Go Big To Go Home: A Kaiju-Fighting Isekai LitRPG (Book 1 Complete!)

Two weeks later, Mikayla and Nya were retiring to their room after a gruelling Practical Exercise and subsequent hearty dinner. They'd been pitted against a horde of Rat Kaijus and commanded to hold a small fort against them. It had been a brutal and gory mess that would haunt Mikayla's nightmares, redeemed only by the fact that the experience had finally pushed her to Level 26.

The light of the setting sun was shining in through the window as they returned to their bedroom, and Nya found a small pile of mail waiting for her just outside the door.

Leaving her roommate to attend to that, Mikayla stepped inside and collapsed into her bed, groaning in relief as her aching muscles finally had the chance to rest. Kaiju-fighting class was hard work.

"So, my parents wrote back to me," Nya broke the silence a few moments later, holding a letter up so that Mikayla could see it.

"About the Engraving classes?" In the wake of a busy school life, Mikayla had managed to put the question of Allis Ruogang and her impossible knowledge of Earth technology to the back of her mind. But it was still a lead, a chance that might get her closer to going home.

Mikayla paused. "Wait, hang on. You sent them that letter more than two weeks ago. The City of Roses is less than half an hour away. How did it take them that long to write back?"

Nya didn't meet her gaze. "My parents are busy people . . ahem, on the topic of the classes. They're not saying no, but they are worried about how much I've been spending on you. Cores and Techniques are one thing, but they don't see much benefit

to me

in paying for you to learn Engraving," Nya apologetically explained.

"Ah. Well, that doesn't matter. You've paid for so much stuff for me that I've barely even touched my stipend from the Cosmic Scales. I can pay for the classes myself,"

"I'm not allowing that," Nya insisted, as she always did with matters of money. It was kind of sweet, if a little stifling. "As I was trying to say, they're not opposed but they want to make sure that their investment in you is paying off,"

Mikayla rolled her eyes. "Ah, right. Because they're still on the part where they're training me up to be your loyal and devoted protector,"

"Precisely," Nya shrugged apologetically.

"Y'know, I'm not crazy about them acting like they own me in exchange for all the help you've given me,"

"I understand, but it's not as though you cannot simply cut ties with me and them if it ever becomes too much to bear. There's no formal debt, nothing in writing. The worst they can do to you is badmouth you behind your back,"

"That could still cause trouble for me. I'm a nobody, they're nobility, they could blacklist me,"

"Blacklist?" Nya repeated. Mikayla rolled her eyes. Her translation was still having trouble with some compound words, it seemed.

"I mean, they could screw up my employment prospects around here pretty badly," Mikayla shrugged.

Nya nodded, conceding the point. "You're going into the Goliath Guard. No one out in the Coast will care about what my family thinks. Beyond that, by that logic you've been in too deep since I bought you that shield. So you might as well take me and my family for all you can,"

Mikayla stifled a laugh. "Should you really be saying things like that?"

With perfect poise and noble bearing, Nya executed the most regal of shrugs. "We're rich. We won't miss a few hundred more silfs,"

"Hahaha, right, right. So what does the esteemed and noble house of Han desire from me in exchange for funding my Engraving lessons?"

"You have been invited to dinner, on Sunday night. To share a meal with my parents, such that they might know you and gauge your merits for themselves," Nya sniffed. "They doubt my judgement. It's honestly offensive,"

"Unfortunately, Reborn Rose or no you're still a teenager and therefore completely untrustworthy," Mikayla teased.

"Blasphemy," Nya didn't quite hide her smile. "Nonetheless. Are you willing?"

"Yeah, alright. Shouldn't be that hard, I've read enough accounts of medieval aristocracy. Not to mention the historical fantasy anime,"

"Er, yes, quite. We shall need to procure fine clothing for you, but that shouldn't be difficult," Nya looked her up and down, appraising Mikayla's dark brown hair and hazel eyes. "It is customary to match one's aura colour. Fortunately, I believe red will suit you,"

"And now you sound like Cat," Mikayla chuckled.

"Oh, yes, your 'best friend forever'. You said she was an expert on fashion," Nya nodded. She offered a smile that was softer than her usual self-assured grin. "I look forward to meeting her,"

"You two will either get along like a house on fire or hate each other's guts," Mikayla chuckled, appreciating the phrasing. It was, after all, a matter of when, rather than if. "Alright then. So, clothes shopping tomorrow and dinner the day after?"

