SSS-Rank Extra: I Got a Chaos System-Chapter 20: A Fool’s Guide to Surviving a Tsundere

[200+ Exp Earned]

[STATUS WINDOW]

System Name: Chaos System

Name: Kazuki Hayashi

Level: 7

Class: Avian Apostle

XP: 1,900 / 2,000

Affiliation: None

Race: Human

Relics: [Hydra's Fang Dagger]

Title: [False Chosen One], [Bird Bomber], [The One That Got Away!]

[Harbinger of Fowl Destruction], [Hydra Tamer.]

HP: 180 / 180

MP: 70 / 70

Stats:

Strength: 25(+10)

Agility: 14(+6)

Intelligence: 27 (+11)

Willpower: 9 (+2)

Vitality: 40(+10)

Endurance: 1(+1)

Perception: 1 (+1)

Luck: ???

Special Resource: Mana

Skills:

[Skill: Exploding Chicken Summon: (D)]

[Skill: Brute Strength!: (E)]

[Skill: Feathered Footwork (D)]

[Skill: Egg Bomb (C)]

[Skill: Call of the Flock (C)]

[Skill:Survivor's Reflex (Passive)(E)]

[Skill: Summon Hydra (Sealed)]

[Inventory]

Kazuki scrolled through his [STATUS WINDOW], his eyes stopping at a particular title.

[Hydra Tamer]

It still felt unreal. A few days ago, he was just struggling to survive, and now he had a title that made him sound like some legendary beast master. It wasn't exactly inaccurate—he had subdued a hydra—but the experience itself had been more of a fluke than skill. If things had gone even slightly differently, he would've been hydra food.

His gaze shifted down to his skill list.

[Skill: Summon Hydra (Sealed)]

That was the real mystery. He had tamed the beast, but he couldn't use it yet. Whatever this "sealed" part meant, it was keeping him from summoning the creature. Did he need to get stronger? Unlock some kind of condition?

He sighed. "Would've been nice to have a hydra backing me up right now..."

The thought of casually summoning a giant, multi-headed serpent of destruction was both thrilling and terrifying. Would it even obey him fully? Or was it more of a 'begrudging partnership'? Either way, having that kind of firepower at his command would make things a lot easier.

His eyes flicked back to the title [Hydra Tamer] and an amusing thought crossed his mind.

What if people heard this title and expected some badass warrior... and then they meet me, a guy whose best move is literally throwing chickens?

The contrast was painful.

Before he could think about it further, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

Lillian, walking beside him, gave him a sideways glance. "So, where are we going?"

Kazuki blinked, pulled out of his thoughts. "...I don't know."

Lillian's steps slowed. "Okay... then, what are we gonna eat?"

Kazuki scratched the back of his head. "I... don't know that either."

The air between them went still. The only sounds were the rustling leaves and the distant chirping of birds. Lillian stared at him, unblinking. Kazuki could feel the weight of that gaze pressing down on him.

Her fingers twitched.

Kazuki took a cautious step back. "...Lillian?"

Her brow twitched.

"Wait, let's talk about thi—"

SMACK!

Lillian's fist rocketed into his face. Time seemed to slow as Kazuki felt himself lift off the ground, his brain rattling like a maraca before gravity took over. He crashed down face-first into the dirt with a dull thud, limbs sprawled out like a broken puppet.

A beat of silence.

Kazuki groaned. "Ow."

Lillian, breathing heavily, ran her hands through her hair like she was on the verge of losing her mind. "You mean to tell me," she said, voice trembling, "that I ran away from my village to follow a broke, jobless idiot who has no plan and no sense of direction?!"

Kazuki spat out some dirt. "Y-you make it sound worse than it is—"

"IT IS THAT BAD!" Lillian threw her hands up in frustration. "WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?! I left my home, my comfort, my food security—FOOD, KAZUKI!—for what?! Some half-baked adventure with a guy whose best skill is summoning poultry-based explosives?!"

Kazuki pushed himself up, groaning. "Okay, first off, Egg Bomb is C-rank, so show some respect."

Lillian lunged at him, grabbing his collar and shaking him. "I SHOULD HAVE JUST MARRIED THE BAKER'S SON! AT LEAST HE HAD FLOUR! HE HAD A FUTURE!"

Kazuki, still dazed, held up a weak finger. "Technically... I do have a future. I mean, I own a hydra."

