Aztecs. He didn’t know where that was from exactly, but it sounded Scandinavian, or somewhere near there. Which would make sense, if it was Kitty’s surname, with how pale her skin is, and the freckles, and that accent that crept in sometimes.

Before he could get too focused on Kitty’s skin and freckles, he forced himself to open the next achievement, wanting to get all these unpleasant reminders out of the way before Velvet came back.

Achievement Unlocked! - Mind Games
Have your mind invaded by an unwelcome and aggressive influence.
You know, I literally just said your luck would run out. Look at me, being right again.
Rewards: Unique Skill - Psychic Fortitude

John muttered to the empty room, somewhat remorsefully, “Yeah, yeah, I get it. No need to rub it in.”

He tapped the skill for more information, skimming the text quickly, and feeling a swift relief that it did what he was hoping for.

Protection against mind control was something he now considered invaluable. Just because it hadn’t worked didn’t mean he didn’t hate the entire experience.

Achievement Unlocked! - Beat them at their own game
Have your mind invaded and successfully resist the invader’s influence.
I’m honestly a little impressed. Much greater heroes have fallen to psychic control.
Rewards: Level Up, +20 level range to Psychic Fortitude (+30 => +50)

And an immediate upgrade, perfect. The level up was nice too, but John was so relieved and happy with the reward he didn’t even care about the little dig at him being a shitty hero.

Achievement Unlocked! - They are Rage…
Reach an understanding with your inner berserker.
Perhaps an unorthodox and overly literal way, but nonetheless.
Rewards: Level Up x2, Unlocked Progression into the Berserker Class

…That one was interesting. The level ups were pretty significant, but the thing about the class progression was more so. He had known there was some kind of further levelling for it, but this seemed like something more than that. The Gamer made a mental note to look for that after finishing the achievements stack, then opened the next.

Achievement Unlocked! - One Man Army
Single-handedly defeat many opponents and end a battle doing so.
This one is actually several other achievements that I’ve slapped together, so you don’t have to go over every detail of that fight.
Rewards: Level Up x2, Special Dungeon Encounter Unlocked

Yet another significant couple of level ups, those were starting to pile up, actually. And another mental note to check something out thanks to that special encounter. He’d not seen anything like that yet.

John took a quick moment to throw a thank you to Gaia for combining whatever the individual ones were, grateful she was kind enough to spare him that, and got a shower of heart emojis fall down his system display in return, pulling a smile from him as he looked at the next one.

Achievement Unlocked! - Six and Nine
Both get and give head for the first time.
Did you know? You can combine six and nine for extra fun next time. Try it out sometime.
Rewards: +2 LIB, Skill Unlocked - Oral Sex

A smile that was accompanied by a bright red blush so quickly that it defied modern biology, as the achievements took a very sudden whiplash turn away from the heavy and depressing matters of yesterday.

Really, he should have expected this, considering he’d gotten achievements for basically every other step of his blossoming relationship with Velvet so far. He really didn’t feel he needed more LIB score, but tough shit apparently. At least the skill was…

Well, actually, while the skill was hopefully going to be useful, it would also be visible to anyone and everyone that’s in his party nearby when he next showed his character sheet.

The idea of broadcasting it like that was actually kind of upsetting, the more John considered it. Not for his own embarrassment, though that would be strong, but because it’d basically out Velvet too. He definitely did not like that-

Oh my me, you’re just so cute when you’re all protective over her. Fine, here, I’ll help.

A button appeared at the base of his character sheet UI, and when flicked, it simply removed the right side that held his skills list from sight. With another thank you and a blush, the Gamer continued on the dwindling stack of notifications.

Achievement Unlocked! - Single no more
Enter an official relationship with someone.
I absolutely saw this coming, by the way. Still, good job at bagging the cutie pie, John~
Rewards: Level Up

Not much to say about that one, despite the dopey grin that took his lips at the reminder that Velvet was his girlfriend now, and it was actually real.

Achievement Unlocked! - B, for Bonding.
Enjoy your first shared sexual experience with Velvet. A pleasant step on the path, with more yet to walk.
Bonds formed in passion to rival those formed of fear.
Rewards: +1 CHA, +0.5 inch dick size

Achievement Unlocked! - O, for Official.
Enter a true relationship with Velvet, under whatever label that may take.
To walk beside her is to court destiny. Steady your steps and stay true.
Rewards: +1 CHA, +0.5 inch dick size

These two couldn’t fully erase the stupidly happy feeling he had, but they did douse it a little. It wasn’t the first time he’d gotten general achievements for things, then ones specifically about Velvet, and he was beginning to get a little suspicious of it.

