NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: Murder Mystery (1)
Word count: 1305
<—>
Name: Fujino Yuki
Level: 15 (87/3000)
Race: ?
Health: 250 (+1.65/sec)
Stamina: 200 (1.3/sec)
STR: 34
DUR: 28
END: 25
AGI: 20
INT: 10
CHA: 9
Attributes Points(AP): 10]
Fujino grinned as he reviewed his stats. Three weeks had flown by, and he felt really pleased with how far he had come
He had hunted the local demon population so thoroughly that he now had to venture out to find more. Unsurprisingly, he didn't mind this at all.
Having never visited the countryside in his previous life, he had always been a city boy. Now, he found himself wishing he had explored it sooner.
The friendly locals, the tranquility, and the stunning landscapes made him long for a life there. His love for the outdoor amplified this opinion.
'At least I get to live here now' Even after nearly two months, he still couldn't wrap his head around being reincarnated. Two months felt like just yesterday when he was anxious over tuition fees, and now he was battling demons in a less advanced Japan.
Despite the constant threat of death lurking around, he knew with all his heart, would choose this life over anything else.
And who could blame him? He had been granted the chance to live like he was in a video game. It was almost unbelievable.
He felt stronger, faster, more resilient, and more agile than he had ever imagined. If he were back home with these abilities, he would have dropped out of college to compete in every physical computer he could.
"If only…" Fujino sighed, shaking his head. Daydreaming could wait; he had a mission to focus on, specifically demons to hunt.
In the distance, he spotted a small town. The only sound breaking the silence was the crunch of gravel beneath his boots.
He smiled at the view, hoping he would find a demon to take down that night.
<—>
If he were to capture the mood, the word "tense" would fit perfectly.
For some reason, everyone he came across seemed to be on high alert. Mothers clutched their children tightly, while men walked with a caution.
It was clear that something unfortunate had occurred here—something that had instilled anxiety and fear in the community.
This unease translated into their treatment of him. People avoided getting too close, and some simply shot him hostile glares.
It was frustrating to be treated this way
He continued his stroll through the town until he reached the town center, which was surprisingly near-deserted despite it being midday.
He inhaled deeply, drawn in by a sweet aroma, and followed it to a yatai (street vendor). The steam wafting through the air carried the enticing scent of delicious Omurice (omelette rice).
"How much?" he asked, feeling a quick snack would be nice, his stomach agreeing with him.
"20 Sen" replied the elderly vendor. He retrieved the money from his Inventory, paid, and settled onto a nearby chair.
'Observe'
[Omurice
Rarity: common
A dish made of an omelette filled with fried rice and thin, fried scrambled eggs. Restores 15 HP]
As with all RPGs, food items provide healing. He had experimented with them before and found that meat dishes and higher quility dishes generally offered greater healing benefits.
Looking around, he noticed he was the only patron nearby. "Slow day, huh?" he remarked.
The vendor merely shrugged and returned to his tasks. Fujino raised an eyebrow at the vendor's demeanor.
'Why is everyone giving me the cold shoulder?' His patience was wearing thin with this treatment.
"Good grief, why is everyone so rude? I just arrived and feel like a pariah," Fujino muttered.
Upon hearing this, the vendor sighed and took a seat across from him. Fujino raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I'm sorry to hear that. No one should be treated like that. But the town is on edge lately," the vendor explained.
"Why?"
"5 people have gone missing in the past week. There are rumors of a killer on the loose," he said, rubbing his face in frustration.
"People are scared. The police have been alerted, but they haven't been able to find anything."
the elderly man concluded.
Fujino gazed down, lost in thought. The disappearance of 5 people in just one week was certainly alarming. Given the limited capabilities of forensics in this era, it seemed unlikely they would uncover any leads on the missing individuals.
'It's a demon, isn't it.'
This seemed like the most reasonable explanation. 5 people vanishing in such a short time felt like the eating habits of one, which would also clarify why there were no clues left behind.
After all, no one would think to search in a demon's gut. If they could.
[Quest added!
—> Murder Mystery
In the quaint town of Obikawa, located close to Tokyo, residents are mysteriously disappearing. With the police unable to solve the case, it falls to you to take matters into your own hands.
Main Objective: Find and hunt the killer
Reward: 7500 XP - 3 STR - 3 END - 3 DUR - 3 AGI]
'Yep, definitely a demon.'
"I just hope whoever is responsible gets caught and faces justice. This stress isn't good for my old bones," he chuckled, though the sound felt empty.
Fujino stared at the man. couldn't shake the feeling that the old man was hiding something.
'Observe'
[ —> Local Yatai
Name: Sekiguchi Shuji
Level: 1
Health: 30/30
Stamina: 30/30
A local vendor, devoted husband, and proud father of four. Known for his kind nature and dedication to his family.
He suspects a demon is involved but hesitates to say so, fearing ridicule.]
'Man I love Observe. Where the hell have you been all my entire life,'
"You say that. But I think you know who's behind it, right?" Sekiguchi's eyes widened in surprise as they locked onto Fujino's.
They held each other's gaze until the old man chuckled. "Alright, you caught me."
The man leaned back. His experssion is that of worry. "I may sound crazy. But I believe the killer is a demon." There was a moment of silence as they continued to stare at one another.
"And?"
"And—wait, you actually believe me?" Sekiguchi's voice was filled with disbelief.
"Yes," Fujino replied, his tone and expression surprising Sekiguchi. A smile broke across the man's face.
"That look and that tone. You really do believe me," Fujino nodded. "I was worried that if were to suggest it was a demon, people would call me senile."
Fujino understood his concern; he wouldn't want to be called that way either.
"Why do you think it was a demon?"
"There's an old, deserted house at the edge of town, right over there." He gestured behind Fujino. "Late at night, while I was on my way back home. I saw… something standing on the roof,"
The old man let out a deep sigh, recalling the moment vividly. "I couldn't make out its features clearly, but I remember seeing those yellow eyes shining in the darkness."
Hearing this, Fujino's mind raced back to the demons he had encountered before. He remembered that some of them had eyes that glowed like a cat's.
"Okay," Fujino said as he got to his feet. "Thanks for the information, old man." He began to walk away.
Sekiguchi was startled and quickly followed him. "Young man, I hate to ask but what are you planning to do?"
"I'm going to hunt it,"
The street vendor's eyes widened in fear. "You can't do that! You might hurt yourself! You could die!"
Fujino stopped and turned back, his determined gaze meeting the vendor's worried one. "Just have faith, old man. I'll take care of it." He continued on his way.
Sekiguchi was once again taken aback. There was something about the certainty in Fujino's voice that made him want to believe in him.
"May the kami protect you," he whispered a prayer and returned to his stand.
Little did they know, someone was eavesdropping on their chat. Dressed in a Gakuran uniform featuring the kanji for "Destroy" on the back with a katana sheathed at their side.
They quickly left…
<—>
Taisho-era secrets!
Although banditry was on the decline in Japan, it still persisted, and Fujino unfortunately crossed paths with a few of them. Predictably, It didn't turn out well for them.
<—>
I have a trip planned by the end of the week, so I'll try as hard as I can to finish this arc before my flight. Fingers crossed the plane doesn't crash on us.