《Passion For Refining Pill》 Chapter 1 : Second Chance(Revised) From being an infant to being an adult. Except growing instinctively during the childhood, growing up and learning about the environments Soma Maltin had realized a truth. ¡°I don''t wish to Live in this dull world¡± Many similar creatures, would expound on about the meaning of life, about how meaningful living is and why we should be happy to just being alive¡­ But those are not meant for him¡­ Well he some what agrees with some of them. Still they were not good enough motive, one that would spark a passion and ignite life in his soul. With only gratitude for his parents for giving birth to him, did he lived on struggling in this meaningless survival in the civilization where talents and power only mattered. ¡­ In the early morning where dew condense and the sun peek onto the world. A man, dressed in simple office working attire, while looking sleep deprived with messy short brown hair yet his blue eyes reflecting the refreshing morning indicating that his mood is calm and peaceful. He stood on the edge of the cliff bathing in the gentle light and enjoying the view onto the vast forest littered with hills while occasionally looking down into the long stretch of fall on top of a cliff as if check his next destination. Each time he looked down, he is greeted with fog covering the bottom making it seems like an endless pit of abyss that would frighten most men at the prospect of falling down from such a height. Yet his on his face etched a small smile, as if it would be his salvation. While musing, he took out a photo from the inner pocket of his black suite that have been keeping him warm on this chilly mountain. The photo displays a young man grinning happily that have brown hair and blue eyes in black suite with a young lady with blond hair and brown eyes wearing a white gown as she smile in contentment. His final attachment¡­ As if knowing his decision, a sudden updraft wind snatched the loosely held photo away from his hand, which seems to symbolize the severing of his ties to this dull world. Looking at the piece of photo that disappeared into the depth, with unfocused eyes witnessing the disappearance. "Truly, ignorance is bliss. Despite robbing away the colors of the world, I am content with the realization." To announce his departure, he whispered his last words in heartfelt sincerity. ¡°I am not in despair, nor am I filled with resentment. Is just that my yearning heart is filled with disappointment¡± Finally, with acceptance and relief he took his step into the eternal sleep¡­ ===================== Inside an apartment, a young man that looked exactly like the young man in the photo but with some touch of aging spotting a few barely noticeable wrinkles wearing casual clothing of simple shite shirt and lose blue shorts, sitting on the sofa. Around him were a variety of furniture that would belong to a living room, which gives off a homely feeling, a place where one would assume to be perfect for relaxing. Instead of relaxing, he had his head hung down, right hand clutching a crumbled paper, where if one were to looked at it closely one could clearly read at part of the letters printed on it ¡°Ownership transfer¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Slowly his body trembled as several water droplets splashed onto the dry floor. ¡°Brother¡­ ¡°He whimpered as he hugged his wife who, also looked like the lady in the photo, had been sitting beside him from the moment she sensed something wrong about his usually cheerful husband. As she embraces her sobbing husband, her facial expression being torn between being sad and feeling complicate whether to wallow in gratitude or grief. For now, she will comfort her husband, the brother of the man that smoothen their rocky future with his wealth that comes along with the suicide will¡­ ================================== Soma could feel rushing wind on his back as he continued to fall down towards where the gravity pulls him. Even though he wishes to embrace death, he does not wish to embrace it while experiencing stabbing pain on his face. He started to feel faint as his conscious brew burly as the fall continues. With relaxed eye he looked at the ever-shrinking cliff as he anticipates for his eternal sleep. Yet¡­ He did not anticipate the current situation he found himself in as his conscious became clear. Enveloped in dense fog, as he floated weightlessly in it... With the sudden predicament, he could not help but questioned. ¡°Is this after, am I even dead?