Arifureta: Dark Lord

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Sitting cross-legged on the smooth and durable ground, Reiji closed his eyes, feeling the sweat trickling down his forehead. It had been two weeks since he made his requests to Captain Meld, and he couldn't deny that these weeks had been the most peaceful and productive he had experienced in a while. 

However, a sense of unease lingered within him. Ishtar, the enigmatic presence that had plagued his thoughts, had been conspicuously absent. This absence put Reiji on edge, making him more cautious and distrustful of everyone around him – his classmates, instructors, and even the kingdom itself. 

He understood the difference between revealing information and placing trust in others. For Reiji, trust was a precious commodity that he only bestowed when it was absolutely necessary or beneficial in the long run.

The facility he now found himself in was of moderate size and nestled within the training grounds. Its strategic location near the forest and the arena, adjacent to the castle, made it convenient for Reiji. It had been constructed swiftly, thanks to the presence of magic in this world, and the builders had done a commendable job in designing the interiors.

As Reiji opened his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. The spacious room was equipped with the essentials he had requested – a dedicated space for practicing magic and wielding his spear, along with a small kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. 

The serene atmosphere within the facility allowed Reiji to immerse himself in his training, honing his skills with uninterrupted focus. While the acquisition of such a facility had raised a few eyebrows among the nobles and his classmates, Reiji paid no mind to their opinions. 

His lack of trust in the kingdom was apparent, and he saw no reason to be concerned about the discontent of a few nobles. After all, if the kingdom itself had not objected, what power did the nobles truly hold?

Reiji was far from idle within his sanctuary. With the assistance of Sebas and Ayame, he had seized the opportunity to train with new weapons and push his physical limits, aiming to master the art of using {Body Augmentation} with seamless efficiency. 

In addition, Reiji had dedicated himself to training his mind, striving to maintain a sharp focus while harnessing the intricacies of magic and practicing precise control over mana. The training sessions had taught him one valuable lesson: old men in anime were simply monsters.

At first, Reiji had no trouble keeping up with Sebas' rigorous workout routine. However, as time went on, it became increasingly challenging for him. It seemed that Sebas specifically had no concept of holding back their punches. 

Every time they sparred hand-to-hand, Reiji would find himself utterly decimated, covered in bruises and with fractured bones. If it weren't for Reiji's {Physical Resistance} skill, he might have given up already. And then there was Ayame.

As much as it may sound narcissistic, Reiji had initially entertained the thought that she had fallen for his charms. Her persistent flirting and seductive behavior had started to wear on him. However, he quickly dismissed that notion. 

Despite being the person closest to Reiji, she was also the one he remained the most cautious of. Ayame possessed a shrewd and cunning nature, going to the extent of gaslighting Captain Meld. While Captain Meld was exceptional both physically and mentally, Ayame didn't aim to break his mind. 

Instead, she subtly injected false information and manipulated him with logic. It was an impressive display that shattered Reiji's initial perception of her as an extroverted klutz with a teasing personality. 

The sole reason Reiji chose to remain close to her was to keep a vigilant eye on her. Ayame was far too dangerous to be left unchecked, and her true intentions towards him remained unknown. As they say: ‘Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.’ However in this context, Reiji doesn't have any friends to speak of.

Continuing the topic, Reiji used this time to improve his control over his skills, such as his {Stealth} skill. He tactically used the skill around his fellow classmates who possessed the {Sense Presence} skill, in order to train with it. Occasionally, Reiji would get caught by Kouki, who was the strongest in the class, apart from Reiji himself, of course.

However, Reiji didn't invest as much focus on his practical skills as he did on the one he had just finished creating. It was something much needed to somewhat divert the kingdom from his trail and establish a sense of "trust" with the kingdom.

Taking hold of his status plate, Reiji reached out and touched its surface, reciting the necessary incantation: ‘In shadows' embrace, I veil thy might, illusions crafted, concealed from sight. Status plate be shrouded, altered by art, a whispering darkness, a deceptive start.’

Taking a deep breath, Reiji focused his core power, channeling the essence of Darkness into the Status Plate. The energy swirled and intertwined with the existing properties of the plate, merging seamlessly. 

With a practiced motion, Reiji withdrew his hand, completing the process. "Shadowed Resonance," he whispered, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. The magic skill he had been working on for the past week had finally come to fruition. 

Examining his Status Plate, Reiji nodded, satisfied with his accomplishment. It had been a predicament he had realized when he was nearly compelled to surrender his Status Plate to Captain Meld. The skill he had just created served to address this issue and also foster a sense of trust with the kingdom.

