《Lawyer Magus Transmigrated to the Immortal Realm》 Chapter 1: Access to the Immortal Realm Humans like him who have defied mortality and reached the threshold of immortality had to go into hiding for fear of being subject to interrogation and persecution. As he was mulling many things in his head, his focus now steered to the objects he prepared before taking the first step of entering the portal gate to the higher realm. He chanted a single-word mantra to release a crystal ball from his right hand. The crystal ball a size as large as a golf ball was then formed into a transparent azure light tablet, crystal thin but its dimension was similar to a grimoire. The illuminating part displayed the information that he had to see again to make sure that anything amiss would be omitted. It read: Portal Gate Information: Chocolate Peak, 10 meters away from the Osmena Peak in Mantalongon, Dalaguete An invisible gate must be opened by a portal key. With Master''s portal key, it is locked onto a coordinate in an unknown location in the Middle Immortal Realm at Universe #108 Portal Gate must be opened at 3:33 AM, Earth time GMT+8 Estimated time of travel to arrive at the target coordinate: 450 days Earth cycle _______________________ Sigmund had to see the information again. His preparation for this day started more than a century ago. Everything should be foolproof. He looked at his watch, displaying the dial pointing to twelve. He had over three hours to kill so he went into his tent to meditate. He performed a black mirror meditation technique wherein he internalized retrospectively the events which led to his decision to hasten his travel into the immortal realm. ________________________ Sigmund opened his eyes after a few hours and then looked at his Rado watch. It already read 3 on the dial. He had thirty minutes more to wait but he planned to use and manipulate the portal key five minutes before the time the portal gateway must be opened. He believed that he had an advantage over other souls who wandered through the spaces of the multiverse, the multiple universes. His mystical practice granted him the ability to delay karmic repercussions. And then, certain practices provided him with the best option to attain the Rainbow Body. After attaining the Rainbow body, the mystic practitioner can then travel to many realms, planets, other star systems, and galaxies. But to traverse from one point of the universe to another could pose certain risks. At the age of 25, after reaching the peak of the Core-Forming stage, he already devised plans to make preparations for his traverse to higher realms. At 140 years of age, Sigmund retained the body of a twenty-year-old though his bone age would reveal a more mature number than his physical looks. Without hurry, he got out of his tent and packed his belongings. He checked the spatial ring linked to his soul consciousness. This is the refined object he produced from the tool refinement art he cognized when he reached the Grandmaster stage. Momentarily, he sent his spiritual sense inside the spatial ring where a big structure with a courtyard was constructed. His spatial ring already managed to hold a pocket dimension where he could place his properties including the gold, silver, and crystals he bought and accumulated stored. Ten warehouse structures were used as storage houses for these precious materials. With his accumulation of wealth living on the planet for over a century, his treasury could even be larger than that of a mid-sized economy. His senses traveled deep inside the structure where he monitored a still body lying on the bed. Its skin was shining like glass crystals. The puppet body was an item he refined as a contingency in the event his physical body could not withstand the spatial storm and radiation inside the portal gateway. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He created the body with features and a physique similar to his. Already assured that everything was already in his soul spatial ring, a storage device he refined with an inner area of a thousand hectares, he made a mental preparation for opening the portal gateway. Clad in a simple white shirt and soft blue jeans, his tall muscular physique slowly trudged a certain corner of the mountain peak. That area should have been cold at dusk but his body could withstand the coldness as long as it would not go below negative one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. He also loved the chill as his body always emitted heat. Patiently, he stood at the area where he sensed the energy waves to be fluctuating and unstable. He believed that to be the sign where the location of the portal gateway was set. At 3:30, he retrieved an object from his spatial ring. It was a musical instrument, a flute made of refined bamboo and pyrite. When Sigmund heard from his cousin that the portal key could be created and refined, he then thought of a musical instrument. But it must not be any musical instrument. It must have the right properties so that whenever it was utilized to produce sound, the right soundwave must come out of it. The right frequency produced from the sound wave was the portal key. He formed the intention from the etheric body and then sent it from his consciousness to the medium as the sound waves produced and then traveled to open the portal gate as the stimulus. The response, as he expected, would be the opening of the portal gate. As the 2-meter youthful-looking man held his breath, he brought the instrument to his mouth to release the inner breath. After a few seconds when the right sound frequency was produced, the area where he sensed fluctuating energy gradually accumulated orbs of light. He still sounded the flute to his mouth as he was watching the orbs of light rapidly accumulating and then waves of intense bluish-white light appeared. The light radiated and slowly encompassed that location illuminating a large part of the area of Chocolate Peak, where brown withered grasses were seen during summer. Thankfully, he planted crystals around the vicinity to produce an illusion barrier. Hence, his activity could not be seen by mere mortals. But he was not sure if other beings could see through this illusion, that''s why he picked the right day and time for this goal. As he looked at the bluish-white light rapidly swirling at a certain point in the corner of the peak, he put down the flute from his mouth. He glanced with astonishment at the formation of light and then the swelling of a point at the center of the light where it expanded over three meters. At the center of the light formation, a rainbow-hued light was shown. It was a wormhole emitting rainbow-colored light in iridescence. It was different from his expectation that a black hole would appear. He then activated the refined crystal pendant he wore on his necklace. The bracelets he wore on his left and right wrists also emitted light. The radiating light from the crystals produced 100 light barriers around him in an instant. "So this is where it begins now." He spoke to no one in particular. After a few seconds, he heard a young masculine voice closer to his ears as if the voice came out from his head. "Bon Voyage, Attorney Sig!" "Darwin, thanks," Sigmund sent his gratitude briefly. He proceeded towards the portal gate. He stopped momentarily appreciating the different colors surging and waving in chaotic patterns at the entrance. As he stepped his right foot inside the light portal, he sensed three different auras nearby. The illusion barrier was sturdy enough, he thought. It would take time for these beings he sensed to penetrate through the barrier. As his whole body entered the gate, he heard another voice transmission. "I have prepared a ship to be your transport in your journey inside the space of the wormhole." Suddenly, he witnessed a huge object of white light manifesting around him, rapidly wrapping him inside. Immediately, the interior began to form with transparent crystals as materials for the wall interior. In just mere moments, Sigmund witnessed the manifestation of the interior with an area huge enough to hold twenty people. But then what he saw made him aghast with delight as a bedroom area complete with bed and furnishings manifested out from the light as if they were obtained from another dimension and transported inside the ship through a teleportation mechanism. In another corner of the interior, another scintillating light began to form into white silhouette objects until his eyes took the shape of a dining table with two chairs and a kitchen area, which he believed to be complete with utensils and other kitchen tools. "This is a great surprise, Darwin! Thank you very much!" Sigmund let out a laugh as if releasing any anxiety he had accumulated prior to entering the portal. He knew the stresses of traveling inside the portal with the spatial storm that could unpredictably appear out of nowhere. Considering the number of days he had to travel inside to reach the target coordinate, it was of utmost importance for him to regard his safety. He didn''t realize that Darwin, the soul of the Divine System, prepared surprisingly these things for him. "This ship is made of adamantine, platinum, and palladium. I have refined this with a protective barrier with 100 layers to make you safer in your travels." The voice of the divine system resonated in Sigmund''s ears. "It is not advisable to use your spatial dimension while inside the wormhole. But this ship can make it possible for you to do that¡ª to stay in your dimension until the time the coordinate is near," Darwin, the Divine system, informed him reassuringly. "That''s reassuring. I can''t thank you enough, Darwin," said Sigmund, who could not help by wryly smile as if realizing the big debt he now owed to this system. The existence of the divine system was already a huge source of debt for him, considering a part of the soul consciousness he knew very well in his life was incorporated in the refinement of the divine system. Chapter 2: Journey in the Void Sigmund was very confident from the beginning when he traversed the space through the wormhole to reach the target coordinate of the middle immortal realm. But unexpected things occurred and he could not afford to bring back the time, considering he landed, or rather, he arrived at the lower immortal realm, not at the middle immortal realm he originally intended to migrate. ______________________________ It was now 440 days in space, based on the time the Divine System calculated using the Earth''s time cycle. Darwin, the soul of the Divine System, prompted a message to Sigmund''s consciousness informing the latter of the impending arrival, ten days from the target period. In the pocket dimension, where he stayed for more than a year in the Earth cycle, he managed to perform his mystical practices. He concocted potions beneficial for his vitality, health, and possible near-death experience. He also refined several baston sticks made of different materials. He already managed to cultivate a martial art where he could multiply a baston in a formation similar to creating an imaginary yet deadly sword formation. To transform a baston into a sword was also the art he managed to perfect in the 4th layer. This is a cultivation art that he improvised using the principles he contemplated after playing mobile games. As a mage, his ability to form objects out of the ether, from the Prima Materia was at the Grandmaster level. Moreover, from that ability, he could obtain objects out of the ether. He already perfected the visualization, projection, and manifestation of tools and artifacts that he could use for combat. Even though his combat ability seemed to be of a mortal human level, he was still projecting the possibility that he might encounter in the immortal realm such as high-level demon beasts, spirit beasts, devils, and humanoid demons. His experiences in hand combat were limited to having deathly matches in underground battle arenas. He used a separate identity and wore a similarly-designed mask so he would not be easily identified. His existence was notorious among underground martial art fighters. With a pseudonym, Gregory the Great Mage, he became an elusive martial figure on Earth. Even the wealthy elites who wanted to contact him could not reach successfully to him. He utilized his knowledge of the law when he was about to encounter these problems with those personalities. --------------------- Sigmund closed his eyes as he internalized the prompt message. In just a few days, he would arrive at this realm he dreamt of in this lifetime. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. He honestly believed that he lived his life to the fullest. He might not be able to create a line of direct descendants under his lineage, but he still experienced many things, not just on the planet Earth but on many planets. He accumulated his wealth in very smart and strategic ways. Perhaps, on Earth''s measurement of wealth, he could be listed among the quintillionaires, the most elusive of the list of wealthy Earth humans. As he pondered over his attainments and failures while living on that planet, he then realized the fragility of life. It was apt for him to think and even believe that every being of the universe was a wanderer. In soul and spirit, each being wandered from different dimensions to another, looking for vessels in each planet belonging to a star system or a galaxy. Was there really Logos as he read in mystical books? If so, could they really create planets and stars? He learned of nebulae where planets and stars were created. But then there should be beings that could manipulate the energies for the creation to take place. Perhaps these beings were the gods and goddesses, whose internal spiritual energy surpassed the scale that he knew. He stopped his internalization and took a few hours of rest. ¡ª-------------------- As he counted the days remaining for the ship to make it through the desired coordinate, he wrote another book of his journals, detailing his learnings and insights on his mystic path. He started the record of these journals with his life story from the time of his birth to chronological periods of his time on Earth as a youngster, teenager, his first love, his first sexual encounter, his life as a college student, and then that of a law student. He even included the experiences he had when he was practicing his law profession. He did not miss those experiences but he only included those that really impacted him. For many days he lived on that planet, it would be impossible for him to remember each day''s events of his life. After he placed the finished journal book, he received another prompt message from Darwin. "Alert Attorney!" "We have arrived!" From that pocket of large space inside his spatial ring, he teleported out and instantly appeared inside the ship. From the screen within the interior closer to the glass wall, he monitored the area of the space with scintillating white light as large as a planet. "Based on the coordinate, this is the portal gate to the immortal realm. But there seems to be a miscalculation." Darwin, the Divine System, relayed the information with a slight hint of displeasure. "Why is that, Darwin?" "This is the portal gate to the Lower Immortal Dream. Based on my projection, this is also the same gate to the Middle Immortal Realm. But to get through that portal of our intended destination, there must be the right period for the shift of the portal target location." Sigmund was perplexed. But he tried to digest the information as much as he could, contemplating the miscalculation. "Are we too early?" the high-ranking mage asked. "I believe so. We can''t stop in this space for we are already within one light-year radius of the portal gate. Our ship is already locked to enter this portal gate." Darwin explained. "I guess, it can''t be helped." Darwin sighed. He did not know if he would go through another portal again to go to the higher immortal realm. But he believed that he could start with the lower immortal realm. He might be able to learn more beginning in this realm. But then, he already expected certain limitations. Anyway, he would go on another learning adventure in his life in another realm. That was already a great indication enough for him to be happy. "So, we have to make do with what is there now." Sigmund shared his resignation but with an optimistic attitude. Chapter 3: Played by Fate "Then so be it," he added. Darwin manipulated the ship''s mechanism to traverse faster than usual. In just two days of the Earth cycle, the ship entered the portal. Sigmund witnessed all these things through the screen. He never masked his excitement as he took the images of the place he dreamt about for over a century of his life. As the ship approached a certain area that Darwin believed to be safe for landing, Sigmund experienced a shift of his surroundings, beginning with his existence inside the ship to the gradual disappearance of the things from the interior. In just mere moments, the ship he stayed in for several hundreds of days ceased to become visible. What he was introduced to after the ship''s disappearance was a great scenery he pictured to be that of the immortal realm. Indeed. His current location was now in the immortal realm. The scenery was what he pictured in an immortal realm. He witnessed the mist blanketing part of the ground, covering the horizon, and bringing dews to flowers, leaves, and grass. It seemed he arrived here during the breaking of dawn, right on time to relish the sight that he visualized the place he could venture and possibly live in immortality. The trees, oh the trees! Their leaves and blossoms were of different hues but the most shade that stood out was the pink-violet. The trees seemed similar to cherry blossoms and peach blossoms whenever he visited East Asian countries during the springtime. He could not contain his excitement as he jumped in joy, sprinting towards the area where he saw the cliff with the cascading falls. ''Could he levitate in this realm?'' He tried to experiment with that ability which he also managed to do while living on the planet Terra(Earth). He pictured himself lifting his whole body from the ground. And he did! His feet up to his body levitated and it was ten feet from the ground. He tried to maneuver his body to fly across another cliff, passing through the waterfalls, when a prompt message appeared in his consciousness before doing so. [Warning!] [Surge of Immortal Spiritual Energy] [Sigmund''s human body will disintegrate in 1 minute starting with 60 seconds countdown] The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Sigmund was dumbfounded. He didn''t expect this to happen. "Darwin, what''s happening?" [You only have 35 seconds remaining] In just mere seconds, he witnessed the skin from his hands rapidly turn into brown particles until the whole arms disintegrated. He could not help but shout. "AAAHH!!!!!" _______________________________________________ Sigmund Gregory Chua, 152 years old in a mage body, died due to a surge of immortal spiritual energy. He left the planet Terra(Earth), planning and calculating his goals for a journey to the immortal realm. He died because of a miscalculation after he arrived in the immortal realm in the midst of enjoying the scenery. Tragic. _______________________________________________ Ten years based on the Earth''s time cycle inside the soul spatial ring A body, lying supine in a large king-sized bed, gradually emitted a soft bluish-white light. Beside the bed, a tall young-looking man stood observantly while monitoring the condition of the body. It had been ten years since the Divine System, manifested in the shape of a human body, brought the remnant soul of Sigmund and immediately, by a spiritual force, maneuvered it inside a refined Lemurian crystal. He was granted access by Sigmund who had linked Divine System in his consciousness. The system can wander inside the soul spatial ring anytime. Fortuitously, Darwin deduced the period of Sigmund''s body disintegration after he relayed the information pertaining to the surge of immortal spiritual energy. He might have failed to divinate Sigmund''s body''s incompatibility to the immortal realm; nonetheless, he was quick to react after the soul was separated from the silver cord of the mage body and right before it would proceed to the river flow of the reincarnation cycle. He then contained the soul inside the Lemurian crystal that Sigmund refined and entrusted to him should there be any mishap. As he watched the body gradually radiating light, he remembered the time when he then transferred the soul to the Vajra puppet body, a clone refined to match the realm''s requirement for its inhabitants. Prior to the final transfer of the soul, he ascertained the Vajra puppet body''s compatibility by performing another final refinement. The refinement had taken Darwin, thirty days of