¡± After some contemplation he settled on the afterlife answer as he discovered that he could not feel. Not in the aspect of emotion but that of bodily. His heart beat, his own breath, his limbs and body. He could not feel them nor see them as the only aspect of his bodily aspect, Sight, remains. With the new realization he started inspecting the surrounding, to try to understand the situation that he found himself him that he could not make head or tails of what is happening. Despite his efforts, he could not shift his vision which is filled with grey fog that rolls and flows in a chaotic manner. His final judgement is that he could make while feeling confused is that, this is his after life, without a body with only his sight working with a fixed vision, he only has one thought. ¡®Whatever, heaven or hell, I am ok with this eternal peace¡¯ Again, with a content smile, or what he would have made if he still has a body. Without questioning anything he relaxed his stirred emotions and emptied his thoughts as he decides to eternally sleep in this weird place he found himself in. Yet again, what he anticipated or planned did not come to fruition Sigh¡­ With sudden jolt, his ''eyes'' wide opened with apprehension and confusion along with a bit of annoyance with the sudden voice that he heard not through his ''ears'' but directly inside his mind. One without destiny... One without desire for a purpose... One who is aware of oneself... One whose path, denied due to my selfish belief¡­ I will give you a second chance¡­ Along with some advantages as my compensation¡­ As if responding to the sudden voice, several strands of the white fog started congealing in front of his sight into water droplets then into a sheet of blue ice which looked like a floating blue interface of some sort, then white characters started form on it. Character Sheet Shop With a black mind, Soma Stared at the newly formed in interface as he try to make sense of the words shown on it. Witnessing such a scene, he was left dazed, but slowly he came to understand the situation. ¡®Is this some sort of the clich¨¦ second chance reincarnation like the mc from those fictional novels?¡¯ However, he throws such thoughts out as he contemplated the statements spoken into his mind. ¡®Those words¡­ Seems like HE or SHE should be an existence like that of Gods?¡¯ He brought back his attention at the ice sheet now turned blue screen. Since he no longer possessed a body, he tried willing his intended desire. The blue screen flickered as the previous words faded and new words emerged on it. Name: Soma Maltin Race: Human | Class: N/A Level 0 Status Strength: Strength of all Aspects Dexterity: Dexterity of all Aspects Constitute: Constitution of all Aspects Energy: Density and Quality of Energy Spirit: Capability of Spiritual Aspects Traits N/A Skills N/A ¡®Is this some sort of litrpg thing?¡¯ He now felt like questioning his sanity. ¡®Is this a dream? This looks really like a situation a main character found himself in.¡¯ However, he did not immediately made conclusions. ¡®Whatever the situation is, there¡¯s nothing to lose, but if this is real.¡¯ ¡®Every decision I make could affect my future¡¯ While trying to take in the new weird situation he found himself in again, he thought about the ¡®Shop¡¯ that was shown first along with the ¡®Character Sheet¡¯ when the interface was created. He could not help but be hopeful. ¡®Maybe¡­ in the so called second chance will I find my path?¡¯ Now looking at the character sheet in new light. ¡®Now, what do you have to offer me?¡¯ Chapter 2 : A Clich茅 Situation Race Example: Human (+0.2 Strength, +0.2 Dexterity, +0.1 Constitution, +0.1 Energy, +0.1 Spirit Upon every level up) Race can evolve after achieving max level. Or one can instead replace race with class abandoning the evolutionary path with a systematic specialization. Class Example: Infantry Spearman (+0.1 Strength, +0.1 Dexterity, +0.1 Constitution Upon every level up) Classes are easier to level up if performed actions are related to the class compare to leveling up one¡¯s race levels. Classes have qualities which is defined by rarity: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Arcane, Ancient, Legend. Example: Infantry Spearman (Common) And classes have stages: Beginner, Journeyman, Core (The core class does not have a level limit and it is the final stage, meaning one can no longer advance) A Class can be change through Class advancement or by the help of a God. Status Strength: Strength of all aspect (From muscle, eyesight to energy reserves) Dexterity: Dexterity of all aspect (From muscle reflex, Creativity to thinking process speed) Constitution: Constitution of all aspect (From resistance, endurance, durability to Vitality and ability to contain energy reserve/stability) Energy: Energy density and quality (From Power to Energy regeneration) Spirit: All things that includes