Not of her, never of her, but… They kept having these dramatic flavour texts and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He wasn’t worried she was hiding something, or the Order wouldn’t have let her in and out with such trust. But maybe something could be happening to her, instead? Or was going to happen?

He hated not knowing.

At least that seemed to be almost all of the notifications. There was only one left.

The Beast Is Woken. The Vessel Must Adapt.
That which is within and that which is without must meet. The potential for growth exists already, yet your body must have the time to learn the coming changes. All levelling from the past 24 hours has been redirected for this.
Effect: Gain 14 levels in 7 days, 2 per day.

That explained why he only had two levels of statpoints available, at least. It felt inconvenient, with the anxiety over almost losing so many times yesterday still sitting quite close to the front of his mind.

But at the same time, John was secretly a little relieved. Even the small power increases from levelling he’d had so far had felt strange to get used to, so getting 14 at once could have been really disorientating, if nothing else.

He closed that window, and was looking through his system when Velvet returned, unfortunately now dressed in her usual clothes. Once again, he idly wondered how the hell she managed to make those curves on display seem as cute as they were sexy, but with the new and wonderful layer of awareness that… “Oh my god - Gaia, I mean - I have a girlfriend. And she’s cute.”

A faint pink blush accompanied the big smile that crinkled her eyes and let John know he’d said that thought aloud. Fortunately, before he could further embarrass himself, his girlfriend returned fire, “Not as cute as my b-boyfriend.”

John’s head flopped back to hide his unrestrainable grin. “Ughh… Cute? Not, like… Hot? Manly? Handsome?”

Her face came into sight over him, ruining his attempt to hide, and matched his frankly unreasonable happiness. “Hm… handsome fits, b-but I still get to call you cute.”

“Deal.”

Without a word, she took her place snuggled into his side, the two of them moving to fit together as if it were second nature. John could feel Velvet’s breath on his chest, a reminder he wasn’t wearing anything other than boxers, when she spoke, “What did I miss? Did you finish all of your magical system stuff?”

“Hmm… most of it. Had a load of achievements and stuff to go through. And the leveling from yesterday is apparently going to be delayed.” He brought up the notification box and moved it over to her, then kept looking as she read. “Plus, there was some stuff about my Classes, and… oh, yeah, a special dungeon thing.”

The Gamer opened the dungeon menu, immediately spotting the option that was shimmering slightly. Despite his hopes, there wasn’t any further information other than the title ‘Special Dungeon Encounter’. He’d have to just jump into it at some point to find out, and that wasn’t something to do now. Instead, he went to the Class menu instead with a small sigh.

John grinned at the discovery. “Oh, so this is how I get more skills then? Through Class progression?” Almost immediately, he rolled his eyes at himself. “Yeah, actually, saying it aloud, that makes sense.”

Velvet giggled softly, but stayed quiet at his side. John really hadn’t needed any more motivation to try and level his class than curiosity and safety, but he’d gotten some anyway, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to complain.

The choice itself was surprisingly simple though. He took his time reading the options properly, twice, to be sure he’d considered them all. Blood Sacrifice was disregarded almost immediately. Yes, it seemed to offer a power boost to his main power that his entire skillset hinged on, but if he was reading it right, it also would make the rage harder to control. He’d only just started to get a handle on that, he absolutely didn’t need anything making it harder.

Between the other two… Power Strike II was a simple upgrade as it said, on a tried and tested useful skill, and would be a solid reliable choice. But, honestly? John’s gamer brain said the new skill was shiny and interesting. Not to mention, it would give him more mobility, which seemed useful for a close-range melee build like he had. Really useful.

Consideration done, he reached forwards and tapped the box to select the choice, once again grateful that it popped up with a confirmation check.

“I’m glad you didn’t pick the blood one,” Velvet murmured beside him, “I don’t like the idea of you intentionally hurting yourself like that.”

“Me neither,” he replied as he dismissed the last of the open windows to look down at her.

The two lay together quietly for a few moments, before eventually John acknowledged reality, “I should probably get dressed so we can go to breakfast, huh?”