the Earth cycle to finish before the transfer of the soul commenced. Darwin''s incarnation as the soul of the Divine System made him able to perform God-like abilities. His access to the Akashic Records on a god-like level made Sigmund believe in Darwin''s attainment in the God realm level. But since he was tied to the Divine System, Sigmund briefly lamented the soul''s desire, which was related to him. This circumstance made Sigmund theorize of the law of free will to even exist while the soul was in their primal state and was not yet tied to a vessel. After observing Sigmund''s new body, Darwin left the bedside and moved to the library where he found the books of journals beginning with the account of Sigmund''s life from when he was born to his teenage years. Browsing through these journal books of life accounts, he felt that he wanted to know more about the man who once had a relationship with him while Darwin was in a mortal body, living on planet Terra. He could access the Akashic Records but doing so was like a cheat sheet for him to learn more about Sigmund. He believed the record that Sigmund personally wrote would supplement the validation of the mage''s life as he journeyed to the immortal realm. And so, as Darwin lifted the journal book, he then read the page beginning at the time when Sigmund even delightfully incorporated it on record: the birth of Sigmund Gregory Magdadaro Chua. Chapter 4: Resurrected In his humanoid form, Darwin watched over the body lying on a large bed, as he gazed silently for any changes. The Vajra body seemed to have life-like attributes, not wholly different from the original body. It seemed tragic to recall the time when he witnessed the disintegration of Sigmund''s original body, which the lawyer magus refined through a body refinement process. But it seemed the body refinement art was not effective enough or, perhaps, the magus, whom he regarded as his boss and master, failed to reach a higher layer for the body cultivation art. Darwin found that theory to be credible as he also learned on the planet Terra about other extra-terrestrial species fearing to be in their actual bodies as they had found that their bodies were not compatible with the planet Terra''s atmosphere. Thus, what Sigmund experienced with the disintegration of the original body was within the scope of that theory. Still, there was a miscalculation. That was something that even, as a divine system, endowed with the powers of all-knowing, managed to commit that kind of mistake. Was he, a divine system with a male attribute humanoid form, not perfect enough to be a companion of the lawyer magus? Or perhaps, he still had to know more about the limitless knowledge from the Akashic Records. Seeing Sigmund''s reaction as he was disintegrated made the divine system vow to reach perfection so that would not happen again. With the Vajra body, that possibility was entirely remote. With the existence of the ether in the immortal realm more profound and abundant than in the previous universe, in which he used to dwell in his previous lifetime, and even with the soul fragment refined and integrated with the spirit artifact, Darwin, as the soul of the divine system, could easily raise its rank in the God-level. This was something that Darwin realized as he was beginning to dwell and got more used to the atmosphere and denser spiritual energy of the immortal realm. The process of absorbing the spiritual energy for the soul was like breathing air for the system, where it was possible to rapidly advance in rank. Momentarily, Darwin witnessed the eyes of the body, lying supine, to have immediately opened. He waited for the eyes to roam freely as he watched the irises with blue crystalline in color moving randomly as if the eyes were searching for someone or something. Suddenly, half of the body rose from the bed. Its consciousness became keener as the eyes looked at Darwin. "It''s good to see you again, attorney. How do you feel right now?" The body that was awakened from resurrection released a grunt but it immediately sat still on the bed as if working on making itself acquainted with the bodily functions or if these functions seemed normal. "Why do I feel like this body seems very light? I expect to feel thirsty but I can''t even feel it. But I do feel pulses beating inside in different parts." The body instantly stopped talking as if its awareness was now focused on the other being in the room. "Thank you, Darwin. I owe you a big debt with my life even here in this realm!" "There is no need to mention that, attorney¡­" Darwin replied but was immediately cut off. "Stop with the attorney now. I don''t practice law here." Sigmund somberly stated, trying to make it appear that he was not reprimanding. "But¡­" the divine system in its human form was starting to explain. "I am thankful that as a divine system, you are not what I expected to be similar to AI, yes artificial intelligence, devoid of emotion. And this special attribute is a great advantage to me as someone possessing this most-coveted tool that I used to feel like a cheat tool to have in life." Sigmund continued, "Also, I don''t want you to feel guilty about what happened to me. Though a miscalculation, we managed to have a contingency, didn''t we?" As he finished saying those words, Sigmund stared at Darwin with soft intensity. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Darwin reciprocated with a smile and then said, "Don''t worry, I made strides in advancing while monitoring your body after the refinement process." Before Darwin continued, the body still in the bed instantly asked, "How long was I in slumber?" "In this planetary period, you were in bed after the refinement for ten cycles. However, this is equivalent to sixty years on the planet Terra''s cycle." "That long, huh?" "Yes, and this is what I managed to configure while observing outside your spatial dimension," Darwin informed. "So, where are we in the immortal realm?" Sigmund asked again. "I will inform you more about it later. What I would like to share with you now is your progress as your soul was transferred into this body." Instead of hearing more, Sigmund cut him off with, "So, my soul still went through transmigration, didn''t it?" "Technically, yes, since your former body was not originally in this realm. The process seemed to be similar as if a deity favored a soul in the cosmic space, and wanted to have that soul to be transmigrated into the realm where that deity ruled. Practically, what we managed to accomplish was the preparation of the soul to be captured in a vessel for transfer to the body we created." Sigmund, now in a Vajra body, noted the ''we'' that Darwin mentioned. But as he contemplated immediately, the divine system was not really wrong in its remark, or rather in his remark. The magus always regarded Darwin as a ''he'' and not ''it''. This he inculcated to make it more acceptable for him or rather to really regard Darwin, being a male soul of the divine system, with access to the Akashic Records and not an artificial intelligence he envisioned to have something to do with the destruction of other universes as what he had read. That kind of situation seemed to be locked in the realm of theories of universal conspiracies. Darwin continued with the report as Sigmund listened. "Your body was sturdier than the original body. It has similar anatomy after refinement but some of the functions are different or we can say ''enhanced'' for your advantage if you can regard it. You can''t anymore experience hunger or thirst. Hence, food and water are not necessities for you to consume for you to regain vitality. Rather, the immortal spiritual energy is now your main source of sustenance." "That''s great to hear," Sigmund stated while contemplating, "I don''t have to do hunting or searching for water to quench my thirst. I seem to recall when I read a book that many immortals forego their hunger and thirst." "Yes, and that''s because your body is constantly absorbing that energy. You know, even while you sleep, your body doesn''t stop absorbing immortal spiritual energy." Darwin stated. "Even inside the spatial dimension?" Sigmund asked with astonishment. "Indeed. It seems that the spatial dimension also constantly feeds on the spiritual energy to evolve. You will learn more as you get out of this bed." Darwin replied with seriousness but with a slight hint of excitement. "And I think I will find out more about this body." Sigmund simply stated. "You now have an undying body," Darwin said as he observed Sigmund''s reaction. "You also don''t have to take a bath for you to be sanitary and clean. The body can generate by itself and also cleans by itself." What Sigmund heard was within the scope of expectation but his eyes almost bugged out as he could not hide the feeling of surprise and delight. "That''s awesome!" Sigmund said as he began to be ecstatic. "I have even made a deduction that your body will regenerate even if a single cell remained during situations where explosions and total annihilation occurred similar to an atomic bomb explosion." Darwin continued to send his findings to the person he regarded as his master to know. Sigmund did not hide his ecstatic expression as he jumped out of the bed, not minding his nakedness. Darwin saw the reaction and the naked body as if it was nothing, considering his role in refining the body. Why should there be a need to be embarrassed? In a few moments, he saw Sigmund venture out of the balcony of the room to witness the changes in his spatial dimension. Sigmund recalled that his companion informed him about the evolution taking place inside the spatial dimension. As he got out onto the balcony on the second floor of the abode structure, he was momentarily amazed as he was gazing at the sparkling body of water and even the existence of the sun. Really? A sun? How? He began to question. Darwin granted him an explanation. "This is a mystery of this dimension. It seems it has evolved into a mini-planet with the sun during the day and even the stars at night. The cycle of the shifting of the sun and stars seems to be similar to the planet Terra. But when I ventured out, this mini-planet is within a protective cocoon in a star system to make it unnoticeable even by any powerful creature, even by a god." He then added, "This planet, no matter how small it may be compared to planet Terra, regards you as its owner." "Wow!" Overjoyed, Sigmund exclaimed, "This is just awesome!" "I know. And also, it is abundant in immortal spiritual energy. Well, I already said that. Still, there are changes that you can discover if you explore this dimension that has expanded into your own realm." Sigmund almost didn''t hear Darwin''s statements as he was filled with joy and excitement. This somehow eclipsed his feeling of momentary depression after being awakened from a long slumber. He could not wait to explore more, not just this realm, where it used to be diminutive in dimension, and yet, it developed into a large realm in his possession. Auxiliary Chapter : Sigs Ramblings [First record from Sigmund''s journal as read by Darwin] I am Sigmund Gregory Chua and this is the first record of my life account in this journal. My account starts with my birth and birth certificate. My mother lent me my birth certificate when I was seven years old. She taught me about the first legal document a person must have in modern civilization. Hence, she let me see that birth certificate to ascertain my birthdate. It was the 21st of November, in the year 1978. I was born between two zodiac signs under the rulership of two planets, Pluto and Jupiter. That makes me a Cuspian, in the Cusp of Revolution, which I believe has the personality of being rebellious, and stubborn. I might even be misunderstood by many people working with me. That explains my inept ability to work with a large group. I can be more productive when I am working in solitude. But being born in the Cusp of Revolution makes me think of the appropriateness of this personality when I learned about Astrology and Tarot reading more recently as I learn mysticism. That is after I got the information from the mystic materials provided to me. Now, back to my birthday, I also got the info from my mother that I was born during the break of dawn at 5:47. As to its significance, this is more related to what I discovered when I realized the importance of life. Life on the planet Terra is not permanent. Being a mortal has many disadvantages. I am led to believe that after going to finish my studies, I must be diligent in my studies to secure my future after having a career and then find the one that I must marry and spend the rest of my life with. Siring children is part of the process and I must endure years for me to take care of them until they also graduate from college and find their career choices and earn their living on their own. Along the way, of course, as a father, I must also provide for them in times of their needs even in their adulthood. That''s what a good father should do. But then the stresses and the old age, I must accept or I can''t survive as not properly managing stresses can lead to poor health. That''s too deep, right? I think I must go back to talking about my birth certificate. But then, this is my diary so anything goes here. However, if someone will read this account, I should at least give them a glimpse of my thoughts rather than immediately proceeding with the information in chronological order about my life story. That would be really boring to read. I mean it from the point of view of the reader. But then, if the reader or consumer of this information is an investigator or adversary, finding any info for him or her to use against me, then I must pray for your luck as this journal is imprinted with a curse. Only those closest to me or who have my permission can read this without any repercussions. This warning though should have been written after every book journal. But then, I am magnanimous and considerate, so I must inform anyone who reads this and who does not have any permission to stop now. Proceeding to read this journal until the last page is now at your own risk. I have already written my warning. For others with permission, you may proceed in learning about me through this journal. And so, where are we now? Okay, it''s back to my birth certificate. As you have learned by now, I was born between the signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius. But technically, I am a Scorpio but I have personalities that resemble that of Sagittarians. My birth, in a hospital, was uneventful. But as my father informed me, it was like a miracle. My mother had two miscarriages before my birth. And that''s because, as my father told me, my mother was a workaholic. Being a certified public accountant and lawyer has certain prestige but along with it are weights of responsibilities. I can''t begin to think how they managed it though. Both of my parents are lawyers. But my father was more involved in the inherited family business. As you may have known by now, I was born privileged. But my mother told me that her family was very poor and that she had to work hard so her family with my father would not experience the harshness of poverty. Given my father''s wealth, I think it is unlikely for that to happen. But I have also learned other rich families can also go down if they are making many bad decisions. But it''s not any of my business. That is why when my parents planned to bear another child, there must be an interval of two years. Thus, two years after my birth, my sister Sharon Gale was born. She seemed to have that name because of my mother''s favorite actress. But naming a child is not really my concern. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Sharon is the only sister I have. She is also the most stubborn being a child of Taurus. Two years after my sister''s birth, Sean Gabriel came out of my mother''s womb. He is a Sagittarian. My parents never planned to have another child after Sean. I think my mother could not afford to have more than three children as she was a workaholic. My relationship with my siblings was pretty close. I doted on my sister. My younger brother was spoiled rotten by my parents considering him the youngest. Sometimes, I find him annoying. I could have taught him martial arts but he was too involved with gaming when we were teenagers. I can''t really say much about my life when I was young except for the fact that I was a nerd and was always on the honor roll of my classes. I didn''t even expect that I have good genes but it hit me when I was turning 12 when I became popular all of a sudden, not because of my good grades¨Cwell, that was also the big factor¨C but also of my looks. That''s what they said. I am not that vain or narcissistic. I mean, I wasn''t. I realize that when I turned fourteen that I had to look good. But my mother always reminded me to be careful. I mean, what to be careful of? I guess, you should have known it by now as you passed through the puberty stage and then you realize how the hormones are raging when we saw things we like. I am still a teenager by the way and I still have that urge. But after entering the mystical sect, I need to retain my energy for power and a certain reason. So no sex for me until I reach my goal as a mage. I am getting ahead here though. I still have something to share and that is I became a valedictorian in my elementary graduation. I became a campus crush. Gosh, that was embarrassing. And that''s because¡­ I will reveal it to your later. But I am always set right by my strict mother. I wonder how she does it though. She has been a workaholic with her cases but she still has time to take care of us. Perhaps, she hired a private investigator wherever we are. As for my father, he is also strict but he takes special care of my sister more than of me and Sean. As the eldest, I must be a good role model for my younger siblings. Ethics and good manners are instructed in our home. My mother always pays special attention to that. As for good manners, I realized that my mother brings her clients to our home. But these clients are only those who have become her friends. When I was thirteen, I was introduced by her client, Madame Esmeralda Martinez, and her husband, Luis Martinez. They came during a family dinner, It was then I learned that my parents are associates with the Martinez couple. At that time, I did not know what business was. I have learned more about that recently. Esmeralda Martinez and Luis Martinez are instrumental in molding me during my adult years beginning at that time when I was 16. Even when I was thirteen, Mr. Martinez always paid special attention to me. Eventually, I have come to respect them as my uncle and auntie. The couple always visited our home but not on a daily basis. When I was fourteen, Uncle Luis approached me and asked me if I was interested in martial arts. Uncle Luis taught me Filipino martial arts and I am now good at it with those sticks we called baston. I was a nerd at that time, lanky but also tall for my age. I played basketball during my free time on Saturdays. But for the rest of my weekdays, I was always studying. My father asked me one time why I did not bring any of my friends home to which I answered that I was busy with my studies and did not have time for friends. He just looked at me and said that I should also make friends. He added that it would be good for connections. I guess, that answer is expected from someone who is a businessman. I honestly did not bring anyone when I was in high school even though I became popular. Perhaps, my desire to become a lawyer was already ingrained in my childhood and I needed to practice the ways of becoming responsible. And that means, I had to sacrifice having a group of friends. I am not totally unfriendly though. That''s why I was popular in high school because I was approachable and friendly. But did I have a girlfriend in high school? That''s the biggest question because I did not have time for that. Even now with my goal until I reach that magus rank. The thing is I was enrolled in an all-boys private school beginning my elementary years until high school. I did not have girl classmates. That explains my embarrassment when I was regarded as a campus crush in our all-boys school! And again, I was busy with my studies to hang out after school with my group of friends in high school who were just my study buddies. But there is a secret I never told anyone, even my parents. I can see spirits and ghosts! That''s why I don''t stay long in my school because of those ghosts. I encountered it one time when I was in a library. I was glad I was alone at noon studying by myself when suddenly, I saw a chair inside the room, rocking by itself. That was really scary. I ran out of the library and was looking for the librarian but she was still taking lunch. The student and another assistant went out of that