conscious ability such as energy sensitivity, concentration, memory bank, awareness. (At 0.7 one gain sixth sense, at 1 one can sense energy, at 10 one awaken spiritual sense) Traits Gained through special repeated actions or the way of living or doing beyond what is possible/expectant of the individual race. The traits can be both negative and positive and it stay permanent unless a strong trait with similar type over writes it. Example: Injured soul (Constant drain of energy, -30% spirit, -70% dexterity, - 45% strength, -15% constituation) Skills Mastery of a certain art or skill Example: Human Anatomy (Understanding of Human body and its detailed function), Foundational Sword mastery (Understanding of how a sword can be used) The skill levels up not through constant practice but through understanding of individuals. The skills are like a Law, understanding it will receive approval from the system which comes with level ups where it will provide a more in-depth knowledge of the skill. (Skills can evolve after reaching its limits if they have the limit) ====================================== ¡®These meanings are really vague¡¯ Just by trying to figure out what each stats or skill truly means make his head spin a bit¡­ However, it is to be expected, after all these stats are used to measure the ¡®reality¡¯ not some game that is to be played. In the first place he would truly like to figure out why even stats? But trying to solved mysteries wont go any where when he have little to no information in the first place so he pushed down the desire to question every thing and instead resort to imprinting what it explains into the memory. For now, he knows the general meaning of what is shown on his character sheet, he then decide to check out what the ¡®Shop¡¯ have to offer for him instead of tallying, especially when he subtly felt that the fog surrounding him seems to be slowly thinning. ¡®It seems I have a limited amount of time¡¯ Bringing out the desire to see what the shop could provide, the blue screen flickered again. Fetial Son: 250 Karma Gratitude From a sentience life form: 100 Karma Gratitude From a sentience life form: 150 Karma Gratitude From a partial-sentience life form: 5 Karma Gratitude From a partial-sentience life form: 5 Karma Gratitude From a partial-sentience life form: 10 KarmaThe tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. One Who Gained Awareness: 1000 Karma Compensation: 1000 Karma ¡°What¡­ Wait Karma?¡± The screen without giving a chance for him to comprehend what just happen flickered again. Race Class Traits Skills Tome Balance: 2520 Soma, with the new-found knowledge, could not help but felt overwhelmed along with the foreboding feeling that stirred at the bottom of his heart. ¡®What does ¡®karma¡¯ meant and why it would be used as some sort of currency.¡¯ The only thing that he could infer is that, Karma is not Luck and it seems to be similar to karma mentioned in some of the Chinese fictional novels he had read. As much as he would love to ponder and guess some truths behind it, noticing that the fog now seems visibly thinner, revealing a glimpse of what could only be describe as a black background, he had to yet again put down his uneasiness and urge to shout out and questioned all the weird and forebodingness that he could felt from this screen to the unknown entity. ¡®What does it really matter? At worst I would die again¡­¡¯ ¡®And is very likely that, he wouldn¡¯t even respond...¡¯ ¡®And I don¡¯t even have a body to shout in the first place¡¯ With the new-found calmness, Soma started commanding the blue screen to show what he could purchase from the shop. Without wasting too much time on pondering he started to browse the shop and see what it has to offer Race Elves: 1800 Gnomes: 1000 Ferlin: 1000 High Elves: 5000 Drake: 10000 Globin: 500 . . Class Pugilist (Initiate): 500 Archer (Initiate): 350 Acolyte (Initiate): 800 Path Finder (Initiate): 400 Black smith (Initiate): 200 Adept (Initiate): 1200 . . . Traits Perfect Recall: 1200 High IQ: 2000 Primal Instincts: 1000 . . . Skills Sword mastery: 500 Weapon mastery: 500 Martial Arts: 2000 . . . Tome Knowledge of Abyss: 6000 . . . Elemental spells: 9000 . . . Basic arrays: 1000 . . . Gnome House blue print: 10 . . . After browsing for a while Soma came to several conclusions One is that traits and skills selections are those that could be gained in the world which he came from or what he has some knowledge of. The race, class and tome provide selections, available in the supposed new world. Selections are shown based on the amount that he had wish to use. Logically speaking, the only way to gained proper advantages in his second life is through purchasing expensive classes