The End Of The Beginning

As the evening sun slowly went behind the horizon, the green forest trees slowly turned dark. Toshio was still shocked about his new body.

"We should start preparing to light a fire," Toshio instructed as he gathered some leaves and branches. Lily was trying her best to prove her usefulness. 

For her Toshio was a super strong person who killed the highest level Hero King. Lily was overflowing with sense of gratitude.

"Can't you just use your magic, Master?" Lily asked dumbfounded while gathering some dry leaves. In her mind her Demon Lord Tanaka can do anything.

Ah! She still thinks I'm the one who killed the High King. 

Toshio had lied to keep Lily from feeling aimless. Lily lived like a walking corpse for 5 years, she had finally started to act like an actual kid. Toshio didn't want to mess that chance.

"Of course, but can you do it instead? I just don't want to accidentally destroy the whole forest." Toshio was master at lying with poker face. 

You can't survive corporate life by always being honest and dumb.

In this world majority of people can perform simple smaller spells, like making a small fire on the finger-tip or cleaning clothes with magic. 

Because of her Noble roots, Lily was especially good at magic.

"I'm Happy to be of any use to you, Master Tanaka." Lily smiled while gathering small sticks.

It seemed Lily totally believed that lie. 

"You can just call me Toshio, when it's just the two of us." He wasn't comfortable in pretending like a master he was lying to Lily. They sat down in front of some dry-woods stacked for the fire. 

There were some big tree trumps for them to sit on.

I will definitely tell her the truth once we are in a better place.

"Here!" Lily gathered mana on her fingertip and small candle like fire appeared, it was floating in the air. 

Mana was the substance responsible for all the magic in the world.

WOAH! That was the first time Toshio saw actual magic that close. 

Wonder if I can do it too? Maybe I'l practice once she is asleep. Toshio was getting interested in the magic.

"Um.. if you like I can be your fire starter!" Lily said while hiding her face.

It was clear Lily was trying to find a place to belong to. Even Toshio could notice that.

She has no place to go back to. She is saying this because she thinks I'm the Hero killer. I can't break her trust.

Lily looked at Toshio for some kind of reaction, but he was deep in the thoughts.

"Just kidding, of course!" She laughed it off with a bit sad expression. She started preparing some fish and mushroom to roast. 

Toshio couldn't reply. He was never good at the human relationships. He also started helping her with the prepartions.

"I'll do whatever you need me to do. I would have been dead if not for you and your servant's help," Lily looked very honest as the fire was reflecting in her big sparkling eyes. 

For some reason she had thought that Nero was the servant of Toshio.

This kid is being honest and I'm worried about my lies...

"You are my trusted companion, didn't I say you can consider me your brother?" Toshio said while giving her a stick with fish and mushroom roasted thoroughly. Lily stared at him for a moment, with her big stray puppy like eyes.

Lily ate it in complete silence, but her runny nose and teary eyes were proof that Toshio had said what she wanted to hear. 

Toshio wanted to at least console her, but he was too rigid. He just patted Lily's back softly.

Both ate the food in the noise of frogs and night insects. The moon was bright, while the second moon was farther north in the corner of the sky. The occasional sniffing noise was being heard, it was hard to tell from who.

This another world is so fascinating! Toshio was taking it all in. They finally had some peace.

"You are to sleep in the shade I built. I'll sleep near the tree and you, but outside." Toshio said while taking off his blazer and wrapping it on himself as a blanket.

He laid to a tree trunk near the fire. He made sure Lily's tent was near him.

"But..." Lily was hesitating letting her savior sleep outside. 

If Toshio had demanded, she would have given up on anything. 

"It's an order!" Toshio said while closing his eyes. He stretched his bare legs, his socks and shoes sat near him. He was lying on Nero's coat.

He will understand, this is half his fault for leaving us in the forest.

Lily couldn't argue with an order. She sat there few seconds and went inside the small tent. It had some soft tree bedding and comfy pillow made with dry river moss. Toshio was master survivalist.

Sometimes it's good when she respects me so much that she just accepts it.

Toshio smiled to himself. I'm on such a power-trip! Toshio remembered his office days with managers always ordering around, never request.

"Sir Tanaka...Um I mean big brother Toshio," Lily spoke softly from the inside of her tent.

"Hmm?" Toshio replied with eyes still closed. I guess it will take time for her to call me just Toshio.

"I don't want to die anymore, I know I'm being selfish but..." It seemed as if she was trying her best not to cry,"You saved me, you took revenge for me. Now I'm scared of death...I want to live..." Lily couldn't finish it without chocking on tears.

"Who said anything about dying? Shouldn't you stay alive for the big brother? Who's going to light the fire for me if not you?" Toshio also had some wetness on the corners of his eyes.

"What if I try by myself and burn Nero's hair?" He made a joke to lighten the conversation.

Hehehe... He could hear Lily chuckling from her tent.