room to god knows where. After that encounter, I made sure that I would be with my study buddies whenever I visited the library. I actually told this story one time when we were already at a reunion party and that was thirty years from our graduation from high school. In high school, I graduated with honors, again as a valedictorian. I could have a best friend in high school in the name of Todd. He was part of my study buddies group in my sophomore year. He became taller in our junior year and focused more on sports. He was smart but he never recognized me as a good friend in our senior year. He took me to a competition beginning my junior year. He was good in sports and academics, while I focused on my studies but I played sports during my physical education class only. I was also learning arnis from Uncle Luis so there is that. Another thing that Todd regarded me as a competition is my being a campus crush. Todd was also a campus crush. But I don''t really care about this recognition. I still manage to take care of my look. I learned that from my lawyer parents. This is my random ramblings. I am writing this at the young age of seventeen. That is a year after being invited by Uncle Luis to the mystical sect. I was informed to keep a journal. I used to believe that journals and diaries were for those teenage girls who could not divulge their crushes and so they had to resort to writing a journal. In my case though as I entered the sect, I see the importance of having one as I could not reveal what I learned from the sect to anyone. It''s filled with mystery and I have also taken an oath of secrecy so there''s no room for me to share many things about what I learned. And that''s because these things should not be revealed to the masses. Anyways, this is my first account of my journal. In my next account, I will share how I started to become a member of the sect. In love and life, Sig ______________________________________________________ Darwin read the last line of the first account of the journal with a smile. He didn''t expect this to be written by a lawyer. It was a typical rambling journal of a teenager. But as he realized it, it was when Sigmund was still seventeen. He managed to learn the curse spell technique at that age though. Suddenly, Darwin sensed something. He put down the journal book as he sensed the Vajra body about to wake from a long slumber. Chapter 5: Exploring the Dimension (1) Setting aside more questions regarding his new body, Sigmund ventured outside of the abode he built for himself inside the dimension. He could not wait to explore more, not just this realm, where it used to be smaller in dimension, and yet, it developed into a large realm in his possession. The resurrected magus wanted the first day of awakening after his body transmigration to sightsee the space and witness for himself the good things he could find. He believed more surprises awaited him. As he jumped from the balcony, his path led him to venture a wide plain he believed to span more than a kilometer from the structure he regarded as his home in this dimension. The plain was mostly filled with grasses and small plants but upon closer inspection, he sensed fluctuating spiritual energies from those grass plants. And there was a plethora of wild spiritual herbs that had grown randomly within the plain. He estimated to have sensed ten to fifteen varieties of spirit herbs scattered in the area of that plain. He felt that exploring the dimension, which now developed into a small planet, as what he learned from Darwin, would be a more worthwhile endeavor for him. Beginning with the plain which, he thought to be just over a kilometer spanning from the structure to the area where large trees formed the mystical forest. But as he slowly treaded the area, at a pace still faster than mortal humans when brisk walking, the area covering the plains extended to over five kilometers before he managed to reach the area with the tall trees. "This plain, as I initially observed, seems to be flat but upon closer inspection, there are small hills protruding from some areas and even small depressions that could form ponds when the space experiences rainy weather." Darwin initially stated his observation of the area. Sigmund waited for Darwin to convey some information about his observations of the dimension. The mage was grasping his breath as the high he felt watching the huge change in the dimension was continuously overwhelming him. The adrenaline still kicked in even though he had a theory that hormones stopped their secretion functions considering the new body he had after awakening in his new life in this immortal realm. "This is still amazing! Wow!" Sigmund could not hold his wonder and amazement as the only reply. "We can rest here if you want," Darwin suggested. "Nope." Sigmund disagreed. "Let''s proceed towards the forest, I think the distance from here to the shore is not that far." "Don''t you think you need clothing to cover yourself first?" Darwin pointed to Sigmund''s nakedness. "I don''t think there''s a need to be modest considering we are the only ones here in this dimension, or aren''t we?" Sigmund proved his point before Darwin could make a good response. "So far, no other inhabitants live on this planet as I found the time to roam the wide changes of this dimension," Darwin replied, somehow easing Sigmund but also making the latter question as he expected moving creatures to be roaming the large spaces where he could see, not just plains and valleys, but forest and even tall mountains and hills. "That''s good but is still surprising." Sigmund simply stated. "Let''s proceed going inside the forest," the mage added. "As you wish¡­" Darwin quipped. Sigmund chose that moment to be in his naked body as he walked inside the forest. He wanted to feel the spiritual life force, which he expected to be abundant. After a few minutes of trudging inside the forest, Sigmund noticed the treacherous landscape and even found some ponds here and there. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "This seems to be a rainforest but the life force energy here is tremendously abundant," Sigmund commented. He didn''t mind much the treacherous surface as he felt that his body would also need this kind of exercise. As Sigmund was jumping towards another area, his movement somehow formed a zigzagging pattern as the trees, with very huge trunks, randomly grew within the forest area. The tree trunks could even be carved and used to create a permanent dwelling area inside each tree. "These trees remind me of large redwood in the Western continent. These are huge!" the naked mage stated his observation in a state of wonder. "I believe you don''t have any concern about your body, right?" Darwin asked rhetorically, noting his first-hand knowledge including the limitations of Sigmund''s new body, which were almost nonexistent. Instead of mimicking his boss'' action, he was flying through the forest with ease, within Sigmund''s close proximity as the latter was leaping from the surface to branches and then back to the surface when he noticed spiritual plants. "Wild spirit herbs are growing in this forest. It''s good there are no wild animals that would covet them." Sigmund''s observation piqued his interest in his next action after exploring this dimension. "You will likely compete with animals if you decide to create them." Darwin relayed a kind of response that made Sigmund both baffled and yet was also excited. "I think you''re right on your account that I can create creatures here but how?" Sigmund pause while Darwin waited. "It seems it is an implication that I can create any living thing by just thinking about it. Am I right?" "Yes, but you still need practice," Darwin replied. "But how is it possible? Just because I own this dimension? I never seem to have that power before." Sigmund said in puzzlement. "I can make an explanation to you now while we''re moving towards the shore. Or I can imprint to your consciousness if you let me." Darwin sought permission, something that Sigmund was amused about. "You know, you can directly imprint it in my consciousness. You''re the divine system here. Hahaha!" "It''s better that I will not overwhelm you with information overload as you are still getting used to that body," Darwin responded stoically. He noted the hint of sarcasm but he found the need for explanation. "Point taken." Sigmund quipped as his focus was on a spirit herb just a few meters away. "That''s a golden-petalled dandelion." The mage approached a large plant with three large golden-yellowish petals emitting golden color. As he was near, he noted the large flower with an estimated diameter of 25 centimeters. "It also has three golden petals and the scent is different from typical dandelion." Sigmund openly shared his observation of the plant. "This is a kind of treasure that can be used for medicine." The mage found the finding to be future profit for him. Seeing that there was no need for him to take medicine with the undying body, he could sell this plant for a higher price in the immortal realm. "Or you can use it as a main ingredient for a spirit wine. The sweet scent seems to bring a sweet flavor and appealing aroma to the wine during the fermentation process and when it reaches maturity to be ingested and enjoyed." Darwin imparted a piece of information that seemed to flabbergast the mage. "Woah! So, that''s possible. Do you have the formula for it?" Sigmund excitedly asked. In mere seconds, Sigmund experienced his consciousness being loaded with information. He scanned his sea of consciousness to find the formula to be already imprinted. "I think we can find more ingredients here. This space seems to be an expansive treasure trove for spirit herbs." Sigmund could not help but smile as he slowly touched the petal of the spirit flowering herb. "You will be more delighted once we reach the shore. We should hurry now. We can do more exploration of this forest as we have the luxury of time." Darwin uttered another surprising piece of information that piqued Sigmund''s interest. "Well, then we can easily teleport here. This is my dimension." In just a second, Sigmund arrived at the shore where he watched the body of water covering a large area. "This is more than a lake. This is a sea!" Sigmund inhaled as took in the life force energy permeating the shore. "This is not even salty." Sigmund approached the beach area until he reached the part where his knees down to his feet were below the surface of the water. "This is spiritual water, right?" Sigmund continuously felt the water with a sense of astonishment. "I suggest you soak your body down from the neck for hours in this water. We will see the benefits by then. But so far, you can improve your cultivation if you continually soak in this water for days, and not just hours." Darwin made a suggestion that seemed to raise Sigmund''s interest in his present cultivation after his awakening in his new body. "Darwin, what''s my cultivation¡­" Before he finished his question, a series of statements already appeared in his consciousness. "What?!?" [Name: Sigmund Gregory Chua] [Body type: Vajra mage body] [Cultivation Level: God rank- level 10] [Soul force: 1,100,000 units] [Congratulations on attaining the level of God rank!] [You have an undying immortal body making you the strongest being living in the continent of LigaYa!] "Wow! I am simply overpowered. This is a big surprise!" Sigmund began to chuckle. Gradually, it turned into laughter with delight. "Why did you not tell me immediately?" he then faced Darwin questioningly. Chapter 6: Exploring the Dimension(2) As Sigmund was bathing in the spiritual lake, Darwin was floating above the surface, not so high for the former to have difficulty conversing with him. The mage preferred this kind of arrangement, instead of having Darwin sending messages in his consciousness. He did not really mind being alone. But with the tragic mishap he experienced, having the divine system able to transform into a human form at will was something considered a blessing to him. Moreover, having a companion that had access to the Akashic Records and could be deemed an all-knowing god would be a favored circumstance for someone like him who wanted everything to be foolproof and within his scope of calculation. [Name: Sigmund Gregory Chua] [Body type: Vajra mage body] [Cultivation Level: God rank- level 10] [Soul force: 1,100,000 units] [Congratulations on attaining the level of God rank!] [You have an undying immortal body making you the strongest being living in the continent of LigaYa!] "Wow! I am simply overpowered. This is a big surprise!" Sigmund began to chuckle and it eventually turned into laughter with delight. "Why did you not tell me immediately?" he then faced Dawin questioningly. Darwin did not have to ponder much about Sigmund''s astonished question. He just answered, "Would this be a nice surprise? It would be better to inform you of this under better circumstances." Slightly amused, the divine system in his human form continued, "I am not a divine system akin to artificial intelligence that will promptly deliver messages to your consciousness immediately with no pause of overloading information once you are awake from slumber or temporary sleep. I can transmit information and messages to you promptly on demand. Another thing, I can solve problems concerning your existence and circumstances so my role extends the scope of what a system can deliver." "I think that explains it. I am grateful that you are not an artificial intelligence as your soul has access to the Akashic Records, making you more informed and all-knowing than perhaps¡­.well, I don''t have the right benchmark for the system except for what I have seen in some Marvel movies and read in novels." Sigmund spoke evoking his understanding. Darwin stared at Sigmund''s eyes, which shone crystalline as the latter continued soaking in the spiritual water. He then responded, "In a way, you are my sovereign, my liege in this relationship as my role provides you primarily with prompt information. But as I have been staying in this realm for years while you were in slumber, my abilities developed where I could extend to other areas other than being a messenger. For example, I can do terraformation inside this dimension. With your permission, I can create living things and beasts more easily than you can. My link with the Source of this Universe and the Akashic Records grants me this opportunity to be a creator but my connection with you conveys certain limitations." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Sigmund digested what the divine system just told him as he was feeling more relaxed while most of his body was under the water''s surface. Darwin just let him while he patiently waited. "I understand your abilities. That is even more amazing than what I used to expect from you. I guess, in situations where I might be under constraint, your abilities can resolve the crises for me." He was saying those lines while closing his eyes. Contemplatively, he brought his gaze to look at Darwin again, "Your existence is a blessing. I can say that¡­ sincerely." "You have already told me that." Darwin quipped. "And I will be forever grateful considering your existence is in perpetuity with mine. In a way, you''re the most trusted advisor I can find." The other did not refute nor had any other way to do so. Both knew that their existence in this realm was already indelible, regardless of whether they decided to be visible to other people or not. "I think I will know more as we proceed with this discussion. I expect more information from you." The mage brought the matter with cordial indifference. "I will transmit more information in your consciousness." Sigmund did not respond. He let the system infiltrate his consciousness with loads of information as if Darwin granted him a book to read containing the geography and almanacs of this world. While soaking under the water, Sigmund''s body began to glow more with bluish-white light. The ebb and flow of light radiation from the mage''s body was a mystical sight to behold. Orbs of light were floating above the head and within its radius as if they were dancing in random movements. Darwin watched the spectacle with indifference as if this was something normal to him. As a divine system with a soul, his emotion could be easily suppressed. Sigmund already took notice of it with understanding. He believed that the soul whose connection with the Source of the Universe seemed to be devoid of emotion. By being indifferent, Darwin could deliver better judgment as his role now extended beyond the messenger-type system. But over time, as Darwin was in the human form, Sigmund noted a hint of the emotion of concern from the former. Seemingly, that did not pose an urgent complication but rather an assurance that he was not dealing with a kind of intelligence that might bring destruction. As he was pondering this while taking in loads of information, Sigmund wanted to take the first step of forming his plans into fruition. "This continent is astonishingly huge. It''s like fourteen times bigger than planet Terra in landmass. Sigmund started thinking out loud after gaining the data from the system. "And there are ten Liberty city-states, which are the seven republics and three kingdoms ruled by different races other than the human race." Darwin contributed a detail as if reiterating what Sigmund already knew. "Each city-state has a large land area of territory. One large city-state''s territory is already equivalent to that of the continent of Africa." "And we are near the kingdom of Zambore but the area we are in is not part of its jurisdiction. But rather, we are in a small kingdom that is also independent but is granted a fifth-class ranking among kingdoms and nations." Sigmund also shared what he noted from the data. "Hmm¡­ it''s fortunate that the portal gate is situated in this area not in any large city-states." The mage aired his analysis. "It is as you said. So what is your next move?" Darwin inquired. "I will consolidate my cultivation in the god-level here," Sigmund said while he was checking the meter of soul force unit in his consciousness. [Name: Sigmund Gregory Chua] [Soul force unit: 1,100,020] Sigmund noted the increase of the soul force unit less than an hour after soaking in the spiritual water. Additional 20 units was also a considerable amount considering the time that he started absorbing immortal spiritual energy from the water. If he was in his Core-Forming stage, it would have taken weeks and months to elevate the soul force unit he managed to cultivate. Chapter 7: Exploring the Dimension (3) "Do you want to stay and get soaked here longer?" Sigmund was disrupted from his momentary reverie when he heard Darwin''s query. It seemed to have him as a companion would be better as he felt that he also needed someone to check over him during situations where he might be overdoing things. "I wonder how deep this water is." The mage stated another remark far from what Darwin expected. Briefly, Sigmund extended his spiritual sense toward the whole planet. He did not meet any impediments and he felt that covering a large area was easier for him. Perhaps, his God-rank level was the main factor for his improved ability in sending his spiritual sense. Now, he wondered if he could also extend his spiritual sense without being discovered by beings lower or higher than his level. "Oh¡­ kayyy!¡± He exclaimed as he checked the information while scanning the mini-planet. Amazement seemed to be an understatement. ¡°This has a surface of 78% land and 22% water. But that also includes scattered waterfalls here and there. The sea and the lakes are even shallow. I expected deeper like more than twenty meters." Sigmund managed to survey the area with his spiritual sense. His keen senses were also more accurate as he advanced in mage cultivation rank. Darwin responded to his findings, "You can perform terraform changes if you like. This planet can change its form under your will and command." Sigmund, "Well, there''s that. But I don''t see the need for it now. I currently plan to have this dimension for myself." "Have you also sensed the mineral deposits of spirit crystals in different areas under the surface?" Darwin asked intermittently. "Yes, and I even sensed top-grade crystal ores. That would provide us with more wealth than what we would have been concerned about after arriving here." Darwin''s response, however, made the magus ponder, "You know, we can develop an imperial territory here." Sigmund''s reply was matter-of-factly. "True but I don''t want my space to be destroyed by humans. We know that on our planet''s history, and how humans can bring destruction to the planet." "Indeed, but you can still terraform it anytime as you wish. You can create weather and climate systems in various areas. Or you can create beasts and monsters that would help you solve and deal with erring humans. You can even kick any human out of this planet if you like." Darwin granted Sigmund possible options if the latter decided to bring in humans inside his dimension. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Those are possible. I can bring humans that I like to stay in this space. Those are only limited to within my clan as long as they are of not of higher God-rank level than me." Sigmund smiled after stating those lines. "I know you are aware of your constraint in bringing offspring as your body¡­" Darwin was cut off. "Yes. Is it a current problem? I don¡¯t think so. But as I have been soaking under the water, I have been thinking of the possibility of taking a fragment of my soul consciousness to be incarnated in a mortal vessel in this realm. I will plan more on that once my first plan in getting here produces results." Sigmund placed Darwin in a more comforting situation as the latter was thinking that knowing the constraint would lead him to depression. Darwin was silent when he heard that. "By the way, being at a God-rank level, I am still feeling emotions similar to mortals. But experiences have taught me more as I gain wisdom." Sigmund paused as he was churning on words while he pondered. "But with this new body, I am in a new life, awakened with a God-rank ability. Is there a better way to wake up like this, knowing I am already on a god-rank level?" Sigmund, for the first time, saw Darwin smile. "You''re smiling." "I am not completely devoid of emotion, contrary to what you believe.¡± Darwin paused, his emotions surging. ¡°I can be happy when I see others happy. Being a God with a connection to the Source does not make me a puppet with no emotion. Rather, I can place my emotion properly with God''s wisdom. As you ascend in ranks, you can also have that realization too." Sigmund grinned after hearing those words. "That''s reassuring. I feel that I could trust you more. Not that, I did not completely trust you before but¡­ okay, I think there''s no need for me to say more..." Darwin volleyed another set of words that Sigmund could take as wisdom, "You don''t have to be wary of me as my soul is linked also to yours. In a way, you are my sovereign and I am your vassal." "But my death will grant you freedom." The mage tried to say it without a hint of remorse. "True but I failed in my purpose to completely serve you. Also, as your vassal, I will find ways to reincarnate you. If not for the reserved Vajra body, I would direct your soul to be reincarnated in a good vessel where your memories of your previous lifetime will remain." Sigmund never tried to retort despite his willingness to counter Darwin¡¯s notion. He felt the emotions swelling as the talk of death was opened. Rather than dwelling on the subject, the magus imparted a suggestion. "How about we travel this planet by flying?" "That would be a good idea." Darwin gladly remarked. Still in his nakedness, Sigmund elevated from the surface of the water. He witnessed his body with the water as a mirror. He gained a great physique at a height of two meters. His physical attribute consisted of a fair complexion, handsome youthful yet manly appearance, bluish-black trimmed hair, long limbs, and the azure color of the irises. The irises were the stark change he recognized with the new body. As an Oriental-born on the continent of Asia, his irises used to be dark brown. He visualized an azure robe with stylish yet simple embellishments that immediately manifested to cover his naked form. "I prefer being naked though but I like to play with my new powers." Sigmund smiled as he lifted his body more, up to the atmosphere not waiting for Darwin to follow him as he then zoomed horizontally to fly. Chapter 8: Celestial Sanctum At the 144th level of the Highest Universe, a sanctum of cosmic degree housed the members of the Council of Elder Gods, Logos, and Divine Cosmic Hosts. The zenith of the universal beings gathered in this part of the universe to oversee other universes and perform duties and responsibilities attached to them by the Cosmic Laws upon reaching the higher ranks among gods and goddesses. The Elders Gods, aptly regarded as Ancient Gods, had origins from various universes. They convened in the Celestial Sanctum when they reached the qualification required of them in their soul evolution. They comprised the Higher Gods of Benevolence presiding over the evolution of civilizations of different universes. Among this group of celestials were the Gods of Destruction whose tasks included the execution of justice and resetting civilizations when inhabitants of planets internally committed corruption and unforgivable desecration affecting the group karma of a planet, solar system, or galaxy. These higher celestial beings of the highest universe factored the group karma score of the planets before deciding to obliterate it and render that planet to be reset. When the inhabitants'' planetary karma reached an irreversible negative score, the gods would then decide on the execution and destruction. When this happened, a planet would undergo another birth of civilizations beginning with the primitive stage. The planet Terra went through several resets. Each reset signified the death and rebirth of civilizations. Souls of the inhabitants of destroyed planets would then be ushered by the Divine Cosmic Hosts, the highest hierarchy of the Council, for possible reincarnation when their souls met the standards according to the Law of Karma and Rebirth. However, the souls of malevolent beings would be conveyed to the Cosmic Fire for purification and reintegration into the Source. The Logos, the Creator Gods, were in charge of the rebirth of planets, stars, galaxies, and universes. Their rank was next to the Divine Cosmic Hosts. Certain sections of the galaxies called nebulae are where the Creator Gods will perform the creation of celestial bodies. The Divine Cosmic Hosts performed the functions of the Elder Gods and the Logos. But their supremacy was factored in their functions as the arbiters of the Cosmic Laws, the one restriction that the Logos and the Elder Gods could not perform though both required adherence to the Cosmic Laws to be admitted permanent membership in the Council. Only the Divine Cosmic Hosts with a God rank of 100 level and up could access the entirety of the Akashic Records for they were already closer to the Source. As wielders of the Perpetual Cosmic Fire, the Divine Cosmic Hosts gained more privileges than other gods in the council. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Inside a colossal room in the Celestial Sanctum where the members presided over the Universe 108, two Elder Gods discussed a soul that reached the God rank 108. They noticed the soul having a golden-linked karmic tie with another being whose soul reached the God-rank level 10. A soul with a God-rank level of 108 was the fundamental requirement to be admitted to membership to the Council in the Celestial Sanctum. This soul also had limitless access to the Akashic Records, an attribute that the Divine Cosmic Hosts benefitted from in their hierarchy. Elder Gods and the Logos could access the Akashic Records but their limitation was up to Universe 100. Exceptions to this limitation existed, however, particularly to the Elder Gods assigned to oversee higher universes above Universe 100. "It''s rare for a soul with a god rank of 108 to be karmically tied to a soul with a god rank of 10. I am beginning to wonder how that soul reached that god-rank level. That soul''s previous incarnation was even in Universe 13." a young-looking Elder God started the discussion. "We could not fathom the mysteries of the Cosmic Laws. Though we can speculate, the final interpretation of the Cosmic Laws can only be done by the judgment of the Divine Cosmic Hosts." The other youthful-looking responded with indifference. "We are both apprentices for Divine Cosmic Host ranking so I believe it''s not absolutely audacious of us to state our opinion regarding our findings." Elder Mithrail further commented as he was looking at a large polygonal screen on a raised platform inside a large room with a high ceiling. The platform depicted the simulated realities of the Universe 108 that the Elder Gods could shift, magnify, focus on certain subjects, planets, or galaxies, and transform in various simulations through their powerful consciousness. At that moment, their focus was on that subject regarding a high-ranking soul, qualifying for ascension to Divine Cosmic Host, if not karmically tied to another soul in a golden chain of the Cosmic. "That soul chose to be the arbiter and administrator of the divine system, created by that being named Sigmund Gregory Chua in the previous incarnation. It also has limitless access to the Akashic Records, a factor of concern if not for the fact that it remains a soul connected to the Source as opposed to the Artificial Intelligence that tried to infiltrate and conquer the Akashic Records after being malevolently manipulated by nefarious beings." Elder Mithrail continued imparting his finding with slight concern. "Let the law of free will take the course. As far as we have seen, the karmic tie of that soul occurred because of its strong will in its previous incarnation to be of service to its benefactor." Elder Samboan''s remarks seemed to be amenable to the other. "Indeed, Elder Samboan. For now, we will set this aside. I suggest we put this matter to capsule 108-U1 for archiving." The other elder nodded. Both Elder Gods moved on to other subjects of interest. With the finding of Elder Gods, Sigmund and most especially, Darwin, were unaware of the findings of the two Elder Gods of the Celestial Sanctum. Even though Darwin reached the god-rank level, he would remain unaware of the movements of the members of the Celestial Sanctum, a supreme universal council of the universes. The existence of the Supreme Universal Council in the Celestial Sanctum was beyond their scope even to them as God-rank level beings. Chapter 9: Attributes of a Vajra Body "This mountain range seems similar to the Himalayas or perhaps the Andes region. I never thought that this planet can have this natural geographic structure. And then there is this other mountain range, with mountain peaks of high altitudes but the season remains in springtime. This planet has over ten mountain ranges. But the good thing is there are no areas like the Sahara." Sigmund narrated his discovery after flying over the planet, where he was regarded as the owner and its sovereign. "This planet has two continents and five areas are volcanic regions. There is one with extreme heat but nearby it is a barren area where lightning and thunder constantly roar, it is an endless occurrence. That seems to be the most menacing and obviously, the riskiest. Their existence remains a mystery though but my theory is that the planet''s varied landscapes may have something to do with your personality." Darwin nonchalantly noted his observation, which left Sigmund with a feeling between surprise and unexplained subtlety. "Perhaps¡­. But I feel that area such as the barren land inundated with lightning seems to be the best area for cultivating and refining tools and artifacts." Instead of feeling an ounce of being offended or cursed, Sigmund considered the existence of those landscapes as forms of fortune and blessings for him. He added, "These lands are richly endowed with precious metals and immortal spirit crystals." STATUS UPDATE! [Sigmund Gregory Chua] Soul Force units: 1,150,000 Magic Power: 1,100,000 Health Points: 1,000,000 Strength: 500,000 Agility: 300,000 Dexterity: 100,000 Wisdom: 200,000 Intelligence: 10,000 Control: +200 Experience points: 10 Body Attribute: Vajra Crystal Body(made of adamantine bones, golden blood, skin and flesh from refined crystal) Weapons and Artifacts: 2 Baston sticks(made of obsidian, tektite and celestial iron) 1 Lemurian crystal (soul capturer) INTERPRETATIONS OF ATTRIBUTE LEVELS: MAGIC POWER AND HEALTH POINTS MP and HP only have a difference of 100,000 points. Your HP as a God is always stable except for the consumption of clairvoyant ability that will deplete the points by 1,000 units per second. But the absorption of planetary spiritual energy with immortal essence is faster; Hence, your magic power and health points will be continually replenished. Your recovery is also faster including your regeneration ability. STRENGTH - Celestial commander level This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. After the personality reaches the God level, the being manages to surpass the 100,000 levels of strength. Each God-rank level adds 50,000 to the strength points. Your Attack Power and Defense Power have similar points corresponding to the Strength Level. Your etheric defense shield is as powerful as your martial arts attack power. Warning: Your Strength Level can obliterate the surface of this continent. WISDOM - Celestial Sage level The personality has reached this level of accumulated wisdom from all lifetimes after the transition of the body overcoming the stage of Nirvana. Negative karmas from previous commissions have been omitted. AGILITY - Phoenix Level The Vajra body is refined to advance the agility level of the being akin to the celestial spirit beast, able to reach optimum speed tantamount to the speed of light or 299,792,458 meters per second. Moreover, the being can teleport anywhere without restriction with the guidance of the divine system regarding coordinates. DEXTERITY - Celestial Craftsman Level The being achieves the level of the celestial grandmaster creator of tools and artifacts whereby the process of production and refinement requires the following: 1 second for low-level tools(treasures) 10 seconds for low-grade divine treasures and mid-grade spirit artifacts 60 seconds(1 minute) for mid-grade divine treasures and high-grade spirit artifacts 10 minutes for high-grade divine treasures 30 minutes for top-grade divine treasures 30 minutes to construct courtyards, mansions, and palaces 60 minutes to construct a village for 1,000,00 inhabitants 120 minutes of terraforming of plains, mountains, and other landscapes in land or water The being can harness the power of the Prima Materia to obtain materials for the production and refinement of the treasures, artifacts, and structures. Note: The differences in time vary because of the materials required and items to manifest. INTELLIGENCE The being exceeds the mortal standard of intelligence quotient extending its ability to clairvoyance and clairsentience. In other words, the spiritual sense is heightened, surpassing the level of the 10th sense. The being can prophesy without affecting the soul force units or the ability to ascend to a higher God-rank level. But it will have a deduction on the health points by 1,000 units per second. CONTROL The being gains the ability to control his God-level power without repercussion on the mental aspect. Note: The being must reach +1,000 points to stabilize his God-rank level. This can be attained by increasing the experience points to 1,000. Warning: Before attaining +1,000 control points, the being must make sure to achieve equilibrium in mindset during combat and other endeavors. Failure to attain balance will affect the control points to depletion. Negative control points may lead to the being transforming into an evil god of destruction. [END OF STATUS UPDATE] After reading through the data in his consciousness, Sigmund was flabbergasted by the Control Points and Experience Points. "I never thought my experience points would go on a reset after incarnating in a new body. Also my control points¡­" "Don''t worry about your Control level. I have configured it to that point from 1 to lessen the possibility of you being depressed or getting erratic." Darwin cut him off. And then he continued, "Your wisdom level can provide you better equilibrium so as not to affect your Control level." "My experiences as a lawyer never supplied me with an opportunity to be calm. The external calmness was just a defense mechanism, a fa?ade to intimidate individuals I want to overpower. But internally, I was always anxious, calculative, and scheming. My heart rate was often throbbing as I needed the adrenaline to circulate blood through my brain and to be quick-witted during arguments and rebuttals." Sigmund imparted his emotions and weaknesses when he was at the peak of his previous profession. His apathy showed as he regarded those times to be a fleeting part of his life. "Don''t forget my role as your divine system. In certain situations where you are required to combat potential adversaries, I can help in calming your nerves and body functions." Darwin nonchalantly informed, attempting to ease Sigmund''s concerns. "Being a God doesn''t excuse me to be humble but it even makes me arrogant for having tremendous power," Sigmund stated with incredulity as his being was oddly calm in the area they were currently situated at the top of the tallest mountain peak of his sovereign planet. "What''s next on your agenda?" Darwin indifferently asked. Chapter 10 : Martial Arts Practice Strike-stab-poke Strike. Change stance. Stab to the front and then poke the area of the body with a vital point. For more than an hour, Sigmund exchanged strikes and blows with a clone temporarily endowed with his consciousness. Everything happened very quickly as the mage utilized his agile ability in the sparring match. The other body must also have the strength of a God-rank level 10, similar to him but with reduced intelligence and agility. He did not want to go all out that would blow the continent of his sovereign planet. However, the sparring partner had been granted a will to win, a challenge that the magus desired so as to make the sparring match similar to a death match but with certain restrictions. Sigmund had this type of practice for five days straight. The period was in the planet Terra''s cycle as he also configured the time zone of this planet to be similar to his previous planet''s cycle of time. It had been over two hours since starting the sparring match. This time, he set the difficulty to ''Level 5 Hard'' to challenge himself and add more experience points. He wanted to end this match but this sparring partner seemed to gain a level of wisdom similar to his. Over time, the difficulty was getting more intense and the strikes from his opponent were harder to parry. He even managed to receive bruises and injuries over his body with their exchanges. But in a few seconds, those marks of bruises and wounds were omitted through instant healing. Sigmund wanted to end this match by attempting to use a skill wherein the technique required him to use his baston and transform them into different sharp weapons such as swords and spears on multipliers. He flew above over his opponent at top speed as he immediately visualized and manifested into a multiplier of a thousand of the two baston sticks he used. Then after reaching the desired number of those extremely hard wooden sticks, their forms changed to swords, spears, and other metallic weapons with sharp edges. The time from the visualization to the manifestation of the objects occurred in a second, a practice he initiated two days ago. He managed to reduce the time from 10 minutes to just a second in a span of three days. After the manifestation was realized in quick seconds, the weapons levitated in the air high above the ground as they were manipulated by Sigmund''s consciousness. The magus then wielded the weapons toward his opponent with very quick momentum, granting the other no room for a chance to escape. BOOM! The impetus resulted in a tremendous explosion affecting the ground and the resulting shock waves reverberated to more than half of the continent on his mini-planet. Moments of invisibility came about as the dust particles covered the area of the target of the explosion. Sigmund immediately swept the dust particles away, giving him a vision of the ground as if struck by a large meteorite covering a diameter of one kilometer and a depth of five hundred meters. Indeed. It was not a simple sparring match. The God-rank magus now deemed a Celestial Sage, did not really intend to make it like a simple match between collaborators. It was his way to test his abilities and powers, preparing himself for possible similar matches in the future. Momentarily, the ground was recovered and brought back to what it was before in mere minutes. After the regenerative terraforming, Sigmund returned to the ground. Momentarily, a flash of golden light flew through inside his head. The wisp of consciousness returned to him after the body was obliterated from the hard impact of the skill the mage performed during the match. In a few minutes, everything seemed to portray a harmonious environment, as if the previous battle did not take place. Even the fluctuating spiritual energy was stabilized and restored. Instantaneously, Sigmund teleported to his new-designed home, a structure that seemed to come out of an architecture digest magazine. The exterior design was reminiscent of a glass home with white-painted concrete at the corners. Hard glass comprised most of the walling material. However, this structure was made of hard transparent crystals imbued with spiritual energy. Even the other wall was derived from a mixture of white jade and marble. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. No trace of concrete could be found in the new structure which Sigmund crafted with his newfound power as a Celestial Grandmaster Craftsman. It had taken him two hours to complete the abode structure with a ceiling as high as 100 meters, occupying an area of two square kilometers. Within the structure was a large pool in which the materials were derived from azure spirit crystals. Sigmund filled the pool with spiritual water coming from the lake. Having this pool would be more inconvenient for him rather than going to the lake to have his regular dipping. Everything he had in his newly-constructed abode was imbued with the spiritual energy of immortal essence. Its location was also pure and uncontaminated, granting him more opportunities to increase his soul force and ascend to a higher ranking. After arriving at the pool, he removed his clothing when his feet touched the water up to his knees until his whole body pervaded under the aquamarine liquid endowed with pure spiritual energy. For over two hours, he dipped his body while performing a meditation technique that would bestow him the ability to gather and condense immortal essence for integration in his body. When he was about to finish his regular dipping, he opened his eyes as he called Darwin to prepare some tea. After getting out of the pool, he used the spell to dry his body and then manifested a new azure robe to wear. Sigmund was more keen to wear robes as he deemed it more fashionable. He had many designs in his mind for him to use as he visualized and quickly selected the garb to don for a certain day. What he chose for his attire was an azure-colored robe with transparent crystals embellished at the seams. The garment was also not prude enough as it showed the center part of his chest area. He could do anything he wanted without restrictions as long as he felt comfortable wearing the clothing. As he approached the table with Darwin already preparing the tea, he already heard the inquisitive tone of his companion. "It has been five days that you had this practice. For five days, 10,000 units of your Wisdom were depleted each time you created the body endowed with a fragment of your consciousness. And then each time, it returned after every match, the result gained you a multiplier of 5% with the 10,000 units as the multiplicand." The Celestial Sage contemplated those words quickly as he settled himself comfortably before a tea set with his cup of tea in his grasp. He sipped the tea first before he instantly manifested the status window to check his attributes. STATUS UPDATE! [Sigmund Gregory Chua] Level: God-rank level 10 Status: Celestial Stage Soul Force units : 1,152,000 Magic Power : 1,101,000 Health Points : 1,000,000 Strength : 505,000 Agility : 305,000 Dexterity : 100,100 Wisdom : 202,500 Intelligence : 10,000 Control : + 205 Experience points : 40 Body Attribute : Vajra Crystal Body(made of adamantine bones, golden blood, skin and flesh from refined crystal) Weapons and Artifacts: 2 Baston sticks(made of obsidian, tektite and celestial iron) 1 Lemurian crystal (soul capturer) After checking his status, he noted the increase in his soul force and magic power. However, his considerable increase was his strength, higher in margin than the increase in his wisdom. He gained 5 points to his Control level while he added 30 points to his XP. The additional 30 points for his experience seemed small than what he expected. "Each hour you are in battle, you can gain 1 point. More points are given when you learn lessons. For example, from that battle, you managed to lessen the time to manifest the skill of thousand weapons derived from your baston sticks. That was a considerable increase of 5. Also, each time you win, you add 2 points. The points from the lesson gained are variable. No fixed point to expect to be added to your XP." Darwin started with an explanation as he looked at Sigmund checking and contemplating his stats. "It seems the higher my level, the more difficult it is to gain experience points," Sigmund stated in his analysis, with a hint of frustration. Darwin prepared an explanation in his head as he spoke, "You are not wrong on that account. However, your experience point is a condensed score as you are at that level. If you were in your Grandmaster magus rank before, the 30 points you gained would be equivalent to 3000. The skill and abilities you have now would be something miraculous for your previous mage rank to achieve. In your case, performing those abilities was very easy for you. All you have to do is to improvise it by reducing the time of its execution and manifestation." Darwin paused as he let those words be contemplated. The initial plan he heard from Sigmund was a viable one as the Celestial Sage decided to start to take the first step towards his ambition to create and develop a nation. But then he noticed some errors as he performed deductions. The soul of the divine system believed that his sovereign could also perform prophecy. But at that time, creating a plan was more practical without the need to foresee the future. In his case with a higher-ranked soul, he already gained visions of the future when the plan was set. Everything he had foreseen was according to the plan. Hence, he agreed to his sovereign''s scheme with minimal suggestions, when they were initially discussing it. But then the question of raising the experience points in a short time was placed on the table. Sigmund glanced at Darwin as he asked, "So what is your suggestion for raising my experience points?" Darwin replied, "Divert your plan in the immortal realm." Chapter 11: Change of Plan "So, it''s about empathy?" To ask about it seemed rhetorical but Sigmund did not need to point out what his companion would have wanted to suggest. Diverting the initial plan might be a more viable option. Thinking about it, Sigmund analyzed some variables. However, the magus seemed to reminisce about certain memories of his previous life that he could not grab and drop into a certain space of oblivion. "My sister¡­" Sigmund paused while closing his eyes. "Well, my mother died of natural death and so was my younger brother. I would have wanted them to live longer but it seemed that taking more than one vitality pill would affect their mortal bodies. It would defeat my purpose then." As of that moment, Darwin refilled the tea to Sigmund''s teacup as the former waited for the other to continue. "My father was poisoned. Upon investigation, he cheated on my mother by having sexual dalliances with various women. Perhaps, taking one vitality pill made him some sort of sexual maniac that he died of excessive sexual activities and was even poisoned." Sigmund spoke before bringing the cup of tea to sip while he reminisced the bitter part of the memory concerning his father. As he brought down the cup, he continued. "My younger sister, however, was assassinated. I would have used the soul capturer but I was out of the country then. I learned that she was kidnapped and was stripped off any garment including the protective crystal I asked her to wear constantly." Sigmund paused while he stared at a certain corner. Darwin noticed the azure-colored eyes began to get glassy as if anytime, tears would pour down from his eyes. Surprisingly, the magus could hold his emotions, but almost barely. "I learned days after the burial that she was involved in certain corrupt activities. And that the kidnapping was out of retribution. She held power and she was greedy for it." Sigmund suddenly rose from the chair as he slowly approached the pool. "When I thought of my sister, the person I mostly doted on, I realized my failure but I learned that it was not my free will but hers. Thus, I was enlightened about human weaknesses and fragility. That also increased my willpower to become immortal." While he was sharing about his sister, he seemed to be emitting a ray of frustration and remorse. He saw his reflection in the pool. His appearance looked different than before. He was not overly narcissistic but he knew about his handsome feature. But the current reflection portrayed an aura of melancholy. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "You are a god now. Or rather, your soul including your present body has the power of a god with that level. You can control it but your powers require you to undergo constant practice not just physically but also mentally and emotionally for you to fully control it well. Accepting that fact will push you to attain your objective as you also learn the ways of the people of this immortal continent." Darwin might have shared the sentiment but he pointed out the fact that his sovereign should accept after his transmigration. "I never thought that I would have this level after the transmigration. I initially thought it would take time for me to get to this level and that I would search for this realm with the aid of your abilities and perhaps, I might enter a sect to learn more magical techniques and would have known other immortals, go into adventures as I continue raising my level. But what I have now is still new and yet overwhelming." Sigmund left the reflection of the pool as he turned to face Darwin who constantly conveyed straightforward facts. "With the reset of your experience points, you will indeed feel to be living in a new life with retained memories of the previous life. But, I only unlocked memories of your last life excluding all those previous ones you had or you might lose control." The soul of the system brought out a piece of new information that even Sigmund could not help but be astonished. "I believe you have your reasons for doing that. Regardless, I can do the unlocking so there''s no worry on that matter. I need to raise my control points and experience points fast. This overwhelming power and low control can be dangerous." Sigmund returned to his seat as he waited for Darwin to pour another cup of tea for him. The spirit tea seemed limitless, a fact he was thankful for because of Darwin''s abilities. "Even though I don''t have to drink anymore, having this spirit tea can deliver beneficial effects," Sigmund stated as he smiled while he shifted the topic. It was as if the melancholy was almost erased from his current mood. "The spirit water is also beneficial on you as it helps in constantly purifying your golden blood," Darwin commented as he put the teapot down after pouring refills. "To live in the mortal village is not a bad thing though. I might even enjoy it. To go lording over the demi-humans and monsters in the primeval forest to influence their nature for the better by using my power would be like a walk in the park. If that happens, I will have control over them as if they are my puppets and vassals under my command. Again, that''s not a bad thing but I might be intoxicated by power and might lose my sense of empathy." Sigmund poured his thoughts as he was analyzing his plan. "My suggestion will help you gain a better connection with the mortals and other human immortals. The nearest village we are in is a civilization of mortals comprising 65% of the population. Mages and strong adventurers that can wield mana comprise the 30%. Elves and dwarves comprised the remaining 5%. But their village chief, the strongest being in that village is similar in soul force units when you were in the Grandmaster rank." Darwin spoke matter-of-factly, sharing the information they already discussed before. "So, let''s start with that. My recent objective is to elevate my sense of control over my emotions and power. Also, I have to raise experience points but I might learn lessons along the way and you mentioned that learning lessons from the experiences can gain higher experience points." Sigmund grinned, reflecting a cherry disposition after that discussion. He demonstrated a complete pivot of emotions while he was mulling the commencement of his adventure in the immortal realm. Chapter 12: His Plan Inside a Village Begins "But let me bask in this environment and learn my new powers before I go on a stress-free adventure in that mortal village." Smiling with sarcasm, Sigmund left the table as he decided to teleport to the other continent of his planet. The mage wanted to see the other continent, which was rich in mineral deposits including spirit crystals. With the help of Darwin and also with his efforts, they gathered precious materials that they believed consisted of the currencies of the lower immortal realm. The wealth they amassed could already make them buy not just the nearby village but also the continent of LigaYa. But their intention should start first from the humble village before they proceeded to continue to develop the bigger picture of creating an empire. A month later, according to the planet Terra''s cycle of time, Sigmund created five puppet bodies, all with handsome and almost perfect features to be introduced as his offspring, though technically, his vassals, by the time he entered the village. He planned to project himself as a traveling merchant with a noble bearing. This might not be as humble as he initially thought but to start entering the village with an unknown identity can be more deceiving and could potentially lead to bigger complications in the future. Thus, creating clones imbibed with a minute fragment of his consciousness would go well with his plan as he introduced himself to the society starting with the village as a rich merchant. He even tasked Darwin to project a more human-like body to act the role of executive assistant of his enterprise. The party of seven including Sigmund and Darwin entered the gate of the village with three carriages. The first carriage which was decorated with golden plates and noble symbols was the first in the convoy. The other carriages contained their products and tools as the initial items they wanted to trade inside the village. "Good day! Do you have documents with you?" A middle-aged guard with strong bearings wearing a metallic suit greeted the party as their carriages approached the gate. The other guard tried to be intimidating while remaining indifferent. The guard who greeted them though displayed an amiable smile as he glanced at the adornments of the carriages. "I am Larry. You can check this document please." A young man with tall and blonde features with a certain similarity to Sigmund handed out the magically-created traveling document with details of their being a freelance merchant group. The guard immediately verified the document without any hitch. "So, it''s Mr. Sigmund Gregory Chua, a foreigner? "Yes, sir." "It''s the first time I have heard of that family name. Okay, you may enter." "Thank you!" Larry then went back to the carriage and drove the carriage through the gate. Sigmund and Darwin already figured out the language of the village and even the whole continent. Hence, they immediately assimilated their lingual dexterity into the language of this world. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Within the carriage, Sigmund and Darwin resumed their discussion. "This world is filled with disparities. I never expected this in an immortal realm. I sensed the large cities to be ultra-modern but this one seemed like the countryside to those high-modern large city-states.¡± Sigmund stated his observation with a mix of disappointment and awe. ¡°We have a village here with features similar to medieval Europe. Their mortals also look like Slavic people while there is a mix of Asiatic and Turkic racial groups." Sigmund noted mostly the features of the inhabitants with curiosity as he passed by the entrance with rows of townhouses and commercial shops. "The civilization may seem similar to medieval Eastern Europe but there is also a hint of Oriental mixed with Slavic. The diversity is staggering and its population is more than a million. It is like having a population of a big city but the form of government is headed by a village chief. It is more like a feudal lord but with a council of elders. It also has a deputy so it''s not entirely hardcore autocratic." Darwin conveyed a report to which Sigmund just listened as the latter was busy observing the village and streets. "This civilization reminds me of the 1950s era. It has features of modernity with buildings and a few skyscrapers with ten stories as the highest. To call it a village is definitely an understatement. But it is still apt considering the lack of modern transportation." The magus sighed as he noticed the lack of modern cars. The roads made of bricks were mostly occupied by moving carriages with iron wheels. They already passed the small commercial area. The carriages were then wheeled to a less populated area, which was occupied by various large abodes, seemingly owned by rich people. But the distance from one house to another was separated by lines of trees and forest. "We will know the village more after we arrive at the courtyard to stay for a longer duration." Darwin pointed to the street where a vacant large house fenced by thick white-grey marble slabs was in view. The carriages stopped by to park at the front of the large house with a gate. The area was surrounded by trees that seemed to be a small forest. Sigmund already commanded one of the clones to make changes to the structure a day before when it was purchased. When the carriages pivoted and entered the entrance between finely-crafted marble slabs as fences, they were greeted by two rows of tall candle trees. The carriages drove between the rows passing over the blue-bricked road. Before the vehicle arrived at the front, various rows of empress trees with blue blossoms were perched after the candle trees occupying the lots on the sides of the road. A water fountain made of white marble and installed with crystals emitting azure light was erected near the front of the gate, shimmering a feel of the aristocracy to the whole abode. A large bloom of azure lotus floated at the center of the fountain. Sigmund''s new abode was situated in a village with a land area of over 200 square kilometers. It was as large as a city but the civilization relegated it to just a village with small and few three-story buildings in the central area. His estate covered a property encompassing five hectares including the land filled with trees surrounding the house structure. The property Sigmund purchased was a few kilometers away from the central area where the commercial center was situated. Wearing his favorite azure robe with a contrasting design, embellished with amethyst crystals, Sigmund approached the gate of the abode after leaving the carriage. But before he entered it, he surveyed the area, relishing the front yard of his mansion. He let out a statement as if heaving a sigh. "Life in the immortal realm will certainly be interesting starting with this merchant role." ¡°You are absolutely playing a new role in this life.¡± Darwin chuckled as he followed his liege. ¡°Excited?¡± He turned again as he smiled, not bothering to answer his assistant, whose celestial prowess surpassed his. He entered the wide black door of his mansion in this village while witnessing with delight the aesthetics of the interior following his preference. Chapter 13: The Merchant Guild The raven-haired man with azure-colored irises stepped down from an intricately-adorned black carriage parked in front of a three-story building. His stature seemed majestic during his previous life on a mortal planet. In this plane, his height could be passed on as average but still within the tall standards among men. His youthful-looking feature, however, was midway between seductive and innocent. But he wanted to project a cold, indifferent appearance to appear intimidating and superior over others. His decision over this factor was borne out of a defense mechanism as he fancied the merchant role to set his footprint inside this village. The man arranged his garb, looking like a young master of a noble family as he fashioned a white robe and bluish embellishments at the seams. He carefully gazed at the fa?ade of the building, reminiscent of Gothic architecture with spires and stained-glass windows. If it were not for the symbol adorning the central part of the front building, he might think of the structure as a church or temple. The architectural design had certain distinctions, however. The material was made of white marble while the stained-glass windows were intricately crafted with a color similar to lapis lazuli. Overall, the building gave an impression of grandeur. The high stairs, even crafted from white marble, highlighted the entrance of the structure. The young man was accompanied by a slightly shorter youth with black hair and dark blue eyes. His distinctive attire matched the former. They could pass on as brothers, except for Sigmund¡¯s Oriental, deep-set eyes with clear blue irises of the former. It was a contrast to the other young man behind, whose Slavic feature bestowed a seductive expression. Sigmund scrutinized the building before he quickly climbed up in practiced sophistication. His aura was more intimidating and mature. The other young man quickly followed behind, his expression turned to a smile whenever he met individuals gazing at him. He noticed only fewer people entered the building at this hour. The two youthful-looking individuals eventually approached the reception after going through the entrance door. They briefly glanced at the two groups of people donned in seemingly business attires in this world at the area with a bar serving coffee drinks. ¡®Even in this world, coffees are also served.