[You are trash.]
The bloody red text appeared on the black screen, floating before his eyes. Simon instinctively rubbed his neck, which was still throbbing with phantom pain.
Families, who understands this struggle?
I was just grinding a dungeon, met a cute Zombie Sister, and got decapitated by her scythe like she was a monster. I tried my best, but I couldn't win.
Okay, Simon admitted it. Although he knew a little bit of Hokushin Itto-ryu swordsmanship, he wasn't nearly as good as Mei. He had absolutely zero combat experience. Facing a Deadwalker—an enemy wielding a scythe, an exotic weapon—it was difficult to counter. Getting one-shotted was perfectly normal.
"But, System... don't you think this is partly your fault?"
[System Advice: Grind skill proficiency. Memorize enemy attack patterns. Strengthen base stats.]
In short: Skill issue. Git gud!
Simon really wanted to beat the System up, but he couldn't find a physical body to hit. He couldn't exactly punch himself in the head, right?
"Can I use my [Persuasion] skill on the enemy?"
[The Dungeon is not a TTRPG structure. Please rely on your own judgment.]
"Fine. Then what if I get a gun?"
Although the Far East had strict gun control laws, as the heir to Massive Electric, getting a firearm wouldn't be difficult for Simon.
However, he immediately rejected his own idea.
Looking at the grand stage of Honkai Impact, there wasn't a single top-tier fighter who relied purely on guns. Even Herrscher of Finality Kiana used a pistol in one hand and a greatsword in the other. Those who did use ranged weapons usually started with cannons. Not to mention, the "pistols" in Kiana's hands probably packed more firepower than a 380mm heavy cannon.
So, while using a gun might help him progress quickly in the early game, it could be detrimental to his long-term development.
"System, give me some advice."
Simon knew very well that he lacked both combat experience and base stats. The System's "Weak" rating for his Strength and Constitution was justified. In his previous clashes with the Scythe Deadwalker, his hands had gone numb from the impact alone. He estimated that even if he dumped his two Free Attribute Points into Strength, he still wouldn't be able to overpower the enemy with brute force.
And with his current practical skills, any humanoid Deadwalker was likely stronger than him.
[System Advice: 1. Find weaker enemies, such as Chariot-class Honkai Beasts. 2. Train to increase skill proficiency. 3. Complete Bond Missions to earn rewards for self-improvement. 4. Complete Daily Missions to earn Paragon/Toxic Points to draw rewards.]
"Tell me about these Bond Missions."
Simon hadn't paid attention to this feature before, but it looked like the System might actually be useful for once.
[Heroine Affection has a cap. You must complete Bond Missions to unlock higher caps. Completing Bond Missions yields massive rewards.]
"Is that so... Let me see Mei's Affection stats."
[Loaded.]
[Name: Raiden Mei]
[Charm: 18]
Yep. My wife is beautiful.
[Description: Heir to the Hokushin Itto-ryu style. Eldest Miss of Massive Electric. A beauty who combines maturity, rationality, and elegance. Recommended for capture.]
Do I need you to tell me that?
[Affection: 20]
"She's already my wife! Why is her Affection capped?!"
[Capturing a heart requires gradual progress. Please do not project your toxic fantasies onto reality.]
Great. A bot System.
"Fine. Tell me how to complete the Bond Mission."
[Bond Mission 1: Raiden Mei seems trapped in a predicament due to her family business's decline. Some have even begun to bully her. As a Player who holds affection for her, you cannot tolerate this. You decide to step forward.]
[Mission Requirement: Help Raiden Mei stand up against the bullying group and help her walk out of the shadows.]
A very simple mission, but...
"System... do you want to check if I've already completed this?"
Simon smiled a very "kind" smile.
Are you kidding me? How do you think I courted the Eldest Miss of ME Corp?
Back when Cocolia launched a corporate war against ME Corp and crushed his father-in-law, Simon had seized the opportunity—no, stepped forward—to help Mei drive away the bullies. He encouraged her, telling her the failure was temporary and that Uncle Ryoma would pull through. During that period, he became her spiritual pillar.
The result? Welt Yang, the leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance, returned to stop Cocolia's monopoly and fined her 100 billion dollars, bringing ME Corp back to life. Simon and Mei bonded over the ordeal and entered their dating phase.
[Scanning...]
[&%&#@@! Kun-Jin-Kao! Hot! Hot! localstorage.get() --]
[Historical Data Reloaded.]
[Congratulations! Player has completed Raiden Mei · Bond Mission 1. Affection Cap increased to 40.]
[Mission Rewards: Free Attribute Points x2. Talent: [Mind's Eye (Excellent)]. Strategy Reward: Paragon Points x100.]
[Talent Slot Unlocked.]
Just as Simon wanted to check his new Talent and Mei's second Bond Mission, the System spammed a series of notifications.
[Congratulations! Player has completed Kiana Kaslana · Bond Mission 1. Affection Cap increased to 40.]
[Mission Rewards: Free Attribute Points x2. Talent: [Honkai Resistance (Excellent)]. Strategy Reward: Paragon Points x100.]
[Congratulations! Player has completed Bronya Zaychik · Bond Mission 1. Affection Cap increased to 40.]
[Mission Rewards: Free Attribute Points x2. Talent: [Analysis (Excellent)]. Strategy Reward: Paragon Points x100.]
Huh?
Simon was stunned by the barrage of prompts. He hurriedly checked how he had completed them.
After opening the logs, he fell silent.
Kiana's Bond Mission 1 was to help her find her father and ask why he abandoned her.
Simon vaguely remembered high school. Kiana had invited everyone to a school trip in Europe. While shopping, Uncle Siegfried had quietly slipped away, leaving Simon alone to carry the shopping bags for all the girls. Afterward, Kiana found Siegfried and beat him up. The force she used was practically patricide. Simon had shivered just watching it.
So that counts?
As for Bronya's Bond Mission 1—"Help Bronya stop the X-10 Experiment"—that was even more ridiculous. This world didn't have Honkai energy, so where would an X-10 Experiment come from?
System, your data is very new, but your missions are ancient. What exactly are you?
Wait! No!
Simon stared at the reward Talent: [Honkai Resistance (Excellent)].
[Honkai Resistance (Excellent):]
[You can resist minor Honkai energy erosion and utilize Honkai energy.]
Why would "Honkai Resistance" appear in a slice-of-life world?!
As Chekhov said: If a gun appears in a story, it must eventually be fired.
In other words, his peaceful daily life was about to end.
System! Are you trying to destroy this world's setting?!
Simon's gaze turned dangerous.
[System cannot provide further query services. Please explore the Dungeon to obtain information.]
It seems this dog System won't talk even if I beat it to death.
But that wasn't a huge problem. I will handle it myself!
Armed with eight Free Attribute Points and three fresh Talents, Simon felt ambitious.