"Precisely,"

<=====}—o

A lifetime with the whirlwind of fashion that was Cat had prepared Mikayla for this day.

Namely, the day on which she stood around like a mannequin for an hour while a staff of tailors, under Nya's expert guidance, wove together the most elaborate gown she'd ever seen, specifically for her.

It was made of red silk, with black trim adorning it and a silver scarf that trailed down her right arm. Underneath it was a corset in a fetching pink, and the ensemble was completed by a pair of elegant platform shoes that added three inches to her height. Mikayla had to admit, it looked gorgeous. And, as promised, when she generated sparks of Mana around her fingers it was a perfect match.

They left the store with Mikayla carrying a heavy and well-cushioned box full of far-too-expensive fabric.

The market district passed around them in a kaleidoscope of colours and noise. Mikayla couldn't blame Keldryn for bowing out of this little trip, even she found it more than a little overwhelming.

Nya drew to a halt as thy rounded a corner, her tail suddenly flicking in distress. Mikayla almost tripped over it, and after a hasty side-step she looked up to see what had caught her roommate's attention.

"Oh . . the mystery arsonist again, huh?"

Several stalls had been reduced to burnt-out husks and charred dust. Cordons had been set up, and several yaoguais in red robes under neon yellow Armour Cores were inspecting the crime scene.

"Mm-hm. The fires have been growing more and more commonplace. Whomever this miscreant is, he grows ever more brazen," Nya growled.

"Indeed! Hail, young ladies," A tall blue yaoguai whose horns framed an important-looking hat leant on the temporary barriers around the crime scene, regarding them with his features schooled into investigative impassiveness. "Yevgenia, an honour as always,"

"And who might you be?" Nya returned.

"Merk. Detective King Merk," The man puffed his chest out, tail flicking back and forth. "And I am the man in charge of the City of Roses Extraordinary Criminal Investigation Squad, Northern Division!"

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

In a blur of motion the other six officers all dropped what they were doing and took up formation behind him, three to either side. "Judicious, meticulous and perspicacious!" the half-dozen yaoguai barked in almost perfect unison.

Merk held up a finger. "Far right, you were too slow!"

"Sorry, Detective King, sir!" the unfortunate man barked, bowing so low that his horns scraped against the ground.

"At ease," Merk looked far too pleased with his little display as his underlings dispersed.

Mikayla and Nya traded a skeptical glance. "Detective King. Is that an official title?" Mikayla hesitantly questioned.

"It might as well be. I'm in charge of the investigation into the serial arsonist,"

"The one that's been running for two years with no success?"

"Now now, I've only been on this case for a month. Things are going to be different with me in charge, it's only a matter of time until the crook is clapped in irons!" Merk struck what he probably imagined to be a dashing pose, hand clenched over his heart and staring into the distance.

"I, uh, see. Good luck with that," Mikayla hesitantly offered, starting to back away.

"Hold on. Have you two fine young ladies seen anything

strange

around here?" Merck abruptly demanded, looming over them.

"We have not. We would have said as much if we had," Nya assured him. "Now, we ought to be going,"

"I mean it! Anything at all, nothing and no one is above reproach. Whether they're a man, a woman, or even a child, Detective King Merk will get his answers, no matter what it takes!"

Nya's tail twitched, and she eyed him disdainfully. "Was that a threat?"

Merk flinched. "Uh, no, no, of course not, honoured Yevgenia. I just mean to say that any clue or lead, no matter how improbable, will always be worth the time of the City of Roses Extraordinary Criminal Investigation Squad, Northern Division!"

For the second time, his men all dropped what they were doing, lined up and chanted, "Judicious, meticulous and perspicacious!"

"We appreciate your dedication and look forward to seeing the results. However, we don't have any leads to point you at or anything. Sorry," Mikayla shook her head.

"Well, don't forget! All upstanding citizens are allies under the banner of justice!" Nya was already leaving, and Mikayla moved to catch up, Detective King Merk's rant fading into the background noise.

"He seemed nice," Mikayla sarcastically commented.

"It's no wonder that they haven't caught the arsonist yet with buffoons like that on the case," Nya rolled her eyes.

It wasn't long until they had arrived at the train station, and were boarding the carriages that would take them back to Cloudscraper. Mikayla sat down with a sigh of relief, dumping the box of fancy clothes next to her.