¡¯ Sigmund thought. The security was not constricted but Sigmund sensed the presence of surveillance tools around, installed in concealment. Perhaps, only those with higher levels could detect the existence of these tools. Sigmund gave a good impression of the security of the building. It seemed the village was not entirely an economic backwater. But he also expected these features to be installed, given the nature and objective of the merchant guild. "How may I help you?" a handsome young man of average height greeted the two. Sigmund immediately checked the screen in his consciousness as it displayed the stats of the receptionist. [Cole Berry] Age: 24 Soul Force Units: 1,900 Level: Rank 3 mage MP : 1,800 HP : 500 XP : 110 Strength : 120 Wisdom : 150 Agility : 40 Intelligence : 200 Dexterity : 40 This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Control : 20 Expertise: Fortune-telling by checking the facial feature of any individual. Clairvoyance level 2 - the ability to sense the location of the target by touching an item owned by the target Weapon of choice : Mage staff Tools equipped: storage ring 2 daggers {end of stat display} Sigmund eyed the receptionist as he alleviated the effect of his aura of intimidation. He heard his companion initiate the greeting. "Good day! My name is Harry Chua. We would like to meet Mr. Berry, the Head of the Guild." The second young man responded with an introduction as he stated the purpose of their visit. "And you are?" the receptionist asked the other young man. "I am Sigmund Chua. I am a merchant with a group who just arrived recently in Greston. I own my enterprise with my sons. I wish to meet Mr. Berry to discuss matters with him." Sigmund made his introduction as he noted the receptionist''s reaction. Cole, the receptionist, had been working in the same position for five years. Although he met various types of merchants and even managed to gain connections with some of them, it was a first for him to greet and see a handsome young man, who owned an enterprise. And the young man also mentioned ''sons''. Instead of outrightly rejecting them while potentially asking to drop their business cards, he sensed calmness as he gazed over the recent guests. Most of the merchants who visited this guild always brought with them their entourage such as assistants and mercenary guards. But these two guests only reached the guild on their own. Though the young men were taller than him and were even looking younger than him, the mention of the ''sons'' sent Cole the signal that the individuals before him might be immortals. Their white robes embellished with crystals also gave off the feeling of otherworldliness. Many of the immortals never cared about giving off their aura. Most concealed their mysterious aura to appear less intimidating and normal for mortals. However, in the case of Cole, his heightened senses gave him an advantage in his job. He could even see the fortune of an individual by looking at one''s face. And as he looked at the recent guests, he had an instant vision that was seemingly fortuitous for the guild. He never shared this ability with anyone as he felt that even informing the guild might lead him to be taken advantage of. The guild might be safe for him, career-wise but it could also be potentially dangerous for him if he was not careful. "Mr. Berry is currently in a meeting but you can wait if you want," Cole informed the new guests while he prepared a form for membership, noting the probable cause of the visit. "If you wish to register a membership with the guild, you may fill out this form while waiting for Mr. Berry''s availability." "Okay. I will do it. This is on behalf of my father and our enterprise." Harry received the form with a smile, sending Cole with a more mysterious feeling as the receptionist heard the young man mention ''my father''. Meanwhile, Sigmund already searched for a couch to settle down while waiting. He let his clone, Harry, whom Sigmund planned to be introduced to this village as his son to deal with the matters concerning the guild while his objective was to have a cordial business relationship with the guild master. After a few minutes, a lady with a sophisticated appearance and a pair of glasses arrived at the reception from the stairs that led to the second floor of the building. As she was treading the granite floors, approaching the reception counter, she briefly noticed the white-robed young men ensconced at the lounge seat of the reception area. She decided to ignore them as she greeted Cole. "Hi, Cole! Are there registrants for today? It seems to be less busy as time went on even though¡­" before the lady continued whatever she wanted to say, she was immediately disrupted by Cole''s immediate reply. "Oh, Ms. Roxie! We have a new registrant today. This is Mr. Harry Chua. Together with him is Mr. Sigmund Chua, seated on the couch." The receptionist responded with a smile, intending to cut off the lady''s remark that might potentially discourage the new registrant to become a member of the guild. Roxie Sylvan observed the person named Harry Chua, who rose from the chair. This young man poised with a seductive smile and approachable personality as he proceeded toward the reception area. "Good day! I am Harry Chua, you may simply call me, Harry." The young man brought his right palm to his chest area as he smiled and slightly bowed. Cole detected the greeting as it was not really something new but was somehow similar to how it was performed by one of the foreign guests who visited the guild before. He was not sure if the gesture was entirely similar to what Harry performed. The lady, however, did not notice it but she was mesmerized by the young man''s handsome look and tantalizing pair of dark blue eyes. It was over a minute before she responded, "How rude of me. I am sorry." She instantly blushed as if she was struck by a hidden arrow at the heart, metaphorically. She reciprocated the smile while she continued, "I am Roxie Sylvan, Mr. Berry''s first secretary. Cole mentioned that you were intending to have a meeting with my boss. He is actually available now as the meeting was already wrapping up when I left." She continued to radiate a good smile as she was eyeing the young man. "That''s good to hear. My father and I wish to speak to him. I already submitted the form here." Harry remarked cordially maintaining his tone of subtle seduction. Chapter 14 : The Guild Master "Mr. Chua, we require your energy signature on this crystal tablet, if you don¡¯t mind." Cole carefully requested the guest while Roxie shifted her gaze upon hearing the mention of ''my father''. She should not be any more surprised considering their continent also had many powerful beings including immortals who would not get old in appearance. But it was still rare for her to see a young-looking immortal, whom she believed to have an adult offspring, whose appearance was stunningly handsome. While she disliked not seeing the recent young man in her eyes, out of courtesy, she approached the couch towards another youthful-looking man, who rose from the seat to meet her. She noticed the white shimmering garb, which seemed very exquisite. As a secretary of a guild master, she knew what materials were used as she was exposed to trades of goods and even exotic and expensive items such as artifacts, weapons, pills, medicinal herbs, and potions. Sigmund marked the similarity of exchanging greetings in this world to his previous world. He believed that social interactions might have variations but there were still similarities in gestures from one civilization to another. This civilization was in a higher universe but he sensed that the way to meet and interact with guests was not wholly different than what he was used to in the previous universe he came from. He eyed the lady while checking her stat, displayed in concealment. [Roxie Sylvan] Age: 35 Soul Force Units: 2,000 Level: Rank 3 mage assassin MP: 1,800 HP: 550 XP: 110 Strength: 130 Wisdom: 150 Agility: 60 Intelligence: 210 Dexterity: 40 Control: 20 Expertise: Shadow magic Weapon of choice: daggers Tools equipped: storage ring 2 daggers Seeing the lady approaching, he placed his right palm to his chest but did not give a bow. He instead gazed at the pair of eyes of the lady, whose honey-colored irises were covered by a pair of thick eyeglasses. By checking her stat, Sigmund instantly shifted his scheme to deal with her¡­ in an amicable way, he could muster. ''So eyeglasses were still present in this world. I wonder why she did not take a pill to remedy the eyes. Hmmm¡­ it seems it is a tool to scan people.'' Sigmund silently remarked. As a God-rank magus, he definitely knew things as he gazed at them. It was no different this time as Roxie was attempting to adjust the function of her eyeglasses with her consciousness as she initially saw question marks on the other person''s level of soul force. It was similar when she eyed the first young man with a seductive gesture. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She masked her surprise as she greeted with enthusiasm. "It is very pleasant to meet you, Mr. Chua. I can accompany you to the guild master''s office. Let''s head on to the receptionist area to finalize your registration. I assure you it will be very quick." Sigmund complied as he took the process with patience. It was indeed as she told. A ball of crystal sent a beam of light to his eyes. In just seconds, both of his palms left the crystal tablet on the table of the receptionist. Sigmund prepared for this eventuality. He already configured his attribute levels with the help of Darwin. He let the type of information he wanted to be imprinted on the system, the guild used utilizing the crystal tablet. But when he was about to pivot towards the staircase to the second floor, Cole, the receptionist released a gasp, exposing his astonishment. The secretary was also bewildered upon briefly seeing the display of the results. But then, she did not want to appear rude as she immediately ushered the guest toward the second floor for Mr. Berry''s office. Sigmund checked the material used for the staircase. White marble was still the primary material, but when he stepped on the first staircase, he sensed the presence of spirit crystals. He figured the crystals to have been embedded when the staircase was crafted. The functionalities ranged from producing calmness for the visitors but also surveillance. He believed the concealment of the materials was part of the security feature. As for the other functionality, the crystals would emit light to form nodes of protective formation, which, when activated, would trap targeted individuals or groups or protect the employees of the guild from certain attacks. Regardless of the functionalities of the crystals and the security features, they could be easily bypassed for beings at the God-rank level. Aside from the staircase, Sigmund also noted the decorations of the walls. There were paintings in four corners as well as a perfectly-preserved carcass of a huge python at the ceiling. For first-time visitors at the mortal level or lower-ranked beings with mana or spiritual energy, an initial glimpse of that weird adornment could frighten their psyche. The guild seemed to have that purpose as Sigmund detected fluctuating spiritual energy that could induce hallucination. As for the paintings, they were intricately crafted to be incorporated into the guild''s security features. As the party arrived on the second floor, a living room adorned with elegant decorations on the walls and luxuriously designed couches highlighted with golden lights in accentuation with the golden-hued items, conveyed certain impressions to the guests. The guild master''s secretary, however, did not intend to capture the guests'' reaction this time as she gracefully informed the guests to settle down on the couches while she proceeded to the room to hastily relay a report to her boss. She stopped a few meters away from the door to the guild master''s room when she abruptly greeted her boss exiting along with a group of distinguished middle-aged gentlemen. By then, Mr. Berry''s unapologetically reminded his guests about another meeting. Without any delay, the guests the guild master first received for the day made their way down the staircase. However, one gentleman, presumably the leader of the party, checked the waiting guest at the lounge area. Sigmund briefly eyed the exiting party. He noted the middle-aged appearance through the person¡¯s skin lines despite the mature look. His intimidating aura and aristocratic bearing of the leader did not escape Sigmund¡¯s notice. The magus already knew that this person was with the guild master before him. He intended to meet that individual whenever the deal for the property was finalized and his first plan in the village was made to fruition. His attention then shifted to the guild master. Wearing a more cordial display, subconsciously boosting the effect of his handsomeness, Sigmund initiated the contact as he conducted the same greeting he originally bestowed to Roxie. "It''s a pleasure to be in your acquaintance, Mr. Berry. I am Sigmund Chua and this is my son, Harry Chua." "Pleasure''s mine." The guild master succinctly responded as he led the guests to his room with his secretary in tow. Roxie immediately handed over the crystal tablet to her boss. Her crystal tablet, taken from her storage ring, was connected to the intra-network of the guild. Her version of the results of The Chuas'' registration form was immediately scrutinized by her boss. Mr. Langford Berry, the master of the Merchant Guild of Greston, held the position for over thirty years in their world''s time cycle. He never imagined that a merchant with this level of soul force would apply for membership in his guild. Sigmund witnessed the shifting of the guild master''s expression in just a brief moment. The head of the guild immediately resumed his calmness, not minding if his reaction was seen through. "Mr. Sigmund Chua, I am Langford Berry. I apologize if I seemed rude when we initially met." The guild master started the conversation, clearly making up for his initial prejudice toward his guests. Sigmund marked the master''s soul force, which was within the range of the Golden Core stage at the lower level. Chapter 15: Chua, Sons and Co. Two days later Renovation for the new building where the Chua, Sons, and Company was finalized a day ago. Sigmund struck the deal with the guild master, who granted him the license to do business in Greston and a permit to legally operate the company along with the trademark. Moreover, he acquired the building in proximity to the Greston South Gate. The building was situated on the avenue toward that gate. The newly-constructed enterprise building was a kilometer away from the gate facing the Primeval Forest, where higher-ranked adventurers and mages ventured to certain parts of the forest to obtain more precious materials. But that part of the forest was known to be the hotspot for high-ranking demon beasts and monsters including giants, ogres, and orcs. In certain circumstances, the location would be deemed viable as the gate was regarded as a portal for adventurers and travelers to gain entry to Greston village. That seemed to hold true as the shop already gained two groups of adventurers as their first customers. The arrival of these mage adventurers at the new shops gave them respite after the ordeals they had gone through in the Primeval Forest. Chua, Sons, and Company occupied 2,000 square meters of property. It was constructed with a three-story building for shops and the company''s main office, while the adjacent structure was a courtyard to serve as the quarters for Sigmund as well as for the future employees. Within the courtyard, a vacant lot was utilized as a parking space for the carriages. Sigmund was amused by the fact that the village never had any other means of land transport except for beast-drawn carriages. However, what he noticed in many carriages was the varied species of beasts used. The differences in beasts seemed to reflect the capabilities of the owners and riders of the carriages. When he was allowed to ride the carriage of the guild master, he was regaled by the orange-horned giant cheetah, which seemed to have taken Roxie, the guild master''s secretary as the master linked by a spiritual bond. The ride from the guild to the property that the guild master offered for Sigmund was around fifteen kilometers. But the distance was shortened to two minutes, which negated any opportunity to converse longer inside the carriage. Sigmund, taking the new role of a merchant with operations in Greston Village, already detected the means of transportation of the village, with its seemingly backward civilization but with features that were also similar to what he encountered in his previous world. Thus, he found a specie of white-horned black unicorn and another specie of rainbow-horned white unicorn within the Primeval Forest. He created two clones for each specie and paired each variety for the three carriages. The speed of the unicorns was comparable to the orange-horned giant cheetah but he decided to improvise his beasts to make them the fastest species to draw a carriage. As Sigmund reviewed the events of the last two days, he noticed the ruins fronting his shop just across his newly-acquired property. The businesses he planned for his company comprised a shop for tools and weapons, another for herbs, pills, and potions, and then a teashop, which also served pastries and sandwiches aside from popular tea varieties. The tea he was sipping as he was chilling in the al fresco area of the tea shop was the spirit herb variety. This could only be served when his customers, ranging from the wealthy and elite classes, requested it. This time, he was observing his shops which were serving two groups of adventurers. One group consisted of a burly, young-looking swordsman, wearing mana-infused protective suits from leather materials. He deduced it to be from the hide of giant golden-tusked bison. He was accompanied by three women and one taller young man. The three women were clad in varying attires. A tall blonde woman was wearing a flowing robe with a white bodice, and pink sleeves accentuated with a violet-colored belt and skirt. The robe reminded him of the hanfu of ancient China. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The second woman close to the swordsman was dressed in tight glossy black leather material that seemed to cover from the neck down to the feet. She brought the image of a sexy dominatrix in one of the adult movies Sigmund watched. Meanwhile, the last female was a petite young lady, garbed in a dark green flowing robe. She typically exuded the persona of a mage but with a cute image noting her height. The other young man was taller and more muscular than the young man, who seemed to signify the presence of a leader. Despite his muscular stature, his look radiated the character of a ladies'' man. But his stoic expression appeared to bring intimidation and a less approachable outlook. That group became the first patrons of his tools and weaponry shop. He was gladdened that the weapons were within the range of their choices. After purchasing the weapons, the leader of the group closed a deal with the shop by selling the materials they obtained from the beasts they had slain and accidentally found dead inside the Primeval Forest. It was at that time, that Sigmund learned the name of the leader to be Bryan Berry. The adventurer group was happy after the transaction after they realized that the shop, despite being new, offered higher deals for the obtained materials than other shops they knew in Greston. With the purchases of new weapons and the selling of the carcasses and looted materials finalized, the group was enticed to try the new tea shop, which was odd as it was located very near to the ruins. They noticed the youthful-looking man, who radiated sophistication, seated in the outdoor area of the tea shop. The distinguishing mark they noted of that man was the pair of eyes¨C the color of the sky. The eyes seemed to radiate light at first glance. The others in the group, however, sighted the homey design of the tea shop, with the gazebo decorated with live vines with azure-colored blooms. The flowers brought a scent that could tantalize customers and even passersby to become patrons of the teashop. Ignoring the young man outside, they entered the shop, in which the interior also contained the vines but with furniture sets, they believed to have only come from high-ranked cities of the continent. The decors of the shop was also different from what they used to in the village. They never thought that tea shops could be adorned with decors on walls with pretty designs. The women in the group took note of the designs of the tea shop. They then realized this would not be the last time they would come here. As they approached the counter of the shop, they were astonished at the different pastries inside a transparent glass shelf display, in which the design incorporated low-grade spirit crystal emitting soft light and also a food preservation effect. The females were in awe by the new forms of pastries while the men noted the shelf display. The storage for pastries with that design was the first kind that they had ever seen in the village. By this time, Barry, another clone of Sigmund entrusted with the tea shop, walked closer to the first group of customers from the counter. With his brown hair, tall stature, and handsome appearance, he managed to send an aura of cordiality to the first patrons. "Good day customers! Welcome to our shop!" Barry with a practiced greeting wore a smile to radiate a certain effect to the newcomers. His brown-eyed handsome face matched with an approachable smile, which put the ladies to be more convinced to try anything the teashop offered. "Ladies, we have these pastries, which are only offered in our shop. As our new customers, we will grant you a discount for anything you wish to try." "Can I try this pastry?" the petite lady pointed at a slice of cheesecake with blueberries on top. On the other hand, the blonde woman extended her index finger at another cheesecake with strawberries on top. "I like this one. Please give me a slice of it." The domineering raven-haired woman, however, spoke with a hard tone as she requested, "Give me that slice of dark pastry." Barry took note of the order, which was a slice of dark chocolate moist cake. Before taking the other orders, Barry suddenly spoke, "Your orders are noted. By the way, please call me Barry. I take care of this new tea shop." "Hi, Barry!" The leader of the group responded. "Call me Bryan. Welcome to Greston Village! I take it that all of you are new here?" "Yes, sir!" Barry replied as he eyed the other young man in the group. "May I take your orders?" "Just give us five cups of tea. Please bring a spirit tea if you have it. And also, two more slices of that dark pastry. I want to try it. It looks enticing!" Bryan radiated a friendly aura despite his intimidating feature. Barry noted the other young man seemed indifferently quiet. The leader, however, spoke for the group. "Please take any table you want. I will deliver your orders after a few minutes and bring them to you. Enjoy!" Barry then moved to prepare the orders, which were done behind the counter. Everything could be seen by the first patrons, which they carefully observed as they took notice of the many new things offered in this new tea shop in their village. "It''s the first time to have seen these shops here and they are even very close to the ruins." Bryan opened a discussion at the table with his comrades. Chapter 16: Larry and Barry Sigmund''s clones were crafted to near perfection. With his God-rank level, he could create clones with varied physical attributes. But the consciousness of each clone was interlinked with his. Thus, whatever the clones perceived with their senses, Sigmund could also cognize them with precision. It would be fitting to say that each of the five clones was a reflection of his personality. Harry, with his black-haired and dark blue eyes, projected the flirtatious personality of the celestial mage. He was tasked to be the negotiator of deals and other transactions concerning the company. The manager for the teashop, Barry, emanated a pleasing personality whose charm extended to convey cordiality and subtle persuasiveness without the need to employ seduction. That seductive persona was reserved for Harry. In the shop for the tools and weaponry, a blonde, tall man with emerald-green eyes was busily dealing with a middle-aged guy, whose cunning personality was easily detected by the shop attendant. "Mr. Larry, how about giving me another 50% discount for that weapon? Your shop is still new here. It''s better if you send this weapon as a gift to me as one of your first customers." The middle-aged man''s eyes glinted as he exposed a sly smile. That glint never escaped Larry''s perception. "You must know that the materials of this axe include palladium and celestial iron. And this is a mid-grade weapon suitable for rank 5 mage. But of course, you can still utilize it in combat but you must be at that rank to unlock its abilities and have a better chance at besting your opponent." Larry retained his disposition, projecting a stern yet level-headed transactor. He intended to gauge the personality of the other as well as inform his customers that the prices of the items justifiably matched the source materials. That middle-aged mage with average height exemplified the arrogance of an attack mage, who condescendingly looked down at anyone he believed to be lower than him. As he was transacting with the attendant, he did not detect any aura or mana from the latter, an assumption that prompted him to ask for a bigger discount on a weapon he fell in love with at first glance inside the shelf display of the shop. The weapon in highlight was an axe made of mid-grade celestial iron alloyed with palladium. The middle-aged guy could easily scan the grade and quality of an object. This time, he wanted to have that weapon at a bargain. While the adventurer kept on negotiating the price, one of his companions became annoyed as he listened to the negotiation. He was a mage that wielded a spear and he happened to have gone through a better deal with Larry as both parties were on equal benefits after finalizing the transaction. He also happened to gain better deals with the shop attendant after he commissioned the selling of the looted materials and gains from their recent adventures in the primeval forest. After the deal, another group of mage adventurers became satisfied customers of the new shop in Greston. Except within that group, a haughty member reared his horns. "Bomer, how about you decide immediately to finish the transaction? Boss is already inside the teashop while we are still waiting for you to get your ass done here." Sergey commented as he tried to even his tone, masking his annoyance. He is a tall, young mage with a lanky muscular build, carrying a black bow at his back. With the middle-aged mage who was constantly asking for a lower price for a prized item, the aura of annoyance within the shop became palpable. It must be reiterated that Larry was one of Sigmund''s clones. Every movement inside the tools and weaponry shop, despite the main body of the boss of the company chilling outside the teashop while taking a sip of his favorite spirit tea, was under his watch. Inside the shop, another companion of the middle-aged mage became more annoyed at his friend''s sly method of obtaining benefits while the other party was at a disadvantage. He did not want to leave a wrong impression on his group. As he observed and scanned the shop, he suddenly realized that many tools and weapons were made from precious materials. These could not be found in any shop in Greston. "Hey, Bo! How about I lend you some? Mr. Larry is a good person. But with you constantly begging for a discount, he might get more annoyed and get us banned here." Ricky, another middle-aged adventurer with dark features, did not hide his irritation. "Rick, you know I am a family man. I need to get home with more dough for the family. But this axe is too precious to be left here on display. So Mr. Larry, how about my offer to make this your gift?" Bomer winked at Larry while the attendant seemed indifferent. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The other adventurers wanted the deal to get done as soon as possible as they gradually sensed danger. "Mr. Larry, this bag has the right amount of crystals for that weapon." Ricky suddenly handed the shop attendant a magic storage bag, which Larry received. The latter then confirmed the finality of the deal by giving the weapon to the group. He didn''t even watch the group leave the shop as he turned to the other corner to make it seem that he was taking another weapon from the inventory. The group of four adventurers left the shop rapidly while Ricky dragged Bomer, who seemed reluctant to leave. As they finally left, Saiko, a young-looking man with average build and height, turned to Bomer whose face immediately frowned after he was dragged outside. "Asshole! I know you look down on people lower than you. But did you not detect that immortal inside?" Saiko angrily shouted at the offending middle-aged mage. "Your stupid move almost led us to be killed there!!!" Sergey nonchalantly informed the Bomer but it was also addressed to the group. By this time, Bomer bugged his eyes out. "What do you mean, huh?" "You were only concerned about having that weapon. But did you not really detect the aura of that person?" Saiko muttered but with a hint of threat. "Right, Saiko. You are the only one in our group that can detect and scan soul force with almost perfect precision. Are you sure he is immortal? I haven''t even detected any aura from him." Ricky inquired with concern. "A being with no aura does not mean he is not a mage or a being without magic. Didn''t you see and analyze the way he can handle high-ranked magic cores and even high-grade weapons without the pain, burn, or any after-effects? Mortals can''t do that. I even detected him adjusting the magic force of that axe so Bomer could handle it without the burning pain." Saiko informed his companions with a slight sense of concern believing that they almost had a brush with death. "Thankfully, you drag him out there, or else¡­" Saiko stopped his comment after he noticed a youthful-looking man with sophisticated stature seated in the al fresco area of the teashop. As his gaze met with the young man, the young mage witnessed the smile as if saying the other knew his precious secret. The other man''s appearance made Saiko feel slight inferiority as a man of average look until he adjusted his mindset and told his colleagues to get inside the teashop. "Damn! These people are extremely powerful! Why are they in Greston of all places?" Saiko secretly thought as he turned his head and took another glance at the young man in the al fresco. The other still did not leave his gaze. To Saiko''s surprise, the handsome man even nodded. As they entered the shop, the adventurers immediately searched for their leader, who got inside the teashop before they did. At a certain corner of the teashop with a large rectangular table, a long-haired man with greying crown forked a small slice of the cake while carefully bringing the pastry to his mouth to enjoy. After relishing the pastry, he turned to his colleagues, now seated at their table. "Boys, how was everything there?" With a commanding tone, Jameson asked his comrades while his attention did not leave the pastry with only a few bites left for him to consume. "We hit it big this time, Boss! The shop gave us a better deal after they bought those materials." Sergey replied to their leader. After that, he sent the amount telepathically. After hearing the amount in his head, Jameson glanced at Sergey, "Not bad!" "Indeed! We also managed to get good weapons." Saiko''s remark masked an ominous tone, which did not escape the leader''s curiosity. "Whatever it is, I am glad that everything is done." The leader glanced at Bomer''s presence, while the latter seemed to feel his back drenched in sweat. "How about you try this pastry? I bought a whole for this. Barry told me it''s called strawberry cheesecake. It looks fancy but tastes heavenly." "Barry?" Saiko asked. "The Cheetahs are also here." The group of adventurers did not fail to notice the famous adventurer group of Greston. "We exchanged a few pleasantries. Nothing much. Bryan seems to dote on his concubines." Jameson replied with a bitter tone, not forgetting to highlight the word ''concubines''. "So Barry is the name of the teashop manager here," Sergey answered for his companions. "The tools and weapons shop has Larry. Hmm¡­" Saiko again commented. "Didn''t you see the signage on this building? It''s Chua, Sons, and Co." Ricky rhetorically stated. "So, they are brothers. But the one in the al fresco?" Saiko''s remark trailed as he noticed an extremely-attractive brown-haired man approaching their table. "Good day, gentlemen! As our first customers, we offer these drinks for you to try. They''re on the house." Barry smiled as he carefully placed the tray of bottles of alcoholic ale on the table. "What is this?" Bomer asked with curiosity but not forgetting to integrate it with a condescending tone. "This is our specialty here. A bottle of ginger ale with 5% alcoholic content. We can only give you one bottle each as we don''t want you to get drunk just yet." "Thanks, Barry!" Jameson accepted the offer with a friendly attitude. "By the way, if I may ask, are you all brothers working here?" "Yes, we are," Barry replied. "For now, we can manage as we are opening the shops. But we are looking for additional employees." "Oh! Can I get my daughter to work here?" Bomer excitedly asked while aiming for the possibility of getting another deal for weapons. "We will send an announcement this week. When we think they are qualified, we can hire them." Barry''s response was filled with a saccharine tone. "How about the guy outside seated in the outdoor area?" Saiko attempted to probe. Barry responded, "Oh! That''s our father." Not wanting to see their reaction, Barry immediately said, "Please enjoy your pastry and the bottles of ale." The adventurers saw the shop attendant slightly bowed as the latter turned to go back to the counter. "Their father?" Saiko''s face painted a bewildered look. Seconds later, his look changed to a frown. Chapter 17: A Gift from a Brother "I am speculating here but do you plan to have those people help with the coming giant horde?" Bryan Berry, the leader of The Cheetahs, regarded as the top-ranking mage adventurers group of Greston Village, conveyed his bafflement after having dined at the new shop in Sampa Road, near the South Gate. He left his colleagues at the Adventurer''s Guild while he proceeded to his older brother''s office at the Merchant''s Guild. After exchanging pleasantries, he immediately asked his brother, Langford Berry, about his thoughts after experiencing the new shops. "What do you think of them? Have you met the owner?" The older Berry answered with questions instead. Bryan gazed at his brother, who wore a slightly excited expression after opening a discussion about the new shops in their village. "After overhearing those fucking lame knight mages, I learned about the owner, who was chilling at the outdoor area of the teashop. He looks young to be a father of two grown-ups but that is to be expected for higher-ranked mages who manage to defy their appearances even when they get older." Bryan replied based on what he thought of the owner. "We didn''t really talk much but I left a promise to be their new loyal patron. They offer better deals after selling our gains to their shop. And they also serve delicious pastries, the first varieties I have seen anywhere in this village." "I brought a whole cake for you. They call this blueberry cheesecake." The adventurer took a transparent box of cake out from his storage ring. "They also have this transparent box for packaging. It even has a preservation effect. Those shops seem¡­" Bryan paused while he was thinking of the right modifier to describe the new shops. "Otherworldly?" The older Berry answered for him. "That and I can''t really think of another proper description. But the teashop seems magical. It seems to be surrounded by mana that entices you to stay there and order the things they offer. If not for my sense of time, my team would have just stayed there until nighttime." Bryan leaned on the backrest of the couch while he was remembering his experience at the new teashop. "After we went out from the teashop, many adventurers saw us out and they began flocking inside the teashop." The mage adventurer smirked after thinking of the benefits the shops received after their visit. "Honestly, the cake was a gift from Sig. He''s grateful to us for being their first group of customers." Bryan bitterly smiled while he recalled his girls whom other adventurers referred to as "his concubines" were gushing over the owner''s looks. "So you''re on a first-name basis?" Langford chuckled after hearing his brother. "Well, it''s good to have him as a friend." The other Berry smiled. "Though I need to put the leash on the girls. They seem to have found a more handsome daddy." The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. By this time, Langford let out a more hearty laughter. "He sure is handsome and so are his sons. My Roxie seemed to have been enchanted by his son named Harry." Despite the annoyance he felt, Langford smiled after thinking of that day. Blond-haired Langford Berry whose appearance was ripe for a middle-aged man was reminiscing the day when Sigmund Chua and his son first arrived at the guild. His well-built stature seemed imposing to other merchants but it didn''t even take the desired effect when he was facing the youthful-looking man. His eyes almost bugged out when he checked the crystal tablet with the registration form along with the result of the scanning that should have detailed mana information about the new merchant signing up for a permit and license in Greston. Name: Sigmund Chua Bone age: Unknown Origin: Unknown Race: Human mage Mana value: ??? Level: ??? Address: Chua''s Manor, 2nd Street, Libera Residences District, Greston Village Cole''s Note: Extremely Powerful. No mana detected. When Langford read the details on the tablet, he tried to make his expression neutral. While he was checking each line of information, he kept on glancing at the newly-registered merchant. The location of the Chua''s residence indicated that the man before him was extremely wealthy. The houses on the first to fifth streets of that district in the village were owned by wealthy people of the village. The Berrys had their manors located on the second street of that district. Langford formed a favorable impression of the new merchant; more so when he churned the details from Cole''s note. Hence, he decided to have the Chuas acquire a parcel of land near the South Gate despite the availability of four different properties in other areas of the commercial center of the village. But these properties, if offered to the Chuas, might not be enough despite their favorable locations within the merchant center of the village. His assumption, however, was justified when Sigmund Chua began to ask about the South Gate area near the commercial center. But it was a simple question, which he deduced might lead to further inquiries, and hopefully, a done deal. The commercial center of Greston Village covered the northern, central, and southern parts. Near the East Gate, a small commercial area was adjacent to it. The Eastern part included the Libera Residences District, the upscale residential area of the village, which separated the east commercial area from the central commercial center. Many of the new trade arrivals from the East Gate were sold in the markets within that area. Meanwhile, the closest village and cities in the West Gate brought their trades to the central commercial center of the village where the merchandisers with their stalls, shops, and goods were concentrated. Most of the land area of the village was situated near the West Gate where small farms and residences of low to middle-class families were placed. Most of the mortal population settled in that section of the village. Some elites had their buildings near the north and central areas while in the southern part up to the South Gate, mixed neighborhoods were spotted. These areas were mostly occupied by beings with mana including elves and dwarves. The dwarves were notable