or the most expensive race he could afford with the tome being the final option to choose from. But¡­ There was an important selection that he had to purchase It was from the trait selection and was he glad that he found it. Trait: Reincarnated One (Preserves Memories and consciousness of past life) <1000> It is a trait that he must have. While, he did committed suicide because he no longer has the motive to live but that does not impply that he did not have a yearning. And from the message that the mysterious entity, where he indicated that in this new world he would find his motive to live for. To achieve it, he need to remain himself instead of being a new him¡­ ¡°No matter whether this new me once would be me, he would no longer be me, and I would be basically non-existence¡± Then Soma suddenly thought of a statement made by the entity. One whose path denied, due to my selfish belief¡­ Soma could not help but connect the dots¡­ The Compensation, the Trait that if I did not select I would have my memories cleanse. ¡®Was the entity, forced to give a second chance to me?¡¯ With the new-found knowledge, the surrounding fogs no longer felt comforting but felt as if nibbling at his consciousness and chilling his soul. ¡®This could still be a dream¡¯ He tried to convince himself to calm the foreboding feeling that now boils in his heart. However, he could feel his instinct shouting at him that what happening is in fact very real. ¡®I need to make full use of this chance!¡¯ Whichever entity he had offended doesn¡¯t matter since he couldn¡¯t do anything about it any way. Instead he focused on purchasing things that will give great advantage in his second life. Browsing through the race option, he was greeted with a problem. With the remaining points available to him, he is can no longer purchase any race that will provide any significant advantage. Race that cost below 1000 points are inferior to the race he currently is. Even with races that cost more than 1000 points provide little advantages when compared to his current race as a human. Race: Elves (+0.1 Strength, +0.3 Dexterity, +0.3 Constitution, +0.1 Energy, +0.2 Spirit upon every level up) <1800> It is one of the humanoid races that actually provide decent advantages, but he could not afford it. No even if he could he would not purchase it as the advantages in over all can be only counted as noticeable. It is also because he does not have any idea of the relationships between the races especially with the human race. While he does not mind killing, being enemy of once was his own race does make him a bit uncomfortable. Which leaves the classes, which he does not have a shred of desire to purchase it so¡­ Being restricted to the way of the class, it would be no different than his past life¡­ Which had left him with the tome selection to provide a significant advantage in his new life. However, before he makes any purchase from the tome selection, a purchasable selection from the skill category drew his attention. Skill: Skill Creation (The user will be put into a neutral enlightenment where the user will create a skill based on the chosen enlightened knowledge) <1000> Chapter 3: The Motive? Foolish... The reason why Soma had given up on living, is due to not having a motive to live for. Now, looking at the selection that looked clearly like a scam. Soma felt that it could be his salvation. So after a few moments of tranquility, with determined heart, he willed the desire to purchase the selection Skill Creation Bought Remaining Balance: 1520 . Initiating Skill Creation . . The first thing Soma experience is, extreme drowsiness. He could feel his thoughts becoming sluggish as dark spots occupied his vision. ¡®Grk¡­ Uhh¡­¡¯ He could not even form any intelligent thoughts, as he felt consciousness being stretched into impossible length. After an indefinite amount of time, Soma, ever slowly felt his consciousness cleared up a bit. ¡­ ¡®Where am I?¡¯ When he came to his senses, he realized that instead of being surrounded by grey fog, his vision was filled with motes of different colored lights. ¡®What is this place?¡¯ Whatever direction he looked is filled with Light motes that floated about in the dark space while witnessing such a phenonium, he strangely felt calm and at peace. ¡®Could this be the neutral enlightenment state?¡¯ ¡®It said, to create a skill from a chosen enlightened knowledge¡¯ Now looking curiously at the floating light motes, he could only presume. ¡®I suppose they are the suppose enlightened knowledge?¡¯ When he focused on a mote of light that have a light orange tint to it. His vision was instantly replaced with bright orange light glaring into his soul, which then slowly formed into a picture. ¡®What¡­ What is this?!