[Ding! New Main Quest: "Don't Die During Training"]
[Description: Survive 6 AM training with Rias Gremory's peerage without losing all your HP.]
[Reward: 50 SP, +1 to all base stats]
[Bonus Objective: Land one hit on Koneko. Reward: 100 SP, Unlock "Taijutsu Basics"]
[Failure: You become a pancake. Rias will use you as a coaster.]
6:00 AM. The old school gym. I hadn't slept.
"Why does hell start at 6 AM?" I yawned, standing in the middle of the gym in a spare tracksuit Akeno "graciously" gave me. It was two sizes too small.
Rias was in a red sports outfit that should be illegal. Akeno wore a miko-style training gi that was somehow worse. Issei looked excited. Koneko was... cracking her knuckles.
And Asia was on the sidelines holding a first aid kit and looking like she was about to cry. "K-Kazuki-san, please be careful!"
"Koneko," Rias ordered, "you're up. Test the new member. Don't kill him."
Koneko walked forward. She was 150cm of pure death.
[Party Interface Activated]
[Koneko Toujou - Lv.35]
[HP: 800/800]
[STR: 90]
[AGI: 85]
[Status: Bored, Slightly Curious]
[Weakness: Sweets, Ticklish?]
[Your Stats: Lv.2, HP: 60/60, STR: 4, AGI: 5]
My STR was 4. Hers was 90. This wasn't training, this was murder.
[Ding! Emergency Side Quest: "Perverted Tactics"]
[Description: You cannot beat Koneko with strength. Use your System. Distract her and land one hit.]
[Reward: 100 SP, "Taijutsu Basics"]
[Suggestion: Trickster's Hand cooldown: 0:00. Target: Something distracting.]
"Begin," Rias said.
Koneko vanished.
I blinked and she was in front of me. A tiny fist was heading for my stomach at Mach 2.
"TRICKSTER'S HAND!" I screamed and activated my skill on pure instinct.
[Target: Koneko's Hair Ribbon]
Yoink.
I was suddenly holding a white hair ribbon. Koneko's punch stopped 1cm from my gut because her brain blue-screened.
Her hair fell down, framing her face. She looked... different. Softer. For half a second she looked shocked, then her face went blank.
"...Give it back." Her voice was arctic.
But the System was screaming in my head.
[NOW! SHE'S OPEN! PUNCH!]
I did the only thing I could. I used my newly bought Basic Punch and tapped her on the forehead with one finger. Boop.
[You dealt 1 damage. Koneko HP: 799/800]
[Ding! Bonus Objective Complete: Land one hit on Koneko!]
[Rewards: +100 SP, Skill Unlocked: "Taijutsu Basics" - Your punches now deal 5+STR damage and don't look pathetic.]
[Koneko Toujou: Affection -2, Respect +5. Status: Confused, Murderous][Harem]
I immediately held up the ribbon with both hands. "H-here! I'm sorry! Your ribbon is very important! Please don't kill me!"
Koneko snatched it, tied her hair back up, and then... kicked me.
I flew across the gym and crashed into a stack of mats.
[HP: 12/60]
"Training over," Rias said, sipping tea she somehow had. "He survived. I'm impressed. Barely."
Akeno was on the floor laughing. "Ufufu~ He made Koneko-chan use a second attack. That's a record~"
Issei ran over and helped me up. "Bro, that was awesome! You stole her ribbon! I never even thought of that!"
[Issei Hyoudou: Relationship - Bro +2]
[Ding! Main Quest "Don't Die During Training" Complete!]
[Rewards: +50 SP, All Stats +1. Total SP: 400]
[Level Up! You are now Level 3. HP: 22/70, STR: 5, AGI: 6]
Asia ran over with healing magic. A warm green glow covered me and my HP ticked back up.
"T-thank you, Kazuki-san. You protected me yesterday, and today you made Koneko-chan show another expression," Asia whispered.
[Asia Argento: Affection +5][Harem]
Rias walked over and looked down at me. "Your Sacred Gear is... strange, but effective. From now on, you will train with Koneko every morning. If you can touch her again, I'll acknowledge you as a real member."
Koneko glared at me from behind her. Message received: Try it and die.
[Ding! New Long-Term Quest: "Earn the Kitty's Respect"]
[Description: Raise Koneko's Affection to 20. Current: -2]
[Reward:???, Unlock "Senjutsu Resistance"]
As we were leaving, the System pinged one last time.
[Ding! Daily Quest Available: "Panty Thief"]
[Description: Use Trickster's Hand to steal one piece of underwear without being caught.]
[Reward: 200 SP, "Stealth Lv.1"]
[Failure: Social death. Rias will personally execute you.]
[R-18 Warning: This quest is optional. User discretion advised.]
I stared at the quest window. I stared at Rias, Akeno, and Koneko walking ahead of me. "...System, you really want me dead, don't you?"
[System: High risk, high reward. This is the path of the Perverted King.]
I closed the window. Some quests are not worth 200 SP.
Yet.
[End of Chapter 4]