for their proficiency in creating tools and weapons while most of the elves were alchemists. Other adult elves assimilated with the human adventurers. The ruins near the South Gate made that section of the village the least favored location with high-risk potential. But the blocks near the ruins closer to the central part of the commercial center were populated by the elves and dwarves with their respective shops. That factor drove Bryan Berry to wonder about his brother''s decision to grant the Chuas that property. Chapter 18: Map of the Continent "There are human mages who have passions for refining tools and weapons. Only a handful became known blacksmiths but they could not compete with the dwarves. Moreover, the elves seemed to monopolize the medicinal herb industry in the village. Human mages can concoct potions but the high-grade ones, concocted and offered by the elves, were the most coveted." Bryan pondered on certain facts about their village with the other races aside from the human mages. "However, with the Chuas joining the fray, we might see a certain shift in the paradigm of this village. I am still questioning their motives for coming here. I did not ask Sig though but with their level, they could go to any Liberty city-states of this continent." By this time, the adventurer stared at his older brother as if asking for the other''s opinion. "You probably forget that there is a barrier that surrounded the primeval forest extending to the southwest and southeast of the continent, all of the central portion with a few sections from the north. A formation has been activated for millennia to shield 80% of the area of the primeval forest." Langford responded as he rose from his seat, trudging to the corner of his office where a dark board was installed. Facing the dark board, he briefly paused the conversation. With a swipe of his left hand, the board transformed magically into a detailed map of the continent, LigaYa. "Three city-states are in the south, two in the west, one in the north, and four in the east. I have heard that the Chuas arrived from the East Gate. But then that barrier was jointly created by the higher beings of the alliance of city-states to counter the beast hordes and infliction of hordes of monsters that wreaked havoc in their respective cities. If they are powerful enough to cross the barrier, then they probably came from the Eastern part of the continent in one of the city-states there." The guild master stated his assumption regarding the new arrivals in their village while his index finger pointed at the eastern section of the continent on the map. "I have noticed Sig''s facial feature to be a mix of the Zhan people, though the Orientals are composed of different races. But, Bro, I am still amazed at your capacity to have this map. Perhaps, you are among the few to have this aside from the Village Chief." Bryan remarked with enthusiasm as he gazed at the map on that corner of the wall of the guild master''s office. "Only the masters of the guilds and alliances have this kind of map in their office, of course, aside from the Village Chief." Langford turned to his brother to see the other''s reaction as he offered, "How about tea?" "Well, Sig also gave me these bottles of ale. I have four with me to share with you." Bryan withdrew the bottles from his storage ring. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "I also got this from Mr. Chua yesterday after they finalized the construction of the building. In two days, they are done with the structure including the interior. Amazing, isn''t it?" Langford shared another piece of information, which made him chuckle with great amusement as he remembered two of Sigmund''s sons performed two hand gestures and seals to magically erect the building from the ground. The guild master used to witness this kind of performance in constructing structures with the earth mages. His business ventures included construction, hiring the best earth mages, and contracting dwarves to construct buildings for the village. The wealth of the Berry family became more considerable with this business though they had a competition with the dwarves in this industry. Two firms in the village composed of earth human mages catered in building structures for homes as they were both under contract by the Village Chief. A clan of dwarves also collaborated with the human earth mages when they were required to build structures on a tight schedule. Nonetheless, the period of construction usually lasted from five to 15 days, depending on the scale of the construction. But the exemption happened right before his eyes the moment he was dealing with the Chua company. As he witnessed the method and process of constructing the building out from the ground and finishing in mere hours simply astonished him. The commencement event took place right after they finalized the deed of sale and other pertinent documents for the permits and licenses to operate in the village. That happened a day before. When Bryan Berry entered the shop after his adventure with his team, was the day of the soft opening of the shops, and the company, as a whole. "What the fuck! In just two days?" Bryan exclaimed as he suddenly stood from his seat, clearly indicating his astonishment. "That seems impossible!" "Actually, It took them a day to finish the construction. I included the day when they first arrived in my office as part of the processing time to have their company operating legally in the village." Langford sniggered, glad at seeing his brother''s surprised look. "Just witnessing that makes me wonder about the possibility of the future of this village." The guild master went to the area on the map as he continued to impart things to his brother. "When you learn of the map of this continent, you will be amazed that within that barrier of the central portion of the continent, more than half of the land area of the continent is situated here, comprising over forty percent of the total population of the continent." Langford paused as he magically emitted a golden light drawing the area on the map where the barrier was supposed to form. Bryan watched his brother while his frown deepened when he saw the area glowing with the light on the map that he learned as the perimeter of the barrier. It was larger than he expected. The continent where they were situated was shaped like a giant cumulus cloud where the eastern part protruding more than the west. The southern part was almost flat at the edge but three city-states were situated on that section. Chapter 19: The Isolated Village Greston Village was like a dot on this large continent. It was within the southeastern part of the continent yet closer to the central area. The distance to the nearest neighboring village was less than ten thousand kilometers to the east. The Kingdom of Maribora, to the north, was nearly five hundred kilometers away. There was no known friendly site to the south because of the settlement of the giants and other species of monsters. The West Gate, however, was nearer to one nearby village and two cities, but the gap was tens of kilometers. Regardless, Greston managed to form ties with those neighboring villages and cities, which type of civilization was similar to the village but the cities had larger territories. The village was a landlocked territory. But a flowing body of inland water, the villagers called Buhi River, with a width of almost one kilometer, flowed through the western section of the village. Hence, the farming areas were situated at the part. "This village is just one among the thousands if not millions of villages, towns, cities, and kingdoms within that barrier of the primeval forest. And we are in competition with more powerful beings including the giants, other demi-humans, and monsters such as orcs, ogres, goblins, and the likes." The older brother continued. "In a nutshell, we are always in survival mode while the Liberty city-states bask in peace and advancement of their civilizations. That also explains our civilization being a backwater compared to those city-states and even those higher-ranked kingdoms and cities outside of this barrier." By then, Langford faced his brother with a serious expression. "So what does it have to do with Sig and his sons?" Bryan''s younger face seemed to appear confused. Momentarily, he understood what his brother had in mind but then, he still asked anyway, "Do you think the Chuas can help us with this barrier aside from this village?" "I am not sure how powerful they are. If they had gone through that barrier, then we might be more surprised to know their levels of power. Even higher mages from outside of the barrier can''t get through the intense deadly effect of that barrier. What I have learned is that even immortals seem to have difficulty passing through that protective formation but they can still survive compared with the higher-ranked mages." Bryan''s bewilderment did not cease. "How did you know about these things? Have you obtained it from the neighboring kingdom?" "The Village Chief imparted what he learned to me. He got this property after he received gains from the treasures he managed to obtain after surviving the conquest to loot a powerful clan, commissioned to him by a monarch in one of the kingdoms within the primeval forest. Those gains included information about this continent." "Our grandfather was with the Chief when they migrated here. But he did not mention that to us." Bryan commented as he wore a more somber look. "That''s a privilege of being a chief of this village. This kind of information can''t be passed around to anyone." Langford opened a bottle of ale, which he immediately sipped. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Discussing these matters had made him thirsty. And so he downed more than half of the bottle''s content. "Haaahhh¡­"The guild master expressed his satisfaction after slaking his thirst. "This is really good. I wonder if Sig would want to mass-produce this. We can introduce this in our trade with the three towns and one city. This will be a hit in the kingdom, I believe." Langford held the bottle as he was thinking of the possibility of a trade partnership with the Chua company. "You''re always thinking of profits," Bryan smirked. "That''s understandable as you are good at it, inheriting that personality from our father." Langford ignored his brother''s comments as he was toying with an almost empty bottle. "When the Chuas arrived here, I have been visualizing many things, mostly profit-driven. Of course, we need to raise the wealth of our clan." Langford chuckled as he put down the bottle after pausing to drink all its content. "Seriously, their presence can be a threat or opportunity to this village. But to me, I see them as potential allies considering they start their footing here as merchants within my realm of profession." "Don''t you see them as competition?" Bryan carefully asked, noting that his question seemed sensitive, or at least, what he believed to be. Langford, however, mainly chortled as he paused to respond. "They still need me to build their connections here. They also need to obtain rights in paper to trade with other towns and cities. I can offer those to Sigmund." "Well... that''s your line of expertise," Bryan simpered as he picked a bottle of that ale to drink. After downing all its content, his expression suddenly turned serious. "By the way, I would like to inform you about another danger coming to this village." Bryan watched his brother for any reaction. The other''s stare indicated him to continue with his report. "When we were inside the primeval forest, we managed to wander the area at the south, after checking a directional device. We had passed through the lair of the giants. But what is surprising is that their lair has wider territory. It is not just a cave. They also have settlements atop three floating islands. One large tree connected to the two floating islands while a large vine linked with a much bigger island." The mage adventurer''s posture with his wide shoulder and build, seemed to become alert as he remembered seeing his companion and nephew, Ian Slav''s version of eyewitness crystal. As he remembered it being in his possession, he drew it out from his storage ring to present to his brother. By then, the recording began when the eyewitness covered the floating islands with a large population of giants. Another portion of the record showed the lair of the giants, whose appearances were more unsightly compared to the giants living on the floating islands. "My theory is that the giants in the lair were directed to attack villages to help with the looting. But it is also possible that the more civilized giants wanted to get rid of their rogue brethren when they reach a certain number of population. I was surprised to see those giants whose appearances resemble humans but with very tall stature. They are also more civilized and have developed cultures as I assume after seeing that crystal recorder." Bryan briefly stopped to gauge his brother''s reaction. When he believed he could continue without any interruption, he proceeded, "Those rogue giants are already in high number. Perhaps, this year, we can expect the giant horde to occur, much earlier than predicted." This time, Langford interrupted. "That is¡­" Instantly the guild master rose from his seat as he faced again the map, "That''s not good. Can you draw here the possible location of the giant''s realm?" Chapter 20: Incoming Danger The guild master rose from his seat as he faced the map. "That''s not good. Can you draw here the possible location of the giant''s realm?" Bryan complied as he approached the map. The golden light indicated the barrier was still illuminating but he ignored it as he pointed to the location on the map. The guild master''s reaction was unsightly as he estimated the location to be less than a million kilometers from the village. "That''s less than a month of travel with their physique to get from their lair to our village. We haven''t recovered yet from that terrible beast tide. Now, we will have to deal with the giants this month. This is just probability. But we need prompt preparations by informing the village chief of your findings." Langford exuded urgency from his reaction, a fact his brother expected as he was also alarmed by the probability. "That''s still a likely occurrence, brother. We don''t know the exact target yet of the giants. There are other towns and cities within that radius." Bryan tried to pacify his brother with his assumption. "But our village is closer within that radius. I know you don''t want us to panic. And that''s good. But we need to deliver this report immediately." The guild master telepathically called his secretary. After that, Roxie entered the office. "Sir?" "Prepare the carriage. Also, inform Carlson to meet us in the Chief''s office." "Right away!" Roxie hurriedly left to make arrangements. "You''re coming with me," Langford said to his brother in a commanding tone. "No problem. I will have to meet with Brand anyway." Bryan followed his brother as they exited the office. The next day¡­ "Mr. Sigmund, it''s a pleasure to have you again in my office." Langford''s tall stature seemed to level with Sigmund. But the guild master briefly stooped as he greeted his preferred guest for the week. "You may call me Sig. I believe we will see each other more often." Sigmund released a brief smile. Langford saw it as a well-intentioned gesture, though there was an underlying meaning to it. Both gentlemen took their respective seats in the lounge area of the office, instead of the guild master''s working table. "When we first met, I heard from you about the property in ruins near the South Gate. Obviously, it is also across my shops. I asked around about the incident, wondering why the rehabilitation did not take place. It has been over a month since the beast tide calamity, as I have learned. But there was no sign of recovery in that area yet. What''s the village chief''s objective on that matter?" Langford was surprised about the long narration and inquisitive remark. He was about to respond when he was interrupted. "Sorry gentlemen. Can I offer tea before we proceed with the discussion?" This time, Roxie approached that area, carrying a tray of tea cups and a teapot with freshly brewed spirit tea. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "That would be awesome. Thank you, Roxie." Sigmund bestowed his gratitude in a tone that somehow made the secretary blush. Langford hid his reaction but he was confused about his secretary''s gesture. "You may join us here, Roxie. I think Sig would want you to write notes of our meeting." Langford informed his secretary to Sigmund''s amusement. Roxie complied as she took a nearby couch to sit at the same side as her boss after pouring the teacups with the liquid. "I don''t mind." Sigmund quipped as he continued. "As I was about to say, I intend to buy that property. If I need to buy all the ruined portion of that property or even that part of the South Gate, then I will. Looking at the ruins across my shop every day becomes more unsightly." Sigmund grabbed a teacup with polished movement, a gesture that didn''t escape the guild master and his secretary. They seemed to form an assumption that the gentleman before them was a noble who escaped from a kingdom and decided to settle in a backwater village. What they did not know was that Sigmund''s sophisticated movement was derived from the time when he was dealing with clients. Though there were no rules as to the etiquette for lawyers when meeting with clients, the standard would always include sophistication, especially for high-profile lawyers meeting with high-profile clients. Again, no strict rules were written but for Sigmund, his movement seemed to work in attracting and closing client deals. He might have earned him a reputation for being gigolo-like with his handsome appearance and attire. But he always stuck with the ethics ascribed to him being in a legal profession. There was a pregnant pause in the discussion as Sigmund waited for the guild master''s response. Momentarily astounded by the intention of the guest, Langford Berry shifted his disposition to a more enthusiastic one as he responded, "That''s a surprise Sig!" The head of the guild lightly gave a laugh. "But we are glad to learn of your intention. I was actually entrusted by the village chief to broker the property for a potential buyer. When this parcel of land was destroyed and the claimants were paid by the village, urging them to transfer to another location instead of rebuilding them, we obtain the rights again to the property. I mean, the village chief obtained it as being the largest owner of properties in this village. Administratively, he also has that right being the Village Chief!" The guild master briefly ceased his speech as he picked up his teacup and drank from it. He then continued, "Before we proceed with your intention to buy, l think it''s appropriate for us to narrate the origin of this village with you being the new arrival." "That seems proper." Sigmund reacted. "I will impart to you the version based on what I learned from the Village chief himself." He briefly looked at his secretary as he telepathically conveyed his command. Roxie took a crystal ball no larger than a golf ball. It was blue with a prismatic pattern. As she placed the crystal ball on the table, a holographic moving image formed above it. Sigmund was not totally surprised by this technology but to think that the guild had possession of this kind leveled up his impression of this village. While he was watching the scenes from the hologram, the guild master made commentaries as if narrating the segments and happenings beginning from the time the village chief transformed the area of the primeval forest into plains using a tool shaped like a red crystal ball and activating a formation to shield the new property from the invaders. He learned from the head of the guild about the period the village was formed, which was three centuries ago, using the continent''s time cycle. By this time, Sigmund''s concept of time aligned with the continent''s time cycle. Hence, the village chief''s age was more than three hundred years. By the moment he migrated to his property within the primeval forest, he brought with him an entourage who became the first settlers of the village. The chief, together with his family including three concubines, lived in the central part of the property, which he estimated to be more than two hundred square kilometers. It was smaller compared to the island he was born in his previous world. But he noted the level of the Village Chief at that time. When Sigmund personally encountered the Village Chief, that was during his first meeting with the guild master. The group before his meeting included the head of the village. He noted the Chief''s status before their group''s exit.