Polynya

His attention shifts to the bottom right hand corner of his iNet screen.

Kodai’s Ballistics Mage avatar has hit the level necessary to travel easily to Polynya, and for Kodai, this means to travel in a way that doesn’t raise suspicion from Tritania’s AI, the Sage of Gotha.

He quickly checks his avatar’s stats and skills.

Kodai Matsuzaki Level 15 Ballistics Mage

HP: 830/830                   

ATK: 213            

MATK: 176

DEF: 98

MDF: 105

LUCK: 7

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Skill: Inquisitor

Level Three: Obtain information through enhanced interrogation techniques. Higher levels allow for more vigorous methodology and more effective deception.

Requirements: LUCK > 9

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Skill: Mask Stats

Level One: Keep others from knowing your stats. Works on any player either below or within eight levels of your current level. Higher levels allow for customizable stat-based deceptions.

Requirements: LUCK > 6

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Skill: Breath of Fire

Level Two: Place a molten marble in your mouth and use it to spit flames. Damage increases with level.

Damage: 9% if enemy is less than level 30; 6% if enemy is greater than level 30.

Odds of instakill: 6%

Requirements for instakill: LUCK > 7

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Skill: Explosive Blades

Level Three: Using three marbles, two knife and one black, cause confusion and pain through an additional shrapnel bonus.

Damage: 19% if enemy is less than level 30; 8% if enemy is greater than level 30.

Odds of instakill: 3%

Requirements for instakill: LUCK > 8

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Skill: Crucify

Level Three: Using two jagged knife marbles, quickly pin an enemy to an object. The object must be at least the length of the target’s outstretched hands. High levels allow for longer pinned times.

Damage: 3% if enemy is less than level 30; 4% if enemy is greater than level 30.

He senses a presence and blinks his eyes open.

Sarah the Australian stands before him completely nude, the look on her face the same as the previous night, when he was watching her. Her skin is porcelain, her breasts ample, the look on her face undeniably sexy.

Now isn’t the time.

Kodai’s eyes drop from her breasts to the single slit of hair shaved into her pubes. “Where are your clothes?”

“Ohayo gozaimasu,” she says in a high-pitched voice not her own.

“I won’t ask you again.”

Tension spreads across Sarah’s forehead. “You already had me sleep in another room, which is kind of humiliating, you know.”

“And?”

“I was expecting,” she swallows, “I don’t know what I was expecting, but I figured you’d at least have a bloody robe for me.”

“One wasn’t in there?”

“No. Besides,” she takes a step closer to him, “I thought you liked seeing me like this.”

“I don’t, not right now anyway. My delivery will be here soon.”

“Your humandroid?”

Kodai nods.

Sarah’s eyes fill with excitement. “Ooo, I want to see her. It was a her, right?”

“Yes, it is a she, and absolutely not,” he says firmly. “Now please, get your clothes and leave. I will come see you when I’m ready.”

Sarah starts to say something but stops herself. She turns away and purposefully sashays so he can take a long, hard look at her ass, if he so chooses.

Kodai smiles. The audacity of this one. It’s why he likes her, and it’s why he plans to keep her around for a little bit longer.

(0)__(0)

Once Sarah has left his apartment, Kodai moves to the window to take in the view. He can see the glimmering waters of Tokyo Bay, the tops of the trees in the Imperial Garden, the rooftops of smaller apartment buildings, the daytime running lights of the aeros as they zip through the air.