It's a weekday, and I was farming for Shards in the Zombie Dungeon because I needed something from the shop for another phase of my world domination plan.
As I continued my zombie genocide, I checked my Shop, where the exact number of Shards was displayed:
[Shards: 1,785]
Good. I just needed 500 more. I should be done in about a week, or less if I decided to hunt the minibosses, and that was my plan.
It's a relief to have a time dilation effect that scales with my level. Without it, I would spend so much time recovering my mana and ki—too much time lost.
[Mutated Zombie Lv.10]
Oh? Isn't that a lonely zombie wandering around? Don't you know it's dangerous to walk alone when there might be some Gamers ready to attack you? One just like me, hidden under [Stealth] and preparing a [Mana Arrow] aimed right at your face.
*Splat*
Exactly like that.
//
You have defeated a miniboss: Mutated Zombie Lv.10
+0 EXP
You've obtained 25 Shards
You've obtained 1 Gacha Ticket!
//
"Come to Papa, boys."
---
In the end, I reached 1,830 Shards before deciding to call it a day. I still had that ticket I wanted to use, so I didn't want to waste any more time.
//
Congratulations!
You've obtained: Apple.
//
In my hand appeared a completely normal red apple—no genetic modifications, no magical effects. Just an ordinary apple.
"Well, you win some, you lose some."
I took a bite, and it was surprisingly good.
"Oh, well, maybe next time."
I climbed into bed, finishing the apple, and when I was left with just the core, I remembered some words from a novel. The exact words escaped me, but it was something like, "Sell everything that isn't stuck to the floor." He was right.
//
Would you like to sell: Apple's Leftovers for 1 Shard?
Yes/No
//
I pressed Yes, and just like that, the apple leftovers vanished from my hand. I was now 1 Shard richer.
"This is so abusable... but at the same time, I don't want to do it."
I could gain a lot of Shards by going around the neighborhood and selling trash, but that would mean searching for it! It's boring, and I didn't want to do it!
"I could help Tsurayuki throw away the trash, but nothing more than that. Well, now that I'm free and no one's home, I could spend some time working on my [Pianist] skill. It's been stuck at level 99 for a week; maybe today is the day."
Without further ado, I headed to my trusty electronic piano, bringing some music sheets with me.
Sitting down and getting organized, I started with a famous anime song from my past life. Since no one was around, I could go all out and sing the theme without repercussions.
As I got into the zone, I began the piece with the first voiceless notes. Then it was time to sing my heart out, improvising without referring to the sheet music.
"Mawari tsuzukeruuuu, haguruma ni wa narisagaranai—"
'No Game No Life - OP 1 - This Game'
This was probably one of the first anime I ever watched, a remarkable work that left fans clamoring for a second season. I was one of those fans, but I genuinely enjoyed the film, and it stayed true to the original light novel. I felt satisfied with it.
Maybe one day I'll get to watch the sequel if it ever comes to light.
Note after note, word after word, the song flowed flawlessly. It didn't have the original voice, and I wasn't yet at the level of the original singer, but it didn't matter. In my tunnel vision focus, I made the best use of my unique tone and tried to convey the emotions expressed in the opening. Four minutes later...
"Jibun dake wo jibun, shinjiteruuuu~"
The song came to an end. I followed the rhyme perfectly, and the piano was even better than in the original. However, I felt my voice was a blemish on the performance more than ever.
I was ready to try again, but during the song, I noticed a sudden improvement overall—likely caused by skill level-ups that had gone unnoticed. [Concentration] wasn't the cheat skill I thought it would be. It helped me focus, but it also created a tunnel vision effect.
That's not ideal for dungeons, at least not at its current level. Still, I was impressed with my progress.
//
[Singing Lv.53->54]
[Concentration Lv.32->33]
[Pianist Lv.99->100]
[Pianist skill reached the Max level. You've obtained the skill: Great Musician]
[Great Musician Lv.1->6]
//
Oh, finally! I've upgraded—prestiged?—my skill! It makes sense that pouring your all into a song like it's a concert is akin to practicing and training combat skills in a real-life situation.
Even with only mechanical repetition, I could level up a skill, but using it in these scenarios significantly boosted my growth rate. I wanted to take full advantage of this, but my only concern was that doing so while others were at home felt socially inappropriate.
Even though I don't live in an apartment, I have to adhere to basic coexistence rules. My inner Western self cries out against these overly strict regulations, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make, and I can follow through with it without issue.
Not only because it's the norm here, but also because around 80% of the future worlds I'm interested in would likely follow similar rules—after all, anime is Japanese.
Since no one else is around, I can spend some more time honing this fantastic skill I gained. Who's to say I won't get isekai'd to a world where music is used to defeat a demon king? After all, this is Japan.
By the end of the day, I gained another three levels in [Singing], two in [Concentration], and five in my new [Great Musician] skill. I was ready to dominate anyone in my (unexpected, but still possible) isekai adventure with my piano skills.