Interesting.
Ryuji's eyes scanned the area. No one else was around. In one smooth motion, he crouched down and snatched the bloodstained loot bag off the ground. His first instinct was to call Kiri over and have her open it.
After all, experience had proven time and again—Kiri's luck was absurdly good. There wasn't much her fortune couldn't pull off.
But maybe it was because this was a different world, with different rules.
The moment his fingers touched the bag, a book materialized directly in his hand—no animation, no delay, and no chance to let the lucky one try her pull.
The system had decided.
He didn't even get to play the odds.
Still, when his eyes settled on the title printed across the book's worn leather cover, he couldn't stop himself from muttering the words aloud:
"Blood Qi Secret Arts?"
He quickly stashed the book into his inventory, then opened its details without delay.
Blood Qi Secret Arts:Upon learning, the user will be able to activate their blood qi, transforming it into various weapons and devastating attacks. It significantly enhances physical speed, reflexes, and defensive capacity. Additionally, it allows the absorption of an enemy's blood to heal the user's body. The book also details techniques to strengthen blood qi through training, and how to extract and absorb blood from powerful beings to further increase its potency.
- After learning, HP regeneration speed increases by 25%.
- Attacks have a 2% chance to inflict a bleeding effect that varies based on the location and damage dealt, and cannot be easily removed in a short time.
Note 1: May cause side effects such as leukemia, cerebral thrombosis, myocardial infarction, brain hemorrhage, and capillary rupture, as well as endocrine disorders and organ failure.
Note 2: Without Kazan's Curse, you will lack most of the berserker's uncontrollable rage traits. You won't go completely insane—but people with blood boiling too hot may still act without thinking.
Note 3: Technically not a Berserker Job Change Book, but once you learn it, others won't be able to tell the difference.
Note 4: At its core, this is simply a book on how to manipulate and control the power within your blood. It won't interfere with other powers... unless your blood qi becomes overwhelmingly dominant.
Note 5: Upon learning, you automatically acquire the skills Cross Slash and Blood Fury.
Note 6: This is really not a Berserker Job Change Book.
"…"
Like hell it isn't!
Ryuji nearly blurted it out. The skills, the effects—every single thing screamed "Berserker" in flashing red letters. Just how was this not a Berserker job book?
"Wait… that guy was a Berserker?"
He glanced down at the corpse nearby, but didn't linger. He wasn't planning to use the skill book right now either—not after the spicy aftertaste of the last one. That burn was still fresh in his memory.
Instead, he turned and sprinted after Rosh.
The guy he just downed was definitely dead. Ryuji had aimed his shotgun straight at the heart—and now even from the back, he could see the ribs shattered and exposed. No chance in hell this bastard was getting back up.
Sure, this world was filled with magical weirdness, but scum like that didn't get resurrection perks.
Which meant: just one more left, and this whole mess was over.
Gun in hand, he caught up to Rosh just in time to see her hurl two fireballs, stopping the brute with the greatsword dead in his tracks. Without hesitation, Ryuji raised his firearm. The moment Rosh dodged a horizontal slash from the greatsword, he pulled the trigger.
The bullets screamed down the alley like falling stars.
But what shocked Ryuji was the brute's reaction—instead of pressing the attack, the man stopped. With an unnatural precision, he raised his massive sword to shield both his head and chest, deflecting the rounds aimed at his heart and skull.
But—
Ryuji's aim sucked.
Only two or three bullets went where he intended. The rest tore into the man's gut and torso, erupting in fountains of blood.
"Bastard!"
The brute cursed, eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't believe how deadly accurate Ryuji was. He had no clue what kind of bow or crossbow the man was using, but the speed, the reaction time, and the psychological pressure were overwhelming.
But—
"Then die with me!"
Blood sprayed from his wounds as he bellowed the words. With one final burst of strength, he hurled his greatsword toward Ryuji.
Ryuji didn't flinch.
He rolled sideways, swapped weapons in the same motion, and drew his revolver.
Six sharp gunshots echoed through the alley.
By the time the last shell casing hit the ground, the brute's bloodied body had slumped against a bullet-riddled wall, then slid slowly down, lifeless.
But this time, no loot bag appeared.
Ryuji let out a long breath, unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. He dusted himself off and glanced at Rosh.
"Thanks, Rosh."
If she hadn't warned him and helped out, things could've gone south real fast.
Sure, he had healing items. He wouldn't have died right away. But it would've been a mess—maybe even fatal.
"Hehe, don't mention it! You fed me, remember?"
Rosh beamed, patting her chest proudly, like she'd already earned a feast.
"I'll treat you to grilled meat tonight. But… we won't get in trouble for killing them here, right?"
Ryuji looked around. The windows and doors of the nearby buildings had all been shut tight. The silence of the alley told him no one wanted anything to do with what just happened.
The nearby streets were eerily indifferent too.
"You really are new around here, huh?" Rosh looked at him in genuine surprise.
"As long as you don't kill anyone on the main road, the guards in Hendon Myre won't care. Especially since we're near the sewers."
She tilted her head, gesturing with her delicate chin toward a tunnel entrance not far away.
"That's the entrance to the underground waterway. As long as you don't mess with civilians or go on some mass murder spree, nobody cares how many bodies pile up here."
Her voice took on a different tone then—low and alert—as she dropped back into a battle stance.
"But—officials might not care. Their buddies will. And you definitely don't want to mess with the Hyenas."
As her last word fell, a wave of figures emerged from the shadows—men wrapped in chains and covered in spikes. At first, Ryuji tensed.
But then he saw the women they were surrounding.
And exhaled.
Because this one… he recognized.
~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 PS.