Something buzzed in her pocket, and she fished out her phone. "Oh, Asika texted me," Mikayla frowned. "She usually waits for me to start a conversation, this must be important,"

[HEY! MIKAYLA! I HAVE GOOD NEWS! I CONVINCED FAILSAFE TO LET ME SHAKE THE DEMIGOD SYSTEM AND THIS FELL OUT!]

[supercoolscenario_1/Pierce_Blastreyne/Champion_of_the_Rainbow_Ouroboros/23_1_1396.d/as]

Mikayla's eyes widened as she read the title of the file Asika had sent to her.

Champion of the Rainbow Ouroboros?

[WHO'S PIERCE BLASTREYNE?]

[HE'S THE MOST RECENT DEMIGOD OF TEAMWORK BEFORE YOU. HE LIVED SIX HUNDRED YEARS AGO.]

Six hundred years? That was

long

before the Kaiju Collapse. Mikayla hadn't heard of him yet, but then she'd only had a few free days to browse the library's historical texts.

[AWESOME, I'LL HIT THE BOOKS AND SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT]

[NO NEED FOR THAT! SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY TEACHERS FOR DEMIGOD STUFF, I GOT SPECIAL PERMISSION TO CODE SOMETHING SNAZZY.]

[GO ON]

[WELL, THERE'S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS, I'M NOT BEING ALLOWED TO JUST GIVE YOU DIVINE TECHNIQUES LIKE I SAID I WOULD. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE TO BE *EARNED*. SORRY!]

Mikayla frowned. That was extremely inconvenient.

[THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE DIVINE SCALES RECOGNISES THAT WITH NO TEACHERS THERE'S NO OTHER WAY FOR YOU TO GET THE DIVINE TECHNIQUES YOU DESERVE TO HAVE. SO I GOT PERMISSION TO PROGRAM A WORKAROUND. I'VE NOW GOT SPECIAL ACCESS TO THE RECORDS OF HISTORICAL DEMIGODS OF TEAMWORK AND CAN SEND YOU RECORDINGS OF HOW THEY LEARNED AND/OR CREATED DIVINE TECHNIQUES!]

Thinking about that, Mikayla couldn't help but grin.

[OH THAT IS EPIC THANK YOU SO MUCH]

[THANK ME BY USING PROPER PUNCTUATION.

]

[OKAY, OKAY, I'LL TRY. SERIOUSLY, THOUGH, THIS SOUNDS AMAZING.]

[IT'S NOT PERFECT. I SPENT ALL WEEK JUST DECRYPTING AND PATCHING PIERCE'S MOST BASIC DIVINE TECHNIQUE. AND THAT'S NOT EVEN MENTIONING - OOP! SPOILERS! STILL! CRACK IT OPEN AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES!]

[ON THE TRAIN RIGHT NOW, I WILL WHEN I GET BACK TO THE DORMS. THANKS AGAIN!]

"You look happy," Nya observed. "Good news?"

Mikayla looked around. They were alone in the train carriage, but it was a Core and those tended to project sounds. "Tell you about it when we're back in our room,"

<=====}—o

Once she'd been filled in, Nya struggled to contain her excitement. "Do it. Do it right now. Don't worry about how long it takes, I'll bring you some dinner if need be,"

"Jeez, you're even more exited about this than I am," Mikayla whistled.

"Of course! An actual Divine Technique is an incredible ace to have up our sleeve!" Nya paused, taking a breath. "You are Stranded, so I don't believe you appreciate the significance here. Divine Techniques are a class above ordinary Techniques. They are, without exception, winning moves that can reverse the course of a battle in the blink of an eye. Many warriors would trade their tail for one. Claim it, right now. This might even be worth

skipping class

for!"

Mikayla whistled. "I realised it was a big deal, you know. But all the same, alright then," She opened her phone and tapped on the file Asika had sent, and a loading bar appeared.

[1%]

[8%]

[26%]

[42%]

The progress bar froze on 42%, and Mikayla stifled a groan of exasperation.

"What's wrong?" Nya worried.

"It's loading," She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I'm in a magical fantasy world and I'm still getting bottlenecked by bad internet service,"

[89%]

"Oh shit that jumped up fast. Okay, here goes I guess,"

[100%]

Something inside the phone extended into her hand, into her veins, connecting to her Mana, and the world around her went white.