Lillian let out a high-pitched, incoherent scream before collapsing onto her knees, grabbing her head. "I have ruined my life."

Kazuki coughed, rubbing his aching jaw. "Okay, but hear me out. What if we—"

She held up a hand, stopping him. Then took a long, deep breath. Then another. Then another.

Finally, she stood up, dusted herself off, and turned to him with dead, hollow eyes. "Kazuki."

"Yeah?"

"Fix this."

Kazuki gulped. "Right. Right. Got it. Uh, first step: find food. Second step: get a job. Third step: become rich and powerful so you don't regret every choice leading up to this moment."

Lillian sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "...Fine. Whatever. Let's just go before I start actually crying."

Kazuki patted his chest confidently. "Trust me, Lillian. One day, you'll look back on this and—"

"I swear if you say 'laugh,' I'm throwing you into the nearest river."

Kazuki promptly shut up.

As they trudged along the forest path, Kazuki let out a long, tired sigh, rubbing his sore jaw. His head still rang from the punch, but honestly, the bigger pain was in his soul.

What the hell was I thinking letting her come along?

He could almost see his past self, grinning like an idiot when he confidently told Lillian, "Let's go on an adventure!"

Past Kazuki, you moron. What part of "dragging along an emotionally unstable, absurdly strong woman" sounded like a good idea?!

She had no survival skills. No combat experience. And, worst of all, no patience for his nonsense.

I should've just told her to stay behind. Nope, nope, instead, I had to be an idiot. 'Oh sure, let's bring Lillian along! It'll be fun!' Fun, my ass!

Now he was stuck with a woman who could quite literally punch his soul out of his body anytime he annoyed her—which, let's face it, was going to happen a lot.

Damn it, past me. Why do you hate me so much?

Kazuki sighed again, shaking his head. He needed to focus on the present. First, find food. Second, a job. Third—

"Are you badmouthing me?"

Kazuki's entire soul froze.

Lillian's voice came out of nowhere, soft and sweet, yet absolutely lethal.

Slowly—very slowly—Kazuki turned his head to see her looking directly at him, her violet eyes glinting dangerously. A small, knowing smirk tugged at her lips.

His heart dropped.

"W-what? Me? Badmouth you? No, no, never! I wouldn't dare!" He threw up his hands, laughing nervously. "I was just, uh, admiring your beauty! Yes! Thinking about how lucky I am to be traveling with such a wonderful and—ahaha—stunning companion!"

Lillian stared at him.

Silence stretched between them.

Then, she smiled—a sweet, serene, bone-chilling smile.

"Good answer," she hummed.

Kazuki gulped.

Hei barely had time to recover from Lillian's terrifying smile before a familiar ding echoed in his ears.

[SYSTEM ALERT!]

New Missions Available!

Kazuki's stomach dropped. "...Oh no."

With a growing sense of dread, he opened his [Quest Log].

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[Side Mission: The Art of Survival]

Objective: Avoid getting punched by Lillian for an entire day.

Reward: +1 Endurance, [Title: Dodge Master]

Failure Penalty: Severe Pain

Kazuki paled. An entire day?! Impossible!

Before he could process that nightmare, another quest popped up.

[Hidden Quest: How to Tame Your Tsundere]

Objective: Compliment Lillian ten times without getting hit.

Bonus: If she blushes, reward increases!

Reward: +2 Luck, [Title: Sweet Talker]

Failure Penalty: Lillian Finds Out

Kazuki visibly flinched at the penalty.

And then, as if the system was personally mocking him, one more mission appeared.

[URGENT QUEST: DIG YOUR OWN GRAVE]

Objective: Tell Lillian she needs to work on her temper.

Reward: Free Headstone of Your Choice

Failure Penalty: Your Funeral

Kazuki slammed the window shut. "Nope! Nope, not doing this today!"

Lillian raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Kazuki snapped to attention, sweating bullets. "H-huh? Oh! Nothing! Just thinking about how amazing you are! Truly a blessing to be traveling with someone so kind and patient and definitely not scary!"

Lillian gave him a suspicious look but didn't press further.

Kazuki let out a silent breath of relief.

The system, however, was not done.

[Bonus Challenge Activated: Give Her a Pet Name!]

Objective: Call Lillian a cute nickname.

Bonus Reward: +3 Agility (for running away)

Kazuki closed his eyes. I hate this system.