¡¯ Soma was perplexed, the culprit for it is the lifelike picture of a creature of humongous size that he could not measure. Its body similar to that of a squid but with a much slenderer body which is covered in light orange scales. Its tentacles could only be counted to three but each one of them warping around clusters of bright dusts that revolves around its center. ¡®Aren¡¯t those galaxies?!¡¯ Before he could calm his messed-up thoughts, a silky voice slithered into his mind. You¡¯re not worthy Soma felt his soul shivered as his vision slowly darken and once again greeted with a field of light motes. ¡®What was that?!¡¯ What he had seen, could not be unseen. Soma, despite the weird situations he kept finding himself in, had his thoughts in order and observes things rationally. However, there is a limit to his ability to remain calm, especially after witnessing such a scene. ¡®Skill Creation?! That is more like some sort of inheritance!¡¯ ¡® Now feeling wary, he cautiously observed the light motes around him. Which had led him to discovered that each light mote has different sizes, the orange light mote he had peered into was one of the few larger one amongst all the light motes. Feeling comprehensive, he focused on what seems to look like an averagely sized light mote that glows in pale blue color. Again, his vision was instantly replaced by piercing light, but in pale blue color. When his vision cleared up he was greeted by a picture of a vast body of water, that stretched into the horizon in all directions and what seems to be an endless depth that could not be measured. Suddenly, featureless, human faces started appearing on the surface of the sea with mouth wide opened as if wailing in anguish, yet the whole atmosphere was in tranquility as if such a scene is of norm. While Soma was a bit creep out, he felt he understood some truths of the scene. ¡®Quantity over Quality¡¯ ¡®Imprisonment¡¯ ¡®Endless¡¯ Sea of Imprisoned Soul Skill Enlightened Would you like to Learn this Skill? An interface suddenly appeared in front of his vision, notifying him that he fulfilled the requirement to learn a skill ¡®So that how a skill is created¡¯ With the enlightened knowledge, he somewhat understood, what the selection means to create a skill out of a chosen enlightened knowledge. ¡®The Light motes should represent some sort of truths or laws¡¯ ¡®Based on what I roughly understand, a skill will be create¡¯ ¡®Then¡­ I have much more to see¡¯ With a thought Soma convey his desire to return to the field of light motes. However, a surprise awaited him. In the form of a much sparse amount of floating light motes compare to the previous clustered light motes. ¡®I can¡¯t just go checking out what each light mote represents¡¯ ¡®And I¡¯m here for another purpose than to create a skill¡¯ Soma did not choose the skill creation option to gain a powerful skill nor a useful one. He chooses it, in a foolish hope that he might find his motive to live. He doesn¡¯t know if it would work, but he felt it was his best bet. ¡®From what I know, a skill can mean a skill or also a representation of Path that one chooses to take¡¯ He willed his desire, to find a motive to live.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. As if responding to him. A Light mote, which seems to be extremely small compared to other light motes that floated about in the dark space. Emerged out of thin air in front of his vision. It does not possess any unique color as it glows in soft white light. ¡®I hope it would not be a disappointment¡¯ Focusing on it, after being blinded with piercing white light, a scenery which he did not expect appeared in front of him. It was a scene where a young boy with brown hair and blue eyes, crafting something out of a wood block with a metal scalpel. ¡®This is when I was 11 years old¡¯ The scene finally ended when the boy finished, with a dishearten face, feeling disappointed as he held a finely carved wooden figure of an eagle. ¡®I felt it doesn¡¯t turned out the way I wanted it to be¡¯ The scene change, many more times, as the boy slowly grows into an adult, trying out crafting, cooking, painting, drawing and etc. ¡®I wanted to create, something. I love creating things¡¯ Artistic Crafting Skill Enlightened Would you like to learn the skill? He ignored the sudden prompt of interface, willing it to close, he continues to observes his younger self, slowly growing up, slowly losing motive to live as he searches for such a motive. Then, he suddenly realized. ¡®Motive¡­ No not motive¡­ I have forgotten why I search for a motive to live in the first place¡¯ However, things again did not go as anticipated. As Soma kept looking at the replay of his past life, trying to find out what had made him to search for a motive to live in the first place. Cracks upon cracks started to formed on his vision, as if signifying that the enlightenment period is coming to an end. ¡®No¡­ NO!