"Let's go somewhere nice, okay?" Toshio felt a bit sad, but hid it properly. 

"Yes..." Lily said while falling asleep.

A child losing her whole family, her whole life, yet trying to laugh. What kind of pitiful world this is...

Lily finally let out a sigh of relief, whole day she wanted to tell Toshio about that. 

[ CRITICAL ALERT: SYSTEM WARNING]
[ WARNING: HALF SOUL POINTS REMAINING ] 
[ CURRENT ACCOUNT STATUS: 257 SP REMAINING ]

The blue glowing system message woke up Toshio. The warning text was glowing bright red.

What?! 

[ CRITICAL ALERT : SYSTEM WARNING]
[ WARNING: HALF SOUL POINTS REMAINING ]
[ CURRENT ACCOUNT STATUS : 257 SP REMAINING ]

No I can read, but what does it mean? 

Toshio just thought and system started replying.

[ USER MANUAL ACTIVATED ]
[ WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW ]
> SOUL POINTS
> LEVEL UP
> SHOP
> ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓
> ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓
> ▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓

The remaining options were still unreadable.

"Ummm..." Toshio was surprised. He had almost forgotten about the system. 

System Points. He thought in his mind and the system selected it with a pointing icon.

[ SOUL POINTS ]
[ USER UNDER PENALTY NEEDS SOUL POINTS TO SURVIVE ]
[ CURRENT SOUL POINTS : 257 SP ]

I need these points to survive? What does it mean?

Toshio was beyond shocked. The system didn't reply. Toshio realized the system was very specific with the commands.

[ CURRENT SOUL POINTS : 256 SP ]

Wait why did it go down by 1? Suddenly the screen blinked with the changed number of SP.

The system stayed silent. Toshio quickly noted time on his watch.

This isn't enough to rattle me. 

He kept looking at the Soul Points shown by the system window and his wrist watch. It was complete silence, Toshio could hear faint ticking of the second hand of his wrist watch.

[ CURRENT SOUL POINTS : 255 SP ]

"10 minutes..." He mumbled as he noted the seconds and minutes. It's 10 minute and 1 second.

The gears of Toshio's accounting mind started spinning. 

If the warning said half Soul Points are remaining and it takes 10 minutes per soul point...Something doesn't add up!

If the half is 257, then the full should be 514 SP points! Toshio figured it out instantly.

Toshio started doing the calculation in his mind. 

It's roughly 9 hours since I ran away from the castle. He was using his fingers to count like a grade-schooler.

That's like 540 minutes, and if 10 minuets is 1 SP. It means I have used 54 SP till now, but remaining amount is 256!!

"Where the heck is almost 200 Soul Points missing?!?" Toshio almost shouted, but controlled himself because sleeping Lily.

"Hey system, are you embezzling the points to yourself?" Toshio asked the screen with low but stern voice. 

I can't have you stealing the company funds!

[ SYSTEM WARNING : DON'T ACCUSE SYSTEM ]
[ 203 SP POINTS USAGE CONFIRMED ]
[ REASON UNKNOWN ]
[ ERROR G%UWD6^ ]

"Ughh..." Toshio's head was hurting again. 

What happens if it reaches zero? He asked the system in his mind. I need to know the use of these points.

[ UPON SP ACCOUNT REACHING : 0 ]
[ USER WILL BE TERMINATED ]

Heh?!

Toshio knew what terminated meant in the old world, getting fired. But here it probably means something else. 

Once the balance is zero, the account is closed. Permanently!

Toshio finally realized the meaning of being at level -999.

There were few things unlocked, I should probably check.

He had no time to be sad. You always focus on task at hand first!

"Um system, how do I gain these SP points?"

[ BY HUNTING ELIGIBLE SUBJECTS ]
[ WOULD YOU LIKE TO PURCHASE THE SKILL CORE EYES? ]

There is just too less information on this thing, I need to learn more.

"Open shop." Toshio whispered not to wake up Lily.

[ ONLY CORE EYES (LEVEL 1) AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ]
[ CORE EYES : LET'S YOU SEE SP OF ELIGIBLE TARGETS. NO USAGE LIMIT. PASSIVE SKILL. MANA REQUIRE 0 ]

[ PURCHASE WITH 5 SP? ]
[ YES \ NO ]

What? You are practically asking me to pay with my life! Toshio had no other options.

YES <

[ PURCHASE COMPLETE ]
[ AVAILABLE SP : 250 SP ]

Suddenly Toshio felt pain in his eyes, he started seeing colors of different kinds. His brain started capturing details he never noticed before.

It took him few minutes, but he finally got used to it.

This is so cool! Toshio started looking around. 

The eyes also provided him some basic information of the targets, like Fire, Jaou Fish bones, Tariki Tree leaves and so on.

Toshio was looking around when suddenly something caught his attention.

He was looking at the direction of Lily's tent.

[ LILY ]
[ SOUL POINTS 100 ]