Dokeshi March: Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 1

The two people who stepped out of the barrier dividing the districts of February and March brought a storm of energy with them.  They stood strong against the sparks of static electricity that danced around them, but the one in banded armor fell to his knees as one last jolt of energy pushed him forward.  The young woman, with shockingly pink hair and wearing workout clothes with bright white gloves, raised an elegantly curved eyebrow at her partner.

“That isn’t how the Lord of January and February should make an entrance, you know.”  Suki, formerly known as Lady February, bent down and helped Grant to his feet.  “You’re lucky I was the only person to see it.”

“What?!  How was that my fault?  It was like the wall pushed me or something, and then...”  Grant spluttered at the indignity of it all, before he caught the upturned corners of Suki’s mouth.  “You’re joking with me, aren’t you?”

<Wow, Grant.  It looks like that spike in mental cultivation is already paying off.>  Sarge, the training spirit held within February 29 - Grant’s Wielded Weapon - just had to add insult to injury.  It was probably the thing he was best at, if someone were to ask Grant his personal opinion.  < I guess I’ll have to come up with some more ways to keep torturing you.  Since you can barely read, it’s the fastest way to increase your level.>  He opened his mouth to argue, but Sarge didn’t give him a chance to speak.  <You’re already down to ten months of life left, and it only gets harder from here on out.  You are going to have to be even more focused on improving yourself, now that you are in the Late Spring district.  Monsters will be stronger here, and so will the people you have to fight.>

Grant was brought out of his thoughts by Suki thumping him with her fist on his armored shoulder.

“Of course I’m messing with you.”  Suki surveyed the area they had emerged into, looking around at all the bright lights and fancy buildings.  “It looks like we came out into one of the nicer areas of March.”

Grant looked around, truly noticing his surroundings for the first time.  They had emerged in a dark alleyway, just off what looked like some kind of entertainment area.  He could see vendors behind stalls loaded down with goods, lined up next to buildings that looked like theaters and fancy hotels.

“Do you know where we are?  As Lady February, I’m sure you traveled into March all the time.”  He pointed at a particular stall covered in sweet treats, with a beautiful three-tiered cake as the centerpiece.  “Nevermind, I see something I need to buy.”

Suki reached out and grabbed Grant by the collar and hauled him back to her side.  “Wait.  Before we go out there, we need to go over a few things.”  She held up a finger, and waggled it in his face.  “One, don’t ever refer to me as Lady February while we are in March.  I haven’t been here since Lord March died, and the rumors I have heard about his heir haven’t all been good ones.  I don’t want to think about what might happen if they find out who I really am.  Besides, I’m not technically Lady February anymore, not until we get married.  Then you can call me Lady February again.  After you unite the twelve districts and bring down the barriers, of course.”

Grant gulped, remembering her demands for marriage.  His eyes flickered over to a screen that displayed his reason for being here.  A Legendary Quest that would kill him in just ten months if he didn’t finish it.  He felt the cold sweat drip down his spine as he read.

Quest: Heal the World (Lvl 100. Legendary.)

Grant Leap, by picking up the Wielded Weapon ‘February 29’, you will be henceforth known as Grant Monday, and will gain one cultivation level automatically, no matter how much cultivation would otherwise be required.

Important Information: The Wielder of February 29, Grant Monday, has one year to gather the power of the Lords of the Month and return February 29 to the status of a completed Wielded Weapon. (Current Progress: 2/12)

Rewards: Completion of the quest, Heal the World, will result in the reward of the title ‘Calendar King’, and all wealth and responsibilities associated with that position, along with the ability to wield the most powerful weapon in the world.

Failure Conditions: Failure to complete the mandatory quest ‘Heal the World’ within one year will result in the loss of all cultivation levels gained since the acquisition of February 29, plus the loss of an additional one level.

Since Grant was at cultivation level zero when he picked up the weapon, it meant he would drop below zero, and die a most terrible death.  How terrible, he wasn’t sure, but he was convinced it would be an awful way to go.  Suki poked him in the nose, and he dismissed the screen in front of him.

“Hey, focus Grant.  This is important.”  She held up a second finger.  “Second thing to remember.  This district isn’t anything like January or February.  People here cannot be trusted.  They are all running a scam of some kind, and none of them involve helping you.”

“I’m sure they can’t all be that bad.”  He pointed to the woman selling the cake in the distance.  “I mean, they at least eat cake here.  Unlike the weirdos that eat nothing but wheatgrass smoothies and granola, like in your district.”

She narrowed her eyes at him before holding up a third finger.  “And third, try not to start any fights.  I have only read reports from the few people that pass between the districts, but they all say the same thing.  Fighting in March is a very bad idea.”

“That’s it?  No details beyond ‘it’s bad to fight’?”  He shrugged, shifting his new armor on his shoulders.  “I only need to defeat Lord March.  That’s the fight that really matters.  I’ll try not to fight anyone else if I can avoid it.”

Grant pulled up his stats, reviewing the recent gains he earned in District February.

Name: Grant Monday

Rank: Lord of The Month (January, February)

Class: Foundation Cultivator

Cultivation Achievement Level: 17

Cultivation Stage: Mid Summer

Inherent Abilities: Swirling Seasons Cultivation

Health: 347/347

Mana: 19/19

Characteristics

Physical: 198

Mental: 73

Armor Proficiency: 108

Weapon Proficiency: 140

Late Spring Medium Ornate Banded Mail armor. Full set: Head, Torso, Legs.

Each piece offers:

Total Physical Damage Decrease: 50. (Base Armor: 14. Armor Cultivation bonus: 36)

Total Magical Damage Decrease: 50

February Twenty Nine (Considered as a Late Spring Medium weapon due to Weapon/Armor synergy)

Total Damage increase: 61. (Base weapon increase: 14. Weapon Cultivation increase: 47.)

Critical hit maximum damage: 93

At least with those numbers, he had a chance to do some real damage to his opponents.

<She clearly doesn’t know you very well.  I bet we get in a fight within the first hour.  You attract bad luck better than anyone I’ve ever even heard of, and that’s saying something.>

“But Sarge, it isn’t my fault!”  Grant looked down at the sword sheathed on his hip.  “I don’t start fights with other people, they start fights with me!”

<I think it’s your face.  You have a very punchable face.>

Before he could ask what that was supposed to mean, his stomach growled as the scent of baking bread and grilled meat drifted down the alley.  He started walking toward the smells, this time dragging Suki behind him.  Her heels were dug in, but it did no good.  His stomach wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.  Grant hadn’t had anything but rabbit food for a month, and he was willing to stab someone in the face for a steak at this point.