¡¯ At the sudden predicament, soma felt despair and felt unwillingness welled up from the bottom of his heart. ¡®Give me more time! I need more time! Replay! Replay it from the start again!¡¯ While there¡¯s a possibility that he could reenter again after returning to the field of light motes. It was a possibility. Now, with realization that he could unearth what had make him to lose his desire to live. His rational thoughts gone, replaced by a desperate soul shouting in anguish. ¡®NO!!!! It must not Collapse!! NO!!!¡¯ Drunk in sudden rage. Without knowing, his consciousness flared against the mysterious forces that were doing their own procedures. Soma did not know what he did, but he felt his consciousness being stained and slowly being torn. His vision stopped cracking. But it did not recover. The picture continued its show in its distorted form. Ignoring the increasing headache and the dark spots that started to appear in his vision, Soma continued to observe the picture. However, eventually his limit arrives. ¡®Let it go Soma¡¯ ¡®There is still a second chance Soma¡¯ More dark spots filled his vision as his headache slowly recedes, but the picture started cracking again ever slowly collapsing into pieces. ¡®I¡­ Maybe¡­ I was a bit reckless¡¯ Feeling dishearten, he stopped struggling. He knew he had made a mistake by blindly believing that his salvation would be found in this field of light motes. ¡®Whatever the case, I will try to salvage what I can¡¯ Calming down his stirred emotions, his thoughts became organized, but his heart still ache in regret. Lamenting his foolishness, yet he did not will himself to be returned to the field of light motes as he stubbornly continued to watch the ever-fading picture that filled his vision. However, just before that last piece of picture disappeared into its white background, instead of collapsing into pieces, it melted and formed a tiny swirl which slowly expand as a blurry scene started to formed in it. While being numb to various weird things happening, Soma looked at it with a cling of hope. The blurry picture shows a young man with brown hair in white robes, sitting inside of some sort of wooden room. In front of him placed a delicate looking jade cauldron that floated above a weird purple flame that would occasionally morph into a serpent. He then would put in strange looking plants or materials inside the tiny cauldron that strangely wouldn¡¯t filled up. After what seems tens of materials thrown, he put his hands beside the cauldron that glows in soft green light that shroud the cauldron. His brows frowned in concentration as sweat drip from his fore-head. After some time, the green glow receded as a yellowish pill floated out of the cauldron. The young man quickly snatched it into his hand as he closely observes it, then a smile etched upon his face as he stored it into a jade bottle taken out from his robes. ¡­ ¡®Isn¡¯t this some sort of pill refining featured in those Xian Xai novels that I read?¡¯ Soma was dumbfounded. First, by the young man in the white robes as he looked exactly as him when he was in his late teenage years. Secondly, by the clothing the young man wore, location and action of him. From what he remembers, this picture would show his past life. ¡®Wait¡­ could it be showing me a dream that I once have?¡¯ Recollecting his past, when he was around 15 to 18 years old, he had been a fan of Xian Xia novels. Not by its fights between cultivators, not by how mc became a pinnacle existence. By its world building, where people can cultivate to free themselves from the mortal shackles. ¡®I was charmed by it¡¯ At that time, he thought about writing novels as well, however he disliked making plots which then turned him away from the novels. ¡®I used to dream, dream about being free and refining pills¡¯ During that time, he thought how cool and fun it would be to actually be able to refine a pill. ¡®I was passionate about a fantasy¡­¡¯ Soma, felt his heart warmed up. Warmed by the passion that he had once lost. ¡®I wanted to create things, things that is impossible in reality¡¯ ¡®No¡­ It was impossible¡­¡¯ Looking at the fading new picture in his vision, resolution filled his heart. ¡®Why would I need a motive to live in the first place?¡¯ ¡®I will just live a free life, creating pills I desire, awing people with my pills. Living a life of leisure.