Getting up from the ground, Reiji brushed the dirt and dust off his pants and headed into the bathroom to freshen up. Today was the day of the Status inspection, and as risky as it may sound, Reiji had a plan to use his newly acquired skill, {Shadowed Resonance}, to deceive Captain Meld and gain the kingdom's trust.

Reiji was well aware of the potential drawbacks of his plan. While Captain Meld may not be particularly proficient in magic, his senses were undoubtedly sharp and highly developed. However, Reiji saw it as advantageous to hand over his altered Status Plate to Captain Meld despite the risks. 

For one, Meld was a genuinely kind person who would give a stranger the benefit of the doubt, much like Reiji himself. He was too trusting and good-natured to harbor immediate distrust. In fact, Captain Meld had been trying to get closer to Reiji for this very reason, unbeknownst to Reiji himself.

Furthermore, as reiterated time and again, it is crucial to establish trust with the kingdom, even if only to a limited extent. Displaying his Status Plate proves to be an effective method, as it reveals the most intimate details that this world can offer about an individual. 

Moreover, the altered status has been modified to highlight not only his physical prowess but also his advancements in magic and various skills. 

Here’s his recent Status and his altered Status:

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Recent Status

Name; Reiji Sukehiro — Age: 17 — Male — Level: 3

Job: Dark Lord

Strength: 190

Vitality: 150

Defense: 160

Agility: 140

Magic: 200

Magic Defense: 120

Skills: Language Comprehension, Physical Resistance, Dark Magic Efficiency, Spear Proficiency, Darkness Affinity, Darkness Manipulation, Increased Mana Recovery, Stealth, Image Composition, Necromancy, Shadow Manipulation, Detect Presence, Detect Magic, Dark Lords Haki.

Magic: Body Augmentation, Shadowed Resonance

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Reiji's growth rate was phenomenal, to say the least. Thanks to the world system, those gifted in mana had an easier time training and gaining stats, and Reiji was no exception. However, he never let this fact get to his head. 

He was proud of his progress, but he wasn't going to become arrogant over it. After all, he knew that there was always someone stronger out there, waiting to be discovered.

In any case, his altered Status Plate looked like this:

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Altered Status

Name; Reiji Sukehiro — Age: 17 — Male — Level: 3

Job: Dragoon

Strength: 120

Vitality: 90

Defense: 110

Agility: 100

Magic: 70

Magic Defense: 70

Skills: Language Comprehension, Physical Resistance, Spear Proficiency, Detect Presence, Detect Magic, Fire Magic Affinity

Magic: Fireball

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Although Reiji's stats were relatively high, they were appropriate for the achievements he had made thus far. He had been working hard on strength training and sparring with Sebas, so it would be suspicious for him to have low stats in Defense and Strength. Additionally, his affinity towards fire was a result of what he’s shown in magic training.

Stepping out of the bath, Reiji wrapped a fluffy towel around his body and exited the bathroom. The Status Inspection was scheduled for today, and once it was done, Reiji had planned to venture into the forest at midnight. He was looking forward to receiving his spear and gaining experience battling the monsters of this world.

Changing into his training clothes, he left his quarters and made his way to the arena. As he entered, he noticed that the rest of the class was already present, waiting for him. Ignoring the stares, he silently took a seat among the crowd and listened to Captain Meld as he gave instructions.

"It's been two weeks since we began training, so it's time for a reevaluation of your Status Plates to assess what's lacking and teach you to improve in those areas. Now, I'll be calling you in order. Until you're called, you can frolic about the arena if you'd like or talk with friends. First up, Kotone."

As Captain Meld began examining the Status Plates, Reiji approached Hajime. They had been meeting up at the library consistently, sharing information of what they read within the library and today was like no other except Reiji wanted info of what was happening within the class as well.

"Hajime," Reiji called out. Turning around, Hajime released a sigh and walked toward Reiji. "What are you so nervous about? Is it your Status?"

Nodding, he responded, "Yeah, my stats haven't even changed. I'm not gifted with magic, and my physical attributes aren't exactly my strong suit. My Job Class isn't even a fighting nor a support job. I'm a Synergist.”

Seeing his information broker like this was a pretty sad sight, and as a benevolent figure himself, Reiji decided to lend a helping hand to guide him towards a path of greatness befitting this loyal subject of his.

"Meet me after the Status Inspection. We're going to do some training," Reiji told him, leaving no room for refusal. Though confused, Hajime nodded in agreement. "Also, what's happening within the class? Any rumors or anything of interest? I've been holed up in my facility for a while, and well, I'm curious."

Reiji couldn't help but think to himself, 'I need to come up with a better name for my facility. Using the word 'facility' repeatedly feels bland, boring, and repetitive.' as he listened to Hajime.

