Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

Roy paid no mind to the splattered fluids staining his clothes. Without hesitation, he drove his sword straight down, the blade piercing clean through the writhing creature beneath him.

Even so, the man-eating plant refused to yield. Its HP was annoyingly substantial. Pressing harder with his foot, Roy reduced its frantic thrashing. With a calm expression, he thrust his sword three more times, finally silencing the beast.

But as the plant disintegrated into light, a wave of dizziness washed over him.

Roy frowned, massaging his temples to dispel the discomfort. His mental fortitude was formidable—strong enough to resist outright collapse—but even he felt the strain.

He glanced at his stamina bar. Completely drained. The surging power that had coursed through him moments ago had ebbed away like a receding tide.

Then, a notification appeared.

[Your level has increased to 7.]

[You have unlocked ???.]

[???]

[Active Skill: Amplifies all physical attributes relative to the amount of mana infused. The extent of enhancement depends on the total mana utilized.]

After a moment of consideration, Roy named the skill Berserk.

He sat down and allowed himself five minutes of rest. Just as his breathing steadied, a sudden burst of blue light enveloped him.

Forced teleportation.

A faint smile touched his lips. "So, it's finally starting?"

The familiar plaza came into view, filled with players appearing one after another in flashes of blue light.

This was the Town of Beginnings.

Seizing the opportunity before the crowd thickened, Roy scanned his surroundings for Asuna and Kirito.

As more players materialized in the square, accompanied by the gentle strains of the game's signature background music, the atmosphere felt almost serene. The music, carried on a light breeze, was strangely calming, a detail Roy noted with faint amusement.

"If real life had background music, people's moods might improve by leaps and bounds."

Eventually, Roy's gaze landed on a familiar figure in a far-off corner of the plaza—a man with dark hair, who seemed to be keeping to himself.

Walking over, Roy grabbed the man's arm. He glanced at the player's ID and grinned. "Still using this name, huh? You haven't changed a bit."

Kirito turned, startled, only to see his older brother standing before him. Ignoring Roy's teasing, Kirito spoke directly: "Nii-san, haven't you noticed something strange?"

Roy's smile faded. He knew what was coming. After all, he had already pieced together the situation. His entire being, once a bundle of data, was now flesh and blood.

Seeing his brother's somber expression, Kirito continued. "The logout button is gone."

Roy responded lightly, "It's probably just a bug."

Kirito sighed. "If it's a bug, this game's reputation is going to take a major hit. People had such high expectations for it."

Roy studied his younger brother, realizing Kirito hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation.

After some casual banter, Roy's attention shifted to a looming figure nearby—a massive skeleton wielding a scythe. Its silent presence brought a faint, knowing smile to his face.

Patting Kirito on the shoulder, Roy said, "I'll go find Asuna. You two chat."

The plaza grew increasingly crowded, making it harder for Roy to navigate. Yet, as he moved, he couldn't help but attract attention.

His sharp features and striking appearance drew countless eyes. His face was both handsome and commanding, with perfectly balanced features, a high nose bridge, and bold, arching eyebrows that gave him an air of quiet confidence.

What stood out most were his bright crimson-gold eyes, glowing with intensity, and the sharp aura he carried—an unmistakable byproduct of years of sword training.

Though he wore the same rough, beginner's outfit as everyone else, it looked different on him. His short, radiant hair and perfectly parted bangs framed his face, enhancing his striking appearance. Roy was the picture of elegance and strength—a stunning figure in any setting.

In a modern society, where appearances often influenced perceptions, his presence was magnetic. Even in a virtual world, his looks and demeanor captivated onlookers, especially the inexperienced girls who found his aura of mystery and danger utterly irresistible.

Several male players began to approach Roy, asking him to reveal his face customization secrets.

Roy remained expressionless, scanning the crowd before speaking coldly, "I'm looking for someone. Please make way."

The girls, charmed by his indifferent demeanor, blushed slightly. The boys, on the other hand, whispered amongst themselves. Roy's keen ears easily picked up on their gossip.

"What's the point of looking good in the game? In real life, he's probably just some fat guy."

"Yeah, exactly."

Roy scoffed quietly, ignoring the sour remarks. He finally spotted Asuna, standing alone in a corner, looking completely lost.

When she saw him, her face lit up with relief, and she grabbed his arm.

"Asuna, what's wrong?"

With a serious look, Asuna spoke quickly, "Roy, I've noticed something strange. The logout button is gone."

Roy nodded.

Seeing his calm reaction, Asuna became even more anxious. "It's almost seven now. When my mom gets back, she's going to be mad at me."

Roy shook his head, feeling a bit amused that even as an adult, Asuna still feared her mother.

Though Asuna hadn't yet grasped the severity of the situation, Roy didn't want to add to her worries. He gently reassured her, "It's probably just a bug."

But Asuna still looked worried.

Roy guided her to where Kirito was standing. As the crowd grew larger, the plaza became increasingly noisy.

It seemed that many players had also noticed the strange occurrence, with some realizing that the logout button had disappeared.

Whispers and questions began to fill the air.

"What's going on?" "

Can we log out now?"

"I just want to log out!"

Soon, the chatter grew more agitated. Frustrated voices started to rise, with players shouting,

"Stop joking!"

"GM, come out!"

Suddenly, a single voice rang out above the noise.

"Ah... look up!"

Instinctively, Roy looked up and saw something truly bizarre.

About a hundred meters above, at the base of the second level, the sky was filled with a crimson, checkerboard-like pattern.

On closer inspection, Roy saw that the pattern was made up of two English words arranged in an interlocking design. The words, written in bright red letters, were WARNING and SYSTEMANNOU.

'Is this the GM?' Roy thought, his mind racing. It was the first time he had seen a GM in real life.

The red pattern that covered the sky resembled a large, thick drop of blood in the center. It slowly dripped downward, but instead of falling to the ground, it changed shape in midair.

There, hovering in the air, was a giant nearly twenty meters tall, cloaked in deep red.

The figure's hood was pulled so low that it obscured the face, but in the hollow space under the hood, there was no face at all—just an empty void. You could clearly see the seams on the inside and edges of the cloak. Even the long, drooping hem seemed to hold nothing but a faint darkness within.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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