¡¯ Pill Refining Skill Enlightened Do you wish to learn the Skill? Soma felt ridiculous, once he was searching for a motive to live for not he seemingly become like a kid who is drunk with delusions. ¡®I make a foolish choice to purchase the skill creation, and I know make a foolish choice by learning a questionable skill base on a whim and a passionate feeling?¡¯ Mocking himself, he willed his desire to learn the skill to the interface that appeared in front of his vision. ¡®How long have it been, since I had felt like this?¡¯ Skilled Learned Closing connection Soma thoughts, were interrupted with certain knowledge that streamed into his thoughts. ¡®Pills must have a good shelf life¡¯ ¡®Pills must affect the consumer in one way or another¡¯ ¡®To make a pill, take the mixture of powder and¡­¡¯ At first soma was a bit over whelmed, then felt a bit disappointed by how seems the methods of making a pill. However, he quickly removed his thoughts when he remembered that to refine pills like in those of fictional novels, he will need to have to be able to manipulate energy. Which could only be done when he posses a 1 in his spirit stat point. Also, the fact that skill will level up and show him a much more advance way of making pills after he mastered these simple pill refining methods. ¡®Sigh¡­¡¯ Soma internally sigh in exhaustion as he felt himself returned to the embrace of grey fogs which seems to become much thinner, exposing much of the dark space it hides. ¡®At least I did not have to experience that to return to this place¡¯ With urgency, he quickly willed the interface to buy the Trait: Reincarnated One¡­ Bring his balance down to 520¡­ Since learning the skill, Soma now knows what to buy to reap most benefits for his future in the new world. Basic Alchemy ingredients Catalog: 100 points Basic Herbs and Plants Catalog: 100 points Basic Spiritual Arts of Fae: 50 points Foundational Close combat of Three Treasure Temple: 20 points The first two tomes are bought for the sake assisting his Pill Refining Skill. The third tome was bought so that he could be in touch of the magic of the new world at the same time would help him when he starts to refine pills in a much more advance way. Of course, the final tome is bought so that he could defend himself. After all, possessing combat powers is always a good idea especially when he has no idea about the situation in this new world. ¡®Hmm? Why am I not getting any knowledge?¡¯ Soma was at first confused, but then he thought of something. He quickly willed the interface to show his character sheet. Name: Soma Maltin Race: Human | Class: N/A Level 0 Status Strength: Strength of all Aspects Dexterity: Dexterity of all Aspects Constitute: Constitution of all Aspects Energy: Density and Quality of Energy Spirit: Capability of Spiritual Aspects Traits Skills Tome As he willed to read the first tome, he was greeted with a page made of the same interface describing a mineral called Reki and its properties. ¡®So that¡¯s how it works¡¯ Then to confirm his suspicion, he willed his desired to know what the tome is? Tome: A collection of knowledge that one receives when one advance in class or bestowed upon by other individuals. An individual may create a tome of his own if he posses a class or already posses a tome. ¡®Hun¡­ a personal information storage. But the restrictions on it¡­¡¯ Soma couldn¡¯t help but feel that things are quite complicated in the new world. ¡®Gods and creatures that are similar existence live in that world¡¯ He then thought of the mysterious entity that had ¡®given¡¯ him a second chance. ¡®I hope he did not mark me as a target.¡¯ ¡®Actually, even if he did so I can do nothing about it¡¯ ¡®It might actually be hard to live as I want in this new world...¡¯ With this new information, Soma felt tempted to spend all his remaining points. ¡®No¡­ I shouldn¡¯t spend them all. Especially if my intuition is correct, if I have zero karma, I might a miserable start¡¯ In the first place he did not know why was karma used as a currency. But he do know that it is karma. From various beliefs and mythology, having good karma ensure a better life in his next life and subsequently having bad karma would result in a bad life installed for him in his next life. ¡®Is better to be safe¡¯ With nothing else to do he tried willing the interface that he had finish shopping and he would like to be one his way to the next world. Are you certain that you would like to reincarnate? Soma doesn¡¯t know what will truly happen when all the grey fogs are gone, nor does he want to find out so he will to the interface that he is ready. Reincarnation Initiated He felt his consciousness becoming drowsy and his thoughts slowed. With anticipation, he welcomes the unconsciousness with open world. ¡®My new reality, I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me¡¯