In summary, it appeared that the division within the class had significantly subsided and instead turned into a Cold War of sorts. They had grown more accustomed to the world, yet still held onto their individual beliefs and perspectives. Reflecting on this information, Reiji had already reached a conclusion in his mind.

“Reiji Sukehiro,” Captain Neld announced his name indicating he was next up to have the Status Plate be examined. His Status Plate was already enchanted with his spell so there was no need to do so again. 

Putting his hand in his pocket, Reiji infused more mana into it as a protective measure. Approaching Captain Meld, he heard him comment, "Are you going to show us your status this time?"

"I might as well. After all, I have no reason not to trust you guys, considering all you have provided me," Reiji answered, shrugging nonchalantly. He then reached into his pocket, retrieved his Status Plate, and extended his hand to Captain Meld. "Here," he said, offering it to him.

Captain Meld took hold of the Status Plate, a smile forming on his face. "Well then, thanks for finally trusting us. I know it may have been difficult for you, but I can confidently say that the Kingdom and I are grateful for it."

Captain Meld carefully examined Reiji's Status Plate, his eyes scanning the information displayed on the surface. He furrowed his brows momentarily, seemingly absorbed in deep thought as he analyzed the details presented before him. Reiji watched intently, waiting for Captain Meld's reaction.

After a brief pause, Captain Meld's expression brightened, and he looked up at Reiji with a mix of surprise and admiration. "Impressive," he exclaimed. “It seems that your training with Sebas and the other instructors paid off. I don’t know what your initial stats were, but you're most likely the strongest after Kouki and Shizuku.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Reiji responded, “Thanks for the praise, Captain Meld. Though, excuse me if this is rude. Despite what I said in our first Status Inspection, I’m curious about your stats. I’ve heard that you're the strongest the kingdom has to offer, and I want to know how far away I am from you.”

Chuckling, Captain Meld reached into his pocket and pulled out his Status Plate before handing it to Reiji. Reiji grabbed it and examined it carefully.

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Name; Meld Loggins — Age: 37 — Male — Level: 62

Job Class: Paladin

Strength: 300

Vitality: 300

Defense: 300

Agility: 300

Magic: 300

Magic Defense: 300

Magic/Skills: Sword Proficiency, Enhanced Instinct, Tactician, Wind Magic Affinity, Advanced Level Sorcery, Detect Presence

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His stats were well-rounded, and his Job Class indicated great strength. It was evident that the summoned Hero possessed greater potential and strength compared to the natives of this world. Despite having trained for only two weeks, Reiji already had nearly one-third of Captain Meld's stats and was approaching two-thirds.

Handing his Status Plate back, Reiji thanked him for humoring his request and walked back to the class as Captain Meld resumed examination. Soon enough he finished but before the students could leave he had announced one more thing.

“Before you guys go, I have an announcement! In two weeks time we will be venturing into the Outpost Town of Horaud and enter the Orcus Labyrinth. This is a training excursion. We’re not trying to clear it but give you guys real life fighting experience and to increase levels.”

Acknowledging the announcement, Reiji nodded and made his way out of the arena, making his way back to his facility.

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~Night Time~

"Come on, one more time," Reiji ordered. He and Hajime were inside his training facility, both sitting in a lotus position. Hajime was breathing heavily, drenched in sweat.

"Do I really have to?" Hajime asked, struggling to catch his breath. Reiji nodded in response and said, "This is the only way for you to increase your strength. While you may not have a strong affinity with mana or a robust physique, you've overlooked the core of your Job Class."

"You said your Job Class was Dynergist, right?" Reiji asked, receiving a nod from Hajime. "In that case, it simply means you don't belong on the front lines. Your ability to Transmute is similar to Creation, isn't it?”

“So, what you really need to focus on is improving your mental capacity for complex thinking, analytical thinking, and developing a creative mind. Additionally, you'll need to increase your mana to create more complex tools. However, you'll require better materials than just random dirt and rocks."

"Captain Meld himself stated it at the beginning of our training. You possess a Job Class suitable for blacksmiths. Although it may not be designed for the front lines, if you learn to wield each weapon in your arsenal and improve your physical capabilities, you will become a formidable force to be reckoned with."

Reiji grabbed a magic potion and poured it into an empty bottle, keeping a small amount while diluting the rest with water. "Here you go. Since you have a limited amount of mana, you will exhaust your mana and replenish it with potions before repeating the process.”

“You don't need to worry about Mana Overload either, as I've tested the dilution. So you're safe. We have the entire two weeks to train, so don't expect it to be easy. Prepare yourself, disciple."